bring himselfe into an hard conceit with him and so hee should neuer after bee able to doe him good by counsell and good instruction exhortation or comfort as the other should stand in need of it And that hope no seruant of God should lose especially the Minister it being so precious a thing to helpe saue a soule to wit to harden the heart of the meanest against him by vnchristian handling of him that he should therefore refuse to take any good by him afterward And yet I do not for all this say that we must tolerate and winke at any in their sinnes and euils In great persons sometimes crueltie and wrong is shrouded vnder the name of policy For when as according to the rule of their master Machiauel they seeke to bring vnder and discredit their corriuals and men of equall worthinesse or it may be better then themselues they practise this principle When he is going downe with him if he rise vp after he be sunke if he be comming vp the hill againe whence he is fallen sinke him againe thrust him backward tread vpon him that hee get vp no more Thus dealt Daniels aduersaries in the Court of Darius Thus dealt the enemies of Dauid in Sauls Court And there be many petie and lower kinds of this iniurie among inferiours as when the heire of the deceased or intestate partie hauing the stroke in his hand defraudeth both mother and brethren of their inheritance and portion dominering ouer them and driuing them to vnequall conditions or else to endlesse and bootlesse suites So the like may be said when men mocke others euen for their affliction which secretly vpbraideth them of it selfe as crookednes blindnes c. of which more God willing shall bee said hereafter in his due place In the meane time let these consider the reward of mocking such in the example of those Bethelites 2. King 2. being but children and of those Philistims how they smarted that made Sampson their may-game and yet but Heathens what shall be the portion of Christians and men of discretion then thinke we The law had dealt seuerely against Iphtah thrusting him out of the publique place of worship But these thought that not enough except they draue him also out of the number of the people of God amōg Meshec and Kedar I meane Infidels Let Dauid speake what a bitter punishment this is who saith to Saul Cursed be they who haue cast me out from the inheritāce of the Lord. To returne therfore woe be to him that curseth the innocent but double woe to him that addeth affliction to the Lords affliction If Ishmael were cursed for mocking Izhak doubly accursed were those Babylonians who seeing Ierusalems ruine cried Downe with it downe with it race it to the ground As hailestones vpon the ripe eares of corne are vnseasonable and as the putting out of that mans eye who hath but one that so he may be vtterly blinde is cruell so is the adding of sorrow to the heauie hearted This caused the Lord to make this law to the Iewes Grieue not the stranger it is enough for him that he is from his place and euen that alone makes him sad in heart Let the rule of the Apostle conclude this Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe remembring thy selfe and doing as thou wouldest haue others do to thee For who seeing his neighbours house on fire in one place wil take some of the brands and set it on fire in other places that it may be quite destroyed Now followeth the third verse wherein wee see that by his brethrens hard dealing with him he was faine to flie whither he could for shelter euen thither among strangers where he might haue miscaried altogether if God had not greatly regarded him Whereby wee may see that the iniurie and oppression of some causeth the innocent to vndergoe much hardnesse A thing that may long enough be complained of before any one of many so offending will amend it Great cries and complaints are heard euery where of the inferiours and vnderlings what wrong and hard measure is offered them by the mightie or such as haue power ouer them as pitilesse Land-lords and such as haue men at aduantage who when they are put to their shifts for money make them take it vp on conditions that vndoe them with such exactions as they were as good flea the skinne from their bodies So vngodly parents who labouring to raise some one of their children and casting off the rest compell them to seeke their fortunes as they prophanely speake and driue them to extremities Also stepfathers and mothers and cruell masters and dames may be reckoned here among many doers of iniury for I can giue but two or three instances among many lest I should bee tedious let the rest in other kinds be considered by these These with cruell dealing as depriuing them of necessaries and laying heauy burthens vpon them cause the poore orphans and vnderlings to runne away as Esau did Iacob and being shiftlesse to starue or miscarrie And euen such is the dealing of the rest who are cruell and void of mercie Let them take warning for if the poore and oppressed crie in the eares of the Lord they shall bee heard and shall pay to the full for the iniury which they haue offered I would be loth to do the least wrong for God will make it come against him that shal be bold thus to prouoke him and grieue his neighbour when it shall sting as a Serpent and be deadly vnwelcome It were a wise part for a man to iudge of his sinne as he iudgeth of the many dangerous effects that follow vpon it But who seeth it an absurd vnseemely thing in the wealthy to play the Lords and controllers ouer the baser and poorer sort Not being content to make them their drudges and slaues to doe their meanest workes but both in word and deed taking liberty to vsurpe ouer them as if they had been only made for them to crow ouer Sometimes rating them with reproches nick-names vpbraiding them by their pouerty which is to despise their maker other whiles making a pray of them and racking them for the poore commodities they buy whereas yet for their worke they will driue them to the lowest wages that may be as hard as times are and all things deare and chargeable which the poore standeth in need But now when the worme troden vpon turneth againe and draweth out the onely weapon it hath the tongue I meane to reuile and raile most disdainefully vpon the rich for their misfortunes and oppression then I say euery wealthy person can say this is odious And so it is indeed but was not their dealing as bad which prouoked them They doe badly but by them God will teach the wealthy how to consider wiselie of the estate of the poore Therefore when men being exasperate turne to shifting euery man can speake
men of them of another people that ioyned with them namely the Perezites which were also of the 7. cursed nations And heere this victorie is briefly set down but the maner how it was gotten is more at large laid forth in the verses following The rest of them seeing their armie was very great it is to be thought fled away out of whom their King was taken and caught By this the Lords keeping of promise with Iudah we see it prooued which was before affirmed that God hauing spoke the word once it is as much as if hee had done the deed his word and deed are both one Which in so great matters especially as he promiseth is worthie to be regarded For we may say now of our selues as the Prophet said of former times Our father 's hoped in him and were not disappointed they put their trust in him and were not confounded This when wee see how hardly it is found in men to keepe their promise and that they cannot bee trusted of their word though they promise yea and bind it with an oath no though they be depended on in waightie cases this I say should make vs to thinke our estate twice happie who may be allowed to rest and put our affiance in God without feare of being disappointed in the greatest matters For if wee can but wait patiently wee may bee sure it shall come to passe which he hath promised yea till heauen and earth perish one iot or tittle of that which he hath spoken shall not faile but be fulfilled What comfort ought this to bring to all beleeuing Christians who haue promises made them by him of temporary deliuerances and benefits and of eternall happinesse Oh what were wanting here if there were faith to beleeue them Besides whereas it is one of the greatest griefes of Gods people to see vile men prosper in their wickednesse and to flourish as the greene bay tree and to haue more pleasure honor and wealth then they could looke for whereby they seeme to men to be here placed in an immortalitie yet seeing it is certaine they shall come to naught and to destruction who abide in that estate for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it what patience and contentment should this bee to the faithfull to remaine constant in their hope and well doing though they haue many discouragements and to wait with patience a little while seeing he that will come will come and not tarrie But this point is often taught therefore it shall suffice to haue said this of it only applie wee this truth to the bad in Gods threatnings as the promise hath been applied to the beleeuers that if he threaten them and they stand it out with him he will surely pay them home as he dealt with Nebuchadnezzar and others Now for Gods deliuering the Canaanites into their hands wee must know that this was done without all iniustice and seuerity which some wil be ready enough to thinke otherwise of though there be no mention here made of their desertes and transgressions but it is manifest in the Scriptures that they were most grieuous And that appeares by the Lords owne words in the booke of Genesis where when hee would shew a reason why hee would hold the posteritie of Abraham so long a season in Egypt before they came into the land of promise he makes it to be this namely for that the sins of the Canaanites were not then come to the ful which time then was not but now was fulfilled and come to passe and therefore they were now iustly punished Abrahams seed being long before this brought out of the Egyptian bondage Now as the sinne of the Canaanites was growne ripe and knowne to God to be come a great height though it be not here set downe yea though it be not manifest to all that read the storie and yet cleare enough as I haue said and therefore they suffered and were punished most iustly so we that heare this must be perswaded that God dealeth most righteously in all his visitations and iudgements though men do not alwaies see the cause Which we haue great need well to learne seeing we are readie with Cain to to charge God with rigour and hard dealing by the smallest occasion when yet we neither haue argument to vphold vs and we might haue learned of Iob that there is no disputing with God and if he gaue vs nothing at all yet he should owe vs nothing we are indebted to him for all that we haue This Dauid confessed when the Lord corrected him and whereas he might haue been thought to haue dealt too hardly with him reproouing him so sharpely and sending so heauie a message to him as he did by the Prophet Nathan yet Dauid himselfe confesseth his fault to haue been so heinous and his sinne so great that God did shew mercie in correcting him rather then seueritie and added this that hee should alwaies be iustified and found righteous howsoeuer men should iudge of him This though men dare not in words denie if they should be asked what their opinion is concerning it yet when God taketh them seuerally in hand and that his rods be vpon themselues rare are they that shall then be of that mind and so confesse to him or before men especially if their afflictions bee long or smarty that yet the Lord is iust his dealings are righteous but rather they crie out impatiently that they are handled as no other men be and that they would they had any other afflictiō vpon thē in stead of that which they suffer And if they be exhorted to patience they ask with the wicked king Iehoram how can they attend on God any longer in their so great calamities whereas he hauing a mercifull respect of vs regardeth what wee are fit to beare and moderateth his chastisements accordingly and promising that he will lay no more on vs then he will make vs able to goe vnder it is most certainly our great sin when we labor not to containe our selues meekly and to see so much amisse as ful easily we may in our euill hearts and liues as that we may say alwaies in his sorest correcting of vs the Lord is righteous and euer to bee praised Secondly this should teach vs not to take part with the wicked in moning and pitying them for that he so pursueth them when wee see the hand of God vpon them but rather iustifie God nay giue thanks vnto him for his iust dealing with them and although we wish their saluation yet wee may reioyce in their punishment euen as mourne for their impunity when they prouoke them Especially if we know them enemies to the Church seeing then we iudge not before the time and wee know it is iust with God to render tribulation to all that haue troubled his but when the estate of the afflicted is vnknowne to vs
sinne betwixt them and the other it is worthy the noting and may bee of singular vse vnto vs. For they did as if they had consented together one to doe as the other did whereas they could yet but heare one of an others doing they did I say euen as the other before mentioned for their ease and quiet make leagues with the Canaanites contrary to that which God commanded them Which sheweth vs that it is the lesse maruell that we see it so in our age and that it hath been so from age to age that there is agreement in finne among all estates yea in the same sinne as if they did mutually resolue to ioyne therein For Paul speaking of grosse sinnes which should raigne in the world in the latter age after Christ tels vs that the times that is the people in the seuerall ages should be tainted therewith And as it was in the daies of Lot so shall it bee in the ages following they did eate and drinke and marrie that is they made them their paradise And as they haue done and liued in former times so they doe and will doe still And as they sought their felicity and hearts desire heere in some transitorie things as in gathering wealth hunting after vaine pleasures and seeking of promotion euen so this doe many at this day who professe the Gospell and yet this is the estate of the ciuiler sort there are greater abominations then these the way of truth they haue not knowne the feare of God hath not been before their eyes but is this done in one place as in another yee will aske as the sinne heere spoken of was alike spread throughout the tribes I answere neuer more then at this day Therefore when the meaner sort receiued not the word with fruit I turned saith the Ppophet Ieremy to the mighty to the learned to the Priest c. as declaring that hee looked to finde it otherwise there but behold all were alike So is it said by our Sauiour as it was in the daies of Noah so shall it bee at the comming of the sonne of man and as he saith in the latter age whereof this in which we liue is a part they did then eat and drink marrie and giue in marriage these were things what they did then most minde and set their hearts on and knew nothing of any danger till the flood came and tooke them all away And what doe men now or haue done in our remembrance in the former daies but euen so and the same things What pleasure haue men saue in eating and drinking and following after their delights and as the tribes did for their ease and pleasure commit sinne euery one his owne way so what doe men but euery one that which doth best serue his owne turne What effectuall and sauing knowledge of God is there to be found saue only heere and therein a few persons and generally the Gospell is a mysterie and the pearle in it is hidden from one as from another though it bee hidden from none but from them that shall perish What excessiue and vnsatiable seeking after the worlds good is there as in other ages what bold prophaning of the Lords Sabbaths when yet he hath plainely charged vs the contrary saying Remember yee keepe them holy And what should I further set downe other agreements betwixt men in their liues and practise whether we compare our daies with the former or in the same daies one man with another And yet one would thinke that the examples of former times should teach the latter wisedome That seeing they who now liue may behold how they haue been taken away and that oft times in the middest of their delights and could keepe themselues from death no more then others therefore it ought worthily to cause them to looke further and to prepare a better and a more enduring inheritance against they must goe hence But to grow to an end seeing it is so that the world is like itselfe and the sinnes of it haue entertainment alike for the most part with one as with another I will shew the cause of it why it is so and teach the vse of it before I end For besides the diuels malice who ruleth alike in the hearts of the children of darknes draweth them to the same euils in the most places besides this I say all men are corrupted in their harts imaginations and desires they all loue euill and loath that which I good Wherby it commeth to passe that the sins that one embraceth an other delighteth in also hauing no ability nor will to resist or turne from them but drinketh them vp as the fish doth water And there is nothing able to make it otherwise but one and that is the grace of regeneration new birth which changeth a man giues him a new hart and will whereby he disliketh the former inclination and disposition that led and caried him amisse before And hereby the deceitfulnesse of his sinfull heart being found out he groweth to be out of loue and liking with the desires which came from it and consequently from the uill words and actions that proceeded from it and both mindeth and doth the contrary things Thus hee is as wee see turned into an other course of life different from the men of the world But because few light on this change and this grace entreth not into many but is resisted rather and that in a deadly manner euen when by sound preaching it is offered vnto them therefore they abide in the same estate wherein they were before so that they are not subiect to the grace that should guide them neither indeed can be Thus it commeth to passe that few being new borne the most agree in the same euill to the which the heart being alike disposed vnto it they are carried And whereas it will perhaps be obiected that the good nature that is in many more then in some others and good education doe put difference betwixt men as well as sanctification and the changing of the nature of man be it knowne vnto them that the best nature is poysoned and enclined to all sinne and hath the seede thereof and the best education being not seasoned with religion can but worke ciuility in a man or at the most restraine him from some outward and open wickednesse it cannot giue him a new heart neither therefore make him a new creature And I conclude with the vse of this doctrine that all such as desire to be better guided then naturall men can be must seriously labour to be acquainted with their hearts searching out by the Law of God the depth of falshood and euill that is in them which is great and much and as they are taught bewaile it as that which bringeth forth fruit vnto death till they obtaine pardon thereof and of their other sinnes with the which grace they receiue will and strength though weakely to
The which declaration of his will by them out of his word from time to time as it highly commendeth his great kindnesse to these to whom he sent those his messengers seeing wee know hee hath not done it at all people in any age so it teacheth vs as others that were before vs it did the like that wee are bound to heare them in all that the Lord shall say to vs by them According to that which our Sauiour himselfe saith He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And so much more wee are to heare them and receiue their message with all readinesse seeing as it hath been glorious in all ages so it is most of all in this latter age wherein is reuealed to vs that all things hath been performed by our Sauiour which appertaine to mans happinesse and which were in ages past onely foretold and therefore they may much more fully and clearely bee made knowne to the hearers now if the messenges who should bring the tidings be faithfull and able to doe their message In which case wee must receiue them as the Lord himselfe and the word which they preach not as the word of man but as it is in deed the word of God that so it may worke in vs effectually as physicke in a corrupt body both to make vs sicke and to recouer and heale vs againe God hauing prouided that in what estate soeuer the people be euery one should receiue his portion by the right diuiding of the word vnto them And the ordinarinesse of their message should not make either their ministery the lesse set by but rather wee should haue them in so much the more estimation and admire therein the vnspeakeable prouidence of God and loue of our Lord Iesus who as hee sendeth vs not to extraordinary meanes so yet he hath promised the ordinary vnto his Church euen to the end of the world as in the Epistle to the Ephesians is to be seene Which being duly considered doth bewray the wofull and lamentable estate of the most hearers though they are in most feareful estate that heare not who euen where the word is preached with power and authority haue it in small account and reuerence And what should the Lord doe more vnto them hauing thus offered his dainties vnto them and yet they are so ful stomacked that they finde no sauour nor pleasure in them They giue themselues leaue so to wallow in their sensualities and to take their fill of earthly delights that they finde no sauour in his heauenly delicates yea and yet some of them are such as heretofore haue heard with ioy yea and a man might haue thought they would haue pluckt out their eyes for them that brought the glad tidings vnto them now are waxen full and count them their enemies for telling them the truth and some thinke themselues within a few weekes able to teach their teachers as other haue turned their zeale into luke-warmenesse their reuerence into contempt conceitednesse worldlines and deprauing of the Scriptures And so like fooles while they loath this wholesome and sweete Manna of the word of life which is the approued truth of God they relish fantasies and haue great taste and delight in dreames and lies in somuch as that if any would faine himselfe to come from the dead and affirme that he brings them newes from thence for any sound knowledge or faith that they haue they are ready to receiue them Oh people infatuated and bewitched as Paul saith to the Galathians seeking as one that runneth vpon a swords point their owne destruction But of these enough THE TENTH SERMON ON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES on the same text vers 1. NOw further let vs marke that the Lord sending his messenger to the people heere did after they had fallen from his couenant that hee made with them to moue them to repentance as in these 3. verses is to be seene And heere let vs marke I say how God is faine to preuent them by this messenger while they lay in their sins before they could accuse themselues and complaine saying once among themselues What haue we done and so to seeke recouery They were fit to be more and more hardened and to runne on still yea to couer their sinnes as Adam and flee from God as Ionas and to sit downe vpon them and hide them as Rahel vpon Labans Idols bet to bethinke themselues what they should do to come out of their sinnes and so to helpe themselues out of danger thereby they were vtterly to seeke and altogether vnfit They may bee likened to Dauid who hauing lien long in two fearefull sinnes was so farre from repenting of them that Nathan was faine to leaue off parables and to speake plainely before he could conceiue him And to Peter who hauing denied his master had no power to rise out of his sinne till the Lord Iesus looked backe vpon him by the which watchword Peter called to minde together with the the cocks crowing the words which Iesus had spoken to him to wit that he should denie him and then he went out and wept bitterly And by this wee may see what a dangerous thing sinne is I meane not onely the committing of it which one would thinke were feareful enough but for that afterward they are not able to rise out of it but lie still in it when yet men thinke they can repent of it at their pleasure and when they list though it trouble the conscience as raw flesh doth the stomacke but they are hardened in it for a time especially soone after the committing of it so that they cannot at all humble their hearts and bewaile their sinne to God And if they come to themselues again after a time yet it is by Gods preuenting of them as I haue said and while he renueth his grace in them as relenting and remorse for it and the renouncing of it and crauing of pardon Thereby indeed they are inabled to repent and so to returne to their former workes But this is not wee see any power in them for they are not able to bring their hearts thereto nor to doe any such thing of themselues And yet I say more that many times when they haue fallen they doe not attaine this grace neither before God brings them to heare by preaching or by affliction calleth them to a deeper consideration or by some such like meanes bringeth their sinne to light and into disgrace with them as to these people hee did heere at Bochim and then it may bee they stay their course and returne But now let this be well weighed herein what a distraction and disquietnesse it hath been to them all this while to lie bound as it were with the chaines of their sins as they haue been that they cannot helpe themselues and to bee so bereaued of the graces of God as
indifferency the Lord I say dealeth not so but offers to them who haue dealt trecherously and broken couenant with them that if they can alleage any sound reason for their doings yea euen from himselfe as that hee hath dealt hardly with them and hath been void of compassion to them hee will heare them and giue them leaue to plead their owne cause Which aduantage hee giuing them he doth stop all mouthes and is iustified himselfe in all his words and workes Which makes greatly for the conuicting of all such as say like them in Ezechiel the Lords waies are vnequall and that he could haue kept them from such falles and dangerous estates thereby as come vpon them Where yet who seeth not that hee hath set double hedge and ditch betwixt them and their sinnes nay rather brazen wals to the end they might not come neere nor commit them Hee hath to speake plainely sent his Prophets among them to forbid and threaten them euen as hee did to Adam if hee should reach out his hand and eate of the forbidden tree Hee allureth and seeketh to win them and perswadeth them to imbrace the good way and not to come neare the way of death and punishment euen as hee seeketh them who are lost but few of them will heare and come so that he may say what shall I doe more for this people yea he may as well say to them as hee did to the people by Hosea the Prophet when he said O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iuda how shall I entreate thee So that if any harden their hearts in such manner to charge God for their sinnes from which yet by no perswasions nor reasons they could bee reclaimed nay for the maintaining wherof they haue shewed themselues rebellious and obstinate know they that while this Scripture and such other shall remaine to witnesse against them they shall neuer bee able to finde the smallest ease by such cauiling whereby they doe but as it were by patching new with old make the rent worse And by this we may see that we were not best to trust to our owne imaginations nor to follow our owne waies neither to deale as Adam to excuse our selues nor to be like to them in the Gospell who when they were bidden to the marriage sent their answere as it pleased them but so as it little became them for thereby wee wade but the deeper into danger and beare away more blowes as it may bee said of them that striue against his chastisements For euery tongue that shal contend with him in iudgement he shall condemne And this we may see if wee list in that fearefull example of him that hid his talent in the earth which he was commanded to put to vse and occupie it Hee thought hee had reason enough to say for his defence that hee knew him to bee an hard man of whom hee receiued it and therefore would be sure to returne him his owne againe But what answere heard he euen this Take the vnprofitable seruant and cast him into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Therefore we see by this as also by our text in that the people had nothing to answere when a reason was demanded of them why they had done so that when men haue followed their owne swinge in sinning as they haue desired they shall neuer bee able to answere any thing in their owne defence soundly nor iustly but to the further encrease of their sinne as I haue said already but shall bee tongue tied wherupon it followeth that which I haue proued that the Lord hath so good right when he dealeth against sinners that entring into iudgement with them hee feareth not to giue them all vantages that they thinke will serue their turnes but in the end they shall see that they do but make themselues thereby the more guilty For by these meanes in giuing this people liberty to answere what they could their sinne was the more aggrauated against them they hauing not so much as any colour to defend themselues And this being so let vs learne hereby not to yeeld onely by silence but to be humbled also and relent and proceed on to true repentance yea let vs beware that wee haue no controuersies with the Lord by being bold to offend and prouoke him thinking though foolishly and falsly to make a good end for be we sure we shall neuer make our part good against him neither let vs sinne in hope for when wee are threatened punishment for the same or when we shall be arraigned we shall easily be found guilty and the Lord shall be iustified and then all our faire shewes must vanish leauing vs in the briers Thus we haue heard the people reproued for their sin now the threatning of the punishment followeth which is sharpe and sore and is set down in three points The first is that God would not expell their enemies as hee had vpon condition promised the second that their remaining still in the land should be as thornes in their sides the third their gods should bee as a snare to catch them in to their destruction And for the first of these punishments namely that God should not expell the Canaanites it is well to bee weighed what he meant by it that wee may the better see what a punishment it was Now his meaning in thus speaking was this for as much as yee haue not stood to your couenant to driue the nations out but haue suffered them to remaine there still neither will I stand to mine which was but conditionally made with you so that wheras I promised to be with you and strengthen you and to expell them for you as I haue begun to doe now I will doe so no more And what will follow of that euen this that if I doe it not you shall not be able to doe it of your selues for ye are too weake as ye haue good proofe And yet if they be not cast out they shall remaine to your destruction This the Lord meant by saying that he would not cast them out This first punishment teacheth vs this that when we remoue not annoiances while we may we shall not be able afterward when we would Now our greatest annoiances are euery mans speciall sinnes euen as this one their breaking off couenant with the Lord was theirs And when wee see some of the speciallest of these our sinnes and what eye sores they be to vs while our hearts goe after them and what trouble and sorrow they bring with them to vs and yet wee cast them not from vs but still retaine them it shall come to passe afterwards that they shall get such strength in vs that we shall not be able to depart and come out from them no not then when wee would For they shall so winde themselues into vs and so draw our delights after them especially through long
a man left WE haue heard in the former verses how both sides Barak I meane and Sisera addressed themselues to battell in these to come more neerely to the intent of this fourth part is shewed whose the victorie was namely Baraks and how verily Debora incouraging and assuring him that euen the same day wherein she spake it should bee obtained and gotten and he beleeuing it went downe with his men of warre few though they were and he meeting Sisera with his bands at mount Tabor no more is said of the matter they were destroyed both charets and horsemen not a man was left but either drowned in the riuer Kishon that was there by or slaine there at mount Tabor or pursued as the charets and horsemen were and so put to the sword and Sisera himselfe was driuen to flie away on his feete but in vaine Oh the wonderfull deliuerance that God gaue vnto his people that day This here set downe is the third speech that Debora vsed to Barak and that at mount Tabor and though the last yet not the least but mightie forceable and in due season For it appeareth by the text that when Barak saw Siseras huge army he was dismaied and therfore sought the fittest place about mount Tabor and the furest to shrowd himselfe in from the violence and rage of Sisera Which fainting of his she perceiuing called him backe and stirred him vp to fight by her words and perswasions saying No power of man how great and fearfull soeuer shall be able to hinder thee from obtaining the victorie which the Lord hath purposed to giue thee this day At which speech of hers hee was animated and tooke heart and went to the battell and as we haue heard preuailed And here is most notably set downe one meanes whereby the power of faith is strengthened and whereby it is wonderfully drawne to contemne and set light by all discouragements and breake thorow them the least whereof without it would bee ready to set a man at his wits end And that was here Deboras heartning perswasion to Barak as Gods voyce to animate him And therefore it much auaileth to heare Gods promises oft times by the publike Ministerie and effectually published and fitly applied vnto vs in the fittest manner that may bee and in sicknesse temptation and other times of fainting when a man is much weakened and dismaied to haue as Barak had here by Debora such forcible and liuely quicknings but best of all if a man be able himselfe to doe that dutie to himselfe and by the prayer of faith to strengthen himselfe in such time of need Oh! there are many ebbings and faintings in our liues euen after good strength and refreshing we haue sometime good patience and hope vnder our crosses but another time wee feare the greatnes of them that they will swallow vs vp especially if they be more then common Againe wee sometime pursue a finne and haue it in the chace and preuaile ouer it which hath sore laid at vs and wound in with vs very farre to draw liking and consent from vs vnto it and sometime it carrieth vs with maine force after it And what is it that hath relieued vs at such times Truly euen this if we haue been able to beleeue that God will strengthen vs against it and that he hath promised so to doe and if also by prayer not fained wee haue set our faith a worke though it hath lien as almost dead before euen thus we grow to weaken the liking of that sinne in vs as for feare of danger or shame of the world they are but dull edged tooles to cut off the head of such a monster And although wee be brought oft times to that point as to doubt yet we should also striue by our faith in our prayers against it and it shall not be in vaine to doe so And the same wee should doe in our feare before affliction commeth and in our heauines for it when it is come For they that know any thing of the estate of a Christian know this that he is many times in great feare of falling into some finne yea and perhaps that which is foule and odious though it be not vsually so Now if we doe not call to minde that God hath promised strength against all such aduersarie power and that by the weapons of our warfare which are not carnall but spirituall wee shall be able to beate downe such strong holds and if with the prayer of faith as need requireth we set not our selues so to doe we shall soone perceiue that we lose ground and grow weake as Barak did for a while who yet was strengthened againe by Debora so that hee did most valiantly afterwards in so much that he was renowned among the Worthies and reported to haue obtained the victorie by faith for at the hearing of Deboras words he went downe from mount Tabor with his men neere to the riuer Kishon against Sisera This of the incouragement by Debora and the fruite of it Barak Now it followeth that the Lord gaue Barak victorie the rare and marueilous victorie ouer his and Gods enemies For the Lord wasted the huge armie of Sisera howbeit by the fighting of Barak and his men against them And such of them as hasted in their flight toward Harosheth of the Gentiles for safetie from whence they came they were ouer taken also and put to the sword so that none escaped And Sisera was driuen so great the slaughter was and the battell so sore to forsake his charet wherein hee rode and to escape on foote if it might be among the common souldiers Now it is to be considered by what meanes this great victorie was gotten tenne thousand vnexperienced souldiers going against so many thousands of horsemen and footmen and yron charets The Lord it is said gaue Barak the victorie which no man doubteth of seeing he is all in all It is an harder question how Barak obtained it of God and that was by faith after that Barak got strength and courage againe by Deboras perswasions she her selfe being constant in faith all the while for then and not before he went down from mount Tabor with his men to meete Sisera being before afraid looking downe from thence vpon the huge armie that he saw This was Barak his armour of proofe to defend him euen his faith And if this cannot bee cleerely enough seene in this storie fetch more cleere proofe of that which I say from another scripture Thus writeth the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes after he had set downe the faith of sundrie persons as Abraham Moses and other he adde to What shall I more say of Gedcon Barak c. who waxed valiant in battell and by faith turned to flight the armies of the aliants And by this wee may see againe the mightie force and power of faith where it is firme and strong what great things it bringeth to passe
of the Apostle In all things be thankfull for as Gods mercies are renued euery morning so good reason that our thankes should be also And as it is acceptable to God so it is no small benefit that redoundeth thereby to our selues for it drieth vp the bitternes that is readie to rise vp in vs by occasion of Gods afflicting vs and crucifieth and scattereth such like poysons as lie lurking in our hearts thankfulnesse I say chaseth them away and suffereth them to haue no place there Indeede it is proper to Gods people to offer to him this dutie euen as it is said in Sion is God praised the hypocrites as the Pharisie who glosingly vttered these words Lord I thanke thee that I am not as other men they cannot praise him but the consent of mindes and hearts sanctified as the sweete harmonie in musicke this onely can doe it and teach others the skill to doe it also As therefore the thankes of most men wanting the feeling of Gods loue and blessings is meere dissimulation and taking Gods name in vaine so it is much to be lamented that the better sort whom it would become so well stirre themselues vp so little and slowly hereto For thanksgiuing as confession and supplication should be seasoned and accompanied with feruencie as a companion which amplifieth and as Debora here did makes songs of the blessings which others passe ouer in silence besides the affection it selfe which is inlarged in a more then common manner especially being quickned as she here was by some new or rare testimonie of Gods loue either bodily or spirituall mercies or deliuerances from euill of both sorts But here we may say Plenty makes vs barren for though we haue so much cause of thankes that we can looke on no side but wee may see many in so much as we be bound to shew it in things yet most men know neither how to begin nor to make an end The daily benefit of health recouerie out of diseases protection from dangerous casualties peace of land and peace in familie posteritie thriuing in the world credit our haruests and commodities nay our Sabbath and Communion in the Gospell and the fruites of it who may it be thought makes his daily song of these adding hereto personall benefits which euery one receiueth in his owne person Many mens prayers consist of suite and request making to God without any thankes either adioyned or following as in the nine lepers is to be seene others giue thankes in words but they want wings to lift them vp to heauen I meane faith feruencie and loue And the best thinke it enough to mumble a little inward thankes and that sometimes for some blessings but who is the man of many that makes his thankes breake out into songs Songs are more then common praises Christians should haue two bookes in the one to record their faults and falles in the other to register Gods benefits both should serue to set them a worke in confession and thankes For thankes neuer goe alone without other graces A thankfull heart is patient also humble faithfull conscionable dutifull by thanksgiuing we quicken vp our faith zeale feare of God and renue our couenants daily for how can wee dishonour him when we professe our selues to be infinitly beholding to This besides that it iustleth out iangling contention and ill spending the time so it drieth vp the froth of our euill hearts fretting discontentment impatience hardnesse of heart and all of the same kinde as I haue said In a word he that praiseth God aright worships him aright as we see in the Psalme and so to say much in one word he that is thankfull is a good Christian Oh then let vs looke better to this and make amends for our arrearages herein For hee that lookes wee should bee thankfull for affliction as that holy man Iob was much more a man would thinke lookes that it should be so for blessings which most iustly by many degrees do more chalenge it Let euery one that of the Israel of God say The mercies of the Lord continue for euer Let it not seeme tedious to recount old mercies both the greatest of redemption and the lesser of preseruation yea helpe we our selues forward mutually as Barak and Debora here did sing in consort Doubtlesse an vnthankfull life is a sottish hellish life ouergrowne with all that naught is and therefore lothsome to a Christian He that saith I would I could doe euery duty as well as this of thankes is a foole not knowing what he saith he prates like a Parrot Thankfulnesse is not without godlinesse But I cannot well proceed further as this time THE THIRTIETH SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard largely of thankesgiuing in the former sermon with the causes manner and necessity thereof now beside the action of thankesgiuing which I haue spoken of the circumstance of time is also to bee marked that is to say that they did it the same day for so it is set downe in the holy story then sang Debora and Barak the same day This teacheth vs not to make delay in any good thing but vse the opportunity in due season and so for this duty of giuing thankes And while the occasion offered of so doing is fresh and in remembrance the mind feedeth the affection with more plentifull matter that it may be stirred vp more feruently to performe that dutie whereas in time things grow stale and are forgotten yea and that quickly so that wee had need to take the vantage against our bad memories and blockish hearts by such meanes And although ordinarily we should performe this dutie three times a day in solemne manner namely in the morning euening and at noone tide yet otherwise beside that as God shall giue vs occasion by more then common benefits and deliuerances we should prouoke our selues hereunto and namely as Saint Iames saith when one is merrie or disposed to ioy let him not suffer that affection to vanish but expresse and vtter it to God in singing praises And so afterward we ought to continue the memory of his infinite mercies throughout our whole life and to this end write them we that can that whereas they grow to a multitude in time and all cannot alwaies be remembred as were to bee wished in some sort yet at least wise when wee reade them ouer wee may readily renue as we shall see cause our thankes to God for them But great is mens blockishnesse as I haue said and endlesse wandring by swarmes of cogitations after other things which hinder this wherby they see not cause hereof and when they doe yet their slothfulnesse is such that they delay and deferre to pay this due to God till their appetite be gone and afterward lets and hinderances comming in the way breake it off so that they cannot performe it And this be said of thankes In the second
they had not been at all When Achan had troubled Israel by taking the execrable thing the Lord tels Ioshua that therefore they could not stand before their enemies How much more if they themselues had sinned Oh mens sinnes turneth plenty into want courage into timerousnesse and fainting of heart and light into darkenesse and all out of kind Behold what it did in Ieroboam when hee stretched out his arme against the Prophet of God for reprouing him for his idolatry at Bethel his arme was immediately withered and dried vp that he could not draw it in againe So Gehazi when he had taken most wickedly both money and raiment of Naaman the Syrian pretending his masters sending him for it and after his returne had answered his master Elisha with a lie maruellous it is to say and against nature and any sound reason in mans iudgement what came vpon him euen a leprosie forthwith so that he went out a leaper as white as snow And the band of Priests Iewes and souldiers that came into the garden to apprehend and take our Sauiour Christ so boldly and trecherously yet suddenly they went backe like drunken men and fell to the ground astonished and vnfitted vtterly for such a purpose as to lay hold of him and that at one word spoken by our Sauiour and yet not in terrifying manner as he might haue done saying he was the man whom they sought So that in seeking him they were both lusty and ready to lay hold of him yet when they had found him they could doe nothing to him for their sinne had taken their power and ability from them For who is able to reckon vp how many waies God hath to visit astonish and terrifie men for their sinne Therefore among other punishments in Deuteronomy threatened this is one a trembling heart a sorrowfull mind and feare both day and night And if the Lord should not handle some thus other would not bee afraid but would abuse his Maiesty yea and faithfull people also much more grosly would tempt God then now they dare doe though euen now many doe it too boldly when they forget themselues But Hypocrites goe verie farre in sinning boldly as other doe who are like them therefore many are apalled among vs some hauing their wit and reason taken from them some become foolish some madde men other against nature laying violent hands vpon themselues their seuerall sinnes doe though no reason of man seeth it doe I say driue them to it This is another fruit to be ioyned to the former which sinne bringeth forth True it is indeed the Lord dealeth not thus in kind with all sinners nay wee see how impudent and brasen faced most bee in their leaud courses and set vp their bustles against the ordinance of God But though their foreheads bee of brasse yet their hearts be glassie their consciences if they would yeeld are as water powred forth they haue not the true Lion like courage and boldnesse which in their iollity they would haue all thinke that they haue but sin hath infeebled them they cannot abide the force and sting of their conscience but fall downe coward-like when it smiteth them neither can their sinne abide the hand of God which as it is euer readie to be reached foorth against them so when it is so indeed they are soone dismaied as Nabal was when he heard he should dye True it is they set a good face vpon the matter openly bragging and bracing as I haue said but when their conscience and they goe to it hand to hand as it doth but seldome then in their necessitie it is with them as if an armed man were vpon them their white liuerd hearts doe vtterly faile them And yet where is he that by such checkes of the word and his conscience and the feare of many arrestings of him from God doth once complaine and crie out of his estate and so seekes strength and recouerie out of it by faith peace and confidence with the true detestation of his sin which like a Witch so inchaunteth and disableth him of all courage and boldnesse and turnes him into a very coward and weakling Now in that men doe not perceiue this as they might easily do their blindfolding of themselues and hardning of their hearts is the cause thereof Now Debora turneth her selfe to diuers kinds of men and distinguisheth them one from another exhorting them all as she her selfe did to praise and magnifie God This I will lay open more plainly it being somewhat hard otherwise for some readers to vnderstand and discerne the same And first in this verse she beginneth with the chiefe of the armies and those that offered themselues willingly to the battell In the next verse she speaketh to the rich Merchants that rode on costly beasts that were as hee calleth them white Asses and such as sat in iudgement And thirdly in this same verse also she speaketh to all meaner persons that trauailed on foote seeing there was now libertie for them to passe to and fro in the high waies she moueth these I say to magnifie God Euen all sorts of people who went out and in by the gates of the citie for their businesse profit pleasure or any other necessarie vse In the second verse she nameth the very boyes and girles who could not safely goe out to draw water without danger of the archers who lay in waite secretly to shoote at them and so put them in perill and ieopardie of their liues or to be sore wounded these might now she saith fetch their water without feare of hurt Then she calleth to them who dwelt in villages and vnwalled townes their danger hauing been very great so as they were driuen away from their houses telling them that they might now returne home againe and dwel in them quietly as in times past and last of all she speakes to those who were wont to meete in the gates of the citie that is in the open places for iudgement All these she moues to praise the Lord for that he had now by that one deliuerance and victorie set them all at libertie and in peace Now to make our profit of these verses and more particularly to examine them and to begin with the ninth whereas she saith in this verse that her heart was set on the gouernours of Israel or which is all one her heart was toward them to prouoke them meaning the cause was so great why they should praise God that she could not chuse but speake to them as if she should say she desired most earnestly that the chiefe of the armie and the gouernours and captaines thereof and great men should praise God the reason was because they with her and Barak were the chiefe in that businesse and they going before them the other should the easiler be drawne by their example to follow And it liuely teacheth and setteth before the chief doers in such martiall affaires also the
wisedom by this in the vse of example of other men that by their sides we strike not through the Lord by our vnthankfulnes Salomon saith Say not that their daies past are better then the present this is follie Oh say men In the daies of our forefathers what plentie what seasonable times what happie liuing there was Why so And yet if it had been so they wanted many things of more precious nature which we enioy and had their part in all our crosses too famines yet the people were but a few pestilence sword and warre especially also ill seasons of droughts and wet vnlesse their murmuring be against God for multiplying mankinde what cause haue they else to open their mouthes and complaine But our vnthankfulnes for that wee enioy causeth vs to be discontented in our selues for that we want and to grudge against God for partialitie whereas if we compared things equally we had ten times more cause of preferring the present condition taking it with all hardnesse as it is not to be denied but there is much And so oft times doe the poore grudge against the wealthy or rather against the Lord who made both as Salomon saith One repines that hee is rather a tenant then a landlord an vnderling rather then a commander a deformed person meanly accounted of behind hand diseased rather then as such or such wealthie men great personable honourable before hand healthfull Consider as wel their wants as their endowments their grace as their other parts the vse they make and the account they must make of them their troubles also which accompanie them as well as their gifts and blessings and so doing thou shalt see if not thy selfe equall for God is the author of such inequalitie and that in great wisedome yet at least not so much inferiour to bee sure to haue cause to be more thankfull But this lastly is not to be omitted that Gedeon asking for the miracles which their fathers told them of doth shew that their fathers had according to the commandement of God declared to their children the wonderous workes that he had done for them and it seemeth also that he had learned by them to know and beleeue them So must parents and children doe the one should be able to tell as we see in the Psalme and the other to hearken to the great workes of God and not to fables neither should tales of vaine things be told as of Robinhood nor the dregges and fragments of popery and filthie reports of lewd actions to corrupt their children as too many parents doe and hurt them as much this way as any other who yet are not a few but they should cause them to drinke in the water of life by good instructions And if parents pleade their owne inabilitie hereto let them know that the Ministery of the word is a special meane to supply that want let them be diligent hearers themselues and tell the same foorth to other and stirre vp their children to doe so that so by liniall descent the knowledge and feare of God may be deriued to their posteritie that the Lord and his goodnesse to them may be had in perpetuall remembrance And let their children see that they minde Gods matters with no lesse cheerefulnes and regard then they haue done their worldly affaires and to this let their parents traine them for else they will see light at a creuise and wee know it quickly pricks that will be a thorne As they be framed vp and manured at first so their soile will after either beare thornes and briars or good fruites THE THIRTIE NINE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw followeth the third point in the diuision of these sixe verses and that is the words of the Angell to Gedeons sorrowfull answere thus Whereas thou saist that God shewed his power to your fathers in deliuering them by miracles go thou armed by him with the like power and thereby deliuer thou Israel out of the hands of the Midianites and thereby thou shalt know that God is as able to doe great things now as well as before yea and that he doth in like maner for his people euen now as he did in ages past And to make his words of more authoritie with him he addeth this interrogation Haue not I sent thee And we must know that the calling of the Iudges is so diligently described that we may vnderstand that priuate men were not able to take in hand such great workes without authoritie from God as to gather armies and to take vp weapons against the mightie it was a matter of great difficultie and danger and therefore God authorized them as here he did Gedeon and so hee did others that they giuing credit thereto might be heartned and therefore he saith haue not I sent thee And to returne to Gedeon thus the Angel proued that God was with him if he made him able to deliuer Israel which to doe was no lesse then to worke a miracle By this we all that feare God are taught that the times are not so hard no not when we are in affliction as we take them to be For either helpe is neerer to vs then we are aware as it was here with Gedeon or we make our trouble seeme greater then it is in it selfe by aggrauating it when yet wee might see that it either is not so great as it seemes or might be many waies greater or we haue greater comforts elsewhere which were able to asswage our sorrowes if wee did not ouerwhelme our hearts with immoderate heauinesse which driueth away all comfort from vs. And therefore when wee are sad and heauy through wants and crosses this lesson should be well learned before of vs that for all this the Lord is with vs and he is good to vs for euen so haue other our good fathers been before vs perswaded in their afflictions and though they haue now an end of all such languishing feares dolefull doubts and troublesome thoughts yet in their time they had their part in them as we still haue and we shall haue an end of them and rest from them as they now doe There hath no temptations taken vs but such as appertaine to man and God is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that wee may be able to beare it And therfore as our Sauiour said to his Apostles when their hearts were troubled beyond measure for his bodily departing from them Let not your hearts be troubled beleeue in God and beleeue in me that I can helpe you still and will be with you so should wee doe that is not looke with both eyes vpon our afflictions but with one eye vpon his constant loue and assured promises yea and settle our hope therein more throughly by saying as God commandeth hath not he bidden vs doe so euen as
wel all that they haue said but I will not take their word and why Oh there is no such heart in them saith he as their tongue would seeme to import For euen as a leaud houswife who is runne away from her husband or any ill debter who is fled for debt if they be taken and terrified with the law they will not sticke to say and sweare to any conditions which are offered them so that the present danger and shame may be remitted whereas yet they are as treacherous and loose afterward as euer before as the issue prooues in theeues and other malefactors euen so when vile persons are vnder Gods punishments from whom they see there is no breaking away by strong hand what will they not say in accusing and condemning themselues Nay who can shame them as they will themselues for their sinnes or who can so denounce and pleade against them as themselues What will they not promise vpon condition of release from the present woe they are in And yet when these men come to the triall they flie touch and recoile againe as if there were no witnesse to conuince them and as if all they said had been spoken in a trance Oh therefore those forced exclamations and complaints which either for horror and feare a grieued soule maketh or which a body pinched and in distresse compell a man vnto how may they be taken for approoued testimonies of repentance either by themselues or by other Yea such as know they haue often abused the Lord thus as if they had him at command to order him as they list vpon each flattering promise whereas it is his wonderfull mercy that hee will forbare them and offer them meanes of searching themselues better let them repent therefore of this playing wily beguily with God Oh how should this terrifie them and scare them that the Lord still counts them but hollow persons rotten at the heart and false in their couenant and therefore that hee will at one time or other reckon with them for all their villany and hypocrisie which they durst couer vnder the vizard speeches of humblenes and truth As for vs who haue learned and practised better let vs beware that as Paul bids Timothy not to lay hands suddenly vpon any so that we doe not lightly iudge well or commend the estate of any man vpon so slender euidence let his constancie speake for him time the mother of truth shall prooue him in the meane season lift not thou such an one vp to the third heauen in one moode when in another thou shalt bee vrged to condemne to the nethermost hell but be sober and leaue him to God to whom as to his master who knowes him he standeth or falleth More particularly in these two verses he telles them what deliuerances he had wrought for them bringing his benefits to their remembrance to prick their consciences And therefore to speake the truth what incouragement could they haue in comming to God in their need for helpe whom they had dealt so treacherously with before especially they hauing no testimonie that they came in remorse and shame for their former reuolts and with firme and resolute perswasion both that God would pardon them and that themselues would no more fal from him So how can any of vs in our need doe as they did but we must looke for the like answer from him And so we haue though not by voice from heauen yet by the fearefull accusation of our consciences and by his word in canonicall Scripture And as for men that haue bin so dealt with by any neighbours yea though it be but once if they haue been beneficiall to them they wil soone shew them their minds that is how greatly they detest such vnthankfulnesse and falsehood But how we should be moued by the hearing of Gods benefits brought to our remembrance and of such like matter I haue spoken largely in the second Chapter vers 1. 2. 3. This speech of the Lord namely I will deliuer you no more because afterwards he did deliuer them giuing occasion of some doubt and difficulty is to be considered of vs accordingly I meane with more regard His meaning is this Yee O people vnworthy to be beloued haue abused my facilitie and gentlenesse and you seeing me easily entreated heretofore to helpe you plied mee with your cries and complaints till yee had gotten that yee would haue euen deliuerance from your enemies naming many sorts vnto them But when yee got once elbow roome saith the Lord whereas I looked to haue been the God of your worship and seruice aswell as of your saluation ye turned your backs vpon me and rebelled against me If this bee the fruit of my loue and tendernesse that I must haue the worke to deliuer you but euery stocke and stone euery Idoll of Ammon Moab c. go away with the thanks and reuerence and get all the obedience and worship from me I will helpe you no more except I see better fruit come of it and otherwise I haue done with you goe seeke to them whom yee serue for succour and reliefe So then we see this refusall is conditionall and is applied to them for their former idolatry and their present vnsound dealing and reacheth onely to the present time though they cried vnto him as if he had said At this time in the case you are in I will not deliuer you I will not helpe you as fast as you complaine but when I shall see it meete that is when I shall see your repentance sound then I will giue you another answer So that it is manifest I say that he speaketh but conditionally and thus we must vnderstand it for otherwise they not hauing committed the vnpardonable sin this speech should haue been contrarily â—â— other Scripture Where the thing which is to be noted is this that God after the manner of men sheweth his fearefull speeches as hee did heere that he is offended with vs and for the same cause doth oft afflict vs to the end he may make vs search out see and feele some special sinnes they are fore and grieuous in his sight and yet of vs nothing or little regarded By this meanes therefore he bringeth vs to such a sense of them that we are not able to looke vp but our hart to the iudgement of flesh doth faint within vs as may bee seene in these heere This Dauid felt when he said Innumerable troubles haue compassed me my sinnes haue taken such hold of me that I am not able to looke vp they are more in number then the haires of mine head therefore mine heart faileth me So in another Psalme we may see the like This doe mens sinnes bring them to when God citeth them and seeth it expedient to awake them though he doe not this often especially to the reprobate and yet with slender or rather no vse nor benefit to them when he doth it they haue
of God to their owne hurt For seeing God by this holding off and forbearing of trials which wee could not beare doth require both exceeding thanks vpon serious recording of this manner of his dealing with vs from time to time as also a growing daily in strength to suffer greater troubles hereafter a grace not common how grossely do they inuert and abuse this purpose of God who make no other vse of his sparing and dandling them in the lap and armes but to weare out the feare or expectation of affliction altogether whereby the longer they are free the weaker they are to suffer What difference in this point will ye make betwixt these and such as to whom affliction is euer vnwelcome and intolerable I meane the vngodly Let all Christians beware therefore of this softnesse and tendernesse Furthermore we haue heard in the seuenth eighth verse that the Philistims and the Ammonites sore vexed Israel eighteene yeeres and in all that time they neuer durst take vp weapon against them vntill they repented but then they began with good courage to resist them and assembled themselues against them By the which it may be noted what liberty and courage true repentance bringeth with it The reason is this when men in their conscience see that they haue dealt trecherously with God and haue nourished and followed the desires of their owne hearts contrary to that they knew they should haue done they haue no hope in him at such times neither feele any heart or strength in themselues to deale against their enemies either ghostly or bodily This is that plague that God threatneth in Leuiticus that his people should not be able to stand before their enemies if they sinned against him and in the fifth Chapter of this booke it is said when Israel had prouoked the Lord there was no heart in them to stand against those that held them in bondage So that wee see how sinne disguiseth men and how preposterously it causeth things to goe with them when they are inchanted and carried away with the allurements and pleasures of it Which prooueth the contrary to be true to wit that the seruice of God is perfit freedome and that it is faith and godlinesse which onely giue courage and boldnesse as to a Lyon by well doing And seeing it cannot be denied that no bondage is like this to be bondmen to our lusts let all looke to receiue from God both reward and punishment in this life and hereafter accordingly as in their liues they haue sought either of both See Iudges 5. 8. and the notes vpon it This order that the people tooke for the choosing of their Gouernour was by the Lords direction as we may after see by his confirming it in sending his spirit vpon Iphtah He did it as by an outward incouragement to stirre them vp to fight against their enemies Euen as he did the like by Caleb who incouraged the people by the like meanes in such a like case saying in a difficultie of winning a Citie Hee that taketh it to him will I giue Achsah my daughter to wife which though the people ought to haue done I meane to fight against Gods enemies for his commandements sake onely yet they had neede of spurres and were the better drawne on by such incouragements Euen as Magistrates and Ministers owe duty of conscience to God in their place to beate downe sinne and aduance the Gospell but yet they are the better heartned thereto when both sorts are incouraged by the high Magistrate and the Minister beside by the readinesse of the people to their dutie And so euery other in his place shall be better set forward in well doing by temporary incouragements though Gods commandement be the strongest motiue So husbands and wiues should liue kindly together by bond and promise each to other for conscience sake but yet they doe this much better when each respecteth the other by yeelding mutually that which they owe each â—â— other THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE Booke of Iudges Vers 1. Then Gilead begat Iphtah and Iphtah the Gileadite was a valiant man but the sonne of an harlot 2. And Gileads wife bare him sonnes and when the womans children were come to age they thrust out Iphtah and said to him Thou shalt not inherit in our fathers house for thou art the sonne of a strange woman 3. Then Iphtah fled from his brethren and dwelt in the land of Tob and there gathered to Iphtah idle fellowes and went out with him IN this Chapter the person is mentioned who should goe before the people of Israel in the warre against Ammon And the summe of this Chapter with the parts which are foure is here further set downe to be this First the calling of Iphtah is mentioned vnto the 12. verse The second part is how he seekes to appease the Ammonits by messengers moouing them by reasons to desist from warre but all in vaine to vers 29. The third part containeth the ouerthrow of the Ammonites by Iphtah to vers 36. The fourth sheweth what fell out after and particularly how hee performed his vow which he had made to God if he might get the victory in vers 32. and this is to the end of the Chapter Now to come to the first part before Iphtah became their Guide and Captaine it is shewed how vnlikely it was that he should be so therefore he is described in the first verse to haue been the sonne of an harlot who ordinarily might be admitted to no such place In the second and third verse it is shewed how his brethren did therefore whether through pride and scorne or emulation or both expell him out of their fathers house so that he was faine to flie into another land and somuch the more hee was vnlike to be gouernour And yet God so brought it to passe by his prouidence that the Princes of Gilead euen such as had driuen him away were constrained to send for him againe euen him among all other whom they had banished from their fellowship to bee their guide according to their decree made in the former Chapter to wit seeing he had of all other begun warre with the Ammonites and so vpon agreement betwixt him and them hee yeelded to them and the Lord ouer-ruling the action he was elected Iudge ouer them and this to the 12. verse Now of these more particularly as they lie in order And first how he is described namely in these two points One that hee was the son of an harlot being the sonne of Gilead the other that he was yet a valiant man and of great courage and fit for warre So that by the first he was basely accounted of as he was base borne by the last he came to good estimation and credit among men as he well deserued For the first whereas Gilead the father of Iphtah tooke to him an harlot beside his lawfull wife we see he did not obey the
kept their hearts pure and good But further heere let vs note that our sinnes doe not onely keepe many benefits from vs but also bring many iudgements as shame pouerty sorrow bondage prison and any other misery vpon vs and beside them all they do quench the graces of God in vs as faith hope a good conscience the feare of God and the rest which men make little matter of because they see they are in little account and price in the world But to be short he that hasteth after his wicked hearts desire and will giue himselfe liberty any way which he knowes God doth not allow him though it bee not altogether so grosse and shamefull as Samsons sinne was he hasteth his owne misery as in time appeareth to himselfe and is alwaies to be seene of him that will obserue and consider it Samson was deepely drunken and therefore his vomit was the stronger One or two ierkes makes a sturdy body but to dance but when hee is stung to the quicke his stout stomacke comes downe because he sees no remedie The hardened heart cannot repent neither without this violence will it be meekned A subtil traitor Iesuite or other at first examination is as farre off as the Moone and will bee knowne of nothing but being held well to the racke hee will confesse all If there bee so much good to be done by seuerity God will vse it rather then faile of his purpose Let it teach men to try God no further then they thinke themselues well able to stand out in it and to beare his angry countenance and if by venturing too far they finde their opinion of Gods lenity confuted and themselues loden with sorrow let them rather vse the same to meeken their hearts then to cry out of their misery For great trouble commonly argueth strong rebellion and long trouble an hard heart It is a singular mercy of God to haue it tamed by the continuance of the punishment but small cause of reioycing to haue it remoued and the heart left in obstinacie The more we hasten this cure the shorter shall be our sorrow for God delights not to punish long and much together But to returne Samson be it granted that Samson needed whipping Must it therefore needs bee with a whip of so many strings and were there none meete to see execution done but they that had no measure who as the Prophet complained of the Edomites aimed at nothing lesse then the punishing of his sinne but wholly at the satisfying of their reuenge Did God bring vpon Samson the personall hatred of the Philistims for the publike good and his honour in doing his owne worke vpon the enemies of the Church and now is hee made a prey to their teeth and an obiect of their furie Oh! consider thou that obiectest while Samson simply went about God his worke God bound himselfe to shelter him from his enemies to the which end hee furnished him with extraordinary strength so it was literally verified in him One shall chase a thousand God stood to the making good of all harmes that could befall him in his owne quarrell and else Samson might iustly haue complained But hee would haue his owne worke goe forward and Gods too he had other businesse that required hotter pursuit then his masters euen wicked and leaud businesse which crossed the other and therein hee was his owne man and not Gods seruant looke what charges or damages befel him in that imployment he was himselfe to defray and stand to And so we see that as he vsed not his gift but abused it to his owne lust so God bereaued him of it and sent him among other masters to pay him his wages for his owne worke For this God tooke himselfe highly wronged and therefore hee takes Samson in hand to purpose making his worst foes the arbiters I denie not but euen herein he shewed him fauour but I speake of his physicke which procured his recouerie And if wee thinke that God is fittest to minister that which is fittest for quality let vs ascribe this to him also that can do it as wel in the quantity as he listeth In bodily diseases this is in the second place one chiefe thing for the same measure workes not vpon all The tenth of this would haue killed Peter yet lesse then this would not haue stirred Samson He had returned to his filthinesse without doubt if the restraint had not been so forcible God is mercifull and delights not in extremitie but he is iust and cannot be faced out with boldnes Now in that Samson was thus led away in paine to such base worke in so reprochfull a manner we see that withall this he was constrained to leaue and goe from his louer also to whom he was so neerely knit and for whose sake hee suffered all this woe and much more which how sore and hard it was to beare who doth not see All which hee might haue been free from and haue continued in the happie estate wherein he was before if he could but haue shaken her off and alienated his mind from her and yet now must leaue her whether he would or no and who seeth not what cause hee had and what faire warnings so to doe before Euen so obserue wee that if no perswasions will serue to draw vs from some speciall sin whether this which Samson was deluded with or any other yet that God knoweth waies enough to scare vs from it and this one among the rest that as he was wee shall be plucked from it by violence though we would not and that also as he was with shame and sorrow our bellies full and shall wish too late that we had been wiser in time So saith Salomon There was a young man among the fooles destitute of vnderstanding going toward the house of an harlot in the euening when the night began to be darke who with her subtiltie inticed him and he followed her straight waies as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole to the stocks for correction till a dart strooke thorow his liuer as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that she is in danger And this is the best end that commeth of following our wicked hearts desire to the committing of sin whē by no meanes we can be reclaimed frō it And it is a great matter worth the marking which I say that when the Lord puls not the vngodly from their filthie pleasure wherein they liued and doth not restraine them it is the immediate forerunner of their finall woe But when he plucks the godly from those baites by which they are allured and indangered he dealeth kindly with them recalling them from woe to repentance and the enioying of many good things For he is wont to deny that in fauour to his children which he granteth to the wicked in wrath One point hereof we see in those two who died one death both bodily and
And he had a house of gods and made with the rest of the money all garments and ornaments fit for a Priest signified by the Ephod the vpper garment of the Priest which was the chiefe and when all other things fit for Idolatrie were prouided then he brought the Images which are here called Teraphim into the house of his gods as he called them and made his sonne his Priest And whereas it might be said Was all this abomination done in Israel how could that be It is answered in the sixth verse as the reason of all there was then no ordinary Magistrate in the land to see good order and put downe the contrary and that was the cause Whereas she had dedicated the money to the Lord all that heare what she said would thinke her meaning was that she had vowed it to the vse of the Tabernacle and seruice of God which had been commendable in her but she did so dedicate it to the making of an Image not to the intent to worship false gods but the true God euen Iehouah though in an vnlawfull manner Whereby wee see two kindes of Idolatrie haue been and are practised in the world one when a strange god is worshipped or made for that end another when the true God is worshipped therein but not in such manner as hee hath commanded but by and in Images or some other way that men haue inuented and of this second kinde was this womans sinne So when an Image is made by any set vp to bring God to remembrance we must vnderstand that although they doe it of deuotion intending no other thing then to worshippe him thereby yet all such doing of theirs is but meere ignorance and superstition and that which God doth vtterly abhorre Such as that was of the children of Israels deuising in making a Calfe to worshippe mentioned in Exodus and such as now is practised in Poperie who professe when an Image is set vp before them they pray not to it but to God whether it bee the Crucifix or the picture of the Virgin Mary as they call it or any other neither worship they it if ye will beleeue them they say but they doe so to put them in minde of their Sauiour which is little better But whatsoeuer they meane or intend in such their doings their worke is accepted of God euen as this womans was and that is that he taketh and counteth it for Idolatrie But let vs all as well as Idolaters beware that we offer not to God any seruice or sacrifice whereby we should but mocke him as Micahs mother did Whether it bee will-worship which he neuer allowed or done in hypocrisie which he detesteth as well as Idolatrie most of all condemned but let vs alwaies be guided by his word in the worship which we offer him As she had dedicated the whole summe of the money to the Lord which she tooke againe of her sonne so accordingly she put to the founder a part of it to make a molten Image and the rest of the eleuen hundred shekels she gaue backe to her sonne for the like vse to wit for the maintenance of his Idolatrie The which doing of hers seeing she was so franke in bestowing and yet reaped no fruite of all her cost doth giue iust cause of wondring and lamenting that such Idolaters as they were and as they of our time be can so readily lash out their money vpon that for which they shall neuer be the better for in vaine doe all such worship God and yet many of vs are so slow and backward to lay out our money that may bee well spared to comfort the hearts of Gods people and to other good vses when wee yet may reape and enioy most certaine yea and that vnspeakable fruite thereof I meane when we beleeuing that we are beloued of God do shew this fruit of our loue and thankfull heart to him againe that wee maintaine his true worship with our goods and also pitie and incourage the true worshippers of him I meane his poore members as he requireth of which poore sort he might haue made our selues to be But oh it grieueth me to speake it that for such good vses to wit for the refreshing of Gods poore Saints and the furthering of the true preaching of the Gospel men haue so small deuotion that they thinke all too much that is bestowed that way But they shall receiue their reward accordingly though they hold the truth in the letter as long as they serue God negligently and pinchingly whereas we haue learned of our Sauiour that his heauenly father is not honoured of vs neither then shall we of him be except we bring foorth much fruite And because in the entrance vpon this chapter I referred the reader to this place as a fit occasion of vrging so important a dutie therfore I will here adde somwhat to the former This I say therefore there is not that lauish expence and needlesse lashing out of mens money in some kinds through the land God be thanked which hath been I meane in bestowing much meate drinke vpon idle ones and gamesters and rogues but wherfore is it spared which was wont to bee ill spent To clothe the poore naked members of Christ thinke we or to feed their hungrie bellies to relieue either poore students in the Vniuersitie or Christian poore and distressed ones in the countrey or any other good way This were a good change indeed and a wise frugalitie to spare from the wicked and vile vses to the making of friends that may receiue men into eternall habitations No no but the Popish rout spareth for the maintenance of fugitiue Iesuites and Seminaries and the vpholding of the Popes kingdome the other that they may the better defray the great charge which the seruice of their lusts puts them to I meane pride of life the lust of the couetous heart and vncleane eye all which neuer so swarmed in this land as at this day and yet neuer so great and generall complaints and penurie nor so many and daily vses of reliefe as now in so great increase of pouertie as the people is increased Well gorgeous apparell royall feastings costly pleasures great summes laid vp and purchases made for the vse of posteritie may presently giue contentment to the flesh but when the Lord shall call for a reckoning these expences wil not be allowed nor this account taken for currant but a wofull backe reckoning shall bee exacted at the hands of these euill stewards for such wasting of their Masters goods And that pinching and niggardly contribution to Christs vse being laid with the huge summes that men bestow vpon their lusts shall be an inditement sufficient against them to their condemnation Few there are alas able to doe any thing to purpose towards the easing of the generall burthen and therefore that among those few the most should want an heart as a wofull miser confessed