passe to the other two verses the euill which they did most certainly displeased the Lord in a most grieuous manner As by the same word heere vsed the like is meant in other places where it is said that the Kings of Israel did that which was euill in the sight of the Lord. And so on the contrary those things which were good in the eyes of the Lord as the acts of many of the Kings of Iuda were they were said to please him highly But when God hath giuen vs many encouragements to his seruice and yet we regard not to bee the better by them what maruell if hee abhorre such doings and make open exclamation against them as he doth heere when both hee hath set hedge and ditch to hold vs from committing them and also hath giuen vs many causes of doing better both by teaching vs and by other his manifold benefits and also looketh for it at our hands that we should doe so So that although the sinne of this people was manifest to the view of the world as well as before God yet if it had been secret and hid from men it had been euill in the sight of the Lord euen so I say of our selues if wee minde not Gods matters and seruice chiefly but walke loosely and hollowly we shall iustly be challenged to doe that which he cannot abide howsoeuer men find no fault in vs. For though there be degrees in sinne and one is more grieuous then another yet they that set not their hearts wholly to seeke the Lord with a great care to please him in all things euen they doe that which is euill in his eyes seeing the eyes of the Lord search narrowly and spie that which men see not Therefore what may be said to the liues of the greatest number and yet some of them such as reproue others and are not in many of their doings to be charged iustly by any yet when they bee not vpright in heart and faithfull to God in one thing as well as in another yet while they be not so bad as other they doe euill in his sight For seeing not they whom man but whom God approueth are praiseworthy they therfore shall haue this still and euer against them that they did euill in the eyes of the Lord if he commend them not as he did Iob saying thus they are vpright feare God and depart from euill which if it were well thought on there should smal cause be found why they who are tender conscienced and feare to doe euill should be so scornfully and spitefully railed vpon and disgraced by the men of the world for that they dare not be so loose in their liues as other are shewing thereby that they can abide none but such as do euill in the sight of the Lord. And this of the eleuenth verse For of the word Baal I will speake in the next verse together with other of like sort But first in this twelfth verse the holy story saith that they forsooke the Lord who yet was the God of their fathers and had brought them out of the bondage of Egypt This as it was more then to displease God in some particular actions for it was a leauing of the true worshiping of God which is the fountaine of well doing dutie in our life so it is aggrauated by the fauour and benefits heere mentioned to wit what God had done for them and further the greatnesse of their sinne may bee laid out more fully by comparing it with Peters answere to our Sauiour For when he saw some of his hearers to depart from him vpon no iust cause but onely a bare conceit and he asked Peter if they and the rest of his fellow Apostles also would depart from him hee answered saying Lord whither should we goe thou hast the words of eternall life As if hee should say that they hauing found them so good and bountifull to them already and hauing such hope still of greater good from him hereafter as they knew not where to finde the like it should haue been absurd for them to depart from him as the other Disciples did And to speake the truth who can say any lesse And so might this people well haue answered and so they ought to haue said also euen as Peter did But it was farre from them because some of them had neuer cleaued to the Lord in truth before nor trusted in him but walked hollowly and vnfaithfully towards him though now they did much worse And by them we may see to what a fearefull estate they may grow to what depth of sinne they may fall who embrace not religion conscionably euen for the worthinesse and excellency thereof and for the good they haue or ought to haue gotten by it and for the loue they should beare to God who hath loued them first but rather began to professe in a passion or in some other outward and mutable respects such I say may be like in time to depart from God altogether and then in what other state are they but without God in the world For when mens hearts become hardened once by the deceitfulnesse of sinne they doe next after that grow worse and so depart from the liuing God as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrues Now as I haue spoke of these who were but outward professors when they were at the best how they did wickedly in the sight of the Lord so there being some better among them who did so likewise We may further note hereby that though we beginne wel as some of these did in the true renouncing of euil yet we not holding on faithfully and carefully by considering duely Gods goodnesse toward vs and zealously embracing good meanes we may easily and by little and little yea and shall also together goe backe euen as these did but of the reuolting of such I haue spoken a little before Now therefore it followeth I will shew how this people fell to Idolatry euen to worship Baal and Ashtaroth and such other Idols as the people and nations serued who dwelt about them but first what is ment by these names of the Idols heere named Baal signifieth a patrone or helper as they tooke the Idoll Baal to be Ashteroth was the God of the Sidonians an Idoll which in the forme of a sheepe was worshipped And by the word Baalim heere is meant all manner of Idols such as were worshipped among them To this point the people of Israel were now come that seeing they would not expell those idolatrous nations while they might neither continued to serue the Lord as they ought to haue done behold they themselues now departed from him also and fell to idolatrie with them Where besides that we may learne that when we auoide not the occasions of sinne we cannot looke to auoide the committing of the sinne it selfe of the which I haue spoke in the former chapter we may further see
a man fall and not rise againe or goe out of the way and not returne And if this rebelliousnesse and bad disposition were in the wicked onely it were lesse to bee maruelled at but let it be well considered and it shall be found in such as haue sometime serued God in truth who if they lose the hold that they had and haue suffered the wicked flesh that is their sinfull nature to get the vpper hand in them againe oh how hardly is it put out of possession againe So that as the diuels said to our Sauiour Christ thou art come to torment vs before the time So it is euer too soone and very imprisonment to the wicked flesh to be brought vnder the Lords wing againe and to put on his yoke though it be easie as it is said to be This is the cause why licentious dissolutenesse is in so great account at this day in all sorts and so dimme light shineth out of them who should bee lights to other And if it should be demanded how Gods people can keepe so long from vnder his gouernment and are so loth to returne againe vnder it I answere partly confused knowledge ignorance and forgetfulnes how to returne if they were euer well grounded at all is one cause and partly the lothnesse and vntowardnesse of the flesh to bee pent in seeking liberty rather amisse euen that is the other And thus while men haue any shelter how rotten and helpelesse soeuer it be they flie from God But for as much as when no shifts will serue they must returne againe to the Lord their first husband as it is said in Hosea let all that bee wise with all speed returne to him and make godlinesse as it is indeed the greatest riches and chiefe stay seeing that is alwaies and onely comfortable As it is the Psalme A day is better therein then a thousand elsewhere And seeing wee in miseries and troubles do as this people heere did often fall a sighing and sorrowing yea murmuring and fretting and yet turne not to God nor from our sinne but bite on the bridle of our punishment and yet at last we must bee brought to it for all our vnwillingnesse therefore as we should take heed that we keepe the profession of our hope firmely while wee may so yet when wee haue fallen let vs not despaire no nor yet delay to turne to God with the soonest as I haue said Againe by this people many may learne good They were held vnder and pursued by him that had nine hundred Chariots of iron alwaies going out and in among them to vexe and oppresse them on euery side A plague great enough one would thinke for euen the mercies of such are cruell And yet this was not the worst that befell them for God was also against them and had sold them into their hands and now while it was thus with them in so great misery what should they doe and yet which is more twentie yeeres to be in this estate how should they be able to abide it By the fearefull example of these and yet some of them belonging to God it is good for vs to take occasion to consider the estate of them who are vnder sundry sore and great calamities the Lord sending them for their rebellions and grieuous prouokings of him and himselfe frowning vpon them who should haue been their comfort in their troubles Oh how should it grieue vs to behold it For when they are in perplexity and vexation by men or otherwise and then haue God against them also this commeth neare the saying Woe to him that is alone Herein Dauid shewed himselfe wise for when hee heard Gods message from the Lord concerning the chusing of his punishment he answered Let me fall into the hands of the Lord and not of men The reason was because he knew himselfe to haue repented and therefore that in iudgement the Lord would remember mercy But oh how terrible a thing is it to fall into the hands of God being our enemie or into the hands of men when he hath giuen vs vp to their pleasure to be handled as wee deserue Euery affliction is sharpe and heauy when God makes it so by setting an edge vpon it and by pressing downe the conscience vnder the loade of his wrath Consider some particulars for example The pouerty and penurie of many thousands and the same as poore in knowledge of God and grace Others in marriage vnquiet thrusting one another out of doores children crying about them the neighbours disquieted among them all going to hauocke in family and God in the meane time also an enemie to them what an heauie calamitie is this to behold Others to bee taken captiues by forren enemies as Sampson put to grinde or which is worse to the gallies and which is worst of all to haue no God to flie to in this their distresse which yet is the case of many who haue held their heads full high and were also farre enough in their owne conceit from such an estate oh how wofull is it And if the sore diseased sicke and pained persons should bee added to these with other miserable ones and yet without God in the world all these thus to bee distressed which I haue mentioned with such like almost without number oh how lamentable is it to thinke on And whereas some of these bee Gods children they must know that if they will doe as his enemies he will make them somewhat like them in bearing the marke of it so that as the wicked flie from God and hate him for smiting them for their sin so his owne children hauing likewise prouoked him shall oftentimes make but slow hast to him through an ill conscience telling them that they are not welcome till they come in another manner to wit in vnfained repentance All this I haue spoken to a double end one to perswade all to labour aboue all things to make God their friend that is by seeking to be reconciled to him that thus in their troubles they may haue a refuge to fly to for comfort The other is to moue such as are free from both kinds of miseries to pitie them that are vnder both and to consider that seeing they may goe in and out before the Lord without feare both in their daily course of life and also in their suites c. therefore they should deadly abhorre sinne themselues which onely makes them feare his power and iustice and that as much as euer they reioyced in his fauour and so doing mourne for them whose misery I haue mentioned that are in an estate both dreadfull and damnable And this be said of the first three parts of this chapter out of these three verses to wit of the sinne of the people of their punishment and of their repentance The fourth part of the Chapter THe fourth part of this story followeth of Gods deliuerance of them out of the
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
in whose fauour is life And this comfortable estate may wee enioy from time to time to haue the Lords louing countenance to shine vpon vs far more delightfull to our soule then the fairest and sweetest weather can bee to the creatures of the earth iâ— we can like to preferre it as it is the best before all other and we hauing obtained grace to doe so if we shall goe a step further and can thinke it our best wisedome to continue in so doing wee shall abide in Gods fauour also and keepe our selues well when we are wel which is the happinesse that can in this life be enioyed The Lord doth not stint and tie vs to times in which only we may haue peace with him and see good daies but he would that wee should liue in safety vnder his protection all the day long and so from time to time that we may haue proofe how good and bountifull hee is But we are waily and inconstant and abuse his lenity and kindnesse toward vs when hee not onely holdeth many troubles and sorrowes from vs but also lodeth vs with the benefits of health and welfare inward and outward and that also while others smart and are in heauinesse Wee deale with him as pampered horses and children much made of who right soone waxe loose and wanton And wee cause the Lord to turne our good and ioyfull daies into glooming and sorrowfull times as through the stories of the booke of God doth euery where appeare that many after good beginnings did so though little to their comfort Oh how soone did this people mentioned in this booke and their fathers as wee reade in Deuteronomy with sundry other generations following as the stories doe testifie kicke vp their heele against the Lord when hee did yet feede them with the fat of wheat and make them drinke of the sweet And this reuolting worketh such a change in our best states and seasons as causeth to complain and cry Let it therefore cause vs to bee resolued vpon this and that in due and good consideration so that wee may constantly hold the same to wit that if wee desire to see good daies heere and enioy long life with the Lord hereafter that I say wee flie euill and follow that which is good and heerein let vs see that wee deale not hollowly with the Lord and if by occasion we slip or fall and forget our selues as this people heere did vers 7. yet let vs take heede that we harden not our hearts and so lie still but beare our punishment contentedly because we haue sinned and make speed to turne againe to the Lord our first husband who will receiue vs graciously and as he hath smitten vs so he will heale vs and as hee did before comfort vs so he will restore ioy and gladnesse to vs as in time past And this being done daily in the smaller slips shall the easilier be gone about in greater fals and shall also be a meane to keepe vs from them Yea doubtlesse the Lord will doe great things for vs and as hee abased the enemies of this people the Moabites heere so will hee bring the wicked vnder vs and leaue them afflicted and scourged in our roome Now followeth the third and last thing mentioned in this latter part of the story and that is rest after for a good while This long time of peace the Lord granted them and could willingly affoord it them and it is all one to him to giue a long time thereto as a short And as it was a great blessing so it was more then was promised Indeed the Lord said that he would giue Moab into their hands and the people enioyed that as a fruit of their faith which laid hold on Gods promise But hesides he lengthened out the time of their rest further then hee promised them To teach vs that God neuer commeth short or behinde hand with vs in performing his promises but giueth vs good measure heaped vp and running ouer and thereby sheweth that hee is liberall and bountifull toward vs. And this is his vsuall manner of dealing with his to giue more then they aske or looke to receiue for hee giueth more then hee himselfe promiseth The prodigall child asked that hee might be receiued but as an hired seruant but his father who resembled the Lord in kindnesse receiued him for his sonne and declared it by entertaining him gladly with all things agreeing therto So the woman of Canaan came to Christ for helpe for her daughter but he not onely granted her that but also bad her take what she would Euen as father Iacob who feared that hee should neuer see Iosephs face thinking he had been deuoured of some wild beast did yet see his childrens children This if it were beleeued were able to make our liues comfortable For to say the truth all our welfare is according to our faith and yet the Lord giueth fartee aboue that which we can beleeue Therefore this ought to encourage vs to labour to giue him credit in all that we seene imposeth vpon vs and requireth of vs in that wee vnderstand and see and rest perswaded that he will haue vs to goe about it For we may know that our reward shall he exceeding great in so doing Let vs instance this in two or three particulars and we shall finde the same that other haue done before vs. If we marke it we may perceiue that when we haue somtime in our afflictions besought the Lord but for some ease and mitigation of the force of them whether sicknesse paine disease or any such like he hath deliuered vs altogether and besides blessed vs abundantly And so to shew it in any other particular when great sorrow hath been rising toward vs he hath oft times turned our sorrow into ioy And euen so as long-continued peace was to this people vnlooked for when their very deliuerance from subiection to the Moabites would haue been ful welcome though it had been but for a short time that they might haue had but some breathing from their bondage so the Lord dealeth with vs that whereas in some of our troubles we haue feared as Hezechiah did that wee should neuer fee light nor good daies any more yet the Lord of his exceeding goodnesse hath restored vs to our former sweet liberties for a long time after But oh what might be said of this argument Although we must also know that hee seeth reason sometime and that for good cause to hold vs off and deferre vs. But more of this in Chap. 1. ver 2. And heere an end of this story Vers 31. And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath which slew of the Philistims sixe hundred men with an oxe goade and he also deliuered Israel THis short story of Shamgar is the third and last story mentioned in this chapter of the Israelites deliuerance by an other Iudge
to him in all submisnes and entreated him to come downe to the King Euen so to come to our selues aske thy conscience what makes thee feare If thou findest that the Lord hath a controuersie with thee and that depending and that thou canst not be quiet goe and seeke agreement with him as the Captaine did it is but a follie to stand out with the Lord for if thy conscience accuse thee he is greater as knowing much more against thee If thou canst come to the Lord and say in the truth of thine heart O Lord I feare lest my sinne should bring some sudden destruction vpon me I haue no peace within nor without because of it and thy displeasure for it I goe continually in hazard of some fruite thereof besides that which is eternall therefore say O Lord humble me and cause me to feare sinne and not the punishment only turne my terror into broken heartednesse for sin and so bring peace and quietnes againe into my soule Doe thus I say and thy feares shall vanish otherwise who shall pitie thee in them if thou pitiest not thy selfe in taking the way to remoue them And to this purpose I aske did not the Priests in the Gospell meete with that which they feared when Christ whom they would needs crucifie that they might be rid of him rose againe to bring a greater feare vpon them at the last then at the first And as they would in no wise feare when their sinne was at the highest and yet we see they were constrained to feare so there is no doubt but that there are some hardned which doe what they can to put feare away from them hauing their consciences seared with an hot iron whose damnation yet sleepeth not neither shal they escape feare but it will seaze vpon them when they would not And wheras it may be said the godly are much afraid sometime as well as other I answere it is true but that tendeth to a good end as if they haue taken libertie amisse or rather stolne it to breake out of the good and righteous way which they had couenanted to walke in they cannot but bee afraid when they come againe to themselues but it is for that they see they haue offended their mercifull father therefore they cannot be quiet till they bee in fauour againe with him And let the other know that euen so and much more must they do to wit in their falles feare and take no rest nor peace to themselues before that else when their time commeth that which they feare shall also fall vpon them but if they consider duly of their estate and while they may and before the time of their trouble come turne their feet againe into the way of Gods testimonies God will burie all the indignities which they haue wrought against him and will receiue them graciously In the first branch of her propheticall prayer that not her enemies but Gods might be as Sisera she hauing warrant so to pray did as became her and so shall all wee doe who shall doe so vpon so good a ground and warrant but otherwise take we heed that wee pray not against any what faire pretence soeuer wee haue to doe so for as God hath reclaimed very bad ones so what know wee whom he may call home among vs But of this I haue spoken For the other part of Deboras prayer that the louers of God may prosper in the abundance of all good things and grow therein as the Sunne doth in his strength to the noonetide let it bee noted that this is prayed for to them that loue the Lord and onely to them as the blessing in the second Commandement is to them that loue him who testifie that they doe so by keeping his commandements And this prayer being made in faith obtaines as much as is asked in it And therefore when she prayeth for it it is all one as if she had affirmed that it shall be so namely that they which loue the Lord shall want nothing that is good And so Dauid saith who had good experience of it that the Lord withholdeth no good thing from such as keepe their hearts pure and good which none can doe but they that loue him Yea and marke further that she saith they shall grow therein euen from strength to strength as the Sunne doth euen to his full beautie So speaketh Salomon in the Prouerbs The way of the righteous shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfit day signifying thereby that the godly herein resemble the Lord Iesus who himself increased in strength of body with addition of grace and fauour with God and men and so they also increase daily in knowledge and grace vntill they bee ioyned to Christ their head and see the Lord in the Sion of his holinesse Behold then here a singular priuiledge which the louers of God doe enioy that while they looke carefully and constantly to preserue and vphold the loue of God in them euen thereby they grow in grace and knowledge of God and of Christ and they come to haue more neere acquaintance with them and haue proofe of their fatherly kindnes toward them and so haue stronger hope that it shall yet be better with them afterward for their obedience passed yeeldeth them more courage and strength to go forward in their good course Now if we did consider the miserable courses of many who for want of this gracious gouernment of God runne into all kinde of sinne and fearefull punishments for the wicked waxe worse and worse and how some euen of Gods deare seruants by their very declinings and carelesnes for a small time see many ill daies how should we make account of this precious libertie bequeathed vnto vs in this behalfe For such as looke to the maintaining of the loue of God in them and the nourishing of it by thankfull acknowledging of his euer flowing kindnesse toward them I speake a great thing neede to feare no worse estate to Godward then they haue enioyed alreadie but euery day to looke for better and better both greater faith and better obedience which cannot be wanting to vs but when we are wanting to our selues and failing in our loue to God and yet I meane no perfectiō of it which cannot be in any but more vse of sinceritie and feruencie in Gods seruice euen such as hath alreadie been in them But he that listeth to reade more of this growing in grace of my setting downe may reade the twelfth chapter of the sixth treatise of my book In the meane season let this speech of Debora make such to looke better about them who are farre from this thriuing and growth in grace or the fruite of it if they desire to be in honour and fauour with God And if they be voide of them let them know that the cause thereof is that they loue not God whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrarie and
part these gifts are rather supposed to be then be indeed in the boaster and therefore when the triall comes the Thraso or bragger is ridiculous to the beholders Amaziah boasted of his valour greatly and prouoked Iehoash without cause when he needed not but hee sped thereafter and was sore foiled So the late miscreants I meane the powder-traytors how boasted they of their deuice when it was almost at the vpshot God and man say they in that letter of theirs haue decreed the ouerthrow of these English heretikes c. But God had decreed the contrary and turned their boasting into shame euen when they looked for a perpetuall destruction vpon the vpholders and embracers of the Gospell and the ouerthrow of the Gospell it selfe So did Goliah challenge Dauid by words to this effect I will chop thee as small as hearbes to the pot as the common phrase of the swaggerer is but hee was chopt himselfe head from body with his owne sword The Pharisee boasted of his righteousnes liberalitie deuotion thus I thanke thee Lord I am not as this Publicane c. but the Publicane went away more iustified The worldling in Iames boasteth of to morrow To morrow saith he we will goe to such a place and make such a gaine c. But the Lord was forgotten and therefore they thriued as Iehoshaphats ships that went to Ophir for gold for they were broken So Hezekiah gloried of his treasures Nebuchadnezzar boasted of his buildings Achitophel of his policie counsell see his words Herod of his wit and eloquence and now adaies who is so naked but hee hath somewhat to vaunt of And if of nothing else yet of this to his neighbour that he was in the towne before him whom he contendeth with and ouer-croweth and will be there when he is gone So another boasteth of his skill in his profession or trade another of his selling deare or buying cheape of crossing his aduersarie and matching him c. for boasting hath not so small acquaintance as men thinke yea for a need if a man be prouoked but a little he will bragge of his pride and not blush to say to him that is his better Though I haue not so good a purse as thou yet I haue as proud a stomacke as thou for thine heart euen thus may ye heare the poore man contending with the rich But O earth earth earth consider what thou braggest of for euen thy glory is thy shame of thine owne mouth shall he condemne thee who professeth to resist the proud As for them that boast of worse matters who say They will quench the zeale of these precise ones as they terme honest men and will wearie and pursue them till they haue made them eate their word and to renounce their precisenes as Psal 2. These I say are as neere to the Lords despight and to disappointment as the rest and therefore he scoffeth at the boasts of such enemies casting their brags in their teeth and saying Tell the towers and gates see the walles of Sion c. As if he should say What haue they cast downe all these looke well and consider yee shall finde that not a stone thereof is remoued So bad a member wee see the tongue is and boasteth of great things to small purpose Therefore to make vse hereof let not the wise strong rich boast of their wisedome strength and wealth but hee that will boast let him boast that he knoweth me saith the Lord. And he that can boast of this shall not feare arrogancie seeing this knowledge of God is euer seasoned with humilitie and loue Let vs consider this that the sinne of boasting seldome goeth without vsurping Gods honour to a mans selfe and lying Both most capitall crimes against the first and second tables It is grosse for a rich man to boast of his worth and wealth but for a man to borow of this man and that great summes and to boast how well monied he is how absurd is it Be able to say if need be vtter it of thy well vsing thy gifts that thou regardest it as much as them or else thy craking of the gifts themselues shall be a witnesse against thee in the giuing vp of thy account yea rather let the best say To vs O Lord belongeth shame and confusion of face we haue small cause of boasting if we saw our selues in any sort as we are and our vilenes Nay let none boast so much as of to morrow they know not what one day may bring foorth Man is a worme meane and base if he were laid out in his colours But being as he is he should rather breake into admiration and say with the Prophet O Lord it is thy mercie that we be not all consumed rather then to boast of things aboue his reach It is absurd and ill beseeming euery way but especially it is odious and as dangerous when it is vsed against the people of God as Iezabel did against Elias and Rabsakee that railing heathen against the good King Ezechias and his men boasting and threatning them and all to discourage them from the true seruice of God as I haue said And this of Gaals boasting now of Zebuls answere When Zebul who being for Abimelech saw the boastings of this Gaal against Abimelech as he sent him word thereof when he heard of them by other that hee might prepare himselfe to come forward and fight with him so now he heard him himselfe he fleshed him on and matched him in another kinde to wit in subtiltie and dissimulation while yet he spake faire and seemed to be friendly to him as here wee see For hee went out of the citie with him to the end he might suspect nothing when he had yet giuen warning to Abimelech to lie in waite for him against the time hee should come foorth and to be readie to set vpon him and in the middest of the feare and danger that this Gaal was in Zebul subtilly deceiued him as if there had bin no cause of feare at all egging and drawing him on subtilly so that he could not for shame when yet full faine he would haue broken away from him Where besides that wee may note the dissimulations lyings and slie subtilties that be in the world euen among such as pretend great loue and friendship as is to be seene in this Zebul Which point I haue spoken of alreadie in this booke so wee may see how men of euill qualities are matched and meete together as he was with Gaal For if we marke wee may see that one is a boaster another a dissembler and a subtill vnderminder a third a quarrellet and contentious liuer Other tainted with sundrie other dangerous and bad qualities of which the Apostle speaketh these I say all liue and deale together Is it not therfore the great goodnesse of God that one deuoureth not another Yea if the Lord
and guarded against all inward or outward aduersarie power of our saluation This is that approching with confidence to the throne of grace this is that freedom of spirit which calls God father whether the resistance be made by some lust or some diuels instruments or the diuel himselfe what libertie is this that a Christian may with hope which will not make him ashamed pray against it with assurance of being heard euen as Christ himselfe was in that which he besought his father for And why Because he is within the couenant and therefore warreth against all euill therefore hee may boldly pray for grace against it that he be not foiled for he is about Gods worke and the Lord is a louing Master he will not see his seruant frustrated of his hope in his seruice Thirdly these words note out this That it is wisedome for a man to bestow his chiefe cost there whence hee lookes for best recompence and acknowledgement in the time of most need The steward in his kinde is commended for this policie who would shew curtesie to such as he knew in a day of hardnesse and want would be readiest to remember it with thankes and requitall The contrary folly the Apostle to the Romanes taxeth what fruite had ye of those things whereof yee are now ashamed A man is not ashamed of that labour which hath brought him in plentifull gaine but of that which answers not his cost and hope Men that haue runne themselues out of breath all their life groping after a blind happinesse in their vnprofitable superstitious prophane course at length seeing themselues deceiued wish they had serued a Master who might haue saued them and receiued them into euerlasting habitations But he answers them bidding them go see if their money will saue them their god or their lusts their masters as for me I had none of their seruice neither shal they haue any wages frō me Thus the Lord is faine to vpbraid men though not by word saying Go to your Idols yet in effect in that he leaueth them shiftlesse or else who should perswade one of an hundred that he soweth among thornes or loseth his labour and cost when he casteth it and himselfe away vpon one Idoll a broken staffe or other And the truth is such a bewitching nature these Idols are of not Popish onely but spirituall also set vp in the loue of the heart that they possesse their seruants with an opinion of fruite which is to be obtained if they could hit vpon it till at length with other like themselues when time and strength thrift and cost is all spent and wasted they crye out miserably like theeues at gallowes they were deceiued leauing an example for others if they bee wise to profit by as for themselues neither rule nor example could doe them good as wofull experience witnesseth in too many other Vers 15. And the children of Israel said vnto the Lord Wee haue sinned doe thou vnto vs whatsoeuer please thee onely we pray thee to deliuer vs this day 16. Then they put away the strange gods from among them and serued the Lord and his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel THe people hauing receiued an hard and sharpe answere of the Lord to them to wit that hee would not heare them laid it neere to heart and cried againe to the Lord how soone after it is not here expressed confessing their sinnes casting away their Idols which at their first suing to God they did not now in stead thereof they serued the Lord whom they had forsaken and beside all this they submitted themselues to him to doe what he would to them resting confidently perswaded of his mercie and so obtained deliuerance which they had earnestly sued for and sought out of that present calamitie for the Lord was intreated of them and granted their desire Now if it seeme strange to any that in their first crying to God their sute was reiected wee must know that they sought not to him for it in the vprightnesse of their hearts as is said before and therfore God meant to hold them on the racke as it were and not onely to keepe them in suspence but also to hold them in a deepe feare by denying helpe to them Secondly to bring them to a through repentance as indeed now they did shew signes of it and those also effectuall which they did not before and for this purpose he draue them more throughly to examination of them themselues then they had done before So that we see at first they gladly would haue been deliuered but in the meane while they would not cast away their Idols and other sinnes but would still walke in the waies of their owne hearts Which setteth before vs a common disease that is too oft euen in Gods deare children that in our afflictions we crie to God for mercy and helpe and faine would haue the punishment taken away but so that we would haue libertie to liue as we did before and hold fast our sinnes still and abide in them for they are dearer to vs then our owne flesh Euen after this manner many of vs too oft and boldly deale with the Lord so that repentance is hardly attained vnto no not euen then when we are to sue to the Lord for ease in our trouble As may bee seene in Dauid himselfe in the 32. Psalme that it was painefull to him to confesse against himselfe we need not the speech of the people of Anothoth to Ieremie to preach vnto vs pleasant things and againe that we will not heare the law of this thy Lord neither to follow Demetrius the siluer Smith in the booke of the Actes for these were wicked both of them And how did they foile themselues they of Anathoth to retaine their pleasures the other to vphold his wicked gaine But that it should be so with vs in any manner who are of the better sort how can it be borne And yet it may iustly be complained of Oh euen the better sort of men will not be reformed Insomuch that when affliction is vpon them of which they would most willinglie bee eased yet they cannot be brought to see or amend any thing that is amisse because they flatter themselues are great in their owne eies while their iniquitie is found worthy to be hated And yet there are worse then these who murmur vnder their affliction and doe what they can to hide their sinnes And here more particularly as it is cleare that this people saw they did euil in worshipping strange Gods but would not acknowledge it til God draue them to it by his sore iudgements So when we see and will not see how we prouoke him by any of our speciall sinnes let vs feare that he will if wee will not abhorre and be weary of them by his instructions and warnings which he giueth vs that he will I say bring vs thereto by sharpe correction So
repentance and he had receiued them into his fauor and protection this caused the Lord now to stand with him who before was against them so that they did know they had his direction and help to go about to deliuer thēselues out of their bondage and miserie The Ammonites seeing Gilead was a goodly citie and richly furnished they laboured and determined first of all to destroy that Israel was assembled in Mizpeh while the other camped in Gilead but that was too farre off from aiding the Giliadites their brethren who were then besieged by those Amonites Therefore as they were directed by God they propounded betwixt themselues namely the Princes to the people that he who would begin the battell against the Ammonites he should be guide to them and Iudge ouer them And that they were led hereto by God it may appeare by this that the Lord raised vp those that were Iudges ouer them and after confirmed Iphtah in going against them The story being thus laid foorth I wil here stay a little and say some thing of them both the Ammonites and Israelites And first this if the children of Ammon had gone about to take the cities and ground of the people of Israel into their hands and possession and oppressed them by warre before Israels repentance and turning to God they might easily haue done it for none of them durst or had any heart to resist them as appeareth in the story for they suffered them to oppresse them till now in the last yeere especially they were sore distressed and tormented by them And besides they then had God also against them But now after they sought the Lord in the truth of their hearts he was now with them and they were heartned and imboldned to resist and stand against them by the hope they had in him as wee see they did manifestly declare By the which wee may see how God keepeth many euils and troubles from his deare seruants till hee hath made them fit for them and them able to goe vnder them whereas if they had come vpon them before they had been vtterly ouerwhelmed by them For as he turneth many afflictions away from them altogether which they saw not how they could auoide euen so hee deferreth many so that they shall not touch them till he hath strengthened their shoulders and put courage into their hearts and so made them able to beare them And yet he leaueth them not vnexercised with one or other more small and easie as he seeth it profitable for them and that they are fit to beare them But if any of vs well consider it we shall find that his goodnes hath herein exceeded toward vs and who can choose but see it that at his first inlightning of vs by faith when wee were weake and might easily haue been dismaide hee hath kept many of our sinnes from our sight when by those which we saw we were hardly kept from despaire and sundry troubles also which if they had appeared to vs when as yet wee were nothing able to heare of them much lesse to beare them they would haue swallowed vs vp and haue driuen vs to vtter desperation And as this is true we vnderstand it of our first conuersion or after euen so is it also with vs throughout our whole life He spareth vs to the end we may be better incouraged to serue him faithfully in that which we know that so afterward we may be fit to see more both of our sinnes and also to take part of the afflictions which abide vs. Euen as wee vse our children tenderly while they bee young but after they be growne vp we set them to worke and shew them that they must labour and suffer some hardnesse they being now better able to goe vnder it Thus did the Lord cal backe Saul from the pursuit of Dauid when it was likely that he could not haue escaped his hands if he had been let alone So when Nashash the King of Ammon might easily haue destroyed the Giliadites at the first onset while they were vnarmed the Lord stopt him and caused him to hearken to a needlesse condition whereby the time being protracted they had helpe sent them in the meane season and ouerthrew them In this kind of dealing the Lord resembles a friendly person who spying a furious enemy comming fiercely with weapon against his neighbour vnarmed and vnprouided to meet him stayeth the rage of the one till the other haue got himselfe arm or fit to encounter him or may escape his hands or when hee hath done so he commits them together knowing that the innocent partie hauing the better cause will easily foile the doer of wrong Thus the Lord often doth although when he seeth his time he can also either quite diuert the enemy as he did the King of Ashur from comming against weake Ierusalem or else take his peoples part as Moses did the Israelites against the Egyptian and fight for them while they stand still and looke on So he did to Pharao and Zenacherib Now when the Lord reserues his people till such a time of strength and courage not suffering as I may so say the Canaanites to come vpon his people being weake through their late circumcision it is a greater fauour then if he remoued their triall wholly from them for in this they haue onely proofe of Gods goodnesse but in the other they haue beside that a triall of their faith and grace more precious then gold which triumpheth hauing got the victory ouer the enemy whether spirituall or earthly Thomas Bilney a godly man during his imprisonment had a strong assault giuen him by his owne flesh against the paine of the fire which he feared he should not be able to endure And who knoweth what he would haue done if the triall had been hottest when hee was weakest But the Lord so suited the time that when fire was put to him he that feared the foile of weake became strong Heb. 11. and ouercame the fire by yeelding his whole body to wast it whereas his finger could not before abide the candle It is a great grace therefore to beleeue that as the Apostle implieth God wil keepe from vs such afflictions as we are not fit to honour him in but liker to be ouercome of our corruption and betray our cause If any obiect the foiles of diuers seruants of God preuented and taken vnawares by strong trials as Cranmer in the first assault of his enemies forced to yeeld to that which he ought not c. Let such know God hath a diuers end of a diuers method and teacheth men humblenesse and knowledge of themselues by such assaults as they cannot answer to the end that they may be abler for those trials afterward hauing renounced themselues and got firmer hold vpon the alsufficiencie of God without whose protection they are weake as other men Now then let men beware how they abuse this dealing
commanded to streine out a gnat swalloweth a cammell Thus much of this I proceed in the text The third part of the Chapter Vers 15. Manoah then said to the Angell of the Lord I pray thee let vs retaine thee vntill we haue made readie a Kid for thee 16. And the Angell of the Lord said to Manoah Though thou make me abide I will not eate of thy bread and if thou wilt make a burnt offering offer it vnto the Lord for Manoah knew not that it was an Angell of the Lord. 17. Againe Manoah said vnto the Angell of the Lord What is thy name that when thy saying is come to passe we may honour thee 18. And the Angel of the Lord said to him Why askest thou thus after my name which is secret 19. Then Manoah tooke a Kid with a meate offering and offered it vpon a stone vnto the Lord and the Angell did wonderously whiles Manoah and his wife looked on 20. For when the flame came vp toward heauen from the altar the Angell of the Lord ascended vp in the flame of the altar and Manoah and his wife beheld it and fell on their faces to the ground 21. So the Angell of the Lord did no more appeare vnto Manaoh and his wife Then Manoah knew that it was an Angell of the Lord. 22. And Manoah said vnto his wife We shall surely dye because we haue seene God 23. But his wife said to him If the Lord would kill vs he would not haue receiued a burnt offering and a meate offering of our hands neither would he haue shewed vs all these things nor would haue now told vs any such 24. And the wife bare a sonne and called his name Samson and the child grew and the Lord blessed him IN this third part followeth the signe by which they should be certified that the thing told them by the man of God should come to passe But first Manoah doth two things one he desireth the Angel to eate the other hee asketh him his name to both whereof the Angell makes answere Of these first in order Concerning the first the Angel of God hath now done his message and answered Manoahs doubt But he kindly accepting him for the good tidings he brought vnto him desired to retaine him that he might refresh himselfe after his trauaile and as hee thought his hunger and therefore hee said to him let vs stay thee while we make ready a Kid for thee But the Angel hauing no need to eate drew Manoah from his purpose telling him he would not eate and led him to more heauenly matter that is to honour God by offering a burnt offering vnto him In these two verses we may consider diuers things first in Manoah then in the Angels answere In Manoah these two following First his curtesie and thankfulnes in offering him to eate thinking hee had been a man hauing brought such a message from God to him and his wife And this confirmeth vs in that wee haue heard before that where wee receiue kindnesse wee should render and shew the like againe as we can And the godly vsed both then before and after to offer such curtesie to the seruants of God being strangers though they brought no message to them from God and it is called hospitalitie as wee reade of the Shunamite who requested Elisha to turne in as he came by and built him a conuenient chamber for that purpose They knowing that he who receiued a Prophet in the name of a Prophet and a righteous man because he was so should receiue the reward that such should It is not a thing so commendable in Christians to be kind towards them that deserue it as the contrary is odious and brutish in them Those that are commanded to doe well to their enemies and loue them that hate them what great thing is it if they loue and be kinde to the well deseruing Heathens and Publicans doe likewise But to be vnkind towards them that haue been louing and well affected toward them is not only worse then heathenish but also then any beast will yeeld to another Nay histories report that alion hauing bin eased and holpen by a passenger that came by of a wound which by some meanes had befallen him long after acknowledged the benefit For the Romanes vsing to behold the spectacle of men sighting with beasts condemned malefactors to this death Now among the rest this man being one came armed into the place to fight for his life and as it fell out this Lion was the beast which was committed with him The Lion no sooner saw the man but came and fell downe at his feete holding vp his foote in the sight of al the people and making no semblance of furie against his preseruer The matter being enquired into it was found that this man had taken a thorne out of the foote of the Lion and so eased his paine This being but a discourse of a thing of inferiour nature I may be thought not so wisely to insert in so graue an argument neither had I done it for the strangenes of it but that I would thereby shame such boisterous rough and barbarous natures as being prouoked to this dutie of kindnesse by the strongest meanes yet out of a bitter stomacke doe rather thereby take occasion of hatred and mischiefe like Saul who by Dauids innocencie and pitie to his life was the more enraged against him But these meete with their match for God giues them ouer to be touzed and hampered by such as spare them not and want conscience when they are fallen into their hands to teach them for euer after to abhorre such inhumanitie I had said lionlike crueltie but that I should wrong that creature if I should ascribe mans euill qualitie vnto it Thus much of the first thing to be noted in Manoah as I said before The other thing here to bee learned out of the example of Manoah is this with what reuerence we ought to receiue Gods message by them whom he sendeth to doe it and to bee entirely knit vnto the messenger himselfe for his message sake Eglon a heathen king shewed this reuerence to the message of Ehud from the Lord and Gedeon much more with others Beautifull should the feete of them be who bring glad tidings and yet the feete of such as went barefoote in those countries were not very beautifull of themselues but vnseemely And so much the more precious and heauenlier that the message is which they bring they doing the same in such manner as becommeth it And therefore blessed be God we haue experience of no lesse in some that they who apprehend and embrace the ioyfull tidings of saluation brought vnto them by Gods messengers soundly sweetly and sauourly euen to the assurance of pardon and happinesse are knit to the messengers most dearely and vnfainedly for their worke sake though they be but the instruments and sometime meane persons in the eye of the
The Angel that resolued there should be no yeelding of gratuitie to him for which cause Manoah asked his name hee did not tell him and yet who can deny but Manoah asked it vpon good consideration namely that hee might shew himselfe thankfull to him as he thought himselfe bound to be Wherein he gaue cleere testimonie of his honest and single heart in desiring to take the opportunitie thereof vnto him afterwards for the kindnesse that was offered him Which is a necessarie duty though it be not regarded nor looked for of them to whom it is due But of this before Now that the Angell did shew as we see in this verse what hee was by deeds rather then by words he hath not onely left vs his example but also confirmed vs in that the Scripture teacheth both Minister and people concerning that matter And first of the former who being a publike messenger of God is called an Angel my meaning is not that the Minister is liable to euery ianglers censure for his allowance of him or for his sufficiencie But let him get this Seale of his Ministerie which here the Angell bringeth out to wit the efficacie of working I meane both a powerfull teaching and a powerfull example and these shall be his iudges By these they must iudge of him who are able to iudge and they who iudge by any other rule are ignorant or malicious and therefore disabled to iudge And the best Ministers that euer were neuer refused this Canon of doctrine and life to be examined by Neither our Sauiour nor the Apostle Paul euer arrogated to themselues such libertie as to be receiued the one for true Messiah the other for a true Apostle vpon their bare word It might haue opened a gap to euery seducing spirit to haue stood vpon his owne worth and like Antichrist at this day to compell mens consciences to acknowledge him a successor of the Apostle because he out of the abundance of his owne sense boasted himselfe so So that base testimonies are inartificiall arguments all meere men being lyars but to trie the spirits whether they be of God is a needfull dutie they that are so tried haue no wrong done them neither can complaine if their charter bee demanded I meane the power of teaching and the power of godlinesse These workes admit no appeale though they be no miraculous works as the Angels here yet they are demonstrations In the 11. of Matthew Iohn Baptist sends his disciples to Christ in policie to resolue them of the truth of his mediatorship our Sauiour when they had done their errand doth not scorne them or disdaine to giue account of his calling But what manner of euidence giueth hee Goe saith he tell Iohn what yee haue heard and seene The blinde see the lame goe the poore receiue the Gospell q. d. If these workes will not euince what I am take mee not for him that I goe for So he tels the Pharisies If I gaue witnesse onely to my selfe I could not claime credit thereto but the workes I doe they beare witnesse of me and further I desire not to be embraced So Paul tels the Corinths ye are my Epistle written in your hearts c. q. d. The spirit of God coworking with my Ministerie to the begetting of faith a new heart and life in you hath sealed also this truth vnto you That I am a true Apostle of Christ against all gainesayers And it is the dutie of all Gods Ministers to adde this commendation and allowance vnto the outward calling of the Church their letters commendatorie I meane and licenses And if hereupon wee may bee receiued let vs not complaine as for them who vpon this testimony from God will not admit vs either our persons as factious Separatists or the power of our Ministerie as all vnbeleeuers and vngodly ones woe be vnto them for in not receiuing vs they despise him that sent vs. As for their censures we may appeale from them with our Sauiour saying I receiue not praise or dispraise of men I haue another Iudge And with Paul It is a slight thing with me to be iudged of such I passe not for your iudgement And secondly let all priuat persons that receiue the message of God by the Minister know their dutie also which is to declare what they bee by the good actions of their liues rather then by their talke and to bee examples to other in their conuersation and not in their communication onely So our Sauiour taught when he came to giue his life for vs here on earth If ye abide in me and my word in you then are ye my very disciples indeed Agreeable hereunto are his words in another place Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Neither let any man desire to bee taken for better then he is but submit himselfe to this touchstone which will bewray what mettall he is made of and for as much as the inward duties of faith and pietie are vnknowne to others let the workes of each mans calling say for him what he is let a good magistrate be content to lose the credit of his profession if he cannot maintaine it by vprightnes courage in punishing offenders defending the innocent being free from couetousnes parcialitie or iniustice Let the husbandman approue his religion by walking as a man of vnderstanding before his wife and she hers by submission in the Lord and reuerence towards him and so the other parts of the familie in their seuerall places And otherwise let them hold their peace as guiltie persons Thirdly this doctrine is to settle the best Christians to bee so still notwithstanding the taunts and mockes of the vngodly who bayte them with the names of hypocrites and men of singularitie seeing they declare that out by their good liues which they imbrace with their hearts and generally let all such take warning by this as onely haue a name they liue but are dead and who speake well but haue not hearts to doe thereafter and as for such as reproach and scorne them who honour their profession with a life answerable their iudgement sleepeth not It appeareth by that which is said here that as the Angell willed Manoah to doe euen so he did I meane offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord. Now where it is obiected that it was not lawfull for him to offer in any place but at Ierusalem and therefore that it was not lawfull for him to offer where the Angell met him I answere that it was lawfull to offer in other places while the Arke was carried about and was staied in no certaine place but after the building of the temple at Ierusalem then indeed that law tooke effect and it was not lawfull to sacrifice elsewhere but all high places were then to be taken away And this I say supposing
onely and alway euill and as the heart is so is the man himselfe that God may be all in all Therefore it is a finne to be bewailed in the most not meanely that they make no haste to sue to him for all good that they would haue as wee repaire to the fountaine and spring for water neither hauing obtained them doe praise him for the same nor vse such blessings to honour the giuer So that if any should desire or long for any gifts of God that wee haue wee should not make them fall into an admiration at vs but they should be sent to the author and giuer of them and lest wee might take any part of Gods due and honour from him we should answere them as Ioseph did King Pharaoh and Daniel Nabuchadnezzer The Lord hath reuealed the secret hereof to vs but we haue no such wisedome in vs more then other men This bee added to that which heretofore hath been said by occasion of the like words before as chap. 11. 21. 32. and many other places And so much of Samsons birth the chiefe thing in this chapter and of the things pertaining thereto now in this next Chapter I proceed to his mariage THE SEVENTIE FOVRE SERMON CONTINVED IN THIS XIIII CHAPTER Vers 1. And the spirit of the Lord began to strengthen him in the host of Dan betweene Zocah and Eshtoal 2. Now Samson went downe to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistims and he came vp and told his father and his mother and said I haue seene a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistims now therefore giue me her to wife 3. Then his father and his mother said vnto him Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren and among all my people that thou must goe to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims and Samson said vnto his father Giue her me for she pleaseth me well 4. But his father and his mother knew not that it came of the Lord that hee should seeke an occasion against the Philistims for at that time the Philistims reigned ouer Israel THis first verse is in some translations the last of the former Chapter but I make it the first of this as some other also doe In this storie of Samson contained in foure Chapters we haue spoken hitherto concerning his birth and that he was ordained to be an helper to Gods people against the Philistims now in this next Chapter it followeth to the further effecting hereof that wee see how the Lord did strengthen him with further measure of the gifts wherwith he had blessed him before and more especially after his mariage This is generally set downe in the first verse and particularly laid foorth and declared throughout the whole Chapter and in the next two following to wit the fifteenth and sixteenth And in this Chapter his mariage is spoken of seeing one particular occasion was offered there to him by which hee was mooued first to set himselfe against the Philistims namely an iniurie wrought him at his mariage by them Hereby I say he began to be stirred and prouoked against them and to that purpose the whole Chapter discourseth at large concerning his mariage The parts of it are two One is how he was strengthened by the spirit of God in the first verse The second is the shewing foorth of Gods gifts wrought in him by the same spirit both at the going about his mariage and at it and this is throughout the rest of the Chapter The first part of the Chapter HEre it is shewed that as Samson grew in yeeres the Lord strengthened him ofttimes the spirit of the Lord came vpon him that is endued him with a burning loue of honouring God and seeking the good of his people and this he did when he abode in his fathers house who was of the tribe of Dan and dwelt among them in their habitations in that place which was betwixt Zorah and Eshtaol which was neere the citie Ioarim By this we may see that the Lord openeth the hearts of those whom he will be serued by as he did the heart of Lydia and counteth them faithfull and putteth them in his seruice as he did Paul and leadeth them by his spirit as hee did Samson to loue desire and endeuour to doe those things that please him without the which they should neuer goe about them to any purpose much lesse be well carried through them Of what place state or degree soeuer men are thus they must be graced and fitted to their duties although indeed God doe not now as in times past I meane he dealeth not the same way that he did with Samson and many other then For in those daies he spake to our fathers and inlightened them after sundrie manners but in these latter times the outward meane that he vseth is chiefly his word truly preached But the spirit of God hath alwaies wrought grace in their hearts what other meanes soeuer he hath vsed But wee looke not for reuelations nor Angels ministerie now but while we giue heed to the doctrine of the Lord Iesus which is plainly foundly and powerfully taught vs the Lord inlighteneth vs with grace and power of the holy Ghost and giueth vs another heart to serue him as hee saith in Ezek. 36. then wee had before This doctrine is a double linck of that golden chaine mentioned by the Apostle in these words Rom. 8. whom he predestinated them he called iustified and glorified There is no other way to seeke out the certaintie of our election but by the meanes which serue to our calling and our calling neuer goeth without the gift of faith and the spirit of God sanctifying which is the beginning of our glorifying in heauen So that as predestination it selfe is manifested in time by the inlightening and opening the heart to receiue the glad tidings of the Gospell so when Christ is embraced by faith the holy Ghost is giuen to the beleeuer who quickens the heart with spirituall grace and fitteth such a partie to the worke of God both inwardly more renuing and changing his nature and outwardly framing the life to his will And thus he worketh in all his though hee giue greater measure to some who are deputed and appointed by him to greater imployment and seruice I meane hee giueth them more zeale courage loue diligence constancie experience iudgement and the like And yet lest any should erre about this point know wee that hee workes none of these without meanes those therefore whom he will thus sanctifie hee will also prepare by stirring vp in them an earnest coueting of these graces a speciall hunger and thirst after them an high opinion and account of them and a singlar affection of loue to them with a feruent desire of honouring the giuer of them and a studious endeuour by all meanes both of prayer and labour to attaine
as if it it had been sword staffe or other weapon And when hee had slaine them hee shewed what heapes hee had made with so slight a helpe or instrument Heere we see that these Philistims lately so exceedingly ioyfull did not onely lose their ioy but their liues also And this may tell vs yet a heauier thing then the former For it teacheth that for the most part looke what fearefull and blind estate the blind and bad people liue in and chuse to repose themselues in in the same they continue for the most part and end their daies For is there almost any place left for amendment Therfore the Apostle saith The wicked and the deceiuer wax worse and worse and when they crie peace peace and all things are safe then commeth destruction suddenly vpon them before they be aware as the trauell vpon a woman with child and they shall not be able to auoide it When the rich man in the Gospell reioyced most in that he had he was nearest a wofull end So Baltazzer when he was drinking wine merrily with his Princes and Concubines in the vessels of the Temple then the fearfull hand writing appeared on the wall hauing this meaning God hath finished thy kingdome So Agag And as such liue so they die Although I denie not but God where it pleaseth him can giue a new hart where it is sought and cause such vanity to bee distasted as wherein men haue delighted and worke found reioycing instead thereof Therefore chuse wee the best delights and so the longer we hold them the soundlier wee shall enioy them vntill we keepe them vnto our end Another thing that he did was that when he had slaine an heape he correcteth himselfe when hee smote them on both sides with the iaw-bone they preasing about to take him and he saith two heapes or many as if he should haue said heapes vpon heapes had been slaine by him And seeing hee knew that God gaue him the strength thereto hee being a godly man why doth he vtter these words but that al might see and acknowledge what a great worke God had wrought by him and that by a weake meane euen with the iaw bone of an Asse To teach vs that where the Lord will haue vs execute iustice without pitie vpon euill doers we must not faint nor be negligent to doe his commandement vpon them as Samson did here Ioshua before on Achan Ehud vpon the King of Moab and Shamgar on the Philistims God will haue the wicked smart for their trespasses openly committed to smart I say by men according to the weight and hainousnesse of them and vtterly forbiddeth foolish pity to be shewed in such a case according to the saying of Salomon It is an abomination to iustifie the wicked The like may be said against that foolish pity which ariseth in vs when wee behold Gods immediate hand vpon them and yet wee ought not then for all this to insult ouer them but we must ascribe honour to God with those 24. Elders in the Reuelation and Dauid vpon the death of Nabal Now followeth the third point that as Samson honoured God in shewing what hee had done by him in slaying heapes of men euen a thousand so he added this thereto that he gaue a name to the place where hee did it as a memoriall thereof that all posterity comming after might know vnto the end of the world what great things God did for his people against their enemies The name of it he called Ramath-Lehi as if he should haue said the lifting vp of a iaw-bone which remaineth as a monument of Gods mighty worke by him euen to this day Thus and by this meanes Gods seruants haue praised him in times past as in the booke of Numbers Ioshua and other is to bee seene as well as other times by songs and dances that wee all may marke and remember his benefits and great workes and praise him among the generations following to the quickening and comforting of his people and the feare of his enemies although not in the same manner that some haue done in ages past But of this before once or twice The fourth part of the Chapter Vers 18. And he was sore athirst and called on the Lord and said Thou hast giuen this great deliuerance into the hand of thy seruant and now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the vncircumcised 19. But God claue an hollow place that was in the iaw and there came water thereout and when he had drunke his spirit came againe and he reuiued wherfore he called the name thereof En-hakkoreh which is in Lehi vnto this day 20. And he iudged Israel in the daies of the Philistims twentie yeeres NOw followeth the fourth and last part of this Chapter wherein is shewed what an exceeding great thirst Samson had after the slaughter of these Philistims and that he prayed to God and he giue him water so that he reuiued and so he praised God there And 〈…〉 time that hee iudged Israel is in the last place adioyned and set downe â—â—ch was twentie yeres By this thirst of his the Lord would haue him to know himselfe and to be held vnder lest by that which hee had done to the Philistims hee might haue been lifted vp aboue that which was meet Thus he dealeth with his intermixing his chastisements with blessings that both they may be held in humility by the one and yet may haue sufficient encouragement to abide constantly in a good course and not forget the Lord and become high minded as they are easily brought to bee by the other to wit his benefits And thus the Lord saw good to deale euen with Paul himselfe who was buffeted by Satan when hee had been listed vp to the third heauen by the rauishing of Gods spirit yet hee had that humour remaining in him which needed setling and cooling that his ioy might be kept within holy lists and bounds And the same I haue noted in that famous accident of Iphtah his daughter whom God set on to abase him that hee might proceed on to the triumph more soberly Wee must thinke Gods seruants are deare to him when hee sticketh not to bereaue them of their preciousest delights to the end they may hold their delight in him and not turne their sweetnesse into bitternes I meane their holy reioycing into fleshly presumption The reason hereof is because else God cannot trust vs in the businesse he sets vs about except hee giues vs coolings and abasements to consume the superfluity of our hypocrisie conceitednesse of our selues pride and security which are as vnfit dealers in heauenly matters as Nadab and Abihu their strange fire was to kindle incense or offer sacrifice withall And secondly the Lord honoreth many of his deare seruants whose faith and setlednesse in grace and freedome from such grosse staines hee is priuie vnto by giuing them
get no helpe against it but that death approched and drew neere hee vttered these words now at last whereby it is cleere that he had little thinking of any such thing before Why now I see that all is vanity Another hauing builded a goodly house when hee had shewed the commodities and pleasantnesse of it to a plaine countrey man asking him how he liked it he answered I like it well if a man might keepe it alwaies Thereby marring the ioy of it who could not commend it but together with the deadly and vnwelcome remembring the momentanie and flitting estate thereof and the vncertaintie of enioying it And all the ioy of the wicked is no better then I haue said and yet that none may thinke the Lord to deale partially bee it knowne that if his owne people degenerate and partake with the other in their sinne and play the fooles with them by reioycing in euill and things transitorie as their paradise they shall smart with them likewise and for the time enioy no better priuiledge then they doe Therefore let vs bee wiser and imbrace and prosesse that ioy which cannot be taken from vs neither shall euer be repented of that we haue sought it and that is our reioycing in the Lord in his word in his seruice and in his Saints and to be short in his all sufficiencie And this bee said more fully of this point which yet I handled by the like occasion in chap. 15. Againe heere let vs marke at what time and when the ioy of the Philistims was damped and taken from them And that was when they were met together to sport themselues and bee merrie and when they were furthest off from any thought of trouble or death or of losing and disappointment of their pastime euen then was the house throwne downe by Samson vpon them Like to that which the Apostle speaketh When men cry peace peace and al things are safe then shal sudden destruction come vpon them as trauell vpon a woman with child and they shall not be able to escape euen as Baltazar also was most fearefully threatned the losse of his kingdome in the middest of his banqueting This doctrine doth mauellously crosse our vile nature who giue our selues leaue when health and welfare meet together and abide with vs any time to make our selues drunke with them and to take our fill of them And therefore we cannot away with this to heare of any change nor to be awaked out of our carnall drowsinesse and for this cause seeing men will not hearken to the Lord bidding vs watch and beware of such surfetting and spirituall drunkennesse therfore he leaues many in the snare oft times wherein like fooles they be taken And by this we may see when God hath begun iudgement before with his owne so that they escape not that it shal much more grieuously meet afterward with his enemies and therefore that their iudgement sleepeth not This I enlarge not hauing spoken of it in the place before mentioned chap. 15. The casting downe of such an house we know all it passed the strength of a common man And as he had his strength restored to him againe as we see so had hee also his inward grace as appeareth by that which hath been said of his repentance and his prayer of faith Now therefore since that the case being thus altered with him we must behold him as another man then when he was besotted and made drunke with the wicked woman And here let vs marke what a difference there is betwixt the time of grace in a man while God guideth him and the time of bondage when God letteth him follow the deuices and desires of his wicked heart as may bee here seene in Samson Oh grace if it could be seene with eyes as we can see but a darke resemblance of it by some outward shewes thereof it would in an admirable manner draw vs to loue it as the meekenesse of Moses the loue of Ionathan the zeale of Dauid and the like and so would the foulenesse loathsomnes and terriblenesse of sinne cause vs to abhorre it as the diuell as in Iezabels cruelty Ioabs malice Hamans murtherous mind is to be seene Oh what a shame it is for a man that hath been reuerenced and highly regarded for his approued innocency faithfulnesse and constancy in good carriage to become a foole in Israel a base ridiculous and contemptible person And againe I say oh how glorious and worthy a thing it is to see such an one to be reformed and cast into the mould of the Gospell Looke vpon thy selfe if euer thou diddest serue God vprightly these vertues here set downe had place in thee yea prayer was sweet to thee and hearing with such like fruites of amendment were pleasant but when thou hast suffered thine heart to carrie thee after the corrupt inclination thereof thou art then become vtterly disguised as if thou haddest neuer been the same person I will here onely adde this how sinne maketh men impotent and taketh heart from the committers of it as I haue shewed other waies how loathsome and odious it is Reade that one example to this end in this booke When the Lord brought warre vpon his people for their Idolatry by the Canaanites it is said that the people were so put out of hart with the thinking of their sinne and so appalled in their consciences remembring how they had transgressed that among fortie thousands of them there was not one that durst take vp speare or shield against the enemie But of this point plentifully before and particularly vpon those words That he thought hee would doe as at other times But here an end THE EIGHTIE NINE SERMON ON THE XVI AND XVII CHAPTERS OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw to proceed with Samson vpon this that hee casting downe the house vpon the Philistims died also with them it is demanded if he did not kill himselfe which if we finde that he did then all the commendations of his renued repentance falles to the ground and is washed away by this his last so wofull a fact and that also aduisedly done Hereto I answere that it cannot bee said hee killed himselfe indeed he died with them but the end that he propounded was not that he might die neither did he desire it but he sought reuenge vpon Gods enemies which was the worke of his calling and that which was like to bring and procure it but what was that but a faithfull seruing of God though with the losse of his life euen as the Apostles did If they preached Christ they saw it would cost them their life and that they should be slaine if they would needs preach him now when it fell out so indeed by their preaching shall we say therefore that they killed themselues and that they sought their owne death No no more then a zealous and diligent Preacher who by his paines in study and
it saying Come Lord Iesus come quickly reioycing to thinke we shall dye This is a priuiledge bestowed vpon the faithfull who prouide to dye in faith as the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith of the Patriarkes and among the rest of Samson to wit that God putteth a difference betwixt their death and the death of other though the world cannot discerne it in the generall and common abasement of the body and flesh yet I deny not but sometimes this difference appeareth also euen in the manner of dying For though some are so bereft of sense and reason by the force of their disease and others by Gods disposing so of them that euen the best are either much disguised in their sicknesse or at least giue no great testimonie of that excellent grace which is in thē yet in the grace they liued therein they die and vsually and for the most part it may be obserued that a well passed life bringeth a good death and oft times sheweth plentifull and apparant signification of confidence comfort and spirituall triumph in death which it is impossible to finde in the other Witnesse hereof is the death of the Martyrs a thing at this day much sticking in the stomacke of the Papists if they would speake the truth compared with the desperate or diffident death of their Iesuites and Seminaries I instance in these because they arrogate most to themselues in their sufferings for the Catholike cause as they call it But as for other bad persons except deeply deluded wee shall behold in them manifest signes of distrust feare impatience and the best is crying out of their dangerous estate Therefore let this be a comfort to all such as hold their purpose entire of cleauing to the Lord in beleeuing his promises and obeying his will that as their dying may differ from the vngodly so they in Gods account shall differ though their death differ not A great stay to them against temptation to the contrary and against the base and common condition of their bodies and the dishonour thereof lying on their death-bed laid by the walles or in the graue He that hath put first a difference between them and others by faith purifying their hearts and then by his precious account that hee maketh of them shall eminently testifie that difference after he hath raised them out of their vilenes and ignominie and clothed them with incorruption and glorie And lastly to make an end with Samson we haue seene in this story how grieuously he fell and withall that he turned againe to the Lord and called vpon him and was heard To gather the story therfore into a short summe according to my vsuall maner of dealing in cōtinued histories let vs learne that if at any time we haue sinned against the Lord more willingly and wittingly then by meere infirmity in our ordinary course of life we vse to doe for Gods seruants though they attaine not to that measure of grace in the seruice of God that they desire yet neither doe they oft or commonly goe against their knowledge and smother it but yet the diuell that layeth a snare for them and lyeth in wait continually to catch them therein may easily and is like sometime to finde them worse prouided Here therefore if it fall out that they be taken in such a trippe and outstraying and met withall by God in pursuing them let them not lie still as the horse in the mire as making light of their sinne and putting the due consideration of it farre from them but as soone as they can labour they to come to themselues againe and consider seriously from whence they are fallen how it is with them in that estate and how they are estranged from God and giue no rest to themselues till with the prodigall sonne they resolue with broken hearts to goe againe to their father who is their refuge and say We haue sinned receiue vs graciously and so God who offereth to raise vp such as are fallen will with the father of the prodigall receiue and welcome them ioyfully And so with Samson and others who haue slidden as he did let them renue their couenant more strongly with the Lord that it may hold firme for the time to come euen to death as his did against all sinne and especially that which hath foiled them most lest it returne back more strongly vpon them as waters which were ill stopped And lastly let them returne againe humbly and penitently for mercie and it shall be according to their faith granted them But I trow they are most happie who feeling and finding how sweete the Lord is and how gainfull his seruice is will prouide as they are taught to abide constantly in his loue as hee willeth them to doe not putting the matter vpon a venture nor vrging the Lord to such a sharp manner of discipline through their boldnesse as this of Samson was all this I say they will doe and that gladly also except they long for woe and stand vpon thornes till they haue brought sorrow vpon themselues and doubled at least their owne labour and trouble in recouering their welfare againe By this verse it appeareth that at this strange spectacle of the casting downe the house vpon the Philistims and their Princes the rest of them were so amazed that they suffered the kinsmen of Samson to come thither and carrie him backe againe vnto their land and inheritance and to burie him there Which if they had considered aduisedly they would haue taken them and the rest being vnder their power and haue put them to the most cruell death as the Gibeonites desired of Dauid certaine of the kindred of Saul to be hanged vp to reuenge themselues on him on Saul I meane who slew sundrie of them contrary to the league that Ioshua made with them which was that they should not dye but cut wood and draw water for the seruice of the Tabernacle Thus wee see God sometimes appalles the wicked so as his people may fare the better by it as by casting them to the ground who sought Christ to take him wee see hee might easily haue escaped their hands if he would and that he had seene it expedient And euen so by their feares or multitude of businesse as also many other waies the Lord putteth his hooke in the nostrils of the wicked so that they desist and leaue off from molesting and vexing his faithfull seruants though it be sore against their will euen as Saul was called away from pursuing Dauid when he was in great danger But if the Lord should reuenge their wrongs vpon their aduersaries as hee seeth it not alwaies expedient to do he should make a riddance of the wicked from the earth and so the innocent and righteous should not haue their faith and patience tried by them as hee hath appointed them to be But seeing he is patient toward them therefore they should be
vpon his death-bed oh how lamentable is it Till better prouision be made by the Church I grant t is no easie thing to be brought to passe most men being so wedded to the penny but in the meane time let vs know the law of God bindeth all his people that as they are freed from Ceremoniall cost in sacrifices Temple and the like so the Lord Iesus himselfe hath substituted in their roome his poore members vndertaking the payment of all which they take vpon his score to the infinite aduantage of their creditors And this should be enough to perswade them that be not desperatly couetous to inlarge themselues in mercie and loue to Christ by comforting the bowels of the religious poore except they will proclaime that if Christ himselfe were present they would suffer him to pine and starue for any helpe he were like to haue from them when yet they are well able to helpe They that are rich in good workes I wish them the true fruite of their practise as I nothing doubt but they shall enioy it euen mercie with God in time of need And for other seeing euery penny to good vse commeth so hardly off with the most of them I aduise them to take a better course with themselues against their owne vncheerefulnes by a solemne setting a part of somewhat as the Apostle willeth according to their abilitie or yeerely receits when it commeth to hand for the seuerall vses which by their owne obseruation or the information of others they shall see to be most needfull to bestow vpon To conclude let many of vs Protestants beware that the bountie of many carnall or Idolatrous persons rise not vp in iudgement against our niggardlines They hauing nothing to set them on work saue ciuilitie or blind deuotion are bountifull to others and yet themselues not a whit the betret for it But we though we pretend that wee haue obtained mercie at Gods hand which should set vs forward to shew mercie to others are so shut vp in our selues that if we may fare wel little care we what becomes of others Let vs amend by being wise for our owne good in shewing mercie and that with cheerefulnes But I proceed in this first part of the Chapter When Micahs mother had caused the Image to be grauen and then couered it with siluer she put it in her sonne his chappell or house of gods for he had such a place as we haue heard where hee did his deuotion and furnished it with such manner of stuffe as with Priests garments the Ephod and other ornaments and there he put Teraphim that is Images which he made with the rest of the money of his mothers And that hee might want nothing for the purpose within his owne doores he made his owne sonne who was neither of the order of Aaron not yet of the tribe of Leui who onely might minister before the Lord yet he made him his Priest rather then he would want one And in deed the Priest was good enough for the seruice he was put to both being abominable In this mirror we may behold what confusion was growne after the good gouernours Ioshua and the rest were dead It may well bee said in the second chapter of this booke verse 10. that then another generation arose after them who knew not the Lord but serued Idols in which times these cursed doings of Micah and his mother had place in all likelihood as in the entrance of the chapter I haue declared So that we see how it was there and then when the people declined and turned away from the religion of their forefathers and when the times grew to be corrupted we see what shamefull examples there arose of such things as a little before could not haue been abidden among whom this Micah is to be reckoned who was alreadie come to be one that had brought strange and false worshippe into his house and was fallen farre from Ioshuas practise who said in his time whatsoeuer other did he and his house would serue the Lord. And let it teach vs if we be wise that if some good meanes faile among vs disorder will soone winde in to our great discomfort Wherby let vs be warned we I say who desire to please God in the vprightnes of our hearts that while we haue the light we walke in it and that not onely we do so while the light is among vs and good examples remaine to incourage vs but let vs then euen before the times of danger come strengthen and vnder lay our selues in such wise with resolutions and purposes daily renued so to continue that if declinings from good courses arise among vs in our daies either in religion or manners yet we may abide stedfast in both and turne not aside with the vnstable and inconstant multitude and those that degenerate that so our old age by a constant walking with God may be crowned with honour as no question it shall by so doing Wee little know what may fall out to be done yea euen of vs who intend against all euill if the times grow corrupter and wax worse and worse except we make faire worke before hand by clinging close vnder Gods fauour and gouernment And although by Gods mercie wee are freed from the greatest yoke of bondage I meane Idolatrie yet as they that touch pitch cannot chuse but be defiled so they who haue to doe and conuerse with the prophane and filthie ones of the world where they may doe what they list how can they keepe their garments vndefiled I meane their liues vnstained and their consciences pure and good Wee haue too much proofe of that which I speake in our owne parts of the countrey how many of good hope and forwardnes haue by bad examples yea and by their owne declinings in the middest of so many prouocations been brought to be disguised in their liues most shamefully and yet I am certified and I easily beleeue it that there are farre worse people in countries further off But to goe forward in that it is said that he being but a priuate man had yet an house of gods and all furniture for the same of which point I spake in part before in the second verse we may see in what base things men take their delight to wit in such as doe not profit them as the Prophet Esay complaineth yea and in such as bring great hurt and annoiance vnto them He complaineth in his time thus of the people Wherefore do you lay out your siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied And what better may bee said of the most in these times but if they bee such as professe any religion the rest are I confesse further off from God then they how is their care and cost bestowed with their labour and trauaile but vpon the false worship of God whether we regard the substance it is with a great many Poperie superstition or such