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
not crie vnfainedly at the first but for the smart they felt but hauing the repulse of God and they seeing that they preuailed not thereby they did after set themselues to seeke the Lord and to repent in the truth of their hearts as is shewed afterwards and that they did not at their first seeking to him come in true repentance it appeareth by the Lords reiecting of their cries and his bidding them goe to their gods whom they had serued for helpe which hee would not haue done if they had turned to him in truth for hee is full of compassion and readie to receiue those that are of an vpright heart And by this wee may see that many men when they are in extremities confesse their sinnes to God as Saul when hee feared the losse of his kingdome and crie to him when yet it is otherwise hardly wrung from them neither doe it they sincerely and yet I will not say that they here or that all other such of whom I speake doe it in hypocrisie but this I say that in their need and hast they crie onely they consider not that God looketh for truth at their hands neither resolue afterwards to looke aboue all things to keepe their couenant with God neither therefore indeed doe so but like Ahab bow for the time as a bulrush and afterward forgetting through carelesnes and negligence what they said or promised whereas they who in truth and vnfainedly repent and turne to God looke duly and constantly to their promise that they made to him as Dauid did who said I haue sworne and will performe it to keepe thy righteous iudgements And there had need to be no lesse in them that couenant with God a man would thinke vnlesse they will boldly and grossely shew that they despise him and helpe to fill the Church with reuolters as they were that we reade of in the Psalme The vse of which I repeate not but referre the Reader to the places before mentioned Verse 11. And the Lord said vnto the children of Israel Did not I deliuer you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the children of Ammon and from the Philistims 12. The Zidonians also and the Amalekites and the Maonites did oppresse you and ye cried vnto me and I saued you out of their hands 13. Yet ye haue for saken me and serued other gods wherefore I will deliuer you no more 14. Goe and crie vnto the gods which yee haue chosen let them saue you in your tribulation IN these verses it followeth what God said to them in these their cryings to him When the people had called vpon God and began as it seemed to repent God answered them indeed but sharpely and roughly as appeareth in the text whether by the high Priest or by some Prophet But why he so hardly reproued them the reason was to awake them further and to bring them to sound and constant repentance to the which they were not yet come vnto As if he should haue said to them Yee seeke to be deliuered but ye doe it to the end that ye being set at libertie may returne to your old byas againe and follow your lusts and serue strange gods But who could haue thought that you would hereafter saith the Lord to them haue reuolted from me Did you not call vpon me at other times and were heard Is this the first and when I deliuered you yet he haue forsaken me as is to bee seene this day for the marke ye stil beare of it and haue cast me behind your backs I deliuered you from the Egyptians Ammorites Ammonites and other and in stead of the thanks ye by and by forsooke me and fell to serue strange gods O horrible Thus therfore the Lord as we haue heard now casteth them in the teeth with their doings And namely with their Idols as if he should haue said yee see now what your gods as you call them are able to doe for you For if they could haue helped you I see that you would neuer haue sought to me I will not therefore deliuer you and if you seeke to them ye see they cannot Briefly to end this their state being thus laid open by the Lord before them I note or rather repeate out of the whole answere which the Lord makes them heere that it is not so easie a matter for men to deceiue him who knoweth their hearts and the guile falsehood and flattery that is in them as to beguile men who in charitie do as they ought iudge the best of them by that which they heare and see To heare some men in their good pangs either when some great blessing befalles them or when they are held vnder by some great affliction as by the feare of death and kept vpon the racke or when they haue heard some powerfull Sermon which hath searched them to the quicke or when they behold the great workes of Gods power as thunder lightning winds and tempest by sea or land or when they see Gods hand vpon other men or to be heauy vpon themselues any other way vpon such occasions I say to heare the speeches and see the behauiours of some men what words of thanksgiuing of trembling of admiration nay what confessions and prayers breake from them with earnest couenants and vowes of repentance I say to heare these things at such times would make a simple-hearted Christian crie out as amazed and not feare boldly to affirme God be glorified doubtlesse these persons are throughly changed and truly penitent and God is in them of a truth surely Saul is become a Prophet of God and thus in their simplicitie doe many iudge of such by occasion of that which they see in them and who except they bee well experienced should not say the like in that case and cursed are they that deceiue such yet thus they speake of them till they are afterward as much astonished to see the contrary in them Thus wee see they deceiue men whereas the Lord as wee may see in this example will not nor cannot bee so easily deluded by them neither wil so soone be satisfied with these their speeches but still waiteth for the truth and vprightnesse of such as vtter them and giues no credulous eare vnto them but doth more then suspect them for he calles them to further proofe of their soundnes and affection towards him and expostulateth with them for that he finds it not so with them Saul as I said fearing his kingdome confessed the sin which was laid to his charge 1. Sam. 15. But the Lord professed for all that he had reiected him chap. 16. So the people in Deuteronomy being in feare and strongly possessed thereof in all hast protested they would obey the Lord in all things which Moses should tell them from the mouth of God But the Lord smelt them and found them out presently for thus he saith to Moses This people saith
vncharitablenesse an vnruly tongue c. the religion of this man were altogether vaine There are reasons of this 1. The Lord saith Sonne giue mâ—e thy heart he meaneth not a rotten heart and corrupt he needs it not but an heart well searched and well drained from sinfull affections and lusts such an heart he calleth for and chuseth For he knowes that where a mortified heart is there also is an heart quickned to the life of God and the more fit for dutie both within and without 2. The chiefe seruice of God is inward and this inward stands especially in repentance which first consisteth in the change of the euill habites and qualities of the soule ere new be put in For no man grafteth vpon a rotten stocke nor puts new wine into old vessels 3. A christian man fetch surer euidence from hence of his reformation then from any particular dutie to the affirmatiue commandements of the morall law and more soundly distinguisheth himselfe from an hypocrite I seperate not the parts of repentance but diuide the false from the sound by this rule many a good Christian is behinde hand in this worke and euer shall be for no man is pure and hardly forgoes some one or few old relikes of Adam and therefore looke how much a man profiteth in this peece of religion so much hee groweth more truely religious The vse is that they who haue chosen the easier course of seruice I meane to doe good duties doe better tend that other part of christianitie which hath been lesse regarded by them and that they trauaile in denying themselues ouercomming their passions abstaining from and crucifying their corrupt nature where it is strongest in them and so shall their religion prosper and better beseeme them For though it be the harder part of the two yet time bestowed therein will counteruaile the labour most plentifullie And for a good man to be a debter to any lust is most vnseemely but to be a seruer fulfiller and obeyer thereof and to haue the weapons of sinne still vnmortified and fighting in him against righteousnesse as Paul speakes is monstrous Thus much of the Nazarite In this verse the Angell telleth the office of the childe that should bee borne to wit that when he should come to age fit for it he should begin to deliuer his people from the bondage of the Philistims Wherein the Lord declareth his tender loue and care of his people who when they are oppressed and in tribulation doth pitie them and thinketh euen before of easing and redressing their sorrowes whereby he would draw them to relenting for their sinne and to be ashamed of their prouoking of him to punish them and of the hardning of their hearts by lying still in their offences without humbling themselues and crying to the Lord for mercy and deliuerance And if yee aske why hee doth not as well take them out of their troubles as well as he pitieth them therein and why he suffered this people to lye in bondage so long to their enemies till Samson grew vp and was able to deliuer them I answere he were willing and ready to doe it and much more if it might be good for them but that cannot be while they still harbour and nourish their sinnes but they would procure vpon themselues greater vexation by continuing their wicked course if the Lord should deliuer them before they repent for the same as hath bin often proued by the example of these Israelites crying for ease but neuer heard till by repentance the Lord was grieued for their miserie So that Gods suffering their oppressions to hold them vnder a long time as this his people was by theirs namely from the birth of Samson till hee came to mans estate and after it was not for that he taketh pleasure in afflicting his hee professeth the contrary but it is for that they relent not neither cast themselues down before him to draw compassion from him by their lamenting after him And therfore their long abiding vnder their tribulations doe argue exceeding hardnes of heart in them whereby they procure the same And whereas men cauill with God and say they cannot bow their own hearts nor force them to relent God must soften them and breake them or else he is the author of their miserie I answere they can binde heauie burthens vpon his shoulders which themselues will not take vp with the least of their fingers And that appeareth by the slight account they make hereof and their dealing so carelesly in so weightie a matter For although the Lord can pull out the stone of the heart as the Prophet speakes and make it an heart of flesh yet if this were the thing they desired they would first apply themselues to that grace of his which is able to worke this effect in them and then put ouer and commend the blessing of their labor to God which while they neglect to doe they haue that within them which shall witnesse against them to be the wilfull causes of their own desolation The Lord is not bound to them in the least respect to minister the meanes of the word in afflictions benefits examples help by others much lesse grace to be humbled and repent Therefore in that they vse none of these ordinances of his to the wholesome ends to which they are appointed the sin is theirs he is guiltlesse in that he hath offered them more faire then themselues were willing to accept of Neuer did the Lord leaue any to himselfe hardned and impenitent who desired to profit vnder his doctrine and discipline Therefore let men beware they ouerreach not themselues in their subtiltie for as bold as they are in speech here yet when they come to answer the Lord face to face they shall be dumbe and of their own mouthes shall the Lord condemne them To the which end more might be added if the point came not so often to hand throughout this booke as oft as the relapses of the people are mentioned See also the first branch of the doctrine vpon the 7. 8. 9. verses of the former chapter Thus much of the first part The second part of the Chapter Vers 6. Then the wife came and told her husband saying A man of God came vnto me and the fashion of him was like the fashion of the Angell of God exceeding fearefull but I asked him not whence he was neither told he me his name 7. But he said vnto me Behold thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne and now thou shalt drinke no wine nor strong drinke neither eate any vncleane thing for the childe shall be a Nazarite to God from his birth to the day of his death 8. Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said I pray thee my Lord let the man of God whom thou seâ—test come againe now vnto vs and teach vs what wee shall doe vnto the childe when he is borne 9. And
for me to speake of Gedeon Barak Iphtah and Samson these the holy Ghost commendeth And though some of them as men did sometime fall yet we are to thinke they returned and rose vp againe seeing the Scripture as I remember doth neuer condemne them So that in respect of them and by their helpe if the people could haue seene it and made benefit of it we may say they liued in a golden age Now whereas it is not so apparantly to be seene that this booke doth set foorth Christ vnto vs in all the commendations of these Iudges who yet is the end of all bookes of Scripture to such as demaund about it I answere that Christ is not cleerely set foorth in any of those bookes of the old Testament first written but darkly and by types and figures as God saw it meete for those ages and so wee are to thinke of this booke where the deliuerances from so great enemies as are mentioned herein are types of that great deliuerance and redemption of men wrought by Christ out of the iawes of the diuell And let the commending of sundrie of those Iudges by the holy Ghost satisfie vs that they could not haue been good men nor haue liued by faith as they were said to haue done if they had not beleeued in Christ and been sanctified thereby Besides what authoritie shall we giue to the old Testament if they who are commended in it to haue been men of God as diuers Kings and Prophets with many other did not liue and walke by faith seeing it is not expressely set downe without which they could not please God Now the summe of this booke is thus much first a declaration generally of the estate of the religion and manner of worshipping God which these Israelites vsed in their Common wealth from the death of Ioshua to Eli the Priest for the storie of Ruth containes things done in the daies of the Iudges Ruth 1. 1. and more particularly this booke layeth out their sinnes and Gods calling them out of them by sundrie warnings and iudgements vnto repentance with many fearefull examples of their reuolting and turning backe againe whereby may bee seene how corrupt they were both in religion and manners and this booke is a liuely glasse if we well consider it of this our age The parts of the booke are three The first setteth downe the slouthfulnesse of the Tribes in executing the commandements of God against their enemies and the punishment threatned for it Chap. 1. and 2. and their slouthfulnesse is illustrated by the contrarie course of Iudah and Simeon who were forward to goe against them as in Chapter 1. to verse 21. is to be seene The second part is from the 2. chapter to the 17. which treateth of the Iudges and their great actes according to occasions offered who in their due time were raised vp The third part is from chapter 17. to the end and setteth foorth some odious and monstrous acts committed in those confused times when there was no ordinarie Gouernour and therewithall the punishments which followed The author of this booke is vnknowne but yet the booke is canonicall and authorized also by the new Testament The time of the actes of it from the death of Ioshua to Eli the high Priest is gathered to be about 300 yeeres The end of this booke as shall better appeare in the particular handling of it is to instruct and perswade vs in this latter age of the world to carry our selues vprightly and in a streight and well ordred course both in prosperitie and aduersitie I meane to hold the feare of God in both and to keep hope and patience in and through out this our pilgrimage with prayer and repentance which if we do God will be no lesse with vs then he was with the good people mentioned herein The order which I purpose to obserue in the Lectures vpon this booke is first to giue the short summe of the Chapters then to deuide euery Chapter into parts for the better distinguishing the points thereof that they may be better vnderstood and more clearely seene into thirdly I giue the sense of the verses more fully and lay forth the doctrine with the reasons and vse thereof though for the most part they be not alwaies expressely set downe which manner of handling the diuerse histories of this booke as also I thinke the same of our preaching out of all other Scriptures namely that after the meaning and sense apt and fit instruction should bee drawne out with the application to the present state need and vse of the hearers plainely and pitbily as may be for their best edifying I hold meetest to be vsed And I weuld to God that there were consent giuen therto of al Preachers and that this course were aimed at I wish that euery one did not follow his owne priuate course who hath neuer learned any good way or order of preaching Whereby it commeth to passe that some fill their Sermons with the froth of their owne braines or the bare authorities of men and least proofe is brought out of the Scriptures Also some preach darkely to the little benefiting of the hearers not to mention all which were endlesse And although for many other things I leaue the consideration therof to my reuerend and learned brethren yet in this I hope without ostentation and arrogating ought to myselfe I may be allowed to speake in regard of the long time which I haue spent in studying learning and practising as I haue been able the holie exercise of preaching And now to end these my Lectures this I say that beside the varietie of much good therein contained there are some points to good purpose occasioned touching faith and repentance and sundrie directions giuen how to seeke the Lord when we haue slipped and how to beare trouble aright Thus much I thought good to say before I enter into the seuerall Sermons euen to this end that some good light may be giuen as to him that marketh duly it may appeare Now I will proceed to the text itselfe THE FIRST SERMON VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES VERS 1. And it came to passe after that Ioshua was dead that the children of Israel asked the Lord saying who shall goe vp for vs against the Canaanites to fight first against them VERS 2. And the Lord said Iudah shall goe vp behold I haue giuen the land into his hands IN this Chapter two things are chiefly contained to set downe the summe of the Chapter and parts of it together The first is the commendation of the tribe of Iudah to the 21. verse the cause we shall heare afterward The second is the setting downe of the sinne of the tribes that are mentioned after in that they slothfully suffered the Canaanites to liue by them and did not expell them and that is to the end of the Chapter Iudah is commended in a double manner first for the actes they did now at
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
such as bee helpers and friends to Gods people neuer loose their reward as Rahabs example and the Kenites doe most cleerely proue declare A notable encouragement both to Gods people to know that the Lord so careth for them that hee will cause many euen of the wicked to be friends to them and helpefull and it is no lesse comfort to them that are so affected to them they may bee sure they shall not lose their labour but be well rewarded And so much the more wee ought to bee quickened by this doctrine seeing Gods people haue many and strong enemies in this world and they themselues are weake and soone discouraged And this is a great refreshing to them when they haue promise of such helpes as whereby their but then is made easie And the Lord hath said much in his word to the encouragement of both and therefore the Psalmist speaking of Ierusalem Gods people saith Let them prosper that loue thee And to Abraham the father of beleeuers which alike is spoken to all that are beleeuers as Abraham was thus he saith I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee So that as Ahab was spared insomuch that the plague threatned came not in his daies but in his sonnes because he repented and yet it was but outwardly wherein hee gaue but a bare shew of it euen so they that doe to his people any good though it bee but in an outward action as this Bethlite did heere to the Lords people shall not lose their reward It is true indeed that this but temporary for the most part which they receiue as the helpe that they minister to them is so but besides that it is much that God will regard them at all who are not faithfull to him for they might feare rather the contrary that he would pursue them as his enemies because they be not repentant besides this I say they get acquaintance with the godly hereby ofttimes whereby they be in hope that they shall learne their religion and follow their conuersation which if they so like and approue of that they loue them the better for it then do they gaine exceedingly by it indeed I meane by that friendship that they shew them For then they come within the compasse of a better blessing and are partakers of a greater promise euen that in the Gospell Whosoeuer receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man that is for his goodnesse and because he is a good man shall haue the reward of a righteous man also This ought for iust cause to astonish and terrifie them who are professed enemies to them because they walke vprightly and hate none more deadly according to the prouer be The righteous is an abomination to the wicked This ought also to draw the hearts of the common sort who professe religion better to regard Gods people and not to bee more brutish then the heathen nations who feared Israel seeing they saw God was with them yea and let them while they liue among them obserue their example and profit by them as they in the Acts. 9. 31. If they will say they know not who they are I answere that they speake vntruly for in the time of their owne affliction and misery they can discerne and doe know them and will aske for them although at other times they are thought of them to bee too precise and deuout and call them Scripture-men in contempt yea euen such as against whom they will set themselues to these therefore if they will shew that they be wise indeed let them adioyne themselues and make much of them till they verifie the Scripture the Lambe and the Lion shall feed together for if God in their trouble and abasement haue giuen them vnderstanding and discretion to know them and afterward they make no more reckoning nor account of them they cannot bee ignorant that they haue done wickedly and are able to see what they doe in casting them off And let them be sure that their sin will find them out in time and the Lord will cast off them for that they haue dealt so with them But much more if they or others begin to smite them with their tongue and to kicke at them and disgrace them This bee said of the house of Ioseph ioyntly It followeth in the text VERS 27. Neither did Manasses destroy Bethshean with her townes nor Taanach with her townes nor the inhabitants of Dor with her townes nor the inhabitants of Ibleam with her townes nor the inhabitants of Megiddo with her townes but the Canaanites dwelt still in that land 28. Neuerthelesse when Israel was strong they put the Caananites to tribute and expelled them not wholly 29. Likewise Ephraim expelled not the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them 30. Neither did Zebulon expell the Canaanites that dwelt in Kitron nor the inhabitants of Nahalol but the Canaanites dwelt among them and became tributaries 31. Neither did Asher cast out the inhabitants of Accho nor the inhabitants of Zidon nor of Ahlab nor of Ach zib nor of Helbah nor of Aphik nor of Rehob 32. But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the land for they did not driue them out 33. Neither did Napthali driue out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh nor the inhabitants of Bethanath but dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the land neuerthelesse the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Bethanah became tributaries vnto them IN these verses the holy story layeth out the sinne of the other Israelites beside Beniamin for that they cast not out nor destroyed not those Canaanites which dwelt in their seuerall lots according to the commandement of God but onely made them tributaries to them And before all the rest the tribe of Manasse is reckoned to haue done so But whereas it is said in Ioshua that this tribe did then so that is make them tributaries then it is not so to be vnderstood but that is said there by an anticipation that is by setting downe that before which came to passe afterward For that was afterward to come to passe that is at this time heere mentioned which was after Ioshuas death For in the daies of Ioshua and of the Elders that liued with him the people contained themselues and did their duties in resisting their enemies by his worthy conducting and going before them And by this their departing from the commandement of the Lord which for a time they obeyed we see how they declined in a short time and waxed weary of obeying The which and namely in so many of them teacheth how ready men are to leaue and forsake a good course although they haue hardly and with much adoe been brought to embrace and fasten vpon it which much concerneth vs
The which declaration of his will by them out of his word from time to time as it highly commendeth his great kindnesse to these to whom he sent those his messengers seeing wee know hee hath not done it at all people in any age so it teacheth vs as others that were before vs it did the like that wee are bound to heare them in all that the Lord shall say to vs by them According to that which our Sauiour himselfe saith He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And so much more wee are to heare them and receiue their message with all readinesse seeing as it hath been glorious in all ages so it is most of all in this latter age wherein is reuealed to vs that all things hath been performed by our Sauiour which appertaine to mans happinesse and which were in ages past onely foretold and therefore they may much more fully and clearely bee made knowne to the hearers now if the messenges who should bring the tidings be faithfull and able to doe their message In which case wee must receiue them as the Lord himselfe and the word which they preach not as the word of man but as it is in deed the word of God that so it may worke in vs effectually as physicke in a corrupt body both to make vs sicke and to recouer and heale vs againe God hauing prouided that in what estate soeuer the people be euery one should receiue his portion by the right diuiding of the word vnto them And the ordinarinesse of their message should not make either their ministery the lesse set by but rather wee should haue them in so much the more estimation and admire therein the vnspeakeable prouidence of God and loue of our Lord Iesus who as hee sendeth vs not to extraordinary meanes so yet he hath promised the ordinary vnto his Church euen to the end of the world as in the Epistle to the Ephesians is to be seene Which being duly considered doth bewray the wofull and lamentable estate of the most hearers though they are in most feareful estate that heare not who euen where the word is preached with power and authority haue it in small account and reuerence And what should the Lord doe more vnto them hauing thus offered his dainties vnto them and yet they are so ful stomacked that they finde no sauour nor pleasure in them They giue themselues leaue so to wallow in their sensualities and to take their fill of earthly delights that they finde no sauour in his heauenly delicates yea and yet some of them are such as heretofore haue heard with ioy yea and a man might haue thought they would haue pluckt out their eyes for them that brought the glad tidings vnto them now are waxen full and count them their enemies for telling them the truth and some thinke themselues within a few weekes able to teach their teachers as other haue turned their zeale into luke-warmenesse their reuerence into contempt conceitednesse worldlines and deprauing of the Scriptures And so like fooles while they loath this wholesome and sweete Manna of the word of life which is the approued truth of God they relish fantasies and haue great taste and delight in dreames and lies in somuch as that if any would faine himselfe to come from the dead and affirme that he brings them newes from thence for any sound knowledge or faith that they haue they are ready to receiue them Oh people infatuated and bewitched as Paul saith to the Galathians seeking as one that runneth vpon a swords point their owne destruction But of these enough THE TENTH SERMON ON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES on the same text vers 1. NOw further let vs marke that the Lord sending his messenger to the people heere did after they had fallen from his couenant that hee made with them to moue them to repentance as in these 3. verses is to be seene And heere let vs marke I say how God is faine to preuent them by this messenger while they lay in their sins before they could accuse themselues and complaine saying once among themselues What haue we done and so to seeke recouery They were fit to be more and more hardened and to runne on still yea to couer their sinnes as Adam and flee from God as Ionas and to sit downe vpon them and hide them as Rahel vpon Labans Idols bet to bethinke themselues what they should do to come out of their sinnes and so to helpe themselues out of danger thereby they were vtterly to seeke and altogether vnfit They may bee likened to Dauid who hauing lien long in two fearefull sinnes was so farre from repenting of them that Nathan was faine to leaue off parables and to speake plainely before he could conceiue him And to Peter who hauing denied his master had no power to rise out of his sinne till the Lord Iesus looked backe vpon him by the which watchword Peter called to minde together with the the cocks crowing the words which Iesus had spoken to him to wit that he should denie him and then he went out and wept bitterly And by this wee may see what a dangerous thing sinne is I meane not onely the committing of it which one would thinke were feareful enough but for that afterward they are not able to rise out of it but lie still in it when yet men thinke they can repent of it at their pleasure and when they list though it trouble the conscience as raw flesh doth the stomacke but they are hardened in it for a time especially soone after the committing of it so that they cannot at all humble their hearts and bewaile their sinne to God And if they come to themselues again after a time yet it is by Gods preuenting of them as I haue said and while he renueth his grace in them as relenting and remorse for it and the renouncing of it and crauing of pardon Thereby indeed they are inabled to repent and so to returne to their former workes But this is not wee see any power in them for they are not able to bring their hearts thereto nor to doe any such thing of themselues And yet I say more that many times when they haue fallen they doe not attaine this grace neither before God brings them to heare by preaching or by affliction calleth them to a deeper consideration or by some such like meanes bringeth their sinne to light and into disgrace with them as to these people hee did heere at Bochim and then it may bee they stay their course and returne But now let this be well weighed herein what a distraction and disquietnesse it hath been to them all this while to lie bound as it were with the chaines of their sins as they haue been that they cannot helpe themselues and to bee so bereaued of the graces of God as
indifferency the Lord I say dealeth not so but offers to them who haue dealt trecherously and broken couenant with them that if they can alleage any sound reason for their doings yea euen from himselfe as that hee hath dealt hardly with them and hath been void of compassion to them hee will heare them and giue them leaue to plead their owne cause Which aduantage hee giuing them he doth stop all mouthes and is iustified himselfe in all his words and workes Which makes greatly for the conuicting of all such as say like them in Ezechiel the Lords waies are vnequall and that he could haue kept them from such falles and dangerous estates thereby as come vpon them Where yet who seeth not that hee hath set double hedge and ditch betwixt them and their sinnes nay rather brazen wals to the end they might not come neere nor commit them Hee hath to speake plainely sent his Prophets among them to forbid and threaten them euen as hee did to Adam if hee should reach out his hand and eate of the forbidden tree Hee allureth and seeketh to win them and perswadeth them to imbrace the good way and not to come neare the way of death and punishment euen as hee seeketh them who are lost but few of them will heare and come so that he may say what shall I doe more for this people yea he may as well say to them as hee did to the people by Hosea the Prophet when he said O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iuda how shall I entreate thee So that if any harden their hearts in such manner to charge God for their sinnes from which yet by no perswasions nor reasons they could bee reclaimed nay for the maintaining wherof they haue shewed themselues rebellious and obstinate know they that while this Scripture and such other shall remaine to witnesse against them they shall neuer bee able to finde the smallest ease by such cauiling whereby they doe but as it were by patching new with old make the rent worse And by this we may see that we were not best to trust to our owne imaginations nor to follow our owne waies neither to deale as Adam to excuse our selues nor to be like to them in the Gospell who when they were bidden to the marriage sent their answere as it pleased them but so as it little became them for thereby wee wade but the deeper into danger and beare away more blowes as it may bee said of them that striue against his chastisements For euery tongue that shal contend with him in iudgement he shall condemne And this we may see if wee list in that fearefull example of him that hid his talent in the earth which he was commanded to put to vse and occupie it Hee thought hee had reason enough to say for his defence that hee knew him to bee an hard man of whom hee receiued it and therefore would be sure to returne him his owne againe But what answere heard he euen this Take the vnprofitable seruant and cast him into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Therefore we see by this as also by our text in that the people had nothing to answere when a reason was demanded of them why they had done so that when men haue followed their owne swinge in sinning as they haue desired they shall neuer bee able to answere any thing in their owne defence soundly nor iustly but to the further encrease of their sinne as I haue said already but shall bee tongue tied wherupon it followeth that which I haue proued that the Lord hath so good right when he dealeth against sinners that entring into iudgement with them hee feareth not to giue them all vantages that they thinke will serue their turnes but in the end they shall see that they do but make themselues thereby the more guilty For by these meanes in giuing this people liberty to answere what they could their sinne was the more aggrauated against them they hauing not so much as any colour to defend themselues And this being so let vs learne hereby not to yeeld onely by silence but to be humbled also and relent and proceed on to true repentance yea let vs beware that wee haue no controuersies with the Lord by being bold to offend and prouoke him thinking though foolishly and falsly to make a good end for be we sure we shall neuer make our part good against him neither let vs sinne in hope for when wee are threatened punishment for the same or when we shall be arraigned we shall easily be found guilty and the Lord shall be iustified and then all our faire shewes must vanish leauing vs in the briers Thus we haue heard the people reproued for their sin now the threatning of the punishment followeth which is sharpe and sore and is set down in three points The first is that God would not expell their enemies as hee had vpon condition promised the second that their remaining still in the land should be as thornes in their sides the third their gods should bee as a snare to catch them in to their destruction And for the first of these punishments namely that God should not expell the Canaanites it is well to bee weighed what he meant by it that wee may the better see what a punishment it was Now his meaning in thus speaking was this for as much as yee haue not stood to your couenant to driue the nations out but haue suffered them to remaine there still neither will I stand to mine which was but conditionally made with you so that wheras I promised to be with you and strengthen you and to expell them for you as I haue begun to doe now I will doe so no more And what will follow of that euen this that if I doe it not you shall not be able to doe it of your selues for ye are too weake as ye haue good proofe And yet if they be not cast out they shall remaine to your destruction This the Lord meant by saying that he would not cast them out This first punishment teacheth vs this that when we remoue not annoiances while we may we shall not be able afterward when we would Now our greatest annoiances are euery mans speciall sinnes euen as this one their breaking off couenant with the Lord was theirs And when wee see some of the speciallest of these our sinnes and what eye sores they be to vs while our hearts goe after them and what trouble and sorrow they bring with them to vs and yet wee cast them not from vs but still retaine them it shall come to passe afterwards that they shall get such strength in vs that we shall not be able to depart and come out from them no not then when wee would For they shall so winde themselues into vs and so draw our delights after them especially through long
they wept the third they offered sacrifice By the lifting vp of their voice wee can conceiue no other thing but that they heartily confessed their sinnes and cried out of them which they heard to haue been reproued by Gods messenger and craued pardon of them accusing themselues They being guided therein by God as the Prophet Hosea in his time taught the people that in repenting they should take to them words as well as to haue a good heart By their weeping they signified deepe griefe conceiued for displeasing God and prouoking his wrath against them And their weeping was so great that the place took the name thereof and was called Bochim that is a place of weepers and by their sacrifice they declared their faith that their sinne was pardoned For the sacrifices were shadowes of Christs death and they in offering them beleeued as the fathers of those times did they constantly beleeued I say that all their sinnes were forgiuen by the death of Christ resembled by the offering of them To the which also there is no doubt but that they added thankes as the Lord directed the people in Hosea to doe in the repentance which hee required of them which also was resembled by their peace offerings Now to examine these things more perticularly this doctrine of repentance which heere occasion is offered to speake of I will the brieflier passe ouer seeing I haue spoken largely of it in other Sermons though not in this booke saue onely so farre as the words require somewhat to bee said And first seeing the hearing of that sermon did worke so good things in the people I meane many of them and bring forth such fruit wee are taught not onely to pray the Lord of the haruest to send such labourers into the haruest as may bee able and fit to bring home the Lords haruest but also what we should doe when wee heare such diuine sermons and doctrine as this was which the messenger of God heere preached vnto them which do vrge our consciences by laying out our sinnes for all doctrine is not of that argument I grant we ought by all doctrine to be moued according to that which wee heare and as occasion is offered either to griefe or to comfort but when wee are more specially taught the doctrine of repentance wee should follow the example of these heere mentioned who cried out of their sinnes and mourned deepely and craued pardon And likewise of other that did the same as the people that came after these when they heard Samuel reprouing them lamented after God and they who are mentioned in the booke of the Acts at Peters sermon were pricked in their hearts and sought comfort So I say should wee doe I meane both such as haue repented already to renue it and such also as are yet to enter vpon it And it is fearefull when these fruits may be seene in them and others that so many among vs hearing the like sermons can goe vntouched in their consciences and with drie eyes or harts for though these be not sufficient yet with faith they are commendable Secondly and more principally heere as this people lifted vp their voice and wept when they were reproued for the abse of Gods benefits and for breaking of their couenant by Gods messenger so among all other good instructions which are infinite we should be greatly moued and sore grieued when wee shall heare that wee are iustly charged by preaching for the like faults as for the ill vsing of the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon vs and for breaking the couenant which wee haue made with him because these two ought to be so thorowly minded of vs daily that wee should giue no iust cause to be rebuked for the neglecting of either of them For what doe we in our liues commendably if these two bee wanting and neglected of vs I meane if we doe not bind our selues by couenant to bee more fruitfull in dutie and more cheerefully to go about the same while we see Gods benefits continued to vs whereby he doth as it were hire vs thereunto And secondly if we make not new couenants with him from time to time to walke constantly in our vprightnesse rather then to deserue iust rebuke for breaking and looking loosely to the old But if wee haue due regard of both these from time to time wee shall both keepe all other parts of our liues within compasse the better and also we shall not need to feare that we can sustaine any sharpe reproofe iustly which is euer vnwelcome to flesh for the same But yet further to say somewhat more perticularly of these three signes of their repentance we must know that the inward graces which are testified by the outward signes thereof heere set downe are rather to be sought of vs in our repentance as relenting and melting of the heart for offending God humiliation faith and the like then the outward signes themselues the last especially as the offering of sacrifice both expiatorie to seeke forgiuenesse of sinnes and eucharisticall representing their thankes which were meerely ceremoniall and proper to the Iewes therefore not now to be vsed of vs and yet in them laudable this ceremony being then in vse to expresse their faith and beleeuing in Christ and their thankesgiuing as we doe simply offer to God both and without them This be said of their offering sacrifice first though mentioned last The other two of lifting vp their voice and weeping are alwaies to bee aimed at in our repentance but cannot alwaies be attained neither are therefore of necessity to bee vrged neither to be rested in if we haue them For the first of them namely the lifting vp the voice in prayer and confession of sin and accusing of our selues it is required by the Prophet Osea of such as could shew it for in vrging the people at that time to repent saying O Israel returne to the Lord thy God hee addeth take vnto you words and say vnto him take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously and we will offer the calues of our lips c. But all cannot expresse their minds in words as namely the ignorant especially some of them and some in the bitternes of their hearts powre out their prayers without words at some time as Anna did Therefore if it may be and that also it be most expedient as if it may be an helpe to quicken vs in feruency the voice is to be lifted vp but not alwaies of necessity to be inioyned Now concerning weeping which they also heere are said to haue adioyned it being a further degree of sorrow then many can attaine vnto it is not of necessity to bee imposed vpon vs as I haue said as though repentance could not be without it though where it can be and accompanieth repentance it doth more deepely search into the heart satisfie the party so moued and quiet the mind which was before troubled
prognosticate vnto what a passe they are like to grow if they had elbow roome For though none might liue happilier then they yet who for the most part doe lesse looke after it for as they in Moses absence from them but fortie daies made themselues a calfe to worship euen so the people are so brutish in these daies and disordered euen while their faithfull pastors liue with them that the greatest part of them take no good by them what did I say nay they liue most offensiuely vnder them A signe of a wofull condemnation ready to come vpon them all may see it is in their so doing for louing darkenesse in the cleare light of the Gospell more then it And though some of them who are more subtill doe carrie the matter more closely yet they are restrained by necessity or shame not reformed by grace and the power of the word And let others who are not so bad and yet not brought to true repentance let them I say make better vse of such helpes while they enioy them as they did in the Acts of the Apostles and especially let them see that all bee well betwixt God and them yea and let them get furniture of grace to vphold them afterward also lest too late they lament that they tooke no good by them and bewaile the want of them as Saul did Samuel when there is no helpe But heere in as much as we see these people held out in Gods seruice but for a time and that was while they had good gouernours and ouerseers liuing with them it auaileth much therefore to obserue in our selues what it is that maketh vs embrace religion and what is the chiefest thing that causeth vs to hold on the same A worthie point for all to learne and namely such as pretend they loue the Gospell it much concerneth vs I say to know and be assured whether it be fauour of men commodity credit example or other outward respect which moueth vs to professe any thing more zealously then some other doe or whether for conscience sake in that God commandeth vs so to doe and for the sauour and sweetnesse that wee finde therein and in the Gospell which wee heare For euen thereafter shal our welfare prosperity and perseuerance be For if wee haue tasted how good the Lord is and haue found that hundred fold that is promised and verefied in vs which is written in the Psalme that a day in Gods house is better to vs then a thousand else where then we may know that wee haue builded vpon a rocke and our building shall stand and till we meet with a better booty then that and may serue a better master then the Lord is which shall neuer be wee will keepe close to him and count his seruice to bee perfect freedome And to such as demand of vs whether wee will continue and hold on in a godly course or goe backe as Christ demanded of his Disciples we shall be able to answere with Peter whither shall wee goe wee are in the way to eternall life and we will not change our Christian course for any other Otherwise it is not enough to boast of our loue to God and to say Lord Lord when yet we will take no paines throughly to gage our harts and to see our affection well ordered that so good life may follow Now while the holy Ghost speaketh of the people how they followed the Lord all the daies of Ioshua and the godly elders hee stayeth a while about them giuing them this testimony that they had seene the workes of God which he had done among them meaning that they had not barely looked vpon them but obserued and as Mary did the words of the Angell had laid them vp in their hearts to consider them For what profited it then otherwise to see them For there is no doubt but that there were many more aliue at that time who had seene the miracles and great workes which the Lord had wrought in placing them in Canaan but they were not worth the naming seeing they had not also made vse of them but these had seen them in another manner so that they acknowledged the Lords power and goodnesse toward them thereby declaring that to be the cause of their constant seruing of God and cleaning to him euen because they had seene them And it is no lesse doubtlesse then a great cause of the godlinesse of them that haue any in them namely that they are such as haue seene and weighed Gods wonderfull acts as his mercy and gracious working by the power of the Gospell in themselues or other as also for that they haue had proofe of his mighty vpholding of theÌ„ in a good course against all aduersary power of the prince of darkenes and his band In like manner this hath hartened them to duty not a little for that as they haue seen it alwaies to go well with them while they feared the Lord and departed from euill so they â—â—ue seene the heauie hand of God to haue been against others that haue peruerted their waies followed a bad course so that although they haue prospered heere for a season yet when God in his due time hath blowne vpon their visored felicity they haue wanzed away in his displeasure This Salomon commendeth to vs in his example who professeth that it was his practise to behold and consider all things not impertinent matters as a busie bodie but profitable and especially the courses and issues of the righteous and wicked By which meanes hee attained to great experience and wisedome both to guide himselfe and others Euen as his father Dauid did also saying that he was made wiser then the ancient because he considered such things But this meditating of Gods wonderfull workes and namely this one the greatest of other how he hath appointed to saue some from vtter perdition and letteth others goe on in their sinnes though it be a strong motiue to draw men to God yet with griefe it may be spoken it is vtterly wanting among most men Their hearts are set on follie and vanity He that hath liued to see many laid in graue hath scarce a thought that hee shall follow and goe the way that all haue gone before him in As for that they heare that except they repent they shall all perish although they know their hearts are hardened so that they neither can repent nor haue the least desire after it yet they crie peace peace as though all were safe So that it may now iustly be complained of which Salomon hath long agoe bewrayed that the fooles eyes are in euery corner of the world meaning that they are busying themselues any way needlesly and amisse but as for things out of the world or aboue it that is as Saint Peter speaketh a farre off their eyes are sore and pur-blind they cannot looke after them and as the Prophet speaketh they
that after men once forsake the Lord and his waies that haue been made knowne vnto them they fall to most lothsome sinnes euen to most grosse and fowle Idolatry yea and there is no end of such abominations with them if God restraine them not Euen so the Lord complaineth in Ieremie saying My people haue committed two euils for they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and haue diged to themselues pits that will hold no water It would neuer haue been thought that people so well prouided to liue happily as these were by their manifold encouragements euen as wee haue seene our selues in our time many to haue been among vs it would neuer I say haue been thought that such could grow to be so monstrous and prophane that none might seeme to goe beyond them therein Euen so it may bee said and to apply this to our selues oh if men could see what God hath done for them in these daies when hee hath granted them to liue in the daies wherein the Gospell hath shewed most cleare light and made manifest the way to eternall life to them who sat in darkenesse and when heerewith he hath giuen peace and abundance of earthly commodities also c. Oh I say that they could in this their time see these things how happy might they haue been thereby but they are hidden from them Now therefore when for all these they haue yet followed their owne hearts desire and the course of such as know not God we may say on the other side oh how iustly may it bee complained of to their no lesse shame then misery Now if any desire to know what Idolatry is and what is meant by that they were said to commit it let them know this for answere to both Idolatrie is a worshipping of Idols and hath two parts outward and and when wee giue that to them which is proper to God in either of these inward wee commit idolatry The inward when wee trust in pray giue thankes or subiect our selues vnto them whatsoeuer in heauen or earth or in the water vnder it The externall is when wee manifest our affections to them by any outward things as bowing the knee vailing the cap prostrating our selues to them or in vsing any other ceremony appointed by God for his owne seruice Now whereas this being vrged to the Idolaters of our time I meane the Popes votaries their answere is that they giue not honour or worship to the Image or that which they giue reuerence to be it stocke or whatsoeuer but onely to God and Christ himselfe in the Image let them heare to their shame what Saint Paul saith to the Corinths the Image or Idoll is nothing saith hee that is to say God is not in it or vnder it whom they say they serue in them and that hee is represented in such images and what do they worship then but the creature Whereby wee may truly gather and all that list may cleerely see that their bowing to them and prostrating themselues before them is grosse Idolatry whatsoeuer they pretend as they haue been oft and learnedly answered The same may be said of their offerings burning of lights their going on pilgrimage to the Saints departed and such like Now as for their miracles they are false and wrought by Satan which God doth suffer for two causes one to try his whether they will goe from God thereby the other to punish themselues and other wicked ones by beleeuing lies And as for Cornelius bowing to Peter and Iohn to the Angell they did not take them for God and yet because they went too farre they were forbidden by them But yet in these verses let vs note a thing or two more For seeing this people saw and heard that God allowed their fathers worshipping of him as Abrahams Iacobs Moses and others and yet they followed nor their example it made their sinne greater For our fathers such as the holy Ghost heere meaneth are to be followed namely Moses and the Prophets as Paul in the 24. of the Acts affirmed that he in seruing God worshipped the God of his fathers and followed them therein Such fathers if the Papists would follow when they boast that they haue the fathers on their side all controuersies about matters in question betwixt them and vs as transubstantiation reall presence adoration of Sacraments and such like would soone be at an end And let vs see that we retaine the true seruing of God that those our holy fathers did seeing with such seruice we haue heard God to be pleased And further note in that the miracles of Egypt are repeated and applyed heere to this generation which yet were done long before as though they had been brought out of Egypt themselues being not yet borne and this was to the end that they should profit and be moued by them as wel as their fathers note I say that the miracles and workes of God in times past wrought by the Prophets our Sauiour and the Apostles ought to serue for our benefit and we ought to haue vse of them as well as they before vs in whose daies they were wrought although we saw them not done whereupon this is set downe that whatsoouer things are written are written for our learning both that we should among all other vses of them bee confirmed in the doctrine of the word and also looke for no more proofe of it by other miracles to be wrought in euery age following And if we be resolued of the truth of this let vs see that we be guided by it also And this be said of the sinne of the generation that rose after the death of the good elders now of their punishment And the wrath of the Lord was hot against Israel and hee deliuered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about them so that they could no longer stand before their enemies Whithersoeuer they went out the hand of the Lord was sore against them as the Lord had said and as the Lord had sworne vnto them so he punished them sore We haue heard of the first point of the foure in this second part of the chapter namely of the sinne of the people The next point followeth as I said before of the punishment with the which the Lord pursued them for it which was two fold the first was the anger of God conceiued against them for it the second the fruit of it And that is set downe heere to be partly the spoiling them of their goods and partly bondage to their enemies and more generally that Gods hand was against them so that they were not able to stand before them by meanes wherof they were in anguish and straits not knowing what to do Behold how their estate was changed yea and that so soone after they turned away from the Lord euen so shall all finde it But
before men are fitted and framed to heare the Lord speake vnto them but being bitten with sorrow they are glad to cling to him But alas what commeth of the most of these his corrections and sharp dealings with such Nay for that I can say no more but this that the most of them doe but bow for the time as a bulrush with the winde their goodnesse being as the morning dew and so it goeth away and they cry out onely while the rod is held ouer them and afterward they returne againe to their old byas And so did these heere and so doe many seeke the Lord for a time and yet turne aside againe as a broken bow But if such as be thus cast downe as these were when God afflicteth them so that one would think they would neuer lift vp their bristles against him any more if these I say doe yet waxe bold and kicke vp their heele against him what shall we thinke of them who relent not at all for their euill doings no nor for Gods heauie hand vpon them but harden their harts as the dog which biteth the staffe that beateth them What then yee will aske is to bee done if groning vnder mens burthens of sinne and punishment haue no good effect All the remedy heere is this that men in such cases finding out their sins doe also seriously consider of the foulenesse of them and the woe that they bring with them and so tread them also vnder their feet and beleeue better things to bee comming from God toward them euen mercy and forgiuenesse which onely are able to crush their sinnes in peeces afterwards as well as to make them kindly and truly acknowledged and cried out of while the smart taketh hold of them This be noted of their groning Now behold what the Lord did when they did thus complaine and cry out he had compassion on them and raised them vp Iudges that should deliuer them out of the hands of their oppressors and spoilers and he did so and was with them and it repented him that he had so suffered them to be oppressed He doth oft as he did to Ahab pitty sinners when they smarting for their faults cry out of them but he doth not receiue them to mercy except they truly forsake them which I say for our instruction that wee may know that the Lord is easily to be entreated of vs waiting indeed our repentance And when we do but giue signes of disliking our sinnes for the time he stayeth his heauie hand from pursuing vs what would hee doe thinke we if we came home to him with all our hearts But so we must know on the other side that hee in so dealing with vs heapeth hot coles vpon our heads add maketh vs vnexcuseable when wee hauing such faire encouragement at his hands shall yet keepe a loofe from him and shew vnfaithfulnes when we haue made couenants with him of amendment But heere commeth in their misery as in this verse is to bee seene that when he did all this to them that heere is set downe yet for all his pitying them and shewing so great kindnesse toward them yet their Iudges who called them from Idolatry were not heard nor regarded of them They considered not what a benefit it was to enioy such although they cried in the anguish of heart for helpe in trouble Now in that this was a common thing with them after their deliuerances thus vnthankfully to deale with the Lord in not obeying their Iudges for so they are charged heere to haue done and in the chapters following is to be seene that they did so by this briefly let vs learne that men are rarely the better for their deliuerances out of their troubles howsoeuer they crie to God in the middest of them Whereas a man would thinke it should be the thing most regarded of them and they should be oft in considering both how irkesome and vncomfortable it was to them when they lay in affliction as in paine of body by sicknesse or disease or in pursuit by enemies or in any other distresse also what a gracious liberty it was and what ease to them when they were deliuered yea and with all this they should yeeld rare thankesgiuing to God for the same especially seeing it is the end of all deliuerance euen the greatest and withall this that we may serue the Lord euer after without feare Againe another thing is not to bee omitted in this verse that in stead of hearkening to and obeying God and their Iudges they fell againe directly to Idolatry and so forsooke the God of their fathers and most brutishly bowed themselues to their Idols which were but blocks and could doe nothing for them A deceiueable pleasure they tooke therein as mans nature is very prone to serue God after a grosse and false manner yea and the holy story sheweth that they did quickly fall to this and turne out of the way to teach vs how soone a well ordered course and good things are forgotten and laid aside This as it may bee obserued in this people that they soone waxed wearie of their good beginnings so also it is apparant in others that come after them who though they haue good example before their eyes to goe before them therein yet they are soone carried another way especially when the chiefe persons are gone who delighted in well doing And yet further to lay out their sinne it is set forth by an apt and fit similitude of fornication euen as holinesse to God is in the Scripture oft times compared to chastnesse in marriage For as the whoremonger is drunken and besotted with his lewd companions so that he can regard no counsell neither can see it to be his discredit to be linked in with such an one neither is moued with the wasting of his goods which is caused thereby euen so the spirituall whoremonger which is the Idolater is as blind as his Idoll and cannot bee disswaded from it but an Image and Crucifix ouerswayeth him when the worshipping of God in spirit and truth is tedious and vtterly vnsauoury to him The reason of all this which I haue said of him and of all such at this day who aggrauate their sin in the like manner is this that men regard nothing but their ease vain pleasure haue no consciences to performe their promises vowes made to God in the time of their affliction Againe they being either void of faith vtterly or hauing receiued some small measure of it and being slow negligent in the meanes vsing daily and duly whereby it should be confirmed they hauing also others to ioyne keepe company with them in doing as they do it easily commeth to passe that they so soone decline and their promise which they made to God of repentance doth vanish like the sparkles THE SIXTEENTH SERMON VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 19. 20. 21. VERS 19. Yet when the
of Palme trees 14. So the children of Israel serued Eglon King of Moab eighteene yeeres Now followeth the second The summe whereof is this that the people of Israel prouoked God to anger againe by their sinnes when Othniel was dead And God strengthened the King of Moab against them with other most wicked confederates who oppressing them sore a long time they cried to the Lord as they had done before and hee stirred vp another sauiour one Ehud who deliuered them out of their grieuous bondage According to this briefe laying out of the story the parts may be discerned to be foure as in the former Which being easie to bee perceiued I will not stand to set them downe but speake of them as they lie in order The first thing heere to be noted is that the people againe wrought euill in the sight of the Lord as they had done before And this shewes that they broke out further then they did while Othniel liued or else nothing should haue been said more then before in his daies during whose time though they be not commended yet neither are they discommended Therefore to say nothing of either seeing I haue no ground for it let that be obserued whereof the text giueth iust occasion how prone and ready we are to break out assoone as we haue any opportunity Oh the flesh is soone wearie of pending in While we are well fenced against falles by good teaching and company I must needs say all is much the better with vs and we be the easilier kept from great offences Heere in this land especially where wee haue the purity of the Gospel and of the true worship of God established among vs for it is grosse indeed to fall from a good course while that is present and also while godly Magistrates are with vs to encourage vs as it was with them while Othniel liued But for all this as grosse as it is when men will let loose themselues with the times to the sinnes thereof and such helpes faile them as I haue spoken of what care soeuer hath been among them of honouring God in former times they are soone carried away euery man as he is disposed by his owne corruption one to some sinne and another to another And yet where all the forementioned outward helpes be we being easily brought to make common things of them the false heart will be ready to breake out and fasten delight in some sinfull pleasure or other if it be not strongly held in by grace as by a bridle Whereas we should rather grow vp stedfast in our hope curbing vp our vnmortified affections that so we might be vnoffensiue in our Christian course and the better be able to helpe to shelter other weake brethren from being ouercome and led away by strong tentations rather then our selues who haue tasted how good and bountifull the Lord is to be plunged into the depth of them by what occasions soeuer to their great offence I haue oft lamented and still doe the lamentable case and wofull estate of such who are easily and readily deceiued with the baits of sinne when I see to what shamefull shiftings and bondage they bring themselues by their yeelding thereto who might haue walked at great liberty toward God and with much comfort in their life But we must confesse that this should be much better done on euery side if diligent teaching were ioyned with good example in the chiefe to giue light and encouragement to the meaner sort and godly Magistrates according to their duties encouraging the good and ready to keepe vnder the bad and disobedient But oh that many of both sorts were not discouragers And yet without respect thereof euery particular person should looke to his owne waies not promising himselfe such helpes in this euill world to be euer at hand This be said of the peoples prouoking of God againe and of their breaking out after the death of Othniel Of other things which might be noted heere hauing already been spoken of I will forbeare to say any more both in this place and throughout the booke The punishment which God inflicted vpon the people for their renued sinnes which is the second thing in this example followeth in this and the next two verses and it was this that the King of Moab and other who assisted him held them in bondage eighteene yeeres and tooke Iericho which was called the city of Palme trees and set aide there the more to oppresse Israel seeing it was by the passage ouer Iordan toward Moab Where we see againe that if we shall waxe bold to sinne against the Lord hee will smite as we haue heard come it sooner or come it later But in that hee is said here to strengthen Moab and as it were to furnish him against his owne people the wicked Idolaters against his true worshippers onely for breaking forth now at this time heere mentioned to offend the Lord more then commonly it may seeme somewhat strange For these Ammonites and Amalekites were most vile enemies of God and grosse Idolaters But he will haue vs to know this that he doth often punish his owne people by them that are worse then they And as we see he sendeth these cursed nations vpon them so we need not doubt but that hee can and will send the very Papists as little as many loose Protestants feare it to vexe vs if we prouoke him euen as he hath done heretofore when the sinne of men and their knowledge was lesser then now it is And so the Lord speaketh in Deuteronomie Because ye haue prouoked me by that which is no God I will prouoke you by them whom ye haue despised as no people It is as harsh a thing to suffer by the meanes of such as be worse then our selues as it is for the child to be beaten by the seruant But God will suffer them partly because hee knowes that to be the way to abase men partly because their enemies will set it on to the purpose when they are let loose to hurt them through the malice that is in them euen as their father the diuell doth when he can But God would haue his owne learne by the smart which they sustaine by their trouble that their sinne is farre more odious then they account it yea then theirs who whip them because they haue been taught to know the Lord and couenanted to serue him but the other are strangers who are vnacquainted with his waies And all this is well to be marked because this errour sticketh fast and deepe in the minds of some that wee need not feare the Papists Spaniards Iesuites or any such Heretikes because we professe the true religion that they hate and worship Christ Iesus whom they dishonour And therefore hauing a good cause they say why should we feare God will fight for vs. I answere they must haue with their good cause a good conscience also for else they may as truly say
through the hardening of their hearts when yet if they could confider aright of it euen that is the greatest punishment of all And although they rise out of it againe in time afterwards yet it is done confusedly or if they see their sinne and repent of it it is after a good space and so much time hath at the least been lost or vnprofitably passed ouer by them And whereas this punishment that was cast vpon them was bondage to a forraine nation both cruel and idolatrous Oh it was a yoke most vnwelcome and so we are to account of it whensoeuer and whomsoeuer of vs it shall fall vpon Subiection in children to parents in seruants to masters in subiects to Prince is naturall and kind But no such thing is bondage to strangers but fearefull and tedious as we haue heard oft times when some persons heere among vs haue been taken by the Turkes yea and Dunkirks into what wofull state they haue been brought And although God hath mercifully perswaded our nation it selfe from it yet we know in what danger we haue been especially to the Spaniard and namely in that yeere 1588. And let vs not be senselesse in hearing this or carelesse for if these reuoltings in the better sort and prophanenesse with many particular sinnes in the common sort continue if the Lord punish vs not with that one kind we may be sure that some one or other shall be in the roome of it yea and if we be not blind in beholding it the plague and dearth hath already seazed vpon many thousands whatsoeuer be behind to arrest such as remaine Vers 15. But when the chilhren of Israel cried vnto the Lord the Lord stirred vp a sauiour to them Ehud the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini a man lame of his right hand and the children of Israel sent a present by him to Eglon King of Moab The third point and fourth in this second example follow namely the cry of the people testifying their repentance and the Lords mercy who pitying them sent them another like Othniel who should deliuer them The man is named and described in the text He first slue the King of Moab and after ten thousand men of his strong and good warriours and so deliuered Israel out of bondage This followeth in the story but it was necessary for me to mention it heere seeing otherwise this sending of a present by him to the King of Moab which the people of Israel are in this verse said to haue done should haue been hard to vnderstand to what end it is set downe whereas the sending of it to him by the men of Israell was the meane of killing the King of Moab and the pretence that they had to couer their intent But more of this afterwards as the words of the text when I come to them shall offer occasion But now let vs handle the points that are in this verse as they lie in order and as for this time we shall be able First it is said that the people cryed to the Lord from vnder their sore bondage wherewith they were oppressed And had it not been better for them to haue been without it and to haue serued the Lord with comfort as they did while Othniel liued with them so should they not haue needed to cry How this their crying was a signe of their repentance I haue largely shewed in the former example vers 9. and that may serue for both But that which I will note now from their crying is this that the best end of our pleasures of sinne is howling and crying which though it did heere accompany repentance as seldome it doth yet is it painful but without it dreadfull and deadly neither doe many meet with that as I said though too many haue their part in this For the times that follow sinne when it is done and ended are not like the time in which it is committed they full of smart and sorrow this taken vp in deceiueable pleasure Consider this all you that are giuen to your appetite and will haue your pleasure where ye can come by it howsoeuer the Lord forbids it and how deare soeuer it cost you If ye may end with crying which yet they can ill away with who hunt after vaine pleasure I meane that which is companion to repentance ye haue infinitely to thanke God for it but who can assure you that ye shall speed so well and haue so good an end thereof who may iustly feare an hundred to one that painfull crying which maketh way to perpetuall howling and gnashing of teeth As your sinnes haue been great so shall your cries be great saith the Lord as namely he doth by Abraham to the rich man Sonne in thy life time thou enioyedst thy pleasure but now thou art tormented Is not this lamentable when we might liue comfortably enioying our health peace liberty and welfare with Gods good liking But oh wofull it is that none of his benefits how precious soeuer are commonly accounted of vs according to their value to wit thankfully nor vsed soberly and aright but so as we are inforced to cry out at the last at least we haue cause so to doe of our abusing of them For there cannot a iot or tittle of Gods word fall to the ground who saith Reioyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth and walke in the waies of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for these things he will bring thee to iudgement But I cannot goe through this whole verse at this time But thus much of this third point beside that which I haue spoken of it elsewhere THE TWENTIETH SERMON ON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw followeth the fourth point in this example and that is how God had mercy on the people when they cried vnto him and gaue them another deliuerer this Ehud by name of the family of Iemini which pertained to the tribe of Beniamin and lame on his right hand And by this as it appeares that Gods hand is not shortened in raising vp one deliuerer after another so we may see how good and kinde the Lord is in hearing the cries and grones of his people and that often times euen againe and againe when they make their complaint vnto him And this hee doth as well in the daily pardoning of our infirmities which are innumerable for who can reckon them as also in such falles as are more grieuous if it repent vs from our heart as he willeth vs to doe in Hosea Which doctrine is warily to be receiued for wee are ready to fall into extremities on both sides For some doubt and feare that God will not receiue them againe though they returne to him remembring their former shamefull and wilfull transgression but that errour of theirs must be amended Other are ready when they heare of Gods
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
But who this Shamger was or of what tribe hee came the Scripture doth not let downe But it appeareth that when they had enioyed long peace vnder Ehud after his death the Philistims began to vexe and oppresse them and then the Lord stirred vp this Shamgar to defend them that they might not againe be brought into bondage as they had bin before And among other of their victories which were many this one is brought in as most admirable though it be but briefly mentioned For a great number euen hundreds to be slaine by one man and he vsing so weake an instrument and the whole nation of the people to bee preserued thereby from so fierce enemies what is in this whole booke spoken of of the like kind to be for strange and admirable vnlesse it be the like act of Sampson Wherein we may see that euery slight thing may be a weapon or warre for Gods people when hee will say it shall preuaile and that it is not the number of men nor the meanes that God regardeth when hee will get the victory Therefore Dauids small and smooth stones to throw in his sling were sufficient furniture and armour to sley the Philistims champion Goliah and Sampson with the iaw bone of an Asse slew a thousand men and Iael with a bare naile killed Sisera that valiant captaine of Iabin King of Canaan And so great an act did this Shamgar by so weak an instrument when the Lord pleased to giue the victory And this truth should wee see verified as clearely as euer they did if we would hold this sure and constant that wee are his and deare vnto him secondly when we feele our outward oppressions and discouragements or our inward infirmities feares and tentations if then I say wee did not looke how weake wee our selues are and vnfit to wade through them all and beare them forgetting Gods power which serueth for the vse and comfort of his weake seruants and to be made knowne in their infirmities euen so wee see Dauid did namely in his sore distresse comfort himselfe in being wearied with Sauls pursuing of him And yet what a grace that was in him we may see by this that hee being at an other time and forgetting himselfe in a sore combat brake out thus and in his rashnesse said I shall one time or other fall by Saul But wee should looke how strong the Lord is who loueth vs who also lookes downe from heauen to see who are weake that he may be strong with them For indeed when wee see our owne impotency this should lift vp out heart and cause vs to reach out our hand to Gods mercy which is in a readinesse for vs. So that if he be able to helpe vs that should bee enough for vs how vnable soeuer wee bee to beare the burthen our selues So wee haue learned to beleeue and to speake The Lord is my light and saluation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Remember wee also what the Apostle said I am able to doe all things through him that maketh me able And againe I will reioyce in mine infirmities for when I am weake then am I strong euen so we not fainting in our many troubles but by faith drawing and deriuing Gods power vnto vs as we haue good leaue to do yea as we are commanded by himselfe to doe we may rest quiet for God will not disappoint vs and in that respect the Apostle Iames willeâ—â— vs to bee greatliest comforted when we fall into diuerse tentations that to our faith may be tried to be sound and that is better then gold bringing patience with it And yet if the Lord be not with vs nor wee cling not to him by faith no munition or warlike furniture when it is needed nor the strongest nor surest helpe in time of peace shall be able to doe vs any good Therefore neither could the walles of Iericho preserue the city when God went against it nor Goliahs sword defend him but turne against him not Pharaeohs Chariots get victorie for him but faile him when the Lord would not go with them And therefore euen as it is said in the Psalme that a King is not saued by the multitude of an host neither is the mighty deliuered by his great strength so an horse is but a vaine helpe to saue a man And so wee may say of all creatures If the Lord be at peace with vs they are on our sides to stand with vs but if he frowne vpon vs they shall be against vs. Lo such a thing it is to bee in league and fauour with him that all shall turne to the best vnto vs thereby yea euen the fiercenesse of our enemies the heauens the earth the creatures shall be all at one with them who are in couenant with him who is the Lord of them But I will proceed in the next chapter THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE booke of IVDGES Vers 1. And the children of Israel began againe to doe wickedly in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead 2. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Iabin King of Canaan that raigned in Hazar whose chiefe captaine was called Sisera which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles 3. Then the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord for he had nine hundred Chariots of iron and twentie yeeres he had vexed the children of Israel very sore 4. And at that time Debora a Prophetesse the wise of Lapidothiudged Israel 5. And this Debora dwelt vnder a Palme tree betweene Rama and mount Ephraim and the people of Israel came vp to her for indgement IN this Chapter is set downe another falling of the children of Israel from God and Gods correcting of them their repentance also and lastly his deliuering of them by Debora Barak and Iael The first of these is in the first verse the next in the second verse their repentance in the third and their deliuerance in all the rest of the verses to the end of the chapter The first part of the Chapter In that this relapse of theirs was said to be after Ehud was dead as though Shamgar had not been betwixt both it was most likely it was for that hee was but a very short time a deliuerer vnto them But yet he was after Ehud a deliuerer of the people though but for a short time as appeareth in the last verse of the former chapter For the first of the foure things I meane the sinne of the people of Israel which againe they committed for so it is said heere that they did againe that which was euill in the sight of the Lord vnderstand it of them who had seene the former deliuerance and also of their posterity who enioyed the blessing Of the phrase or manner of speech vttered by the holy Ghost to wit that they did euill in the sight of the Lord I will not
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
answere that though Barak had been hindred before by vnbeleefe yet afterward hee recouered himselfe as wee see heere and that was when God had giuen him better consideration of the charge enioyned him and promise made vnto him So if we haue failed in beleeuing through the difficulty that wee see or by rashnesse yet let vs weigh Gods promise more duly and so beleeue more hartily and be better stayed by good consideration And to that end let none sit downe like a tyred person and giue ouer his hold and hope saying I see this is too good and precious for mee to enioy for I should neuer be able to beleeue it c. Not so but then let thy want encrease thy thirst as Dauids did Psal 51. and desire to bee enlarged and pray Lord helpe my vnbeleefe And remember that weakenesse may be forgiuen where there is striuing against it but wilfulnesse or preposterous and inuincible vnbeleefe is damnable for God lookes to bee credited vpon his word promise and oath besides the many experiments which we haue if not of our selues yet of other men who of weake became strong And as God bare with Baraks infirmity heere in yeelding to him that Debora should goe with him so he will tender and helpe our weake faith and that many more waies then we can see and all to encourage vs. Thus much be said of this THE TWENTIE SEAVEN SERMON ON THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE booke of IVDGES NOw further let vs note in this verse by the ioynt agreement of all these heere mentioned I meane Debora Barak and the ten thousand of Zebulun and Nephtali especially it being so needful that they should so consent together how good and worthie a thing it is for the seruants of God to ioyne and bee like minded in good things though it doe not directly tend to their owne profit and earthly benefit or not so much as to the common good behoofe of al the people or many as here it did but to a town or family the commendation of this gift of free consent together in many good people is clearely to be seene in the Apostles and those that kept company with them of whom it is said that they were altogether of one mind which caused Saint Paul to make so earnest a request to the Philippians to remoue from them contention and pride whereby this consent and agreement is easily broken For wee know it is no easie matter for many to ioyne and agree together and that by reason of so much contrariety as is in mens minds and for that one is so ready to crosse and withstand an other especially in good things through Satan by his subtill and malitious policy working therewith who gaineth much by their distraction and disagreement as in Paul and Barnabas may be seene It is therfore to be sought laboured for alwaies by the loue and wisedome of godly teachers who by their doctrine perswasions and good example doe much helpe heereto Thus had Debora and Barak preuailed with these ten thousand that they drew them to this worke ioyntly as if they had been but two persons Oh agreement in good things what is like it either in beauty or delight as the Psalmist speaketh Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for men to dwell together in godly vnity And experience teacheth the same For there many vniting their force of couroge and wisdome in one they doe easily resist the common enemy and which is harder their owne corrupt passions and rebellious nature the which to what euill and mischiefe it carryeth them the infinite broyles sutes quarrels and controuersies of almost all places do too truly testifie Such are they who in louing and kind agreement betwixt themselues doe submit themselues to the word of God whereby they become meeke and humble and so they easily consent to that which is good The want of this godly agreement and the contrary readinesse in men to breake out one against another hath oft caused mee to bewaile for who seeth not great cause so to do the boysterous and fierce contentions of many and those not onely of the common sort who are for the most part rude and ignorant but of them also who are to be counted brethren and yet doe so readily let loose their hearts to bitter contentions and rash iudgings of their brethren if they doe not worse and yet which is greater madnesse this is for a smail cause as if they doe but dissent in opinion and iudgement one from another in things indifferent wherein both follow the light of their knowledge whereby they giue too great testimony that they little know themselues aright and that they haue full slightly searched into themselues to see their many ranke corruptions of selfe loue priuie pride frowardnesse impatience vncharitablenesse and such like that swarme and beare sway in them and that they bestow small cost vpon themselues nor time to find fault with their owne doings to wit how farre they are off from the rule of charity that so they may become humble and peaceably minded toward others Nay which is worse they hold their vnchristian conceits and iudgings of their brethren so strongly and wilfully that they verifie the prouerbe making their bitter contentions with them like the bars of a palace that cannot bee broken and like cities strong and well fenced that cannot easily bee beaten downe This is farre from godly agreement and consequently from that harty louing together which should bee like a threefold cord that is not easily broken which our Sauiour saith is a sure token that they in whom it is are his very Disciples indeed As for agreement in euill such as theirs was in the Psalme it is as hurtfull and odious as it is common but though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not escape vnpunished and so I leaue them adding this where there is no agreement in euill there lesse is committed And therefore wee had need to pray the Lord to send a spirit of diuision among such as that was betwixt the Pharisies and Sadduces that so much mischiefe may be preuented rather then stablished And this of the preparation of that Debora and Barak made Now followeth before I come to Sisera a short story of Heber the husband of Iael put in by the way to wit that he being of the posterity of Hobab Moses father in law who remoued from his kindred and brethren as we saw in cap. 1. vers 16. was come to this Kedesh to dwell where Barak assembled his men of warre To the which place God by his prouidence directing him sent him as appeares afterward in vers 17. that thereby hee might as he did by Iael Hebers wife cut off this great enemie Sisera By which we may learne a right profitable lesson That while we goe on heere in our simplicity in this earthly dwelling to serue Gods prouidence as his word leadeth vs
a man left WE haue heard in the former verses how both sides Barak I meane and Sisera addressed themselues to battell in these to come more neerely to the intent of this fourth part is shewed whose the victorie was namely Baraks and how verily Debora incouraging and assuring him that euen the same day wherein she spake it should bee obtained and gotten and he beleeuing it went downe with his men of warre few though they were and he meeting Sisera with his bands at mount Tabor no more is said of the matter they were destroyed both charets and horsemen not a man was left but either drowned in the riuer Kishon that was there by or slaine there at mount Tabor or pursued as the charets and horsemen were and so put to the sword and Sisera himselfe was driuen to flie away on his feete but in vaine Oh the wonderfull deliuerance that God gaue vnto his people that day This here set downe is the third speech that Debora vsed to Barak and that at mount Tabor and though the last yet not the least but mightie forceable and in due season For it appeareth by the text that when Barak saw Siseras huge army he was dismaied and therfore sought the fittest place about mount Tabor and the furest to shrowd himselfe in from the violence and rage of Sisera Which fainting of his she perceiuing called him backe and stirred him vp to fight by her words and perswasions saying No power of man how great and fearfull soeuer shall be able to hinder thee from obtaining the victorie which the Lord hath purposed to giue thee this day At which speech of hers hee was animated and tooke heart and went to the battell and as we haue heard preuailed And here is most notably set downe one meanes whereby the power of faith is strengthened and whereby it is wonderfully drawne to contemne and set light by all discouragements and breake thorow them the least whereof without it would bee ready to set a man at his wits end And that was here Deboras heartning perswasion to Barak as Gods voyce to animate him And therefore it much auaileth to heare Gods promises oft times by the publike Ministerie and effectually published and fitly applied vnto vs in the fittest manner that may bee and in sicknesse temptation and other times of fainting when a man is much weakened and dismaied to haue as Barak had here by Debora such forcible and liuely quicknings but best of all if a man be able himselfe to doe that dutie to himselfe and by the prayer of faith to strengthen himselfe in such time of need Oh! there are many ebbings and faintings in our liues euen after good strength and refreshing we haue sometime good patience and hope vnder our crosses but another time wee feare the greatnes of them that they will swallow vs vp especially if they be more then common Againe wee sometime pursue a finne and haue it in the chace and preuaile ouer it which hath sore laid at vs and wound in with vs very farre to draw liking and consent from vs vnto it and sometime it carrieth vs with maine force after it And what is it that hath relieued vs at such times Truly euen this if we haue been able to beleeue that God will strengthen vs against it and that he hath promised so to doe and if also by prayer not fained wee haue set our faith a worke though it hath lien as almost dead before euen thus we grow to weaken the liking of that sinne in vs as for feare of danger or shame of the world they are but dull edged tooles to cut off the head of such a monster And although wee be brought oft times to that point as to doubt yet we should also striue by our faith in our prayers against it and it shall not be in vaine to doe so And the same wee should doe in our feare before affliction commeth and in our heauines for it when it is come For they that know any thing of the estate of a Christian know this that he is many times in great feare of falling into some finne yea and perhaps that which is foule and odious though it be not vsually so Now if we doe not call to minde that God hath promised strength against all such aduersarie power and that by the weapons of our warfare which are not carnall but spirituall wee shall be able to beate downe such strong holds and if with the prayer of faith as need requireth we set not our selues so to doe we shall soone perceiue that we lose ground and grow weake as Barak did for a while who yet was strengthened againe by Debora so that hee did most valiantly afterwards in so much that he was renowned among the Worthies and reported to haue obtained the victorie by faith for at the hearing of Deboras words he went downe from mount Tabor with his men neere to the riuer Kishon against Sisera This of the incouragement by Debora and the fruite of it Barak Now it followeth that the Lord gaue Barak victorie the rare and marueilous victorie ouer his and Gods enemies For the Lord wasted the huge armie of Sisera howbeit by the fighting of Barak and his men against them And such of them as hasted in their flight toward Harosheth of the Gentiles for safetie from whence they came they were ouer taken also and put to the sword so that none escaped And Sisera was driuen so great the slaughter was and the battell so sore to forsake his charet wherein hee rode and to escape on foote if it might be among the common souldiers Now it is to be considered by what meanes this great victorie was gotten tenne thousand vnexperienced souldiers going against so many thousands of horsemen and footmen and yron charets The Lord it is said gaue Barak the victorie which no man doubteth of seeing he is all in all It is an harder question how Barak obtained it of God and that was by faith after that Barak got strength and courage againe by Deboras perswasions she her selfe being constant in faith all the while for then and not before he went down from mount Tabor with his men to meete Sisera being before afraid looking downe from thence vpon the huge armie that he saw This was Barak his armour of proofe to defend him euen his faith And if this cannot bee cleerely enough seene in this storie fetch more cleere proofe of that which I say from another scripture Thus writeth the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes after he had set downe the faith of sundrie persons as Abraham Moses and other he adde to What shall I more say of Gedcon Barak c. who waxed valiant in battell and by faith turned to flight the armies of the aliants And by this wee may see againe the mightie force and power of faith where it is firme and strong what great things it bringeth to passe
world neither can they chuse they know but they must haue dealings with the men that liue in it and againe they are commanded by the Apostle that they should as much as in them lyeth haue peace with all men And so most Christian Emperours haue had peace with the barbarous people that were strangers to true religion and so did the people of Israell with the nations which were neare adioyned to them except the seuen that were accursed for the Lord did not command them to make warre with the rest that dwelt about them But if they should vrge the religious people to ioyne their aide with them in making warre with them against other nations which are Gods people that in no wise is to be yeelded vnto For it went ill with Iehosaphat for going to warre in league with Ahab against Ramath in Gilead As also for ioyning in fellowship with Iehoram his sonne when hee sent ships with him into Tarsis for a tempest arising at Ezion Gabar his ships were broken So Asa King of Iuda sent siluer and gold to Benhadad King of Aram to help him against Baasha King of Israel but hee was reproued for it of the Lord. And so no doubt it is lawfull for Christian Princes to confederate with not onely Christian but Popish or Heathen in ciuill cases as for the better security of their dominions maintenance of peace and those commodities which follow thereupon as traffique c. but to hold correspondence with them in religion or to professe themselues friends to their friends whom God curseth or enemies to their enemies that were to doe as they in the Psalme that banded themselues together whom God will scatter Now that which I haue said of leagues made betwixt nations or one man as Heber was with a King namely Iabin King of Canaan the same I say of one priuate person with another liuing together And that is briefly this that a godly Christian may liue in peace with the wicked and vse him in ciuill cases to buy and sell and borrow and lend as it may conueniently bee done betwixt them but this must alwaies be prouided for that he ioyne not with him in his sinne neither that hee haue any fellowship with him in false worship Hitherto of Sisera his going on foot to the house of Iael now it is shewed how she vsed meanes to bring him to his death first as is mentioned in this verse For shee went to meet him and drew him in by faire and alluring words and bids him not feare Heereby there is no doubt hee was more throughly perswaded that hee should bee safe there But this was a traine to draw him to further danger as we see by that which followeth ver 21. And all this duely considered with other things which shee did mentioned in the text causeth question to bee made whether Iael did well or no in thus deceiuing him But that question is easily answered For shee doing it to an enemy not hers but Gods one that all Gods people ought by vertue of his commandement to haue rooted out as they were able in a word a chiefe Canaanite and shee blessed and praised of God for that which shee did By all this I thinke it is cleare shee offended not at least in the substance of the action But this hath been answered before by the like occasion in Ehuds example But for vs who haue not the like commandement except the ciuill Magistrate and the lawfull executioner wee haue in no wise liberty to follow her example but to sticke fast to the rule that teacheth vs to walke toward all men in vprightnesse and all good simplicity and innocency giuing vnto the worst their due THE TWENTIE NINE SERMON ON THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES IT followeth of Sisera who being very dry with trauelling on foote and inward griefe heating him desiring somewhat wherewith to quench his thirst and shee gaue him liberally milke to drinke which was fittest to bring him asleepe But when he had well drunke he forgets not the danger he was in while such as passed by might be ready to aske after him there and therefore hee diligently instructeth her to be carefull euery way for his preseruation and safety By the giuing him drinke that he might fall asleepe and so she might the more conueniently dispatch him by so good an opportunity she shewed her readines to help cut off Gods enemies and therin as wel to serue him as his Church which well appeareth in these three verses and this thing in generall wee all are bound to follow her in though not in that particular manner For as God commended the vniust steward for that he had done wisely in making prouision for himselfe when he was put out of his stewardship although he condemned his particular fact in that he sought it by falshood and fraud so is our godly care to helpe the members of the Church and to resist the enemies of it both are very commendable in vs though we must beware of all vnlawfull meanes vsing which tend thereto Thus as Debora Barak and Iael wrought a wonderfull deliuerance for Gods people so they who haue place and authority put in their hands by God are bound to doe for the safety of the whole Church if they will proue themselues faithfull and zealous And priuate persons whose power cannot reach farre ought to doe the same toward particular members of the Church and that part of it where they dwell so farre as they shall be able Of Iaels readinesse to cut off Gods enemy Sisera and of her faithfulnesse wee haue heard now further in this 19. and 20. verses is shewed how God did cause him to trust Iael and to put confidence in her for the hiding and keeping him from his enemies And as he did in this when he purposeth euill against wicked men he commonly blindfoldeth them takes away prouidence and counsell from them and suffereth them to chuse that course to follow in their liues and actions which proues the vnhappiest to them euen worse oft times then their greatest enemie could take against them as I may say of Pharaoh in his wilfull ventering on the sea to follow after Israel what enemy could so much haue hurt him as he did himselfe So that a wicked man is neuer sure of peace and safety when he is at the best for the Lord is able to defeate him first and last euen many waies for why there is no peace to the vngodly as the Prophet faith neither is there any counsell against the Lord Iehouah Againe as hee trusted in her so the Lord made her deceiue and disappoint him Both which doe confirme vs in that which hath now been said and teach vs that when it pleaseth him hee leaueth the wicked destitute of all helpe and frustrate of their hope of successe or that they put in their friends yea and further hee will
they had not been at all When Achan had troubled Israel by taking the execrable thing the Lord tels Ioshua that therefore they could not stand before their enemies How much more if they themselues had sinned Oh mens sinnes turneth plenty into want courage into timerousnesse and fainting of heart and light into darkenesse and all out of kind Behold what it did in Ieroboam when hee stretched out his arme against the Prophet of God for reprouing him for his idolatry at Bethel his arme was immediately withered and dried vp that he could not draw it in againe So Gehazi when he had taken most wickedly both money and raiment of Naaman the Syrian pretending his masters sending him for it and after his returne had answered his master Elisha with a lie maruellous it is to say and against nature and any sound reason in mans iudgement what came vpon him euen a leprosie forthwith so that he went out a leaper as white as snow And the band of Priests Iewes and souldiers that came into the garden to apprehend and take our Sauiour Christ so boldly and trecherously yet suddenly they went backe like drunken men and fell to the ground astonished and vnfitted vtterly for such a purpose as to lay hold of him and that at one word spoken by our Sauiour and yet not in terrifying manner as he might haue done saying he was the man whom they sought So that in seeking him they were both lusty and ready to lay hold of him yet when they had found him they could doe nothing to him for their sinne had taken their power and ability from them For who is able to reckon vp how many waies God hath to visit astonish and terrifie men for their sinne Therefore among other punishments in Deuteronomy threatened this is one a trembling heart a sorrowfull mind and feare both day and night And if the Lord should not handle some thus other would not bee afraid but would abuse his Maiesty yea and faithfull people also much more grosly would tempt God then now they dare doe though euen now many doe it too boldly when they forget themselues But Hypocrites goe verie farre in sinning boldly as other doe who are like them therefore many are apalled among vs some hauing their wit and reason taken from them some become foolish some madde men other against nature laying violent hands vpon themselues their seuerall sinnes doe though no reason of man seeth it doe I say driue them to it This is another fruit to be ioyned to the former which sinne bringeth forth True it is indeed the Lord dealeth not thus in kind with all sinners nay wee see how impudent and brasen faced most bee in their leaud courses and set vp their bustles against the ordinance of God But though their foreheads bee of brasse yet their hearts be glassie their consciences if they would yeeld are as water powred forth they haue not the true Lion like courage and boldnesse which in their iollity they would haue all thinke that they haue but sin hath infeebled them they cannot abide the force and sting of their conscience but fall downe coward-like when it smiteth them neither can their sinne abide the hand of God which as it is euer readie to be reached foorth against them so when it is so indeed they are soone dismaied as Nabal was when he heard he should dye True it is they set a good face vpon the matter openly bragging and bracing as I haue said but when their conscience and they goe to it hand to hand as it doth but seldome then in their necessitie it is with them as if an armed man were vpon them their white liuerd hearts doe vtterly faile them And yet where is he that by such checkes of the word and his conscience and the feare of many arrestings of him from God doth once complaine and crie out of his estate and so seekes strength and recouerie out of it by faith peace and confidence with the true detestation of his sin which like a Witch so inchaunteth and disableth him of all courage and boldnesse and turnes him into a very coward and weakling Now in that men doe not perceiue this as they might easily do their blindfolding of themselues and hardning of their hearts is the cause thereof Now Debora turneth her selfe to diuers kinds of men and distinguisheth them one from another exhorting them all as she her selfe did to praise and magnifie God This I will lay open more plainly it being somewhat hard otherwise for some readers to vnderstand and discerne the same And first in this verse she beginneth with the chiefe of the armies and those that offered themselues willingly to the battell In the next verse she speaketh to the rich Merchants that rode on costly beasts that were as hee calleth them white Asses and such as sat in iudgement And thirdly in this same verse also she speaketh to all meaner persons that trauailed on foote seeing there was now libertie for them to passe to and fro in the high waies she moueth these I say to magnifie God Euen all sorts of people who went out and in by the gates of the citie for their businesse profit pleasure or any other necessarie vse In the second verse she nameth the very boyes and girles who could not safely goe out to draw water without danger of the archers who lay in waite secretly to shoote at them and so put them in perill and ieopardie of their liues or to be sore wounded these might now she saith fetch their water without feare of hurt Then she calleth to them who dwelt in villages and vnwalled townes their danger hauing been very great so as they were driuen away from their houses telling them that they might now returne home againe and dwel in them quietly as in times past and last of all she speakes to those who were wont to meete in the gates of the citie that is in the open places for iudgement All these she moues to praise the Lord for that he had now by that one deliuerance and victorie set them all at libertie and in peace Now to make our profit of these verses and more particularly to examine them and to begin with the ninth whereas she saith in this verse that her heart was set on the gouernours of Israel or which is all one her heart was toward them to prouoke them meaning the cause was so great why they should praise God that she could not chuse but speake to them as if she should say she desired most earnestly that the chiefe of the armie and the gouernours and captaines thereof and great men should praise God the reason was because they with her and Barak were the chiefe in that businesse and they going before them the other should the easiler be drawne by their example to follow And it liuely teacheth and setteth before the chief doers in such martiall affaires also the
are of al sorts who hauing sutes and controuersies depending betwixt them get the day of their aduersary and doe bring the one the other to a meane and poore estate I speake of such as contend lawfully and hauing a good cause and right on their side they preuaile by order of iustice one against the other and doe in a certaine manner triumph thereby But what then In all this the one beareth as hee is more graciously seasoned then another a lowly mind and remembreth though he haue the better hand and other wealth beside whence hee came who set him vp and why that is not to glory foolishly of his welfare ouer his aduersary but to be thankfull to God and therefore is moderate and sober in the vse of all such liberties and more fruitfull in doing good The other vseth them to pride himselfe to scorne others to boast of his successe and to be more impudent prophane and lawlesse Both these triumph ouer their aduersary but the one in good manner as not glorying that he hath gotten the victorie of himselfe or by his owne strength the other most vnbeseemingly being a slaue and pesant to his vnbridled lusts and glorying in the pride of life The reason of honouring God by them both Debora and Barak I meane is set downe by her in this verse and that was seeing the Lord had wrought wonderfully for them and giuen many men euen an huge army into the hands of a few and valiant and noble warriers he had caused to be subdued by them that were but weake and meane And though shee ascribe it in the first part of the verse vnto the persons yet that we may know that she ment them to be but the instruments onely appointed by God to get the victory therefore in the latter part of the verse she maketh the Lord the cause of it saying that he made them able to obtaine and so to preuaile ouer them And so we dearely beloued when the like falleth out to vs that God by small meanes worketh great things for vs let vs learne before to be ready to see and acknowledge it For example when the Lord shall asswage the extremities of his seruants either in paine sicknesse feare of vtter vndoing or in the cruelty of their enemies whereas none saw how they might bee like to recouer themselues any more as when all helpe and hope by manward is past when he I say shal then shew his helpe that was not in any likelihood to haue been looked for is it not time to behold his great goodnesse and wonder at it with due praises His preuenting of that notorious Gun-powder treason with the remouall of many great enemies of his people when death onely was like to haue done it God knoweth when and that in our remembrance since the entering in of our late deceised Queene of blessed memorie and the Kings Maiesty whom God inable to tread them vnder his feet what thankes doe these worthily require of vs Moreouer to see the fruit of this Gospell which is for the most part so contemptible in the world what great things it doth in subduing the stony hearts of many vnto the power of it and in changing them though for the great cumpasse of the land and the long time that it hath bin preached we may and ought to lament that it hath preuailed with no more yet that grace that the sincere preaching of it hath wrought in many thousands is to be remembred thought vpon and acknowledged to Gods eternall praise Euen as in all ages God hath done wonderfully I meane great things by small meanes as in casting downe the walles of Iericho by seuen daies compassing it with blowing trumpets of Rammes hornes Also his inabling Gedeon with three hundred men to ouerthrow an armie of the Midianites who as grashoppers couered the face of the earth And Dauid with his sling to conquer great Goliah But I must heere cut off seeing the verses following are many and must be handled together THE THIRTIE THREE SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES The second part of the Chapter Vers 14. Of Ephraim their roote arose against Amalek and after thee Beniamin against thy people O Amalek of Machir came rulers and of Zebulon they that handle the pen of the writer 15. And the Princes of Issachar were with Debora and Ishachar and also Barak he was sent on his feet in the valley for the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart 16. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds to heare the bleatings of the flockes for the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart 17. Gilead abode beyond Iordan and why doth Dan remaine in ships Ashur sat on the sea shore and tarried in his decayed places 18. But the people of Zebulun and Naphthali haue ieoparded their liues vnto the death in the high places of the field THis is the first point of the second part of the chapter in these words of the text to the 19. verse which second part was diuided into three as is to bee seene in the first entrance into the chapter In the first they are brought in to the song first and commended by Debora that did helpe in the warre in the 14. and part of the fifteenth verse and by occasion of them they are mentioned next and their slothfulnesse is reproued who being of the tribes did not helpe in the battell which is done in part of the fifteenth verse the 16. and 17. and after shee commendeth Zebulun and Naphthali for that they had ieoparded their liues for their brethren and this in the eighteenth verse This to be the meaning of these verses all may see that will throughly looke into it But yet it must be acknowledged that there is difficulty in some of them This therfore I will cleare as I am able and labour to remoue the doubts which may be raised to trouble the Reader To the which end wee must remember that which was before said that Debora first speaketh of them in this second part of the chapter which did helpe in the warre And shee beginneth with Ephraim And whereas some expound it that this root of Ephraim that rose against Amalek was Ioshua and by Beniamin in that they vnderstand him that should fight against them afterward that is to say Saul who did so indeed It is true that both these are said to haue gone against Amalek but what is that to this purpose For heere in this part of the song Debora signifieth who they were that fought against the Canaanites at that time Therefore it is rather likely that by the root of Ephraim she could not meane Ioshua who was dead long before but she meaneth her selfe being one that was a chiefe person in that tribe for it appeareth that shee was an Ephramite and it is said that she iudged Israel dwelling vnder a Palme tree between Ramath and Bethel in mount Ephraim And sure it is that by
their ill prospering against Israel in their fighting now more particularly Debora sheweth in this verse that euen from heauen that is from the higher region of the aire the starres and planets raised the raine and the winde in their faces yea the haile and tempests to fight against Sisera so that thereby God shewed himselfe to be against him all his preparation and furniture of charets horses and men seruing him to no purpose but disappointing him This teacheth vs that when God will both heauen and earth and the powers of both shall fight against Gods enemies euen as all the plagues written in the booke of God doe at his commandement seaze vpon and torment them So the haile from aboue slew Gods enemies and the Sunne stood still to that end so frosts and floods plague and tamine with other such haue in our time fought against them from God I haue handled this point more largely before I will onely answere one obiection in this place It is obiected that the godly sustaine the forementioned iudgements and the like as well as the wicked therefore when shall wee be able to proue and say the Lord in laies them vpon his enemies as if he aimed at that alone For Iob had his sheepe and seruants burnt vp and deuoured by fire from heauen as if Satan would thereby haue perswaded him that God himself made warre with him from thence his body was also smitten with sore byles from the sole of his foote vnto the crowne of his head and he tooke a potsheard to scrape him I answere that God sendeth these and the like to his children as trials or corrections to heale them of some dangerous disease as pride loosenes worldlinesse c. but to his enemies as scourges for their wicked liues to begin their hellish torments here and as this euer true so if their sinnes be manifest wee may so iudge of the particular offenders that he meaneth no lesse toward them and that without any feare of iniurying them vnlesse they repent The next particular assistant to Israel that is said to haue fought against Sisera was the riuer Kishon which though it was not vsually deep yet now the waters rose higher and ouerflowed the bankes and was spred out further and because both the armies met there by therefore it is described by her the riuer of mettings namely of both the armies for the word is better translated so then as some doe translate it the anctent riuer and by an elegant repetition of the word sheweth that it drowned and carried away many of the enemies euen as the dust and other filthinesse is swept out of an house with a brooâ—e Not that all were slaine that way which could not be when the men were many and the place not large but that many flying were there destroyed And this being a thing neither feared of the enemies nor made reckoning of by Gods people doth worthily teach vs that when we walke vprightly with God he causeth many things to lend their helpe to vs which wee neuer thought of nor looked for and not onely persons to be kinde to vs but also other commodities comforts and incouragements to meete with vs yea the very places where we dwell and whither we come And the very same things which haue been fatall and deadly enemies to others to be helpfull and as it were made friendly vnto vs. Iacob thus being faithfull to the Lord hee inriched him greatly ouer hee euer looked for or saw likelihood of but rather of the contrary and so dealt he with his father Isaac before him being among strangers in the land And so he prouideth for many of his deare seruants who comming strangers to a place where it was little likely to get either grace knowledge or other commodities he hath yet by giuing them honest and good hearts blessed them otherwise with loue and fauour of the best with a sweete life inward peace growing in goodnesse fruite of prayers and other holy labours with contentment and such like that it may for euer worthily perswade all to get into Gods seruice and to be vpright hearted toward him seeing godlinesse bringeth so many and great commodities But of this I spake somewhat before also But on the contrary it may be said that when men seeke not the Lord with all their heart neither be carefull that their waies may please him they not only prosper not long which yet they were as like to attaine to as the most but they lose euen that which they had and are tossed about with many calamities and with this as the greatest of all that when God frowneth vpon them they beleeue it not the danger whereof may easily be gathered by the drunkard in the Prouerbs who was stricken he said for his sinne and the fruites of it whoredome and such like but hee was not sicke he was beaten but hee knew not therefore he would follow his sinne yet still The speech vttered by Debora O my soule thou hast marched valiantly or as it is in the Hebrew O my soule thou hast trod downe strength namely of the enemies which we know was very great If wee take it in the first sense she triumpheth in a generall manner through the courage and furtherance that God gaue her if in the latter it is the same but more particularly she speaketh to her soule reioycingly that she had trode vnder foote might and strength seeing God had armed her with power against so great enemies as if she should say that therefore she need to feare the power of none hereafter God being still with her Both affoord this worthie instruction that when wee haue seene that God hath giuen vs great deliuerance while wee trusted in him as she heere did wee should for euerafter promise our selues that hee will doe the like to vs still seeking to him in the like manner that so we may harten our selues to beleeue it This agreeth with Saint Pauls doctrine that experience bringeth hope and with his practise saying God hath deliuered vs doth deliuer vs in whom wee trust that yet hereafter also hee will deliuer vs. And doublesse this experience is the proper fruit which faith bringeth forth without which what were our life wee are not freed from all affliction because we haue escaped one but we remaine still subiect to the same or the like and what shall it boot vs to haue been ouercommers in the one if we be foiled by another as we may easily be euen by a lesser without this armour through vnbeleefe when before through faith wee ouercame a greater Surely no more then it should haue booted Dauid to haue killed the Beare if he had been slaine by the Lion or the Philistim And therefore learne hence that though we ought to beleeue in him for his promise sake yet we much better doe it or ought to doe when we haue a pawne lying by vs I
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
wisedom by this in the vse of example of other men that by their sides we strike not through the Lord by our vnthankfulnes Salomon saith Say not that their daies past are better then the present this is follie Oh say men In the daies of our forefathers what plentie what seasonable times what happie liuing there was Why so And yet if it had been so they wanted many things of more precious nature which we enioy and had their part in all our crosses too famines yet the people were but a few pestilence sword and warre especially also ill seasons of droughts and wet vnlesse their murmuring be against God for multiplying mankinde what cause haue they else to open their mouthes and complaine But our vnthankfulnes for that wee enioy causeth vs to be discontented in our selues for that we want and to grudge against God for partialitie whereas if we compared things equally we had ten times more cause of preferring the present condition taking it with all hardnesse as it is not to be denied but there is much And so oft times doe the poore grudge against the wealthy or rather against the Lord who made both as Salomon saith One repines that hee is rather a tenant then a landlord an vnderling rather then a commander a deformed person meanly accounted of behind hand diseased rather then as such or such wealthie men great personable honourable before hand healthfull Consider as wel their wants as their endowments their grace as their other parts the vse they make and the account they must make of them their troubles also which accompanie them as well as their gifts and blessings and so doing thou shalt see if not thy selfe equall for God is the author of such inequalitie and that in great wisedome yet at least not so much inferiour to bee sure to haue cause to be more thankfull But this lastly is not to be omitted that Gedeon asking for the miracles which their fathers told them of doth shew that their fathers had according to the commandement of God declared to their children the wonderous workes that he had done for them and it seemeth also that he had learned by them to know and beleeue them So must parents and children doe the one should be able to tell as we see in the Psalme and the other to hearken to the great workes of God and not to fables neither should tales of vaine things be told as of Robinhood nor the dregges and fragments of popery and filthie reports of lewd actions to corrupt their children as too many parents doe and hurt them as much this way as any other who yet are not a few but they should cause them to drinke in the water of life by good instructions And if parents pleade their owne inabilitie hereto let them know that the Ministery of the word is a special meane to supply that want let them be diligent hearers themselues and tell the same foorth to other and stirre vp their children to doe so that so by liniall descent the knowledge and feare of God may be deriued to their posteritie that the Lord and his goodnesse to them may be had in perpetuall remembrance And let their children see that they minde Gods matters with no lesse cheerefulnes and regard then they haue done their worldly affaires and to this let their parents traine them for else they will see light at a creuise and wee know it quickly pricks that will be a thorne As they be framed vp and manured at first so their soile will after either beare thornes and briars or good fruites THE THIRTIE NINE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw followeth the third point in the diuision of these sixe verses and that is the words of the Angell to Gedeons sorrowfull answere thus Whereas thou saist that God shewed his power to your fathers in deliuering them by miracles go thou armed by him with the like power and thereby deliuer thou Israel out of the hands of the Midianites and thereby thou shalt know that God is as able to doe great things now as well as before yea and that he doth in like maner for his people euen now as he did in ages past And to make his words of more authoritie with him he addeth this interrogation Haue not I sent thee And we must know that the calling of the Iudges is so diligently described that we may vnderstand that priuate men were not able to take in hand such great workes without authoritie from God as to gather armies and to take vp weapons against the mightie it was a matter of great difficultie and danger and therefore God authorized them as here he did Gedeon and so hee did others that they giuing credit thereto might be heartned and therefore he saith haue not I sent thee And to returne to Gedeon thus the Angel proued that God was with him if he made him able to deliuer Israel which to doe was no lesse then to worke a miracle By this we all that feare God are taught that the times are not so hard no not when we are in affliction as we take them to be For either helpe is neerer to vs then we are aware as it was here with Gedeon or we make our trouble seeme greater then it is in it selfe by aggrauating it when yet wee might see that it either is not so great as it seemes or might be many waies greater or we haue greater comforts elsewhere which were able to asswage our sorrowes if wee did not ouerwhelme our hearts with immoderate heauinesse which driueth away all comfort from vs. And therefore when wee are sad and heauy through wants and crosses this lesson should be well learned before of vs that for all this the Lord is with vs and he is good to vs for euen so haue other our good fathers been before vs perswaded in their afflictions and though they haue now an end of all such languishing feares dolefull doubts and troublesome thoughts yet in their time they had their part in them as we still haue and we shall haue an end of them and rest from them as they now doe There hath no temptations taken vs but such as appertaine to man and God is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that wee may be able to beare it And therfore as our Sauiour said to his Apostles when their hearts were troubled beyond measure for his bodily departing from them Let not your hearts be troubled beleeue in God and beleeue in me that I can helpe you still and will be with you so should wee doe that is not looke with both eyes vpon our afflictions but with one eye vpon his constant loue and assured promises yea and settle our hope therein more throughly by saying as God commandeth hath not he bidden vs doe so euen as
sometime it is vnderstood of some outward blessing or deliuerance as he meant to Ioshua in saying I will be with thee against thine enemies and bring thee into the land of promise sometime of the inward and speciall grace of God to guide and comfort his withall as to Mary Luk. 1. 28. and sometime both as to Iacob when hee dreamed by the way of Aram God spake to him and said to him I will be with thee meaning it both of his grace that he would giue him to vphold him and also of other helpe as in the next words which he addeth there he doth more particulerly declare saying I will keep thee whither soeuer thou goest whereby he meaneth that hee would bee with him to deliuer him from outward enemies till hee should inherit the land which he promised him The words are to be vnderstood in this place in the first sense namely of deliuering the Midianites into the hands of Gedeon though I denie not but Gedeon obtained the latter also as well as the former And this should teach vs that if God haue promised to any of his who beleeue vnto saluation his power protection and helping hand in any outward troubles they may and ought to beleeue that he will doe as hee hath promised And as he shewed himselfe to be his in this manner so hee will vndoubtedly be with vs in this age to helpe deliuer and giue successe to vs as he hath alreadie done greater things for vs. But yet seeing we vse to look too narrowly to Gods outward promises that if they be not performed to vs to the full we are readie to complaine therefore know we this that if he doe faile in any point of that which wee looke for his promise being but conditionall he will supplie all such wants by his grace spirituall so as wee beleeue as patience contentation and confidence which are farre more worth then if we enioyed the outward benefit it selfe For the spirituall includeth temporall as reason in the soule of man containes the inferiour powers of motion sense growth and life Sunder not those that God hath combined together If hee haue giuen vs his Christ wee know he hath no greater things to denie vs and much lesse he will smaller And doubtlesse for want of beleeuing the greater wee faile sometimes of the smaller and that iustly as a punishment of our dishonouring God by our distrust Besides this we may learne here that the power of God communicated to vs is sufficient to make vs doe and worke great things farre aboue our reach and abilitie in warre or in peace in persecution also against sinne the diuell or whatsoeuer else as here when God promised his power to Gedeon he assured him that euen he a weake man should bee able to subdue a mightie and great people And when is this might giuen to men euen when God calleth and appointeth them to any seruice that shal require and stand in need thereof As now Gedeon being called to this ouercomming of the Midianites he was furnished with the gifts he had not before as wisedome courage strength and faith in particuler promise of assistance and victorie And therefore by it hee is said to haue been made strong and of a weake man valiant in battell Heb. 11. So hee enabled Paul to beleeue the promise of standing by him and bearing him out at sundrie times before his enemies whereby hee wrought such a worke as none but an Apostolicall spirit could worke And euen still the like courage cheerefulnes hope gifts he giues to such Ministers of his whom he meanes to vse to the great ends mentioned I meane to bring many to Christ Act. 26. and Ephes 4. which he denieth to them whom he calleth not and who beleeue not in him So that they neuer shall be able to compasse that which the other shall So had Moses and the Apostles as their place and occasions offered did require And so may and ought wee to be perswaded that how vnfit and vnworthie soeuer we are and feele our selues to be if the Lord call vs to any estate or dutie he will arme vs against all difficulties toile and tediousnesse therein The Lord doth not lay heauie burthens vpon men and giue them weake shoulders but dealeth out to euery member his measure according to the vse and seruice which belongs to it a double spirit to Elisha aboue Eliah according to his double neede Euen as we see the gift of strength is giuen to the armes and shoulders in mans body because they serue for the strongest vse And so because he knoweth the difficulties both within and without which a godly Christian shall meete with therefore he leaues him not to sinke vnder them but giues him faith and enables him by that to ouercome not one or a few but the world that is all And as our Sauiour speakes Hath the Lord so clothed the grasse the creatures and will he not much more prouide for his people So by the like argument hath God giuen euery creature euen the beasts some one gift or other according to the neede thereof to it own preseruation as swiftnes to the small strength to the great to some one kinde of armour to some another and shall he faile in the necessarie furnishing of his people with that grace without which they should not be able to attaine the end of their redemption and election No doubtlesse But here is a two-fold obiection First many who zealously desire to doe good in the Church or otherwise yet want gifts Answ It is not euery mans part to iudge aright of another mans gifts for gifts which may seeme meane to vs may be mightie through the blessing of God concurring to effect great matters Againe I say if God giue but small sufficiencie and gifts he requireth but a proportioned worke and seruice for he exacts not that vantage of him who hath but one talent which he doth of another who hath fiue To the second obiection that many whose gifts are great doe little good I answere Their sinne is the greater but that hinders not that doctrine for though all whom God sets on worke shall bee fitted yet not contrarily if he appoint them not to the worke neither call them to it Vers 17. And he answered him I pray thee if I haue found fauour in thy sight then shew me a signe that thou talkest with me Vers 18. Depart not hence I pray thee vntill I come vnto thee and bring mine offering and lay it before thee and he said I will tarrie vntill thou come againe Vers 19. Then Gedeon went in and made ready a Kid and vnleauened bread of an Ephath of flower and put the flesh in a basket and put the broath in a pot and brought it out vnto him vnder the oake and presented it Vers 20. And the Angell of the Lord said vnto him Take the flesh and the vnleauened bread and lay them
our hearts and cast vp as filthie vomit the noisome fruite thereof out of our liues And it is the cause at this day of so little profiting and so slender fruites of our preaching as we complaine of iustly and inueigh against it bitterly for that people are at a point they will doe as they haue done and retaine the sinnes which in times past they haue walked and delighted in when yet we haue daily in the earnestest manner that wee could disgraced and made them odious with the most fearful sharp threats of God adioyned thereto Yea and contrariwise if any make right and kinde vse of our Ministerie who seeth not that they be those that waxe ashamed of themselues after they haue seene their faces in the glasse of Gods law and with Ephraim bemoned themselues bin confounded because they did beare the reproch of their youth when the old rootes haue thus bin decaied then new sprigs of grace haue sprung out in their roome and then they haue begun to lament after God Magistrate Minister Master of family and priuate persons if they be well aduised they speake thus yea they all finde this to be true And in this 25. verse it is further said as we see that God appeared here to Gedeon in the night when it might haue seemed that he had been neglected and forgotten euen then gaue he a weightie charge vnto him whereby we are taught that God watcheth ouer his to doe them good when they are sleepie and minde nothing as we reade he did to Samuel Salomon and other of his faithfull seruants For he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe meaning that he waketh and watcheth continually to keepe his from danger for the which cause it is said by the Apostle Peter that his eyes are vpon them as the mothers vpon the young childe standing by to see that it take no hurt For as it is in the Psalme if the Lord keepe not the citie the watchmen watch but in vaine but if God take part with his the strongest enemie shall not be able to hurt them It is said of Peter Act. 12. 6. that while he slept betweene two souldiers in the night bound with two chaines the Angell of the Lord came vpon them and smote Peter on the side so that his chaines fell off and he was deliuered from Herod See also Psal 4. I will lay 〈…〉 owne and take my rest for thou O Lord vpholdest me But seeing â—e keepeth the bad also and there some perhaps will say therefore it might â—â—me no great matter that he keepeth and watcheth ouer the faithfull but for answere I say with the Apostle God is the sauiour of all men that is from outward troubles but especially of the beleeuers for he preserueth their soules from euill vnto saluation As if he said he keepeth and saueth his own with a fatherly care and affection but the wicked though he keepe them yet he doth so as a Iudge keepeth aliue euill doers but vnto their destruction But of his people that is verified which is written by Salomon He watcheth ouer them when they sleepe and communeth with them when they awake and when they walke he doth gouerne and guide them And hereupon in that Gods care is thus ouer his in the night season as well as in other parts of their liues hereupon I say it is that as they reioyce in the Lord alwaies in all that they set their hand vnto through the day so they haue this fruite of it in the night also that they meditate and make their songs of his louing kindnesse as Dauid saith of himselfe that he would praise God in the night season when the other haue their terrors for their bad doings or imagine euill in their beds to draw vpon them greater and speedier iudgements Now further out of both these verses together note that as it was not enough for Gedeon to ouerthrow the Altar of Baal vnlesse he builded another to the Lord nor to build one to the Lord vnlesse he cast downe the Idolatrous Altar Euen so it is not enough to shunne euill except we doe good And therefore it is not sufficient to be no couetous person except a man bee mercifull it is not enough to bee innocent except a man be also fruitfull in doing good for one God is the commander of both It is a true speech Negatiues conclude nothing and here it is especially true Therefore let all such as whose goodnesse and outward actions witnesse not for them suspect that they deceiue themselues in the reforming of the hart For surely an heart purged will bee fruitfull Againe it is not inough to forsake Poperie c. vnlesse the pure Gospell bee imbraced Let the one abandon the other as Dagon and the Arke could not stand together They that make an hotch-potch of both are an abomination to the Lord. And here we may further learne that two religions in a land though the one tolerated onelie two contray or diuers waies I meane of worshipping God can no more stand together then Christ and Belial For then the Lord would haue spared Gedeon a labour and only enioyned him to goe about the warre and settle sound religion letting idolatrie alone The false religion is the canker of the true and as the execrable thing tooke hold vpon the whole substance of Achan so doth this bring a curse vpon the other Now to returne whereas the Lord bad the bullocke dedicated to Baal to be offered as a burnt sacrifice to himselfe I answer he is Lord of all he might turne it to what vse he pleased But it followeth not that we without his commandement may take vpon vs to iumble together Gods worship and superstition For the which cause as sometime he commanded that the gold and other things vsed in idolatrie should passe through the fire and so it might be vsed so somtime he commanded that they should vtterly be destroyed To returne therfore in a word to the point As we see what a blemish it had been in Gedeon if he had done the one part of the charge and not another like Saul in the businesse of the Amalakites so by the way it teacheth that God alowes not for seruice duties done by halues but that they should be soundly and in one part and point as another indeuored after neither doth hee allow vs to bee our owne caruers to take what pleaseth vs and turne the other backe again which we may see more clearely by the example of one that was guiltie of this fault Of Iehu it is reported that when he had slaine all the cursed posteritie of Ahab and destroyed the Priests of Baal which was the purging out of false worship in great part yet whereas the other part of setting vp true worship should haue followed it the text makes a stop and sets downe a manifest separation betwixt them thus But from the sinnes of
former in that Gedeon seruing God so commendably as he was commanded for which also hee is by name commended as a worthie person and a beleeuer was yet called seditious of them that were themselues so indeede and that therefore hee was counted worthie to die who yet was the meane whereby the other did liue note that when the wicked are charged neuer so iustly for their euill doings yet they euer returne the accusation vpon their accusers For example the doctrine of Gods word and the Preachers thereof doe by Gods blessing become the meanes and outward instruments of much good doing and some turne from their euill waies thereby but what dissenting is there among the rest for this when they see it In such wise as that they fall commonly to this exclamation that both teachers and such as follow their doctrine are troublers of the people but as for themselues they haue done no euill Euen as the Papists crie on the other side that they are disturbed and disquieted for that they may not be suffered to serue God as they would bee glad to doe nor their Priests to set foorth their pedlary ware to sale to the ignorant and superstitious whom they had sometime deceiued and as their fellowes in many places still doe no lesse palpably then Simon Magus did the people of Samaria whom he had with his sorceries bewitched These will not suffer their Idolatrous worship at any hand to bee ouerthrowne but say as the people said to Ieremy We will worship the Queene of heauen that is the Moone and other starres and as the foolish people of Ephesus who cried out in a mad mood Great is Diana of the Ephesians when yet who were more vnlike to make tumults and sedition then they whom they accused as Paul and his companie So to leaue these and to returne to them whom I began with thus crie the wicked out when their lewd doings bee reproued iustly out of pulpits Preachers are seditious they make strife and tumults where they come and draw people after them whereas they were quiet and well enough before but who are they whom they draw euen those who forsake their companie whom I speake of and leaue off their cursed manners and behauiour so that they are now depriued of them therefore now they make their part good against them crying out that they are seditious Thus Elias was charged to trouble the land when he taught the true seruice of God and reproued Idolatrie but he shewed who were troublers of the land to all that list to know it euen such as be not obedient to the commandements of the Lord. But that all may see that such are not to be charged as troublesome persons whose preaching bewraieth the bad sort who are therefore incensed against them because their euill deedes are brought to light by them neither they who obey their doctrine though they bee hated of the greatest part that saying of our Sauiour teacheth I came not to send peace into the earth but the sword and debate And againe I am come to set fire on the earth and what is my desire if it be alreadie kindled So that if ciuill distension and trouble follow vpon our preaching and professing it is the filthie heart of the rebellious sort out of which that stinch commeth as out of a dunghill who can away with no better sauour Now in that Ioash called his sonne Ierubbaal Baal shall contend against him not in reproch but for a memoriall he did it which brought the Idol into contempt So hee was called Ierubbosheth 2. Sam. 11. 21. This sheweth that he was so farre from being ashamed of his owne or his sonnes fact that he reioyced in it that Idolatrie had the foile by his meanes as all well minded people should doe the like But I proceed THE FORTIE THREE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 33. Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and they of the East gathered together and pitched in the valley of Izreel 34. But the spirit of the Lord came vpon Gedeon and he blew a trumpet and Abiezer was ioyned with him 35. And he sent messengers through all Manasseh which also was ioyned with him and he sent messengers to Asher and to Zabulon and to Naphtali and they came vp to meete him NOw followeth the last point of the foure in this fourth part of Chapter as was noted in the 11. verse In which is shewed how Gedeon after that the Midianites gathered themselues together prepared for warre against them he hauing before destroyed Idolatrie and set vp the true worship of God that thus all the people might see when it was done how ill it might haue been vndone againe and how profitable it was for them which Gedeon had done so though we may remember what troubles and stirres were raised against him before he could bring it to passe But oh what a mercie of God was this to them that the Midianites were held in all this while who bound their hands and feete till Gedeon had brought so worthie a worke to passe but euen he whom none were able to resist euen the Lord omnipotent The summe of these three verses is this That the Lord gaue occasion to Gedeon by bringing the Midianites and other assistants to them into the land to preuaile against and get victorie ouer them For he trusting to the word of God by which he had been and that lately so well strengthened prepared to goe against them and the Lord armed him and he drew helpe together out of the tribes that were neere vnto him as is to be seene in the text so that Israel was againe restored in great multitudes Thus after all the trouble that Gedeon had both otherwise and by feare of the Midianites now prouoking the Israelites to battell and the many hurts that they did thē before yet God would we see haue his true worship set vp Idolatrie cast down first as we haue heard which the wise men of the world though they had allowed would yet haue deferred till after the victorie And note we hereby that it much pleaseth him that we should not post off the great and waighty cōmandements of his worship seruice for our earthly affaires bodily businesse though waighty if there be time enough to discharge them no nor lay aside the exercises of praier hearing reading and the like for our owne pleasure And we our selues may see that it is very meete and expedient that it should be so and how cheerefully we may goe about the one when wee haue well discharged the other whereas by deferring we leaue them vndone altogether sometimes and our appetite is much quailed when we returne to them As therfore we reade that as great neede as there was to make all possible speede to rescue the Church in the great distresse it was in at that time yet that Hester sought the Lord by fasting
returne to the storie wee haue heard how two and twentie thousand were sent backe and that there were but ten thousand left to goe against more then an hundred thousand and yet that the Lord said that euen they were too many this teacheth that he would haue vs to learne to depend on him without meanes if hee see it to be expedient to be so but not otherwise and by those which are very weake and yet he would haue vs to be perswaded that he regardeth and seeketh our good euen when hee doth so But of this before He said moreouer to Gedeon that hee would trie these ten thousand for him and shew him who were fit that he himselfe might see it For men are dull and dimme eyed to behold Gods secret power and will to doe them good if he giue them not eyes of faith to behold them And why should it seeme strange that the Lord should doe more then wee can see and if wee shall see no likelihood thereof his power and goodnesse is the more to bee admired and magnified who sheweth it so manifestly in our weakenesse euen when men see not how As who saw that mightie Pharaoh Sisera and the Midianites here spoken of were like to be brought to such a downfall as they were but it was enough that God had said it And therefore our Sauiour Matth. 4. tels vs Man liueth not by bread onely but by the word of God and in like manner man thriues not by his wit prouidence care onely but by the blessing of God No his rising early and his late going to bed and eating the bread of sorrow shall not auaile to maintaine him if God plucke backe his hand from blessing it His apparell heates him not of it selfe but by the power of the word and promise Indeede the outward meanes men see taste and handle and therefore in a grosse manner rest in them and discerne no superiour power of God in them much lesse beleeue that it can worke without them so that if meanes faile of health safetie and successe they giue ouer hope especially if they see that some great outward barre and let stops their way whereas yet the three children tell the King of Babel That they beleeue the God whom they serue can deliuer them not onely without meanes but contrarie to meanes Doubtlesse in the Scripture wee haue a watchword giuen vs of this sinne euen in the matters of saluation it selfe For although none but the seede of Abraham ordinarily were elected and saued though extraordinarily some were before the comming of Christ yet they who onely relied vpon these outward meanes heard this spoken to them Say not within your selues we haue Abraham to our father for God is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham But because men separate in the matter of happinesse the true meanes appointed by God from the end they desire I meane faith repentance humiliation from election and saluation it is iust with God also to meete with them in kinde and to separate their carnall ends I meane wealth prosperitie and the like from the meanes which they vse vnlawfully and to his dishonour And further in that Gedeon was told that hee must take none but those whom God appointed and those hee must take it teacheth vs that Gods word must direct vs in all our actions both for peace and warre be the same neuer so meane and base and that whatsoeuer face wee set on matters yet if that be not the light to our steps we walke but in darknesse Now then we who take in hand so many things in the day and so throughout our life how can wee chuse but serue him after our owne fantasies if wee haue not that light plentifully dwelling in vs to guide vs Wherein it is no hard thing to see that God hath much against vs and that oft times when we be at the best seeing no man call tell the errors of his actions and life or how oft hee offendeth So that if hee should looke straightly what is done amisse who should be able to stand before him Here I will stay for this time THE FORTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES HEere the Lord shewes Gedeon who they were that should goe with him to the warre when they were led to the waters and those were three hundred which lapped water out of their hands for these were industrious and fit for their businesse more then the other that drunk kneeling downe who were like to haue been an vnprofitable burden to the rest by their multitude and might haue giuen aduantage to their enemies by their vnreadinesse and delay if occasion should haue been offered And the thing that the Lord teacheth vs hereby is this that although he wil haue none to trust in themselues yet he would haue them ingenuous and industrious men fit for that which they are imployed about which thing is requisite in all callings and businesse for men to bee willing diligent and skilfull about that they professe and take in hand that with good conscience all may be performed so the contrary of Christians is to be auoided whether minister magistrate or priuate person the husband diligent handed the wife huswifely none lazie idle carelesse But of this I spake more in the story of Othoniel and Caleb before chap. 1. Here the Lord saith that by those three hundred men hee would deliuer Israel which was another strong confirmation of Gedeons faith for by this he was perswaded to obtaine that which hee had already begun to belieue And this ought to bee well marked of vs as the thing which wee haue great need off For who can so stedfastly belieue as he ought and hold constant therein but by daily and continuall meanes the Lord doth much reuiue and quicken our faith to hold on our hope and confidence which two graces wee must haue well setled in vs and as faith is strengthened in vs so are these two The excellencie of hope is seene in the epistle to the Corinths in these words God who hath deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in him we hope also that he will deliuer vs. The Price and worthines of the other is to be seene clearely in the Epistle to the Hebrewes thus Cast not away your confidence for it hath great recompence of reward these two faith and confidence make their whole life sweet and ioyfull who had them both as Dauid who said of confidence which is the fruit of faith My heart is fixed I will sing and giue thanks The vse hereof is this that wee looke well to it that wee find our part in these by oft hearing and all manner of repetitions and experience of Gods promises concerning his fauour from time to time toward vs and therewith to marke our often faintings doubts and feares yea and that about one and the same action
night the Lord said to him Arise get thee downe vnto the hoast for I haue deliuered it into thy hand 10. But if thou feare to goe downe then goe thou and Phurah thy seruant down to the hoast 11. And thou shalt hearken what they say and so shall thy hands be strong to goe downe vnto the hoast Then went he downe and Phurach his seruant vnto the outside of the souldiers that were in the hoast 12. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all they of the East lay in the valley like grashoppers in multitude and their Camels were without number as the sand which is by the sea side for multitude 13. And when Gedeon was come behold a man told a dreame vnto his neighbour and said Behold I dreamed a dreame and loe a cake of barly bread tumbled from aboue into the hoast of Midian and came vnto a tent and smote it that it fell and ouerturned it that the tent fell downe 14. And his fellow answered and said this is nothing else saue the sword of Gedeon the sonne of Ioash a man of Israel for into his hand hath God deliuered Midian and all the hoast 15. When Gedeon heard the dreame told and the interpretation of the same hee worshipped and returned vnto the hoast of Israel and said Vp for the Lord hath deliuered into your hand the hoast of Midian NOw when the Lord had taken away the strength and power of Gedeon from him I meane his whole armie well nigh hee knew full well that this would worke mightily vpon his weaknesse to dismay him and therefore in this second part of the Chapter it is shewed how God after this incouraged him and prouided to remedie that his weaknesse And that was in a strange manner done euen by his enemies For God bidding him goe downe to the Midianites tents did there by a dreame of one of them and the interpreting of it by another shew Gedeon that hee should haue the victorie ouer them Which when hee heard hee was anew confirmed in his faith concerning the victorie notwithstanding the small number of men which he had with him And first here let vs see how God bringeth Gedeon neerer and neerer to the brunt and triall for now he will haue him goe to the very campe of his enemies which to doe was to come neerer to danger then all that had gone before But so did the Lord also adde new comfort vnto him as his triall was greater For hee saith I will deliuer them into thy hands though the danger and feare that might be like to arise to thee thereby may seeme greater now then it was before And it may appeare by the next verse that Gedeons feare was greater and increased for the Lord saith If thou feare to goe downe c. And this sheweth vs that ordinarily the neerer a triall in any sore affliction that we feele doth come toward the issue the more it worketh vpon vs. The reason is because while affliction is a far off the sense is not prouoked by the imagination of it so much as whē it draweth neere and threatens vs. But then commonly the minde multiplieth the greatnesse of it by feare As the Disciples were not greatly troubled for their Masters departure till they saw there was no remedie but they must needes forgoe him Which teacheth that when any such feare hangeth ouer vs we should not onely from the first hearing of it frame and settle our hearts against sudden distemper and aggrauating of it by our foolish conceits to bee patient and willingly subiect to the hand of God therein and to weigh our owne weaknes that as wee may wisely beware of fainting so wee may pray to God for strength but also daily and oft continue such exercise and the neerer the issue the more feruently like to our Sauiour in his agonie and feare before the comming of Iudas and the rest to take him as feare indeed will then be readie most of all to assault vs. And if we faint then we may know our strength was neuer great For as patience should haue her perfect worke to helpe vs beare affliction vnto the end when it is come vpon vs so wee ought to giue patience the perfect worke before it come in keeping downe painful feare of it till it come And by all that hath been said of this matter here and in the former processe of the historie we may see that wee must oft and much be strengthened both against the feare that riseth before the trouble come and the smart that it causeth when it is come till the danger be past and ouer And it is a good signe that affliction when it commeth shall not much disguise and astonish vs when we weaken the terror of it after that manner and by often meditating of the certaintie of our deliuerance there from and preparing for our affliction accordingly before it come otherwise it will come vpon vs as an armed man against whom there is no resistance And seeing God fortified Gedeon with a new promise of his helpe euen when he should goe downe to the armie of his enemies as hee came neerer the perill so we may learne that as trouble shall arise to Gods people euen so shall their comforts also increase According to that of the Apostle God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that ye be able but as your troubles encrease so shall your consolations and hee will giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it And though it be one and the same word and promise yet it hath force at one time as well as at another to strengthen vs if wee haue faith to lay hold on it Such is the Lords dealing with vs to minse our meate for vs when our diet likes vs not this cost he is willing to be at So that we neede not complaine in such manner Oh this trouble is intollerable it will draw foorth the heart blood I shall sinke vnder it c. For it is not required of vs to stand by our owne strength but to deriue it from Christ our head in whom all the promises of God are ratified And this in the losse of friends goods or life or in the likelihood thereof or in any other affliction is euer a fit remedie to stay vs vp and comfort vs. So that I cannot tell what we would looke for at Gods hands more vnlesse wee would desire Angels from heauen to certifie vs of his minde which he alloweth vs not in this age to looke for But because this hath been oft entreated of before I spare needlesse repetitions THE FORTIE SEVENTH SERMON ON THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES THere is yet as the text sheweth vs another triall of Gedeons faith before the victorie namely to send him to the Midianites only with his boy Oh how many had there been before But God will haue vs
the which who could haue gone about a better thing in all mens account and iudgement But God reproued him by Nathan and yet he himselfe consented to him at first vpon the like good intent So many haue since the daies of Queene Mary and some still doe of a good intent enter into the Ministerie though many other intend nothing but to inrich themselues with liuing whom the Lord alloweth not by his word they being not able to feede his people with the foode of life So wee reade that Saul saued the fattest of the cattell as he said to sacrifice contrary to the word of the Lord which if it had been so had been bad but that was onely a false pretence to couer his couetousnes and disobedience to the commandement Then Samuel reprouing him was faine to answere him Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifice as that his law should be obeyea Therfore good intentions corruptly so called cannot bee accepted of him except they be directed by knowledge Of such intents arose most parts and points of Poperie the orders of Monkes the worshipping of the Sacrament canonicall houres free will reliques prayers to Saints c. Of all the which and the like the Lord saith as he did by the Prophet Esay in the like case Who required these things at your hands And in another place In vaine doth this people worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men So that by all which hath been said it is manifest how prone and readie wee are to Idolatrie and superstition And what other thing doth this teach vs but that it is a mysterie to serue God aright and religiously and that cannot stand with the common practise of men in the worshipping of God who receiue not the word in the power thereof to work vpon them effectually and so as they may be cast into the mould thereof but for fashion and orders sake Againe Gedeons setting vp the Ephod was the occasion of the peoples falling to commit spirituall fornication with it through his letting it alone and they worshipped it as their fathers did the brasen Serpent which therfore Ezechia commanded to be taken downe Gedeon had done well therefore if he had so serued the Ephod also when he saw superstition to arise by occasion of it And this is the best fruite and successe of blinde and ignorant deuotion that it draweth some mischiefe alway with it as the grosse absurdities in Poperie of which I spake arose at the first vpon such beginnings So that the thing which in these cases is to bee done is that all superstition and implements thereof be held out of the Church of Christ but if any of them haue been suffered to remaine the next is that as soone as may be they be remoued And as for Gods ordinances they ought not to bee turned from their kinde and right vse of seruing him in ciuill cases as the Ephod was appointed by Gedeon as to make playes of them or offer them any such abuse as the Word and Sacraments But I passe to another thing concerning the people Lastly in that sundry of the people fell to Idolatry with the Ephod who had before worshipped God aright with an vpright heart and a plague of God fell vpon them for it note we that they who after they haue receiued the knowledge of the truth doe fall to Idolatrie doe neuer escape destruction if they lie still therein or some fearfull plague although they rise out of it againe and depart from it Salomon was a witnesse hereof both in himselfe and in his posteritie whose punishment is famous for harkning to his idolatrous wiues And the Lord professeth himselfe in that case to be iealous as a man that taketh his wife in spouse-breach who most certainly will not spare the offender Vers 28. Thus was Midian brought low before the children of Israel so that they lift vp their heads no more and the countrey was in quietnes fortie yeeres in the daies of Gedeon 29. Then Ierubbaal the sonne of Ioash went and dwelt in his owne house 30. And Gedeon had seuentie sonnes begotten of his body for hee had many wiues 31. And his Concubine that was in Shechem bare him a sonne also whose name he called Abimelech IN these foure verses another thing concerning Gedeon is set downe and first it is shewed how Midian for aâ—h â—he multitude and glorie thereof was brought low whereby may be noted the sorrow of such of them as liued and the shame and confusion both of the liuing and the dead with the fruit thereof to wit a finall suppression of that enemie and a long peace of fortie yeeres restored all the life of Gedeon Secondly three more particulars concerning Gedeon are added The first to his commendation that hauing done the seruice for which the Lord extraordinarily called him he willingly yeelded himselfe to a priuate life againe as he professed against the contrarie verse 22. The two latter were to his blame First his polygamie in vers 30. Secondly his yeelding to the vnlawfull desire of his Concubine of Shechem and making way thereby to the mischiefe that insued For the first of these the text saith Midian was subdued and brought low c. which being vnderstood of the multitude of them teacheth and proueth that we ought to looke alwaies to the end of things and not to the beginnings and florishing estate of them and this to doe the Scripture calles sound wisedome Thinke we of the godliest and things of greatest account pleasure pompe dignitie wealth buildings purchases solemne marriages or such like I grant that the most men reioice and please themselues in them vainely and foolishly for the time as if they had gotten a paradise but when all may see them to fade daily with the enioyers thereof and change to corruption no wise man can or dare please himselfe or rest in them as if they could make him happie but as he seeth the end will be therof so he will enioy theÌ„ from God as things decaying and transitorie What then ye will perhaps say shall he not be glad of nor delight in them till he doe forgoe them and till an end of them come I answere that I say not so But hee shall know what the end of them all will be before it come by the manner of vsing them For he that seeketh by all these to be more fruitfull in dutie doing to God and in workes of loue to men and not to take boldnes to sin the rather by occasion of them this man may know that the end shall bee good and in respect thereof hee may vse them all comfortably seeing hee vseth them warily and aright as God directeth him for in that he doth so God also blesseth him exceedingly which blessing few attaine thereto The Lord is brought in by Moses in Deuteronomy bemoning the want of practising this point of wisedome in men
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
of God to their owne hurt For seeing God by this holding off and forbearing of trials which wee could not beare doth require both exceeding thanks vpon serious recording of this manner of his dealing with vs from time to time as also a growing daily in strength to suffer greater troubles hereafter a grace not common how grossely do they inuert and abuse this purpose of God who make no other vse of his sparing and dandling them in the lap and armes but to weare out the feare or expectation of affliction altogether whereby the longer they are free the weaker they are to suffer What difference in this point will ye make betwixt these and such as to whom affliction is euer vnwelcome and intolerable I meane the vngodly Let all Christians beware therefore of this softnesse and tendernesse Furthermore we haue heard in the seuenth eighth verse that the Philistims and the Ammonites sore vexed Israel eighteene yeeres and in all that time they neuer durst take vp weapon against them vntill they repented but then they began with good courage to resist them and assembled themselues against them By the which it may be noted what liberty and courage true repentance bringeth with it The reason is this when men in their conscience see that they haue dealt trecherously with God and haue nourished and followed the desires of their owne hearts contrary to that they knew they should haue done they haue no hope in him at such times neither feele any heart or strength in themselues to deale against their enemies either ghostly or bodily This is that plague that God threatneth in Leuiticus that his people should not be able to stand before their enemies if they sinned against him and in the fifth Chapter of this booke it is said when Israel had prouoked the Lord there was no heart in them to stand against those that held them in bondage So that wee see how sinne disguiseth men and how preposterously it causeth things to goe with them when they are inchanted and carried away with the allurements and pleasures of it Which prooueth the contrary to be true to wit that the seruice of God is perfit freedome and that it is faith and godlinesse which onely giue courage and boldnesse as to a Lyon by well doing And seeing it cannot be denied that no bondage is like this to be bondmen to our lusts let all looke to receiue from God both reward and punishment in this life and hereafter accordingly as in their liues they haue sought either of both See Iudges 5. 8. and the notes vpon it This order that the people tooke for the choosing of their Gouernour was by the Lords direction as we may after see by his confirming it in sending his spirit vpon Iphtah He did it as by an outward incouragement to stirre them vp to fight against their enemies Euen as he did the like by Caleb who incouraged the people by the like meanes in such a like case saying in a difficultie of winning a Citie Hee that taketh it to him will I giue Achsah my daughter to wife which though the people ought to haue done I meane to fight against Gods enemies for his commandements sake onely yet they had neede of spurres and were the better drawne on by such incouragements Euen as Magistrates and Ministers owe duty of conscience to God in their place to beate downe sinne and aduance the Gospell but yet they are the better heartned thereto when both sorts are incouraged by the high Magistrate and the Minister beside by the readinesse of the people to their dutie And so euery other in his place shall be better set forward in well doing by temporary incouragements though Gods commandement be the strongest motiue So husbands and wiues should liue kindly together by bond and promise each to other for conscience sake but yet they doe this much better when each respecteth the other by yeelding mutually that which they owe each â—â— other THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE Booke of Iudges Vers 1. Then Gilead begat Iphtah and Iphtah the Gileadite was a valiant man but the sonne of an harlot 2. And Gileads wife bare him sonnes and when the womans children were come to age they thrust out Iphtah and said to him Thou shalt not inherit in our fathers house for thou art the sonne of a strange woman 3. Then Iphtah fled from his brethren and dwelt in the land of Tob and there gathered to Iphtah idle fellowes and went out with him IN this Chapter the person is mentioned who should goe before the people of Israel in the warre against Ammon And the summe of this Chapter with the parts which are foure is here further set downe to be this First the calling of Iphtah is mentioned vnto the 12. verse The second part is how he seekes to appease the Ammonits by messengers moouing them by reasons to desist from warre but all in vaine to vers 29. The third part containeth the ouerthrow of the Ammonites by Iphtah to vers 36. The fourth sheweth what fell out after and particularly how hee performed his vow which he had made to God if he might get the victory in vers 32. and this is to the end of the Chapter Now to come to the first part before Iphtah became their Guide and Captaine it is shewed how vnlikely it was that he should be so therefore he is described in the first verse to haue been the sonne of an harlot who ordinarily might be admitted to no such place In the second and third verse it is shewed how his brethren did therefore whether through pride and scorne or emulation or both expell him out of their fathers house so that he was faine to flie into another land and somuch the more hee was vnlike to be gouernour And yet God so brought it to passe by his prouidence that the Princes of Gilead euen such as had driuen him away were constrained to send for him againe euen him among all other whom they had banished from their fellowship to bee their guide according to their decree made in the former Chapter to wit seeing he had of all other begun warre with the Ammonites and so vpon agreement betwixt him and them hee yeelded to them and the Lord ouer-ruling the action he was elected Iudge ouer them and this to the 12. verse Now of these more particularly as they lie in order And first how he is described namely in these two points One that hee was the son of an harlot being the sonne of Gilead the other that he was yet a valiant man and of great courage and fit for warre So that by the first he was basely accounted of as he was base borne by the last he came to good estimation and credit among men as he well deserued For the first whereas Gilead the father of Iphtah tooke to him an harlot beside his lawfull wife we see he did not obey the
against them but who considers the greatnesse of their sinne who vrge them The law of necessitie we know is hard to vndergoe And when these shifters turne vpon their oppressors not only with tongue but with hand also reioycing in stealing and purloyning from them doe not then all crie out and complaine of the dammage they sustained And yet their stealing was caused by the others robbery onely the one being a rich theefe stole openly the other for feare in secret and defends himselfe by this That he hath but robbed him that first stole from himselfe Indeed it is Gods mercy that oppression of the poore being so rise as who seeth not that all the gripings wherewith one rich person oppresseth another are in the vpshot wrecked vpon the poorest who can worst make his part good that there is so little harme done in this kind and in great part the cause is in the good gouernment ciuill which restraineth such But if we should reade or heare of the disorders of other places wanting setled order and execution of law it would amaze vs and teach vs to practise that equitie and moderation of mind towards our inferiors which might preuent such ill measure at their hands or rather Gods hand who will reuenge it For all this hardnesse that Iphtah sustained at their hands yet this is worth the noting that God prouided for him in a strange countrie where he was able to maintaine diuers that resorted to him and to frame them to fight against the enemies of God And thus the Scripture is verified that when father and mother forsake the Lord taketh vp As he dealt with Ioseph Hester Mordecay and many others And this protection of his if it reached only to the maintaining of such needy and distressed persons in their bodily necessities and temporary sorrowes it were much but to bring them also into fauour with himselfe that in so wicked a world they may bee weaned from the defilements of it and that in better sort then many thousands who haue father and mother to bring them vp this is no lesse then admirable Oh therefore what madnesse is there in them and how are they to be pitied who in the multiplicitie of dangers and miseries that swarme euery where cling not nor cleaue neerevnder Gods wing where only safetie is to be found and enioyed And yet where they seeke it any other way they haue got that which will not stand by them if they get any thing and yet their account is to come Now although this be a priueledge of the faithfull onely to haue God their prouider for and vpholder yet euery hang-by catcheth the speech by the end and saith I hope God will prouide for me aswell as he hath done c. Wheras yet neither haue they any faith to beleeue it nor grace to beare their crosse when they fall into any vnlooked for extremitie no nor yet applie themselues vnto any such meanes as through Gods blessing may giue hope of sufficiencie How can a man shift and vse bad courses to maintaine himselfe and yet in truth say he beleeues God will prouide For first he beleeues no further then he sees how he can bring his desire to passe which is not faith and which is worse he vses vnlawfull meanes whereas God makes no promise but to the obeyer of his commandement but curseth wicked practizes Iphtah here was prouided for But how First God gaue him a gift of valour aboue others and then taught him how to set his gift on worke to good purpose and so beleeuing that God would not be wanting he obtained the fruit of his labour Now this is not the course which all such take as yet with great confidence will professe They doubt not but God will feede them hauing giuen them a mouth and clothe them hauing giuen them a body yea and saue them too seeing bee hath made them These hopes are blind hopes neither is faith the parent of them nor contentation and thanks the fruite of them when they enioy their desires much lesse patience and depending vpon God when they are frustrate as often they are In this verse a further thing then wee haue yet heard is laid out For by Gods prouidence Iphtah had set these men that resorted to him who were needie hee had I say set them against the Ammonites and they carried away from them what they could get And in the meane while they warring against Israel and namely Gilead a great and wealthie citie the Princes of Gilead had agreed among themselues with the people that hee who first began warre with the Ammonites should be their Captaine and guide to rule ouer them And thus it came to passe that they sent for him I meane Iphtah to intertaine him for their Captaine whom before they had cast out from among them as hath been said Now here in the end of the third verse where it is said that hee vsed the seruice of certaine wandering fellowes who it appeares had no dwelling place constant and set them on worke against Gods enemies for how could they haue been better employed as Dauid also did we learne that such as are idle needy and without imployment should brought by the wisdome and godly care of men as the Magistrate 〈…〉 and ranged within compasse vnto some worke profitable and to the maintaining of themselues and putting them out of their idle course For such vagrant persons waite but to doe mischiefe So then these are neither to be cast off altogether for their bad qualities but pitied and relieued in their misery nor yet too much nourished and harboured in houses or townes but by them that are religious and make conscience themselues of spending their time whether Gentlemen who entertaine many into their houses that are shiftlesse when they are out of office or others and their gift that is in any of them as of wit courage or skill c. is to be wisely directed to the fittest and most profitable obiect lest it breake out to outrage being not gouerned And this being done be times labour and exercise by habit and vse will be more welcome then idlenes besides the cutting off of much sinne both against God and man Whereas for the want of this prouident care wee see that many growing vp to mans estate in the practise of leaudnesse and licentiousnesse waxe impudent and incorrigible filling the Church with noysome example and offence and the Common-wealth with theft and beggery But I will not repeate that which I haue said of this before chap. 9. 3. Much good hath been done of late yeeres to diminish the number of such and to cut them off from a rogueish life by enioyning them to labor and if it were not crossed I meane this good order by the foolish pity of some who incourage them to continue this begging and idle life by giuing reliefe to them rather then to the needy that dwell by them much more good
of prison and that they did not so much to the gratifying of him as themselues the greatest persons of Gilead requesting it at his hand and professing themselues highly beholding vnto him if hee would grace them by returning who had disgraced him before by casting him off Nay and he must not be sent for but come for not by friends but by his ranckest enemies not to his former estate of a subiect but to be a Lord and Gouernor A carnal man hearing of this Oh how his teeth water and his fingers itch at the successe of Iphtah and how doth he wish he might haue his desire vpon his enemies and triumph ouer them as he did But oh foole this is no prerogatiue for thee to claime it is the glorie of innocencie the fruite of faith of patient waiting vpon God and committing a mans waies to him in wel-doing Such another example lest wee should say this is alone is Mordecai The Lord might haue put it into the Kings mind to peruse the Chronicles and recognize Mordecaies well deseruing long before he did but alas that had been an obscure fauour in comparison God meant his worthy seruant farre better then so he would haue this breake out when it was most seasonable and the season was when his prouidence might be most manifested therby Therefore when great Haman was working his ouerthrow and al the Churches then is the opportunitie to bring forth the record that so all vnder one the aduersary may be defeated with shame the Church notably deliuered from danger and Mordecai not rescued onely but brought forth out of trouble with the highest honor that his rankest enemie could be forced to giue him Come forth ye disciples of Machiauel and set your braines on worke in the politiquest manner ye can and see if ye can teach your nouices such a way as this so famously to supplant your opposites and set vp themselues in their roome ye cannot doubtlesse or if ye could yet ye teach them but diuelish policie to contriue it whereby you and they haue more cause of shame and repentance then boasting and insulting Therefore not to digresse now Iphtah is busie about Gods matters neuer thinking of a reuenge of his owne priuate wrongs and loe the Lord is as busie about Iphtahs affaires and contriuing how he may bring him foorth out of his trouble Is not this enough to perswade vs to make God our Factor and Aduocate to pleade for vs and bring about our matters yea to tie our owne hands behind vs from putting them forth vnlawfully in our owne defence May we not say now there is a truth in those words Roll thy waies or cast thy care vpon Iehouah and he will giue thee thy hearts desire Did he not so to Iphtah Euen that issue which he would haue desired and sought by reuenge or euill meanes if he had been a bad person I meane to haue his enemies to be his pages to conduct him home as their Commander that I say obtained Iphtah not by vsing euill meanes but without vsing any at all Was not this as a man would haue it What needed here any shifting any stirring any plotting Did not God effect it without these So when Ioseph in prison was forgotten by Pharaohs Butler to be set free how did the Lord remember him to bring him foorth with farre greater honour Thus hee dealt with his where they relye on him And if hee did this for Iphtah a poore souldier a bastard and banished and for Mordecai a despised stranger and for Ioseph a poore prisoner as wee haue heard will he not doe the like to vs if we would cleaue vnto him as our alsufficient God and honour him by putting ouer all to him to deale wholly for vs while wee sit still and goe about his seruice And what lesse can we doe then trust him with our matters and wholly giue vp our selues to be doers of his work when as our Master professeth himselfe to be wholly ours and to bring our matters to passe which our selues with much labour and more sinne should neuer be able to compasse We haue heard how Iphtah was repaired vnto by the chiefe of Gilead and what a free and large offer they made to him if hee would goe with them thus had the Lord prouided for his seruant Now followeth his answere Iphtah therfore as he might well told the Princes of Gilead of their fault by so good occasion and opportunitie as was offered and how iniuriously they had dealt with him in driuing him out from among them against all right and law and hereupon hee demanded of them how they could now in their streight seeke to him among all other and indeed they could with no sound reason request fauour of him whom they had hated and as for him hauing receiued such measure from them how could hee trust them And they could not denie it which was a shame to them to remember but now they would preferre him they said to make him recompence and the rather to perswade him thereof they confessed the whole matter vnto him But if he had been as wilfull now they stood in neede of him which he saw very well as they had been cruell and spightfull against him before hee would neuer haue condescended vnto them but would haue held them on the racke We learne here that God doth oft make vs stand in need of their helpe whom we hate and despise First to the end wee may see our fault in hating them and take shame for it as there is cause Secondly to ouercome enuie which if we had not need one of another would grow very strong For this cause did the Lord so dispose that the Tribes euer needed one another as we see through the stories of this booke and the bookes of Samuel that they might hold one with another against Idolaters and might not hate each the other and in a spirituall respect so God made the people stand in need of the Apostles whom before they had railed vpon in the second of the Acts. And so we if we weighed it would neuer hate each the other nor fall out as we doe too easily one with another considering the plunges we may be put to thereby as when we are driuen to stand in need euen of them among all other and it is in their hand to doe vs some great hurt And yet some doe so rest in their owne sufficiencie through the want of wise foresight of the casualties which after may befall them and through the pride of heart in their present estate that they would stand in neede of none neither be beholding vnto any which is but a nourishing of the hardnes of their hearts and high mindednes that so they may further glorie in themselues and therfore such will rather offer violence to themselues then they will vse the helpe of any such as they like not As Ahab spake of Michaiah when he both stood
heard to wit that the children of Israel did offer violence to themselues rather then they would in the least manner wrong other therefore they would much lesse take away so great a portion of ground from him with whom they had nothing to do neither were prouoked by him Where we learne this that we should neuer finde sweetnesse in comming by any profit amisse and namely with the hurting and wronging of other First seeing wee thereby prouoke God against vs for God is the auenger of such things and what is our life if God be against vs Besides as we deale to other so shall we be dealt with againe and lastly besides an ill name wee shall haue an ill conscience also as wee may see in Iudas And as we should offer hard measure to none so least of all to the poore and to such as cannot beare the losse and are not able to stand with vs in suite For wee being by the commandement of God to relieue them what pleasure should wee take in plucking from them and God threatens to heare their crie against their oppressors And yet how are the poore griped and pilled But he that obserueth it shall find that either God maketh themselues who so wrong them to crie out of it for feare of his reuenging hand one time or other or else it shall be to them I meane their sweete morsels as they count them which they take in by wronging other as the Israelites Quailes were who died with them while they were in their mouthes Euen so shall they haue small liking of their iniurie they doe that I say no more But let them rather make restitution and that speedily while they may in token of their repentance which is the onely good end that can be made of such doings This point hath oft come to hand and largely been insisted vpon See verse twelfth Only let vs marke the example of Iacob for the proofe of the doctrine who rather then he would giue Laban a quarrellous and vnreasonable man the least occasion to challenge him for pillage and robberie did more then he needed euen make good euery sheepe which was cassually destroyed or perished with his owne Now if all this our good dealing doe not preuaile with our euill aduersarie nor stop his mouth yet as Iacob answers Laban the Lord who seeth vs in secret will take our cause into his owne hand and plead for vs whereas otherwise although all men should stand out for vs yet our conscience and God being against vs wee should not be able to stand vnder our burthen Another reason Iphtah setteth downe in these verses thus Sihon king of the Ammonites would needs come out against vs as wee were going toward Canaan and God gaue him into our hands so that by him wee enioy this land which ye contend for and which he enioyed and therfore what haue ye to doe to claime it or what right haue yee vnto it For yee neuer possessed it but Sthon of whom we wonne it by the law of warre So that if the Lord our God hath cast him out and giuen his land to vs commest thou in who hast nothing to doe with it against vs to possesse it Hee further in the 24. verse sheweth that which he said cleerely by a similitude thus Yee Ammonites worship the Idoll Chemosh for your god and you thinke that the land which yee possesse yee inioy it by his benefit and so by good right so we haue this by the benefit of the true God and therefore we possesse it by very good right And as for Chemosh hee called not that idoll a God for that hee tooke it to bee so but for that the Ammonites so iudged it to be We may see here how farre we may lawfully enioy such things as are taken in warre and that is when the warre is lawfully taken in hand as by Israel it was That which we thereby obtaine by good successe that may we enioy as giuen into our hands by the Lord. And to speake of things more priuat the same may be said of all that God giueth vs by the good will of our friends or by our lawfull dealing and by Gods blessing in our calling But yet with this watchword that wee honour him therewith in Christian life and glad the hearts of Gods people thereby which we ought as well to do as to be able to prooue and shew that the commodities we enioy are no fruites of our owne rapine oppression couetousnesse and euill conscience but indeed the bequests of our father which as Iacob said the Lord our God hath bestowed as a blessing vpon vs his seruants seeking first the things that concerne our happinesse and God his kingdome and receiuing from him these smaller things againe in token of his allowing and approouing of vs. But this is an vsuall argument in this booke therefore I passe by it More particularly let vs note out of this verse in that Israel would not and was guided by God therein when he had great need so much as goe through the land of Sihon without his leaue learne we hence I say that no man may vsurpe or challenge to himselfe another mans right but euery man is to be content with his owne portion and allowance yea in this the Lord will haue the meanest free from the tyrannie of the greatest and taketh the cause of the poore into his owne hand against their potent enemies though there be none vpon earth that can iudge them as in the case of Ahab and Iezabels extorting Naboths vineyard doth appeare And the reason is good for next to the good of the Church the Lord hath a special care of vpholding of societie among men by order and good gouernment which are ouerthrowne when proprietie in goods and commodities is taken away by the vnequall vsurpation of the greater ouer the smaller And in truth as there is small oddes betwixt beasts and men when the common bands of equitie are broken so much lesse is it like that a Church can bee setled and established in such confusion and the greater is their sinne who euen in the Church exercise this mischieuous practise whereof not God who is the God of order but Satan is the author euen as he is of all other disorders Therefore let none be troublesome or iniurious to other more then he would be content that another should wrong or hurt him in that which is his None should be oppressed in bargaining or otherwise as the Lord by the Apostle hath giuen in charge which if it were well regarded much complaining of iniurie and hard dealing would cease But this is a branch of the other It came of the Lord that Sihon did not only deny passage to Israel through his land but also that he should prouoke them to warre that he might giue him and his land into their hands and withall giue them passage through his country Euen so it
vexe their aduersarie one way they could doe it many waies and say that they haue greater and more causes to pursue them then that one which they alleage But all such speech is bragging and boasting without iust cause for if they had greater doth any man doubt but they would take their aduantage by vsing them when as they prosecute the smaller so hotly against them Vpon the forementioned reasons he concludeth that hee gaue him no cause to make warre with him as he had done but hee had been stirred vp vniustly against him And as Iphtah was bold to accuse him and auouch his owne innocencie hauing so good proofe for both so euery one that can proue the goodnesse of his cause shall bee able boldly to defend his owne innocencie against his aduersaries and accusers to their shame and iust reproch and their owne peace and comfort Whereas other must be driuen to vse shifts as lying dissembling boldnes heate multiplying of words and false witnesses as may be seene in the cause of the Priests and Pharisies accusing our Sauiour before Pilat The truth seeketh no corners See notes vpon verses 14. and 15. And so hee appealing to the most highest for his simplicitie in the matter to be iudge therein he endeth his message Thus must wee be able to doe I meane not to be afraid to make the Lord iudge in the cause that so though we be iustled to the walles by our vnequall Iudges vpon earth yet we may rest in Gods testimonie of and vnto vs and our cause and therefore not fearing man may be confident verifying the prouerbe The righteous is bold as a lion In the same kinde Iob speaketh saying Though mine aduersary should write a booke against me would not I take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne to me Meaning it should be to his commendation But seeing the men of the world see boldnes so much to preuaile in the defence of their bad causes therfore they face out matters themselues thereby Wherby this watch-word is needfull to bee giuen them that men looke not so much how boldly they stand in the defence of themselues and their doings as how truly for that which in a good cause is courage in an euill is impudence But though Iphtah had said enough and that also to good purpose yet we see that it moued the King of Ammon nothing at all but as he had taken a bad cause in hand so he meant to defend it vnto the death euen as men too commonly doe who hauing begun an ill matter doe purpose to goe forward So that we see wise and sound reasons and perswasions howsoeuer they be vsed both to purpose and in season so that they who can iudge would thinke they might be like to preuaile and moue especially not knowing the corruption of the heart which couers it selfe with shew of honestie yet with the wilfull they doe no good nor with any such as bewray themselues being put to it to be resolute to do wrong and of a preiudicate mind or possessed of strong passions Therfore it is that Salomon saith A word more entreth into the wise then an hundred stripes will auaile with the froward This humour possesseth many whom it would not easily be thought to be in and therefore being discouered so much the worse beseemeth them euen ciuill courteous persons still and sometimes religious because either they suspect not themselues and so are ouertaken by any occasion suddenly falling out or else they nourish this serpent in their bosome wilfully Naaman was taken with that tech and no marueile he being an Heathen when he heard the Prophets answere by what meanes he told him he should be healed But highly to be commended was Dauid who receiued the counsell of Abigail a woman so readily to turne him from a cruell and wicked resolution And euen so they who are obstinate as thinking it a discredit to them to desist shall meete with more shame by proceeding but happie are the meeke and tractable who receiue the wholesome words of exhortation and stop not their eares from good counsell but submit themselues without respect thereto such shall deliuer themselues from great euill And a man would thinke such behauiour doth better become professors of the Gospell then wilfulnes and obstinacie Concerning the vse whereof I haue spoke somewhat by the like occasion in the 21. and 22. verses let the reader ioyne them both together Vers 29. Then the spirit of the Lord came vpon Iphtah and hee passed ouer to Gilead and to Manasseh and came to Mizpeh in Gilead and from Mizpeh in Gilead he went vnto the children of Ammon 30. And Iphtah vowed a vow vnto Lord and said If thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into mine hands 31. Then that thing that commeth out of the doores of mine house to meete me when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon shall be the Lords and I will offer it for a burnt offering 32. And so Iphtah went vnto the children of Ammon to fight against them and the Lord deliuered them into his hands 33. And he smote them from Aroer vntill thou come to Minneth twentie Cities and so foorth to Abel of the vineyards with an exceeding great slaughter Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Israel The third part of the Chapter IN this third part it is shewed generally that Iphtah ouercame and subdued the Ammonites And in particular first how God gaue him the spirit of courage and fortitude to this end Secondly that before hee entred the battell hee made a vow to the Lord that if hee should get the victorie hee would offer that to him which should first come out of doores to meete him Thirdly how after this he went forward to Gilead and Manasseh and came to the place where the Ammonites were and so lastly how fighting with them the Lord deliuered them into his hands In this verse it is shewed how Iphtah came to the Ammonites from Mizpeh in Gilead for it is distinguished from that Mizpeh that is in the Tribe of Inda Before that the Lord had furnished him with gifts of his spirit fit for warre both valiantnes of mind and strength of body as was said before And by this it may appeare that the Lord had appointed before that hee should be their Iudge and deliuerer though it was vnknowne to the people when they sent to him to haue him to be their Captaine Now for our instruction and benefit heere wee may see that when the Lord appointeth any man to any speciall calling hee giues him gifts for the discharge of it When Moses was to be sent to Pharao hee alleaged his vnfitnes and vnsufficiencie to speak to a King the Lord prouided for that before he began to discharge it The Apostles likewise whom Christ left weake and vnfurnished for such a worke as they were to take in hand after his ascension
The other part of his answere is this that he would not eate if he should prouide for him because he was no man as Manoah tooke him to be and therefore had no need to eate For though sometime the Angels of God did eate as with Abraham and Lot and did put on the shape of men when they had some message of God to doe and so tarried the longer yet here the Angell hauing done that he came for and so hastning to depart refused to eate seeing it was needlesse In this speech the Angell teacheth this that the creatures of God ought not to be spent needlesly but receiued for necessary vse euen as our Sauiour taught long since that the broken meate and fragments should not bee cast away which were left after the people had been satisfied And this commendeth frugalitie and honest sparing as it condemneth the prodigall lauishing and wasting that many stroy goods doe vse who fatte their dogges and famish the poore for whom broken meate should be reserued But of this I shall say more afterward God willing Neither is it vnworthy the nothing for vs to see how carefull the holy ghost is here to cleare the good meaning of Manoah from any blame Hee knew not saith the text that it was an Angell of the Lord q. d. If hee had known it ye may well thinke he would not haue spoken so but being ignorant he is to be excused I blame him not for it no reason therefore that his simplicitie should make him subiect to hard censure It is not simply indeed excusable in Manoah onely because he was ignorant for Peter was faultie for saying hee knew not what being with Christ vpon the mount but because he was neither bound to know nor able of himselfe to know any such matter See then how tender the Lord is of the credit of his good seruants that whiles they in their innocency walke according to their knowledge he auoideth all the blame that might grow to them by their vnauoidable ignorance the Lord will iudge the worke of his seruants according to that they haue but as for the defect which is inuincible it shall doe them no harme this by the way The thing I purpose to insist most in is that knowing afterward this messenger to be an Angell otherwise then he supposed was ashamed euen of his blamelesse error how much more ought we to blush for our faultie errors nay grosse ignorance or which is worst wilfull sinnes That which Paul Rom. 6. saith implieth no lesse That we being regenerate should be ashamed to looke backe into our olde profane course of blindnesse and badnesse as if a deuout Papist like Ephraim in the Prophet being conuerted should be abashed to consider the vnfruitfulnes of his deuotion and kneeling to the Crucifix and the image of the Virgin Mary and a peece of bread saying to these Idols Fie vpon you get you hence they were blinde that made them they themselues are like the makers of them and I as blind that worship them So should the proud boaster that hath scornefully disdained his neighbour in his heate and madnesse being come to himselfe and seeing he is no better then earth and a fire-brand of hell be ashamed of himselfe and say Who am I that haue thus basely forgot my selfe So he that hath come iollily to the Sacrament and yet profanely because hee could discerne no more at the Lords boord then his owne when he seeth his boldnesse and how farre hee hath ventured how should it astonish him The truth is knowledge and grace haue no greater enemies then the ignorant who if they could see themselues as they cannot how highly would they magnifie God for knowledge if for no other cause yet for this that thereby they are made to see their estate far other then they could euer beleeue it to be and so resting thankfull walke in the light thereof and abhorre their former blindnes The Angel seeing Manoah deceiued taking him to be a man led him further to more fit matters for him bidding him make a burnt offering of the meate that he desired to refresh him with For to no end was Manoahs speaking of meate to him offering him to eate the kid of the goates This speech of his sheweth that it is true wisedome to take occasion to draw one another forward to holy duties and to communication of heauenly things The most being earthly and fast locked vp therein Manoah was busie about prouiding for him which through his errour was to no end therefore the Angell drew him to that which was profitable indeed And so it well becommeth Christians to be ready to leade one another from vnprofitable expence of the time to talke of things more diuine and fit to the edifying one of another neither ought the wise christian to stumble at it when he meeteth in companie with such as are vnsauourie whose tongues are their owne to set themselues on worke as they please Alas what other is to bee looked for at the hands of such as neuer learned how to gouerne themselues either alone or in their priuate houses or in the publike actions of Gods worship How should their tongues be well seasoned in companie or bring foorth fauourie and gracious matter out of an vncleane heart abounding with the contrary But rather let him pitie such for all bad men are not bad of malice and by his milde and modest silence at least and much more by speaking that which is likest to preuaile and doe good turne off and put by their superfluous and frothie talke not fearing but that it will giue place and cause the vtterers thereof to say Indeed this speech of yours is farre meeter for the companie and deserueth to be accounted of and pitie it were that loose and vaine talke should haue put it by pardon vs for if we had knowne better wee would haue vsed better Is not this a good effect of Christian boldnesse though no more then needs thus to take occasion to breake off bad communication and to bee farre preferred before an offensiue giuing place to ill speech till it haue gotten the vpper hand so that it is too late to represse it But to come neerer to the occasion of this text A Christians dutie towards them that come behinde him in experience and the right vse of conference with such is not to make himselfe sport at their weaknes or to scorne their ignorance but to goe before them and teach them how to spend the time more profitably A man may discerne teachablenes and an humble spirit in many who out of a simple meaning vtter that little good speech that they can or which comes next to minde though they can little consider to what purpose or edifying Here is a fit occasion offered to the other with lenitie softnes to diuert rather then breake off such speech to loosen the bands of it rather then violently to cut them asunder
that so the hearers may see themselues wound into better communication ere they are aware and secretly blush at their owne ignorance The particular that the Angell mentioned was to counsell him to offer a burnt offering to the Lord. The signification thereof was that thereby hee should consecrate himselfe body and soule with the powers and parts of both vnto the Lord and so he should honour the Lord as became him and shew that hee did thereby acknowledge himselfe willing and readie to obey him in all things And this is our true seruing of God to offer vp our selues wholly vnder his gouernment as the Apostle speaketh to the Romans And so on the contrary they doe nothing lesse who giue themselues to follow their owne lusts and the deuices and desires of their wicked hearts or who in some things wil yeeld him dutie and by halues as we reade that Saul did for which cause the Lord reiected him Let the reader looke more of this point in chap. 2. and in chap. 10. and elsewhere And further as Manoah for the kindnesse hee receiued of the Angell was bidden to offer to God that which he offered to him so we should not offend who are Gods Ministers if in the like case we doe the like As for example if for our trauaile by aduice and counsell to any brother either troubled in conscience or otherwise with some great and dangerous doubt he being satisfied and quieted to his good contentment by our counsell if I say he the partie so counselled by vs out of a thankfull minde should offer gratuitie to vs as many thinke it their dutie I say wee should not offend if we should desire him to giue it either wholly or a part thereof as freely to some very good vse if he be well able as to some godly poore as hee would haue done to vs seeing we thinke it vnmeete for vs to receiue it because we would in no wise bring a reproch to our ministerie orgiue occasion to any to thinke that we doe basely sell the gifts of God for money For if hee bee both able and willing as Naaman the Sirian in the like case was to shew thankfulnes which we thinke it vnmeete to receiue we shall doe a good dutie to helpe to benefit some other where there is need of it and so fit an occasion is offered by Gods prouidence to relieue him Too few such occasions are offered of doing good in that maner if they be yet they are not taken and yet it is well knowne how many there are to doe good vnto and how wee are commanded by God to take all occasions thereof as he offereth them And if ye aske why Elisha did not worke vpon Naaman in that manner I say hee was an heathen and a stranger newly conuerted and if he had requested any such kindnesse of him it must haue been put into his hands to dispose in all which respects hee refrained But of this I haue said somewhat before chap. 8. in Gedeon his refusing the kingdome and demanding the earings the lesse therefore shall serue Another thing I thinke good to stay about a little in this verse and that is by occasion of a word the Angell spake And that is this that hee called that bread which Manoah called flesh For when hee desired the Angell that hee might prepare for him a kid of the goates the other answered hee would not eate of his bread whereby who doubteth will some say but that both meant one particular thing Manoah that he would prepare some refreshing for him and the Angell that hee would not eate with him Here by the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not bread onely but all food and so flesh particularly by this word I say the Papists who are faine to catch hold of euery thing that they thinke may serue for their purpose take occasion to maintaine their transubstantiation and they crie aloud that the bread in the Sacrament may signifie flesh as it doth in other places of the Scriptures Where it appeares that they are so hastie to alleage a proofe from hence for their purpose that in the meane while they take one thing for another For though the Hebrew word may signifie flesh as it doth bread yet they should remember that Paul wrote in the Greeke tongue where the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth bread is neuer taken for flesh And what gaine they by thus playing the Sophisters among the ignorant For they who are able to iudge do see that they abuse the reader grossely in saying bread may be taken for flesh because the Hebrew word sometime signifieth so when the Greeke word neuer signifieth so in which tongue yet all that concerneth the Lords Supper is written And so while they goe about with the dogge to get the flesh that shineth in the water they lose that which they seemed to haue in their mouth and so both And yet if the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did signifie flesh as it doth bread how doth it follow that it should signifie so in the Sacrament against sense reason scripture and truth So wee see what substantiall proofes they bring to vphold and iustifie their absurd opinions and religion This I say vpon this supposition granted that the Angell and Manoah spake of the same indiciduall thing which yet no man will grant to bee a necessarie consequence For though Manoah meant flesh yet the Angell might meane bread both by a Synecdoche meaning a refreshing by bread and meate Manoah might offer him a kid and he might answere I will not eate of thy bread in this sense Prepare nothing for me I will not eate so much as any bread much lesse of thy flesh Who is so simple as to thinke otherwise except any should imagine that the meate was like to be set before the Angell without bread If bread were needfull also what necessitie is it that both their meanings must needs be about the same particular But I spare Thus much of Manoahs desiring him to eate the second thing followeth of asking him his name but of this in the next Sermon THE SEVENTY THREE SERMON ON THE XIII CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES THus he still seeing the man of God as he tooke him to be to shew such grace in his speech was the more knit to him and so desired to know his name and hee shewes him the reason to wit that when it should come to passe which he promised Manoah might honour him with some reward The Angell seeing it a needlesse thing that he asked did not answere to him in word but thought it fitter to make himselfe knowne to him in deedes then in words and thereby to confirme the former promise made to them And this to be the meaning of the verse the next words doe proue namely that hee did wonderfully for so are the words in the originall hee was marueilous or he did wonderfully
while they haue thought of the vttermost that might come to them by it or when in some sudden and deep passion they haue feared some grieuous calamitie to bee comming toward them In so much as they haue made this resolution with themselues that they were vndone And yet they haue seene that God hath giuen an issue out of them and that they haue passed ouer their heads as a clowd and they haue safely escaped and waded out of them So that they haue not risen from deliberate consideration and grounded knowledge of Gods will but from feare oppressing them and too vnaduised and rash iudging and vnbeliefe and oft times hasted on by melancholy vnto the which as the best are subiect so yet they must know that grace and goodnesse are smoothered and ouerwhelmed in them when they fall deeply into these disguising of themselues and therefore that they must bee carefull daily to watch and pray in faith that no such oppressing and turbulent thoughts and vexations take hold of them euen as our Sauiour hath giuen charge saying Let not your hearts be troubled And to conclude seeing it falleth out as in this storie is manifest that good people may oft times be at this point and are also as Manoah was here being plunged into feare to doubt so dreadfully of Gods fauour toward them all may learne by this how needfull it is for them to gather and get all arguments and testimonies thereof before trials come and in the daies of peace to giue all diligence to make their calling and election sure that in their greatest need they may be quiet and confident and not doubt in time of triall One way is to endeuour to haue a good conscience alwaies both toward God and men also to be the same in secret that wee would seeme when we walke most innocently before men openly to be with many other such fruites of faith wherein the folly and senselesse blockishnesse euen of many of the better sort may bee marueiled at that they can in this so weightie a matter and of so great vse vnto them be so carelesse Let the reader looke into the sixth chapter as I haue already referred him We heard in the last verse of the great feare that oppressed Manoah for that hee had seene the Lord. Now it followeth in this verse what his wife did when he vttered his feare to her and in the next and last verse is shewed that Samson was borne When the wife of Manoah saw her husband so troubled she was better staied and therefore counselled and by reasons did perswade him so to be also Thus the Lord oft times spareth one of his children and that also in the same house when hee afflicteth another and vpholdeth one when another is cast downe which is to bee marked of vs. And this he doth as we see here in spiritual trials as well as in bodily health and visitations to the end that one may bee an helper and comfort to another And if he visit all together which is rarely seene yet he supplieth their wants some other way in giuing that grace to the parties asunder that they were wont to enioy one by the other together And although this mercie be little obserued while it is enioyed men being readie to aggrauate their crosses and amplifie them to the highest degree but blinde in seeing Gods goodnesse in his afflicting them yet such it is as might full ill be spared and when it is it causeth men to accuse themselues of vnthankfulnes which hath procured the increase and multiplying of their crosses We know addition of miserie made him who thought it a small benefit to liue as a sonne vnder his fathers wing to wish he might be entertained but in the place of a hireling To returne to the point againe this mercifull forbearance of the Lord is euen seene oftentimes in one and the same persons visitation that although he lay his hand vpon the bodie yet oft times the minde is free and the spirit is able to sustaine the bodies infirmitie Yet I spake not this as if this were a token of Gods forsaking a man when he seemeth to afflict on euery side for then the Lord driues his people to cling to himselfe when all props and crutches are remoued lest they should sinke altogether Iobs wife and himselfe were downe together as we may say children slaine cattell and substance destroyed friends and kindred alienated And this wrought no doubt strongly vpon his weakest part but if the Lord had not been on his side yea instead of all comfort by wife or others he could neither haue resisted desperate impatience euen at the hearing of the first heauie message that was brought vnto him nor much lesse haue said afterward Although he kill me I will trust in him Therefore although the Lord doe ordinarily thus measure out to his children that all sorrow comes not at once yet let none indent with the Lord that thus hee shall deale alway with him The Lord is tied to no certaintie or necessitie in temporall crosses to his best seruants saue onely to be their God alsufficient and to minister vnto them the grace which shall be sufficient Many haue fallen into such streights through infectious diseases pouertie trauaile c. that they wanted succour and comfort from the neerest vnto them Onely the Lord forsake not his being neerer to them in miserie then nature can make the neerest friends to each other But seeing the woman here though in regard of her sexe the weaker vessell was yet the stronger in faith to incourage her husband when hee fainted let vs learne that the husband may not despise his wiues counsell when God shall grace her equally or aboue him It is many mens cases to be honoured with such wiues who by their faith experience knowledge humilitie innocencie and such other good gifts of God might hardly bee wanted and are much to bee regarded But they that haue these gifts let them be farre from thinking on the other side meanely and basely of their husbands remembring who commandeth them the carriage of reuerence towards them Husbands againe must reioyce for them and not scorne to take good by them vpon a vaine conceit that their wiues will deny them supremacie or as many will say crow ouer them And yet those that want grace and be otherwise ill qualitied let them not leane much to their counsell remembring Ahab and Salomon in this sinne little differing See vers 9. and 10. of this chapter Her first reason was this and it was sound and good If God said she would haue killed vs he would not haue receiued our sacrifice But he hath receiued it And how knew she that it was accepted of God I say seeing he it was that bad her offer it therefore it was acceptable to him And againe the manner was allowable for that God had consumed the sacrifice with the flame
pursuite of our desires and that either with outward resistance of vs as he did Ahab by Elias when he was going to take possession of Naboths vineyard or with inward wound of conscience as most commonly hee vseth to doe to such as haue knowledge or with hardnesse of heart which alwaies hindreth and keepeth away repentance And by occasion of Samsons iourneying out of Iuda to Timnah of the Philistims I say more particularly let such as trauaile whether within the land or beyond seas into forreine countries see that their errands are lawfull and warrantable not expresly crossing the Lords charge as that of Shemei did Salomons lest although they scape Shemei his punishment yet a worse befall them Remember Dina and Gehazi Nay see they not onely that their businesse be good but look they also that their affection be well and orderly carried thereto otherwise their seeking after noueltie curiositie vanitie I speake of them that doe so or their sinister intent any other way will marre their action of trauailing be it neuer so lawfull And as that is nourishment to one creature which is anothers bane euen so is trauaile to sundrie sorts of men though to some other it be good and profitable It is apparant that many trauellers who went out with no euill purpose yet being vnarmed against euill and not strongly resolued to depart from it haue rushed vpon the pikes tempted God cast themselues vpon streights and indangered their bodies liues consciences manifold waies I speake to such as professe to haue God the directer of their waies as for others let the dead bury the dead That is a iourney well vndertaken which a man can take in faith and sanctifie it by prayer and so commit himselfe therein to Gods protection and blessing And surely if we goe otherwise to worke wee are as able to beare meekely and patiently either disappointment ill successe or any hard accident that shall befall vs as wee are to encounter a Lion if he should meete vs. But beside these vntimely and vnseasonable trauailings abroad there are other no lesse dangerous at home or neere at hand and among the rest for example sake when the Sabbath is abused to wanton and waily gaddings to stage-playes gaming houses drinkings on which yet by Gods commandement the most lawfull common actions and ordinary businesse ought not to bee done which may bee done on other daies This is one instance of many other wicked iourneyings and trauailings on that day which are as vsuall with the ill disposed as it is ordinary among the better sort to heare the word preached or to vse any other religious exercises But although such persons haue no stoppe in their way to turne them backe neither doe meete with the opposition that Balaam did to hinder and crosse their desires yet they shall reape the wages of their iniquitie as hee did and wish they had kept at home and been free from such company with many stripes The meeting of a Lion by Samson which was as wee haue heard with the perill of his life yet was to him as God did vse it an occasion to trie declare and shew foorth Gods power and strength in him which should else haue been hidden For the spirit of the Lord stirred vp in him an extraordinary gift of might and manhood more then is to bee found in the strongest person whereby he hauing nothing in his hands did yet teare the Lion in peeces one part and member from another as if it had been a young kid or lambe By this example wee may learne that though the crosse be to vs as feareful when we see it comming toward vs as a Beare or a Lion is to meet with yet the Lord who loueth vs as hee did Samson doth vse by his quickning grace to hearten vs against it so that wee finde it to turne to our great good and benefit But let this be marked which I say that God doth by his speciall grace bring it thus to passe not that we should looke for it by extraordinary meanes though he dealt so with Samson but wee are to beleeue and waite certainly for it because he hath promised it and by the helpe thereof we shall not need to doubt but that such strength shall be granted vs as shal put away feare or at least abate and restraine it but without that help from God we shall feare and be troubled when wee doe but heare of the crosse or danger as at the sight of a lion yea and be disquieted and ouercome with the heauinesse that we haue for it as if we should meete a Beare We haue too many examples of this weaknesse and feare in Gods deare people as in the seruant of Elisha who when hee saw an armie of Aramites compassing the house cried out and said Alas master what shall wee doe So in the Disciples the like is to bee seene who through their vnbeliefe thought they had seene a spirit and were sore afraid when yet that which they feared was Iesus their Master comming toward them to comfort thē So that we of our selues indeed are most timerous euen when we haue little cause much more otherwise but yet when great afflictions oppresse vs God being with vs as I haue said we are able through his might to do great things as the Apostle saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ who strengtheneth me Yea so great oddes is there betweene one and the same man oppressed with feare though for a small trouble when he is taken on the sudden and with a great one when hee is prouided for it as betweene the heate of the least candle and a greatest fire He that fainted at the one when he was weake in faith escaped and ouercame the force of the other being assisted therewith as hath at large been shewed in Gedeon at one time afraid to goe and behold that campe which after hee blanckt not both to encounter and to conquer And this whole storie of the Lion all that consider may vnderstand that it tendeth directly to this end to prepare and make Samson able to beare the displeasure and enmitie of the Philistims which was afterward raised vp against him the Lord giuing him strength for that purpose and that it might minister matter for the riddle which he did after propound to them whereby they did sore prouoke him By the first learne that when God indueth men with excellent gifts betimes as he doth many he thereby declareth that hee will both double and multiply them in those persons and also vse them to serue him to singular purposes if their proceeding be not hindred by some sinister practises of theirs to stand in their way or by the diuell and his instruments subtilitie diuerting his good gifts to bad purposes This is apparent by that which God did worke in Samson in his first yeeres of discretion and when hee was yet
Philistims that as they were least hurtfull when they were most busie in seeking out the meaning of the riddle so I may truly say this of the most of bad sort that the greatest good they doe either in Church or common-wealth or at least the sewest euils that they commit are when they be at their labour and tyed to the works of their calling euen as the theefe is fast from doing of euill when his hands are tyed behind him For though euill persons are ill minded euen at their worke and as ill occupied if they haue opportunitie seeing they are framed thereto yet this can be nothing so much as when oyle is put to the flame for then they are at elbow roome and much more when they be lincked in company with such as be like themselues which is as far from that which ought to be as may be seeing euery part of a christian mans life should bring forth fruit And it ought to be a great humbling of such when God shall open their eyes vntill which time they dreame of no danger that whereas they are commanded in all that they doe or goe about to honour the Lord they yet shall be by manifold witnesses brought against them conuinced of the contrary For whether they fast or feast labour or be idle whether they be alone or in company or whatsoeuer they doe yea euen when they worship God in the congregation their hearts are lusting after some euill and far from goodnes Therefore happy are those seruants who when the Lord commeth may be found occupying their talent so as they may be able to say they haue been neither idle nor vnprofitable in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus willingly and with good aduisednes but since they were taken into his seruice haue shewed themselues faithful diligent alway except infirmitie and yet euen then they are also occupied namely in resisting the same Thus we see that for three dayes they did beat their brains about finding out the meaning of the riddle and we read no other but that they do so the other three dayes till the seuenth came But very probable it is that they deuised among themselues if need should be that they would vse Samsons wife in the matter to help them to come by the meaning of it because it is said in this verse that they came to her and vrged her sore to get it of him on the seauenth day when their hope otherwise was altogether past although it is like they had sore vrged her to doe so before then I say they threatned that they would otherwise burne her fathers house And further they made a great matter of that they should lose thereby if they could not shew the meaning of it as if they had been vndone by it and all this they ascribed to her bringing of him thither if she did not learne the meaning of the riddle and tell it to them And hereby their seeking to get it by shifts and guile when they could not finde it out by coniecturall wit and deliberation wee may see how like to these Philistims the most part of people are who for a while keepe compasse in their matters they deale in and in their behauiour as though they were well ordered persons this I say many do for a time while they haue no great prouocation nor temptation to breake out but if they doe like stormes and tempests arise to stirre and disquiet them loe then they appeare in their colour and make themselues knowne what they are and what little gouernment they haue of themselues Saul when Dauid being pursued of him shewed him plainly that hee had such aduantage against him that hee could haue killed him spake mildly and kindly to him but when he had thoughts put into his head that Dauid sought his life then he was most spitefully exasperated and incensed against him So in another kinde while Ananias and Saphira his wife kept their possessions in their hands there was no complaint made of or against them neither were they accused to haue liued offensiuely but when the Church was in need and they for praise of men would doe as other did according to the Apostles perswasion that is to say relicue the poore and so proceeded to sell some part of their lands then they began to distrust that they should haue enough and of a couetous minde kept away part of the price that they sold it for and yet would make a shew to giue it all swearing falsely thereunto So many among vs liue peaceably innocently and vnoffensiuely as honest neighbours and well liking religion for a time who yet in trials and yet these not great particularly in matters of money or money worth bewray that they are to be commended for none of all these shewes of goodnesse but lay foorth themselues in contrary colours Much like to that which Satan spake of Iob though amisse and in another case Touch him and he will curse thee to thy face And we may almost binde it for true that if a man being laid to the touchstone of gaine especially when no man knoweth what he doth doe approue himselfe conscionable he is an honest man indeed And as the Philistims did here fall to shifts vnlawfull meanes crueltie and many other euill waies who first did not so In like manner we see among ourselues that some will shew themselues as faire chapmen as may be like the bargaine very well and boast they will not take good gaine tenne pound c. for it againe also they will agree vpon couenants seale the writings take witnesses appoint the day of payment or deliuerie and what should I say more yet let the ware or merchandise in the meane season waxe cheaper then was supposed then begins the franke buyer to shrinke palter and shift dishonestly for himselfe And so doth the seller commonly if the price rise any thing whereas they bought and sold before hand pretending they were resolued vpon whatsoeuer euent to rest satisfied if there were losse to depend vpon God for restitution and not to shrinke backe Psal 15. 4. if gaine yet to confesse it equall and iust to yeeld and forgoe it without grudging seeing God hath cast it vpon the partie And the same humour is bewraied in such sellers as comming short of the price they would haue yet being compelled to deliuer the commoditie do change and impaire the qualitie and goodnesse of it or cut it short in measure or vse other men gripingly to make themselues amends shewing plainly that they regard not any thing in their contracts saue onely to make a pray of their brother and serue their turne by him without conscience or ciuill respect of the Common-wealth So also when men cannot enioy their commodities and thriue as they would but decay or feare that they shall or if things grow deare or by an hundred like occasions they who for a time were of good carriage and
storie at this time I will therefore here cut off THE EIGHTH SERMON VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES IT followeth further about this Bethlite for it is to good purpose to enquire heere whether this man did well in betraying the city and what is lawfull in the like case For as concerning the spies no question is to be made of their drawing the man to it whether they did well or no for it was their worke assigned them of God to destroy those nations and therefore to vse the meanes in going about it So was it also lawfull for him to do it they signifying to him what Gods wil was in that behalfe But whether the man beleeued that and therfore whether he did it in faith or to saue his life and his friends and goods it is vncertaine The first is more possible then probable to haue been the cause that drew him to doe it but the last is most likely yet wee may not determine which except the Lord went before vs therefore according thereto was his act good and commendable in him or otherwise Now for vs the case standeth farre otherwise then it did with him For it is not lawfull for vs to yeeld to any such thing as he did in betraying the city but odious and horrible The Lord Iesus speaking of the like matter as a thing most monstrous to attempt or goe about He saith many shall hate and betray one another a fearefull thing to heare much more for one to doe it to a whole City Nay all bitter violence and cruelty is odious in vs one towards another simply and without all respects much more when it shal be done for gaine or preferment No neither is it any way tolerable for the sauing of ones owne life We must in all these cases haue our discharges and warrant from God for that which we doe as Rahab had for hiding the spies which wee hauing Scriptures most clearely to direct vs in all our actions no such thing from what example soeuer is to be followed of vs in these daies Neither is the fact of Ioel in killing Sisera nor the Israelites borrowing and carrying away of the Egyptians treasures any thing to imbolden vs to doe the like she doing it against Gods enemies the Canaanites they doing that which they did by the Lords appointment In a word to doe any euill that good may come of it is odious Lastly out of these two verses it is good for vs to marke in that this poore Bethlite was the instrument of taking the city what poore meanes and helpes God oftentimes ministreth for the effecting of that which hee commandeth to be done yea though the worke be great and the means weake and vnlikely to bring such a matter to passe it skilleth not Both these things may be seene both in stirring vp and preparing that sillie woman in Ioshuas time to receiue lodge the spies whom he sent to view Iericho before they tooke it as also by blowing trumpets of Rammes hornes and by compassing of the city Iericho seuen times to make the walles of it to fall downe Who seeth not that these were poore engins to batter walles and also to giue this Bethlite into the hands of these spies that they might by his helpe easily take the city For when God will haue a worke to be brought to passe he appointeth the meanes also for the same purpose which being alwaies knowne to him but seldome to vs ordinarily till we meet with them not by chance but by his will and appointment it doth often take heart from vs and much dismay vs from cheerefull going about that which wee are commanded so weake is our faith when with vnbeleeuing Thomas wee doe not see and behold with bodily eyes the meanes which are yet sufficient and at hand through Gods promise So much the more it behoueth vs to be well acquainted with that which is taught vs heere for it is a singular encouragement to vs wee being so weake when we haue an hard labour laid vpon vs and we see no meanes to bring it to passe to know yet that God will prouide helpe though wee see not how as he did prouide a sacrifice for Abraham to offer in stead of Isaac Indeed if he should deale with vs as Pharaoh did with the Israelites who enioyned them an hard taske and great worke but yet they must make shift how to effect it which was impossible for them to doe then it were no maruell if we were pensiue and at our wits end what to doe But God be thanked if we can beleeue him that he will make it easie and prouide accordingly most cheerefully may we be occupied from day to day in all that by Gods Commandement we set our hand vnto This caused the Apostle Paul to be so diligent and vnwearied in bringing so many nations by his preaching to embrace the Gospell and saluation thereby when yet there were so many and great discouragements in his way This caused those worthy seruants of God Zorobabell Ezra and Nehemiah not onely to returne into Iudea but to build both the city vp againe being greatly ruinated and euen the walles thereof and also the Temple when hauing commandement from God so to doe they beleeued that hee would shew them how and bee with them to inable them though wee are not ignorant how many blocks and maine enemies there were in their way to hinder them And wee haue no other stay to looke for the promised saluation but this that hee that hath commanded vs to liue by faith and waite by hope will finde meanes to bring it to passe although we see little how many times in so much that we oft feare and doubt it being the waightiest case of all other euen as Saint Peter also saith that the righteous are scarcely saued And euen so the labouring man and the Artificer could neuer bee vpholden to follow their calling with any peace if they should looke onely how hardly they are like to bee maintaine and should not stay themselues by faith that God will prouide for them they themselues not being negligent And be this the stay of vs all in our hardest condition wherein wee be set by God that hee will bring vs through though wee see not how and that also in good sort because he hath promised Now it remaineth that we see how well this man was rewarded that did helpe forward Gods people in their worke to the destroying of his enemies by shewing them the way into the city though it bee not set downe with what mind he did it Thus they dealt with him they did not onely set him free and his whole family from the destruction that lighted vpon the other citizens but they did also suffer him to carrie away his wealth yea and so greatly enriched him that he was able to goe build a citie And by this wee see that
Iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods to serue them and worship them they ceased not from their owne inuentions nor from their rebellious way 20. Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he said because this people hath transgressed my couenant which I commanded their fathers and hath not obeyed my voice 21. Therfore will I no more cast out before them any of the nations which Ioshua left when he died 22. That through them I may proue Israel whether they will keepe the way of the Lord to walke therein as their fathers kept it or not 23. So the Lord left those nations and droue them not out immediately neither deliuered them into the hand of Ioshua NOw followeth the last branch of this second part of the chapter that is to say that when the Iudge died the people did worse then their fathers as is set downe in this verse whereupon the wrath of God was kindled against them as appeareth in the twentieth verse and then the fruit of it namely Gods punishing of them is set downe in verse 21. and the end why he did so in the 22. that was to proue them and therefore it is said in the last verse that God left the enemies in the land still in Ioshuas time and did not cast them out Now of these as they lie in order That it should bee thus with this people as in this verse it is said it is no lesse lamentable then wonderfull For when God had pitied them they groning to him and sent them Iudges who should deliuer them out of their oppressions and they likewise did deliuer them indeed after that blessing who would not haue said that they would haue proued a rare people in thankes and obedience vnto God Now therefore in that they turned another way when the Iudge was dead who was sent to deliuer them and kept not their couenant which they had made with God but rebelled against him what trercherie was this And to that end is their sinne aggrauated in this verse to wit that they did worse then their fathers but following their owne inuentions and euill waies By all which it is to be gathered what light-headednesse and inconstancy is in men who haue sometime made earnest profession of amendment also what lewdnesse accompanieth the same to set it on worke Heereupon it is that all good exercises of prayer and purposes of good life are soone forgotten and worne out of memory with many A simple minded man would thinke that where there hath been so much knowledge in people and shew of good conscience going with it as that they both doe cause confession of sinne and accusation of themselues with breaking forth into solemne protestation and couenanâ—â— of turning to God with all their heart he would thinke I say that if after ten or twelue yeeres absence from them he should returne againe that hee should finde rare profiting in the Christian trade at least much forwardnes in knowledge and in all good duties and they so setled therein that they could not be remoued any more from them But as people much to bee lamented they who might looke for such a thing shall be like rather to finde it farre otherwise and much worse as wee see heere it was with these And in stead of growing in knowledge and grace at least of setlednesse and stedfastnesse in their good beginnings they shall be found reuolters from the same rather as it goeth with men now adaies and to haue deuised with themselues or consulted with others about new waies and courses of life cleane contrary Some to fall in with Papist and sectaries other to bee drawne to whoredome and vncleannesse and the greatest part into depth of worldlinesse sutes vncharitable contentions and the like which though it be fearefull to heare of yet it is common and easie to be found euen while good exercises of preaching and some good neighbourhood continue and bee enioyed of them and therefore how much more shall this be found where such good meanes are wanting Oh if goodnesse preuaile not with them and haue not the vpper hand yea if it be not loued aboue all other things and in price aboue them and diligence vsed daily in the practise of good duties all shewes of the best beginnings will soone turne to the contrary And good reason it is that where men professe godlinesse which is the greatest riches and hath the promises of this life and of the life to come good reason I say that there they should not be ashamed to seeke by all meanes to aduance and honour it to the end that all may know the worthinesse and price of it and that it is not without reward euen in this world Which while few regard to doe they are worthily put to reproch and shame But heere beside that which hath been said a good occasion being offered out of all these verses together wee may gather a good direction for a great part of our life and that as well before affliction come as in the time of it and after deliuerance out of it Before it come and while God giueth vs leaue to serue him with cheerefulnesse which is a sweet portion in this life we should greatly labour to keepe well while we are well and not doe as this people did here to wit prouoke God to punish vs for sinning against him as the world doth negligently or wittingly Secondly if we haue for al our heed taking broken out against conscience which without good heed taking may full easily be we should cry to God after our fall from vnder our burthen not tarrying till we be driuen to it by extremity as these heere were and further when we cry to him wee should wait patiently and the rather because we haue by our sinne prouoked him against vs till God deliuer vs. Thirdly seeing he will most certainly helpe being thus sought to let vs beleeue and be perswaded that hee will heare vs graciously as wee see heere he did them who yet were great offenders and thus let vs strengthen and inable our selues to this patience with confidence Fourthly when wee be deliuered let vs afterward oft remember consider in what an vncomfortable estate we were before and how good and gracious the Lord hath been to vs to bring vs out of such aduersity and with daily thankes cleaue to him yet more neerely then before and in no wise prouoke him by renewing our sinnes as these did heere which were monstrous and to our owne cost be we well assured it shall be And thus if we be carefull to doe it shall goe well with vs and good daies shall we see as may be looked for in so bad a world and such as haue their thousands of gold shall not bee able to buy and purchase with all their abundance But to passe to the next
verse I hauing spoken of the reuolt of this people in the former verse beside the direction which by occasion I set downe there the holy story goeth on heere to shew what the Lord did to this people thus turning from their good beginnings after the death of the Iudge He was sore displeased with them and his anger was kindled against them Here to say the same that I did there of Gods anger were but a needlesse thing That which I note of it heere is this that as before hath been seene so through the whole book it appeareth that it is vsuall with the Lord to doe thus namely when men sinne to be angry that is to do as men will when they be angry for otherwise wee haue heard that neither anger repenting nor any such affection or change is in the Lord. And is it not meet that God should thus deale with vs thinke we when we are so ready by euery occasion to prouoke him For if this held vs not in awe we should euen we who are his owne oft times breake out as the common sort do the flesh being wearie of penting in whereas the loue of God I grant should bee sufficient to constraine vs to our duties And what a thing were it that God should alwaies bee angry with a man doubtlesse if any one could bee perswaded that he were so affected to him not onely his whole life should bee in daily and deadly vnquietnesse but he should also be ouerwhelmed with the thought of it and driuen to desperation And yet we may know by that which hath been said that God hath iust cause to doe no lesse but to let his anger burne as fire against such as prouoke him But indeed hee oft deferres the declaration of his wrath giuing men time and liberty thereby to repent and doth not once shew it many times when hee is often prouoked Hereof it is that when God being iustly displeased and yet men doe not in in the meane while repent and turne to him humbly seeking mercy that hee doth afterward declare by his manifold or sorereuenges that hee was long before prouoked to anger and iustly offended with them But this is wisely to bee marked of vs that though his owne people sinne as there is none that sinneth not to wit by ouersight infirmity vnauoidable ignorance and such like whereas hee doth not by and by suffer his anger to breake forth the reason is this he hath said himselfe that he wil not looke straightly what is done amisse of them and beside when they see that they haue fallen so they rise againe and this they do daily and ordinarily returning to him againe cast themselues down in true humiliation before him in the meditation application of the work of their redeemer Christ and so the Lord is pacified with them againe Therefore such as are wise will bee most carefull to keepe away occasions of Gods displeasure seeing the Lords anger is a consuming fire and while that is prouided against men may possesse their soules with peace and may goe out and in with him daily with good liking and comfort thus much of Gods being angry againe now of the punishment that followed vpon it God being thus displeased with them seeing they had so shamefully transgressed and broken the couenant that he made with their fathers therefore hee will no more hee said cast out any of the nations that Ioshua left behinde For although Israel was oft deliuered out of the hands of sundry of them by their Iudges by whom also many of them were slaine yet they were not vtterly rooted out but their posterity sprung vp againe afterward and multiplied in the land to the great disquieting vexing and annoying of his people This I say was the punishment And how sore it was may bee thought by this that these nations were left among them to their destruction as in verse 3. we haue seene where wee heard the same punishment threatened by the Angell to them at Bochim But then they repented and there is no doubt but God accepted it as hee promised But this was more grieuous that afterwards their posterity did worse then they For they there were reproued and threatened for making couenants with the Canaanites these for falling flatly to Idolatry with them Heere besides that wee may see that for the most part men waxe worse and worse and the good decline and the bad decay and wanze away in their sinnes as may bee seene by the example of these compared with that we reade in the second verse wee may further learne againe as in verse 3. we heard that God will be discharged of his couenant towards men in and concerning the outward benefits of this life if they stand not to their couenants which they haue made with him And if they bee his owne people hee will punish their offences with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes though hee take not his mercy vtterly from them and if they be other he will much more leaue them helpelesse and to shift for themselues so as they fal into depth of euill who might haue thriued and prospered through his blessings Yea and they might haue bin in good hope to haue embraced his couenant of grace and mercy also as many are brought by Gods temporary benefits to seeke after spirituall so might these haue done also Therefore little doe men know what vexation they they bring vpon themselues when they waxe carelesse in their couenants keeping which they haue entred into with God as the leauing of some grosse sinne or the forsaking of ill company worldlinesse or such like offences and so forgetting themselues fall to them againe afterward They shall surely runne on from euill to worse that deale so with God and from smaller punishments to greater iudgements so little cause they shall haue to reioyce for glory of their winnings thereby So that beside other manifold punishments which cannot bee reckoned vp they that breake couenant with the Lord shall alwaies haue some speciall eye sores left to vexe them as these nations were to Israel And as this worthily layeth forth the forementioned punishment in vers 15. that the hand of the Lord was sore vpon this people of his euen so wee shall finde it who are vnfaithfull to him in our couenants as that either stubborne and disobedient children none of the least plagues shall rise vp to make our liues wearisome to vs which as Salomon saith shall be as corruption to our bones and that many waies as in wasting our goods riotously and with harlots and vnthriftinesse or by imbracing popery and otherwise by waxing prophane Or we shall be crossed by vnkinde spitefull and vnquiet neighbours who with sutes brawlings and sundry disagreements shall make our best pleasures to be turned into bitternesse and wormewood or we shall be plagued with seruants who shall consume vs and bring reproch and vexation vnto vs by