long haue florished Well what did Ioshua and the Elders of Israel here First they rent their cloaths To signifie the renting of their hearts So Ioel. 2. 13. Rent your hearts and not your garments And the ceremony of renting the clothes was not lightly to bee vsed but in case when Gods glory or name suffered as Num. 14. 6. Ioshua and Caleb rent their cloathes when their fellow spies had by their misreport discouraged the people causing them to distrust Gods lawes and promise The like case is here Secondly they fell to the earth on their faces importing a stupendious abjection full of zeale as vtterly regardlesse of their dignity or persons carelesse what became of them so transported were they with zeale for Gods glory and people Thirdly they put dust vpon their heads in signe of greatest humiliation as dead men on whom the earth or mould is cast for buriall Hereunto adde the other circumstances as of the time how long vntill the euentide the iust terme of a solemne fast as also of the place before the Arke of the Lord the type of Gods presence in his Sanctuary before the mercy seate the place of publicke worship together with their feruent inuocation and zealous prayer to God and so in some wee haue a full fast in all the intire and maine parts of it Loe then what a noble precedēt of true piety is here exhibited to Gods people And doth not our royall Ioshua the like what saith the proclamation Note the words well In this fast his Maiesty in his royall Person with his own family and royal household will giue an example to the rest of his people Yea that the pious and religious considerations namely of deliuerances past of disasters present and dangers imminent haue soe wrought in the Princely heart of the Kings most excellent Maiestie that he hath not onely had recourse to that great and Diuine Maiestie who is the King of Kings in his priuate deuotions to implore his mercy and fauour to himselfe and his people but according to the example of all good Kings in former ages in the times of common calamities which equally concerne both Prince and people to commaund a solemne a generall and a publicke fast c So run the words Which well obserued what hopefull fruites shall not such a fast produce when the first seedes thereof euen prayers and teares are begunne to be sowne by our Royall Ioshua And though in that his preceeding and priuate practise he seemeth to go alone yet for the more graue and religious forme of solemnizing thereof insteed of the Elders of Israel his most excellent Maiesty hath consulted with his reuerend Bishops Which our noble Ioshua and his reuerend Elders soe farre as they in this fast imitate Ioshua and the Elders of Israel so let our Israel imitate them Then doubt we not of a hopefull welfare to attend and succeed this fast wherein Ioshua with the Elders of Israel lead vs the way in sincerity of their heart in the precedencie of their pious examples And note one fare proofe fruit of our late generall fast vpon the 2d of August for the Country That very day the heauens began to restraine their vnkindly influence of excessiue vnseasonable famine-threatning wette the Lord clearing vp his cloudy countinance in the face of the christaline skye faire weather continuing from that day to bring vs in a joyfull most plentifull haruest to the regret of all ingratefull misers and regrating cornmongers but joy to all good hearts The very like change of weather fell vpon the very day of the last yeares fast which began with the Court and London fast Thus God is pleased to grace our fasts showing how much he is delighted with true humiliation Now by the example of Ioshua and the Elders of Israel here we are taught how to keepe a right and religious fast to the Lord. First as they rent their garments so we should our hearts with deepe contrition and godly sorrow for Gods dishonour displeasure and Israels discomfitures And if euer now cause there is to rent our hearts for Israels fearefull rents both in Church state These great schismes and rents are best cured and closed againe by this one of the heart If our hearts proue rocky smite we them with Moses rodde by the application of Moses Law that soe being rent and cleft a sunder there may issue out floods of liuing waters of repentance flowing from a liuely faith which may supple and close the clefts and chaps of our parched Israel Secondly as Ioshua's so our fast must be with exceeding humiliation of soule and spirit yea euen to the dust and that renouncing our selues as dead men in whom is noe helpe or hope being as it were buried vnder ground as Ioshua vnder the dust which he cast vpon his head We must goe out of our selues as the soule out of the body flying to God who onely canne free vs from our euils fealt or feared Thirdly our fast must be constant as Ioshua's vntill the eventide The day of our fast is a holy day to the Lord to be wholy spent in a religious abstinence as from our ordinary food so from any pleasure or profit of our owne The Lord reproues Israel for this saying Behold in the day of your fast you finde pleasure and exact all your labours We must forbeare all kind of food or repast till the euentide So did Nineueh by the Kings commandement Ion. 3. 8. Fourthly the speciall place wherein to celebrate our fast is the place appointed for publike worship Ioshua's humiliation was before the Arke of the Lord. Our priuate houses haue their vse for priuate deuotions but in the time of publicke seruice in Gods house whereat we must if we may be present our priuate deuotions at home are of no other vse but to bring a curse in stead of a blessing while the publicke ministery is neglected or contemned And euer in the publike ordinance God doth more manifest his presence in the communication of his graces then in our priuate families yet by commending the publike I exclude not the prinate but euer the priuate must giue place to the publicke The day of our fast as also other the Lords Sabboths allowes some time to be spent in our priuate families for the duties of the day as those vacant howres both before betweene and after the publike seruice but the publicke worship must in no case bee incroched vpon by our priuate deuotions much lesse by our worldly affaires or affections at that wee must be no lesse instant in comming then constant in continuing So did Ioshua before the Lords Arke Yea in some places specially in the Country where their Churches are greater and their congregations lesser being also vpon a working day and in haruest time if they be accommodated for Preachers agreeing vpon it the fast may be wholy spent in the Church in the publike congregation Not that there is more
necessity should inforce either honest men to purchase the Church with mony or to permit theeues robbers to possesse all entering into the sheepfold another way This you aymed at And why did it not succeed well It was among other things thought of What if it had bin not only thought of but concluded enacted not among but before all other things Dimidium facti qui benè coepit habet A thing well begun is halfe done The heathen began alwayes their great reformations enterprizes with GOD they were first for Religion then for the Republicke Omnia post Religionem ponenda semper nostra Civitas duxit saith one of Heathen Rome Our City euer iudged all things to bee ranked after Religion A Iove principium Musae sang the Poet. And Dii caeptis aspirate meis c. should not Israel much more Did the Shunamite loose any thing by seruing the Prophet first of her handful of meale and poore remnant of oyle in her â—ruse notwithstanding her present extremity Yea hath it not beene the ancient customes of Parliaments in England euer to begin not onely to treate but to conclude of and settle the state of Religion before matters of the Republicke came to be handled If wee revolue the Annales of those ancient times of Egyptian darknes ignorance in coÌ„parison of the present resplendent light of Israel we shal find therein such noble steps of piety towards God in this kinde as may make our Israel to blush if it doe not kindle an emulous zeale of imitation in a parallel at the least Let me for the purpose heere insert the words of that precious Bishop Iewell Neither is it saith hee so strange a matter to see Ecclesiasticall matters debated in Parliament Reade the Lawes of King Inas King Alfred King Edward King Athelstane King Edmund King Edgar King Canute and yee shall find that our godly forefathers the Princes Peeres of this Realme neuer vouchsafed to entreate of matters of Peace or warre or otherwise touching the common state before all controversies of Religion and causes Ecclesiasticall had bin concluded King Canute in his Parliament holden at Winchester vpon Christmas day after sundry lawes orders made touching the Faith the keeping of holy-holy-dayes publick prayers learning of the Lords Prayer Receiuing the Communion thrice in the yeare the manner and forme of Baptisme Fasting and other matters of Religion in the end thereof saith thus Iam sequitur Institutio legum saecularium Now followeth an order for Temporall Lawes Thus wee see saith the good Bishop that the godly Catholicke Princes in olde times thought it their duety before all other affaires of the Common-weale first to determine matters of Religion and that euen by the Parliaments of this Realme Such were the auncient Princes and Elders of this Kingdome in times past Their care of Religion in the first place in their Parliaments was the onely way to bring on the better successe for their Civill affaires Wherein also the reverend Prelates furthered all good Acts by their counsel when required although they had not negatiue voyces in Parliament as D Iewell in the foresaid place and also Bishop Bilson in his booke of Christian subjection and Antichristian Rebellion doe plainely show the Parliaments of this Land hauing euer had this power as well in matters of Religion as of ciuill Policy to establish good and wholesome Lawes for both Not that our Parliaments haue power to make new Articles of the Faith to establish what Religion they please but it is in their power yea and their duty too taking the Word of God for their guide and rule to establish the true Religion taught therein and to abolish all false Religions coÌ„trary thereunto Where then should a Parliament begin but with God but with Religion if euer they looke that GOD should giue a happy successe to their ciuill affaires therein Especially the Parliaments of these our times wherein the cloudes of Pelagian heresie mounting to the toppe of mans aery imagination by casting a false shaddow vpon the pure doctrines of the Church of England deriued vnto vs from the Fountaines of Scripture by the Conduits of the prime Reformers of Religion and continued vnto vs euer since by the vninterrupted pipes of the most learned and illustrious Martyrs Prelates and Doctours of our Church would bring our Meridian light of the Gospell to a twylight by intermingling with it the Egyptian fogs of the Church of Rome So that if our Parliaments would repaire the ruinated Edifice of the Republicke let them begin to make good and strengthen the maine pillars and Foundation whereon it standeth and that is Gods Temple Religion which through vndermining Pioners is shrewdly shaken who goe about to erect the towre of Babel instead thereof In the Name of GOD therefore pardon by boldnesse some must speake out else the stones would cry yet I take not vpon mee to teach the Elders of Israel They can best judge of what I say and the Lord giue them vnderstanding in al things whensoeuer the Elders of Israel shall meet againe in Parliament and I trust God will put it into the heart of our Ioshua in due time to summon a Parliament for the glory of God and the good of Israel I trust to see both Ioshua and the Elders of Israel agree in one in the first place to establish the Religion of Christ so long and happily hitherto avowed and maintained in the Church of England The establishment whereof necessarily dependeth vpon the abolishment of two maine troublers of Israel to wit Antichristian Idolatry and Arminian heresie While these two stand neuer let Israel looke for any good To omit many godly Kings of Israel as Iehosnaphat Ezechiah Iosiah who destroying Idolatry prospered remarkeable is the example of Asa who in rooting out of Idolatry spared not his owne Mother Maachah remouing her from being Queene because shee had made an Idole in a groue and Asa cut downe her Idole and stamped it and burnt it Insomuch as King Asa prospered in warre and his Land had peace to the 35 yeare of his raigne vntill he made a league with the King of Syria not relying on the Lord and being depraued by Hanani the Seer hee put him in prison and oppressed some of the people Againe so long as Arminian bookes are vnpurged and the Trueth vnpriviledged to passe abroad your Parliaments O Israel cannot prosper To the repurgation of these if you adde out of euery Impropriation a sufficient maintenance to the Ministery if you castigate Simony if possible by some wise godly restrictions better executed if with these reformations you conclude your first Session of Parliament without any mixture of your owne ciuill matters all other grievances shall fall mole sua as the wals of Iericho at the voyce of the rammes hornes Our Ioshua shall be honoured with subsidiary streames of loue duty flowing from the hearts of the best subiects in the World out
laudably to Absalon were as faithfull Seruants and Friends to the King as Hushai was to Dauid Are any afraid least the Kings Liege people should chuse such as are Popishly affected or of factious Spirits But such will stand most for the Kings supplyes They pretend so But who doe more hinder or preiudice the King in his necessarie and Royall Subsidarie Supplyes then such Factours The Lord Iesus seperate such factious Factours and miscreant Merchants both from the King and Kingdome of Israel that so this Noble Assembly of Ioshua and the Elders may giue and receiue reciprocall and mutuall Supplyes interchangeably Ioshua the Head receiuing from the inferiour principall Parts plentifull nourishment conueyed by the Naturall and Vitall Spirits And Israel the Body receiuing from Ioshua their Head a due motion preportionable to the capacitie of each Member conueyed by the Animall Spirits sweetly gouerning preseruing and protecting that so the Whole together may increase with the increase of God There is a Fountaine of an exhausted Golden Mine in the Bowels of all True-hearted English Israelites which as the Kings fauour like the Sunne-beames begets it in them so vpon all fit occasions they will be ready in Golden streames abundantly to supply their Noble Ioshua Hee needs no American-Slaues to digge and force it nor the Romane mercilesse Sword to rip it as once out of the Captiue Iewes Bowels But it will freely flowe from Loyall Israel to their Royall Ioshua And now O Noble Elders of Israel I know the Bees come not more loaden with Honey to the Hiue then you at this time with inlarged affections to minister abundant supply to your Ioshuah Doe it on Gods Name brauely and like your selues I am a poore Schollar and am ready to sell my richest treasure my Bookes rather then Ioshuah shall want And doe it so as by Gods blessing vpon Ioshua you the Elders and so vpon vs all by you many Parliaments may be called wherein you may testifie if occasion require the copious and perennious Treasure of your loue and loyaltie in the like kind How is that I meane not Sparingly but as Arannah like a Prince gaue to King Dauid For Vera liberalitas fundum non habet But I meane pardon my Zeale which makes me thus bold to speake in the genuine and naturall Genius of your tender loue and care for the safetie and securitie of our Royall Ioshua of the Crowne of the Kingdome of Religion and of Vs all But your liberall Subsidies are giuen for that end True But alas pardon still my redenesse I speake not as a States-man to aduise such a graue Senat but as a poore Minister of Christ and Watchman of Israel to petition rather What can either Money or Men or Munition doe so long as Achans trouble Israel There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel saith the Lord Thou canst not stand before thine enemies vntill ye take away the accursed thing from among you Till this hee done Isâ—ael must not looke to prosper We need no better warrant then Gods owne Word for it It is your Wisedome to follow it least the Canaanites preuaile ouer vs. And the vtmost extreamitie of the state of things calls vpon you to doe it instantly It drawes a circle about your Assembly as that braue Romane did with his Staffe about King Mithridates not to stirre or steppe ouer it till Ioshuas and Israels danger the accursed thing be remoued It is impatient I speake no more then what you all know farre better then I to abide the expectation of another Parliament you see all things are in such a Precipice and Israel so dangerously sick as if you the great Colledge of Physitians depart without curing of it all will haue occasion to deeme the case desperate and irrecouerable already drawing on a pace to a Dissolution vnlesse the Great Physitian doe mercifully and miraculously put to his Omnipotent hand For the Achans the Troublers of Israel hasten the ruine of all But who might those Achans be Your wisedomes cannot be ignorant of them yet because they are a mysticall knot of Iniquity and haue exceedingly insinuated themselues into the good opinion of many I humbly craue leaue that by the diuine Lot of Gods word I may a little discouer them All Achans as I said are Diuiders first betweene God and Israel and secondly as a consequence thereof betweene Israel themselues and that especially while they mainely labour to diuide the Head from the Body Ioshua from the Elders of Israel And saith Christ A Kingdome diuided against it selfe cannot stand These Achans which trouble our Israel are of sundry sorts as first Iasuites and Seminary Priests These are the ring leading Achans Of such the Lord saith in Deuteronomy that because they seduce the people from God they shall be put to death These as they diuide God from vs hiâ— seruants so they diuide the Subiects from the King This was wont to be Treason but now a dayes it would passe for good Religion The second kinde of Achans troubling Israel are Idols â—f Achans wedge and Babylonish garment troubled all Israel as an accursed thing how much more Popish Idols shall wee halt betweene two opinions betweene God and Baal Either goe after the Lord onely if indeede he be God or if Baal be He goe onely after him said Eliah King Asa spared not his owne Mothers Groue and Idol but brake them downe yea for their cause deposed her from her Regency Oh for the like zeale for God! But certainly if these Idols and Masses Images and Popish Trumperies be not speedily abolished thou canst not prosper O Israel nor stand before thine Enemies Downe therefore with Popish Idols O Ioshua and the Elders of Israel which cease not to cry of our Ierusalem Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Spare not these Brats of Babylon that dare perke vp so neere to Gods Arke threatning to shoulder it out of doores But you know what befell the Philistins Dagon and you may remember what befell the Romish Dagon in the Black-friers vpon their fift of Nouember So iealous is our God Hee cannot brooke a corriuall But some hauing beene Protestants formerly in which Religion they were baptized comming afterwards to be inueigled to Popery and thereupon making a solemne vow sealed as they call it with the Sacrament of the Altar neuer to alter this their new couenant make such a conscience hereof as if it stood not with faith and honesty to breake it But doe they not know vnlesse Popery hath altogether blinded their eyes that any such couenants or vowes ought neither to be made nor much lesse to be kept which haue any commerce or relation to Idolatry Doth not our Precontract to Christ in our Baptisme to forsake the Diuell and all his workes frustrate and make void all second contracts with Antichrist for the setting vp of Idolatry one maine worke of the Diuell Nothing therefore ought to impeach our
Gods yet in nature they are men and shall die like men as King David saith they are of the same mould and mettall of their people to knit them in a sympathy of affection with them Therefore even Christ the Sonne of God tooke our Nature with the infirmities of it that he might be a mercifull High-priest and hauing experience of our temptations hee might succour them that are tempted As that noble Heathen Queene said Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco having experience of misery my selfe I learne hereby to succour the miserable Princes are also called Patres Patriae Fathers of their Countrey whose subjects are not more their seruants in duty then their sonnes in loue Also sheapheards of the People And the good sheepheard binds vp the broken seekes out the lost sheepe and brings it home on his backe rejoycing Yea Princes are Gods servants and stewards whose chiefe office it is to maintaine and vindicate the honour of their Lord. Lastly how neerely doth the weale or woe of the subjects touch the Prince for it is his owne weale or woe If but the foote the most inferiour member bee pained the head by and by feeleth it as its owne paine it stoopeth to helpe it as euen wisdome would the head should rather regard the commodity then object the distance If the feete be in fetters the head cannot be free It is Israels office then alwayes to pray for such Ioshuas that such gracious and pious Princes may euer raigne ouer them Secondly Israel must be carefull to walke worthy of such Ioshua's both for the obtayning and the long enjoying of them Thirdly if Ioshua and the Elders of Israel bee thus moved euen for the least calamities of their brethren then how ought our whole Israel to bee affected with the daily and heauy calamities of Gods people only divided from vs in distance of place not in difference of participation with Christ our head Fourthly hauing such Ioshua's and Elders who like good Fathers are tenderly affected with the least calamity of Gods people how thankefull ought we to be to God for them and to expresse this our thankefulnes in all pious offices and liberall beneficence that nothing bee lacking either for ornament to their princelike port or much more for the necessary support of the Crown kingdome In the last place if Israel haue receiued farre greater repulses reproches then now Israel had done Israel had need to be so much the more humbled if possible then here Ioshua the Elders were And so much of the occasion moving Ioshua with the Elders of Israel thus to hūble thēselues Come wee now to their act it selfe Therein consider 2. things 1. The Circumstances 2. The Substance of it The circumstances are 3. 1. Of the Persons the Actors Ioshua the Elders of Israel 2. Of the place Before the Arke of the Lord 3. Of the time vntill the eventide The substance of the act consists partly of Action and behauiour partly of speech Their actiō or behauiour was threefold 1. They rent their cloathes 2. they fell to the earth vpō their faces 3. they put dust vpon their heads All this v. 6. Their speech is a prayer or zealous hūble expostulatiō with God v. 7. 8. 9. Al which being jointly cōsidered they represent vnto vs an exact pattern platforme of solēne publick Fast. Which will the better appeare if we a litle opē every peece a part First for the Persons Ioshua for his person was of eminent gifts and graces He was one of the Twelue that were sent to view the land of Canaan one of the two that incouraged the people to goe take possession contrary to the discouragements of the other ten He only was with Moses in the holy Mount those forty daies and forty nights Hee was a man most zealous of Gods glory in his pure worship and seruice So that in his pious and pithy exhortation to the people Chap. 24. to feare the Lord to serue him in sincerity and in truth to abandon their strange Gods he concludeth in case they would not saying As for me and my house wee will serue the Lord. Yea hee made a couenant with the people to put away their idols and images those strange gods set them a statute and ordinance Chap. 24. 25. He erected also a stone for a monument witnesse for perpetuity vnto stosterity A most excellent Precedent for Princes hee was sith the only rule of his Regimēt was the word of God the wisest Counsellour of Kinges if they would haue their affaires to prosper As Iosh. 1. v. 8. He tooke not his Precedent from his predecessor Moses though he were a wise a good man but so farre as he was regulated by the only rule of Gods word The wisest politicians may foulely erre in their gouernment whose precedents may proue the more perillous to their followers when out of an admiration and high opiniō of their wisdome they withall swallow down their great errors digesting thē as corrupt blood into all the veines of the body politick but they that folow Gods word cānot erre This made David wiser then his teachers thē the aged thē his enimies Ps. 119. 98. In a word Ioshua is not noted of any vice in Scripture as even Moses and Aaron were Againe for his office and calling he was Moses successor appointed by God to leade his people into the possession of the promised land Herein also according to his name Iehoshua or Iesus which signifieth a Sauiour hee was a type of Iesus Christ who conducts his people into the heauēly Canaan Moses and Aaron were defectiue and faulty for which cause they might not cōduct the people into Canaan which is also a mystery signifying that the law those legall and leviticall observances were defectiue and so could not bring Israel into Canaans possession onely Ioshua which is Iesus in whom no fault is found noted in Scripture no more thē Melchisedechs genealogy to make him a type of Christs eternall Priest-hood though neither Ioshua as a man was voyde of all sin nor Melchisedech with out Parents Ioshua I say a liuely type of Iesus Christ was he that must put gods people in the possession of the promised land This is that Iehoshua here who humbleth himself and with him the Elders of Israel whether they were the chief of the tribes or of the families of Israel or else those 70 Elders mentioned Ex. 24. 1. The chief of Israel they were without questiō And the text saith he to wit Ioshua the Elders of Israel jointly Hereby the way is a notable Embleme and patterne of a well gouerned state where Ioshua the prime gouernor goes not alone in his Counsels and actions but hath his Elders with him Euen Salomon for all his wisdome had a graue Senate of sage Elders whose Counsell if his sonne Rehoboam had not forsaken preferring his braue younkers before the graue Elders his kingdome might
vertue in the Church-wals or pewes or pillars then in our priuate houses or closets but the publicke Ordinance is the most perfect beauty of holinesse euer to bee preferred before priuate deuotions Fiftly a religious fast must euer bee joyned with earnest and feruent prayer to God either for remouing present euils or preuenting future or else in thanksgiuing for benefits receiued and enioyed Lastly all this must bee done in sincerity of heart as in the sight and presence of God all hypocriticall and Pharisaicall vayles remoued from vs. Thus Ioshua's humiliation with the Elders of Israel was before the Arke of the Lord in the presence of God Suffice it onely to name these things as briefe rules and directions for our fast Only insist we vpon two points as most requisite to our present purpose The first is that in our publicke fast God doth especially looke vpon the heart that it be single and sincere without hypocrisie Nothing is more abominable in the sight of God than an hypocriticall Fast which the more solemne the hypocrisie is the more insolently and audaciously impious as daring to play mock-holiday with God vpon the open stage Such was Iezebels fast a very packe of hypocrisie who to colour and cover her craft and cruell covetousnes to compasse Naboths vineyard shee proclaimes forsooth a solemne fast having her false witnes in a readines suborned to accuse innocent Naboth saying This man blasphemed God and the King Who would not imagine that this fast was rather to expiate Naboths imaginary blasphemy then to satiate Ahabs lust for his hereditary vineyard saving that it was not so easie a matter for Iezebel and Ahab by subtile hypocrisie to impose vpon no not their credulous simples The vaile of hypocrisie is not for every ones weare Iezebel and Ahab were palpably notoriously wicked which while they go about to hide vnder hypocrisie they do but dance in a net of too small a thread to hold such a sish as Naboths vineyard without the strong cordes of a womans lawlesse lust armed with Ahabs signet with the awfulnes whereof shee had taught the Elders Gouernors of Naboths City to bee at a becke and to serue at all turnes Farre vnlike our Ioshua Elders of Israel here in their Fast. But Ahabs kingdome was the revolted idolatrous house of Israel No marvaile if they were no lesse absurdly hypocriticall then grossely profane But let not Iudah sinne Yes Iudah also was become an hypocrite In the 58. of Esay The Lord bids the Prophet Cry aloud spare not lift vp thy voyce like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes What sinnes Hypocrisy stands in the forefront v. 2. Wherein specially did they play the hypocrites In their fasting so v. 3. Wherefore haue we fasted say they and thou seest not c. The Lord answers v 5. Is it such a fast that I haue chosen A day for a man to afflict his soule is it to bow down his head as a bulrush to spred sackcloath ashes vnder him Wilt thou call this a fast an acceptable day to the Lord Is not this the fast that I haue chosen to loose the bandes of wickednesse to vndoe the heavy burthens and to let the oppressed goe free and that yee breake the yoake c. A religious fast then is to loose the bands of vvickednesse but hypocrisie fastneth them the more by fasting How so For first of an hypocriticall fast comes no good God regards it not as the people complayned Yea sayth David if I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me And Psal. 17. 1. Heare the right O Lord attend vnto my cry giue eare vnto my prayer that goeth not out of fayned lips Implying that dissimulation with God hath no plea for acceptance Yea on the contrary as it hardens a man in evill so it hastens greater judgements especially in a solemne fast it turnes even our prayers into sinne and bringeth a curse in stead of a blessing as Iacob feared by having on his brothers garment and pretending to bee Esau. Though neuer any dissimulation sped so well as that of Iacobs And not without cause For the blessing belonged to him by a double right By Gods donation and designement and by purchase from Esau so that in truth and effect Iacob was Esau to wit the elder brother to whom the blessing of birth-right belonged This by the way But false hearted hypocrisie is euer disastrous and vnhappy And as no reformation can be expected of a solemne hypocrite but still greater obfirmation in evill So hee cannot hope of any good from God or if hee doe his hope shall perish as Iob faith But Ahabs humiliation and fasting though hypocriticall yet obtayned favour of God True But what favour He obtayned the reprivall of his punishment for the time but not the pardon of his sinne nor consequently exemption from judgment Gods temporall or temporary favour to an hypocrite sheweth how much he delighteth in a sincere heart But Ahab was paid home at last for all his hypocrisie and impiety For as hee had swallowed downe at a morsell Naboths vineyard whereof for all his humiliation and crowching hee never made nor euer meant restitution while he disfigured his face in a counterfeit fast So at Raâ—oth Gilead the Lords arrow hit him home that in the same place where Naboth was slaine and that also in Ahabs disguised attire whereby he thought to haue frustated the trueth of Micaiah's prophecy Well might Ahab by hypocrisie commit the evill of sin vnseene of men but he could not thereby avoid the evill of punishment seene of God for all his disguising This may teach vs in our humiliation to looke well to our hearts how they stand affected The ancient Heathen vsed to looke into the Entrals of their Sacrifice whether they were sound or no. Caesar observing his sacrifice to vvant a heart tooke it for an ill presage as it proved That which they did in superstition let Christians haue in religious observation namely to looke well to their heart if sound and sincere else such a sacrifice bodes no good Wherefore is there a price in the fooles hand to buy wisdome and he wants a heart Prov. 17. 16. Now an ill affected heart in our Fast-sacrifice is either a wilfull ignorance of our sinne or if we know it stubborne impenitency hauing no thought or purpose much lesse desire and endeavous to reforme it This is a fast not for sinne nor from sinne but in sinne and vnto sin Ioshua's heart and the Elders of Israel was not so They were ignorant indeed of Achans sinne but not wilfully or willingly Besides if they had knowne it how ready would they haue beene to purge or to punish it as vve shall see afterwards Otherwise their sacrifice had vvanted a heart and so vvould haue proued or procured a greater plague vnto Israel But in their humiliation
right But if Israel be pertaker of Acans sinne Israel must perish with Achan True but Israel fasteth Israel prayeth so Ioshua so the Elders What if many in Israel play the hypocrites in their fast yet euery Noah Daniel and Iob fasting and praying with and for Israel shall be preserued Ioshua and the Elders of Israel fasting praying should haue beene preserued who euer else had perished though Achans sin had not beene purged so it had not beene through their default In Israels fast then let all true Israelites comfort themselues if first they be purged themselues by renewing their couenant with God and if they cry mightily to God for the purgatition of Achans sinne whatsoeur whosoeuer it is that troubleth Israel howsoeuer Achans sinne remaine vnpurged to the perill of Israel yet the labour of such shall not be in vaine in the Lord. In the day when the Lord makes vp his Iewels he will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Then shall ye returne sayth the Lord and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not But what was Achans sin It is laid downe verse the 11. and layd to Israels charge as before Israel hath sinned and they haue transgressed my couenant which I commaunded them for they haue euen taken of the accursed thing and haue also stollen and dissembled also and they haue put it euen amongst their owne stuffe Soe Achans sinne was sacriledge theft dissimulation mingling the accursed thing with Israels stuffe This accursed thing was a Babylonish garment a wedge of gold of 50 shekels and 200 shekels of siluer It is called accursed in a threefold respect first because it was Babylonish and Chanaanitish stuffe abominable to Israel Secondly because the Lord had expressely forbidden Israel to make or meddle with it for their owne priuate vse Thirdly because medled withall against the commaundement and intermedled with Israels stuffe it caused Israel to be accursed and all they tooke in hand v. 12. For therefore sayth God the children of Israel could not stand before their enimies because they were accursed neither will I be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed frō among you Here then we might take occasion to speake of the sins of sacriledg such kind of sacred-profane theft of hypocrisie and dissimulation of mingling execrable things with Israels stuffe but it might proue tedious Onely for a touch by the way Israel may learne thus much that if the stealing of a Babylonish garment were soe hainous What had beene then the bringing in of idolatrous reliques with all Babylonish equipage and furniture to set vppe the Babilonian Religion in Israel in case also it had beene done not secretly as Achans Babylonish garment which might therefore haue seemed to excuse Israel but openly and in the sight of the Sunne like Zimri and Cosbi in the open tent If it were so hainous to steale priuily a wedge of gold and siluer of soe small value in comparison which though it were sacriledge yet the Tabernacle of the Lord was not as yet possessed of them what then had it beene euen with a high hand of sacriledge simony in euery corner high mountaine of Israel to robbe and cheate God of his portition and Patrimony the onely Leuiticall inheritance for his ministery to the great desolation of many thousand soules in Israel What if Israel herein had beene guilty How would they haue weighed such stollen sacred wedges in the ballance of the sanctuary What a snare would they haue found it to haue deuoured so much sanctified and after the vow so to haue inquired Againe if one Achans dissimulation were soe hainous how then had the condition of Israel beene if her fairest face and most beautifull body had beene couered ouer with hypocrisie as with a leprosie soe that from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote there had beene no sound part In a word if it were imputed to Israel for such a haynous sin that Achan mingled the Babylonish garment with Israels stuffe then how had Israels case stood if Babylonish lees had beene by prodigious Achans mingled among Israels pure wine if Canaanitish heresies had beene not only put with but for and in stead of Israels most precious stuffe her purest doctrines If these had beene Israels sinnes no marvaile if they had caused Israels affaires to fare so ill no marvaile if they had caused Israels GOD to estrange himselfe from Israel and to take the Canaanites part against her no marvaile if they had caused Israel to be contemned of the Canaanite to whom she was wont to bee terrible and accounted invincible no marvaile if they had caused GOD not to goe out with Israels Armies to suffer his Truth to bee trampled on yea to threaten vtter desolation and dereliction as v. 12. Is Israels case no better Poore Israel what wilt thou doe Fast and pray It is high time indeed For Israel hath sinned But yet the Lord bids Ioshua and the Elders of Israel to rise vp from their prostrations because Israel had sinned Why so For as we haue shewed something else is required besides a Faste to purge Israels fault What is that The Lord sheweth v. 13. c. Vp sanctifie the people and say sanctifie your selues against to morrow for thus saith the Lord God of Israel There is an accursed thing in the middest of thee O Israel thou canst not stand before thine enemies vntill yee take away the accursed thing from among you In the morning therefore yee shall bee brought c. And it shall bee that hee that is taken with the accursed thing shall bee burnt with fire hee and all that hee hath because c. In these wordes of GOD to Ioshua is first set downe the cause of Israels discomfiture the accursed thing Secondly The ill condition of Israel vntill this cause bee remooued no standing for them before their Enemies These wee haue already handled Thirdly a direction to Ioshua for the finding out of the Delinquent and for his punishment Hee and his must all perish 4ly Israel must be sanctified to fit them for the execution This sanctification was partly externall ceremoniall in the body by washing their cloathes or abstinence from pleasures partly internall by faith and repentance signified by the externall The word also in the originall for to sanctifie signifying also to prepare So that the Israelites were now to prepare themselues in holinesse for the execution of a notable peece of Iustice wherein al the people was to haue a hand Before they were to inquire into and punish anothers sinnes they must first purge themselues of their owne sinnes As Christ saith in the Gospell concerning the adulterous woman to those that accused her He among you that is without sin cast the first stone at her So that they that are to cast a stone at Achan must first be sanctified
cleansed from their sinnes by faith and repentance Also in this their sanctification they might be vnderstood to haue commended themselues and the cause to God with prayer that God would finde out for them the Troubler of Israel that he would blesse and direct the lot for that end And here is a good lesson for all Iudges and Iurers and Executioners of Iustice in matters of life and death that they be sanctified first themselues by faith and repentance before they passe their verdict vpon others Otherwise without this sanctification and due preparation for men to rush vpon the censuring and punishing of others sins is the way to bring Gods displeasure vpon themselues Wee haue a famous example heereof in the Israelites themselues when they were to take revenge vpon the Tribe of Beniamin for that foule fact committed by a few sonnes of Belial vpon the Levites wife but much more which aggravated the fact beyond measure for the Beniamites not onely not punishing of it but countenancing and defending it That the rest of the Tribes all combined as one man to punish such an vnheard of impiety and insolency euen in their brethren the Beniamites no doubt was both laudable with men and acceptable with God Insomuch as they consulting with God had his directiō approbation Their consulting with God was good and requisite and the only way to speed well in their enterprize Yet which is to bee well noted they prospered not against Beniamin till they had throughly sanctified themselues For First their consulting with God was not whether they should goe vp against Beniamin or no but hauing resolued on it among themselues they aske of GOD which of the Tribes shall goe vp first Heere was yet no due sanctification of Israel to prepare them to the battaile and so they sped accordingly for the first day the joynt Tribes lost twenty and two thousand chosen men A fearefull discomfiture Well they re-inforce the battaile the second day but withal goe a little more warily to worke then before They weepe before the Lord vntill euen which was a good peece of a publicke Fast. And good reason they had to weepe that had lost so many of the thousands and worthies of Israel But this as yet was but a carnall weeping Yet they aske counsel of the Lord saying Shall I goe vp againe to battaile against the children of Beniamin my Brother And the Lord said Goe vp against him Yet for all this Israel was foyled the second day and lost againe 18 thousand men Why Did not the Lord bid them goe Yes For the Lord would be avenged on the obstinate Beniamites How then came the Tribes to be beaten againe Surely as yet they had not duely sanctified themselues So that though the Lord bade them goe yet because they had not sanctified themselues the Lord as yet makes them no promise of good successe But vpon this second disaster then all the children of Israel and all the people went vp came into the House of God and wept and sate there before the Lord and fasted that day vntill euen and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. This is to the purpose indeed Heere is a second Faste not onely publicke but generall of all the children of Israel and all the people of all ages and sexes and not onely the sword-men and men of warre They come to the House of God they weep they faste till euen yea they offer burnt offerings and peace offerings All which together was a due and orderly sanctification of Israel when to their weeping and fasting they added burnt offerings and peace offerings whereby they made their attonement and peace with God for all their own sins Well hauing thus sanctified themselues what followeth They withall aske counsell of the Lord whether they should goe vp againe against Beniamin or surcease Still it was Israels constant course to aske counsell of the Lord in all their enterprizes to take their God-speed with them And now the Lord not onely bids them goe but giueth them his expresse promise to deliuer Beniamin into their handes which hee did not before It is not enough to aske counsell of God but to obtaine his fauour and promise for good speed in our vndertakings And we are sure of his blessing vpon vs if first our enterprize be just warrantable as this of Israels was and if withall it bee vndertaken with a good conscience seeking therein the glory of God principally hauing first humbled our selues before him consulted the Oracle of his Word offered him burnt offerings and peace offerings by renewing our faith and repentance to bee at peace with God All this done we haue God on our side his blessing and Promise attends our Enterprizes Now Israel being first throughly sanctified goe on and prosper in the execution of Iustice vpon their refractary and too too audaciously insolently impious Brethren as wee see in the rest of the Chapter Would Israel then proceed well and prosper in their execution of Iustice vpon those that trouble Israel Israel must bee sanctified first from her owne sinnes by fasting and prayer by faith and repentance by consulting with GOD by seeking his glory in all Then Israel goe on and prosper the day is thine Otherwise Israel doth but puzzle and perplexe her selfe with sollicitous industrious but vnsuccessefull vndertakings Euen obstinate Beniamin gets the better of his better Brethren seeking his reformation before they were duely sanctified to take a iust revenge Now Israel thou fastest thou prayest thou weepest thou lamentest thy vnhappy successes at home and abroad thou wouldest faine haue cured the maine cause as thou imaginest and haue procured thine owne peace and contentment But thou hast laboured in vaine thy best purposes and intendments for Israels good haue beene frustrate But examine the cause of all this Hast thou beene sufficiently sanctified when thine Elders were assembled Yes you prayed you mourned you desired at least a solemne fast for your good speed But did you therein seeke Gods glory first Yes But did you offer your peace offerings seeking your peace with God in the purgation of your own sinnes euen the sins which not a little trouble Israel What bee those In speciall Sacriledge and Simony the great corrupters of Church and Religion The one hath swept away the maintenance from Ministers the other hath turned Ministers into Marchants and both together cause prophecyings to faile the people to perish and Idolatry to spread it selfe The authors and actors of these are Israels Achans enough to alienate God from his people But you were about good Lawes to cure their maladies so far as the iniquity of the times would suffer by restoring at least some part of the long detained portiō of Tithes Gods own inheritance which might be some cōpetent pittance to maintaine a painefull Minister by restraining if possible the Leprosy of Simony frō tainting the small remnant of the Leviticall body least armed
Ioshua Giue glory to the Lord God of Israel make confession vnto him Heere note that a publicke sinne must haue a publicke confession to Gods glory Obiection But Achans sin was private Answ. Though it were privately committed yet by being publikely punished by the diuine hand God had now branded it for a publick sin Thus did God make Davids sin publick by an exemplary punishment which he had committed privately And therefore to glorifie God in the publicke confession of it how many penitentiall Psalmes did David pen and leaue recorded as monuments of his owne frailty and Gods mercy Well vpon Ioshua's fatherly exhortation Achan maketh confession of all v. 20. 21. This was the way for Achan to finde mercy with the Lord even in the midst of Iustice. Vpon Achans confession Ioshua presently sends and finding all to be true he and all Israel speed them to the execution for the making vp of Israels breach againe Note here though Ioshua tendred him as a father the sonne yet this his affection to Achan did not make Ioshua to forget he was a Iudge to doe justice in so weighty a cause that so highly concerned Gods glory and Israels good yea although Achan were one of the Tribe-royall namely of Iuda a great Prince in Israel yet impartiall justice must proceed against him for the expiation of that sin which troubled Israel Insomuch as Ioshua saith vnto him Why hast thou troubled vs. The Lord shall trouble thee this day Againe note the severity of Iustice in the punishment of Achans sin not onely himselfe but his sonnes and daughters his oxen and Asses his sheepe and tent and all that hee had were by the Commaundement of the Lord stoned with stones by all Israel burned with fire in the valey of Achor so called vpon that occasion in perpetuam rei memoriam The valley of trouble because he had troubled Israel Nor may this peece of justice seme vnjust First because god coÌ„manded it And shall not the judge of all the world do right His iudgments are often secret but neuer vniust Yea reason makes for the approuing of it For he that by his sin troubled all Israel and brought them in danger of destruction did hee not justly pull distruction vpon himselfe and his whole house to be executed by all Israel Nor goeth this example alone The like we see executed vpon Chorah and his company Numb 16. Here an end then of Achan and his sinne What followes A happy successe for Israel For vers 26. No sooner was the heape of stones raised ouer Achan but Gods fauour like the Sun from vnder a thick cloud breaks forth afresh to Israels comfort So sayth the Text the Lord turne à froÌ„ the feircenesse of his anger And for proofe hereof ye haue Israels victory ouer Ai. Chap. 8. And that by a stratageme of the Lords owne deuising to take away from the Chanaanites all conceipt that Israel fled away at the first for feare but rather in pollicy to intice them out afterwards and soe vtterly with more rage to destroy them as the reader may obserue by Israels second flying of purpose to inclose the Aians Whence note first that stratagemmes in warre are lawfull as to fly for aduantage to lye in ambush and the like yet not to lye for aduantage Faith once made must be kept with the Chanaanites as Ioshua did with the Gibeonites though they were iustly made Israels slaues and drudges for their false dealing pretending to come from a far countrey shewing their mouldy breade and old shoes as Papists make osteÌ„tation of their mouldy pretended antiquity So that only the league with the Gibeonites stood firme though with qualification as is noted because both it was done of ignorance the Lord not being foreconsulted a dangerous and disgracefull thing for Israel to enter into leagues and not aske counsell of the Lord and also it was done not by Ioshua alone but all the Princes and Elders of Israel with him ratifyed it with common consent and oath And it was the more firme because they becomming Israels seruants were thereby brought of necessity to be of Israels Religion Againe note from the Lords stratageme for Israels victory that when Israel pleaseth the Lord hee not onely giueth them power but prudence also and godly pollicy to deale with and ouercome their enimies It is a bad signe and bodes little good to Israel when Israel manageth not their affaires by good counsell It was one of the curses of Elies house that there should not be an old man in it But Israel is euer in good state while guided by graue counsell It is a token of Gods blessing vpon Israel otherwise of a curse For Quos perdere vult Deus hos prius dementat And a woe is to that land whose Rulers are children as the wise man sayth In a word Israel now prospereth whithersoeuer their armies march now that Achans sin which troubled Israel is purged out Now that the Babylonish garment with the reliques of Canaanitish idolatry is purged with fire as Rome was wont to purge Israels Saints Martyrs Now that the golden wedge of sacriledge is expiated by a kind of restitution Now doth God goe forth with Israels armies Now may Israel say boldly Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici stamping it not in their coyne but in their colours Now lesse Nauies by Sea lesse Armies by land shall be terrible to the enimie which before returned home in their derision Now shall one of Israel chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight For their Rocke is not as our Rocke euen our enimies themselues being iudges Thus haue we seene Israels fast and Israels fact Israels discomfiture moued Ioshua and the Elders of Israel to a fast their fast so piously performed moued the Lord to stir them vp to remoue the cause of Israels trouble the cause being remoued made Israel prosperous in all their enterprizes Thus Israel doe thus Israel haue which the God of Israel grant to his Israel for the intercession of Israels Ioshua at Gods right hand euen Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and their Spirit three Persons and one euerliuing God be rendred of Israel as most due al honour and glory power and praise dignity and dominion for euermore Amen FINIS 2 Cron. 20. 20 Iosh. 7. 12. Iosh. 7. 3. compared with ch 8. 1. where the diuision is made vp again in a full March Pro. 25. 4 5. Posidon de vita Augustin 1 Sam. 4. 1 Sam. 15. V. â— * 25000. Jam. 1. 14. Gen. 31. * Gen. 32. Hosh. 12. 4. Gen. 34. 35. Gen. 35. 5. 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 12. 1 Kings 14. 21. Immedicabile vulnus Ense recidendum est ne pars sincera trahatur Pereat potius vnus quà m vaitas Paries cùm proximus ardet Tunc tuares agitur Gen 41. 43. 2. Sam. 1. 17. 2. Sam. 24. 17. Psal. 72. Dide Prov. 28. 2. Esay 58. â— 1. Kings 21. Esay 58. 3. Psal. 66. 18. â—biece Answere 1 Kings 22. Iam. 5. 16. 1 Ioh. 2. â— 1. Ioh. 1. 9. Ezech. 14. 3. Vers. 16. Ion. 3. 7. Esa 1. Mal. 3. 17. Exod. 19. 14. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudg. 19 20. Iud. 20. Val. Max. lib. 1. cap. 1. de Religione Defence of the Apology Part. 6. chap. 2. Divis. 1. pag. 5 22. Princed 1611. Part. 3. within two leaues of the end 2. Chron. 15. 16. Psal. 44. 20. 1. 1. Sam. 10. 1. Sam. 14. 2. Sam. 12. 12. V. 22. c. Vers. 15. Vers. 16. Iosh. 9. Iosh. 9. 15. Deut. 32.