make all his creatures to worke against them Which he doth to signifie to them that hee is against them also Which though hee testifie to them before by his word which saith the wicked are an abomination vnto the Lord and againe the workers of iniquity doth hee abhorre yet he seeing that his word is cast behinde their backes doth therefore as it were speake to them by his creatures and that as sensibly to such as can iudge as hee did to Baalam in opening the mouth of the dumbe Asse and causing it to speak to him when he seeking the wages of iniquity would not haue heard the Lord speake to him nor enclined his heart to obey him Thus doth God deale with vile and vnconscionable men that he will set as I say not their friends onely but euen the host of heauen and the creatures of the earth against them Thus Saul when he had forsaked the Lord could neither haue his daughter faithfull vnto him to send Dauid his enemie to him neither could he haue any Prophet of God to speake to him in his greatest necessity and straits as his own words do testifie he complaining thus I am in distresse for God is departed from mee and speaketh no more to me by Prophets c. Neither could Senacherib haue his sonnes trusty to him but was slaine of them by whom he ought by nature to haue been defended yea and they did it in the Temple while hee was worshiping Nishroch his god in whom hee trusted and looked alwaies for helpe from him and notwithstanding he preferred him before the true and liuing God yet euen then he was disappointed Thus Ammon also and Iezabel were not secure from their owne seruants And if it bee thus done to the mighty how much more then to the meane who haue lesse helpe to stand by him And not onely their best helpes faile and deceiue them but as I said all things are against them Thus hailestones helped Gods people to destroy their enemies the Canaanites The Lord saith the holy story cast downe great stones from heauen vpon them and there were more that died of the hailestones then they whom the children of Israel slue with the sword So the waters euen the riuer Kishon deuoured this host of Sisera So Abimelech was slaine with a piece of a milstone Absalon by an oke catching hold of his long haire his ornament Chorah swallowed vp of the earth So a wallfel vpon seuen and twenty thousand Aramites that escaped the battell The Sunne also stood still in the middest of the heauen and hasted not to goe downe for a whole day and this was to the end it might the longer giue light and bee an helpe to Ioshua and the people to auenge their enemies And to adde this one thing to the former I affirme that there are not the meanest nor basest creatures but they are harnessed as men of war to fight in the Lords cause and at his commandement against the wicked as the many plagues cast vpon Pharaoh I meane the lice flies grashoppers and the like euen they I say may testifie So that in this one respect in that neither the friends of the wicked shall be faithfull to them when God will otherwise haue it and namely when they are vnfaithfull to him but that he himselfe and his creature shall be armed against them what can bee said lesse then this euen woe be vnto them But infinite are the other plagues that hang ouer them and doe oft times meete with and take hold of them besides that they are euery houre in danger when some kind of fearefull death or other shall sweepe them away to carrie them to their last and vttermost ruine So that as I note some of the wofull iudgements that hang ouer them or be already vpon them so if there were many more particulars set downe as they might bee with the intolerable and most terrible paines of the damned one would thinke there were small cause why any should flock to their company or long and desire to be of them and to taste of their dainties And yet they are at this day which is so much the more to bee bewailed as the sand of the sea and swarme in all places that for my part I say when I cannot but know it to be so and thinke vpon it and what little hope there is to reclaime the most of them Oh that mine eyes were a fountaine of teares that I might weepe bitterly for the woe and losse of so many people If it seeme strange which hath been said of the multitudes of them that shall perish the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Though Israel bee as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant shall be saued And although I censure not men by the mischances as they are called that befall them but are indeed the iust iudgements of God vpon them sithence neither all wicked men are thus punished nor all thus handled are wicked men yet seeing this is the lot of the vngodly and the portion of their cup which their wicked life hath brought vpon them let none of them ease their stomacks by charging God neither wash off all with crying out of their hard fortune and hap as they count it their onely hope if any be is to beleeue and bewaile it Neither let the godly call into question the prouident care of their louing father because they see that oftentimes these casualties and calamities betide them but cleaue more firmely to the promises and the whole truth of the word beleeuing that seeing they are at amity and peace with the Lord hee can make all creatures instruments of their good and not onely their friends faithfull to them both in heauen and earth yea their very enemies to bee at one with them and more trustie to them then they are one to another And if God thus tender their whole person then their soules be pretious in his eyes and their bodies no man doubteth are also regarded of him and both are safe vnder his protection But now to speake a little of Iaels faithfulnesse though a like point to this hath been handled yet her action in alluring Sisera into her tent with promise that he should be safe there and bidding him not feare and yet murthering him afterward so cruelly as it seemeth this I say beside that I haue said of it is thought to be so farre from the trustinesse which should bee in them who vndertake the safety of those whom they receiue into their houses that it is counted rather barbarous cruelty trechery And the more to vrge an answere hereunto it is obiected that it hath alwaies been as well the care as the credit of such as take strangers into their custodie to see thē safely kept in their houses from annoyance and danger Iure hospitij as we say that is by the right due to them by
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
into the land of promise and in rooting the idolatrous nations out of it euen the word of the Lord he speaking thus vnto him Arise goe ouer this Iordan thou and all this people vnto the land which I giue them as I was with Moses so I will bee with thee I will not leaue thee neither forsake thee And this was Pauls vpholding and stay as throughout all the places whither he went preaching so at Corinth where hee was in great danger For thus the Lord said to him by a vision in the night Feare not Paul but speake and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall lay hands on thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this city And the same I may say of many other And by the same commandement and promise of God wee are guided still who prosper and like well in our life and no other waies And this is that life of faith which is so highly commended in the Scriptures when it is said the iust shall liue by faith And are not wee subiect to the same discouragements and the like that they were in ages past that so we may see wee haue the same need to bee strongly vpholden and soundly encouraged as they were But though it be not to bee doubted of but that many doe see this and haue learned thus to be guided in their actions for they only liue comfortably so it is as much to bee lamented how infinite persons know not that there is any such easie and plaine way to guide them no neither can they bee brought from being led by their carnall reason and prophane custome in the actions of their life neither can bee brought to stoop and submit themselues to any such gouernment as God hath seene best by meanes whereof they going about them as it liketh them best not looking what God requireth if they doe a good thing or what he promiseth therfore they doe it not so as he is pleased therewith to wit because hee commandeth it much lesse to that end and with such a mind as it should bee done with encouraged by his promise Therefore they haue many plagues in their liues by following their owne desires and waies and when it falleth out better with them that they prosper in the world yet haue they no sound comfort in any thing that they doe Apply this to all affaires in mens callings Therfore I will say this one thing to thee whosoeuer thou art that wouldest liue comfortably Try the working of this doctrine in thee looke but one weeke to thy calling faithfully to discharge the duties of it conscionably and so farre as thou hast knowledge endeauour to obey all other commandements of God and be firmely perswaded of the promise of God to thee that thou art safe in so walking For he hath annexed a promise of blessing to the obeying of euery commandement yea and that an hundred fold more then thou forgoest thereby Thou wilt aske how shalt thou know that God doth reward thee so I answere bee thou iudge thy selfe if he deale not so with thee For example let this be the case Thou wilt say if thou wert not tied so strictly to obey God thou couldest take thy pleasure in merrie company or benefit thy selfe as other men doe to gaine and get commodity whereas now thou being tied to make conscience darest not doe so but must lose and forgo much thereby I heare thee now heare thou me likewise Thou confessest that the profit and pleasure thou forgoest by obeying God is vnlawfull and against conscience for otherwise who holdeth thee from it Now put the case that when thou hast so gotten it God vrge and cause thy conscience to prick thee and thou beest wounded therein which stingeth worse then Hornets for so God doth one time or other make mens sinne smart and sting the committers of it in most painfull sort or which is worse leaues them hardened If thou knowest what this meaneth or beleeuest that which I say to thee what wouldest thou not giue to be healed of this intolerable paine Euen all that thou hast how much soeuer it be For that is a signe to thee of losing thy soule vtterly if thou persist therein and what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his soule Thou fishest with a golden hooke which being lost is not recompensed by all thou catchest therewith Now answere mee haddest thou not been voide and rid of this terrour and tast of hell if thou haddest auoided and resisted thy sinne Mightest thou not haue been quiet and merrie as other of Gods seruants be if thou haddest obeyed the Lord Then tell me would not that thy mirth and quietnesse haue been an hundred fold better and more welcome to thee then thy profit pleasure which hath brought thee this hellish torment of conscience this wound and sting which taketh away all delight from thee so that for deliuerance out of it thou wouldest giue all that thou hast Therefore know that God will giue an hundred fold more profit ease pleasure to thee euen in this life if thou obeyest him or doest any thing for his sake ouer thou shalt find by making thy best gaine of thy sinne But I must remember my selfe for I haue bin long in this point Only this I adde that it is to bee bewailed that this heauenly wisedome so little entreth into men nor preuaileth with them Alas they haue no leisure to thinke of the reckoning being in the middest of their iollity It is also worthy our noting that while Sisera was in his flourishing and iollity the Lord threatens to take him downe and to bring him low I will saith the Lord to Barak draw vnto thee the chiefe captaine of Iabins army and his chariots and whole host to the riuer Kishon and deliuer him into thine hand Oh! how fearefull then is the estate of Gods enemies euen such as are euill workers and set against Gods people that in the middest of their pompe and pride the Lord hath taken their names though in another manner and to another end then the names of Recusants are taken to answere it euen that he may be reuenged on them And hath not this been a common vse with such with Chorah Naball Iezabell and many others that while they walked heere on the earth at liberty their destruction was told from heauen to bee at hand and they summoned to appeare to their arraignment and if some of them then did not neither now many doe know before it commeth neither once dreame of any such thing nor feare it yet seeing it is euer comming and hauing threatened it and so it hangeth as a sword point continually ouer their head oh how vncomfortable is it to thinke vpon Oh therefore be we alwaies vnder his wing and abide we in his loue that so we may be euer out of horrour and
to them because they had much prouoked them before and railed on them Therefore if any be troubled as these were with doubts especially in their conscience and bee in great straights and vnquietnesse through feare of Gods displeasure and wrath if they cannot with their owne knowledge put away their trouble of mind let them inquire of the men and brethren whom they are well perswaded off for resolution and comfort as they did who as they haue been instruments of God to pricke and wound them so are they also to helpe to ease them and they need not feare God hauing promised but that they shall find rest to their soules how impossible soeuer it seemed to them to bee so And this be said of the first verse In this next it is manifest that God gaue them an answer from the Propitiatory or Mercy-seate which they receiued by the high Priest for so hee vsed to doe and it was one of the ordinarie meanes whereby God spake to them in those daies And he did not onely so whereby they were satisfied their question being answered but he also incouraged them to goe to the worke he set them about promising them the victorie in that warre against the Canaanites saying I haue giuen their land into the hands of Iudah who shall goe before the rest in attempting the warre against them Out of the which words witnessing so gracious an answere to them from God we may clearely see that our seeking to God in our doubts and necessities is not in vaine neither is the labour lost in so doing For we are to know and be perswaded that God answereth his in their suites and demands and indeed otherwise it were a deadly discomfort and would discourage vs much from the well doing of dutie as it maketh we see the wicked at their wits end when they being in great danger can haue no helpe from God as we reade it was with Saul who when he sought to God and asked counsell of him to serue his owne turne thereby against the Philistims rather then to please him and hee answered him not hee in depth of sorrow complained and cried out saying The Lord hath forsaken mee and answereth me no more neither by Prophets nor by dreames But blessed be his name he dealeth not so with his neither let this trouble them for so they will say that although God answered this people of Israel here when they sought to him yet hee doth not so to vs now for they are to know that it is his promise to vs in all that we aske of him according to his will to grant it as well as here hee answered to them in that they asked Therefore in the Psalme he saith Call on me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me which agreeth with the words of our Sauiour vttered to all his Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall finde So that it is certaine that euery child of God that maketh his mone and thus poureth out his complaint to him shall be heard which should not a little whet vs on and animate vs to draw neere to God wee hauing so sure a word of promise that he will draw neere to vs. For in seeking to a mortall man in our distresse though he be little aboue vs we know how readily chearefully we goe about it when we are perswaded of a good answer and when we doubt not of his kind and louing affection toward vs and on the contrarie how hardly wee are drawne to sue to one that is alienated from vs. And seeing the care thus standeth betwixt God and vs that the oftener we come to him the more welcome wee are for this is as true as the former speech seeing such are most inward with him and beloued of him as Abraham Moses and Dauid who of others repaired oftest to him and receiued most of him I say seeing it is thus betwixt God and vs how lamentable is it and to be bewailed that this is not more common for men to repaire to God who if they could marke it may easily perceiue that while they neglect to doe so they increase their trouble and get nothing But seeing I am entred vpon this matter I thinke it not amisse to shew how three sorts offend about this The common sort wholly neglect and omit prayer altogether the first thinking that though they pray not they shall speed as well and haue as good lucke for so they terme it as others shall boldly affirming that they see no good come of it they and yet in their distresse they thinke they should pray but then they hauing neither will nor skill thereto in stead thereof do curse and rage for that they are not helped and deliuered though some of them do vtter words in their passion the Lord heares them not as we read Pro. 1. For it is all one as if they vttered none And though they cannot pray to God yet they make their complaints and moane to euery man that they haue acquaintance with and that will heare them And for them to breake their minds to them that cannot helpe them when yet they would so gladly finde helpe and to passe by him in whom there is present and sure helpe to be found what folly nay what madnesse is it for to say the truth God is not sought vnto in any sort of such no not when all other shifts faile as I haue said But to speake of the second sort who being professors a forwarder sort in religion then the former these should pray and that in faith confidence and repentance with comfort as well as in desire of obtaining the things which they want with patient waiting Gods leisure but euen they seeke not to God in this manner which yet is the onely right way of praying that he teacheth vs or alloweth in vs. For prayers made to him without these properties are but a bare noise of words vaine repetitions and idle speeches which God abhorreth neither may such looke to receiue any thing as S. Iames saith Ye aske and obtaine not because ye aske amisse And when they see they receiue not the things they aske euen they as well as the other who are further off doe gather and imagin though falselie and vniustly that prayer doth no good and that it is but lost labour seeing they are not heard in theirs when they pray amisse and so they waxe more slacke and negligent therein as the other omit it altogether And the lesse maruell it is seeing euen good Christians to come to the third sort who go farre beyond both do so forget themselues ofttimes and are so deluded by the diuell that euen they omit zealous and seruent praying and fall to pray coldly deadly so many vaine deluzions and alurements stand vp in their way to vnsettle them and misty clouds of trouble to discourage them And while it is thus with
his profession rediculus And to let him see what this will grow to hee may further vnderstand that God dealeth with such after this manner that first he suffereth them to be vnsetled in their course so that they serue God awkly and vntowardly as he goeth to worke that vseth dull edged instruments they cannot pray nor walke roundly and cheerefully in their calling but are full of vnquietnes with much grudge of conscience and a very tast of hell which to continue many houres or dayes is yet an heauier burden and greater bondage And yet if they relent not when they be vnsetled and when they see themselues thus far out of the way of godlines a greater danger is like to follow that is that they shall be hardened and so farre from repentance and then they fall from euill to worse till they breaking into other open offences bee met withall and requited with sundry open and shamefull punishments This is the Lords manner of dealing with his owne euen as he dealeth with the vngodly first to warne them secretly by the accusation of their conscience and if that doe them no good to call them backe then he casteth them into bodily or visible iudgement And so the bestende they haue of their bad doings is to goe backe with shame and sorrow whereas they might haue shunned both and haue liued in peace and with comfort Which being duly considered hath made mee oft to maruell that men whom I know to be very carelesse can yet bee so quiet Me thinks where much sinne is committed and such as the persons cannot be ignorant of it when they haue done it they should not put it vp so cleanely and sleepe vpon it so easily but that it ought to trouble them euen as the stomacke ouercharged seeketh to be vnburdened So I say I thinke they should haue but small peace within when so much may bee seene to bee amisse without for let them set as faire a face on their bad doings as they can yet can they not be the whole men that they goe for and God wil not be mocked they must cast vp their vnsauorie gorge and clense their harts and hands from euill before God will accept and take knowledge of them for his For if the conscience being tender and like the apple of the eie can suffer no violence how can they loade it with so great a burden of knowne sinnes but they must needs cause it to cry out if they doe not with true repentance seeke to God for mercie to ease it For a penitent soule cannot feele the least violence to be offered to the conscience by sinne committed but it crieth out to be cured and therefore they who giue greater cause cannot bee in good case when they set it light hauing so sore offended And thus much by occasion of the Canaanites sinne It followeth THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES VERS 5. And they found Adonibezek in Bezek and they fought against him and slew the Canaanites and the Perezites VERS 6. And Adonibezek fled and they pursued after him and and caught him cut off the thumbes of his hands and of his feet VERS 7. And Adonibezek said Seuenty Kings hauing the thumbes of their hands and of their feete cut off gathered bread vnder my table as I haue done so God hath rewarded me So they brought him to Ierusalem and there he died TO make entrance into these verses which I haue read yee haue heard how God gaue victorie now it is shewed more particularly how the victorie before mentioned was gotten the place being set downe where the battel was fought that is in Bezek and the King of the people is mentioned who was Adonibezek who fled in the battell as being too weake but was taken and handled as is set downe in the text to wit hee had the thumbes of his hands and feete cut off Whether the men of Iuda knew that he had so dealt with other or no or whether the Lord directed them so to doe without knowing any such thing it is not expressed but he himselfe confessed that hee had done so to others and that God had requited him with the like That which was said of the Canaanites punishment that it was inflicted vpon them when their sin was growne ripe may as truly be said of their King as by his owne confession may be gathered but hauing spoken of that point alreadie I omit to say any more of it But seeing this Adonibezek being taken as he fled had his thumbs cut off as he had cut off others before out of these verses let vs first note this that God measures out to men euen as they measure and mete to others according to the words of our Sauiour With what measure ye mete shall bee measured out to you againe So that as we haue done to other so shall we be dealt with The Lord confirmes this truth where he saith He that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Which was rightly verified in Haman and that in many points For first as he accused Gods people vniustly so he was charged and that by the King himselfe where yet he was not guilty and he was condemned without solemne iudgement seeing he had done so to others and when he was handled most reprochfully and adiudged to most shamefull punishment yet there was none that pitied him a wonderfull thing to be spoken of one that had been in so great fauor with the King and why this euen because he had been pitilesse towards other that it might be verified which was then true and afterward written Iudgement shall bee mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy Why was he hanged and that vpon the gallows that he had set vp for godly Mordecay I say stil euen that the scripture might be fulfilled euery way that as he had done so it might be done to him again for in that hee purposed to doe it it was done alreadie in Gods account Now that wee may bring this neerer to our selues many among vs complaine how they be wronged in their dealings with men they are euill spoken of slandred railed vpon they say and many other waies abused And they thinke they receiue very hard measure at mens hands hereby they maruell at it and complaine that none are vsed as they be but what blindnes is it that couereth there eies For doe not all that liue with them know at least their owne consciences can tell them that they haue dealt euen so with other and thereby haue giuen cause to be so dealt withall againe But oh blind selfe-loue that cannot see that which all other doe see I meane which thinkes that tolerable in ones selfe which yet hee accuseth and condemneth in another and seeth not the iust iudgement of God vpon himselfe by other mens wronging him which hee himselfe by his iust desâ—â—ts hath brought vpon
his owne head Hereof it is that if we thus tell them which is the very truth that their sinne hath found them out they haue no eares to heare vs and if we waroe the like offenders before their punishment commeth that God wil after the same manner be auenged of them yet they will not beleeue vs till hee visit them in some such heauie manner indeed and then with Iosephs brethren they begin to say We remember our sinne this day that euen as other haue done to vs so wee haue done to other before and as this cruell King Adonibezek sayd here Seuentie Kings thumbs haue I cut off c as I haue done so God hath rewarded me And this men shall come to either in Gods fauour to their amendment or in his displeasure to their hardning and confusion And therfore it were wisedome to confesse it in time while wee may bee taught and told of it for all mens consciences will crie out to them that it is true that they haue by word or deed iniuried other before they haue receiued such measure themselues but if they had not in that kind and particular manner offended yet they are sure they haue done it some other way so that they haue iust cause if they wel waigh it and looke to Gods hand therein to beare all such indignities as they count them as are offered them both with meekenesse and contentedly And were it not that God dealt thus with men they would neuer acknowledge nor dislike the sinne which they are guiltie of but suffer it to lie secret in them and worke them a mischiefe Whereas yet it being ferreted out by such iudgements of God they cannot but confesse it especially when they bee in any great feare and danger of death And for vs who are now warned if wee haue had our part in this sin that with the common sort wee haue smitten others with our tongue or wronged or intended euill any way against them learne wee with great regard to put a speedy end thereto by repentance lest God awake and preuent vs by some such like iudgement againe as we haue caused to other and to this end put wee these two lessons in practise neither in heart word or deed offer we any hard or vnequall measure to any man and if any offer it to vs if it be possible that it may be without our great hurt let vs quietly and meekely passe by it and make no great matter of it for the time shall come wherein we shall wish wee had done so and not haue laid that so neere our heart which might more easily haue been passed by of vs. But in saying God hath rewarded him it is to be noted that he an heathen Idolater could see so farre as to ascribe to God his affliction Whereby we may see that very bad men doe acknowledge God to be the striker and punisher of them But where should he learne it for though it did him no good to acknowledge it yet it is that which many who haue been baptized doe not come to but curse and ban rage and fret in their afflictions crying out of their ill fortune as they call it so farre are they from resting in the iustice of God and to say hee hath done righteously Also as they ascribe to chance and fortune their calamities so doe they runne for helpe to Witches and Sorcerers when they be oppressed with them which is greatly to the conuicting of them For why should not they much more see the hand of God when they are visited if Heathens haue seene so farre as to ascribe to God their troubles and to confesse their sinne as this Adonibezek did here This not onely checketh such as I haue mentioned but laieth hard to their charge also that make some shew of goodnesse who yet doe harden their hearts vnder their afflictions and will not know Gods waies though they see well enough that they suffer for their euill deeds neither will relent nor feare his iudgements though they cannot deny that they are due to them for their deierts More particularly such as this Heathen King was shall rise in iudgement against such professors as will not see their crueltie vnmercifulnesse their vncleannesse which they nourish in themselues their oppressions also and iniuries they doe to their neighbours though they bee most clearely laid before them When yet Pharaoh and other such haue especially when Gods hand was heauie vpon them acknowledged that the Lord had done it For euen the wickedest mans owne conscience sometimes accuseth him that hee doth euil and ought not these much more we haue farre greater light to tremble when they haue so grossely offended say Against thee against thee O Lord we haue done this euill And especially when they know what danger they be in thereby and what heauie plagues hang ouer their heads for the same Although such must goe further then so euen to tell it to themselues that God will not be at one with them vnlesse they acknowledge their faults also and submit themselues to him as his word teacheth howsoeuer it shall please him to correct them and withall to resolue in all conditions of their liues whatsoeuer to indeuour and be readie to obey him Also this should teach vs when we receiue indignities at mens hands yet to looke to God who set them a work against vs as Dauid said of Shemei and not as the dog doth to catch the stone and leaue the smiter And though they haue wronged vs willingly yet if wee considered that the Lord did it we should the lesse be mooued or offended with the instrument whereas we on the other side beate our braines and straine our selues al that we can to pursue them and seeke to be reuenged on them whom yet the Lord will sufficiently punish for the wrong they haue done For example wee are so out of quiet for a word spoken against vs as if it were treason when in the meane while we doe not once thinke how we haue prouoked the Lord to stirre vp such ill persons against vs. Adonibezek we see here would not asscribe it to the Israelites but saith it was God that did thus vnto him Furthermore here by this that we heare his crueltie thus laid out by his owne mouth that he had played the tyrant against many and those no meaner persons then Kings to cut off the thumbs of their hands and feete and not to some few of them but euen seuentie persons wee see what a raging furie this vice of crueltie is and to what depth of euil it carrieth men that do not wisely consider the foulenesse and shamefulnesse of it For whereas one man should be sociable with another yea with strangers if occasion be offered seeing euery one is our neighbour this crueltie cutteth of all fellowship nay all libertie of inioying such benefits of peace goods or the like So that the cruel man is farre
forward thereby and yet Gods charge as I haue said ought most to preuaile with them though hypocrites and time-seruers doe make their greatest account of them other little setting by this in the meane while till God open their eies to repent or till they bee hardned For what one of a thousand in any calling or condition would labour and trauell euen for the necessarie helpes to this life by the vertue of the bare commandement thou shalt labour if gaine and profit came not in thereby To proceed Othniel being the meanest in his fathers house and yet Caleb keeping promise with him in giuing his daughter to him it commendeth his faithfulnes in that he did not winde out dishonestly from making good his word as men vse to doe euen as hee is set forth and praised in many other respects before To be praised of men or to praise a mans selfe is matter of small reiovcing but he whom the Lord praiseth is blessed as Iob was seeing God himselfe spake of him thus to Satan Hast thou not considered my servant Iob that he feareth God and departeth from euill And so he commended Zacharie and Elizabeth and Cornelius But to come more particularly to that which he is commended for here I meane his faithfulnesse in keeping his promise and that in so great a matter and when he had that which he would at Othniels hands how many thinke we shall be found that wil doe so but winde out from standing to their word dishonestly and with subtill distinctions wranglings and wrestings of the matter and other setting downe their meanings then they had when they promised especially if it bee for their owne benefit and aduantages Oh it is lamentable euery where to behold it so that the innocent who are for the most part of the poorer sort goe commonly by the hardest and yet let vs know in the meane while that God will take part with the wronged and oppressed and therefore let vs beware of it But the world is come to this that there is no hold of the most mens word no nor of their wrighting neither if by any meanes it may be shifted off and denied Which caused Salomon to cry out saying Euery man will boast of his owne goodnesse but where shall wee find a faithfull man It is a vertue that God requireth to be in him whom hee will put in his seruice I meane faithfulnesse as Paul sheweth of himselfe that he was counted faithfull and then put in his seruice And wee in our earthly dealings what other good parts soeuer we find in our seruants yet we are glad to forgoe them all if we cannot haue them faithfull and trustie to vs. And so vnfaithfulnesse on the contrarv is so dishked and hated euen of those who are faultie in it themselues though blind through selfeloue in seeing it that they who can no way hide it but that it breaketh forth in thē to be seene openly are brought into vtter discredit by it And euen so if others who as commonly offend in it but can more cleanely conuay and hide it with setting a faire face on it were brought to light as they are who cannot so easily couer it they should doubtlesse be in little account how many so euer they be who are tainted with it Gehezay Iudas Ananias with Saphira his wife and Simon Magus who gaue shew of faithfulnesse after hee heard Philip preach these with many such do testifie how this faithfulnes is iustled aside and reiected But happie was Nathaniel a true Israelite in whom there was no guide who then did reioyce for it and now doth inioy the fruit of it in heauen while the staine and reproch of the other mentioned will neuer be put out And so to conclude must they all shew this faithfulnesse who desire to enter into the Lords Tabernacle and consequently truly performe that which they haue lawfully promised as in the Psalme is plainely shewed And but for the auoiding of tediousnes it might further be laid out more at large For as I haue said somwhat to the disgracing of this sin of vnfaithfulnes in general in deceiuing one another by breaking promise so it is much more odious when it is practized vnder pretence of religion I meane while men shall professe with their mouthes to feare God and yet denie the power thereof in their liues as some of them did of whom I haue spoke before Now to shew Calebs liberality to Othniel it is shewed that as he had giuen his daughter to him so hee gaue him a liberall and rich dowry with her which we vnderstand to haue been so by her owne words when she said to her father thou hast giuen me a countrey and this he did that it might bee seene that he gaue her freely to him as he had promised to doe for hee was a great Prince and Othniel was of the same Tribe Moreouer to shew the the libertie that children haue allowed them of God it is said here that she desired other ground of her father as she had mooued her husband before to doe with springs of water fit for their vse seeing that was dry ground which he had giuen her And she tooke the fittest oppertunitie to request it when she hauing gone to abide and dwell with her husband and they both had in all likelihood viewed the ground after that she returning to her father who came to meet her she cast herselfe from her asse that she might do reuerence and her dutie to her father and then shee made this petition to him This be said for the clearing and better vnderstanding of these two verses This story though briefe doth giue good light to vs both about one dutie of parents in marrying their children to wit to prouide for them and as they may conueniently also of and about the liberties of the children againe when they are bestowed in marriage namely that they may make request for necessaries if there haue been neglect thereof before And first concerning parents seeing Caleb gaue possessions with his daughter at her marriage according to his greatnesse euen possessions of ground which had not bin lawfull for him to haue done but that the young couple were both of the same Tribe it teacheth that parents at the putting of their children which haue been obedient to them from their charge at their marriage should as sufficiently prouide for them as they may and as it may stand with other conueniences They should not seeke and desire to please them in marriage without their charge for many inconueniences goe therewith as Abraham gaue portions to Isaac and Ishmael and the Lord declared to vs in the story of diuiding the land of Canaan that hee was well pleased with this that prouision should be made for posteritie one generation after another Neither could societies be otherwise maintained among men in good sort nor children be bestowed in fit and due time
negligently Thus Ioshua though he pitied the state of Achan yet plainely tels him In as much as thou hast troubled vs the Lord shall trouble thee this c. Thus the Lord punished Saul seuerely for sparing Agag and Ahab for so dealing with Benhadad saying Thy life shall goe for his And therefore we must be well assured of Gods commandement when we goe about any such thing against such persons as beeleaud stubburne and willfull This commandement of God is to be extended not onely against all traiterous enemies of the Church but also against that rauening and roguish progeny of spoilers of the peace and gouernment and hauocke makers of the commonwealth as murtherers c. And therefore confuteth the cursed practise of Iesuites who if they be not as yet practizers in that kind themselues doe yet by all meanes labour to extenuate the odious facts and treacheries of their complices by false reports and treducing the iust proceedings of Christian Princes and the execution of their lawes for the restraining of such monsters by infamous libels and the like But we must here take great heed also that we colour not our cruell and vncharitable actions with a pretence of zeale to God and yet giue place to our affections vnder a colour of seeking the glory of God which may easily be done as the Apostles did calling for fire from heauen vpon the Samâ—â—itans when they would not receiue Christ into their ciue but wee must know that all men being our neighbours wee must bee enemies to none For the which cause Dauid praved for his owne enemies as namely for Saul when yet hee prayed against Gods enemies hauing also good warrant to doe so And Moses being the meekest of other in his owne case yet against Corah and his companie who were the enemies of God how earnestly did hee deale pronouncing that the earth should open and swallow them vp aliue for their rebellion And Paul who teacheth vs to ouercome euill with good doe yet pray feruently against the false teachers saying to the Galarhians in great compassion towards them I would to God that they were cut off which doe disquiet you So that as we heare they did it behoueth vs to beare our owne iniuries and indignities committed against vs withall meeknesse and to deale mildly in our owne matters but in the Lords farre otherwise And where it is demanded whether may the godly pray against Tyrants by whom the true worship of God is hindred I answere that against their tyrannie and cruell doings we ought to pray but not against their persons who may possibly repent For the Lord not hauing reuealed to vs that for all their wickednesse they haue yet committed the vnpardonable sin therefore what good meaning so euer wee haue therein wee are not allowed to pray for their confusion But if God once make knowne his mind to be such as he will haue them destroyed or not to be prayed for then we must both approoue of it and execute it accordingly and yet so that as they are men we pitie them as our Sauiour denouncing against the people of Ierusalem shortly after to bee destroyed yet wept in beholding the miserie that was comming vpon them In this next verse it is shewed that Iuda yet preuailed further and woon other cities named in the text which yet in the 3. chapter of this booke are said to haue been in the hands of the Philistines as they were also long after For the people of Israel oft prouoked the Lord and so lost againe some part of that which they had won euen as it was like now to bee that for their sin they lost these cities which they had before inioyed In the 19. verse it is said that Iuda possessed the mountaines also and to the end that nothing might be ascribed to the men namely to them of Iudah and to Simeon for Simeon had entred into couenant to ioyne with them their brethren in these warres and so did here though Iuda who was appointed thereto be onely named to the end I say that nothing may be ascribed to them it is expressly added that the Lord was with them in those their great enterprizes To teach vs by whose might they preuailed and what was the cause that they did so euen this seeing God was with them And all men wil grant as much that if God be with a man he shall prosper and none shall be against him to do him hurt as the Apostle writeth And there is sufficient reason of it For who shall resist him or if he say the word who shall call it backe Now we are to know that God is not with any man idle or weake but mighty as he saith himselfe to Asa by the Prophet The Lord looketh downe from heauen to see who is weake that he may be strong with him But to the end so worthie a point as this is may throughly doe vs good we must vnderstand that to haue God with vs so as we may rest surely perswaded that he is so and inioy his presence constantly while we liue which is a treasure vnualuable and vnknowne to the world it is required of vs by God that we first haue him for our God and be truly reconciled to him by our Lord Iesus Christ for then he will neuer leaue vs neither forsake vs but safely keepe vs to the resurrection day but otherwise except God be thus made ours and we vnited to him by faith which howsoeuer it should be done cannot here be more set downe what portion of wealth wisdome c. we haue out of that communion with him it is accursed And further we are to know that God may bee with men in some sort as by his power and bodily helpe and at some time and yet not be with them to their effectuall comfort and alwaies These are great matters and duly to be considered of vs for he may be with the wicked so as he was with Ahab when he gaue the great hoastes of Benhadad into his hands yea and that which is more hee may bee and is present with the vnbeleeuers in the congregation when he inlightneth them to vnderstand that which is soundly taught and to take liking of the same But this is by his power onely but not by his effectuall grace and fauour as he was with Mary who being freely beloued of God he was also with her and his being with her made her blessed and ioyful and if he be thus with vs he wil both spiritually grace vs and also bodily blesse vs as shall be expedient for vs euen as hee did Gedeon when he was said to be with him And this to the end we may not deceiue our selues it behoueth vs to marke for our singular and continuall comfort and therefore let men giue all their diligence to make their saluation sure and to come into the fauour of God that so they may
abide therein then will he be with them to guide keepe and comfort them and otherwise they may haue God with them I deny not sometime as I haue said though hee owe not euen that to them but so yet they may be miserable and vnhappie still but in a better manner hee was here with Iuda both before and at the time here mentioned also he declared the same by giuing their enemies into their hands This confuteth the conceit of such as measure Gods being with them by his raising them in wealth or giuing them their desires As Micah an Idolator applauded himselfe as beloued by God because hee gaue him a Leuite to be his priest whereas he giueth many wicked men their desires in wrath when yet he denieth to his owne theirs in fauour And this is that which we haue to make profit of out of the words before mentioned that Iudah prospered seeing God was with him We haue heard that they ouercame the inhabitants of the hill countrey seeing God was with them Now in the same verse it is added that they did not ouercome the inhabitants of the valleies seeing they had charriots of iron And hereby this vnbeliefe of theirs began their sorrow and miseries which the other tribes followed them in to the end of the Chapter The common translation is they could not driue them out but it is not so in the Hebrew the better translation addeth another word namely that they went not about it Neither of both is out of the originall but that seemeth to bee the sense for it is otherwise vnperfit For it is thus there they did not to driue them out which is to be supplied they went not about to doe it Whither of both soeuer it was that they did not either go about it it was their fault or whither we take it thus that they could not euen that was their fault also For God promised that although they had chariots of iron yet hee would deliuer them into their hands then they failed in beleeuing Gods promise and so they going from God by vnbeliefe God likewise went from them so that God being with them and they beleeuing him they ouercame them them that dwelt on the mountaines but they not beleeuing God as he had promised in Ioshua 17. seeing they had iron chariots therfore they did not ouercome them in the vallyes Therefore howsoeuer we take it there was a fault in the men of Iuda For though it may be obiected that God would not giue them victory ouer the one as well as ouer the other I answere that is true but that was through their fault that they beleeue not that his word as he had promised So that the doctrine which we are taught from hence is this that though God bestow many good blessings vpon vs while we beleeue in him hauing promised it euen as he did here on Iuda and so long hee shewes himselfe to be with vs yet if wee giue in and withdraw our selues through vnbeliefe and belieued not his promises he will faile vs in other blessings and deny vs them A most worthy truth and much to be regarded of vs. For so it is now with vs as it was then with the men of Iuda So saith our Sauiour to the man that brought his son to be healed that had a dumbe spirit If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that belieueth meaning thereby that all things that are agreeable to the will of God shall be granted to him that beleeueth for faith seeketh nothing that is contrary to his will or not reueiled in his word So saith Saint Iames If any man want wisdome let him aske of God who giueth to all plentifully and casteth no man in the teeth but let him aske in faith and wauer not and so speaketh the Scripture throughout And to bind this more sure the Lord himselfe saith to the Hebrewes If any man withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him that is if he beleeue not Excellent is that saying of the Lord to this purpose in the Chronicles The Aethiopians and the Lubims were they not a great people yet because thou diddest rest vpon me I deliuered them into thy hands but now thou hast done foolishly in relying on the King of Syria and not on the Lord therefore hee leaueth thee to thyselfe to beleeue and so driuen and disswaded from the contrary Yet this causeth mee oft to maruell that wee being so incouraged neither the vnbeleeuers doe hast or long and thirst for faith as though it were little worth neither can other who yet should bee most readie bee brought to waite daily and constantly to grow in this grace of beleeuing neither doe although they haue obtained alreadie to belieue for al that nourish faith as they are taught that so they may abound therein with thanks-giuing And much it is to be lamented that seeing God is not with vs to blesse and beautifie vs otherwise we should for all that neglect so great good as we might get thereby and rather with others follow fancie and reason sloath and example and that is to beleeue no more then we see Oh wofull vnbeleefe that fillest our liues with so many fretting sorrowes and deadly discomforts True it is that many to make their fault small doe answer that the people that liued before the comming of Christ might much easier beleeue then wee now because they reade in the stories such examples not onely of Abraham but also of Ioshua and many of the people in the destroying of Iericho to haue done so And the Priests aduenturing to set their feet on the waters beleeuing that they should giue place to them to go ouer them on dry foot as God had promised with many other like But they are grossely deceiued who thinke so euen as much as they who will say that in the dawning morning light a man may see as clearely as at noonetide For who is ignorant of this that the mystery of faith is nothing so clearely reuealed in the old Testament no not by many degrees as it is in the new So that although some of the chiefe fathers who were to goe before the people and bee lights to them as Moses Noah Abraham and others receiued inlightning of God more and in greater measure then we doe in these daies yet the Church consisting of the common people at this time hath cause a great deale more to beleeue and farre more easily may imbrace the promises by the ordinary meanes they they haue I say not what God may do and so liue by faith more easily I say then they did or could doe But this is our sinne that we search not into our selues so much as to see whither it be so neither if we find it to be otherwise are we grieued for it or seeke to amend it But there will be occasion offered to speake more largely of this matter in many
when he had shewed them the way into the citie they smote the citie with the edge of the sword but they let the man and all house depart VERS 26. Then the man went into the land of the Hittites and built a citie and called the name of it Luz which is the name thereof vnto this day NOw after the mentioning of the Tribe of Iuda and Beniamin and what they did it is in order set downe what the other Tribes did to wit how they suffered and did not expell the Canaanites neither And yet the house of Ioseph is exempted which comprehends the Tribe of Ephraim and Manasse together First therefore it is declared what these two ioyntly together did to vers 27. in the words of the text here set downe and then what they did seuerally to verse 30. That which is said of them ioyntly together is to their commendation that they went against Bethel which fell to their lot and the Lord with them to incourage and strengthen them so that they feared and tried which way they might most easily take it Now the name of this citie had in times past been called Luz as we reade in Genesis but Iacob as he went to Padan Aram from the wrath of his brother Esau resting there and the Lord appearing to him and comforting him called the place Bethel that is the house of the mightie God But to goe forward they that were sent about that businesse namely the Tribe of Ioseph seeing a man to come out of the citie asked of him in which part of it they might set vpon it and on which side was their going out and comming into it for thereby it appeareth that they had shut it vp for feare of Israel and that they had left but some secret way for their necessarie vse to goe out and in thereby and they promising the man largely hee shewed the way to them and they entred and slue the inhabitants and tooke it and sent the man away wel rewarded or rather as it was indeed he banished himselfe from them into another countrey and was so wealthy that hee was able to build another city and called it by that name Luz This worke of the house of Ioseph which they went about namely to take this citie Bethel which was before in the deuision of the land of Canaan giuen to them as God had inioyned them doth liuely set before our eies as in a glasse the dutie of all Gods people that is to say readily to goe about and set vpon the worke that God hath appointed them and laid vpon them yea and this is to be done whatsoeuer lets and discouragements may stand vp in the way to hinder them For hath not he commanded them And is not he able to remooue those impediments rather then they shal hinder his worke in the hands of his seruants which they beleeuing are to go forward and commit the successe to him that hath promised to bring them through all difficulties which might hold them backe For otherwise if wee looke not to God by faith but what let is in the way and be hindred thereby we shall cast the commandement of God behind our backe and do as they who obserue the wind and therfore sowe not and looke too much to the clouds and therefore reape not and so for feare of inconueniences we shal let passe necessarie duties Againe when we thriue and haue good successe we blesse God and are merry but if we be crossed we curse disguise our selues with impatience Whereas it ought to be enough to vs that God hath brought it to passe either thus or otherwise And beside the authoritie hee hath ouer vs his bountifull rewarding of vs in his seruice ought to incourage vs to adresse our selues to all such worke and not onely so but further seeing he commandeth and would haue vs doe it as it may be most for our owne ease that is willingly readily chearefully for the Lord loueth that in all his seruice as he loueth a chearefull giuer And we know for our owne parts that men go awkly and vntowardly about that work which they take in hand vnwillingly And we are all to learne of our Sauiour who hath giuen vs example herein saying that his meate and drinke was to do his Fathers will Besides we are made redeemed set here to that very end to serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnes without feare all the daies of our life and not to please our selues how hard soeuer the worke is that is to be done of vs. And that is our life ioy and comfort no other course of walking is life but death no other is sauory or soundly ioyfull And this should bee thus in all callings and conditions as with Magistrates Ministers Husbandmen Artificers Masters of families and others who doe I denie not many things required of them by God but not one worke as another neither that ioyfully which they doe and as if it were the worke that God hath set them about for then they should doe it readily but for their bellies and in other carnall respects For why they can indeed do them no otherwise because they do not first know themselues to bee the Lords redeemed ones that so they may easily obtaine other things at his hands But I would that euen they who are so did goe about that which they doe by Gods commandement chearefully and with delight for the Lords sake then should there many excrements be cut off from the infinite actions which are done in our liues and with so much sinne remooued many plagues and annoiances should bee auoided from mens liues also But alas the most professors are not acquainted with going to worke in Gods seruice after this manner neither find any sauour in this Christian course but respect onely their owne commoditie and that they may bee without feare of want and penury and the most doe worse that is spend their precious time in idlenesse play and vaine pleasures at least and as for seeking first Gods kingdome to be vnder his gouernment and to rest on him for other things by lawfull labour and meanes vsing it is one of the hardest things for them to fasten on though God hath yet promised that such onely shall bee blessed But of this somewhat hath been said before It is further added in this verse that while the house of Ioseph went vp against Bethel the Lord was with them which seeing it is here added I will say somewhat of it though I haue spoken thereof before by another occasion Now this house of Ioseph thus going about the worke that God had commanded them is said to haue God with them in their worke for so hee had promised Which teacheth that this assurance we haue from him that if we attempt ought by his commandement he hath set his seale to it that we shall haue successe and prosper in our worke So was it said
teachers that be of that religion it is no way fit nor lawfull seeing by their gifts of learning they may so draw an high conceite of them from the children that they may the easier distill and drop poyson into them by their corrupt religion And this for answere to the question and withall an end of the whole chapter THE SECOND CHAPTER VERS 1. And an Angell of the Lord came vp from Gilgal to Bochim and said I made you goe vp out of Egypt and haue brought you vnto the land which I had sworne vnto your fathers and said I will neuer breake my couenant with you 2. Ye also shall make no couenant with the inhabitants of this land but shall breake downe their altars but yee haue not obeyed my voice Why haue yee done this 3. Wherefore I said also I will not cast them out before you but they shall bee as thornes vnto your sides and their gods shall be your destruction 4. And when the Angell of the Lord spake these words vnto all the children of Israel the people lift vp their voice and wept 5. Therefore they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there vnto the Lord. WE haue heard in the first chapter the notable victories of Israel ouer the nations while they obeyed the word of God and also the sin of many of them in suffering the Canaanites to liue Now it followeth how the Lord of his goodnesse reproued them for the same by the messenger that preached to them and the fruit that followed thereof And afterward vnto the end of this chapter the holy Story setteth downe the summe of almost the whole booke namely to the 17. chapter taking occasion to doe this from the acts of former times beginning at the things which were done before Ioshuas death The summe of all the rest of this chapter from verse 6. is thus much I shua a little before his death hauing called the people together and giuen them their charge as appeareth in chapter 23. and 24. of that booke that they should beware of Idolatry and feare the Lord after that he sent the people away and died in whose daies and in the daies of the elders that liued after him the people obeyed his charge as it is to bee seene in this chapter from the 6. to the 11. verse But after that it is shewed how the next generation that arose after them declined from that good course and so did the ages that followed them one was like another throughout this booke vnto the 17. chap. and here with it is declared how God dealt with them And that in few words was thus they fell to prouoke God by Idolatrie and other sins then the Lord was displeased with them for it and deliuered them into their enemies hands after that they cryed to the Lord and he raised them vp Iudges or deliuerers of them yet they obeyed not euen them which caused him to be againe offended with them and to threaten them as is to be seene to the end of this chapter And this is declared and laid out by the diuers examples of the people throughout all this booke vnto the 17. chapter according to the generall diuision made of the whole booke in the beginning According to the meaning now set downe the parts of this chapter follow which are two The first is a calling of the tribes that had offended to repentance to vers 6. The other is the setting downe of the estate of the people after Ioshuas death and Gods dealing with them vnder the Iudges throughout these 15. next chapters vnto the 17. and this is to the end of this chapter I will leaue the last part to the due place wherein it is to bee considered and examine the first as order requireth And heere in this first part we may see these two things A reproofe of the people by the Angell to verse 4. and the effect that followed thereon that is the peoples repentance to the sixth verse so that in the first part of this chapter is shewed how the people had prouoked God already by not driuing the nations out after their first entrance and the death of Ioshua as wee haue heard in the former chapter and that they were brought to repentance In the second part is declared how another generation that knew not the Lord did much worse for they not onely made couenants with the Canaanites as the other did who were brought to repentance but also serued all manner of Idols and prouoked the Lord thereby To begin therefore with the former branch of the first part that is their reproofe the messenger that was sent to them to make it more forcible to pricke their consciences first rehearseth the benefits which God had bestowed vpon them which ought rather to haue drawne them to obedience And this he doth in the first verse as ye may see then he setteth downe the faults for which hee reproueth them One that they made leagues with the Canaanites contrary to Gods commandement the other that they had not cast downe their Alters and he expostulateth with them for the same saying why haue ye done this contrary to the charge which the Lord gaue you in the 2. vers And lastly he threateneth them that their disobedience should be to their great punishment saying I will not driue them out but they shall bee prickes in your sides and their gods shall bee a snare vnto you and this in the 3. verse Now it remaineth to speake more particularly of these in order But before I come to speake of the message I will say a little of the messenger The word Messenger or Angel signifieth sometime a created nature without a body as Hebr. 1. Angels are called ministring spirits and these assumed some forme at Gods commandement for the time then being the better to accomplish their office as Genes 18. Sometime this word signifieth any other messenger that God sendeth to execute his will as Reuel 2. and 3. where by the Angell is ment the minister that was sent to them a messenger from God And whether of these soeuer is ment heere it maketh no matter and it being not particularly expressed in the text it is sufficient for vs that wee know it was a missenger sent of God and therefore sufficiently authorized and of those to whom he was sent one who ought to be reuerently receiued and beleeued And let it teach vs that God alwaies vsed the ministry of his seruants to reueale as it hath seemed good vnto him and to declare his will vnto men either about the generall couenant of grace and promise of saluation or about any other particular thing as hee saw cause and this he did whether they were Patriarkes Angels Prophets or Apostles by whom he did it in ages past or as he doth now other ministers of the Gospell as Pastours and Teachers whom he vseth at this day to reueale his will vnto the people
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
faith hope ioy in the holy Ghost feare of offending and such like that they lie dead in them as if they had no part in them and they hauing no vse of them to strengthen them to any good doing although they be in themselues profitable to all holy vses whereas in the meane while who would lose his sweet communion with God if he bee wise enough to consider what I say though it should neuer be brought against them no though it were but for an houre or a day with the comforts belonging thereto which yet these whom I haue spoken of when they haue sinned against their knowledge doe depriue themselues of whole moneths and yeeres And why doe they thus If they sustained all this as from their triall from God their patience were commendable or if it were possible to honour him thereby it were some commendation to them but when it is for the hauing of their owne will amisse and for the enioying the pleasures of sinne for a short season oh how lamentable is it to thinke So that this wisedome shall well beseeme the seruants of God to giue all diligence to keepe well while they are well and in no wise to haue their teeth set on edge with the deceiueable baites of sinne which the world so greedily runneth after forasmuch as they shall see how deare it shall cost them and yet let them know this that such shall not bee onely void of the forementioned graces but they shall also smart through many punishments And now if it be so hard for them to come to repentance when they haue fallen who yet before had enioyed that gift soundly how much further off are they who neuer haue part in it at all neither are like to haue euen as wee see by daily experience how fearefull an estate is that to liue in vnlesse they wait on God diligently in the ordinance of preaching to attaine it Now wee haue heard how God was faine to prouoke them to repentance before they could set themselues toward it It followeth to see by what reason he vrged them to it after I haue said a little of the places heere mentioned Gilgal was a citie in the plain of Iordan not farre from Iericho from this Gilgal the messenger is said to haue come And Bochim is a place neare adioyning to it in which this message was done to the people of Israel who had by their sins caused it It was not called Bochim before but had the name giuen by occasion of that which fell out there that is the weeping of the people when their sinnes were brought to their remembrance for so the word Bochim signifieth namely weeping At this place therefore to returne to the purpose the Lord told them of their disobedience and beginneth to make it odious to them by rehearsing his benefits great and many as if hee should say what cause haue I giuen you to deale thus vnthankefully and disobediently with me Hath my kindnesse been thus requited of you that you returne me euill for my good will Heere as in sundry other places wee may see what effects the benefits of God doe commonly worke in men and that is forgetfulnesse of them and vnthankfulnesse for them and a meane account making of them also boldnesse in seeking of carnall liberty thereby vnto the which we are so readily caried and to prouoke God much more then if they had neuer enioyed them little remembring that the Lord giues them a watchword that they should rather looke in all things to be thankefull Iustly therefore was this people heere chalenged for their vnthankefulnesse This was the cause why they were warned before that they should take heed when they were come into the land of promise and should there possesse great and goodly cities which they builded not and houses full of all manner of goods which they filled not and wels which they digged not vineyards and Oliue trees which they planted not and when they had eaten and should be full they were warned I say that they should beware they forgot not the Lord which brought them out of the land of Egypt c. signifying vnto them that wealth and ease would goe nigh to make them to forget Gods mercies by which they were deliuered out of their miseries By which wee see the peruersenesse of our depraued nature which turnes the wholesomest food into poyson as the corrupt stomacke doth the daintiest meates We abhorre him who hauing receiued freely good turnes and benefits forgetteth his benefactor when hee is promoted c. yet it is certaine that men are the worse for Gods benefits and are more bold in sinning against him by the abundance of his earthly and common blessings So Dauid confesseth that before he was afflicted hee went astray so that his benefits wee see did him not so much good as his chasetisements And so Ieremy said that he was as an vntamed calfe till God corrected him Wofull experience teacheth how rare the man is who may truly say otherwise to wit that benefits knit his heart neerely to God before he bee taught it by affliction And yet we must know that neither that of it owne nature draweth men to loue and obey God any more then his benefits but as God worketh that grace of his especiall fauour without which our whole life is meere disobedience I say further then his grace guideth vs and keepeth vs within compasse in both estates Common blessings and generall we thinke and say belong to others as well as to vs and as for speciall and priuate while we reape and feele them we say Blessed be God but wee are not for the most part knit to him in dutie euer the more The tenne leapets being cleansed returned not to giue thankes saue one And hee to whom tenne thousand talents were remitted shewes this fruit of his thankefulnesse that he caught his fellow by the throat who owed him an hundred pence bidding him pay that he owed And why this For the heart of man naturally is puffed vp with prosperity and vaine estimation of himselfe and hee prideth in that which will be his ouerthrow and waxeth hardened and is so far off from humility and meane thinking of himselfe that all may perceiue who can rightly iudge that it maketh him prouder and more scornefull yea vtterly vnlike him he should be and disguised and yet to become great and get much in this vale of misery while things of greatest price are not asked after how eagerly doe men runne after it as fish follow the baite with greedinesse nay they laugh all such to scorne that find fault with them for so doing and who doe not follow them in that excesse and let better things passe by them as little worth yea and yet this doe they who lawfully come by wealth and promotion and to whom the Lord giueth prosperity without any indirect or vnlawfull meanes euen such I say doe offend in the like
he will most surely keepe promise in both So although the godly are bound heere onely to some particular duties yet in the generall couenant they are vrged both to beleeue those things which God promiseth them and also to walke before God continually in their whole course wherein yet their failings are not reckoned against them which by frailty they offend in but if any will boldly tempt God being carelesse in looking to their couenant let such know that God will not bee mocked their sinne will finde them out And so vnderstand it of particular couenants such as this was that God made heere with this people If hee promise to blesse them in their marriage earthly affaires and businesse with such like if they bee faithfull therein as they couenant then if they faile and bee false-hearted God is free from his word and promise The next thing in the couenant is that God in forbidding them fellowship with those nations and commanding them to pull downe their altars on which they were wont to offer to their false gods did thereby cut off occasion from them of committing Idolatry teaching vs thereby that if we will auoide the occasions of euill we shall also be kept from the euils themselues yea grosse sinnes as idolatry drunkennesse adultery and the like though we be very prone to commit them And yet on the contrary if we will not shunne the occasions of them and the meanes that leade to them we shall vndoubtedly fall into them Take one for example the most common of the rest If we bee foolishly and vnbeseeming our profession snared with some woman as hauing been caught by her eye lids and taken with that which is precious in her we must to auoid the fowle and shamefull sin of adultery first with chast Iob to make a firme couenant not to looke vpon her secondly neither talke of her nor with her whereby wee might easily nourish wicked lust and desires And thirdly come we not in her company if it may be as godly Ioseph refused to doe or at least looke wee not after her neither let our thoughts linger nor carrie vs that way but by feruent prayer be chased away farre from her and then there is no feare of committing the sinne or of falling into any further danger for the word of the Lord hath spoken it So I might say many a man might haue eschewed murther if hee could haue withdrawne his heart from wrath and reuenge and so might many haue auoided oppression and miserlinesse if they could haue snibbed the first straying concupiscence and their vnlawfull desires after another mans commodity I propound these instances among the rest not hauing time to speake of all or many for that the diuell spiteth the seruants of God and seeketh more specially these waies to bring his malice to passe casting a blindnesse vpon them that they shall hardly see no not when they be in great danger till they be fallen into it by being taken with the baite that he laid for them Yea wofull experience hath made vs to see this to be too true and they who haue broken out of this snare know with what difficulty they haue escaped and as for the common sort who shew no great religion in their liues there are few of them but are brought to shame if opportunity serue some of these waies or be made to hang downe their heads by reason of guilty consciences and such mischiefe both the one and the other might haue auoided and namely vncleannesse one of the foulest if they could haue been perswaded to shunne the occasions thereof in keeping out of the company of such as by whom they become besotted and impotent and also if they could walke soberly in their particular callings by them as hauing nothing to doe with them So that we may see what good they get by their dalying vnseasonable companying and loose talking which they vse with women which yet is one of the chiefe delights that the ciuill sort of men doe take and yet they would thinke they should haue great wrong offered them if they should be warned of it But to come more particulerly to this couenant which the heads of Israel must keepe toward the Lord of casting downe their alters and of hauing no fellowship with the Canaanites they affoord a seuerall lesson By the first that I mentioned this may bee learned that Christian Magistrates are by their authority to pull downe all Idols and abolish superstition both of the infidels and heretickes and the occasions of Idolatry and to purge their dominions and iurisdictions from such drosse and abominations Hezekiah brake downe the brasen serpent being abused and called it Nehushton that is a peece of brasse And so much the rather seeing Gods worship is simple and vncompounded and hee that addeth thereto any superstitious ceremony tainteth the substance as much as lieth in him And all Christians ought to doe the same in their priuate houses and places subiect to them as their fields farmes Chappels c. And yet let them take heed that they attempt not to doe so out of their callings or in other mens houses or other places where they haue no authority to meddle vpon any deuotion or good intent as they cal it either to honor God or benefit others or though it were to winne the Idolaters themselues For that course is not onely not ordained of God to winne the Idolaters to sound religion but also forbidden and other meanes as the preaching of the word conference c. are appointed to root the same out of mens hearts and to turn them from such blind deuotion The other may bee tearmed zeale but vnaduised corrupt and sinfull neither of an wise Christian to be vsed And this bee noted by occasion of the one part of the peoples couenant namely that they must pull downe their alters The other to wit that they should haue no fellowship with them I haue spoken of before chap 1. vers last saue onely that I spake not particularly of making marriages with Idolaters which yet followeth by good and necessary consequent For if a priuate Christian fearing God may haue no familiar conuersing with such then much lesse in marriage making with them which is the nearest fellowship of all other And so I briefly conclude with the charge giuen by the Lord in Deuteronomie Yee shall make no marriages with them neither giue thy daughter to his sonne nor take his daughter to thy sonne Now the messenger of God hauing told the people of the couenant which they were bound to he shewes them their sinne that they had broke their couenant and conuicteth them of it saying ye haue not obeyed Which being so spoken to them they could not deny it And this Scripture teacheth that men ought to bee conuinced of their sinne by the word of God and to haue them so proued to be iust prouocations of God which yet they
liue in as that they may not bee able to denie them and all to the end they may the easilier be brought to repentance and not onely told in preaching what is sinne which I grant must be done but as farre as may bee they are to bee charged as guilty who are so and to bee vrged as they haue giuen cause so farre as that they may be pricked in their consciences vnlesse their hearts be flinty and so to say from their hearts we haue sinned And this is one principall point in preaching to be aimed at by Gods commandement to Timothy where it is said preach the word in season and out of season rebuke conuince and exhort with all lenity and this conuincing is most auaileable through Gods blessing among other meanes to awake the drowsie conscience and so to quiet and reforme it This is that which our Sauiour foretelleth vs in Saint Iohns Gospell that the spirit of God that is the power of the word inspired by the holy Ghost and preached by his Apostles and Ministers after his resurrection should conuince the world of sinne So we reade in the second of the Acts that Peter proued against the Iewes and conuicted them in their consciences that they had crucified the Lord of glory who consented thereto And it is said immediately following there when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts Thus when Dauid could easily yeeld to the truth generally set downe to him by Nathan but could goe no further namely to see himselfe faulty whose sinne reached to the heauens the Prophet Nathan conuinced him and told him saying thou art the man that hath dealt so cruelly and wickedly and then hee could say I haue sinned So in Sam. 24. when God had shewed Dauid his sinnes in numbring the people he repented and yeelded vers 17. Thus Paul dealt with the Romans when he sought throughly to make odious to them their former ill course What fruit had yee saith hee in those things whereof ye are now ashamed their consciences bare them witnesse that that they had none And as this kind of dealing with the people in our preaching is most profitable and like to doe most good so it is one of the hardest matters namely to rouze vp the conscience and to conuince it Profitable I say it is for that if it be awaked and pricked it cannot but acknowledge the sinne in all likelihood and bleed and so relent for it and craue pardon and abandon it which is the direct way whereby the holy Ghost guideth men to saluation but if any be drowsie and sleepy conscienced so that they be not moued by hearing any reproofes or doe striue against the light of their owne conscience being conuinced which is more or wax hardened which is worst of all and a most vnkind abusing of that gratious worke of God in them I bewaile their case for they not onely receiue not any benefit thereby but doe waxe worse and so depart from God so as they seldome returne to him againe for the most of them of which sort Iudas was and some others And yet these shifts men will vse when they are conuicted for either they are not pricked or struggle against it and seeke to shift it off or else they are hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne all which ought most carefully to be taken heed of To returne therfore it is profitable for the hearers to be oftentimes conuinced and otherwise our ministery doth them little good but so it is also hard to winde in with them and to pierce their hearts as I said I meane to bring the hearers to this point that they shall cry out and say euery one for his owne part I haue sinned For concerning the ministers who should bee one speciall meanes to doe it they for the most part abstaine from this worke altogether either winding vp all in obscurity that they are not vnderstood or at least contenting themselues with the bare propounding of the truth without applying it to the conscience or discouering the corruption of the heart that so the hearer may not escape This worke they leaue to the peoples discretion And alas they are so farre from working the word vpon themselues that they haue many starting holes and excuses for their sinnes and extenuate them and alleage their owne infirmities and other mens examples so that though they be stricken by our preaching as with an arrow yet they be harnessed and bumbaced in such wise that they will shift off the blow and not bee wounded thereby but rather will follow their owne euill courses the more and harden their hearts still who may well set the best side outward I denie not and for a while carrie a faire shew as though all were well with them but God knoweth their harts and let them be sure that their sinne shall find them out and it shall not goe well with them in the end The vse of this is that we so looke to our selues in the whole carriage of our liues that we feare not what may be said to vs or brought against vs so verifying the prouerbe the righteous is bold as a Lion and the rather seeing wee haue iudged our selues that wee may not bee iudged of the Lord and haue kept our consciences pure and good to the end we may not feare conuincing of them for the word of God can offer no violence to them who offer it first to themselues especially for any wilfull offending but yet if for all this we be found too light and in somethings worthy to be blamed as who can looke so narrowly about himselfe but he may be iustly charged or if wee breake out amisse then our dutie is to desire that the word may challenge vs euen for that and being conuinced of it let vs willingly and readily yeeld wherby we shall free our selues from the iust blame of blockish sleepy of secure and obstinate hearers But now I passe from this conuincing of them by the messenger of God to the expostulating with them for the breach of their couenant saying Why haue ye done this As if he should say in the person of God to them if ye can shew any reason why yeemay doe thus I giue you leaue come forth and make your answere but the people answered not a word in token that they held themselues guilty This teacheth that God is equall and righteous in his proceedings yea euen toward those who haue prouoked him as he saith in the like case by his Prophet to those that were the posterity of this people heere mentioned come and let vs reason together c. Hee doth not as men do who will smite them who haue done them wrong before they shall know why and are neuer willing to come to good conditions with them how tractable soeuer they might finde them These are indeed cruell and vnmercifull men who will not offer any
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
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
passe to the other two verses the euill which they did most certainly displeased the Lord in a most grieuous manner As by the same word heere vsed the like is meant in other places where it is said that the Kings of Israel did that which was euill in the sight of the Lord. And so on the contrary those things which were good in the eyes of the Lord as the acts of many of the Kings of Iuda were they were said to please him highly But when God hath giuen vs many encouragements to his seruice and yet we regard not to bee the better by them what maruell if hee abhorre such doings and make open exclamation against them as he doth heere when both hee hath set hedge and ditch to hold vs from committing them and also hath giuen vs many causes of doing better both by teaching vs and by other his manifold benefits and also looketh for it at our hands that we should doe so So that although the sinne of this people was manifest to the view of the world as well as before God yet if it had been secret and hid from men it had been euill in the sight of the Lord euen so I say of our selues if wee minde not Gods matters and seruice chiefly but walke loosely and hollowly we shall iustly be challenged to doe that which he cannot abide howsoeuer men find no fault in vs. For though there be degrees in sinne and one is more grieuous then another yet they that set not their hearts wholly to seeke the Lord with a great care to please him in all things euen they doe that which is euill in his eyes seeing the eyes of the Lord search narrowly and spie that which men see not Therefore what may be said to the liues of the greatest number and yet some of them such as reproue others and are not in many of their doings to be charged iustly by any yet when they bee not vpright in heart and faithfull to God in one thing as well as in another yet while they be not so bad as other they doe euill in his sight For seeing not they whom man but whom God approueth are praiseworthy they therfore shall haue this still and euer against them that they did euill in the eyes of the Lord if he commend them not as he did Iob saying thus they are vpright feare God and depart from euill which if it were well thought on there should smal cause be found why they who are tender conscienced and feare to doe euill should be so scornfully and spitefully railed vpon and disgraced by the men of the world for that they dare not be so loose in their liues as other are shewing thereby that they can abide none but such as do euill in the sight of the Lord. And this of the eleuenth verse For of the word Baal I will speake in the next verse together with other of like sort But first in this twelfth verse the holy story saith that they forsooke the Lord who yet was the God of their fathers and had brought them out of the bondage of Egypt This as it was more then to displease God in some particular actions for it was a leauing of the true worshiping of God which is the fountaine of well doing dutie in our life so it is aggrauated by the fauour and benefits heere mentioned to wit what God had done for them and further the greatnesse of their sinne may bee laid out more fully by comparing it with Peters answere to our Sauiour For when he saw some of his hearers to depart from him vpon no iust cause but onely a bare conceit and he asked Peter if they and the rest of his fellow Apostles also would depart from him hee answered saying Lord whither should we goe thou hast the words of eternall life As if hee should say that they hauing found them so good and bountifull to them already and hauing such hope still of greater good from him hereafter as they knew not where to finde the like it should haue been absurd for them to depart from him as the other Disciples did And to speake the truth who can say any lesse And so might this people well haue answered and so they ought to haue said also euen as Peter did But it was farre from them because some of them had neuer cleaued to the Lord in truth before nor trusted in him but walked hollowly and vnfaithfully towards him though now they did much worse And by them we may see to what a fearefull estate they may grow to what depth of sinne they may fall who embrace not religion conscionably euen for the worthinesse and excellency thereof and for the good they haue or ought to haue gotten by it and for the loue they should beare to God who hath loued them first but rather began to professe in a passion or in some other outward and mutable respects such I say may be like in time to depart from God altogether and then in what other state are they but without God in the world For when mens hearts become hardened once by the deceitfulnesse of sinne they doe next after that grow worse and so depart from the liuing God as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrues Now as I haue spoke of these who were but outward professors when they were at the best how they did wickedly in the sight of the Lord so there being some better among them who did so likewise We may further note hereby that though we beginne wel as some of these did in the true renouncing of euil yet we not holding on faithfully and carefully by considering duely Gods goodnesse toward vs and zealously embracing good meanes we may easily and by little and little yea and shall also together goe backe euen as these did but of the reuolting of such I haue spoken a little before Now therefore it followeth I will shew how this people fell to Idolatry euen to worship Baal and Ashtaroth and such other Idols as the people and nations serued who dwelt about them but first what is ment by these names of the Idols heere named Baal signifieth a patrone or helper as they tooke the Idoll Baal to be Ashteroth was the God of the Sidonians an Idoll which in the forme of a sheepe was worshipped And by the word Baalim heere is meant all manner of Idols such as were worshipped among them To this point the people of Israel were now come that seeing they would not expell those idolatrous nations while they might neither continued to serue the Lord as they ought to haue done behold they themselues now departed from him also and fell to idolatrie with them Where besides that we may learne that when we auoide not the occasions of sinne we cannot looke to auoide the committing of the sinne it selfe of the which I haue spoke in the former chapter we may further see
wealth and commodities yet neuer bethinke themselues to be freed from the danger of Gods wrath which often wasteth them to nothing Know we therfore that if we decay in our goods by barrennesse of the ground or vnseasonablenesse of the weather by debt suretiship or by any other such like and especially by mispending them know we I say we haue a warning thereby sent vs of God for some ill parts of life as it is said in Deuteronomie If thou wilt not obey the voice of the Lord thy God then the fruit of thy land and all thy labour shall a people that thou knowest not eate and the heauen that is ouer thee shall be brasse and the earth vnder thee iron And againe A nation that is of a fierce countenance shall eate the fruit of thy cattell and he shall leaue thee neither wheate wine nor oyle neither shalt thou prosper in thy waies By all which and this which is in the text that they heere were spoiled of their goods as it should make vs carefull to preuent euen his iudgement among many other by vpright walking with God and harmelesse liuing among men how foolish and precise soeuer that course of life seeme to many so when wee haue gone out of the good way and fallen from that obedience which we haue couenanted to yeeld vnto God and sustaine such losse thereby aboue all things let vs seeke to finde out the cause thereof and that speedily as Ieremy requireth and beare our losse because we haue sinned and sinne no more lest a worse thing befall vs. And let vs not count it our hard fortune as foolish men tearme it for there is none when wee are so wasted in our goods neither please wee our selues in condemning and charging the second cause thereof whereby we are 〈…〉 of them for whatsoeuer be the instrument of our losse or vndoing sure it is that the Lord is the effecter and worker of it And therof 〈…〉 Deuteronomie of this and all other his fearfull iudgements after that 〈…〉 sent them when it shall be demanded wherefore hath the Lord done this how fierce is his great wrath they shall answere because they haue forsaken the couenant of the Lord God of their fathers therfore hath the Lords wrath waxed hot against this people to bring vpon it euery curse that is written in this booke And the same doctrine that I haue taught of the spoiling of mens goods that it is a fruit of the wrath of God for their sin this being excepted that the Lord may impouerish his people who feare him in fauour and mercy The same I may as fitly and truly say of the bringing or them into seruitude and bondage vnto vile and cruell persons but let the one bee vnderstood by the other seeing I speake of this in another place But I will further obserue another thing heere that seeing it is said that they were led into bondage after they were spoiled of their goods and so smarted by both we may note how God so dealeth with the disobedient out times euen as hee did heere with these that as their sins go not alone so neither doe their punishments So that God dealeth with such as offend him not one way but many as he did puinsh Achan both with shame and with paine so Pharaoh was visited with terrours and with bodily plagues also euen so now many are pursued with crosses in their goods reproch in their name and in their body with paine and diseases And this he doth that men may know they shall pay deare for their stolne pleasures how sweet soeuer they bee to them in their fond account and that so both together may hold them backe from prouoking him For as Esay saith one iudgement shall not serue the turne if men struggle and fight against it and stand out with God when hee smiteth gently his hand will bee stretcht out still and looke what the former hath not done the latter shall make good As wee reade in Ioel that fruit which one plague consumed not another did till an vtter riddance follow of all But men bite vpon the bridle and curse their lucke but look not into themselues so when God strippeth men of their goods and then casteth them into bondage as hee did deale with them heere or when hee doth the like to vs that one iudgement come in the necke of another to vs I thinke it may bee said truly without respect of damnation that wee haue paid deare for stolne pleasures and our bold taking of our liberties amisse And seeing I haue not spoken particularly of going into seruitude and our nation hath not knowne what it meaneth nor how sharpe a scourge it is yet seeing many fall into it by Turke and Spanyard who haue little feared it therefore I wish them to reade of it in Deuteronomie secondly to consider of it by the estate of the people of Israel in Egypt and lastly to lay it out and set a view of it before their eyes by the Popish and cruell tyrannizing ouer our soules heere in our owne land in the daies of Queene Mary when we could enioy no liberty of the word and Sacraments but our brethren who refused their Idoll-seruice and false worship were tortured and tormented by the bloody persecutors and what may men looke for then at the hands of strangers And this to be said of bondage Now further in that it is added in generall in the text that they could not stand before their enemies for being so weakened by them in goods number and strength what maruell Let this be obserued that God vseth his and our enemies against vs his children when we prouoke him by our sins as hee vsed Nabuchadnezzar against Ierusalem and Senacherib and others Not that God putteth new poison and malice into them who had nothing else in them before but that hee iustly suffereth and letteth them alone without any bridling or restraining them to vomit vp their venome and their cankered hatred and letteth them loose to Satan Whereby this among many other things may bee learned how vncertaine the comfort is that some take in this that the Papists they hope shall neuer preuaile against the Protestants nor Popery euer yoke them any more Yes if God be displeased with them he may plague them that way by raising them vp as enemies against them as easily as hee did heere the Canaanites against Israel and if they were without feare that way hee may and can meet with them after sundry other sorts little to their comfort as they may see daily if their sinnes be not remoued out of his sight so that as the Prophet speaketh it shall be with them as if though they escape the Lion a Beare should meet them or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bite him By this which wee haue heard of the punishment of this people
it appeares that they had load enough vpon them as one would thinke and yet as though there had not bin enough said of the hand of God against them the holy Ghost addeth heere that whithersoeuer they went forth the hand of the Lord was against them as if it should bee said whatsoeuer they tooke in hand or went about it prospered not but they were crossed therein whereas of the godly we reade in the first Psalme the contrary to be said and set down The like is spoken by the Prophet Azaria to the people of Iuda in the secōd booke of Chronicles This though it be not seene of many nor marked of the disobedient and therefore not complained of yet their misery therefore is the greater seeing they goe on brutishly as the foole to the stocks and the oxe to the slaughter till a dart pierce through their liuer But some feele and perceiue it when God being angry with them his hand is against them as experience witnesseth though he deale not now so much nor apparantly against his enemies in bodily as spirituall plagues for doe not many loden with sorrow and misery crieout that God fighteth against them though there be no outward punishments to bee seene vpon them and that they neither prosper nor enioy any inward peace but are wearisome to themselues cursing their lot and wishing themselues out of the world nay laying violent hands vpon themselues for very anguish of heart and madnesse thinking falsely so to escape their misery And how heauie a thing is that thinke wee especially when they know not how to remedy it And as it is thus with them euen so Gods hand is euer with his faithfull seruants in all their waies which God hath set them in They are like the tree planted by the riuers of waters that bringeth forth fruit in due season and whatsoeuer they do it shall prosper Indeed this is the lesse seene to be because they finde it so hard a thing for them in the middest of so many discouragements to continue in their vprightnesse as we may see who marke it but they are oft vnsetled and broken off by the burthen of the flesh from their innocency or else are forced with much adoe to recouer themselues being fallen and are in great heauinesse thereby But while God vpholdeth them by his grace hee doth also make them well liking and to prosper yea in their weakest estate in respect of other and to recouer And whereas it is added that this pursuing of them by the Lord in all that they set their hand vnto was as he had sworne to them it is to teach vs that it could be no otherwise seeing God speaketh nothing in vaine much lesse if he sweare to it according to Samuels words the strength of Israel will not lie One iot or tittle of his word cannot faile It is farre more firme then the law of the Medes and Perfians which yet altered not So that if the Lord speake the word or sweare except it be conditionally whether it be a threatening to such as prouoke him or a promise of any good things to such as trust in him it shall most certainiy come to passe what attempts soeuer there be to the contrary as is daily to be seene And therefore it is to be wondred at that men are so little moued thereby but for all his threats go forward in their bad course till the euill threatened doe come vpon them and cause them to crie out euen as Gods seruants also doe smart when his promises being certaine are for all that not beleeued of them But this matter is oft occasioned And this bee said of the peoples sinne and of their punishment It followeth now in the text VERS 16. Notwithstanding the Lord raised vp Iudges which deliuered them out of the hands of their oppressors 17 But yet they would not obey their Iudges for they went a whering after other gods and worshipped them and turned quickly out of the way wherein their fathers walked obeying the Commandements of the Lord they did not so 18. And when the Lord had raised them vp Iudges the Lord was with the Iudges and deliuered them out of the hand of their enemies all the daies of the Iudge for the Lord had compassion of their gronings because of them that oppressed them and tormented them NOw follow the other things which I mentioned before in the sixth verse in laying out the points of this second part of the chapter and that is how the Lord raised them vp deliuerers in their oppressions when they cried vnto him who were called Iudges This cannot bee vnderstood of any one time seeing he sent not many Iudges at once among them in any time of their affliction Therefore hee sheweth heere to the end of the chapter what was the condition of the people of Israel and the changes and diuerse courses that they were in the time of the Iudges In few words it was thus when they cried to the Lord in their oppressions he pitied their grones and raised them vp Iudges which were deliuerers of them as I said and he was with them to blesse them and yet they turned away from him againe for all that and so he was prouoked to go against them afresh as is set downe in the latter end of this chapter in some of the verses that follow And first in that it is said in the eighteenth verse for these three verses are to bee ioyned and read together that they groned to the Lord vnder their oppressions who saw nothing amiffe in themselues before it must teach vs that calamities will search and stirre vs vp to griefe and to make our mone to God for very anguish of heart how carelesse and iollie soeuer wee haue been before when wee boldly prouoked him and when wee haue been so carelesse and headstrong as that nothing could serue to plucke downe our stomackes yet sore troubles haue broken our hearts as if we neuer had been otherwise Therefore when his word will not preuaile the Lord is faine euen to maister men by strong hand that at least hee may tame them by violence if he cannot bow them to repentance euen as men handle horses and such beasts as they cannot rule they cast them and keepe them vnder by binding them that so they may worke their pleasure on them The wilde Asse must be taken in her moneths when she cannot resist and this course the Lordis driuen to take with vs to wit to make our hearts to smart and to loade them with sorrowes or else there would bee no rule with vs thus I say he is faine to take vs downe According to that which is said in the Psal When he smote them they sought him yea they sought him early Pharaoh himselfe when he felt the smart of the plagues of Egypt sought for Moses to pray for him to the Lord. Long it is
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
receiuing sinners graciously and that againe and againe they lamenting after him they are ready I say to thinke that they shall easily bee forgiuen without any remorse or pricke of conscience for their sinne which is a grosse abusing of Gods patience and his readinesse to receiue sinners who haue offended and differeth not much from them who say Let vs sinne that grace may abound The middle way betwixt both is safest to goe in to wit not to cast away their confidence when they vnfainedly turne to God and yet not to take or arrogate to themselues the beleeuing of pardon while they continue bold in sinning without broken and relenting hearts And this lesson being learned of vs as God teacheth it and hath himselfe giuen example vnto vs is a sound and certaine rule to guide vs toward our neighbours who haue offended vs that is to say that as he embraceth and forgiueth sinners returning vnto him so we should not bee cruell or hard-hearted toward them but readily to receiue them when they submit themselues According to that which our Sauiour answered to Peter when he asked him how oft he should forgiue his brother vnto seuen times he answered him I say not vnto seuen times but seuenty times seuen We ought therefore to forgiue them but what not the transgression of Gods law for we cannot doe that for none can forgiue sinne but God But the wrong and iniurie done vnto vs and the euill minde they beare toward vs I say that wee ought as we professe in the fifth petition to remit As for satisfaction if he haue taken away our goods we may in the remitting that doe as the repentance and ability of the partie shall giue occasion and so I say of the punishment which he hath deserued if he haue hurt vs in our body name or otherwise yet if it bee expedient and that wee sustaine not any great detriment thereby we may remit it But yet in some case though we forgiue the wrong yet wee may vrge the partie that is culpable to satisfaction and punishment according to the law of God and the nation where wee liue left men should be emboldened to sinne thereby yea and sometime wee who are wronged ought so to doe necessarily otherwise we should sin against God and the Common-wealth And thus Achan by Iosua and the theefe on the crosse were iustly punished and put to death for why both Gods law and mans had else been broken This I haue said of this matter there being some difficulty about it that we may see what wee are bound to remit vnto our neighbour and how farre An other thing in this verse is that this Ehud who was giuen them as a deliuerer is said to haue bin lame but in what part of his body euen on his right hand that member which might worst be missed especially in a valiant captaine and man of war as he was and now called to shew his strength and skil wherin we can say no lesse but that God doth that which is strange and maruellous in our eyes For he sheweth vs hereby that he when it pleaseth him and that is most commonly vseth weake meanes to effect and bring great matters to passe that his glory may be more easily seene and giuen vnto him yet flesh and carnall reason will not yeeld easily thereunto But for proofe of the doctrine looke what base and weake instruments the Lord vsed to vexe a mighty King I meane Pharaoh namely Frogs Lice Locusts such like So Ionathan his armor-bearer flew many of the Philistims Dauid Goliah In the Prophet Ioels time how did the Lord plague the drunkards and the sinners of the land who were so iolly hauing the fruits of the earth in plentifull manner to serue their turne as though there had been none that could haue resisted them how did he I say plague the the stoutest and the mightiest of them by the like weake meanes spoiling thereby the fruits of the earth without the which their iollity must fall to the ground Thus the Prophet speaketh Heare ye this O Elders and hearken all ye inhabitants of the world whether such a thing hath been in your daies or in the daies of your fathers That which is left of the Palmer worme hath the Grashopper eaten and the residue of the Grashopper hath the Canker worme eaten and the residue of the Canker worme hath the Caterpiller eaten And to see the mighty hand of God in other matters which farre exceede these for God can and doth this often but this ought not to cause vs therefore to bee slight in meanes vsing to serue his prouidence How did hee by his Apostles who were simple men and of no great account in the world yet how did hee by their ministery and weake preaching as it was accounted subdue the proud and stately world to the obedience of the Gospel Euen Paul but one man how many cities yea countries did he bring from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God insomuch as whole Asia was filled with his doctrine and both Iewes and Grecians heard the word of the Lord. And so in our daies hee hath perswaded many to become true Christians by the ministery and labours of them who are of small reputation in the world And why he bringeth to light such excellent tidings of the kingdome of glory by so weake meanes Saint Paul sheweth the reason in these words We haue this treasure in earthen vessels saith he that the excellency of that power might be of God and not of vs. Therfore despise not the weake by whom God worketh neither let such discourage themselues who by the grace of humility meeknesse loue and such like with their small gifts shall edifie and build vp the Church of Christ when the knowledge in the bare letter of such as are thereby puffed vp shall doe little good And as it is in the ministery so shall it be seene in the people that true godlinesse accompanying the knowledge of Christ though ridiculous among men shall do much in perswading and drawing many to the loue of the Gospell and fellowship therein which as it is the greatest so it is doubtlesse the rarest thing that is to be seene among the people As in the example of the woman of Samaria is to be seene who brought her neighbours to Christ being conuerted her selfe yea and this may bee seene still at this day that euen priuate persons truly religious shall with their humility diligence and loue doe much more good then they who haue variety of knowledge and vtterance being destitute of those graces though they bee little accounted of The vse of all that I haue said of this point is that we haue the works of God how meanely soeuer accounted of and specially his worke of grace in men that wee haue them I say in most high reuerence in comparison of the gloriousest acts of men
by their loud and vnbeseeming as well as vnseasonable complaints and outcryings whereby they disquiet the whole family for some ouersight which they espy yea they haue oft times no cause at all to doe so or at least if they had any iust cause to be grieued yet a little patience and bearing with the trespassers as the cause requireth and sober and kinde telling them of it might haue done farre more good and haue kept the whole family quiet The same I may say of the wife if she be giuen to waspishnesse and bee shrewish hot and wrathfull who thereby troubleth both husband and the whole house and this accusation reacheth yet further euen to the spitefull and malicious who are not onely oft iarring and at strife with their neighbours vpon small or no occasions but are ready to sue them at the law for euery trifle and so trouble both them and themselues also Whereas the vertuous Queene Hester beholding how shee was the onely hope and helpe vnder God of the Churches deliuerance from Hamans plot and deuising to wast and destroy it vtterly tooke vpon her the going about it though it was with most likely perill of her life and that without the hurt of any one beside saying in so doubtfull a case If I perish I perish Yea Saul himselfe who yet had no commendation through the story for vprightnesse and goodnesse would not suffer any of the murmurers and repiners against his entring in to bee punished at his first comming to his kingdome as some would haue had it but chose rather to put vp the disgrace saying there shall no man die this day for to day the Lord hath saued Israel And this by occasion of Ehuas sending the people away that went with him being the first of the three things mentioned to be contained in these 3. verses Now followeth the second thing to wit of Ehuds second going to Eglon and what he said Hee returned in hast from the place neere Gilgal in the land of Israel whither hee had conducted the people which could not bee farre from the place where King Eglon lay for hee hauing brought the Israelites into subiection to him it is cleere thot he lay neere their borders the better to see them kept vnder and he comming to him told him hee had a message which was of secresie to doe vnto him Whereat the King required him to stay the vttering of it till the company standing by were commanded out of the place For hee hauing so lately receiued a present at his hand had no suspition of any trechery to be intended by him The company being gone Ehud was admitted to come neare vnto him And telling him that his message was from God hee stood vp to doe reuerence at that name and so by this meanes he had the way made more easie for him and the better opportunitie to doe the worke he went about And in these two verses we may see considering that the Lord called Ehud to this worke for the destroying of that his peoples enemy and to deliuer them out of his hands for else it had been a most bloody and trecherous act we may see I say the courage and confidence that was in him to aduenture that great danger that hee did by going about to kill Eglon the King who if before his attempt he had been detected and found out had been put who doubteth to most extreme tortures among enemies and no friend of his standing by or in presence And what had hee to vphold himselfe by in that great difficulty and fearfull danger but his trust in God and confidence that hee who laid that worke vpon him would bring him well through it And yet how hard a thing it was for him who seeth not if he will rightly consider it in that difficulty and great straite that hee was in to beleeue that God would make way for him and enable him to such a worke all likelihoode thereof being taken away And this teacheth vs what the nature of faith confidence is whersoeuer and in whomsoeuer it is to be found that they looke not vpon things that are seene which may-work deadly discouragement and anguish but vpon that which is not seene with mortal eye and that is Gods power and willingnesse ready at hand to helpe vs forward and to encourage vs to waite for the accomplishing of that which we beleeue and looke for in our greatest need This it was that animated and strengthened Ehud to attempt this dangerous worke And this faith and confidence hartened and emboldened the Priests when the Lord by Ioshua commanded them for their passing into the land of Canaan to set their feet on the water to goe ouer the riuer Iordan how vnlikely soeuer it was their beleeuing I say the Lord by the mouth of Ioshua that a way should be made for them to passe through safely as on dry land euen that it was that hartened them to doe it who yet in so doing must of necessity haue been drowned by mans reason and iudgement And this faith made Peter bold to pronounce to the lame and diseased euen while they lay visited to pronounce I say in the hearing of all that stood by when he saw no likelihood thereof appeare Iesus Christ maketh you whole arise and walke For hee beleeued Christ who had said to him that he should worke a miracle whensoeuer it was expedient and that faith made him bold to say so whereas if that had not been immediately done indeed which he foresaid should come to passe that the parties should bee healed he should haue been vtterly discredited and laughed to scorne and cast out from mens company as a deceiuer This faith made the holy Martyrs yeeld their bodies to the fire for the defence of Gods truth while they beleeued not onely that they should bee receiued after into glory but also that God would strengthen them for the present time to endure the flame And this it is that inableth vs to suffer the hardnesse which wee willingly sustaine throughout our liues euen this that we trust and rest perswaded that God will bring vs well through it and afterwards receiue vs into his eternall kingdome Which caused Saint Paul to vtter these words Why weepe ye thus and rend my heart for I am resolued and ready not to bee bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus and euen so he taught writing to Timothy Therefore we suffer because we beleeue in the liuing God who is the sauiour of all but especially of them that beleeue And this of Ehud in these two verses and of his words spoken to the King and as for such as aske why he deluded the King with a lie while hee went about to kill him seeing hee vttered no message to him at all when yet hee told him hee had a message from God vnto him to them I answere the word
deserueth at the hands of all the children of God to whom the fruit of this doctrine hath in any measure been granted and who haue any proofe of their faith at al that at least they yeeld the Lord thus much that as they bee thankfull yea euen with admiration to consider how hee hath brought matters to passe for them beyond hope so that they arme themselues to beleeue still and that more assuredly that God is able and willing to make way for them in all their desires or distresses without which yet they shal lose the benefit of this his power and loue But more of this as occasion shall be offered As for Eglons rising vp at the mention of God as though hee had reuerenced him for this is the next thing that followeth in the text howsoeuer they vsed to doe so at that time who were but heathen Kings as Baalam before when Balak then King of Moab came to him and his Princes with him to aske what Gods answere was to him Baalam I say then spake thus vnto him Arise Balak to heare Gods voice and to giue reuerence to it Concerning his rising vp I say at the naming of God that wee may make some good vse of it wee are sure it serueth to conuince Atheists and prophane ones who are farre from yeelding any But if yee will say what reuerence was that which they gaue seeing they were Idolaters and did it at the naming of God whether it were the true God Iehouah or any other I say sufficient to condemne these But some make shewes of reuerence when in truth they offer disgrace So we reade of the Pharisies that when it was proued to them by the blind man that Christ had opened his eyes which they could not abide to heare they would not take knowledge of it but as though they might boldly and freely detract from him whom they hated so that they gaue words of honour to God bewrayed their hypocrisie who would seeme holy and therefore said giue glory to God wee know that this man is a sinner and so bewrayed that they had no religion when yet they would seeme to goe before others therein seeing this is true that hee that honoureth not the sonne neither doth hee honour the father Let all this then both serue to shame all brutish and prophane persons who yet are in the visible Church who ascribe not so much to the word preached neither regard the message of God with so much reuerence as this heathen Eglon did who in token thereof stood vp when Ehud told him that he had a message for him from God But to leaue these let it bee a watch word to vs that professe the true worship of God that we please not our selues in the worke wrought I meane in giuing outward and bodily worship to God and in calling him father seeing neither they who draw neare to him with bodies onely doe please him neither all that say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of the father that is in heauen and againe seeing it is written that all who call on the name of the Lord must depart from iniquity let vs regard that duly without which wee shall haue no more to commend vs to God then this Heathen King had But of this enough before cap. 1. vers 4. It followeth Vers 21. And Ehud put forth his left hand and tooke the dagger from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly 22. So that the haft went in after the blade and the fat closed about the blade so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly but the dirt came out OF Ehuds intent and preparation to kill Eglon King of Moab wee haue heard now followeth the execution of it For as Iael was strengthened by God to destroy and kill Sicera captaine of Iabin King of Canaan so the Lord strengthened Ehud heere to bring downe Eglon King of Moab that Israel his people who cried vnto him might bee deliuered out of the bondage that he had brought them into And thus God in a moment tooke away the life and honour of him both together by one deadly blow wherin hee would shew vs the wofull estate of those who haue nothing but in this world to what end they may come euen heere they know not how soone and suddenly beside the irkesome desolation that shall meet with them when they goe hence Oh the base and lothsome death that God would haue him brought vnto and yet in his flourishing estate so far from likelihood of any change or decay at all If wee regard any thing wee will consider this examples are infinite Thus Belshazzar and Herod were taken downe in the middest of their iollity Adde to these Nabal for the vncomfortablenesse of his death with Zimri that burned himselfe to burne the Kings pallace in Tirza and so died and with Ioash the King of Iuda who was slaine of his seruants and Iezabel whose blood was without compassion dashed against the stones Euen so doe wee not daily see the flourishing estates of men turned to most desolate decay in so much as they bee iustly reproued for making them their Paradise and that by the words of our Sauiour are these the things ye looke after and also when hee bewailed them for that they died without hope And heere by so fit an occasion as is offered by Ehuds killing of Eglon this King of Moab I thinke it not vnfit in this place though in a word and by way of execration to note and bring to the remembrance of the Reader the cursed practise of Iesuites in murthering and bringing vntimely death vpon the Lords annointed Kings and Princes vnder the colour of their heresie as they call it or lest they should incurre some way the Popes displeasure for not doing so as though they would helpe the Lord to cut off such as flourish and prosper And the rather I mention them because they defend themselues by this fact of Ehud and such like most impudently and abiurdly to couer their horrible treasons and murthers The two last Kings of France were thus handled and the facts with the doers highly extolled by these that hartened them on thereto Oh villaine intolerable whereby as by their persecuting the Gospell they most liuely shew themselues to bee vtter aduersaries to Christ and to bee most neare akind to them who commit the sinne against which we should not pray that cannot bee forgiuen But to leaue them whom God alloweth not to bee instruments of such bloody acts and trecheries let vs returne to the persons before mentioned who liued heere in pleasures of sinne for a season and were without God in the world and soone perished miserably These with many other mentioned in the Scriptures and in later Chronicles for I speake of the chiefe and greatest persons seeing they doe most moue affection so highly
the Gospell which it had vtterly reiected how admirable a thing was it seeing it is manifest that the malitious Iewes resisted and came against him in all places but who might withstand God when he would haue it so For in that one city at Corinth he bad him go forward in preaching and faint not where he had much people adding this for encouragement thereto that none should be able to hinder it And let vs in these daies be wise by so many faire warnings It cannot be that one of Gods faithfull shall perish therefore let vs not smite at such with tongue nor hand as hee loueth hee will fight for them and curse them that curse his and they shall repent it if not too late that they went about to hurt them But of this I spake before in the former Sermon though not in the same words nor making the same vse thereof therefore thus much briefly of these verses in generall Now that it is said in this verse that Ehud when he had done this worke vpon Gods enemy came forth neither in feare nor any great haste in any disguised manner but as though hee had done nothing worthy suspition neither gaue any token of a guilty conscience but as one that had serued God in that worke It liuely setteth before our eyes the peaceable fruit of an excusing and quiet conscience Behold the like in Iael the wife of Heber who hauing slaine Sisera whereas any other doing such an act of his owne head with a murthering mind in such a matter could hardly haue auoided it but he should haue bewrayed himselfe easily and palpably as is to bee seene in Iudas betraying his master who cried out of his owne fact saying I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood And it may teach vs how greatly the quiet and excusing conscience of the innocent and righteous man differeth from the guilty and accusing conscience of the vngodly And it agreeth with the words of the Wise man who saith The righteous is bold as a Lion but the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth him The ground of this his peace was the discharge of that duty which the Lord imposed vpon him in this extraordinary case the which otherwise had been abominable parricide And although this viperous brood of Iesuites pretend the like dispensation from their pettie god the Pope and thereupon harden their hearts and set an impudent face vpon the matter as if they had no wound or terrour of conscience yet the truth is their ground being naught the cause of this boldnesse is shamelesnesse impudency and want of conscience at all if they be not wounded Hell can onely terrifie these helhounds for God they feare not and they haue hardened their faces as it seemeth to regard no man Where we may see a double benefit that the godly reape and enioy by hauing allowance and warrant from God for the duties they doe to wit inward quietnesse of mind and strength and courage thereby to beare any outward danger or trouble if need should bee and both the contraries to pursue and take hold of the other that is an hellish minde toward God and terrour and dread though they bite it in in regard of the world or an hardened heart which is worse then both As for those which waited on the King they did foolishly they should haue cast the hardest when Ehud came forth of the parlour and haue stayed him and not haue kept out so long and haue made such delay as they did for delaies are dangerous where the matter is weighty in which they are vsed And they being thought so wise that the keeping of their Lord and master was committed to them they failed greatly and grosly in their duty and therefore they reaped the fruit thereof when after their long tarying they came in at the last and found him slaine This is that which delay breedeth in all things not in their doings onely and the more danger the greater the things are as I haue said Thus Baaâ—ah and Rechab by the negligence of the Kings officers slew him on his bed And as this teacheth euery priuate man to be diligent and warie about the duties that belong to his function and calling to preuent losse and damage so especially it commendeth vigilancie and circumspection in al such as through whose hands great matters of state and gouernment doe passe that neither by their carelesnes conniuence or other sinister respects they suffer that mischiefe to grow vpon Church and Common wealth which by their prouidence might in season be preuented ere it bee helpelesse The fit season therefore is to bee taken in earthly businesse and our common affaires as this was heere by Ehud wee must vse the opportunity reape the corne when it calleth for the sickie and strike the iron while it is hot so our market must be made while a good peniworth may be had Doe all thou hast to doe with diligence while the day lasteth the night will come wherin such workes cannot be done Remember the rich man who being in hell in torments was denied a drop of cold water because hee auoided them not while he enioyed plenty So Haman made request for his life too late And by their slacknesse and delay we may much more be warned in the weighty affaires that concerne our happines to take the fit season that is to seeke the Lord while he may bee found and not driue off from day to day but to remember our maker in the daies of our youth and to day while wee heare his voice not to harden our hearts but imbrace his message both in the Law and promises of God by faith vnto saluation The seruants that kept not Saul but slipt in great danger were accessaries as Dauid tels Abner in Sauls case though they betrayed him not euen so the carelesse delayer to get faith and repentance shall perish as he that hates to be reformed The fiue foolish Virgins knocked to be let in when the doore was shut Euen so in all particular actions of our life looke we before all other things to keepe our conscience pure and good To the like purpose much might bee said And this by occasion of the seruants delay and their astonishment when they saw how it fell out to them thereby Ehud reaped the benefit of this their delay for while they thus draue off and lost the time in which they should haue carefully attended vpon their Lord hee escaped out of their hands and wound out of all danger hee passing the quarries which it seemeth were places betwixt Gilgall of the Israelites and the Moabites which before he could get beyond he was not past danger and so comming to Seirah a place heere mentioned in the borders of Israel further off from danger he was in safety And thus wee see againe that they who are wise and speedy in their businesse doe
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
those that receiue them The example of Lot is alleaged who for the defence of those strangers that turned in vnto him offered much inconuenience to himselfe and his daughters that hee might free the strangers whom he receiued from iniurie The like is said of the care of that old man mentioned hereafter in this booke to the Leuite and his concubine whom he had receiued as strangers into his house Hereupon and by the like it is concluded that as it were by an vniuersall law the promises that are made to strangers for their safety should bee inuiolably kept The very Barbarians shewed much kindnes in a like case as wee reade in the booke of the Acts to Paul and his company entertaining them kindly yea and did more also then that vnto them for they laded them with necessaries at their departing To all that hath been said of faithfulnesse to bee shewed to such as it is promised to as Iael did I answere that I am of the same mind that it ought to be so and the Scripture doth straitely vrge the same But yet wee must know that no bands of familiarity and equity are so neerely ioyned together and so iust but that if God for causes best knowne to him command otherwise they are to bee broken And so it may seeme to bee of this act of Iael For seeing the Lord had now cursed and commanded to be destroyed these Canaanites and Sisera their captaine therefore neither shee nor any other might heere take vpon them to saue or spare them but doe to them as God directed them and so she did Thus the Leuites followed and obeyed Moses in killing their friends and kindred who had committed idolatry with the Calfe which they had made and pleased God highly in so doing In this respect and by vertue of this commandement of God Abraham went about to kill his sonne and they that thinke foolish pitie ought to be shewed contrary to the word of God let them remember what befell the King of Israel who when hee had spared Benhadad the King of Aram contrary to the word of God was reproued by the Prophet at the cōmandement of God in these words Because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life And therefore to returne to Iael forasmuch as I see that the Lord was the only gouernour of this worke and commended her for it in the next chapter by Debora yea pronounced her blessed when the action of killing Sisera is spoken of therefore I conclude that she being certainly perswaded of Gods wil in that which she did and commanded of God so to doe her deceiuing of his hope was no more since in her then Abrahams attempt to kill his sonne was or the Leuites sleying of their kindred for their idolatry And this for answering the question The doctrine hath been taught already that wee haue no authority to follow her example but the word wherby our actions must be guided as by a rule and by no example without it Thus wee haue seene as I said in the beginning of the chapter that the Lord by Barak Debora and Iael subdued Sisera with his huge armie It followeth Vers 22. And behold as Barak pursued after Sisera Iael came out to meete him and said Come and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest and when he came into her tent behold Sisera lay dead and the naile in his temples Vers 23. So God brought downe Iabin the King of Canaan that day before the children of Israel Vers 24. And the hand of the children of Israel prospered and preuailed against Iabin the King of Canaan vntill they had destroyed Iabin King of Canaan NOw it is shewed how Iael came out to meete Barak who not finding Sisera among those who were slaine followed after him and she told him what she had done vnto him and thus she preuented Barak lest hee should wearie himselfe with seeking him and bee grieued when he found him not and hee came into her tent and found it so And by Baraks pursuing him it appeareth that Sisera was not deceiued in that hee feared it and warned Iael to preuent it Likewise it appeareth here that the Lord deliuered his people out of the hands of Iabin and destroied him Here let vs note two or three things and so come to an end of the whole chapter And first though Iael must imbrace and hold peace with Iabin yet wee see her heart went not with him neither did she like his crueltie and oppression of Gods people but sought to turne it away and she reioyced to see the people of God to preuaile and to helpe them all that she could as Nehemiah and Ester did vsing their fauour they found with Kings to this end It teacheth that the godly doe giue good testimonie how they dislike it when the wicked rule and haue all in their hands as Iael did here by her worthie helping to beate downe Iabins and Siseras power For as Salomon saith when they beare rule the people sigh And contrarily what ioy they haue when God giues them godly guides and makes them to prosper such as Moses and Iosua were with other who did more aduance the Lord and his true worship as it became them then they did themselues And so it is in meaner estates that we haue great cause to praise God when he feebleth and disgraceth the vngodly and prospereth the enterprises of his seruants in any place of superioritie and gouernment and so in meaner conditions And let all such as are vnder them glorifie God by bringing foorth much fruite when they enioy such liberties and let them feruently intreate for much good may be done in such times the Lord when it is otherwise to change it remembring that which is written in the Psalme Pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee I will procure thy peace c. Further we may learne that as Barak pursuing Sisera as he was commanded obtained a great blessing of God so shall all that incline their hearts to follow the commandements of God with a pure heart For it is the fruit of Gods promise and he is not pleased if wee walking wisely and diligently in our calling doe not beleeue the same For through vnbeleese wee depriue God of his honour and our selues of our owne due which hee hath freely and graciously bequeathed vs. But contrarily by giuing credit to God and walking in a good course as frailtie will permit we may in reuerence and yet in confidence looke surely for blessing either outward with other or at the least the inward ioy of a good conscience that is as continuall feasting which is alwaies a companion in such a case And therefore great pitie it is that wee should through our owne folly at any time depriue our selues of such a benefit And especially this
blessing wee may enioy by faithfull discharging of our duties that as Barak here heard by Iael the good tidings concerning Sisera that she had slaine him euen so much good shall wee reape by the members of the Church to the gladding of our hearts It is one of the fruites of well doing which followeth it as the shadow doth the bodie as good report and successe in things and incouragement to goe forward Whereas if our waies be crooked and euill in the sight of the Lord wee may looke for no better in places where we come but to heare of that which will sting vs as the coales of Iuniper And from hence are many of the cries and complaints that we heare for mens ill doings are rung about their eares with reproch threatnings of them and such like as doe make them take little ioy in their liues So on the contrarie many shall bee the comforts of them that doe well And as Iael here did not a little glad the heart of Barak by telling him of the death of Sisera the chiefe enemie of Gods people while hee pursued after him so it is the part and dutie of all Gods people to bring ioy and gladnesse to their brethren as they are able and to keepe sorrow and griefe from them by all meanes as occasion shall be offered And this should be one speciall fruite of the communion and fellowship of Gods seruants here on earth But in as much as for all Barak pursuing of Sisera yet he slew him not himselfe but Iael Here Barak saw the word of God liuely verified which Debora had spoken of vnto him before in the 9. verse to wit that the honour of that victorie should not go to him but to a woman as we see it did to Iael And euen so if we marke we shall as cleerely see the same when we haue offended against the Lord that one or other chastisement shall meete with vs and seaze vpon vs and if it be not with vs after we haue sinned as if an arrow should pearce thorow our liuer for the sorrow wee conceiue for it be wee well assured it is behinde and to come and in the meane while or one time or other wee shall carrie some marke of our disobedience as Barak did here for that was the word of the Lord that it should be so as Debora said I will goe with thee but the honour of the victorie shall not be thine as hath been noted before with the vse thereof Lastly we may see by this subduing of Sisera and destroying his mightiē armie how easily the Lord can breake the forces of his enemies and pull downe and turne away their wrath and rage from his people as a man would turne the riuers of waters which way he listeth or cut off their persons from the earth and if it were not so what good man could liue by them And what a comfort that may be to Gods people in that the Lord cuts off their enemies in due season is not hard to conceiue when we consider what a scourge and plague one man oft times is to another being inraged and incensed euen a wolfe nay a diuell But waight a little and behold in time the arrow of Gods deliuerance to his and shame and confusion vpon his impenitent and implacable enemies except as is rather to bee desired he change their hearts But of this more largely before vers 15. Thus much for this chapter I will end this Sermon with the beginning of the next THE FIFTH CHAPTER ON THE Booke of IVDGES Vers 1. Then sang Debora and Barak the sonne of Abinoam the same day saying Vers 2. Praise ye the Lord for the reuenging of Israel and for the people that offered themselues willingly Vers 3. Heare ye Kings hearken ye Princes I euen I will sing vnto the Lord I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel THe summe of this Chapter is a praising of God by Debora and Barak after the victorie The parts of it are three the first is one point of their song consisting in offering praises to God to vers 14. The second laieth out the goodnesse of God to Israel sundrie waies in this battell and namely three first she bringeth in them that did helpe in it to vers 19. by occasion whereof mention is made of such as did not helpe Secondly she sheweth how vnprosperously it fell out against the Canaanites in the battell to vers 23. Thirdly the hinderers of the victorie from Israel are cursed and Iael that did helpe to get it them is pronounced blessed to vers 28. The third part of the chapter sheweth how in their song they mocked the boasting of Siseras friends to vers 31. and so as an addition thereto they shut vp the song with a prayer in the 31. verse The first part of the Chapter NOw to leaue the two last parts to bee considered of in their due place I come to the first and that is their song which containeth three things The first that is in their song is this that they exhort the Israelites to praise God with them for those that offered themselues willingly to the battell in the two first verses and the Kings and gouernours that were strangers to heare what they said and that is in the third verse In the second part and next verses following they set downe the Lords mercies long before powred out on their fathers and now lately to them in the deliuerance of his people to the eighth verse and exhort them to praise God who inioyed the commodities that came by the victory to the twelfth verse The third thing is that Debora stirreth vp her selfe againe to sing praise to God and Barak to the triumph vers 12. 13. Now to begin with the first and second verses wherein they exhort Israel to praise God with them before they begin the song for they enioyed the benefit of deliuerance as well as they that got the victorie It teacheth that all such as receiue Gods benefits doe owe this dutie of praise to him and that the heart and the tongue if it may be ought to goe together in that action The Lord looketh for it and the Church hath alwaies practised it though not in a like manner As Moses and Miriam did full solemnely at the drowning of Pharaoh and his charets so the women for the many victories that God granted to Israel came foorth singing in this manner Saul hath killed his thousand and Dauid his tenne thousand Likewise Ezechias after his recouerie with Anna the mother of Samuel and many other And it was the vse and practise of Gods seruants to penne their songs and often to repeate them to quicken the memoriall of Gods benefits and his kindnes in their owne and the hearts of other and to knit themselues more neerely to him by this part of his seruice performed in Christ Iesus according to his will Agreeable to this is the exhortation
of the Apostle In all things be thankfull for as Gods mercies are renued euery morning so good reason that our thankes should be also And as it is acceptable to God so it is no small benefit that redoundeth thereby to our selues for it drieth vp the bitternes that is readie to rise vp in vs by occasion of Gods afflicting vs and crucifieth and scattereth such like poysons as lie lurking in our hearts thankfulnesse I say chaseth them away and suffereth them to haue no place there Indeede it is proper to Gods people to offer to him this dutie euen as it is said in Sion is God praised the hypocrites as the Pharisie who glosingly vttered these words Lord I thanke thee that I am not as other men they cannot praise him but the consent of mindes and hearts sanctified as the sweete harmonie in musicke this onely can doe it and teach others the skill to doe it also As therefore the thankes of most men wanting the feeling of Gods loue and blessings is meere dissimulation and taking Gods name in vaine so it is much to be lamented that the better sort whom it would become so well stirre themselues vp so little and slowly hereto For thanksgiuing as confession and supplication should be seasoned and accompanied with feruencie as a companion which amplifieth and as Debora here did makes songs of the blessings which others passe ouer in silence besides the affection it selfe which is inlarged in a more then common manner especially being quickned as she here was by some new or rare testimonie of Gods loue either bodily or spirituall mercies or deliuerances from euill of both sorts But here we may say Plenty makes vs barren for though we haue so much cause of thankes that we can looke on no side but wee may see many in so much as we be bound to shew it in things yet most men know neither how to begin nor to make an end The daily benefit of health recouerie out of diseases protection from dangerous casualties peace of land and peace in familie posteritie thriuing in the world credit our haruests and commodities nay our Sabbath and Communion in the Gospell and the fruites of it who may it be thought makes his daily song of these adding hereto personall benefits which euery one receiueth in his owne person Many mens prayers consist of suite and request making to God without any thankes either adioyned or following as in the nine lepers is to be seene others giue thankes in words but they want wings to lift them vp to heauen I meane faith feruencie and loue And the best thinke it enough to mumble a little inward thankes and that sometimes for some blessings but who is the man of many that makes his thankes breake out into songs Songs are more then common praises Christians should haue two bookes in the one to record their faults and falles in the other to register Gods benefits both should serue to set them a worke in confession and thankes For thankes neuer goe alone without other graces A thankfull heart is patient also humble faithfull conscionable dutifull by thanksgiuing we quicken vp our faith zeale feare of God and renue our couenants daily for how can wee dishonour him when we professe our selues to be infinitly beholding to This besides that it iustleth out iangling contention and ill spending the time so it drieth vp the froth of our euill hearts fretting discontentment impatience hardnesse of heart and all of the same kinde as I haue said In a word he that praiseth God aright worships him aright as we see in the Psalme and so to say much in one word he that is thankfull is a good Christian Oh then let vs looke better to this and make amends for our arrearages herein For hee that lookes wee should bee thankfull for affliction as that holy man Iob was much more a man would thinke lookes that it should be so for blessings which most iustly by many degrees do more chalenge it Let euery one that of the Israel of God say The mercies of the Lord continue for euer Let it not seeme tedious to recount old mercies both the greatest of redemption and the lesser of preseruation yea helpe we our selues forward mutually as Barak and Debora here did sing in consort Doubtlesse an vnthankfull life is a sottish hellish life ouergrowne with all that naught is and therefore lothsome to a Christian He that saith I would I could doe euery duty as well as this of thankes is a foole not knowing what he saith he prates like a Parrot Thankfulnesse is not without godlinesse But I cannot well proceed further as this time THE THIRTIETH SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard largely of thankesgiuing in the former sermon with the causes manner and necessity thereof now beside the action of thankesgiuing which I haue spoken of the circumstance of time is also to bee marked that is to say that they did it the same day for so it is set downe in the holy story then sang Debora and Barak the same day This teacheth vs not to make delay in any good thing but vse the opportunity in due season and so for this duty of giuing thankes And while the occasion offered of so doing is fresh and in remembrance the mind feedeth the affection with more plentifull matter that it may be stirred vp more feruently to performe that dutie whereas in time things grow stale and are forgotten yea and that quickly so that wee had need to take the vantage against our bad memories and blockish hearts by such meanes And although ordinarily we should performe this dutie three times a day in solemne manner namely in the morning euening and at noone tide yet otherwise beside that as God shall giue vs occasion by more then common benefits and deliuerances we should prouoke our selues hereunto and namely as Saint Iames saith when one is merrie or disposed to ioy let him not suffer that affection to vanish but expresse and vtter it to God in singing praises And so afterward we ought to continue the memory of his infinite mercies throughout our whole life and to this end write them we that can that whereas they grow to a multitude in time and all cannot alwaies be remembred as were to bee wished in some sort yet at least wise when wee reade them ouer wee may readily renue as we shall see cause our thankes to God for them But great is mens blockishnesse as I haue said and endlesse wandring by swarmes of cogitations after other things which hinder this wherby they see not cause hereof and when they doe yet their slothfulnesse is such that they delay and deferre to pay this due to God till their appetite be gone and afterward lets and hinderances comming in the way breake it off so that they cannot performe it And this be said of thankes In the second
verse shee shewes why God should bee praised one cause was for that he had been auenged of his enemies in the behalfe of the people and for their sakes for though hee had long vsed them as executioners of wrath against his disobedient people yet now their sinne was come to the top and his peoples sin was repented of therfore their turne was come about now to be brought to punishment Another cause of their thankes for the people Zebulun and Naphtali who had willingly offered themselues to follow Barak against Sisera although hee had no authority ouer them before Both these are expressed in this verse in these words Praise ye the Lord for auenging of Israel and for the people that offered themselues willingly Heereby wee learne first that God is the reuenger of the iniuries and wrongs of his people euen as hee himselfe saith Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord yea hee will doe it in his due time and that right soone for so he saith and we had need to marke it If saith he the vnrighteous Iudge will doe right to the poore widow lest shee troubling him with oft suing vnto him should at last weary him shall not God auenge his elect which cry day and night vnto him yea though it bee long I tell you hee will auenge them quickly and recompence tribulation to them that trouble his as the Apostle speaketh Waite we therefore hee hath not forgotten himselfe but as the Wise man saith If thou seest the oppression of the poore there is a greater then the oppressor But though there might much more be said of this point to the like purpose yet who beleeueth these things according to the words of our Sauiour When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith on the earth teaching vs how hardly men should beleeue though hee gaue therein a fearefull watchword thereof to all that should come after which should make vs the better to looke to it so this complaint may as iustly bee made still at this day that wee are dull and slow of heart to beleeue this and such other truths as were vttered to vs by the Prophets and Apostles But that is our woe and misery for why should wee not rest quietly while the Lord takes part with vs that are his children and giues vs so faire and strong encouragement But let vs passe to the next point in this verse The other thing in this verse is this that the people should praise God for those that offered themselues readily and willingly to pursue Gods enemies which teacheth that such as doe the worke of God should goe about it willingly and cherefully For as he loueth a chearefull giuer so he doth a cheerefull doer of that which he commands and contrarily Cursed is he that doth the Lords businesse negligently It is therefore highly to bee reioyced in and God much to be praised for it where men are forward in Gods matters and where the waightier and more excellent they bee the more courage and delight men haue in the taking of them in hand Among the which I reckon the preaching of the Gospell and the profession of it with the duties of our particular callings and such like wherin to be forward cheerful as people be in hay and haruest in going to markets and faires it honoureth God highly and all such as behold it ought to praise God heartily for giuing such gifts to men as are rarely to be seene among them for they that doe so shew plainly that they looke for a reward from God when they can goe roundly and readily about businesse which other men so aukely goe about For the most part men be too forward and ready to leaud company keeping and to the sins of the time and other workes of the flesh but when they should obey the Lord or bee set about any good worke especially whereof no profit is like to redound to them they goe most aukely and vntowardly about it euen as the euill debter who is to do worke to his creditour to pay him And therefore fearefull and grieuous is the sinne of those loose liuers who if any bee forwarder and zealouser in Gods matters then other in duty doing to him ward them they mocke and discourage who yet sinne grieuously in that they be not companions with them But of this the lesse because I haue spoken of it in the former chapter Thus much of this verse Now in the next in calling Princes and great persons to harken as they doe in this verse it is to teach them to know from whence their victories and all greatnes come and to ascribe them to the Lord according to Christs words in the prayer thine O father is kingdome power and glory for euer as for them there is not the least iot of the praise thereof due to them God honours them in that he will make them his instruments therein and furnish them with any gifts to that purpose I meane to doe him seruice And yet as though they were of absolute power of themselues forgetting the Lord that aduanced them they ascribe their great acts and victories to themselues as Senacherib against Hezechia and Benhadad against Ahab yea and this they did both of them before they had got the victory and did not tarrie till they had conquered their enemies and then crow ouer them which yet had been their great sinne and prided themselues in that they had done as Nabuchadnezzar in his Babell and therefore they were put to shame both of them most worthily being themselues brought vnder in a manner fit for such braggers as would thrust the Lord out from helping them nay rather they challenged euen him and opposed themselues against him as is to be seene in the story of both And therefore in one battell Benhadad lost an hundred and seuen and twentie thousand men so that hee and his euen a few that were left with him were constrained to flie and in the other battell wherein very many of his men were slaine hee was brought to greater shame and abacement as his last refuge to wit his seruants to goe to the King of Israel with ropes about their necks to entreate for their liues And as for Senacherib the Angell of the Lord flue an hundred foure score and fiue thousand of them in one night and such successe at least in the end haue all such as are like to them Hence it is that the Scripture for the further bewraying the pride and vanity of such vseth these phrases The Lord smote Beniamin before Israel The Lord fought for Israel And againe stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord c. And among other names the Lord is called strong in battell and the Lord of hosts And surely if a sparrow fall not to the ground without his wil neither is the lot without his disposition much more doe the euents
and hazards of warre depend vpon his prouidence being oft times matters of as great weight as the alteration of kingdomes and estates come to Now if Princes must know their victories and honour are giuen them of God then much more we inferiours ought to learne it well that we are beggers and haue nothing nay wee are worse then nought rather then that wee haue ought to glory of as it would soone appeare if we could be brought to consider aright of it euen what infection is in vs to taint and poyson all our actions or if the Lord should but thrust at vs for our euill deeds but euen as it were with his little finger Besides in this verse Debora declareth that shee will yea repeating her words that she will praise the Lord whereby it appeareth shee called Barak to it her selfe and sheweth that shee was so liuely quickened and stirred vp with the feeling of Gods goodnesse declared vnto them that she would doe that dutie if no other did For as the whole Church of God fared the better for this victory so she acknowledged her selfe a part to haue receiued great benefit thereby also and therefore as she was formost in the onset so is shee first in thankesgiuing and put not off the duty to the rest of the people but rather goes before other therein And indued so God worketh in his oft times that his seruants are so rauished with thinking vpon his louing kindnesse that they cannot bee satisfied with prayer and praise giuing to God in publike among other but they must doe it also by themselues alone as Dauid saith I will praise God in the congregation and I wil praise him in secret and they are so bent vnto it that if other should not yet they themselues as many as they can prouoke will do it as the noble man Ioshua said If al run to idolatry I and mine will serue the Lord. And if we consider it well how few weigh Gods goodnesse in publike blessings as in the late discouerie of the treason although many praise God openly for fashion and in ceremony we shall find it no more then needeth to practise this duty alone by our selues apart as we reade of the tribes oft times as well as among others else would not our Sauiour haue willed vs to goe alone euery one by himselfe into his chamber to pray as Isaac also did in the fields how little soeuer many be acquainted therewith and therefore finde the lesse benefit by the prayers and thankesgiuing which they make with others they being in great likelihood made but in hypocrisie or which others make for them Euery mans owne soule best knowes what cause hee hath of thankes better then others and accordingly let him professe it though there bee not many which will be brought to it And of Deboras first words in the song wherein shee stirred vp the Israelites to praise God and the reasons why thus much be said Vers 4. Lord when thou wentest out of Seir when thou departed out of the field of Edom the earth trembled and the heauens rained the clouds also dropped water 5. The mountaines melted before the Lord as did that Sinai before the Lord God of Israel 6. In the daies of Shamgar the son of Anath in the daies of Iael the high waies were vnoccupied and the trauellers walked through by waies 7 The townes were not inhabited they decayed I say in Israel till I Debora came vp who rose vp a mother in Israel IN the first of these two verses which also containe the beginning of their song Debora setteth downe the Lords great mercy in one example to her forefathers the people of Israel which had been shewed long before in the latter two shee maketh mention of his goodnesse toward them at that very time present In the great deliuerance mentioned in the former chapter but more particularly to speake of both and to begin with the first in the fourth and fifth verses we are to know that this story mentioned by her containeth the acts that were done by the Lord after he brought the people of Israel beyond mount Seir when Israel 38. yeeres after their going out of Egypt into the desert were come neare to the land of Canaan namely how wonderfully the Lord tooke part with his people there and ioyned himselfe vnto them against their enemies For he going with them in a pillar of fire and a cloud did terrifie their enemies the Ammorites in such wise that though the Israelites were vnexperienced in warre and strangers there and were weake and vnfit also for such worke yet their enemies could not resist them and not onely so but she saith that the Lord cast such a feare vpon them as if the earth had trembled and great stormes and tempests had been cast downe from the clouds and as if the mountaines had melted and been shaken By these allegoricall speeches she describeth the feare that was smitten into the Amorites at Israels comming neare them when the Lord brought them out of Egypt And further shee addeth to the same end that euen as mount Sinai for so it must bee vnderstood though the word like as bee not expressed at the Lords comming downe vpon it was shaken and moued so did the nations at the comming of Israel feare and were terrified And in laying out Gods kindnesse thus towards her fathers long before shewed to them as commonly this is reckoned to be one that he brought them out of Aegypt thorow the fearefull wildernesse to Canaan in many other places of the Scripture her meaning is to declare that hee shewed not this fauour now of late onely to them who liued at that time but of old and long agoe also to his people in former ages as they stood in need of his aide diuersly and that for their sakes also And if wee obserue the Scriptures which are a glasse of Gods administration and gouerning of his Church we shall see that there is little mention made of other nations of the earth or their affaires but the bent of them is wholly as it were with a streight line directed to the Churches vse and benefit as either to punish or blesse them for his people sake To this his Church all his workes of loue mercie iustice wisedome prouidence are referred for though God be the Sauiour of all yet especially of the faithfull in his Church From whence wee are to learne that God hath in all ages bin bountifull and gracious to his Church as well as now euen to our forefathers in their daies and so from age to age as it is written his mercie endureth for euer For it hath been deare to him as the spouse or bride to the Bridegrome And his loue hath been more hot then fire that cannot be quenched with much water And to this end hee hath been so affected to it that it might know that he loueth it as hee saith in Exodus If
ye will diligently attend to my voice and keepe my couenant ye shall be my chiefe treasure in all the earth though all the earth be mine A doctrine most needfull to be made vse of among vs seeing his people be as deare to him now as in any age past and he did neuer so cleerely testifie his loue to his Church in any generation heretofore since Christ or before as hee hath done to this And if it were beleeued and wee throughly perswaded of it there were nothing like to draw vs more neerely to Christ nor to set our hearts and delight vpon him then the oft and due meditation and thinking on it whether we speake of those who are in Christ alreadie or of such as lie yet in vnbeliefe to draw and perswade them For these should be better incouraged by many degrees more then they be now to labour to taste how good the Lord is and they who haue alreadie begun should breake through all lets and difficulties which doe much hold them backe farre more easily then now they doe to be vnited more neerely vnto him their head Whereas it may be spoken with griefe that in stead hereof many professing well euen where Gods loue is made knowne doe cleaue to the pleasures of sin profits and preferments howsoeuer come by rather then to striue to enter in at the streight gate and the best are too backward considering that if we haue any treasure in heauen our hearts must needs be there also set on heauenly things but they who mind earthly things aboue other which should be all in all with them and doe as seldome thinke rightly of either of both and yet would be thought to doe otherwise are no beautie but a blemish to the Christian life Oh how lamentable is it then that so many still remaine as the old world out of the Arke and the latter world out of the Common-wealth of Israel so these euen as aliants from the Church For though all crie The Church The Church because they heare there is no mercie blessing or saluation out of the Church yet as if Baptisme were sufficient they seeke not the priuiledges of the Church effectuall calling faith charitie and sanctification and the fruites thereof and therefore they are still little better then the scumme and ofscouring of the common band of the wicked who hauing no title no promise no God no hope but are out of Gods precinct and gouernment and therefore wee may say of these The Church is wanting in the Church All Gods mercie and whatsoeuer is excellent in him are out of their reach no such priuiledges appertaine vnto them because they are not separated from the wicked whom the soule of the Lord abhorreth Againe in that God made the enemies afraid of his people at their comming thither it was his great loue toward them to honour them so highly among those who contemned and hated them and if hee had not so fauoured and taken part with them they had been vtterly discouraged and ouerwhelmed by them And he would teach vs thereby that though his children be basely esteemed and contemptible among the prophane worldlings who are busily set to follow their pleasures and profits scorning religion as too base for them yet he makes them oft afraid of them when it pleaseth him and their consciences doe accuse them that seeing their own waies are euill and that the others good do please him that they shall come to iudgement when the other shall lift vp their heads and reioyce I herefore it is said that Herod feared Iohn Baptist and when he had beheaded him yet hearing that Christs fame was great a little after hee was afraid that he had been Iohn and that he was risen againe from the dead to be reuenged of him So when the iudgement of God fell vpon Ananias and Saphira for their dissembling and the people saw that God did honour his Apostles and magnifie their ministerie among many it is said that great feare came vpon the wicked who knew that they liued not after the Apostles doctrine neither liked their course insomuch as they durst not through an accusing conscience ioyne themselues to them whom God honoured for feare least they should haue been brought foorth openly and bewrayed by some iudgement of God for their halting as Ananias was So Felix though he were Pauls Iudge yet trembled and was afraid when hee heard him boldly to preach of iustice and temperance meete for his place but farre from him and of the iudgement to come and yet Paul himselfe was then without all feare thereof Sehon and Og trembled and were afraid to see the high hand and outstretched arme of the Lord wherewith Israel was carried It was not for naught that the Lord expostulated so with the man who came among those that were bidden to the feast not hauing on his wedding garment saying vnto him What doest thou here without it for the man was euen speechlesse and could not for feare and astonishment vtter his words The Lord will haue all such to know that the companie of his faithfull people is not for the prophane and for scorners by the which example and many other such he hath as it were put a bridle in the mouthes of many that though they despise Gods people yet they shall not be without feare of them and therfore he cast the dread of his people vpon them as here it is said And hath it not been seene in the late persecution of the Protestants in this land in the time of Poperie which some yet aliue can testifie to be true that many of the persecutors were more terrified in hearing their answers to them and beholding the boldnes and courage that was in them then the Martyrs themselues were terrified by their sentence of death read and pronounced against them And be we no lesse assured of this that many ill disposed people who would wish that there were neither God nor iudgement nor any better liuers then themselues yet they are constrained of times to say the godly life is best and yet fret to see it in the practisers of it being void of it themselues Oh therefore happie is the people whose God is the Lord Iehoua and blessed are they that haue him for their King And let this vphold content and delight all such though they seeme to be the vilest and most miserable of all other God will not forget their longing to be dissolued and to be with him and know they while they doe so their worst day in the week shall be farre better then the others best in the yeere And howle ye despisers and tremble and vanish away for that ye see great is their portion whom ye hate with the Almightie and your selues cast out of his fauour and habitation and euen so in your aduersitie day of Gods visiting you as Diues in hell had sense thereof ye doe acknowledge it The old
world scoffed at Noah his building the Arke till the flood came and then his former preaching terrified them In like manner I say if we walked in our innocencie with vprightnes and reuerence among men the Lord would worke astonishment in the wicked and reprobates and the very godlinesse of his people should conuince and amase the beholders and contemners as Pharaos troopes were when they said The Lord fighteth against vs for Israel The next verses I referre to be handled in the next Sermon THE THIRTIE ONE SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw to goe forward these two next verses are the sixth and seuenth wherein is set downe their late receiued fauour of God as in the two former verses his loue of old to their fathers hath been spoken of In these two to the end that this their deliuerance by the Lord may be seene to be the greater and his loue to them she laieth out the desolation that they were in before the victorie that one contrarie might the better be seene by the other The holy Ghost therefore sheweth in what afflicted state the Church of God was by reason of their sinne and that from the death of Ehud till Debora got the full victorie For though Shamger and Iael did worthily and valiantly in their place yet Israel was sore oppressed after the death of the one and before the great act of the other so as passage by the high waies traffique iudgement and habitation in their villages were intercepted vntill now and Israel was constrained to keepe themselues in strong and well fenced Cities vnlesse they would become a prey to the Canaanites And this oppression continued by Iabin till Debora was raised vp by God and till her gouernment began Of Iael we reade not of any great thing that she did before neither is it like that she had done any because she had peace with Iabin and Sisera also fled to her as to a trustie friend and therefore it is like that she is named with Shamger for honour sake because shee liued in these troublesome and dangerous times and because shee did one worthy peece of seruice afterwards And heere by these calamities of the people of Israel and the desolation that they had been in when all good liberties and pleasant things were taken from them it is right worthie our consideration to thinke what a fauour of God it is that together with the true preaching of the Gospell all the forementioned commodities are enioyed of vs namely outward peace in the land and that we may dwell safely vnder our vine and figge tree and may eate of the fat and drinke of the sweet that wee may safely trauell and passe throughout all places and countries of this dominion by the protection of good lawes and that we haue exchange of our commodities with the benefit of good neighbourhood and husbandry to the preseruation of our liues and the maintaining of our families c. All these this people had been depriued of whereas the want of any of them would soone driue vs to complaine heauily and cry out Oh we do little consider how deepely yea how infinitely wee are bound to to the Lord for these liberties and for the great good wee may reape and enioy thereby And yet these many good things which the Lord hath vsually bestowed vpon vs and daily doth blessed bee his holy name therefore wee thinke because all the land enioyeth them as well as our selues wee owe no speciall duty of acknowledging them more then we see the most doe which is not worth the speaking of nay we looke for them by due and good right and which is worst of all many do spend them wastfully and to the maintaining and encreasing of diuers sinnes among them which we durst not do if wealth and quietnesse were wanting so truly the Wise man speaketh of one of them the rich mans riches are his strong city and as an high wall in his imagination And in a word we haue so little leisure to thinke of God his goodnesse that by abusing his benefits wee hast to bring vpon our selues the same misery which these were in vnder and especially after this Shamgar and before God stirred vp this Debora among them Oh how doe we prouoke our good God to cast vs into some fore calamities as they heere were in that we might cry to him by feeling the smart thereof as some daily doe whom God would haue to bee examples to the rest lest many should tast of their diet but fearefull it is for all this to see how few are the better for all the iudgements of God that bee vpon themselues or that they behold others for the same sinnes which they both commit boldly but runne on till their course come to suffer yet worse and heauier things at Gods hands for them But while wee cannot amend it in others let vs bewaile it in them which is a right property of true loue praying also for them and for our owne parts let this example of these their calamities so many and grieuous as haue been spoken of cause vs to account of Gods goodnesse so highly in withholding them from vs that they may make vs fruitfull thereby in euery good worke especially seeing wee haue many other good encouragements thereto and also for that when wee want them we say wee can doe little good without them But now in that she addeth Till I euen I Debora arose we must take it farre otherwise then it soundeth not ascribing her words to a passion of womanish impotencie and boasting much lesse to a contempt of Barak who was the instrument of the victorie as well as her selfe but to the heauenly exaltation of her spirit lifted vp pathetically to praise the Lord for the great deliuerance wrought by her as we see the like in Dauid in the Psalmes Paul and others And this deliuerance being wrought by Debora teacheth that al the forementioned calamities being remoued from the people by her their gouernour at that time it teacheth I say what great things the Lord worketh by the Magistrate and gouernour as he did by her shee being at that time the same to the people euen their Iudge in Israel But indeed this is done especially when they are zealous for Gods matters and doe their duties in their places and haue the spirit and affection of her euen to be mother like vnto the people who as shee gaue counsell to her inferiours as a mother to her children being a Prophetesse and deliuered them from their enemies being their Iudge So they being set ouer them as guides and Magistrates should bee vnto them who are committed to their charge euen like minded to her to wit to haue care that they may be taught though they be themselues no Prophets by such as are furnished of God to that purpose and with a motherly care to protect them from iniurie and wrong and to
bauds to adulterers and to spend that day leaud and vnseemely meetings and match-makings stage-playes and other reuell rout and all vnder the honest colour of exchanging commodities and maintaining their charge So that in stead thereof men and women set to sale their good name chastity sobriety and whatsoeuer else should bee pretious to the godly Now vnto these before mentioned of greater wealth and place whereas some thinke that in the next words shee speaketh to men of meaner state such as is said here dwelt by Middin a place they say where they met more vsually for a Mart or exchange of their wares which place being before intercepted by the enemies and now free for all to haue recourse to it and passe too and fro by the high waies shee exhorts them that repaired thither to praise the Lord. This opinion of theirs is gainsaid by the purest translations and beside one thing should bee vnderstood in both places to wit of traâ—â—ique and merchandise if it were so But the word Middin is not to be taken heere for the proper name of a place where wares were sold but the words dwelling by Middin are to bee translated thus sitting in iudgement As if she should say let men of authority and rich lawyers who may now sit in iudgement about ciuill causes let such praise the Lord because they may now doe it safely It is the honour credit peace and benefit of Magistrates and learned counsellors as also the welfare of the people that places of iudgement and iustice be frequented and vpholden as we see heere in England in our Terme times at Westminster and out of Terme in other places where equity and right are maintained and wrong and iniurie punished Oh it is a time full of desolation when through famine plague or any inâ—ection such places must lie vnoccupied in the times when they should be frequented and set a worke in deciding causes helping the innocent to his right and weeding out of euill doers Whereby we may gather how heauy times those were when iudgement ceased and the open places where iustice was ministred were laid wast and left voide And therfore we reade in the former chapter that the people could not enioy that liberty of publike iudgement seates but they were driuen to go priuately to Debora for iudgement not dwelling sumptuously in palace or castle famous in that respect or honourable but obscure vnder a Palme tree Now therfore as they when they might againe boldly and freely sit in iudgement are heere called to praise God for it So such persons with vs enioying such priuiledges ought to call themselues duely and daily to zealous thankesgiuing with such other duties as accompany the same yea their whole life should sauour thereof And they shall haue much to answere to God who do otherwise As for the people what duty they owe for enioying this benefit I will shew by a fitter occasion in the next verse But to let these goe of whom I haue spoke in this verse because Debora heere speaketh also to all such as went and walked by the way this should cause all such as goe to and fro about their businesse pleasure or other necessarie vses as trauellers to praise God highly for such liberties seâ—ing a little before that the high waies lay vnoccupied and to speake of the benefit thereof one to another to his praise and not to trauell to and fro in rude prophane and loose manner gabling like wild geese in vnciuill and rude sort as though they enioyed such liberties to offend God by them And much more ought their behauiour and communication to bee sober and Christian like when they goe to the house of God to bee edified by the word prayer and Sacraments and also when they returne home againe and in a word to walke harmelesse in all places which behauiour is much out of vse in this land and yet God bee thanked not altogether in some places But heere an end for this time THE THIRTIE TWO SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw to proceed with the rest that I haue begun withall heree Debora speaketh to the seruants that in going forth to draw water for their necessary vse were not free from the archers who shot at them and put them to much paine trouble and danger or feare at least thereby Where we see that as they who are in the meanest places of seruice are not to bee suffered to enioy their liberty to liue idly but to be imployed and occupied as Dauid when he was young kept his fathers sheep and set to worke that they may be maintained thereby and such ought to be thankfull when they may goe to it in peace so they are to bee admitted also and taken into the number of them that worship God in the assembly and therefore ought duly to bee brought thither by their gouernours and taught there to know him Euen such as cut wood and draw water the very droyles in houses as they are called who doe the most seruile workes and therefore in some countries such as keepe swine sheepe and cattell which is more base then to serue them onely euen these I say being of them who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ as well as other should be taught to honour God aright and to liue vnder his gouernment and therefore not suffered to liue brutishly as in some places they doe but be brought forth by their parents or rulers into the congregation of the faithfull to learne those things that concerne their happinesse and peace this being presupposed that there they shall be taught Which I speake to the shame of such masters and gouernours as neuer regard any such matter neither consider that they owe that education to them for the seruice they doe them and the vse they make of them and most of all that they owe it them by the band with which they are tyed to it by Gods commandement whereas the life of such is as miserable for their soule as they vnder the Turkes gallies for their bodies yea euen as asses who spend the day in toyle and then are thrust at night into emptie stables so are they sent after their tedious and brutish seruice vnto their wofull home and at last to hell as a heauie recompence of their labour Fie therefore vpon such tyrants And yet if some masters in conscience of the commandement doe for some it may be doe giue them more libertie to goe to the assemblie to worship God yet oft times another euill is in the way that when they come there they haue nothing taught them so that by one meanes or other all that list may see they die miserably of which sort oh that the number were not too great Thus much of these The next sort spoken to in this verse are they who dwelling in villages and vnwalled townes were left desolate and driuen from their habitations and they
meane experience of the truth of it but hard is the case of them who haue neither of both The third thing that made the Canaanites fight vnprosperously against Israel was the breaking of their horse hoofes with the oft beating together of the mighty The horse hoofes are naturally most sound and strong so that they be not easily cleft asunder nor broken but they ranne heere with such violence in that skirmish to saue themselues and so smote one against another that they broke their hoofes In which case wee know that they could neither sit their horses to pursue their enemies neither shift for themselues by flying This most liuely teacheth vs that no man should trust in his owne strength nor in the strength of an horse in charrets or in riches no not in Princes power nor in any earthly thing whatsoeuer It is as easie for the Lord now to leaue men and disappoint them in their vaine confidence of young yeeres great wealth hope of long life or such like as it was to plucke off Pharaohs chariot wheeles and heere to breake the horses hoofes of the Canaanites and so to bring vpon them destruction thereby Thus we haue heard in this second branch of this second part of this chapter how hard and ill successe the Canaanites had in this battell Vers 23. Curse ye Meroz said the Angell of the Lord curse the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the helpe of the Lord to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty 24. Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed aboue other women blessed shall she be aboue women dwelling in tents 25. He asked water and she gaue him milke she brought forth butter in a lordly dish 26. She put her hand to the naile and her right hand to the workemans hammer with the hammer smote she Sisera she smote off his head after she had wounded and pierced his temples 27. He bowed him downe at her feete hee fell downe and lay still at her feet hee bowed him downe and fell and when he had sunke downe he lay there dead IN these verses and this part of the song followeth the third and last branch of the second part of the chapter wherein Debora first setteth downe the wrath of God against such as refused to helpe in the worke of the Lord as were the Merozites and that shee doth in this 23. verse And then she declareth the fauour of God toward them that helped therein besides those who were in the battell as Iael and this she doth in the other 4. verses More particularly in this 23. verse she calleth all in her song to curse this city with her for that it being neare the place where the battell was yet the inhabitants thereof refused to helpe their brethren being called thereto and requested The other tribes before mentioned had some kind of excusing themselues neither were desired though they knew of it but these beheld and yet would not set hand to helpe therefore they are thus dealt with But seeing it might be thought to come of stomacke and reuenge that shee pronounced such sharpe threats against them therefore she saith the Angell of God bad her sing so And thereafter we are to learne what we may doe about cursing that it is in no sort lawfull for vs to curse any man for to satisfie our owne reuenging mindes For when we deale in our owne matters we must loue our enemies and as our Sauiour teacheth blesse them that curse vs but if God it any time shew that hee will haue any to bee destroyed they who know his will they are to approue the same This is the harder to learne because that corruption which lurketh in vs and is chained vp from notorious breaking out willingly seeking the opportunity and pretence of zeale to shrowde it selfe vnder euen as a secret traitor seeing the dore open which leadeth to the Princes chamber dare not goe in alone but waiteth till some of the nobles or guard passeth in and in that company he cunningly conueyeth himselfe to worke mischiefe Pray we for grace therefore to watch the dore of our lips through which many good words of blessing passe and let vs beware that no cursed speech passe by also vnder what colour soeuer And thus did Dauid directed by God and other of the faithful who cursed Gods enemies as in the Psalme who yet as they were did otherwise in kind affection and the same not euill bewaile them As Samuel and Ieremy and our Sauiour did bewaile and weepe for the destruction of wicked men wherin we haue no doubt but they pleased God Now to such as demand what they shall doe to them who vexe the godly and rage against the Gospell the answere is that we are to pray God to change their minds or to weaken their power that they may not be able to doe the euill they would and if this be not granted then wee must craue strength to beare that which wee must goe vnder And heere wee must further learne on the contrary by the example of these of Meroz to obey God calling vs to any duty as they did who followed Debora and Barak and to helpe those that are in want and need especially if they follow their calling contrary to that which these men of Meroz and the people of Peniel and Succoth in the seuenth chapter did who denied to refresh Gedeon his men as they pursued his enemies and theirs But if these were pitifully handled and the men of Meroz cursed for not helping their brethren what thinke we shall be done to them who not onely helpe not the seruants of Christ but vexe grieue and oppresse them And if no other thing can disswade them from such a course yet let this that they themselues are euer like daily to bee taken hence by death then shall they come to their accounts as they see on euery side many to be who were as vnlike as they and while they remaine here they shall haue God against them who hath professed that hee will bee an enemy to those that are enemies to his And this of Meroz briefly for in so long a worke I am vnwilling to repeate the same thing often Now she calleth all Gods people to blesse and wish well to Iael as one blessed among other women of her linage and kindred who dwelt in tents as the Kenites did and repeateth the words for more force Thus the Lord would haue her commended vnto all posteritie to the rouzing vp of other who are slack and backward in all good things that when they shall see that God doth so highly account of the readinesse of some in his businesse other may be quickned to the same care in well doing For were this deeply imprinted in mens hearts and throughly perswaded to thē and often thought of that God knoweth their workes and is a plentifull rewarder of all that seeke to please
things that will stand by vs and whereof we haue good warrant from Gods owne mouth which cannot deceiue vs nor frustrate our hope And if yee aske what this reioycing is that I meane I answere this to know that our names are written in heauen and to endeuour to haue alwaies a good conscience both before God and men to haue ioy in the holy Ghost and to be perswaded that a crowne of glorie is laid vp for vs when wee shall once lay downe this tabernacle of our body and shall haue finished this our course in this manner In a word our ioy ought to be in the Lord and in his alsufficiencie And let this be to vs in stead of the boastings that other make here of their vaine vncertaine and deceiuable hope and ioy as this was of these heathen and prophane Ladies who might haue waited and hoped for Siseras ioyfull returne till their eyes had fallen out of their heads before they could haue enioyed that which they looked for but as farre from it then as at the first More particularly in this 30. verse Debora being a Prophetesse laieth out in her song how the Ladies did descant of the diuiding of the spoile in these two points that besides their goods euery souldier got a maide or two but Sisera had precious things namely garments of diuers colours wrought by the needle which were very costly By the first that they must needs so immodestly and vnchastly breake foorth as Debora saith they did speaking of the common souldiers that euery one got a maide or two at his pleasure which if it were so was vnmeete talke for women to haue in their mouthes it sheweth where there is no true knowledge of God and his word there whoredome is but a pastime and may-game a matter to laugh at euen among women as well as men yea euen in the aged themselues who should goe before others in sobrietie we shall behold yet a delight to speake of see and heare vncleane actions and reports euen as other weightie matters are also lightly set by of them Which is the lesse marueile that it was so with them when euen where the Gospell is preached it may be seene to be so In so much that they may praise God highly who haue receiued light and conscience to make difference betwixt good and euill and to abhorre and haue in detestation this vngracious and rotten kinde of speech not beseeming Christians and all such cursed workes of darknesse which to doe is farre off from them who liue in darknesse and walke in vnbeliefe But these Ladies ascribe to Sisera the costliest and best things as we haue heard Where besides that wee see that they and all such deceiued themselues in their erroneous conceits as hath been shewed before so wee may see what are the things which be in best account with the ignorant and vnbeleeuers and they are iolitie earthly glorie and things costly and precious in the estimation of men As for thankes to God of whom they receiue all and for making heauen their treasure and portion it is no such matter as they are acquainted with or doe almost dreame of Which is still to teach Gods seruants how great their portion is who haue not the things of greatest price in this world their rest and treasure but things durable and eternall but more of this before Now by this acclamation with ioy Debora concludes her song praying that as Sisera triumphed so might al Gods enemies meaning that as he was destroyed so all like enemies of God might be and on the contrarie that all who loue the Lord may not only be preserued but multiplied and beautified with all good things euen as the Sunne groweth in his beautie to the noonetide Where first in that Sisera was shamefully slaine and returned no more home with victorie as his mother also did feare as much let vs learne that the euill which the wicked feare shall light vpon them Their feares are many as both the Scripture testifieth that feare shall be vpon them on euery side euen as their sorrowes also are many And whereas I noted before that they doe please themselues greatly in their hope of the best things some may thinke I contradict my selfe in saying they are afraid and fearfull I answere they may haue both feare I meane and hope at diuers times and yet neither of them good but hope deceiuable and feare troublesome Beside wicked persons are not all of the same kinde and feare is seene most in them who are least euill but boldnes is in the worser sort all wicked men incline to feare properly and naturally for it is a companion to sinne ignorance and vnbeliefe but they hope and presume wilfully and labour to expell feare which though in great part they doe indeede yet because no violent thing is continuall therefore oft times they mistrust and feare and suspition of trouble comes in place againe And we may see that list to marke it that it is so as in Balaam who wishing that hee might haue died the death of the righteous feared that he should not doe so The same I may say of many other For why they running deep in debt with God their conscience accuseth them that they shall one time or other be called to their vnwelcome account and so the thing that they feare shall come vpon them And yet will they not come to agreement with God by iudging themselues that so they may not bee iudged of him but bee free from all feare as frailtie will permit of his iudgement and therefore refusing so to doe their feare iustly falleth vpon them The saying of Salomon proueth that they haue many feares where hee saith the wicked slieth when no man pursueth him that is through feare And that may be seene to haue possessed the very Pharisies who yet bare it out most boldly before men by the words of Nicodemus bewraying his fellow Pharisies ill conscience through feare saying to Christ We know that thou art a teacher sent of God and acknowledge thy great miracles as if hee should haue added this though wee will not be knowne of any such thing before men yet thus it is with vs when wee meete and talke of thee together and are afraid But some will aske What then shall we doe to such shall we aduise them to shake off their feares and plucke vp their hearts against them Doubtlesse no this were to fight against their conscience and to make it impudent and hardned which is much worse whereas it did before but accuse them but if they cannot preuent such feare by remouing the cause thereof which is their sinne let them next to that be perswaded to repent for it We reade of the third Captaine that came to Eâ—as that beholding his two fellowes deuoured with fire from heauen for doing their message to the Prophet so imperiously and boldly he came
benefits to them as the other did and deliuerances and chargeth them with disobedience also Out of these words wee may see it is a fit time for preaching to worke when men are inwardly stung with smart of their afflictions as it appeareth these were when the man of God was sent to preach vnto them for then mâ—n will suffer themselues more easily to be reproued for their sinnes and will cause themselues as they see cause and the word is receiued into their hearts more readily whereas they are otherwise most commonly hardned and hate to be reproued And yet further then men come prepared to our daily and ordinarie preaching it profiteth them nothing The danger is this that they are like to quench the spirit after and to dull the edge of such good beginnings of grace in them which will most certainly come to passe if they be not carefull to stirre them vp daily Men while they haue elbow roome thinke that the preacher yea God himselfe must be beholding to them for their hearing but when God hath them cooped in a narrow compasse his roddes being held ouer them then the Preacher is welcome yea sought to earnestly and God is plied with confessions and prayers We see it though with griefe and haue too great experience of it in the practise of the secure and irreligious sort who though they mind not God all the yeere long yet fall to prayer and deuotion when some great thundring lightning and tempest doth astonish them and when the likelihood of death is vpon them His word they heare daily without any great reuerence but his terrible workes seene and felt though but seldome make them hide themselues in corners for feare By whose example we see what need the Lord hath to bore eares into our soules by terror and amasing iudgements as Iob speakes chap. 33. because his word is wound about mens fingers and made but as the confused noise of many waters and as a sound beating the aire going in at one eare and out as fast at the other Let not such boast themselues as are spared except they applie themselues to the hearing of Gods voyce by the Minister who can skill to doe his message with more regard and earnestnes for either the more is behind if they belong to God and they must haue somewhat to quicken their appetite thereto and to make it sinke deeply into their hearts and worke vpon them powerfully for their good or else woe be vnto them the Lord in all likelihood hath cast them off and taketh no pleasure in them and greatly it is to be feared that when affliction shall come vpon them yet by reason of that their former vnbeliefe and contempt of instruction they shall doe them little good The thing that they should doe is this when the Lord laieth his hand vpon them let them examine themselues touching their affection to the word and how little they were moued by it in the time of their health prosperitie and so they may easily finde that their blockishnesse and carelesse or vnprofitable hearing their deadnes fulnes of stomacke and such like with earthlinesse wearinesse wandring drowzinesse c. haue caused the Lord to send such trials vpon them be they inward or outward as might grinde off their flat and blunt edge and set on a sharper and keener vpon them that with desire and meeknes they may embrace the word and finde it sauourie to their taste till it haue wrought vpon them as it ought that is euen to cast them into the mould of it And this let such know that if their afflictions tame them not nor meeken their spirits vnder the hand of God but that they fight against him as Pharao did and will not see and vse well this season which is offered them that if they be deliuered once againe out of them they may haue sound preaching in all high reuerence let them know I say that their case is wofull and desperate For as the Lord saith in the like case by his Prophet O people how shall I intreate thee or what shall I doe vnto thee So he may say vnto them for he hath no other physicke then his word mercies and chastisements If none of all them can breake the heart there is no helpe nor hope that if he should vse extraordinary courses which they are not to looke for that hee should preuaile any more with them then he did with the Priests who going against their consciences in bringing Christ to his death were no more moued with his resurrection Therefore they are wisest who put not the Lord to this extremitie but hearken to him when he speaketh and offereth them faire by the voyce of his messengers and deferre not till affliction as a second warning be sent vnto them lest then also they be found alike vnprouided and being hardned lest God should not vouchsafe them that mercie to mollifie soften them as the truth is they who tempt him so farre by presumption doe not easily recouer themselues though God doe visit them by his corrections or iudgements but rather for the most part go further from him and increase their rebellion But whether these men cried out being forced thereto by their many and sore afflictions or no this is sure that when the man of God had deliuered his message to them and had shewed them their vnthankfulnes to God for their many deliuerances and had conuicted them of their disobedience they did then crie out in token of their great griefe for their offending God as their fathers before had done Here not to repeate the same things which I noted before out of the like words vttered at Bochim this is to be marked that the Lord here sent his messenger as he did there to call the people to consideration of themselues and their doings and we see what need they had thereof All generations declare what they are and to what wrack and ruine they come who are not helped and that in due time and season with this wholesome instruction from God that the righteous smiting them they may not fall into the hands of the vngodly to be rung about by them to their vtter shame and reproch and so fall into the iawes of the diuell to be vndone without recouerie And when the Lord dealeth so graciously with any as that they may enioy this benefit of sound teaching let them beware that they harden not their hearts at the hearing of it the oftner they heare the happier it is for them but with meekenes receiue it that it may bring foorth fruite in them plentifully euen to eternall life The Prophet who was sent vnto them puts them first in minde of Gods benefits and many deliuerances from their enemies The next thing here to be considered of vs out of these words in the 8. and 9. verses beside that which we haue heard by the like occasion is this that we record
Midianites as farre as that lasted to carrie them By this we learne that God seeth it expedient in his wisdome sometime to leaue the godly long vnder the crosse and not to put an end to their troubles by and by as ordinarily he vseth to doe according to that which is said in the Psalme Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning And againe He that commeth will come and not tarrie But he knoweth well that when he vseth so to doe wee commonly conceiue hope thereby that our affliction be it sicknesse disease losse or any such will not hold vs long and therefore our deuotion is more short and cold and we in so doing neither honour God nor haue any proofe of our faith and patience neither experience another time after how to beare our trouble aright For the which cause the Lord sometime disappointeth our false hope and putteth vs to greater plunges by holding vs longer in our affliction to the end we may search our selues deeplier and we may be more throughly touched with the feeling of our sinnes and rebellions and so turne to him in faith and amendment For this cause the Lord holdeth vs sometime on the racke the longer as in paine sicknesse or penurie as also bondage to such as haue superioritie ouer vs and vse it to our great disquiet and wearying of vs and we pray and long to be deliuered but the Lord seemeth not to heare vs pray but letteth the burthen remaine still vpon vs. Wherefore thinke we doth he so when he professeth that he afflicteth not willingly neither delighteth therein and yet we lie in paine and griefe I answere the Lord seeth wee be not yet tamed and humbled sufficiently great hath the pride of our hearts been our inconstancie vnfaithfulnesse vncharitablenes also with other sinnes and our mindes are set on the world excessiuely and wandring after our diuers lusts And we are like to returne to these courses againe if we were set at libertie as soone as we desire therefore doth he seeke to weane vs from these and the like by continuing such vnwelcome crosses vpon vs. So wee are for the same causes depriued oft times of our deare companion in mariage which is a great part of death it selfe or driuen from our owne habitation into the fearefull prison which taketh much from the delight of liuing yea and we are tried with sudden dearth as oft times by excessiue raine and wet sometime by drouth as Gedeon here was in as hard a case being driuen to flie from his owne dwelling in a manner famished In these the like God leaueth his seruants for the causes which I haue mentioned and also to the end that his deliuerance and ease giuing after them all may be the more precious when it commeth hauing been so long desired and thirdly to this end he holdeth his roddes the longer ouer vs that patience may haue her perfect worke in vs and himselfe haue the whole praise An example of this which hath been said wee haue in Ioshua 7. where the people hauing promise of Gods assistance went against the men of Al not making question but they should speed as well as they had done before at Iericho But loc on the sudden they were smitten before their enemies This astonisht them till the Lord tels Ioshua the cause Ye looke saith the Lord it should be with ye as at other times but I see cause of the contrarie Looke well into the matter and ye shall find that there is sacriledge among ye and therefore ye cannot stand before your enemies So that though they were doing the worke of God yet because there was found in them this infection it made the Lord to crosse their hopes that so they might purge out their sinne and goe about the worke in a better manner Many wonder why the Lord saieth them long vpon their sicke beds whereas if they had their health they say they should worship him in publike and priuate with more cheerefulnes Wheras the Lord aimeth at a further matter and would purge out their coldnes hypocritie carelesnesse and other sinnes accompanying them euen in their good duties that so they may returne thereto with more reuerence and conscience We reade that Paul after his great lifting vp into heauen was buffered with vnwelcome temptations which though hee prayed that he might be rid of yet the Lord suspended his helpe that Paul might be humbled and fitted to vse his knowledge the more fruitfully Now followeth the salutation of the Angell the Lord is with thee thou valiant man If we marke the ebbe and low estate of Gedeon as we haue heard it was wonderfull to heare this newes brought him that the Lord was with him as it was lamentable to see in what distresse he was when hee heard the words of this message vttered to him For it was as much as if the Angel had said the Lord loueth thee as one of his deare ones and he is with thee euen now to comfort and preserue thee euen in this thy oppression and therfore none shall be against thee to hurt thee This was much to be said in such a time of calamitie to such an afflicted person And yet wee must know that it yeeldeth to vs the like instruction That euen in great outward troubles and inward disquietnes of minde when a body would thinke that God and all good men were our aduersaries yet in all this is God with vs whom he hath made a couenant with yea he loueth and careth for vs as deare and precious vnto him euen as Christ Iesus the sonne of his loue was though without beautie among men and as a withered branch despised Esay 53. Therefore the spouse in the Canticles saith I am blacke but comely O ye daughters c. meaning that the Lord Iesus her husband esteemed no whit lesse of her neither was she any whit lesse amiable in his eye being tanned in the sunne then when she was in her perfect beautie Indeede the sinne which causeth the Lord to afflict is odious but the affliction it selfe argueth that he makes much of vs because thereby he would purge out of vs that which he misliketh which affliction when it hath wrought kindly the Lord can soone change our hew and restore our former beautie as Iobs example witnesseth The reason is this he hauing once testified his loue freely vnto vs before at our effectuall calling and shedding it plentifully into our hearts by the holy Ghost saying to our soules I am your saluation and your exceeding great reward and your God alsufficient and binding vs to beleeue the same he remaineth like himselfe and changeth not and therefore hee requireth that wee should doe the same that is by faith hold it fast in our perswasion that he doth so And this is more that the Lord is so affected to vs in the depth of our afflictions as if we were freed
from them all and were in the middest of all prosperitie which is hardly beleeued for the time while the crosse oppresseth vs. The vse of this is that we labour aboue all things to be builded vp in our most holy faith that as by it wee ouercome other difficulties in the world so we may thereby ouercome this feare and doubt also in the middest of our calamities namely that in our tribulations wee may not shrinke backe from this perswasion that for all these yet God is with vs according to that which the holy man saith in the Psalme yet God is good to Israel euen to all that are of an vpright heart though in outward shew it might seeme otherwise And againe Out of the deepe he meant of sorrowes he cried vnto the Lord and he heard and deliuered him And to make one point of two the same vse we ought to make of the other words of the Angell in calling him valiant man which was true because God said it yet to Gedeon vnlikely to be so and yet he found it afterwards to be so Let it teach vs to giue God his due namely that he be beleeued in al that he saith yea that he saith vnto vs though we be not able to see nor feele so much for the present time as neither Gedeon did A point worthie to be marked seeing where God giueth good testimonie of his fauour or reuealeth his will in any thing we are not as readie to ioyne with him for the most part but doe faint and doubt because wee see not with bodily eyes as Thomas desired to doe the thing promised as we would And whereas this troubleth many that the wicked take occasion hereby to despise them when they see that God seemeth not to regard them while hee so abaseth them let such know that their mistaking of the matter their false surmising of Gods good meaning to them shall not hurt them if they fixe the eyes of their mindes vpon this that God is vnchangeable constant in al his waies also if they can learne to esteeme of themselues according to that knowledge and inward feeling they haue had of Gods ancient loue and regard of them in times past and so doing the more their enemies scorne them the neerer the Lord is to them to take away their reproch But this is well and cleerely laid out in the next verse therfore I will passe to that It appeareth in this verse that as neere as God was to Gedeon yet he saw it not but concludeth that seeing he and the people of the land were vnder such oppression by the Midianites that it could not be well with them neither could he beleeue that God was with him And he confirmes himselfe therein by a reason though of no strength thus God was indeed with our fathers he saith when he brought them out of Egypt wrought many miracles for them but hee did not so now for him and the people therefore how could he thinke said he that God was with him now This spake Gedeon from an heauie heart euen then when the Angell was sent directly to him with glad tidings But let vs further examine his words and make our benefit of them In saying the Lord could not be with him while the Midianites so oppressed them he shewed his great weaknesse as I said in the former verse affirming that he could not beleeue while hee saw it to be so with him Whereby we may see how hardly the faithfull can be perswaded that the Lord is with them in affliction how ready soeuer they bee to acknowledge it at other times which I speake not as though none were for both the three children cast into the hoat burning furnace and Daniel into the Lyons denne haue left most worthy testimonie of their inuincible faith in their great extremitie with many other both in ages past and now among vs. But yet in time of calamitie it must needs be said especially if it belong and smartie that our corrupt nature which is vntoward and hardly suffereth vs to giue credit to Gods promises is furthest off then from letting vs see into them and beleeue them and the diuell is readiest to worke vpon our weakenesse at such times and to take the opportunitie thereof to feare and terrifie vs and with his fiery darts of vnbeliefe to pierce our hearts whereby it is with vs too oft and vsually as it was here with Gedeon in so much that the Lord being euen then neare vs by his promises of comfort and incouragements which were sufficient to content and stay vs yet wee see it not neither thinke it to be so seeing we giue not our selues to studie and consider aright of this point which distrust of ours is as vnbeseeming vs as it is burdensome to vs. The remedie must be that which I spake of before and shall haue cause to mention it againe and that is to rest vpon the word and promise of God though we see not present helpe as Christ said to Martha Did I not tell thee thou shouldest see the glorie of God if thou canst beleeue As for profane persons who want faith what wonder if they measure Gods loue by their present flourishing and liuing in ease or wealth and by their enioying of these outward things below whereby their lusts may bee satisfied And what wonder if they iudge it impossible in their deepe distresses and crosses that euer they should wade out of them As wee reade of that Prince of Iehoram in Israel in a fore famine who hearing the Prophets message from God touching suddaine plentie that should bee on the next day hee said Though the Lord would make windowes in Heauen to powre downe corne and prouision yet this thing could not come to passe What was this else but a bold presuming in great blindenesse of that which hee apprehended not and a very derision of the prophecie And the like we see daily in such brutish people who hearing vs preach this doctrine of depending vpon Gods all sufficiencie by faith euen in affliction doe little better then scoffe at it Giue vs wealth say they and corne and wine giue vs our fill of meate and drinke and money and as for faith take it whose will Therefore while they prosper they are as merry as Nabal but if God giue them a suddaine blow it strikes them downe flat they neither haue any armour to beare off the dint thereof neither faith to beleeue that it shall euer be any better with them but much worse Their euill conscience makes them feare that this trouble or that disgrace either sicknesse or losse will be their vndoing and as Hamans friends comforted him so they doe themselues Hest 6. and that was thus Thou shâ—lt surely fall And yet in their iollitie who haue such apparance of hope and so great confidence in their estate that it shall continue as they Better
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
the Angell saith to Gedeon about conquering the Midianites haue not I sent thee So the two Disciples that went from Ierusalem to Emaus when our Sauiour went into their companie in the way bewraied their vnbeliefe concerning his resurrection that day This day they say hee should haue risen againe but because they heard not of it they did not think that there was any such thing But did not our Sauiour shew them their fault so as they saw it for they knew that it was euen he who they said should haue risen againe that day Of Mary and Martha the like may be said who were both beleeuers in Christ and beloued of him yet when Christ went about to raise vp Lazarus and to that end asked them where they laid him did they not shew that they thought it could not be now done and therefore answered Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead foure daies And yet that they might see their weaknes in beleeuing Christ raised him vp which they thought impossible In all these and in Gedeon wee may cleerely see our faces as in a glasse For in a crosse especially if it bee any thing smartie and sharpe although we gaue testimonie of our faith before and that with ioyfulnes yet now in the triall of vs how poorely are wee armed to goe through it and perswaded of the good issue of it Doe we not hang downe the head and faint and say within our selues this crosse will be our vndoing And againe it cannot turne to our good neither could any haue been so vnwelcome to vs. For example if wee be depriued of our deare companion in mariage or lose some round summe of money or be otherwise impaired in our wealth or vnder some strange paine doe we say as in time of peace in meeknes of spirit the Lord who loueth vs hath done this for our good euen he that cannot suffer the winde to blow vpon vs hath sent it Doe we say It must be thus and is expedient for vs It is long first I feare and full faintly done if we doe it at length and few attaine thereto And yet doe wee not see in these and the like the marueilous hand of God how hee sendeth light in darknesse ioy in heauines and as it were life in death Doth not God bring vs through them otherwise then wee looked for and doth he not make vs see and afterward acknowledge that such affliction was good for vs Euen as he said to Gedeon here doth the Midianites oppressing of you seeme impossible to be auoided Behold then euen thou shalt doe that which seemeth impossible and shalt subdue and ouercome them Thus wee see how we should make our profit of this answere Gedeon receiuing this answere from the Angell that he should deliuer Israel doth now in this fourth point aske of the Angell by what meanes hee shall do so great a matter For these words by diligent considering of them we find not to be spoken doubtingly as before but as inquiring and asking a question as if he should say I doubt not but that shall be done which is promised but I aske by what meanes it shall be brought to passe For hee sheweth that he is not of ability seeing he was but of a poore family in the halfe tribe of Manasseh which was also meane not mighty as some other and also for that he was the least in his fathers house His meaning was that he maruailes that he should deliuer Israel seeing he wanted all things which were required to so great a worke For warre could not be taken in hand by a poore man and one of a meane condition such an one as he knew himselfe to be seeing riches and power and authority especially were required thereto And if it be asked whither Gedeon offended in mouing this question seeing Sarah and Zachariah were reproued for the like question asking I am sure that so Abraham and the Virgin Mary asked the like and were not reproued as neither Gedeon was here Neither was it the mouing of the question that was found fault with but the doubtfull minde with which it was moued and therefore they two doubting were found fault with that is Zacharias and Sarah Abraham and Mary were not neither therefore Gedeon as appeareth by the answere of the Angell who reproued him not but answered his question And by this we may learne that as questions moued with doubting of that which the Scripture resolueth vs of is euill so to moue questions where we are ignorant of weighty points which we would be resolued of is commendable in all matters that tends to edification and most of all in and about those which are most necessary as Paul himselfe and the Iailer before their conuersion and after they began to looke after their saluation did so to wit asked questions about it And to be slacke and backward in seeking of resolution in such cases where we are ignorant and haue cause to inquire and aske is in no wise to be liked but rather threatens great hurt and danger whereof more might be said but occasion hath bin already offered to speake of this duty of seeking relation in doubtfull cases both in opinion and conscience before The Angell answeres him without rebuking him and satisfieth him in that which he demanded that is how he should be able to doe such a worke saying howsoeuer in warre ordinarily taken in hand riches power and care requisite yet in this my power without them shall suffice for thou shall saue Israel not by them but by my power because I will be with thee and by the strength that I will giue thee And so God answered Moses when he sent him to Pharaoh to deliuer his people out of Egypt to Iosua in like manner when he should lead the children of Israel after him into the lande of promise And so Gedeon here was satisfied especially by these words of the Angell to wit that he should smite Midian as if they were but one man euen as it was all one for the Lord to destroy one as it was tenne hundred thousand And this came to passe when the Midianites slue one an other So that in vsing meanes to serue Gods prouidence we doe well when we see God his meaning to be that we should do so but alway with this caueat that we take heed of Asa his sin who is said to haue made his Physitians his God by seeking to them and trusting in them not seeking God in them But let vs euer beware least we grow to that profanenes which we read of in that cursed Rabshaketh I meane to iustle God out from our enterprises saying as he did Counsell and strength are for the warre and so not to trust in the Lord our God This speech here vttered by the Angell to Gedeon I will be with thee the Lord vseth oft times and not alwaies in the same particuler meaning
that his afflicted people should be comforted for thus he saith there as also in many other places comfort ye comfort ye my people As if he should say comfort them euen at the heart And this aduice had so much the more neede to bee receiued of them because when they begin once to be heauy they forget that they were euer comforted and passe their bounds in heauinesse But when such distempered perturbations arise in vs and disquiet vs through an euill conscience and by meanes of some offending God willingly or negligently which by care we might haue auoided in which case wee haue no warrant to take comfort to our selues neither doth God at any time vse to comfort vs therein here the course that is to be taken is that we solemnely prostrate our selues before him accusing our selues and bewailing our sinne with broken hearts for mercy as well as looke for other deliuerance and he will returne to vs most graciously powre oile and wine into our wounds most sauourily and ease our griefe readily and all our feare shall be driuen away For if we doe well who as Saint Peter saith shall feare vs Ezekiah is a notable example of this who being in his sicknesse troubled with the feare of vntimely death whereby he feared iustly that the Church of God might the sooner be infected with idolatrie being not yet well setled in the true worship of God nor throughly purged made an heauie complaint as appeares Esay 38. not for that hee desired life simplie for it selfe as for the good of the Church But going to the Lord by prayer in this perplexitie for recouery the Lord staid his mind and sent his Prophet to encourage him both by promise and miracle and beare him word hee should recouer and then he goeth vp to the house of the Lord and makes a solemne thanksgiuing for his recouery But seeing many euen of Gods deare ones doe either not know how to repaire to God in this manner or if they doe yet they cannot humble their hearts therefore they trouble themselues with suffering the sting of an ill conscience to pricke them which in continuance of time is forgotten and being not kindly healed they soone breake out againe and so they make there life vnprofitable when it is at the best and till they cast vp that vnsauorie gorge by some great outward affliction which searcheth deepe or by some agonie of mind whereby they are brought by the helpe of some wise and experienced Minister to true repentance they come to no better estate Now followeth Gedeons thanksgiuing which clearely prooueth that hee receiued comfort and was well staied by the Angels words vnto him For whether we take it thus translated as it is by Tremelius he builded an altar to the Lord when he had pronounced peace to him or whether thus as in the Geneua translation it is read he builded an altar to the Lord and called it Iehouahshalom that is the Lord of peace I say in whether soeuer of these we take it it is a thanks to God yea and that in solemne manner for if he called him the Lord of peace who had giuen him double peace to wit both in freeing him from his dreadfull doubt first and afterward also from his feare And so Gedeon leauing that remembrance of his thankful hart there vnto posterity all may see that it was a solemne thanking of God And to the same end that tendeth which is said that he built the altar it was in token of his thanks after God had quieted his mind both about the deliuerance of the Israelites from the rage of the Midianites and also from his feare by seeing the Angell of God And therefore out of this action of Gedeons we learne to take all good occasions of thanks to God not onely ordinarily for daily benefits and priuately by our selues as well as openly but also as God shall giue vs occasion by such mercies bestowed vpon vs which are more then ordinarie as here he did to Gedeon and before this to Moses Ioshua Debora and others and doth oft times to vs in the yeere and in the seuen yeere by deliuerances protection and vnlooked for mercies and benefits And further as hee here did it in a solemne manner so ought we as much as in vs lieth for he left testimony of his thanks to those who came long after him But of thanksgiuing I haue spoken before THE FORTIE ONE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES VERS 25. And the same night the Lord said to him take thy fathers young bullocke and an other bullocke seuen yeeres old and destroy the altar of Baal that thy father hath and cut downe the groue that is by it 26. And build an altar vnto the Lord thy God vpon the top of this rocke in a plaine place and take the second bullock and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the groue which thou shalt cut downe 27. Then Gedeon tooke ten men of his seruants and did as the Lord bad him but because he feared to doe it by day for his fathers houshold and the men of the city he did it by night 28. And when the men of the citie arose earely in the morning behold the altar of Baal was broken and the groue cut downe that was by it and the second bullocke offered vpon the altar that was made 29. Therfore they said one vnto another who hath done this thing and when they inquired and asked they said Gedeon the sonne of Ioash hath done this thing 30. Then the men of the citie said to Ioash bring out thy sonne that hee may die for hee hath destroyed the altar of Baal and hath also cut downe the groue that was by it 31. And Ioash said to all that stood by him will ye pleade Baals cause or will yee saue him He that will contend for him let him die yer the morning if he be God let him pleade for himselfe against him that with cast downe his altar 32. And in that day was Gedeon called Ierubaal that is let Baalpleade for himselfe because he hath broken downe his altar OF the second branch of the fourth part of the Chapter we haue heard that is of Gedeons asking of a signe Now followeth the third containing the charge that God gaue him to the 33 verse For after all this that we haue heard before he begin the warre hee is commanded to destroy and cast downe idolatrie and to set vp true religion and worship of God And this is in these words Cast downe the altar of Baal and cut downe the groue that is by it and erect another and offer to God thereon which Gedeon did accordingly and this to the 28. verse And yet he did this with perill euen of his life as appeareth verse 30. but God stirred vp Ioash Gedeons father against the men of the citie and deliuered him out of their hands as we see
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
will Now both these did worke vpon him mightily and so wee then especially when with both our consciences can witnesse to vs that we haue cast off and purged out such sinnes wherein we liued before oh then I say we goe on roundly and readily in the duties wee take in hand And so on the contrary if we doe but crop them off by a present and slight dislike of them we shall sensibly and easily feele how awkelie and vntowardly wee goe to worke as the Israelites against the Beniamites Cap. 20. But of this point often by occasion before In blowing the trumpet to draw and call together the companie that should assist him marke who were said to follow him to the battell euen Abiezer meaning the people in his tribe and of the familie that he was of that had been so furiously bent and set against him for the ouerthrowing of Baal who also would haue had him put to death for the same which may bee maruelled at to see them so turned vnto him But the Lord no doubt changed their hearts and againe they saw no hurt fell out to Gedeon by Baal as the Barbarians to Paul by the viper which they verily looked for For many doe iudge of the professors of Gods worship according to the outward blessing and successe and especially beginners who yet in time grow to see into the matter better as they did Ioh. 4. who told the woman that though they were drawne by her to heare yet they beleeued then vpon a better ground as their owne knowledge But to returne againe If men that runne after vaine idols and all other that serue God amisse and not after his word would consider what they get thereby euen lesse then nothing and how they are deceiued in that wherein they put their trust they would seeke further and serue the Lord onely and him also according to his word with an vpright heart as knowing him to be a bountiful rewarder and pay master Yea and the godly would take more hart to themselues in Gods businesse if they considered how the Lord causeth many resisters and enemies of them and their goodnesse to turne to their practise and cleaue vnto their profession to worship at their feete and to serue God with them A worthie fruit of their innocency though it procured them but onely a good report and some generall allowance but when it draweth others to the heartie intertainment of the truth with them in the loue thereof it is much more But I noted somewhat of this point in Ioash vpon the entrance into the storie or else where The rest of the Tribes about him as Zebulon Asher and Naphtali followed him For though the Lord called Gedeon onely yet he could not alone fight against the enemies For our faith in God doth not exclude the helpe of men nor the second meanes which may lawfully and conueniently bee inioyed For Gods seruants are not led by faith to tempt God but to serue his prouidence as in wisdome they learne to doe And this is one especiall cause why God will furnish him whom hee calleth because hee giueth him grace to seeke assistance from him in all his enterprises and to serue his prouidence And so is one bound to helpe another where need requireth as the Tribes here did Gedeon Reade more of this Chap. 2. vers 3. THE FORTIE FOVRE SERMON ON THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH CHAPTERS OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES VERS 36. Then Gedeon said vnto God If thou wilt saue Israel by mine hand as thou hast said 37. Behold I put a fleece of wooll in the threshing place if the dew come on the fleece onely and it be drie vpon all the earth then shall I be sure that thou wilt saue Israel by mine hand as thou hast said 38. And so it was for he rose vp earely on the morrow and thrust the fleece together and wringed the dew out of the fleece and filled a bowle of water 39. Againe Gedeon said vnto God be not angry with me that I may speake once more let me prooue once againe I pray thee with the fleece let it now be drie onely vpon the fleece and let dew be vpon all the ground 40. And God did so that same night for it was dry vpon the fleece onely and there was dew on all the ground HOw Gedeon prepared to go to the warre against Midian we haue heard in the former 3. verses in which began the 4. point in the 4. part of the Chapter according to the diuision made in the eleuenth verse whereto wee may remember was adioyned his asking of a double signe And in these words the holy story sheweth that he being now furnished of the Lord with gifts as we haue heard and hauing gathered his army together and being gone to meete the enemies where they had pitched in these verses I say it followeth how he desired of God the first signe by the which hee might bee confirmed of and concerning the victorie The signe he asked was this that he putting a fleece of wooll on the threashing flore the dew might come on the fleece onely and it might be drie vpon all the earth Wherein he is maruelled at that for all the promise of God and confirming of him before he should doubt and aske a signe I answere vpon the due consideration of the thing that though it may be like inough that hee was not altogether void of blame yet hee did not herein tempt God as some did who asked a signe of Christs authoritie but desired onely to haue his faith confirmed thereby which would otherwise haue wauered As the man in the Gospell who beleeued and yet prayed Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe so did Gedeon Besides the Lord granted him his request without any reproouing of him which it is not like hee would haue done if Gedeon had doubted Last of all I am the rather thus perswaded because he is reckoned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes among them that were commended for their faith Herein we are to consider of our weakenesse in beleeuing by occasion of Gedeons asking a double signe and of the louing kindnesse of the Lord in pitying vs therein and bringing vs out of it euen as he yeelded to him in both For our selues this may be said that though wee beleeue Gods promise yet there ariseth naturally in vs daily and continuall weakenesse of faith partly by yeelding too much to carnal reason partly through ineuitable frailty the flesh fighting against the spirit in vs. And hereof it is that we are faine to wrastle and to be in the battell as it were and in the cumbat daily to vphold and preserue our weake faith which otherwise would soone faile and giue ouer as by experience we haue oft found in other and our selues As in the examples of Peter comming on the water to Christ Martha in raising Lazarus Dauid complaining of his sadnes and heauines of
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
though the Prophet in the Psalme haue taught the contrary saying Except the Lord build the citie the labourers toile themselues but in vaine But of this hath often been spoken And here we are further to marke the benefit of good example and how it preuaileth oft times with inferiours Gedeon here bids his souldiers doe as they saw him doe so that he went before them As all heads and superiours should likewise doe that they may propound their own example in al good duties Hence it was that our Sauiour Christ washing his Disciples feete propounded the same to them to be followed and that so they might in humilitie serue one another as they saw him their Master to serue them and not to set vp themselues aloft as they began to do and aske which of them should be greatest And when the inferiour cannot obiect that the superiour doth not so himself as he requireth of the other in a dutie common to both it is a worthie thing This is to be applied to the reformation of faults and the doing of dutie by word or deed either in familie or otherwise And therefore it is a soreaccusation against such as being to giue light to others take no heede or care themselues or very slight care how they walke among and in the midst of those whom they are to giue light vnto Parents and guides in families beside that they doe for the most part little reproue the faults and sins of those who are vnder them vnlesse it be for and about their owne aduantage haue small care commonly of their owne behauiour in their sight but wil braule and scold contend and raile and liue in other ill courses among them And it were heartily to be wished that some who are in greater place and whose authoritie reacheth further then priuate mens did not commit the same faults which they are sued vnto to punish in others Oh how much it were to be desired that the elder and younger might ioyne and accord together in the worke of the Lord as wee see and approue this mutuall consent and sweete harmonie in Gedeon and his souldiers I say oh that the ancienter in yeeres gifts profession and authoritie whom it best becommeth and concerneth most would incourage and hearten forward the younger sort to heare the word to be zealous against sinne to be innocent humble dutifull sober companions of the good abstainers from ill companie and in a word to beleeue in the Lord to cleaue to his promises to submit themselues to his gouernment in the whole course of their life saying to them as Gedeon here saith As ye haue seene me doe so doe you Thus Dauid calleth vpon the people Come hearken vnto me my children and I will teach you the feare of the Lord by mine owne experience For thus and thus long haue I serued him and I repent me not that I haue spent my life in the worke of so good a Master Oh how the experience confidence cheerefulnes and courage of one aged seruant in Gods house animates and puts life into many young beginners and hearers who alas though they be zealous yet are raw and rude ignorant and vnexpert and know not what belongs to such a trade and profession as how many discouragements feares baites offences prouocations to wearinesse and apostacie they are to meete with ere their course be finished And what a commendable thing is it that the younger nouices will yeeld themselues to their ancients learne by their instructions be perswaded by their exhortations and follow their examples so farre as they tread in the steps of Christ with all meeknes and teachablenes without prefidence and conceitednes Oh if it were thus in townes and places what an heauenly order should we see in stead of boldnes prophanenes and loosenes in all ages and estates For though there be examples giuen and followed yet it is by such as are the diuels trumpeters who leade others after them to inordinate courses vncleannes riot lying scorning them that be better then themselues which indeed are liker Abimilecks troope then Gedeons But as for good examples where shall we finde them who looks to this to liue so in the former part of his life that he may be a president in the latter And if some one odde man be found among an hundred how doe the multitude of inferiours disdaine him and winde him about their fingers But of examples I haue also said somewhat before We haue heard what Gedeon bad his men doe now followeth what he bad them say that was this For the Lord and Gedeon his meaning was that he would haue them boldly and without feare proclaime and say one to the heartning and incouraging of another that the victorie should bee the Lords as the author and Gedeons as the instrument Thus teaching vs that as wee should bee examples in our liues to other so wee should in our words exhort and perswade as occasion shall be offered to beleeue the promises of God before they be fulfilled as Gedeon did here his souldiers to beleeue that God would giue them the victorie Thus did that worthie King Iehosaphat stirre vp and incourage his people the men of Iudah to beleeue the words of Gods Prophet which had brought tidings to him of deliuerance from the Ammonites Moabites and them of mount Seir. And this hope wee should haue our selues by long proofe of Gods promise keeping that wee may thereupon resolue them so farre as wee can preuaile with them that there shall not a iot of all that God hath spoken fall to the ground but as our fathers trusted in him and were not confounded so neither shall they be disappointed nor ashamed who trust in him to the end of the world And when wee haue the like incouragement our selues from other we should no lesse be confirmed and strengthened that when they can say to vs heauen and earth shall perish but one title of Gods promise shall not faile we may rest and be satisfied Oh happy are the people whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde to haue been thus exercised THE FORTIE NINTH SERMON ON THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CHAPTERS OF the booke of IVDGES NOw further are laid out after Gedeons aduice to his souldiers and the propounding of his owne example vnto them his industrious attempt in his going forward to the Midianites campe and what hee and his men did together in the way thither and what successe the Lord gaue thereto The first of these two is set downe in this 19. and 20. verses the last in the 21. and 22. His companie was diuided into bands to the end that they might come vpon their enemies on euery side and amaze the whole campe with sudden feare Then he chose for his purpose the fittest time of the night the middle part thereof when the enemies being in a dead sleepe were with that sudden feare the more throughly astonished
For the noise of the trumpets with the mightie crie made by the men and the breaking of the pitchers with the light appearing did not onely astonish them but likewise so troubled them they being scarcely awaked out of their sleepe that they could not conceiue what it should meane but thought that many and great hoasts were rushing into their campe as the Aramites did into whose camp the lepers came And the Lord with all this striking them with a kinde of madnesse they tooke their owne fellow souldiers for their enemies and so most miserably slew one another the Ammonites and Moabites stood vp against them of mount Seir to destroy them though they were their fellow souldiers as we see also in the campe of the Aramites into which the lepers came This kinde of astonishing the enemies by Gedeon who was directed by God therein is worthie to be noted of vs to teach vs what kindes of terrors and vexings of a rebellious people the Lord hath in a readines to feare them yea and that when men thinke themselues best fensed against them out of feare of them and furthest off from falling into them Zimri and Cosbi were slaine suddenly and fearefully Chorah and his companie were swallowed vp of the earth when no likelihood could be seene thereof till it came The men of Ziklag wallowing like beasts on the ground drunken were slaine by Dauid when they looked not for it Abimilek by a piece of a milstone receiued his deadly wound and Absolon hanged by the haire of his head on an oke Thus I might goe on infinitly God hath many waies to scourge his enemies as he hath to deliuer and comfort his people There is no peace to the vngodly saith God Oh then how fearefull is it to be a wicked man for if Gods anger be kindled but a little how happie are all they that feare him for if he haue a controuersie with men and be against them oh what terrors are euery while like to fall on them till they be confounded of them Some will obiect that for all this many wicked persons walke securely and are as merrie and void of feares as the best of them all I answer first although God meetes them not with such bodily feares as here he amazed these heathens withall yet there is that within them commonly which euen in the middest of their merriments causeth their hearts to be heauie and presage no good vnto them at length This I say of such as are not hardned And who can expresse the bitter sorrowes and checks and feares which they feele who carrie an ill conscience about them which pursues them both sleeping and waking and not at Church onely but euen in their callings companies feastings pleasures when others thinke full little of it and themselues wish they could make truce for the while therewith that it might then be furthest off So that a poore Christian would not willingly change states with them to haue their greatest glorie except he might bee free from their troubled conscience which is like to the hand-writing vpon the wall of that wofull Belshazzar And this is their portion euen tempest fire snares as the Psalmist saith euen a sauour of hell before they come there As for those that haue learned how to strangle their conscience and smother it or who are waxen hardned let them know that there is no peace belonging to them though they stop their eare from hearing of terror And when God shall quicken and rouze vp their conscience woe be to them for it shall roare vpon them as a lion and yet God is greater Therefore if any such shall seeke how to be freed from this horror let them make their peace with God and so their conscience shall turne to be their friend but the rest may heare this doctrine as Nabal heard Abigails newes to their confusion It further appeareth by the effect what these fearefull meanes wrought which the holy storie setteth downe in this verse that the whole campe was astonished feared cried out and fled In which case let no man thinke that these meanes alone and apart from Gods work had any great force to feare especially to hurt the enemies for what was there in the blowing of the trumpets the breaking of the pitches or in their lampes to the getting of the victorie But the Lord put to his hand and helpe whereby the enemies were daunted and set beside themselues or else all that was done had been but ridiculous And he that made Goliahs head to be cut off with his owne sword he wil still blesse the vnlikely meanes as the world accounteth them yea and foolish also of our prayers sinceritie patience hope and the like to bring great things to passe yea and faith to ouercome the world without the which what are all other things whatsoeuer Still I say therefore as I said before blessed is the people whose God is the Lord Iehouah But of this occasion hath been offered to speake almost in euery Chapter In the 20. verse in that the people of Israel in their crie and noise that they made vttered these words The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon therein they testifie that God was the chiefe cause and Gedeon as the instrument appointed to bring that worke to passe Not as if they would deuide the victory betwixt God and him betweene whom there was no comparison but to signifie that as God was the chiefe and principall worker so it pleased him to vse Gedeon as his instrument to effect it The same it behooueth vs to do ascribe we to God the glory of all the good we doe yea and of our saluation especially which we seeke but know we that as Gods instruments we are to worke it on in feare and trembling and to giue all our diligence as the Apostle exhorteth to make our calling and election sure And so in all duties of faith that we performe acknowledge we that we receiue all gifts and abilitie to thinke and to doe that which is good and our selues to be Gods workemen and labourers vnworthy to be imployed by him euen as we see it to bee an honour to be in a Kings seruice And further by this let all captious cauillers take their answer who say that the people who depend vpon their Ministers make them their God Be it knowne to all such that as they detest such blasphemy so yet to the shame of all such scorners they honour them vnder God as the instruments of their saluation and acknowledge them as here Gedeons souldiers do him to be the hand which God putteth the sword of his spirit into for the conquering not of mens bodies but their soules and the bringing into subiection the thoughts of their hearts yea the whole powers of soule and body to the obedience of Christ In which respect Salomon praies that Gods Priests may bee clothed with saluation And Paul
his refusing it and of Gedeons Ephod and the danger that came thereby whereto is to be added the sinne of Israel to the end of the chapter The first part of the Chapter TO begin with the first part it is said that the men of Ephraim contended sore with Gedeon and fell out with him for that he called them not to the battell against the Midianites as appeareth in the first verse whereto the milde answere of Gedeon is to bee marked which is set downe in the second verse And thirdly how they were appeased by it as wee reade in the third Of these let vs heare more perticularly as they lie in order And heere first some man might thinke it an vnseasonable accident that befell Gedeon euen in the chiefe spring of his glory I meane that in the very necke of the victory should come vpon him such a crosse blow as to turne the solemnity and honour of his great acts in subduing the Midianites into reproch and abasement But the most wise God who best knoweth how to keepe his owne children in compasse and seeth what corruption they carry about them by meanes whereof they cannot beare any great blessing or prosperity without swelling and pride he I say doth commonly so dispose of them that with rare and speciall liftings vs and heightenings of them either in grace wealth honour and successe or the like hee matcheth and mixeth some great coolings and buffetings of them to keep them from falling dangerously in so slppery a place as they stand in Of Gedeon we cannot certainly say any thing to his iust reproofe in any grosse manner but of great infirmities of his wee haue heard and therefore doubtlesse hee being a man hee had that in him which might haue puffed him vp vpon so great successe if God had not by this great and vnwelcome crosse preuented it So Iphta comming fresh from a great conquest was suddenly quailed by his onely daughter And Iob in the middest of his flourishing and prosperous estate heares all at once of his children and substance destroyed and spoiled Likewise Dauid had few victories but the Lord sent him a cooler vpon them the rebellion of Absolon the cursing of Shemei the insurrection of Sheba the death of Ammon the slaughter of Absolon which doubtlesse were enough to purge out any superfluous humour which might rise vp in him and so to keepe him sober temperate and within holy compasse It is not so strange that the Lord should thus physicke his seruants being already surfeted with excessiue and sinfull abuse of their prosperity but it is his great mercy that he should so diet them with these potions that they may preuent surfeting The reason is because first it is the wisedome of the same Physitian to giue preseruatiues as well as purgations And againe sinne is easilier kept out from entring then thrust out of doores being once gotten in which the Lord foreseeing rather chooseth with a little hardship to the patient then by violent and extreame courses to preuent matter of disease rather then to heale the disease And the truth is it is easier for a man to bee dieted then purged I meane to beare an affliction which commeth before the spirit and conscience is wounded by a sinne then which followeth sin as the deserued punishment of it But for the point in hand let vs by this first learne what a leaud nature there is in vs that wee cannot haue a little health and welfare but presently we distemper our selues so that wee must be faine to be physickt lest wee should endanger our life I meane wee can enioy no good blessing but we forget our selues and cause the Lord to allay the sweetnesse of it with some bitternesse except he will suffer vs to be turned quite ouer with it Againe when we enioy any blessing let vs not measure the same by the pleasure and content which it giues our nature for euen in that is a sting which will secretly hurt vs but by the sober humble and thankfull affection wherewith wee imbrace the blessing And let vs know that then onely we enioy it in kind and entier otherwise by halues and scarce that And when we see that God sauceth our dainties with soure hearbs let vs be thankfull to him and say Lord I had else fed too much of this dish till I had ouerlaid my stomacke euen as children who finding hony eate too much of it therefore blessed be thy name who suffered me not to be sicke of it rather then if thou shouldest let me alone then I should bee prouoked to vomiting which were worse And this bee noted of the Lords ordering the action of these Ephramites for Gedeons good Now yet these Ephramites shew many foule faults in this action of contending with their gouernour and deliuerer of them as vnthankfulnes expostulating with him without a cause then their dissimulation who faine themselues to haue been willing to haue gone to warre with him and yet would not when they might haue done and when did they this euen when they saw the danger of the warre to bee past and ouer and that now honour was giuen to Gedeon for that which he had done whereas they had been as ready if hee had lost the victory to haue much more cast that in his teeth To prosecute these a little more particularly their vnthankfulnesse first was great and the iniurie which hee sustained thereby who ought to haue been much honoured of them for his industry and labour and highly accounted off by them for the same but if so be their vnthankfulnesse was so great towards him in this what manner of behauiour thinke wee would they haue vsed if they had sustained any wrong or violence at his hands who deale thus vndutifully nay rudely and rebelliously with them and yet hauing receiued so great a deliuerance by his meanes and so picking matter of quarrell out of a good turne and benefit But as we may note the vnthankfulnesse of men when yet they haue iust cause to shew the contrary duty as may be seene in many and namely in Absolon to his father whom when hee had deliuered from death iustly deserued hee sought his fathers life and to get away his kingdome also from him so wee may by this vnkind recompence they gaue to Gedeon for the famous act that hee wrought for their ease and peace wee I say who shall gratifie men may learne our duty thereby and that is this that we were not best neither ought wee to looke for our reward and commendation for well doing any manner of way from men but to rest in this that God knoweth our workes and it is enough that we are sure that from him we shall receiue our reward according to the words of the Apostle Be ye stedfast my beloued brethren and vnmoueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as ye know that your
a pride and ambition of praise or at least bare loue of vertue to contemne such offers but we by religion and hope of a farre greater matter then the greatest earthly kingdome And this also more particularly teacheth that all must endeuour in their callings and places that God may raigne as in all his heauenly ordinances so especially in this of gouernment in Church land citie towne house for that I say onely must stand and all that is opposite must fall Psalm 2. Religious gouernement is to be sought for yeelded vnto and imbraced and not the contrary but the limites and bounds of Gods holy word kept and preserued which neuer repugneth to ciuill gouernment of the lawfull Magistrate but confirmes it rather so that God may bee obeyed and equitie and iustice maintained for the preseruation of outward peace and order in all things And so I might say particularly of euery condition But alas what care is there had of this but it is rather iustled aside at mens pleasure For though wee pray daily that God may bee glorified by the comming of his kingdome and the guiding vs to the doing of his will which if it might take place what a blessed thing were it to see the superiors and inferiors in all degrees and estates liue together vnder the gouernment of one God and mutually commanding and obeying each other in the Lord yet wee see the quite contrary in mens practise True it is that the law of man stoppeth much disorder and how could men inioy any safe and peaceable dwelling without it but while the Lord is shut out of the conscience the word and faithfull Minister of God despised and in many places none at all to awake and prepare the people for the life to come and the ordinance of God in Magistracie which serueth to backe and authorise the Word and to vphold other good order little to bee regarded and also little put in practise to restraine euill but Atheisme prophanenesse and other great sinnes slightly punished c. behold euery man runneth his owne course and being wedded to his owne wilfull humour without feare of punishment walketh in his frowardnesse atheisme prophanenesse scorne of religion crueltie oppression contempt of the Sabbath ignorance c. saying as they in the Psalme Our tongues are our owne wee will doe as we list who shall controll vs Surely none but sinne and the diuell rule and raigne at their pleasure where the Lord by his word doth not but is iustled aside but let vs mourne for those things till the Lord amend them but in the meane season let vs be sure that we be guided by him ourselues in our whole course or else hold our peace of and concerning others But I passe now to the second thing concerning Gedeon THE FIFTIE FOVRE SERMON ON THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 24. And Gedeon said vnto them I would desire a request of you that you would giue me euery man the earings of his pray for they had golden earings because they were Ismaâ—lites 25. And they answered We will giue them And they spread a garment and did cast therein euery man the earings of his pray 26. And the weight of the golden earings that he required was a thousand and seuen hundred shekels of gold beside collors and iewels and purple rayment that was on the Kings of Midian and besides the chaines that were on their cammels necks 27. And Gedeon made an Ephod thereof and put it in Ophrah his citie all Israel went a whoring there after it which became a snare vnto Gedeon and to his house NOw after this victory ouer the Midianites Gedeon desires to leaue a monument and memoriall of is thankes to God for the same and for the great deliuerance of Israel And thought it meet that it should be of some valew and price and therefore he seeing the people so affected to him that they could willingly haue agreed to make him their king hee thought they would not sticke at a smaller matter but yeeld it to him especially seeing it was not for his owne priuate but for their common benefit and the thing that he asked of them was their eareings which were costly which he obtaining of the people made of them a Priests vpper garment of great valew and richly set forth called an Ephod which was to be worne vpon their other apparrell and this was the monument which he would haue remaine as a token of his thankfull heart But it being set vp in a place of his citie Ophrah because of the forme and costlinesse of it and for that it pertained to the Priests in the seruice of God and to religious vse it grew to be worshipped which through Gods iust iudgement iustly punishing Idolatrie in the posteritie following was the destruction of Gedeon and his house so easily and soone did idolatrie and superstition arise vp among them againe Here first his thankfull mind is to bee commended and imitated of vs thus ought our hearts in all benefits which we inioy leade vs vnto God the fountaine of each good giuing as Saint Iames saith But this point hath been largely handled reade notes vpon the 5. chapter and else where by occasion of the like Scripture Againe we may learne here that when we are willing to pleasure one another without taking any gratuitie againe which few will doe wee may be the bolder to sue for somewhat to bee put to good vses as Gedeon intended here to doe though hee was deceiued asking their earings to make a monument of thanks to God especially I say when wee haue refused to take to our owne priuate vse the commodity which hath been offered vs when it hath been thought we haue deserued it as Gedeon here did in such a case we may desire somewhat to bee imploied of the seruice and glory of God by them that offer it vs as to the relieuing of the poore or other good ends And in this also hee deserued commendation and was and is to bee followed of vs. And as the people yeelded to him to a good vse and end so all good Christians ought with all readinesse to doe the like toward the relieuing and helping of the needy by lending giuing or any other friendship yeelding considering that Saint Paul saith that free giuing and liberalitie hath great force to worke on men for a bountifull person saith he it may be some man will die and so if one did much good by bodily helpe in comforting the needy and poore he might be like to doe good by exhortation also both which duties of loue it were to bee wished might goe together for thereby most good were like to be done And so doing we should moue such as thinke themselues beholding to vs to shew themselues thankfull to God also so bountifull to them that were in penury and want And doubtlesse if the honouring of our God were all in all with
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
the Ruler of the citie heard the words of Gaal the sonne of Ebed his wrath was kindled 31. Therefore he sent messengers to Abimelech priuily saying Behold Gaal the sonne of Ebed and his brethren become to Shechem and behold they fortifie the citie against thee 32. Now therefore arise by night thou and the people that is with thee and lie in waite in the field 33. And rise early in the morning as soone as the Sunne is vp and assault the citie and when he and the people that is with him shall come out against thee doe to him what thou canst 34. So Abimelech rose vp and all the people that were with him by night and they lay in waite against Shechem in foure bands 35. Then Gaal the sonne of Ebed went out and stood in the entring of the gate of the citie And Abimelech rose vp and the folke that were with him from lying in waite 36. And when Gaal saw the people he said to Zebul Behold there come people from the toppes of the mountaines And Zebul said to him the shadow of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee 37. And Gaal spake againe and said See there come folke downe by the middle of the land and another band commeth by the way of the plaine of Moonenim 38. Then Zebul said vnto him Where is now thy mouth that said who is Abimelech that we should serue him Is not this the people that thou hast despised goe out now I pray thee and fight with them 39. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech 40. But Abimelech pursued him and he fled before him and many were ouerthrowne and wounded euen vnto the entring of the gate 41. And Abimelech dwelt at Aranna and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem IN these 12. verses is shewed how the broile grew hotter betwixt Abimelech and the men of Shechem how they warred and fought one against the other whereby their destruction drew neerer And first how Zebul when he heard of the boasting of Gaal sent word to Abimelech therof for hee was his officer to gouerne the citie in his absence and he gaue him aduice what he thought best to be done and that is set downe in the foure first verses In the next foure it is shewed how Abimelech according to Zebuls counsell came out with the men that were with him neere to Shechem and lay in wait for Gaal and his retinue And thus the matter went forward of the destruction and ouerthrow of the men of Shechem and of Abimelech as I haue said and as in this third part of the Chapter was foretold and in the verses following doth clearely appeare In the last foure verses is shewed how Gaal and Abimelech met together not farre from the gate of the citie and many of them that followed Gaal were ouerthrowne and wounded and he himselfe cast out of the citie But now let vs pursue these verses more particularly First this must be knowne that as the men of Shechem had hired Gaal to bee their Captaine so Zebul was for Abimelech as a Deputy and Lieutenant set there by him to hold the people in subiection from rebellion and mutiny And it is said here first that Zebul could not beare the insolency of Gaal against Abimelech both for that he was vnder him and also for that he saw the bragging of the other was very shamefull insolent but his wrath was kindled against him and hearing the proud words and crackes of Gaal he was sore troubled increat and sent word to Abimelech thereof And from hence let some thing be noted By the one that is this boasting of Gaal which was meere froth and words without substance and so grosse that Zebul being seruant to Abimelech could not beare it wee may see the shamefulnesse of this sinne of bragging and cracking which none can abide nor heare willingly For why Boasters doe not consider how they can make good that which they say but in the pride of their hearts speak so to get praise of those who heare them as when they are vrged to stand to their word then to their shame they are driuen to run away and to goe from their word also as afterwards this Gaal did or else the Lord himselfe disableth them to performe that which they boast they would doe as hee did Benhadad when hee braggingly challenged all Ahabs goods and as he did Saul vaunting that he had now Dauid safe enough in his hands when hee was inclosed in a citie that had gates and barres So that both God and man are enemies to boasting man I say not onely religious but euen ingeneous and ciuill abhorre it To shame all such delight in it and to perswade all that are fit to learne better things to practise lowlinesse and humilitie in stead of such disguisednesse And this bee said of Zebuls wrath that it was kindled against Gaals boasting Now followeth the other thing that Zebul was incensed against Gaal for and that was because his bragges were against Abimelech his Master and therefore he sent him word thereof and yet there was no such consent and wel grounded loue betwixt them but for that he set this Zebul ouer the city in his absence which was but an outward fauour that soone changeth especially betwixt such as they were and for that he was a man as it seemes discreeter and more politicke then some other And this act of Zebul in that he could not beare this defiance that Gaal gaue out against Abimelech being his master this I say teacheth that much lesse ought a Christian to heare God dishonoured no nor his Prince railed on or to bee rebelled against by Popish enemies or leaud subiects but his heart should rise against it and he should in the speediest manner bewray and seeke remedie thereof and that not for feare of law which holdeth the concealers thereof as accessaries but much more for conscience sake Euen as a naturall child cannot beare it if he heare his father reproched and therfore the blasphemies against God giuen forth by Atheists and malicious enemies such as those were of cursed Rabsachee against Moses and Christ the Scriptures and worship of God And such as that was of the Pharisies who said to the man that was restored to his sight We know that this man meaning Iesus is a sinner and finally whatsoeuer such as there are many of this kind not fit to be spoken of before Christian eares they are all intolerable yea and meaner reproches giuen out against him ought not to be suffered as swearing forswearing filthie talking or the like but rather we should honour God in our bodies and soules for they are Gods And because hee that loueth him who begat loueth him who is begotten also therefore let this naturall affection and kind for Gods honour descend from him to the meanest of his Saints yea let it make
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
which we remember hath hurt vs Therfore I say let men trust no such of whose fidelity and truth they haue no proofe but rather the cōtrary or no further at least then they may without any great detriment to themselues and where they must needs trust some such let them bind them the more strongly And so let those that vndertake suretiship beware that they lose not their liberty and bring themselues into bondage and their estate and posteritie to wilfull penurie Most of all let Christians beware of them that vnder a colour of loue seeke to vndermine them to betray them to get somewhat from them which might tend to the danger of their brethren or to the wounding of their owne conscience which I speake because many silly Christians thinke themselues happy if they can get countenance or benefit by such as are their superiors not knowing that the benefits of the vngodly are forked and bring more backe then they bestow Boner did more mischiefe by his flattering poore men till they abiured the truth then by all his crueltie for which cause Salomon admonisheth well of such saying Be not desirous of their daintie meates for it is deceiuable meate But where without inquirie and obseruing in the best manner we can by our selues and others we rashly beleeue euery one who can speake vs faire as indeed Faire words make fooles faine according to the prouerb I say they who are so light of credit I send them no further then to this present example let them looke what became of all the smooth words and faire shewes that this Abimelech made to these men of Shechem his kinsman and mothers brethren in whom they reposed such confidence for as they had no greater enemie then him euen so neither let these looke to find any better measure Now though this may bee laid forth in all kinds of fellowship among men yet it is most commonly seene in their earthly dealings wherin scarcely any promise is kept and most liuely it is to be seene in marriages What solemne kind and ioyful beginnings haue many of them had so as it might worthily haue prouoked the beholders thereof to praise God and reioyce for such a goodly ordinance of his so like to bring foorth such answerable fruit to those beginnings And betwixt the couples themselues so marrying and comming together what liking betwixt them and delightings one in another as if they could neuer be enough neither might one be well out of anothers sight but in continuance longer or shorter how haue all these been turned into the contrary What dislike and wearines hath there been one of another what alienating of affection crossing one the other chiding railing and reuiling separating from bed and board while yet they must needs liue together and afterward an vtter casting off the one the other I speake not this of the heauinesse which the Lords chastisements meeting and taking hold of them doe raise in them to the which all euen the best are subiect wherein they both should and haue promised to be companions and one to helpe the other to beare the burden which kind of behauiour would preserue their loue as it doth betwixt some others I speake not I say of these corrections of the Lord but of the mischiefe that their euill and corrupt hearts false raging proud wilfull and inconstant haue wrought betwixt them they being disguised and nothing like the persons they seemed to bee at their first meeting Oh therefore if towards men wee bewray this disease then how much more is it to be feared in professing our repentance to God it being secret and a thing hid from men and in comming to the word and sacraments what need haue we of this vprightnesse In these two verses it is shewed by what meanes he slew them and that was by cutting downe boughes from trees and bidding his men doe as he did and putting them to the hold and setting them on fire till all the men of Shechem that were therein died And there we may see what force is in example especially if it be bad Touching which though I haue spoken at large before especially in chap. 1. the end where the sinne of the most Tribes in neglecting the Lords charge is recorded which I desire the Reader to turne vnto yet vnto so apt an occasion as this is somewhat I will say here of it also Gedeons men followed him in carrying their pitchers and lampes after him in great danger to feare the Midianites but that was as commendable as this was wicked and cruell and most commonly followed yet it is not to be denied but if there were some to giue good example there would be some followers of them also as in meeknesse humblenesse innocencie faithfulnesse mercy pietie patience and the like And namely if rich men would for their parts begin to the rest and go before others in deeds of charitie and sell for lower prices to the poore when things are deare then the common prices be and would be examples in mercy in harmelesnesse in gentlenesse and such like It is hard to say what good might be done thus and by hauing religion and holy instruction in high account and louing heartily and well esteeming of Gods people But to this it is come that men and the wealthier sort especially whereas they might bring on many to Christian practise by well doing they haue alas cold loue to good causes but are slow and backward and therefore deadnesse and vnprofitablenesse is to bee seene thicke and threefold in other that should learne of thē the diuell labouring when he cannot make all sorts alike in wickednesse to leaue as few to giue countenance to good things as may bee And men bee so vnapt to learne to performe duties aright that except they see good examples before them they cannot tell how to set vpon or goe about them But as for euill courses they need none to goe before them therein they can find the way thereto without guides though they are much more fleshed and drawne on when they haue other to breake the ice to them But where the best examples are giuen let this bee our rule that wee follow them no otherwise then as they follow Christ and they that doe so let them perswade vs to al zeale and forwardnesse in duties of the first Table as to the reuerent receiuing of the word preached and the right manner of preparing our selues to the Lords Supper and such like exercise so in no wise follow we the common sort in their behauiour and practise about duties to men in the second Table But let vs goe forward The vnweariednes also of this cursed Abimelech in his businesse is to be marked how from one thing to another he toyleth himselfe yea and that not without perill of his life A base worke one would thinke to goe vp to the mountaine cut downe boughes from the trees and bring them on his necke and
how hee went about another As thereby shewing that he was not yet satisfied with the blood of the former and therefore that he went further to wit to a Citie neere adioyning called Thebez which also as it is probable though vncertaine either ioyned with the Shechemites or at least refused to be subiect to Abimelech and going against that tooke it also Thus we see how this cruell base-borne Tyrant proceeded in his bloody attempts and thereby also is shewed what extremitie these people of Thebez were brought vnto For they were all driuen to shift for themselues in a Tower that they had in their citie Wherein though they might shelter themselues for a day yet they could not long liue but must needs bee famished at least by any thing that they could see These and such like dangers men lie open to in this changeable world whereof they see no likelihood a little before Which may teach vs the vncertainty of al things here below in which yet men repose their confidence and that no man can vpon good ground say that to morrow shall bee like to day As by that speech of the Lord in the 12. of Luke to him that bad his soule take the ease eate drinke and bee merry seeing hee had laid vp much good in store I say by that speech may bee seene when the Lord said vnto him Thou foole this night thy soule shall bee required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided euen the day before he died And lest it should bee thought to bee his case alone this he added So shall it bee with him that laieth vp treasure for himselfe and is not rich toward God Therefore how many may we see and heare of who are fearefully taken away from all and many other are wasted and haue their estate changed as if they had neuer inioyed it And such as regard not these things are like to haue much to doe when they shall see their owne prosperitie so to fade in like manner Oh it shall be vtterly vnwelcome And who can say any lesse then that in smaller changes by losse sicknesse pouertie diseases it is hard stooping to them when they come yea although they be thought of before and in some sort prouided for All this is said to teach the wise to liue here as strangers and to make heauen their home though they walke vpon the earth and to warne the foolish to seeke wisdome that while they cling fast to earthly staies and delights they bee not with the foole before spoken of cast out hence from all and then vtterly to seeke of the true happinesse also But now it followeth that after all this done to them of Thebez the Lord brought on the time of his confusion I meane Abimelechs also as well as of the men of Shechem And for the effecting of Gods iudgement vpon him it is said that when he had sped so well as we haue heard he attempted the Tower that was in Thebez to take that also and being drunke with his former successe and therefore looking for the like there hee receiued his deadly wound as his due reward and that by a woman to his great disgrace who cast downe a peece of a milstone from the top of the Tower he going close to the doore of it to set it on fire and broke his braine pan whereupon he being not strooke quite dead and yet past possibilitie of recouery called presently for his page to thrust him thorow to preuent the shame as he thought it that it might else haue been said to wit that a woman had slaine him and so hee came to his end also By this last attempt of his he hauing sped so well in the former wee may see how the wicked are fleshed by the successe that they haue in their bad courses and that they bee so blinded therewith that they make no stay till they be cut off in the middest of them For they make account that they shall doe as they haue done and dreame of no resisting of them They say to themselues like them in the Psalme Tush the Lord will doe neither good nor euill Is it not time then that God should make them feele that power of his in displeasure which they will not acknowledge by teaching and by this their going forward til God stay their course we see they cannot breake off and this makes their sinne the greater The like we shall obserue God willing in the Beniamites chap. 20. of this booke So Herod when hee had slaine Iames with the sword and saw that it pleased the Iewes he went about to take Peter also till in his attempt the Lord cut him off And what maruell though God vsually deale thus the wicked will not know him but they do measure their future successe by the former which he will make them see to be a wrong ground For they thereby being imboldned goe further from God and by their successe through the corruption that is in them they are made more vnfit to returne to him againe But all must know that the word of God followed and obeyed carefully of vs bringeth the good successe indeed in which wee may rest yea and in that only For what blessing soeuer it pleaseth the Lord to send vs in outward things as hee promiseth many saying to those that doe so that other things shall be cast vpon them we haue also inward comfort thereby which neither can be bought with money neither can be taken from vs which maketh vs glad to vse and imbrace all good meanes for the strengthening and stablishing of vs which the other being drunken with earthly peace make no account of And both these being considered the godly haue small cause to repine at the successe and ioyfull proceedings of the vngodly the Lord giues them their scope that he might bring the more sudden desolation vpon them while they looke to morrow should be like to day and much better Neither should it grieue the godly that themselues are often crossed and denied the successe they dreamt of and desired seeing either their enterprises were euill and therein to bee crossed is a blessing or lawfull but vnlawfully followed and therfore Gods promises were stretcht further by them then indeed they reached or although their doings were religious yet it may be they were vndertaken with too much confidence in the goodnesse thereof and in the meane season themselues who are the doers not looked into nor well purged from other sinnes which may easily set behind the successe of their best actions But doubtlesse where a Christian offends none of these waies he shall neuer want successe and the fruite thereof shall be farre other when it is least then the wicked mans who ventureth onely the more boldly vpon the next onset because of his former good speed as Abimelech here but he shall with Paul beleeue that God who hath well begun in him
Lion to be made a dead dogge is basenesse enough Therefore we may clearely see by this that the seeking of glory as Salomon saith is no glory but the glory of such is their shame For although for a time it may hold and last yet in a short time it shall vanish and end with reproch whatsoeuer else goe with it And so it is generally in all pride and vaineglory as I noted out of Gaals example before it shall end with shame and contrarily the humble and lowly in mind shall be exalted For there can not one tittle of Gods word fall to the ground but it must be verified to the comfort of the one and the iust rewarding of the other In this verse let vs further see for the Lord would not giue him the honor to be slaine in warre what he did when he had his deaths wound doth he crie for mercy was that as it ought to haue been thought vpon And yet the most past grace will lightly desire that he may haue three words before he die for then though it be to small purpose he thinks to aske mercy but the glory that this monster had hunted after in his life-time that was all that hee regarded euen now at his wofull end as his words testifie to wit That it might not be said that a woman slew him declaring thereby that he more feared infamy then damnation The multitude of desperate wretches that die in all ages with as little hope of saluation as hee did maketh it lesse to be considered and bewailed but what is more fearefull then to thinke a man should go to hell so apparantly and as it were visibly Where wee are to obserue that such as mens thoughts and affections are in their life time such they bee commonly at their death They loued not blessing saith the Prophet and therefore it is farre from them in their need so it is said elsewhere they sought not after God neither desired acquaintance with his waies while they liued and therfore God ordinarily suffereth them not to begin to doe it at their end They remembred not their maker in the daies of their youth neither shall they haue grace to doe it at their death but as they are mercilesse so God iustly recompenceth them with iudgement without mercy in their latter yeeres And the like we reade of Saul But yet for all this is one of a thousand thinke we of such as he was perswaded to repentance in the time of his iolitie nay doth not one follow anothers course to condemnation daily and from age to age And such as haue their libertie to aske three words before they die how vse they it what come they to but euen to worse then nothing Euen as Abimelechs few words did Let it not be said that a woman slew me And so their three words are vsed as Saul vsed his at his death Draw out thy sword and thrust me through And as that wicked man mentioned in the booke of Monuments who when he was haled violently on a bridge by his Horse into the riuer being put in minde of his three words he said thus Horse and man to the diuell A notorious adulterer there was a few yeeres agone who also had poysoned many youthes by his vncleane conuersation and lewd example and tongue he liued till he was threescore yeere old to resemble him to the sinner whom Salomon speakes of Eccles 7. neuer could hee bee brought to sauour or taste either preaching or praying which yet hee saw many zealously did round about him he might haue spend fiftie pound land by the yeere by his marriage but being visited by God in a strange manner and losing his maintenance by the death of his wife his bodie â—ore plagued with paine and diseases when he lay like a lazer in a barne for thither he was thrust through pouertie and there he died now to come to the point for the which I alleaged this example hee being moued by such as came to him when they saw in what miserie hee lay to call vpon God hee answered with fearefull oathes Is this a time to pray The which seeing he was neuer acquainted with in all his life wee see hee was farre off from it shunned and lothed it at his death by Gods righteous iudgement And as wee haue heard that it is commonly so with the vilest persons at their death as it hath been in their life so it were good wisedome for vs to seeke the Lord while he may be found in the daies of our youth lest if we should not goe about it till death it should not bee a sound turning to God but in mood and passion by violence and in feare onely gone about and who knoweth not that late repentance is dangerous And so let them reioyce and blesse God who haue made the Lord chiefe with them in their young yeeres and haue counted his seruice perfit freedome such shall not neede to feare that God will frowne vpon them and forsake them in their age or at their death but as many haue done shall reioyce most for this that they made the Gospell their solace in their life time and Gods fauour their portion and ioy and would not for all the riches of the vngodly haue done otherwise for so they should haue been then vtterly to seeke how to be saued Oh one sweete fruite of a godly life beside many other enioyed before is a most Christian and comfortable death so saith the Psalmist Marke the end of the righteous and ye shall see that the end of such a man is peace As for Abimelechs Page he was as he had been trained by him one fit to serue him onely in euill Like master like man such an one as hath many followers of which sort of hangbies few vnder such masters as themselues be few of them are I say found to come to good But both of them desperate rash murtherous and fraught with such sinnes as commonly accompanie these Yea and yet such hold vp their heads in the world for whom who seeth not but that the prison is fitter where they may be kept from doing mischiefe rather then to commit many lewd parts at libertie abroad But seeing such are past admonition taking let theÌ„ that are teachable learne to take such seruants to be neere at hand to them who may in danger giue aduice to them if need be as Naamans seruants did to the preseruing of his health rather then to be as too many are that is to say furtherers of their vtter vndoing or death And such as deserue well as Ioshuas and the seruants of Cornelius were let them I say be well incouraged and rewarded which are to be reioyced in of their masters when the other being intertained but to their owne and their masters vndoing or great detriment shall load both themselues and them with their bellies full of shame and sorrow Of this argument I spare
might yet be enioyed thereby And further they who take such into their seruice or being able ought so to doe when there is cause if they would instruct them and rule and looke to them carefully as Iphtah and Dauid did wee should not haue such disorders and outrage in Church and Common-wealth as we haue neither should it be such reproch as it is to keepe such bad ones in mens houses for though they are rude and bad themselues yet by good care had ouer them they might be brought to better order This being added that if they will not be ruled and kept in compasse that they be deliuered to the Magistrate and committed to the house of correction THE SIXTIETH FOVRE SERMON ON THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Verse 4. And in processe of time the children of Ammon made warre with Israel 5. And when the children of Ammon fought with Israel the Elders of Gilead went to fetch Iphtah out of the land of Tob. 6. And they said vnto Iphtah Come and be our Captaine that we may fight with the children of Ammon 7. Iphtah then answered vnto the Elders of Gilead Did not yee hate me and expell me out of my fathers house How then come yee vnto me now in the time of your tribulation 8. Then the Elders of Gilead said vnto Iphtah Therfore we turne againe to thee now that thou maiest goe with vs and fight against the children of Ammon and be our Head ouer all the inhabitants of Gilead 9. And Iphtah said vnto the Elders of Gilead If yee bring mee home againe to fight against the children of Ammon if the Lord giue them before me shall I bee your head 10. And the Elders of Gilead said vnto Iphtah The Lord be witnesse betweene vs if we doe not according to thy words 11. Then Iphtah went with the Elders of Gilead and the people made him Head and Captaine ouer them And Iphtah rehearsed all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh IN these eight verses we see how God brought to passe by his prouidence that the Princes of Gilead who with Iphtahs brethren had vniustly expelled him out of the citie were driuen by their owne law to desire him home againe and to fight against the Ammonites for them which that they might the better effect they goe themselues in a solemne manner to the place of his banishment euen to the land of Tob and with entreaty in all humblenesse offer him the gouernment and chiefe command in the battell against Ammon Iphtah at the first casting them in the teeth with their vnkindnesse before-time as it was meet that such discourtesie and disgrace as they had offered him in time past should not be altogether buried in silence and be vnmentioned requireth of them good assurance of their fidelitie because it might be doubted that their present necessity draue them to make this offer rather then any loue towards him Which being tendered and granted to him accordingly he yeeldeth to their request and went home with them and the Lord ordering the businesse there he found the whole congregation readie to confirme the election of the Elders of Gilead as also afterward the Lord himselfe did and so Iphtah was made their Captaine and proceeded to the worke whereto God had appointed him Generally this teacheth how strangely God turneth the times and state of things by his wisdome whereby he ruleth and disposeth them and this he doth for the triall and comfort of his and contrary to and against the expectation and desire of their enemies as here he did to Iphtahs comfort and to the crossing of them of Gilead raise this warre To teach vs all that are fit to learne to depend vpon him alone and to haue his word for our direction that so we need not be ashamed whatsoeuer come to passe Whereas if we haue followed our owne humor either in crossing and wronging any as they here did Iphtah we may be driuen to stand in need of them and to seeke helpe at their hands as they did at his which will not a little crosse vs or if we haue reproched ourselues by bragging and boasting we may receiue the foile at their hands whom we haue so abused and so we may with shame bee made to eate our word or if we haue proudly set vp our saile or doe depend vpon vncertaine hope of future commodities and momentany preferment wee may bee disapointed to our iust reproch and that easily the Lord so altering and changing things as he doth And herein his daily frustrating of many mens hope who depend vpon blind fortune promising to themselues that all shall be as they wish vtterly shutting God out from their attempt might make vs wise An example hereof in the King of Aram as in many other is to be seene who oft appointed his armies secretly against the King of Israel but he was disapointed by God of his expectation till he raged and fretted at it Herevpon S. Iames reprooueth his resolution of man that hee will himselfe and of himselfe say of these changeable things to morrow we will goe to such a citie and gaine c. when yet Salomon telleth vs we cannot tell what one day may bring foorth And yet men cease not to determine what they will doe and how they will thriue reuenge take their pleasure and passe the time and so we reckon of and deale about seasons that although all know the weather altereth the price of things yet wee will sell and buy our commodities before hand when wee know not how to make good and performe couenants to other or how other will to vs no neither are willing if prices alter to stand to our word which yet God doth bring to passe oft-times to the ioynting not of such common doings onely in smaller matters but also of the richest in their greatest affaires and that a thousand waies according to his good pleasure And therfore it were our wisdome to submit our selues to his prouidence in all things and not to stand stiffely vpon our owne will seeing he will breake our stomackes in spight of our hearts by disappointing of vs and except we doe so we shall neuer be quiet But to returne againe we see that God brought this about principally for the good of his seruant Iphtah and to worke his enlargement though to the shame and conuiction of his aduersaries Iphtah neither himselfe made any meanes by messengers writing or suite of friends for his returne out of banishment neither would the Lord permit him to doe so but prouided better for him that he should haue a calling to it for if he had returned blindly home as a priuate exile what great matter had it been or how could Gods worke haue been seene in it as now it was But behold the Lord will rather haue Iphtah abide sometime in distresse and basenesse that hee may bee fetcht home with publike consent of his nation as Ioseph was out
men that law be not attempted till all other meanes be first vsed and a great sinne it is among Christians to runne by and by to law and to the suing one of another as too many vse to doe hotly rashly and wilfully though themselues sustaine most hurt by it who doe so as being authors of the contention and suite Likewise the same may be said of offenders in other kindes who if they haue been lead away by leaud counsell or companie and yet relent for it afterward and take admonition against it willingly they are to be vsed more fauourably so farre as by the law they may be forborne euen as the stiffenecked and sawcie and bold defenders of their sinne are sharply to be dealt with lest they grow past recouerie and doe as the waters euen ouerflow all places where they come Some controuersies shall no doubt alwaies arise betweene man and man touching things the equitie whereof is vnknowne and vncertaine it shall be whose the right is But if contentions proceeding from manifest wrong or from vngrounded surmises were at the first taken vp and cut off in which commonly most rashnes heate and distemper is bewrayed yea if trifling quarrels were troden vnder foote then neither should men haue so many needlesse ianglings and those which are serious and could not bee auoided should more indifferently be handled and decided either priuatly or with peaceable consent of both parties by trauerse of law Yea I say if themselues could not hit vpon agreement they would yeeld to the discretion and loue of such as might compound their differences rather then multiplie one sinne vpon another as fiercenes of words to the gall of their stomacks and other actuall pursuite each of other to both the former shewing themselues vnappeaseable and inexorable It is the pride bitternes and enuie of the heart rather then the weightinesse of the cause which oft prouokes men to the heate and stomacke which they vtter and bewray all may see in their iarrings each against other And therefore they are so farre from Iphtah his practise that they reioyce they haue any pretence of debate and suite against their neighbour and follow it in such eager and odious manner that all may see they sue not because they haue cause but are glad they haue any occasion such a delight they haue therein that they might fall to suite The claime of a whole Tribes inheritance did not so stirre Iphtah to wrath against this vsurper as many of vs would bee stirred against him that would challenge a few acres of our possession what doe I say nay against him that contendeth about a twelue penny matter with vs and yet wee should exceed them that goe many degrees before Iphtah in the meanes of knowledge and acquaintance with Gods will in particuler duties if we did well consider it Let such doings be heard of among Heathens as for Christians if one partie will not heare of his dutie let the other giue him ouer and let him contend if he will needs with his owne shadow Doubtlesse in many contentions if either party were wise the others folly should soone appeare and the contention which growes past recouerie should cease and be at an end And further Iphtah by asking what wrong he had done him that he came to warre against him giueth all to vnderstand how absurd and odious a thing it is to doe wrong and deale hardly with them who haue done no iniurie to vs and therefore hee saith If I haue done wrong good reason it is that I should satisfie the challenge c. For if that be foolishnes when wee doe but meddle with a matter that belongeth not vnto vs and with the which we haue nothing to doe yea though wee meane no euill thereby if that I say be folly and as Salomon saith all one as if a man plucked a curst dogge by the eare then to hurt any willingly and to bee cruell and iniurious to him that would liue in peace by vs is an high degree of iniquitie And if we ought to sustaine a double iniurie rather then to offer to reuenge one how great a sinne is it to doe wrong or hurt any man wee not being prouoked by him It is abomination euen as it is to let the guiltie goe free and yet many make no conscience hereof But I haue spoken of this point in chap. 8. in Gedeons protestation to Zeba and Zalmunna and in other places The King of the Ammonites sends him word that Israel had taken away part of his land when they went out of Egypt toward the land of Canaan and therefore he made warre with them But how true this was ye may see in Deuteronomy where the Lord speaketh thus to the children of Israel when they should passe by them Thou shalt not lay siege against the children of Ammon neither make warre against them for I will not giue the land of the children of Ammon into thy hands And in the 37. verse Moses tels them they obeyed the Lord therein saying Vnto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not nor vnto any place of the riuer Iabbok vpon which it bounded So we see that whereas it is manifest that the Lord suffered not Israel to meddle with Ammon yet the King answers boldly they did This teacheth that such are to be found who neither meane well simply neither care what they say but as their hearts are full of falsehood and deceit so their mouthes are full of lying The Lord himselfe had said the people of Israel should not neither did they meddle with the Ammonites as the forementioned scripture testifieth yet their King boldly and vntruly auoucheth that they tooke his land and enioyed it as their owne The which who should not be ready to beleeue being so boldly auouched and that by a King Euen so many care not what lyes they coyne nor how shamelesly they lay claime to other mens goods and how boldly and impudently they set against the truth in many other dealings And this they doe either for their commoditie as this King did or for their credit and to set a colour on their doings as the old Prophet of Beth I did by lying and Gehazi also when hee had gotten the tallents of Naaman or for both respects together as Anantas and Saphira and Saul also See his answere 1. Sam. 15. Let the credit of such be with vs thereafter In stead of this dealing wee see the beautie of truth and faithfulnes without which how can men liue one with another Put away lying therefore as the Apostle willeth and speake the truth euery man to his neighbour In this vnreasonable and absurd answere of this King compared with Iphtah his wise and equall proceeding we see the contrarietie of mens dispositions there are some that striue by all possible meanes against contention and vnpeaceablenes there are others againe whose delight it is to
to wit to preach the Gospell to the most nations of the world yet before they tooke it in hand he made them meete for the worke they went about So Iphtah when hee was to fight against the Ammonites for the deliuering of Israel hee was by the spirit of God indued with gifts for that purpose euen farre greater then he had before now when hee was set about a greater worke So the Ministers much more as the calling is farre more excellent when hee sendeth them to any people to conuert them and make them of his militant Church hee stirres them vp by loue zeale and labour to set their gifts of knowledge a worke and maketh a great change among the people by their ministerie They who are vnfit to doe the Lords message to them to whom they are sent are not sent by him but seeke themselues and their owne profit and not the peoples It is worthie our view to behold the difference of men called by God and such as climbe in by another way of their owne framing Both doe one and the same worke but the one sets himselfe aworke the other is set aworke by God The one after his fashion goes about it but how awkly and vntowardly by setting a bold face vpon the matter by carrying a great shew and bearing sway by preaching what and when he pleaseth and in the manner he liketh best but errand he hath none to doe to the people no more then Cushi had to Dauid and thereafter is his welcome For as hee faileth of the end of his office so loseth he the honour of it except with a few flatterers and hang-byes Alas they haue enterprized a long race and iourney without prouision to enable them to runne it through It is not the habit that makes the Minister nor the learning though that comes neerer degree dignitie or applause of man which onely will carrie this worke through stitch It is this that God hath said to him as to Paul and Moses Goe I will be with thee that is fit thee embolden thee for a Minister hath enough to discourage him euen from within himselfe as I haue noted elsewhere yea beare thee out against opposition and encourage thee by blessing thy labour otherwise all thy prouision is to little purpose thou maist stand like a foole errandlesse speechlesse Now being called and separated by God and therefore also qualified though thy selfe a weake earthen vessell yet what precious treasure doest thou carrie How admirably doth the Lord make way for him making high hils to stoope and lie leuell before him procuring honour from the consciences not the countenances onely of such as they haue wonne to God from the power of Satan and darknesse by conuerting and sauing them And by stopping the mouthes of such as might despise and discourage them saying Who is this new-found babler what will hee beare downe all and thinke to haue vs tyed to his girdle No no he deales for his Master who sent him and therefore seekes to bring yee vnder the yoke and girdle of Christ and therefore let the discouragements be neuer so great this worke shall prosper and euen out of the mouthes of blockish brutish sauage and ignorant yea prophane ones the Lord shall procure credit to his Ministerie when he hath changed them thereby and these shall iustifie wisedome against all cauillers scorners and enemies thereof Let them be of neuer so many kindes as in this age there are many who contrary to the manifest fruite they see impeach either the sufficiencie of their calling or the worthinesse of their message Oh therefore how lamentable is it that all congregations are not thus furnished and made partakers of so blessed an ordinance of God! Therefore the Lord Iesus to shew how pitifull a case it is to see the people dispersed as sheepe hauing no shepheard he not onely had compassion on them himselfe but also willed the Disciples to pray to the Lord of the haruest to thrust labourers into the haruest seeing none are forward to that worke except the Lord stirre them vp thereto This point hath been spoken of before I therefore will not be tedious therein to the reader The vow that I said before Iphtah made is heere shewed what it was namely that he would in token of his thankfull heart offer and dedicate to the Lord that thing that should first come out of his house to meete him if he returned with the victorie This vow though hee meant well was ill made and in great ignorance in that he did not make it more distinctly and aduisedly For what if a dogge had first met him which is a fauning creature and had been like enough to haue first come foorth to meete him hee could not haue offered it to the Lord it being vncleane and so forbidden to be made a sacrifice His words haue this meaning when he saith It shall be the Lords and I will offer it for a burnt offering that is I will offer it in sacrifice and it shall be a burnt offering to the Lord for hee meant simply that he would offer the first thing that should meete him if he had thought of his daughter would he haue made that vow And will any say that in so vowing he meant that if that which should first meete him should not bee fit for sacrifice he would offer it to virginitie and yet perhaps it should not be fit for that neither as if it had been a dogge and if he had meant to offer it to virginitie as some hold he did did hee not see that his daughter had been most like to haue bin the partie vpon whom his vow should haue bin performed For who had bin liker to haue first come foorth to meete him then she And would he thinke wee haue vowed that which might haue turned to his owne and his daughters so great sorrow Therefore I say hee meant no offering of that which should meete him to perpetuall virginitie Neither are those words of his to be taken disiunctiuely as some think they may thus That which first commeth forth to meete me shall be the Lords or I will offer it For though the Hebrew letter â— be so taken sometime yet very rarely and so little reason is it that it should be so taken heere being most commonly taken coniunctiuely as they well know that haue any vnderstanding in the Hebrew tongue yea and oft in some one chapter as may easily be shewed As for example in Genes 32. 1. 2. 3. 4. foure of fiue times it is so taken in 3. or 4. verses So in Genes 33. 1. 2. as oft in two verses and Genes 45. 1. 2. 3. As many times it is found to be and in most Chapters if not all throughout the old Testament this word signifieth and coniunctiuely not or disiunctiuely as I haue said before Therefore heere to take it otherwise there is small reason for it especially the sense of the place
not being amended thereby For to vnderstand it disiunctiuely thus It shall be the Lords or I will offer it what sense can it haue thus If it be be not fit for sacrifice it shal be the Lords How should it be the Lords they say by offering it to perpetuall virginitie if it be fit thereto for so some vnderstand it as I haue said before But where did God require virginitie to be inioyned to any children by their parents or what example haue we thereof in Scripture And yet if he had meant so in vowing we know it had been most like to bee his daughter I say againe that should first haue come foorth to meet him Therefore what sense can there bee in it to take it so that hee would offer it to perpetuall virginitie if it were not fit for sacrifice For this cause I conclude that the words are to bee vnderstood coniunctiuely and the latter clause to be the exposition of the former thus It shal be the Lords and I will offer it in sacrifice And if it be asked whether Iphtah offended in making such a vow which some think he did not because it is said here that the spirit of the Lord came vpon him and againe seeing he is reckoned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes among the faithfull I answere first to the question and after to the reasons to the question that if hee had vowed simply to be thankfull he had done well but in such a vowing as this was hee sinned greatly as shall appeare better when we come to his performing of the vow afterward vers 39. And to the first reason I answer that the spirit which is said in this verse to come vpon him was the spirit of courage and fortitude for war although it is not denied that he was a beleeuer and had the spirit of sanctification also But what hindred but that hee might in some particular actions through ignorance or weaknes offend as Gedeon Barak did and yet they were the true seruants of God and obtained the victory also for all that So many sound Christians among vs there are who yet tread awry sometimes and so did Iphtah and this one answere may serue both the reasons And this of and concerning his vow till the 39. verse before mentioned Now as he offended not in vowing for that tended to the praising of God though as he made it here he faulted greatly so wee may bee perswaded that it is a lawfull thing to make a vow to God Whereby I meane neither the generall vow of faith and obedience required and performed both in the old and new testament neither that speciall vow that was ceremonial onely practised in the old Testament and some where in the new to wit in the first age of the Church but I meane that speciall vow which is a promise made to God touching some duties to be performed to him and to a good end and this vow if it be made accordingly is lawfull and belongs to the Church both of the old and new testament Such a vow was Iphtahs in respect of the godly intent thereof but that it was not lawfully made nor in a right manner as hath been said And such are ours when we promise as Iacob did that if God deliuer vs from such a danger wee will more carefully and constantly walke with him afterward And so when to helpe our dulnesse and infirmitie wee set ourselues by firme couenant to prayer and reading more then ordinary for measure or for frequency and feruency and to giue set almes for special causes knowne to our selues or to keepe set times of fasting for a season as there shall bee cause or if we perceiue and find our selues prone to drunkennesse and in danger to fall thereto by drinking wine or strong drinke wee may vow to abstaine for so long a time as may bee fit to keepe our selues from sinning And although wee bee bound already hereunto by the word yet may wee more solemnly and for the better bridling of our rebellious nature renew the same bond in a vow to this end to helpe our dulnesse for want of zeale and to make our selues more forward in duty to God and loue to men as Dauid did I haue sworne saith he and I will performe it to keepe thy righteous iudgements These kinds of vowers are lawfull so as they be agreeable to Gods word and stand with Christian liberty and bee agreeable to our calling both generall and particular and be in our power and made deliberately not rashly and the end of it be good whereas not Popish vowes only are failing in these but euen Iphtahs also in many of these points And although vowes made in this manner are no part of Gods standing and constant worship by themselues yet neither are they wilworships nor yet simply left to our arbitriment alwaies but to be vsed as helpes and furtherances to godlinesse wel approoued by the experience of the Saints as to preserue the gifts of faith prayer repentance and other vertues of the mind so also to testifie our thankfulnesse to God for blessings which wee haue receiued of him And with this minde Iacob vowed in the way as hee went to Aram as I said before Now this vow of his as it was a more then vsuall token of his thankfull heart which he indented before hand to expresse if God should giue him the victorie so wee must know that it proceeded from a rare feeling of the spirit of God exciting and quickning him vp to such feruencie Gods people find not themselues alway in one tenor and tune either for inward ioy and comfort in God or for outward forwardnesse to dutie Paul had his lifting vp into the third heauen and hee had also his buffeting to abase him lower then the earth Peter was rauished in spirit when he was in his heauenly trance before his going to Cornelius but we know hee had as rare ebbings at other times Elias a man of men for grace and familiaritie with God and that appeared by his reall assumption into heauen bodily but he was in a poore case when he was faine to flee from Iezabel and goe 40. daies fasting and mourning for the misery which lay vpon him and the Church besides his weaknesses which he bewraied and therefore is called by S. Iames a passionate man one that was clothed with the like infirmities that others had It were to be desired we heare men make great moane for the contrary that there were alway in vs that abundance of grace faith feruencie chearefulnesse which is at some odde time But the contrary befalleth most men partly the Lord so disposing of it because hee knowes wee were not able to beare it but would turne it into a distemper euen as too much good blood in the bodie makes a pleurisie and when there is more water in the channel then it can containe it must needs ouerflow the bankes and
God in the maine Neither doe all parents make conscience what they vrge but require a strict obedience without controle And they that doe make conscience yet require their due often ignorantly and would be full loth to doe it if they knew it vnlawfull as Iphtah doubtlesse would Indeed I confesse this duty lieth streightliest vpon the parent to know what to demand but the child if hee neglect is bound to performe the same which might of the other be lawfully demanded And let none thinke that by this rule the inferiour is euer a whit priuiledged no doubtlesse hee obeyeth the parent and gouernour best and most who obeyeth in the Lord vpon knowledge And in that she saith Seeing thou art reuenged of thine enemies I am well content to dye it was a speech that might well haue become the experiencedst seruants of God though vttered by a young damsell Oh let such examples be our instruction for as Paul said the same words in a like case so the Lord instructeth vs to doe the same So that wee haue cause to say and thinke it that our liues should not bee deare to vs in respect of the welfare and peace of Gods Church and people for her prosperitie should bee our desire and ioy As wee are taught by the example of that rare noble man Nehemiah more famous for grace and godlinesse then for his greatnes and aduancement who being asked of the King why his countenance was cast downe and sad he answered Oh my Lord the King why should I not bee sad when the house and citie of the sepulchers of my fathers lieth waste and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire Commendable also was the answere of Mephibosheth to Dauid when hee was safely deliuered from the rebellion of Absalom and restored againe to be the vpholder and welfare of the Church thus he said What are all my goods and substance to mee seeing my Lord the King is come home in peace And Paul shewed by his words to the Romans Chap. 9. and 10. that so earnest was his desire and prayer to God for Israel that they might be saued that he would pledge his owne saluation to purchase theirs And hee telleth King Agrippa that so as he and all that heard him that day were added as true members to increase the Church hee was content to beare the bands and hardnesse himselfe alone hee I say could haue wished that hee might haue borne all the brunt to free them from it Such loue should wee beare and not pretend to the Church of God that a great part of our ioy should bee diminished vnlesse she might ioy with vs. But we may complaine with the prouerb Euery man for himselfe but they are happiest that weepe and reioyce with her For wherein standeth our happinesse and whence haue we our chiefe cause of reioycing Haue we it not from hence that we are members of that holy Catholike Church of Christ which being his body is knit and compacted by ioynts and sinewes together and draweth from him as her head life and grace And partake wee not euen here singular fruit from this communion of Saints not only by the sweet conuersing with them whom wee are next vnto and dwell among but by the prayers of such as wee are onely present with in spirit though in place farre distant Therefore next to our communion with our Lord Iesus himselfe what sweeter meditation haue we then of our fellowship with his bodie whereunto he hath granted such singular priuiledges and which hee hath beautified with so many admirable gifts and graces in all which wee haue our parts if we haue any part in her What thinke we Is Christ diuided Is his body subiect to dismembring Can any of vs draw from the head any influence of grace if wee will be singular by our selues or separate our selues from our brethren Doth not a great part of our felicitie hereafter consist in this that we shall haue fellowship with the Saints in light euen the light of Gods and the Lambs immediate presence For these reasons let vs bee perswaded to enlarge our selues and not to bee streightned within our selues as if we neither had any part in the sorrowes or prosperitie of others For as there is a duty required of vs toward the whole body to pray for the peace of it and mourne for the grieuances thereof so especially for that part thereof whose estate is best knowne to vs and with Dauid we must say If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my tongue cleane to the roofe of my mouth and my fingers forget to play And againe For Zions sake I will not hold my peace c. till her beautie breake forth as the light and till Ierusalem be set vp the glory of the earth And this affection should bee so strong that it should ouerflow the bankes of the Church and extend it selfe to the borders and confines thereof and be earnest with God for them that are yet strangers and aliants that they may be made members of this bodie and citizens of this Citie that the Kingdome of Christ may bee stretcht out from sea to sea and he may rule farre and wide throughout the world And it will become vs aswell to entreate the Lord to pitie the many thousands of them that sit in darknesse who cannot discerne betwixt the right hand and the left as the contrary ill beseemed Ionah who was checkt for his labour And further seeing the varietie of the necessities and estates both of diuers particular Churches members of each some of them knowne to vs is manifold we must thinke this duty not easily discharged without a great measure of loue and an heart dilated therewith and well purged of selfeloue There are many that pretend this office to the Church being indeed Schismatikes and Heretikes out of a preposterous loue of a communion out of vnion But let them know the Church acknowledgeth no such bastards neither hearkneth after those that would vnder the pretence of a new deuised communaltie of their owne draw her to either a separation from her head as Papists doe or from fellowship with the body of Christ as they who terme themselues of the separation doe When Iphtahs daughter had answered her father as he had giuen her occasion she made a request to him for her selfe as in this verse is shewed saying Giue me leaue to goe to the mountaines to bewaile my virginitie I and my fellowes For it was counted a reproch in those daies to die childlesse And a solitarie place as she asked was fit for that purpose Now that she would not without leaue doe euen that which was good she sheweth clearely and we may see that much lesse would she haue done as Dinah Iacobs daughter did to range and roue idlely needlessely and dangerously Which may teach our youth and particularly the maidens of our age to learne this point of obedience of her
Indeede i confesse life is sweete and if lying be lawfull in any case it is in the case of the perill of life But it is one thing for a man to omit some dutie of the law for mercies sake to our owne life another to commit an expresse sinne against the negatiue of the law Therefore although it bee lawfull for a man to preferre his life before the doing of some dutie commanded put case it be the Sabbath daies duties yet a man may not before a Magistrate answere falsely or equiuocating-lye vnder colour of mercy in sauing his life For it is not onely the omitting of some dutie but the doing of a grosse fault herein therefore the rule is true Euill must not be done that good may come thereof And the negatiue rules of the law admit no exception except God dispense as he did with the Israelites in robbing the Aegyptians who is aboue the law And hence it followeth if lying bee a sinne that it is as well a sinne to lye in the defence of a mans life as it is to lye needlesly or to please All three the officious the vaine and the shamelesse lye are of the same cloth though not the same colour nor equall and of so deepe a dye And to vs Christians it should seeme no hard condition neither to cast our selues vpon God rather then be beholding to a lye for our life if the case should so stand Better it is not to liue then to liue with that which is worse then any death an accusing conscience As the abiured Protestants in the time of persecution can witnesse It is not the fond and foolish pretence or colour warped by the subtile braine of man which can diminish one iot of the commandement of God much lesse disanull it He that will saue his life by euill and indirect meanes shall lose it when all is done as we see these Ephramites gained not by their lye but were conuicted of it by the same tongue that made it as it were with one breath The truth is as the case stood with them they fleeing before their enemies in so bad a quarrell as this was little better was to be looked for at their hands then to lye and shift for themselues hauing brought themselues into the briars by their contention rebellion and railing before But let vs beware we bring not our selues into such streights by our sinne for we shall finde it a matter hard enough to helpe our selues in extremitie of danger and trouble which God brings vpon vs if we be not the better fenced with faith and a good conscience But the danger of the former is desperate and remedilesse as elsewhere I haue more fully declared in the Shechemites and their Captaine Gaal chap. 9. Secondly whereas the text saith of these Ephramites that they failed of the full pronouncing of the word we see that although all the Tribes spake in one language yet euen therein such a difference was that one spake not as the other for we see that these Ephramites could not pronounce as the Reubinites and the Manassites did euen as also the Greekes haue great difference and we Englishmen namely southerne and northward differ much one from another in our dialect or manner of pronouncing though we all speake one language This should teach vs that as oft as wee heare or thinke of any hurt or detriment comming thereby we should call to mind and bee humbled in our selues for the sinne of them that caused the confounding of language first the fruite whereof remaineth among vs at this day and ought iustly to humble vs for that much toyle and time is now spent in learning to vnderstand languages which might else haue been otherwise bestowed And also by strange tongues wee see how the wicked keepe many from vnderstanding the pure word of God as the Romish Prelates long haue done which could not haue been if there had been but one language and speech ouer the earth as once it was Besides with what difficultie in respect of this which I speake of doe many trauell into forraine lands to exchange their wares and commodities or to other ends and purposes For except they haue learned their languages they cannot speake to each other but by an interpreter What labour is there bestowed in the translating of the Scriptures and other writings which else might haue bin spared which when all is done commeth short of the naturall tongue and language Not to insist in the inconueniences which arise by Translations euen controuersies in religion about faith which had been in some part cut off if one and the same language bee generally embraced and they which translate best attaine not vnto that significancie of words and proprietie of meaning which the naturall language would affoord them and that without difficultie These and other like discommodities arise from this diuision of tongues although they that liue at home in their owne countrey and conuerse with such as are of the same speech with themselues doe not so much obserue them let such consider that it is Gods mercie that this confusion reacheth no further then it doth but is confined though within so large bounds as it is And againe let vs know that mens dishonouring God by their tongues by periury yea or swearing by blasphemie or cursed speaking and specially by imprecations might bring a deeper iudgement vpon them in person though the generall little trouble them euen the taking away of their speech altogether which kinde of examples neither experience of former ages nor our owne haue been wanting in although if God should smite as oft as he is prouoked there should bee no end I conclude this therefore let it bee a watchword against abusing our language lest wee prouoke as many daily doe some curse and punishment from God and bee made examples to feare others seeing other mens would not admonish vs. Lastly from hence that they slew such as could not pronounce the word we learne that as these lost their liues in returning homeward though they escaped in the battaile so when wicked men passe by one danger yet they shall fall into another For the Lord being against them they are neuer safe nor free from feare or perill of some euill to light vpon them although not by and by For which cause the Prophet Amos saith If a man flie from a Lyon a Beare shall meete him And euen so we see it to be by experience if such escape by lying friendship money and such like by the hands of men God himselfe will certainely meete with them by the pestilence or arrest them by some strange disease debt imprisonment shame or some other visitation or els the worme of conscience as a serpent shall bite them and if they haue their conscience seared as it were with an hot yron yet this plague shal take hold of them euen an hardned heart which cannot repent and so they dying for few
carefull and constant looking to the religious bringing vp of them and the marking of their disposition and the sinnes which they are most prone and inclined vnto that they may in due time and good manner helpe to remedie it accordingly Another thing that is seuerall in these verses is this that this Abdon the last that is reckoned had fortie sonnes and thirtie sonnes sonnes and these were of place and some countenance riding stately and not as meaner persons going on foote Whereby it appeareth to say no more of the number of children that they had peace then and were free from oppression by the other nations that dwelt about them For they must not else haue had such elbow roome nor their libertie so to shew themselues boldly and openly but to hide their heads as well as meaner persons and to lay their iollitie aside For our instruction this wee may learne that in the time of peace when there is freedome from warre and persecution in a land there is great prosperitie in euery kinde as multitude of people building purchasing and growing in wealth and promotion For though the plague and famine sometime sweep away diminish the number of people yet they through Gods goodnesse not continuing long nor sore are the sooner outgrowne but the other I meane warre and persecution make strippe and waste as we say euen as the violent fire burneth all where it commeth and the raging waters drowne But when they cease there is plentie for the most part going with peace and there is with both great outward prosperitie Which is to bee acknowledged a singular great fauour of God and to such as are able to vse it aright it giueth much libertie and encouragement to liue well and happily And otherwise what is all iollitie and abundance if we haue not learned and be not fitted for the right vse of it The which how few regard or looke after but onely seeke to passe their precious time in ease vanitie play idlenesse whoring drinking and such like and the ciuiller sort to minde little else then to encrease and gather wealth the most of them not knowing why but to content please themselues thereby to see I say how fondly nay madly so many doe vse this peace and liberty of quiet liuing it is much more to be bewailed then the benefit it selfe is to be reioyced for And to thinke how in this time of peace good preaching should be in vse throughout all parts of the land to hold downe Poperie Atheisme prophanenes and other sinne and that which should be all in all with vs to bring many people to God and yet how little is done this way it cannot without much bewailing bee thought on Now if in this earthly mansion of ours wherein wee are absent from the Lord and liue as strangers for a time he can allow his people so liberall and comfortable a supply of earthly refreshings meete for them vntill they shall no longer stand in need of them then what is like to be their entertainment at home in heauen thinke wee and what prouision will the Lord make for them there where all sound reioycing is without end or measure A great meanes doubtlesse to prouoke them to serue out their time with cheerefulnesse and faithfulnes when they consider that all things are theirs both here and hereafter all good things serue to make vp the happinesse of them who are Christs who is Lord of all And this be said of that which is to be considered of in these Iudges seuerally and apart and so of the whole chapter THE SEVENTIE ONE SERMON ON THE XIII CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 1. But the children of Israel continued to commit wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and the Lord deliuered them into the hands of the Philistims fortie yeeres 2. Then there was a man in Zorah of the familie of the Danites named Manoah whose wife was barren and bare not 3. And the Angell of the Lord appeared vnto the woman and said vnto her Behold now thou art barren and bearest not but thou shalt conceiue 〈◊〉 beare a 〈◊〉 4. And now therefore beware that thou drinke no wine or strong drinke neither eate any vncleane thing 5. For loe thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne and no razer shall come on his head for the child shall be a Nazarite vnto God from his birth and he shall begin to saue Israel out of the hands of the Philistims HEre before I giue the summe of this Chapter as I vse to do in the entrance of euery Chapter I will first lay downe the short summe of the foure Chapters next following containing the storie of Samson And it giueth good light to the matters therein contained This Chapter setteth downe his birth the next his mariage the 15. some of his acts the 16. his death For the first of these it is said that the Israelites being for their sins brought into the hands of the Philistims and oppressed by them Samson is promised of the Lord to his parents to be borne as a reuenger of them and the Angell of the Lord instructing them what to doe about the child confirmed the promise by a signe and at the time it was performed that Samson was borne Agreeable hereto are the parts of the Chapter which are three first The appearing of the Angell to Manoahs wife with a message to her of a sonne that she should beare to helpe Israel against the Philistims to verse 6. Then his second appearing to them both together Manoah and his wife I meane to the fifteenth verse Lastly the signe that the Angell gaue that the thing he promised should come to passe as it did indeed of the childs birth and this to the end of the Chapter The first part of the Chapter THe holy storie sheweth in this first part of the Chapter that God sent tidings and hope of help against the Philistims and that is done in this and these foure next verses following and that was because the people hauing fallen againe to prouoke the Lord hee deliuered them into the hands of the Philistims and that for fortie yeeres But here it is said hee thought vpon their bondage and went about their deliuerance This their bondage when it began and ended is hardly gathered for certaintie but most likely it began after the death of Abdon and continued almost to the time of Heli. Of the sin of Israel that they added to worke euill in the fight of the Lord for so are the words meaning as they had done before in times past and as their fathers had done before their late peaceable gouernment so they did now againe For this must be vnderstood of the body of them not of particular persons who there is no doubt committed sinnes against the Lord but not so boldly grossely and openly with consent But now they fell to that and most like to idolatrie among the
rest And now the Lord had omitted to punish them and had giuen them peace they fell againe to their old byas This teacheth how naturall it is for all flesh to decline and to fall to those sinnes which once they abhorred Our latter works should be better then our former but how rare is this to be seene no not in the better sort no vnlesse it be in them who do obserue their own frailtie how many waies they are ready to fall and lay daily for especiall grace of faith and good gouernment knowledge without fainting and wearines as at any time they haue done since they first began else I say it is hardly to be found And no lesse had need to be done of them because both old and new prouocations to euill are so many and strong and euer in the way that they will otherwise preuaile one time or other And therefore men should know and consider that they waite for a reward of great price and no man is crowned except hee striue for it lawfully and to the end therefore they should not be weary of weldoing neither faint in their good beginnings But oh to bee lamented many of the forwarder sort in times past are now growne to tempt God boldly and take vpon them to stint him in their prayers and other seruice and detract from it and coldly goe about it much like them who are driuen to worke dead worke with their creditors and are constrained rather to pay them therby the debt that they owe them then that they haue any wages to receiue for the same which kinde of worke all know how vnwillingly and wearisomly for the most part it is taken in hand And to speake a word of those who are not ingrafted into Christ at all by faith and to shew how awkly they come forward in the sincere receiuing the doctrine of the Gospell though wee know and so may they that the Lord beareth long with them to the end he may bring them to repentance yet how many of them may we obserue who though they liue vnder good teaching doe not verifie the Apostles words to Timothy of the wicked vngodly viz. that both for knowledge they are euer learning but neuer obtaining it and as for their practise they waxe worse and worse rather then that they haue so much as any purpose to set their hearts to seeke after true repentance For the fuller handling hereof let the reader looke backe into the former Chapters wherein the other reuolts of this people are mentioned In that it is said God gaue them when they had thus prouoked him into the hands of the Philistims as he vsed when they fell to the like sinnes to sell them to other nations about them and they and their fathers had so often found it so that they might haue knowne if they would that they should finde some such like thing againe as oft as they reuolted from him The Lords thus dealing with them I say not onely laieth foorth their boldnes in sinning which I haue spoken of but it certainly testifieth also what God will doe to them and to all others in such a case to wit that hee will surely be auenged of such his enemies who dare so boldly tempt him yea one time or other he will most certainly doe it And so let vs and especially such as take aduantage by deferring of Gods executing his iudgement to settle themselues the more to doe euill let vs tell to our owne hearts and that not doubtingly as the woman answered of the punishment to the Serpent which God had certainly annexed to the eating the forbidden fruite but assuredly And this let euery one that is wise apply to himselfe as a most vndoubted truth vpon the committing of those sinnes to the which hee is most in danger or else hee must looke to smart afterward But of this point and the next in this verse namely that he did so long continue the people in bondage to the Philistims because of their sinnes I haue spoken in another place The Lord purposing to raise vp one that should helpe his people doth first appoint his parents and them he mentioneth and describeth in this second verse and sheweth in the third how he sent word to the woman by his Angell that she should beare such a childe as should helpe to auenge their enemies in the fourth hee directeth her how to vse her selfe who should beare that childe and that she should not eate or drinke any forbidden or vncleane thing in the fifth he shewes a reason hereof to wit because the childe should bee no common person but a professed Nazarite And therewith he declareth what he should doe that is begin to saue Israel out of the hands of the Philistims Touching the first of these points of describing the parents of Samson I would say the more but that I see the holy Ghost omitteth and passeth by the commendation of their godlinesse here which yet by that which followeth appeareth to haue bin great But yet I will borrow somewhat from other places in this chapter to this purpose We may obserue in Scripture that vpon the like occasion sometimes a very liberall roome and commendation is allowed to the parents of worthie instruments One for all may serue of the parents of Iohn Baptist Luk. 1. 6. not so much described by circumstance of place and outward condition as by their grace and godlines This is here omitted and yet so as by the sequell of the historie in this chapter it may appeare they were a worthie couple and the holy Ghost as it were leauing it to the discretion of the reader to make vp their description by the good fruites and effects which are after recorded of them both as God willing shall be noted out of the text I doe here make mention of it as being to good purpose in the first mentioning of them Briefly then let vs note from this practise of the spirit of God how much it auaileth to the due setting out of a good posteritie to see from what manner of parents they are descended the godly progenitors being the crowne of a good progenie especially if the vnworthinesse and vnsutablenes of the yonger depriue them not of that honour which their elders haue purchased for them The godly parents are the roote whence the children euen by promise and couenant Exod. 20. are to deriue blessing vpon themselues if they bee faithfull Hence is it that all beleeuers are honoured with the spirituall priuiledge of being the sonnes of faithfull Abraham a greater by farre then to bee his degenerate children by carnall propagation Iohn 4. Secondly this insinuateth to Parents the dutie of care and gouernement seeing when the children are named as in the booke of Kings commonly there the parents are set in the forefront to beare the blame or to carrie away the honour if their children deserue well they may claime the praise of
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
The Angel that resolued there should be no yeelding of gratuitie to him for which cause Manoah asked his name hee did not tell him and yet who can deny but Manoah asked it vpon good consideration namely that hee might shew himselfe thankfull to him as he thought himselfe bound to be Wherein he gaue cleere testimonie of his honest and single heart in desiring to take the opportunitie thereof vnto him afterwards for the kindnesse that was offered him Which is a necessarie duty though it be not regarded nor looked for of them to whom it is due But of this before Now that the Angell did shew as we see in this verse what hee was by deeds rather then by words he hath not onely left vs his example but also confirmed vs in that the Scripture teacheth both Minister and people concerning that matter And first of the former who being a publike messenger of God is called an Angel my meaning is not that the Minister is liable to euery ianglers censure for his allowance of him or for his sufficiencie But let him get this Seale of his Ministerie which here the Angell bringeth out to wit the efficacie of working I meane both a powerfull teaching and a powerfull example and these shall be his iudges By these they must iudge of him who are able to iudge and they who iudge by any other rule are ignorant or malicious and therefore disabled to iudge And the best Ministers that euer were neuer refused this Canon of doctrine and life to be examined by Neither our Sauiour nor the Apostle Paul euer arrogated to themselues such libertie as to be receiued the one for true Messiah the other for a true Apostle vpon their bare word It might haue opened a gap to euery seducing spirit to haue stood vpon his owne worth and like Antichrist at this day to compell mens consciences to acknowledge him a successor of the Apostle because he out of the abundance of his owne sense boasted himselfe so So that base testimonies are inartificiall arguments all meere men being lyars but to trie the spirits whether they be of God is a needfull dutie they that are so tried haue no wrong done them neither can complaine if their charter bee demanded I meane the power of teaching and the power of godlinesse These workes admit no appeale though they be no miraculous works as the Angels here yet they are demonstrations In the 11. of Matthew Iohn Baptist sends his disciples to Christ in policie to resolue them of the truth of his mediatorship our Sauiour when they had done their errand doth not scorne them or disdaine to giue account of his calling But what manner of euidence giueth hee Goe saith he tell Iohn what yee haue heard and seene The blinde see the lame goe the poore receiue the Gospell q. d. If these workes will not euince what I am take mee not for him that I goe for So he tels the Pharisies If I gaue witnesse onely to my selfe I could not claime credit thereto but the workes I doe they beare witnesse of me and further I desire not to be embraced So Paul tels the Corinths ye are my Epistle written in your hearts c. q. d. The spirit of God coworking with my Ministerie to the begetting of faith a new heart and life in you hath sealed also this truth vnto you That I am a true Apostle of Christ against all gainesayers And it is the dutie of all Gods Ministers to adde this commendation and allowance vnto the outward calling of the Church their letters commendatorie I meane and licenses And if hereupon wee may bee receiued let vs not complaine as for them who vpon this testimony from God will not admit vs either our persons as factious Separatists or the power of our Ministerie as all vnbeleeuers and vngodly ones woe be vnto them for in not receiuing vs they despise him that sent vs. As for their censures we may appeale from them with our Sauiour saying I receiue not praise or dispraise of men I haue another Iudge And with Paul It is a slight thing with me to be iudged of such I passe not for your iudgement And secondly let all priuat persons that receiue the message of God by the Minister know their dutie also which is to declare what they bee by the good actions of their liues rather then by their talke and to bee examples to other in their conuersation and not in their communication onely So our Sauiour taught when he came to giue his life for vs here on earth If ye abide in me and my word in you then are ye my very disciples indeed Agreeable hereunto are his words in another place Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Neither let any man desire to bee taken for better then he is but submit himselfe to this touchstone which will bewray what mettall he is made of and for as much as the inward duties of faith and pietie are vnknowne to others let the workes of each mans calling say for him what he is let a good magistrate be content to lose the credit of his profession if he cannot maintaine it by vprightnes courage in punishing offenders defending the innocent being free from couetousnes parcialitie or iniustice Let the husbandman approue his religion by walking as a man of vnderstanding before his wife and she hers by submission in the Lord and reuerence towards him and so the other parts of the familie in their seuerall places And otherwise let them hold their peace as guiltie persons Thirdly this doctrine is to settle the best Christians to bee so still notwithstanding the taunts and mockes of the vngodly who bayte them with the names of hypocrites and men of singularitie seeing they declare that out by their good liues which they imbrace with their hearts and generally let all such take warning by this as onely haue a name they liue but are dead and who speake well but haue not hearts to doe thereafter and as for such as reproach and scorne them who honour their profession with a life answerable their iudgement sleepeth not It appeareth by that which is said here that as the Angell willed Manoah to doe euen so he did I meane offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord. Now where it is obiected that it was not lawfull for him to offer in any place but at Ierusalem and therefore that it was not lawfull for him to offer where the Angell met him I answere that it was lawfull to offer in other places while the Arke was carried about and was staied in no certaine place but after the building of the temple at Ierusalem then indeed that law tooke effect and it was not lawfull to sacrifice elsewhere but all high places were then to be taken away And this I say supposing
the action to be ordinarie but indeed this of Manoah had bin warrantable at any time as being grounded vpon diuine warrant commanding him so to doe And whereas it is againe obiected that Manoah not being of the tribe of Leui but of Dan ought not to offer sacrifice neither was that according to the law that hee did it is answered that hee gaue the flesh and the other things to the Angell whom he tooke to bee a Prophet that hee might offer them for the Prophets had an extraordinary calling that though they were not of the house of Aaron yet it was lawfull for them to sacrifice as Elia and Elisha did for when the Priests corrupted the pure worship of God the Lord stirred vp the Prophets to restore it againe But this was no Prophet ye will say I answere no hee was not but more then a Prophet and therefore the flesh and the other offering being laide on the rocke the Angell did wonderfully hee raised fire out of the rocke and consumed the sacrifice And the same we haue heard to haue been done in Gedeons sacrifice before for although it bee not expressely said here that fire was brought out of the rocke as there yet seeing there is no mention of any fire brought by Manoah and yet that the Angell is said to haue departed in the flame it is most likely that fire was stricken out of the stone the Angell ascended into heauen as though he would vse the flame insteade of a chariot and he dissolued the body which he tooke on him and went away in the fire which was a great wonder to them for Monoah and his wife were stricken with a great feare when they saw that he was an Angell of God and after that he appeared no more to them In that Manoah did as the Angell willed him turning that which hee would haue set before the man of God for meate into a sacrifice it teacheth how fit and ready we should be to be moued and ledde by good instruction to any duty that wee know not neither thought of before meekely receiuing the words of exhortation without resistance or vnwillingnesse This minde was in the Thessalonians to whom Paul writeth thus We are perswaded of you in the Lord that both yee doe already and will doe still the things that wee commande you meaning that they resolued with themselues to make the doctrine of the Apostles the rule of their life Thus should all Christians bee affected like the paterne that Paul giues the widowes that they should diligently be giuen not onely to the particular duties of compassion Rom. 12. but to euery good worke This commendeth the grace of God highly in all such as are thus prepared to serue God in euery part of their life that as they shall see what the good and acceptable will of God is toward them so they are ready still to new duties And so it doth much checke and accuse them who are slow and backward to any good thing that shall be required of them and readily yeelded to by their brethren they would be counted with the forwardest but yet in duties that like them not they will be reasoning against them though in some other they shew themselues commendable And yet for all that which I say let it be clearely seene that there is enough to binde their consciences to that whereto they should yeeld lest they be lead by company will or fancy and there is cause of this readinesse and alacritie in receiuing the word by the people if they consider that the Minister himselfe is tied to the like dutie in vttering it according to that charge of Peter feede the flocke of God with a ready minde not of constraint and the Apostle Paul confirmes it There is necessitie imposed vpon me and wo be to me if I preach not c. If then I doe this necessarie worke willingly it is thankworthie otherwise it is necessarie and I must doe it without thanks How shall this bee if the people hold off and pleade libertie to take and refuse what they please Therefore Cornelius Acts 10. professeth himselfe and his ready to heare whatsoeuer Peter should say from God to him And when he saith whatsoeuer he meaneth whether reproofe or commandement as well as comfort and instruction This she weth that not all that doe some duties doe them readily but either for finister respects or by halues as he in the Gospell who was bidden goe into the vineyard answered hee would but went not so many heare zealously but neuer weighing the worke of God nor forecasting the difficulties repent them of their forwardnesse Others readily yeeld to the truth in their minds as sound and good but their hearts come slowly forward they delight not therein nor approue it as liking that it should gouerne them Againe some things which the word requires we yeeld to for the outward action especially yea and stand stiffely in the defence of it as Iudas did for the relieuing the poore because in a diuers respect our desire concurreth with Gods commandement euen corruptly peruerting the end and vse of a good duty to our own benefit which ought onely tend to Gods glorie But here we doe not obey readily because the manner of obeying which is for conscience sake displeaseth vs as the artificer liketh it well that God calleth for diligence in his calling for his coueteous minds sake but to be occupied therein for the seruing of Gods prouidence the auoyding of noysome lusts and temptations the practise of his faith and patience thankfulnes contentment he hath no readines thereto yea this awkenesse is in the best that they like any dutie should bee vrged which others are tardie in and themselues prone vnto but to be drawn any further and to suffer exhortation and reproofe for their blemishes and errors that is vnwelcome So that readines and teachablenes humbly to giue place and curbe our contradicting and rebellious nature where God hath manifested his will vpon good ground is a rare gift of the spirit and attendeth onely vpon them who with Dauid haue a respect to all Gods commandements Excellent is that speech of Dauid O Lord thou saidst Seeke my face and I answered Lord I will seeke thy face Euen as the waxe applied to the seale receiues the impression and the holy instruments of musicke in the Temple sounded according to the skilfull blowing or fingering of Asaph and his brethren so pliant and tunable should our hearts be to the voice of God and make such harmony in his eares as he himselfe hath made inwardly in them as the seruant mentioned in the Gospell whose obedience in going comming and dooing seemed to be so prompt as if it were the eccho of his Masters voyce And such as haue attained any measure herein let them looke to this one thing that they be constant in so doing lest beside the expectation the diuell in time
afterward or some other improuidence And while men are yet hot and glowing through the power of the word hee doth cast cold water vpon their affections and quencheth the spirit which had kindled good desires in them before And yet few are so wise as to suspect the danger but thinke themselues safe enough and well fenced from the diuell they hauing so lately been taken vp in holy duties as in hearing and prayer and so are easily beguiled by him that doggeth them though inuisibly from the Church as well as to the Church and in it And this I speake not onely of the common abuse of the Sabbath which of Christians ought to be abhorred but euen of other meetings occasioned besides and not auoided But let this be well considered after their publike hearing besides the shunning of vnseasonable companies that although I forbid not men to returne to their lawfull callings and affaires after hearing whereunto the word fitteth them much better and they are no enemies to the fruite which they haue gained in publique yet I say thus much first that there ought to bee some respite betweene the one and other if it may bee so much as may serue to draw the minde and affections together and settle some reuerence vpon them that they rush not forward loosely to matters of another nature as if with the foole in Iames they had forgot the hew whereof they saw themselues to be in the glasse of the word Secondly that if it cannot be that they separate themselues to the reuiewing of the things they haue heard Prou. 18. but it must needs bee that they haue to doe with others as in markets and faires where yet Sermons are vsuall heard by all sorts or the like occasions then let men watch more specially to their hearts and tongues that neither they breake measure nor forget the right manner and end of their companying together but rather take occasion to season others with such things as they lateliest heard then to driue out one nayle with another to vse the phrase of Ecclesiastes and lose all abroad which they should haue carried home for the prouision of their familie But alas as for the common sort whereunto shall I liken them They are like to foolish market men who hauing stored their purses with money and their sacks with necessaries steppe into some lewde house or other where they finde such companions as either by gaming or drunkennesse or iugling picke that money out of their purses and their commodities which they had bought so that they send them home farre more bare and empty then they came forth This dealing is bad enough at a market but worse at a Sermon or vpon the occasion of religious actions worse I say because the former commonly falls out against a mans will but the latter wrong men offer to themselues voluntarily It is not to be wondered at that there are many such for as they whom our Sauiour whipt out of the Temple because they made the house of prayer a den of theeues came not thither to serue God but themselues so now many come to the congregation onely to meete their copesmates with whom they are to deale contract buy and sell and the like the Temple is their place to them where they appoint to concurre their market begins not for the most part while Gods is done This point is needfull to be enforced daily where such meetings are How much more then are the loose and vnaduised gaddings from our owne houses wantonly and wailily without any good end how much more I say are they full of danger For of wilfull goings forth to euill ends and purposes as in youth and masterlesse persons is to bee seene I neede not speake all doe know how odious they are and what mischiefe they bring with them the most are easilie deceiued about the other Dinah Iacobs daughter who went to see the maydes of the countrey may bee an example to all such It were meeter for Christians to learne of Dauid in this behalfe what to answere when he was of his enuious brother Eliab asked what hee made there his father hauing sent him thither namely into the campe he answered him is there not a cause As if he should haue saide haue I not cause to be here then I might indeed be iustly found fault with So let all aduised persons see cause of their being abroad and that they are where they may defend their being to the peace of their conscience The most mischiefes that are now or haue been haue come by mens leauing of their calling and going into company without cause or hauing cause by not returning in due time But of this by the way more shall be said of it in his proper place And this be said of the signe and that which went before it now is added to the former in these three verses an other thing and that is a new trouble which befell Manoah and his wife which was this that because they had seene an Angell of God therefore he concludeth they should certainely dye To whom his wife answered as more strong in faith and confident then he wee shall not dye and sheweth her reasons as followeth to bee considered Thus as I noted in the story of Gedeon wee see how a new trouble arose to the good man and so doth daily to Gods seruants marueiled at by them no doubt but in great fauour brought vpon them by the Lord and seene of them also that will trie it out and receiue it meekely But of this in the storie now cited The trouble that oppressed Manoah and that caused him to breake out into these words we shall surely dye was for that they had seene the Lord. And by this we see what Angell it was that was so called in the 21. verse Euen the eternall word whom here he calleth God and in the next verse is of his wife called Iehoua who sometime put on the shape of a man and appeared to men as also Angels did And it is cleare in the stories of the scripture that after good men had seene God thus or an Angell they were exceedingly terrified and out of heart and looked for no other then present death for they knew what God had said to Moses that a man should not see him and liue but they misunderstoode the words when they tooke them to be meant of his appearing in a bodily shape for many had often seene him so and yet liued after as both Gedeon did and this Manoah and his wife with others The reason of this their feare reade before in verse 20. The thing I note here is this what great weaknesses oppresse Gods seruants oft times as wee see heere they did Manoah of which kinde is deadly feare doubting and distraction And who can say euen of the seruants of God that they haue not been wound and wrapped in with such sore disquietnes either in some sore affliction
And we may say the like That if God heare our prayers and approue of our weake and poore course of life wee may assure our selues that he loueth vs and therefore will not in any aduersitie forsake or cast vs off But God heareth not such as lie still in their sinnes This reason of the woman pithie and concludent may bee further extended to this sense that seeing God had then allowed and accepted them and their offering when they had lesse ground to looke for it nay were more vnlike to speed of their desires then much more would hee now and in time to come testifie his loue towards them hauing passed his word to them and in token thereof deuoured their sacrifice It was his meere goodnesse saith she to giue vs any accesse at all to his Maiestie to offer vp our requests and thanksgiuing to him and to vouchsafe to smell asweete fauour from our offering He needed haue done no such matter it came from himselfe it was his free loue to vs to reueile himselfe to vs more specially then to others Doubtlesse if hee had meant to slay vs he would haue done it before and spared all this labour therefore these are arguments rather that he will reueile himselfe yet further to vs and loue vs more dearely and giue vs more cause hereafter to trust him and giue thankes to him So that when she saith He meanes not to kill vs she implieth more viz. But rather blesse vs more abundantly then before so farre will he be from killing vs. And this argumentation of hers is not vnlike to that of Pauls Rom. 5. 8. If Christ dyed for vs being sinners much more being iustified in his blood shall we be saued from wrath And it serues as a president for Gods people in their doubts and temptations to rouse vp themselues from deadly feare and to gather strength againe to themselues by reason framed according to this of hers And thus should euery afflicted soule and conscience reason in time of his trouble and say to himselfe There was a time when I was out of couenant with God had no promise to ground my faith vpon and wanted hope yet then the Lord visited me in mercie opened my eyes to see and my heart to mourne vnder the burthen of my sinne to come to him for ease and to finde forgiuenesse Since that time I haue had much doubting and been troubled about beleeuing and repentance which haue driuen me to proue them and thereupon I haue rested and found peace Now therefore though I am tempted againe strongly to thinke my estate to be vnsound and naught yet I remember Gods mercies of old and therein am and will be comforted If God had meant to forsake and cast me off quite hee would not haue proceeded so farre with me as he hath done he would haue let me lien still in darknesse vnbeliefe hypocrisie c. and taken lesse paines to call me change me reforme and gouerne me These betoken not hatred but loue no more then the deuouring of the sacrifice argued that God would kill Manoah and his wife Doubtlesse the Lord who did owe me no such fauour at all shewed me mercy freely to the end he might shew me more in time to come and finish his gracious worke in me And thus I construe all his dealings with me hitherto his enabling me to pray and to beleeue to hate sin to grow in knowledge and to inioy his blessing vpon all these to much encrease Let others say as they will I will not be so vnthankfull as to think he hath done all this in vaine that were to mock and deceiue me but I verily beleeue all was and is for good and therefore that I shall see more promises fulfilled till I see the Lord himselfe in the land of the liuing c. But here I end THE SEVENTIE FOVRE SERMON ON THE XIII AND XIIII CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK OF IVDGES OF the first reason of Manoahs wife we heard in the last sermon The second followeth which was this he appeared again again to vs saith she instructed vs what we should do wherto also she said to her husband we attended readily as you know and beleeued his words for thus we must vnderstand her for as much as the word profiteth not if it bee not mixed with faith therefore she concludeth that they should not dye And this which was in her so commendable is no lesse in so many of vs as the like is found but an especiall gift of God to vphold our selues in tryals and then to beleeue God and giue credit to him when we haue nothing else to depend vpon But if we be faint in trouble then as Salomon saith our strength was neuer great And as it was no small trouble to Manoah so to doubt in like maner shall we find it Further out of this second reason of hers rightly vnderstood we learne that although this is no good consequent God hath sent his word among vs againe and againe therefore he will not destroy vs but loueth vs yet let vs take it as it was both meant of her and practised of both her and her husband to wit that they receiued the message at the mouth of the Angell and beleeued his word being confirmed by a signe and then the reason is good in this manner God instructed vs and we receiued it therefore he will not destroy vs. And thereafter is our instruction For if we imbrace and beleeue the doctrine of the scripture that it is for our vse and benefite and receiue it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God and it be sweet to vs as the honey to the tast as the Prophet spake then may we be sure that we shall not perish But more particularly the words of this second reason hauing relation to the Angels message giue vs occasion to looke backe into the nature and quality thereof The Lord sayth she hath told me that whereas I was barren I should conceiue a sonne and that he should be an instrument to saue Israel out of the hands of the Philistims The time also he hath appointed the manner of my dyet and abstinence he hath prescribed adding the reason because the childe must be a Nazarite And this he hath not once to me but the second time to vs both testified and we haue rested therein beleeued the report and receiued a signe What shall we now thinke God will kill vs How then haue we beleeued the message seeing that if he kill vs it is not possible that a child should be borne and begotten by vs and therefore all the other particularities are absurd and frinolous Or if we still beleeue the word of God how can we say God will slay vs Thus doth this woman bestirre her selfe to settle and restore her husband by a strong reason drawne from their faith in the promise of God which could admit no
contrarietie except God hiâ—selfe could be charged to be opposite in his performance to his promise And this shewes how rarely God hath graced this woman that she a weake creature should be able thus to rest her selfe and vnder-lay her husband by an argument of the greatest force which might not be gainsayd except grosse absurdities were granted yea impossibilities to wit that God might falsifie his word And in such cases as Manoah was no lesse euidence of truth and proofe would haue serued the turne It commendeth this duty vnto vs when we shall be tryed in the like manner to wit that we suffer not our selues with Manoah to forget who it is that hath made vs a promise of forgiuenes and who hath assured vs that we shall not perish but be kept to the resurrection day It may be that in some great and sudden feare or trouble the Diuell may quite spoyle vs of the remembrance of the grounds whereupon we haue built our faith and strip vs naked of the experience of our faith which in time past we haue had the fruit and benefite of yea and the particular circumstances also which haue added great force and likely hood to the truth of the promiser as we see in poore Manoahs example But then should we step forth with this woman and accuse our selues for this our forgetfulnes as Christ did the two disciples saying O ye dull and slow of heart to beleeue c. and giue no place to our vnbeliefe struggling against our weakenesse as a strong man whose hands and feet are bound by theeues to breake the bands and get the vse of our ioynts and limmes to help our selues withall Then should we striue to call back the word of God to our minds whereupon in times past wee built our faith and confidence and so shame our selues that wee did not still ascribe to God the honour of beleeuing him which in times past we haue done Nay more we should embolden our selues thus that we cannot be disappointed of our hope whether it be of any deliuerance present or glorie itselfe hereafter except God himselfe can be conuinced of falshood which is impossible and to say so were blasphemy for he hath passed his word to vs we haue been perswaded of it and had cleare testimonie thereof at sundry times so that it is as sure our state is good as that Gods word so much as in one iot or title can not be frustrate In things meerly temporall there may seeme a repugnance betweene the Lord his secret will and his reuealed I say seeme because men eâ—large temporall promises further then they reach But in spirituall promises there is neuer any repugnancie at all where faith is ready at hand to argue with this woman thus If this should be God should be contrary to himselfe which is impossible Now in this lastverse for I referre the next to the Chapter following the birth of the child Sampson is mentioned as the signe thereof was giuen before by the Angell and how the Lord prepared him for such a purpose as to helpe his people against their enemies by giuing him strength of body and courage of minde About his birth after his parents had receiued a promise from God of hauing such a childe yet there were many doubts in them which now we see were all answered Euen so we are to know that though there be many thoughts of heart and much heauinesse in Gods people about the inioying of the sundry good things that God hath promised them before they be accomplished yet wee see God in his appoynted time effecteth and bringeth them to passe It is true that by reason of the much vnbeliefe that is in vs yea though sometime it be well purged out of vs we are euery while doubting till we obtaine the things which are promised and yet some of them we liue to see performed and as certainely shall the rest be also euen as wee see the promise that a barren woman should beare came to passe to the parents that beleeued it that Gods deed and his word may be one And this is true in the promises of remouing any iudgements or crosses as by the malice of the wicked by paine penury or other oppressions or of any blessings temporary as well as of grace to beare afflictions or to vse prosperity rightly or of a good end of our dayes How many and great promises had Dauid of the kingdome yet through not only the long deferring thereof but also the admirable and manifold oppositions that he met with what likelyhood was there that he should euer haue inioyed it in so much as vpon the sight of them he brake out himselfe and sayd I shall surely dye by the hand of Saul one time or other but yet came it not to passe that he inioyed it and was stablished in it Therefore let all those who haue a part in the promises of God count it their singular priuiledge and honour to haue the Lord of heauen and earth thus bound to them as indeed to be out of this compasse is the greatest misery though a man had all abundance let such I say reioyce dayly that they are reckoned among them whom God hath assured to grace enlighten purge gouerne vphold and hereafter glorifie And let them watch and wait for the performance of these promises seeing that hee who hath made them and in whom they are made is no man that hee should change yesterday and to day and the same for euer renewing his mercy dayly To hold this by faith is the beleeuers crowne let him beware that none take away his crowne from him As the childe grew vp so it is said the Lord blessed him with common gifts of the spirit as it is manifest that this is to bee vnderstood but it is not so clearely seene that it should be vnderstood of the more speciall gifts also that are peculier to the godly But yet forasmuch as the word blessed him is generall to both kindes and not restrained to one kind only by the holy Ghost we haue no reason to restraine it but to take it generally and the rather for that the worthy actes he did were fruites of his faith as we see Hebrewes 11. and it followeth after that Sampson was induced with speciall gifts of grace as well as with courage of minde fit for a valiant man and bodily strength sutable to pursue his enemies And this is said of Samson as being a type of Christ of whom it is said that hee grew in fauour c. Luke 1. last verse as in yeeres and stature Whereby we see that all good gifts which wee enioy are of Gods free bountie communicated to vs as the Apostle speaketh And the graciousest wisest or hee that excelleth among men any other way is beautified with the gifts which he hath by God who giueth them No man hath any thing of his owne but sinne The heart of man is
onely and alway euill and as the heart is so is the man himselfe that God may be all in all Therefore it is a finne to be bewailed in the most not meanely that they make no haste to sue to him for all good that they would haue as wee repaire to the fountaine and spring for water neither hauing obtained them doe praise him for the same nor vse such blessings to honour the giuer So that if any should desire or long for any gifts of God that wee haue wee should not make them fall into an admiration at vs but they should be sent to the author and giuer of them and lest wee might take any part of Gods due and honour from him we should answere them as Ioseph did King Pharaoh and Daniel Nabuchadnezzer The Lord hath reuealed the secret hereof to vs but we haue no such wisedome in vs more then other men This bee added to that which heretofore hath been said by occasion of the like words before as chap. 11. 21. 32. and many other places And so much of Samsons birth the chiefe thing in this chapter and of the things pertaining thereto now in this next Chapter I proceed to his mariage THE SEVENTIE FOVRE SERMON CONTINVED IN THIS XIIII CHAPTER Vers 1. And the spirit of the Lord began to strengthen him in the host of Dan betweene Zocah and Eshtoal 2. Now Samson went downe to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistims and he came vp and told his father and his mother and said I haue seene a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistims now therefore giue me her to wife 3. Then his father and his mother said vnto him Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren and among all my people that thou must goe to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims and Samson said vnto his father Giue her me for she pleaseth me well 4. But his father and his mother knew not that it came of the Lord that hee should seeke an occasion against the Philistims for at that time the Philistims reigned ouer Israel THis first verse is in some translations the last of the former Chapter but I make it the first of this as some other also doe In this storie of Samson contained in foure Chapters we haue spoken hitherto concerning his birth and that he was ordained to be an helper to Gods people against the Philistims now in this next Chapter it followeth to the further effecting hereof that wee see how the Lord did strengthen him with further measure of the gifts wherwith he had blessed him before and more especially after his mariage This is generally set downe in the first verse and particularly laid foorth and declared throughout the whole Chapter and in the next two following to wit the fifteenth and sixteenth And in this Chapter his mariage is spoken of seeing one particular occasion was offered there to him by which hee was mooued first to set himselfe against the Philistims namely an iniurie wrought him at his mariage by them Hereby I say he began to be stirred and prouoked against them and to that purpose the whole Chapter discourseth at large concerning his mariage The parts of it are two One is how he was strengthened by the spirit of God in the first verse The second is the shewing foorth of Gods gifts wrought in him by the same spirit both at the going about his mariage and at it and this is throughout the rest of the Chapter The first part of the Chapter HEre it is shewed that as Samson grew in yeeres the Lord strengthened him ofttimes the spirit of the Lord came vpon him that is endued him with a burning loue of honouring God and seeking the good of his people and this he did when he abode in his fathers house who was of the tribe of Dan and dwelt among them in their habitations in that place which was betwixt Zorah and Eshtaol which was neere the citie Ioarim By this we may see that the Lord openeth the hearts of those whom he will be serued by as he did the heart of Lydia and counteth them faithfull and putteth them in his seruice as he did Paul and leadeth them by his spirit as hee did Samson to loue desire and endeuour to doe those things that please him without the which they should neuer goe about them to any purpose much lesse be well carried through them Of what place state or degree soeuer men are thus they must be graced and fitted to their duties although indeed God doe not now as in times past I meane he dealeth not the same way that he did with Samson and many other then For in those daies he spake to our fathers and inlightened them after sundrie manners but in these latter times the outward meane that he vseth is chiefly his word truly preached But the spirit of God hath alwaies wrought grace in their hearts what other meanes soeuer he hath vsed But wee looke not for reuelations nor Angels ministerie now but while we giue heed to the doctrine of the Lord Iesus which is plainly foundly and powerfully taught vs the Lord inlighteneth vs with grace and power of the holy Ghost and giueth vs another heart to serue him as hee saith in Ezek. 36. then wee had before This doctrine is a double linck of that golden chaine mentioned by the Apostle in these words Rom. 8. whom he predestinated them he called iustified and glorified There is no other way to seeke out the certaintie of our election but by the meanes which serue to our calling and our calling neuer goeth without the gift of faith and the spirit of God sanctifying which is the beginning of our glorifying in heauen So that as predestination it selfe is manifested in time by the inlightening and opening the heart to receiue the glad tidings of the Gospell so when Christ is embraced by faith the holy Ghost is giuen to the beleeuer who quickens the heart with spirituall grace and fitteth such a partie to the worke of God both inwardly more renuing and changing his nature and outwardly framing the life to his will And thus he worketh in all his though hee giue greater measure to some who are deputed and appointed by him to greater imployment and seruice I meane hee giueth them more zeale courage loue diligence constancie experience iudgement and the like And yet lest any should erre about this point know wee that hee workes none of these without meanes those therefore whom he will thus sanctifie hee will also prepare by stirring vp in them an earnest coueting of these graces a speciall hunger and thirst after them an high opinion and account of them and a singlar affection of loue to them with a feruent desire of honouring the giuer of them and a studious endeuour by all meanes both of prayer and labour to attaine
For no man can shew to how many vnlikely dangers mens goods lie open beside those which are common and ordinary We haue heard of late that many mens commodities being brought in and so in likelihood past danger haue been in great part destroyed by vermine as mice and rats Therefore they are called vncertaine riches seeing no man hath any hold of them but one mans they are to day and another mans to morrow Besides we ought not to set our hearts on them which we cannot keepe neither thereby giue occasion to our selues to be disquieted when God by any meanes shall depriue vs of them But minde we better things and those not seene with mortall eye which shall also be witnesses that wee haue treasure laid vp for vs in heauen And when wee walke in the discharge of our callings whereby through Gods blessing we encrease our substance yet euen then regard we more the commandement enioyning vs labour then the profit and comfort we our selues in our good conscience in comming by and vsing them with Gods promise of good successe rather then by reckoning our commodities before we enioy them But of this point I haue said more elsewhere The next thing in these two verses is this which we are to make our profit by that when the Lord giueth vs opportunity and offereth vs occasion to do him seruice we should be wise to see it ready to vse it that we may so testifie our obedience both to God and men For so did Samson here The Lord would haue him set vpon the Philistims but so that he should first be prouoked by them lest if he had done it without iust occasion offered him they might not haue pursued him alone but all the land as they made much adoe for the hurt he heere did them till they knew that some of their brethren the Philistims had prouoked him and that thereupon hee sought to be reuenged on them as in vers 6. Looke more in Gedeons story Before Samson proceed any further against the Philistims to pursue them in their liues it is shewed in this verse that there was hot enquirie among them who it was that had so spoiled their commodities And they learned that it was Samson that had done it and further the reason was rendred why he did so and that was because the Timnite had taken his wife from him and giuen her to another Which when they vnderstood they went by and by and burnt her and her father with fire for they considered that they had done him great wrong and thought that he auenged himselfe on other of them for that which they had done to him In this verse by the earnest inquirie after him that had done them so great displeasure we may see that by the light of nature they did this euen as it is lawfull for vs to doe in our owne cases by the help of the Magistrate to seeke to finde out such as haue done much euill in the Common-wealth and that were troublesome But yet herein we must differ from them that as these heere did eagerly pursue the doer of wrong to themselues more then the disorder so much more wee that are further inlightened by the word of God ought to hearken after such offenders and to procure their iust punishment as we may rather for their sinne then to auenge our selues thereby As Salomon dealt with Ioab who had ioyned himselfe with Adonijah against the Lords annointed for hee commanded him to bee slaine that the blood which he had shed causelesse might be vpon his owne head And great is the sin of them that rather then they would incurre the least danger and displeasure at the hands of bad persons worthie to be cut off or sore punished doe suffer them to goe on in their wickednesse rather then to withstand and bring them foorth before authoritie to receiue their due yea rather if they can they will bee readie to excuse their fault and defend them but if a trespasse be committed against themselues there is no measure in pursuing their enemies But a fitter occasion to handle this will be offered in the 21. Chapter When the Philistims vnderstood that Samson had thus spoyled them because the Timnite had giuen his wife to his companion they went it is said here and burnt both him and his daughter and the house ouer their heads But why did they so For the Timnite was not he that hurt them No but seeing they could not come by Samson to take reuenge on him therefore they punished them who were the occasions of Samsons spoyling them though they were in no wise consenting to it nor knowing what hee did A most vnreasonable act to fall vpon them who were no way guiltie of the hurt done to them The Lord indeed did most iustly hereby reuenge that villany which they had all of them offered to Samson but this they looked not at God onely ouer-ruled their appetites that in one and the same act most iniurious in it selfe yet the Lord executed his most righteous iustice against these malefactors arming one wicked person against another and preparing a way thereby to reuenge these Philistims themselues as shal appeare afterward But here we may see the madnes and outrage that is in men For though these were Heathens and therefore might bee thought to haue none to match them in grosse wickednes among such as are baptized yet behold they who are destitute of grace among vs further then the feare of man restraineth some are let loose to as great sinnes For proofe whereof behold the dealing of those furious Iewes Acts 18. who when they could not come by Paul fell vpon Sosthenes his companion and beate him and at this day the Papists when they cannot come by the heretike himselfe as they terme him vse to draw his picture as exactly as they can and with great despite burne it in the fire shewing what they would doe to the person Not vnlike to the practise of seditious souldiers in chopping them as small as herbs to pot who oppose them in their mutinie And we see it commeth to passe sometimes that when vile men are giuen ouer to furie passion and moode he shall beare the blowes that commeth next in their way though hee was in no fault and whatsoeuer is next them be it knife dagger cudgel or whatsoeuer else whether it beate out the eye or tooth or breake arme or legge all is one with them when they be moodie euen as she-Beares that are robbed of their whelpes Nay so little are they led by sound reason that when through their owne rashnes they haue hurt themselues at a doore or fall by stumbling at a stone they curse the one and beate the other But if they sustaine damage or losse by any neighbour they are not satisfied till with the Philistims they haue their blood at least till they seeke it though the hurt done to them was against
their will who are thus doggishly pursued of them Touching such rage and madnes I haue said somewhat heretofore to discredit it and disswade men from it both by shewing the hideous face therof and the cursed fruites issuing therefrom As who beholding Lamech in his furie and outrage and hearing the terrour of his words would not abhorre him and his qualities And yet there remaine among vs men of no better disposition though they will not speake so plainly as Lamech did who could in their rancour eate the very heart of their enemie with garlicke as the saying is and yet nourish this serpent in their bosomes still and fight not against it with the sword of the Spirit nor confesse themselues to bee beasts for their yeelding so farre whereby their whole Christianitie is called into question But another thing in this verse is not to be omitted that whereas Samsons wife being threatned by her neighbours before that they would burne her except she told them the meaning of the riddle she as wee haue heard to auoid the danger did tell it them to the griefe and great hurt of her husband and yet now behold she could not auoide it but by the Philistims was burned for all that For by and for her telling the riddle to her people she was saued from burning but Samson went from her and for that her father gaue her to another to wife for that Samson spoyled the Philistims corne and commodities and for that cause they burned her and her father and so the riddle the declaring whereof saued her life the same was the occasion of losing it Euen so that which shee sought before by vnlawfull meanes and shifts to shunne I meane burning by the same vnlawfull shifts she procured it And so it was with Iosephs brethren when they sought to be rid of him because of his dreames of such honor that he should haue aboue them which he told them of and they in no wise could abide it and therefore they sold him into a farre countrey euen thereby they brought him to that honour cleane contrary to their mindes and liking as is cleere in the storie And what is more manifestly and manifoldly proued by experience among vs then this that whereas many seeing great troubles comming toward them doe seeke by euill practises as lying swearing forswearing and such like to winde out of them what may bee commonlier seene I say then this that thereby they bring farre greater and sorer if not the same troubles vpon themselues For while they seeke to auoid worldly sorrow for a while which had come by their trouble but much lesse they are plunged into a farre greater euen to torment their consciences with deadly stings of sorrow by their sinne which of a long time will not bee plucked out So the Iewes sought libertie by putting Christ to death yet when thereby he rose rose againe from death it cut their hearts deeplier and imbondaged them much more I speake of such as were not seared with an hot yron and so much the rather for that they haue thereby brought his blood vpon them and their children vnto this day I stand the rather vpon this because it is thought a foolish part for a man to beare a discommodity patiently rather then to shift it off by vnlawfull meanes and is counted a point of wisdome to fall rather into the hands of bad men though by yeeding to sinne then to commit his case to God with confidence in him for what account is made of that though it bee against a mans conscience As many Politikes censure Daniel for his vpright persisting in the seruice of God after the decree was made against him by the Princes What say men had he no shift nor euasion to deliuer himselfe and elude his aduersaries but he must wilfully fall into the snare Oh foole learne by this example the truth of that denunciation He that will saue his life that is giue skinne for skinne conscience and all to saue it he shall lose it that is either be disappointed for his shifts God not giuing him fauour in the eyes of his enemies who count him but an hypocrite for all his shifting or if he seeme to gaine somewhat thereby in one kinde yet he shall neuer enioy his penniworth with comfort but rather with a checking and vpbraiding conscience if he doe not at length with wearines renounce it and cast it away as Iudas did his wages of iniquitie But hee that loseth his life that is trusteth God with his most precious liberties rather then he will runne vpon the pikes to haue his will he shall finde it as Hester did by sauing ir or as the good Martyrs did by changing it for eternall life after the short enduring of trouble which their good and quiet spirit and the hope of reward shall make tolerable Oh that men would once learne to measure gaine not by the presentnes but by the cleerenes and worthinesse of it they should by this meanes auoid many a sinne with the shifts that attend vpon it besides preuenting of many after-reckonings of sorrow and punishment which an euill conscience makes vnsufferable especially if the same mischiefe light vpon them which with so deare a price they sought to auoid Very Heathens could say that vengeance would not suffer the guiltie to escape though they might shift for the present But the word of God teacheth vs the cause because the God of vengeance is the Lord of hoasts and hath a hundred souldiers armed to meete with his enemie though he haue escaped one It is as if a man hauing shunned a Beare should meete with a Lion he hath escaped the former but he is still in chace neuer at rest till he be destroyed and hee had been better to haue yeelded to the first The story of al Churches verifie this truth in the examples of abiuring hypocrites who met with worse measure when God took them in hand then they shunned at the hand of men For the wisedome of man is foolishnes with God Now in these two verses the other way is set downe whereby Samson hurt the Philistims and that was in their bodies which hee so lamed and pained with kicking them with his feete that he did beate life out of them And so wee are to vnderstand those words in the 8. verse hippe and thigh that is with a necessary supply added for making the sense runne the roundlier thus his foote put foorth to their thigh with a strong blow and had no other weapon to fight against them but his foote spurning them as sluggish persons not able to resist him This as the best exposition in my opinion leauing others to their own iudgement of these words he smote them hippe and thigh with a mightie plague I set downe not troubling the reader with other opinions about it Now by this extraordinarie strength that hee had thus to spurne and
Iudge and helper into their enemies hands Againe to make the doubt the greater it was said in verse 4 chapt 14. that it came of the Lord that Samson should take occasion against the Philistims that he might sore vexe them and should they of Iudah then helpe them to cut him off who was giuen of God to be such an helper to them And whereas he was not so openly and professedly suffered to shew himselfe such a one as the other Iudges did Othniel Ehud and the rest but only in priuate manner to vexe them as they gaue him occasion To this the answere is that so God had appointed who would thereby haue the enemies curbed and their force weakned for the ease and quiet of his people and yet he would not giue them a ful deliuerance whom he had so often proued to be vnfaithfull and vnthankfull toward him I say therefore that hereupon it may seeme that the whole course of the words and deedes of the men of Iudah toward Samson was faultie and euill for ought that hath yet been said to the contrary and their yeelding him vp to the Philistims as they did afterward was no better then that which they are said in this verse to haue spoke and done to him to wit that they went so speedily about the apprehending and binding of him and so sharply rebuked him for the hurt he did to the Philistims whereas they fared the better for it and saw it was to the easing of them To all this I answere that it is not certaine that the men of Iudah knew any such thing that Samson was giuen them to auenge them of the Philistims though it was told to his mother by the Angell in the 13. Chapter verse 5. and that may bee gathered by the words of the men of Iudah to Samson when they spake to him so sharply and said that they must bind him and so deliuer him to the Philistims which had been absurd for them to speake if they had knowne that he was set by the Lord to deliuer them Besides God gaue them no commandement to breake their league with the Philistims which they had made with them being brought vnder of them neither had hee giuen them any meanes to defend them by violence and armes against them therefore they were to commit the successe to God and it cannot be laid to the charge of the men of Iudah as their fault that they did so to Samson in deliuering him vp into the Philistims hands notwithstanding that God in his prouidence had called Samson to be their auenger And wee must obserue that by this deliuerie of Samson the Lord still gaue further heart as also opportunitie to him to afflict these Philistims more then before as shall appeare in the fifteenth verse So that the Lord thus carrying the businesse wee must not without apparant cause condemne the fact of the people Yet hereby I doe not altogether cleere them from blame For there is no doubt of this but that the men of Iudah were too much afraid of the Philistims and too ready to keepe themselues from danger by them and to stay them from making warre against them And though it had been commanded them of God to haue kept Samson from them yet seeing it had been with the perill of their liues it is like enough they would not for all that haue done so but would haue deliuered him vp vnto them onely indeed they are the lesse to be charged because as I said they had no commandement of God to doe so which excuseth the fact but not them because they looked not at these grounds neither were guided by knowledge So then thus I conclude and let the reader marke The fact of the people of Iudah had been bad and grosse if they had left Samson to shift for himselfe against an expresse commandement from God and if he had bidden them to take Samson for their helper and to assist him for then they ought to beleeue that hee would both haue directed them what to doe and would also haue assisted them But this not appearing by any necessarie proofe they are onely to be charged for this that they proceeded herein vpon sinister causes and not by the warrant of knowledge as appeares by their fleshly fearing the Philistims because they were strong and they did not cleaue to Samson in this respect seeing they saw not that they were like to be eased greatly by him against them and thereupon were so ready to goe about to apprehend him and to aske him what hee meant to prouoke the Philistims against them they being yet vnder their dominion So that this wee may learne hereby That howsoeuer God promised to be with vs in all our waies appointed to vs by him to walke in as hee did to these men of Iudah yet if we cannot doe so without opposition displeasure and resistance by men wee commonly looke as they did to the strongest side with fleshly and carnal eyes I meane to the power of man and not of God and so we soone goe out of the way which is not like to be without our great hurt And yet marueilous it is to see what slauish mindes are in vs that how plainly soeuer God reueile his will to vs in and about any particular dutie we will haue an hundred shifts and excuses why we cannot as we say but indeed dare not walke in the approued beaten way which God hath laid out for vs. No tongue is able to expresse the innumerable breaches of Gods commandements and fearfull sinnes which are committed thus and by this occasion and all to shunne an outward and temporary danger and discommoditie but the inward violence and smarting words which wee make in our consciences thereby we doe not at all or very little regard them which therefore arise after and sometime many yeeres after to trouble yea and torment vs. As the fact of Iosephs brethren did vex them more then twenty yeeres after and Dauid was sore troubled when he remembred the sinnes of his youth And this to bee true both Scripture and experience teach vs that while men runne into sinne to auoid outward trouble and danger and yet make nothing of it when they haue done lest they should too much disquiet themselues yet that God doth afterwards make their doings as prickes in their eyes and thornes in their flesh that thereby we may know that they who hold vp their heads most iollily after their sione committed as though nothing were amisse with them shall not so easily goe away with it but their sinne which they haue made their dearling shall sting them in their bosomes and rise vp and strangle them as it oft doth and make their liues wearisome if it put not also an end to them as the sinne of Zimry and Cosby did Corab also and his company But where might one make an end of this discourse Looke more of this in the storie of
as if it it had been sword staffe or other weapon And when hee had slaine them hee shewed what heapes hee had made with so slight a helpe or instrument Heere we see that these Philistims lately so exceedingly ioyfull did not onely lose their ioy but their liues also And this may tell vs yet a heauier thing then the former For it teacheth that for the most part looke what fearefull and blind estate the blind and bad people liue in and chuse to repose themselues in in the same they continue for the most part and end their daies For is there almost any place left for amendment Therfore the Apostle saith The wicked and the deceiuer wax worse and worse and when they crie peace peace and all things are safe then commeth destruction suddenly vpon them before they be aware as the trauell vpon a woman with child and they shall not be able to auoide it When the rich man in the Gospell reioyced most in that he had he was nearest a wofull end So Baltazzer when he was drinking wine merrily with his Princes and Concubines in the vessels of the Temple then the fearfull hand writing appeared on the wall hauing this meaning God hath finished thy kingdome So Agag And as such liue so they die Although I denie not but God where it pleaseth him can giue a new hart where it is sought and cause such vanity to bee distasted as wherein men haue delighted and worke found reioycing instead thereof Therefore chuse wee the best delights and so the longer we hold them the soundlier wee shall enioy them vntill we keepe them vnto our end Another thing that he did was that when he had slaine an heape he correcteth himselfe when hee smote them on both sides with the iaw-bone they preasing about to take him and he saith two heapes or many as if he should haue said heapes vpon heapes had been slaine by him And seeing hee knew that God gaue him the strength thereto hee being a godly man why doth he vtter these words but that al might see and acknowledge what a great worke God had wrought by him and that by a weake meane euen with the iaw bone of an Asse To teach vs that where the Lord will haue vs execute iustice without pitie vpon euill doers we must not faint nor be negligent to doe his commandement vpon them as Samson did here Ioshua before on Achan Ehud vpon the King of Moab and Shamgar on the Philistims God will haue the wicked smart for their trespasses openly committed to smart I say by men according to the weight and hainousnesse of them and vtterly forbiddeth foolish pity to be shewed in such a case according to the saying of Salomon It is an abomination to iustifie the wicked The like may be said against that foolish pity which ariseth in vs when wee behold Gods immediate hand vpon them and yet wee ought not then for all this to insult ouer them but we must ascribe honour to God with those 24. Elders in the Reuelation and Dauid vpon the death of Nabal Now followeth the third point that as Samson honoured God in shewing what hee had done by him in slaying heapes of men euen a thousand so he added this thereto that he gaue a name to the place where hee did it as a memoriall thereof that all posterity comming after might know vnto the end of the world what great things God did for his people against their enemies The name of it he called Ramath-Lehi as if he should haue said the lifting vp of a iaw-bone which remaineth as a monument of Gods mighty worke by him euen to this day Thus and by this meanes Gods seruants haue praised him in times past as in the booke of Numbers Ioshua and other is to bee seene as well as other times by songs and dances that wee all may marke and remember his benefits and great workes and praise him among the generations following to the quickening and comforting of his people and the feare of his enemies although not in the same manner that some haue done in ages past But of this before once or twice The fourth part of the Chapter Vers 18. And he was sore athirst and called on the Lord and said Thou hast giuen this great deliuerance into the hand of thy seruant and now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the vncircumcised 19. But God claue an hollow place that was in the iaw and there came water thereout and when he had drunke his spirit came againe and he reuiued wherfore he called the name thereof En-hakkoreh which is in Lehi vnto this day 20. And he iudged Israel in the daies of the Philistims twentie yeeres NOw followeth the fourth and last part of this Chapter wherein is shewed what an exceeding great thirst Samson had after the slaughter of these Philistims and that he prayed to God and he giue him water so that he reuiued and so he praised God there And 〈…〉 time that hee iudged Israel is in the last place adioyned and set downe â—â—ch was twentie yeres By this thirst of his the Lord would haue him to know himselfe and to be held vnder lest by that which hee had done to the Philistims hee might haue been lifted vp aboue that which was meet Thus he dealeth with his intermixing his chastisements with blessings that both they may be held in humility by the one and yet may haue sufficient encouragement to abide constantly in a good course and not forget the Lord and become high minded as they are easily brought to bee by the other to wit his benefits And thus the Lord saw good to deale euen with Paul himselfe who was buffeted by Satan when hee had been listed vp to the third heauen by the rauishing of Gods spirit yet hee had that humour remaining in him which needed setling and cooling that his ioy might be kept within holy lists and bounds And the same I haue noted in that famous accident of Iphtah his daughter whom God set on to abase him that hee might proceed on to the triumph more soberly Wee must thinke Gods seruants are deare to him when hee sticketh not to bereaue them of their preciousest delights to the end they may hold their delight in him and not turne their sweetnesse into bitternes I meane their holy reioycing into fleshly presumption The reason hereof is because else God cannot trust vs in the businesse he sets vs about except hee giues vs coolings and abasements to consume the superfluity of our hypocrisie conceitednesse of our selues pride and security which are as vnfit dealers in heauenly matters as Nadab and Abihu their strange fire was to kindle incense or offer sacrifice withall And secondly the Lord honoreth many of his deare seruants whose faith and setlednesse in grace and freedome from such grosse staines hee is priuie vnto by giuing them
that when God hath deliuered men oft times out of danger they looke still that he should doe so neuer thinking how iustly he might haue plunged them deeply into the same long before neither weighing their owne securitie who little regarded to profit by their deliuerances past This is the exceeding blockishnes and senselesnes of men who as the Prophet saith are wise onely to doe euill but not any good They looke they should doe as they haue done in all things that like them and they will do as they haue done in all that please them But in all this what allowance haue they from God or libertie to do so Nay rather why do they not consider that God is against them in that their bad course and therefore hast out of it and they seeing the plague to hang ouer their heads why do they not hast out of it and with the good Captaine humble themselues to God as he did to Elias and craue pardon Oh! let the best of vs know that wee may not nestle our selues in any ill course though wee haue been bold with the Lord in times past that way when wee were as yet lesse experienced to tempt him farre and deceiue our selues as we haue done imagining that we shall doe as well as in former daies For in this changeable world such changes come oftest to them that change not from their euill courses and besides God will not be mocked As for the bad who crie peace their case is much worse Thus Corah perished and his companie when yet he thought that all should haue been with him still as it had been in times past And by this was Iezabel deceiued that threatned Elias should lose his head on the morrow little weighing what one day doth bring foorth but she a little after lost her life and that in a fearfull manner For why There is no peace to the vngodly saith God And thus Samson though no reprobate yet now a miserable reuolter fared who knew not that God was gone from him and looked to escape as he before had done but was disappointed and deceiued And this palpable deceiuablenes is bred in vs to dreame of God as hee did in the Psalme who said that seeing God did as it were winke at him and held his peace when he did euill therefore he was as hee himselfe and approued his bad course and would doe neither good nor euill so that there was no change of his prosperitie as he thought to bee feared And I confesse God suffereth long and in this his administration here below doth oft times let such as he meaneth to destroy goe on without stop and prosper as the oxe fatted to the slaughter whereas hee meeteth with his owne children in mercie though with smart and bitternes rather then that they should perish Howbeit neither is this course generall as appeares in the many examples of them in Scripture and experience whose sinnes haue gone before hand and where it doth hold for this life yet it faileth at death Then to be sure their course is altred The wicked man as the Prophet saith though an hundred yeere old is accursed and a day commeth whereof it shall be said It is not as yesterday Let this terrifie all vngodly ones lest God come vpon them at vnawares and alter their condition to their most intollerable vexation Let thē rather as men amazed by the terrors of God shake hands with and renounce their stale course wherein they are setled and as it were frozen And let them trie whether by vnfained humbling their soules and obtaining mercie with God they finde not that it was happie for them that euer they changed their estate For I doe them to vnderstand that there are persons who make a farre other vse of Gods sparing them then Samson did here and doe not occasion themselues to sinne more boldly still and yet to promise themselues peace as in former times And further I say that there are men to bee found I say not who may but who ought to looke for and build vpon it for certaine That it shall be well with them as at other times and so faith teacheth them to speake and they are such as haue obtained fauour with God that they might beleeue in him and in token thereof walke in his waies euen they to wom God hath giuen such an heart as to feare him and endeuour to obey him in all his Commandements they I say may assure themselues and shall finde it to goe well with them alway Marke that I say alway to day as yesterday and now as in times past And so had Samson found if hee had walked according to this rule For be it knowne to all such as haue fully purposed to cleaue vnto God without warping or falling off which he did not that it is their sinne if they doe not fully account of it and beleeue it that their soules shall be alway liking and they to be in fauour with him and blessed of him So that if men desire to haue to morrow to be like to day without change I meane any substantiall change though otherwise their faith and comfort is intended or remitted through their weaknesse let them be reuited by faith and care of obedience vnto him who is the vnchangeable al sufficient God of his elect But let them not thinke this promise entailed to them by the bare bond of their election or adoption but by their constant care to keepe both by holding fast a good conscience but if they waxe dissolute let them look that their good daies shall be changed into sorrowfull God giueth no man any certaintie of his outward estate peace health wealth friends or prosperitie much lesse granteth any man securitie in an impenitent course And lastly whereas it is said that the Lord was gone from him the meaning is this that hee had taken his strength from him and the graces which he had enioyed were so feebled darkned and drowned in him as if hee had lost them altogether and so doubtlesse he had if it could haue been A fearfull spectacle to behold such an one as he had been to wit before the most in gifts and grace to be brought to this point by his sinne as to cause the Lord who had loued and done so much for him so to leaue him in the hands of his enemies to vse him at their pleasure But what he was brought vnto I meane to what depth of miserie sorrow and shame it shall better appeare in that which followeth But yet God forsook him not finally but after he returned to him again and brought him to repentance as shall be further shewed in the end of the Chapter Now to finish this second part of it let vs consider of Samsons estate by Sauls dolefull complaint when he vsed the same words which the holy Ghost doth here of Samson namely that the Lord was departed from him
And he had a house of gods and made with the rest of the money all garments and ornaments fit for a Priest signified by the Ephod the vpper garment of the Priest which was the chiefe and when all other things fit for Idolatrie were prouided then he brought the Images which are here called Teraphim into the house of his gods as he called them and made his sonne his Priest And whereas it might be said Was all this abomination done in Israel how could that be It is answered in the sixth verse as the reason of all there was then no ordinary Magistrate in the land to see good order and put downe the contrary and that was the cause Whereas she had dedicated the money to the Lord all that heare what she said would thinke her meaning was that she had vowed it to the vse of the Tabernacle and seruice of God which had been commendable in her but she did so dedicate it to the making of an Image not to the intent to worship false gods but the true God euen Iehouah though in an vnlawfull manner Whereby wee see two kindes of Idolatrie haue been and are practised in the world one when a strange god is worshipped or made for that end another when the true God is worshipped therein but not in such manner as hee hath commanded but by and in Images or some other way that men haue inuented and of this second kinde was this womans sinne So when an Image is made by any set vp to bring God to remembrance we must vnderstand that although they doe it of deuotion intending no other thing then to worshippe him thereby yet all such doing of theirs is but meere ignorance and superstition and that which God doth vtterly abhorre Such as that was of the children of Israels deuising in making a Calfe to worshippe mentioned in Exodus and such as now is practised in Poperie who professe when an Image is set vp before them they pray not to it but to God whether it bee the Crucifix or the picture of the Virgin Mary as they call it or any other neither worship they it if ye will beleeue them they say but they doe so to put them in minde of their Sauiour which is little better But whatsoeuer they meane or intend in such their doings their worke is accepted of God euen as this womans was and that is that he taketh and counteth it for Idolatrie But let vs all as well as Idolaters beware that we offer not to God any seruice or sacrifice whereby we should but mocke him as Micahs mother did Whether it bee will-worship which he neuer allowed or done in hypocrisie which he detesteth as well as Idolatrie most of all condemned but let vs alwaies be guided by his word in the worship which we offer him As she had dedicated the whole summe of the money to the Lord which she tooke againe of her sonne so accordingly she put to the founder a part of it to make a molten Image and the rest of the eleuen hundred shekels she gaue backe to her sonne for the like vse to wit for the maintenance of his Idolatrie The which doing of hers seeing she was so franke in bestowing and yet reaped no fruite of all her cost doth giue iust cause of wondring and lamenting that such Idolaters as they were and as they of our time be can so readily lash out their money vpon that for which they shall neuer be the better for in vaine doe all such worship God and yet many of vs are so slow and backward to lay out our money that may bee well spared to comfort the hearts of Gods people and to other good vses when wee yet may reape and enioy most certaine yea and that vnspeakable fruite thereof I meane when we beleeuing that we are beloued of God do shew this fruit of our loue and thankfull heart to him againe that wee maintaine his true worship with our goods and also pitie and incourage the true worshippers of him I meane his poore members as he requireth of which poore sort he might haue made our selues to be But oh it grieueth me to speake it that for such good vses to wit for the refreshing of Gods poore Saints and the furthering of the true preaching of the Gospel men haue so small deuotion that they thinke all too much that is bestowed that way But they shall receiue their reward accordingly though they hold the truth in the letter as long as they serue God negligently and pinchingly whereas we haue learned of our Sauiour that his heauenly father is not honoured of vs neither then shall we of him be except we bring foorth much fruite And because in the entrance vpon this chapter I referred the reader to this place as a fit occasion of vrging so important a dutie therfore I will here adde somwhat to the former This I say therefore there is not that lauish expence and needlesse lashing out of mens money in some kinds through the land God be thanked which hath been I meane in bestowing much meate drinke vpon idle ones and gamesters and rogues but wherfore is it spared which was wont to bee ill spent To clothe the poore naked members of Christ thinke we or to feed their hungrie bellies to relieue either poore students in the Vniuersitie or Christian poore and distressed ones in the countrey or any other good way This were a good change indeed and a wise frugalitie to spare from the wicked and vile vses to the making of friends that may receiue men into eternall habitations No no but the Popish rout spareth for the maintenance of fugitiue Iesuites and Seminaries and the vpholding of the Popes kingdome the other that they may the better defray the great charge which the seruice of their lusts puts them to I meane pride of life the lust of the couetous heart and vncleane eye all which neuer so swarmed in this land as at this day and yet neuer so great and generall complaints and penurie nor so many and daily vses of reliefe as now in so great increase of pouertie as the people is increased Well gorgeous apparell royall feastings costly pleasures great summes laid vp and purchases made for the vse of posteritie may presently giue contentment to the flesh but when the Lord shall call for a reckoning these expences wil not be allowed nor this account taken for currant but a wofull backe reckoning shall bee exacted at the hands of these euill stewards for such wasting of their Masters goods And that pinching and niggardly contribution to Christs vse being laid with the huge summes that men bestow vpon their lusts shall be an inditement sufficient against them to their condemnation Few there are alas able to doe any thing to purpose towards the easing of the generall burthen and therefore that among those few the most should want an heart as a wofull miser confessed