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
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
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
take euery occasion to increase their sinne euen by occasion thereof that if any of their name haue been noted aboue other for some bad qualitie as stoutnesse and stomacke bragging and boasting pot-companionship or such like oh they must vphold the name though it be but a shaddow as Absoloms pillar and so be sutable to their name if it occasion them euill and to keepe aliue the bad practizes and course of them that bare that name before them Euen so names more aduisedly and wisely giuen to children as I haue taught in another place are good occasions to prouoke them to their duties Besides we may see what men get who are of any good note by entring into so neere a league and hauing so inward acquaintance with such dames and mates which though it were in single and lawfull marriage yet it threatens as farre as man may iudge an extinguishing of the good sparkles of grace in them that are so matched Which should cause the seruants of God to linke themselues in marriage with women more like to themselues in religion and good behauiour And for them for whom it is too late to giue this warning vnto who are too many let them yet receiue and imbrace this instruction that is giuen them in the second place that is to say how they take counsell of such wiues or ill companions in cases doubtfull and and dangerous as are malicious high-minded quarrellers contentions waspish couetous and gripers or in a word voide of true religion Sampson may be an example to all both of hearkning too farre to such and so Gedeon may be also and likewise of opening and telling that secret which is not meet to be imparted vnto them which Sampson did to his great reproch and abasement But here an end of this seeing of both these last points I haue intreated purposely before out of the former histories THE FIFTIE FIVE SERMON ON THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Verse 32. So Gedeon the sonne of Ioash died in a good age and was buried in the sepulcher of Ioash his father in Ophrah of the father of the Ezrites 33. But when Gedeon was dead the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Baalim and made Baal berith their God 34 And the children of Israel remembred not the Lord their God which deliuered them out of the hands of all their enemies on euery side 35. Neither shewed they mercie on the house of Ierubbaal or Gedeon according to all the goodnesse which he had shewed vnto Israel NOw together with the Chapter the holy story maketh an end of Gedeons acts and maketh mention of his death and buriall and sheweth what the people of Israel did afterwards In this verse it is said he died in a good age For seeing some of his faults haue been spoken of to leaue them so would haue bred some doubts he hauing done many good things therefore his end is here set downe to shew that both hee had the blessing of old age granted him and also that it was blessed with many good things by God vnto him The same that is said of him is said of Abraham that he should die in a good old age Which speech here applied to Gedeon and affirmed of him though it be not to be drawne so farre as to prooue he died godly but onely noteth fulnesse of daies and prosperitie in this life yet it is cleare that he died so and obtained eternall life after in that he is reckoned among the faithfull in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Which is to good purpose to bee set downe he being though a godly man yet blemished that thereby we may know he repented By this we are taught that we must stablish our faith hope and other graces of God begun in vs at our first conuersion that wee may bee rooted grounded and setled therein as the Apostle willeth the Colossians and that so the neerer we are the graue the more glorious and fruitful our profession may be and in our age we may more flourish then in our youth which is a thing not easily found nor obtained Therefore the Apostle Saint Peter also exhorteth saying Take heed that ye be not led away from your stedfastnesse and sheweth how that may be like to be euen by the error of the wicked For by beholding how they walk who haue no feare of God at all and by harkning to their subtill counsell and poisoned perswasions we shall find to our cost that there is no small force to draw vs after their cursed example wheras we were in a good course before If Gedeon so mightily and oft assisted and helped did yet fal in such manner as we haue heard what may we look for in so many and so variable cases through out our whole liues It is well seene in this age what need they haue to profit by this doctrine who ranne well sometime as the Galathians did but yet haue suffered themselues to be letted so that they obey not the truth which they began and professed commendably to doe Many faults both to the wounding of the conscience and the offence of men prouoke God daily in his owne children and make faith to seeke and hope to waxe faint for that we doe not labour carefully to bring forth fruit plentifully thereof and to hold out with all possible endeuour the profession of our hope with ioy And if we haue trode awry and begun with the wise virgins to slumber yet through due and continuall attending vpon God and daily and oft repairing and drawing neere to him wee should not sleep therein but make haste speedily to come home againe vnder the Lords wing and protection where only true safety and good being is to be â—ound and that the rather seeing the poore chicken and bird void of reason after the least straying longs by by after the damme and to be vnder her wing and say wee therefore euery one with the Prophet to the Lord O forsake me not ouer long and euer and anone looke wee that all be well with our soule that there be peace betwixt God and vs and that our faith and repentance waxe not stale nor loathsome to vs. And make wee no haste to rush into shamefull and reprochfull sinnes for neither is the burthen and shame of them easily borne nor the getting out of them and the recouering of our selues againe from vnder such bondage easily obtained when wee be once fallen into them whereof by many occasions much hath been before spoken And hereafter the long mentioning of Gedeons acts followes his death To teach vs that to be the end of all flesh whether the life be short or long as Dauid also witnessed in other words saying I goe the way of all the world And great incouragement wee haue to prepare and haste for death if wee haue learned aright to dye seeing with our being with Christ
manner of excesse and greedinesse and fall into the same danger thereby that the others doe who attaine to it by shifting and against conscience What then some perhaps will say it is lawfull for vs to enioy the earthly benefits of God And againe are there none that rightly vse prosperity and plenty I answere God forbid for men may and some doe much more good thereby to others especially then vnder the crosse and in aduersitie But this is rare for a contrary mischiefe rather in prosperity befalleth men and that is that for the most part they suspect not neither feare any danger no not when they grosly forget themselues and abuse their prosperity when yet it hangeth ouer their heads and is most hardly auoided Moreouer neither doe they obserue themselues lest they should become drunken with it neither search into themselues to finde out how they offend thereby Both which are necessary for a man in prosperity to doe yea and to vse to doe so daily for the cutting off the dangers that may otherwise ensue therby And yet as the best practises against this and other sinnes yea though they be neuer so conscionably and reuerently put in vre doe by little and little grow common and lose their strength so therefore besides both these a Christian man must oft with Iob tell it seriously to himselfe that he must looke for his change and say it will not alwaies be summer and thereby cracke the pride of life and abase the excesse of carnall delight which prosperity will otherwise ful soone raise vp in him most dangerously And last of all if God continue his daies of health and welfare so that smartie crosses be kept from him let him crosse his naughty and vnruly affections and those especially by which he is most like to offend and be in danger chasing them away by seruent prayer against them and grow in fruitfulnesse thereby as he who receiued fiue talents brought fiue more which he had gained thereby And these things being duely obserued as being those which be most necessary I will not doubt to affirme that the man who doth so shall vse prosperity well and be profitable many waies thereby which yet of another man that doth not so I cannot warrant nay I dare be bold to say hee shall not But seeing the godly doe rarely thus by this Iudge how the world vseth prosperity if the godly so hardly vse it well Another thing is worthie to bee marked heere where the Lord moueth the people to repentance by rehearsing his benefits bestowed vpon them and that is this that of all reasons this ought most to preuaile with Gods seruants to disswade them from their sinnes which they haue fallen into and to raise them out of them or to preuent the committing of the like this I say ought most to preuaile with them euen the often remembrance and due consideration of Gods benefits though with griefe it may bee spoken this aduice preuailes too little This reason God vsed heere and the people were conuicted thereby and yeelded and confessed themselues guilty For why the loue of God constrained them which hauing been before shead plentifully into their hearts Now when they heard this sharpe and iust reproofe and that from God himselfe by his messenger they saw clearly their sinne and namely their vnthankfulnesse how they had forgot Gods benefits and trod vnder foote his louing kindnesse it being the most precious of all other things which went neare them they knowing that hee had done so many great good things for them and this with the remembring of his benefits in some perticular manner as they heard them repeated caused them to cast vp their vnsauoury gorge and so to returne from their deceiueable and damnable offences to imbrace againe the mercies of the Lord who was their first husband And with this putting the people in remembrance of his many and great benefits God doth draw them on oft in other places to feare him As when hee saith in Deuteronomie I thy God haue blessed thee in all that thy heart could desire Thus in another place also hee calling the people to repentance whom he compareth to a vine and labouring to draw them from their ingratitude putteth them in mind that he had planted them being his Church in a place most plentifull and abundant This caused Dauid euermore to haue Gods mercies in great remembrance and to set his benefits before his eyes that hee might shame himselfe for his sinne passed and by all meanes seeke to come out of it And therefore in the psalme 103. he as though hee had not been thankfull when yet he excelled all men therein quickeneth vp himselfe thereto saying Praise thou the Lord O my soule and all that is within thee praise his holy name And in the 51. Psalme to perswade himselfe to repentance hee saith that his mercies are great and that there were in him multitudes of compassions Other reasons drawne from the dreadfull feare of Gods iudgements may I confesse terrifie for the time the hearts of Gods people and hold them in awe as it were by violence but they worke not kindly to bring them to dutie with cheerefulnesse though they may stay them from further euill for the time till forcibler perswasions come But when all is said that can be it is the loue of God that constraineth men that they should liue to God not to themselues And yet I will not say that this reason shall alwaies preuaile with vs although where it doth not wee may well conclude that wee are much out of order and haue grosly forgot our selues Now I come to the particular benefits which hee bestowed vpon them forbearing to repeate them euery one together seeing they may bee read in the text for times sake but one after another as they lie in order The first is that he had brought them out of Egypt which was a countrie which was wholly infected with superstition and idolatry and therefore most dangerous to dwell in And what a benefit was it then for them to bee deliuered from thence euen as from Rome or in another respect from Sodome For there they must haue been corrupted with the pestilent contagion of their idolatrie beside the most heauie burthens and bondage with which both they were and still also they must haue been pressed with if they had remained there Hence it is that almost euery where in the Scripture where mention is made of Gods goodnesse to Israel this their deliuerance out of Egypt is most commonly reckoned as the principall because without it all other blessings had been as nothing Therefore let vs also know that it is a singuler mercy of God to be freed from the false worship of God and idolatry if I should say no more but especially when there is ioyned with that a deliuerance from bodily troubles also A benefit
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
and keepe a memoriall as they here should haue done and were reproued for not doing of our deliuerances out of trouble and calamitie in which we saw that we might yea must haue lien ouerwhelmed and drowned if the Lord had not in good time brought vs out of them These deliuerances I say out of bondage prison sicknesse paine of body and anguish and torment of conscience and the like and how oft they haue been enioyed of vs and how comfortable and welcome vnto vs ought to be daily remembred and acknowledged with heartie praises to God as well as his benefits Hee who marketh them shall finde them many and great beside those that are common so that he may truly say God hath deliuered from many deaths And because of the peoples forgetfulnes in the former ages we see how oft they were put in minde of this one deliuerance out of the bondage of Egypt Therefore the Prophet Dauid and other holy Penmen of the Psalmes in the behalfe of the people doe so often call to minde and sometimes with admiration and astonishment Gods former deliuerances as the whole 124. Psalme witnesseth thus If the Lord had not been on our side may Israel say when men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quick the waters had ouerwhelmed vs c. Oh our forgetfulnesses of the like kindnesse of God it is enough to accuse to Godward though wee had no other sinnes seeing wee cannot be ignorant into what dangers and depths of sorrow we haue sometime been plunged when wee lay crying and complaining and perhaps praying also vnder the burthen of them that it would not haue bin thought that we could euer haue forgot the Lords kindnesse if he should euer haue brought vs out of them and yet when he hath done so yea againe and againe done so we haue with Pharaos Butler and the nine leapers forgot all Whereas we haue learned that many yeeres after euen as long as wee reape the benefit of such deliuerances yea euen till death we should praise God for the same according to that which was taught our fathers in the Psalme Let Israel now say that is long after their deliuerance that God is gracious and that his mercie endureth for euer Now I haue spoke but of thankes for deliuerance out of trouble to the which if we adde his benefits which are innumerable what can be required of vs lesse then this that in all things and alwaies wee should be thankfull And this bewraies the blockishnesse of such who being vrged to giue thankes aske wherefore what haue wee receiued more then others we enioy but our part in common blessings as the most doe c. As if thankfulnes were some extraordinarie dutie lying onely vpon some few persons rarely fauoured of God No the Lord requires no more of thee then he doth of them who are equall to thee nay inferiour to thee in benefits But thou like the swine takest all that commeth not regarding what or whence so thy turne be serued and thus deuourest many blessings through thy brutishnesse which a godly Christian would make matter of daily praise and inlarge the greatnesse of them by musing both how vnworthie he is of the least and how ill it should goe with him if he were but in the case of such as want them If the Lord should exercise such vnthankfull blockes with the diseases which many deare seruants of his suffer the paines of Colique Strangurie Burning feuers the Stone and giue them their portion in penury cleanenes of teeth nakednes sicknes c. they would then cease extenuating Gods benefits or cōparing themselues with such as are inriched with greater then themselues yea they would then thinke that freedome from chastisements were great cause of thankes though they wanted many blessings But to the full stomacke the hony combe is not sweete Others thinke this dutie discharged if they haue their tongues tipt with formall words of blessing and thankes though their hearts and loue be set vpon the blessing and not on the bestower of it and therefore out of the same fountaine commeth bitter as well as sweete they curse God as easily when the least thing crosseth them as they blesse him while hee pleaseth their humour by seasonable weather plentifull crops good successe in their affaires c. whereby they bewray that their thankes are but the froth of prophane persons and comming from their lusts being satisfied euen as their prayers also did in their troubles and extremities as Saint Iames speakes And a third sort there are better then the former who yet cannot be brought to season their whole life with this thanksgiuing as Paul requireth neither yet thinke themselues worthie of reproofe for vnthankfulnesse They say they hope it is neither lying nor whoring nor wronging c. which they suffer for when they are afflicted and as for this that they be not alwaies thankfull what sinne will we make it they cannot repeate they say the same words so often For answere I say vnthankfulnes indeed is no direct sinne against man but it is farre greater for it is an high degree of wrong offered to God and neuer goeth without an heart and life tainted with many lothsome euils corruptions Therfore let not these examples be rules for Gods people to follow let their whole life be an honouring of God by thanksgiuing and as they only can do it because they are beholding to his Maiestie for farre greater fauours then strangers so let them both in their prayers and otherwise in their vsuall practise entertaine this dutie also as a daily companion as a token that they do not vse Gods blessings to boldnes loosenes wantonnes or any other licentiousnes but get strength against them so that all their life may fare the better for their thankfulnes and other such good meanes as indeed a thankfull man weigh it aright is the onely good Christian and the life that is voide of it goeth with much disobedience as we shall see in the next doctrine In this tenth verse the man of God telleth them that the Lord charged them that they should not serue the gods of the Amorites and yet they did So that their obedience was like their thankes they neglected that so they did this There shall need no proofe that we are too like them in both Our liues witnesse it but O wretched people wee who receiuing a charge from him who hath done vs all the good that we could neuer haue desired and is all in all to vs yet as though we were tyed to him by no bond of dutie we refuse to be subiect and obedient to him in things he commands vs. The heathen Centurion could say I haue souldiers vnder me and I say to one goe and he goeth and to another come and be commeth and to my seruant doe this and he doth it And we who haue solemnely couenanted with the Lord and haue been as I
after a storme and tempest commeth faire weather and he hath said that the rod of the wicked he will not suffer to lie alwaies on the lot of the righteous God will not keepe his anger for euer toward them It is his great fauour to his that they who are exceeding bad liue not very long and that he vpholdeth his owne people many waies Indeed when God is prouoked some must shall suffer as here by the plague many thousands in citie and countrey haue been swept away of late who if they haue been readie for their departure and haue repented it is well they haue gone vnder Gods hand in their sufferings the better And so let such as are preserued aliue when others are taken away turne to the Lord with al feruencie and speed that so they may testifie that they may make their profit of Gods sparing their liues and that they may so procure the continuance of peace and the Gospell to their posteritie Let Gods people I say do this though other haue no eares to heare good instruction and be well assured that though carnall reason see no such thing God will doe much at the earnest suite of his yea though they be but few As we see he would not haue destroyed Sodome if there had been but tenne righteous persons found there But alas through the abundance of iniquitie the loue of many decaieth and few are wise to vse their outward peace or health or other benefits of God to their good And as for the most which is not to be wondred at they vtterly reiect the things which concerne their peace for euer As in the daies of Noe the people liuing in darknesse ate and drunke married and gaue in marriage euen as they doe in these latter daies of the sonne of man before he come in his glorie of whom some shall in their aduersitie when he shall awake them desire but to see one good day and it shall be denied them They neither labour to keepe outward peace each with other which were no hard matter while the common enemie is held vnder and that there be peace in the land nor yet betwixt God and themselues but nourish vile lusts the fruite of Sodome in themselues through fulnes of bread and abundance of wealth the daughters of peace But the worst is that these fierie darts of mens lusts are throwne at God himselfe who hath granted vs these daies of peace to a farre other end as Act. 9. and at his seruants who are the best pledges of our peace Is this the recompence saith Moses in Deut. 32 which ye make the Lord for your outward peace and spirituall libertie And iustly may it be demanded of vs Is this the thanke God hath at your hands for your peace and freedome from Egypt and Canaan Consider therefore that in our thus warring against we fight against our soules as the Apostle Peter saith and againe by this that we serue not God purely in this our prosperitie the diuell himselfe a great word to speake is deceiued in vs who tooke it for granted long agoe as hee saw reason for it that when a man is hedged in with blessings and especially this strong hedge of a publique peace he would serue God without question Indeede hee requireth a further matter of vs euen that wee serue him in time of affliction also but is this likely when wee doe it not in peace But of this matter I spare to adde any more heere hauing vttered my minde of it before in the fifth chapter and elsewhere These two Tola and Iair are not said here to haue risen vp to iudge Israel as intruding themselues but as following Gods appointment who raised them vp as good gouernours to saue and deliuer his people out of their enemies hands so was not that vsurper Abimelech but a waster and a spoiler So are they whom God sendeth in mercie to rule nurcing fathers and such as teach be full of loue and compassion to the people for he graceth them whom hee counteth faithfull and putteth in his seruice euen to that purpose Somewhat I haue said before touching Gods calling and the manner of it yet by this occasion I will adde somewhat God in a generall prouidence of permission may be said to raise al that rise vp in place of gouernment and authoritie By premission when he resisteth not them who raise vp themselues vnlawfully as Abimelech In which respect the Lord tolerateth many in his secret will to doe many things against his reuealed will he permitteth I say not causeth them for then one will should be contrarie to another Secondly he actually blesseth many and raiseth them outwardly himselfe though their rising be to no purpose as Ieroboam Thirdly he raiseth vp and blesseth other their attempts being lawfull and not indirectly vndertaken but according to his will whereas he doth onely trie the other by raising them whether they will raise and aduance him or no and set him vp as chiefe and procure the like from others so if they forget him as Ieroboboam and Saul that then hee may honour himselfe vpon them when hee could get no honour by them This the holy Ghost expresseth liuely in Pharaoh Rom. 9. But the last and most speciall kinde of raising is when beside common gifts the Lord raiseth a man as well vp to the life of grace and holinesse as inhaunseth him in the world adorning him with more rare gifts as meekenesse wisedome faith holy courage zeale and the fruites of true loue to his Church and Gods glorie And these onely may be said most properly to haue been raised by God and neither by men nor themselues and therefore to be Gods fauourites indeede There are many that rise in the world who grow further from goodnesse I speake of such as are apparantly raised and some of them from the dunghill to honour learning wealth but they were in more hope to Godward when they were lowest in the world since they waxed proud idle scornefull their hearts rising against God and his seruants and to euill ends abusing the steps and degrees of honour and estate by which God hath raised them thereby prouoking the Lord to pull them downe to their former ebbe euen the lowest staier of shame According to that of Samuel to Eli vttered from God Those that despise me I will set nought by but honour them that honour me This rule will not be vnmeete to try our rising by for euen Heathens saw somewhat when they could say No good man waxeth suddenly rich And as torrents and standing waters bewray some sudden and great tempests and raine more then vsuall so mens sudden risings bewray the immoderatnes of their affections exceeding the measure of iustice and religion And let this serue to quiet them whom God lifteth not vp to great place if hee haue raised them vp with his Christ from death to the life of