partly naturall nay bee taken in the good part this is euer euill for it is a meere corruption and contrary to loue for loue enuieth not and Paul more plainely forbiddeth it to the Galathians where hee also sheweth the cause of it namely Desire of vaine-glory For so he saith be not desirous of vaine glory prouoking one another enuying one another Which heere is to be seene in the Ephramites who desiring the glory of the victory themselues did enuie Gedeon for it This affection sheweth it selfe in all such things as we desire to excell in yea in the best euen the gifts of the spirit for therein we would haue none to be in account aboue vs as appeareth in them that preached Christ of enuie and him that repined at his fellow for that comming at the eleuenth houre hee had his pennie as well as himselfe Now though we are not the worse for the prosperity of other neither doth it diminish any thing from the good of our estate yet the enuious man thinketh that the gifts that are in himselfe are darkened and blemished thereby vnlesse he haue especial grace to abate and mortifie such thoughts Therefore to aggrauate this sinne know we that as the enuious is sad by the prosperity of another so which is worse he is made ioyfull by his disgrace and abasement as the Pharisies were in and for the crucifying of our Sauiour and Iosephs brethren when they had sold him Yea so cursed an humor is enuie and so opposite to loue that whereas hee who loues vnfainedly would part euen with the most precious iewell for the sake of that which it loueth the enuious person would willingly pull out one of his owne eyes vpon condition he might lose both his at whom he grudgeth So that not vnfitly Pauls speech of fornication may be applied to enuie Other sinnes are without a man but the enuious sins against his owne body and the health and prosperitie thereof God iustly plaguing it in the kinde in that whiles it pines at the eminencie of another it reflecteth and beateth backe the hurt vpon it selfe and feedeth vpon the most precious spirits of the soule and life and consumeth them seldome doing any harme to the other while it fretteth out the very heart blood and bowels of it selfe This enuie is remedied by shaming our selues for that wee cannot abide that our brethren should haue and doe good with Gods gifts to other considering also that thereby we hinder Gods glorie Also we shall loosen the rootes of this enuie if we thinke meanely of our selues and that God is onely wise who denieth for iust cause that vnto vs wherewith he blesseth others And thirdly this shall helpe to weaken it if wee consider that God hath rather deserued infinite thankes of vs for granting vs other blessings which those perhaps may want whom in other respects wee enuie for it is his great mercie that wee be not consumed the one wee will not see the other wee behold too much Whereas our eye seeth not the worse because anothers seeth better how much lesse if in another kinde we see as well Doth the foote enuie the eye because it seeth or the eye the foote because it goeth But of the contrarie vertue I spake before twice in Gedeons souldiers and Gedeons communicating with Nephtali and Ephraim the victorie And because I now speake of the Ephramites I thinke it not amisse to adde this of them that their father Ephraim the younger being preferred by Iacob before the elder brother Manasse the stocke and ofspring of them exalted themselues since from age to age and are noted for it oft times in the historie of the old Testament As in Iosuah we reade they among other were discontented with their portion So in the twelfth of this booke the posteritie of them contended with Iphia for not calling them with him to battell against the Ammonites after he had ouercome them euen as these Ephramites did here with Gedeon So Esau himselfe deadly hating his brother deriued this sinne to his posteritie the Edomites so Ahab did Idolatrie to the generations that came after him And hereby we may learne what force some blemishes and corruptions in a stocke or kindred haue to infect almost the whole posteritie God iustly thus punishing the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children to many generations punishing I say sinne with sinne As for example if a kindred bee proud haughty stomackful boasters giuen to adultery hollownes of heart flatterie lying mocking stealing the rest of the same stock that are not guided by grace are for the most part such Euen as bodily diseases runne in the blood to the posteritie And as wee see that a noble stocke stained with treason may easiler be restored in blood ciuilly by the indulgence of the Prince then reformed naturally and reduced to loyaltie and fidelitie so the truth is the most forcible meane of all outward meanes is scarce able to expell this â—eint onely grace can doe it although euen grace it selfe often times can scarce roote it out so but that some sprigs or other of the old stock will appeare when it is grafted in another stocke And yet one thing more note in these Ephramites namely the slights subtilties doublenes and hollownes that lie hidden in mens hearts till they haue occasion to shew them or grace to repent of them These would now seeme to haue had great iniurie that they were not called to the battell whereas it was their owne sin that they went not for they did forbeare for feare of danger were willing to stand by as it were lying in the winde to waite for the issue So that if Gedeon and their brethren the Israelites that ioyned with him had lost the day then all the blame should haue bin laid vpon them by these Ephramites but now they had got the victorie by Gods direction and blessing they complaine on the other side that they had iniurie theÌ„selues for that they were not as they said bidden to helpe in the battell Wherein wee may behold deepe subtiltie and hypocrisie and how farre all such are from simplicitie and plaine dealing that according to the prouerbe howsoeuer the world goe they will saue one and howsoeuer it fall out they will prouide for themselues Such a one was the harlot that pleaded before Salomon against her fellow and they in the twelfth of this book where Iphta being set vpon by the Ammonites he sought aide at the hands of the men of Ephraim and they would not help him and afterward when he fighting against the Ammonites preuailed ouer them the Ephramites came to make warre with him because he called them not to goe with him against them A sinne now adaies in common practise namely in bargaines where gaine is not so certaine there they play on both hands cunningly for they will so couenant in generall and doubtfull manner that if it hit and fall out well it
of this people is their seeking to God and that in faith and repentance For when sorrow pinched them by reason of their grieuous bondage and they saw all helpe of man failed them they fled to God acknowledging that they had now proued by wofull experience that the worshipping of strange gods had done them little good my meaning is they had thereby and by their other sinnes brought those calamities vpon themselues And this their crying to God was not the action of one man or family but of the body of the people in generall and some among them no doubt did it soundly and vnfainedly therefore they repented though it bee not so expresly set downe as in some places and so we must vnderstand this that is said of them heere It is laid out by this word crying as the holy Ghost in the first of Samuel 7. doth set down the repentance of the people after the like manner namely by their lamenting after God and in other places the same is done either by some signe or by some fruit of it so heere by crying As if it should be said that by this they testified their sorrow for displeasing God their beleeuing of pardon purpose of amendment and their feruent prayer and confession of their sin as all these are required by the Lord in true repentance in Hosea 14. And this is the fruit of calamity in the elect or rather of Gods goodnesse towards them whereby he calleth them to himselfe by affliction This place though briefly yet pithily teacheth all Gods people what to doe when they haue prouoked God to afflict them for their sinnes and that is this they should after the thinking vpon both seriously cry vnto God and call vpon him assoone as they shall bee able and this is to draw neare to him as the people in Iames are directed to doe And this I teach by so good occasion heere offered because though men bee for the most part secure and carelesse yet if their sinnes bee once brought to mind and laid before them in any deepe and dreadfull manner they are in another extremity as in feare and terrour doubting that God will not heare them though they pray for this is their disposition in that time through tentation when they haue prouoked God to bee alienated and turned from him by dreadfull feare and vnbeliefe to whom they were wont while they walked vprightly to haue accesse by prayer before Adam after his sinne was afraid of Gods voice wherein yet before he reioyced and did hide himselfe in the thicket for feare of it So Dauid cryeth and complaineth when hee felt his sinne that his soule cleaued to the dust meaning that for very griefe hee was almost brought to the graue and againe that hee was in the depth of trouble as not seeing for the time how to get out of it This anguish he felt in his soule though he was deare in the eyes of the Lord. And the 51. Psalme testifieth how hee was wrapt in sorrow as if his bones had been broken thinking for the time that hee had lost all grace of the spirit And no lesse cleerely doth this appeare in Ionas after that the Lord had pursued him for his sinne when in the bellie of the fish he cried thus I said I am cast away out of thy sight the waters compassed mee about vnto the soule So I may say of Gods best seruants when they haue seene the horror of his wrath against them for some sinne that wounded them they haue been dismaied and almost past hope and brought to fainting for the time And by this wee may see that the secure and carelesse people who wee know are not behinde other in sinning are in a contrary extremity But to returne to the other if Gods seruants apprehend his wrath and then fal into the tentation of the diuell who can cunningly deceiue them in making it seeme greater then it is to be kindled against them they are cast downe as it were with a deadly blow and thus I say doe all in that case till God put away feare from them And seeing these two are contrary to wit to bee turned from God by feare and vnbeliefe and to returne and come home neare vnto him againe by faith and seeing they meet so neare together in one person so that one of them oft times immediately succeedeth the other therefore all possible speed and care is to bee vsed that when feare through the accusation of the conscience taketh place faith should be at hand to expell and ouercome it But againe to obiect further it is said God heareth not sinners and therefore hee will not they say heare them crying vnto them But to this I answere that when men repent he heareth them as wee see in Dauid Peter and other And such need not be discouraged from comming to him but take hope assuredly that hee will heare them Indeed they that dare not come and humble themselues to him after their offence and so stand firme in their hearts or other that doe call vpon him yet for all that doe it in shew rather then in faith and repentance they I say doe all one as if they did not cry to God at all They therefore who haue learned that God will certainely smite and punish if they sinne let them also learne what they must doe and how they must seeke to the Lord when hee punisheth as these men did heere taking heed of the extremities before mentioned If they desire to turne away Gods wrath from them then cry they to him also in seeing their sinne and laying it neare their hearts and if they relent and turne from it let them beleeue that his anger is also turned away from them they vnfainedly purposing amendment of life and looking duly to it afterwards but more happie are they who looke warily about them that they prouoke him not at all but dutifully and constantly hold on their Christian course And this of their crying to God the third point The fourth thing in this first example now followeth to wit of their deliuerance in this and the next two verses wherein consider these foure things first God raised them vp Othniel to be their deliuerer then secondly how he furnished him thereto and thirdly how hee gaue his aduersary into his hands and fourthly what followed thereof Othniel is described heere to be the same man of whom wee heard in the first chapter and who won the city Debir He is called a sauiour because he saued Israel out of the hands of their great aduersary Cushan that had held them long in bondage by which deliuerance they had good testimony that Gods displeasure was turned away from them The Lords thus speedy turning vnto them vpon their repentance is marueilous but yet agreeable to that which is spoken of him in the Scripture namely that hee is slow to wrath and very readie to forgiue And
comming to betray him and so did he as Matth. chap. 26. reports looke vpon Peter hauing denied him These lookes were frowning lookes both of them but the worke of them was diuers Peter by that looke was touched with compunction and went out a repentant person the other an harned and wretched person not mollified by the same aspect because there was no bountie in it Lastly by this point let Gods children learne a double dutie as well as take occasion of thanksgiuing I say such of them as haue declined and gone out of compasse let them wisely obserue what Gods meaning is toward them in his word or workes of affliction Let them first take heed lest they giue eare to his subtiltie who would prompt them with this suggestion Thou art alreadie gone from God and behold now he seekes to be rid of thee altogether and to feare thee quite from him Auoid Satan let them say this were to renounce my right in God by faith and his right in me which is his free loue this were to put no difference betweene the beleeuers priuilege and the vnbeleeuer No no this dealing of God I see is as it was to his people of Israel and the Niniuites it hath a condition annexed to it which argueth God is more desirous to forgiue me restore me heale and settle me in good estate againe then to forsake me If hee had meant so what needed he to haue redeemed me at all or now to haue spoken conditionally Therfore I will euer hereafter highlier esteeme of that life which hath the promise of Gods fauour annexed thereto and whereas I see my selfe now frowned vpon by the Lord for my boldnes wilfulnes in stolne liberties taking and the pleasures of sinne my peace wasted my spirit abated my faith weakned my ioy willingnes to pray c. appalled I will therfore now giue my selfe no peace till I haue searched out my sinnes repented of my houerly confessing them and my drowsie sottish lying in them I wil not cease powring out my soule to the Lord that his terrors may astonish me and driue me to lay my sinne to heart and to bee so ashamed of them that God may accept my humiliation and sorrow and giue me faith to rest in his promise of pardoning and restoring me againe Secondly let this also teach Gods people to indent seriously with the Lord to vse his former blessing and old deliuerances past thankfully if they desire to obtaine new remembring how God here vpbraides these Israelites saying How dare ye come to demaund deliuerance at my hand hauing so shamefully abused the former In these words goe crie to your gods c. Doth God thinke we bid them goe and sinne No in no wise but he speaketh as he doth oft times in the Scriptures in another manner then the words seeme to meane which if we marke not wee shall easily fall into great errors and absurditie It is a most grieuous casting them in the teeth by an ironicall mocking of them with their Idolatrie as if he should say Now yee proue and see what your gods can doe As Elias did the like to the prophets of Baal when he bad them cry aloud to their god Baal perhaps he is asleepe saith he c. he did not all may so meane that they should crie to him but to vrge to marke well what a god they worshipped Therefore by thus speaking and bidding them goe seeke helpe at their Idols hands they hauing shaken off the Lord he teacheth vs as it standeth with good reason that they whom wee haue serued and committed our selues to must pay vs our wages and to them the Lord iustly doth and will send vs to their patronage in our greatest need euen to our conuiction and horror yea destruction if he take vs not as he did these here to his mercie Contrariwise but yet according to the same equitie our Sauiour answered Peter when he said that he and his fellowes had forsaken all and followed him and therfore asked him what they should haue he said an hundred fold here and after eternall life They therfore that haue trusted and still doe in man and haue made flesh their arme shall know by experience one day that they haue trusted to a bruised reede So God will answere the workers of iniquitie that serue Satan Depart from me I know you not So let them know whose portion is in stolne pleasures of sinne that there will come a time when they shall be infinitly more better then euer they were sweete and that thereafter they shall feele smart and sorrow in full measure when there shall be no remedie nor redresse So Papists shall be sent for helpe to their Pope Saints Pardons Pilgrimages For God doth threaten all such impenitent ones who haue cast him off by their dead workes that as he neuer did so hee neuer will acknowledge them for his And such patrons they shall then finde to bee cold comforters in those torments which they shall feele as for their other sinnes so by the remembring how they sought shelter by and from them vnto whose seruice in their life time they addicted themselues Thus a wise parent guide or superiour is taught to answere a scape-thrift and lewd wretch that hath brought himselfe into need prison and miserie by idlenesse gaming prophanenes bad companionship and such like doings when hee seekes to them for helpe thus I say hee is to answere him Get you to them to whom and whose counsell ye haue hearkened and followed who it may be are in the same miserie or worse then themselues are in and therefore vnfit enough to succour or helpe them And if God manifest his nature here that this shall be his answere to such as liue after this manner then let vs learne and conclude that no man shall end well an euill life this being added vnlessed it be changed before by repentance and therefore that it had been good for such that they had neuer been borne Briefly to conclude this doctrine with some other vses thereof wee see secondly by this that God doth import no lesse then that by the law of like equitie and by vertue of a farre stronger couenant if this people had persisted faithfull in his seruice he could not haue denied their suite for help and defence against their enemies Otherwise by what reason doth he now shake them off and send them to their Idols whom they had serued except he had meant that himselfe would haue besteadded them if they had cleaued to him for succour by faith attended him by bringing forth the fruit of their confidence I meane obedience And what a sweet prerogatiue is this for which wee haue the expresse grant of the King of heauen that so long as we keep a couenant with God so oft we may also claime from him in reuerence be it spoken the libertie of sonnes and seruants to bee defended
both a solitarie place fit for the purpose and also farre from her fathers house to weane her selfe from thence or for to auoid recourse of her friends vnto her To teach vs that there fall out times and occasions to bee solitarie euen as it is it selfe commanded vs of God and that both extraordinary as here and in priuat fasting and ordinary also for meditation and these both the one and the other we should vse to our good when we haue cause either longer or shorter time to goe apart by our selues knowing that this is a speciall action of religious worship and therefore requireth seperation from hindrances So did our Sauiour Christ for a time after much preaching and being in companie goe into some solitarie place with his Disciples as it were returning to himselfe that hee might haue more freedome for heauenly contemplation and prayer So in the time of great lamentation as the people did mourne for the death of Iosias and in the time of Zachary the Prophet whē the familie did it apart one member of it from another the husband apart and the wife apart But fondly doth Popery abuse such examples to maintaine Monasticall life and such like fancies when they were vsed in the best manner if euer well vsed but now much more when they haue brought them to such abomination as they are come vnto that it is but a couer for much and great wickednesse And this point deserueth our obseruation that she being now in heauines wisely chose the fittest exercise to set it in on worke and did not yeeld to her passion which then would haue made her loggish and vnprofitable but vsed it to a singular good end euen to fit her selfe for her death and departure In mirth and ioy how hard a thing is it to recall home our wandring senses and straying affections and retire our thoughts and mindes from rouing in euery corner of the world our wofull experience can tell vs. Sorrow hath likewise many and those grieuous annoiances attending it but that of the two the comparison being equall is the fittest trumpet to sound this retreit And as naturally it contracteth the body and the spirits so if it be taken heed vnto it bringeth the superfluous and noisome cares delights and desires of the soule into a narrower compasse And when a man is wholly at home is he not fitter for any good dutie then when hee is absent in great part from himselfe Therefore as the day of griefe is a season and opportunitie for some good dutie which at other times is to vs vnseasonable so let vs vse it accordingly that is redeeme it Solitarinesse I confesse is not fit for euery sorrower and yet it is necessarie for the better doing of this dutie I therfore distinguish of persons Such therfore as are ignorant and yet oppressed with heauinesse for that they doubt and are vncertaine of Gods fauour for their sinne and especially if they bee pressed with melancholy To these I giue this counsell that they auoide solitarinesse in their pangs of griefe and melancholike passions and giue not vantage to their enemie the diuell to finde them alone as neere as they can lest they finde his delusions and temptations the more forcible as Iudas in his perplexitie did when hee went aside from all companie But let their sorrow driue them to aske counsell and make their cases knowne to such as can aduise or comfort them The diuell was bold to assault our Sauiour himselfe in his solitarinesse But to returne and to speake of the point If a suruey were taken I doubt wee should finde few houres I speake not of weekes or moneths dedicated by the most part of Christians to this heauenly worke of vsing solitarines for meditation especially for preparation to dye to make vp their accounts against they should be called for Oh they look to liue long they are not in the case of this maide who was within two moneths of her dying day and applied them wholly to fit her for death but they are made drunke with an vnsatiable desire of liuing still and therefore tell not them of such sad vnwelcome matters But oh fooles are they not suddenly taken and as vnprouided within few daies and houres of their death as they were many yeeres before Therefore to leaue them when the Lord at any time iustly occasioneth vs to be sorrowfull and pensiue let vs beware of blockishnesse which commonly accompanieth them who in in their mirth thinke of nothing but iollitie and say wee euery one thus to our selues Now the Lord calles me home to the practise of a dutie which indeed ought to be oft in vse to meditate of my estate to vnburden my mind and soule of those manifold needlesse and noysome thoughts and affections which I haue ouerloaden my selfe a long time withall now the Lord will haue me bent to search out my errors corruptions and disorders of hart and life and going aside to ease my stomack of them confesse loath renounce and aske pardon of them Now the Lord will haue me to pray that his spirit may be restored to me in greater measure that I may returne with more libertie to his seruice and beware that I be not againe surfeited with that which now I haue vomited vp as the world pleasures vaine desires vile and loathsome lusts This is a good vse indeed of heauinesse the house of such mourning is better thē the house of feasting And to this end oh it were to be wished that damsels as well as other liuing in these daies would setforth themselues to the world not in pride boldnesse nicenesse and curiositie of fashions but in modestie grace and wisdome as this maiden here did which were another manner of spectacle then to see many golden rings in a swines snout Now whereas it is said here to fill vp the measure of her due commendation that she returned at the time set vnto her father to doe to her as hee had vowed the faithfulnesse constancie and obedience of the maid is not onely to bee commended but admired For why did shee so but to serue God therein as she was perswaded Such keeping of couenant and promise made by her when it was to the forgoing of her life doth vrge all in smaller matters much more to keepe promise and to make conscience of their word and that not only towards God but euen to men also The like we see in Paul who hauing his liberty giuen him both in his iourney towards Rome and at Rome also where hee was Nero his prisoner whereby hee might haue made many an escape and shifted for himself yet neuer attempted any such course but faithfully returned to his Captaine and to his Keeper though to the perill of his life rather then he would procure safety by breaking away by distrusting God or by vnfaithfulnesse A good cause will seeke no such shifts and our great Iesuits if there were in them that
liue well and to please God yea and for the obtaining of all these let them attend to sincere preaching not by fits but ordinarily and constantly as they may and so God will draw them out of the puddle in which other lie still and worke that grace in them whereby they shall be reformed to the image of Christ their head and to the similitude of the members of his body which are all vniformely gouerned by the same spirit which worketh alike fruits in all And this is the onely way to come by it But another thing is to be noted by these tribes beside which I haue said already and that is seeing they could not chuse but heare one of another what they did how one was led by the example of the other For though one easily agree with another in euill as I haue said before yet I cannot tell how it commeth to passe that when wee haue example also from others of any bad course we are much more easily riueted into it thereby Nay this example so much preuaileth that although wee haue Gods commandement neuer so plaine to the contrary with threates annexed thereto wee boldly breake through it and not onely affect and commit the same as in the former doctrine I said wee doe but wee beare it downe before vs as it were a streame It could not easily haue been thought that this people of Israel one tribe after another could there being so many of them haue sought their owne ease in making peace with the other nations hauing receiued so straite a commandement that they should expell them and yet they did so handle the matter among them that it was as it were vtterly forgotten among them and they grew to bee confirmed in a contrary course But when one tribe had broke the ice to another in breaking through the commandement it became as a matter that lay dead few looked after it So it would hardly haue been thought that Saphira could haue been brought to consent to the holding backe of that summe of money which was consecrated to so good and holy an vse which was by making a lye and standing stifly in it but when she knew her husbands mind and had him to goe before her therein so that he made no matter to commit such a trespasse shee was emboldened to doe it also by his example Likewise who would haue said that well nigh the whole city of Samaria should haue been drawne to receiue Simon Magus his sorceries but after that some had begun and there was none to reproue and shame them for it the rest fell to it hauing such examples before them And a man would wonder to see how such cleare streight charges as God hath giuen to men of departing from iniquitie and of not following the multitude to doe euill should be so troden vnder foot and cast behinde mens backs Ministers are commanded as they loue Christ they should feed his sheepe and his lambes the people that they should giue all diligence to make their calling and election sure young men not boldly take their pleasure and spend their youth licentiously old men that they should be patternes to the young in good life c. But as if God might be mocked hell agreed withall and as if the Scriptures that straitely vrge these things were an old wiues fable so they are regarded For what one of many either Minister maketh euer the more conscience of zealous and diligent preaching or how many of the other sorts feare the commandement to depart from euill It is enough to them that they haue others to goe before them in the euils which they doe For euen as sheepe and beasts follow the formost ranke whithersoeuer it leade them euen so these like beasts doe Thus by the seede of ill example sinne encreaseth and iniquitie aboundeth in all places till at length a confusion of all things follow in offices duties and estates both in Church and Common-wealth And the rather if men see such goe before them in euill as seeme to haue excellency in any gifts whereby they can maintaine their sinnes as by wealth learning authority or any such like In which respect the sinne of the tribe of Iudah was the greater in that they beleeued not that God would enable them to cast out the inhabitants of the valleyes seeing they had chariots of iron and so they becomming examples to their brethren therein and being the chiefest though they had done commendably in expelling many other of them therfore the rest of the tribes thought their sinne more tolerable and made the lesse of it though they yet had not so good a pretence for their doings as Iudah had But to returne to our selues we are to know that it is great boldnesse to follow bad examples the damnation of such sleepeth not Let not men bee deceiued God hath all these things and such like registred and writen not with inke and paper for then there were hope that in time they might bee worne out but in his remembrance which neuer faileth If Paul wish that men follow not his example so rare a patterne of piety further then hee followes Christ what shall they haue to answere who looke no further then to this that they see others doe so how odious soeuer their doings are Let that serue vs for doctrine concerning examples forasmuch as they that leade and towle vs on by their example cannot helpe vs to beare our punishment when their own shall be intolerable to them seeing company shall not ease the torments of the damned in hell howsoeuer heere they could ioyne hand in hand to commit their sinne with pleasure and consent And let vs bee so farre from following others in their doings further then they follow the rule that should guide vs all that our owne light may so shine before men that they may blesse God for vs and learne of vs. So shall wee shew our selues wiser then these tribes whose sinne we haue seene laid open vnto vs and bee well fenced against all danger by ill examples The last verses in this chapter now follow VERS 34. And the Amorites droue the children of Dan into the mountaine so that they suffered them not to come downe to the valley 35. And the Amorites dwelt still in mount Heres in Aijalon and in Shaalbim and when the hand of Iosephs familie preuailed they became tributaries 36. And the coast of the Amorites was from Maale-Akrabbim euen from Selah and vpward NOw in the shutting vp of the chapter the holy story bringeth in the tribe of Dan shewing that these Danites had not the liberty that the other tribes had for they yet had strength to expell the Canaanites that were in their lot and did not these were couped vp in a narrow roome vnto the mountaines and yet were not suffered to possesse them neither but they were not permitted at all to dwell in the vallies but their enemies had them out
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
vainglorious persons which they desire they would neuer giue him his due but take it to themselues insomuch as wee see that such doe not onely vaunt of their wealth birth strength and such like but if they haue onely some good qualitie as that they be prouident husbands or will keepe their promise and pay their due where it is owing they glorie thereof and disgrace other that faile therein though the most of their other doings may be cast as dung in their faces to their shame But giue we vnto God his due promise we to our selues nothing but vpon condition if God will and acknowledge wee him as the giuer and as one that hath right to dispose of that which he hath giuen vs and when we are denied successe in that which wee hope to bring to passe let vs in token that we confesse the Lord may iustly ioynt vs not fume and fret raile and curse and much lesse vtter we so much in words to others that we thinke we are accursed when wee see ourselues crossed but beare wee it meekly and patiently and the greater our gifts are which we haue receiued in more humble fruitfull and dutifull manner let vs shew our selues to vse them That Gedeon was bidden to send away many of the people and why we haue heard now let vs see who they are that be exempted from the warre and sent backe of which sort there were two and twentie thousand the text noteth them to bee those that were faint-hearted and timerous and so had God commanded in Deuteronomy that such should be sent backe lest they should discourage other Here this is to be considered when Gedeon their Captaine thought them meet for warre and God had called them also to that place and duty and giuen them gifts for that purpose though they waxed timerous in that they through faint-heartednes and sloth did not vse and employ their gifts the shame and sin was theirs though God sent backe I speake it for our owne edification and benefit for if many here were exempted by God from the battell and yet thought fit and meete by men doe not well bestow and vse these common gifts of the Spirit as skill and knowledge in manuary things pertaining to the bodie and this present life how much more may we thinke that about the more excellent gifts of the Spirit as illumination and matters belonging to the life to come men doe deceiue the expectation of those with whom they liue and be other I meane farre worse then they goe for Oh it is true that there are many persons who goe in the sight of men for good yet the Lord doth not account so of them but exempt them from his militant Church euen as he shoaleth out a great many of these souldiers as faint and vnfit for warre when they should come to fight with their enemies whom yet Gedeon thought meete persons for it and yet we know wee are much easilier deceiued in iudging about them then these Looke we therefore to it in a thing by infinite degrees more precious how God iudgeth of vs and hang wee not vpon the opinion of men For hee is not allowed whom men or ones selfe praiseth but whom God praiseth And therefore we are not to account of all that are among vs professing the Gospell no though they be not branded with notorious sins to be sound hearted and good Christians though we know no other by them till God make them manifest as he did these in their kind Is it for vs to iudge before the time but howsoeuer men iudge such as feare God and depart from euill as he himselfe commended Iob for such an one it is sure that they only are accepted of him More specially to applie this As the oddes betweene the faint-hearted and valiant souldiers was great euen three to one and yet all went about the seruice of God in outward shew so great disproportion there is among such as worship God betweene the lukewarme or indifferent sort of Christians and the feruent heartie and zealous worshippers Indeede God doth not inable nor allow vs to seuer the one from the other so that wee may determine how farre the number of the one exceedes the other as here he did Gedeon but wofull proofe bewraieth no lesse then I haue said And yet he that dismissed these white-liuered souldiers from the armie of Gedeon and onely accepted the seruice of these three hundred whom hee fitted for the purpose with faith and resolution will also exclude all hollow-hearted lukewarme and temporizing Christians from hauing a part among such as he will honour so farre as that he will not bee honoured by them I meane not that all Christians should bee martiall men and fit for the field but as Gods worke is diuers so a diuers kinde of spirit hee requireth in them that doe it in Gedeons men courage and might in Christians feruencie and resolution to walke with God For though wee haue no Midianites to fight withall yet we haue worse enemies both within vs and without and therfore haue need of spirituall magnanimitie to vse spirituall weapons against them And though we were not warre-faring men yet in that wee be but waifaring as all Christians are both we had need of feruencie and spirit For he that in generall commands Rom. 12. Be feruent or hot in spirit commands the same in prayer Iam. 5. saying be feruent therein likewise in hearing Be swift to heare telling vs that the violent snatch the kingdome to them c. and the like affection also we must haue in all duties Though in deede when dangers and troubles befall men for their profession then is a speciall occasion offered of expressing what courage is in them but if wee nourish not that grace daily in other duties how shall it be at hand when we haue greatest need of it And this I speake because I see that the ancient and heauenly fire which once appeared most worthily in many both in their entrance and progresse of their good course of pietie and a good conscience is turned to ashes and extinct or burnes so close and feeble that it can hardly be discerned and in stead thereof either a blockishnes and deadnes is come vpon men or a faint-hearted remisnesse and indifferencie as if men cared not greatly whether they professed or no and saue for names sake many could be content to be without it well enough And as for such their disgrace is as farre aboue these souldiers of Gedeon as their sinne for these were onely sent backe but the other the Lord vomits out of his mouth Some there are through Gods goodnesse euen as Gedeons three hundred who looke to the Spirit and good cause for it is the temper of a Christian but alas how few Besides that the diuell in stead of this grace brought in a franticke sort of furious persons whose zeale is to depart from the Church Now to
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
should not bridle him for the vpholding of the peace of the Church and Common-wealth they could not possiblie dwell together nor liue and conuerse the one with the other nor stand in any sort no not as they doe but being of so contrary and bad qualities they must needs as fire and water destroy one another And whereas the good Magistrate and faithfull Minister with other assistant Christians doe labour to throw downe the workes of darknesse and of the diuell and so to bridle the rage of the turbulent and vnruly sort of people herein it may be spoken with griefe the opposition against pietie and goodnesse is so great that although the Lord working not by miracle but by meanes somewhat bee done for the incouragement of his and the restraining of the other yet but little in respect of that which might be and that were to be desired and looked because such good instruments the most of them are too faint to fight the Lords battels against his so fierce subtile and many enemies The like prouidence of God I noted before touching Abimelechs hiring vaine fellowes vpon the fourth verse of this Chapter And to that I may adde that the Lord doth vse one wicked person to deuoure and oppresse the other that so his owne people may enioy the more peace and safetie As we see here that this politicke dissembler Zebul a right picture of our subtile Machiauilians now adaies smoothes and flatters this Gaal and serues his humour as one that would make his fellow drunke drawes him on leaudly to drinke pot after pot till he be quite turned ouer by a pretended shew of friendship that so his intent and plot to betray him to Abimelech might in the meane season take the more sure effect Secondly from hence let vs note how one sinner being opposite to anothers drifts and purposes goeth to worke in the defeating of his enemy Euen thus that as the prouerb saith one naile driues out another they haue no way to go beyond each other but this who shall vse his weapon skilfullest and most mischieuously They all fetch their wiles out of one budget and their arrowes out of one quiuer either subtiltie or force is their weapon the sligh and treacherous Achitophel runnes to the budget the cruell and malicious Efau to the quiuer here lies the point who shall draw out the subtillest and cunningest fetch or who shall take thence the sharpest or deadliest arrow Both shoot in the same I meane the diuels bow but the skill is who shall ouer-reach and ouer-shoote each other therein And he that prouides them this artillery will be sure to be the gainer which part soeuer loseth hee will prouide that his kingdome shall increase euen in the opposition of his subiects they fight as fast for him as they doe against each other Zebul and Gaal serue two Masters here in one sense the one Abimelech the other Shechem and the one by his boasting seekes to out-face the other The other by his conniuence and dissembling seekes to root out him But loe in the meane while both serue one Master the Diuell hee reioyces as much in the spectacle as Ioab and Abner did in the beholding their young men to play as they cruelly called it but in good earnest to cut each others throat If men in their cursed doings and tradings thus in sinne would consider that themselues are sure to goe by the walles and forfeit their soules to him with whose engins and tooles they appugne each other yea if they considered that their quarrels serue to no other end but to make a pageant for the diuell to laugh at If they could see into the issue that hee who winneth winneth hell and hee that loseth loseth heauen the gaines are onely Satans oh how would this quaile them and dampe them in their leaudnesse Put case that in the same ship vpon the sea two men walke contrary steppes to each other the one crossing the other in their motions doth not the ship carrie them both one way Can they will they nill they resist the motion of the ship wherein both saile Euen so all sinne hath one motion though sinners mooue diuersly let them striue each against other neuer so eagerly both must yeeld to one motion their sinne wil bring them both to hell The prodigall man walkes with quite aduerse steppes to the couetous but both steps tend to hell One great man seekes to ouerthrow another hee that is subtill takes the vantage of him that is ambicious and laies such a traine for him as by following his ambicious plot he incurreth the danger of the law and so supplants him but both the wisdome of the one and the folly of the other is hellish So that the closer and deeper the one is aboue the other the sooner he may subuert him but a subtiller then both goeth beyond them and will at length ouerreach them both One man vnderhand worketh mischiefe against another and he againe vnsheaths his tongue against him the former is like to put downe the latter but his owne sinne will as fast vndoe him So the buyer would match the seller by his dissembling the seller would cosen the buyer by his boasting and praising of the wares but indeed both deceiue themselues aswell as each other The vse is to teach men not to thinke themselues safe and warrantable because they resist euill except they dislike and hate it also for they may sinne as fast in resisting it as in allowing it Againe let it teach men to abhorre this estate which admitteth no peace no sound consent and vnitie but is a fountaine of confusion and to embrace that profession and practise which commeth from the God of order and is as vniforme in the meanes as the end and vniteth them that embrace it in the league of loue and peace As for those that are better minded let them beware of this errour of the wicked let them not thinke their libertie hereby restrained because they may not match the vngodly in their kind to play the Cretians with Cretians the Foxes with Foxes this is not their profession they are bought with a price to serue the Lord in their bodies and spirits The other indeed being disswaded from this practise answere for themselues That if they did not sweare cosen lie and temporise with the world they could not liue euery one would ouer-reach them they should greatly disaduantage themselues in forgoing that liberty But let the godly oppose their innocencie with the wisdome of the spirit to the subtiltie and all other leaud qualities of the wicked and if they cannot match them thereby let them willingly take the foile and submit themselues to God rather then returne euill for euill This vrging of Gaal by Zebul alleaging his owne words that he had said Who is Abimelech made him goe forth against him but ful soone he turned his face away from him and fled where we may see how God
of the children of Ammon 8. Who from that yeere vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteene yeeres euen all the children of Israel that were beyond Iorden in the land of the Ammorites which is in Gilead 9. Moreouer the children of Ammon went ouer Iorden to fight against Iudah and against Beniamin and against the house of Ephraim so that Israel was sore tormented 10. Then the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord saying Wee haue sinned against thee euen because wee haue forsaken our owne God and haue serued Baalim NOw followeth a new reuolt of the people of Israel and this is handled to the 17. verse wherein the things to bee considered are these to wit a double repairing and returning by them to God when hee afflicted them by their enemies for their sin in forsaking him In their first seeking to him they had the repulse for their repentance was not sound In the second God deliuered them they seeking to him in repentance In the former note these foure things First their sinne which was a ioyning to the nations among whom they dwelt and this in the sixth verse The second is Gods punishing them euen by those whom they ioyned with in Idolatrie which is snewed in the next three verses The third point is their crying to God and lastly the fruite thereof in the tenth verse and so forward The fruite was diuers for first God denied to deliuer them to the fifteenth verse But at the second crying of the people to God hee deliuered them which is set downe in the next two verses vnto the seuenteenth Now let these things be looked into more particularly To returne therefore to the sixth verse and to begin with the peoples sinne it is said after the death of these two Iudges in whose daies they had enioyed peace fiue and fortie yeeres that the people fell againe to prouoke God as wee haue heard their fathers did And how by committing Idolatrie after the manner of the seuen nations that are here mentioned For both that was liking to the flesh and besides they thought those nations that did so liued in more abundance and in more pleasure then themselues did for many delights to tickle the flesh forward they adioyned to their false worship to draw away their hearts from seruing the true God aright whom it is said here that they forsooke Thus much for the summe of this verse and therein of their sinne And here are diuers things to be considered First it teacheth that we should not greatly marueile that so many in this our age giue themselues to Popish religion seeing Idolatrie hath in most ages been so common by reason that it hath so many player-like toyes and bables of sights to bleare the eye and sonets to deceiue the eare that it maketh them thinke they be in a peece of paradise while they embrace and are made drunke with such fond conceits when indeed they be thereby caried as it were fast asleepe to hell There is nothing that moueth or delighteth them in all the word of God rightly vnderstood but only blind deuotion in their false religion wherein they haue been nuzled vp and then a fond and fantasticall conceit that they shall goe to heauen thereby As for the authoritie and warrant of their Masse and other trumperie in the beginning of the world nay in our Sauiour Christs time and many hundred yeeres after there was no shred nor ragge of it vsed or knowne especially to any such end whereas the true seruing of God was alwaies as now it is euen from the beginning And how prone people are to worship God with ease for so farre they like whether it be sound and true or counterfeit it may be seene not onely in Poperie which is coyned for the purpose to deceiue the simple with strong delusions but also in our religion which for the outward manner of it is holy pure and good and consisteth in hearing prayer and the vse of the Sacraments for the substance thereof And yet many of them who allow it as the true manner of worshipping God what doe they for the most part but draw neere to God with their bodies but their hearts are farre from him As if they would say they would gladly goe to heauen but they would haue an easie way thither but to serue God in spirit and truth which is the direct way thither they cannot bend themselues thereto whereas there is as great delight in the worshipping of God aright and that by the Lords allowance and promise which in the two former kindes of popish and the other of only outward worship are wanting as great delight I say and as sound in true performing it so farre as fraile flesh may attaine to as there is reward promised thereto which is vnutterable In this verse also may bee seene what fruite this people yeelded to the Lord of their long enioyed peace euen as wee haue seene their fathers did and that was how they fell to lasciuiousnes and forgetting of God a sufficient watch-word whereof they had giuen them before by Moses Now for the laying out of this sinne both in them and our selues how fearefull and great it is let vs onely consider of it thus Seeing this point hath been largely handled already if the diseased person pained with the stone or strangury or the famished and hee that is in penury or the man that is in exile and banishment if these I say might be set free from that which oppresseth them what would they not readily offer and couenant to doe in the seruice of God yea and that much more feruently then other men Therefore how grieuous is their sin let all men iudge who may in health in wealth at ease and in outward peace doe this I meane serue the Lord which is the thing that he requireth of them and yet they can by no means be brought to it But this I leaue to be further considered as euery one shal see cause But more particularly in that it is said they forsooke the Lord it may be marueiled at that they should forsake him whom they had loued and serued before But by this we may see what force there is in sinne to besot and make drunken them who giue ouer themselues thereto be it whoredome the loue of the world or any other For it is able to bereaue them of sound reason to turne away their delight from prayer and all good practise and to forget the ioy that they had in both sometimes and yet to blindfold them so that they shall not suspect any danger to be toward them for al this while they may merrily serue their humour therein Sampson and other went farre this way And let the best of vs feare lest we be carried away of our lusts to loue and like where wee ought not and tempt we not God but let vs resist the beginnings of euill wee know little what
commandement of the Lord in Deuteronomy to wit that there should be no whore in Israel And if it be demanded why God forbad such as were borne in bastardie to enter into the congregation of the Lord that is to beare any office in the Church it was not forbidden for that the man so borne was worse then others but that the people might know how greatly God abhorred whoredome and this was but a iudiciall constitution appertaining to the Iewes And in that Iphtah so borne was yet set in authoritie ouer the people which thing God forbad we must know that hee made not that law to himselfe but for the Iewes that it should not be lawfull for them to preferre any such but as for himselfe who hath authoritie to call him into question for that which hee doth Now for instruction we see here by this that Iphtah was begotten of an harlot that the law of God forbidding that there should bee any whore in Israel was not obeyed euen as before wee haue heard of Gedeon his concubine whereby we see how little Gods law is and hath been regarded in all ages of many whether this one law or what other of his soeuer wee vnderstand it of As for this of and against whoredome that it was neuer more common then in this age woful experience proues it to be too true so that there want now no such offenders more then in former times I may truly say in number they farre exceed them as if the antiquitie of corrupt example in this kinde were enough to license men to continue it still And so it is in all other kindes of sinne verifying to the full the Apostles prophecie to Timothy that in the latter daies shall come perilous times for men shall be louers of themselues couetous proud boasters and infected with diuers other sinnes And for this cause commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience and no marueile that wee haue many plagues seeing God is not obeyed almost in any thing And so may euery one particularly say to himselfe as he is most obedient so shall his blessing be And as this sin in any man had been bad enough so in Gilead a great man and who should haue punisht it in others rather being the father of a familie what a reproch was it Euen as in Dauid in Sampson in Iuda and in Reuben For alas when a meane person sees the commandement of God to be of no greater force then that euery great man is bold to dispense with it he growes to thinke it but a scare-crow and saith boldly as the strumpet in the Prouerbs Tush t is but a trick of truth But for such tricks of youth the Lord in wrath destroyed 24. thousand of Israel Yea when the great enemie of the Church Balaam being frustrate of his cursed attempt against Israel for they are cursed who can finde in their heart to curse Gods people sought how to bring an equiualent plague vpon the Congregation he could inuent no more fit and mischieuous a plot then to intice them to vncleannesse with the Moabitish women and to Idolatrie with their heathenish gods Therefore how great a iudgement of God hangs ouer this land for the lust of the eye a maine branch whereof is filthines and the vnlimitted lust of all sorts especially in places of darknesse wee can more easily coniecture then perswade them that are guiltie to redresse it Oh it is lamentable that such spots of our assemblies are suffered boldly to spit in the face of modestie and to hold vp their heads aloft as hauing the better end of the staffe I meane greater aduantage against their accusers commonly then they against them How should this moue vs to sue to the Lord that such should be noted and shamed for inordinate persons that the rest may blanke and feare by their example and so the anger of the Lord be staied as once it was by the zeale of Phiniees for the Lords cause thrusting thorow Zimri and Cozbi for their shamefull abomination So should the word preached be more forcible when the transgressors should see the price of their boldnes and so should the law of the Magistrate take better effect and not become ridiculous And so should not we feare that plague which Iehu denounceth vpon Iehoram saying What peace seeing the abominations and whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel are still in great number Of which I say the lesse because I haue noted it as the fruite of all sinne as well as this in the former parts of this booke Onely I say if the vngodly sort will not take the Lords bridle to restraine their flesh from this lewd course for adulteries as our Sauiour notes are the breakings out of the filthie heart euen as the sores and scabs of the body are the fruites of a corrupted blood then let the people of God learne this dutie euen to possesse their vessels in holinesse to keepe themselues vnspotted and pure and to preserue their bodies and spirits in chastnes except they wil make of the temple of the holy Ghost a stie of vncleane and loathsome lust fit to driue the spirit of God away And otherwise the Lord shall set a marke vpon them worse then the brand of a theese euen a marke of infamie which I dare not promise that repentance it selfe shall quite wash off while they liue but that the staine shall still continue For this sinne is of a scarlet dye as Dauid speakes Psal 51. Now to end this verse by that it is said that Iphtah was a valiant man we must know that in those times of warre courage and valiantnes was a gift much set by and of good vse So that though he had a blemish vpon him in that he was the sonne of an harlot which was not his sinne yet the Lord couered it as I may say with this excellent gift of fortitude that made him much desired It was a crosse to him all may see that hee was thus abased and yet if he had not been vnder that or some other such chastizement it had been like he should haue been a worse man and in greater danger For such blemishes in the body are occasions through Gods worke to turne the minde to better matters and to bring it in loue with them and to hold from the partie greater troubles thereby As we reade of Mephibosheth Ionathans young sonne that he being lame on his feete could not resist Dauid as Ishbosheth his vncle did to his great toyle and little preuailing but liued peaceably in the Kings fauour and fed at his table and how could he haue been in better state whereas if he had enioyed his limmes at libertie it is hard to say whether hee would not haue been stirring and taking part with Ishbosheth to his owne ouerthrow which had bin very like to haue befalne him whē Abner forsook him if he had not bin preuented by
while they haue thought of the vttermost that might come to them by it or when in some sudden and deep passion they haue feared some grieuous calamitie to bee comming toward them In so much as they haue made this resolution with themselues that they were vndone And yet they haue seene that God hath giuen an issue out of them and that they haue passed ouer their heads as a clowd and they haue safely escaped and waded out of them So that they haue not risen from deliberate consideration and grounded knowledge of Gods will but from feare oppressing them and too vnaduised and rash iudging and vnbeliefe and oft times hasted on by melancholy vnto the which as the best are subiect so yet they must know that grace and goodnesse are smoothered and ouerwhelmed in them when they fall deeply into these disguising of themselues and therefore that they must bee carefull daily to watch and pray in faith that no such oppressing and turbulent thoughts and vexations take hold of them euen as our Sauiour hath giuen charge saying Let not your hearts be troubled And to conclude seeing it falleth out as in this storie is manifest that good people may oft times be at this point and are also as Manoah was here being plunged into feare to doubt so dreadfully of Gods fauour toward them all may learne by this how needfull it is for them to gather and get all arguments and testimonies thereof before trials come and in the daies of peace to giue all diligence to make their calling and election sure that in their greatest need they may be quiet and confident and not doubt in time of triall One way is to endeuour to haue a good conscience alwaies both toward God and men also to be the same in secret that wee would seeme when we walke most innocently before men openly to be with many other such fruites of faith wherein the folly and senselesse blockishnesse euen of many of the better sort may bee marueiled at that they can in this so weightie a matter and of so great vse vnto them be so carelesse Let the reader looke into the sixth chapter as I haue already referred him We heard in the last verse of the great feare that oppressed Manoah for that hee had seene the Lord. Now it followeth in this verse what his wife did when he vttered his feare to her and in the next and last verse is shewed that Samson was borne When the wife of Manoah saw her husband so troubled she was better staied and therefore counselled and by reasons did perswade him so to be also Thus the Lord oft times spareth one of his children and that also in the same house when hee afflicteth another and vpholdeth one when another is cast downe which is to bee marked of vs. And this he doth as we see here in spiritual trials as well as in bodily health and visitations to the end that one may bee an helper and comfort to another And if he visit all together which is rarely seene yet he supplieth their wants some other way in giuing that grace to the parties asunder that they were wont to enioy one by the other together And although this mercie be little obserued while it is enioyed men being readie to aggrauate their crosses and amplifie them to the highest degree but blinde in seeing Gods goodnesse in his afflicting them yet such it is as might full ill be spared and when it is it causeth men to accuse themselues of vnthankfulnes which hath procured the increase and multiplying of their crosses We know addition of miserie made him who thought it a small benefit to liue as a sonne vnder his fathers wing to wish he might be entertained but in the place of a hireling To returne to the point againe this mercifull forbearance of the Lord is euen seene oftentimes in one and the same persons visitation that although he lay his hand vpon the bodie yet oft times the minde is free and the spirit is able to sustaine the bodies infirmitie Yet I spake not this as if this were a token of Gods forsaking a man when he seemeth to afflict on euery side for then the Lord driues his people to cling to himselfe when all props and crutches are remoued lest they should sinke altogether Iobs wife and himselfe were downe together as we may say children slaine cattell and substance destroyed friends and kindred alienated And this wrought no doubt strongly vpon his weakest part but if the Lord had not been on his side yea instead of all comfort by wife or others he could neither haue resisted desperate impatience euen at the hearing of the first heauie message that was brought vnto him nor much lesse haue said afterward Although he kill me I will trust in him Therefore although the Lord doe ordinarily thus measure out to his children that all sorrow comes not at once yet let none indent with the Lord that thus hee shall deale alway with him The Lord is tied to no certaintie or necessitie in temporall crosses to his best seruants saue onely to be their God alsufficient and to minister vnto them the grace which shall be sufficient Many haue fallen into such streights through infectious diseases pouertie trauaile c. that they wanted succour and comfort from the neerest vnto them Onely the Lord forsake not his being neerer to them in miserie then nature can make the neerest friends to each other But seeing the woman here though in regard of her sexe the weaker vessell was yet the stronger in faith to incourage her husband when hee fainted let vs learne that the husband may not despise his wiues counsell when God shall grace her equally or aboue him It is many mens cases to be honoured with such wiues who by their faith experience knowledge humilitie innocencie and such other good gifts of God might hardly bee wanted and are much to bee regarded But they that haue these gifts let them be farre from thinking on the other side meanely and basely of their husbands remembring who commandeth them the carriage of reuerence towards them Husbands againe must reioyce for them and not scorne to take good by them vpon a vaine conceit that their wiues will deny them supremacie or as many will say crow ouer them And yet those that want grace and be otherwise ill qualitied let them not leane much to their counsell remembring Ahab and Salomon in this sinne little differing See vers 9. and 10. of this chapter Her first reason was this and it was sound and good If God said she would haue killed vs he would not haue receiued our sacrifice But he hath receiued it And how knew she that it was accepted of God I say seeing he it was that bad her offer it therefore it was acceptable to him And againe the manner was allowable for that God had consumed the sacrifice with the flame