in marriage whereby very great hurt and detriment must needs fall out both to Church and commonwealth But herein I meane in parents prouiding for their children as farre as my knowledge reacheth there is for the most part no great fault to bee found although indeed there are some vnnaturall and hard harted men from whom little or nothing can be wrong though ability faile them not till they must leaue their goods to bee scrambled for by their children with much strife and contention seeing they could neuer bee brought to dispose of them in any reasonable sort while they liued But to leaue these and come againe to the other their fault is twofold otherwise though the most of them be not to be charged this way as I haue said The one is that they get much of their wealth by ill meanes which they leaue richly to their children at their death or bestow it as they please vpon them in their life The other is that they oft put all out of their owne hands into their childrens to preferre them in marriage and setting them vp so high they bring themselues as low These two euils are very common and require good looking to for the amending of them For the first it is a sweet comming in of their goods to them which they wring from others by oppression extorsion violence or fraud it is I say sweet in the comming in but as bitter it shall bee to the full at the going out The Lord hath set vs our bounds that wee should in no wise offer others that measure which we are vnwilling should be offered to vs againe which rule though I am perswaded that Preachers may teare their tongues to the stumpes before they shall bring many to be guided by yet some I hope wil submit themselues vnto it But in all dealings there are so many waies found out to vphold mens estates or to augment them and the greatest pretence is for their children that they will heare nothing if it be spoken to perswade to equitie and innocency which make the practisers thereof bold as a Lion and to the trying of their doings whither they be good or no. Such and so many kinds of deceiuings and cruell dealings there are practised as by Executors in detaining the goods committed to their fidelity to be put to good vses such rackings of mens rents that they neuer regard how the tenant with all his toile may in any poore sort be maintained but they are forced by necessitie to leaue their farmes and some to run cleane away Such exactions in their loanes till they fill the prisons with them who cannot pay their vnreasonable demands whereas they should looke for no benefit thereby but that only which might stand with the benefit of them that vse and imploy the stocke And to giue a taste of the rest by these who are occupied in greater dealings for who can recken vp all to come to smaller matters who almost deales iustly in them But ioynting there is one of another in two penny dealings as pinching in measures and waights to get a groat or a shilling or in the whole bargaine with the like so that such gaine is more sweete to them then all the rest which they may lawfully take for their commodities as it is in the Prouerb stollen things though they be but waters are sweet But by this conceiue of the rest This shal suffice to say of the first sinne of parents about prouiding for their children that I say nothing of the great hurt they doe themselues hereby for while they are thus greedily set to seeke commoditie for their children they bereaue themselues of knowledge and grace yea and they waxe very sloathfull and negligent in vsing the meanes to increase both and that also beside the omitting the doing of good to others By this meanes leauing no blessing as Caleb did but a curse to their posteritie who must pay the shot full dearely for all those commings in of vnrighteous Mammon Better it is to be the beast then the child of such parents The second fault of parents followeth that is to put themselues out of all euen house and home as they say and that for the preferring of their children to great mariages little else being respected of them wherein though they deale ill in the former to the loading and burdening of their consciences yet in this latter they prouide most vnwisely for themselues and their bodily estate and maintainance and thereby it must needs goe the worse with their soules True it is indeed their children gaine wel by the bargaine if all other things be sutable in their match as religion in both parties and good liking betwixt them for that very cause that they be both heires of the promise but what wisdome is that in the parents to depriue themselues and many poore neighbours of the benefit which they might and by good right ought to haue inioyed by keeping their estate especially the greatest part of it in their owne hands and to thrust their heads vnder their childrens wings to lift vp them and pluck downe themselues when yet for the most part their children are very vnfit for it But be they as they may be I meane fit enough to vse that estate yet they hauing once obtained a right in al and being put into possession thereof how vnmeet is it that the parents must be beholding to them for that which they haue to liue with all And yet that shall be with grudging enough yeelded vnto them especially after a while For they deale with them as flatterers do with their benefactors when they haue sucked what they can then vnthankfully they cast them off and turne them ouer perke nay more then that if their parents haue kept any thing in their owne hands to relieue themselues some children are neuer well till they haue vnder some colourable shew of reason wound euen that from them into their owne hands or if they cannot then their death is longed for that so they may haue all So that their old age is tedious and irksome to them wherein they should looke for most kindnesse and quietnes at their childrens hands and the greatest respect and regard to be had of them For their occupyings I deny not but when age hath made them vnfit for labour or ouerseeing their commodities it may be conuenient to yeeld them into their childrens hands those I meane which in all respects shall be thought meetest for the same but vpon good conditions yet that their parents may be well dealt with by them and keepe the chiefe hold in their owne hands for the time And these two dangers being wisely auoided by parents I freely affirme that they ought to prouide for their children as I haue said when they bestow them in marriage wherein yet this must bee obserued of them that they straine themselues the further to do them good and more good as they haue shewed
did Dauids and Peters sinnes and there was as great cause if Samson had been iustly to be charged in this why hee should haue done the like to him but God blessed him still afterward and supported him in great difficulties and troubles raised against him by the Philistims except where he ranged and ranne after stolne liberties without his allowance that all might see apparantly God to haue been with him herein And as for his parents they knew not Gods minde in that matter at the first and therfore as they saw themselues bound by dutie they were against him in his mariage And in that they did afterward agree to it who doubteth but that they had it reuealed to them by God or that Samson himselfe told them that God would so haue it And all this was necessarie for me to say for the answering of the doubt and the cleering of this verse By that which hath bin said of this point as we see the Lord may dispense with his owne law as he did here and with Abraham where he hath giuen a personall commandement contrary to it So where he hath done no such thing know we that neither wee may looke to be dispensed withall by any other meanes nor contrary to his commandements attempt the thing that Samson did heere in seeking a woman and taking her to wife from among Idolaters or any other such like A fact vtterly vnlawfull for vs to doe and which shall be reckoned against the committer as a capitall and great sinne I put both the actions together of his seeking and liking such a woman for they are both of one kinde though in degree one worse then the other to wit if he that seeketh such a wife desist and leaue off before hee liketh and before he giueth ouer himselfe thereto but else small difference there is betwixt them And great reason there is that they should bee both odious to vs for as much as there can be no true seruing of God in such matches but it is to be looked for that the great sinnes namely Idolatrie and prophanenes in the one partie shall deuoure and as a canker eate out the goodnesse of the other partie rather then be auoided thereby neither is it possible that they who are so vnequally yoked together can enioy the chiefe benefits of their marriage without which the rest are little worth for whereas they should consent and agree together in all good things as in conferring praying and reading together and to be of one minde in all other things of like sort and qualitie they are contrary minded one to another and draw an vnequall yoke and what faithfulnes or loue except it be in dissimulation can there be betwixt such especially on the behalfe of the worser partie through the course of their liues As they finde it who will not be held from marrying in Popish kindred and with persons well knowne to bee vncircumcised which they finde to the iust accusation and vexation of them long after And no marueile for we being staightly commanded to marry in the Lord we are thereby iustly challenged for matching with Canaanites in a strange religion or with such as are impious and very scandalous in their liues though of our owne religion as in the second point of the next verse shall appeare Let this be added to that which I spake of more briefly vpon ver 2. chap. 2. and other places Samson hauing broken the matter of his mariage to his parents they giue him answere in this verse and a reason of that answere is rendred by the holy Ghost in the next In their answere they obiect the kindred and religion of the woman that she was a Philistim and vncircumcised and doe further tell him that he ought to take a wife among his owne people Here his practise that hee attempteth not the matter without acquainting his parents with it when hee liked the woman doth condemne the common attempts of the most of our age about this matter who haue so degenerated and turned away from this durifulnesse of seeking their parents consent in their match as Samson did that they haue made an end and done what they desired with their wiues yea many of them are vndone and readie to leaue them before they begin to breake with their parents about it So that whereas the Lord hath by commanding them to seeke their parents consent prouided that they should not rashly and vnwisely cast themselues into danger and be led as vnexperienced youth easily is into depth of euils and sorrow but well aduised and directed as well as dutifull therein to them they not onely despise the counsell of God but casting it and their parents helpe and furtherance behinde their backs they doe therefore right soone both smart and sorrow for their hastinesse and wilfull proceedings But herein they follow Esaus most cursed example who against the will and liking of his parents tooke Canaanitish women to be his wiues whose sight and conuersation they could not beare nor abide A great part of the crossings and vexations in Marriage doe arise and spring from this fountaine for as they haue begun amisse who thus gōe to worke in their matches so they proceed for the most part worse because they neuer feared that God would sit in their light till after many wearisome and oft complainings and sometime also of their hasty and rash making vp of their marriage though out of season and too late but most of all of the miseries which they sustaine after all these I say they doe with paine and pensiuenesse end their dayes therein But of the annoyances in marriage which come of other causes I haue no time here to speake Therefore with one caution and watchword giuing both to parents and children I end this point And to them this I giue that they doe not exercise a tyrannicall power ouer their children as many doe to draw them to such marriages as they cannot yeeld vnto to these this I say that they doe not lightly and hastily cast their affection where it cannot be fastned without great danger when iust causes may be seene of breaking off their match and that they proceed in them as God hath commanded to wit with their Parents liking and good will vnlesse they will apparently resist God Now out of the answere of Sampsons Parents we learne another thing that the marriages of Gods seruants ought to be made with such as are like minded to them not with the vncircumcised and with those that be of an other and contrary religion for so they say to him in this verse Is there neuer a wife of the daughters of my people but thou must goe to the Philistims for one This to bee necessarily required of them as commanded by the Lord the seuenth of Deutronomy with other scripture doth clearely teach namely that the true worshippers of God may not ioyne themselues with Idolaters and those that be
tooke it to whom he gaue Acsah his daughter to wife VERS 14. And when she came to him to aske of her father a field and she lighted off her asse and Caleb said vnto her What wilt thou VERS 15. And she answered him Giue me a blessing for thou hast giuen me a South country giue me also springs of water And Caleb gaue her the springs aboue and the springs beneath THis citie Debir it is said was in times past called Kiriah-sepher that is the citie of one Sepher to put a difference betwixt that and some other of that name And it is said here that Caleb seeing more difficultie to winne this city offered a reward to him that would set vpon it But I must againe put the Reader in mind that these things mentioned from the 8. verse to the 17. were done in the daies of Ioshua and are but repeated here to commend the faithfulnes and care of this Tribe of Iuda and as they were done then so the subduing of this city is ascribed to Ioshua in Iosh 10. because he was their chiefe guide and gouernour in all these warres though Caleb offered a reward to him that winne it because it was his inheritance and Othniel here mentioned was the person that tooke it and enioyed the reward This be said for the meaning of these two verses and for reconciling this place with that which I cited out of Ioshua Now for the benefit which wee are to reape from hence it is manifold first by this that there was more difficultie and danger in the winning of this citie then other it giueth vs to learne and to marke that in going about the duties of our particular callings as this warring against these cities of the Canaanites was theirs we must not thinke it strange if some part of our life and at sometime be more incumbred then other parts and at other times and that we should not be discouraged nor disquieted when we see it to be so euen these good seruants of God did find it so in some part of their work more then in some other and yet they did not for all that breake it off but wisely bethinke themselues how to ouercome the difficultie of it by more then ordinarie paines and care when the businesse required it The like may be said of the religious duties of our generall callings both concerning the first and second Table there is not alwaies that confidence ioy cheerefulnesse diligence and feruency in the vse of priuate meanes or fruitfulnesse in doing good to others we find these come off with much difficultie sometime in respect of others And this commeth not to passe by chance as neither it did to them as men vse to say but by the prouidence of God who most isely disposeth so of it that it may not oftentimes be so with vs that we haue hard successe lest we should be discouraged and also lest we should not bring our worke to any good point but as they say our labour should be lost and in vaine and nothing should goe forward as if in husbanding the ground by sowing reaping and all other worke belonging to it the weather should alwaies be dropping And although it be not often so yet hee seeth it conuenient that sometime men should find it so I meane hardnesse to bring their worke to passe and some difficultie about it though they haue skill in it to the end they may haue proofe of their patience at such times and bee thankfull to God when it falleth not out so oftentimes but that they haue good successe for the most part And also that they may learne experience against other like times to be contented when it shall so fall out againe that so they may shew one euen tener in their life as much as may bee and in euery part of it some equalitie in care contentment cheerefulnesse hope and patience and not to to bee carried into extremities as many are by the occasions that are offered and that come to passe daily And this ought to guide all men in their callings and in the actions of their liues that as well when things go against them as when they goe with them they may in al estates be thankful as we reade holy Iob was especially seeing they know that God ordereth both good successe and also the contrary to the good of his The husbandman is hindred sometime by the rainy weather but yet so as he hath his seasons free from it to doe his businesse in The Artificer is troubled about putting away his wares and the falling of the price so that he cannot alwaies make his aduantage of them as ordinarily he doth for the maintaining of himselfe and his charge But God changeth those times so that they doe not alwaies keepe at one stay The good minister is sometime troubled about the carelesnesse and prophanenesse of his people and is grieued for the ill successe that he seeth on his labours but God giueth him incouragement againe that some doe regard his ministery and receiue the Gospell to their amendment and saluation Besides the diligentest labourers in preaching are oft to seeke of necessarie helpes for this life and more then their due they rarely find and seldome meet with what need soeuer they haue if they get that truly paid them the ministery being in so little account with men of the world of which sort the greatest number is So women in their places haue many crossings of them by their husbands seruants and about children and matters of familie beside other vnlooked for accidents and troubles which we see doe cause many of them who are not seasoned with grace and sauing knowledge to bee exceedingly impatient disquiet and out of order Therefore if they who are religious should not vnder the like crosses be better gouerned though they enioy many comforts in the married estate they should euer and anon bee out of frame and vnquiet and in no sort enioy the benefit of that estate as God hath allowed them to doe as too many can testifie In more particular manner I might shew the disapointments that al sorts of people meet with and haue As the labouring man for his part is not behind the rest in finding much hardnesse by meanes of his poore estate and the great prices of necessarie things at sometimes especially but I should be too long if I should stand vpon particulars To these when wee adde other disapointments and crosses as ill debters sutes in the law losse of friends who were vpholders of them while they liued diseases and sicknes with a thousand more which cannot be remembred all may see there arise many things in all conditions and dealings to make some part of mens liues hardlier passed in peace and quietnes to their good liking though they haue for the most part good successe and do vsually labour with some ease as I haue said And why doe I set downe all
good aduisednesse as by will and rash beate to make their owne choice and therefore it is ofttimes iustly requited by God who ought chiefly to be obeyed in that action that to make their sinne the better appeare their match is as soone repented of many times as it is inioyed Moses therfore who was Gods mouth to the people was commanded by him to teach this that the parents had authoritie in prouiding marriages for their children for thus he saith Thou shalt not giue thy daughter to the sonne of the Canaanite nor take his daughter to thy sonne And therefore we reade that Sampson gaue this honour to his father and mother for the granting of their consent in his marriage as many other did the like for thus he saith I saw a woman and she pleaseth me well now therefore giue me her to wife And Paul comming long after Moses agreed with him as being both faithfull seruants to their Master he teacheth that this dutie belongeth to the father saying He that giueth his daughter in marriage doth well signifying who should giue her Although I speake not this as though they might force their children to what marriages they list but to giue their consent and aduice must bee had with some speciall and iust cause shewed if it be expedient when and why they may not So that this being cleare it doth the more bewray the boldnesse wilfulnes and disobedience of many children who would be thought wise enough to know their duties who yet doe not meanely grieue their parents but also prouide ill for themselues in making their matches at their own pleasures who beside that they bring in one little better then a Canaanite ofttimes at least a waspe an hagge or otherwise badly qualified into and amongst a good kindred so they themselues seldome agree and especially if the one partie draw any thing neerer to God then the other Hereof it commeth to passe I will not say onely but doubtlesse in great part that there are so many disordered and offensiue matches and marriages and the persons so wearisome one to the other that they must either be parted by other or they will part themselues or if they cannot yet they doe little better for dwelling both in one house yet they may not many times meete but be parted at bed and board and they must haue them that are of another house to set them together whereby it may bee easily gathered what manner of Christian and sociable life they enioy together and what fruite they reape of iustling a side the commandement of God about their comming together But it is not my purpose to shew the annoiances that be in all vnlawfull marriages I doe but poynt at some which fall out yea and come oft and ordinarily where Gods ordinance and commandement is reiected as when the children make their owne marriages without their parents or against them But seeing occasion may be taken here of mouing a question or two I will stand a little vpon these two verses for the satisfying the doubts that are raised and make vse thereof afterward It is therefore obiected here whither Caleb did aduisedly and whither he was to be commended for this offering of his daughter to him that should winne Debit for what knew he whether he might lawfully keepe promise with the partie such an one as he might haue been Also it is obiected that he who did winne it was thought to be too neare a kinde to him Othniel by name being said to be his younger brother so that he might not lawfully take her to wife These things therefore require an answere To the first that wee are chiefely to looke to this namely the commendation of Caleb that he would offer so largely for the destroying of Gods enemies according to Gods commandement and this the holy Ghost intended to declare and not that we should make question whether he did it rightly and lawfully or no. For as charitie is not suspitious so he being so rarely commended for his pietie and obedience to God it becommeth not vs to iudge him for that which we cannot accuse him of neither can any such thing be gathered against him out of the text It is true he offered his daughter vpon the condition mentioned and there is no more set downe in what manner or with what respects but he did it so as he was commended for it neither is he charged to haue done it rashly what hath any man therefore to doe to challenge him for it But if they can proue him to haue done rashly which they shall neuer be able to doe seeing the holy Ghost commendeth him for it then it is not denied but that it was his sinne Now if any vrge this against him to take libertie thereby for dealing rashly and without due consideration in waightie cases or in the case of marriage particularly affirming that they doe but as Caleb did and they aduenture it either in their owne or in making of their childrens marriages with such persons whose conuersation they doe not know Let them seeke a better defence for their doings then the example of Caleb for besides that we must liue by rules and not by examples so neither can they draw any such liberty from his practise But whatsoeuer may bee said to haue been done by any good man concerning this matter it skilleth not we haue a commandement to marry in the Lord. And as for them that seek to defend their matches which haue slightly bin made wherein God hath had either small or no hand he hath sufficiently branded and set his marke vpon them that as they haue not been gone about nor finished by his allowance and direction so they are not by him alowed though mariage otherwise bee honourable and therefore not beautified with the sweete sociablenesse and other commodities which he hath annexed to those marriages which he approueth But I will speake more at large of this matter when I shall haue more direct occasion offered That which I haue said of rash marriages I may say and so take me of all vnaduised and inconsiderate actions and attempts whatsoeuer that as men can haue no authoritie for the taking them in hand from Calebs example no neither haue from the Scriptures in any place euen so and thereafter shall their gainesayings be by them who will needs goe to worke in that manner To the next obiection that he gaue his daughter through his rash offer to one of his owne flesh who could not marrie her by the law of God being his brother and therfore vncle to her to this I say that he was not his younger brother to whom hee gaue her I meane Othniel but his kinseman and the least euery way among his brethren the children of his father both in yeeres authority and wealth But yee will obiect that the text calleth him his brother I answer that Christs kinsmen were called his brethren and
is little wisdome in them to doe so but a bold tempting of God we see what strange alterations fall out in their liues that their estate changeth from that it was I say not as other mens by age sicknesses diseases onely for to them we are all subiect but from towardnesse hope and likelihood of goodnesse which they had sometime and therefore they should haue been rooted and growne forward therein and such as neuer had any waxe much worse and worse and by their afflictions they be much disguized For by that time that cruell enemies domesticall or forraigne I meane in the world haue oppressed them as both may easily bee or suites debt suretiship or prison haue molested them which commonly fall out to be or the vnrulinesse and disobedience in children the vnfaithfulnesse and leaudnesse of seruants and the vnpeaceablenesse and vnappeasablenesse in neighbours and landlords with great iniuries offered by them shall vexe them together with sicknesse and other calamities which meet with them I say when some of these as mothes in a garment haue eaten into them the beautie of their estate is decaied and consumed in these cases I say they are altered and changed as if they had neuer been the persons So that as Elimelech by famine was constrained to change his dwelling and good Dauid by his owne sonne was almost driuen from his kingdome euen so and much more when sundry of the forementioned waies shall afflict bad men doe they not shew the vncertaine hold that they haue and yet they haue no hold of any better of the things which are in greatest price heere among men together with the reproches and disgraces that befall them that I say nothing of sundry kinds of death to cut them off from all and are sufficient proofes of that which I say So that we haue good cause to beare a low saile euen when we be at the highest and to thinke we haue little when we haue the most And to looke for our change in our prosperitie and to make heauen our habitation against we go hence and the earth with the pompe and beautie of it but as small and vncertaine riches Indeed all the glory of these things must haue his end yet commonly where God is not prouoked much there is no vnseasonable change of mens prosperitie into misery but a kindly inioying it with Gods good liking though sometime God afflict thus for other ends as Iob c. And because many of Gods deare ones prouoke him to turne their blessings and delight temporall as in wife children goods beautie strength c. into sorrowes and punishments which must be so or else it would bee worse with them let them also beware that they breake not out further against him least by any sinne wilfully committed and not repented of speedily they cause and procure this to themselues that they be roughly handled of him more then commonly euen like other men and that particularly by the grosse abuse of these outward things themselues where to they are subiect they bee not deformed and disguized by strange and rare afflictions God hath all good things in store for his but he can also soone strip them thereof as Ieremie saith in the person of the Iewes euen as hee withholdeth them altogether from some other And this I thought good to say though somewhat of this argument hath been said before It followeth how God furnished Gedeon with gifts of the spirit both wisdome and courage whereby according to that which hee had said to him before Goe in this thy power and thou shalt saue Israel out of the hands of Midian he was new fitted for it Which teacheth that when God appointeth his seruants to any charge or businesse of his hee inableth them to goe through it and ministreth helpe to them accordingly So Paul saith in a farre greater worke then this of Gedeons that God counted him faithfull and put him in his seruice after he had appointed him thereunto So Saul when he was chosen King had gifts giuen him to gouerne God making him thereby as the text saith another man So the Lord dealeth with those whom hee maketh Ministers of the Gospell that they shall doe his message to the people faithfully and diligently and plainely and powerfully to the iust challenging of them who boldly take vpon them so waightie a calling as doth concerne the sauing or destroying the soules of men hauing no furniture of preaching the Gospell soundly and clearely neither any care to looke that way nor other grace bestowed vpon them Now Gods worke is not onely some great seruice as Gedeons to fight and Pauls to preach and Moses to deliuer Israel from Egypt but euen to liue in the married estate to walke in a calling publike or priuate and much more to professe the name of Christ in what condition soeuer And when we speake of Gods calling a man to this worke I meane not any sensible calling by voice as here Gedeon extraordinarilie was but when a man entreth into these estates functions or actions by direction and warrant of the lawfulnesse or necessitie thereof from the word and ordination of the Church Vsing also the holiest and best meanes to obtaine faith knowledge wisdome and conscience to discharge them well to such I say God will not be wanting although they may thinke that their case is not as Gedeons and yet they had need bee no weaker in faith nor lower brought then he was and that they are but seely priuate persons yes God will so blesse them and prosper their lawfull enterprises yea though they deeme themselues vnfit to vndertake such workes or vnable to goe through them that so as they shall haue cause to blesse the Lord and wonder at his loue and faithfulnesse to them when they who goe about the same to obserue how he assisteth and blesseth them and on the other side how they who relie vpon their own head and pollicie shall wanze come to nothing and be resisted by him as we reade of such as being commanded to goe against the Canaanites refused but would needs goe fight against them being forbidden and therefore they were sore discomfited But of this I haue spoken before Gedeon being thus furnished was in couraged to go against Gods enemies and so much the more seeing he had such successe before by the promise of the Angell Where note how well things prosper with vs and goe forward when we are certaine that we be set a worke by the Lord and more particularly when we are furnished with faith in his promises for the present and time to come and heartned by the experience of Gods helpe in the time past For it was not for nothing that the Lord meaning to set him a worke about a greater seruice gaue him good proofe first as of his owne weakenes so of his assistance in the lesser I meane in the destroying of Baal of which point more hereafter if God
be euer at debate and oddes with such as full gladly would liue at peace as Esau with Iacob and all because they would make a gaine and bootie of them that are honestly minded or haue their will of them some other way They know a godly man will buy his peace deare rather then want it and they wil lay loade enough vpon such therefore to see what they can wring from them although without all colour of equitie Besides peace is vile and of no price with an vnrighteous person there is nothing to be got by it hee saith but when the water is troubled then is his season to cast in and therefore all is fish that comes to net Who seeth not that this King was mischieuously minded in that he shapeth such an answere as either being yeelded vnto tended to the vndoing of a Tribe or if not threatned implacable dissention So Benhadad sends this message to Ahab Thou and all thou hast are mine deny it if thou darest It is plaine he was set vpon warre who sent so proud a challenge as excluded all possibilitie of agreement and peace And such there are in all places who if they might haue their mindes would chuse warre rather then to liue in peace that they might boldly rifle their houses whom they grudge at and whom they could not suffer to liue by them except they might possesse them and all they haue as Hamor spake of Iacob and his sonnes to the men of his citie Therefore seest thou an vnrighteous person wonder not then if thou heare of vnreasonablenes to come from him for these two goe yoked together though feare and danger of law doe oft restraine the inward corruption from breaking out so hideous a monster is iniustice if it might be seene in the colours As for this practise of lying forging subborning concealing truth and impudent facing out an ill cause as an ill title to goe no further for aduantage sake though to the treading downe of the poore innocent nay to his vtter vndoing when was it more common then now adaies And this euill as well as other scurfe and iniquitie will cleaue to the better sort too if the diuell can and he will also except they walke armed with their breast-plate continually In these fiue verses Iphtah sends word againe to the King of the Ammonites that it was not so as he affirmed they tooke no part of his ground to them and then proceeds further by reasons to perswade him to desist from his attempt As first thus Israel sent messengers when they came out of Egypt to the King of Edom to goe through his land and he not yeelding to them they were faine to goe a great way about by a long and tedious iourney in the wildernesse so they desired to passe by Moab also and could not be suffered But did they make warre with either of both No they chose rather to abide long in the desert and to goe farre about as I haue said so farre is it off that they did them any wrong that they chose rather to offer violence to themselues So that they did no iniurie to any And was it like then that they would offer violence to any and consequently not to thy predecessors the children of Ammon As Iphtah heere giues not place to vntruth though hee preuailed not wherein he honoured the Lord in bearing witnesse to a good cause so let vs know it is our dutie to doe namely to bring the truth to light as much as in vs lieth if it be but to bring them to shame who resist it for they worke much mischiefe and iniquitie thereby and to hold sinne from multiplying as it doth greatly by lying And haue we it in greater detestation then some of them who would be taken for honest men for as much as we know that the Lord hath linked such as loue to make lies among dogges Inchanters and whoremongers And let vs remember that which Salomon saith Hee who iustifieth the wicked lier or other is as abominable to the Lord as he that condemneth the innocent And the Apostle puts the consenter to euill whether to lying swearing c. in an higher degree of sinners then the committers As who seeth not that the Pharisees and Iewes which hired and fleshed the false witnesses against our Sauiour were worse then the false witnesses themselues Thus Samuel conuicted Saul of his lye 1. Sam. 15. Elisha argued Gehazi Nay Paul Galath 2. did openly checke and detect dissimulation in Peter and resisted him to his face The truth is men in generall hate lying both the coyner of it and the teller of it but in particular there are so many occasions fall out as sometimes when a man in fauour of his kinsman will not sticke to sweare against conscience to purge him of adulterie to lay men open who doe so that their generall hatred thereof is turned into a speciall liking of it or a tolerating it and conniuence at it Neither is it strange that they who are not iust and armed with the breast-plate of righteousnesse should want the girdle of veritie Some for bribes fauour flatterie friendship commoditie and such like partiall and smister respects will to vse the prouerbe not sticke to say The crow is white if their great patrons or such as they depend vpon wil say it before them and others for feare are driuen to conceale the truth and to heare a falsehood iustified who are as bad as lyers and coupled with them Reuel the last And yet we must know that euery vntruth is not a lie except we know that which we report as an vntruth to be so Yet must we beware that we offend not therein neither by vttering rashly whatsoeuer we heare spoken of other but as it may doe good neither in telling the truth are wee bound to vtter all the truth further then we shall see it expedient to doe so Iphtah not onely withstands an vntruth but also sheweth reason so wee must withstand vntruth by reason approued of all and of the Scripture it selfe so that they who will not yeeld to it may shew themselues vnreasonable and so they are to bee accounted and no better who wash away all sound reason which they are not able to resist breeding quarrelling and contention hereby wherein the Pharisies and Priests went before other neuer resting in the most sound reasons wherewith our Sauiour in commoning with them did conuince them but withstood them shamelesly So when other alleage reasons to vs it is our dutie to yeeld to them as Laban himselfe though an Idolater answered Abrahams seruant in that matter hee dealt with him for seeing the report which he made of things vnto him to be so currant and reasonable I can say neither lesse nor more saith hee for this thing is of the Lord. But more of this in the 28. verse by way of vse hereof Now what his reason was we haue
so when he purposed to deliuer his people out of Pharaos bondage and none saw how it could bee they being hedged in as it were on euery side hee made a way we see for them thorow the red sea as it had been by the high way and drie ground Euen so be we perswaded that he hauing appointed and purposed to do vs good in this life who feare him and to bring vs well through all difficulties as he hath promised and to finish our course with ioy he will most certainly doe it though wee see not how but it may seeme oft times to vs impossible for he hath many waies to bring his will to passe Euen as hee did when he deliuered Elisha the Prophet from the armie of the Aramites by an armie of heauenly souldiers and when hee promised great plentie of corne by his Prophet on the next day when yet at that present they were almost famished he did I say performe it and that by the meanes of foure leprous persons in so much that a great man neere to the King affirming that although God should raine downe corneout of heauen it could not bee so yet he liued and saw it so though he liued not to eate of it euen as the Prophet had told him And so be we perswaded that whatsoeuer he seeth expedient for vs he will bring it to passe though we see not how hee hath waies enough and that which he doth not for vs wee must willingly submit our selues to want and forgoe as knowing that it were not good for vs to haue it granted Whereas wee in our troubles and feares either about grace to bee granted vs or deliuerances to bee wrought for vs doe either smoother our faith by feare and despaire of helpe or breake foorth into open murmuring and discontentednes which in time causeth vs to shift and make way for our selues by vsing vnlawfull remedies And by this meanes we double our affliction both for measure and continuance oftentimes or else shake it off as the asse doth his burthen not staying Gods leisure till hee case vs so that when the next commeth we are vnfitter for it then for the former Now if we being in our selues most shiftlesse could behold that alsufficiencie of power which is in God and the varietie of meanes which his wisedome can worke by for our deliuerance this confused and distrustfull behauiour of ours should in great part be cured Especially seeing whatsoeuer power he hath in him to succour vs his distressed seruants his loue setteth him on worke to shew and exercise it and all for our exceeding benefit and good Dauid saw not before Sauls comming against him by what meanes God would rescue him neither was it needfull seeing he had promised so to doe howbeit he waiting by faith the issue he was deliuered and so saw how the Lord wrought it for him and thereby gathered that so hee was able and ready to do often in the like danger rather then his promise should faile and be falsified Thus wee should hearten on our selues to waite with pacience through all difficulties till we haue finished our course with ioy And in that he tolde not this either to his father or mother which was very like he should haue done it being a strange thing to finde honey in the carkeis of a Lyon and we are all giuen to tell such things to our friends as are seldome heard of and are like to be wondred at as newes very welcome to them yet I say in that he signified it not vnto them it was wisely done of him to conceale it whether he then thought to make a riddle of it or no it is vncertaine as after he did for then if he had told it to them it might easily haue been knowne to many and so it had been like to haue by some meanes been disclosed to and among the Philistims as wee see it was afterward when he tolde it to his wife onely It confirmeth vs in the former doctrine out of the seuenth verse namely that we be very wary to conceale things that need not bee vttered especially secrets when wee see no good can come thereby but by concealing them there may And because it is not easie for a man to foresee euery inconuenience which may come of vnseasonable speech therefore it is the wisest way for vs to cut off al talke whereof wee see not some good reason to moue and warrant vs to vtter it Now if there grow any inconuenience thereby notwithstanding our care and respectiuenes wee shall haue the lesse to accuse vs as we see in Dauids fact 1. Sam. 21. I meane in his requiring the shew bread and armour of Golia from Abimilech in the presence of Doeg necessitie draue him to aske it and Christ defended the fact and therefore hee had lesse cause to bee troubled though much hurt arose by it To them that obiect that Samson tolde the riddle to his wife which was more dangerous then to haue opened it to his parents be this taken for an answere that he offended greatly in so doing And we may learne by it that we may possibly shew wisdome in some part of our life whereof yet wee may faile without great heed taking afterward We haue heard how Samson went to take his wife and what fell out by the way Now followeth the third point in this second part of the Chapter to wit their meeting to accomplish his mariage and what things were done thereat and they were especially foure The first he made the Philistims a feast in this verse Secondly what the Philistims did to him verse 12. That is they prouided thirtie companions to be with him Thirdly Samson propounded a riddle to them with condition what they should haue if they could tell him the meaning of it within seauen dayes and contrariwise and this to the middest of the 15. verse Lastly how they laboured to know the meaning of it but could not till the seauenth day and then they tolde it to him hauing gotten it of his wife before and this to the twentieth verse The first of these 4. things mentioned in this verse was that he made them a feast his father going downe with him againe no doubt to be a comfort to him in that strange place and to countenance him as I haue noted twice before in verse 6. c. And it is added that Samson did that according to the custome of the place for so the yong men were wont to doe at their mariage Here by this custome not vnlawfull in it selfe we see it hath been an vsuall thing to call friends together at such times of marrying their kindred to feast and reioyce one with another It hath been the practise of the good as well as of the bad neither is it our commendation simply to shunne the ciuill or indifferent actions of common men and the multitude but this indeed is to bee
seeke to relieue themselues by lyings equiuocations and periurie or flying if they can from comming to their answere The other thing to bee noted in these Philistims was their wise care to keepe themselues from hurt by Samson when they saw him to be a man to be feared and this they shewed herein that they set thirtie men of their own countrey as if they would haue honoured him much like Herod who pretended that he would honour Christ when he sought to kill him whereas they intended no such thing but to set them as watchmen to take heede that no hurt might be wrought by him against them And as they did by the light of nature thus prouide for their owne safetie so wee ought wisely and warily to preuent danger where it is comming towards vs and to bee wise as serpents and beware of men as well as to be innocent like doues We haue great cause in these daies to beware whom wee trust and to whom we commit ourselues by giuing credit to them Our Sauiour hath left vs a good example behinde him whereby wee may take heed how farre we commit our seiues to men For when he was at Ierusalem at the Passeouer many beleeued in him it is said when they saw his miracles that hee did But Iesus did not commit himselfe to them seeing he knew what was in them Teaching vs to be circumspect how farre wee trust them whom we doe not sufficiently know Many smart for that they are too light of credit namely for that when they heare faire words and conditions they are ready thereupon to put themselues into their hands Whereas they should know this that they who are not faithfull to God will not bee faithfull to men as Papists and loose professors It hath been many mens vtter vndoing who haue too rashly put their estate and goods into the hands of them who haue made faire shewes of trustines of friendship toward them Other haue sustained the like by their owne children hauing a better opinion of them through blind selfeloue then there was cause and trusting them with almost all that they had haue lost all through their owne folly The same I may say of vnwise and vndiscreet lenders and such as haue vnaduisedly brought themselues into danger by suertiship till with their loade of griefe they haue ended their miserable daies in prison or penurie But none are either more commonly deceiued or more to be pitied then sillie and shiftlesse damsels and maides who care not into whose hands they put themselues till they complaine and crie out that they haue not found truth and faithfulnes at their hands who promised them great matters of quietnes and liuing at ease who haue in a short time grossely broke their couenant with them by most contentious and vnquiet liuing or left them with their charge to shift for themselues of which woful persons England is full For I must say the truth that in most places there are few faithful people to be found Let vs make the more account of them that are such and for the rest I say with our Sauiour let the dead bury the dead and let them match together seeing they will needes doe so who are both of them vnfaithfull And seeing in this subtile vizard age we can hardly discerne oft times betweene one and other I meane betwixt the trustie and the deceiuer let vs with Paul pray God to deliuer vs from hauing to doe with such as haue neither faith nor fidelitie in them And so farre as by our narrow obseruation we can finde any hollownesse or falsehood in such as pretend the contrary as for others they are more easily auoided let it be a watch-word for caution in time to come All is not gold that glistereth faire words are fit to beguile euen good people whose innocencie makes them thinke that other are as themselues But with the breast-plate of righteousnesse which serueth to keepe them from being offensiue let them vse their head-peece I meane wisedome and preuention of danger that they may be defended from hurt by others All know that none lesse deserue wrong then the harmelesse yet none we see daily are more vsually beguiled and made a pray to the spoiler for want of circumspection THE SEVENTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE XIIII CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 13. And Samson said vnto them I will now put foorth a riddle vnto you if you can certainly declare it me within the seuen daies of the feast and finde it out then I will giue you thirtie sheetes and thirtie change of garments 14. But if you cannot declare it me then shall ye giue me thirtie sheetes and thirtie change of raiments And they answered him Put foorth thy riddle that wee may heare it 15. And he said vnto them Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong came sweetnes and they could not in three daies expound the riddle 16. And when the seuenth day was come they said vnto Samsons wife Entice thine husband that he may declare vs the riddle lest wee burne thee and thy fathers house with fire Haue ye called vs to possesse vs Is it not so 17. And Samsons wife wept before him and said Surely thou hatest me and louest me not for thou hast put foorth a riddle vnto the children of my people and hast not told it me And he said vnto her Behold I haue not told it my father nor my mother and shall I tell it thee 18. Then Samsons wife wept before him seuen daies while their feast lasted and when the seuenth day was come he told her because she was importunate vpon him so she told the riddle to the children of her people 19. And the men of the citie said vnto him the seuenth day before the Sunne went downe What is sweeter then hony and what is stronger then a lion Then said he vnto them If yee had not plowed with my heiffer you had not found out my riddle 20. And the spirit of the Lord came vpon him and he went downe to Askelon and slew thirtie men of them and spoiled them and change of garments vnto them which expounded the riddle and his wrath was kindled and he went vp to his fathers house 21. Then Samsons wife was giuen to his companion whom he had vsed as his friend NOw followeth the third thing that was done at the marriage and that was the riddle that Samson put foorth to the Philistims there met together the which course was in great wisedome taken by Samson if it bee well considered For if the cause bee sought why Samson propounded this riddle I answere It was a pleasant whetting of their wits and ministred occasion of mirth to set them about the inuenting and searching out the meaning of it which was hard and difficult that so in the meane while they might bee kept from manifolde offendings And it was without suspition to the Philistims of any euill intended
learne that the way to become our owne best friends is to be greatest enemies to the sinne which most preuaileth in vs as that which threatneth our greatest desolation God will take that mans part against himselfe who most striueth to hate himselfe I meane the corruption within him which is as deare to him as himselfe And till wee be come to this point that we can haue as heartie indignation at our sin that we haue most delighted in as wee haue against others for no cause or sometime against our selues for being circumuented and ouershot in a bargaine by a cunning cosener we are farre from repentance or from that estate that a wise man should rest in though the worke bee difficult I confesse which I speake of But about this businesse though a man haue many and those great enemies to hinder him yet his sinfull heart is more dangerous then all and by the trecherie whereof onely all other enemies doe him mischiefe And doubtlesse the diuell and the strongest allurements rebound backe and hurt not neither enter where the heart lieth not open to euill and vnfenced against it The euill that remaineth in the best occasioneth all externall euill enemies to stirre it vp and encrease it The pure Angels haue the diuels their enuious enemies Nay sinne makes God our enemie not for euer if euer we were reconciled to him while it lieth harboured and vnremoued but otherwise though hee correct vs yet hee loueth vs as a father his children The cause is much more the enemie I meane sinne then the effect which is Gods enmitie And therefore when hee afflicteth for sinne count not him our enemie no nor the crosse which hee inflicteth but patiently beare it and say I will goe vnder my triall willingly seeing I haue sinned and turne my griefe against my chiefe enemie knowing that except that which is my sinne vndoe me no other thing shall but turne to my good rather Also by this that Samson was brought to that which hee neuer meant to bee to wit to vtter his secret to a base housewife by the following him on with her importunitie note what force is in it The widow by importunitie ouercame the wicked Iudge to grant her iustice though he had no mind so to doe But let vs see that it be for good when men be importunate with vs for any thing or else turne wee away from hearing them as Ioseph did from his alluring Mistresse And let vs specially vse this importunitie and earnest suite as our Sauiour hath willed vs that is to God in our prayers for if the wicked Iudge would be moued saith our Sauiour to heare the poore widow lest she should make him wearie shall not God auenge his elect that crie to him day and night Of this more largely in the 14. Chapter by the like occasion Againe me thinkes this answere of Samson to such a strumpet I am a Nazarite c. if my locks be cut off I shall be as another man sauoureth of incredible sottishnes and argueth plainly that a wretched sinner who breaketh not off his course till he be in the heate and power of his sinne can no other doe then yeeld to the tyrannie thereof as hee that is bound hand and foote is carried whither his creditor or aduersarie not whither himselfe listeth It cannot be enough to excuse Samson that if he might haue had his will hee would rather haue chosen to haue kept his secret So it is like but who brought him into the stockes and set him by the heeles who brought him to this streight that hee would not but doe that which hee desired to shunne Himselfe his headstrong lust which hauing once got the hand ouer him vsed him impotently and made him a stark beast and slauish foole He knew the sorrow which must ineuitably ensue vpon his betraying himselfe yet hath he I say not the grace that was now vnder boord but not the strength to containe himselfe I said my minde touching this vpon the 4. verse Entice him c. but now the execution of the plot doth more liuely present to our eyes the nature of sinne that it takes wisedome from a man first and then imposeth what conditions it pleaseth knowing that a man would neuer be such a vassall so long as he is in his right minde and not out of his wits As Samson could say I am a Nazarite c. so he could haue said By this sin I shall make my selfe of the purest worshipper of God the most prophane creature and execrable But Samson would not say so at least not weigh it but desperatly runnes vpon the pikes Doubtlesse he had not had the power though his saluation had lien vpon it at this time to preuent it but blessed bee God who holdeth his election when men haue lost their grace in their feeling Samson had lost his eyes ere the Philistims put them out This let me a little more enforce vpon so iust an occasion then I did in the fourth verse Who will not boldly auerre and affirme this and say Tell me what sinne is and proue to me by good euidence that it will bring such sorrow as Samsons Peters Dauids Salomons did to them and then if I commit it count me a foole indeed Put in one thing more and I will beleeue thee If when the occasion is offered Gods grace bee stirring and effectuall in thee by watchfulnes and iealousie ouer thy selfe then thou wilt abstaine vpon that meditation But alas who finds that grace in the strength oftentatiō who sought it not before without which yet thou maist haue matter enough in thy minde to disswade and flaite thee I will not denie but thou shalt haue small list or power to weigh and ponder it nay thy intangled and drunken heart will make a sot of thy minde and a most disguised beast of thee An heart infatuate with lust stoppeth and freeseth vp the passage of the knowledge that it cannot succour the poore distressed and embondaged soule but leaue it to shift We conclude then Samsons sin was not presumptuous but impotencie yet vnauoidable the case standing as it did Oh then still learne men haue not quit themselues well as soone as they haue spoken a bold word against sinne in generall For when it comes to particulars what doe men I will haue his blood saith a cursed Cain though I be hanged presently yet hee knoweth the shame and woe thereof Of some Iewes not all for some knew well enough the Scripture saith If they had knowne they would not haue crucified the Lord of life And sometimes I denie not ciuill men are kept from crimes by this meane and good men from offending though strongly tempted to goe through stifly But this is no rule And I still say to thee that shall reade this beware of dalliance and venturing farre for thou shalt haue no power to withdraw when thou wouldest who wouldest not when thou
him as we see it was iust that the Lord did to him be so prouoking him as hee did by the vncircumcised Philistims by this I say wee learne that if need bee and if they breake out boldly against him hee must make his owne deare children to smart as well as he loueth them as the Apostle Peter speaketh For as he brought them into the hands of his enemies as is heere to be seene euen so he vseth to doe to other of his when there is cause and he seeth it meet The reason is to the end they may rise vp againe out of their falles and repent for the working of the which affliction through Gods blessing fitteth them rather then prosperity which they are so ready to abuse as presently shall appeare in this story and in the meane while the wicked going on in their sinnes are the readier for iudgement which one time or other meeteth with them and taketh hold of them And if he should not thus take downe the pride and boldnesse of his in tempting him they could not be brought to good This being knowne to be so there is no cause why wee should discontentedly beare our afflictions especially we our selues hauing giuen iust cause thereof And as for them that reioyce in our troubles or which is more do themselues trouble vs I say no more but this that except they repent and so become true worshippers of God with vs the Lord shall trouble and vex euery vaine in their hearts so farre their troubles shall exceed and goe beyond ours as God threatneth in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and we may see in the calamities of Diues and especially if they be compared with Lazarus his comforts But before I come to lay out his troubles in particular let vs see this one thing which is not to be omitted which is this In Samsons punishment wee may discerne a more euident proofe of Gods iust and equall proceeding to reuenge then in euery relapse mentioned in Scripture which I note that we may be the more afraid to tempt him For as wee see Samsons disease was very grosse and grieuous and his sinne began to bee seated and habited in him hee had scaped once before when the Philistims laid wait for him at Azza verse 2. and 3. and then God spared him and gaue him a safe conduct putting him to further proofe So now behold his sin not being subdued and abhorred as an vnkinde itch that is not killed by a milde medicine he prouoketh God a fresh by the same sinne that hee did before and the fire being but raked vp as it were in hot ashes catching hold of new and fit matter to worke vpon flameth out amaine the second time Therfore much water wil not now quench it much lesse the letting it alone was like to heale it What then doth God deale with him as before no now he taketh him in hand and paies him home and makes him see hee dallieth not with the dallier and so he is faine to beare the penalty of this and the former too So he dealt with Dauid It was no very extreme dealing for two so great and so rebellious sinnes as Adultery and Murther to take away the child borne in adultery especailly after so patient a respit all the while betweene But Dauid had forgot that gentle correction for so hainous offences and therefore waxed hee bold once againe with the Lord who had shewed him such lenity and so prouoked him againe in grieuous manner by his ambitious numbring his subiects But did he escape as cleerely then as before No God remembreth both and as the story well witnesseth sets himselfe to a resolute course of reuenge and so hee did till hee made Dauids heart ake so that he saw his boldnesse in tempting God how little it gained him For hee stayed not till the Angell had well slaked the matter of his ambition by slaying seuentie thousand of his people Let it be a watchword to vs that if God haue once mercifully passed by some wilfull offence of ours by sparing vs that I say we count it for a great aduantage and fauour for if we will dare to be bold to prouoke him againe we may iustly feare that his scourges wil bee smartie as Samson and many other found them to bee That I say no more Wee haue heard of the many sinnes that Samson committed and of the inward vexation of his mind in that God was departed from him though he saw it not by and by Now I will as I purposed a little before lay out more particularly his outward miseries as they are set downe in this verse and that is done by heapes one after another First it is said they tooke and apprehended him who was before at liberty and yet they did not then forthwith put him to death they would not bee satisfied with so short a reuenge nor so bee rid of him that hee should suffer no longer paine then so but they meant to keepe him aliue and so hold him as vpon the racke in much torment and vexation which might bee worse then any death vnto him therefore they then plucked out his eyes and thereby they prouided that he should not see any more to doe them mischiefe then they lead him to one of their chiefe Cities and put him among their rascall prisoners and made him grinde there as an horse All these with their apurtenances duely considered it may easily be seene what a depth of miseries he was plunged into And yet all this they did to him beside their mocking and laughing at him when they were disposed to make themselues pastime thereby and to bring him forth to that purpose By this we see that where many sins are committed there it is certaine that many iudgements of God are to be looked for to bee heaped vpon the persons that doe commit them euen heapes vpon heapes if wee haue eyes to behold it as the Psalmist saith Many sorrowes compasse such about on euery side and what cause their many sorrowes and troubles but their many sinnes Saul though a King yet found it so and seeing his life was full of iniquity he could not be free from many plagues till the last of all made an vtter riddance of him The Scriptures are full of examples both of the godly who haue turned aside and of other who transgressed many waies and how both sorts were punished accordingly And although many escape long and other flourish and prosper in the world for a while yet are they not altogether void of them for those which are inward doe sting them for the most part and the other are in a readinesse and shall bee thought to come too soone how farre off soeuer they seeme to be and the greatest iudgement of all is to whom soeuer it shall so fall out that they are suffered to go on without any But when destruction commeth vpon them happy shall they be who haue