vexe their aduersarie one way they could doe it many waies and say that they haue greater and more causes to pursue them then that one which they alleage But all such speech is bragging and boasting without iust cause for if they had greater doth any man doubt but they would take their aduantage by vsing them when as they prosecute the smaller so hotly against them Vpon the forementioned reasons he concludeth that hee gaue him no cause to make warre with him as he had done but hee had been stirred vp vniustly against him And as Iphtah was bold to accuse him and auouch his owne innocencie hauing so good proofe for both so euery one that can proue the goodnesse of his cause shall bee able boldly to defend his owne innocencie against his aduersaries and accusers to their shame and iust reproch and their owne peace and comfort Whereas other must be driuen to vse shifts as lying dissembling boldnes heate multiplying of words and false witnesses as may be seene in the cause of the Priests and Pharisies accusing our Sauiour before Pilat The truth seeketh no corners See notes vpon verses 14. and 15. And so hee appealing to the most highest for his simplicitie in the matter to be iudge therein he endeth his message Thus must wee be able to doe I meane not to be afraid to make the Lord iudge in the cause that so though we be iustled to the walles by our vnequall Iudges vpon earth yet we may rest in Gods testimonie of and vnto vs and our cause and therefore not fearing man may be confident verifying the prouerbe The righteous is bold as a lion In the same kinde Iob speaketh saying Though mine aduersary should write a booke against me would not I take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne to me Meaning it should be to his commendation But seeing the men of the world see boldnes so much to preuaile in the defence of their bad causes therfore they face out matters themselues thereby Wherby this watch-word is needfull to bee giuen them that men looke not so much how boldly they stand in the defence of themselues and their doings as how truly for that which in a good cause is courage in an euill is impudence But though Iphtah had said enough and that also to good purpose yet we see that it moued the King of Ammon nothing at all but as he had taken a bad cause in hand so he meant to defend it vnto the death euen as men too commonly doe who hauing begun an ill matter doe purpose to goe forward So that we see wise and sound reasons and perswasions howsoeuer they be vsed both to purpose and in season so that they who can iudge would thinke they might be like to preuaile and moue especially not knowing the corruption of the heart which couers it selfe with shew of honestie yet with the wilfull they doe no good nor with any such as bewray themselues being put to it to be resolute to do wrong and of a preiudicate mind or possessed of strong passions Therfore it is that Salomon saith A word more entreth into the wise then an hundred stripes will auaile with the froward This humour possesseth many whom it would not easily be thought to be in and therefore being discouered so much the worse beseemeth them euen ciuill courteous persons still and sometimes religious because either they suspect not themselues and so are ouertaken by any occasion suddenly falling out or else they nourish this serpent in their bosome wilfully Naaman was taken with that tech and no marueile he being an Heathen when he heard the Prophets answere by what meanes he told him he should be healed But highly to be commended was Dauid who receiued the counsell of Abigail a woman so readily to turne him from a cruell and wicked resolution And euen so they who are obstinate as thinking it a discredit to them to desist shall meete with more shame by proceeding but happie are the meeke and tractable who receiue the wholesome words of exhortation and stop not their eares from good counsell but submit themselues without respect thereto such shall deliuer themselues from great euill And a man would thinke such behauiour doth better become professors of the Gospell then wilfulnes and obstinacie Concerning the vse whereof I haue spoke somewhat by the like occasion in the 21. and 22. verses let the reader ioyne them both together Vers 29. Then the spirit of the Lord came vpon Iphtah and hee passed ouer to Gilead and to Manasseh and came to Mizpeh in Gilead and from Mizpeh in Gilead he went vnto the children of Ammon 30. And Iphtah vowed a vow vnto Lord and said If thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into mine hands 31. Then that thing that commeth out of the doores of mine house to meete me when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon shall be the Lords and I will offer it for a burnt offering 32. And so Iphtah went vnto the children of Ammon to fight against them and the Lord deliuered them into his hands 33. And he smote them from Aroer vntill thou come to Minneth twentie Cities and so foorth to Abel of the vineyards with an exceeding great slaughter Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Israel The third part of the Chapter IN this third part it is shewed generally that Iphtah ouercame and subdued the Ammonites And in particular first how God gaue him the spirit of courage and fortitude to this end Secondly that before hee entred the battell hee made a vow to the Lord that if hee should get the victorie hee would offer that to him which should first come out of doores to meete him Thirdly how after this he went forward to Gilead and Manasseh and came to the place where the Ammonites were and so lastly how fighting with them the Lord deliuered them into his hands In this verse it is shewed how Iphtah came to the Ammonites from Mizpeh in Gilead for it is distinguished from that Mizpeh that is in the Tribe of Inda Before that the Lord had furnished him with gifts of his spirit fit for warre both valiantnes of mind and strength of body as was said before And by this it may appeare that the Lord had appointed before that hee should be their Iudge and deliuerer though it was vnknowne to the people when they sent to him to haue him to be their Captaine Now for our instruction and benefit heere wee may see that when the Lord appointeth any man to any speciall calling hee giues him gifts for the discharge of it When Moses was to be sent to Pharao hee alleaged his vnfitnes and vnsufficiencie to speak to a King the Lord prouided for that before he began to discharge it The Apostles likewise whom Christ left weake and vnfurnished for such a worke as they were to take in hand after his ascension
hands of Sisera and this vnto the end of the chapter and that deliuerance was wrought as I said before by the helpe ministery chiefly of the three persons mentioned afterwards in this chapter Debora Barak and Iael Debora though a woman was stirred vp by the Lord to iudge Israel that is to declare the will of God in that time of extreame calamity vnto the people to answere their doubts what they should doe and to bee the chiefe meane of their deliuerance by counsell giuing and encouraging of Barak and the rest Barak was he that should leade the army and pursue the enemies and with a small armie of the people to ouercome and destroy them and Iael killing the great captaine of their enemies I meane Sisera with her owne hands had her due commendation among the rest all were diuersly employed and yet each of them helping forward the execution of Gods iustice and charge vpon that huge armie of the Canaanites and for his peoples deliuerance This bee said in generall of the whole worke that followeth spoken of in this chapter Now I will goe to the particulars verse by verse And to begin with Debora to verse 14. and to see what she did First the holy Story describeth her in this verse and the next Secondly it is said the children of Israel came vp to her for iudgement vers 5. And thirdly it is shewed what she said to Barak hauing sent for him vers 6. 7. then how shee answered Barak when she saw him not forward vers 9. and last of all how she encouraged him to the battell after they had prepared themselues on both sides to it as is shewed to verse 14. She is described first by the extraordinarie place that she was set in to wit that shee was a Prophetesse secondly by her condition of mariage that shee was the wife of Lapidoth thirdly by her calling that she iudged Israel and fourthly by her dwelling vnder a Palmetree betweene Ramath and Bethel in mount Ephraim And by this woman and the other two persons before mentioned as I haue said God gaue a new and great deliuerance vnto his people out of their twentie yeeres bondage vnder that Iabin King of Canaan And this vnspeakeable goodnes of the Lord in passing by their so great and foule indignities so oft times wrought and committed against him doth yet better and better confirme vs in that which we haue been taught before that the Lord is so tenderly affected to his people that hee cannot turne away his eare from their prayers and grones vnder their heauie burthens but pitie and deliuer them No as the Prophet saith if a mother should forget and bee hardhearted to her owne child yet the Lord cannot bee so to his which doth iustly lay to their charge the wilfulnesse and stifneckednesse that is in many and heape hote coles vpon their heads seeing that when they may haue ease and helpe in their oppressions and miseries for the asking of it and praying for it without their further charge and trouble they cannot bring their hearts to it but chuse rather wilfully and frowardly to lie still in their sorrowes then to humble their hearts and seeke after God for deliuerance And as God is kinde to his so he setteth out himselfe to be so to the end he may harten and embolden vs to beleeue the same wee being in our greatest need most hardly perswaded so to doe through the great vnbeleefe that is in vs. Also he sheweth such compassion to vs in another respect euen that wee should also learne to shew the like goodnesse and kindnesse to our brethren in their calamities that we may so much the better resemble him But of this before Heere I will end THE TWENTIE FIVE SERMON ON THE FOVTRH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES NOw to proceed besides that which wee haue heard wee may note hereby what weake and vnlikely meanes God deliuereth when it pleaseth him For as before hee raised vp Ehud a man lame of his right hand to deliuer his people and after him Shamgar who had no other weapon then an an oxes goade thereto so now he vsed a woman for shee was the wife of one Lapidoth as his instrument to the effecting of so great a worke as the ouerthrow of that Iabin was To shew that his power is not tied to valiant and mighty men lest his glory should be giuen to them also nor to strength and forces though hee allow them to be vsed and yet not trusted in but to this that wee put confidence in him who is our strong rocke against our strongest enemies as Prouerbs 18. 10. and to our prayers which auaile much with him if they bee feruent And this he requireth straitely to be beleeued of vs. And so hee vseth to doe also in the deliuerance of his peoples soules out of the bondage of Satan and hell For by meane men and those that bee of no great note for their wealth or preferment hee subdueth the hearts of the mighty piercing and breaking them with the powerfull force of their preaching if they wil lend their eares to heare them that so the excellent gift of faith may be wrought in them he so putting heauenly treasure in earthen vessels to that end and purpose and that all may say to his praise when they see it that it is hee that worketh and whose the power is though sillie man bee vsed by him as his instruments This woman as God vsed her to deliuer his people so she was also endued with the spirit of prophesie to reueale the will of God to them and to answere their doubts For which cause it is said in the next verse that the people came vp to her for counsell and iudgement For it is thought that their oppression by that Iabin was so great that the people of Israel could not haue ordinary Iudges Now though it was rare to haue women Prophetesses vet now and then God stirred vp such as Miriam the sister of Moses Hanna the mother of Samuel and Hulda in the daies of Iosias the King and in the new Testament as Anna the daughter of Phanuel and the 4. daughters of Philip in the booke of the Acts recorded And it is not vnlike that some of these women that were indued with the spirit of prophesie did instruct and teach the people declaring to them those things which God had reuealed vnto them seeing the gifts of God are not giuen to bee buried but to be vsed for the edifying of the Church in publike and priuate And for proofe of this which I say we are to know that prophesying is not onely taken for the foretelling of things to come but for making knowne the will of God in matters of saluation and to both ends God vsed women sometimes though now he forbid them As for those forged or diabolicall shee saints and Prophetesses of whom the Church of Rome boasteth we
feare that God doth not marke vs for his enemies Which miserable condition the vnbeleeuers are alwaies in vnlesse they be hardened which is far worse as I said before for if his anger be kindled but a little as it is euer toward them a great deale happie are they that feare him I would not therefore bee a bad person if there were any way to shun it euen for this cause whereas yet all the terrors heere are but a glimps of those that follow afterwards And contrarily why should not the godly be content to beare some hardnesse heere seeing they are freed from the greatest terrours if they know their liberties both heere and heereafter But somewhat like this I spake of in Eglons example before Now I should proceed to speake of Barak hauing begun with Debora and said of her that which is occasioned by the text but I should haue no time thereto in this sermon therefore an end heere THE TWENTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard of Deboras message to Barak in the two former verses Now followeth Baraks answere to her message in this eighth verse If saith hee thou wilt goe with me I will goe else not This answere of his seemes to yeeld little to Gods commandement sent to him by Deboras ministery neither to ascribe any thing to Gods promise and therefore shewes how he profited not by those two strong peswasions to leade to duty mentioned before but proues that hee ascribed more to her presence then to Gods promise which what could it be lesse then a great blemish in him as may bee seene by his amending his fault afterwards Whose faith is so highly renouned among the worthies in the epistle to the Hebrues Beside she was offended with him for his so answering and therefore it was doubtlesse infidelity in him If it bee asked why then is hee afterward so highly commended for his faith I answere that when the message came first to him the thing enioyned him from God by Deboras message seemed to be most full of difficulty For he was commanded to make commotion and to rebell against him that was King ouer them to wit this Iabin who was very great and mighty he was also charged to gather an armie of men together though hee was but a priuate man himselfe These things therefore for him to take in hand and that against such a fierce and strong captaine as Sisera was it made him afraid to set vpon such a worke and especially while he was vnexperienced in so great a triall and difficulty and this was the cause why hee could not beleeue except shee went with him that God would deliuer him with his men of warre into his hand But afterward weighing better the commandement of God and his promise God by his spirit assisting him hee beleeued the words of Debora and obeyed and so obtained the victory by faith as it is said in the forementioned place to the Hebrues And how vsually this falleth out and commeth to passe euen to the godly that at the first they doe stagger and doubt and beleeue not by and by and that through the strong reliques of the old Adam there is no man of God but hath proofe and yet for all that afterward they being strengthened by the spirit of God recouer themselues againe and beleeue confidently This is apparent in Dauid euen after he had beleeued saying O Lord wash mee throughly cleanse me for I am wholly filthy And againe Create in me a new spirit as if the old had been vtterly lost Also in Moses when he was first commanded to goe to Pharaoh how fearefull he was at the hearing of the message and how hee shrunke backe but afterward how boldly did he execute the same and deliuer it vnto him Euen so the best of vs when we heare of the death of our deare friends or of great losses that are befallen vs also at the beginning of great sicknesse and paine arresting vs oh how doe we faint and distrust that we shall neuer submit our selues and yeeld obediently to them though God command vs straitly to doe so while we cast both our eyes on the burthen and crosse that is on the the things that are seene as the Apostle speaketh and while wee are not yet come to our selues to looke vp to God with confidence and to things not seene but eternall But when we weigh how they come from him that loueth vs and therefore cannot intend our hurt we then submit our selues to God and stay vpon him for grace to go vnder all and waite patiently for a good issue And because our hearts arise oft times against our brethren when we see these weakenesses in them and begin to iudge and thinke too hardly of them for the same the Lord therefore letteth vs sometimes see the same or other such in our selues that so wee may learne to beare with the infirmities of them And when wee haue experience of this it causeth vs to bewaile tenderly the weaknesses that we see in our brethren and with the spirit of meeknesse helpe to hold them vp rather then by and by to censure them ouer sharply for the same And it is to be deepely bewailed to see how farre off many are from duty in this behalfe though otherwise religious and such as loue the truth frō their herts are ouercome with deadly cōceits against their brethrē when they see they haue fallen by infirmity are strongly incensed against them leaue thē to themselues neuer telling them of it kindly as if they see thē ouercome of impatience teastinesse anger or if their zeale feruency in seruing God be slaked abated or that they be offensiuely taken vp of and carried away with the world These and the like I confesse are rust causes to raise griefe in vs and are much to be disliked of vs when we espy them in such as be well thought of by vs and they are blemishes in them not to be borne with or allowed but yet for all that when wee shall see such things in them wee must beware that wee censure them not too hardly for who hath giuen vs authority to iudge them crying out vncharitably that there is no religion in them For though it cannot bee denied but that the diuell hath by watching his opportunitie got aduantage ouer them yet they being not vntractable but only deceiued in their so offending and yet in other parts of their liues they holding their care to please God and labouring to keepe a good conscience we must not for some one such weaknes fall by and by to such hard iudging of them and to depart from them which is vtterly against charitie and dutie but to think that there being so many snares to intangle men it may easily enough be so with them as wee may see it to be with our selues if we be not blinded with
commended in his casting downe their idolatrie that seeing God set not neither appointed the time when hee should doe it therefore hee did it in the night wherein hee might bee freest from resistance and danger Doue-like innocency and obedience to God must be ioyned with the wisdome of Serpents In many duties doing wee must watch the best opportunitie time and place vnlesse the Lord prescribe them to vs. So did Sampson in the great destruction of the Philistims watch time and place and tooke opportunitie when thousands of them were assembled to make themselues passe-time by mocking and laughing at him then he set his shoulders to the maine postes whereon the house stood and cast it downe vpon the Princes and the rest and slew thousands of them So it was said of Dauid hee did wisely whither soeuer hee went out and God was with him accordingly And it is a singular gift of God in his children to be wise in the things they take in hand that they giue no aduantage to the wicked nor the diuell but take the best and fittest occasions to bee well occupied as time and place giue leaue both in holding their profession generally and also in the doing of other particular duties that where they see inconuenience like to come they may by wise forecasting preuent the same and lay their most care where greatest danger is to bee seene and feared Wherein though all attaine not the same and like measure yet it is well when al labour as they are able to attaine it But some marre their good actions with the ill and vnwise manner in which they doe them As Iobs friends did in seeking to comfort him The particular instances are infinite But thinke we of them by this example For if Gedeon had gone about the work inioyned him rashly or vndiscreetly in the day time who seeth not that euen his obeying of God in such a mnner had marred all But Iael was blessed for her wisdome she shewed to pull downe Sisera And thus Abigail by her wisdome deliuered her house as Salomon saith and the wise woman mentioned in 2. Sam. who saued a whole citie The children of this generation teach vs herein And therefore pray we all for the spirit of wisedome that we not only doe that which we are commanded but that we studie to do it in the best sort we can and yet alwaies shunning as a rock carnall shifts and policies But of this the lesse shall serue being also often enlarged THE FORTIE TWO SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES WE haue heard of Gedeons faith and wisedome about the casting downe of the altar of Baal and wee may see a good reason why he was faine to vse the best and surest meanes for the effecting of it and for the ouerthrow of their idolatrie First seeing it was stablished among them and had taken roote therefore all that he could do was little enough to throw it downe And also for that the people were so superstitiously addicted thereto and so delighted in it But let vs now see in what outragious manner the people inquire after the man that had done it and when they with consent agreed that it was Gedeon how furiously they sought to haue him put to death Here many good points may be noted about idolaters which I will brieflie set downe First this how deepely idolatrie superstition and false worship is rooted in peoples hearts and ground fast as is to bee seene in these and through these stories and those in the booke of the Kings as the Philistims blind deuotion to their Dagon and the peoples fond and mad zeale in maintaining the false worship of Baal in Ahabs time their offerings to them their bowing downe and praying to them So that a man might haue as easily plucked their hearts out of their bellies as to haue disswaded and alienated their loue from them The reasons are first because as sinne so error is strong plausible and deceitfull Secondly God accurseth all that will not hearken to the truth so that they shall belieue lies and be bewitched therewith See and consider to this end Esay 44. 19. Thirdly the worst weeds haue deepest roots and corrupt customes or opinions because they agree with mans bad nature are not easily rooted out whereas those which are good and commendable are like precious plants or flowers which hardly take any roote at all and may be pluckt vp with two fingers As at this day the cursed reliques of heathenish and popish fashions how hardly are they laid downe looke but to some vaine and foolish customes and the â—ond deuotion of the superstitions all the yeere long in kneeling before stockes and stones and ye may easily guesse how hard a thing it is to remooue and expel them the like Gamaliel said of the doctrine of the Apostles If it be not of God ye shal not need to oppose it it wil fal of it self But we must know that God not working by miracle as he did then Satan and his complices will in these daies trie the vttermost and vse all meanes ere that come to passe yea as we may see they grow in experience and pollicie strength and resolution also to vphold their rotten building vntill as at death to be sure it shall it fall vpon their shoulders Whereas the true and pure worship of God what authoritie credit or heartie loue doth it find or obtaine at the hands of the most of them who professe it Nay they haue soone inough of it many reuolt and fall from it and they that retaine it doe it for the most part in a most dead and cold manner Insomuch as the diligentest preaching and earnestest perswasions doe scarcely preuaile so farre with men as that they get so much as a name of a good religion in the places where they dwell when yet if it were so their zeale is neither grounded vpon knowledge and if it be in some yet are they not stablished and setled therein and yet further euen of them there are very few that hold constantly in a good conscience the profession of their hope with ioy vnto their end And although this good conscience bee farre from the idolaters of our time for it can onely come from saith in Christ and assurance of his fauour whatsoeuer blind zeale and deuotion be in them yet therein they doe as I said before giue and ascribe much to their corrupt religion and false worship in cost in time spending about the same and feruencie therein aboue a number of vs to ours So that if they went vpon good grounds and had any promise from God for their so doing they might haue to reioyce aboue many of vs. But they and such of our selues as I compare with them in comming short of their zeale shal speed both alike while they I meane the Papists haue this cast in their teeth Who required this at your
the ministery of the Church with schismes and factions which are but the fruits of pride and arrogancy And if we can grow or cause by our example and gifts other to grow in grace let vs not with the Disciples contend who shall bee chiefe and greatest But we though we haue these gifts and the like to glorifie the giuer and to restraine and hold our selues from this vaineglory yet wee gape for that by Satans deluding of vs lamentable to behold so that when wee haue not praise of men who should looke for that from God if I say we cannot get that we leaue off labouring and sit still and for this very cause some as well in the ministery as the people doe part and breake off their fellowship one with another But of this see somwhat before in the eighth verse of this Chapter Vers 24. And Gedeon sent messengers to all mount Ephraim saying Come downe against the Midianites and take before them the waters vnto Bethbarah and Iordan Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and tooke the waters vnto Bethbarah and Iordan 25. And they tooke two Princes of the Midianites Oreb and Zeeb and slew Oreb vpon the rocke Oreb and slew Zeeb at the winepresse of Zeeb and pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gedeon beyond Iordan IN this verse the holy story sheweth how Gedeon sent to all the inhabitants of mount Ephraim to meet with the Midianites and take vp the passages where they went ouer the waters euen to Bethbara or Bethabora and Iordan And the men of Ephraim did so And so hee made them partakers also of the honour of the victory as he did the other tribes This is the summe of this verse And to make our vse of it it were to be wished that we in this our age did as these did that in all ciuil actions religion did guide vs that where helpe is needed and required by one of another that it were likewise willingly and readily performed as namely in aiding the widowes and fatherlesse the poore and the oppressed And much more it were to be wished that we were so ioyned together in the Church that if there were any excellent and profitable matter begun that we were willing to haue other coadiutors and fellow labourers to the finishing and perfiting of the same but wee rather oft times which is greatly to be lamented and our sinnes iustly deseruing the same doe hinder one another whereas both they ought to bee regarded who haue a good mind to the worke of God and doe labour in it though they bee not equall with some other euen for that which God hath inabled them and which they are fit to doe and also they in humility should reuerence their elders in gifts and yeeres and be readier to learne of them then to pearke ouer them Which sinne in the forwarder sort both of Ministers and people and in the ancienter and younger sort of both being suffered to grow for want of loue so that the one doth not his dutie toward the other hath caused the Lord seuerely to punish it in both that being diuided they are thereby seebled and the good which they did is hindred and crossed and not only so but also that is verified which Saint Paul writeth to the Galathians that one biting and deuouring another they be consumed one of another at least by a third sort but yet through their fault and procuring But of this I haue spoken in the first chapter Ephraim tooke two Princes of Midian Oreb and Zeeb whose punishment by the iust iudgement of God was agreeable to their sinne The one namely Oreb was slaine on a rocke and mountaine called by the same name Oreb where they had constrained the people of God to hide themselues and where they had sought them to kill them The other that is Zeeb was slaine at the threshing place or winepresse called Zeeb for those places they spoiled of their victuals and famished them Where it is manifest that God forgetteth not neither winketh at the cruelty of his enemies but in due time and place will pay them home so that all that will may see that God hath not left them vnrecompenced And that either with the same punishment as he did Adonibezek or at the same time as he did Iudas who betraying his master to death died first himselfe or as heere he did to Oreb and Zeeb euen in the same place where they did the mischiefe and as among vs the wilfull murtherers suffer and are made spectacles by hanging in chaines to all that passe by neere the place where they committed the murthers or if none of these waies hee punish them yet some other such that may be as a signe to all that God will be reuenged on such as they be For why as the blood of Abell so doth theirs cry for vengeance woe therefore to bloody persecutors and cruell persons for God and their sinne shall find them out Therefore let them know this that fall into the hands of such lest they should bee discouraged And lest we should thinke that these Princes did but fight for themselues against the Israelites as in warre men doe reade of their malice and cruelty in the Psalme 83. But for Gods iust punishing of his enemies according to their sin I haue said enough in chapter 1. of this booke THE FIFTIETH SERMON ON THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES Vers 1. Then the men of Ephraim said vnto him why hast thou serued vs thus that thou calledst vs not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites and they chode with him sharpely 2. To whom he said what haue I now done in comparison of you Is not the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim better then the vintage of Abiezer 3. God hath deliuered into your hands the Princes of Midian Oreb and Zeeb and what was I able to doe in comparison of you and when he had thus spoken their spirits abated towards him AFter the admirable victory that God gaue to Gedeon as hath been largely shewed in the former Chapter now in this followeth the pursuit of the rest of the Midianites by Gedeon but first another thing by occasion of that victory is heere set downe and that is the Ephraemites quarrelling with him The summe and parts of this Chapter to ioyne them together as they may well and conueniently be are these The first is the contention of the Ephramites with Gedeon for not calling them to the warre to verse 4. The second point in this Chapter is that the men of Succoth and Penuel denied victuall to Gedeon when hee pursued and followed after the rest of the enemies and their punishment together with the putting to death of the two Princes of the Midianites Zeba and Zalmunna to the 22. vers The third containeth certaine perticulers concerning Gedeon as the offering of the kingdome to him and his sonnes by the Israelites and
to wit to preach the Gospell to the most nations of the world yet before they tooke it in hand he made them meete for the worke they went about So Iphtah when hee was to fight against the Ammonites for the deliuering of Israel hee was by the spirit of God indued with gifts for that purpose euen farre greater then he had before now when hee was set about a greater worke So the Ministers much more as the calling is farre more excellent when hee sendeth them to any people to conuert them and make them of his militant Church hee stirres them vp by loue zeale and labour to set their gifts of knowledge a worke and maketh a great change among the people by their ministerie They who are vnfit to doe the Lords message to them to whom they are sent are not sent by him but seeke themselues and their owne profit and not the peoples It is worthie our view to behold the difference of men called by God and such as climbe in by another way of their owne framing Both doe one and the same worke but the one sets himselfe aworke the other is set aworke by God The one after his fashion goes about it but how awkly and vntowardly by setting a bold face vpon the matter by carrying a great shew and bearing sway by preaching what and when he pleaseth and in the manner he liketh best but errand he hath none to doe to the people no more then Cushi had to Dauid and thereafter is his welcome For as hee faileth of the end of his office so loseth he the honour of it except with a few flatterers and hang-byes Alas they haue enterprized a long race and iourney without prouision to enable them to runne it through It is not the habit that makes the Minister nor the learning though that comes neerer degree dignitie or applause of man which onely will carrie this worke through stitch It is this that God hath said to him as to Paul and Moses Goe I will be with thee that is fit thee embolden thee for a Minister hath enough to discourage him euen from within himselfe as I haue noted elsewhere yea beare thee out against opposition and encourage thee by blessing thy labour otherwise all thy prouision is to little purpose thou maist stand like a foole errandlesse speechlesse Now being called and separated by God and therefore also qualified though thy selfe a weake earthen vessell yet what precious treasure doest thou carrie How admirably doth the Lord make way for him making high hils to stoope and lie leuell before him procuring honour from the consciences not the countenances onely of such as they haue wonne to God from the power of Satan and darknesse by conuerting and sauing them And by stopping the mouthes of such as might despise and discourage them saying Who is this new-found babler what will hee beare downe all and thinke to haue vs tyed to his girdle No no he deales for his Master who sent him and therefore seekes to bring yee vnder the yoke and girdle of Christ and therefore let the discouragements be neuer so great this worke shall prosper and euen out of the mouthes of blockish brutish sauage and ignorant yea prophane ones the Lord shall procure credit to his Ministerie when he hath changed them thereby and these shall iustifie wisedome against all cauillers scorners and enemies thereof Let them be of neuer so many kindes as in this age there are many who contrary to the manifest fruite they see impeach either the sufficiencie of their calling or the worthinesse of their message Oh therefore how lamentable is it that all congregations are not thus furnished and made partakers of so blessed an ordinance of God! Therefore the Lord Iesus to shew how pitifull a case it is to see the people dispersed as sheepe hauing no shepheard he not onely had compassion on them himselfe but also willed the Disciples to pray to the Lord of the haruest to thrust labourers into the haruest seeing none are forward to that worke except the Lord stirre them vp thereto This point hath been spoken of before I therefore will not be tedious therein to the reader The vow that I said before Iphtah made is heere shewed what it was namely that he would in token of his thankfull heart offer and dedicate to the Lord that thing that should first come out of his house to meete him if he returned with the victorie This vow though hee meant well was ill made and in great ignorance in that he did not make it more distinctly and aduisedly For what if a dogge had first met him which is a fauning creature and had been like enough to haue first come foorth to meete him hee could not haue offered it to the Lord it being vncleane and so forbidden to be made a sacrifice His words haue this meaning when he saith It shall be the Lords and I will offer it for a burnt offering that is I will offer it in sacrifice and it shall be a burnt offering to the Lord for hee meant simply that he would offer the first thing that should meete him if he had thought of his daughter would he haue made that vow And will any say that in so vowing he meant that if that which should first meete him should not bee fit for sacrifice he would offer it to virginitie and yet perhaps it should not be fit for that neither as if it had been a dogge and if he had meant to offer it to virginitie as some hold he did did hee not see that his daughter had been most like to haue bin the partie vpon whom his vow should haue bin performed For who had bin liker to haue first come foorth to meete him then she And would he thinke wee haue vowed that which might haue turned to his owne and his daughters so great sorrow Therefore I say hee meant no offering of that which should meete him to perpetuall virginitie Neither are those words of his to be taken disiunctiuely as some think they may thus That which first commeth forth to meete me shall be the Lords or I will offer it For though the Hebrew letter â— be so taken sometime yet very rarely and so little reason is it that it should be so taken heere being most commonly taken coniunctiuely as they well know that haue any vnderstanding in the Hebrew tongue yea and oft in some one chapter as may easily be shewed As for example in Genes 32. 1. 2. 3. 4. foure of fiue times it is so taken in 3. or 4. verses So in Genes 33. 1. 2. as oft in two verses and Genes 45. 1. 2. 3. As many times it is found to be and in most Chapters if not all throughout the old Testament this word signifieth and coniunctiuely not or disiunctiuely as I haue said before Therefore heere to take it otherwise there is small reason for it especially the sense of the place
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
Ramath-Lehi THe summe of the words which I haue now set downe is briefly this that first Samson broke his bands after that hee slew a thousand of them and lastly gaue a name to the place accordingly To proceed first with this other part of the 14. verse for the former part was spoken of in the former Sermon it is said concerning the first of these three points that while the Philistims were shouting for ioy at the deliuering of Samson bound vnto them the spirit of the Lord strengthened him in such wise that he did as easily breake the cords as if the fire had burned flax Wherein still let vs marke that the Lord is said to giue strength to Samson that we may see that he was with him and assisted him in all the great acts that he did against the Philistims Which many in reading the story not marking do not vnderstand it but take it amisse as though Samson had done all that he did against them cruelly and spitefully when yet all may easily see that strength and rare courage and labour which hee had not of himselfe were requisite for the doing of the things that hee did if hee had been neuer so malicious And so in all the duties that we performe to the magnifying of the Gospel and our holy profession of it more then other doe attaine vnto let vs looke that the Lord set vs about them and goe before vs in them by his word and be the perswader of vs thereto by his spirit whereby onely wee are inabled that so neither fancy nor moode and passion may be said to leade vs therein which may easily come to passe in the doing of good things as by the like occasions I haue often obserued And heere it is very profitable to note how short and momentanie the greatioy of the Philistims was at the beholding of Samson bound forloe the Lord vnbound him immediately and so turned al their ioy into as great sorrow This may be learned here how flitting the reioycings of such are as be not guided by the spirit of God but follow their fleshly humour therein the best of them are fickle and momentany yea euen the pleasantest of them as the cracking of thornes vnder a pot Onely this caueat I would haue the reader to obserue that what I speake of these vncircumcised Philistims in this the next point I applie not vnto their particular condition being not enlightened but destitute of all feeling of their misery or sinne but I take occasion by the iust iudgement of God vpon them for other sinnes against their knowledge to put all bad persons in mind of the woe which hangeth ouer them for their vnbeleefe wilfull louing of darkenesse more then light and the seuerall sinnes issuing thence and by name the abuse of earthly blessings And this I say of all such The wicked flourisheth as Dauid faith like the greene bay tree that doth not as other trees cast or change her leafe no not in winter so doth their iollity appeare aboue other mens nay it seemeth in the eyes of fooles to be such that they liue as they suppose in a little paradise and yet within a while there is no remainder or token of any such thing left behinde but desolation onely and confusion to be seene but of their estate to Godward as a secret I cease to speake of Nabal swimming in wealth did make a feast as the feast of a King and his heart was merrie with wine but about ten daies after he was taken from all and died and his heart died the next morning after he heard he should die and hee was like a stone when his wife told him what had been intended against him And how was Hamans heart lifted vp by his aduancement and great fauour with the King So that he could not containe himselfe but he must needs tell forth to his friends what prosperitie he had and yet he had as good hold of it as can be enioyed in this world being backed and vpholden by the mightiest that was in the land vnder God But how soone was all his honour laid in the dust and his ioy ended with most bitter anguish and torment The Scriptures and experience are full of such examples Hee that hath liued and obserued the courses of those who in diuers ages haue seemed most happie of other of their condition and haue most giuen themselues as their state and place would giue them leaue to take the vtmost of their liberty in the merriments of the world and yet what haue they been but play and other vaine pleasure taking in pampering the body with eating and drinking company keeping with such as themselues bâ—â— or in gathering wealth and such like they I say who haue marked such things what haue they seene but this how soone they haue been taken from them all neuer looking for it not thinking of it and yet others oft fearing it and many of them in such manner plucked from all as if a man would say God would haue all to marke and speake of it For if Salomon could finde nothing in all his royalties dignities and pleasures but vanitie and vexation doe other comming after him looke to find better then be euer could no this world affordeth no better So that it may iustly grieue him that knoweth that all such shall come to feareful iudgement who haue made these fading and deceiueable pleasures their greatest ioy to thinke they haue been no wiser but to trifle out their pretious time in which they might haue taken so much good I meane they might haue sucked out of the Gospell true comfort here and saluation afterward for euer And this is the right vse that should bee made of this doctrine to wit of the momentanie ioy of the godlesse and irreligious in this world that wee should seeke durable ioy and that which is also most sound and sauorie namely the assurance of Gods fauour heere on earth till wee enioy it most perfectly in heauen and a Christian and godly life which is the only sweet companion and guide that leadeth vs thither The first of the three things in this third part wee haue now heard and that was how he brake the double cord wherewith he was tied The second is set downe in these two verses namely that when hee had escaped out of their hands yet it was so farre off that all they who were there present could apprehend him againe that he slew a thousand of those Philistims there gathered together to see him reioyce at the bringing of him thither bound But ye will aske how he could doe so being but one alone and yet naked also and vnfurnished of weapons I say the Lord as we haue heard strengthened him and for weapon though he had none a new and moist iaw-bone of an Asse by Gods prouidence lay by which he tooke vp and made that serue for the purpose