Commentary on Judges, Sermon 28
THE TWENTY EIGHT SERMON ON THE FOVTRH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
Verſ. 14. Then Debora ſaid vntounto Barak, Vp: for this is the day that the Lord hath deliuered Siſera into thine hand. is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went downe from mount Tabor, and tenne thouſand men after him.
Verſ. 15. And the Lord deſtroyed Siſera, and all his charets, and all his hoſt with the edge of the ſword before Barak, ſo that Siſera lighted downe of his charet, and fled away on his feete.
Verſ. 16. But Barak purſued after the charets, and after the hoſt vntounto Haroſheth of the Gentiles: and all the hoſt of Siſera fell on the edge of the ſword: there was not a man left.
WE hauehave heard in the former verſes how both ſides, Barak I The ſumme of theſe three verſes.meane, and Siſera, addreſſed themſelues to battell: in theſe (to come more neerely to the intent of this fourth part) is ſhewed, whoſe the victorie was, namely Baraks: and how? verily Debora incouraging and aſſuring him, that euen the ſame day wherein ſhe ſpake it ſhould bee obtained and gotten; and he beleeuing it, went downe with his men of warre, (few though they were) and he meeting Siſera with his bands at mount Tabor, (no more is ſaid of the matter) they were deſtroyed both charets and horſemen, not a man was left, but either drowned in the riuer Kiſhon that was there by, or ſlaine there at mount Tabor, or purſued (as the charets and horſemen were) and ſo put to the ſword, and Siſera himſelfe was driuen to flie away on his feete, but in vaine. Oh the wonderfull deliuerance that God gaue vntounto his people that day!
This here ſet downe, is the third ſpeech that Debora vſed to Barak, and that Verſe 14. The vnfolding of verſ. 14.at mount Tabor: and though the laſt, yet not the leaſt, but mightie, forceable, and in due ſeaſon. For it appeareth by the text, that when Barak ſaw Siſeras huge army, he was diſmaied, and therfore ſought the fitteſt place about mount Tabor, and the fureſt, to ſhrowd himſelfe in, from the violence and rage of Siſera. Which fainting of his, ſhe perceiuing, called him backe, and ſtirred him vp to fight, by her words and perſwaſions, ſaying, No power of man how great and fearfull ſoeuer, ſhall be able to hinder thee from obtaining the victorie, which the Lord hath purpoſed to giuegive thee this day. At which ſpeech of hers hee was animated, and tooke heart, and went to the battell, and, as we hauehave heard, preuailed.
And here is moſt notably ſet downe one meanes whereby the power of Doct.faith is ſtrengthened, and whereby it is wonderfully drawne to contemne and ſet light by all diſcouragements, and breake thorow them, the leaſt whereof without it, would bee ready to ſet a man at his wits end. And that was here Deboras heartning perſwaſion to Barak (as Gods voyce) to animate him. And therefore it much auaileth to heare Gods promiſes oft times by the publike Miniſterie, and effectually publiſhed and fitly applied vntounto vsus in the fitteſt manner that may bee, and in ſickneſſe, temptation, and other times of fainting, when a man is much weakened and diſmaied, to Note.hauehave, as Barak had here by Debora, ſuch forcible and liuely quicknings: but beſt of all, if a man be able himſelfe to doe that dutie to himſelfe, and by the prayer of faith to ſtrengthen himſelfe in ſuch time of need. Oh! there are many ebbings and faintings in our liues, euen after good ſtrength and refreſhing: we hauehave ſometime good patience and hope vnderunder our croſſes, but another time wee feare the greatnes of them, that they will ſwallow vsus vp, eſpecially if they be more then common. Againe, wee ſometime purſue a finne, and hauehave it in the chace, and preuaile ouer it, which hath ſore laid at vsus, and wound in with vsus very farre, to draw liking and conſent from vsus vntounto it: and ſometime it carrieth vsus with maine force after it.
And what is it that hath relieued vsus at ſuch times? Truly euen this, if we hauehave been able to beleeue that God will ſtrengthen vsus againſt it, and that he hath promiſed ſo to doe, and if alſo by prayer not fained, wee hauehave ſet our faith a worke, though it hath lien as almoſt dead before; euen thus we grow to weaken the liking of that ſinne in vsus: as for feare of danger or ſhame of the world, they are but dull edged tooles to cut off the head of ſuch a monſter. And although wee be brought oft times to that point as to doubt, yet we ſhould alſo ſtriue by our faith in our prayers againſt it, and it ſhall not be in vaine to doe ſo. And the ſame wee ſhould doe in our feare before affliction commeth, and in our heauines for it, when it is come. For they that know any thing of the eſtate of a Chriſtian, know this; that he is many times in great feare of falling into ſome finne, yea and perhaps, that which is foule and odious, though it be not vſually ſo: Now if we doe not call to minde, that God hath promiſed ſtrength againſt all ſuch aduerſarie power, and that by the weapons of our warfare, (which are not carnall, but ſpirituall) wee ſhall be able to beate downe ſuch ſtrong holds; and if with the prayer of faith (as need requireth) we ſet not our ſelues ſo to doe, we ſhall ſoone perceiue that we loſe ground, and grow weake, as Barak did for a while; who yet was ſtrengthened againe by Debora, ſo that hee did moſt valiantly afterwards, in ſo much that he was renowned among the Worthies, and reported to hauehave obtained the victorie by faith; for at the hearing of Deboras words he went downe from mount Tabor with his men neere to the riuer Kiſhon againſt Siſera. This of the incouragement by Debora, and the fruite of it Barak.
Now it followeth that the Lord gaue Barak victorie, the rare and marueilous Verſe 15. 16.victorie, ouer his and Gods enemies. For the Lord waſted the huge armie of Siſera, howbeit, by the fighting of Barak and his men againſt them. And ſuch of them as haſted in their flight toward Haroſheth of the Gentiles for ſafetie, (from whence they came) they were ouer taken alſo and put to the ſword, ſo that none eſcaped. And Siſera was driuen (ſo great the ſlaughter was, and the battell ſo ſore) to forſake his charet wherein hee rode, and to eſcape on foote, if it might be, among the common ſouldiers. Now it is to be conſidered by what meanes this great victorie was gotten: tenne thouſand vnexperienced ſouldiers going againſt ſo many thouſands of horſemen, and footmen, and yron charets. The Lord (it is ſaid) gaue Barak the victorie; which no man doubteth of, ſeeing he is all in all: It is an harder queſtion, how Barak obtained it of God: and that was by faith, after that Barak got ſtrength and courage againe by Deboras perſwaſions, ſhe her ſelfe being conſtant in faith all the while: for then, and not before, he went down from mount Tabor with his men to meete Siſera, being before afraid, looking downe from thence vponupon the huge armie that he ſaw. This was Barak his armour of proofe to defend him, euen his faith. And if this cannot bee cleerely enough ſeene in this ſtorie, fetch more cleere proofe of that which I ſay, from another ſcripture. Thus writeth the author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, after he had ſet downe the faith of ſundrie perſons, as Abraham, Moſes, and other; he adde to: What ſhall I more ſay of Gedcon, Barak, &c. who Heb. 11 32.waxed valiant in battell, and by faith turned to flight the armies of the aliants.
And by this wee may ſee againe the mightie force and power of faith, Doct.where it is firme and ſtrong, what great things it bringeth to paſſe. It is no marueile though it be ſaid by the Apoſtle, that faith ouer commeth the world, 1. Ioh. 5. 4.euen all and the greateſt difficulties therein. For what hardnes doth any man goe thorow in his whole life like vntounto this here mentioned, and ouercome it alſo, vnleſſe it be thus, euen by the helpe and power of faith? which Note.is no more then to giuegive credit to God in that which he ſpeaketh, when wee ſee no ſuch thing, nor likelihood if it, but rather of the contrary many times with our bodily eyes. Euen thus hath God magnified his word in all ages, when men hauehave found eueryevery part of it true by faith, and by this it hath pleaſed him to make men ſee his vnſpeakable kindneſſe, while they beleeue the promiſe in which he offereth it vntounto them. By this faith we alſo at this day hauehave ſure hold of forgiuenes and eternall life, euen ſo many as are wearie of Note.ſinne, and thirſt for both, and that becauſe we iudge him faithfull that hath promiſed, and by this we are perſwaded of a good end of our daies, becauſe Phil 1 6. 1. Theſ. …. 24.God hath ſaid it, to all in whom he hath made a good beginning thereof. So ſaith the Apoſtle, faithfull is he that calleth you, who will alſo doe it. So that all things are poſſible, how vnlikely ſoeuer, to him that beleeueth. This is the cauſe why ſome more eſteeme and price this faith then gold that periſheth: and declare, that they cannot doe too much to come by & retaine it, euen while they bee laughed to ſcorne of the wicked world, who think it meere fooliſhnes to doe ſo, as Noah the preacher of righteouſneſſe was in his time, while he beleeuing that an vniuerſall ſlood ſhould come, prepared the Arke. But herein I might wade infinitly, and this I confeſſe, that howſoeuer I forbeare to ſpeake of the moſt of other things twice; yet of this I profeſſe to ſpeake as oft as I ſhall hauehave occaſion, the thing itſelfe being ſo excellent, ſo neceſſarie, and yet ſo difficult, to ſee thorowly into. I only now require, that we may weigh the power and truth of Gods word, to the end we may ſtay our ſelues vponupon it. The word of a man whom wee count faithfull, doth much perſwade vsus in great difficulties, and quickeneth is if hee bring vsus good tidings, when we were before in great heauineſſe. When Beniamin came with this ioyfull tidings to his father Iacob full of heauineſſe: Ioſeph thy ſonne is yet aliue, and is ruler ouer all Egypt; the heart of Iacob reuiued. Gen. 45. 26.If it be ſo by giuing credit to a man; what confidence and ioy is it like to worke, if we beleeue a glad tidings which may bee of many things ſent vsus from God? Doubtleſſe, hereby our weake knees are ſtrengthened, and our ſorrowfull hearts are comforted more then can be expreſſed. I wiſh therefore that vntounto vsus concerning faith, that which S. Iames did of patience, to wit, that it may hauehave her perfect worke, ſo ſhould wee be ſure to want nothing that is good.
The next thing after the victorie ouer Siſeras armie, is to ſee the extremity that he himſelfe, the leader and chiefe captaine of it, was brought vntounto: for he was faine to leaue his charet which was his defence, and to ſhift for himſelfe on foote among the common ſouldiers, that he might ſaue his life if it were poſſible. This, I ſay, remaineth in this 15. verſe to be added. And here, as in fitteſt place, I think good to note this, becauſe of the former doctrine, (one contrary cleering the other): that as Barak and Debora did by faith ſo great things, by ſo ſmall and weake meanes: ſo Siſera wanting this (as being of the heathen Canaanites, how could he ſo much as taſte of it?) was for all his wiſedome, policie, and power, waſted, put to flight, and al his troupe and band brought to deſtruction. Here was verified that ſaying, an horſe is but a Pſal. 33 17.vaine thing to ſaue a man: Likewiſe another ſcripture that ſaith, Some put their truſt in charets, and ſome in horſes, but we will remember the name of the Lord our Pſal. 20. 7.God: They are brought downe and fallen, but we are riſen and ſtand vpright. And therefore (to referre the reader to gather the infinite annoyances of vnbeliefe, and therewith the great benefits of faith out of the former doctrine) I will conclude that as without faith it is impoſsible to pleaſe God, ſo God being Heb. 11. 6.againſt all which are deſtitute of it, and an enemie to them, how can they looke to ſtand againſt him, but to fall and bee confounded? And this they finde daily one or other of them, though it be little marked, and it is ſoone forgotten, (another generation riſing vp in their roome) who know not the workes of God, and yet they hauehave their time alſo ſet them, wherein they ſhall finde the like. For if this be true in the greene tree, how much more in the withered? If through vnbeliefe, euen the righteouſeſt finde it a matter of ſuch difficultie to be ſaued, before they attaine it, what ſhall become of 1. Pet. 4. 18.him that is an vnbeleeuer altogether? And further, if particular defects in faith coſt Moſes and Barak diſaduantage and diſhonour, what ſhall the end Numb. 21. 12.of ſuch be as neuer had any? Surely the wrath of God abideth vponupon them: and ſo ſhall doe for euer, and ſhew it ſelfe in a farre more terrible manner, if Iohn 3. 36.they haſte not after it, and ſo, as that they attaine it, Ioh. 3.
And here another thing is to be marked, that when God doth not bleſſe, Doct. 2.but blow vponupon mens furniture & furtherances, and taketh part againſt thē, euen theſe things which were armour and defence to them before, they caſt them away as burthens and impediments. As Siſera here was driuen to leaue his charet now that he was ſo purſued of his enemies, which yet had been, and was counted, as his houſe of defence vntounto him. For God will hauehave vsus know, that his fauour is toward all his, as the pleaſant ſunſhine to the earth and the creatures therein, which maketh all pleaſant and beautifull, Note.and if that ſhould ceaſe to ſhine, the earth with all that is therein, ſhould ſtinke and come to naught. Euen ſo, if God turne away his louing countenance from a man, and frowne vponupon him, all that was precious to him before, is vnpleaſant, euen as the moth conſumeth the beautie of a garment, as it was ſaid of Ieruſalem, when God was diſpleaſed, that all her pleaſant Lamen. 1. 10.things were matters of ſighing and ſorrow vntounto her. Whence is it, that many a man of great poſſeſſions, can yet finde no ſauour nor relliſh in them, eſpecially if any affliction or trouble be vponupon him? Why is the heart ſo locked vp, that it cannot ioy in any commoditie? in wife, children, wealth, fauour? Will ye know the reaſon? becauſe firſt, outward things are ſo farre ſweete as the Lord ſweetneth them, and otherwiſe the enioyers thereof find no taſte nor ſweetnes in them; no, they hauehave no vſe of them. If God be not Pſal. 119. 59.a mans portion, all other portions are enioyned without his louelove, and ſo turne to gall and bitterneſſe. As Nabals wealth, Achitophel his wiſedome, Hamans fauour. For when Ahaſhueroſh abandoned Haman, what ſtead did his wife, friends, or former fauour ſtand him in? The wrath of the King blaſted all theſe, as the froſt or Eaſt winde doth the tender buds. Nabals heart was as …one, when he preſaged the euent that followed. Achitophels wiſedome was that which brake his necke. Againe, the wicked force themſelues to finde a deceiuable ſweetneſſe in theſe tranſitorie things without God: therefore he iuſtly depriues them thereof, and turnes them out of kinde, ſo that although hee hath ſuffered them for a while to flouriſh, and take their pleaſure in them, yet when they hauehave long ſurfetted of them, they poyſon them, yea and in ſhort time alſo, as he ſeeth good.
The vſe of this is, that wee account the fauour of God all in all to vsus, and further then wee hauehave that ſhining vponupon vsus, glorie not in any earthly prerogatiue, as honour, beautie, wealth, or whatſoeuer elſe. For many of the vaine people of the world doe finde to their coſt by wofull experience, that when they hauehave ſpent their whole life and precious time to get them, (I may truly ſay alſo, they hauehave loſt heauen for them) yet they finde (I ſay) with what vexation they enioy them, though they would make others beleeue, that they are as a paradiſe vntounto them: But to bee ſure they cannot keepe them, when God will pluck them from them, as we ſee both by the two rich men in the Goſpell, and by daily experience: and that is enough for wiſe men to Luke 12. 20.proue how little there is in them. And this by occaſion of Siſeras loſing Luke 16. 23.all.
Verſ. 17. Howbeit Siſera fled away on his feet, to the tent of Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite: (for peace was betweene Iabin the King of Hazor, and betweene the houſe of Heber the Kenite.)
18. And Iael went out to meet Siſera, and ſaid vntounto him, turne in my Lord, turne in to me, feare not. And when he had turned in vntounto her tent, ſhee couered him with a mantell.
19. And he ſaid vntounto her, giuegive me, I pray thee, a little water to drinke, for I am thirſtie: and ſhee opened a bottlell of milke, and gaue him drinke, and couered him.
20. Againe, he ſaid vntounto her, ſtand in the doore of the tent, and when any man doth come and enquire of thee, ſaying; Is any man heere? thou ſhalt ſay, nay.
21. Then Iael Hebers wife tooke a naile of the tent, and tooke an hammer in her hand, and went ſoftly to him, and ſmote the naile into his temples, and faſtened it into the ground, (for he was faſt aſleepe and wearie) and ſo he died.
VVE hauehave heard how by Debora and Barak the battell was proſpered, The opening of theſe verſes.as in this fourth part of the chapter hath been noted: now it followeth how a full end was put to it by Iael. To whoſe tent Siſera fled, as the fitteſt refuge for ſhelter, it being neere the place where the battell was, and peace being betwixt Iabin the King of Canaan, and Heber her husband. The things principall in theſe 5. verſes, are three. One how Siſera fled thither, in the ſeuenteenth verſe. The ſecond, by what meanes his death was brought on, in the next three. The third, that it was by her effected, in the 21. And this ſtory doth ſhew, why that is ſet downe in the eleuenth verſe, where I referred the Reader to this place, to wit, that Heber the husband of Iael, came and dwelt in the plaine of Zaanaim by Kedeſh, apart from his brethren, euen to this end, though he intended it not, yet by Gods appointment and prouidence, that Siſera might hauehave his deadly wound and blow there. And by Siſeras flying on foote to Iaels tent for ſuccour and ſhelter, we ſee another difficulty that this Siſera was driuen to, beſide the ill ſucceſſe that he had in the fight; and withall we may obſerue, to what ſhifts and extremities Doct verſ. 17. Note.wicked men though they bee great & mighty perſons may be brought: for they who could command a whole country, may be conſtrained to hide their head in a priuate tent and corner. And they who hauehave gloried as Lords of all ſtore and plenty may come to this, that they may be glad of a draught of milke or water to ſaue their liues. To Ahab King of Iſrael this word was ſent by Benhadad who beſieged him, that all his ſiluer and other precious 1. King 20. 3.things were his, whereto Ahab anſwered, it is true (O King) thine they are. And the ſame Benhadad ſo boaſting and braging ouer him, was afterward himſelfe brought to this point, and that by the ſame Ahab, that hee looſing in two battels, as good as two hundred and fiftie thouſand men, beſide chariots and horſes, he was driuen to flie on horſe-backe into a ſecret chamber, and yet euen there to be in great feare of his life alſo. And ſo in other ſtories it is reported of Darius the Perſian King, that being in flight purſued by his enemies, and in a great thirſt paſſed by a Lake, out of which hee tooke vp puddle water, and hauing drunke it out of his hands, proteſted hee neuer dranke ſweeter in his life.
Now if ſuch mighty ones may for their ſinnes bee driuen to ſuch ſtraites and ſhifts, then meane perſons much more are eaſily and ſoone depriued of all that they hauehave, and that many waies. Therefore if wee be wiſe who now liue, or they who ſhall come after vsus, howſoeuer wee enioy much, wee will learne, as wee hauehave oft been, and heere are taught, not to put our truſt in vncertaine 1. Tim. 6. 17.riches, but in the liuing God; neither to be high minded, but humble and lowly (knowing to what changes we be ſubiect) in which eſtate there is no danger. And in that wee miſcarrie not daily, with the ſilly worme that is trod on, and with the beaſt ſlaughtered, that fed euen now at the paſture, it is onelyonly Gods forbearing vsus.
In that it is ſaid that Heber had peace with Iabin, the Scripture ſets not downe how and in what manner it was: therefore by occaſion of this their peace, about which, or the like, ſeeing ſome might moue a queſtion; for anſwere and our inſtruction this may be ſaid, that if there were conditions betwixt them, (Iabin and Heber I meane) about limits and bounds of ground, how farre they ſhould reach, or what hee ſhould pay for the ſame, or ſuch like, they were lawfull: but if they had been for the ioyning with him againſt his enemies, without reſpect, (which was not ſo) then their peace had not been good, nor to bee allowed. According to this that I ſay, let our inſtruction be. For if a ciuill league be betwixt the true worſhippers of God and Idolaters, about keeping and enioying that which is ſeuerally their, ſafely and quietly, that is not to be diſliked: for the godly while they be heere, deſire not to dwell alone in the world, neither can they chuſe (they know) but they muſt hauehave dealings with the men that liue in it: and againe, they are commanded by the Apoſtle, that they ſhould, as much as in them lyeth, hauehave Rom. 12. 12.peace with all men. And ſo moſt Chriſtian Emperours hauehave had peace with the barbarous people that were ſtrangers to true religion, and ſo did the people of Iſraell with the nations which were neare adioyned to them, (except the ſeuen that were accurſed) for the Lord did not command them to make warre with the reſt that dwelt about them.
But if they ſhould vrge the religious people to ioyne their aide with them in making warre with them againſt other nations which are Gods people, that in no wiſe is to be yeelded vntounto. For it went ill with Iehoſaphat, for going to warre in league with Ahab againſt Ramath in Gilead. As alſo for ioyning in fellowſhip with Iehoram his ſonne, when hee ſent ſhips with Compare 1. King. 22. 48 49. with 2. Chron. 35. 36. 37.him into Tarſis: for a tempeſt ariſing at Ezion Gabar, his ſhips were broken. So Aſa King of Iuda ſent ſiluer and gold to Benhadad King of Aram, to help him againſt Baaſha King of Iſrael, but hee was reproued for it of the Lord. 2. Chron. 16. 3.And ſo (no doubt) it is lawfull for Chriſtian Princes to confederate with not onelyonly Chriſtian, but Popiſh or Heathen in ciuill caſes, as for the better ſecurity of their dominions, maintenance of peace, and thoſe commodities which follow thereupon, as traffique, &c. but to hold correſpondence with 2. Chron. 19. 2.them in religion, or to profeſſe themſelues friends to their friends, whom God curſeth; or enemies to their enemies that were to doe as they in the Pſal. 2. 1. 2.Pſalme, that banded themſelues together, whom God will ſcatter. Now that which I hauehave ſaid of leagues made betwixt nations, or one man, (as Heber was) with a King, namely, Iabin King of Canaan, the ſame I ſay of one priuate perſon with another, liuing together: And that is briefly this: that a godly Chriſtian may liue in peace with the wicked, and vſe him in ciuill caſes to buy and ſell, and borrow, and lend, as it may conueniently bee done betwixt them; but this muſt alwaies be prouided for, that he ioyne not with Heb. 12. 14.him in his ſinne, neither that hee hauehave any fellowſhip with him in falſe worſhip.
Hitherto of Siſera his going on foot to the houſe of Iael; now it is ſhewed Verſ 18.how ſhe vſed meanes to bring him to his death: firſt, as is mentioned in this verſe. For ſhee went to meet him, and drew him in by faire and alluring words, and bids him not feare. Heereby (there is no doubt) hee was more throughly perſwaded, that hee ſhould bee ſafe there. But this was a traine to draw him to further danger, as we ſee by that which followeth, ver. 21. And all this duely conſidered, with other things which ſhee did, mentioned in the text, cauſeth queſtion to bee made, whether Iael did well or no, in thus deceiuing him. But that queſtion is eaſily anſwered. For ſhee doing it to an enemy, not hers, but Gods; one that all Gods people ought, by vertue of his commandement to hauehave rooted out as they were able; in a word, a chiefe Canaanite, and ſhee bleſſed and praiſed of God for that which ſhee did. By Iudg. 5. 24.all this I thinke, it is cleare ſhee offended not at leaſt in the ſubſtance of the action. But this hath been anſwered before, by the like occaſion in Ehuds example. But for vsus who hauehave not the like commandement (except the ciuill Magiſtrate, and the lawfull executioner,) wee hauehave in no wiſe, liberty to follow her example, but to ſticke faſt to the rule that teacheth vsus, to walke toward all men in vprightneſſe, and all good ſimplicity and innocency, giuing vntounto the worſt their due.