Commentary on Judges, Sermon 30
THE THIRTIETH SERMON ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
WE hauehave heard largely of thankeſgiuing in the former ſermon with the cauſes, manner and neceſſity thereof; Doct. 2. in verſ. 1.now beſide the action of thankeſgiuing, which I hauehave ſpoken of, the circumſtance of time is alſo to bee marked; that is to ſay, that they did it the ſame day: for ſo it is ſet downe in the holy ſtory: then ſang Debora and Barak the ſame day. This teacheth vsus not to make delay in any good thing, but vſe the opportunity in due ſeaſon, and ſo for this duty of giuing thankes. And while the occaſion offered of ſo doing is freſh and in remembrance, the mind feedeth the affection with more plentifull matter, that it may be ſtirred vp more feruently to performe that dutie: whereas in time things grow ſtale and are forgotten; yea and that quickly: ſo that wee had need to take the vantage againſt our bad memories, and blockiſh hearts, by ſuch meanes. And although ordinarily we ſhould performe this dutie, three times a day in ſolemne manner; namely in the morning, euening, and at noone tide, yet otherwiſe beſide that, as Pſal 55 17.God ſhall giuegive vsus occaſion by more then common benefits and deliuerances, we ſhould prouoke our ſelues hereunto; and namely, as Saint Iames ſaith, Note.when one is merrie or diſpoſed to ioy let him not ſuffer that affection to vaniſh, but expreſſe and vtter it to God in ſinging praiſes. And ſo afterward we ought to continue the memory of his infinite mercies throughout our whole life, and to this end write them, (we that can) that whereas they grow to a multitude in time, and all cannot alwaies be remembred, as were to bee wiſhed in ſome ſort; yet at leaſt wiſe, when wee reade them ouer, wee may readily renue (as we ſhall ſee cauſe) our thankes to God for them. But great is mens blockiſhneſſe, as I hauehave ſaid, and endleſſe wandring by ſwarmes of cogitations after other things, which hinder this, wherby they ſee not cauſe hereof; and when they doe, yet their ſlothfulneſſe is ſuch, that they delay and deferre to pay this due to God, till their appetite be gone, and afterward lets and hinderances comming in the way breake it off, ſo that they cannot performe it. And this be ſaid of thankes.
In the ſecond verſe ſhee ſhewes why God ſhould bee praiſed: one cauſe Verſ. 2.was, for that he had been auenged of his enemies in the behalfe of the people, and for their ſakes: for though hee had long vſed them as executioners of wrath againſt his diſobedient people, yet now their ſinne was come to the top, and his peoples ſin was repented of; therfore their turne was come about now to be brought to puniſhment. Another cauſe of their thankes for the people Zebulun and Naphtali, who had willingly offered themſelues to follow Barak againſt Siſera, although hee had no authority ouer them before. Both theſe are expreſſed in this verſe, in theſe words; Praiſe ye the Lord, for auenging of Iſrael, and for the people that offered themſelues willingly. Heereby wee learne, firſt, that God is the reuenger of the Doct verſ 2.iniuries and wrongs of his people, euen as hee himſelfe ſaith; Vengeance is Rom. 12. 19.mine, and I will repay ſaith the Lord: yea, hee will doe it in his due time, and that Luk. 18. 7.right ſoone: for ſo he ſaith, and we had need to marke it. If, ſaith he, the vnrighteous Iudge will doe right to the poore widow, leſt ſhee troubling him with oft ſuing vntounto him, ſhould at laſt weary him: ſhall not God auenge his elect which cry day and night vntounto him, yea though it bee long? I tell you 2. Theſ. 1. 6.hee will auenge them quickly, and recompence tribulation to them that trouble his, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. Waite we therefore, hee hath not forgotten himſelfe; but as the Wiſe man ſaith, If thou ſeeſt the oppreſsion of the Eccleſ. 5. 7.poore, there is a greater then the oppreſſor. But though there might much more be ſaid of this point to the like purpoſe, yet who beleeueth theſe things? according to the words of our Sauiour, When the ſonne of man commeth, ſhall Luk. 18. 8.he finde faith on the earth? teaching vsus, how hardly men ſhould beleeue, though hee gaue therein a fearefull watchword thereof, to all that ſhould come after, which ſhould make vsus the better to looke to it: ſo this complaint may as iuſtly bee made ſtill at this day, that wee are dull and ſlow of heart to beleeue this and ſuch other truths as were vttered to vsus by the Prophets and Luk. 24. 25.Apoſtles. But that is our woe and miſery; for why ſhould wee not reſt quietly, while the Lord takes part with vsus that are his children, and giues vsus ſo faire and ſtrong encouragement?
But let vsus paſſe to the next point in this verſe. The other thing in Doct. 2. in verſ. 2.this verſe is this, that the people ſhould praiſe God for thoſe that offered themſelues readily and willingly to purſue Gods enemies, which teacheth, that ſuch as doe the worke of God, ſhould goe about it willingly and cherefully. For as he loueth a chearefull giuer, ſo he doth a cheerefull doer 2. Cor. 9. 7.of that which he commands: and contrarily, Curſed is he that doth the Lords buſineſſe negligently. It is therefore highly to bee reioyced in, and God much Ier. 49. 2.to be praiſed for it, where men are forward in Gods matters, and where the waightier and more excellent they bee, the more courage and delight men Note.hauehave in the taking of them in hand. Among the which I reckon the preaching of the Goſpell and the profeſſion of it, with the duties of our particular callings, and ſuch like, wherin to be forward & cheerful, as people be in hay and harueſt, & in going to markets and faires; it honoureth God highly, and all ſuch as behold it, ought to praiſe God heartily for giuing ſuch gifts to men, as are rarely to be ſeene among them: for they that doe ſo, ſhew plainly that they looke for a reward from God, when they can goe roundly and readily about buſineſſe, which other men ſo aukely goe about. For the moſt part men be too forward and ready to leaud company keeping, and to the ſins of the time, and other workes of the fleſh; but when they ſhould obey the Lord, or bee ſet about any good worke, eſpecially, whereof no profit is like to redound to them, they goe moſt aukely and vntowardly about it; euen as the euill debter, who is to do worke to his creditour to pay him. And therefore fearefull and grieuous is the ſinne of thoſe looſe liuers, who if any bee forwarder and zealouſer in Gods matters then other, in duty doing to him ward, them they mocke and diſcourage, who yet ſinne grieuouſly, in that they be not companions with them. But of this the leſſe, becauſe I hauehave ſpoken of it in the former chapter. Thus much of this verſe.
Now in the next, in calling Princes and great perſons to harken, as they Verſ. 3.doe in this verſe; it is to teach them to know from whence their victories and all greatnes come, and to aſcribe them to the Lord, according to Chriſts words in the prayer, [thine (O father) is kingdome, power, and glory for euer:] as for them, there is not the leaſt iot of the praiſe thereof due to them, God honours them, in that he will make them his inſtruments therein, and furniſh them with any gifts to that purpoſe, I meane, to doe him ſeruice. And yet as though they were of abſolute power of themſelues, forgetting the Lord that aduanced them, they aſcribe their great acts and victories to themſelues: as Senacherib againſt Hezechia, and Benhadad againſt Ahab; yea 2. King. 19. 36. 1. King 20. 3.and this they did both of them, before they had got the victory, and did not tarrie till they had conquered their enemies, and then crow ouer them, (which yet had been their great ſinne) and prided themſelues in that they had done, as Nabuchadnezzar in his Babell; and therefore they were put to ſhame, both of them moſt worthily, being themſelues brought vnderunder in a manner fit for ſuch braggers, as would thruſt the Lord out from helping them; nay rather they challenged euen him, and oppoſed themſelues againſt him, as is to be ſeene in the ſtory of both. And therefore in one battell Benhadad loſt an hundred and ſeuen and twentie thouſand men, ſo that hee and his, euen a few that were left with him, were conſtrained to flie; and in the other battell, wherein very many of his men were ſlaine, hee was brought to greater ſhame and abacement, as his laſt refuge; to wit, his ſeruants to goe to the King of Iſrael with ropes about their necks, to entreate for their liues. And as for Senacherib, the Angell of the Lord flue an hundred foure 2. King. 19. 35.ſcore and fiue thouſand of them in one night: and ſuch ſucceſſe, at leaſt in the end hauehave all ſuch, as are like to them. Hence it is that the Scripture (for the further bewraying the pride and vanity of ſuch) vſeth theſe phraſes; The Lord ſmote Beniamin before Iſrael. The Lord fought for Iſrael. And againe, ſtand ſtill and behold the ſaluation of the Lord, &c. And among other Exod. 14. 13.names the Lord is called, ſtrong in battell, and the Lord of hoſts. And ſurely if a ſparrow fall not to the ground without his wil, neither is the lot without his diſpoſition; much more doe the euents and hazards of warre depend vponupon his prouidence, being oft times matters of as great weight, as the alteration of kingdomes and eſtates come to. Now if Princes muſt know their victories and honour are giuen them of God; then much more we inferiours ought to learne it well, that we are beggers, and hauehave nothing; nay wee are worſe then nought, rather then that wee hauehave ought to glory of, as it would ſoone appeare, if we could be brought to conſider aright of it, euen what infection is in vsus to taint and poyſon all our actions; or if the Lord ſhould but thruſt at vsus for our euill deeds, but euen (as it were) with his little finger.
Beſides, in this verſe Debora declareth that ſhee will, yea (repeating her Doct. 2.words) that ſhe will praiſe the Lord; whereby it appeareth ſhee called Barak to it her ſelfe, and ſheweth, that ſhee was ſo liuely quickened and ſtirred vp with the feeling of Gods goodneſſe declared vntounto them, that ſhe would doe that dutie, if no other did. For as the whole Church of God fared the better for this victory; ſo ſhe acknowledged her ſelfe a part, to hauehave receiued great benefit thereby alſo; and therefore as ſhe was formoſt in the onſet, ſo is ſhee firſt in thankeſgiuing, and put not off the duty to the reſt of the people, but rather goes before other therein. And indued ſo God worketh in his oft times, that his ſeruants are ſo rauiſhed with thinking vponupon his louing kindneſſe, Note.that they cannot bee ſatisfied with prayer and praiſe giuing to God in publike among other, but they muſt doe it alſo by themſelues alone, as Dauid ſaith; I will praiſe God in the congregation, and I wil praiſe him in ſecret: and they are ſo bent vntounto it, that if other ſhould not, yet they themſelues, & as many as they can prouoke, will do it, as the noble man Ioſhua ſaid; If al run Ioſh. 24. 15.to idolatry, I and mine will ſerue the Lord. And if we conſider it well, how few weigh Gods goodneſſe in publike bleſſings, (as in the late diſcouerie of the treaſon) although many praiſe God openly for faſhion, and in ceremony, we ſhall find it no more then needeth, to practiſe this duty alone by our ſelues apart, as we reade of the tribes oft times, as well as among others; elſe would not our Sauiour hauehave willed vsus to goe alone, eueryevery one by himſelfe into his chamber to pray, as Iſaac alſo did in the fields, how little ſoeuer many Mat 66. Gen. 24. 63.be acquainted therewith; and therefore finde the leſſe benefit by the prayers and thankeſgiuing, which they make with others (they being in great likelihood made but in hypocriſie) or which others make for them. EueryEvery mans owne ſoule beſt knowes what cauſe hee hath of thankes, better then others, and accordingly let him profeſſe it, though there bee not many which will be brought to it. And of Deboras firſt words in the ſong wherein ſhee ſtirred vp the Iſraelites to praiſe God, and the reaſons why, thus much be ſaid.
Verſ. 4. Lord, when thou wenteſt out of Seir, when thou departed out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heauens rained, the clouds alſo dropped water.
5. The mountaines melted before the Lord, as did that Sinai before the Lord God of Iſrael.
6. In the daies of Shamgar the ſon of Anath, in the daies of Iael, the high waies were vnoccupied, and the trauellers walked through by waies.
7 The townes were not inhabited: they decayed, I ſay, in Iſrael, till I Debora came vp, who roſe vp a mother in Iſrael.
IN the firſt of theſe two verſes, which alſo containe the beginning of their The ſumme of theſe verſes, and more particularly the fourth and fifth verſes.ſong, Debora ſetteth downe the Lords great mercy in one example to her forefathers the people of Iſrael, which had been ſhewed long before: in the latter two, ſhee maketh mention of his goodneſſe toward them at that very time preſent. In the great deliuerance mentioned in the former chapter, but more particularly to ſpeake of both, and to begin with the firſt in the fourth and fifth verſes, we are to know, that this ſtory mentioned by her, containeth the acts that were done by the Lord, after he brought the people of Iſrael beyond mount Seir, when Iſrael (38. yeeres after their going out of Egypt into the deſert) were come neare to the land of Canaan: namely, how wonderfully the Lord tooke part with his people there, and ioyned himſelfe vntounto them againſt their enemies. For he going with them in a pillar of fire and a cloud, did terrifie their enemies the Ammorites in ſuch wiſe, that though the Iſraelites were vnexperienced in warre, and ſtrangers there, and were weake and vnfit alſo for ſuch worke, yet their enemies could not reſiſt them: and not onelyonly ſo, but ſhe ſaith, that the Lord caſt ſuch a feare vponupon them, as if the earth had trembled, and great ſtormes and tempeſts had been caſt downe from the clouds, and as if the mountaines had melted, and been ſhaken. By theſe allegoricall ſpeeches ſhe deſcribeth the feare that was ſmitten into the Amorites at Iſraels comming neare them, when the Lord brought them out of Egypt. And further ſhee addeth to the ſame end, that euen as mount Sinai (for ſo it muſt bee vnderſtood, though the word (like as) bee not expreſſed) at the Lords comming downe vponupon it, was ſhaken and moued; ſo did the nations at the comming of Iſrael feare, and were terrified.
And in laying out Gods kindneſſe thus towards her fathers long before ſhewed to them, as commonly this is reckoned to be one, that he brought them out of Aegypt thorow the fearefull wilderneſſe to Canaan, in many other Ioſh. 24. 2 &c. Iudg. 2. 1.places of the Scripture: her meaning is, to declare that hee ſhewed not this fauour now of late onelyonly to them who liued at that time, but of old and long agoe alſo to his people in former ages, as they ſtood in need of his aide Doct. verſ. 4. & 5.diuerſly, and that for their ſakes alſo. And if wee obſerue the Scriptures, (which are a glaſſe of Gods adminiſtration and gouerning of his Church) we ſhall ſee that there is little mention made of other nations of the earth, or their affaires, but the bent of them is wholly (as it were with a ſtreight line) directed to the Churches vſe and benefit, as either to puniſh or bleſſe them for his people ſake. To this his Church all his workes of louelove, merciemercy, iuſtice, wiſedome, prouidence, are referred: for though God be the Sauiour of all, yet eſpecially of the faithfull in his Church. From whence wee are to learne, that God hath in all ages bin bountifull and gracious to his Church, as well as now; euen to our forefathers in their daies, and ſo from age to age as it is written, his merciemercy endureth for euer. For it hath been deare to him, as the ſpouſe or bride to the Bridegrome. And his louelove hath been more hot then fire that cannot be quenched with much water. And to this end, hee hath been ſo affected to it, that it might know that he loueth it: as hee ſaith in Exodus: If ye will diligently attend to my voice, and keepe my couenant, ye ſhall be my chiefe treaſure in all the earth, though all the earth be mine. A doctrine moſt Exod. 19. 5.needfull to be made vſe of among vsus, ſeeing his people be as deare to him now, as in any age paſt, and he did neuer ſo cleerely teſtifie his louelove to his Church in any generation heretofore ſince Chriſt, or before, as hee hath done to this.
And if it were beleeued, and wee throughly perſwaded of it, there were nothing like to draw vsus more neerely to Chriſt, nor to ſet our hearts and delight vponupon him, then the oft and due meditation and thinking on it: whether we ſpeake of thoſe who are in Chriſt alreadie, or of ſuch as lie yet in vnbeliefe, to draw and perſwade them. For theſe ſhould be better incouraged by many degrees more then they be now, to labour to taſte how good the Lord is: and they who hauehave alreadie begun, ſhould breake through all lets and difficulties (which doe much hold them backe) farre more eaſily then now they doe, to be vnited more neerely vntounto him their head. Whereas it may be ſpoken with griefe, that in ſtead hereof, many profeſſing well, euen where Gods louelove is made knowne, doe cleaue to the pleaſures of ſin, profits and preferments, howſoeuer come by, rather then to ſtriue to enter in at the ſtreight gate: and the beſt are too backward, conſidering that if we hauehave any treaſure in heauen, our hearts muſt needs be there alſo ſet on heauenly things: but they who mind earthly things aboue other, which ſhould be all in all with them, and doe as ſeldome thinke rightly of either of both, and yet would be thought to doe otherwiſe, are no beautie but a blemiſh to the Chriſtian life. Oh how lamentable is it then, that ſo many ſtill remaine! (as the old world out of the Arke, and the latter world out of the Common-wealth of Iſrael) ſo theſe euen as aliants from the Church. For though all crie, The Church, The Church, becauſe they heare there is no merciemercy, bleſſing, or ſaluation out of the Church; yet as if Baptiſme were ſufficient, they ſeeke not the priuiledges of the Church; effectuall calling, faith, charitie and ſanctification, and the fruites thereof; and therefore they are ſtill little better then the ſcumme and ofſcouring of the common band of the wicked; who hauing no title, no promiſe, no God, no hope, but are out of Gods precinct and gouernment: and therefore wee may ſay of theſe, The Church is wanting in the Church. All Gods merciemercy, and whatſoeuer is excellent in him, are out of their reach; no ſuch priuiledges appertaine vntounto them, becauſe they are not ſeparated from the wicked, whom the ſoule of the Lord abhorreth. Againe, in that God made the enemies afraid of his Doct. 2.people at their comming thither, it was his great louelove toward them to honour them ſo highly among thoſe who contemned and hated them: and if hee had not ſo fauoured and taken part with them, they had been vtterly diſcouraged, and ouerwhelmed by them. And he would teach vsus thereby, that though his children be baſely eſteemed, and contemptible among the prophane worldlings, who are buſily ſet to follow their pleaſures and profits, ſcorning religion as too baſe for them, yet he makes them oft afraid of them, when it pleaſeth him, and their conſciences doe accuſe them, that ſeeing their own waies are euill, and that the others good, & do pleaſe him, that they ſhall come to iudgement, when the other ſhall lift vp their heads and reioyce. I herefore it is ſaid, that Herod feared Iohn Baptiſt, and when he had Mark. 6. 20.beheaded him, yet hearing that Chriſts fame was great a little after, hee was afraid that he had been Iohn, and that he was riſen againe from the dead, to be reuenged of him. So when the iudgement of God fell vponupon Ananias and Saphira for their diſſembling, and the people ſaw that God did honour Acts 5. 11. 12.his Apoſtles, and magnifie their miniſterie among many, it is ſaid that great feare came vponupon the wicked, who knew that they liued not after the Apoſtles doctrine, neither liked their courſe: inſomuch, as they durſt not through an accuſing conſcience, ioyne themſelues to them whom God honoured, for feare leaſt they ſhould hauehave been brought foorth openly, and bewrayed by ſome iudgement of God, for their halting, as Ananias was. So Felix though he were Pauls Iudge, yet trembled, and was afraid, when hee heard Acts 24. 25.him boldly to preach of iuſtice and temperance, meete for his place, but farre from him, and of the iudgement to come; and yet Paul himſelfe was then without all feare thereof. Sehon and Og trembled, and were afraid, to ſee the high hand and outſtretched arme of the Lord, wherewith Iſrael was carried.
It was not for naught, that the Lord expoſtulated ſo with the man who came among thoſe that were bidden to the feaſt, not hauing on his wedding Matth. 22. 12.garment: ſaying vntounto him, What doeſt thou here without it? for the man was euen ſpeechleſſe, and could not for feare and aſtoniſhment vtter his words. The Lord will hauehave all ſuch to know, that the companie of his faithfull people is not for the prophane, and for ſcorners; by the which example, and many other ſuch, he hath (as it were) put a bridle in the mouthes of many, that though they deſpiſe Gods people, yet they ſhall not be without feare of them: and therfore he caſt the dread of his people vponupon them, as here it is ſaid. And hath it not been ſeene in the late perſecution of the Note.Proteſtants in this land in the time of Poperie, which ſome yet aliue can teſtifie to be true, that many of the perſecutors were more terrified in hearing their anſwers to them, and beholding the boldnes and courage that was in them, then the Martyrs themſelues were terrified by their ſentence of death read and pronounced againſt them. And be we no leſſe aſſured of this, that many ill diſpoſed people, who would wiſh that there were neither God, nor iudgement, nor any better liuers then themſelues, yet they are conſtrained of times to ſay, the godly life is beſt, and yet fret to ſee it in the practiſers of it, being void of it themſelues. Oh therefore, happie is the people whoſe God is the Lord Iehoua, and bleſſed are they that hauehave him for their King. And let this vphold, content, and delight all ſuch, though they ſeeme to be the vileſt and moſt miſerable of all other, God will not forget their longing to be diſſolued, and to be with him, and know they, while they doe ſo, their worſt day in the week ſhall be farre better, then the others beſt in the yeere. And howle ye deſpiſers, and tremble and vaniſh away, for that ye ſee, great Act. 13. 41.is their portion, whom ye hate, with the Almightie, and your ſelues caſt out of his fauour and habitation; and euen ſo in your aduerſitie & day of Gods viſiting you (as Diues in hell had ſenſe thereof) ye doe acknowledge it. The old world ſcoffed at Noah his building the Arke, till the flood came, and then his former preaching terrified them. In like manner, I ſay, if we walked in our innocencie with vprightnes and reuerence among men, the Lord would worke aſtoniſhment in the wicked and reprobates, and the very godlineſſe of his people ſhould conuince and amaſe the beholders and contemners, as Pharaos troopes were, when they ſaid, The Lord fighteth against Exod. 14. 25.vsus for Iſrael.
The next verſes I referre to be handled in the next Sermon.