Commentary on Judges, Sermon 36
THE THIRTIE SIXE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
Verſ. 1. Afterward the children of Iſrael committed wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord, and the Lord gaue them into the hands of Midian ſeuen yeeres.
Verſ. 2. And the hand of Midian preuailed againſt Iſrael: and becauſe of the Midianites, the children of Iſrael made them dennes in the mountaines, and caues, and ſtrong holds.
Verſ. 3. When Iſrael had ſowne, then came vp the Midianites, the Amalekites, and they of the Eaſt, and came vponupon them,
Verſ. 4. And camped by them, and deſtroyed the fruite of the earth, euen till thou come vntounto Azzah, and left no foode for Iſrael, neither ſheepe, nor oxe, nor aſſe.
Verſ. 5. For they went vp, and their cattell, and came with their tents, as Graſhoppers in multitude, ſo that they and their camels were without number; and they came into the land to deſtroy it.
Verſ. 6. So was Iſrael exceedingly impoueriſhed by the Midianites: therefore the children of Iſrael cried vntounto the Lord.
IN this Chapter, it is ſhewed, how Iſrael againe prouoked the Lord The ſumme and parts of this Chapter are 4.by their wickedneſſe, verſ. 1. And how the Lord puniſhed them by the Midianites, to verſ. 6. Then that they cried vntounto the Lord, and he reproued them, to verſ. 11. And laſtly, how he called Gedeon and prepared him to deliuer them; and this is to the end of the Chapter.
The firſt part of the Chapter.
TO begin with their ſinne, it appeares that they did grieuouſly prouoke The ſumme of the firſt part.the Lord, as they had ſometime before done, as in the third and fourth Chapters it appeares, where their puniſhment was likewiſe a long time continued vponupon them. But yet after the death of Debora and Barak, the valiant deliuerers of them out of the hands of the Canaanites, they did againe depart from the good courſe wherein they had liued before, and fell againe to idolatrie, and other ſinnes. This be ſaid of their ſinne, as may be gathered out of the firſt verſe, and the 25.
With the which to begin, for our further benefit, the inſtruction that we are to take out of from hence, is this; That ſeeing in all the ſtories before ſet downe, as well as this, of the puniſhing of Iſrael, they begin thus: The children of Iſrael did againe that which was euill in the ſight of the Lord: ſeeing (I ſay) it is thus, we may learne, that it is naturally ingrafted in the heart of man, that though there bee holy affections kindled in it by ſome good meanes, yet in time they dye, and wane away; and in ſtead of them, the heart is carried againe to the euill, that it moſt deſireth. And it being thus with them that hauehave ſome goodneſſe and beginnings of faith in them, what are all the faire ſhewes of hypocrites, when they be at the beſt, but a morning dew? So that though men may (perhaps) ſerue God for a while, Hoſ 6. 4.in a good manner; yet they are gone from it before wee be aware, waxing wearie and prouoking God afreſh; this ſicklenes and inconſtancie are ſo deeply rooted in them, and thereupon it falleth out, that they are carried away by the error of the wicked, and inticements of the world, from a good courſe; to be faſhioned like other men, though it be very groſſe and abſurd which they fall to.
A great reaſon hereof is this, that the beſt are renewed but in part, and much corruptiō remaineth to be purged out of thē, which requireth the taking vp of their thoughts and care; which it is meet they ſhould take knowledge of, that ſo they may ſee that they hauehave worke enough, (and hauehave little Note.cauſe to be idle and waxe wearie of it, I meane (beſide many other duties) of croſſing and ſubduing the euill of their hearts; eſpecially, ſeeing their reward is ſo great in ſo doing. And yet with griefe it may be ſaid, that in all ages, both perſons and Churches little conſidering this, hauehave fallen to this courſe that I now complaine of. As they in the Pſalme, who ſtarted aſide like a Pſal. 78. 35.broken bow. The people in Exodus did the like; who in the abſence of Moſes from them, but a few daies, fell moſt ſhamefully to idolatrie. So the people Exod. 32. 6.mentioned in S. Iohn, who counted Iohn Baptiſt a burning light, and for a Ioh. 5. 35.time reioyced in him: whereby yee may gather, it was but for a time. Theſe with many, too long to be ſtood vponupon, doe ſhew, how ſoone men decline from a good courſe.
And wel it were with vsus in this latter age, if we looked better to our ſelues then they did: but as well perſons and families, as almoſt whole townes, wanze and waxe cold in their ſeruing of God; who yet were ſometime of the forwarder ſort of profeſſors, a few God reſerueth who deſire to keepe their firſt louelove to the Goſpell, and their brethren, that they may be a ſeed in Note.eueryevery corner of the land almoſt, to teach the generations to come, (if the world continue) to feare the Lord aright, hee hauing appointed a remnant to remaine, and a Church, though ſmall, vntounto the worlds end. Which being ſo, teacheth the beſt of vsus, what need we hauehave to deſire to enioy the beſt meanes, and namely the ſincere preaching of the Goſpell, whereby we may grow on in grace and knowledge of Chriſt, and cleaue neerely to him: conſidering how oft wee hauehave been by Gods gracious working in vsus, reuiued and refreſhed thereby: and how dead in good duties wee are, and vnprofitable (our conſciences being Iudges) without them. And it is well, if here by this, we winde out of all poiſoned baites that are laid for vsus.
And this of the firſt of the foure parts of the Chapter I hauehave ſpoken in this former part of this verſe, and ſomewhat alſo before in other Chapters, that is, of the peoples ſinne.
The ſecond part of the Chapter.
NOw it followes, the ſecond, that is, of the puniſhment that followed their ſinne, and how they cried to the Lord vnderunder it, in theſe ſixe verſes. Their puniſhment was ſeuen yeeres oppreſſion by the Midianites, as in this verſe is to be ſeene, and the manner of their oppreſſing them, is ſet downe in the fiue verſes following. And for their oppreſſion by the Midianites, let it Verſe 1. Doct. 2. in verſ. 1 Lamen. 3. 40.teach vsus, that it was iuſt becauſe they had ſinned. For God ſcourgeth men iuſtly, and not without their due deſert: Man ſuffereth for his ſinne, as the Prophet Ieremy ſaith: So that if any ſhould thinke they are hardly handled, being puniſhed of God, let them proue themſelues without ſinne, or elſe let them hold their peace. Nay, I will yeeld more then ſo to them, let them be able but to proue this, that they hauehave only offended through infirmitie, and not rather wilfully, and of knowledge, and they ſhall either be freed altogether from great vexations in their liues; or elſe they ſhall freely and without conſtraint confeſſe, that God hath dealt iuſtly, yea mercifully, in ſo viſiting of them, rather then that he hath done them any wrong. Thus much for this, and that God will puniſh, when men prouoke him by their tranſgreſſions, as we may here learne, I hauehave in other places ſhewed.
The manner of the Midianites oppreſſing the people of Iſrael, was the Verſe 2. The ſenſe.ſpoiling them of their victuall, namely corne and cattell, for the ſpace of ſeuen yeeres, without which they could not liue. Their corne they deſtroied, when they had ſowen their fields. And they were driuen to make them cabins in the hollow places of the earth, vnderunder the hils and rocks, where they had holes and creuiſes to let in light, to defend themſelues from them: and in the fields and lower parts of the earth they made them dennes and darke places, not fit for habitation, but in which they might ſafely lay their goods and ſubſtance, to hide them from the Midianites. They made alſo high towers and ſtrong, from which they might ſee a farre off, which could not be beaten down eaſily: and theſe ſhifts they were faine to make. For their enemies were as graſhoppers on the face of the earth, and their camels and other beaſts, to deſtroy the fruites of the Iſraelites, were almoſt without number. What theſe Midianites were, and of what ſtocke they came, it is not neceſſarie to inquire, ſeeing it is not ſet downe, though ſome writers ſay that they had their beginnings thus: that one of Abrahams ſonnes which he begat of his wife Ketura, builded a citie beyond Arabia in the South, in the deſert of the now called Saracens, and called the name of it Midian, or Madian, and the people of it were called Midianites, or Madianites, and were ſuppoſed to be they of whom the Kenites came. Theſe brought with them the Amalakites, and men of the Eaſt to helpe them.
This was a grieuous and ſore affliction, to be thus driuen to extremities Deut. 28. 33. Eſay 17. 10. 11.for want of food. And yet no other then was long before threatned (among many other) to come vponupon them for their apoſtacie and idolatrie. For what though we heare of no conſuming of the people of Iſrael in battell; yet, beſide that it could not be, but that many of them were ſlaine by ſo long and violent aſſaulting them, ſo what death is more cruell then by liuing, to be famiſhed? and what miſerie in this life greater, then to be to ſeeke of foode, where it can hardly be come by, and yet that which is to bee reſerued, and had, is ſcarcely fit to preſerue life? Here therefore by the contrary wee may ſee, what a benefit of God this is, when in a land, and in cities, townes and villages, all people may be fed fit for their condition, when there is no inuaſion of forraine enemies to ſpoile and deſtroy the fruits of the earth, whereby the inhabitants are preſerued: nor any famine, by any other iudgement of God: and when there is no iuſt cauſe of complaining in our ſtreetes. We know in the great famines that are mentioned in the Scriptures, yea and in ſmaller famines in our owne remembrance, what crying and lamentations there hauehave been. In the daies of Abraham, Iſaac, and chiefly of Iacob, Gen. 42. 2.when they were forced to ſend into Egypt for corne. In the time of Elimelek and Naomi, when they were driuen from their dwelling in Bethelem Ruth 1. 1.Iuda, to goe and ſoiourne in the land of Moab, for want of food: and after in the daies of Ioram King of Iſrael, when the men had no other way 2. King. 6. 25.to preſerue their liues, but by eating that which was againſt nature, yea and yet they could hardly come by it; and when the women did eate their own children, as alſo in the laſt beſieging of Ieruſalem by the Romans.
And to what end ſpeake I this, but that we ſhould lift vp our hearts, and more feruently, and oft be thankfull to God for this one benefit of plentie? although who ſeeth not, that it is indeed but one of many, yea of infinite other, which wee receiue? And why doth God this? Euen to the end men Doct. verſ. 2. 3. 4. 5.may follow their callings, diligently and conſcionably, with cheerefulnes; and with the ſame minde walke in the feare of the Lord continually. And therefore the euill example in life, that in the abundance of Gods earthly bleſſings doth flow eueryevery where, in drunkenneſſe, and all laſciuiouſnes, doth draw vponupon men greater plagues, then wants and famine are, and that is, leanenes of ſoule, blindnes, vnbeliefe, hardneſſe of heart, and impenitencie: which if we had the ſpirit of the Prophets, wee ſhould deeply bewaile. But to leaue ſuch, I adde this, that for the quickning vp of the beſt, it were fit for Note.them, when they grow to a meane and common eſteeming of theſe benefits of God, to ſuppoſe with themſelues, and put the caſe that they were in want and penurie, euen in the ſtate of this people of God by the oppreſſion of the Midianites, or the like: As that when they hauehave ſowne their ſeede, it ſhould be ſpovled before their faces, ſo that they ſhould not eate of it, and that the prouiſion which they hauehave made for their liues, ſhould be carried away by enemies, or taken from them, and they famiſhed for want of it: it would make them better to value and prize ſuch benefits, and yeeld to the Lord a more holy and fruitfull vſe of them. Whereas commonly men doe not ſo, till they be driuen to it by wants, and decay in their ſubſtance, then they can ſay; Oh what plentie of Gods benefits we once enioyed?
Another thing in theſe verſes is to be marked, that we bring double vexation vponupon our ſelues by ſinning againſt the Lord, and by ſeeking to hauehave Doct. 1.our will, againſt the word of God. The one is this, the affliction that is ſent vponupon vsus for ſinne, as here the ſtirring vp of the Midianites againſt the people of Iſrael for their tranſgreſſion; or any other, as loſſe of their goods, diſeaſes, ieopardie of their liues, &c. The other vexation, is that which proceedeth from the former: and that is of many ſorts, as may be liuely ſeene in this preſent ſtorie, and namely in theſe verſes. For what toile, time, and coſt, beſide the diſquietnes that went therewith, were they driuen to beſtow (that I may include much in few words) to defend, or to ſaue themſelues from the vtmoſt hurt and danger, which was wrought and intended againſt them? what ſhifts were they faine to make to preſerue their liues, and ſaue their goods out of their enemies hands? which yet when they had done what they could, they were not able to doe.
If they had been only hurt by them in their cattell, corne, and other commodities, and had ſuſtained that onelyonly for their puniſhment, it had been a deare paying for their pleaſure, that they took in their ſinne; but when they Note.were in this bondage, that they could doe nothing elſe but watch and ward for their liues, and to build and botch, digge and delue, and beate their braines to deuiſe, how to hide their commodities from them, what ſorrow vponupon ſorrow, and one vnquietnes vponupon another did they heape vponupon their heads, till they loſt all the welfare of their liues in a manner, and made them more weariſome and vnwelcome then death it ſelfe? Is this the fruite of ſinne, and the good that it bringeth to the committers thereof? And yet if I ſhould lay out the fruit of the ſinne of Cain, Eſau, Abſolon, and other, who could not be ſtaied from the committing of it; what better thing could I ſay of it, or what better fruite could I proue it yeeldeth to the committers of it?
So that as the baite is pleaſant which the poore fiſh biteth at, but it being caught by the hooke, bringeth paine, torture, and wearying of it ſelfe to ſaue the life: ſo is it with him that will needes taſte of the pleaſure of ſinne, as I hauehave ſaid. And if this be the great good that it intendeth againſt ſuch as follow one kinde or other of it with tooth and naile, who alſo lie ſucking to draw pleaſure out of it, as a childe doth by the breaſt, then let them all be taken and condemned for fooles, who are maſters in that profeſſion, and are vpholders of that trade and occupation. Yea let them bee reckoned in the number of them, of whom the prouerbe ſpeaketh, The foole beleeueth eueryevery Prou. 14. 15.thing. And againe, O ye fooles, how long will ye louelove fooliſhneſſe? For why? they Prou. 1. 22.hauehave choſen a way that ſeemeth pleaſant, but the iſſues thereof are the way of death. They doe moſt certainly take more paine to goe to hell, then the righteous doth to heauen. And as their reuolting brought vponupon them this miſerie, ſo let all thoſe who hauehave falſified their promiſe, and broken their ſolemne couenant to God of ſeeking more zeale, greater fruitfulnes, watchfulnes and care, let them (I ſay) alſo feare that their euill conſcience wil draw vponupon them one accuſation and trouble after another, and that the further they decline, the greater ſorrow they bring vponupon themſelues. Some hauehave been brought to that point, that they hauehave made queſtion whether they might lay violent hands vponupon themſelues, to auoid the terror of minde.
Further alſo obſerue here, what ſhifts they chuſe to make, rather then they Doct. 3.would ſeeke to God by humiliation and repentance, for releaſe. They louelove their freedome well, who hauing their citie beſieged by the enemie, till extreame famine compell them to eate dogges, cats, and ſuch vermine, as is noiſome to nature, yet chuſe to endure ſuch difficulties, rather then yeeld. And ſo doubtleſſe, they louelove their luſts well, who ſuffer themſelues to bee made ſuch ſlaues and drudges to them (as theſe here were) rather then they would abandon them, and returne to the Lord with vnfained renouncing of them. Alas, they muſt leaue them with ſhame and double repentance at length, when they hauehave wearied themſelues as theſe did: but till their owne rod hath made them ſmart, who may tell them of the vnfruitfulnes of their toileſome trade? Toileſome I may truly ſay; both conſidering with what great adoe they bring their ſinne to ripenes and perfection; and then what ſhifts they vndergo to winde themſelues out of the woe and miſerie, which (in ſtead of fruite) their ſinne brings vponupon them? It is a good piece of the life of an adulterer, firſt to compaſſe and fulfill his vncleane luſts: and when he hath done, to couer and keepe himſelfe from ſhame, and to make faire weather of it againe. And ſo the thriftleſſe ſpend-good, what adoe makes he to ſcrape together ſomwhat to maintaine his riotous humour? and when he is brought to beggerie, then he muſt caſt about him afreſh, how hee may defray that, and auoid the gallowes, or a baſe and wretched life. In a word, it is true which Salomon ſaith in Eccleſiaſtes; To the ſinner God giueth paine: he Eccleſ. 2. 20.giues him ſowre ſauce to his ſweete meate, painfull ſeruice to his ſweet luſts. And yet without Gods ſpeciall goodneſſe neither of theſe ſhall preuaile with a lewd perſon to pull him from the louelove and liking of them, though they coſt him ſo deare, and though he beare and bring foorth with paine, and the ſweate of his face. There will be found an Hiel to build Iericho, though hee knew it will coſt him and his neuer ſo dearly. Therefore they are happie whom God hath entertained into his houſe, and holds them vnderunder his gouernment: becauſe neither is his word tedious to them, nor his Matth. 11. laſt.commandements grieuous while they are doing them: and as for any trouble which can befall them after for their ſo doing, firſt know that it can not ſting them being borne for a good cauſe, and they ſhall goe vnderunder it without diſquiet, be vpholden in it by grace, and after count it great ioy in that they ſuffered.
The people of Iſrael, we hauehave heard in the former verſes, did kindly ſhew Verſe 6.in their doings, the nature and diſpoſition of ſinful and wicked perſons, who little truſt to God in their troubles, they forgot him, and did flie for ſuccour and refuge to earthly helpes and ſtaies; as towers, dennes, and other munition and defence, forſaking him; but the holy ſtorie ſheweth in this verſe, that none of them all preuailed, neither did they preſerue them. And although by their ſhifting they ſaued their liues, and got and ſaued that foode which with much adoe kept them from ſtaruing; yet who ſeeth not the miſerie, which, for all that, they indured in extreame pouertie, bondage and feare? Euen ſo, wee muſt know, that it is not enough for wicked perſons to beware of their enemies, and to fence themſelues from the common troubles of the world; but firſt of all, and chiefly they ſhould preſerue themſelues from the wrath of God; which while like fooles they doe not, they preuenting and auoiding the ſame, they ſeldome eſcape, nor be free from the other. Therefore the Lord in the prophecie of Habakkuk, laugheth to ſcorne ſuch made defences of men. And in Obedia the Lord ſaith to ſuch; Habak 2. 5. 6. Obediah 3. 4.Thou that dwelleſt in the clefts of the rocks, whoſe habitatiō is high, that ſaiſt in thine heart, who ſhall bring me downe to the ground; though thou exalt thy ſelfe as the Eagle, and make thy neſt among the ſtarres, yet euen thence will I bring thee downe, ſaith the Lord.
They doe not ſee that God hath a thouſand waies to fight againſt them: and that he who plucked off Pharaos charet wheeles, and broke the horſes Exod. 14. 25. Iud …5 22. Eſter …. 10. 2. Chro. 20. 22.hoofes of Siſera; who drew vp the great Lord Haman to the gallowes; that tooke heart from the Ammonites and Moabites, that in ſtead of fighting againſt Iudah, they fell vponupon and ſlew one another; and weakened Zenacherib ſo, that he ſlew by an Angell in one night, an hundred, foure ſcore, and 2. King. 19. 35.fiue thouſand of his armie; they doe not ſee, I ſay, that he who did thus ſhew his might againſt theſe mightie ones, and many waies beſide, hath done the like; can alſo fruſtrate their attempts and hope in theſe daies alſo. The ſpirit of ſlumber is caſt vponupon them, and blindneſſe hath taken hold of them, that they cannot ſee and beleeue, that the like iudgements ſhall not meete with them, till they hauehave felt and ſmarted by them.
Therefore let men make peace with God firſt, and turne from their ſins, that he may alſo turne from his fierce wrath: or elſe when they make their reckoning of peace, and proſperitie, length of daies and deliuerance from their enemies, and other troubles, the contrary euils fall vponupon them; and if Note.not preſently, yet they are at hand, and alwaies iuſtly to be feared, before they come. Oh what proofe hauehave wee ſeene of that which I ſay, as former ages hauehave done alſo? How many might hauehave done well, and proſpered, if they had been more carefull to be reconciled to God, then to leane to their owne deceitfull dreames, by a vaine hoping, that life ſhould ſtill hauehave been granted them, the which while it laſted, they were as they thought, in paradiſe: but for all their welfare were ſoone cut off from all. And the reaſon is, that men goe to worke without God, they neither ſeeke his fauour, nor direction from him, either in their actions or afflictions: and therefore their enterpriſes are either croſſed, or elſe curſed in the vſe and enioying of them: and as for their troubles, they are to ſeeke either how to abide them, or to get out of them in a good manner. Thus a wicked man is vnhappie both waies, whether hee proſper or no: for either hee feares a change, or elſe his feare commeth vponupon him, as an armed man. Therefore when I conſider this, I thinke the beleeuing Chriſtian twice happie, euen when he is iudged miſerable by men of the world, becauſe hee hath choſe the good part with Mary, and hath ſought to hauehave God on his ſide, who doth not only keepe fearefull iudgements from his, being a ſure defence in time of need, but maketh that portion which they enioy, a ſweete and ſauourie bleſſing vntounto them; and yet they hauehave farre greater riches then thoſe. Thus much of their puniſhment, in the ſecond part of the Chapter.
The third part of the Chapter.
THe third followeth in this ſixth verſe, namely, that the people repented, Doct. 2. in verſ. 6.and turned to God: which as was ſaid before, is teſtified, and declared by a ſigne thereof, which is crying. And here, not to inſiſt vponupon the ſame things, which in other places I hauehave done, that which I will note from hence is this, that ſeeing they now ſought to him at laſt, who ſhould hauehave been their firſt refuge, we may note another point of vnthriftineſſe, and fooliſh dealing in the men of this world; That when they will needes goe trie maſteries in their neceſſitie and calamities, by truſting to broken holds, and vaine helpes of their owne deuiſing, and ſmart for it, as I hauehave ſaid; then at laſt with ſhame they muſt be faine to ſue and repaire to God. And what if he will not receiue then? as it falleth out ſometimes to bee ſo, as in the Prouerbs, [Becauſe you would not heare when I called, ye ſhall crie, and not be Prou. 1. 20.heard] Whither goe they then? But if he doe, what a farre fetched iourney hauehave they taken before, yea full of vexation and weariſome, beſides that Note.they hauehave loſt all their former labour? I conclude therefore, with this aduice and warning to ſuch as hauehave eares to heare; Seeke the Lord while he may Eſay 55. 6.be found, and driue not off from day to day, leſt he come ſuddenly and there be none to turne away his heauy wrath from you: and in the meane while, happie are they who doe ſo. For they in ſo doing ſhall not doe as this people did here, flie to rocks, hide themſelues in caues of the earth, and build towers to be ſafe from their enemies, as theſe did here from the Midianites, which yet did not ſafely keepe and defend them, but they flie to the ſafe rocke and tower of defence; as the wiſe man calleth it; I meane, to the name Prou. 18. 10.of the Lord, euen the Lord of hoſtes, who is a moſt ſtrong place of refuge, the righteous flie thither and are ſaued.