Commentary on Judges, Sermon 41
THE FORTIE ONE SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
VERS. 25. And the ſame night the Lord ſaid to him, take thy fathers young bullocke, and an other bullocke ſeuen yeeres old, and deſtroy the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut downe the groue that is by it.
26. And build an altar vntounto the Lord thy God vponupon the top of this rocke, in a plaine place, and take the ſecond bullock, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the groue, which thou ſhalt cut downe.
27. Then Gedeon tooke ten men of his ſeruants, and did as the Lord bad him: but becauſe he feared to doe it by day for his fathers houſhold, and the men of the city, he did it by night.
28. And when the men of the citie aroſe earely in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken, and the groue cut downe, that was by it, and the ſecond bullocke offered vponupon the altar that was made.
29. Therfore they ſaid one vntounto another, who hath done this thing? and when they inquired, and asked, they ſaid, Gedeon the ſonne of Ioaſh hath done this thing.
30. Then the men of the citie ſaid to Ioaſh, bring out thy ſonne that hee may die, for hee hath deſtroyed the altar of Baal, and hath alſo cut downe the groue that was by it.
31. And Ioaſh ſaid to all that ſtood by him, will ye pleade Baals cauſe? or will yee ſaue him? He that will contend for him, let him die yer the morning: if he be God, let him pleade for himſelfe againſt him that with caſt downe his altar.
32. And in that day was Gedeon called Ierubaal: that is, let Baalpleade for himſelfe, becauſe he hath broken downe his altar.
OF the ſecond branch of the fourth part of the Chapter we hauehave heard; that is, of Gedeons asking of a ſigne: Now followeth the third, containing the charge that God gaue him to the 33 verſe.
For after all this that we hauehave heard, before he begin The generall ſumme of theſe verſes.the warre, hee is commanded to deſtroy and caſt downe idolatrie, and to ſet vp true religion, and worſhip of God. And this is in theſe words: Caſt downe the altar of Baal, and cut downe the groue that is by it and erect another, and offer to God thereon: which Gedeon did accordingly: and this to the 28. verſe. And yet he did this with perill euen of his life, as appeareth verſe 30. but God ſtirred vp Ioaſh, Gedeons father, againſt the men of the citie, and deliuered him out of their hands, as we ſee to the 33. verſe.
In this verſe, and in the 26. more particularly, the Lord for the deſtroying Verſe 25. 26. The ſumme of theſe two verſes particular….of Idolatrie, bids Gedeon take his fathers young bullocke, euen the ſecond bullocke which was ſeuen yeeres old, which had been kept to be offered to Baal. In thoſe which were ſuperſtitious, that they ſpared no coſt for the ſeruing of their luſts: but the Lord hindred, and held that ſacrifice from Baal, commanding the alter to be caſt downe, and alſo the groue that was by it, to be cut downe; for in ſuch places for the pleaſantneſſe of them, the people vſed, and choſe to worſhip, I meane in ſuch places beſet with woods and groaues: ſuch places vnderunder trees, and on hilles, which they called high places, Deut. 12. 2. 3. &c.the fathers alſo delighted in to offer, before the Lord forbad them, being mooued thereby to the meditation of heauenly things the rather. And the Idolaters did the like vntounto their Idols, as theſe here did in offering to Baal, through a ſuperſtitious opinion that ſuch places were fitteſt to ſtirre vp deuotion. And therefore God commanded them to be caſt and cut downe, and their altars to be deſtroyed. And this did God command Gedeon here to doe, and another to bee builded: and that ſecond bullocke that was appointed for Baal, to bee offered as a burnt offering to the Lord, with the wood of the groue which was cut downe.
Here for our inſtruction, out of theſe two verſes, this is worthily to be Doct. verſ. 25. 26. &c.noted, that when God at that time went about to deliuer Iſrael from the bondage of the Midianites, hee would yet hauehave Idolatrie to be firſt ouerthrowne, leſt they ſhould afterward returne to it againe. Teaching vsus thereby, that nothing goeth forward happily in the Common-wealth, except good order be taken firſt for the walfare of the Church, namely, by rooting out, and caſting downe Idolatry and ſuperſtitious worſhipping of God, and ignorance; and a planting and ſtabliſhing of the true preaching of the Goſpell. Which teacheth both Magiſtrates what is firſt to be done of them to the people committed to their gouernment, and alſo priuate men; that in vaine they ſhall looke (either the one or the other) to proſper in their liues, I meane, to enioy Gods bleſſing with cheerefulnes and ſound comfort, if God be not with an vpright heart firſt honoured and ſerued. But if this be, is it all? No, but euen then let them looke to the manner of their worſhipping God alſo, and namely in hearing, let them take heed how they heare, as Chriſt teacheth, and that is, by caſting away all guile, maliciouſnes, &c. and to receiue the word (ſo as it may be ingrafted in them) with meeknes and Luke 8 18. Iawes 1. 21.teachablenes, as becommeth beleeuers. But more of that in another place.
In the meane while, as I hauehave ſaid of Idolatrie, ſo I ſay of their ſinnes; let vsus further learne therefore, that as they were commanded to put away Idolatrie, which was their ſinne, before they could doe God true ſeruice any other way; ſo I ſay, let vsus learne, that before we offer to God any acceptable dutie, we put away our ſinne, whatſoeuer it be, that riſeth vp in our way, be it neuer ſo liking and well pleaſing to vsus: For it doth but choake and ſmother the graces of God in vsus, if there be any, euen as the briars and brambles doe the corne, that it cannot ſpring vp and proſper. And this rule is to bee obſerued of vsus both of the firſt time, when God counteth vsus faithfull, and 1. Tim. 1. 12.putteth vsus in his ſeruice, and of all times following, when wee hauehave ſtepped aſide. Thus Eliah before he reſtored the ſound worſhip of God, deſtroyeth 1. King 18. 40.the Baalites: and the ſame courſe tooke al the good Kings which reformed the Church, as Iehoſhaphat, Hezekiah, Ioſiah. And … charged the Iſraelites to deſtroy and roote out the Canaanites at their firſt entring vponupon their poſſeſſions, as wee hauehave heard in this booke, and before: foretelling them, that otherwiſe they would draw them from his true worſhip. Iacob therefore before he went vp to Bethel to worſhip God, did by his commandement, Gen. 35. 1.cauſe all his houſehold and thoſe that were with him, lately come out of Padan Aram from Laban, to put away their Idols, and clenſe themſelues, that ſo they might worſhip the Lord in good ſort and manner. So we muſt purge out the old leauen, and become a new lumpe, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh: 1. Cor. 5. 8.For it fareth with vsus herein, as with the ſtomacke: which though it receiue neuer ſo good meates, yet the bodie proſpereth not by them, if it be A ſimilitude.full of corrupt humours: no more doe we thriue in any good actions wee take in hand, if we goe about them, being fraught and clogged with our ſins knowne, or ſuch as are ſuſpected to be in vsus, till as moſt filthie corruption they be purged out. Therefore alſo Saint Peter requireth, that men put away all maliciouſnes and guile, with ſuch like annoiance firſt; and then as new borne 1. Pet. 2. 1. 2.babes deſire the ſincere milke of the word, that they may grow thereby.
And as a ſore or wound in the bodie, though neuer ſo good ſalues be laid thereto, is not healed thereby, vnleſſe the corruption and hurtfull humours A ſimilitude.be firſt drawne out: ſo is it with vsus. So that not onelyonly this is true in the generall reformation of the Church, but alſo of each particuler member of it, and perſon. And it is the order which the Lord vſeth in the fitting of all his people for his vſe: firſt he mortifieth them, then he quickens them. Neither could our Lord Ieſus hauehave riſen againe for our iuſtification, if he had not Rom. 4. 25.firſt died for our ſins and tranſgreſſion. And let him who would hauehave ſound comfort in his doing of dutie, firſt learne this obedience, to ſubdue and bring into ſubiection, his rebellious and euill heart and luſts, with … thereof, and then the other ſhall proceed roundly, without impediment. For all the good doctrine which God hath ordained to ſweeten and … the ſoule with, and to furniſh the life, alſo the helpe and benefit of praier and the Sacraments, they all loſe their for…, and leaue no fruite in vsus behinde them, if wee be loden (eueryevery one) with the foule and loathſome ſinnes, in which hee hath liued, and that they bee not purged out by true repentance.
And this is eaſie to be perceiued and ſeene, as in perſons, ſo in eueryevery place, towne, Church and houſe, where the forementioned meanes are vſed. And who among vsus that hauehave any experience, but they hauehave marked this in many, and neede not be aſhamed to ſay it of themſelues, that whatſoeuer rules and good inſtruction, for the well guiding of our liues, hauehave bin giuen, and learned of vsus, with the benefit of the Sabbath, with prayer, publike or priuate, and ſuch like; they hauehave come to a ſmall reckoning, and they doe vsus little good, if we hauehave not let out the venome of rancour, ſpite, deſire of reuenge, vncleane luſts, worldlineſſe, and the like, that hauehave been ſeated and ſpread in our hearts, and caſt vp (as filthie vomit) the noiſome fruite thereof, out of our liues.
And it is the cauſe at this day of ſo little profiting, and ſo ſlender fruites of our preaching, as we complaine of iuſtly, and inueigh againſt it bitterly; for that people are at a point, they will doe as they hauehave done, and retaine Note.the ſinnes which in times paſt they hauehave walked and delighted in, when yet we hauehave daily, in the earneſteſt manner that wee could, diſgraced, and made them odious, with the moſt fearful & ſharp threats of God adioyned thereto. Yea and contrariwiſe, if any make right and kinde vſe of our Miniſterie, who ſeeth not, that they be thoſe that waxe aſhamed of themſelues, after they hauehave ſeene their faces in the glaſſe of Gods law, and with Ephraim bemoned themſelues, & bin confounded, becauſe they did beare the reproch Iere. 31. 18. 19.of their youth; when the old rootes hauehave thus bin decaied, then new ſprigs of grace hauehave ſprung out in their roome, and then they hauehave begun to lament after God. Magiſtrate, Miniſter, Maſter of family, and priuate perſons, if they be well aduiſed, they ſpeake thus, yea, they all finde this to be true.
And in this 25. verſe, it is further ſaid, as we ſee, that God appeared here Doct. verſ. 25.to Gedeon in the night, when it might hauehave ſeemed that he had been neglected and forgotten, euen then gaue he a weightie charge vntounto him: whereby we are taught that God watcheth ouer his to doe them good, when they are ſleepie, and minde nothing: as we reade he did to Samuel, Salomon, and 1. Sam. 3. 4. 1. King. 3. 5. Pſal. 121. 4.other of his faithfull ſeruants. For he that keepeth Iſrael doth neither ſlumber nor ſleepe: meaning that he waketh and watcheth continually to keepe his from danger: for the which cauſe it is ſaid, by the Apoſtle Peter, that his eyes are vponupon them, as the mothers vponupon the young childe, ſtanding by, to ſee that it take no hurt. For, as it is in the Pſalme; if the Lord keepe not the citie, the watchmen watch but in vaine: but if God take part with his, the ſtrongeſt enemie ſhall not be able to hurt them. It is ſaid of Peter, Act. 12. 6. that while he ſlept betweene two ſouldiers in the night, bound with two chaines, the Angell of the Lord came vponupon them, and ſmote Peter on the ſide, ſo that his chaines fell off, and he was deliuered from Herod. See alſo Pſal. 4. I will lay Act. 12. 6.… owne and take my reſt, for thou (O Lord) vpholdeſt me. But ſeeing Pſal. 4. 8.…e keepeth the bad alſo, and there ſome (perhaps) will ſay, therefore it might …me no great matter, that he keepeth and watcheth ouer the faithfull: but for anſwere, I ſay with the Apoſtle God is the ſauiour of all men, that is, from 1. Tim. 4. 10.outward troubles, but eſpecially of the beleeuers; for he preſerueth their ſoules from euill, vntounto ſaluation. As if he ſaid, he keepeth and ſaueth his own with a fatherly care and affection, but the wicked, though he keepe them, yet he doth ſo as a Iudge keepeth aliue euill doers, but vntounto their deſtruction. But of his people that is verified which is written by Salomon: He watcheth ouer them, when they ſleepe, and communeth with them when they awake, Prou. 6. 22.and when they walke he doth gouerne and guide them. And hereupon, in that Gods care is thus ouer his, in the night ſeaſon, as well as in other parts of their liues, hereupon I ſay it is, that as they reioyce in the Lord alwaies in all that they ſet their hand vntounto through the day; ſo they hauehave this fruite of it in the night alſo, that they meditate and make their ſongs of his louing kindneſſe, as Dauid ſaith of himſelfe, that he would praiſe God in the night Pſal. 119. 62.ſeaſon, when the other hauehave their terrors, for their bad doings, or imagine euill in their beds to draw vponupon them greater and ſpeedier iudgements.
Now further, out of both theſe verſes together note, that as it was not enough for Gedeon to ouerthrow the Altar of Baal, vnleſſe he builded another Doct. 2. in verſ. 25. 26.to the Lord; nor to build one to the Lord, vnleſſe he caſt downe the Idolatrous Altar: Euen ſo, it is not enough to ſhunne euill, except we doe good. And therefore it is not ſufficient to be no couetous perſon, except a man bee mercifull: it is not enough to bee innocent, except a man be alſo fruitfull in doing good; for one God is the commander of both. It is a true ſpeech, Negatiues conclude nothing: and here it is eſpecially true. Therefore let all ſuch, as whoſe goodneſſe and outward actions witneſſe not for them, ſuſpect that they deceiue themſelues in the reforming of the hart. For ſurely an heart purged, will bee fruitfull. Againe, it is not inough to forſake Poperie, &c. vnleſſe the pure Goſpell bee imbraced. Let the one abandon the other, as Dagon and the Arke could not ſtand together. They that make an hotch-potch of both, are an abomination to the Lord. And here we may further learne, that two religions in a land, though the one tolerated onelie, two contray or diuers waies I meane, of worſhipping God, can no more ſtand together then Chriſt and Belial. For then the Lord would hauehave ſpared Gedeon a labour, and only enioyned him to goe about the warre and ſettle ſound religion, letting idolatrie alone. The falſe religion is the canker of Ioſh. 7. 24.the true, and as the execrable thing tooke hold vponupon the whole ſubſtance of Achan: ſo doth this bring a curſe vponupon the other. Now to returne, whereas the Lord bad the bullocke, dedicated to Baal, to be offered as a burnt ſacrifice to himſelfe: I anſwer, he is Lord of all, he might turne it to what vſe he pleaſed. But it followeth not, that we, without his commandement, may take vponupon vsus to iumble together Gods worſhip, and ſuperſtition. For the which cauſe, as ſometime he commanded that the gold and other things vſed in idolatrie, ſhould paſſe through the fire, and ſo it might be vſed, ſo ſomtime, he commanded, that they ſhould vtterly be deſtroyed. To returne therfore in a word, to the point: As we ſee what a blemiſh it had been in Gedeon, if he had done the one part of the charge, and not another, like Saul in the 1. Sam. 15. 15. 26.buſineſſe of the Amalakites; ſo by the way, it teacheth, that God alowes not for ſeruice, duties done by halues, but that they ſhould be ſoundly and in one part and point as another indeuored after: neither doth hee allow vsus to bee our owne caruers to take what pleaſeth vsus, and turne the other backe again, which we may ſee more clearely by the example of one that was guiltie of this fault. Of Iehu it is reported, that when he had ſlaine all the curſed poſteritie of Ahab, and deſtroyed the Prieſts of Baal (which was the purging out of falſe worſhip in great part) yet whereas the other part of ſetting vp true worſhip ſhould hauehave followed it, the text makes a ſtop, and ſets downe a manifeſt ſeparation betwixt them thus: But from the ſinnes of Ieroboam the ſonne 2. King. 10. 29.of Nebat Iehu departed not; nay more, nor from their golden Calues in Bethel and Dan. Why then did he deſtroy Baal? Surely he was carried to it, by a common gift of the holy Ghoſt, euen feruency in that worke: which made him an inſtrument for that purpoſe; but that he did it not with a true deteſtation of the ſinne, it is manifeſt, for then hee would hauehave abandoned the other alſo, and hauehave reſtored pure worſhip in ſtead of it. This ſhould teach vsus, that holy inſtruction, which is ſo oft in general commended to vsus, when we hauehave hated to the pit of hell (for ſo the word ſignifieth in that place) that which is euill, then neglect not to doe that which is good. Rom. 13. nay to cleaue to Rom. 13. 9.it as a thing which is cemented as glaſſe windowes are, the words are pithy. So ſaith the Apoſtle, Let him that ſtole ſteale no more: yet it is not ſufficient; Epheſ. 4. 28.that a man be not a thiefe; therefore he addeth, But worke with his hands, and doe the thing that is good, for that is a good token he is reformed. And commonly in Scripture we ſhall ſee this order obſerued: that vntounto prohibitions firſt ſet downe, there are added commandements of dutie: for though of the two it is the firſt and hardeſt, to purge out a corrupt habite and a leaud qualitie: yet it is not all, God will hauehave it appeare to be ſo by a new and contrary practiſe to the former, that the worke may be ſound and perfect. Neither doth he command men to clenſe out their euil, and ſo keep themſelues void, empty and barren of grace: (which were to ſet vp a neutralitie rather then Chriſtianity) but he wil hauehave men ſeaſoned with grace, and ſtabliſhed Heb. 13. 9.with it, as it is to the Hebrewes. And he who commandeth vsus not to ſow among thornes nor weedes, giues vsus no libertie to neglect planting, when we hauehave rooted vp the other.
For cutting downe the groues, it was before this time (that Gedeon was Doct. 2. verſ. 25. Deut. 12. 3.charged to do it) commanded ſo by God in Deuteronomy; which argueth, that they were greatly abuſed, as other waies, ſo in worſhipping ſtrange Gods there. True it is, that the old fathers did before the forbidding thereof, worſhip God vponupon high hils, from whence, they ſeeing farre off, the varietie of Gods creatures, it was a meanes of good meditations to them, and of more ſequeſtring of their minds from earthlineſſe. And we our ſelues being on high places, and beholding the trees, and other creatures of God a farre off, with the ſituation of the countries on hilles and vallies, what an admiration at the infinite workes of God commeth into our minds, thereby? we are brought to heauenly meditations, and to ponder Gods power, wiſdome and louelove to vsus. The Idolaters (no doubt) choſe thoſe places for the pleaſantneſſe of them, that thereby, and with the delight they had in the worſhipping of their idols, they might be rauiſhed in their ſuperſtitious maner, as the Papiſts in their falſe and will worſhip, when they be at their fond deuotion, in the places beſet with Crucifixes and other Images, ſounds and ſonne…s, doe imagine and dreame that they bee in a corner not of paradiſe, but of heauen itſelfe. Thus can the diuell tranſforme himſelfe into an Angell of 2. Cor. 11. 14.light.
And here we may ſee, that howſoeuer Gedeon was accounted of God for Doct. 3. in verſe 25.his faithfulneſſe; yet his father maintained idolatrie; for his were the wood or groue, the altar and the bullock, being implements of their idolatrie. And theſe the Lord commanded Gedeon to remooue and take away, to the end wee may learne, that in purging religion, or in the amending of faults, wee muſt alwaies begin with our owne families, and neareſt kindred; leſt otherwiſe we ſhould ſhew our ſelues ridiculous, in ſeeming to be very forward in reproouing and correcting other, while our owne bee neglected and paſſed 1. Pet. 4. 17.by. Thus God beginneth iudgement at his owne houſe. Thus did Ioſhua Ioſh. 24. 15.in his reforming the whole Congregation, profeſſe moſt worthily, I and my houſe will ſerue the Lord. And Ely, a Iudge alſo, for not gouerning his houſe, and ſtaying the outrage of his ſonnes, is ſeuerely threatned. And good reaſon: for ſithence next to our ſelues (who muſt firſt of all be reformed, or els our zeale ill becommeth vsus, and argueth hypocriſie) the next, I ſay, are our kindred and families. Therefore wee muſt without partialitie firſt ſet vponupon them, that ſo it may appeare that we deteſt ſinne heartily, in that we cannot endure it in thoſe whom we louelove beſt: and others may be aſhamed to ſtand out in their owne defence, and feare to offend. For if the father firſt begin with his children, how ſhall his ſeruants looke to eſcape?
Now it followeth how Gedeon did that which God commanded him, Verſ. 27. The ſenſe.but ſeeing he appointed him no time when hee ſhould doe it, he therefore diſpatched it in the night, for feare, leſt if he had done it in the day, he might hauehave been withſtood by his fathers ſeruants, and the men of the citie; yea, and himſelfe hauehave been ſlaine. In that he obeyed the Lord, he teſtified his faith: in that hee did it at the beſt aduantage, in the night, hee ſhewed his wiſedome. And though he feared, yet his feare was not ſuch, as it hindred his faith.
In both theſe, Gedeons example is our inſtruction: his faith firſt is to bee Doct. verſ. 27. Gal. 1. 16.followed of vsus, that by meanes of it, wee ſhould not commune with fleſh and blood, when God commandeth ought vntounto vsus, but beare downe all lets that ſtand vp in the way to hinder vsus from obeying: as friends, and counſell giuers againſt it, and count them, as Chriſt did Peter, when hee diſwaded him Matth. 16 23.from going to Ieruſalem to ſuffer death for his people, hee called him an aduerſarie to him, euen Satan. So muſt all ſtrong rebellion be beaten downe, (that ſtandeth vp in our way) by this weapon of our warfare, which 2. Cor. 1…. 4.is not carnall but ſpirituall, and mightie through God, to cast downe ſtrong holds; it muſt, I ſay, by this armour of our faith, bee brought into ſubiection. And for example: if feare ſtand vp in the way particularly, to hinder vsus, let faith ſtriue with it to caſt it out, which is beſt able of any grace that is in vsus, to ouercome and put it by. And thus did Eſter, who had no ſtronger weapon then her faith, in as great perill of her owne, and her peoples life, both which with Gedeon are ſet forth for the example of al that ſhall come after, to follow them in belieuing. But oh, where are ſuch to be found, who ſhall be readie, (no, though it be in the hazard of the Church) to doe that which theſe did, I meane, to fixe their faith on God; or if any be ſo minded, yet how weaklie and faintly ſhall it be done, and how long ſhall it be in performing? But this hath often been ſpoken of.
And this be ſaid of Gedeons faith: now ſomewhat be ſaid likewiſe of his Doct. 2.wiſedome. His wiſedome is highly 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, Matth. 10. 16.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 vsus. So did Sampſon in the great deſtruction of the Philiſtims, watch Iudg. 16. 30.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 vponupon 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 1 Sam. 18. 5.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 giuegive no aduantage to the wicked, nor the diuell; but take the beſt and fitteſt occaſions to bee well occupied, as time and place giuegive 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. Note.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 Iud. 5. 24.for her wiſdome ſhe ſhewed to pull downe Siſera. And thus Abigail by her 1. Sam. 25. 34. Prou. 14. 1.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 2. Sam 20. 16.teach vsus 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.