Commentary on Judges, Sermon 48
THE FORTIE EIGHT SERMON ON THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
NOw followeth the fruit of all this, namely, Gedeons thankes to God with reuerence, and how he was hereby much reuiued Verſ. 15.himſelfe, and ſurred vp his ſouldiers to be ſo likewiſe. Heerein wee may (notwithſtanding the imperfections that wee hauehave heard of him,) clearely ſee his faith, both in that hee went to the hoaſt when God willed him, beleeuing that hee ſhould bee comforted thereby, and now the more when hee had ſurer hope thereof by the interpretation of the dreame, as God had told him before: for hee was now cheered, and beleeued further. Thus it behoueth vsus to grow to beleeue and Note.reioyce in that which ſometime wee could not: and that faith in one promiſe may bring and breed it in another, that ſo it may be confirmed in vsus, as it was in him, that ſo wee being rooted in faith, wee may, as the Apoſtle willeth, grow and abound therein with thankeſgiuing.Coloſ. 2. 7.
And beſides, we may learne, that our thankes ought to be renued for benefits as they are daily beſtowed vponupon vsus, (euen as wee made prayers for 2them before) as well as benefits paſt. And this is not to bee neglected as a thing little worth, but to bee duly and ſpeedily regarded: euen as all other duties are to be done in their time and ſeaſon, and not poſted off and omitted for eueryevery trifle: for herein Gedeon hath giuen vsus an example. As ſoone as he receiued the promiſe of victory made him of God by the interpretation of the dreame, hee returned beleeuing it, and gaue praiſe to God for it, and that by and by, and delayed not. But herein we come farre ſhort of him, and alſo in taking the opportunity to doe all other duties ſpeedily and in ſeaſon. What time is fitter to record Gods mercies then in the morning, after we be perfectly awake, both in conſidering our preſeruation in the night paſt from the dangers thereof, and that his goodneſſe is renued vponupon vsus ſtill for the Lam. 3. 23.time to come, to guard and bleſſe vsus as in former times: now therfore what time I ſay is fitter then it, to ſtirre vsus vp both to thankes, and alſo to renue our ſuites to the Lord for continuance of his fauour? But who watcheth to take this opportunity hereunto, but letteth it paſſe rather through ſloth, worldlineſſe, frowardneſſe, &c? And the ſame I may ſay of our careleſneſſe in other Note.things; when we hauehave both leiſure and opportunity to renue our couenants with the Lord, and to bee armed and reſolute throughout the day, againſt eueryevery euill and prouocation to ſinne through the day, that ſo wee might walke at liberty and in peace: yet who regardeth it, but rather trifleth out the time any way, or elſe doth worſe, rather then to ſet his heart the beſt way? But of this duty I hauehave elſewhere ſpoken more largely.
So wee may note the property and force of faith, to wit, to cheere the heart, and to quicken and ſtrengthen it, ſo farre as in the meaſure of it, it layeth hold of that which it receiueth, and is promiſed, as I ſaid before. And laſtly, how experience imboldeneth vsus, and cauſeth vsus to prouoke others to beleeue, and ſerue the Lord together with our ſelues, and to make them ſtrong, cheerefull, and comfortable alſo: and this is the end of our experience, and the vſe that wee ſhould make of it toward others, and it pleaſeth the Lord well, that wee ſhould doe ſo, as wee ſee Gedeon did to his few ſouldiers.
The third part of the Chapter.
Verſ. 16. And hee diuided the three hundred men into three bands, and gaue eueryevery man a trumpet in his hand with emptie pitchers, and lampes within the pitchers.
17. And he ſaid vntounto them, Looke on me, and doe likewiſe, when I come to the ſide of the hoaſt: euen as I doe, ſo doe you.
18. When I blow with a trumpet and all that are with me, blow ye with trumpets alſo, on eueryevery ſide of the hoast, and ſay, for the Lord, and for Gedeon.
19. So Gedeon and the hundred men that were with him, came vntounto the outſide of the hoaſt in the beginning of the middle watch, and they raiſed vp the watchmen, and they blew with their trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
20. And the three companies blew with the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held their lampes in their left hands, and their trumpets in their right hands to blow withall, and they cried, The ſword of the Lord and of Gedeon.
21. And they ſtood eueryevery man in his place round about the hoaſt: and all the hoaſt ranne, and cried, and fled.
22. And the three hundred blew with trumpets, and the Lord ſet eueryevery mans ſword vponupon his neighbour, and vponupon all the hoaſt: ſo the hoaſt fled to Beth-b…ſhittah in Zererah, and to the border of Abel-meholah vntounto Tabbah.
23. Then the men of Iſrael being gathered together out of Nephtali, and out of Aſhur, and out of all Manaſſeth purſued after the Midianites.
NOw after theſe many trials followeth the iſſue, and that in manner here The ſence of theſe verſes.ſet downe. For firſt Gedeon made haſt, and by that meanes came vponupon the Midianites, ere they were aware, and deferred not the time, in the middle watch, which was a little after midnight: for ſo it much behoued him to do, to come vponupon them in the fearefull time of the night, and in the deep darke, when Gedeon and his men could not be ſeene, how few they were. In which his ſo comming, hee willed his men whom hee diuided into three bands, to take emptie pitchers with lampes in them, and trumpets in their hands: that after the blowing of them, and flighting and frighting of the enemies with the ſtrange and vnlooked for noiſe thereof, they might breake the pitchers alſo, by the hearing of the which, it might ſeeme to them that their ſpeares were broken with fighting, and then the lampes ſuddenly appeared, aſtoniſhing the Midianites, and giuing light to themſelues. Thus did he, and his ſouldiers did likewiſe, though that all this which they did, might hauehave been thought to bee to ſmall purpoſe. But the effect thereof, by the onelyonly wiſe and wonderfull gouernment of the Lord, was this, that one of the Midianites ſlue another, broke their aray and fled away, crying, much like that which was done, chap. 3. And they that were Chap. 3. 27.ſcattered, and not ſlaine, were purſued by the Iſraelites, and taken. Now as there are in theſe verſes three things in generall, to wit, the direction that Gedeon gaue his men; then their following it; and laſtly, the effect that enſued, ſo let vsus conſider them in particular.
And firſt to begin with theſe three verſes together, let vsus note, that Gedeons Doct. verſ. 15. 16. 17.ſpeed that he made in taking the opportunity and fit ſeaſon, to doe the things that we hauehave heard, teacheth all Chriſtians to doe the ſame: namely, that they take time in eueryevery thing that they go about, while it is ſeaſonable, for afterwards it will be too late. In time reape and ſow, and doe thy buſineſſe, eate in time, ſleepe and trauell while it is light, as our Sauiour directeth, Eccleſ. 9. 10.ſaying: Are there not twelue houres in the day? So in all duties of Chriſtianity, Ioh. 11. 9.in giuing to the poore, doe it in his need, in ſeeking the Lord, goe about it while he may be found, ſo in auoiding and forſaking ſinne, reſiſt it in Eſa. 55. 6.the beginning; and helping to puniſh wickedneſſe, and preuenting Gods wrath, doe all accordingly, in fit and due ſeaſon. There was a time, when the rich man might hauehave ſuccoured Lazarus, and that was, while hee lay at his gates: but when Lazarus was dead, the time was gone.Luk. 16. 25.
So there was a time wherein the fiue fooliſh Virgins might hauehave prouided oyle for their lampes: that was, before the bridegroome came: but Matth 25. 12.when he was come, and the doore was ſhun, the time was paſt. So there is a time in which men may repent, that they may be ſaued: that is, while God ſendeth his meſſengers to call them; but when they let the ſeaſon paſſe in the daies of their youth: after, when the time of age, ſickneſſe, and death Eccleſ. 12. 1.commeth: a thouſand to one if the time be not gone, and that it be not then too late. For beſide that there are many things in the way to hinder: this is none of the leaſt, that late repentance is dangerous. Oh what hath been loſt by paſſing by the fit time and ſeaſon, the lamenting it deepely by our Sauiour in the people of Ieruſalem doth ſhew, when hee ſaid: O if thou had eſt Luk. 19. 42.euen knowne at leaſt in this thy day, thoſe things which belong to thy peace, but now are they hid from thine eyes.
Therefore Saint Paul told the Corinthians, This is the acceptable time, (that is, while they might heare him) this is the day of ſaluation. Sutable here unto 2. Cor. 6. 2.is that of the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 5. Redeeme the ſeaſon: by which exhortation he Epheſ. 5. 16.teacheth, that although no time ſhould bee ſpent vnprofitably, yet ſeaſons, (which are times hauing ſome ſpeciall fitneſſe in them aboue others, to doe or receiue good in) muſt more carefully be obſerued; yea redeemed, that is, dedicated to holy vſe, by forgoing ſomthing pleaſing to the fleſh, to purchaſe them. For not onelyonly workes vnlawfull and needleſſe, but euen lawfull and in their time, neceſſary, muſt giuegive place to fit ſeaſons: becauſe then God offereth occaſion of ſome ſpirituall gaine, which at other times cannot bee obtained. As the Sabbath is a ſeaſon for inſtruction and edification, one day of ſeuen: the other ſixe hauehave not, but by occaſion, the opportunity which that hath So when God ſendeth publike or priuate iudgements vponupon the land, or any perſons, that is a ſeaſon of faſting, humiliation, renuing our couenant: and contrariwiſe ſpeciall bleſſings and deliuerances are opportunities of thankſgiuing, and reioycing. In which and all others S. Iames teacheth Iam. 5. 13.vsus what to do: Is any man afflicted? let him pray: ſo, is any merrie, let him ſing: for theſe are occaſions worth the taking, and not alway occurrent: therefore as God diſpoſeth of vsus, ſo let vsus apply our ſelues, and improue the ſeaſon to the beſt vſe, and ſuffer not our ſelues to vaniſh away, and abuſe it, through our follie and vnſeaſonableneſſe: which ſione is more common, euen among the better ſort, then they ſuſpect, to ſuffer themſelues to paſſe ouer the beſt occaſions vnfruitfully. Whereas alas, how ſhall they ſpend their whole time well, who ſpend their beſt ſeaſons badly? As wee know, in the morning, both body and mind is in beſt time for meditation, or any fruitfull exerciſe: if that periſh without fruit, how can the whole day after for the moſt part, be otherwiſe then barrenly and weariſomely paſſed? Men worke vponupon their trades ordinarily we ſee: but if their trades bee vp, that is, the wares which they make doe take a great price, and are quicker of ſale then at other times: how will they beſtirre themſelues, and ſet eueryevery one on worke whom they can come by, riſing early, going late to bed, and in a word, how vnwearied are they? It is their ſeaſon they ſay. What buſineſſe will not the houſholder lay aſide on the market day? why? that he may vſe that ſeaſon to furniſh himſelfe for the whole weeke with prouiſion? what thinke we? will the Merchant game, play, drinke, ſleepe, or trifle out the ſeaſon Matth. 13. 45.of his merchandiſe, when hee is come to the place of trafficke beyond ſea? No, all muſt yeeld to the ſeaſon, hee neglects his pleaſure to redeeme that. And if we faile in well vſing the ſeaſons which offer themſelues, what likelihood is there, we will ſhew our ſelues wiſe in procuring ſeaſons to our ſelues? As the truth is, an eaſie thing it were to doe, if wee were not vnſauory, and vnwilling to heare of any thing more then ordinary. But ſomewhat to this effect i noted before in Gedeons deſtroying Idolatry.
Alſo this carrying of pitchers in their hands, as Gedeon willed them to do: Doct. 2.a few vnarmed men, (euen three hundred) againſt ſome hundred thouſand, well prepared ſouldiers, what an vnlikely matter was it, that they ſhould effect any thing thereby? But wee ſee what a wonderfull victory it brought. The like may bee ſaid of Ioſhuas compaſſing the walles of Iericho, Ioſh. 6. 20.ſeuen daies, with blowing trumpets of Rams hornes: and yet ſeeing the Lord promiſed, and he beleeued it, the walles of the city at the appointed time fell downe. By both wee learne, that though the meanes bee neuer ſo weake, to effect any good at all, yet if God direct vsus to them, and promiſe to worke bv them, it behoueth vsus to looke vp to him, as Gedeon heere did, and wee ſhall ſee the power of God in vſing them though they bee weake: for though they ſerue not for one vſe, which carnall reaſon doth onelyonly looke to, yet they ſhall ſerue for another, which God euer intendeth by them.
Euen as heere wee ſee, that although theſe meanes heere vſed by Gedeon and his ſouldiers, ſerued not to beate downe and deſtroy their enemies: yet we ſee that they ſerued to terrifie, affright, and ſcatter them, and to ſet one of them againſt another. And yet our carnall reaſon, if wee truſt not to weapons in warre, ſcoffes at our faſting and prayer, by which Iehoſaphat got great 2. Chro. 20. 3. 17.victory, and Heſter the Queene preuailed againſt that wicked Haman in a moſt great difficulty. So preaching is fooliſh to reaſon, and humane wiſdome Heſt. 4. 16. compared with 7. 10.for bringing men to Chriſt. But reade 1. Cor. 1. what the Apoſtle there ſaith, to wit, That we muſt become fooles that we may bewiſe: while yet the 1. Cor. 1. 26.wit of man deuiſeth another way, and moſt fit to deceiue himſelfe: as for example, if he be predeſtinate to ſaluation, he ſaith he ſhall be ſaued, though he neuer heare ſermon. And euen ſo men ſpeake of watching ouer their liues, praying, and the worſhipping of God in their familie, and the like; that they are more then need to be vſed. So they perſwade themſelues that policie, toile and labour are all in all, to bring Gods bleſſing vponupon them, in all that they ſet their hands vntounto, though the Prophet in the Pſalme hauehave taught the contrary, ſaying: Except the Lord build the citie, the labourers toile Pſal. 127. 1.themſelues but in vaine. But of this hath often been ſpoken.
And here we are further to marke the benefit of good example, and how Doct. 3.it preuaileth oft times with inferiours: Gedeon here bids his ſouldiers doe, as they ſaw him doe, ſo that he went before them. As all heads and ſuperiours ſhould likewiſe doe, that they may propound their own example in al good duties. Hence it was, that our Sauiour Chriſt waſhing his Diſciples feete, propounded the ſame to them to be followed, and that ſo they might in humilitie ſerue one another, (as they ſaw him their Maſter to ſerue them) and not to ſet vp themſelues aloft, as they began to do, and aske, which of them ſhould be greateſt. And when the inferiour cannot obiect that the ſuperiour Ioh. 13. 14.doth not ſo himſelf as he requireth of the other, in a dutie common to both, it is a worthie thing.
This is to be applied to the reformation of faults, and the doing of dutie, by word or deed, either in familie or otherwiſe. And therefore it is a ſoreaccuſation againſt ſuch as being to giuegive light to others, take no heede or care themſelues, or very ſlight care, how they walke, among and in the midſt of thoſe, whom they are to giuegive light vntounto. Parents and guides in families, beſide that they doe for the moſt part little reproue the faults and ſins of thoſe who are vnderunder them, vnleſſe it be for and about their owne aduantage, hauehave ſmall care commonly, of their owne behauiour in their ſight, but wil braule and ſcold, contend, and raile, and liue in other ill courſes among them. And Note.it were heartily to be wiſhed, that ſome who are in greater place, and whoſe authoritie reacheth further then priuate mens, did not commit the ſame faults, which they are ſued vntounto to puniſh in others. Oh how much it were to be deſired that the elder and younger might ioyne and accord together in the worke of the Lord: as wee ſee and approue this mutuall conſent and ſweete harmonie in Gedeon and his ſouldiers: I ſay oh that the ancienter in yeeres, gifts, profeſſion and authoritie, (whom it beſt becommeth and concerneth moſt) would incourage and hearten forward the younger ſort, to heare the word, to be zealous againſt ſinne, to be innocent, humble, dutifull, Tit. 24.ſober, companions of the good, abſtainers from ill companie, and in a word to beleeue in the Lord, to cleaue to his promiſes, to ſubmit themſelues to his gouernment in the whole courſe of their life: ſaying to them as Gedeon here ſaith, As ye hauehave ſeene me doe, ſo doe you. Thus Dauid calleth vponupon the people, Come, hearken vntounto me, my children, and I will teach you the feare of the Lord Pſal. 34. 11.by mine owne experience. For thus and thus long hauehave I ſerued him, and I repent me not, that I hauehave ſpent my life in the worke of ſo good a Maſter. Oh how the experience, confidence, cheerefulnes and courage of one aged ſeruant in Gods houſe, animates and puts life into many young beginners and hearers, who (alas) though they be zealous, yet are raw and rude, ignorant and vnexpert, and know not what belongs to ſuch a trade and profeſſion: Note.as how many diſcouragements, feares, baites, offences, prouocations to wearineſſe and apoſtacie they are to meete with, ere their courſe be finiſhed. And what a commendable thing is it, that the younger nouices will yeeld themſelues to their ancients, learne by their inſtructions, be perſwaded by their exhortations, and follow their examples (ſo farre as they tread in the ſteps of Chriſt) with all meeknes and teachablenes, without prefidence 2. Cor. 11. 1.and conceitednes? Oh if it were thus in townes and places, what an heauenly order ſhould we ſee in ſtead of boldnes, prophanenes, and looſenes in all ages and eſtates? For though there be examples giuen, and followed, yet it is by ſuch as are the diuels trumpeters, who leade others after them to inordinate courſes, vncleannes, riot, lying, ſcorning them that be better then themſelues, which indeed are liker Abimilecks troope, then Gedeons. But as for good examples, where ſhall we finde them? who looks to this, to liue Note.ſo in the former part of his life, that he may be a preſident in the latter? And if ſome one odde man be found among an hundred, how doe the multitude of inferiours diſdaine him, and winde him about their fingers? But of examples I hauehave alſo ſaid ſomewhat before.
We hauehave heard what Gedeon bad his men doe: now followeth what he Doct. verſ. 18.bad them ſay, that was this: [For the Lord, and Gedeon] his meaning was, that he would hauehave them boldly and without feare proclaime and ſay one to the heartning and incouraging of another: that the victorie ſhould bee the Lords as the author, and Gedeons as the inſtrument. Thus teaching vsus, that as wee ſhould bee examples in our liues to other, ſo wee ſhould in our words exhort and perſwade, as occaſion ſhall be offered, to beleeue the promiſes of God before they be fulfilled, as Gedeon did here his ſouldiers, to beleeue that God would giuegive them the victorie. Thus did that worthie King Iehoſaphat ſtirre vp and incourage his people, the men of Iudah, to beleeue 2. Chro. 20. 20.the words of Gods Prophet, which had brought tidings to him of deliuerance from the Ammonites, Moabites, and them of mount Seir.
And this hope wee ſhould hauehave our ſelues, by long proofe of Gods promiſe keeping, that wee may thereupon reſolue them (ſo farre as wee can preuaile with them) that there ſhall not a iot of all that God hath ſpoken, fall to the ground: but as our fathers truſted in him, and were not confounded, ſo neither ſhall they be diſappointed nor aſhamed, who truſt in him to the end of the world. And when wee hauehave the like incouragement our ſelues from other, we ſhould no leſſe be confirmed and ſtrengthened, that when they Matth. 5. 17.can ſay to vsus, heauen and earth ſhall periſh, but one title of Gods promiſe ſhall not faile, we may reſt and be ſatisfied. Oh happy are the people, whom the Lord when he commeth, ſhall finde to hauehave been thus exerciſed.