Commentary on Judges, Sermon 67
THE SIXTIE SEVEN SERMON ON THE ELEVNTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
NOw to proceede: In communication betwixt the King of Ammon and Iphtah, it followeth, that he vſed another Verſe 25.reaſon to the King of Ammon by his meſſengers: and that is preſcription, & long continuance of time, euen 300. yeeres well nigh: all which time this ground was neuer claimed. No, nor Balac the King of Moab, when Iſrael was newly come into the cities belonging to it, and dwelt in them, neuer challenged it, nor contended for it, when yet hee ſtroue with them, that they ſhould not enter into his owne borders. Now this reaſon of Iphtah muſt be vnderſtood to follow vponupon the former more pertinent reaſons, after this manner. He had prooued directly, that this land was no part of the Ammonites land: now he proues further, that Ammon could lay no iuſt claime to it in any ſecond reſpect: as becauſe it was a part of the Amorites land, bordering vponupon them. For (ſaith he) then might Moab aſwell (nay better) challenge it then the Ammonites: which yet neither they did, nor had done in 300. yeeres ſpace before. If the reaſon be not thus conſidered, it concludeth nothing: for it doth not directly follow, that Ammon had no title to it, becauſe Moab had none. Thus Iphtah anſwered him, and then committed the ſucceſſe to God. But the King of the Ammonites did not hearken to him.
Although Iphtah ſheweth that for 300. yeeres, Iſrael enioyed the country Doct. verſe 25. 26.of the Amorites quietly, yet hee brought other reaſons alſo, drawne from right and reaſon aſwell as fact and poſſeſſion: which made that more ſtrong as we hauehave heard. All which laid together, did ſufficiently prooue that the land was theirs, and that the King of Ammon did trouble them vniuſtly, and without cauſe. This I ſay, for that we may know, that preſcription of time, as it may fall out, (though ſeldome it doe ſo) is no ſufficient reaſon, to hold our commodities by: but that there may be right on the other ſide, and good proofe for the ſame: and yet our law, ſuppoſing a great likelihood of right to be on our ſides, when we hauehave long enioyed our lands, hath well determined the controuerſie, by giuing it to vsus, when it hath been long enioyed of vsus and our predeceſſors, ſeeing (otherwiſe many endleſſe contentions might ariſe) becauſe it is not like that any aliue can alleage any good reaſon againſt ſo long a cōtinuance of time, neither can bring any thing certaine from former times to ouerthrow it. And the equitie of the law aimeth at that which moſt vſually, though not generally or infallibly, holdeth for the moſt part ordinarily.
And where Iphtah ſaith, that Balak King of Moab ſtood againſt Iſrael ſtiffely to hold him from going through his land, yet hee ſtroue not with them for the recouering this land of the Amorites, which he might as iuſtly hauehave done, as he the King of Ammon did, hee prooueth thereby, that he had nothing to doe with it, nor any right vntounto it. Teaching this thereby, that when men are deadly ſet againſt their aduerſaries for any matter, ſeeking thereby to vexe them in the ſoreſt manner they can, they would ſhew their rancor, in bringing foorth greater crimes and accuſations againſt them then they doe, (whereby they might much more eaſily bring them downe) if they were prouided with any. And whereas they ſeeke to blemiſh their names, or to impoueriſh their eſtate, or to afflict their perſons by reſtraint of libertie, impriſonment or baniſhment: they doe as the old Serpent, bite at their heele, becauſe they cannot breake their head, but they would be gladdeſt of all to ſhed their blood. God indeed plucks them back, and ſo they vomit not their poiſon out, to ſo great miſchiefe as they conceiue it, but fall ſhort: but their poiſon is nothing leſſe deadly for all that, they want but matter to worke vponupon. And this is manifeſt by theſe two ſignes: the one, that they are content to take the ſlighteſt occaſions, and rather chooſe to be ridiculous in their malice, then not malicious: the other, that both they aggrauate their ſlender accuſations, with ſlanderous additions of their owne inuenting, and combe both the warpe and the woof, both the crime and the amplification thereof in the diuels forge, their lying hearts and braines, becauſe the innocency of their aduerſarie yeelds them no iuſt exception. Thus thoſe enemies of our Sauiour (for want of matter) ſuborned falſe witneſſes: which periurie argued, they would not hauehave ſpared to produce true and greater crimes if they could hauehave found them. It is noted of Daniels aduerſaries, Dan. 6. 5.chap. 6. that wanting matter of treaſon, they were faine to bring out his religion againſt him: which (as they contriued the matter, by the law they made for the purpoſe) toucht his life alſo: but if they had found ought to lay to his charge in the other, they would rather hauehave vſed it.
This doctrine ſerueth to anſwere them who pretend for the couering of their malice, that whereas they vexe their aduerſarie one way, they could doe it many waies, and ſay, that they hauehave greater and more cauſes to purſue them, then that one which they alleage. But all ſuch ſpeech is bragging and boaſting without iuſt cauſe: for if they had greater, doth any man doubt but they would take their aduantage by vſing them, when as they proſecute the ſmaller ſo hotly againſt them?
VponUpon the forementioned reaſons, he concludeth, that hee gaue him no cauſe to make warre with him, as he had done, but hee had been ſtirred vp Doct. verſ. 27.vniuſtly againſt him. And as Iphtah was bold to accuſe him, and auouch his owne innocencie, hauing ſo good proofe for both, ſo eueryevery one that can proue the goodneſſe of his cauſe, ſhall bee able boldly to defend his owne innocencie, againſt his aduerſaries and accuſers, to their ſhame and iuſt reproch, and their owne peace and comfort. Whereas other muſt be driuen to vſe ſhifts, as lying, diſſembling, boldnes, heate, multiplying of words, and falſe witneſſes, as may be ſeene in the cauſe of the Prieſts and Phariſies accuſing our Sauiour before Pilat. The truth ſeeketh no corners. See notes vponupon verſes 14. and 15.
And ſo hee appealing to the moſt higheſt for his ſimplicitie in the matter, 2to be iudge therein, he endeth his meſſage. Thus muſt wee be able to doe, I meane not to be afraid, to make the Lord iudge in the cauſe, that ſo, though we be iuſtled to the walles by our vnequall Iudges vponupon earth, yet we may reſt in Gods teſtimonie of and vntounto vsus and our cauſe, and therefore, not fearing man, may be confident; verifying the prouerbe, The righteous Prou. 28. 1. Iob 31. 35.is bold as a lion. In the ſame kinde Iob ſpeaketh, ſaying: Though mine aduerſary ſhould write a booke againſt me, would not I take it vponupon my ſhoulder and binde it as a crowne to me? Meaning it ſhould be to his commendation. But ſeeing the men of the world ſee boldnes ſo much to preuaile in the defence of their bad cauſes, therfore they face out matters themſelues thereby. Wherby this watch-word is needfull to bee giuen them, that men looke not ſo much how boldly they ſtand in the defence of themſelues and their doings, as how truly: for that which in a good cauſe is courage, in an euill is impudence.
But though Iphtah had ſaid enough, and that alſo to good purpoſe, yet we Verſ. 28.ſee that it moued the King of Ammon nothing at all, but as he had taken a bad cauſe in hand, ſo he meant to defend it vntounto the death; euen as men too commonly doe, who hauing begun an ill matter, doe purpoſe to goe forward. So that we ſee wiſe and ſound reaſons, and perſwaſions, howſoeuer they be vſed, both to purpoſe and in ſeaſon, ſo that they (who can iudge) would thinke they might be like to preuaile and moue (eſpecially not knowing the corruption of the heart, which couers it ſelfe with ſhew of honeſtie) yet with the wilfull they doe no good, nor with any ſuch as bewray themſelues (being put to it) to be reſolute to do wrong, and of a preiudicate mind, or poſſeſſed of ſtrong paſſions. Therfore it is that Salomon ſaith, A word more Prou. 17. 10.entreth into the wiſe, then an hundred ſtripes will auaile with the froward. This humour poſſeſſeth many, whom it would not eaſily be thought to be in, and therefore (being diſcouered) ſo much the worſe beſeemeth them, euen ciuill courteous perſons, ſtill, and ſometimes religious: becauſe, either they ſuſpect not themſelues, and ſo are ouertaken by any occaſion ſuddenly falling out: or elſe they nouriſh this ſerpent in their boſome wilfully. Naaman was taken with that tech, (and no marueile he being an Heathen (when he heard the Prophets anſwere, by what meanes he told him he ſhould be healed. But highly to be commended was Dauid, who receiued the counſell of Abigail (a woman) ſo readily, to turne him from a cruell and wicked reſolution. And euen ſo, they who are obſtinate, (as thinking it a diſcredit to them to deſiſt) ſhall meete with more ſhame by proceeding: but happie are the meeke and tractable, who receiue the wholeſome words of exhortation, and ſtop not their eares from good counſell, but ſubmit themſelues without reſpect thereto: ſuch ſhall deliuer themſelues from great euill. And (a man would thinke) ſuch behauiour doth better become profeſſors of the Goſpell, then wilfulnes and obſtinacie. Concerning the vſe, whereof I hauehave ſpoke ſomewhat by the like occaſion in the 21. and 22. verſes: let the reader ioyne them both together.
Verſ. 29. Then the ſpirit of the Lord came vponupon Iphtah, and hee paſſed ouer to Gilead, and to Manaſſeh, and came to Mizpeh in Gilead, and from Mizpeh in Gilead, he went vntounto the children of Ammon.
30. And Iphtah vowed a vow vntounto Lord, and ſaid, If thou ſhalt deliuer the children of Ammon into mine hands,
31. Then that thing that commeth out of the doores of mine houſe to meete me, when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon, ſhall be the Lords, and I will offer it for a burnt offering.
32. And ſo Iphtah went vntounto the children of Ammon to fight againſt them, and the Lord deliuered them into his hands:
33. And he ſmote them from Aroer vntill thou come to Minneth, twentie Cities, and ſo foorth to Abel of the vineyards, with an exceeding great ſlaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were humbled before the children of Iſrael.
The third part of the Chapter.
IN this third part it is ſhewed generally, that Iphtah ouercame and ſubdued the Ammonites. And in particular, firſt how God gaue him the ſpirit The ſenſe of theſe fiue verſes.of courage and fortitude to this end. Secondly, that before hee entred the battell hee made a vow to the Lord, that if hee ſhould get the victorie, hee would offer that to him, which ſhould firſt come out of doores to meete him. Thirdly, how after this he went forward to Gilead and Manaſſeh, and came to the place where the Ammonites were: and ſo laſtly, how (fighting with them) the Lord deliuered them into his hands.
In this verſe it is ſhewed how Iphtah came to the Ammonites: from Mizpeh in Gilead (for it is diſtinguiſhed from that Mizpeh, that is in the Tribe of Inda.) Before that, the Lord had furniſhed him with gifts of his ſpirit fit for warre, both valiantnes of mind and ſtrength of body, as was ſaid before. And by this it may appeare, that the Lord had appointed before, that hee Doct verſ. 29.ſhould be their Iudge and deliuerer, though it was vnknowne to the people when they ſent to him to hauehave him to be their Captaine.
Now for our inſtruction and benefit, heere wee may ſee, that when the Lord appointeth any man to any ſpeciall calling, hee giues him gifts for the diſcharge of it. When Moſes was to be ſent to Pharao, hee alleaged his vnfitnes and vnſufficiencie to ſpeak to a King, the Lord prouided for that, before he began to diſcharge it. The Apoſtles likewiſe whom Chriſt left weake and vnfurniſhed for ſuch a worke as they were to take in hand after his aſcenſion, to wit, to preach the Goſpell to the moſt nations of the world, yet before they tooke it in hand, he made them meete for the worke they went about.
So Iphtah, when hee was to fight againſt the Ammonites, for the deliuering of Iſrael, hee was by the ſpirit of God indued with gifts for that purpoſe, euen farre greater then he had before, now when hee was ſet about a greater worke. So the Miniſters much more, as the calling is farre more excellent, when hee ſendeth them to any people to conuert them, and make them of his militant Church, hee ſtirres them vp by louelove, zeale and labour, to ſet their gifts of knowledge a worke, and maketh a great change among the people by their miniſterie. They who are vnfit to doe the Lords meſſage Note.to them to whom they are ſent, are not ſent by him, but ſeeke themſelues and their owne profit, and not the peoples. It is worthie our view to behold the difference of men called by God, and ſuch as climbe in by another way of their owne framing. Both doe one and the ſame worke, but the one ſets himſelfe aworke, the other is ſet aworke by God. The one (after his faſhion) goes about it: but how? awkly and vntowardly, by ſetting a bold face vponupon the matter, by carrying a great ſhew, and bearing ſway, by preaching what and when he pleaſeth, and in the manner he liketh beſt: but errand he hath none to doe to the people, (no more then Cuſhi had to Dauid) and thereafter is his welcome. For as hee faileth of the end of his office, ſo loſeth he the honour of it; except with a few flatterers and hang-byes. Alas they hauehave enterprized a long race and iourney, without prouiſion to enable them to runne it through: It is not the habit that makes the Miniſter, nor the learning (though that comes neerer) degree, dignitie, or applauſe of man, which onelyonly will carrie this worke through ſtitch: It is this, that God hath ſaid to him as to Paul and Moſes; Goe, I will be with thee: that is, fit thee, embolden thee, (for a Miniſter hath enough to diſcourage him, euen from within himſelfe, as I hauehave noted elſewhere) yea beare thee out againſt oppoſition, and encourage thee by bleſſing thy labour: otherwiſe all thy prouiſion is to little purpoſe, thou maiſt ſtand like a foole, errandleſſe & ſpeechleſſe. Now being called and ſeparated by God, (and therefore alſo qualified) though thy ſelfe a weake earthen veſſell, yet what precious treaſure doeſt thou carrie? How admirably doth the Lord make way for him, making high hils to ſtoope, and lie leuell before him, procuring honour from the conſciences (not the countenances onelyonly) of ſuch as they hauehave wonne to God from the power of Satan and darkneſſe, by conuerting and ſauing them. And by ſtopping the mouthes of ſuch as might deſpiſe and diſcourage them, ſaying: Who is this new-found babler? what, will hee beare downe all, and thinke to hauehave vsus tyed to his girdle? No, no, he deales for his Maſter who ſent him, and therefore ſeekes to bring yee vnderunder the yoke and girdle of Chriſt: and therefore let the diſcouragements be neuer ſo great, Note.this worke ſhall proſper: and euen out of the mouthes of blockiſh, brutiſh, ſauage and ignorant, yea prophane ones, the Lord ſhall procure credit to his Miniſterie, (when he hath changed them thereby) and theſe ſhall iuſtifie wiſedome againſt all cauillers, ſcorners and enemies thereof. Let them be of neuer ſo many kindes, as in this age there are many, who (contrary to the manifeſt fruite they ſee) impeach either the ſufficiencie of their calling, or the worthineſſe of their meſſage. Oh therefore how lamentable is it, that all congregations are not thus furniſhed, and made partakers of ſo bleſſed an ordinance of God! Therefore the Lord Ieſus, to ſhew how pitifull a caſe it is, to ſee the people diſperſed, as ſheepe hauing no ſhepheard, he not onelyonly had compaſſion on them himſelfe, but alſo willed the Diſciples to pray to Matth. 9. 38.the Lord of the harueſt to thruſt labourers into the harueſt, ſeeing none are forward to that worke, except the Lord ſtirre them vp thereto. This point hath been ſpoken of before, I therefore will not be tedious therein to the reader.
The vow, that I ſaid before Iphtah made, is heere ſhewed what it was: Verſ. 30. 31namely, that he would in token of his thankfull heart, offer and dedicate to the Lord that thing that ſhould firſt come out of his houſe to meete him, if he returned with the victorie. This vow, though hee meant well, was ill made and in great ignorance, in that he did not make it more diſtinctly and aduiſedly. For what if a dogge had firſt met him? which is a fauning creature, and had been like enough to hauehave firſt come foorth to meete him? hee could not hauehave offered it to the Lord, it being vncleane, and ſo forbidden to be made a ſacrifice. His words hauehave this meaning when he ſaith (It ſhall be the Lords, and I will offer it for a burnt offering) that is, I will offer it in ſacrifice, and it ſhall be a burnt offering to the Lord, for hee meant ſimply, that he would offer the firſt thing that ſhould meete him; if he had thought of his daughter, would he hauehave made that vow? And will any ſay, that in ſo vowing, he meant, that if that which ſhould firſt meete him, ſhould not bee fit for ſacrifice, he would offer it to virginitie, and yet perhaps it ſhould not be fit for that neither? as if it had been a dogge: and if he had meant to offer it to virginitie, as ſome hold he did; did hee not ſee that his daughter had been moſt like to hauehave bin the partie vponupon whom his vow ſhould hauehave bin performed? For who had bin liker to hauehave firſt come foorth to meete him then ſhe? And would he (thinke wee) hauehave vowed that which might hauehave turned to his owne, and his daughters ſo great ſorrow? Therefore I ſay, hee meant no offering of that which ſhould meete him, to perpetuall virginitie. Neither are thoſe words of his to be taken diſiunctiuely, as ſome think they may, thus: That which firſt commeth forth to meete me, ſhall be the Lords, or I will offer it. For though the Hebrew letter (…) be ſo taken ſometime, yet very rarely: and ſo little reaſon is it, that it ſhould be ſo taken heere, being moſt commonly taken coniunctiuely, as they well know that hauehave any vnderſtanding in the Hebrew tongue, yea and oft in ſome one chapter, as may eaſily be ſhewed. As for example in Geneſ. 32. 1. 2. 3. 4. foure of fiue times it is ſo taken in 3. or 4. verſes. So in Geneſ. 33. 1. 2. as oft in two verſes, and Geneſ. 45. 1. 2. 3. As many times it is found to be, and in moſt Chapters (if not all) throughout the old Teſtament this word (,) ſignifieth (and) coniunctiuely, not (or) diſiunctiuely, as I hauehave ſaid before. Therefore heere to take it otherwiſe, there is ſmall reaſon for it, eſpecially the ſenſe of the place not being amended thereby. For to vnderſtand it diſiunctiuely thus, [It ſhall be the Lords, or I will offer it] what ſenſe can it hauehave thus? If it be be not fit for ſacrifice, it ſhal be the Lords: How ſhould it be the Lords? they ſay by offering it to perpetuall virginitie, if it be fit thereto, for ſo ſome vnderſtand it, as I hauehave ſaid before? But where did God require virginitie to be inioyned to any children by their parents? or what example hauehave we thereof in Scripture? And yet if he had meant ſo in vowing, we know it had been moſt like to bee his daughter, I ſay againe, that ſhould firſt hauehave come foorth to meet him. Therefore what ſenſe can there bee in it to take it ſo, that hee would offer it to perpetuall virginitie, if it were not fit for ſacrifice? For this cauſe I conclude, that the words are to bee vnderſtood coniunctiuely, and the latter clauſe to be the expoſition of the former, thus: It ſhal be the Lords, and I will offer it in ſacrifice.
And if it be asked, whether Iphtah offended in making ſuch a vow, which ſome think he did not, becauſe it is ſaid here, that the ſpirit of the Lord came vponupon him: and againe, ſeeing he is reckoned in the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 11. 32.among the faithfull. I anſwere, firſt to the queſtion, and after to the reaſons: to the queſtion, that if hee had vowed ſimply to be thankfull, he had done well: but in ſuch a vowing as this was, hee ſinned greatly, as ſhall appeare better, when we come to his performing of the vow afterward, verſ. 39. And to the firſt reaſon I anſwer, that the ſpirit which is ſaid in this verſe, to come vponupon him, was the ſpirit of courage and fortitude for war: although it is not denied that he was a beleeuer, and had the ſpirit of ſanctification alſo. But what hindred, but that hee might in ſome particular actions, through ignorance or weaknes, offend, as Gedeon & Barak did, and yet they were the true ſeruants of God, and obtained the victory alſo, for all that? So many ſound Chriſtians among vsus there are, who yet tread awry ſometimes, and ſo did Iphtah: and this one anſwere may ſerue both the reaſons: And this of and concerning his vow, till the 39. verſe before mentioned.
Now as he offended not in vowing (for that tended to the praiſing of Doct.God, though as he made it here, he faulted greatly) ſo wee may bee perſwaded, that it is a lawfull thing to make a vow to God. Whereby I meane neither the generall vow of faith and obedience required and performed, both in the old and new teſtament, neither that ſpeciall vow that was ceremonial onelyonly, practiſed in the old Teſtament, and ſome where in the new (to wit, in the firſt age of the Church) but I meane that ſpeciall vow, which is a promiſe made to God, touching ſome duties to be performed to him, and to a good end: and this vow (if it be made accordingly) is lawfull, and belongs to the Church both of the old and new teſtament. Such a vow was Iphtahs (in reſpect of the godly intent thereof) but that it was not lawfully made, nor in a right manner, as hath been ſaid. And ſuch are ours, when we promiſe as Iacob did, that if God deliuer vsus from ſuch a danger, wee will more Gen. 28. 20.carefully and conſtantly walke with him afterward.
And ſo when to helpe our dulneſſe and infirmitie, wee ſet ourſelues by firme couenant, to prayer and reading, more then ordinary, for meaſure or for frequency and feruency, and to giuegive ſet almes, for ſpecial cauſes knowne to our ſelues, or to keepe ſet times of faſting for a ſeaſon, as there ſhall bee cauſe; or if we perceiue and find our ſelues prone to drunkenneſſe, and in danger to fall thereto by drinking wine or ſtrong drinke, wee may vow to abſtaine for ſo long a time, as may bee fit to keepe our ſelues from ſinning. And although wee bee bound already hereunto by the word, yet may wee more ſolemnly, and for the better bridling of our rebellious nature, renew the ſame bond in a vow, to this end, to helpe our dulneſſe, for want of zeale, and to make our ſelues more forward in duty to God, and louelove to men; as Dauid did: I hauehave ſworne (ſaith he) and I will performe it, to keepe thy righteous Pſal. 119. 116.iudgements.
Theſe kinds of vowers are lawfull, ſo as they be agreeable to Gods word, and ſtand with Chriſtian liberty, and bee agreeable to our calling, both generall and particular; and be in our power, and made deliberately, not raſhly and the end of it be good: whereas not Popiſh vowes only, are failing in theſe, but euen Iphtahs alſo in many of theſe points. And although vowes made in this manner, are no part of Gods ſtanding and conſtant worſhip by themſelues, yet neither are they wilworſhips, nor yet ſimply left to our arbitriment alwaies, but to be vſed as helpes and furtherances to godlineſſe, wel approoued by the experience of the Saints, as to preſerue the gifts of faith, prayer, repentance, and other vertues of the mind, ſo alſo to teſtifie our thankfulneſſe to God, for bleſſings which wee hauehave receiued of him. And with this minde, Iacob vowed in the way as hee went to Aram, as I ſaid before.Gen. 28. 20.
Now this vow of his, as it was a more then vſuall token of his thankfull heart, which he indented before hand to expreſſe, if God ſhould giuegive him the victorie: ſo wee muſt know that it proceeded from a rare feeling of the ſpirit of God exciting and quickning him vp to ſuch feruencie. Gods people find not themſelues alway in one tenor and tune, either for inward ioy and comfort in God, or for outward forwardneſſe to dutie. Paul had his 2. Cor 12. 9.lifting vp into the third heauen, and hee had alſo his buffeting to abaſe him lower then the earth. Peter was rauiſhed in ſpirit, when he was in his heauenly Act. 10. 11. &c.trance before his going to Cornelius, but we know hee had as rare ebbings at other times. Elias, a man of men, for grace and familiaritie with God, and that appeared by his reall aſſumption into heauen bodily: but he was in a poore caſe, when he was faine to flee from Iezabel, and goe 40. daies faſting and mourning for the miſery which lay vponupon him and the Church: beſides his weakneſſes which he bewraied, and therefore is called by S. Iames a paſſionate man, one that was clothed with the like infirmities that others had. It were to be deſired, (& we heare men make great moane for the contrary) that there were alway in vsus that abundance of grace, faith, feruencie, chearefulneſſe, which is at ſome odde time. But the contrary befalleth moſt men, partly the Lord ſo diſpoſing of it, becauſe hee knowes wee were not able to beare it, but would turne it into a diſtemper, (euen as too much good blood in the bodie makes a pleuriſie, and when there is more water in the channel then it can containe: it muſt needs ouerflow the bankes, and doe harme) and partly our ſelues procuring it, who nouriſh not in our ſelues ſuch motions, nor make wiſe vſe of them, by ſetting them a work, and applying them to ſome fit obiect, (as Iphtah here did) but delight only in the ſweetneſſe and pleaſure which we feele, and ſo ſuffer the heauenly flame to vaniſh, for want of laying on fewell to preſerue it.
And although the Lord cauſeth his children, euen here, ſometimes in health, ſometime at death to enioy ſuch vnſpeakable feelings and operations of the ſpirit, (which hee doth to giuegive them ſuch a taſte of heauen, as may cauſe in them a reſtleſſe longing, til they come thither) yet he knoweth, they would ſay with Peter, Maſter it is good for vsus to be here, and would thinke of Matth. 17. 4.no departure, if this ſhould be an ordinarie diet. Therefore he rather conſiders, what they can digeſt, then what he can afford, and ſaith, My grace ſhall neither be giuen in ſuperfluitie, nor yet in penury, but it ſhall be ſufficient. And let vsus learne to account ſo of it, as the beſt for vsus. OnelyOnly let vsus beware, leſt by our giuing way to our fleſh (the counterpoiſe of the ſpirit) that is to the earth to our ſenſualitie and luſts; we bury and quench the ſpirit, and ſmother it from appearing in the beauty thereof; and alſo leſt wee cauſe it to be heauy and ſad in vsus, and ſo our ſelues to bee blockiſh and ſottiſh, rather then heauenly and ioyfull: which is to chooſe to feede with ſwine, when we might eate Angels foode.
In theſe two verſes is not only ſet downe the victory, which God gaue to Iphtah ouer the Ammonites, but it is alſo particularly amplified and in larger Verſ 32. 33.manner deſcribed. As that many fell in the battell; and that hee ouerthrew twentie of their cities; and that hee brought the Ammonites in ſubiection to him. Where wee may clearely ſee, what it is that encourageth vsus, and ſetteth vsus forward in our duties doing. Euen the Lords appointing and calling vsus thereto, as of the publike calling of the Miniſter I ſpake before: it is true of the priuate duties alſo. Husband and wife from thence hauehave their hartning on to liue mutuall helpers one of another to their Chriſtian and peaceable conuerſing together, and paſſing their daies ſweetly, and bearing their croſſes contentedly; euen from hence, I ſay, that they beleeue God hath ioyned them together to that end. So the Magiſtrate, and all other in the ſeuerall duties of this life. And want of this faith, is enough to make Note.mens liues ouercaſt, as the weather is with clouds and tempeſts, and to fill men with ſinne and ſorrow. Other things which might bee noted from hence, hauehave been mentioned before, but beſides them of theſe two a little.
In that the King of Ammon went by the worſt in the battell had with Verſ. 33.Iphtah, it ſhewes what wilfulneſſe brings a man, or the contempt or reiecting of good and ſound perſwaſions, ſuch as Iphtah vſed to diſſwade him from warre. For though he were an Heathen, yet he knew by the law of Nature, that he ought not to offer iniury to the innocent. And we know that when the Gentiles knew God onelyonly by the light of nature, and did not honour Rom. 1. 19.him accordingly, he gaue them vp to their hearts deſires to fulfill them againſt nature. Much more, they who hauehave light in the word of God, hauing no regard of good inſtruction and admonition, ſhall come to naught, eſpecially the deſpiſers thereof, vnleſſe they take ſhame and abaſhment to themſelues for it, and ſo come to better ſtate: according to that which is written, He that knoweth his Maſters will, and doth it not, ſhall bee beaten with many ſtripes. Luke 12. 47.But more of this puniſhment vponupon wilfulneſſe, ſee before ſet downe by the like occaſions, and by name in Chap. 8. 14.
And in that hee loſt twentie cities which hee had of his owne, and loſt 2thoſe alſo which he fought for, which were none of his, it liuely ſetteth before our eies, that many not contented with that which is their owne, while they claime to, and ſeeke that which belongs to other men, either by colour of law, or otherwiſe; they loſe that which they ſued for, and ſpend and conſume that which they had before. The Lord doth oft times requite their vnconſcionableneſſe that way: and yet in great mercy he dealeth with them in ſo doing, to keepe a heauier iudgement from them, who would Note.(moſt certainely) be worſe, if they ſhould by their corrupt and bad dealing ſpeed better, and be ſuffered to hauehave ſucceſſe.
I will cleare this point by example and inſtance. Pharaoh not contented to hauehave oppreſſed the Iſraelites (for many generatiōs) with bondage; would needs purſue them, when they were gotten out of his clawes, though hee had ſmarted many waies for not letting them goe. But what came of it? ſeeing Exod. 14. 28.he ſought vniuſtly to encroach vponupon Gods poſſeſſion, he not onelyonly failed of that hee deſired, but loſt alſo that which he ventured, euen his owne life, and all that hee had, and his people alſo, in the middeſt of the ſea. The ſame is verified in other parts of vnrighteouſneſſe: Sampſon not content to liue with credit and honour in his owne land, and within his compaſſe, would needs breake out among the Philiſtims, & there hit into Delilas company, which his ſoule entirely loued, (though vnlawfully) and was made a vaſſall to a baſe miſtreſſe. But behold a ſhort time this pleaſure of ſinne laſted: for loe, his louer rewards him with treaſon, and then Sampſon (poore Iudges 16. 20.man) is faine to forgoe his miſtreſſe by force, (who could not be plucked from her by conſcience,) and that which he abhorred, that he was made to vndergoe, (and that by them whom he moſt hated) to wit, a painefull bondage while hee liued, beſide ſhame and ſorrow, and after all, an vntimely death. I will inſtance firſt in the ſinnes of the ſecond Table. The murtherer and thiefe can by no perſwaſion bee brought to labour with his hands, and to doe the thing which is good: tuſh, it goeth vtterly againſt him to bee put to labour, and to worke hard all the yeere long for a poore liuing: hee can bring in all at once, and get great booties, to liue at eaſe, and plentifully for a long time, as he imagineth, and is not that a merry world? yes while it laſteth; in his kind, but how long is that? He gets two or three purſes, and in the fourth enterpriſe he is taken in the manner. Doth hee not then (thinke you) wiſh from his heart, that hee had obeyed Gods ordinance, and been hard at work, (as much as he loathed it before) rather then to hauehave put forth his hand to violence? For he ſeeth, that neither he hath obtained that which he ſought for: and that ouerthrow which he little looked for, that hee hath brought vponupon himſelfe. He lay in waite for the life and goods of another: therein he was defeated, but this will not ſatisfie for his ſinne, he muſt giuegive life and goods to boote, and all to make amends by mans law. What needed he hauehave feared the law (which is not made for the iuſt, but the tranſgreſſor) 1. Tim. 1. 9.if he had holden himſelfe content with his owne? But men ſay they muſt venture: nothing venture nothing hauehave: till by venturing all, they loſe all: Note.not money and body, but ſoule alſo, if God be not more mercifull. Theſe things notably lay foorth the folly and fruit of ſinne, euen in outward reſpects: and yet it is as manifeſt in ſpirituall. For to adde another inſtance in the firſt Table: Many there are that ſay, they hope that God is not ſo hard a maſter, neither wil puniſh ſinners ſo ſeuerely as the Miniſters would beare them in hand: others goe further, and will enter vponupon Gods prerogatiue, ſaying eueryevery one for himſelfe, I cannot beleeue that God hath reiected ſo many thouſands, and will ſaue ſo few: (meaning, that if God doe ſo, hee is cruell.) But oh foole, as Paul ſaith, what getteſt thou by diſputing againſt God, nay by bereauing and ſpoiling him of his iuſtice, (oh ſacrilege and vnrighteouſnes in the higheſt degree?) Surely, as Auſtin ſaith (ſpeaking hereof, That which they would hauehave, they loſe, but that which they would not, they hauehave (euen woe) for euer. They would get heauen by diſanulling the decree of God: that ſhall they neuer get, (for the Moone keepes her courſe, though dogges barke at her:) and they would ſcape hell too, but that (will they, nill they) muſt be their portion for euer. But what fruit ſee we in the liues of moſt men, of this and the like doctrine, driuing and ſcaring them (a man would thinke) forcibly from all kind of vnrighteouſneſſe. But I paſſe from this to that which followeth.