Commentary on Judges, Sermon 10
THE TENTH SERMON ON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES, on the ſame text. verſ. 1.
NOw further let vsus marke, that the Lord ſending his meſſenger to the people heere did (after they had fallen The further laying open of this verſe.from his couenant that hee made with them) to moue them to repentance (as in theſe 3. verſes is to be ſeene.) And heere let vsus marke (I ſay) how God is faine to preuent them by this meſſenger, while they lay in their ſins, before they could accuſe themſelues, and complaine, ſaying once among themſelues, What hauehave we done? and ſo to ſeeke recouery. They were fit to be more and more hardened, and to runne on ſtill, yea to couer their ſinnes as Adam, and flee Gen. 3. 10. Iob 31. 33. Gen. 31. 54.from God as Ionas, and to ſit downe vponupon them and hide them, as Rahel vponupon Labans Idols; bet to bethinke themſelues, what they ſhould do to come out of their ſinnes, and ſo to helpe themſelues out of danger thereby, they were vtterly to ſeeke, and altogether vnfit. They may bee likened to Dauid, 2. Sam. 12. 7.who hauing lien long in two fearefull ſinnes, was ſo farre from repenting of them, that Nathan was faine to leaue off parables, and to ſpeake plainely before he could conceiue him. And to Peter, who hauing denied his maſter, Mat. 26. 74. 75.had no power to riſe out of his ſinne, till the Lord Ieſus looked backe vponupon him, by the which watchword, Peter called to minde, together with the the cocks crowing, the words which Ieſus had ſpoken to him; to wit, that he ſhould denie him, and then he went out and wept bitterly.
And by this wee may ſee, what a dangerous thing ſinne is; I meane not Doct. 2.onelyonly the committing of it, which one would thinke were feareful enough, but for that afterward they are not able to riſe out of it, but lie ſtill in it (when yet men thinke they can repent of it at their pleaſure) and when they liſt, though it trouble the conſcience, as raw fleſh doth the ſtomacke: but they are hardened in it for a time, eſpecially ſoone after the committing of it, ſo that they cannot at all humble their hearts, and bewaile their ſinne to God. And if they come to themſelues again after a time, yet it is by Gods preuenting of them, as I hauehave ſaid; and while he renueth his grace in them, as relenting and remorſe for it, and the renouncing of it, and crauing of pardon. Thereby indeed they are inabled to repent, and ſo to returne to their former workes. But this is not (wee ſee) any power in them, for they are not able to bring their hearts thereto, nor to doe any ſuch thing of themſelues. And yet I ſay more, that many times when they hauehave fallen, they doe not attaine this grace neither; before God brings them to heare by preaching, or by affliction calleth them to a deeper conſideration, or by ſome ſuch like meanes bringeth their ſinne to light, and into diſgrace with them; as to theſe people hee did heere at Bochim; and then it may bee they ſtay their courſe and returne.
But now let this be well weighed herein, what a diſtraction and diſquietneſſe it hath been to them all this while, to lie bound as it were with the chaines of their ſins, as they hauehave been, that they cannot helpe themſelues; and to bee ſo bereaued of the graces of God, as faith, hope, ioy in the holy Ghoſt, feare of offending, and ſuch like; that they lie dead in them, as if they had no part in them, and they hauing no vſe of them to ſtrengthen them to Note.any good doing, although they be in themſelues profitable to all holy vſes; whereas in the meane while, who would loſe his ſweet communion with God, if he bee wiſe enough to conſider what I ſay; though it ſhould neuer be brought againſt them? no though it were but for an houre or a day, with the comforts belonging thereto? which yet theſe whom I hauehave ſpoken of, when they hauehave ſinned againſt their knowledge, doe depriue themſelues of, whole moneths and yeeres. And why doe they thus? If they ſuſtained all this, as from their triall from God, their patience were commendable; or if it were poſſible to honour him thereby, it were ſome commendation to them: but when it is for the hauing of their owne will amiſſe, and for the enioying the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſhort ſeaſon, oh how lamentable is it to thinke? So that this wiſedome ſhall well beſeeme the ſeruants of God, to Note.giuegive all diligence to keepe well, while they are well, and in no wiſe to hauehave their teeth ſet on edge with the deceiueable baites of ſinne, which the world ſo greedily runneth after, foraſmuch as they ſhall ſee how deare it ſhall coſt them; and yet let them know this, that ſuch ſhall not bee onelyonly void of the forementioned graces, but they ſhall alſo ſmart through many puniſhments. And now if it be ſo hard for them to come to repentance when they hauehave fallen, who yet before had enioyed that gift ſoundly: how much further off are they, who neuer hauehave part in it at all? neither are like to hauehave; euen as wee ſee by daily experience (how fearefull an eſtate is that to liue in) vnleſſe they wait on God diligently in the ordinance of preaching to attaine it.
Now wee hauehave heard how God was faine to prouoke them to repentance, Doct. 3. Out of verſ. 1.before they could ſet themſelues toward it: It followeth to ſee by what reaſon he vrged them to it, after I hauehave ſaid a little of the places heere mentioned, Gilgal was a citie in the plain of Iordan, not farre from Iericho, from this Gilgal the meſſenger is ſaid to hauehave come. And Bochim is a place neare adioyning to it, in which this meſſage was done to the people of Iſrael, who had by their ſins cauſed it. It was not called Bochim before, but had the name giuen by occaſion of that which fell out there, that is, the weeping of the people, when their ſinnes were brought to their remembrance; for ſo the word Bochim ſignifieth, namely, weeping. At this place therefore (to returne to the purpoſe) the Lord told them of their diſobedience, and beginneth to make it odious to them by rehearſing his benefits great and many: as if hee ſhould ſay, what cauſe hauehave I giuen you to deale thus vnthankefully and diſobediently with me. Hath my kindneſſe been thus requited of you, that you returne me euill for my good will?
Heere as in ſundry other places wee may ſee what effects the benefits of God doe commonly worke in men; and that is, forgetfulneſſe of them, and vnthankfulneſſe for them, and a meane account making of them; alſo boldneſſe in ſeeking of carnall liberty thereby (vntounto the which we are ſo readily caried, and to prouoke God much more then if they had neuer enioyed them; little remembring that the Lord giues them a watchword, that they ſhould rather looke in all things to be thankefull. Iuſtly therefore was this 1. Theſ. 5.people heere chalenged for their vnthankefulneſſe. This was the cauſe why they were warned before, that they ſhould take heed when they were come into the land of promiſe, and ſhould there poſſeſſe great and goodly cities, which they builded not, and houſes full of all manner of goods, which they filled not; Deut 6. 10. 11. 12.and wels which they digged not; vineyards, and Oliue trees, which they planted not; and when they had eaten and ſhould be full, they were warned (I ſay) that they ſhould beware, they forgot not the Lord, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, &c. ſignifying vntounto them, that wealth and eaſe would goe nigh to make them to Deut. 32 compare from v. 9. onward to verſ. 19.forget Gods mercies, by which they were deliuered out of their miſeries. By which wee ſee the peruerſeneſſe of our depraued nature, which turnes the wholeſomeſt food into poyſon, as the corrupt ſtomacke doth the daintieſt meates. We abhorre him who hauing receiued freely good turnes, and benefits, forgetteth his benefactor when hee is promoted, &c. yet it is certaine that men are the worſe for Gods benefits, and are more bold in ſinning againſt him, by the abundance of his earthly and common bleſſings. So Dauid confeſſeth, that before he was afflicted hee went aſtray: ſo that his benefits Pſal. 119. 67.(wee ſee) did him not ſo much good as his chaſetiſements. And ſo Ieremy ſaid, that he was as an vntamed calfe, till God corrected him. Wofull experience teacheth, how rare the man is who may truly ſay otherwiſe? to wit, that benefits knit his heart neerely to God, before he bee taught it by affliction. And yet we muſt know, that neither that of it owne nature draweth men to louelove and obey God any more then his benefits; but as God worketh that grace,, of his eſpeciall fauour; without which our whole life is meere diſobedience, I ſay, further then his grace guideth vsus, and keepeth vsus within compaſſe in both eſtates. Common bleſſings and generall we thinke and ſay, belong to others as well as to vsus; and as for ſpeciall and priuate, while we reape and feele them, we ſay, [Bleſſed be God] but wee are not for the moſt part, knit to him in dutie euer the more. The tenne leapets being Luk. 17.cleanſed, returned not to giuegive thankes, ſaue one. And hee to whom tenne thouſand talents were remitted, ſhewes this fruit of his thankefulneſſe, that he caught his fellow by the throat who owed him an hundred pence, bidding Mat. 18. 28.him pay that he owed. And why this? For the heart of man naturally is puffed vp with proſperity, and vaine eſtimation of himſelfe, and hee prideth in that which will be his ouerthrow and waxeth hardened, and is ſo far off from humility, and meane thinking of himſelfe, that all may perceiue (who can rightly iudge) that it maketh him prouder, and more ſcornefull, yea vtterly vnlike him he ſhould be, and diſguiſed: and yet to become great and get much in this vale of miſery, while things of greateſt price are not asked after, how eagerly doe men runne after it, as fiſh follow the baite with greedineſſe: nay they laugh all ſuch to ſcorne that find fault with them for ſo doing, and who doe not follow them in that exceſſe, and let better things paſſe by them as little worth? yea and yet this doe they, who lawfully come by wealth and promotion, and to whom the Lord giueth proſperity without any indirect or vnlawfull meanes: euen ſuch (I ſay) doe offend in the like manner of exceſſe and greedineſſe, and fall into the ſame danger thereby that the others doe, who attaine to it by ſhifting, and againſt conſcience. What then, ſome (perhaps) will ſay, it is lawfull for vsus to enioy the earthly Obiect.benefits of God? And againe, are there none that rightly vſe proſperity and plenty? I anſwere, God forbid; for men may, and ſome doe much more good thereby to others eſpecially, then vnderunder the croſſe, and in aduerſitie. Anſw.But this is rare: for a contrary miſchiefe rather in proſperity befalleth men, and that is, that (for the moſt part) they ſuſpect not, neither feare any danger: What maketh proſperity to be abuſed.no not when they groſly forget themſelues, and abuſe their proſperity, when yet it hangeth ouer their heads, and is moſt hardly auoided. Moreouer, neither 1doe they obſerue themſelues, leſt they ſhould become drunken with it, 2neither ſearch into themſelues to finde out how they offend thereby. Both which are neceſſary for a man in proſperity to doe, yea and to vſe to doe ſo daily, for the cutting off the dangers that may otherwiſe enſue therby. And yet as the beſt practiſes againſt this and other ſinnes, yea though they be neuer ſo conſcionably and reuerently put in vre, doe by little and little grow Note.common, and loſe their ſtrength; ſo therefore beſides both theſe, a Chriſtian man muſt oft with Iob, tell it ſeriouſly to himſelfe, that he muſt looke for 3his change, and ſay, it will not alwaies be ſummer; and thereby cracke the Iob 14. 14.pride of life, and abaſe the exceſſe of carnall delight, which proſperity will otherwiſe ful ſoone raiſe vp in him moſt dangerouſly. And laſt of all, if God 4continue his daies of health and welfare, ſo that ſmartie croſſes be kept from him, let him croſſe his naughty and vnruly affections, and thoſe eſpecially by which he is moſt like to offend, and be in danger, chaſing them away by ſeruent prayer againſt them, and grow in fruitfulneſſe thereby, as he who receiued fiue talents, brought fiue more, which he had gained thereby. And theſe things being duely obſerued, as being thoſe which be moſt neceſſary, Luk. 19. 18. Mat. 25. 20.I will not doubt to affirme, that the man who doth ſo, ſhall vſe proſperity well, and be profitable many waies thereby, which yet of another man that doth not ſo, I cannot warrant: nay, I dare be bold to ſay hee ſhall not. But ſeeing the godly doe rarely thus, by this Iudge, how the world vſeth proſperity, if the godly ſo hardly vſe it well.
Another thing is worthie to bee marked heere, where the Lord moueth the people to repentance, by rehearſing his benefits beſtowed vponupon them, Doct. 4. Out of verſ. 1.and that is this: that of all reaſons, this ought moſt to preuaile with Gods ſeruants, to diſſwade them from their ſinnes which they hauehave fallen into, and to raiſe them out of them or to preuent the committing of the like, this (I ſay) ought moſt to preuaile with them, euen the often remembrance and due conſideration of Gods benefits, though with griefe it may bee ſpoken, this aduice preuailes too little. This reaſon God vſed heere, and the people were conuicted thereby, and yeelded, and confeſſed themſelues guilty: For why? the louelove of God conſtrained them, which hauing been before ſhead 2. Cor. 5. 14. Rom. 5. 5.plentifully into their hearts. Now when they heard this ſharpe and iuſt reproofe, and that from God himſelfe by his meſſenger, they ſaw clearly their ſinne, and namely their vnthankfulneſſe, how they had forgot Gods benefits, and trod vnderunder foote his louing kindneſſe, it being the moſt precious of all other things, which went neare them, they knowing that hee had done ſo many & great good things for them; and this, with the remembring of his benefits in ſome perticular manner, as they heard them repeated, cauſed them to caſt vp their vnſauoury gorge, and ſo to returne from their deceiueable and damnable offences, & to imbrace againe the mercies of the Lord, who was their firſt husband. And with this putting the people in remembrance of his many and great benefits, God doth draw them on oft in other places to feare him. As when hee ſaith in Deuteronomie, I thy God hauehave bleſſed thee in all that thy heart could deſire. Thus in another place alſo hee Deut. 28.calling the people to repentance, whom he compareth to a vine, and labouring Eſa. 5. 2.to draw them from their ingratitude, putteth them in mind, that he had planted them being his Church, in a place moſt plentifull and abundant. This cauſed Dauid euermore to hauehave Gods mercies in great remembrance, and to ſet his benefits before his eyes, that hee might ſhame himſelfe for his ſinne paſſed, and by all meanes ſeeke to come out of it. And therefore in the pſalme 103. he as though hee had not been thankfull (when yet he excelled all men therein) quickeneth vp himſelfe thereto, ſaying; Praiſe thou Pſal. 103. 2.the Lord, O my ſoule, and all that is within thee praiſe his holy name. And in the 51. Pſalme; to perſwade himſelfe to repentance, hee ſaith, that his mercies Pſal. 51. 1.are great, and that there were in him multitudes of compaſſions. Other reaſons, drawne from the dreadfull feare of Gods iudgements, may (I confeſſe) terrifie for the time the hearts of Gods people and hold them in awe, as it were by violence: but they worke not kindly to bring them to dutie with cheerefulneſſe, though they may ſtay them from further euill for the time, till forcibler perſwaſions come. But when all is ſaid that can be, it is the louelove of God that conſtraineth men that they ſhould liue to God, not to 2. Cor. 5. 14. Note. The firſt benefit beſtowed on them.themſelues. And yet I will not ſay that this reaſon ſhall alwaies preuaile with vsus, although where it doth not, wee may well conclude, that wee are much out of order, and hauehave groſly forgot our ſelues.
Now I come to the particular benefits which hee beſtowed vponupon them, Doct. 5. In verſ. 1.forbearing to repeate them eueryevery one together, ſeeing they may bee read in the text, for times ſake, but one after another as they lie in order. The firſt is, that he had brought them out of Egypt, which was a countrie which was wholly infected with ſuperſtition and idolatry; and therefore moſt dangerous to dwell in. And what a benefit was it then for them to bee deliuered from thence, euen as from Rome; or in another reſpect, from Sodome? For Ezok. 20. 7. 8.there they muſt hauehave been corrupted with the peſtilent contagion of their idolatrie, beſide the moſt heauie burthens and bondage, with which both they were, and ſtill alſo they muſt hauehave been preſſed with, if they had remained there. Hence it is, that almoſt eueryevery where in the Scripture, where mention is made of Gods goodneſſe to Iſrael, this their deliuerance out of Egypt is moſt commonly reckoned as the principall, becauſe without it all other bleſſings had been as nothing. Therefore let vsus alſo know, that it is a ſinguler mercy of God, to be freed from the falſe worſhip of God, and idolatry, if I ſhould ſay no more; but eſpecially when there is ioyned with that a deliuerance from bodily troubles alſo. A benefit, whereof many thouſands in this land are partakers, which their fellow brethren in other nations, being as Iſrael was in Egypt, Iuda in Babylon oppreſſed with idolatry, would thinke they obtained an vnualuable benefit, if they might hauehave freedome from it. And ſo they may well thinke: For oh what a liberty is it both to ſoule and body? and yet we may hauehave it with farre more eaſe then they had it; that is, without trauell or iourney.
And although they cannot value it in any ſort according to the worth of it, who hauehave neuer felt the burthen of a troubled conſcience, and bodily vexations; yet wee that hauehave, though they bee nothing ſo grieuous as they Note.had; we (I ſay) are eueryevery day (that we riſe out of our beds to doe our neceſſarie buſineſſe) to confeſſe this marueilous worke of God for our deliuerance. And yet I deny not, but that other benefits of God are to bee ſought for alſo; as the enioying of the ſincere preaching of the Goſpell to the further welfare of our ſoules, and things neceſſary for this preſent life, that ſo there may want no encouragement to Gods ſeruice. But howſoeuer the Lord ſhould denie vsus the one, I meane plentie for our bodies, which yet for many yeers he hath moſt gratiouſly yeelded and granted vsus: yet we ſhould contend for the other, I meane ſound and ſauing knowledge by an happie and ſound miniſtery, by all meanes, if poſſibly wee may enioy it. Which I ſpeake to the iuſt reproofe of all ſuch as doe onelyonly regard their outward eſtate in the world, little or nothing looking after the benefit of true happineſſe by their ſoules welfare: forecaſting altogether to plant themſelues ther, whither the hope of earthly commodities doth leade them. And though the townes, families, and kindreds be neuer ſo prophane and ſuperſtitious, to the which they make haſt, yet that they little regard; but ſo as commodity and honour may be gotten (as their common queſtion is, may we looke for any good there?) they will dwell, there they will liue and dei, Pſal. 4. 7.and there they will match and leaue their children to remaine after them. But as from holding them from the infection of Popery, or labouring to ſhield them vnderunder a ſetled good miniſtery, and ſo to minde and ſeeke their ſaluation, it is no part of their thought. Nay there bee thouſands in this land that luſt after the ſeruitude of Popiſh Egypt againe; earneſtly deſiring that day (which God turne away) the Lord forgiue it them, (as our Sauiour prayed for them that crucified him) they know not what they do. So farre are they from thankfulneſſe for their freedome, that they are voluntary ſlaues vnderunder that Pharaoh of Rome, euen in their owne countrey.
But to returne and ſo to draw to an end, let it be counted of vsus a rare and ſingular mercy of God, to be free from great calamities, and extremities both of ſoule and body, as theſe Iſraelites were, who were deliuered out of Egypt, and the bondage thereof. And by occaſion of this which I ſay, this I further adde, that ſuch as liue void of grieuous paines and diſeaſes, (as well as Egyptian bondage) which others, yea and thoſe many of Gods deare children are vnderunder, as the ſtone, collicke, gowts, vlcers, gripings, and ſuch like; alſo ſuch as be not in vtter penury and want, nor yoked with vnquiet, vnkind and ſupeſtitious companions in marriage, nor with vnmercifull land lords, and cruell ouerſeers and gouernours (which doe make their life Note.weariſome to them, and conſume all their cheerefulneſſe and comfort, as as the moth eateth vp the beauty of a garment) let all ſuch (I ſay) beare their other pettie and ſmall diſcommodities, troubles, and viſitations, patiently and contentedly, and bee highly thankfull for that they are deliuered from farre greater: yea and let them acknowledge, that if with freedome from theſe and the like, they hold ſound peace with God, and bee free from the ſtings of an euill conſcience alſo, that they enioy a peece of a paradiſe, though in a meane condition: and let them pitie thoſe which are in ſuch depths of griefe, that their feruent prayes may moue the Lord to pity them alſo: and let them that be free from them, reſolue with themſelues and endeauour to vſe their liberty and health to all poſſible good doing. And yet let this bee knowne alſo, that where God layeth theſe great burthens vponupon ſome of his, hee giueth them the greater grace to goe meekely vnderunder them. And let vsus beware, leſt through our ſecurity and negligence God may iuſtly Note.vpbraid vsus with his benefits (as heere he doth Iſrael) that hauing elbowroome and liberty to ſerue God in our places and callings, without any to diſturbe vsus, or hold vsus vnderunder, we enbondage our ſelues by an ill conſcience, looſeneſſe, ſecurity, earthlineſſe, and the like euils, by which our life ſhould be as irkſome as in Egypt, or Babell.
The ſecond benefit heere mentioned, that God beſtowed vponupon them, Doc. 6. in ver. 1 The ſecond benefit.was, that he brought them into the fruitful land in which they dwelt, which was a farre greater matter then the former; as ſhewing them plainly that he thought it not enough to deliuer them out of bondage, except hee filled them with good things alſo. He had done much for them if hee had onelyonly deliuered them out of that fearefull bondage, though hee had left them in the wilderneſſe; but to bring them alſo into that fruitfull land, and to giuegive it to them, oh admirable kindneſſe! Behold then heere the great bountifulneſſe of God, that hee can as well and willingly giuegive abundance to his children, as keep them out of great troubles. He is not therby waſted nor diminiſhed in his bleſſings, by giuing them out & liberally beſtowing them; being a fountain of riches neuer drawne dry. So he ſaid to the poſterity of his people: Oh that Iſrael would hauehave hearkened to me, and hauehave walked in Pſal. 81. 13.my waies; I would ſoone hauehave brought downe their enemies: I would hauehave fed them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rocke. Neither neede we thinke that he ſtandeth at it to giuegive vsus theſe, whoſe honour it is to beſtow great things; and hath already giuen vsus the greateſt of all; euen his owne ſonne; and therefore can much more afford vsus theſe ſmaller benefits Rom. 8. 32.alſo. As we know that he did giuegive great riches to Abraham, Iſaac, Iob, and to other his faithfull ſeruants, whom he loued dearely. And wee in this land hauehave good proofe hereof, in that (with deliuerance from bondage) we hauehave the Goſpell, peace, gouernment, plentie, and ſuch like. And more particularly, we in this land hauehave cauſe to admire the goodneſſe of God, in deliuering vsus from the curſed practiſes of thoſe Ieſuites & Locuſts, whom that beaſt hath ſent forth to deſtroy vsus, Prince, Nobles, Magiſtrates, Miniſters: and to root out Church and policie among vsus, and bring in darkeneſſe and confuſion againe. Wee owe (doubtleſſe) as great thankes to God for theſe mercies (and ſpecially in the late Treaſon) as Iſrael did for their freedome out of Egypt, and the ouerthrow of Pharaoh when he purſued them.
Now then to this common obiection, why God doth not enrich ſo his Obiection.faithfull ones in this latter age? (which obiection many are readier to put forth queſtions, then to take any adſwere to it) for (ſay they) though men of the world hauehave great ſubſtance, and ſwim in wealth and riches; yet Gods people are ſeldome ſo; but are held downe with pouerty and wants; in ſo much as one is hardly able to relieue another; and thereby alſo (they ſay) they doe the leſſe good in bringing on, and perſwading to religion, ſeeing they whom they goe about to perſwade, doe feare that their God loueth them not whom they ſerue, ſeeing hee beſtoweth not wealth vponupon them, as he doth vponupon others who are not for the moſt part, eſpecially in ſome places, religious at all: alſo they feare that if they themſelues ſhould bee religious, euen they ſhould become poore alſo. This (I ſay) troubles many, them therefore I anſwere after this manner.
To doe them good, hee is ready to beſtow riches vponupon them, and better Anſwere 1.things alſo. As he ſaid to Ieroboam, when of a ſeruant he made him a King: If this had not been enough, I would (ſaith hee) hauehave giuen thee more: If then to 1. King. 14.him a bad man hee would hauehave giuen more, if hee had vſed that well; then who doubteth but that he would be liberally handed to his deare children, if it were for their good? But otherwiſe (indeed) hee thinketh them better held backe then beſtowed; as he anſwered by Saint Iames, when they asked, Iam. 4. 2.they obtained not, becauſe they asked amiſſe; that is, to beſtow the things they asked, vponupon their luſts but if they might hauehave bettered by them, hee would hauehave liberally giuen vntounto them. And as he anſwered Paul, when hee gaue him not that which hee asked (and yet that which he asked was a better thing then riches) my grace is ſufficient for thee: ſo in denying them to his 2. Cor. 12. 9.faithfull ſeruants, he giueth his grace, which worketh contentment in them, and thereby though their outward eſtate bee weake, hee yet euen in that, keepes them from the noiſome euils of the dayes they liue in, that I ſay no Anſw. 2.more. And further to anſwere them, they muſt hold this for a truth, that eueryevery mans eſtate wherein God ſetteth him (I ſay not that which hee by his ſinne hath brought vponupon him) is beſt for him, as we in the Lords prayer are Petic. 4.well taught, when wee are directed to aske our daily bread; euen ſuch ſucceſſe in our eſtate, poore or rich, as our heauenly father ſeeth beſt for vsus, euen that is our daily bread, with the which we muſt be contented.
And yet this is further to be added, that hee that hath meate, drinke, and apparell, he is not to bee counted poore, when indeed the wealthieſt hath no more, neither is better ſatisfied with that which he hath then ſuch an one being gratious: and as for the ſuperfluity that he hath, which is counted his glory, how commonly doe we ſee it to become his bane? And where is the man that is not the worſe for his wealth, it being his ſtrong hold, which maketh Pro. 18. 11.him bolder to ſinne, that way that he is moſt carried by his ſenſuality, much more then the poore man dare do. And though God ſetteth vp ſome, it is for their triall, and for the maintaining of all eſtates, & preſeruing of fellowſhip in the Church and Common wealth. And as for the godly, they ſhould not want wealth, but that it is for the moſt part, vſed of many euen of them, to ſnare and entangle them in this deceiueable world; which as the beaſt that is caught by the hornes in the buſhes and briers; and as a man with bolts on his heeles is holden from running: ſo doth it hold them back from running apace to the heauenly life.
Neither let this trouble any, that while moſt of the godly want, our fathers vnderunder the law, and before the comming of Chriſt, had great wealth and poſſeſſions; and yet were godly and ſaued; and therefore if God loued vsus, he would as well beſtow them vponupon vsus now: for wee muſt know that his outward ſeruice then was more coſtly then now it is, which required more wealth: and moreouer they had one vſe of their riches, which we hauehave not that by theſe earthly things, God did figure out to them things heauenly; as by the earthly Canaan, hee did the heauenly Ieruſalem: for when that earthly countrey was promiſed our fathers, they enioyed it not, but liued Heb. 11. 13.ſtrangers in it, but they in thoſe promiſes looked further, that is, for a better, which they enioyed. This that hath been ſaid may fully anſwere the queſtion. I conclude therefore, that God can freely and willingly beſtow liberall portions vponupon his faithfull ſeruants, as well as keepe them out of great calamities, if he ſee it to be beſt for them when their eſtate is weake: and ſeeing it were not like to be good for them to enioy, which he thinkes not good to giuegive them, let them the more contentedly labour to be without it.
Now followeth the third benefit heere mentioned, and that he had promiſed The third benefit, the laying out of it. Obiect.that hee would neuer breake couenant with them. Heere the Lord may ſeeme to giuegive them great aduantage: for if hee binde himſelfe thus to them, they being ſuch as did oft times (as they are charged heere to hauehave done) breake their couenant toward him, it may ſeeme that hee is tied to them, that he ſhall neuer breake his couenant with them, ſeeing he hath promiſed ſo vntounto them whatſoeuer they doe, or howſoeuer they breake theirs, or behaue themſelues toward him. Then the which what is more abſurd? For the anſwering of this therefore, and for the vnderſtanding theſe words Anſw.of the verſe, two things are to be conſidered: One is, of what couenant hee ſpeaketh, when he ſaith, he had granted this vntounto them, that he would neuer breake it. The other, whether hee ſpake this ſimply; or vponupon a condition; namely, if they ſhould obey him. Theſe two being anſwered, will make the matter cleare.
Now for the firſt, wee are to know, that by the couenant heere mentioned, hee neither meaneth the particular couenant which hee entreth into with the faithfull, to be their God all ſufficient for euer (for that hee will neuer Gen. 17. 1.goe from, but whom he loueth, as he loued them ere they loued him, ſo to the end he loueth them,) neither doth he meane the generall couenant of ſending Ioh 13 1.Chriſt to redeeme the world: for the vnbeleefe of man could not make that Rom. 3. 3.promiſe of God fruſtrate, and of none effect: but he meaneth the couenant of enioying the land peaceably, into which hee brought them, with all the commodities therein. Now that couenant was made with them conditionally, if they ſhould be obedient to him. And this is the other thing, which I ſaid was one of the two, which ſerueth for the better vnderſtanding of this ſpeech; where he ſaith by his meſſenger, that hee had made a couenant with them, which hee would neuer breake; and that was, if they ſhould endeauour to walke with him, hee would continue them in that good land which hee had giuen them, and bleſſe them therein; otherwiſe he would bee free from his promiſe, and hee would caſt them out after long bearing their diſobedience, and puniſh them ſundry waies in the meane ſeaſon. And euen ſo he did to them, ſeeing they kept not couenant with him Deut. 28.as he required of them, and which he bound them to, as in the next verſe is to be ſeene. And this for the clearing of the forementioned doubt.
This point being thus determined, doth miniſter this heauenly inſtruction Doct. 7. in ver. 1.to vsus, that if we did faithfully, and with a good hart ſet our ſelues to obey the Lord, and yet I meane no otherwiſe, then as may of vsus be performed, he would doe great things for vsus euen in this world: he would feede vsus with good things, euen with the bread of wheat, and that the fineſt, as hee ſaith in the Pſalme; and other earthly bleſſings anſwerable: and would not ſuffer Pſal. 81. 16.the proud to domineere ouer his inheritance, but ſoone bring them down. And yet wee muſt know, that if his owne people ſhall ſinne againſt him, he will correct them with the rod, and often withdraw from them the ſweet fruit of his fauour, and the light of his countenance, which was wont to refreſh Pſal. 89. 31.and comfort their ſoules: ſo that euen the priuiledges which iſſue from this couenant, may in great part, and for a great while lie drowned in them and be to ſeeke, as ioy, peace, confidence in prayer, with ſuch like, and their temporary benefits vtterly loſt. Oh therefore notwithſtanding many See Doct. on verſ. 5.large and great and worthie promiſes be made to vsus, yet when wee doe not labour to be faithfull in our couenant, but take our liberty amiſſe, eueryevery one his way, as he thinkes good: behold, our ſinnes depriue vsus of many bleſſings which we might hauehave enioyed, and hold many good things from vsus, as Ieremie Ier. 5. 25.ſaith, and bring many euils vponupon vsus: and euen ſo the Prophet Eſay witneſſeth, though the Lords hand is not ſhortened that he cannot ſaue, neither is his eare Leuit. 26.heauie, that it cannot heare, yet your iniquities (ſaith he) hauehave ſeparated betwixt you and your God, and your ſinnes hauehave hid his face from you, that hee will not heare. So Eſa. 59 1.that if theſe things be rightly weighed, it may truly be ſaid, what we will not Note.ſuffer the Lord to doe vsus good, nor to fill vsus with his bleſſings, as hee is ready to doe; euen we our ſelues, becauſe wee will not ceaſe to prouoke him. And this is liuely laid out by the Prophet Amos, where he ſaith, that it rained Amos 4. 7.vponupon one peece of ground, and not vponupon another: and wherefore was it, but for the ſinne of thoſe that poſſeſſe it? contrary to our blind reaſon, who looke (as Sampſon did) that it ſhould alway goe well with vsus, howſoeuer we deale with God, or defraud him of his due, breaking couenant with Iudg. 16.him.
If this be ſo, then our Sauiour agreeth well with it; who ſaith, The meeke Matth. 5. 5.ſhall inherite the earth: for that which they hauehave, ſhall bee ſweeter to them, then great riches of the vngodly; and it ſhall multiply alſo when God ſeeth good. So that it might make one to maruell to ſee them who are counted Gods people, many times to run ſo greedily after the world, and the vaine allurements of it, in ſuch wiſe, that they go backe in grace as faſt, as though Gods caring for them were nothing like their owne; and as though they had forgotten that he promiſeth ſufficient wealth to a godly life, godlineſſe 1. Tim. 4. 8.hauing the promiſes of things both earthly and heauenly; and yet ſo it is with them, that he who can catch faſteſt, imagines he ſhall ſpeed beſt: when all may ſee that they who ſeeke to be guided by God, hauehave beſt ſucceſſe and bleſſing, others going without it. But whereas they obiect, that they are richeſt for the moſt part who ſauour no goodneſſe; that ought to trouble no man, for full ſoone ſhall the riches of iniquity, and thoſe riches that cauſe it, right ſoone (I ſay) ſhall they betake them to their wings, and leaue the reconing behinde to bee made, by them who hauehave ill gotten and ſpent them, which ſhall be little to their liking: for know we this, that they are neuer to be counted bleſſings, without the grace of vſing them aright.