Commentary on Judges, Sermon 15
THE FIFTEENTH SERMON VPONUPON THE BOOKE OF IVDGES, THE REST OF THE fourteenth and the fifteenth verſes, a part of the former text, and on theſe verſes following.
VERS. 15. Whitherſoeuer they went out, &c.
16. Notwithſtanding the Lord raiſed vp Iudges, which deliuered them out of the hands of their oppreſſors.
17. But yet they would not obey their Iudges; for they went a whoring after other gods, and worſhipped them, and turned quickly out of the way wherein their fathers walked, obeying the Commandements of the Lord, they did not ſo.
18. And when the Lord raiſed them vp Iudges, the Lord was with the Iudge, and deliuered them out of the hand of their enemies all the daies of the Iudge (for the Lord had compaſsion of their gronings, becauſe of them that oppreſſed them and tormented them.)
OF Gods anger and the feare therof, being the firſt puniſhment, we hauehave heard. Now followeth the next, which is the effect of it. For they who are angry, conſult and deuiſe, how they may reuenge themſelues vponupon ſuch as hauehave offended them: the … out …ffect: the effect of whoſe anger is ſet downe, firſt to be the ſpoiling … good, and then the bondage they came in to their enemies, which was farre greater. And theſe are the ſorer becauſe God dealt not with them himſelfe, but gaue them ouer to men, yea cruell men, ſuch as Dauid deſired he might not fall into their hands, becauſe there was no mercy with them. But to ſay ſome what of the former of theſe two; to ſuch as be in proſperity, we know that the loſſe of wealth is found by experience, and taken of men to bee one of the hardeſt iudgements that doe befall them; the reaſon is, for that they louelove their money and goods almoſt if not altogether as well as their liues. And yet a great puniſhment is this which they ſuſtaine by them, that when the Lord hath giuen them as bleſſings, they loſe the right vſe of the, for and through their fooliſhneſſe and ſinne, and cauſe that for the moſt part they become curſes to them. And God in his wiſedome doth ſend ſuch penalties oft times among many other vntounto them, as it is ſaid heere, hee gaue them into the hands of ſpoilers. But this was yet farre worſe, when they muſt goe vnderunder it, and yet neuer conſider by whom, and why they were thus puniſhed. Behold in this people, the extreame follie of ſinners at this day; who though their hearts are ſet vponupon their wealth and commodities, yet neuer bethinke themſelues to be freed from the danger of Gods wrath, which often waſteth them to nothing. Know we therfore, that if we decay in our goods, by barrenneſſe Note.of the ground, or vnſeaſonableneſſe of the weather, by debt, ſuretiſhip, Pennie-wiſe. Pound-fooliſh.or by any other ſuch like, and eſpecially by miſpending them; know we (I ſay) we hauehave a warning thereby, ſent vsus of God, for ſome ill parts of life, as it is ſaid in Deuteronomie, If thou wilt not obey the voice of the Deut. 28. 15. 33Lord thy God, then the fruit of thy land, and all thy labour ſhall a people that thou knoweſt not, eate: and the heauen that is ouer thee ſhall be braſſe, and the earth vnderunder thee, iron.
And againe, A nation that is of a fierce countenance ſhall eate the fruit of thy cattell, Deut. 28. 51.and he ſhall leaue thee neither wheate, wine, nor oyle, neither ſhalt thou proſper in thy waies. By all which, and this which is in the text, that they heere were ſpoiled of their goods, as it ſhould make vsus carefull to preuent euen his Verſ. 29.iudgement among many other, by vpright walking with God, and harmeleſſe liuing among men, how fooliſh and preciſe ſoeuer that courſe of life ſeeme to many: ſo when wee hauehave gone out of the good way, and fallen Gen. 17. 1.from that obedience which we hauehave couenanted to yeeld vntounto God, and ſuſtaine ſuch loſſe thereby, aboue all things let vsus ſeeke to finde out the cauſe thereof, and that ſpeedily, as Ieremy requireth, and beare our loſſe becauſe Ier 8. 4. Mich. 77. Ioh. 5. 14.we hauehave ſinned; and ſinne no more leſt a worſe thing befall vsus. And let vsus not count it our hard fortune, (as fooliſh men tearme it, for there is none) when wee are ſo waſted in our goods, neither pleaſe wee our ſelues in condemning and charging the ſecond cauſe thereof, whereby we are … of them; for whatſoeuer be the inſtrument of our loſſe or vndoing, ſure it is, that the Lord is the effecter and worker of it. And therof … Deuteronomie, of this and all other his fearfull iudgements, after that … ſent them, when it ſhall be demanded wherefore hath the Lord done this? how fierce is his great wrath? they ſhall anſwere, becauſe they hauehave forſaken the couenant of the Lord God of their fathers, therfore hath the Lords Deut. 29. 25.wrath waxed hot againſt this people, to bring vponupon it eueryevery curſe that is written in this booke.
And the ſame doctrine that I hauehave taught of the ſpoiling of mens goods, that it is a fruit of the wrath of God for their ſin, (this being excepted, that the Lord may impoueriſh his people (who feare him) in fauour and mercy) The ſame I may as fitly and truly ſay of the bringing or them into ſeruitude and bondage vntounto vile and cruell perſons: but let the one bee vnderſtood by the other, ſeeing I ſpeake of this in another place. But I will further obſerue Doct. 3.another thing heere, that ſeeing it is ſaid that they were led into bondage after they were ſpoiled of their goods, and ſo ſmarted by both, we may note how God ſo dealeth with the diſobedient out times, euen as hee did heere with theſe, that as their ſins go not alone, ſo neither doe their puniſhments. So that God dealeth with ſuch as offend him not one way, but many; as he did puinſh Achan, both with ſhame, and with paine: ſo Pharaoh was viſited with terrours, and with bodily plagues alſo: euen ſo now many are Note.purſued with croſſes in their goods, reproch in their name, and in their body with paine and diſeaſes. And this he doth, that men may know they ſhall pay deare for their ſtolne pleaſures, how ſweet ſoeuer they bee to them in their fond account, and that ſo both together may hold them backe from prouoking him. For as Eſay ſaith, one iudgement ſhall not ſerue the turne, if Eſa. 9. laſt ver. Ioel 1. 3.men ſtruggle and fight againſt it, and ſtand out with God, when hee ſmiteth gently, his hand will bee ſtretcht out ſtill; and looke what the former hath not done, the latter ſhall make good. As wee reade in Ioel, that fruit which one plague conſumed not, another did, till an vtter riddance follow of all. But men bite vponupon the bridle, and curſe their lucke, but look not into themſelues: ſo when God ſtrippeth men of their goods, and then caſteth them into bondage, as hee did deale with them heere; or when hee doth the like to vsus, that one iudgement come in the necke of another to vsus, I thinke it may bee ſaid truly without reſpect of damnation, that wee hauehave paid deare for ſtolne pleaſures, and our bold taking of our liberties amiſſe. And ſeeing I hauehave not ſpoken particularly of going into ſeruitude, and our nation hath not knowne what it meaneth, nor how ſharpe a ſcourge it is; yet ſeeing many fall into it by Turke and Spanyard, who hauehave little feared it; therefore I wiſh them to reade of it in Deuteronomie: ſecondly, to conſider of it by the eſtate of the people of Iſrael in Egypt: and laſtly, to lay it out, and ſet a Deut. 28. 48. 49. 50.view of it before their eyes, by the Popiſh and cruell tyrannizing ouer our ſoules heere in our owne land in the daies of Queene Mary, when we could enioy no liberty of the word and Sacraments, but our brethren who refuſed their Idoll-ſeruice and falſe worſhip, were tortured and tormented by the bloody perſecutors: and what may men looke for then at the hands of ſtrangers? And this to be ſaid of bondage.
Now further, in that it is added in generall in the text, that they could not ſtand before their enemies; for being ſo weakened by them in goods, number, and ſtrength, what maruell? Let this be obſerued, that God vſeth his Doct. 4.and our enemies againſt vsus his children, when we prouoke him by our ſins: as hee vſed Nabuchadnezzar againſt Ieruſalem, and Senacherib and others. Not that God putteth new poiſon and malice into them, who had nothing elſe in them before; but that hee iuſtly ſuffereth and letteth them alone (without any bridling or reſtraining them) to vomit vp their venome, and Note.their cankered hatred, and letteth them looſe to Satan. Whereby this among many other things may bee learned, how vncertaine the comfort is that ſome take in this, that the Papiſts (they hope) ſhall neuer preuaile againſt the Proteſtants, nor Popery euer yoke them any more. Yes, if God be diſpleaſed with them, he may plague them that way, by raiſing them vp as enemies againſt them, as eaſily as hee did heere the Canaanites againſt Iſrael; and if they were without feare that way, hee may and can meet with them after ſundry other ſorts, little to their comfort, as they may ſee daily if their ſinnes be not remoued out of his ſight: ſo that as the Prophet ſpeaketh, it ſhall be with them, as if though they eſcape the Lion, a Beare ſhould Amos 5. 19.meet them: or went into the houſe, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a ſerpent bite him.
By this which wee hauehave heard of the puniſhment of this people, it appeares Doct. 5.that they had load enough vponupon them, as one would thinke, and yet, as though there had not bin enough ſaid of the hand of God againſt them, the holy Ghoſt addeth heere, that whitherſoeuer they went forth, the hand of the Lord was againſt them; as if it ſhould bee ſaid, whatſoeuer they tooke in hand or went about, it proſpered not, but they were croſſed therein; whereas of the godly, we reade in the firſt Pſalme, the contrary to be ſaid and ſet down. Pſal. 1. 3.The like is ſpoken by the Prophet Azaria to the people of Iuda, in the ſecōd booke of Chronicles. This though it be not ſeene of many, nor marked of 2. Chron. 15. 6.the diſobedient, and therefore not complained of, yet their miſery therefore is the greater, ſeeing they goe on brutiſhly, as the foole to the ſtocks, and the oxe to the ſlaughter, till a dart pierce through their liuer. But ſome feele and perceiue Pro. 7. 23.it, when God being angry with them, his hand is againſt them, as experience witneſſeth (though he deale not now ſo much nor apparantly againſt his enemies in bodily as ſpirituall plagues) for doe not many loden with ſorrow and miſery crieout, that God fighteth againſt them, though there be no outward puniſhments to bee ſeene vponupon them? and that they neither proſper nor enioy any inward peace, but are weariſome to themſelues, curſing their lot, and wiſhing themſelues out of the world; nay laying violent hands vponupon themſelues, for very anguiſh of heart and madneſſe: thinking (falſely) ſo to eſcape their miſery. And how heauie a thing is that, (thinke wee) eſpecially when they know not how to remedy it? And as it is thus with them, euen ſo Gods hand is euer with his faithfull ſeruants in all their waies which God hath ſet them in. They are like the tree planted by the riuers Pſal 91. 11. Pſal. 1 3.of waters, that bringeth forth fruit in due ſeaſon: and whatſoeuer they do it ſhall proſper. Indeed this is the leſſe ſeene to be, becauſe they finde it ſo hard a thing for them, in the middeſt of ſo many diſcouragements, to continue in their vprightneſſe as we may ſee who marke it; but they are oft vnſetled and broken off by the burthen of the fleſh from their innocency, or elſe are forced with much adoe to recouer themſelues being fallen, and are in great heauineſſe thereby. But while God vpholdeth them by his grace, hee doth alſo make them well liking, and to proſper, yea in their weakeſt eſtate, in reſpect of other, and to recouer.
And whereas it is added, that this purſuing of them by the Lord in all Doct. 6.that they ſet their hand vntounto, was as he had ſworne to them, it is to teach vsus, that it could be no otherwiſe: ſeeing God ſpeaketh nothing in vaine, much leſſe if he ſweare to it, according to Samuels words, the ſtrength of Iſrael will 1. Sam. 15. 29.not lie. One iot or tittle of his word cannot faile. It is farre more firme then Mat. 5. 17.the law of the Medes and Perfians, which yet altered not. So that if the Lord ſpeake the word or ſweare (except it be conditionally) whether it be a threatening to ſuch as prouoke him, or a promiſe of any good things to ſuch as truſt in him, it ſhall moſt certainiy come to paſſe, what attempts ſoeuer there be to the contrary, as is daily to be ſeene. And therefore it is to be wondred at, that men are ſo little moued thereby; but for all his threats, go forward in their bad courſe, till the euill threatened doe come vponupon them, and cauſe them to crie out; euen as Gods ſeruants alſo doe ſmart, when his promiſes being certaine, are for all that, not beleeued of them: But this matter is oft occaſioned. And this bee ſaid of the peoples ſinne, and of their puniſhment. It followeth now in the text.
VERS. 16. Notwithſtanding the Lord raiſed vp Iudges, which deliuered them out of the hands of their oppreſſors.
17 But yet they would not obey their Iudges; for they went a whering after other gods and worſhipped them, and turned quickly out of the way wherein their fathers walked, obeying the Commandements of the Lord, they did not ſo.
18. And when the Lord had raiſed them vp Iudges, the Lord was with the Iudges, and deliuered them out of the hand of their enemies, all the daies of the Iudge: for the Lord had compaſsion of their gronings, becauſe of them that oppreſſed them and tormented them.
NOw follow the other things which I mentioned before in the ſixth The ſenſe.verſe in laying out the points of this ſecond part of the chapter, and that is, how the Lord raiſed them vp deliuerers in their oppreſſions when they cried vntounto him, who were called Iudges. This cannot bee vnderſtood of any one time, ſeeing he ſent not many Iudges at once among them, in any time of their affliction. Therefore hee ſheweth heere to the end of the chapter, what was the condition of the people of Iſrael, and the changes and diuerſe courſes that they were, in the time of the Iudges. In few words it was thus: when they cried to the Lord in their oppreſſions, he pitied their grones, and raiſed them vp Iudges, which were deliuerers of them, as I ſaid, and he was with them to bleſſe them, and yet they turned away from him againe for all that, and ſo he was prouoked to go againſt them afreſh as is ſet downe in the latter end of this chapter, & in ſome of the verſes that follow.
And firſt, in that it is ſaid in the eighteenth verſe (for theſe three verſes are Verſ 18.to bee ioyned and read together) that they groned to the Lord vnderunder their oppreſſions, who ſaw nothing amiffe in themſelues before; it muſt teach vsus, Doct.that calamities will ſearch and ſtirre vsus vp to griefe, and to make our mone Note.to God for very anguiſh of heart, how careleſſe and iollie ſoeuer wee hauehave been before, when wee boldly prouoked him, and when wee hauehave been ſo careleſſe and headſtrong, as that nothing could ſerue to plucke downe our ſtomackes, yet ſore troubles hauehave broken our hearts, as if we neuer had been otherwiſe. Therefore when his word will not preuaile, the Lord is faine euen to maiſter men by ſtrong hand, that at leaſt hee may tame them by violence, if he cannot bow them to repentance: euen as men handle horſes and ſuch beaſts as they cannot rule; they caſt them, and keepe them vnderunder by binding them, that ſo they may worke their pleaſure on them. The wilde Aſſe muſt be taken in her moneths, when ſhe cannot reſiſt: and this courſe Iob 33. 15.the Lordis driuen to take with vsus, to wit, to make our hearts to ſmart, and to loade them with ſorrowes, or elſe there would bee no rule with vsus: thus I ſay he is faine to take vsus downe. According to that which is ſaid in the Pſal. When he ſmote them, they ſought him, yea they ſought him early: Pharaoh himſelfe Pſal. 78. 34.when he felt the ſmart of the plagues of Egypt, ſought for Moſes to pray for him to the Lord. Long it is before men are fitted and framed to heare the Lord ſpeake vntounto them: but being bitten with ſorrow, they are glad to See Hoſ. 6. 1. compared with cap. 5. 13. 14.cling to him. But alas what commeth of the moſt of theſe his corrections and ſharp dealings with ſuch? Nay, for that I can ſay no more but this, that the moſt of them doe but bow for the time, as a bulruſh with the winde, their goodneſſe being as the morning dew, and ſo it goeth away, and they cry out onelyonly while the rod is held ouer them, and afterward they returne againe to their old byas.
And ſo did theſe heere, and ſo doe many ſeeke the Lord for a time, and yet turne aſide againe as a broken bow. But if ſuch as be thus caſt downe (as theſe were) when God afflicteth them, ſo that one would think they would neuer lift vp their briſtles againſt him any more; if theſe I ſay doe yet waxe bold, and kicke vp their heele againſt him, what ſhall we thinke of them who relent not at all for their euill doings, no nor for Gods heauie hand vponupon them, but harden their harts, as the dog which biteth the ſtaffe that beateth them? What then, yee will aske is to bee done; if groning vnderunder mens burthens of ſinne and puniſhment hauehave no good effect? All the remedy heere is this, that men in ſuch caſes finding out their ſins, doe alſo ſeriouſly conſider of the fouleneſſe of them, and the woe that they bring with them, and ſo tread them alſo vnderunder their feet, and beleeue better things to bee comming from God toward them, euen mercy and forgiueneſſe, which onelyonly are able to cruſh their ſinnes in peeces afterwards, as well as to make them kindly and truly acknowledged and cried out of, while the ſmart taketh hold of them. This be noted of their groning.
Now behold what the Lord did when they did thus complaine and cry Verſ. 16. 18.out; he had compaſſion on them, and raiſed them vp Iudges, that ſhould deliuer them out of the hands of their oppreſſors and ſpoilers, and he did ſo, and was with them; and it repented him that he had ſo ſuffered them to be oppreſſed. He doth oft as he did to Ahab, pitty ſinners, when they ſmarting for their faults cry out of them: but he doth not receiue them to mercy, except they truly forſake them; which I ſay for our inſtruction, that wee may know that the Lord is eaſily to be entreated of vsus, waiting indeed our repentance. And when we do but giuegive ſignes of diſliking our ſinnes for the time, Note.he ſtayeth his heauie hand from purſuing vsus: what would hee doe, thinke we, if we came home to him with all our hearts? But ſo we muſt know on the other ſide, that hee in ſo dealing with vsus, heapeth hot coles vponupon our Note.heads, add maketh vsus vnexcuſeable, when wee hauing ſuch faire encouragement at his hands, ſhall yet keepe a loofe from him, and ſhew vnfaithfulnes, when we hauehave made couenants with him of amendment.
But heere commeth in their miſery, as in this verſe is to bee ſeene, that Verſ. 17.when he did all this to them that heere is ſet downe, yet for all his pitying them, and ſhewing ſo great kindneſſe toward them, yet their Iudges, who called them from Idolatry, were not heard nor regarded of them. They conſidered not what a benefit it was to enioy ſuch, although they cried in the anguiſh of heart for helpe in trouble. Now in that this was a common thing with them after their deliuerances, thus vnthankfully to deale with the Lord, in not obeying their Iudges; for ſo they are charged heere to hauehave done: and in the chapters following is to be ſeene that they did ſo: by this briefly let vsus learne, that men are rarely the better for their deliuerances out of their troubles, howſoeuer they crie to God in the middeſt of them. Whereas a man would thinke it ſhould be the thing moſt regarded of them, and they ſhould be oft in conſidering both how irkeſome and vncomfortable it was to them, when they lay in affliction; as in paine of body, by ſickneſſe or diſeaſe, or in purſuit by enemies, or in any other diſtreſſe: alſo what a gracious liberty it was, and what eaſe to them, when they were deliuered yea and with all this they ſhould yeeld rare thankeſgiuing to God for the ſame; eſpecially ſeeing it is the end of all deliuerance, euen the greateſt, and withall this, that we may ſerue the Lord euer after without feare.Luk. 1. 74.
Againe, another thing is not to bee omitted in this verſe, that in ſtead of hearkening to, and obeying God and their Iudges, they fell againe directly to Idolatry, and ſo forſooke the God of their fathers; and moſt brutiſhly bowed themſelues to their Idols which were but blocks, and could doe nothing for them. A deceiueable pleaſure they tooke therein (as mans nature is very prone to ſerue God after a groſſe and falſe manner) yea and the holy ſtory ſheweth, that they did quickly fall to this, and turne out of the way; to teach vsus how ſoone a well ordered courſe, and good things are forgotten and laid aſide. This as it may bee obſerued, in this people, that they ſoone waxed wearie of their good beginnings; ſo alſo it is apparant in others that come after them; who though they hauehave good example before their eyes, to goe before them therein, yet they are ſoone carried another way; eſpecially when the chiefe perſons are gone, who delighted in well doing. And yet further to lay out their ſinne, it is ſet forth by an apt and fit ſimilitude of fornication, euen as holineſſe to God is in the Scripture oft times compared to chaſtneſſe in marriage.
For as the whoremonger is drunken and beſotted with his lewd companions, ſo that he can regard no counſell, neither can ſee it to be his diſcredit, to be linked in with ſuch an one: neither is moued with the waſting of his goods which is cauſed thereby: euen ſo the ſpirituall whoremonger, which is the Idolater, is as blind as his Idoll, and cannot bee diſſwaded from it; but an Image and Crucifix ouerſwayeth him, when the worſhipping of God in ſpirit and truth is tedious, and vtterly vnſauoury to him. The reaſon of all this which I hauehave ſaid of him, and of all ſuch at this day, who aggrauate their ſin in the like manner, is this; that men regard nothing but their eaſe & vain pleaſure, & hauehave no conſciences to performe their promiſes & vowes made to God in the time of their affliction. Againe, they being either void of faith vtterly; or hauing receiued ſome ſmall meaſure of it, and being ſlow & negligent Note.in the meanes vſing daily and duly, whereby it ſhould be confirmed; they hauing alſo others to ioyne & keepe company with them in doing as they do, it eaſily commeth to paſſe, that they ſo ſoone decline, and their promiſe which they made to God of repentance, doth vaniſh like the ſparkles.