Commentary on Judges, Sermon 18
THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON VPONUPON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
The ſecond part of the Chapter.
VERS. 7. So the children of Iſrael did wickedly in the fight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and ſerued Baalim and Aſheroth.
8. Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael; and he ſold them into the hand of Cuſhan riſhathaim King of Aram-nabaraim, and the children of Iſrael ſerued Cuſhan-riſhathaim eight yeeres.
9. And when the children of Iſrael cried vntounto the Lord, the Lord ſtirred vp a ſauiour to the children of Iſrael, and he ſaued them, euen Othniel the ſonne of Kenaz Calebs younger brother.
10. And the ſpirit of the Lord came vponupon him, and hee iudged Iſrael, and went out to warre; and the Lord deliuered Cuſhan riſhathaim King of Aram into his hand, and his hand preuailed againſt Cuſhan-riſhathaim.
11. So the land had reſt fortie yeeres, and Othniel the ſonne of Kenaz died.
NOw I hauing ſhewed how God tried his by people dwelling among the idolatrous nations, what they would do, and we hauing ſeene alſo what they did, to wit, that they made marriages with them, and ſerued their gods, both which hauehave bin ſet downe in the firſt part of this chapter: I will now proceed to the ſecond part, and come to the three examples therein ſet downe by the holy Ghoſt; and heerein I will ſpeake chiefly of theſe things therein, to wit, of the ſinne, puniſhment, repentance and deliuerance of the people, and how they turned away againe from the Lord afterwards. The firſt example is to the twelfth verſe: the ſecond to the 31. verſe: the third, to the end. The firſt hath theſe foure things to bee conſidered; one is the peoples reuolting from God, in this verſe: another, the puniſhment brought vponupon them for it in the eighth verſe: the third, the peoples crying to God vnderunder it, verſ. 9: and the fourth, the Lords ſending helpe in the reſt, vntounto the 12. verſe; with the fruit that followed.
Their ſinne is ſet downe, firſt generally, that they did euill in the ſight of the Lord; and then more particularly, that they forgot him, and fell to Idolatry. Heere I giuegive this watchword to the reader, that ſeeing I ſhall in this booke often meet with things that I hauehave already ſpoken of, at leaſt, that there are diuerſe things mentioned oft and ſundry times heerein; therefore I will not goe ouer them againe, as oft as I meete with them, being the ſame duplicate page duplicate page ſpecially in the ſame manner, which were but a wearying of the reader with repeating one thing oft: but I will note and chiefly follow ſuch things, as beſide them are occaſioned there. All the things in this verſe are ſuch: I will therefore doe as I hauehave ſaid, and referre the reader for the reſt, to that which hath been ſaid of them before. Their ſinne ſet downe in generall, that they durſt offend God ſecretly, and do that which was euill in his ſight: and that they forgot the Lord, and remembred not his kindneſſe, and many benefits; and their Idolatry and worſhipping the gods of the nations, which aroſe of the two former: theſe things (I ſay) duly conſidered of vsus, do teach this worthie point; to wit, how men breake out into groſſe and foule ſinnes, by the forgetting of Gods goodneſſe toward them, and the taking of boldneſſe to ſinne againſt him, in doing that which is any way euill in his eyes. And ſo by the contrary; the direct way to liue godly, and to bee free from reprochfull ſinnes, is to feare to do any thing amiſſe in the ſight of the Lord in ſecret, and to keepe in mind his benefits, by daily recording them with Note.feruent and hearty thankes. For if the child be drawne to a naturall louelove and ioying in the parents, and ſo to bee afraid to diſpleaſe them, ſeeing they make much of it, and giuegive it all good things: what maruell is it if the Lords benefits, which are renued vponupon vsus eueryevery morning, being duly recorded of vsus, ſhould draw vsus to delight in him, and make our ſongs of him; alſo that we Lam. 3. 23.being ready to doe his will, and afraid to offend him in ſecret, what maruell (I ſay) if we ſhould abhore to diſhonour him openly? And if elder children endued with grace, will be faithfull to their parents in their abſence, and ſo ſhunne boldneſſe in offending them in preſence: who doubteth, but that if we feare to offend our God in ſecret, we ſhall ſhunne open and greater offences alſo? So by the contrary this is cleere, that if we grow to this point, that we dare doe that which is euill in Gods eyes, and to forget him, and his vnſpeakeable kindneſſe, though wee commit not by and by the groſeſt and moſt odius things, yet it will not belong before wee breake out euen groſly, wax bold alſo, and worke that which is odious in the ſight of men.
Whereas we ought euer to hauehave before vsus Gods bounty and kindneſſe in ſuch wiſe, that they may be barres in our waies, to keepe vsus euen from ſmal offences, that ſo the groſer ſinnes may much more bee kept from vsus. And ſo Dauid affirmeth, that if he had not been bold to ſinne againſt God in ſecret, he had neuer broke out ſhamefully before men. We know the diuell is called Pſal. 51. 4.a ſerpent; which word ſignifieth properly a creeper, becauſe his property Gen. 3. 1.is, by little and little creepe and winde into vsus, to withdraw our hearts Note.from vprightneſſe and conſtancy therein; alſo to cauſe that Gods benefits ſhall be more meanely accounted off of vsus: and then boldneſſe in ſinne will creepe vponupon vsus eaſily, and after that wee ſhall not feare the attempting of great and grieuous ſinnes alſo. It is our wiſedome therefore to conſider Gods goodneſſe to bee ſo great, and the ſame ſo continued to vsus daily (as who ſhall but meanely obſerue and weigh the ſame, but he muſt needs confeſſe as much) that we ſhould be afraid and aſhamed to offend and diſpleaſe him, through negligence much more by forgetting ourſelues in both to ſin openly and wilfully. This be ſaid of their ſinne. The puniſhment followes.
For this the Lord was ſore diſpleaſed with them, and what maruell? ſo Verſ. 8. The ſenſe.many ſinnes being wrapped vp together, as we hauehave heard. And hee raiſed vp againſt them this King of Aram heere named, who held them in bondage eight yeeres. Heere it plainly appeareth, that when God is prouoked, hee will bee reuenged: (as wee hauehave ſeene in the former chapter) and not Doct.winke at vsus, as we are giuen to thinke. And this is not a matter that falles out now and then (as we ſay) but ordinarily, and that vponupon countries, townes, families, as well as perſons, accordingly as the occaſion is offered. And yet Pſal. 50. 21.he ſheweth it not alwaies immediately; as wee ſee in deferring his puniſhment to the old world an hundred and twentie yeeres, after he was diſpleaſed with them. So he ſent a famine in Dauids time on the Iſraelites, for ſinne Gen. 6. 3.committed before by Saul, in ſlaying the Gibeonites. But though he ſometime deferre, it is to bring the offenders to repentance, as the Aopſtle ſaith to Rom. 2. 4.the Romans. And if that come not, he wil in deferring, doe as he that draweth his bow deepely, that the ſtroke may be the more deadly. And yet oftentimes he deferreth not, as in Corah, Ananias, and Saphira, and others is to bee ſeene. And when men commit knowne ſinnes, they may make their reckoning, that one of theſe waies God will meet with them early or late, the leaſt of them both will be deadly and vnwelcome.
Now then the caſe ſtanding thus, and wee knowing how vnwelcome and weariſome his puniſhments are; we ſee what we hauehave to doe; that is to ſay, to beware that wee prouoke not God, by following the deuices and deſires of our wicked hearts, and ſo grow hardened through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne. Oh therefore that wee ſhould be ſo bold and ready to offend, who yet blanke ſo ſoone, and are ſo ſore diſmaid, yea when there ſhall but ſome ſmall correction be laid vponupon vsus! Oh that neither examples of other, nor our Note.owne experience can make vsus wiſe to preuent and auoid ſo many and great iudgements, as are drawne vponupon vsus daily by needleſſe follie, or wilfull offending! And ſecondly, if we hauehave already falen, what ſhould bee more looked after, then ſpeedily to remember from whence we bee fallen, and to caſt vp our gorge, and repent, leſt the Lord come vponupon vsus vnprouided. And as for ſuch as at the hearing of this dare obiect againe, that they beleeue that no ſuch thing ſhall befall them: for they hauehave (they ſay) done as much as I ſpeake of, and yet they are ſafe to this houre, and hauehave eſcaped puniſhment: I ſay of them, what hauehave I to doe with them? I tremble to heare of their brutiſh and bold inſencibleneſſe. They are as one aſleepe in the maſt of a ſhip in great danger, but they feare nothing: and as one neare death by ſickneſſe, but being ſenſeleſſe, feeleth no paine; and as Naball a groſſe ſinner, but regarded nothing that was ſaid to him, till he knew he muſt die, and then he was as a ſtone or or blocke, onelyonly breathing. The puniſhment of ſuch as boaſt, that they are ſafe for all their ſinning, and hauehave eſcaped all danger, puniſhment, (although it be not ſeene of many, nor of themſelues) is yet far more grieuous then if it were ſeene with eyes, that it is the ſpirit of ſlumber, or an hardened heart, which is of all other the greateſt puniſhment.
Thus we hauehave heard that God was diſpleaſed with them; and therefore Another point in this verſ. 8. The ſenſe.vengeance could not be farre off, but muſt follow, and now it is ſhewed in what manner that was executed. Gods puniſhing them at this time, was eight yeers embondaging them vnderunder an heathen and idolatrous King, who might command them what he would, and lay vponupon them burthens at his pleaſure. And what the curteſie of ſtrangers was, wee may ſee in Deuteronomy; namely ſuch, as that they ſhould not regard the perſon of the old, Deut. 28. 50.nor hauehave compaſſion on the young: and ſuch courteſie as Benhadad ſhewed to Ahab, and yet it was before hee was in bondage to him, and when hee did but beſiege him and his chiefe city, and had onelyonly ſome likelihood to ſubdue him, which hope of his, yet was fruſtrated alſo. For this it was, & thus he ſent him word: Thy ſiluer and thy gold is mine, thy women and thy faire children 1. King. 20. 6.are mine: Or elſe I will ſend my ſeruants to thee by to morrow this time, & they ſhall ſearch thy houſe, and the houſes of thy ſeruants, and whatſoeuer is pleaſant in thine eyes, they ſhall take it in their hands and bring it away. This was the courteſie which Benhadad ſhewed, when he was but in beſieging Iſrael: but theſe were heere ſubdued to Cuſhan-riſhathaim, and already in his hands, yea and that for eight yeeres, which time vnderunder ſuch bondage was (we may be ſure) thought a long time.
Now we that heare it may iudge, whether they paied not deare for their liberties, that they tooke in ſinning: the chiefe of the which was Idolatry. Doct. 2.There is no doubt, (conſidering that which heere we reade) but that the Idolatry, and other ſinne which was ſo pleaſant to them in their proſperity, was as bitter to them now in their bondage which it brought them into, neither could it pluck them out of it. But by this let vsus learne, what woe and miſery men ſuſtaine and bring vponupon themſelues for a little ſtolne liberty, and to ſpeake as the truth is, onelyonly for hauing their will: but let none looke to finde ſinne afterward, to be, as while it is in committing. Eight yeeres ſore bondage, with the diſcommodities and irkſomeneſſe that accompany it, for a little liberty to liue at their pleaſure? And what excellencie or ſuperabounding ſweetneſſe (thinke wee) and delight might that be which coſt them ſo deare, and which they enioyed ſo ſhort a time? Alas it was but the pleaſing of their humour in falling downe before a ſtocke or aſtone. And ſuch are their delights at this day; tranſitorie, vaine, and ſoone flitting away, Note.if not filthy alſo; for which they pay ſo deare, that they debarre themſelues of all ſound and true comfort for them heere, that I ſay nothing how they prouide for themſelues hereafter, beſide other annoyances that they meete withall. Sodome and Gomer for a whole city, Zimry and Cosby for particular Gen. 19. 24.perſons, the former to bee deſtroyed with fire and brimſtone for their filthy pleaſures; the latter to be thruſt thorough in their tent, as they were about Numb. 25. 8.their vncleanneſſe. What was their gaine, if it be laid with their loſſe? and for them that hauehave been thought to hauehave ſped better in their matches by the like doings, they cannot be reckoned vp, nor found in the Scriptures, nor yet in experience. So that we might be wiſe, if we did well weigh it, to auoide the ſinne, that ſo we might auoid the puniſhment alſo.
The third thing noted in this firſt example of this people, is their ſeeking Verſ. 9.to God; and that in faith and repentance. For when ſorrow pinched them by reaſon of their grieuous bondage, and they ſaw all helpe of man failed them, they fled to God, acknowledging, that they had now proued by wofull experience, that the worſhipping of ſtrange gods had done them little good, my meaning is, they had thereby, and by their other ſinnes, brought thoſe calamities vponupon themſelues. And this their crying to God, was not the action of one man, or family, but of the body of the people in generall: and ſome among them (no doubt) did it ſoundly and vnfainedly: & therefore they repented, though it bee not ſo expreſly ſet downe, as in ſome places; and ſo we muſt vnderſtand this that is ſaid of them heere. It is laid out by this word crying, as the holy Ghoſt in the firſt of Samuel, 7. doth ſet down 1. Sam. 7. 1.the repentance of the people after the like manner; namely, by their lamenting after God; and in other places the ſame is done either by ſome ſigne, or by ſome fruit of it; ſo heere by crying. As if it ſhould be ſaid, that by this they teſtified their ſorrow for diſpleaſing God, their beleeuing of pardon, purpoſe of amendment, and their feruent prayer and confeſſion of their ſin, as all theſe are required by the Lord in true repentance, in Hoſea, 14. And Hoſ. 14. 2. 3.this is the fruit of calamity in the elect, or rather of Gods goodneſſe towards them, whereby he calleth them to himſelfe by affliction.
This place, though briefly, yet pithily, teacheth all Gods people what to doe, when they hauehave prouoked God to afflict them for their ſinnes: and that is this; they ſhould after the thinking vponupon both, ſeriouſly cry vntounto God, and call vponupon him aſſoone as they ſhall bee able; and this is to draw neare to him, as the people in Iames are directed to doe. And this I teach by Iam. 4. 7.ſo good occaſion heere offered, becauſe though men bee for the moſt part, ſecure and careleſſe; yet if their ſinnes bee once brought to mind, and laid before them in any deepe and dreadfull manner; they are in another extremity, as in feare and terrour, doubting that God will not heare them though they pray: for this is their diſpoſition in that time through tentation, when they hauehave prouoked God, to bee alienated and turned from him by dreadfull feare and vnbeliefe; to whom they were wont while they walked vprightly to hauehave acceſſe by prayer before. Adam, after his ſinne, was Gen. 3.afraid of Gods voice, (wherein yet before he reioyced) and did hide himſelfe in the thicket for feare of it. So Dauid cryeth and complaineth when Pſal. 119. 25.hee felt his ſinne, that his ſoule cleaued to the duſt; meaning that for very griefe hee was almoſt brought to the graue; and againe, that hee was in Pſal. 130. 1.the depth of trouble, as not ſeeing for the time how to get out of it. This anguiſh he felt in his ſoule, though he was deare in the eyes of the Lord. And the 51. Pſalme teſtifieth how hee was wrapt in ſorrow, as if his bones had been broken, thinking for the time, that hee had loſt all grace of the ſpirit. Pſal. 51. 8.And no leſſe cleerely doth this appeare in Ionas, after that the Lord had purſued him for his ſinne, when in the bellie of the fiſh he cried thus: I ſaid, I Ionas 2. 4.am caſt away out of thy ſight, the waters compaſſed mee about vntounto the ſoule. So I may ſay of Gods beſt ſeruants, when they hauehave ſeene the horror of his wrath againſt them, for ſome ſinne that wounded them, they hauehave been diſmaied, and almoſt paſt hope, and brought to fainting for the time. And by this wee may ſee, that the ſecure and careleſſe people who (wee know are not behinde other in ſinning, are in a contrary extremity. But to returne to the other, if Gods ſeruants apprehend his wrath, and then fal into the tentation of the diuell, who can cunningly deceiue them, in making it ſeeme greater then it is, to be kindled againſt them, they are caſt downe, as it were with a deadly blow: and thus (I ſay doe all in that caſe, till God put away feare from them. And ſeeing theſe two are contrary; to wit, to bee turned from God by feare and vnbeliefe, and to returne and come home neare vntounto him againe by faith; and ſeeing they meet ſo neare together in one perſon, ſo that one of them oft times immediately ſucceedeth the other; therefore all poſſible ſpeed and care is to bee vſed, that when feare, through the accuſation of the conſcience taketh place, faith ſhould be at hand to expell and ouercome it. But againe to obiect further, it is ſaid, God heareth not Ioh. 9. 31.ſinners, and therefore hee will not (they ſay) heare them crying vntounto them. But to this I anſwere, that when men repent, he heareth them, as wee ſee in 2. Sam. 12. 13.Dauid, Peter, and other. And ſuch need not be diſcouraged from comming to him, but take hope aſſuredly that hee will heare them. Indeed they that dare not come and humble themſelues to him after their offence, and ſo ſtand firme in their hearts; or other that doe call vponupon him, yet for all that doe it in ſhew rather then in faith and repentance, they (I ſay) doe all one, as if they did not cry to God at all. They therefore who hauehave learned that God will certainely ſmite and puniſh, if they ſinne; let them alſo learne, what they muſt doe, and how they muſt ſeeke to the Lord when hee puniſheth, as theſe men did heere, taking heed of the extremities before mentioned. If they deſire to turne away Gods wrath from them; then cry they to him alſo in ſeeing their ſinne, and laying it neare their hearts; and if they relent and turne from it, let them beleeue that his anger is alſo turned away from them, they vnfainedly purpoſing amendment of life, and looking duly to it afterwards: but more happie are they who looke warily about them, that they prouoke him not at all, but dutifully and conſtantly hold on their Chriſtian courſe. And this of their crying to God, the third point.
The fourth thing in this firſt example now followeth; to wit, of their deliuerance, Doct. 2.in this and the next two verſes: wherein conſider theſe foure things: firſt, God raiſed them vp Othniel to be their deliuerer: then ſecondly, how he furniſhed him thereto: and thirdly, how hee gaue his aduerſary into his hands: and fourthly, what followed thereof. Othniel is deſcribed heere to be the ſame man, of whom wee heard in the firſt chapter, and who won the city Debir. He is called a ſauiour, becauſe he ſaued Iſrael out of the Iudg. 1. 18.hands of their great aduerſary Cuſhan, that had held them long in bondage: by which deliuerance they had good teſtimony, that Gods diſpleaſure was turned away from them. The Lords thus ſpeedy turning vntounto them vponupon their repentance, is marueilous, but yet agreeable to that which is ſpoken of him in the Scripture; namely, that hee is ſlow to wrath, and very readie to forgiue. And it is to teach vsus that, which wee are hardly brought to beleeue, Ioel 2. 12.namely, that he is moſt ready to remit and to remoue his puniſhments, yea when we hauehave prouoked him thereto by our ſins, if it repent vsus. When Dauid confeſſed his ſin, the Prophet Nathan being ſent of God to moue him to repentance, and vnderſtood by his confeſſion, that he did ſo; anſwered him immediately, thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee. So the poſterity of this people heere 2. Sam. 12.mentioned, when God had ſent vponupon them a ſtrange iudgement in their wheat harueſt, euen thunder and raine, that they might thereby perceiue 1. Sam. 12. 19. 20.and ſee, that their wickedneſſe was great in asking a King, contrary to Gods commandement, who had forbidden them ſo to doe: and the people had giuen teſtimony of their repentance, in deſiring Samuel to pray for them, and confeſſing that ſinne in asking a King, and their other ſinnes; hee anſwered; Feare not, the Lord will not forſake his people for his great names ſake, becauſe 1. Sam. 12. 22.it hath pleaſed the Lord to make you his people, and I will not ceaſe to pray for you, but I will ſhew you the good and right way.
And the whole Scripture throughout is full of examples, that tend to the ſame end. So that it may boldly and truly bee ſaid, the Lord is gracious, and of great kindleſſe, and repenteth him of the euill that hee had brought vponupon his. So that it remaines, that this heauenly Scripture lie not by vsus vnoccupied, Exod. 34. 6.and without fruit and vſe. But ſeeing wee doe oft forget the Lord, and thereby doe that which is euill in his eyes (oh fickle and inconſtant people that we are) wee ſhould not ſleepe in our ſinne, but repaire to this remedie to rend our hearts rather then our garments, and neuer to thinke our ſelues Ioel 2. 13.well till we hauehave recouered our loſſe, and by faith, ſee that wee are receiued into fauour with him againe; for hee waiteth for this our humiliation, and it ſhall neuer come before him in vaine and be fruſtrate, but he will moſt certainly accept of it, and as for vsus we ought neuer to be quiet, till wee doe ſo. And wonderfull it is, and to our great detriment, that the way being ſo open to Gods mercy, and louing kindneſſe, euen to them that ſtand in need of it while they ſmart for their prouocations of him, it is (I ſay) to bee wondred at, that ſo few take benefit by it, yea and that aſſoone as they hauehave offended, Note.they haſt not to returne to him againe, but wander in vnbeleefe, and hardneſſe of heart, till they bee driuen to it by meere neceſſity to bow and cry vntounto God.
And the more wee bewray our blockiſhneſſe herein, in that wee bee ſo hardly brought vponupon our knees, when we hauehave ſinned againſt God, wee are to know (for I thought it meet to vtter it) that there are no knots nor difficulties in this doctrine, namely, that God will be found when hee is ſought vntounto, and will heare when he is prayed to. It is a moſt cleere and well approued truth, and none faile of helpe, but ſuch as doe not either heartily ſeeke it, if they know how, or elſe ſuch as are ignorant how to doe it. And that which I hauehave ſaid of repenting and returning to God, when wee ſee ſome ſpeciall fault committed, either by negligence or wilfulneſſe; to wit, that we ſhould in ſolemne manner thus cry vntounto God, as we hauehave been taught, euen ſo we ought to doe, though there be no apparant wilfulneſſe ſeene, in our daily ſlips and infirmities, to offer vp to God daily our ſutable repentance for the ſame, that ſo we may bee no time, or not long in the leaſt manner eſtranged, no, nor abſent from God, but continually goe in and out before him through the day, and ſo all our life long, which is our Paradiſe and felicity in this world. And this be ſaid of the firſt, of the three examples, as occaſion hath been offered, to the tenth verſe.