Commentary on Judges, Sermon 19
THE NINETEENTH SERMON ON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
WE hauehave heard how God raiſed vp a ſauiour or deliuerer to the people of Iſrael when they cried to him in Verſ. 10.their oppreſſion, euen Othniel: now it is ſhewed, how he fitted and furniſhed him for ſo great a worke. And that was thus: Othniel being a priuate man, and one of the meaneſt of his fathers houſe, only ſomwhat enriched by his marrying of Ackſah, Calebs daughter, and a man of ſome courage, was the perſon whom the Lord ſtirred vp for this purpoſe. And he being further off then many other from ability hereunto, it is ſaid, that the Lord gaue him his ſpirit, meaning the fruits of his ſpirit; as knowledge and iudgement to vnderſtand the matters of God, and his will; which are things moſt requiſite for a gouernour, and he gaue him alſo encreaſe of courage, ſtrength and wiſedome for warre, and beſides them all, certified him by his ſpirit that he was called of God to ſuch a ſeruice. Now all things being thus appointed by God, he, as it is ſaid heere, iudged Iſrael, that is, hee executed his office, in taking vponupon him the protection of his people; wherein the Lord being with him, hee reſcued them out of bondage to liberty againe, and gouerned them, and reſtored the pure worſhip of God among them: and more particularly concerning the ſubduing of the aduerſary of Iſrael, it is ſaid, that the Lord ſtrengthened him againſt him, that Cuſhan-ruſhathaim I meane, and gaue him into his hands.
And this cleerely teacheth vsus, that all gifts of the ſpirit, and all excellent Doct.effects therof, they are none of ours, they are the Lords, he giueth and diſtributeth them at his pleaſure, as we ſee heere, that it was the ſpirit of the Lord that came vponupon Othniel, whereby hee brought to paſſe the great things that he did. And whatſoeuer is of any note in man for price and exceliency, it is all of God, and commeth from his meere bounty. Alas there is no bird ſtripped Note.of her feathers more bare and naked, then man in himſelfe, is void of goodneſſe: for what hath he that he hath not receiued? Inſomuch as all Iam. 1. 17.that he hath to glory of is his ſinne. A moſt holy and approued truth, which giueth God his due, and layeth out man in his colours, that hee is nothing elſe, if her robbe not God of his honour, and pranke not vp himſelfe in his gifts, he is nothing elſe (I ſay) but naked, poore, and a mirrour of miſery. Saul the King of Iſrael, when he wrought ſo great a deliuerance for Iſrael againſt the Ammonites: Moſes and Ioſhua in the mighty preuailing for them againſt the Heathen nations, and that in ſpite of all their teeth, who were the proudeſt of them; yea and Salomon in all his royalties, what had they to commend & ſet out themſelues withall, but the gifts which God furniſhed them with? How doe numbers iet vp and downe, vaunting themſelues, who hauing ſome gifts giuen them of God, but to a farre other end then they vſe them for, namely to honour him, and not themſelues; doe neuer thinke of any ſuch matter, but dare more boldly ſin againſt him, then otherwiſe they durſt doe, and all becauſe hee hath beſtowed ſome gifts vponupon them, as perſonage, beautie, ſtrength, wealth; euen as one ſhould ſtrippe a poore body out of his ragges, and put coſtly and comely apparel vponupon him.
For though men be but earth and wormes meate, yet how doe they ſet vp themſelues, ſome for their high aduancement, ſome for their riches, which yet are but borrowed; and other for their painted ſheath, till they take all honour (that they can) from God? yea as if they were petty Gods themſelues, and he onelyonly to bee called God of them. Oh admirable pride, blindneſſe, and forgetfulnes in fleſh! and oh as great patience and long ſuffering in God, that he can beare it at their hands! And yet for all that I hauehave ſaid I denie not, but hee can afford them theſe his gifts and farre greater, if they could giuegive him his due thereby, and vſe them to ſet forth his goodneſſe by them, as were meete. The ſame I might ſay of learning, and all other gifts of God, they are the Lords, and beſtowed at his pleaſure, not to puffe them vp that hauehave them, but that in louelove and humility they ſhould vſe them for 1. Cor. 13. 1.the good of others. And much more then his ſupernaturall gifts of the ſpirit, as godly zeale, care to pleaſe God, and ſuch like ought to be vſed to the ſame ends.
Now to proceed, when God had giuen his ſpirit to Othniel, it is ſaid, Hee Point 2.iudged Iſrael; that is, he did as a valiant captaine, pull them out of ſeruitude, and take the yoke of bondage from their necks, and reſtore to them the true worſhip of God, and gouerne them, and ſo the land had reſt. All this, with ſuch like befell them, when Gods anger was turned away from them, at the repentance of the people. In their bondage and miſery, who would hauehave ſaid, that it could eaſily, or in ſhort time hauehave been remoued? eſpecially, that ſuch a change might hauehave been ſeene? But this teacheth, that when Gods Doct. 2.anger is remoued from a people or perſon, all things goe well there, puniſhments are turned into bleſſings, and great heauineſſe into ioy and comfort. Euen as a cloudie, darke, and tempeſtuous day is forgotten, when the cleare and faire ſunſhine ouerſpreadeth and beautifieth the earth: and like as when A ſimiletwo great men who by their ſtrife and contention diſquieted all, are againe made friends, and reconciled; for then the people in that towne reioyce, and hold vp their countenance. So it is ſaid heere of this people, that they hauing been brought into ſuch extremity for eight yeeres, God ſent this Othniel a deliuerer and a Iudge, to whom he gaue courage and wiſedome, ſo that he brought their enemies into ſubiection, and the people had reſt and deliuerance. By all theſe ſignes of his fauour, God declared that his anger was remoued. And euen ſo, we ſhall ſee good daies, if we take heed that God be not prouoked to anger by vsus: and though his anger be kindled, yet if we cry and grone to him vnderunder our burthen, lift vp our hearts and beleeue that he will be mercifull vntounto vsus, (as moſt certainly he will) and turne away his wrath and diſpleaſure from vsus: for in his fauour is life, and when his louing countenance ſhineth vponupon vsus, all other things ſhall turne to vsus for the beſt. And the Lord doth either remoue outward puniſhments from vsus, or elſe vphold vsus ſo with his grace to beare them patiently and meekely, that they ſhall be no burthens, but matter of comfort vntounto vsus. Oh that we ſhould not Note.be ſo wiſe as to preuent this one thing, namely, that the wrath of God might be kept from our ſoules, while the body ſhall want no looking to, that I ſay no more, yea and the meaneſt hauehave both care and skill, when the tempeſtuous and vnſeaſonable weather commeth, to ſhroud themſelues from it, and beware that it doe not annoy them.
But further heere, in that both eſtates of this people are ſet downe together, as their bondage with their freedome, their reſt with their trouble, the time of the one, with the time of the other; the holy Ghoſt (I ſay) in ſetting downe both together, doth teach vsus to conſider of both, in the like caſe, the one as well as the other, and by the grieuouſneſſe of the calamity to meditate thus: Oh what ſhould wee hauehave done, if wee had ſo long continued in Note.the eſtate that they were in; wee, I ſay, who by the mercy of God hauehave enioyed much peace, with plenty of commodities: if enemies euen ſtrangers had brought vsus into ſubiection to them, how ſhould we hauehave borne the burthen? So likewiſe by our deliuerance from them, wee ſhould meditate of Gods goodneſſe to vsus after trouble, and from enemies, and to bethinke vsus, (which too ſeldome is done of vsus) what a great fauour of God it is vntounto vsus, when paine, penurie, or the like are taken from vsus, and to prize the ſame at an high reckoning. And he that deſireth to ſtirre vp himſelfe to true thankfulneſſe to God for ſuch a change and deliuerance will doe thus, as hee ſeeth good cauſe, and hee ſhall in beſt manner performe it, by ſuppoſing in our A Simile.beſt eſtate, that the contrary would be very diſtaſtfull, painfull, and irkſome vntounto vsus, and yet might hauehave oppreſſed vsus, which yet being through his exceeding goodneſſe paſſed away from vsus, behold now light and ioy is come in the place of it. For as the light is the more eſteemed by our being in the darke; and faire weather is the more welcome to vsus, after tempeſtuous and vnſeaſonable times: euen ſo is the conſidering of ſore troubles lately oppreſſing vsus, an eſpeciall meane to bring proſperity into an high reckoning with vsus; which a man would ſay, wee had need to doe, who ſhall obſerue, how ſoone we make it a common thing, and little worth, or rather abuſe it to our owne great hurt and detriment.
Concerning the time of the peoples reſt vnderunder Othniel, euen fortie yeers, Verſ. 11.I take it to be the true meaning of the ſtory, and agreeable to the originall, howſoeuer the interpreters differ about it, the beſt tranſlation maketh for it. But in the ſtory of Ehud, verſ. 30. more (if God will) ſhall be ſaid of it, where the vſe of it ſhall be alſo added. So Othniel hauing ſerued his time, was gathered to his fathers, as we are to looke and waite for the ſame, after the like ſeruice in our places. And this of the firſt example of the three before mentioned.
Verſ. 12. Then the children of Iſrael againe committed wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord; and the Lord ſtrengthened Eglon King of Moab againſt Iſrael, becauſe they had committed wickedneſſe before the Lord.
13. And he gathered vntounto him the children of Ammon, and Amalek, and went and ſmote Iſrael, and they poſſeſſed the city of Palme trees
14. So the children of Iſrael ſerued Eglon King of Moab eighteene yeeres.
Now followeth the ſecond: The ſumme whereof is this, that the people verſ. 12. The ſumme and parts 4 to the 31. verſe.of Iſrael prouoked God to anger againe by their ſinnes, when Othniel was dead. And God ſtrengthened the King of Moab againſt them, with other moſt wicked confederates; who oppreſſing them ſore a long time, they cried to the Lord as they had done before, and hee ſtirred vp another ſauiour, one Ehud, who deliuered them out of their grieuous bondage. According to this briefe laying out of the ſtory, the parts may be diſcerned to be foure, as in the former. Which being eaſie to bee perceiued, I will not ſtand to ſet them downe, but ſpeake of them as they lie in order.
The firſt thing heere to be noted, is, that the people againe wrought euill Doct. verſ. 12.in the ſight of the Lord, as they had done before. And this ſhewes that they broke out further then they did, while Othniel liued, or elſe nothing ſhould hauehave been ſaid more then before in his daies, during whoſe time though they be not commended, yet neither are they diſcommended. Therefore to ſay nothing of either, ſeeing I hauehave no ground for it, let that be obſerued whereof the text giueth iuſt occaſion how prone and ready we are to break out, aſſoone as we hauehave any opportunity. Oh the fleſh is ſoone wearie of pending in. While we are well fenced againſt falles by good teaching and company, I muſt needs ſay, all is much the better with vsus, and we be the eaſilier kept from great offences. Heere in this land eſpecially, where wee hauehave the purity of the Goſpel, and of the true worſhip of God eſtabliſhed among vsus, (for it is groſſe indeed to fall from a good courſe, while that is preſent) and alſo while godly Magiſtrates are with vsus to encourage vsus, as it was with them while Othniel liued. But for all this, (as groſſe as it is) when men will Note.let looſe themſelues with the times to the ſinnes thereof, and ſuch helpes faile them, as I hauehave ſpoken of, what care ſoeuer hath been among them of honouring God in former times, they are ſoone carried away, eueryevery man as he is diſpoſed, by his owne corruption one to ſome ſinne, and another to another. And yet where all the forementioned outward helpes be, we being eaſily brought to make common things of them, the falſe heart will be ready to breake out, and faſten delight in ſome ſinfull pleaſure or other, if it be not ſtrongly held in by grace, as by a bridle.
Whereas we ſhould rather grow vp ſtedfaſt in our hope, curbing vp our vnmortified affections, that ſo we might be vnoffenſiue in our Chriſtian courſe, and the better be able to helpe to ſhelter other weake brethren from being ouercome and led away by ſtrong tentations, rather then our ſelues (who hauehave taſted how good and bountifull the Lord is) to be plunged into the depth of them, by what occaſions ſoeuer to their great offence. I hauehave oft lamented, and ſtill doe, the lamentable caſe, and wofull eſtate of ſuch, who are eaſily and readily deceiued with the baits of ſinne, when I ſee to what ſhamefull ſhiftings and bondage they bring themſelues, by their yeelding thereto, who might hauehave walked at great liberty toward God, and with much comfort in their life. But we muſt confeſſe, that this ſhould be much better done on eueryevery ſide, if diligent teaching were ioyned with good example in the chiefe, to giuegive light and encouragement to the meaner ſort, and godly Magiſtrates, according to their duties, encouraging the good, and ready to keepe vnderunder the bad and diſobedient. But oh that many of both ſorts were not diſcouragers. And yet without reſpect thereof, eueryevery particular perſon ſhould looke to his owne waies, not promiſing himſelfe ſuch helpes in this euill world to be euer at hand. This be ſaid of the peoples prouoking of God againe, and of their breaking out, after the death of Othniel. Of other things which might be noted heere, hauing already been ſpoken of, I will forbeare to ſay any more, both in this place, and throughout the booke.
The puniſhment which God inflicted vponupon the people for their renued The ſecond point in verſ. 12. The ſenſe.ſinnes, which is the ſecond thing in this example, followeth in this and the next two verſes: and it was this; that the King of Moab, and other who aſſiſted him, held them in bondage eighteene yeeres; and tooke Iericho, which was called the city of Palme trees, and ſet aide there, the more to oppreſſe Iſrael, ſeeing it was by the paſſage ouer Iordan toward Moab. Where we ſee againe, that if we ſhall waxe bold to ſinne againſt the Lord, hee will ſmite, as we hauehave heard, come it ſooner, or come it later. But in that hee is ſaid here to ſtrengthen Moab, and as it were to furniſh him againſt his owne people (the wicked Idolaters againſt his true worſhippers) onelyonly for breaking forth now at this time heere mentioned, to offend the Lord more then commonly; it may ſeeme ſomewhat ſtrange. For theſe Ammonites and Amalekites were moſt vile enemies of God, and groſſe Idolaters. But he will Doct.hauehave vsus to know this, that he doth often puniſh his owne people, by them that are worſe then they. And as we ſee he ſendeth theſe curſed nations vponupon them, ſo we need not doubt but that hee can and will ſend the very Papiſts, (as little as many looſe Proteſtants feare it) to vexe vsus, if we prouoke him, euen as he hath done heretofore, when the ſinne of men, and their knowledge was leſſer then now it is. And ſo the Lord ſpeaketh in Deuteronomie, Becauſe ye hauehave prouoked me by that which is no God, I will prouoke you by Deut. 32. 21.them, whom ye hauehave deſpiſed as no people. It is as harſh a thing to ſuffer by the meanes of ſuch as be worſe then our ſelues, as it is for the child to be beaten by the ſeruant. But God will ſuffer them, partly becauſe hee knowes that to be the way to abaſe men, partly becauſe their enemies will ſet it on to the purpoſe when they are let looſe to hurt them, through the malice that is in them; euen as their father the diuell doth when he can. But God would hauehave his owne learne by the ſmart which they ſuſtaine by their trouble, that their ſinne is farre more odious then they account it, yea then theirs, who whip them, becauſe they hauehave been taught to know the Lord, and couenanted to ſerue him, but the other are ſtrangers, who are vnacquainted with his waies. And all this is well to be marked, becauſe this errour ſticketh faſt and deepe in the minds of ſome, that wee need not feare the Papiſts, Spaniards, Ieſuites, or any ſuch Heretikes, becauſe we profeſſe the true religion that they hate, and worſhip Chriſt Ieſus whom they diſhonour. And therefore hauing a good cauſe, they ſay, why ſhould we feare, God will fight for vsus. I anſwere, they muſt hauehave with their good cauſe, a good conſcience alſo: for elſe they may as truly ſay, that God will not ſuffer a good man and true, to be robbed of a theefe, or hurt by a witch, which Scripture and experience doth ſufficiently confute: but as God exerciſed holy Iob by the diuel, Iob 1. 2.the head: ſo he doth other of his deare ones by witches and other wicked people, which are his members: and that hee ſuffereth (as hee ſeeth cauſe) worſe people then his owne to domineere ouer them: the Egyptians tyrannie ouer Iſrael, the Canaanites cruelty, and the examples of other nations in this booke againſt Gods people after both; with the experience of all ages are ſufficient to teſtifie.
That is cleare enough, but let vsus further ſee the reaſon thereof, and Gods meaning therein. For he doth not puniſh his owne people by the wicked, his enemies, becauſe they are in better account with him then they: neither to put them in hope that they ſhall goe vnpuniſhed in the end, becauſe hee vſeth their ſeruice (as he did Satan againſt Iob, to try him,) but becauſe hee will hereby manifeſt how great a finne it is to abuſe, and liue vnworthy the Goſpell; therefore he beginneth firſt to viſit his owne people, and oft times euen by them. But afterwards, as Amos ſaith, he will viſit Damaſcus, Moab, Amosand Ammon, and make them drinke of the dregs: for if hee doe this to a greene tree, in compariſon of them, how much more will he do it to the withered? And as the Lord will be auenged of his enemies, ſo after hee hath corrected his owne he will againe returne to them. Therefore the Church is brought in by the Prophet Micha to ſay thus: Reioyce not ouer mee, O mine enemie, for Mich. 7. 7.though I fall yet ſhall I riſe againe: as the Prophet ſpeaks, meaning that the Lord would finde a time, both to take corrections of them, and yet to be pitifull to them againe; euen as the father will burne the rod when the child relenteth, and promiſeth amendment. And this, if the wicked will not ſee that he chaſtizeth euen his owne, hauing ſinned againſt his knowne truth, but once (as it were) and therefore hee will much more hauehave a day for them, to pay them to the full for their manifold and long continued rebellions: if they (I ſay) will not regard it, let Gods ſeruants profit by it eueryevery way, both they who are iuſtly viſited for their ſinnes, and alſo they who are more free; who know that hee doth vſe to begin iudgement with his owne houſe, that they 1. Pet. 4. 17.may thereby returne vntounto him.
Beſides that which hath been ſaid of theſe nations, how the Lord ſtrengthened Verſ. 13.them againſt Iſrael; ſo wee may further note heere how they were confederate together againſt Gods people: wherby we may further learne, how the wicked who can ſeldome agree together betwixt themſelues, (for their leagues are ſoone broken) can yet eaſily ioyne together to vexe Gods people. And thus theſe three nations did conſent in one to ſmite them. Euen as we reade that Herod and Pilate, which had been enemies one to the other, were made friends by ioyning both againſt Chriſt. As two dogs that fight each with other for a bone, yet both ioyne in biting the paſſenger. Or A Simile,as theeues who conſent to rob the true man, though they cannot agree in diuiding the ſpoile: for in that they diſagree each from other, it is becauſe they want the true band of vnion: but in that they conſent, it comes from their mutuall hatred of vertue, and feare leſt their owne kingdome ſhould be ouerthrowne. And we finde it as true in theſe our daies, that they who cannot brooke one another, but hauehave ſharpe contentions and broyles betwixt themſelues, can yet with free conſent, band themſelues againſt Gods ſeruants. Which, (to leaue them to repent for it if God giuegive them grace) one would thinke ſhould make vsus cling and cleaue faſt vntounto the Lord, that yet we may hauehave him on our ſides, and to ſtand with vsus againſt them, whenſoeuer they ſhall ſtrengthen one another to moleſt and oppreſſe vsus; and alſo to maintaine our Chriſtian amity with our brethren the more ſtrongly, by breaking off contentions, which eaſily ariſe, leſt the children of this world condemne vsus.
The puniſhment is bondage, and as the former generation was to the Verſ. 14. The ſenſe.King of Aram, ſo now they were in bondage to the Moabites: the time that it continued, was more then double in reſpect of the former, euen eighteene yeeres. The people that now were brought into bondage, though they were neither all that were in the former calamity, nor they only, yet the reſt who were growne vp at this time, had ſeene the workes of God, and receiued the religion of their fathers; and therefore they ſmarted iuſtly with the reſt, with whom they had ſinned. By them both wee learne, that they Doct.prouide ill for themſelues, who make ſlight vſe of Gods former corrections for ſinne, and that thereby they bring and pull downe vponupon themſelues greater iudgements. As Chriſt ſaid to the man that was healed, Goe thy way Ioh. 5. 14.and ſinne no more, left a worſe thing befall thee. So he threatened in Leuiticus, Leuit. 26. 18.that if they did not amend by the former puniſhments, hee would adde ſeuen times more. And did not Pharaoh finde it, who for his mocking of God, and hardening his heart againſt him, when he confeſſed that God had been iuſt in ſending vponupon him ſo grieuous iudgements at the firſt, prouoked him to ſend many more vponupon him afterwards?
And we at this day, who hauehave had deliuerance from trouble, which our ſinnes procured and brought vponupon vsus, hauehave too good proofe of this that I ſay: that we ſmart more by the after ſinnes, and thoſe which we renue daily, Note.then by the former: euen as a renued wound is more ſmartie and dangerous. And ſtands it not with the righteous iudgement of God, that it ſhould be ſo? Is it meet that we ſhould tempt God in ſuch a manner, and that wee ſhould not beare the marke of it about vsus in our fleſh, or in our conſciences? And ſo we doe. For to ſay nothing of thoſe who ſinne more willingly, in whom this is more clearely verified, it appeareth in the weaker ſort of Gods children euidently, who ſinne but of negligence and ſome careleſneſſe rather then wittingly, that they ſmart alſo for the ſame. For beſide their outward Note.croſſes, their oft doubtings alſo of their ſaluation, whereof yet they hauehave had aſſurance before: and by many great feares they hauehave oft times, that all is not well with them to Godward: the which (for the moſt part) do come of the ſlight and ſlendervſe that they make of their deliuerance from their firſt feare and trouble of minde which they ſuſtained. And it would much more appeare in many others, that their latter troubles which they beare, and by which they ſmart; for their latter and new prouokings of God are farre more grieuous then the former, and they farre hardlier recouer out of them, if they did not burie the remembrance of them, and willingly forget them, through the hardening of their hearts: when yet if they could confider aright of it, euen that is the greateſt puniſhment of all. And although they riſe out of it againe in time afterwards, yet it is done confuſedly; or if they ſee their ſinne and repent of it, it is after a good ſpace, and ſo, much time hath at the leaſt been loſt, or vnprofitably paſſed ouer by them.
And whereas this puniſhment that was caſt vponupon them, was bondage to a forraine nation, both cruel and idolatrous; Oh it was a yoke moſt vnwelcome: and ſo we are to account of it, whenſoeuer, and whomſoeuer of vsus it ſhall fall vponupon. Subiection in children to parents; in ſeruants to maſters; in ſubiects to Prince, is naturall and kind. But no ſuch thing is bondage to ſtrangers, but fearefull and tedious, as we hauehave heard oft times, when ſome perſons heere among vsus hauehave been taken by the Turkes, yea and Dunkirks, into what wofull ſtate they hauehave been brought. And although God hath mercifully perſwaded our nation it ſelfe from it; yet we know in what danger we hauehave been, eſpecially to the Spaniard; and namely in that yeere, 1588. And let vsus not be ſenſeleſſe in hearing this, or careleſſe: for if theſe reuoltings in the better ſort, and prophaneneſſe (with many particular ſinnes) in the common ſort, continue, if the Lord puniſh vsus not, with that one kind, Note.we may be ſure that ſome one or other ſhall be in the roome of it; yea and if we be not blind in beholding it, the plague and dearth hath already ſeazed vponupon many thouſands, whatſoeuer be behind to arreſt ſuch as remaine.
Verſ. 15. But when the chilhren of Iſrael cried vntounto the Lord, the Lord ſtirred vp a ſauiour to them, Ehud the ſonne of Gera, the ſonne of Iemini, a man lame of his right hand: and the children of Iſrael ſent a preſent by him to Eglon King of Moab.
The third point and fourth in this ſecond example follow, namely, the The ſenſe.cry of the people, teſtifying their repentance, and the Lords mercy, who pitying them, ſent them another like Othniel, who ſhould deliuer them. The man is named and deſcribed in the text. He firſt ſlue the King of Moab, and after, ten thouſand men of his, ſtrong and good warriours, and ſo deliuered Iſrael out of bondage. This followeth in the ſtory, but it was neceſſary for me to mention it heere, ſeeing otherwiſe, this ſending of a preſent by him to the King of Moab, which the people of Iſrael are in this verſe ſaid to hauehave done, ſhould hauehave been hard to vnderſtand, to what end it is ſet downe: whereas the ſending of it to him by the men of Iſraell, was the meane of killing the King of Moab, and the pretence that they had to couer their intent. But more of this afterwards, as the words of the text when I come to them, ſhall offer occaſion. But now let vsus handle the points that are in this verſe, as they lie in order, and as for this time we ſhall be able.
Firſt, it is ſaid that the people cryed to the Lord from vnderunder their ſore Doct. verſ. 15.bondage, wherewith they were oppreſſed. And had it not been better for them to hauehave been without it, and to hauehave ſerued the Lord with comfort, as they did while Othniel liued with them? ſo ſhould they not hauehave needed to cry. How this their crying was a ſigne of their repentance, I hauehave largely ſhewed in the former example, verſ. 9. and that may ſerue for both. But that which I will note now from their crying, is this; that the beſt end of our pleaſures of ſinne, is howling and crying; which though it did heere accompany repentance, (as ſeldome it doth) yet is it painful, but without it, dreadfull Note.and deadly: neither doe many meet with that (as I ſaid) though too many hauehave their part in this. For the times that follow ſinne, when it is done and ended, are not like the time in which it is committed: they full of ſmart and ſorrow, this taken vp in deceiueable pleaſure.
Conſider this all you that are giuen to your appetite, and will hauehave your pleaſure, where ye can come by it, howſoeuer the Lord forbids it, and how deare ſoeuer it coſt you. If ye may end with crying (which yet they can ill Note.away with, who hunt after vaine pleaſure. I meane, that which is companion to repentance) ye hauehave infinitely to thanke God for it: but who can aſſure you that ye ſhall ſpeed ſo well, and hauehave ſo good an end thereof? who may iuſtly feare (an hundred to one) that painfull crying, which maketh way to perpetuall howling and gnaſhing of teeth. As your ſinnes hauehave been great, ſo ſhall your cries be great, ſaith the Lord; as namely he doth by Abraham to the rich man: Sonne, in thy life time thou enioyedſt thy pleaſure, but now thou art tormented. Is not this lamentable, when we might liue comfortably, Luk. 16. 25.enioying our health, peace, liberty, and welfare with Gods good liking? But oh wofull it is, that none of his benefits, how precious ſoeuer, are commonly accounted of vsus according to their value; to wit, thankfully, nor vſed ſoberly and aright, but ſo as we are inforced to cry out at the laſt (at leaſt we hauehave cauſe ſo to doe) of our abuſing of them. For there cannot a iot or tittle of Gods word fall to the ground, who ſaith, Reioyce O young man in Eccleſ. 11. 9.thy youth, and let thine heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth, and walke in the waies of thy heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes, but know that for theſe things he will bring thee to iudgement. But I cannot goe through this whole verſe at this time. But thus much of this third point beſide that which I hauehave ſpoken of it elſewhere.