Commentary on Judges, Sermon 23
THE TWENTIE THREE SERMON ON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
NOw to goe forward; the valiant warriours of Ephraim being encouraged thus by Ehud, and other helpe being called together therewith, as we hauehave heard, and they keeping the paſſages to and fro, betwixt Iſrael on their owne ſide, and Moab on the other ſide of Iordan, they killed all the Moabites that offered themſelues to ſtirre and be helpers in that time of their great calamity and abaſement, wherein they had loſt their King: theſe (I ſay) whom Ehud drew together, ſo beſtirred themſelues, that ten thouſand of the beſt warriours of the Moabites were put to the ſword. Thus they of Moab were weakened, and Ehud and the people of Iſrael did more and more preuaile. By all this we ſee that as there is a time of affliction and calamity to the people of God (as it had beene heere to Iſrael) and that is, when they hauehave prouoked God, and their ſinnes hauehave made them naked before the Lord, that is to ſay, deſtitute and voide of the grace and helpe of God, (as it is ſaid of their fathers when they had made a Calfe in Exodus) as I ſay, there is ſuch a time; ſo there is a time againe of deliuerance and ioy, and that is, when the people riſe out of their ſinne penitently, and ſeeke the Lord with their whole heart, then hee moſt graciouſly returneth to them againe, in whoſe fauour is life.
And this comfortable eſtate may wee enioy from time to time, to hauehave the Lords louing countenance to ſhine vponupon vsus, far more delightfull to our ſoule, then the faireſt and ſweeteſt weather can bee to the creatures of the earth, i… we can like to preferre it, as it is the beſt before all other: and we hauing Note.obtained grace to doe ſo, if we ſhall goe a ſtep further, and can thinke it our beſt wiſedome to continue in ſo doing wee ſhall abide in Gods fauour Ioh. 15 10alſo, and keepe our ſelues well when we are wel, which is the happineſſe that can in this life be enioyed. The Lord doth not ſtint and tie vsus to times, in which only we may hauehave peace with him, and ſee good daies; but he would that wee ſhould liue in ſafety vnderunder his protection all the day long: and ſo Deut. 33. 12from time to time, that we may hauehave proofe how good and bountifull hee is. But we are waily and inconſtant, and abuſe his lenity and kindneſſe toward vsus, when hee not onelyonly holdeth many troubles and ſorrowes from vsus, but alſo lodeth vsus with the benefits of health, and welfare. inward and outward, Note. Pſal. 68. 19.and that alſo while others ſmart and are in heauineſſe.
Wee deale with him, as pampered horſes, and children much made of, who right ſoone waxe looſe and wanton. And wee cauſe the Lord to turne our good and ioyfull daies into glooming and ſorrowfull times: as through the ſtories of the booke of God doth eueryevery where appeare, that many after good beginnings did ſo though little to their comfort. Oh how ſoone did this people mentioned in this booke, and their fathers, as wee reade in Deuteronomy, with ſundry other generations following, as the ſtories doe teſtifie, Deut. 32. 15.kicke vp their heele againſt the Lord, when hee did yet feede them with the fat of wheat, and make them drinke of the ſweet? And this reuolting worketh ſuch a change in our beſt ſtates and ſeaſons, as cauſeth to complain and cry. Let it therefore cauſe vsus to bee reſolued vponupon this, and that in due and good conſideration, ſo that wee may conſtantly hold the ſame: to wit, that if wee deſire to ſee good daies heere, and enioy long life with the Lord hereafter: that (I ſay) wee flie euill, and follow that which is good: and 1. Pet. 3. 11.heerein let vsus ſee that wee deale not hollowly with the Lord: and if by occaſion we ſlip or fall, and forget our ſelues (as this people heere did, verſ. 7.) Note.yet let vsus take heede that we harden not our hearts, and ſo lie ſtill, but beare Mica. 7. 7.our puniſhment contentedly, becauſe we hauehave ſinned, and make ſpeed to turne againe to the Lord our firſt husband, who will receiue vsus graciouſly: and as he hath ſmitten vsus, ſo he will heale vsus; and as hee did before comfort vsus, ſo he will reſtore ioy and gladneſſe to vsus, as in time paſt. And this being done daily in the ſmaller ſlips, ſhall the eaſilier be gone about in greater fals, and ſhall alſo be a meane to keepe vsus from them. Yea doubtleſſe the Lord will doe great things for vsus; and as hee abaſed the enemies of this people, the Moabites heere, ſo will hee bring the wicked vnderunder vsus, and leaue them afflicted and ſcourged in our roome.Prou.
Now followeth the third and laſt thing mentioned in this latter part of Verſ 30. The vnfolding of it.the ſtory, and that is, reſt after, for a good while.
This long time of peace the Lord granted them, and could willingly affoord it them, and it is all one to him to giuegive a long time thereto, as a ſhort. And as it was a great bleſſing, ſo it was more then was promiſed. Indeed the Lord ſaid, that he would giuegive Moab into their hands, and the people enioyed that (as a fruit of their faith) which laid hold on Gods promiſe. But heſides, he lengthened out the time of their reſt, further then hee promiſed them. To teach vsus that God neuer commeth ſhort or behinde hand with vsus in performing his promiſes, but giueth vsus good meaſure, heaped vp, and Doct. verſ. 30.running ouer; and thereby ſheweth that hee is liberall and bountifull toward vsus. And this is his vſuall manner of dealing with his, to giuegive more Luk. 6. 38.then they aske or looke to receiue; for hee giueth more then hee himſelfe promiſeth. The prodigall child asked, that hee might be receiued but as an hired ſeruant, but his father, who reſembled the Lord in kindneſſe, receiued Luk. 15. 19. 22. &c.him for his ſonne, and declared it by entertaining him gladly, with all things agreeing therto. So the woman of Canaan came to Chriſt for helpe for her Mat 15. 22. 28.daughter; but he not onelyonly granted her that, but alſo bad her take what ſhe would. Euen as father Iacob, who feared that hee ſhould neuer ſee Ioſephs face, thinking he had been deuoured of ſome wild beaſt, did yet ſee his childrens Gen 37. 33. 34. compared with 48. 11.children.
This if it were beleeued, were able to make our liues comfortable? For to ſay the truth, all our welfare is according to our faith, and yet the Lord giueth fartee aboue that which we can beleeue. Therefore this ought to encourage Note.vsus, to labour to giuegive him credit in all that we ſeene impoſeth vponupon vsus, and requireth of vsus, in that wee vnderſtand and ſee, and reſt perſwaded that he will hauehave vsus to goe about it. For we may know, that our reward ſhall he exceeding great in ſo doing. Let vsus inſtance this in two or three particulars, and we ſhall finde the ſame that other hauehave done before vsus. If we marke it, we may perceiue, that when we hauehave ſomtime in our afflictions beſought the Lord but for ſome eaſe and mitigation of the force of them, whether ſickneſſe, paine, diſeaſe, or any ſuch like, he hath deliuered vsus altogether, and beſides, bleſſed vsus abundantly. And ſo to ſhew it in any other particular, when great ſorrow hath been riſing toward vsus, he hath oft times turned our ſorrow into ioy. And euen ſo, as long-continued peace was to this people vnlooked for, when their very deliuerance from ſubiection to the Moabites, would hauehave been ful welcome, though it had been but for a ſhort time, that they might hauehave had but ſome breathing from their bondage: ſo the Lord dealeth with vsus, that whereas in ſome of our troubles, we hauehave feared as Hezechiah did, that wee ſhould neuer fee light, nor good daies any more; yet Note.the Lord of his exceeding goodneſſe hath reſtored vsus to our former ſweet Eſa. 38. 11.liberties for a long time after. But oh what might be ſaid of this argument? Although we muſt alſo know, that hee ſeeth reaſon ſometime, and that for good cauſe, to hold vsus off and deferre vsus. But more of this in Chap. 1. ver. 2. And heere an end of this ſtory.
Verſ. 31. And after him was Shamgar the ſonne of Anath, which ſlew of the Philiſtims ſixe hundred men with an oxe goade, and he alſo deliuered Iſrael▪
THis ſhort ſtory of Shamgar, is the third and laſt ſtory mentioned in this chapter of the Iſraelites deliuerance, by an other Iudge. But who this Shamger was, or of what tribe hee came, the Scripture doth not let downe. But it appeareth, that when they had enioyed long peace vnderunder Ehud, after his death, the Philiſtims began to vexe and oppreſſe them, and then the Lord ſtirred vp this Shamgar to defend them, that they might not againe be brought into bondage as they had bin before. And among other of their victories which were many, this one is brought in, as moſt admirable, though it be but briefly mentioned. For a great number, euen hundreds to be ſlaine by one man, and he vſing ſo weake an inſtrument, and the whole nation of the people to bee preſerued thereby from ſo fierce enemies, what is in this whole booke ſpoken of, of the like kind, to be for ſtrange and admirable? vnleſſe it be the like act of Sampſon.
Wherein we may ſee, that eueryevery ſlight thing may be a weapon or warre for Gods people, when hee will ſay, it ſhall preuaile: and that it is not the number of men, nor the meanes, that God regardeth when hee will get the victory. Therefore Dauids ſmall and ſmooth ſtones to throw in his ſling, 1. Sam. 17. 40. 4…. Iudg. 15. 15.were ſufficient furniture and armour to ſley the Philiſtims champion Goliah: and Sampſon with the iaw bone of an Aſſe ſlew a thouſand men: and Iael with a bare naile, killed Siſera, that valiant captaine of Iabin King of Canaan. And ſo great an act did this Shamgar, by ſo weak an inſtrument, when the Lord pleaſed to giuegive the victory. And this truth ſhould wee ſee verified as clearely as euer they did, if we would hold this ſure and conſtant, that wee are his, and deare vntounto him: ſecondly, when we feele our outward oppreſſions and diſcouragements, or our inward infirmities, feares, and tentations, if then (I ſay) wee did not looke how weake wee our ſelues are, and vnfit to wade through them all, and beare them, forgetting Gods power, which ſerueth 1. Sam. 30. 6.for the vſe and comfort of his weake ſeruants, and to be made knowne in their infirmities: euen ſo wee ſee Dauid did, namely in his ſore diſtreſſe, 2. Chron. 12. 9.comfort himſelfe in being wearied with Sauls purſuing of him. And yet what a grace that was in him we may ſee by this, that hee being at an other time, and forgetting himſelfe, in a ſore combat, brake out thus, and in his raſhneſſe ſaid, I ſhall one time or other fall by Saul: But wee ſhould looke how 1. Sam. 27. 1.ſtrong the Lord is who loueth vsus: who alſo lookes downe from heauen, to ſee who are weake, that he may be ſtrong with them. For indeed when wee 2. Chron. 16. 9.ſee our owne impotency, this ſhould lift vp out heart, and cauſe vsus to reach out our hand to Gods mercy, which is in a readineſſe for vsus. So that if he be able to helpe vsus, that ſhould bee enough for vsus, how vnable ſoeuer wee bee to beare the burthen our ſelues. So wee hauehave learned to beleeue, and to Pſal. 27. 1.ſpeake, The Lord is my light and ſaluation, whom ſhall I feare? the Lord is the ſtrength of my life, of whom ſhall I be afraid? Remember wee alſo what the Apoſtle ſaid: I am able to doe all things through him that maketh me able. And againe, Phil. 4. 13. 2. Cor. 12. 10.I will reioyce in mine infirmities: for when I am weake, then am I ſtrong: euen ſo we not fainting in our many troubles, but by faith drawing and deriuing Gods power vntounto vsus, as we hauehave good leaue to do, yea as we are commanded by himſelfe to doe, we may reſt quiet, for God will not diſappoint vsus, and in that reſpect the Apoſtle Iames wille… vsus to bee greatlieſt comforted, when we fall into diuerſe tentations, that to our faith may be tried to be ſound (and that is better then gold) bringing patience with it. And yet if Iam. 1. 3.the Lord be not with vsus, nor wee cling not to him by faith, no munition or warlike furniture when it is needed, nor the ſtrongeſt nor ſureſt helpe in time of peace ſhall be able to doe vsus any good. Therefore neither could the walles of Iericho preſerue the city when God went againſt it, nor Goliahs Ioſh. …. 2.ſword defend him, but turne againſt him; not Pharaeohs Chariots get victorie for him, but faile him when the Lord would not go with them. And therefore euen as it is ſaid in the Pſalme, that a King is not ſaued by the multitude Pſal. 33. 16.of an hoſt, neither is the mighty deliuered by his great ſtrength; ſo an horſe is but a vaine helpe to ſaue a man. And ſo wee may ſay of all creatures. If the Lord be at peace with vsus, they are on our ſides, to ſtand with vsus; but if he frowne vponupon vsus, they ſhall be againſt vsus. Lo ſuch a thing it is to bee in league and fauour with him, that all ſhall turne to the beſt vntounto vsus thereby; yea euen the fierceneſſe of our enemies: the heauens, the earth, the creatures ſhall be all at one with them, who are in couenant with him, who is the Lord of them. But I will proceed in the next chapter.
THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE booke of IVDGES.
Verſ. 1. And the children of Iſrael began againe to doe wickedly in the ſight of the Lord when Ehud was dead.
2. And the Lord ſold them into the hand of Iabin King of Canaan that raigned in Hazar, whoſe chiefe captaine was called Siſera, which dwelt in Haroſheth of the Gentiles.
3. Then the children of Iſrael cried vntounto the Lord, for he had nine hundred Chariots of iron, and twentie yeeres he had vexed the children of Iſrael very ſore.
4. And at that time Debora a Propheteſſe, the wiſe of Lapidothiudged Iſrael.
5. And this Debora dwelt vnderunder a Palme tree betweene Rama and mount Ephraim, and the people of Iſrael came vp to her for indgement.
IN this Chapter is ſet downe another falling of the children of Iſrael from The ſamme and parts of the chapter 4.God, and Gods correcting of them: their repentance alſo: and laſtly his deliuering of them by Debora, Barak, and Iael. The firſt of theſe is in the firſt verſe, the next in the ſecond verſe, their repentance in the third: and their deliuerance in all the reſt of the verſes, to the end of the chapter.
The firſt part of the Chapter.
In that this relapſe of theirs was ſaid to be after Ehud was dead, as though Shamgar had not been betwixt both, it was moſt likely it was for that, hee was but a very ſhort time a deliuerer vntounto them. But yet he was after Ehud a deliuerer of the people, though but for a ſhort time, as appeareth in the laſt verſe of the former chapter.
For the firſt of the foure things, I meane the ſinne of the people of Iſrael, Verſ. 1.which againe they committed (for ſo it is ſaid heere, that they did againe that which was euill in the ſight of the Lord) vnderſtand it of them who had ſeene the former deliuerance, and alſo of their poſterity who enioyed the bleſſing. Of the phraſe or manner of ſpeech vttered by the holy Ghoſt, to wit, that they did euill in the ſight of the Lord; I will not ſpeake any more, hauing handled it twice before. But of their ſinne let vsus conſider. And that is, that they abuſed their long enioyed peace and reſt vnderunder Ehud. The ſumme of it is, that they did leaue the right way of ſeruing God, and encreaſed their ſinne ſundry waies. And this is indeed the diſpoſition and common practiſe Doct. verſ. 1.of men, who are not led and gouerned by Gods grace, that they are not the better for their proſperity, but much worſe: for by aduerſity they are held downe, and diſabled from much ſinne, and ſo are reſtrained at leaſt; ſo that, as the way is ſhut vp to them from thence by affliction, ſo their appetite is much abated thereby alſo. But in liberty, peace, and abundance of Gods benefits, they are more eaſily led on, and enticed, and ſo the was is ſet open to them, and they doe as readily walke in it; and being vngouerned, they are ſoone let looſe. And we muſt know, that it is not thus with the wicked onelyonly, but euen with ſuch as hauehave been ſometime vnderunder Gods direction, that euen they are ready to forget themſelues, yea and the moſt doe, and waxing bold, breake out by meanes of their proſperitie after the ſame manner.
And ſo it fell out with Dauid himſelfe, who when hee had ſubdued his enemies vnderunder him almoſt on eueryevery ſide, euen to his hearts deſire, he fell moſt dangerouſly to the great prouoking of God. And Iehoſaphat, otherwiſe a 2. Sam. 11. 4.godly King, when hee was lifted vp and made drunke as it were, with the company and fellowſhip of wicked Ahab, did ſore forget himſelfe, ſo that he was faine to be reproued for it of the Lord by his Prophet. A lamentable caſe, that when they bee ſo ſore oppreſſed either by enemies, or other 2. Chro. 19. 2.croſſes, that their life waxeth weariſome to them, and their diſtreſſed eſtate cauſeth all that looke on them to pity them: and when the Lord ſhall in that miſery of theirs hauehave compaſſion of them, and ſet them at large, it is a lamentable caſe (I ſay) that they ſhould become ſo groſly vnthankfull, forget their late aduerſity, and as ſoone in a manner as God hath enlarged them by his benefits, that they ſhould thus vnnaturally (as I may ſay) diſguiſe themſelues, euen as if they would ſet themſelues to grieue the Lord for his gladding and comforting of them. This may (I thinke) bee a watchword to vsus, to take heed how we vſe our proſperity, and to teach vsus to make ſmall haſt to be made great in the world by Gods preferments, great wealth and Note.commodities, vnleſſe we lay faſter hold of grace wherby we may vſe them rightly; that is, to bee humble vnderunder them, and thereby forward and fruitfull in doing the good that we may. Let vsus then take heed ſeriouſly, that wee count it not happie in it ſelfe to liue delicately for a ſeaſon; from whence it commeth through our corrupt nature, that wee contemne others, giuegive our ſelues to vanity, pleaſures, wantonneſſe, and delights, and ſome of vsus alſo to profit ſeeking and gaine, though neuer ſo filthy and groſſe, as our chiefe treaſure, whereby godlineſſe decayes, and the vſe, at leaſt the power of all good meanes.
But what ſhould wee doe (yee will aske) when God giueth vsus ſuch a wealthie and a comfortable outward eſtate? I ſay we ſhould be rich in good 1. Tim. 6. 12. Tit. 3. 8.workes, and doe workes to neceſſarie vſes. Oh, men ſo well prouided for, what good might bee done to their owne ſoules, and to the ſoules and bodies of their brethren. But to this point (alas) things are now come, that we may ſay with griefe, that few hauehave any mind to vſe their liberties aright, or (almoſt) to doe any good. And this being duly conſidered, ſhould cauſe our wondrings to ceaſe, why ſo few godly Chriſtians enioy any great portion of outward bleſſings in compariſon, (for it is ſo) euen becauſe the Lord prouideth a better thing for them, when hee giueth them a mediocritie in them all, as of maintenance, of credit, account and fauour with their betters, and mixeth each houre of ſunſhine with an other of cloudy and vnpleaſing weather; and all to keepe their affections from growing too ranke, and intemperate, and to containe them within their bounds in that condition, which is beſt for them, and fitteſt to ſerue the Lord in, without loathing or Note.wearineſſe. The earth which is too ſtrong and luſty, runneth vp into weede A ſimile.and ſtalke, but the well tilled and compaſſed, bringeth forth a plentifull crop. And rare is the man, whoſe fruites are not more gratious and conſtant in a moderate eſtate, then in a mighty, which cauſed the wiſe man to ſay; Neither to much, Lord, neither too little, for I ſhall runne into the extreame Pro. 30. 8.of vnthankfulneſſe or diſcontentment. Doubtleſſe, if as proſperity groweth, ſo piety encreaſed withall, and the louelove of the giuer waxed ſtronger, as his gifts are multiplyed, and waxe greater, and God would not ſtint men as hee doth. But it is cleare, men can beare no exceſſe or abundance in this kinde, without notorious defect or decay in godly duties: outward welfare of body (like the ſplene) cauſeth a leaneneſſe and euil-fauouredneſſe of ſoule, as moſt men vſe the matter. But this be ſaid of the firſt of the foure things contained in this Chapter; namely, of their ſinne.