Commentary on Judges, Sermon 24
THE TWENTY FOVRE SERON VPONUPON THE FOVTRH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
The ſecond part of the Chapter.
OF the firſt thing of the foure contained in this chapter we hauehave heard. Now followeth the ſecond, and that is their puniſhment, Verſ. 2.who ſo prouoked the Lord: namely, that he gaue them ouer to an other aduerſary, more fierce and furious then the former: that was one Iabin King of Canaan, that raigned in Hazor: But ye may obiect, that ſuch an one in all reſpects was ſlaine by Ioſhua, Obiect.much aboue an hundred yeeres agoe. For thus wee reade in the booke of Ioſhua; At that time Ioſhua returned and tooke Hazor, and burnt it, and ſmote Ioſh. 11. 10.the King thereof, to wit, Iabin, with the edge of the ſword: for Hazor before time had been the head city of all thoſe kingdomes. I anſwere, it was ſo indeed, and Anſw.now another of that name and kindred, was riſen vp, and had builded the city againe, and now being growne ſtrong and populous, preuailed againſt Iſrael, and held them in the greater bondage; and for this cauſe, euen that he might be reuenged vpō them for his predeceſſor, whom their fathers, Ioſhua and others, had waſted and ſlaine, and they did therefore oppreſſe them much the ſorer. This I thought good to ſay for the clearing of this difficulty. Now to proceed: This Iabin King of Canaan is further deſcribed by his chiefe captaine, which was Siſera, a great warrier, and terrible. Whereby we may know, that the eaſe of the Iſraelites was reſtleſſe ſeruitude, and the hope of their deliuerance deſperate.
Now by this new calamity thus brought vponupon this people, (to omit that which I ſaid of the puniſhment in the former examples) where a man would Doct. verſ. 2.not hauehave looked for it, we may obſerue and ſee, that when all things ſeeme quiet and peaceable to vsus, and when we think that we are ſafe on eueryevery ſide, ſo that no hurt can befall vsus, yet if the Lord hauehave a controuerſie with vsus, hee doth in a maruellous manner raiſe vp ſome great trouble againſt vsus: yea and that as it were, out of the ſparckles of former afflictions, (when we ſuſpect none) as hee did heere, which were thought to hauehave been quenchedlong agoe, he bringeth a fire and flame, as it were, to burne and conſume vsus. So that when men thinke all to bee ſure, God raiſeth vp vexations that way where one would not looke for them. The Amalekites, when they had taken Ziclag, lay drunken and wallowing like beaſts, fearing no danger, and were 1. Sam. 30. 16.ſuddenly come vponupon and ſlaine. So the Apoſtle ſaith, When men cry peace, and that all things are ſafe, then ſhall ſudden deſtruction come vponupon them, when they are 1. Eheſ. 5. 3.not aware, like the trauell vponupon a woman with child, and they ſhall not bee able to auoide it.
Thus God ſeeth it good to tame and raw the licentiouſneſſe and pride of men, and (that which is maruellous to ſay) if hee ſhould not doe ſo, there were no liuing for vsus one by another. The beſt in towne and country, would kicke vp their heele; yea and notwithſtanding hee thus pluck downe the Note.pride of one or other eueryevery day, yet ſuch as are ſpared bee neuer the better. The long viſitation with plague, which hath ſwept away many thouſands, what are the moſt part the better for it? The irreligious boldneſſe of many in this age, if they bee in fauour with their betters (whoſe breath yet is in their noſtrels) or if they hauehave but wealth aboue the common ſort, nay if it be but bare health, how doe they abuſe it? how little doth good teaching, or the diuerſe examples of Gods iudgements vponupon ſundry others, preuaile with them? And why? becauſe (while they feele them not, the day of reckoning is put farre off, and we dreame that we hauehave a priuiledge aboue all others, till the effect confute vsus. The caſting downe of Babell, the drowning of Pharaoh and his army, the thruſting through of Zimri and Cosby in their tent, the ſwallowing vp of Chorah and his company into the earth, with thouſands more in ages paſt, and now all cut off in fearefull maner, for their ſeuerall rebellions againſt the Lord (lamentable to ſpeake) what little abatement of ſinne (yet) for all this, doe they worke in the moſt? nay are they not worſe and worſe who liue in theſe latter daies, and hauehave heard or ſeene the iudgements of the former times? Therefore let ſuch of vsus as cannot but confeſſe, that God hath done much more for vsus, watch and beware, leſt for the like looſeneſſe and bolddeſſe found in vsus, the Lord awake vsus; and if hee ſeaze not vponupon vsus with the ſame plagues, as he did on theſe; yet (ſeeing his quiuer is full of arrowes of all ſorts, that is with all kinds of iudgements) he will reſerue ſome for vsus, as he hath done to others before vsus, and come vponupon vsus ſuddenly in the like manner.
Now this Iabin had for the chiefe captaine of his armie, Siſera heere named, The opening of the latter part of verſ. 2.who is ſaid to hauehave his abode in Haroſheth of the Gentiles, ſo called, for that it was a countrey full of woods: (for ſo the word ſignifieth) whereto, as vntounto a moſt ſafe and well fenced place, the Canaanites who were Gentiles, did fly, and repaire, and dwelt ſafely therein; when ſo many of them had been ſlaine in Ioſhuas daies, and there they remained, grew vp, and ſtrengthened themſelues, vntounto the time that is heere mentioned. Thus they growing vp, and not being cut off, as God commanded the people of Iſrael to doe, we ſee now what a vexation euen this one generation of the Canaanites in that corner of the land, were vntounto them, beſide many other in diuers other parts of it.
And by this we ſee what miſchiefe and woe wee prouide for our ſelues, Doct. 2. in verſ. 2.(euen ſuch as cannot bee knowne till they come) and all this through our neglecting duties commended (as this people of Iſrael heere did) and ſuffering euill perſons and their foule vices, to grow vp, in and among vsus, which we might eaſily in time hauehave ſubdued and brought vnderunder. I ſay, the ſuffering of them, which wee hauehave been full willing to nouriſh, and could bee brought to offer no violence vntounto them, hauehave cauſed ſorrow vponupon ſorrow, and moſt weariſome and vncomfortable daies vntounto vsus: which when they were come, we would hauehave bought of with much coſt, and could not. Thus anger, impatience, wrath, vncharitableneſſe, reuenge, teachines, frowardnes, Note.lewd luſts, and vncleane deſires, with many other like, though wee hauehave thought them not worthie of rebuke, neither could bee brought to deface, and diſgrace them, no not to our owne ſelues, that ſo they might hauehave been ouercome and weakened in vsus;; euen theſe hauehave maſtered vsus, and waxen ſtrong in vsus, which is enough to disfigure the godly life in vsus, and to marre the beauty of our profeſſion; beſides that theſe ingender in vsus, and bring forth litters of open and outward ſinnes, (al may eaſily know what I meane) farre more ſhamefull and monſtrous then themſelues.
The third part of the Chapter.
NOw followeth the third thing in this Story, namely, the repentance of Verſ. 3.the people, ſet forth as in the former chapter, by crying. The reaſons thereof are added, and they are two; the one, becauſe this Siſera had nine hundred iron Chariots, wherwith by continuall egreſſe and regreſſe he had vexed them ſore: the other, that he had done thus to them twentie yeeres. Of this crying, ſignifying their repentance, I hauehave ſpoke before, and alſo of the repentance which their fathers offered, when God afflicted them. That which is to be conſidered heere, not ſpoken of before by the like occaſion, is this:
That where it is ſaid, they were twenty yeeres in bondage, before they Doct.repented and turned to God; we may behold the monſtrous and poyſoned diſpoſition of our nature, which will not ſtoope nor bow to the Lord in true humiliation, vntil it be driuen by maine and force, euen till we be ſhut Note.out eueryevery where elſe. As wee ſee in children of a ſtubborne nature it is neither a checke, nor a rod will breake their ſtomacks: nay it is not a few ſtripes that will make them cry out, and when by rougher handling of them, they he forced to roare, it is but for very ſullennes; til they ſee there is no remedy but that they muſt receiue correction for their euill doings, and then the multitude of ſtrokes and the ſmart they feele breakes their hearts at length, and makes them yeeld: and euen ſo it is with vsus, who ſhould bee much wiſer: whereas if wee ſhould but ſtep aſide a little from our Chriſtian courſe, we ought with the like willingneſſe of mind by which we ſtrayed, returne and riſe vp againe. For ſo the Prophet Ieremy complaineth; Doth a man fall, Ier. 8. 6.and not riſe againe; or goe out of the way, and not returne? And if this rebelliouſneſſe and bad diſpoſition were in the wicked onelyonly, it were leſſe to bee maruelled at, but let it be well conſidered, and it ſhall be found in ſuch as hauehave ſometime ſerued God in truth; who if they loſe the hold that they had, and hauehave ſuffered the wicked fleſh, that is, their ſinfull nature, to get the vpper hand in them againe; oh how hardly is it put out of poſſeſſion againe? So that as the diuels ſaid to our Sauiour Chriſt, thou art come to torment vsus before Mat. 8. 29.the time. So it is euer too ſoone, and very impriſonment to the wicked fleſh, to be brought vnderunder the Lords wing againe, and to put on his yoke, though it be eaſie as it is ſaid to be.
This is the cauſe why licentious diſſoluteneſſe is in ſo great account at this day in all ſorts, and ſo dimme light ſhineth out of them who ſhould bee lights to other. And if it ſhould be demanded, how Gods people can keepe ſo long from vnderunder his gouernment, and are ſo loth to returne againe vnderunder it: I anſwere, partly confuſed knowledge, ignorance and forgetfulnes how to returne (if they were euer well grounded at all) is one cauſe; and partly the lothneſſe and vntowardneſſe of the fleſh to bee pent in, ſeeking liberty rather amiſſe, euen that is the other. And thus while men hauehave any ſhelter how rotten and helpeleſſe ſoeuer it be, they flie from God. But for as much as when no ſhifts will ſerue, they muſt returne againe to the Lord their firſt husband, as it is ſaid in Hoſea, let all that bee wiſe, with all ſpeed returne to Hoſ. 2. 7. 1. Tim. 6. 6.him, and make godlineſſe (as it is indeed) the greateſt riches and chiefe ſtay, ſeeing that is alwaies and onelyonly comfortable. As it is the Pſalme: A day is Pſal. 84. 11.better therein, then a thouſand elſewhere. And ſeeing wee in miſeries and troubles do as this people heere did, often fall a ſighing and ſorrowing, yea murmuring and fretting, and yet turne not to God, nor from our ſinne; but bite on the bridle of our puniſhment, and yet at laſt we muſt bee brought to it for all our vnwillingneſſe; therefore as we ſhould take heed that we keepe the profeſſion of our hope firmely, while wee may; ſo yet when wee hauehave fallen, let vsus not deſpaire, no nor yet delay to turne to God with the ſooneſt, as I hauehave ſaid.
Againe, by this people many may learne good. They were held vnderunder The vnfolding of the other part of verſ. 3.and purſued by him that had nine hundred Chariots of iron, alwaies going out and in among them, to vexe and oppreſſe them on eueryevery ſide. A plague great enough one would thinke, for euen the mercies of ſuch are cruell. And Prou. 12. 10.yet this was not the worſt that befell them, for God was alſo againſt them, and had ſold them into their hands: and now while it was thus with them in ſo great miſery, what ſhould they doe? and yet which is more, twentie yeeres to be in this eſtate, how ſhould they be able to abide it? By the fearefull example of theſe, and yet ſome of them belonging to God, it is good for vsus to take occaſion to conſider the eſtate of them, who are vnderunder ſundry ſore and great calamities, the Lord ſending them for their rebellions and grieuous prouokings of him, and himſelfe frowning vponupon them, who ſhould hauehave been their comfort in their troubles. Oh how ſhould it grieue vsus to behold it? For when they are in perplexity and vexation, by men or otherwiſe, and then hauehave God againſt them alſo; this commeth neare the ſaying, Woe to him that is alone. Herein Dauid ſhewed himſelfe wiſe: for when hee Eccleſ. 4. 10.heard Gods meſſage from the Lord, concerning the chuſing of his puniſhment; he anſwered; Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, and not of men. The 1. Sam. 24. 14.reaſon was, becauſe he knew himſelfe to hauehave repented, and therefore that in iudgement the Lord would remember mercy. But oh how terrible a thing is it to fall into the hands of God being our enemie; or into the hands of men, when he hath giuen vsus vp to their pleaſure, to be handled as wee deſerue? EueryEvery affliction is ſharpe and heauy, when God makes it ſo, by ſetting an edge vponupon it, and by preſſing downe the conſcience vnderunder the loade of his wrath. Conſider ſome particulars: for example. The pouerty and penurie of many thouſands, and the ſame as poore in knowledge of God, and grace. Others in marriage vnquiet, thruſting one another out of doores, Note.children crying about them, the neighbours diſquieted among them, all going to hauocke in family, and God in the meane time alſo an enemie to them, what an heauie calamitie is this to behold? Others to bee taken captiues by forren enemies; as Sampſon put to grinde, or (which is worſe) to Iudg. 16. 21.the gallies; and which is worſt of all) to hauehave no God to flie to in this their diſtreſſe, which yet is the caſe of many, who hauehave held their heads full high, and were alſo farre enough in their owne conceit, from ſuch an eſtate, oh how wofull is it? And if the ſore diſeaſed, ſicke and pained perſons ſhould bee added to theſe, with other miſerable ones, and yet without God in the world; all theſe thus to bee diſtreſſed, which I hauehave mentioned, with ſuch like, almoſt without number, oh how lamentable is it to thinke on? And whereas ſome of theſe bee Gods children, they muſt know, that if they will doe as his enemies, he will make them ſomewhat like them, in bearing the marke of it: ſo that as the wicked flie from God, and hate him for ſmiting them for their ſin: ſo his owne children hauing likewiſe prouoked him, ſhall oftentimes make but ſlow haſt to him, through an ill conſcience telling them that they are not welcome, till they come in another manner; to wit, in vnfained repentance. All this I hauehave ſpoken to a double end; one, to perſwade all to labour aboue all things to make God their friend, that is, by ſeeking to be reconciled to him, that thus in their troubles they may hauehave a refuge to fly to for comfort. The other is, to moue ſuch as are free from both kinds of miſeries, to pitie them that are vnderunder both; and to conſider, that ſeeing they may goe in and out before the Lord without feare, both in their daily courſe of life, and alſo in their ſuites, &c. therefore they ſhould deadly abhorre ſinne themſelues, which onelyonly makes them feare his power and iuſtice, and that as much as euer they reioyced in his fauour, and ſo doing, mourne for them whoſe miſery I hauehave mentioned, that are in an eſtate both dreadfull and damnable. And this be ſaid of the firſt three parts of this chapter, out of theſe three verſes, to wit, of the ſinne of the people, of their puniſhment, and of their repentance.
The fourth part of the Chapter.
THe fourth part of this ſtory followeth, of Gods deliuerance of them out Verſ. 4. The ſumme in generall to the end.of the hands of Siſera: and this vntounto the end of the chapter; and that deliuerance was wrought, as I ſaid before, by the helpe & miniſtery chiefly of the three perſons mentioned afterwards in this chapter, Debora, Barak, and Iael. Debora, though a woman, was ſtirred vp by the Lord to iudge Iſrael, that is, to declare the will of God, in that time of extreame calamity, vntounto the people; to anſwere their doubts what they ſhould doe, and to bee the chiefe meane of their deliuerance, by counſell giuing, and encouraging of Barak and the reſt. Barak was he that ſhould leade the army, and purſue the enemies, and with a ſmall armie of the people to ouercome and deſtroy them: and Iael killing the great captaine of their enemies, I meane Siſera, with her owne hands, had her due commendation among the reſt, all were diuerſly employed, and yet each of them helping forward the execution of Gods iuſtice and charge vponupon that huge armie of the Canaanites, and for his peoples deliuerance. This bee ſaid in generall of the whole worke that followeth, ſpoken of in this chapter. Now I will goe to the particulars, verſe by verſe.
And to begin with Debora to verſe 14. and to ſee what ſhe did. Firſt, the holy Story deſcribeth her in this verſe and the next. Secondly, it is ſaid the children of Iſrael came vp to her for iudgement, verſ. 5. And thirdly, it is ſhewed what ſhe ſaid to Barak, hauing ſent for him, verſ. 6. 7. then how ſhee anſwered Barak, when ſhe ſaw him not forward, verſ. 9. and laſt of all, how ſhe encouraged him to the battell, after they had prepared themſelues on both ſides to it, as is ſhewed to verſe 14. She is deſcribed, firſt by the extraordinarie place that ſhe was ſet in, to wit, that ſhee was a Propheteſſe: ſecondly, by her condition of mariage, that ſhee was the wife of Lapidoth: thirdly, by her calling, that ſhe iudged Iſrael: and fourthly, by her dwelling, vnderunder a Palmetree, betweene Ramath and Bethel, in mount Ephraim. And by this woman, and the other two perſons before mentioned (as I hauehave ſaid) God gaue a new and great deliuerance vntounto his people out of their twentie yeeres bondage, vnderunder that Iabin King of Canaan. And this vnſpeakeable Doct. Out of all the verſes following in generall.goodnes of the Lord in paſſing by their ſo great and foule indignities ſo oft times wrought and committed againſt him, doth yet better and better confirme vsus in that which we hauehave been taught before, that the Lord is ſo tenderly affected to his people, that hee cannot turne away his eare from their prayers and grones vnderunder their heauie burthens, but pitie and deliuer them. No, as the Prophet ſaith, if a mother ſhould forget and bee hardhearted to her owne child, yet the Lord cannot bee ſo to his, which doth iuſtly lay to Eſa. 49. 15.their charge the wilfulneſſe and ſtifneckedneſſe that is in many, and heape hote coles vponupon their heads, ſeeing that when they may hauehave eaſe and helpe in their oppreſſions and miſeries for the asking of it and praying for it, without their further charge and trouble, they cannot bring their hearts to it, but chuſe rather wilfully and frowardly to lie ſtill in their ſorrowes, then to humble their hearts, and ſeeke after God for deliuerance. And as God is kinde to his, ſo he ſetteth out himſelfe to be ſo, to the end he may harten and embolden vsus to beleeue the ſame, wee being in our greateſt need moſt hardly perſwaded ſo to doe, through the great vnbeleefe that is in vsus. Alſo he ſheweth ſuch compaſſion to vsus in another reſpect, euen that wee ſhould alſo learne to ſhew the like goodneſſe and kindneſſe to our brethren in their calamities, that we may ſo much the better reſemble him. But of this before. Heere I will end.