Commentary on Judges, Sermon 4
THE FOVRTH SERMON VPONUPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
VERS. 8. Now the children of Iudah had fought againſt Ieruſalem, and had taken it, and ſmitten it with the edge of the ſword, and had ſet the citie on fire.
VERS. 9. Afterward alſo the children of Iudah went downe to fight againſt the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountaine, and toward the South, and in the low countrie.
VERS. 10. And Iudah went againſt the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron, which Hebron before time was called Kiriath-Arbah: and they ſlew Sheſhai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
VERS. 11. And from thence hee went to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir in old time was Kiriath-Sepher.
THeſe verſes and the other that follow to the 17. verſe, are repeated The ſenſe.out of the book of Ioſhua, chiefly out of the 15. chapter, and are brought hither to this end, that we may vnderſtand that the Tribe of Iudah poſſeſſed Ieruſalem, while Ioſhua was yet aliue, and therefore they might the eaſilier and better bring Adonibezek thither priſoner. And the things that are here repeated out of Ioſhua, are partly theſe, in the foure verſes which I hauehave now read, namely, the taking of Ieruſalem, Hebron and Debir, and their fighting againſt the Canaanits that dwelt in the mountaines; and partly thoſe things following afterward to the 16. verſe, as ſhall be ſhewed when I come vntounto them. And that they are here repeated, is manifeſt hereby, for that it is declared in that Chapter of Ioſhua, that the King of Ieruſalem was then taken, and was brought into the hands of the people of God, and that the children of Iudah dwelt there with the Iebuſites. In the 17. verſe, the holy ſtorie returneth to ſet downe what Iudah and Simeon did further at this time, as he began to declare before from verſe 4. to the 8. That which concerneth Hebron and Debir ſhall be ſet downe in their place.
Now this repetition out of the booke of Ioſhua here brought in, vntounto the Doct. generally out of all theſe verſes.17. verſe, (for the 16. is a ſhort interlaced ſtory of the Kenites) this repetition (I ſay) is here brought in, leſt the Reader ſhould be troubled, as though the ſame things which are mentioned here, had been now done after the death of Ioſhua, which are ſet downe there to hauehave been in his lifetime. And this is done that there might be no ſtumbling nor offence thereat, we may therfore note out of all theſe verſes in generall, the great care that the holy Ghoſt had in ſetting downe the Scriptures, freeing them from errour, and making one to agree with the other: ſo that if men were able to diſcerne, they might euer ſee it to be ſo. It is true indeed, that many things in them are hard to be vnderſtood, which the wicked peruert, as S. Peter ſaith, to their owne deſtruction: 2. Pet. 3. 16.but where care is ioyned with gifts of knowledge, (which gifts ſome attaine See Pro 30. 5. Pſalm. 12. 6.to,) there may bee ſeene a moſt ſweet agreement betwixt them, and no one either to iarre with another, or any one to be friuelous, or abſurd, as ſome are bold to affirme, but ſeuen times tried in the fire, and, pure and holy, as the Pſalmiſt Pſalm. 19. 8. 2. Tim. 3. 16. Rom. 15. 4.ſaith: and therefore to all good vſes of knowledge, and confuting of error, or practiſe in life, and comfort, profitable. For though all Scripture is not alike, but ſome plaine and ſome obſcure; yet, firſt, they are plaineſt which are more neceſſarie for faith and life; and, they that hauehave obſcuritie in them, ſerue to exerciſe and ſharpen our vnderſtanding rather, and to prouoke an appetie, in vsus to diligence and care for attaining the true meaning of them, then to driue vsus from in reading them. To the ſhame of Popery, this that I hauehave ſaid is to be marked, for the profeſſors thereof doe challenge them for their difficultie and hardneſſe, ſo as they are not to be ſuffered in the hands of the common people, whom if they withheld not from the true vnfolding of them, they might reape great profit by reading them.
Alſo to the iuſt reproofe of many, both Atheiſts, and other not much differing from them, this is to be noted; for they, that is the Atheiſts, ſcoffe at the Scriptures, and bouldly iuſtle againſt Moſes and Chriſt: theſe, who are the prophane, as bouldly, and yet blindly, reaſon, diſpute, and quarrell againſt ſome particular Scriptures, which they vnderſtand not, as if they were competent iudges, as that in the Pſalme, Moab is my waſhpot, ouer Edome will I Pſalm. 108. 9.caſt my ſhooe, which yet is (as they would ſee and acknowledge, if they were not more bold and raſh then wiſe and skilfull) to very good purpoſes, as ſetting downe Gods threatning of iudgements againſt his enemies; as alſo that of Samſons tying foxes tailes together with firebrands, to ſpoile the Philiſtimes corne; with ſuch like alſo they raile againſt the doctrine of predeſtination, and the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. But not counting them worth the anſwering, I conclude: ſeeing the Lord hath left the Scriptures ſo pure and free from all error, (the matters in them being ſo profitable and heauenly,) I conclude (I ſay) that if we deſire to liue comfortably by the benefit of them; let them bee our treaſure, while the world trample them vnderfoot, yea, and let our meditation and delight bee ſo much the more in Pſalm. 1. 2.them, and that continually. And this bee noted out of all theſe verſes generally, to the 17. in that they are a repetition out of Ioſhua.
Now more particularly, in that ſo worthy things were done by this Tribe Doct. verſ. 8.before, and that therefore they were choſen now, rather then any of the other Tribes to guide the reſt, ſeeing that they were wiſeſt and faithfulleſt in Gods matters, as appeareth by the mentioning of theſe great actes, done by them; let it teach vsus this; that ſuch as are wiſeſt and faithfulleſt, ought to bee vſed and placed in the chiefe roomes of the ſeruice of God, aboue the reſt. So Paul was endued with excellent gifts, and counted faithfull, before God put him 1. Tim. 1. 12.in his ſeruice, and then he imployed him in the moſt waightie buſineſſe. So Ioſh. 2. 14.Ioſhua ſent faithfull ſpies, to view the land of Canaan. This thing had ſuch force in the heathen Kings, as in Pharaoh, that hee preferred Ioſeph aboue all Geneſ. 41. 40.the chiefe Nobles of the land, though he was but a ſtranger? ſaying, where ſhall we find a man like this man fitted for this worke? and in the Kings of Babylon, that they committed the great and waighty matters of the Kingdome Geneſ. 41.to Daniel, and the three Children, becauſe they ſaw, that the ſpirit of Dan. 3. 30. & 6. 2.God was in them to doe well aboue others. So Abraham truſted Eliezer his ſeruant, in that waighty matter of the marriage of his ſonne Iſaac, hauing none like him: yea, Ahab himſelfe made Obadiah (a worthy man) Steward of his houſhold, though hee had inough of other beſide. The holy Ghoſt makes mention at large, of thoſe Worthies which Dauid (for their good ſeruice 2. Sam. 23.in the warres againſt the enemies of the Lord) exalted to the higheſt roomes next him. So did Iehoiada. Hence it is, that the Wiſe man ſaith, Wo to that land, whoſe Princes are chilaren, and being not fit for any gouernment, riſe Eccleſ. 10. 16. &c.vp earely to drink ſtrong drink. Yea Salomon being put to his choice, deſired an vnderſtanding heart, wiſely to goe in and out before the people. And ſuch ought 1. King. 3. 9.Maſters of families, Magiſtrates and Gouernours in Townes to be, as well as Miniſters. And this order God hath ſet and taught vsus, in commending and commanding faithfulnes and diligence (which are excellent vertues,) in ſeruāts, who yet are the meaneſt perſons, therby teaching vsus, much more to prefer theſe gifts in them who are vſed and imploied in higher callings and places, and ſo much the more, if wiſdome be ioyned with them. And theſe qualities Iethro required in ſuch magiſtrates as ſhould be choſen; and the like Paul required in ſuch as are called to the miniſtry, beſides other like furniture: Exod 18. 21. 1. Tim. 3. 2.which giueth vsus great cauſe of mourning, when wee ſee the contrary: and of reioycing, where theſe vertues are to bee ſeene and found in them, who are put in truſt. And ſuch ſhould executors of willes, and ſchoolemaſters be, into whoſe hands men are conſtrained to put their children, and goods; and comprimitters of caſes betwixt neighbours, ſhould be like vntounto them, who are truſted with much oftentimes. And this honour, honeſt and 1. Sam. 26. 21.faithfull men hauehave with many, that in iudging of matters, they will, if their caſe be good, deſire to hauehave ſuch to giuegive their ſentence, and iudgement for them in their doubtfull cauſes rather then others, though they ſet not greatly by religion themſelues. And this ought to incourage vsus all, to labour for Gods graces, ſeeing they make a man ſtand before the honorable: though money, fauour, or other reſpects are the chiefe gifts which moſt obtaine great places by.
Now whereas a doubt may ariſe here, where it is ſaid, that Iudah had taken Ieruſalem, how it appeares to hauehave been ſo, ſeeing it is not expreſly ſet downe in Ioſhua, chap. 10. To that I anſwere, though it bee not plainely ſo Obiection. Anſwere.ſaid, yet it may well be vnderſtood, by the things that are written there: namely, that the King of Ieruſalem was taken and put to death, and that Iudah dwelt in the citie, and could not caſt out the Iebuſits that dwelt therein. By which, I ſay, it appeareth, that the citie was then taken, although it was not as yet wholly poſſeſſed, and ſo did they ſlay the inhabitants, and ſet the city on fire. Here by the occaſion of the deſtroying of theſe cities, Ieruſalem, Doct. out of ver. 8. 9. 10.Hebron, Debir, and others many, let vsus conſider the deſolation that God ſendeth vponupon goodly places, and the inhabitants thereof, when his hand is againſt them, and when hee is purpoſed to blow vponupon them, and to ſet them, as it were, on the ſtage to the view of the world. Yea doubtleſſe, when he pleaſeth to take the iudgement into his hand, all the beautie and glorie of the world muſt vaniſh at his preſence, and the gloriouſeſt ſolemnities and monuments come to vtter decay. And to put vsus in mind hereof, is this written and ſet downe, to ſhew vsus the changeable eſtate of the flouriſhingeſt proſperitie of fleſh. The which a man would thinke, that ſhould behold them in their beauty and time of their glory, that the enioyers thereof, did liue in a paradice and petty heauen, euen here vponupon earth: whereas, when God hath blowne vponupon them, they are more deſolate then the winter, and like to an houſe waſte and ruinous. When Nabuchadnezzar and the fooler in the Goſpell prided themſelues, the one in his great Babell, the other in his abundance, ſuddenly comes a voice to both of them: to the one, Thy Kingdome is departed from thee: and to the other, O foole, this night Dan. 4. 28. Luke 12. 20.shall they take thy ſoule from thee. For wee muſt know, that as there is a time to flouriſh, ſo is there a time to fade, a time to bee borne, and ſo to grow vp, and a time alſo to die. Therefore when the diſciples, much like the fooliſh people of the world, looking vponupon the goodly buildings of the Temple, began to hauehave them in admiration, ſaying: Behold, Maſter, what goodly buildings are Mark. 13. 1.here; he making ſmall account of their ſpeeches, anſwered them fitly in this manner: I ſay vntounto you, there ſhall not a ſtone remaine on a ſtone of all that yee ſee ſo coſtly and beautifull. Where are all the great perſons become, that poſſeſſed the earth not long agone, with all the glory thereof? They that made others afraid with their very countenance and looke, behold, they may bee troad vponupon by the meaneſt, that were abuſed by them? As Dauid ſaith, I Pſalm. 119. 96. Eccleſ. 1. 1.hauehave ſeene an end of all perfection: which Salomon his ſonne prooued by clearer experience, ſaying of all; Vanitie of vanities. Of feaſting and banqueting, to ſpeake a word, how well pleaſing and welcome ſo euer it bee, yet how harſhly and fearefully it endeth many times, let Balſhazzars example teach Dan. 5. 6.vsus. As for fauour and beautie, another of the precious things of this world, whatſoeuer it promiſeth in outward ſhew, how can the glory thereofbee more baſely ſpoken of, then we ſee, and in few yeeres find it to be, and in the Prouerbs, it is ſaid to be in theſe words: Fauour is deceitfull, and beauty is a vaine Prou. 31. 30.thing.
The ſame may be ſaid of al other things, that are precious vnderunder the ſun, Note.as ſolemne marriages, inheritances, aduancements, with ſuch like, they all fade, as doth the flower. Now was their time come here mentioned, to bee brought to deſtruction, and the time of thoſe that remaine is comming apace, euen as the fall of the leafe in due ſeaſon. And they that carrie their hearts moſt high, muſt remember that this day is not farre off, though it ſhal be a day of lamentation and woe, to them that hauehave their delight here. For oh death how vnwelcome art thou to a man that hath laid vp no better treaſure then tranſitory? And yet what is leſſe thought on? but as the Pſalmiſt Pſalm. 49. 14.ſaith, the children that ſee all this, approoue of their fathers courſe, and follow it. The twelue daies, as the time of the natiuitie, commonly paſſed in reuell rout, a liuely picture of this ſhort and painted Paradiſe, as they count it, in many great houſes, where their play and belly-cheere is ſoone and ſodainly at an end, with more ſorrow then their pleaſure was in the middeſt of their enioying of it.
And therefore, who can thinke of the madneſſe of the world without mourning? but oh that there were many to bewaile it. To ſee the carking and caring, the deceiuing, the couſonage that is almoſt eueryevery where, and all to clime vp to this hill of promotion and libertie ſeeking, to liue as men liſt, in whoring, in drunkenneſſe, in play, and ſuch like paſſing the time, Note.and yet when they are come to the top, they muſt by and by bee throwne downe againe with greater violence and ſhame. But if the change itſelfe be ſo vnwelcome, then much more, whē it cōmeth vponupon them both ſuddenly and fearefully. So that the vileſt would not change their eſtate for theirs, See Pſal. 73. 19.whom erſt they admired. But, ſay ſome, ye trouble vsus with telling vsus theſe things, ſhew vsus as well, how we may remedy them. I anſwere to ſuch as feare the changes, that I hauehave ſpoken of, and are troubled to heare of them; feare God, and ye ſhall not need to feare the comming of theſe, whenſoeuer they Pſalm. 112. Note.ſhall befall you; elſe that which you feare, ſhal come vponupon you euen to vtter deſolation. And whereas many demand, if we, who ſo diſgrace the vngodly practiſe of the world, and are out of louelove with it, are not ſubiect to changes alſo, as well as others; as from wealthy to want, from health to ſickneſſe, till death doe follow. I ſay this to them who hauehave laid vp their treaſure in heauen, it is the welcomeſt day to thinke of going hence, whatſoeuer they leaue behind them, and they hauehave ſo valued the tranſitorie and momentany pleaſures of this life, that they are willing and deſirous to forſake them all, if they were all theirs, for that which there they hope to enioy. In which reſpect, is that ſpoken by the Preacher, The day of death is better then the day of birth. But to proceed.Eccleſ. 7. 3.
The holy ſtory mentioneth further both generally in this verſe, how Iudah had fought againſt the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountaine, and toward Verſ. 9. 10.the South, and in the low country, and more particularly againſt them that dwelt in Hebron, and ſo, diſcribeth that citie by another name that was giuen it in former times, that is, Kiriath-arba, or the citie of one Arba, who Ioſh. 15. 13.was a Giant, and the father of Anak, which Anak hauing three ſonnes, Sheſhai, Ahiman, and Talmai, Iudah ſlew them there. Theſe Anakims ſo called of their father, were mighty, tall and ſtrong, as appeareth by many other Scriptures, ſo by that which deſcribeth Goliah of Gath, by the ſhaft of his 1. Sam. 17. 7.ſpeare, that it was like a weauers beame, and that, which ſpeaketh of the ſpies that went to view the land of Canaan; who returning, feared the people with the report of their ſtature, ſaying, that they themſelues were but as graſſehoppers to them. Num. 13. 34.Theſe giantlike men therefore, and thoſe which were about and vnderunder them, being taken away, what a benefit muſt it needes bee to the children of Iſrael? Now though theſe were properly called Anakims and Giants, and that their kind and poſteritie remaine not now to vexe faithfull Chriſtians, as they did then Gods Church, yet as there hauehave been many kinds of enemies, ſo there are, and alwaies ſhall be, which ſhall doe the ſame to the people of God, being cruell and ſcorneful contemners of the humble and innocent, that they did to the Iſraelites: who make their liues vnpleaſant, with grieuous burdens, which they lay vponupon them, and deadly feare that they hold them in, and if they take not their life away from them alſo, yet they make it weariſome to them, ſo that many of them deuoure themſelues, theſe therefore may well be called Giants.
When therefore God ſhal weaken ſuch Anakims, and abate their power, or take them away, when they cannot bee reclaimed and brought to repentance, Eſter. 8. 16.it muſt be counted the ſingular mercy of God. For the world is full of ſuch, in whom the prouerb is verified, that might ouercommeth right. When men who hauehave power, authoritie, and wealth, ſo deale and liue with others, that they hold them in continuall ſlauery and feare. Thus Pharaoh was a Giant, and as the ſonne of Anak to Ioſepbs poſteritie, laying burthens vponupon them, which they could not beare, and not thinking he had oppreſſed them enough by doing ſo, added yet more vntounto them alſo. And thus they play the parts of giants, which grind the faces of the poore, to whom ſound reaſon, euen the commandement of God, diſwading them from it, is vtterly vnſauorie, and crauing of pity at their hands, is in vaine.
This is apparent in ſutes and controuerſies, betwixt the mightie and the meane, the one eating vp the other, as if they were bread. So ſuch as are ſet in place to chaſe away wickedneſſe, receiuing and deuouring gifts out of the hands of the guilty, and lion-like roaring againſt the innocent, and ſo ſucking aduantage out of them, and liuing by the ſinnes of the people, are very Giants, and no better then Anakims. All ſuch and the like aggricuances, are to be groned vnderunder, by the godly in the eares of the Lord. And they who are deliuered from ſuch burdens, hauehave great cauſe with reioycing, to praiſe God, as the people did, when they were brought back out of the captiuitie, ſaying: Our mouth was full of laughter, and our tongue filled with ioy. But of this Pſalm. 126. 2.enough, becauſe I hauehave ſpoken of the like point before, in verſ. 7.
Now to goe forward in the ſtory, it is ſaid, that Iudah had not reſted in Verſ. 7. Ioſh. 10. 26.theſe deſtructions of the Canaanites, and of many other mentioned in the booke of Ioſhua, but proceeded further to take Debir, another citie ſcituated by Hebron, but more of this in the next verſe. And in the meane ſeaſon, here it is to be conſidered, how vnwearied Iudah is ſaid to hauehave been in the worke of the Lord, euen in procuring the deſtruction of his enemies, the Canaanites, with Ioſhua while hee liued, who was the chiefe guide of the reſt. For this diligence of theirs, in going from one peece of this worke to another, ſhould be a notable incouragement to all that are ſeruants to God in any worke that he ſets them about, that they ſhould not doe it negligently, nor ſtand at a ſtay after good beginnings, as though they had done ſufficiently alreadie. They muſt not repeat their labours and cumbats which are paſt, as though they had done enough, but looke to thoſe which are to come: as the Apoſtle teacheth in the Epiſtle to the Philippians. And this is carefully Philip. 3. 13.to be regarded, whether it be in performing outward duties, as theſe men of Iuda did, or inward, as in reſiſting temptations, patient bearing of afflictions, and the like; they ſhould alwaies be vnwearied in the worke of the Lord. For to this end God hath promiſed ſtrength by the armour of a Chriſtian.
And thus it is meet for al ſuch to grow from ſtrength to ſtrength, and from faith to faith, (as God hath giuen commandement,) and to verifie that which is written by Salomon; the righteous ſhineth as the light vntounto the perfit day. Rom. 1. 17. Prou. 4. 18.As plants when the be rooted in good ground doe burniſh and ſpread their branches, and bring foorth fruite plentifully. And ſuch muſt know, that it is Note.a ſore diſcouragement to the weaker Chriſtians, when they ſhall ſee dampes and deadneſſe in the ancienter profeſſors, who hauehave been ſometimes prouokers and ſtirrers vp of others to the duties of godlineſſe. A great blemiſh, doubtleſſe, it is in them who may iuſtly be charged to doe ſo. For beſide other inconueniences, this is one, that it beateth a ſtrong conceit into the hearts of the weake, that they find not that liking in Gods ſeruice that they are told of, and promiſed in the word of God which they heare. As if God were not to be truſted in ſetting forth ſo large offers and priuiledges therein: or as though he were wearie of weldoing to his: the which to affirme is rancke blaſphemie. They ſhould all ſo know, ſuch I meane, as God hath put in his ſervice, that they ought now after long continuance therein, and in his houſe, to bee as fathers to procure and ſeeke the good of the weaker ſort of their brethren, and to hauehave great care that none become faint by their example; but therefore to ſhine as lights, and grow daily in grace, and in the 2. Pot. 3. 17.knowledge of our Lord Ieſus. Oh it is comely for others to behold, and their owne glory, to ſee that they follow the Lord ſtil directing and going before them, as they did at any time paſt. Like Caleb, who fortie and fiue yeere after Ioſh. 14. 8.the Lord had ſet him about his work, as one of the two, who were counted more faithfull then the reſt, was as ſtrong and fit for it, as hee had been ſo many yeeres before. I know it is a rare thing, partly ſeeing few liue ſo long; partly ſeeing many waxe ſoone wearie of well doing, and either hauehave not meanes to ſet them forward, or elſe hauehave no deſire to vſe them with that delight which once they did; beſide their many diſcouragements; it is therefore (I ſay) a rare thing to ſee men faithfull and conſtant for any long time, Note.in goodneſſe. But ſo much the more commendable it is, where it may bee found: oh, it is a good thing alwaies to be conſtant in a good matter I deny Gal. 4. 18.not but the beſt may eaſily, and doe, with the wiſe virgins begin to nod, and Matth. 25. 5.with the Church in the Canticles fall a ſleepe; but therefore is it the needfuller for them to be quickned vp by Gods promiſes, and other incouragements, Cant. 5. 2.as where he ſaith, To him that ouercommeth will I giuegive the tree of life, that Reu. 2. 7.is, euerlaſting life, and ſuch like. And alſo to quicken vp themſelues, as I hauehave Matth. 26. 41.ſaid, by diligent, watching and feruent prayer, &c. that they periſh not with the wicked of the world, while they liue among them.
For they know that by faithfulneſſe and conſtancie therein. they grow at laſt to perſeuerance, and to a good end of their conflicting daies: and that they muſt depart from many ill actions and bad companies, which other make themſelues merry with all. But if ſuch ſhal begin to think that their reward here, and in the life to come, wil not be anſwerable to the loſſe of their pleaſure that they forgoe, (which reward (yet) is an hundreth fold more euen Matth. 19. 29.in this life, beſide happineſſe afterwards) let them caſt their account before they begin: but if they feare nothing but their owne weakeneſſe, let them not be diſcouraged, God will be their ſtrength; let them caſt their care on him, Pſalm. 27. 1.and he will care for them. Thus by this which I hauehave ſaid of this matter, it may eaſily be ſeene, that they take the right courſe to happineſſe, who with theſe 1. Pet. 5. 7.men of Iuda, hold out conſtantly and vnwearied in well doing, notwithſtanding all diſcouragements, temptations and oppoſition to the contrary.