Commentary on Judges, Sermon 40
THE FORTIETH SERMON ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
HOW Gedeon was anſwered and ſatisfied about the Doct. 2. in verſ. 20. 21.ſigne he asked, wee hauehave heard: Now note wee further here, what a bleſſing and reward he obtained of God for his kindneſſe and curteſie he ſhewed to the man, as he thought him to be: whereby wee ſee how God rewardeth thē that receiue and make account of his true ſeruants and meſſengers. Gedeon, though he were driuen by the Midianites, euen neere to famine, and ſore oppreſſed by thē, ſo that the forgoing of a little in that time of need and extremity, was more then a thouſand times as much in the time of plentie; yet euen then he did not withhold his liberalitie from this meſſenger Heb. 13. 2.of God. And what loſt he by it? Nay, how infinitly did he gaine? So, Abraham doing this dutie, receiued for good men, Angels of God. So, that poore widow yeelding her mite to the Prophet of God, that is ſomewhat, 1. King. 17. 13.euen of the little that ſhe had, receiued great abundance for it. So, our Sauiour ſaith agreeably to this: Whoſoeuer ſhall giuegive vntounto one of theſe little ones he Matth. 10. 42.meant ſuch as beleeued in him, and were in the ſight of the world, abiect to drinke but a cup of cold water onelyonly, in the name of a Diſciple, verely I ſay vntounto you, he ſhall not loſe his reward. But of this dutie before: this I adde by way of remembrance thereof.
This intertainment is a part of liberalitie, and a fruite of the Spirit. So any refreſhing of the hearts of Gods Saints, is a worthie worke, and ſhall be regarded of God. I acknowledge that men muſt doe in this, as they may continue other duties which are impoſed vponupon them, about their own fleſh Philem 7.and familie, but yet they muſt not vnderunder that colour be cold and backward in this dutie of louelove, neglecting and letting paſſe ſuch opportunities of doing good as are offered, for vncertainties to come. As for them that waſte much vponupon lewd companie, play, gaming, whoring, drinking, they ſhall one day know to their coſt, what it is to laſh out, and ſpend the good bleſſings of God in ſuch vnprofitable and hurtfull manner, whereby ſo many members of Chriſt might be relieued. But for the intertaining and beſtowing of a good part of mens goods in ſuch manner as I here ſpeake of, and commended, as Gedeon did, it is to receiue men for their mutuall good and edification, and not to euill and carnal ends. And therfore that Chriſtians, through ſelfeloue, or worldlineſſe ſhould be too faſt handed, ſcantie and nigardly towards other their poore brethren, it ſauours of ſmall liking or ioy they hauehave in their communion of Saints, or fruite of their profeſſion, whatſoeuer louelove to God they pretend. For the practiſe of louelove and merciemercy muſt approue our godlineſſe to be ſound, and not frothie. And yet this is apparent, that many a man ſaueth more by his vpright and conſcionable walking and feare of God, (the which before hee made no conſcience to miſpend vponupon his luſts, as many other doe) then would well ſerue them to allot and applie to good vſes. But to returne, when the Angell had thus reſolued Gedeon, by the ſigne mentioned, he departed from him; which cleerely ſheweth to what end he came vntounto him.
Now as it falleth out oft times to Gods ſeruants, that the end of one trouble Verſ. 22 23 24. The briefe meaning of them ad, and a larger vnfolding of the 22. verſe.is the beginning of another, there ariſeth a new trouble to Gedeon, after that he was deliuered out of the former doubt & danger. And in the next verſe, it is ſhewed how hee was brought out of it, and in the 24. how hee giueth God thanks for it. His trouble was this, that he had ſeene an Angell of God, therefore he feared hee ſhould die. And no maruell: for wee ſhall reade in many places, that the old fathers, when they had ſeene God (as he might be ſeene, or an Angel,) were ſore terrified, and afraid that they ſhould die. So in this vnperfit ſpeech, ſaying, I hauehave ſeene an Angell of God] hee ment, as we alſo muſt ſupplie it thus; I ſhall die. So Iacob after he awoke, and Geneſ. 28. 16.perceiued the Lord to be preſent in the place, where he lay, and had dreamed that night; was afraid, and ſaid, The Lord was in this place, and I was not aware: and hauing wraſtled with the Angell, thinking that he had been a man, maruelled that he liued.
So when Manoah knew that it was an Angell of the Lord, that had ſpoken Iudges 13. 21.to him, he ſaid to his wife; wee ſhall ſurely die, ſeeing wee hauehave ſeene God. So the people ſaid to Moſes on Mount Sinai, when God came Exodus 19. Deut. 5. 25. 27.downe, they were ſo afraid, that they deſired Moſes that he would intreate the Lord to ſpeake no more to them in that manner, leſt they ſhould die. The reaſon of this feare in them, was ſinne, that made them, as Adam, afraid Gen. 4. 10.of Gods voice after he had ſinned, which before he reioyced aboue all things, to heare. And thus through the darkeneſſe which came of ſinne, they not being able to abide the light of Gods preſence, their conſciences draue them to flie from God, who is almighty, and holy and pure, who can abide no vncleanneſſe, which all mortall men are full of: ſo that euen they who were not tainted with wilfull ſinning againſt God, eſteemed it is preſent death to hauehave God preſent. As the good Prophet Eſay teſtifier…, ſaying: Woe is me, for I am vndone, becauſe mine eies hauehave ſeene the Lord of Hoaſts. And though he confeſſed that hee was a man of poluted lipp…s, for the neerer men come to God, the leſſe blemiſhes and ſmaller they ſee in Eſai 6. 5.themſelues) yet we know that was indued with grace. But this in him and others came of their iuſtly troubled conſcience, vnſound and vnpure, ſeeing that God of himſelfe by nature, is both the author of life and comfort, and therefore not to be feared: and ſo was he now in his appearing to Gedeon in this place full of mercy and goodneſſe, and in many things decclared the ſame vntounto him, though he, when he knew that it was the Lord, was euen (as it were) brought out of himſelfe, ſaying alas, becauſe I hauehave ſeene an Angell of the Lord, face to face.
This teacheth what high reuerence we ought to hauehave God in, as oft as Doct. Verſ. 22.we come into his preſence, where he hath promiſed more eſpecially to appeare and be preſent, namely, in the aſſemblies of his people; and to bee no otherwiſe affected, when wee thinke of him, and pray vntounto him (but yet without terror) and by conſequence eueryevery where, becauſe we hauehave learned, that he is eueryevery where. And the rather wee ſhould follow the examples of the ſeruants of God in this their reuerence before God, (and yet learning to reſiſt immoderate feare) becauſe of the contrary lightneſſe and boldneſſe of many in this point, doe not thinke of God in any ſort, as his Highneſſe and Maieſtie doth require. And yet I ſpeake this euen of ſuch as are not of the worſt ſort. But as for the prophaneneſſe and brutiſhneſſe of ſome, who are in a contrary extremity to Gedeon, and to all that walke in reuerence before God, it proceedeth from a farre worſe cauſe then the moſt imagine, to wit, meere groſſe ignorance, or infidelity: as appeareth by their behauiour both in publike place, where God is more ſpecially preſent, and in priuat, whither they reſort for their pleaſure and buſineſſe. In the one, they paſſe the time in ſleeping, prating, laughing, gazing about, wandring of mind, and the like vnreuerence: in the other in drunkenneſſe, wantonneſſe, gaming, rotten and curſed ſpeech and behauiour. So that the cauſe of this extreamitie in theſe, and or their ſo great vnreuerence, is no other then I hauehave ſaid, the leaſt of both which, ignorance I meane, prouoketh them not (we ſee) to deuotion (though Poperie ſhameleſſely calles it the Mother thereof) but to diueliſhneſſe, and at length, to deſparation. For as here the contrary exceſſe in Gedeon aroſe from the beholding of God amiſſe, and the too much obſeruing of his glory without his goodneſſe: ſo the not reuerencing of God at all, either in his word or works, is the fruite of meere blindneſſe and darkeneſſe and vnbeliefe. But to returne, as the ſeruants of God, ought to carrie themſelues in all high reuerence, in all places, and ſpecially in his worſhip by Prayer, the Word and Sacraments; ſo when we indeuour to doe thus, yet if we deepely thinke and conſider of our owne vileneſſe and wretchedneſſe, and of Gods greatneſſe and glorious maieſtie, out of the fleſh and humane nature of Chriſt, and without applying his ſufferings and obedience to vsus by faith, we cannot be without danger and ſenſe of ſwallowing vp, as Gedeon and other were. And not only ſo, but we are oft times ouercome and almoſt ouerwhelmed, when we doe the beſt wee can, and thinke of Chriſt as we are able, we are ſo eaſily led and carried by the ſpirit of bondage and feare. And therefore what may we thinke of the ſuperſtition in Poperie, which hath cauſed in the people ſuch carnall feare of God and ſlauiſh terrors and ſeruile worſhip; but that it is the bane and poiſon of infinite thouſand people? becauſe it is a doctrine that driueth to diſpaire, leading men with horror of Gods wrath, but ſheweth them no way to eſcape it which will ſtand them in any ſtead, iuſtling aſide vnfained faith, which onelyonly knits vsus to God through Chriſt, and cauſes vsus to pray or draw neere to him, without aſtoniſhment, yea with much comfort. But to leaue them, and to returne to the people of God, I grant that this is through want or weakeneſſe of faith, which I ſaid of them: ſuch want and weakeneſſe is oft times in the beſt of vsus, or at leaſt may be, ſo that we are not priuiledged from it. And this argueth our great ſinne and corruption, and that our faith is neuer here perfect, when it is at the beſt. The view, ſenſe & experience hereof, and of feare and frighting, is notably and clearely diſcerned to be in vsus, in thunder, lightning, or ſome other apparent danger, when the preſence of Gods glorious Maieſtie preſſeth vsus more neerely. And though now we in this latter age of the world, are not to looke for ſuch appearances of Chriſt and Angels in the ſhape of men, but are ſent to Moſes and the Prophets, and to ſearch the Luke 16. 29. Ioh. 5. 39.Scriptures to know that, of and concerning God, which we hauehave need of, yet in the former and firſt age both of them were; as in the forementioned examples of Abraham, Iacob: and Manoah is to be ſeene: and in that Viſion of Eſay, when he ſaw God ſit in a throne, and with him Seraphins crying one Eſay 6. 2. 3.to another, Holy, holy, holy, &c. The vſe hereof is, that we daily by faith, with reuerence, approch to the throne of grace for forgiueneſſe, and thereby take holy confidence to our ſelues to goe out and in before the Lord in all ſeruice, and to view and conſider his workes of iudgement, without corrupt Note.and terrible feare, and yet without vnſeemely lightneſſe and boldneſſe; for this our good God, is a great God and a conſuming fire, Heb. 12. And by this Heb. 12. 29.temperature, we ſhall be kept from extreamitie on both ſides. For as this eſtate driueth away lightneſſe, ſo we may be aſſured, that we bee in beſt manner freed from the feare of Gods wrath iuſtly deſerued by our ſins, (while we hold faſt our confidence and aſſurance of the pardon thereof, with the continual keeping them vnderunder, being forgiuen) wherby we ſhal be freed alſo from ſuperſtitious, carnal, and ſuperfluous feare, which, whereſoeuer it is, doth not a little diſtemper the mind, and make it vnfit for dutie. Iohn 14. 1.
Now further beſides this, ſeeing after Gedeons doubt anſwered by the Doct. 2. in Verſe 22.Angell, this new trouble aroſe immediately, that he feared hee ſhould hauehave died by ſeeing the Angell of God; we ſee how one trouble and griefe commeth in the necke of another to Gods ſeruants; who if they ſhould not hauehave deliuerances accordingly, ſhould faint and not be able to goe vnderunder them. Euen as we reade of Iob, that one meſſage being ended of the loſſe of cattell, Iob 1. 18.another commeth to him of the throwing down of his houſe by the winds, and the killing of his children. And although there be intermiſſion from trouble, God prouiding for his people, that they may not be diſcouraged, as if all ſhould come at once, they muſt needs be; yet their frailtie ſo requiring, 1. Pet. 1. 6. Note.he ſeeth it beſt that the rod be held ouer them eueryevery while, and ſometime make them ſmart; and all little inough, to hold them within their bounds. For we may all, euen the beſt, ſay with the Prophet, before we were afflicted, we Pſal. 119. 67.went aſtray, but after we kept thy word.
The vſe hereof firſt is this, that ſeeing we are ſubiect, and lye open to trouble ſo many waies, wee neſtle not our ſelues here below in any earthly delights, ſo that we be vnwilling to heare of any change, but rather looke for it, and be armed againſt it; and ſo the ſmart that commeth thereby, ſhall not ſting and aſtoniſh vsus, as otherwiſe it will. And ſecondly, ſeeing God ſeeth it meete in his wiſdome to exerciſe vsus with many afflictions, he ſeeing that 1. Pet. 1. 6.we hauehave need of them, and all to the end that ſo he may the better hold vsus vnderunder; it is moſt abſurd, that we ſhould in any ſort ſeeke to fulfill the luſts of our hearts, whereby wee multiply and bring further trouble vponupon our liues.
The other thing therefore which we may note here by Gedeon, is this, Doct. 3.how ſoone our faith is ouerwhelmed by affliction. For though the Angell prooued it to him, to his good contentment, that he was the man which ſhould deliuer Iſrael out of the oppreſſion of the Midianites; yet as though no ſuch thing had been ſpoken to him, nor beleeued by him, by and by, as ſoone as he perceiued that he was an Angell with whom he ſpake, he thinking before that he was but a man of God, behold how he is troubled afreſh. Although theſe two about which he was troubled, were contraries; to wit, the promiſe of God in the firſt; which hee doubted of; and his feare in this laſt by ſeeing his Angell. In the which to ſtay a while, ſeeing it is the point now in hand; we know he could not deliuer Iſrael, as he was told, and beleeued he ſhould, if he muſt die before the time came. And yet not conſidering what he ſaid; he affirmed reſolutely hee ſhould die, when yet Iſrael was not deliuered: euen ſo are we much dazled and vnſetled by affliction. Much like to Martha, when her brother Lazarus was dead, and Ieſus was come thither, ſhe came mourning to him, and ſaid, Lord, if thou hadſt been Ioh. 11. 22.here, my brother had not been dead: but now I know alſo, ſaid ſhe, that whatſoeuer thou askest of God, he will giuegive it thee. Wherein ſhe teſtified, that he could, if it pleaſed him, raiſe him vp againe. And yet marke, when Ieſus after that, went to the graue to raiſe him from death, and bad them take away the ſtone, Martha ſtood by, forgetting what ſhe had ſaid before, and anſwered Ieſus, as not belieuing that he could be raiſed to life, O Lord, it is too late, he ſtinketh alreadie, for he hath been dead foure daies.
And who doth not find it to be true, which I hauehave ſaid, namely, that faith which is well grounded, and worketh now with comfort by louelove, ſhall eaſily be found to languiſh and waxe faint through doubting and feare, if affliction come in the way to trie vsus? For why? we are ſo prone to vnbeliefe, that if we doe not at the firſt triall, alwaies ſhew and bewray it, which yet oft times we doe, yea, before the trouble come, when we ſee but a likelihood of it, we ſhall at leaſt doe it, if we be long held vnderunder the affliction, and eſpecially if it be any great matter; as ſome ſore loſſe, paine, or the like. So that it is not without eſpeciall cauſe, that we are commanded by the Apoſtle, not only to bee rooted, but alſo to bee confirmed, and to abound in faith with Col. 2. 7.thankſgiuing. Let vsus conſider, to this end, that it is but the fruit of our corruption, thus to feare and doubt, when wee ſhould beleeue, and to reaſon againſt Gods promiſes, affirming that they cannot be performed, when wee ſee likelihood of the contrary; yea though we doe it not with any bad meaning, as neither Gedeon did here, yet it is our great ſinne to offer God ſuch diſhonour: let vsus ſtriue rather to beate downe our fooliſh feares and paſſions, ſeeing it is moſt like, and we are ſure to ſpeede the worſt thereby, and in that we giuegive place to our paſſions, we ſhall do it to our coſt, although we repent for it. Our Sauiour ſeeing Martha in that ſudden feare and diſtruſt, checkes her, ſaying; Did I not ſay vntounto thee, if thou couldeſt belieue, thou ſhouldeſt ſee the glory of God? As if he ſhould ſay; Looke to my word, looke not to the vnlikelihood. Manoahs wife was ſtronger then Gedeon or her husband, in the like caſe: If God would hauehave ſlaine vsus (ſaith ſhe) he would not hauehave ſaid we ſhould hauehave a ſonne, and ſo ought Gedeon to hauehave reaſoned: God will not kill me now, ſeeing I muſt deliuer Iſrael: for theſe are contraries, and thus when Manoahs wife ſaw that one of them muſt needs be falſe, ſhe rather confuteth her husband then the meſſage of the Angell, and concludeth, doubtleſſe we ſhall liue, and not die, for the word of God is more worth the reſting vponupon, then our owne conceits. And thus it ſhould bee with vsus, that Note.we be not alwaies off and on, now carried with full ſaile of faith, and by and by caſt downe, as if we had neuer been the men, this fickleneſſe is vnbeſeeming vsus. Men wiſh that it were alwaies alike with them, and yet find the contrary; becauſe they kept not their eie fixed vponupon the promiſe, daily renewing their hold therein ſtedfaſtly as at any time before they did; conſidering, that as the Sun is alway the ſame, whither it be ouer caſt with cloudes, or ſhine forth clearely, ſo is Chriſt Ieſus yesterday, and to day, and the ſame for euer, vnchangeable in himſelfe, if wee change not our perſwaſion of him through vnbeliefe.
In this verſe it is ſhewed, that while Gedeon was thus perplexed with Verſ. 23. The ſenſe.feare, the Lord comforted him, that hee being free from it, might the better goe about that which was appointed him. For we know what a dangerous hindrance to faith, feare is. And therefore, what hart could hee hauehave to belieue that hee ſhould worke ſuch a deliuerance, who feared death eueryevery minute of an howre? And the Angell put away his feare, by promiſing him good ſucceſſe, and quietneſſe of mind, and that he ſhould not dye. This is Doct.the great goodneſſe of God, that he will not long leaue his faithfull people in pinching feare, and penſiue heauines: but in good time deliuereth them, leaſt they ſhould be too much caſt downe and diſcomforted. And ſo the Scriptures teſtifie, that God would not hauehave people left in troubleſome paſſions; as feare or ſorrow, which how troubleſome they are, our experience teacheth. Ioſhua was ſore troubled, when the people of Iſrael fell before the Ioſh. 7. 7. 10.men of Ay, but God ſoone put him out of it. So likewiſe the good women in the Goſpell were ſore afraid, by reaſon of the earthquake, and the appearing of the Angell, but he bid them not to be afraid, euen as here he ſaith to Matth. 28. 5.Gedeon, Peace be to thee. Thus it were meet for all poore troubled conſciences, to mark diligently how comfortably God ſpeaketh to them, as that they ſhould put away their needleſſe ad hurtfull feares and griefes; for the which cauſe the Lord willeth with a doubling his words, Eſay 40. 1. that his afflicted people ſhould be comforted: for thus he ſaith there, as alſo in many other places; comfort ye, comfort ye my people. As if he ſhould ſay, comfort them Eſay 40. 1.euen at the heart. And this aduice had ſo much the more neede to bee receiued of them, becauſe when they begin once to be heauy, they forget that they were euer comforted, and paſſe their bounds in heauineſſe. But when ſuch diſtempered perturbations ariſe in vsus, and diſquiet vsus through an euill conſcience, and by meanes of ſome offending God willingly or negligently, which by care we might hauehave auoided, (in which caſe wee hauehave no warrant to take comfort to our ſelues, neither doth God at any time vſe to comfort vsus therein, here the courſe that is to be taken, is, that we ſolemnely proſtrate our ſelues before him, accuſing our ſelues, and bewailing our ſinne, with broken hearts for mercy, as well as looke for other deliuerance, and he will returne to vsus moſt graciouſly, powre oile and wine into our wounds moſt ſauourily, and eaſe our griefe readily, and all our feare ſhall be driuen away. For if we doe well, who (as Saint Peter ſaith) ſhall feare vsus? Ezekiah 1. Pet. 3. 13.is a notable example of this, who being in his ſickneſſe troubled with the feare of vntimely death, whereby he feared iuſtly that the Church of God might the ſooner be infected with idolatrie, being not yet well ſetled in the true worſhip of God, nor throughly purged; made an heauie complaint, as appeares Eſay 38. not for that hee deſired life ſimplie for it ſelfe, as for the Eſay 38. 10.good of the Church. But going to the Lord by prayer in this perplexitie for recouery, the Lord ſtaid his mind, and ſent his Prophet to encourage him both by promiſe and miracle, and beare him word hee ſhould recouer, and then he goeth vp to the houſe of the Lord, and makes a ſolemne thankſgiuing for his recouery. But ſeeing many, euen of Gods deare ones, doe either not know how to repaire to God in this manner, or if they doe, yet they cannot humble their hearts, therefore they trouble themſelues with ſuffering the ſting of an ill conſcience to pricke them, which in continuance of time is forgotten, and being not kindly healed, they ſoone breake out againe, and ſo they make there life vnprofitable when it is at the beſt, and till they caſt vp that vnſauorie gorge by ſome great outward affliction, which ſearcheth deepe, or by ſome agonie of mind, whereby they are brought by the helpe Note.of ſome wiſe and experienced Miniſter to true repentance, they come to no better eſtate.
Now followeth Gedeons thankſgiuing, which clearely prooueth that hee Verſ. 24. The ſenſe.receiued comfort, and was well ſtaied by the Angels words vntounto him. For whether we take it thus tranſlated, as it is by Tremelius [he builded an altar to the Lord, when he had pronounced peace to him] or whether thus, as in the Geneua tranſlation it is read, he builded an altar to the Lord, and called it Iehouahſhalom, that is, the Lord of peace; I ſay, in whether ſoeuer of theſe we take it, it is a thanks to God, yea and that in ſolemne manner: for if he called him the Lord of peace who had giuen him double peace, to wit, both in freeing him from his dreadfull doubt firſt, and afterward alſo from his feare. And ſo Gedeon leauing that remembrance of his thankful hart there vntounto poſterity, all may ſee that it was a ſolemne thanking of God. And to the ſame end that tendeth which is ſaid, that he built the altar: it was in token of his thanks, after God had quieted his mind, both about the deliuerance of the Iſraelites from the rage of the Midianites, and alſo from his feare by ſeeing the Angell of God.
And therefore out of this action of Gedeons, we learne to take all good occaſions Doct.of thanks to God, not onelyonly ordinarily for daily benefits, and priuately by our ſelues as well as openly; but alſo as God ſhall giuegive vsus occaſion by ſuch mercies beſtowed vponupon vsus, which are more then ordinarie, as here he did to Gedeon, and before this, to Moſes, Ioſhua, Debora, and others, and doth Note.oft times to vsus in the yeere, and in the ſeuen yeere, by deliuerances, protection, and vnlooked for mercies and benefits. And further, as hee here did it in a ſolemne manner, ſo ought we, as much as in vsus lieth: for he left teſtimony of his thanks, to thoſe who came long after him. But of thankſgiuing I hauehave ſpoken before.