Commentary on Judges, Sermon 44
THE FORTIE FOVRE SERMON ON THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH CHAPTERS OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
VERS. 36. Then Gedeon ſaid vntounto God, If thou wilt ſaue Iſrael by mine hand as thou haſt ſaid.
37. Behold, I put a fleece of wooll in the threſhing place: if the dew come on the fleece onelyonly, and it be drie vponupon all the earth, then ſhall I be ſure that thou wilt ſaue Iſrael by mine hand, as thou haſt ſaid.
38. And ſo it was: for he roſe vp earely on the morrow, and thruſt the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, and filled a bowle of water.
39. Againe, Gedeon ſaid vntounto God, be not angry with me, that I may ſpeake once more: let me prooue once againe, I pray thee, with the fleece: let it now be drie onelyonly vponupon the fleece, and let dew be vponupon all the ground.
40. And God did ſo that ſame night: for it was dry vponupon the fleece onelyonly, and there was dew on all the ground.
HOw Gedeon prepared to go to the warre againſt Midian we hauehave The ſenſe of theſe verſes.heard in the former 3. verſes, in which began the 4. point in the 4. part of the Chapter, according to the diuiſion made in the eleuenth verſe, whereto wee may remember was adioyned his asking of a double ſigne. And in theſe words the holy ſtory ſheweth, that he being now furniſhed of the Lord with gifts, as we hauehave heard, and hauing gathered his army together, and being gone to meete the enemies, where they had pitched; in theſe verſes (I ſay) it followeth how he deſired of God the firſt ſigne; by the which hee might bee confirmed of, and concerning the victorie. The ſigne he asked was this: that he putting a fleece of wooll on the threaſhing flore, the dew might come on the fleece onelyonly, and it might be drie vponupon all the earth. Wherein he is maruelled at, that for all the promiſe of God, and confirming of him before, he ſhould doubt, and aske a ſigne. I anſwere vponupon the due conſideration of the thing, that though it may be like inough, that hee was not altogether void of blame, yet hee did not herein tempt God, (as ſome did who asked a ſigne of Chriſts authoritie) but deſired onelyonly to hauehave his faith confirmed thereby, which would otherwiſe hauehave wauered. As the man in the Goſpell, who beleeued, and yet prayed, Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe, ſo did Gedeon. Beſides, the Lord granted Mar. 9. 24.him his requeſt, without any reproouing of him, which it is not like hee would hauehave done, if Gedeon had doubted. Laſt of all, I am the rather thus perſwaded, becauſe he is reckoned in the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, among them Heb. 11. 32.that were commended for their faith.
Herein we are to conſider of our weakeneſſe in beleeuing by occaſion of Doct. in verſ. 36. 37. 38.Gedeons asking a double ſigne: and of the louing kindneſſe of the Lord in pitying vsus therein, and bringing vsus out of it, euen as he yeelded to him in both. For our ſelues this may be ſaid, that though wee beleeue Gods promiſe, yet there ariſeth naturally in vsus daily and continuall weakeneſſe of faith; partly by yeelding too much to carnal reaſon, partly through ineuitable frailty, the Note.fleſh fighting againſt the ſpirit in vsus. And hereof it is, that we are faine to wraſtle, and to be in the battell as it were, and in the cumbat daily to vphold and preſerue our weake faith, which otherwiſe would ſoone faile and giuegive ouer, as by experience we hauehave oft found in other, and our ſelues. As in the examples of Peter comming on the water to Chriſt, Martha in raiſing Lazarus, Dauid complaining of his ſadnes and heauines of heart, the Diſciples in their too much aſcribing to Chriſts bodily preſence, and an hundred more in Scriptures doe teſtifie.
And much more may the ſame be ſaid of our ſelues: yet while we feare our frailtie againſt ſuch aſſaults, as we hauehave cauſe daily to doe, and learne to reſt on God, as thoſe deare ſeruants of God did, wee are much ſtaied, and our hearts well eaſed thereby, in reſpect of former times. As to ſay a little in particuler by the contrary: when wee hauehave obtained of God the gift of beleeuing that we are freed from condemnation, and that wee ſhall hauehave eternall life: if we reſt there, and looke not daily to reuiue our hearts by hearing the word often, whereby the feeling of Gods fauour is more reuiued and quickned, and alſo by remembring and applying Gods promiſes from day to day, and from time to time, and with both, if we labour not alſo to reioyce therein, that ſo we may be kept in holy compaſſe thereby: wee ſhall be euer flitting; off and on, and ſtand at an vncertaine ſtay: And this ſhall not onelyonly be at our firſt beleeuing, (which there is leaſt doubt of) but euen after we hauehave been ſtabliſhed and ſetled therein. For at firſt, aſſurance is not eaſily obtained ordinarily, till we hauehave had ſome experience of Gods louing Note.kindneſſe towards vsus, and of our owne vprightnes.
And euen ſo I may ſay the ſame of beleeuing Gods promiſes in other temporary things: how we ſhall faint therein, without the forementioned exerciſe: and more hardly beare our croſſes, or goe vnderunder ſome paine and ſickneſſe, or hauehave victorie ouer ſome ſpeciall ſinne, and mortifie ſome corruption that hath much preuailed in vsus. But if theſe be purſued earneſtly, and the other promiſes of grace bee oft and vſually recorded, with feruent prayer to God for ſtrength; it is not to be denied, but much fruite ſhall follow, and we ſhall ſenſibly perceiue, that wee get ground of our ſelues in that behalfe, and grow more neerely acquainted with the minde and will of God, that he will grant vsus further to preuaile againſt ſuch difficulties: and yet if wee grow to thinke that we ſhall neuer obtaine grace againſt our corruptions, nor outgrow diſcouragements, nor well beare our croſſes, or finde bleſſing in our callings, notwithſtanding the vſe of publike and priuate meanes; yea further if wee doe minde and looke after theſe things but now and then, and that ſlightly alſo; we may well know, that there is no fruit to be expected to come thereof: which is the cauſe why ſome, who are not deſtitute of true faith, are often times (as it were) new to begin in theſe things, after long going about them.
Now this ſtanding at a ſtay, and ſmall profiting in the ſubduing and ſtriuing againſt vnbeliefe, commeth not barely▪ and altogether of frailtie, when we would gladly preuaile and cannot: but in great part of yeelding to temptation, and occaſions drawing vsus violently▪ to ſinne againſt our conſcience, (which cauſeth a mans hold vponupon the promiſes to faile exceedingly) or too much giuing place to carnall reaſon, which perſwadeth that wee neede not Note.giuegive ſuch attendance to theſe things; but in the meane while, wee ſee that we are greatly ſet backe thereby. So that it is manifeſt, that without diligent heed taking to the ſtrengthening of our faith, we eaſily grow to diſtruſt God and his promiſes. And much more, if we will hearken to ſuch voyces as we ſhall too oft heare ſounding in our eares, that we neede not take ſuch paine, nor hauehave our heads beaten and occupied about it: whereas all diligence is to be giuen thereto for attaining ſo excellent a gift, as that is. And moſt of all, when by willing offendings of God we weaken our ſelues; which how ſmall need we hauehave of, we may eaſily ſee, when we conſider that wee fall to doubting through the vntowardnes of our hearts, without adding further ſinne, our faith being fitly compared to fire, which may as well goe out by negligence in adding thereto, as wilfulnes in quenching thereof.
This our ſinne in ſo hardly giuing credit to God, is aggrauated hereby, that if we are to deale with men, about great matters, wee are eaſily ſatisfied, and beleeue them, if wee hauehave their word and writing: which manifeſteth too plainly our diſtruſt towards God, from whom nothing is inough to ſtay vsus, vnleſſe with Thomas we may groſſely feele and ſee that which we deſire. Nay I ſay more, if we be to compaſſe any matter for our owne pleaſure, profit, or preferment, oh how bold and full of courage we be, although we muſt goe vnderunder perill, loſſe, or any ſuch like thing, for obtaining the ſame: but to ſuffer any difficultie or danger, ſo much as to ſtretch out our faith to beleeue, or our hope to waite for that which God hath promiſed, though hee giuegive vsus neuer ſo great cauſe and incouragement, by good euidence and teſtimonie, Note.and by former experience, of others, and our ſelues, yet wee hauehave no heart to it. Therefore if we be wiſe, let vsus be much ſtronglier built vp in the confidence of Gods fauour, and of his promiſes, take more paines to abide therein, pray and watch againſt the occaſions of vnſetling it, and chaine vp our ſo great aſcribing (as we hauehave done) to ſenſe and reaſon. And ſo doing, we ſhall ſee our ſelues well propped vp and vpholden, though we hauehave no promiſe of miracles to doe it, as Gedeon had.
Of one of the ſignes that Gedeon asked, wee hauehave heard: now followeth the other.
When Gedeon had deſired one ſigne, that the fleece might be moiſtened with dew, and the ground drie, now he deſired, that when dew was on the Verſ. 38. 39. 40.earth the fleece might be drie; and to both the ſignes asking, God yeelded; which he would not hauehave eaſily done, if he had not approued it. To teach, that if in our weaknes and timourouſnes wee had this wiſedome, to repaire to God, and make our mone to him, in feeling our burthen, and to ſay with confidence, Lord ſtrengthen our faith; we ſhould be ſtaied and eaſed: and ſo in all diſtempers whatſoeuer, we ſhould not be left to our ſelues, nor forſaken. Which many (as I ſaid) hauehave not learned to doe, and therefore their whole life is but a conflicting with doubts and feares, riſing anew in their mindes, and that endleſly, by the malice of the diuell diſquieting and moleſting them: and hindring them from that reſolution and holy boldneſſe which God alloweth and commandeth to be in them. And whereas the enemie buzzeth into them, that it were preſumption to hold the promiſe of forgiuenes and life, otherwiſe then doubtingly: this fact of Gedeon in ſo earneſt and doubled requeſting of ſtrength and confirmation from God, ſhould daſh and quench it. And ſo by our proofe of Gods anſwering our prayers at one time, wee ſhould learne to vſe the ſame meanes againe in a like manner, and as often as neede ſhall require at another time: knowing, that as it is Gods honour to be beleeued in his promiſes; ſo it ſtands with his good liking, that we often ſue to him, to giuegive vsus ſome cleere inſight into them, how they belong to vsus, (though wee tye him to no certaine meaſure) that ſo we may be ſtaied.
Neither is it to be omitted, that Gedeon in this ſecond ſuit, commeth with a deprecation of his owne boldnes and importunitie with God, which muſt be warily vnderſtood. For hereby it followes not, that God was angrie, or Gedeon was bold in making this requeſt: (for then Gedeon had ſinned highly in doing that which he knew would anger God) but rather out of a moſt inward feeling of that vnbleefe which hee deſired to be forgiuen, and ſupplied with confidence: as alſo in deepe humilitie, conſidering how great a libertie he had (being but a ſillie worme) that he might ſpeake ſo freely to the Almightie, and be admitted into ſuch familiaritie with his Maieſtie; he vttereth this ſpeech full of reuerence, Be not angrie with thy ſeruant; as if hee ſhould ſay, It is iuſt with thee to bee diſpleaſed with my weakneſſe in beleeuing: but (O Lord) pardon that (bee not angrie) and ſeeing I craue ſtrength againſt it, (as thou giueſt me leaue to doe) let my deſire be granted, and my infirmitie couered. And in both the reſpects named, the Saints of God in Scripture hauehave euer vſed themſelues thus reuerently and humbly, and the Lord ſo reſpectiuely, as Gedeon here doth. As the example of Abraham ſhewes, praying for Gedeon. So wiſe, and able to vſe ſuch a priuiledge, ſhould we al ſeeke to be, that we knowing how baſe mettle we are, euen duſt and wormes, priuiledge, (that I ſay no more) and yet admitted into the preſence of God of glory, we ſhould admire it with humilitie, that he giues vsus acceſſe to him; oh how ſhould it affect vsus, yea what reuerence ſhould it draw from vsus? Euen as when a poore man comes often to the ſame friend to borrow money: he comes not ſaucily and looſely, as if it were a common matter, and for the which he were little beholding to him, but caries thanks and reuerence in his countenance and behauior. But of this ſtory of Gedeon before.
And this is that which I purpoſed to ſay of, and concerning our ſelues. 3Now that which I hauehave to ſay of the Lord is this: namely, how reſpectiue he is to his children, and what a ready eare he giueth to our prayers, yea and that particularly in this point, of ſtrengthening our faith. Gedeon twiſe deſired a ſigne to confirme him, and God granted it to him. To ſhew, that if (as I hauehave ſaid) we could pray for it, and long for that grace (as precious as it is) it ſhould be granted vsus. But we would bee glad to inioy it, but in our weakneſſe and fainting, we doe not plie God with feruent requeſts, that we may Note.be ſetled in belieuing either that power ouer our ſpeciall ſinne ſhal be giuen vsus, or hope and patience to beare ſome trouble. If we were oft with God in this behalfe, and earneſt; wee ſhould finde, that God would furniſh vsus accordingly, aboue that which wee could looke for. Thus Abraham, Dauid, Paul with others, grew ſtrong in faith. And this of the whole chapter.
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE Booke of IVDGES.
Verſ. 1. Then Ierubbaal (who is Gedeon) roſe vp earely and all the people that were with him, and pitched beſide the well of Harod: ſo that the hoaſt of the Midianites, was on the North ſide of them, in the valley by the hill Moreh.
2. And the Lord ſaid vntounto Gedeon, The people that are with thee are to many for me to giuegive the Midianites into their hands, leſt Iſrael make their vaunt againſt mee, and ſay, My hand hath ſaued me.
3. Now therefore proclaime in the audience of the people, and ſay, Whoſoeuer is timerous or fearefull, let him returne, and depart earely from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people, that were at mount Giliad, two and twentie thouſand, ſo that ten thouſand remained.
4. And the Lord ſaid vntounto Gedeon, The people are yet too many, bring them downe vntounto the water and I will trie them for thee there: and of whom I ſay to thee, this man ſhall goe with thee, the ſame ſhall goe with thee: and of whomſoeuer I ſay vntounto thee, this man ſhall not goe with thee, the ſame ſhall not goe.
5. So he brought downe the people vntounto the water. And the Lord ſaid vntounto Gedeon. As many as lap the water with their tongues, as a dogge lappeth, them put by themſelues: and eueryevery one that ſhall bow downe his knees to drinke, put apart.
6. And the number of them that lapped, by putting their hands to their mouthes, were three hundred men: but all the remnant of the people kneeled downe vponupon their knees to drinke water.
7. And the Lord ſaid vntounto Gedeon, By theſe three hundred men that lapped, will I ſaue you, and deliuer the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people, goe eueryevery man vntounto his place.
8. So the people tooke victuals with them, and their trumpets, and he ſent all the reſt of …ſrael, eueryevery man to his tent, and retained the three hundred men: and the hoaſt of Midian was beneath him in a valley.
THe ſumme in generall, and parts of the Chapter are firſt to bee conſidered, The ſumme and parts of the Chapter.and then a more particular view to be taken of it afterwards: and the ſumme may be laid out in the parts, which are three. The firſt, how God made Gedeon ſend all the people, ſaue three hundred, backe againe, as being too many for the battell, to verſe 9. The ſecond, how God aſſured him againe of the victorie, by a dreame, which one of the enemies had, and by the interpreting of it by another of them in Gedeons hearing, and this to the 16. verſe. The third is the victorie it ſelfe ouer them, which God gaue him: and this to the end of the Chapter.
The firſt part of the Chapter.
TO come to the firſt part, there is no difficultie in it, for when hee had The ſenſe of the firſt part.pitched his army, ready to goe meete the enemies, the Lord cauſed him to ſend them all away (excepting three hundred) leſt they ſhould giuegive out, that they had ouercome the Midianites by their owne ſtrength. And thoſe three hundred hee alſo appointed to him, taking them out of the ten thouſand, that remained after the ſending of the other two and twenty thouſand away. In Gedeons drawing neere the enemies with his armie, wee may ſee The ſenſe of the firſt verſe, and the doctrine. Note.how hee was confirmed in his faith that hee ſhould obtaine the victorie, whereabout he had doubted ſo much before. And although I grant, that it was meet he ſhould be ſtaied by ſo great meanes as God vſed for that purpoſe, yet we ſee that faith commonly failes moſt, when the triall is greateſt, and the danger neereſt. Therefore in that he was now heartned and incouraged, when he ſaw the great number of the Midianites, and he himſelf was now with his ſmall armie in compariſon of theirs, to meete and fight with them: it is cleare, that he was well perſwaded of the truth of Gods promiſe, and that he did caſt himſelf confidently thereupon. Thus his faith grew and Doct. verſ. 1.ſhewed it ſelfe apparantly.
So ſhould we, when we hauehave been much laboured with, to belieue by the preaching of the Goſpell, and hauehave our ſelues alſo much been occupied in attaining thereto; we ſhould, I ſay, then look for the fruit thereof. And namely, to hauehave proofe of our faith indeed, in and about the common difficulties, wherein in times paſt wee hauehave bee foiled, and found it almoſt impoſſible ſometime, or at leaſt very vnlike that we ſhould preuaile by faith, euen there I ſay, we ſhould looke to hauehave ſome ſtrength thereof otherwiſe then in former times. As for example, when a man ſeeth his ſinnes and the guilt of them, though he be truly humbled for them: euen then to lift vp the hand of faith to heauen, and lay hold on the mercy of God in Chriſt. Alſo in time of temptation, to reſiſt temptation, by beleeuing, that God wil giuegive vsus victorie. Againe, when a man muſt loſe goods, and life, and all that hee hath for the Goſpell, or elſe to forſake it, then to cleaue faſt vntounto it, beleeuing that we ſhall be great gainers thereby. And ſo, when a man wanteth meat, drink, and apparrell, yet euen then, to acknowledge Gods prouidence, though by weake meanes, and reſt in it peaceably. In like manner, hauing long heard the word, and how we ſhould make it profitable to our ſelues by belieuing it, we ſhould grow to this point, that we ſhould be wearie of our rouing and wandering, of our ſleeping, of our diſcourſing and diſputing againſt that which we like not, being vnpleaſant to our fleſh, and ſay with Samuel: Speake Lord, for now thy ſeruant heareth, and is ready to reſt in thy will, whither reproouing, commanding, or incouraging: yea and to be vpholden, guided, reformed, or kept within compaſſe, whither by the terrors, commandements, or promiſes of it. So ought we in all other parts of dutie to be readie to ſay eueryevery one for himſelfe, Lord, now hauehave I learned how I ſhould worke in my Note.calling, vſe my peace and proſperitie, behaue my ſelfe in ſecret, and with others, and walke throughout my life innocently and fruitfully, belieuing that I ſhall not loſe the fruit of my labour. And further, I bleſſe thy name, I am ready to bee put the triall, and am not altogether as in times past, each occaſion offered by thy Maieſtie is welcome, I am the more incouraged to ſtoope meekely vnderunder mine affliction, when I ſee thou haſt ſent it, for then I belieue thou art readier to aſsiſt mee in bearing it, and that thou wilt giuegive a good iſſue out of it: and therefore farre be it from me to be ſo plunged Note.and amazed at trials, as I hauehave been, for that were to be euer learning, and neuer come to knowledge, yea it were alway to be a child, going by the helpe of others, and neuer alone, which is the propertie of a changeling. And thus doing, wee ſhall find that which the good Martyr found; that when God called him to the ſtake he endured the fire, though before hee could not endure the flame of a candle to ſinge ſo much as his finger. In theſe, and ſuch like, to hauehave proofe of our faith, is a thing much to bee reioyced in, and a good ſigne that our faith groweth, and is ſtrengthened otherwiſe then it hath been in times paſt, according to the ſaying of the Apoſtle to the Coloſſians: Be rooted and grow in Coloſſ 2. 7.faith, that ye may abound therein.
And ſo I might ſay of many things particularly, as of impatience, anger, wrath, vncleane and vnchaſt deſires, exceſſiue feare of trouble, conceits, terchineſſe, raſh iudging, and many other more: when we hauehave purſued, and had them in the chace, diſliking, condemning, and long time and oft praying againſt them, we ſhould looke for ſome victorie ouer them, and by the faith in which we prayed, to reſt perſwaded, that ſuch meanes ſhall not bee vſed of vsus in vaine: but looke that the rootes of them, which were faſt ſetled in our hearts before, be now looſened in vsus, and more and more dailie, and that it ſhall ſo appeare euen then, when any new occaſion ſhall bee offered, and when we ſhall be prouoked to offend by any. This will liuely ſhew, (though wee ſhall neuer be vtterly void of the reliques and ex…crements of our corrupt and rebellious heart,) that our faith is better confirmed in the word that commandeth vsus, to purge them out. And this a man would thinke were more to the honour of Chriſtians, then to boaſt and iangle of their faith, and faile in the triall ridiculouſly: which is an eaſie religion to learne, if it might goe for payment. To whom a man might ſay, Where is now that tongue of thine, which ſo luſtily bragged of faith? as Zebul ſaid to Gaal, cap. 9.
Alſo we further ſee here, that though Gedeon had the promiſe of God that Doct. 2.he ſhould ouercome the Midianites, yet hee lies not ſtill, but ſerueth Gods prouidence by furniſhing himſelfe with a armie good as he could conueniently to goe againſt them. And ſo we ought to vſe ordinary meanes to bring any worke to paſſe appointed vsus of God, though wee hauehave the promiſe of good ſucceſſe from him, and yet againe on the other ſide, we ſhould not attribute any thing to them, for that were to detract from God his due. But of this before at large.