Commentary on Judges, Sermon 74
THE SEVENTIE FOVRE SERMON ON THE XIII. AND XIIII. CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK OF IVDGES.
OF the firſt reaſon of Manoahs wife, we heard in the laſt ſermon. The ſecond followeth, which was this: he appeared again & again to vsus (ſaith ſhe) & inſtructed vsus what we ſhould do, wherto alſo ſhe ſaid to her huſband, we attended readily (as you know) and beleeued his words: (for thus we muſt vnderſtand her, for as much as the word profiteth not, if it bee not mixed with faith) therefore ſhe concludeth, that they ſhould Heb. 4. 1.not dye. And this, which was in her ſo commendable, is no leſſe in ſo many of vsus, as the like is found, but an eſpeciall gift of God, to vphold our ſelues in Doct.tryals, and then to beleeue God, and giuegive credit to him, when we hauehave nothing elſe to depend vponupon. But if we be faint in trouble, then, as Salomon Prou. 24. 10.ſaith, our ſtrength was neuer great. And as it was no ſmall trouble to Manoah ſo to doubt, in like maner ſhall we find it. Further, out of this ſecond reaſon of hers rightly vnderſtood, we learne, that although this is no good conſequent, God hath ſent his word among vsus againe and againe, therefore he will not deſtroy vsus, but loueth vsus: yet let vsus take it, as it was both meant of her, and practiſed of both her and her husband, to wit, that they receiued the meſſage at the mouth of the Angell, and beleeued his word, being confirmed Doct.by a ſigne, and then the reaſon is good, in this manner: God inſtructed vsus, and we receiued it, therefore he will not deſtroy vsus. And thereafter is our inſtruction. For if we imbrace and beleeue the doctrine of the ſcripture, that it is for our vſe and benefite, and receiue it, not as the word of Iohn 1. 12.man, but as it is indeed, the word of God, and it be ſweet to vsus, as the honey 1. Theſ. 2. 13. Pſal. 119. 103.to the taſt, as the Prophet ſpake, then may we be ſure that we ſhall not periſh. But more particularly, the words of this ſecond reaſon hauing relation to the Angels meſſage, giuegive vsus occaſion to looke backe into the nature and quality thereof. The Lord (ſayth ſhe) hath told me, that whereas I was barren, I ſhould conceiue a ſonne, and that he ſhould be an inſtrument to ſaue Iſrael out of the hands of the Philiſtims. The time alſo he hath appointed, the manner of my dyet and abſtinence he hath preſcribed, adding the reaſon, becauſe the childe muſt be a Nazarite. And this he hath not once to me, but the ſecond time to vsus both teſtified, and we hauehave reſted therein, beleeued the report, and receiued a ſigne. What? ſhall we now thinke God will kill vsus? How then hauehave we beleeued the meſſage, ſeeing that if he kill vsus, it is not poſſible that a child ſhould be borne and begotten by vsus, and therefore all the other particularities are abſurd and frinolous. Or, if we ſtill beleeue the word of God, how can we ſay, God will ſlay vsus? Thus doth this woman beſtirre her ſelfe to ſettle and reſtore her husband, by a ſtrong reaſon drawne from their faith in the promiſe of God, which could admit no contrarietie, except God hi…ſelfe could be charged to be oppoſite in his performance to his promiſe. And this ſhewes how rarely God hath graced this woman, that ſhe (a weake creature) ſhould be able thus to reſt her ſelfe, and vnderunder-lay her husband, by an argument of the greateſt force, which might not be gainſayd, except groſſe abſurdities were granted, yea impoſſibilities, to wit, that God might falſifie his word. And in ſuch caſes as Manoah was, no leſſe euidence of truth and proofe would hauehave ſerued the turne. It commendeth this duty vntounto vsus when we ſhall be tryed in the like manner, to wit, that we ſuffer not our ſelues with Manoah to forget who it is that hath made vsus a promiſe of forgiuenes, and who hath aſſured vsus that we ſhall not periſh, but be kept to the reſurrection day. Iohn 10. 28.It may be, that in ſome great and ſudden feare, or trouble, the Diuell may quite ſpoyle vsus of the remembrance of the grounds whereupon we hauehave Note.built our faith, and ſtrip vsus naked of the experience of our faith, which in time paſt we hauehave had the fruit and benefite of, yea and the particular circumſtances alſo, which hauehave added great force and likely hood to the truth of the promiſer: as we ſee in poore Manoahs example. But then ſhould we ſtep forth with this woman, and accuſe our ſelues for this our forgetfulnes, as Chriſt did the two diſciples, ſaying, O ye dull and ſlow of heart to beleeue, &c. and giuegive no place to our vnbeliefe, ſtruggling againſt our weakeneſſe, as a ſtrong man (whoſe hands and feet are bound by theeues) to breake the bands and get the vſe of our ioynts and limmes, to help our ſelues withall. Note.Then ſhould we ſtriue to call back the word of God to our minds, whereupon in times paſt wee built our faith and confidence: and ſo ſhame our ſelues, that wee did not ſtill aſcribe to God the honour of beleeuing him, which in times paſt we hauehave done. Nay more, we ſhould embolden our ſelues thus, that we cannot be diſappointed of our hope, (whether it be of any deliuerance preſent, or glorie itſelfe hereafter) except God himſelfe can be conuinced of falſhood, which is impoſſible, and to ſay ſo were blaſphemy; for he hath paſſed his word to vsus, we hauehave been perſwaded of it, and had cleare teſtimonie thereof at ſundry times: ſo that it is as ſure our ſtate is good, as that Gods word (ſo much as in one iot or title) can not be fruſtrate. In things meerly temporall there may ſeeme a repugnance betweene the Lord his ſecret will, and his reuealed: I ſay, ſeeme, becauſe men e…large temporall promiſes further then they reach. But in ſpirituall promiſes there is neuer any repugnancie at all, where faith is ready at hand to argue with this woman thus: If this ſhould be, God ſhould be contrary to himſelfe, which is impoſſible.
Now in this laſtverſe, (for I referre the next to the Chapter following) Verſe 24.the birth of the child Sampſon is mentioned, as the ſigne thereof was giuen before by the Angell, and how the Lord prepared him for ſuch a purpoſe, as to helpe his people againſt their enemies, by giuing him ſtrength of body, and courage of minde. About his birth, after his parents had receiued a promiſe from God of hauing ſuch a childe, yet there were many doubts in them, which now we ſee were all anſwered.
Euen ſo we are to know, that though there be many thoughts of heart, Doct.and much heauineſſe in Gods people about the inioying of the ſundry good things that God hath promiſed them before they be accompliſhed, yet wee ſee God in his appoynted time effecteth and bringeth them to paſſe. It is true, that by reaſon of the much vnbeliefe that is in vsus, yea, though ſometime it be well purged out of vsus, we are eueryevery while doubting Note.till we obtaine the things which are promiſed, and yet ſome of them we liue to ſee performed: and as certainely ſhall the reſt be alſo, euen as wee ſee the promiſe that a barren woman ſhould beare, came to paſſe to the parents that beleeued it, that Gods deed and his word may be one. And this is true in the promiſes of remouing any iudgements or croſſes, as by the malice of the wicked, by paine, penury, or other oppreſſions, or of any bleſſings temporary, as well as of grace to beare afflictions, or to vſe proſperity rightly, or of a good end of our dayes. How many and great promiſes had Dauid of the kingdome? yet through not only the long deferring thereof, but alſo the admirable and manifold oppoſitions that he met with, what likelyhood was there that he ſhould euer hauehave inioyed it? in ſo much as vponupon the ſight of them, he brake out himſelfe, and ſayd, I ſhall ſurely dye by the hand of Saul one time or other, but yet came it not to paſſe that he inioyed it, and was ſtabliſhed in it. Therefore let all thoſe who hauehave a part in the promiſes of God, count it their ſingular priuiledge and honour to hauehave the Lord of heauen and earth thus bound to them, (as indeed to be out of this compaſſe is the greateſt miſery, though a man had all abundance) let ſuch, I ſay, reioyce dayly that they are reckoned among them whom God hath aſſured to grace, enlighten, purge, gouerne, vphold, and hereafter glorifie. And let them watch and wait for the performance of theſe promiſes, ſeeing that hee who hath made them, and in whom they Note.are made is no man, that hee ſhould change yeſterday and to day, and the ſame for euer: renewing his mercy dayly. To hold this by faith is the beleeuers crowne: let him beware that none take away his crowne from him.
As the childe grew vp, ſo it is ſaid, the Lord bleſſed him with common gifts of the ſpirit, as it is manifeſt that this is to bee vnderſtood: but it is not ſo clearely ſeene that it ſhould be vnderſtood of the more ſpeciall gifts alſo that are peculier to the godly. But yet foraſmuch as the word [bleſſed him] is generall to both kindes, and not reſtrained to one kind only by the holy Ghoſt, we hauehave no reaſon to reſtraine it, but to take it generally, and the rather, for that the worthy actes he did were fruites of his faith, as we ſee Hebrewes 11. and it followeth after, that Sampſon was induced with ſpeciall gifts of grace, as well as with courage of minde fit for a valiant man, and bodily ſtrength ſutable to purſue his enemies. And this is ſaid of Samſon, as being a type of Chriſt, of whom it is ſaid, that hee grew in fauour, &c. (Luke 1. laſt verſe) as in yeeres and ſtature.
Whereby we ſee, that all good gifts which wee enioy are of Gods free Doct. 1. Iam. 1. 5.bountie communicated to vsus: as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. And the graciouſeſt, wiſeſt, or hee that excelleth among men any other way, is beautified with the gifts which he hath, by God who giueth them. No man hath any thing of his owne, but ſinne. The heart of man is onelyonly, and alway euill: and as the heart is, ſo is the man himſelfe, that God may be all in all. Therefore it Luke 6. 46.is a finne to be bewailed in the moſt not meanely, that they make no haſte to ſue to him, for all good that they would hauehave, as wee repaire to the fountaine and ſpring for water, neither (hauing obtained them) doe praiſe him for the ſame, nor vſe ſuch bleſſings to honour the giuer. So that if any ſhould deſire or long for any gifts of God that wee hauehave, wee ſhould not make them fall into an admiration at vsus, but they ſhould be ſent to the author and giuer of them: and leſt wee might take any part of Gods due and honour from him, we ſhould anſwere them as Ioſeph did King Pharaoh, and Gen. 41. 16. Dan. 2. 30.Daniel Nabuchadnezzer, The Lord hath reuealed the ſecret hereof to vsus, but we hauehave no ſuch wiſedome in vsus, more then other men. This bee added to that which heretofore hath been ſaid by occaſion of the like words before, as chap. 11. 21. 32. and many other places. And ſo much of Samſons birth, the chiefe thing in this chapter, and of the things pertaining thereto: now in this next Chapter I proceed to his mariage.