Commentary on Judges, Sermon 88
THE EIGHTIE EIGHT SERMON ON THE XVI. CHAPTER OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
HEre to goe forward, as Samſon was preparing to bring Verſ. 27.to paſſe that great ſlaughter of the Philiſtims, ſo the Lord had prepared the perſons for him to execute it vponupon them. Therefore it is ſaid here, that the houſe was full of men and women, and all the Princes of the Philiſtims were vponupon the houſe, prouiſion being made where they might beſt ſee: aboue three thouſand men, to behold Samſon, and pleaſe themſelues therein. Which cleerely laieth out the folly, yea the vaine and deceitfull folly of the ignorant and irreligious, who hauehave been, and ſtill are ſo readie to flocke together by hundreds and thouſands to ſatisfie their eye, and to behold that which may prouoke fooliſh laughter, with what danger ſoeuer.
And yet if this be ſo to be diſliked (as who of ſound iudgement will not Doct. 1.affirme it ſo to be) what may be ſaid of them who now long after, as alſo in yeeres paſt and yet ſtill in the light of the Goſpell, hauehave inuented other maner of ſpectacles to delude the ſimple withall? euen ſhameleſſe ſhewes, and moſt dangerous ſtage plaies, omitting none to play a part in them, that may increaſe ſinne; as ſome to play the vice and foole, ſo diſguiſing themſelues, as if they were void of reaſon: ſome to reſemble the diuell, by which counterfeiting they make the mentioning of diuels in the Scripture, to be onelyonly a ridiculous ieſt, and matter to laugh at, that ſo they may be the bolder to ſinne, and the leſſe feare diuell or damnation: and ſome are brought on the ſtage in womens apparell, God hauing commanded the contrary, and ſaid, Deut. 22. 5.It ſhall not be ſo. In the which meetings they doe not onelyonly with the Philiſtims pleaſe their eye, but alſo ſtrongly are incenſed and prouoked to lewdnes and luſt, which ſome of them were nothing ſo much acquainted with before. Whom if God ſhould ſhew ſome ſuch ſtrange iudgement vponupon, as vponupon theſe here, (as we hauehave heard that ſome of them hauehave had lately faire warnings in that kinde, while they hauehave been in the middeſt of their paſtimes) I denie not but it were lamentable; but doubtleſſe not leſſe (what doe I ſay? nay by farre more) deſerued then this. But theſe muſt be left to the Magiſtrate, who ſhould not in vaine beare the ſword, but to the terror of offenders.
Of like ſort to the Philiſtims meetings to laugh and pleaſe themſelues in beholding Samſon brought foorth to be a gaſing ſtocke among them; of like ſort, I ſay, are the brutiſh flockings together of ſome parts of our countrey, who on the moſt Sabbaths through the ſummer hauehave vſed, and that very lately (I am ſure) and ſtill they may, for ought I know, to feaſt, drinke and dance, with much miſrule accompanying them: miſrule, ye may well geſſe what, by that which I hauehave mentioned; as if God had neuer commanded better things, ſaying yet aloud in their eares, Remember that ye keepe holy the Sabbath. All which prophane cuſtomes with the like, let them periſh and come to naught, and holy aſſemblies to heare ſermons and to pray, riſe vp, and bee duly and reuerently frequented and vſed on the contrary. Of theſe lewd cuſtomes I hauehave elſewhere ſpoken.
I noted before the ſlauiſhnes which Samſons ſinne brought him to, while Doct. out of verſ. 26. 27.he committed it, in the 17. verſe, reſeruing the other, to wit, the baſenes and ſhame which followed after it, to this place, as more proper for it. That which God threatned to the whole body of his people for renouncing his ſeruice, that they ſhould loſe their headſhip ouer the nations, and become the taile, that befell this one man Samſon for his wilfulnes. Not vnlike to that which Noah (by implication) prophecieth of the Church in the two heads therof, Shem, and Iaphet, that Cham ſhould be vnderunder, and a ſeruant vntounto them, while they dwelt in the tents of God, but otherwiſe Cham ſhould hold his dominion ouer them. Samſon was made a Lord in ſome ſort ouer theſe Heathens, to rule them, and ſo he did while he held his honour in the ſeruice of God: but being wearie of it, loe hee is made the moſt vile vnderling to them, and loden with all deſpite that malice could lay vponupon him. We Note.will neither beleeue that there is honour in ſeruing God, (whereas yet the Angels hauehave no greater, and the greateſt Kings vponupon earth hold their Maieſtie, Heb. 1. 14.in ſeruing the Lord and maintaining his truth inuiolable) nor ſhame and miſerie in the contrary. But Samſon (doubtleſſe) ſaw the former, the more cleerly, when he was ſo oppreſſed with the latter: and that in ſo foule a manner, as that he who weigheth the ſtorie, ſhall neede no further proofe of the deformed and vile nature of ſinne. Euen thus was it with Adam when he had ſinned: whereas before he was the ſoueraigne Lord ouer the creatures, hee became the vileſt and worſt of all, if God had not reſtored him. Thus the euill Angels not content with the higheſt honour, became diuels, abaſed to the loweſt and curſedeſt ebbe of ſhame. And this particular I thought good not to omit, (though I hauehave ſaid meetly enough of the other parts of miſerie which this ſinne of his cauſed) to the end that ſuch as like Samſons diet ſo well, may know by that time God hath tamed them ſo, and fetcht them about as he did this poore offender, he will make them buckle and ſtoope to his lure, and be glad of the meaneſt roome in his houſe, as the prodigall that wiſhed himſelfe an hireling of his fathers, in his wretched penurie, Luk. 15. 19.whom the place of a ſonne before liked not. As for them who thinke it their reproch to weare Gods liuerie at all, they are rather to be hiſſed at, then confuted by this text, let them goe like vagabonds and Cains vponupon the face of the earth; but as their true ſhame is herein, that God vouchſafes them no roome in his Church, ſo the time ſhall be, when their ſhame ſhall breake foorth to their confuſion, then when there ſhall neither be place for them to hide their heads in, nor cloakes left them to couer their ſhame, much leſſe to hauehave entrance into his kingdome. Let rather ſuch as goe for Chriſtians, who enioy the honour of good report among the beſt for their religion, and hauehave been hitherto kept from reprochfull crimes, and the fruit thereof, that is ſhame among the godly, and from being a byword to the wicked: let ſuch, I ſay, look about them by this example, and beſeech God to ſhew them yet more cleerely the priuiledges of their ſinceritie, and godly care of obedience, (which euen here are glorious, ere glory it ſelfe be obtained) that ſo they may cleaue faſt vntounto him ſtill, and beware, leſt catching at ſome other ſhadow of glory, by forſaking their zeale, and following the common ſins of the time, they become moſt ridiculous pageants of ſcorne to them, whom before they held in awe and reuerence, by the admiration of their vertues. Sure it is, that if they will venture with Samſon to breake out to doe euill for the hauing of their owne pleaſure, or to auoid a little trouble, they ſhall as he did, reape a great deale for it.
Before Samſon ſet vponupon this worke, he beſought the Lord to inable and Verſ. 28.aſſiſt him, and we muſt know, that his prayer was feruent and effectuall, offered vp in faith, and obtained that he ſought. And whereas he may ſeeme to ſeeke reuenge in his prayer, wee muſt conſider, he was the Lords inſtrument to bring to paſſe his worke; and for good ſucceſſe in that, he intreateth God to aſſiſt him: Euen as the Apoſtles did in the Acts; when the Act. 4. 29.Prieſts had forbidden them to preach in the name of Ieſus, which he had commanded them, they beſought God to ſtop and hinder their threats from hauing effect, and prayed, that with all boldnes they might vtter and preach his word. The ſame did Samſon againſt theſe enemies of God, and God heard both alike; both him, and the Apoſtles. Though God had promiſed them both all neceſſarie aſſiſtance, yet his grace was not ſo pinned to their ſleeue, as that they might alway make account of it, without ſeeking of it by the prayer of faith, as in Elia and Eliſha appeareth, and wee hauehave toucht it in the prayer which he made for ſupply in his deadly thirſt, when he was about Gods worke in chapter fifteenth, where I alſo obſerued the ground of that libertie which Gods faithfull ſeruants hauehave in their acceſſe to God by prayer.
And in effect Samſon prayeth thus: O Lord, ſeeing I am brought now into ſo great a company of theſe Philiſtims, whom, I being blind, ſhall neuer be able to purſue, as thou haddeſt commanded me, they being enemies to thee and thy people; and ſeeing thou haſt reſtored my ſtrength to me in this ſo good an opportunity; ſeeing it is thus, ſaith he, in token that I beleeue no leſſe, I beſeech thee to grant, that I may now bee auenged of them, and that they may be payed home for the iniurie they hauehave done me, by plucking out mine eyes, and other woe which they hauehave wrought mee thy ſeruant, whereby I hauehave been hindred from doing thy worke among them. Thus we ſee how it fareth with Gods people, and what their behauiour is in their affliction: to wit, that they teſtifie their beleeuing in him, by feruent ſupplication to him in ſuch time of their need; ſhewing thereby, that they make him their onelyonly refuge and ſtay.
And by this we are taught, how earneſtly and diligently we ſhould go about Doct.the Lords buſineſſe, when we may, and hauehave opportunity, and chiefly in our tribulation; namely, with feruent prayers ſuing to him for helpe in the one, and ſucceſſe in the other; which ſeeking to him, the Lord doth much regard and commend: and (as hee here did) to oppoſe our ſelues againſt his enemies, wherein we finde and can proue that they bee ſo. For as the Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer, ſo hee loueth a cheerefull doer of his buſineſſe. 2 Cor. 9. 7.And ſo ſhould wee bee alſo, and the rather ſeeing there are but few that are forward and readily minded in Gods matters, howſoeuer in other attempts they runne when they ſhould draw backe. But of this latter point, eueryevery where almoſt through the booke.
In theſe two verſes is ſhewed, how Samſon ſetting his ſhoulders ſtrongly Verſ. 29. 30.to the pillers of the houſe, he ſaid; My life periſh with theirs. And the houſe fell on the Princes and the people, ſo that many more were ſlaine by him at his death, then he ſlew in his life, and he died with them.
Here we ſee for one point, the momentanie and flitting eſtate of the ioy Doct. of both.of the wicked. And this is their bane, their vexation, and chiefe heart ſmart, that when they hauehave feathered their neſt, as they ſay, and prouided great wealth, pleaſure, and honour, whereby they giuegive ſhew to fooles that they hauehave gotten a pettie paradiſe here on earth, yet when they hauehave done, they want one chiefe thing to helpe them to hold and keepe ſtill their deceitfull Note.and pictured felicity, and that is, length of time and daies: that they may containe the enioying of it to themſelues. This they cannot buy nor compaſſe, as they can all other things to their liking, and for want of this, all the other leaue them, fade, and giuegive ouer their vſe, as if they had neuer been theirs, and yet withall, ſend them alſo to a farre worſe conditon. What prouiſion hauehave many made in ſumptuous and goodly buildings, with fat paſtures, and commodious grounds laid thereto, and all commodities more neerly adioyning, as fiſh-ponds, burrowes for coneyes, doue-houſes, parkes, orchards, gardens, and what not, that may bee deuiſed for their pleaſure? as Salomon ſpeaketh of himſelfe.Eccleſ. 2.
And heerein one followeth another, as farre as by their wealth they can Note.reach, and when they looke now to enioy them, and ſo to ſhew their happineſſe thereby to other, then, or after a very little while, Time denies her ſeruice to them, and will performe it no longer, without which all the reſt are to them as nothing, nay vexation of ſpirit alſo. Thus death the Lords meſſenger comes oft on the ſudden, as the ſergeant or bailiefe arreſting, and taking them away from all their pleaſant delights, as Samſon was violently from his Delilah, vntill they cry out againe, when they ſee how they are plucked from them, but all in vaine, ſeeing there is none to reſcue them. The ſame may be ſaid of thoſe, who hauehave prouided yeerely reuenewes, to auoid dangers, and maintaine fleſhly reioycings. All which though they be Gods good benefits, and may be lawfully enioyed, yet when they are ſet in Gods place, and made the delights of men, in ſtead of his fauor and gouernment, they are curſed with the vſers of them.
And thus when they muſt be taken from them againſt their will, and they can enioy them no longer, they ſay in themſelues, O death, how vnwelcome art thou to vsus, who hauehave taken vp our pleaſure heere? And hauehave they nothing elſe to ſay? where is now their wiſdome, (who went for the wiſeſt of other in their proſperity,) that hath bewrayed them to bee meere fooles, and left themſelues then nothing? Why did they not rather obey God therefore, who charged them that they ſhould not lay vp their felicity here below? Why did they not giuegive credit to him, who told them, as he told the Note.rich man in the Goſpell, There is no certainty of any earthly thing till tomorrow? Luk. 12. 20. 21.Therefore muſt ſuch become by words for their follie and wilfulneſſe, in eueryevery common mans mouth, (as I know not wherfore their doings Note.ſerue, but for matter to talke of,) who looked to hauehave been famous here for euer by their vniatiable gatherings, and great prouiſion making of earthly abiding and proſpering.
For he that hath ſaid to him, who was as well ſetled in momentany reſt as theſe, when he thus comforted himſelfe, [Soule, eate, and drinke, and take thine eaſe, thou haſt much good laid vp for thee for many yeeres,] Hee I ſay that Luk. 12. 19.ſpake thus to him; Thou foole, this night will they fetch away thy ſoule from thee, and whoſe then ſhall be the things which thou poſſeſſeſt? He ſaith as much daily to theſe; and who can then pitie them, if they will not be warned? Much like a great man that died a few yeeres agone, who when ſickneſſe grew faſt on him, and would not bee ſhaken off, as hee hoped it would hauehave been, at the firſt comming of it, when he could get no helpe againſt it, but that death approched and drew neere, hee vttered theſe words now at laſt; whereby it is cleere that he had little thinking of any ſuch thing before; Why? now I ſee that all is vanity. Another hauing builded a goodly houſe, when hee had ſhewed the commodities and pleaſantneſſe of it to a plaine countrey man, asking him how he liked it; he anſwered: I like it well, if a man might keepe it alwaies. Thereby marring the ioy of it, who could not commend it▪ but together with the deadly and vnwelcome remembring the momentanie and flitting eſtate thereof, and the vncertaintie of enioying it.
And all the ioy of the wicked is no better then I hauehave ſaid; and yet that none may thinke the Lord to deale partially, bee it knowne that if his owne people degenerate, and partake with the other in their ſinne, and play the fooles with them by reioycing in euill, and things tranſitorie, as their paradiſe, they ſhall ſmart with them likewiſe, and for the time enioy no better priuiledge then they doe. Therefore let vsus bee wiſer, and imbrace and proſeſſe that ioy which cannot be taken from vsus, neither ſhall euer be repented of, that we hauehave ſought it, and that is our reioycing in the Lord, in his word, in his ſeruice, and in his Saints; and to be ſhort, in his all ſufficiencie. And this bee ſaid more fully of this point which yet I handled by the like occaſion in chap. 15.
Againe heere let vsus marke at what time and when the ioy of the Philiſtims 2was damped and taken from them. And that was, when they were met together to ſport themſelues, and bee merrie, and when they were furtheſt off from any thought of trouble or death, or of loſing and diſappointment of their paſtime, euen then was the houſe throwne downe by Samſon vponupon them. Like to that which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh; When men cry peace, 1. Theſ. 5. 3.peace, and al things are ſafe, then ſhal ſudden deſtruction come vponupon them, as trauell vponupon a woman with child, and they ſhall not be able to eſcape: euen as Baltazar alſo was moſt fearefully threatned the loſſe of his kingdome Dan. 6. 25.in the middeſt of his banqueting.
This doctrine doth mauellouſly croſſe our vile nature, who giuegive our ſelues leaue, when health and welfare meet together and abide with vsus any time; to make our ſelues drunke with them, and to take our fill of them. And therefore we cannot away with this, to heare of any change, nor to be awaked out of our carnall drowſineſſe: and for this cauſe, ſeeing men will not hearken to the Lord, bidding vsus watch, and beware of ſuch ſurfetting Luk. 21. 34.and ſpirituall drunkenneſſe; therfore he leaues many in the ſnare oft times, wherein like fooles they be taken. And by this we may ſee, when God hath Prou. 22 3.begun iudgement before with his owne, ſo that they eſcape not, that it ſhal much more grieuouſly meet afterward with his enemies; and therefore that their iudgement ſleepeth not. This I enlarge not, hauing ſpoken of it in 1. Pet. 4. 18.the place before mentioned, chap. 15.
The caſting downe of ſuch an houſe, (we know all) it paſſed the ſtrength 3of a common man. And as he had his ſtrength reſtored to him againe, as we ſee, ſo had hee alſo his inward grace, as appeareth by that which hath been ſaid of his repentance, and his prayer of faith. Now therefore ſince that, the caſe being thus altered with him, we muſt behold him as another man, then when he was beſotted and made drunke with the wicked woman. And here let vsus marke what a difference there is betwixt the time of grace in a man while God guideth him, and the time of bondage when God letteth him follow the deuices and deſires of his wicked heart, as may bee here ſeene in Samſon. Oh, grace if it could be ſeene with eyes, as we can ſee but a darke reſemblance of it by ſome outward ſhewes thereof, it would in an admirable manner draw vsus to louelove it, as the meekeneſſe of Moſes, the louelove of Ionathan, the zeale of Dauid, and the like: and ſo would the fouleneſſe, loathſomnes and terribleneſſe of ſinne, cauſe vsus to abhorre it, as the diuell: as in Iezabels cruelty, Ioabs malice, Hamans murtherous mind is to be ſeene.
Oh what a ſhame it is for a man that hath been reuerenced and highly regarded for his approued innocency, faithfulneſſe, and conſtancy in good carriage, to become a foole in Iſrael, a baſe, ridiculous, and contemptible perſon! And againe I ſay, oh how glorious and worthy a thing it is, to ſee Note.ſuch an one to be reformed, and caſt into the mould of the Goſpell! Looke vponupon thy ſelfe, if euer thou diddeſt ſerue God vprightly, theſe vertues here ſet downe, had place in thee, yea prayer was ſweet to thee; and hearing, with ſuch like fruites of amendment were pleaſant: but when thou haſt ſuffered thine heart to carrie thee after the corrupt inclination thereof, thou art then become vtterly diſguiſed, as if thou haddeſt neuer been the ſame perſon.
I will here onelyonly adde this, how ſinne maketh men impotent, and taketh heart from the committers of it, as I hauehave ſhewed other waies, how loathſome and odious it is. Reade that one example to this end, in this booke. When the Lord brought warre vponupon his people for their Idolatry, by the Iudg. 5. 8.Canaanites, it is ſaid that the people were ſo put out of hart with the thinking of their ſinne, and ſo appalled in their conſciences, remembring how they had tranſgreſſed, that among fortie thouſands of them, there was not one that durſt take vp ſpeare or ſhield againſt the enemie. But of this point plentifully before, and particularly vponupon thoſe words, [That he thought hee would doe as at other times.] But here an end.