Commentary on Judges, Sermon 89
THE EIGHTIE NINE SERMON, ON THE XVI. AND XVII. CHAPTERS OF THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
NOw to proceed with Samſon vponupon this, that hee caſting downe the houſe vponupon the Philiſtims, died alſo with Obiect. Verſ. …0.them: it is demanded, if he did not kill himſelfe, which if we finde that he did, then all the commendations of his renued repentance falles to the ground, and is waſhed away by this his laſt ſo wofull a fact, and that alſo aduiſedly done. Hereto I anſwere, that it cannot bee ſaid hee killed Anſw.himſelfe: indeed he died with them, but the end that he propounded, was not that he might die, neither did he deſire it; but he ſought reuenge vponupon Gods enemies, which was the worke of his calling, and that which was like to bring and procure it: but what was that but a faithfull ſeruing of God, though with the loſſe of his life? euen as the Apoſtles did. If they preached Note.Chriſt, they ſaw it would coſt them their life, and that they ſhould be ſlaine if they would needs preach him: now when it fell out ſo indeed by their preaching, ſhall we ſay therefore that they killed themſelues, and that they ſought their owne death? No, no more then a zealous and diligent Preacher, who by his paines in ſtudy and his miniſtery, empaireth and ſpendeth his ſtrength and health, can be ſaid to be the procurer of his owne vntimely death, for he hath ſpent his ſtrength in his calling, to which end God gaue it him.
And as Paul ſaid, he was ready to be bound, and to die for the Lord Ieſus, Act. 21. 13.ſo Samſon ſaid, let me loſe my life with the Philiſtims. He runneth not raſhly to death, but followeth his vocation, and if death come therewith vntounto him, he yeelds to it willingly, and the rather becauſe he had brought this neceſſity vponupon himſelfe by his owne ſinne; and hee could no otherwiſe purſue Gods enemies then with hazard of his owne life. Euen as valiant ſouldiers who ſeeke not death, but yet looke for no other. The vſe of this The vſe of it.to vsus is this, that as wee ſhould abhorre the leaſt ſinne this way, yea the very ſpeech or thought intending and ſeeking our owne death, ſo yet it is our duty to walke in the eſtate in the which God hath ſet vsus, in ſuch wiſe, that we be not onelyonly ready, fit, and willing to die; but alſo if God will in our faithfull diſcharge of our duties, meet with vsus by death, as hee did with the Apoſtles, then to bee readie to yeeld to it, and to remember, That hee who Mat. 16. 25.loſeth his life for Gods ſake ſhall finde it. And therefore let neither our life, nor any thing we hauehave, be thought too good for him who requires it. And though all loſe not their liues, yet many doe forgoe other commodities, which were not commendable in them, if it were not for Gods cauſe. Very Heathens (when they ſpake according to their light) ſaw it to be vnnaturall for men to deuoure themſelues. And as the ſouldier may not diſranke himſelfe or forſake his ſtation, without his Emperours permiſſion who hath ſet him in his place; ſo neither ought any to deſtroy his owne life and ſoule by wilfull death, but waite the time that God hath appointed. Indeed the Heathen ſaw not thus much, that a man might not auoide apparant perill of violent death, whether by an incurable diſeaſe, (as one of them ſtarued himſelfe to death to free himſelfe from the ſtone) or by the purſuit of their enemies. Plinius.This they made themſelues erroneouſly beleeue to be magnanimity, and the waiting for death (in that caſe) cowardiſe. And like to them are many brutiſh people among vsus, who in ſome great diſtreſſe of mind or ſhame which their owne ſinne hath brought vponupon them, bereaue themſelues of their liues, like Iudas, and Abimelech. And others being croſſed but in a ſmall matter, are ready to wiſh themſelues as deepe in the ground as they are high too. And euen Chriſtians often forget themſelues, and hauehave this pang vponupon them to curſe the day of their birth, and to deſire death. I doubt not, but many doe it in raſhneſſe, (for if death came and offered it ſelfe, they would recant,) but howſoeuer it bee, both this raſhneſſe, and the other madneſſe is vtterly vnbeſeeming Chriſtians, and a token of an vnſauorie heart, little ſeaſoned with the doctrine of confidence, and patience. And if a wiſe man weigh it, there is more cowardlineſſe in preuenting trouble or croſſes by violence, then enduring them patiently. And let ſuch as the diuell hath woond in withall ſo farre, as to worke vponupon their melancholy, and terrours of conſcience, or weakneſſe of nature, by ſuch dangerous tentations as theſe; to drowne, hang, ſtab themſelues, abuſing the Scripture, and ſuch examples as this of Samſon, to that end; let ſuch (I ſay) bee fenced well againſt his malice by this inſtruction, anſwering with our Sauiour in the like caſe; Auoide Satan, I dare not tempt the Lord my God.Mat. 4. 7.
But to returne a little to Samſon: It is ſo farre off from equitie to condemne 2that laſt act of his, in loſing his life with the Philiſtims, that it was far to be preferred before his other annoying of them, and euen his greateſt auengings of them. For he ſlew many more of them now at his death, then he did in his life. And was therein a liuely figure of our Sauiour Chriſt: who though he deſtroyed the workes of the diuell in his life, (euen as hee came to the ſame end) and foiled him ſhrewdly many waies; yet at his 1. Ioh. 3. 8.death he triumphed ouer him, & led him captiue. Both their acts, I meane Samſons and Chriſts, doe ſhew, as in a glaſſe, what we all ſhould doe: namely, endeuour to doe the beſt good at our death: which ſhall the better bee done, if we lay for it in our life. For, liue well, and dye better: becauſe wee Note.ratifie and confirme all the good we did while we liued, when we iuſtifie it at our death. And this is one fruite and peece of honour, that a good life receiueth, that a good death followeth it. Oh therefore begin wee betimes to feare God, and as we are commanded, remember we our maker in the daies Eccleſ. 12. 1.of our youth, and let it not bee tedious to vsus to nouriſh thoſe good beginnings, that our laſt end may be like both; or elſe an hundred to one, that we ſhall hauehave ſmall cauſe to reioyce in our end, that I ſay no more.
And the like (in this particular) may bee ſaid of the death of the righteous, which is ſaid of Samſon, yea and much more. And it affoordeth no ſmall encouragement to al ſuch as are faithfull in the work of the Lord; I meane, in rooting out and deſtroying the enemies of their owne ſoules, eſpecially the corruption of their nature, and the fleſhly luſts which iſſue frō thence. Their watchfulnes and diligence in ſuppreſſing them ought to be daily, their prayers conſtant, their faith in Gods almightie power, (to which nothing is impoſſible) as armour, ought continually to be exerciſed in the aſſaulting of their concupiſcence and the fruites thereof. And though they yeeld not at the firſt, becauſe they are ſtrong and mightie; yet hauing receiued their deadly blow at firſt, by the death of Chriſt, they ſhal decay ſenſibly, and at death be quite aboliſhed, as the walles of Iericho fell downe the ſeuenth day of the compaſſing thereof.
Thus Samſon dieth with the Philiſtims, but in a moſt contrary and vnlike manner. For they dyed in riot, idolatrie, crueltie and impenitencie; but he in faith, and (as Stephen did) in calling vponupon the name of the Lord. So let it Act. 7. 59.be well laid for, and looked to, that though wee muſt dye with the bad, yet Eccleſ. 3. 19.we may in no wiſe dye as they doe. And ſo the outward manner of death, though in paine, diſeaſe, and kinde of death, it bee one, and the ſame, to vsus and them, (as the Wiſe man ſaith, to wit, As the foole dyeth, ſo dyeth the wiſe) yet all that can iudge will ſay, that wee muſt not meaſure the godlines and happy eſtate of men by outward things, though they fall out alike to both. And by this let vsus beware, that we feare not death with the wicked, who ſay in token thereof, we muſt dye; but waite wee for it, ſaying: Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly, reioycing to thinke we ſhall dye.
This is a priuiledge beſtowed vponupon the faithfull, who prouide to dye in faith, (as the Author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes ſaith of the Patriarkes, Heb. 11. 34.and among the reſt of Samſon) to wit, that God putteth a difference betwixt their death, and the death of other; though the world cannot diſcerne it in the generall and common abaſement of the body and fleſh; yet I deny not, but ſometimes this difference appeareth alſo euen in the manner of dying. For though ſome are ſo bereft of ſenſe and reaſon by the force of their diſeaſe, and others by Gods diſpoſing ſo of them, that euen the beſt are either much diſguiſed in their ſickneſſe, or at leaſt giuegive no great teſtimonie of that excellent grace which is in thē; yet in the grace they liued, therein they die: and vſually, and for the moſt part, it may be obſerued, that a well paſſed life Note.bringeth a good death, and oft times ſheweth plentifull and apparant ſignification Pſal. 37. 37.of confidence, comfort, and ſpirituall triumph in death, which it is impoſſible to finde in the other. Witneſſe hereof is the death of the Martyrs, (a thing at this day much ſticking in the ſtomacke of the Papiſts, if they would ſpeake the truth) compared with the deſperate or diffident death of their Ieſuites, and Seminaries. I inſtance in theſe, becauſe they arrogate moſt to themſelues in their ſufferings for the Catholike cauſe, as they call it. But as for other bad perſons, (except deeply deluded) wee ſhall behold in them manifeſt ſignes of diſtruſt, feare, impatience: and the beſt is, crying out of their dangerous eſtate. Therefore let this be a comfort to all ſuch as hold their purpoſe entire of cleauing to the Lord in beleeuing his promiſes, and obeying his will; that as their dying may differ from the vngodly, ſo they (in Gods account) ſhall differ, though their death differ not. A great ſtay to them againſt temptation to the contrary, and againſt the baſe and common condition of their bodies, and the diſhonour thereof, lying on their deathbed, laid by the walles, or in the graue. He that hath put firſt a difference between them and others, by faith purifying their hearts, and then by his precious account that hee maketh of them; ſhall eminently teſtifie that difference Pſal. 116. 15.after he hath raiſed them out of their vilenes and ignominie, and clothed them with incorruption and glorie.
And laſtly, to make an end with Samſon, we hauehave ſeene in this ſtory, how 2grieuouſly he fell, and withall, that he turned againe to the Lord, and called vponupon him, and was heard. To gather the ſtory therfore into a ſhort ſumme, according to my vſuall maner of dealing in cōtinued hiſtories, let vsus learne, that if at any time we hauehave ſinned againſt the Lord more willingly and wittingly, then by meere infirmity in our ordinary courſe of life we vſe to doe; (for Gods ſeruants, though they attaine not to that meaſure of grace in the ſeruice of God that they deſire, yet neither doe they oft or commonly goe againſt their knowledge, and ſmother it, but yet the diuell that layeth a ſnare for them, and lyeth in wait continually to catch them therein, may eaſily, and is like ſometime to finde them worſe prouided.) Here therefore if it fall out, that they be taken in ſuch a trippe, and outſtraying, and met withall by God in purſuing them; let them not lie ſtill, as the horſe in the mire, as making light of their ſinne, and putting the due conſideration of it farre from them; but as ſoone as they can, labour they to come to themſelues againe; and conſider ſeriouſly from whence they are fallen, & how it is with them in that eſtate, and how they are eſtranged from God, and giuegive no reſt to themſelues, till with the prodigall ſonne they reſolue with broken hearts to goe againe to their father who is their refuge, and ſay: We hauehave ſinned, receiue vsus graciouſly: and ſo God, who offereth to raiſe vp ſuch as are fallen, will, with the father of the prodigall, receiue and welcome them ioyfully. And ſo with Samſon, and others, who hauehave ſlidden as he did, let them renue their couenant more ſtrongly with the Lord, that it may hold firme for the time to come, euen to death, as his did, againſt all ſinne, and eſpecially that which hath foiled them moſt, leſt it returne back more ſtrongly vponupon them, as waters which were ill ſtopped. And laſtly, let them returne againe humbly and penitently for merciemercy, and it ſhall be, according to their faith, granted them. But I trow, they are moſt happie, who feeling and finding how ſweete the Lord is, and how gainfull his ſeruice is, will prouide, as they are taught, to abide conſtantly in his louelove, as hee willeth them to doe, not putting Ioh. 15. 11.the matter vponupon a venture, nor vrging the Lord to ſuch a ſharp manner of diſcipline, through their boldneſſe, as this of Samſon was; all this (I ſay) they will doe and that gladly alſo, except they long for woe, and ſtand vponupon thornes till they hauehave brought ſorrow vponupon themſelues, and doubled at leaſt their owne labour, and trouble in recouering their welfare againe.
By this verſe it appeareth, that at this ſtrange ſpectacle of the caſting Verſ. …1.downe the houſe vponupon the Philiſtims and their Princes, the reſt of them were ſo amazed, that they ſuffered the kinſmen of Samſon to come thither and carrie him backe againe vntounto their land and inheritance, and to burie him there. Which if they had conſidered aduiſedly, they would hauehave taken them and the reſt, being vnderunder their power, and hauehave put them to the moſt cruell death; as the Gibeonites deſired of Dauid certaine of the kindred of 2. Sam. 21. 5, 6.Saul to be hanged vp to reuenge themſelues on him, (on Saul I meane) who ſlew ſundrie of them, contrary to the league that Ioſhua made with them, Ioſh 9. 23.which was, that they ſhould not dye, but cut wood and draw water for the ſeruice of the Tabernacle.
Thus wee ſee God ſometimes appalles the wicked, ſo as his people may fare the better by it; as by caſting them to the ground who ſought Chriſt Ioh. 18. 6.to take him, wee ſee hee might eaſily hauehave eſcaped their hands, if he would, and that he had ſeene it expedient. And euen ſo, by their feares, or multitude of buſineſſe, as alſo many other waies, the Lord putteth his hooke in the noſtrils of the wicked, ſo that they deſiſt and leaue off from moleſting and vexing his faithfull ſeruants, though it be ſore againſt their will: euen as Saul was called away from purſuing Dauid, when he was in great danger. 1. Sam. 23. 2.But if the Lord ſhould reuenge their wrongs vponupon their aduerſaries, as hee ſeeth it not alwaies expedient to do, he ſhould make a riddance of the wicked from the earth, and ſo the innocent and righteous ſhould not hauehave their faith and patience tried by them, as hee hath appointed them to be. But ſeeing he is patient toward them, therefore they ſhould be much afraid to goe on in their cruell courſe againſt them, as wee ſee the Prieſts by the counſell of Gamaliel, thought good, and ſaw cauſe to be ruled by him in letting Acts 5. 35. 40.the Apoſtles goe, who had before intended moſt cruelly againſt them; what was it, that hindred them from their purpoſe, but this, that they feared that the Lord would hauehave reſiſted them, who (indeed) ſo terrified them, that hee conſtrained them to let them alone. Thus as well as by the death of ſome that are maliciouſly minded againſt the faithfull; other of their companie are ſo aſtoniſhed and appalled, that they deſiſt from their wicked attempts, and are in ſuch feare, that for the time they cannot tell what they may doe. Thus (to conclude) God eaſeth the ſhoulders of his ſeruants many waies, as wee ſee, of the burthens that oppreſſed them, and many other waies, that cannot be expreſſed, and not in the leaſt manner by taking their oppreſſors away in the middeſt of their floriſhing and crueltie, that wee may ſee he knoweth how to deliuer his, and ſheweth accordingly in due ſeaſon, that he doth not forget them; and all to this end, that they may not faint from their good beginnings, nor be diſcouraged in any good courſe, but hold it alwaies beſt to depend vpō him, as Iſrael by Pharaos drowning, Exod 14. 28.and Shuſhan and the Prouinces by Hamans abaſement, with the like, found Eſter 8. 17.it. And though in ſome hot and fierie trials this be hard for the faithfull to go vnderunder, yet after they hauehave borne the brunt, they would not for any good Note.hauehave done otherwiſe. But of the ſundrie waies whereby God vſeth to ſuccour his, and ioynt their enemies, I hauehave in another place diſcourſed at large. Therefore thus much be ſaid of this point, and of the whole hiſtory of Samſon.
THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER.
Verſ. 1. And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whoſe name was Micah.
2. And he ſaid vntounto his mother, The eleuen hundred ſhekels of ſiluer that were taken from thee, about which thou curſedſt, and ſpakeſt of alſo in mine eares, Behold, the ſiluer is with me, I tooke it. And his mother ſaid, Bleſſed bee thou of the Lord, my ſonne.
3. And when he had reſtored the eleuen hundred ſhekels of ſiluer to his mother, his mother ſaid, I hauehave wholly dedicated the ſiluer vntounto the Lord, from my hand, for my ſonne, to make a grauen Image, and a molten Image: now therefore I will reſtore it vntounto thee.
4. Yet herestored the money vntounto his mother, and his mother tooke two hundred ſhekels of ſiluer, and gaue it to the founder, who made thereof a grauen Image, and a molten Image, and they were in the houſe of Micah.
5. And the man Micah had an houſe of gods, and made an Ephod and Teraphim, and conſecrated one of his ſonnes: who became his Priest.
6. In thoſe daies there was no King in Iſrael, but eueryevery man did that which was right in his owne eyes.
IN this Chapter, before I enter into the handling of it, as I vſe to do in the other, I muſt ſtay a while, and ſay ſomthing for the ſatisfying of the reader; and that not onelyonly about this Chapter, but alſo all the other that follow to the end of the booke. That which I meane, is this: Whereas it may The acts mentioned in theſe fiue next Chapters, follow not the former in order of time.be, by the ignorant, thought, that the things mentioned in theſe fiue Chapters following were done in order of time, after thoſe things which goe before; I finde by conference of Scriptures that they were not, neither can it be that they ſhould. But it appeareth that the acts ſet downe in them, were done long before. And becauſe it may ſeeme ſtrange which I ſay, I neither will nor dare affirme it barely becauſe any other man ſaith ſo, but I will ſhew my reaſons out of the Scripture.
I affirme therfore, that the things that are ſaid to hauehave been done in theſe Chapters following, were done before the times of any of the Iudges, or at the leaſt at the end, and after the death of Othniel, mentioned in the firſt Chapter, or in that vacation of thoſe eighteene yeeres vnderunder Eglon, while there was no Iudge in Iſrael. And they may not inconueniently bee reckoned to the ſecond Chapter, and the eleuenth verſe, and thoſe that follow it, which doe mention the horrible wickedneſſe of the people of Iſrael after Ioſhua was dead, and the chiefe rulers who ouerliued him. My reaſons that theſe things were done before the times of the Iudges, or thereabout, are theſe.
The firſt is, that it is ſaid in the next Chapter, that the Tribe of Dan, being Reaſon 1.a populous tribe, did inlarge their borders at that time, which (if it ſhould be vnderſtood to follow the ſtorie of Samſon in the former Chapter, a reckoning being duly made, muſt be full three hundred yeeres from the diuiſion of the land. Againſt the which therefore (as nothing like to be ſo) that in the 19. of Ioſhua is oppoſed, where it is ſaid, as here it is, that the border of the Ioſh. 19. 47.children of Dan was at that time leſſe then ſufficed: therefore the children of Dan went vp and fought againſt Laiſh, euen then; and taking it, ſmote it with the edge of the ſword, and enioyed it for their inheritance, and dwelt in it. So that if they of Dan then tooke it, it followeth that the ſtory in the next Chapter, where they are ſaid then to hauehave taken it, is to bee referred to that time mentioned in Ioſhua 19. which was three hundred yeeres before, and not to the time following immediatly after Samſon, according to the order of the Chapter as it is ſet. And this is my firſt reaſon why theſe fiue Chapters follow not the order of time, as they be placed.
Another reaſon why theſe Chapters cannot bee vnderſtood to bee ſet 2downe according to the order wherein they ſtand, and the time in which they are thought to hauehave been done, to wit, immediately after Samſon, but are to bee referred to the former times, that were three hundred yeeres before: another reaſon for it, I ſay, is this; that Ionathan the Leuite, mentioned in theſe two Chapters, is ſaid to hauehave been the nephew of Manaſſeh the ſon Iudg. 18. 30.of Moſes, and the ſonne of Gerſhom nephew to Moſes, who were dead well nigh three hundred yeeres before the death of Samſon, and therefore vnlike, or rather impoſſible that he ſhould liue after Samſon.
Thirdly, whereas the acts of theſe fiue Chapters followed one another 3at the ſame time, it is manifeſt that at the war of the Beniamites, chapter 20. Iudg. 20. 28.Phineas the ſonne of Eliazar the ſonne of Aaron miniſtred before the Lord at that time, and asked counſell of him, if they ſhould go againſt Beniamin to warre. And the ſame Phineas aboue three hundred yeeres before the death of Samſon, appeaſed the wrath of God by thruſting through Zimri and Coſby Numb. 25. 8.in their tent, while the people of Iſrael were on the other ſide Iordan, and were not as yet come into the land of Canaan. Therefore the acts mentioned to hauehave been done in theſe fiue Chapters, could not bee done after the death of Samſon, as they by their placing may be thought to hauehave been; but long before: vnleſſe we grant that Phineas and the reſt, as Ionathan, and the Danites that went to Laiſh, liued three hundred and more yeeres, which none then did: for three or foure generations before that, in Moſes time, the Pſal. 90. 10.daies of a man were reckoned but threeſcore yeeres and ten, or foureſcore at the moſt, to ſpeake of, and thoſe alſo with paine and wearineſſe.
To theſe may this be added, that the Citie Ieruſalem, then called Iebus, 4part whereof fell to the Beniamites, at the peoples firſt comming into the land of promiſe, and part of it was in the hands of Iudah: this Iebus was now ſaid to be poſſeſſed of the Iebuſites, in the 19. Chapter. Now that Iudg. 19. 10which was giuen to Beniamin three hundred yeeres before, and enioyed of them. Ioſh. 18. being taken from the Iebuſites, could it be in the poſſeſſion of Ioſh. 18. 28.the Iebuſites ſo long after, being driuen out ſo long before? And though Ioſh. 15. 63.they were not wholly expelled, (as Ioſh 15.) yet part of them was, Iudg. 1. And the men of Iudah who tooke it, ſlew the inhabitants with the edge of Iudg 1. 8.the ſword, and burnt the City with fire. The other part of it was, as I ſaid, pertaining to Beniamin; and though ſome remained to the time of Dauid, yet they enioyed not the City, though they could not bee wholly caſt out; but were onelyonly in holds, as may be ſeene, 2. Sam. 5. Therefore that which 2. Sam. 5. 6.is ſaid of Iebus in the next Chapter, that it was called the City of the Iebuſites, is not to bee vnderſtood to hauehave been ſo called now after the death of Samſon, but three hundred yeeres before, when it was not yet giuen to Beniamin, nor taken by Iudah.
I ſay therfore, that in this and the other 4. Chapters following, is ſhewed that the Common-wealth of the Iſraelites was moſt corrupt both in religion and manners, after the death of Ioſhua, and the other good rulers that ouerliued him: for in a ſhort time after, by little and little, another generation aroſe, which knew not the Lord, and the whole tribes fell to Idolatry, and horrible wickedneſſe, of both which an example is ſet downe here; one Iudg. 2. 10.of their Idolatry in the 17. and 18. Chapters; and another of the monſtrous life that was then in vſe among them, which is ſet downe in the other three Chapters following.
This being ſaid of the time when the acts of this and the Chapters following The ſumme of the Chapter.were done: I proceed now after the manner that I vſe in the former Chapters, to ſet downe the ſumme and parts of this. The ſumme of it is this: That a woman, mother to one Micah in this Chapter mentioned, loſt a good ſumme of money, (as it might be, about an hundred poudd after our reckoning) which her ſonne Micah had ſtollen from her. This money when he (hearing how ſhee curſed for the loſſe of it) had reſtored to her againe, ſhe beſtowed it vponupon idolatrous vſes. For ſhe procured a molten and grauen Image to be made with part of it; and her ſonne made other Images and ornaments for them both, of the reſt of it, and hired a Leuite for the better furniſhing and ſetting out of the matter, to be in his houſe, as his Prieſt with him. The parts of the Chapter are two: the one, concerning the Idolatry The parts, two.of the woman and her ſonne, vntounto the 17. verſe: the ſecond, how Micah hired himſelfe a Prieſt for the purpoſe, to the end of the Chapter. And by this example we ſee how Idolatrie in thoſe bad times was firſt brought into a priuate familie, which after ſpread into a whole tribe.
The firſt part of the Chapter.
IN the firſt part, we are to conſider of the woman, in the ſixe former verſes. The ſumme of the 4 firſt verſes.And here firſt of the things which are ſpoken of her before her Idolatry, as they are laid out in the text. Where (after that ſhe is ſaid to bee the mother of this Micah, a man of mount Ephraim) it is added, that certaine money which ſhe had vowed to the Lord, was ſtollen from her by her ſon: whereat ſhee curſed the theefe, not knowing who hee was that had taken it away. And when he confeſſed his fault, and that he had it, ſhee bleſſed him: who reſtoring it to her againe, ſhee anſwered him, that ſhee had vowed it to the Lord for his vſe, and therefore bad him take it againe. So ſhee tooke two hundred ſhekels therof, to make a molten Image of it, and put it in the houſe of Micah: and (as it may be gathered by her owne words) added the reſt to other like apurtenances thereunto.
Many things offer themſelues to vsus heere worthie the noting. And firſt Doct. ver. 1. & 2this: that this Micahs mother had of her ſuperfluitie and great wealth, wel nigh an hundred pound to vow to ſuperſtition and idolatrie, (for ſo it appeareth) and that they were both very wealthie, in as much as hee was able to make, maintaine, and furniſh an houſe or chappell of Images, (not of the meaneſt mettall) and to adorne them, and ſhe to increaſe them. This ſheweth, that howſeuer many want and are in great need, (whoſe penurie ſhould be relieued with the ſuperfluitie of others) yet in the meane while there are, who hauehave more then they can tell well how to beſtow or imploy. But alas, they hauehave no heart to doe good with it, eſpecially to others, neither wil 1. Cor. 16. 2be taught to lay aſide, as God bleſſeth them, to good vſes and ends: nor to themſelues to doe the beſt good, namely, that they may bring foorth much fruite, that ſo their ſoules may fare well. Yet this was not the fault of theſe Ioh. 15. 9.two, that they had no heart to lay it out, for that they were ready enough to doe, but they did it amiſſe, and to idolatrous vſes. For though they thought they did well imploy it, yet they were ſuperſtitiouſly and blindly led to that which they did. And as it was the ſinne of theſe, that their zeale was carried amiſſe, through want of knowledge, (which yet excuſeth them not, ſeeing they were the poſteritie of the viſible Church, and in likelihood themſelues lately of it) ſo others, whoſe knowledge is greater, offend in their kind as groſſely. For, either they cannot depart from it at all and forgoe it, I meane, any portion of their ſuperfluitie, (which is one extremitie) or they laſh it out vnlawfully vponupon their luſts, either in voluptuouſnes, as adulterie, drunkenneſſe, and ſuch like, which is another and more dangerous extremitie: and to one of theſe, though not all in a like meaſure, tend the moſt mens vſing of their goods. Few aime at the beſt manner of diſpoſing them. If they did, God hath giuen enough; that as it was in gathering the Manna, he that Exod. 16. 18.gathered leſſe then a homer, wanted not, and that hee who gathered more, had nothing ouer: So for the condition of eueryevery man, God hath giuen ſufficient: yea, and for the ſin of men, cauſeth the ſea to drowne much wealth, and much to be loſt on the land; as if he would hauehave vsus thereby take knowledge, that he had rather it ſhould be loſt, where only it doth no good, then Note.to be in the hands of wicked men, where it ſhould doe much euill and hurt. Therefore let vsus bee ready to imploy our goods to the comforting of other euer way, and ſo, as we alſo may hauehave all poſſible good, by the well vſing of them. But a fitter place for the purſuit of this point, will be that which is ſaid after in the third verſe.
Now it is ſaid, that all this money, while ſhe had it in her poſſeſſion, was ſtollen from her. Nothing is ſaid of the manner of this fact, but barely and ſimply it is ſet downe that it was ſo. To teach vsus, among other things, how fickle and vncertaine the hauing and enioying of worldly goods is, and how ſoone they be loſt, and how many waies, (for who ſuſpecteth his owne children) they being one mans today, and another mans tomorrow. As Benhadad ſaid to Ahab by his ſeruant, Thy ſiluer and gold is mine: and a very 1. King 20. 31 32little while after, all that Benhadad had, and he himſelf was at Ahabs pleaſure, and he was driuen to begge his life of him. Thus it hath bin with good and bad in all ages. Which yet I ſay not, as though wee ſhould ſet all at ſixe and ſeuen, and not labour for commodities, (for God hath commanded vsus ſo to doe) and make ſmall account of Gods goodneſſe in giuing theſe earthly benefits vntounto vsus, (for they are his great bleſſings for ſingular vſes) and wee are commanded to be occupied in our callings for the obtaining neceſſaries for Epheſ. 4. 28.our life thereby.
But to ſuch changes hath God made the condition of earthly ſubſtance ſubiect, that we may learne not to truſt in vncertaine riches, (as we are moſt 1. Tim. 6. 17.prone and ready to doe) but in the liuing God, that we may liue with him; and that we indanger not our ſelues by wronging or offering violence to any for comming by them, which are ſo ſoone loſt; but doe good with them rather, and be rich in good workes, and not follow the example of the wicked world, who commit all miſchiefe to get them, and in vſing them. Therfore our Sauiour chargeth vsus, ſaying: Lay not vp treaſure for your ſelues vponupon earth, where the ruſt and moth doth corrupt, and where theeues breake through and Matth. 6. 19.ſteale: but lay vp your treaſure in heauen. We hauehave ſaid enough of the ficklenes of outward things, by one occaſion or other, in the moſt of the former chapters.
Her money was ſtollen by her owne ſonne. For many children make a light matter of ſtealing and plucking from their parents, as though it were 3their own, euen while their parents liue. But ſuch make no conſcience, who dare ſo doe, to defraud their parents. This aggrauated Micha his ſin in that he robbed his owne mother, who yet of himſelfe was rich, and needed not to fall to ſuch practiſes, and ſhe was in houſe with him, and (as it is moſt like) they vſed all things in common together, and at leaſt the money was like to fall to him for his ſhare: and yet all this notwithſtanding, behold his ſin, that he could not forbeare, but that he muſt needs put his hand to it before the time. This ſheweth ſin to be out of meaſure ſinfull, in that they who commit it (ſetting aſide a lewd & wanton humour, and an heart ſo full of naughtineſſe, that it muſt hauehave vent ſome way) oft times hauehave no more need to do it, then to put their hand in the beares mouth. Of this ſort are the waily, idle, and needleſſe oathes and ſpeeches of ſome, the medlings of buſie bodies in other mens matters, and (that which is more dangerous) in things that are too high for them; alſo the ſtealings of rich men; as this Micha was: with Note.the whoredomes of married perſons, and thoſe lyes which we call ieſting lyes for pleaſure ſake, and the drunkenneſſe of ſuch with their lewd companions abroad, who yet may be well and with ſufficiencie ſatisfied at home, with an hundred more of like ſort.
Though al ſin be vile & odious, (for no ſin is neceſſary becauſe ſome are needleſſe) yet to be ſure, he that ſinneth, when he hath no need, and therefore wanteth excuſe euen to God and man, as he that committeth adultery, or the like, to be ſure (I ſay) he troubleth and deſtroyeth his owne ſoule. Remember how Nathan inlargeth the ſin of Dauid by this circumſtance, that 2. Sam. 12. 8.he hauing many wiues, robbed his poore neighbour of his onelyonly wife, and killed her husband alſo, for the better concealement of his adulterie. And this was ſo inexcuſable euen in the cenſure of the offender himſelfe, that he abhorred it, and condemned it moſt deeply: and therefore thinke not that God will take ſuch by the hand. Beſides, this teacheth parents to traine vp their children religiouſly, and to diſgrace and make odious all ſin to them, as well as to follow them with other inſtruction, and good example; that lying, ſwearing, ſtealing, and the like, may, through Gods bleſſing, bee farre from them; which, with ſuch other like ſinnes, will eaſily and ſoone faſten vponupon them, vnleſſe by good education they be weaned from them: as ſhall appeare in the next point ſaue one more cleerely.
Now in that he being an Idolater, was alſo a great theefe, we may note, 4that they who dare fall to Idolatrie and falſe worſhipping of God, are not to be truſted in duties doing to men. So Abraham ſaid to the King of Gerar, Gen. 20. 11.of all, as well as Idolaters, that where the feare of God is not, there is ſmal likelihod that the feare of man will preuaile: and ſo hee will ſay, that doth rightly conſider it. For howſoeuer a deceiuer may for a time, and while he is not greatly prouoked, neither hath any occaſion offered him, or is held in by ſtrong outward bridles or inducements from outrage, may (I ſay) ſhew good example among men, and walke without offence toward them; yet when he ſhall ſee his time, he will ſhew what he is, as wee ſee in ſeruants, in children, in friends betruſted with great matters, bewraying at length an vnfaithfull heart: and the reaſon is great: they are falſe to God, and what man then ſhall looke for any better at their hands? euen as the holy Ghoſt Luke 18. 2.ſaith of the Iudge, that hee neither feared God, nor reuerenced man. And much the rather is this true in Idolaters; ſeeing that euen he who is of ſound religion, as I hauehave ſaid, yet if his heart be not vpright, may poſſibly bee a deceiuer.
Among other vſes of this point, this is one, and not the leaſt that we pray for ſuch as are in authoritie, that they may religiouſly prouide, that their people may feare God, (at leaſt want no ordinary meanes that may draw them thereunto) and therefrom be conſcionably carried to obedience outwardly towards men. Seeing the moſt forcible meane to containe men within compaſſe, is the feare of him, who can caſt body and ſoule into hell, Matth. 10. 28.rather then him who can but deſtroy the body. Beſides, that nothing is ſecret to God, before whom all things are naked and manifeſt. Whereas the ſeuereſt Magiſtrate can proceed no further then by witneſſes, himſelfe not being priuie to the conſcience or fact of the offender. But of this elſewhere. Concerning Idolaters in particular, euen the deuout and eſpecially Papiſts, this preſident of Micah is ſufficient to ſtop the mouthes both of them, and of their abettors, who iuſtifie their innocencie and good behauiour towards men. Whereof there were more cauſe and colour, if the rotten hollowneſſe of their hearts brake not foorth into hideous and horrible vnrighteouſnes, as vncleannes, crueltie, murthers, treaſons, lyings vnderunder the maske of ambigious ſpeeches, and moſt ſlanderous defamations not of meane perſons, but of Princes, and their gouernment, beſides periuries, breaches of league and promiſe with many more, and ſome of them maintained by them in Schooles, as well as practiſed. The deuouteſt of them are the leaſt euill perſons, but the reſt are little better in their iudgements then in their practiſe, euen Atheiſticall and damnable in both. For who ſeeth not, but that the late monſters of opinions and poſitions which they hauehave broched, flow from no other fountaine, but a reſolute and malicious purpoſe to ſerue their owne turnes, and hold vp their tottering kingdome, though with the ruine and ouerthrow of all their oppoſites? So deſtitute they are of all ground of Scripture or ſound reaſon.
Theſe eleuen hundred ſhekels, when hee heard his mother curſe for the Doct. 5.loſſe of them, he confeſſeth he had them: but leſt ye ſhould think, that confeſſion went with any ſound repentance, yee may ſee him bewray the contrary. For as though he had been aſhamed to be taken for a theefe, (whereas the penitent theefe, like him, in the Goſpell, did freely acknowledge it, and Luke 23 40. 41.to the full teſtifie, that he was out of louelove with the ſinne) hee here exten uateth his ſinne, ſaying: The ſhekels which were taken from thee, it was I that tooke them: but ye muſt marke that he ſaith, he did but take them, but not ſteale them; which extenuating of the fact, was farre from one that repented: let it be a warning to vsus, that we make not light of ſinne, for then wee will fall to commit it; neither confeſſe wee it ſlightly, for then wee will returne to it againe. He that meanes to turne vtterly from it, will with Daniel in the ninth Chapter, aggrauate and deface it, and with the people in Samuels Dan. 9. 5.time, make his ſpeciall ſinne which hee is guiltie of, and confeſſeth; hee will, I ſay, make it more odious, then all his other ſinnes: ſo did they ſay to the Lord, Forgiue vsus our ſinnes, eſpecially this that we asked for our ſelues 1. Sam. 12. 19.a King. But of this, to wit, the danger of extenuating ſinne, and the nature of true repentance, I hauehave diſtinctly ſpoken in other places.