Samuels Encounter with Saul, Doctrine 15
Doct. 15. The multude conſenteth in euill, without any ſcruple.
But to leaue Saul a little, becauſe I ſpake of his ſhifting before, and to come to the people, though it bee cleare that his fault was great in this matter, yea, and cheefe, yet we ſee how readily the people, as it were with one voyce, conſent to him, and become partakers of his ſinne, whatſoeuer the Lord by the Prophet had charged to the contrary: but if any obiect, how did the people know that there was any ſuch charge giuen of God by the Prophet of killing the Amalakites? I anſwere, it was giuen openly not ſecretly, when Samuell met Saul ſo that who would might heare it: beſides Saul went about it immediately, gathering the people together, for that purpoſe, and therefore they could not chuſe, but know why they came together; and did beginne in good manner, to execute the ſaid charge, in killing the people and deſtroying the cattle, but yet they conſented to the ſauing of the beſt of them, contrary to the expreſſe commandement of the Lord, which was, that they ſhould deſtroy them all; ſo eaſie a matter it is to conſent and agree together in euill that many ſhall be as one man in the executing of the ſame.
Which, if it were but in ſome one inſtance, or few, the leſſe might be ſaid,Proofes hereof by ſcripture. of it. But in what (almoſt) ſhall ye finde it otherwiſe?Gen. 18. For proofe by enumeracion of many particulars. When the Angels of God came to deſtroy Sodome, ſeparating Lot and his houſhold, who beleeued it and therefore regarded it? Yea, rather did they not all mocke at his words, reſiſt and oppoſe themſelues. againſt Gods meſſage, till they were ſmitten blinde, inſomuch that his kinſemen whome hee would hauehave perſwaded in more eſpecial manner, jeſted and derided him for his labour? and in the abſence of Moſes 40.Exod. 32. dayes from the people, how did they conſent together to make a molten Calfe, and to daunce before it committing idolatry with it? inſomuch that they compelled Aaron himſelfe to yeild vntounto them. And when the poſterity of that people, many hundreth yeares after, was ſet on a m…dde moode, to forſake the ordinance of God, in being ruled by Iudges, as they had a long time beene, but would hauehave a King to rule ouer them, as other nations had: who might diſſwade them from it? were there any of themſelues heard to quiet and pacifie the mindes of the reſt, and to hold them in obedience to the commandement of God? inſomuch as when Samuell was ſent from God to forbid them,1. Sam. 8. yea, and if they needs would hauehave their wil to tell them, they ſhould pay deare for it, was there any tribe or family that deſiſted and kept ſilence, that the Prophet might carry the names of ſuch before the Lord? no: but one was as another, yea, they knotted and banded themſelues againſt the meſſage, till God from heauen by an vnwonted thunder and tempeſt, extraordinarily, euen in their wheat-harueſt, when the aire was ſtill, and the weather faire, flayted and terrefied them, and made them to ſee their boldnes, and wilfull diſobedience, and to confeſſe that they had ſinned, and eſpecially in asking themſelues a King.Iob. 1. And therefore God bringeth in Iob, as an odde man among other, that when the people went as a ſtreame after euill, he with-drew himſelfe and depar…ed from it. Haſt thou conſidered my ſeruant Iob ſaith the Lord to Sathan, how he feareth God and departeth from euill: for the multitude runneth headlong to ſinne, it is agreeable to their nature; and whereas the well ordering of the heart, and good gouernment of the ſoule is the light of the whole life, to direct it aright, as the eye is the light of the body to carry it: all ſuch light and ſpirituall gouernment of the ſoule, is for the moſt part farre of from the people, and therefore the way of truth they cannot follow, but runne together to that which blinde reaſon and the luſt of the heart leadeth them vntounto.
And this is the cauſe why at this day there is ſuch an vniuerſall conſent,And by experience. almoſt in all places, to that which is euill. For although through Gods mercy, light is come into the world, yea, to this Land, and the bleſſed goſpell, and glad tydings of ſaluation is reuealed, maintained,Io. 3. 16. and by his Maieſties highnes, defended amongſt vsus, and by his royall authority & commandment preached thorough his dominion, yet as it is ſaid, men louelove darkenes more then light, becauſe their deeds are euill: and hereby it is that inferior magiſtrates in many places, doe not countenance and further the ſyncere preaching of it, incouraging (as they ought with all their abillity) both preacher and people, but rather iuſtle it out from among them, and content themſelues with the bare reading of the ſcriptures. And heere of it is that the miniſters themſelues, who hauehave not the power of the goſpell working in them, and ſubduing themſelues, and therefore louing profit, pleaſure, and preferment more then godlines; cannot, nor will not take paines to enlighten and reforme others, and to beate downe the workes of darknes, and of the diuell among them. And heereof conſequently it ariſeth; that the people remaine in ignorance and bondage to their euill luſts. More particularly to come nearer to our ſelues: hereof it is that common diſcorders, and open abominations remaine among vsus, now after 60. yeares preaching in this land, which ſhould bee the Land of the righteous: and hereby it is, that heatheniſh games, lobbes of miſrule, with money dauncings, are ſtill retayned in ſome parts of it, with Atheiſme & groſſe prophanenes, yea, euen on the ſabboth it ſelfe, and that in time of diuine ſeruice, prayer and preaching, are by troupes and companiſhips practiſed, and defended. And the groſſeſt ſinnes, as popery, adultery, drunkennes, oppreſſing, deceiuing, hauehave ſo many fauorites with like abhomination: that it may cleerely be ſeen, there wants no conſent in any of them, but the practiſers are ſo many and well knowne, that as all trades in London of any reckoning, hauehave their companies which profeſſe, maintaine and liue by them, as the company of Mercers, the company of Goldſmithes, Merchant Taylors, Drapers and the like: ſo ye may reckon vp in all kindes of ſinne among vsus, (ſuch is the conſent therein, and ſo great and common are the fellowſhips of them; the comepany of whoremongers, the companie of Idolaters, the company of theeues, the company of malice bearers, the company of ſlaunderers and lyars, with ſuch a rabble of many others; that yee may ſee conſent and companie enough in eueryevery kinde of ſin. Oh, it cannot be expreſſed, how ſoone one followeth another in euill? and how ſoone one conſenteth to another in his ſinne: yea, and that which is an increaſe of this ſinne, and filleth the world with ſin, ſo are theſe companyſhipps in diuerſe kindes of ſinne; not only firme and ſure in themſelues, but ſo alyed and neare a kinne one to another, that if one of them were too weake alone by himſelfe, to ſtand and vphold it ſelfe, yet it ſhould bee vpholden and ſtrengthened by another.
And if the power of the word of God were ſo entertained and embraced in any place, citie, or towne, that it were like to breake of any part of bad fellowſhip in any one kinde of ſinne, all the reſt are ready to band themſelues together againſt that preaching to vphold any ſinne, or company onſhip which were falling and decaying: the ryotous will helpe to vphold the couetous, and the mallicious, the flatterer, and the proud will plead for the vſurer, and one for another, to deface the preacher, though one hauehave no great conuerſing with the other, but rather ſome way, nipping the other ſecretly; that as Herod and Pilate were at contention one with another, yet could both ſet themſelues againſt Chriſt: ſo can the carnall proteſtant, ioyne himſelfe with the Church papiſt, to rayle on, and deface the effectuall and powerfull preaching of Chriſt, and the zealous profeſſors of it: yea, I ſay more ſuch force hath conſent in ſinne, to worke miſchiefe, and to infect where it goeth, that it faſtneth euen vponupon ſuch, as hauehave ſhewed ſome good countenance to the goſpell, and hauehave beene iudged to louelove it from their hearts: ſo truly it is ſaid of our Sauiour, that the abundance of iniquitie, cauſeth the louelove of many, to waxe cold: for when one ſeeth another take a courſe, that liketh fleſh, and the ſame to be allowed and maintained, by many, what grace hauehave the beſt chriſtians neede of, to keepe themſelues in, that they walke not after the ſame exceſſe of ryot, that others doe? and what is there to hold men in, but the preaching of the goſpell, from prophanenes? & from much looſenes, ignorance and diſſolutenes thereby? And yet few hauehave that ſounding in their eares, eſpecially in any great power, and yet where it hath any, it is ſoone reſiſted and beaten backe. What is then to be done, but that ſuch as hauehave eares to heare, (knowing this) take heede to themſelues, and follow not the multitude to doe euill, but depart from the ſteppes, companies and acquaintance of ſuch, and ſay with the valiant man Ioſuah, though there bee neuer ſo many of them, yet I and mine, will feare the Lord.
VERSE. 22.23.
And Samuell ſaid, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and ſacrifices, as in obeying the voyce of the LORD? Behold, to obey, is better then ſacrifice: and to hearken, then the fat of rammes.
For rebellion is as the ſinne of witchcraft, and ſtubburnneſſe is as iniquitie and idolatrie: becauſe thou haſt rejected the word of the LORD, he hath alſo rejected thee from being king.
WEe hauehave heard Sauls anſwere,The ſentence therof. wherein he would hauehave couered the fault (which hee could not denie altogether) ſaying, it was to honour God which they did: meaning the beaſtes were reſerued, to be offered to him for ſacrifice, and therefore the fault (he hoped) was not great; for he had (he ſaid) obeyed the Lord, & gon the way which he had commanded him. This anſwer therefore of his, in both points the Prophet ſheweth to be but gloſing, and dawbing with vntempered mortar, and therefore not able to ſtand him in any ſtead. For know ſaith he, that as concerning the ſacrifice which thou ſpeakeſt of, if thou haddeſt meant indeed to hauehave offred it to the Lord (which yet thou diddeſt not, but reſerued the beaſts as a pray to thine own behoofe) yet if thou haddeſt meant to offer them for ſacrifice, the Lord will take no ſuch offring, as is ioyned with diſobeying him, as that ſhould hauehave beene; but hee looketh that his commandement ſhould be obeyed. This is the firſt part of his replie or reproofe, when he ſaith, hath the Lord as great pleaſure in burnt offrings, as that his voyce ſhould be obeyed? no: but I tell thee, to giuegive eare is better then ſacrifice, and to harken to his commandement is better then the fatte of rammes. In the ſecond part of his ſpeach vntounto him, he tells him, that as light as he made of his fault, it was witting diſobedience and rebellion againſt the Lords commandement, and that was euen as witchcraft in his ſight, or as the committing of Idolatrie.
Therefore in this replie of Samuell vponupon Sauls anſwer, he layeth out Sauls ſinne of diſobedience in this verſe and the next, and then tells him of the puniſhment which God had threatned againſt him, and that is in the end of it. His diſobedience, becauſe he made light of it, ſeeing God (he ſaid) was to be ſerued in offring that cattle to him for ſacrifice, for the reſeruing the which aliue, he was challenged: this his diſobedience (I ſay) Samuell aggrauateth, and maketh odious to him comparatiuely. Firſt by it and ſacrifice together, and ſhewing that God did nothing account of that, as to bee duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page obeyed, but preferreth obedience before it. Secondly, he aggrauatet… his diſobedience by a reaſon; comparing it with witchcraft and Idolatrie, and maketh it like to them. And this of the ſinne of this verſe. Now, next he ſheweth what the puniſhment was, and that was the loſſe of his kingdome. Both theſe Samuell ſtandeth vponupon with Saul, to the end he might rouſe him vp, and awake him: for wee ſee that he was, as one in a dead ſleep, who ſtirred not a whit at Samuels calling and crying to him hitherto. But when he rung this alarom in his eares, of the greatnes of his ſinne, and of the loſſe of his kingdome, this (I ſay) awoke him, as it appeareth in the next verſe following. And this of Samuells words to Saul in theſe two verſes, where we ſee he beginneth with an interrogation, that he might make his meſſage more forcible, ſaying, hath God as great, &c.
But now ſeeing Samuell maketh his compariſon,A clearing of the compariſon. betwixt obedience on the one part, and ſacrifice and burnt offrings on the other, ſomewhat is to bee ſaid of theſe two, for the better vnderſtanding of the place, which otherwiſe hath ſome difficultie, by meanes whereof, we ſhould not ſee the doctrine, that is affoorded vsus therein: A ſacrifice (to beginne with that) was an holy thing brought by him that gaue it to the Lord, and offred by the Prieſt vntounto the Lord, according to the Law. But there being two kindes of them, the one propitiatorie, whereby they beleeued the forgiuenes of ſinne by Chriſt, which was figured thereby: The other Euchariſticall by offring whereof they teſtified their thanks to God, for benefites receaued of him. Both were commanded by God, and burnt offrings were one kinde; The firſt, wherein that which was offred was wholy the Lords, and did ſignifie that he who offred it, did wholy conſecrate himſelfe, ſoule and body to the Lord. Now theſe all being commanded by God, muſt needs be therfore accepted of him, which being ſo, why was not the offring of them accounted obedience? For the anſwering of this doubt, three things are to bee marked. Firſt, if obedience to the morrall law, and ſacrifice might goe together, they were both accepted. Secondly, if they could not go together, (as oft times it fell out they did not; for he that was obedient could not alwayes offer ſacrifice, and one might offer ſacrifice, who yet was not obedient to God) in ſuch a caſe, obedience was accepted of God without ſacrifice. Thirdly, ſacrifice might bee offred by him who obeyed not God, but that neuer pleaſed God. Of this Samuell ſpeaketh here, obedience is better then ſacrifice: and if Saul and the people meant to offer any (as he ſaid they purpoſed to doe) it was nothing being without obedience, and yet this is the moſt and the beſt, that could bee ſaid of it. So that, obedience being better then ſacrifice at the beſt; euen when both went together: much more is it better, when ſacrifice goeth alone.