The Best Name on Earth, Text 4
STRANGE JUSTICE.
Judges 19.30.
There was no such deed done nor seen, from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.
TRagedyes begin smiling, but end weeping & bleeding; so this chapter: the former part thereof merry with feasting, the latter mournfull with murther, a murther most strange, most true; and give me leave a little to unfold the manner thereof, the rather, because it it a leading case, & I pray God that it may never hereafter have any to follow it. A namelesse Levite with his wife journeyed on the highwayes side, waited on by one servant. Balaam the false prophet rode in state with his two men: Numb. 22. the Levite in this chapter is decently attended, has his man: how many poor ministers now adayes for want of means are forced to be slaves to others, and servants to themselves? going on they come to the city of Gibeon, whose inhabitants were notoriously wicked, addicted to the sinne of Sodomy, where all the pleasure and delight consisteth in the enormity thereof. But as lust in this city was hot, so hospitality was cold, none invite this Levite home to their house; for then amongst the Jewes there were no inns, or rather every house was an inne, wherein strangers were freely entertained, and at their departure thanks was all the shot they had to discharge. At last comes an old man from his work out of the field at evening, and gives him a free invitation; mark (I pray) his character, … he was an old man: your youthfull gallants have more bravery on their backs, then bounty in their hands; alass! they have been born since the death of hospitality. Even amongst us for the most part they are old men of an ancient stamp and edition almost worn out, which are most to be commended for their hospitable bounty. 2, he came from his work, those are most pitifull to others, who are most painfull in their own callings. Your great gamesters that will play away an estate by wholesale, are loth to retaile out an almes to the poor, whilst commonly the best husbands are the best house-keepers; liberality being a fire that is maintained by thrift. The Levite entred into his house, but finds the haven more dangerous then the open sea; more safe might he have been in the wildernesse amongst beasts, then in the city amongst beastly men, who now presse to offer that violence to his person, which is not to be named amongst Christians. At last they are content to spare the Levite himself (which I impute not to their pity, but to Gods providence) and make his wife the prey of their lust; till the violence and variety thereof caused her sudden death; where marke by the way the justnesse of the wayes of God. This woman had formerly been false to her husband vers 2. and now see wherein shee had offended, therein is shee punished.
Culpa libido fuit, poena libido suit.
By lust shee had sinned, by lust shee doth suffer. She that could not be content to be severall to her husband alone, is now against her will made common to so many, till it cost her her life; yet it might please God so to sanctify this affliction unto her, as thereby to bring her to a sight and sorrow for her sinnes, and her shamefull death on earth might occasion to her a glorious life in heaven. Her husband laying hand on her corps, with a knife cut it into twelve parts, and severally sends them to the jury of the tribes of Israel.
Hard hearted husband, if the least pity be alive in thy breast, offer not this wrong unto the dead. Is it not enough that her soul is parted from her body, but her body also must be twelve times parted from it self? suffer her ashes to sleep in quiet, the pawn for the return of her soul; methinks that knife that cuts her hands should pierce thine heart: but comdemn not the Levite for this deed; it was not cruelty, but pitty and piety that moved him unto it, that the sight of the corps might make the Jewes the more throughly prosecute the cause, and every tribe that had a part of her body, might have a part in revenging her innocent bloud. Her mouth onelyonly spake whilst she was living, now each peice of her mangled corps speaks when shee is dead, whilest the Israelites both attentively heard and judiciously understood the language thereof, which made them condemn the causers of her death for matchlesse offendors: many men have done villanously, but these surmounted them all, there was no such deed done nor seen since &c.
I will not mangle my text as the Levite his wife, with often dividing it; let it suffice to observe therein two principall parts,
First, a narrration of a notorious villany, there was no &c.
2 The prescribing of wholesome orders for the future: consult, consider, and give &c.
In the first, two commendable practises of the Iewes commend themseIves to our meditation.
1 First, they were well skilled, well versed in the severall actions which were done in their country before their time, and used to match & compare one deed with another, to see which was better, which worse, which more which lesse vitious; and amongst the army of sinnes behold this in my text stands like a Saul, stands higher then his fellows by the shoulders upwards.
Herein let us follow the example of the Israelites, let us read histories that we be not made an history; let us compare the passages of the time past with those of the present age; for as it is a great blemish in a Gentleman though never so proper and personable, if he hath but such a crick in his neck, that he cannot turn his face backward to see what is behind him: so it is a great shame in such a one as pretends to learning and wisedome, if by the benefit of wisedome he cannot reflect the eyes of his mind backward, and see those things which were done in the dayes of his fathers, and in the old time before them. You therefore that have the chronicle of our kings in your houses, the Acts and monuments in your halls, condemn them not to a desk, as the Jews did their harps to the willows, rather for sight then service, till moths have fretted out the bookes as worms have eaten the bodies of those worthy men who compiled them; but at your best leisure read and peruse them. But when you have read all humane Authors over, they will be but so many muddy and brackish channells to the pure and fresh fountain of Gods holy word: meditate therefore in the same both day and night, wherein alone you shall find stories more true, more various, more pleasant, more profitable, then all other writers ancient or modern are able to afford.
2. The second praise-worthy practise in the Israelites is this, they kept the solemn and constant memorial of their coming out of the land of Egypt; from which as from a memorable aera, and remarkable Epoche they used to date, and compute their severall actions; not since the day that the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt. And good reason they had to remember it; God then bestowing on their fathers a great deliverance, who whilest they lived in Egypt, lived in continuall slavery. Indeed they had meat enough; which may serve to condemn the cruelty of some masters to their servants now adayes, who though they give them their bellyfull of work, will not give them their bellyfull of victualls.
The Egyptians dealt better with the Jewes in this kind; of onions, cucumbers, and the flesh-pots of Egypt, they had their full by their own confession. Yet their life being a bondage must needs be miserable; liberty being the very life of our life without which our life is a continuall dying. Yea the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt may in some sort seem to them to have been the creation of the world; Adam was made of the dust of the earth, they then fetcht from the clay of the earth, whereof they had made many hard bricks, though not half so hard as the hearts of those Taskmasters, which were set over them; the world was made of nothing, the Jewes when they came out of Egypt, being made formerly for outward respects no better then nothing. And as their remaining there was miserable, so their removing thence was miraculous; wonderfully therefore should they have forgot themselves, if they had forgot Gods wonders towards them in this deliverance.
And have not wee English men as many and remarkable deliverances as ever the Jewes had? some common with us to all Christans, as the second birth day of the world at the birth of our Saviour. You therefore that are clarks and notaries, who in dating of acts and instruments, with your posting pens make such frequent mention of the year of the Lord, labour that those words which have been so often written with your hands, may once be written in your hearts, with the benefits accrued to all mankind by the birth of our Saviour. Some proper to this our nation alone, as the deliverance from the Spanish invasion in 88. Naomi said to the men of Bethlehem, Ruth 1. call me not Naomi fair; but call me mara bitter, for the Lord hath afflicted me, I went out full but return empty, &c. so might that great fleet say, call me not the invincible Armado, but call me the conquered Armado; for the Lord hath punished my pride, I went out full, the terrour of the world, but return empty to the scorn of all nations. Go then you Spaniards, bragge of Lisbon, Bilboa, and Toledo blades; sure I am that then an English sword managed by the arm of the God of heaven was proved to be the best mettall. Nor lesse miraculously from home-bred conspiracy in the gunpowder treason, where the reason onelyonly was intention, but nothing (thanks be to God) brought to execution, but the traytors. Well, its said that things written in marble are most durable in difference of time; I would not wish to us a marble, hard or stony heart, but such a one as is soft, tender and pliable, and surely this will sooner receive and longest retain the print of Gods favours unto us, and principally of these deliverances wherein the people of England may be said to have come out of the land of Egypt.
Now that this sinne in my text may appear in its proper colours, consider with me; first the party to whome the wrong was offered was a stranger; the word stranger in the very mention of it ought to carry with it a protection from all wrongs; the heathen Romans were so Christian in this kind, that if their enemy chanced to enter into their house in nature of a stranger, there was a cessation from enmity, during his abode under their roof, and revenge gave place to hospitality, Secondly she was a woman, & that sex may seem in some sort to be fenced from injury, because it is not fenced from injuries. For such is the known weakness of women, that wee count it weaknesse in men to offer them any wrong, and our modesty is the best safeguard and defence for theirs. Thirdly, she was a Levites wife, and methinks some shadow of sacrednesse should be reflected from him on her. Fourthly she was abused to death; indeed she died not presently, but before she came into the house, her soul got out of her body, and even in our law it is murther, that comes within the compasse of a year and a day; now murther you know is a crying sinne, yea, like Stentor the Graecian, it shouteth louder then 50. other ordinary offences. The monster mother may smother her child, but when she hath done, she cannot smother the murther of her child. Fifthly, abused to death by a whole city: those are deceived who conceive the multitude of offendors diminish the offence. Rather the more the sinners, the more heinous the sinne; the worst sinne that ever was, was the most generall sinne that ever was, when all mankind together sinned at once in Adam: yea in our law that which being done by one or two, is but a trespasse, committed by more assumes the name of a ryot. Lastly by a whole city of Israelites: but if they had been Hivites, or Hittites that had done me this dishonour, then perchance I should have born it; had they been Canaanites or Jebusites had offered me this disgrace, then more patiently could I have digested it, but they pretended to serve the same God, and observe the same religion. They were descended from the loyns of Jacob, and issued from the womb of Rachel: what good doth the ark of God in Shiloh, with Levites a tending before it, Aarons rod, pot of manna, mercy seat within it, if there be a Sodome in Sion, a Bethaven in Bethel, folly in Israel? verily I say unto you I have not found so great an offence no not amongst the Gentiles. Happy those poor Armenians which live in those remote parts, where the shrill sound of the gospel was never trumpetted forth, their invincible ignorance will be an Orator in the ears of the mercifull judge, not wholly to excuse but much to diminish their fault, not to prevaile for a full pardon, yet to procure a lighter punishment, whilst in the same day they shall rise up, and condemn the Jewes in my text, seeing better by the light of a candle, then the Iewes by the beams of the sun.
I come now to the prescribing of the wholesome order for the future consult, consider, and give sentence: but first wee must remove an objection which here may rise; for may some say, why is it not particularly exprest in the law of Moses, what punishment ought to be inflicted upon an whole city, when by lust they abuse a woman to death? had this been a bookcase and the penalty precisesly specified, it would have spared the Israelites all their pains to consult and consider; yea this may seem to argue the law of God of some defects and imperfections, that it is not adaequate to all occasions, and of extent large enough for all necessities, and needs to be patcht and peeced with the accession of humane deliberation. For two reasons the particular punishment is expressed, first because the spirit of God being charity it self, charitablely presumed that no Israelites would be so wicked; the heathen appointed no punishment for parricides, supposing that sinne could not be committed. Men must first murther all nature in themselves, before they can be so unnaturall as to murther their parents. Secondly, the mentioning of the punishment might by satans suggestion, and mans corruption be abused to make them commit the sin: some sinnes are left out in the law, not because they are too little, but because they are too great; should the punishment of every villany be put into the law, the committing of many villanies would be put into our minds, which otherwise might be forgotten; and sinnes punisher would be made sins remembrancer. Yet though this case for circumstance is not set down in the Bible, for substance it is in severall places; who sheddeth mans bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed, Gen. 6.9. now the scripture is not written for those that will be idle, but for such as comparing one place with another, by faithfull consequence will proportionably extract and deduce, what ought to be done in each severall action whose substance in the bible is recorded, though each circumstance particularly set down. And now I come to the order for the time to come: but behold in the order it self much confusion arising from the variety of translations; you shall scarce find three bibles wherein two of these words are rendred alike: what therefore must wee do? the best way to expound the text is to practise it; and before wee give sentence what should be the meaning of these severall words, let us first consult with interpreters, and consider the originall. The first word in the great Bible, consult, importeth in the originall a meeting of many together, rendred by learned Tremelius, adhibete vos ad istud, settle your selves together to this matter. The observation is this; in matters of moment we are not severally to follow our private advice, but jointly to unite your selves together in consultation; eyes see more then an eye (saith the proverb.) I must confesse Paphnutius with his one eye (for his persecutors had bored out the other) saw more in the matter of ministers marriage then the 300 two-eyed bishops assembled in the councel o… Nice. But he was an exception from a generall rule; ordinarily tow are better then one: yea Solomon the wisest of earthly kings had his councel of aged men, which stood before him, 1 Kings 12.6. nay a greater then Solomon may be brought for the proof of this point: God himself, Genes. 1.26. being about to contract the first volume of the world into the abrigement of man, called as it were a councel in the persons of the Trinity; let us make man. Had God any need of councel? is not the same eternall act which is done by one person, done by all? or are not these things rather written for our instruction? surely for our instruction they are written, that when we enterprise things of consequence, we may call for and make use of the councels and directions of others; to blame then are they, who rashly runne on their own heads. I cannot but commend the swiftnesse of Ahimaaz his feet, 2 Sam. 18.28. who being sent out of Cushi came to David before him, yet can I not but dispraise the shallownesse of Ahimaaz his judgement, who running before he had received perfect instructions from Joab, came to the end of his journey scarce with the middle of his message.
Is it so then, that we must consult with others? then most lawfull, laudable, & necessary is the vocation of them who are of learned councel: for should your silly clients be entrusted wth the managing of their own suits, they would cut the throat of their most rightfull causes, even with the same sword with which you are able to defend them. But may you be pleased patiently to heare the best spirituall advice which I freely bestow upon you, who would be glad to pay your fees, and give you deserved thanks for your councell, if mine occasions so required it. When such a cause shall be brought to your hands, as your own consciences shall proclaim to be bad, let Baal plead for himself, let iniquity be her own advocate; offer you not once to defend them: and when the case shall be good, loose it not in the labyrinths of delayes, and Meanders of demurrs, but bring it the narrowest cut, the nearest course from the first motion to the finall verdict. I must confesse there may be much corruption in a festred sore, but I dare boldly say, there is more corruption in the dishonest Chirurgion, that may quickly cure it, but will not for his private ends: indeed they that hold leases by lives, could be content that each life in their lease should be a Methuselah sith then your gain dependeth on the long depending of suits, some perchance may think it more beneficiall for you needlesly to protract them. But know by the speedy ending of them, your gain shall be the more by being the lesse; what is wanting in bulk shall be supplied in blessing, no diseased tympany shall swell your estate, but all your substance shall be solid wholesome flesh: all the shekels in your coffers shall be shekels of the sanctuary, such as you may enjoy with content, whilest you live, and leave to your wife, and thrifty heirs, when you die. To you therefore it belongeth to consult: this differs from the former, consult is with others, consider is in our selves; for after wee have heard what others can say, we must not so pinne our practise on their opinions, but we must also use our own best consideration, especially if it be in a case of conscience wherein our own good is particularly interested. And this consideration is to go before our finall sentence. Before we passe our utmost verdict, we are first seriously to premise a due deliberation in our selves, as formerly we have had 1 consultation with others. Let us go down and see, Gen. 1.18.21. whether the sinnes of Sodom be according to the cry which is come up unto mee. Our adversaries of the Romish Church are too too faulty herein, in giving sentence before they have well weighed the cause. In the dayes of Queen Mary when our land was dark with ignorance, and light onelyonly with those bonfires which burnt the martyrs, a woman in Jersey at the stake being delivered of a male child, the standers by took the infant, and threw it into the fire: matchlesse cruelty! children when newly born are to be baptized with water, not to be cast into the fire, or did they take it to be like the viper, Acts 28. which no sooner crawled out of the heat of the flame, but S. Paul presently cast it in again? alas as yet it was no viper, no poison in the teeth, no venome in the tongue, whereby it may do hurt. Or did they think that it would take it by kind, because his mother (as they termed it) was an heretick? no sinne is so throughly entailed from parent to child, but grace and good breeding may break it off. Had they well pondered those things before hand, perchance they might have prevailed for a reprive, if not for a pardon for this child. The Hebrews contrary to all other nations, read their letters backward, so the papists in their practise read backward, and invert the order of my text, and instead of consult, give sentence and consider; they first give sentence, and then consult and perchance consider: and I would to God all that hated popery hated also this popish practise; for in some sort hereof guilty are they who seeing one wallowing in sinnes, rashly reason from the present to the future, and condemn such a one for a reprobate or castaway. Let us not flatter black and say its white, nor defame white and say it is black; let us tell Judah of their sinnes, and Israel of their transgressions; for our callings warn us: let us tell a drunkard that he is a drunkard, an adulterer that he is an adulterer, and that his estate is desperate and damnable, if he live and dye impenitent in that condition. But as for their finall estate, it belongeth not to us to give sentence of them; it is not for us to know these things which the father hath put in his own power: but if our censuring faculty be so sharp (on Gods blessing) let us turn the edge thereof inward: let us first read a criticall lecture on all our own bad thoughts, words, and actions, and then shall we have lesse leasure and delight to rome and range abroad.
Now the word consider in my text, warrants mee to addresse my speech to you who are of the jury: for after consult is past, after you have heard a case debated and argued by learned councel, then is your duty to consider: your way, is so hedged on either side you cannot go out of it, except you will wilfully; for you are onelyonly conscionably to find things, according as you hear them alledged and proved, and this done your office is discharged; but beware of one thing, the being overswaied by one appearing and potent man amongst you. Barach said to Deborah, Judge. 4.8. if thou wilt go up with me, I will go up, but if thou wilt not go up with me, then will I not go up. So too often the the rest of the jury to one principall man amongst them, please you Sr to be for the plaintiff, wee are for the plaintiff, if you be for the defendant, wee are for the defendant; cast the prisoner, & wee cast him, accquit you him, and wee accquit him: in a word, wee'l be the wax, print you upon us what impression you please. Beloved, these things ought not to be so; that the prisoner should be cast at the verdict of twelve men, and eleven of these twelve have their judgements cast by the verdict of one. Look therefore to your selves, except others will answer to God for your perjury; for to you it belongeth to consider.
I come now to the third step of the throne of justice, give sentence; where wee may observe, after due consultation and consideration are past, wee ought not still to be neuters & Scepticks, but absolutely to expresse and declare our selves on one side, as wee shall see most occasion. And yet how many be there which have learning too much to be papists, & yet religion too little to be good protestants? They are loth to say that Luther is in the right, and they are loth to say that Bellarmine is in the wrong. And as God saith of himself, I am what I am; so may it be said of these men, they are even what you would have them to be: nor need wee go out into the wildernesse to see these reeds shaken with the wind; I am afraid in our towns best traded, places most populous, there be too many of them who spending all their life in tedious consulting, and considering of points, continue more unresolved then when they begun, & will never give sentence. Which word putteth me in mind, to apply my self unto your Lordships to whom his Highnesse authority hath committed the power of passing the sentence of life and death; but I remember what Iohn Baptist said to our Saviour, Matth. 3. I have need to come to thee, and comest thou to mee? Is your Honours courtesie and humilitie such as to repair to my weak pains? when I, whose learning in law matters is no better then ignorance, have need to come to you, who are the captains of the first forme in the school of justice, and therefore need not now to learn the alphabet of your office: well do you know how to weild the sword in the hand; when to give a slanting blow, and where to make a down right stroke; whose actions are a continuall web, whereof justice & mercy are the woof, and the warp. Leaving therefore your Lordships, I come to them who come to these assizes, neither to do nor to suffer, but onelyonly to heare and behold: when I compare this meeting in my text with ours at this time, I find a threefold cause for which wee ought to be heartily thankfull to the God of heaven▪ first, that though there be many sinnes in our land, yet most of them are personall, not like this in my text, wherein a whole city together was jointly engaged. Should we have a murther generally committed by a whole city, I am afraid, that the cable of that offence twisted with so many lesser cords of severall offendors, would be so tough and strong, it would almost make the sword of justice turn edge before it could cut through it. God daily diminish the sinnes of our land, that they may be fewer for number, lesser for measure, lighter for nature, and may our eyes live to see our churches more full, our prisons more emptie. Not to flatter our selves, we are a sinfull nation; fellonies amongst us are frequent, & murther sometimes, (and were they never so seldome, they were too often (yet be it spoken to Gods glory, these be private sinnes, not city villainies as this of the Gibeonites: not but that we English men are as wild, and as untamed horses as ever the Iews were, but that God is pleased to hold us with a stronger bridle, & curb of his restraining grace then he did them. Let him therefore have all the honour of the action.
Secondly, we see the poor Levite was fain to send for justice abroad and about, from Dan to Beersheba with much care and cost: had the allowance of this Levite been no larger then the poor pittance of some curates and vicars amongst us, this one charge would have exhausted his two yeares revenues: but let us thank God that justice is brought home to our doors. When I have seen with what tedious paces & weary thighs poor people have painfully climed and clambred up the steep ascent to the town of Shaftsbury in this county, to bring water to the town; then have I commended the conveniency of those cities, which seated in champion places have water at will; then have I praised the commoditie of those houses where turn the cock, and plenty flowes at pleasure: so when I consider the great trouble of the Levite in my text, to send about for justice, then have I just cause to praise God for the benefit of our itinerarie judges wch without our cost, or procuring, bring justice home unto us. If any in this sence doth foreign, behold the cup is at his mouth, let him drink his fill.
Thirdly, the cause of all this mischeif is set down in the first verse, because there was no king in Israel; a tyrannie is to be preferred before an anarchy: for a commonwealth to want a chief, it is the chief of all wants, every man will do what he lists, none what he should. Too much liberty would make men slaves to their own lusts; Westminster hall would be turned unto the Gluttons kitchin▪ in a word, compared to this confusion, that of Bable may justly seem an exact modell of method. But (thanks be to God) our happinesse will appear the greater, if we consider the state of forreign countries, divided from us no less in condition, then by the sea; look upon high Germany which ever Prometheus like hath a cruell eagle feeding upon her entrailes: Is this the civil law, wherein nothing stands good but violenta passessio, and firma ejectio? where souldiers keep Term all the year long, and scarce make a short vacation in the dead depth of winter? whilest thus the continent is drowned with woes, our happy island is dry; the waves rage round about us, but thanks be to God none runne over us; wee are more safe under our vines, then our neighbours in their castles.
Oh let us take heed that wee take not a surfet of our own happinesse, but be heartily thankfull to God, and expresse our thankfullnesse in the reformation of our lives. But what go I about to do? this is none of Joshuas day wherein the sun stands still, time will wait attendance on none; and I am privy to the undispenceablenesse of your occasions, wherefore the halfe of my text shall be the whole I will add at this time, consult, consider, and give sentence.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Fuller, The Best Name on Earth (1659)