A Complete and Compendious Church History, Chapter 13
The Thirteenth Plot againſt the CHURCH, in Canaan: Defeated by GOD.
CHAP. XIII.
THe Church's Reſtleſs Wretched Adverſary, Satan, ſeeing he cannot ſtill Hinder the Being of God's Church, Trys again his 13th. Experiment againſt the Well-Being of it, and that once more before Iſraels Ariſtocracy was chang'd into Monarchy, to wit, in the time of Eli and Samuel the Two laſt Judges of Iſrael; yet ſuch was the Over-ruling Providence of God above the Devil, that whatever Ground he Won upon the Church in Old Eli's Male-Adminiſtration, he Loſt it All again in Young Samuel's Godly Reformation. So that here again Divine Diſpenſations towards the Church (concerning Sorrows and Joys) were moſt beautifully Chequered with Interchangeable Colours: Magiſtracy is, what the Pole is to the Hop, or the Tree to the Ivy, or the Wall to the Vine; the former gives Support to the latter, which cannot ſtand alone without ſomething to Suſtain them: The Church's Word to the State, is, [Te Stante Virebo,] While thou Stands, I Flouriſh. This Bleſſed Nail (as Eliakim, that Godly Magiſtrate) Keeps all the Veſſels of the Lord ſtedfaſtly, and Holds them from falling to the Ground, Iſa. 22. 24. This the Devil knew well, and therefore play'd his Pranks againſt the Church in that Interval of Magiſtracy betwixt Joſhuah and the Judges, in which Interſpace Satan wrought and brought down Iſrael to that groſs Idolatry, Impiety and Apoſtacy, mentioned in the Five laſt Chapters of the Book of Judges. The Stories whereof there Related (that the Hiſtory of the following Judges might be continued without any Interruption, as before) did all Befall Iſrael ſoon after Joſhuah, and ſome 100's of Y. before Sampſon, whom this Eli immediately ſucceeded, unleſs we make Phinehas (mentioned in Iudg. 20. 28.) to live far beyond Moſes term, Pſal. 90. 10. even above 300 Y. who was at Mans eſtate at his Killing Zimri and Cozbi in the Wilderneſs, and therefore could not out-live Samſon.
'Tis ſaid expreſly in thoſe Five laſt Chapters no leſs than Three times, (to wit, Iudg. 17. 6. and 18. 1. and 21. 25.) In thoſe Days there was no King in Iſrael, that is, not a King in its proper Senſe, for ſo, Iſrael never had a King in any of thoſe Days, until Saul's time; but no Judge or ſupream Magiſtrate to keep Iſrael in Awe and Order. This time of Iſraels Anarchy, (before their Ariſtocracy) the Devil Improv'd as his Golden Opportunity, wherein to propoſe and promote his Helliſh Projects, and to bring All to an Horrible Confuſion, when there was no publick Power to controul or reſtrain their Extravagancies: Yea, this Daring Devil (though over-Witted and over-Powered by the onelyonly Wiſe and Almighty God, even upon that Advantage-Ground) Durſt Attempt the Church when under the Protection of Her Godly Governours, as under Sampſon, of whom 'tis ſaid, [He ſhall (onelyonly) Begin to Deliver Iſrael,] Iudg. 13. 5. He made ſome eſſays to ſave them from the Oppreſſing Philiſtines, yet that Oppreſſion laſted 40 Y. v. 1. to wit, During the Days of Samſon and of Eli his next Succeſſor: though Samſon was Deſtroying them all his life, and Deſtroyed more at his Death, Iudg. 16. 20. (wherein he was a Type of Chriſt, who by his Death overcame Death, and him who had the power of Death, the Devil, Hebr. 2. 14.) yet did he onelyonly Begin, and kept Doing at the Church's Deliverance, both all his Life and at his Death, the Perfecting whereof was Reſerved for David the Father and Figure of Chriſt, who is both the Founder and Finiſher of Faith and Salvation, Hebr. 2. 10. and 12. 2. So under Eli, who undoubtedly was a Godly Man, as is Apparent (1) by his Godly Prayers, (whereby he made her Amends for his Uncharitable Cenſure for Diſconſolate Hannah.) [The God of Iſrael Grant thee thy Petition,] 1 Sam. 1. 17. He, having a particular Faith that God would grant her Requeſt, if ſhe compos'd her ſelf, and caſt her Burden (or Petition) upon the Lord, Pſal. 55. 22. promiſes his own Prayers for that purpoſe, and hids her, Go in Peace, which ſhe did, taking the High-Prieſt's Anſwer for an Oracle, being Comforted with this Comfort, and having Pray'd down her Diſcomfort, as David oft did (2) by his Humble and Hearty Submiſſion to the Will of God when Declared to him 1. by the Mouth of the Man of God, 1 Sam. 2. 27. and 2ly. by the Mouth of his Young Miniſter Samuel, Chap. 3. 11. 17. Eli ſaid upon the Hearing thereof, v. 18. [It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good,] id eſt, His Holy Will be done, I and my Houſe have Deſerved All, God hath Juſt cauſe to puniſh, but not I to murmur, I muſt patiently bear what God pleaſes to Inflict: He is too kind to do me harm, too juſt to do me wrong, he will turn Temporal evil to my Everlaſting good, (3) by his Trembling for the Ark of God, Chap. 4. 13. out of his Zeal for God's Glory and the Church's Good, leſt Iſrael ſhould loſe and Philiſtines get the Sign of God's Preſence. He loved his Spirituals better then his Temporals; he could hear with patience of the loſs of ſome Thouſands, and of the loſs of his Two Sons, but when he heard of the loſs of the Ark, this goes like a Dagger to his Heart, and 'tis a Queſtion whether his Neck or his Heart were firſt Broken, v. 18. Like a godly Man, he cannot live without the Ark of God, no Sword of the Uncircumciſed could have given him a more Mortal Blow than the Report of this Loſs, that ſtruck him down into a deadly ſwound. Yet was he not Driven away in his Wickedneſs, as is a Wicked Man, but he had Hope in his Death, as a Righteous One, Prov. 14. 32. He that could not Live without the Ark of God, how could he Dye without the God of the Ark? The Sins of his Sons Diſpleas'd his godly Soul, and he Reproov'd them for it, yet more Mildly than was meet; hence God Writ his Sin upon his Puniſhment, He that minded not in time to Break the ſtiff Neck of his ſtubborn Sons while Young, Prov. 19. 18. had now his own Neck broken. And though he was not a good Father to his Sons, yet was he (Himſelf) a good Son to God, and his Memory is Bleſſed among all the other Godly Judges, ſaith Wiſdom or Eedus, Chap. 46. 11. in the Apocrypha.
Although Eli was a Godly Man, and both Judge over Civil, and High-Prieſt over Eccleſiaſtick Affairs, and ſo had a moſt Precious Price put into his Hands for promoting the Church's Weal, yet the Devil made a Fool of him, ſo that he hath no Heart to it, Prov. 17. 10. and this Satan did Accompliſh, (1.) by Prompting him to too much Indulgency towards his Diſſolute Sons. 2ly. by Tempting him to a too much Neglect of his own Duty towards them, and that in his Threefold Capacity. 1. As a Father. 2. As the High-Prieſt. 3. As the Chief Magiſtrate or Judge. 1ſt. As a Father. So the Devil made uſe of his Candid Conſtitution, and his ſweet Natural Diſpoſition, even to a Cockering of his Sons, and to a too much Tenderneſs towards them (as he did David's afterwards towards His, 1 Kin. 1. 6. &c.) both in their Younger and Elder years: over-much Mercy marrs many a Child, Pro. 13. 24. and 23. 13, 14. 'Tis likely, Eli had always been a Fond Father to his Sons, and brought them up in his Doting Indulgency, till he brings down his Houſe by their Diabolical Impiety▪ 2ly. As High-Prieſt, which added more Authority to him over his Wicked Sons, yet doth he ſo gently Reproove them for their Sins, (ſo exceeding ſinful, even to Black Sins under a White Ephod,) as if he had been Afraid to Hurt them, 1 Sam. 2. 22, 23. A Gentle Reproof can never be a Salve broad and ſharp, enough for ſuch a Sore as is Notorious and Abominable Wickedous; He did it (as Hierom ſaith) [Lenitate patris, non Authoritate pontiſicis,] by the Gentle Lenity of a Father, not by the grave and Severe Authority of an High-Prieſt, who ſhould have expell'd them out of their Sacred Function, for their ſinful Practices, and Excommunicated them out of the Church of God. 3. As the Judge or Chief Magiſtrate, which gave him power (moſt of all) to puniſh thoſe proſligate Varlets, yet he onelyonly Shaves the Head, which Deſerved Cutting off; he ſhould have puniſh'd them for their Adultery, (they having Wives of their own, 1 Sam. 4. 19.) according to the Law, yet comes off onelyonly with [Why do ye ſuch things, and Nay my Sons, &c.] whereas he ſhould have Inſtanc'd and Aggravated their evil Doings, for their Shame and Horror, and Executed Juſtice upon them as Degenerate Sons of Belial▪ rather than of Eli, 1 Sam. 2.23. 24. 25, &c. Hereupon he is blamed for Gratifying his Sons more then Glorifying God, v. 29 chuſing rather to pleaſe them than him, and not puniſhing thoſe prophane Prieſts, either by Eccleſiaſtick Cenſures, or by Civil Penalties, Fearing (poſſibly) leaſt by this means the High-Prieſthood ſhould go from his Family of Ithamar, as it had from Eleazar's for the like Miſdemeanour) which alſo did befall him afterwards, 1 Kin. 1. 26. 1 Chron. 29. 22. Thus Eli by ſeeking to prevent that Evil, (in an evil manner and by evil means) did the ſooner procure it. For God became highly Diſpleaſed, and the Devil took this Advantage, and powr'd in three Grand Miſchiefs and Maladies upon the Church of God, (all which had moſt Bleſſed Remedies in Samuel, Succeſſor to Eli,) to wit, (1.) The Abhorring of the Lord's Sacrifice. (2.) The Failure of all Prophetick Viſions. (3.) The Captivity of the Ark by the Philiſtines. 1ſt. Of the 1ſt. Thoſe Proſligate Prieſts made the People to abhorr the Offerings of the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 17. and to Tranſgreſs, v. 24. where the Prophane Clergy (ſo called) laid a Stumbling-Block before the Sober Laity, not onelyonly in their ſinning ſo preſumptuouſly (and ſcaping Scot-free in ſo Doing,) againſt God himſelf, and Diſhonouring the Lord in prophaning his Worſhip and Abuſing his Ordinances: but alſo in giving ſuch an evil Example to God's People by their wicked Practices, (whom they ſhould have Inſtructed in the good ways of God according to their Office) ſo as to make them withdraw from God's Worſhip, when they ſaw it ſo much prophaned by their Impieties. This God Complains of (as a Spiritual loſs to his Peoples Souls) more than of the Honour of his own Name diſhonoured thereby: Hence 'tis ſaid the People Tranſgreſſed in Neglecting to come to God's Worſhip in Shilo; The Men would not come, while thoſe prophane Prieſts Theeviſhly and Sacrilegiouſly Abuſed God's Sacrifice, 1 Sam. 2. 13, to 16. And the Women durst not come for Fear of a Rape, v. 22. for thoſe lewd loſels (though they had Wives of their own) were ſick of a Pluriſie for knowing more Women. And like the Devil their Maſter, lov'd to Sow their Seed upon other Mens Ground, Matth. 13. 25. The 2d. Malady was The Failure of Prophecy in thoſe licentious times of Eli, 1 Sam. 3. 2. The Word of the Lord was Precious in thoſe Days, though there was ſome ſecret Viſion as to Manoah and his Wife, Judg. 13. yet there was no open Viſion, the Spirit of Prophecy was Rare and Scarce, and therefore Pretious, [Rara, Praeclara] in thoſe Days of Deteſtable Debauchery, and both Neglect and Contempt of God's Worſhip, for which God Inflicted this fore Judgement upon them, that they ſhould have a Famine of the Word, Amos 8. 12. and that there ſhould not be a Prophet among them, nor any that could tell them how long, Pſal. 74. 9. 'Tis very ſad with the Church, when there is a Sealing up of Prophecy, Dan. 12. 4. and ſhe is plainly benighted in this way-leſs Wilderneſs: This Darkneſs upon Iſrael, (who were Children of light and of the Day, 1 Theſſ. 5. 5. could not but pleaſe the Prince of Darkneſs, and give him both light and fight of the Succeſs of his Plot, to make them both ſtumble and fall, Joh. 3. 20. 1 Joh. 2. 11. The 3d. Malady is, the Captivity of the Ark, which was firſt Touched, (for which Ʋzzah periſhed, 2 Sam. 6, 6. 7.) and alſo taken by the Hands of the Uncircumciſed, 1 Sam. 4. 11. which made the Wife of Phinehas to cry out, [Ichabod] that Glory was departed from Iſrael; the greatneſs of her Grief made her Repeat it Twice, v. 21, 22. ſeeing the Sign of God's preſence and Protection, (which was therefore call'd their Glory, Pſal. 78. 61. the Face of God, Pſal. 105. 4. Yea, God himſelf, Pſal 122. 5.) was carried Captive, as if the Devil had been too ſtrong for God, and as if God could keep the Ark no longer, but was Conſtrained to let it go out of Canaan into the Countrey of the Philiſtines, who verily Thought they had taken the God of Iſrael Priſoner, v. 8. Indeed Iſrael aſcrib'd that Honour to the Ark of God, which was Due onelyonly to God himſelf; for upon their Defeat, (knowing no other Cauſe, though there was enough, Pſa. 78. 58, 61, 62, 63. but the want of the Ark.) They ſend for it to Shilo, that it might ſave them, v. 3, 4. (1) without Conſulting with God, (2) they brought it into the Camp without due Reverence, (3) and that by the Hands of Two proſſligate Prieſts; All which was more likely to bring a Curſe upon them, and not a Bleſſing: When this Ark of Wood was made an Idol by the Iſraelites, they fare worſe and not better, v. 2, 10. Notwithſtanding its preſence (external priviledges reſted and Truſted in, are more Deſtructive than Saving, Rom. 2. 9.) and God juſtly ſuffers it to be taken from them by the Philiſtines.
Now the Devil having got the Ark of God into his own Temple, to wit, the Temple of Dagon, (which they had Rebuilt, ſince Samſon pull'd it Down, Judg. 16. 23, 25.) and the Two Cherubims now Spreading their Wings under the Roof of an Ugly Image (Half a Fiſh and Half a Man,) no doubt, but he had a further and fairer Proſpect of proſpering in his Project; yet even Then God Awakes, (who had been Aſleep, as it were, all this time, Pſal. 78. 65, 60.) puts forth his Power, Beats Dagon upon his own Dunghill, yea, Beats him down to the Ground, as if he had met his Worſhippers to Worſhip them, and falls down to them, that came the next Morning to fall down to him, 1 Sam. 5. 3. and when their Superſtition had made them more Senſeleſs than their Senſeleſs Idol, Pſal. 115. 8. they become Patrons to their God, and (as if it had been onelyonly a Chance) Helps him up into his place. He is a miſerable God that cannot Riſe alone, but ſtands in need of Helping up by his own Worſhippers, and craves more Help from them than ever he could give to them: Dagon is again rais'd up into His Rood-loft to Affront the Ark, and hath thoſe very hands lifted up to him, which had helped to lift him up. Will a Jealous God (who Winks and ſits ſtill on purpoſe to behold their mad Folly and ſtupid Confidence, and to Fetch about his own Glory) put up this Injury? ſhall this Lifeleſs Stone continue as a ſit Companion with the Living God, and ſcape Scot-free with an Harmleſs Fall? No, God cannot Brook Corrivals, Dagon Falls again and Breaks his Neck, His Head (the Seat of Wiſdom,) and His Hands (the Seat of Power) were both Cutt off, v. 4. to ſhew them their God could neither Conſult nor Act for them; yea, God had chopp'd them off upon the Threſhold of his own Temple, (as a Cook ſometimes doth the Head and Leggs of a great Fowl for his Maſters Dinner) and now thoſe that came to Worſhip him, might Tread thoſe parts (they moſt Truſted in) under foot, as unſavoury Salt, and Dagon was now no better than a Dunghill-Deity: They might now ſet their Foot upon the beſt parts of their Idol; whereon they had ſet their Heart, and now thoſe chiefeſt pieces met them at the Threſhold to tell them how much they were miſtaken in their Headleſs, Handleſs, and ever Footleſs God, Nothing but the Stump remained, to wit, the Fiſhy part that had no Feet, and that alſo ſadly Bruiſed and Battered by the Fall. And becauſe thoſe obſtinate Idolaters, inſtead of giving Glory to God who had Deſtroy'd their Idol, gave Honour to the Threſhold which their Dagon had Touched, v. 5. (whereby, however, God perpetuated the Memory of the Miracle in the minds of Poſterity) as if the Broken Head and Hands of the Idol had Hallowed it, They had it in great Veneration. Thus the Pagans of Old Kiſſed the Threſhold of their Temples, and the Papagans at this Day do Kiſs the Threſhold of Peters-Church in Rome, when they enter into it. Suppoſe it were done (as ſome ſay) by way of Deteſtation, and not by way of Veneration, as Dear Relations will Deteſt to touch that Sword wherewith their neer Friend hath been Murthered: yet even ſo the Romaniſts do Symbolize with thoſe Uncircumciſed, inaſmuch as the Pope in his Solemn Proceſſion declineth to Walk that Street in Rome, wherein Pope Joan was Delivered, as a Street unhappy to the Credit of their Church: Thus the Prieſts of the Devil might forbear to Tread upon the Threſhold that was ſo Unhappy as to break the Head and Hands of their Suppoſed Deity: However, the Lord was Angry, for no better Improoving the Fall of their Idol, (neither the firſt nor ſecond) therefore Falls he foul upon themſelves, pays their Poſteriours like ſo many Puniboys, and Plagues them with Emrods, yea, and (as ſome think) with the Foul Diſeaſe, and likewiſe with Mice, that Marr'd their Land, (as the Blind Piles Marr'd themſelves.) Their Dagon could not drive ſo much as a poor Mouſe from them; inſomuch that their own Mouths Confeſſed, [The Lord's Hand is ſore upon us, and upon Dagon our God.] v. 7. The Ark is too Hot for them to Hold; They carry the Ark of God, (and with it the Plague of God) up and down to their Neighbours, any whither they would bear it, rather than Home to Iſrael; until God forced them to yield, ſaying, Let the Ark Return to its own place, v. 11. Yea, and that City which firſt ſaid ſo, fared the beſt, for the Men there Dyed not as they did in other Cities. Thus God's Revenge Works out [Nolens, Volens,] the Ark's Return, and not without a Treſpaſs-Offering, though Ridiculous, ſuch as Satan (in Contempt of God) had ſuggeſted to their Diviners, 1 Sam. 6. 2, 4. The Ark is carryed Home by two Untamed and Untrained Kine, that had Calves at Home, (which, Naturally, they break through All to come at) and that without a Driver; All this made the Miracle greater: God (Himſelf) drove the Cart, and made the Kine know their Owner, Iſa. 1. 3. which Hophni and Phinehas (Two Prieſts had not done, 1 Sam. 2. 12. This was (no doubt) The Fruit of Samuel's Pray'r, (in whom the Lord Reſtored the loſt Spirit of Prophecy; hence is he called the firſt of the Prophets after that Failure, Act. 3. 24. Hebr. 11. 32.) and of Iſrael that Lamented after the Ark, not being Contented with an Empty Tabernacle, but thought themſelves forlorn without the Ark in it. Thus Gracious was God to his poor People to make the preſence of the Priſoner (the Ark) Grievous to the Philiſtines, and being ſet at Liberty, Joyful to Iſrael: Even ſo will the Lord do with all thoſe that Deal thu with the Goſpel, as they did with the Ark, he will make them Smart for it, and Laugh all their Plots to Nothing, Eſpecially, if God give his Samuels to his Church, that ceaſe not to Cry to the Lord for her, at her Requeſt, 1 Sam. 7. 8, 9. And the Spirit of Repentance be powr'd out upon his People, ſo that All (Univerſally) Lament after the Lord, even with Storms of Sighs, and Shours of Tears (though after 20 Y. Bondage and Backſlidings, v. 2, to 6. Weeping before the Lord abundantly, that their Sorrowing might be proportionable to their Sinning. Samuel's Sermons to Iſrael, in his Itinerary Circuits, wrought ſo powerfully upon them, as to fetch Groans out of their Hearts, Tears out of their Eyes, Vows out of their Mouths, and Idols out of their Hands. Oh! for ſuch a Divine Diſpenſation in our Day; then though the Five Lords of the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. 6. 16. thoſe Five Lords in the Tower do Plot againſt us, and Aſſault us in our Faſting and Praying; If our Samuels do but Cry, (as he was Excellent at that Work, Pſal. 99. 6. Jer. 15. 1.) and Offer up the Lamb of God with their Prayers, (as he did, v. 7, 9.) God will Hear, and Thunder upon them with a great Thunder, as v. 10. and Ch. 2. 10. and Joſh. 10. 10. Judg. 4. 15. and ſmite them ſo (at Beth-car, the Houſe of the Lamb) as to make them come no more, v. 10, 11, 12, 13. the ſame God is our Eben-Ezor, or Stone of Help, v. 12.