Commentaries — Peter Martyr Vermigli

Commentaries · Peter Martyr Vermigli

¶The .iiii. Chapter.

1. ANd the children of Iſrael began againe to do wickedly in the ſight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.

2 And the Lord ſold them into the hand of Iabin king of Chanaan, which raygned in Hazor, whoſe captain of warre was called Siſera, which dwelt in Hazoreth of the Gentyles.

The cauſe of the oppreſſion of the Iſraelites is mencioned, namely, bicauſe when Ehud was dead, they began to do euil, that is, to ſinne. They abuſed therfore the quietnes and tranquillity of the foure ſcore yeares, in which they lyued peaceably, vnderunder their Iudge, neither declined they onelyonly from the right waye, but alſo they increaſed in ſyn. This is the nature of carnal men, that by proſperytie they are not made the better, but farrs woorſer.

VVhen Ehud was dead. It cannot be told how eaſily the people fal from the right way, when as holy Princes are alſo remoued from the ſame. Wherefore that is not vnworthely to be counted a moſt grieuous plague when the pyllers both of the Church and alſo of the publike wealth are taken awaye.There is no mention made of the death of Sanger. But what ſhould be the cauſe, why there is no mention made of the death of Sangar, wee cannot eaſily tel. The Hebrue interpreters ſaye, that it therefore happened, bycauſe he continued but a litle time, and for that cauſe is ſcarcely coūted among the Iudges: nether was the deliuery which by him happened, perfect, which is in the next chapter by expreſſe wordes declared. Farther, it is in dede ſayd of hym, that he ſaued Iſrael: but it is not added as it is of Othoniel and Ehud, that the land was any yeares at reſt vnderunder hym.

And God ſold them. When al thinges ſeme vntounto the vngodly to be in quiet and at reſt, and that they thinke that on no ſyde anye hurt or euyll can happen vntounto them, God euen then vſeth by a certayne wonderfull manner to ſtyrre vp great miſeries and calamities out of aſhes and ſparckels, which wer thought to hauehave bene long time quenched. Iabin the king of Chanaan was kylled by Ioſua (as it is written in his booke the .xi. chap.) and Hazor his kingly City deſtroied and burnt with fire. Wherfore none would hauehave looked that war ſhoulde hauehave bene renued againe on that part. But an other Iabin, the ſonne or ſonnes ſonne of him that was killed, tooke courage againe, and inuaded and oppreſſed the Iſraelites. But leaſt al that ſhould be aſcribed vntounto his ſtrength, it is added that God intermedled in the matter, when hee ſolde the Hebrues vntounto him, that is, graunted vntounto him to vſe them as he thought good hymſelfe, euen to all moſt vile ſeruices, and that as moſt abiect bondſlaues. And this calamity is amplified by many names. Firſt, by the longneſſe of the tyme: for it continued .xx. yeares, when as before Othoniels time they were afflicted onelyonly .viii. yeares. And before Ehud was ſtirred vp, they ſerued .xviii. yeares. It is declared that this ſeruitude was very cruell, bicauſe Iabin oppreſſed the Hebrues by ſtrength and violence. And Ioſephus writeth that it was in ſuch ſort, that they durſt not ſo much as to lift vp their head. And the cauſe of his ſo great crueltye was,Why Iabin was ſo cruel vntounto y^e Hebrues. bicauſe he remembred that the Iewes in the time of Ioſua had killed his Father or Grandfather. And had ouerthrowen the kingly City Hazor, in waſting and burning it wyth ſword and fyre. Farther, the violence and power of his tyranny is by this declared, in that he had ſo great a number of yron or hooked chariots, and (if we may beleue Ioſephus) he went a warfare with three hundred thouſand footemen,Ioſephus. ten thouſand horſemen, and three thouſand chariotes, among which .ix. hundred of them were of yron. Neither for al his great hoſt had he ben able to hauehave brought the Hebrues vnderunder ſubiection, vnles God (as we hauehave before ſaid) had ſolde thē. And vndoubtedly, it is to be thought that Iabin vſed theſe .ix. hundred chariots, which the hiſtory ſpeaketh of by name, to afflict the region of the Iewes, which he had now conquered, and to the end they ſhould not fal from him.

And he dwelt in Hazoreth. Howe raigned this man in Hazor, whē as in the time of Ioſua y^e City was ouerthrowen? To this we anſwer, firſt y^t after y^e ouerthrow which happened vnderunder Ioſua, y^e reſt of y^e Chananites fled into a very huge wood which is called Of the Gentiles, & ther bi litle & litle they ſo increaſed their power, y^t thei ſet ouer thēſelues a king, which was of y^e ſurname of y^e firſt king, namely his ſonne, or els his ſonnes ſōne, which is therfore ſaid to hauehave raigned in Hazor, bicauſe he ſtil retained y^e title of y^e place, as very many kings do at this day, which keping y^e title of certain places do cal thēſelues kings of the ſame places, wherin in very dede they hauehave no poſſeſſiō at all. But the Hebrue interpreters think y^e Hazoreth was a large & huge wood, which cōtained in it many cities & Caſtels. VntoUnto which ſenſe the Chaldey paraphraſt leaneth, which turneth that worde, munition of Caſtels. This day alſo in Germany, there is the wood of Hercinia, wherin are both Cities and very many Caſtels. And it is called, Of the Gentiles, either bicauſe a great number of diuers people reſorted thither, or bicauſe thoſe places were built and fenced by the labour of manye Gentiles. We might otherwiſe alſo anſwer, & that much more likely to be true: namely, y^t the citi of Hazor was after Ioſua, recouered & reedefied by the Chananites, ſo that it was the kingly city agayne, wher (Iabin either the ſonne or els y^e ſonnes ſōne of y^e firſt Iabin) raigned. And to this reedefieng the times ſerued very aptly. For from the burning of Hazor there wer paſſed .150. yeares more or leſſe, y^t is, eight yeares of bondage, which happened vnderunder the king of Meſopotamia .40. yeares of Othoniel .18. yeres of ſeruitude vnderunder Eglon king of Meſopotamia .80. yeres, wherin Ehud peaceably iudged the Iſraelites, and .20. yeres this Iabin afflicted the Hebrues. Wherfore he might eaſily reigne in Hazor being againe reedified, and this maketh with it, bicauſe it is not writtē of this Iabin that he dwelled in the wood, but that Siſara his captayne dwelt there. For kinges vſe not to kepe an houſe in their kingly citye, but rather to hauehave them in their borders or in the fieldes, wher they may be prompt and redy to accomplyſh thinges to be done.

3 And the children of Iſrael cried vntounto the Lord, for he had .900. chariottes of yron, and .20. yeares he opreſſed Iſrael very ſore.

4 And Deborha, a Propheteſſe, the wife of Lappidoth, iudged Iſrael the ſame tyme.

Both by the thinges before declared, & alſo by theſe which are now ſpoken of, we may vnderſtand the frowardnes of mans nature: for vnles it be by troubles and aduerſities bruſed and broken,Men in deſperate thinges call vponupon God. it regardeth not God, yea as long as there is any hope of other helpes, it neglecteth God and vſeth them. But whē thinges ar paſt all hope and do ſeperat, then god is required, as a certayne holy ankerhold. Wherfore it is no maruayle, though the Hebrues deferred their repētance 20. yeares long. Surely I am perſuaded, that they did oftentimes grone and cry. But bicauſe they lamented not that they had offended god, and wickedly committed ſinnes, but only deſired him to take a way the payne & long puniſhment, and paraduenture murmured againſt God, therfore wer not their praiers heard. But now at the laſt at the .20. yeares ende, when with fayth and godlynes they prayed vntounto God,Though God deferre his help yet wee muſte not diſpaire. he heard their prayer, and graunted them their requeſtes. By this example let vsus learne y^t we muſt neuer diſpaire of the help of god, although it be deferred. We all in deede deſire to be ſtrayghtwaye deliuered of our troubles: but god in his counſel thinketh not good ſo ſoone to take away his puniſhments. Wherfore that which he hath decreed we alſo muſt pacientlye ſuffer.

Deborah a Propheteſſe. God which before to deliuer Iſrael had choſen Ehud, which had an impediment in his right hande: and then Sangar, a huſbandman armed onelyonly with the goade of an Oxe: nowe choſeth a woman, by whoſe conduct the Iewes might be deliuered from a moſt grieuous enemy.God vſeth both ſtronge and weake a lyke. Wherefore by theſe examples he aboundantly ſheweth that his power is not bounde vntounto noble men and to ſtrong men, but hee can eaſilye vſe the weake and feable ones. Yea and he ſheweth forth his power rather in theſe, than in the other. Howbeit to declare, that it is all one vntounto him, as touching both kynde of inſtrumentes, ſometimes he vſeth the ſtrong ones, and other ſometimes the weake ones. And when hee taketh the weake ones, he ſtraight waye endueth and adorneth them with his grace and gyftes. For as muche therefore as he had vntounto thys miniſterye choſen Deborah, beyng weake in kynde, hee ſtrayght waye endewed and adorned her wyth the ſpirite of prophecye. By whyche grace, and peraduenture manye other moe myracles, ſhe was by God conſtituted, and by myracles confirmed, as ſhe that was elected vntounto ſo great an office.

Neyther onelyonly this woman was endewed with the ſprite of propheſy:We comen propheteſſes did openly inſtruct the people. for in the holy ſcriptures we reade of other women which were likewiſe inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, Mary the ſiſter of Moſes, Hanna the Mother of Samuel, Holda in the time of Ioſias the king were Propheteſſes. And in the new teſtament Marye the Virgin, Elizabeth the mother of Iohn, and Anna the wife of Phanuel, the daughters alſo of Phillip the Deacon (as it is written in the Actes of the Apoſtles) were propheteſſes. Neyther do I thinke that we maye denye, that ſome of thoſe weomen endewed with the ſprite of propheſy, did openly teach the people, in declarynge thoſe thynges vntounto them whiche God had ſhewed vntounto them. Foraſmuch as the giftes of God are not therfore geuen, that they ſhoulde lye hidden, but to aduaunce the common edifying of the church.

And yet hereby it followeth not, that that which God doth by ſome peculiar priuiledge, we ſhould by and by draw it for an example, becauſe according to the rule of the Apoſtle we are bound vntounto an ordinary law, whereby both in the Epiſtle to Timothy, and in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corrinthians, Why wemen are commounded to kepe ſilence in the church.he commaundeth that a woman ſhould kepe ſilence in the church. And he aſſigneth cauſes of this ſilence ſo commaunded, namely becauſe they ought to be ſubiect vntounto theyr huſbandes. But the office of a teacher hath a certayne authority ouer thoſe whiche are taught, which is not to be attributed vntounto a womā ouer men. For ſhe was made for the man, whome ſhe ought alwayes to hauehave a regarde to obey, whiche thing is alſo appoynted her by the ſentence of God, wherby after ſynne committed he ſayd vntounto the woman: Thy luſt ſhal pertayne vntounto thy huſband. Farther the Apoſtle geueth an other reaſon, drawne from the fyrſte faute, bicauſe, as he ſayth, Eua was ſeduced, and not Adam, wherfore if women ſhould ordinarily be admitted vntounto the holy miniſtery of the Church, men might eaſely ſuſpecte, that the deuill by his accuſtomed inſtrument would deceaue the people, and for that cauſe they would the leſſe regard the Eccleſiaſticall function, if women ſhould be beleued. It ought therfore to be committed onelyonly to men, & that by ordinary right and the Apoſtles rule. And though God do ſometimes otherwyſe, yet can he not be iuſtly accuſed, foraſmuch as all lawes are in his power. Wherefore if ſometimes he ſend any propheteſſe, and adorne her with heauenly giftes, if the ſame woman ſpeake in the church, vndoubtedly ſhe is to be hearde: but in ſuche ſort, that ſhe forgette not her owne eſtate.Twoo places of Paule conceliated. Wherefore theſe two teſtimonies of Paule which ſeme to be contrary one to an other, may eaſelye be conciliated. To Timothe the fyrſt Epiſtle he writeth, that a woman ought in the church to kepe ſilence: which thinge toward the ende of the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinth. he moſt manifeſtly confirmeth. And in the ſame epiſtle he commaundeth, that a man propheſieng or praying ſhould hauehave his hed vncouered, but a woman when ſhe propheſieth ſhould hauehave it couered: whereby vndoubtedly he teacheth that it is lawfull for a woman both to ſpeak and alſo to propheſy in the church. For he would not hauehave commaūded, that in this doing ſhe ſhould couer her head, if ſhe ſhould vtterly kepe ſilence in the holy aſſembly. The thinge is in this manner to be taken, that we ſhould vnderſtande the precept of ſilence to be a generall precepte, but the other which is for the couering of the head when they pray or propheſy, pertained onelyonly to thoſe which wer propheteſſes. They vndoubtedly are not forbidden to propheſy, for the common edification of the church,Why women propheteſſes were commaū ded to hauehave theyr heds couered. but to the ende by reaſon of theyr office extraordinarely committed vntounto them, they ſhould not forget theyr owne eſtate and waxe proude, they are commaūded to hauehave their head couered: whereby they myght vnderſtande that yet they hauehave the power of man aboue them. Farther whereas to Titus the ii. chap. it is commaunded that the elder women ſhould admoniſh the yonger women of temperance, and that they ſhould louelove theyr huſbandes and children, and diligently looke to theyr famely, this is not to be vnderſtand of publike doctrine or eccleſiaſticall ſermons, but of priuate exhortacions, which it is meete, that the elders hauehave to the yongers.

5 And the ſame Deborah dwelt vnderunder a Palme tree, betwene Ramath and Bethell, in mount Ephraim. And the children of Iſraell aſcended vp to her for iudgement.

How Deborah iudged the people.The word of iudging (as we hauehave admoniſhed) in this booke oftentimes ſignifieth to reuenge, and to ſet at liberty. Which ſignification if we now follow, we ſhall ſe that Deborah was appoynted vntounto the ſame, namelye to deliuer the Iſraelites. And as ſoone as they by the inſpiraciō of God vnderſtode that, they aſcēded to her, to heare of her what they ſhould do, to attayne vntounto liberty. But if any man wil hauehave the word of iudgemēt to ſignify to ſet lawes, or to geue ſentence of controuerſies. I wil not be much againſt it. For ſo great peraduenture was the oppreſſion of Iabin, that now the Iſraelites could not vſe ordinary iudges. They therfore being taken away, whē they ſaw that Deborah was endewed with the ſpirite of God, they had rather be iudged by her, than by the Chananites.Ioſephus. But Ioſephus inclineth more vntounto the firſt interpretation, and he ſaythe that they beinge oppreſſed by their enemies came vntounto Deborah, whome they knew to be a moſt holy woman and endewed with the ſprite of god, and deſired her to pray vntounto God for them, which ſhe both did and was heard.

As touching the miniſtery of the churche, how women may be preferred, & in what ſort they are not apt, we hauehave before declared. And this we ad now, y^t whē churches, ar newly planted, when ther want men to preach the Goſpel, a womā may at the beginning be admitted to teach, but in ſuch ſorte, that when ſhe hath taught a while, ſome one mā of y^e faithful to be ordeyned, which afterward may miniſter the ſacramēts, teach & faithfully execute y^e office of a paſtor. But bicauſe Deborah was not onelyonly a Propheteſſe, but alſo in ſetting at liberty, gouerned ciuil things, I might therfore demaund, whether a womā may be appoynted to gouern a pub: wealth. But I hauehave determined to entreat of this queſtion in an other place, namely whē I come to y^e hiſtory of Athalia in the bokes of the kings.

The wife of Lappidoth. What this man was we can not by the holy ſcripture certainly know. The Hebrewes thinke that he was Barak: but this is onelye the reaſon why they thinke ſo, bicauſe the ſignification of theſe names hauehave great affinity one with an other. For Barac ſignifieth lightninge, and Lapidh is a lampe,A fained tale the Rabbines. whoſe plurall number is aſwell Lapidim as Lapidoth. And lampes or torches and lightninges are very lyke. Other thinke that thys woman was ſo called of her handye crafte, for that ſhee made matches for the candles of the ſanctuarye. But that the Rabbines fayned as thoughe God doth neuer beſtowe freely hys grace or giftes. For they ſignify by their fable that ſhe by deſert became a propheteſſe and a iudge, bicauſe her woorkes ſerued for the tabernacle & that very religiouſly. Others alſo write that ſhe was ſo called, bicauſe in that howre, wherin ſhe was endewed with the ſprite of prophecy, her face was made ſhininge, caſting forth beames, as the holy hiſtory writeth of the countenaunce of Moſes. But all theſe thinges are trifles, and leane onelyonly vntounto the interpretacion of the words, neither ar they by any meanes proued by the holye ſcriptures. But there is a certayn coniecture that Barac was not the huſband of Deborah, bycauſe ſhe dwelled in mount Ephraim and he in Kades of Nepthalim. And it is not agreable that the wife and the huſband did dwell one ſo far diſtant from the other. Vnles y^u wilt ſay y^t Deborah went thē onelyonly to mount Ephraim when the people ſhould come vntounto her. And if we graūt this, thē wil it be meruelous, why her huſband went not thither together with the other Iſraelits. Wherfore that way ſemeth to be the plainer, namely to ſay y^t ſhe was the wife of Lappidoth: but therfore ſhe gaue not thys gouernance vntounto her huſband. For that thing ſhould be gouerned by mans reaſon, but ſhe did folow the counſel of God as ſhe ought.

Of the mariage of miniſters.

God deſpyſeth not thoſe which are maried.THis is alſo very worthye to be noted, that maried folkes are not contemned of God. For of them certain hath he choſen to be Prophetes and thoſe notable prophetes. For Eſay is cōmaunded to go vntounto a Propheteſſe, which both conceiued & alſo bare to him childrē. Ezechiel alſo was maried. Wherfore that Romane Sircius & his like ar not to be herd,Sircius is not to be heard. whē they forbid the vſe of the miniſtration of holy things to ſuch which are maried: & this godly reaſon forſooth bring they for it, namely bicauſe Paule writeth, that they which are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God, and in the old law it is in this manner commaunded, be ye holy, for I am holy: and agayn ſayth Paule, ye are the temple of God, or of the holy ghoſt. But theſe teſtimonies now alleged, if they ſhould ſerue any thinge to theyr ſentence, then vndoubtedly ſhould they declare, that no men whiche are maried can pleaſe god, neither that anye are to be counted holye, excepte they be chaſte. The temple alſo of God or of the holy Ghoſte ſhoulde be drawne onelyonly to the clergye. But howe vayne theſe thinges are, all men ſo well vnderſtande, that they neede none of my labour to expreſſe them. For who ſeeth not that the ſentences nowe alleged are not ſpoken vntounto this man or to that man alone,The manner of the Ethnykes as touching virginity or ſole lyfe. but preached vntounto all the faythful? It was the manner of the Ethnickes, to hauehave theyr propheteſſes eyther Virgines or ſuch as were of ſole life, as it is written of the Sibils. They alſo appoynted certayne prieſthodes vntounto womē, but yet only to virgines, namely the holy thinges of Veſta, and alſo of her that was called Bona dea.

Neyther muſt we beleue, thoſe maried folkes,They which were maried & called to the holye miniſterye, did not forſake theyr wyues. which were by God taken to the office of prophecying or to the holy miniſtery, did ſtreightway forſake theyr wyues, for neyther God nor yet Chriſt were authors that any man ſhoulde deuource himſelfe from his wife. We know in deede that Paule permitteth them which are maried ſometimes to be a ſunder, whereby they mighte more expediently geue them ſelues to faſtinges and prayers: but he permitteth not that vnles they be both agreed therunto, and that for a ſhort time, and he commaundeth them to returne to their old eſtate, leſt by the temptacion of Sathan they ſhould be ouerthrowne. Wherfore this ſentence which they bryng, is not ſufficient to proue the neceſſitye of ſole life for miniſters, foraſmuche as the aduerſaries gather more out of it than can be gathered. For the Apoſtle ſayth that ſometimes it is lawfull to abſtaine from accompanieng. But theſe men take it to be a commaundement to all ſortes of miniſters, euer to be vnmaried. Which argument is both weake and vnprofitable, as the art of Logike manifeſtly ſheweth. For we graunt, that it is mete for miniſters ſometimes to conteyne themſelues, and that oftner than other men, but not continually. This they obiect, if other men moderate themſelues, makinge their prayers but ſometimes, what ſhoulde they do, whoſe duty is alwayes to apply themſelues vntounto prayers & to the adminiſtration of the ſacramentes? I aunſwere. Firſt, that we much marueile at thoſe which allege theſe thinges, when as the clergy for the moſt part neuer almoſt teach, & diſtribute the ſacraments very ſeldom, & celebrate that their moſt fylthy & abhominable maſſe ſcarce once or twiſe in a whole yeare. But in y^e mean time play y^e whoremōgers & pollute thēſelues with adulteries. And they cauile that they cānot mary, bicauſe of y^e eccleſiaſtical degree which they hauehave takē vpō thē. Vndoubtedly the reaſons which they bring do nothing defend this kind of men.

Farther we muſt marke, that the wordes which Paul there ſpeaketh,A diſtinction of prayers and faſtinges. Sometimes faſtinges & publike prayers ar commaunded. belong not to cōmon faſting, or to cōmon & vſual prayers: otherwiſe it were lauful for none ether to mary or to hauehave a wyfe, for as much as al mē ar cōmaūded to pray with out ceaſſing. And there ar ſometime certayn ſolemne praiers and faſtings appointed, ether for y^e auoyding of iminente calamities, or for the choſing of miniſters of the Churche, and for ſuch lyke neceſſytyes, in whiche wee muſte with the prophet & the Apoſtle councel & exhorte the huſband not to depart out of the bedchāber, & the bride out of her bed. Howbeit I would gladly hear of theſe new maſters & moſt ſeuere cēſors, what they did in y^e old time in the church of Rome,At Rome they did cōmunicate dayly. which they ſo much alow aboue all other worſhip, what I ſay was done when chriſtians did cōmunicate as Ierome & Auguſtine write was done in their time. They indeede communicated, and yet had they wiues.Of the highe prieſt of the old Teſtament. Moreouer what did the high prieſt Aaron and his ſucceſſors in the old teſtament, whoſe office was both morning and euening perpetually to miniſter at the tabernacle? For as thē wer not the courſes of the prieſts diſtributed by Dauid, Salomon, and Ezechias. Vſed they not their wiues? Vndoubtedly they broughte forth children. But they ſay, that then it ought to hauehave bene done, foraſmuch as the ſucceſſiō of the prieſt hode was by carnall propagation, neither might the prieſtes he taken out of any other tribe, then out of the tribe of Leui. But nowe that we are loſed from that law, and that we may eueryevery where hauehave miniſters of the church, it is mete that they be without wiues. I wil aſke theſe men, who was the author, that the high prieſts & the prieſts in the old time ſhould be continued by carnal propagation? It is meruelous if they graūt not that God was the author. I wil therfore conclude that they make thēſelues wiſer then god, who is moſt wiſe, who alſo ſuffred & willed priſts to vſe matrimony. He might hauehave taken prieſts out of eueryevery tribe and commaunded continency. But he would not do it. But theſe men dare do more then he hath commaunded. Farther let them tel vsus whether there were miniſters in the primatiue church or no?The miniſters of y^e primitiue churche had wiues and vſed them. Canons of the Apoſtles. vndoubtedly there were, yea and thoſe had wyues, & yet for all that they perpetually both taught and miniſtred. That they had wiues, the hiſtories declare, the Canons do teſtifye, & theſe Canons in eſpeciall which ar of the Apoſtles, whervnto our aduerſaries thinke we muſt ſo much leane vntounto. For there we reade, that he is accurſed, which teacheth that a prieſt ought to deſpiſe his wife.

I am not ignoraunt, that there are certayne wily heades, whiche by triflinge wordes do ſo auoyde the place alledged, as though it were onelyonly to be vnderſtād as touching meate and drinke and clothing: for which thinges, they ſay a prieſte ought to prouide for his wife when he is ſeperated from her. As thoughe a wyfe is not more dyſpyſed, from whome the due beneuolence is taken awaye, then if ſhe ſhould be neglected as touching meat and drinke and clothing. The councel alſo of Gangrenſis decreed,Concilium Congrente. that he is accurſed which putteth difference betwen the oblation of a maried prieſt from others. Here alſo (leaſt they ſhould be counted dum) they ſay that a maried prieſte, is taken for him whiche was once before maried, and not he whyche is preſentlye maried: whiche they thinke happeneth, when eyther the wife is deade, or elles if they be ſeperated the one from the other.Who maryed folkes are. But graunt which of theſe two wayes thou wilt, yet one of the clergy can not be called a maried man. For they are maried folkes, whiche both louelove together, and are not ſeperated one from an other. And that the miniſters in the primitiue church had wiues, and vſed them, the hiſtory of Nicolaus the Deacon ſufficiently declareth. And it is hereby alſo eaſely proued, bicauſe if miniſters accō panied not with their wiues, Sircius, Pelagius, and other Romayn Popes ſhould not hauehave neded to hauehave made ſo many prohibicions, that it ſhould not frō thence forth be done, for theſe tyrans cōplained that it was ſo done, & therfore to theire power by decrees ordināces, & threatnings they forbad y^e vſe of matrimony to eccleſiaſtical mē: which they ſhould not nede to hauehave don, if ſuch matrimonies had not then bene in vſe. At the length they deny not but y^t ſo it was, but they fly to thys, that we muſt hauehave a reſpect vntounto the times, & attribute ſomwhat to neceſſity. For in the primityue church (as they ſay) was there a great wāt of miniſters, wherfore they wer fayne to choſe them out of eueryevery ſtate of men, & therfore ther were very many of them which wer maried at y^e time. But now that the church is encreaſed, we are not vrged with that neceſſity, wherefore iuſtly it is decreed that onelyonly vnmaried folkes ſhould be choſen.

The primitiue church had greate aboundance of miniſters.But I would hauehave theſe mē to remember with themſelues, that in that firſt tyme, when the heat of the holy Ghoſt did ſo much abound, there were a greate many mo whych were mete for the miniſtery, thē now ar, by reaſon of the great aboundance of grace & ſpiritual giftes. Beſides that the church when it was extended and increaſed, it then neded many more miniſters. Farther an other neceſſitie oppreſſeth vsus more grieuouſly,Men are … weaker. bycauſe men at this day are more weake than they were then, which their Popes alſo deny not. For in the diſt. 34. chap: Fraternitatis, Pelagius iudgeth that a certaine Deacon which was to be promoted (whiche had cōmitted whoredome, and yet hauing a wife of his own) ſhould be more gently intreated bycauſe in theſe dayes not onelyonly bodies are febled, but alſo vertue and maners. If they be not ignoraunt of this weakenes of our times, which is farre greater than it was in the olde tyme, they ought not from thence to take away the remedy where they perceaue a greater neceſſitie. Neither is it mete, that they ſhould diſſemble the neceſſitie of this age, whiche obiecting vntounto vsus the maner of the old Churche, dare lay againſt vsus the neceſſitie therof. There is on either ſide neceſſitie, and therfore if there be a conſideration had of the one let there be alſo a conſideration had of the other.

There are ſome amongſt them, which ſay,Whether it be lawfull to mary a wife after orders receaued. that miniſters in the old tyme had wiues, and ſomtimes vſed them: but they deny that after they had taken orders it was at any tyme lawfull to mary wiues. Vndoubtedly they erre: For in the ſinode of Ancyrana (as it is written in the decrees the 28. diſt: chap. Diaconi) it is decreed, that if a Deacon while he is in ordering,Synodus Ancyrana. ſhal deny when the ſtate of cō tinency is required of him and ſhall teſtifie that he wil not lyue without a wife, if the ſame Deacon after he is ordeyned do contract matrimony, he may not be hindred but may frely execute his miniſtery. By which place we are manifeſtly taught, that it was lawfull to cōtract matrimony after orders receaued.☜ Gratianus. Which Gratianus ſawe well ynough, and therfore he writeth, that as touching that Synode a conſideration ought to be had both to the time & place. For it is obſerued in the eaſt Church, which in promotions of miniſters admitte not the promiſe of continency, but as touching time he addeth, that as yet this continency of Miniſters was not then brought into the Churche: but if thou ſhalt aſke, when that counſell was had, we anſwere, as it alſo appeareth by y^e ſame decrees vnderunder Syricius and Innocentius, which liued in the time of Ierome and Auguſtine.

But it is a wonder to ſee, how Tyranny hath increaſed,Howe puniſhments agaynſt y^e clergy which mary hauehave dayly increaſed. Conciliū Neocaeſarienſis. and impiety by litle and litle taken depe rootes. At the begynnyng, y^e Miniſters of the Church which contracted matrimonies, were not altogether ſo ſeuerely handled. For the counſell of Neocaeſarienſis (as it is recited in the diſt .28. chap. Presbiter) cōmaūded ſuch to be put onelyonly out of their office, and not from their benefice: for they were ſtill noriſhed, and receaued their ſtipendes from the Churche. Neither in the meane tyme will I ouerpaſſe, that y^e coūſel did caſt out of y^e Church ſuch Prieſts as wer adulterers and whoremongers, namely, in excommunicating them which was very mete and iuſt, when as our men now a dayes do altogether winke at thoſe ſinnes. After that they began not onelyonly to put them out of their offices, but alſo (as they ſpeake) to remoue them from their benefices, as it is written in the 33. diſt. chap. Eos & chap. Decreuerunt yea and thoſe which ſo maried, they baniſhed either into a monaſtery, or into ſome ſtraight place to do penāce, but in our tyme they burne many of them. And afterwarde they raged alſo againſt the women, with whom the Miniſters had maried, as it is founde in the diſt. 81.Concilium Toletanum. out of a certaine counſell holden at Toledo, chap: Quidam, where it is commaunded that the women ſhould be ſold. And in the diſt. 34. chap. Eos, they are appointed to be ſeruauntes of that Church, wherin the Prieſt was, which hath contracted with them into ſeruitude, and if peraduenture the Byſhop could not bring them into ſeruitude, he ſhould commit it vntounto the prince or lay Magiſtrat. They baniſhed them alſo ſometimes into a monaſtery to do penance, as it is read in the 34. diſt. chap: Fraternitatis. Neither were they content with this cruelty, but the children alſo whiche were by ſuch matrimonies borne, would they hauehave to be ſeruauntes of that Church, wherin their father had ben, & they depriued them of al their fathers inheritaūce. And that is written, in the 15. queſtion the laſt chap: Cū multae. They do ſo not puniſh their adulterous ſacrificers and whoremongers, neither their harlottes, nor yet their baſtard children: they onelyonly exerciſe their cruell tyranny vponupon the wifes of Prieſtes and their lawfull children.

At the laſte, when they hauehave almoſt no other thyng to bring, they flye vntounto theyr vowe as to a holy anchor. They crye out that that muſt vtterly be kepte, and therefore it is not any more lawfull for Miniſters to mary, bycauſe when they are ordeyned they do vowe ſole lyfe.Vow of vniuſt thinges are of no force. As thoughe it were not both by the holy Scriptures and alſo by humane lawes commaunded, that a vowe, promiſe, or othe ſhoulde be of no force, if it compell vsus to an vniuſt or vnhoneſt thyng.

And who ſeeth not, that it is a thyng very filthy, and agaynſt the lawe of God that he whiche burneth in filthy luſte, yea and ſo burneth that he dayly defileth hymſelfe with harlottes, adulterers and vnlawfull Vſu veneris, ſhould be forbidden matrimonye? Vndoubtedly the holy Ghoſt hath commaunded matrimony to all ſuch as can not kepe themſelues chaſte, yea and the fathers (which in this matter are more enemyes to vsus than they ſhould) ſawe this. Wherefore Ciprian as touchyng holy virgines,Cyprian. whiche had vnchaſtly behaued themſelues, ſayeth: If either they will not or can not kepe themſelues chaſt, let them mary.

Ierome. Epiphanius.Ierome alſo feared not to wryte the ſame vntounto Demetrius, Epiphanius alſo agaynſte the Catharis, ſayeth: It is better thoſe whiche can not kepe themſelues chaſt to mary wyues, and ſinne onelyonly once, than dayly to wounde their myndes with vnpure actions. But the opinion of this father I do not in this thyng allowe, bycauſe he affirmeth that thoſe do ſinne, whiche when they hauehave made a vowe of chaſtitye do contracte matrimonye, for as longe as they do obeye the voyce of GOD, they charge not themſelues with ſinne. Neither do I allowe that his reaſon, wherein he ſayth, that one ſinne is to be committed, to auoyde a greater, onelyonly this I meane to ſhewe by his wordes, that matrimony is very neceſſary to ſuche as can not kepe themſelues chaſte. But I will entreate no more of this thing at this preſent for I hauehave aboundantly ſpoken of all this queſtion in my booke of Vowes.

And the children of Iſrael aſcended vp to her for iudgement. Some affirme that this was done at certayne appoynted dayes, ſo that the Iſraelites ſhoulde come to her houſe, as to a certayne oracle, and to an interpretor of the lawes of God. Or els then they aſcended vntounto her, when he was inſpired with the ſpirite of Propheſye. And vndoutedly it is very lykely, that ſhe then called the people together, when ſhe had any thyng to ſhewe vntounto the Iſraelites in the name of God. And they are ſayd properly to aſcende, bycauſe in paſſing ouer the mount Ephraim they came vntounto her.

6 And ſhe ſent, and called Barac, the ſonne of Abinoam, out of Cedes Nephthalim: and ſhe ſayd vntounto hym: Hath not the Lord God of Iſrael commaunded thee to go, and leade vntounto mount Thabor, and take with the ten thouſand men of thee childrē of Nephthalim, and of the ſonnes of Zebulon.

7 And I wil bring vntounto thee, vntounto the riuer Kiſon, Siſera the captayne of the hoſt of Iabin, with his chariots, and his people, and I will deliuer him into thine handes.

8 And Barac ſayd vntounto her, If thou wilt go with me, I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.

9 Who anſwered, I will ſurely go with thee, but this iorney that thou takeſt ſhall not be for thine honour: for the Lord ſhall delyuer Siſera into the hand of a woman, So Deborah roſe vp, and went with Barac into Cedes.

Deborah vſeth the authoritie of a prince, when ſhe citeth Barac vntounto her and commaunded him to be called in her owne name. he came from the Citie of Cedes. That was a Citie of the Prieſtes in the tribe of Nepthalim, and alſo a Citie of refuge as it is read in Ioſuah the 19. chap. Hath not the Lorde God commaunded thee. She vſeth an interrogatiue ſpeache: for that very muche profiteth to ſtirre vp mindes, and earneſtly to commaunded any thyng. Some thinke that Deborah had more than once yea often tymes admoniſhed Barac in the name of god to accompliſhe this office and he for feare lingered it. Wherefore ſhe at the laſt openly and before the Iſraelites reproueth them. And it is as muche, as if ſhe ſhould hauehave ſayde, In very dede it is God whiche hath commaunded thee theſe thynges. That whiche I ſpeake is not myne inuention, I tell thee this thou muſt take in hande by the counſell and will of God.To preceptes are ioyned promiſes. And in theſe wordes of the Propheteſſe may be obſerued a maner much vſed in the holy Scriptures, which when they geue any precepte, do ſtraight way ioyne therunto a promiſe. When children are commaunded to obey their parentes, length of life is ſtraight waye promiſed. Deborah alſo declareth, that ſhe exerciſed y^e office of a Prophet amōg the people, when as ſhe Prophecieth what ſhall become of Siſera, and foretelleth a notable victorye, whiche God had decreed vntounto Barac. Mount Thabor, Mount Thabor is called Ithabyrius.whiche is here mencioned, of the Ethnike writers is called Ithabirius: It is nighe vntounto the Aſsirians; Nepthalites and Sabulonites. There the Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, our Sauiour, was tranſfigured before three of his Diſciples, as it is declared in the hiſtory of the Goſpell. This mount hath by it the riuer Kyſon, The riuer Kiſon.whiche by the deſtruction of the Baalites is made notable: for there Helias the Prophete ſlewe the Prieſtes of Baal.

Drawe, and take with thee ten thouſand men. This ſemeth to be a new kynde of ſpeache: but vntounto the thing whiche is in hande it is moſte propre. For this Hebrew worde Maſchach, is not in this place to drawe by violence to, but (as all the Rabbines almoſt do interpretate) with preſuaſion to leade, that is, with faire and pleaſaunt wordes to allure them. For without doubt it was a great and perillous worke wherunto they wer called, & for as much as they lyued vnderunder a Tyraunt, their ſouldiers could not by publique authority be muſtered or gathered together, but muſt of neceſſitie by faire meanes be allured, to conſpire againſt a Tyraunt. By this place we are taught that good and eloquent ſpeaches are very profytable in warrelyke affaires;Rethoricke is profitable in warlike affaires. and that the arte of Rethorike by the lawe of God is not forbidden, but may in hys place profitably ſerue for holy men. Farther this is not to be left vnſpoken of, that thoſe two tribes, namely Nepthalim and Zabulon, were not warrelike tribes but the weakeſt of all the tribes among the Iſraelites.The tribes of Nepthalim & Zabulon were of leſſe eſtimation thā the other tribes. And yet God commaundeth to choſe out ſouldiers out of them, wherby we learne that it is a lyke to hym to vſe either weake ſouldiers or ſtronge warriers agaynſt his enemies.

Some man peraduenture will doubte, by what argumentes or reaſons Barac could be perſuaded, to beleue the wordes of Deborah. To whome we aunſwere, that he weyghed with hymſelfe, that thoſe thinges whiche Deborah promiſed, did very well agree with the wordes and promiſes of God. For he, as he had threatened, that the Iſraelites when they ſinned ſhould by his commaundement and will be afflicted by outwarde nations: ſo agayne had he promiſed, that he would deliuer them out of the handes of their enemyes, if they faythfully repented them of their wickednes committed, and faythfully from the heart called vponupon him. He promiſed that he would fight for them, neither ſhould their weaknes or feweneſſe in nomber be a let,The wordes of Deborah were agreable with the holy Scriptures. but that they ſhuld get the victory ouer their enemies. Wherfore for as much as Deborah prophecied that thoſe things ſhould come to paſſe, whiche the Lord had promiſed vntounto the people of the Hebrues, it was conuenient, that Barac ſhould receaue thoſe wordes for true and faythfull

Farther the authoritie of the ſpeaker helped thereunto. For Deborah was by God conſtituted in the miniſtery, not vndoubtedly by an ordinary prerogatiue, but by a certayn ſingular and principall prerogatiue. And if we ſhould looke vppon the Etimology of her name,Deborah ſignifieth a bee. we ſhall thinke that her orations were verye ſweete. For Deborah with the Hebrues is a bee, which beaſt we know is a diligent artificer in makyng of hony. And yet all theſe thinges had not ben ſufficiēt, to make Barac to beleue her, vnles the power of the holy Ghoſt had perſuaded in his mynde thoſe things which were commaunded. For fayth is onelyonly the worke of the holy Ghoſt, whiche he can worke in the heartes of men without any outward inſtrument, but he hath decreed for the moſt part to vſe them, I meane the worde and the miniſtery, not as though he were bound vntounto them, but to ſhew vntounto vsus, how much we ought to make of theſe two inſtrumentes. Neither do I thinke that it is to be doubted, but that this holy woman, was both by miracles, and alſo by propheſieng of things to come, declared to be the Miniſter of the true God and the moſt healthfull Iudge of the Iſraelites. We therefore ought hereby to learne, that we muſt altogether heare the Miniſters of God, when they ſet forth vntounto vsus, his wordes, promiſes, and alſo threatninges out of the holy ſcriptures neither is there any authority in the worlde, whiche ought to be preferred before the miniſtery of the Church and word of God.They were heard thynges whiche Deborah commaunded. Wherfore iuſtly ought Barac to beleue the thinges whiche Deborah commaunded, althoughe they ſemed both greuous and heard. For ſhe commaunded hym, to moue ſedition and tumulte, to rebell agaynſt his prince, a priuate man to gather an hoſte, and that a litle one agaynſt a moſt mighty king.

Whether Barak were without faith.And Barac ſayde vntounto her, If thou wilte goo with me, I wyll go. In this place it ſemeth might be demaunded, whether Barac were doubtful, and beleued not at the beginning (as he ought to hauehave done) the wordes of Deborah. And that ſemeth to ſome abſurde, when as in the Epiſtle to the Hebrues the 11. chap: Barac is reckened with Sampſon, Gedeon Iephthe and others, which by fayth ouercame kyngdomes. And therefore it ſemeth that his fayth beyng prayſed by the teſtimony of God, ought not by our iudgement to be empared. Wherfore they affirme that he would hauehave Deborah to go with him, not bycauſe he beleued not the promiſe of God, but that he myght hauehave a Propheteſſe ready and ac hande, whoſe Counſell he might vſe in orderyng his warre, in pitching hys Campes, and other chaunces whiche are wonte to happen in warres. And I am not ignoraunt,Auguſtine. that Auguſtine readeth it, after this manner. Bycauſe I can not tell in what day the Lorde will proſper his aungell with me, &c. As thoughe he ſhould hauehave ſayd, I wyll therefore hauehave thee with me, bycauſe thou beyng endewed with the ſpirite of Propheſy (whiche hath not happened vntounto me) ſhalte eaſly knowe, in what daye the aungell of the Lorde will luckely fyght for vsus.

But I do thinke that Barac did ſomewhat doubt: for Deborah Prophecied in the name of God that bycauſe of thys aunſwere he ſhould be puniſhed. And more ouer (ſayeth ſhe) thy glory ſhalbe taken awaye from thee, and the Lord will ſel Syſara into the hand of a woman. Ioſephus.And as Ioſephus teſtifyeth ſhe ſpake theſe wordes beyng ſomewhat moued. And a Propheteſſe woulde not hauehave ben angry, neither would GOD hauehave diminiſhed the glorye of Barac without a faulte. And it appeareth not that he fell into any other ſinne beſides infidelity howbeit that incredulitye was afterwarde taken awaye by the ſpirite and grace of God & when at the length he beleued the wordes of Deborah, Men although they be godly do not ſtraight way beleue.and obeyed her, and by fayth (as it is written to the Hebrues) he obtayned the victorye. And how often that happeneth vntounto men,It is profitable for Captaynes to hauehave miniſters of the worde in their Campes. althoughe they be godly, namely, to doubt at the begynnyng, by reaſon of the dregges of the olde Adam, there is none whiche hath not experience of it in hymſelfe. Afterwarde when they are ſtrengthened with the ſpirite, there ſuccedeth a great aſſurednes of faith. And I do not deny that which the firſt interpretation ſayeth, namely that it is very expedient for Captaynes, to hauehave Prophetes and Miniſters of the worde of God with them in their warres. For as muche as the lawe of God in Deut. ſo commaundeth and in the 2. booke of kynges it is written, that Helizeus the Prophete was in the campe, when the kyng of Iſraell, the kyng of Iudah, and the kyng of Edom went to fight agaynſt the kyng of Moab. Wherfore Chriſtian princes, when they take any iuſt warres in hande,The preſēce of Deborah was profitable in y^e Campe. do ryghtly and orderly if they hauehave Preachers and Miniſters of the word of God with them in theyr expedition. Farther an other commodity came by the preſence of Deborah: for thereby godly men vnderſtoode, that it was no raſhe warre, or taken in hand by humane reaſon, but enterpriſed by the commaundement of God, and Counſell of his Propheteſſe.

But in that it is written that the glory ſhould be taken from Barac, and Siſera deliuered into the hande of a woman, it may be expounded two manner of wayes: either, bycauſe this victory ſhould not nowe be aſcribed vntounto Barac, but to Deborah, namely, bicauſe ſhe ſhould hauehave the prayſe to hauehave iudged Iſrael, and to hauehave ſet them at liberty, and Barac ſhould not be counted amonge the number of the Iudges. Or els bycauſe Barac ſhould not kyll Syſera with his owne hande, but Iahell the wife of the Kenite ſhould do it, as it ſhall afterwarde be declared. And in dede this latter interpretacion ſemeth to me more naturall and propre.

Of theſe thynges whiche we hauehave nowe brought forth, are ſome moſt worthy to be noted. The firſt is, that God might hauehave deliuered this people the Iſraelites without the helpe or hoſte of ten thouſand men, whom yet he therefore choſed to teach vsus, that he diſſaloweth not iuſt warrefarre. Farther that humane helpes, when they are preſent, are not to be deſpiſed. Moreouer he accordyng to his wiſedome vſed the gathering together of theſe ſouldiers thereby to prouoke Siſera, that he agayne might gathered an hoſt, and come and ouerthrow Barac.

And in that God ſayth he will draw Siſera vntounto mount Thabor, The drawyng of God ſerueth both to good thinges and to euill.he teacheth vsus, that his drawyng is of force, not onelyonly to good things, but alſo to euill, in reſpect that they are paynes and iuſt puniſhementes. No man can doubte, but that Siſera ſinned in this, bycauſe with a great violence he contented to oppreſſe the Iſraelites, and that vniuſtly. And yet GOD promiſed to drawe him to it. Neuertheleſſe we muſt marke,The maner of the drawing of God is not a like as touchīg good thinges and enui. that the maner of the drawing of GOD is not a like as touching good thyngs and euill: bycauſe to good thynges we can not be drawen, execept God do heale our vnderſtandyng, and geue vsus a good mynd. For by nature we are the children of wrath and vtterly corrupte, but when we are induced to euill GOD nedeth not to inſtill, any new malice in vsus, for as much as we alwayes of our ſelues hauehave it ready and prompte to do euill: but onelyonly the doyng of GOD, directeth them to what ende he will, and he ſo gouerneth them, to make open his glory as he hath decreed. After this ſorte vndoubtedly was Pharao hardened, and Siſera now drawen to deſtruction.God drew both the men of Barac and alſo Siſera but by diuers meanes. God alſo drewe thoſe ten thouſandmen after Barac, for otherwiſe they would not hauehave followed him, but this drawyng was after an other maner: for here he vſed the ſpeache of this man, whiche he made to be of efficacy in the heartes of his ſouldiers: but there to moue and prouoke Siſera he appointed both falling awaye of Barac, and the hoſt gathered by him.

This is alſo to be conſidered, that by this place is proued,Glorye maye lawfully be deſyred. that glory is a certayne good thing, whiche iuſte and good men may deſire: otherwiſe Barac, to be puniſhed for his incredulitie, ſhuld not hauehave ben depriued of glory. And glory is certayne nobleneſſe comming of thynges well done.What glory is For thoſe thynges whiche good men do very excellently of their own accord, do brede a noble name or glory.The matter & end of glory. Wherfore the matter wherin it cōſiſteth are opinions & talkes of iuſt & wiſe mē. But y^e end wherunto glory ought to be directed, is y^e ſettyng forth of y^e name of God, & alſo an exāple which is ſet forth for our neighbours to follow. And as y^e brightnes of y^e name of god, & y^e edifieng of others, ar very excellēt & good things ſo alſo is it manifeſt y^t the glory which ſerueth vntounto thē is a good thyng. Wherfore although glory for it ſelfe is not to be deſired as the laſt ende, yet for thoſe thinges whiche we hauehave mencioned,God can do many thynges whiche he will not do. ought it not to be neglected. Farther we muſt note that God can bryng certayne thynges to paſſe, whiche yet he will not performe, excepte thynges be done of vsus. For he could (as it appeareth by thys place) hauehave geuen the glory of this victorye and health of Iſraell onelyonly vntounto Barac: whiche he would not do, bycauſe he refuſed to go alone to that expedicion. Helizeus alſo (as it is written in the 2. booke of kyngs) when he was ſore ſicke, and commaunded the kyng of Iſrael which ſtode by him, to ſtrike the earth with and arrowe, and he did ſtrike it onelyonly three tymes, the Prophete was grieuouſly angry with hym, and ſayde: If thou haddeſt ſtriken ſixe or ſeuen tymes, thou ſhouldeſt vtterly hauehave deſtroyed Syria. But nowe thou ſhalte onelyonly thrice vex… and moleſt it. This maketh agaynſt thoſe, whiche thinke that the power of God differeth not from hys will, as thoughe he can not do thoſe thynges, whiche he will not,A deſtructiō of an abſolut power & of an ordinary power. when as for all that Chriſt ſayde, that he could hauehave xi. legions of aungels of hys Father, to defende hym from the Iewes that they ſhould not take hym. GOD therefore could hauehave done that whiche he dyd not. Wherfore they ſeme not to thinke euill, whiche referre thinges to an abſolute power and not to an ordinary, or definite power.

But how it is ſayde that Siſera ſhould be ſolde into the hande of a woman, we ſhal not nede nowe by many wordes to declare, and for as much as we hauehave before hearde this ſelfe ſame worde, and howe ryghtly it agreeth with God is there expounded. This onelyonly will I adde, that he was nowe ſolde of GOD to him, to whome before God had ſolde the Iſraelites, and it is ſayd that he ſhalbe ſolde into the hande of a woman, whiche ſhould hauehave power and myght to kyll him: for he was killed by Iael, as a litle afterward ſhalbe declared.

10 And Barac gathered together Zebulon, and Nepthalim in Kedes, and he went vponupon his feete with ten thouſand men. Deborah alſo went vp with him.

11 Nowe Heber the Kenite, whiche was of the children of Hobab the Father in lawe of Moſes, was departed from Cain, and pitched hys tente euen to Elon in Zaananuin, whiche is in Kedes.

12 And they ſhewed Siſera, that Barac y^e ſonne of Abinoam was gone vp to mount Thabor.

13 And Siſera gathered together all hys chariots, euen nine hundreth chariots of yron, and all the people that were with hym from Harozeth of the gentles, vntounto the riuer Kiſyn.

It is before ſhewed by what meanes Barac gathered his men together, namely by an oration of much likelyhood and of muche efficacy whiche was of ſo great ſtrength with theſe tribes,The counſels of men are ſo efficacy as the predeſtinacion of God hath or deyned. that there came of them ten thouſand men vntounto him, neither would God (as it appeareth by the wordes of Deborah) hauehave any more. Hereby we ſee that the Counſels and wordes of men are ſo farreforth fruitfull, as the predeſtination or will of GOD hath before appoynted. Wherefore Luke in the Actes of the Apoſtles feared not to write: And they beleued as many as were ordeyned to euerlaſtyng lyfe. Some tranſlate this Hebrew worde Bergeliu, footemen, and others, after hym. But as for that matter we wyll not muche contend: bycauſe if they followed the feete of Barac, it is a token, that they alſo were footemen, neyther were the Iſraelites wonte to be of any great force on horſebacke, for as they were by GOD forbidden to kepe any greate number of Horſes. And when they ſhould go vp the mounte, thoughe they had ben horſemen, they could not hauehave ben ſo apte in thoſe places. Farther this alſo maketh with it, for ſtrayght way is vſed the ſame kynde of ſpeach, when Siſera lept out of his chariot, & would hauehave fled away on foote. But therof we will ſpeake in his place.

Deborah alſo went vp with hym. It was before ſayde that ſhe went with Barac vntounto Kades: but bycauſe he ſhould lede hys hoſt from Kades to the mount, it is properly ſayd that ſhe nowe alſo went vp together with the Souldiers that were collected. And there was no ſmall fayth both in the Captaynes and alſo in the Souldiers, whiche durſte take ſuche enterpriſes in hande, beyng ſo weake and fewe in number. But fayth ſeeth thoſe thynges which appeare not to the eyes of the body. Helizeus the Prophete once prayed, that the eyes of the lad whiche was with hym myght be opened, to ſee the wonderfull number of aungels, whiche very valiantly fought for hym agaynſt hys enemyes. And therfore as many of vsus as do beleue in Chriſt, when we are in daungers, ought by conſtant fayth to take holde of that helpe whiche God hath prepared for vsus, althoughe with our eyes we ſee it not.

The thynges whiche are nowe by a Parentheſis declared of the Kenite, are therefore in the hiſtory by anticipation ſet forth, that thoſe thynges maye the eaſiyer be vnderſtand, which afterward ſhalbe ſpoken of Siſara that was killed by Iahell.

This Heber the huſband of Iahell was of the poſteritie of Hobab the father in lawe of Moſes, of whome we hauehave aboundantly ſpoken before.Why the family of Iethro were called Kenites. But of this place we learne why they were called Kenites. For Cain was the name of their famely: but thys Heber dwelled a parte from hys kynſemen, neither remayned he any longer amonge them. For the reſt (as it is wrytten in the 1. chap: of thys booke) departed from the Citie of Iericho, followed Othoniell, and lyued in the deſert together with the children of Iſraell. Why Heber departed from his kinſfolkes.But Heber of whome it is nowe written, went to the borders of Zabulon and Nepthalim, and pitched his tente nere to Cedes. But what was the cauſe of hys departure from hys brethren, it is not preſently wrytten. But we knowe that Loth and Abraham by reaſon of the aboundance of cattell and want of Paſtor, departed one from an other: and ſeyng the ſame myght eaſly happen vntounto the Kenites, it is not vnlykely, but that they were vponupon the lyke occaſion ſeparated. Thys worde Tſeenim, (if we maye beleue the Chaldey Paraprhaſt) ſignifieth ditches full of water,The Rechabites were Kenites. with whiche that place peraduenture abounded. It is no meruayle that the family whiche that place peraduenture abounded. It is no meruayle that the family of the Kenites dwelled in tentes: for ſo muche as the Rechabites whiche came of them, had no where any fyrme abydyng places, and that was wont to be the manner almoſt of all ſhepeheardes, to followe Paſtors that be plentyfull, in what place ſo euer they be. And thys worde Acilun ſignifieth ſometymes an oke, and ſometymes a playnefielde. The Chaldey Paraphraſt turneth, it a playnefielde: but it myght be, that there was ſome notable oke or groue of okes in it.

It was ſhewed vntounto Siſera onelyonly howe Barac had gathered together an hoſt and tolde hym that Deborah the Propheteſſe of God was there, bycauſe that all men had a reſpecte vntounto them at whiche was the Captayne of the hoſte. And though a woman were theyr firſte counſeller, of this enterpriſe yet there is nothyng ſhewed hym of her, for the thynges whiche are done by women, are wont for the moſte parte to be referred vntounto men. Neither had the Ethnikes peraduenture any regarde to the gyfte of Propheſye wherewith Deborah was endewed. What number of Souldiers Siſera had it is not in thys place expreſſed: onelyonly there is mention made of nyne hundreth Chariottes of yron.Ioſephus. But Ioſephus teſtifyeth (as we hauehave before ſayde) that the Chananites had 300000. footemen. 10000. horſemen, and laſtly 3000. Charlottes. And in that the hiſtorye now maketh mencion onelyonly of 900.Auguſtine. it is to be vnderſtande, of hooked and yron chariots, which interpretaciō Auguſtine in his queſtiōs on this place followeth. Farther Ioſephus addeth that this Siſera by the commaundement of Iabin hys kyng directed this hoſt vntounto mount Thabor or Ithabyrius.

14 Thē Deborah ſaid vntounto Barac: vp, for this is the day, wherin y^e Lord hath deliuered Siſera into thine hand. Is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barac went downe from mount Thabor, and ten thouſand men after hym.

15 And the Lord deſtroyed Siſera, and all his chariots, and al his hoſt with y^e edge of the ſworde, before Barac. So that Siſera lighted downe of his chariot, and fled away on his feete.

Barac is made ſtrong by the wordes of Deborah, and forced to ioyne battail with his enemyes. For that is the power of fayth, to ſtrengthen the weakeneſſe yea if the exhortation of Deborah had not bene,Ioſephus. Barak (if we may beleue Ioſephus) by the ſight of his enemies was ſo feared and troubled, that he would hauehave gotten hym to the ſtronger fenſed places of the hill, but ſhe called hym backe agayne, and by her wordes draue hym to fyght. Beyng therefore ſtrengthened, and confirmed, he forſooke the well fenſed partes of mount Thabor, and came downe to fight with Siſera. This is (ſayeth ſhe) the day. As thoughe ſhe ſhould hauehave ſayd, no humane power, or warlike might can let y^e victory, which the predeſtination of God hath this day decreed vntounto thee. But a man will aſke howe it is nowe ſayd that Siſera ſhould be deliuered into the handes of Barac, when as before it was foretold, that he ſhoulde be ſolde into the hande of a woman? I aunſwere that it is therfore bycauſe that the hoſt ſhould be deſtroyed by Barac, and Siſera ſhould be ſo made to flye, that the matter was begonne by the conduct of Deborah, and finiſhed by Iahell, but the flyght and ſlaughter was accompliſhed by Barac. Wherfore in the hyſtory there can not iuſtly be noted any contrariety or diuerſitie.

Is not the Lorde? The interrogation whiche the Prophete vſeth, doth not onelyonly ſtirre vp and encourage the heart of Barac, but alſo vehemently commaundeth hym, as the Latine Poete alſo hath ſayde: Shall not armure diſpatche the matter, and ſhall they not followe me through the whole Citie? But here may ſomewhat be doubted, in that our text hath, that the Lorde went forth before Barac, when as the Chaldey paraphraſt turneth it, an aungell. For it ſayeth, Shall not the aungell of the Lorde proſper thee? And vndoubtedly this paraphraſis ſheweth,Auguſtine. what was the cauſe why Auguſtine read (as we hauehave before admoniſhed), that Barac ſayde vntounto Deborah go with me, bycauſe I knowe not in what day GOD ſhall proſper hys aungell & me. Wherfore we muſt thinke, that the Greke interpretors had theſe wordes of the Chaldey paraphraſt, which afterwarde crepte into the texte, but yet out of place. But as touchyng the matter,Chriſt was the aungell which defended the Iewes. eyther is true, both that GOD and hys aungell were preſent and fought on the Hebrues ſide. And vndoubtedly Chriſt was that aungell whiche defended the Iewes and fought for them. Of Malachie the Prophete he is called the Aungell: and in Exodus God promiſed both, that he himſelfe woulde come with his people, and alſo ſend his aungell, for our Chriſt both is GOD and alſo had euer with hym aungels as Miniſters defending the Hebrues.

And the Lorde deſtroyed Siſera. Thys Hebrew worde Ieham maye hauehave for hys roote or grounde thys worde Hamam, whiche ſignifieth to make afeard or to trouble. And then ſhall the ſenſe be, God made him afeard, but the ſame worde ſignifieth alſo, to breake, or to deſtroy, althoughe as Kimhi writeth, his rote may be this word Hom and Him which almoſt ſignifieth the ſame thinge. And in dede God did both, he terrified the hartes of the Chananites, and ſtroke and brake their hoſt.

How this ſlaughter happened, or by what ſinguler ayde of God the Iſraelits ouercame, it is not in this place written. But Ioſephus affirmeth that a greate violence of tempeſte and hayle was caſte from heauen into the eyes of the aduerſaries, wherewith the Chananites were ſo hindred in the battayle,Ioſephus. that they were not able to defend thēſelues, & therefore they were miſerablye ſlayne, whē as yet y^e miſery nothing at al hurted the Iewes. For y^e hayle was onelyonly on their backe, and therfore theyr violence againſt theyr enemies was in nothing letted.

VVith the edge of the ſword. It is ſayd that God ſlew them, for he made them afeard, and wonderfully troubled them with the tempeſt or hayle. Howbeit the victory was ſo obteyned, that the Iſraelits alſo fought: for it is written y^t the enemies periſhed by y^e edge of the ſword, by which kind of ſpeach vndoubtedly is declared that they were ſlayne. This I hauehave for this cauſe noted,God ſomtimes deſtroyeth hys enemies without the helpe of men. bicauſe God ſomtimes ſo maketh afeard his enemies & graunteth victory ouer them, that his people whome he deliuereth, do nothing at all: as it came to paſſe in the red ſea, when Pharao periſhed there with his hoſt: and when the hoſt of Senacherib was wonderfully deſtroyed in one night by the aungell.

16 But Barak purſued after the Chariotes, and after the hoſt euē vntounto Harozeth of the gentiles: & al the hoſte of Siſera fell vponupon the edge of the ſword. And there was not a man left.

17 Howbeit Siſera fled away on his fete to the tent of Iahell the wife of Heber the Kenite. For there was peace betwene Iabin the king of Hazor, and the family of Heber the Kenite.

Againe in this place we hauehave this worde Bergeliu that is, on his feete. And in dede it appereth y^t it ſignifieth nothing els but a footeman. For Siſera thought he could not in that battell be ſaued in hys chariote: wherfore he determined priuely to flye amonge the raſchall ſouldiours. He now therefore forſaketh and abiecteth his chariot which was prepared vntounto him for a defence and ayd. And aſſuredly whē God taketh away audacity and ſtrength, the things which before wer weapons, are then made burthens and lettes. Miſerable Siſara flyeth, but he eſcapeth not. He made haſt vntounto the place, wher god had prepared a ſnare for him. For the other Cananits fled to Hazoreth of the gentils, namely vntounto the place from whēce they came. But Siſera turned his iourny an other way from the reſt of the ſouldiers, neither fled he the right way as the other did. He knew the ſhorteſt way, & he gat him to the tent of the Kenits: which he knew was nigh home, and not far from the place wher the battayle was fought. And there he hoped to hauehave lurked, till the rage of the warre ſhould hauehave bene pacified.

In that they were all deſtroyed, it is a token of a perfecte victory. But as concerninge the peace betweene Iabin and the Kenites, in what ſorte or manner it was, we hauehave no certainty. Wherfore to affirme any thinge of it for certaine, it ſhould be raſhly done. For it mighte be that Hebor payed ſomewhat vntounto Iabin for the paſtors which he occupied, and contrariwiſe that the kinge promiſed him ſecurity and ſafety for his flockes, cattel, and family. There may be alſo very many other things thought & thoſe very likely, but not to be affirmed for certaine.

Whither it be lawful for the godly to hauehave peace wyth the vngodly.

THis queſtiō is now to be diſcuſſed and defined, whether it be lawful for godly mē to make peace & to kepe it with vngodly. And me thinketh we may ſaye that it is lawful, eſpecially if it be concluded for y^e peaceable defending & keping of the bondes or borders on ether ſyde. Paul ſaith, as much as lyeth in you, hauehave peace with all men. So did the moſt Chriſtian princes with the barbarous infidles, in making peace ſomtimes with thē. So Iacob in y^e old tyme made a legue with Laban. So alſo did the children of Iſrael, with their other neighbours, excepting the ſeuen nations, for God cōmaunded them not to make war with all thoſe nations that dwelled about them.

But if thou ſhalte demaunde, whether it be lawfull for the godlye when they take a common expedition in hand, to ioyne their army and power with the vngodly.An example of Ioſaphat. That ſemeth to be denied. For Ioſaphat had euill ſucceſſe whē in making warre againſt Ramoth Gilead, he ioyned him ſelf with the king of Iſrael. Neither ſped the ſame king luckely when he ſent ſhippes together with the king of Iſraels ſhippes into Tharſis. For there aroſe a tempeſt in Aſchou-Gaber wherby hapned a ſhipwracke and ſo he loſt his Nauy. And as it is written in the latter booke of Paralip. God by the mouthe of his prophete reproued Ioſaphat, bycauſe he had ioyned himſelf with an vngodly king. The Machabites alſo made league w^t the Romaines,An example of y^e Machabits. The queſtiō is confirmed by reaſons. & Lacedemoniās, but what diſpleſure they had therby, theyr hiſtory declareth. But now that we hauehave manyfeſted the thinge by examples, let vsus confirme it alſo by reaſōs. This no mā can deny, that in ſuch hoſts, namely conſiſting of the vngodly & the godly together, the ſincere religion and idolatry are mingled together: wherbye it eaſelye commeth to paſſe (ſuche is the weaknes of our nature) that the vnpure do infecte the holy ones. And it ſeldome happeneth but that ſome impiety cleaueth vntounto the childrē of God. Farther whē they come to handy ſtrokes they muſte call vponupon God, and when the victory is obtayned, they muſte alſo geue thankes vntounto God. And in doinge theſe thinges, what inuocation I pray you, what ſacrifices, what thankes geuinge ſhall there be? The true god ſhalbe mingled with Belial, idolatrous rites with lawful rites, and true piety with ſuperſtition. Theſe things vndoubtedly diſpleaſe God. For if he would hauehave thinges after this ſort mingled together, why choſed he a peculiar people vntounto himſelf? Vndoubtedlye he did it, that the faythfull mighte liue purely by themſelues, and worſhip the true god ſincerely. And ſeing the matter is ſo, it is not lawful cōfuſedly to hauehave to do with the vngodly: otherwiſe the order which god hath appoynted ſhould be troubled.

Of the league of Abraham with the Chananites.A man might peraduenture ſay, that Abraham made league with Abuer, Eſchol, and Mambre, and with theyr ayd toke in hand an expedicion, wherin he deliuered Loth his kinſman, which was led away captiue. But they which obiect this example, where find they that theſe men wer idolatrers? I vndoubtedly do not ſee that it can be gathered by the holy ſcriptures. But rather I ſuppoſe that they were worſhippers of the true God. For God ſaide vntounto Abraham, that he would not ſtraightway geue vntounto him the lande of the Cananites, bicauſe the ſinnes of that nation were not yet full. Wherfore it is not abſurde to ſaye, that theſe three men were yet there, & did worſhip the true God ſimply. For aſmuch as we know aſſuredly that Melchizedech alſo was in thoſe regions, who bleſſed Abraham, and was the prieſt of the moſt high God. But graunt y^t they wer idolatres as theſe men wil hauehave them: Shall that which was by a certayn ſinguler progatiue lawfull vntounto Abraham, be ſtrayghtway counted lawful vntounto al men to do it iuſtly and without puniſhmente, I thinke not. Farthermore we muſte mark, y^t the common wealth of the Iewes was not yet ordained. And Abraham alone could not dwel among the Cananites without ſome couenāts or leagues made with them. Wherunto thou maiſte adde that God had not yet geuen the law, wherin he peculiarly forbad any thinge as touching this matter.

Whither it be lawful for chriſtians to ſeeke for helpe of infidels.But if a prince, or Chriſtian pub: wealth (as ſometimes it chaunceth) ſhould be in daunger, maye they deſire helpe at infidels handes? They cannot. For if Paule will hauehave vsus rather to ſuffer wronge and hurt, than that we ſhoulde go to the iudgement ſeats of the infidels when we are in controuerſy with our brethren: How much leſſe is it lawfull to vſe the helpe of the vngodly, to deliuer vsus from other Chriſtianes, which vniuſtlye oppreſſe vsus.

I know that Aſa king of Iudah ſente money, golde and ſiluer,An example of Aſa the kinge. vntounto Benhadab king of Siria, to make warre againſt the king of Samaria, that therby he mighte be deliuered from him whiche in a manner oppreſſed him: Howebeit I doe not thinke that the acte of this kinge (though it had good ſucceſſe) is to be followed. For he was reproued of God for it. And though it be not expreſſed in the boke of kinges, yet in Paralip: it is manifeſtly deſcribed. For there we reade that the prophet was purpoſedly ſent of God vntounto Aſa the king to reproue him greuouſlye for this his acte.An example of Amaſia. Yea and there is an other notable example of like ſorte written in the ſame boke, namely that Amaſia did hier agaynſt the Edomits. C. thouſād Iſraelites: which the prophet in the name of God grieuouſlye reprehended, and commaunded that he ſhould put away the Iſraelitiſh ſouldiours from his hoſte, becauſe that the will and good pleaſure of God was vtterly from thē. The kinge aunſwered vntounto the Prophete: But nowe I hauehave geuen them an C. talentes for theyr ſtipend. The man of God aunſwered, that the Lord could aptly and eaſely repay him as many talentes, and that for ſo ſmall a loſſe he ſhould not ſuffer Idolatrers which were hated of god to be in his campes.

I will not tel how often the Iewes were forbidden by the prophets, that they ſhoulde not require helpe of the Egiptians, or of the Aſſirians.

But to returne to the matter from which we hauehave ſomewhat decreaſed: This Heber the knighte, if he had peace with Iabin, for his limites or borders, or for ſome pencion agreed with him for paſtor for his cattle, it cannot be diſcommended. Foraſmuch as godly men ſeke not to dwel out of the world, & they ought according to the Apoſtles commaundement to hauehave peace with al men as much as in thē lieth. But if he had peace, to take in hand any cōmō expeditiō, it was vniuſt, neither ought it to abide ratified. But the thinge whiche we hauehave in hande was don by Iahel, and not by Hebor her huſbād. For he ether was not at home, or elles if he were at he home was ſick: Wherfore he could not execute this notable acte.

18 And Iahell went out to mete Siſera, and ſaid vntounto him, Turn on my Lorde, turne in to me feare not. And he turned in vntounto her tente. And ſhe couered hym with a coueringe.

19 And he ſayde vntounto her, geue me I praye thee, a little water to drinke for I am thirſtye, and ſhe opened a bottle of milke and gaue him drinke and couered him.

20 Agayne he ſayd vntounto her, ſtande in the dore of the tent and when anye man doth come and inquire of thee, ſaying: is anye man here? thou ſhalt ſay, nay.

21 Then Iahel Hebers wife toke a nayle of the tente, and toke an hammer in her hād, and went priuely vntounto him, and ſmote the naile into his temples, and faſtned it vntounto the grounde. For he was faſte on ſlepe and wery: and ſo he died.

Iahel vſed guile and that euel guile: but agaynſt her enemy, not her own enemy, but one alredy reiected of God and an oppreſſor of the people of God. And in what ſorte it is lawful to vſe euel guile againſt ſuch enemies, we hauehave before declared. The couering wherwith ſhe couered him, it is vncertayne what manner of one it was, and the opinions of the interpretors do muche differ therein. For ſome affirm that it was of ſilk and fine, and other ſome that it was a thick wollen garment full of heares and lockes hanging in both ſides. But the matter is of no greate importance, and conſiſteth wholy in coniectures.

The cauſe of the drought of Siſera.That Siſera was oppreſſed with thirſt we ought not to merueile, when as he had traueled ſo farre on foote, and was preſſed with ſo great grief, for both they which are weary and alſo they that are heauy for the moſt parte are wonte to be thirſty. For both labor and the affection of ſorow, hauehave a power of drying. The woman gaue him milke. Paraduenture ſhee didde it of purpoſe, to cauſe him to fall on ſlepe. Neither was it any hard thing for her to geue him milke to drinke, for ſhe had it in hand, when as ſhe & her whole family excerciſed the arte of graffinge of cattle. And in that it is ſaid, that ſhe opened a bottle, it declareth that ſhe had no ſmal ſtore of milke, but greate aboundaunce therof. But Siſera when he had wel dronke, forgat not yet his owne ſafety, but diligently admoniſheth the woman, what ſhe ſhoulde aunſwere, if any body came to aſke for him. And that none ſhould hauehave occaſion to entre into the tente, he willeth her to abide at the dore, to aunſwere ſuch as ſhould go by, to the ende that if they ſoughte for him, they ſhould ſone departe from thence.

A nayle of the tente I take to be that which they vſe to faſten into the ground to cauſe the tente being bound vntounto it to abide ſpreade abroade. And in that the woman vſed a hammer and a nayle, this I gather thereby, that the Iſraelites whileſt they ſerued the Chananites, had theyr weapons taken away from them by the Chananites that they ſhould hauehave neither ſword nor dagger mete to kill a man withall. This holy woman vndoubtedly was gouerned by God, whiche durſt accompliſh ſo great an enterpriſe. For the ſtrengthe of wemen is not able to atchiue theſe thinges.The cauſe of Siſaras ſlepe. Siſera being on ſleepe, died. The cauſes of his ſleepe are now ſufficiently expreſſed, namely that he was weary by reaſon of his iourney, he dronke a greate deale of milke, and lay well couered: He was oppreſſed with heauines: and it is poſſible, that he ſlept but a little the night before.

The woman came ſoftly or priuely, to ſe whither he were throughly on ſleepe and when ſhe ſaw that he was ſo, with a ſtout and valiant courage ſhe gaue him a ſtroke. Siſera died, and that with ignominy. For God for this cauſe ſuffred him for a time to flye, that he might not be killed in battayle amonge men, but being on ſlepe be ſlayne by the hand of a woman.

22 And behold Barak purſued after Siſara, and Iahell came out to mete him, and ſayd vntounto him, Come, & I will ſhew thee the man whome thou ſeekeſt. And he came in vntounto her. And beholde Siſara lay on the ground deade, and the nayle in his temple.

23 So god brought downe Iabin the kinge of Chanaan that daye before the children of Iſraell.

24 And the hande of the children of Iſraell proſpered, and preuayled againſt Iabin the king of Chanaan, vntill they had deſtroyed the ſame Iabin king of Chanaan.

Iahel meeteth Barak and ſhee therefore ſheweth him his enemy killed, that he ſhoulde no more trauayle in ſeekinge of him. Siſera was not deceaued when he thought that Barak would come to the tent of Iahel, for he came thither in dede, for purſuinge the Chananites euen vntounto Hazoreth of the gentiles, he ſawe not Siſera among them which fell: wherfore he iudged he lurked ſomwhere, and ſuſpected that he had without any more a doe fledde vntounto the tente of the Leuites, bicauſe of the league and peace which he had with them. God therfore broughte downe Iabin, yea if ye maye beleue Ioſephus, the Iſraelites deſtroyed his citye with ſword and fire.

Whither Iahel in violating the laws of hoſpitality did well, or no.But it ſemeth that Iahel in this her enterpriſe and notable act did violate the lawes of hoſpitalitye and league, and therefore nowe reſteth, either to condemne her or to quitte her.

But bicauſe al controuerſye, not a litle dependeth foreign,What maner of mē the Kenites were. that is of the circumſtance of the perſons, let vsus therfore ſet her before our eyes, and conſider with our ſelues what maner of men the Kenites wer. They aſſuredly in bloude wer ioyned with the Iſraelites. For it is written that they wer the poſteritye of Hobab the father in law of Moyſes. Farther, in the ſtudy of piety and the lawe of God they moſt purely conſented with the Hebrues. Neither was theyr faythe ydle, but of efficacy and working. For they leauing their country, followed the Iſraelites, and God which was their guide thorowe the deſerte places. Wherefore at the length when the landes were diſtributed, they obtayned inheritance together with them in the lande of Chanaan. For theſe cauſes, if Iahel went about to ſet the Iewes at libertye, ſhe did but her dutye, neyther tooke ſhe vponupon her any other mans office.

On the contrary part let vsus thus thinke of Siſera. What Siſera was.He was an oppreſſer of the people of God, and nowe killed by the power of God, and vtterlye confounded, neyther appeared there in him any token of repentance, but rather would therfore hyde himſelfe, that eſcaping this ſo preſent a daunger, he might againe gather a new hoſt againſt the Iſraelites. In deede after a ſorte hee was in league with Heber the Kenite: but (as it is to be thought) not with a pure hart, but onelye to plucke him awaye from the reſt of the Iewes, whereby he might hauehave the fewer enemies, & not be compelled to fight with ſo many enemies at one tyme. Or els to get of him a great tribute, or ſome other commoditye which he looked for. Farthermore in this his vnluckye chaunce, he calleth vponupon no God, he imploreth not the prayers of others, but onelyonly ſeketh hiding places, wher he might hide himſelfe tyl ſuch time, as the rage and brute of the Conquerers were ſomewhat ſtaked: and onelyonly truſted in humane aydes and leagues. By theſe thinges it eaſilye followeth, that both Iahel dyd her dutye, and that Siſera deſerued ſo to be kylled.

But as touching the lawes of hoſpitality,Lawes of hoſpitality ought ordinarilye to bee kepte vnuiolated. we alſo do iudge that they by them ſelues and of their own nature ought to be kept ſacred and vnuiolated. Thys vnderſtoode Loth, when he would hauehave abandoned his daughters to the fylthy luſtes of the wanton Sodomites, to the end they ſhould doo no iniury vntounto them which had turned in vntounto him. Neither departed that olde man from his example, which receaued the Leuite with his wife as ſtraungers, as it ſhal be more at large declared in this hiſtorye of the Iudges. Whoſe counſell in betraying hys daughters, although I allow not, yet I do very much commend the defending of the ſtraungers. Yea, and the Gentiles worſhipped Iupiter hoſpitalis, knowing by the light of nature, that God had a ſingular care ouer ſtraungers and geſtes.Pythagoras. Pythagoras alſo diſcommendeth the Swallowes, namelye for this, bicauſe they dayly lodge vnderunder the couering of mens houſes, and yet will neuer be made familiar or tame vntounto their hoſtes.Miſchieuous houſes. There were alſo ſomtime certain miſcheuous houſes, in which no man might anye more inhabite (as probable authors hauehave written) and that bicauſe in them the lawes of hoſpitalitye had bene violated. And contrarywiſe wher hoſpitality hath bene wel and faithfully kept, not onelyonly Angels, but God himſelfe alſo ſomtimes hath bene an acceptable geſt. Chriſt alſo at the end of the world wil ſay: I was a ſtraunger and ye lodged me, commending his in the ſight of the whole world, for the vertue of hoſpitalitye. And it is manifeſt, that men in the old time decreed that betwene the geſt & the hoſt ther ſhould be great frendſhip. Laſtly God in the law commaūded, that the Hebrues ſhould not deſpiſe the Egiptians, or vtterly expel them from them, & that namely for this, bicauſe at the beginning they ſhewed hoſpitality vntounto their elders. Wherfore we muſt affirme that by the vniuerſal and ordinary lawe,When God cō maundeth, all lawes of friendſhyp are to bee broken. the lawes of hoſpitality ought to be kept inuiolated. And this ought alſo to he firm, that in lawes, no friendſhips, are ſo honeſt and ſo iuſt, but they are to be broken if God commaund otherwiſe. For al theſe thinges ought ſo long to be of force, as the wil of God ſhal allow them. Wherfore, foraſmuch as God had nowe reiected Siſera and the Chananites, and would hauehave them deſtroyed, no couenants could iuſtlye be kept with them. For we muſt rather obey God than mans reaſons. And of this wil of God Deborah was both a prophecier and an interpreter. She had declared that Siſera was now reiected of God, and had openly foretold that he ſhould be ſold into the hand of a woman.

After this maner the Leuites when they had ſlaine their friendes & kinſfolkes followed Moyſes: to whom Moyſes in the name of God ſaid, ye hauehave conſecrated your handes, ſo farre was it of that they were reproued for violating the bondes of kinred. Ieremy alſo, when by the commaundement of God hee had pronounced that the Moabites ſhoulde be kylled, he curſed thoſe which had withdrawen themſelues from that murther. He is curſed (ſaid he) which doth the woorke of the Lord deceatefully. In the lawe alſo it is commaunded, that none ſhoulde be ſpared which entiſed any to idolatry, no not the Father, nor the Mother, no nor he or ſhe which ſleepeth in thy boſome. Who ſeeth not here that moſt ſtrayghte bondes of kinred are to be contemned, if the wil and woord of God be againſt it… Abraham was commaunded to kyl his ſonne, and that his onelyonly ſonne, as touching whom he had receaued a moſt large promiſe. The promiſe of God and fatherly kindnes ſeemed to be againſt his precept, and yet againſt theſe thynges, the woord of God vrging him, he ought to hauehave kylled his ſonne. So muſt we think, that al men, although they be night of kyn vntounto vsus, ar ſacrifices vntounto god, as many as he commaundeth to be ſlayne. Wherefore in Eſay the .xxxiiii. chap. it is written:What happeneth vntounto them that be prepoſterouſly gentle. The Lord hath a ſacrifice in Bozra. But they which wyth a prepoſterous clemency wyl againſt the woord of God be merciful, let them remember what happened vntounto the king of Samaria. He, when he had ſpared Benadab the king of Siria, contrary to the commaundement of god, he was in this maner reprehended in the name of god by the Prophet. Thy ſoule ſhalbe for his ſoule.

Wherfore Iahel in this place is not to be blamed, foraſmuch as ſhe obeyed the counſel of god, and was excellently commended in the ſong of Deborah, as wee ſhal ſtraightway ſee. And vndoubtedly this her worke came of a great fayth and ſingular obedience. I know that ſome thinke, that the act of Iahel is to be commended, in that ſhe killed Siſera, and had ſo ready a mynde to ſet at libertye the Iſraelites: but yet they condemne the lye which ſhe made, and the promiſe wher in ſhe promiſed that ſhe would hide and defend him. For ſhe ſaid: turn in to me, turne in to me, I pray thee my Lord, be not afeard. By which kinde of ſpech ſhe ſeemed to promiſe him not to betray him to his enemies. I alſo woulde affirme the ſame, but that I ſee that god was the gouernour of this whole enterpriſe. I hauehave before taught, that it is lawful to vſe guile, and that euil guile againſt our enemies, and that certaine proditions are iuſt. But I added, that there ſhoulde be mingled no promiſes nor lyes, nor othes with them. But al theſe thinges are to be vnderſtand by the common law. But if god ſhal ſtyrre vsus vp to doo otherwiſe, there ſhalbe no blame layde in vsus, if we obey him: ſo that we be very aſſured that god will hauehave it ſo to be done. And this is not to be left out, that ſome thinke, that Iahel at the beginning, when ſhe called Siſera vntounto her, thought of no guile or fraude towardes him: but that ſhe was minded to keepe hym ſafe, as ſhe had promiſed: but afterward ſhe chaūged her purpoſe, bicauſe god had ſhewed her, that ſhe ſhould otherwyſe woorke.

Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 4

¶The .iiii. Chapter.

Of the mariage of miniſters.

Whither it be lawful for the godly to hauehave peace wyth the vngodly.