Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 10 – Chapter 11
¶The .x. Chapter.
1 ANd after Abimeleche, roſe vp to ſaue Iſraell Thola, the ſonne of Pua, the ſonne of Dodo, a mā of Iſaſchar, and he dwelled in Samir in mount Ephraim.
2 And he iudged Iſraell .23. yeares, and died, and was buried in Samir.
AFter the deathe of Abimeleche, followed a longe peace, namelye .45.A peace during 45. yeares. yeares: which ſpace of time is deſtributed into two Iudges, whereof the one gouerned the people three and twenty yeares, and the other two and twentye yeares. So greate is the goodnes of God, that he would reſtore peace vntounto men, though they deſerued it not.
And after Abimelech, roſe vp Thola. In that it is written both of this Iudge, and of the other: And there roſe vp: wee muſt not for all that thinke, that they of theyr owne minde claimed vntounto thē ſelues the principality, but they wer elected vntounto it by the lord, and of him ſet to rule by the people of Iſrael. And thei are ſayd to hauehave riſen vp, bycauſe they followed the inſtinct of the Lord.
To ſaue Iſraell. Betwene good princes and tirans this is the difference: Tirans ſeke onelyonly theyr own gayn, but good magiſtrats hauehave only a care for this, to ſaue the people. Dauid Kimhi thinketh yt Abimelech alſo ſaued the Iſraelites, although he both ſlew his bretherne and made ciuil warres.The difference betwene a tyrā & a true prince. Dauid Kimhi. For he was a warlike and ſtoute man: wherfore outward nations feared him. But I wil not eaſely graunt vntounto this ſentēce: for as much as the holy ſcriptures mencion not that he made warres wt outward nations, which they would not hauehave otherwiſe left vnſpoken of. If thou wilt ſay, that it maye therefore ſeeme that he ſaued Iſrael, by cauſe he is nombred amonge the Iudges: I aunſweare, this is rather to be marked, that the ſcripturs called him not a Iudge, but rather a king: neither is it written that he iudged, but reigned. But in that he is nombred among the Iudges, that was the cauſe which we hauehave before touched, namely that the vertues of the Iudges might be more illuſtrat, and that it might be made manifeſt, how much princes that are geuen of God, do excell thoſe whiche men chooſe vntounto themſelues. Ioſephus in his boke de antiquitatibus leaueth out this Thola, and onelyonly maketh mention of the other;A iudgemente of the ſtorye of Ioſephus. of whom we will ſtraightway ſpeake. And it is no meruayle, for that author is wonte to ouer paſſe very manye thinges, and ſometimes to alter ſome thinges.
Of the tribe of Iſaſchar. That tribe was the loweſt and obſcureſt tribe, but god hath no reſpect to perſons. The ſtate of this pub. weal was moſt excellent, namely Ariſtocratia, wherin god choſed Iudges indifferētly out of all the people. And there was none which could iuſtly complayne, that his famely could not be exalted to the higheſt dignity of rule, which thing happeneth not in a kingdom. For all the kinges came of the famely of Dauid.
The ſonne of Pua Ben Dodo. That word is ambiguous & darke: for it may be both a nowne proper and a nowne appellatyue. If it be a proper nowne, (as the Chaldey Paraphraſt ſuppoſeth) we muſt ſay that Thola had to father Pua, & that Pua was the ſonne of a certaine man named Dodo. But other thinke that it is a nown appellatiue, and that ſignifieth an vncle, and hath a pronowne affixed vntounto it of the third perſon. And ſome vnderſtand that by that pronown is referred or ſignifyed Abimelech, as though it were noted that Pua was the vncle of Abimelech: which ſentence ſom of the Hebrewes allow. Yea and the lattin interpreter, to expreſſe that ſentence, and that there might be no darkenes therin, addeth the name of Abimelech. But how Pua ſhoulde be vncle vntounto Abimelech, and ſo the brother of Gideon, beinge of an other tribe, it ſeemeth meruellous, bicauſe tribes were not mingled one with an other. Some aunſweare that it mighte be that they were brethern on the mother ſide, but yet not on the fathers ſide. For ſuch womē which had no inheritāce, maried oftētimes in other tribes: but ſo did not they which had inheritance, that the lands and inheritance ſhould not be confoūded, wherfore it might eaſly come to pas, that ether her huſband beyng dead, or ſhe by him repudiated, maried agayne in an other tribe. And by this meanes Gidion & Pua may be bretherne, although they came of ſūdry tribes. But yt thoſe daughters whych were inheritors, might not mary in an other tribe, it is by many examples confirmed. Saule otherwiſe a Beniamite, gaue his daughter to wyfe vntounto Dauid, who was of the tribe of Iudah Iehoida a prieſte of the tribe of Leui, maryed the daughter of king Ioram whych was of the tribe of Iuda, as it is written in the latter booke of Paralip. the .22. chap. Aaron a Leuite maryed Eliſaba, the daughter of Aminadab, of the tribe of Iuda. Wherfore there ar two opiniōs, one is of them which thynke that Dodo is a proper name,Now a mā mai be the ſonne of his vncle. and the other of thoſe which ſay it is a name appellatiue. The third opinion is, that that annexed pronown, namely of him, is to be turned, his, ſo that this Thola had one and the ſelf name to his father & to his vncle, which bi the ordinary meanes was not lawful, yet was it deteſted, when a man dyed without children: for then the brother maried his wife, namely him of whom he was begotten, and the other which was dead, whoſe name he bare, and was made his heyre. This ſentence lyketh mee well: for it very aptly declareth, how a man might be the ſonne of his vncle. &c.
3 After hym roſe vp Iair a Gileadite, and hee iudged Iſrael .xxii. yeares.
4 And he had .xxx. ſonnes, that rode vponupon .xxx. Coltes, and they had .xxx. Cities, whych are called Hauoth-Iair euen to thys day, & are in the land of Gilead.
5 And Iair dyed, and was buryed in Camon.
Of what tribe this Iair was, appeareth by this woord Gilead which is repeated: for Manaſſes had Machir to his ſonne, who begat Gilead. And his name was cōmune with the mount, wherein Iacob and Laban made a league, and named the place Gilead, bicauſe there they raiſed vp a heape of ſtones for a wytnes.Euſebius C…ſ… rienſis. Euſebius ſaith, that the backe of this mount tendeth to Arabia and Phenicia, and is ioyned with the hyls of Libanus. And this mount hath a City of the ſame name. Machir conquered that City, and gaue vntounto it a name, which was cōmon both to his ſonne and to the mount. Wherefore Iair was of the Tribe of Manaſſes, a man hauing plenty of children: for he had .xxx. And no maruaile, when as then they vſed to hauehave many wyues. His children was no Raſcals or cōmon people, yea they were horſmen: which is thus deſcribed, which rode vponupon .30. Aſſe colts. This Hebrue woord Air ſignifieth either a Colt or an Aſſe,Dauid Kimhi according to which ſence are ſignified .xxx. Mules: or the colt of a Mare, as R. D. Kimhi expoundeth it. Neither were they onelyonly horſmen, but alſo riche: for they poſſeſſed .30. Cities, bicauſe eueryevery one of them was ruler of a City: wherfore their father muſt nedes be very noble.
They were called Hauoth-Iair. Bicauſe they wer not enuironed with a wall. And were ſo called euen to this day, namely euen vntounto Samuels tyme, who (they ſay) was authour of this booke. In the booke of Numbers the .xxxii. chap. it is written, Iair tooke many Cities from the Chananites, and they were called Hauoth-Iair. Wherefore it is demaunded, whither he were the ſame man of whom we now ſpeake, or whether he were an other? I doo not thinke that he was the ſame, foraſmuch as betwene them both there were .300. yeares paſſed. He was a certaine other man diſtinct from this Iair, of whom we nowe ſpeake, but yet hee was of the ſame famely: and paraduenture this was his Neuew, for they which are of the ſame famely, doo for the moſt part retayne the names of their kynred. VntoUnto this Iair came thoſe Cities, whych that other Iair tooke from the Chananites. Wherfore the places agree: but that it is not the ſame man. This Iudge therefore is noble, when as the twoo former were but of a baſe famely. Neither doth Nobility anything hinder to gouerne a publike wealth, if ſelf truſt and inſolence be taken away: yea rather they hauehave examples of their Elders, excellent ſtirringes vp to vertue, and very many helpes, to gouerne thinges well. And it is not vnlikely but that the people vnderunder theſe two Iudges, rightly worſhipped God in long and quiet peace, otherwiſe God would not hauehave geuē them ſo long a time of reſt. But after them, the Hebrues turned againe vntounto Idolatry.
6 And the chyldren of Iſrael wroughte wickedlye agayne in the ſight of the Lord, and ſerued Baalim, and Aſtharoth, and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, & the gods of the children of Ammon, and alſo the gods of Peliſthim, and forſooke the Lord, and ſerued not hym.
7 Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was kyndled againſt Iſrael, and he delyuered them into the handes of Peliſthim, and into the handes of the chyldren of Ammon.
8 Who from that yeare vexed and oppreſſed the children of Iſrael xviii. yeares, euen all the children of Iſrael, whyche were beyonde Iordan, in the land of the Amorrhites, whych is in Gilead.
9 Moreouer the chyldren of Ammon went ouer Iordan, to fyght alſo againſt Iuda and Beniamin, and agaynſt the houſe of Ephraim. And Iſrael was in verye great miſerye.
10 And the chyldren of Iſrael cryed vntounto the Lorde, ſaying: Wee hauehave ſynned agaynſt thee, euen bicauſe we hauehave forſaken our God, and hauehave ſerued Baalim.
When they heaped ſynnes vponupon ſynnes, the latter ſinnes wer alwaies more grieuous then the firſt. And this is not to bee paſſed ouer, that they are ſayde to hauehave ſynned in the ſyght of the Lord: for the world otherwiſe is often times deceaued, and the iudgement of men many times, either aloweth or excuſeth ſins. And the euyl which the Iſraelites are ſayde to hauehave done, was nothing els but Idolatry. As ſoone as the good Princes were dead, the people eaſely fel to worſhipping of Idoles, and why they were ſo prone to this wicked crime, there may be many cauſes alledged.Why the Iſraelites were ſo prone vntounto idolatry. Fyrſt, they ſawe that the Nations which were nyghe vntounto them, when they woorſhipped Idoles, flooriſhed in all kinde of riches and honors, but they thēſelues wer wonderfully oppreſſed with penury of thinges. Wherfore they thought that the Gods of thoſe nacions were both better & more bountiful, then their own God. They conſidered that they them ſelues whyche woorſhipped but one God, were fewe in the number, but there was an infinite number which woorſhipped Idoles. And as they deteſted the ceremonies and holye ſeruices of other Nations, ſo on the other ſyde other Nacions bothe abhorred them, and alſo vexed them with contumelies. Laſtly, the woorſhipping of the true God was more ſeuere, and after a ſort more ſadde, it hadde no pleaſure, no chalenging of battayl one with an other, no ſtage playes, no daūcings, no running at tylts, no Comodies, no Tragedies, all which thynges they ſawe were vſed in the woorſhipping of Idoles, yea and alſo often times were added moſt vyle and fylthy thinges. And foraſmuch as the nature of man is of it ſelfe ready vntounto pleaſures, hereof it came, that they turned vntounto ſtraunge holy ſeruices. And vndoubtedly the ſame cauſes in our time doo moue the myndes of many, and therfore manye cleaue vntounto the Papiſtes, whom they ſee to lyue muche more pleaſantly, and to flooriſh in goods and riches: they ſee alſo that they are more in number in Italy, in Spaine, and in Fraunce, then we are. Bicauſe alſo they thinke that they are infamed and reproched, when they ar called Schiſmatikes and Heretikes. And laſtly bicauſe our ceremonies, as touching the ſenſes of the fleſh are dry, and without pleaſures, they hauehave no copes, no deſcant ſynging, no muſical Organes, nor ſtage play Maſſes. Hereof come theſe defaultes and fallinges of many. I might alſo adde, that many ſay their fathers lyued ſo, and died in that religion,The ſtubdernnrs of the Iewes agaynſte God. which reaſō is with many of great force. Such things without doubt did the Iewes thinke vponupon. But it is marueilous to behold their ſtubburnnes. It ſeemeth that they had wholy bent their mindes, perpetually to reſiſt their God. When God would hauehave them to obſerue his ceremonies, they ſought for other ceremonies at the hands of the people that wer nigh vntounto thē. And for as muche as God hath nowe decreed, that thoſe ceremonies ſhoulde by Chriſt be made of none effect, and they wyl ſtyl keepe them: they doo therin that which ouerthwart wiues are wont to do, when the huſband wyl, they wyl not, when he wyll not, then they again wyll. They did not onelyonly woorſhip Baal and Aſtharoth, but alſo the Gods of Aram, & Zidon, the Gods of the Moabites, and of the children of Ammon, and alſo the Gods of the Peliſthims. If we marke the number, they woorſhipped ſeuen kyndes of Idoles.
And forſooke the Lord. They did not onelyonly follow ſtraunge Gods, but alſo forſooke the woorſhipping of the true God. There is a certaine Emphaſis in this woorde forſooke. It ſignifieth as much, as if it ſhould hauehave bene ſaid: They would not ſo much as hauehave the woorſhipping of the true God named, neyther made they any more mencion of it. Wherfore the wrath of the Lorde kindled againſt them, and he deliuered them into the handes of the Philiſtians. &c. Whē they forſooke the true God, he againe tooke away from them his helpe, and ſold them to the Philiſtians and Ammonites, whom they ſo ſerued, as thoughe they had bene their bondſlaues. And the yoke of the Ammonites was much more greuous, then the yoke of the Philiſtians. Wherfore Iiphtah tooke in hande warre, ſingularly againſt the Ammonites, as againſt the chief vexers of the Iſraelites. Farthermore let vsus marke, that euen the ſelf ſame yeare, wherin Iair died, they were vexed and oppreſſed of their enemies. The Lorde taried not: ſtraightwaye after the death of the Iudge, hee beganne to afflict the people. In whyche place we muſt note, that moſt ſtronge Nations, ſo ſoone as they are deſtitute of God, are eaſelye without anye a doo conquered and ouerthrowne of their enemyes. For it is God onelyonly which geueth power and ſtrength, and therefore the Iſraelites were ſtraightway oppreſſed of their enemies, bicauſe the Lord had forſaken them: for God is not onelyonly the efficient cauſe of might and rule, but alſo it is he that keepeth and preſerueth it. They oppreſſed vniuerſally al the children of Iſrael. For they kept not them ſelues within any bondes: but wandred and made rodes through out al the borders of the Hebrues, which thing is noted by theſe woordes: Yea and they paſſed ouer Iordan. The tribes of Ruben, Gad, The requeſt of the twoo tribes & the halfe tribe was vnwyſe.and part of Manaſſes dwelled on this ſyde Iordan. For all that region was verye fertile, therefore they required it of Moſes, when the other tribes were not yet paſſed ouer Iordan: but they did not wel marke what they deſired: for although it wer a moſt fat and fertill countrye, yet was it alwaies in greater daunger: For often times their next enemies made rodes into their landes. And this is very cōmonly ſene, that men are more careful for gaine, then for health: but the Ammonites did not onelyonly rob and ſpoyle thoſe tribes, but they alſo miſerably afflicted al Iſrael. When they had paſſed ouer Iordan, they would alſo fight againſt Iuda, Beniamin, and Ephraim, which were of al the tribes moſt noble. Wherfore we muſt beleue, that they raged againſt al the Hebrues.
VVherfore the Iſraelites were aboue meaſure oppreſſed. And they cryed vntounto the Lord. When they were but a litle oppreſſed, they were nothing moued: but when they wer farther vexed, and moſt grieuouſlye afflicted,What God hathe a reſpect vntounto in the puniſhmēts, wherwith hee punyſheth ſynners. they began to turne to God, and cryed vntounto him. Neither did they that lightly, but weeping, repented from the hart, confeſſed their ſinne, & implored his ayde. This thing onelyonly God regardeth, when he afflicteth his people with aduerſitye, where wordes wil not ſerue, he addeth ſtripes and vexations, which are certain vehement ſermons towarde the ſtiffer ſorte, and are of great force towarde the godly, and thoſe that are predeſtinate vntounto ſaluation, but to the vngodlye & impenitent, to their greater damnation. God did not theſe thinges, as thoughe he had a pleaſure in the euils of men, or that he woulde ſatiſfye himſelfe after thys maner (for that thing onelyonly Ieſu Chriſt vpō the croſſe performed) but that they which ar fallen, may be called backe into the right way, vices corrected, and his iuſtice declared. And the Iſraelites do not onelyonly cal vponupon God, but alſo humbly acknowledge, and ſubmiſſedly confeſſe their ſynnes. For they knewe that God heareth not ſynners, except they repent.
11 And the Lord ſaid vntounto the children of Iſrael: HaueHave not I delyuered you from the Egiptians, and Ammorhites, and children of Ammon and Peliſthim.
12 Moreouer the Zidonites and Abimelech, and the Moabites oppreſſed you, and ye cryed vntounto me, and I delyuered you out of their handes.
13 But ye hauehave forſaken me, and hauehave ſerued ſtraunge Gods: therfore I wyll delyuer you no more.
14 Go and crye vntounto the Gods whom ye hauehave choſen: let them ſaue you in the tyme of your trouble.
Howe God anſwered the Iſraelites.When the people called vponupon the Lorde, and began to repent, God in deede anſwered them, but yet ſharpely and hardly. He anſwered peraduenture by the high Prieſt, which had Vrim and Thumim, by hym counſell was aſked of God publikely: It may alſo be that ſome Prophet was ſtirred vp, by whō God ſpake. The Hebrues thinke that God anſwered by Pinchas, whom they ſay lyued vntil the time of Elias, but that they faine without any teſtimony of the holye ſcriptures. And if we looke vponupon the time, Pinchas was at the leaſt .330. yeares before theſe thinges were done.Why God anſwered ſo ſharplye. But let vsus ſee why God anſwered ſo hardly vntounto the Hebrues, namely that the people ſhould repēt, and that not vulgarly, but with ſtable and firme conſtancy. It is as much as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: ye woulde be deliuered, that when ye are deliuered ye may woorſhip ſtraunge Gods againe. For who can beleue that ye wil not hence foorth depart frō me? HaueHave ye not called vponupon me at other times, and as ſoone as ye were deliuered, ye fell from me? I hauehave deliuered you from the Egiptans, Ammorhites, Ammonites, Philiſtians, Zidonians, Amalechites, and Maonites, but ye begon ſtraightway to worſhippe ſtraunge Gods a freſh. For it was a thing moſt vnmeete, that they which ar by God ſet at liberty, ſhould take vponupon them to worſhip Idoles of many nations.
A moſte ſharpe Irony.Go and cry vntounto your Gods, whom ye hauehave choſen. Doth God commaund vsus to ſinne? No vndoubtedly. There are ſundry figures in the holy ſcriptures, which vnles we diligently marke, we ſhal eaſely fall into moſt grieuous errors. This exprobation which is ſet foorth by an Irony, is moſt grieuous: as though he would hauehave ſaid: Now at the length ye hauehave tried, and ye vnderſtand what your Gods can doo. The ſame Irony vſed Elias towarde the Prophetes of Baal: Cry (ſaith he) more loude, peraduenture your God is on ſleepe, or is in hys ſommer parler. He dyd not commaunde them to crye, but more attentiuelye to marke, what god they woorſhipped. This is therfore an ironious oration, and a moſt bytter taunt.
¶How God ſayth that he wyl not geue that whych he wyl geue, and contrarily.
HE ſaith he wyl not helpe them, and yet afterward he helped them. Did Godlye therfore? No vndoubtedly, but as yet the repentaunce of the people was not come vntounto that point that he would hauehave it, according to that ſtate and condicion that they were then in, he ſaith he wil not helpe them. For God knoweth the momentes of times. So vſeth a Phiſicion to handle his Patient, when hee requireth wine in his burning and heate of his feuer. I wyll not geue it (ſayth he) not bicauſe hee will neuer geue it, but bicauſe hee knoweth when it ſhal be profitable vntounto him.A ſimilitude. Againe the ſicke perſon deſireth a purgation, the Phiſition denieth him it, bicauſe he wil firſt hauehave the humors wel concocted, that they may the eaſelier be educed: ſo doth God now with his people.
And this is no vnaccuſtomed forme of ſpeaking in the ſcriptures. The Lord ſaid vntounto Moſes: Suffer my wrath to kindle, that in a moment I may deſtroye them. Theſe things he ſaid, when as yet he would ſpare the people, but the praiers of Moſes pacefied God, and therfore he would hauehave them inflamed, and his affection & faith increaſed. In Mathew, the woman of Canaan cried vntounto Chriſt: but he, as though he would not heare her, paſſed by, ſaying nothing. Then ſhee being more inſtant, I am not (ſaith he) ſent, but to the ſheepe which hathe peryſhed of the houſe of Iſrael. And ſhe not yet ceaſing, he called her Dogge. It is not good (ſaith he) to take the childrens breade, and geue it vntounto Dogges: and yet had he euen from the beginning decreed to help her. But firſt he would hauehave her faith brought to light, that it might be knowen by all meanes. And in an other place vnderunder the parable of one that deſired breade, he ſaith: To whom the good man of the houſe which was within, anſwered, I and my children are in bed. And the other being inſtant, by his importunity obtained as many loaues as he would. So in this place God aunſwereth, that he wyll not helpe,God is not chā ged, but wyll hauehave vsus chāged namely that people, as they were then. For their repentaunce was not at that inſtantful. God chaungeth not his ſentence, but wil hauehave vsus more and more chaunged.
Ieremy in his .xviii. chap. ſaith: If I ſhall ſpeake euyl againſt any nacion, and that nation ſhal repent, I wil alſo repent me of that euyl, which I ſaid I would do. And that Ieremy might the manifeſtlier vnderſtande the thinges that were ſpoken, he bad him go into the houſe of a Potter, wher he ſaw the Potter make a veſſell of claye, which was broken in the handes of the woorkeman. But the Potter made againe an other veſſel of the ſame clay. So ſaith the Lord: If they repent, I wyl alſo repent: I doo now make for them euill thinges, but for euyll thinges I wyll make good: and yet as I hauehave ſaide, he chaungeth not his ſentence, bicauſe ſuche threatninges and promiſes doo depende vponupon a condicion, which is ſometimes chaunged, when as God yet abideth the ſelfe ſame.
Of thys thyng right well wryteth Chriſoſtome vponupon Geneſis, in hys .xxv. Homely: The Lord commaund Noe to builde an Arke, and threatned that after 120. yeares he woulde deſtroye all mankinde by a flood: but when in the meane tyme they nothing at all profited, he cut of twenty yeares, and ſent the flood in the hundred yeare, and yet was not god chaunged, but the condicion of men varyed. The ſame Chriſoſtome alſo (vponupon Mathew, in his .65. Homely, when he interpreteth this: Verely I ſay vntounto you, ye which hauehave forſaken all thynges. &c.) demaundeth: Was not Iudas one of the twelue, and ſhall Iudas ſyt vponupon the twelue ſeates, and iudge the twelue Tribes of Iſrael? Dyd Chriſt chaunge hys ſentence? No (ſayth he) but Iudas was chaunged. Whiche ſelfe ſame thing wee muſt iudge of the Citye of Niniue, and of king Ezechias, whom god pronounced ſhould dye. For neither Niniue at that tyme periſhed, nor Ezechias dyed: bicauſe they were chaunged. God ſayde at the beginning, that the feare of men ſhoulde be vponupon beaſtes. But it happeneth contrarily: for men are nowe afrayde of Lyons, Beares, and Tigers, bycauſe they are of them oftentymes torne. But that commeth hereof, bicauſe of the condicion of men is chaunged, and not the counſell of God.
Wherfore thoſe promiſes of god are to be vnderſtande accordyng to the preſent ſtate of thinges. Therefore when we heare the promiſes of God,How we muſt take the promiſes of God. wee muſt thus thinke: Either they hauehave ſome condicion adioyned, or they are abſolutelye put. Farther, either they are of force for this time onelyonly, or hereafter they ſhalbe fulfylled. And as touching the condicions of promiſes and threatnings, we muſt diligently marke, that ſome promiſes are of the lawe, and ſome of the goſpell: & what they differ one from an other, I hauehave before aboundantlye entreated.Promiſes of the law hauehave a condition annexed. And this wil I now briefly ſay, that promiſes of the law are thoſe which hauehave a condicion annexed, ſo that the promiſe is not due, vnleſſe the law be moſt perfectlye fulfylled: and ſo thoſe condicions may be called cauſes of rewardes, if we coulde fulfyl them, which thing, ſeing by reaſon and this corruption and vice of nature we are not able to performe, god is not bounde to render the rewarde. Wherefore, ſeing we cannot fulfyl the lawe as we ought to doo, all cauſe of meryte is vtterlye taken awaye, and yet are not thoſe promyſes geuen in vayne.
For although by reaſon of infirmity, we cannot performe the condition, yet yf we flee vntounto Chriſt, and being regenerate, do begin a better lyfe, the promyſes which were promiſes of the law,Promiſes of the Goſpel. are made promiſes of the Goſpel: not bycauſe we liuing vnderunder grace, do fulfil thoſe conditions, but bicauſe by Chriſt they are made abſolute and perfect, whoſe righteouſnes is imputed vntounto vsus. In this maner muſt we thinke of the promiſes of God.
How we muſt vnderſtand the threatnings of God.In like manner is it of threateninges: bicauſe often tymes muſte bee added this condicion: Except ye repent. I ſayde often tymes: bicauſe vniuerſallye it is not true, as it appeareth in Dauid, who repented, and yet ſuffered thoſe thinges which Nathan threatened. Moſes alſo repented, and yet came hee not into the promiſed land. And as touching the condicion of repentaunce, we muſt not ouer paſſe this, that it is not perfect in vsus: otherwiſe the forgeuenes of ſyns ſhould be due vntounto vsus as a rewarde: wherefore wee muſt holde this for certaine, that the condicion of repentaunce is Euangelicall, and when there is repentaunce founde in vsus, it is a fruite of fayth, and not a merite. Of this thing ryght well wryteth Chriſoſtome in hys .v. Homelye to the people of Antioche, Chriſoſtome.where hee comforteth the people, bicauſe of the threatninges of Theodoſius. He bringeth a place out of Ieremy the .xviii. chapter,A difference betwene Princes of the worlde & God. and addeth that the ſentence of God is farre otherwiſe, then the ſentence of Princes of this worlde. For the ſentence of a Prince is ſtraightwaye, as ſoone as it is once ſpoken, performed, and can ſcarcely be chaunged: but the ſentence of God, if it hauehave threatened any thyng, is not headlong vntounto deſtruction, nor vntreatable, yea rather it maye ſeeme a degree and a certaine beginning vntounto ſaluation. For by this meanes God oftentimes reuoketh ſynners vntounto the right waye, and ſaueth them. And thus much as concerning condicions.
But as touching time, we muſt not alwaies looke, that God ſhould ſtraightway performe his promiſes. If he deferre it, wee ought thus to comfort our ſelues, he hath not yet accompliſhed, but he will doo it in due tyme. He will in the meane time after this maner exerciſe our faith. God ſeemeth many times to do nothing leſſe, then that which he hath promiſed and threatned. He promiſed vntounto Dauid a kingdome: but by what tribulations did he exerciſe him, before that he accompliſhed his promiſes? For firſt he was poore and a Shepehearde, afterward being taken into the court, he began to be hated of Saul, and ſo endaungered, that there wanted very litle, but that he was almoſt fallen into his power. When our Lord and ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt ſhould be borne of Mary, the Angell promiſed, that he ſhould hauehave the throne of Dauid his father, and yet till he was thirty yeares of age, he lyued in a maner vnknowen. And then was he odious vntounto the high Prieſtes, Phariſeis and Scribes: and was in that ſort long tyme yll handled, and at the length by them crucified. Wherfore Eſay very wel admoniſheth, that he which beleueth, ſhoulde not make haſte. For God will in due time performe thoſe thinges which hee hath promiſed: but it is our part in the meane time, not to preſcribe any thing vntounto him. Paul in the .x. to the Hebrues writeth: ye hauehave neede of pacience, that doing the wyll of God, ye maye obtaine the promiſe. For yet a litle while, and he that ſhall come, wyll come, and wyll not tarye: and the iuſt liueth by faith. But if any withdrawe himſelfe, my ſoule ſhal hauehave no pleaſure in him. The ſame thing alſo muſt we determine of threatenynges. God ſayde he woulde ouerthrowe the Babilonians: but they flooriſhed and triumphed, yea and they led awaye the people of God captiue. Wherefore God would not then accompliſh his threateninges, which yet afterward when he ſaw his time, he performed.
Let vsus apply theſe thinges vntounto our place. What ſayde God? I wil not helpe you, that is, at thys preſent: but afterwarde when I ſee oportunitye I wil helpe you. Yea and God oftentimes anſwereth vntounto vsus alſo inwardly, & in our hart, I wil not helpe you: for ye are laden with ſinnes. What ſhal we then doo? ſhall we ceaſe of from prayers? Not ſo. Let vsus rather imitate the Hebrues: they, the more ſharpely God anſwered them, the more they increaſed their repentaunce. Iohn ſaith: If our hart accuſe vsus, God is greater then our hart.What we muſt aunſwer to the accuſation of our hart. Our hart doth then accuſe vsus, when we ſay vntounto our ſelues: God wil not heare, bicauſe of our ſynnes, God doth the more accuſe vsus, bicauſe he ſeeth more in vsus, then wee our ſelues can ſee. Wherefore Dauid ſaid: Clenſe me Lord from my ſecrete ſynnes. What remedy is there then? For who is he, whom his hart accuſeth not? Let vsus turne our ſelues vntounto Chriſt: and if that our hart ſhall ſay, he will not helpe, let vsus ſay vntounto it: This I may wel beleue, if I ſhould looke vponupon my ſelfe onelyonly, but I looke vponupon the ſōne of God, who hath geuen himſelf for me. Hereof ſpringeth that confidence which Paul had, when he ſaid: Who ſhall lay accuſation againſt the elect of god? It is god which iuſtifieth. &c. Wherefore if god accuſeth vsus not, neither will our hart accuſe vsus, when we beholde Chriſte. For we hauehave now confidence towardes god, and we ſhall obtaine. And whileſt wee are conuerted vntounto Chriſt, not onelyonly accuſation and ſinne is aboliſhed, but repentance alſo is augmented, as we now ſee is done in the Hebrues.
15 And the children of Iſrael aunſwered vntounto the Lorde: we hauehave ſynned, doo vntounto vsus whatſoeuer is good in thyne eyes: onelye wee pray thee delyuer vsus thys day.
16 Then they put awaye their ſtraunge Gods from among them, and ſerued the Lorde: and hys ſoule was grieued for the miſerye of Iſrael.
17 Then the chyldren of Ammon gathered together, and pytched in Gilead, and the children of Iſrael aſſembled them ſelues, and pitched in Mizpa.
18 And the people and Princes of Gilead ſayde euerye one to hys neyghbour: whoſoeuer wil begyn the battayle againſt the chyldren of Ammon, ſhalbe Captaine ouer al the inhabitantes of Gilead.
The repentaunce of the Hebrues profited: god aunſwered very ſharpelye:The propertye of true repentaunce. I wyl not heare you. But they crye againe: Doo what ſeemeth good in thine eyes, that is, what ſoeuer pleaſeth thee. This vndoubtedly is to repent, when we are not onelye repentaunt for the ſynnes which wee hauehave committed, but alſo wee willingly ſuffer, what ſoeuer pleaſeth god. A notable example is ſet foorth vntounto vsus, in that they put away their ſtraunge gods, and woorſhipped the true god. It is not ſufficient to take awaye euyll thynges, excepte in the place of euyll thinges we ſubſtitute thinges that are good. Many hauehave taken awaye Maſſes, idolatries, and ſuperſtitions, and yet hauehave not woorſhipped god trulye: bicauſe he is not woorſhipped by woordes, but by true fayth & good woorkes. But ther are very fewe which embrace theſe thinges.
And hys ſoule was grieued. Contraction & ampliation of the mynde.Thys Hebrew woorde Tiktſad ſignifieth to drawe together. When we reioyce and are merye, the ſpirites in vsus are made more ample: but when wee are ſorye, the ſpirites are contracted vntounto the hart. So it is ſaid that God contracted hys ſoule,Affections are improperlye attributed vntounto God. and was after a ſorte ſory for the miſeries of his people. This kinde of ſpeeche is not proper of God, but improper. For God is not ſory, neither is he touched with affections. Wherefore it is a ſpeeche after the condition of men. For often times thoſe thinges are aſcribed vntounto god, whych are noted to be in men.foreign. And often tymes thinges which happen vntounto men, are aſcribed vntounto God. For men are fyrſt grieued for the miſerye of an other, before they hauehave compaſſion of them.
Therfore (bicauſe God doth that, which men do that ar grieued, that is, bicauſe he helpeth) it is ſaid he his grieued, which thinges happeneth in men that helpe thoſe that are in miſery. Such a kinde of ſpeche is ther in the booke of Numbers the .21.R. Moſes Maimon. chap. The ſoule of the people was faint, bicauſe of the iourney: for that wildernes grieued the people. But R. Moſes Maimon ſayth, that this woorde Catſad ſignifieth not onelyonly a minde, but alſo a wil, which being before ready to reuenge, did now after a ſort withdraw it ſelf. Howbeit the firſt interpretacion ſeemeth to hang wel together. The Ammonites on eueryevery ſide grieuouſly oppreſſed al Iſrael, but bicauſe Gilead was a notable City and wel fenſed, they determined therfore firſt of al to conquer it. But the children of Iſrael pitched in Miſpa, ſo far from thence, that they could not eaſelye ſuccour thoſe that were beſieged. Wherfore the Gileadites in ſo great a daunger, thought they had nede of a captaine, for the adminiſtration of thinges: for the ſtate conſiſting onelyonly of the people, there could be nothing well done, vnles ſome one man were made ruler ouer them. Euen after the ſame maner, as the Romanes were wont in great daū gers to create a Dictator. Wherfore the Giliadites ſaw that they needed a Captaine, but who that ſhould be, they could not eaſely prouide.
VVho ſo euer ſay they wyl begyn the battayle agaynſt the Chyldren of Iſrael, let hym be our heade. Peraduenture they had deſired a captaine of the Lord, and receaued an anſwer, that by this token they ſhould know who ſhould be receaued as their captaine: namely he, which firſt ſhoulde begyn the battaile againſt the enemies. Such ſignes God ſomtimes vſed, without any voice or outward oracle: as whan he promiſed the ſeruant of Abraham, that ſhe ſhould be Iſaacs wife, which ſhould geue drinke vntounto the Camels. It maye alſo be that the Citizens decreed ſo among themſelues, that the chiefe man of the city being ſtirred vp with the deſire of the rewarde, might the more couragiouſlye and cherefully fight againſt their enemies. In this maner Chaleb, when hee beſieged Hebron, encouraged the mindes of his ſoldiours. Whoſoeuer (ſaid he) cō quereth Hebron, I wil geue him Achſa my daughter to wife. With which promiſe Othoniel being moued, cōquered the City, & was made the ſonne in law of Chaleb. So in theſe hard times, when things wer in great daunger, it was neceſſary to vſe ſuch coūſel. But what if he which firſt would hauehave begon the battaile againſt the aduerſaries, had bene a naughty and wicked man? What I ſay ſhoulde then hauehave bene done? What alſo if he had bene vnmeete to gouerne the publike wealth, although he had had warlike ſtrength? This obiection maketh me rather to allow the firſt ſentence, that is, that the ſigne was offered of God, and therfore they were ſure, that he would not geue them an euill captaine. Although as touching the queſtion, we may thus anſwer: All ciuil promiſes are ſo farforth to be kept, as they may be performed by honeſt wayes & right meanes, that is, ſo much as conſcience and the woord of God wil ſuffer.