Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 1 · Verse 19
19 And the Lord was with Iudah, & he poſſeſſed the mountayne: for he could not dryue out the inhabitauntes of the valley, bycauſe they had yron Chariotes.
He poſſeſſed the mountayne. The figure zeugma.It is written in Hebrewe Veioreſch Hahar, which if it wer properly tranſlated is, he draue away the mountain, which without doubt is a figuratiue phraſe, for the figure foreign is added, by whych figure, one and the ſelfe woord ſerueth for two members, bycauſe that woorde Ioſchebe which is inhabitours, ought to be repeated: that euen as it is ſaid that Iudah could not dryue out the inhabitours of the valley, ſo alſo muſt be vnderſtand that the inhabitours of the mountaine were expelled by him, ſo that thys woord Hahar is the genitiue caſe, as is this woord Haamak, that is, of the valley. The conquering of both theſe was paynfull, bycauſe Cityes founded vponupon mountaines are by nature of the place wel fenced, and they whych dwelled in the … valleys, wer very experte in a kynde of fence, I meane yron chariotes. But leaſt peraduenture we ſhould thinke that the inhabitors of the mountains wer driuen out of their place of Iudah by the ſtrength of men ther is ſet before. And the Lord was with Iudah. As though it had ben ſaid, bicauſe they fought by the fauour of God, therfore the hilly places wer conquered. Wherefore if God had ayded them of Iudah with the like fauour in their battayl in the valley, they ſhould alſo hauehave ouercome thoſe which inhabited the valley. There ſemeth alſo a cauſe to be geuen bycauſe they had yron chariotes.
He that ſhal reade the Iliades of Homer, ſhal eaſely perceaue that the men in the old time vſed chariotes in battails, & alſo the ſame may be gathered both out of the moſt auncient hiſtories, & alſo out of the latter writers,Quintus Curtius. & amongeſt other Quintus Curtius writing the life of Alexander doth playnlye make mencion of ſuch chariots in the battail fought againſt Darius. But I thinke no writer writeth more plainly of them than doth Liuie. Titus Liuius.For he in that battail wherin Antiochus was ouercome of the Romanes, which is in the .4. decade, & ſeuenth boke, thus deſcribeth the chariotes whych he calleth hooked. He ſayth that they were fenced chiefely after thys maner.The deſcription of hooked chariotes. The poyntes aboute the draught tree ſtanding out from the yoke, had as it were hornes, wherwith whatſoeuer they met they mighte thruſte it throughe: and twoo hookes hoong oute at eche ende of the cart, the one euen with the carte, the other faſtened downewarde to the earth, the former ſerued to cut aſunder what ſo euer came on the ſyde of it, the other was made to cruſhe them which fel downe, or went vnderunder. There were alſo two ſundry hookes faſtened after the ſame ſorte to the exetrees of both the wheles. &c. The vſe therfore of theſe chariotes endured til the tyme that Antiochus was ouercome. Howbeit wee neuer reade that the Romanes vſed them. And that they wer horrible to behold, and hard to be conquered, may manifeſtly be gathered by the booke of Ioſua: For ther in the .vii. chap. when the tribe of Ioſeph complained bicauſe it was ſo many in number, and had obtained ſo narrow a lot, Ioſua commaunded them, that if they had not roume inoughe, they ſhoulde go and dwel or els conquere the places of their enemies adioyning vntounto them. They excuſed them ſelues, that they coulde not doo that, bicauſe their neighbours had yron chariotes. But to repeate more auncienter thinges, Pharao (as it is written in the booke of Exodus) when hee perſecuted the Iſraelites which fled, is ſaid to hauehave had chariotes, and with the ſame he tooke vponupon hym to enter into the ſea. But they beyng ouerthrowen by the power of God, hee was puniſhed for breaking his fidelity.
Yron chariotes cānot reſiſt godBut this is diligently to be conſidered of vsus, whether either yron chariotes, or hooked cartes can withſtand the power and promiſe of God, which if we ſhal deny (as in very dede we muſt deny) why ar they then put here as the cauſe that the victory was not obtained?Marke the diſtinction. Whereunto I aunſwer, that in this place is ſet foorth vntounto vsus the nigheſt cauſe, namely that which was ſene. And certainly it was a cauſe, if we ſhould looke onelyonly vponupon mans ſtrength. For the Chananites being ſo armed and appointed could not be ouercome of the Iſraelites, whych wer weaker than they,Why god graū ted not the hole victorye vntounto Iudah. and not ſo wel armed and fenced. But if the power and might of God be conſidered, the ſame could not be letted either by chariots and weapons or els by power of ſouldiours. Why did not God therfore whych had geuen part of the victory, graunt the whole alſo? Kimhi aunſwereth that God dyd it to proue the Iſraelites thereby. For if they ſhould hauehave bene conſtrayned (as in deed they were) to dwel for a while with theſe nations, then experience ſhould hauehave tryed how much they woulde ſet by theyr God, namelye whether they woulde perſeuer in the lawfull woorſhypping of hym, or whether they would enclyne to their owne madde cuſtomes and woorſhipping of Idoles. Thys in deede is a true cauſe, and is ſet foorth alſo in the thyrd chapter of thys booke, and toward the end lykewyſe of the ſecond. There is alſo an other cauſe added, namely to teach them the arte and faculty of fyghting: for they whych lyued before their tyme, had no ſkyll of theſe thynges. And it is written in Exodus that it was done that wylde beaſtes ſhoulde not to muche abounde, whych muſt needes hauehave followed, if the land ſhoulde hauehave bene brought into a wyldernes, before the Hebrues could hauehave fylled it all. And of theſe cauſes I hauehave made mention before.
But the Paraphraſtes Chaldaicus bringeth an other cauſe beſydes theſe, and ſayth that the chyldren of Iſraell had ſynned: Wherefore he thincketh it was done, that God iuſtlye and woorthylye withdrewe hys ayde and gaue not vntounto them when they fought, the whole and full victorye. And that, though the ſcripture doo not now expreſſe it, may euidently be gathered by other places. For we are very often taught by the holy ſcriptures that idolatry and ſynnes were iuſt cauſes why the Iſraelites ſometymes went without the victorye promyſed vntounto them. And though there had bene no other ſynne, we myght alledge thys, that their faith and prayers were ſometymes ſomewhat more ſlacke than they ought to hauehave bene.When faith & praiers waxe fainte, then the victory is takē away. Whych manyfeſtly appeareth in that warre which the Hebrues made in the wylderneſſe againſte Amelecke for the enemye ouercame, when Moyſes beganne to be faynte in prayer. And agayne, the victorye was reſtored vntounto the people of God, when the fayth and prayer of Moyſes was more earneſt and vehement. Sinne therfore is not onelyonly ye cauſe of death, but it bringeth alſo al infirmities, weakeneſſe and miſeries. Contrarily faith is the cauſe of all ſtrength, myghte, and victories. Wherefore it is very well written in the xi. Chapter to the Hebrues, that the Sainctes through fayth hauehave wonne kingdomes. Which may and oughte to be referred to the ſpirituall victorye. Wherfore Iohn doth faythfully admonyſhe vsus, when he ſayth. This is the victorye which ouercommeth the world, euen our fayth.
By theſe may be gathered that God leaueth thoſe deſtitute of hys ayde,God forſaketh thē that forſake hym. which do forſake hym. And that may eaſely be declared by oure fyrſte Father Adam. Who, as he was created of God, before ſynne, he had that power of ſtrength and will, that he myght if he had would hauehave reſiſted ſynne.Adam was not altogether forſaken of God after hys ſynne. But when he filthely fell from God, God alſo forſooke hym, but not vtterly, howbeit he forſooke hym ſo that he loſt many of hys giftes, and much fauour. For God would not hauehave taken ſo many good thynges awaye from hym, but that he fyrſte had alienated hymſelfe from God through ſynne. After the ſame ſorte happeneth it to thoſe whiche are nowe borne a new, who although they hauehave not yet recouered a perfecte free will, neuertheleſſe for ſo muche as they are ſomewhat reſtored, and may nowe woorke together with God, if they ſhall deſpyſe the gifts whiche they hauehave in them, and will not vſe them as it is meete they ſhoulde, God will iuſtely forſake them, ſeing they ſhrynke fyrſte awaye from hym. As we maye ſee in the parable of the Lorde, wherein it is written, That the maiſter going into a farre countrey diſtributed money vntounto hys ſeruauntes, to be encreaſed by theyr induſtrye and laboure, whiche thyng as many of the ſeruauntes as dyd, they were both commended of theyr maiſter when he retourned, and alſo nobelly rewarded. But he whiche deſpyſed the commaundement of hys Lorde, was greuouſly reproued, and greuouſly puniſhed, for the money committed vntounto him.
But if we ſhall ſpeake of the fyrſt generation,Concernyng eternall reprobation, the reprobate are forſakē of God before they forſake him. whereby we are borne the children of wrath, and we all are of that maſſe, which lieth vnderunder the curſe, from which God by his election deliuereth whom he will: and whom he will not, he forſaketh according to hys own will and purpoſe, which is alwayes iuſt, though it be hidden from vsus. Seing that that is not brought to paſſe by works foreſene, neither that we hauehave done any good or euill before we were borne, it is manyfeſt, that certayne, I meane reprobates, are forſaken of God as touchyng hys election, before that they forſake hym by theyr propre will, for ſo much as they had not it from the beginning. But we at thys preſent, ſpeake not of thys matter, neyther will deſcend into thys queſtion. But that which we hauehave now affirmed Auguſtine hath ſet forth in the .14. chap. of his Soliloquii animae ad deum. Auguſtine.Thou Lord (ſaith he) doeſt not forſake me, vnles I firſte forſake thee. And in his booke de natura et gratia againſt the Pelagians in the .27. and .28. chap. he elegantlye expoundeth after what ſorte God is forſaken of men before hee forſaketh them.By pride god is forſaken before he forſaketh. Among other vyces (ſayth he) pryde whych is borne in vsus, is the head of al euils. Which pryde vſeth then to ſhewe foorth it ſelfe, when wee are doing well, and when we are in the chiefe courſe of the victory. There the vayne hart of man is puffed vp, ſo that euerye man thinketh hym ſelfe not to bee as other men are. Thys is for the moſt parte, the fyrſt departure from God, whereby hee agayne wythdraweth hym ſelfe from vsus. And euen as wee doo not departe from hym by ſteppes, but in hart and affection, ſo is he ſeperated from vsus, not concerning place, (for, for as muche as he is infinite he occupieth all thynges) but he wythdraweth from vsus hys fauour, gyftes, grace, and helpe.God vſeth alſo to punyſhe the electe to theyr ſaluation.
And when he is ſo departed, they whych are forſaken, vndoubtedly fal & come to great miſery: which falles yet & miſeries (as he is good) he vſeth as remedies toward his elect, yt they may learne that in the ſame myſery whych before they had forgotten, namely, that their ſtrengthe was ſupported by God, and that it was his mere gifte, in that before they dyd any thing that was good, or attayned to any proſperous things: that being ſo admoniſhed, they myght retourne into the waye, and with moſte faythfull prayers to emplore of hym helpe, ayde, and ſtrength, as they whiche had nowe proued, by theyr own ill, that they had all theſe thinges of him when they ſtoode. And after thys ſorte is that interpreted, whiche the Apoſtle writeth to the Phil. With feare and trembling, worke your ſaluation. For it is God whiche worketh in you both to will and alſo to perfourme, accordyng to hys good pleaſure. Wherefore feare and tremblyng ought alwayes to be driuen into vsus, leaſt when thinges goe wel land proſperous with vsus we waxe proude, and whileſt we profite in our renouation and inſtauration. Then muſt we alwaies with feare and trembling marke that it is God which worketh in vsus both to will and to performe.We muſt not liue in ſecuritye Neyther dyd the Apoſtle ſay, liue rightly and holily with ſecuritye: For he which is ſecure from himſelf, eſtemeth thinges ſo, as though they depended of himſelf, which is not to be ſuffred, when as it is God himſelfe which worketh in vsus both to will and to perfourme.
But peraduenture thou wilte aſke, ſeing God from the beginning noblye promyſed vntounto Iudah, that he would deliuer the land into his handes, and hath not nowe graunted the perfecte victorye,Auguſtine. Whether the wil of god may be chaunged. whether he hauehave chaunged hys ſentence? Heare what Auguſtine writeth of the will of God in hys .22 booke De ciuitate Dei and firſt chap. The will of God (ſayth he) is not chaunged, but we are chaunged. But he ſemeth after a ſort to be chaunged, when where as before he was gentle vntounto vsus, he now appeareth angry: and contrarilye where as before he ſhewed himſelf to be angry, he now in a manner gently offereth himſelf vntounto vsus. Wherefore when we our ſelues are chaunged we doe finde him after a ſort, to be chaunged in thoſe things which we ſuffer. Euen as the ſunne ſemeth to be chaūged, when we our ſelues are halfe blind, or that our eyes be greued by ſome diſeaſe. For he which before was pleaſaunt, mery, and ſwete, beginneth now to be troubleſome & hurtfull, not as touching his own nature (which alwaies abideth one, & is vnchaūgeable) but by reaſō of our diſeaſe & vice, wherunto we are newly fallen.What were the cauſes of the vnperfecte victorye of them of Iudah. Wherefore let vsus more plainely gather ye cauſes of ye vnperfect victory. The nigheſt cauſe and ye true cauſe was, bicauſe ye Chananites had Iron chariots: for taking away Gods helpe, the Hebrues were not like vntounto thē, being ſo wel fenced & appoynted. And god (as Ionathas ye Chaldeian teſtifyeth) withdrewe his fauor & ayde, bycauſe they had ſinned. Wherfore a iuſte puniſhment followed them, yt they went without the victory. But God whiche is alwaies very mercifull to his electe, vſeth this punyſhment to the commoditye of the Iſraelites: namely fyrſt to teach them the arte of warfare: then ye his ayde, being withdrawen, they might fele their own weakeneſſe, & might ſee wt what māner of enemies they ſhould hauehave to do. Beſides this yt the earth might not be waſted of wilde beaſts, & brought into a wilderneſſe. Finally, therby to trye thē.
What temptation is.Temptation is nothyng ells, but to take profe or triall of any thyng. Wherfore the end of temptation is ryghtly called knowledge: as they which wil paſſe ouer a water,The end of temptation. do trye oute the ſhallowe places, to knowe the depth of the water: woundes alſo are tried of Surgeons, to fele the depeneſſe of thē. In tempting therfore knowledge is ſought. But God nedeth not that new and freſhe knowledge, for ſuch is his nature, that he knoweth al thyngs moſt perfectly. But whē he tempteth, he only doth it, to leade mē to the knowledge of thoſe things which they ought to knowe.To what end holy men are tempted. Wherfore when he ſometymes tempteth good & holy mē, he bryngeth into lyght and maketh open the fayth, obedience, ſtrength and godlineſſe, which before lay hid in theyr hartes, that they which ſee the ſame things, might glorifie God the author of them. And that they which are ſo tempted, whē they hauehave gotten the victory, may geue him thankes, and deſire of him, that euen as he hath done now, ſo he would vouchſafe to helpe thē cōtinually in tētations Moreouer therby, thei do conceaue a greater hope, ye god wil be with thē to helpe them in time to come, when as they ſee yt he hath ſo louingly graūted vntounto them the ſame helpe now. Wherfore the ende of theſe temptations is, not that God ſhould know thoſe things, wherof he was before ignoraunt, but that therby his giftes, fauour and grace might not be hidden. But bicauſe ſometimes it happeneth, that in temptations, euen the elect are ouercome, god graūteth them after their fall, to riſe vp againe frō ſinne a great deale more modeſt than they were before, which the holy ſcriptures teſtifie to hauehave bene done in Peter and Dauid. The end theyfore of ſuch temptations, is, yt we knowing our own weakeneſſe, might lay down our Peacockes tayle, and hauehave a regard to God him ſelfe, as to the fountayne of all good thinges. But the reprobate do fall in temptations,For what cauſe ye reprobate are tempted. and that alwayes from one euill to a worſe, that their iniquitye, vnryghteouſneſſe and wickedneſſe might be manifeſted, which before lay hyd in theyr harts, and whileſt they laye hyd, they myght eaſely appeare vntounto men, good men. But God will hauehave thoſe thinges brought to lyght, that hys iudgementes and condemnation vponupon them may appeare, as in very dede they are moſt iuſt. And certainely after this manner were the Iſraelites tempted in the deſert, as many as were reprobate.
If temptations turne to good for the godly, why do they praye agaynſt them,Whether we may pray agaynſt temptations. when as they pray in the Lordes prayer, Lead vsus not into temptation? Whervnto I anſwere, that we may not pray againſt ye firſt kinde of temptatiō, wherin we get the victorye, except peraduenture for as muche as we are full of imfyrmitye whileſt in that battayle we ouercome the enemye, we alſo our ſelues are in ſome part wounded. For godly men deſyre that all fallynges, though they be neuer ſo litle, may be driuen from them.Temptations wherein we, ouercome are not of them ſelues to be prayed agaynſt Howbeit we may not praye to be rid of theſe battayles altogether, wherin we ouercome: Yea holy men hauehave ſomtimes deſyred to hauehave the ſame graunted vntounto them. For Dauid ſayd: Proue me God, burne my raynes and my hart, Iames alſo ſayth that ſuch temptations pertayne to our felicitye when he writeth. Bleſſed is the man which ſuffereth temptatiō, &c. So farre is it abſent, that it ſhould ſeme to be prayed agaynſt.What kinde of temptation we muſt pray agaynſt. But thoſe are to be prayed agaynſt wherin godly men ſlippe and are ouercome, although at length they turne to them to good: bycauſe that in eueryevery falling, both God is offended and alſo his law violated, which we muſt by al meanes abhorre and deteſte. For although we perſuade our ſelues, that therby ſome good thinges will come: yet muſt we alwayes remember, that the ſame happeneth not by ye deſerte of ſinne, but by the goodneſſe of god. And it is a conſtant rule that ſinnes are not to be wyſhed for, though we might get neuer ſo muche good thereby. The thyrd kynde of temptation wherby men fall into deſtruction,What the godly muſt wayte for when they are tempted wt aduerſitye. muſt altogether be prayed agaynſt, although they which be godly in dede, and the electe of god, are not affeard of ye kinde of temptation, For as much as they ſtand not in doubt of theyr ſaluation. But the godly muſt alwayes loke for this, when they are afflicted by the goodneſſe of god, that it would pleaſe him to mitigate the temptations, and geue thē ſtrength to beare them, for as much as he hath promyſed by his Apoſtle ſo to do. For it is written to the Corinthians: God is faythfull, whiche wil not ſuffer you to be tempted aboue your power, but will with the temptation make a way out, But whether god doth ſtirre vp men to ſinnes by temptation, ſhal be afterward declared. But now to the hiſtory.