Contemplations vpon the principal passages of the holie historie. The third volume: in three bookes. By I. Hall, Doctor of Diuinitie

CONTEMplations Vpon the principal passages of the holie Historie .

THE THIRD VOLVME : IN THREE BOOKES .

BY I. HALL , Doctor of Diuinitie .

Printed by H. L. for Nathanael Butter , and William Butler . 1615.

Contemplations . THE NINTH BOOKE .

Containing The Rescue of Gibeon . The Altar of the Reubenites . Ebud and Eglon. Iael and Sisera . Gideons calling . Gideons preparation & victory . The reuenge of Succoth and Penuel . Abimelech's vsurpation .

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD , SIR THO: EGERTON KNIGHT , Lord Ellesmere ; Lord Chancelour of England ; Chancelour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford ; The sincere and graue Oracle of Equitie ; The great & sure friend of the Church ; The sanctuarie of the Clergy ; The bountifull incourager of Learning , J. H.

With thankfull acknowledgement of Gods blessing vpon this State , in so worthy an Instrument , and humble prayers for his happy continuance , Dedicates this poore and vnworthy part of his labors .

CONTEMPLATIONS .

THE RESCVE of Gibeon .

THE life of the Gibeonites , must cost them seruitude from Israel , and danger from their neighbours : if Ioshua will but sit stil , the deceit of the Gibeonites shall be reuenged by his enemies . Fiue kings are vp in Armes against them , and are ready to pay their fraude with violence : What should these poore men doe ? If they make not their peace , they die by strangers ; if they doe make their peace with Forrainers , they must die by neighbours . There is no course that threatens not some danger ; Wee haue sped well if our choice hath light vpon the easiest inconuenience .

If these Hiuites haue sinned against God , against Israel , yet what haue they done to their neighbours ? I heare of no trechery , no secret information , no attempt . I see no sinne but their league with Israel , & their life : yet ( for ought we find ) they were free men ; no way either obliged , or obnoxious . As Satan , so wicked men cannot abide to lose any of their community : if a Conuert come home , the Angels welcome him with songs , the Diuels follow him with vprore and fury , his old Partners with scornes and obloquy .

I finde these neighbour Princes halfe dead with feare , and yet they can finde time to be sick of enuie . Malice in a wicked hart is the king of Passions : all other vaile & bow when it comes in place ; euen their owne life was not so deare to them as reuenge . Who would not rather haue lookt , that these Kings should haue tryed to haue followed the Copie of this league ? or if their fingers did itch to fight , why did they not rather think of a defensiue war against Israel , then an offensiue against the Gibeonites . Gibeon was strong , and would not bee won without bloud ; yet these Amorites , which at their best were too weake for Israel , would spend their forces before hand on their neighbors . Here was a strong hatred in weake breasts : they feared , and yet began to fight ; they feared Jsrael , yet began to fight with Gibeon . If they had sat still , their destruction had not beene so suddaine : the malice of the wicked , hastens the pase of their owne iudgement . No rod is so fit for a mischieuous man , as his owne .

Gibeon , and these other Cities of the Hiuites , had no King : & none yeelded , and escaped , but they . Their Elders consulted before for their league ; neither is there any challenge sent to the King , but to the Citie : And now the fiue Kings of the Amorits haue vniustly compacted against them . Soueraignty abused , is a great spur to out-rage ; the conceit of authoritie in great persons , many times lies in the way of their own safety , whiles it will not let them stoope to the ordinarie courses of inferiours . Hence it is , that heauen is peopled with so few Great-ones : hence it is , that true contentment seldome dwells high ; whiles meaner men of humbled spirits , enioy both earth and heauen .

The Gibeonites had wel proued that thogh they wanted an Head , yet they wanted not wit ; and now the same wit that won Ioshua and Israel to their friendship and protection , teacheth them to make vse of those they had won . If they had not more trusted Ioshua , then their walls , they had neuer stolne that league ; & when shold they haue vse of their new Protectors , but now that they were assailed ? Whither should wee fly but to our Ioshua , when the powers of darknes ( like mighty Amorites ) haue besieged vs ? If euer wee will send vp our prayers to him , it will be , when we are beleaguered with euils . If we trust to our owne resistance , wee cannot stand ; we cannot miscary , if we trust to his : in vaine shall we send to our Ioshua in these straits , if we haue not before come to him in our freedom .

Which of vs would not haue thought Ioshua had a good pretence for his forbearance ; & haue said , You haue stolne your league with me ; why do you expect help from him whom yee haue deceiued ? All that wee promised you , was a sufferance to liue ; inioy what wee promised , wee will not take your life from you ; Hath your faithfulnes deserued to expect more then our couenant ; we neuer promised to hazard our liues for you , to giue you life with the losse of our owne . But that good man durst not construe his owne couenant to such an aduantage ; Hee knew little difference betwixt killing them with his own sword , and the sword of an Amorite : whosoeuer should giue the blow , the murder would bee his . Euen permission in those things wee may remedy , makes vs no lesse actors then consent ; some men kill as much by looking on , as others by smiting : Wee are guilty of all the euill wee might haue hindered .

The noble disposition of Ioshua , besides his ingagement , will not let him forsake his new vassalls : Their confidence in him , is argument enough to draw him into the Field . The greatest obligation to a good mind , is anothers trust ▪ which to disappoint , were mercilesly perfidious . How much lesse shall our true Ioshua faile the confidence of our faith ? Oh my Sauiour , if we send the messengers o● our prayers to thee into thy Gilgal , thy mercy bindes thee to releefe : neuer any soule miscaried that trusted thee ; we may be wanting in our trust , our trust can neuer want success .

Speed in bestowing , doubles a gift ; a benefit deferred , loses the thanks , and prooues vnprofitable . Ioshua marches all night , & fights all day for the Gibeonites : They tooke not so much pains in comming to deceiue him , as he in going to deliuer them . It is the noblest victory to ouercome euill with good ; if his very Israelites had been in danger he could haue done no more : God , and his Ioshua , make no difference betwixt Gibeonites Israelited , and his owne naturall people . All are Israelites whom he hath taken to league : we strangers of the Gentiles , are now the true Iewes ; GOD neuer did more for the naturall Oliue , then for that wild Impe which he hath graffed in . And as these Hiuites could neuer be thankfull enough to such a Ioshua ; no more can we to so gracious a Redeemer , who forgetting our vnwoorthiness , descended to our Gibeon , and rescued vs from the powers of hell , and death .

Ioshua fought , but God discomfited the Amorites ; The praise is to the workman , not the instrument : Neither did God slay them onely with Ioshua's sword , but with his owne haile-stones ; that now the Amorites may see both these reuenges come from one hand . These bullets of GOD doe not wound , but kill : It is no wonder that these fiue Kings flie ; They may soone run away from their hope , neuer from their horror : If they looke behind , there is the sword of Israel , which they dare not turn vpon , because God had taken their hart from them , before their life : If they looke vpwards , there is the haile-shot of God fighting against them , out of heauen ; which they can neither resist , nor auoyd .

If they had no enemy but Israel , they might hope to runne away from death , sith feare is a better footeman , then desire of reuenge ; but now , whither-soeuer they runne , heauen will be aboue their heads : And now , all the reason that is left them in this confusion of their thoughts , is to wish themselues well dead ; there is no euasion where GOD intends a reuenge . Wee men haue deuised to imitate these instruments of death , and send foorth deadly bullets out of a clowd of smoke ; wherein yet , as there is much danger , so much vncertaintie : but this God , that discharges his Ordinance from heauen , directs euery shotte to an head , and can as easily kil as shoot . It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God : hee hath mo waies of vengeance , then hee hath creatures . The same heauen that sent foorth water to the old world , fire to the Sodomites , lightning and thunderbolts to the Egyptians , sends out haile-stones to the Amorites . It is a good care how wee may not anger God ; it is a vain study how we may fly from his iudgements , when wee haue angred him ; if wee could run out of the world , euen there shall we finde his reuenges far greater .

Was it not miracle enough that God did braine their Aduersaries from heauen , but that the Sunne and Moone must stand stil in heauen ? Is it not enough that the Amorites fly , but that the greatest Planets of heauen must stay their owne course , to witnesse , and wonder at the discomfiture ? For him which gaue them both beeing and motion , to bid them stand still , it seemes no difficulty , although the rarenes would deserue admiration : but , for a man to commaund the chiefe starres of heauen ( by whose influence he liueth ) as the Centurion would do his seruant , Sunne stay in Gibeon , and Moone stand still in Aialon , it is more then a wonder . It was not Ioshua , but his faith that did this ; not by way of precept , but of prayer . If I may not say that the request of a faithfull man ( as wee say of the great ) commaunds , Gods glorie was that which Ioshua aimed at : hee knew that all the world must needs be witnesses of that , which the eye of the world stood still to see . Had he respected but the slaughter of the Amorites , hee knew the haile-stones could doe that alone ; the Sunne needed not stand still to direct that clowd to persecute them ; but the glory of the slaughter was sought by Ioshua , that hee might send that vp , whence those haile-stones , and that victory came : All the earth might see the Sunne and Moon ; all could not see the cloud of haile , which because of that heauie burden flew but low . That all Nations might knowe the same hand commands both in earth , in the clouds , in heauen , Ioshua now prayes , that hee which dishartned his enemies vpon earth , & smote them from the cloud , would stay the Sunne and Moone in heauen . God neuer got himselfe so much honour by one dayes worke amongst the heathen ; and when was it more fitte , then now , when fiue heathen Kings are banded against him ?

The Sun and the Moone were the ordinary Gods of the world : and who would not but think , that their standing still but one houre , should be the ruine of Nature ? & now , all Nations shall well see , that there is an higher then their highest ; that their Gods are but seruants to the GOD whom themselues should serue , at whose pleasure both they and Nature shall stand at once . If that God which meant to work this miracle , had not raised vp his thoughts to desire it , it had bin a blameable presumption , which now is a faith worthy of admiration . To desire a miracle without cause , is a tempting of God . O powerfull GOD that can effect this ! O power of faith that can obtaine it ! What is there that God cannot doe ? and what is there which God can doe , that faith cannot doe ?

THE ALTAR of the Reubenites .

REuben , and Gad , were the first that had an inheritance assigned them ; yet they must inioy it last : So it falls out oft in the heauenly Canaan , the first in title , are the last in possession . They had their lot assigned them beyond Iorden ; which tho it were allotted them in peace , must be purchased with their war : that must be done for their brethren , which needed not be done for themselues : they must yet still fight , and fight for-most , that as they had the first patrimonie , they might indure the first incounter . I do not hear them say , This is our share , let vs sitte downe , and enioy it quietly , fight who will for the rest : but when they knew their own portion , they leaue wiues and children to take possession , and march armed before their brethren , till they had conquered all Canaan . Whether should wee more commend their courage , or their charitie ? Others were mooued to fight with hope , they onely with loue : they could not winne more , they might lose themselues ; yet they wil fight , both for that they had something , and that their brethren might haue . Thankfulnesse and loue can doe more with Gods children , then desire to merit , or necessitie : No true Israelite can ( if hee might chuse ) abide to sitte still beyond Iordan , when all his brethren are in the field . Now when all this war of God was ended , and all Canaan is both won and diuided , they returne to their owne ; yet not till they were dismissed by Ioshua : all the sweet attractiues of their priuate loue cannot hasten their pase . If heauen be neuer so sweet to vs , yet may we not runne from this earthen warfare till our great Captaine shall please to discharge vs . If these Reubenites had departed sooner , they had been recalled , if not as cowards , surelie as fugitiues ; now they are sent back with victorie and blessing . How safe and happie it is to attend both the call , and the dispatch of GOD !

Beeing returned in peace to their home , their first care is , not for Trophees ; nor for houses , but for an Altar to God ; an Altar , not for sacrifice , which had been abominable , but for a memoriall what God they serued . The first care of true Israelites , must be the safetie of Religion ; the world , as it is inferiour in worth , so must it be in respect : Hee neuer knew God aright , that can abide any competition with his Maker .

The rest of the Tribes no sooner heare newes of their new Altar , but they gather to Shiloh , to fight against them : they had scarce breathed from the Cananitish war , and now they will goe fight with their brethren : if their brethren will ( as they suspected ) turne Idolaters , they cannot hold them any other then Canaanites . The Reubenites & their fellowes , had newly settled the rest of Israel in their possessions , and now ere they can be warme in their seates , Israel is vp in Armes to thrust them out of their owne : the hatred of their suspected Idolatry , makes them forget either their bloud , or their benefits . Israel sayes , These men were the first in our battels , and shall be the first in our reuenge ; They fought well for vs , wee will try how they can fight for themselues . What if they were our Champions ? Their reuolt from God hath lost them the thanke of their former labours ; their Idolatry shall make them of brethren , aduersaries ; their own bloud shall giue handsell to their new Altar . O noble and religious zeale of Israel ! Who would think these men the sonnes of them that danced about the molten Calfe ? That consecrated an Altar to that Idol ? Now they are ready to die or kill , rather then endure an Altar without an Idol . Euery ouerture in matter of Religion , is woorthie of suspicion , worthie of our speedie opposition : God lookes for an early redresse of the first beginnings of impietie . As in treasons or mutinies , wise states-men find it safest to kill the serpent in the egge ; so in motions of spirituall alterations : one spoonefull of water will quench that fire at the first , which afterwards whole buckets cannot abate .

Yet doe not these zealous Israelires runne rashly and furiouslie vpon their brethren , nor say , What need wee expostulate ? The fact is cleare : what care wee for words , when wee see their Altar ? What can this meane , but either seruice to a false God , or diuision in the seruice of the true ? There can bee no excuse for so manifest a crime : Why doe we not rather thinke of punishment , then satisfaction ? But they send ere they goe ; and consult ere they execute . Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest , and ten Princes ( for euery Tribe one ) are addressed both to inquire , & disswade ; to inquire of the purpose of the fact ; to disswade from that which they imagined was purposed . Wisedome is a good guide to zeale , and onely can keepe it from running out into furie : If discretion doe not hold in the raynes , good intentions wil both breake their owne necks , and the riders : yea , which is strange , without this , the zeale of God , may leade vs from God .

Not onely wisedome , but charitie mooued them to this message . For , grant they had beene guiltie , must they perish vnwarn'd ? Peaceable meanes must first be vsed to recall them , ere violence be sent to persecute them . The old rule of Israel , hath been still to inquire of Abel ; No good Shepheard sends his dog to pul out the throat of his strayed sheepe , but rather fetches it on his shoulders to the fold : Sudden crueltie stands not with religion : He which will not himselfe breake the bruised reed , how will hee allow vs , either to bruise the whole , or to breake the bruised , or to burne the broken ?

Neither yet was here more charitie in sending , then vncharitableness in the misconstruction . They begin with a challenge ; & charge their brethren deeply with transgression , apostasie , rebellion . I know not how two contrary qualities fall into loue ; it is not naturally suspicious , & yet many times suggests iealous feares of those we affect . If these Israelites had not loued their brethren , they wold neuer haue sent so farre to restraine them ; they had neuer offred them part of their owne patrimonie : if they had not been excessiuely iealous , they had not censured a doubtfull action , so sharply . They met at Shilo , where the Tabernacle was ; but if they had consulted with the Arke of God , they had saued both this labor , & this challenge : This case seemed so plain , that they thought aduice needless : Their inconsiderateness therefore brands their brethren with crimes whereof they were innocent ; and makes themselues the onely offenders . In cases which are doubtfull and vncertaine , it is safe either to suspend the iudgement , or to passe it in fauor ; otherwise , a plain breach of charitie in vs , shall bee worse then a questionable breach of iustice in another .

Yet this little gleame of their vncharitable loue began at themselues ; if they had not feared their owne iudgements in the offence of Ruben , I knowe not whether they had been so vehement : The fearefull reuenges of their bretherens sinne are still in their eye . The wickednes of Peor , stretched not so farre as the plague ; Achan sinned , and Israel was beaten : therefore by iust induction , they argue ( Ye rebel to day against the Lord , tomorrow wil the Lord be wroth with all the Congregation . ) They still tremble at the vengeance passed ; and finde it time to preuent their own punishment , in punishing their brethren . Gods proceedings haue then their right vse , when they are both carefully remembred , and made patterns of what he may doe .

Had these Reubenites been as hot in their answere , as the Israelites were in their charge , heere had grown a bloudy warre out of misprision : But now their answer is milde and moderate , and such as wel shewed , that though they were further from the Arke , yet no lesse neer to GOD . They thought in themselues , This act of ours , though it were wel meant by vs , yet might well be by interpretation scandalous ; it is reason our mildnesse should giue satisfaction for that offence , which we haue not preuented . Heereupon , their answer was as pleasing , as their act was dangerous . Euen in those actions whereby an offence may be occasioned ( though not giuen ) charitie bindes vs to cleare both our owne name , and the conscience of others .

Little did the Israelites looke for so good a ground of an action so suspicious ; An Altar without a sacrifice ? An Altar and no Tabernacle ? An Altar without a precept , and yet not against God ? It is not safe to measure all mens actions by our owne conceit , but rather to thinke there may bee a further drift , and warrant of their act , then we can attaine to see .

By that time the Reubenites haue commented vpon their owne worke , it appeares as iustifiable , as before offensiue . What wisedome and religion is found in that Altar , which before showed nothing but Idolatry ? This discourse of theirs , is full both of reason and pietie ; We are seuered by the riuer Iordan from the other Tribes ; perhaps heereafter , our choice may exclude vs from Israel : Posteritie may peraduenture say , Iordan is the bounds of all natural Israelites ; the streames whereof neuer gaue way to those beyond the Riuer : If they had beene ours , either in bloud or religion , they would not haue been sequestred in habitation . Doubtlesse therfore these men are the ofspring of som Strangers , which by vicinity of abode , haue gotten some tincture of our language , manners , religion ; What haue wee to doe with them , what haue they to doe with the Tabernacle of God ? Sith therfore we may not either remooue Gods Altar to vs , or remoue our Patrimonie to the Altar ; The Patterne of the Altar shall go with vs , not for sacrifice , but for memoriall ; that both the posterity of the other Israelites may know , we are no lesse deriued from them , then this Altar from theirs ; & that our posterity may know , they pertain to that Altar , whereof this is the resemblance . There was no danger of the present ; but posteritie might both offer and receiue preiudice , if this Monument were not . It is a wise & holy care to preuent the dangers of ensuing times , and to settle religion vpon the succeeding generations . As we affect to leaue a perpetuity of our bodilie issue , so much more to traduce pietie with them . Doe wee not see good husbands set and plant those trees , whereof their grand-children shall receiue the first fruit , & shade ? Why are we lesse thrifty in leauing true religion intire , to our childrens children ?

Ehud and Eglon.

AS euery man is guiltie of his own sorrow , these Israelites bred mischiefe to themselues : It was their mercy that plagued them with those Canaanites , which their obedience shold haue rooted out . If foolish pitty be a more humane sinne , yet it is no lesse dangerous then crueltie : Cruelty kils others , vniust pittie kills our selues . They had beene Lords alone of the promised Land , if their commiseration had not ouer-swayed their iustice ; and now their enemies are too cruell to them ( in the iust reuenge of God ) because they were too merciful : That God , which in his reuealed will had commanded all the Canaanites to the slaughter , yet secretly giues ouer Israel to a toleration of some Canaanites , for their own punishment . Hee hath bidden vs cleanse our hearts of all our corruptions : yet hee will permit some of these thornes still in our sides , for exercise , for humiliation . If wee could lay violent hands vpon our sinnes , our soules should haue peace ; now our indulgence costs vs many stripes , & many teares : what a continued circle is heere of sins , iudgements ; repentance , deliuerances ? The conuersation with Idolaters , taints them with sinne ; their sin drawes on iudgements ; the smart of the iudgement moues them to repentance ; vpon their repentance followes speedy deliuerance , vpon their peace and deliuerance they sinne againe .

Othniel , Calebs nephew , had rescued them from Idolatry and seruitude : his life , and their innocence and peace ended together . How powerfull the presence of one good man is in a Church or State , is best found in his losse .

A man that is at once eminent in place & goodnes , is like a stake in a hedge ; pull that vp , and all the rest are but loose and rotten sticks , easily remoued : or like the piller of a vaulted roofe , which either supports , or ruines the building . Who would not think Idolatry an absurd and vnnaturall sin ? which as it hath the fewest inducements , so had also the most direct inhibitions from God ; and yet after all these warnings , Israel falls into it againe : Neither affliction nor repentance can secure an Israelite from redoubling the worst sinne , if he be left to his own frailtie . It is no censuring of the truth of our present sorow , by the euent of a following miscariage ; The former cryes of Israel to God were vnfained , yet their present wickedness is abhominable : Let him that thinks he stands , take heed least hee fall .

No sooner had hee said ( Israel had rest ) but he addes , They committed wickednesse : The securitie of any people is the cause of their corruption ; standing waters soone grow noysom . Whiles they were exercised with warre , how scrupulous were they of the least intimation of Idolatry ? the newes of a bare Altar beyond Iordan , drew them together for a rèuenge ; now they are at peace with their enemies , they are at variance with God : It is both hard & happy not to be the worse with liberty ; The sedentary life is most subiect to diseases .

Rather then Israel shall want a scourge for their sinne , God him selfe shall raise them vp an enemy : Moab had no quarrell but his own ambition , but God meant by the ambition of the one part , to punish the Idolatry of the other ; his iustice can make one sin the executioner of another , whiles neither shall looke for any other measure from him , but iudgement : The euill of the Citie is so his , that the instrument is not guiltless . Before , God had stirred vp the King of Syria against Israel ; now , the King of Moab ; afterwards , the King of Canaan : Hee hath more varietie of iudgements , then there can be offences ; if we haue once made him our aduersary , he shall bee sure to make vs aduersaries enow ; which shall reuenge his quarrell , whiles they prosecute their owne .

Euen those were Idolaters by whose hands God plagued the Idolatries of Israel . In Moab , the same wickednes prospers , which in Gods owne people is punished : the iustice of the Almightie can least brooke euill in his owne ; the same heathen which prouoked Israel to sinne , shall scourge them for sinning . Our very profession hurts vs , if we be not innocent .

No lesse then eighteene yeares did the rod of Moab rest vpon the inheritance of God : Israel seemes as borne to seruitude ; they came from their bondage in the Land of Egypt , to serue in the Land of Promise ; They had neglected God , now they are neglected of GOD ; Their sinnes haue made them seruants , whom the choice of GOD had made free , yea his first borne . Woorthy are they to serue those men , whose false Gods they had serued , & to serue them alwaies in thraldome , whom they haue once serued in Idolatry . We may not measure the continuance of punishment , by the time of the commission of sinne ; one minutes sin deserues a torment beyond all time .

Doubtlesse , Israel was not so insensible of their own misery , as not to complain sooner then the end of eighteene yeeres ; The first houre they sighed for themselues , but now they cried vnto GOD . The very purpose of affliction is to make vs importunate ; Hee that heares the secret murmurs of our griefe , yet will not seeme to heare vs , till our cryes be loud & strong . GOD sees it best to let the penitent dwell for the time vnder their sorrowes ; hee sees vs sinking all the while , yet he lets vs alone till wee be at the bottome : and when once we can say , Out of the depths haue I cryed to thee ; instantly followes , The Lord heard me . A vehement suter cannot but be heard of God , whatsoeuer hee askes . If our prayers want successe , they want hart ; their blessing is according to their vigour . Wee liue in bondage to these spirituall Moabites , our owne corruptions . It discontents vs ; but where are our strong cries vnto the GOD of heauen ? where are our teares ? If wee could passionately bemone our selues to him , how soone should we be more then conquerours ? Some good motions wee haue to send vp to him , but they faint in the way . We may call long enough , if we cry not to him .

The same hand that raised vp Eglon against Israel , raised vp also Ehud for Israel , against Eglon ; When that Tyrant hath reuenged God of his people , God will reuenge his people of him . It is no priuiledge to be an instrument of Gods vengeance by euil meanes : Though Eglon were an Vsurper , yet had Ehud beene a Traytor if God had not sent him ; it is onelie in the power of him that makes Kings , when they are once settled , to depose them . It is no more possible for our moderne butchers of Princes , to show they are imployed by God , then to escape the reuenge of GOD in offering to doe this violence , not being imployed .

What a strange choice dooth God make of an Executioner ? A man shut of his right hand ; either he had but one hand , or vsed but one , and that the worse , and more vnready : Who would not haue thought both hands too little for such a worke ; or , if either might haue been spared , how much rather the left ? GOD seeth not as man seeth ; It is the ordinary wont of the Almightie , to make choice of the vnlikeliest meanes . The instruments of God must not bee measured by their own power , or aptitude , but by the will of the Agent : Tho Ehud had no hands , he that imployed him , had enabled him to this slaughter . In humane things , it is good to looke to the meanes ; in diuine , to the worker ; No meanes are to be contemned that God will vse ; no meanes to be trusted that man will vse without him .

It is good to be suspicious where is least show of danger , and most appearance of fauour . This left-handed man comes with a present in his hand , but a dagger vnder his skirt . The Tyrant , besides seruice , lookt for gifts ; and now receiues death in his bribe : Neither God nor men , doe alwaies giue where they loue . How oft dooth God giue extraordinary illumination , power of miracles , besides wealth and honor , where he hates ? So doe men too oft accompanie their curses with presents ; either least an enemy should hurt vs , or that wee may hurt them . The intention is the fauour in gifts , and not the substance .

Ehuds faith supplies the want of his hand : Where GOD intends success , he lifts vp the hart with resolutions of courage , & contempt of danger . What indifferent beholder of this proiect would not haue condemned it , as vnlikely to speed ; To see a maimed man goe alone to a great King , in the midst of all his troupes ; to single him out from all witnesses ; to set vpon him with one hand in his owne Parlor , where his Courtiers might haue heard the least exclamation , and haue comne in , if not to the rescue , yet to the reuenge . Euery circumstance is full of improbabilities : Faith euermore ouerlookes the difficulties of the way , & bends her eyes onely to the certainty of the end . In this intestine slaughter of our tyrannicall corruptions , when we cast our eyes vpon our selues , we might well despaire ; Alas , what can our left-hands doe against these spirituall wickednesses ? But when wee see who hath both commaunded , and vndertaken to prosper these holy designes , how can wee misdoubt the success ? I can doe all things throgh him that strengthens me .

When Ehud hath obtained the conuenient secrecie both of the weapon & place ; now with a confident forhead he approaches the Tyrant , and salutes him , with a true and awfull preface to so important an act . I haue a message to thee from God . Euen Ehuds poynard was Gods message ; not onely the vocall admonitions , but also the reall iudgements of God , are his errands to the world . Hee speakes to vs in raine & waters , in sicknesses & famine , in vnseasonable times & inundations : These are the secondary messages of God ; if we will not hear the first , we must heare these to our cost .

I cannot but wonder at the deuout reuerence of this Heathen Prince ; Hee sate in his Chaire of State ; The vnweildinesse of his fat body was such , that he could not rise with readiness and ease ; yet no sooner doth he heare newes of a message from God , but hee rises vp from his Throne , & reuerently attends the tenor therof : Though hee had no Superior to controle him , yet hee cannot abide to bee vnmannerly in the businesse of GOD .

This man was an Idolater , a Tyrant : yet what outward respects doth he giue to the true God ? Externall ceremonies of pietie , and complements of deuotion , may well be found with falshood in religion . They are a good shadow of truth where it is : but where it is not , they are the very body of hypocrisie . Hee that had risen vp in Armes against Gods people , and the true worship of God , now rises vp in reuerence to his Name : GOD would haue liked well to haue had less of his curtesie , more of his obedience .

He lookt to haue heard the message with his eares , and he feeles it in his guttes ; So sharp a message , that it pierced the body , & let out the soule through that vncleane passage : neither did it admit of any aunswer , but silence and death . In that part had hee offended by pampering it , and making it his God ; and now his bane findes the same way with his sinne . This one hard and cold morsell , which hee cannot digest , payes for all those gluttonous delicates , whereof he had formerly surfeted . It is the manner of God , to take fearefull reuenges of the professed enemies of his Church .

It is a maruell , that neither any noise in his dying , nor the fall of so gross a body , called-in some of his attendants : But that GOD , which hath intended to bring about any designe , disposes of all circumstances to his owne purpose . If Ehud had not come forth with a calme and settled countenaunce , and shut the doores after him , all his proiect had been in the dust . What had it been better that the King of Moab was slaine , if Israel had neither had a messenger to informe , nor a Captain to guide them ? Now hee departs peaceably , & blowes a trumpet in Mount Ephraim , gathers Israel , and falls vpon the body of Moab , as well as hee had done vpon the head , and procures freedome to his people . Hee that would vndertake great enterprises , had need of wisdome , and courage ; wisedome to contriue , and courage to execute ; wisedome to guide his courage , & courage to second his wisedome : both which , if they meet with a good cause , cannot but succeed .

Iael and Sisera .

IT is no wonder if they who ere foure-score dayes after the Law deliuered , fell to Idolatry alone , now after foure-score yeeres since the Law restored , fell to Idolatry among the Canaanites : Peace could in a shorter time work ●ooseness in any people : and if for●ie yeeres after Othniels deliue●ance , they relapsed , what marvell is it that in twise fortie after E●ud , they thus miscaried ? What ●re they the better to haue killed Eglon the King of Moab , if the Idolatry of Moab haue killed them ? The sinne of Moab shal be found a worse Tyrant then their Eglon. Israel is for euery market ; they sold themselues to Idolatry , God sells them to the Canaanites ; it is no maruell they are slaues , if they wil be Idolaters : After their longest intermission , they haue now the sorest bondage . None of their Tyrants were so potent as Iabin with his 900. chariots of Iron . The longer the reckoning is deferred , the greater is the summe : God prouides on purpose mighty Aduersaries for his Church , that their humiliation may bee the greater in sustaining , and his glory may be greater in deliuerance .

I doe not finde any Prophet in Israel during their sin ; but so soone as I heare newes of their repentance , mention is made of a Prophetesse , & Iudge of Israel . There is no better signe of Gods reconciliation , then the sending of his holy messengers to any people ; He is not vtterly fallen out with those whom hee blesses with prophecie . Whom yet doe I see raysed to this honour ? Not any of the Princes of Israel ; not Barac the Captaine ; not Lapidoth the husband ; but a woman , for the honor of her sex ; a wife , for the honor of wedlock : Deborah , the wife of Lapidoth .

Hee that had choice of all the millions of Israel , culls out two weake women , to deliuer his people ; Deborah shall iudge , Iael shall execute . All the Palaces of Israel , must yeeld to the Palme-tree of Deborah ; The weakenesse of the instruments , redounds to the greater honour of the workman . Who shall aske God any reason of his elections , but his owne pleasure ? Deborah was to sentence , not to strike ; to commaund , not to execute : This act is masculine , fit for some Captaine of Israel ; She was the Head of Israel , it was meet som other should be the hand : it is an imperfect and titular gouernment where there is a commaunding power , without correction , without execution . The message of Deborah findes out Barac the son of Abinoam , in his obscure secrecie , and calls him from a corner of Nepthali , to the honour of this exploit . Hee is sent for , not to gette the victory , but to take it ; not to ouercome , but to kill ; to pursue , & not to beat Sisera . Who could not haue done this work , whereto not much courage , no skill belonged ? Yet euen for this wil God haue an instrument of his owne choice : It is most fit that GOD shold serue himselfe where he list , of his owne ; neither is it to be inquired , whom we thinke meet for any imployment , but whom God hath called .

Deborah had beene no Prophetesse , if shee durst haue sent in her owne name ; Her message is from him that sent herselfe , Hath not the Lord God of Israel commaunded ? Baracs answer is faithfull , tho conditionate ; and doth not so much intend a refusall to goe without her , as a necessary bond of her presence with him . Who can blame him that hee would haue a Prophetesse in his company ? If the man had not been as holy as valiant , he wold not haue wished such societie . How many thinke it a perpetual bondage to haue a prophet of God at their elbow ? God had neuer sent for him so farre , if he could haue bin content to goe vp without Deborah ; Hee knew that there was both a blessing , and incouragement in that presence . It is no putting any trust in the success of those men , that neglect the messengers of God .

To prescribe that to others , which we draw back from dooing our selues , is an argument of hollowness and falsity : Barac shall see that Deborah doth not offer him that cup , whereof she dare not beginne ; without regard of her sexe shee marches with him to Mount Tabor , and reioyces to be seen of the tenne thousand of Israel . With what scorne did Sisera looke at these gleanings of Israel ? How vnequall did this match seeme of ten thousand Israelites against his three hundred thousand foot , ten thousand horse , nine hundred chariots of Iron ? And now in a brauery , he calls for his troupes , and meanes to kill this handfull of Israel with the very sight of his piked chariots ; and onely feared it would be no victory to cutte the throates of so few . The faith of Deborah and Barac was not appalled with this world of Aduersaries , which from Mount Tabor they saw hiding all the Vally belowe them ; they knew whom they had belieued , and how little an arme of flesh could do against the God of Hosts .

Barac went down against Sisera , but it was GOD that destroyed him . The Israelites did not this day wield their owne swords , least they should arrogate any thing ; God told them before hand , it should be his own act . I heare not of one stroke that any Canaanite gaue in this fight ; as if they were called hither , onely to suffer . And now proud Sisera , after many curses of the heauinesse of that Iron carriage , is gladde to quit his Chariot , and betake himselfe to his heeles . Who euer yet knew any earthly thing trusted in , without disappointment ? It is wonder if God make vs not at last as weary of whatsoeuer hath stolne our harts from him , as euer wee were fond .

Yet Sisera hopes to haue sped better then his followers , in so seasonable an harbour of Iael . If Heber and Iael had not been great persons , there had beene no note taken of their Tents ; There had been no league betwixt King Iabin and them : now their greatnes makes them known , their league makes them trusted . The distresse of Sisera might haue made him importunate , but Iael begins the curtesie , and exceeds the desire of her guest : Hee askes water to drinke , shee giues him milke ; hee wishes but shelter , shee makes him a bed ; hee desires the protection of her Tent , she couers him with a mantle . And now Sisera pleases himselfe with this happy change , and thinks how much better it is to be here , then in that whirling of chariots , in that horror of flight , amongst those shriekes , those woundes , those carcasses . Whiles hee is in these thoughts : his weariness & easie reposall hath brought him asleepe . Who would haue looked that in this tumult and danger , euen betwixt the very iawes of death , Sisera should finde time to sleepe ? How many worldlie harts doe so in the midst of their spirituall perils ?

Now whiles hee was dreaming , doubtlesse , of the clashing of armors , ratling of chariots , neighing of horses , the clamor of the conquered , the furious pursute of Israel ; Iael seeing his temples lie so faire , as if they inuited the naile & hammer , entred into the thought of this noble execution ; certainly not without som checks of doubt , and pleas of feare : What if I strike him ? And yet who am I , that I should dare to thinke of such an act ? Is not this Sisera , the famousest captaine of the world , whose name hath wont to be fearefull to whole Nations ? What if my hand should swarue in the stroke ? What if hee should awake , whiles I am lifting vp this instrument of death ▪ What if I should be surprised by some of his followers while the fact is greene , and yet bleeding ? Can the murder of so great a Leader be hid , or vnreuenged ? Or if I might hope so , yet can my heart allow mee to be secretly trecherous ? Is there not peace betwixt my house , and him ? Did not I inuite him to my Tent ? Doth he not trust to my friendship & hospitalitie ? But what doe these weake feares , these idle fancies of ciuilitie ? If Sisera be in league with vs , yet is he not at defiance with God ? Is hee not a Tyrant to Israel ? Is it for nothing that GOD hath brought him into my Tent ? May I not now finde meanes to repay vnto Israel all their kindnesse to my Grand-father Iethro ? Dooth not GOD offer mee this day , the honour to bee the Rescuer of his people ? Hath God bidden mee strike , and shall I hold my hand ? No Sisera , sleepe now thy last , and take here this fatall reward of all thy cruelty and oppression .

He that put this instinct into her hart , did put also strength into her hand ; He that guided Sisera to her Tent , guided the naile throgh his temples ; which hath made a speedie way for his soule throgh those parts , and now hath fastened his eare so close to the earth , as if the body had been listening what was becomne of the soule . There lyes now the great terror of Israel at the foote of a woman : Hee that brought so many hundred thousands into the Field , hath not now one Page left , either to auert his death , or to accompany it , or bewaile it : Hee that had vaunted of his Iron chariots , is slaine by one naile of Iron , wanting onely this one point of his infelicity , that hee knowes not by whose hand he perished .

Gideons Calling .

THe iudgements of God still the further they go , the sorer they are ; the bondage of Israel vnder Iabin was great , but it was freedome in comparison of the yoke of the Midianites . During the former tyrannie , Deborah was permitted to Iudge Israel vnder a Palme-tree ; Vnder this , not so much as priuate habitations will be allowed to Israel : Then , the seat of iudgement was in the sight of the Sun , now their very dwellings must be secret , vnder the earth . They that reiected the protection of God , are glad to seeke to the Mountaines for shelter ; & as they had sauagely abused themselues , so they are faine to creepe into dennes & caues of the rocks , like wilde creatures for safegard : God had sowen spirituall seed amongst them , and they suffered their heathenish neighbors to pull it vp by the rootes ; and now , no sooner can they sowe their materiall seed , but Midianites and Amalekites are ready by force to destroy it . As they inwardly dealt with God ; so GOD deales outwardly by them ; Their eyes may tell them what their soules haue done : yet that God whose mercie is aboue the worst of our sinnes sends first his Prophet with a message of reproofe , and then his Angell with a message of deliuerance . The Israelites had smarted enough with their seruitude , yet God sends them a sharp rebuke . It is a good signe when God chides vs , his round reprehensions are euer gracious forerunners of mercie : wheras his silent conniuence at the wicked , argues deepe and secret displeasure : The Prophet made way for the Angell , reproofe for deliuerance , humiliation for comfort .

Gideon was threshing Wheat by the Wine-presse . Yet Israel hath both Wheat and Wine , for all the incursions of their enemies . The worst estate out of hell , hath either some comfort , or at least , some mitigation ; in spight of all the malice of the world , God makes secret prouision for his owne . How should it be but he that ownes the earth , and all creatures , should reserue euer a sufficiencie from forrainers ( such the wicked are ) for his houshold ? In the worst of the Midianitish tyranny , Gideons field and barne are priuiledged , as his fleece was afterwards from the shower .

Why did Gideon thresh out his corne ? To hide it ; Not from his neighbours , but his enemies : his Granary might easily bee more close , then his barne . As then , Israelites threshed out their corne , to hide it from the Midianites : but now , Midianites thresh out corne , to hide it from the Israelites . These rurall Tyrants of our time , do not more lay vp corne , then curses ; he that withdraweth corne , the people will curse him ; yea , God will curse him , with them , & for them .

What shifts nature will make to liue ? Oh that we could be so carefull to lay vp spirituall foode for our soules , out of the reach of those spirituall Midianites , wee could not but liue , in despight of all Aduersaries .

The Angels that haue euer God in their face , & in their thoughts , haue him also in their mouthes , The Lord is with thee . But this which appeared vnto Gideon , was the Angel of the Couenaunt , the Lord of Angels . Whiles hee was with Gideon , he might well say , The Lord is with thee . He that sent the Comforter , was also the true Comforter of his Church ; he wel knew , how to lay a sure ground of Consolation , and that the onelie remedy of sorrow , and beginning of true ioy , is The presence of GOD . The griefe of the Apostles for the expected losse of their Master , could neuer be cured by any receit but this , of the same Angel , Behold , I am with you to the end of the world . What is our glory but the fruition of Gods presence ? The punishment of the damned , is a separation from the beatifical face of God ; needs must therfore his absence in this life , be a great torment to a good heart : and no crosse can bee equiualent to this beginning of heauen in the Elect , The Lord is with thee .

Who can complaine either of solitariness , or opposition , that hath GOD with him ? With him , not only as a witness , but as a partie : Euen wicked men and diuells cannot exclude God , not the bars of hell can shutte him out ; Hee is with them perforce , but to iudge , to punish them : Yea , God will be euer with them to their cost ; but to protect , comfort , saue , hee is with none but his .

Whiles he calls Gideon valiant , he makes him so . How could hee be but valiant , that had God with him ? The godless man may bee carelesse , but cannot be other then cowardly . It pleases God to acknowledge his owne graces in men , that he may interchange his owne glory , with their comfort ; how much more should wee confesse the graces of one another ? An enuious nature is preiudiciall to God ; Hee is a strange man in whom there is not some visible good ; yea , in the Diuels themselues wee may easily note some commendable parts , of knowledge , strength , agilitie : Let God haue his owne in the worst creature ; yea , let the worst creature haue that praise , which God wold put vpon it .

Gideon cannot passe ouer this salutation , as som fashionable complement , but layes hold on that part , which was most important ; the tenure of all his comfort ; and ( as not regarding the praise of his valour ) inquires after that which should be the ground of his valour , the presence of God : God had spoken particularly to him ; He expostulates for all . It had bin possible GOD should be present with him , not with the rest ; as hee promised to haue been with Moses , Israel : and yet when God saies , The Lord is with thee , he answers , Alas Lord , if the Lord bee with vs . Gideon cannot conceiue of himselfe as an exempt person ; but puts himselfe among the throng of Israel , as one that could not be sensible of any particular comfort , while the common case of Israel laboured . The maine care of a good hart is still for the publique , neither can it inioy it selfe , while the Church of God is distressed . As faith drawes home generalities , so charitie diffuses generalities from it selfe to all .

Yet the valiant man was heere weake ; weake in faith , weake in discourse ; whiles he argues Gods absence by affliction , his presence by deliuerances , and the vnlikelihood of success by his own disabilitie ; all gross inconsequences : Rather should hee haue inferred Gods presence vpon their correction ; for wheresoeuer God chastises , there he is , yea , there hee is in mercy . Nothing more proues vs his , then his stripes ; hee will not bestow whipping where he loues not . Fond nature thinks GOD should not suffer the wind to blow vpon his deare ones , because her selfe makes this vse of her own indulgence ; but none out of the place of torment , haue suffered so much as his dearest children . Hee sayes not we are Idolaters ; therefore the Lord hath forsaken vs , because wee haue forsaken him : This sequell had been as good , as the other was faultie ; ( The Lord hath deliuered vs vnto the Midianites , therefore hee hath forsaken vs : ) Sinnes , not afflctions , argue God absent .

Whiles Gideon bewrayeth weaknes , God both giues him might and imployes it ; ( Goe in this thy might , and saue Jsrael . ) Who wold not haue looked that God should haue looked angerly on him , and chid him for his vnbeliefe ? But he whose mercy will not quench the weakest fire of grace , though it be but in flax , lookes vpon him with compassionate eyes ; and to make good his owne word , giues him that valour hee had acknowledged .

Gideon had not yet said , Lord deliuer Jsrael : much lesse had hee said , Lord deliuer Israel by my hand . The mercy of God preuents the desire of Gideon : if God shold not begin with vs , we should be euer miserable ; if hee should not giue vs till we aske , yet who shold giue vs to aske ; if his spirit did not worke those holy grones , & sighes in vs , wee should neuer make sute to God . He that commonly giues vs power to craue , sometimes giues vs without crauing , that the benefit might be so much more welcome , by how much less it was expected ; and we so much more thankfull , as hee is more forward . When he bids vs aske , it is not for that he needes to be intreated ; but that hee may make vs more capable of blessings , by desiring them : And where hee sees feruent desires , he stayes not for words ; and he that giues ere wee aske , how much more will hee giue when we aske .

Hee that hath might enough to deliuer Israel , yet hath not might enough to keepe himselfe from doubting . The strongest faith will euer haue some touch of infidelitie . And yet this was not so much a distrust of the possibility of deliuering Israel , as an inquiry after the meanes ; Whereby shall I saue Israel ? The salutation of the Angel to Gideon , was as like to Gabriels salutation of the blessed Virgin , as their answeres were like : Both Angels brought newes of deliuerance ; both were answered with a question of the meanes of performance ; with a report of the difficulties in performing : Ah my Lord , whereby shall I saue Israel ? How the good man disparages himselfe ! It is a great matter ( O Lord ) that thou speakest of , and great actions require mightie Agents : As for me , who am I ? My Tribe is none of the greatest in Israel ; My Fathers family , is one of the meanest in his Tribe , and I the meanest in his family ; Pouerty is a sufficient bar to great enterprises .

Whereby shall I ? Humilitie is both a signe of following glory , & a way to it , and an occasion of it : Bragging and height of spirit , will not carry it , with GOD : None haue euer been raised by him , but those which haue formerly deiected themselues ; None haue been confounded by him , that haue been abased in themselues . Therevpon it is that he adds , I will therfore be with thee ; as if hee had answered , Hadst thou not beene so poore in thy selfe , I wold not haue wrought by thee . How shold God be magnified in his mercies if wee were not vnworthy ? How should he be strong , if not in our weakenesse ?

All this while , Gideon knew not it was an Angel that spake with him ; Hee saw a man stand before him like a Trauailer , with a staffe in his hand . The vnusualness of those reuelations in those corrupted times was such , that Gideon might thinke of any thing rather then an Angell : No maruell if so strange a promise from an vnknowne messenger , found not a perfect assent ; Faine would he belieue , but faine would hee haue good warrant for his faith . In matters of faith we cannot goe vpon too sure grounds . As Moses therefore being sent vpon the same errand , desired a signe , whereby Israel might knowe that God sent him : So Gideon desires a signe from this Bearer ▪ to know that his newes is from God .

Yet the very hope of so happy newes , not yet ratified , stirres vp in Gideon both ioy and thankfulness . After all the iniury of the Midianites , he was not so poore , but he could bestowe a Kid , and cakes , vpon the Reporter of such tidings . Those which are rightly affected with the glad newes of our spirituall deliuerance , study to show their louing respects to the messengers .

The Angel stayes for the preparing of Gideons feast . Such pleasure dooth GOD take in the thankfull indeauours of his seruants , that he patiently waites vpon the leysure of our performances . Gideon intended a dinner , the Angel turned it into a sacrifice . He whose meat and drinke it was to doe his Fathers will , calls for the broth and flesh to be poured out vpon the stone ; And when Gideon lookt hee should haue blessed , and eaten , hee touches the feast with his staffe , and consumes it with fire from the stone , and departed . He did not strike the stone with his staffe ( For the attrition of two hard bodies would naturally beget fire ) but hee touched the meat , and brought fire from the stone : And now whiles Gideon saw and wondred at the spirituall act , he lost the sight of the Agent .

Hee that came without intreating , would not haue departed without taking leaue , but that hee might increase Gideons wonder , and that his wonder might increase his faith . His salutation therefore was not so strange as his farewell . Moses touched the rock with his staffe , and brought forth water , and yet a man , and yet continued with the Israelites . This messenger touches the stone with his staffe , and brings foorth fire , & presently vanishes , that he may approue himselfe a spirit . And now Gideon , when he had gathered vp himselfe , must needes thinke , Hee that can raise fire out of a stone , can raise courage and power out of my dead breast ; He that by this fire hath consumed the broth and flesh , can by the feeble flame of my fortitude consume Midian .

Gideon did not so much doubt before , as now he feared . We that shall once liue with , and bee like the Angels , in the estate of our impotencie thinke we cannot see an Angel , and liue . Gideon was acknowledged for mighty in valour , yet he trembles at the sight of an Angel . Peter , that durst draw his sword vpon Malchus , and all the traine of Iudas , yet feares when he thought he had seene a spirit . Our naturall courage cannot be are vs out against spirituall obiects . This Angel was homely & familiar , taking vpon him for the time , a resemblance of that flesh wherof he would afterwards take the substance ; yet euen the valiant Gideon quakes to haue seen him : How awfull and glorious is the God of Angels , when he will be seen in the state of heauen !

The Angel that departed for the wonder , yet returnes for the comfort of Gideon ; It is not the wont of God to leaue his children in a maze , but hee brings them out in the same mercy which led them in , and will magnifie his grace in the one , no lesse then his power in the other .

Now Gideon growes acquainted with God , and interchanges pledges of familiarity ; He buildes an Altar to God , and God conferres with him ; and ( as he vses where he loues ) imployes him . His first task must be to destroy the god of the Midianites , then the Idolaters themselues . Whiles Baals Altar & groue stood in the hill of Ophrah , Israel should in vaine hope to preuaile : It is most iust with God that iudgment should continue with the sin , and no less mercy , if it may remoue after it . Woldst thou fain be rid of any iudgment ? Inquire what false Altars & groues thou hast in thy heart ; down with them first .

First must Baals Altar be ruined ere Gods be built , both may not stand together ; The true GOD will haue no societie with Idols , neither will allow it vs . I doe not heare him say , That Altar & groue which were abused to Baal , consecrate now to me ; but as one whose holy ielousie wil abide no worship till there be no idolatry , hee first commands down the monuments of superstition , and then inioynes his owne seruice ; yet the wood of Baals groue must be vsed to burne a sacrifice vnto God : When it was once cut down , Gods detestation , & their danger ceased . The good creatures of God that haue beene profaned to Idolatry , may in a change of their vse , bee imployed to the holie seruice of their Maker .

Though some Israelites were penitent vnder this humiliation , yet still many of them persisted in their wonted Idolatry . The very houshold of Gideons father were still Baalites , and his neighbours of Ophrah were in the same sin : yea if his father had been free , what did he with Baals groue and Altar ? He dares not therfore take his fathers seruants , thogh he tooke his bullocks , but commaunds his owne . The Master is best seene in the seruants : Gideons seruants ( amongst the Idolatrous retinue of Ioash ) are religious , like their Master ; yet the mis-deuotion of Ioash , and the Ophrathites was not obstinate . Ioash is easily perswaded by his sonne , and easily perswades his neighbours , how vnreasonable it is to plead for such a god , as cannot speak for himselfe ; to reuenge his cause , that could not defend himselfe . Let Baal plead for himselfe . One example of a resolute onset in a noted person , may doe more good then a thousand seconds in the proceeding of an action .

Soone are all the Midianites in an vprore to lose their god ; They need not now be bidden to muster themselues for reuenge : hee hath no religion that can suffer an indignitie offered to his God .

Gideons Preparation and Victorie .

OF all the instruments that GOD vsed in so great a worke , I finde none so weake as Gideon ; who yet ( of all others ) was stiled valiant : naturall valour may well stand with spirituall cowardise . Before he knew that he spake with a God , he might haue iust colours for his distrust ; but after God had approoued his presence , and almighty power , by fetching fire out of the stone , then to call for a watery signe of his promised deliuerance , was no other then to poure water vpon the fire of the spirit . The former triall God gaue vnwished ; this , vpon Gideons choice and intreatie : The former miracle was strong enough to cary Gideon through his first exploit of ruinating the idolatrous groue , and Altar ; but now , when he saw the swarme of the Midianites and Amalekites about his eares , he calls for new ayde ; and not trusting to his Abiezrites , and his other thousands of Israel , hee runnes to God for a further assurance of victorie .

The refuge was good , but the manner of seeking it , sauours of distrust . There is nothing more easie then to be valiant , when no perill appeareth ; but when euills assaile vs vpon vnequall tearms , it is hard , and commendable Not to be dismaied . If GOD had made that proclamation now , which afterwards was commaunded to be made by Gideon , Let the timorous depart , I doubt whether Israel had not wanted a Guide : yet how willing is the Almighty to satisfie our weak desires !

What tasks is he content to bee set by our infirmitie ? The fleece must be wet , and the ground dry ; the ground must be wet , and the fleece dry : Both are done ; that now Gideon may see whether hee would make himselfe hard earth , or yeelding woll . God could at pleasure distinguish betwixt him , and the Midianites , & poure down either mercies or iudgement where he lists , and that hee was set on worke by that God , which can commaund all the Elements , and they obey him ; Fire , Water , Earth , serue both him , and ( when he will ) his .

And now when Gideon had this reciprocall proofe of his insuing successe , he goes on ( as hee well may ) harnessed with resolution , and is seene in the Head of his troupes , and in the face of the Midianites . If we cannot make vp the match with God , when wee haue our owne asking , wee are worthie to sit out .

Gideon had but thirty thousand souldiers at his his heeles ; the Midianites couered all the vally , like Grashoppers : and now whiles the Israelites thinke , We are too few ; God sayes , The people are too many . If the Israelites must haue looked for victory from their fingers , they might well haue said , The Midianites are too many for vs ; but that God , whose thoughts and words are vnlike to mens , sayes , They are too many for mee to giue the Midianites into their hands . If humane strength were to be opposed , there should haue needed an equalitie ; but now God meant to giue the victory , his care is not how to get it , but how not to lose or blemish the glory of it gotten . How ielous God is of his honour ! Hee is willing to giue deliuerance to Israel , but the praise of the deliuerance he will keepe to himselfe ; and will shorten the meanes , that hee may haue the full measure of the glory . And if hee will not allow lawfull meanes to stand in the light of his honour , how will hee indure it to be crossed so much as indirectly ? It is less danger to steale any thing from God , then his glory .

As a Prince , which if wee steale or clip his coyne , may pardon it ; but if we goe about to rob him of his crowne , will not be appeased . There is nothing that we can giue to God , of whom wee receiue all things ; that which he is content to part with , he giues vs ; but he will not abide wee should take ought from him , which he would reserue for himselfe . It is all one with him to saue with many , and with fewe , but hee rather choses to saue by fewe , that all the victory may redound to himselfe . O God , what art thou the better for our praises , to whom because thou art infinite nothing can be added ? It is for our good that thou wouldst be magnified of vs ; Oh teach vs to receiue the benefit of thy mercifull fauours , and to returne thee the thanks .

Gideons Army must be lessened ; Who are so fitte to be cashered as the fearefull ? God bids him therefore proclaime licence for all faint harts to leaue the field . An ill instrument may shame a good work : God will not glorifie himselfe by cowards . As the timorous shall be without the gates of heauen ; so shall they be without the lists of of Gods field . Although it was not their courage that should saue Israel , yet without their courage God would not serue himselfe of them . Christianity requires men ; for if our spiritual difficulties meet not with high spirits , in steed of whetting our fortitude , they quaile it . Dauids royall Band of Woorthies , was the type of the forces of the Church ; all valiant men , and able to incounter with thousands .

Neither must we be strong onely , but acquainted with our owne resolutions ; not out of any carnal presumption , but out of a faithfull reliance vpon the strength of God ; in whom , when we are weak , then we are strong . Oh thou white liuer ! doth but a foule word , or a frowne scarre thee from Christ ? Dooth the losse of a little land , or siluer disquiet the ? Doth but the sight of the Midianites in the vally strike thee ? Home then , home to the world ; thou art not then for the conquering Band of Christ : If thou canst not resolue to follow him throgh infamie , prisons , racks , ●ibbets , flames ; Depart to thine house , & saue thy life to thy losse .

Mee thinks now , Israel should haue complained of indignity , & haue said , Why shouldst thou thinke , O Gideon , that there can be a cowardly Israelite ? And if the experience of the power and mercy of God , be not enough to make vs feare less , yet the sense of seruitude must needes haue made vs resolute ; for who had not rather to be buried dead , than quick ? Are we not faine to hide our heads in the caues of the earth , and to make our graues our houses ? Not so much as the very light that wee can freely inioy ; the tyrannie of death is but short and easie , to this of Midian : and yet what danger can there be of that , sith thou hast so certainly assured vs of Gods promise of victory , and his miraculous confirmation ? No , Gideon , those harts that haue brought vs hither after thy Colours , can as well keepe vs from retyring .

But now , who can but blesse himselfe , to finde of two & thirtie thousand Israelites , two & twenty thousand cowards ? Yet all these in Gideons march made as faire a flourish of courage as the boldest . Who can trust the faces of men , that sees in the Army of Israel , aboue two for one timorous ? How many make a glorious show in the warfaring Church , which when they shall see danger of persecution , shall shrinke from the standard of God ? Hope of safety , examples of neighbours , desire of prayse , fear of censures , coaction of lawes , fellowship of friends , draw many into the field ; which so soone as euer they see the Aduersary , repent of their conditions : and if they may cleanly escape , will be gone early from Mount Gilead . Can any man be offended at the number of these shrinkers , when he sees but tenne thousand Israelites left of two and twenty thousand in one morning .

These men that would haue bin ashamed to go away by day , now drop away by night ; And if Gideon should haue called any one of them backe , and said , Wilt thou flee ? would haue made an excuse . The darkness is a fit vaile for their palenesse , or blushing ; fearfulness cannot abide the light : None of these thousands of Israel but wold haue bin loath Gideon should haue seen his face whiles hee said , I am fearefull ; very shame holds some in their station , whose hearts are already fled . And if we cannot indure that men should be witnesses of that fear which we might liue to correct , how shall wee abide once to show our fearefull heads , before that terrible Iudge , when hee calls vs foorth to the punishment of our feare ? Oh the vanitie of foolish hypocrites , that run vpon the terrors of GOD , whiles they would auoyde the shame of men ?

How doe wee thinke the small remainder of Israel looked , when in the next morning-muster they found themselues but tenne thousand left ? How did they accuse their timorous Countrymen , that had left but this handfull to encounter the millions of Midian ? And yet still , God complaines of too many ; and vpon his triall , dismisses nine thousand seauen hundred more . His first triall was of the valour of their minds : his next is of the ability of their bodies ; Those which besides boldnes are not strong , patient of labour and thirst , willing to stoope , content with a little ( such were those that took vp water with their hand ) are not for the select Band of GOD . The Lord of Hosts will serue himselfe of none but able Champions ; If he haue therefore singled vs into his combat , this very choice argues , that hee findes that strength in vs , which we cannot confesse in our selues . How can it but comfort vs in our great trialls , that if the searcher of hearts did not find vs fit , hee would neuer honour vs with so hard an imployment ?

Now , when there is not scarce left one Israelite to euery thousand of the Midianites , it is seasonable with God to ioyne battell . When God hath stripped vs of all our earthly confidence , then doth hee finde time to giue vs victory ; and not till then , least he should be a loser in our gaine : Like as at last he vnclothes vs of our body , that he may clothe vs vpon with glory .

If Gideon feared when he had two and thirty thousand Israelites at his heeles , is it any wonder if hee feared , when all these were shrunke into three hundred ? Though his confirmation were more , yet his meanes were abated . Why was not Gideon rather the Leader of those two and twenty thousand runne-awaies , then of these three hundred souldiers ? Oh infinite mercie , and forbearance of God , that takes not vantage of so strong an infirmitie , but in stead of casting , incourages him . That wise Prouidence hath prepared a dream in the head of one Midianite , an interpretation in the mouth of another , and hath brought Gideon to bee an auditor of both ; and hath made his enemies Prophets of his victory , incouragers of the attempt , proclaimers of their owne confusion . A Midianite dreames , a Midianite interprets . Our verie dreames many times are not without God ; there is a prouidence in our sleeping fancies : euen the emies of God may haue visions , & power to construe them aright ; How vsually are wicked men forwarned of their owne destruction ? To foreknow & not auoyd , is but an aggrauation of iudgement .

When Gideon heard good newes ( tho from an enemy ) he fel down and worshipped . To heare , himselfe but a Barly-cake , troubled him not , when hee heard withall , that his roling down the hill shold breake the Tents of Midian ; It matters not how base wee bee thought , so we may be victorious . The soule that hath receiued full confirmation from God , in the assurance of his saluation , cannot but bow the knee , and by all gestures of bodie , tell how it is rauished .

I would haue thought Gideon should rather haue found full confirmation in the promise , and act of GOD , then in the dreame of the Midianite . Dreames may be full of vncertainty ; Gods vndertakings are infallible : well therefore might the miracle of GOD giue strength to the dreame of a Midianite ; but what strength could a Pagans dreame giue to the miraculous act of God ? yet by this is Gideon throughly settled . When wee are going , a little thing driues vs on ; when we are come neere to the shore , the very tide without sailes , is enough to put vs into the harbour . We shall now heare no more of Gideons doubts , but of his atchieuements : And though God had promised by these three hundred to chase the Midianites , yet he neglects not wise stratagems to effect it . To wait for Gods performance in doing nothing , is to abuse that diuine Prouidence , which will so worke , that it will not allow vs idle .

Now , when wee would looke that Gideon should giue charge of whetting their swords , & sharpening their speares , and fitting their Armour , he onely giues order for empty pitchers , and lights , and trumpets . The cracking of these pitchers shall breake in peeces this Midianitish clay : the kindling of these lights , shall extinguish the light of Midian : these trumpets , sound no other then a soule-peale to all the host of Midian : there shal need nothing but noise & light to confound this innumerable Armie .

And if the pitchers , and brands , and trumpets of Gideon , did so daunt & dismay the proud troopes of Midian , & Amalecke , Who can we think shall be able to stand before the last terror , wherein the trumpet of the Archangell shall sound , and the heauens shall passe away with a noise , & the elements shal be on a flame about our eares ?

Any of the weakest Israelites would haue serued to haue broken an empty pitcher , to haue carried a light , & to haue sounded a trumpet , and to strike a flying aduersarie . Not to the basest vse will God employ an vnworthy Agent ; Hee will not allow so much as a cowardly torch-bearer .

Those two and twenty thousand Israelites that slipt away for feare , when the feareful Midianites fled , can pursue , and kill them , & can follow them at the heeles , whom they durst not looke in the face . Our flight giues aduantage to the feeblest aduersary , whereas our resistance foileth the greatest : How much more , if we haue once turned our backs vpon a tentation , shall our spirituall enemies ( which are euer strong ) trample vs in the dust ? Resist , and they shal flee : stand still , and we shall see the saluation of the Lord .

The Reuenge of Succoth and Penuell .

GIdeon was of Manasseh : Ephraim and hee were brothers , sonnes of Ioseph ; None of all the Tribes of Jsrael fall out with their victorious Leader , but he : The agreement of brothers is rare ; by how much nature hath more endeared them , by so much are their quarrels more frequent and dangerous . I did not heare the Ephraimites offring themselues into the front of the Army , before the fight , and now they are readie to fight with Gideon , because they were not called to fight with Midian : I heare them expostulating after it ; After the exploit done , cowards are valiant . Their quarrell was that they were not called ; It had bin a greater praise of their valour to haue gone vnbidden : What need was there to call them , when God complained of multitude , and sent away those which were called ? None speake so bigge in the end of the fray , as the fearefullest .

Ephraim flies vpon Gideon , whiles the Midianites flie from him ; when Gideon should be pursuing his enemies , he is pursued by brethren ; & now is glad to spend that wind in pacifying of his own , which should haue been bestowed in the slaughter of a common Aduersary : It is a wonder if Satan suffer vs to be quiet at home , whiles wee are exercised with warres abroad . Had not Gideon Iearned to speake faire , as well as to smite , he had found work enough from the swords of Iosephs sonnes ; his good wordes are as victorious as his sword ; his pacification of friends , better then his execution of enemies .

For ought I see , the enuy of Israelites was more troublesome to Gideon , then the opposition of Midian ; He hath left the enuy of Ephraim behind him : before him , he findes the enuy of Succoth and Penuell . The one , enuies that hee should ouer-come without them ; the other , that hee should but say hee had ouer-come . His pursute leades him to Succoth , there hee craues releefe , & is repelled . Had he said , Come forth & draw your sword with mee against Zeba and Zalmunna , the motion had beene but equall ; A common interest challenges an vniuersall ayde : Now he saies , but , Giue morsells of bread to my followers ; He is turn'd off with a scorne ; Hee asks bread , and they giue him a stone . Could hee aske a more slender recompence of their deliuerance , or a lesse reward of his victory ? Giue morsels of bread . Before this act , all their substance had been too small an hire of their freedome from Midian ; now when it is done , a morsell of bread is too much : Well might hee challenge bread , where he gaue liberty , and life . It is hard , if those which fight the warres of God , may not haue necessary reliefe ; that whiles the enemy dies by them , they should die by famine . If they had laboured for GOD at home in peace , they had been worthy of maintenance ; how much more now , that danger is added to their toyle ? Euen very Executioners looke for fees : but heere were not malefactors , but aduersaries to be slaine ; the sword of power and reuenge was now to bee wielded , not of quiet iustice . Those that fight for our soules against spirituall powers , may challenge bread from vs , and it is a shamelesse vnthankfulnesse to deny it . When Abraham had vanquished the fiue Kings , & deliuered Lot and his familie , the King of Salem met him with bread and wine ; and now these sonnes of Abram , after an equall victorie , aske dry bread , and are denied by their brethren : Craftily yet , & vnder pretence of a false title , had they acknowledged the victory of Gideon , with what forhead could they haue denied him bread ?

Now , I knowe not whether their faithlesnesse , or enuy lie in their way ; Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna in thy hands ? There were none of these Princes of Succoth and Penuel , but thought themselues better men then Gideon ; That hee therefore alone , should doe that , which all the Princes of Israel durst not attempt , they hated and scorned to heare . It is neuer safe to measure euents by the power of the instrument ; nor in the causes of God ( whose calling makes the difference ) to measure others by our selues : There is nothing more dangerous then in holy businesses to stand vpon comparisons , and our own reputation ; sith it is reason GOD should both chuse , and blesse where he lists .

To haue questioned so sudden a victory had bin pardonable : but to deny it scornfully , was vnworthy of Israelites . Carnall men think that impossible to others , which themselues cannot doe : From hence are their censures , hence their exclamations .

Gideon hath vowed a fearfull reuenge , and now performes it ; the taunts of his brethren may not stay him from the pursute of the Midianites ; Common enmities must first be opposed , domesticall , at more leysure . The Princes of Succoth feared the tyranny of the Midianitish Kings , but they more feared Gideons victory . What a condition hath their enuy drawn them into ? that they are sory to see Gods enemies captiue ; that Israels freedome must bee their death ; that the Midianites & they , must tremble at one and the same Reuenger . To see themselues prisoners to Zeba and Zalmunna , had not been so fearefull , as to see Zeba & Zalmunna prisoners to Gideon . Nothing is more terrible to euill mindes , then to read their owne condemnation in the happy successe of others : Hell it selfe would want one peece of his torment , if the wicked did not knowe those whom they contemned , glorious .

I knowe not whether more to commend Gideons wisedome and moderation in the proceedings , then his resolution and iustice in the execution of this business . I doe not see him runne furiouslie into the Citie , and kill the next ; His sword had not been so drunken with bloud , that it shold know no difference : But he writes down the names of the Princes , and singles them forth for reuenge .

When the Leaders of GOD come to a Iericho , or Ai , their slaughter was vnpartiall ; not a woman or child might liue to tell newes : but now that Gideon comes to a Succoth , a Citie of Israelites , the Rulers are called foorth to death , the people are frighted with the example , not hurt with the iudgement . To enwrappe the innocent in any vengeance , is a murderous iniustice : Indeede where all ioyne in the sin , all are woorthy to meet in the punishment . It is like , the Citizens of Succoth could haue been glad to succour Gideon , if their Rulers had not forbidden : they must therefore escape , whiles their Princes perish .

I cannot thinke of Gideons reuenge without horror ; That the Rulers of Succoth shold haue their flesh torne from their backs with thornes & briers ; that they should be at once beaten , and scratcht to death . What a spectacle it was to see their bare bones looking some-where through the bloudie ragges of their flesh and skinne , and euery stroke worse then the last ; death multiplied by torment ! Iustice is sometimes so seuere , that a tender beholder can scarce discerne it from crueltie .

I see the Midianites fare lesse ill ; the edge of the sword makes a speedie and easie passage for their liues , whiles these rebellious Israelites die lingringly vnder thornes and bryers , enuying those in their death , whom their life abhorred . Howsoeuer men liue or die without the pale of the Church , a wicked Israelite shal be sure of plagues . How many shal vnwish themselues Christians , when Gods reuenges haue found them out ? The place where Iacob wrestled with GOD Peni-el . and preuailed , now hath wrestled against God , and takes a fall ; they see God auenging which would not belieue him deliuering .

It was now time for Zeba & Zalmunna to follow those their troups to the graue , whom they had led in the field : Those which the day before , were attended with an hundred thirty fiue thousand followers , haue not so much as a Page now left to weepe for their death ; and haue liued onely to see all their friends , and some enemies , die for their sakes . Who can regard earthly greatness , that sees one night change two of the greatest Kings of the world into captiues ? It had been both pitie and sinne , that the heads of that Midianitish tyranny , into which they had drawne so many thousands , should haue escaped that death .

And yet , if priuate reuenge had not made Gideon iust , I doubt whether they had died ; The bloud of his brothers calls for theirs , and awakes his sword to their execution ; Hee both knew and complained of the Madianitish oppression , vnder which Israel groned : yet the cruelty offered to all the thousands of his Fathers sonnes , had not drawne the bloud of Zeba and Zalmunna , if his own mothers sons had not bled by their hands . Hee that slew the Rulers of Succoth and Penuel , & spared the people , now hath slaine the people of Midian , and would haue spared their Rulers : but that God which wil finde occasions to wind wicked men into iudgement , wil haue them slain in a priuate quarrell , which had more deserued it for the publike ; If we may not rather say , that Gideon reuenged these as a Magistrate , not as a brother : For Gouernors to respect their own ends in publique actions , and to weare the sword of iustice in their owne sheath , it is a wrongfull abuse of authoritie . The slaughter of Gideons brethren , was not the greatest sinne of the Midianitish Kings ; this alone shall kill them , when the rest expected an vniust remission . How many lewd men hath God paid with some one sinne for all the rest ? Some that haue gone away with vnnaturall filthinesse , & capitall thefts , haue clipped off their own dayes with their coine ; Others , whose bloudy murders haue been punished in a mutinous word ; Others , whose suspected felony hath payd the price of their vnknowne rape . O GOD , thy iudgements are iust , euen when mens are vniust !

Gideons young son is bidden to reuenge the death of his Vncles ; His sword had not yet learn'd the way to bloud , especially of Kings , though in irons : Deadly executions require strength both of heart and face . How are those aged in euill , that can draw their swords vpon the lawfully Anointed of God ? These Tyrants pleade not now for continuance of life , but for the haste of their death ; Fall thou vpon vs . Death is euer accompanied with paine , which it is no maruell if we wish short : Wee doe not more affect protraction of an easefull life , then speed in our dissolution ; for heere euery pang that tends toward death , renewes it : To lie an houre vnder death , is tedious ; but to be dying a whole day , we thinke aboue the strength of humane patience . Oh what shal wee then conceiue of that death , which knowes no end ? As this life is no lesse fraile then the bodie which it animates ; so that death is no lesse eternall then the soule which must endure it : For vs to be dying so long as wee now haue leaue to hue , is intolerable ; and yet one onely minute of that other tormenting death , is worse then an age of this . Oh the desperate infidelitie of carelesse men , that shrinke at the thought of a momentany death , and feare not eternal . This is but a killing of the body : that is a destruction of body and soule .

Who is so worthy to weare the Crowne of Israel , as hee that won the Crowne from Midian . Their Vsurpers were gone , now they are headless ; It is a doubt whether they were better to haue had no Kings , or Tyrants ; They sue to Gideon to accept of the Kingdom , & are repulsed ; There is no greater example of modestie , then Gideon . When the Angel spake to him , he abased himselfe belowe all Israel ; when the Ephraimites contended with him , hee prefers their gleanings to his vintage , and casts his honour at their feet : and now when Israel profers him that kingdome which he had merited , hee refuses it . Hee that in ouercomming would allow them to cry , The sword of the Lord , and of Gideon , in gouerning , will haue none but The sword of the Lord . That which others plotte , and sue , and sweare , and bribe for , Dignity and superiority , hee seriously reiects ; whether it were , for that he knew God had not yet called them to a Monarchy ; or rather , for that hee saw the Crowne among thornes ? What doe wee ambitiously affect the commaund of these mole-hils of earth , when wise men haue refused the profers of Kingdomes ? Why doe we not rather labor for that Kingdome which is free from all cares , from all vncertaintie ?

Yet he that refuses their Crown , calls for their earings , although not to enrich himselfe , but religion . So long had God bin a stranger to Israel , that now superstition goes currant for deuout worship . It were pitty that good intentions shold make any man wicked ; here they did so : Neuer man meant better then Gideon in his rich Ephod ; yet this very act set all Israel on whoring : God had chosen a place , and a seruice of his owne . When the wit of man will be ouer-pleasing God with better deuises then his owne , it turnes to madness , and ends in mischiefe .

Abimelechs Vsurpation .

GIdeon refused the kingdome of Israel when it was offred ; his seuenty sonnes offred not to obtaine that Scepter , which their fathers victorie had deserued to make hereditary : onely Abimelec the concubines sonne , sues and ambitiously plots for it . What could Abimelec see in himselfe that hee should ouer-looke all his brethren ? If hee lookt to his father , they were his equals ; if to his mother , they were his betters . Those that are most vnworthy of honor , are horest in the chase of it , whiles the conscience of better deserts bids men sitte still , and stay to be either importuned , or neglected ; There can be no greater signe of vnfitness , then vehement sute : It is hard to say , whether there be more pride , or ignorance in Ambition . I haue noted this difference betwixt spirituall and earthly honor , and the Clients of both ; wee cannot be worthy of the one without earnest prosecution ; nor with earnest prosecution worthy of the other : The violent obtain heauen ; onely the meek are worthy to inherit the earth .

That which an aspiring heart hath proiected , it will finde both argument and means to effect ; If either bribes or fauour will carry it , the proud man will not sit out ; The Shechemites are fit brokers for Abimelec ; That Citie which once betrayed it selfe to vtter depopulation in yeelding to the sute of Hamor , now betraies it selfe , and all Israel in yielding to the request of Abimelec ; By them hath this Vsurper made himselfe a faire way to the throne : It was an easie question , Whether will ye admitte of the sonnes of Gideon for your Rulers , or of Strangers ? If of the sons of Gideon , whether of all , or one ? If of one , whether of your owne flesh and bloud , or of others vnknown ? To cast off the sonnes of Gideon for Strangers , were vnthankfull ; To admit of seauentie Kings in one small Country , were vnreasonable ; To admit of any other rather then their owne kinsman , were vnnaturall . Gideons sons therefore must rule amongst all Israel ; One of his sonnes amongst those seuentie : and who should be that one but Abimelec ? Natural respects are the most dangerous corrupters of all elections ; What hope can there bee of worthy Superiors in any free people , where neereness of bloud carries it from fitnes of disposition ? Whiles they say , He is our brother , they are enemies to themselues , and Israel .

Faire words haue won his brethren ; they the Sechemites ; the Sechemites furnish him with mony , mony with men ; His men begin with murder , and now Abimelec raignes alone ; Flattery , bribes and bloud , are the vsuall stayres of the Ambitious : The mony of Baal is a fit hire for murderers ; that which Idolatry hath gathered , is fitlie spent vpon Treason : One diuel is ready to help another in mischief ; Seldome euer is ill-gotten riches better imployed . It is no wonder if he that hath Baal his Idol , now make an Idol of Honour . There was neuer any man that worshipped but one Idol ; Wo be to them that lie in the way of the Aspiring : Tho they be brothers , they shall bleed ; yea the nearer they are , the more sure is their ruine . Who would not now thinke that Abimelec should finde an hell in his breast , after so barbarous and vnnaturall a massacre ; and yet behold he is as senselesse as the stone vpon which the bloud of his seauenty brethren was spilt . Where Ambition hath possest it selfe throughly of the soule , it turnes the heart into steele , and makes it vncapable of a conscience ; All sinnes will easily downe with the man that is resolued to rise .

Onely Iotham fell not at that fatall stone with his brethren ; It is an hard battell where none escapes . Hee escapes , not to raigne , not to reuenge ; but to be a Prophet , and a witnesse of the vengeance of GOD vpon the Vsurper , vpon the Abettors ; Hee liues to tell Abimelec hee was but a bramble , a weed rather then a tree . A right bramble indeed , that grew but out of the base hedg-row of a Concubine , that could not lift vp his head from the earth , vnlesse he were supported by some bush or pale of Shechem , that had laid hold of the fleece of Israel , and had drawne bloud of all his brethren ; and lastly , that had no substance in him , but the sap of vaine-glory , and the pricks of crueltie . It was better then a kingdom to him , out of his obscure Beer , to see the fire out of this bramble to consume those trees ; The view of Gods reuenge , is so much more pleasing to a good heart , then his owne , by how much it is more iust and full .

There was neuer such a patterne of vnthankfulness , as these Israelites : They which lately thought a Kingdome too small recompence for Gideon and his sonnes , now thinke it too much for his seede to liue ; and take life away from the sonnes of him , that gaue them both life and liberty . Yet if this had bin some hundred of yeers after , when time had worne out the memory of Ierub-baal , it might haue borne a better excuse . No man can hope to hold pase with Time ; The best names may not think scorne to be vnknowne to following generations : but ere their Deliuerer was cold in his coffin , to pay his benefits ( which deserued to be euerlasting ) with the extirpation of his Posteritie , it was more then sauage . What can bee looked for from Idolaters ? If a man haue cast off his God , hee will easily cast off his friends : When religion is once gone , humanitie will not stay long after .

That , which the people were punished afterwards for but desiring , he inioyes . Now is Abimelec seated in the throne which his Father refused , and no riuall is seene to enuy his peace : But how long will this glory last ? Stay but three yeeres , and ye shall see this bramble withered , and burnt . The prosperitie of the wicked is short and fickle ; a stolne Crowne ( tho it may looke faire ) cannot be made of any but brittle stuffe . All life is vncertaine : but wickednes ouer-runnes nature .

The euill spirit thrust himselfe into the plot of Abimelechs vsurpation and murder , & wrought with the Sechemites for both : and now God sends the euill spirit betwixt Abimelec and the Sichemites , to work the ruine of each other . The first could not haue been without God ; but in the second , GOD challenges a part : Reuenge is his , where the sinne is ours . It had bin pitty that the Sichemites should haue been plagued by any other hand then Abimelecs ; They raised him vniustly to the Throne , they are the first that feele the weight of his scepter . The foolish Bird limes herself with that which grew from her owne excretion : who wonders to see the kinde Peasant stung with his owne snake ?

The breach begins at Shechem ; His own Countrimen flie off from their promised allegeance ; Tho all Israel should haue faln of from Abimelec , yet they of Shechem shold haue stuck close : It was their act , they ought to haue made it good . How should good Princes be honoured , when euen Abimelecs once settled cannot be opposed with safety ? Now they begin the reuolt to the rest of Israel . Yet , if this had been done out of repentance , it had bin praise-worthy ; but to be done out of a trecherous inconstancie , was vnworthy of Israelites . How could Abimelec hope for fidelity of them , whom he had made and found Traytors to his fathers bloud ? No man knowes how to be sure of him that is vnconscionable ; He that hath bin vnfaithful to one , knowes the way to be perfidious , and is onely fit for his trust , that is worthy to be deceiued ; whereas faithfulnesse , besides the present good , laies a ground of further assurance . The friendship that is begun in euil , cannot stand ; wickednes , both of it owne nature , and through the curse of God , is euer vnsteddy : and thogh there be not a disagreement in hell ( being but the place of retribution , not of action ) yet on earth , there is no peace among the wicked ; whereas that affection which is knit in God , is indissoluble .

If the men of Shechem had abandoned their false God , with their false King , and out of a serious remorse , & desire of satisfaction for their idolatry & bloud , had opposed this Tyrant , & preferd Iotham to his throne , there might haue bin both warrant for their quarrel , and hope of success : but now , if Abimelec be a wicked Vsurper , yet the Shechemites are Idolatrous Traytors . How could they thinke , that God wold rather reuenge Abimelecs bloody intrusion by them , then their trechery & Idolatry by Abimelec ? When the quarrel is betwixt God & Satan , there is no doubt of the issue ; but when one diuel fights with another , what certenty is there of the victory ? Though the cause of God had bin good , yet it had bin safe for them to looke to themselues : the vnworthiness of the agent many times , curses a good enterprise .

No sooner is a secret dislike kindled in any people against their Gouernours , then there is a Gaal ready to blow the coales : It were a wonder if euer any faction should want an Head ; As contrarily , neuer any man was so ill , as not to haue some fauorers : Abimelec hath a Zebul in the midst of Shechem ; Lightly , all treasons are betrayd euen with some of their owne ; His intelligence brings the sword of Abimelec vpon Shechem , who now hath demolished the City , & sown it with salt . Oh the iust successions of the reuenges of God! Gideons Ephod is punished with the bloud of his sonnes ; the bloud of his sons is shed by the procurement of the Shechemites ; the bloud of the Shechemites is shed by Abimelec : the bloud of Abimelec is spilt by a woman . The retaliations of God , are sure and iust , & make a more due pedigree , then descent of nature .

The pursued Shechemites , flie to the house of their god Berith ; now they are safe : that place is at once a fort , and a sanctuary . Whether should we fly in our distresse but to our GOD ? And now this refuge shall teach them what a God they haue serued : The iealous God whom they had forsaken , hath them now where he would , & reioyces at once to be reuenged of their god , & them : Had they not made the house of Baal their shelter , they had not died so fearfully . Now , according to the prophecie of Iotham , a fire goes out of the bramble , and consumes these Cedars , and their eternall flames begin in the house of their Berith : the confusion of wicked men , rises out of the false Deities which they haue doted on .

Of all the Conspirators against Gideons sonnes , only Abimelec yet suruiues , and his day is now comming . His success against Shechem , hath filled his hart with thoughts of victorie ; He hath caged vp the inhabitants of Tebez within their tower also ; and what remaines for them , but the same end with their neighbours ? And behold , while his hand is busie in putting fire to the dore of their tower , which yet was not hie ( for then he could not haue discerned a woman to be his Executioner ) a stone from a womans hand strikes his head ; His paine in dying , was not so much as his indignation to know by whom he died : & rather wil he die twise , then a woman shal kill him . If God had not known his stomack so big , he had not vexed him with the impotency of his Victor : God findes a time to reckon with wicked men for all the arrerages of their sinnes . Our sins are not more our debts to God , then his iudgements are his debts to our sinnes , which at last hee will be sure to pay home . There now lies the greatness of Abimelec ; vpon one stone had hee slaine his seuenty brethren , & now a stone slaies him ; His head had stolne the Crown of Israel , & now his head is smitten : And what is Abimelec better that he was a King ? What difference is there betwixt him , and any of his seauenty brethren whom he murdred , saue only in guiltinesse ? They beare but their owne bloud ; hee , the weight of all theirs . How happy a thing is it to liue well ! that our death , as it is certaine , so may be comfortable : What a vanitie it is to insult in the death of them , whom wee must follow the same way ?

The Tyran hath his payment , & that time which he shold haue bestowed in calling for mereie to GOD , and washing his bloudie soule with the last teares of contrition , he vainly spends in deprecating an idle reproach ; Kill me , that it may not be said , He died by a woman : A fitte conclusion for such a life . The expectation of true and endless torment , doth not so much vex him , as the friuolous report of a dishonor ; neither is he so much troubled with , Abimelec is frying in hell , as , Abimelec is slaine by a woman . So , vaine fooles are niggardly of their reputation , & prodigall of their soules ; Doe we not see them runne wilfully into the field , into the graue , in●o hell ? and all , least it shold be said , They haue but as much feare , as wit .

Contemplations .

THE TENTH BOOKE .

Contayning Ieptha . Sampson conceiued . Sampsons mariage . Sampsons victory . Sampsons end . Michaes Idolatry .

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD , SIR Henrie Danuers , Knight ; Baron of Dantesey : A worthy patterne of all true Nobilitie , accomplished both for warre and peace ; A munificent fauourer of all learning and vertue ; I. H.

With humble apprecation of all true happinesse , Dedicates this part of his poore Labors .

CONTEMPLATIONS .

Jeptha .

ISrael , that had now long gone a whoring from GOD , hath bin punished by the regiment of the Concubines sonne , and at last seekes protection from the sonne of an harlot : It is no small miserie to be obliged vnto the vnworthy . The concubines son made sute to them ; They make sute to the son of the harlot . It was no fault of Ieptha that hee had an ill mother , yet is he branded with the indignitie of his bastardie ; neither would God conceale this blemish of nature , which Ieptha could neither auoyd , nor remedy . God , to show his detestation of whoredom , reuenges it not onely vpon the actors , but vpon their issue : Hence he hath shut out the base-son from the congregation of Israel , to the tenth generation , that a transient euil might haue a durable reproch attending it ; And that after the death of the Adulterer , yet his shame might liue . But , that God who iustly ties men to his lawes , will not abide that wee should tie him to our lawes , or his owne ; He can both rectifie and ennoble the bloud of Ieptha . That no man should be too much discouraged with the errors of his propagation , euen the base son of man may be the lawfully begotten of God ; & though hee be cast out from the inheritance of his brethren vpon earth , may bee admitted to the kingdome of Israel .

I heare no praise of the lawfull issue of Gilead ; onely this mis-begotten sonne is commended for his valour , and set at the sterne of Israel : The common gifts of God respect not the parentage or blood , but are indifferently scattered where he pleases to let them fall . The choice of the Almighty , is not guided by our rules ; As in spirituall , so in earthly things , it is not in him that willeth : If GOD would haue men glory in these outward priuiledges , he would bestow vpon them none but the worthy .

Now , who can bee proude of strength or greatnes , when he sees him that is not so honest , yet is more valiant , and more aduaunced ? Had not Ieptha been base , he had not been thrust out ; and if he had not been thrust out from his brethren , hee had neuer been the Captaine of Israel . By contrarie pases to ours , it pleaseth GOD to come to his owne ends : and how vsually doth he looke the contrary way , to that he moues ? No man can measure the conclusion of Gods act by his beginning : Hee that fetches good out of euill , raises the glory of men out of their ruine . Men loue to goe the neerest way , and often faile : GOD commonly goes about , and in his owne time comes surely home .

The Gileadites were not so forward to expell Ieptha , as gladde to recall him ; No Ammonite threatned them when they parted with such an helper : Now , whom they cast out in their peace , they fetch home in their danger and misery . That God who neuer gaue ought in vaine , will finde a time to make vse of any gift that hee hath bestowed vpon men ; The valour of Ieptha shall not rust in his secrecie , but bee imploied to the common preseruation of Israel : Necessitie will driue vs to seeke vp all our helps , euen those whom our wantonnesse hath despised .

How iustly are the sutes of our need vp braided with the errors of our prosperitie ? The Elders of Gilead now heare of their ancient wrong , and dare not finde fault with their exprobration ; Did yee not hate mee , and expell me out of my Fathers house ? How then come yee now to mee in time of Tribulation ? The same expostulation that Ieptha makes with Gilead , GOD also at the same time makes with Israel ; Ye haue for saken me , & serued other Gods ; wherefore should I deliuer you any more : Goe & cry vnto the gods whom ye haue serued . As we , so God also findes it seasonable to tell his children of their faults , whiles hee is whipping them . It is a safe and wise course , to make much of those in our peace , whom we must make vse of in our extremity ; else it is but iust , that we should be reiected of those , whom we haue reiected . Can we look for any other answere from God then this ? Did ye not driue me out of your houses , out of your harts , in the time of your health and iollitie ? Did yee not plead the strictnesse of my charge , & the weight of my yoke ? Did not your wilfull sinnes expell mee from your soules ? What doe you now crowching & creeping to me in the euill day ? Surelie , O God , it is but iustice , if thou bee not found of those , which were glad to lose thee ; it is thy mercie , if after many checks , and delaies , thou wilt be found at last . Where an act cannot be reuersed , there is no amends , but confession ; and if God himselfe take vp with this satisfaction , He that confesses , shall finde mercy ; how much more shold men hold themselues well paid with words of humilitie , and deprecation ?

Iepthaes wisedome had not bin answerable to his valour , if he had not made his match before hand ; He could not but know how trecherously Israel had dealt with Gideon . Wee cannot make too sure worke , when we haue to doe with vnfaithfull men : It hath been an old policie to serue our selues of men ; and after our aduantage , to turne them vp . He bargains therfore for his Soueraignttie ere he winne it , Shall I be your Head ? We are all naturally ambitious , and are ready to buy honor euen with hazard . And if the hope of a troublesome superioritie incouraged Ieptha to fight against the forces of Ammon , what hart should wee take in the battels of God against spirituall wickednesses , when the God of heauen hath said , To him that ouercomes , will I giue power ouer nations , and to sit with me in my Throne ? Oh that wee could bend our eyes vpon the recompence of our reward ; how willingly should wee march forward against these mighty Ammonites ! Ieptha is noted for his valour , and yet he intreates with Ammon , ere he fights . To make war any other then our last remedy , is not courage , but cruelty and rashness : And now , when reason will not preuaile , he betakes himselfe to his sword .

As God began the warre with Ieptha , in raising vp his hart to that pitch of fortitude ; so Ieptha began his warre at GOD , in crauing victory from him , & pouring out his vow to him : His hand tooke hold of his sword ; his hart , of God : therefore hee , whom the old Testament stiles valiant , the new , stiles faithfull ; Hee who is commended for his strength , dares trust in none , but the arme of God : If thou wilt giue the Ammonites into my hand . If Ieptha had not lookt vpward for his victory , in vaine had the Gileadites lookt vp to him : This is the disposition of all good harts , they looke to their sword , or their bowe , as seruants , not as Patrons ; and whiles they vse them , trust to God . If we could doe so in all our businesses , wee should haue both more ioy in their successe , and lesse discomfort in their miscariage .

It was his zeale to vow : it was his sinne to vow rashly . Iacob his fore-father , of whom hee learned to vow , might haue taught him a better forme ; If GOD will bee with me , then shall the Lord be my God . It is well with vowes , when the thing promised makes the promise good : But when Ieptha saies , Whatsoeuer thing commeth out of the doores of my house , shall bee the Lords , or I will offer it for a burnt sacrifice ; his deuotion is blind , and his good affection ouer-runnes his iudgement : For what if a dog , or a swine , or an asse had met him , where had been the promise of his consecration ?

Vowes are as they are made ; like vnto sents , if they bee of ill composition , nothing offends more ; if well tempered , nothing is more pleasant : Either certainty of euill , or vncertainty of good , or impossibilitie of performance , makes vowes no seruice to GOD . When we vow what we cannot , or what we ought not doe , we mock God insteed of honoring him : It is a vaine thing for vs , to go about to catch God hood-winkt ; The conscience shall neuer finde peace in any way , but that which we see before vs , and which we know safe both in the kind , and circumstances . There is no comfort in ( peraduenture I may please GOD . ) What good child wil not take part of the Parents ioy ? If Ieptha returne with Trophees , it is no maruell if his daughter meet him with Timbrels : Oh that we could be so affected with the glorious acts of our heauenly Father ! Thou subduest thine enemies , and mightily deliuerest thy people . O GOD , a song waiteth for thee in Sion .

Who would haue suspected danger in a dutifull Triumph ? Well might Iepthaes daughter haue thought ; My sexe forbad me to doe any thing towards the help of my Fathers victory ; I can doe little , if I cannot applaud it ; If nature haue made me weake , yet not vnthankfull ; nothing forbids my ioy to be as strong as the Victors ; Though I might not goe out with my father to fight , yet I may meet him with gratulations ; A Timbrel may become these hands which were vnfit for a sword ; This day hath made me the daughter of the Head of Israel ; This day hath made both Israel free , my father a Conqueror , and my selfe in him noble : and shal my affection make no difference ? What must my father needs think , if hee shall finde me sitting sullenly at home , whiles all Israel striues who shall run first to blesse him with their acclamations ? Should I onely be insensible of his , and the common happinesse ?

And now , behold when shee lookes for most thanks , her father answers the measures of her feet , with the knockings of his breast , and weeps at her musick , & teares his clothes to looke vpon her , whom he best loued , and giues no answere to her Timbrels , but Alas my daughter , thou art of them that trouble mee : Her ioy alone hath changed the day , & lost the comfort of that victory , which shee inioyed to see won . It falls out often , that those times and occasions , which promise most contentment , prooue most dolefull in the issue : The hart of this Virgin was neuer lifted vp so hie as now , neither did any day of her life seem happy but this ; and this onely , proues the day of her solemne , and perpetuall mourning : As contrarilie the times and euents which wee haue most distrusted , proue most beneficiall . It is good in a fair morning , to thinke of the storme that may rise ere night , and to enioy both good and euill fearefully .

Miserable is that deuotion which troubles vs in the performance ; Nothing is more pleasant then the acts of true pietie : Ieptha might well see the wrong of this religion , in the distaste of it ; yet whiles himselfe had troubled his daughter , hee saies , Alas my daughter , thou art of them that trouble mee . She did but her dutie , he did what he should not ; yet hee would be rid of the blame , tho he cannot of the smart . No man is willing to owne a sin ; the first man shifted it from himselfe , to his wife ; this , from himselfe to his daughter : Hee was ready to accuse another , which onely committed it himselfe . It were happy if we could be as loth to commit sinne , as to acknowledge it .

The inconsideration of this vow was very tough , and settled ; I haue opened my mouth , and cannot goe backe . If there were iust cause to repent , it was the weakness of his zeale , to thinke that a vow could binde him to euill ; An vnlawfull vow is ill made , but worse performed . It were pitty this constancie should light vpon any , but an holy obiect : No lone can make a truer debt , then our vow ; which if we pay not in our performance , God will pay vs with iudgement . We haue all opened our mouthes to God in that initiall , and solemn vow of Christianity ; Oh that wee could not goe backe ! So much more is our vow obligatory , by how much the thing vowed is more necessary .

Why was the soule of Ieptha thus troubled , but because he saw the entaile of his new honour thus suddenly cut off ? He saw the hope of posteritie extinguished , in the virginity of his daughter . It is naturall to vs , to affect that perpetuitie in our succession , which is denied vs in our persons ; Our very bodies would emulate the eternity of the soule . And if GOD haue built any of vs an house on earth , as well as prepared vs an house in heauen , it must be confessed a fauour , worth our thankfulness : but as the perpetuitie of our earthlie houses is vncertaine ; so let vs not rest our harts vpon that , but make sure of the house which is eternall in the heauens .

Doubtlesse , the goodnes of the daughter added to the fathers sorow : Shee was not more louing , then religious ; neither is she lesse willing to be the Lords , then her fathers : and as prouoking her father to that which he thought pietie , though to her own wrong , she saies , If thou hast opened thy mouth vnto the Lord , doe with mee as thou hast promised . Many a daughter would haue disswaded her father with teares , and haue wisht rather her fathers impietie , then her own preiudice ; Shee sues for the smart of her fathers vowe . How obsequious should children be to the will of their carefull Parents , euen in their finall disposition in the world , when they see this holie maid willing to abandon the world vpon the rash vow of a father ? They are the liuing goods of their Parents , and must therefore waite vpon the bestowing of their owners : They mistake themselues , which thinke they are their owne ; If this maid had vowed herselfe to God without her Father , it had been in his power to abrogate it ; but now that hee vowed her to GOD without her selfe , it stands in force . But what shall wee say to those children , whom their Parents vow and care , cannot make so much as honest ; that will be no other then godlesse in spight of their Baptisme , and education ? What , but that they are giuen their Parents for a curse , and shall one day finde what it is to bee rebellious .

All her desire is , that shee may haue leaue to bewaile that which she must be forced to keepe , Virginitie : If shee had not held it an affliction , there had been no cause to bewaile it ; it had bin no thanke to vnder-goe it , if shee had not known it to be a cross . Teares are no argument of impatience ; wee may mourne for that wee repine not to beare : How comes that to be a meritorious vertue vnder the Gospell , which was but a punishment vnder the Law ? The daughters of Israel had been too lauish of their teares , if virginitie had bin absolutely good : What iniurie should it haue been to lament that spirituall preferment , which they should rather haue emulated ?

While Iepthaes daughter was two monethes in the mountaines , she might haue had good opportunitie to escape her fathers vow ; but as one , whom her obedience tyed as close to her father , as his vow tyed him to God , she returns to take vp that burden , which she had bewailed to foresee : If we be truly dutifull to our father in heauen , wee would not slip our necks out of the yoke tho we might , nor flie from his commaunds , though the doore were open .

Sampson conceiued .

OF extraordinary persons , the very birth & conception is extraordinary ; God beginnes his wonders betimes , in those whom hee will make wonderfull : There was neuer any of those which were miraculously conceiued , whose liues were not notable , and singular . The presages of the wombe , and the cradle , are commonly answered in the life ; It is not the vse of GOD to cast away strange beginnings . If Manoahs wife had not been barren , the Angell had not been barren , the Angell had not been sent to her : Afflictions haue this aduantage , that they occasion GOD to show that mercy to vs , whereof the prosperous are vncapable ; It would not beseem a mother to bee so indulgent to an healthfull child , as to a sick . It was to the woman that the Angell appeared , not to the husband ; whether for that the reproach of barrennesse lay vpon her more heauily , then on the father ; or for that the birth of the child should cost her more deare then her husband ; or lastly , for that the difficultie of this newes was more in her conception , then in his generation : As Satan layes his batteries euer to the weakest ; so contrarily , God addresseth his comforts to those harts that haue most need ; As , at the first , because Eue had most reason to be deiected , for that her sin had drawne man into the Transgression , therefore the Cordiall of GOD most respecteth her ; The seed of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head .

As a Physitian first tells the state of the disease with his Symptoms , and then prescribes ; so dooth the Angell of God , first tell the wife of Manoah her complaint , then her remedy ; Thou art barren . All our afflictions are more noted of that GOD which sends them , then of the Patient that suffers them : how can it be but lesse possible to indure any thing that he knows not , than that hee inflicteth not ? Hee saith to one , Thou art sicke ; to an other , Thou art poore ; to a third , Thou art defamed ; Thou art oppressed , to another : That all-seeing Eye , takes notice from heauen of euery mans condition , no lesse then if he should send an Angel to tell vs he knew it ; His knowledge compared with his mercy , is the iust comfort of all our sufferings . O GOD , wee are many times miserable , and feele it not ; Thou knowest euen those sorrowes which wee might haue ; Thou knowest what thou hast done : do what thou wilt .

Thou art barren . Not that the Angel would vpbrayd the poore woman with her affliction ; but therefore he names her paine , that the mention of her cure might be so much more welcom ; Comfort shal com vnseasonably to that hart which is not apprehensiue of his owne sorrow : We must first know our euils , ere we can quit them . It is the iust method of euery true Angel of GOD , first to let vs see that whereof either wee doe , or should complaine , and then to apply comforts . Like as a good Physitian , first pulls downe the body , and then raises it with cordialls . If wee cannot abide to heare of our faults , wee are not capable of amendement .

If the Angel had first said , Thou shalt conceiue , and not premised , Thou art barren ; I doubt whether shee had conceiued faith in her soule , of that infant which her body should conceiue ; Now , his knowledge of her present estate , makes way for the assurance of the future . Thus euer it pleases our good God , to leaue a pawne of his fidelitie with vs ; that wee should not distrust him in what he will do , when we find him faithfull in that which we see done .

It is good reason that he which giues the sonne to the barren mother , should dispose of him , and diet him both in the wombe first , and after , in the world . The mother must first be a Nazarite , that her sonne may be so . Whiles shee was barren , she might drink what she would : but now that shee shall conceiue a Sampson , her choice must be limited ; There is an holie austerity that euer followes the speciall calling of GOD ; The worldling may take his full scope , and deny his backe and belly nothing ; but he that hath once conceiued that blessed burden , whereof Sampson was a type , must bee strict and seuere to himselfe ; neither his tongue , nor his palat , nor his hand may runne riot ; Those pleasures which seemed not vnseemly for the multitude , are now debarred him . We borrow more names of our Sauiour then one ; As wee are Christians , so wee are Nazarites , the consecration of our God is vpon our heads ; and therfore our very haire should be holie . Our appetite must be curbed , our passions moderated , and so estranged from the world , that in the losse of parents , or children , nature may not make vs forget grace . What doth the loosenes of vaine men perswade them that God is not curious , when they see him thus precisely ordering the very diet of his Nazarites ? Nature pleades for liberty ; religion for restraint : Not that there is more vncleannesse in the grape , then in the fountaine ; but that wine findes more vncleannesse in vs , then water , and that the hie feede is not so fit for deuotion , as abstinence . Who sees not a ceremony in this commaund ? Which yet carries with it this substance of euerlasting vse , that God and the bellie will not admit of one seruant ; that quaffing and cramming is not the way to heauen : A drunken Nazarite is a monster among men . We haue now more scope then the ancient ; not drinking of wine , but drunkennesse with wine is forbidden to the Euangelicall Nazarite ; wine , wherein is excess . Oh that euer Christian should quench the spirit of GOD , with a liquor of Gods owne making ; That they should suffer their hearts to bee drowned with wine , and should so liue , as if the practice of the Gospell , were quite contrary to the rule of the law .

The mother must conceiue the onely Giant of Israel , & yet must drinke but water ; neither must the child touch any other cup. Neuer wine made so strong a Champion as water did heere : The power of nourishment , is not in the creatures , but in their Maker . Daniel and his three companions kept their complexion , with the same diet where-with Sampson got his strength ; he that gaue that power to the grape , can giue it to the streame . O God , how iustlie doe wee raise our eyes from our tables vnto thee , which canst make water nourish , and wine enfeeble vs !

Sampson had not a better mother , then Manoah had a wife ; she hides not the good newes in her owne bosome , but imparts it to her husband : That wife hath learned to make a true vse of her Head , which is euer reade to consult with him , about the messages of God . If shee were made for his helper , hee is much more hers . Thus should good women make amends for their first offence ; that as Eue no sooner had receiued an ill motion , but she deliuered it to her husband ; so they should no sooner receiue good , then they should impart it .

Manoah ( like one which in those lend times had not lost his acquaintance with God ) so soone as hee heares the newes , falls downe vpon his knees : I do not hear him call forth and addresse his seruants to all the coasts of heauen ( as the children of the prophets did in the search of Elias ) to finde out the messenger ; but I see him rather looke straight vp , to that GOD which sent him ; My Lord , I pray thee let that man of God come again . As a straight line is the shortest , the neerest cutte to any blessing is to goe by heauen ; As we may not sue to God , and neglect meanes , so wee must sue to GOD for those meanes which we shall vse .

When I see the strength of Manoahs faith , I maruell not that hee had a Sampson to his sonne ; he saw not the messenger , hee heard not the errand , hee examined not the circumstances ; yet now hee takes thought , not whether he shal haue a sonne , but how he shall order the sonne which hee must haue ; and sues to God , not for the son which as yet hee had not , but for the direction of gouerning him , when he should be . Zachariah heard the same message , & crauing a signe , lost that voice wherwith he craued it : Manoah seekes no signe for the promise , but counsell for himselfe ; and yet , that Angel spake to Zachary himselfe , this onely to the wife of Manoah ; that , in the Temple like a glorious spirit ; this , in the house , or fielde , like some Prophet , or Traueller ; that to a Priest , this to a woman . All good men haue not equall measures of faith ; The bodies of men haue not more differences of stature , then their graces : Credulity to men is faulty and dangerous ; but in the matters of GOD , is the greatest vertue of a Christian ; Happy are they that haue not seene , yet belieued : True faith takes all for granted , yea for performed , which is once promised .

Hee that before sent his Angel vnasked , will much more send him againe , vpon intreatie ; those heauenly messengers are readie both to obey their Maker , and to relieue his children . Neuer any man prayed for direction in his duties to God , and was repulsed : rather will God send an Angel from heauen to instruct vs , then our good desires shall be frustrate .

Manoah prayed , the Angel appeared againe ; not to him , but to his wife . It had been the shorter way , to haue come first to the man whose prayers procured his presence : But as Manoah went directlie , and immediatly to GOD , so God comes mediatly & about to him ; and will make her the meanes to beare the message to her husband , who must beare him the sonne : Both the blessing and the charge are chiefely meant to her . It was a good care of Manoah , when the Angel had giuen order to his wife alone , for the gouerning of the childs diet , to profer himselfe to this charge ; How shall we order the child ? As both the Parents haue their part in the being of their children , so should they haue in their education ; it is both vnreasonable and vnnaturall in husbands , to cast this burden vpon the weaker vessel alone : it is no reason that she which alone hath had the paine of their birth , should haue the pain of their breeding . Thogh the charge be renued to the wife , yet the speech is directed to the husband ; the act must be hers , his must be the ouer-sight ; Let her obserue all that I haue commanded her . The head must ouer-look the body ; it is the duty of the husband to be carefull that the wife do her dutie to GOD .

As yet , Manoah saw nothing but the out-side of a man , and therfore offers the Angel an answerable entertainment , wherein there is at once Hospitality and Thankfulness . No man shal bring him good newes from GOD , and goe away vnrecompenced ; How forward he is to feast him , whom hee tooke for a Prophet : their feet should be so much more beautifull , that bring vs newes of saluation , by how much their errand is better .

That Manoah might learn to acknowledge God in this man , hee sets off the proffer of his thankfulnes from himselfe , to God ; and ( as the same Angel which appeared to Gideon ) turnes his feast into a sacrifice : And now he is Manoahs solicitor to better thanks than hee offered . How forward the good Angels are to incite vs vnto pietie ! Either this was the Sonne himself , which said It was his meat and drinke to doe his Fathers will , or else one of his spirituall attendance of the same diet . Wee can neuer feast the Angels better , then with our harty sacrifices to God ; Why do not we learne this lesson of them , whom wee propound to our selues as the patterns of our obedience ? We shall be once like the Angels in condition , why are wee not in the meane time in our dispositions ? If wee doe not prouoke , and exhort one another to godlinesse , and doe care more for a feast , then a sacrifice , our appetite is not Angelicall , but brutish .

It was an honest minde in Manoah , whiles hee was addressing a sacrifice to God , yet not to neglect his messenger ; faine would he know whom to honour ; True pietie is not vnciuill , but whiles it magnifies the authour of all blessings , is thankfull to the meanes : Secondary causes are woorthy of regard : neither need it detract any thing from the praise of the agent , to honor the instrument . It is not onely rudeness , but iniustice in those , which can bee content to heare good newes from God , with contempt of the bearers .

The Angell wil neither take nor giue , but conceales his very name from Manoah . All honest motions are not fit to be yeelded to ; good intentions are not alwayes sufficient grounds of condiscent . If wee doe somtimes aske what we know not , it is no maruell if wee receiue not what wee aske . In some cases , the Angel of God tells his name vnasked , as Gabriel to the Virgin ; heere , not by intreaty : If it were the Angel of the couenant , he had as yet no name but Iehouah ; if a created Angel , hee had no commission to tell his name ; & a faithful messenger hath not a word beyond his charge : Besides that , hee saw it would bee of more vse for Manoah , to know him really , then by words . Oh the bold presumption of those men , which ( as if they had long soiourned in heauen , and been acquainted with all the holy Legions of spirits ) discourse of their orders ; of their titles , when this one Angels stoppes the mouth of a better man then they , with Why doost thou aske after my name , which is secret ? Secret things to God ; reuealed , to vs and our children . No word can be so significant as actions ; The act of the Angel tels best who hee was ; Hee did wonderfully : wonderfull therefore was his name . So soon as euer the flame of the sacrifice ascended , hee mounted vp in the smoke of it ; that Manoah might see the sacrifice , and the messenger belonged both to one God ; and might know , both whence to acknowledge the message , and whence to expect the performance .

Gideons Angel vanished at his sacrifice , but this in the sacrifice ; that Manoah might at once see both the confirmation of his promise , and the acceptation of his obedience , whiles the Angel of God vouchsafed to perfume himselfe with that holy smoke , & carry the sent of it vp into heauen . Manoah belieued before , and craued no signe to assure him ; God voluntarily confirmes it to him aboue his desire : To him that hath , shall be giuen . Where there are beginnings of faith , the mercy of GOD will adde perfection .

How doe we thinke Manoah and his wife looked to see this spectacle ? They had not spirit enough left to looke one vpon another : but in steed of looking vp cheerefully to heauen , they fall downe to the earth , on their faces ; as weak eyes are dazeled with that which should comfort them . This is the infirmitie of our nature , to be afflicted with the causes of our ioy ; to be astonished with our confirmations ; to conceiue death in that vision of God , wherein our life & happiness consists . If this homely sight of the Angell did so confound good Manoah , what shal become of the enemies of God , when they shall be brought before the glorious Tribunall of the God of Angels ?

I maruell not now , that the Angel appeared both times rather to the wife of Manoah ; her faith was the stronger of the two . It falls out sometimes , that the weaker vessel is fuller ; and that of more precious liquor : that wife is no helper which is not ready to giue spirituall comfort to her husband ; The reason was good , and irrefragable , If the Lord were pleased to kill vs , hee would not haue receiued a burnt offring from vs ; God will not accept gifts , where he intends punishment , and professes hatred . The sacrifice of the wicked , is an abomination to the Lord : If wee can finde assurance of Gods acceptation of our sacrifices , wee may be sure hee loues our persons . If I incline to wickednes in my hart , the Lord will not heare mee ; but the Lord hath heard mee .

Sampsons marriage .

OF all the Deliuerers of Israel , there is none of whom are reported so many weakenesses , or so many miracles , as of Sampson : The newes which the Angell told of his conception and education , was not more strange , then the newes of his owne choice ; hee but sees a daughter of the Philistims , and falls in loue ; All this strength beginnes in infirmitie ; One maid of the Philistims , ouer-comes that Champion which was giuen to ouercome the Philistims : Euen hee that was dieted with water , found heat of vnfit desires : As his bodie was strong notwithstanding that fare , so were his passions ; without the gift of continencie , a lowe feed may impaire nature , but not inordination . To follow nothing but the eye in the choice of his wife , was a lust vnworthy of a Nazarite ; This is to make the sense not a Counsellor , but a Tyran .

Yet was Sampson in this verie impotencie , dutifull ; Hee did not in the presumption of his strength rauish her forceably ; Hee did not make vp a clandestine match without consulting his Parents , but he makes sute to them for consent ; Giue mee her to wife : As one that could be master of his owne act , tho not of his passion ; and as one that had learned so to be a sutor , as not to forget himselfe to bee a sonne . Euen in this deplored state of Israel , children durst not presume to be their own caruers ; how much less is this tolerable in a wel-guided and Christian Common-wealth ? Whosoeuer now dispose of themselues without their Parents , they doe wilfully vn-child themselues , and change naturall affection for violent .

It is no maruell if Manoah and his wife were astonished at this vnequall motion of their son ; Did not the Angell ( thought they ) tell vs that this child should be consecrated to God , and must he begin his youth in vnholy wedlock ? Did not the Angel say that our sonne should beginne to saue Israel from the Philistims , and is he now captiued in his affections by a daughter of the Philistims ? Shall our deliuerance from the Philistims beginne in an alliance ? Haue we bin so scrupulously carefull , that hee should eate no vncleane thing , & shall wee now consent to an heathenish match ? Now therefore they grauely indeauour to coole this intemperate heat of his passion , with good counsell ; as those which well knew the inconueniences of an vnequall yoke ; corruption in religion , alienation of affections , distraction of thoughts , conniuence at Idolatry , death of zeale , dangerous vnderminings , and lastly , an vnholy seed : Who can blame them if they were vnwilling to call a Philistim , daughter ?

I wish Manoah could speake so loud that all our Israelites might heare him ; Is there neuer a woman among the daughters of thy brethren , or among all Gods people , that thou goest to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims ? If religion be any other then a cypher , how dare we not regard it in our most important choice ? Is shee a faire Philistim ? Why is not this deformitie of the soule more powerfull to disswade vs , then the beautie of the face , or of metall to allure vs ? To dote vpon a faire skinne when we see a Philistim vnder it , is sensuall and brutish .

Affection is not more blind , than deafe . In vaine doe the Parents seeke to alter a young man , not more strong in body , then in will ; Tho he cannot defend his desires , yet he pursues them ; Get mee her , for she pleases mee . And although it must needs be a weake motion that can plead no reason , but appetite ; yet the good Parents , sith they cannot bow the affection of their sonne with perswasion , dare not breake it with violence . As it becomes not children to bee forward in their choice ; so Parents may not be too peremptorie in their denial ; It is not safe for children to ouer-runne Parents in setling their affections ; nor for Parents ( where the impediments are not very materiall ) to come short of their children , when the affections are once settled : The one is disobedience ; the other may be tyranny .

I know not whether I may excuse either Sampson in making this sute , or his Parents in yeelding to it , by a diuine dispensation in both : For on the one side , whiles the spirit of God notes , that as yet his parents knew not this was of the Lord , it may seeme that hee knew it ; and is it likely hee would know and not impart it ? This alone was enough to win , yea to command his Parents ; It is not mine eye onely , but the counsell of God , that leades me to this choice ; The way to quarrell with the Philistims , is to match with them ; If I follow mine affection , mine affection followes God , in this proiect . Surely , hee that commaunded his Prophet afterwards to marry an harlot , may haue appointed his Nazarite to marry with a Philistim : On the other side , whether it were of God permitting , or allowing , I find not ; It might so be of God , as all the euill in the Citie ; and then the interposition of Gods decree , shall be no excuse of Sampsons infirmitie . I would rather think , that God meant onely to make a Treacle of a Viper ; and rather appointed to fetch good out of Sampsons euill , then to approue that for good in Sampson , which in it selfe was euil .

When Sampson went on wooing , he might haue made the sluggards excuse , There is a Lion in the way : but he that could not be staied by perswasion , will not by fear . A Lion , young , wilde , fierce , hungry , comes roring vpon him when hee had no weapon but his hand , no fence but his strength ; the same Prouidence that carried him to Timnah , brought the Lion to him . It hath been euer the fashion of God , to exercise his Champions with some initiatory incounters : Both Sampson & Dauid must first fight with Lions , then with Philistims ; & he whose type they bore , meets with that roring Lion of the wildernesse , in the very threshold of his publique charge . The same hand that prepared a Lion for Sampson , hath proportionable matches for euery Christian ; God neuer giues strength , but hee imployes it : Pouerty , meets one like an armed man ; Infamy , like some furious mastiue , comes flying in the face of another ; the wild Bore out of the forrest , or the bloudie Tyger of persecution sets vpon one ; the brawling curres of hereticall prauitie or contentious neighbourhood , are ready to bait another : and by all these meaner and brutish aduersaries , wil God fit vs for greater conflicts : It is a pledge of our future victory ouer the spirituall Philistims , if we can say , My soule hath been among Lions . Come forth now thou weak Christian , and behold this preparatorie battel of Sampson ; Dost thou think GOD deales hardly with thee in matching thee so hard , and calling thee forth to so many fraies ? What doost thou but repine at thine own glory ? How shouldst thou be victorious , without resistance ?

If the Parents of Sampson had now stood behind the hedge and seene this incounter , they would haue taken no further care of matching their sonne with a Philistim ; For who that should see a strong Lion ramping vpon an vnarmed man , would hope for his life and victory ? The beast came bristling vp his fearefull mane , wafting his raised sterne , his eyes sparkling with furie , his mouth roaring out knells of his last passage , and breathing death from his nostrills , and now reioyced at so faire a prey . Surely , if the Lion had had no other aduersary then him whom he saw , hee had not lost his hope ; but now he could not see that his Maker was his enemy ; The spirit of the Lord came vpon Sampson ; What is a beast in the hand of the Creator ? He that strooke the Lions with the awe of Adam , Noah , and Daniel , subdued this rebellious beast to Sampson ; What maruell is it , if Sampson now tore him , as if it had bin a young Kid ? If his bones had been brasse , and his skin plates of iron , all had been one : The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass .

If that roring Lion , that goes about continually seeking whom he may deuour , find vs alone among the vineyards of the Philistims , where is our hope ? Not in our heeles ; hee is swifter then we : not in our weapons ; we are naturally vnarmed : not in our hands , which are weak and languishing ; but in the spirit of that GOD , by whom we can do all things : if God fight in vs , who can resist him ? There is a stronger Lion in vs , then that against vs .

Sampson was not more valiant then modest ; hee made no words of this great exploit : the greatest performers euer make the least noyse ; He that works wonders alone , could say , See thou tell no man ; where as those , whose hands are most impotent , are busiest of their tongues . Great talkers show that they desire only to be thought eminent , whereas the deepest waters are least heard .

But , whiles he concealed this euent from others , hee pondred it in himselfe ; and when hee returned to Timnath , went out of the way to see his dead Aduersary , and could not but recal to himselfe his danger , and deliuerance ; Heere the beast met me , thus he fought , thus I slew him . The very dead Lion taught Sampson thankfulnesse : there was more hony in this thought , then in the carcasse . The mercies of GOD are ill bestowed vpon vs , if we cannot steppe aside to view the monuments of his deliuerances ; Dangers may bee at once past , & forgotten . As Sampson had not found his hony-comb , if he had not turned aside to see his Lion ; so we shall lose the comfort of Gods benefits , if we doe not renue our perills by meditation .

Least any thing should befall Sampson , wherein is not some wonder , his Lion doth more amaze him dead , then aliue ; For loe , that carcasse is made an Hiue ; & the bitternesse of death , is turned into the sweetness of hony . The Bee , a nice & dainty creature , builds her cells in an vnsauory carcasse ; the carcass that promised nothing but strength , and annoyance , now offers comfort & refreshing ; and in a sort , payes Sampson for the wrong offered . Oh the wonderfull goodnes of our GOD , that can change our terrors into pleasure , and can make the greatest euils beneficiall ! Is any man , by his humiliation vnder the hand of GOD , growne more faithfull , and conscionable ? there is hony out of the Lion . Is any man by his temptation or fall become more circumspect ? there also is hony out of the Lion : there is no Sampson to whom euery Lion dooth not yeeld hony : Euerie Christian is the better for his euils ; yea , Satan himselfe , in his exercise of Gods children , aduantageth them .

Sampson doth not disdaine these sweets , because he finds them vncleanly layd ; His diet was strict , and forbad him any thing that sauour'd of legall impurity ; yet hee eates the hony-combe out of the belly of a dead beast ; Good may not be refused , because the means are accidentally euil ; Hony is hony still , tho in a dead Lion . Those are lesse wise , and more scrupulous then Sampson , which abhorre the graces of God , because they finde them in ill vessels : One cares not for the Preachers true doctrine , because his life is euill ; Another will not take a good receit from the hand of a Physitian , because he is giuen to vnlawfull studies ; A 3 d , wil not receiue a deserued contribution from the hands of a Vsurer . It is a weak neglect not to take the hony , because we hate the Lion : Gods children haue right to their fathers blessings , wheresoeuer they finde them .

The match is now made ; Sampson ( tho a Nazarite ) hath both a wedding , and afeast ; God neuer misliked moderate solemnities in the seuerest life ; and yet this Bridall-feast was long , the space of seuen daies . If Sampson had matched with the best Israelite , this celebration had been no greater ; neither had this perhaps been so long , if the custome of the place had not required it . Now I doe not heare him pleade his Nazaritisme , for a colour of singularitie : It is both lawfull and fit , in things not prohibited , to conforme our selues to the manners and rites of those with whom we liue .

That Sampson might think it an honour to match with the Philistims , hee whom before the Lion found alone , is now accompanied with thirty attendants ; They called them companions , but they meant them for spies : The curtesies of the world are hollow and and thanklesse ; neither doth it euer purpose so ill , as when it showes fairest . None are so neere to danger , as those whom it entertains with smiles ; whiles it frownes , wee knowe what to trust to ; but the fauours of it are worthy of nothing but feares & suspicion : Open defiance is better then false loue .

Austeritie had not made Sampson vnciuill ; hee knowes how to entertaine Philistims with a formall familiaritie : And that his intellectuall parts might be approued answerable to his armes , hee will first try maisteries of wit , and set their braines on worke with harmless thoughts ; His riddle shal appose them , and a deepe wager shall hinde the solution ; Thirtie shirts , and thirty sutes of raymem ; neither their losse , nor their gaine could be much , besides the victory , beeing diuided vnto thirtie partners : but Sampsons must needs bee both waies very large , who must giue or receiue thirty alone . The seauen dayes of the feast are expiring , and yet they which had been all this while deuouring of Sampsons meat , cannot tell who that cater should be from whence meat shold come . In course of nature , the strong feeder takes-in meat , and sends out filthiness ; but , that meat and sweetnesse should come from a deuouring stomack , was beyond their apprehension .

And as fooles and dogges vse to beginne in iest , and end in earnest , so did these Philistims ; and therefore they force the Bride to intice her husband to betray himselfe . Couetousnes & Pride haue made them impatient of loss : and now they threat to fire her , and her fathers house , for recompence of their entertainment , rather then they will lose a small wager to an Israelite . Some-what of kinne to these sauage Philistims , are those cholerick Gamesters , which if the dice bee not their friend , fall out with GOD , curse ( that which is not ) Fortune ; strike their fellowes , and are ready to take vengeance vpon themselues : Those men are vnfit for sport , that lose their patience together with their wager .

I do not wonder that a Philistim woman loued herselfe and her fathers family , more then an Israelitish Bride-groome ; and if shee bestowed teares vpon her husband , for the ransome of them . Sampson himselfe taught her this difference , I haue not told it my father or my mother , and should I tell it thee ? If she had not been as shee was , shee had neither done this to Sampson , nor heard this from him ; Matrimoniall respects are dearer then naturall ; It was the law of him that ordained marriage ( before euer Parents were ) that Parents should bee forsaken , for the husband or wife : But now , Israelitish Parents are woorthy of more intirenesse , then a wife of the Philistims ; And yet , whom the Lion could not conquer , the teares of a woman haue conquered . Sampson neuer bewrayed infirmitie but in vxoriousnes ; What assurance can there be of him that hath a Philistim in his bosome ? Adam , the perfectest man , Sampson , the strongest man , Salomon , the wisest man , were betrayed with the flattery of their helpers . As there is no comfort comparable to a faithfull yoke-fellow , so wo be to him that is matched with a Philistim .

It could not but much discontent Sampson , to see that his aduersaries had plowed with his heifer , & that vpon his own back ; now therfore hee payes his wager to their cost . Ascalon the Citie of the Philistims is his wardrobe , he fetches thence thirty sutes , lined with the liues of the owners : Hee might with as much ease haue slaine these thirtie companions , which were the Authors of this euill ; but his promise forbad him whiles he was to clothe their bodies , to vnclothe their soules ; and that spirit of GOD , which stird him vp to reuenge , directed him in the choice of the subiects . If we wonder to see thirtie throates cut for their sutes , wee may easily know , that this was but the occasion of that slaughter , whereof the cause was their oppression , and tyranny . Dauid slew two hundred Philistims for their fore-skinnes : but the ground of his act was their hostilitie . It is iust with God to destine what enemies he pleases , to execution : It is not to be expostulated why this man is striken rather then another , when both are Philistims .

Sampsons victorie .

I Can no more iustifie Sampson in the leauing of his wife , then in the chusing her ; He chose her because she pleased him ; and because shee despised him , hee left her : Though her feare made her false to him in his Riddle , yet shee was true to his bed ; That weake trechery was worthy of a check , not a desertion . All the passions of Sampson were strong , like himself : but ( as vehement motions are not lasting ) this vehement wind is soone allayd ; and hee is now returning with a Kid to winne her that had offended him , and to renue that feast which ended in her vnkindnesse . Slight occasions may not breake the knot of matrimoniall loue ; and if any iust offence haue slackned it on either part , it must be fastned again by speedy reconciliation .

Now Sampsons father in law showes himselfe a Philistim , the true Parent of her that betrayed her husband ; for no sooner is the Bride-groome departed , then he changes his sonne : what pretence of friendshippe soeuer he made , a true Philistim will soone be wearie of an Israelite . Sampson hath not so many dayes libertie to enioy his wedding , as hee spent in celebrating it : Marriage hath been euer a sacred institution , and who but a Philistim would so easily violate it ? One of his thirtie companions enioyes his wife , together with his sute ; & now laughes to be a partner of that bed , whereon hee was an attendant . The good nature of Sampson , hauing forgotten the first wrong , carried him to a proffer of familiarity , and is repulsed ; but with a gentle violence , I had thought thou hadst hated her . Lawfull wedlock may not be dissolued by imaginations , but by proofes .

Who shall stay Sampson from his owne wife ? Hee that slew the Lion in the way of his wooing , and before whom thousands of the Philistims could not stand , yet suffers himselfe to be resisted , by him that was once his father in law , without any returne of priuate violence .

Great is the force of dutie once conceiued , euen to the most vnworthy ; This thought , I was his sonne , bindes the hands of Sampson : Else how easily might hee that slew those thirty Philistims for their sutes , haue destroyed this familie for his wife ? How vnnatural are those mouthes , that can curse the loynes from which they are proceeded ; and those hands that dare lift vp themselues against the meanes of their life and being ?

I neuer read that Sampson slew any but by the motion and assistance of the spirit of GOD : and the Diuine wisedome hath reserued these offenders to another reuenge ; Iudgement must descend from others to them , sith the wrong proceeded from others , by them . In the very marriage God foresaw and intended this parting , and in the parting this punishment vpon the Philistims . If the Philistims had not bin as much enemies to God , as to Sampson ; enemies to Israel in their oppression , no lesse then to Sampson , in this particular iniurie , that purpose and execution of reuenge , had been no better then wicked : Now he to whom vengeance belongs , sets him on worke , and makes the act iustice : when he commaunds , euen very crueltie is obedience .

It was a busie and troublesome proiect of Sampson , to vse the foxes for his reuenge : for not without great labour & many hands could so many wilde creatures be gotte together , neither could the wit of Sampson want other deuises of hostilitie ; But he meant to finde out such a punishment , as might in som sort answere the offence , & might imply as much contempt , as trespasse . By wiles , seconded with violence , had they wronged Sampson , in extorting his secret , and taking away his wife : & what other Embleme could these foxes tied together present vnto them , then wiliness combined by force , to worke mischiefe ?

These foxes destroy their corn , before he which sent them , destroy the persons . Those iudgements which beginne in outward things , end in the owners ; A stranger that had been of neither side , would haue said , What pitty it is to see good corn thus spoiled : If the creature be considered apart from the owners , it is good ; and therefore if it be mis-spent , the abuse reflects vpon the maker of it ; but if it be looked vpon , with respect to an ill master , the best vse of it , is to perish . He therefore that slew the Egyptian cattell with murrain , & smote their fruit with haile-stones ; hee that consumed the vines of Israel with the Palmer-worme , and Caterpiller , and Canker-worme ; sent also foxes by the hand of Sampson , into the fields of the Philistims . Their corne was too good for them to enioy , not too good for the foxes to burn vp ; God had rather his creature should perish any way , then serue for the lust of the wicked .

There could not be such secrecy in the catching of three hundred foxes , but it might well be knowne who had procured them : Rumor will swiftly fly of things not done : but of a thing so notoriously executed , it is no maruell if Fame be a blab . The mention of the offence drawes in the prouocation : & now the wrong to Sampson is scanned & reuenged ; Because the fieldes of the Philistims , are burned for the wrong done to Sampson by the Timnite in his daughter , therefore the Philistims burne the Timnite & his daughter . The tying of the firebrand between two foxes , was not so witty a policy , as the setting of a fire of dissension betwixt the Philistims : What need Sampson be his owne executioner , when his enemies will vndertake that charge ? There can be no more pleasing prospect to an Israelite , then to see the Philistims together by the eares .

If the wife of Sampson had not feared the fire for herselfe , and her fathers house , she had not betrayed her husband , her husband had not thus plagued the Philistims , the Philistims had not consumed her and her father with fire : now shee leapes into that flame which shee meant to auoid . That euill which the wicked feared , meets them in their flight : How many in a feare of pouerty , seeke to gaine vnconscionably , and die beggers ? How many to shunne paine and danger haue yeelded to euill , and in the long runne haue been met in the teeth with that mischiefe which they had hoped to haue left behind them ? How many , in a desire to eschue the shame of men , haue fallen into the confusion of God ? Both good and euill are sure pay-masters at the last .

Hee that was so soone pacified towards his wife , could not but haue thought this reuenge more then enough , if he had not rather wielded Gods quarrell then his owne ; He knew that GOD had raised him vp on purpose , to be a scourge to the Philistims , whom as yet he had angred more then punished : As if these therefore had been but florishes before the fray , he stirres vp his courage , & strikes them both hip and thigh , with a mighty plague . That God which can do nothing imperfecty , where he begins either mercy or iudgement , will not leaue till hee haue happily finished : As it is in his fauours , so in his punishments ; One stroke drawes on another .

The Israelites were but slaues , & the Philistims were their masters : so much more indignely threfore must they needs take it , to be thus affronted by one of their owne vassals : yet shall we commend the moderation of these Pagans ; Sampson , beeing not mortally wronged by one Philistim , falls foule vpon the whole Nation ; the Philistims hainously offended by Sampson , doe not fall vpon the whole Tribe of Iudah , but being mustered together , call to them for satisfaction from the person offending : the same hand of God which wrought Sampson to reuenge , restrained them from it ; It is no thanke to themselues , that sometimes wicked men cannot bee cruell .

The men of Iudah , are by their fear made friends to their Tyrans , & traytors to their friend ; it was in their cause that Sampson had shed bloud , and yet they conspire with ●he Philistims , to destroy their own flesh and bloud . So shal the Philistims be quit with Israel , that as Sampson by Philistims , reuenged himself of Philistims ; so they of an Israelite , by the hand of Israelites . That which open enemies dare not attempt , they worke by false brethren ; and these are so much more perilous , as they are more entire .

It had been no lesse easie for Sampson to haue slaine those thousands of Iudah that came to binde him , then those other of the Philistims , that meant to kill him bound : And what if he had said ; Are yee turnd Traytors to your Deliuerer ? your bloud bee vpon your owne heads . But the spirit of God ( without whom he could not kill either beast , or man ) would neuer stirre him vp to kill his brethren , tho degenerated into Philistims ; they haue more power to binde him , then hee to kill them : Israelitish bloud was precious to him , that made no more scruple of killing a Philistim , then a Lion : That bondage and vsury that was allowed to a Iew from a Pagan , might not bee exacted from a Iew.

The Philistims that had before plowed with Sampsons heifer in the case of the Riddle , are now plowing a worse furrow with an heifer more his owne . I am ashamed to heare these cowardly Iewes say , Knowst thou not that the Philistims are Lords ouer vs ? Why hast thou done thus vnto vs ? We are therefore come to binde thee : Whereas they should haue said ; Wee find these tyrannicall Philistims to vsurp dominion ouer vs ; thou hast happily begun to shake off their yoke , and now wee are come to second thee with our seruice ; the valor of such a Captain shall easily lead vs forth to liberty ; We are ready either to die with thee , or to be freed by thee : A fearefull man can neuer be a true friend ; rather then incur any danger , hee will be false to his owne soule . Oh cruell mercie of these men of Iuda ! We will not kill thee , but we will bind thee , and deliuer thee to the hands of the Philistims , that they may kill thee . As if it had not been much worse to die an ignominious and tormenting death , by the hands of Philistims , then to bee at once dispatcht by them , which wisht either his life safe , or his death easie .

When Saul was pursued by the Philistims vpon the mountaines of Gilboa , he could say to his Armor-bearer , Draw forth thy sword , and kill mee , least the vncircumcised come and thrust me thorough , & mock mee ; and at last , would rather fall vpon his own sword , then theirs : And yet these cosins of Sampson , can say , Wee will not kill thee , but we will bind thee , & deliuer thee . It was no excuse to these Israelites , that Sampsons binding had more hope , then his death ; It was more in the extraordinary mercie of God , then their will , that he was not tyed with his last bonds : Such is the goodness of the Almightie , that he turnes the cruell intentions of wicked men to an aduantage .

Now these Iewes that might haue let themselues loose from their owne bondage , are binding their Deliuerer , whom yet they knew able to haue resisted . In the greatest strength , there is vse of patience ; There was more fortitude in this suffering , then in his former actions ; Sampson abides to be tied by his owne countrymen , that hee may haue the glory of freeing him selfe victoriously . Euen so , O Sauiour , our better Nazarite , thou which couldst haue called to thy Father , and haue had twelue legions of Angels for thy rescue , wouldst be bound voluntarily , that thou mightst triumph ; So the blessed Martyrs were racked , & would not be losed , because they expected a better resurrection : If we be not as well ready to suffer ill , as to doe good , wee are not fit for the consecration of God .

To see Sampson thus strongly manicled , and exposed to their full reuenge , could not but bee a glad spectacle to these Philistims ; & their ioy was so full , that it could not but flie forth of their mouthes in shouting and laughter ; whom they saw loose with terror , it is pleasure to see bound . Is is the sport of the spirituall Philistims , to see any of Gods Nazarites fettered with the cords of iniquitie ; and their Imps are ready to say , Aha , so would wee haue it . But the euent answers their false ioy , with that clause of triumph , Reioyce not ouer me , O mine enemy : tho J fall , yet I shall rise againe . How soone was the countenance of these Philistims changed , and their shouts turn'd into shriekings ? The spirit of the Lord came vpon Sampson , and then , what are cords to the Almighty ? His new bonds are as flax burnt with fire ; and he rouzes vp himselfe , like that young Lion whom he first incountred , & flyes vpon those cowardly aduersaries , who if they had not seen his cords , durst not haue seene his face . If they had been so many diuels , as men , they could not haue stood before that spirit , which lifted vp the hart & hand of Sampson . Wicked men neuer see fairer prospect , then when they are vpon the verie threshold of destruction ; Securitie and Ruine , are so close bordering vpon each other , that where we see the face of the one , we may be sure the other is at his backe . Thus didst thou , O blessed Sauiour , when thou wert fastned to the Crosse , when thou layest bound in the graue with the cords of death ; thus didst thou miraculously raise vp thy selfe , and vanquish thine enemies , and lead captiuitie captiue ; Thus do all thy holy ones when they seem most forsaken , & laid open to the insultation of the world , finde thy spirit mightie to their deliuerance , and the discomfiture of their malicious aduersaries .

Those three thousand Israelites were not so ill aduised , as to come vp into the rock vnweaponed , to apprehend Sampson ; Sampson therfore might haue had his choice of swords , or speares , for this skirmish with the Philistims ; yet hee leaues all the munition of Israel , & finding the new iaw-bone of an Asse , takes that vp in his hand , and with that base instrument of death , sends 1000 Philistimes to their place . All the swords and shields of the armed Philistims , cannot resist that contemptible Engine , which hath now left a thousand bodies , as dead as the carcasse of that beast , whose bone it was . This victory was not in the weapon , was not in the arme : it was in the spirit of God , which moued the weapon in the arme . O God , if the meanes bee weake , yet thou art strong : Through God we shal do great acts ; Yea , I can do all things through him that strengtheneth me . Seest thou a poore Christian , which by weake counsell hath obtained to ouercome a tentation , there is the Philistim vanquisht with a sory iaw-bone .

It is no maruell , if he were thus admirably strong , and victorious , whose bodily strength God meant to make a type of the spirituall power of Christ : And behold , as the three thousands of Iuda stood still gazing with their weapons in their hands , while Sampson alone subdued the Philistims ; so did men and Angels stand looking vpon the glorious atchieuements of the Sonne of God , who might iustlie say , I haue trode the wine-presse alone .

Both the Sampsons complained of thirst ; The same GOD which gaue his Champion victory , gaue him also refreshing ; and by the same meanes ; The same bone yeelds him both conquest , & life ; and is of a weapon of offence , turned into a well of water : He that fetcht water out of the flint for Israel , fetches it out of a bone for Sampson . What is not possible to the infinite power of that Almightie Creator , that made all things of nothing ? He can giue Sampson hony from the mouth of the Lion , and water from the mouth of the Asse . Who would not cheerfully depend vpon that God , which can fetch moisture out of drinesse , and life out of death ?

Sampsons End .

I Cannot wonder more at Sampsons strength then his weakenesse ; He that beganne to cast away his loue vpon a wife of the Philistims , goes on to misspend himselfe vpon the harlots of the Philistims : Hee that did not so much ouercome the men , as the women ouercome him . His affections blinded him first , ere the Philistims could doe it : would he else , after the effusion of so much of their bloud , haue suffered his lust to carry him within their walls , as one that cared more for his pleasure , then his life ? Oh strange debauchednesse , and presumption of a Nazarite : The Philistims are vp in Armes to kill him ; he offers himselfe to their Citie , to their stewes , and dares expose his life to one of their harlots , whom hee had slaughtered . I would haue looked to haue seen him betake himselfe to his stronger rock , then that of Etam , and by his austere deuotion , to seeke protection of him , of whom he receiued strength : but now , as if hee had forgotten his consecration , I finde him turnd Philistim for his bed , and of a Nazarite , scarce a man . In vain doth hee nourish his haire , whiles hee feedes these passions . How vsually doe vigor of body , and infirmitie of minde lodge vnder one roofe ? On the contrary , a wearish out-side is a strong motiue to mortification : Sampsons victories haue subdued him , & haue made him first a slaue to leud desires , & then to the Philistims . I may safely say , that more vessels miscarrie with a faire gale , then with a tempest .

Yet was not Sampson so blinded with lust , as not at all to looke before him ; he foresaw the morning would be dangerous , the bed of his fornication therefore could hold him no longer than midnight ; then he rises , & in a mock of those ambushes which the Azabites laid for him , he carries away the gates wherein they thought to haue incaged him . If a temptation haue drawn vs aside , to lie down to sin , it is happy for vs if we can arise ere wee be surprised with iudgement . Sampson had not left his strength in the bed of an harlot ; neither had that God which gaue it him , stript him of it with his clothes , when he layd him down in vncleanenesse : His mercy vses not to take vantage of our vnwoorthinesse , but euen when we cast him off , holds vs fast . That bountifull hand leaues vs rich of common graces , when we haue mis-spent our better store : Like as our first Parents , when they had spoiled themselues of the image of their Creator , yet were left wealthie of noble faculties of the soule .

I finde Sampson come off from his sinne with safety ; he runnes away lightly with an heauier weight then the gates of Azzah , the burden of an ill act . Present impunity argues not an abatement of the wickedness of his sinne , or of the dislike of God ; nothing is so worthy of pitty , as a sinners peace : Good is not therefore good because it prospers , but because it is commaunded ; Euill is not euil because it is punished , but because it is forbidden .

If the holy Parents of Sampson , liued to see these outrages of their Nazarite , I doubt whether they did not repent them of their ioy ●o heare newes of a sonne . It is a ●hame to see how hee that might not drinke wine , is drunk with the cup of fornications ; His lust carries him from Azzah to the plain of Sorek , & now hath found a Dalilah , that shall pay him for all his former vncleaneness . Sin is steepe and slippery ; and if after one fall we haue found where to stand , it is the praise , not of our footing , but of the hand of God .

The Princes of the Philistims knew already where Sampsons weakeness lay , though not his strength ; and therfore they would entise his harlot by gifts , to entise him by her daliance , to betray him selfe . It is no maruell , if shee which would be filthy , wold be also perfidious . How could Sampson chuse but thinke , if lust had not bewitched him , Shee whose bodie is mercenary to mee , will easily sell me to others ; Shee will be false , if she will be an harlot ? A wide conscience will swallow any sin : Those that haue once thrall'd themselues to a known euill , can make no other difference of sinnes , but their owne losse , or aduantage : A lyer wil steale ; a theefe can kil ; a cruell man can be a Traytor ; a drunkard can falsifie ; wickednesse once entertained , can put on any shape : Trust him in nothing , that makes not a conscience of euery thing .

Was there euer such another motion made to a reasonable man ? Tell me wherein thy great strength lieth , & wherwith thou maist be bound to doe thee hurt . Who would not haue spurned such a sutor out of doores ? What wil not impudency aske , or stupiditie receiue ? Hee that killed the thousand Philistims for comming to binde him , indures this harlot of the Philistims to consult with himselfe of binding him ; and when vpon the triall of a false answer , hee saw so apparent trechery , yet wilfully betrayes his life by her , to his enemies : All sinnes , all passions haue power to infatuate a man ; but lust most of all . Neuer man that had drunke flagons of wine , had lesse reason , then this Nazarite ; Many a one loses his life : but this casts it away ; not in hatred of himselfe , but in loue to a strumpet . We wonder that a man could possibly be so sottish , & yet we our selues by tentation becom no lesse insensate ; Sinful pleasures like a common Dalilah , lodge in our bosoms , we knowe they aime at nothing but the death of our soule ; we wil yeeld to them , & die : Euery willing sinner is a Sampson ; let vs not inuey against his senselesnes , but our owne : Nothing is so grosse & vnreasonable to a well disposed minde , which tentation will not represent fit , and plausible : No soule can out of his owne strength , secure himselfe from that sin which he most detesteth .

As an hood-winkt man sees som little glimmering of light , but not enough to guide him ; so did Sampson , who had reason enough left him to make triall of Dalilah , by a crafty mis-information ; but not enough vpon that tryall , to distrust , and hate her ; hee had not wit enough to deceiue her thrise ; not enough to keepe himselfe from being deceiued by her . It is not so great wisedom to proue them whom wee distrust , as it is folly to trust them whom wee haue found trecherous : Thrise had he seene the Philistims in her chamber , ready to susprise him , vpon her bonds ; and yet will needs be a slaue to his Traytor . Warning not taken , is a certaine presage of destruction ; and if once neglected it receiue pardon , yet thrise is desperate .

What man would euer play thus with his owne ruine ? His harlot bindes him , and calls-in her executioners to cut his throat ; hee rises to saue his owne life , and suffers them to carry away theirs , in peace . Where is the courage of Sampson ? Where his zeale ? Hee that killed the Philistims for their clothes ; Hee that slew a thousand of them in the field at once ; in this quarrell , now suffers them in his chamber vnreuenged . Whence is this ? His hands were strong , but his hart was effeminate ; his harlot had diuerted his affection . Whosoeuer slackens the raines to his sensuall appetite , shall soone grow vnfitte for the calling of GOD . Sampson hath broke the greene withies , the new ropes , the woofe of his haire , & yet still suffers himselfe fettered with those inuisible bonds of an harlots loue ; and can indure her to say , How canst thou say , I loue thee , when thy hart is not with mee ; thou hast mocked me these three times : Wheras he should rather haue said to her ; How canst thou challenge any loue from me , that hast this thrise sought my life ? Or canst thou thinke my mocks a sufficient reuenge of this trecherie ? But contrarily , he melts at this fire ; and by her importunate insinuations , is wrought against himselfe . Wearinesse of solicitation , hath won some to those actions , which at the first motion they despised ; like as wee see some sutors are dispatcht , not for the equity of the cause , but the trouble of the prosccution ; because it is more easie to yeelde , not more reasonable . It is more safe to keepe our selues out of the noyse of suggestions , then to stand vpon our power of deniall .

Who can pitty the losse of that strength which was so abused ? who can pitty him the loss of his locks , which after so many warnings can sleepe in the lappe of Dalilah ? It is but iust that he should rise vp from thence , shauen and feeble ; not a Nazarite , scarce a man . If his strength had lyen in his hair , it had been out of himselfe ; it was not therefore in his locks , it was in his consecration , whereof that haire was a signe . If the razor had come sooner vpon his head , he had ceased to be a Nazarite ; and the gift of God had at once ceased , with the calling of GOD ; not for the want of that excretion , but for the want of obedience . If God withdrawe his graces , when hee is too much prouoked , who can complain of his mercie ? He that sleeps in sin , must looke to wake in losse , and weakeness . Could Sampson thinke , Though I tell her my strength lies in my haire , yet shee will not cut it ; or though shee doe cut my haire , yet shal I not lose my strength ; that now hee rises and shakes himselfe in hope of his former vigor ? Custome of successe , makes men confident in their sins , and causes them to mistake an arbitrary tenure for a perpetuity .

His eyes were the first offenders , which betrayed him to lust : and now they are first pull'd out ; and he is ledde a blind captiue to Azzah , where hee was first captiued to his lust . The Azzahites , which lately saw him not without terror , running lightly away with their gates at mid-night , see him now in his owne perpetuall night , struggling with his chaines : and that he may not want paine , together with his bondage , hee must grind in his prison .

As hee passed the street , euery boy of the Philistims could throw stones at him , euery woman could laugh , and shout at him ; and what one Philistim doth not say , whiles he lashes him vnto bloud , There is for my brother , or my kinsman , whom thou slewest . Who can look to runne away with a sinne , when Sampson a Nazarite is thus plagued ? This great hart could not but haue broken with indignation , if it had not pacified it selfe with the conscience of the iust desert of all this vengeance .

It is better for Sampson to bee blinde in prison , then to abuse his eyes in Sorek : yea , I may safelie say , hee was more blinde when he saw licentiously , then now , that hee sees not ; Hee was a greater slaue when hee serued his affections , then now in grinding for the Philistims . The losse of his eyes showes him his sin ; neither could hee see how ill hee had done , till hee saw not .

Euen yet , still the God of mercy lookt vpon the blindness of Sampson , and in these fetters enlargeth his heart from the worse prison of his sinne ; His haire grew together with his repentance , & his strength with his haire . Gods merciful humiliations of his owne , are sometimes so seuere , that they seeme to differ little from desertions ; yet at the worst , he loues vs bleeding : & when we haue smarted enough , wee shall feele it .

What thankfull Idolaters were these Philistims ? They could not but knowe , that their bribes , and their Dalilah , had deliuer'd Sampson to them , and yet they sacrifice to their Dagon ; and , as those that would be liberall in casting fauors vpon a senselesse Idol ( of whom they could receiue none ) they cry out , Our God hath deliuered our enemy into our hands . Where was their Dagon , when a thousand of his clients were slaine with an asses iaw ? There was more strength in that bone , then in all the makers of this God ; and yet these vaine Pagans say , Our God . It is the qualitie of Superstition to mis-interpret all euents , and to feed it selfe with the conceit of those fauours , which are so farre from beeing done , that their Authors neuer were . Why doe not we learn zeale of Idolaters ? And if they be so forward in acknowledgement of their deliuerances to a false deitie ; how cheerefully should we ascribe ours to the true ? O God , whatsoeuer be the meanes , thou art the Author of all our successe : Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnes , and tell the wonders that he doth for the sonnes of men !

No Musician would serue for this feast , but Sampson ; hee must now bee their sport , which was once their terror ; that hee might want no sorrow , scorne is added to his miserie : Euery wit , and hand playes vpon him ; Who is not readie to cast his bone , and his iest at such a captiue ? So as doubtlesse hee wisht himselfe no lesse deafe , then blinde , and that his soule might haue gone out with his eyes . Oppression is able to make a wise man mad : and the greater the courage is , the more painfull the insultation .

Now Sampson is punished , shall the Philistims escape ? If the iudgement of God beginne at his own , what shall becom of his enemies ? This aduantage shal Sampson make of their tyranny , that now death is no punishment to him , his soule shall flie foorth in this bitternesse , without pain ; & that his dying reuenge shal be no less sweet to him , then the liberty of his former life : He could not but feel God mockt through him ; and therfore whiles they are scoffing , hee prayes ; his seriousness hopes to pay them for all those iests . If he could haue bin thus earnest with God , in his prosperity , the Philistims had wanted this laughing stock : No deuotion is so feruent , as that which arises from extremity ; O Lord God , I pray thee think vpon me ; O God I beseech thee strengthen mee at this time onely . Tho Sampsons haire were shorter , yet he knew Gods hand was not ; as one therefore that had yet eyes ●ow to see him that was inuisible , and whose faith was recouered before his strength , hee sues to that God , which was a party in this indignitie , for power to reuenge his wrongs , more then his owne : It is zeale that moues him , and not malice ; his renued faith tells him , that he was destin'd to plague the Philistims : & reason tells him , that his blindnes puts him out of the hope of such another oportunity . Knowing therefore , that this play of the Philistims must end in his death , he recollects all the forces of his soule and body , that his death may be a punishment in steed of a disport ; and that his soule may bee more victorious in the parting , then in the animation : and so addresses himselfe both to die , and kill ; as one , whose soule shall not feele his own dissolution , whiles it shal carry so many thousand Philistims with it to the pit . All the acts of Sampson are for wonder , not for imitation : So didst thou , O blessed Sauiour , our better Sampson , conquer in dying ; and triumphing vpon the charriot of the Crosse , didst lead captiuity captiue ; The law , sin , death , hell , had neuer bin vanquisht , but by thy death ; All our life , liberty , and glory , springs out of thy most precious bloud .

Michaes Idolatrie .

THE mother of Micha hath lost her siluer , and now she falls to cursing : She did afterwards but change the forme of her God ; her siluer was her God , ere it did put on the fashion of an Image : Else she had not so much cursed to lose it , if it had not too much possessed her in the keeping . A carnall hart cannot forgoe that wherein it delights , without impatience ; cannot be impatient , without curses : whereas the man that hath learned to inioy GOD , and vse the world , smiles at a shipwrack , and pitties a theefe , and cannot curse , but pray .

Micha had so little grace , as to steale from his mother ; and that out of wantonnesse , not out of necessity ; for , if shee had not been rich , so much could not haue been stoln from her ; and now , hee hath so much grace as to restore it ; her curses haue fetcht again her treasures ; Hee cannot so much loue the mony , as hee feares her imprecations ; Wealth seemes too deare bought with a curse ; Tho his fingers were false , yet his heart was tender . Many that make not conscience of committing sinne , yet make conscience of facing it : It is well for them , that they are but nouices in euill ; those whom custome hath fleshed in sinne , can either deny and forfweare , or excuse and defend it : their seared hearts cannot feele the gnawing of any remorse ; and their forhead hath learned to be as impudent , as their hart is senseless .

I see no argument of any holinesse in the mother of Micha ; Her curses were sinne to her selfe , yet Micha dares not but feare them . I knowe not whether the causelesse curse be more worthy of pitty , or derifion ; it hurts the author , not his aduersary : but the deserued curses , that fall euen from vnholy mouthes , are worthy to be feared : How much more should a man hold himselfe blasted with the iust imprecations of the godlie ? What metall are those made of , that can applaude themselues in the bitter curses which their oppressions haue wrung from the poore , and reioyce in these signes of their prosperity ?

Neither yet was Micha more striken with his mothers curses , then with the conscience of sacriledge : so soone as he findes there was a purpose of deuotion in this treasure , he dares not conceale it , to the preiudice ( as he thought ) of GOD , more then of his mother . What shall we say to the palate of those men , which as they finde no good relish but in stoln waters ; so best in those , which are stoln from the fountaine of God ? How soone hath the old woman changed her note ? Euen now she passed an indefinite curse vpon her sonne for stealing ; and now shee blesses him absolutely , for restoring , Blessed be my sonne of the Lord . Shee hath forgotten the theft , when shee sees the restitution ; How much more shall the God of mercies be more pleased with our confession , then prouoked with our sinne ?

I doubt not but this siluer , and this superstition came out of Egypt , together with the mother of Micha . This history is not so late in time , as in place ; for the Tribe of Dan was not yet setled in that first diuision of the promised land ; so as this old woman had seen both the Idolatry of Egypt , & the golden calfe in the wildernesse ; and no doubt contributed some of her earings to that Deity ; and after all the plagues which shee saw inflicted vpon her brethren , for that Idol of Horeb , and Baal-Peor , she stil reserues a secret loue to superstition , and now showes it . Where mis-religion hath once possessed it selfe of the hart , it is very hardly clensed out ; but ( like the plague ) it will hang in the very clothes , & after long lurking , breake forth in an vnexpected infection ; and old wood is the aptest to take this fire : After all the ayring in the Desert , Michaes mother will smell of Egypt .

It had been better the siluer had been stoln then thus bestowed ; for now they haue so imployed it , that it hath stoln away their harts from GOD ; and yet , while it is molten into an Image , they thinke it dedicated to the Lord ; If Religion might be iudged according to the intention , there should scarce be any idolatry in the world . This woman loued her siluer enough ; and if shee had not thought this costly piety , worth thanks , shee knew which way to haue imploied her stocke to aduantage : Euen euill actions haue oft-times good meanings , and those good meanings are answered with euill recompences ; Many a one bestows their cost , their labour , their blood , and receiues torment in steed of thanks .

Behold a superstitious son of a superstitious mother ; She makes a God , and hee harbours it ; Yea , ( as the streame is commonly broader then the head ) he exceedes his mother in euill : He hath an house of Gods , an Ephod , Teraphin ; & that he might be complete in his deuotion , he makes his sonne his Priest , and feoffes that sinne vpon his sonne , which he receiued from his mother . Those sinnes which nature conuayes not to vs , wee haue by imitation ; Euery action and gesture of the Parents , is an example to the child ; and the mother , as she is more tender ouer her sonne , so by the power of a reciprocall loue , she can worke most vpon his inclination ; Whence it is that in the history of the Israelitish Kings , the mothers name is commonly noted : and as ciuilly , so also morally , The birth followes the belly ; Those sonnes may blesse their second birth , that are deliuered from the sinnes of their education .

Who cannot but thinke how far Micha ouer-lookt all his fellow Israelites , and thought them profane and godlesse in comparison of himselfe ? How did hee secretly clap himselfe on the breast , as the man , whose happinesse it was to ingross religion from all the tribes of Israel , and little can imagine , that the further hee runs , the more out of the way . Can an Israelite be thus Paganish ? O Micha ! how hath superstition bewitched thee , that thou canst not see rebellion in euery of these actions , yea in euery circumstance , rebellion ? What , more Gods then one ? An house of Gods , beside Gods house ? An Image of siluer to the inuisible GOD ? An Ephod , and no Priest ? A Priest besides the family of Leui ? A Priest of thine owne begetting , of thine own consecration ? What monsters dooth mans imagination produce when it is forsaken of God ? It is wel seen there is no King in Israell ; If God had been their King , his lawes had ruled them : If Moses or Ioshua had been their King , their sword had awed them ; If any other , the courses of Israel could not haue been so headlesse . We are beholden to Gouernment for order , for peace , for religion ; Where there is no King , euery one will bee a King , yea a God to himselfe ; Wee are worthy of nothing but confusion , if we blesse not GOD for authoritie .

It is no maruell if Leuites wandred for maintenance , whiles there was no King in Israel ; The tithes and offerings were their due : if these had been paid , none of the holy Tribe needed to shift his station . Euen where royall power seconds the claime of the Leuite , the iniustice of men shortens his right . What should becom of the Leuites if there were no King ? And what of the Church if no Leuites ? No King therefore , no Church ; How could the impotent childe liue without a Nurse ? Kings shall be thy nursing fathers , and Queens thy nurses , saith God . Nothing more argues the disorder of any Church , or the decay of religion , then the forced stragling of the Leuites . There is hope of growth , when Micha rides to seek a Leuite ; but when the Leuite comes to seek a seruice of Micha , it is a signe of gasping deuotion .

Micha was no obscure man ; all Mount Ephraim could not but take notice of his domesticall Gods . This Leuite could not but heare of his disposition , of his mis-deuotion ; yet want of maintenance , no lesse then conscience , drawes him on , to the danger of an idolatrous patronage : Holiness is not tyed to any profession ; Happie were it for the Church , if the Clergy could be a priuiledge from leudnesse . When need meets with vnconscionableness , all conditions are easily swallowed , of vnlawfull entrances , of wicked executions : Ten shekels , and a sute of apparell , and his diet , are good wages for a needy Leuite . Hee that could bestow eleuen hundred shekels vpon his puppets , can afford butten to his Priest : so hath hee at once a rich Idoll , and a beggerlie Priest . Whosoeuer affects to serue God , good cheape , showes , that hee makes GOD but a stale to Mammon .

Yet was Micha a kinde Patron , tho not liberall ; Hee calls the young Leuite his father , and vses him as his sonne ; & what he wants in means , supplies in affection . It were happy , if Christians could imitate the loue of Idolaters , towards them which serue at the Altar . Micha made a shift with the Priesthood of his owne sonne ; yet that his heart checks him in it , appeares , both by the change , & his contentment in the change ; Now I knowe that the Lord will be good to mee , seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest : Therefore , whiles his Priest was no Leuite , hee sees there was cause , why GOD should not bee good to him . If the Leuite had not comne to offer his seruice , Michaes sonne had been a lawfull Priest ; Many times the conscience runnes away smoothly with an vnwarrantable action , and rests it selfe vpon those grounds , which afterward it sees cause to condemne . It is a sure way therfore to informe our selues throughly ere we settle our choice , that wee be not driuen to reuerse our acts with late shame , and vnprofitable repentance .

Now did Micha beginne to see some little glimpse of his own error ; He saw his Priesthood faultie , he saw not the faults of his Ephod , of his Images , of his Gods , & yet ( as if he thought all had been well , when hee had amended one ) hee sayes , Now I know the Lord will be good to mee . The carnall hart pleases it selfe with an outward formalitie ; and so delights to flatter it selfe , as that it thinks , if one circumstance be right , nothing can be amisse .

Israel was at this time extremely corrupted ; yet the spyes of the Danites had taken notice euen of this young Leuite , and are glad to make vse of his Priesthood . If they had but gone vp to Shilo , they might haue consulted with the Arke of God : but worldly minds are not curious in their holy seruices ; If they haue a God , an Ephod , a Priest , it suffices them ; They had rather inioy a false worship with ease , then to take paines for the true : Those that are curious in their diet , in their purchases , in their attire , in their contracts , yet in Gods businesses are very indifferent .

The author of lyes sometimes speakes truth for an aduantage : & from his mouth , this flattering Leuite speakes what he knew would please , not what hee knew would fall out ; The euent answers his prediction , and now the spyes magnifie him to their fellowes : Michaes Idol is a God , and the Leuite is his Oracle . In matter of iudgement , to be guided onely by the euent , is the way to error ; Falshood shall be truth , and Satan an Angell of light , if we follow this rule ; Euen very coniectures somtimes happen right ; A Prophet , or Dreamer may giue a true signe , or wonder , and yet himselfe say , Let vs goe after other Gods . A small thing can winne credite with weake mindes , which where they haue once sped , cannot distrust .

The idolatrous Danites are so besotted with this success , that they wil rather steale , than want the gods of Micha ; and because the Gods without the Priest can doe them lesse seruice , then the Priest without the Gods , therfore they steale the Priest with the gods . O miserable Israelites ! that could think that a God , which could be stoln ; that could looke for protection from that , which could not keep it selfe from stealing ; which was won by their theft , not their deuotion : Could they worship those Idols more deuoutly then Micha that made them ? And if they could not protect their maker from robbery , how shall they protect their theeues ? If it had been the holie Arke of the true God , how could they thinke it would blesse their violence , or that it wold abide to be translated by rapine , and extortion ? Now their superstition hath made them mad vpon a God , they must haue him ; by what meanes they care not , tho they offend the true God , by stealing a false . Sacriledge is fit to be the first seruice of an Idol . The spyes of Dan had bin curteously intertained by Micha : thus they reward his hospitalitie . It is no trusting the honestie of Idolaters : if they haue once cast off the true God , whom will they respect ?

It seemes , Leuites did not more want maintenance , then Israel wanted Leuites ; Heere was a tribe of Israel without a spirituall guide . The with-drawing of due meanes , is the way to the vtter desolation of the Church ; Rare offerings make cold Altars . There needed small force to draw this Leuite to change his charge ; Hold thy peace , and come , & be our father , & Priest ; Whether is it better , &c. Heere is not patience , but ioy ; Hee that was won with tenne shekels , may be lost with eleuen : When maintenance and honour calls him , he goes vndriuen ; and rather steales himselfe away , then is stoln . The Leuite had too many Gods , to make conscience of pleasing one : There is nothing more in constant , then a Leuite that seekes nothing but himselfe .

Thus the wilde fire of Idolatrie , which lay before couched in the priuate ball of Micha , now flies furiously through all the Tribe of Dan ; who ( like to Theeues that haue caried away plaguie clothes ) haue insensibly infected themselues , and their posteritie , to death : Heresie and superstition haue small beginnings , dangerous proceedings , pernicious conclusions . This contagion is like a canker , which at the first is scarce visible ; afterward it eates away the flesh , and consumes the body .

Contemplations .

THE ELEVENTH BOOKE .

Contayning The Leuites Concubine . The Desolation of Beniamin . Naomi and Ruth . Boaz and Ruth . Anna and Peninna . Anna and Eli. Eli and his sonnes .

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Sir Fulke Greuille , Knight ; Chancelour of the Exchequer , one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Counsailours ; A most wise , learned , iudicious , ingenuous Censor of Schollership ; a worthy example of Benefactors to Learning , I. H.

With his vnfained prayers for the happie successe of all his honourable designements , humbly Dedicates this meane peece of his studies .

CONTEMPLATIONS .

THE LEVITES Concubine .

THere is no complaint of a publiquelie disordered State , where a Leuite is not at one end of it ; either as an agent , or a patient . In the Idolatry of Micha , and the Danites , a Leuite was an actor ; In the violent vncleaneness of Gibeah , a Leuite suffers ; No Tribe shal sooner feele the want of gouernment , then that of Leui.

The law of God allow'd the Leuite a wife ; humane conniuence , a concubine ; neither did the Iewish concubine differ from a wife , but in some outward complements ; Both might challenge all the true essence of marriage ; so little was the difference , that the father of the concubine , is called the father in law to the Leuite . She whom ill custome had of a wife made a concubine , is now by her lust , of a concubine made an harlot : Her fornication , together with the change of her bedde , hath changed her abode . Perhaps her owne conscience thrust her out of doores , perhaps the iust seueritie of her husband . Dismission was too easie a penalty for that which GOD had sentenced with death : Shee that had deseru'd to bee abhorred of her husband , seekes shelter from her father . Why would her father suffer his house to be defiled with an adulteresse , tho out of his own loynes ? Why did hee not rather say ; What ? Doost thou looke to finde my house an harbour for thy sinne ? Whiles thou wert a wife to thine husband , thou wert a daughter to me ; Now , thou art neither ; Thou art not mine , I gaue thee to thy husband ; Thou art not thy husbands , thou hast betrayed his bed ; Thy filthiness hath made thee thine owne , and thine adulterers ; Goe seeke thine entertainement , where thou hast lost thine honestie ; Thy lewdness hath brought a necessity of shame vpon thine abettors ; How can I countenance thy person , and abandon thy sin ? I had rather be a iust man , then a kinde father ; Get thee home therfore to thy husband , craue his forgiueness vpon thy knees , redeem his loue with thy modestie , and obedience ; when his heart is once open to thee , my doores shall not be shut : In the meane time , know I can be no father to an harlot ; Indulgence of Parents is the refuge of vanitie , the bande of wickedness , the bane of children . How easily is that Theefe induced to steale , that knowes his Receiuer : When the lawlesnesse of youth knowes where to finde pittie & toleration , what mischiefe can it forbeare ?

By how much better this Leuite was , so much more iniurious was the concubines sinne : What husband would not haue said ; She is gone , let shame and griefe goe with her , I shall finde one no less pleasing , and more faithfull : Or if it be not too much mercy in me to yeeld to a returne , let her that hath offended , seeke mee ; What more direct way is there to a resolued loosenesse , then to let her see I cannot want her ? The good nature of this Leuite casts off all these tearms ; and now after 4 moneths absence , sends him to seek for her , that had runne away from her fidelitie : And now he thinks , She sind against me : perhaps shee hath repented ; Perhaps , shame and feare haue with-held her from returning ; Perhaps shee will be more loyall , for her sinne ; If her importunitie should winne me , halfe the thanks were lost ; but now , my voluntarie offer of fauour shall oblige her for euer . Loue procures truer seruitude then necessitie : Mereie becomes well the heart of any man , but most of a Leuite . He that had helped to offer so manie sacrifices to God for the multitude of euery Israelites sinnes , saw how proportionable it was , that man should not hold one sinne vnpardonable : Hee had serued at the Altar to no purpose , if hee ( whose trade was to sue for mercie ) had not at all learned to practice it .

And if the reflexion of mercie wrought this in a seruant , what shall wee expect from him , whose essence is mercy ? O God , wee doe euery day breake the holy couenant of our loue ; Wee prostitute our selues to euery filthy tentation , and then runne , and hide our selues in our fathers house , the world ; If thou didst not seeke vs vp , wee should neuer returne ; If thy gracious proffer did not preuent vs , wee should be vncapable of forgiueness ; It were abundant goodnes in thee to receiue vs , when we shold intreat thee : but lo , thou intreatest vs that we wold receiue thee . How should wee now adore , and imitate thy mercy , sith there is more reason , wee should sue to each other , then that thou shouldst sue to vs ; because we may as well offend , as be offended .

I doe not see the womans father make any meanes for reconciliation : but when remission came home to his doores , no man could entertaine it more thankfully . The nature of many men is forward to accept , and negligent to sue for ; they can spend secret wishes vpon that , which shall cost them no indeauour .

Great is the power of loue , which can in a sort vndoe euills past , if not for the act , yet for the remembrance . Where true affection was once conceiued , it is easily peeced againe , after the strongest interruption ; Heere needs no tedious recapitulation of wrongs , no importunitie of sute ; The vnkindnesses are forgotten , their loue is renued ; and now the Leuite is not a stranger , but a sonne ; By how much more willingly he came , by so much more vnwillingly hee is dismissed . The foure moneths absence of his daughter is answered with foure dayes feasting ; Neither was there so much ioy in the former wedding feast , as in this ; because then he deliuered his daughter intire ; now , desperate : then he found a sonne ; but now , that sonne hath found his lost daughter , and he found both : The recouerie of any good , is farre more pleasant then the continuance .

Little doe we knowe what euill is towards vs ; Now did this old man , and this restored couple promise themselues all ioy , & contentment after this vnkind storm ; and said in themselues , Now we begin to liue : And now this feast , which was meant for their new nuptialls , prooues her funerall . Euen when wee let our selues loosest to our pleasures , the hand of God ( thogh inuisibly ) is writing bitter things against vs : sith we are not worthie to know , it is wisedome to suspect the worst , whilst it is least seene .

Sometimes it falls out , that nothing is more iniurious then curresie ; If this old man had thrust his sonne and daughter early out of doores , they had auoyded this mischiefe ; now , his louing importunity detaines them to their hurt , and his owne repentance . Such contentment doth sincere affection find in the presence of those we loue , that death it selfe hath no other name , but departing ; The greatest comfort of our life , is the fruition of friendship , the dissolution whereof , is the greatest paine of death : As all earthly pleasures , so this of loue , is distasted with a necessitie of leauing . How worthy is that onely loue to take vp our harts , which is not open to any danger of interruption ; which shall out-liue the date euen of faith and hope , and is as eternall , as that GOD , and those blessed spirits whom we loue ? If we hang neuer so importunately vpon one anothers sleeues , and shed floods of teares to stop their way , yet wee must be gone hence ; no occasion , no force , shall then remooue vs from our fathers house .

The Leuite is stayed beyond his time by importunitie ; the motions whereof are boundlesse , and infinite ; one day drawes on another ; neither is there any reason of this dayes stay , which may not serue still for to morrow . His resolution at last breaks throgh all those kind hinderances ; rather will hee venture a benighting , then an vnnecessary delay . It is a good hearing that the Leuite makes haste home ; An honest mans heart is where his calling is ; Such a one , when he is abroade , is like a fish in the ayre ; whereinto if it leape for recreation , or necessitie , yet it soone returns to his own element . This charge , by how much more sacred it is , so much more attendance it expecteth ; Euen a day breakes square with the conscionable .

The Sunne is ready to lodge before them ; His seruant aduises him to shorten his iourney , holding it more fit to trust an early In of the Iebusites , then to the mercy of the night . And if that counsell had been followed , perhaps they , which found Iebusites in Israel , might haue found Israelites in Iebus : No wise man can hold good counsell disparaged , by the meanenesse of the author : If wee be gladde to receiue any treasure from our seruant , why not precious admonitions ?

It was the zeale of this Leuite that shut him out of Iebus ; We will not lodge in the City of strangers . The Iebusites were strangers in religion , not strangers enough in their habitation ; The Leuite wil not receiue common curtesie from those which were aliens from God , though home-borne in the hart of Israel . It is lawfull enough in tearmes of ciuilitie to deale with Infidels ; the earth is the Lords , and wee may enioy it in the right of the Owner , while we protest against the wrong of the Vsurper ; yet the lesse communion with Gods enemies , the more safety . If there were another aire to breathe in from theirs , another earth to tread vpon , they should haue their owne : Those that affect a familiar intirenesse with Iebusites , in conuersation , in leagues of amitie , in matrimoniall contracts , bewray either too much boldness , or too little conscience .

Hee hath no bloud of an Israelite , that delights to lodge in Iebus : It was the fault of Israel , that an heathenish towne stood yet in the nauell of the Tribes , and that Iebus was no sooner turn'd to Ierusalem ; Their lenitie and neglect , were guilty of this neighborhood , that now no man can passe from Bethleem Iuda , to mount Ephraim , but by the Citie of Iebusites . Seasonable iustice might preuent a thousand euills , which afterwards know no remedy but patience .

The way was not long betwixt Iebus and Gibeah : for the Sun was stooping when the Leuite was ouer against the first , & is but now declined , when he comes to the other . How his hart was lightned , when he was entred into an Israelitish Citie ! and can thinke of nothing , but hospitalitie , rest , securitie . There is no perfume so sweet to a Traueller , as his own smoake . Both expectation and feate , doe commonly disappoint vs ; for seldome euer do wee inioy the good we looke for , or smart with a feared euill . The poore Leuite could haue found but such entertainement with the Iebusites . Whither are the posteritie of Beniamin degenerated , that their Gibeah shold be no lesse wicked then populous ? The first signe of a settled godlesnesse , is , that a Leuite is suffered to lie without doores . If God had been in any of their houses , his seruant had not been excluded : Where no respect is giuen to Gods messengers , there can be no Religion .

Gibeah was a second Sodome ; euen there also is another Lot : which is therefore so much more hospitall to strangers , because himselfe was a stranger . The Host as well as the Leuite is of mount Ephraim ; Each man knows best to commiserate that euil in others , which him selfe hath passed thorough ; All that professe the Name of Christ , are Countrimen , and yet strangers heere belowe ; how cheerefully should we entertaine each other , when we meet in the Gibeah of this inhospitall world ?

This good old man of Gibeah , came home late from his work in the fields ; the Sunne was sette ere he gaue ouer ; And now , seeing this man a stranger , an Israelite , a Leuite , an Ephraimite , and that in his way to the house of GOD , to take vp his lodging in the street , hee proffers him the kindness of his house-roome . Industrious spirits are the fittest receptacles of all good motions ; whereas those which giue themselues to idle and loose courses , do not care so much as for themselues . I heare of but one man at his worke , in all Gibeah : the rest were quaffing and reuelling . That one man ends his worke in a charitable entertainement ; the other , end their play in a brutish beastlinesse , & violence . These villaines had learn'd both the actions , and the language of the Sodomites ; One vncleane diuell was the prompter to both : & this honest Ephraimite , had learnt of righteous Lot , both to intreat , and to proffer . As a perplexed Mariner , that in a storme must cast away something , although precious ; so this good Host , rather will prostitute his daughter , a virgin , together with the concubine , then this prodigious villany should be offered to a man , much more to a man of God .

The detestation of a foule sinne drew him to ouer-reach in the motion of a lesser ; which if it had been accepted , how could he have escaped the partnership of their vncleanenesse , and the guilt of his daughters rauishment ? No man can wash his hands of that sinne , to which his will hath yeelded . Bodily violence may be inoffensiue in the patient ; voluntary inclination to euill ( tho out of feare ) can neuer be excusable : yet behold this wickednesse is too little to satisfie these monsters .

Who would haue looked for so extreame abhomination from the loynes of Iacob , the wombe of Rachel , the sons of Beniamin ? Could the very Iebusites their neighbors be euer accused of such vnnaturall outrage ? I am ashamed to say it , Euen the worst Pagans were Saints , to Israel . What auailes it that they haue the Arke of GOD in Shiloh , while they haue . Sodom in their streets ? that the law of God is in their sringes , whiles the diuell is in their harts ? Nothing but hell it selfe can yeeld a worse creature then a depraued Israelite ; the very meanes of his reformation , are the fuell of his wickednes .

Yet Lot sped so much better in Sodom , then this Ephraimite did in Gibeah , by how much more holy guests hee entertained . There the guests were Angels ; here a sinfull man . There the guests saued the host ; heere the host could not saue the guest from brutish violence ; Those Sodomites were striken with outward blindnes and defeated ; These Beniamites are onely blinded with lust , and preuaile . The Leuite comes forth , perhaps his coat saued his person from this villany ; who now thinks himselfe well , that hee may haue leaue to redeeme his owne dishonour with his concubines . If hee had not loued her deerely , he had neuer sought her so farre , after so foule a sinne ; Yet now his hate of that vnnaturall wickednesse ouercame his loue to her ; She is exposed to the furious lust of barbarous ruffians , and ( which hee misdoubted not ) abused to death .

Oh the iust and euen course which the Almightie Iudge of the world holds in all his retributions ! This woman had shamed the bed of a Leuite , by her former wantonnesse ; shee had thus farre gone smoothly away with her sinne ; her father harbourd her , her husband forgaue her , her owne hart found no cause to complaine , because shee smarted not : now , when the world had forgotten her offence , GOD calls her to reckoning and punishes her with her owne sinne . She had voluntarily exposed herselfe to lust ; now is exposed forceably . Adultery was her sinne , adultery was her death . What smiles soeuer wickedness casts vpon the heart , whiles it solicites ; it will owe vs a displeasure , and prooue it selfe a faithfull Debter .

The Leuite looked to find her humbled with this violence , not murdered ; and now , indignation moues him to adde horror to the fact : Had not his heart been raised vp with an excess of desire to make the crime as odious , as it was sinfull , his action could not be excused . Those hands that might not touch a carcass , now carue the corps of his owne dead wife , into morsels ; and send these tokens to all the Tribes of Israel ; that when they should see these gobbets of the body murdered , the more they might detest the murderers . Himselfe puts on cruelty to the dead , that hee might draw them to a iust reuenge of her death ; Actions notoriously vilanous , may iustlie countenance an extraordinarie meanes of prosecution : Euery Israelite hath part in a Leuits wrong ; No Tribe hath not his share in the carcasse , and the reuenge .

The Desolation of Beniamin .

THese morsels could not chuse but cut the harts of Israel with horror , and compassion ; horror of the act , and compassion of the sufferer : and now their zeale drawes them together , either for satisfaction , or reuenge . Who would not haue looked that the hands of Beniamin should haue been first vpon Gibeah ; and that they should haue readily sent the heads of the offenders , for a second seruice after the gobbets of the concubine : But now , insteed of punishing the sinne , they patronize the actors ; and will rather die in resisting iustice , then liue and prosper in furthering it .

Surely , Israel had one Tribe too many : all Beniamin is turned into Gibeah , the sonnes not of Beniamin , but of Belial . The abetting of euill , is worse then the commission ; This may bee vpon infirmitie , but that must be vpon resolution : Easie punishment is too much fauour to sinne : conniuence is much worse : but the defence of it ( and that vnto bloud ) is intollerable . Had not these men been both wicked , and quarrellous , they had not drawne their swords in so foule a cause . Peaceable dispositions are hardly drawne to fight for innocence : yet these Beniaminites ( as if they were in loue with villany , and out of charitie with GOD ) will be the wilfull . Champions of lewdness . How can Gibeah repent them of that wickednesse , which all Beniamin will make good ; in spight of their consciences ? Euen where sinne is suppressed , it will rise ; but , where it is incouraged , it insults & tyrannizes .

It was more iust that Israel shold rise against Beniamin , then that Beniamin should rise for Gibeah ; by how much it is better to punish offenders , then to shelter the offenders from punishing ; And yet the wickedness of Beniamin , sped better for the time , then the honestie of Israel ; Twise was the better part foyled by the lesse , and worse ; The good cause was sent backe with shame : the euill returned with victory , and triumph . O GOD ! their hand was for thee in the fight , and thy hand was with them in their fall ; They had not fought for thee , but by thee ; neither could they haue miscarried in the fight , if thou hadst not fought against them ; Thou art iust & holy in both . The cause was thine : the sinne in managing of it , was their owne ; They fought in an holy quarrell , but with confidence in themselues ; for , as presuming of victorie , they aske of GOD , not what should be their success , but who should be their Captaine . Number & innocence made them too secure ; It was iust therefore with GOD , to let them feele , that euen good zeale cannot beare out presumption : And that victory lyes not in the cause , but in the God that ownes it .

Who cannot imagine how much the Beniaminites insulted in their double field , and day ? And now beganne to think , God was on their side ; Those swords which had bin taught the way into fortie thousand bodies of their brethren , cannot feare a new incounter . Wicked men cannot see their prosperity a peece of their curse , neither can examine their actions , but the euents : Soone after , they shall finde what it was to adde bloud vnto filthinesse , and that the victory of an euill cause , is the way to ruine and confusion .

I should haue feared least this double discomfiture should haue made Israel , either distrustfull , or weary of a good cause : but still I finde them no lesse courageous , with more humilitie . Now they fast , & weepe , and sacrifice ; these weapons had been victorious in their first assault ; Beniamin had neuer been in danger of pride for ouer comming , if this humiliation of Israel had preuented the fight . It is sildom seen , but that which we do with feare , prospereth ; wheras confidence in vndertaking , layes euen good indeauours in the dust .

Wickednesse could neuer brag of any long prosperitie ; nor complaine of the lacke of payment : Still GOD is euen with it at the last ; Now hee payes the Beniaminites both that death which they had lent to the Israelites , and that wherein they stood indebted to their brotherhood of Gibeah : And now that both are metre in death , there is as much difference betwixt those Israelites , and these Beniaminites , as betwixt Martyrs , and malefactors : To die in a sinne is a fearefull reuenge of giuing patronage to sinne ; The sword consumes their bodies , another fire their Cities , what-soeuer became of their soules .

Now might Rachel haue iustlie wept for her children , because they were not ; For , behold the men , women , and children of her wicked Tribe , are cut off ; onely some few scattred remainders , ran away from this vengeance , and lurked in caues , and rocks , both for fear , and shame ; There was no difference , but life , betwixt their brethren and them ; the earth couered them both : yet vnto them , doth the reuenge of Israel stretch it self ▪ and vowes to destroy , if not their persons , yet their succession ; as holding them vnwoorthy to receiue any comfort by that sexe , to which they had bin so cruell , both in act , and maintenance . If the Israelites had not held marriage & issue a very great blessing , they had not thus reuenged themselues of Beniamin ; Now they accounted the with-holding of their wiues , a punishment second to death : The hope of life in our posteritie , is the next contentment to an inioying of life in our selues .

They haue sworn , and now vpon cold bloud repent them . If the oath were not iust , why wold they take it ? and if it were iust , why did they recant it ? If the act were lustifiable , what needed these tears ? Euen a iust oath may be rashly taken : not onely iniustice , but temerity of swearing ends , in lamentation . In our very ciuill actions , it is a weaknes , to do that which we would after reuerse ; but in our affaires with GOD , to check our selues too late , and to steepe our oathes in teares , is a dangerous folly ; He doth not commaund vs to take voluntary oathes ; he commaunds vs to keepe them . If wee bind our selues to inconuenience , we may iustly complain of our owne fetters : Oaths doe not onely require iustice , but iudgment ; wise deliberation , no lesse then equity .

Not conscience of their fact , but commiseration of their brethren , led them to this publique repentance . O God , why is this come to pass , that this day one Tribe of Israel shall want ? Euen the iustest reuenge of men is capable of pittie ; Insultation in the rigor of iustice , argues crueltie ; Charitable mindes are grieued to see that done , which they would not wish vndone ; the smart of the offender doth not please them , which yet are throughly displeased with the sin , and haue giuen their hands to punish it . GOD himselfe takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner , yet loues the punishment of sin : As a good Parent whips his child , yet weepes himselfe ; There is a measure in victorie , and reuenge , if neuer so iust ; which to exceed , leeses mercie in the sute of Iustice .

If there were no fault in their seueritie , it needed no excuse ; and if there were a fault , it will admitte of no excuse : yet , as if they meant to shift off the sinne , they expostulate with God ; O Lord God of Israel , why is this come to passe this day ? GOD gaue them no commaund of this rigour ; yea he twise crost them in the execution ; and now , in that which they intreated of God with teares , they challenge him . It is a dangerous iniustice to lay the burden of our sinnes vpon him , which tempteth no man , nor can be tempted with euill ; whiles we would so remooue our sinne , we double it .

A man that knew not the power of an oath , wold wonder at this contrarietie in the affections of Israel ; They are sory for the slaughter of Beniamin , and yet they slay those that did not helpe them in the slaughter . Their oath calls them to more bloud ; The excess of their reuenge vpon Beniamin , may not excuse the men of Gilead ; If euer oath might looke for a dispensation , this might plead it ; Now , they dare not but kill the men of Iabesh Gilead , least they should haue left vpon themselues a greater sin of sparing , then punishing . Iabesh Gilead came not vp to ayde Israel , therefore all the inhabitants must die . To exempt our selues ( whether out of singularitie , or stubbornness ) from the common actions of the Church , when wee are lawfully called to them , is an offence woorthy of iudgement : In the maine quarrels of the Church , neutralls are punished . This execution shal make amends for the former ; of the spoile of Iabesh Gilead , shall the Beniaminites be stored with wiues : that no man may think these men slain for their daughters , they plainlie die for their sin ; and these Gileadites might not haue liued , without the periury of Israel : and now , sith they must die , it is good to make benefit of necessity . I inquire not into the rigour of the oath ; If their solemn vow did not bind them to kill all of both sexes in Beniamin , why did they not spare their virgins ? and if it did so binde them , why did they spare the virgins of Gilead ? Fauors must bee inlarged in all these religious restrictions ; where breath may be taken in them , it is not fit nor safe they should be strainted .

Foure-hundred virgins of Gilead haue lost parents , and brethren , and kindred , and now finde husbands in lieu of them . An inforced marriage , was but a miserable comfort for such a losse : like wards , or captiues they are taken , and chuse not . These suffice not , their friendly aduersaries consult for more , vpon worse conditions . Into what troublesome and dangerous straits do men thrust themselues , by either vniust , or inconsiderate vowes ?

In the midst of all this common lawlesnes of Israel , here was conscience made on both sides , of matching with Infidels ; The Israelites can rather be content their daughters should be stoln by their own , then that the daughters of aliens should be giuen them . These men which had not grace enough to detest & punish the beastliness of their Gileadites , yet are not so graceless , as to chuse them wiues of the Heathen : All but Atheists ( howsoeuer they let themselues loose ) yet in some things , find themselues restrained , and show to others that they haue a conscience . If there were not much danger , & much sinne in this vnequall yoke , they would neuer haue perswaded to so heauy an inconuenience ; Disparitie of religion in matrimoniall contracts , hath so many mischiefes , that it is worthy to be redeemed with much preiudice .

They which might not giue their own daughters to Beniamin , yet giue others , whiles they giue leaue to steale them . Stoln marriages , are both vnnaturall , and ful of hazard ; for loue ( whereof marriage is the knot ) cannot be forced : this was rather rape , then wedlocke . What vnlikeness ( perhaps contrarietie ) of disposition , what auersenesse of affection , may there be in not onely a sudden , but a forceable meeting ? If these Beniaminites had not taken libertie of giuing themselues ease by diuorcement , they would often haue found leasure to rue this stoln booty . This act may not bee drawn to example ; and yet here was a kind of indefinite consent ; Both deliberation , and good liking , are little enough for a during estate , & that which is once done for euer .

These virgins come vp to the feast of the Lord ; and now , out of the midst of their daunces are carried to a double captiuitie . How many virgins haue lost themselues in daunces ? and yet this sport was not immodest . These virgins danced by themselues , without the company of them which might moue towards vnchastity ; for if any men had bin with them , they had found so many rescuers , as they had assaulters ; now , the exposing of their weake sex to this iniurie , prooues their innocence . Our vsuall daunces are guilty of more sin ; Wanton gestures , & vnchast touches , lookes , motions , drawe the hart to folly ; The ambushes of euill spirits , carry away manie a soule from daunces , to a fearefull desolation .

It is supposed , that the Parents thus robbed of their daughters , will take it heauily : There cannot be a greater crosse , then the miscarriage of children ; They are not onely the liuing goods , but peeces of their Parents ; that they should therefore bee torne from them by violence , is no lesse iniury , then the dismembring of their owne bodies .

Naomi and Ruth .

BEtwixt the raigne of the Iudges , Israel was plagued with tyrannie ; and whiles some of them raigned , with famine ; Seldome did that rebellious people want somewhat to humble them ; One rod is not enough for a stubborne childe : The famine must needs be great , that makes the inhabitants to runne their country ; The name of home is so sweet , that we cannot leaue it for a little ; Behold that Land , which had wont to flow with milke and honie , now abounds with want and penurie , and Bethleem in stead of an house of bread , is an house of famine ; A fruitfull land doth God make barren , for the wickednesse of them , that dwell therein ; The earth beares not for it selfe , but for vs ; God is not angry with it , but with men ; For our sakes , it was first cursed to thornes and thistles , after that , to moisture , and since that ( not seldome ) to drought ; and by all these to barrennesse . Wee may not looke alwaies for plenty ; It is a wonder whiles there is such superfluitie of wickednes , that our earth is no more sparing of her fruits .

The whole earth is the Lords , and in him , ours ; It is lawfull for the owners to change their houses , at pleasure ; Why should we not make free vse of any part of our owne possessions ? Elimelech and his familie remoue from Bethleem Iuda vnto Moab ; Nothing but necessitie can dispense with a locall relinquishing of Gods Church ; Not pleasure , not profit , not curiositie ; Those which are famished out , God calls , yea driues from thence . The creator and possessor of the earth , hath not confined any man to his necessarie destruction .

It was lawfull for Elimelech to make vse of Pagans , and Idolaters , for the supply of all needfull helps ; There cannot be a better imployment of Moabites , then to be the treasurers and purueyours of Gods children ; Wherefore serue they but to gather for the true owners ? It is too much nicenesse in them , which forbeare the benefit they might make of the faculties of profane , or hereticall persons ; They consider not that they haue more right to the good such men can doe , then they that doe it , and challenge that good for their owne .

But I cannot see , how it could be lawful for his Sonnes to match with the daughters of Moab ; Had these men heard how farre , and vnder how solemne an oath , their father Abraham sent for a wife of his owne tribe , for his son Isaac ? Had they heard the earnest charge of holy Isaac , to the sonne he blessed , Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan ? Had they forgotten the plagues of Israel for but a short conuersation with the Moabitish women ? If they plead remotenesse from their owne people ; Did they not remember how farre Iacob walked to Padan-Aram ? Was it further from Moab to Bethleem , then from Bethleem to Moab ? and if the care of themselues led them from Bethleem to Moab ; should not their care of obedience to God haue as wel carried them back from Moab to Bethleem ? Yet if their wiues would have left their Idolatrie with their maiden-head , the match had been more safe ; but now , euen at the last farewell , Naomi can say of Orpah , that she is returned to her gods . These men haue sinned in their choice , and it speeds with them accordingly : Where did euer one of these vnequall matches prosper ? The two sonnes of Elimelech are swept away childlesse in the prime of their age , and in steed of their seed they leaue their carcasses in Moab ; their wiues widdowes , their mother childlesse , and helplesse amongst Infidels , in that age which most needed comfort . How miserable doe we now finde poore Naomi ? which is left destitute of her country , her husband , her children , her friends ; and turned loose , and solitarie to the mercie of the world : Yet euen out of these hopelesse ruines , will God raise comfort to his seruant . The first good newes is , that God hath visited his people with bread ; now therefore , since her husband and sonnes were vnrecouerable , she will try to recouer her country , and kinred ; If wee can haue the same conditions in Iudah , that we haue in Moab , we are no Israelites ▪ if wee returne not ; Whiles her husband and sonnes liued , I heare no motion of retiring home , now these her earthly stayes are remoued , shee thinks presently of remouing to her country ; Neither can we so hartily thinke of our home aboue , whiles wee are furnished with these worldly contentments ; when God strips vs of them , straight-waies our mind is homeward .

She that came from Bethleem , vnder the protection of an husband , attended with her sonnes , stored with substance ; resolues now to measure all that way alone : Her aduersitie had stript her of all , but a good heart ; that remaines with her , and beares vp her head , in the deepest of her extremitie : True Christian fortitude wades through all euills ; and , tho we be vp to the chin , yet keepes firme footing against the streame : where this is , the sexe is not discerned ; neither is the quantitie of the euill read in the face ; How well doth this courage become Israelites , when wee are left comfortlesse in the midst of the Moab of this world , to resolue the contempt of all dangers , in the way to our home ; As contrarily , nothing doth more misbeseeme a Christian , then that his spirits should flagge with his estate , and that any difficultie should make him dispaire of attayning his best ends .

Goodnes is of a winning quality wheresoeuer it is ; and euen amongst Infidels , will make it selfe friends ; The good disposition of Naomi carries away the hearts of her daughters in law with her ; so as they are ready to forsake their kinred , their countrey , yea their owne mother , for a stranger , whose affinity died with her sons : Those men are worse then Infidels , and next to Diuels that hate the vertues of Gods Saints ; and could loue their persons well if they were not conscionable .

How earnestly doe these two daughters of Moab plead for their continuance with Naomi ; and how hardly is either of them disswaded from partaking of the miserie of her society ; there are good natures euen among Infidels , and such as for morall disposition , and ciuill respects cannot be exceeded by the best professors : Who can suffer his heart to rest in those qualities , which are common to them that are without God ?

Naomi could not be so insensible of her owne good , as not to know how much comfort shee might reape to the so litarinesse , both of her voyage , and her widdowhood , by the society of these two yonger widdowes , whose affections she had so well tried ; even very partnership is a mitigation of euils ; yet so earnestly doth she disswade from accompanying her , as that she could not haue said more , if she had thought their presence irkesome , and burdenous : Good dispositions loue not to pleasure themselues with the disaduantage of others ; and had rather be miserable alone , then to draw in partners to their sorrow ; for the sight of anothers calamity doth rather double their owne ; and if themselues were free , would affect them with compassion ; As contrarilie , ill mindes care not how many companions they haue in miserie , nor how few consorts in good ; If themselues mis-carry , they could be content all the world were enwrapped with them in the same distresse .

I maruell not that Orpah is by this seasonable importunity perswaded to returne ; from a mother in law , to a mother in nature ; from a toylesome iourney to rest , from strangers to her kinred , from an hopelesse condition , to likelihoods of contentment . A little intreaty will serue to mooue nature to be good vnto it selfe : Euery one is rather a Naomi to his owne soule , to perswade it to stay still , and inioy the delights of Moab , rather then to hazard our entertainment in Bethleem : Will religion allow me this wilde libertie of my actions , this loose mirth , these carnal pleasures ? Can I be a Christian , and not liue sullenly ? None but a regenerate heart can choose rather to suffer aduersity with Gods people , then to inioy the pleasures of sin for a season .

The one sister takes an vnwilling farwell , and moistens her last kisses with many teares ; the other cannot be driuen back but repells one intreatie , with another ; Intreat me not to leaue thee ; for whither thou goest , I will go ; where thou dwellest I will dwell , thy people shall be my people , thy God my God , where thou diest I will die , and there will I be buried ; Ruth saw so much vpon ten yeares tryall , in Naomi , as was more worth then all Moab ; and in comparison whereof , all worldly respects deserued nothing but contempt : The next degree vnto goodnesse is the loue of goodnesse : He is in a faire way to grace , that can value it ; If she had not been already a proselite , she could not haue set this price vpon Naomies vertue . Loue cannot be seperated from a desire of fruition ; In vaine had Ruth protested her affection to Naomi , if she could haue turned her out to her iourney alone ; Loue to the saints doth not more argue our interest in God , then societie argues the truth of our loue .

As some tight vessell that holds out against winde and water , so did Ruth against all the powers of a mothers perswasions ; The impossibilitie of the comfort of marriage in following her ( which drew backe her sister in law ) cannot moue her ; She heares her mother , like a modest matrone ( contrary to the fashion of these times ) say , I am too old to haue an husband , and yet she thinkes not on the contrary , I am too young to want an husband : It should seeme the Moabites had learned this fashion of Israel to expect the brothers raising of seed to the deceased ; The widdowhood and age of Naomi cuts off that hope ; neither could Ruth then , dreame of a Boaz that might aduance her ; It is no loue that cannot make vs willing to be miserable for those we affect ; The hollowest heart can be content to follow one that prospereth : Aduersity is the onely furnace of friendship ; If loue will not abide both fire and anuile , it is but counterfeit ; so in our loue to God we doe but crack and vaunt in vaine if we cannot be willing to suffer for him .

But if any motiue might hope to speed , that which was drawne from example , was most likely ; Behold thy sister in law , is gone backe vnto her people , and to her Gods ; returne thou after her : This one art-lesse perswasion hath preuailed more with the world , then all the places of reason : How many millions miscarry vpon this ground ; Thus did my fore-fathers ; Thus doe the most ; I am neither the first , nor the last ; Doe any of the rulers ; We straight thinke that , either safe , or pardonable , for which we can plead a precedent . This good woman hath more warrant for her resolution , then anothers practise ; The minde can neuer be steddy , whiles it standes vpon others feet , and till it be setled vpon such grounds of assurance , that it will rather lead , then follow ; and can say with Ioshua , whatsoeuer become of the world , I and my house will serue the Lord .

If Naomi had not been a person of eminent note ; no knowledge had been taken at Bethleem , of her returne ; Pouerty is euer obscure ; and those that haue little , may go and come without noise : If the streets of Bethleem had not before vsed to say , There goes Naomi ; they had not now asked , Is not this Naomi ? She that had lost all things , but her name , is willing to part with that also ; Call mee not Naomi , but call me Marah ; Her humility cares little for a glorious name , in a deiected estate ; Many a one would haue set faces vpon their want , and in the bitternesse of their condition , haue affected the name of beauty ; In all formes of good , there are more that care to seeme , then to be ; Naomi hates this hypocrisie , and since God hath humbled her , desires not to bee respected of men : Those which are truely brought downe , make it not daintie , that the world should thinke them so ; but are ready to bee the first proclaimers of their owne vilenesse .

Naomi went full out of Bethleem to preuent want ; and now shee brings that want home with her , which shee desired to auoide : Our blindnesse oft times carries vs into the perills wee seeke to eschew ; God finds it best many times to crosse the likely proiects of his dearest children ; and to multiply those afflictions , which they feared single .

Ten yeares haue turned Naomi into Marah ; what assurance is there of these earthly thinges , whereof one houre may strip vs ? What man can say of the yeares to come , Thus I will be ? How iustly doe we contemne this vncertainty , and looke vp to those riches that cannot but indure , when heauen and earth are dissolued ?

Boaz and Ruth .

WHiles Elimelech shifted to Moab to auoide the famine ; Boaz abode still at Bethleem , and continued rich , and powerfull ; He staide at home , and found that , which Elimelech went to seeke , and missed : The iudgement of samme doth not lightly extend it selfe to all ; Pestilence and the sword spare none ; but dearth commonly plagueth the meaner sort , and balketh the mightie ; When Boaz his store-house was emptie , his fieldes were full ; and maintaine the name of Bethleem .

I do not heare Ruth stand vpon the termes of her better education , or wealthy Parentage , but now that God hath called her to want , she scornes not to lay her hand vnto all homely seruices ; and thinkes it no disparagement to finde her bread in other mens fields ; There is no harder lesson to a generous minde , nor that more beseemes it , then either to beare want , or to preuent it ; Base spirits giue themselues ouer to idlenesse , and miserie , and because they are crossed , will sullenly perish .

That good woman hath not been for nothing in the schoole of patience ; shee hath learned obedience to a poore stepmother ; shee was now a widdow , past he reach of any danger of correction , besides , that penurie might seeme to dispense with awe ▪ Euen children doe easily learne to contemne the pouertie of their owne Parents ; Yet hath shee so inured her selfe to obedience , that shee will not so much as goe forth into the field to gleane , without the leaue of her mother in law , and is no lesse obsequious to March , then shee was to Naomi ; What shall wee say to those children , that in the maine actions of their life , forget they haue naturall Parents : It is a shame to see that in meane families want of substance causeth want of dutie ; and that children should thinke themselus priuiledged for vnreuerence , because the Parent is poore .

Little do we know , when wee goe forth in the morning , what God meanes to doe with vs ere night ; There is a prouidence that attends on vs in all our waies ; and guides vs insensibly to his owne ends ; That diuine hand leads Ruth blindfolded to the field of Boaz : That shee meets with his reapers , and falls vpon his land amongst all the fields of Bethleem , it was no praise to her election , but the gracious disposition of him , in whom wee mooue ; His thoughts are aboue ours ; and do so order our actions , as we , if wee had knowne , should haue wished .

No sooner is she come into the field , but the reapers are friendly to her ; no sooner is Boaz come into his field , but he inuites her to more bountie then shee could haue desired ; now God begins to repay into her bosome , her loue and dutie to her mother in law ; Reuerence and louing respects to Parents , neuer yet went away vnrecompenced ; God will surely raise vp friends amongst strangers , to those that haue been officious at home .

It was worth Ruthes iourney from Moab , to meet with such a man as Boaz , whom wee finde thriftie , religious , charitable ; Tho he were rich yet he was not carelesse ; hee comes into the field to ouersee his reapers ; Euen the best estate requires carefull menaging of the owner ; He wanted not officers to take charge of his husbandrie , yet he had rather be his owne witnesse : After all the trust of others , the Masters eye feeds the horse : The Master of this great houshold of the world giues vs an example of this care , whose eye is in euery corner of this his large possession ; Not ciuilitie only , but religion binde vs to good husbandrie ; We are all stewards , and what account can we giue to our master , if we neuer looke after our estate ? I doubt whether Boaz had been so rich , if he had not been so frugall : Yet was he not more thriftie , then religious : He comes not to his reapers , but with a blessing in his mouth : The Lord be with you , as one that knew , if hee were with them , and not the Lord , his presence could auaile nothing ; All the businesse of the familie speeds the better , for the masters benediction ; Those affaires are likely to succeed , that take their beginning at God .

Charitie was well matched with his religion ; without which , good words , are but hypocrites ; no sooner doth hee heare the name of the Moabitesse , but he seconds the kindnes of his reapers ; and still he rises in his fauours ▪ First , she may gleane in his field ; then shee may drinke of his vessells ; then , shee shall take her meale with his reapers ; and part of it , from his owne hand ; Lastly , his worke-men must let fall sheaues for her gathering : A small thing helps the needie : an handfull of gleanings , a lap-full of parched corne , a draught of the seruants bottles , a loose sheafe was such a fauour to Ruth , as she thought was aboue all recompence ; This was not seene in the estate of Boaz , which yet makes her for the time , happy . If we may refresh the soule of the poore with the very offalls of our estate , and not hurt our selues , woe be to vs if we doe it not ; Our barnes shall bee as full of curses as of corne , if we grudge the scattered eares of our field to the hands of the needie .

How thankfully doth Ruth take these small fauours from Boaz : perhaps some rich Iewell in Moab would not haue been so welcome ; Euen this was a presage of her better estate ; those which shall receiue great blessings , are euer thankfull for little ; and if poore soules be so thankfull to vs , for but an handfull , or a sheafe ; how should we be affected to our God , for whose fieldsfull , for full barnes , full garners ?

Doubtlesse , Boaz , hauing taken notice of the good nature , dutifull cariage , and the neere affinitie of Ruth , could not but purpose some greater beneficence , and higher respects to her ; Yet now onwards he fits his kindnes to her condition , and giues her that , which to her meanenesse seemed much , tho he thought it little : Thus doth the bountie of our God deale with vs ; It is not for want of loue , that he giues vs no greater measure of grace , but for want of our fitnesse and capacitie ; Hee hath reserued greater preferments for vs , when it shall bee seasonable for vs to receiue them .

Ruth returnes home wealthy with her Ephah of barley , and thankfully magnifies the liberalitie of Boaz , her new benefactor : Naomi repayes his beneficence with her blessing ; Blessed be he of the Lord . If the rich can exchange their almes with the poore for blessings , they haue no cause to complaine of an ill bargaine Our gifts cannot be worth their faithfull prayers : Therefore it is better to giue then to receiue , because he that receiues , hath but a worthlesse almes , hee that giues , receiues an vnualuable blessing .

I cannot but admire the modestie and silence of these two women ; Naomi had not so much as talked of her kinred in Bethleem , nor till now , had shee told Ruth that she had a wealthy kinsman ; neither had Ruth inquired of her husbands great alliance ; but both sate downe meekly with their owne wants , and cared not to know any thing else saue that themselues were poore : Humilitie is euer the way to honor .

It is a discurtesie where we are beholden , to alter our dependencie ; Like as men of trade take it ill , if customers which are in their bookes , goe for their wares to another shop ; Wisely doth Naomi aduise Ruth not to bee seene in any other field , whiles the haruest lasted . The very taking of their fauours is a contentment to those that haue already well deserued ; and it is quarrell enough that their curtesie is not receiued ; How shall the God of heauen take it , that whiles he giues and proffers largely , wee runne to the world that can afford vs nothing but vanitie and vexation ?

Those that can least act , are oft-times the best to aduise : Good old Naomi sits still at home , and by her counsell payes Ruth all the loue shee owes her . The face of that action , to which shee directs her , is the worst peece of it ; the heart was sound ; Perhaps , the assurance , which long tryall had giuen her of the good gouernment , and firme chastitie of her daughter in law , together with her perswasion of the religious grauitie of Boaz , made her thinke that designe safe , which to others had been perilous , if not desperate ; But besides that , holding Boaz next of blood to Elimelech , shee made account of him , as the lawfull husband of Ruth ; so as there wanted nothing but a challenge , and consummation ; Nothing was abated but some outward solemnities , which ( tho expedient for the satisfaction of others ) yet were not essentiall to marriage : And if there were not these colours for a proiect so suspicious , it would not follow , that the action were warrantable , because Naomies : Why should her example be more safe in this then in matching her sonues with Insidels ; then in sending backe Orpah to her fathers Gods ? If euery act of an holy person should bee our rule , wee should haue crooked liues : Euery action that is reported , is not straight-waies allowed ; Our courses were very vncertaine , if God had not giuen vs rules , whereby wee may examine the examples of the best Saints , and as well censure , as follow them . Let them that stumble at the boldnes of Ruth , imitate the continence of Boaz.

These times were not delicate ; This man ( though great in Bethleem ) laies him downe to rest vpon a pallet , in the floore of his barne ; when hee awakes at midnight , no maruell if he were amazed to finde himselfe accompanied ; yet , though his heart were cheared with wine , the place solitarie , the night silent , the person comely , the inuitation plausible , could hee be drawne to a rash act of lust ▪ His appetite could not get the victorie of reason , tho it had wine and oportunitie to helpe it ; Herein Boaz showd himselfe a great master of his affections , that hee was able to resist a fit tentation ; It is no thanke to many that they are free of some euills ; perhaps they wanted not will , but conuenience ; But if a man when hee is fitted with all helps to his sin , can repell the pleasure of sin , out of conscience ; this is true fortitude .

In steed of touching her as a wanton , he blesses her as a father , incourageth her as a friend , promiseth her as a kinsman , rewards her as a patron , & sends hir away lade with hopes , & gifts , no lesse chaste , more happy then shee came : Oh admirable temperance worthy the progenitor of him , in whose lips and heart was no guile .

If Boaz had been the next kinsman , the marriage had needed no protraction , but now that his conscience told him , that Ruth was the right of another , it had not been more sensualitie then iniustice , to haue touched his kinswoman ; It was not any bodily impotencie , but honestie and conscience that restrained Boaz , for the very next night shee conceiued by him ; that good man wished his mariage bed holy , and durst not lye downe in the doubt of a sinne : Many a man is honest out of necessitie , and affects the praise of that , which hee could not auoide ; but that mans minde is still an adulterer , in the forced continence of his bodie ; No action can giue vs true comfort , but that which we do out of the grounds of obedience .

Those which are fearefull of sinning , are carefull not to bee thought to sin ; Boaz , though he knew himselfe to be cleare , would not haue occasion of suspicion giuen to others ; ( Let no man know that a woman came into the floore : ) A good heart is no lesse afraide of a scandall , then of a sin ; whereas those that are resolued not to make any scruple of sin , despise others constructions , not caring whom they offend , so that they may please themselues . That Naomi might see her daughter in law was not sent backe in dislike ; she comes home laden with corne ; Ruth hath gleaned more this night , then in halfe the haruest ; The care of Boaz was , that she should not returne to her mother emptie : Loue wheresoeuer it is , cannot bee niggardly ; Wee measure the loue of God by his gifts ; How shall hee abide to send vs away emptie from those treasures of goodnesse .

Boaz is restlesse in the prosecution of this sute ; and hies him from his threshing floore , to the gate ; and there conuents the nearer kinsman before the Elders of the Citty ; what was it that made Boaz so readie to intertaine , so forward to vrge this match ? Wealth she had none , not so much as bread , but what she gleaned out of his fielde : Friends she had none , and those she had else where , Moabites ; Beauty she could not haue much , after that scorching in her trauell , in her gleanings , Himselfe tells her what drew his heart to her , ( All the Citie of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous woman : ) Vertue in whomsoeuer it is found , is a great dowry , and where it meetes with an heart that knowes how to value it , is accounted greater riches then all that is hid in the bowels of the earth : The corne heape of Boaz was but chaffe to this , & his mony , drosse .

As a man that had learned to square all his actions to the law of God , Boaz proceeds legally with his riuall ; and tells him of a parcell of Elimelecs land ( which , it is like vpon his remouall to Moab , he had alienated ; ) which he ( as the next kinsman ) might haue power to redeeme ; yet so , as he must purchase the wife of the deceased , with the land ; Euery kinsman is not a Bonz , the man could listen to the land , if it had beene free from the clog of a necessary marriage ; but now he will rather leaue the land , then take the wife ; Least , whiles he should preserue Elimelecs inheritance , he should destroy his owne ; for the next seede , which he should haue by Ruth , should not be his heire , but his deceased kinsmans ; How knew he whether God might not by that wife , send heires enow for both their estates ? rather had he therefore incurre a manifest iniustice , then hazard the danger of his inheritance ; The law of God bound him to raise vp seede to the next in blood ; the care of his inheritance drawes him to a neglect of his duty , tho with infamy and reproch , and now he had rather his face should bee spit vpon , and his name should bee called , The house of him whose shooe was pull'd off , then to reserue the honour of him , that did his brother right , to his owne preiudice ; How many are there that doe so ouer-loue their issue , as that they regard neither sinne , nor shame in aduancing it ? and that will rather indaunger their soule then leese their name ? It is a wofull inheritance that makes men heires of the vengeance of God .

Boaz is glad to take the aduantage of his refusall ; and holds that shooe ( which was the signe of his tenure ) more worth then all the land of Elimelec . And whereas other Wiues purchase their husbands , with a large dowrie , this man purchaseth his wife , at a deare rate , and thinkes his bargaine happy ; All the substance of the earth , is not worth a vertuous and prudent wife ; which Boaz doth now so reioyce in , as if he this day onely began to be wealthy .

Now is Ruth taken into the house of Boaz ; she , that before had said , she was not like one of his maidens , is now become their mistresse ; This day she hath gleaned all the fields and barnes of a rich husband ; and ( that there might be no want in her happinesse ) by a gracious husband she hath gained an happy seede ; and hath the honour , aboue all the dames of Israel , to be the great grandmother of a King , of Dauid , of the Messiah .

Now is Marah turn'd backe againe to Naomi ; and Orpah , if she heare of this in Moab , cannot but enuie at her sisters happines : Oh the sure and bountifull payments of the Almightie ; Who euer came vnder his wing in vaine ? Who euer lost by trusting him ? Who euer forsooke the Moab of this world for the true Israel , and did not at last reioyce in the change .

Anna and Peninna .

ILL customes where they are once intertained are not easily discharged ; Polygamie besides carnall delight might now plead age and example : so as euen Elkanah ( though a Leuite ) is tainted with the sinne of Lamech ; Like as fashions of attire , which at the first were disliked as vncomely , yet when they are once growne common , are taken vp of the grauest : Yet this sinne ( as then currant with the time ) could not make Elkanah , not religious ; The house of God in Shilo was duely frequented of him ; oftentimes , alone , in his ordinary course of attendance ; with all his males , thrise a yeare ; and once a yeare , with all his familie ; The continuance of an vnknowne sin cannot hinder the vprightnes of a mans heart with God ; as a man may haue a mole vpon his backe , and yet thinke his skin cleare ; the least touch of knowledge , or wilfulnes marres his sincerity .

He that by vertue of his place was imploied about the sacrifices of others , would much lesse neglect his own ; It is a shame for him that teaches Gods people that they should not appeare before the Lord empty , to bring no sacrifice for himselfe . If Leuites be profane , who should be religious ?

It was the fashion when they sacrificed , to feast ; so did Elkanah ; the day of his deuotion is the day of his triumph ; he makes great cheere for his whole familie , euen for that wife which he loued lesse ; There is nothing more comely , then cheerefulnes in the seruices of God ; What is there in all the world , wherewith the hart of man should be so lift vp , as with the conscience of his dutie done to his maker ? Whiles wee doe so , God doth to vs , as our glasse , smile vpon vs , while we smile on him .

Loue will be seen by entertainment ; Peninnah and her children shall not complaine of want , but Anna shall finde her husbands affection in her portion ; as his loue to her was double , so was her part ; She fared not the worse , because she was childlesse ; no good husband will dislike his wife for a fault out of the power of her redresse : yea rather , that which might seeme to loose the loue of her husband , wins it , her barrennesse ; The good nature of Elkanah laboured by his deare respects , to recompence this affliction ; that so she might finde no lesse contentment in the fruit of his hearty loue , then she had greife from hir owne fruitlesnesse ; It is the property of true mercy , to be most fauorable to the weakest ; Thus doth the gracious spouse of the Christian soule pittie the barrennesse of his seruants ; O Sauiour , we should not finde thee so indulgent to vs , if wee did not complaine of our owne vnworthinesse : Peninnah may haue the more children but barren Annah hath the most loue ; How much rather could Elkanah haue wished Peninnah barren ; and Annah fruitfull ; but if she should haue had both issue , and loue , she had been proud , and her riuall despised ; God knowes how to disperse his fauours so , that euery one may haue cause both of thankfulnesse and humiliation ; whiles there is no one that hath all , no one but hath some ; If enuie and contempt were not thus equally tempered , some would be ouer hauty , and others too miserable ; But now , euery man sees that in himselfe which is worthy of contempt , and matter of emulation in others , and contrarily sees what to pittie and dislike in the most eminent , and what to applaud in himselfe , and out of this contrarietie , arises a sweete meane of contentation .

The loue of Elkanah is so vnable to free Anna from the wrongs of her riuall , that it procures them rather ; The vnfruitfulnesse of Anna had neuer with so much despight beene laid in her dish , if her husbands heart had been as barren of loue to her ; Enuie though it take aduantage of our weakenesses , yet is euer raised vpon some grounds of happines , in them whom it emulates ; It is euer an ill effect of a good cause : If Abels sacrifice had not beene accepted , and if the acceptation of his sacrifice had not beene a blessing , no enuie had followed vpon it .

There is no euill of another , wherein it is fit to reioyce , but his Enuie ; and this is worthy of our ioy , and thankfulnesse , because it showes vs the price of that good , which wee had , and valued not ; The malignitie of enuie is thus well answered , when it is made the euill cause of a good effect to vs ; when God and our soules may gaine by anothers sinne . I do now finde that Anna insulted vpon Peninnah , for the greater measure of her husbands loue , as Peninna did vpon her , for her fruitfulnesse ; Those that are truely gracious , know how to receiue the blessings of God , without contempt of them that want ; and haue learned to bee thankefull , without ouerlinesse .

Enuie when it is once conceiued in a malicious heart , is like fire in billers of Iuniper , which ( they say ) continues more yeares then one ; Euery yeare was Anna thus vexed with her emulous partner ; and troubled , both in her praiers and meales ; Amidst all their feastings , shee fed on nothing but her teares : Some dispositions are lesse sensible , and more carelesse of the dispight and ●●●ties of others , and can turne ouer vnkinde vsages , with contempt ; By how much more tender the heart is , so much more deeply is it euer affected with discurtesies ▪ As waxe receiues and retaines that impression , which in the hard clay cannot be seen ; or , as the eie feeles that mote , which the skin of the eie-lid could not complain of : Yet the husband of Anna ( as one that knew his dutie ) labours by his loue , to comfort her against these discontentments , Why weepest thou ? Am not I better to thee then ten sonnes ? It is the weaknesse of good natures , to giue so much aduantage to an enemie ; what would malice rather haue then the vexation of them whom it persecutes ? Wee cannot better please an aduersarie , then by hurting our selues ; This is no other , then to humor enuie , to serue the turne of those , that maligne vs ; and to draw on that malice , whereof we are weary ; whereas carelesnesse puts ill will out of countenance ; and makes it withdraw it selfe in a rage , as that which doth but shame the author , without the hurt of the patient : In causelesse wrongs the best remedie is contempt .

She that could not finde comfort in the louing perswasions of her husband , seeks it in her prayers ; She rises vp hungry from the feast , and hyes her to the Temple ; there shee powres out her teares , and supplications ; Whatsoeuer the complaint be , here is the remedie ; There is one vniuersall receit for all euills , prayer ; When all helps faile vs , this remaines , and whiles wee haue an heart , comforts it .

Here was not more bitternesse in the soule of Anna , then feruencie ; shee did not onely weep and pray , but vow vnto God ; If God will giue her a sonne , she will giue her sonne to God backe againe ; Euen nature it selfe had consecrated her son to God ; for he could not but be borne a Leuite ; But if his birth make him a Leuite , her vow shal make him a Nazarite , & dedicate his minoritie to the Tabernacle ; The way to obtaine any benefit , is to deuote it in our hearts , to the glory of that God , of whom wee aske it ; by this meanes shall God both pleasure his seruant , and honour himselfe ; Whereas , if the scope of our desires be carnall , wee may be sure either to faile of our suite , or of a blessing .

Ely and Anna.

OLd Ely sits on a stoole , by one of the posts of the Tabernacle ; where should the Priests of God be but in the Temple ? whether for action or for ouer-sight ; Their very presence keeps Gods house in order , and the presence of God keeps their hearts in order .

It is oft found that those which are themselues conscionable , are too forward to the censuring of others ; Good Ely , because hee markes the lips of Annah to moue without noyse , chides her as drunken , and vncharitably misconstrues her deuotion ; It was a weake ground whereon to build so heauie a sentence ; If she had spoken too loude , and incomposedly , hee might haue had some iust colour for this conceit , but now to accuse her silence ( notwithstanding all the teares which he saw ) of drunkennesse , it was a zealous breach of charitie .

Some spirit would haue been enraged with so rash a censure ; when anger meets with griefe , both turne into furie● ; but this good woman had been inured to reproches , and besides , did well see the reproofe arose from mesprison , and the mesprison from zeale ; and therefore answers meekly , as one that had rather satisfie , then expostulate , Nay my Lord , but I am a woman troubled in spirit ; Hely may now learne charitie of Annah : If she had been in that distemper , whereof he accused her , his iust reproofe had not been so easily digested ; Guiltinesse is commonly clamorous , and impatient , wheras innocence is silent , and carelesse of misreports ; It is naturall vnto all men to wipe off from their name all aspersions of euill , but none doe it with such violence , as they which are faultie ; It is a signe the horse is galled , that stirs too much when he is touched .

Shee that was censured for drunken , censures drunkennesse more deeply then her reprouer ; Count not thine handmaid , for a daughter of Belial ; The drunkards stile begins in lawlesnesse , proceeds in vnprofitablenesse , ends in miserie ; and all shut vp in the denomination of this pedegree ; A sonne of Belial .

If Hannah had been tainted with this sinne , she would haue denied it with more fauour , and haue disclaimed it with an extenuation ; What if I should haue been merrie with wine , yet I might bee deuout ? If I should haue ouer-ioyed in my sacrifice to God , one cup of excesse had not been so haynous ; now her freedome is seene in her seueritie ; Those which haue cleare hearts from any sinne , prosecute it with rigour ; whereas the guiltie are euer partiall ; their conscience holds their hands , and tells them that they beat themselues , whiles they punish others .

Now Hely sees his error , and recants it ; and to make amends for his rash censure , prayes for her ; Euen the best may erre , but not persist in it ; When good natures haue offended , they are vnquiet till they haue hastned satisfaction ; This was within his office , to pray for the distressed ; Wherefore serues the Priest but to sacrifice for the people ; and the best sacrifices are the prayers of faith .

Shee that began her prayers with fasting , and heauinesse , rises vp from them with cheerefulnesse , and repast : It cannot bee spoken , how much ease and ioy the heart of man findes in hauing vnloaded his cares , and powred out his supplications into the eares of God ; since it is well assured , that the suite which is faithfully asked , is already granted in heauen : The conscience may well rest , when it tells vs , that wee haue neglected no meanes of redressing our affliction ; for then it may resolue to looke either for amendment , or patience .

The sacrifice is ended , and now Elkanah , and his familie rise vp early , to returne vnto Ramah ; but they dare not set forward , till they haue worshipped before the Lord ; That iourney cannot hope to prosper , that takes not God with it ; The way to receiue blessings at home , is to be deuout at the Temple .

She that before conceiued faith in her heart , now conceiues a sonne in her wombe ; God will rather worke miracles then faithfull prayers shall returne empty : I doe not finde that Peninna asked any sonne of God , yet she had store ; Anna begged hard for this one ; and could not till now obtaine him : They which are dearest to God doe oft-times with great difficultie worke out those blessings , which fall into the mouthes of the carelesse : That wise disposer of all things knowes it fit to hold vs short of those fauours which we sue for ; whether for the tryall of our patience , or the exercise of our faith , or the increase of our importunitie , or the doubling of our obligation .

Those children are most like to proue blessings , which the Parents haue begged of God ; and which are no lesse the fruit of our supplications , then of our bodie ; As this childe was the sonne of his mothers prayers , and was consecrated to God ere his possibilitie of being ; so now himselfe shall know , both how hee came , and whereto hee was ordeined ; and lest hee should forget it , his very name shall teach him both ; ( She called his name Samuel ) ; Hee cannot so much as heare himselfe named , but hee must needs remember both the extraordinarie mercie of God in giuing him to a barren mother ; and the vow of his mother in restoring him backe to God by her zealous dedication ; and by both of them learne holinesse , and obedience : There is no necessitie of significant names ; but wee cannot haue too many monitors to put vs in minde of our dutie .

It is wont to be the fathers priuiledge to name his childe ; but because this was his mothers son , begotten more by her prayers , then the seed of Elkanah , it was but reason , she should haue the chiefe hand both in his name ▪ and disposing ; It had been indeed in the power of Elkanah , to haue changed both his name , and profession , and to abrogate the vow of his wife ; that wiues might know , they were not their owne ; and that the rib might learne to know the head ; but husbands shall abuse their authoritie , if they shall wilfully crosse the holy purposes , and religious indeuours of their yoke-fellowes ; How much more fit is it for them to cherish all good desires in the weaker vessells ; and as we vse , when wee carrie a small light in a winde , to hide it with our lap , or hand , that it may not goe out ; If the wife bee a Vine , the husband should be an Elme to vphold he● in all worthy enterprises ; Els● shee falls to the ground , an● proues fruitlesse .

The yeere is now come about ; and Elkanah calls his familie to their holy iourney ; to goe vp to Ierusalem , for the aniuersarie solemnity of their sacrifice ; Annaes heart is with them , but she hath a good excuse to stay at home , the charge of her Samuel ; her successe in the Temple , keeps her happily from the Temple ; that her deuotion may bee doubled , because it was respited : God knowes how to dispense with necessities ; but , if we suffer idle and needlesse occasions to hold vs from the Tabernacle of God , our hearts are but hollow to religion .

Now at last , when the childe was weaned from her hand , she goes vp , and payes her vow , and with it , payes the interest of her intermission : Neuer did Anna go vp with so glad an heart to Shilo , as now that she carries God this reasonable present , which himselfe gaue to her , and she vowed to him ; accompanied with the bountie of other sacrifices , more in number and measure , then the Law of God required of her ; and all this , is too little for her God , that so mercifully remembred her affliction , and miraculously remedied it ; Those hearts which are truly thankfull , doe no lesse reioyce in their repayment , then in their receit ; and doe as much studie , how to show their humble and feruent affections , for what they haue , as how to compasse fauours when they want them ; Their debt is their burden , which when they haue discharged , they are at ease .

If Anna had repented of her vow , and not presented her son to the Tebernacle , Ely could not haue challenged him ; He had only seen her lips stir , not hearing the promise of her heart ; It was enought , that her owne soule knew her vow , and God which was greater then it ; The obligation of a secret vow is no lesse , then if it had ten thousand witnesses .

Old Hely could not choose but much reioyce to see this fruit of those lips , which he thought moued with wine ; and this good proofe , both of the mercifull audience of God , and the thankfull fidelity of his handmaide ; this sight calls him down to his knees ( He worshipped the Lord ) ; We are vnprofitable witnesses of the mercies of God , and the graces of men , if we do not glorifie him for others sakes , no lesse then for our owne .

Hely and Anna grew now better acquainted ; neither had he so much cause to praise God for her , as she aftewards for him ; For if her owne praiers obtained her first childe ; his blessing inriched her with fiue more ; If she had not giuen her first sonne to God , ere she had him ; I doubt , whether she had not been euer barren ; or if shee had kept her Samuel at home , whether euer she had conceiued againe ; now that piety which stripped her of her onely childe , for the seruice of her God , hath multiplied the fruit of her wombe , and gaue her fiue for that one , which was still no lesse hers , because he was Gods : There is no so certaine way of increase , as to lend , or giue vnto the owner of all things .

Ely and his Sonnes .

IF the conueyances of grace were naturall ; holy parents would not be so ill suted with children : What good man would not rather wish his loynes drie , then fruitfull of wickednesse ? Now , wee can neither traduce goodnes , nor choose but traduce sinne ; If vertue were as well intailed vpon vs , as sin , one might serue to checke the other in our children ; but now since grace is deriued from heauen on whomsoeuer it pleases the giuer , and that euill which ours receiue hereditarily from vs , is multiplied by their owne corruption , it can be no wonder that good men haue ill children , it is rather a wonder that any children are not euill : The sonnes of Ely are as lewde , as himselfe was holy ; If the goodnesse of examples , precepts , education , profession could haue beene preseruatiues from extremitie of sin , these sonnes of an holy father had not beene wicked ; now , neither parentage , nor breeding , nor priesthood can keepe the sonnes of Hely from sonnes of Belial ; If our children bee good , let vs thanke God for it ; this was more then wee could giue them ; if euill they may thanke vs , and themselues ; vs , for their birth-sinne , themselues for the improuement of it to that height of wickednesse .

If they had not been sonnes of Ely , yet being Priests of God , who would not haue hoped their very calling should haue infused some holinesse into them ; but now , euen their white Ephod couers foule sinnes ; yea rather , if they which serue at the alter degenerate , their wickednesse is so much more aboue others , as their place is holier ; A wicked Priest is the worst creature vpon earth ; Who are Diuels but they which were once Angels of light ? Who can stumble at the sinnes of the Euangelicall Leuites , that sees such inpuritie euen before the Arke of God ? That God which promised to be the Leuites portion , had set forth the portion of his Ministers ; he will feast them at his owne altar ; The breast and the right shoulder of the peace offering was their morsell ; these bold and couetous Priests will rather haue the flesh-hock their arbiter , then God ; whatsoeuer those three teeth fasten vpon , shall bee for their tooth ; They were weary of one ioynt , and now their delicacy affects variety ; God is not worthy to carue for these men , but their owne hands ; And this they do not receiue , but take ; and take violently , vnseasonably ; It had beene fit God should be first serued ; their presumption will not stay his leasure ; ere the fat bee burned , ere the flesh be boiled , they snatch more then their share from the altar ; as if the God of heauen should waite on their palate ; as if the Israelites had come thither to sacrifice to their bellies ; and ( as commonly a wanton tooth is the harbinger to luxurious wantonnesse ) they are no sooner fed , then they neigh after the dames of Israel ; Holy women assemble to the doore of the Tabernacle ; these varlets tempt them to lust , that came thither for deuotion ; they had wiues of their owne , yet their vnbridled desires roue after strangers , and feare not to pollute euen that holy place with abominable filthinesse , O sinnes , to shamefull for men ; much more for the spirituall guides of Israel ! He that makes himselfe a seruant to his tooth , shall easily become a slaue to all inordinate affections : That altar which expiated other mens sins , added to the sinnes of the sacrificers ; Doubtlesse many a soule was the cleaner for the bloud of the sacrifices , which they shed , whiles their owne were more impure ; And as the altar cannot sanctifie the Preist , so the vncleannes of the minister cannot pollute the offering ; because the vertue thereof is not in the agent , but in the institution ; in the representation his sinne is his owne ; the comfort of the sacrament is from God ; Our clergy is no charter for heauen ; Euen those whose trade is deuotion , may at once show the way to heauen by their tongue , and by their foot lead the way to hell ; It is neither a coule , nor an Ephod that can priueledge the soule .

The sinne of these men was worthy of contempt , yea perhaps their persons ; but for the people therefore to abhorre the offrings of the Lord , was to adde their euill vnto the Priests ; and to offend God , because hee was offended ; There can no offence be iustly taken , euen at men ; much lesse at God for the sake of men : No mans sinnes should bring the seruice of God into dislike ; this is to make holy thinges guiltie of our profanenesse : It is a daungerous ignorance not to distinguish betwixt the worke , and the instrument ; whereupon it oft comes to passe , that we fall out with God , because we finde cause of offence from men ; and giue God iust cause to abhorre vs , because wee abhorre his seruice vniustly . Although it be true ( of great men especially ) that they are the last that know the euils of their owne house , yet either it could not be , when all Israel rung of the lewdnesse of Elyes sonnes , that he onely should not know it , or if he knew it not , his ignorance cannot be excused ; for a seasonable restraint might haue preuented this extremitie of debauchednesse . Complaints are long muttered of the great , ere they dare breake forth to open contestation ; publique accusations of authoritie argues intollerable extremities of euill ; nothing but age can pleade for Ely , that hee was not the first accuser of his sonnes ; now when their enormities came to be the voice of the multitude , he must heare it perforce ; and doubtlesse hee heard it with greife enough , but not with anger enough ; he that was the iudge of Israel , should haue vnpartially iudged his own flesh , and blood ; neuer could he haue offered a more pleasing sacrifice , then the depraued blood of so wicked sonnes ; In vaine do wee rebuke those sinnes abroad , which we tolerate at home ; That man makes himselfe but ridiculous , that leauing his owne house on fire , runnes to quench his neighbours .

I heard Ely sharpe enough to Annah , vpon but a suspicion of sinne ; and now , how milde I finde him to the notorious crimes of his owne ? Why doe you so my sonnes : it is no good report ; my sonnes do no more so ; The case is altered with the persons ; if nature may be allowed to speake in iudgement , and to make difference , not of sinnes but offenders , the sentence must needes sauour of partialitie ; Had these men but some little slackened their dutie , or heedlesly omitted some rite of the sacrifice , this censure had not beene vnfit ; but to punish the thefts , rapines , sacriledges , adulteries , incests of his sonnes , with Why do yee so , was no other then to s●aue that head , which had deserued cutting off ; As it is with ill humors , that a weak dose doth but stirre , and anger them , not purge them out ; so it fareth with sinnes ; An easie reproofe doth but incourage wickednesse , and makes it thinke it selfe so sleight , as that censure importeth ; A vehement rebuke to a capitall euill , is but like a strong shower to a ripe fielde ; which laies that corne which were worthy of a sickle . It is a breach of iustice not to proportionate the punishment to the offence ; To whip a man for a murder , or to punish the purse for incest , or to burne treason in the hand , or to award the stocks to burglairy , is to patronize euill , in steed of auenging it ; Of the two extremes , rigor is more safe for the publique weale , because the ouer-punishing of one offender frights many from sinning : It is better to liue in a common-welth where nothing is lawfull , then where euery thing .

Indulgent Parents are cruell to themselues , and their posteritie Ely could not haue deuised which way to haue plagued himselfe , and his house so much , as by his kindnesse to his childrens sinnes ; what variety of iudgements doth he now heare of from the messenger of God ? First , because his old age ( which vses to be subiect to choler ) , inclined now to misfauor his sonnes , therefore , there shall not be an old man left of his house for euer ; and because it vexed him not enough , to see his sonnes enemies to God in their profession , therefore he shall see his enemie in the habitation of the Lord ; and because himselfe forbore to take vengeance of his sons , and esteemed their life aboue the glory of his Master , therefore God will reuenge himselfe , by killing them both in one day ; and because he abused his soueraigntie by conniuence at sinne , therefore shall his house be stripped of this honor , and see it translated to another ; and lastly , because he suffered his sonnes to please their owne wanton appetite , in taking meat off from Gods trencher , therfore , those which remaine of his house shall come to his successors , to beg a piece of siluer , and a morsell of bread ; in a word , because hee was partiall to his sonnes , God shall execute all this seuerely vpon him , and them : I doe not read of any fault Ely had , but indulgence ; and which of the notorious offenders were plagued more ? Parents need no other meanes to make them miserable , then sparing the rod .

Who should be the bearer of these fearefull tidings to Ely , but yong Samuel , whom himselfe had trained vp ; He was now growne past his mothers cotes , fit for the message of God ; Old Ely rebuked not his yong sonnes , therefore yong Samuel is sent to rebuke him ; I maruell not whiles the Priesthood was so corrupted , if the word of God were precious , if there were no publike vision ; It is not the manner of God to grace the vnworthy ; The ordinarie ministration in the Temple was too much honor for those that robbed the Altar , though they had no extraordinarie reuelations ; Hereupon it was , that God lets old Hely sleep ( who slept in his sinne ) and awakes Samuel , to tell him what hee would do with his master : Hee which was wont to be the mouth of God to the people , must now receiue the message of God , from the mouth of another ; As great persons will not speake to those , with whom they are highly offended , but send them their checks by others

The lights of the Temple were now dim , and almost ready to giue place to the morning , when God called Samuel ; to signifie perhaps , that those which should haue been the lights of Israel , burned no lesse dimly , and were neere their going out , and should be succeeded with one , so much more lightsome then they , as the Sunne was more bright then the lampes : God had good leasure to haue deliuered this message by day , but hee meant to make vse of Samuels mistaking ; and therfore so speaks , that Ely may bee asked for an answer , and perceiue himselfe both omitted , and censured ; He that meant to vse Samuels voice to Ely , imitates the voice of Ely to Samuel ; Samuel had so accustomed himselfe to obedience , and to answer the call of Ely , that lying in the further cells of the Leuites , hee is easily raised from his sleep ; and euen in the night runs for his message , to him , who was rather to receiue it from him : Thrice is the old man disquieted with the diligence of his seruant , and , tho visions were rare in his daies , yet is hee not so vnacquainted with God , as not to attribute that voyce to him , which himselfe heard not ; Wherefore like a better Tutor then a Parent , he teaches Samuel what hee shall answer , Speake Lord , for thy seruant heareth .

It might haue pleased God at the first call to haue deliuered his message to Samuel , not expecting the answer of a nouice vnseene in the visions of a God ; yet doth he rather defer it till the fourth summons , and will not speake till Samuel confessed his audience : God loues euer to prepare his seruants for his imployments , and will not commit his errands , but to those , whom he hath addressed both by wonder , and attention , and humilitie .

Ely knew well the gracious fashion of God , that where hee intended a fauour , prorogation could be no hinderance ; and therefore after the call of God , thrice answered with silence , he instructs Samuel to be ready for the fourth : If Samuels silence had been wilfull , I doubt whether he had been againe solicited ; now God doth both pittie his error , and requite his diligence by redoubling his name at the last .

Samuel had now many yeeres ministred before the Lord , but neuer till now heard his voice ; and now heares it with much terror ; for the first word that he heares God speake , is threatning , and that of vengeance to his master ; What were these menaces but so many premonitions to himselfe that should succeed Ely ? God begins early to season their harts with feare , whom he means to make eminent instruments of his glory ; It is his mercie to make vs witnesses of the iudgments of others , that wee may be forewarned , ere we haue the occasions of sinning .

I do not heare God bid Samuel deliuer this message to Ely ; Hee that was but now made a Prophet , knowes , that the errands of God intend not silence ; and that God would not haue spoken to him of another , if he had meant the newes should be reserued to himselfe : Neither yet did he run with open mouth vnto Ely , to tell him this vision , vnasked ; No wise man will be hastie to bring ill tidings to the great ; rather doth hee stay till the importunitie of his Master should wring it from his vnwillingnesse ; and then , as his concealement showd his loue , so his full relation shall approue his fidelitie : If the heart of Ely had not told him this newes , before God told it Samuel , hee had neuer been so instant with Samuel , not to conceale it ; His conscience did well presage that it concerned himselfe ; Guiltinesse needs no Prophet to assure it of punishment : The minde that is troubled proiecteth terrible things ; and though it cannot single out the iudgment allotted to it , yet it is in a confused expectation of some grieuous euill : Surely , Ely could not thinke it worse then it was ; The sentence was fearefull , and such as I wonder the necke , or the heart of old Ely could hold out the report of ; That God sweares he will iudge Elyes house ; and that with beggerie , with death , with desolation ; and that the wickednes of his house shall not be purged with sacrifice , or offrings for euer ; And yet , this which euery Israelites eare should tingle to heare of , when it should be done , old Ely heares with an vnmoued patience , and humble submission , It is the Lord , let him doe what seemeth him good ; Oh admirable faith , and more then humane constancie and resolution , worthy of the aged presisident of Shiloh , worthy of an heart sacrificed to that God , whose iustice had refused to expiate his sinne by sacrifice : If Ely haue been an ill father to his sonnes , yet he is a good sonne to God , and is ready to kisse the very rod hee shall smart withall ; It is the Lord , whom I haue euer found holy , and iust , and gracious , and hee cannot but be himselfe ; Let him doe what seemeth him good ; for whatsoeuer seemeth good to him , cannot but bee good ; howsoeuer it seemes to me : Euery man can open his hand to God while hee blesses ; but to expose our selues willingly to the afflicting hand of our maker , and to kneele to him whiles he scourges vs , is peculiar only to the faithfull .

If euer a good heart could haue freed a man , from temporall punishments , Ely must needs haue escaped ; Gods anger was appeased by his humble repentance , but his iustice must be satisfied ; Elyes sinne and his sons , was in the eye and mouth of all Israel , his glorie therefore should haue been much wronged by their impunitie : Who would not haue made these spirituall guides an example of lawlesnes ? and haue said ; What care I how I liue , if Elyes sonnes goe away vnpunished ? As not the teares of Ely , so not the words of Samuel may fall to the ground ; Wee may not measure the displeasure of God by his stripes ; many times , after the remission of the sinne , the very chastisements of the Almightie are deadly ; No repentance can assure vs that wee shall not smart with outward afflictions : That , can preuent the eternall displeasure of God ; but still it may be necessarie and good wee should be corrected : Our care and suite must be , that the euills which shall not be auerted , may be sanctified .

If the prediction of these euils were fearefull , what shall the execution be ? The presumption of the ill-taught Israelites shall giue occasion to this iudgement ; for being smitten before the Philistims , they send for the Arke into the field ; Who gaue them authority to commaund the Arke of God at their pleasure ? Here was no consulting with the Arke , which they would fetch ; no inquiry of Samuel whether they should fetch it ; but an heddie resolution of presumptuous Elders to force God into the field , and to challenge successe : If God were not with the Arke , why did they send for it , and reioyce in the comming of it ? If God were with it , why was not his allowance asked that it should come ? How can the people bee good where the Preists are wicked ? When the Arke of the couenant of the Lord of hosts that dwells betweene the Cherubims , was brought into the host ( tho with meane and wicked attendance ) Israel doth , as it were , fill the heauen , and shake the earth with shoutes ; as if the Arke and victory were no lesse vnseparable , then they and their sinnes ; Euen the leudest men will be looking for fauour from that God , whom they cared not to displease , contrary to the conscience of their deseruings ; Presumption doth the same in wicked men , which faith doth in the holiest ; Those that regarded not the God of the Arke , thinke themselues safe and happie in the Arke of God ; vaine men are transported with a confidence in the out-sides of religion , not regarding the substance and soule of it , which only can giue them true peace ; But rather then God will humor superstition in Israelites , he will suffer his owne Arke to fall into the handes of Philistims ; Rather will he seeme to slacken his hand of protection , then hee will bee thought to haue his hands bound by a formall mis-confidence . The slaughter of the Israelites was no plague to this ; It was a greater plague rather to them that should suruiue , and behold it . The two sonnes of Ely which had helped to corrupt their brethren , die by the handes of the vncircumcised , and are now too late separated from the Arke of God by Philistims , which should haue been before separated by their father ; They had liued formerlie to bring Gods altar into contempt , and now liue to carrie his Arke into captiuitie , and at last , as those that had made vp the measure of their wickednesse are slayne in their sinne .

Ill newes doth euer either run , or flie ; The man of Beniamin , which ran from the host , hath soone filled the City with outcries ; and Elyes eares with the crie of the City ; The good old man after ninety and eight yeares , sits in the gate , as one that neuer thought himselfe too aged to do God seruice ; and heares the newes of Israels discomfiture , and his sonnes death , though with sorrow , yet with patience ; but , when the messenger tells him of the Arke of God taken , he can liue no longer , that word strikes him downe backward from his throne , and kills him in the fall ; no sword of a Philistim could haue slaine him more painefully , neither know I , whether his necke , or his heart were first broken : Oh fearefull iudgement , that euer any Israelites eare could tingle withall ; The Arke lost ; what good man would wish to liue without God ? Who can choose but think he hath liued too long , that hath ouerliued the Testimonies of Gods presence with his Church ? Yea the very daughter in law of Ely , a woman , the wife of a lewd husband , when she was at once trauelling ( vpon that tidings ) and in that trauell , dying ( to make vp the full summe of Gods iudgement vpon that wicked house ) as one insensible of the death of her father , of her husband , of her selfe , in comparison of this losse , calls her ( then vnseasonable ) sonne , Ichabod ; and with her last breath saies , The glorie is departed from Israel ; The Arke is taken : what cares she for a posterity , which should want the Arke ? What cares she for a sonne , come into the world of Israel , when God was gone from it ? and how willingly doth she depart from them , from whom God was departed ? Not outward magnificence , not state , not wealth , not fauour of the mightie , but the presence of God in his Ordinances , are the glory of Israel ; the subducing whereof is a greater iudgement , then destruction .

Oh Israel , worse now then no people ; a thousand times more miserable then Philistims ; Those Pagans went away triumphing with the Arke of God , and victorie ; and leaue the remnants of the chosen people to lament , that they once had a God :

Oh cruell and wicked indulgence , that is now found guiltie of the death , not onlie of the Priests , and people , but of Religion . Vniust mercie can neuer end in lesse then bloud , and it were well if onlie the bodie should haue cause to complaine of that kinde crueltie .

FINIS .

ERRATA .

Pag. 97. lin. 19. for wooll god , read wooll . God : p. 169 l. 19. for intreats , read treats . p ▪ 175. 15. for inioyed , read ioyed . p. 222. l. 18. for may be , read may not be . p. 223. l. 15. for strength , read stench . p 268. for had not wit , read had wit p. 346. vlt. for strainted , read straitned . p. 434. l. 3. for representation his . r. representation : his .

Notes, typically marginal, from the original text

Notes for div A02527-e330