A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament

CHAP. I. The History and Mystery of Israel under the Judges Government.

THE Book of Judges containeth the History of the State of Israel after the Death of Joshua, unto the Death of Sampson, whereon some General Remarks may be made before the Particulars.

The First General Remark is, The Writer of this Book is uncert • in, some suppose it to be Ezra, but more probably it was Samuel who might Collect this History out of the public Records kept in the Treasury from one Judges time to another: But whether Samuel wrote it (as the Rabbins affirm) or some other Holy Prophet, it is not material. Regis Epistolis acceptis, &c. saith Gregory, when a King sends his Letters Patents to his Subjects, it matters not who was the King's Secretary, and 'tis ridiculous to inquire with what Peo it was written, if once it be known that it is the King's Order or Royal Decree. That God was the Author of this Book, the account we have both in this second Chapter, and in Psal. 106.34 &c. doth plainly evidence: Nor did Christ or his Apostles blame the Jews (to whom those Oracles of the Old Testament were committed, as to God 's Library Keepers, Rom. 3.2.) for falsifying their Trust, in corrupting any part of the Canonical Scripture.

The Second General Remark is, Those Judges which giveth the Title to this Book, were not ordinary Magistrates, but were Men endued with Heroic Minds extraordinarily raised up by God, as occasion required in cases of extremity, so they were indeed God's Deputy-Lieutenants, for in all their times God was their King, and kept the Jura Regalia, or Royal Rights in his own hands, unto whom they were to appeal in Cases of greatest difficulties, until Samuel 's time, wherein they are said to reject God, and his Government, 1 Sam. 8.7. and 12.12. Then would they have a King of their own to Reign over them like other Nations: 'Till then they could Triumph and say, [The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver, the Lord is our King, he will save us] Isa. 33.22. While they kept close to God and his Covenant. These are called Judges here, because they executed God's just Judgments upon Israel 's Enemies, &c.

The Third Remark is, The time of these Judges Judging Israel is affirmed by the Apostle to be about four hundred and fifty years, Acts 13.19, 20. Whereas this Book sets down the History of the space of two hundred ninety nine years only, under thirteen several Judges called out by God from several Tribes, as in those sums and parcels appeareth,

• I. Othniel of Judah Judged Israel forty years, Chap. 3.11.
• II. Ehud of Benjamin. And,
• III. Shamgar, Chap. 3.30, 31. 80 years.
• IV. Deborah and Barack of Naphtali 40 years, Chap. 5.31.
• V. Gideon of Manasseh 40 years, Chap. 8.28.
• VI. Abimelech, Gideon 's Son, 3 years, Chap. 9.22.
• VII. Tola of Issachar 23 years, Chap. 10.2.
• VIII. Jair of Manasseh 22 years, Chap. 10.3.
• IX. Jephthah of Manasseh 6 years, Chap. 11.1. and 12.7.
• X. Ibsan of Judah 7 years, Chap. 12.8, 9.
• XI. Elon of Zebulon 12 years, Chap. 12.11, 12.
• XII. Abdon of Ephraim 8 years, Chap. 12.13, 14.
• XIII. Samson of Dan 20 years, Chap. 13.2. and 16.31.

The Total Sum is Two Hundred Ninety Nine Years, unto which if the Forty Years of Eli 's Judging Israel with Samuel, (mentioned 1 Sam. 4.18.) be added, it makes Three Hundred Thirty Nine Years. Now add the Years of the Oppressors as they are expressed.

• I. Eight years, Chap. 3.8.
• II. Eighteen years, Chap. 3.14.
• III. Twenty years, Chap. 4.3.
• IV. Seven years, Chap. 6.3.
• V. Eighteen years, Chap. 10.8.
• VI. Forty years, Chap. 13.1.

In all an Hundred and Eleven Years, which being added to the Three Hundred Thirty Nine, makes up the Four Hundred and Fifty, that Paul speaks of, Acts 13.20. Such Harmony there is betwixt the Old and New Testament, in a Congruous Chronology.

The Fourth General Remark is, the Causes of Israel 's Corruption, and of its Calamity, by consequence is described at large in this Book: The Corruption of the Church and its general Apostasy in its Causes, which are twofold, (1.) Privative, and (2.) Positive.

First, The Privative Cause was the Death of Joshua, and of the Elders that were contemporary with him, Judge. 2.7. who had hitherto prohibited Corruption: Their Death was the Removens Prohibens Removing that Remora and Rampart which hindered Iniquity to come in like a flood upon the Church of God; but when God gave them Godly Judges, then the Spirit of the Lord did lift up a Standard against it, Isa. 59.19. Nor was this all, but there was a second Privative Cause, to wit, the want of a King, or Supreme Magistrate, and therefore the Holy Ghost rendereth this very reason of their wickedness no fewer than three times in the History of Micah 's Idolatry, and of the Gibeonites lasciviousness, Judge. 17.61. and 18.1. and 21.25. Hence it is the Opinion of Sir Walter Rawleigh, that the War between the Benjamites (in the defense of lustful. Gibeah, and the other Tribes of Israel did likely fall out betwixt the times of Joshua and Othniel, for then (saith he) there was no King in Israel, and the Tribe of Judah who led the People against the Canaanites, Judge. 1. ver. 2, 3. led them also against the Benjamites, Judge. 20.18. and both these things of Judah 's Conduct was by God's direction, but,

Secondly, The Positive Cause both of their Corruption, and of their Calamity thereby, was (1.) Their Neglect of God's Command in driving out the Cursed Canaanites, they became slothful, consulting their own ease, and contenting themselves with what they had already got in their possessions, they began to converse familiarly with those Nations which God had charged them to destroy root and branch, and so it came to pass, that (2.) They mixed Marriages with them, Judge. 3.6. whereby they became notoriously debauched both in their Worship, and in their Manners. Israel now foully degenerates (1.) In their Worship, they serve Baalim, and Ashtaroth, &c. Judge. 2.11, 12 13, 17. And particularly Idolatry was found in Micah 's Family, Judge. 17. And so it spread into the whole Tribe of Dan, who (1.) Rob Micah of his Graven Image, his Ephod and Teraphim, and his Molten Image, (2.) Entice away his Idolatrous Priest, and (3.) Establish Idolatry in their Tribe, which made a Schism of a long continuance, Judge. 18. 2dly In their Manners, oh what wickedness was committed in that one City Gibea, Judge. 19. besides the obstinacy of the other Tribes in their Sins, so that they repented not, neither at the reproof of an Angel, nor of a Prophet, but went on in their own stubborn ways, Judge. 2.2.19. for which God punished them, not only by selling them into Oppressors hands, but also in their Battle against Benjamin.

The Particular Remarks now follow the General, which will add a farther illustration to their darkness, &c:

The First Chapter of Judges holds forth Israel 's negligence in expelling the Canaanites, and because [contraria juxta se posita, magis Elucescunt] one contrary gives light and luster to another, when they are aptly placed together; therefore Israel 's Valour and Victory is first related from ver. 1. to ver. 18. in the Expedition of Judah 's Tribe, to which is subjoined the same success in Joseph 's Tribe, from ver. 22. to ver. 26. that it might the more manifestly appear, what little Reason Israel had for their following slothfulness in neglecting to extirpate those Nations, which they, contrary to God's Command, spared as is Recorded from ver. 19. and so on ver. 21.27, 28. to 36. Their foregoing Successes were a sufficient Demonstration, that the reason why they Conquered no more, was because in God's Name they undertook no more to Conquer from Love of Ease, or Cowardly fear, &c.

The First Remark is, Here we have Israel 's first Expedition against the Canaanites after Joshua 's Death which could not but encourage the Enemy, and discourage Israel: For the Canaanites might happily hope to hold their own, now that the Lyon was dead; who had so lately and largely devoured their Land; and the Israelites might well have misgiving fears, that the loss of so Valiant and Victorious a General may prove the loss and ruin of the Common-wealth of Israel: This hath befallen some other States in the World, whose Weal hath been wrapped up in the Life of a brave Leader. Joshua had told them before of his Death, that those Nations, yet left in the Land, must be subdued, Josh. 23.5. and now all the Tribes were so increased, that they wanted room, therefore a War must be undertaken now for enlarging their Quarters, which might not be done before, Exod. 23.29.30. and because the Success of this first Expedition, had so much influence (for encouraging or discouraging the Enemy) hanging upon it, therefore they solemnly seek Counsel of God, by Urim and Thummim, which Tribe should begin this Expedition, and Judah, the Royal Tribe is chosen by God for that Work to avoid Emulation among the Tribes, and this Tribe must be honored, in reference to the Messiah, the Lyon of this Tribe, who by his Scepter should Rule all Nations, Gen. 49.8. as likewise because this Tribe marched under the Conduct of Caleb their General, unto whom Joshua had allotted Hebron, Josh. 14.8.13. Ten or Twelve Years (saith Dr. Lightfoot ) before this, all which time was spent in dividing the Land, and bringing every Tribe into its Possession: So that Caleb had hitherto little leisure (because of Public Service) or if he had any leisure, he knew himself [distinct from the public ) too weak to work his own settlement, especially considering the Canaanites during this interval of time had gathered great strength: Hereupon the whole Tribe of Judah and of Simeon do unanimously engage for him, they make him their General, so under the Conduct of Caleb, Hebron and Debir are Conquered, and the Anakins subdued Judge. 1.2.3.9, 10, 11, 12, &c. Thus Caleb became thus far Joshua 's Successor in the Generalship (though but over two Tribes) and who more fit than he who had been Joshua 's Faithful Partner in Espying Canaan, &c. And therefore the same Story set down in Josh. 15.14. comes in there (as some suppose) by way of Anticipation.

N. B. 'It is not at all improbable, that God would not have so Faithful a Servant of his as Caleb had been [ who followed the Lord so fully, &c.] Numb. 14.24. &c. to depart this World in obscurity, without bearing any considerable figure therein before his Death, therefore the Lord confer'd this Signal Honor upon him to become a chief General to Judah and Simeon 's whole Tribes, though not universally so over all the other Tribes, as Joshua had been, and though he was not constituted one of the Judges of all Israel, as Othniel, &c. for these were extraordinarily raised up of God after Caleb to save Israel from those sad Calamities which came upon them for their abominabl Apostacies, which happened not in Caleb 's time.

The Second Remark is, The Success of this first Exp • dition (which is expressly said to be wholly transacted after the Death of Joshua, ver. 1.) The Tribe of Judah and of Simeon, had,

First, For Human Help the Kenites to assist them, ver. 16. being the Posterity of Jethro ( Moses Father in Law) who left their own Country, and for Religion-sake followed Israel into the Land of Promise, whom Saul Respected in his time for old kindnesses, 1 Sam. 15.6. But,

Secondly, For Divine Help, the presence of the Lord of Hosts, ver. 4. and 19. by whose assistance principally they became Victorious over, (1.) Bezek, ver. 4, 5. (2.) Jerusalem, ver. 8. (3.) Hebron, ver. 9. to 16. (4.) Hormah, ver. 17. (5.) Gaza, Askelon and Ekron, ver. 18. The first of all these was most famous in the Narrative, the King whereof being described.

First, By his Name, Adonibezek ] that is, Lord or King of Bezek.

Secondly, By his State. He lost the Field, fled, was taken, and had his Thumbs and Great Toes cut off, that he might no more fight with his Hands, nor run away with his Feet, ver. 5, 6. And,

Thirdly, By his Cruelty, ver. 7. He had done the same to Threescore and Ten Kings, and therefore this was done to him by Divine Direction to retaliate upon himself his own barbarous Tyranny over others; Whom he had thus inhumanely tortured, and then trode upon them (lying under his Table) as Trophies of his Victories: However, here was an over-ruling hand of God in suffering such Civil [Uncivil] Wars among the Canaanites, wherein one Tyrant subdues so many of their Kings, this made the Conquest of Canaan the more easy to Israel; for Judah, &c. under Caleb 's Conduct Conquers Seventy Kings in the Conquest of one Adonibezek? This Tyrant they bring before Jerusalem (to strike a terror upon the Jebusites ) and there they kill him in terrorem to all such Tyrants: Then sacks and burns the City, ver. 8. Moreover, the City Hormah we find was once utterly destroyed by Moses, Numb. 21.3. but being since that time Re-edified, as a City Anathematized and devoted to Destruction (as the Word Hormah, Hebr. signifies) it is utterly destroyed the second time here, ver. 17.

N. B. Now by a small transposition of one Letter, and laying by the Aspirates which is usual as in Anna and Hannah, then Horma resembleth Roma, devoted to Destruction also.

Rome, was once destroyed when it was Pagan, and when now Papagan the second time it shall be destroyed.

The Third Remark is, The sad Consequences of this Victorious Success: Namely, Israel sins, and God punisheth them for their sins.

First, Israel sinned in suffering those sinful Nations, contrary to God's Command, to live among them, those Sinners became Snares and Traps, &c. to Israel (as they had been forewarned) Exod. 23.32. Josh. 23.13. and Numb. 33, 55, &c. for by Conversing with them, they learned their Works, served their Idols, Sacrificed their Sons and Daughters to Devils, &c. Psal. 106.34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. in which Dreadful Apostasy they impudently declared their Horrible Ingratitude to that most Gracious God, who by such a Mighty and Miraculous Hand had brought them out of the Bondage of Egypt, had fed them Forty Years with daily Miracles in the Wilderness, and had now according to his Promise, driven out the Cursed Canaanites, brought them into the possession of the Land of Promise, a Land flowing with Milk and Honey. Besides, their shameful sin bewrayed their most shameless persidiousness in so soon breaking that Solemn Covenant which Joshua had lately sworn them into twice, Josh. 8.33, &c. and Josh. 24.14. Notwithstanding all these stupendous Obligations, yet sundry Tribes are branded here for their sinful neglect of routing out those sinful Nations (which was indeed the Inlet of all their Apostacies ) either out of Cowardly fear, or love of ease, &c. for this the Tribe of Judah is found fault with, ver. 19. Benjamin, ver. 21. Manasseh, ver. 27, 28. Ephraim, ver. 29. Zebulon, ver. 30. Asser, ver. 31, 32. Naphthali, ver. 33. but above all, Dan was singular in this sinful sloth, ver. 34, 35, 36. which occasioned (through the straitness of their Borders) their Expedition to Laish, mentioned, Judge. 18 &c.

Secondly, God punished them for those sins, Psal. 106.40, 41, 42. his Wrath was kindled against them, &c. Therefore,

• 1. God refuseth to drive out the Nations as he had promised, Judge. 3.1, 2, 3. &c. And,
• 2. God delivers them into the hands of Cruel Oppressors round about, and renders all their Enterprizes unsuccessful, Judge. 2.14, 15.

CHAP. II.

JUdges the second Chapter, giveth an account, how the Messiah himself comes as the great Sh • phard of his Sheep, Hebr. 13.20. and as the Chief Bishop of our Souls, 1 Pet. 2.25. to make his solemn Visitation; just as Joseph sought his Brethren, and found them in Dothan, which signifies Defection, Gen. 37.17. So this blessed Joseph or Jesus, who is not ashamed to call Israel his Brethren, Hebr. 2.11. but saith to them as that Joseph did [I am Joseph your Brother] Gen. 45.4. though Israel was now found of them in Dothan indeed; namely, in a State of most desperate Defection from God, and under a most Deplorable Desertion of God; for now God had forsaken them, and had given them up into the hands of most Cruel and Tyrannical Oppressors. Therefore is it said, God sold them into their Enemies hands, Judge. 2.14. Renouncing all his own right in them, and delivers them up, as the Seller doth the thing sold into the Buyers hands: This Phrase is oft used, Judge. 4.2.9. Psal. 44.12, 13. Isai. 50.1. and Judge. 3.8. Now Christ comes to be their Redeemer.

The First Remark upon this Second Chapter is, The person who is the Visiter of Israel in their forlorn Estate, and comes as an Honorable Ambassador from God to his People, &c. Hereof I find various Opinions. As,

First, The Rabbins will have it to be Phinehas that came up from Gilgal to Bochim, ver. 1. but this is exploded as ridiculous, because Phinehas had not his Habitation in Gilgal, but in Gibeath-Phinehas, the Name of a City, bearing his Name in Mount-Ephraim, given him not by Lot, but by an extraordinary Gift to the High Priest, near unto Shilo, that he might be at hand to officiate as need required, Josh. 24.33. But more Ridiculous is the

Second Opinion of some who say, this must be some Infernal Spirit, because his posture is expressly said to be [a coming up] ver. 1. whereas the Celestial Angels are always said to come down to Men: But 'tis said here, he came up from Gilgal, not from Hell or Ascended out of the Earth, as 1 Sam. 28.3.

The Third Opinion is better and more allowable, that this was some Created Angel, who took upon him Human Shape, and thereby had motion of a Man from Gilgal to Bochim ascribed to him.

But the Fourth Opinion is the best of all, that it was our Blessed Messiah, as above mentioned, who is called the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. and who first appeared to Joshua at Gilgal as the Captain of the Lord's Host, Josh. 5.13, 14. and whose presence had protected them, and prospered their Armys in the Conquest of Canaan, all the time that Joshua 's head Quarters were at Gilgal, and until the Tabernacle was removed to Shilo, Josh. 18.1.

N. B. Therefore is he here said to come up from Gilgal, to remind them,

First, Of God's Mercies to them in their preservation from their Enemies, and their prosperous Proceedings against them from Gilgal. And,

Secondly, Of their Duties to God, whereunto they had so solemnly obliged themselves both in their Circumcision, and in their Renewing the Covenant with God at Gilgal, yet after all these inexpressible Obligations, they had notoriously degenerated, and were departed from God's Law into Apostasy and Idolatry.

Moreover, Let it be considered in the next place, that he speaks not here like a Created Angel, much less like some Mortal Man, in the Name of the Lord, as the Prophets use to do, but in the person of the Lord himself, appropriating the wonderful Works of the Lord, as done by him the present Speaker; namely, their Deliverance from Egypt, their Conduct through the Wilderness into Canaan, (who is expressly called Christ, 1 Cor. 10.4.9.) and of his keeping Covenant with them, ver. 1. This could not be the Speech of a Created Angel, (for Moses refused such a Conduct, Exod. 32.2.3.15.) much less of any mere Mortal Man.

And Lastly, Let it be considered, that Israel Sacrificed at Bochim upon Apparition of this Angel unto the Lord, ver. 5. as was done by Gideon, Judge. 6.19. and by Manoah, Judge. 13.16, 17. when the Messiah appeared to them; now it was not lawful to offer up any Burnt-Offering, save upon that one Altar in the Tabernacle, unless upon extraordinary occasions (such as these were) wherein God gave them a special Dispensation.

The Second Remark is, The Messiah 's Errand to Admonish Israel, and the effect of his Admonitions upon the Minds of Israel.

First, The Admonisher Recognizeth to their remembrance the Miracles of Mercy God had wrought for them heretofore, ver. 1, 2. chargeth them with breaking Covenant, and therein with gross Ingratitude, whereupon he threatens them, that he would no more drive out those Cursed Nations, remaining still amongst them through their sinful sparing them contrary to God's Charge: Thus the Lord made their Choice to become their Judgment, saying, ye have saved those that will destroy you, ver. 3. Then follows the gracious effect of the Messiah 's most powerful Admonition: He is that Prince whom God exalteth to give Repentance unto Israel, Act. 5.31. as he doth here, where they manifest the truth of their Repentance (now given them) (1.) By Weeping, ver. 4. And (2.) By Sacrificing, ver. 5. Thus were they wrought upon by the Word preached, the Preacher whereof was the essential Ward, John 1.1. who spake unto this People as he spake after to the Prophet, even with a strong hand, Isa. 8.11. this was that which melted their Hearts into Tears and tenderness.

First, They lift up their Voice and wept, ver. 4. That is, they prayed and wept; they wept and prayed, for they being now convinced of their sins, and fearing that those Threatenings of grievous Calamities from the growing power of the Canaanites would come upon them; and having a just apprehension of an Approaching Misery, their sense of Israel 's sin, and their fear of God's Wrath, do effectually excite them, both to confess their Sins, to Implore God's Mercy, and to deplore the sad Defections that were found among them. Alas, Preachers may now weep in secret, because so few of their Hearers do weep in public: Under the Droppings of the Sanctuary many • it, that never drop a Tear for their sins, too many are like Witches, who (some say) cannot weep; yet a little allowance must be lent to dry Constitutions: N. B. In the Besieged City, when the Besieging Enemy can stop the Wells, and stay the Water-courses of it, he hath great hope soon to win it; so hath Satan the like hope to gain Remorseless Souls, that are never let blood in the Heart Vein as those were at Peter 's Sermon, Acts 2.37. and those at Christ's here, who had filled God's Bag with their Sins, and now will fill his Bottle with their Tears, Job. 14.17. and Psal. 56.8.

Secondly, They offered Sacrifice unto the Lord there also, ver. 5. not thinking it enough to pray and weep, and to call the place where they wept, [Bochim] that is, the place of Weepers, but they Sacrifice there too for the Expiation of their Sins, whereby they testified that they mourned not despairingly, but still had a firm Faith in Christ's Merits (represented by that Sacrifice) and that though Christ had told them, 'tis true, I have been with the Tribe of Judah, &c. under Caleb 's Conduct, and made them Victorious, yet now even Judah did tolerate the Canaanites also, therefore, I will be gone, &c. this gave them good cause to weep, &c. but they hoped, that in his Wrath he would remember Mercy, Habb. 3.2.

The Third Remark is. The Repetition of the Story of Joshua 's Dismission of the People from his Parliament at Shechem, &c. borrowed from Josh. 24.28, 29. and mentioned here from ver. 6. to 11. this is done in order to a discovery of the Time, Cause, or occasion of Israel 's Defection from God, and God's Desertion of them; these five Verses have Joshua 's Death and the Death of those Godly Elders about his Age, &c. Inserted in them to clear the way of all the ensuing Stories. Vatablus his Note here is, that these things are spoken here by way of Recapitulation, that the Sum and Argument of this whole Book may be in this place set down together, and à Lapide calls it an Hysteron-proteron, repeating what was done long ago, as if now done, that the Author might more commodiously pass from Joshua to the Original and Institution of the Judges that succeeded Joshua: But others are of Opinion, that these Verses have a due Connection to the words of the Angel in ver. 1.2. who told them that the Idols of the Canaanites will become your ruin, and now those Verses declare how this really came to pass, and when, and by what means, dating it from the Death of Joshua, &c. then they began to forsake the Lord; but above all Dr. Lightfoot 's Judgment in this point seems to me most cogent, and of greatest importance, saying, That all these things that were past, are mentioned here as present that the foundation of the future story may be better laid, and that the time of the Peoples beginning to degenerate may be the more manifestly marked out; and hereupon after the tenth Verse of the second Chapter, he placeth all those Stories which are held forth in Chapters 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. and after all these Chapters he begins again, at Chap. 2.11. with the Death of the first Judge of Israel; namely, Othniel. Let me have leave to transcribe his Reasons for his double Assertion.

First, That all those last Chapters of Judges ought to be placed in the middle of the Second Chapter. And,

Secondly, That the Holy Ghost did not preposterously lay those Stories, which came to pass so soon, in so late a place of this Book of Judges.

As to the first of these, his Arguments take as followeth, (his Chronology may not be in every hand where this may come.)

Argument the First, The Danites were not settled, when the Stories of the 17th and 18th Chapters came to pass, and therefore this could not be long after Joshua 's Death.

Secondly, Phinehas was alive at the Battle at Gibeah, 'twixt Benjamin and the Ten Tribes, Chap. 19. and Chap. 20. ver. 28.

Thirdly, The Wickedness of Gibeah is reckoned for one of their first Villanies, Hos. 10.9. there they began it, as in Judge. 19. &c.

Fourthly, Deborah speaks of the 40000 of Israel, that perished by Benjamin, as if neither Sw • rd nor Spear had been among them, Judge. 5.8.

Fifthly, Mahaneh Dan, or (as in our Translation) the Camp of Dan, which was so named upon the March of the Danites, when they set up their Idolatry, Judge. 18.12. is mentioned in the Story of Samson by that very Name, Mahaneh-Dan, though that Story of Samson be set before the Story of the Danites, Judge. 13.25.

Sixthly, The first public Idolatry that was found in Israel, had its first beginning in the Tribe of Dan ( Judge. 18.30. before the Worshiping of Baalim and Ashtaroth in any other Tribe, Judge. 2.13. Therefore Dan is omitted among the Sealed of the Lord, Revel. 7.

Seventhly, Ehud ( mentioned in Judge. 3.15.) may very well be supposed to have been one of the Left-handed Benjamites, and one of them that escaped at the Rock Rimmon, Judge. 20.16 47. and 21.13.

The Reasons of his second Assertion, why there is a transposition of those Histories by the Holy Ghost, I must refer to the Reader, Lightfoot 's Chronicle of the Old Testament, pag. 93. to avoid prolixity of Quotations, &c. Nor is this the private Opinion of Dr. Lightfoot alone, and singular, but I find an Universal Concurrence of the most Learned and Judicious Interpreters with him, concerning this Dislocation, &c. such as Judicious Junius, Learned Lavater, Bochartus, Malvenda and many others both Foreign and Domestic Writers, who do not only Insist upon the Reasons aforementioned, but also do much amplify upon them, all unanimously affirming, that these Stories in the five last Chapters of Judges, did not fall out in the order wherein they are placed, but much sooner, even presently after the Death of the Elders that out-lived Joshua, Judge. 2.7. and not immediately after the Death of Samson, as they are set down in this Book: Those Divines afore-named, make it more apparent, by adding Amplifications to the Arguments aforementioned.

N. B. They add to the First, That it is not at all probable, the Tribe of Dan, which was numerous, could want their proper Possessions for so long a time as 300 Years after Joshua 's Death, yet are they said to seek an Inheritance to dwell in, &c. Judge. 18.1. this could not be after Samson 's Death.

To the Second is added, The Story of the Levites Concubine, and the War with the Benjamites happened, while Phinehas was High priest, Judge. 20.28. who must have been about 350 Years old, if these things had falen out after Samson 's Death, which is more than improbable, for Phinehas was at Man's Estate, when he slew Zimri and Cozbi, Numb. 25.7, 8. which was before Israel entered into Can • an, and he succeeded in the High-Priests Office, after his Father Eleazar, who died about the same time that Joshua did, Josh. 24.33. and therefore could not out-live Samson.

To the Third is added, That the Sin of Gibeah, Hos. 10.9. must be soon after Joshua 's Death, and before the time of the Judges, for Jebus, or that part of Jerusalem which belonged to the Benjamites, was not yet taken, Judge. 19.11, 12. but was still possessed by the Jebusites, so that the Sin of Gibeah that Hosea mentions, must be very Ancient, &c.

To the Fourth is added. That Deborah, beside her mentioning the 40000 of Israel slain by Benjamin, Judge. 5.8. doth in ver. 14. use an Apostrophe, turning to God in her words, [ After thee, Oh Benjamin, among thy People ] and admiring, that the poor Remnant of Benjamin, reserved from that General Slaughter of them, Judge. 20. should not be discouraged by his paucity of number, but became most forward in her Expedition, and encouraged Ephraim (a Numerous Tribe] thereunto; the whole Tribe of Benjamin, though now but small, came forth to this War of Deborah 's, when the Numerous Tribe of Ephraim sent forth but an handful to it, and did but follow after Benjamin, she admires God in this double precedency.

To the Fifth is added, That the place where Samson 's Parents dwelt, and where their Son Samson put forth the first Specimen of his Miraculous Prowess, &c. was called Mahaneh-Dan in the Hebrew, Judge. 13.25. which had that Name given to it, when the Danites went in their Expedition to surprise Laish, Judge. 18.11, 12. which Expedition (saith Bochartus ) was long before Samson 's time; and this likewise is a manifest proof, that those Stories related in the five last Chapters of Judges, were before Samson, though' related after him.

To the Sixth is added, 'It is the Unanimous Opinion of Divines, that Dan was cut out of the Roll of God's Sealed Tribes, Revel. 7. from ver. 5. to 9. because he was the first in that shameful Recidivation and Revolt from the true Religion, before Idolatry lodged in any other Tribe: Dying Jacob foresaw this, and bewailed it in that Holy Rapture and Ejaculation upon his Death-Bed, Gen. 49.18. nor is there any Account given, or any reckoning made of this Tribe, as there is of the rest, 1 Chron. 7.

To the Seventh is added an Eighth Argument, (the Seventh being only but a probability, and having no intimation in Scripture for it,) namely, That Jonathan the Levite, spoken of Judges 17.7. and became the Priest of the Idolatrous Danites, Judges 18.30. was the Son of Gershom, the Son of Moses, Exod. 2.22. who was born to him before he went out of Midian into Egypt, which was Three Hundred and Eighty Years before Samson Dyed; therefore 'tis more than Improbable, that this Jonathan should be alive after Samson 's Death, seeing he is called but a Young Man, Judge. 17.7. we cannot suppose him to be then Two Hundred and Fifty Years Old.

To this Eighth may be added the Ninth Argument from Sir Walter Rawleigh before mentioned, that the War between Benjamin and the rest of Israel did probably fall out in that Interval betwixt Joshua and Othniel; for 'tis said expressly three times over, [ There was no King in Israel in those Days. ] Judges 17.6. and 18.1. and 21.25. That is, no Judge, or Supreme Magistrate to restrain them from Wickedness, but under an Anarchy, so to do what they listed, without Controul. Besides, As the Tribe of Judah led the People against the Canaanites, Judges 1.3. And so they did against the Benjamites, and both by God's Direction, Judges 20.18.

CHAP. XVII.

THESE Premises being taken for granted to Regulate the Method and Order of my procedure in this History, &c. Therefore the next prospect I propose to myself, and to my Candid Reader is, the Seventeenth Chapter of Judges, and so forward to the four following Chapters, and then return where I left at Judges 2. ver. 11. and so on to Chap. 17. Junius well observeth in the General, that the Scope of all these five last Chapters of Judges is, to demonstrate how notoriously the Commonwealth of Israel was corrupted both in Religion and Manners, while they had no ordinary Supreme Magistrate to restrain them, and Bochartus adds, that all these Narratives of Israel 's Corruption were annexed to the end of this Book, not because the things related therein, were done after Samson 's Death: But for this cause, that the History of the Judges (which the Author had principally designed to write) might by no means meet with any Interruption.

Judges the Seventeenth holds forth, how the Idolatry of Israel in their Degenerate State, began first in a private Family, and that by a Woman, and likewise in the Tribe of Ephraim, ver. 1. This one Family founded first the Worship of Idols; this small spark once kindled, inflames and infects the whole Tribe of Dan, and so this Infection spreadeth, till the other Tribes were infected also, and brought to the Worshiping of Baalim and Ashtaroth, Judge. 2.13. How great a fire may be kindled from one single spark, and a little leaven may serve to sour a large lump, this was Israel 's Unhappiness at this time, they had no Healer to crush this Cockatrice Egg. According to the old Rule,

They had no Governor to keep them in Awe and Order, or to restrain this Micah and his Mother from such wickedness.

The First Remark is, Micah 's Mother, (under this Anarchy ) devoteth Eleven Hundred Shekles of Silver to the making of an Idol: Notwithstanding the Forty Years airing in the Wilderness, yet this Old Woman still smells of Egypt 's Idolatry; and here, like Mother, like Son, Partus sequitur Ventrem, The Birth follows the Belly. Here was false Play betwixt the Mother and the Son, the Son steals from the Mother, the Mother Curses the Son (though at random) not knowing he was the Stealer. The Son is startled, as dreading to lie under a Mother's Curse, confesses his Theft, and though it was Sacrilidge in her Eye, yet blurts she out a Blessing upon her Son she had newly Cursed, ver. 1, 2, 3. Lyra tells us of some (supposing this History to succeed in order of time the History of Samson ) who held, that Delilah was the Mother of Micah, because she received Eleven Hundred pieces of Silver of each Lord of the Philistines, (which is computed to be a Thousand Pound a piece) to betray Samson into their hands, Judge. 16.5. but this blind Guess ('tis no better in itself) stands upon a bad bottom, for Samson 's Delilah was long after this Story of Micah 's Mother, even several Hundreds of Years betwixt Othniel and Samson; let it therefore pass for a Jewish Fable: Dr. Lightfoot saith better, in setting down these three supposed Reasons (I omitted to transcribe before) why the Holy Ghost laid these Stories, which came to pass so soon, in so late a place are. As,

First, That the Reader observing, how their State-policy failed in the Death of Samson, who was a Danite, might presently be shown God's Justice in it, because their Religion had first failed among the Danites in their Idolatry.

Secondly, That when the Reader observes, Eleven Hundred Pieces of Silver were given by every Philistine-Prince for tne ruin of Samson, he might presently call to mind these Eleven Hundred pieces of Silver that were given by Micah 's Mother for the making of an Idol; which afterwards brought in Idolatry, and ruined Religion in Samson 's Trihe.

Thirdly, That the Story of Micah, one of the Hill-Country of Ephraim, Judge. 17.1. the first Destroyer of Religion; and the Story of Samuel, one also of the Hill-Country of Ephraim, 1 Sam. 1.1. and the first Reformer of Religion, might be laid together somewhat near.

It was the Saying of a late Learned Interpreter,

One Jerome is more of value to me, than a Thousand Rabbins. So I say in this case,

For Lyra is commonly called the English -Jew.

The Second Remark is, This Micah 's Mother was a Wicked Woman, or at best a Mongrel in Religion, so was Irreligious.

First, That she was a Wicked Woman, appeareth in her being a Cursing and a Swearing Woman: The Apostle describing a Wicked Person, giveth this Character, [His Mouth is full of Cursing and Bitterness,] Rom. 3.14. from Psal. 10.7. and we usually say, [A Cursing Person is a Cursed Person,] that this Woman was a Cursing, and a Swearing and Cursing Woman, appeareth from the Hebrew Word, [Veatteth Alith] ver. 2. Et tu Jurâsti, vel male dixisti, vel adiurâsti, as the Hebrew is Translated: For Alah the Noun (from Alah the Verb) signifies an Oath with Execration, or Cursing, Numb. 5.21. because Cursing was added to an Oath to confirm it the more, Deut. 29.12.21. Nehem. 10.29.

N. B. This Woman's Swearing was upon a Threefold Account.

First, By Swearing she Vowed that she would make an Idol.

Secondly, In Swearing she devoted the Thief to Direful Curses.

Thirdly, And more plainly, In Swearing she Adjured her Son, that if he knew anything of this Theft (for probably she suspected him at least to know of it) that he would discover it to her, and she certainly cursed the Person that stole them, imprecating Mischief and Destruction to him. The fear of a Mother's Curse startles her Sons Conscience (it being denounced in her Son's Hearing) fearing that God might say Amen to it, as he had done (he well knew) to Noah the Father's Cursing of Canaan, Gen. 9.35. therefore these Cursed Canaanites were cast out of their Land, and themselves became Possessoas of it: This Consideration affrighted the Son, makes him confess his fault, and begs his Mothers Pardon and Blessing.

Secondly, That she was but a Mongrel in Religion, appeareth not only because out of the same Mouth came Blessing and Cursing, Jam. 3.10. She blew hot and cold in a moment, in her Passion over shooting herself into two extremes, her first extreme was her Cursing at Random she knew not whom, and her second extteam was, as soon as she knew the Thief was her Son, immediately pronounces a Blessing on him, not at all reproving him for his sin, ver. 2. Though his Sin was not common Theft, but in her Account no less than Sacrilidge, for she tells him, [ I had wholly Dedicated this Silver (thou hast stolen) unto the Lord ] ver. 3. in the Hebrew, it is Jehovah, the Incommunicable Name of God, which demonstrateth also, that she was but a Mongrel and exceedingly Superstitious in mingling the Inventions of Man with the Institutions of God: For 'tis apparent, neither she, nor her Son did absolutely design to desert the True God, or his Worship, seeing, as the Mother Dedicated (or Hebr. Sanctified ) this Silver, and set it apart for the Service of the true Jehovah; so the Son rejoiced at his obtaining a Priest of the Tribe of Levi according to Jehovah 's appointment, and thereupon promised to himself, that Jehovah would bless him, ver. 13. But both their Intentions were here (for the Son concur'd with the Mother to make an Image) to Worship God by their Image as the Israelites had done before them, Exod. 32.1.5. and did after them, Hos. 2.16. according to Jeroboam 's Model, who was a Man of Mount Ephraim also, 1 Kings 11.26. and 12.25. and who established by a public Law, this very Idolatry that was thus privately begun by this Woman and her Son. This showeth, that there be two sorts of Idolatry: The First is, The Worshiping of false and strange God's, as among the Heathens: The Second is, A Worshiping of the True God after a false manner, as oft among the Israelites contrary to Divine Prescription, and according to Human Invention, as Micah 's Mother, with himself, would represent God by their Image of their own Heads, though expressly contrary to the Second Commandment, &c. A Good Intention here excuses not an evil Action.

The Third Remark is, Those Eleven Hundred Pieces of Silver thus restored, (would to God all ill-gotten Goods were so) the Mother and Son join together to make an Image, &c. The Founder hath Two Hundred thereof, and with the other nine all the other Trinkets were procured, together with furnishing a Chapel for Worship, &c. ver. 4, 5. for it is improbable, she would alienate any part of her dedicated Silver to her own private use, though she might love a cheap Religion as well as her Son, who allowed his Levite a very slender Salary, ver. 10. Micah 's Son, not of Aaron, serves here for an Idolatrous Priest, though God had left Israel a stinging Memorial in the presumptuous Case of Usurping Korah, Numb. 16.40. That no Stranger, which was not of the Seed of Aaron, come near to offer Incense before the Lord, that he be not as Korah, and again, The stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to Death, Numb. 18.2.7. This Lying Lesson Jeroboam learnt from Micah here, who made Leaden Priests (who were not of Levi, but of the lowest of the People ) fitted well enough for his Golden Calves; and he made a Mock-Temple to hold his Mawmets and Monuments of Idolatry for himself, and the Ten Tribes to Worship in, 1 Kings 12.31. as Micah did here a Mock-Chapel for himself and his Neighbourhood round about him, v. 5. N.B. From which Act his Name is cut off shorter by two Syllables; for whereas the Text in the Original had called him Micaiahu, with a part of the Name Jehovah affixed to his Name, till he had set up his Image, &c. from thence forward, namely, from ver. 5. the Text all along calls him in short, Micah. All that Worship Graven Images, shall in God's time be cut short and confounded, Psal. 97.7.

The Fourth Remark is, A wandering Levite providentially comes to seek a Lodging there, and thereby turns the Laic -Priest out of his Office, the occasion of this Levite 's wandering is set down, ver. 6. There was no Magistrate in those corrupt times to take care of the Levites Maintenance, the Service of God in Sacrifices and Oblations (out of which the Levites were maintained) was now (under this Anarchy ) neglected, and no doubt but in this Depraved State of Apostasy there were faults found on both sides, the Levites did likewise neglect the Exercise of their Offices, and therefore were the more neglected by the People, and others of the Laity, put into their Employ. Hereupon the Levites were constrained to leave the Tabernacle, and their own Cities wherein they had lived before, and to wander into other parts of the Land where they might find a Livelihood. N.B. This was the Case of the Priests and Levites in Nehemiah 's time, Nehem. 13.10.11. God grant it may not be our Case also, &c. This Levite 's Lot in that Dispersion fell into the Tribe of Judah, ver. 7. which seems to be set down by way of Reflection upon that Tribe, which God had so highly Honoured, Gen. 49.8, 9, 10, 11. and made them the frst Conquerors after Joshua 's Death, Judge. 1.3. &c. Yet now was declined into such a General Defection, that this Levite could not find Entertainment in so great and famous a Tribe, but he must be forced to wander and seek Subsistency elsewhere, ver. 8. This wandering Levite wanting Means and Maintenance, walks abroad as a way faring Vagabond to seek Necessaries, and in his Wanderings lighteth upon Micah 's House, not with any former purpose to fix or reside there, but only to take up his Lodging there for one Night: Hereupon Micah was transported with this Providence, and thinking with himself, that it would much more countenance his Idolatrous Service, when it was officiated by a Levite, than by his own Son who was but a Lay-Man, and an Ephraimite; he invites him to the Employ with a company of Courting Complements, ver. 9, 10 Wherein Note,

First, Credulous Micah doth not either call for his Testimonials under the hands of such Elders as were of known Fidelity in the Church, approving of this Nagner, or Young Man 's Abilities, &c, nor doth he examine him himself concerning his Qualifications for the Office, though he thought himself sufficient to Ordain this Levite to Officiate; but only asks him, [Whence comest thou?] This was a raw and rude Election and Vocation to a pretended Divine Function.

Secondly, Micah proposeth a most slender stipend, a small Salary to him, [ Ten Shekels of Silver by the Year, a double suit of Apparel, (so Hebr. one for Summer and another for Winter) and his Victuals. ] This was but a poor pittance for a Levite from a Man of so great an Estate, Micah had Eleven Hundred Shekels of Silver to bestow upon his Idols, yet could scarce (from the penuriousness of his Mind, and from his Contempt of the Ministry) afford Ten Shekels for his Priests Maintenance: However what was wanting of sufficient Wages, he supplies it with empty Complements, calling him Father, though much younger than himself, who had a Son as old as the Levite, whom he had ordained to the same Office; but now upon the Reasons above-mentioned must be degraded, and give place of being Priest to this new-comer the Levite. N.B. 'Twere well, if many Faithful Ministers do not meet with such Micah 's in our Day, that grudges them competent Means and Maintenance, yet disdain not to allow them (as their Padre 's) enough of Caps and Complements, as if they were of the Chameleon kind, and could live upon the Air of empty Titles: 'Twas sad, that Luther was forced to complain, [Parishes and Schools are so Robbed, as if they designed to starve us in the Ministry.] &c.

N. B. And Heylin in his Goography tells us, That in Ireland formerly Ministers had no more for their Maintenance, than the pasture of two Milch-Kine, &c. In the whole County of Connaught, the Stipend of the Incumbent was not above Forty Shillings, and in some places but Sixteen Shillings per Annum: This last Sum is much what the like Allowance that Micah assorded his Levite, if a Shekel of Silver, be (according to the common Computation) reckoned at Two Shillings and Six pence, then the Levite had in his Ten Shekels, Twenty five Shillings by the Year.

Thirdly Note here, This Hunger-bitten Levite (that was ready to snap at anything, and could not tell where to make a better Bargain for himself) accepteth of the offer upon those sordid Terms, Ingens telum Necessitas, Necessity knows no Law: But considering that this Levite was Nagner pure, a Novice, and likewise infected with the Contagion of the times in Superstition and Idolatry, one that would Murder Souls for a Morsel of Bread, Ezek. 13.19. even this Salary though small, was enough and too much for him, seeing he was employed in the Devil's Drudgery, while he was officiating in Idol-Service. But that which was the greatest Aggravation of this Novice's sin, was, that he is described to be Moses 's Great Grand-son, Judge. 18 30. where he is called Jonathan the Son of Gershom, the Son of Moses, so it is, Exod. 2.22. and 18.3. but here it is the Son of Manasseh, (saith Learned Buxtorf ) for Moses 's Honor, least it should reflect upon so good a Man to have so bad a Grand-Son, therefore Manasseh in the Hebrew, with the [N] at the top, that it may be put in, or left out with the Unpricked Letters, so without the Nun it may be read Moses, but with it Manasseh, to show, that this Jonathan, though he was of Moses (that Man of God ) by Propagation, yet as he was a degenerate Plant, he seemed rather to be of Manasseh (that Notorious Idolater) by Imitation, but this Rabbinical Criticism seems to be over curious, and somewhat reflecting upon the purity of the Sacred Text, seeing that Idolatrous King Manasseh was long after this Jonathan, and there might be other Men of the same Name of Gershom and Manasseh, from whom this Jonathan descended.

The Fifth Remark is, Idolatry is a Compound of Foppery and Impiety, ver. 11, 12, 13. Micah entertains this Novice, cherisheth him as a Son, though he was by his Office as a Father to him; he Consecrated him as he had done his own Son before, ver. 5. knowing that the Levites were no less Excluded by the Law from executing the Priests Office than the Lay-People, for that Office belonged only to the Sons of Aaron; but this Levite was nearer a-kin to it than his Lay-Son was; yet the Priests Office was so sacred a thing, and of such Veneration with this Idolatrous Micah, that neither his own Son, nor this Levite must enter upon it, until he had solemnly Consecrated them to it; and when all this was done, behold how he blesseth himself in his blind Devotion, saying, [Now I know that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest, ] ver. 13. whereas his whole unwarrantable Practices of Superstition and Idolatry, rather exposed him to God's Wrath, and were more likely to bring a Curse upon him, and not a Blessing, as appeareth in the next Chapter, Fallitur Augurio spes bona saepe suo. For here are a whole bundle of Sins. (1.) Idolatry. (2.) His Invitation of this Young Man to it. (3) Here was a Threefold Breach of the Priest-hood, as Instituted by God, for this Levite was not capable of the Priesthood, as not of Aaron 's Stock, nor could he, (an Ephraimite ) ordain, this belonged to the High Priest; nor ought he to seduce a Priest to Idolatrous Worship Now for Micah to promise Prosperity to himself, was not from Jehovah, but from his Idol, &c.

CHAP. XVIII.

JUdges the Eighteenth declareth how Idolatry was Translated out of this one private Family of Micah 's, into the whole public Tribe of Dan; and this public Idolatry is described: First, By its Causes: And Secondly, By its Accidents.

First, Its Causes be either Efficient, or Material: The External Efficient Cause was Threefold. (1.) The Anarchy in Israel, ver. 1.31. (2.) The Narrowness of Dan 's Inheritance, ver. 1. (3.) The Searchers sent forth for enlargement of their Borders, and in their way, meeting with Micah 's House in Mount-Ephraim, and knowing his Priest, they consult him touching their Enterprize upon Laish, and he bids them go on and prosper, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. then the Material Cause of this public Idolatry is related; the Army of the Danites thus encouraged to proceed, steal all the Idolatrous Trinkets, while the Solders kept the Priest (who was the keeper of them) in Conference with them, the Searchers were sent to rob Micah 's House of those Mawmets. After this they entice away his Priest; all this was grievously resented by Micah, who pursues them, but to no purpose, being over powered, he returns home Re Infectd from ver. 11. to ver. 27.

Then follows the Accidents hereof, The Danites subdues, secure Laish, Burns it, Rebuilds it, and sets up those stolen Idols, and Idolatry, which established a Schism of a long continuance, ver. 28. to 31.

The Remarks upon these Heads, and first upon the Causes, are,

First, The Time when these things happened, must be not long after the Death of Joshua, though here Related after the Death of Samson, which was about Two Hundred Years after they were come into Canaan; it cannot be judged at all probable that such a potent Tribe as the Danites were, could be to seek for an Inheritance (as they did here, ver. 1.) after so long a time. Their Lot had falen to them before this time, Josh. 19.40. but not the actual possession of the whole thereof, for the Amorites had straitened them, ver. 47. and Judge. 1.34. this causeth them now to undertake an Inlargement; in order hereunto they send out Searchers (before the Six Hundred Men of War, ver. 16.) who in their way take up their Lodging in some Neighbouring place to Micah 's House in Mount-Ephraim, and so near to his Idol-Chapel, that these Five Men could over-hear this Priest saying his Idolatrous Service, they knew his Voice by the manner of his Pronunciation (which was differing and distinguishable in several Tribes, Judge. 12.6. Mark 14.70.) or from former Acquaintance with this roving Leap-Land Levite; They step to him after his Service, and asked him what he did there so far from the Tabernacle, where the Levite 's Work properly lay; (the same Questions may be asked Non-Residents, &c. ) He Answers, Micah hath made me his Priest, and I officiate with an Ephod, Images and Teraphim, which last being made like unto a Man (wherewith Michal cheated those that Saul sent to search for David, putting it into the Bed in David 's room to resemble him, 1 Sam. 19.13.). They used them as Oracles to Divine by them, Ezek. 21.21. Hos. 3.4. Hereupon those Searchers entreat him to Divine by this Teraphim about their Success, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5.

The Second Remark is, This Priest 's Answer to their Request of asking Counsel; he saith to them [ Go in Peace before the Lord is your way, &c.] ver. 6. This Answer he either fictitiously hammered out of his own Brain, the better to gratify their itching Humour, that they might satisfy him with a greater Reward; or did indeed by inquiring of his Idol receive this Advice from the Devil, who transforms himself into an Angel of Light, and in God's Name gave them such Answers as sometimes were true, and came to pass, this is done by Divine Permission, God suffering it both for the proof of his People, and for the patefaction and pudefaction of Hypocrites, Deut. 13.1, 2.3. Thus Jannes and Jambres did turn Water into Blood (at least seemed to do so) as well as Moses, Exod. 7.22, &c. Nor may this Mark be omitted; namely, the Ambiguity of this Priest 's Answer, as the Devil's Oracles usually were, for those words, [Before the Lord is your way,] bear a doubtful sense, and may be variously interpreted.

N. B. For [Nochach Jehovah Derekekem] may be rendered, [Obviat Jehovah viae vestrae,] the Word is doubtful, and may be taken either in a good, or in an evil sense: God might as well obviate them, and blast their Enterprize with his Curse, as direct and promote it with his Blessing: Thus Ambiguous (saith Masius ) were all the Devils Oracles; as that was unto Ahab, [The Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King,] 1 Kings 22.12. Yea, but that Lying Spirit doth not tell into which Kings Hands, whether the King of Israel, or the King of Syria: And Civil History aboundeth with such like Dubious Sentences from the Devil's Oracle at Delphi, as,

May be meant either well or ill to Croesus; that is, he shall by Invading that Country destroy a vast Treasure; but the Devil tells him not, whether that shall be his own or his Enemies Treasure: And.

This Ambiguous Oracle of Apollo to Pyrrhus did delude him, for he took it in this sense, That the King of the Epires might overcome the Romans; and thereupon waged War against them, but he found the contrary sense more true; to wit, That the Romans might overcome him, as indeed they did, and at last Slew him. The like to these was,

Which by the misplacing of one Comma, converts it into a quite contrary sense: As thus, Thou shalt go, thou shalt Return, never shalt thou Perish in Battle; by removing the Comma before [never] only behind it, and then the Sense is, Thou shalt go, thou shalt return never, thou shalt Die in Battle. Thus the wary Devil will be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , equivocating in his Oracles, that however Matters prove, well or ill, he may still save his Credit. And so he saith here [God seeth what ye are going about,] which might be meant, for evil as well as for good, though those Danites met with good Success, and not any evil Disappointment; yet was this no sure Evidence that they had pleased God in consulting with the Devil; for they being tainted with Idolatry, had not retained the truth in the Love of it; therefore God sent them those strong Delusions to believe a Lye, &c. 2 Thess. 2.10, 11, 12. And hereupon A Lapide saith,

Those Danites were as Wise as this Wandering Levite, who hearing of a Teraphim, must needs have an Oracle, and will believe it though it do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as was said of the Oracle at Delphi, that it declared only what favored King Philip ) soothing them up in their way: And though God permitted a Lying Devil to speak truth here in their successful Undertakings, yet that old Character of him holds true,

Although the Devil seem once to speak truth, yet is he found a Lyar a thousand times for it, and always he is fallacious.

The Third Remark is, The Danites robbing Micah of his Mawmets, and of his Priest also, wherein he had so blessed himself in his blind Devotion, Judge. 17.13. the prosperity he promised to himself there, proved no better than an Unbearable Robbery to him here, from ver. 7. unto 26. a brief account whereof is this: Those five Searchers being thus flush'd with this flattering Oracle, trudge away to Laish, (called Leshhem, Josh. 19.47. where we have the same Story by way of Anticipation ) there they find a secure People, having no Officer to head them, and so far from the Zidonians, that they could not save them from any sudden surprise, ver. 7. Upon this they return to their Tribe, tells them the People they had searched were fully ripe for Ruin; moreover, God hath given it into your hand by his Oracle we have consulted (for the Levite had abused God's Holy Name the better to countenance his Diabolical Practices.) Hereupon they pick out for the purpose, and very well appointed, Six Hundred Men, who march first to the Fields of Kiriath-jearim, and from thence to the Town where Micah 's House stood, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. and here they make an Halt, the Spies taking this opportunity to prompt their Brethren, not to consult this Oracle again the second time for their own farther satisfaction about their success, but downright to rob Micah of both the Oracle and the Priest that attended it, suggesting to them how useful both these might be to the whole Tribe in the Land they were going to Conquer. Hereupon they step (a little out of the Road to Laish ) unto the Lodgings of the Levite, they Salute him, and detain him with Discourse until the five Spies had robbed his Chapel of all its Trash and Trumpery, which when the Priest saw done, he was at first startl'd, and probably might have made as great stir by calling in the Neighbourhood to a Rescue, as Demetrius did in the like case afterwards at Ephesus, Act. 19.23, 24, &c. But the Danites partly by Flatteries and partly by Frowns, soon coax'd this Mercenary Priest, or Hireling Levite, to whom they promised greater preferment, at which the Priest's Heart was glad, for that was his Primum Mobile, &c. ver. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Behold how far this sordid Levite differed from Heroic Luther, to whom the Pope proffered a Cardinal's Cap, and what preferment beside he would pray for, provided he would keep quiet and bustle no more for a Reformation. Luther 's Answer was this,

I care for neither Rome 's Favor nor Fury; which made the Romanists say of him,

That German Beast careth not for Coin: Whereas this Sordid Spirited Priest readily Danceth after the Pipe of Preferment, the Danites cajole him with their plausible Promises of preferring him from his Priesthood in a private Family to an higher Office of being Priest to a whole Tribe, where he shall have ten times over Ten Shekels, (which poor pittance only he had with Micah ) for his more Honorable Means, and Maintenance: This Conquers and Captivates the base-spirited Hireling, [Insalutato suo Hero protinus decedere,] to leave Micah his Master without taking his leave of him, who yet had used him not like a Servant, but rather as his own Son: Ingratum si Dixeris, omnia: All Vices are wrapped up in that one Vice of Ingratitude: This wandering Star, which loved not to be fixed in so Inferior an Orb, yet had no need so ungratefully to forget Micah 's former kinduesses, so as not civilly to thank him for his Favors, and to bid him sarewel, &c.

The Fourth Remark is, Micah 's Resentment of this Robbery from ver. 20. to 27. where Micah was when this Robbery was committed upon his House, the Scripture is silent, that he was from home when this Deed was done is apparent, upon his return home all the Neighbourhood (that used to join with him in his Idolatrous Chapel, and they, it seems, were not a few) were allarm'd with Micah 's loss, it being their own loss also, all armed themselves to pursue the Thieves.

N. B. The Danites expected a pursuit, therefore they place not the Priest and his Trinkets in the Rear, where Micah might recover them by Assault, but in the midst of the Army for their greater safety: Micah and his new Mustered Neighbors pursue and overtake the Danites, and charge them with Thievery: The Thieves thought themselves very innocent, because they had not plundered him of his Treasure and Household-stuff (necessary enough for Planters of new Colonies) but had only taken away the Ephod, Teraphim, &c. which well enough might be spared, and the Danites had done well in it, had they done it out of a Detestation of Idols, and for the Abolishing of Idolatry, Cujus contrarium est verum. They therefore cry Knave first, and ask Micah what he meant by coming after them with so great a Company, though they well knew his Errand. Micah answers, [Ye have taken away my All.] reckoning all the rest of his Goods as nothing in respect of his God's that he had lost, though he confesseth in those words, [My God's which I made,] they were goodly God's that were made by the Hands of Man, and could not secure themselves from being stolen; yet so besotted was he with Superstition, that he valued nothing of his Treasure and Household-stuff, of his Sons, &c. in comparison of those God's they had stolen from him: Insomuch that he comes forth to fight for them, as pro Aris & focis: How may this Superstitious Zealot rise up in Judgment against our Lukewarm Laodiceans, our Neuter Passive Professors, (as a Learned Interpreter calleth them) that care not what becometh of the Gospel of Christ, and of all the precious Ordinances thereof, Modo ferveat olla, so their Pot doth but boil; Modo ventri been sit, ac lateri (as that fat-paunch'd Monk said at the Destruction of Abbeys in Henry VIII. time) he stroke'd his own over-grown Paunch, and said, Let them all go, so I have but enough for Back and Belly. God hath many such cold Friends now a-days, that Halt 'twixt God and Baal, 1 Kings 18.21. and that value their own worldly Conveniencies more, than the concerns either of God's True Religion, or of their own Souls Salvation: This Micah may shame them, &c. But notwithstanding his great Cry after his Deaf God's, neither they nor the Danites hear his Out-cry, the noise of Arms do drown the voice of Right, they command his silence, least he lose his Life, which was better than his God's: Micah valuing his Life more than his Idols, and seeing Might Armed in them, was too strong for his Right that was feeble in him, he went back to his House, never taking notice of his own Vanity in promising to himself so much Prosperity for his having a sorry Levite to be his Priest, nor how God had punished him for his Idolatry by those Ravenous Danites.

The Fifth Remark is, The Danites Progress to Laish, and the proof they make there both of their Expedition, and of their Images, from ver. 27. to the end: We may wonder at the Confidence of those 600 Men, who Marched not so much like Warriours prepared for a dangerous and dubious War, and so do strip themselves of all Luggage, Lumber, and other clogging Impediments in order thereunto; but those Men march forward with their Little Ones, their Cattle, and Carriages, &c. ver. 22. more like Men removing themselves and their Families to settle themselves in some new Plantation, and therefore they removed (saith the Rabbie ) Omnia Vasa & Mobilia, all their Moveable Goods out of their House • s, (they had in the Southern part of Canaan, where their first lot fell) into the most remote Northern part thereof; and that which made those Men thus bold and daring, was chiefly the Oracle in Micah 's Idol-Chapel had assured them of Success. No doubt but when they found themselves so successful in their Exploit, and found their Conquest so easy, they hugely hugged Micah 's Mawmets, and thought they had wrought a Work of Supererogation in stealing them from him, and therefore resolved to make the best Improvement of them for the future.

N. B. In order hereunto, when they had taken and burnt Laish (in part only, to strike a Terror into the Inhabitants) and Rebuilt it for themselves, they set up the Graven Image, &c. constitute Jonathan (as a True Prophet to them in this Expedition) to be their Priest, whose Sons succeeded him in that Tribe, (secretly lurking in private Idolatrous Families, all David and Solomon 's time, and so successively) until the Grand Captivity, as it is called, [the Captivity,] 1 Chron. 5.22. by way of Eminency, whereas Micah 's Graven Image was not permitted to be in so public a place and manner for so long a time, therefore its continuance is restrained to a shorter Date; namely, while the Ark continued in Shilo only.

N. B. Here we may learn three great Lessons.

First, That Men may bless themselves for a long time by the Idols set up in their Hearts, Ezek. 14.4. promising great happiness to themselves by them (as the Danites do here, and as Micah had done before them, Judge. 17.13.) but they little consider, how there will be Bitterness at the latter end, 2 Sam. 2.26. Jer. 2.19.

Secondly, God oft punisheth the wicked by the wicked; as he did here those wicked Inhabitants of Laish, by those Wicked Idolaters the Danites. here [Clodius accusat Maechos,] Vice Corrected Sin: But when God hath worn this Rod of the Wicked to the Stumps, he then casts it into the fire.

Thirdly, Security is a sad Symptom of Approaching Destruction; this Character of Security in those Inhabitants of Laish, is oft repeated here, ver. 10. and ver. 27. God bless us from such a fearless, stupid, careless, secure frame of Spirit; If we cry Peace, then comes sudden Destruction, 1 Thess. 5.3. Philosophers say, before a cold Snow, the Weather will be warmish: When the Wind lies, the great Rain falls, and the Air is most quiet, when suddenly there will be an Earthquake: The Thief surpriseth in the Night, and giveth no warning of his coming, &c.

CHAP. XIX. of Judges.

THE Nineteenth Chapter holds forth the most horrible and prodigious Lasciviousness found of Gibeah in Benjamin, whose Last was of such a Monstrous Nature, that they forced the Levites Concubine to Death: This most heinous Sin is described. (1.) By its Antecedents. (2.) By its Concomitants. And, (3.) By its Consequents.

First, The Antecedents relate the Causes and Occasions of this Horrid Impiety, to wit, the Anarchy in Israel, ver. 1. this was the Remote cause, but the causae proxima was the Levite 's fetching back his Fugitive Concubine from ver. 2. unto ver. 21.

Secondly, The Concomitants of the Sin together with the Sin itself are declared from ver. 22. to ver. 25. at large. Then

Thirdly, The Consequents thereof, which were the Concubines Death, the Levites dividing her Dead Body into Twelve pieces, and sending them to the Twelve Tribes, and the Twelve Tribes Astonishment at such an Unparallel'd Action are set down from ver. 26. to ver. 30.

The Remarks upon the first part; namely, the Antecedents, are,

First, The time when this foul Fact was committed, [It came to pass in those Days,] saith, ver. 1. when there was no public Magistrate to restrain private Vice. This is oft repeated, not only here, but Chap. 17.6. and 18.1. and 21.25. to denote, that all those Stories were Contiguous and Contemporary: For Israel never stirreth themselves up to punish either Micah, or the Danites for their Idolatry, but rather tolerateth it in them; this Toleration breedeth all manner of Iniquity, insomuch that Gibeah (a City of Israel ) becometh as abominable as Sodom: Thus the Prophet showeth, where there is no Ruler, to be an Healer of Disorders, their Ruin rusheth in, and all manner of Confusion to provoke the Eyes of the Lord's Glory against them, Isa. 3.6, 7, 8. look what a Ship is without a Pilot, or Steersman, what a Flock of Sheep is without a Shepherd; what a great Family is without the Father of the Family; or what a numerous School, without a School-master: Such is a State without some Supreme Government. This present Anarchy begat a General Ataxy, an Universal Disorder, though Israel now lived in God's good Land, Hos. 9.3. yet did they not live according to God's good Law. Quod sibi placebat, id solebat facere, Every Man did that which was right in his own Eyes, Judge. 17.6. And again, Chap. 21.25. not at all doing what pleased the Lord, but what pleased their own Lusts. The time of these Transactions is well supposed to be soon after the Death of Joshua, &c. for then began Israel to decline from God, and to incline unto all manner of Ungodliness, yea before Othniel became Judge; and seeing Jerusalem the Upper was at this time Inhabited by the Jebusites, and this very Levite calls it a City of Strangers, ver. 11. and 12. here. Hence some suppose, that those Stories did happen while Caleb was Living: However this is certain, this matter did fall out while Phinehas was alive (as above) Judge. 20.28. and not after Samson 's Death, as 'tis set down in this Book, &c.

The Second Remark from the Antecedents is, A Levite takes a Concubine to be his Secondary Wife, for she was Contracted to him (though not Solemnly Married) which differed her from common Concubines, and otherwise she could not have been charged to break her Faith with him, as she is, [against him,] ver. 2. and hereupon she is called his Wife, and her Father is called his Father-in-Law, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. and he is called her Lord, ver. 26, 27. because he was her Husband, (as 1 Pet. 3.6.) so Judge. 20.4. calls him: This Concubine played the Whore. ver. 2. Josephus saith, she was a fair Woman, and not affecting her Husband as she ought, but lingering after other Lovers, great strife grew betwixt them; whereupon (as he saith) she went away to her Parents within four Months after Marriage: The Scripture tells us, that she went away from him to her Father's House, who like a Fond Father entertained her, whereas instead of countenancing her in her Sin, he should rather have Rebuked or Punished her, and sent her Home again to her Husband, and not to have received and retained her four Months: Her Kind-hearted Husband goes to her, when he saw she would not come to him, whereas she should have sought to him first, being the peccant Party, and the first Offender; yet this the offended Husband will condescend to do either out of pity to her, or from his want of her Company, he offers Reconcilement, ver. 3. whence some say his Concubine had not committed Adultery, for in that case no Reconciliation ought to be offered, for Adultery was severely punished by the Law of God, &c. However he would Imitate God in alluring her, &c. Hos. 2.14. therefore brings he a Beast to ride upon home, [a couple of Asses,] though possibly she ran from him on Foot.

N. B. The Father in-Law rejoiced to behold Reconciliation, brought home to him, though all this while he had not stirred out of Doors to fetch it: Now must they all rejoice together in this new Reconcilement, the Levite is content to spend three Days therein on his own Voluntary Accord but he must spend other Days more though unwillingly, being over-born with the Importunity of his Father-in-Law, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. still the Father in Law presseth his stay so long upon the last Day, (and all that this renewed Love might be the more confirmed by his kind Entertainment) that it was a time sitter to take up Lodging, than to begin a Journey; but the Levite was resolute, and will stay no longer, ver. 10. and here begins the sad Tragical Story.

Note here by the way, Delays are many times dangerous; had they set out betimes, and not staid till the Afternoon, they might haply have got home that Night, and the following Mischiefs might have been prevented.

N. B. Thus the Devil usually Courteth and Cozeneth those that would look toward Heaven our best Home; just as this Old Man did the Levite, [Be content, I pray thee, &c. What haste? In space comes Grace, and hereafter is time enough: Thus one Delay begets another, as one Link in a Chain draws on another.

He that is not fit to Day will be less fit to Morrow, and oft times our choice may be made our Judgment: For if lingering and loitering in Matters of Salvation, be our voluntary choice one Day, God may justly inflict it as a Judgment upon us the next day. Our delaying to Day, may become the hardening of our Hearts to Morrow, [To Day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,] Hebr 3.15. [Now is the accepted time, and now is the Day of Salvation,] 2 Cor. 6.2. Dr. Hall hath an excellent Note here, It is good hearing when the Levite maketh hast home; an Honest Man's Heart is, where his Calling is; such an one is like a Fish in the Air, whereinto if it come for Necessity or Recreation, yet it soon returneth into its own Element again: This Office, by how much more sacred it is, so much the more attendance it requireth; even a Day breaketh square with the truly Conscientious; as it did in this Levite, who rose up early two Mornings together to Depart and to return to his charge, ver. 5.8. but the Old Man his Father-in-Law detained him against his Inclinations, Hinc illae lacrimae, from hence sprang all the following Mischief and Miseries: No doubt but the Old Father might out of a good Mind constrain their stay.

N. B. Would to God we could thus constrain Christ to stay with us as the two Disciples did at Emmaus, not by force but by friendly Entreaties, Luk. 24.28.29.) that the hearts of the Levite and his Concubine might be the better reunited, and their Mutual Loves be the more reciprocally renewed: As a Bone once broken, becomes stronger after setting, and as Boards well Glued together, will not easily be dissevered: However this over affectionate Father soon felt the sad effects of his fond Affections (both in detaining his Daughter four Months before, and now in detaining her Husband with her other five Days, until the Day was declined upon the fifth Day) for he soon after, even that very Night lost his Daughter, as well as the Levite lost his Concubine, and that after a more than brutish and barbarous manner, which happened thus; [ The Day was far spent when they came toward Jebus, the Levite dare not lodge there, because it was Inhabited by the Jebusites, though the City Jerusalem had been taken by Caleb, &c. Judge. 1.8. therefore Adonibezek was brought to Jerusalem because it was then in Israel 's hands, ver. 7. yet could they not quite drive out the Jebusites, neither the Tribe of Judah out of their part, Josh. 15.63. nor the Benjamites out of their part, Judge. 1.21. And the Jebusites did Inhabit that City until David 's day, 2 Sam. 5. ver. 6, 7, 8. which was the upper part, the strong Fort of Zion, from whence probably they much molested the lower part, and afterwards by God's Permission, drove out the Israelites (that dwelt there) for the punishment of their Sin: Therefore this Levite durst not lodge with those Cursed Canaanites, ver. 10.11, 12. but piously resolveth to lodge in a City belonging to God's People, so pitches upon Gibeah belonging to Benjamin, ver. 13, 14, 15. where he expected better Entertainment, but by an over-ruling Providence of God, his choice here proved pernicious to himself, to his Wife, and to many Thousands of his People: If this City were one that was given to the Levites (as some suppose from Josh. 21.17.) no wonder if he turned in thither hoping to find some of his fellow- Levites there to have the comfort of their Company. If so, either the Backsliding Benjamites had Banish'd them thence, or themselves were become as bad as the Benjamites, and the following wickedness was so much the worse: Where can a Man be safe from the Devil and his Imps, and what place (excepting Hell itself) can afford a worse Creature, than an Apostate Israelite, a profligate Professor, and a Depraved Priest, or Levite: Here

N. B. This Levite ( leaning upon his own Understanding in his choice of Lodging, Prov. 3.5. and not desiring God's Direction, Prov. 16.9. and 19. • 1. and 20.24. Jerem. 10.23.) goes to Gibeah, where he found none so kind as to entertain him (there being no Inns in those times, as are now, but if no Man took them in Travelers lay in the Streets, Gen. 19.2.) though he would not have been at all chargeable, save only for House-room, having all Accommodations of his own for his Journey; so that there was no reason to refuse him Lodging: There was no Job among all the Benjamites who suffered not Strangers to lodge in the Streets, but opened his Door to Travelers, Job. 31.32. Nor was there a Lot to entertain a Levite, an Angel, Gen. 19.3. Hebr. 13.2. until he came, who was an Old Man, yet a Work-man, yea at Field-work, and that till the Evening, (whereas the other Citizens were Idle and Luxurious) and he was also of Mount-Ephraim, as the Levite was (which might make him the more kind to his Country-man ) who, after some needful Questions asked; and understanding he was going to the House of the Lord, (not only to wait upon his Office, as a Levite, but also to pay his Thank-Offering unto God at Shiloh, for his Mercy in Reconciling him and his Wife together, to make an Atonement for her Sin, and to beg that God's Blessing might abide upon them for the future. His Journey to Shilo pleased this Good Old Man well, therefore he presseth the Levite to lodge with him, saying, [Let all thy wants be upon me,] just as our Sweet Savior saith to the Penitent Sinner, as Revel. 3.20. Psal. 24.7.9. He brings him into his House, makes him and his merry with most liberal Hospitality, ver. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.

Secondly come the Concomitants of the perpetration of Unparallel'd Impiety, wherein the Agents, the Patients, and the Action in its Circumstances are very considerable.

The Third Remark arising from this Second Part is the Agents, They are called, [Sons of Belial,] ver. 22. Hebr. Beni Belignal, Men that were Yokeless, as the word signifies, neither the Laws of God nor of Man must yoke them; most Licentious and Stigmatized Villains, breaking off the Yoke even of the Law of Nature, like to the Devil himself, who is called Belial, 2 Cor. 6.15. and those were the Eldest Sons of the Devil, Deut. 13.13. they were Lawless and Masterless Monsters, breathing Incarnate Devils: These Flagitious Fellows beset the House round about without Doors, and mar'd all their Mirth within Doors, beating at the Door, as if they would have broke it down, crying vehemently. [Bring forth thy Stranger that we may know him,] a Modest Expression of their most filthy Lust according to Scripture Phrase; The Sodomites likely were their Presidents, Gen. 19.4.5. as themselves are made Cautionary Examples unto after Ages, Hos. 9.9. and 10.9. How were their Faces here hatched with Impudency thus to declare their Sin as Sodom, Isa. 3.9. those shameless Wretches hide it not, as if Sodomy had been no sin: Though blessed Paul puts such a black Brand upon it, Rom. 1.27.

The Fourth Remark is, The Good Old Man was mightily concerned, looking upon himself as obliged by the Laws of Hospitality to protect his Guests, as Gen. 19.7, 8. Hereupon he went out to them, ver. 23. and maketh use of a meek Compellation [calling them Brethren, ] whereof they were altogether unworthy, having d • vested themselves not only of Brotherhood, but of Manhood also, rather becoming a Company of Dogs and worse, for Dogs do not lust after Dogs, but after Bitches, but those Scoundrels, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] were scalded in their own Grease by their Lusts of Man to Man, Rom. 1.27. and to take them off from any such Attempt, he telleth them that their intended Action was both Foolish and Wicked, and to quell their Outragious Lust the more effectually, the Good Old Man makes a rash and sinful offer to gratify their Unruly Lusts by prostituting his own Daughter and the Levite 's Concubine to them, ver. 24. N. B. I cannot but sometimes wonder how that either so good a Man durst venture to live in so wicked a place, he belonging to Mount-Ephraim near Shilo, or that those base Benjamites did suffer so good a Stranger to live among them, we must suppose this Good Old Man was merely surprised with the suddenness and violence of the Assault, and hereupon ignorantly and inconsiderately offers this lesser Sin, to avoid a greater and a more unnatural sin, which he thought they designed: Though this be lawful in the Evils of Punishment to choose the lesser for avoiding the greater, for so respectively the lesser evil is good: Yet in the Evils of sin, the Rule is,

The lesser is not to be chosen, no more than the greater: Indeed of two Inconveniences we may choose the lesser; but of two Evils (that are morally so) we must choose neither. We must not do evil that good may come of it, Rom. 3.8. we may not choose to do the least Evil, no, not for the procuring of the greatest Good; seeing the least and lightest sin is greater, if we be Agents in it, and make it our own by Choice, than the greatest wickedness wherein we are but mere Patients and Subjects of others Villany: Beside this Master of the House had no power to expose the Chastity of his own Innocent Daughter, much less of another Man's Wife without asking consent: Yet must it be said in the close of all, that this Old Man's good intention for protecting his Guests doth mitigate his Sin.

The Fifth Remark is, The perpetration of their Villany upon the Concubine's Body, ver. 25. Though their brutish and boundless Lusts had no Ears; insomuch that it is said. [They would not hearken to the Old Man.] Hereupon to end the Controversy, (some say) the Concubine went forth on her own accord, and offered herself to them: But the Hebrew word [Kazak] used in those words, [The Man took his Concubine,] opposes the former Opinion, for it implies, that the Levite not daring to go forth himself for fear of being abused by them, required the Old Man to Hale his Concubine out to them, upon what new Disgust, it is not known; but why the Old Man did not hale out his Daughter also, some at random render this reason, that those Miscreants were much enamored with the Levite 's Concubine, but were not at all Captivated with the ordinary Face and Features of the Old Man's Daughter, but I rather judge, this came to pass from a just and over-ruling Providence of God, which made them forget, (having got the Concubine to divert them) the Innocent Virgin, that she might be preserved in her Chastity; and on the other side yet suffer the Concubine to be abused, for a deserved Punishment of her former Filthiness and Unfaithfulness. And no doubt but of the two the Levite was more willing to expose his Concubine, that had so notoriously disobliged him, rather than the Daughter of his Host, who had behaved himself so obligingly to him.

N. B. The Innocent Virgin by God's Mercy escapeth, but the faulty Concubine is killed, partly with excessive abuse of her Body, and partly through fear and shame of ever looking her Lord in the Face after this Nights work, ver. 26. Thus God wrote her sin upon her punishment: Whoredom was her sin which she had chosen, ver. 2. and now God inflicts it as her Judgment upon her, though her Husband had pardoned her, yet God would punish her, at least as to this Life: Thus the Lord filled her with the evil of her own ways, Prov. 14.14. A Whorish Woman is killed with Whoredom. The last part of this Chapter is the Consequents of this unheard of and matchless Villany, which affords us in the close,

The Sixth and last Remark. Those Beastly Hell-Hags, [Vaijthgnalelu Boh.] Hebr. (the Conjugation H • thpael denoting the frequency of the Act) having taken their lustful Turns upon the Concubine all the Night long, until they had almost turned her very Soul out of her forced Body, at the Dawning of the Day they let her go, and scarce had the use of her Legs to reach her Land-lords Door, where she falls down Dead, ver. 26. a just Judgment of God upon her; Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge, Hebr. 13.4. as she had too often fallen down in a way of sinning, at last she falls down in a way of Suffering; whether she repented before she Died, is unrevealed; if Charity do grant it, then her Suffering (saith great Grotius ) was only a Fatherly Chastisement, not properly a Punishment: But the Psalmist saith better, [ God pardons eternally, yet punishes temporally. ] Psal. 99.8. for evil doers God will punish for the public good of Human Society: That she stayed not still among those Miscreants, but was more minded to return to her Husband, might be some Indication of her Penitency, yet hardly reaching the Door where he was, so feeble their Villany had made her, that she was not able to cry [Open the Door.] nor to knock for its opening; otherwise the Levite doubtless would have let her in, because he had sent her out among them to save himself from Buggery: This is the more probable, because 'tis said, ver. 27. that her Lord was the first up in the House, and opened the Door; 'tis likely, to see what was become of his Wife, that they might go on their Journey, but finding her at the Door-Threshold in a sleeping posture, he calls to awake her and to raise her up, ver. 28. supposing she was come too late at Night to be let in, and so was there fallen asleep; but lying in that place and posture from Day-break to Sun-Rise, he found her in her long Sleep indeed, and neither so asleep as to be awakened, nor sick of the Sullens to be fetched out.

N. B. Hereupon he takes up her Dead Body, lays it upon an Ass, and carries it home to Mount-Ephraim, and there in a pang of Zeal divides the dead Carcase into Twelve pieces, and sends a piece to each Tribe; yea, one to Benjamin itself, ver. 29. (for Levi was dispersed among the other Tribes, and there could not be Twelve without Benjamin ) presuming that the whole Tribe would abhor the Villanous Action of this one City of their Tribe, as much as any of the other Tribes, especially considering how the Messengers (by whom the pieces of the Corps were sent) did aggravate the Villany, saying in the person of the Levite that sent them, [ I came to Gibeah, and the Varlets thereof surrounded my Lodging, Threatned to kill me, if I would not prostitute my Body to their Unnatural Lust, or deliver up my Concubine to them, which I was forced to do, and they have forced her so, that she is Dead, ] Judge. 20.5. This Aggravation, he hoped might Exasperate Benjamin against this their own wicked City, seeing a visible, yet horrid Spectacle was presented to their Eyes, which much more affects the Mind, than a bare Report (only related to their Ears ) could have done: A seeing so sad a sight, might stir up some Zeal against the Offenders, &c. Besides, if one part had not been sent to the Tribe of Benjamin, as well as to the other Eleven, they might seem to be slighted and reputed as Enemies, which would doubtless have been deemed a sort of provocation to desert the other Tribes, as they causelessly did (they neither went nor sent to the Solemn Assembly, Judge. 20.3.) not once making use of any such Apology.

N. B. This Fact of the Levite is variously ventilated, whether it were lawful or unlawful.

First, Those for the Negative say it was a Barbarous Bloody and an Inhumane Act in itself, to be done by a Strangers Hand, much more by the Hand of an Husband, to mangle the Dead Body of his Wife after so brutish a manner, which is both against the Law of God, that commands Burial of the Dead, though they be executed Malefactors, Deut. 21.23. and also against the common Principles of Humanity and Honesty, which do condemn all such Savage Manglings of Dead Bodies. But,

Secondly, It may be said for the Affirmative, that it was Lawful in the Levite 's Case. For,

1. This was in a time of Israel 's Anarchy, when there was neither King nor Judge to Head the People, or to whom the Levite might apply himself for a Redress of his Grievances; and therefore was constrained to make his Applications unto every Tribe distinctly.

2. Though this might have been done by Messengers, as indeed was done by the Levite herein, yet in such a profound Lethargy did all Israel lie at this Time, that a bare Message, by word of Mouth only, could not possibly rouse them out of it, and therefore this Levite (from a Divine Impulse and Zeal for Justice) might judge this Horrid Spectacle also necessary and most effectual.

(3.)) Nor did he do this, out of any design to Dishonor the Dead, but for the benefit of the Living, to bring those Belialists to Condign Punishment, least the very Air should be poisoned by the Breath of those Pests, if permitted any longer to live in the Land; and more especially, least the dreadful Judgments of God should fall upon the whole Land for Indemnifying Delinquents of the greatest Magnitude: And thus for public good, the Law allows of Anatomies, that Dead Bodies may be Dissected, that by searching out the Secrets of Nature, both Physicians and Surgeons may learn more skill out of the Bodies of the Dead, either to prevent, or to cure those Diseases that are Incident to the Bodies of the Living. The Levite 's Intelligence (which he sent to all the Tribes in so marvelous a manner) sounds a loud Alarm to the whole Land of Promise; insomuch that all Israel do universally acknowledge, there was never the like Horrid Villany neither done, nor seen, neither in their own times, nor in the time of their Ancestors. Hereupon it was generally concluded to hold a Solemn Assembly, wherein this lamentable Tragedy might be seriously searched into, (every Man speaking freely) and to have speedy Justice executed upon those desperate Delinquents, the Actors of it, that the Land might not be liable to the Wrath of God, if unpunished.

CHAP. XX.

JUdges the Twentieth, is a Narrative of the punishment upon Gibeah for this most Horrible Villany, and upon the whole Tribe of Benjamin for patronizing that wicked and wretched Town. Wherein observe, (1.) The Antecedents. (2.) The Concomitants. (3.) The Consequents.

First, The Antecedents are, The General Convention of all the Tribes of Israel (excepting Benjamin ) to consult what was to be done in punishing this abominable Action. This is described, (1.) By the Persons who Convened; namely, both the People and the Princes, ver. 1, 2. (2.) By the Number how many, Four hundred Thousand, ver. 2. (3) By the place where, at Mizpah, ver. 1.3. (4.) By the Acts that passed at this General Convention; namely, 1. They Cite the Benjamites to appear, ver. 3.2. They hear the Levites complaint, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7.3. They demand the Benjamites to deliver up the Delinquents, ver. 12, 13.4. They Decree War against Benjamin for their Contumacy, this was done unanimously, casting Lots who should be Purveyors for the Army, and who should be the Warriours in the Army, ver. 8.14.

This first part affordeth these Remarks,

First, The