Commentary on Numbers
Lastly, seeing the Art of Poetry is lawful [Use 3] and laudable, let us praise God and sing to him in spiritual songs penned by the Prophets, and endited by the Spirit of GOD, for the instruction and direction of the Church, not only in the book of Psalms, but in other places of the Scripture. And surely, it were a worthy and profitable labor, tending to the advancing of the glory of God, & serving for the comfort of the Church, if all the songs of prayer and praises which are found in the Law and the Prophets, were turned and tuned for the ordinary use of our assemblies, and joined to the book of Psalms, as the song of Moses, of Miriam, of Deborah, of Isaiah, of Hezekiah, of Habakkuk, of the Canticles and Lamentations, together with some others in other places to be found; that we might have plentiful matter, and perfect direction, to lift up our hearts and voices unto God upon all occasions that shall be offered unto us. Hereunto cometh the exhortation of the Apostle Paul, Col. 3, 16. Let the word of God dwell in you plentifully in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing your own selves in Psalms & Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with a grace in your harts to the Lord. This duty of singing Psalms is not proper to the Church and the public assemblies of the Church, but an exercise of our Religion to be used publicly & privately, whether we would give thanks for some deliverance, or crave forgiveness of sins, or desire restoring of health, or crave the graces of God's Spirit, which we want. True it is, there are many abuses of this part of God's service (as also in the rest) yea even in singing y e Psalms of David, 1 Cor. 14, 15, 26. as using of an unknown tongue without understanding, the spending of too much time, shutting out thereby the preaching of the word, and hindering other exercises of our Religion: as we see it usual in the Church of Rome, where the chanting of their Mattins and Masses hath iustled out the publishing of the Doctrine of the Gospel, making the deed done, to be meritorious, available for the forgiveness of sins, singing many sinful and superstitious things touching the intercession of Saints and such trumpery, bringing in their broken Music, that nothing can be understood anymore, thē if it were in a strange tongue, & an unknown language; whereas all things should be done to edifying in the Church of God.
Notwithstanding all these abuses, we must maintain the right and holy use of singing in the Church, and in our houses, which is an exercise excellent in it self, acceptable to God, profitable to our selves, and those that hear us. The Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians, Not to be drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but to be filled with the Spirit, spe • king unto themselves in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody to the Lord in their hearts. Ephe. 5, 18, 19. Likewise the Apostle James, chap. 5, 13. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry let him sing Psalms. This was the practice of Paul and Silas, while they were in prison, They prayed at midnight, and sing Psalms unto God. Let us follow these examples of godly men, and take up this exercise better then we have done, being a notable gift of God: which duty, albeit commanded by precept, and commended by example, is greatly decayed in all places, and among all estates of men; instead whereof, profane songs and beastly Ballads are come in places, filling and defiling all shops, houses, and meetings, iustling out the other, to the decay of Religion, to the disgrace of the Psalms, to the corrupting of youth, to the contempt of the word, and to the dishonor of God.
[They that spake in Proverbs, say: Come to Heshbon, let the City of Sihon be built and repaired, &c.] The end of this Song, made of the people of GOD, was to keep a perpetual memory of the victories that God gave to the Israelites, and to teach the posterity to come, how they came to be owners and possessors of these Citiss. We learn from hence, That it is the duty of the faithful to remember and publish the works of God, whereof we are partakers or witnesses. Whensoever GOD showeth any of his works of mercy or judgment, toward our selves or others, toward soul or body, we must not hide them and bury them in forgetfulness, but spread them abroad, and make them known to others. This appeareth in sundry places of the word of God. The Prophet teacheth this duty, Psalm. 105, 1, 2. Praise the Lord, & call upon his Name, declare his works among the people: Sing unto him, sing praise unto him, and talk of all his wondrous works. And Psal. 107, 8. Let them confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works among the sons of men. So likewise Psalm. 111, 2, 3. The works of the Lord are great and ought to be sought of all them that love them: his work is glorious and beautiful, and his righteousness endureth forever. So Psal. 66, 16, 5, he provoketh all men to hear what God hath done for him, Come and hearken, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done to my soul: and in the same Psalm he reproveth the dullness of men, that are cold in the consideration of the works of God, Come and behold the works of God, he is terrible in his doing toward the sons of men. When the Shepherds had found the word of the Angel true, and seen the Babe laid in the Cratch, They published abroad the thing that was told them of that child, to the great wondering of all those that heard it. And when the man, out of whom a legion of devils was departed, besought Christ that he might tarry with him: Jesus sent him away, saying; Return into thine own house, and show what great things God hath done to thee; so he went his way, and preached throughout all the Citty, what great things Jesus had done unto him. When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, from whence they had been commended to the grace of God, to the work which they had fulfilled, having gathered together the Church, They rehearsed all the things that God had done by them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. Acts 14, 27. The practice of this duty, Christ commanded to the man that he had dispossessed, Mark. 5, 19, 20. Go thy way home to thy friends, & show thē what great things the Lord hath done unto thee, & how he hath had compassion on thee: so he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis, what great things Jesus had done unto him, and all men did marvel. All which precepts and examples teach us, that it is not enough to have received God's benefits, and to be mindful of them our selves, but also we are bound to make others according to our places to profit thereby, and to praise God for them, agreeable to the words of Peter and John to the council, We cannot but speak the things which we have seen & heard. Acts 4, 20.
The Reasons of this Doctrine are diverse, [Reason 1] whether we consider God, or our selves, or the faithful with whom we live. First, in respect of God, inasmuch as it standeth us all vpō, to set forth his glory, with all our strength and might. This is the chief and principal end, that we must aim at in all our ways, to seek to gain glory to his great Name, according to that general precept of the Apostle, Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. So when God doth make known to us the works of his own right hand, this must be one motive to stir us up to spread them abroad, that thereby his Name may be glorified, and his saving health published among all Nations, as we see the practice in the Apostles.
Secondly, in respect of our selves. For this is a notable sign and token of a true and lively faith, that we believe the works of God, and lay them up deeply in our hearts, when we hide them not under a bushel, nor cover them in the ashes, but lift up our voice, as a Trumpet, to declare to others what our selves have learned. This the Prophet testifieth in his own practice, I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living, I believed, and therefore did I speak. Psalm. 116, verses 9, 10. This is not peculiar to the Prophet only, to testify his faith by the words of his mouth, but is made general and common to others by the Apostle, Because we have the same spirit of Faith, according as it is written, I believed and therefore I have spoken: we also believe, and therefore speak. Such as do not believe the words and works of God, can never be fit instruments to give notice of them to others: but such as do in heart believe them, cannot but with y e tongue confess them, thereby to assure their own hearts, and to confirm their own faith more and more.
[Reason 3] Thirdly, we must have respect to others. For as Christ speaketh to Peter, when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren: so when we believe the works of God, we must labor to bring all other to a sound faith and right judgment. It is our duty to hunger and thirst after the salvation of others: and being called to the profession, we must toll the bell to others. There is no man that hath been truly acquainted with the works of God, and hath in conscience been convinced of the undoubted truth thereof, but ought to be as a public Cryer, and as the Lord's Herald to blaze them and publish them abroad for the good of others. This is the reason that moved the Prophet David to make such often & so many protestations, to speak of all his wondrous works, to tell his marvelous works, to publish the praises of the Lord & his great power.
This is the reason that Peter immediately after his deliverance out of prison came unto Mary, where many were gathered together in prayer to entreat the Lord for the enlarging of his liberty, saying unto them, Go show these things unto James, and the rest of the Brethren. Acts 12, • 7. So then, whether we do consider that it is required of us to seek the glory of God, to testify the assurance of our Faith, or to win our brethren; we must acknowledge that it is a spe • iall duty laid upon us to publish the works of God, whereof any of us be witnesses, of the truth whereof we are convinced. Indeed Christ charged the Leaper not to publish and spread abroad the miraculous work of his cle • nsing: but this was to correct the perverse judgment of the people, who regarded more to see his miracles, then to hear his doctrine, and that he might have the greater liberty to teach from the persecutions of the Pharisees. Mar. 1, 45.
[Use 1] Now let us proceed to the uses of this Doctrine. First, it teacheth that we must not slander and discredit any of his works, but say with the sorcerers, This is the finger of GOD, Exod. 8, 19. When the Pharisees heard that Christ cast out the devils by the power of his deity, they back-bited and blasphemed the works of God maliciously, saying, This man casteth out devils no otherwise but thorough Belzebub the Prince of devils. Matth. 12, 24. & 28, 12, 13. So the watchmen set to keep the sepulcher of Christ sure, shown unto the high Priests all the things that were done; who took wicked counsel, and gave large money unto the soldiers to spread abroad that his disciples came by night, & stole him away while they slept. Likewise, when the holy Ghost fell upon the Apostles, that they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance, they mocked and slandered the work of God, saying, These are full of new wine, Acts 2, 13. so that Peter justified as well the Apostles of Christ, as the miracle of God. In like manner are we to do in like cases: when an evil name is brought upon the works of God's election or reprobation, upon y e works of his providence, and protection of his people, we must stand forth to give glory to God and to stop the mouth of iniquity when it is opened against heaven. For if a man be commanded to open his mouth in the cause of the dumb, much more in the cause of God. It is one kind of taking the name of God in vain, to hold our peace when any reason & dispute against God's works. If we deny him any way before men, Christ Jesus will deny us before his Father. We must therefore open our mouths in defense of God and his works, & put the obstinate gainsaiers to silence, & wipe away the slanderous reports raised of them, lest others receive hurt thereby, and to the end God may have the glory and praise of his own work. And albeit we do not always conceive the right cause and reason of them, let us not deride but admire them with the Apostle, Rom. 11, 33. O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out? If a man should take upon him to judge those that are out of his liberty, and over whom he hath no authority, and to pronounce sentence upon their doings, would a worldly man think well of this presumption? But it is less wisdom, and greater p • e • umption, to take upon us to rule God, and to give him his lesson, and to enter into judgment of his works. Therefore Elihu wisely teacheth in the book of Job this point; Who hath appointed unto him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast done wickedly? Remember that thou magnify his works, which men behold. Job 36, 23, 24.
Secondly, it is required of us to be diligent [Use 2] markers and observers of the works of God's providence. For how shall he report them & remember them to others, that is not careful to muse upon them, and to mark them himself? Or how shall he open his mouth to declare them, that shutteth his eyes lest he should see them, and stoppeth his cares lest he should hear of them? It standeth us therefore greatly upon, wisely to obs • rue the works of God, and suffer nothing to pass from us, nothing by us, without making profit of it to our selves, & bringing it to the use of others. This wisdom Eliphaz one of the three friends of Job teacheth, having shown that the ungodly shall not escape unpunished, but that God will find them out in their hypocrisy, he addeth, Job 5, 27. Loe, thus have we inquired of it, and so it is, hear this, and know it for thyself. This we are all to mark by continual experience, how God dealeth with the godly, sometimes chastening them, sometimes blessing them, never forsaking them, albeit sometimes leaving them for a season, yet in the end returning in mercy unto them.
Likewise, how he dealeth towards the wicked, thereby to avoid their steps, consider that though they flourish for a time, it is but the pleasure of sin for a season that they enjoy: and always God's judgment in this life arresteth some, and maketh them fearful examples unto others. Thus did the Prophet ponder in his heart the ways and works of God, and profited thereby to his great comfort: as we see, Psal. 37, 35.36. I have seen the wicked strong, and spredding himself like a green Baytree, yet he passed away, and loe he was gone, and I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the upright man, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace; but the transgressors shall be destroyed together, and the end of the wicked shall be cut off. And if we will give our hearts to this meditation on the works of God's providence, ruling the world, and disposing all things, we shall see how he always meeteth with the ungodly, though they dignity deep to hide their counsels, and dive down unto the depth and bottom of their devices, yet the hand of the Lord doth find them out, and bringeth to judgment every secret work. So if we shall weigh with wisdom his works toward his own servants, as he doth love them with an everlasting love, so is he always gracious unto them, and maketh all things fall out to further their salvation. This the Wiseman teacheth by his experience, Eccles. 8, 11, 12, 13.
[Use 3] Lastly, let all Fathers of families teach the works of God's mercy, and the works of his judgments, according as they see them to be offered unto them. For to whom should we rather publish them then to our posterity, & the children that come out of our loins? when a Father beholdeth the Lord punishing the ungodly, and taking vengeance on the contemners of his word, the blaspheme • s of his name, the profaners of his Sabbaths, the uncleanness of adulterers, the beastliness of drunkards, the oppression of userers, the perjury of false witnesses, and the cruelty of merciless dealers: should he suffer such public examples to die, and these works of God to sleep in the dust? Nay, seeing God doth single out some, and maketh them examples & admonitions unto others, we ought to whet them upon our children and servants, & teach them thereby to serve the Lord, and to hate those heinous and horrible sins that provoke such great and grievous judgments.
Abraham is commended by the Spirit of God, for this care and conscience of his duty, when he should behold the woeful destructi- of Sodom and Gomorrhah, Genes. 18.19. I know him that he will command his sons, and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that he hath spoken unto him. This the Prophet urgeth, Psal. 78, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. So the Prophet Joel, or rather the Lord by the Prophet, threatening a grievous plague of dearth and famine, that the field should be wasted, the corn destroyed, the new wine dried up, the oil decayed, and the husbandmen howl, because the harvest of the field should perish, saith, Joel 1, 2, • . Hear • e this. O Elders, and hearken ye all inhabitants of the land, whether such a thing hath been in your days, or yet in the dayers of your Fathers. Tel you your children of it, and let your children show it to their children, and their children to another generation. Thus we see how God requireth of us a diligent consideration of his judgments, seeing he smiteth one to admonish another: we must not account these strokes only as punishments upon the offenders, but as examples offered for the amendment and repentance of others, as our Savior taught his disciples of those that were murdered by Pilate, and of those were slain by the fall of a tower, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish, Luke 13, 1, 2, 3, 4.
[Verse 28. For a fire is gone out of Heshbon, and a flame from the City of Sihon, and hath consumed Har of the Moabites, &c. ] When war is once begun and set on foot, it is not so easily laid down, neither is the thirst of ambition in a proud man so easily quenched. Therefore this song decla • eth, that when Sihon had assaulted and taken Heshbon, he rested not there but proceeded farther, and led his army against the villages adjoining, dealing with them as he had done with the inhabitants of Heshbon. Thus we see the people bordering upon the Heshbonites, are touched with their ruin, and companions with them in their adue • sity: as when a mighty tree falleth, it throweth down with it the lesser & lower shrubs. Now Moses in this borrowed speech, setteth forth the misery brought upon the Moabites, which like a violent and vehement fire consumeth wheresoever it lighteth. Mark therefore in this place the comparison & similitude which the Spirit of God useth, to express the rage of war, wasting far and near, as a mighty flame of fire. We learn from hence this Doctrine, That great is the misery and mischief of war, whereby blood is shed, Nations are spoiled, Countries are ruinated, Cities are disp •• pled, Murder is committed, and the image of God defaced. And albeit the life be spared, yet liberty is restrained, and oftentimes death is better then b • ndage, and the sword not so bitter as captivity, even to become slaves to them, who are slaves to Satan. This we see expressed in the war of Chedarlaomer, Genes. 14, 5, 6, 7. who coming to chasten the rebellion of Sodom, and other Cities in the plain, he seized upon the people bordering, so that they tasted the bitterness of the sword, being neighbors to the Nations offending against him. This Moses expresseth, Deut. 28, 50, 51, describing the fierceness of the enemies, and the plague of wars; saying, They shall not regard the person of the old, nor have compassion of the young, they shall eat the fruit of thy Cattle, they shall consume the profit of thy land, they shall besiege thee within thy walls, they shall drive thee to eat thy children, the fruit of thy body, during the siege and streightnesse where-with they shall compass thee in thy Cities. Hereunto that Proverb guideth us, used by the King of Israel against such as boasted before the victory, Let not him that girdeth his harness, boast himself, as he that putteth it off. Hence it is, that we read, how thousands and ten thousands are consumed in battle, which devoureth one as well as another, to teach us the casualty and calamity of war.
[Reason 1] The Reasons are not to be forgotten, that we may the better settle this Doctrine in our hearts. First, it is threatened as an heavy plague and fearful judgment to be brought upon that people that set their faces against God, and walk stubbornly in the breach of his commandments. It is one of the arrows of God, which he hath in his quiver, & reserveth to shoot against all the contemners of his Statutes; he will send upon them famine to punish them, evil beasts to spoil them, the pestilence to consume them, & blood to pass through them. This is that which the Lord threateneth, Levite. 26, 25, 31. I will send a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant, and when you are gathered in your Cities, I will send the pestilence among you, and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy, & I will make your Cities desolate. If then God proclaim open war against such as bear themselves stoutly and stubbornly against him, if he be at utter defiance with them that despite and despise him, if he denounce against those the day of battle, as a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscurity and darkness, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the Trumpet and alarm against the strong Cities, against the high Towers, and against mighty warriors that their blood shall be poured out as dust, & their flesh made as the dung; it must necessarily follow, that the time of war is the time of woe, yea, of weeping and wailing, and great lamentation of young and old, rich & poor, women and children, babes and sucklings.
[Reason 2] Secondly, great is the benefit of peace, and many are the blessings that come with it and ensue after it. If then peace be a great benefit, then must war needs be acknowledged to be a great want, and a fearful judgment. The peace of a State, is as the health of a body of strong constitution: therefore war is a dangerous disease in anybody political, whē it cannot be purged and washed without blood. We see how Moses among the blessings that shall come upon Israel and overtake thē, reckoneth up peace in their borders, I will send peace in the Land, and ye shall sleep, & none shall make you afraid, and the sword shall not go through your Land. If there be but a iarie in a private house, or a strong faction in any society, it threateneth the ruin thereof. If an house or Citty be divided against it self, it cannot stand. If a kingdom be divided against it self, it is brought to naught. But when God giveth peace and rest to his Church, many blessings come with it and great contentment on all sides, and in all estates; especially the free liberty of the Gospel with the preaching and professing of it, which we should account as the life of our lives. Seeing therefore, on the one side, War is the just wages of great sins; and on the other side, peace bringeth with it many blessings of all sorts, spiritual and temporal, we conclude, that many are the miseries of war.
The uses are in the next place to be thought upon, and application • o be made of this Doctrine. [Use 1] First, let us pray earnestly to God, and call upon him faithfully, to keep from us both wars, and the rumors of wars, and continue peace in our borders, with the free & public use of the Gospel, to us and to our posterities: that there may not be the voice of lamentation lifted up in our streets, weeping & mourning, and great howling, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not. Mat. 2, 18. Ier. 31, 15. We live in a plentiful and well-peopled Land, no Nation under heaven is more populous. This is a blessing of God, as Moses declareth, Levite. 26, 9. Likewise Proverbs 14, 28: Yet many times we repine at his mercy, we think the Land will be too little for us, and that we shall not be able to live one for another. He can make room enough for us, if he once send y e bright weapons of war, and the glistering sword of the bloody enemy among us. He can make fewer of us and turn our Land into briars & thorns, and make it a place of Salt-pits and Nettles. Then shall a man nourish a young Cow and two Sheep: and for the abundance of Milk that they shall give, he shall eat Butter. The number of men shall then be so small, tha • a few beasts shall be sufficient to nourish the remnant abundantly. Then shall seven women take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread, and will wear our own garments, only let us be called by thy name, and take away our reproach. Let us therefore in this great increase of the land and store of people, acknowledge his mercy, let us rejoice in the society one of another, and pray that we taste not the bitterness of war, & that there be no slaying with y e sword, no shedding of blood, no carrying into captivity. This the Prophet teacheth, Ps. 144, desiring God to continue his benefits toward his people, the fruit of the womb, the filling of store-houses, the increase of sheep, & the quietness of peace, Psal. 144, 12, 13, 14, 15. That our sons being as the plants growing up in their youth, and our daughters being as the corner stones, may be the building of the temple: that our corners may be full, and our Oxen strong to labor: that there be no invasion nor going out, nor no crying in our streets: O blessed are the people that be so, yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. Where we see, the Prophet prayeth, and directeth us to pray, that there may be no taste of the sharpness and misery of war, nor we know the assaulting of our Cities, nor going out to warfare, that there may be no sorrow of heart, no weeping of eyes, no wringing of hands, no shriking of voices among us. Were it not a woeful and lamentable thing, to see fire without mercy, and without quenching, consuming houses, eating up all things, and sparing nothing? How much more to see, and hear, and feel the affliction of war, when all things are in confusion and combustion? For, this is one great mischief and bitterness of war, that all things are holden to be lawful, and all men make themselves to be lawless. There is no regard of right or equity, of shame or conscience, when many times the soldiers are as hungry as wolves, as cruel as Tigers, as fierce as Lions, as merciless as Bears robbed of their whelps, which spoil in the evening, and leave not the bones until the morning. Liberty is oppressed, good men fear, evil men expect, knowing it is best fishing in troubled water; if there be any place free from tumult, at least there is none void of suspicion and free from jealousy; few then are to be trusted, and none assured; all things in confusion, violence, spoiling, blood, murders outcrying, and nothing else before our eyes, but a lamentable face of all calamities & extremities. The Prophet Zacharias, describing the golden days of a peaceable life, w c should be given to the Israelites when they were returned from captivity, saith; Zac. 8, 4, 5. There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age; and the streets of the City shall be full of boys & girls playing in the streets thereof. Then is the mouth of the people filled with laughter, and their tongue with joy, Psal. 46, 9. When the Lord maketh wars to cease unto the end of the world, he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear, & burneth the Chariots with fire. But in the time of war, and in the day of battle, all things are turned topsie-turuý, all things lie open to sacking and pillage, to insolency of soldiers, to desire of revenge, and to most horrible accidents. Then we are constrained to see and lament the slaughter of men, the ravishing of women, the deflowering of virgins, the spoiling of goods, the robbing of houses, the taking of prisoners, the breaking of laws, y e defacing of justice, the intermission of sowing, the innovation of estates, the subversion of realms, the desolation of countries, the violation of religion, the destruction of Cities, the effusion of blood, the suffering of famine, and sometimes the extremity of eating children, and always the overthrowing of all order and honesty. Who is able to recount & rehearse the great horror and fear, the sorrow and mourning, the weeping and lamentation, the seditions, tumults, outrages, villainies, insurrections, conspiracies, calamities, dangers, difficulties, and the miserable train of infinite miseries and maladies that war bringeth with it? No marvel therefore, if David preferred the pestilence before the sword, 2 Sam. 24, 14. desiring that he might fall into the hands of the Lord, because his mercies are great; and not fall into the hands of man, whose bowels of pity are instruments of cruelty. Let us therefore pray earnestly and fervently unto God, that we may not have experience of these troubles, nor endure the violence of this fire, and entreat him to continue a gracious God to us and to our posterities forever. This we see fruitfully and profitably practiced by the people of Israel, when the Lord for their idolatry threatened to deliver them no more out of the hands of their enemies, and bad them cry unto the gods which they had chosen, that they might save them in the time of their tribulation: they said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever please thee, only we pray thee to deliver us this day from our enemies, Judge. 10, 10, 11, 12.
Secondly, let us learn by the horror of the [Use 2] sword, and trouble of war, to be thankful for our long peace and prosperity, and pray for y e continuance thereof among us. We may sit everyone under his Vine, and under his Fig-tree; we may rest in peace in our gardens and Orchards, reasoning of the ways, and conferring of the word of the Lord, whilst many of our neighbor-Nations are shaken and tossed with the tempest of wars, and all things round about us are in an uproar. Let us desire God to spare them, and be touched with a feeling of their sorrows. And if there be such fearfulness and devouring in the sword, let us cast off all dissensions and debates, let us cut the cords of all contention, and live peaceably as brethren one with another. Hereunto the Apostle James persuadeth, ch. 3, 15, 16. & 4, 1, 2 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish: for where envying & strife is, there is sedition & all manner of evil work. From whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hence, even of your pleasures that fight in your members? Let us take heed we give no occasion of contention, nor sow the seeds of division, which in time to come may yield a comfortless crop of cares and conf sions. Let us not go forth hastily to strife, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy Neighbor hath put thee to shame. Pro. 25, 8. It is in vain to desire considerations and conditions of peace, when we have laid the foundations of war: like as the bow being drawn, and the Arrow discharged, it is too late to wish it may do no hurt where it falleth. For after that the coals of contention be once kindled, there is no long expectation for the fire to flame, and burn amaine with a swift course, even as when a cloud is gathered to his thickness, the storm of rain that hath been long in breeding, is ready to fall and disperse it self. It belongeth to all wisemen to foresee a mischief before it happeneth, & it is the reward of men unhappy to lament it when it is once felt. The counsel is without fruit that cometh after the fact; it is too late to apply the remedy when the evil is happened. The soldier serveth to no turn, that beginneth to march when the battle is done. The Medicine that is ministered out of time, worketh not to the benefit of the Patient. It is too dangerous to broach a vessel of poison, and have the virtue of the Antidote or counter-poison uncertain, or far to seek. A smoke suffered long to continue, conceiveth a spark, a spark of fire let alone engendereth a flame, and the flame burneth without mercy and measure. Let us therefore resist the first beginnings as it were the first motions of malice and strife. Small things increase by concord, great things fall and come to ruin by discord and disunion. We must therefore desire peace, and follow after it albeit it seem to fly from us, let us pursue it with all our strength vnt • l we overtake it & bring it home as a blessing into our own houses and habitations: as a man of war concludeth, 2 Sam. 2, 26. Shall the sword devour forever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long then shall it be ere you bid the people return from following their brethren? As if he should say, If we shall join army against army, and forces against forces, we shall fall down on every side, one brother shall devour and destroy another without pity and compassion. This serveth to reprove those that provoke to ba • tell without cause, and delight in war as in a matter of sport and play, who delight to shed blood as water. Thus speaketh Abner Captain of the host, 2 Sam. 2, 14. Let the young men now rise and play before us. Whereby we see, that murder is made as a game & pastime to laugh at. Let every man live contented with his own estate. Great is the benefit of contentation. Beware of ambition and aspiring thoughts. The power of many rising suddenly to heighth and Soueraignty, taketh end with a ruin more sudden. They are like to a tree that groweth till he cometh to his height, and then is plucked up by the roots in a moment. The heavy stone commonly ouerwhelmeth it self with his own weight. Whosoever coveteth the fruit, and never considereth the height of the tree whereon it groweth, let him take heed that whiles he laboreth to climb to the top, he fall not with y e boughs which he clasps and embraceth with both his arms. It is the part and property of a wise man, to consider always his own estate: whereas the vain ambitious man liveth for the most part in the remembrance & contemplation of those things which make him to forget himself. Let us therefore all labor in our places to quench this thirst, before it do grow to be as a dropsy that can never be cured, especially it standeth great men of high callings upon (even y e greatest men of highest callings in hand) to look to this swelling of the heart (an evil whereunto they above all other are most inclined) that they lift not up their hearts against their Brethren, neither forget that they are mortal and frail men.
Lastly, seeing the sword respecteth no person, neither old nor young, neither learned nor [Use 3] unlearned, but destroyeth father and son, maketh the wise widow, and the child fatherless; it is our parts when we see such judgments present or imminent, to humble our selves unto God, to desire him to remove the fearful noise and rumor of war: and in the mean season, to pray that we may use our peace aright, lest he bend his Bow, and shoot his Arrows, and draw his glittering sword upon us. We see how Hezekiah when he saw the host of the King of Ashur, sought y e Lord carefully, and prayed unto him to fight their battles, 2 Chro. 32, 20. & 20, 3. so Jehoshaphat when a great multitude banding themselves together, came against him, set himself to seek the Lord, reconciled himself to him, asked counsel of him, & proclaimed a Fast throughout all Judah. Thus the Prophet, Lam. 5, 20. considering that the strong men were trodden down, and the enemy rejoiced at their trouble, prayeth unto God, because the sword devoured without, and the people were led into captivity; Behold (O Lord) how I am troubled: my bowels swell, mine heart is turned within me: for I am full of heaviness, the sword spoileth abroad as death doth at home. We live (as yet) in great plenty and prosperity, we enjoy life and liberty, we sleep quietly in our beds, and rest in our houses in peace; we hear not the sound of the trumpet, the clattering • f armor, the fury of the enemy, the noise of gunshot, the cry of the wounded; we see not the blood of the slain on the right hand, and on the left hand; we know not what the misery of slavery and slaughter meaneth; we do not behold our Cities besieged, our Countries wasted, our Towns entrenched, our walls b • tter • d, our houses fired & consumed; blessed be the great name of our most gracious God therefore, for evermore. Let us then take heed that we abuse not these mercies and good things of Almighty GOD, lest he take them away from us in his fierce wrath and indignation. O, that there were in us wise hearts to consider these things, whilst we dwell safely in these our houses and habitations, and before the enemy approacheth ne • e unto us, and casteth a trench about us. But if we provoke God and make war with him, how can we have peace with men? how can we look to live in safety any longer with our wives and children? This our Savior hath set down, and with • ears taught the Jews long before their destruction came upon them. For when he came near and beheld the City, he wept for it, and passionately said, Luk. 19, 41, 42, 43, 44. O, if thou haddest even known at the least in this day, those things which belong unto thy peace! But now are they hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, & keep thee in on every side, and shall make thee even with the ground, and thy children which are in thee: and they shall not leave thee a stone upon a stone, because thou knowest not that season of thy visitation. Let us apply these things unto our selves, and if we desire to live peaceably with men, let us first seek to be at peace with God; and if we would be reconciled to our brother, let us in the first place be reconciled to our God, and then all things shall speak peace unto us.
[Verse 29. Woe be to thee Moab: O people of Chemosh, thou art undone: he hath delivered his sons which escaped, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites. ] Here the Poet rhetorically turneth his speech to the Moabites, describing their foolish confidence in their dumb Idolles, Psal. 115, 4, 5. Which are the work of men's hands, which have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, they have a mouth and speak not, noses and smell not, hands & touch not, feet and walk not, neither make they a sound with their throat; they that make them are like unto thē and so are all they that trust in them. The Nations of the Gentiles had multitudes of gods, and every Nation his several Idol-go • : As Chemosh was the idol of the Moabites, Baal of the Chaldeans, Ashteroth of the Sidonians, Moloch of the Ammonites, Rimmon of y e Syrians, Dagon of the Philistines. These are false gods, and had the godhead or divine nature falsely ascribed unto them, who were not able to save such as did worship them, as the author of this song here declareth, He hath delivered his sons and daughters to captivity, and was not able to deliver them out of the hands of Sihon king of the Amorites. For as the Israelites cried for fire to come from heaven from morning to noon, O Baal hear us: so no doubt did y e Moabites for deliverance from their enemies, cal to their idol Chemosh, O Chemosh hear us, but there was no voice, nor any to answer, so that they fell into the hands of the Amorites, and received no profit or benefit by their idol service. Here then we see, how the idolatrous Moabites, worshipping a false god, and trusting in their great Idol, are defeated and destroyed. Hence we learn, That Idolaters lie open to judgment. The worshipping of Images, howsoever it be coloured with false reasons, is the true cause of God's judgments. We see here how the Moabites were rooted out of their Towns and Cities for this sin. Hitherto come the threatenings of the Prophets against the Nations by Isaiah, chap. 46, 1, 2. and Ier. 46 & 44, 7, 8. for their idolatry. We see in Judge. 2, 11. when Israel committed idolatry, & began to cleave to strange gods, and forsook the Lord God of their fathers, God sold them into the hands of their enemies, so that they could no longer stand before them. This was the destruction of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that made Israel to sin: and of Jehu, who set up idolatry after he had destroyed it. This was the cause that the wrath of God brake in upon the Israelites, when they had erected the golden Calf, which sin was revenged with a grievous and horrible slaughter. Hereunto also the Prophet hath relation, Psal. 106, 34, 35. They destroyed not the people as the Lord had commanded them, but were mingled amongst the heathen, and learned their works, and served their Idols, which were their ruin. Thus we see, how idolatry turneth to the destruction of the idolater.
The Reasons follow. First, God is the husband [Reason 1] of his Church, and can no more abide to have his honor and worship communicated to any other, then the husband any partner or fellow in his love. Prov. 6, 35. • ho cannot bear the sight of any ransom, neither will he consent, though thou augment the gifts. Idolatry therefore is spiritual whoredom, and God is a jealous God of his honor and glory, and will not suffer the same to be given to any other, Isaiah 42 8. Exod. 20, 5. This is notably declared, and worthily expressed by the Prophet Hosea, where the idolatry of the Israelites is resembled to the adulterous and whorish woman, that doateth upon her lovers, that forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God: Their mother (saith y e Lord by his Prophet) hath played the Harlot, she that conceived them hath done shamefully, &c. As then God is the husband of his C • urch, so our spiritual worship is as a certain marriage of our souls consecrated unto the Lord: & therefore all false and forged worship is spiritual whoredom and adultery toward him. To this purpose speaketh Hosea, ch, 2, 19, 20. I will marry thee unto me forever: yea, I will marry thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, &c. Thus also the Prophet Jeremiah speaketh, ch. 2, 2. Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee with the kindness of thy youth, and the love of thy Marriage, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land that was not sown.
Secondly, Idols are the works of men's [Reason 2] hands, whether they be of Silver or Golde, they are the work of the Founder: or whether they be carved or graven in stone or timber, they are the hand of the workman: or whether they be wrought in blew silk, or purple, Jeremiah 10, 9. All things are made by cunning men. Hereupon it followeth, that they that depend upon them, and seek help of them, do seek help of flesh, and do make stocks and stones their god, and therefore they cannot prosper, but shall be confounded. This the Prophet Hosea testifieth, chap. 8.8, 9. Israel is devoured, now shall they be amongst the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure: for they are gone but to Ashur, they are as a wild Ass alone by himself, Ephraim hath hired lovers.
The Uses are in the last place to be observed. [Use 1] First, this teacheth that the idol is vain; yea, vanity it self. Howsoever the idolater be enamored of it, and greatly dote upon it, yet it shall be a broken reed, which in stead of staying him that leaneth upon it, breaketh in his hand, and the shiuers thereof serve to wound him that leaneth thereon. For if it could deliver any, it should save them th • t have their hope and confidence in it. But such are deceived and deluded to their destruction. This the Prophet Ier. 3, 23, 24. & 10, 15. witnesseth at large in sundry places, Truly the hope of the hills is but vain, nor the multitude of mountains, but in the Lord our God is the health of Israel: for confusion hath devoured our fathers labor, &c. Hereunto cometh that saying, Isaiah 44, 9, 10. All they that make an image are vanity, and their delectable things shall nothing profit: and they are their own witnesses that they see not, nor know, therefore they shall be confounded who have made a god, or molten an Image that is profitable for nothing. They are not therefore lay-men's books, neither have any profitable use, but an abhominable abuse, being vanity and the work of errors, in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The Assyrians were famous, or rather infamous for Idols, and great boasters of thē; yet the Prophet showeth they should come to confusion: hereupon the use is inferred, what profiteth the Image? For the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lies, though he that made it trust therein, when he maketh dumb Idols: woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; and to the dumb stone, Arise up, it shall teach thee: behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and yet there is no breath in it. Thus the vanity of Idols is set out by the destruction of the Idolaters.
[Use 2] Secondly, let them labor to see their own blindness. It is a great judgment of God upon thousands and ten thousands in the world, that worship the works of men's hands, and yet think themselves wise. We see also the preposterous and disordred desire of the children, to follow the idolatrous ways of their parents: whereupon it cometh to pass, that they excuse their sin by the example of their parents; and because they were borne in it, they are resolute to die in it, never examining how their religion standeth with consent of the Scriptures. Thus we see, that all idolaters are blind, and because they say they see therefore their sin remaineth. This the Prophet teacheth, Isaiah 42, 17, 18, 19. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed that trust in graven Images, and say to the molten Images, Ye are our gods. Hear ye deaf, and ye blind regard that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as the messenger that I sent? Who is blind as the perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? If therefore we would not grope in ignorance, as the blindeman that g • opeth in the dark, let us fly Idolatry, and keep our selves from Idols.
Lastly, let us bless and praise the name of [Use 3] God, whē he delivereth his people from idolatry, to serve him purely and sincerely. Let us ever be mindful of his mercy, and walk as a thankful people redeemed out of so great a thralldom. This sacrifice of praise we see required in the Prophet: for having set down the folly & vanity of Idolaters, who cut down a Tree, warm themselves with part thereof, roast their meat with another, and with a third part make a god and worship it make it an Idol, and bow unto it, pray unto it and say Deliver me, for thou art my God: he acknowledgeth God's great mercy in forgiving these sins of the people, Isaiah 44, 21, 22, 23, Thou art my servant, O Israel forget me not: I have put away thy transgressions like a cloud, and thy sin as a mist, &c. Behold the beastliness and brutishness of these god-makers, not much unlike y e Romish idolaters, who knead their dough, & of one part they make bread, and a god of the other. If this be the dot • ge of idolaters, we have great cause offered unto us, to magnify the mercy of God toward us, that hath freed us from such devilish devices of the false worship of God. He hath restored to us the true worship of God according to his holy word, he hath rooted out the Idols that were set up to be adored, he hath given us the Scriptures in our mother tongue, he hath free • d us from the burden and bondage of the Popes Decrees and Decretals, he hath pulled down the great idol of the Mass, and hath abolished the manifold heresies and corruptions of false Doctrine. What shall we now render to the Lord for all these tokens and testimonies of his love toward us, but take up the cup of salvation, and praise with tongue and heart the name of God, acknowledging his only goodness in delivering us from the bondage of Idolatry; and laboring to bring forth y e fruits of his Gospel, to his glory, and our own comfort in Christ Jesus.
32
And Moses sent to search out Iaazer, and they took the Towns belonging thereto, and rooted out the Amorites that were there.
33
And they turned and went up the way toward Bashan: and Og the King of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people to fight at Edrei.
34
Then the Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not, for I have delivered him into thine hand, and all his people, and his Land: & thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon the King of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
35
They smote him therefore, and his Sons, and all his people, even until there was
none left him: so they inherited his Land.
Hitherto we have spoken of the first Enemy overcome by the Israelites, to wit, Sihon King of the Amorites: the second enemy w c they subdued is Og the King of Bashan, an enemy more mighty and terrible then the former. For he was one of the race and posterity of the giants, at whose sight the scoutes and espials sent out to search the land were afraid, and despaired of inhabiting and inheriting of the land, and weakened the hearts & hands of the people as appeareth in the 13. chapter of this book, We came into the Land whither thou hast sent us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey: nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in the Land, and the Cities are walled & exceeding great: and moreover we saw the sons of Anak there. And more plainly and particularly Moses describeth this King, Deuter. 3, 11. Only Og the king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Giants, whose bed was a bed of Iron: is it not at Rabbah among the children of Ammon? The length thereof is nine cubits, and four cubits the breadth thereof, after the cubit of a man.
Now the more mighty and monstrous t • is Giant was, the greater occasion had the Israelites to ascribe the victory to God, and to give him the glory alone. And the Prophet singleth out these two enemies by name, Deu. 29, 7. Psal. 135, 11. & 136, 19, 20. Sihon the King of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bashan, above all other kings, and in the meditation of God's mercy delivering them into their hands, stirreth up the people to praise y e name of God: which showeth that they were enemies greatly to be feared, and such as brought great terror unto the Israelites, yet no power can prevail ag • inst God, There is no counsel, nor wisdom, nor understanding, nor strength against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but salvation is of the Lord. The land of Bashan was a fertile & fruitful soil, commended in sundry places of the Scripture: it was a goodly mountain abounding with rank and rich pastures, yielding cattle of great bone and bigness, and flourishing with sundry commodities, which kindled a desire in the two Tribes and the half, to have it given them in possession. Wherefore Moses commending the bountifulness of God toward his people, Deut. 32, 14. showeth, that he gave them butter of Kine, and milk of Sheep, with fat of the Lambes and Rams fed in Bashan. And David to express the lustinesse and loftiness, the pride and presumption of his enemies, resembleth them to y e mighty bulls of Bashan, fed to the full in most fruitful pastures. Moses knowing the goodness of the soil, the strength of the Cities, and the malice of the enemies, sendeth out his scouts and espials, to search out the situation of the places, and the purposes of the persons that inhabited therein; and having taken Iaazer, he marched toward this Bashan whereof we speak. The king advertised of the matter, and understanding the drift and design of the Israelites, cometh forth to meet them, and to hinder their approach to his Towns and Dominions, thinking his safety to consist only in his weapons, forgetting that all mortal things are mutable, and the end of war uncertain, and providing more for revenge, then for his own defense. Hereupon Moses before he made an head against the enemy (as it should seem) made a stand to know the will of God, whether he should fight with them in y e place, and whether God would deliver them into their hands. The answer of God showeth, that they were greatly afraid, and stood in need of comfort: wherein consider, first the Commandment of GOD, Fear not your enemies: Secondly, the reason rendered to encorage thē, I will deliver all your enemies into your hands: which is amplified by a like example, and by the former experience which they had of the mercy of God in the destruction of Sihon king of the Amorites. After this comfort and raising up of their hearts that began to shrink, they joined battle, they fought with the king of Bashan, they overcame their enemies, and put them all, men, women, and children to the sword, and possessed his Land as he did the Land of the Amorites. Thus God gave them a joyful victory, who had before determined the destruction of Og, even while the giant thought nothing of the hand of God against him: and who is it that knoweth what God intendeth against him in heaven, while he offendeth him, and sinneth against him on the earth? The Lord that sitteth in Heaven, seeth the wickedness of man's heart abiding on Earth.
[Verse 33. And they turned and went up the way toward Bashan: and Og the King of Bashan came out against them, &c.] We see here another judgment of God upon another enemy of the Church, and the mercy of God in his overthrow, after the destruction of the former enemy. God could have brought them together, and bound them in one bundle to be cast into the fire, but they are destroyed one after another: some in the days of Moses; others are reserved for Joshua who succeeded Moses in the government of the people. We learn hereby, That the enemies of God and his Church are not consumed in a moment, but wasted and consumed in the providence of GOD by little and little. True it is, God is able to rain down fire and brimstone, snares and stormy Tempests upon them, he is able to bring them unto nothing at once with the breath of his mouth, when once the Coals of his wrath and indignation are kindled; but it is his pleasure to wast and consume them one after another: now one, and then another, that sin against him. This Moses declareth unto the people of Israel, Deut. 7, 21, 22, 23. Isaiah 9, 22. The Prophet Amos setteth down the dealing of God in the destruction of his enemies, chap. 9, 10, 11. So that God brought not all his judgments upon them at once, nor discharged the whole volley of shot against them together, but one punishment came in the neck of another, & the first was overtaken of the second, and the second of the third. The like may be said of the plagues which God brought upon Pharaoh and the rest of the Egyptians, he did not draw out his arrows, and empty his Quiuer at once, but wasted the Land, consumed the fruits, smote the cattle, and destroyed the inhabitants one after another: some were destroyed with hail; some were slain by the destroyer, others were drowned in the red Sea: these came not altogether, but as a softly fire consumed them, or as a lingering disease pined them away by little and little, until they came to utter ruin.
The Reasons remain to be considered. First, [Reason 1] God will not root them out at once, to the end, that by them he may try the faith, & exercise the patience of his servants. There are none that have received to believe, but God will have thē proved, to declare to themselves, and manifest to others, what is in their hearts. No marvel if others be oftentimes deceived in us, and are ignorant of the secrets of our souls, seeing we our selves know not thoroughly our selves, until we have ended and endured trial. For such we are indeed as we are in the time of temptation. Therefore Solomon teacheth in the Proverbs, chap. 24.10. If thou be faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Wherefore, it is necessary, that so long as we live in this world, we should be kept in a continual exercise of faith, of prayer, of repentance, and of obedience: as the Lord speaketh evidently in the book of Judges, chap. 2, 20. Because this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their Fathers, & hath not obeyed my voice, therefore will I no more cast out before them, any of the Nations which Joshua left when he died; that through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord, to walk therein or not: So the Lord left those Nations, and drove them not out immediately, neither delivered them into the hand of Joshua.
[Reason 2] Secondly, the people of God trespass against him, so as the Lord cannot root out their enemies together, but leaveth some among them, as we saw before, the Nations were left among the Israelites, to be as snares in their paths, whips in their sides, and thorns in their eyes, because they transgressed y e Covenant that God had made with their fathers. So the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 81, 13, 14. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I would soon have humbled their enemies, and turned mine hand against their adversaries. Likewise Moses, among the curses and judgments denounced against such as are disobedient to the laws of God, Leu. 26, 18, 21, 24, 28, showeth, that when he hath chastened and corrected us for our sins, yet if we go forward to despise his ordinances, & our soul abhor his laws, he will punish us seven times more, according to our sins. And if we proceed to walk stubbornly against him, he will then bring seven times more plagues upon us, & walk stubbornly against us in his anger.
The Uses of this Doctrine remain to be considered, & are not to be passed over. First, [Use 1] this teacheth, that the prosperity of the wicked, cannot assure them of the favor of God, nor secure thē from his punishments. It showeth indeed the patience and longsuffering of God toward the vessels prepared to wrath, to make them without excuse: but when they have filled up the measure of their sins, they shall know that GOD hath not forgiven or forgotten them. This the Prophet teacheth, Psalm. 50, 19, 20, 21, and 73, 6, 7, 18. When thou seest a thief thou runnest with him, & thou art partaker with the adulterers: thou givest thy mouth to evil, and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit: thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, and slanderest thy mothers son. These things thou hast done, and I held my tongue, therefore thou thoughtest that I was like thee, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thee: O consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none that can deliver you. And in another place it is declared, that albeit the wicked be malicious, speaking wickedly, talking presumptuously, and setting their mouth despitefully against heaven; yet GOD hath set them in slippery places, and cast them down into desolation. Wherefore, whensoever we see the wicked prosper and flourish, and the glory of his house to increase, let us not conceive evil of God, as though he loved unrighteousness, or favored the sins of men, nor think that the wicked shall escape: therefore Elihu saith, Job 35, 15, 16. Although thou sayest to God, thou wilt not regard it, yet judgment is before him, trust thou in him; yet his anger shall visit the evil, and call them to an account with great extremity.
Secondly, let them not set their hearts upon [Use 2] evil, But let them seek the Lord while he may be found, let them forsake their wickedness & ungodliness, and return unto the Lord, that he may have mercy upon them, who is very ready to forgive, Isaiah 55, 6, 7. What maketh many sin against God, but a vain confidence and presumption to escape the judgment of God? What maketh them to put off the evil day, & to make a league and covenant with death, but the abuse of God's patience, who doth not presently punish them? This the wise man teacheth, Eccl. 8, 11, 13. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evil: but it shall not go well with them, he shall be as a shadow, because he feareth not before God. Albeit therefore they seem to sin scot-free, and without punishment, yet the greater patience appeareth to be in God, the greater destruction is reserved for them. Even as whē the shadow groweth to be longest, then the light fadeth and departeth soonest, and the night approacheth nearest: so when God hath waited a long time for our conversion, & the ungodly flatter themselves in their sins, thē suddenly is the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men: so that the greater y e stay & delay of his judgments hath been, the heavier will the stroke fall upon them. The punishment is prolonged, it is not forgotten. Their judgment is coming, and sleepeth not, it gathereth force in going. The higher the axe is lifted up, the slower it striketh, but the deeper it pierceth into the wood. If then God do not by and by smite the offender, and strike him in the profaneness of his wicked heart, let us not be secure and continue in sin: God doth not at once make havoc of his enemies, but bringeth them to judgment one after another. Wherefore let us conclude with the saying of the Prophet, Say ye, surely it shall be well with the just, for they shall eat the fruit of their works: woe be to the wicked, it shall be evil with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
[Use 3] Lastly, as the bodily enemies of the Church shall be wasted with lingering & long lasting judgments, so shall it be with the enemies of our souls. The spiritual enemies of our souls and of our salvation, are not brought under our feet at once to trample upon them, and to triumph over them, they are brought in subjection by little & little. For as these enemies are cast down, so our sanctification ariseth. As the Corn which the husbandman soweth, before it can come to ripeness, and yield a plentiful increase, must first take root, shoot into a blade, and spring up by little and little, till it bring forth an ear: so is it with the grace of sanctification and newness of life. The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustardseed, which a man taketh and soweth in his field, which indeed is the least of all seed: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among Herbs, and it is a Tree, so that the Birds of heaven come and build in the branches thereof. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like unto Leaven, which a woman taketh, & hideth in three pecks of Meale, till all be leavened. So is the work of God, little and small in the beginning, it is as a building that goeth slowly forward, there must be much sweating and toiling about it, there must be great laboring and hammering before we can bring it to any greatness. The more we increase in grace, waxing strong in faith, firm in hope, and constant in our profession, The more do we grow to be conquerors through him that loved us. 2 Cor. 4, 16. Let us always fight against sin, watching in prayer, fervent in spirit, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, cleaving to that which is good, procuring things honest in the sight of all men: and the God of peace shall tread Satan under our feet. Rom. 12, 11, 12, & 16, 20. Let us always in this life look for enemies, and prepare to with-stand them; let us stand on our watch-tower, and descry the approaching of them. Let us know that our adversary the devil, goeth about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour, and be strong in the grace which is in Jesus Christ. Here is not the place of triumphing, but the place of fighting. No man is crowned, except he strive as he ought to do. The husbandman must labor before he receive the frui • es of the earth. We must die with Christ before we can live with Christ. We must suffer with him, before we can reign with him. So long as we live in this life, we are soldiers and live in warfare, we must not dream of the victory before the combat. If we will here skirmish with our enemies, putting on the whole armor of God, the day shall be ours, we shall win the field. Here is our comfort, that when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 1 Cor. 15, 54. Death is swallowed up into victory, which is the last enemy that shall be subdued. If we be the children of God, and are escaped from the bondage of corruption, if we cast off Satan and his temptations, we must never think to live in rest, but look for him to buffet and batter us, that he may re-enter the Fort, which he hath forsaken. We must be content sometime to take a foil, and to have the Bucklers and Wasters driven to our heads, yet so as our stepping back, should be but to recover the greater force and strength. They indeed that have not a lively faith in the Son of God, nor have given their names to their Captain, to serve in the wars, against the flesh, the world, and y e devil, do not know at all, but are altogether ignorant, what the suggestions of the flesh, & allurements of the world, and the temptations of the devil do mean. They strive not, they fight not, they resist not, they overcome not: they understand nothing what killing & conquering meaneth. This our Savior teacheth in the Parable, Luke 11, 21, 22. When a strong man armed, keepeth his Palace, the things that he possesseth, are in peace: but when a stronger then he cometh upon him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Verse 34. Thou shalt do unto him, as thou didst unto Sihon, King of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. In these words is an illustration and amplification of the promise of deliverance, and assurance given them to prevail, drawn from a present and comfortable experience, which they had of the power of God in subduing Sihon, King of the Amorites. As if the Lord should have said unto them, Why do ye shrink and hang back, when ye should make an head against them, & look them in the face? What though this King be puissant and of great stature, of the race of those mighty Giants? Have ye forgotten my power? And do ye not remember what I did to Sihon King of the Amorites, how I gave him, his people, and his Cities into your hand? Have ye not experience that I give the victory to whom I will? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot help? Nay, be of good comfort, & assure yourselves I will not leave you nor forsake you, but as you have overcome those that have hitherto stood against you, so ye shall see your desire upon all your enemies. Whereby we learn, That the experience of God's former favor, casteth off fear, causeth affiance in him, and assureth future grace to come from him.
Among other means to work faith in him and a resting our selves in his promises, the blessed experience and comfortable proof which we have had of God's mercies toward us in former times, is one of the chiefest to cause us still to trust in him, and evermore to call upon him in our necessities. We see this proved unto us in sundry Psalms of the Prophet, as Psal. 4. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distress, have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer. Where the Prophet reasoneth from the time past, to the time to come, and entreateth God to hear him, because he hath already had mercy upon him. The like ground of his assurance we find again, Psal. 22, 9, 10, 11. Thou diddest draw me out of the womb, thou gavest me hope even at my Mothers breasts, I was cast upon thee even from the womb, thou art my God from my Mothers belly: be not far from me, because trouble is near, for there is none to help me. In these words we see how the Prophet by benefits past, assureth himself of deliverance from dangers present, and in time to come. As if he should say, seeing I was committed to thy providence and protection so soon as I was borne, and came into the world, when I could not feed and defend myself, and seeing I have hitherto received so many benefits from thee, do not now depart from me when affliction is at hand, and when there is none beside to help. So the same Prophet layeth the foundation of his hope, expecting mercy from God, upon the consideration of God's dealing with him before, as in the third Psalm, verse 4, 7, where being combred and compassed with a wonderful number of adversaries revolting from him in the conspiracy of Absalom, he gathereth comfort to himself of God's present aide, from the experience he had felt before, saying; I did call upon the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy Mountain: O Lord, arise, help me my God, for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone, thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked. This is farther confirmed and strengthened unto us, in David's faithful behavior, going to encounter with the uncircumcised Philistim, 1 Sam. 17, 34, 35, 36, 37. Thy servant kept his fathers Sheep, and there came a Lyon & likewise a Bear, and took a Sheep out of the flock, and I went after him and smote him, and took it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard and smote him, & slew him: so thy servant slew both the Lyon and the Bear: therefore this uncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of thē, seeing he hath railed on the host of the living God. Whereby it appeareth, how he strengtheneth his faith by the experience y t he had in time past, of God's helping hand, nothing doubting, but the same God that had preserved him from the iaw of the Lyon, and the paw of the Bear, would keep him in this single combat with that Champion that defied Israel. This the Apostle Paul also concludeth, 2 Cor. 1, 9, 10. We received the sentence of death in our selves, because we should not trust in our selves, but in God which raiseth the dead; who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver us, in whom we trust, that yet hereafter he will deliver us.
The Reasons follow. First, his gifts are freely and frankly bestowed, he never repenteth [Reason 1] of them, he never changeth nor altereth that which is gone out of his mouth, he giveth liberally, and reproacheth no man. Therefore the Apostle saith, Rom. 11. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance: so that whom he loveth, he loveth to the end, and where he hath once shown mercy, he will persevere in in his kindness, and he that hath begun his good work in us, will perfect the same unto the day of Jesus Christ. He never waxeth weary of well-doing, but delighteth in the works of mercy. When the Lord would reveal to Abraham the father of the faithful, his decree touching the destruction of Sodom, he maketh this the reason and motive to move him unto it, because he had begun already to show him mercy: Shall I hide from Abraham my servant that thing which I do, seeing that Abraham shall be indeed a great and mighty Nation, and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? Gen. 18, 17, 18. If then he never repent him of his gifts that he hath bestowed, nor reuoketh the riches of his graces that he hath granted; Then we see, that the giving of one gift assureth that a multitude shall follow after, as Leah said, A company cometh.
Secondly, he is merciful to his enemies, and [Reason 2] them that hate him, to such as never seek after him, or the knowledge of his ways: he maketh the Sun to shine, and the rain to fall upon the godly and ungodly: yea, his mercy stretcheth to the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air. He prepareth showers for the earth, he maketh grass to grow upon the Mountains, he giveth to beasts their food, & to the young Ravens that cry. Psal. 147, 8, 9, and 36, 6, 7. He saveth man and beast; so that we may boldly say; How excellent is thy mercy, O Lord; th • refore the children of men trust under the shadow of thy wings. He is merciful to our bodies, in him we live, and move, and have our being, he hath given us life and breath; much more therefore will he be the GOD of our spirits, and maintain our spiritual life with the continuance of his graces, and sending fresh supply of his Spirit, after he hath once given us faith, and wrought our conversion; he which hath vouchsafed some portion, as it were the first fruits of his mercy, will add greater store of mercy unto it, as it were store upon store, and heaps upon heaps.
The uses are next to be considered. First, [Use 1] we learn from hence, to acknowledge his great mercy, that maketh mercy the seal of mercy, and one grace as the pawn & pledge of receiving and obtaining a new grace. O the unspeakable mercies of God, who can sound the bottom of them, or who can ascend up to the height of them! Can any tongue express, or heart conceive this goodness of God, teaching us to draw an argument from his first mercy to a second, and from a second to a third, always to arise from one degree to assure another, & to conclude a farther proceeding from the first beginning? What man or woman hath not received thousands, and ten thousands of mercies from the Father of mercies, and much consolation from the Father of all consolation, and thereby so many comforts to his own soul, to assure him that he will never forsake him? so that we may boldly, & with a cheerful heart, say, Lord be merciful to us, because thou hast begun to be merciful: we have received much mercy, therefore continue thy mercy toward us, not because we have been good and profitable servants to thee, or have deserved thy favor, but because thou hast been gracious to us. If our own works, if our obedience, if our righteousness were to be made the ground & reason to persuade the Lord to have compassion on us, we should build upon a weak and sandy foundation, our comfort were gone, and our hearts should fail us. For we know our own wickedness, and our sins are ever before us. But since former mercies are arguments of further mercies, and the granting of one grace, is a key to unlock the ga e, and open an entrance for the rest to follow; since the first love is a testimony and token of more love to be shown and continued; we abound with such arguments to move his Majesty, blessed be his Name for them, whereby we may be assured that he will add mercy to mercy, and favor to favor. Thus we see how fruitful the loving kindness of God is, always producing more, as one Corn increaseth an hundred fold. This was the stay and staff of Paul the Apostle, when he was in danger of death, and was brought unto his answer; At my answering no man assisted me, but all forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge: notwithstanding the Lord assisted me, and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles should hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lyon: & the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom, to whō be praise forever & ever, Amen. 2 Ti. 4, 16, 17, 18.
Secondly, it is a special comfort to the afflicted when they are fallen into diverse temptations. [Use 2] For when the Tempter cometh unto us, and persuadeth us that God hath cast us off forever, and that we are none of his, tempting us to despair of his mercy, and suggesting unto us our unworthiness: let us record and recount God's former mercies, taking sweet comfort therein, and stirring up our selves to prayer, with assurance to be heard. If he go about to persuade our harts by a strong illusion, that we are not effectually called, or freely justified and elected, or endued with faith, and therefore shall be certainly condemned: let us never yield to Satan, nor to his Angels, neither to their helpers & assistants, the flesh and the world. When we are enticed to commit sin, yield not to the subtleties and suggestions of the devil, but fly from it, and follow after the contrary virtue very earnestly. When he calleth to our remembrance our sins and falls past, let us cal to mind the remembrance of God's mercies past, and rest in them as in a Sanctuary or place of refuge against all the storms that Satan raiseth, and the floods that he sendeth to sink our soul in the gaping gulf of hellish despair. So long as God bestoweth upon us one drop of mercy, let us never doubt of his great goodness to be continued toward us and to dwell in us forever. Wherefore the Apostle Paul saith, We rejoice in tribulation, knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, which is given unto us. This is an excellent & notable virtue, to be thoroughly acquainted with God's providence & dealing toward us, wrought in us by patience, & to have experience of his continual eye watching over his. Now we can say to our endless comfort in this manner: God hath kept me from many dangers, he hath blessed me with many graces, he hath assisted me against many enemies, I will therefore still trust in him, and depend upon him; thus one benefit draweth on another. From this experience we have a certain hope of his mercies to be continued toward us, and are assured of the truth & constancy of God's promises, and of his good will toward us: so that in all tribulations and afflictions we must consider with our selves the former benefits of God, and from them gather new hope of the continuance thereof, whose mercy is a Fountain that never can be dry, but springeth up to everlasting life, and as a Tree that is always green, and yieldeth the sauory fruits of righteousness.
Thirdly, this Doctrine teacheth a notable [Use 3] difference between God and man, in bestowing of benefits. We see men are soon weary of their liberality, & cannot abide continual beggars.
It is not so with the Lord our God, rich in mercy, abundant in kindness, and plentiful in redemption toward all that call upon him. The more bold we are in asking, the more bountiful he is in granting. It is a common thing in the richer sort, to check a man for often craving, and to upbraid and reproach the poor with those things they have bestowed upon them, as when they say, Why do you always come to me, and beg of me? I have given you this and that, at this time, and at that time, in such and such a place; ask no more of me, for if you do, you shall go without. Thus do men reprove and reproach for often demanding. But see the different dealing of God to our endless comfort unto the faithful, be doth never upbraid his benefits, he is not unwilling to grant, he refuseth no man's person, he giveth liberally and bountifully to all that come unto him. This is also a singular comfort to the weak conscience and afflicted soul, whē he is tempted to reason thus, Will God hear me, or respect me? Will he show his loving countenance toward me a grievous sinner, a miserable and wretched sinner, a silly and simple soul? Ask boldly of him, he reproacheth none, as the Apostle James teacheth, chap. 1, 5, 6. If any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, & reproacheth no man, and it shall be given him. The oftener we ask, the better we are accepted. The more we do desire, the more always we do obtain. He chargeth us to call upon him in the day of trouble, and assureth us of our deliverance, Psal. 50, 15. He would have all come to him that are heavy laden, with promise to be refreshed and eased. This is a notable encouragement to all persons to fly unto God, not to run to Saints or Angels, which neither can hear us, nor give any gifts unto men. Let us always be ready to crave of him, & praise him for his mercies received, seeing they assure more unto us, as we see the Apostle doth, who having experience that God had delivered him, and gathering from thence, that God would deliver him, breaketh forth into this thanksgiving, To whom be praise forever and ever, Amen. 2 Tim. 2, 18.
Lastly, let us not stand in fear of any enemies [Use 4] that rise up against us, and conspire to hinder the peace of the Church, and stop the passage of the Gospel; when God beginneth to take the cause of his people into his own hand, and smiteth any of his enemies on the iaw-bone, the rest are reserved to the like destruction. For wherefore doth God punish his adversaries, and enter into judgment with them? Wherefore doth he visit them, & strike them down with his right hand? Is it only to take vengeance on their sins, & to show his justice in their confusion? No, it serveth for the comfort and consolation of his servants, that howsoever God be patient, yet in the end they shall not escape. This did Joshua the Captain of the Lord's host, teach the people and men of war, chap. 10, 24, 25, when they had brought out those Kings unto Joshua which they had taken, he called for all the men of Israel and said unto the chief of the men of war, which went with him, Come near, set your feet upon the necks of those Kings: and they came near and s • t their feet upon their necks. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be faint hearted, but be strong, and of a good courage • for thus will the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. Where we see, that as God destroyeth not all the enemies of his Church at once, but singleth out some, that y e rest might have a time of repentance: so if the rest despise the riches of his b • untifulnes, patience, and longsuffering. Not knowing that the bountifulness of God leadeth them to repentance, Ro. 2, 4, they shall be bound up in the same bundle, and be cast into the fire, as the Tree that being spared, brought forth no fruit.
[The Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not, for I have delivered him into thine hand, and all his people, and his Land.] This King of Bashan was a strong and dreadful enemy, descended (as we have shown) of the race of the Giants, mighty in body, fearful to behold, terrible to the Israelites, as may appear by the comfort ministered unto them. For God never exalteth and raiseth up in vain, he never willeth any to cast off fear, where no fear is. From hence we learn, That the enemies of the Church are not to be feared. Howsoever such as set themselves against the people of God be many & mighty, growing in strength, excelling in malice, raging with cruelty; yet must not God's servants be fearful and distrustful by dreading the power of men, but always rely upon God, keeping faith, and a good conscience, depending upon him in life and death. Thus did the Lord strengthen the feeble heart of Hezekiah, when Rabshakeh with his bold and blasphemous mouth had • ailed upon the strength of Israel, and had proudly threatened the King and his people, that they should be compelled to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water: Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, behold I will send a bl • st upon him, and he shall hear a noise, & return to his own Land, and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own Land, Isaiah 37, 6, 7. And afterward, chap. 43.1, 5, when the people of God were grievously oppressed by their bitter and bloody enemies, so that they were robbed, spoiled, snared, thrust and thrown into Dungeons, fettred in prison-houses, and every way evilly entreated; he speaketh unto them on this manner, Thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name, thou art mine: fear not, for I am with thee. So Christ forewarning his Disciples what entertainment they should find in the world, Mat. 10, 26, 28, and how hardly they should be tried; as to be betrayed, hated, persecuted, imprisoned, scourged, railed upon, and in the end brought to their end, he prepareth them to this duty, and repeateth it oftentimes, Fear them not. And the Apostle Paul, after he had earnestly instructed the Philippians to grow in all graces, & to lead their conversation worthy the Gospel of Christ, he remembereth thē of this point, In nothing fear your adversaries, Phil. 1, 18 Answerable to these precepts, are the worthy practices of the faithful. Hereunto cometh the example of Moses, Heb 11, 27, when he led the people of Israel out of Egypt, notwithstanding the threatenings and bloody words of Pharaoh, he feared not the fierceness of the King, but endured a constant maintainer of the Church of God, & ceased not to encourage the people aga •••• their enemies, whose hearts failed and q ••• led when they were pursued and overtaken by the Egyptians. Likewise, the three servants of God being threatened by that great Tyrant Nebuchadnezzor, to be cast into the fiery Furnace, were not daunted or feared by his high power & fierce displeasure, but answered him; We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. Dan. 4, 15. This appeareth at sundry times, & upon sundry occasions in David, whē he waxeth bold and courageous in the Spirit, & saith, I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about. Psal. 3, 6.
[Reason 1] The reasons follow. First, God is with his people. If he be with them, shall we fear any to be against them? If we have a protection from the Prince, shall we fear the face of the subject? If the Lyon fight for us, shall we fear the fly or the worm, y t are weak in strength? This is the reason urged by the Lord in the Prophet, Fear not, for I am with thee, Isaiah 43, 5. Now God is with us by his power and providence. If we consider these things that are in God, as his general & special providence, which guideth and overruleth all things for the glory of his Name, and the benefit of his children, the holy meditation hereof ought to remove from us all distracting and distrustful fear. When Christ had dissuaded his Disciples from the fear of men, he saith; Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father? Yea, the hairs of your head are numbered, Math. 10, 29, 30. And indeed the cause why in trouble we faint and fail for fear of men, whose breath is in their nostrils, and whose malice is limited, is, because we distrust God's promises and providence, which is indeed a fearful sin. Again, if we consider that God is with us by his power, which being endless & infinite, is able to redress & repress the greatest tyrant and tyranny in the world, we shall find nothing more available to keep us from the excessive fear of weak man, seeing he can restrain them when it pleaseth him. This the three servants of God acknowledge in their danger, Behold, our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the fiery Furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King. Dan. 3, 13.
Again, let us have our conversation without [Reason 2] fear, in regard of the persecutors themselves, and the power which they have. For consider the difference between that which God can do, and that which man can do. The most vile and cruel tyrant that breatheth out threatenings and slaughter against the Saints, when he hath done his worst, and raged to the utmost, when he hath disgorged all his malice, and quenched his thirst in blood, can go no further but to kill the body; but God can go further, who hath the keys of hell and death. Nay, these enemies cannot so much as kill the body or touch the skin with all their power, without the will of God, as our Savior speaketh to Pilate, when he boasted of an absolute power in his own hands to bind or loose, to crucify, or to absolve, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. John 19, 10, 11. This is that reason which Christ himself expresseth, Mat. 10, 28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Thirdly, the enemies shall be destroyed. [Reason 3] They fight against God, they fight against his people, & therefore they cannot prosper. True it is, they may for a time prevail and proceed in their evil enterprises, and God may for a season use them as his Rod, to try the faith of his children; but when he hath used them as instruments to bring his judgments to pass, they shall prevail no longer. This consideration served to encourage the people of Israel, when Pharaohs host pressed upon them, and marched toward them: Fear not, stand still, & behold the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you this day; for the Egyptians which ye have seen this day, ye shall never see them again: the Lord shall fight for you, therefore hold you your peace. Exod. 14, 13, 14.
The uses remain to be stood upon. First, this teacheth, that the child of God must be [Use 1] a man of valor and courage, and as a mighty man of war, not to be daunted with any terror to forsake his faith & a good conscience: but such an one as is able by the fortitude & power of Christ, to undergo all trials, to over-stride all dangers, to overcome all enemies, and to triumph over all things that oppose themselves against their peace. So then the godly, whose faith overcometh the world, are not only soldiers, but valiant soldiers, and victorious conquerors. The Apostle having commended Moses, that he forsook Egypt, & feared not the fierceness of the King, addeth this withal, For he endured, as he that saw him which is invisible. Some were racked, tempted, tormented, burned, stoned, & would not be delivered. A wicked man is a very dastard and coward. He feareth every creature, which is a great judgment upon him that will not fear God. The darkness of the night, the solitariness of the place, the falling of a leaf, the crawling of a worm, the flashing of the lightning, the cracking of the thunder, the guilt of conscience doth terrify them. But the godly are endued with true fortitude & magnanimity of mind, springing from the grace of faith, and are bold as a Lyon, Prov. 28, 1, they are resolved of God's presence with them, and of his providence over them, being ready to say with David, The Lord is my light and my salvation, of whom shall I be afraid? The Lord is the strength of my life, whom then shall I fear? Though an host pitched against me, mine heart should not be afraid. Psal. 27, 1, 2, 3. This made the Apostle, when he heard that bands and afflictions abode for him in every Citty, to say, What do you weeping and breaking mine heart? For I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the Name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 21, 13. The faithful indeed walk thorough ma • y temptations, on the right hand, and on the left, and enter into many combats; yet they sh • nne not the brunt of the battle, nor fear to loke the enemy in the face, nor shrink back from the push of the P • ke, because they have put on the whole armor of God, and have their hearts settled, and their heads co • ered in the day of trial. Therefore the Apostle exho • teth, that we should be strong in the Lord, and put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the devil, & to resist in the evil day. Eph. 6, 11, 12, 13. It is not enough for us to provide armor, and to have it lying by us, as we see men in • heir houses have Pikes, and Halberts, Corslets, and Muskets, hanging by the walls, waxing rusty through want of use: but we must put them on, and buckle them about us: we must always have our loins girt, & our lights burning, having on the breast-plate of righteousness, taking the shield of faith, and drawing out the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Neither is it sufficient to defend us, to put on armor, but we must put on the whole armor of God. We must be armed from top to toe, and leave no part unarmed and unguarded, lest the enemy espy his advantage, and work our destruction. We must be armed within and without, before us and behind us, in soul and in body, in tongue and ear, in head and heart. For if Satan (who as a roaring Lyon seeketh whom he may devour) find us in any part or member naked, & vndefended, we lie open to him to surprise us at his pleasure, and to bring upon v • swift damnation. David was armed with the armor of God, being a man after God's own heart; bu • because whē he saw the beauty of Bathsheba, he made not a covenant with his eyes not to lust, Satan ensnared him to commit folly. At another time, leaving his ears unarmed, and setting them open to the false information and accusation of Z •• ba, he was drawn away to pervert justice, and to betray the cause of the innocent, and to condemn the just without hearing. So four ear be at any time unarmed, it is ready to hear and receive, and believes slanders & false tales against our brethren. If the Helmet of salvation do not cover our head, if y e tongue be not fenced, the devil will set th • on work, to devise evil slanders, and to publish them to the disgrace and discredit one of another. Jonah was a man of God, and a Preacher of repentance to the Ninevites; yet because he left his tongue unarmed, and did not set a watch before his mouth, he brake out into an open and insolent contempt of God, saying, I do well to be angry unto the death, chap. 4.9. Seeing therefore, we are compassed about with such an army of enemies, that watch all occasions, and seek all opportunities against us, they are greatly deceived, that make the life of a Christian to be an easy and idle profession, & take the Gospel to be a profession of liberty: (as y e enemies of the grace of God object against us) for it may cost us dearly, even the resisting unto blood, and the forsaking of all earthly commodities, that the woe • ld holdeth in greatest price. Let us therefore as wise builders, sit down and cast our accounts before hand, what our work may cost us. For such only as continue to the end, shall be saved.
Secondly let us go boldly forward in the [Use 2] duties of our calling. The Church of God is not always in one state. Sometimes it liveth in quiet and peaceable times, when the Gospel is publicly preached & professed, taught & received with liberty of meeting together, & with freedom of conscience, without opposition or gain saying, as by the blessing of God it is among us. Sometimes the truth of God is resisted, the professors are persecuted, the Gospel is suppressed and oppressed by the rage of the enemy, the faithful are slain and put to death with all kind of cruelty. Notwithstanding let us not fear their fear, neither be troubled, but sanctify the Lord in our hearts, & be ready always to give an answer to every man, of the hope that is in us, with all meekness and reverence. So then the godly should not fear the threatenings of the ungodly, nor so be troubled as thereby to abstain from such necessary duties, as their callings do lead and direct them unto; but on the contrary, make the Lord their fear and their dread, and make a bold confession of the precious faith they conceive, as those that labor to maintain a good cause with a good conscience. Let us all go forward with courage and constancy in our callings, let us perform with diligence the duties laid upon us; and albeit crosses do cross us in the way, and many dangers meet us, we must not shrink back, but stand fast, and go forward in our profession. This should be in all Magistrates, that are as the God's of the earth, and the Ministers of justice, they must be men of courage, to perform the duties of their calling, Exodus, chapter 18, verse 13: they must be endued with the spirit of power, and of godly boldness, to go through with every good work with a constant resolution, and not stand in fear of any man, considering that the cause is the Lord's which they handle. They must call and compel others to walk in their duties, that so the sword of the Magistrate may be joined with the word of the Minister. This should be also in all Ministers of the Gospel, though the power of man rise up against them, they must depend upon him that is highest in power. This Christian courage appeareth to have been in the Apostles, when they were persecuted & imprisoned for preaching in Jesus Name the resurrection from the dead; considering the multitude of enemies, the assembling of the Rulers, the corruption of Pilate, the malice of Herod, the cruelty of the Pharisees, the rage of the Gentiles, & the tumult of the people, they prayed, saying; Now O Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants with all boldness to speak thy word. And this generally should be practiced of all the godly that have in mercy received to believe, they must go forward in their holy faith and obedience, and arm themselves against the temptation and fear of restraining their liberty, of losing their goods, of laying down their life: and when men persecute us for embracing the faith, and professing of godliness, we must remember God's care over his servants, and his special providence over them that fear him, with the most blessed end that shall certainly follow, to wit; the kingdom of heaven, and an exceeding weight of glory.
Lastly, seeing the godly must lay down all [Use 3] fear which the wicked seek to cast upon them for righteousness sake, let us labor truly to fear God. For if we may not stand in fear of men, let us know whom we ought to fear and reverence, even the Majesty of God, fearing to offend him, as a good child feareth his Parents, as the Prophet teacheth, A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: If I be a Father, where is mine honor? If I be a Master, where is my fear, saith the Lord of hosts? Mal. 1, 3. This fear is the beginning of wisdom, as the wise man showeth, Prov. 1, 7, for this fear the holy man Job is exceedingly commended in the Scriptures: & this fear should be stronger in us to keep us from sin, in respect of God, then in respect of mē. This is the use directly made by the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 8, 11, 12. Say ye not, a confederacy to all them, to whom this people saith a confederacy, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid of them: Sanctify the Lord of hosts, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Where we see, that having removed from them the false fear of men, he planteth in them the true fear of God: having shown where it should not be, he teacheth where it should be: having declared what fear is evil: he toucheth the remedy. The ready way to take from us the fear of men, & dangers that may fall upon us from men, is the fear of God. For whosoever feareth God aright, he will not provoke him to wrath for fear or love of any creature, knowing that God is stronger and mightier then all, and assuring himself that if God be offended no creature is able to secure him and safeguard him from danger of judgment Again, whosoever hath God his friend, shall not need to fear man to be his enemy. If then we seek to fear God with all our heart above all things, we shall be free from the immoderate and excessive fear of the mightiest enemies. But if we do not fear to offend him, we shall be constraind always to tremble at the least occasion, and to fear the wicked, the devils, death hell, and damnation. Every storm of troubles shall be able to overturn us. Let not our hearts therefore be troubled, let us rest in God, and believe in him. Let no danger drive us to deny h • m, lest we be denied of him in his kingdom. And let us consider the heavy punishment determined and reserved for all distrustful and fearful men which shall fear man more then God, and so make ship-wrack of faith and a good conscience, they shall be punished with unbelievers, with the abhominable, with murderers and whoremongers, with idolaters and liars, in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.
1
And Harad a Canaanitish King dwelling toward the South, heard tell that Israel was come by the way of the Spies; then fought he against Israel, and took of them a multitude of prisoners.
2
So Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said; If thou wilt surely deliver this people into mine hand then will I utterly destroy their Cities.
3
And the Lord heard the voice of Israel, & delivered them the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them & their Cities, and called the name of that place Hormah.
What Canaanitish King this was, whereof Moses maketh mention in this place, is uncertain. Some think it to be the king of the Amalekites, which Moses pointeth out; but this carrieth no show or semblance of truth. For first, the Amalekites long since endeavored to stop the passage and proceeding of the children of Israel, and were destroyed with a great destruction; and therefore it is not likely, that now they would come out again to make a new on-set, especially seeing the Israelites invaded not their Land. Besides, the Amalekites cannot be accounted in the number of the Canaanites, inasmuch as they descended not of Canaan, but of Esau, and so were alied to the Israelites, being of the race of Shem. Rather we are here to understand some King of the Amorites, who because they came of one common stock, as Moses teacheth, Gen. 10, 15, 16, ate comprehended under the Canaanites. But to come to the matter it self, here we see how the Israelites encounter with Harad, occasion of the battle being offered by himself. For when by his espials and scouts sent abroad, he had intelligence that Israel approached, he levied an host, armed them, and issued forth against them of his own accord, not challenged, not provoked, not injured by the Israelites, but himself challenging and provoking, rusheth forward to the destruction of his person, and the confusion of his army. The success of this encounter was double. First, the Canaanites had the upper hand, slew some of the Israelites, and took many prisoners, & led them away captives, so that they turned their backs and were not able to stand before their enemies. The people of God having had this loss, & taken the foil, do not fret against God, nor despair of his help, but after this fresh disaster & discomfit, they reconcile thenselves to God, they fly to him by prayer, they humble themselves as Joshua did, when the mē of Ai put them to flight, saying, O Lord, what shall we say when Israel turn their backs before their enemies. They vow unto God to turn nothing of this Kings Country to their own use and profit, but consecrate and sanctify all to God, destroying their enemies, and razing their Cities, if he would grant them victory, and deliver the Canaanites into their hands, in whom now was equal their proud insolency, and good success, through the former battle. No doubt the Israelites had sinned before against God, and not repented of their sin, they provoked him by their security, glorying in their strength, trusting in their multitude, and puffed up with the victories w c God had given them, who had fought their battles gone in and out with their armies, and covered their heads in the day of slaughter: thus lying in their sins, nothing can prosper, God curseth the works of their hands, and letteth them see their own weakness, and that they should not be able to prevail against any of their enemies, unless God did fight for them, according to that in the 127. Psal. v. 1, 2. Except the Lord keep the City, the keeper watcheth in vain: it is in vain for you to rise early, and to sit down late, and eat the bread of sorrow; but he will surely give rest to his beloved. So long as they trusted in their own strength and number, & looked not for victory as a blessing from God, they could not stand: but when they had repented and craved protection from him that is the strength of Israel, they join again their power, unite their forces, order their battails, resist their enemies, prevail and put them all to flight. For if God be with us, who shall be against us? But if he be against us, who shall be with us, or who shall plead for us? It is not the wisdom of the Leaders, nor the virtue of the soldiers, nor the counsel of the wise, nor the planting of munition, can any whit prevail, until we be reconciled unto God, and God unto us.
Lastly, the Israelites being masters of the field, having the Cities and persons standing at their mercy, they perform the solemn promise and vow made to the God of heaven, not to halves, or in part, as Saul did, who spared the better sheep and the fat beasts: but they utterly destroyed their enemies, & their cities, & in memorial of the great goodness of God, hearing them in their prayers, and respecting them in their miseries, they call the name of y place, Hormah, that is, destruction and confusion. This is the principal drift of this division. Now let us consider the doctrines that directly arise from this place, that our faith may be strengthened, & our obedience increased.
[And Harad a Canaanitish King, &c.] We see here how the Canaanites appointed to destruction, and to be rooted out, enemies to the people of God, such as had now filled up the measure of their sins, yet here prevail against Israel, kill some of them, and take others prisoners. This teacheth us this Doctrine, that oftentimes [Doctrine] the enemies of the Church prevail over them: I say, the enemies of God and of his people, who in the secret counsel and purpose of God, are vowed to destruction, do insult and triumph over the Church and particular parts thereof, God correcting the rebellion of his children by them. This truth God sealed up in the beginning by the blood of Abel, Cain spake friendly, But rose up desperately against him, and slew his brother, because his own works were evil, & his brothers good. So just Lot vexed with the unclean conversation of the wicked (for he being righteous, and dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day today with their unlawful deeds,) was notwithstanding carried away captive by a proud and insolent enemy. Besides, the book of Judges serveth us as a plentiful storehouse to teach this truth, where we see, that whē the people of God did wickedly in the sight of y e Lord, served Baalim, and forsook the Lord God of their fathers which brought them out of the Land of Egypt: the wrath of the Lord waxed hot against them, he delivered them into the hands of spoilers, he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about them, yea whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was sore against them. So that the people of God are oftentimes driven to the wall, and constrained to yield unto the violence of bloody and cruel enemies.
Neither can we marvel at the Lord's doing, [Reason 1] if we consider; First, that his own people sin against him, and therefore God is even compelled to correct and chasten them, howbeit in mercy, not in his fury; for their instruction, not for their destruction. This the Prophet teacheth, Lam. 1, 3, 4, 5. Josh. 7, 1, 4. What father doth not correct when he seeth his children run astray, though he love them dearly? So God chasteneth his dearest Saints and servants because they should not be condemned with the world. It is the sin of the godly that causeth him to lay sundry troubles and his heavy hand upon them, causing him to correct severely, evē those that he loveth most dearly, as he did David and diverse other of his people, that we should repent thereof, that God may cease smiting of us.
[Reason 2] Secondly, he maketh the adversaries prevail over his children, that they may learn to rest in God alone, to put their trust & affiance in him, and not to rely upon vain man, who is lighter then vanity it self. We are ready to rest upon our selves, & upon an arm of flesh, rather then upon the living God, as David in his prosperity said, I shall never be moved. Some trust in Horses, and some in Chariots, which are deceitful helps, & some in Princes, whose breath is in their nostrils: it is expedient therefore, that God should leave us for a time in the hands of our enemies, that we may learn our own weakness, and acknowledge his goodness. Thus he dealt with Manasseh, when he gave himself to sorcery, fell into idolatry, & shed much innocent blood with all cruelty, when he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and caused Judah to err, and to do worse then the heathen: He was led away prisoner into Babylon, being put in fetters, and bound in chains. But when he was in tribulatiō, he prayed to the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He learned that in Babylon, which he could never learn at Jerusalem: profited more lying in prison, thē he did sitting on his throne and he got more true godliness in his heart, in the days of his captivity, then ever he gained in the time of his prosperity.
[Reason 3] Thirdly, to harden the hearts of the enemies, that they may run forward to their own confusion. For a little prosperity puffeth them up, thereby they sorget God, they grow in malice and madness, and tip their tongues with the venom of their hearts. Sometimes they are lifted up on high, that God may give them the greater down-fall. So he dealt with the men of Ai, Josh. 8, 6: after they had smitten many of the Israelites with the sword, they rushed headlong out of the City, to their own ruin and destruction. So he dealt with the wicked Benjamites, triumphing in their victories glorying in their own strength, and saying one to another, Surely they are smitten down before us as in the first battle, but the judgment fell upon their own heads, Judge. 20, 39.
[Use 1] The uses remain. First, we learn hereby not to measure the Church or the truth of religion by outward prosperity or peace, which is a deceitful measure and a false rule, seeing God often humbleth his servants under his & their enemies. True it is, God sometimes giveth unto his Church a flourishing estate in wealth and peace, in glory and visible beauty, to give thereby even a taste of all kind of earthly blessings, and that they might have opportunity to serve him, & every kind of comfort and encouragement in well doing: yet he oftentimes altereth the outward estate of the Church in this world, and changeth the condition of his servants from one extreme to another. Let us not therefore measure the favor and love of God towards our selves or others by the blessings or adversities of this life. Here the wicked many times flourish and flow in peace, when the godly live in great grief and misery; and on the other side, the godly sometimes prosper & have rest, and a time of breathing and refreshing granted unto them, whē the wicked are in great distress. This is it which the wiseman teacheth, Eccl. 9, 1, 2. All things come alike to all, and the same condition is to the just and to the wicked, so that no man knoweth either love or hatred of all that is before them. No man can esteem by any outward estate, whether he be loved or hated of God, for neither do the righteous always prosper, neither are the wicked always crossed and afflicted; but the wicked flourish more commonly and more gloriously then the just, and the hand of God lieth heavier and sorer upon the godly, then upon the ungodly: both sorts are subject to death, both are laid in the grave, without any show or appearance of difference between the one & the other. The love of God toward the believers is not discerned by the eye, but apprehended and embraced by faith.
Secondly, we must learn not to publish & [Use 2] spread abroad the miseries and calamities of the Church, that the enemies may not rejoice in the days of her tribulation. We ought not to blaze & brute abroad the private infirmities of private persons, lest we kindle coals of hatred and contention & take away the good name of our brother: much more are we forbidden to divulge the miseries and afflictions of the Church, to give occasion to the enemy to rejoice and solace himself in the sorrows of the Saints of God. We know the rage of enemies, nothing is more joyful to them then to hear of the distresses and desolations thereof. Therefore David after the slaughter of Saul and Jonathan by the sword of the enemy, provoketh to this duty, 2 Sam. 1, 19, 20. O noble Israel, he is slain upon thine high places: how are the mighty over thrown! Tell it not in Gath, nor pubish it in the streets of Askelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Where he forbiddeth to tell and declare to the profane enemies the fall and overthrow of the King, his sons and host of Israel, lest the Philistines should insult upon them, and scoff at them, and consequently blaspheme the God whom they served and worshipped. The like charge the Prophet Micah giveth, speaking of the afflictions that should befall Israel and Judah, Their plagues are grievous, for it is come into Judah: Judah: the enemy is come unto the gate of my people, unto Jerusalem: Declare it not at Gath, neither weep ye: in the house of Hophrah roll thyself in the dust. Mich. 1, 9, 10. He enjoineth thē silence, lest the same thereof spread it self to their enemies to increase their reproach, and to multiply their sorrow. For what doth more vex us & double our misery, then to see men so far from pitying us, that they triumph over us and laugh at us? This condemneth many that live among us in these days of dissention, that tender not the peace of the Church, which ought to be as dear unto us as our own lives, but publish the shame & reproach one of another, as with the blast of a Trumpet, albeit our enemies and the enemies of our religion live among us. Abraham took up the controversy between him and Lot, saying, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, neither between my heard-men & thy heardmen, because the Canaanites dwelled at that time in the Land. If we did aright consider this point that our enemies are among us, y t are as whips on our sides, and thorns in our eyes, that seek the subversion of the Common-wealth, not the conversion of the Church: there would not be so many bad & bitter invectives written as it were with gall and wormwood, setting on fire the hearts of one against another, as if we were enemies, not friends; strangers, not brethren; infidels, not believers. These contentions are a stumbling block unto the weak, an hardening and heartening of the adversary, and an utter estranging of us one from another. Let us therefore follow those things that belong to peace, and unite our forces together as one man, that we may seek y e building up of the Church among us, and double our strokes upon the back of the enemy.
[Use 3] Thirdly, let us use patience under the cross, lying as under God's hand, and in the midst of all our afflictions say with the Prophet, I was dumb and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. Psal. 39, 9. This we read to have been worthily practiced of Job, when the cup of affliction began to overflow, chap. 2, 10. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. This also we find expressly required, Heb. 10, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Where we see in the example of these afflicted Hebrews, that when our enemies insult over the Church, we must not murmur & tepine, but be still and silent under the cross, and according to the counsel and commandment of Christ, Luke 21, 19, By patience possess our souls: and without this, we shall never have comfort and contentment in such afflictions as we are called to endure.
[Use 4] Lastly, seeing God at sundry times and in diverse manners giveth those that are his, into the hands of their enemies; surely in the ende he will not spare the wicked, he deferreth his punishments, but he striketh at the last. As he is longer in drawing his Bowe, and making ready his Quiuer, so his Arrows when they come, pierce the deeper, and wound the sorer. The higher his hand is lifted up before it falleth, the greater the blow is when it lighteth. He hath a leaden foot and hasteth slowly, but howsoever he tarry till the appointed time, yet surely he will come and will not stay, but recompense the slowness of his coming, with the grievousness of his punishing, When he will crush them with a Scepter of iron, and break them in pieces like a potters vessel. This Moses teacheth in his song concerning God's benefits toward his people, and their unthankfulness toward him; If I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment, I will execute vengeance toward mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me, and I will make mine arrows drunk with blood. Deut. 32, 41, 42. Let them not therefore triumph over the Church & people of God: and let us wait a while, and see the end of all her enemies, how God hath set them in a slippery place. We see in this History, that albeit these Canaanites were as the rod of God to chastise his servants for their security, yet God in the end threw them in the fire, and gave them as a prey to his people, as appeareth afterward. The like the Prophet David declareth, Psal. 137, 3, 7, 8, 9, that howsoever the Edomites and Babylonians flouted at the Church in affliction, and they that led thē captives required of them in mockage, songs and mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion: yet they escaped not the just hand of a revenging God, according to the prayer of his people, Remember the childrē of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerusalem, which said, raze it, raze it to the foundation thereof: O daughter of Babel worthy to be destroyed, blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us: blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones. And the Prophet David being greeuoufly persecuted under Saul, and hunted frō place to place as a Partridge in the Mountains, assureth himself that flying to God in his afflictions, and possessing his soul by patience, he shall in the end behold God taking such vengeance on all his enemies, & rewarding them seven fold into their bosom, that he shall in pity and compassion pray unto God for them in their miseries. True it is, he doth not always recompense them presently, so soon as they have sinned, because he is the God of patience, waiting for their repentance, bearing with the vessels of wrath, and making them without excuse; yet at the length he will reprove them, and set their sins in order before them, Psal. 50, 21.
[Verse 2. So Israel vowed a vow. ] Before the Israelites trusted in themselves; now being overthrown by the enemies, they turn to God, and learn obedience by the things which they suffered. So then the present ouerrhrow given unto them, maketh them consider their own weakness, and driveth them to God in their distress.
The doctrine frō hence is this, that affliction is profitable to the Church, it bringeth & driveth us unto God. The Church of God in general, and the servants of God in particular, which cannot profitably use prosperity, and bear themselves thankfully in the days of peace, do learn in adversity to turn to God, and are thereby brought unto him. Hereunto cometh the example of the Israelites, Judge. 3, 8, 9, 10. When the wrath of God was kindled against Israel doing wickedly, forgetting God and serving their idols that turned to their ruin, then they cried unto the Lord, and he stirred up a Savior unto them. Hereunto also cometh the threatenings of Moses, Deut. 4, 27, 28, 29, 30. 2 Chron. 15, 3. To this purpose the prophet speaketh, Psal. 107, 6, 13, 19, 28. Whē they wandered in the Desert, and found no City to dwell in; when they were bound in misery and iron, because they rebelled against the words of the Lord; when they travel by sea and occupy by the great waters, that the winds and storms toss them up and down, so that all their cunning is gone: Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivereth thē out of their distress. So immediately before their captivity, they mocked the messengers of God, despised his words, misused his Prophets, which spake unto them, rising early and late; and abused their peace when they dwelled in their Cities and abode in their houses: but in the days of their affliction, when the enemies insulted upon them, their hearts were smitten, they could not sing the songs of the Lord in a strange land, then they remembered Jerusalem and the Temple, the sacrifices and service of God in the Temple, w c they had frequented and too much prophanened, verifying that sentence in the Proverbs, chap. 27, 7. The person that is full, despiseth an Honey-comb; but unto the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. This the Prophet Isaiah setteth down in the song of the faithful, chap. 26, 16. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer whē thy chastening was upon them. Now let us come to the reasons.
[Reason 1] For, from whence come they? or who is the author of them? Are they not from GOD? There is no evil in the city, which the Lord hath not done, Amos 3, 6. He hath his quiver full of arrows. Hath he not the sword to strike us? Hath he not the pestilence to consume us? Hath he not the famine to pinch us and pine us away? Hath he not all creatures in his own hand to send out against us? If then afflictions be the work of his hand, there is great reason and cause the church should turn to him that sendeth them, that by returning to him, the judgment may be removed & put away. This the Prophet teacheth, Lam. 3, 37, 38, 39, 40. Who is it then that saith, and it cometh to pass, and the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord: let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in the heavens, saying; we have sinned and rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared. Seeing therefore, afflictions are from God, not from men; from heaven, not from the earth; they must needs be of necessary and profitable use to the children of God, to whose good all things tend and fall out.
Again, none else in heaven or earth can [Reason 2] help us. To whom then should we turn but to the Lord? Can any other relieve us, or deliver us? Is there any help on the right hand or on the left hand? Can any take away that which GOD hath laid upon, the children of men? He is God, and there is none beside him: he killeth and giveth life, neither is there any that can deliver out of his hand. This is that which the Prophet urgeth Psal. 142, 4, 5. I looked upon my right hand, and beheld, but there was none that would know me: all refuge failed me, and none cared for my soul: then I cried unto the Lord, &c. If then God be the author of afflictions, and if none can take from us the smallest cross and the least touch of his little finger that lieth upon us, there is great cause that in all our troubles we should fly unto God, and draw near unto him.
Now let us consider the uses of this Doctrine. [Use 1] First, seeing the Church is brought to the Lord by afflictions, observe herein the mighty power of God, that hath many ways and sundry means to turn the hearts of men, to humble them, and bring them home unto himself; to call them and cast them down at his footstool. Indeed among all means that God hath sanctified to further our salvation, the chiefest is his messenger, one of a thousand to speak to them out of his word, & to preach unto them his truth, which is the power of God to salvation to all that believe. But he hath also many other ways that he useth when it pleaseth him, as he saith by y e Prophet Isaiah, chap. 5, 4. What could I have done anymore to my Vineyard that I have not done unto it? He hedged it, he gathered out the stones of it, he planted it with the best Plants, he built a Tower in the midst thereof, and made a wine-press therein. He beseecheth us by his sweet mercies, and when no fair means will serve, yet affliction is often made powerful to turn our harts, & to prepare the way for repentance, as the needle doth for the thread. This use is made in Job 33, 16, 17, 23. God speaketh once or twice in dreams and visions, by his Messenger and Interpreter, even by their corrections which he hath sealed, that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise, and that he might hide the pride of man. Let us therefore hereby all of us learn to acknowledge the greatness, both of the mercy and power of God in working out our salvation effectually by so many means, who being infinitely good, is able to bring good out of evil, as he did light of darkness.
Secondly, we see that albeit afflictions be [Use 2] grievous and bitter, yet they are not unprofitable to those whom God hath chosen to better graces. Albeit tribulation and anguish, peril and the sword, nakedness and famine fall upon us, And though we be slain all day long, and counted as sheep to the slaughter, yet in all these we are more then Conquerors; there is a sweet issue and a comfortable end of them, that thereby we are made better. This appeareth by the confession and experience of the Prophet David, Psal. 119, 67, 71, & 94, 12, 13. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word. And again, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy Statutes. And in another place, Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him in thy Law: that thou mayest give him rest from the days of evil, whiles the pit is digged for the wicked. True it is, we ought to make use of the mercies and patience of God, to be led forward unto repentance, that so where grace aboundeth, our obedience may abound also. But because we make his blessings and benefits an occasion of evil, and turn the grace of God into wantonness, I am persuaded it were a great deal better for many of us in respect of our souls and salvation, that we were in affliction and in persecution, that the enemies were at our backs, and their swords at our throats, that the pestilence did walk among us, that the sickness destroyed us at noon-day, that a thousand did fall at our right hand, & ten thousand at our left hand, that we heard the sound of the Trumpet, the roaring of the Canon, the clattering of Armor, & crying in our streets: for then it were to be hoped, we would turn unto God in our misery, repent us of our iniquity, and fly unto God in our adversity. We see by woeful experience, that peace & prosperity have lulled many of us asleep in a bed of case, & have done the Church more harm, then cruel war, and bloody persecution. True it is, the blessings of God are not hurtful of themselves, but our corruption turneth that into a curse which God bestoweth as a blessing, So that he which should have been upright, is laden with fatness, and spurneth with his heel. Therefore God is constrained to punish us, to take his benefits from us, and to bring us into order and obedience by the want of them.
[Use 3] Lastly, seeing afflictions and chastisements draw us to God, as loss of the battle did here the Israelites; we learn, that whensoever they lie upon us, and press heavily upon our bodies, our souls, our neighbors, our familes, our friends, whether they be common or private calamities; then it is high time to turn unto God, and to search out the cause of our affliction. This must be our practice & feeling when his hand is upon us, when he scattereth the brands of his fire, and shooteth the Arrows of his Quiuer, when he draweth out his glittering sword, and his hand taketh hold of judgment, whē he sendeth famine & dearth of bread, or the famine of his word, which is the sorest and sharpest famine, as the Prophet affirmeth, Amos 8, verses 10, 11, 12. Then is cause of humiliation, then it is time to cast down our selves at the foorstoole of God, to cry to him to spare his people. The Lord thretening by his prophet a great and fearful judgment upon the Land, that shall turn their feasts into mourning, and make it as the mourning for an only son. Doth he mean the sharpness of the sword, or the arrows of famine, or the invasion of enemies, or the devouring of wild beasts, or the raging of the pestilence or the carrying away into banishment and captivity, w c are the things that worldly minded men fear and regard? No, But a famine of hearing God's word: that they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North even to the East shall they run to and fro, to seek the Lord, and shall not find it: In that day shall many perish for thirst, according to the doctrine of Solomon, Pro. 29.18. Where vision ceaseth, the people perish. Howsoever therefore carnal & profane men, have no sense or feeling of anything but of earthly losses, yet the Spirit of God teacheth, and every faithful soul acknowledgeth, y t as there is no blessing like to the blessing of the word: so there is no work of his judgment like to the want of his word. And howsoever the Pastor may not want the people in respect of the means of his maintenance, inasmuch as God hath ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel; yet the people want the Pastor more, as the child wanteth the nurse, more then the nurse the child, as Lamen. 2.11, 12. The babes & sucklings swound in the streets of the city, they have said to their mother, Where is bread and drink? when they gave up the ghost in their mothers bosom. Now the Ministers are called not only the Fathers, but the Nurses of the Church, 1 Thess. 2. We were gentle among you, even as a Nurse cherisheth her children: and the Apostle exhorteth, that as new borne babes we desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby, because we have tasted that the Lord is bountiful. And thus much of the end and use of afflictions, which God sanctifieth to the good of his Church, that thereby they may draw nearer unto him.
Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt deliverer this people into mine hand, &c. The people pray, promise, and vow unto God the destruction of men & cities, if God would deliver them into their hands. We learn hereby, y t vows are lawful, & so vowing we are to perform the same. This we see practiced by Jacob going to his uncle Laban for avoiding the fury of his brother Esau, Gen. 28.20.21. Hannah, upon condition of having a son, vowed him for a perpetual Nazarite to the Lord. So doth David oftentimes make vows to God in the time of his trouble, upon condition to be delivered out of his trouble.
Thus in this example of the Israelites in this place we see, that if God would be on their side when their enemies rise up against them to swallow them up quick, and deliver them as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler, they promise and vow the performance of an outward and bodily exercise. So then out of this place the doctrine of vows may be strongly confirmed, and the lawful practice of them sufficiently maintained, and warranted to be good and godly.
[Reason 1] For, to come to the reasons whereupon the doctrine standeth; a lawful and holy vow is a profitable help to further us in the worship of God. True it is, a vow is not a part of God's worship, no more then fasting is, (as fasting is no more a part of God's worship then feasting, or eating and drinking is) which in it self and by it self considered, pleaseth God no more then external and bodily exercises do: yet it is an help and furtherance of the true service of God, a prop and stay to further the same. The kingdom of God standeth not in outward things, as the Apostle teacheth, It is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, Romans, chapter 14.17. But when we promise to God with full purpose of heart some outward duty, it serveth the better to excite and stir us up to repentance and thanksgiving toward God. And thus the servants of God have used it.
[Reason 2] Again, it is far better never to vow, then having vowed not to pay and perform that which is gone out of our lips: so as we may reason as Peter doth with Ananias, Acts 5.4. Likewise may it be said to such as break their lawful vows offered unto God, was it not in thy liberty to vow or not to vow? how thē hast thou conceived this wickedness in thy heart, to lie, not to men, but unto God? Vowes were prescribed or appointed by the Law of God as testimonies of faith, and bonds of that reverence and obedience which we owe unto him: therefore to vow, and not to pay & perform the solemn promise and covenant that we have made, is impudently to mock God, and consequently to pull great punishment upon our own heads. This the Wise man teacheth, Eccles. 5.3, 4, 5.
[Use 1] Let us apply this to our selves. First, from this example we may learn the doctrine of vows, what is to be holden of vows, & what is not to be holden. For we see here, what a vow is; namely, a free and solemn promise made to God touching such things as please him, tending to the glory of his Name, the profit of our brethren, or the repentance and salvation of our souls. Secondly, we see who may vow, (to wit;) such as are free and at liberty, nor under the power and jurisdiction of others. Thirdly, to whom vows are to be made, not to Saints or Angels, but to God only, and to him alone they are to be performed, according to the saying of the Psalmist, Psal. 76.11. As he only is to be prayed unto, and from him we are to look for all good things: so to him only we must vow, and offer to him y e calves of our lips. Fourthly, it appears what we may vow to God; not things unlawful, impossible, and unwarranted by the word of God; not things whereof we are uncertain, whether they please God or not: for who would offer to a Prince, or promise to him such things as he knoweth he will not accept, or doubteth whether he will accept thereof? Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin, as the Apostle teacheth: But such things as y e Scripture warranteth, being the true rule of all right ways, such was this vow in this place. Lastly, we see that vows thus made, are carefully to be kept, and religiously to be performed, having an eye to the party with whom we have to deal. For as they are to be made with reverence, so they are to be performed with care and diligence; otherwise we do foully and falsely abuse the Majesty of God, and take his Name in vain. All these considerations and conditions teach us, that vows are not in thenselves unlawful and to be condemned, so as they be restrained and bounded in the compass of the law of God, and not suffered to wander after our own fancies.
Secondly, it serveth to beat down all false [Use 2] doctrine and erroneous opinions touching vowing, which are many: and to rectify our judgments by teaching what vows are lawful, what unlawful.
First, if they be made of anything flat against the word of God, they cannot bind or tie us to the performance thereof; for all the force and power of binding us, is to be borrowed and derived from the word of God. Wherefore it must be agreeable to the will of God, and whensoever it is against the word of God, it hath no strength or efficacy to contstrain or command. They which would have murdered Paul, and had conspired together by a solemn league of agreement, did make a solemn vow not to eat nor drink, until they had executed their devilish purpose, and put the Apostle to death. But who now dare say, that they were bound in conscience by their vow, or that God liked of it? For this were all one, as if they would make God a companion of their murder. Therefore David vowing the slaughter and destruction of Nabal and his family, revoked it at the wise counsel of a discreet woman.
Secondly, they must not he made by such persons as want sufficient reason, judgment, discretion, and understanding: as children, fools, or furious persons; for these cannot be made with freedom of conscience, nor can be said to be taken up by a man's own accord, in as much as the mind cannot truly discern what is done, as is proved at large in the thirtieth chapter of the book of Numbers, and the fourth verse.
Thirdly, it condemneth such as vow, having no power or authority in themselves, to bind themselves; such vows cannot bind, being made against the law of nature. For all lawful vows must be made with consent of their superiors, so long as they are under the government of others, as appeareth by the fifth commandment, Honor thy father, &c.
Fourthly, they must be so made, as they may stand with Christian liberty: for we may not in any sort make such things absolutely necessary, as God hath left free unto us, snaring the conscience, and abridging the liberty which Christ hath purchased, contrary to the commandment of the Apostle, Gal. 5.1.
Fifthly, it reproveth such as vow things impossible, and out of the power and liberty of the makers thereof, to do, or not to do: so that a vow made of a thing impossible is no vow at all: but an intolerable presumption, and a willful tempting of God: As if a man should vow to walk upon his head, or to fly in the air, or to stay the stars as Joshua did, or to divide the sea as Moses did; wherein we have no assurance of any extraordinary gift of God.
Sixthly, they must not be against a man's general or particular calling; that is, neither against his calling as he is a Christian, neither that special calling wherein he liveth. If they be made against the one or the other, they are unlawful: As if the Minister should vow to do the office of the Magistrate in executing justice upon Malefactors; or the Magistrate vow to discharge the function of the Minister in preaching the Gospel: or if a man should vow to live in no calling in the Church, in the Common-wealth, or in the family, but walk inordinately with scandal and offense.
Seventhly, it convinceth all such vows as are rash, heady, sudden, idle, and unadvised; and requireth on the other side, that they be made with advice, meditation and deliberation. For rash vows be not lawful, albeit the things vowed may be done lawfully. Therefore the Wiseman saith, Eccles. 5.1. Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thy heart be hasty to utter a thing before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou art on the earth, therefore let thy words be few. If we make a promise unto a man like to our selves, we will have this consideration, and think with our selves, whether he will accept of it or not, whether his will be to like of it or not. We must not therefore mock with God, and make lighter account of him, then of a mortal man, whose breath is in his nostrils. They ought not to be made without judgment and advisement, for that were a defiling of God's service, and an abusing of his Name.
Now, as they ought not to be made rashly, but with sobriety, so ought all our vows to be of great moment and importance, and therefore we are forbidden to vow idle and trifling toys to observe, (as is usual in the Church of Rome) where one voweth a pilgrimage to the Saints, another voweth to fast and eat no flesh at such a feasts Even; whereof one is superstitious, the other devilish. As for their pilgrimages, it is a wicked corruption, and an idolatrous service which God rejecteth. For albeit (under the Law) it was the ordinance of God to build one Temple, and to choose one place to which man should resort to worship him, yet this order is now abolished; every coast and country is Jewry, every town and city is Jerusalem, every faithful company, and godly person is a Temple to worship God in: We may call upon God everywhere, and lift up pure hands in all places, no land is a strange land, no ground is unholy ground. And touching their abstinence from flesh on certain times for religion sake, it is a doctrine of devils, 1 Tim. 4, 1, 3.
Lastly, it reproveth such as propound to themselves false and wrong ends of vows, as conceit of merit, and opinion of deserving the favor of God and everlasting life. For the ends which we respect must be good, as to exercise and stir up the gifts of faith, prayer, obedience, repentance, and other graces of the Spirit, and to testify our thankfulness to God for blessings received at his hands. The intent therefore and meaning is here to be considered, and we must be well advised, not only that our vows be directed to God, but for what purpose, and how we vow to God; not to bind God unto us, but to bind us the closer to God & to render all honor unto him.
Now if we would examine the vows, practiced in the Church of Rome, by these things before delivered, we shall easily perceive the fondness and falsehood, nay the wickedness of them. For here are condemned all vows of pilgrimages, and abstinence from flesh for religion, noted before: their doctrine that children may enter into their orders and cloisters against the counsel and consent of their parents, and that persons contracted either to other, may vow continency without the liking and approbation of the other party, which cannot stand with the doctrine of the Scripture, or ancient councils. For the word establisheth the authority of parents over their children (which the former vows abridgeth and cutteth short) and teacheth, that if a woman vow unto the Lord, and bind her self by a bond, being in her fathers house, in time of her youth, if her father disallow her the same day that he heareth all her vows and bonds, they shall not be of value. Lastly, by the former observations, fall to the ground the ordinary vows of single life, voluntary poverty, and Fryarly obedience to vain and superstitious men, which they absurdly make, and tie themselves necessarily to observe. For such vows are directly and flatly against the former rules prescribed & delivered; impossible. intolerable, beyond our own strength & calling: a will worship, according to the decrees and traditions of men, and directly contrary to the commandment of God, 1 Cor. 7.9. Again, they are not in the power of him y t voweth, for no man can promise perpetual chastity in single life out of the estate of wedlock. Continency is the special and proper gift of God, who giveth it not unto all, but to whom he will, and as long as he will.
This our Savior teacheth, Matth. 19. All men cannot receive this thing, save they to whom it is given: he that is able to receive this, let him receive it. To this accordeth and agreeth the doctrine of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. I would that all men were even as myself am, but every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. Furthermore, they abolish Christian liberty, in the lawful use of the good creatures and ordinances of God, as riches and marriage; food and apparel; making that absolutely necessary, which God hath freely left to our liking and liberty. Lastly they are made most commonly to Saints, and not to God, and they are made for merits sake, thereby to deserve salvation, and the substance of religion and worship of God is made to consist in them: whereas the Apostle teacheth, That bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable for all things. Therefore these vows practiced and defended by the Church of Rome, being unlawfully, rashly, unconscionably, superstitiously, meritoriously made, and impossible to be performed, cannot bind the conscience, but are better broken, then irreligiously kept, according to the doctrine of the former Churches.
Thirdly, seeing vows be lawful, which are promises made to God, of some duty to be performed to him, to some good end; the vow which all believers have made in Baptism, is, to be kept of everyone: wherein we promised to believe in Christ, to obey God, to bring forth the fruits of true repentance; to renounce the works of the devil, the allurements of this present evil world, and the lusts of the flesh, which lust against the spirit. And albeit we are bound to these duties by our calling & redemption, without any new vow, yet we may lawfully renew our covenant with God, and so bind our selves faster and faster. As he that hath bound himself in a bond, may yet give greater and better assurance, & bind himself more then before: So be that is bound to have faith in Christ, and to yield obedience to all his commandments, may yet further and faster bind himself, to help his dullness, coldness, and want of zeal, and to make himself more forward and servant in duties of the first and second table: according to the practice of David, I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. He was bound hereunto, without and before his oath, yet he kindled his zeal, and reneweth his covenant with God by this oath to stir up the gift of God that was in him, and to help his own infirmity. We have all in baptism vowed to consecrate our selves, even our souls and bodies to God, by renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh: if we go back as cowardly Soldiers from this our vow, shall we not be convinced as false and unfaithful to God? And how shall we conscionably keep any other vows, that break the first vow we made to God? What a fault is it accounted among our selves, to promise and then to break? But have we kept this our general and common vow, to fight under the banner and enfigne of Jesus Christ, against the devil and all his works? Or rather have we not walked, and do we not still walk in the works of darkness, after the inventions of our own hearts? And do not our open sins cry out and proclaim as much to the dishonor of God, and our own reproach: So that all such as walk in the blindness of their own minds, have besides all their other sins, this great burden upon their consciences pressing them down, that they are found vow-breakers, and have broken their faith and promise made to God. Let us all remember, that we have vowed to God our selves, and take heed we perform that which we have vowed, lest it be imputed unto us for sin.
Lastly, it followeth from hence, that such [Use 4] special and peculiar vows as we have made upon particular occasions, as everyone hath had cause in time of war, sickness, necessity trouble, and danger, we must be careful to keep, and to pay our due and debt unto God. If we feel our selves slack and slothful to good duties, we may stir up our selves, and bind ourselves by some earnest and faithful promise to God. If we be inclined to any vice, we are to do the like. If a man have fallen into whoredom and fornication, he may, to bridle and halter his lusts, vow never to delight in the harlots company. If we have fallen into drunkenness, we may vow fasting and abstinence, yea, the abstaining from all hateful houses of drunkenness, being allurements & provocations to the same. The oppressor may vow restitution and mercy to the poor, to stir up his affection the better to perform it. Now in all these, we must beware and take heed, that we be not rash in the words of our mouth nor hasty to utter a promise before the most high. What a reproach and blemish, is it in such as will readily promise much to men, and yet perform at leisure little or nothing? Do not all despise such persons? But the fault and offense is more grievous, when there is a set and solemn promise made to God, and not performed. So then, we that require true, honest, and just dealing toward our selves, and promises to be kept to our selves by a day, have we done the like to God our Lord? Let us enter into our selves, and examine our hearts, a little. We are ready in sickness, in want, in great affliction and adversity to vow, and solemnly to promise if God deliver us, to glorify him, to be thankful and obedient unto him, to enter into repentance and amendment of life. When a man hath loosely and lewdly spent his time in drunkenness, riotousnes, idleness, wantonness, envy, hatred, contempt of God and his word; if God strike him with grievous sickness, that he feareth death as the messenger sent of God to seize upon him then doth he tremble, then doth he desire that God would have mercy upon him, and then doth he make vows: If God restore me to health again, and give me life, I will never be the man I have been, I have been given to drunkenness, I will never haunt the Ale-house: I have led a naughty life, I have dishonored God, and despised his word, I will hereafter obey his voice, and attend to his word: I have hated the children of God, I will hereafter show my love to them, renouncing my sins, and living to God's glory.
Oh what goodly promises are these; and how well were it, if men did so indeed? and how were it to be wished, that as they have opened their mouth unto the Lord, so they would do according as they have promised? But when God hath heard their prayers, and restored them to health; mark, and ye shall find, that for the most part, so soon as they are recovered, and are able to craule out of the doors, they return again to their former ways, as the dog to his vomit, and the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. What shall we say of these men? Nay, what may we not say of them? Are they not covenant breakers, and grievous offenders against God? They are like unto Pharaoh King of Egypt, when the hand of God was heavy upon him and his people, then he humbled himself, he confessed the righteousness of God, the wi • kednesse of his people, and the heinousness of his sins: Then Moses and Aaron must be sent for in all haste to pray for him, whom he before despised in his heart; and scorned in his talk: yet so soon as the plague was ceased, and the hand of God removed, he hardened his heart, and would not let the children of Israel go.
But he dallied so long with the judgments of God, that he deceived himself, and in the end was drowned in the red Sea; as the Flye that playeth with the candle, until she be burned and consumed in the flame. So when men have been terrified with the hand of God, have confessed with tears their ungodly behavior, and have promised and vowed to God (if he would restore them) newness of life, and repentance from dead works: and yet being restored and recovered, being as vile in sin, as loose in life, as beastly in behavior as they were beforr: God hath in justice stricken them again for their unthankfulness, so as they have died in fury and frenzy without any appearance of grace, or assurance of mercy, or remorse of conscience, or acknowledgement of sin, or craving of pardon, or hope of forgiveness, or sign of sorrow, or joy of heart, or consolation of spirit, or purpose of amendment: but are wholly possessed with a shame of sin, and guilt of conscience, and fear of judgment, and the flashings of hell fire. Doth not this show that God's wrath is heavy against such unfaithful persons as break their oath, and falsify their promise made unto the Eternal, who always keepeth covenant with us, and will not alter the word that is gone out of his mouth? O consider this ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none that can deliver you. Contrariwise to conclude let us follow y e example of David, Psal. 66.13, 14. I will go into thine house with burnt offerings, and will pay thee may vows which my lips have promised, and my mouth hath spoken in mine affliction.
Verse 3. And the Lord heard the voice of Israel. Here is the fruit and effect of their prayer and humiliation, showing also the lawfulness and approbation of their vow; God accepteth, and respecteth them in their distresses. From hence we do learn, that God heareth and granteth the prayers of his children. For howsoever sometimes he deferreth to hear and hearken to their prayers, to exercise their faith, to kindle their zeal in prayer, to teach them whence good things proceed, to sharpen their hunger, to make them highly to esteem the graces long begged, and to prove them by delay; yet in the end God heareth and helpeth, he granteth and giveth the things which they ask according unto his will. This the Prophet declareth, Isaiah 65.24. Before they call, I will answer: and while they speak, I will hear And Psal. 120.1. I called upon the Lord in my trouble, and he heard me. And again, Psal. 145.18, 19. The Lord is near to all that call upon him, yea to all that call upon him in truth: he will fulfill the desires of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and will save them. Thus the Lord Jesus, being zealous in prayer, confesseth that his father always heareth him: Thus the Angel telleth Cornelius That his prayers are heard Thus the Apostle also teacheth, I am. 1.5. If any man want wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally, & reproacheth no man, and it shall be given him. And in the last Chapter, Is any among you afflicted, let him pray: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick: Helias was a man subject to like passions as we are, he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months: and he prayed again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
The reasons to assure us of this truth, are [Reason 1] first, the pr • mise gone out of his own mouth, and the assurance of his own word, who can never deceive nor falsify his truth. This is it which Christ our Savior urgeth, Matth. 7.7, 8. Ask, and it shall be given you: Seek, and ye shall find: Knocke, and it shall be opened unto you: for whosoever asketh receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. This is the ground and foundation of our faith in prayer, (to wit,) the promise of God, without which, we can have no confidence or trust in the mercy of God.
Again, what man heareth not, accepteth [Reason 2] not, granteth not the requests of his children that come unto him? Men that are evil and corrupt, that have scarce a spark of the love that is in God, will not turn away their eyes from the miseries of their children, much more then will God open the treasures of his graces to bestow upon us. This comparison our Savior presseth, Mat. 7.9, 10, 11. Where the doctrine hath his confirmation, What man is there among you, which if his son ask him bread, would give him a stone? Or if he ask fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then which are evil, can give to your children good gifts, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? And the Prophet saith, Can a woman forget her child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? though they should forget, yet I will not forget thee.
Let us come to the uses of this doctrine. [Use 1] First, it teacheth the blessed estate of the Church, and a great privilege that the faithful have; so that no man should say, It is vain to serve God, and what prosit is it that we have kept his commandments, and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts? But it will be said, Here they are in troubles and torments; here they suffer sorrows and afflictions every day. Be it so, Yet herein they are more then conquerors through him that loved them; so that neither life nor death shall separate them from Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord is the Sun and shield unto us, the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
So then, their tribulations and afflictions shall not hinder their blessedness, but by manifold troubles we shall enter into happiness and everlasting life. Let our present care be to serve the Lord, and then we shall be safe under his protection, and not fear what man can do unto us, as the Prophet teacheth, Psa. 118. 5, 6, 7. I called upon the Lord in trouble, and the Lord heard me, and set me at large: the Lord is with me, therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me, I shall see my desire upon mine enemies. Let us therefore walk worthy of this blessed estate and condition, seeing we have God near unto us, and ready to hear us, so often as we pour out our meditations before him. There is no comfort like unto this, in this life; whereby we obtain health in sickness, riches in poverty, safety in danger, rest in trouble, joy in sorrow, comfort in adversity. So then, howsoever the ungodly accounteth the life of the faithful, contemptible and miserable, above all other, yet we see one are truly happy but they. For if I can say, I have been hungry, and the Lord hath fed me; I have been naked, and he hath clothed me; I have been sick, and he hath restored me; I have been in dangers, and he hath delivered me; I have a blessed experience of God's favor given unto me, and an assurance of future happiness reserved for me in the heavens.
[Use 2] Secondly, let us acknowledge it to be our duty to call upon him in the day of trouble, and in all our necessities to come unto him. For if the righteous crieth, and the Lord heareth him, yea delivereth him out of all his troubles, let us fly unto him; the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous • unneth unto it, and is exalted: Here is the only refuge of the godly against all troubles and adversities; hereby we are instructed to whom we should run and repair in all need and necessities. A strong Castle secureth those that fly unto it for succor and defense. Such is the favor of God toward the elect in Christ, who are sanctified by the holy Ghost, he protecteth those that fly unto him, and they shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. This the Prophet presseth, Psal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Let us not look to the hills or mountains; to men or Angels; let us not trust in friends or in riches; in power or policy, but know that our help cometh from the Lord, which hath made heaven and earth, who will preserve our going out, and our coming in, from henceforth and forever. This serveth to condemn the Church of Rome, who refuse the mediation of Christ to come unto God, and set up Saints and Angels in his place to usurp his office. But we are sure that Christ Jesus will never fail us, nor cease to discharge the calling appointed unto him of his Father. Why then do we not go directly unto him, that gently calleth, and lovingly allureth us, Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will refresh you?
Thirdly, doth God hear us when we call? [Use 3] and when we ask, doth he answer? Then it standeth with the right of reason and with the law of equity, to hear him when he calleth upon us, and crieth unto us. For whensoever we pray unto God, we speak unto him, and call upon him to hear us. Whensoever the word of God is preached and delivered, he speaketh to us, and calleth upon us to hear him. If then we would have God regard us, when we cry to him, we must respect him whē he calleth to us. We cry by prayer; he calleth us by his word. Therefore, it is that the Lord often denounceth and threateneth all impenitent persons, that he will despise them that despise him, and will not hear them praying unto him, that will not hear him preaching unto them, as Pro. 1.24, 26, 27, 28, 29. Zach. 7.11, 12. Mic. 3.4 Prov. 28.9. Of all comforts that we feel in this life, none is greater then to pray unto God in our troubles, with assurance to be heard: this the ungodly with all their rage and cruelty can never take from us.
Therefore this is a sore judgment, when God openly professeth and proclaimeth, that he will not hear our prayers crying unto him in our miseries. When we are rejected and forsaken of men in our afflictions▪ yet we have our recourse and refuge unto GOD, and we are comforted. How wretched therefore is the estate of all unrepentant sinners, who stopping their ears at the hearing 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of the Law do make all their prayers to be abominable. So did God threaten his people to number them to the sword, because (saith he) I called, and ye did not answer: I spake, and ye heard not, but did evil in my sight, and did choose that thing which I would not. If then we would have God open his ears to hear us, let us acknowledge it to be our duty to open our ears to hear him. God will never stop his ears against any, but those that have stopped their ears against him.
[Use 4] Lastly, learn to acknowledge the greatness of God's mercy and loving kindness, and return the praise and glory of his own works to his great Name. As he hath heard us graciously, so let us bear our selves thankfully in rendering to him the calves of our lips, and offering to him the sacrifice of praise. Even as he filleth us with his mercy, let us fill our mouths with his praise, and the memorial of his Name, and say: What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. This use the Prophet teacheth, Psal. 145. having declared that God showeth himself near to those that call upon him and fear him, he addeth: My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall bless his holy Name forever and ever. If I can say, when all men forsook me, the Lord took me up, I have been running into the paths of death, and was near to destruction, but thou hast brought me back, showing me the ways of life and salvation: I have been ignorant, and thou hast instructed me: If I have this experience of his goodness, so many ways toward me he openeth my mouth to praise his mercy, and I can never sufficiently magnify his Name that hath brought so great things to pass for me.
This practice is likewise taught, Psal. 107. where the Prophet mentioning sundry deliverances that God showeth his people in times of famine, and in the days of affliction, by land or by sea, he doubleth oftentimes his affection, Let them therefore confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men. [He delivered them the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them. See here the uncertainty of war. The Israelites after their overthrow fight again, and have the victory. They were at the first overcome and taken prisoners by their enemies, but now they prevail & get the upper hand. Albeit the righteous fall for a time, yet they are not cast off forever, for the Lord putteth under his hand. Great deliverances giveth he to his servants, he teacheth their hands to fight, and their fingers to battle: he is their strength and their fortress, their tower, and their deliverer, their shield, and in him they trust. The horse indeed is prepared against the day of battle, but salvation is of the Lord, to whom it is not hard to save with many or with few. This the Prophet setteth down, Psal. 81. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I would soon have humbled their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. Heereby we learn, that howsoever God think it meet that his Church lie under the cross, yet in his good time he helpeth, he forsaketh it not forever, but returneth again in great mercy and compassion. Albeit affliction dwelleth upon the servants of God, not only for a moment, but oftentimes presseth them for a long season, that they have no breathing time, No not to swallow their spittle, (as Job speaketh:) yet in due time God is not unmindful and forgetful of them. Hereunto cometh the saying of the Psalmist, He endureth but a while in his anger, but in his favor is life: weeping may abide at evening, but joy cometh in the morning. This the Lord expresseth in the Prophet, For a little time have I forsaken thee, but with great compassion will I gather thee: for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee, for a little season, but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee. We see this point largely declared in the book of Judges, when God raised up enemies against the Israelites, and sold them as a vile thing of base account (for whom he took no money) yet when they called and cried unto him, he sent them a deliverer, who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries. This appeareth in the histories of Joseph, of Job, of the Church in Egypt, of David, of Daniel, who first endured shame and the reproach of the cross, yet afterward he returned unto them when the time of refreshing came from the presence of God.
The reasons are plain: First, his ears are [Reason 1] always open to the cries of his children, he putteth their tears in his bottle of remembrance, and writeth them in his Register, so that when they cry, their enemies shall turn their backs, for God is with his. This he saith, Exod. 2. the children of Israel sighed for the bondage and cried, and their cry for their bondage came up unto God: Then the Lord said, I have surely seen the trouble of my people which are in Egypt, I have heard their cry and moan, for I know their sorrows, and I will deliver them: verifying that in the Psalm, He led his people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron. So long therefore as we have a voice, so long as we have an heart to lift up to God, and can pour out the meditations thereof before him, we haur comfort and assurance to be helped. When the poor infant is fallen into danger of fire or water, or other misery, if he can cry that the father may hear his voice, there is hope of safety and deliverance: So, if we can call upon God the Father in Jesus Christ, in our distresses, our heavenly Father will not leave us nor forsake us in our dangers.
Secondly, albeit the faithful fall into many [Reason 2] afflictions, and their enemies make long surrowes upon their backs, yet God will not always suffer them to be oppressed, lest they should sink deep, and shrink down under the burden, & so turn from their obedience, and forsake the faith which they have professed; according to the saying of the Prophet, The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hand unto wickedness. He knoweth whereof we are made, he spareth us in our infirmities, he will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength he seeth our weakness, and how unable we are to resist, and therefore he will not give us over to perish in our afflictions, inasmuch as our light afflictions which are but for a moment, cause unto us a far more excellent and an eternal weight of glory; so that albeit the righteous fall seven times, yet he riseth again, as the wise man teacheth.
[Use 1] To apply this unto our selves, we learn first, that the devises and practices of enemies, albeit they be never so secret or malicious, are vain and frustrate. The people of God shall be preserved, howsoever they be ever plotting and banding themselves together, as we see in the days of the Apostle, Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Priests and people, the Jews and Gentiles conspired together: yet we shall always have assurance of safety, and all shall work for the best to them that fear God, whose love, no powers, no principalities, no Potentates shall be able to remove, as the Prophet teacheth, Rejoice not against me: O mine enemy; though I fall, I shall rise; when I shall sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light unto me, then she that is mine enemy shall lock upon it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold her, now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. This serveth notably to daunt and dismay the wicked and ungodly, who insult over the righteous, and seem wise in their own eyes; considering that The faithful escapeth out of trouble, and the wicked shall come in his stead. This truth the Prophet Isaiah confesseth and confirmeth, Chap. 8. Gather together on heaps (O ye people) and ye shall be broken in pieces: take counsel together, but it shall be brought to naught: pronounce a decree, yet it shall not stand, for God is with us. So then, if the faithful be not ever forsaken, nor stand continually under the strokes of their enemies, but God will put to his hand and his help to deliver them, we see, that all their devises, and all their consultations against them, and insultations over them shall be brought to nothing.
[Use 2] Again, it behooveth us, in all the time of our distress to rely upon him whatsoever temptations come, though we should walk by the gates of the grave, and pass by the gulf of death. Many indeed are our infirmities, fears, cares, sorrows, and troubles: yet in them all we must say with the Prophet, Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Waite on God, for I will yet give him thanks: he is my present help and my God. Let us not therefore despair in the day of trouble, When the snares of death compass us, and the griefs of the grave take hold upon us, when we find trouble and sorrow to pursue us and overtake us, let us call upon the Name of the Lord to deliver our soul, who is merciful and full of compassion. The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth unto it, and is exalted. This is the surest and safest refuge of the godly against all troubles.
Lastly, let all such learn, as lie not under [Use 3] the cross, to commend the common cause of their brethren to God, as if themselves were in affliction. For wherefore doth God promise to free his from the oppression of the enemy, and to restore them to the joy of their salvation, but to move us to this duty of praying for them, pitying their distressed estate, and seeking by all lawful means the comfort and continuance of the Church? This the Apostle setteth down, 2 Cor. 1.3, 4. Where we see he urgeth the Church at Corinth to think of this point, to be mindful of the miseries of others, and to comfort them that are in discomfort, as God hath comforted us. This is taught by Moses, Thou shalt not do injury to a stranger, neither oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. And hereunto the Apostle accordeth, Remember them that are in bonds, as though ye were bound with them: and them that are in affliction, as if ye were also afflicted in the body. Where he would have us so much to be touched, as if their misery were our own. This duty it is needful to think upon. We know not what troubles may fall upon our heads. When we take our selves to be freest and farthest from all dangers, then we may be nearest unto them, and suddenly fall into them, as a bird into the snare of the fowler. Wherefore, let us remember them to God that suffer afflictions, that so we may be delivered, if we fall into any troubles. But if we harden our hearts in the miseries of others, and have no feeling of their sorrows; others shall be as unmindful of us, and unmerciful unto us, as we have been to them. For with what judgment we judge, we shall be judged: and with what measure we meat, it shall be measured to us again. Nothing is more grievous unto a man, then to be scorned in his misery, and to be insulted upon in the day of his calamity. The affliction it self is bitter and yrkesome to the flesh, but the derisions & mockings of the enemy serve to double the cross, and to add to the measure and manner of our misery. If then we shall see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, the lamentable condition of the Church, and laugh when the people of God weep and lament, the justice of God shall overtake us, and make us a mock to our enemy.
4
After they departed from mount Hor, by the way of the red sea, to compass the land of Edom, and the soul of the people was sore grieved because of the way.
5
For the people spake against God, and against Moses, saying; Wherefore have ye brought us out
of Egypt to die in this wilderness? for here is neither bread nor water,
&c.
6
Wherefore the Lord sent fiery serpents,
&c.
7
Then the people came to
Moses;
and said; We have sinned,
&c.
8
And the Lord said unto Moses; Make thee a fiery serpent,
&c.
9
So Moses made a serpent of Brasse,
&c.
Hitherto of the first part of the Chapter, containing the encounter between the Canaanites and the Israelites: now we come to the second part, handling the eight and last murmuring of the people through weariness of their way, and compass they were compelled to fetch, through the unmercifulness of the Edomites; whereby they offended God again. In this history we are to consider sundry circumstances, setting down their sin, who fall again into their former faults and offenses, As the dog returneth to his vomit, and the Sow unto the wallowing in the mire. First, the place and occasion hereof is described. Secondly, the manner of their sin. Thirdly, the matter and substance thereof, wherein it consisteth is set down. Fourthly, the punishment, and judgment of God inflicted upon them for their sin. Lastly, the events and effects following the punishment.
First, touching the circumstances of the place, and occasion of the sin: observe that the Israelites departing from Hor, and crossed in their purpose, weree constrained to travel all along the coasts of Edom, and to pass over a most perilous and dangerous desert, as it is set forth, Deut. 8.15. Where the hearts of the people failed and fainted, where the fiery serpents stung and destroyed them, and where thirst pined them away. It was no small grief and vexation unto them, having only a short cut into Canaan by crossing over the country of the Edomites, to wander up and down, to traverse the ragged rocks, the high mountains and the vast wilderness; and thereupon they brake out (through impatiency of spirit) to murmur against Moses. They think themselves in the high pride of their haughty hearts, able to match and to meet with the king of Edom in the field, to give him battle, and to work their own peace and passage by dint of the sword, as they had overthrown Harad, a king of the Canaanites, and destroyed his cities; and therefore needed not to stand at the mercy and courtisie of others, nor fetch such compasses as Moses made them to do in the wilderness.
Secondly, the manner of their murmuring is remembered, verse 5. where the hand of God being heavy upon them in that great and terrible wilderness, they do not cry to him, they do not call to mind that blessed experience of his helping hand, which they had found ever ready to succor and sustain them; they consider not the revenge and punishment that God from time to time had taken of their murmurings; but they fly upon him as a mad dog in the face of his master that feedeth and fostereth him, that breedeth and bringeth him up; they revile and rail upon his servant Moses. Such is the slippery place of government, such is the nature of the multitude, and such is the lot of God's Ministers.
Thirdly, the sum and substance of their mutiny and murmuring is twofold. First, a very vehement expostulation with Moses for bringing them out of Egypt: wherein they disgorge their malice with full or rather foul mouths, As if he had advisedly and purposely brought them into the wilderness to destroy them. Secondly, observe the reasons of that expostulation, which are two: first, because at this present, no bread, no water, no food appeared unto them, who measured the strength of God by the length of their bellies: now they account themselves ready to be famished. Which kind of death proceeding from hunger and famine, of all other kinds that can be thought upon, is most wretched and miserable; it hath driven men and women to this exigent to eat their own flesh, and the flesh of their children. Secondly, because they were weary of Manna, which they call a light, a sight or vile meat, such as no reckoning or account was to be made thereof. Wherein they slander God, bring up an evil name and report of his miraculous work, and complain of their necessity, where no want was; and of hunger, where no hunger was; and so their unbridled tongues testify their unthankfull hearts, saying: That they were weary of their lives for this light meat, which God notwithstanding had sent them from heaven, and fed them with Angels food in great abundance, verifying the saying of the Wiseman, The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord.
The fourth point followeth: namely, the punishment which God inflicted without any communication had with Moses, or denouncing of it before it fell, (as God had done before, when he hid not from Moses what he was determined to do before he hid it) but presently punished them, to show the grievousness of their sin, and the greatness of his wrath conceived against them. The punishment was, That whereas they had sharpened their tongues like Serpents, so as the poison of adders and astes was under their lips, he sent among them a kind of Scorpions and Serpents, which with their biting infused their venom and poison, which immediately being shed, dispersed it self into all their body; whereby they were inflamed with such extraordinary heat, that they endured great drought, and suffered a great thirst, whereof they complained before. They thought they complained of thirst justly, but now they feel it indeed to the full; so that such are were stung with this venomous biting, died the death.
The last circumstances to be considered, are the effects following. For first, the people in this great extremity, and anguish of spirit, come in haste to Moses (against whom before they maliciously murmured) to whom they confess their offense, that now began to lie sore upon their conciences, and desire earnestly his prayers, that they might be preserved, and delivered from the venomous bytings of those stinging serpents; which Moses doth willingly & faithfully perform, being mindful of his own duty, and unmindful of their wrongs. Secondly, the Lord having brought the people to a sight of their sins, by a feeling of his judgments, that they humble themselves before him, confess their offenses, and call for mercy: he heareth the prayer of Moses (For the prayer of a faithful man prevaileth much if it be fervent,) is reconciled unto them, and witnesseth the same by giving them a true token, and showing the means and remedy of their present malady; commanding a visible sign and shape of those fiery serpents to be set up in brass upon an high pole, which the people might behold a far off; so as the Israelites looking thereupon, should presently and immediately be healed of that deadly sting.
Thirdly, the obedience of Moses is set down, which is greatly to be praised and commended. For albeit it might seem foolish to carnal wisdom, and impossible to human reason, for a dead image to help the deadly biting of those living serpents, yet he asketh not counsel with flesh and blood, nor measureth the commandments of God by the deceitful measure of man's understanding, but submitteth himself and all his thoughts to the word of God. He did not reason against the commandment of God, as Nahaman the Syrian did against the commandment of the Prophet, Bidding him go and wash seven times in Jordan, whereby his flesh should come again, and he should be cleansed of his leprosy: But he did simply as God commanded, and as the people desired, he set up aloft the brazen serpent, having the image and similitude of the true fiery serpents; he advanceth it on high, openly, publicly, speedily, in the sight and view of all, at the only beholding whereof, the Israelites bitten, were cured & restored to health, that none of them died afterward of that poison and infection, that did behold the image that was set up.
But before we proceed to the Doctrines of this division, sundry questions are to be demanded, and determined, touching this act of Moses, setting up the sign and image of [Objection 1] these fiery serpents. And first of all, how doth this agree with the second commandment, which forbiddeth the making of an image, or representation of anything in heaven above, or in the earth beneath? hath Moses so soon forgotten the law which God gave in mount Horeb? Or doth he now fall into idolatry, which himself so zealously revenged, and severely punished before, in the Israelites setting up the golden Calf, himself now erecting a brazen serpent? I answer, [Answer.] this fact is no breach of the second Commandment, which forbiddeth to make an Image of our own head, by our own authority, at our own will and pleasure, and therefore the Law saith, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image.
Again, the Law forbiddeth Images which are worshipped, and have divine honor given unto thē, or else are made to be worshipped and adored. But this Image of the brazen serpent was not made by the authority of mā, but by the express commandment of God▪ saying unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, that is, a similitude of one of those serpents. Neither was it made to be worshipped, but only to be looked upon: not to bend y e knee unto it but to fasten the eye upon it; not for it self, but for another end; even to heal the people, and by healing them to represent Christ crucified and hanging on the cross, whereof this Image was a sign and token: & therefore when in process of time it came to be abused to Idolatry, Hezekiah stamped it in pieces with contempt. This also we may say and answer to the Church of Rome, maintaining the worshipping of Images, defacing the glory of God, and objecting in defense of them the example of Moses making the Cherubims, & setting them over the Mercy-seat. And the Jesuits reason, that seeing they were set in the holy place, they may much more be set in our Churches; seeing the Jews were permitted them, a people prone to Idolatry, & gross in imagination, much more are they allowed to Christians under the Gospel. And lastly, seeing y e Angels were portrayed, which are mere spiritual substances, much more may the Images of Christ, his blessed mother, his holy Apostles, and his beloved Saints. The Jews were children, and as an heir in his nonage, and were suffered to have these rites and rudiments to be their book to help their capacity, and to instruct them in knowledge; but now the Church, being as a man grown to fuller strength, and able to digest stronger meat, doth not stand in need of such rude Teachers and School-masters. Besides, these were set up by the express commandment of God: we are forbidden to make any images according to our own fancy, and by our own appointment in his service. But when God forbiddeth us the making of Images, he gave not a Law to bind himself, nor restrained himself from commanding & ordaining such signs and similitudes, such forms and figures, as he thought fit for the furnishing & finishing of the Tabernacle.
Again, a particular commandment given of God, doth not give a discharge of the general Law, nor set men at liberty, or open a gap to do at their pleasure that which GOD expressly and directly forbiddeth to be done: so that every commandment must be understood with this restraint and proviso, Except God command the contrary.
Furthermore, it is a foolish comparison and an evil conclusion, to reason, because these Cherubims were set in the sovereign holiest place of all the tabernacle, therefore much more the images of Christ, of his mother, and of Saints, may be placed in churches. For how fondly and childishly do they dispute, arguing from such as were set up by the commandment of God, to justify such images as God never commanded; nay, which are forbidden to be made to any use of religion?
Again, those Cherubims (as themselves confess, though others of them deny it) were set in the most holy place, whereinto the high Priest only entered and that once a yere; where they were never seen of the people, and consequently there could be no danger of idolatry, standing in a place farthest removed from the people's sight: whereas the Romish images are not only set openly in Churches in the people's view and prefence, but are commanded to be worshipped, & men commonly kiss them and creep unto them in sign of honor. Yea, the writer to the Hebrews teacheth, that the holiest place signifieth the highest heavens: Now, we cannot conclude, that because the images of the Cherubims were set up in the place that representeth and resembleth the heavenly condition of the life to come, therefore they may be set up in earth, and in this present life.
Moreover, the comparison will not hold, from Angels to other, that seeing they being spirits were portrayed; such as had bodies may be: as Christ, his mother, & the Saints. For we may better draw a contrary conclusion; that seeing the Lord commanding some images and similitudes to be set up, would have none of such things which can possibly be portrayed by the Art and cunning of man's hand; therefore ought men much less to do it by their sole and single authority. Neither was there any resemblance or representation of the nature, substance, or essence of Angels, but only of their office and function alone: so that if this serve to confirm and ratify imagery in the Church, it can prove no image of the persons of Christ, of his Mother, and of the Saints but only of their office.
Moreover, these new idolaters do borrow the weapons of the old idolaters that lived in the days of Tertullian, who alleged this example of the Cherubims, which the Rhemists do: to whom he answereth, it was done for ornament of the Ark, not for worship of the images: so that to warrant any setting up of religious images against the second commandment, a man must have the like special warrant and word that they had from the Lord.
For if Moses had set up the Cherubims or brazen serpent for those causes without God's commandment, he had sinned grievously, and committed idolatry, which God abhorreth. And whereas they say, God forbiddeth only the idols of the heathen, made for adoration of false God's, it is a vain cavil, and an old and cold evasion. For the commandment is general, condemning the images of all heretics made for any use of religion.
Again, this conceit is evidently confuted by Moses, who opposeth the voice of God heard in the mountain, to all images; and namely to the image of God himself, who is said to have appeared in no likeness, lest they should make an image of him Deut. 4.15 16. Take good heed to yourselves, for ye saw no image in the days that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the minds of the fire, that ye corupt not yourselves, and make you a graven image or representation of any figure, whether it be the likeness of male or female: where he reasoneth, that because they saw no image, they must make none.
The second question is of the manner how [Objection 2] this curing and healing was wrought and performed. It was set upon an high pole or perch to be seen and viewed of all the people. They were stung, they looked upon it, they were by and by healed at the very sight thereof, none that saw it perished, though they were stung before. Now the question is, how this naked sight and bare beholding of the brazen serpent, could cure this biting, and turn the rank poison into a counterpoison.
I answer, [Answer.] there was no proper force or natural power inherent in the image it self. For in all natural things consisting of the matter and the form, the force which they have, proceedeth either from the one or from the other; either from the matter whereof it is made, or from the form whereby it consisteth. The matter of this serpent was brass, without sense, without breath, without life, which hath no virtue or vigor to cure the stingings and bytings of venomous beasts, more then the brazen Lauer, the brazen Grate, the brazen Taches, the brazen Sockets, the brazen Pot, the brazen Censors, the brazen Sea, the brazen Pillars, the brazen Basons, and other holy instruments applied about the Temple and Tabernacle; none of which wrought any such strange and wonderful miracle. Nay some of the Hebrew Rabbin's and Doctors do declare, that the cure was by contraries, inasmuch as the nature of bright shining brass is such, that whosoever being bitten of a serpent beholdeth it, presently dieth.
The outward form of this serpent was not of nature but from Art, made in proportion like to the serpents that stung them: but the artificial form worketh nothing of it self, which it receiveth from the workman: Wherefore this brazen serpent could perform no such work by any force or virtue of it own. Whence then had it this wonderful power and operation? Surely, from the ordinance, appointment, and institution of God only. Thus was the cure performed, not as by ordinary means of Physic or Chirurgery, or by any natural property of the Serpent, such as we know, learn, and perceive to be in herbs & simples, applied to places affected and infected. For this extraordinary work must be weighed, either by the nature of the thing, or by the apointment of God, beside & beyond the nature of the thing it self. But not by'the nature of the thing considered in it self; for we see if a man frame such an image it hath no such strength, neither had this any such virtue remaining after this season. Therefore by the institution of God it was made forcible and effectual, who can heal all our infirmities at his own pleasure, as he healed Naaman by washing in Jordan, 2 King. 5, 12. restored a great multitude of sick folk by stepping into the troubled water, John. 5.4. gave sight to the blind, John. 9.6. by making clay of spittle and annointing the eyes of the blind therewith. Now this institution was Sacramental (as we have shown,) for the serpent hanging on a pole, figured out Christ hanging on the Cross, who is made of God, Jesus, that is, A Savior unto us, that such as look on him, that is, believe in his Name, should not perish, but have life everlasting: and this kind of cure did greatly magnify God's mercy. For if the serpents had been suddenly taken away, as the plagues brought upon Egypt were, it would be thought they had come by chance and fortune; yea, the great favor of God would soon have been forgotten: Now, albeit these serpents remain among the people, albeit they oftentimes sting them, albeit they tread upon them and feel the venom of them, yet they may well bite them, but they cannot kill or destroy them, seeing they had so sudden and sovereign a remedy at hand to restore them.
[Objection 3] Another question may be asked, why this brazen serpent was kept and reserved so long after the serpents were gone from the Israeites, and the Israelites from the wilderness, and were placed in the land of promise? for it appeareth to have been in king Hezekiah's time, seven hundred years after the erecting of it.
I answer, it was preserved to be a monument of this history, to wit; of the people's rebellion, of God's compassion, and of Christ's passion, because it was a lively figure of his crucifying, and of spiritual grace received from him. But when once another end contrary to the first institution and God's ordinance crept in, that the people offered incense unto it, albeit it were the commandment of God, the work of Moses, the type of Christ, the cure of the people, yet it was justly demolished, & rightly commanded to be destroyed, that all occasion of superstition and idolatry might be cut off forever afterward.
[Objection 4] But are all things to be destroyed that are abused? and to be abolished that are and have been worshipped?
I answer, [Answer.] no: for then the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars should be pulled out of heaven, Deut. 4.19. Ier. 7.18. in as much as the whole host of heaven have been worshipped as gods. So the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper, should be abolished, seeing they have been horribly abused to palpable idolatry. Besides, we must make a double difference in the deciding of this doubt.
First, between the ordinances of God abused to superstition, and the inventions of men abused to superstition. The mere devices of men, when once they are abused, may be taken away; but the ordinances of God, which he hath appointed, must not be repealed and refused for the abuse of them. Again, we must make another difference between the ordinances of God instituted upon special and particular occasion for a temporal benefit at someone time, and such ordinances of God, as have necessary and perpetual use, which for no abuse are to be omitted and cut off, as the Sun, the Scriptures, the Sacraments, and such like. But the brazen serpent was not so: wherefore by Hezekiah it was religiously demolished and destroyed; albeit at the first setting up, it were a comfortable and profitable ordinance of God for the present good of his people: yet being grossly abused, and then no necessary use of it remaining to the Church, counteruailing the danger of the continuance thereof, 2 Kings 18.4. he is commended by the Spirit of God for his zeal toward God, in stamping it to powder, and utter defacing that brazen stuff. Neither did he account it sufficient to withdraw worship from it, or to forbid the people to burn unto it, or to send out the Levites to instruct them better in the service of God, or to punish such as gave the glory of God (whereof he is jealous) to a molten image: but cast it down in detestation, and the better to avoid the sin, took away the occasion, which was as a stumbling block before their eyes.
Verse 4, 5. The soul of the people was sore grieved, because of the way, for the people spake against God, and against Moses, &c. Here we see how they fall again into their former sin and murmuring, so often noted in this book, and elsewhere, as Exod. 15.24. and 16.2, 3, and 17.2, 3. for the greatness of their labor, for penury of water, for lack of flesh, for want of dainties & delicates, they distrust God's great providence; and for these rebellions they had been often grievously punished: yet loe, they fall into the same sin again. Their tents were replenished with his heavenly blessings, all places did yet smoke with the fire of his judgments; yet behold, there is no ende of their rebellions, verifying the saying of the Prophet, Can the Black-Moore change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are ••• stomed to do evil. Heereby we learn four our instruction, that lamentable is our condition if God leave us, we fall into the same sins again and again, which before we refused and renounced. I say, such is our great frailty and weakness, if we be not stayed and underpropped by the assistance of the Spirit, that we return with greediness unto our former sins which we seemed to have forsaken and abjured. This the Prophet plentifully teacheth, Psal. 78.40, 41. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! yea, they returned, and tempted God, and limited the holy one of Israel. Thus did Pharaoh, Exod. 9.37, 38. I have now sinned, the Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked; pray ye unto the Lord for me (for it is enough) and I will let you go: but when the hail was gone, and the thunder ceased, and the judgment was removed his heart was hardened, and he continued in his sin. The like we see in Saul, who could clear David more then he? His own conscience roused him up, which before was asleep, and he confesseth with tears, Thou art more righteous then I, for thou hast rendered me good, and I have rendered thee evil: thou hast shown this day that thou hast dealt well with me, for as much as when the Lord had closed me in thine hands, thou killedst me not: yet the same Saul fell again into the same sin, and acknowledgeth his own wickedness; I have sinned, come again my son David, for I will do thee no harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes. We see this in the example of the Israelites in the book of Judges, they committed evil again and again, they transgressed by idolatry, they knew what that sin was; they had experience of God's severity against it, they had confessed it and cried for mercy; yet the same people, and the children of the same people, not taught by their former falls, nor admonished by former judgments, nor instructed by former deliverances, do proceed in the same sin, and provoke God to punish them by their relapse into the self same iniquities. Hereunto cometh the allegory and similitude, of the unclean spirit that wandered in the wilderness, and ranged up and down without rest, but in the end found his house empty, swept and garnished, so that he took seven other spirits worse then himself, they enter in and dwell there. So the places of the Apostle, Heb. 6. Do directly offer this point, that many sin again, after the receiving and acknowledgment of the truth, according to the faying of the Wise man, As the dog turneth again to his own vomit, so a fool turneth to his foolishness. So that except the Lord uphold, and hold men back▪ they fall into the same sins before committed, and provoke him afresh by those sins which before they refused.
[Reason 1] For first of all, who is the author of constancy and perseverance in any good work? Is it of our selves? Is it of our own power? Nay, as every good giving and perfect gift is of God, so he that in his nature is unchangeable giveth us the gift to stand, and preserveth us from falling, as the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 11.18, 19, 20. Where he taketh away all occasion of boasting from the Gentiles, against the Jews, reasoning from their chargeable condition, not being firmly fastened, and deeply grounded as the root it self; but mooueable and mutable as the boughs and branches knit to the root, being easy to be broken off. So then, God is the author of constancy, and of perseverance, Who worketh in us both the will and the deed & not man by his own proper strength who if he be not stayed by him that is the stay and strength of Israel, he falleth into horrible sins, and such as go against his own conscience, as may appear very evidently by many examples. Again, none can come to God, except the Father draw him. We are the greatest enemies to our salvation. All within [Reason 2] us, is against us: we naturally contemn the word which is the rule of constancy, and the staff to uphold us, and as the arm of GOD stretched out to pull out of destruction. Thus the Prophet chargeth the Jews, Nehe. 9.26.27. They were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy Prophet, which protested among them to turn thē to thee, and committed great blasphemies. Man then left to himself, whereunto is he left, but to see his own weakness? And what remaineth in him that may bring him to God, and lead him in the right path? Vndoubtedly nothing is in us, but self-love, pride, hautinesse, contempt of God, neglect of his word, as we see in y e manifold relapses, & often reuoltings of these Jews, in whom as (in a glass) we may see our own faces, yea our own hearts, seeing we are of our selves no better then they.
Now let us come to apply this doctrine to [Use 1] our selves. First, we conclude, that fearful and dangerous is the estate of those from whō the Lord taketh the light of his countenance. If he leave us to our selves, we work our destruction by rebellion against him. It is a great grace & mercy of God toward us, to be once enlightened, to taste of the good word of God, to be made partaker of the holy Ghost, and to taste of the powers of the life to come (which he denieth to many thousands in the world, who proceed not so far:) now to leave these goodly and glorious beginnings, and fall from light to darkness, and from righteousness into sin, is to make our end worse then the beginning, and our case most fearful by returning to our uncleanness, as the Apostle Peter declareth, chap. 2.20, 21. For Satan will enter deeper into such, and take fuller possession of their hearts. Even as a Jailor, when his prisoner hath escaped out of his hands, & broken prison, if he fasten upon him again, will lay better hold, will cast more irons upon him, and keep him faster then before: so will the devil deal with all evil men which are his slaves and prisoners, So that he that is unjust, shall be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still, Revel. 22, 11. We see this by daily experience▪ in all such, as having washed their garments, do defile them again, they grow worse and more wicked then they were before. We should let our light so shine before men, that they seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven. Mat. 5, 16. So many therefore as have quenched the good motions of the Spirit, and put out the light that began to shine in their hearts, are as smoking Torches, and stinking snuffes, odious in the nostrils of God and men. Let us therefore make much of the least seeds of godliness sown in our hearts, and kindle the flame that is begun in us, if so be we have tasted how bountiful the Lord is. Let us be earnest in prayer to God, that he would stablish us with his grace, and not take his holy Spirit from us, Psal. 51, 11, nor leave us in the hour of temptation when the flesh is weak.
[Use 2] Secondly, let no man presume of himself, or glory in his own strength, But let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. If any good be in us, it is of another, who must work the will and the deed, the beginning and the ending; we stand by his hand, we continue by his grace, we run because he moveth, we seek because he preuenth, We come to God because the Father draweth. Remember Peters cōfident bearing of himself, which was the first step to his fall, as we see, Math. 26, 33, 34, when he said, Though all men should be offended by thee, yet will I never be offended: yet Christ telleth him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night before the Cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And the Evangelist declareth, that when he saw the swords and staves, the high Priests servants, & the higher powers armed against him, he denied him thrice, first barely & more fearful and faintly, then with cursing and execration to himself. Let every soul learn from hence, that seeing God only must help and uphold us, to lay hold on the sweet mercy of Christ, and come boldly before y e throne of his grace. Let us not rashly presume upon our selves, but confidently rely on him, and pray him earnestly to preserve us, to bear us in his arms, that we dash not our foot against a stone, nor ruin our selves upon every Rock.
[Use 3] Lastly, hence ariseth great comfort to God's children that fall of weakness and infirmity into the same sin after repentance. Such is the depth of Satan's temptations toward those that are afflicted in conscience, that wrestle with the Law, that feel the wrath of God, that bear the heavy burden of sin, and are entered into the very suburbs of desperation. He telleth them, that the children of God fall not into the same sins again after their repentance. If they do, he subtly suggesteth unto them, that there is no place for a second repentance, nor hope of God's mercy, nor fruit of Christ's merit. This is a false spirit in the mouth of false Prophets, which broach damnable and detestable lies in the Church of God, 1 King. 22, 4, and 2, 37. And this was the error of the Nauatians, which denied repentance after baptism for offenses committed even through frailty, through fear and force of persecution. But the promises of God are without limitation of times, or consideration of sins, or respect of persons; he will receive to mercy all repentant sinners, whether the sins be committed before or after baptism, whether once or often. This pardon Christ our Savior publisheth, Mat. 11, 22. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you. So the Apostle John testifieth, 1. John. 2, 1. My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not: if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father JESUS CHRIST the just. Furthermore, the Lord enjoineth, that we sinful men forgive our brother seventy times seven times, if he turn again and say, It repenteth me: therefore himself will much more freely forgive; whose mercy is infinite, whose favor is incomprehensible, whose loving kindness endureth forever. This also appeareth plainly in the examples of the servants of God. We see how Abraham the father of the faithful faileth in calling his wife Sarah his sister, whereby himself was injured, the unbelievers tempted, and her chastity endangered; yet he fell again afterward into the same sin, and incurred y e same danger, and laid a stumbling block before the blind, so that he had ruinated himself & his wife, if the hand of God had not assisted and prevented the mischief. The like we see in Lot, in a greater sin, who being delivered out of Sodom, and growing secure, fell twice into horrible incest with his own daughters, and yet recovered himself by unfeigned repentance, The like we see in John, one of y e twelve Apostles, and the Disciple whom Jesus loved, how he fell into idolatry, and worshipped an Angel, for which he was reproved of the Angel: yet he failed the second time, in giving divine worship to a creature, which belongeth properly and peculiarly to the Lord the Creator. Here then is comfort and consolation to all such as groan under the burden of sin, & have fallen through infirmity into the same sins: let not such doubt of God's mercy, Who is much in sparing sinners, and with whom is plentiful redemption. Psal. 130, 7. Let them not fear the temptations of the devil, who goeth about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5, 8, but assure themselves, that albeit with Peter they fall often, yet if with him they repent truly, & weep bitterly for their sins, the Lord is merciful to forgive them their sins. Not that we should sin proudly presumptuously, stubbornly, stiffly and obstinately against him, that grace may abound, Romans, chapter 6, verse 1: but if we sin thorough frailty, he will not shut us frō his mercy. The devil will tempt often, the world allure often, the flesh entice often; so we may fall often through the temptations of the devil, thorough the allurements of the world, and thorough the enticements of the flesh. If they did draw us and provoke us to sin but once, we should fall but once; but they are ever at our elbow to work our ruin, and forsake us not forever, as the devil departed from Christ only for a season. Luke. 4, 13. But the Lord knoweth whereof we are made, He remembereth that we are but dust: he considereth that we are but flesh, yea as a wind that passeth and cometh not again. Psal. 103, 14, and 78, 39. So that albeit we be often overcome by sin, yet if we often repent and return unto him, he is a Father that hath more then one blessing in store, and a liberal giver that reproacheth no man, and pardoneth those that have often asked and begged pardon. It followeth.
[Here is neither bread nor water, and our soul loatheth this light bread.] Here is the sin of this people: after God had plentifully and abundantly fed them to the full, they wax wanton and weary of this food, they account their Manna a vile and contemptible meat, albeit it were most precious, and named therefore, Angels food. The doctrine from this corrupt practice, is this; y t we wax weary, loathe, and contemn God's blessings, which we seemed at the first with joy and gladness to receive. We soon learn to contemn, to make little and light account of spiritual and temporal blessings, for this Manna was both. We see this in our first parents, they were compassed with the kindness of God, and hedged about with his mercies, yet were not long contented with them, nor rested in them with thanksgiving, but lusted to taste of the tree of be knowledge of good and evil, and would be as gods, knowing good and evil. Gen. 3, 6. So Esau was the first borne, he should have delighted therein as in a pledge of God's favor, and a mirror of his great mercy, yet he grew profane and secure, he sold the birthright, and contemned the blessing. This Solomon teacheth, Prov. 27, 7. The person that is full, despiseth an honey-comb, but unto the hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet. The like we read in Moses, Deut. 32, 15. He that should have been upright, when he waxed fat, spurned with his heel: thou art gross, thou art laden with fatness: therefore he forsook God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his salvation. Thus we see how ready we are to despise God's graces, and so to come to the very top of iniquity.
[Reason 1] The reasons follow to be considered. First, it is not much to be marvelled at, that we wax weary of good things, because we want the spirit of discerning and of judgment to see into our own selves. Hence it is, that we hold not on in a certain and settled course the way of godliness which we are entered into. We halt in our journey, and many ways trip before we come to the end, thereof. And the reason is, because we weigh not heavenly things with the weights of the Sanctuary, but put thē in the partial and deceitful balances of our own brains, whereby we deceive our selves, rob God of his honor, & prize the best things at a vile rate, as Christ was valued at thirty pence. This sencelesnesse & sottishness, Christ himself checked in the Israelites, saying unto thē, when he was come near to the City and beheld it with tears, O, if thou hadst even known at the least in this day, those things which belong unto thy peace; but now are they hid from thine eyes. Where there is this blindness of mind, this security of heart, this want of judgment to discern of their estate & condition aright, no marvel if there be a loathing and leaving of good things, as was among the Israelites in this place.
Secondly, we are so besotted and bewitched [Reason 2] with the glittering show of this world, and of the things in this world, that we have no leisure to mind the world to come, and are so pampered up with the peace, and plenty, and pleasures of the world, that as resty horses we spurn against our Creator, as Moses complaineth, and we heard before. As we are of the earth by creation, so we always carry a lump of this earth about us, our hands are full of it, our eyes look upon it, our feet tread upon it, our senses are exercised with it, our talk & communication is upon it, our hearts are possessed with it, ahd all our life long we dwell upon it. Seeing therefore this mould of earth & earthly things hath taken such root in us, no marvel if we grow carnal and secure, wax wanton and weary of the word, and of those ways that lead unto life and salvation. This doth our blessed Savior teach us, Mat. 13, 22, in the Parable of the Sower, He that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, but the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he is made unfruitful.
The uses hereof are, first to show us the [Use 1] difference between the godly and ungodly. For the godly do magnify God's graces, set them at an higher rate, & make a greater reckoning of them then of all earthly things. This appeareth, Mat. 13, 44, 45, 46. The kingdom of God is like unto a treasure hid in the field, which when a man hath found, he hideth it, & for joy thereof departeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a Merchant man that seeketh good Pearls; who having found a Pearl of great price, went & sold all that he had, and bought it. So the Apostle Paul accounteth all things loss, and judgeth them as dung, that he might win Christ, & might be found in him; not having his own righteousness which is of the Law, but the righteousness of God through Christ. But the ungodly despise the graces of God, like the Gadarenes, who prefered their swine before Christ, Math. 8, 34, and like profane Esau, who for one portion of meat sold his birthright. If they sustain any damage or loss in their riches, and substance of their house, how are they grieved and vexed? How do they howl and cry out as if they were utterly undone? What seeking and searching, far and near, is made to find the same? And they are of such impatiency of spirit, that they are never quiet till they have found the same. What man having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave ninety and nine in the wilderness, & go after that which is lost, until he find it? Either what woman having ten groats, if she lose one groat, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? Luke 15, v. 4, 8.
But if the gifts and graces of GOD decay in them, if they lose his favor and loving countenance, if they grow poor and thread bare in spiritual blessings, it never troubleth their minds, it never grieveth their hearts, they never complain of any wants: for being wholly earthly, plodding upon the world like earth worms, they have no feeling of the want of heavenly things. Would we therefore know a faithful man from an unfaithful? and would we have some assured mark and token to discern the one from the other? Mark how they esteem things that concern a better life. If they rejoice in the word of God as they that find great spoils, if first they seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, if they labor after the excellent knowledge of Christ, and stir up the precious gifts of God in them, we have unfeigned testimonies of their unfeigned faith. But if we see any contemn knowledge, and despise the graces of God, if we see them tread under their feet the sweet blessings of God, as swine do precious Pearls, they give evident witness against their own souls, and do carry about them in their own bosoms, a note of horrible profaneness.
Secondly, let us look carefully unto our [Use 2] selves, and learn daily to call our selves to a reckoning & account for the benefits of God which have been bestowed upon us, lest we unthankfully devour and wickedly swallow them up, forgetting both them and the giver of them, which are moe in number then the hairs of our heads. Let us also learn to feel our own poverty and wants. Hunger, we say, commonly is the best sauce; so the surest and fittest remedy to recover us of this sin of loathing and discontentment, is to consider our need and necessity of heavenly graces, and what want we have of the word, which is the food of our souls, sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb, more to be desired then the finest gold yea, then all riches, more precious then Pearls, and all things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto it. Psal. 19, 10, and 119, 103. Prouerb. 3, 15.
Now we shall never be weary of this our weariness and contempt of the best things, until we have learned as new borne babes to desire the sincere milk of the word of God, that we may grow thereby. 1 Pet. 2 • 1. Therefore the Prophet calleth such to hear him, Isaiah 55, 1. Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and ye that have no silver, come, buy and eat▪ come, I say, buy wine and milk without silver, and without money. Hereunto cometh that which Christ proclaimed at the last▪ and great day of the feast, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. John 7, 37. This was the affection of the Prophet David, Psal. 143, 5, 6. and 63, 1, 5. I meditate in the works of thine hands, I stretch forth mine hands unto thee, my soul desireth after thee as the thirsty Land exceedingly. So thē, when we come to the banquets of God w c he hath furnished for us, we must come with hungry stomachs, craving to be satisfied and filled with his dainties. We see when men go to a great feast prepared and prouidedfor them, whereunto they are courteously invited, they do not fill themselueS before hand, but come with hunger and desire: so must we do in coming to the exercises of our religion. Seeing then, Wisdom hath built her an house, killed her victualles, and prepared her Table, calling us to come eat of her meat, and drink of the wine which she hath drawn, Prov. 9, 1, 2, 5, it is our parts to come to the Word and Sacraments, as to the high ordinances of God with a ready mind, with a thirsty soul, and with a good appetite, that we may be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. He affordeth unto us a plentiful allowance, and appointeth unto us a liberal diet: he dealeth not sparingly and niggardly with us, but inviteth us as his guests to good cheare and bountiful provision of his word, prayer, and Sacraments. If then God have denied unto us this worlds good, that we are driven to rise early, & fare hardly at home in our own houses, and sometimes have scarce a crust of bread, and a pot of water, yet here is matter of great contentment and c • nsolation, that we have such plenty of spiritual provision provided for the soul in the house of God whereby we are nourished to eternal life, and comfortably taught to bear the penury and distresses of the body. A dinner of green herbs, and God's word going with it, are notable sare. For as one said; The Gospel and brown bread are good cheer.
Lastly▪ consider from this natural loathing of the blessings and best things of God, why GOD especially punisheth those places and people; even because they are fallen into a spiritual surfeit, as it were into a deadly sleep and slumber, and are clogged and cloied with the store and plenty of that food which God hath given them. When the Gospel was restored to us again, as the book of the Law that Hilkiah the Priest found; with what joy of heart, and applause of the people; with what comfort and courage was it heard in the beginning? How precious and sweet was it to our taste? How zealous and forward were we in hearing the Lord, and calling others thereunto? But in these days, wherein we have it continued in plenty and abundance that we may sit under our Vines and Fig trees, conferring and reasoning of the ways of God, how many loathe it? how many neglect it? how few receive it? who doth prize it as he ought to do? We are cloyed with the preaching of the word: we are heart-sick of peace and prosperity. It were an happy and blessed cure to restore us to the former days of our health. This surfeit is the common sickness, & almost desperate disease of our Land, that all her spiritual Physicians know not which way to turn their hands and their heads to cure & recover her. Such as once have taken a surfeit by eating any meat, are ordinarily prescribed by the Physician to fast, to bring them to a stomach and appetite again: and whensoever the body is distempered by repletion, the way to recover, is to take the diet, as the masters of that faculty do affirm. So God, as the chief Physician of the soul, when we once begin to loathe and abhor our meat, and to surfeit of the food which he sendeth, bringeth upon us most worthily and justly the famine of his word. And do we not see (if we be not altogether blinded) how he beginneth now for our sins to diet us? and many assemblies ranged in goodly order, which made heaven and earth to ring and resound with the praises of God, to be left as sheep dispersed abroad, and wandering in the Mountains without a Shepherd? This is that which the Lord long since threateneth to his people, as one of his sorest and sharpest judgments. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the Land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North even to the East, shall they run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it, &c. Amos 8, 11, 12, 13. A great & grievous Thunderbolt thrown down upon the heads of all careless contemners of the word, they shall have it taken from them. The child that is plentifully and fully fed, and hath whatsoever he craveth and calleth for, at last waxeth wantō, he beginneth to play & dally with his meat, he breaketh it into pieces, & casteth it to the dogs: therefore it is necessary sometimes that he should be abridged & pinched, and cry heartily for it before he have it. So doth God deal with us when the food of his heavenly word is danled and dallied withal, and trodden as a vile thing of base worth under our unclean feet, he is constrained to take away the benefit of his word ftom us, & make us oftentimes in the anguish of our spirit, to call and cry unto him in the want of it, before he restore the same unto us again. And ye that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not silence, and give him no rest until he repair, and until he set up Jerusalem, the praise of the world. Let us repent and return betimes, evē while it is called today, lest the Gospel be taken away from us. For as we shown before, among all sins, the contempt of the word is one of the chiefest that crieth to heaven for vengeance to fall upon us. This the Lord Jesus teacheth in many places, Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or that City, shake off the dust of your feet: truly, I say unto you, it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodom and Gomorrhah, in the day of judgment then for that City. Mat. 10, 14, 15, and 11, 23. Acts 13, 51.
This serveth to comfort the Ministers in the course of teaching, and showeth how much God esteemeth his Gospel, and striketh a fear into all rebellious contemners of his word. This ceremony of shaking off the dust from the feet used among the Jews, served to be as a figure of cursing, & as a witness against the inhabitants of that wicked place, as if they corrupted the earth and infected the places of their abode with their contagion. The Apostles of Christ were not commanded to use such a solemn kind of denunciation and detestation against murderers, drunkards, adulterers, thieves, false witnesses, perjured persons, & such heinous malefactors, but against the contemners of the Gospel; which teacheth that God is not more offended with any offense, then with the contempt of his word: therefore he affirmeth, that such shall be more grievously punished thē the Sodomites, who were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven. This toucheth us nearly who yet enjoy the Gospel, and live under the shadow and protection of it: let us remember that we are fallen from our first love and liking of it: let us repent and do the first works, lest the axe being laid to y e root of the tree, he come against us shortly, and remove our candle-stick out of his place, except we repent from our harts.
[Ver. 6. Wherefore the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, &c. ] He showeth in these words whence the punishment of fiery serpents came upon them; not by chance or fortune, not from the nature of the soil and wilderness it self, but from God. So then the present judgment upon them is amplified by the author, The Lord sent them. This teacheth, that all punishments, diseases, and judgments of what sort and condition soever, are inflicted upon us by the hand of God. Whatsoever visitations fall upon us, and the rest of the sons of men, are laid upon us at the will & pleasure of God. This appeareth in Moses, when the old world was not spared, but a general flood brought upon the ungodly, God warned Noah to prepare the Ark to the saving of his household, and said. An end of all flesh is come before me, I will destroy from the earth, the man whom I have created, from man to beast, to the creeping thing, and to the fowl of the heaven. And speaking of the destruction of the Sodomites, (who were exceeding sinners against y e Lord) he saith, The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrhah, brimstone and fire, from the Lord out of heaven. Gen. 19, 24. So • hen Abimelech King of Gerar, took away Abraham's wife, & afterward was constrained by the hand of God to restore her, it is said, Gen. 21, 17, 18. God healed him and his wife, and they bare childrē, for the Lord had shut up every womb of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife. This point is also at large confirmed, Leu. 26, 16, 17. If ye will not obey me, nor do all these commandments, I will appoint over you fearfulness, a consumption, and the burning ague, the sword, famine, and pestilence to destroy you, and to make you few in number, so as your high ways shall be desolate. It was the Lord that brought the ten plagues upon Egypt. It is the Lord that smote Nabal that he died. It is the Lord that formeth the light, and createth darkness; he maketh peace, and createth evil. It is the Lord that doth all these things. Finally, there is no evil in the City, which the Lord hath not done, Amos 3, 6. All which things agree fitly with this history in hand, that God sent fiery serpents among his people, and do teach us, that he is the author of all judgments & punishments that fall upon us, or upon any of the sons of men.
The reasons hereof are evident and apparent. [Reason 1] First, afflictions come not upon us at all adventures, they proceed not from the earth, or the air, or the heavē, it is the hand of God that lighteth upon us for our sins. For what can any one or all the creatures of God do of themselves? or what power is there in them to be revenged upon us? This therefore is our great folly, that we unwise men, gaze about here and there, wandering up and down in our own imaginations, and searching all the corners of our wits to find out the causes of our calamities out of our selves, and yet all y e while we perceive not the true and right cause to be in our selves. Whensoever a man hath any adversity, he must look up to God, & into himself. When we see the air infected, it is not so disposed of it self. When God sendeth famine, and maketh the heaven as iron, y e ground as brass, it is not so hardened of it own nature. When the earth is barren and unfruitful, it proceedeth not of it own kind, but we our selves are the cause of all. Whensoever therefore we have woeful experience, and a lamentable feeling of many miseries, we must not cast our eyes hither and thither, but every man must enter into himself, & search out his particular sins, assuring himself that God knocketh at the door of his heart, and thereby provokes him to consider better of his own ways. This Eliphaz beateth upon, Job 5, 5, 6, 7. The hungry shall eat up his harvest, and the thirsty shall drink up their substance: for misery cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth, &c.
[Reason 2] Secondly, God worketh out afflictions, he claimeth and challengeth them as his own peculiar work, that no man should be able to control anything in this world. This the wise man urgeth, Eccles. 7, 16. In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider GOD also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man should find nothing after him.
The uses of the doctrine are many. First, we [Use 1] learn in all troubles and calamities on us and those that are ours, to look up to God as the chief & principal author of them frō whence they come, and upon our selves and our own sins, from whom they come. It falleth out with many, as it doth with the dog, if a man throw a stone at him, he runneth eagerly and angerly after it, he falleth upon it, and biteth it: so do men of this world, when God any way visiteth them, they look upon inferior means, as the highest causes which they can reach unto, but never cast up their eyes to the Lord, whose hand and work it is: whereas we are bound to behold the stroke of God in all our distresses. We silly men accuse sometimes heat, and sometimes cold; sometimes drouth, & sometimes moisture; sometimes y e ground▪ and sometimes the air; sometimes one thing, and sometimes another thing, to be the cause of our calamity, but cannot be brought to find out the true and proper cause. True it is, the Lord hath secret causes that we know not of, sometimes the manifestation of his own works, sometimes the trial of our faith; and we must take heed we measure not the greatness of the sin by the grievousness of the cross, wherein the Apostles themselves were deceived. Notwithstanding, the revealed and original cause of all calamity, hath his beginning and head-spring from our iniquity, insomuch that if we had in us no guilt of corruption, we should not taste at all of the cup of affliction. This the Prophet teacheth, Lam. 3, 39. Wherefore is the living man sorrowful? Man suffereth for his sin. And our Savior warneth the man that had been diseased 38 years, finding him in the Temple, to consider the cause of his long and lamentable affliction, Thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee: so that this disease was laid upon him for his sin. He thought himself an happy man when he was restored to health. Now lest he should rest therein, the Lord telleth him he must change his heart, or else God will bring seven times moe plagues upon him, according to his sins: though he had been afflicted many years, yet he would make his judgments upon him more wonderful, even great plagues of long continuance, and sore diseases of long durance. To the same purpose the Apostle saith, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which with-hold the truth in unrighteousness Ro. 1, verse 18. Wherefore, every visitation of God, should be a sermon of repentance, to put us in remembrance of our sins, & to admonish us, not to sow upon the furrows of unrighteousness, lest we reap the crop of affliction an hundred fold. Let us desire God to sanctify the cross unto us, that it may consume sin in us, and provoke us to a more holy conversation.
[Use 2] Secondly, the meditation of this, that God is the author of all afflictions, must teach us to have patience in our troubles; not to murmur not to repine, not to grudge when we are under the cross. For seeing God hath visited me with his hand, I must take it patiently, as a dutiful child beareth the chastisements of his father. This the Prophet practiced, as we see, Psal. 39, 9: I spake not a word, but held my peace, because thou Lord didst it. This the Apostle teacheth, Heb. 12, 5, 6. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth every son that he receiveth.