Commentary on Numbers
[Use 3] Thirdly, it standeth us upon, whensoever his hand is upon us, to seek to him for health, that smiteth and no man healeth; that maketh the wound, and no man restoreth. We are directed by this consideration, to whom to seek for our recovery; to wit, first to the hand that striketh, and next to go to man's help, which is his ordinance. We must not first seek to the Physician, as Asa did, 2 Chron. 16, 13, but first be reconciled to God, the chief Physician of soul and body, and pray unto him in our trouble, as Hezekiah did, Isaiah 38, 2. Let us never look, that any means (be they never so excellent) shall profit us, and prosper with us, until we be at peace with God, and have renewed our repentance from dead works for our daily sins. This the Apostle showeth, I am. 5, 13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. This condemneth those that seek to witches and wizards, and forget the God of their salvation, who killeth and maketh alive, bringeth down to the grave, and raiseth up again. Let us thereby be put in mind of our death, which is God's messenger and serieant to arest us, and to bring us into his presence. Let us ever prepare our selves to depart in peace, cOnsidering that as the home of death shall take us, so the day of judgment shall find us. Here we repent, or else we repent never. Here is time of changing and turning, but after this life, there is no more place of repentance, but an horrible expectation and fearful looking for of judgment, which shall devour the adversaries. The Scripture teacheth, that Cain that evil man, was of evil one and slew his brother: we may multiply thousands of years since he uttered that fearful and comfortless speech, My sin is greater then ca be pardoned, my punishment is greater then can be suffered; yet when Christ shall break the heavens, and come to judge the quick and dead, he shall appear no otherwise at the last day, thē as he was taken out of this life. The like we might say of Esau, of Saul, of Judas, and of others, who ended their days in desperation; as they died, so they shall be judged, & abide forever after judgment. As they turned not to God their Creator while they lived, so they shall receive no ease or alteration in their estate when they are once departed, and have received judgment: of whom we may say as Christ once spake of Judas, It had been good for these men, if they had never been borne. Mat. 26, 24. For not to be, is ten thousand times better then ever to be in a living death, in continual horror and desperation, where their worm dieth not, & the fire never goeth out. This was the use that Hezekiah made of his sickness, Es. 38, 10, 11: I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave, I am deprived of the residue of my years: I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord in the Land of the living, I shall see man no more among the Inhabitants of the world. Wherefore, in sickness we are taught to seek health of God, and to be put in mind of our mortality.
Lastly, when God hath shown mercy upon [Use 4] us in our deliverance, let us spend the residue of our days in a godly conversation. It is a common and ordinary matter to make solemn promises and protestations to becOme new men if we recover. Many do then lament the former errors and ignorances of their life: but when they have obtained mercy at the hands of God, when they have found a blessing and been restored, they become as lewd and profane as they were before. And this moved Christ our Savior to exhort the impotent man to sin no more, lest a more grievous judgment were brought upon him. John. 5, 14. We see how Hezekiah being healed, the third day after he went up to the house of the Lord to praise him, & to speak of his goodness, who had seen his tears, heard his prayers, and who had removed his afflictions: The grave cannot confess thee, death cannot praise thee, they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth; but the living, the living, he shall confess thee, as I do this day, the father to the children shall declare thy truth. This duty is required of us all, when we are delivered from our sickness or sorrow, from trouble & calamity, to be thankful to God, and mindful of his mercy. Let everyone examine his own heart, how he hath practiced this duty, & what use he hath made of his affliction. There is none of us but hath a blessed experience of God's goodness toward him, he hath oftentimes preserved us from dangers, restored us from sickness, delivered us from diseases, freed us from troubles: happy are we, if thereby we have profited unto amendment of life, and in the study of godliness and be careful that we fall not back again into our former offenses. We must not be like to Pharaoh, who returned to his vomit, and the hardness of his heart, after he was freed from the plagues of God, lest with him we be destroyed by the just hand of God.
[The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which stung the people, so that many of them died.] God might have destroyed these ever-murmuring Israelites by the Canaanites or Edomites their adversaries; he hath men and Angels at his book and commandment to afflict them, and overthrow them: but he sendeth stinging serpents which tormented thē, and a multitude of venomous beasts upon thē, that they might know, that where with a man sinneth, by the same also he shall be punished, as we shown before.
The Doctrine from hence, is, that GOD hath all creatures in his own hand, and he armeth them at his own pleasure to execute his will, and being so employed, they are of great force. the least, the meanest the smallest of God's creatures being sent of God, do mightily prevail to the advancement of his own glory & to the destruction of all his enemies. This is plentifully taught in the history of the plagues of Egypt; God did not send out his Angels against them, nor leauy an host of horse-men and foot-men, but he sent an army of lice, of frogs, of flies, and these were confessed to be the finger of God, Exod. 8, 6, 16, 19, 24, and were able to daunt and bring down all the pride & presumption of the Egyptians. So when God would plague the Philistines, who had destroyed his people, taken the Ark of God, and blessed their Idols for the victory, he sent a multitude of Mice that destroyed their Land, to the ende they might learn to give glory unto the God of Israel, and acknowledge the plague to proceed from him. Thus likewise when the Assyrians, brought into the Cities of Israel, worshipped not God aright, but made them molten Images, and served all the host of heaven, 2 King. 17, 25, he sent Lions among them which slew them. When Herod had stretched out his hand to vex certain of the Church, Acts 12, 1, 2.23. had killed James, and put Peter in prison, intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people, the Angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not glory unto God, so that he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. The Scripture is full of such examples, how God destroyed the old world with waters, Gen. 7, 41, Sisera and his army with the River Kishon, that ancient River, the River Kison, when the Stars fought in order against Sisera. Albeit we say in a common Prove • be, As weak as water: yet it was strong enough, and it is still strong enough (as we see by experience in such floods and inundations as pleaseth God to send) when he armeth it against his enemies, whereby he taketh away the fruits of the earth, wasteth the increase of our cartell, casteth down our houses and dwelling places, and sweepeth away (as with a besom) the Inhabitants of the earth. Sodom and Gomorrhah were consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven. All these things as examples of God's judgments teach us, that he need not march against us in his own person, or set upon us with millions of his Angels, or assault us with an host of men; he can send out the smallest and silliest of his creatures to our destruction, and make the least and lowest of them accomplish the greatest works, so often as it pleaseth him.
This appeareth by sundry reasons. First, all [Reason 1] power is of God, who as he saveth with many or with few so he destroyeth with many or with few; with the strong, or with the weak▪ with reasonable creatures, or unreasonable, with living things, or wanting life. The meanest and basest have power enough, the most contemptible have force and might enough to hurt, to punish, and to destroy, when God useth their service; neither can any flesh resist them with all their craft and cunning, they are able to cast down our high looks, when we swell in pride against him. So then, whatsoever the means are, the power of then is of God, Ezek. 5, 16. When weak man taketh up any weapon into his hands (though without sense & life) whē he shooteth an arrow, draweth a sword, throweth a dart, or pusheth with the Pike, we see oftentimes great and deadly effects to follow. How much more whē the strong God armeth himself with any of his creatures, shall he be able to overthrow his enemies, and to bring strange things to pass?
Secondly, it pleaseth God to employ, and [Reason 2] set on work contemptible and base things, to use foolish things to confound the wise, & to choose weak things of the world to overturn mighty things, yea, vile things of • he world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, & things which are not, to bring to naught things that are; to daunt pride by weakness, and glory by shame, and honor by dishonor, that no flesh should rejoice an his presence. It more fretteth and galleth an high mind to be crossed and countermanded by mean things, then by things of reckoning and account. We see this in the example of Abimelech, Judge. 9, 54. who being wounded by a woman, besought his servant to slay him, rather then it should be said, that a woman had slain him. It had been an easy thing with the Lord, whē in the Land of Egypt he turned the dust of the earth into Lice, to have turned it into Lions and Bears, into Wolves & Tigers, of strange greatness, and cruel fierceness; but it pleased him rather to deal in this manner, the more to pull down the mighty, and to scatter the proud in the imaginations of their heart.
Thirdly, he is the Maker and Creator of all [Reason 3] things, so that they are not only his creatures, and the workmanship of his hands, but his servants and soldiers, to serve him, & fight his battles against his adversaries, such as all ungodly persons are; he is the General of this army, and therefore is called, The Lord of hosts, Isaiah 1, 9, having these as his serieants and attendants to do his will. When he saith to his army go, it goeth; or come, it cometh: or do this, by and by it doth it.
The uses remain to be considered. From [Use 1] hence we learn, that the power of God is absolute and infinite, without limit or restraint, who is able by an army of mean creatures, to put us to foil & flight, whatsoever our might and manhood be we boast of. What? hath not God, men and Angels to command? Yes, yes, he hath them all at his pleasure to be employed. But he needeth not to arm the sons of men, or troops of Angels, if he do but hiss or whistle for any of his creatures, they come forth with store & strength out of their places against us; as it were in battle array. This the Prophet Joel teacheth, chap. 1, verses 3, 4, 19, 20. So then, we must learn to acknowledge the great power of God; who governeth all things in heaven and earth to work his will. For as the Prophet saith, Psal. 94, 9. He that made the eye, shall not he see? or the ear, shall not he hear? So may we in like manner reason: He that giveth power, shall not he have power? He that putteth strength into his creatures shall not he be armed with strength himself? Now, we have already declared, that what force and might soever is in any of his creatures, it is a spark of his flame, it is an arm of his sea, it is a gift of his treasures, & therefore we are bound to acknowledge and confess, to believe and to rest in his power that doth terrible things, for his own Names sake.
[Use 2] Secondly, we are taught hereby to stand in fear of God, to tremble under this mighty Commander of sea and land, and to beware we do not teaze with him, or provoke him to anger & indignation against us, seeing he hath so many royal Camps of armed soldiers in readiness, to be revenged of us, & to destroy us, when, and how, and where it pleaseth him. He is able to cut us down as grass, to blow us away as dust, to sweep us away as dung, & to tread upon us as worms of the earth: he needeth no weapon for the matter, he can scatter us as chaff before the wind, he can make the least dust to be our death, and the smallest vermin to be our destruction. If he arm the silly & simple fly, it is able to work out our confusion, and is far above our power to encounter and buckle withal. These are the men of war that God chooseth to wage battle for him, and to pull down the hautinesse of our hearts. Let us profit to humility, and stoop down under his hand. He can as easily send strange plagues, strange diseases & mortality among us, as he in former times hath done. This the Prophet Jeremiah teacheth, chap. 5, 21, 22, 24. Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding, which have eyes and see not, which have ears and hear not; fear ye not me, saith the Lord? Or will ye not be afraid at my presence? which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it, & though the waves thereof rage and roar, they cannot prevail or pass over it.
Lastly, this teacheth, that none can escape [Use 3] judgment, and though hand join in hand, the ungodly shall never go unpunished. For as it ministereth comfort to the faithful in all dangers to put their trust & affiance in God, who hath so many soldiers and servants to protect and defend them; so on the other side it assureth tribulation and anguish, death and destruction to every soul that doth evil. Look how many creatures he hath, so many means he hath to destroy us, and we cannot escape if we be at war and defiance with him. If God be on our side, who shall be against us? Rom. 8, 31. But if he be against us, what creature shall stand with us? Nay, what creature is not armed against us? If God be our enemy, nothing in heavē or earth can show us any good, or be in league and friendship with us, but is ready to bid us battle, and to proclaim open war against us. Therefore the Prophet saith, God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth, he will take vengeance on his adversaries, and here serveth wrath for his enemies: the Lord is slow to anger, but he is great in power, and will not surely clear the wicked: the Mountains tremble, and the Hills melt before him, the earth is burnt at his fight, yea the world & all that dwell therein: Who can stand before his wrath? his wrath is poured out like fire, and the Rocks are broken by him. If a man were compassed about with thousands of his enemies, and hemmed in on every side with a mighty host ready to draw their swords, and discharge their Ordinance at him, would he not despair of deliverance, and put his soul in his hand as the Prophet speaks? This is the estate of all natural and wicked men. All creatures above their head and under their feet, on the right hand, on the left hand, and round about them, before them and behind them, are set against them, & have made a general conspiracy against them. It were a vain hope and foolish presumption for such a prisoner to dream of freedom & deliverance. The murder of Abel lying heavy upon the heart and conscience of Cain, made him stand in fear of every creature that came to meet him, or overtook him. If then we would be at peace with the creatures, and find peace in our own selves, which passeth all understanding, labor first of all to be at peace with God. Let him have no quarrel or controversy against us. Let us send out an Embassage of peace, and hang out of our hearts a flag of truce, that he may call back his army from pursuing of us. If he once blow the retreat, all his soldiers retire, they are all able to do us no hurt, the stones of the street shall be in league with us, all creatures shall serve them that serve the Lord. Seeing therefore, the least of God's creatures are made by him too strong for a kingdom, who shall be able to resist his power? Seeing in his wrath he can arm all the creatures in heaven and earth against us, the meanest whereof is above our strength, what vain hearts have we in our breasts, and what wicked tongues in our profane mouths, to think and speak it, that we will shift well enough with his judgments? Let us shake at his infinite power betimes, lest the fire of his jealousy burn against us, and it cannot be quenched. Let us tremble at our security and presumption, that have taken hold upon us, lest the guiltiness thereof shake and shiuer us in pieces for evermore, seeing he bringeth out his armies by number, & calleth them by their names. Isaiah 40, 26.
[Verse 7. Then the people came to Moses, & said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee. ] Mark here, how the Israelites seek help and succor of Moses. A man would have thought, that this rout of Rebels, of all other would not have gone to Moses, nor have stooped down to him, whom before they had contemptuously scorned, contumeliously abused, and despitefully spoken against; yet in their misery they making a virtue of necessity, come with one accord to Moses to be helped & succoured, to be relieved and prayed for; they can find no comfort nor remedy but in him. We learn from hence, this doctrine; Such as are disobedient & wicked, are oftentimes driven to seek comfort and help of the godly, whom they have scorned and derided, reviled and spoken against I say, ungodly men, and such as blaspheme God, and are enemies to God and to his servants, are many times enforced and constrained to sue to them whom they have despised, and to seek to them in their necessity and extremity, when they are in affliction, and the hand of GOD is any ways heavy upon them. This appeareth in many places of the word of God; Abimelech having taken the wife of Abraham, and wronged him in the most precious part of his possession, standeth in need of his prayer, that he might live, & be healed of the diseases that God had laid upon him and his people. In like manner Isaac was hated of the Philistines, they envied his riches, they stopped his wels, they oppressed him with injuries, and banished him their country: and yet behold, they are constrained immediately to seek peace of him, and to make a covenant with him, so that albeit they hated him, and put him away from them, yet the King & his Captain are glad to come unto him, Gen. 26, 24, 25, 26. For they feared him, and saw certainly that the Lord was with him. The like submission we see in Pharaoh, albeit he hardened his heart, and often had contemned and reviled Moses, yet in the grievousness of the judgment, he sendeth for Moses and Aaron, and saith, I have now sinned: the Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked; pray ye unto the Lord for me, that there be no more mighty thunders amd hail. Exod. 9, 27, and 11, 8. Such an example is recorded, 1 Kings 13, 4, 6, touching Jeroboam, who albeit he regarded not the word of the Prophet, but raged against him, and stretched out his hand from the Altar, saying Lay hold on him: yet when his hand was dried up, so as he could not pull it in again unto him, he humbled himself greatly in the present feeling of this punishment, and besought that Prophet to pray to the Lord his God, and make intercession for him, that his hand might be restored. Thus Saul seeketh to David, 1 Sam. 24, 21, 22. Belteshazzar to Daniel, Dan. 5, 12, 13. Zedekiah to Jeremiah, Ier. 37, 3. The foolish virgins to the wise, Mat. 25, 8. Haman had conspired the destruction of the Church, and thirsted after the bloody massacre of the Saints of God, (whose death is precious in his sight) yet in the end he saw mischief prepared for him, & he stood up to make request for his life unto Queen Ester, chap. 3, 9, and 7, 7. Thus the saying and sentence of the wise man is verified, Prov. 14, 19. The evil shall bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Neither let us doubt of this truth, or greatly marvel at it. For God hath planted & imprinted [Reason 1] such a majesty in the person of those that are unfeignedly godly, & truly religious, that the most desperate and despiteful wicked men fear their faces, and reverence their presence. If then the ungodly fear them, it is no great marvel, though they fall down before them many times in submissive manner. But the ungodly do often fear them, therefore it cannot seem strange unto us, if they do some reverence unto them. This we see in Herod, Mark. 6.20. He feared John, knowing that he was a just man, and an holy, and reverenced him; and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly. So when the people saw how God heard the prayer of Samuel, they feared Samuel exceedingly. 1 Sam. 12, 18. Such is the force of innocence, that it convinceth the enemies in their own consciences, and driveth them to do homage, and veil their bonnet to the servants of God.
Again it is the will of God, that all such [Reason 2] as humble themselves, should be exalted, and the lowly in heart should be advanced: so also such as exalt themselves, should be brought low; and therefore it is no marvel, if GOD even in this life do many times for the manifestation of his mercy and justice, lift up the heads of his own children, & cast down the wicked under their feet. Hence it is, y t Christ Jesus was so much delighted with this sentence so often repeated by him in the Gospel, Whosoever exalteth himself, shall be brought low, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted, Math. 23, 12. Luke 18, 14.
[Use 1] Now let us make use of this doctrine. First, seeing the unfaithful be oftentimes constrained to sue to the faithful for their help, as the rich glutton did to Abraham; let us all learn to plant true godliness in our hearts, and to turn to the Lord with all our souls, that we may have our part and portion in this preeminence: and let us walk worthy of our places, and of this privilege, honor, and dignity. Seeing almighty God maketh us spiritual Kings to rule and reign, and often subjecteth the wicked under us, let us not be slaves to our own lusts and corruptions, but rule with authority and dominion over them, and labor to subdue sin unto us. We see the Princes of this world will not dishonor and debase thenselves with base Offices. We are Kings and Princes to God in this life, let us then walk worthy of this dignity, as the Apostle urgeth this duty from us, 2 Thess. 1, 10, 11. The Lord shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be made marvelous in all them that believe in that day: wherefore, we also pray for you always, that our God may make you worthy for this Calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power. Where we see, that after he had set down the great glory that belongeth to God's children at the coming of Christ, he exhorteth them to walk worthy of their calling, seeing it shall be glorious with Christ, and the ungodly shall be brought to utter shame, contempt, dishonor, reproach, & confusion. There is no way to bring any to true honor, but to purchase to our selves true godliness. Therefore the Lord said, 1 Sam. 2, 30. Them that honor me, I will honor, and they that despise me, shall be despised. Old age is rightly honorable, but it must be found in the way of righteousness. Prov. 16, 31. This we see to have been in Job, chap. 29, 7, 8. When I went out to the gate, even to the judgment seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seat in the street, the young men saw me, and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up, the Princes stayed their talk & laid hand on their mouth. Loe, thus shall they be honored that fear the Lord: and therefore blessed is the estate & condition of the godly.
[Use 2] Secondly, seeing the wicked (even in this life) are urged to seek mercy at the hands of godly men, so that God here upon earth bringeth down their heads, that before were lifted up in great pride: how much more shall this be verified in the life to come? when the redemption of God's children draweth near, their happiness shall be perfected; then they are appointed to triumph, and to have the victory over all their enemies, & tread the wicked under their feet. For the true children of of God shall rule and over-rule the world, and shall trample upon the kingdom of darkness, over hell, death, damnation, the devil, the reprobate, & whatsoever setteth it self against their peace. This the Lord from the beginning taught the Church, Gen. 3, 15. He shall break thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. The devil shall tempt Christ, & assault his members, but not overcome them: whereas Christ shall conquer the power of death, and make his children partakers of his victory. And the Apostle Paul confirmeth the same, Rom. 16, 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly.
Wherefore, albeit there be in this life and wicked world, many beastly minded men, that spread their arms far and near, & seem even to dazzle the eyes of others, through their riches, honors, power, friends, alliance, might, credit, possessions, & dominion over others, so that none dare mutter a word against them; yet the time is appointed & cometh quickly, that the godly shall sit in thrones of glory, & judge these wicked wretches that have been enemies to the Church; they shall stand at the bar like poor caitiffes, and receive frō Christ and his Saints, the sentence of condemnation, as 1 Corinth. 6.2, 3. Paul calleth the Saints of God to consideration of this prerogative, and checketh them, that they would submit themselves to the ungodly, Do ye not know, that the Saints shall judge the world? If the world then shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not, that we shall judge the Angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then the Lord bring the wicked down, and make them stoop to his servants in these days of their pilgrimage, wherein iniquity is often advanced, how much more shall we see our desire upon our enemies, when Christ which is our life, shall appear? for then we shall appear with him in glory, and be made like unto him, and see him as he is. This the Prophet assureth the Church, Mal. 4, 2, 3. Albeit therefore we be persecuted & pursued in this life, and find no rest or refreshing anywhere, yet there shall be a sudden change of our condition, when we shall triumph with Christ, over all principalities and powers, that lift themselves up against God, who shall •• ue shame and contempt poured upon them. The coming of Christ shall lighten things hidden in darkness, and make a manifest difference between the godly and the ungodly. Let us wait for his glorious appearance: let us hold fast till he come that which we have, that no man may take away our crown. This Christ our Savior (who hath overcome the world) assureth, Revel. chapter 2. verses 26, 27. He that overcometh and keepeth my work unto the end, to him will I give power over Nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and as the vessels of a Potter, shall they be broken. And the Apostle Peter assureth us, that the Lord is not slack of his coming (as some men count slackness) but is patient toward us, that we should not perish, but come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a noise, and the Elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Then woe shall be to the wicked, then they shall be cast down, and never be able to rise again: then they shall howl, and weep, and lament, and never be comforted again: whereas the godly shall lift up their heads, because their redemption draweth near, When it shall be a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation unto them that trouble you, but to you which are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall show himself from heaven with his mighty Angels. 2 Th. 1, 6. This therefore is a great comfort unto us, & giveth peace to our souls, that he will deal with all the ungodly, as Joshua did with the Kings which he had conquered and subdued in battle. For he commanded them to be brought out of the Cave where they were hidden, and called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the chief of the men of war which went out with him; Come near, set your feet upon the necks of these Kings, and they came near and set 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. Josh. 10, 24, 25. So will Christ Jesus deal with all our enemies, who is the Captain of the Lord's host, he will pour shame and contempt upon them, and therefore let us not stand in fear of them, to turn out of the right way, and to forsake our profession, but be steadfast and unmovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as we know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord. Thus if we be faithful to the death, we shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory.
[Use 3] Lastly, observe and mark how God magnifieth the Ministry, and is able to enforce the wicked to the acknowledgement of himself, and the true Ministers of his word: and let this comfort us in the midst of all contempts and disgraces of our God, of our religion, of our faith, and of our persons. Ah, we Ministers despised by profane men, let us mark and consider this, and lay it unto our hearts: let us bear their contempts & contumelies thrown upon us. In their extremities they shall acknowledge us, they shall reverence our Calling, they shall magnify our Office, our Ministry, and Doctrine, they shall justify us & desire our prayers, they shall stoop, they shall stoop when it pleaseth God. And let this suffice all true Teachers & Preachers of the Gospel of Christ, that the power of the truth is such, as that it maketh the enemy bow y e knee unto it, which before seemed to have no joint to bend. This is the time which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it, when he giveth us a comfortable experience of this doctrine, that the enemies of God and our enemies are driven to resort and repair unto us: and such as made iestes and songs of the word and of the Ministers of the word, cry out, O, how beautiful are the feet of them which bring glad tidings of good things? Rom. 10, 15. There is none of us all poor contemned men, that labor in sincerity in the vineyard of God, & bear the burden of the work and the heat of the day, but sometimes God lifteth up our heads, and honoreth us in the world, that we should not sink down under the burden; and maketh our mortal and greatest enemies, beseech us to be good unto them, and to help them in their extremities. The people of Israel despised the ministry of Samuel, & would not hearken unto him; but when they saw the lightning, and heard the thunder, and felt the rain at that unseasonable time, They feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly, and they said unto him, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not. 1 Sam. 8, 7, and 12, 18, 19. Let this profitable meditation of God's mercy toward us, devour and swallow up all disgracing and defacing of our Ministry, and teach us to wait patiently upon the Lord, who, whē the ways of a man please him, will make his enemies to be at peace with him, and alter their hearts as pleaseth him. This is a very great dignity and high privilege that God bestoweth upon his poor and contemptible servants, reproachful in the world, a gazing stock to the wicked, accounted as the off-scouring of the earth, a wonder to men and Angels: this is their honor and preeminence, they are magnified of God, and respected of the wicked in their manifold miseries, when God toucheth them in body, or afflicteth them in mind, or punisheth thē in goods, or layeth his hand vpō such as nearly concern them in the flesh. Excellent then is the estate of God's children advanced by him, and a great honor unto them, that their enemies are brought under them, & are made to sue unto them. God is able to deliver them from contempt, and to give us for the truths sake a due regard and reverence when he will. So he magnified the ministry of Moses and Aaron (as we heard before) when Pharaoh could find no comfort in his enchanters and sorcerers, nor any help in his gods or Idols, he is forced to seek comfort & help of those despised Ministers & messengers that were before hated of him: for Moses must pray unto God for him. So he magnified the ministry of his Apostles, so that the stubborn and stiff-necked Jews, that could not abide the Gospel, nor the Preachers of the Gospel, being wounded in conscience, came to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, saying, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Acts 2, 37. The laylour, mentioned in the 16 of the Acts, v. 26, 27 29, put the Apostles into close prison, & made their feet fast in the stocks: but when y e earth quaked, the prison doors opened, and every man's bands were loosed, when once he was waked out of sleep, and his conscience out of security, he called for a light, & leaped in, he came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, & could find no comfort but from them whom before he had cruelly entreated, nor recover himself from the gulf of desperation into w c he was entering, but by their blessed ministry, who ministered a word in due season to y e weary soul, to the heavy heart, and to the conscience burdened and oppressed with sin. So he magnified the ministry of John the Baptist, who was reverenced of the covetous Publican's, of the violent soldiers, and of the merciless people, so that they demanded of him, What shall we do? Thus hath God dealt from time to time, compelling the wicked to know and to acknowledge his faithful Ministers to his great glory and our endless comfort. It is a vain & needless fear in many, that fear the fall and decay of the Ministry, & the utter ruin and overthrow of the Ministers of the word. There are many trades of this present life, that will never decay nor wear out of use. So long as building, planting, sowing, and tilling of the ground are in request, there will be use of the builder, of the planter, of the husbandman. Who feareth the contempt of harvest men in the time of harvest? Who feareth the discharge of watchmen, while the City is besieged? Who feareth y t no reckoning will be made of Shepherds, so long as there are sheep to be attended, and wolves to be feared? The Ministers are the Lord's builders, the people are his building: the Ministers are his husbandmen, the people his husbandry: the Ministers are the Lord's harvest men, the people his harvest to be gathered into his barn. This the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 3, 9, & Christ our Savior, Mat. 9, 37. So long therefore as God hath a Church to be built, a Vineyard to be planted, a Field to be tilled, a Flock to be watched, an Harvest ripe and ready to be reaped, we need not to be afraid of the decay and downfall of the Ministry. For so long as men have souls to be sued, the means of salvation shall be continued. We see this in the history of the Acts, how diversely it pleased y e Lord to dispose of this his ordinance. Where he had no people to be called, he suffered not the Apostles to go thither: but where he had much people, there he commanded thē to labor more, and to tarry longer, and suffered them not to depart so soon as they would. Wherefore, let us be bold and constant in the work of the Lord, and not fear to labor in his Vineyard, knowing that our work shall not be in vain, & assuring our selves, that he will hold up our heads whom we serve, and maintain his own ordinance unto the coming of Jesus Christ.
[We have spoken against the Lord, and against thee, we have sinned.] The people of Israel being brought to true repentance by y e former judgment of the fiery serpents, do not content thenselves to confess their sins in general, saying, We have sinned; but they acknowledge the particular offense that had brought upon them y t particular judgment. As then they felt the judgment in particular, so they have a feeling of their special and particular sin. This teacheth, that howsoever we are to repent & crave pardon generally for general sins & unknown sins, yet we most be most pressed & perplexed, touched and grieved with particular sins. This truth appeareth lively in y e practice of Naamā, who being won to the faith by the experience which he had of the mercy & power of God, as also the Ruler was by the miracle shown upon his son, John. 4, 53, he was touched with a feeling of his former idolatry; and confessed his great blindness in the corrupt worship of false gods. Hence it is that he desireth God to be merciful unto him, that in going with his master into the house of Rimmon, and he leaning on his hand, he had worshipped that Idol, to the dishonor of God, and the wounding of his conscience. The words themselves will naturally bear this construction. For we must understand them of the time past, not of the time to come: of his craving pardon for that which he had done, and not for that he would do. He was a true convert, and testifieth his conversion by acknowledging his former impiety, and promising to forsake the same, and to worship the true God hereafter. This is indeed true repentance, whē we are ready and willing to acknowledge those particular sins and trespasses that lie heavy upon the conscience, and have called down particular judgments upon us. We have a notable pattern of this kind of repentance in the Prophet, Psal. 51, 1, 14: thus do the people of Israel deal in their conversion, 1 Sam. 12, 19, and many others. 1 Tim. 1, 13. 1 Cor. 15, 9. Acts 2, 23. Luke 19, 8.
The reasons. First, because repentance only [Reason 1] made generally & confusedly for known sins, is never true repentance, but a common & hypocritical repentance of one resolved and settled to continue in sin, & not yet touched with a true feeling thereof. True it is, for secret and unknown sins, which we in weakness & ignorance commit, the Lord accepteth a general confession, as we see in the practice of the Prophet David, saying, Who can understand his faults? Cleanse me from secret sins, Psalm. 19, 12. Thus did the rest, no doubt, of the godly deal, & such an acknowledgment of their unknown sins (which they took not to be sins) did they make in a general manner, which were hidden not only from other men, but even from thenselves. This we may say of their polygamy or their marrying of many wives, and other their dail infirmities.
Secondly, we must make a particular account to God at the hour of death, when we [Reason 2] must plead guilty or not guilty at his bar. A general reckoning and account will not then be taken, neither will the Lord set before us gross sums, but the account shall be made of specials; which may cause the stoutest and strongest men to tremble and quake for very fear of that day. All the sins of thy former life shall be represented before thee, like • squadron of enemies ready set in battle array to assault thee, & to give in evidence against thee. This is taught and witnessed unto us by the Apostle John, describing the manner of judgment to which we shall be summoned, Revel. 20, 12. I saw the books opened, and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. It standeth us upon in regard of these books, to make up our books, and to look to our reckonings, forasmuch as we must gave an account of our stewardship, Luk. 16, 2.
Let us now make use of this doctrine. First, [Use 1] we learn from hence, that it is not enough to say, we are sinners, and so to cry God mercy for a pa • g or a brunt and so away, or to desire God to forgive us our sins; but we must uncase our selves, and uncover our particular trespasses, if we would have God to cover thē with the precious garment of Christ. If a sick man come to the Physician, and only tell him he is sick, and never show him his particular grief and disease that troubleth him, in what part he is pained, and in what sort he is taken, he can never look to be cured and restored to health. If we come unto God, the Father of spirits and Physician of souls; and only say, We have sinned, we cannot assure our selves of pardon. We declared before, that we must confess our unknown sins generally, but our known sins we must confess particularly, without any excuse or defense, without any hiding or diminishing of thē; as the same Prophet doth after he had sinned in numbering of the people, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing, &c. Wherefore • t standeth us, upon with great grief & heaviness of heart, to confess our special sins & to give sentence against our selves, and to pray with earnestness of spirit as for life and death, for the pardon of our offenses which we have committed at such and such times, in such places, with such persons and in such manner: otherwise our repentance is only in show, and for fashion sake, which is never acceptable to God; being done in hypocrisy, and without a conscionable feeling of sin in the soul.
[Use 2] Secondly, this particular confession overthroweth and overturneth sundry corruptions and abuses in the case of repentance. It condemneth all impenitent persons, such as live & continue, in one estate, never sorrow for any sin, neither at any time turn from it, neither have any feeling or •• eefe for sin, neither know what it meaneth. This is a dangerous estate and a most perilous judgment. For as a sick man is then most dangerously sick when he hath no feeling of his sickness, and is ready to say, he is well, and hath small sense or none at all of any pain or peril: so sinful man is then in greatest misery by reason of his sins when he thinketh himself to be no sinner. Such one is far off from mourning & sorrowing for sin, from turning from them and returning to God, seeing be taketh himself to be in good • ase and to stand in need of no repentance. Such were the Pharisees in the days of Christ, whom he reproveth, Mat. 9, 12, 13. Besides, it condemneth ceremonial repentance, which carrieth an outward show of dying to sin, but is separated from the inward truth of a sound heart. Thus Saul repented, 1 Sam. 15.74, and 26, 21, and 24, 17, 18. And Ahab rent his clothes, but not his heart, he fasted from food, but not from sin, 1 Kin. 21.27.29. Thus the hypocrites repent, mentioned in the Prophets, when a man afflicteth his soul for a day, and boweth-down his head as a bulrush, yet looseth not the bonds of wickedness: and therefore immediately afterward, he embraceth his former sins, and returneth to his old ways, as Phazaoh did: who being annoyed with the frogs, smitten with the hail, terrified with the thunders, troubled with the grassehoppers, pestered with the flies, disquieted with the darkness; this was the even • and issue of all, as soon as he had rest given unto him, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto the Lord. This is the common sickness of the common repentance, that men ordinarily practice in these days, whereby they deceive themselves and their own souls, dealing in hypocrisy & dissembling with the Lord, catching at the shadow instead of the body, & resting in shows instead of the substance. Lastly, it condemneth all such as have hardened their hearts in sin, and are grown thereby to be past feeling, such as cannot discern between good and evil, nor tremble at God's judgments, but draw sin • o themselves as it were with cart-ropes; and work all uncleanness even with greediness. These have their conscience seared with an hot Iron, and it accuseth them not for any sin, but bringeth them into a reprobate mind so that they are so far from confessing their proper and particular sins, that they have no sense or remorse of any sin, but are full of all wickedness and unrighteousness.
Lastly, it behooveth us to search out our ways, to see what we have left undone, and [Use 3] what lieth most upon our consciences, and especially bewail the same; otherwise there is in us no sound conversion. This the Prophet testifieth, Lam. 3, 40, 41. Some are specially inclined to lust & uncleanness, some to covetousness, some to surfeiting & drunkenness, some to envy & revenge, some to swearing & blaspheming, some to pleasures & delights of the outward man; now where we are weakest, Satan will be strongest; where our defense is slenderest there his te •• ations will be thickest; where the hedge is lowest, every beast will seek to enter; so it is with us: if one place be left open & unguarded▪ Satan will enter there, as well as if we gave hi • I passage many ways. One known sin nourished in us, is sufficient for him to bring us thereby to damnation. He can well abide to have us reformed in many faults that we should deny thē, defy thē, hate them, and ery out against them; yet someone sin or other (whereto we are by nature most inclined) he fosteteth and furthereth in us, and by it in a vile manner he wholly possesseth us, and dwelleth in us. It is a wonderful policy of Satan, when he cannot make us to walk and wallow in all sin, he endevoreth to poison us with someone sin, lest he should wholly give over his hold, and by it will bring us to destruction, as well as by a thousand. A Bird entangled with one foot, and holden in y e snare of the Fowler, is as unable to escape and fly away, as if she were taken and held by both the feet. So is it with man, if he beholden in one notorious sin, and flatter himself in it, he is in as great danger of death and damnation, as if he gave over himself to many sins. What I pray you, should it profit, when a City is besieged and compassed with the enemy, to shut up all the gates, and to leave one standing open? May not the enemy enter at that one, as well as at many, and by assault take the City and people? Or what should it avail a Mariner to stop all the holes of the Ship where it leaketh, and leave one vnstopped? Will it not sink the Ship as well as many? So, what shall it profit and help us to set open one corner of our hearts for one sin to enter, albeit we should shut up, and lock the doors of our hearts against all other sins? Will not Satan enter there, and fill us full of all wickedness, & bring us to destruction of soul and body? Consider the examples of Saul, Herod, Judas, Ananias and Sapphira, all these turned from sin, yea from many sins, but not from all sin, nor from their special sins whereof they should have repented, and therefore their repentance was but the show and shadow of repentance, and not true repentance indeed. If then we would have that true & godly sorrow which causeth repentance, not to be repented of, we must turn from all our sins to God, and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life, and hereby learn to try our own hearts by this special conversion. We must consider our proper and personal sins. Endeuouring to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect. Mat. 5, 48, and not exempting our selves from the obedience of any of the Lord's holy Commandments.
[And Moses prayed for the people.] They desire the prayers of Moses, as we heard before, who refuseth not, but prayeth for thē to God. He was not mindful of the wrongs sustained, and of the injuries received of them, for in all y e indignities offered unto him he was patient and meek above all men that were upon the earth; therefore he goeth to God, and desireth him to remove the judgment. The Doctrine from this place is this; It is our duty to pray one for another. The Lord requireth of us, not only to commit to God, and commend in our prayers the Saints, but to be mindful of our enemies, and them that hate us, and to desire their good and conversion. This affection we see in Abraham, who prayed earnestly and oftentimes for the Sodomites, that God would spare them, & not destroy the righteous with the wicked, but rather to spare the wicked for the righteous sake. This was also in Samuel, when the people besought him to pray for thē that they died not, he said, God forbid, that I should sin against the Lord, and cease praying for you, &c. 1 Sam. 12, 23. How often did Moses & Aaron pray for Pharaoh, and spread out their hands unto the Lord, That the plagues might cease, and that he might know that the earth is the Lord's? Exod. 9, 29. This duty Christ our Savior setteth down as a rule to guide us, both by word of mouth, and by example of life. For he taught his Disciples this Doctrine, Mat. 5, 44. Love your enemies: bless them that curse you: do good to them that hate you, and pray for the that hurt you, and persecute you, &c. Now this point as Christ preacheth, so he practiseth and prayeth for his enemies, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luk. 23.34. Thus did the faithful witness of God, Stephen whē he was stoned, he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Acts 7, 60.
The Reasons are plain and direct. First, we [Reason 1] are fellow-members of the same body, and fellow-soldiers that fight under the same Captain Jesus Christ. We see them embers of our body are careful for the good one of another, unless they be dead and senseless; so should we be moved at the consideration of the troubles and wants of the Church, as the Apostle by this similitude teacheth us, 1, Cor. 12, 20, 21. We are many members, yet but one body: and the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee; nor the head again to the feet, I have no need of you. So it is in the body of Christ, we cannot want each other, but stand in need one of another, to keep y e whole body in peace and concord. In regard hereof it is, that we are partakers also of their prayers, so as we pray one for another, and seek the good & benefit one of another, as the Church did the deliverance of Peter. Acts 12, 5.
Secondly, this duty of praying for our brethren, [Reason 2] is enforced & charged upon us, because it is acceptable to God, and an oblation wherewith he is delighted and well pleased. For our prayer is directed in his sight as Incense; and the lifting up of our hands as an evening sacrifice. It availeth much if it be fervent, it pierceth the heavens, and obtaineth every good blessing at the hands of God for our selves, & for others.
The Uses fo • low. First, we are especially in [Use 1] duty bound to pray for Magistrates and those that be in authority, as the subjects for their Princes, and the people for their Pastors, that the work of God may prosper under their hands. This the Apostle teacheth, 1 Tim. chapter 2, 1, 2. So the Jews were commanded to pray for Babylon, that persecuting Citty, where they were captive, Ier. chap. 29, ver. 7. We see in the natural body, that albeit the members have care one of another, yet the chiefest care is for the head. A man, will be willing to receive a blow on another part, to save the principal; it is that which Satan alleged to God, Job 2, 4. Skin for skin, all that ever a man hath, will he give for his life. So it standeth us upon, to desire indeed the good of the least and lowest member in the Church of God, but our chiefest and greatest endeavor should be for men in highest calling, who are set in slippery places, compassed with many dangers, environed with many temptations, beguiled oftentimes by flatterers, led away by false informers, so that the higher they are exalted, the greater is their downfall. When they stand upright, they stand not alone; whē they fall, they fall not alone. When a mighty Oak that seemed deep rooted in the earth, falleth down, it casteth down with it the lesser Trees and lower shrubs that grow near unto it. As we have light or darkness from the Sun, so we have vice or virtue from such as are superiors. For all inferiors commonly follow the example and tread the steps of such as are in higher places. This the wise man noteth in his Proverbs, ch. 29.12. of a Prince that hearkeneth to lies, all his servants are wicked. This the Prophet toucheth, Behold, all that use Proverbs shall use this Prouerb against thee, saying, As the mother, so is he • daughter. Wherefore it behooveth us to remember our Princes and men of great callings in our prayers, as we see Moses is ready to pray for Pharaoh, & as Darius King of Persia willeth the Jews to pray for the Kings life, and for his sons: Ezra 6, 10, according as the Prophet also prayeth, Give thy judgments O God, to the King, and thy righteousness to the Kings son. Psal. 72, 1. Thus then it appeareth to be a principal duty, to pour out our prayers and supplications for our Magistrates & Ouer-seers that watch for our souls, and to fall down upon our knees for Prince and Country. The Apostles command it, and the faithful practice it toward Infidels and wicked Kings that professed not the faith, nor believed the truth: how much more careful then ought we to be, to perform all Christian duties to Christian Princes, that are members of the same body, that are the breath of our nostrils, that are nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church, that are shepherds of the people of God to feed and govern them, that are chosen instruments to bestow their power and authority for the preservation of the sheep of Christ, and are firm pillars to bear up the truth upon their shoulders?
[Use 2] Secondly, it followeth that we are to do it much more for our selves. For how can we be truly affected to pray for others, and be inwardly touched with their wants, when we have no feeling of our own? We shall hear many oftentimes very liberal and lavish in offering their prayers, as if they did set them out to sale, or to be hired, saying, I will pray for you; who notwithstanding seldom pray for themselves. And what are the prayers of blind and ignorant men, but rehearsing the Commandments, saying over the Creed, & a pattering of the Lord's Prayer without understanding? Besides, prayer is a mutual duty to be practiced one toward another, as we perform the same for our brethren, so do the brethren for us, and therefore we are no more indebted to other for this benefit, then others for the benefit they receive of us. Let us therefore learn from hence, that if we must pray for our friends and families, and other members of Christ, we must learn especially to pray for our selves, and by our selves. We can never of conscience pray with others, unless we sometimes separate our selves from them, enter into our Chamber, shut our door, and pray alone unto our Father which is in secret, That our Father which seeth in secret, may reward us openly. Mat. 6, 5, 6. For he that never prayed solitary, never prayed truly. He that never sequestreth himself from the company of others, to humble his soul before God, never knew what true prayer meant, but doth all in hypocrisy for fashion sake, and to be seen of men, and therefore they have their reward accordingly. It is a note of hypocrisy, never to pray but in company; and therefore whosoever always and only prayeth with others, is an hypocrite. Hence it is, that the faithful have used daily private prayer. It is noted of Isaac, that he went frō the presence of others, to pour out his meditations before rhe Lord. We see it in David in sundry Psalms, yea in Christ himself, though he were Lord of life, and heir of all things: so that this is a sound and infallible rule in our holy and Christian religion, that what man soever never prayed alone, never prayed aright.
Thus then we see how it standeth us all upon, in regard of this general duty to be performed to others, to be principally mindful of our selves, that from a sight of our own sins, from a feeling of our own wants, from a desire of God's graces, we may have a due respect and regard of our brethren. For all our love shown to our neighbor, is as a stream issuing from the fountain of love toward our selves; and the rule to square out the love of our brethren, is the true measure of it to our selves, by due and right proportion. Let us therefore be diligent our selves in prayer, and pour out our meditations before the Lord. It is made a note of a wicked man not to pray, by the Prophet. Psalm. 14, verses 1, 4. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God; they have corrupted and done an abhominable work, there is none that doth good; they call not upon the Lord. It behooveth us therefore to crave of GOD, the grace of prayer, to the ende we may pray aright as we ought to pray; that so we may learn to pray for others. This we see practiced by the Apostle Paul, who having exhorted the Church of Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God, and to pray always with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit for all Saints: he annexeth hereunto immediately, and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly as I ought to speak; and himself beggeth the grace of God to come upon them. So writing to the Thessalonians, and exhorting them to pray continually, and namely for the preachers of the Gospel, himself giveth an example, beginneth the work, and first prayeth for them, that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with them.
[Use 3] Thirdly, it behooveth us all in our wants and necessities to crave the prayers of the Church, which avail much with God if they be fervent. He hath promised to hear his servants that call upon him. He hath promised, That wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his Name, he will be present in the midst of them. He hath promised the graces of his spirit plentifully to them that ask. Wherefore, when Daniel was to declare to the King the dream which he had dreamed, and the interpretation thereof, which none of the Astrologians or enchanters could declare, He shown the matter to his Companions, that they should beseech the God of heaven for grace in this secret. The like we see in Ester, when she heard that all the Jews were appointed to destruction, and of that great danger which threatened the Church, she willed Mordecai to go and assemble all the Jews that were found in Shushan, saying; Fast ye for me, eat not, nor drink in three days, I also and my maids will fast likewise, and so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the Law, and if I perish I perish. So doth S. Paul in every Epistle almost, desire the Church to pray for him, that he might be delivered from unreasonable and beastly men, disobedient to the Gospel, that did vex and trouble him; that his service in his Ministry might be acceptable to the Saints for their profit and edification, that he might have the door of utterance opened and freedom of speech given unto him to publish boldly the will and counsel of God as he ought; that the gifts and graces of God bestowed upon him, might redownd to the benefit of the Church, & praise of God. True it is, the wicked and ungodly do many times desire those whom they think to be the children of God, to pray for them. But they want the Spirit of Christ, and the grace of prayer, so that they cannot pray themselves, nor have any heart to lift up to God, as we see in Simon the Sorcerer, who craved of the Apostles to pray for him to the Lord, that none of his threatenings might fall upon him. He was not touched with a feeling of his sin, nor desired any pardon thereof, but only craved a freedom & deliverance from judgment to come. So then, he was not grieved for sin, but feared y e punishment.
Again, as the Reprobate may desire the prayers of the children of God, when they fear judgments to come upon them hereafter, so they may do when punishment is upon them, as we see in Pharaoh, who desired Moses and Aaron to pray for him, that there be no more mighty thunders in the Land. The same we see in Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that made Israel to sin; when his hand was dried up, that he could not pull it in again, which he had stretched out to lay hold on the Prophet, threatening the destruction of the idolatrous altar at Bethel, he said to the man of God, I beseech thee, pray unto the Lord thy God, and make intercession for me, that my hand may be restored unto me. So then, the wicked desire to be prayed for, but it is only in extremity, it is only to escape punishment, either present, or to come. But the Godly respect sin, and are grieved for it, more then for the punishment, they are troubled more for the loss of God's favor, then of temporal commodities. Therefore when he prayeth for himself or for others, he is moved with a fear and reverence of the Majesty of God to whom he prayeth, he is touched with a feeling of his own wants for which he prayeth, he poureth out his heart before the Lord, and showeth a fervent desire to obtain his wants, he prayeth not for a brunt or two, but continueth in prayer, he doubteth not through unbelief, but through faith assureth himself to obtain the requests he maketh according to his word.
Fourthly, it followeth also, that when God [Use 4] hath heard us for them, we must praise his Name, and give thanks for the blessings he hath vouchsafed unto our brethren. So doth the Apostle in many of his Epistles, I thank my God for you all through Jesus Christ, because your faith is published throughout the whole world. As we are not to pray only for our selves, so we are not to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving only for our selves. This serveth to reprove all those that repine and envy at the blessings bestowed upon others, who have their own eye evil, because the Lord's eye is good. This sometime creepeth upon the servants of God, and therefore ought to make us more wary & watchful over our selves. When Joshua the servant of Moses, saw the spirit of God to rest upon Eldad and Medad, so that they prophesied in the host, he said, My Lord Moses, forbid them: who answered him, Enuiest thou for my sake? yea, would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets, and that the Lord would pour his Spirit upon them. So when the disciples of John saw that Christ Jesus made more disciples then John, and increased in glory more then he, they complained to John, that all men flocked to Christ, and began to forsake him, John replied, Ye yourselves are my witnesses, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him: he must increase, but I decrease. Let us beware y t we be not possessed with the spirit of envy: rather let us labor after brotherly love, which suffereth long, is bountiful, enuyeth not, it seeketh not her own things, it thinketh not evil, it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, it suffers all things, it believeth all things, it hopeth all things it endureth all things. Whatsoever good things God bestoweth upon any member of Christ, he hath given them not only for the benefit and comfort of him that hath received them, but for the good of the whole body. Seeing therefore we have our part and portion therein, in as much as there is in the Church one Communion of Saints: it is our duty to return the praise and glory thereof to the giver, and not repine and grudge against him to whom they are given.
[Use 5] Lastly, consider from this Doctrine, whence it is that God spareth the wicked and ungodly, and beareth long with the vessels of wrath, appointed to destruction. It is for the prayers of his people that are his remembrancers day and night, that stand in the gap and breach which the hand of God hath made, that cry unto him without ceasing, Spare thy people (O Lord) and give not thine inheritance unto reproach, that the unbelievers should say, Where is their God? True it is, the people of God are contemptible in this unthankfull world, yet were it not for these simple and silly ones, the judgments of God had long since fallen upon us, which by their prayers hitherto they have stayed. For had we continued in peace, dwelled in our houses, possessed our inheritances, enjoyed our lands and goods thus long, but for the faithful servants of God, who mind the peace of Zion? Doubtless, he would not spare the world one minute and moment of time, but for the godly. He would have spared the cities of Sodom and Gomorrhah, if ten righteous persons had been found in them. For the faiths sake of Rahah, who hid the spies and sent them out another way, he spared her kindred, and her fathers house. For the faith of Lot, whose righteous soul was vexed day by day, in seeing and hearing the unclean conversation of those sinful men, he would have saved his sons in law, that should have married his daughters. For Paul's sake, a chosen vessel to bear the Name of God to the Gentiles, he gave freely those that sailed with him and saved their lives. Thus we see, that for the godly, he beareth with the ungodly: but when they are safe and sealed in the forehead, then judgment shall come upon the wicked. Contrariwise, a nation, a city, a town, an house and family is cursed for the society and company of the wicked. The Israelites could not prosper at the siege of Ai, so long as Achan was among them. The Sea could not be calm, the ship could not be safe, the Mariners could not be at rest, so long as unrepentant and unreformed Jonah was a burden unto it; for he said unto them, Take me and cast me into the Sea, so shall the waves work no more so troublesomely, for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. Wherefore, it is a sweet and comfortable thing to be in the number of the faithful; we have benefit by the prayers of the Church, which pierce the ears of God, and bring down his blessings in great abundance.
Verse 8. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent. We heard before how the people repented of their sins, and how Moses prayed for pardon: Now see how God remooueth his hand. He will not always chide, nor keep his anger forever: he doth not deal with us after our sins, nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities. Indeed he showeth oftentimes his severe judgments, but so soon as the sinner is humbled, he receiveth him to mercy, the sin is pardoned, and the punishment is removed. The doctrine from hence is this, that God is merciful to all penitent sinners. Repentance once going before, mercy followeth after, albeit we sin grievously against him. This the Prophet teacheth in the Name of God, Isaiah 1.18. Ezek. 18.21, 22 23. and 33.11. David sinned exceedingly in numbering the people, for which God sent a pestilence three days in Israel, that many thousands died; yet when his heart smote him, that he said, I have sinned exceedingly, I have done wickedly, but these sheep what have they done? Let thine hand I pray thee, be against me, and against my fathers house, and not on thy people for their destruction: the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed, It is enough, let thine hand cease.
Let us consider the reasons of God's merciful [Reason 1] dealing, which are first the comfort and relief of his people, that none should to the end of the world despair of obtaining of mercy. For the mercy of God in Christ, is above all his works, which he extendeth to thousands; it is infinite, without measure. He pardoneth such offenders, to make them examples to others of God's great mercy, he receiveth them to favor, and remitteth their offenses, not only to manifest his mercy to the offender himself, but to teach others to resort and repair unto him for pardon and forgiveness. When the Prophet testifieth, that by acknowledging his sin unto God, and confessing his wickedness against himself, he obtained the remission of his sin, and punishment of sin: he addeth immediately, Therefore shall everyone that is godly, make his prayer unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. This is the reason that the Apostle toucheth, 1 Tim. 1. teaching that he was received to mercy, for this cause, That Jesus Christ should first show on him all long suffering unto the example of them which shall in time to come believe in him unto eternal life. So then, from these and such like examples of great sinners, that have obtained much mercy, we likewise should be assured of the goodness of God for our salvation, whensoever we can be brought to believe the Gospel, & repent from dead works.
Secondly, the consideration of the nature [Reason 2] of God, ministereth a strong and invincible reason to gain our affections to yield to this truth. For his mercy is abundant, and his goodness is infinite. It surmounteth the reach and understanding of all mortal men: It passeth the highness of the heavens, the depth of the earth, the breadth of the Sea, the power of the devil, the strength of the Law, the measure of the whole world, and nothing can be compared with the perfections of the Almighty, Job 11.7, 8, 9. Paul, who before his conversion, to the faith which he sought to destroy, was a blasphemer, a Persecuter, & an oppresser; maketh this the cause why he was received to mercy, The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus, that is, giving unto me faith, that chased away infidelity, and love that overcame cruelty. So the Lord maketh this the chief and principal cause, why he spared that rebellious and idolatrous people, The Lord, the Lord, strong, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.
[Use 1] The uses follow of this doctrine. First, we learn, that there is no sin that doth exceed the mercy of God. None can say without injury against his own soul, without reproach against God, and giving the lie to the glorious Majesty of God, My sin is greater then can be forgiven. True it is, there is an unpardonable sin, that shall never be forgiven, either in this world, or in the world to come, the blasphemy against the Spirit; but that is, because they cannot relent or repent that commit it; they are so far gone, that they can never return back again; not because God is not able to forgive it, or that it doth exceed the mercies of God. Seeing then, vile sinners find such infinite and unspeakable mercy, let us never despair or doubt of his mercy & favor, though we be suddenly overtaken through infirmity, and fall into diverse and grievous sins. He hath mercy in store for such as have been exceeding sinners against him. If they can repent of their sins, his mercies are as great as himself. Consider the examples of Peter, that denied his Master, of Paul, that persecuted the Saints, of David that committed adultery; of Solomon that fell into idolatry; of Lot, that lay with his own daughters; of Noah, that offended in drunkenness; of Manasseh that shed innocent blood; of Mary Magdalene, out of whom were cast seven devils; of the Jews that crucified the Lord of life: all which returning from their iniquity were received to mercy, so that where sin abounded, there grace hath abounded much more. Hence therefore great comfort ariseth to the heavy soul and troubled conscience, oppressed with the burden of sin, and hangring after grace and pardon. When terrors and temptations grow strong upon us, supposing that our sins are moe then can be forgiven, and the punishments greater then can be pardoned; we must know it is the lying spirit of the devil, to draw us into the bottomless and comfortless gulf of desperation, which is (as it were) the mouth of hell gaping wide, to swallow up the soul quick, to utter and endless destruction. If our sins be never so great and grievous, if they be never so many and monstrous, moe then the hairs of our head, or the sand on the sea shore which is innumerable; as heavy as lead, as infectious as a leprosy, as red as scarlet, as filthy as dung and mire: yet if God give repentance, and we believe, there is promise of mercy, assurance of forgiveness, and hope of comfort and consolation. Such they are that Christ calleth; saying, Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will ease you; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. It behooveth us all to seek favor at his hands, to crave pardon and to plead for mercy and forgiveness: of whom to ask it rightly, is to obtain it assuredly.
Secondly, the truth of this doctrine of [Use 2] God's pardoning offenders, and the consideration and feeling of this infinite kindness of God, must work in us unfeigned thankfulness. and continual praise, sounding out and magnifying his mercies, to speak of his goodness, and to show our selves loving and dutiful unto him again, for his exceeding compassion. This sacrifice of thanksgiving, we see offered by the Apostle unto God, for the experience he had of his bountifulness toward him, 1 Tim. 1.12. I thank him which hath made me strong, that is Christ Jesus our Lord; for he counted me faithful, and put me in his service, when before I was a blrsphemer, and a persecutor, and an oppressor. Now unto the King everlasting, immortal, invisible, unto God only wise, be honor and glory, forever and ever, Amen.
The like we see in Mary Magdalene, who had been a grievous and heinous sinner, as she had received much mercy, so she expressed back again much love and kindness; as she had been delivered out of the chains of Satan, so she followed Christ Jesus with the fruits of piety and thankfulness, all the days of her life; she entered with him unto Simon's house, kissed his feet, an ointed them with ointment, washed them with her tears, wiped them with her hairs, followed him to the Cross, and was the first with him in his resurrection; of whom the Lord Jesus said, Many sins are forgiven her for she loved much: to whom a little is forgiven, he doth love a little. There is a forgiveness in God that goeth before, there must be a thankfulness in us that must follow after: as this womā knows much to have been forgiven her, and therefore she loveth much; even as the debtor loveth that creditor most, that hath forgiven him most; so should the affection of our love toward God be increased, as he giveth everyone experience of his greater mercy. As then we feel this sweetness, and the infinite riches of this benefit, so we should open our mouths, and unloose our tongues, and enlarge our hearts, to sing and to set forth the praises of God, according to the example of the Prophet in the Psalm, My soul praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy Name: forget not all his benefits, which forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thine infirmities. And in another place, 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: I will pay my vows unto the Lord even now in the presence of all his people. For seeing he taketh away all our iniquity, and receiveth us to favor graciously, it is great reason we should offer the sacrifice of praise, and render unto him the calves of our lips. This doctrine of free forgiveness of sins, openeth unto us the most blessed news that ever came into the world; it is the sum of the Gospel, and of the glad tidings of salvation, the key of all our comfort, y t entrance into life, & the most precious balm of our health and recovery, which giveth more, joy and refreshing to the fainting soul and broken heart, to the tender conscience and weary spirit, then all the glory of the world can minister unto it; as the Apostle testifieth, This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
[Use 3] Thirdly, seeing there is mercy in store for the penitent, seeing God will have compassion upon them, is ready to fall on their neck, and to embrace them with both his arms, as the father of the prodigal child did: it is required of us speedily to turn, and not defer our repentance from day today, lest our harts be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. No sin is so small, but is able to plundge us down to the bottom of hell, if we live in it without repentance, and continue in it without remorse. The longer we remain in the dregs of sin, the faster we shall stick in the mire of it, and the harder we shall find it to come out of the prison thereof. This is the use which we are to make of God's mercy to miserable sinners. Let us take heed we abuse not his goodness, nor take occasion of liberty, to turn his grace into wantonness; saying as the manner of some is, Oh, God is merciful, he is gracious to great sinners; and so conclude thereupon, that they may live as they list, and may put off the season of repentance to the last gasp. But the Apostle teacheth us to reason otherwise, What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid: how shall we that are dead to sin, live yet in si •• e? Let us not therefore allege the examples of the faithful that have offended, to encourage us in sin, or hold them out as bucklers to embolden us in falling from God. Take heed of presumption. Many presume confidently with Peter, but they weep not bitterly with Peter. They fall by frailty with David, but they rise not by repentance with David. They sin with Solomon, but they repent not with him. They sin with the Jews, but they are not pricked in heart with the Jews, saying; What shall we do? They persecute the Saints of God with the laylor, but they tremble not at their sin, nor seek to the servants of God, saying: Sirs, what must we do to be saved? They break out with their tongues and justify themselves as Job; but they set not a watch before the door of their lips, they do not abhor themselves, neither repent in dust and ashes with Job, saying; I will t • ke heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue, I will keep my mouth bridled. They fly from the presence of God with Jonah, but they remember not to pray with him for pardon, acknowledging that such as wait upon lying vanities, forsake their own mercy. Let us therefore all learn to profit by the favorable dealing of God toward offenders, neither abusing his loving kindness, nor continuing in sin, nor presuming of his mercy; assuring our selves, y t if the persons receiving pardon, be such as are penitent, then assuredly to the impenitent there is no forgiveness. This the Apostle setteth down, Rom. 2.4, 5. The acceptable time of repentance for all of us, is the time present, what time we have to come is uncertain. Late repentance is oftentimes constrained, and seldom true repentance. The longer a diseased man continueth in his sickness, the harder is his recovery. Let us not delay and defer our repentance. This is the blessed time and the acceptable season, To day therefore if we will hear his voice, let us not harden our hearts in sin, Heb. 3.7, 8.
Fourthly, let us not spare to seek the salvation, [Use 4] and thirst after the conversion even of the greatst sinners. Let us not account their estate and condition forlorn and desperate, Neither judge any before the time, until the Lord come, who will ligh • en things that are hid in darkness, and make the counsels of the heart manifest, and then shall every man have praise of God. The husbandman waiteth for the fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the former and latter rain. Now, we are God's laborers and husbandmen, ye are God's husbandry and God's building. Paul planteth, and Apollo watereth, but God giveth the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. We are unto God the sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved, and in them which perish to the one we are the savor of death to death, and to the other, the savor of life unto life.
This must be our comfort in the midst of all discomforts, injurious dealing, and hard measure offered unto us; to know that every man shall receive his wages according to his labor. And the Prophet prophesying of the kingdom of Christ, that he should spread out his hands all day unto a rebellious people, maketh this his stay and staff of rest; I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength in vain, and for nothing: but my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. Let us therefore go Iustile forward in building up the house of God, preach in season, and out of season, and commit the fruit of the work and success of all our labors to the Lord, whose word is never delivered nor heard in vain, as the Apostle urgeth it, 2 Ti. 2.24, 25, 26.
[Use 5] Lastly, seeing God is merciful to miserable Sinners, as a good shepherd taking them out of the jaws of the Lyon, bringing them unto the sheepfold, and feeding them in green pastures: let us seek to be like our heavenly Father in showing mercy and forgiveness toward such as grievously offend against us. Every man's experience telleth and teacheth him, the mercy of God to be exceeding great, we feel it toward our selves, we see it daily toward others, we read that blasphemy it self findeth place for pardon. We find this to be the nature of God, The Lord, the Lord, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in goodness, reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. If we will be the children of God, we must resemble our heavenly Father, we must express the lively lineaments of his face, we must be transformed into his likeness, and bear his image in all holiness and righteousness. This the Apostle teacheth, Col. 3.12, 13. To this purpose Christ propoundeth the parable, Matthew, chapter 18. verses 32, 33, 35. teaching us, that we must forgive small things, that receive the pardon of greater: we must remit a sew pence, because God forgiveth us many talents, an huge sum, an infinite debt. But if we will not forgive, nor forget the trespasses done to us, we are stamped in the image of the devil, who was malicious, and a murderer from the beginning, & we make a law against our selves, inasmuch as we shall find the Lord so toward us, as we deal toward our brethren. For there shall be judgment merciless, to him that showeth not mercy: and with what measure we mete, it shall be measured to us again.
Verse 9. Moses made a Serpent of brass, and set it upon apole: and when a serpent had bitten a man, then he looked to the serpent of brass, and lived. We saw before, how the prayer of Moses was heard, and the remedy provided of God to heal the people. We saw in God, the greatness of his compassion; we saw in the people, the fruit of their confession; we saw in Moses, the grace of meekness and gentleness suffering all things, and enduring all things. Here there is offered to our considerations the obedience of Moses, the setting up of the serpent, and the recovery of the people. Moses doth not here consult with flesh and blood, neither doth he use carnal wisdom to be his counselor, which in matters of faith is an enemy to God. He doth not reason, whether it were likely that a piece of brass should remedy this biting, or whether a dead thing should give life: but so soon as he receiveth the commandment of God, he prepareth himself, maketh ready a brazen serpent, pitcheth it upon an high pole, the people look upon it, and are recovered. This cure was not by Physic or Chirurgery, or by inherent virtue in the brass, as in a medicine: but by casting up the eye upon the serpent, and believing the ordinance of God, who had appointed the serpent for that purpose. We are all of us from hence, to learn and consider, That the brazen serpent standing on the pole, was a type and figure of Christ crucified and hanging on the cross, who is made of the Father to be a Savior unto us. This Christ himself testifieth, John. 3.14, 15. As Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lift up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Hereunto likewise he alludeth, Chap. 8.28, 29. Then Jesus said unto them, When ye have lift up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; as my Father hath taught me, so I speak these things. In both these places our Savior hath respect and reference to the brazen serpent in the wilderness, showing, that as it was erected to heal the body, so must Christ be crucified to cure the soul; therefore this serpent set up, was a type of his death. And howsoever some of reverent account in the Church do understand this lifting up, of the preaching of the Gospel, which is as a banner displayed, that all men may behold him, and esteem the referring of it to the Cross, neither to be pertinent to the matter, nor to agree in the text: yet if we compare the former places & phrases, with another like Testimony of John, chap. 12.32, 33. the true interpretation of the words will easily and evidently appear, where Christ speaketh thus to the Pharisees, Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the Prince of this world be cast out: and I, if I were lift up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Here, by lifting up, we must necessarily understand the death of Christ upon the Cross, on which he was lifted up on high, and seen a far off, as the Evangelist himself expoundeth it in the verse following; saying, Now, this said he, signifying what death he should die.
The reasons of this similitude, shadowing [Reason 1] out the manner of Christ's death, are very evident and apparent. For first, as the brazen serpent in the wilderness, had the show and shape of a serpent, but within there was no venomous or deadly thing, as the true fiery serpents had; so Christ took upon him the shape of a servant, he was made like unto men, he was sent of God in the similitude of sinful flesh, and was counted among the wicked; yet he was pure, and void of sin, neither could be charged of his enemies with any sin: so that this is no vnpropper or far-fet similitude, but fit and natural.
Secondly, even as the brazen serpent was [Reason] lift up on high upon a pole, appointed for that purpose: so was Christ first lift up upon the wood of the Cross, and was after exalted by the Gospel, and set in the sight of all, as the Prophet Isaiah teacheth, Isaiah 11.10, 12. And as the brazen serpent, before it could be a type of healing, must be advanced and lifted up; so before Christ Jesus could be a Savior of his people, to save them from their sins, he must be fastened upon the Cross, he must have his hands & his feet pierced, that he might spoil the principalities, and make a show of them openly with triumph. As therefore it was not sufficient once to make the brazen serpent, and so to look upon it, but it must as well be mounted as at the first made: so it was not enough to bring us to life and salvation, for Christ to be conceived by the holy Ghost, and borne of the virgin Mary, unless he also suffer death for our sins, and so bear our sins in his body on the tree.
Thirdly, as the Israelites which obeyed the [Reason 3] commandment of God, embraced his promise, believed his word, and so beheld the brazen serpent standing on y e pole, were healed of y e deadly bitings of these fiery serpents: so all men, who are moved with the commandment of God, & embracing the promise, do behold Christ hanging on y e tree of the cross, with the eyes of faith, are cured of the sting of that old serpent the devil, and recover of that mortal wound, being freed from death, and restored into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. A serpent did hurt, a serpent did heal the Israelites. Man did destroy us, man did restore us. The first Adam did draw into condemnation: the second Adam draweth unto salvation. The brazen serpent albeit it were lift up never so high, and mounted into the open air, profited none, but such as steadfastly beheld it and looked upon it: so Christ crucified, profiteth none but such as believe in him by faith. Many beheld him with the bodily eyes, that reaped no benefit by him; they heard him with their outward ears, and handled with their hands that word of life: yet it auailed them nothing to know him after the flesh, neither furthered them in their salvation.
[Reason 4] Fourthly, as it seemed to human wisdom, a most foolish and ridiculous thing to be healed by the bare and only sight of a brazen serpent; so to all natural wise men of the world, it seemeth as unlikely and unreasonable, that any should be saved by faith in Christ crucified, as the Apostle showeth, We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews even a stumbling block, and unto the Grecians foolishness: only to them that are saved, Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God. So then, it is clear and evident, that the serpent set up upon the pole, signifieth Christ hanging on the Cross.
[Use 1] The uses of this type and similitude are many, directing us to sundry points, of religion: As what sin is, whence it came, what it worketh and bringeth forth: likewise, what the force of the Law and Gospel it, who Christ is, how we must use and apply him to have comfort and salvation in him. First, seeing the serpent was a sign and signification of Christ, we learn that Christ was preached and published in the time of the law; albeit, darkly and obscurely. For as there is but one salvation, so there is but one way to attain unto it; to wit, faith in Christ. The faith of the fathers, is one and the same with the faith of the children. There was never any man saved without the knowledge of JESUS CHRIST, neither is at this day saved, neither shall be hereafter to the end of the world. This the Apostle teacheth to the Hebrews, Jesus Christ yesterday: and today, the same also is forever. And to this truth John giveth witness, All that dwell upon the earth shall worship the Beast, whose names are not written in the book of life, of that Lamb which was slain from the beginning of the world. Albeit he were manifested in the flesh, and crucified on the Cross, in the last age of the world, when the fullness of time was come; yet his death was as forcible frō the beginning of the world, is now also as available and effectual, and shall be ever hereafter to the end of the world, as when he hung upon the Cross in the days of his Passion, and when the blood really streamed and issued out of his body. The Israelites in the time of the Law, were the children of God, heirs of eternal life, and had the promises of salvation, as well as we under the Gospel: God did not seed them and fat them as swine in a stye, but under certain figures and types, he gave them a taste of heavenly things. The offering of brute beasts in sacrifice, was a sign, that they were made partakers of the redemption wrought by the blood of Christ, which was shed to wash away our sins. Under y e promise of giving thē the earthly Canaan, so often remembered, he gave thē a taste & representation of the heavenly inheritance. The abundance of temporal blessings was a pledge and earnest penny to them of the life eternal, they having the same faith, the same Father, the same spiritual meat, the same spiritual drink, the same Lord, the same hope, the same heaven, the same Christ that we have. Albeit, they were as little children under tutors and governors, and were taught in rude manner, by shadows and ceremonies, which are as certain pictures and looking glasses to behold the outward manner of his dispensation, whereas we are come to man's estate in comparison of them, and behold Jesus Christ openly in the face, we know his death, resurrection, ascension, and opening the kingdom of heaven to us. Therefore our Savior saith, John. 8.56. Your father Abrahā rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad. So the Apostle to the Hebrews saith, That the Fathers died in faith, and received not the things promised, but saw them afar off, believed them, received them, thankfully, confessed that they were Pilgrims and strangers on the earth: so that they judged the promises made to them to be spiritual, and expected more then temporal blessings. This is one point which we are to learn and imprint in our minds, touching the Jews, who had an image of the serpents lifted up, to teach them the doctrine of Christ hanging on the cross. If then the unbelieving Jews in these days blaspheme Christ crucified, & account the blood of the New Testament an unholy thing, and impossible to give salvation; let thē know, that their fathers received life, and recovered health by a brazen serpent, an image without life and motion: the meaning & signification hereof were not hard, but easy to gather, saving that the Apostle teacheth, that their minds are obstinate, and that a veil is laid over their hearts in reading the Old Testament, so that they understand nothing, &c. 1 Corin. 3, 14. Thus doth God send them strong delusions, that they should believe lies, that all they might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thess. 2, 11, 12. Thus then we see, that the Covenant which GOD made with man, to be gracious and favorable unto them, is one in substance and matter; seeing there is but one God, one Mediator between God and man, one faith, one mean of reconciliation and one way of salvation to all that are saved, and have been saved from the beginning. Christ Jesus was appointed over all things, to be the head of the Church, by whom all the body is coupled and knit together Eph. 1, 22, & 4, 16. He is the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by him. John 1, 18, and 14, 6. All therefore (he being only the way) as well under the Law, as under the Gospel, who were to be saved, had respect to the only Mediator Christ, by whom alone they were reconciled to God, and saved by faith. The differences between the Jews and us, were only in certain circumstances, in promising of corporal benefits, in giving them outward signs and oblations, in propounding things more obscurely and darkly, in restraining his gifts, and in limiting them to the Jewish Nation: whereas otherwise the old and new covenant agree together, not only in the Author of them, which is God, and in the Mediator of them, which is Christ, but in the promises of grace, touching remission of sins, and everlasting life to be freely given for Christ's fake; and in the condition, in respect of man, that we should walk before him uprightly, & believe the Gospel unfeignedly.
[Use 2] Secondly, we observe from this similitude, the natural estate and condition of all mankind what it is: we are all naturally stung with the poison of the old serpent, and the wound is mortal. All the Israelites that were bitten by the fiery serpents, whether deeply, or but a • ittle, whether more or less, whether once or often, died the death if they used not the remedy ordained of God, albeit y e wound were slender and shalow. So such as look not on Christ hanging on the Cross, are sure to fall into damnation. The guilt of sin is as the poison of a serpent; this we have drawn frō our first parents, by whose offense we are culpable of judgment. We are all stung with it unto death. The wound is so deep & deadly, y t we are guilty of the transgression of Adam, being in his loins. We have the spawn and seed of all sin in us, we are corrupt in soul and body, we are prone to fall into the most dangerous and desperate sins. The Israelites felt the anguish of the pain, and the danger of death, otherwise they would never have looked up to the brazen serpent. If the sick man find not the want of his health, feel not the grief of his sickness, fear not the loss of his life, he will never seek to the Physician for ease and recovery. And indeed, what should it have auailed these distressed Jews, to have any recourse to the brazen ferpent, unless they had perceived themselves to be stung even to death, and no other way or remedy to procure their deliverance? So it behooveth all of us, to have a lively and sensible feeling of our spiritual wounds. We must know, that sin is as a poison to the soul; and the Law giveth strength to sin. We must be grieved for our sins, which draw upon us the loss of God's favor, more then for the lack and loss of bodily health. Let us not therefore make a mock of sin. We see no man will dally or delight in poison: no poison is so dangerous to the body, as sin is to the soul. Let us beware of the wiles and subtleties of the old serpent, lest as he beguiled Eve through his craftiness, so he corrupt our minds from the simplicity that is in Christ, & carry us headlong to destruction and damnation of soul and body.
Thirdly, in this Type we see the nature of [Use 3] the Sacraments. The brazen serpent in it self had no operation to work anything; in it self it had no virtue to cure or recover any man of any disease. The Sacraments of themselves cannot confer grace, only they are instruments of God's mercies, which he useth of his goodness toward us, to convey to us good things. They are as the Kings gracious pardon, that sealeth up unto us forgiveness of sins: so that being by his institution very available, we must frequent thē with a feeling of our wants, with reverence of his ordinances, with hungering after his graces, with calling upon his Name, to fit and prepare us to that heavenly work. God could have healed his people with his word alone, (without the serpent, as well as with the serpent) as the Centurion confesseth to Christ, Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed; yet he addeth the serpent set upon a pole for farther assurance of his word, and to be a sign of their recovery: so God can save by the Ministry of his word without the Sacraments, if it please him; yet he addeth and annexeth them as appurtenances to the word, to confirm the weakness of our faith, and to make good the truth of his own promise. And as it was not enough for them to believe the word of God to the curing of their bodies, & the taking away of the stinging of the serpents, unless they used the help of the brazen serpent: no more is it sufficient for us, to believe the forgiveness of sins by Christ, unless we labor to strengthen our faith by the Sacraments. Nay, if any would not vouchsafe to look upon the Serpent, being the means that God ordained for their recovery; it is certain they regarded not the word of God it self, that they should live: so, if any contemn or neglect the Sacraments being holy seals of heavenly blessings, they are plainly convinced to their faces, that they respect not the word it self, whatsoever they pretend to the contrary notwithstanding. This we see in Ahaz, who neglecting a sign offered unto him, for the better strengthening of his faith, is said to tempt God, and to despise his word, Isaiah 7, 12. The natural reason of man would never believe, that he should be healed by a serpent of brass, having no virtue or vigor in it: so carnal wisdom and understanding cannot discern, how a little water sprinkled on the body, should be the laver of regeneration; or how a small cantle of bread, should bring and convey unto us the body of Christ; or a little wine, offer and exhibit unto us the blood of Christ: So that as in this bodily cure both their eye did behold it, and their faith did believe: in like manner, in the Sacraments we must shut the eyes of our carnal reason, and open the eyes of faith, believe his word, and we shall be comforted. For every man doth in them receive (through the promise of God,) so much as he believeth he receiveth. This Christ assureth to the woman of Canaan, who had shown an undaunted and invincible faith, taking no repulses, ouerstriding all difficulties, refusing all denials, and striving against all doubts that might arise in her heart, saying; O woman, great is thy faith, be it to thee as thou desirest. Mat. 15, 28. So when two blind men followed him, crying & saying; O son of David, have mercy upon us, he said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? and when they answered, Yea Lord, he touched their eyes, saying; According to your faith, be it unto you. Mat. 9, 29. Moreover, albeit the Serpent restored life, yet was not life present and inherent in the brazen serpent, neither abiding in the matter, or resting in the form thereof: so albeit Christ be offered and signified, yea conveyed and conferred unto us in the Sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, yet he is not carnally and corporally present, nor carnally and corporally eaten, as the Capernaites imagined, but he is spiritual meat for spiritual men; the rest eat the outward signs, but are not partakers of the thing signified. Thus we see, how the consideration of the similitude of the brazen serpent directeth us in sundry conclusions to be holden and acknowledged touching the Doctrine of the Sacraments of the New Testament.
Fourthly, this present type teacheth us, that [Use 4] we are justified by faith alone, without the works of the Law. For as the Israelites stung of these serpents were cured, so are we saved; as health was offered by the serpent, so is salvation by Christ. But the Israelites did nothing at all, but only look up to the brazen serpent, they were not willed to make satisfaction for their rebellion, or to go on pilgrimage, nor so much as to dress and bind up their wounds; but only to behold the serpent set upon the pole, & as Christ saith to the Ruler of the Synagogue touching the healing of his daughter, Fear not, only believe, Mar. 5, 36, so is it in the saluing of the sores of the soul, in the attaining pardon of our sins, and obtaining the righteousness of Christ. There is required nothing of us touching our justification and salvation, but to fixe the eyes of our faith upon Christ. True it is, many other virtues and graces are required to make up the full perfection of a Christian man, that he may be complete, wanting nothing; yet he is justified and doth stand as righteous in the sight of God by faith only. It is a great & weighty controversy in these days, between the Church of Rome and us, what is the cause of life and salvation: they ascribe the cause of salvation in part to y e merit of our own works, and to a righteousness inherent in our own persons, and in part likewise to Christ, who (say they) hath made us able to merit the favor of God, and to satisfy for our own sins. We ascribe all our salvation to the mercy of God, and the merit of Christ, wholly applied to us by a lively faith; the which manner of saving us, most fitly agreeth to the nature of God, the chief Fountain of our salvation, who can abide no pollution, neither can any wickedness stand in his presence; who is of pure eyes, & requireth our perfect obedience, so that wanting the perfect righteousness of the Law, of our own, we must be clothed with the righteousness of another, whereby we may be saved. Even as Jacob, though he were not by birth the first borne, yet hiding himself under his brothers garments, and having put on his coat which smelled most sweetly, came into his fathers presence, that under another man's person, he might receive the blessing of the first borne; so is it necessary that we lie hid under the precious pureness of Christ our elder brother, that having the sweet savor of his garments, our sins may be covered with his perfection, that we may offer our selves to our most loving Father, and obtain of him the blessing of righteousness. And this some of our adversaries themselves cannot but approve, and have given their own fellows the slip. Besides, this Doctrine standeth best with the glory of God, which shineth more clearly in our salvation obtained by justice imputed, then by justice inherent For suppose there were a miserable and desperate debtor, perishing and languishing imprison, were it not far more honorable & gracious for a Prince wholly to pay the debt, and to cancel the bond & hand-writing standing against him, then to put into his hands a stock of money, whereby himself might be enabled to work out his debt? Therefore the Apostle teacheth, that we are made the righteousness of God in Christ, and are saved by grace thorough • ith, not of our selves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast, Eph. 2, 8, 9. Thus Paul concludeth also concerning Abraham, the father of the faithful, Rom. 4, 2. Thus doeth Christ determine this question, drawing a comparison frō the brazen serpent, John 3, 14, 15, 16: for he teacheth, that y e son of man must be lift up on the cross, as the serpent was on the pole in the Wildernes, that whosoever bel • eueth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Let us then renounce all met it and righteousness in our own selves, & fly to the merits and righteousness of Christ, according to the practice and example of the Apostle, Phil. 3, 8, 90▪ I have counted all things loss, and do judge them to be dung, that I might win Christ, and might be found in him; not having min • own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, even the righteousness which is of God through faith. Hereunto cometh the reason of the same Apostle: Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: now to him that worketh, the wages is not counted by favor, but by debt: but to him that worketh not, but believeth in him that ius • ifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness Rom. 4, 3, 4, 5. True it is, works are necessarily required as the fruits of faith, and of justification by faith: but our justification is one thing, our sanctification is another, for they are made several graces & distinct gifts: neither is it likely, that the Apostle would repeat the same thing twice without cause. And in another place he concludeth, that a man is justified by faith without the work of the Law: if it be of grace, it is no more of works, for then were grace no more grace: but if it be of works, it is no 〈◊〉 gra • e, for the • were work no more work. Rom. 3, 〈◊〉 , & 11, 6. Therefore it is truly said, that good works follow a man being justified, but do not go before; in him that is to be justified. Neither let any say, It is absurd that one should be made righteous by the righteousness of another, for the righteousness of Christ, is both his and ours. His, as being inherent in him, as in a subject. Ours, being given unto us, and imputed to us; so that by i • we are justified before God, and accepted to eternal life. And that horrible blasphemy is this, to teach, that by the Popes indulgences, we should be made partakers of the merits and good works of the •• ints, and to deny it as most unreasonable, what we should be partaker • of the ••• ries and righteousness of Christ Jesus. But as the transgression of Adam was both his and ours also; not his alone, •• r ours alone, but his and lo •• s together, because he stood in on • places, and we were in his loins: so is Christ's righteousness and obedience his and ours. And why should not the righteousness be of another, seeing guilt is of another As another maketh us sinners, why should not another make us righteous, and justify us from sin? It might seem to flesh and blood as unreasonable, that the brazen serpent in this place, being an artificial wor • , made with man's hands, without sense & life, should restore health, and give life to such as were mortally bitten: yet we see by beholding it, they were recovered.
Moreover, the people stung by the fiery serpents, • ryed out in the anguish and bitterness of the pain, yet none was able to help himself or his brother, by his own power of strength, or by any act wrought by him; no, nor Moses himself could minister any cure o • comfort unto them, but only the graces of God, directing them to look upon the brazen serpent set up, (for when GOD had appointed them one way, they must not seek another way:) so although a man feeleth the sting of the old serpent, that is, sin; yet no man can deliver himself or others; nay, if he should fly to the works of the Law, they can do nothing. The Law showeth the disease, it is Christ that must take it away, it is God that must show mercy, it is faith that must justify us. We affirm therefore with the Apostle, Gal. 2, 16, that we are justified freely, not of the Law, not by the Law, not of works, not of our selves, not of the works of the Law, but by faith; all matter of boasting is excluded, justification by grace is concluded, that God may be all in all.
Fifthly, great consolation ariseth from this [Use 5] comparison and similitude, to all such as •• e weak in faith, & feel the corruptions of their hearts pressing them, and the temptations of Satan often overcoming them, & always assaulting them. For we have great comfort given us to enter into the combat, and to fight the battles of the Lord against the enemies of our souls, by consideration of these fierce and fiery serpents. True it is, they did continually bite & sting the children of Israel, (for otherwise there had been no need of the brazen serpent) yet they could not destroy them; they did not ceaffe to vex thē, but they could not wound them unto the death; for they had a remedy at hand to help themselves, they looked upon the brazen serpent and were healed. So hath God restrained the rage and malice of all the enemies of our peace and salvation. For howsoever the devil & his angels are always tempting, provoking, and seeking to 〈◊〉 us as men do wheat, yet their homes and • ot short, and their strength is diminished, their will to hurt, is greater then their power of hurting; so that they cannot execute the c • uelty they desire, as the Lord himself testifieth from the beginning, Gen. 3, verse 15. Albeit therefore the battle be long, & the skinnis • oftentimes hot & bloody; albeit we take many a foil, and have the Bucklers beaten to our heads; albeit we be felled with the stroke, and driven to fight upon our knees, yet the victory shall be ours, and we are assured to prevail over our adversaries, who may fight against us, but can never overcome us.
Again, note that God requireth not of the Israelites stung in the Wilderness, the use of both eyes, nor exacteth a perfect sight to behold the serpent. Such as looked upon it with a weak and dim sight, even with half an eye only, (as no doubt among that great people, multiplied as the fish in the sea in great abundance, there was great difference in sight) there being among them young & old, strong and weak, sharp-sighted, and blear-eyed; yet all that saw the serpent set up, were cured and restored; not for the goodness of their sight, but for the promise and ordinance of God. So such as have a true faith, though it be as a grain of mustard-seed, which is the least of all seeds, can lay hold on Christ, and apply him to themselves. A small drop of water, is as well and truly water, as the whole Ocean sea; a little spark is true fire, as well as a mighty flame; a little quantity of earth is as truly earth, as the whole Globe thereof. So a small measure of faith, is as well true faith, as a full persuasion and assurance, & the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. The least faith is acceptable to God, A bruised Reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, until he bring forth judgment unto victory. A weak faith doth as truly apprehend & apply Christ with all his merits and obedience, as a stronger faith. Even as a small and weak hand, if it be able to carry and convey the meat unto the mouth, serveth for the nourishment of the body, as well as an hand of greater strength, because it is not the strength of the hand, but the goodness of the meat that nourisheth the body: so a weak faith, laying hold on Christ, and applying him and all his benefits to the believer, is sufficient to nourish him to eternal life, because it is not the worthiness or excellency of faith, but of Christ applied, which is available and effectual for our justification and salvation. All the Israelites being an huge host of many hundred thousands, were not alike sharp-sighted, and quick-eyed: but some no doubt were pur-blind, and could not see afar off, and saw the serpent exceeding darkly & dimly; yet was not the blear-eyed man hindered of his health, because of his weak and tender eye, but if he looked thereupon, and were not wholly blind, he was delivered and restored, though otherwise never so slender-sighted. So whosoever are stung to death with sin (as all are by nature, and the wound sticketh deeply in their soul) if they look up to Christ with the eye of faith, resting upon him alone for their salvation; though never so weak in faith, yet shall be restored to the joy and health of their salvation, and be eternally saved. There is a weak eye, and there is a strong eye; so there are diverse degrees of faith, there is a little faith, there is a great faith, and there is a fullness or assurance of faith. And as a weak eye seeth imperfectly, the strong eye discerneth strongly; so a little faith believeth faintly, a great faith believeth steadfastly, an assured faith believeth fully, under hope, even against hope, with faithful Abraham; yet the least of them believeth truly & effectually. The Disciples of Christ said unto him, We believe and know that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God, John 6, 69, yet this faith was quickly shaken, when the storms of wind and rain arose, it was quailed in his death, but repaired in his resurrection. Themselves feeling their own wants prayed, Lord, increase our faith. Luke 17, 5. The poor distressed man saith in the Gospel, Lord, I believe, help mine unbelief. Mark. 9, 24. Where we see (as one noteth) he saith, I believe, therefore he had faith: he addeth, Help mine unbelief, therefore he had not attained to a fullness and assurance of faith, and yet was accepted. Peter was in believing a lively pattern of us all, sometimes he believeth, sometimes he wauereth; sometimes he confesseth Christ, sometimes he shrinketh back from that confession. It was faith that made Peter at the word & commandment of Christ to step into the sea, to go to Christ upon the waters, & to believe that he should be safe through his word that commanded, otherwise he would never have adventured to depart out of the ship: yet he believed not with a full persuasion, forasmuch as the weakness of his faith made him begin to sink, and earnestly to cry out unto Christ, Master, save us; to whom Christ answered, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Math. 14, 28. Yet this weak faith was a true faith, and this little faith was a lively faith, because that fear and doubting made him run and have recourse to Christ, expecting all strength and succor from him alone, finding no power or ability in himself to deliver himself. And thus do many of the faithful believe their own particular salvation, albeit not fully and perfectly, yet truly & effectually to the comfort of their own souls: albeit they sometimes waver and stagger, yet they recover themselves, and increase more & more in strength of faith.
Lastly, this teacheth us what is the nature [Use 6] and property of a true justifying faith, and wherein it consisteth, namely, in a special and particular application of Christ's righteousness to our own selves. It was not enough for these Israelites which were stung, that others should look upon the serpent set up, but it was required of everyone (to work the cure) to behold it himself. So must we have a particular faith in Christ, apprehending his merits. Thus the Apostle setteth down that faith whereby he lived and was justified, Gal. 2, 20. I was crucified with Christ, &c. who loved me and gave himself for me. Here we see the right property of a lively faith to stand in application of the love of God, & the merit of the passion of Christ to our selves, albeit there be great weakness in our applying of him, considering that it is not the perfection of our faith that doth save us, but the perfection of the obedience of Christ, which faith apprehendeth. This faith was in David, as he witnesseth in sundry Psalms; The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, my God, and my strength, my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge. Psal. 18, 2. Thus have the faithful learned to • pply the general promises of the Gospel unto themselves. When God saith, Seek ye my face, Psal. 27, 8, the faithful soul answereth to God, I will seek thy face. When God saith, Thou art my people, Zach. 13, 9, the faithful resoundeth back again, Thou art the Lord my God. When Christ saith, If thou believe, all things are possible to him that believeth, Mark. 9, 23, the believer answereth, Lord, I believe, help mine unbelief. When God requireth to do his will, the believer saith to him again, Loe, I come, O my God, I am content to do it, yea thy law is within mine heart. Hence we must all learn to abhor & abjure the false faith of the false church of Rome, which teacheth that to be true faith, which generally believeth the word of God to be true. This is the faith of the reprobates, and thus the devil and all damned spirits may be said to have faith. For every article of the Creed, teacheth us to believe, not only generally that there is a God, a Savior, a Sanctifier, a Church of God, a Communion of Saints, a forgiveness of sins, a resurrection of the body to everlasting life, which the devil and his angels knoweth, confesseth, and believeth: but particularly that God the Father is our Father, that Christ is our Savior, that the holy Ghost is our Sanctifier, that there is an holy Catholic Church, and that we are true members of it, that we have our part and fellowship in the Communion of Saints, that our sins are forgiven us, and that we shall rise again to glory and immortality. Hence it is, that we pray daily, not only for remission of sins to be given to the faithful, but for the forgiveness of our own sins. Hence it is, that in coming to the Lord's Table, we receive Christ as the bread of life and the food of our souls. There can be no eating and drinking but by a particular taking and receiving: so can there be no believing in Christ without a special receiving & apprehending of Christ, according to the saying of Christ, John 6, 56, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. No man is fed by the meat that another man eateth: so no man is justified by the faith whereby another man believeth, but the just man liveth by his own faith, Hab. 2▪ 4. For he is the bread of life that came down from heaven, He that cometh to him, shall never hunger: and he that believeth on him shall never thirst. Let us therefore labor for this special faith and affiance in the mercy of God, and make particular application of the merits of Christ. Let us believe in him who is the true brazen serpent, or rather the truth of the brazen serpent; let us make him to be our life, who is of God made unto us to be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1, 30.
10
And the Childrē of Israel departed thence, and pitched in Oboth.
11
And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in the hills of Abarim, in the Wilderness which is before Moab at the rising of the Sun.
12
They departed thence, and pitched upon the River of Zared.
13
Thence they departed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the Wilderness, coming out of the Coast of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between the Moabites and the Amorites.
14
Wherefore, it is spoken in the book of the battles of the Lord, against Uaheb in the Land of Suph, and against the Rivers of Arnon.
15
And the stream of these Rivers which goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, lieth upon the border of Moab.
16
And from thence they removed to Beer, the same is that Well, whereof the Lord said unto Moses, Assemble the people, and I will give them water.
17
Then Israel sang this song, Rise up Well, shout ye unto it.
18
O Well, which the Princes digged, the Nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the law-giver, with their staves. And from the Wilderness they went to Mattanah.
19
And from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth.
20
And from Bamoth to the Ualley which is in the Land of the Moabites, at the beginning of the Hilles, and looketh toward the Wilderness.
In this division is contained the third part of this Chapter, describing the peregrinations and perambulations of the Israelites, in what places they pitched their Tents, till they came to the possession of the Amorites.
Touching these several journeys, some are barely and nakedly mentioned, because no notable matter or extraordinary and memorable accident fell out therein: other are passed over, and not at all mentioned or remembered, because the whole order of their traveling in the Wilderness, is particularly recorded afterward, Numbers, chapter 33, how they removed from place to place, and after what manner. But upon some other of their remoouals, Moses doeth somewhat more largely insist, and as it were make a stay as in the setting down of two points: First, rehearsing the bounds by which the Israelites passed into the Land of promise: secondly, describing the well which they digged for water.
Touching the first point, they are said to have pitched in Oboth, then at the heaps of the hills of Abarim, situate right over against Moab; then at the brook Zared: lastly, at the borders of the Amorites near to the River Arnon. Now because these were at the first the bounds and borders of the Moabites, Moses showeth how by conquest they were lost; declaring both who lost them, and likewise who won thē by the dint of the sword. For he telleth us by the Spirit of God, y t these places were once in the power, possession, and dominion of Vaheb, who before managed the state and kingdom of the Moabites: but Sihon, thirsting with ambition to enlarge the bounds of his dominion, set upon Vaheb, bad him battle, and won these Coasts & Countries from him.
Now to continue the memorial & remembrance hereof to posterity, there was a public register made hereof to posterity, showing that the name of those quarters was Suph, and declaring that Vaheb had been the lawful possessor of thē, as Sihon was now y e wrongful usurper. Nevertheless, as all things else are ouerswaied by an higher power, so this battle was fought and directed by the providence of God, that y e Moabites for their horrible idolatry, might be punished, that Sihon, provoking Israel to battle, might be repressed, and that thereby an inheritance for y e people of God might be prepared and obtained. This is the cause why God drew out y e swords of these Infidels one against another, that the Moabites lost a part of their dominion, and the Amorites enlarged their borders. Thus the Israelites took nothing from the Moabites, neither possessed any part that was in their present possession, as Iephtah prescribeth in the book of Judges, chap. 11, 26. For when the King of the Amonites challenged Israel for encroching upon his ancient dominion, & deteining part of his Country from him, to wit, from Arnon unto Iabbock and Jordan, after their departure out of Egypt, and required of them to make present restitution: Iephtah convinceth them, and disproueth this allegation as false and unreasonable, declaring (as the truth was) that Israel took not away that land which they claimed as their own, but won it from the Amorites by the law of war, and [Verse 20] by right of conquest, who denying them passage, and moreover making assault upon them, constrained them to draw out their swords & to defend themselves: by occasion whereof they obtained victory through the help of God, and possessed their Cities. And as they took them by force of arms, so they held thē [Verse 26] by prescription of time, three hundred years. So that he declareth, that if any had right to those Cities, or could lay any just claim or title unto them, it should be the Moabites who were the lawful owners of them, before Sihon had encroched upon them, and taken them away from the first inhabitants. But the Moabites having once lost them in battle, never asked [Verse 25] them of the Israelites, neither laid any claim unto them: therefore much less should the Amonites, to whom they appertained not by any just title, neither belonged any way unto them, either as owners by law, or conquerors by sword; and therefore they had no cause to dispute what right Israel had unto that Land which now they possessed.
The second point here amplified and enlarged, is touching the well, which by a divine revelation to them they had digged. For when they departed from the River Arnon, they came into a dry place where they wanted water, such as the wilderness affordeth many, where the streams are swallowed up in the hot sandes, but at the special commandment of God they were directed what to do; as Peter was, where he should cast his Net, Luke, chapter 5, verse 4: they digged and found water in great abundance, and therefore they praise God by an effectual song of thanksgiving, amplified by many rhetorical figures, as goodly flouers, or as precious jewels to beautify and garnish the same withal.
For first, they eloquently by an Apostrophe, turn their speech to the Well it self, though a dumb and senseless creature, and speak unto it, as if it had ears to hear, and understanding to conceive, Rise up, O Well: confessing thereby the great power of God, who contrary to the nature of all heavy and weighty things, made the water to ascend, whose property is to descend: and exhorting with many acclamations and loud out-cries one another to the work.
Secondly, they set down who were the laborers and workmen about the Well, together with the tools and instruments wherewith they labored, to wit, the Princes and Nobles, directed by Moses, (by whose ministry they received the Law) and holpen with their staves and such like instruments (wherewith they labored) fit for that purpose. And this is the third miracle which God wrought in giving them waters. First, in Rephidim, immediately after they had passed over the red Sea, Exod. 17. The second in the desert of Zin, whē they came to Kadesh, as we shown before in the former chapter. The third is that recorded in this place, in the desert of the Moabites. Afterward Moses reckoneth up other places, by which they passed, as Mattaanah, Nahaliel, Bamoth, and so that Valley which is in the plain of the Moabites.
In this History of the passage of the Israelites from place to place, a question ariseth, what is meant by the book of the wars of the LORD, mentioned in the fourteenth verse? For where is it now extant? or what is become of it? From hence also, & from such like places many conclude, that sundry books of Canonical Scripture are lost. I answer, [Answer.] the word (Sepher) is taken diversely and doubtfully: it signifieth any publishing or rehearsing, whether it be written, or unwritten; whether it be set down by the pen, or uttered by lively voice; as also the word Tradition is taken for that which is delivered, either by word of mouth, or by course of writing. So then we cannot necessarily conclude, It is rehearsed, therefore it is written: Nor thus, It is written, Therefore it is an holy book, and put into the Canon of the Scripture. Let these three things be cleared and decided, that it was a book, that it was an holy book, and lastly that it was a Canonical book, and then we shall easily be satisfied, But Moses speaketh barely of rehearsing the wars, not of writing them: as if he should say, Whensoever the wars, ordered and disposed by the providence of God, shall be spoken off; this war also and work of his shall be remembered, which he hath wisely wrought and accomplished for his people against Uaheb King of the Moabites, giving part of his Country to Sihon, that so his own people might recover the same out of his hands again, and retain it as a possession for themselves, as Iephtah telleth the Ammonites, Judge. 11, 23, 24, that they had held it by prescription of a long time peaceably without any molestation from the Moabites, or desire of re-entry. But if this had been penned in a book, and reserved to posterity, no doubt Ieptah would have produced it as a sure witness to clear the whole matter, and to put it out of all doubt.
Wherefore this truth must be holden of us, that no part of the Canonical Scripture, inspired of God, is lost and perished: I mean such as was committed as the Lord's treasure to the Church, for the perpetual instruction thereof in faith and obedience, so that no one oracle or sentence of God can fall away. True it is, these sacred books may sometimes be neglected and carelessly kept of men, they may be furiously burned, and despitefully handled by cruel tyrants that seek the overthrow of all piety and religion, but they can never be finally lost and wholly extinguished. As he that keepeth Israel cannot slumber or sleep: so he that keepeth the holy Scripture, the glory of Israel, cannot slumber nor sleep. For first of all, who is the author and enditer of thē but God? and will not he preserve his truth, and keep it for the good of his Church in all ages? Shall we make him unable, or unwilling to defend and continue them? If unable, we make him a weak and impotent God: if unwilling, we make him envious and malicious, both which are far from the pure and perfect nature of God, and cannot stand with his essence. Secondly, all the works of God remain forever and ever, and are done in truth and equity. Take a perfect view of all creatures under the Sun, which are the works of his hands; though they may be abolished and rooted out in one place, yet they continue in another. If thou wouldst ascend into the heavens, or go down into the deep, if thou wouldst take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea, which of all the Creatures are now missing? What place is void & empty? What hath been, that is not now being, and extant in the world? This is it which the Prophet teacheth, Psal. 111. The works of his hands are established forever and ever, and are done in truth and equity. If then all his works abide and continue from the glorious Creatures in the heavens, to the silly worm creeping in the earth: much more the holy Scripture must abide without decaying or diminishing, (as the durable Cedar without rotting and consuming) which is not only his handywork, but a masterworke chief above all others, as the Diamond among pearls of great price. And if the least and lowest creature in the world hath been in his kind continued hitherto, and shall be continued to the end, by the mighty hand of God, upholding and supporting all things that he hath made: much less shall the Scripture perish and fall away, which bringeth greater glory to God, and greater gain to his people? Thirdly, y e Scripture was written for these ends and purposes, for instruction and admonition, for teaching and confutation, for comfort and consolation, that so the man of God may be absolute, 1 Tim. 3, 16, 17. Neither was God deceived in his purpose and intent: so that it must remain & continue, being written for those ends and uses. But what error can be convinced, what comfort can be received, what vice can be corrected, what truth can be published, what grace can be commended to the Church, out of those books which are supposed to be lost? Let us not therefore doubt of God's providence, and so shake the faith of the Church thereby. Fourthly, we see the Old Testament hath reserved entirely the Genealogies of the fathers, which are not absolutely necessary to faith and salvation, as also the whole body of the ceremonies set down in Leviticus and other places of the Law, which notwithstanding were shadows of things to come: why then should we not presume, that the same his providence hath also watched over other books, which more properly belong to our practice and times, and so more fitly might inform us against ignorance, teach us in our religion, warn us in dangers, and comfort us in afflictions? And if we have no word missing or sentence wanting in such books as are left to the Church that there should need a void room: or a desunt nonnulla; or an Asteriscus and some little star to give warning of some defect, as we see it is in many profane writings, and those of the best note: how should we be induced to believe that whole volumes of the old and New Testament are utterly lost & never to be repaired? Lastly, let us hear the testimony of the Scripture it self, & observe what it can say, and doth witness for it self. Moses an old and ancient witness, teacheth, Deut. 29, 29, that secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed, belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this Law. But how do they belong unto us, that are not reserved for us? Or how shall our children be directed by them, that cannot be found in their days, or in the days of their fathers before them? Or how shall either father or son do that which they cannot know? Hereunto David accordeth, Psal. 119, 152. I have known long since by thy testimonies, that thou hast established them forever. And our Savior giveth his holy consent unto this heavenly truth, saying, Truly I say unto you, till heaven and earth perish, one jot or one title of the Law shall not escape, till all things be fulfilled, Mat. 5, 18, and 24, 35. So then, we must hold the durableness and continuance of the Scripture in the Church, which is the pillar of truth, that it cannot fail or fall away, as is proved at large in the answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament.
But before we proceed to the Doctrines of this division, it shall not be amiss to answer the objections that are raised and moved against this point, touching the perpetuity of the whole Scripture, and of every part of it.
First, we find often mention made of the books of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Israel, of the book of the just, & such like, which are lost. If then these be lost, and by no means to be found; how shall we truly say, that the whole Scripture doeth continue?
I answer, these books were never Canonical Scriptures, but civil stories and chronicles of the Commonwealth matters, not of the Church, whereunto the Reader is directed if he be desirous to read and know the History more at large: whereas the Prophets do only touch so much, as served for the edification of the Church, and the building of it in faith toward God. For as all civil Nations have the Chronicles of their forefathers and ancestors acts, Ester, chap. 6, verse 1. Ezra 4, verses 15, 19, so had the Jews their civil Histories; such were those we now speak of, which were good and profitable books of men, but were never committed or commended to the care of the Church to be preserved and maintained.
Again, we read in sundry places, of the books of Nathan and Gad, the words of Samuel, the works of Ahia, of Shemaia, of Isaiah, and other Prophets, which likewise seem to be lost, as well as the other we named before.
I answer, they seem so to such as do not duly consider of them, which indeed are not lost, but contained in the old Testament in the books of Samuel and of the Kings, which were not written by any one Prophet; but by diverse Prophets at diverse times, even in the several ages wherein they prophesied, albeit their several names be not to every part expressed, as appeareth, 2 Chron. chapter 26, verse 22, where the Spirit of God testifieth, that Isaiah wrote the acts of Uzziah, first and last: meaning that he wrote them in the second book of the Kings, and in his Prophesies, and not pointing out any book which now is lost: both the former books remaining as a treasure to the Church. As then we confess these books mentioned in this objection, to be of another nature then those expressed in the former, so they have been preserved, and ever shall be preserved in the Church, and be as it were laid up in the Ark thereof.
Thirdly, it may be objected, that many [Object. 3] worthy books of Solomon are lost which he wrote.
I answer, [Answ.] his works are of two sorts: first, sundry books of Humanity and of Philosophy, natural and moral: secondly, books of Divinity, written as he was moved and inspired by the Spirit of God.
The first sort of human and earthly things, which the Church might best spare without peril or impeachment of faith, have long since failed, as it is thought in the captivity: the rest, which are parts of the Canonical Scriptures do abide. And mark herein a special work of God's providence, preserving his own truth, and reserving it to all posterity.
Few are found in the world to affect or regard the pure and sincere word of God, in comparison of the multitude that seek after human wisdom, and labor to know the nature of • irds, of Beasts, of Fishes of Trees, and of earthly things, which delight the outward senses, and ravish the understanding of natural men: yet see how those books of Solomon that handle mere matters of human P • ilosophy, which the wise men of the world hunt after, are utterly lost: whereas the divine books which he wrote by inspiration, less regarded, and more contemned, are notwithstanding by the watchful eye of God remaining, and are reserved for the comfort of the Church forever.
Lastly, we read of the Prophesy of Enoch [Object. 4] in the Epistle of Jude, verse fourteenth, who prophesied of the second coming of Christ in power and great glory, with thousands of his Saints: which Prophesy also seemeth to be among those books which are lost.
I answer, [Answer.] this could be no Apochryphall Book of holy Scripture; for Moses was the first Pen-man or Scribe that wrote the holy Scripture, whose five books are perfect, and contained in them sufficient instruction for that CHURCH, whereas that Prophesy did not, nor indeed could not.
Secondly, it cannot appear that this Prophesy was ever written. It is said, he prophesied & foretold the end of the world by the Spirit of God in that most corrupt age that hasted to destruction, to the end that such as were ordained to eternal life might believe, and the rest being hardened might be made without excuse; but it is nowhere said, It was written. It is said to be a Prophesy, but no word or mention is made of the writing of this Prophesy: so that it seemeth, the Apostle learned it by tradition from the father to the son, as the Apostle Paul setteth down the names of the sorcerers that withstood Moses and Aaron. Neither let the Church of Rome lay the foundation of unwritten traditions upon this ground-work: seeing we deny not all unwritten traditions conveyed from hand to hand, but only such as are made rules of God's worship, matters of faith, and parts of religion necessary to salvation.
To conclude therefore, seeing the providence of God, the fidelity of the Church and diligence of the faithful is so great, that the whole body of the Canonical Scripture hath been kept entire and perfect, without loss or lack of any part or parcel of it, of any book or sentence, we must detest the blasphemous shufflings & shiftings of the Church of Rome that make the Scripture to be a maimed, lame, and imperfect doctrine, not containing all things necessary to faith and salvation: whereas the Apostle teacheth, that the whole Scripture inspired of God, is able to make us wise unto salvation, 2 Tim. 3, 15, 16 17, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus; and is profitable to teach, to convince, to correct, & to instruct in righteousness, that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfect unto all good works.
[Verses 10, 11, 12, 13. And the Children of Israel departed thence, and pitched in Oboth, &c. Here we have painted and portraied out, as in a Table, certain stations and journeys of the Israelites: wherein we may behold as in a glass, the providence of God protecting thē, and the obedience of the people following him. We see how they remove from place to place in the wilderness, they are never long at one stay, but either they went forward or backward, as the sea continually ebbeth or floweth. Now as the Land of Canaan was a figure of their rest in the kingdom of heaven: so their wandering up and down in the wilderness, did figure and represent the condition of their life to be vain and transitory in this world.
We learn from hence the state of the faithful, what it is, we are pilgrims and strangers in this life: we are as guests lodging here for a night, but by and by we must depart and be dislodged, we have here no continuing City. This the faithful have in all ages confessed; Jacob being brought into the presence of Pharaoh, saith, The whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty years, few and evil have the days of my life been, Gen. 47, 9. But we may say, the days of our pilgrimage are threescore years and ten, if haply we reach so far, to which not one amongst an hundred cometh, few indeed and evil we may truly call them. This Abraham pleadeth, Gen. 23, 4, wanting a place of burial to interre his dead, I am a stranger and a forreigner among you, give me a possession of burial with you. Thus he confesseth it went with him in Canaan, neither was his estate any better elsewhere. This the Prophet David acknowledgeth, though a great King, Psal. 39, 12. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hearken unto my cry, keep not silence at my tears, for I am a stranger with thee, and a soiourner as all my fathers: our days are like a shadow upon the earth, and there is none abiding. So then we see what our life and condition is, we are altogether vanity, like grass that soon withereth: we are as tenants at the will of the Lord, our age is as nothing, it passeth as a tale that is soon told, it is as an hand-breath quickly measured, surely every man in his best estate is altogether lighter then vanity it self.
The reasons. First, all our days are stinted [Reason 1] and limited: as they are short and vain, so they are uncertain and unknown. The strongest natures and constitutions that seem to be framed & settled as a sure building to continue for many years, yet are soon cut off & are no more. We see this confirmed by the daily experience of many examples, as in Uzzah suddenly smitten, 2 Sam. 6, 7: in Job's children quickly overwhelmed, Job 1, 19: in Ananias and Sapphira presently destroyed, Acts 5, 5, 10: in the rich man that had his soul in one night taken from him, Luke 12, 20, and in a continual beholding the hand of God, striking as pleaseth him. If then uncertainty be an apparent argument of vanity, we may conclude from hence, our life to be vain & transitory, inasmuch as God revealeth not, when, or where, or how we shall die and be taken out of this life. We know not when we shall die, at even, or at midnight, at the Cock-crowing, or in the dawning. When we lie down, we know not whether we shall rise again: when we arise, whether we shall lie down again, except we be laid in our grave, and make our bed in the dust. Moreover we know not where we shall die, at home or abroad. When we go out of our houses, we know not whether we shall return to them alive or not, forasmuch as we carry about us evermore houses of clay. And when we come into them, we know not whether we shall go out of them again upon our feet, or be carried out upon the shoulders of others. Lastly, the manner and kind of our death is also as unknown as the rest, whether we shall die a natural or a violent death; a sudden, or a lingering death; whether our life shall be prolonged to the last point and period of nature, our heat and moisture being consumed, as the light of a candle consumeth by little and little and at length goeth out of it self; or whether it shall be taken away by fire, by water, by sword, by famine, by pestilence, by beasts, and such like casualties incident to the sons of men; all which proclaim and publish in our hearts the vain condition of all flesh.
[Reason 2] Secondly, God hath prepared for us a City, whereof he is the builder and maker. This City we seek, being Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, the mother of us all. For we shall never sufficiently be brought to acknowledge our frail and brittle estate, unless we be raised and lifted up to the meditation of our future condition in the life to come. If then the kingdom of glory be a place of rest, what is this present estate, but a sea of sorrows? If the heaven be our native Country, what is the earth but an exile and banishment? If it be true happiness to enjoy the blessed presence of the living God, then it must needs be a miserable thing, and death it self to want it. If to leave this earthly tabernacle, be a setting of us free and at liberty, what is this body but a prison? If immortality be as the putting on of a garment, what is our mortality, but as it were a nakedness? Lastly, if to die in the Lord, be to go unto God, what is this life but an absence from him? This did the Patriarchs profess, and to this they sealed by their practice, Heb. 11 13, 14, 15, 16. Abraham possessed not one breadth of a foot, saving the purchase bought to bury his dead: Jacob was banished out of that Land, a great part of his life: Isaac and the rest of the fathers had but their walk in it, and enjoyed it as a pledge of another Country which is above.
[Use 1,] The uses follow. If we have here no abiding City in the days of our vanity, then acknowledge God's great mercy toward us being so vain. We see other creatures in their estate more permanent then man is, far exceeding and excelling in natural gifts, in seeing, tasting, moving, hearing, touching, and such like properties: yet no creature tasteth of his saving mercies as man doth. This consideration doth the Prophet lead us unto, Psal. 8, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, that he is mindful of him and visiteth him, and hath put all things under his feet. There is no merit in us to be a motive to move him to show so great mercy unto us. He findeth us walking in our sins, as it were wallowing in our blood: all our righteousness is as a foul and filthy cloth, Isaiah 64, 6. This use David urgeth, Psal. 103, 14, 15, 16, 18. He knoweth whereof we are made, he remembereth that we are but dust: the days of man are as grass, as a flower of the field so flourisheth he: but the loving kindness of the Lord endureth forever, he is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, & of great kindness. So that he confirmeth himself & others in God's mercy, by the consideration of our own vanity.
[Use 2] Secondly, seeing our days be vain & short, why do we cark and care so much for the things of this life, what we shall eat, what we shall drink, and what we shall put on? Why do we eat the bread of sorrow, & with too much painfulness heap up worldly things? It may be we shall not come to the sight of the fruit of our labors, much less to the partaking of it. A traveler, the shorter his journey is, the less his provision is. We are all travelers, we are in the way to our country, and we are not far from the end of our journey; what folly then and madness is it to cast all our thoughts and meditations to earthly things, and to care not only for the morrow, but for months and years. This our Savior setteth down, Luke 12, 19, 20, 21, for when the rich man said to his soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, live at ease, eat, & drink, and take thy pastime; It was answered him: O fool, this night will they fetch away thy soul from thee, then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided▪ So is he that gathereth riches and is not rich in God. Hereunto consenteth the Apostle James chap, 4, 13, 14, 15. Go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a City, and continue there a year, buy & sell, and get gain, and yet ye cannot tell what shall be tomorrow, for what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanisheth away; for that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, both we shall live and we shall do this or that. Solomon having had plentiful experience of the shortness and vanity of man's life, penned to this purpose the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is (as it were) the marrow and pith; yea, the very quintessence of all his best knowledge, and wherein we may see the refined wisdom of reformed Solomon; he proclaimeth, Vanity of vanities all is vanity: there is an evil which I saw under the Sun, and it is much among men, one to whom God hath given riches, treasures, and honor, & he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that it desireth: but God giveth him not power to eat thereof, a strange man shall eat it up: & though he leave no spark behind him neither son, nor brother, yet doth he not think, for whom do I travail, and defraud my soul of pleasure? This also is vanity, and this is an evil travail, Eccles. 1, 2, and 4, 8, and 5, 12, and 6, 1, 2.
To conclude this use, if we be not strangers in this life, we shall have no part in the kingdom of heaven: If we will have God to avow and acknowledge us for his children, let us live here as foreigners and warfaring men in our journey, or rather in our race. We have pitched and patched up a Tent or Tabernacle, for a day or a night, we must not nestle our selves here, we must not always go groveling to the ground, nor entangle our selves in the affairs of this life to make it our everlasting habitation, but be flying upwards as birds sitting upon a bough. True it is, God is so favorable to many, that they never remove out of the place where they were born, but continue at home in their own houses; they are not driven hither and thither, they are not tossed from post to pillar; yet must not they make their resting place in this world, & look for heaven upon the earth, but be always ready to follow the calling of God, and know that he hath reserved a better resting place for them in his kingdom. Wherefore the Apostle Peter exhorteth, Dearely beloved, I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul; & have your conversation honest among the Gentiles. This is the beginning of godliness and true religion, to deny this world, and to acknowledge our selves to be but strangers in y e same. And let us pray with the Prophet, Psal. 119. I am but a stranger upon earth, hide not thy Commandments from me.
[Use 3] Lastly let us learn to depend and rest only upon God, who only dwelleth in immortality, and not on the sons of men, who are nothing but vanity and cannot help. Who would in danger rest upon a weak reed, which beside the weakness is ready to run into our arm? All men are frail and transitory, if then we put confidence in an arm of flesh, we shall be deceived. This the Prophets of God everywhere record, Isaiah 2, 22, and 30, 7, and 31, 3. Ceasse you from the man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be esteemed? Teaching us to cast off all vain confidence in man, if God stop his breath but a little, he is dead and gone. And chap. 30. The Egyptians are vanity, and they shall help in vain: they are men, & not God, their horses flesh, and not spirit: and when the Lord shall stretch out his hand, the helper shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall, and they shall altogether fail. To this purpose David exhorteth, Psal. 62, 9, 10. The children of men are vanity, to lay them upon a balance, they are altogether lighter then vanity: trust not in oppression nor in robbery: be not vain; if riches increase, set not your heart thereon. Let us set our hearts on our God, and the God of our fathers: abuse not the favor and countenance of great men to do wrong, for he taketh away the greatest: rather let us pray to him to give us wise hearts to number our days, and to think often of our vanity, thereby to keep us from offending against God, that our life passeth as a sleep in the night, that it groweth up as grass, which in the morning flourisheth, but in the evening is cut down and withereth.
[Verse 14. It shall be spoken in the book of the battles of the Lord. ] He declareth that the place mentioned in the former verse, should be so ennobled and renowned, that the memory of it should never die or decay. As if Moses should say, when the battles of the Lord shall be spoken off, the River Arnon shall be remembered, and the battles that Vaheb the King of Moab lost. Now they are called the battles of the Lord, that were fought by mē. For howsoever men run together like wild Bears, or wild Boars, and leuy forces of mē, yet their armies are conducted and ruled by God. From hence we learn, That all watres are disposed & ordered of God. Of all things done here beneath, nothing seemeth more casual or confused, and nothing more out of the right course and order then the time of war, when men seem to run together at all adventures: yet God hath his hand in it, he guideth and governeth the same as seemeth good in his own wisdom. This the wise man handleth, Prov. 21, 31. The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but victory is of the Lord. This the Prophet confesseth, Psal. 144, 1. Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth mine hands to fight, and my fingers to battle. No war falleth out in any place, or upon any people, but it is sent of God. When Abraham recovered Lot his brothers son from the enemies, of whom he was taken prisoner, it was God that gave him good success and prospered the work of his hand. When the Israelites revenged the villainy of the Benjamites, in abusing a woman unto death, it is said, the Lord smote Benjamin, and the children of Israel destroyed them. So when Gideon was armed with courage and comfort to encounter with the Midianites, & to perform the work of the Lord against thē, when he was to join battle, he cried out, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon. Judge. 7, 20. Wherefore, howsoever men do manage the battle, yet it is ordered at the will of God.
The reasons are plain. First, who is the [Reason 1] chief Captain of every host and army? Is not the Lord? And is not every battle fought at the discretion & disposing of the General? If then God be the General of the field, and Captain of the host, & President of the war, let us acknowledge that all wars are ordered at his pleasure. This is the Title given unto God, Josh. 5, 13, 14, 15. When Joshua lifting up his eyes, saw a man come against him, having a sword drawn in his hand, he said; Art thou on our side, or on our adversaries? And he answered, Nay but as a Captain of the host of the Lord, am I now come: then Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped him. This chief Captain and Leader of the people, was the Lord, as appeareth by a like place, Exod. 3, 5, where the Angel appearing unto Moses in a flame of fire, is called the Lord.
Secondly, all things whatsoever are ordered [Reason 2] by the appointment and providence of God, that are in heaven and earth; his government over all creatures, and of all actions, is universal, nothing can exempt it self out of the circuit of his dominion, as the Prophet teacheth, Psal. 113, 6. He abaseth himself to behold things in the heaven and in the earth. And the Apostle saith, that of him, and through him, and for him, are all things. Rom. 11, 36.
The uses come now to be considered. First [Use 1] this teacheth us, that the victory is not man's, but the Lord's. For if the battle be the Lord's, then the victory also is the Lord's, that the glory likewise may be his. It is not the sword, nor spear, nor horse, nor man, nor money, that can save or succor: these are vain things to rest upon: so that where some trust in Chariots, and some in Horses, we must remember the Name of the Lord our God, Psal. 20, 7. Therefore the Prophet showeth, Psal. 33, 17, 18, that a King is not saved by the multitude of an host, neither is the mighty man delivered by great strength: an horse is a vain help, and shall not deliver any by his great strength. And this David confesseth, whē he was to encounter with the uncircumcised Philistim, that reviled and railed upon the host of the living God, 1 Sam. 17, 46, 47, and 14, 6. This day shall the Lord close thee in mine hands, and I shall smite thee, that all the world may know that Israel hath a God, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saveth not with sword nor with spear, (for the battle is the Lord's) and he will give you into our hands. It is not hard with him to save with many or with few: he maketh the weak strong, he causeth one to chase a thousand, and two to put ten thousand to flight, when the mighty God selleth them and shutteth them up. An example we have, 2 Chron. 24, 24. when Joash King of Judah sinned against God, shedding innocent blood, and forgetting the kindness shown to him, the Aramites came up against him, Jerusalem was besieged, the Princes were destroyed, their goods were spoiled; and though the army of Aram came with a small company of men, yet the Lord delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. Give God the glory of his own works, and let us not sacrifice to our own Nets. This is the cause why God oftentimes doth not bless and prosper our wars, we glory greatly in our multitudes of men, whereby God is robbed of his glory, and constrained to show us our own folly, and to chasten us for our presumption.
[Use 2] Secondly, it behooveth us to consult with him before we enter into it, to pray for a blessing, and to depend upon him touching the success. If nothing ought to be enterprised rashly, or taken in hand unadvisedly; then should wars be seriously thought upon, and warily begun, and wisely undertaken. The wise man teacheth, Prov. 20, 18, & 24, 6, that by counsel the thoughts of the heart must be established, and by counsel wars are to be enterprised. Thus when God promised victory to Ahab by one of his Prophets, over a great multitude of the Syrians, that he might learn to know him to be the Lord, Ahab asked of the Lord, who should order the battle? 1 Kings 20, 14, & 22, 5. So we must do nothing before we ask counsel of God to know his will & pleasure, as Jehoshaphat taught Ahab, craving his help against Ramoth Gilead, Ask counsel I pray thee of the Lord today, whether he will make our way prosperous. When the children of Dan sent expert men to view the Land and search it out, Judge. 18, 5, 6, they asked counsel of God, to guide their feet in the way of peace. It is dangerous to be cold and careless in co • sulting with him, & coming to his ordinance for it. Good King Joshua the Pillar of y e hand, and nursing father of the Church, was killed by Pharaoh Necho, 2 Chron. 35, 22, because he consulted not with the mouth of the Lord, but went out to try his own strength. Let us not in the day of battle, think the season lost, or the time il spent that is employed this way: now is the acceptable time, and it is no wisdom to delay or defer it. This was the wickedness of Saul's heart, when the noise of the Philistines army came to his ear, & the Priest had brought the Ark to ask advice of God, he said, Withdraw thine hand: 1 Sam. 14, 18, 19, that is, the time serveth not to stand & stay counseling and consulting with God, have away these things, and let us draw near to the enemy: an evident testimony that God had forsaken him, and taken his Spirit from him, that he might run from one evil into another, and so work out his own confusion. Contrariwise we see, that while Joshua encoūtread with Amalek, a malicious and bloody enemy, Moses continued in prayer, and he prevailed more to the discomfiture and destruction of the Amalekites, by the force of prayer, then Joshua by the dint of the sword.
Lastly, let us not fear the enemies of the [Use 3] Church, but be strong and valiant, and commit the cause unto God. Thus did Joab when he entered the battle for the defense of God's people and true religion, 2 Sam. 10, 12. Be • strong and let us be valiant for our people, and for the Cities of our God, & let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes. Thus David comforteth himself when he fled from his son Abso on, an • was driven out of his kingdom by treason & treachery, Psal. 3, 6, 7, 8. I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about: 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 salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and thy blessing is upon thy people. Be not therefore dismayed & discouraged, when the enemies breathe out their threatenings against the Church, band themselves together against Christ & his religion, and make their unholy leagues for the utter extirpation thereof: the Lord that sitteth in heaven▪ knoweth how to vex them in his sure displeasure, and to break them in pieces like a Potters vessel, and therefore blessed are all they that trust in him.
[Verse 16. Assemble the people, and I will give them water. ] So soon as they were removed from the River Arnon, they came into a dry place where they wanted water, but have it immediately supplied of God. Somewhat we see they had profited by the former judgments which brake in as a fire among them & consumed many. For here being in need and necessity, they do not murmur against God, as they had done before, nor rage against Mo • es as in former times; but they wait the Lord's leisure, until he relieve them, & render thanks unto him for his mercy received. This benefit then is here amplified by the cause, I will give them water. From hence this Doctrine ariseth, that the Lord supplieth the wants of his, and helpeth them always in time of need. When we are hungry, he feedeth us; when we are thirsty, he giveth us drink; when we are naked, he clotheth us; when we are destitute, he succoreth us; when we are in want, he supplieth us; when we are in any necessity, he helpeth us; yea, he worketh miracles, and changeth the course of Nature, rather then forsaketh us. He sent Manna to Israel when they wanted bread: he struck the stony Rock when they wanted drink: he sent his Angel to Elijah with food to strengthen him. He never forgetteth those that are his, he maketh the rain to fall, and the sun to shine upon the very wicked and ungodly. This the Prophet David handleth, Psalm. 147, 9, & 145, 15, 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season; thou openest thine hand, and fillest all things living of thy good pleasure. He giveth to Beasts their food, and to the young Ravens that cry. This the Lord himself teacheth out of the whirlwind, Job 39, 1, 2, 3. Who prepareth for the Raven his meat, when his Birds cry unto God, wandering for lack of meat? Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lyon, and fill the appetite of the Lions whelps? We know the Lions & other savage beasts are insatiable, they are not filled with a morsel of meat, they couch not down in their dens whē they have taken a little, they require much sustenance, according to their devouring nature. Now who is it that findeth them this food and provision, but he that is the Creator of all things, who saveth man and beast, for the Lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat at God. Then let us come to the comparison which the Prophet maketh, Psalm 34. If he feed the Lions who suffer hunger, and seek their prey with violence; how shall he forget or forsake us whom he auoweth for his children, and hath created after his own Image? The Lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they which seek the Lord, shall want nothing that is good. Psalm. 34, 9, 10. All these things teach us, that God reserveth to himself the office and charge of maintaining us, and giving unto us whatsoever is necessary and meet for us.
[Reason 1] The Reasons may easily and evidently appear unto us. First, his providence watcheth over those that are his, for their comfort and benefit, as the Prophet teacheth, Psal. 33, 18, 19. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and upon them that trust in his mercy, to deliver their souls from death, and to preserve them in famine. This made him say in his old age. He saw never the righteous forsaken, & their children begging bread. Psal. 37, 25. This provident eye can never be deceived or disappointed, neither can it deceive or disappoint such as rest upon it for their comfort and preservation.
Again, he is the Creator of all, a merciful [Reason 2] Father, a careful Shepherd, a gracious Redeemer, a loving Husband to his people. Will the Maker forsake the work of his own hands? Can the Shepherd forget his flock and the sheep of his pasture? Can the Father forget his child, or the Mother not have compassion on the son of her womb? Can the Redeemer cast off his inheritance that he hath bought and dearly purchased? Can the husband deny protection and provision unto his wife that lieth in his bosom? Thus the Prophet reasoneth, and from the titles of God, assureth his faith, that it should never fail. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want: he maketh me to rest in green Pastures, and leadeth me by the still waters, &c. Psal. 23, 1.
The uses of this Doctrine are lastly to be [Use 1] stood upon. First, we are hence to gather, that we ought in all estates to fear God, and not to fear want of worldly wealth, or transitory things: let us have our conversation without covetousness, which is insatiable and enlarged as the grave: let us take heed of diffidence & distrustfulness touching the things of this life: let us as well in adversity as in prosperity, be ready to rest on God's providence, whatsoever fall out unto us. True it is, we ought to labor in our callings, and to take pains to get meat and drink, but we must beware of carking and cares, and using unlawful means to sustain our selves. If we see not such success on our labors as we look for, let us be content: if we see his blessing, let us remember to render him thanks. This duty the Prophet declareth, Psal. 34, 9, & 37, 5, for having declared, that albeit the Lions lack, yet God will nourish those that be his, he concludeth hereupon, O fear the Lord, ye his Saints, for nothing wanteth to them that fear him. Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Let us pray to him in our necessities, and call upon him for our daily bread: let us especially be mindful of heavenly things, and lift up the eyes of our minds to that kingdom that is reserved for us. As for this world, we must use it and all the things therein, as if we used them not, and as though they were not our own, but another's; according to the example and practice of the godly Patriarchs. Let us use our houses and dwelling places, as strangers do an Inn wherein they lodge and seek harbor for a night, and then are gone. Let us use our goods and riches, as Pilgrims do other men's goods for a small season, but we must take heed we set not our hearts upon them. Let us reject and cast off all things that may clog and hinder us in the way to the kingdom of heaven, like good travelers, that wll burden themselves with nothing that may hinder them in their journey. And let us all learn true contentation of heart in every estate of life, whether in health or in sickness, whether in want or in abundance, whether in trouble or in peace; considering, that as we brought nothing into this world, so we can carry nothing out of the same.
Again, seeing God supplieth the wants of [Use 2] the body, let us seek also at his hands the norishment of our souls, and depend upon him for our spiritual food. We see how men being in any adversity are vexed and grieved, & how near it goeth unto the quick. If they want bodily food and sustenance, they compass sea and land, they spare no labor, they refuse no charges to have it supplied. How much more should we double our care for the soul, which is of a more divine nature, and cometh nearer to the Image of God? The soul of man is the more precious and noble part of a man, the soul of a man is truly himself, the body is but his instrument: & therefore being of a more excellent substance, it is more to be regarded and cared for, then the body. If therefore a man would leave country and kindred to provide for his body, he should be willing to go out of house & home; yea, even to forsake himself to save his soul. If a man be ready to travail a thousand miles by sea and land for the increase of his wealth, or the bettering of his knowledge, or the delight of his body: we should not think much to go ten thousand miles, & to take any pains for the good of our soul, and to get food for the same. But the practice of the world goeth clean contrary; the soul is least regarded, the health, the wealth, the welfare, the peace, the sustentation and preservation thereof is nothing esteemed. They that are of the earth, do savor only of the earth: and will never leave caring for it, till their mouths be full of it. As we do tread vpō the earth, so let us tread under our feet all earthly things: and as we are borne to look upward toward heaven, let us have our conversation in heaven, & set our affections upon heavenly things, & as we ask of God our daily bread, so let us depend upon him for the daily food of our souls.
[Use 3] Lastly, let us return to him praise and glory due unto his Name. We see men look for this duty at our hands, as an acknowledgment of their favors, who are but the instruments of God for the good of his people. How much more then ought we to be careful to remember the Lord, and to lift up our hearts to the heavens? We must not be always groveling upon the earth, like the swine that eat the Mast, but look not to the Tree. Wherefore the Prophet teacheth us this duty, I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: yea, I will glorify thy holy Name forever: for great is thy mercy toward me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest grave. Psal. 86, 12, 13. If we be not careful when God hath opened his hand toward us, to opē our mouths, yea our minds toward him, we deprive our selves of many other blessings that God would plentifully bestow upon us. A skillful husbandman will not always till a barren soil, nor cast his corn in the high-way, where it shall neither be increased nor received; so if there be found in any of us a dry and unthankful heart, we stop the stream of God's blessings, and hinder many good things from us. So then, it is not enough to desire a supply of our necessities, & to have a sense and feeling of our own wants, we must not be idle beggars, always craving & catching what we can out of the Coffers of God's Treasury, and never acknowledge what we receive, and from whence we receive it. It is a notable note and token of the child of God, to be often in praises and thanksgivings. If we have received but a little measure of knowledge or faith, learn unfeignedly to be thankful for that, to the end thou mayest procure a farther blessing from God, and that thou mayest grow from faith to faith, and from strength to strength. Many hypocrites & dissemblers, nay many Atheists and Libertines, in trouble and affliction are ready to ask, seek, and knock at the gate of God's mercy, as we see in the Israelites, and in sundry others; but these prayers proceed from fear, not from faith: from a feeling of sorrow, not from a feeling of sin: from a sight of their own necessity, not from a sight of their own misery through want of reconciliation unto God. But we must testify our love to God, and our zeal of his glory, by our acknowledging of his gracious blessings, and rendering unto him the praise of his works of mercy.
[Verse 17. Then Israel sang this song, &c. ] The goodness of God was great toward the Israelites, in those dry and desolate places to send them water, & reveal unto them where they should dig a Well. Wherefore so soon as they have experience of his kindness, they make a song of thanksgiving, and sing a song of praise to remain unto all posterity, to testify the acknowledgement of God's mercy toward them.
The Doctrine from this place is this. That it is required as a special duty to God to offer the sacrifi • e of praise, and to pay unto him the calves of our lips, when we have tasted of his bounty and loving kindness. We must give thanks for mercies received at his hands. Whē the people of God received any victory over their enemies, they returned the glory to him for their deliverance. Gen. 14.20. Exod. 15, 1. and 18, 10. The Prophet David, as he abundantly tasted of the favor of God, so plentifully poureth out praise and thanksgiving, as the 18, Psalm. It is a Psalm of praise, which he sang in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. Likewise Psal. 116, 12, 13. 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 duty we see practiced by Melchizedek on the behalf of Abraham, Blessed be the most High, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hands. This we see performed by Moses and Aaron, when they saw the mighty power of God ouerturning the Egyptians; I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and him that rode upon him hath he overthrown in the sea: they sank to the bottom as a stone. This duty is not omitted nor deferred by Deborah and Barak in the day of their deliverance, Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, and for the people that offered themselves willingly. Judge, 5, 1, 5. This is it also that the Apostle teacheth, Phil. 4, 6. In all things let your requests be shown unto God in prayer, in supplications, and in giving of thanks. Yea Job fearing God and eschewing evil, performed this duty to God, after the loss of outward wealth, when he had been bereft of his children, robbed of his goods, spoiled of his servants, reproached of his wife, and tempted of the devil, he said, Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return again: the Lord hath given, & the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord forever. Job 1, 21. Teaching us hereby to glorify God, not only for meat, drink, apparel, peace, liberty, health, children, success in domestical affairs, and such like; but even for the losses & crosses that he sendeth upon us, which he sanctifieth to the salvation of his servants. Let us therefore acknowledge, that it is a duty belonging unto us, to offer the sacrifice of praise always unto God, that is, the fruit of the lips which confess his Name.
[Reason 1] The Reasons remain to be considered. First, we must give him y e praise of his works, because it is the will and pleasure of GOD (who is so good unto us) to require it of us, who can give him nothing else. For what are we able to require and return to the Lord for his great mercies? Can we deserve them at his hands or glory of any our own merits? Without him we can do nothing. If then we can render nothing but this, let us not deny him this duty of praise. It is the will of God we should not kill, or steal, nor commit idolatry, or adultery, & such like: few but make conscience of these sins, because we see the will of God restraining us, and condemning them. So it is the will of God we should beware of unthankfulness, and open our mouths in setting forth his praises, for his goodness unto men. This reason the Apostle useth, 1 Thess. 5, 17, 18. Pray continually, in all things give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
[Reason 2] Secondly, of all sacrifices, this is the chief and principal, and groweth in the Garden of God, as one of the Cedars in Lebanon, eminent above the rest of the Trees of the Forest. It excelleth and surmounteth all the rest, in respect of the enduring and continuance of it, in respect of the use and end of it, and in respect of our unwillingness and untowardness to perform it. First, touching the lasting of it▪ it was in Paradise before the fall, it was before the flood, it was before the Law, under the Law, under the Gospel, and shall hold to the end of the world. It is performed of men and Angels, in heaven and earth, it shall never end, no not when other exercises of our religion shall cease. The Scripture shall have an end, preaching shall cease, prayer shall fail, the sacraments shall fade, we shall have no need of these things; but the sweet singing of God's eternal praises, shall never cease. The blessed Saints, and all the host of heaven shall give praise, and power, honor, and glory, to him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for evermore. Revel. 5, 13, and 11, 17.
Again, it is the end both of the works of [Reason 3] God, and of the other exercises of religion. It is the end of our election, for he hath predestinated us to the praise and glory of his grace, wherewith he hath made us freely accepted in his beloved, Eph. 1, 5, 6. It is the end of our creation: for he hath made all things to his own glory, even the wicked for the day of wrath, Prov. 16, 4. It is the ende of our redemption, for the holy man blesseth the Lord God of Israel, for visiting and redeeming his people, who would send us deliverance from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us, that we should serve him without fear all the days of our life in holiness and righteousness before him, Luke 1, 68, 74, 75. And the Apostle teacheth this, Eph. 1, 3, 7. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins, according to his rich grace. It is the end of our justification, for we are justified freely by grace, that no man should boast in himself, But he which rejoiceth, should rejoice in the Lord. 1 Cor, 1, 31. It is the end of our sanctification, of our salvation, and of our glorification, to return all glory & praise unto God, that sanctifieth and saveth us, & will glorify us in soul and body. And as it is the end of these works of God, so likewise all the exercises of our religion are directed and referred unto it, as to the principal mark they aim at. A chief part of God's service is prayer. But why do we pray unto him, but that obtaining our requests, & having experience of his mercies, we may give him the praise? According to the saying of the Prophet, I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Psal. 50, 15. Wherefore do we hear his word, but that receiving increase of knowledge, and the gift of faith, we may give thanks to God? Wherefore are we partakers of the Sacraments, but that finding and feeling comfort by them, we might return the greater glory to God, the author of them?
Lastly, the unwillingness of our corrupt [Reason 4] nature to do this duty, manifestly proveth the worthiness and excellency of this exercise. We are willing enough to pray for the gift, but we are not so ready to praise the giver: we are forward and fervent in asking, but cold & dull in thanksgiving. In time of sickness and dangers, we are large in promises and protestations; but being delivered, we are backward in performing. We are full of desiring the things we want, but we are empty of praises when God hath heard us, and so lose the fruit of that good which he hath sent us. Seeing therefore the offering to God the sacrifice of praise, is a principal part of his service, and standing directly with his will, it standeth us in hand to confess before y e Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men, Psal. 107, 8.
[Use 1] Now let us come to the Uses. First, forget not his mercies and goodness toward us. We are ready to remember our own wants, and our mouth with our desire is enlarged to pray for health in sickness, for deliverance in danger, and for comfort in heaviness; but when light is risen in darkness, and joy to the upright in heart, we forget the hand that lifted us up, and that our help is in the name of the Lord which hath made heaven and earth. This use the Prophet David maketh, Psal. 103.1.2. My soul praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy name: My soul praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits. This also Moses urgeth to the people, when they were compassed about on every side with the mercies of God, Deut. 6, 10, 11, 12. & 8, 10, 11. When they should possess Cities that they built not, houses full of all manner goods which they filled not, Welles which they digged not, Vineyards and Olive trees which they planted not: when they have eaten and are full, then he willeth them to beware lest they forget the Lord their GOD, that brought them out of the Land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Why is it that he willeth thē especially to take heed to themselves when their bellies are filled, when their cattle is increased, when their substance is multiplied, and when their possessions are enlarged? Surely, because if ever we forget God, it is when we are full. If ever we despise his laws and commandments, it is in the time of plenty & abundance, even then when we are most of all bound to serve him: When he hath been on our side, and made an hedge round about us, then we stand in a slippery place, ready to have our hearts puffed up, & our minds hardened in pride, and to forget God and his goodness, as Pharaohs chief Butler did forget Joseph, Gen. 40, 23. The more love is bestowed upon us, the less duty is performed unto him, whereby Satan goeth about to take away all the graces of God from us. In 2 King. 20, 8, 13. Hezekia was delivered from a deadly sickness, and went up to the house of the Lord to magnify his mercy for his recovery: yet see how soon after he was overtaken with unthankfulness, and lost the comfort of his deliverance, and received heavy tidings that his posterity should be carried away captives into Babel. He thought that in his prosperity He should never be moved. This is taught us also in the curing of the ten lepers mentioned by the Evangelist Luke, 17.15, 16, 17, 18. of the which one only returned back, and with a loud voice praised God, and gave him thanks: and Jesus answered, saying, Are there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are none found that returned to give God praise, save this stranger that was a Samaritan.
Secondly, seeing we must give God thanks [Use 2] for benefits received, of what sort soever they be: then especially we must praise him for spiritual blessings that are of an higher nature, & belong to a better life. This the Prophet, Psa. 103, 1, 3. thought upon, provoking himself to praise the Lord, & preparing his heart with his tongue to extol his mercies he beginneth with this, Which forgiveth all thine iniquities, & healeth all thine infirmities. For well did he know that if a man enjoyed the world at will, and yet wanted the persuasion of the pardon of his sins and reconciliation towards God, it were nothing: For what shall it profit a man if he win the whole world, and lose his own soul? &c. Mat. 16, 26. When Israel was oppressed in Egypt, it was joyful tidings to hear of a deliverer, and they rendered praise to God for their deliverance. When they had been carried to Babylon, and accomplished the years of their bondage prophesied by Jer. 25, 12. and the Lord brought again the captivity of Zion, they seemed at the first like them that dream, Ps. 126 1, 2. Then was their mouth filled with laughter, & their tongue with joy: then the heathen confessed, The Lord had done great things for them: Then the church sang, The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Suppose the case stood with any of us bodily, as it standeth with all of us spiritually, without any supposition at all, y t we were taken by enemies, bound in chains, cast into prison, sticking fast in the mire, pinched with famine, and wasted with despair of ever coming out of such a dungeon: & that lying thus without help or hope, a king should come unto us, smite off our fetters, free us out of prison, pay our ransom, and promote us to honor in his kingdom; would we not render unto him all possible thanks, & depend on him all the days of our life? But we are delivered from greater enemies, and from greater dangers; from sin, hell, death, darkness, the devil, and damnation. For as the devil doth exceed all bodily enemies, and hell fire infinitely surpasseth the pains of this life, which endure but for a season: so we must consider that our deliverance being greater, our Thanksgiving must not be the less: but our praise must be answerable to his power▪ who hath cut y e cords of our enemies, and restored us into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Let us acknowledge our selves tied to this duty, to offer to him the offering & sacrifice of praise, for the spiritual blessings of our redemption and salvation, for his word & Gospel, he hath not so dealt with every nation & people. This is the only recompense that we can make him, to give him all y e glory. How shall we requite his 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 mercies, who finding us neither washed in water, nor swaddled in clouts, nor pitied of any, but cast out in the open field, to the contempt of our person, and polluted in our own blood, covered our filthiness, anointed us with oil, clothed us with broidred work, girded us with fine linen, decked us with ornaments, and entered into a covenant with us to become his? Shall we come before him with burnt offerings, and Calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased & praised with thousands of Rams, and with ten thousand rivers of oil? All these be as nothing; For all the beasts are his, and the beasts on a thousand Mountains: yea, all the world is his, and whatsoever therein is. Psal. 50, 10, 14. The service & sacrifice wherein he delighteth is an humble, contrite, and thankful heart, which is more acceptable to him then all sacrifices that have horns and hooues. Offer therefore unto him praise, and pay thy vows unto the most High, which thy lips have promised in the presence of all his people.
[Use 3] Thirdly, let us acknowledge this truth, that his name is most glorious, and confess the greatness of his name to be worthy of all glory. Let us not set up our own names, nor sacrifice to our own nets, nor say we have escaped by our own power, but thorough the favor and kindness of God, as the Prophet teacheth, Psalm 124, 1. Let us not claim the praise of God to our selves, nor rob him of his honor, but confess that his mercy endureth forever. This use the Prophet teacheth, Psal. 8, 1, 9, where setting down many arguments of the praise of God which he showeth in the earth, he concludeth the majesty of God to be worthy of all honor: O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the world? None can praise him aright, except he be touched with a feeling of God's greatness, goodness, and majesty: even as our prayers are cold when we have a small and slight feeling of sin.
[Use 4] Lastly, seeing praise and glory is due to God for his blessings, it is our duty to pray for thē, and to ask them at his hands. When the Prophet, Psal. 50, 15. had stirred the people up to offer unto God praise, he addeth withal, Call upon him in the day of trouble, so will he deliver thee and thou shalt glorify him. For when we come to him by prayer, and have experience of his goodness who delivereth our soul from death, our eyes from tears, and our feet from falling; and are assured that our help cometh neither from the East nor from the West, nor frō the wilderness, that is, from the North, nor South (inasmuch as Judea was on both sides included and compassed with a Desert: ) we are hereby provoked and pricked forward, to cast down our selves, and all our glory at his feet, to magnify his mercy, to exalt his praise on high, and to say with the Prophet, Ps. 115, 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us: but unto thy name give the glory, for thy loving mercy, and for thy truths sake. But if we trust in our own strength, and rest in our own labors, and think the good things we possess, be y e works and fruits of our own hands, not the blessings & gifts of God, we shall never give him praise for them, but set up our selves in his stead, to the dishonor of his name, to the confusion of our own faces, and to the hindering of the course of his blessings toward us. Let us therefore confess, that every good and perfect gift cometh down from above, from the father of lights, and then we shall render him the Calves of our lips.
[Verse 18. O Well, whom the Princes digged, &c. ] We have already declared in the former doctrine, that the people gave thanks to God for sending them water miraculously, and supplying their want in that necessity. Here we see offered to our consideration, who were the chief workmen and principal Laborers in digging the Well; the Princes & Heads of the people, the Captains, and Moses himself disdained not to set their hands to work. No doubt many of the people joined with them as helpers forward, but the principal men and heads of the families are here named, because they did direct, strengthen, and encourage others that were under them by their good example. The doctrine arising from hence is this That public persons unto whom God hath granted honor and principality, and preferred before their brethren, are not only to inform their inferiors, and give directions unto them by word, but by their example and practice to go before them. All superiors are to teach by example of life, as well as by word of mouth their inferiors. So then, we are all from this example of the zeal of Moses, and forwardness of the Princes of the Tribes, to consider that it is required of chief persons, whose heads are advanced above others, to have in them a zeal and forwardness to further good things in others, that so their care may be answerable to the place wherein God hath set them. This is proved unto us in the example of Eliud, one of the Judges, who having slain Eglon King of Moab, and knowing there was a greater work behind to do, it is said, he blew a Trumpet in Mount Ephraim, he assembled the people, and he went before them saying unto them, Follow me. Mark here, how he thought it not enough to show the Children of Israel what was to be done, and to direct them in the way, but himself joineth with them, nay goeth before them; he followeth not his own ease, he seeketh not his own pleasure, he layeth not the burden upon them to keep at home himself, but being fitted & called of God, he began the enterprize, and looked for the issue from him. His example not only in speaking, but in going before them, was very available. The like we see in David, whose zeal for the Lord's house had even eaten him up, having an intent to cal the Ark home to Zion from the house of Abinadab, he called the people together, he praised God with instruments of music, he danced before the Ark, and gave a notable testimony how fervent he was, and with what joy of heart he went about it. The like practice we see in Solomon's son who sat in his Throne; when once the Temple was built, when the work of the Lord was finished, and when the people were assembled, he in their sight and hearing doth dedicate the Temple, with a fruitful, comfortable, and passionate prayer, and entreateth the Lord's gracious presence when in that holy place they should call upon him. 1 Kin. 8, 22. The like forwardness in the works of the Lord we find in Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerobabel, Mordecai, and sundry others; these went before others in zeal, and accounted it a shame & reproach unto them to be matched in goodness of those, whom they over-matched and over-mastered in greatness. This made Joshua say (who was Governor of the people) I and my house will serve the Lord Josh. 24.15. This made David say, Psal 101, 2. I will walk in the uprightness of my heart in the midst of my house. This made the Apostle say, 2 Thes. 3, 7. speaking of the idle that walked inordinately, and would not work, Ye yourselves know how ye ought to follow us, for we behaved not our selves inordinately among you, urging his own example to provoke and prick them forward.
[Reason 1] This truth will yet further appear unto us when we shall consider how it is proved and under-propped by strength of Reason. • irst, it is the Lord's doing to make them a distinct people and order by themselves. Hath he advanced them to no purpose? had he no end in choosing them from among their brethren, and setting them in degree of dignity before them? We know that all God's works have some end which he respecteth, he worketh nothing idly, every action hath his special and proper end. His separation of them to rule in the Land or Church, is, that they should execute the things that concern God's glory with all zeal. This we see in the book of Ester, ver. 4 when she was desirous to shrink back and not adventure her self, beholding the hazard of her life, and the danger of death before her eyes, except the king did graciously respect her, and fau • urably hold out his golden scepter: Mordecai presseth her with this reason, Who knoweth whether the LORD hath brought thee to the kingdom for such a time? And Nehemiah aimeth at this in chap. 6. ver. 10, 11. where being counseled to hide his head, and to shut the doors of the Temple upon him, because the enemies would come suddenly upon him and slay him, he opposeth his calling, Should such a man as I fly? Who is he, being as I am, that would go into the temple to live? I will not go in. As if he should say, God hath promoted me to this place of honor, & hath brought upon me the dignity that I never looked for, and therefore I will adventure to stand out in the discharge of the work of the Lord, inasmuch as promotion cometh neither from East nor West, but from him.
Secondly, such as are advanced above others, [Reason 2] lie open to wrath and judgment as well as others. Albeit they be great in the world, and can plead with men, yet they cannot plead with the Lord, seeing the greatest men lie open to the greatest punishments. If therefore they would not kindle God's wrath against themselves, against their houses, and against their posterities, they must go before others in all godliness, and instruct them by word and by example. This is the reason that king Artashasht useth, Ezra 7, 23. Whatsoever is by the commandment of the God of heaven, let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heaven, for why should he be wroth against the realm of the King and his children? So in Num. 25 4, 9. the Lord commanded a thousand of the Rulers of the people to be hanged before him against the Sun, because they stayed not the people from joining themselves to Baal • cor. In like manner, because Eli reformed not his sons, but suffered them to run forward in their sins (who through their extreme wickedness caused all Israel to abhor the offerings of the Lord) his house was destroyed, his sons were slain, and himself brake his neck with a fall from his seat.
The Uses are these. First of all, see how comfortable [Use 1] it is to all inferiors, when the Lord blesseth a land and people to give them faithful Rulers, godly Princes, zealous Nobles, righteous Magistrates, painful Ministers, by whose example and practice they are led and guided to all well-doing? It is an ancient saying, Of what disposition soever Princes are, the people will not be unlike • hem. Experience in all ages and places teacheth us, That many wicked men make this an Apology for themselves, and allege it as a suffi • ient excuse for their wickedness, that men of chief place above them, like their courses, and give them directions what to do. This the Prophet pointeth unto, Ier. • 4 1 • . It went well with us, when we burnt incense to the host of heaven, and when we poured out drink offerings to them, di ••• e it without our husbands? Thus it commonly falleth out, that wicked persons pretend the example of chief men, and thereby go about to justify their evil doings. Exhort the drunkard and riotous person to forsake his drunkenness, and to leave his beastly sin, admonish him to shun houses of drunkenness the very nurseries of all abominations, what is their answer? We have the chief of the parish to keep us company, we have the best and richest sort to join in our society, they like our doings, they justify our courses, and only a sort of fellows that are more precise then wise, speak against us. Thus do these men take heart, and encourage themselves in all evil practices, yea, are hardened against the reproof of others because they find the chiefest sort to be on their side. Wherefore it must needs be accounted a great blessing to a nation, to send wise, discreet, and faithful Rulers amongst them. This we see in the practice of Ezra, when he saw the forwardness of the King, read the Edict, knew the liberty given to all that would return, beheld the Jewels to be restored to God's house, and how the Princes were ready to give a Free-will offering, the perfect Scribes of the Law, together with the fathers of Judah & Benjamin, took great comfort, and were greatly refreshed through the hand of the Lord their God: so that among many points of God's mercy toward his people, this is not the least, to have godly governors given unto them. Let us then all of us acknowledge, that it is a great mercy of God to a kingdom, place, parish, family, when the Rulers are reformed and well ordered, touching the service, worship, and obedience of God. When Solomon had established religion and justice in Jerusalem, & amended his court according to the ordinance of God, so that all things were performed according to the law: the blessing spread over the whole kingdom, religion flourished, peace and righteousness kissed each other, and the blessings of God came upon the people: They had Cedars as plentiful as wild fig-trees, Iron was as common as stones, silver as iron, and gold as silver. They had peace and plenty on every side, there was not so much as a dog that opened his mouth against them.
[Use 2] Secondly, this should serve as an instruction to all Magistrates and mighty men, to endeavor by their godly life and good example to draw on other that are under them to the knowledge and fear of God. Great is the force of evil, and the power of sin in private persons. We see • n our small parishes and little villages in our private families and households, one or two children of Belial, wicked men, profane in life, are stronger to poison and pester the whole Congregation, neighborhood, and family, in a short time, then the ordinance of God in the ministry of his word and the company of the faithful in the church or house, are able to bring forward to obedience. One profane person fostered and nourished in an house, is as a scabbed Sheep in a whole fold, and therefore shall more corrupt and infect by secret suggestion & persuasion in a week or two, then a sincere and godly Governor shall be able to edify and build up in a year. Now, if inferior persons can spread sin over all the body, as an unclean leprosy, who are of small account and estimation; what shall the chief and principal members do when they are evil? What an hell of wicked men shall swarm in that corporation or congregation, where both Magistrate & minister, where the chief men as the head, and the Ministers as the eye, are contagiously infected and desperately diseased? For, as there is an happy and blessed union in religion and Christian obedience, where all estates of men do join unfeignedly in it, and help with both hands to build up an holy Temple to GOD; where Moses and Aaron, that is, the Prince & the Priest, where the Magistrate and the subject, the head and the body, the governor and they that are governed, the Pastor & the people, as one man, with one mind, and with one mouth, seek to set forth the glory of God: so on the other side, what an assembly of wicked and loose persons, what an house of infidelity and profaneness must that be, where the governors and householders have no sap or seasoning of the fear of GOD in them, where none is found to give thē light, but all walk in darkness and ignorance? If the eye be dim, how great is that darkness? Let us therefore remember this one point, That as our place is eminent in the Common-wealth, or in the Church, or in the Family or household, so must we labor and endeavor (as we said before) by example, by exhortation, by admonition, and by reprehension to use all godly means to provoke and stir up others to the fruits of holiness. It is not enough for those in high places, set as on a watch tower, placed as on a hill, from whence they may be seen far and near, to look only unto themselves, and to watch over their own ways; it is not enough to have light in themselves, but they must hold out the candle unto others: they must not only know the way themselves, but be able to guide others in the right way; they must not only give no offense to hinder others, but be examples to instruct others. Lastly, they must not only come into the house of God themselves, but tol the bell to bring others to God with all forwardness and cheerfulness.
Lastly, it is our part that are of the people, [Use 3] to commend them to God in our prayers, to entreat him that hath the hearts of all men in his hands, that in his own wisdom he would dispose them to be careful of our good, that under them we may live a peaceable & quiet life in all godliness and honesty. Good Magistrates bring the greatest blessings unto the people, they are nursing fathers to the church, they are the light of the kingdom, they are the bulwarks of the country, they are the means of erecting up the pure worship of God, and of keeping from us barbarousnes, brutishnes, outrages, violence, and all villainies. Seeing then we receive these and sundry other blessings from them, it is our bounden duty above all other callings among men to pray for thē, and to praise God for them. And certainly▪ if any nation under heaven be bound to rejoice and praise GOD for their Prince (who is as the comfort and consolation of our life, and the very instrument of our peace) we are they. Under his shadow we live and abide as in a place of rest, and sleep quietly in our beds, free from all fear and danger whatsoever. This we see described in the peaceable and prosperous days of Solomon, there is no crying and complaining in our streets. We are blessed with earthly blessings; we are an astonishment and wonder to our neighbor Nations. They have all deeply drunk of the cup of God's wrath, that hath been filled with full measure, whiles we have looked on, and our soul hath escaped. And above all the rest, we have all this time enjoyed, and do enjoy the bright light of the glorious Gospel, and have been most of us borne under the profession thereof, to the establishing and continuing of many millions of thousands in the coueuant of grace and eternal life▪ when other have been kept in horrible darkness and damnable idolatry to the destruction of their souls. We are therefore unhappy wretches, if among all the mercies of God upon us, this be not remembered as one of the first and chiefest. And let us learn to have in abomination from the bottom of our hearts, the bloody practices and desperate attempts of all cursed Shemeis, who open their mouths against the Lord, and against his anointed with horrible execrations, I mean the Jesuits and Priests, (brethren in evil) together with the rest of that damned crew and generation, who instead of prayer and thanksgiving for our Sovereign, use falsehood, practice treasons, and devise mischievous conspiracies, seeking the life of their gracious Prince, and laboring to stop the breath of our nostrils: whereas he that curseth the King should die the death.
The Prophet Jeremiah speaking of the estate of the people after the death of Josiah, bringeth them in thus complaining: The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord was taken in their Nets, of whom we said: Under his shadow we shall be preserved alive among the heathen. Whereby he meaneth, that the office of the King as the Superior, and of all Magistrates as Governors sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; is to protect and preserve the people in peace and safety, even as the breath that we draw in at our nostrils, giveth life and health to the body. Wherefore it standeth us that are Subjects upon, not only to be obedient for conscience sake unto all lawful ordinances of Princes, who are the Lord's Lieutenants appointed of him over his people for their good, but to pray earnestly for them, that they may further us in piety, keep us in honesty, and maintain us in tranquility one with another: piety in respect of God; honesty in respect of our selves; tranquility in respect of others. This charge the Apostle giveth, when Magistrates were Infidels and Heathen, that the Church should pray unto God for them: how much more therefore doth it stand us upon to practice this duty, when as our Magistrates are the children of God, and pillars of the Church? And thus much of the third part of this chapter.
21
Then Israel sent Messengers unto Sihon, King of the Amorites, saying;
22
Let me go through thy Land: we will not turn aside into the Fields, nor into the Vineyards, neither will we drink of the waters of the Welles: We will go by the Kings way, until we be past thy Border.
23
But Sihon gave Israel no license to pass through his Border: and Sihon assembled all his people, and went out against Israel into the Wilderness: and he came to Iaboz, and fought against Israel.
24
But Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and inherited his Land, from Arnon unto Iabbok even unto the children of Ammon; for the Border of the children of Ammon was strong
25
And Israel took all those Cities; therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon, and in all the Villages thereof.
26
For Heshbon was the City it self of Sihon, King of the Amorites, who fought against the former King of the Moabites, and took away all his Land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.
27
Wherefore they that speak in Proverbs say, Come to Heshbon, let the City of Sihon be
•
built and repaired.
28
For a fire is gone out of Heshbon, and a flame from the City of Sihon, and hath consumed Har of the Moabites, and the inhabitants of the high places of Arnon.
29
Woe be to thee, Moab: O people of Kemosh thou art undone: he hath delivered his sons which escaped, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon, the King of the Amorites.
30
Their Empire also is lost, from Heshbon unto Dibon, and we have destroyed them unto Nophah which reacheth unto Medeba.
31
Thus Israel dwelt in the Land of the Amorites.
In these words and those that follow to the ende of the Chapter, is contained the last part of this Chapter; to wit, the subduing of two mighty enemies, in two several battles; namely, Sihon, King of the Amorites, and Og, the King of Bashan. The Amorites were a people that came of Ham the youngest son of Noah, as appeareth, Gen. 10, verses 6, 15, 16. For Ham begat Canaan, who disclosed the nakedness of his Grandfather; and Canaan begat Emori, of whom came the Amorites, who inhabited the Land of Bashan, & Mount Gilead. This History is more at large recorded, Deuter. chapter 2 and 3. • irst, touching Sihon, we must observe two things; the just occasion and advantage which he gave to Israel to subdue him, and take poss • ssion of his Land: For the Lord had hardened his spirit▪ and made his heart obstinate, because he would deliver him into the hands of the Israelites: Deuteronomy, chapter 2, verse 30. Then secondly, the overthrowing of him, the entering into his Country, & the possessing of his Cities. Hitherto they had compassed the Land of Edom with great danger, with much weariness, and sundry temptations: they come to the Land of the Amorites, there y e King withstandeth them, and will give them no passage, but fiercely and furiously encountreth with them. Touching the occasion whereby Israel was justly moved & compelled to enter fight with the Amorites, it offereth two points to be considered. First, a friendly and loving request of Moses. Secondly, a currish and unkind denial made by Sihon. Concerning the petition of Moses, observe the Embassage which he sent, together with the reasons, containing both the ground of his reasonable demand, showing the equity of the petition, and laying down most equal conditions of peace: because he desired only passage through his Land, without spoil of the Country in general, or damage to any person in particular. The refusal of the King followeth; and albeit the Israelites freely and frankly professed, that their purpose was to pass by all things as travelers, not possess anything as Conquerers; yet nothing at all (albeit never so right or reasonable, and so equal or honest) is granted & permitted to God's people.
Wherefore Sihon, either resolving with himself to deal unjustly and unkindly, or suspecting that under a fair color and outward show of honest dealing, they might have a further project, and hide the depth of their cunning devises (as oftentimes is used at the dyets and consultations of Princes) and being enflamed with the malice of his own heart, he dealeth more unmercifully with thē then the Edomites and Moabites had done, and denieth that favor and friendship which they had found among them. Indeed the Edomites denied them passage thorough their Land, as we saw before, chapter 20, yet they suffered them to travel by their Coast & Borders, and sold them food for their money, Deut. 2, 29. The Moabites (another enemy) permitted them indeed to pass by their Borders, but refused to give them meat or water for money, as appeareth, Deut. 23, 3. But the Amorites, worse then both the former, not only afforded them no commodity, but being destitute of all sparks of humanity, denied thē passage in word and deed. In word, he answered, Thou shalt not pass: In deed, he united his forces, he took the field, and so provoked Israel to battle, who lay still, and stirred not against him. True it is, Israel had God's purpose revealed unto them, to subdue them, and enter their Land: but Moses waiteth with wisdom, until they were teazed and constrained to defend themselves, lest (if they had begun and given the occasion) the enemy should upbraid them with injustice, and charge them with oppression, & challenge them for wrongful usurpation. Now they deal uprightly, even their enemies being Judges, inasmuch as Nature teacheth every man to resist force with force, and defend himself with his weapon against open and outrageous violence.
The occasion being offered, and the fire kindled by Sihon, Israel being compelled, fighteth against him, overthroweth him in the battle, and inuadeth his Dominion, and maketh them all pass under the mercy of the sword, without compassion, sparing neither men, women, nor children. This victory is amplified by a particular enumeration of y e Cities which they subdued, and they inhabited even in the head-Citty, Heshbon Afterward their right to these places is proved and confirmed. For albeit Heshbon properly belonged to Moab, as a part of his Dominion, yet all that coast, even to the River Arnon, was come by conquest into the possession of Sihon, King of the Amorites: so that the Israelites took not away anything from the Moabites, according to the commandment of the Lord, Deut. 2, 9. Josh. 13, 25, but from the Amorites, whose whole Country was allotted to his people, GOD scattering the people that delight in war, and take pleasure to shed blood. This is that mercy of God which Nehemiah magnifieth, chap. 9, 8. Thou madest a Covenant with Abraham, &c. And Psal. 78, 55. He cast out also the heathen before them, &c. Thus did God show himself to be the Shepherd of Israel, that led his people like sheep, and brought them into y e Borders of his Sanctuary which his right hand had purchased. Here was the beginning of all comfort; here they began to set down their rest: here they saw the first fruits of their labors, assuring them, that as God had begun to perform his promise, so he would continue to finish his own work.
Furthermore, their right in possessing of these places, is declared by a public song of triumph and victory, as it were a Trophie fet up, which was made by the Poets of y t time, to make known to posterity the victory of y e Israelites, and their lawful claim to those Cities which they had won by the dint of the sword. This Poem was not a song made by the Amorites, as many suppose, but composed by the Israelites, as appeareth by these reasons.
First, we see it to be a most common and usual thing with the people of God, when they had obtained any victory, or received any benefit, to leave some token & monument of it to posterity, & to acknowledge by whose hand they have prevailed. This we see in the words going before, ver. 17, 18, where they sang a song of thanksgiving, for the Well which God had granted, and they had digged.
Secondly, it is no ordinary and usual thing with God, to allege the sayings of heathen Poets, and so to sanctify their profane writings to be holy Scriptures. True it is, the Spirit sometimes produceth a short sentence to convince the heathen by their own Prophets, but never citeth an whole Poem, as Moses doth in this place.
Thirdly, in the 30 verse it is said, We have destroyed them unto Nophah, and subdued Sihon that had conquered the Moabites, by which means Israel came to dwell in the Cities of the Amorites.
Fourthly, here is pronounced and concluded the woeful and wretched estate of Moab, for their idolatry and trusting in their god Kemosh, which had deceived them, and delivered them into the hands of their enemies; which agreeth not to the Amorites, as deep in the sin of idolatry as the Moabites, and worshipping the same Idol the Moabites did. For Kemosh was the god of the Amorites, Ammonites, and Moabites. Therefore as the Prophet saith, that the Gentiles will not change their gods, so it may be truly said, they will not reproach and revile their gods. Thus then we see, this was one of the songs of the Israelites, most likely to be penned and published by Moses himself, who, as he was brought up in all the learning of the Egyptians, so he was cunning in this faculty, as appeareth in other places of his works.
This Song or Sonnet, remaining as a Testimony and witness of their just conquest to ages succeeding, setteth down both the usurping of the Amorites, & the recovery of those places out of the hands of the Amorites by the Israelites. First, it showeth how Sihon invaded the Moabites, and exhorted his army to play the men, appointing Rendevous & place of meeting to be at Heshbon, willing them to resort thither to begin the battle, stirring thē up to repair the breaches of that City which Sihon made the head and mother-city of his kingdom, and then invading other parts of Moab, which were wasted & consumed with fire and sword. Thus he seemed to have most reason and right, who had greatest strength. They got their superiority by cruel injustice and wrong usurpation, the distressed Moabites choosing to sell their lives in y e field with honor, seeing they could not enjoy them with safety in their Cities. Sihon then being thus Conqueror, the Poet bringeth him in, insulting over his enemies, vaunting in his own strength, and ascribing the victory to his own power: their god Kemosh (the Patron of that people) could do them no good, but suffered them to be taken and spoiled. Such is the vain hope of poor Idolaters in their Idols, which cannot help or deliver themselves, much less their worshippers that trust in them.
Lastly, touching the Israelites, they spoiled them that were the spoilers, and conquered them that were the conquerors: for they recovered for themselves, and for their own use, the Towns and Cities which the Moabites had lost. Thus Israel meddled not with the Moabites, neither took anything from them, but peaceably possessed that which they won frō the Amorites, none laying any claim or title thereunto, as Iephtah pleadeth, Judge. 11, 13. And this is the right which the Israelites had to dwell in the Cities of the Amorites, and to possess as their own goods, the labors and livings of other men: which they could justify by the Law of God and man. For when Abraham had subdued in battle the five Kings, he challenged to himself a right in the prey that was taken, and paid y e tenth of all to Melchizedek? Hereunto belongeth the commandment given of God, touching the dividing and retaining the spoils of war; saying, All the spoil thereof shalt thou take unto thyself, and shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies which the Lord thy God hath given thee, Deuter, 20, 14. And this we might plentifully prove by the Laws, Decrees, and Constitutions of Princes and States in former times.
[Verse 21. Then Israel sent Messengers. ] In this division generally, is set forth the end of the enemies of the Church, that albeit they prevail for a season, and plow upon the backs of the godly, and make long and large surrowes, albeit they plant themselves strong, & flourish as the green Bay-tree, yet they pass away suddenly, and are cast down in desolation.
The persecutors and enemies of the Church shall perish and come to confusion. Howsoever they lift up their heads & horns on high, and their honor reach up to the Clouds, there shall be a downfall, they shall be confounded and consumed in his wrath. Look upon Cain, who was the first persecutor of y e church in Abel, and we shall see the same confirmed which is offered to our considerations in these present examples. He killed his brother, Gen. 4, 11, and wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brothers good. But did cruel Cain escape? No, the curse of God came upon him, he was made a runagate and fugitive upon the earth, and so God revenged y e innocent blood of his brother Abel, which he had shed with barbarous and unnatural cruelty. The like we might say of Pharaoh, an arch-enemy of the Church in Egypt, who oppressing the people of God with burdens, and destroying their children, was overwhelmed in the red Sea, Exod. 14, 28. Another fearful example we have in Saneherib, which set himself against the people that called upon the living God, and blasphemed his Name which is holy throughout all generations; he was slain of his own sons, 2 Kings 20, 37, which judgment the Lord foretold, that being accordingly performed & accomplished, it might be known whence it was, & wherefore it came to pass. The like is reported & recorded of Haman in the book of Ester, ch. 7, 9, who procured the Kings writ, to root out, to kill, and to destroy all the Jews, young and old, children and women in one day: yet abusing his high favor with the King, and great honor in the Court, God threw him down, and laid his honor in the dust, so that he was hanged on the same tree which he had prepared for Mordecai, that spake good for the King. Thus his mischief returned on his own head, and his cruelty fell upon his own pate, and himself was taken in the snare which he made for another. Hereunto tendeth y e end of Nebuchadnezzar, whose service God used to chasten his own people, to destroy the Temple, to waste the City, and to carry them away captive; he was thrown down, his reason was taken from him, and he had the heart of a beast given unto him.
The Jews, to whom pertained the right of adoption, the glory of the Ark, the tables of the Covenant, the giving of the Law, the service of God, the accomplishment of the promises, the coming of the Messiah, the Oracles of trust committed unto them; were notwithstanding all these privileges, enemies of Christ and of the Apostles, enemies of Christian Religion and the professors thereof, they put the Son of God to death, and persecuted his Apostles that he sent among them to preach and teach the Gospel of the Kingdom: in the end, themselves were justly slain for sedition, which they falsely charged upon the Apostles; nay as themselves cried, his blood be upon us, and upon our children: so that which Christ foretold, came upon them in full measure, pressing down and running over, when the abomination of desolation sat in the holy place: there was such trouble amongst them, and so great tribulation came upon them, that the like never was, nor shall be to the end. Herod that bloody tyrant, which had slain James with the sword, and putting Peter in prison, intended the like measure and murder upon him: this wicked wretch escaped not the hands of God; for being arrayed in his royal Robes, sitting upon the Judgment seat, and making an Oration unto the people, The Angel of the Lord smote him, & he was eaten of worms, Acts 12, 23. Judas the child of perdition, and betrayer of the Son of God, despaired, Hung himself, burst in the midst, and his Bowels gushed out, for whom it had been good if he had never been borne. What should I say more? If we remember the late days of persecution, wherein the patience of the Saints was tried by bloody executions, tortures, murders, massacres, hanging, beheading, burning, and imprisonment: we may observe, that the heavy hand of God was one way or other against those bloody Inquisitors, and cruel persecutors, that had imbrued and defiled their hands with their blood, that they died not the ordinary and common death of all, nor were visited after the visitation of all men. Some died fodainly, falling down on the ground that they never stirred, as Ananias and Sapphira: some had their bowels and inward parts fall out, and died the death of Judas their elder brother: some could not swallow and digest their meat, but it came forth again sometimes at their mouth, and sometimes at their nostrils, most horribly to behold. Some were stricken in the one half of their body, that they lay benumbed, half alive, and half dead, to the great terror and astonishment of all that were present, and did look upon them. Some brake their Neckes: others became mad and frantic immediately after their reproaches and indignities shown against the servants of God, and ran up and down justifying those in words, whom they had condemned in deed. And scarce any of them escaped, but the hand of GOD was strongly and strangely upon them all before they died: To tell us and teach us this truth, that the persecutors of the Church, defiled with the blood of the Saints, shall not always escape unpunished, albeit for a time they do prevail.
The Reasons are these. First, because God [Reason 1] is true in all his words, & just in all his works. He is a most righteous Judge, who will take his own cause into his hands, and be glorified in the confusion of his adversaries. It cannot therefore be that they should escape, seeing GOD so tendereth them, their blood is precious in his sight, Matth. 23, 35. Not one drop of it shall fall to the ground unrevenged: he hath said, Psal. 105, 35. Touch not mine anointed, & do my Prophets no harm. He hath put all their tears in his bottle, & such as touch them to do them hurt, do touch the apple of his own eye. Yea whatsoever injuries, wrongs, oppressions, and indignities are offered unto them, he accounteth them as done unto himself. This our Savior testified from heaven, when Paul made havoc of the Church, and breathed out threatenings against the Saints, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? They have not to do only with men, they fight against God, and therefore shall not prevail. This reason is urged by the Apostle, 2 Th. 1.6, 7. It is a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you & to you which are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall show himself from heaven with his mighty Angels.
Again, he is a gracious God, and merciful [Reason 2] to his people, therefore in his good time he will punish their enemies and those that hate them. He is as pitiful toward his children, as he is just against all their adversaries. This the Prophet expressly handleth at large, Psalm 136 1