Gideons Preparation and Victorie.
OF all the instruments that GOD vsed in so great a worke, I finde none so weake as Gide∣on; who yet (of all others) was sti∣led valiant: naturall valour may well stand with spirituall cowar∣dise. Before he knew that he spake with a God, he might haue iust co∣lours for his distrust; but after God had approoued his presence, and almighty power, by fetching fire out of the stone, then to call for a watery signe of his promised Page 96 deliuerance, was no other then to poure water vpon the fire of the spirit. The former triall God gaue vnwished; this, vpon Gideons choice and intreatie: The former miracle was strong enough to ca∣ry Gideon through his first exploit of ruinating the idolatrous groue, and Altar; but now, when he saw the swarme of the Midianites and Amalekites about his eares, he calls for new ayde; and not trusting to his Abiezrites, and his other thou∣sands of Israel, hee runnes to God for a further assurance of victorie.
The refuge was good, but the manner of seeking it, sauours of distrust. There is nothing more easie then to be valiant, when no perill appeareth; but when euills Page 97 assaile vs vpon vnequall tearms, it is hard, and commendable Not to be dismaied. If GOD had made that proclamation now, which af∣terwards was commaunded to be made by Gideon, Let the timorous depart, I doubt whether Israel had not wanted a Guide: yet how wil∣ling is the Almighty to satisfie our weak desires!
What tasks is he content to bee set by our infirmitie? The fleece must be wet, and the ground dry; the ground must be wet, and the fleece dry: Both are done; that now Gideon may see whether hee would make himselfe hard earth, or yeelding vvoll. God could at pleasure distinguish betwixt him, and the Midianites, & poure down Page 98 either mercies or iudgement where he lists, and that hee was set on worke by that God, which can commaund all the Elements, and they obey him; Fire, Water, Earth, serue both him, and (when he will) his.
And now when Gideon had this reciprocall proofe of his insuing successe, he goes on (as hee vvell may) harnessed with resolution, and is seene in the Head of his troupes, and in the face of the Mi∣dianites. If we cannot make vp the match with God, when wee haue our owne asking, wee are worthie to sit out.
Gideon had but thirty thousand souldiers at his his heeles; the Mi∣dianites Page 99 couered all the vally, like Grashoppers: and now whiles the Israelites thinke, We are too few; God sayes, The people are too many. If the Israelites must haue looked for victory from their fingers, they might well haue said, The Midia∣nites are too many for vs; but that God, whose thoughts and words are vnlike to mens, sayes, They are too many for mee to giue the Midia∣nites into their hands. If humane strength were to be opposed, there should haue needed an equalitie; but now God meant to giue the victory, his care is not how to get it, but how not to lose or blemish the glory of it gotten. How ielous God is of his honour! Hee is wil∣ling to giue deliuerance to Israel, but the praise of the deliuerance Page 100 he will keepe to himselfe; and will shorten the meanes, that hee may haue the full measure of the glory. And if hee will not allow lawfull meanes to stand in the light of his honour, how will hee indure it to be crossed so much as indirectly? It is less danger to steale any thing from God, then his glory.
As a Prince, which if wee steale or clip his coyne, may pardon it; but if we goe about to rob him of his crowne, will not be appeased. There is nothing that we can giue to God, of whom wee receiue all things; that which he is content to part with, he giues vs; but he will not abide wee should take ought from him, which he would reserue for himselfe. It is all one with him Page 101 to saue with many, and with fewe, but hee rather choses to saue by fewe, that all the victory may re∣dound to himselfe. O God, what art thou the better for our praises, to whom because thou art infinite nothing can be added? It is for our good that thou wouldst be mag∣nified of vs; Oh teach vs to re∣ceiue the benefit of thy mercifull fauours, and to returne thee the thanks.
Gideons Army must be lessened; Who are so fitte to be cashered as the fearefull? God bids him there∣fore proclaime licence for all faint harts to leaue the field. An ill in∣strument may shame a good work: God will not glorifie himselfe by cowards. As the timorous shall be Page 102 without the gates of heauen; so shall they be without the lists of of Gods field. Although it vvas not their courage that should saue Israel, yet without their courage God would not serue himselfe of them. Christianity requires men; for if our spiritual difficulties meet not with high spirits, in steed of whetting our fortitude, they quaile it. Dauids royall Band of Woor∣thies, was the type of the forces of the Church; all valiant men, and able to incounter with thousands.
Neither must we be strong one∣ly, but acquainted with our owne resolutions; not out of any carnal presumption, but out of a faithfull reliance vpō the strength of God; in whom, when we are weak, then Page 103 we are strong. Oh thou white li∣uer! doth but a foule word, or a frowne scarre thee from Christ? Dooth the losse of a little land, or siluer disquiet the? Doth but the sight of the Midianites in the vally strike thee? Home then, home to the world; thou art not then for the conquering Band of Christ: If thou canst not resolue to follow him throgh infamie, prisons, racks, •ibbets, flames; Depart to thine house, & saue thy life to thy losse.
Mee thinks now, Israel should haue complained of indignity, & haue said, VVhy shouldst thou thinke, O Gideon, that there can be a cowardly Israelite? And if the experience of the power and mercy of God, be not enough to Page 104 make vs feare less, yet the sense of seruitude must needes haue made vs resolute; for who had not ra∣ther to be buried dead, thē quick? Are we not faine to hide our heads in the caues of the earth, and to make our graues our houses? Not so much as the very light that wee can freely inioy; the tyrannie of death is but short and easie, to this of Midian: and yet what danger can there be of that, fith thou hast so certainly assured vs of Gods promise of victory, and his mira∣culous confirmation? No, Gideon, those harts that haue brought vs hither after thy Colours, can as well keepe vs from retyring.
But now, vvho can but blesse himselfe, to finde of two & thirtie Page 105 thousand Israelites, two & twenty thousand cowards? Yet all these in Gideons march made as faire a flourish of courage as the boldest. VVho can trust the faces of men, that sees in the Army of Israel, a∣boue two for one timorous? How many make a glorious show in the warfaring Church, vvhich when they shall see danger of persecuti∣on, shall shrinke from the standard of God? Hope of safety, examples of neighbours, desire of prayse, fear of censures, coaction of lawes, fellowship of friends, draw many into the field; which so soone as euer they see the Aduersary, re∣pent of their conditions: and if they may cleanly escape, will be gone early from Mount Gilead. Can any man be offended at the Page 106 number of these shrinkers, when he sees but tenne thousand Israe∣lites left of two and twenty thou∣sand in one morning.
These men that would haue bin ashamed to go away by day, now drop away by night; And if Gide∣on should haue called any one of them backe, and said, Wilt thou flee? would haue made an excuse. The darkness is a fit vaile for their palenesse, or blushing; fearfulness cannot abide the light: None of these thousands of Israel but wold haue bin loath Gideon should haue seen his face whiles hee said, I am fearefull; very shame holds some in their station, whose hearts are already fled. And if we cannot in∣dure that men should be witnesses Page 107 of that fear which we might liue to correct, how shall wee abide once to show our fearefull heads, be∣fore that terrible Iudge, when hee calls vs foorth to the punishment of our feare? Oh the vanitie of foolish hypocrites, that run vpon the terrors of GOD, whiles they would auoyde the shame of men?
How doe wee thinke the small remainder of Israel looked, when in the next morning-muster they found themselues but tenne thou∣sand left? How did they accuse their timorous Countrymen, that had left but this handfull to en∣counter the millions of Midian? And yet still, God complaines of too many; and vpon his triall, dis∣misses nine thousand seauen hun∣dred Page 108 more. His first triall was of the valour of their minds: his next is of the ability of their bodies; Those which besides boldnes are not strong, patient of labour and thirst, willing to stoope, content with a little (such were those that took vp water with their hand) are not for the select Band of GOD. The Lord of Hosts will serue him∣selfe of none but able Champions; If he haue therefore singled vs in∣to his combat, this very choice ar∣gues, that hee findes that strength in vs, which we cannot confesse in our selues. How can it but com∣fort vs in our great trialls, that if the searcher of hearts did not find vs fit, hee would neuer honour vs with so hard an imployment?
Page 109 Now, when there is not scarce left one Israelite to euery thou∣sand of the Midianites, it is seaso∣nable with God to ioyne battell. When God hath stripped vs of all our earthly confidence, then doth hee finde time to giue vs victory; and not till then, least he should be a loser in our gaine: Like as at last he vnclothes vs of our body, that he may clothe vs vpon with glory.
If Gideon feared when he had two and thirty thousand Israelites at his heeles, is it any wonder if hee fea∣red, when all these were shrunke into three hundred? Though his confirmation were more, yet his meanes were abated. Why vvas not Gideon rather the Leader of those two and twenty thousand Page 110 runne-awaies, then of these three hundred souldiers? Oh infinite mercie, and forbearance of God, that takes not vantage of so strong an infirmitie, but in stead of ca∣sting, incourages him. That wise Prouidēce hath prepared a dream in the head of one Midianite, an interpretation in the mouth of an∣other, and hath brought Gideon to bee an auditor of both; and hath made his enemies Prophets of his victory, incouragers of the at∣tempt, proclaimers of their owne confusion. A Midianite dreames, a Midianite interprets. Our verie dreames many times are not with∣out God; there is a prouidence in our sleeping fancies: euen the e∣mies of God may haue visions, & power to construe them aright; Page 111 How vsually are wicked men for∣warned of their owne destruction? To foreknow & not auoyd, is but an aggrauation of iudgement.
When Gideon heard good newes (tho from an enemy) he fel down and worshipped. To heare, him∣selfe but a Barly-cake, troubled him not, when hee heard withall, that his roling down the hill shold breake the Tents of Midian; It matters not how base wee bee thought, so we may be victorious. The soule that hath receiued full confirmation from God, in the as∣surance of his saluation, cannot but bow the knee, and by all ge∣stures of bodie, tell how it is ra∣uished.
Page 112 I vvould haue thought Gideon should rather haue found full con∣firmation in the promise, and act of GOD, then in the dreame of the Midianite. Dreames may be full of vncertainty; Gods vnder∣takings are infallible: well there∣fore might the miracle of GOD giue strength to the dreame of a Midianite; but what strength could a Pagans dreame giue to the mi∣raculous act of God? yet by this is Gideon throughly settled. When wee are going, a little thing driues vs on; when we are come neere to the shore, the very tide vvithout sailes, is enough to put vs into the harbour. We shall now heare no more of Gideons doubts, but of his atchieuements: And though God had promised by these three hun∣dred Page 113 to chase the Midianites, yet he neglects not wise stratagems to effect it. To wait for Gods per∣formance in doing nothing, is to abuse that diuine Prouidence, which will so worke, that it vvill not allow vs idle.
Now, when wee would looke that Gideon should giue charge of whetting their swords, & sharpe∣ning their speares, and fitting their Armour, he onely giues order for empty pitchers, and lights, and trumpets. The cracking of these pitchers shall breake in peeces this Midianitish clay: the kindling of these lights, shall extinguish the light of Midian: these trumpets, sound no other then a soule-peale to all the host of Midian: there shal Page 114 need nothing but noise & light to confound this innumerable Ar∣mie.
And if the pitchers, and brands, and trumpets of Gideon, did so daunt & dismay the proud troopes of Midian, & Amalecke, Who can we think shall be able to stand be∣fore the last terror, vvherein the trumpet of the Archangell shall sound, and the heauens shall passe away with a noise, & the elements shal be on a flame about our eares?
Any of the vveakest Israelites would haue serued to haue broken an empty pitcher, to haue carried a light, & to haue sounded a trum∣pet, and to strike a flying aduersa∣rie. Not to the basest vse will God Page 115 employ an vnworthy Agent; Hee will not allow so much as a cow∣ardly torch-bearer.
Those two and twenty thou∣sand Israelites that slipt away for feare, when the feareful Midianites fled, can pursue, and kill them, & can follovv them at the heeles, whom they durst not looke in the face. Our flight giues aduantage to the feeblest aduersary, whereas our resistance foileth the greatest: How much more, if we haue once turned our backs vpon a tentati∣on, shall our spirituall enemies (which are euer strong) trample vs in the dust? Resist, and they shal flee: stand still, and we shall see the saluation of the Lord.
