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

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

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

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

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

• I. Othniel of Judah Judged Israel forty years, Chap. 3.11.
• II. Ehud of Benjamin. And,
• III. Shamgar, Chap. 3.30, 31. 80 years.
• IV. Deborah and Barack of Napthali 40 years, Chap. 5.31.
• V. Gideon of Manasseh 40 years, Chap. 8.28.
• VI. Abimelech, Gideon's Son, 3 years, Chap. 9.22.
• VII. Tola of Issachar 23 years, Chap. 10.2.
• VIII. Jair of Manasseh 22 years, Chap. 10.3.
• IX. Jephtah of Manasseh 6 years, Chap. 11.1. and 12.7.
• Page  64 X. Ibsan of Judah 7 years, Chap. 12.8, 9.
• XI. Elon of Zebulon 12 years, Chap. 12.11, 12.
• XII. Abdon of Ephraim 8 years, Chap. 12.13, 14.
• XIII. Samson of Dan 20 years, Chap. 13.2. and 16.31.

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

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

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

The Fourth General Remark is, the Causes of Israel's Corruption, and of its Cala∣mity, by consequence is described at large in this Book: The Corruption of the Church and its general Apostacy in its Causes, which are two fold, (1.) Privative, and (2.) Po∣sitive.

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

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

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

Page  65 The First Chapter of Judges holds forth Israel's negligence in expelling the Ca∣naanites, and because [contraria juxta se posita, magis Elucescunt] one contrary gives light and lustre to another, when they are aptly placed together; therefore Israel's Valour and Victory is first related from ver. 1. to ver. 18. in the Expedition of Judah's Tribe, to which is subjoined the same success in Joseph's Tribe, from ver. 22. to ver. 26. that it might the more manifestly appear, what little Reason Israel had for their follow∣ing slothfulness in neglecting to extirpate those Nations, which they, contrary to God's Command, spared as is Recorded from ver. 19. and so on ver. 21.27, 28. to 36. Their foregoing Successes were a sufficient Demonstration, that the reason why they Conquer∣ed no more, was because in God's Name they undertook no more to Conquer from Love of Ease, or Cowardly fear, &c.

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

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

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

First, For Humane Help the Kenites to assist them, ver. 16. being the Posterity of Je∣thro (Moses Father in Law) who left their own Country, and for Religion-sake fol∣low'd Israel into the Land of Promise, whom Saul Respected in his time for old kind∣nesses, 1 Sam. 15.6. But,

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

Page  66 First, By his Name, Adonibezek] that is, Lord or King of Bezek.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Page  67

CHAP. II.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Page  68 And Lastly, Let it be considered, that Israel Sacrificed at Bochim upon Apparition of this Angel unto the Lord, ver. 5. as was done by Gideon, Judg. 6.19. and by Manoah, Judg. 13.16, 17. when the Messiah appear'd to them; now it was not lawful to offer up any Burnt-Offering, save upon that one Altar in the Tabernacle, unless upon extra∣ordinary occasions (such as these were) wherein God gave them a special Dispen∣sation.

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

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

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

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

The Third Remark is. The Repetition of the Story of Joshua's Dismission of the Peo∣ple from his Parliament at Shechem, &c. borrowed from Josh. 24.28, 29. and mention∣ed here from ver. 6. to 11. this is done in order to a discovery of the Time, Cause, or occasion of Israel's Defection from God, and God's Desertion of them; these five Verses have Joshua's Death and the Death of those Godly Elders about his Age, &c. Inserted in them to clear the way of all the ensuing Stories. Vatablus his Note here is, that these things are spoken here by way of Recapitulation, that the Sum and Argument of this whole Book may be in this place set down together, and à Lapide calls it an Hy∣steron-proteron, repeating what was done long ago, as if now done, that the Author might more commodiously pass from Joshua to the Original and Institution of the Judges that succeeded Joshua: But others are of Opinion, that these Verses have a due Con∣nexion to the words of the Angel in ver. 1.2. who told them that the Idols of the Cana∣anites will become your ruine, and now those Verses declare how this really came to pass, and when, and by what means, dating it from the Death of Joshua, &c. then they began to forsake the Lord; but above all Dr. Lightfoot's Judgment in this point seems to me most cogent, and of greatest importance, saying, That all these things that were Page  69past, are mentioned here as present that the foundation of the future story may be bet∣ter laid, and that the time of the Peoples beginning to degenerate may be the more ma∣nifestly marked out; and hereupon after the tenth Verse of the second Chapter, he pla∣ceth all those Stories which are held forth in Chapters 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. and after all these Chapters he begins again, at Chap. 2.11. with the Death of the first Judge of Israel; namely, Othniel. Let me have leave to transcribe his Reasons for his double Assertion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fifthly, Mahaneh Dan, or (as in our Translation) the Camp of Dan, which was so na∣med upon the March of the Danites, when they set up their Idolatry, Judg. 18.12. is menti∣oned in the Story of Samson by that very Name, Mahaneh-Dan, though that Story of Sam∣son be set before the Story of the Danites, Judg. 13.25.

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

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

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

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

To the Second is added, The Story of the Levites Concubine, and the War with the Benjamites happened, while Phinehas was High priest, Judg. 20.28. who must have been about 350 Years old, if these things had falen out after Samson's Death, which is more than improbable, for Phinehas was at Man's Estate, when he slew Zimri and Cozbi, Page  70Numb. 25.7, 8. which was before Israel entred into Can•an, and he succeeded in the High-Priests Office, after his Father Eleazar, who died about the same time that Ioshua did, Josh. 24.33. and therefore could not out-live Samson.

To the Third is added, That the Sin of Gibeah, Hos. 10.9. must be soon after Jo∣shua's Death, and before the time of the Judges, for Jebus, or that part of Jerusalem which belong'd to the Benjamites, was not yet taken, Judg. 19.11, 12. but was still pos∣sess'd by the Jebusites, so that the Sin of Gibeah that Hosea mentions, must be very An∣cient, &c.

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

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

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

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

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

Page  71

CHAP. XVII.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Page  72 Thirdly, That the Story of Micah, one of the Hill-Country of Ephraim, Judg. 17.1. the first Destroyer of Religion; and the Story of Samuel, one also of the Hill-Country of Ephraim, 1 Sam. 1.1. and the first Reformer of Religion, might be laid together somewhat near.

It was the Saying of a late Learned Interpreter,

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

For Lyra is commonly called the English-Jew.

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

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

N. B. This Womans Swearing was upon a Threefold Account.

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

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

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

Secondly, That she was but a Mongrel in Religion, appeareth not only because out of the same Mouth came Blessing and Cursing, Jam. 3.10. She blew hot and cold in a mo∣ment, in her Passion over shooting her self into two extreams, her first extream was her Cursing at Random she knew not whom, and her second extteam was, assoon as she knew the Thief was her Son, immediately pronounces a Blessing on him, not at all re∣proving him for his sin, ver. 2. Though his Sin was not common Theft, but in her Ac∣count no less than Sacrilidge, for she tells him, [I had wholly Dedicated this Silver (thou hast stoln) unto the Lord] ver. 3. in the Hebrew, it is Jehovah, the Incommunicable Name of God, which demonstrateth also, that she was but a Mongrel and exceedingly Superstitious in mingling the Inventions of Man with the Institutions of God: For 'tis ap∣parent, neither she, nor her Son did absolutely design to desert the True God, or his Worship, seeing, as the Mother Dedicated (or Hebr. Sanctified) this Silver, and set it apart for the Service of the true Jehovah; so the Son rejoyced at his obtaining a Priest of the Tribe of Levi according to Jehovah's appointment, and thereupon promised to himself, that Jehovah would bless him, ver. 13. But both their Intentions were here (for the Son concurr'd with the Mother to make an Image) to Worship God by their Image as the Israelites had done before them, Exod. 32.1.5. and did after them, Hos. 2.16. according to Jeroboam's Model, who was a Man of Mount Ephraim also, 1 Kings 11.26. and 12.25. and who establish'd by a publick Law, this very Idolatry that was thus pri∣vately begun by this Woman and her Son. This sheweth, that there be two sorts of Idolatry: The First is, The Worshiping of false and strange Gods, as among the Hea∣thens: The Second is, A Worshiping of the True God after a false manner, as oft a∣mong the Israelites contrary to Divine Prescription, and according to Humane Inventi∣on, Page  73as Micah's Mother, with himself, would represent God by their Image of their own Heads, though expresly contrary to the Second Commandment, &c. A Good Intention here excuses not an evil Action.

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

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

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

Secondly, Micah proposeth a most slender stipend, a small Salary to him, [Ten She∣kels of Silver by the Year, a double suit of Apparel, (so Hebr. one for Summer and another for Winter) and his Victuals.] This was but a poor pittance for a Levite from a Man of so great an Estate, Micah had Eleven Hundred Shekels of Silver to bestow upon his Idols, yet could scarce (from the penuriousness of his Mind, and from his Contempt of the Ministry) afford Ten Shekels for his Priests Maintenance: However what was Page  74wanting of sufficient Wages, he supplies it with empty Complements, calling him Fa∣ther, though much younger than himself, who had a Son as old as the Levite, whom he had ordained to the same Office; but now upon the Reasons above-mentioned must be degraded, and give place of being Priest to this new-comer the Levite. N.B. 'Twere well, if many Faithful Ministers do not meet with such Micah's in our Day, that grudges them competent Means and Maintenance, yet disdain not to allow them (as their Pa∣dre's) enough of Caps and Complements, as if they were of the Camelion kind, and could live upon the Air of empty Titles: 'Twas sad, that Luther was forced to com∣plain, [Parishes and Schools are so Robbed, as if they designed to starve us in the Mini∣stry.] &c.

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

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

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

Page  75

CHAP. XVIII.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Page  76 N. B. For [Nochach Jehovah Derekekem] may be rendered, [Obviat Jehovah viae vestrae,] the Word is doubtful, and may be taken either in a good, or in an evil sense: God might as well obviate them, and blast their Enterprize with his Curse, as direct and promote it with his Blessing: Thus Ambiguous (saith Masius) were all the Devils Oracles; as that was unto Ahab, [The Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King,] 1 Kings 22.12. Yea, but that Lying Spirit doth not tell into which Kings Hands, whe∣ther the King of Israel, or the King of Syria: And Civil History aboundeth with such like Dubious Sentences from the Devil's Oracle at Delphos, as,

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

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

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

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

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

The Third Remark is, The Danites robbing Micah of his Mawmets, and of his Priest also, wherein he had so blessed himself in his blind Devotion, Judg. 17.13. the pro∣sperity he promised to himself there, proved no better than an Unbearable Robbery to him here, from ver. 7. unto 26. a brief account whereof is this: Those five Search∣ers being thus flush'd with this flattering Oracle, trudge away to Laish, (call'd Leshhem, Josh. 19.47. where we have the same Story by way of Anticipation) there they find a secure People, having no Officer to head them, and so far from the Zidonians, that they could not save them from any sudden surprize, ver. 7. Upon this they return to their Tribe, tells them the People they had searched were fully ripe for Ruine; moreover, God hath given it into your hand by his Oracle we have consulted (for the Levite had a∣bused God's Holy Name the better to countenance his Diabolical Practices.) Hereupon they pick out for the purpose, and very well appointed, Six Hundred Men, who march first to the Fields of Kiriath-jearim, and from thence to the Town where Micah's Page  77House stood, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. and here they make an Halt, the Spies taking this opportunity to prompt their Brethren, not to consult this Oracle again the second time for their own farther satisfaction about their success, but down∣right to rob Micah of both the Oracle and the Priest that attended it, suggesting to them how useful both these might be to the whole Tribe in the Land they were going to Conquer. Hereupon they step (a little out of the Road to Laish) unto the Lodgings of the Levite, they Salute him, and detain him with Discourse until the five Spies had rob'd his Chappel of all its Trash and Trumpery, which when the Priest saw done, he was at first startl'd, and probably might have made as great stir by calling in the Neighbour∣hood to a Rescue, as Demetrius did in the like case afterwards at Ephesus, Act. 19.23, 24, &c. But the Danites partly by Flatteries and partly by Frowns, soon coax'd this Mercenary Priest, or Hireling Levite, to whom they promised greater preferment, at which the Priest's Heart was glad, for that was his Primum Mobile, &c. ver. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Behold how far this sordid Levite differed from Heroick Luther, to whom the Pope proffered a Cardinal's Cap, and what preferment beside he would pray for, provided he would keep quiet and bustle no more for a Reformation. Luther's Answer was this,

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

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

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

N. B. The Danites expected a pursuit, therefore they place not the Priest and his Trinkets in the Rear, where Micah might recover them by Assault, but in the midst of the Army for their greater safety: Micah and his new Mustered Neighbours pursue and overtake the Danites, and charge them with Thievery: The Thieves thought them∣selves very innocent, because they had not plundered him of his Treasure and House∣hold-stuff (necessary enough for Planters of new Colonies) but had only taken away the Ephod, Teraphim, &c. which well enough might be spared, and the Danites had done well in it, had they done it out of a Detestation of Idols, and for the Abolishing of Idolatry, Cujus contrarium est verum. They therefore cry Knave first, and ask Micah what he meant by coming after them with so great a Company, though they well knew his Errand. Micah answers, [Ye have taken away my All.] reckoning all the rest of his Goods as nothing in respect of his Gods that he had lost, though he confesseth in those words, [My Gods which I made,] they were goodly Gods that were made by the Hands of Man, and could not secure themselves from being stoln; yet so besotted was he with Superstition, that he valued nothing of his Treasure and Houshold-stuff, of his Sons, &c. in comparison of those Gods they had stoln from him: Insomuch that he comes forth to fight for them, as pro Aris & focis: How may this Superstitious Zealot rise up in Judgment against our Lukewarm Laodiceans, our Neuter Passive Professors, (as a Lear∣ned Interpreter calleth them) that care not what becometh of the Gospel of Christ, and Page  78of all the precious Ordinances thereof, Modò ferveat olla, so their Pot doth but boil; Modò ventri benè sit, ac lateri (as that fat-paunch'd Monk said at the Destruction of Ab∣bies in Henry VIII. time) he stroak'd his own over-grown Paunch, and said, Let them all go, so I have but enough for Back and Belly. God hath many such cold Friends now a-days, that Halt 'twixt God and Baal, 1 Kings 18.21. and that value their own world∣ly Conveniencies more, than the concerns either of God's True Religion, or of their own Souls Salvation: This Micah may shame them, &c. But notwithstanding his great Cry after his Deaf Gods, neither they nor the Danites hear his Out-cry, the noise of Arms do drown the voice of Right, they command his silence, least he lose his Life, which was better than his Gods: Micah valuing his Life more than his Idols, and see∣ing Might Armed in them, was too strong for his Right that was feeble in him, he went back to his House, ne'er taking notice of his own Vanity in promising to himself so much Prosperity for his having a sorry Levite to be his Priest, nor how God had punished him for his Idolatry by those Ravenous Danites.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Page  79

CHAP. XIX. of Judges.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Second Remark from the Antecedents is, A Levite takes a Concubine to be his Secondary Wife, for she was Contracted to him (though not Solemnly Married) which differ'd her from common Concubines, and otherwise she could not have been charged to break her Faith with him, as she is, [against him,] ver. 2. and hereupon she is call'd his Wife, and her Father is call'd his Father-in-Law, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. and he is call'd her Lord, ver. 26, 27. because he was her Husband, (as 1 Pet. 3.6.) so Judg. 20.4. calls him: This Concubine played the Whore. ver. 2. Josephus saith, she was a fair Woman, and not affecting her Husband as she ought, but lingring after other Lovers, great strife grew betwixt them; whereupon (as he saith) she went away to her Pa∣rents within four Months after Marriage: The Scripture tells us, that she went away from him to her Father's House, who like a Fond Father entertained her, whereas instead of countenancing her in her Sin, he should rather have Rebuked or Punished her, and sent her Home again to her Husband, and not to have received and retained her four Months: Her Kind-hearted Husband goes to her, when he saw she would not come to him, whereas she should have sought to him first, being the peccant Party, and the Page  80first Offender; yet this the offended Husband will condescend to do either out of pity to her, or from his want of her Company, he offers Reconcilement, ver. 3. whence some say his Concubine had not committed Adultery, for in that case no Reconciliation ought to be offered, for Adultery was severely punished by the Law of God, &c. However he would Imitate God in alluring her, &c. Hos. 2.14. therefore brings he a Beast to ride upon home, [a couple of Asses,] though possibly she ran from him on Foot.

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

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

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

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

N. B. Would to God we could thus constrain Christ to stay with us as the two Disci∣ples did at Emmaus, not by force but by friendly Intreaties, Luk. 24.28.29.) that the hearts of the Levite and his Concubine might be the better reunited, and their Mutual Loves be the more reciprocally renewed: As a Bone once broken, becomes stronger after setting, and as Boards well Glued together, will not easily be dissevered: How∣ever this over affectionate Father soon felt the sad effects of his fond Affections (both in detaining his Daughter four Months before, and now in detaining her Husband with her other five Days, until the Day was declined upon the fifth Day) for he soon after, even that very Night lost his Daughter, as well as the Levite lost his Concubine, and that after a more than bruitish and barbarous manner, which happened thus; [The Day was far spent when they came toward Jebus, the Levite dare not lodge there, because it was Inhabited by the Jebusites, though the City Jerusalem had been taken by Caleb, &c. Judg. 1.8. therefore Adonibezek was brought to Jerusalem because it was then in Israel's hands, ver. 7. yet could they not quite drive out the Jebusites, neither the Tribe of Ju∣dah out of their part, Josh. 15.63. nor the Benjamites out of their part, Judg. 1.21. And the Jebusites did Inhabit that City until David's day, 2 Sam. 5. ver. 6, 7, 8. which was the upper part, the strong Fort of Zion, from whence probably they much mo∣lested Page  81the lower part, and afterwards by God's Permission, drove out the Israelites (that dwelt there) for the punishment of their Sin: Therefore this Levite durst not lodge with those Cursed Canaanites, ver. 10.11, 12. but piously resolveth to lodge in a City belonging to God's People, so pitches upon Gibeah belonging to Benjamin, ver. 13, 14, 15. where he expected better Entertainment, but by an over-ruling Providence of God, his choice here proved pernicious to himself, to his Wife, and to many Thou∣sands of his People: If this City were one that was given to the Levites (as some sup∣pose from Josh. 21.17.) no wonder if he turn'd in thither hoping to find some of his fellow-Levites there to have the comfort of their Company. If so, either the Back∣sliding Benjamites had Banish'd them thence, or themselves were become as bad as the Benjamites, and the following wickedness was so much the worse: Where can a Man be safe from the Devil and his Imps, and what place (excepting Hell it self) can afford a worse Creature, than an Apostate Israelite, a profligate Professour, and a Depraved Priest, or Levite: Here

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

Secondly come the Concomitants of the perpetration of Unparallel'd Impiety, where∣in the Agents, the Patients, and the Action in its Circumstances are very conside∣rable.

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

The Fourth Remark is, The Good Old Man was mightily concerned, looking upon himself as obliged by the Laws of Hospitality to protect his Guests, as Gen. 19.7, 8. Hereupon he went out to them, ver. 23. and maketh use of a meek Compellation [cal∣ling them Brethren,] whereof they were altogether unworthy, having d•vested them∣selves not only of Brotherhood, but of Manhood also, rather becoming a Company of Dogs and worse, for Dogs do not lust after Dogs, but after Bitches, but those Scoundrels, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] were scalded in their own Grease by their Lusts of Man to Man, Rom. 1.27. and to take them off from any such Attempt, he telleth them that their intended Action was both Foolish and Wicked, and to quell their Outragious Lust the more ef∣fectually, Page  82the Good Old Man makes a rash and sinful offer to gratifie their Unruly Lusts by prostituting his own Daughter and the Levite's Concubine to them, ver. 24. N. B. I cannot but sometimes wonder how that either so good a Man durst venture to live in so wicked a place, he belonging to Mount-Ephraim near Shilo, or that those base Benja∣mites did suffer so good a Stranger to live among them, we must suppose this Good Old Man was meerly surprized with the suddenness and violence of the Assault, and here∣upon ignorantly and inconsiderately offers this lesser Sin, to avoid a greater and a more un∣natural sin, which he thought they designed: Though this be lawful in the Evils of Pu∣nishment to chuse the lesser for avoiding the greater, for so respectively the lesser evil is good: Yet in the Evils of sin, the Rule is,

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

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

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

The Sixth and last Remark. Those Beastly Hell-Hags, [Vaijthgnalelu Boh.] Hebr. (the Conjugation H•thpael denoting the frequency of the Act) having taken their lust∣ful Turns upon the Concubine all the Night long, until they had almost turned her ve∣ry Soul out of her forced Body, at the Dawning of the Day they let her go, and scarce had the use of her Legs to reach her Land-lords Door, where she falls down Dead, ver. 26. a just Judgment of God upon her; Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge, Hebr. 13.4. as she had too often fallen down in a way of sinning, at last she falls down in a way of Suffering; whether she repented before she Died, is unrevealed; if Charity do grant it, then her Suffering (saith great Grotius) was only a Fatherly Chastisement, not pro∣perly a Punishment: But the Psalmist saith better, [God pardons eternally, yet punishes temporally.] Psal. 99.8. for evil doers God will punish for the publick good of Humane Page  83Society: That she stay'd not still among those Miscreants, but was more minded to return to her Husband, might be some Indication of her Penitency, yet hardly reach∣ing the Door where he was, so feeble their Villany had made her, that she was not able to cry [Open the Door.] nor to knock for its opening; otherwise the Levite doubtless would have let her in, because he had sent her out among them to save himself from Bug∣gery: This is the more probable, because 'tis said, ver. 27. that her Lord was the first up in the House, and opened the Door; 'tis likely, to see what was become of his Wife, that they might go on their Journey, but finding her at the Door-Threshold in a sleep∣ing posture, he calls to awake her and to raise her up, ver. 28. supposing she was come too late at Night to be let in, and so was there fallen asleep; but lying in that place and posture from Day-break to Sun-Rise, he found her in her long Sleep indeed, and neither so asleep as to be awakened, nor sick of the Sullens to be fetched out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

(3.)) Nor did he do this, out of any design to Dishonour the Dead, but for the benefit of the Living, to bring those Belialists to Condign Punishment, least the very Air should be poisoned by the Breath of those Pests, if permitted any longer to live in the Land; and more especially, least the dreadful Judgments of God should fall upon the whole Land for Indemnifying Delinquents of the greatest Magnitude: And thus for publick good, the Law allows of Anatomies, that Dead Bodies may be Dissected, that by searching out the Secrets of Nature, both Physicians and Chirurgeons may learn more skill out of the Bodies of the Dead, either to prevent, or to cure those Diseases that are Incident to the Bodies of the Living. The Levite's Intelligence (which he sent to all the Tribes in so marvelous a manner) sounds a loud Alarm to the whole Land of Promise; insomuch Page  84that all Israel do universally acknowledge, there was never the like Horrid Villany nei∣ther done, nor seen, neither in their own times, nor in the time of their Ancestors. Hereupon it was generally concluded to hold a Solemn Assembly, wherein this lamenta∣ble Tragedy might be seriously search'd into, (every Man speaking freely) and to have speedy Justice executed upon those desperate Delinquents, the Actors of it, that the Land might not be liable to the Wrath of God, if unpunished.

CHAP. XX.

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

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

This first part affordeth these Remarks,

First, The Levite's sending the Twelve pieces of his Murdered Concubine, was as effectual for this Convention, as if it had been a Royal Summons, which now they could not have, because they had neither Judge, nor King to call them: Four Hundred Thou∣sand Footmen come at this call, and the Princes of all the Tribes, those Rulers (we may suppose) rode upon Horses or Asses, Judg. 5.10. and 10.4.12.14. and those are cal∣led the Corners of the People, Hebr. because they bear the People up, and bind the sides together, as the Corner-Stones do the whole Building, which otherwise would rend, and run to ruine: All these jointly meet together as one Man, as if there had been but one Soul in so many Thousand Bodies, and such an Unanimous Consent was found in this Numerous Convention, as if it had been but one Man that was the Ʋndertaker in this Important Expedition against the Offenders: So Universal was their Zeal for pu∣nishing this Villany.

The Second Remark is, Mispeh must be the place of this General Meeting: Be∣cause,

First, It was the usual place of such Meetings upon Solemn Occasions, Judg. 10.17. and 11.11. and 1 Sam. 7.5.16. and 10.17.

Secondly, This place was the Navel and middle of the Land; so its Situation was most convenient for those without Jordan, as well as for those within.

Thirdly, It was also near the place where the foul Fact was done, that distance might not disenable them to make a thorough Examination of it.

Fourthly, Nor was it far from Shiloh (where the Tabernacle was) whether they might send for Advice if need required.

Fifthly, The Apocrypha affirms there was a Synagogue at Mispeh, which was the first Chappel of Ease to the Tabernacle and Temple, 1 Maccab. 3.46. though Sacrificing was limited to the two latter, but that Phrase, [Onto the Lord in Mizpeh] ver. 1. doth not import that there was a Synagogue there, for God is present in the Assemblies of the Gods, or Judges, Psal. 82.1. and where his Name is Recorded, Exod. 20.29. and where two or three be gathered together in his Name, Matth. 18.20.

The Third Remark is, This Judicious (as well as Ʋnanimous) General Assembly will first treat, before they will fight, therefore they send a Summons to all the Tribe of Benjamin, being desirous with two Ears to hear both Parties, (though the case was clear enough) that the Mischief of Mischiefs, a Civil War might (if possible) be pre∣vented. Page  85In order hereunto Embassadours of Peace are sent to tender Peace according to God's Law, Deut. 20.10, 11. If they would bring their Notorious Delinquents to con∣dign Punishment, as both their Duty, Honour, Interest and safety did oblige them, whereas their protecting such Abominable Villains, could not be done without their own Horrid Guilt, and without haleing down the Curse of God upon their own Heads thereby; but if those Tenders of Peace were rejected, then these Messengers were to become Heralds of War, to proclaim open War against them.

The Fourth Remark is, The Plaintiff appeared, but the Defendant (who at least should have been so, if the plainness of the Case had not debarr'd any Plea) would not appear, notwithstanding all Summons and Citations serv'd upon him. The Plaintiff was the Levite (call'd [the Husband of the Woman,] ver. 4. which shews, she was not his Harlot, but Contracted to him as his Secondary Wife according to the corrupt Custom of those Times) he amply layeth open his Case, remonstrating the whole wicked Transaction, briefly and plainly, without either Preface or Passion, and un∣doubtedly confirming his Plea, both by his old Host, and by his own Servant, as his two Witnesses, according to God's Law, Deut. 17.6. but on the other hand, the Benjamites, (who should have answer'd by their Agents at this great Convention) are wilfully re∣fractory, unconcerned, and resolute, they neither went nor sent thither to compose the Controversie, but either out of their Pride, scorning that their Brethren of other Tribes should interpose in their Territory and Government, or out of their Self-Confi∣dence, presuming upon their own Prowess and Dexterity (even with their Left Hand, ver. 16.) in Martial Affairs; or lastly, It was from that Sublime Infatuation. God: gave them up unto, for the Destruction of that Degenerated Tribe; moreover, God's Ho∣ly Hand was in it, for the punishing of both Parties: Therefore were they obstinate, and would not hearken to the Admonitions offered them.

The Second part of this Chapter contains the Concomitants of this Civil-War. As,

First, The Preparation of both Parties for it, ver. 14, 15, 16. on Benjamin's side, where we have them described both by their Quantity or Number, and by their Quali∣ty, for Excellent Marks-Men, then on Israel's side, ver. 17, 18, 19, 20. wherein their Number, the Tribe that was to have the Conduct, and the Besieging of Gibeah, are all contained.

Secondly, The Prosperity attending this Dubious War, Victory happening at times to both Parties. And,

Thirdly, The Catastrophe of the War, the Victory falls finally upon Israel's side in the last of the three Battles: The whole Tribe of Benjamin is destroy'd by Fire and Sword, save only 600 of them that saved themselves in the Rock Rimmon, from ver. 20. to ver. 47, 48.

The First Remark from those Concomitants is, The Obstinacy of this (once Beloved) Benjamin, rather than give up those Villains to Justice, he will hazard his All to Pa∣tronize them, though thereby his Name of Joy [Benjamin] be turned into his other Name [Benoni] which signifies a Son of Sorrow, and so indeed he became in the Issue of this War. It may be said [the Pride of his Heart deceived him,] Obad. ver. 3. proba∣bly, had not Benjamin been so Numerous for War (as to have Twenty six Thousand War∣riours, ver. 15.) he had not been so venturous in it, and if he had not been so Dexterous in War (with Seven Hundred Left-handed Slingers, ver. 17.) he had not been so Auda∣cious in so bold, daring, and such a Fool-hardy Undertaking; So stubborn Israel's Em∣bassadours found this self confident Tribe, that rather than deliver up the Children of Be∣lial to Justice, they would Sacrifice not only their own Lives, but also the Lives of all that were near and dear to them: Hereby they became Accessaries, and Abettors of their Horrible Villany, making their Guilt and Punishment to become their own ra∣ther than put that evil away from Israel, whom God would punish, if they punish'd it not, and this their wilful choice became soon after their Doleful Judgment, for not only those Twenty six Thousand Men, but also other Men, yea, Women and Children were all Devoured by the Sword, and all the other Cities, as well as Gibeah, were destroyed by Fire, ver. 40.48.

The Second Remark is, Israel Vows Vindictive Justice, with all expedition, resolv∣ing not to return home until they see those Matchless Villains, and all the Abettors of their Villany punished according to their Demerit, ver. 8. and at the same time ('tis probable) they Vowed also that they would not give any of their Daughters to those Benjamites, that escaped the Sword of War or Justice, in Marriage to them, after they had destroyed all the Women, Maids, and Children of that Tribe; and likewise they Page  86Vowed likely to put to the Sword the Men of any Town or City, who came not up to assist them in this War, which Vows they might ratifie with an Oath, as is intimated, Chap. 21. ver. 1.5.

N. B. After this Vow (confirmed with an Oath) they sent to Shilo for Council from God, which of the Tribes should go first to the Battel, ver. 18. here began Israel's pre∣sumption to sprout forth: They do not ask of God, [Shall we go up? And shall we pro∣sper? For of this they were over confident, both from the goodness of their Cause, and from the greatness of their Strength: Nor do they seek to the Lord of Hosts (who giveth Victory as he pleaseth, Psal. 98.1.) by Solemn Fasting and Prayer, as they ought to have done in their first Expedition, but did presumptuously promise to themselves Vi∣ctory before the Fight, and therefore they strove among themselves for precedency, and which of the Tribes should have the honour of the Day, so seek to God only to determine this difference among them, that there might be no more Contention and Emulation about it, which God decided, saying, Judah shall go up first.

The Third Remark is, The better Cause may sometimes have the worser Success, and great loss may by the Providence of God, befal a good Cause, as here to Israel in their first Battle against Benjamin, who were the Abettors of the Belialites of Gibeah, and protected those Vilest of Villains from the process of Justice, which Israel endeavoured to execute upon them: The Reasons were here,

First, God suffered the better Cause to fall before the worser, ver. 19, 20.21. to punish that Pride and Self-Confidence he at this time found in his People, who only besought God, which Tribe should go up first, (never doubting of the Victory) but not at all for God's assisting presence with them in this present Attempt, as if they stood in no need of God's Help. The Lord had rejected these their Confidences, therefore they could not prosper in them, Jerem. 2.37.

Secondly, Because Israel was at this time generally guilty of Apostacy and Idolatry, whereof they had not yet repented, nor made their Peace with God, but come to God's Work with Polluted Hands, and had not pulled those great Beams out of their own Eyes, which should have been done before they had gone about to pull the greater Beam out of their Brother Benjamin's Eye, Matth. 7.3, 4. This should have been first done by deep Humiliation and sincere Repentance.

Thirdly, Had Israel prospered in their first Progress of War against Benjamin, they had assuredly ascribed it to their own Power and Prowess, and not have given God the Glory of a prevailing Victory.

Fourthly, So great a loss befalls them in so good a Cause, to teach both them and others not to judge of the Justice of a cause always by the event thereof, seeing these things happen alike to all, Eccles. 9.1, 2. Thus we see all the World over, how the Per∣secutors of God's People do oftentimes prosper, and the persecuted remain oppressed, and trampled under foot, until they be prepared for Mercy, and their Oppressors ripen∣ed for ruine, whose advancement by prosperity is but the fore-runner of a deeper downfal and destruction, as in Benjamin here.

The Fourth Remark is, Israel, after the loss of Two and Twenty Thousand Men in the first Battle, do encourage themselves to a second, ver. 22. Their great loss wrought in them some Reformation of their former Omissions; yet had it not a thorough Work, so as to fit them for a Victory. For,

First, Though now they weep before the Lord, ver. 23. yet was it more for their Defeat and Losses, than for their Sins and Offences, for they do not impute their ill success to their own Back-slidings from God, but to their going out to Battle against their own Brethren. Therefore,

Secondly, Though their Loss drives them to the Lord, to ask Council of him, yet it was only, because they scrupled the lawfulness of their War against their Brother Benjamin, so ask, if that were not the cause of their Miscarriage, or if they might go up the second time; neglecting still to ask what success they might have in this second Enterprize. And

Thirdly, 'Tis said they encouraged themselves, ver. 22. that is, in themselves, both in the goodness of their Cause, and in the Multitude of their Men yet remaining of Four Hundred Thousand: They had not still learned David's Art (not having David's Heart) to encourage themselves in the Lord their God, as he did in the Day of his Distress, 1 Sam. 30.6. and as they did before the Third Battle, ver. 26. but at this time we read not that they sought God's Assistance, out of a sense of their sins, by Fasting and Prayer, still relying on an Arm of Flesh.

Page  87 Fourthly, Though God bid them go up here against Benjamin, thy Brother though he be; yet, as they prayed not for God's Assistance, so neither did God promise them any Success, but answered them according to their Inquiry, and according to the Idols in their Hearts, Ezek. 14.3, 4. whereof they had not still repented, having forgot what Joshua had formerly foretold them, [If ye forsake God, he will do you hurt, after he hath done you good,] Josh. 24.19, 20. so they presume and are punished the second time, ver. 24, 25.

Fifthly, And Lastly, God suffer'd this second Loss of Eighteen Thousand Men to be added to their former loss of Twenty two Thousand to Avenge his own Cause against Idolatry, because Israel was not still stirr'd up to Avenge God's Cause against Idolaters. They, that could be so sensible of an Injury done to a Sorry Whore in Gibeah, still did remain senseless of the Injury done to the Great God of Heaven by Dan's Idolatry.

N. B. Therefore, seeing Vice came still to Correct Sin, many Achan's, many gross Offenders were still in their Army, they could not proceed with any prosperous Success. More∣over Divine Providence ought not Atheistically to be denied, because the good Cause is defeated twice, and the bad Cause becomes Victorious twice also: For who knows the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counsellor, Rom. 11.33, 34. This might be thus ordered, as the Judgments of God (which are sometimes Secret, but always Just) for these Reasons.

First, The Great God governs every stroke that is struck in Battle, and every Wea∣pon of War hath a Divine Commission whom to kill of Humane kind: Now 'tis not im∣probable but God took this course to cut off the Rottenest Members of that great Body by the Sword of Benjamin in the two Battles, which could not but be a great Blessing to the Common-wealth of Israel. Immedicabile Vulnus ense Recidendum est, nè pars sincera trahatur.

A Second Reason may be this: No doubt but God's pure Eyes did utterly abhor those Abominable Villanies found at this time in the Tribe of Benjamin, God could not look upon them, but he must loath them, and therefore determin'd their utter Destruction, which must be done by the hands of Israel, and this second Loss must more Exasperate and Enrage the Israelites against Benjamin, on purpose to effect the Extirpation of the Benjamites.

The Fifth Remark is, The Third Battle in this Civil War; the Proverb is, [Beware the Third time, for the Third time pays for all,] this held true here: Had Benjamin bewa∣red this Third Battle, it had been better for him, but being flushed with his two former Victories, and even drunk with a double Success, he scorned to make any Motions of Brotherly Accommodations: On the other hand, when Israel (having bought more wit, and paid so dear for better learning by their two former Losses) can now find the right way of doing all things well, and according to God's Will, then the total and fi∣nal Victory falls into their hands; and this Victory was obtained by Three Special Means.

First, By their Sincere Repentance described in the Various Indications of it, ver. 26.

Secondly, By a Divine Assistance, both prayed for by them, and promis'd by God, to them ver. 26, 27, 28. And

Thirdly, By a Stratagem, Related in the whole, ver. 29. to 36. and then in its parts, from ver. 86. to 48.

First, of the first Means, their Real Repentance, now they go up to Shilo, humble themselves before the Lord by Fasting and Prayer for their Sins (having before bewail∣ed only their Losses) whereof they now were more sensible, as being the true procuring causes of both their former Miscarriages in Battle: Nor were they so slight, formal, and perfunctory in those Duties of Humiliation, as they had been before, but like right Mourners, their Sorrow was now according to God, they sorrowed after a Godly sort, 2 Cor. 7.9, 10, 11. and this they did from Morning to Evening, offering up to God not only Burnt-Offerings to make an Attonement for their sins, but also Peace-Offerings, to testi∣fie their Thankfulness for the Victory, which though not yet won, yet they were con∣fident God would give it to them: This was a true Triumph of Faith before the Victo-having now sought God after a right manner.

Secondly, Of the Second Means, A Divine Assistance: In the Second Battle upon their Inquiry, God had bid them [go up against Benjamin,] ver. 23. but he did not promise his Assisting presence therein, nor indeed did they pray for it at that time; but now, as they find a praying Heart for God's Presence, so God finds a pitying heart, Psal. 10.17. to promise his presence to them, ver. 27, 28. They enquire of the Lord now about their Page  88Success, which they had not done before, as not doubting of Victory in the two for∣mer Battles, going to them, as Men go to a Lottery, with Heads full of Hopes, but return'd with Hearts full of Blanks: But now God gives them a full and satisfactory Answer to all their Desires, a promise of Divine Assistance, which gave them Assurance of obtaining the Victory: N. B. This was done in Phinehas's Day, which gives some light, that it was long before Samson, and 'twas done by Ʋrim and Thummim, which is mention∣ed, Numb. 27.21. and which (Josephus saith) used to have great splendour and bright∣ness in the pretious Stones, when Victory was foreshewed.

Thirdly, The Third Means was the Stratagem they made use of for the circumventing of Benjamin, [the liers in wait,] ver. 29. even round about Gibeah.

1. 'Tis Remarkable, that though the Israelites had been much corrupted by their fa∣miliar conversing with the Conquered Canaanites, yet were they not tainted with that Pagan Superstition, of observing some places more unlucky than another, as Benhadad thought fighting in the plain Valleys was more lucky and fortunate, than fighting on the rising Hills, 1 Kings 20.23.28. but Israel did not impute their discomsiture in the first Battle to any unluckiness of that place, where the Battle was fought, but pitched their Second Battle in the very same place, as it is expresly recorded, ver. 22. N. B. There be indeed two Learned Authors (Serrarius and Tirrinus) that do blame Israel very much for their Sublime Te∣merity in chusing this place so unfit to fight in, for (say they) Gibeah stood upon a ri∣sing ground, as its very Name in Hebrew importeth, therefore the place which Israel chose to fight their first Battle in against Gibeah, was lower than it, which must needs be a great Advantage to Benjamin, fighting their Foes from the upper ground, and as great a disadvantage to Israel, who could not so well reach them (that were above them) with their Blows, as the other could do them that were below them, it was then no wonder if Israel were defeated in that disadvantagious place in the first Battle. They add farther, [Ibique Iterum Hoste contempto, stultâ Audaciâ pugnare voluerunt,] that is, notwithstanding Israel had been discomfited once by the disadvantage of the place they fought in, yet from a Contempt of Benjamin's small number, and a presumption from their own Multitudes, they by a fond Audacity, and a fool-hardy Humour, make a desperate Adventure to fight Benjamin in the same place in a second Battel.

N. B. But now they had learned a little more Wit by their late double Losses, and hereupon they take a wiser course, in dividing their Army into three parts.

The First was to lay in Ambush upon several Sides of the City.

The Second was to entertain the Benjamites in Battle, and to feign a Flight, that Benjamin might be drawn out of, and at a due distance from their fortified Town, and that the Ambuscade might then arise to Storm and Fire the City.

The Third part was the Main Body, a Reserve for them (that Counterfeited a Flying) to flie unto. So that in this Third Battle, they confine not themselves to the former unfortunate unsuccessful place, but they fight against Gibeah on every side round about it.

Secondly, 'Tis very Remarkable here likewise, that in the two former Battles, while they relied upon their own Power and Number, and when they had no promise of Vi∣ctory from God, they were so daring and confident, as altogether to neglect all Strata∣gems of War, as presuming there was no need at all of them, therefore God punish'd their presumption with the sad Slaughter of Forty Thousand Men in the two former Fights: But now when they had got from God a promise of Victory, (which was both Infallible and Unfailable,) they think no Policy, or Stratagem superfluous, though they were assur∣ed of the Victory before this Third Fight, by a particular absolute Promise, well know∣ing now that as God will be trusted in the belief of his Promises, so he may not be tempt∣ed (no, not when we have his Promise) by a wilful neglect of such Lawful Means, as may be subservient to his Providence. Hence we may learn the difference betwixt true Faith, and vain presumption; the latter is bold, grounded upon Humane Strength and Natural Abilities, which makes it so oft precipitant, and rushing headlong upon such weak and false grounds, thinking the end may be accomplish'd without the use of those Means, that should advance it. N. B. Thus the Devil tempted Christ to leap from the Pina∣cle of the Temple (when there was an ordinary way at hand to descend by Stairs) down to the ground, this our Lord flatly calleth a Tempting of God, Matth. 4.5, 6, 7. and is the sin of a vain presumption, whereas true Faith, when it hath God's Promise to depend up∣on, is no less careful to use all Lawful Means, than if there were no promise of God at all, well knowing, that ordinarily God appointeth the means and the end to go toge∣ther, and that the certainty of God's Purposes and Promises doth not excuse, but rather Page  89oblige Man's diligent use of fit means for the Accomplishment of them, as we see in Acts 27.30 31. Except these stay in the Ship, ye cannot be saved: Though God be not bound up to Means, yet doth he not usually work without them: God works here by this Stratagem against Gibeah, as he had done before by the like against Ai, Joshua 8.4, 5. &c.

The Sixth Remark is, The many Remarkable Branches of this Third Battle. As,

First, The Time when it was fought, 'tis said to be [upon the third Day.] ver. 30. for after their last Defeat they spent one Day in marching up to Shilo, and the second Day was spent in deep Humiliation before the Lord in Shilo, and on the third Day they re∣new their Fi•ht against Gibeah, or it is call•d, the third Day of Battle, in respect of the two Battle Days they had before.

Secondly, That Army of Israel, who were ordered to feign a Flight, made (accord∣ing (to their Orders) a preposterous Retreat, this did flush the Benjamites, and made them cry Victoria too soon, ver. 31.39. and so eager they were of pursuing those Coun∣terfeit Cowards, that the whole Garrison of Gibeah was drained dry.

Thirdly, This gave a fair opportunity for the Liers in wait to arise out of the Mea∣dows, and Storm the City, and then Fire it, which was the Sign for those that fled to make a stand, turn Head, and renew the Battle, as soon as they saw the Smoak of the City ascending: Hereby the Benjamites were struck with Horrour, being disappointed of their Pursuit they had made in the two former Battles, and beholding this Third Battle to begin both before them and behind them, they fled, yet knew not wither, for in flying from Death, they fled the faster to it; so that Day there fell of them Twenty five Thousand, besides the Thousand that were slain in the two other Battles, ver. 38.46.

Fourthly, God's Presence made Israel's Victory easie here, ver. 43. In the two for∣mer Battles, wherein they wanted Divine Assistance to concur with their Humane En∣deavours, they found it too hard a work for them to overrome their Enemies, but now they tread them down without difficulty.

Fifthly, This Slaughter of the Benjamites ceased not in the Field, not only upon those that came to Gibeah, but pursued them home to their several Cities, unto which they fled out of the Battle, ver. 48. where the Israelites slew Man, Woman and Child, and all the Cattle that came to hand, and burnt the Cities with fire, because they had sent Aid to Gibeah: All this seemeth harsh, bloody, and unlike an Isrealite to his Bro∣ther, if it were not done by the Command of God, but out of a Military fury, they were certainly blame worthy: However we may learn hence,

N. B. 1. Earnestly to pray that God may prevent Civil War, which is always Utrinque triste, sad on both sices.

2. That such abominable Wickedness may neither be practised among us, nor much less protected and patrooniz'd, for which Divine Vengeance (as well as Humane Revenge) cut off the whole Tribe (save a few) yea, their very Infants, which was not unusual in such cases, Numb. 31.17. 1. Sam. 15.3. Josh. 7.15. and Deut. 13.15. God bid it be done there in a Parallel Case.

3. It teacheth us, what God will do with the Rod, wherewith he Chastises his Children The Rod of the Wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the Righteous, Psal. 125.3. when his chastizing work is done, he casts the Rod into the fire and burns it, as he doth Benjamin here, whom God first made use of to execute his Justice upon Israel for their not punishing Idolatry among them; and then God useth I•rael to Plague Benjamin for not delivering up the Delinquents of Gibeah to Justice, yea that Rod, where∣with God had most severely Corrected Israel, he here casts into the fire (when Israel was low enough, and Benjamin high enough) and so burns it, that nothing but a small stump remained unburned, namely, the Six Hundred Men in the Rock Rimmon, ver. 47. This brings in the last part, namely, the Consequents of this third Battle, whereof we have an Account in the next Chapter.

Page  90

CHAP. XXI. of Judges.

JƲdges the Twenty First, which Relateth how the Tribe of Benjamin, (now almost extinct) came to be restored: In this Relation, or Narrative, the Causes thereof are declared, which be two.

First, The Efficient Cause, namely, Israel's Repentance and deep Sorrow at those sad Issues, their Rash and Uncharitable Oath disturbs them on one hand, and their Pity and Compassion to their Brother Benjamin (whose utter extirpation they never designed, though it fell out very near it in the heat and fury of War beyond their expectation) this even distracted them on the other hand, therefore come they to Shilo not so much to praise God for their late woful Victory, but more especially now to seek God's Dire∣ction, how they might extricate themselves out of this present Labyrinth, to this end they spend a whole Day in Praying, Weeping, Sacrificing, and Deploring the deplorable case of their Brother Benjamin, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. All these Actions were Signs of Israel's Sorrow.

The Second is, The Material Cause, or the Means by which the Tribe of Benjamin (now shrunk up into a small Remnant) was restored, namely, by providing Wives for them, and these were of two sorts.

• 1. Some were given to them freely, to wit, such as were the Daughters of Jabesh Gilead, whose Males, &c. Israel destroyed because they assisted not in the War against Benjamin, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. And
• 2. When still Two Hundred of that Tribe could not be provided by this Gift, o∣thers must be stolen, and taken by force, (to save them from the Curse they had Impre∣cated on themselves in their Oath that they would not give them Wives of their own Daughters) therefore are they ordered to commit Two Hundred Rapes upon the Da∣mosels that came to Dance their Dances at the Feast in Shilo, &c. ver. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

The Remarks upon the First Part, are,

First, Israel entring into a Solemn League and Association of Warring against wick∣ed Benjamin, swore that they would not give any of their Daughters to them, but look on them as Gentiles, to have no commerce with them, especially not in Marriage, ver. 1. which Oath presupposes two things.

• 1. That some of the Benjamites might escape the Sword, and out-live the War. And
• 2. That such might be the fury of War, as not to leave so many Females alive, that would serve for Wives to the Males that escaped. If so, the Benjamiees having made themselves as bad, as the worst of Heathens (with whom they were forbid to Marry) therefore they swore not to supply the Survivers with Wives: There be two Opinions concerning this Oath.

N. B. The First is, Some say it was a Lawful Oath upon the Reason last rehearsed, that Benjamin by his Barbarous Villany, was now become as bad as the worst of Pagans, so they might Swear to withdraw all Communion from them: Besides, that probably Othniel was at this time the Chief Commander of this great Army against Benjamin; however 'tis certain Phinehas was present as High-Priest at this great Convention, Judg. 20.28. and was as Zealous in this Case of the Levite's Concubine, as he had been in one of a not much different Nature, Numb. 25.8. Psal. 106.30. Now supposing these two great and good Men (Othniel and Phinehas) were present at this General Assembly when this Oath was Sworn, 'tis improbable such Ignorance should be found in those two Men, and in the whole Body of Israel, as not to know the Unlawfulness of this Oath, and no endeavours be use by any of them to prevent such a notorious snare as it proved afterwards, ver. 6.15, 18.

But the Second Opinion, and the most received is, that it was a rash and an Inconside∣rate Oath, backed with a Direful Imprecation, wishing some great Mischief might be∣fal him that durst Violate it. For,

Page  91 N. B. 1. It was an Oath that flowed from rash rage, rather than from real zeal: Men must Swear in Judgment, Jer. 4.2. not when transported with Passion, as Israel was now a∣gainst Benjamin in a grievous pang of Passion and Prejudice, and therefore their fiery Spirits stood now in more need of a Bridle, than of a Spur.

2. It was an Ʋncharitable Oath, as it was against the repairing of a perishing Tribe, which the Law of Charity bound them to support, and not to see it perish out of the Land▪ through the want of their helping hand.

3. It appears unlawful, as it crossed the revealed Will of God in Jacob's Prophetical Blessing upon this Tribe, Gen. 49.27. and that of Moses also, Deut. 33.12. both which Prophesies had been spoiled, had this one of the Twelve Tribes been extinguished, which would have been unavoidable: For those Survivers must either have Wives gi∣ven them by Israel, or they must Marry Strangers (which was expresly contrary to God's Law, unless they became Proselytes) and so they had polluted their Posterity, or they must die Unmarried, and so this Tribe would have lasted no longer than while those Six Hundred Men lived; and then Blessed Paul had never been born of the Tribe of Benjamin, who was so eminent a Blessing even to all the Churches.

4. The performance of this Unreasonable Oath, was likewise Bloody and Barbarous, for by virtue of their Oath their blind Zeal transported them to destroy many Persons in all those Cities of Benjamin, who (it may well be presumed) had no hand in that foul Fact of the Men of Gibeah: Nor did they spare any Women, Virgins, or little Chil∣dren, who were altogether innocent of the aforesaid Villany: Such was their outragi∣ous fury, that none of any Age or Sex escaped it, save only those Six Hundred Men, that by a Special Providence of God were saved, but sore against their Wills, for if they could have overtaken them in their Flight, even they would have perished also.

The Second Remark is, Israel's Weeping before the Lord in Shiloh, notwithstanding their late (which now in their cold Blood they look'd upon as a Lamentable) Victory, ver. 2.

N.B. 'Tis seldom seen that God giveth to Men on Earth any perfect Contentment, but something they must have to complain of, which casts in an Unsavory Verdure to all othersweet Morsels, as Haman (that darling of the World) in the midst of a Confluence of so many created Comforts, cryeth out, [All this avails me nothing,] Esth. 5.13. thus God deals with better Men than Haman, even the Holy Patriarchs, Hebr. 11. from ver. 9. to 13, &c. that we may not take up our rest upon this polluted Earth, Mich. 2.10. so far on this side Heaven. N. B. There be three great Joys recorded in Scripture, as the greatest of Worldly Joys. (1.) The Joy of Harvest. (2.) The Joy of Marriage. And (3.) The Joy of Victory, which is the greatest of all the three, as being of more pub∣lick Importance: But here, how is the Joy of Israel's Victory so profoundly damped with the fruits of their own rage and rashness, whereof they now seriously repented, ver. 6. This was quite contrary to the promise [instead of Beauty here were Ashes, and instead of the Oyl of Joy, here was Mourning; and in the room of Garments of Praise for so great a Victory, here was the Spirit of Heaviness,] Isa 61.3. and the matter was, that they had involved themselves into such intricate Perplexities by their Precipitancy in Swearing, and in executing too rigorously what they had sworn, they know not how to extricate and wind out themselves from them, gladly would they preserve Benjamin from utter Extirpation, and yet not render their Consciences guilty of the Violation of so Sacred an Oath. bound upon them with a Curse: All their Out-cry was now, [What shall we do for Wives,] for the Remnant of Benjamin, reserved by a good Providence in the Rock Rimmon, as a Seminary for recruiting that almost destroyed Tribe, ver-7. All this perplexity arose meerly from their gross Ignorance in those dark times of Aposta∣cy, and their lifting up their Voices, and their Weeping and Howling so sore, were only to stop the Clamours of a Superstitious Conscience: Though they repented of their Rage and Rashness against Benjamin, yet they repented not of their Unlawful Oath, which served to push them forward thereunto. N.B. 'Tis a Rule among the Casuists, As it is a Sin to make an Ʋnlawful Oath, so 'tis a double sin to keep it: A bad Oath is better broken than kept. For an Unwarrantable Oath is oft taken rashly, but he that will keep it, doth that Ad∣visedly, whereby the latter sin becomes greater than the former; and thus it was with Israel here, who beginning at this time to decline from the Rule of God's Word, do run from lesser sins into greater, and sink deeper and deeper in the Whirl-pool of Wickedness.

Page  92 The Third Remark from the Second Part is, The Remedy whereby they will redress their Malady: They indeed consult with God here, what they should do under all those Difficulties: 'Tis not recorded here what Remedy the Lord prescribed, at their Prayers and Tears for them, but this is declared, That they fell foul upon Jabesh Gilead, be∣cause they did not contribute their help toward the just punishment of the Sons of Belial, and therefore seemed to like well of their Wickedness, or at the least, they living so far off beyond Jordan, desired not to be concerned, embraced a Neutrality, that they might sleep in a whole skin. N B. But this proved but a short Sleep, for Twelve. Thousand Soldiers were sent to awake them with a Witness, or rather to cast them into their long Sleep by the Sw•rd, and not only the Men must be destroyed, but even the Women and the Children also, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Here again rash Zeal our runs right Reason: Alas, what had these poor Sheep (the Women and Children) done, that they all must be slaughtered. Sure I am, they were not summon'd to that Service against Gibeah, nor was it so much as expected that they should make their appearance at the Assembly, having no Abilities to assist in this common cause, yet those Innocents must fare no bet∣ter than the Offenders. Thus,

N. B. Here Ʋnwise Israel, after they had committed most outragious Cruelty in the Heat of War against Benjamin (though upon great Provocation, and with as great resi∣stance, yet were now mourning for this Barbarous Butchery of the Benjamites Women and Children,) notwithstanding all this▪ they at this time resolve to act the same Inhu∣manity upon Jabesh-Gilead, and that in cold Blood, without either any such sad provo∣cation, or any such resistance (for here they met with none at all) yet they run again in∣to the same sin, (which God had now given them both a sight and sense of, and a deep Sorrow for) and into an excess of severity, raging against Innocents that could not resist, so spoiling the justness of their Cause, by the unjustness of their manner of managing it; and surely had these Men rightly repented of their Barbarity against Benjamin (as they even now pretended) the Women and Children of Jabesh-Gilead had found more Mercy from them: Nor was their severity in cutting off all the Males to be excused as no Act of Cruelty, seeing the Lord saith, [The Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father, &c. Ezek. 18.20. N.B. Indeed this Apology I sind for them, that they were under a natural and necessary Duty of preserving a Tribe from a total ruine, whereby their Opinions, as well as their Affections might be inclined to the most favourable sense of qualifying this severe Decree, and the Execution of it.

To which I Answer. God never necessitates any Soul to sin; neither ought the least evil to be done, though the greatest good may be procured by it, Rom. 3.8.

The Fourth Remark from the Second Part is, The Application of the Remedy to redress their Malady, and to recruit the Remnant of Benjamin: All the Virgins they had saved alive at Jabesh-Gilead, proved so few as Four Hundred only, this Plaister was not broad enough for the present Wound; however, it must be applyed and both cover and cure so far as it would reach; in order hereunto Embassadors of Peace are sent to the poor Re∣mainders of the Tribe of Benjamin, who had been shut up in the Rock Rimmon for Four Months, Judg. 20.47. where undoubtedly they were not a little hardly put to it to pro∣cure Provisions necessary for their Subsistency: It may be, they might meet with some Opportunities the more, because, when the heat of the Battel was over, the Israelites Anger began to cool, and they were not then so solicitous to pursue their Revenge any further. However at Four Months end, their fury was throughly cooled, and the abundant showres of Tears they shed at this Solemn Assembly at Shilo, had perfectly quenched the Flames thereof, then went those Embassadours of Peace, (as Josephus calls them) and spake [Dibre-Shalom] Words of Peace (after all their Swords of War) to them in their Retiring Room, the fortified Rock of Rimmon: They called unto them peaceably, ver. 13. at this the Benjamites came forth, ver. 14. believing their Brethren at this time, and obeying their Amicable Overtures▪ which had they done before in that friendly Treaty, Judg. 20.12, 13. and not have so obstinately tryed the matter of difference out at Arms, they had then redeemed their own present Miseries, and been much happier than now they were; but bought Wit (they say) is best, if the Buyers pay not too dear for it: And surely those Benjamites had paid a most dear price for theirs; so wise they are made now, as not to bid defiance to their Brethren in the fortified Rock, (as they had done in the strong City Gibeah) but came calmly forth, marched with them to Page  93the Camp, where they met with all Fraternal Embracements, and herein Israel is to be highly commended, that they had put off their Arms and their Anger both together: Their Anger had been an Evil-Councellour to them, they could not do, but over-do, when tran∣sported with it▪ They had not reserv'd this poor Remnant Wives enow, neither out of the Tribe of Benjamin's Cities, nor out of the Town of Jabesh-Gilead. They reser∣ved only Four Hundred Virgins out of the latter, (having universally slain all without any reserve in the former) yet found the Surviving Benjamites to be Six Hundred, there∣fore Two Hundred of them must be unprovided of Wives, this unhappy Disappoint∣ment did sorely grieve Israel, ver. 15, 16. because their Sword of Justice had been no better bathed in the Oyl of Mercy, as to spare no more Virgins, to make up a compe∣tent Number for this reserved Remnant. However those Virgins are given as far as they would go, and then they cry, [What shall we do for Wives for the rest?] ver. 17.

The Fifth Remark from the Second Part is, The Senate of Israel is put hard to their Poli∣ticks, how to heal this sad Defect, and how to make the Salve broad enough for the Sore.

N.B. Josephus tells us here, how one of the Senators stood up when all the other stuck fast in this deep Debate, and said to this purpose:

But the other Elders Ex∣ploded this Opinion, out of an utter Abhorrency to the very mention of Perjury: Hereupon (saith he) Judg. 21.17, 18, 19, 20. to the end; Israel's great Cry was now, that the Lord had made a Breach upon the Tribes, ver. 15. Benjamin was the begetter and beginner of the sin, God was owned here the chief Author of the punishment, and Iseael were but his Executioners: Hereby Benjamin is shrunk up into a small room, and reduced to a very narrow number, they complain, the Women were destroy'd out of Benjamin, ver. 16. So the Two Hundred could not hope to have Wives out of their own Tribes. They further urge, [One Tribe must not be lost out of the Twelve,] ver. 17. because both Jacob and Moses promised an Inheritance to Benjamin, and Joshua performed their Promise to him, their Land cannot be alienated from them, nor can it be possess'd by any other Tribe: Their State must not be dismem∣bred, there must be Twelve whole Tribes to serve God instantly Day and Night, as was said by a Benjamite afterward, Acts 26.7 whence those Wives could come to recruit the Tribe in the Overplus number of Benjamites, unprovided, they knew not that they must have none of our Daughters given them by us, because we have sworn to the contrary, ver. 18. and seconded our Oath with a Curse upon him that durst break it: Then comes in Josephus's great Projector with his Grand Salvo at the Feast of Shilo, &c. ver. 19.20, 21, 22, 23. This Oath, though Unlawful as above, must by no means (forsooth) be broken, yet a Violent Rape is devised to elude the Oath, which was far worse, for hereby they added to their Perjury (for it was the Common-Council's Decree that gave those Dancing Damsels to the Benjamites,) the sin of Rape, Fraud, and deceitful Deal∣ing: The Benjamites have now got a Decree in Council of the Elders, to lie lurking in the Vineyards, and these Damsels that came by them to their Dances, they were authori∣zed to take them by force, as their Wives, without either Consent of Parents or Parties, and undoubtedly to the great Grief of both, and when any of their Relations came to complain, (as they had just cause to do against these Plagiaries or Kid-nappers.) it was ordered to answer them, [Be favourable to them, &c.] that is, we have wronged them in not reserving Wives sufficient for them, either out of their own Tribe, or out of Jabesh-Gilead. N, B. Whose Widows (their Husbands being slain) might have served them Wives, when the number of Virgins was not found sufficient, &c. And they are told also, [Ye are not guilty of the Oath, because ye did not give them, but they werr taken against your Wills, &c.] And so indeed they were Innocent, but so were not they that used this Plea, seeing they had contrived this Rape; but this they conceal, least it should make them odious to the Complainers, and so harder to pacifie.

Page  94 Inferences from this History are these.

First, That Israel's Anarchy begat a General Ataxy. They having no King, or Judge to Govern them, from thence came all those Disorders aforementioned: Their Apostacy from God was Cursed with Manifold Confusions, Civil-Wars, &c.

Secondly, In those dark Times they still held that great Truth, that Parents have the power of Giving their Children in Marriage: This was the Grand Ground of their Oath, and of their Scruples concerning it. So much Light yet remained among them, that it was Unlawful for Children to Marry without the Consent of their Parents.

Thirdly, A Violent Rape of Daughters, without Parents Consent, was even in this Degenerate Day lookt upon as Unlawful, and therefore did they use those Wiles to appease those Parents whose Daughters were taken from them against their Wills, not being altogether ignorant of the Law against Man-stealing, Deut. 24.7. nor how hea∣vily Jacob took it to be Robb'd of his Daughter Dinah, Gen. 34. Children are a chief part of their Parents Goods. therefore the Civil Law punishes Rapes with Death. Much mischief hath followed Rapes, and many Bloudy Wars, the Rape of Helena out of Greece, by Paris (King Priamus's Son) did cost the Destruction of Troy: And later, What a Woful War broke out between the Emperour Maximilian, and Charles the Eigth, King of France, who violently took away Anne the only Daughter of the Duke of Britanny, which had been Espoused to the Emperour, &c.

N. B. How these Couples could fadge, is hard to tell. An After-Consent might salve all, which only made Jacob's Marriage with Leah to be Lawful, &c.

Fourthly, Their Superstition brought upon them this great Folly, to hinder their Daughters from great preferment, for here they had a fair opportunity of making their Daughters Mistresses of very large Inheritances, seeing the copious Inheritance of the whole Tribe of Benjamin was to be divided among Six Hundred Men (none of the other Tribes must have any share in it,) therefore the share of many Thousands did fall to those few Hundreds, yet so Superstitiously scrupulous were they to disown it, &c.

Fifthly, Notwithstanding the darkness of those Times, yet was there so much light as to look upon Polygamy Unlawful and Impracticable: Fot the Decree ran thus, [Catch ye every Man his Wife, &c.] ver. 21. no more but one Wife for a Man is mentioned; which shews, though Polygamy was practised by some, yet was it not approved even in those Times, yea, and in this case never more needful cause was found for the allow∣ance of it, because the Benjamites were now reduced to a very small number, yet had very great and extraordinary Work that lay before them, namely, the Rebuilding of their Ruined Cities, the Re-peopling of them when Rebuilt, and the Replenish∣ing of that Wide Inheritance, which now did almost lie wholly waste; therefore, if ever, it was now necessary for one Man to have many Wives, for a Greater Increase.

Sixthly and Lastly, Nor were those Times so bad, as to allow of mixed Dancings, like the Dancings of our Days between Men and Women, which in all Ages of the Church, hath been condemned as Wanton and Lascivious; but the Dancings of those Damsels was Sober, Modest, and Acted only by themselves (whereby indeed they were the more exposed to this Rape) we oft read of Virgins Dancing by themselves, Exod. 15.20. Judg. 11.34. 1 Sam. 18, 26. and 2 Sam. 6.20, 22. but not any where of any mixed Dances, as is the corrupt Custom of our Times, &c.

Page  95

Judges CHAP. II. Verse 11.

NOW return we to the History Recorded from Judg. 2.11. unto Judg. 3.11. un∣der the Government of Othniel, whom God made their First Judge after Joshua. Famous Sir Walter Rawleigh saith here, 'Tis not improbable that the War betwixt Ben∣jamin, and the other Tribes of Israel, brake forth between the Times of Joshua and Othniel, for then there was no King in Israel; and the Tribe of Judah, which led the People against the Canaanites, (as it is supposed, under the Conduct of Caleb their Ge∣neral) Judg. 1, 2. did likewise lead up the People in the War against Benjamin, Judg. 20.18. but Dr. Lightfoot steps farther, beyond Sir Walter Rawleigh's Probability, and fix∣eth those Stories in this place, as most proper, which he proveth by many Arguments aforementioned, Judg. 2. from ver. 11. to the end, together with the Seven first Ver∣ses of Judg. 3. give us a General Account of the History of the Judges, whom the Lord raised up successively after this time, when God had been so highly provoked by his Covenanted People, in their Manifold Apostacies and Idolatries) as to sell them several times into Oppressours Hands; for Judg. 2.16. is an Epitome of the whole History of the Judges, saying, [Nevertheless the Lord raised up Judges, who delivered them, &c.] which containeth the Stories of all the Judges, from Joshua to Samson from hence to the end of the Sixteenth Chapter, clearly demonstrating that marvelous Circle which God went in with his People. When they sinned, they were cast down into the hands of Tyrants, when they Repented God raised them up by sundry Judges out of the Tyrant's Hands; as there is a Vicissitude of Nights and Days, so there was of Israels Miseries and Mercies: God checkered his Providences toward them sometime with Black and sometimes with White, and Checker'd-Work is beautiful Work, when Miseries and Mercies are after a comely Manner interwoven, and God's People have their Interchanges of Joys and Sorrows, while they are below, Psal. 55.19. Men fear God by having changes with David, not otherwise, &c. Thus it was with Israel in Canaan, that Land of Hills and Vales, of Ʋp's and Down's, Deut. 11.11. Sometimes they were up on Hills of Prosperi∣ty, and at other times they were down in the Valleys of Adversity, God goes in a Circle with them, and when they were brought to the lowest Ebb, He that was seen in the Mount with Isaac, Gen. 22.14. was seen in the Valley with Israel to mount them up again. God by every Judge (he raised up for them in their low Estate) turned Israel's Sighing in∣to Singing, their Musing into Musick, their Tears into Triumph, and their wringing of Hands for Grief, into clapping of Hands for Joy, &c.

Judges CHAP. III.

JUdges the Third, gives a Narrative of three several Slaveries and most grievous Op∣pressions into which God sold his People for their most Grievous Sins: As, (1.) By the Syrians, from ver. 1. to the 11th. (2.) By the Moabites, from ver. 12. to ver. 30. (3.) By the Philislines, ver. 31. The first under the Syrians, is described,

First, By the Causes of that Slavery: As, (1) The Procuring Cause, namely Israel's sins, such as their toleration of those wicked Nations among them, ver. 5. their Marri∣ages with them, whereby they became corrupted, ver. 6. and then their Apostacy and Idolatry, ver. 6, 7. (2.) The Efficient Cause, the Lord sold them for those aforesaid sins into the hands of the Syrians. (3.) The Material Cause, they were made Slaves and Vassals to the King Cushan-Reshathaim, whom they served eight Years, ver. 8.

Secondly, Their Deliverance from this Slavery is described. (1.) By the Deliverer, the Lord. (2.) The Motive thereunto, the Penitent Cries of his People. (3.) The In∣strument in God's Hand to work their Deliverance was Othniel, ver. 9. whom the Lord qualified with the Gifts of his Spirit for that work he call'd him unto, and who subdu∣ed Page  96the Oppressour, ver. 10. and gave rest to the Land Forty Years, and then Died, verse 11.

Remarks hereupon are,

First, This was the first Servitude and Slavery of the Israelites, ever since they came out of their House of Bondage in Egypt: For now such Detestable Apostacy was found in Israel, as Heaven and Earth had cause to be ashamed of, Jerem. 2.12, 13. therefore is he made a Slave and Servant, ver. 14. The spreading of Idolatry from Micah's House, over the whole Tribe of Dan was mentioned before upon Judg. 17. and 18. Now have we an account how Idolatry did spread over all the other Tribes, how mixed Marriages with the Cursed Canaanites did undo Israel, and brought them to serve Baalim and Ash∣taroth, the He-Gods and the She-Gods of the Heathen, or the Sun and Moon, which many of the Pagans Worshipped, all which was expresly contrary both to God's Command, Deut. 4.19. and 7.1.3, 5. and Exod. 34.13.16, &c. and likewise contrary to their own Solemn Covenant made first at Mount Sinai in Moses's time, and lately renewed, and ratified once and again in the Days of Joshua: Now because they forgot their Cove∣nant and forsook their God (turning to Dumb Idols, &c.) They that would not serve the Lord in the Abundance of all things with Gladness, shall serve their Enemies in the want of all things with sadness, Deut. 28.47, 48. therefore God forsook them, that they might know the Worth of his Service, by the Want of it under Woful Miseries, 2 Chron. 12.8.

The Second Remark is, As this was the first Oppression that Israel met with after their coming out of Egypt, so this King of Syria was their Oppressor: His Name is No∣table and Terrible, [Cushan Reshathaim] which the Chaldee rendreth [Chusan Impij,] a wicked King, of Reshang wicked, H•br. and this teacheth how Tyrants delight in Ter∣rible Names and Titles: His Name here is Verbum sesqui pedale (as Horace doth Phrase it) a bombasting Name, that fills the mouth of the pronouncer of it top full, and the very sound of it was terrible to the Israelites so oft as they heard its big pronunciation, not unlike to that formidable Name of the [Zanzummime] Giants, Deut. 2.20. The Coun∣try of this King is call'd Mesopotamia, Hebr. Aram-Naharaim, that is, the Country of Syria, which is Situated between the two Famous Rivers [Tigris and Euphrates] from whence it hath its Name in the Dual Number. This was the Country where Abraham lived with Terah, Nahor, and Lot, before he removed to Canaan, Gen. 11.32. and 12.4, 5. and Acts 7.2, 3, 4. and afterwards Jacob Sojourned in the same place with Bethuel and Laban, Gen. 28.2.5. As Laban the Syrian had been exceeding injurious to Jacob's Posterity, their Slavery at this time and place might mind them of that of their Patriarch long before, to hide Pride from them, Job 33.17. N. B. This King had God's Commission (as well as his Permission) to oppress Israel, for God sold them into this King's hands, renouncing his own right in them, and delivering them up to him, as the Sel∣ler the thing sold into the hands of the Buyer, and yet was he but a Lessee, his Pos∣session was by vertue of a Lease, and that only a Lease limited to eight years, which (some Interpreters suppose) was the very term of time wherein so long Israel had served Idols in the Groves, the Prince of Darkness directing them to those Dark Pla∣ces (the Thick Groves wherein his Children of Darkness might more closely commit their deeds of darkness:) It surely seem'd very long for those Children of Light to walk in such a place of darkness for eight years together, if so, the time of their Suf∣fering bears a due proportion to the time of their Sinning.

The Third Remark is, The Marvelous proportion God observed (as it were by a Geo∣metrical Rule) in proportioning Israel's Suffering to the proportion of their Sinning, both in this time of their Slavery, and in all the other following times also. As Is∣rael's sinning increased in Magnitude, (being no better by their former Opressions, but ever returning with the Dog to his Vomit, &c.) So their Suffering increased in multi∣tude, every term of their Slavery rising higher and higher. They served this Chusan Eight Years, and (because not bettered thereby) they served Eglon Eighteen Years, ver. 14. and afterward, Jabin Twenty Years, Judg. 4.3. &c. With the froward God will deal frowardly, Psal. 18.26. when lesser Corrections could not restrain them from Sin, God laid heavier Punishments upon them, and punishes them seven times more, yea, and seven times more, and yet seven times more to that, as he had threatned, Levit. 26.18.21.24.28. they must be sure of this, if their Minds mend not, they shall see no end of their misery; 'tis not meet for Men to abuse God's Mercy, and his readi∣ness to deliver them once and again from misery: Nor is it meet that God should cast down the Bucklers first, therefore doth three times raise up his note of threatning to re∣duce Page  97them into obedience, and he raiseth it all by Sevens, which are Discords in Mu∣sick, such Sayings by Sevens do prove Heavy Songs▪ and the execution of them more Heavy Pangs to those that will not be reclaimed by them; God will not give over Punishing, until Men do give over Sinning.

The Fourth Remark is, The Redeemer that the Lord raised up to Redeem Israel out of their first Slavery, was Othniel, ver 9. which God would not yet do for them, un∣til they humbled themselves, casting down the Bucklers first, when God (they saw) would get the better of them: They being brought into most grievious miseries by this Oppressing Tyrant, and finding no relief from their Idols which they Worshiped, they then return to the Lord by Repentance, and cry to him for the pardon of their Sins, and for sending them a Saviour: Hereupon the Lord (who is a None such God, forgiving even None-such Sinners, Mic. 7.18.) stirred up Othniel with extraordinary in∣fluences of his Spirit to undertake their deliverance which now they so earnestly prayed for, ver. 10 Othniel, or Othoniel (in the Hebrew) signifies [the Time or Hour of God, intima∣ting hereby, that God's Time and his Hour was now come (as John. 2.4.) for Israel's De∣liverance. N.B. And this Deliverer, whom God sent to Redeem Israel, when sold into the hands of this terrible Tyrant, was a Type of our dear Redeemer the Lord Jesus, who was sent of God to Redeem us out of the hands of all our Spiritual Enemies, that we might serve God without fear, &c. Luke 1.74, 75. and thus all the other Judges be Types of Christ, though some more eminently than others, as the Sequel may manifest: Here the Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, gave him Prudence, Prowess, and Magnanimity to make War against this Tyrannical Oppressour, and having Vanquish'd him in Battle, he restored rest to God's Israel, governing his People in Peace, and in the Profession and Practice of God's True Religion according to his Law.

The Fifth Remark is, The Lond had Rest forty Years, ver. 11. that is, from the Death of Joshua, to the Death of Othniel. the eight Years of Slavery under the Syrians being included as is a frequent way of reckoning in Scripture, recording the round num∣ber, which gives the main Denomination, and not insisting upon the Fractions, or bro∣ken Numbers, as Numb. 14.33. Acts 7.14, &c. where some odds are, &c. God's Mercy Triumphs over his Justice, Jam. 2.13. and is over all his Works, Psal. 145.8, 9. Here he gives to his Penitent People forty Years Liberty for eight Years Slavery.

The Second Story of Israel's Slavery, (which followeth from ver. 12. to ver. 30.) under Eglon King of Moab, affords many Remarks. As,

First, The loss of a Godly Governour, is sometimes the loss both of Church and State: Othniel dieth, ver. 11. and almost all Godliness dieth with him, for Israel imme∣diately relapseth into their old Idolatry, notwithstanding the former experience they had of the manifold Miseries, which they by the like sins had brought upon themselves, and of God's great Mercy in working their Deliverance, [They did evil again, &c.] ver. 12. neither Ministry, nor Misery, nor Miracle, nor Mercy could mollifie their hard Hearts, nor could any Means constrain them to keep within the bounds of Obedience, but made new out bursts into Notorious Extravagancies: Insomuch that the Lord comes forth in his hot Displeasure, strengthens Eglon to oppress them, and weakens Israel, to oppose his oppression, ver. 12. N.B. 'Tis God's Work to strengthen or weaken the Arm of either Party, Ezek. 30.24, 25. so that they can neither defend themselves, nor offend their Enemies, when God so breaks the Arm, as no means nor Medicines can patch it up again: And sure I am, this is a sure sign of dreadful Divine Wrath, when the Arm of Sion is weakened, and the Arm of Babylon is strengthened, as it was now when Courage was found in Eglon, and Cowardice in Israel, through the cursed Guilt of their own cor∣rupted Consciences.

The Second Remark is, No sooner had Israel sinn'd away their God (who was their Defence) but the Moabites (under Eglon their King) bestir themselves to Tyrannize o∣ver them, nor may this be wondered at, because of the ancient Enmity, Moab had a∣gainst Israel: For though Israel were not injurious to Moab in their Wandrings through the Wilderness, Deut. 2.9. yet in the business of Balaam, Numb. 25.1. Moses made a dreadful Slaughter upon their Confederates, Numb. 31.7, 8, &c. and themselves were excluded, even to the Tenth Generation, from coming into the Congregation of the Lord, Deut. 23.2, 4. for their Hiring of Balaam to Curse them: All this must needs highly in∣cense them against Israel; and being Enemies to God, and to the true Religion, they watched all opportunities to ruine them, and that they might effect it at this time, they call into their Confederacy the Ammonites and Amalekites (both of the like Malice a∣gainst Israel, and prevailing by this threefold Cord, Eglon possesseth himself of Jericho, Page  98ver. 13. and so a King of Moab makes himself King of Israel, and kept his Court even in the Land of Canaan, in the City of Palm-Trees: There is no doubt but Moab's old Malice did spur them to spoil Israel, now brought into Subjection, and now they lay load upon their Slaves, and made their Lives as bitter to them, as the Bondage of Egypt had done before.

N. B. Those Moabites were ever apt to dream of lying comfort to themselves, as they did, when they fancied Water was Blood, and call'd up one another, [now Moab up to the Spoil.] 2 Kings 3.22, 23. where they mused as themselves had used, 2 Chron. 20.23. Such Misconceits might possess them here, Animating each Man, his Neigh∣bour to spoil Israel, whom they had now got under their Feet, and that for a long term of time, even for Eighteen Years, which was Ten Years longer, than was their first Slavery under the Syrians; for Israel's second Apostacy was of a deeper Dye than the first, seeing they had now sinned against more Light and Love in their Redemption by Othniel, therefore are they punish'd more than double, and must serve more than a double (e∣ven almost a treble Apprentiship of Slavery under Eglon; as a Linen Garment, if but lightly fouled, is soon cleansed from those slight Soils, but if a deep Tincture of De∣filement be contracted in it by long and dirty uses thereof, then must there be a strong scouring thereof, and many Frosty Nights lying out of Doors will be little enough to reduce it unto its primitive Whiteness: So the Lord deals with Israel here, and no doubt but this long Servitude cost them many a groan, and many a Cry; and at last, when they cryed aright, the same Gracious God that had heard them in Egypt, Exod. 3.7. was graciously pleased to hear their Groans and Crys now, ver. 15.

The Third Remark is, Israel's Repentance raiseth up Israel's Redeemer the second time; the Lord heard their penitent Crys, and stirr'd up Ehud to deliver them from Eglon, he was Israel's Second Judge, he was a Man of Benjamin, ver. 15. which Tribe was by this time pretty well recruited, through the Blessing of God upon the Marriages of the Six Hundred Men that only remained out of the Wars with the other Tribes, in the Rock Rimmon, as above in the matter of Gibeah, and probably (saith Dr. Lightfoot) he was of Gibeah, for he descended of this same Family in Benjamin, that King Saul was of after∣wards; and thus the Honour of Benjamin (that was lost in the defence of Gibeah's Vil∣lany) was somewhat restored in him, who sprung from the same Gibeah, and as Othniel of the Tribe of Judah, made good Jacob's Prophesie, That Judah should be a Lyon's Whelp, Gen. 49.9. that should bring the Tents of Cushan into Affliction, Habbak. 3.7. So Ehud of the Tribe of Benjamin, made good likewise Jacob's Prophecy, That Ben∣jamin should be a Ravening Wolf, in the Morning devouring the Prey, and at Evening dividing the Spoil, Gen. 49.27. which was accomplish'd in Ehud, as Judah had the first honour of the Judge ship in Othniel, so Benjamin had the second in Ehud, who was Left-handed, and likely was one of those Left-handed Benjamites, who are recorded for Famous War∣riours, Judg. 20.16. and which might be the encouragement of the Benjamite's Confi∣dence, or rather Impudence to Patronize the Notorious Iniquity of Gibeah's Belialists a∣gainst all Israel: However Ehud was Left-handed, whether it came from some Infirmi∣ty of Nature in his Right Hand, or from an ill Custome in Childhood, which in time becometh a second Nature (especially if it be affected) is not told us: Yet this is ex∣pressed, that he used his Left Hand as his Right, not only as a mark of his Courage and Activity, but principally as a considerable Circumstance in the following Story, where∣by he might more advantagiously and more unsuspectedly give the deadly Blow at God's Appointment, which teacheth us, That the Lord oftentimes bringeth to pass exceed∣ing great Works, by exceeding small, infirm and contemptible means; as here, by a Left-handed Man, God wrought a Right handed Deliverance for Israel: Ehud, Hebr. signifi∣eth praising, God chuseth none of the Right-handed Men of Israel (though there were many Thousands of them, and Men of great Gallantry, &c.) but this single Left-hand∣ed Man, to work their Redemption, that the praise thereof might not be ascribed to Man the Instrument, but to God the principal Agent.

N. B. And upon the like account must God be greatly praised by the Church, for his employing Mr. William Perkins, one lame of his Right Hand, and (as an Expositer saith) no less famous in his way than this Ehud, for the Lord enabled him in his most Learn∣ed Writings, even by a Left-handed Pen to stab the great Eglon of Rome to the very Heart. Hereupon a Poet writeth upon him this Distich.

The Fourth Remark is, The Manner how this Israel's Redeemer wrought Israel's Re∣dempiion: The Senate, or Sanhedrim (which bare the sway, Judges not ruling as Mo∣narchs, but being as Chief Commanders, or Generals) sent a Rich Present by Ehud to Eg∣lon, this Present was not their ordinary Tribute, but some extraordinary, large and liberal Donative, thereby to Ingratiate themselves the more into Eglon's Favour for lightening the load of their Intolerable Oppressions, and this is the more manifest, inasmuch as this present required so many People to bear it, as is expresly said) in ver. 18. Ehud fur∣nishes himself for this Embassage with a two edged Dagger, long enough for his design, and not too long for carriage and concealment, girds it under his Raiment upon his right thigh, both to avoid suspicion, and to have it the more ready for his left hand with more nimbleness, ver. 16. Ehud the Chief Embassador, having delivered his grand Present out of the hands of his Associates, departs with them as far as Gilgal, there dismisses them, and returns alone to Eglon, as if he had forgot some matter of great importance, and said to him, I have a secret Errand unto thee, O King, ver. 17.18, 19. Hereupon Eglon commands all his Attendants to withdraw, till Ehud had deliver'd his secret Message, which none of them ought to hear. Ehud then draws nigh him as he was sitting in his Summer Parlour (the place of his Retirement, and where his Servants sometimes waited long, e're they went in to him, ver. 25.) and said again to Eglon, [I have a Message from Elohim unto thee,] ver. 20. Some suppose here, that Eglon thought Ehud had been Worshipping Moab's Idols set up at Gilgal to intice Israel to Idolatry, and that some Secret, touching the King, was revealed by that Idol Oracle to him, which he was now returned to reveal to the King, and the rather because Ehud uses the word Elohim, and not Jehovah for God: But others say, that the sight of those Stone-Images set up by Eglon at Gilgal (where Joshua had erected an Holy Monument, Josh. 4.20. and where God had rolled away the Reproach of Israel, Josh. 5.9.) did so enrage his Spirit, that he returned, resolving to kill that Idolatrous King: Eglon hearing of a Message from Elohim, supposed it came from his False Gods, and therefore from a deep Veneration (according to the common practice of Pagans, a shame to that Irreverence to the true God, too frequent among us,) riseth up from his Seat, though he was a Fat Ʋnweildy Man to receive it; his Fatness is recorded, to declare his being a fairer mark for Ehud to hit, and less able to resist the fatal blow. This Message from Elohim pro∣ved Ehud's Ponyard, it was not to be delivered by Word of Mouth, but by an Act of the Hand, [He thrust his Dagger into Eglon's Belly,] so stab'd him in the Guts, which he had so Deliciously and Daintily for a long time pampered, ver. 21. for which Deed Ehud had undoubtedly an extraordinary Call from God, ver. 15. and so

N. B. This Extraordinary Act of Ehud is not Recorded as an Example of ordinary Imitation: 'Tis not here propounded as a Pattern for common practice: Therefore Ravilliac's killing King Henry the Fourth of France at the Jesuits Instigation, and our own Burchet in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, undertaking to stab a Nobleman, whom he look'd upon as God's Enemy, and such like Enthusiastick Attempts, can have no just Vindication from the Example of Ehud, who was extraordinarily raised up by the Lord to be Israel's Redeemer, who in this Act was indeed a Type of Christ, for as he alone slew Eglon, so our Saviour alone destroyeth Satan: He treads the Wine-press alone, Isa. 63.3. and beside him there is no Saviour, Isa. 43.11. and 45.5. and Christ is described to have a two edged Sword, (like this of Ehud's) Revel. 1.16. wherewith he will destroy that grand Eglon Antichrist, &c. Revel. 19.15. Psal. 149.6.

The Fifth Remark is, The Consequences of this King's Death, which be Three,

First, Ehud's Prudence in escaping his present peril. He went through the Gallery, or Guard-Chamber▪ with such a composed Countenance and Carriage in his going out, so that none of the Courtiers could harbour any suspicion of him, ver. 23. He lock'd the Door and probably took the Key along with him; so great was his Courage from his good Conscience, being fully assured, that God, who had given him this extraor∣dinary Call to undertake this extraordinary Enterprize, would by his Special Provi∣dence preserve him in it, and protect him through it; but behold in the next place, how great a Truth that Adage proveth, [Quos Deus vult Destrui, prius vult Decipi & Dementari,] Whom God will have destroyed, He will first have them deceived, and no∣toriously Infatuated, as were this King and all his Courtiers, the Lord here helped Ehud Page  100so, as that he out-witted them all: Eglon himself falls by his own Sublime Infatuation, in putting forth and packing out of his Parlour all his Yeomen of the Guard, and all the Lords of his Council to be left alone, and in his mistaking Transport at Ehud's Elohim, &c. as above; and now all his Courtiers were likewise no less confounded.

N. B. The same God, who had commanded Ehud to stab Eglon, did likewise (for the safety of his Servant in his Service) Infatuate all his Courtiers, filling their Minds with false Imaginations. For,

First, They had not the least Suspicion of Ehud's doing any evil Act, when they saw him walk leisurely away with so serene and sedate an Aspect, his Faith being above his Fear in that most eminent danger, his Confidence in God, that called him to this Exe∣cution of Justice, carried him off in a constant Composure (both of gesture and posture) as if indeed unconcerned, therefore Eglon's Attendants had no Jealousie concerning him, for the Lord hid it from them.

Secondly, Those Servants (after Ehud had pass'd safely by them) came to the Door of the Parlour, and finding it fast locked, they said, [Surely he covereth his Feet in his Summer Chamber,] ver. 24. Here a Second Infatuation was upon them; whether [by covering his Feet] they suppos'd he was only easing Nature, may be much question'd, though it be commonly so taken both here and in 1 Sam. 24.3. not only because a Summer-Room is properly design'd for a place of delight, and not for any such offensive use, but also because it was usual in those hot Countries to lay down in some cool place and take a Nap at Noon, as both Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 4.5. and David did, 2 Sam. 11.2. and when they did so in such cool places (such as this Summer Parlour undoubtedly was) they used to cover their Feet, as Boaz is said to do, Ruth 3.7. Hereupon I the rather judge, that Eglon's Servants did suppose that their Lord was laid down to sleep, partly because this sense best suiteth with Saul's case in the Cave, 1 Sam. 24.3. for David might better cut off Saul's Lap when he was asleep, than while he was only easing himself of his Excre∣ments, seeing Saul was insensible when David did it, and partly because this was a more probable Reason of the Courtiers, so long waiting at the Door, which was their third In∣fatuation. They must rather suppose that their Lord was laid down to sleep (which would take up some considerable time) than only that he was now emptying his pam∣pered Panch, which is a Work done in a little time, so could not be any occasion of their waiting so long until they were ashamed, ver. 25. loath they were, most probably, to disturb him of his Repose, as on the other hand, they would not be found guilty of any unlawful Neglect towards their Liege Lord and King, thus were they confounded among themselves, none of them knew what to think or speak; yet all this while God was at work in over-ruling their gross Mistake, for while they were made to linger along time. God convey'd his Servant Ehud safe home to Israel, ver. 26.

The second Consequence of this Tyrant's Death was Israe's Deliverance from Moab's Tyranny, the Circumstances whereof are here described, ver. 27, 28, and 29.

The First is, Before those Courtiers could find another Key, (it being common in Princes Courts, to have divers Keys for the same Door) Politick as well as Pious Ehud, made a safe Retreat: 'Tis a great Truth, [Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe, and Policy without Piety, is too subtle to be good.] Here was a blessed mixture of both in Ehud: He escapes unto Seirath, near to Mount-Ephraim, and not far from Eglon's Summer-Par∣lour, while his Servants loitered thus at the Door, but at long last opened it, and there found their Lord asleep, indeed (as they had expected) but it proved his long sleep, a sleep unto Death it was that he slept, Psal. 13.3. [their Lord, they saw, was fallen down dead on the ground] ver. 25. No doubt but this frightful unexpected Spectacle did fright those Courtiers into a most dreadful Consternation: Oh! In what confusion were they now plung'd into, especially when they heard that Ehud was approaching to Assault them, &c.

The Second Circumstance is, No sooner was Ehud return'd safe to Seirath, but he blew a Trumpet, sounding an Alarm of War to those Warlike Men of Mount-Fphraim, whom unquestionably he had prepared for a March, by those Associates who bore the pre∣sent to Eglon, and whom he had sent back to make all ready, himself having a particu∣lar Faith for success in his secret Service; then comes Ehud Captain General, march∣ing in the Head of his Mustered Army (whom Oppression had made mad against Moab) useth this Stratagem of seizing upon the Fords of Jordan, that no Moabites in Canaan might escape home to Moab, nor any Moabites could come to succour those he assaulted in Canaan; then, like a Politick Commander, takes this Golden Opportunity of fal∣ling Pell-mell (as we say) upon these their oppressing Moabites in Canaan, while they Page  101were in such a desperate Hurry about their Kings Death, and Slays of them above Ten Thousand Men; yea, and the Scripture sets an Asteriscus, a Star of Note upon those slaughtered Moabites, [that they were all Lusty, Fat, and Corpulent Men] Eglon's People were Fat like himself, and as it were stewed in their own Broth, for those Lord-Danes had long for Eighteen Years eaten of the Fat, and drunk of the Sweet, while the poor Israelites (their Slaves and Vassals) were forced to feed upon hard Fare, even in the Land of Promise.

The Third Consequent was Israel's Peace and Tranquility for 80 Years, ver. 30. that is, reckoning from the Death of Othniel, and so taking into the Account of this time, the time of their Defection after Othniel's Death, when they had no Judge over them, and wherein, through Divine Indulgence, they enjoyed Peace and Prosperity in the time of their Apostacy; together with the Eighteen Years wherein they were op∣pressed by the Moabites; for 'tis not unusual, both in Scripture, and in other Authors, to denominate Times from the greater part, as here it was, especially when Israel en∣joyed some degrees of rest even in their Times of Slavery, which here they did, God rarely dealing with them according to the Rigour of his Justice, and the Demerit of their Sin.

The Sixth Remark on this Third Chapter, is the Story of Shamgar the Third Judge, ver. 31. Israel after the Death of Ehud, falls foul into their old Idolatry again, for which, before it was long, they fall also under another Oppression by the Philistines, as formerly by the Syrians and Moabites, one fall begat another, their sin of Apostacy be∣gat their punishment under Tyranny: God never wants Arrows to shoot at Sinners. It might be said of the Pagan Jove,

If Jove should throw his Thunderbolts every time that Men offend him, his Maga∣zine of Arms would in a little time be exhausted: But this cannot be said of the true Jehovah, who threatneth Israel, [I will heap up Mischiefs upon you, and spend my Arrows on you,] Deut. 32.23. which yet can never be all spent up, for so long as Man's sins a∣bide, God's Judgments abide also. Man must leave sinning, before God leave punish∣ing: The Syrians were the first Arrows God shot at Back-sliding Israel, for the same sin, were the Moabites, and now for the like the Philistines, and thus it hath been ever since; God never wanted a Rod wherewith to Chastise his wanton Children, and thus it will be to the end of the World, so long as the Serpent's Seed is in it, &c. Yet this is Comfort, God never suffers a Malady, but, in his own time, he sends a Remedy, as were Othniel and Ehud in the two former Maladies, and so was Shamgar in this.

Objection. Some indeed do doubt whether this Shamgar was one of the Judges of Israel, because partly the Scripture speaks so little of him, not shewing of what Tribe he was, nor that he Judged Israel, nor doth it relate any more of his Acts, save only this one Exploit, and that done by himself alone, &c. And partly because Shamgar is left out of the Catalogue of Israel's Judges by sundry of the Fathers, as by Clemens Alexandrinus, by Isidore, &c. seeing he is not said to do any one Act of a Judge, save only in this one Exploit, which being single (by his own Hands only) might fall out while Ehud was Judge, the Philistines making then an Incursion into Canaan, &c.

Answer 1. Had not Shamgar been a Judge, the Scritpure would not have said [after Ehud was Shamgar] ver. 31. therefore this Exploit of Shamgar could not fall out in Ehud's time, seeing 'tis expresly declared to be after him.

2. Josephus, Origen, and others, Judge him to be one of the Judges.

3. Though it be no where said, that he Judged Israel, no more is it said so of either Othniel, or Ehud, whom Shamgar is said to have succeeded.

4. If he were not formally a Judex, yet was he certainly a Vindex to Israel, in re∣venging their Wrongs upon the Invading Philistines, as Samson did afterwards, when the Philistines ruled with Rigour over them.

5. He is expresly call'd Israel's Saviour, or Deliverer here, which was the proper Work and Denomination of a Formal Judge.

6. By this one Miraculous Deliverance of Israel, he seem'd to merit the place of Chief Governour, unto which the whole Body of the People might call him by a com∣mon and universal Consent.

Page  102 Inquiry. Why then is the Scripture so short in the Story of Shamgar, as to include it in one Vese, yet larger on others? &c.

Answer 1. 'Tis probable Shamgar's Judgship was very short, lasting (as some say) on∣ly for a few Months, and not a whole Year, even in the last of the Eightieth Year of Ehud, dying in the beginning of that Year, so Shamgar being his Successor, wrought this Deliverance before the Year expired.

2. Other Learned Men are of Opinion, that many more Victories might very pro∣bably be obtained by Shamgar's Valour, though this only one be mentioned, as being of all the rest most famous and renowned, for the Scripture studies Brevity.

3. I have consulted Josephus, who saith, after Ehud, Shamgar the Son of Anath was chosen Governour, and in the first Year of his Reign, he lest this Life to partake the Fruition of another, therefore his short Reign hath a short Story.

4. This Renowned Act Recorded of him, is Instar omnium, carrying so great a Fi∣gure, that it out shines (as well as includes) many more Memorable Archievements, that one single Man should slay Six Hundred Philistines, with so weak a Weapon, as an Oxes Goad; the corrupt Latin Version doth indeed say, he did it with an Iron Plow-share, judging the former an improbable Instrument; for say some (in Vindication of that Vulgar Version) 'tis not likely that Israel, being not at this time sold into the Philistines hands, should be unprovided of better Weapons, seeing they bordered upon their Country, who had an implacable Enmity against them: But we Answer, It is not safe to go from the literal sense of the words of the Text, upon such weak and ungrounded Conjectures: The Hebrew word Bemalmad Habbakar, is rightly rendred an Oxe-Goad, and should not be read an Iron Plow-share, for the Hebrew is in Documento Bovis of Lamad to teach, or learn; now the Plow-share is no Document to the Oxe, as the Goad is, that teaches him to mend his pace, when pricked with it; nor ought the Oxe-Goad seem an unseemly Instrument to any that believe there is a God, whose presence makes one of his People to chase a Thousand, Deut. 32.30. and can make the weakest Weapon strong enough, when God puts strength into it to do great Exploits: Nor is this more incredible for Shamgar alone to slay Six Hundred Philistines with an Oxe-Goad, than it was for Samson himself alone to slay a Thousand Philistines with the Jaw-bone of an Ass, which none can deny, because the Scripture of truth affirms it, as it doth this also, as both were alike strange Renowned and Miraculous Victories.

N.B. Learned Lavater not improbably affirmeth, that this Shamgar was an Husbandman, and as he was Tilling of his Ground, those Philistines made an Inroad into Canaan, and in that part of it, where he was Plowing with a Plough of Oxen, he hereupon leaves his Plough standing in the Field, with his Oxe Goad upon his Shoulder, falls furiously upon them, and with it knocks them down dead, until he had slain Six Hundred of them, and puts the rest to flight, and this he maketh the more probable by two Instan∣ces: he saith,

First, 'Tis usual with the Hungarians to leave their Ploughs standing in the Field, and to fall upon the Turks, (who make frequent Incursions into their Countrey) with the best Weapons they can catch hold of, and for want of better, with their very Plough-Staves.

His Second Instance is, [Simili modo ab Aratro ad Dictaturam vocati fuere prisci Romano∣rum Heroes.] In like manner those famous Heroes among the Ancient Romans, were cal∣led from the Plough to the High Office of Roman Dictators, as were Camillus, Curius, &c. who with great Magnanimity and Courage, Conquered the Gauls, &c. and drove them out of the Roman Territories, whereby they stand Recorded in the Roman History for Rome's Liberators, as Shamgar is Israel's here.

N.B. We must borrow a Supplement to this last Verse of Chapter the Third (wherein so short an Account is related concerning Shamgar's Story) from Deborah's Song wherein this Shamgar is mentioned, and where we are told the deplorable Estate of Israel [in the Days of Shamgar, &c.] Chap. 5. ver. 6, 7, 8, 10, 11. where we have an Account of Affairs from the Death of Ehud, until Deborah and Barak's Conquest of Jabin King of Canaan, and of his General Sisera: This sad case is set forth in several parts.

First, Their High-ways were Ʋnoccupied, &c. Times were then so troublesome, that there was no peace to the Traveller in his going out, or coming in, as 2 Chron. 15.2. so that no Commerce in Trading could be carried on, because Robbers abounded in all their High ways, and if any Travelled in Matters of great Importance, they were for∣ced to Travel in By-Roads for fear of Robbers.

Page  103 Secondly, They durst not dwell in Villages and Unwalled Towns, but the Country-People generally forsook them for saving their Lives and Goods in fortified Cities unto which they were forced to fly.

Thirdly, War was then in the Gates, not only of the Villages, (where Country men could not secure themselves from the Insolency of the Enemies Soldiers) but even of the Cities also into which they were fled: War pursued them and shut them in by a Siege, &c.

Fourthly, As there could be no exercise of Trade; so nor could there be any Execu∣tion of Justice, either in Walled Cities, or Unwalled Towns, their Judges durst not Ride upon White Asses to Judgment.

Fifthly, Nor durst the very Boys and Girls go forth to the Wells (very precious in those hot Countries) nor any other Tankerd-Bearers, to draw a little Water, because the Enemies Archers shot at them.

Sixthly, The Canaanites being Conquerors over them, did universally disarm the Con∣quered; this dispirited Israel so that scarce one of Forty Thousand durst be seen, or known to have any Arms or Ammunition; Swords and Bows, &c. they might have privily, but neither Shield nor Spear was seen amongst them, and all these six Mischiefs came upon them, because they chose new Gods [Gods] in the plural, whereas the true God is but one in the Singular; it was the Old Serpent's Grammar that first taught Men to decline [God] in the plural Number, saying, [Ye shall be as Gods] Gen. 3.5. [New Gods] meer Upstarts, compared with the Ancient of Days, the Eternal God, [and un∣known to their Fathers,] therefore the Lord sold them into the Hands of those Hea∣thens, whose Gods they (not by Constraint, but) chose willingly to Worship: Though Shamgar began a great Deliverance for Israel, by his getting one wonderful Victory over the Philistines, &c. Yet God's People lay a long time under those Plagues afore∣said: Shamgar wrought not a perfect Deliverance, God reserved that for Deborah to do.

Juges CHAP. IV.

JUdges Chapter the Fourth, declareth Israel's Deliverance by Deborah, and Chapter the Fifth is Deborah's Spiritual Song for that Deliverance.

The Remarks upon the first.

The First is, Israel's Defection taketh is Date after the Death of Ehud, Chap. 4. ver. 1. no mention being made of Shamgar for three Reasons.

• 1. Because his Judgeship lasted only for a few Months.
• 2. Because he did not fully and perfectly Deliver Israel. And,
• 3. Because he did not reform, and reduce them into the right way. 'Tis justly to be wondred at, that this People of God, notwithstanding the Manifold Miseries they had met with, and groaned under for the sake of their sins, together with as manifold Mer∣cies of God in delivering them upon their Repentance, which they had experimentally found, yet no sooner was Ehud Dead, but they returned to their old Vomit, and sin∣ned more heinously than they had done before, for now they had not only submitted to Idolatry, when they were forced to it by Tyrants, but they had freely and volunta∣rily on their own accord, chosen now Gods, &c. Chap. 5.8.

The Second Remark is, Therefore God sold them again into the hands of Jabin King of Canaan, whose General was Sisera, ver. 2. Thus God made Israel's Choice to become their Judgment; when they might have cut off the Cursed Canaanites under Jo∣shua, they would not, though God commanded them to do so; but now, when they would, they cannot, for those Canaanites they spared, fled into the North part of Ca∣naan, there fortified themselves, and this Jabin was King over them, who watched all opportunities to be revenged of Israel, for their former dispossessing his People, slay∣ing his Father, or Grand-Father, and burning his Royal City with Fire, Josh. 11.10, 11. therefore, partly from his own profound Malice and revengful Rancour against Israel, and partly through the Just Judgments of God upon them (their aggravated sins crying for aggravating Punishments) this Jabin mightily oppressed Israel for Twenty years, ver. 3. No wonder if Israel now cryed at the end thereof, when they saw his Nine Page  104Hundred Chariots of Iron, which had Iron Hooks like Sithes fastened in their Axle-trees on either side, to cut in sunder all that stood in their way, and two other Hooks of Iron bending towards the Ground to tear those that fell down under them: No doubt but Israel had oft cryed long before this time under their grievous Oppressions, but they had only howl'd upon their Beds, as Hos. 7.14. not with their hearts in unfeigned Repentance till now, they saw his Rage was above all former Tyrants, who were all Forreign, but this was a Canaanite which God had promised to cast out before them, but now for their sins had rejected them, and suffered their Foes to fall foul on them, &c.

The Third Remark is, Israel's Deliverance from this Dangerous Bondage, which the Lord wrought for them upon their real Repentance by a Threefold Instrument. (1.) By Deborah. (2.) By Barak. And (3.) By Jael. God never suffers his Servants to fall so low, but still his Everlasting Arms are underneath them, and so, lower than they to raise them up again, Deut. 33.27. Psal. 37.24. Prov. 24.16. Mich. 7.8, 9. Cant. 2.6. The Lord never letteth any Malady to befal his Church and Children, but he hath a Remedy ready to redress it, when unfeigned Repentance hath ripen'd them to re∣ceive it.

The Fourth Remark is, Israel's principal Deliverer in the Lord's Hand is Deborah, who is here described, (1.) By her Sex, a Woman. (2.) By her Office, which was double, both Ecclesiastical, a Prophetess, and Political or Civil, a Judge, ver. 4, 5. (3.) By her Authority in calling and constituting Barak to be the General of Israel's Army against Jabin the Tyrant that oppressed them, ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. This Deborah was not only a Prophetess, (as were Miriam, Exod. 15.20. Huldah, 2 King. 22.14. Elizabeth, Luke 1.41, 42. Anna, Luke 2.36. and Philips four Daughters, Act. 21.9.) but also Governess and Judge, who being a most eminently Pious and Prudent Woman, did determine Causes and Controversies arising among the Israelites, unto whom she revealed the Will of God by the Spirit of Prophecy, her Name Deborah in Hebrew signifies [a Bee] and so she was indeed as she made Honey for her Friends, but had a Sting for her Foes; and here we may stand and wonder how, when Israel's Oppression was the mightiest, strongest, and longest, ver. 3. The Lord makes choice of an Instrument of the weaker Sex to de∣liver them from it, that his Power and Might might be the more manifested in the weakness of those means that effected so great a Work.

The Fifth Remark is, Deborah, by her Authority calls forth Barak to be her General, [she sent to him] but went not, ver. 6. bids him take Ten Thousand Men, &c. and assures him from the Lord, he should obtain the Victory, ver. 7. Though Barak be recorded for a Man famous for his Faith, Hebr. 11.32, 33. yet here he sheweth some Unbelief and Diffidence, in not daring to go without Deborah, ver. 8. he doubted of God's bare Promise without the Pledge of the Prophetess's Presence, whom he thought God would preserve, and him for her sake, well knowing withal, that she would on all occasions counsel him, and pray for him, as a Prophetess. Another ground of his doubting and distrust might be that Ten Thousand Men were but a few to fight against Sisera, who had in his Army (as Josephus relateth it) Ten Thousand Horse, and Three Hundred Thousand Foot, forgetting that God can save by a little help, Dan. 11.34. 1 Sam. 14.6. 2 Chron. 20.12, 17. Hereupon Deborah tells Barak, that his Diffidence and Distrust would debar him the Honour of a General, because a weak Woman would share with him therein, and have the glory of it, ver. 9. for Deborah Conquered Sisera's Army, and Jael kill'd his person: As this War was undertaken by a Woman, so it was compleated by a Woman also.

The Sixth Remark is, Barak by his Commission Musters up Ten Thousand Footmen, marcheth in the head as General of them, (together with Deborah) against Sisera's Ten Thou∣sand Horse, &c. Deborah encourages Barak to fall on, for the Lord of Hosts was gone out before him as the Supreme Generalissimo of his Army, who is a Man of War, (as Mo∣ses calls him) Exod. 15.3. and who is alone a whole Army of Men, both Van and Rear, Isa. 52.12. and no less he proved to this handful of penitent Israelites in this Expedition, for the Lord of Hosts himself began this Battel, with Thunders, Lightnings, and Hail-stones from Heaven, that 'tis said, [The Lord discomfited Sisera, &c.] ver. 15. and Debo∣rah in her Song doth acknowledge it, Judg. 5.20. where also we have Account, that God's shooting off Heavens great Canons against the Canaanites (Lightning being the Fire, Thunder the Report, and Hail-stones the Bullets shot at them) wherewith that Cursed Crew were so affrighted, that many of them ran into the River Kishon, and there perished, Judg. 5.21. 'Tis the more probable, that the Lord raised such an Im∣petuous Page  105Storm, by sharpening the Influences of the Stars, and disposing the Air to re∣ceive and improve their Impressions after an extraordinary manner at this time, seeing the Lord had done the like before in Joshua's time, Josh. 10.10, 11. as he did after in Samuel's, 1 Sam. 7.10. Psal. 18.9, 10, to 15. Barak had little to do in this Battel (wherein God was the principal Agent) but to be an Instrument in God's Hand to serve his Providence, in killing out-right those that were half kill'd to his hand with fear and astonishment, that prodigiously vast Army (as Josephus makes it) melted away in a moment by the force of an hot Fire from Heaven upon them, so that there was not a Man left in the Field, ver. 16. some fled away as Sisera did, ver. 17.

The Seventh Remark is, Jael's Slaughter of Sisera: Great Warriours look'd upon it as one of the deepest disgrace (that could befal them) to fall down dead by the Hands of a Woman, as Abimelech did, Judg. 9 54. So Sisera did here; the manner of it in short was thus.

First, The Kenites (whereof Jael and her Husband Heber was one, descended from Jethro, Moses's Father-in-Law) were a peaceable People, minding only their Meditati∣ons upon the Law, and pasturing their Cattle, so Jabin was at peace with them, fear∣ing no danger from them, therefore Sisera flees thither for Refuge, thinking to lurk more securely in Jael's Tent, than in Heber's. N.B. Some say, that those Kenites, being careful to keep themselves uncorrupted with Israel's Sins, therefore were preserved from partaking with them in their Plagues, they were not plagued by, but at peace with Jabin, ver. 17.

Secondly, Jael inticed Sisera into her Tent with many fair words, which made a Fool fain: He had forsaken his Chariot, and now his Flight upon his Feet had made him hot, dry, and weary; she Courts him, [Lay down my Lord to rest you,] covers him with a Rug to keep him from catching cold, ver. 18. then gives him an hearty Draught of Milk, the Nature whereof is, (when largely drunk by them that are hot, to render them sleepy, though he only desired Water, ver. 19. Then he, imperiously enough, com∣mands her to promise his Protection from his Pursuers, ver. 20. This he requireth, but in the midst of all her other actual Dissimulations, she piously and prudently makes him no promise to it, being one of those Children of God, that will not lie, Isa. 63.8. Zeph. 3.13. Psal. 119.29. An officious Lie was then look'd upon as a Peccadillo, a small fault, as it is by too many in our times; he saucily demanded it, as if she had been the Kitchin Girl, and not the Mistress, and she as subtilly replys not to it.

Thirdly, When Fright, Flight, and Grief, and perhaps long watching, together with the means she had used in order thereunto, had cast him into a deep Sleep, then Jael takes a long Pin pointed with Iron (wherewith the Cords of the Tent were usually fastened to secure it from Wind and Weather) which was long and strong enough for her purpose to pierce his Temples, and to fasten him to the Ground, all which she ef∣fected here, ver. 21. N.B. Lo, there lay this proud Worms-Meat, cast out of his deep sleep into his long sleep, and his Head and Ear in such a posture, as if it lay listning (as one wittily saith) what was become of his Soul, which was now flown away out of the wound in his Body, or Head.

Two Inquiries are to be answered here. The First is, Why did Jael slay Sisera here with her own hand, and did not rather detain him, (being fallen so fast asleep) until Barak, whom she expected, came to deliver him into his Hands?

Answer. She, a Wise Woman, look'd upon Delays to be dangerous; what knew she, but he being in such a Fright, now fled out of the lost Field, his fancy might dream thereof, and so start out of his sleep, and be gone, a weak Woman could not detain so strong and Martial a Man, and had he escaped with his Life, he might have recruit∣ed and renewed his Army, and so have raised a new War against God's People.

The Second Inquiry is, Whether Jael did her Duty here, and that which was lawful, in slaying, this General of Jabin, with whom the Kenites had made peace, ver. 17. and a Man, whom she had invited into her Tent, to whom, entertaining him with all seem∣ing tenderness of Hospitality, she tacitly promises Protection, saying, [fear not,] ver. 17.

Answer. Though the Anti-Scripturists do reject the Divine Authority of the Scrip∣tures, because this Fact of Jael is so highly commended in Deborah's Song, Judg. 5.24. which they call an horrid Violation of all the Laws, both of Hospitality and of Humanity it self, seeing Peace was concluded betwixt her and Sisera, and she had pretended pre∣sent Friendship, &c. Yet seeing she is so highly commended for this fact by the Spirit of Truth, and call'd, Blessed above Women for so doing, Judg. 5.24. The Act must be Page  106look'd upon as proceeding from a singular Zeal to God's Glory, and the Welfare of God's Church and Children of Israel, who had been cruelly oppressed by this Tyrant that God now had doomed and designed for destruction. No doubt but she was inspir∣ed by the Holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner and measure for so great an Exploit above the capacity of the Female Sex. I find many Arguments among the Learned that be alledged to vindicate the lawfulness of Jael's Fact. As,

• 1. There was no Peace betwixt Sisera and the Kenites, but what was by Compulsion only, it was only a cessation from Acts of Hostility, for they were forbidden to make any League with the cursed Canaanites.
• 2. To such Pacifications from Acts of Hostility the Men only were called, but not the Women, nor were the Wives equally obliged thereto with their Husbands.
• 3. And both Parties were at Liberty to violate this sort of Pacification, when it stood with their conveniency.
• 4. It is not said, that there was any League of Friendship confirmed by an Oath be∣twixt Jabin and Heber, &c.
• 5. If there were an Oath, yet might Heber have a Dispensation from God to absolve him from this Oath, and he was really absolved, when God commanded this War.
• 6. Sisera was now declared an open Enemy to Israel, and though the Kenites were not Israelites, yet were they incorporated into their Church and Commonwealth, and so were bound to seek its safety in their Enemies ruine.
• 7. Jael had not done her duty, if she had not kill'd Israel's principal Enemy, and therefore all the means to accomplish that end (namely, enticing him into her Tent, refreshing him with Drink, &c.) were as justifiable in her, as all other Stratagems of War in the best Commanders, wherein one thing is pretended to encourage and draw on an Enemy, when as 'tis wholly intended to entrap and ensnare them for their utter destruction; so that though there might be failure in some Circumstances, yet the sub∣stance was good.
• 8. See Psal. 83.9, 10. justifying this fact, where the Psalmist prays, that God would serve all his Churches Oppressours, as he had served Sisera, &c.

Judges, CHAP. V.

JƲdges the Fifth is Deborah's Song for this Miraculous Victory, the Historical part whereof after the Prologue is,

First, A Recognition, or Review of former Deliverances, which the Lord had most graciously granted unto Israel upon their Repentance, and returning to him, ver. 2, 4, 5.

Secondly, A Commemoration of the deplorable Condition of Israel, immediately be∣fore this eminent Victory, to wit, no Trading, no Travelling, &c. ver. 6, 7. upon which Remarks be made before, pag. 102. Paragraph last upon Chap. 3.

Thirdly, A Relation, or Narrative of this Victory in all its Commodities obtained thereby to all Ranks of Israel, from ver. 8. to 13. to the Princes, ver. 9. to the Elders, &c. ver. 10. to the Subjects in their Travel and Traffick, ver. 10. to Boys and Girls in their drawing of Water, ver. 11. to the Countrey-men, who now might live safely in their Country-Farms, to the Judges, who now might sit safely in places of Judicature, ver. 11. and lastly, to Deborah and Barak, ver. 12. who now sang forth God's Praises.

Fourthly, An high Commendation of those that had been Instruments in this Glorious Victory, as both of Men, Princes, ver. 14, 15. and People, ver. 18. and of Women, where the Heroick Act of Jael is most highly applauded, ver. 24, 25, 26, 27.

Fifthly, A Severe Reproof to the Deserters for their Neutrality and Treachery, both to the Tribes of Reuben, ver. 15, 16. and of Gad, Dan and Asher, ver. 17. and to the City Meroz, ver. 23. which was a City in Galilee belonging to Israel, and nigh the place of Battel, yet came not in to help, and therefore is for her cold Neutrality most bitterly Cursed, so that we never read of Meroz more, as no more of the Fig-tree which Christ Cursed, whereas Jael, not of Israel, but a Kenite, did act Heroically for the good of Israel, so is most highly Blessed.

Sixthly, A Graphical Draught and Description of this Famous Battel. (1.) Of Israel's Enemies, ver. 19. where they are commended for their Unanimity; all the Confe∣derate King's of Canaan could Combine under the great King Jabin against Israel, Page  107whereas many of Israel stood Neuters, and could not Combine against the Common Enemy; and their Multitude is there likewise intimated (which gives a lustre to their Ʋnanimity, though many) for they were so vastly numerous as to fill all the Cham∣pion Countrey betwixt the Waters of Megiddo, and the River Kishon; yea and lastly, they could all be Voluntiers, while many Israelites were cursed Neuters; and for their Magnanimity too, they could serve Sisera freely without pay, [they took no gain of Money] such love they had to their Cause, or rather such Malice against Israel, whose Spoil they hoped for their Pay. (2.) Of Israel's Auxiliaries both the Stars above, ver. 20. having the upper ground of the Enemy, and Kishon below, ver. 21. swept them away, as a Be∣some doth Dust and Dirt out of a Room.

Seventhly, The Epiphonema, Conclusion, or Epilogue, is partly pleasant in a Poetical Sarcasm, or Scoff at Sisera's Mother, who was sure of her Son's Success, &c. ver. 28, 29, 30. Such was her Pride and Carnal Confidence upon sensual grounds, having no respect to the Power and Providence of God, and 'tis partly serious in praying that God would Dung his Vineyard with the dead Carcasses of his Enemies, ver. 31. Psal. 83.10. and that Israel might be as the Rising Sun: So the Land had rest Forty Years under Debo∣rah from Ehud's Death.

Judges CHAP. VI.

THE History of Gideon is held forth in the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Judges: The Sixth Chapter is a Narrative of Gideon's Eminent Call, to undertake the Expedition against the Midianites, into whose hands the Lord had now sold Israel.

The Remarks hereupon are, First, Israel's new Apostacy brings new Plagues and Pu∣nishments upon them: This was the bad Fruit of their Forty Years Peace procured by Deborah, a Sedentary Life is most subject to contract many Distempers, and standing Waters soon putrifie by a constant Stagnation; Solomon saith, Ease slayeth the Foolish, Prov. 1.32.

N. B. 'Tis an old Adage, Anglica g•ns est optinra slens, & pessima Ridens: The English are best in Adversity, and worst in Prosperity, as it was with Israel often: 'Tis hard, yet happy not to grow worse by times of Liberty: Omnes licentra deteriores: If the Sea were not tossed with Tides and Tempests, whereby it is made to Vomit up much Mire and Dirt, Isa. 57.20. it would soon become a stinking Pool, and poison the very Air we breathe in, Israel doth evit again in the time of their Ease, ver. 1. and this Apostacy of theirs was Idolatry, for which they are reproved, ver. 10. Therefore God pours them from Vessel to Vessel from the oppression of the Canaanites to this of the Midianites to purge them from their Lees, that they might not as Moab, have a filthy taste in them, Jerem 48.11.

The Second Remark is, The Midianites must be now the next Rod of God's Anger wherewith to chastize Israel for their present Apostacy: The Church is God's Husbandry, 1 Cor. 3.9. and he employs his Plowers to Plow upon her Back, and here to make Furrows of Seven Years length, Psal. 129.3. that he might meet with a better Crop, than the Weeds of Idolatry. The Midianites are those Plowers who Plowed, until God by Gideon, cut their Plow-Traces, or Cords and then they could Plow no more, Psal. 129.4. but this was not done, before Israel had been greatly plowed and plundered, and thereby brought to Repentance, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

N. B. 'Tis a wonder that those Midianites, who had been so universally cut off by Moses, for vexing Israel, &c, Numb. 25.17. and 31. ver. 8. should now in a∣bout two hundred Years time become so prodigiously numerous as to come up like Grashoppers for Multitude, to devour the whole Corn of Canaan (the Judgment threatned in Joel 2.3.) that as they had in Moses's time over-witted Israel with their Wiles, so now they will over power them with their numberless Army, harassing and laying waste all that stood in their way, insomuch that the poor Israelites were driven by them into sun∣dry lurking Holes.

The Third Remark i• Israel was Reproved by a Prophet, ver. 8. as well as corrected by the Midianites, Nocumenta, Documenta: We may well wonder that those Children of the Free Woman should be made to serve a most woful Apprentiship of Seven Years un∣der Page  108Midean, as if they had been the Children of the Bond Woman only, Gal. 4.30, 31. yet because they sinned still more, they shall suffer still more; the Lord sold them into the Hands of those Malicious Midianites (in whose Breasts old Rancour and Revenge had laid long boiling) who dealt more morosely and cruelly with them than any Tyrants they had felt before: All this was to reduce them to Repentance: The merciless Midi∣anites make them to cry with their Addresses to God, now are they become Docible; God sends a bitter Message by a Prophet to them, to tell them they were justly plagued, for God had threatned [They should Sow, but another would Reap, Deut. 28.51. as John 4.37.] but they had nor fear'd it, till now they felt it: He upbraids them with breach of Covenant, Psal. 78.34. to 37. aggravating it with their forgetting all the former Fa∣vours of God, and of their Sordid Ingratitude and Disobedience to him, ver. 7, 8, 9, 10.

Enquiry. Who was this Prophet that the Lord sent here?

Answer 1. Not an Angel, as Lyra delitiously fancieth, for then he would not be cal∣led (a Man-Prophet] Ish Nabi, as the Hebrew hath it, nor are Angels in Scripture call'd Prophets, though Prophets sometimes be call'd Angels, Mal. 3.1, &c.

Answer 2. Some say it was Phinehas, because he is mentioned after in Judg. 20.28. but how that was before this, hath been demonstrated above; but this cannot be, for then he must be about two hundred Years old, &c.

Answer 3. That he was a Man-Prophet, is enough for us to know, seeing the Holy Spirit thought it not necessary to reveal his Name, as is not unusual in other Histories of Scripture; 'tis said only, [A Man of God came to Eli,] 1 Sam. 2.27. so to Jeroboam, 1 Kings 13.1. and a Prophet to Ahab, 1 Kings 20.13. and again, ver. 22.28. not named who they were to teach us; where the Sacred Scripture hath not an Holy Mouth to speak, we may not have an Ʋnholy Tongue to ask, &c.

The Fourth Remark is, The Blessed Messiah appeareth unto Gideon threshing Wheat to hide it from the Midianites, ver. 11, 12. When Israel was kindly humbled by the Prophet's Reproof, and cryed mightily to God for Mercy and Deliverance, then comes the Mes∣siah in the form of a Man, and like a Travelling Man with his Staff in his hand, ver. 21. and as weary with his Travel upon some long Journey, therefore he reposeth himself here under the Oak of Ophrah to rest him, ver. 11. N. B. That this was no created Angel, but the Eternal Son of God (that Angel of the Covenant) appeareth, for he is call'd Jeho∣vah, ver. 14. and the Lord, ver. 16. to whom Gideon built an Altar, which is a Preroga∣tive peculiar to God, ver. 24.26. and this Son of God oft appeared to the Sons of Men, out of his Philanthropy, or Love to Mankind, Prov. 8.30, 31. and as a prelude to his In∣carnation, Tertullian's Phrase is, Christ was oft in carne, long before he was ex carne, oft in the form and likeness of Flesh, before he took upon him the Nature and Substance of Flesh: He appeared of old to Abraham, Gen. 18.17. and to Jacob, Gen. 32.24. whom he calls his Redeeming Angel, Gen. 48.16. and to Moses in the Bush, Exod. 3.2. Deut. 33.16. and to Israel at Bochim, Judg. 2.1, &c. and here to Gideon resembling a Man both in his Postures and Actions.

The Fifth Remark is, Christ's Errand hither was both to call Gideon to be Israel's Judge, and to comfort him also against their present Miseries, therefore gives him a more than Angelical Salutation, [The Lord is with thee,] above that of Boaz, Ruth 2.4. or that of Gabriel, Luke 1.28. Gideon complains, ver. 13. Christ liking well his Pious Ex∣postulation, the publickness of his Spirit, and his sensibleness of the common Calamity, look'd upon him, ver. 14. with a look of Love, as he did upon Peter, Luke 22.61. and with a pleasant Countenance gives him an Efficacious Call from his Threshing of Wheat, to a Threshing of Midian: This Gibbor Hicchail, Hebr. or Mighty Man of Strength must now go Thresh those Plowers that had been Plowing upon Israel's Backs for seven Years, ver. 14. Christ promiseth to make a new sharp Threshing Instrument with Teeth, where∣with the Worm Jacob shall Thresh the Mountains, and beat the Hills as small as Chaff, Isaiah 41.14, 15. and here he saith to Gideon as is said to the Daughter of Sion, [Arise, and Thresh and I will make thy Hoofs Brass, and thy Horns Iron, and thou shalt beat in pieces many Peo∣ple, Mic. 4.13. And notwithstanding Gideon's modest Refusal of this Call and Commission, be∣cause of his Meanness, want of Men, Means, Money and Authority, &c. ver. 15. yet hath he Christ's assurance, that he should Thresh those Mountains, the Midianites, and their vast Multitudes, as if they were but one Man, ver. 16. and such a Mighty Man of Valeur as Gideon was, might think himself able enough to match any one Man whomsoever.

The Sixth Remark is, Gideon asketh a Sign, ver. 17. This he did not from want of Faith, but from weakness of Faith; he sought not a Sign, as the Pharisees did, Matth. 16.1, 4. to satisfie his Curiosity, or Incredulity, but for farther Confirmation of his Page  109Divine Call to be Israel's Deliverer. Here Gideon was faithful in weakness, though but weak in Faith, 'twas a great trouble to God's Church not to see Signs, Psal. 74.9. this he desires may be strengthened with a Sign to assure him, that he must be the Man who should help the Lord against the mighty Midianites, as the Phrase is, Judg. 5.23. even this Lord Christ. He presseth here after assurance of good success in so great an undertak∣ing, loath he was to be deluded by a Fancy instead of Faith, whereof had there been a total want, he had never been reckoned among those Renowned Worthies for the Eminency of his Faith in that little Book of Martyrs, Hebr. 11.32.

The Seventh Remark is, The Miracle that the Messiah wrought at Gideon's Request, as a Sign, whereby his Faith had a full Confirmation, ver. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. the Materials of this Miracle were Gideon's present, or provision for this Angel, as Gen. 18.5. as refreshing Food for a weary Traveller: Thus Lot did, as well as Abraham, Gen. 19.3. and Manoah did so afterward, Judg. 13.15. no doubt it was not intended for a Sacrifice (for the Requisites to a Meat-Offering, Levit. 16.12.15. are not mentioned here) but for a Dinner prepared to refresh his unknown Guest, the Angel bids him pour out the Broth on the Flesh, and Cakes laid upon the Rock, out of which Fire came forth (as soon as he had touched them with the Staff in his hand) and turned his Meat-Offering in∣to a Burnt-Offering. N.B. Well were it with us, if we could lay all our Services upon the Rock Christ, 1 Cor. 10.4. We should do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, Col. 3.17. then might we find more of the Spirit of burning, Isa. 4.4. which would not only burn up our Corruptions more, but also render all our Services more acceptable to God, Psal 20 3. turn into Ashes the Geneva Reads, as Sacrifices offered up by fire unto the Lord for a sweet Savour, Levit. 1.9 13.17. and 2.9, &c. and 3.5, &c. Thus the Hallowed Shew bread was to be hot Bread daily set before the Lord, 1 Sam. 21.6. This Miracle of the Messiah here was the greater, partly because the more that the Flesh and Cakes were moistened with the Broth, the less apt they were to be to consumed by the fire, as was that of Elijah, 1 Kings, 18.33. and partly, because the Angel by this Act did declare himself to be no mere Man that stood in need of any such Provisions for his own Repast, but that he was more than a Man, even the Son of God, whereby Gideon's Faith might the more be confirmed, that he who had thus promised success against Midian unto him, was throughly able to perform it: Though at present Gide•n was affrighted when he saw the Miracle, and the Angel vanishing suddenly out of his sight, for he knew the Lord had said, [There is no Man can see me and live,] Exod. 33.20. yet should he have known also, how Jacob had seen the Face of God, and lived, Gen. 32.30. Thus also God talked with Moses, yet his Life was preserved, and so was Israel's, Deut. 5.24. Gideon here saw God in a Mediatour, but he yet understood not this, but crys, [I am an undone Man, and shall doubtless die.] This he thought from the weakness of his Faith, and not like him∣self a Mighty Man of Valour, for had he now Died, what would have become of God's Promise to him, that he should live to save Israel out of the hands of Midian, this was like David's Distrust, [I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul,] 1 Sam. 27.1. and Psal. 116.11. I said in my Haste, Samuel is a Lyar, in promising me the Kingdom, making the Promise of God of no effect. Gideon's fear lasted, till the Lord spake Peace to him, ver. 23. then went he to build an Altar unto the Lord, (that had appeared to him) upon the top of the Rock (where the Miracle was wrought) and call'd it Jehovah Shalom, that is the Lord send that peace, which he hath promised, ver. 24.26.

The Eighth Remark is, Gideon's Zeal for God against Baal, when his Faith was far∣ther confirmed, and when the Lord gave him an express Command to rout out the Worship of Baal, ver. 25. He doth not only build up an Altar for the true God, ver. 26. but he likewise pulls down Baal's Image, Altar and Chappel also. This he did by Night (with the help of ten honest Servants of his Fathers) because he could not do it by Day, for fear of an Uproar by the many mad-headed Inhabitants of Baalists, and though this seemed to entrench upon his Father's Rights and Authority, yet God's Com∣mand to Gideon was a sufficient Warrant, for by his Commission to be Supreme Ma∣gistrate, he was now made his Father's Superiour, &c. ver. 27. Gideon must first reform, and remove those stumbling Blocks of Idolatry, before he can expect any success a∣gainst the Midianites; nor was this privative part of Piety (in Demolishing the Wor∣ship of Baal) enough to prepare him, for a Judge and General; but he must likewise practice the positive part thereof in Erecting an Altar for Jehovah, upon which he must offer a Bullock of Seven Years old, supposed to be all that time fatting for Baal. But now returned to the right owner, for the Cattel upon a Thousand Hills are the Lords, not Baals, Psal. 50.10. This must be singled out because of its Age, for it being seven Page  110Years old, it began to be, when their Misery by Midian began to be, and now being to be Sacrificed, it fitly signified that the period of that Midianitish Misery and Tyranny was now at hand to be accomplished: This seven year old Bullock (that stood in the second place in the Stall, and designed for Baal) must be Sacrificed to the Lord with the Wood of the Grove, which Gideon (with the help of those ten Religious Servants, that detested the Idolatry of those corrupt times, and were willing to run the rescue with their young Master) had cut down in the Night, from whence we may learn, that those things which have been abused to Idolatry, may afterwards be lawfully used in God's Service as Churches, Chalices, &c. Thus the Bethshemites used the Cart and Kine of the Philistines in the Worship of God, 1 Sam. 6.14, 15.

The Ninth Remark is, The hideous Uproar that this Nights Reformation raised up among the rude Rabble early next Morning, ver. 28, &c. when they rose betimes to do their Devotion to Baal ('tis a wonder their seven years Oppression had taught them no better Lessons, nor had no more lessen'd their liking to Idols) they rush in upon Joash (the chief Man, or Magistrate among them) and in a great rage demand of him to put his Son to Death, before he was heard what he could plead for himself, why he should not die. N.B. Thus bloudy is Idolatry, nothing can satisfie but the Death of those that op∣pose it, as the experience of all Ages doth evidence: And thus blind are Idolaters, that like Idols, have Eyes and see not, Psal. 115. ver. 5. They are brutishly hurried on more by Rage, than by Right, or by Reason, &c. The Out-rage of this many headed Idolatrous Multitude, was more than Micah's, Judg. 18.24. when he made that Out-cry, [Ye have taken away my Gods, and do ye ask me what I ail?] Alas, what have I more that I make any matter of; nay, 'twas more like that of Demetrius and his Crafts-men in Act. 19.23, 28, &c. about their Goddess Diana, who would violently have devoured Christ's Disciples, that decryed their Idolatry. This Superstitious Mobile comes here in a blind∣fold Career, crying out, Justice, Justice upon the Sacrilegious Fellow; no doubt, but they had observed, that Gideon was no such admirer of their Idolatrous Worship, as they were by his not giving Cap and Knee to Baal, so devoutly as they did, therefore they presumed it must be Gideon who had committed this great Sacriledge, and it was the greater affront in him, because he was the Magistrate's Son: Thus we see how an hideous Tumult was raised, ver. 28, 29, 30. Now the next Account is, how this unta∣med Beast came to be tamed by the Wisdom of Joash the chief Man among them, and who had the keeping of the Cattel appointed for Baal's Sacrifice, ver. 25. and to whom they now addressed for Justice, ver. 31, 32. N. B. 'Tis plain, that Joash had been a Worshipper of Baal, yet so wise a Man as to train up his Son in an honest and painful Calling, tho' he had many Servants, ver. 27. yet must his son be a Thresher, and earn his Bread in the Sweat of his Brows, and this might be one reason that the Messiah, when he came to him, did behold him with so Amicable an Aspect, ver. 14. because he found him in the Duty of an Honest Calling, and so lustily belabouring the Wheat which he was Thresh∣ing out. Undoubtedly Joash was loath to lose so laborious a Son, who was now in more danger of dying by the hands of Monstrous Men, than he had been before by the hands of a Gracious God, who said to him [Fear not, thou shalt not die,] ver. 23. and who was a fast Friend to him in this Exigency also, for it is the Lord's Work to still the noise of the Seas, the noise of the Waves, and the Tumults of the People, Psal. 65.7. as he did here in token of his acceptance of Gideon's Sacrifice upon his new Altar, which he cal∣led Jehovah Shalom, ver. 24, 26. N.B. The Divine Acceptance hereof may well be wonder∣ed at, seeing it was a Sacrifice of strange and various Dispensations, as Dr. Lightfoot excellently observeth, for it was offered by Night, on a new Altar, in a common place, by a private person, with the Wood of an Idolatrous Grove, and it was a Bullock pre∣pared for Baal, that Idol it self, yet because it was an Offering of Faith, even of that Faith, for which Gideon hath a famous Record, Hebr. 11.32. therefore was it accepted of God, who used Joash as his Instrument for the safety of his Son at this time; this pru∣dent Magistrate might indeed be a Man indifferent in Matters of Religion, so had been a Worshipper of Baal, to comply with his Neighbours, but now not improbably the Lord had convinced him by the Information and Actions of his Son Gideon, and hereupon, be∣ing assaulted by a Tumultuous Crew of Baalites Satan's Imps, he labours to appease the Tumult, and to defend his Son's Fact by Three Arguments.

The First is, From their Audacious Irregularity in this Tumultuous Meeting to vin∣dicate Baal, without any lawful Call, for if a fault were committed, it did not belong to them, being but private Men, but to the Magistrate to judge of the Offence, and to Page  111punish the Offenders; thus the Town Clerk of Ephesus quell'd the Commotion of De∣metrius, &c. Act. 19.35.

His Second Argument was from fear of punishment, he speaks to them as Mayor of the Town, that it belongs to me to punish seditious Citizens, that disturb the common Peace by Tumultuous Uproars, so passeth the Sentence upon such, [Let the Ring-leaders he put to Death, while it is yet Morning,] ver. 31. It may well be supposed, that Joash might threaten with Punishments from God, as well as from himself, telling them in Defence of his Son, That God had appear'd to his Son, and had commanded him to do all that he had done, and that it was their Worshiping of Baal, for which God had pu∣nished them by Midian's Tyranny seven years, and that if they persisted therein still, God will punish us seven times more, &c. It is usual in Scripture to give only some short hints of those things that were more largely discoursed.

But his Third Argument is, From the Office of Baal himself, by an Ironical Concession, saying, [If Baal be a God let him plead for himself,] as the God of Israel hath done often times, when any Indignity or Injury hath been done to him, as when Nadab and Abihu offer'd strange fire▪ Levit. 10.1, 2. and in the case of Corah and his Accomplices. Numb 16.31, 35, &c. The sense of his saying thus was this. If Baal have such a Divine Power as you imagine, then is he able to maintain his own Honour, to right himself, and to revenge the Wrongs offered to him, so needs none of you to plead his Cause; but if he be only an idle Idol and Image, then is he not worthy to be Worship'd and defended by you, who is unable to defend either you or himself; such as dare any farther to plead for so silly a God as could not protect himself, deserveth to die for their own Folly and Impiety.

The Tenth and last Remark in this Chapter, is Gideon's undertaking to deliver Israel from the Tyranny of Midian, from ver. 33. to the end: No sooner had Joash thus pru∣dently stop'd the rapid Torrent of the Rabble's Fury with those Three forcible Argu∣ments afore-mentioned, but he Knights (as it were) his Son with an honourable Title, calling him Jerub Baal, that is, let Baal plead against him that hath broke down his Altar; this Name of Honour was given to Gideon by his Father, as a Memorial of his Sons Noble Exploit, and to Stigmatize Baal, with this black brand of Infamy, a fair caution for those foul Successors that would needs Worship Baal in after Ages. Gideon's undertaking Israel's Deliverance, is described,

First, By the occasion of it, the Midianites and their Confederates made a new Invasi∣on as far as Jezreel, ver. 33. where the Kings of Israel afterward had a Royal Palace, 1 Kings 21.1. and not far from Ophrah, where Gideon dwelt, therefore well might he fear their sudden coming upon him to surprize him; but this proved the unhappiest time to the Enemy now to invade Israel, when Gideon had begun a Reformation in the Land, ver. 25. &c. N.B. He began at the right end, first to abolish false Worship and then to set up the true Worship, seeing there can be no Concord betwixt Christ and Belial, betwixt the Temple of God, and the Temple of Idols, 2 Cor. 6.15, 16. and if we will serve God, the Service of Baal must first be rejected, 1 Kings 18.21. Gideon's suppression of that Superstition and Idolatry (which caused God to give Israel up to Midian's Tyran∣ny) and his begun Reformation of the true Religion, must needs make him more cou∣ragious and consident of Victory, for hereby a door of hope was opened in order there∣unto: A good Cause, a good Call, and a good Conscience could not but breed a good Courage in him, all these are needful in Civil, Sacred, yea, and in Military Undertakings, more especially because they carry their Lives in their Hands, and by these they die in peace, though they die in War, as many good Men do.

The Second part of the Description is by the efficient Cause, namely, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and cloathed him (as the word signifies) with extraordinary Wis∣dom, Zeal, and Magnanimity, ver. 34. this was a rich addition to that Courage he had from the goodness of his Cause, Call and Conscience, and hereby the Qualifications of a Judge of Israel did so shine forth, that even the Men of Abiezer, (those of his Father's Houshold, ver. 27.) who were so corrupted with the Idolatry of the times, and so zea∣lous then for Baal, that he feared to acquaint them with his design of destroying Baal's Altar, yet now they are so convinced, that God had called Gideon to this great Work both of Vindicating God's Glory and his Countries Liberty, that they are the first Volun∣tiers that will follow him as the person whom God had not only protected in that dan∣gerous attempt of destroying Baal, but had also pick'd him out of all the Tribes, and pitched upon him, by whose hands the Lord would work Israel's Deliverance from Midian.

Page  112 Thirdly, This Expedition is described by its Instruments, whereof Gideon's own Family were a part; Joash is call'd an Abiezrite, ver. 11. the first Soldiers that offered themselves willingly to be as Instruments in God's Hand for this undertaking, were the Abiezrites, when Gideon (an Abiezrite also) blew his Trumpet, and when he sent Messengers to the other Tribes, ver. 35. they freely Muster, and march up to meet him, even the Tribe of Asher it self, which was justly blamed by Deborah for their backwardness to fight against Sisera, Judg. 5.17. God never starves his Work for want of Instruments, but always stirs up those, that he will employ therein; and where Men are not at hand, an Oxe's-Goad in Shamgar's Hand, or the Jaw-bone of an Ass in Samson's Hand shall be enough.

The Fourth part of the Description is the Motive that bore up the Spirit of Gideon in this great Enterprize, namely, the confirmation of his Faith by a double Sign of the Dew and the Fleece of Wooll, ver. 36. to the end. These Signs he beg'd of God, not out of Infidelity, but in all Humility, not only for the corroborating of his own Cou∣rage and Confidence, but also for the Encouragement of his Army (now gathered to∣gether at their Rendezvous in Ophrah) that they might more faithfully follow him in this Heroick and Hazardous Attempt; we do not read, that the Lord answered his Prayer by any words spoke to him, but by Deeds he did in this double Sign, which was by a wet and by a dry Fleece: A proper Representation of Israel, which was wet with the Dew of Divine Doctrine, when all the World besides was dry, and now dry, when all the World besides was wet; namely, with the Dew of Peace, answerable to the Prophet's Vision wherein he saw all the Earth sitting still and at rest, but Jerusalem only under grie∣vous Indignation, Zech. 1 11, 12, 13. We must suppose their Floors then were not under a cover as ours are now, but placed in the open Air, as this floor was upon which the Fleece was laid, so that nothing interposed to receive the falling Dew.

N.B. This Fleece was Israel, which properly belonged to the great Shepherd of the Sheep, Psal. 23.1. the God of Israel, but now alas how was Israel fleeced and sheared of their Corn and Cattel by the Tyranny of the Midianites: They could not thrash a little Bread-Corn for the Sustentation of their Lives, but presently the Midianites were upon them to rob them of their necessary Food, of their Daily Bread for their Bodies; and God knows we have seen of late such a Woful Day, wherein we could not Thresh out a little of the Corn of Heaven, (more precious than our necessary food, Job 23.12.) but presently the Informers were upon us to take away the Daily-Bread of our Souls. By this Fleece it was signify'd, that Gideon pray'd herewith, that as Midian had long seven years fleeced Israel, so he now by the help of his God might be made able to fleece Midian, and to spoil the Spoilers.

N. B. The Poetical fiction of Jason's going with his Argonautes in the Ship Argo his Voyage to Colchos, for fetching home the Golden-Fleece might well have its foundation from this Divine History of Gideon's, because it was truly Golden, as it was made by God the Subject of a double Miracle in its being both wet and dry in two Mornings: And this is the more probable, seeing Sir Walter Rawleigh maketh this Story contemporary with Gideon's time, who wittily descants upon Jasons Enterprize, that it was to find out the Philosophers-Stone, or rather some Mines of Gold, &c. so makes it a true History, which I rather judge to be some Poet's Fancy, grounded upon this Sacred Record, because it is so strangely over-ruled to have been done in Gideon's Day. Gideon desires of God in the first Sign [That the Dew may be on the Fleece only, and that spot of ground which encom∣passeth the Fleece may be altogether dry.] ver. 37.

N. B. The Dew here signifies the favour of God, the Fleece represented Gideon him∣self, who indeed was a Golden-Fleece to Israel, and it may be affirmed beyond a Fable, that Israel was the true Jason, that found that Golden Fleece, when they found Gideon, who Redeemed them from Tyranny; 'tis said, ver. 38. [and it was so,] though God had said nothing by way of a Verbal Promise, that it should be. If God perform our Desires when he doth not particularly promise how much more when he binds him∣self by a promise, he abides faithful, 2 Tim. 2.13. Psal. 89.33, 34, 35. Rom. 4.21. [Gideon rose up early on the Morrow,] as one longing for a return of his Prayers, and not only so, but also that he might have a truer tryal of this Experiment in coming to the place (where the Fleece was spread abroad in the open Air, and exposed to the Wind) before the Sun was risen, which otherwise might have drawn up this Morning Dew, Hos. 6.4. and 13.3. and [he wringed, or squeezed out of the Fleece a bowl full of Water,] this great quantity of Water did magnifie the Miracle, and made the Sign more won∣derful, for in the common course of Nature, it was not possible so much Dew should Page  113could fall in so small a compass of ground as one single Fleece of Wooll covered▪ &c. Notwithstanding all this, Gideon cannot still be fully satisfied, but he makes a new Address in the dress of that Lesson he had learnt from Father Abraham, Gen. 18.32. [Let not the Lord be angry, if I tempt thee once more,] ver. 39. The first Miracle sufficeth him not, because it is the Nature of Wooll to contract Moisture, therefore must he needs have another Miracle quite contrary to the former, [Let the Fleece be dry, and the Ground round about it be wet,] this was more difficult and preternatural than the first, be∣cause if any moisture be stirring, Wooll above all things is most likely to drink it up. N. B. But it may well be supposed, that by the ground, that surrounded the Fleece, Gideon might meah his Army that surrounded and guarded his Person, whom he desired might be wet with the Favour of God, as with Heavenly Dew, as well as himself, who was the Wet Fleece in the first Miracle, for this double Dew falling both upon the General, and upon his Army, would double his Confidence in a successful Expedition against the Midianites, &c.

Inquiry. Did Gideon sin in asking Signs from God?

Answer is two-fold. The First is Affirmative, That he sinned, because,

First, He himself suspected some sin in it, saying, [Let not the Lord be Angry,] and he calls it, [a Tentation,] let me prove, or tempt thee.

Secondly, He was certain of the Victory before the Battel, for God had promised it, and he had acknowledged God's Promise thereof, ver. 36. therefore it was no less than a sin for him still to harbour any doubt of it.

Answer 2. Is Negative, That he sinned not; because,

First, He is no where reproved for it, nor was God angry with him (as he feared) but rather was well-pleased with him for his Importunity, and readily granted to him his double Request, &c.

Secondly, He did not desire this double Sign out of any diffidence in God, for now was he full of the Spirit of God, ver. 34. and had been so animated by the Promise of God, as to overthrow the Altar of Baal, &c. ver. 26, 27. which was a dangerous and desperate Exploit, so it was a clearer Demonstration of Sublime Confidence, than of any sordid Diffidence, or Distrust in him.

Thirdly, Gideon stands enrolled in that Sacred Register among those Eminent Worthies that were so famous in their Day for their Exercise of a strong Faith, Hebr. 11. now had this been any base Diffidence in Gideon, it would have been such a blot in his Escut∣cheon, as to have well debarred him from coming with his Name into that Renowned Catalogue, therefore 'tis most probable, he was inspired by the Spirit to do this, not only on his own account, but that his Soldiers about him might more freely fight under him, &c.

Judges CHAP. VII.

JUdges the Seventh contains Gideon's famous Fight with the Midianites, &c. The History of this Battle consists of three parts. (1.) Antecedents. (2.) Concomitants. And (3.) Consequents.

First, The Antecedents of it are the preparation, and double purgation God commands Gideon to make, and to take in order to it.

The First Remark upon this first part is, Though Gideon's Army which he had prepared for the Battel, consisted only of Thirty two Thousand Men, and the Host of Midian, with their Confederates, was made up of an Hundred Thirty and Five Thousand at the least, Judg. 8.10. so that they were above four to one odds against Israel: Yet God saith to Gideon, [Thy Men are too many,] ver. 2. This was at the first Purgation; they then thought-themselves too few, yet God thought them too many, (his Thoughts being not as ours, Isa. 55.8.) and therefore that Law of Moses [every Man that is fearful and faint-hearted, let him return home, lest his Brethrens heart faint as well as his,] Deut. 20.8. must be proclaimed in the Ears of this new-raised Army, upon which no fewer than Two and Twenty Thousand trips off, because they feared that they were too few to grapple with Midian's Multitudes, ver. 3. Now must there be a second Purgation when but Ten Thousand be left, and still they were too many, ver. 4. N.B. God is sometime troubled with too much help, but never with too little: He will have all the Glory of this Mi∣raculous Page  114Victory: And therefore again, he shrinks in this Ten Thousand into the small Remnant of Three Hundred, ver. 5, 6. God knows what is in Man, John 2.24, 25. that he is a Self-vaunting Creature, apt to Autotheism, which is a Man's falling down to Worship himself, and to say as here, [Mine own hand hath saved me,] ver. 2. mine own Valour hath got me the Victory: So prone are Men to Sacrifice to their own Nets, Habak. 1.16. which the Lord prevented here.

The Second Remark from the first part is, The marvelous means God used to reduce this Army of many Thousands into so poor a Remnant as only Three Hundred.

The first Means was a Proclamation, that, because Cowardise is catching, the Cow∣ards are commanded to cashire themselves, least they should infect their Brethren, Deut. 20.8. and what was become of that Courage they seem'd to have in their first coming into Gideon, where they had God's Promise of Conquering their Enemies (who had so long oppressed them after a most grievous manner, and now had a fair opportunity of recovering their Ancient Liberty, which they could not but long for as much as the Rich Glutton did for a drop of cold Water to cool his Tongue, when tormented in Hell-fire, yet away went Two and twenty Thousand Cowards, and deserted their Bre∣thren, so little trust is there to be put (as one saith here) in the fickle and faithless Multi∣tude. N. B. The Reason why two parts of three were so timerous and returned home, is supposed to be that they now understood the prodigious Multitudes of Midianites, &c. all well Arm'd and Disciplin'd, yea, and in great heart, because of their long success; whereas on the other hand the Army of Israel was but a small handful (in comparison of their Innumerable Enemies) and of such as were dispirited by long Slavery, and many of them unfurnish'd with Arms, and necessary Provisions: Both those Conside∣rations might probably cool that courage they seem'd to have before.

But the Second Means of purging the Ten Thousand into Three Hundred by the po∣sture of drinking Water, was far more Remarkable, than was the purging of Two and thir∣ty Thousand into Ten Thousand by Proclamation only, which referred the matter to themselves either for going or staying, as their Courage had brought them Voluntiers to Gideon, so their Cowardice carried them off Voluntiers from Gideon: But this Proclama∣tion not making a thorough Purgation, many that were fearful indeed, yet loath to be ac∣counted Cowardly Disserters, did put on a good Face, and desired the good Opinion of Gideon, that he might look upon them as more Valiant Soldiers than those Twenty two Thousands that had shamefully deserted him: Therefore God bids Gideon try one Trick more, to make a stricter Scrutiny, which made a Discovery by an Occult and Indiscer∣nible Evidence of Nine Thousand Seven Hundred more Cowards that still remained with him as seemingly Couragious, ver. 5, 6. All excepting Three Hundred did lay them down to drink, whereas the Excepted and Accepted number only took up a little Water in∣to the Palms of their Hands to put into their Mouths: This latter posture of lapping Wa∣ter like a Dog, was an Indication of stoutness of Body, and of Temperance of Mind; they only drank a little of the Brook in the way to relieve Nature in necessity, then lift up their Heads to pursue their Design, Psal. 110.7. Those were the fittest to follow the Lord, not surfeiting with wordly Pleasures, but taking only a little tast of them: Whereas the bowing of the Body, and falling flat to the ground (which had been their posture in Worshiping Baal) thrusting their Mouths into the Water as thirsty Horses do, that they might drink their fill with Greediness, was a sign of a weak weary Bo∣dy, and of an Intemperate Mind, &c.

N. B. Gideon had ask'd of God two Signs before, and both were granted him about the Fleece in an open and obvious way of Ocular Demonstration; and now God gives Gi∣deon here unask'd a third Sign of an Occult Nature, and of an obscure Quality for no Natural Reasons can be rendred why so many of the Ten Thousand did fall down pro∣strate upon the ground to drink like an Horse, and so few of them did lap Water out of their Hands like a Dog, save only such as are uncertain Conjectures: And therefore it is safest to say, That there was an over-ruling Hand of God in this matter of dispo∣sing the Minds and Bodies of those Ten Thousand so, that all of them, save Three Hundred only, should lay down to drink, because it was his Divine Pleasure to have those over-lowly and over-liberal Drinkers dismissed home, and to save Israel from Midian by the hands of Three Hundred Men only.

The Third Remark upon the Antecedents of the Battel is, A new Confirmation of General Gideon's Faith; needful enough another Sign seems to be, when his Army and Auxiliaries were shrivel'd away, and shrunk up into so narrow a compass of Three Hundred Men, which the Midianites might scornfully call Gideon's Three Hundred Lap-Dogs: Page  115How might their Army that consisted of above an Hundred Thirty and Five Thousand Soldiers, ridicule this despicable handful, and contemn them far more than Great Goliah did the Stripling David; and no doubt but Gideon himself (had he con∣sulted with Flesh and Bloud, as 'tis said, Gal. 1.16.) must have some misgiving Motions in his Mind about his present Enterprize: Surely Sense and Carnal Reason was not Gide∣on's Counseller in this case, but Faith upon God's Promise still bears him up, believing [it was all one with God to save by few, or by many.] 1 Sam. 14.6. and a little help in God's hands, will help God's People to Victory, Dan. 11.34. that through weaker means they may see God's greater strength: Augustin saith God is, Magnus in magnis, nec minimus in parvis.

N. B. Howbeit, Though Gideon was famous for his Faith upon Record, Hebr. 11.32. yet doubtless his own humane Imperfection must suggest some Doubts to him; 'tis but ra∣tional to argue (according to Christ's Parable) that Ten Thousand Men may not pre∣sumptuously wage War against Twenty Thousand, because two to one is great odds; Ne Hercules contra duos, in all probability, as they are over-matched, so they will be over-mastered by them, Luke 14.31. How much more improbable was it in Gideon's case, that his Three Hundred Men should be able to match and Master an Hundred Thousand and upwards of Midianites, &c? Therefore we may well suppose that he here cryed out with that Man in the Gospel, [Lord, I believe, help my Ʋnbelief,] Mark 9.24. at which cry of Gideon, the Lord condescendingly came, and did corroborate his stag∣gering Faith by Three Marvelous Means.

The First was God's express Precept to proceed, and promise to prosper with his con∣temptible Company, ver. 9. God came to Gideon in a Dream, or Vision in the Night, and thus assured him to be as certain of the Victory, as if he had already obtained it: That his Faith, thus fortified, might devour the difficulty, and despise the danger of so hard a Duty, but hard, or not hard, Duty must be done, God bids him go down, &c.

The Second Means was, If he feared to go down to the Host of Midian alone, God bids him take Phurah his Armour-bearer with him, ver. 10. Just as Jonathan and his Armour-bearer went down to the Camp of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 14.1.6. The same God that said at the Creation, ['Tis not good for Man to be alone,] in another sense, Gen. 2.18. consents here, that Gideon should have his Companion: Optimum solati∣um est sodalitium, & Comes pro Vehiculo est; 'Tis a comfort to have Company, and in Society is safety: But woe to him that is alone, two are better than one, for if one fall, the other helps his Fellow, saith S•lomon, Eccles. 4.9, 10. Therefore Christ sent out his Seventy Disciples, by two and two, Luke 10.1. as he did his Twelve Apostles also, Mark 6.7. 'Tis probable Gideon fear'd to go alone, because God supposeth it saying, [If thou fearest, &c.] One would think, his Servant Pharah (though faithful, therefore recorded by Name, when many mighty Monarchs have no Name in God's Book, but are either passed over in Obscurity, or wrap'd up in the sheet of shame) must needs be but a sorry Anodyne, and an Insufficient Antidote to his Master's Fears: For the Scouts, or Watch of the Host of Midian might have snap'd up Gideon, when Phurah with all his faithfulness could not have protected him; yea, both Master and Man might both have been taken Prisoners, and what would or could the Three Hundred Men have done, had they lost their Ge∣neral, and his Armour-bearer: But God was the best Guard to Gideon; he that command∣ed him to go, was his covering from danger, and conveyed him safely and securely both to and fro, Blessing him in his goings out, and comings in, according to his Promise, Deut. 28.6. While we keep in God's Precincts, we are kept by God's Protection, Psal. 91.11. but we take God's saying to Gideon, [if thou fearest to go,] that is, with thy Three Hun∣dred Men to fight the Midianites, because thou art so small in number, and they so ma∣ny and mighty; then go thou first with Phurah down privately to the Host, where thou shalt hear something that may confirm thy Faith against thy Fear; and though thy Ser∣vant cannot protect thee, yet I am both able and willing, and thy Servant may serve for a Witness of my Wonder, though not for a Protector of thy Person, yet for an Ear-Witness of this Fourth Sign I will shew thee to strengthen thy Faith; and this must be

The Third Means, namely, The Dream of an Enemy, ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. for Gide∣on's encouragement to his prodigious Undertaking: Herein we have a Bundle of Won∣ders. As,

First, Behold here the Wonderful Divine Tenderness and Condescension to Hu∣mane Frailty and Faint-heartedness. Gideon had said to God, [Let not the Lord be angry, if I ask a second Sign,] Judg. 6.39. So gracious was God to Gideon, and so far from be∣ing angry with him for so doing, that he not only gratified him with granting that Sign Page  116he there asked, but he also freely and of his own accord, even unask'd, gives him a Se∣cret Third Sign, a private Character, whereby Gideon might know who were the Men, though but few whom God would employ as his Instruments in conjunction with him, and honour with a compleat Conquest over the numberless number of his Enemies, and this was to be done by a few Lappers only.

N. B. Now as if this were not still enough for a gracious God to grant freely and without asking unto Gideon; God comes again out of his good will to Gideon, and gives him, without any suit from him, a Fourth Sign, as remarkable as any of the rest; thus low doth the Most High God liberally stoop to Man's Meanness.

The Second Wonder here is, Gideon goes down to the out-side of the Armed Men, where the prime strength of the Midianitish Army lay, and where the very Centinels stood, that he might there hear the despondency of their chiefest hopes in a Dream, and this Dream that he heard must be a Dream of Despair and Despondency, to intimate unto him, that if the strongest part of their Army did now despair of Victory, he might well imagine, the rest of that over-grown Body (as 'tis described, ver. 12.) did accordingly despond much more thereof, seeing all this while, the Lord hid it from Midian, how he had contract∣ed Gideon's Army into so narrow a compass as Three Hundred Men, they know no∣thing of it, but their fear was from his first Mustering of Thirty two Thousand Men, whom (as Solomon saith) Oppression had made mad for Revenge, Eccles. 7.7.

The Third Wonder was, How Gideon and Phurah could come so near those Armed Men as to over hear their Discourse one with another, and not be discovered; for though it was in the Night-time, when the whole Body of the Midianites Army was asleep, yet must their Centinels be awake, and we may well suppose these were the two Midianites, that were talking together, the one was the Dreamer, and the other was the Interpreter; and both were discoursing each to other within Gideon's hearing, who could better hear them in the Night, than they could see him without light: However seeing Gideon goeth here the Lord's Errand at his Command, therefore it may well be presumed, that the Lord hid him and Phurah, as he did Jeremy and Baruch afterwards from being discovered, Jer. 36.26.

But the Fourth and greatest Wonder was, The Dream it self, and the Interpretation thereof; 'tis both wonderful in its Substance, and wonderful in all its Circumstances.

First, For the Substanee of it, [I have Dreamed a Dream,] ver. 13. no doubt but this Dream was to be ranked among those Dreams that are call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sent of God, a Divine, and neither a Natural, or a Diabolical Dream, (see the difference of those Dreams more largely handled in the first Volume upon Joseph's and Pharaoh's Dreams.) Homer himself, though an Heathen, telleth of some Dreams that are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sent of Jove; he should have said, [sent of Jehovah,] and the Sacred Scripture gives sundry Exam∣ples of significant Dreams given by God to Heathens; as to Pharaoh, Gen. 41. and to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2. and Dan. 4. and to Filate's Wife, Matth. 27.19. So likewise some Heathens had the Gift of Interpreting Dreams, which sometimes they did by Stu∣dy, and sometimes by Divine Direction; even Wicked Men may have common Gifts, as the Interpreter of this Dream had, God spake thorough this Fellow, as thorough a Trunk, and enabled him to give a right Interpretation, ver. 14. making the Cake to be Gideon, &c.

Secondly, The Circumstances of it.

Inquiry 1. Why must Gideon be this Barley-Cake baked, that acts those Feats, &c?

Answer. For various Reasons rendred by the Learned.

The First Reason, Some read [Tselil lechem] a Cake that made an hideous noise, say∣ing, A Cake, that is baked under hot Ashes, (especially if made of Barley, which is colder and moister than Wheat) will by the force of heat, make a noise, and some∣times flie forth of the fire, like a Thunderbolt leaping out with violence, as we oft see rosting Chesnuts to do: This was a lively Representation of Gideon, that rushed sud∣denly upon them with sounding his Horns, and the rather because the Dreamer used the Hebrew Language, and as one of those Hebrew words Tselil] comes of Tsalal to make a noise; so the other word [lechem] is an Ambiguous word, and signifies either Bread or War; and War never wants noise.

Secondly, Barley-Bread is vile and contemptible, compared with Wheat-Bread, and now had the Midianites so robb'd the Israelites of their better food, that they had made them glad to eat Barley-Bread, and well might Gideon be compared to such a contemp∣tible Cake, seeing he Characterizeth himself as one in a mean and despicable case, Page  117Judg. 6.15. Much more was he despised by the Midianites, who fed upon the Wheat of the Land, but scorned to eat Barley-Cokes, the forced food of the poorest People.

Thirdly, God will have Gideon call'd a Cake in the Dream, because he had in his Ho∣spitality to the Angel of the Lord, or rather to the Lord of Angels, entertain'd him liberally with Cakes of Flour, &c. Judg. 6.19. probably made of the Flour of Barley, the best that the Midianites had left him, for he was but threshing his Wheat when the Lord came to him, so had not time to turn it into Flour: Therefore the Lord made Gideon hear this Dream of a Cake, as an happy Omen of his Victory, for a Reward of his Hospitality to himself, &c.

Enquiry 2. Why this Cake tumbled down a Tent, &c?

Answer. This Cake being of a round and Orbicular form (made like a Loaf) might the better tumble down the Hill with violence, and dash against a Tent, which Josephus calls the King's Tent, and not improbably, for the Hebrew word [Haohel] with its no∣tifying Article [He] signifies, Tentorium omnium elegantissimum & fortissimum, the fair∣est and strongest Tent. Now the Analogy and Comparison in the Dream standeth thus N. B. As 'tis no less than a great Miracle if so poor a thing as a Barley-Loaf, should (by rol∣ling down upon it) overturn a well pitched Tent, though of it self it be as unable to re∣move a Mountain, as to over-throw a Tent, yet being thrown by a Divine Hand, over∣turns and ruines not only the King's Tent, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by way of Eminency, but even all the Tents of the whole Camp of Midian, even so Gideon, a Man kept long under Vassal∣age, (so that he durst not shew his Head) must be as wonderfully employed in the Lord's Hand even with a small handful of despised Fugitives gathered together, to rout and ruine such a prodigious Army as they were; what this Dreamer saw done in his Dream, that, his Interpreter told him, (which was represented by it) he would certain∣ly see would come to pass.

Now come we to the second part of the Concomitants of the Battel, from ver. 15. to 21. The Remarks hence are,

First, No sooner had Gideon heard this Dream, and the breaking thereof, Hebr. (a Metaphor from breaking a Nut to come at the Kernel) or its Interpretation (which he might understand, though spoke in the Midian Language, being only a differing Dialect from the Hebrew, and being accustomed to it for Seven Years Slavery: But he imme∣diately falls upon a double Work.

First. Upon Praising of God for confirming his Faith in such a miraculous manner.

And Secondly. Upon Praying to God, that he would signally bless him with success in his Enterprize, ver. 15.

The Second Remark is, The Marvelous Stratagem Gideon makes use of in Assaulting the Enemy in the Night. Josephus saith in the Fourth Watch of the Night, which was the very time wherein Christ came to comfort his Disciples half Dead with a long Storm, Matth. 14.24, 25, 26, 27. and now the same Messiah comes at the same time here to comfort distressed Israel, &c. but the Scripture of truth saith it was [in the beginning of the Midnight Watch.] Gideon chused the Midnight, ver. 19. because then the Watches were changed, and the Army soundest on Sleep, and so most subject to astonishment, if suddenly awakened. N. B. Now comes Christ to comfort Israel after an hard Appren∣tiship of Seven Years under Midian, even now when Israel was low enough, even as low as God would have them, and reduced from Thirty two Thousand Men to Three Hundred only, then the Lord comes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as out of an Engine, to rescue them out of the hands of their Oppressors, who were now high enough also: And this the Lord did by so strange a Stratagem, he directed Gideon unto, as cannot easily be parallel'd; as Jo∣shua did Conquer Jericho only by the noise of Trumpets and Astonishments, &c. So Gideon with his Three Hundred Men Conquers this vast Host, only with each Man's holding a Jug-pot with a lighted Torch in it in one hand, and a Rams-Horn for a Trum∣pet in the other hand; no light was to be seen, no noise was to be made until they set themselves on all sides of the Army, ver. 16. Then must they break their Pitchers at Gideon's Example, that their Lamps might give a sudden light, ver. 17. And then must they sound their Trumpets, as if there had been so many Troops at their Heels following them, as there were Trumpets sounded, ver. 18. And then must they likewise each Man give a most lusty Shout, and cry, [The Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.] All this being done by Divine Direction, the whole Host ran, and cryed, and fled, ver. 19.20, 21. They were so daunted and dismayed both with sudden light and noise, that the Curtains of Midian Trembled, as 'tis said, Hab. 3.7. and all the Tents both of King and People were over-turned by this Barley-Cake.

Page  118 The Third part is the Consequents, The Lord set every Man's Sword against his Fellow ver. 22. Such a Spirit of Giddiness was upon them, that they took Friends for Foes, and slaughtered one another in the place; so that (as Josephus saith) there was little need of the Sword of Gideon: Who yet out of Modesty, and not willing to ingross the Glory of the Victory to himself, sent a Summons to the White-liver'd Deserters, namely, the Two and Twenty Thousand Timerous Soldiers, who first forsook the Army out of fear; and to the Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Slothful and intemperate Water-Drinkers also, none of which were so far honoured by God, as either to bear a Torch, or to break a Pitcher, or to blow a Trumpet; yet all those Cowards can come with cou∣rage, at Gideon's Summons, to pursue a flying Enemy, and to share in the Spoil of those who had already slain one another; for they being frighted out of their dead Sleep, with the sudden noise, &c. so could not distinguish Friends from Foes; or (as Josephus saith) they understood not the Language one of another, being made up of many Na∣tions, Judg. 6.3. so hereby a great part of the Army was slain, through the Darkness of the Night; and perhaps (as God would have it) suspecting Treachery among them∣selves under Divine Infatuations, as in other cases is exemplify'd in Scripture, 1 Sam. 14.20. and 2 Chron. 20.23. Now upon Gideon's Summons the Ephraimites bestir them∣selves, take the Passes of Jordan, stop the Midianites from fleeing home to their own Land, slew the two Princes of Midian, whose Names shewed their Natures, Oreb sig∣nifying a Raven, or Carrion-Crow, and Zeeb a Wolf. Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis.

N. B. The former was slain upon the Rock, because he had oft forced Israel to hide themselves among the Rocks; and the latter at the Wine-press, because he had oft driven the Israelites to lurk in the Vineyards, where now the Midianites fled to hide themselves, but were found out by the Hand of God's Justice, which wrote their Sin upon their Punishment. •er quod quis peccat, per idem punitur & ipse. From hence were they Fer∣reted forth and slain, in all to the number of an Hundred and Twenty Thousand, ver. 23.24, 25. and Judg. 8.10.

N. B. This was a just Reward against Midian, that had so cruelly oppress'd their near Kinsmen Israel, for Midian was the Son of Abraham by Keturah, Gen. 25.1, 2. so nigh a Kin to Israel, whom they oppressed seven Years; and no doubt but the great Losses that the Israelit•s sustained by that long Oppression, God marvelously made up out of the vast Spoils of those Midianites that came forth of their Countrey into Canaan, to refund all that Riches they had brought along with them, and what they had plundered from their near Kinsmen: 'Tis marvellous, that all the time the Midianites were kil∣ling one another, the Three Hundred Men stood in their places, ver. 21. Not only to make the Midianites think they stood to light a great Army coming to surprize them, but es∣pecially to shew, the Lord only fought the Battle and got the Victory.

Judges, CHAP. VIII.

JƲdges the Eighth hath for its Subject, the Manners, State, and Death of Gideon. First, He is described by his Manners, and that is Two fold. (1.) For his Vertue. And (2.) For his Vice.

First, His Vertue is Three-fold. (1.) His Prudence in pacifying the Ephraimites, ver. 1, 2, 3. (2.) His Justice and Severity both against the Citizens of Succoth and of Penuel, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. where the Cause of his Threatning them, with (what he Threat∣ned) is related, and the Execution thereof, ver. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. and against Zebah and Zalmunna, the Kings of Midian, whom he pursued, took and executed, ver. 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21. (3.) His Modesty in refusing Regal Honour, when it was tendred to him, ver. 22, 23.

First, The Remarks upon Gideon's Vertues are,

First, Great was Gideon's Prudence in appeasing the Wrath of the Ephraimites, with a soft, meek, and humble Answer, which might have cost Israel even a worse War, a Civil Uncivil War, than this with the Midianites; had they not met with a Man of a milder Temper than themselves; the Men of Ephraim (being a proud People, Isa. 11.13. preferr'd above Manasseh's Tribe (whereof Gideon was) in Jacob's Patriarchal Blessing, Gen. 49.19, 20.) took it as an high affront in Gideon to them that he had not call'd them to his help against Midian, as well as the Tribes of Manasseh, Asher and Zebulon, Judg. 6.34, 35. And for this slight they being pricked with Pride, from a Conceit of their Page  119Strength and Number, they then chide him sharply, ver. 1. N. B. He pacifieth their furious Anger by a soft. gentte, and humble Answer, ver. 2, 3. According to Solomon's Saying, Prov. 17.1. and 25.15. the halians have a Proverb. [Duro con Duro non Fa' bon Muro.] Hard with hard, never makes good Wall: A Flint may be broke upon a Cushion, and the force of a Cannon Bullet may be smothered by a Wool-pack: Gideon threw Milk and not Oyl upon the flames of their Fury, which Jephtah would not do afterwards, Chap. 12. where those proud Ephraimites meet with their Match with a Witness; but here mild Gideon hears high Words and hard Censures from those Ambitious Accusers, yet returns a smooth Answer, doing little less than ascribe the Victory to them under God; who (he tells them) had given the Conquer'd Kings into their Hands, whereas he had but the Gleanings of the common Soldiers: Herewith (as well it might) their Anger was abated.

Here we may observe, That the most and first faulty are frequently most free and forward, and will be first in excepting and exclaiming: Gideon had more cause to say so to them, than they to him, [Why have ye served me thus?] in coming no sooner with your Assistance in the common Cause, and to help the Lord against the Mighty, for which neglect Meroz was Cursed, Judg. 5.23. And when Pride had begot Envy in Ephraim, which made them chide Gideon, [Bechazkah,] Hebr. in fortitudine, with much vehemen∣cy; they should rather have Extoll'd him for his Valour, and Blessed God for his Vi∣ctory; whereof, perhaps, those Ephraimites (prick'd on with Pride and Envy) never thought on.

The Second Remark upon Gideon's Vertues, is,

First, His Just Severity, and Act of Justice upon the Citizens of Succoth and Penuel: Gideon pursues the Remnant of the Midianites over Jordan, comes to Succoth (not that in Egypt. Numb. 33.5. Exod. 12.37. but that which Jacob call'd so, Gen. 33.17. Josh. 13.27. and Psal. 60.8.) in the Tribe of Gad, and gently requests of them, not like a Conquerour with his Commands, and not Arms, nor Dainties, but a little Bread▪ and not for himself, but for his Fellows and Followers, who were now faint with their Pursuit; and this he begg'd of Israelites too, who were themselves Embark'd in the same bottom with him, and would have had their share in his Conquests: All these made their Inhumanity to Gideon the grosser, ver. 4, 5, 6. The Princes of Succoth do not only deny him so reasonable a Request, but also do scornfully Deride him, as Churlish Nabal did David afterwards in the like case, 1 Sam. 25.10.11. Those Proud Princes laugh at his fool hardy Undertaking; as if he with his Three Hundred faint and weary Soldiers were likely to Encounter and Conquer the two Kings of Midian with Fifteen Thousand Men at their Heels, and withal they might fear, that Zeba and Zalmunna might recruit, and return upon them, (for all Gideon's weak and weary handful could work to hinder it) and revenge themselves of Succoth for relieving their Enemies.

N. B. This Repulse from Brethren, and Refusal of such an Act of Mercy, as is a common kindness to meer Strangers, moved not meek Gideon a little, as Nabal's Churlishness, in the like kind, did most highly incense Holy David. Hereupon Gideon threatens them with most Severe and Just Revenge, for their Treacherous Deserting the Common Cause of Israel, and for their favouring God's Enemies, who had so long Tyrannized over them, by this Act which they did in such a Proud, Scornful and Contemptible manner, ver. 7. And Penuel giving Gideon no better a Treat, but rather worse, for they having a strong Tower in which they trusted, and which they probably pointed at to shew it Gideon, not only their Rulers, as at Succoth, but even the Common People also, gave the like Scornful Taunt to him; whereupon he threatned them with the same Severity, and with Demolishing of their Tower (wherein they placed their con∣fidence) into the bargain, ver. 8, 9. And Gideon was as good as his word, for that very night he Conquers the Kings of Midian, and early next Morning he comes to execute upon Succoth (before they could hear of his Victory, to shut their Gates against him) what he had threatned for their upbraiding him, &c. ver. 13, 14. And because this Just Man would not punish the Innocent with the Guilty, therefore learns he the Names of those Proud Princes and Elders of the City, that had so sinn'd both against God and against Man, and finding them to be Threescore and Seventeen, he taught them better Man∣ners than to be so Barbarous to their weak any weary Brethren, and tore them with Thorns, and tortured them till they died; and he slew the Men of Penuel, who had been equally guilty with the Elders of Succoth, and therefore their Punishment must be alike Capital in both: Only the Tower of Penuel was beaten down, because it was the ground of their Confidence, or rather Impudence in scorning Gideon, ver. 15, 16, 17.

Page  120 The Second Act of Justice Gideon executed, was upon Zeba and Zalmunna, the two Kings of Midian (after Ephraim had executed the other two, Oreb and Zeeb, and brought their Heads to him, Judg. 7.25.) for Midian had many Kings, we read of Five Kings of Midian in Moses's time, Numb. 31.8. Those two Kings Gideon pursues after his first Nights Conquest, keeps no common Road with his Three Hundred weak and weary Men, but went by the way of them that dwelt in Tents.] ver. 10, 11. Among whom probably he might meet with better Succour than he had at Succoth and Penuel; however God strengthened his Men for what he call'd them unto: This Demonstrates that God had qualified Gideon with much Dexterity in Military Matters, and with excellent skill in improving Politick Stratagems: He had no due to Hannibal's Character,

Gideon knew better (than he) both how to win, and how to wear a Victory: More like this brave General was to Julius Caesar, of whom Lucian saith, [Nil Actum Credens, dum quid Superesset agendum.] He thought nothing was done, while any thing remained that was yet undone: Gideon accordingly well knew, that now was his time, and he took it without delay to compleat his Victory, while the Consternation of the last Nights Conquest continued upon that odd escaped Remnant, which yet were at this time grown secure, and laid down to sleep, being wearied with their hasty Flight all the Day be∣fore, and never expecting that Gideon could pursue them, when got so far from the place of the last Nights Battel, and so near their own Countrey, without resting his Army some part of that day, being so tired with their hard Service, and their great Slaughter, therefore is it said, [the Host was secure,] ver. 11. And therefore was it that Gideon then assaulted them in the very next Night of their Security; well knowing, not only that the weakness of his Army appeared not to the Enemy by Night, which Day-light would have discovered, and so have encourag'd them to have waged War against them; but also, because the terrour of the last Nights Defeat still lay with force upon them; so Gideon fetch'd a compass, and falls upon them on the East-side of their Army where they never feared an Enemy, and their Security usher'd in their Destruction: The like Cry being now likely made on their second Onset, [the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon.] This affrighted them the more, because of its sad effects the Night before. Gi∣deon smote the Host, takes the two Kings Captive, and returns early next Morning to Succoth, as before, ver. 12, 13. And now he brings Zeba, and Zalmunna (after he had shewed them, as his Capitves to Succoth and Penuel, who had upbraided him with them, that they were not yet in his Hands) to be Judged by the General, according to Martial Law.

N. B. And in order hereunto he asks them, [What manner of Men were they, whom ye slew at Tabor?] in which Mount many Israelites hid themselves at the Midianites In∣road and Invasion, Judg 6.2. and some of them were found out in their Holes and Holds and were slain there, whom Gideon suspected might be his Brethren, because he mis∣sed them, and could hear no Tidings of them, therefore he makes Enquiry, [What was the Outward Shape and Quality of those Men, whom they slew at that Mount?] The two Captive Kings answered him, That they were like [Beni Hammelech] Hebr. the Children of a King, brave portly Men, and of a Majestick Carriage and Countenance, ver. 18. By this Description of theirs (which was only to Ingratiate themselves with the Conquerour) Gideon plainly understood, that the Men Murthered by those Kings of Midian, were his Brethren, whom he knew to have a stately Comportment like him∣self, though all of them were of a mean Family, Judg. 6.14, 15. Hereupon Gideon passeth Sentence upon them, That both of them should Die, ver. 19. making their Mur∣ther the moving Cause thereof: Seeing his Brethren's Beauty had not moved them to no more Lenity, but so barbarously to Butcher them in cold Blood; therefore he was by the Law, Deut. 19.6, 12. the avenger of their Blood: Otherwise those Kings being not Canaanites, he was not obliged to kill them, unless by that Law, Numb. 31.2, 3.

Now though Gideon had found out a moving Cause, yet wants he an Instrumental Cause to kill those two Captive and Condemned Kings: Hereupon he calls forth Jether his First-born, (and so the beginning of his Strength, Gen. 49.4.) to be his Executioner, ver. 20. This Commission he gave his Son both to animate him in the use of his Arms against God's Enemies, and to Inure him in Manly Warlike work from his Youth, as likewise to make him have some share with himself in the Honour of the Victory: Thus Joshua Page  121had Honoured his Captains, Josh. 10.24. But Jether, not from any neglect of his Father's Command, but meerly from his own Youthful fear, refused the Office.

N. B. Note well, First, The two Kings were glad of their not Dying by the Hands of a Boy; which, as it was more Ignominious and Dishonourable to Die by such an Hand, so it would put them to more torment, before the weak hand of a Boy could haggle them to Death; therefore they desire Gideon to dispatch them himself, ver. 12. looking upon it both more easie and Honourable to Die by the Hands of a Valiant Man like themselves, who were likely, of a tall Stature, of a fierce Countenance, and of an Undaunted Magnanimous Disposition, (which might well affright Young Jether to fall upon them) as appeareth by their not fearing to Die at all, so they might but Die by Noble Hands.

N. B. Note well, Secondly, And this is not always the Sign of a good Cause, and of a good Conscience, for the Old Roman Spirit hath oft bid defiance to Death; and the like Fool-hardy Frame hath been found in the Devil's Martyrs in our Days.

The Third Vertue that Gideon is commended for here, is his Modesty and Humility in refusing that Regal Honour which the Israelites would have conferr'd upon him, as well as offer'd it to him, as a Reward of his Glorious and Miraculous Deliverance he had wrought for them, ver. 22, 23. wherein they requested his Compliance to have an He∣reditary Kingdom settl'd upon himself and upon his Family. This was so fair an offer, as few would have refused to be King of the Land, which was more than to be a Judge, extraordinarily called only, and guided by the Sanedrim; but here Absolute Power is tendered to him, and God needed not be consulted about his Successor, for the Crown must be setled upon his Son, and upon his Son's Son for ever. Here Gideon's humble and modest Refusal is highly commendable; saying, [Neither I, nor my Son, but the Lord shall Rule over you] As he hath hitherto done in a special manner by Judges, whom he hath particularly appointed, and directed by Ʋrim and Thummim, and hath wonderfully assisted in many former Marvelous Deliverances; therefore I will not take upon me the Place and Power of a King, over God's People, nor entail it up∣on my Sons after me, but the Regal Rights shall yet (for all me and mine) remain still in God's Hand, until he be pleased to alter the Government himself according to his Promise, Deut. 17 14, 15. So that upon this ground did Gideon refuse their offer of Kingship, (after which it seems Israel had an early Itch long before Saul) because he knew it entrenched upon God's Royal Prerogative; and had he accepted of their Elect∣ing him King, this would have been no less than their Rejecting of God, for God's Raign∣ing over them, as it is expresly said, 1 Sam. 8.6, 7. and 12.12. for then God had not continued to be own'd as the Special King of the Hebrews, but only as a General Lord over them, as he is over all other Nations of the World; and this odious Itch after Kingly Government (which now only exerted it self, without any consulting with God about it) did powerfully break forth in Saul and Samuel's Day.

Now having shewed in the first place Gideon's Threefold Vertue, take a View of his Vice in the second place, ver. 24, 25, 26, 27. No doubt but Gideon was a good Man; because.

First, He stands Inrolled among the Saints of the greatest Magnitude, Heb. 11.32.

Secondly, He is said to die in a good Old Age ver. 32. here, as Abraham is said to do, Gen. 25.8. And,

Thirdly, He kept Israel by his good Conduct all his Days, from that Horrible Apo∣stacy and Idolatry they backslided into assoon as he was dead, ver. 33. here. N.B. Yet was he not perfectly a good Man, but this piece of Ambition and Vain-Glory was found in him, that he must make some lasting Monument of his Miraculous Victory, without any Warrant (we read of) from God for so doing; For here Gideon begs one Golden Ear-ring, a Man which they had taken in the Spoils from the Ishmalites (as the Midianites were promiscuously called, Gen. 37.25, 28, 36.) this was easily granted to him, who had just now refused a Crown and Kingdom: Their Gold Ear-rings came tumbling in abundantly to the weight of one Thousand and Seven Hundred Shekels of Gold, be∣sides the Collars (like the Moon) about their Camels Necks, which he took, ver. 21. of some part hereof he made an Ephod, probably with a good Intention for God's Glory; this might make it the more excusable, but still a good Aim alone, cannot make a good Action; Peter had a good Aim in cutting off the Ear of Malchus, and Paul Aimed at God's good Service, while he persecuted his Church, and this Act casts an Aspersion here upon all his former Acts, and seems to be added here to stain the Glory of them, if not to Stig∣matize the Act it self; however the Issue and Event of it doth intimate no less.

Page  122 First, As to the Act. (1.) An Ephod seems to be much less congruous for a Monu∣ment of Victory, than his Erecting of a Pillar would have been as Samuel did, 1 Sam. 7.12. &c. (2.) Nor was it lawful to set up an Ephod in Ophrah, (though God had indulg'd him up∣on an Emergency to build an Altar there, Judg. 6.26. So he might presume to grace his Altar (without Divine Direction) with an Ephod, seeing an Ephod was proper only for the Tabernacle then in Shilo, and for the use of the High-Priest.

Secondly, As to the Event of it, Gideon gave the occasion hereby of Israel's Will-Worship, Superstition and Idolatry after his Death, unto which he knew they were so naturally and generally addicted, nor was it only a Stumbling-block to the People, but it became likewise a Snare to his own Family; for this was the cause which moved God to suffer so many Tragical Stories befalling his Posterity after his Death, whereof the next Chapter, Chap. 9. giveth a most sad account.

The Second Branch of Gideon's Description (after that of his Manners, Vertuous and Vi∣tious) is his double State and Fortune.

First, Publick, in procuring Peace to Israel for Forty Years, ver. 28, 29. Reckoning them from the Death of Deborah; the Country was quiet from the noise of War, no Clamours of Soldiers, no clashing of Weapons, no sounding of Trumpets, with any Alarms for Battles, no loud Acclamations from the Conquerors, nor sad Exclamations of the Conquered, or wounded Captives, &c. Every Man sat under his own Vine, and drank under his own Fig-tree, and there was none to make them afraid: This was a transcen∣dent Favour of God, after Seven Years Slavery, had it been well improved by Man: Mi∣dian was so subdued, they could never make head again, and though Gideon went and dwelt in his own House, yet was it not privately in his Father's House, as he did before, nor so publickly as a King in his Court, as the People desired, but in a middle State as a Judge, for the preservation of their Religion and Liberties to his Dying Day, as is in∣timated, ver. 33.

Secondly, His Private Capacity: Wherein God bless'd him with Threescore and Ten Sons all lawfully begotten by his Body, and none of them Adopted only, ver. 30. and he had one Son by his Concubine, who moved him to call his Name Abimelech, which signifies [my Father the King,] probably out of her Pride, and out of design to have him a King, though his Father had refused it, ver. 31. That design breaks forth in the next Chapter. This Eighth Chapter closes up with the Third Branch of Gideon's De∣scription, to wit, his Death and Burial, and Israel's Horrible Apostacy after it, ver. 32, 33, 34, 35. Their Piety died with Gideon.

Judges CHAP. IX.

JUdges the Ninth contains the History of Abimelech, the Sixth Judge of Israel, so cal∣led, though indeed he did Ʋsurp the Kingdom: He is described,

First, By his Name, Father and Kindred, ver. 1.

Secondly, By his double State of Prosperity and Adversity, from ver. 2. to ver. 28.

Thirdly, By his Deeds, in conquering the Seditious, and Besieging the Tower, from ver. 29. to 49. And,

Fourthly, By his Death, as Jotham had foretold it, from ver. 50. to 57.

The Remarks are, First, How great a mischief many times is the Death of a good Governour (as it was observed before) the loss of former Judges, was again and again a mischievous loss to Israel, both as to their Religion and Liberties. So here again, no sooner is Gideon gone, but Israel is gone both from God, and from all Godliness; they make Baal-Berith their God, to whom they become professed Covenanters, as the Name im∣porteth, Judg. 8.33. Yea, this People were of such a wicked Temper, that they neither remember'd the Favour of God, nor the Valour of Gideon, but so mad they were after their Idols, Jer. 50.38. that they neither feared God, nor Reverenc'd Man, Judg. 8.34, 35. Apostates from God, prove Devils to Man: Therefore, as God had scourged them for their former Folly, Apostacy and Idolatry, by Forreign Foes: So now he comes to plague them for the like Provocation, and worse (as it was against more light and love, against more Means and Mercies added to the large number of all their former Deliverances) with the Plague of a Civil Ʋncivil War among themselves, insomuch that Page  123they are made to sheath their Swords in one anothers Bowels, through Abimelech's, Am∣bition, &c. N.B. Gideon's Ephod (left behind him) did indeed become a Snare Judg. 8.27. making a most fearful Schism and Division among the People, for some of them went to Worship God as Shilo, as they had done for many years, from Joshua's Judgeship; others new-fangl'd were for this new Altar and Ephod at Ophrah: This was enough to sow Seeds of Sedition, amongst them, and because good Gideon gave the occasion hereof, he therefore got to himself a new Name; namely, [Jerub-bosheth, 2 Sam. 11.21. Bo∣sheth, Hebr. (as Ish-bosheeb) signifies a Man of Shame: Gideon got this Name of Shame, for leaving this shameful thing the Ephod behind him, but his Bastard Son (he left) pro∣ved worse, &c.

The Second Remark is, Abimelech's Prosperity in promoting his Plot and Project to compass a Crown and Kingdom: His Ambition rode without Reins; therefore goes he to Shechem, (where his Mother dwelt, Judg. 8.31.) Communes with his Kindred, Uncles and others, what might be the likeliest means for effecting his Design, puts a starch'd Speech into their Mouths, how to Court the Men of Shechem, supposing they would willingly enough comply with a Regal Government, which his Father had modest∣ly refused; and upon this Supposition grounds he his Oration, That the Multitude of his Father's Sons was such, they all affecting Domination (as he Insinuated, measuring them by himself, for so ill minded Men do Muse as they use) will occasion horrible Dis∣sentions in dividing the Kingdom amongst them all, that each may have his share, this would cause dismal Stirs in the State: All which confusion might be prevented by ma∣king me King, (saith he) who am so nearly related to you; and therefore shall be your no small Honour and Advantage, Chap. 9. ver. 1, 2. and his Glozing Wheedles did easily captivate the Men of Shechem: They readily complied, because it seem'd to suit well with their Interest, which will not lie at any time, ver. 3. and now having got a Temple built for their Baal-Berith, after the Death of Gideon) which he would never have suf∣fered while he lived) and endowed with considerable Revenues (for those Men that were close-sisted in the Service of God, could be open-handed enough to their Idol's Contri∣butions) they take out of this supposed Sacred Treasury, Threescore and Ten pieces of Sil∣ver, ver. 4. N.B. All this the Devil in the Idol was willing to part with, that therewith he might purchase the Heads of Gideon's Threescore and Ten Sons, whom he found did Pa∣trizare, and were like their Father in opposing Idolatry: With those Seventy Silver pieces, Abimelech hired the Dehauched Desperado's (as with Press-Money, or Entring Penny, promising them rich Plunder) to execute his Devilish Design: They march like a Ragged Regiment along with him to Ophrah, and there Massacre Gideon's Seventy Sons upon a Stone, as so many Sacrifices unto Baal upon this Altar, to revenge the wrong that their Father had done to Baal, in throwing down his Altar, Judg. 6.27, 28. Thus the Money out of Baal's House was expended in Baal's Service; yet the Lord hid Jotham out of the Assassinates hands, ver. 5. he after did Jeremy and Baruch, Jer. 36.26.

The Third Remark concerning Abimelech's Prosperity, when he had thus bloudily removed those Seventy Sons' of Gideon (excepting Jotham) that were Rubbs and Re∣mora's in his way to his Regal Government, that his Bowl might run more roundly end∣ways; then the Men of Shechem are call'd together to make him King, ver. 6. This may well be look'd upon as an highly presumptuous Act, for one single City to chuse a King for all Israel, especially considering how God had appropriated the choice of a King over all Israel to himself, Deut. 17.14, 15.

N. B. But it may be supposed, this City had many Advantages at this Juncture for promoting this presumptuous Project. As,

First, The eager inclination of the Israclites in general to Kingly Government, as appeared by their offer of it to Gideon, and to his Sons, Judg. 8.22. and though Gideon refus'd it for himself, yet could he not give it away from his Sons, to whom they then offered it also, as well as to him.

Secondly, There was now after Gidoen's Death, a General Defection of the Israclites from God to Baal, whose powerful Patron, Abimelech only pretended to be at this time.

Thirdly, The Proud Imperious Spirit of the Tribe of Ephraim, unto which Shechem belonged, did manifest it self, Judg. 8.1. and 12.1. as if they had the prevailing power over all the other Tribes, and could cause them to close with a King of their chusing among their Brethren.

Fourthly, They here got the start and whipping hand of all the other Tribes, actu∣ally at this time, putting the Crown upon Abimelech's Head, and having an Army already Page  124to maintain all this Cruelty and Tyranny, &c. Now the Men of Shechem having all those Encouragements, make an Adventure to Inaugurate their new chosen King, to Rule over all Israel, as 'tis expresly said, ver. 22. and this was done in that famous noted place, where Joshua had erected a Monument by an Oak, Josh. 24.26, 27. for the more Solemnity of the Action.

The Fourth Remark is, The Relation of Abimelech's Adversity, first begun by the Direful Curses of God, that Jotham Thundred out from the very Mountain of Blessings, Deut. 11.29 and 27.12. Josh 8.33. in a most Elegant Parabolical Oration, both against the Men of Shechem, and against their new King Abimelech, upon his Coronation Day, ver 7. to ver. 21. All which severe Apologue, could not but very much sowre the sweetness of that days Solemnity, if their Hearts had not been steeled, and their Con∣sciences seared with the Hot Iron of Ambition and Apostacy. What Jotham spake (in tel∣ling them their own) was by Divine Inspiration, and a Spirit of Prophecy.

N. B. A short Abstract of this long Apologue, or Parable, is this, Jotham standing up∣on the top of Mount Gerizzim, speaks aloud to the Men of Shechem (who were Assem∣bled in the Valley betwixt it and Mount Ebal, to Crown their new King.) And,

First, He useth a perswasive Prologue to procure their Attention, ver. 7. Then

Secondly, He begins his most significant Apologue, or Parable, the sense whereof might more powerfully convince them of their Iniquity, as Nathan did David, and Christ did the Pharisees afterwards. The summ of the Similitude the Rabbies Interpret thus. Jotham meant Othniel, by the Olive-tree, that gave Israel the Oyl of gladness, &c. ver. 8, 9. by the Fig-tree, Deborah a Governess full of sweetness, ver. 10, 11. and by the Vine-Tree, Gideon, who was exceeding fruitful in his Numerous Off-spring, ver. 12, 13. But all these aforesaid refused to rule with Regal Soveraignty: Then comes in the Bram∣ble Abimelech, a wicked and worthless Man (the Son of Gideon's Maid-Servant, ver. 18.) and seeks greedily this Regal Honour, that all the aforesaid refused, when offered them. The Bramble (though not a Tree, but a Shrub, base, barren, prickly, good for nothing, but for stoping Gaps, or kindling Fires) thinks it a great matter to Reign over the rest, and therefore though least worthy of Honour, yet is most hot in the pursuit of it, as Abimelech was in courting the Shechemites to make him King, ver. 1, 2, 3, &c.

Thirdly, The Epilogue and Application drives the Nail to the Head, from ver. 16. to 21. wherein,

• 1. He taxeth them for being weary of God's Government, and for being over-desi∣rous of a King.
• 2. He vindicateth his Father for his Modesty in refusing the offer of it, and all his Brethren, with himself, for not any one of them Aspiring after it. And,
• 3. He Stigmatizes and Brands that Bramble Abimelech, for his so thirsting after Regal Soveraignty, that (though wicked and worthless) he made way to it through a Field of Bloud, &c.

And Lastly, After he had Ironically bid them Rejoice in their King, (which he hardly thought they ever would do,) he foretells them their Fate, that this Bramble would not only be like that which the Sheep shelters it self under in bad Weather, where it is sure to lose part of his Fleece, if not of his Flesh, but also that such a fire of Discord would come out of it, as shall Devour the Cedars, namely, the Nobles, such as the House of Millo who were most forward in this work, and who met with Destruction from him, instead of Protection under him.

The Fifth Remark is, As Jotham's Prophetick Spirit had Abimelech's Adversity, so the Seditious Spirit of his Subjects did procure it, and made him an example of that common Adage, [No Tyranny is of long continuance] for this base Bramble, after he had hoised himself up into an high Room, to Domineer over others, within three Years time, ver. 22. began to scratch, tear, and vex his Subjects so, that they began to hate him; yea those very Men of Shechem, who had lent him their hand to lift him into the Throne, dealt treacherously with him, and laid Liers in wait for him, either to slay him, or to seize his Person, &c. For God most justly gave them up to a Reprobate Mind, and let loose the Devil (that Make-bate, Kindle-Coal, and Sower of Sedition) among them, who, working upon their Corruptions on both sides, fill'd them with Envy, Deceit, Debate, Malignity and Murther, ver. 23, 24, 25. and though Abimelech at this time escaped the Ambushment of the Shechemites, yet this present preservation proved but a Reservation for another time: Those Men of Shechem might have foreseen (if the God of this World had not blinded their Eyes, 2 Cor. 4.4, 5.) what kind of King Abimelech would be, by beginning his Reign in the Bloud of his Brethren, the Lives of 70 Innocent Page  125and near Relations must lay the foundation of his nocent Kingdom; but they were set up∣on it, and they soon had enough of it: Quos Deus vult destrui, priùs dementat. They were under sublime Infatuation, because destinated to utter Destruction.

The Sixth Remark relating to Abimelech's Adversity is, The practick part of that Sedi∣tion against him, which is described, (1.) By its Author: And (2.) By its Evidence.

First, As to its Author, it was Gaal, who he was, or of what Tribe, it is not told us, he must be some Man of a considerable Figure among them, both for Wealth, Strength, Interest, Counsel and Conduct; yea, and discontented with Abimelech's Misgovernment, which caused the Shechemites to place Confidence in him, and to make him General of their Forces, ver. 26.

N. B. Note well. How changeable were those Shechemites, they had put Confidence in Abi∣melech heretofore, and that Arm of Flesh had failed them, and now getting no good by that disappointment, they again put their Confidence in Gaal, whereas they should have put their Confidence in God alone, Psal. 56.3. But because they trusted in Baal, they trusted in Gaal also. He is Cursed that trusts in Man, but he is Blessed that trusts in God, Jerem. 17.5, 6, 7. That this Gaal was an Ambitious Boasting Thrasonical Fellow, appear∣eth by his words, saying, [Who is Abimelech, &c?] ver. 28. and [I wish this People were under my hand, &c.] ver, 29. Challenging Abimelech to a Battel, yet proved but a Cow∣ard therein, ver. 38, 40. Now the Shechemites trusting in such a Braggadocio, was a sign that they ripen'd apace for their own utter ruine.

Secondly, As to the Evidence of this Sedition against Abimelech, this appeared partly in the Shechemites Deeds, and partly in their Words.

First, In their Deeds, both of their Robbing, and of their Rejoycing.

1. They Robbed all the Retainers of Abimelech in the High way, ver. 25. and under that pretence the Conspirators, going beyond the bounds of their Commission (which extended only against Abimelech's Party) robbed all Passengers promiscuously, and there∣by their Plot and Conspiracy was discovered to Abimelech.

2. They Rejoyced one with another at the Gathering of their Vineyards, which they durst not do for fear of Abimelech, until Gaal came in to head them; but with his Assi∣stance they trod the Grapes, and made merry, which the Septuagint reads, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] they made Dances, little dreaming how soon that Merry Dance would end in a most mi∣serable and dismal Downfal. Notwithstanding their Jovial Feasting in the Temple of Baal-Berith, and praising that Idol, both for giving the Fruits of the Earth now received, and for their hopes of recovering their lost Liberties, ver. 27. and in the midst of this merry Mood, mad Merriment they not only Contemned, but also Cursed Abimelech, which they ought not to have done, seeing they had made him their Ruler, Exod. 22.28. Yet they Cursed him by Baal-Berith (as Goliah Curs'd David by his Gods, 1 Sam. 17.43.) and likely call'd upon their Idol to Ratifie their Curses Denounced against him. And thus,

Secondly, Their Sedition was seen openly in their Words as well as Deeds, and not only by the Opprobrious and Contumelious words of the Shechemites themselves against their King, whom they had Crowned, but also by the Seditious words of Gaal, whereby he moved the Shechemites to Sedition, ver. 28. saying, [Who is Abimelech, &c?] what is he but a base Bramble (as) Jothan rightly styled him, that grew in the Hedge-Row of a Concubine, and hath scratch'd us with a Vengeance now, that he is scrambl'd up to be King of Israel, and shall such a base-born Fellow hold the Soveraignty over you; and is Shechem so Pusillanimous and Contemptible a City, as to truckle under so sordid a Ty∣rant? And shall this free Corporation (that ought to be govern'd by none, but by its own Magistrates) couch so low as to be Slaves to his Tyranny, &c. And is not he the Son of Jerub-Baal, who robb'd us of our Religious Worshiping of Baal (by throwing down his Altar, &c.) which now is happily restored and re-established? Thus this Crafty So∣phister Musters up many Arguments of all sorts, wherewith to wind himself into the Shechemites Minds, and thus ingratiates himself into them to get the Government of the City into his hands, &c. ver. 28, 29.

The second part of this History of Abimelech, after his State and Fortune, is his Famous Facts and Exploits.

First, His Victory over the Seditious Shechemites, which he got the first Day of the Fight; and then again the second Day Fight also. In the first Day Fight Victory was obtained,

1. By the Crafty Counsel of Zebul, (Abimelech's Vice-Roy in Shechem) who had hither∣to temporized and complyed with the Shechemites Seditious Humour and Plot against Page  126Abimelech, (possibly he had his Master's private Instructions thus to dissemble for Abi∣melech's Advantage) but hearing both his Lord and himself so notoriously traduced, &c. He can hold no longer in, but becomes his Master's Secret Intelligencer, sticking close to him, though but an Ʋsurper, ver. 30, 31. and giving him advice to hasten away with those Forces he had ready, and march all Night, that in the Morning he might set himself with some small Party against the City (which was now in fortifying against him:) The other three Parties laying in Ambush out of their sight, ver. 32, 33.

2. By the Politick Practice of Abimelech, according to Zebul's Crafty Counsel. Gaal saw Abimelech approaching, but was not so Valiant, as he was Vigilant, with a misgiving Mind, tells Zebul of it, who still seemed to side with him, that he might betray him into Abimelech's Hands; and here in a Jear answers, That he took Mountains for Men, and Shadows for Substances: But Abimelech really appearing, Gaal's Courage quailed, and thought of retiring into the City, to stand only upon his own Defence; upon which false Zebul replys, [Where is now thy Thrasonical Bragg, and Challenging Abi∣melech to a Duel? For shame go forth and Fight him, for thou seest he hath but a small Company, ver. 34, 35, 36, 37, 38.

N. B. Then Gaal goes forth, partly because Zebul's Taunts made him ashamed to retire; and partly, having hopes of prevailing over that handful which only appeared; but more especially, because God had his Holy Hand in it for his just Punishment; but being surprized by Abimelech's unexpected Ambushments, this proud Bragger and Insolent Challen∣ger betakes himself to his Heels, and all his Men after him; so more were slain in the Flight, than in the Fight; seeing Abimelech pursued them to the very Gates of Shechem, and slaughtered them all the way thither, ver. 39, 40. pursuing his Victory no farther in the first Fight.

N. B. Again, Abimelech retreating to see the effects of his first Victory, as well as to refresh his Army, Zebul's Interest was not strong enough to reduce the City into Obedience to Abimelech; he can only prevail with them to expel Gaal and his Brethren for their Cow∣ardice, and mismanagement of their Martial Matters in the first Fight: Then chuse they a new General, recruits the Army, and goes forth to a second Fight, to revenge up∣on Abimelech the former great loss in the first, and if possible, to drive him away, not liking so Malicious an Enemy should be so near a Neighbour.

N. B. Hereupon their rage against Abimelech (God also did harden their Hearts to fetch in their own Destruction) forced them forth not to their Grape gathering, for that was be∣fore; nor to their Husbandry (as Josephus saith) but to renew the Battel, and to rid the Country of their odious Adversary: Abimelech orders two Companies to fight them, and he with a third Company rushes in betwixt them and the City Gates, to prevent their Retreat, and to give the other two Companies opportunity to cut them off: This was the Issue of the second Battle, Abimelech storms the Town, and makes a most Merciless Massacre, the Streets run down with Blood. N. B. Shechem is again a most miserable Stage of Blood-shed, as it had been before by Simeon and Levi, Gen. 34.25, 26, 27, 28, 29. even so it was the second time here, ver. 42, 43, 44, 45. and worse, for [He beats down the City, and sowed it with Salt.] Thus this Bramble barbarously butcher∣eth his own Native Country-men, and turns the place of his own Birth, into a place of Nettles, and Salt-pits, for a perpetual Desolation, Zeph. 2.9. though he fail'd of his end; for it was Re-built again hy Jeroboam, 1 Kings 12.25. and Inhabited after, 2 Chron. 10.1. Jerem. 14.15.

The last Exploits of Abimelech was his burning the Tower of Shechem (supposed to be Millo, which Jotham Cursed, ver. 6.20, 57.) and the strong hold of Baal-Berith, whi∣ther they fled from the Massacre, and where they hoped to be safe under the protection of their Idol, if not by the strength of this Sanctuary, which was built upon high ground like Rome's Capitol, and Jerusalem's Temple, and must be strong, because they laid up their Treasure there, ver. 4. However Abimelech by a Witty and Woody Wile, makes a shift to burn both the Tower, and the Sacred Fort, wherein about a Thousand Men and Women were burned, and Baal-Berith (their helpless Block) became a Burnt-Offering with them: From thence Abimelech marches to Thebez, near Millo, out of which fire came forth and devoured him, according to Jotham's Prophetick Curse, ver. 20. The Towns People ran into their strong Tower, that were not slain in the taking the Town; taking up great Stones to the top of the Tower (which was flat Roof'd) to beat off the Assailants: Abimelech, Intoxicated with his former Success, was not Timerous, but too Temerarious; he, being Fool-hardy, went har'd to the Door to burn it also; but a Woman throws down a piece of a Mill-stone upon his Head, and breaks his Scull. There lay this Bram∣ble Page  127Brained, and this brings in the last part of his History, i. e. his Death, described by its Concomitants, and Consequents.

First, The Concomitants. He Died desperately in his sin; his Wicked Life, ended in a Woful Death; he taketh care of his Credit, but none of his Soul; saying to his Ar∣mour-bearer, [Slay thou me, and let it not be said, a Woman slew me:] Yet this means, whereby he thought to smother it, did divulge it the more, 2 Sam. 11.21. N. B. Behold the Just Hand of God upon him; he had slain his Seventy Brethren upon a Stone, ver. 5. and now he loseth his own Life by a Stone; his Head had stoln the Crown of Israel, and now a Woman of Israel breaks his Head into pieces for so doing: His Sin was writ upon his Punishment.

Secondly, The Consequents of his Death; his Army immediately dispersed, not stay∣ing to take the Tower, &c. to Revenge their King's Death, but likely were glad to be rid of such a Tyrant, who Entred like a Fox, Reigned like a Lyon, and Died like a Dog. This Cursed Bramble was fit for nothing, but as to burn others, so to be burnt it self for the wrong done to his Father: That Hainous Sin, had an Heavy Punishment; and Jotham proves a True Prophet, though it was three Years after he had uttered his Prophecy, ver. 46, 47, 48, 49, 50. to the end.

Judges CHAP. X.

JUdges the Tenth relateth Israel's Relapsing and Repenting in general; for they enjoyed Peace under their Seventh Judge Tolah, and under their Eighth Judge Jair; but after them they Relapsed into Idolatry, and were oppressed by the Ammonites, &c. Therefore in this Chapter is the double State of Israel to be considered.

First, The State of their Liberty. (1.) Under Judge Tola. And, (2.) Under Judge Jair, from ver. 1. to ver. 6.

The Remarks upon this first State be, First, This Tola is described by his Parents, Ancestors, Tribe, and Seat, ver. 1. and by his Life, Death and Burial, ver. 2. He thrust not himself into this Office, as Abimelech the Usurper had done, but was raised up by God, and was accordingly qualified to Reduce Israel into Right Order▪ (when notoriously disordered by Abimelech's Tyranny) to abolish Idolatry, (which much abounded during Abimelech's Licentious Monarchy) and to Restore Religion to its Native Purity, &c. Here was work enough for Tola, though he had not (as we read) any Oppressing Enemies to deliver Israel from in his Day. N. B. He beareth the Name of the first born of Issacher, Gen. 46.13. A Tribe of a sluggish Disposition, Gen. 49.14. fitter for Subjection in Couching, than for Dominion in Commanding, and not much Memoriz'd in her Men, any where: De∣borah doth indeed celebrate them in her Song, for having Valiant Princes and People that assisted her, Judg 5.15. and David made great account of them in his Day, for their un∣derstanding in the times, &c. 1 Chron. 12.32. This Tola likely was such an one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by way of Eminency, who knew what Israel ought to do, and who by a prudent and pious Government, kept them from Sedition and Civil Wars, from Oppression and Tyranny, as also from Idolatry for Twenty and Three Years, while he lived in Samaria, where likewise he lay buried. ver. 1, 2.

The Second Remark relateth to Judge Jair, who was a Man of great Wealth and Worth in Gilead, having Thirty Son, that were Lords of Thirty Cities, and that rode upon Thirty Mules of State, like Judges, or Men of the greatest Figure and Quality, as Judg 5.10. and 12.14. 2 Sam. 13.29. and 18.9. 1 Kings 1.33.38, 44. and these were all Princes Subordinate to Judge Jair.

N. B. Note well. This was not that Jair whom Moses mentioned, Numb. 32.41. for that was above Three hundred Years before this, and he had but Twenty Three small Towns (Conquered from the Canaanites) 1 Chron. 2.22. But this Man's Sons had Thirty Cities, supposed to be the same with Addition, but now Wall'd about and Forti∣fied, for this Judge Jair's Honour; and therefore were called Hanoth-Jair after his Name given them by his Honourable Ancestors; and now both Increased, Beautified and Fortified in his Day. This Judge was of the Tribe of Manasseh, beyond Jordan, he Judged Israel Twenty and Two Years, appeasing all Tumults (such as had broke forth in Abimelech's Tyranny) restoring the true Religion, and administring Justice according Page  128to God's Law. N. B. The Sequel demonstrates, that Judge Jair could not reclaim them all his Days, though he did his Endeavour. Then this Judge died, and so went to be Judged at the Tribunal of the Supream Judge, ver. 4, 5. Hebr. 9.27.

The Second State of Israel, was their State of Slavery, after a long State of Liberty: The Lord sold them again into the hands of their Enemies: This State is described, (1.) By its Cause, ver. 6, 7. (2.) By its Adjuncts of Time, Persons, and Place, ver. 8, 9. And, (3.) By its Effects, bringing Israel to Repentance, &c. ver. 10. to 16, &c.

The First Remark hereupon is, The Moving Cause of their Bondage now was, the breaking forth of their old Itch of Idolatry, and that worse than ever, after a long Re∣straint; for they Worship not only Baalim, and Ashtaroth, as formerly, but they must have Cheimosh, and Molcch, and Dagon also; mean while they quite forsook the Lord, be∣cause his Service was too severe; but the Service of Idols was more Flesh-pleasing, allow∣ing of Stage-Plays, Dancings, Comedies, Tragedies and such like Mad Merriments; and because they saw those Idol-Worshipers flourish in Wealth and Honour, while themselves were Poor and Contemptible; and lastly, because themselves were but few, compared with the Idolatrous World, therefore the Lord sold them into the hands of those, with whom they hoped to Ingratiate, by serving their Gods.

The Second Remark is, 'Tis said, [That Year they vexed them,] ver. 8. both the Per∣sons vexing, and the time of their being vexed, are just matter of Inquiry.

As to the Persons vexing, it is Answered, Though the Philistines be named in ver. 7. as well as the Ammonites, to be the vexing Persons, yet in the History of Jephtab, the Ammonites were the principal Persons that vexed Israel; and the Vexation of Israel by the Philistines must be reserved to be discoursed upon, in the History of Samson, to which it properly and peculiarly belongeth; But as to the Year wherein the Ammonites began to vex Israel; though some do say, that time of their oppressing Israel Eighteen Years, began at Jair's Death to let them know, how great the loss of a good Magistrate was by their forfeiting of him: Yet the Learned cannot concur with this Opinion, be∣cause this inlargeth the time of the Judges, beyond the just bounds expressed, 1 Kin. 6.1. So that the greatest part of Jair's Judgeship was Contemporary with this Affliction of Israel by the Ammonites, which Jair, though a good Man, could not possibly (with all his Prudence and Prowess) redress: On the one hand Israel was now become so mad after their Idols, Jer. 50.38. that he could not work a thorough Reformation of Reli∣gion among them; and therefore God on the other hand gave a Commission to the Ammonites to correct those Tribes beyond Jordan about the fifth Year of Jair's Judge∣ship; and when the baseness and backwardness of Israel was not reclaimed by sundry De∣liverances from the Enemies Incursions under Jair's Conduct; then the Ammonites passed over Jordan into Canaan, ver. 9. and sorely distressed Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim on this side Jordan, in all for Eighteen Years; because the scab of Idolatry had spread it self from the fifth Year of Jair, upon both sides of Jordan, and continued to an Horrible Increase: In the same Year that Idolatry began to break out in Israel, the Ammonites be∣gan to break in upon them; and God would not Inable Jair to deliver them from their Oppressors, but gave them up to this sad Oppression.

The Third Remark is, The Blessed Effect of this long Slavery: Hereby Israel were re∣covered from Relapses, and Reduced to Repentance. For,

First, They cry to the Lord, ver. 10. which no doubt they had often done before, (a Beast will cry when hurt) but their former Cries were only the Fruits of Flesh for their own ease, not of Faith for God's Favour. Now they cry with their whole Heart, and con∣fessed their double Iniquity in particular, (and that with utmost Detestation) both of for∣saking God, and of following Idols, ver. 10. Then the Lord was pleased to Expostulate the Case with them, upbraiding them with divers Deliverances.

(N. B. Note well. Some whereof are not Recorded in the Holy History, to shew Israel had many more Favours from God's Hand than are upon Record) ver. 11.12, 13, 14. where∣in the Lord Christ (appearing in an Humane Shape, as he had done before, Judg. 2.1. and 5.13. and 6.23.) tells then, He would shew them Mercy no more, that is, except they repent, as Revel. 2.5. and derides them for crying to their Idols, (which could not help them in their need) as Elias derided the Priests of Baal, 1 Kings 18.27. Hereupon Israel both Repents and Reforms, then puts themselves into the Hands of God's Justice, in hope of his Mercy; and though we read not that the Lord gave them an Answer of Comfort, yet 'tis said, He Repented upon their Repentance, and gave them Courage to Encamp against the Enemy, yet still want they one to head them, ver. 15, 16, 17, 18.

Page  129

Judges CHAP. XI.

JUdges the Eleventh is the History of Jephtah's Expedition against the Ammonites, the last Verse of the Tenth Chapter being an Introduction to it: Israel there was at a loss for want of a Leader; none durst, upon their Proclamation, undertake so dangerous and desperate an Enterprize, though the Principality of Gilead was promised to the Un∣dertaker: Hereupon they resolve to send for Jephtah, (whom they knew to be excel∣lent both for Valour and Conduct) and to stipulate with him for his Encouragement, That if he would accept of this place of a Leader, and give the first Onset, he should be their Judge and General ever after, ver. 8, 9.

The First Remark in this History of Jephtah is, this Man was Banished by his own Bre∣thren, because he was a Bastard, and quâ talis, as Moses Law banished him out of the Congre∣gation of the Lord, Deut. 23.2. So his Wanton Brethren do Banish him (as such) out of their Father's Family, little thinking that they should another Day be glad to be be∣holden to him. He flies into the Land of Tob (not far from Gilead) where he musters up many ill-minded Men, yet manageth them well in fighting against the Ammonites that bordered upon them, wherein he had oft look'd Death in the Face, and done brave Exploits in the Field, which made Israel more forward to chuse him now for their Chieftain, who had so prosper'd in plundering the Enemy for his own and his Followers Livelihood, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4.

The Second Remark is, After this Adversity of Jephtah, is usher'd in his Prosperity: The Principality of Gilead is offer'd to him by the Elders of Gilead upon condition that he would be their Captain in their Warring against the Ammonites, who were at this very time come forth to fight against Israel; Jephtah at first refused their offer, upbraid∣ing them with their publick Act, wherein they had corroborated the base private Act of his envious Brethren in Banishing of him, and so had thereby made his Banishment Le∣gal: The Elders (some of whom might possibly be some of his Brethren, being Sons of Gilead, a great Man in the Country of Gilead) answer his Objection, saying, [this pinchig necessity hath brought us to a right sense of our former oversights; we did then indeed work our own Wills without Wit and Wisdom, but now we come to make thee due Reparation: Jephtah (being Jealous through former Injuries) makes his bargain wise∣ly, taking an Oath of them, and so accepts of being their Captain only, but not a word of being their King, because Abimelech's Kingship had been so fatal to them, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

The Third Remark is. Jephtah being now formally constituted (by a Parliament at Mizpeh) the Judge, and Supream Governour of Israel, doth most prudently and piously Treat with the Ammonites, before he will fight them, and that in obedience to Moses's Law, Deut. 20.10, first offer Peace; accordingly he sends Embassadours to Expostulate with the King of the Ammonites about his present Invasion, saying, [Why art thou come to sight against me in my Land?] ver. 12. he could not have call'd Gilead Jabaad [his Land,] unless Israel had made him their Head, and now hath he a just Title so to term it; The King of Ammon answer'd his Embassadors, That Israel were the Invaders, and not he [for he only came up to recover his own right, which Israel had robb'd him of,] ver. 13. Then Jephtah Replys again by his Embassadors, declaring that the Ammonites Allegation was no better than a loud Lye, both negando & pernegando, he denies it, and better denies it, ver. 14, 15. strenuously affirming, that the Land in question was Israel's out of all Question, and that by a Threefold Right. (1.) By the Right of Conquest. (2.) By the Right of a Divine Donation. And (3.) By the Right of a long prescription: And more particularly, what he affirms, he also confirms by Three Cogent Arguments.

The First is, A Narrative of all the former Transactions concerning this Affair, which are Recorded, Numb. 20.14. and 21.24, 26. Deut. 2.9, 19. and 3.12, &c. unto which I must refer the Reader, all related in their proper place in the first Volume Supple∣ment. Here Jephtah argueth, that the Israelites had nothing to do with the Ammonites at that time, but only with the Edomites and Moabites, ver. 16, 17, 18.

His Second Argument was drawn from the Justness of Israel's War against Sibon, &c. ver. 19, 20, 21, 22.

Page  130 And his Third Argument was from [That the God of Israel gave it to Israel, which he amplifies from the lesser to the greater, according to the Law of Nations, arguing, If Ammon absurdly and ridiculously ascribe the Land of the Zamzummims, as given them by their fondly reputed God Chemosh.

N. B. Note well. Whereas indeed an Idol is nothing, 1 Cor. 8.4. Jerem. 10.5, 15. and therefore can give nothing; but it was the true God, that gave them that Land for Lot's sake, Deut. 2.9.19. However, this was Argumentum ad Hominem (as 'tis call'd in Logick) a prevalent Plea to them that had this Impious Opinion of an Idol. How much more may we (saith he) receive thankfully, and defend valiantly that Land which the Lord Jehovah giveth unto us? ver. 23, 24. and then he backeth all his Three Argu∣ments.

First, With an Instance in Balak, saying, [Hast thou better Right, to this Land, or more Power and Policy to maintain it, than he, who never made any claim to it, nor strove with Israel to recover it from them, though Sihon had taken it from him, or his Predeces∣sors? Numb. 21.24, 26. and 22.2. Deut. 23.4. Josh. 24.9, 10. and if the Moabites made no challenge of their Land, which Sibon had bereav'd them of, after Israel's Con∣quest of Sihon, &c. Why should the Ammonites challenge it now? ver. 25. And,

Secondly, He backs them with the Law of Elapsing Rights, as our Statute Law saith, [If a Debt be not claimed once in Seven Years, the Right of the Creditor is disannull'd, and the Debtor is cleared:] So he pleads here their forfeiture of their Right, (suppo∣sing they had any) by their long silence in not challenging it for about Three Hundred Years past, ver. 26. Then comes he to draw up his Conclusion from the Premisses, saying, Therefore [I have done thee no wrong, my Title is just, and my Cause is good, and with God's help so shall my Courage be, I appeal to the Supream Judge to Judge of this Con∣troversie; by the Success of the War, the Lord will discover that thou art the Aggressor that wrongs Israel,] ver. 27.

N. B. Note well. No doubt but Jephtah, though a Bastard, was one that the Lord had blessed with prodigious Accomplishments, rarely all found in one Man: For,

First, He was a mighty Man of Valour, enabled to atchieve Heroick Acts, both by the strength of his Body, and by the fortitude of his Mind, ver. 1.

Secondly, He was an excellent Historian, exceeding skilful in Sacred History, and in the Chronicles of Israel's Divine Conduct through the Wilderness into Canaan, otherwise he could never have composed such a convincing Apology as is here recorded.

Thirdly, 'Tis manifest likewise that he was a most Elegant and Eloquent Orator, ha∣ving both fiumen & fulmen Orationis; he here doth not only pour forth a whole Flood of Eloquence, but also he plainly Thunder-struck the King of Ammon with his forcible Arguments, so that he stood as one stupified, and could give no reply, but stopp'd his Ears, and became stubborn, for the Lord had a purpose to destroy him for his Obstinacy, ver. 28. And,

Lastly, Jephtah must be a Man very eminent in Piety also, which did indeed sanctifie all his other high Endowments (as the Altar did Sanctifie the Sacrifice) and without it they had all been [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Giftless Gifts: That he was so, appeareth by his Pious Apo∣logy which savoureth of Sanctity from its Prologue to its Epilogue, and a Divine Tincture sheweth a lustre in his whole Discourse, a due Veneration to the true Jehovah, running all along through it, as the Woof doth run all along through the Warf in a Web of Cloth on the Weaver's Loom, &c.

The Fourth Remark is, The War of Israel against Ammon under Jephtah's Conduct, after the Offers of Peace were rejected: Herein he did well, and like a Pious and Prudent Prince to send his Heraulds (as the old Romans did) to require Right, and to proffer Peace before he proclaimed War. Cuncta priùs Tentanda (saith the Poet) & omnia priùs experiri consilio, quàm Armis sapientem decet, saith the Comedian. It becomes a wise General to try all amicable Means for composing of Controversies by Treaties, to pre∣vent Blows if possible; let Fighting be the last Remedy. So Wise Jephtah made his War here, which falls under a threefold Consideration. (1.) Its Antecedents. (2.) Its Concomitants. And (3.) Its Consequents.

First, The Antecedents were Two.

• 1. Jephtah's Expedition, ver. 29. What the Lord call'd him to, he qualified him for; the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and indued him with more than ordinary Prowess and Prudence, and mightily working upon his Spirit to undertake the War.
• 2. Jephtah's Vow, ver. 30, 31. which was a Rash, Inconsiderate, and Perplexed Vow out of a Preposterous Zeal, as after is shewed.

Page  131 Secondly, The Concomitants: He falls upon the Ammonites, not staying till they came to him, but he passed over to them, ver. 32. broke all their Army, and took from them many Cities, ver. 33. so that they saw (when it was now too late) they had better have kept at home content with their own Countrey, a great part whereof they now lose, by their over-greedy Incroaching upon their Neighbours Countrey for In∣larging their own Territories; like the Dog in the Fable, they catch at the Shadow, and loseth the Substance; they are so beaten as beyond a Reçruit.

Thirdly, The Consequents was, Jephtab's performing his Vow, which he had Vowed, from ver. 34. to ver. 40. In the general, Jerom saith of Jephtah here, [In vovendo Stul∣tus, in praestando impius,] he was a Fool for so Vowing, and yet he was a worse Fool in so performing: That he did perform his Vow is most certain, ver. 39. but how and in what manner, the Doctors of the Church are divided about it, and this ushers in

The Fifth Remark about Jephtah's Vow, What he vowed, and what he performed (which both concenters in one Question) is hard to determine.

The first Opinion is, That Jephtah did really Sacrifice his own dear and Dutiful Daughter. The Sentiments of the Fathers do generally concur in saying so; as Tertullian, Athana∣sius, Nazianzen, Jerom, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Augustine, Theodoret, and many more; and the Ancient Hebrew Doctors say the same, as the Chaldee-Paraphrast Onkelos, Rabbi Solomon, &c. But above all Josephus's Words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,] that is, he, Slaying his Daughter, offer'd her up for a Burnt-Offering: This Authority of the Antients (both Jewish Rabbins, and Primitive Fathers, both Latine and Greek) hath captivated the Conjectures of many late Learned Interpreters, into a concurrence with this Opinion, and the rather, because the Letter of the Scripture seems much to favour it; which saith, [Whatsoever cometh out of my House to meet me, shall surely be the Lords, and I will of∣fer it for a Burnt-Offering.] But,

The second Opinion is, That Jephtah did not Sacrifice his Daughter, but only devoted her to a perpetual Virginity: This likewise is the Sentiment of divers of the later Rubbins, and of many Modern Judicious Divines, above all Exceptions: It cannot assuredly be denied, that the Parties in both those Opinions, are very strong, both in their Parts and Proofs on both sides; therefore I dare not take upon me to determine the Controversie, yet do I lean to the latter Opinion, upon these Respects.

First, Because I find the Particle Vau (used in the Declaration of the Vow, ver. 31.) is no more than a Conjunction Disjunctive for [Or] and not for [And] as Gen. 26.11. Exod. 21.15.17. Levit. 6.3.5. 2 Sam. 2.19, &c. So that Jephtah's Words in his Vow, may be read thus, [or (and not and) I will offer it up.] ver. 31. meaning thus, If it be such a thing as may lawfully be offered, then will I offer it for a Burnt-Offering; but if not, it shall however be Consecrated unto God; and should it be read conjunctively for [and I will offer, &c.] this Absurdity is introduced thereby, suppose Jephtah's Dog had come out of Doors first to meet his Master; (as many Dogs do) after a long ab∣sence, to welcome him home after their Natural Instinct: This Unclean Creature had been an Abominable Oblation unto God, who hath expresly forbid it in his Law, Levit. 27.11, 12, 13. Isa▪ 66.3. as well as Man's Flesh, Deut. 12.31.

Secondly, The 2d. Respect or Reason is, I find likewise the Execution of the Vow, ver. 39. is delivered in such Ambiguous and General Terms, (far darker than that, [And] for [Or] in the Declaration of the Vow) Jephtah did to his Daughter according to his Vow, &c. where no intimation of his Sacrificing her to the Lord is given, but rather that he did Consecrate her to the Lord, as a Virgin, to serve him in a single Life, 1 Cor. 7.32. for the latter Clause in ver. 39. [and she knew no Man,] seems Exegetical, explaining the Nature and Matter of the Vow; that Text saith not, [He did to her according to his Vow, and offered her up for a Burnt-Offering;] but it saith, [and she knew no Man] immediately after, which implies, that she lived ever after in a Devout Virginity, as her Father had Vowed, and she her self had nobly Assented.

The Third Reason is, I find also, that this Daughter did not bewail her Death (which would have been the chiefest cause of her Lamentation, had she been Vowed to Die, and that by the hands of her own Father;) but 'tis said, [she only bewailed her Virginity upon the Solitary Mountains,] ver. 37, 38. and not any expectation of the loss of her Life: And though it be said, That Jephtah at the first sight of his Daughter (coming with many more Maidens to sing Songs of Triumph for his Glorious Victory) immediately falls into a most passionate Lamentation, ver. 34, 35. crying out.

N. B. I have been troubled by my bad Brethren that Banish'd me, and by the Oppres∣sing Ammonites that Warr'd against me; but now, after God hath given me a compleat Page  132Conquest, I meet with my greatest Trouble of all the former by my own dear and only Daughter, which hath plainly put a damp to all the Joys of my Victory; and all because of my Vow, &c. This extraordinary pang of passionate Sorrow in Jephtah, hath indeed moved many Learned Men to believe that his Daughter was really offered for a Burnt-Of∣fering, because had he only vowed to Consecrate her for serving God in a perpetual Virgi∣nity, he would not have sorrowed after so unspeakable a sort, Rending his Cloaths, &c.

N. B. But if it be seriously considered, How great a Blessing it was look'd upon in those times to become Parents of Children, and how a Barren Womb, and want of Po∣sterity, was then accounted a most cruel Curse, Gen. 30.23. 1 Sam. 1.6, 7. Isa. 4.1. Luke 1.7. and a dreadful Disgrace also, because such were excluded from that great priviledge of Increasing the Holy Seed, and contributing to the Birth of the Messiah, who was to be Born of an Israelitish Woman; we cannot but confess, Jephtah had exceed∣ing great cause of this his most bitter Grief and Out-cry.

N. B. Seeing Jephtah being the chief Magistrate in the Common-Wealth of Israel, had hereby all hope of living in his Posterity cut off from him, because God had blessed his two Predecessors in the Judgeship (Gideon and Jair) as also were his two Successors, Ib∣san and Abdon, with a very Numerous Off-spring, and himself must die as good as Child∣less, this Danghter being his only Child, beside her having neither Son nor Daughter, ver. 34. and she now Vowed to a perpetual Virginity.

The Fourth Reason, that makes this case more dubious (as to any Sacrificing of her) is, The Monstrous Nature of that Horrible and Ʋnnatural, yea, worse than any Inhu∣mane, yea, than any Belluine Fact; it seems very improbable, that such a Man as Jeph∣tah was, so eminent for Piety, Wisdom, and Godly Zeal, and for his Paith also, (insomuch that he stands inroll'd amongst God's greatest Worthies, and his Name Eternalized by the Holy Scriptures for his Exemplary Faith, Hebr. 11.32, &c.) should dare to perform such barbarous and unparallell'd a Massacre upon his own and only Daughter, who was a Pi∣ous and Innocent Virgin, so obsequious to her Father's Will, and such an Act of Mur∣der, as was directly contrary to the Light of Nature, much more to the Law of Scrip∣ture, &c.

N. B. The very Heathens abhorr'd such unnatural Acts, excepting only those few who were so blinded with a Diabolical Zeal, as to devest themselves of all Humanity and Natural Affection, and Sacrifice their Sons and Daughters to the Devil in Moloch, therefore assuredly the Judgment of Charity doth partly prohibit us from involving a Man of his Figure, (as above) in a deeper degree of sin, than the Scripture of Truth doth clearly charge upon him, and from aggravating his Faults with our fond and ungrounded Fan∣cies; and the same Law of Charity doth partly command us to put as favourable and as candid a Construction upon his Action, as the Grammatical sense of the Sacred Text will warrant us, we ought willingly to entertain all Advantages, which the Word of God al∣lows us (taking all Expressions about it by the right handle) to clear so great and so good a Father and Governour from all undue and unjust Imputations of such an Abomi∣nable Iniquity, seeing 'tis safer to be over-Credulous, than over-Censorious, and better to be blind in Charity, than to be rash in Censure; especially considering the Holy Ghost hath been pleased to leave it so dark and undetermined.

The Fifth Reason is, Suppose Jephtah had been so far Infatuated, as to make such a wicked Vow as to Sacrifice his own dear Daughter, if she came the first out of his Doors to meet him; yet when he saw this was the Result, he might easily understand, he was not bound to keep it, for Vows bind only to that which is good; and though the thing vowed seemeth good, but afterward proveth evil, yet there is no Obligation upon the Vower in such a case, save only to Repent of his Rashness.

N. B. As it was a single Sin to make that bad Vow, so it becomes a double Sin to keep it: For the first may fall out by a preposterous precipitancy; but the second must be done by a Mature Deliberation, which is always recorded as a Brand for the Aggrava∣tion of Wickedness: What is done in cold Blood, is far worse than what is acted in a pang of Passion: This was Jephtah's case, he had the space of two Months, ver. 37. where∣in to inform himself about the Unlawfulness of his Vow.

N. B. No doubt but so tender a Father was willing enough to receive Information, especially in a case wherein his Interest, yea his All was so highly concerned, and in a matter so agreeable to his own Natural and Paternal Affection: And though he was bred up a Soldier, so possibly was ignorant of the Law of Redemption, Levit. 27.3, 4. where the Male that was Vowed to God might be Redeemed for Fifty Shekels of Silver, and the Female is set at a lower valuation, because less serviceable in the publick Service Page  133of the Commonwealth, than the Males of Mankind are: Now it may easily be suppo∣sed, that this Judge of Israel would have given many Hundreds of Silver-Shekels to have Redeemed the Life of such a Generous, Morigerous and only dear Daughter, as bid her Fa∣ther [do to her according to his Vow,] ver. 36. and suppose his more Morose Education, in Military Matters had made him either Ignorant, or forgetful of this Law of Redempti∣on, yet had he the Priests of the Lord and the High Priest at Shilo to consult them about so weighty a case of Conscience as this, which so mightily concerned both him and his, and so profoundly conduced either to his Weal, or to his Woe; though he a Soldier, might not know the Law of Moses, either concerning the Dispensation God gave for Redeeming Vowed Sons, or Daughters, Levit. 27.1, 2, 3, 4. or the prohibition of God, from Sacrificing the Flesh of Sons, or Daughters (which was the Abomination of the Cursed Canaanites (who were peremptores potiùs quàm parentes, rather Parricides than Parents. Herein, saith Bernard) Deut. 12.28.31.

N. B. Yet sure I am, he could not but be acquainted with the famous Story of Fa∣ther Abrham, how the Lord refused his Sacrificing of his Son Isaac, though he tryed him concerning his willingness to it only: However there could not be wanting some of the Priests of the Lord (whose Lips preserve knowledge, Mal. 2.7.) even in those cor∣rupt times, that knew all those Premisses, and were able to resolve his Doubts, especial∣ly the High-Priest with his Urim and Thummim, at the least, considering they had the whole space of two Months time before the Execution of the Vow, wherein to consider on the case.

The Sixth Reason is, It is not Intelligible in any sound sense, how Jephtah could be in∣vested with any such Lawful and Laudable Authority, to Sacrifice the first Person or thing, (for the Hebrew word [Asher] may be read either for [who] or for [what]) that came to meet him in his return from the Victory: We may say, [Who gave him this Authority?] Assuredly God gave it him not. For,

First, As to things, it might have been his Ass, out of the Doors of his Stable-House, or his Dog, out of the Doors of his Dwelling-House, or any other Ʋnclean Creature, such things were forbidden by the Law, to be Offered up to the Lord, (as above,) Levit. 27.11, 12, 13, &c. And,

Secondly, As to Persons, It might have been his own Wife, or the Wife of one in his Family, over whom he could have no colour of any Rightful Power to offer them up as Burnt-Offerings, in the doing of which, he can never be excused of being guilty of Wilful Murder. Nor had he any such Parental power over his own Daughter as a Father, no nor any such Legal Civil Power, as a Judge, to kill an Innocent, and to take away the Life of his Only, Obliging, and Obedient Child, without any Offence committed by her, either to God, or Man: This had been a Wickedness with a Witness, hateful to God, and hurtful to Mankind.

Reason the Seventh, Nor could Jephtah alone offer up his Daughter as a Burnt-Offer∣ing, unless he could involve others to act with him in this Horrid Action, for it belong'd not to him to Offer Sacrifice (this presumptuous Usurpation God punish'd upon Ʋzziah with Leprosie, 2 Chron. 26.18, 19.) seeing it did belong only to the Priests; and it seems not very probable that he could perswade the Priests, to cut the Throat, and to burn the Flesh of such an Honest and Honourable Virgin, without the least provocation upon her part to them.

N. B. 'Tis far more probable, that both the Priests and the People would rather unanimously prevent than promote such a Barbarous Butchery, (had Jephtah essayed to do it by himself) as the People afterwards did rescue Innocent Jonathan out of the hands of Bloody Saul, when he, (his own Father) had sworn the Death of his own Son, 1 Sam. 14.39, 44, 45.

Objections against this second Opinion, in short, are these.

The First Objection is; In that Law of Redemption, it is said, [That no Devoted thing, whether of Man, or Beast, should not be Redeemed, but should surely be put to Death,] Levit. 27, 28, 29. This was the ground in all probability of Jephtah's mistake, having such a plausible appearance of a Divine Warrant from the Sacred Text.

Answer 1. This presupposes, that Jephtah was not ignorant of this Law of Redempti∣on; and if so, then must he know, what God saith, Levit. 27.3, 4. where his case of Conscience is clearly answered, that Consecrated Persons might be Redeemed; but Execrated Person, spoken of ver. 28, 29. must not be Redeemed, but they shall surely be put to Death; and such Execrated or Cursed Persons were the Canaanites, Numb. 21.2, &c. The Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15.3, &c. the Inhabitants of Jericho, Josh. 6.17, &c. None Page  134of this concern'd Jephtah's Danghter, who was a Blessed Virgin, not a Cursed Har∣lot, one Consecrated to God, and not Execrated, or Cursed by God.

Answer 2. Is Lyra's, Gloss upon, ver. 28, 29. saying, That a Field is devoted there as well as Man and Beast, which is not [Mortis Susceptivus,] capable of being put to Death, yet it is said to be Mortified, because by its being Devoted to God for the Service of his Sanctuary (according to the common Notion of Church-Lands) it, as it were, dyeth, passing away from a Secular to a Sacred use: In like manner (saith he) that the Death of Man there mentioned, is not a Corporal, but a Civil and Spiritual Death, like that of Jephtah's Daughter, who died to the World when devoted to Prayers and Fastings, &c. as a Recluse spending her perpetual Virginity in Religious Exercises.

Answer 3. That Law of putting to Death there, is limited with [Mikol Asher Lo] de omnibus quae sunt sub suâ potestate; which he hath a power over, but the Jews had no power over the Lives of their very Servants, insomuch that if any Master kill'd his Servant casually, he was to be surely punish'd for it by the Law of God, Exod. 21.20. Much less was it lawful for him to take away the Life of his Servant wilfully and in∣tentionally upon pretence of any Vow as this was, but least of all hath a Father power over his Child to take away his or her Life, under pretence of a Vow; for though Ser∣vants be said to be their Master's Money, Exod. 21.21. Yet Children are not so to their Parents, but are indeed themselves of a Second Edition; and so in slaying them, they do [Tantamont] slay themselves in them, whereas both Masters and Fathers are bound up from Murdering either Servants, or Sons, &c. by that great Command of God, [Thou shalt do no Murther,] whereof Jephtah is made a Breaker by those that say he Sacrific'd his Child.

Answer 4. Nor will that Law of God (which impowereth Parents to get their Stubborn and Rebellious Children Stoned, Deut. 21.18, 19, 20, 21.) afford any relief to the first Opinion, no more than that Law which commands Parents to have their hands first in stoning their Idolatrous Children, Deut. 13.8, 9.

N. B. For neither of those Instances come near, or concern our Case in hand, for Jephtah's Daughter was a Pious Virgin, not so much (for ought we know) as tainted with Idolatry, much less a down-right and known Idolatress; and as she was one that durst not transgress the Commands of the first Table, in Adoring Srtange Gods, (instead of the true Jehovah) so was she no less careful and conscientious concerning the Duties of the Second Table; here's no Stubborness, or Rebellion heard of here: Oh how did she Honour her Father in her most Humble Answer to him, saying, Father, do not for my sake make thy self a Transgressour to God, I freely give my Consent to thy Vow, I am willing to bear my Burthen, and to live a Virgin all my Life, as one cut off from the Comfort of Children, my Will is wrap'd up in thy Will, Oh my Father: Her words, ver. 36. import all this, as if she had been in Christ's School, and had learnt his words, [Father, not my Will, but thy Will be done,] Matth. 26.39. A Dutiful Daughter indeed, &c.

The Second Objection is, Should this be granted, that Jephtah only Devoted his Daughter to a perpetual Virginity, it would too much symbolize with that Popish Doctrine, of Votary-Nuns, and those Monastick Vows of a Single Life, for which we have neither Precept nor President in Scripture.

Answer 1. It may well be supposed, that the fear of palliating that Popish Point about Nunneries, hath been the principal Reason that hath prevailed with several Godly Learned Men to push them into those Sentiments, that Jephtah's Vow ought rather to be under∣stood of a Burnt-Offering, than of Devoting his Daughter to the Service of God in a State of Virginity, as this Second Opinion affirmeth.

N. B. But I think there is more ground of fearing, that the first Opinion concerning Sacrificing her, Jephtah's practice therein might be improv'd to a greater countenancing of Humane Sacrifices, in that Day wherein many Instances were manifest, of burning their Sons and Daughters to Moloch: Whereas there was neither Precept nor President for any Monastick Separations at that time; therefore this was not so dangerous to become a Pat∣tern of any voluntary vowed Virginity in Monasteries (as is practical in the Romish Church) seeing this Virginity was not voluntarily vowed upon the Virgins part, but it was violently imposed upon her, by the Rash and Inconsiderate Vow of her own Father, who lived in such corrupt times of Ignorance and Superstition, that himself wanted not some Tincture thereof, as will appear afterward, when we come to enquire, Whe∣ther Jephtah did well or ill both in making and paying his Vow? And seeing his Daugh∣ter was so far from making any voluntary Vow of Virginity of her own accord, though she obsequiously submitted to her Father's Disposing Authority over her, yet doth she Page  135beg leave of her Father to lament her Destinated Life for two Months among the Mountains, before she became a Recluse, and to be confined to her place, which is but a Sandy Foundation for such Monastick Lives as Popish Nuns lead.

N. B. But all Circumstances aforesaid being well considered, this Example upon Record may rather serve as a Sea mark for shunning such Rocks from fear of Ship wrack, than stand as a Pattern for following Ages. 'Tis safer to say, This is Recorded by the Holy Ghost for our Caution, and not for our Imitation.

Answer 2. Nor is it altogether Unscriptural for some Women to be so shut up as not to be given in Marriage ever after to pass by Tamar (David's Daughter) who was shut up in her Brother's House, 2 Sam. 13.20. and David's Concubines who were shut up also; we are not told how long David's Daughter remained in Absolom's House, but we are told how long his Concubines were, even to the Day of their Death, 2 Sam. 20.3.

N. B. Come we now to more Undefiled Instances, as Anna the Prophetess, Luk. 2.37. who was one of the few famous Witnesses of the Messiah's coming into the World, and of whom Grotius saith, that she was, Affine huic Exemplum, an Example near a-kin to this, for she spent Fourscore and Eight Years of her Widowhood (saving her Se∣ven Years Marriage) in frequent Fastings and Prayer in the Temple Night and Day, she coming in at that instant, when Simeon took up the Babe of Bethlehem into his Arms, [Simeoni Succinuit,] she Sang forth the Praises of that Beautiful Babe with Simeon also, to make up a more Harmonious Consort, ver. 38.

N. B. But still to step nearer the point in hand, the Counsel of the great Apostle may be conferred herewith concerning Virgins, which he confesseth cannot be Congruous to all, but only to such as have the Gift of Continency, and have so decreed, reserving still a liberty of doing otherwise, if need require, which Popish Votaries do not, and which Jephtah's Rash Vow indeed took away from his Daughter, being not so careful as the Apostle was in not casting a Snare upon her, that had decreed no such thing upon her self, but did mightily bewail that ensnaring Bondage, 1 Cor. 7.25, 35, 37. which Verdict Paul gives as peculiar to those Primitive Persecutions of the Church, under Bloody Nero, for the better bearing of Distractions in those dismal Days.

Answer 4. is, Nor doth all this give any Countenance, much less any Confirmation to the Romish Nunneries, in Popish Countries; for (as Capellus argues excellently) we read of no Nunneries, or Cloysters that were erected in the Jewish Church: And beside what hath been said upon the case of Jephtah's Vow, and upon the Apostle's Advice to the Virgins, &c.

N. B. Though it was lawful for a Virgin (under her Father's Power) to Vow a Vow for the Afflicting of her Soul, &c. Yet must it be,

First, With her Father's Consent, Numb. 30.4.13.

Secondly Of things Lawful only, as in denying her self in some things that Nature desired and may warrantably be received. Thus the Rechabites Vowed against Wine, Strong Drink, &c. Jerem. 35.8, 9, 10. And thus the Virgin might Vow to afflict her Soul, which is one of the Instances of what she might Vow, namely, such Acts of Self∣denial in abstaining from some Creature-Comforts▪ such as otherwise she might law∣fully live upon, whereas to Vow Unlawful things, and what are not warranted by God's Word, a Vowing to do evil is an utter Abomination; as Deut 23.18. Act. 23.14, &c. And,

Thirdly, She might Vow only such things as were possible (as well as lawful) and in her power, either by the Constitution of her Natural Temper, or by the Assistance of God's Grace promis'd to her. And thus thinks Judicious Junius, That Jephtah's Daughter did consent to her Father's Vow, being content [Se in perpetuùm quasi Nazaraeum futuram Domino] to be separated as a perpetual Nazaritess, unto the Lord and his Service, &c.

N. B. But the Popish Vows of Virginity, are Diametrically contrary to those Divine Truths, and therefore their Vows of Continency hath this Curse of God upon them to breed all manner of Incontinency in both Sexes, as our own Chronicles concerning Abbies and Monasteries do abundantly confirm: To say nothing of their Clergy, who are all under the same Vow of Continency; yet is it too notoriously known, that they turn all Towns and Cities into so many Sodom's where they dwell, &c.

The Third Objection is, If Jephtah's Daughter was not Dead, but only Devoted, Why did the Daughters of Israel go yearly, (four Days every Year) to lament her, by a Cu∣stom, or Ordinance? ver. 40.

Answer 1. The Hebrew word [Lethannoth,] is variously rendred, either to lament, and in this first sense, they might take a just occasion of lamenting her perpetual Virginity, Page  136as well as her Death, for the former bare an Analogy and proportion to the latter, it being a Civil Death (as before is shewed) and therefore to be lamented.

Answer 2. Worthy and weighty Weems saith, Though the Septuagint render [Le∣thannoth] by reading it, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.] to lament; but the reason was (saith he) because they mistook its Derivation, deriving it from Tanin, a Dragon, which makes a moan∣ful mourning, Mich. 1.8. Job 30.28, 29 whereas the word [Letannoth] comes from [Tanah] narrare to Rehearse. So Judg. 5.11. it should therefore be Translated [ad colloquendum,] Pagnin and Arias Montanus do Translate it, [ad confabulandum cum câ.] So Kimchi which Junius followeth, namely, to talk with her, that they might comfort her in her Solitary Life, for which these Daughters of Israel might both lament her case, and chear up her Spirit, with the remembrance of that Glorious Victory, which they ce∣lebrated with Triumphant Songs four times every Year with her, to allay her Sor∣rows.

Objection the Fourth, It was the Belief of the Ancients of that very Age, that Jephtah did really slay and Sacrifice his Daughter, for it is probably conceived, that the Ancient Greek Poets used to steal Sacred Histories, and turn them into their Poetical Fables, and accord∣ingly they framed from this very Scripture-Record, their Story of Agamemnon's Sacrificing his Daughter Iphigenia to pacifie the Gods.

N. B. Answer 1. It is granted, That it was the practice of both the Greek and Latine Pagan Poets, to steal their Stories out of the Scripture of truth, as Homer his Descripti∣on of Alcinous's Garden, from Moses's Sacred Description of Paradise; and Ovid likewise stole his lame description of Deucalion's Floud, from Moses's Description of Noah's De∣luge, and sundry other such like.

N. B. Answer 2. It is granted also, that there is some Congruity, and seeming Pa∣rity betwixt the Name of Agamemnon's Daughter, (Iphigenia and Jephtah's Daughters Name) especialy had the Sacred Scriptures given her that supposed Name of Jephtige∣nia, which it doth not, and therefore that Hypothesis, or Supposition, wants a firmer foundation to stand upon: We have this Rule in Philosophy [Strato Superstruitur,] and Vitruvius saith, [In solido extruendum est,] Ʋpon firm ground found the Building; and our Lord better bids us build upon the Rock: Now a Poetical Fiction seems too Sandy a Foun∣dation to bottom a Theological Assertion upon.

N. B. Answer 3. Though it be granted that in many Circumstances there be a Con∣gruity. As,

First, In Time, they were Contemporary.

Secondly, In Name, they not absurdly Symbolize.

Thirdly, In Personal Figure, both were the only Daughters of two Chieftains, and both were Virgins. And,

Fourthly, In their Fate, both were Objects of a Paternal Vow. And,

Fifthly, In the Occasion thereof both were Vowed to a Deity when their Fathers went forth to wage War against their Enemies: Thus far the Congruity may hold.

N. B. Yet the Disparity in the Issue of the Poetical Fiction, spoils all as Argumenta∣tive to prove the point in hand, that Jephtah did certainly Sacrifice his own only dear Daughter, because Agamemnon did so to his Iphigenia. For,

First, It is denied that Agamemnon did so by Authors of unquestionable Honour and Credit, who thus relate this Story; Agamemnon having by chance slain a Stagg that be∣long'd to Diana, she in Revenge rais'd a Dreadful Tempest upon the Grecian Ships that were at the Besieging and Blocking up of Troy. The Devil's Oracle told them, That Diana would not be appeas'd, unless some of Agamemnon's Blood were Sacrificed to her. In order hereunto, crafty Ʋlysses got the Virgin away from her Mother by a Wile, but when she was about to be Sacrificed, Diana was moved with compassion, sent her away privily into Taurica, there to be one of her Priestess's, and kindly sent them an Hind to be offered up in her stead with Acceptance, so that the Storm ceased.

N. B. This is the Relation of the most Classick and Authentick Historians; and in particular briefly Sir Walter Rawleigh (one of great Reputation) relateth it thus, Cal∣chas that Pagan Priest, would indeed have had Agamemnon's Daughter Sacrificed to pa∣cifie Diana, but some think that the Goddess was pleased with an Hind, &c.

N. B. But Secondly, Suppose she were really Sacrificed, (which is improbable) What Inference can be drawn from hence? Shall we conclude, that because the Pagan Agamemnon did so, who lived under the Conduct of the Devil, that always delighted in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Man's Flesh and Blood; therefore Jephtah must do so, who had the Page  137Spirit of God upon him, and whose Faith is celebrated in Hebr. 11.32. may we not sa∣fer say, If Diana refused Iphigena out of pity to her, how much more the God of all Mercy who spared Abraham's Son Isaac, and accepted of a Ram in his stead, might not accordingly have had pity upon Jephtah's Daughter, more than Diana had upon the Daughter of Agamemnon, &c. wherein the Congruity or Parity doth well concur in both the Virgins cases; and no less Correspondency is there in this point, that as Aga∣memnon's Daughter Iphigenia was devoted a Priestess to Diana, that Pagan Goddess; so Jephtah's Daughter Jepthigenia (though the Scripture vouchsafes not to give her either that or any other Name) was devoted a kind of Nazaritess to the true Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel.

The last Remark upon this Eleventh Chapter is, The Inquiry, Whether Jephtah sinned in this Vow, either in the promising, or in the performing part of it?

Answer 1. Some say he did not sin in either part, but he did both of them by an In∣stinct from that Spirit of God, which came upon him, ver. 29. so saith Anselm and other Fathers (as Austin and Jerom) favour this Opinion, saying, God did not move Jephtah to do this, that Men should imitate him in so doing, but that Men should un∣derstand how God the Father had but one only Son, (as Jephtah but one only Daughter) yet he freely parted with him for a Sacrifice of Man's Redemption, as Jephtah did with his only Child here.

N.B. But seeing this Allegory wants altogether a Foundation in God's Word, 'tis to be reckoned inter Naevos patrum, among the Failures of the Fathers, being no better than the Frothy Exuberancy of Wanton Brains.

Answer 2. But others do censure Jephtah, as Tertullian, Ambrose, Nazianzen, Chry∣sostom, &c. saying, he was a Fool in making such a confused and inconsiderate Vow; and a worse Fool in doing according to his Vow, as more largely appears in what is said be∣fore: Nor may we wonder that Jephtah, tho praised for his Faith, Hebr. 11.32. Yet might have his Failings with all other great Saints, for every one of which Infirmities (found in them) they are not blamed by either Prophet, or Apostle: All that can be said, 'tis a folly to justifie Jephtah in all his Promises and Performances; only the Igno∣rance of that Age may excuse him à Tanto, but nothing can excuse him à Toto.

Judges CHAP. XII.

JƲdges the Twelfth contains, (1.) Jephtah's War with the Ephraimites, with its Cause and Event, and then his Death from, ver. 1. to 7. (2.) His Three Successors from ver. 8. to the end.

The Remarks upon the first part are; First, Such was the Pride of Ephraim, that they were Drunk with it, Isa. 28.1, 3. as being descended of Joseph the most Honourable of all the Patriarchs, and therefore out of Vain-glory and Envy, they pick a Quarrel with Jephtah and his Gileadites, as they had done before with Gideon, Judg. 8.1, 2.3. and with his few Followers, for Monopolizing the Glory of a great Victory to themselves with∣out their Assistance.

N. B. Though Gideon was a Meek Man, and with a soft Answer pacified their proud Rage; yet Jephtah (a more Morose Man) would not do so, for they gave him greater Provocations, calling him and his Followers a Company of Fugitives, that for Carnal ends had chosen their Habitations on the wrong side of Jordan, far from Shilo, and the whole Body of Israel, and they upbraid him for not calling them to be his Auxiliaries, that they might have shared with him in the Honour of his Conquest; and hereupon they threaten to burn his House with five. ver. 1.

N. B. Here good Jephtah is involv'd into another Calamity, Fluctus fluctum trudit, a Succession of Sorrows attended him, Velut unda supervenit undae, one Wave follows another. He was but newly returned from his Expedition against the Ammonites, and but newly also after that, made miserable by his Rash Vows Execution upon his only Child and Daughter; and now must he be necessitated to fight with his own Implacable Bre∣thren of Ephraim: Crosses seldom come single: However Jephtah resolves to be Innocent on his part, and labours to appease them by his Apology, ver. 2, 3. wherein he stoutly tells them, they made little of a Lye, for he had call'd them to aid him (though they denied it) and out of either neglect, or fear of danger, Page  138failed to come at his call, though he call'd them by Authority, as then the Judge of Israel; and upon your failure (saith he) I did put my Life in my Hand, and hazarded that pretious Jewel, upon great Disadvantages; yet the Lord stood with my few against the Ammonites many, and hath delivered not only us, but also your selves from their Slavery; wherefore ye ought with all thankfulness to have Congratulated the Conquest, and not Quarrel with the Conquerour for preventing your Danger in War, and for procuring your Liberty in Peace; forgive me this Wrong, in running such Hazards to preserve you and yours, &c.

N. B. This Speech prevails not now with Ephraim, as Gideon's had done before, not because this was less prevalent in it self, and not back'd with as Cogent Arguments, but because they were now deeplier prick'd with Pride and Envy, having no share at all in Jephtah's Victory, as they had some in Gideon's, by taking the two Kings Z•eb and Oreb; and now those two Hellish Furies, Pride and Envy aforenamed, do ripen them for their ruine, as Prov. 16.18.

The Second Remark is, The Event of this Civil War, when Jephtah found those Ephraimites irreconcileable, passing over Jordan to fight him in his own Countrey, even in the Countrey of Gilead, with a vast Army, and giving him and his Army (whom God had honoured with Victory over the Ammonites, though exceeding numerous) most Opprobius Nick Names, as Fugitives, and the very Scum, or Dr•ggs of Israel; he will not be so Mealy Mouth'd with them, as Gideon had been before him, Judg. 8. but re∣solves to fight them, Immedicabile vulnus ense recidendum est, &c. When he had nô hopes of Curing, he falls upon Cutting, and Corrects their Notorious Insolency with the Edge of the Sword.

N. B. And the same Lord of Hosts that had given him Victory over the Oppressing Ammonites, gives him Victory likewise over those Arrogant Ephraimites, that durst so Seditiously Rebel against their Supreme Magistrate whom God had extraordinarily call'd to be a Judge over Israel; insomuch as he slew Forty two Thousand of them, slaying not only these that stood in the Battel, but also all such as fled from it, discovering them∣selves to be Ephramites by their Lisping Language; for when they could not pronounce Shibolath (which signifies fluxus fluminis, the Ford of Jordan, (which they desired to over homeward,) they cryed [Sibboleth] and could not pro•ounce the Word with its Aspiration; so their Dialect discover'd them, and expos'd them to the Slaughter.

N. B. Jephtah might have offered many Hebrew words that had [sh] double in them, a Shomesh the Sun, Shelishah Three, or Sha•shelch a Chain, &c. in signification; but the word proposed was Shiboleth, because (saith Dr. Lightfoot) of the present occasion, for the word signifies a Stream, and the Ephraimites (denying themselves to be of Ephraim, having a wicked Principle of Liberty to Lye, rather than to Die) are required to call the Stream which they would have Waded thorough to Mount Ephraim, by the right name, and they could not name it aright with a breathing Pronounciation, like the French that cannot pronounce Aspirates, but call [Third] a Tird: Therefore seeing those Fuguives (a Name they had branded Jephtah with) could not breath a-right, are slain, and must breath no more, &c.

N. B. Not•well. How many discover themselves to be Naughty by their Lisping Lan∣guage in Religious Matters, speaking the language of Ashdod, Nehm. 13.24. Their Speech doth bewray them, as Matth. 26.73. By our words we shall be justified, or condemned, &c. Matth. 12.36.37.

The Third Remark upon the second part of this Twelfth Chapter is, The Successors of Jephtah, who after his two famous Victories Foreign and Domestick, in his six Years of Judgeship, then died; and was succeeded,

First, By Ibzan, ver. 7, 8.9, 10. He Judged Israel Seven years in peaceable times (as did his two Successors after him) and therefore nothing of special note acted against For∣reign or Domeslick Enemies is Recorded of them, in the time of their Judgeship, save only that this Judge Ibzan was Renowned both for the Number, and for the Equality of the number of his Sons and Daughters, having Thirty of each, whereby he linked himself into a large Affinity, and so was much strengthened in his Government. According to the Duty of a good Father, he sent his Daughters out of his Family abroad, where he had found fit Matches for them all, and he took Thirty Daughters out of other Fami∣lies to be Wives for his Thirty Sons, and so to live with them in their Father's Fa∣mily. And,

N. B. Thus on both hands, the Husband went not to the Wife, but the Wife ment to the Husband, as to her Lord and Head.

Page  139 N. B. And thus likewise, the Man misseth his Rib, so maketh out to recover it; and the Woman (made of the Rib taken out of Man's side) inclineth to be in her old place again, un∣der the Man's Arm, or Wing; therefore an Husband is call'd a Rest for the Woman, Ruth 3.1. And hence arises that Natural Propensity in most People to a Marriage Ʋnion, both in Males and in Females of Mankind, in all Ages, &c.

Secondly, The next Successor was Edon, of whom nothing is recorded, save that he Judged Israel Ten Years, ver. 11, 12. maintaining the purity of God's true Worship, and administring Justice among the People in those peaceable times, and therefore is he thought worthy to be reckon'd among the Judges, not Dying in his Iniquity for not having done good among his People, Ezek. 18.18.

N. B. Only Samson's Birth is supposed to be about the beginning of Elon's Judgeship, God then being about to raise up a Remedy against Israel's Malady, by the Oppressing Philistines, whose Forty Years Oppression of Israel probably began about this time. And,

Thirdly, After Ibzan the Tenth Judge, and after Elon the Eleventh Judge, succeeds Abdon the Twelth Judge, who Judged Israel Eight Years, ver 13, 14, 15. where he hath a most Renowned Character for his Numerous Sons and Nephews, the Noble Num∣ber of Seventy.

N. B. Enow to make up a whole Sanhedrim, and himself the Judge: These are all said to ride upon Seventy Ass-Colts, to set forth their Gallantry and Grandeur, which at least argueth, that this Abdon was a Man both of a vast Estate, and of a most high Honour; in whom the Ephraimites (himself being of Ephraim) began to recover them∣selves from that low Estate into which they had been reduced by Jephtah, &c. So Jo∣seph's Glory shone forth again in him, as it had done in Joshua, &c.