and glorious is the God of angels, when he will be seen in the state of heaven!

The angel that departed for the wonder, yet returns for the comfort of Gideon. It is not the wont of God to leave his children in amaze, but he brings them out in the same mercy which led them in, and will magnify his grace in the one, no less than his power in the other.

Now Gideon grows acquainted with God, and interchanges pledges of familiarity; he builds an altar to God, and God confers with him, and (as he uses where he loves) employs him. His first task must be to destroy the god of the Midianites, then the idolaters themselves. While Baal's altar and grove stood in the hill of Ophrah, Israel should in vain hope to prevail. It is most just with God, that judgment should continue with the sin, and no less mercy, if it may remove after it. Wouldst thou fain be rid of any judgment? Inquire what false altars and groves thou hast in thy heart; down with them at first.

First must Baal's altar be ruined, ere God's be built; both may not stand together: the true God will have no society with idols, neither will allow it us. I do not hear him say, That altar and grove, which were abused to Baal, consecrate now to me: but, as one whose holy jealousy will abide no worship till there be no idolatry, he first commands down the monuments of superstition, and then enjoins his own service; yet the wood of Baal's grove must be used to burn a sacrifice unto God. When it was once cut down, God's detestation and their danger ceased. The good creatures of God, that have been profaned to idolatry, may, in a change of their use, be employed to the holy service of their Maker.

Though some Israelites were penitent under this humiliation, yet still many of them persisted in their wonted idolatry. The very household of Gideon's father were still Baalites, and his neighbours of Ophrah were in the same sin: yea, if his father had been free,

what did he with Baal's grove and altar? He dares not therefore take his father's servants, though he took his bullocks, but commands his own. The master is best seen in the servants: Gideon's servants (amongst the idolatrous retinue of Joah) are religious like their master; yet the misdevotion of Joash and the Ophrathites was not obstinate. Joash is easily persuaded by his sons, and easily persuades his neighbours, how unreasonable it is to plead for such a god, as cannot speak for himself; to revenge his cause, that could not defend himself. "Let Baal plead for himself." One example of a resolute onset in a noted person may do more good than a thousand seconds in the proceeding of an action.

Soon are all the Midianites in an uproar to lose their god; they need not now be bidden to muster themselves for revenge. He hath no religion, that can suffer an indignity offered to his God.

CONTEMPLATION VI.

GIDEON'S PREPARATION AND VICTORY.

Of all the instruments that God did use in so great a work, I find none so weak as Gideon, who yet (of all others) was styled valiant. Natural valour may well stand with spiritual cowardice. Before he knew that he spake with a God, he might have just colours for his distrust; but after God had approved his presence, and almighty power, by fetching fire out of the stone, then to call for a watery sign of his promised deliverance, was no other than to pour water upon the fire of the Spirit. The former trial God gave, vanished; this, upon Gideon's choice and entreaty. The former miracle was strong enough to carry Gideon through

his first exploit of ruinating the idolatrous grove and altar; but now, when he saw the swarm of the Midianites and Amalekites about his ears, he calls for new aid; and, not trusting to his Abiezrites, and his other thousands of Israel, he runs to God for a further assurance of victory.

The refuge was good, but the manner of seeking it savours of distrust. There is nothing more easy than to be valiant, when no peril appeareth; but when evilsassail us, upon equal terms, it is hard and commendable not to be dismayed. If God had made that proclamation now, which afterwards was commanded to be made by Gideon, "Let the timorous depart ;" I doubt whether Israel had not wanted a guide; yet how willing is the Almighty to satisfy our weak desires!

What tasks is he content to be set by our infirmity! The fleece must be wet and the ground dry; the ground must be wet, and the fleece dry: both are done, that now Gideon may see whether he would make himself hard earth, or yielding wool. God could at pleasure distinguish betwixt him and the Midianites, and pour down either mercies or judgment where he lists, and that he was set on work by that God which can command all the elements, and they obey him. Fire, water, earth, serve both him and (when he will) his.

And now, when Gideon had his reciprocal proof of his ensuing success, he goes on (as he well may) harnessed with resolution, and is seen in the head of his troops, and in the face of the Midianites. If we cannot make up the match with God, when we have our own asking, we are worthy to sit out.

Gideon had thirty two thousand soldiers at his heels. The Midianites covered all the valley like grasshoppers: and now while the Israelites think, We are too few, God says, "The people are too many.' If the Israelites must have looked for victory from their fingers, they might well have said, The Midianites are too many for us: but that God, whose

thoughts and words are unlike to men's, says, "They are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands." If human strength were to be opposed, there should have needed an equality; but now God meant to give the victory, his care is not how to get it, but how not to lose or blemish the glory of it gotten. How jealous God is of his honour! He is willing to give deliverance to Israel, but the praise of the deliverance he will keep to himself; and will shorten the means, that may have the measure of the glory. And if he will not allow lawful means to stand in the light of his honour, how will he endure it to be crossed so much as indirectly? It is less danger to steal any thing from God, than his glory.

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As a prince, which, if we steal or clip his coin, may pardon it; but if we go about to rob him of his crown, will not be appeased. There is nothing that we can give to God, of whom we receive all things; that which he is content to part with, he gives us, but he will not abide we should take aught from him which he would reserve for himself. It is all one with him to save with many as with few; but he rather chooses to save by few, that all the victory may redound to himself. O God, what art thou the better for praises, to whom, because thou art infinite, nothing can be added! It is for our good that thou wouldst be magnified of us. O teach us to receive the benefit of thy merciful favours, and to return thee the thanks.

Gideon's army must be lessened. Who are so fit to be cashiered as the fearful? God bids him therefore proclaim licence for all faint hearts to leave the field. An ill instrument may shame a good work: God will not glorify himself by cowards. As the timorous shall be without the gates of heaven, so shall they be without the lists of God's field. Although it was not their courage that should save Israel, yet without their courage, God would not serve himself of them. Christianity requires men; for if our spiritual difficulties meet not with high spirits, instead of whetting our

fortitude, they quell it. David's royal band of worthies was the type of the forces of the church, all valiant men, and able to encounter with thousands.

Neither must we be strong only, but acquainted with our own resolutions, not out of any carnal presumption, but out of a faithful reliance upon the strength of God, in whom, when we are weak, then we are strong. O thou white-liver! Doth but a foul word, or a frown, scar thee from Christ? Doth the loss of a little land, or silver, disquiet thee? Doth but the sight of the Midianites in the valley strike thee? Home then, home to the world; thou art not then for the conquering band of Christ: if thou canst not resolve to follow him through infamy, prisons, racks, gibbets, flames, depart to thine house, and save thy life to thy loss.

Methinks now Israel should have complained of indignity, and have said, Why shouldst thou think, O Gideon, that there can be a cowardly Israelite? And if the experience of the power and mercy of God be not enough to make us fearless, yet the sense of servitude must needs have made us resolute; for who had not rather to be buried dead, than quick? Are we not fain to hide our heads in the caves of the earth, and to make our graves our houses? Not so much as the very light that we can freely enjoy. The ty ranny of death is but short and easy, to this of Midian; and yet what danger can there be of that, since thou hast so certainly assured us of God's promise of victory, and his miraculous confirmation? No, Gi deon, those hearts, that have brought us hither after thy colours, can as well keep us from retiring.

But now, who can but bless himself to find, of two and thirty thousand Israelites, two and twenty thousand cowards? Yet all these in Gideon's march made as fair a flourish of courage as the boldest. Who can trust the faces of men, that sees, in the army of Israel, above two for one timorous? How many make a glorious show in the warfaring church, which, when