Whilst Gideon bewrayeth weakness, | God both gives him might, and employs it: "Go in this thy might, and save Israel." Who would not have looked, that God should have looked angrily on him, and chid him for his unbelief? But he, whose mercy will not quench the weakest fire of grace, though it be but in flax, looks upon him with compassionate eyes; and, to make good his own word, gives him that valour he had acknowledged. Gideon had not yet said, "Lord, deliver Israel;" much less had he said, Lord, deliver Israel by my hand." The mercy of God prevents the desire of Gideon. If God should not begin with us, we should be ever miserable: if he should not give us till we ask, yet who should give us to ask? If his spirit did not work those holy groans and sighs in us, we should never make suit to God. He that commonly gives us power to crave, sometimes gives us without craving, that the benefit might be so much more welcome, by how much less it was expected; and we so much more thankful as he is more forward. When he bids us ask, it is not for that he needs to be entreated, but that he may make us more capable of blessings by desiring them. And where he sees fervent desires, he stays not for words; and he that gives ere we ask, how much more will he give when we ask? He that hath might enough to deliver | Israel, yet hath not might enough to keep himself from doubting. The strongest faith will ever have some touch of infidelity. And yet this was not so much a distrust of the possibility of delivering Israel, as an inquiry after the means. Whereby shall I save Israel? The salutation of the angel to Gideon was as like Gabriel's salutation of the blessed virgin, as their answers were like both angels brought news of deliverance; both were answered with a question of the means of performance, with a report of the difficulties in performing: "Ah, my Lord, whereby shall I save Israel?" How the good man disparages himself! It is a great matter, O Lord, that thou speakest of, and great actions require mighty agents. As for me, who am I? my tribe is none of the greatest in Israel; my father's family is one of the meanest in his tribe, and I the meanest in his family. Poverty is a sufficient bar to great enterprises. 66 Whereby shall I?" Humility is both a sign of following glory, and a way to it, and an occasion of it. Bragging and height of spirit will not carry it with God. None have ever been raised by him, but those which have formerly dejected themselves: none have been confounded by him that have been abased in themselves. Thereupon it is that he adds: "I will therefore be with thee;" as if he had answered, Hadst thou not been so poor in thyself, I would not have wrought by thee. How should God be magnified in his mercies, if we were not unworthy? How should he be strong, if not in our weakness? All this while Gideon knew not it was an angel that spake with him; he saw a man stand before him like a traveller, with a staff in his hand. The unusualness of those revelations, in those corrupted times, was such, that Gideon might think of any thing rather than an angel. No marvel if so strange a promise, from an unknown messenger, found not a perfect assent: fain would he believe, but fain would he have good warrant for his faith. In matters of faith, we cannot go upon too sure grounds. As Moses, therefore, being sent upon the same errand, desired a sign whereby Israel might know that God sent him; so Gideon desires a sign from this bearer, to know that this news is from God. Yet the very hope of so happy news, not yet ratified, stirs up in Gideon both joy and thankfulness. After all the injury of the Midianites, he was not so poor, but he could bestow a kid and cakes upon the reporter of such tidings. Those which are rightly affected with the glad news of our spiritual deliverance, study to show their loving respects to the messengers. The angel stays for the preparing of Gideon's feast. Such pleasure doth God take in the thankful endeavours of his servants, that he patiently waits upon the leisure of our performances. Gideon intended a dinner; the angel turned it into a sacrifice. He, whose meat and drink it was to do his Father's will, calls for the broth and flesh to be poured out upon the stone; and when Gideon looked he should have blessed, and eaten, he touches the feast with his staff, and consumes it with fre from the stone, and departs. He did not strike the stone with his staff (for the attrition of two hard bodies would naturally beget fire), but he touched the meat, and brought fire from the stone. And now, while Gideon saw and wondered at the spiritual act, he lost the sight of the agent. He, that came without entreating, would not have departed without taking leave, but that he might increase Gideon's wonder, and that his wonder might increase his faith. His salutation, therefore, was not so strange as his farewell. Moses touched the rock with his staff, and brought forth water and yet a man, and yet continued with the Israelites. This messenger touches the stone with his staff, and brings forth fire, and presently vanishes, that he may approve himself a spirit. And now, Gideon, when he had gathered up himself, must needs think, He that can raise fire out of a stone, can raise courage and power out of my dead breast: he that by this fire hath consumed the broth and flesh, can, by the feeble flame of my fortitude, consume Midian. Gideon did not so much doubt before, as now he feared. We, that shall once live with, and be like angels, in the estate of our impotency, think we cannot see an angel and live. Gideon was acknowledged for mighty in valour, yet he trembles at the sight of an angel. Peter, that durst draw his sword upon Malchus and all the train of Judas, yet fears when he thought he had seen a spirit. Our natural courage cannot bear us out against spiritual objects. This angel was homely and familiar, taking upon him, for the time, a resemblance of that flesh whereof he would afterwards take the substance: yet even the valiant Gideon quakes to have seen him. How awful and glorious is the God of angels, when he will be seen in the state of heaven! ments 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 Joash) 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 It more good than a thousand seconds in the proceeding of an action. The angel that departed for the wonder, yet returns for the comfort of Gideon. is not usual with 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 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 monu 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 PREPARA- Or 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 had 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. former miracle was strong enough to carry Gideon through his first exploit of ruina. ting the idolatrous grove and altar; but now, when he saw the swarm of the Mi The dianites and Amalekites about his ears, he | calls for new aid; and, not trusting to the 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 evils assail 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 judgments 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 this reciprocal proof of his ensuing success, he goes on (as he well may) harnessed with resolution, and is seen at 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, whilst 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 have well 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 he may have the full 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. 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 ought 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 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, scare 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 tyranny 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, Gideon; those hearts that have brought us hither after thy colours, can as well keep us from retiring, dian? And yet still God complains of too many; and, upon his trial. dismisses nine thousand seven hundred more. His first trial was of the valour of their minds; his next is of the ability of their bodies. Those which, besides boldness, are not strong, patient of labour and thirst, willing to stoop, content with a little (such were those that took up water with their hands), are not for the select band of God. The Lord of Hosts will serve himself of none but able champions. If he have therefore singled us into his combat, this very choice argues, that he finds that strength in us, which we cannot confess in ourselves. How can it but comfort us in our great trials, that if the Searcher of hearts did not find us fit, he would never honour us with so hard an employment. 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 Now, when there is not scarce left one army of Israel, aboye two for one timorous? Israelite to every thousand of the MidianHow many make a glorious shew in the war-ites, it is seasonable with God to join battle. faring church, which, when they shall see When God hath stripped us of all our danger of persecution, shall shrink from the earthly confidence, then doth he find time standard of God? Hope of safety, examples to give us victory, and not till then, lest of neighbours, desire of praise, fear of cen- he should be a loser in our gain: likeas at sures, coaction of laws, fellowship of friends, last he unclothes us of our body, that he draw many into the field, which, so soon as may clothe us upon with glory. ever they see the adversary, repent of their conditions; and, if they may cleanly escape, will be gone early from mount Gilead. Can any man be offended at the number of these shrinkers, when he sees but ten thousand Israelites left of two-and-thirty thousand in a morning? These men, that would have been ashamed to go away by day, now drop away by night: and if Gideon should have called any one of them back, and said, Wilt thou fly? would have made an excuse: the darkness is a fit veil for their paleness, or blushing; fearfulness cannot abide the light.. None of these thousands of Israel but would have been loath Gideon should have seen his face, whilst he said, I am fearful! Very shame holds some in their station, whose hearts are already fled. And if we cannot endure that men should be witnesses of that fear, which we might live to correct, how shall we abide once to show our fearful heads before that terrible Judge, when he calls us forth to the punishment of our fear? O the vanity of foolish hypocrites, that run upon the terrors of God, whilst they would avoid the shame of men! How do we think the small remainder of Israel looked, when, in the next morning-muster, they found themselves but ten thousand left? How did they accuse their timorous countrymen, that had left but this handful to encounter the millions of Mi If Gideon feared when he had two-andthirty thousand Israelites at his heels, is it any wonder if he feared when all these were shrunk unto three hundred? Though his confirmation were more, yet his means were abated. Why was not Gideon rather the leader of those two-and-twenty thousand run-aways, than of these three hundred soldiers? O infinite mercy and forbearance of God, that takes not advantage of so strong an infirmity, but instead of casting, encourages him! That wise providence hath prepared a dream in the head of one Midianite, an interpretation in the mouth of another, and hath brought Gideon to be an auditor of both; and hath made his enemies prophets of his victory, encouragers of the attempt, proclaimers of their own confusion. A Midianite dreams, a Midianite interprets. Our very dreams many times are not without God; there is a providence in our sleeping fancies. Even the enemies of God may have visions, and power to construe them aright. How usually are wicked men forewarned of their own destruction! To foreknow, and not avoid, is but an aggravation of judgment. When Gideon heard good news, though from an enemy, he fell down and worshipped. To hear himself but a barley-cake troubled him not, when he heard withal that his roll. ing down the hill should break the tents of Midian. It matters not how base we be K The How much more, if we have once turned our backs upon a temptation, shall our spiritual enemies, which are ever strong, trample us in the dust? Resist, and they shall fly: stand still, and we shall see the salvation of the Lord. thought, so we may be victorious. soul that hath received full confirmation from God in the assurance of his salvation, cannot but bow the knee, and by gestures of body tell how it is ravished. I would have thought Gideon should rather have found full confirmation in the promise and act of God, than in the dream of the Midianite. Dreams may be full of uncertainty; God's undertakings are infallble. Well, therefore, might the miracle of God give strength to the dream of a Midianite; but what strength could a pagan's dream give to the miraculous act of God? yet by this is Gideon throughly settled. When we are going, a little thing drives us on; when we are come near the shore, the very tide, without sails, is enough to put us into the harbour. We shall now hear no more of Gideon's doubts, but of his achievements. And though God had promised by these three hundred to chase the Midianites, yet he neglects not wise stratagems to effect it. To wait for God's performance in doing nothing, is to abuse that divine providence, which will so work, that will not allow us idle. Now, when we would look that Gideon should give charge of whetting their swords, and sharping their spears, and fitting their armour, he only gives order for empty pitchers, and lights, and trumpets. The cracking of these pitchers shall break in pieces this Midianitish clay; the kindling of these lights shall extinguish the light of Midian; these trumpets sound no other than a soulpeal to all the host of Midian: there shall need nothing but noise and light to confound this innumerable army. And if the pitchers, and brands, and trumpets of Gideon, did so daunt and dismay the proud troops of Midian and Amalek, who can we think shall be able to stand before the last terror, wherein the trumpet of the archangel shall sound, and the heaven shall pass away with a noise, and the ele- | ments shall be on a flame about our ears? Any of the weakest Israelites would have served to have broken an empty pitcher, to have carried a light, and to have sounded a trumpet, and to strike a flying adversary. Not to the basest use will God employ an unworthy agent: he will not allow so much as a cowardly torch-bearer. Those two-and-twenty thousand Israelites that slipped away for fear, when the fearful Midianites fled, can pursue and kill them, and can follow them at the heels, whom they durst not look at in the face. Our flight gives advantage to the feeblest adversary, whereas our resistance foileth the greatest. CONTEMPLATION VII-THE REVENGE OF SUCCOTH AND PENUEL. GIDEON was of Manasseh: Ephraim and he were brothers, sons of Joseph. None of all the tribes of Israel fall out with their victorious leader but he. The agreement of brothers is rare: by how much nature hath more endeared them, by so much are their quarrels more frequent and dangerous. I did not hear the Ephraimites offering themselves into the front of the army before the fight, and now they are ready to fight with Gideon, because they were not called to fight with Midian; I hear them expostulating after it. After the exploit done, cowards are valiant. Their quarrel was, that they were not called. It had been a greater praise of their valour to have gone unbidden. What need was there to call them, when God complained of multitude, and sent away those which were called? None speak so big in the end of the fray, as the fearfullest. Ephraim flies upon Gideon, whilst the Midianites fly from him; when Gideon should be pursuing his enemies, he is pursued by brethren, and now is glad to spend that wind in pacifying of his own, which should have been bestowed in the slaughter of a common adversary. It is a wonder if Satan suffer us to be quiet at home, whilst we are exercised with wars abroad. not Gideon learned to speak fair, as well as to smite, he had found work enough from the swords of Joseph's sons: his good words are as victorious as his sword; his pacification of friends, better than his execution of enemies. Had For aught I see, the envy of Israelites was not more troublesome to Gideon, than the opposition of Midian. He hath left the envy of Ephraim behind him; before him, he finds the envy of Succoth and Penuel. The one envies that he should overcome without them; the other, that he should say he had overcome. His pursuit leads him to Succoth; there he craves relief, and is repelled, Had he said, Come forth and draw your sword with me against Zeba and Zalmunna, the motion had been but equal. A common interest challenges a universal aid. Now he says but "Give |