primum mobile. He was sent on foot into the Valley. ] He was the Leader of the Foot-men in the Valley. Thus far the commends, in the next words she reprovet. for the Divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart; Why abodest thou among the feepfolds , to bear the bleatings of the Flocks ? for ibe divisions of Reuben there were great fearchings of heart. ] Thee were great wonderings why Reuben came not out to help their Brethren; for the divisions of Reuben, that they should hold back,and not accompany the rest of the Tribes, many searchings and enquiries why Reuben came not. This Tribe dwest beyond Jordan in fat and goodly Patture ; and they too much minded their Cattel, and negle&ed the care of the Common. wealch. They were hearing the bleatings of the sheep, and the bellowings of the Oxen, when their Brechren heard the Alarum of War,the Noise of the Trumpet,che Beacing of the Drum. Why abodet thon among thy Sheepfölds? Haft thou no care of Ifraels troubles, of the bleeding condition of thy Brethren? Doft thou take more care of thy Sheep, than of them ? see how the herce Enemy like a Wolf, comes to devoure them, and proud Sisira is ready to tear them in pieces? wilt thou not take as much care of them, as of hy Sheep? Gilead abode beyond Jordan. ] Both the Families of Manaseb Machir and Jair, dwelt in Gilead, and poffesfed it ; now the Family of Machir was commended before, so that here is meant of Jair. Or else the words are to be took thus, as an answer to Reuben, why couldft thou not come from beyond Jordan, as well as Gileid; Gilead abode beyond Jordan, and yes he came, and so this tends to Gileads praise, and to Reub: ns dishonour; the Erft lense is moft genuine. And why did Dan remain in ships?]Either 1 To shelter themselves from the Enemies?when they heard of Jahin and Eifera's coming, they slipt themselves away. Or elfe 2. Dan remained in Chips, he minded his own business and merchandize, his traffick and commerce. And why did Dan remain in (hips, when all 1frael was almost suffering thipwrack ? Alker continued on the Sea-shore, and abode in bis breaches.]The words include a double excuse which Asher had,why it came noe to help lfrael ; 1 They dwelt afar off by the Sea-shore. 2. Their Towns and Cities were ruinous, and not well fenc'c; and there. fore a fore they ftayed at home to defend and fortifie themselves, they abode in their breaches; I but there was another breach that Asher might have thought of, a breach of Gods Law and Com. mandment, which enjoya'd his peoples mutual love, and a joynt opposition of their Enemies. Żebulun and Nephtali were a People that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the Field. After a more general commendation of some Tribes, aud reproofs of others, the then comes to a special Encomium of these two, as moft eminent in their service, and a more ftioging reproof of such as were inexcuCably negligent. Zebulun and Nephtali reproached their lives, fo 'tis in fonte ; they esteemed them not worth the having with Israels ruinc,they preferr°d Gods cause before their lives. They reproached their lives. ] For it seem'd a strange thing to others, and litile better then ridiculous,for a small number,a little hand full of men, to go against a vast Army, Enemies cloach'd with Terrour, that might even blow them away in less than an houre: And yet they go out against Jabin and Sisera, they fear not his nine hundred Chariots of Iron. What means Sisera to brandish his glittering Sword, to bend his Bowe, and prepare his deadly Arrows ? No weapon againft them (hall prosper. Zebulun and Nephtali,if they were less than they are, they would adventure theic lives, and if they perish, they perish. in the bigh places of the Field.] On Mount Tabor, where they might have a view of Sisera's Army, a terrible prospe & for Zebulun and Nepbrali one would have thought. And yet they march forward with an undaunted courage and resolution. Zebulun and Nephtali, niore eminent in their forwardness and obedi. *ence, and so have a more fingular commendation given them. And Meroz has a more bitrer curse than any of the reft. God took notice, of all the others remiffness, and hach left it upon Record to the view of all Pofterity; 1,but Meroz has a curse with Curse ye Meroz ] The Jewes have a Proverb, we must leap up to Mount Gerizim, but creepinco Mount Ebal. You know upon Mount Gerizim,all the bleffings were pronounc'r by Moses, as upon Mount Ebal all the curses ; So then, you may leap up to Mount Gerizim, be forward, and ready to bless ; but creep into a greater Emphafis . L 2 2 into Mount Ebal, be slow, and unwilling to curse; - I bur where Curse ye Meroz, saith the Angel of the Lord. ] This does not ; it be rendered Nuncius Jehove, and so fome cake it to Curse ye bitterly. ] Curse ye with Curfings : an usual Hebraisme. But how comes Meroz to have a more bitter and Marp Curse, then any of the rest that came not? This City was very near the place where the Battel was fought, it was very nigh Mount Tabor, the inhabitants were within the noise of the Trumpet ; other Tribes had excuses, this City none. And no doubt but they were requested by Barak to help, and yet they came not out. 16 Because they came not out to the help of the Lord. ] Why? j They that help 1 frael, are said to help the Lord.What is done God God needs not the help of men, he can save his People mira. culoully, he did fo here ; The Stars fought in their Courses againjt Sisera; He can raise a glorious Army of Stars, and can order them as he pleases; they fhall all keep their Ranks,they fight in their Courses against Sisera. How did the Stars fight againft bim? Their beams and influences were their weapons;they wrought impressions in the Aire, and rais’d Meteors, Rain, Hail, Lightning, Thunder;The Stars, like bright and eminent Commanders, lead under them an Army of Meteors;their train'd Souldiers,chey set them into their several postures, like the Centurion, they say to one, Go, and be goetb; and to another, Come, and he comesa If they bid the Clouds discharge, they inftanuly dart out lightning Aalhes, and present a Volley of Thunder.claps ; They'l try what they can do with proud Sisera : And if Israel be too weak for them, che Hoast of Heaven fhall &ght against chem ; The Stars fought in their Courses against Sifera: 1, but all this is no thank 10 Meroz ; nay, it rather aggravates their fin, and so embitters their curse; Shall inanimate Creatures more sympathize with Israel, than their Fellow-brethren ? Shall the Stars fight in their Couries, and shall not Meriz ftir a foot to help them? And the River Kison Sweeps them away ( as dung ) that antient River, the River Kishon,now swelling by reacon of the excess of Rain, and drowning many of the Canaanites, as the Egyptians were once drown'd in the Red Sea ; they link like lead in the mighly wa, ters. Stars and Rivers fight for them, but Meroz will not help them. Against the mighty, ] Jabin and Sisera,o}77), potent puillant Énemies. The Church of God has had alwayes mighty Opposers, great Enemies; Satan, the Prince of the Aire, Anci. chrift and his Forces. These, and many such like observations lie scatter'd in the words, and might be garhered out of them; bac we will unise them all in this one truth, which is dire&ly aim’d at, and intended in them. Doct, Every Christian should be of a publick fpirit; he is bound under pain of a biuer curse( as much as in him lies) to promote the cause of God, and to help Israel,to help the Church of God againk irs mighiy eneinies. Wec'l branch it into these two particulars. I. 'Tis 1. 'Tis a thing full of Reason and Equity, that every one that professes himselfe an Ifraelite, should help israel, that Chriftians Thould be of a publick spirit ; it is but jul that Mircz (hoold aid Ifrael. How every one may help the Lord againft the Mighty, and stand for the peace of Sion; by what means they may do this. (1.) A Chriftian should be of a publick and enlarged spirit,not seeking only himself, and his own ends, with a narrow and contra&ed heart; but he should seek the glory of God, and the good of Sion, of his Church and People. 1. It is the very nature of goodness to diffuse it self abroad in a spreading and liberal manner; for it do's not thas lose any thing, but augments, and increases its being, by communicating it self. 2. You may see some prints and foot. fteps of this in Nacure , fome obscure Representations of this Truth there. The Sun, it does not monopolize its beams, and engross its lighı; but scatters chem abroad, gilds the whole world with them; it shines more for others, chan is self, it is a publick light. Look on a Fountaio, it does not bind in its streams, it self, and enclose its waters, but spends it self with a continual bubbling forth; it ftreames forth in a fuent,liberal, and communicative manner; it is a pablick spring. Nay, natural bodies will part with their own properties, leave their motions ; nay, cross their own inclinations for a general good. The Air, a light and nimble body,chat mounts upwards, and does naturally ascend; yet for an universal good, rather than there shall be a breach and rupture in nature, a vacuum, it will ' descend for the stopping of that biatus. In the body of man the inferior Members will venture themselves for the good of the whole ;' the hand will be cut off, and loose its own being, rather than the head shall be endanger'd; you see some shadows of chis truth in Nature. 3. And the weak and glimmering light of Nature Chews chus much, that a man is not born for himself alone; he is a sociable Creature, and fent into the world for the good of others. The voice of an Heathon, a mans Countrey,and his friend, and others challenge great part of him. It is a niserable ainautia, to make his own self ihe centre of all his a&ions. seal up a a |
