A commentary upon the whole book of Judges Preached first and delivered in sundry…A commentary vpon the vvhole booke of Iudges Preached first and deliuered in sundrie…

To proceed further, Gideon now having desired a sign for the confirming ¹of his faith, and thinking him to be, as I have said, a man of God, desired him to stay till he went and prepared for him, as Abraham and other had done in the like case, and while he should refresh himself, he purposed to talk further with him about the sign. And the things which he prepared for him, were both fit to be eaten as nourishment, as also to serve for sacrifice, though the word signifieth both a gift, & an offering: but for proof that Gideon brought not these things forth to the man of God, (as he took him to be) for sacrifice, but that he might be refreshed by them, hereby it may appear, that he neither set up any altar there, as he did afterwards, to offer peace-offerings thereon; (read verse 24.) neither did he take the man to be God to consume it with fire. I have set down that meaning of the verse, which by weighing both, I take to be the truest. And yet I deny not, but that the Angel used that meat, beside the expectation of Gideon, he used it (I say) for a sacrifice, as appeareth in the 21. verse, and thereby gave the sign, which was before asked of him. Both come to one end, for a sacrifice was the sign to Gideon, whether first or last. The things that Gideon brought are named in the 19. verse. According to the setting down of these ⟨p. 312⟩things, to wit, that Gideon did, as Manoah did, that is; offer refreshing to the messenger, we are to know that the men of God were in former times in so great account with his people, that they were glad that might receive them, and as the manner then was, to make them stay to eat with them. And Abraham, as I said, did the like: even so did Lot also, and they lost nothing ²thereby, as we may read in the story of them both. The same did Gideon here, who thought him to be an holy man, and therefore desired him to take some repast with him.

To proceed further, Gedeon now hauing desired a signe for the confirming ¹of his faith, and thinking him to be, as I haue said, a man of God, desired him to stay till hee went and prepared for him, as Abraham and other had done in the like case, and while he should refresh himselfe, he purposed to talke further with him about the signe. And the things which he prepared for him, were both fit to be eaten as nourishment, as also to serue for sacrifice, though the word signifieth both a gift, & an offering: but for proofe that Gedeon brought not these things foorth to the man of God, (as hee tooke him to be) for sacrifice, but that he might be refreshed by them, hereby it may appeare, that he neither set vp any altar there, as he did afterwards, to offer peace-offerings thereon; (reade verse 24.) neither did hee take the man to be God to consume it with fire. I haue set downe that meaning of the verse, which by weighing both, I take to be the truest. And yet I denie not, but that the Angell vsed that meate, beside the expectation of Gedeon, he vsed it (I say) for a sacrifice, as appeareth in the 21. verse, and thereby gaue the signe, which was before asked of him. Both come to one end, for a sacrifice was the signe to Gedeon, whether first or last. The things that Gedeon brought are named in the 19. verse. According to the setting downe of these