" the most blessed of women," for doing that which was in itself such a flagrant act of injustice and cruelty? I answer, (as we before answered in the case of Ehud,) that God is not bound by the laws which he has given to us; and that he may dispense with those obligations which men owe to each other, in order to advance his own purposes in the way he sees fit. He may, as we before observed, order Abraham to slay his son: and therefore he might equally order Jael to slay Sisera; and might make known his mind with equal certainty to her as to him. And, that he did give her this commission, we can have no doubt : for, on account of Barak's unbelief, Deborah told him that he should lose part of the honour which he might have acquired; and that " God would sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Moreover, this whole chapter is a tribute of praise to God on account of the transaction, wherein Jael in pai'ticular is celebrated as having performed a most acceptable service to the Lord.
O'or proud hearts are apt to rise up m rebellion against God on this occasion; and to ask, how such an order could consist with his perfections? But let us be careful how we presume " to reprove God^." We forget that he is the Creator of all, and "may do what he will with his own^;" and that " he giveth not account of any of his matters'^." Let us remember too, that we are no more than mere worms, which, as creatures, have no claim to existence for one moment; and, as sinners, deserve to be in hell : and that, consequently, it is not possible for God to do us any injustice. If, however, we still be disposed to quarrel with this dispensation, the answer of St. Paul to such objectors must be resorted to ; " Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God ? " Consider the objections to which that reply was inade; and it will be found abmidantly sufficient for every other objection that can be raised*^ — ]
Let us next consider this account,
IL As an emblematic record —
The words which close this divine hymn, clearly shew that we are to consider the history in this view^ The transaction was an emblematic repre- sentation,
L Of the judgments that await God's enemies —
[Sisera's army was, humanly speaking, invincible, espe- cially by such an handful of men as Barak could muster, and
a Job xl. 2. ^ Matt. XX. 15. <" Job xxxiii. 13.
<! Rom. ix. 16—24.
e Compare ver. 31. with Ps. Ixxxiii. 2, 3, 4, 9, 10.