Gods Three Arrows, Section 47 – Section 50
§. 47. Of the kind of plague here meant.
THe Effect of the fore-mentioned wrath that came from the Lord, is thus expreſſed, THE PLAGVE IS BEGVN.
The word tranſlated, *foreignplague is a generall word, that ſignifieth any heavy ſtroake of God. The roote whence it is derived ſignifieth to ſtrike. aExo. 21. 35.It is applied to an oxes ſtriking, or puſhing to death, ſo to other like ſtrikings: but moſt commonly to Gods ſtriking of wicked men with ſome extraordinary judgement. As where David ſaid of Saul, bforeign Sam. 26. 10. foreignThe Lord ſhall ſmite him: meaning ſo as to deſtroy him. This word is cExo. 8. 2.—12. 23.—12. 27. Ioſ. 24. 5.oft uſed of Gods ſmiting the Egyptians when they held the Iſraelites among them as bond-ſlaves. Yea, ſuch a word as dExo. 9. 14. foreignthe word in my text is uſed to ſet out all thoſe judgements which God brought upon the Egyptians, called plagues. The word PLAGVE in our vulgar acception importeth an infectious mortall diſeaſe, otherwiſe ſtiled peſtilence. Our Engliſh word, plague, ſeemeth to be taken from the ePlaga.Latine, and that from the fforeign percutio. foreign.Greeke: in both which languages it is uſually put for a ſtroake, a blow, a ſtripe, a wound, &c. Figuratively therefore, a ſpeciall put for the generall, it ſignifieth the pestilence. In the Scripture there are alſo gforeign tetigit, percuſſit. Inde nomen, foreign plaga. Exo. 11. 1. foreign percuſſit. Inde nomen foreign plaga. Deut. 28. 59.other words to ſet out that diſeaſe which we commonly call the plague: and that as generall as this, properly ſignifying ſtroakes, and ſcourgings: ſo as they all imply that a plague is an extraordinary ſtroake, or ſcourge of God. Yet there is in Hebrew hforeign cum duplici ſegol.a word that is more properly put for the plague: which our Engliſh doth commonly tranſlate peſtilence. It is the word that God uſed, when he offered to David the choice of one of theſe three judgements, Sword, Famine, Peſtilence. iforeign in Piel ſignificat evertere. Inde nomen foreign peſtis, quia multi caaem evertuntur.The roote from whence this word is derived ſignifieth to overthrow, or deſtroy. And experience ſheweth that by the plague many are deſtroyed. kSic Latinè peſtis, quia peſſundat.In Latine peſtis importeth as much, whence the Scots call this ſickneſſe the pest. lSic Graecè foreign deſicio Quia facit defectum.The Greeke word alſo intendeth the like. This latter word pestilence, is more reſtrained to one kind of diſeaſe, then the former tranſlated plague. Every peſtilence is a plague, becauſe it is an extraordinary ſtroak and judgement of God. But every plague is not a peſtilence: for all the plagues of Egypt were not peſtilences.
As for the plague here mentioned, though it be not expreſſed under mforeignthat word which properly ſignifieth peſtilence: yet was it queſtionleſſe a peſtilence. For,
1. n2 Sam. 24. 21, 25. foreignSuch a word as this is attributed to the peſtilence that in Davids time deſtroyed 70000 within the ſpace of three dayes.
2. It was infectious: which was one reaſon why oNumb. 16. 48Aaron ſtood betwixt the dead and the living: that he might keepe the living from being infected by the dead.
3. It was extraordinarily mortall. For pNumb. 16. 49.in a ſhort ſpace there died of it 14700.
Queſt. If ſo many died, how is it ſaid, that the plague is begun?
Anſw. In the very beginning of the plague, on a ſudden, ſo many were deſtroyed, even as at once. Thus in a very ſhort time, on a ſudden there were found 185000 dead in the Campe of the Aſſyrians, lying in ſiege againſt Ieruſalem.
In theſe words, The plague is begun, is an effect of Gods wrath.
More particularly we may obſerve
1. The Matter propounded. The plague
2. The Manner of expreſſing it, is begun.
Hence ariſe two obſervations.
I. A plague is an evidence of Gods wrath.
II. God can make the beginning of a judgement terrible.
The connexion of theſe two clauſes, There is wrath gone out from the Lord, The plague is begun, give proofe of the former.
This intimation of the beginning of the plague, Aarons ſpeed in offering incenſe, the vertue of that ſpeed, that the plague was ſtayed, and yet 14700 to be dead, gives evidence to the latter obſervation.
§. 48. Of a plague as an effect of Gods wrath.
I. *See §. 47. Indignationem Dei peſtilentia ſubſequitur. Hieron. Comment. in Iſay. lib. 4. cap. 19.A Plague is an evidence of Gods wrath. The plague which upon Davids numbring the people was inflicted on Iſrael, is expreſly noted to be an effect of Gods wrath. For firſt it is ſaid, for demonſtration of the cauſe of that judgement, that a2 Sam. 24. 1.The anger of the Lord was kindled against Iſrael: and againe that b1 Chro. 21. 7.God was diſpleaſed with Davids numbring the people, and Therefore he ſmote Iſrael. cDeu. 32. 22, 23.Where God ſaith, Fire is kindled in my wrath, he addeth as an effect thereof, I will ſend plagues among them. dEzek. 5. 16, 17There are three arrowes of Gods wrath mentioned in Scripture; and the plague is one of theſe. The other two are ſword and famine.
Generall and extraordinary judgements are ſuch as alway come from the wrath of God. Inſtance the judgements which were inflicted on the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe. They were generall, as in handling the next doctrine we ſhall ſhew: and extraordinary, as the ſeverall kinds of them do ſhew. And they are oft noted to come from the wrath of the Lord, eNumb. 11. 1.The Lords anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and conſumed them. f—33.The wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt the people, and the Lord ſmote the people with a very great plague. g—25. 4.The anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael: and the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, take all the heads of the people, and hang them up, &c. But not to inſiſt on more particulars, the Pſalmist rendreth this as a generall cauſe of all the judgements that were inflicted on them, hPſal. 106. 40. A plague is generall and extraordinary.The wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt his people, inſomuch that he abhorred his owne inheritance. Now experience ſheweth that a plague is both a generall and an extraordinary judgement. Generall it is, for it uſeth to ſpread farre and neare, from perſon to perſon, from houſe to houſe, from ſtreet to ſtreet, from towne to towne, from city to city: and it taketh away all of all ſorts, young, old, male, female, weake, ſtrong, meane ones, great ones, &c. Extraordinary it is, becauſe the immediate hand of God in ſending it, in increaſing it, in leſſening it, in taking it away, is more conſpicuouſly diſcerned then in other judgements. It is obſervable to this purpoſe, that when David choſe the plague, he thus expreſſeth his mind, i2 Sam. 24. 14.Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord.
§. 49. Of afflictions as effects of wrath or love.
Queſt. ARe not diſeaſes, and other kinds of judgements ſomtimes ſent for triall, and for other like ends, which are demonſtrations of the wiſdome, love, and care of God towards his people, as well as in wrath and vengeance to deſtroy them.
Anſw. We muſt diſtinguiſh,
1. Betwixt particular or private afflictions, and general or publike.
2. Betwixt kinds of publike and generall afflictions.
3. Betwixt the perſons on whom calamities are brought, being of different diſpoſitions though they be mixed together in the ſame place for co-habition.
4. Betwixt the cauſe of a judgement, and the effect and fruit of it.
1. Particular and private afflictions are oft in love, by reaſon of Gods wiſe and tender care over his children, inflicted on them. aHeb. 12. 6.For whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſonne whom he receiveth. And b—10. See the profitable ends of afflictions in The whole armour of God, on Eph. 6. 11. §. 2. & Eph. 6. 15. §. 13.God chasteneth us for our profit. But we read not of any publike and generall judgement, which came not from the wrath of God. Many inſtances of the affirmative, that they were effects of wrath, were given before: and the Scripture affoordeth many more: but not one to the contrary.
2. There are common calamities that fall on all of all ſorts: and there are other more ſpeciall, that are intended onelyonly againſt profeſſours of the true Religion: as perſecutions made by enemies of the Goſpell. c1 Pet. 4. 12, 13Theſe may be for triall, to their honour that ſuffer. But a plague is not of that kind.
3. When publike and generall judgements come from wrath againſt ſinfull nations, cities, and other ſocieties, there may be ſome righteous ones mixed among thoſe wicked ones: and by reaſon of that mixture they may taſte of the bitterneſſe of that cup that is given to the wicked to drinke. Yet the Lord can ſo ſanctifie that See §. 15. Sive famen, ſive bellum, ſive aliud quodcun que moleſtum inducat Deus, ex benignitate, & multa dilectione hoc efficit Chryſ ad Pop Hom. 7.common judgement to the Saints that partake thereof, as that which is an effect of wrath to others, may be a fruit of Gods love to them. Thus a plague may be ſent in wrath againſt a ſociety, and yet therein Gods love be manifeſted to his Saints, either in preſerving them from it, or taking them by it to heaven. In relation to ſuch perſons we may truly ſay, that whether God ſend famine, or war, or any other trouble, he doth it of his goodneſſe and love.
4. A judgement may at firſt be in wrath inflicted: and yet upon the ſenſe of the ſmart thereof people may be ſo humbled, and brought to ſuch repentance, as the nature of that judgement be altered, and prove to be an evidence of Gods love. Yea ſuch reformation may be wrought thereby, as that calamity (though generall and extraordinary) prove very profitable, and an evidence of Gods fatherly care over ſuch a people whom he hath ſo purged. e2 Chro. 33. 11, &c.Inſtance that fearefull judgement that was laid on Iſrael in Manaſſehs time. This latter fruit of Gods love maketh not againſt the former evidence of his wrath. For on ſuch occaſions God is ſaid to repent him of the evill which he hath ſent. He was angry: but his anger is turned into favour.
The concluſion then remaineth true, that a plague (as firſt ſent to a people) is an evidence of Gods wrath.
§. 50. Of the duties to be done when a plague is begun.
A Plague being an effect of Gods wrath, for ſtaying the plague meanes for pacifying Gods wrath muſt be uſed. So did David. He humbled himſelfe, confeſſed his ſinne, and that with a penitent heart, and offered ſacrifice to God. Apply to this judgement of a plague the directions a§ 4, 5, 6, 10.before given. And becauſe Moſes giveth here a direction when this plague begun, be carefull betimes, even at the beginning of a plague to ſeeke to aſſwage Gods anger. Hereof alſo b§ 30.before. And that ye may be the more conſcionable herein, know that plagues come not by chance, come not by any ordinary courſe and meanes. They come from Gods wrath. Let the directions therefore before given for pacifying Gods wrath be rather obſerved, then any phyſicall directions. I denie not but that they are lawfull, needfull, uſefull. But this which I ſpeake of, is more lawfull, needfull, and uſefull. All other without this is nothing at all. In all diſeaſes Gods helpe is eſpecially to be ſought. It was Aſa his fault, that c2 Chro. 16. 12In his diſeaſe he ſought not to the Lord, but to the Phyſitians. If in all diſeaſes, moſt of all in this that is ſuch an immediate effect of Gods wrath, The Lord is to be ſought unto. And ſo much the rather, becauſe the plague (among other evidences of Gods wrath) is a moſt fearefull one, as *§. 71. 72.hereafter is ſhewed.