The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 2 · Part 2
Verse 14And when hee had spent all, there arose a great dearth throughout that land, and hee began to be in necessitie.
WEE hauehave heard of the young mans sinne; the punishment of it, is occasionall and proper: or, generall vponupon the Countrey, in these words; and particular vponupon himselfe: and this verse sheweth vvhat end his sinne had, as the next declareth what shifts it put him to. Heere it is shewed that vvhen hee had consumed all on his lusts, vvhichwhich had eaten him vp, and had spent his patrimonie vponupon Harlots, and vvith loose companions, in a dissolute life that vndid him: God sent an exceeding famine vponupon the Countrie, that was so riotous, and exceedingly, vvith want punished him that had so rioted. Where it appeareth, that this lost young man made choyse of this Countrie, as most fit for his young minde to be in: being a land of great excesse and fulnesse, a land stored vvith Mates of his owne fashion, and that was addicted (altogether) to that wanttonnes that best pleased him. For, like will to like, as the saying is: and they that louelove vanitie vvill follow it: or, as thornes folden one in another, and as drunkards in their drunkennesse, Numb. 1.10. so the tie of such fellowship will hold together, Prouerb. 1.11.14. What a man loueth hee vvill doe, and where he loueth he will be.
But the poynt more directly to the Text, aimeth at the punishment of the whole Countrie, and of this lost Sonne, by a mightie hunger that was sent vponupon them. The Countrie sinned by a fulnesse of bread; therefore the Lord plagued that Countries sin by a famine of bread. Where wee see a dearth of Creatures for the abuse of the Creature; and a scarcitie of them for their intemperance in them.
Doctr.The Doctrine that vvee learne is, in what a Land sinneth, in that or in some measure of that sinne, it shall be punished with a remoue of that blessing. This Country abused her abundance, therefore was shee plagued with vvant. God brings a famine of Bread, when men prepare bread for laughter, that is, excesse, Eccles. 10.19. or satietis that will …t suffer them to sleepe, Eccles. 5.11. When men will eate till it come out at their nosthrils, Numb. 11.20. and drinke, till it come vp at their mouth; drinking healths, till they hauehave no health; the Lord must needes draw the Table. Iudah that was preuented with liberall blessings, hauing one fruit ripe after another to feede on, in due order, and with great plentie; Amos 9.13. because she became wanton through abundance, and kept no measure in sinning against God, as hee passed measure in being gracious to her; therefore was that fruitfull Land turned into a barren Land: the meate was cut off before their eyes: tinne women did bake their bread at one Ouen, and deliuered it by waight, that is, by small waight againe. If they sowed an hundred Pottels, it yeelded but tenne: that is, tenne of an hundred, and the principall lost: and they did houle and cry out for the Wheate and for the Barley, because the Haruest of the field was destroyed, Ioel 1.11. So, Dauids punishment was in that wherein he sinned: hee sinned in numbring the people, and GOD diminished the number of them by the Pestilence, 2 Sam. 24.15. Eph… sus dealt not well with her Candlestick, and God put out her Candle, Apoc. 2.5. for, not long after shee fell sicke of diuers grieuous Heresies, D. Rainolds in his conference with Mr. Hart.and, at last, dyed of the plague of Mahomet. God knew Iewry by his benefits, but Iewry would not know God by thankefulnesse for those benefits, but despised his Word, and those that brought it, killing some, and stoning some, therefore the Word departed from them to the Gentiles, and God did let out his Vineyard to other Husbandmen, Mat. 21.41. It is a true saying therefore, that in what a man sinneth, hee must looke to be punished. The Reasons are.
First, it standeth with equitie, when a blessing is abused, to with-draw it. As if Mercy be contemned, to turne Mercy into Iustice: if health be abused, to plague abused health with sicknesse: and, if the Word be not beleeued, to punish that v… beliefe with a beleeuing of lies, 2 Thes. 2.10.11.
Secondly, the Law of correction was, that according to the measure of the fault, so should the number of the stripes giuen for it, be, Deut. 25.2. According to the qualitie of the trespasse hee was to be beaten that had trespassed, and it is reason that wee be plagued as wee hauehave sinned, Apoc. 18.7.
Thirdly, it is an old saying, Like i… faul…, like in punishment: and, with a little alteration, as true a saying, Like fault, like punishment.
Vses.
Vse 1.An instruction, when the hand of God is vponupon a Country, in a scarcitie of graine, or other commodities, with Pharao's chiefe Butler, to call our faults to minde that day, Gen. 41.9. when vvee can say, This day this Scripture is fulfilled in our cares, Luke 4.21. or, this day there is great want in our Country, of bread and other sustenance; then, as Adoni-bezek said, wee in a like case of proportionate punishment, should say; As wee hauehave done, so God hath rewarded vsus, Iudg. 1.7. We hauehave sinned in our food, and God hath diminished our food; the last yeere by want of raine, this yeere by too much raine: for, God hath left a remembrance behinde him, and vve may yet see where his finger was. What is the cause of this? Fulnesse of bread and drunkennesse hauehave raigned among vsus. Some make a Noahs Arke of their bellies, vitailed with (I know not) how many kindes of Creatures. One is hungry, and another is drunken, 1 Cor. 11.21. And what eating with contempt of the poore? what eating, as in the dayes of Noah and of Lot, Luke 17.27.28. that is, what daintie and continuall eating? or eating like beasts, that eate all the day, and some part of the night? and eating with no remembrance of God; vsing Sauces to let downe excesse… not to help the stomack, but to oppresse it? Nature is content with a little, and Grace with lesse; but such feeders, no friends to Nature, and enemies to Grace, make it their Religion not to serue God, but that which is their God, the Belly, Phil. 3.19.
You will say, what is this to the poore? I answere, though they cannot offer so much to the belly, yet it may be the sinne as well of the poore as of the rich, to bring more then enough vntounto it. A poore man may be giuen to his belly, and to consume himselfe that way, as soone as a richer man.
But let vsus passe from this sinne to the sinne of Drunkennesse; and wee shall finde that rich and poore are drowned in it. For, the sinne of Gluttony, though foule in those that vse it, yet is it not so generall as this sinne of Drunkennesse, which (like the darknesse of Egipt, Exod. 10.22.) goeth ouer all the Land. Where men doe not onelyonly, as a Assuerus Royall Feast, Hest. 1.7. change vessell after vessell, but emptie vessell after vessell, nor, (as then) drinke by order, but in no reasonable order: then, none might compell his fellow, ver. 8. so the King had commanded: Now, a man is inforced vnderunder the paine of the stabbe or thrust, to drinke the health or pledge of his friend: and a man giues his neighbour drinke, and makes him drunken, though the King and the Lawes of the Kingdome hauehave (otherwayes) commanded, Hab. 2.15. For, what drinking of healths, till men hauehave drunke themselues out of health, out of wit, and commonly out of common sense and honesty? I say out of common honestie. For what Goates doe they rise, when they rise from their drinke? how impure? how adulterous in their talke and doings so hard a thing it is to sleepe in Drunkennesse, and to watch against Adulterie, looke and compare Prou. 23.29.33. These may bee called the Drunkards of a Land. Not they onelyonly vvho cannot beare their drinke, and therefore fall downe like beasts, being wounded by some stronger beast; but they much more, vvho are strong to poure in strong drinke, Esay 5.22. that is, are able to sit vvith the longest, and to drinke with the last in the bottome of a Celler, turning downe bowle after bowle into some vncleane Sincke-hole, or Throate, like a Sepulcher.
Townes and Countrey swarme with such dead Flyes, drowned in their po…s of excesse, Eccles. 10.1. of which wee may say, Death is in them, 2 Kings 4.40. and they Deaths guests that vse them, Prou. 9.18. For these sinnes, and because of these Pharaos, and their Host, who lye thus ouer-whelmed in the red-Sea of Drunkennesse, the Lord, this yeere, threatned our graine, both bread-corne, and drinke-corne: how farre his hand hath gone wee see, how much further it might hauehave gone, who did not see, and feare, when the storme fell?
But, are these sinnes the onelyonly sinnes that make such waste, and cause such want? or, is the Lord prouoked for these onelyonly, to bring great necessitie vponupon a Land? Surely, though these be great Wormes of the wealth of a Nation; yet there are moe consumers then these. For, hauehave not the Prodigall Sonnes of our Countrey (some of them) vvasted their goods and flesh with Harlots; who rising vp full, hauehave neighed after their neighbours wiues, as a fed Horse after his Mate… Ier. 5.8. HaueHave not some laid but all vponupon vaine and chargeable brauery from their Hat-string to their shooe-strings? HaueHave not some hid their Talent and Patrimonie in gorgeous and costly buildings, desiring to dwell in larger houses then their fathers builded, without all desire and care to keepe the good houses their fathers long maintayned? HaueHave not some turned all into smoake,As one said lately at the Crosse. by making that to passe through their mouth and nosthrils, in townes and Cities, which should, in good and charitable Hospitalitie, hauehave gone through the chimnies of their fayre Houses in the Country, whereof some (like a Plague-house) stand euer shut vp? HaueHave not some, hauing turned all to destruction with the riots of Dice and Gaming, turned beggars, who were Gentlemen well descended and left? And how great is the number of those, who hauing filled their mouths with the smoke, that hath beene spoken of, call in for their pottels and gallons to quench it with large drunkennesse?
When wee consider such generall abuse of Gods blessings, and mens vnthankefulnesse for them, what maruell if God punish vsus with scarcitie of fruits, and pouertie of estate? For this cause the Lord wrought fearefully in our eyes, the last Summer and the beginning of this. Let vsus not forget his worke, his great worke, worthy to be remembred.
The last Summer there was little grasse to make into hay: this Summer and yeere, a great yeere of grasse; the ground neuer, in mans memorie, better clad with that commoditie. Yet how was her faire cloathing with grasse soyled with dirt, in many flouded Medowes within the Land this yeere? The last Summer the Sunne in his open chariot; this Summer, or the beginning of this, in his chariot couered with clouds. The last Summer, glorious: the beginning of this, wading in water. The Heauens, the last Summer, as brasse ouer our heads: this Summer, or beginning of this, as a Spring or Conduit. The last Summer, bright and shining: this Summer, blacke (like a Hayre-cloath) ouer-cast vvith darknesse. The earth, the last Summer, as an Iron-earth: the beginning of this, as a marish-earth. The last Summer, gaping with thirst: the beginning of this, drowned in raine and waters.
Doth the Lord worke so strangely and contrarily, in two yeeres so neare together, and in two Summers immediately following one another, to leaue no impression, and to get no audience? Is it not to shew what power he hath, both in his right and left arme, that the carelesse in our Land may feare and be humbled before his great glory? Is it not to make them to call their sinne to remembrance, and their hearts to repentance? This is the end of the Lords smiting a Land with sore diseases and long dearth, that that Land by such visitation and humblings might mourne, girded with sacke-cloath, like a virgin, for the husband of her youth, Ioel 1.8. But if for all this, it laugh and reioyce with sinners; the Lord hath not lost that correction: for, hee will loose nothing by any that is hardened desperately in his sinne; but hath left it, as his witness… among vsus, of a smarter, if the easier cannot preuaile, or of our most certaine destruction, if he shall say, why should ye be smitten any more? Esa. 1.5.
Vse 2.A reproofe of those, who in a matter of such punishment, as this Land hath beene lately vnderunder, by two vnseasonable Sommers, looke not into their sinnes, as causes, but (altogether) into the face of the skie, and the distempers there, blaming them. Wee set our sinnes against God, and hee setteth his creatures, for sinne, against vsus. Wee refuse to serue God, they grudge as much to serue vsus. A wise man considereth this, and considering, findeth in his Christian search, the true cause of all such distempers in the skie, and alterations on earth to be in that ill vveather, that commeth from the corrupt Ayre, and mud of the age and times, in which wickednes so aboundeth. Hee that gathereth other wayes, is vnwise; or, as one that is blinde, and can not see a farre off, 2. Pet. 1.9. It is so (then) that God did thunder maruailously with his voyce, this yeere, Iob 37.5. and in these parts on the Sabbath? What maruaile, when on the Sabbath, vvee drumme against God, hee, on the Sabbath also should thunder against vsus? two or bThis, at the end of the last Spring, & beginning of the last Sommer, which were altogether wet.three Moones hauehave changed, but vvith small change of the weather, from euill to better: and what maruaile if the weather bee not changed, when our hearts are not changed? and vvhen we looke into the change of the Moone, and not to the change of our wayes? If we would set the signe of the weather, not in the Moone or Starres, but in our good conuersation in Christ, we should hauehave better signes of better seasons then hauehave lately appeared.
But some, when there is any ill weather vp, talke and complaine of some Coniurings abroad. To such I may say; if they would driue out of themselues Satans great host of lusts, and those, more then seuen, or seuen-times seuen Deuils, which hauehave so possessed them by customary and familiar sinnefulnesse, they shall see a present calme and end in all stormes.
Iob sayth, Miserie commeth not foorth of the dust, Iob 5.6. his meaning is, these miseries that so many complaine of… come from sinne; not from the dust of the earth, but from these bodies of dust, and the bodie of sinne. God is able to giuegive vsus raine in season, and the appointed weekes of the Haruest, Ier. 5.24. The raine we hauehave had hath beene vnseasonable and the weekes vve hauehave seene, hauehave proued vncomfortable. Commeth this from the Earth, and (altogether) from a troubled skie? no, but our iniquities hauehave turned away these things, and our sinnes hauehave hindred good things from vsus, Ier. 5.25. When the childe beginneth to play vvith his meat, a wise Father will take it from him; vvee hauehave abused our plentie, and doe still abuse it: and what can vve looke for from so wise a Father, as our Father in Heauen, but penury and dearth after fulnesse so abused? So farre of the punishment, which was by occasion, and generall vponupon the Countrie; that which was particular vponupon this lost Sonne, followeth.
[And hee began to bee in necessitie.] The Countrie being punished with a great dearth, the lost Sonne is here sayd to hauehave had his part in the generall affliction: for hee (also) began to be in necessitie, that is, the generall want extended to him, as his sinne was in it, and hee tasted of the cup of the common calamitie. Hee was in want, and as appeareth by the 16. verse, in great want: which want, and great want, was layd vponupon him, iustly for his wastes, and secretly for his good, by his heauenly Father, to bring him to repentance; and by repentance, home to himselfe. Where, wee are to consider the kinde of punishment, and effects thereof, verse 15. the kinde of punishment was the straites of hunger, such as the Land endured, and he vvas in. For, the Lord set pouertie before him, and sent miserie into him, that inwardly and outwardly, hee might draw him to himselfe vvith strong cordes of louelove, Hose 2.8 9. before, (no doubt) he had knocked at the dore of his heart by the word; that is, by exhortations, admonitions, threatnings, promises, and there was no opening, Apocal. 3.20. Now, hee knocketh by his iudgements, as before by his word, saying to such seruants, Compell him to come in, Luke 14.23.
Doctr.The Doctrine is, when the word cannot reclaime vsus, God will vse other meanes to make vsus to looke home. God doth seeke vsus by his Word: if hee cannot finde vsus by it, hee will make vsus to seeke him by his iudgements. Hee will beate vsus gently vponupon our coates: and if yet vvee continue in sinne, hee will vvhip our naked consciences. GOD would not cast away his people which hee knew before, Roman. 11.2. and whom hee deliuered from the hand of the enemie, with signes and great wonders, in Egipt, and in the terrible wildernesse: Therefore, vvhen they left off to serue him in righteousnesse, as they did after the dayes of Iosua, and after the dayes of the Elders that ouer-liued Iosua, doing wickedly in his sight, & seruing Baalim, Iudg. 2.11. Hee taught them in mercy, by his word, and with great signes by the Iudges, whom hee raised vp, as Sauiours, to deliuer them, verse 16. but vvhen they would not obey their Iudges, and vvhen they went a whoring after their Gods, verse 17. hee made them to crie for the affliction, Iudg. 3.9. that is, when hee could not by gentlenesse reduce them, he tried other meanes, and those of some sharpenesse, to winne them, Iudg. 3.12.15. and 4.2.3. Of this people, further, it is said, that when they had their desire, they were not turned from their lust: Moses and Aaron could doe no good vponupon them, Psal. 78.29.30. what did the Lord then? hee strooke some vvith sickenesse, and slewe some with death: and when he slew them, they sought him, verse 34. that is, when hee layd affliction vponupon them, and sent death among them, they would stand out no longer, but returned earely, that is, presently: though more in shew then in heart. And (thus) whom he could not reforme by his word, hee reformeth or seemeth to hauehave reformed with strokes. Ephraim, and the Princes of Iudah, would not giuegive their mindes to turne vntounto God, Hose. 5.4. and though the Lord sent Hosea, Amos, Ioel, and other Prophets vntounto them, to turne them from that spirit of vanitie, and whoredomes, that was in the middes of them, and among them; yet would they not know IEHOVA; therefore hee spoiled and wounded them, that is, spoiled them in their estate, and wounded them in their persons, Hose 5.14. that they might acknowledge their faults, and seeke him, verse 15. Hee hid himselfe, to weet, in his louing countenance, verse 6. that they might seeke him in affliction, verse 15. and went and returned to his place, ibid. that is, seemed (as Christ) to goe further, Luke 24.28. that they might constraine him, saying one to another, Come, let vsus returne to the Lord; for he hath spoiled, and he will heale vsus: he hath wounded vsus, and hee will binde vsus vp, Hos. 6.1.
When Ionah would not come backe without a storme, God sent out a storme, or winde of commaundement, to fetch him, Iona. 1.4. As (therefore) the needle maketh way for the threed: so GOD boareth the eare by piercing troubles, that his word may enter that word, which is the threed and twist of Euangelicall Saluation. The reasons are:
First, God loueth all his children; and as many as he loueth, he chasteneth. Apoc. 3.19. that is, breaketh them (as Colts) of their vnhappy touches, with his rod of nurture, Pro. 3.12. and (here) he dealeth with his children, as earthly Parents doe with theirs: they passe from words to blowes, when words can doe nothing.
Secondly, God will loose none of his children, and (therefore) if they wander (like strayes) from their Fathers house, hee will call them home by his word, or vvhippe them home with chastisements, Psal. 23.4.
Thirdly, God doth, and euer will, put difference betweene Sonnes & Bastards. Now, if wee be vvithout correction, wee are Bastards, and not Sonnes, Hebr. 12.8. and, vvho can better tell how to reforme the heart then hee that made it?
Vses.
This teacheth vsus,Vse 1. when wee finde the Lords hand to be waightie vponupon vsus in any crosse, to remember that God doth it to make vsus to remoue nearer to him out of our farre Country. Hee (sometimes) sendeth want; it is that wee should sue to him for our store by repentance. When vvee depart from him by sinne, hee crosseth vsus, as he sometime did Balaam in his way… Numb. 22.22. it is to make vsus to leaue sinne, or to turne from sin to righteousnesse. God roundeth vsus in the eare: it is to open our eares by his corrections. Hee sendeth a storme after Ionah: it is, as if hee had said; Ionah come back. He bre…keth the staffe of our bread: it is, to breake the sto… of our hearts. Hee striketh vsus with sicknesse: it is, to strike vsus to amendment. Hee maketh vsus poore in our Trades: it is, to make vsus rich in well-doing. Finally, he plagueth our bodies: it is, to preuent a greater plague in our soules. Ezek. 20.37. 1 Cor. 11.32.
Vse 2.A terrour to those who despise the Word, and will not heare the Rod; nor for what it commeth, nor from whom, Mic. 6.9. For, to such what meanes remaine to reclaime them from their vaine conuersation? and how neare are they to hardning. Let them consider who will not open to the Lord, for any knockings at their hearts. When hee reproueth their sinnes by affliction: they open their eyes to blasphemie, but open no dore of the heart to God: they murmure against the rod; but profit not by it to goodnesse: or they despise, and set light by it, but it toucheth them to no care of amendment, Esay 1.5. Amos 4.6.8.9.10.11. Ezek. 21.13. God hath long knocked at our hearts by the amiable voyce of his Gospell, and (lately) by the loud voyce of his windes, and marueilously by the glorious voyce of his Thunder. But what opening by vnfained repentance? Doe vve not open presently to a great man that knocketh? And shall wee put off to open to him, who is greater then man, or all men? Shall a stranger be receiued, and shall hee that oweth the house stand without? Shall strange affections finde no deniall, and will wee not returne to the Lord of our hearts, that his louing correction may make vsus whole?
An instruction,Vse 3. not to faint when God rebuketh vsus with roddes, Heb. 12.5. Prouerb. 3.11. for, his chastisement… are not tokens of desertion, but of louelove, verse 12. Wee heard, that if wee bee without correction, wee are bastards, Heb. 12.8. Bas…ards are not so looked vntounto as a mans owne Children. For, where his owne Children are kept in, they (oftentimes) are at libertie: but at such libertie as the sonnes of the Concubines had, to whom Abraham gaue certaine gifts, and sent them away, Gen. 25.6. Here, they receiue their portion of libertie and pleasures, but no inheritance in Isaack… nor part in Christ. And, what harme can it be, with affliction to bee beaten home to thy fathers house, where is bread enough, from a strangers house, or strange Country, where is nothing but want and necessitie? Or, will it hurt thee that God loueth thee? As many as he loueth hee chasteneth, Apoc. 3.19. Or, are they blessed whom God correcteth? Iob 5.17. And, art thou onelyonly vnhappy, and miserable, because God giueth thee correction? are such Gods delight? Prou. 3.12. and will wee not be pleased where God is pleased? shall that that delighteth him trouble vsus? and that that reioyceth him make vsus sad? or, is it our griefe that we are Gods delight? So farre for the kinde of punishment, the effects follow.