The Shield of Righteousness, Part 5
VER. 5. Thou ſhalt not be afraid of the terrour by*Or feare not any night feare, night.
THe Plague of Peſtilence is further deſcribed, and here by a figure of the effect; being called terrible, ſpecially in the night: becauſe by the helpe of the darkneſſe thereof; that which cauſeth great feare at other times, ſtriketh with greater feare then. For, the night is a ſolitarie ſeaſon, and ſolitarineſſe increaſeth feare, and as light cauſeth boldneſſe, ſo darkneſſe is cauſe of feare. When God ſtriketh with the Peſtilence, that ſtroke of his hand is terrible at all times; ſpecially in great townes and in the night, when (enuironed with vncomfortable darkneſſe) they ſhall hauehave fit time to conſider how ſuddenly, and how many God peremptorily citeth to their graues by that kind of death; when they ſhall heare ſuch groning voyces, and ſo many fearefull ſhreekes and outcries of men & women, old and young (almoſt) in eueryevery houſe round about them, with the dolefull noiſe and long tolling of bells for thoſe that are dying; and when, at midnight in ſome Cities, to the wofull groanes of the viſited ſhall be added the diſmall voice of the buriers of thoſe that die in that ſort, ſaying: bring forth your dead. This terrour is noiſome in the day, but the night makes it worſe. Therefore God to adde to the ſharpeneſſe of the viſ…tation wherewith he viſited Egypt, when his people went out, inflicted thoſe ſtrokes at midnight. For, the text ſaith, that in that night there was a great crie in Egypt; becauſe there was no houſe where there was not one dead, Exod. 12.30. It would hauehave grieued them in the day, but it grieued them much more in the night. So Chriſt, to make his terrible comming more terrible, ſaith: There ſhall be a crie as midnight; the Bridegroome cometh, Math. 25.6. at mid-day it would be fearefull; it will be more fearefull at midnight, the time when (commonly) all are aſleepe; but the godly ſhall be deliuered from theſe cries of the night, at leaſt, from all the feares of them, and of the night it ſelfe. For, the Peſtilence it ſelfe is fearefull, and the night maketh it more to bee feared. From whence we may learne two things.
Doct. 1 Firſt, that the worke of this grieuous ſickneſſe is dreadfull: but this hath bene proued before and ſhewed already.
Doct. 2 And ſecondly, that the night (conſidered in it ſelfe) is a time of feare. The places before alledged out of Exodus and Mathew, proue the ſame; and the godly are exempted from it. For the Lord promiſeth ſuch, that they ſhall ſleepe, viz. without feare, Leuit. 26.6. and Dauid by this priuiledge of Gods children; lies downe in hope, and dwels in ſafetie, Pſal. 4.8. Iob ſaith, that (then) the godly ſhall not feare, or that they ſhall ſleepe without feare; but the wicked ſhall ſo feare, that their eyes ſhall faile, and their hope be as the giuing vp of the Ghoſt, or as a puffe that ſuddenly vaniſheth, Iob 11.19, 20. And why ſhould Salomon tell the Schollers of wiſedome, that if they ſlept they ſhould not feare, or be made to feare, and that their ſleepe ſhould be ſweete, Prou. 3.24. if the night were not fearefull, and the godly were not ſure to be freed from the feare of the night? or, why ſhould the godly man binde the commandement vponupon his heart when he goes to bed, that it may watch for him when he is in bed, Prou. 6.22. If there were not feares by night, or feares of the night, that without ſuch a watch about him might hurt his ſleepes, and hazard his ſoule? To be ſhort; for this the wicked are ſaid to lie downe in ſorrow, Eſay 50.11. as the righteous lie downe in peace, Pſal. 4.8.
But the godly hauehave bene troubled and much ſhaken with terrours by night: Obiect. for, euen Iob himſelfe was feared with dreames, and aſtonied with viſions. Iob 7.14.
I anſwer, where the godly are ſaid to be exempt from the feare of the night, Anſw. it is not ſpoken to exempt them from all feare; but to free them from all cauſe of feare, or inconuenience by ſuch feare. For, it is not ſaid in the text, that they ſhall not feare, but they ſhall not be frighted, or made to feare by any ſuch terrours; and the meaning is, that that feare ſhall not preuaile againſt them, as it doth againſt the wicked, who from the darkneſſe of the night paſſe to vtter darkneſſe, or it may correct their miſtruſt in God, but not ouerwhelme them with an horrible dread, as it doth the vnrighteous. The reaſons of the doctrine are:
Firſt, the text calleth it the feare of the night, or the night that Reaſon 1 cauſeth feare.
Secondly, experience (which is a ſure teacher) manifeſts as Reaſon 2 much both in men and women, who (ordinarily) feare more by night then by day.
Thirdly, then our enemies and euill perſons are moſt readie to Reaſon 3 annoy vsus, and wee moſt vnfit and vnreadie to ſaue our ſelues from hurt.
An inſtruction at night before we go to bed, by humble and Vſe 1 faithfull prayer to commit our ſelues to God, ſoules and bodies, depending vponupon the watch of his prouidence for their ſafetie. For, where are ſuch feares, there ſhould be great care had for the hauing of his munition againſt them, Pſal. 55.17. and what greater ſecuritie, then to ſleepe in the armes, that is, keeping of our faithfull Creator, 1. Pet. 4.19. but, if the Lord keepe not the Citie, and eueryevery roome, and perſon in it, all other keepers and watchmen watch vainely, Pſal. 127.1. If he watch not the bodie, who ſhall keepe it? and if he leaue the ſoule, who ſhall giuegive good thoughts vntounto it? Let vsus (therefore) in the day by well doing, in the night by prayer commend our ſelues carefully to God for his protection: and we ſhall hauehave good Angels for our keepers, good reſt for our bodies, and Gods good Spirit for the gueſt of our ſoules. Without this we ſhall ſleepe in Satans boſome, and become Satans husbandrie for execrable luſts, Math. 13.25.26. For, the watchman being departed; the enemie will come into our field by night, and ſow tares of vncleane affections, where that watchman had ſowed good deſires, as it were, good ſeedes in vsus for the harueſt of life.
A reproofe of thoſe, who for want of prayer, leaue the field of Vſe 2 the heart to the diuels husbandrie. Such do little conſider what feares the night bringeth with it, that God may giuegive leaue to Satan, and his vncleane ſpirits to haunt their chambers and ſleeping roomes, being kept with no better watch, that theeues may come, and robbers by night and kill them, Obad. 5 that their dreames may fright them, and their owne beds be ra…kes vntounto them, that fire may take into the rafters of their very bed-roomes and burne them, their houſe, goods, and deareſt children with them to deſtruction. That darkneſſe is clad with feare, and that ſuch feare is much ſtrengthened with the priuateneſſe of the night, they little conſider theſe dangers and a thouſand more in which they ſleepe, who take not their ſleepe at Gods hands by prayer for their ſafetie, nor deliuer the key of the houſe to him onelyonly, who (onelyonly) keepeth Iſrael. If ſuch complaine that they hauehave broken ſleepes and much vnquiet reſt, where others ſleepe ſoundly and without feare: what maruell, ſeeing by ſuch brutiſh forgetfulneſſe of God and neglect of themſelues, they ſleepe not in his fauour who giueth his beloued ſleepe: Pſal. 127.2. Acts 12.6, 7. Sometimes the beſt may find their ſleepes vnquiet, and dreames fearefull: but in theſe outward diſcomforts, they hauehave that peace that the wicked know not, the light of Gods countenance is vponupon them, and they hauehave much ioy of heart; where the other lie in darkneſſe and ſorrow, and can neither find reſt in their beds, nor comfort in their waies, God being their enemie, and themſelues out with themſelues. Lo (then) the bleſſed fruit of thoſe that get leaue of God by faith in his prouidence, to vſe his bl…ſſings, in reſpect of their wofull eſtate, who taking them in the nature of vſurpers, without prayer, lie downe in no peace. Another deſcription of the Peſtilence followeth.
Nor for the arrow that flyeth by day.
THis ſickneſſe is further ſpoken of by comparing it with a flying arrow: or, arrow ſhot by the hand of a ſtrong Archer, which cometh ſpeedily, and pierceth deepely: ſometimes it killeth preſently, and (commonly) before it be ſeene. So Gods ſwift arrow in this kind of death, as it deſtroyeth terribly and without merciemercy; ſo it killeth ſuddenly and without warning. For, ſome it hath taken away in the middeſt of their ſports; as they hauehave bene playing at the tables, as they hauehave walked in the ſtreets, as they hauehave paſſed by the way, and when ſome ſaid peace, 1. Theſ 5 3. and leaſt thought of death: euen then this infectious arrow pierced to the heart. The ſumme of all is. When God ſends the Peſtilence, or any other iudgement in ſome haſte, to a land or priuate place, it cometh as an arrow out of a bow.
Where we learne, that Gods meſſengers and ſeruants ſent in Doct. 1 this deadly ſickneſſe, or any other viſitation for ſinne, are ſwift and vnreſiſtable. For, the Peſtilence our ſelues do know, how ſoone it is taken: how ſmall a matter brings it: with how little a winde it comes: and how ſuddenly it paſſeth to the head, and pierceth to the heart. Seuentie thouſand in leſſe then three dayes, and in a land not very large, died of it. 2. Sam. 24.15. So,Exod. 12.29. when God would ſhew his power, by death vponupon the great armie of the King of Aſhur, he ſmote by an Angell in one night, an hundred, foureſcore and fiue thouſand, Eſay 37.36. At another time he ſlue three and twenty thouſand in one day, 1. Cor. 10.8. And becauſe Herod would not giuegive glory to God, he was preſently ſmitten by an Angell in all his glorie, Acts 12.23. The reaſons.
He that ſo quickly made man of the duſt, Geneſ. 2.7. can as Reaſon 1 quickly turne man vntounto duſt: and for the Peſtilence or any other deſtruction, if he ſpeake but the word; and how ſoone is a word ſpoken? it preſently comes. He is the Centurion of this great hoaſt of all the creatures, If he ſay to one go, he goeth, and to another come, he cometh, Math. 8.9. Pſal. 105.16.31.34.
Secondly, he can ſend by his Angels that ſwiftly execute his Reaſon 2 commandements, and (as it were) flie about them, Pſal. 103.20. or, he can command the diuels, who in an inſtant (commanded by him) can as well corrupt the aire with Peſtilence, as the riuers with bloud, Pſal. 78.44.49.50.
Thirdly, God hath power and may command: and (commanding) Reaſon 3 lackes not authoritie, and will be heard.
An admonition ſpeedily to turne to God, who is able (ſo ſpeedily) Ʋſe 1 to turne vsus to deſtruction, Ioel 2.12. For, ſhould we not meete him with an armie of prayers, who can come againſt vsus ſo quickly, and ſo ſtrong with armies of death in the Peſtilence, and other innumerable diſeaſes? Luke 14.32. He can ſend to vsus by flying meſſengers: and ſhall we not ſeeke him by ſpeedie repentance? Amos 5.6. It is not long ſince his arrowes flew among vsus, and he (yet) hath his quiuer full of them, to trouble our aires againe, and with a freſh charge to ſhoote at vsus by the contagious Peſtilence, in Towne and Countrie: ſhould we not therefore dread to make God our aduerſarie; or, (being made our aduerſarie by ſinne) ſhould we not agree with him quickly, Mat. 5.25. who can ſo quickly deſtroy vsus if we ſtand out proudly againſt him? If he finde diſorder and impenitencie in our houſes, or ſelues, he can viſit for it with flying arrowes, and puniſh it (when he is diſpoſed) with preſent death: and ſhould not this conſtraine vsus to expell ſinne and iniquity, eueryevery priuate perſon out of himſelfe, and eueryevery faithfull publick perſon out of his familie and gouernment? ſhould it not moue the Chriſtian houſholder, chriſtianly to order both himſelf, and others vnderunder him, whether children or ſeruants by the word, bringing them to Sermons more carefully, and more orderly to prayers at home? for how ſoone God can take vsus away, wee hauehave heard, how quickly he will, we know not: alſo, ſhould it not perſwade the publick Magiſtrates, with the ſword of his office, not lightly to pare away, but vtterly to cut off all proud and rotten ſinnes that abound: yea, ſoundly to correct to a reformation, all publick and groſſe, both enormities, and offendors; as ſwearers, drunkards, fornicators, prophaners of the Sabbath, diſobedient to Parents, and authority, with ſuch like, ſeeing he beareth not the ſword in vaine? Rom. 13.4.
Vſe 2 A terrour to thoſe, who hauehave no hope but in long life: for, death may come, they know not how ſoon (and it commeth ſuddenly to many): and when it is come, it will not be anſwered with an, I pray thee hauehave mee excuſed, Luke 14.18. If we be not ready, it will take vsus as we be: and when it knocketh, if we will not open, it will caſt vsus open. The godly preuent this hardning, by liuing ſo, that is, ſo repentantly and holily, during their ſhort time here; that, when the flying arrow of death, ſent from the hand of their ſupreame Lord, ſhall make toward them, they are euer in fit ſtate to meete their Sauiour. To ſuch, preſent death is prepared death, as it was to Simeon and Anna, who waited for Chriſt in the Temple, Luke 1.25.36.3…. and they cannot dye ſuddenly, that dye ſo. Contrarily, the careleſſe, and they that put off death, by turning theſe flying, into creeping arrowes, can hauehave no ſuch hope in their death, which commeth as a theefe to their houſe, Matth. 24.43. and not as a Meſſenger, to bid them to the Supper of the great King, Luke 14.17. They will not vnclaſpe with the comforts of their deare life for the toileſome life of mortification and preciſeneſſe in Gods ſeruice: for, they are luſtie and ſtrong. Therefore their death cannot be good nor comfortable, but irkeſome and violent, of which they are ouercome: not yeelding to it as the Saints, but maſtered by it, as they who ſay with Iulian; Galilean, thou haſt preuailed, ſo hee ſpake of Chriſt, and ſo ſpeake they of God, when they find he is ſtronger then they.
A reproofe of thoſe, who, when God ſhoots the infectious Vſe 3 arrow of Peſtilence at a Towne or City, promiſe to themſelues ſafetie; becauſe they dwell farre off, becauſe that part, in which they inhabit is free, or becauſe they dwell in the Countrie, and not in the Towne. For, cannot God reach them whereſoeuer they dwell in the Eaſt or Weſt? Is his arme ſhortened? Doth any arrow miſſe that he ſhoots? and he that went progreſſe from Dan to Berſheba, in a running plague, and in leſſe time then three dayes: can hee not in few houres goe a little way and viſite further from a Towne, then fiue, ſixe or ſeuen miles? where is their ſafetie (then) in ſuch a caſe, but in turning to him that threatneth them? And how can they auoide this arrow, but by watching (ſtill) the fall of it in their penitent liues?
Neither is this only true in the arrow of the Peſtilence, but in eueryevery arrow of his quiuer, if he ſhoot at vsus by enemies, by mortalitie of men, by murraine of cattell, or by cleanneſſe of teeth, and leanneſſe in all our quarters, what can ward any of theſe arrowes, but repentance, and our turning to God? He that will auoide an arrow, muſt turne the face, and not the backe vntounto it; and hee muſt looke toward God, and not from him by impenitencie, that will reconcile him. A further deſcription of the Peſtilence followeth.