The Shield of Righteousness, Part 6
Verſe 6. Nor for the Peſtilence that walketh in the darknes.
VVEe hauehave in this Verſe two effects more, whereby this Plague of Peſtilence is further deſcribed: the firſt is that it walketh, that is, worketh ſtrongly and forcibly to death, in the darke or night; or, it ſpreadeth ſecretly and cloſely; as they goe vnſeene that walke in the darke. The meaning is, when God in an intended mortalitie of people, ſendeth forth this plague of death, they whom God hath appointed to it, ſhall not be able, by any prouidence mortall, to auoid the ſecret worke of it in themſelues, or theirs, and the darkneſſe that hides it ſhall finde them.
Doct. 1 The Doctrine is, no policies of men ſhall bee able to doe any thing where Gods wiſedom worketh otherwiſe and contrarily: This hath beene ſpoken of in the firſt Doctrine of the third Verſe.
Againe, that which is here ſpoken of the Peſtilence that walketh in the darkneſſe, that God will deliuer his children from it, at leaſt from the ſting and malice of it, come it neuer ſo ſecretly, is true of all other euils, cloſely but iuſtly, ſent from God as puniſhments, or ſubtilly plotted by men as ſnares in the darke, that is, as ſnares laid priuily for miſchiefe: for, the godly ſhall not be taken of them.
Doct. 2 And here we learne that God will diſcloſe to his people, what his peoples enemies ſhall deuiſe priuily, as in the darke againſt them. So what Eſau had ſpoken in counſell againſt Iacob, was knowne to Rebecca, and told to Iacob Gen. 27.41, 42. The counſels of the King of Aram were no counſell to the King of Iſrael. 2. King. 6.11. Saul determined to ſlay Dauid, but Ionathan told him of it by three warning arrowes, 1. Sam. 20.36, 37. And there were certaine Iewes, who bound themſelues with an oath to kill Paul, there were more then fortie, that had made this oath of bloud againſt him, Acts 23.12, 13. Yet Gods watch was nearer then they thought; and he hewed thoſe ſnares in ſunder, by Pauls ſiſters ſonne, who told Paul what was deuiſed againſt him, and by how many and how reſolutely, Ʋer. 16.20.
Our owne dayes can ſpeak as much in this matter, as the daies of old can tell vsus; for were not the daies of Queene ELIZABETH, daies of miraculous diſcoueries? Could Eſau that Romane Aramite, intend any thing (though neuer ſo ſecretly, as it were in his priuate Counſels) againſt the Iacob of England, and ſhe not heare of it? and did not the Rauens of the Ʋalley picke out the eyes of many of her deſpiſers? Prou. 30.17. After her Graue, wherein ſhe was buried in peace, and in the dayes of a iuſt gracious King; what ſnares hauehave beene priuily layd, and miraculouſly known? How cloſely did the Powder-traytors, walke, like the Peſtilence in the darkneſſe? In their ſelfe-will they digged into a wall, Geneſ. 49.6. thinking, through, it to hauehave vndermined the faſt ground of thoſe happie times; but they might as well hauehave plowed vponupon the Rocke: therefore they turned from that counſell, and remoued the Snare to a celler vnderunder the Parliament houſe, where they hid it, with themſelues, ſo cunningly, that it paſſed the wit of man to conceiue how it could hauehave been found out. A great fornace (as it were ſnare) was prouided vnderunder ground and ſecretly to hauehave conſumed at once, and to ſmall ſhiuers, the moſt honorable aſſembly of Chriſtendome, with one deadly thundering burſt: it came almoſt to the birth; the bowe was drawen; the arrowe was vponupon the ſtring, Pſal. 11.2, 3. The candle and match were readie; and we could not ſay, Yet fortie dayes, no nor ſo much as one full day, and we ſhould hauehave been deſtroied, Ion. 3.4. Then God tooke vsus as a brand out of the fire, Zechar. 3.2. and ſinking (as he did Peter) by the hand; Math. 14.31. So were we deliuered: they communed together to lay the Snare priuily; many meetings they had about it: and ſo ſecretly they did all, that they could ſay; who ſhall ſee? Pſal. 64.5. but God cauſed their owne tongue to fall vponupon them; a Letter of their owne bewrayed them; and the Lord ſo inſpired, that is, ſo with wiſedome, and a ſpirit of diuine interpretation, his holy King, that out of the cloude of one darke ſentence in that ſame Letter, he pointed, as with the finger, at the myſterie. And ſo the Lord ſaued vsus, at that time, from the greateſt Peſtilence that euer walked in the darke. Many and deepe were the counſels that the Leaguers of Rome hauehave held againſt theſe two vnmatchable Princes; much hath come from the deepneſſe of Satan againſt them; and what treacheries? how dangerous and deteſtable, deuiſed againſt them by brands of hell, in the dungeon of hell? yet from them all hath the Lord deliuered vsus, 2 Tim. 3.11. The reaſons:
If this were not ſo, the wicked, being in a confederacie and of Reaſon 1 kindred with the powers of darkneſſe, ſhould bee too hard for Gods children, who walke in the light; that is, in their ſimplicitie; and not in craftineſſe, as Satans Factors doe.
Secondly, for this (partly,) God is ſaid to bee the Watchman Reaſon 2 of Iſrael, or, Iſraels keeper, that will neither ſlumber nor ſleepe, Pſal. 121.4. this Iſrael is his Church, ouer whoſe ſafetie hee ſtandeth Centinel day and night, to reueale to the ſame, (as her wakefull and ſureſt Intelligencer) the pits which they digge in ſecret for her that lay wait for her ſoule.
Vſe 1 This ſhould terrifie all our Popiſh workmen, from practiſing in ſecret againſt the life and welfare of their naturall Lord, and the countrie that bred them: for, that which hath wings will declare the matter, Eccleſ. 10.10. that is, it ſhall quickly come out, as if it were carried vponupon wings, or by the ſwifteſt foule that flies. In that detection by Mordecai, Heſt. 2.21, 22. heauen it ſelfe became the Watch-Tower for a heathen King: the Treaſon was to be executed forthwith, and when the King ſhould go next abroad, and it was no leſſe then the killing of him by two that kept the doore: but Mordecai heard it, who ſate without like a forlorne Perſon: and informed Heſter of it, that is, preſently informed her, as the diuine prouidence had informed him, ſhee told the King, and they were hanged (both) on a tree. Such haſte God did make, euen to the ſuccour of a Pagan-Monarch: and will not his arme be euer as long to the defence of a Chriſtian King & ſtate? Then; what ſecurity can men hauehave in the ſecret committing of that, wherein God himſelfe will bee their detector; and wherein two cannot keepe counſell, though one be away? I would that whole Roman Peſtilence, which (ſtill) walketh in the darkneſſe, would conſider this: or let them remember (which is yet freſh in the memories of many) how many conſpirators (theſe fortie yeares paſt and vpward) hauehave gone to their owne places, with their bloud vponupon their heads; and let them not forget, how lately the Lord himſelfe became a reuealer of ſome conſpiracies with a celeſtiall care of Prince and Country, as if he ſhould hauehave ſtriuen to hauehave excelled himſelfe in miraculous mercies towards vsus more now then euer.
Ʋſe 2 A comfort to good Kings and Chriſtian ſtates, giuing them great boldnes in the darkeſt practiſes of al Popiſh & helliſh Mole-warpes, whoſe bookes, and other motiues to ſedition, walke as the Peſtilence in the darke; for, where the Godly can ſee nothing, his eyes behold, his eye-lids conſider, Pſal. 11.4. That is, God ſitteh not idlely in heauen, but ſeeth all that is done on earth, either wit… open eyes, or as if he winked: for ſometimes, he diſcouereth a ſecret preſently, as with open eyes, & makes vsus ſee it: ſomtimes not preſently, but at leſure, as if he would take time to bring it to light: but euen then, his eye-lids conſider or hee deferreth the matter, as if he ſlept; that is, his bright eye is vponupon their firſt thoughts that deuiſe this euill in their hearts. There is a league and kindred of wickedneſſe among bad Subiects, and they ioyne with Sampſons Foxes, if it be to carrie firebrands to burne the corne-fields of the Church, Iudg. 15.4, 5. but the foundation ſhall bee caſt downe, that they hauehave laid craftily, and in the darke, Pſal. 11.3. or, as the vntimely fruite of a woman that hath not ſeene the ſunne, Pſal. 58.8. ſo ſhall all their vniuſt counſels be: their pollicies ſhall faile, and their purpoſes come to naught, and, hee that ſitteth in his Temple in heauen ſhall bring them out of their holes, as he did Faux and the reſt of that impious conſort that wrought with him at the wall, and in the celler, that graue of powder, made for the buriall of the Goſpell: an vntimely end ſhall meete them, and the pit which they digged for others, ſhall take themſelues: but the ſoules of the righteous ſhall eſcape as a bird out of the Snare: for, it ſhall be broken, and they ſhall be deliuered, Pſal. 124.7. Another effect of the Peſtilence followeth.
Nor for the *The word ſignifieth a cutting, or ſore biting: and ſuch as maketh a common ſlaughter, or vniuerſall death.deſtruction that waſteth at noone day.
FVrther, this Plague of Peſtilence is called the deſtruction that waſteth at noone day, as before it was called the Peſtilence that walketh in the darkneſſe, becauſe (where God ſends it) it ſmites downe in death at all times, and in all aires, and ſeaſons: whether at midnight, or at mid-day: in an open, or cloſe skie: in the pureſt aires, or in the foggieſt and moſt troubled. Some Writers affirme that it is called the Peſtilence that walketh in darkneſſe; becauſe in the darke it worketh more violently then in the day, the aire being made groſer and thicker by the coldneſſe of the night, that is, apter to communicate it more fully and with more force: and that it is called the deſtructiō that waſteth at noone day; becauſe at the time of the noone-ſunne, the pores of the body, as they are more open in the day, ſo they are moſt open, and more penetrable at that time of the day: but theſe two effects of the Plague of Peſtilence; walking in darkneſſe and waſting at noone-day; are ſpoken of to let vsus vnderſtand that for this, or any other kinde of warning that God ſhal giuegive vsus by any of his roddes; al times are a like with him, night or day, darkneſſe or noone-day: alſo, that, in deliuering the righteous from the fearefull Peſtilence or any other puniſhment of his hand, he cannot be reſtrained by any impediment of weakneſſe in him, or ſtrength of the diſeaſe in vsus, be it day or night, ſummer or winter: for, he can as eaſily and ſoone cure a grieuous, as ſlight ſickneſſe; and as preſently ſaue a man from death, as any ſickneſſe can bring him to it: the rod is in his hand, and the worke of it in his power, to ſmite with it to a correction, or to death: and, he that can doe what he will, can doe the ſame when he will: for, his power is ouer time that made it.
Doct. 1 And (now) where we reade of the Peſtilence walking in the darkneſſe, and deſtruction waſting at noone-day; that is, of puniſhments, ready at all ſeaſons to come againſt vsus when wee ſinne againſt God: we learne, that as men offend, earely or late, night or day, God hath Plagues at hand to ſend vponupon rhem at all houres: the darkneſſe ſhall not hide them, nor the light ſhew them any way to flie from him: if they eſcape one iudgement, another ſhall be ready for them, and the laſt (if they continue ſtubborne) ouertake them to deſtruction, as the red ſea did Pharaoh, and his armies, Exod. 14.28. Zophar, in Iob, ſheweth that from what Plague ſoeuer ſuch flee they flee but from bad to worſe: from iron weapōs that may ſtrike them downe, to a bowe of ſteele that will ſtrike them through, Iob. 20.24. Or if they flee from the ſword that may cut them, they ſhall meet with arrowes that will kill them.
Eſay the Prophet ſayth, there is no eſcaping to ſuch; for if they flee from the noiſe of the feare, they ſhall fall into the hole of the pit; and they that come out of the pit, that is, that come out ſafely, the ſnare ſhall take them, or the ſnare of death (that will hold them faſt) ſhall be vponupon them. So that (here) they are way-laid by three kinds of deſtruction Feare, and the Pit, and the Snare: feare comming from enemies, the pit from ſickneſſes, the ſnare from the ſnares of death, that ſhall compaſſe them; ſo as they ſhall not eſcape, Eſa. 24.17, 18. The meaning is, that the hand of God can no way, be auoided by ſinners, in one deſtruction or another; and the Prophet alludeth to the taking of wilde beaſts; who, if they get from the dogges, as it were the noiſe of feare, may fall into pits made for them, and there be taken: or auoiding theſe, runne into a ſnare, and there be hampered and held till their throat be cut.
In Amos alſo wee read of ſuch a matter; for who would not thinke that a man eſcaping to his owne houſe, from a Lion that followed him, and from a Beare that met him, ſhould be ſafe and well? But in that houſe, there is a Serpent that bites him to death, Am. 5.19. Therefore there is no ſecurity but in God, or by turning to God in our comming home to our Father: The Reaſons of the Doctrine are:
One of the names of God is; The Lord of Hoaſts; and the Lord, who if he will hauehave an enemie to come vponupon a Land, need but to Liſſe for him, Eſay 5.46. Or famine to afflict the Land, need but to call for it, Pſal. 105.16. If he do but ſend it comes, be it Peſtilence or Sword, Leuit. 26.25. What ſhall I ſay? He hath Armies of Iudgements, and huge hoſts of plagues to meet with ſinners in their way, till hee hauehave either humbled or deſtroied them. He hath ſharpe arrowes in his Quiuer, a glittering Sword in his hand, a reuenging hand in his wrath, and noiſome Peſtilence among his treaſures: and therefore what hope to rebell, without aſſurance to be deſtroied? Luke 19.27.
Secondly, God ſhould want a part of his glorie, if he were not Doct. 2 able (aſſoone as a ſinner ſhall do euill to his diſhonour) to puniſh him for that cōtempt. For, were it not an indignity intolerable for a potent Monarch, not to be able (preſently) to ſet downe a Rebel in his owne Dominions: yea to paſſe publike iuſtice vponupon him, to the taking away of his head? But he that caſt Adam out of Paradiſe as ſoone as he had ſinned, Gen. 3.24. lacketh not power to turne ſinners into hell, with all that forget God, Pſal. 50.22.
A conuiction of all notorious ſinners, who bleſſe, that is, flatter Ʋſe 1 themſelues in their talke, ſaying; They ſhall hauehave peace, though they walke in the ſtubbornneſſe of their heart, adding drunkenneſſe to thirſt, Deut. 29.19. Theſe would ſeeme to make queſtion, whether God be of any ſuch ſtrength, or be able to bring any ſuch troupes into the field againſt them: or, if he be, whether he will vſe them according to his threatnings in his word, to their deſerued ouerthrow, ſinning ſo againſt him. Theſe make falſhood their refuge, and hauehave their part in the drunken peace of that hypocrite who ſayd; My Maſter doth deferre his comming: Math. 24.48. that is, he will not come theſe many yeeres, if he come at all; either to account with ſinners, or to viſit for ſinne. And what ſhall I ſay of theſe men, but that they incourage themſelues in an abominable thing, promiſing peace, where there is none, Ier. 6.14. But if any dye of the Peſtilence, let ſuch looke to be firſt: and if any goe into captiuitie, to be firſt that ſhall go captiue: and if leanneſſe enter into any, to hauehave it enter into them as ſoone as into any. Indeed, they (often-times) eſcape with life, in ſuch difficulties and ſtraits of time, when their betters do not; yet they liue (but) to fill vp the iuſt meaſure of their certaine damnation; that no torment may bee wanting to them, when they ſhall ſuddenly, and when they leaſt thinke of death, chop into hell.
Ʋſe 2 But, doth God ſet his plagues (as his ſtrong watch) to obſerue vsus at all times, night or day, when we do euill: then, when we ſee his watch charged, ſometimes in the night-peſtilence, ſometimes in the noone-plague: ſometimes in vnſeaſonable yeares by no raine, or by raine in exceſſe: ſometimes in great ſcarcities of graine and fodder; Let vsus humble our ſelues in prayer and repentance, ſtanding with theſe, in the gappe and breach that Gods hand hath made, or may make by ſuch calamities ſent among vsus for ſinne and for iniquitie. And let ſuch Repentance and Prayer ſtand, as Aaron with his holy Cenſer, as in the caſe of Plague: So the Lord may be intreated, and his Iudgements may leaue vsus. But for ſuch as ſeeke no reliefe in the armory of theſe Chriſtian exerciſes againſt the changes that come, but behaue themſelues in daies of mourning, as when God maketh the hearts of men merrie with his chearefull countenance: Let them goe whither they will, Vengeance looketh for them at euerie doore; the Plague by day, and the Peſtilence by night is ready for them, day and night they are enuironed with feares; at their tables, and vponupon their beds, ſnares vponupon their meate: a curſe vponupon their ſleepe; and Gods anger in all their wayes.
And here let vsus take heed how we prouoke the Lord, by our ſtubborneneſſe vnderunder his other roddes, to bring the Plague againe, I meane of Peſtilence: which, while it kept ſome order among vsus, as his watch by night and ward by day; how can it bee forgotten, how many, not by hundreds but by thouſands, a weeke in England, it committed cloſe priſoners to wormes and darkneſſe in the earth? or, if we hauehave forgotten that; let thoſe that go about their ſinne cloſely, remember the Peſtilence that walketh in darkneſſe: and ſuch as ſinne openly, not forget the deſtruction that waſteth at noone day.
A reproofe of thoſe, who when this ſickneſſe is in a towne; Ʋſe 3 runne from it into the countrie, as if God were impotent there: as ſoone as the fire begins a little to burne in the deaths or infection of two or three, they preſently runne away by the light of it, in their vnchanged liues, as if they would giuegive more to their owne carnall forecaſts, then to Gods ſweete prouidence. But this hath bene ſpoken of: and I adde that all going aſide (as hath bene ſaid) is not vnlawfull, ſo theſe conditions in remouing be obſerued. Firſt, that the euill it ſelſe be looked vponupon as a meſſenger ſent from God, and meſſenger, that is not auoyded by the change of the place ſimply, without ſome other change. Secondly, that they remoue not with a doubtfull conſcience, but with good warrant to depart. Thirdly, that in ſuch departure they breake not the bonds which ſhould bee betweene man and wife, the parents and their children, Chriſtian houſholders and their Chriſtian families. And fourthly, that they hauehave no publicke calling in the place from which they remoue, as of Magiſtrates or Paſtors. For, then they cannot depart with good conſcience, nor forſake their ſtandings without ſinne. Thus farre hath the Peſtilence bene deſcribed by ſome effects, now the godly mans ſafelie in it, and in other troubles, comprehended vnderunder it, followeth.