Four Godly and Fruitful Sermons, Sermon 2
The second Sermon.
2. SAMVEL. 24. 14. &c.
Verse 14: And Dauid said vntounto Gad, I am in a wonderfull strait: let vsus fall now into the hand of the Lorde, (for his mercies are great) and let mee not fall into the hand of man.
Verse 15. So the Lord sent a Pestilence in Israell, from the morning, euen to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seuenty thousand men.
Verse 16. And when the Angell stretched out his hand vponupon Ierusalem, the Lord repented of the euill; and said to the Angell that destroyed the people, It is sufficient, hold now thy hand, &c.
Verse 17. And Dauid spake vntounto the Lord, &c.
YEE hauehave alreadie heard of Dauids sinne in numbring of the people, of his humiliation, confession, and crauing of pardon for the same: also of the message that was brought vntounto him by Gad; what offer the Lord made him, Namely, that hee should hauehave the choise of his owne rodde: the sentence was alreadie past, and some one of the three iudgements mentioned Verse 13. must needs light vponupon the land: yet would God vse as much mildnes as might bee, and therefore hee referres the matter vntounto him, and biddeth him consider, and determine which of them hee would most willingly vndergoe.
Now followe the euents that ensued both vponupon the sinne that Dauid committed, and the message that God for the same directed vntounto him.
The first whereof, was the great distresse wherewith hee was perplexed, which he bemoned to the Prophet, telling him that he was in a wonderfull strait.
The second was the choyse that he made,Verse 14. absolutely passing ouer the famine, without so much as speaking of it, as knowing it to bee incomparablie the sharpest scourge of the three: (for the Scripture saith, that they that are slaine by the sword, are better then they which are killed with hunger) and rather also submitting himselfe to the Pestilence,Lament. 9. which was more immediately the sword of God, from whom he expected merciemercy and sauour, then to the violence and sword of man: in whome what else in such a case is to be found, but crueltie and fiercenesse?
The third was the execution of that plague of the pestilence,Verse 15. which he had yeelded himselfe vntounto: which is declared as well by the manner, as the minister of it: it being in so short a time, as in three dayes space, dispersed thorough the whole Land, from North to South, and (though not affirmed, yet implied) from East to West, Ierusalem onelyonly excepted, as may appeare by the circumstance of the Text: and in this time seuenty thousand being destroyed; which stroke was inflicted by the hand of an Angell, whome God had therevnto appointed, as minister and executioner of the same.
The last was, the ceasing and stay of this plague,Verse 16. euen then when the stroke was lighting vponupon Ierusalem, to hauehave destroyed it. And hereof are assigned two causes: the one, and that the principall, was the Commandement of God: to whom (for our better apprehension of his prouidence) is ascribed an humane passion of repentance: which properly befalleth not him, because hee cannot but doe eueryevery thing absolutely well, nor possiblie at any time bee wearie of well-doing: neither is hee subiect to perturbations, because he is free from all manner of corruptions. But hee is said to repent, when hee withholdeth that which he condicionallie promiseth, or threatneth, or desisteth from that which he had begun to doe, sithence men many times breake off their proceedings, with dislike of the beginnings thereof, and their not doing of that which they saide, argueth commonly that they are sorrie, for saying that which nowe they minde not to doe.
The other cause, yet of an inferiour nature, and mouent (as wee call it) was the prayer of Dauid, Verse 17.whereby hee obtained the preseruation of Ierusalem, and the rest of the people, and herein hee offereth himselfe to be smitten, that they might be spared, with acknowledgement that hee was the offender, and they in this matter altogether innocent.
Verse 14. And Dauid said, I am in a wonderfull strait] The Doctrine that hence ariseth, is plaine: viz. that Sinne brings men into great distresses, and into maruellous straits.
It is the proper nature of wickednesse,Doct. 1. Sinne brings men into straits. to encomber and cast men into perplexities: neither will God spare his owne people, when they take libertie in prouoking his maiestie; but either they shall be straited in their owne hearts, or else in regard of outward calamities, or both: and though the Lord will not condemne them, yet will he afflict them. Iehoshaphat was so foolish, that he would make affinitie with Ahab: and lest he should breake off that league of friendship that was betweene them, he would aduenture (contrary to the expresse word of the Lord) to goe against Ramoth Gilead to battle with him: now was not he in an exceeding great straight, when the maine force of the battle was bent against him, being supposed to be the King of Israel, concerning whom a command was giuen to the Captaines by the King of Aram, 1. King. 22. 31. 32.that they should fight against none, neither small nor great, but onelyonly against the King of Israel? Yet would not Iehoshaphat take warning by this: but after that he had beene rebuked by Iehu the Prophet, for helping the wicked, 2. King. 3.and louing them that hated the Lord, he yet ioyned with Iehoram the King of Israel, against the King of Moab: but was his successe any better then before? No surely: for howsoeuer they had the victorie ouer the Moabites with much difficultie, yet before that was effected, he was in a greater straight, then when he went against Ramoth Gilead: for there his owne person onelyonly was endangerd: but heere both he and his people, together with two Kings and their armies besides, were like to perish for want of water. A further proofe of this point we hauehave in Ionah, who discoursing with his owne reason, thought it would be to no purpose, but very dangerous for him to goe to preach at Niniue, and therefore refused to yeeld to the Commandement of the Lord. But what wofull distresse did this disobedience bring him into, when being in that sore tempest, the sea did roare, his conscience accuse him, men were against him, God was against him, and there was no way for him, but to be throwne into the sea, and there to remaine three daies and three nights in the belly of a whale?Iudges. 16. The like may be seene in Sampson, who being carried with boisterous lusts, and immoderately and sinfully affecting that vile strumpet Dalilah, could hide nothing from her, but discouered vntounto her very foolishly wherein his great strength lay, namely in his haire: and so that being cut off, as a recompence of his folly and sinfull dealing, he was betraied into the hands of his most deadly enemies the Philistims, who puld out both his eyes, bound him in fetters, made him grinde in the prison house, and besides made him a laughing stocke vntounto those into whom he had formerly stricken a great terrour and amazement by his admirable valour, and the strange enterprises atchieued by him. Thus we may in part perceiue into what narrow straits sinne doth bring Gods owne children: but this is especially verified in wicked men, of whom it is said, that thornes and snares are in the way of the froward: Prou. 22. 5.they are hedged in with thornes, and all their walke is vponupon brakes: they run to hell with great vexation: they are intangled in snares continually, and are neuer out of them: they are caught in Sathans net, and held fast by hardnesse of heart, which neuer leaues them till either conuersion, or vtter confusion doe befall them.
But this will more fully appeare in particular sinnes, as first to giuegive instance in drunkards, whose appetite doth prouoke them vntounto that beastly abuse of Gods good creatures: the wine delights their eye, and pleaseth their taste, and goeth downe merily:Pro. 13. 32. 29. 30. but in the end it will bite like a Serpent, and hurt like a cockatrice: for to whom is woe? to whom is sorrow? &c. Euen to them that tarrie long at the wine, to them that goe and seeke mixt wine: for they ruinate and ouerthrow their estate, they blemish and staine their names, make their wiues to fall out with them, their children to contemne them, their companions to quarrell with them: their best friends to loath them: and after all this, they are a burden vntounto themselues, hauing their wittes crackt, and their bodies diseased, and beeing fit for no place, but onelyonly for hell.
The same may be said of proud men: doth not their sinne throwe them into great miserie? Let vsus consider a little of Hamans fall, which was procured by his insolencie. God knewe what crosse would most vexe his proud heart, and that he sent him: for whereas all Hamans honour could doe him no good, vnlesse Mordecai would rise vp before him, and doe him reuerence, that was a thorne vntounto him, when hee could not make him doe it: but when hee must honour Mordecai, and be as a seruant vntounto him, that was a snare vntounto his soule, and therein was hee helde fast, with horrible vexation and monstrous shame, till death and damnation seazed vponupon him.
The like may bee seene in riotous and voluptuous persons, who are whollie addicted to followe sporting, and gaming, and surfetting, and chambering, and wantonnesse, with such like sinfull delights of the flesh: the world thinks that such liue a merrie life: but iudge not too well of them; they hauehave not paid all their shot as yet: they hauehave miserie enough behinde, that still pursues them, and at length will ouertake them: for hee that loues pastime, shall be a poore man; and hee that loues wine and oyle shall not bee rich: Prou. 21. 17.and a Whore will bring a man to a morsell of bread: pouertie shall followe at the heeles of such,Prou. 6. 26. as a swift Post, and shall set vponupon them as a strong armed man: they shall be ouercome and vanquished, and downe shall their estate goe, euen to the ground.
Another instance may be in couetous persons, who hauehave wealth in wonderfull admiration, so that it is made the common god, and most vsuall Idoll of the world: and when they hauehave gotten it, they, and manie others thinke they shall hauehave great credit with it: and manie times it so falls out, that they are men of great place, because they are of great substance: they hauehave manie to attend vponupon them, manie to flatter them, and to crouch vntounto them, and by their riches they may procure almost what they list: doth not this now seeme to be an easie, a pleasant, and happy life? Yet the Apostle telleth vsus,1. Tim. 6. 19. that they that will be rich, fall into tentation, and snares, and into manie foolish and noysome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destruction: so that when wealth (together with the louelove of it) flowes in on eueryevery side, men are as it were cast headlong into a sea of miserie: and therefore it is added, that the desire of mony is the roote of all euill: for it doth not onelyonly poyson mens hearts, make them erre from the faith, and bring them into the snares of the diuell, to be lead by him according to his will; but it pearseth them thorow with many sorrowes: for greedy wordlings are euer disconted and froward, falling out with one, and chafing with another: so that those things which seeme to glad their hearts, doe not indeed bring them any sound contentment, because their desires can neuer be satisfied, but especially because they are often times much crossed: as when their sheepe or cattle miscarry, their grounds prooue vnfruitfull, their seruants vntrusty, theeues set vponupon them by violence to spoile them of their goods, or subtill aduersaries by craft seeke to defraud them of the same, with many such like occurrences, which will neither let them rest quietly in the night, nor liue comfortably in the day: and the hearts of such couetous persons can tell them, that manie times all other things doe them no good, sithence they cannot hauehave some one thing which they would, as the case stood with wicked Ahab in the matter of Naboths vineyard.
But suppose, that these and the like sinnes should not bring men into snares in their lifetime, yet at the time of their death when they must goe out of the world, they will:Iob. 27. 8. for what hope hath the hypocrite when God shall take away his life? though he hauehave heaped vp riches as the dust, yet when God shall vnsheath his soule, and put it violently from his body as a rustie sword out of the scabberd, what good will all his substance doe him then? It was his hope while he liued, that he should still get more wealth: but when death sets vponupon him, he is past that hope, and for better hopes he hath none, and therefore must needs be full of woe, and full of perplexitie. Then though he call vponupon God, he will not answer: Pro. 1. 26. ….and though he seeke him early, he shall not finde him: but God will laugh at his destruction, and mocke when his feare commeth. Because God called, and he refused; he stretched out his hand, and he would not regard; therefore when he crieth, the Lord will shut out his prayer.
But set the case they be not in such perplexitie at the time of their death, but that they die securely, and goe suddenly downe to the graue as senslesse blocks, or stones, yet must they come before the iudgement seat of Christ, and then they shall be paid home for all. Ordinarily they meet with extremitie of anguish while they liue, or when they die: but if they doe not, they shall not misse of it when they appeare before the Iudge of heauen and earth,Rom. 2. but tribulation and anguish shal be vponupon eueryevery soule that hath offended, of what estate and degree soeuer he hath beene. Then their distresse and honour shall be such, that when they arise out of their graues, they shall wish to returne thither againe: yea they shall desire that the mountaines and rockes might fall vponupon them, & couer them from him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe. Then they would thinke no paines nor torment too much so they might perish euerlastingly: they could rather desire that an huge rocke or great mountaine might crush them in peeces, and that they might perish as beasts, than to appeare before Christ Iesus to receiue that fearefull sentence, Goe ye cursed, &c: This is the proper wages of sinne: and of disobedience against the Lord: it castes the committers of it into a wofull Labyrinth of distresses and miseries: and good reason is there that it should be so, because otherwise the hatefulnes of it, and the hatred of God against it would not cleerely appeare, & so men would like better of the broad way, than of the narrow, and chuse to be rebells against the Lord, rather than obedient subiects vntounto him: euen the best would doe this as well as the worst. Which serueth
First,Vse. 1. for instruction: that we should beware of all kinds of sinne, and consider what will come of it, before we presume to rush vpo it: let vsus looke before we leape, lest afterwards we repent vsus when it is too late. Sinne will make goodly shewes of delight, and preferment, and commoditie that it will bring vntounto vsus: that if we will giuegive entertainement thereunto, it will neuer be a meanes of any disgrace vntounto vsus, but will hide it selfe from the view of the world. But what doth the Lord say of it? Doth not he tell vsus that it will breake out, and flie abroad at length? The adulterer would hauehave his wretched pleasure, but not the iust reproach of his filthinesse. But what saith Iob? Iob. 31. 3.Are there not strange punishments for such workers of iniquitie? And though they may hide it from the eyes of men,Verse. 4. doth not God behold their waies, and tell all their steps? If Adam and Eue had considered what mischiefe would hauehave ensued on their eating of the forbidden fruit, they would neuer hauehave tasted thereof: but when they would beleeue the serpent rather then God, did not they, and shall not their posteritie for euer smart for it?
The Prophet Micaiah bid Abab take heede of his iourney to Ramoth Gilead: yet he would hauehave his owne minde, let the prophet say what he would: but when the arrow was shot into his side, then he saw that Micaiahs counsell had beene worth the following: but then it was too late, and such is the folly and madnesse of most men; they must hauehave their owne wils▪ and their owne waies, and will neuer hearken to those instructions that are giuen them, either by God, or by godly men, till miserie hauehave ouerwhelmed their soules, and they be past recouerie. But let their follie teach vsus to be wiser, and let vsus take heede of Sathans baites, and of his sugred poyson:Math. 4. he will make vsus profers (as he did vntounto our Sauiour) of maruellous great honour, and pleasure, and gaine that may be gotten by such and suel, sinfull courses:Iohn. 8. but let vsus neuer giuegive credit vntounto him, for he is a lyar from the beginning: but,
Secondly,Vse. 2. if we hauehave harkned too far vntounto him already, and hauehave fallen by our iniquitie, let vsus withall possible speede get out of that which holds vsus in bondage, and wrappeth vsus in milerie, and chaineth vsus in many sorrowes and calamities; let vsus get sound repentance for it, and striue for a reformation of it: let not sinne keepe possession in vsus, and then iudgements shall not long continue vponupon vsus He that hath committed any grosse sinne, is as it were a prisoner: according to that of Salomon, Prou. 5. 22.His owne wickednesse shall take the wicked himselfe, and he shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne. There is a iudiciall proceeding against him: sinne commeth as an officer, and chargeth the partie to stand: then it apprehendeth him, and bindeth him hand and foot as a malefactor: (it spareth not the mightiest Monarch in the world, that is found guiltie before the Lord) after there is a proceeding vntounto arraignment and execution, if there be not meanes vsed to stay the same: therefore let vsus get off the fetters of iniquitie as soone as we can: and if we find terrors vponupon our hearts for our couetousnesse and crueltie, for our pride and insolencie, for our filthinesse and impuritie, &c: let vsus labour with God for the obtaining of a pardon: and then though we be plagued for our foolishnesse, and brought very lowe, yet crying vntounto the Lord, he will deliuer vsus out of our distresse:Psal. 107. yea he will bring vsus out of darknesse, and out of the shadow of death, and breake our bands asunder.
Heere is also matter of comfort to them that proceed in the waies of the Lord with a good conscience,Vse. 3. whose workes doe testifie for them that they are vpright and sincere, and that though they be clogged with many infirmities, yet they giuegive entertainment to no sinne at all: though they hauehave many troubles and slanders raised against them, and many temptations, wants and necessities lying vponupon them, yet let them be of good cheere: for albeit they be afflicted on eueryevery side, yet shall they not be in distresse,2. Cor. 4. 8. they are not straitned, but hauehave elbow roome enough, and doe enioy the best freedome and libertie. For they may come into Gods priuie chamber (as it were) and into his presence when they will: they are not strained in their soules, but hauehave libertie to powre out their hearts before their heauenly father, who knoweth and pittieth their distressed estate, and will worke out their freedome and comfort in due time: and in the meane while his hand shall defend and vphold them: his spirit shall comfort and strengthen them: his word shall reuiue and refresh them, and (in a word) his grace shalbe eueryevery way sufficient for them, so that such as are not chained and fettered with their owne iniquities, and raigning sinnes, are of all other the best freemen, and the most happie and blessed people: they walke at libertie, & they keepe the precepts.
Let vsus fall now into the hand of the Lord] That is, Let God proceed with the pestilence according to his pleasure: which is called Gods sword and Gods hand, because this pestil̄ece proceeded immediately from him, without any second causes, whereas many other iudgements doe not so. In that he maketh choyse to fall into Gods hand,Doct. 2. The godly finde greatest fauour with God. the Doctrine is, that Gods seruants neuer finde so great fauour as with God himselfe.
None can deale so fauourably with Gods children as their heauenly Father.
He goeth as farre beyond earthly parents, as God is better then man. They, when they are prouoked, doe oftentimes cease to be mercifull: but God, when he is most incensed, is perfectly fauourable; and when he is driuen to chastise his children, he is exceeding moderate. Which is liuely expressed, Hos. 11. 8. where the Lord speaketh in this manner:Hos. 11. How shall I giuegive thee vp Ephraim? How shall I deliuer thee Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? As if he should hauehave told them, You hauehave deserued to be vtterly destroied, as Sedome and Gomorrah, and the Cities neere adioining: but my compassion that I beare towards you will not suffer mee to doe it: Mine heart is turned within me: my repentings are rowied together. Man repents after hee hath done amisse, but God before, so that hee can neuer doe amisse: and therefore to manifest his infinite goodnes, and care for their preseruation, hee addeth, verse 9. I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath: I will not returne to destroy Ephraim; and the reason is added, for I am God, and not man: and therefore though a man (if hee were so prouoked,) would hauehave done his best vtterly to hauehave spoiled them, yet the Lord would not enter into their Citie, viz. for that end, but deale gratiously with them, notwithstanding all their offences.
Moreouer, earthly parents, when they set vponupon correction with best staiednesse, doe want knowledge and discretion, and therefore giuegive their children too little or too much:1. Pett. 6. Isa. 27. 9. but the Lord is of such infinite wisedome, that hee euer proportioneth his chastisements to the neede of the partie, and the nature of the fault.
Againe, earthly parents, when they hauehave layde on stripes, cannot take them off againe: when they see their children weeping, and grieuing, and humbling themselues in good earnest for their offences, they wish (but all in vaine) that their paine were ouer, & the smart remooued: but as the Lord woundeth, so can he heale; as hee cast Iob downe,Hos. 6. 1. so could he raise him vpagaine: and whatsoeuer our distresses be, if wee can humble our selues, and crie vntounto the Lord, hee is able and readie to relieue and to deliuervs. In which regard, wee should be most willing, if we must needs he corrected, to yeeld vp our selues into his hands. For there is no comparison betwixt the compassions of men, which are finite, and of Gods, who is infinite.
Which may serue to discouer vntounto vsus their folly that are so farre from submitting themselues to Gods chastisements, that they cannot endure his rebukes. Let any man of God admonish them, and they are readie to flie in his face. What hath he to doe with me? (say they) let him meddle with his owne matters. I will not take it at his hands: with many bitter speeches of that kinde, which argue in them great distemper and vexation of minde. And let a man tell them in neuer so great louelove, that if they doe not amend, their sinnes will abroad to their disgrace: their friends will grieue at them, their aduersaries will reproach them, and all cry shame vponupon them; yet they will be no whit pacified, but rather enraged against the admonisher, not caring what be thought or spoken against them, so Christians may not reprooue them.
Hence is it that men are so loath to be vnderunder any Christian gouernment,Vse. 1. where they must be instructed how to doe well, and rebuked if they doe not well: they will none of it: to liue in such a family or congregation where they shall be catechized, and restrained from the breach of the Sabbath, and other leaud courses, they will neuer endure it; but will chuse rather to be vnderunder the gouernement of Antichrist, and of Sathan himselfe, then of Christ Iesus: Let their maisters be Papists, cruell oppressors, as sauage tyrants as Pharaoh was, they will rather dwell with them, then with godly and religious gouernours, that would vse them most kindly, and reward them most liberally for their seruice. Such were the Israelites. Moses (as the Lord testifieth of him) was the meekest man vponupon the earth, and withall a most wise and couragious Ruler: yet would they rather hauehave beene eueryevery day vnderunder the whip in Egypt, then vnderunder Gods gracious gouernment which was executed by Moses, And as these are heere to be condemned of great want of wisedome, that will not submit themselues to be admonished and ordered by the Lord; so are they also which are vnwilling to come vnderunder Gods correcting hand, which is indeed of al other most desireable.
And because the present occasion requireth it, it will not be amisse to shew that the pestilence, wherewith the Lord hath now visired this Nation, is a fauourable and gentle correction, and that this sword of the Lord is nothing so terrible as the sword of man would be if he should cause that to be drawne out against vsus: and that for these reasons:
First,Reasons why the pestilence is a more fauorable stroke then the sword. because heerein we may more immediately and cleerely behold Gods hand, which is a meanes to draw vsus to more speedy and earnest humiliation: whereas if we were pursued by the sword of men, we should be more distracted, sometimes with feares of and greese, for the enemies violence; sometimes with hopes either of mercy from them, or of aid from others: all which do either vtterly withdraw vsus from, or much hinder vsus in the worke of humiliation.
Secondly, in the time of the pestilence the aduersaries of Religion hauehave not such matter of insultation, as when warres are hote in the Land: for then they would triumph in this or the like manner: Now these forward men shall pay for it: downe they shall all the sorte of them: they were wont to brag that God would be their buckler and their shield; their refuge, and their strong tower of defence: but what will become of them now? thus would they insult ouer Gods chosen, in the time of warre: but in the time of this sicknes, they themselues are exceedingly afraid, & euen at their wits ende, (knowing that hell and destruction gape for them, whensoeuer death taketh hold of them:) whereas Christians are quiet, and full of peace & ioy in the holy Ghost, knowing that if they die, they shall go from earth to heauen, from a place of miserie, to a palace of glorie.
Thirdly, this is a maruellous great merciemercy, that there doth still remaine the face of a Church, that the Gospell is preached, the Sacraments administred, & the profession of the truth openly maintained: whereas if there were a forraine inuasion, or a ciuill mutinie & insurrection, the vsuall course of the minsterie, and of the exercises of religion, would be stopped, which now is not onelyonly tollerated, but commanded.
Besides, now there is a continuance of the state of the common-wealth: whereas when the sword rageth in a land,Lamen. 5. the face of the honourable is not respected, the Magistrates authoritie is reckoned a matter of nothing, and all lawes must giuegive place to the wills of violent men.
Againe, in the times of warre, there is an vtter subuersion of all meanes of maintenance and comfort: we cannot enioy our possessions, nor dwell in our houses, nor reape the fruits of our labours, which now (through Gods merciemercy) is farre otherwise.
And as for our estate, so euen for our liues and for our soules, the case is better with vsus in the time of pestilence then in the time of warres: for then all our families, wiues, children, seruants, and all may bee barbarously slaine, or worse vsed before our eyes, or we before theirs: and if not so, yet they must be left to Idolaters, and in danger to be vassalls of sinne and Sathan: but now if death come, it is nothing so lamentable: if life bee graunted, it is nothing so dangerous: for though we be taken away, yet our friends shall remaine with the Saints & seruants of God; and they that hauehave bene our Christian friēds, will be theirs, at least there is very great hope of their happinesse, both here, and hereafter, in regard of that liberty of the Gospell which through Gods goodnes is still maintained. And therefore great cause hauehave wee to magnifie the name of God, that when our late gracious Queene was taken away, & the Land must needs bee exercised with some heauie stroke or other, that hee then miraculouslie deliuered vsus from the violence of the sword of man, and smote our Nation with his owne sword.
Now when this is said to bee a fauourable stroke, we must vnderstand that it is so only vntounto Gods children, not to the wicked: concerning whose departure out of this world, it is saide, that Hell followeth death. If they bee not reconciled vntounto God, but liue and die in their sinnes,Reuel. 6. 8. their case is fearefull. And therefore is it a iust hand of God vponupon impenitent sinners, that they should bee horriblie afraid of that sicknes. No sinne, nor Sathan himselfe, is so much feared of them as the pestilence, nay nor Gods wrath it selfe: and therefore they care not what foule sinne they commit, whereby they are sure to incurre the Lords displeasure, so their bodies may escape this plague of God. But suppose they doe escape it, if they be as full of impiety, and iniustice, and impurity, as they were wont to be, the Lord hath seuen times greater plagues behinde,Leuit. 26. and his reuenging hand will be stretched out against them still. Therefore let them labour to make a good vse of this, to humble themselues, and turne from their euill wayes: otherwise assuredly some greater punishment will light on their soules, or bodies, or both.
Verse 15.The time allotted being welneere spēt, the points following were but briefly touched. So the Lord sent a pestilence in Israel, &c. and there died of the people, from Dan to Beer-sheba, seuenty thousand men.] Yee heard the cause of this before; to wit, because Dauid, partly through pride, and partly through vaine confidence, had numbred the people: whence this point may be gathered, that
God maketh his iudgements sutable to our sinnes.Doct. 3. Gods punishments are answerable to mens sinnes, Ioel. 1. 5.
Dauid was lifted vp, because hee had so many strong and valient men: therefore doth God lessen the number of them. So (Ioel, 1. 5.) it is said, Weepe & houle ye drinkers of wine, for the new wine shalbe pulled from your mouth. This was a most iust correction, that they should be punished with scarcitie of drinke, seeing they had before time so wretchedly abused the same. In like sort doth the Lord meete with proud men, turning their glory into shame, as wee may obserue in Tyrus. Isa. 23. 8. where the question is made,Isa. 23. Who hath decreed this against Tyrus (that crowneth men,) whose Merchants are Princes? whose Chapmen are the Nobles of the world? And the answere is made, vers. 9. The Lord of Hosts hath decreed this, to staine the pride of all glorie, and to bring to contempt all them that be glorious in the earth. So for couetous men, they are many times brought to beggarie, according to that of the wise man,Prou. Hee that maketh hast to be rich, shall surely come to pouertie. Albeit they vse wonderfull diligence, and be exceeding painfull, and hauehave an excellent capacitie, and a deepe reach for worldly things, & seeme to want nothing that may make them prosper, yet because God is displeased with them, he brings them downe, both stripping them of their wealth, which they most affected; and plaguing them with pouertie, which they most detested.
And a cause heereof is,Reason. that he giueth men thereby to vnderstand, that he taketh knowledge of their waies, to the end they should take knowledge of his iudgements, when they see them directed so iust against their faults, and affections. And by this meanes as reprobates are left without excuse, the elect are much furthered to repentance, when their corrupt wils, their vnlawfull desires, and sinfull delights are crossed: when they behold Gods visible hand, and righteous hand: when he sheweth them the nature and qualitie of their offences, by the manner and proceeding of his corrections: & that was the true cause why the Lord laid this stroake on Dauid at this time, rather than any other, viz: that he might more speedily and euidently see his fault, and more soundly and heartily repent for the same. Which maketh for our instruction,Vse. if wee would hauehave comfort in any thing that we possesse, let vsus vse it well: neither let our hearts deceine vsus; whether it be honour, or goods, or children, if we dote vponupon them, and make Gods of them, we are likely to be depriued of them: the Lord can take from vsus our power, Ezek. 24. 35.the ioy of our honour, the pleasure of our eyes, and the desire of our hearts, euen our sonnes, and our daughters. When men louelove to be commanders, God can take their authoritie from them: if they stand vponupon their honour and reputation, he can soone make it wither and vanish: if the delights of their eyes doe content them, he can quickly remoue those from them: finally, if they set their affections immoderately vponupon their children, and lift vp their soules vntounto them, (as the words are in the originall) that is, make them the desire of their hearts, God can suddenly bereaue them of their children, or so bring it to passe, that they shall hauehave little comfort in them.
Would we then hauehave our houses and our children free from Gods strokes, and in particular from the pestilence (as that many pretend that they are more carefull for their children, then for themselues;) then let vsus neuer commit any sinne to set them vp, for that is the next way to depriue vsus of them: when we carry more affection to them then to the Lord himselfe, we endanger our selues and them both. The Lords will is, that you should in the first place serue him, and so doing, you shall make your children, not Lords but kings, not of an earthly, but of an heauenly kingdome.
The next thing heere briefly to be considered is [the space] in which these seuentie thousand men died, namely in three daies: Doctrine, that
When God sets in with his iudgements they shall be farre dispersed in a short time.Doct. 4. Gods iudgements very swift. He can cause his plagues to flie fast, and make great speed. This is prooued in the Psalme, where speaking of any decree of God, it is said, He sendeth forth his commandement vponupon earth, Psal. 147. 15.and his word runneth very swiftly. What God determineth to doe, he can doe it out of hand, when it standeth with his good pleasure.Exod. 12. So we see how he could cause one Angell to goe thorow the whole land of Aegypt in one night, and to slay the first borne in eueryevery house:Zach. 5. 2. and in this regard Gods curse is compared to a flying booke, to note the swiftnesse of it, that it commeth as it were with two wings: but withall it is likened to a talent of lead, that sticketh fast where it fals: it maketh speed vntounto the place that God appointeth, and tarrieth there where once it lighteth.
Furthermore we see, how quickly Gods curse was scattered ouer the whole earth, when our first parents had sinned:Gen. 3. 17. 18. the deformitie came not vponupon the creatures by degrees, but it ouertooke them presently and out of hand. And so at the last day Christ shall come in the twinckling of an eye, as to call the godly forthwith vntounto glory,1. Cor. 15. 52. so to draw the wicked immediately before Gods iudgement seate, to receiue present and euerlasting punishment and torment.
And the reason of this is,Reason. because God at all times is in all places, and of equall power in eueryevery place, and therefore what should hinder him from doing that eueryevery where in the same moment, if it stand with his iustice and will, which he doth any where? The great deluge in the time of Noe, couered not one Nation one yeare, and an other the next, and a long time after the rest which were farre separated asunder, but he in his wrath was present in eueryevery country, and so were they all ouerwhelmed in few daies: and who knoweth whether it seized not vponupon each of them in one day? which maketh,
For reproofe of them that thinke,Vse. if they escape one place of infection, they are safe enough. But cannot God or his Angell reach them wheresoeuer they be? Though no infected person come neere them, cannot the Lords hand finde them out? Yes certainely, let them climbe vp vntounto heauen,Psal. 1 39. or goe downe into hell, or hide themselues at the center of the earth, Gods eye is still vponupon them, and his hand neere vntounto them: so that they can goe safe no where without Gods fauour. If the pestilence were onelyonly in India, we should as easily be infected in England, if God had a quarrell against vsus, and a purpose to plague vsus that way, as if we were in the midst of ye infected persons. Who would hauehave thought the Gehazi should hauehave beene smitten with the leprosie when his maister and he were together? The like may be said of Miriam when Aaron was with her. Nay who would hauehave thought that King Vzziah should hauehave beene plagued with that stroke in such an holy place as the Temple was, where God would hauehave no vncleane thing to enter? Yet when he presumptuously vsurped the high Priests office, he was not spared, no not in the Sanctuarie. So that this may be surely concluded, that no place can shelter a man from miserie, if sinne be harboured and entertained in his heart.
Verse 16. It is sufficient: hold thy hand.] Doctrine, that
As God appointeth iudgements to be inflicted on his people, so he himselfe will see execution done.Doct. 5. God is present at the execution of his indgements.
He stands by in this place, and directeth the Angell how farre to proceed, and where to make an end, God would hauehave Iacob humbled, and therefore he sent him to his vncle Laban: but withall he assureth him of good successe, and for that purpose sheweth him a ladder, whereupon the Angels of God went vp and downe,Gen. 28. 12. to signifie, that they should guide him foorth, and bring him backe in safetie: but (for the present purpose) withall the Lord promiseth, that he would be with him, and keepe him. Verse. 15.So Psal. 34. 15. it is set downe as a great consolation vntounto the Saints, that the eyes of the Lord are vponupon the righteous.
Instruction, that we should labour not onelyonly to be in Ierusalem, Vse.but to be of it: and then when Gods iudgements are abroad, we shall be in no danger▪ God will command his faithfull Angels to doe vsus no hurt; wherein if they should refuse to obey, they must needs become diuels, and reprobate spirits, which is impossible. Let vsus labour therefore to be of the number of those that mourne for the abominations of Ierusalem, that so we may be saued when others are destroyed. Let vsus grieue for the impietie, and blasphemie, and crueltie, and impuritie that is in our Land: so shall we hauehave a testimonie vntounto our hearts, that we are Ierusalem: but as for those that are Babels, Egyps, Sodomes, whose houses are full of voluptuousnesse, pride, gluttony, drunkennesse, worldlinesse, and the like, the Lord is likely to command his Angell to smite at them with a ful stroke; for where should his sword light, but vponupon his enemies?
Verse 17. And Dauid spake vntounto the Lord, and said, Behold, I hauehave sinned] Whereas indeed the people had provoked the Lord most, yet Dauid thought himselfe most guiltie, and therefore he would hauehave Gods hand to hauehave beene on him, and not on the people.
A good man will lay a greater burden on himselfe then on an other,Doct. 6. A good man is most seuere against himselfe. and passe sentence against himselfe, rather then against another.
So doth Paul. Christ came into the world to saue sinners, (saith he) of whom I am chiefe.2. Tim. 1. 15.
And as for matter of guilt, so also for matter of punishment. We see in Moses, Exod. 32.that because the people were many, and he was but one, he intreated God that he might be wiped out of his booke, rather then all his people should be destroyed, But especially this point is verified in our Sauiour, who, when mankind was vtterly insufficient,Philip. either to put in sureties, or to discharge their debt, did humble himselfe, to take on him the slate of a seruant, and abased himselfe, that he might bring vsus vntounto glory; and endured a shamefull, and painefull, and cursed death, that he might bring vsus vntounto eternall life.
And this commeth to passe,Reasons first, because good men are endued with that amiable grace of brotherly louelove,1. Cor 13. which causeth them not so much to seeke their owne case, as the benefit of others, but to lay the more vponupon themselues, that others may be the rather spared.
Secondly, they are adorned with that admirable vertue of Christian humilitie, which directeth their eyes to other mens graces, and their owne corruptions: they hope the best of that which is in their brethren, and finde out the worst of that which is in themselues.
This serueth,Vse. 1. first, for reproofe of those that are readie to shift off all from themselues, and though they be wholy, or most in fault, yet will lay the blame altogether on others.
Heere also are those hypocrites to be reprehended, that will lay heauie burdens, and require strict obedience of others, especially of Ministers, and yet they themselues make no conscience of any sinne, be it neuer so contrarie to the Lawes of God, or of man.
Others there are also, that may iustly come vnderunder this reproofe, that care not who want, so they hauehave plentie; nor who hunger, so they hauehave sufficient; nor who sinke, so they swimme; though it be by thrusting others vnderunder water.
Secondly, this is for consolation to them that can goe from their owne commoditie, and ease, & credit, so God may hauehave glory, and his people good: they are of the same spirit that Moses, and Dauid, and Paul were, and therefore their reward in heauen, and their praise on earth, shall be sutable.
Mercifull men lost nothing: if Nehemiah had gotten together all the money in that country, and had attained to be King of Persia, he could not hauehave procured himselfe so much true honour,Nehem. 5. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. as he did by not taking all the stipend that he might hauehave done, being a man of his place, and by entertaining a great many that were in want at his table, which he needed not to hauehave done: and besides the good and deserued estimation that he got, he could with comfort (and so may all that are like him) intreate the Lord to remember him in goodnesse: which the Lord neuer failed to do.
The end of the secoud Sermon.