Remains of Joseph Alleine, Treatise 6
Psalm. 74. 1.
O God why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture?
THis Psalm, and particularly these words, do contain the Churches sad lamentation over her deep affliction; together with her earnest expostulation with God about the cause. Two things there are, that the Church in these words doth plead with God. First, The greatness of her Affliction. Secondly, The nearness of her Relation.
First, The greatness of her Affliction. And there were three things in her asfliction that did make it lye very heavy upon her. First, The root of this affliction, and that was Gods [anger] why doth thine ANGER smoak? &c. (Secondly,) The height of this affliction. God was not only angry, but he did [smoak] in his anger. (Thirdly,) The length of this affliction. It was so long that God did seem to cast them off for [ever.]
Secondly, The ne…rness of her Relation. Against [the sheep of thy pasture] as if they should have said, Lord, if thou hadst done this against thine enemies it had been no wonder. If thou hadst poured out thy wrath, against the vessels of wrath, it had not been so much. But what, wilt thou draw out thy sword against the sheep of thy pasture! It were no wonder that thou shouldst take the fat and the strong, and pour out thy judgements upon them; but wilt thou do it to thy sheep! There be several doctrines that I may raise from the words, as
First Doct. That Gods people are his sheep.
Second Doct. That God may be sorely angry with his own people. With his own sheep.
Third Doct. That when God is angry with his people, it becomes them carefully to enquire into the Cause.
Fourth Doct. That when Gods people are under affliction, they ought to take notice of, and be much affected with his anger from which they do proceed.
Fifth Doct. That Gods people under affliction, are, or should be more affected with his anger, than with their smart. This is that the Church doth complain of: Not that the Church did so smart, but that God was so displeased and angry. That did most affect her.
Six Doct. That Gods people are apt to have misgiving thoughts of God, when they are under sore afflictions. God was angry with his people, and their hearts did misgive them, as if God did cast of his people.
Seventh Doct. That God may be angry with with his people so sore, and so long, that in the judgement of sence, it may seem, that they are for ever cast off.
Eight Doct. That though the people of God may not murmure against his proceedings; yet they may humbly expostulate with him about the cause. Why doth thine anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture? I have spoken heretofore to the first of these doctrines, I shall speak now to the second. To wit.
Doct. That God may be angry, and sorely angry with his own people. I have already in the audience of some proved this point. And answered several questions. As (first) How anger may be ascribed to God? (secondly) How far he may be angry with his own people. (Thirdly,) What is the difference between Gods being Angry with his own people, & with the wicked I shall not respeak any thing of what I have spoken, but proceed to a fourthquestion.
Fourth Question. By what signs and evidences may we come to know whether God be angry? and here I shall first premise four Propositions: & then answer the question in six Conclusions. First, I shall premise these 4 propositions.
First Proposition. That a person or people may verily think themselves to be in Gods favor, when they are indeed under his anger and displeasure.
Second Prop. That neither Gods favor, nor his anger can be known [meerly] by his outward dispensations.
Third Prop. That Gods anger or favor must be judged of, rather by our carriage toward him, than by his carriage towards us.
Fourth Prop. That for the discovering of Gods favor or anger, we must consult rather the book of Conscience, and of Scripture, than the book of providence.
First Proposition. That a person or people may verily think themselves to be in Gods favor when they are indeed under his anger and displeasure. This is an awakening consideration, and therefore should be duly laid to heart. A Church may think her self in a very good and safe condition, and yet Jesus Christ may loath it, and be ready to spue her out of his mouth. As of the Church of the Laodiceans. Men may cry to themselves peace and safety, when sudden destruction may come upon them. And may say, Is not the Lord among us? No evil can come unto us; and yet be upon the very brink of destruction. Men may have great hopes of the presence of God with them, and yet evidences of Gods departing from them. And may cry the temple of the Lord, when God is even casting them out of his sight. We read of som that had a great deal of confidence of Gods favor; they would still lean on the Lord, and were consident that he had favor for them; and yet the Lord was ready to break out upon them to their destruction, Micah 3. 11, 12. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity &c. Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us? None evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be ploughed as a field. They may think that because the ordinances of God are among them, that God is among them; when God may be turning them up as a field that is ploughed. This ought to startle and awaken men. Sirs, it is not your Confidence, but your evidence that will carry it. Many times there are none so confident of Gods favor, as those that are marked out for the objects of his eternal wrath and displeasure. The carnal Jews, they would not be beaten out of their carnal confidence. And though the prophet told them of the wrath of God that was coming against them, yet they would not hear him, till wrath came upon them, and there was no remedy.
Second Prop. That neither Gods favor nor his anger can be known, [meerly] by his outward dispensations. No man knoweth either Love or hatred by the things that are before him. Men have very shrewdly erred by judging of Gods favor, or wrath by his outward dispensations. When the Psalmist took his mark by this, how sorely was his faith shaken, and his feet almost gone? When he beheld the Godly in affliction and under suppression; and the wicked prospering in their wickedness. The 73 Psalm gives you a true account, what a sad bout he had by this. He observed they had no bonds in their death, and they were not plagued like other men. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish. They were very wicked and yet very prosperous. Full of sin, and yet full of pleasure, and riches and all outward accommodation. Whereas on the other side, he observed that he was …fflicted, and other of the Godly with him. And was tempted from this, that God did regard the wicked so much, or more than he did the Godly. And therefore 'tis a very dangerous mistake among the multitude. Many think on the one side, that because God doth prosper them, and bless them as he doth, that therefore they are in the favor of God: for if they were not, he would never deliver them, and carry them through so many troubles as he doth, if he did not love them. This is a dangerous mistake. And so some on the other hand, because God doth afflict them here, that therefore he hath mercy for them hereafter. They have their hell here, and therefore they shall not go to hell hereafter. Alass man! thou mayst have thy hell begun here, and lengthened out hereafter to all eternity. Thou canst not say from this, that thou shalt escape the torments of hell: but notwithstanding all this, thou mayst hear God say to thee at last as to Dives, Son remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things: but now thou art tormented.
Third Prop. Gods favor or anger must be judged of rather from our carriage towards him, than from his carriage towards us. If our walk be according to Gods rule, we may be sure that peace shall be upon us. Gal. 6. 16. If we are such as fear God and work Righteousness, then we may be certain that we are accepted with God. Acts. 10. 35. If we do well, we shall be accepted. They that by patient contim…nce in well-doing, seek for glory, honor, and immortality, shall have eternal life. They are under promise Rom. 2. 6, 7. But on the contrary, tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil. Those that walk disorderly, and in disobedience to the will of God, however God may prosper them in their ways, as they may seem, yet they must know that Gods anger is against them. They may know that his anger is against them, because they walk against him: against the flat command of his word. For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience, Eph. 5. 6. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness, and unright cousness of men, Rom. 1. 18. So they that walk in ways of unrighteousness, and ungodliness, they may know by this that they are under the wrath of God; however God may seem to carry it towards them. Men may not conclude that because God doth not presently smite, that therefore he is not angry with them. God may speak never a word, neither strike a blow; and yet may treasure up wrath against them at the last, and they never think of it. Many a poor wretch thinks, that God, because he is silent that he approves of them, Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self; but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. God would make them know, that though for the present he spake nothing, and did not shew his anger; yet he would make it known against them. If our carriage be dutiful, and humble toward God, what ever his carriage be towards us, we may be sure that his love is towards us. God doth many times carry it as if he were angry, for the tryal of his people, to see whether they will trust him, and walk by faith and not by sence. Whether they will believe though it be against their own feeling. He will many times put his Children upon this exercise, not in anger, but in Love. As the tender Nurse doth the Child. So on the other hand, God may let men alone, and let them prosper in the world, though he be dreadfully angry with them.
Fourth Prop, That the favor or anger of God, is rather to be gathered from the book of Scripture, and of conscience, than from the book of providence. Many times the book of providence is very dark, and seems to speak that God favors those men; whereas if we look into the Scripture, we shall see that they are the vessels of his wrath. And the book of providence may seem to tell us, that such a people are the objects of his wrath, which if we look into Scripture we shall find, that they are the people of his love. Therefore the Psalmist, when he could not know by the book of providence, he went to the Scripture, to the Sanctuary, to the oracles, and had those things opened there. This book was a key to open those riddles that he could not understand before. He sees that those men that did prosper thus, were the objects of his wrath. And on the other hand, that the poor and afflicted were the onelyonly beloved of God. Though this was against his mind before, Psal. 77. 13. Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary. That is, in the place where thy word is preached, and explained, there is thy way, the meaning and sence of thy providence is discovered. Those that have the Scripture against them, these are they that bear the marks of Gods anger upon them. And those that have the Scripture for them, what ever others judgements be, these be the men of his delight. Therefore let the word of God be your judge. And with the book of Scripture, compare the book of Conscience. For, saith the Apostle if our hearts condemn us not, than have we confidence towards God. But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things Let conscience be consulted with, when thou art trying thy case, whether thou art in the favor or under the anger of God. And that will be able, comparing thy state with the Scripture to give a great guess to this, whether God have favor for thee or be against thee.
Now I must adde six Conclusions, in which the question shall be resolved. How it may be known that God is angry with any people.
First Conclusion. The Raign and dominion of sin is a most certain evidence, that any person or people, are under Gods anger. Where sin is raigning, and abounding, gross and hainous sins abounding in any nation or place, you need not any other evidence that God is angry with that people. Especially, when those Iniquities are tolerated by Magistrates, or found in persons that are in a publick place, then they are fearful signs of Gods anger: then you may know there is great misery for such people, though he may seem at present to prosper them. And so for any particular person, whether the sin be gross or close, if thou art under the power of any one unmortified sin, thou mayst be sure thou art under the anger and wrath of God, Eph. 6. 5. For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience. Rom. 2. 8, 9. But to them that are contentious, and obey not the truth indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish unto every soul that doth evil. Art thou yet in thy Natural unconverted state, unrenewed? thou mayst go away with sadness; thou goest up and down with Cain, with certain marks of Gods displeasure upon thee; for we are by Nature Children of wrath. If thou art in the estate thou wert in by Nature, thou art surely under the wrath of God. If thou remainest in thy old unbeleef, thou needest no more dispute about this matter, the wrath of God abideth on thee: The whole book of God, and the threatnings of God, do rise up with open mouth to condemn thee that livest in any unmortified sin. Now sin is unmortified, when persons go on in a purpose of sinning, and in a willingness to practise sin. Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not, that to whom you yield your selves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey? whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto Righteousness. To whom you [yield] your selves servants to obey. The servant of God is taken [captive] by his sin under a temptation; but if you yield your selves servants to them, you are the servants of sin. Yield your selves servants to [obey] whom do you ordinarily [obey]? If the devil can do more with you to draw you from God, than God can to keep you to him; if he can do more with you to make you neglect prayer, than God can to keep you to it; or if he can prevail with you to commit any sin, more then God can to keep you from it, you are under the wrath of God. There is a two fold anger, a stated anger, and occasional anger or temporal anger. Occasional and temporal anger, and so the Children of God may fall under his anger: but by their application to him in Christ that anger may be taken off again. But there is a …ate of anger, and that is with the wicked. And this thou art under, who dost live in unmortified sin. Thou art in a state of anger, in a state of wrath.
Second Con When the threats and menaces of Gods Word are against men, this is a sure evidence of his anger. You know we may discern the anger of men by their Rebukes, and threats, and the like. If the word of God be against thee, be sure the anger of God is against thee. Therefore consult the Scripture. If the Scripture do speak sadly of thy state, that is an undeniable evidence of Gods anger, Zeph. 2. 5. Wo to the inhabitants of the Sea coast, the word of the Lord is against you. O wo to them that the word of the Lord is against! There is wrath from the Lord against that man. Therefore if the Lord do speak against thee, Make thy peace with speed. Do as Haman, when he saw the King rise up in hast: he stood up to make request for his life to the Queen. Est. 7, 7, So if thou dost find that there is evil intended against thee by thy sins, O fall down upon thy knees and make up thy peace.
Third Con. Publick calamities, except when they come upon a people for Righteousness sake, are the evident tokens of Gods anger. When God doth strike a nation or a people with war, or with pestilence, or with famine, or the like this is a manifest token of Gods anger with such a nation or people. This you may see throughout the book of Judges. Still it was when the people had sinned, and God was angry, that these publick calamities were brought upon them, Judg. 2. 13, 14, 19, 20, 21. and 3. 7, 8. and 10. 6. There you may see that publick calamities did proceed from the sins that were among them. And if sin be a sign of Gods anger, you may easily make application. Should not we fear and tremble? should not we humble our selves in the dust, and cloath our selves with sackcloth? God hath sent all his three greatplagues togetherupon our nation, Famine, Sword, and War. O apply this, and see that you be sadly affected with Gods displeasure against our Nation.
But here I put in an exception [When they come upon a people for Righteousness sake] then though the calamities be common and publick. Yet it is not a sign of Gods anger. In the primitive times, the Christians were fearfully persecuted every where, and were killed by the thousands, and therefore this was rather Martyrdome, then signs of Gods anger.
Here two things must be considered: whether these afflictions did find them cleaving to the Lord in their duty: Or, going off from him, and declining their duty. Now if they do find them decaying and remitting their zeal and diligence, then those evils, though they do come upon them for Righteousness sake, yet they come for Gods anger too. And so though they should rejoyce in them as coming from wicked men, yet they should be humbled, and take notice too of the hand of Godagainst them in correcting their vices.
Fourth Con. When God doth suffer men to prosper in an evil way, this is a fearful sign of Gods anger. Prosperity is so far from being a sign of Gods favor, that when prosperity doth attend men, and follow them in an evil way, it is one of the most dreadfullest marks in the world against a person or people. Whom the Lord loves he rebukes, and chastens, that is, if they wander and go out of his way. And we are judged of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world, Cor. 11. 32. So when the Lord lets men go on in their evil ways unpunished, it is a sign he intends they shall be condemned with the world. Brethren, be jealous of your selves, if God let a person go on in a way of wickedness, it is a fearful sign. Hos. 4. 14. I will not punish your daughters when they commit whordome &c. Therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall. It is a sign that he intends higher displeasure against a person, when he lets them go on in a way of sin, and will not stop them, but let them take their swinge in sin. Those whom he intends love to, shall be corrected here, and stopped: but others shall have the gibbet kept for them at last.
Fifth Con. Spiritual judgements are ever to be taken as sore evidence of Gods anger. Many times God doth inflict temporal judgements with an intention to reform them, and amend a people: but when he gives up a person or people to Spiritual judgments, this is a token of his highest displeasure. God doth threaten as one of the sorest evidences of his displeasure [a Famine of the word] So Psal. 78. 59, 60. When God heard this he was wrath, and greatly abhorred Israel: so that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh the tent which he had placed among men. When God forsook the tabernacle, and deprived them of the former tokens of his presence in their ordinances, this was a sign that he abhorred Israel. So our Saviour as his tokens of his displeasure against the Church threatens that he would remove his Candlestick. He would unchurch them as one of his most fearful threatnings, Rev. 2. 5. Rom. 1. 23, 24, 28. The Apostle speaks of some that were under the fearful token of Gods wrath in this. This was a fearful token of Gods wrath against them indeed, when God should give them up to such spiritual judgments. Psal. 81. 10, 11. My people would not hearken to my voice: so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts. O this was dreadful indeed! This was the sorest expression of Gods anger that could be against that people, so 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12. God shall send them strong delusions, &c. Rom. 11. 7. 8. The elect hath obtained it; but the rest were blinded, &c. O do you see any such souls thus delivered up? O let your hearts tremble for such persons This is a shrewd evidence, that they are persons given up to great judgements.
Six Con. Temporal afflictions, when they find the people of God straying, and wandring, and declining from him, are evident tokens of Gods anger. They are not always tokens of his anger. When they find us keeping close to God, they are for tryal, and not signs of Gods displeasure? Job was highly commended by the Lord when the affliction was upon him. Therefore we must consult conscience whether it was not for such a sin that God is now afflicting thee. And if thou dost find it was for sin, thou hadst need run quickly and make the atonement. But if otherwise, you may conclude it is but for proof and tryal and exercising those graces that God hath given you.