A Discourse of the Judgments of God, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Of the variety God uſes in the manner of the execution of his Judgments.
BEſides the freedom the ſupreme Ruler of the world uſes, in fixing his Judgments upon ſome parts of time, and not upon others; there are alſo the various kinds and meaſures of his debates, and the Criſis of them, when they end in deſtruction; which to obſerve, may much further inlarge our thoughts in this Contemplation, and the Duty of it.
As then in Creation God hath formed vaſt bodies of the ſame kind, wherein we ſee a great deal of one thing together, by which he teaches us that immenſe power that never ſpends it ſelf; ſo hath he alſo multiformed his productions into an endleſs variety, that we may behold that infinity of underſtanding, that is not tyed to one ſhape of things.
Thus his Judgments are ſometimes caſt into one Element, or Globe of fire, ſwelling like the huge mountains, covering all like a great Deep; ſuch were thoſe on Sodom and Gomorrah, on the old world; teaching us Juſtice is not poor in any of its revenges: Again it uſes ſeveral leſſer, and diverſe evils, that we may know every thing is ready to its purpoſes of wrath, and carries ſtings of puniſhment againſt ſinners.
Both theſe ſometimes are ſingle, made up intire in themſelves, ſolitary Wars, Plagues, Famines; at other times they meet together in one great Configuration, and are conſtellated. Laſtly, ſometimes they riſe up to their height, as it were in an inſtant; at other times they are ordered into a train and ſucceſſion: and this being the moſt ordinary Tenour of Judgments, and with which we of this Nation have been much acquainted, let us reflect more freely upon it.
At ſuch a time the hand of God keeps upon the Table, and his operations are like ſeveral limbs of a body, that are drawn one after another, and then the whole ſeen; or like a ſuit of Hangings wrought by their pieces, and then placed together, or unfolded by degrees, and the whole at laſt preſented; or like an excellent Diſcourſe that paſſes out of the mind in ſingle ſheets, and then meets in the intire Work; or like the Creation, that by the ſteps of ſix days came to its Sabbath.
Thus Gods procedure upon Pharaoh was by a gradation of Judgment, that compleated its figure in a ſucceſſion. The Angel in the Revelation proclaimed a woe to the world, becauſe of the Angels yet to ſound: and one woe made haſte, that another to come quickly might have place. As Ezekiels waters, they riſe higher and higher, till they are a River not to be paſſed over. Noahs Flood prevailed by degrees, till every thing periſhed, that had not an Ark for its ſafety.
By all theſe God ſhews himſelf; he weighs the hills in ſeales, and the mountains in a ballance: he makes one Judgment ſo great, as to fill the Earth with it ſelf. For what can more ſpeak his immenſity, He comprehends the duſt of the Earth in a meaſure, that is, he imploys little things to great purpoſes. The duſt that is eaſily ſcattered, when divided, is yet great and conſiderable, when gathered to a proportion. Out of the mouth of Babes and ſucklings thou haſt perfected praiſe, that thou mighteſt ſtill the enemy and the avenger. Judgments ſmall in themſelves, yet gathering to one another, are able to give a final determination to the ſum of affairs.
By a ſucceſſion in Judgments he makes a fairer impreſſion of himſelf, which is better done by a leaſurely proceeding and continuation of his hand, like the rain that diſtils, and enters deeper then the ſudden ſtorms that haſte away. Slay them not, leſt my people forget: conſume them in wrath. God lodges himſelf in mens Souls when they are ſtill under his rod, whereas a nine days wonder ſwallows up a ſudden execution. Hereby he teaches, as in his Word, a line here and there, here a little, and there a little. Theſe gradual motions are eſſays of mans repentance, leſſer ſtrokes, being as warnings to prevent greater; God moves the Pillars of a Nation firſt, that the concuſſion felt, may admoniſh their weakneſs, when his angry touch is upon them, and every man from his place ſeek reſettlement in his favour: For the words of God finding ſo little regard, he thinks fit to give them an Emphaſis by his Rod, and the accent is ſtill deeper, that it may take the more place; or if men are incorrigible, and God reſolve to ſettle upon any Age, and make it the Generation of his wrath, he chains into a ſeries the acts of his indignation: It being rarer, that he deſtroys at once as Sodom, upon which no hand had room or ſpace to ſtay; but Judgments in their ſeveral courſes come on into the Battle, and one begins where the laſt ended, the Locuſt eating what the Palmer-worm left.
Yet which way ſoever things fall out at laſt, God juſtifies his goodneſs, and that Philanthropy wherewith he governs humane affairs, by the pauſes he makes: For like thoſe averſations of his Glory, from the Temple by degrees in Ezekiel, that the Jews moved by them might beſeech his return, ere he quite left them, they ſhew his willingneſs to have the occaſion to retreat.
Even Sodom it ſelf had the Avant-carrier of ſo great an overthrow, by the leſſer it ſuffered in the combination of the Kings againſt it; wherein God juſtifies himſelf, that he deſires not the death of ſinners, but that they ſhould turn from iniquity and live.