Twenty-Five Sermons, Sermon 5

Twenty-Five Sermons · Sermon 5

p. 237A ABSERMON ON

Habbakkuk iii. 17, 18.

Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields should yield no meat,

The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall;

Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.

THE Text, it is a Prophetical Intimation of a Judgment of Dearth, and Famine, that should fall upon the Land. In it, the Lord threatens to break the staff of bread, to send cleanness of teeth, and scarcity of all things; a general want of all the supports of life.

And this passage of Scripture, together with the Context, sets down the entertainment that the Prophet, Eand People of God gave to all this sad Prediction. Here is a double Entertainment.

1. They entertain it with fear; Verse 16. When I heard this, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entred into my bones, and I trembled in my self.

p. 2382. They entertain it with faith, and confidence; yea, with Ajoy, and comfort; Although this affliction shall befall us; Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

See a sweet combination, and mixture of two contrary dispositions in the heart of this holy Prophet.

1. A disposition of fear, and sorrow.

2. A disposition of joy, and comfort.

1. When he foresees this great calamity, he fears and trembles at it.

1. Take it either as a natural affection, hearing of Bso great a misery to come upon them; though he be a Saint, yet he is afraid, and troubled at it. The holiest men, while they are in the body, they are not so fortified with grace, but that they shrink, and startle, and tremble at miseries, like other men. Abraham in Egypt is afraid of his life: Good Iacob, when Esau comes towards him, is afraid to meet him. David, pursued by Saul, cries out in fear, I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul. Elijah was subject to the like Passion; he fled for his life. Want, and poverty, and pain, and misery, are fearful conditions even to the Saints of God. Or,

2. Conceive this fear, as an holy, and religious disposition in them. When God threatens to bring a judgment upon us, the first apprehensions we must have of his menaces, must be apprehensions of fear and sorrow, and humiliation, motions tending to Repentance. My flesh trembles for fear of thee, saith David, Psal. cxix. 120. And I am afraid of thy Iudgments. It is not fortitude, but fool-hardiness to stout it out with God, and not to startle at the signs and tokens of his displeasure. How was God delighted with this awful disposition in good Iosiah, when he wept and his heart melted at the hearing of those DJudgments, which God threatned against them? Nay, it prevailed somewhat with God, when it was sad and serious, though not sound and sanctified, in wicked Ahab.

2. When this grace, hath had a perfect work in us; then faith, and hope, and confidence, will be seasonable graces. I trembled in my self, that I might rest in the day of trouble, v. 16. Then fear shall give place to joy and comfort. This holy fear, will bring in faith. And this faith, will cast out fear. As mercy, on Gods part, rejoyceth against judgment; so faith, on our part, shall triumph over fear. In the multitude of the sorrows Ethat I had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my soul, Psal. xciv. 20. In the midst of all these sad occurrents, yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

p. 239These are the two blessed Entertainments of any threatned AJudgment;

1. A deep Humiliation.

2. A stedfast Faith, and Consolation.

For the words themselves, we may resolve them into these two particulars;

1. Is a sad Supposition; Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, the strength, and comfort of all the creatures fail us; and we suffer a want and destitution of all things; That's the Supposition. Here is,

2. A comfortable Resolution; Although these miseries befall Bus, yet in the midst of them all, the Prophet knows how to support himself, Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

First, For the Supposition. And the Sum and Substance of it will appear unto us in these three Extractions, which we will draw out of the Text.

I. The Strength and Comfort of the Creatures, may fail us; there is in them a fading, and vanishing Condition; The fig-tree may not blossom, the Vine may be fruitless, the fields may yield no meat: we may be destitute of all these succours, and supports Cof life.

All these helps, and supplies for life, have a possibility in them of failing of us. Reckon not upon them as certain and unchangeable comforts, that will not disappoint us. As it was in the Manna, which they fed on in the Wilderness; 'tis so in all the helps and means of this life, there is a Worm of Corruption that will breed in them.

This uncertainty, and failing in the Creature, will appear to us in these three Particulars;

1. In their production and breeding, there is a great Ddeal of uncertainty. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening with-hold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this, or that, saith Salomon, Ecclesiast. xi. 6. He who sowes, sowes in hope, upon adventure, God gives it a body at his pleasure. The dew of Heaven, the influences of the Stars, the lust and strength of the Soil, all uncertainties to mans Providence. Ye have sown much, and bring in little, saith God in Haggai, chap. i. 6. Ye looked for twenty measure and there were but ten; for fifty vessels, and there were but twenty, chap. 2. 16. A great uncertainty in their Production.

2. There is a great deal of uncertainty and insufficiency in their use; there may be a failing in that. It is possible we may receive the fruits of the earth in plenty, and abundance, and yet come sho…t of the comforts of them. The Prophet tells p. 240us of Bread, and of a Staff of Bread. This Staff of Bread may be Abroken, and then that supply of life is weak and impotent. Levit. xxvi. 26. When I have broken the Staff of your Bread—then ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. There is foreign, and foreign; Bread and the Foison, and nourishing strength in Bread. We may have the first, and yet miss of the second; and so, that creature will prove empty, and insufficient to us. And the reason is, because the vigour, and nourishing power of the creatures, are not originally in them, but by a voluntary derivation from God into them. He is the Authour, and Fountain of Life. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, and they are quickned, BPsal. civ. 30. It is in him, that we live, and move, and have our being. This strength, and helpfulness in the creature, it is but as a beam from the Sun; intercept the Sun, and the beam vanisheth. It is as a branch from the root; divide it from the root, and the branch withereth. It is but as a stream from the fountain; seal up the fountain, and the stream dries up. Our Saviviour tells us, Matth. iv. 4. Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. He must speak that word, or our bread will not nourish us. There is a threefold Word on which it doth depend:

1. A Verbo ordinante. He hath given an original Law and command to the creatures, that they may nourish us.

2. A Verbo sustentante. These weak creatures must, in their use, be supported by the word of his Power, or they cannot comfort us. If he withdraws away his face, they perish, Psal. civ. 29.

3. A Verbo benedicente. That virtue that is in them will lye dead, unable to put forth it self, except his Blessing gives it an actual working, to refresh and cherish us. D'Tis he, who fills our hearts with food and gladness, Acts xiv. 17.

Without which influence from God, how poor and insufficient are all helps of nature? As the Prophet Haggai expresses it, Chap. i. 6. Ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye cloath you, but there is none warm. Of themselves, they are poor, beggerly elements, empty husks, their goodness is not inclosed in them. The comfort they convey unto us, 'tis from an higher fountain. That's the second, they may fail in their use.

3. The very being, and substance of these natural helps, carry with it this condition, That they are vanishing, and fading.

1. As creatures; so there is a seed of decay, and fading p. 241in them. The most excellent, and permanent creature of it self Atends to nothing, if not supported with the word of Gods Power. Heb. i. 6. There is a Pondus Naturae, and there must be Manutenentia Divina, that must sustain it. As S. Augustine speaks of man, He is Terraefilius, Nihili nepos; the Earth was his Mother, Nothing was his Grandfather. As all creatures came out of Nothing, so thither would they sink again, and return to nothing.

2. As sublunary creatures, so by their natural composition, they are subject to fading and corruption. All things under the Moon, are fading and transitory. The heavens have a frame of perpetuity; but these creatures, that are the means of Bour lives, they are full of variety, uncertainty, contrariety; all grounds of corruption.

3. Consider the creatures as living under Gods curse for the sin of man, and so they are subject to a greater weakness and vanity. Gods displeasure doth blast them, suck out the strength, and vigour of them; and it brings upon them, not only Adam's punishment, not to yield us fruit without our labour; but, often times, Cain's curse, they are barren, fruitless, though we do labour. As his Blessing can put a strange virtue and vivacity into them; Daniel's Pulse was more nourishing then the CKing's Dainties; It made a little Meal in the barrel, and Oyl in the cruse, to yield plenty; So, on the contrary, his Indignation consumes the strength and vigour of nature. Master, the tree that thou cursedst, is presently withered. See this in the Israelites, they must needs have Quails, and Dainties, the most nourishing food; he sent it them to the full; but what saith David? He sent leanness withall into their soul, Psal. cvi. 15. It never thrives with them. He sent among his fat ones, leanness, Isa. x. 16.

This vanishing weakness of the creatures, should make us think what to reckon of our lives. Such as the fewel is, such Dmust needs be the fire. Straw, and stubble, yield but a sudden blaze, and soon out again. And if these succours, and supports of life be thus vanishing, and fading; sure then Life it self is but a transitory thing, no matter of consistence. Weak materials make no strong buildings, and vanishing meats breed but a vanishing life. Our Saviour calls them but perishing meats: Labour not for the meat that perisheth, Iohn vi. 27. And S. Paul sets out this condition, both of meat and life, 1 Cor. vi. 13. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Whosoever drinks of this water, shall thirst again, Iohn iv. 13. EThese outward helps may, for a time, refresh; but, not alwayes preserve and support our lives. All these outward things, they are but Consolatiunculae temporales, as S. Augustine calls them, petty, transient comforts, like the refreshings of Ionah's gourd, p. 242but the shade of a few leaves, and there is a worm at the root of Ait, that will consume it presently.

So much of the first Extraction; The creatures are weak, and may fail us.

II. A second Extraction from the Text, is, When Scarcity and Want comes as a judgement from God, and from his wrath and heavy displeasure, then it is extreme, and extraordinary, and beyond the course of nature. The creatures have naturally some weakness in them, they are subject to fade and decay; but when his anger blasts them, then Want and Scarcity proves far more heavy, and unsupportable. It is like a sharp arrow, shot by Bthe hand of a mighty Giant; and drawn up to the head, it falls with a double force, and pierces deadly. See the greatness, and sadness of this judgement now threatned, in these aggravations of it▪

1. Gods anger will cause a dearth and famin in a most plentiful and fruitful land. The land of Canaan was the fruitfullest of all lands, as the garden of God; a land flowing with milk and honey; a land of vineyards; the best of all lands, as Moses describes it, Deut. viii. It was Terra fructus centesimi; it brought forth to Isaac, no less then an hundred-fold, Gen. xxvi. CThe Fruit of it was so wonderful, that they cut down but one bunch of Grapes at Eschol, and the people, who had seen the plenty of Egypt, admired it. It was so rich a land, that it was the granary of other neighbouring Countreys. It had not onelyonly plenty for it self, but bounty for others. Solomon gave twenty thousand measures of Wheat, for food; and twenty measures of pure Oyl, to Hiram, King of Tyre. 1 King. v. 11. And the Countrey of Tyre was nourished by this Country. Acts xii. 10. Yet, when God is displeased, Psal. cvii. 34. A fruitful land maketh he barren. He turns Paradise into a wilderness. He brings Want, in monte filii DOlei, Scarcity in a most fruitfull land. That's the first Aggravation.

2. Gods anger will cause a Dearth in those Fruits, that are naturally most yielding and pleasant. The Fig-tree, of all trees, is most fruitful, bringing forth of it own accord, with the least care, and culture, fructifying in the most barren, and stony places; bearing twice a year; soonest ripening; almost never failing. So the Vine, that's a fruitful Plant; 'tis made the Embleme of Plenty, and Fruitfulness. That's a print of Gods judgment, when the most hopeful, and plentiful of all the creatures, Efail us, and do not their kind to us.

3. A third print of Gods anger in this Scarcity threatned, is, That it is a national, general, over-spreading Famine. Usually, if one part of the land suffers Scarcity, other parts abound p. 243with Plenty. But when God calls for a Famine, sends a Ajudgement in this kind, he turns the whole land into a Desart. Rashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth, Nahum. i. 4. These were the richest soil of all the Countrey, yet these were parch'd up, and fruitless, by his displeasure. When he sends a Judgment, he will bid it go through the land, Ezek. xiv. He will make the whole Land to mourn, bring an overflowing scourge upon it.

4. A fourth print of Gods anger is, He makes it an universal scarcity upon all kinds of food, and supports of life. Here is the staff of Bread broken, and the herds and flocks fail, and the Brefreshng of the Wine-press; the Seed, and the Vine, and the Fig-tree, and the Olive-tree, all become fruitless. Such a desolation is more then ordinary. Usually, when one commodity fails, another abounds; if Corn be dear, Cattel will be cheap. That weather oft-times that hinders one kind, helps another. But here, when God comes with a Judgment, he blasts all the helps of Nature. Then the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oyl, they all fail by the blastings of his displeasure. Thus God compares his Judgment to a fire that burns all before it; The Land is as the Garden of Eden before it; and behind it, a desolate Wilderness, Ioel ii. 3. CThis the Lord points at as a wonder, Ioel. i. 2. Hear this, ye old men, ye who can talk of dear years, hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?—That which the Palmer-worm hath left, hath the Locust eaten; and that which the Locust hath left, hath the Caterpillar eaten. O, Gods Judgments make a full end. He makes the decays of Nature excessive, and violent. As it is said of the Grass-hoppers of Egypt, there were never such since; exceeding grievous.

Now, Gods displeasure oft-times breaks out in this kind of DJudgment; he chooses this kind of scourge of scarcity and famine to punish a people with, for divers reasons.

1. It is a most just Judgment, thus to cut us short, to diminish our portion, to call for a dearth, and poverty upon the land, to withdraw from us the succour and supply of the creatures. For sin forfeits all our interest and right we have in the comforts of the creatures. We are not soveraign and supreme owners of them, but we hold them of God; our title to them is from him, and that upon condition of our duty, and homage, and obedience to him. Thus we see God claims, and challenges them all, as his own. 'Tis my oyl, and my meat, my flour, and my honey, EEzek. xvi. 18, 19. Now, wicked men, they incur not onelyonly some smaller penalties, but it is just with God to seize all the creatures into his own hands, and to forbid them to yield their fruit unto us. Thus he punished the first sin, Cursed be the earth for p. 244thy sake, thorns, and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee, Gen. iii. AThus he revenged Cains wickedness, When thou tillest the ground, it shall not yield to thee her strength. So also he threatned the Jews for prophaning his Sabbaths, That the land should lie waste, and keep her Sabbaths; there should be neither sowing, nor reaping, Lev. xxvi. 34. God tells us the Land is his, we are but sojourners with him. Or, as Parisiensis tells, God doth as some Landlords, lets out the world to halves. There arises a double fruit.

1. Glory, that he reserves to himself.

2. Comfort, that is our half.

Pay him his glory, or else 'tis just with him to deny us our Bcomfort. Acknowledge thy great Land-lord, do him suit and service, or the creatures are forfeited, and all thy comforts by them.

2. This scourge of Scarcity, 'tis an equal, and suitable, and proper punishment. Our sins are, usually, the sins of abusing the plenty of a good Land, to luxury and excess; and it is the usual rule of Gods proceedings, In quo quis peccat, in eo plectitur. The matter of our sinning, commonly becomes the matter of our suffering. Thus God fits the punishment of Ierusalem, suitable to their sin; Thou hast taken my meat, and my flour, and mine oyl, and Coffered them to Idols; therefore I will diminish thine ordinary food, Ezek. xvi. 19. So, when God threatens a scarcity of wine, Ioel i. 5. Whom doth he call upon to take notice of this Judgment? Awake ye drunkards, and weep, and howl all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it is cut off from your mouths; howl ye drunkards; and so, howl ye worldlings when scarcity seizes upon you; you have sinn'd in the abuse of these creatures; your excess hath brought this judgment upon you. God usually meets with men in their own ways. Covetousness, and earthly-mindedness, luxury, and excess, all of them are abuses of these good gifts Dof God; To punish us in the loss of these is a proper punishment.

3. This calamity of dearth, and scarcity, the failing of the creatures, that the earth doth not give her increase, 'tis a proportionable judgment. The creatures are made to be our servants, we are made to be Gods servants. As long as we do perform our service to him, the creatures shall yield their strength, and increase, and prove serviceable to us. But, if we fail God, how just is it then that the creatures should fail us? As S. Aug. sweetly observes, our Reason would not obey God, therefore our Sense shall not obey Reason. As Hushi said to Absalom, Whom all EIsrael, makes King, and serves, him will I serve; excusing his seeming revolt from David; so, when the creatures start aside, and revolt from us, prove unserviceable to us, 'tis their real profession, They must serve their grand Lord; if we revolt from him, p. 245they revolt from us. The Father's words are these, Lib. 13. de Civit. A113. Qui superiorem Dominum deseruerunt, inferiorem famulum ad suum arbitrium non tenebant; And, de Nupt. & Conjug. lib. 1. cap. 16. Injustum erat, ut ei obtemperetur, à servo suo, qui non obediverat domino suo.

4. God oft-times, singles out dearth and famine, to punish a Nation with; it is a deep, and evident, and apparent judgment. War, and oppression, and captivity, many other calamities, mans hand is seen in them, they are agents and instruments in bringing them upon us. And in such calamities, we can be content not to see Gods hand in them, but to charge our sufferings upon the Bmalice of men; as if God and we were in good terms. God ofttimes loses the glory of such afflictions. As indeed the heart of man is exceeding desirous, in all afflictions, if it be possible, to prove that God is not the authour, but some other cause. As Pharaoh laboured a long time to prove that God sent not those plagues upon him, but that Moses wrought them some other way, his Enchanters could do as much as that came to, till at last they cried out, It is the finger of God. Now, in such a judgment as want, and famine, to weaken the strength of nature, to make that fruitfull womb of the earth barren to us, none but God Ccan do it,. He onelyonly can make the heavens as brass, and the earth as Iron, and restrain the celestial influences. Can man bind the sweet influences of Pleiades? or loose the bonds of Orion? Iob xxxviii. 31. Can any but God, forbid the clouds to drop fatness? No, these Judgments are foreign, we must cry out, God fights against us.

5. Famine, it is a Scourge wherewith he uses to chastise a people, as being a comprehensive Judgment, like a chain-shot that bears all before it. Many other calamities that are brought upon us by humane means, are most-what avoidable by humane Dhelps. Wisdom, or riches, or strength may exempt, or secure from some other annoyances; but scarcity, and famine, that strikes at the life of every man. All must beg daily bread. The profit of the earth is for all; the King himself is served by the field, Eccles. v. 9. No King can help against this Judgment. If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? Out of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-press? said the King of Israel, in the famine of Samaria, 2 Kings vi. 27. These extremities are unavoidable; They will make us look up to heaven, and say with Iehosaphat, O Lord, we have no might against this Judgment that comes upon Eus, Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are towards thee, 2 Chron. xx. 12.

III. A third Extraction from the Text is, Gods own children and servants, are lyable to these extremities of want and scarcity, p. 246which God brings upon the world, as well as others. The Prophet Ahere, in his own name, and in the name of the Church, hath a fearfull apprehension of them.

Indeed, sometimes, and in some Judgments, God vouchsafes a special exemption to his Church and Children. Instance in three cases;

1. To preserve an holy portion of his People, and a Nursery for his Church. Isaiah acknowledges it, Chap. i. 9. Except the Lord of hosts had left us a small remnant, we should have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah. Still a remnant shall be saved. And S. Paul applies it to the preservation of his chosen People, BRom. ix. 29. Gods Church must remain to all Posterity, no Judgment must sweep them all away. In this case, when common Judgments are sent upon the world, he exempts his own. When the deluge came upon the old world, an Ark was provided to save Noah, and the holy seed. When he visits them, he doth it in measure, he makes not a full end of them.

2. God exempts his own People from common Judgments, when the Judgments are sent in the cause of his Church, to manifest and maintain that they are his People, and that their Csufferings from the world, are most unjust, then usually he puts a difference, and exempts his own from common calamities. Thus in all the plagues of Egypt, Gosben was priviledged; he put a difference betwixt the Hebrews, and the Egyptians; he passed over them, when he plagued their enemies. Thus in the case of famine, Isaiah tells the enemies of Gods People; Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; Behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; Behold, my servants shall rejoyce, but ye shall be ashamed; Isai. lxv. 13. Malachi assures them of this exemption, and that God will make it appear Who are his, Chap. iii. 17. In that day, when I make up my jewels, I will spare them, as a Dman spares his own Son that serves him; and then shall ye diseevn between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serves him not.

3. In the pùnishment of those sins, which his children have withstood, opposed, protested against, and mourned for; usually in that case, God exempts such Saints, and Servants of his. This obtained Lot's exemption out of Sodom's overthrow, he mourned for the abominations that were done in Sodom; and S. Peter makes it a ruling case, and argues from it, 2 Pet. ii. 5. If God spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a EPreacher of Righteousness; and in the overthrow of Sodom, verf. 7. delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked; thence he gathers this Conclusion, vers. 9. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. This protected Ieremiah, and p. 247kept him out of captivity. This holy carriage exempted Baruch; Ahis life was given him for a prey. Those that mourned for the abominations of the Land, were marked out by God for escapal, and deliverance, Ezek. ix. 4.

But out of these, and the like cases, 'tis true, Gods own people and servants are subject to these common calamities, and judgments, as well as others. Abraham and his family, are by famine driven into Egypt, Gen. xii. So Isaac and his family were driven into the Philistines country, Gen. xvvi. And Iacob, and his family, by want, were driven into Egypt. Thus the People of God in BDavids time, suffered a famine of three years. Eli…s that great Prophet, was forced out of the land of Israel, into Sarepta, by reason of want.

The Saints have their share and portion in these common calamities upon divers Reasons;

1. The differences, that God puts 'twixt his own and others, are not seen in the administration of these outward things, not in making their portion in riches, and outward prosperity, more full then others. As he makes the wicked partakers of temporal blessings, his Sun, and his Rain doth good to them, Matth. v. 45. CSo his temporal judgments fall upon the righteous, as well as upon the unrighteous. Communia esse voluit, & commoda profanis, & incommoda suis, Tertul. Solomon observes it. Eccle. ix. 1. No man knows love, or hatred, by all that is before them; all things come alike, to the righteous, and to the wicked. The priviledges of Gods People are not temporal, but spiritual; not exemption from common sufferings, but grace and comfort in them; that's the Saints portion. Otherwise, Religion would not be a matter of faith, but sense; and men would serve God, not for piety, but for plenty.

2. The Saints are partakers in these common sufferings, as being parts and members of those Societies and People who are thus punished. A Christian, is both filius Seculi, and filius Dei. He hath that in him, which belongs to the present generation, as well as that which pertains to the state of regeneration. Now, the sins of any body, or nation, may involve all the members in the same Judgment. Haec mala, nos quoque perstringunt, ut vobis inherentes. Lot was carried away in the Captivity of Sodom, as cohabiting with them. As in personal sins, the Father's sin doth subject the Son to punishment, quia filius pars patris; all Achans family was Edestroyed for Achans sacriledge; so, in national sins, the Saints of God, though personally innocent, yet because members of a nocent body, are liable to undergo the temporal smart of national Judgments.

3. The Servants of God, are often contributers to the common p. 248heap of sin, that brings down Judgments. Though they be Anot actours of those gross impieties that call for vengeance; yet their sins, though of a smaller nature, adds to the fewel of Gods indignation. Gross impieties are like Pitch, or Gunpowder, that enrages the fire; but even the sins of Gods Servants, are combustible matter, and do add to the flame. Thus, not onelyonly Manasses his bloud-shed, but even good Hezekiah his vanity, and boasting of his riches, brought upon the Land the Babylonish Captivity.

Saint Augustine meditates upon this point piously; and gives reasons, why good Christians are involved in common calamities.

1. Quamvis longè absint à flagitiis, non tamen à delictis; Sinners they are, though not outragious ones; and their sins, may be, are tanto crebriora, quanto minora. Small sins frequently committed, are just provocations.

2. They are punish'd here with wicked men, saith he, Quia non sic vivunt cum impiis, ut cum iis vivendum est. They suffer with wicked men; because living with them, they do not teach them, and admonish Cthem, and reprove them, and mourn for them.

3. Saints suffer in temporal things, because, though they do not luxuriously abuse them, yet, saith he, they do too much enjoy them. Simul cum impiis flagellantur, non quia simul agunt malam vitam, sed quia simul amant temporalem vitam; non aequaliter, sed tamen simul.

We have seen the Supposition; Come we now;

Secondly, to the resolution; though all these evils come upon Dus, Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord—

And here are two prints of Piety in this Speech of the Prophet;

1. Is implied in this Particle, Although; that's an act of forecast; these miseries may befall us.

2. Is implied in this Particle, Yet; that's an act of preparation against these miseries.

1. Quamvis, Although, that forecasts the misery.

2. Tamen, Yet, that forelays the Remedy.

Praevidet, He foresees sorrows in the first.

Providet, He provides against them in the second.

1. He forecasts it, that miseries and afflictions may, nay, will befall us. That's one point of wisdome, and print of piety, to forecast it in our thoughts. Prosperity will not hold always; we p. 249must look for changes. Summer will not last all the year long, a AWinter will come; and with it storms, and tempests. It was Solomons counsel, Eccles. xi. 8. If a man live many years, and rejoyce in them all; yet let him remember the days of durkness, for they shall be many. It is good to premeditate on evil days, to acquaint our selves with the thoughts of poverty, and sickness, and adversity, and mortality. It will have a threefold good operation upon thee.

1. It will moderate thy care, and pursuit after these outward things. What, shall I toil, and vex my self to get that which I cannot hold? but must part with all, I know not how soon. 'Tis BSolomons advice, Prov. xxiii. 4. Labour not to be rich, cease from thine own wisdom; Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they flie away like an Eagle towards heaven. Certainly they will do so. All the certainty that is in them is, that they are uncertain.

2. This Forecast, it will moderate thy delight in them. Wilt thou place thy joy in that which thou canst not enjoy? It will make us we shall not, apponere cor, not set our hearts upon them.

3. It will moderate our sorrow in parting with them. It Cis good to look dangers and miseries in the face before-hand. Acquaint thy self with them, it will take off the horror and dreadfulness of them. Unlook'd-for calamities seem dismal to us; but foresight breeds acquaintance; that when they befall us, we shall not be dismayed with them. That's the first, he forecasts them.

2. As he forecasts them; so, in this Particle Yet, he provides against them. And that sets out the holy entertainment which the Prophet will give to this foreseen Calamity.

1. Tell an Atheist, a Judgment is coming from God, he entertains Dthose threatnings with derision. Let him hasten his work, that we may see it, said those mockers in the Prophet, Isai. v. 19.

2. Tell a voluptuous man of it, that poverty and scarcity is approaching, What saith he? Let's then enjoy the world while we may, let's crown our selves with Rose-buds before they be withered, Let's eat, and drink, for to morrow we shall die.

3. Tell a Worldling, that want and poverty is a coming, what saith he? Let's store up then, and provide against it, lay up against a dear year, fence out Gods Judgments when they shall besiege us, keep them out from entring upon us. These, and such Eas these, are the thoughts of carnal men. Ey, but this Scripture offers more grace. The piety of the Prophet hath other apprehensions of Judgments, and farr other resolutions for the undergoing of them.

p. 250And this Piety in the Prophet appears in two degrees, that Amake it more remarkable.

1. Here is the low degree of the affliction; he takes it at the worst; he supposeth himself not onelyonly in some necessity, but in extremity, in want of all outward things. He saith not, OnelyOnly if I have food, and raiment, though but hard fare, and coarse clothing, it shall suffice; He submits not onelyonly to Agur's portion, Neither riches, nor poverty, but food convenient to sustain nature; He stops not at Micaiah's diet, Bread of affliction, and water of affliction; No, he knows how to undergo the loss of all things. Let poverty come upon him as an armed man, and spoil him of Ball; yet his heart will hold up, he is not dismayed. Ey, here is Piety in the strength, and highest improvement. That will not capitulate with God, how much it will suffer, and no more, but will resolve to bear the heaviest burthen, submit to the sharpest affliction, and undergo it holily.

2. The Prophets Piety is seen in another degree, that's the high degree of affection, with which he will entertain this great affliction.

1. He makes not onelyonly use of his patience; he will suffer patiently, and meekly, he will not murmure at it.

2. He resolves, not onelyonly to be content with it, and well pleased with this condition; that's a degree higher. Patience suffers it, but Contentment feels it not. Contentment, is an Autarchie, it feels no want. But the Prophet rises higher;

3. He knows how to rejoyce in affliction. Joy, that's the affection that belongs to happiness, and felicity. foreign, Chrysost. In the day of prosperity, rejoyce; but in the day of adversity, consider, saith Solomon, Eccles. vii. 14. Sad thoughts, one would think, are then seasonable. No, here the Prophet can rejoyce in the day of adversity. Nay, more, as S. Paul exhorts, DRejoyce in the Lord always, again I say rejoyce, Phil. iv. 4. So here, this Feast of Joy, hath two Courses;

1. I will rejoyce in the Lord.

2. I will joy in the God of my salvation.