Christs Power of Bodily Diseases, Application 1
Ʋſes.
Firſt, Ʋſe of Information, to inform us of five things.
Firſt Information is, that Jeſus Chriſt is a terrible God: this appears, in that he hath all diſeaſes at command, to bid them go, and come, and do what he will. The Scripture makes known God to be a terrible God, Deut. 7.21. He is a mighty God, and terrible, Nehem. 9.32. The great, the mighty, and terrible God, Job 37.22. With God is terrible Majeſty, Pſal. 47.2. For the Lord moſt high is terrible: And we finde this inference made from Gods viſiting men with ſickneſs, Deut. 28.58. That thou mayſt fear this glorious and fearful Name, The Lord thy God. Beloved, it is one of the moſt devouring deluſions of the Devil, to perſwade men, that God is ſo merciful, that he will never queſtion them for their ſins. Hence we read that the wicked man, who contemns God and his judgements, ſaith in his heart, God will not require it, Pſal. 10.13. They think in their hearts and conſcience, that God will never trouble them for their ſins: this ſecure temper of the ungodly is ſeen by that of the prophet, Ezek. 7.7. The morning is come upon thee — the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the ſounding again of the mountains; or as Junius and Termellius read it, not the Eccho of the mountains: implying, that they feared no more the threatnings of the Prophets, then a vain airy noiſe or Eccho in the mountains: this makes ſecure ſinners to bear no fear of God, Pſal. 36.1. The tranſgreſſion of the wicked ſaith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Their ſins are ſo notorious and viſible, that they declare in the very hearts and conſciences of the godly, that there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now to awaken you out of this damnable ſecurity, I ſhall propound four Conſiderations to convince you that God is a very terrible God.
1. Conſider, that when the terrors of all bodily evils are paſt, yet then God falls upon men with everlaſting terrors: we uſually account great men very terrible; but God tells the wicked, Iſa. 47.3. I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man; thou haſt been afraid oftentimes of meeting with thy Creditor, or of meeting with the Magiſtrate, &c. but conſider when thou comeſt to meet God in his taking vengeance for ſin, he will not meet thee as a man, as a hard Creditor, or as a harſh Landlord, or a furious Souldier, or a ſevere Magiſtrate, but he will meet thee as a God of wrath and vengeance: Upon this ground our Saviour preſents God terrible, Luk. 12.4, 5. And I ſay unto you, My friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you ſhould fear; fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to caſt into hell; yea, I ſay unto you, fear him. Obſerve, that what our Saviour ſaith of men, is true of all bodily evils, when they have killed the body, they have no more that they can do; then the fear of them is paſt; there is no fear of Peſtilence, or Fever, or Conſumptions in eternity: but now a wicked man can never ſay the worſt is paſt, becauſe he can never be paſt hell: for God after he hath killed, hath power to caſt into hell; ſo that when you think it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a mercileſs Uſurer, or a cruel Landlord, or a bloudy man; or to fall into the fire, or water; or to fall into the Peſtilence, Fever, Dropſie, &c. then conſider that, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.Heb. 10.31
Secondly, conſider, God is not onelyonly a God of mercy, but alſo a God of judgment: the Devil devours moſt men by perſwading them, either that God hath no wrath, which makes them preſumptuous; or that he hath no mercy, which makes them deſperate. Now to arm you againſt the former temptation, which concerns the buſineſs in hand, fill your hearts with the belief of God, as he is a God of judgement, for the Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth, Pſal. 9.16. therefore he tells us: I kill, and I make alive, Deut. 32.39. So ſaith he, Iſa. 45.7. I form the light, and create darkneſs; I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all theſe things: All the evil of puniſhment which comes into the world, comes from God; all the hurt that is done by fire, water, wind, thunder, earthquakes, God doth it; all the hurt that comes by famine, peſtilence, ſword, blaſting, mildew, God doth it; all that dye, God kills them; all that go to hell, God damns them: and is not this a terrible God?
Thirdly, look not on God as men judge of him, when they are ſecure, and God is patient; but as he appears, when men awake with guilt, and God awakes in wrath. Beloved, if every Sin ſhould preſently bring a Judgement, if every Oath ſhould kill a Cow, and every Lye break a Bone, and every act of Drunkenneſs turn a man into a Dropſie; then ſin would be accounted more dangerous, and God more terrible: But as we read, Pſal. 55.19. Becauſe they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. When men can ſwear, lye, be drunk, ſcoff at godlineſs, prophane Sabbaths, and yet eat, drink, ſleep, work, and play all alike; this makes them confident, that God is not ſo angry with them, as a company of preciſe Puritans would have them believe. We read of this Atheiſtical temper, Pſal. 50.21, 22. Theſe things haſt thou done (meaning the crying ſins fore-mentioned) and I kept ſilence (ſaith God) I did not diſturb thee, nor hinder thee; and thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf, that I liked ſin as well as thou didſt; but thou wilt be of another minde, when I come to reprove thee, and to ſet thy ſins in order before thee, and to tear thee in pieces, when there ſhall be none to deliver thee. We read, Pſal. 40.11. Evil ſhall hunt the violent man to deſtroy him; and it is ſaid, Numb. 32.23. Your ſin ſhall finde you out. Sinners lye cloſe and hide themſelves in their ſins, as if judgement could never finde them: Oh, but conſider, ſickneſſes, and death, and hell are looking for thee, they are hunting after thee. Heark, methinks I hear the cry of the hunters, and the ſound of the feet of death purſuing thy ſoul: I may ſay unto thee as ſhe ſaid to Sampſon, The Philiſtines are upon thee Sampſon: Sickneſs is upon thee ſinner; death and judgement is coming upon thee; the wrath of the eternal God is roaring againſt thee: theſe things ſhould make thee cry out with David, Pſal. 119.20. My fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements.
Laſtly, Conſider God as a God of all ſickneſſes and diſeaſes, to convince thee that he is a terrible God; theſe with other judgements are called the terrors of God, Job 6.4. The terrors of God do ſet themſelves in aray againſt me; and it's clear that God for this reaſon is terrible; for that is terrible which is deſtructive to the health, and life, and being of man; this makes fire, water, wind, thunder, men and devils terrible; and this makes Sickneſs, the Peſtilence, Fever, the Pocks, the Stone, the Conſumption, and Death, and Judgement terrible. Now therefore what a terrible Majeſtie is God, who makes all theſe ſo terrible? for as there is no fear of an Ox-goad, or of the Jaw-bone of an Aſs; but the one in the hand of a mighty Shamgar, was a terrible inſtrument of death to ſix hundred men, Judges 3.31. and the other in the hand of a ſtrong Sampſon killed heaps upon heaps, heaps upon heaps, a thouſand men, Judges 15.16. So this makes all diſeaſes, and all inſtruments of death terrible, becauſe they are in the hand of a mighty God, who for this reaſon is to be acknowledged and feared as a very terrible God.
Secondly, informs us of the infinite patience of God towards ungodly men; which appears, in that God hath all diſeaſes, and death at command to avenge himſelf upon them, and yet that he is pleaſed ſo long to forbear. The Scripture makes known the glory of God to us by this Attribute, Exod. 34.6. The Lord merciful and gracious, long-ſuffering. So Pſal. 86.14. Rom. 2.4. This patience of God is his infinite goodneſs, whereby he doth moderate and with- hold his wrath from falling upon ſinners. Pardoning grace takes a way the wrath of God, and looſeth the believer from being bound to ſuffer it: But here the ſinner lyes condemned, and ſtands bound over by the Law, to ſuffer Gods wrath; but God by his infinite patience forbears to inflict it.
Now I ſhall briefly propound theſe three Conſiderations, to convince us of the patience of God.
1. Conſider the greatneſs of that wrath which God withholds from falling on you, viz. all the puniſhments which are threatned in the curſes of Gods Law: God doth not only keep off millions of diſeaſes, but alſo mountains of torments from coming upon thee every day: the great difference which is betwixt thee and a damned ſoul in hell, is made by the patience of God. Oh poor Chriſtleſs ſinner, when I ſtand ſeriouſly looking on thee eating, and drinking, and laughing, and ſporting in thy ſins, as if thou thoughteſt thy ſelf as ſafe as ever an Angel of heaven; and then believe what the Scripture ſpeaks againſt thee, and ſee what is in God againſt thee; I cannot but tremble to look thee in the face, to ſee whither thou art ſo merrily going, and what an alteration ſickneſs and death is ſhortly like to make with thee, but for preſent God in infinite patience withholds all the wrath that thou deſerveſt.
2. Conſider the great provocations that God doth bear: Sin is ſaid to provoke or call forth the wrath of God; and notwithſtanding ſuch horrid ſins call and cry for his wrath, yet in the infinite power of his patience he forbears. The Scripture aſcribes a Voice to three things which cry aloud for Gods wrath.
1. Sin cryes, Gen. 18.20, 21. The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is great. — Swearing cryes, Pour out thy wrath on the Blaſphemer, that belcheth out me: Drunkenneſs cryes, Oh thou conſuming fire, devour this Beaſt that commits me. So there is a cry againſt a Nation, and againſt a City or Family: Oh Profaneneſs cryes, Come away Peſtilence, come away Famine, and devour England, that is ſo filled with me: but yet God in infinite patience withholds his Judgments.
2. The Eſtates of men which are gained by ſin and wickedneſs cry for vengeance, James 5.4. Hab. 2.11. The ſtone ſhall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber ſhall anſwer it. The Prophet ſpeaks, as if all the parts of a houſe built by fraud and blood, did conſent to cry one after another for vengeance againſt the founders of it: the Stone cryes, Lord revenge the cruelty and injuſtice that laid me; and the Timber anſwers and cryes, Make inquiſition for the blood that laid me. Oh you that eat the bread of deceit, and live upon lyes and injuſtice, were your conſciences awakened, you might hear the very bread on your tables, and the money in your purſes, and the ſtones and timber of your houſes cry for the vengeance of God againſt you; and yet this infinitely patient God bears with you.
Laſtly, the ſighs and groans of Gods people cry aloud for vengeance againſt their Perſecutors and Oppreſſors. Exod. 3.7. I have ſeen the affliction of my people which are in Aegypt, and have heard their cry: Pſal. 12.4. For the oppreſſion of the poor, and the ſighing of the needy, will I ariſe. Beloved, the godly are hated for their likeneſs to God: this makes the difference betwixt them and the wicked; for herein they differ from the world; and a man muſt either make God his enemy, and the Devil his father, and be content to damn his own ſoul, or elſe the world and he will never be friends,Gal. 4.29. but he that is born after the fleſh will perſecute him that is born after the ſpirit. Now herein is glorified the patience of God, when they that wrong his people, rake in the apple of his eye; and yet this tender Father ſtands by, and ſees his children ſcorned, and loathed, and murdered, for chooſing, and honouring, and fearing, and pleaſing him, and for a long time bears all.
Laſtly, the infinite patience of God appears, in that he can always eaſe himſelf of his enemies, and yet he forbears. God complains, that the ſins of men are a trouble to him, Iſa. 1.14. and that they weary him, Iſa. 43.24. and, ſaith he, Amos 2.13. Behold, I am preſſed under you, as a Cart is preſſed that is full of ſheaves. Now the Scripture ſpeaks, as if God did eaſe and comfort himſelf in the deſtruction of his enemies, Iſa. 1.24. Ah, I will eaſe me of my adverſaries — Ezek. 5.13. I will cauſe my fury to reſt upon them, and I will be comforted. Now God can ſuddenly thus eaſe and comfort himſelf: let him but command the Peſtilence, the Fever, the Pocks, &c. they will quickly fetch them to hell, never to trouble him more; but in his infinite patience, and long-ſuffering, he ſpares them, and bears with them.
Thirdly, Informs us of the reaſon why godly Miniſters are ſo ſerious in ſhewing men their danger, and preſſing them to repentance, becauſe they ſee Almighty God armed with ſuch a multitude of diſeaſes, and judgments, and deaths againſt men: when a Miniſter is filled with love to, and longing for the ſalvation of his people, and ſees the diſeaſes, and other judgments, which lye at the door of every ſinner; and knows, that the want of his care and faithfulneſs may be the damnation of a ſoul, or more, before another opportunity; this muſt needs make Miniſters labour earneſtly for the ſalvation of their people: and therefore it is an excellent thing for a Miniſter to preach, and pray, and adminiſter Sacraments, and live, as if he ſaw God, and Chriſt, and Angels, and Devils, and Death, and Judgment looking him in the face; to preach as if he were to die preaching, and people were to die under his Sermons. Hence, ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.10. We muſt all appear before the judgment-ſeat of Chriſt: whence he infers, verſ. 11. Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord, we perſwade men. Beloved, we know what Chriſt will do to us, if we preach the word deceitfully, and damn the ſouls whom we are ſent to ſave. We know the doom of thoſe who know not God, and obey not the Goſpel, 2 Theſ. 1.8, 9. We know whither drunkards, and whoremongers, and blaſphemers, and worldlings, and all unregenerate perſons are going; and therefore knowing the terrors of the Lord, we perſwade men: we are ſent in the ſtead of Chriſt to perſwade you to heaven, and therefore dare not ſtand in the ſtead of Devils to flatter you into hell. Sirs, it is not many weeks ſince I was even paſt preaching, and I know that death and I muſt ſhortly meet again, and I know ere long you will be paſt hearing; and therefore I would preach and live ſo, that when ſickneſs and death return, I may be found labouring to ſave my ſelf, 1 Tim. 4.16.and them that hear me. In the mean time, when I look upon God, and ſee millions of deaths in his hands,Rev. 6.8. and every death hell following it; I dare not but warn you to flee from the wrath to come, Mat. 3.7. Beloved, a faithful Miniſter would never tell you of your ſins, but to cauſe you to forſake them; and the word Hell ſhould not be ſo often in his Pulpit, but that he is afraid leſt his people ſhould come there: he hath no ſecret grudge againſt you, neither deſires the woful day, God knows, Jer. 17.16. but he dares not deceive you, he dares not be damned for you, in preaching you and himſelf into hell.
The fourth informs us, whence it is that we hear ſo much of the unexpected deaths of men; why here is the cauſe, God commands a diſeaſe, or ſome other meſſenger of death, to go and to fetch them away, and they are gone: if any die, God tells all the world who kills them; I kill, ſaith he, Deut. 32.39. Hence we ſee great men for a while fill a Country; and a frown of their faces, and a ſtamp of their foot, makes all to quake about them: but they prove like Pharaoh, of whom we read, Jer. 46.17. Pharaoh King of Egypt is but a noiſe. So they make a great noiſe in the Country a while, and then like a ſound in the Air paſs away. Methinks a great man is like a great winde, it blows violently, and rageth a while, as if it would throw down all afore it; but it proves but a wind which is ſoon ſpent and laid. So a furious wicked man, he bluſters and ruffles a while, as if he would blow down God and man; but a diſeaſe, and death comes, and he gives up the ghoſt, and where is he? David made this obſervation, Pſal. 37.35, 36. I have ſeen the wicked in great power, and ſpreading himſelf like a green Bay-tree. Obſerve, he ſpreads himſelf, he enlargeth his power, and riches, and greatneſs: But ſee what follows, Yet he paſſed away, and lo, he was not; yea, I ſought him, but he could not be found: for a ſickneſs comes, and like a tempeſt takes him away in a night, Job 27.20. and ſo by the blaſt of God they periſh, Job 4.9. So we ſee others which would be as great ſinners, but that they are not ſo great men; for inſtrumenta explicandae nequitiae deſunt, as Seneca ſpeaks, they want inſtruments to do miſchief: theſe curſt Kine have ſhort horns, and ſo cannot do ſo much hurt: theſe men are full of lyes, oaths, drunkenneſs, and are ſet on fire againſt God and godlineſs, ſinning with that impudence, as if they would out-face and brow-beat God and man, and make death and hell afraid of them; but a ſickneſs and death comes, and they are driven away in their wickedneſs, Prov. 14.32. whoſe end Job deſcribes, cap. 24.29. Drought and heat conſume the ſnow-waters, ſo doth the grave thoſe that have ſinned.
So alſo we ſee godly people, who are the bleſſing of their Age, of whom the world is not worthy, Hebr. 11.38. the world deſerves not the prayers, and counſels, and examples of ſuch men; yet theſe periſh, though few lay it to heart, Iſa. 57.1. (for in this caſe there is one event to all, Eccleſ. 9.2. for as they lie at the graves mouth, we cannot ſee the difference betwixt a skull that ſleeps in Jeſus, and a skull that is condemned to hell) and therefore it's true of theſe gracious ones, as was ſaid of the good Patriarch, Gen. 47.29. Iſrael muſt die; or as we read of David, Acts 13.36. After he had ſerved his own generation, by the will of God, he fell aſleep. All theſe things are from Jeſus Chriſt, who ſends ſickneſſes and death at his pleaſure; and many ſuch things are with him.Job 23.14
Laſtly, It informs us of the great mercy of God, that we enjoy our health and lives ſo long, when he hath ſo many diſeaſes in his hands to deprive us of both: Hence he is called, the Preſerver of men, Job 7.20.Deut. 30.20. It is the Lord who is our life, and the length of our daies; who preſerves us, and keeps us alive.Pſal. 41.2.
Conſider the many deaths and dangers we are preſerved from, that thereby we may ſee and acknowledge the greatneſs of this mercy. Our Bodies and Souls were no ſooner united in the Womb, but thouſands of deaths were ready to part us again: we were liable to all the dangers that our Mothers were in, in whoſe lives our lives were bound up; beſides, multitudes of evils might have kill'd us there, and a miſcarrying Womb might have looſed us into Eternity. And if we look through the whole courſe of our Age, what year, or week, or day can we name, wherein ſome have not died? Oh infinite mercy, that keeps us alive in a world of devouring devils and bloody men! what multitudes of diſeaſes might have bred in our own bodies! what ſudden deaths by Falls, Fire, Water, Thunderbolts, &c. There is never a beam in our houſes, or beaſt in our fields, or bit of meat on our tables, or ſtones in the ſtreets, but methinks it's like a Piſtol charg'd and cockt (if God ſay the word) to ſtrike us dead in the place: where ever we ſit, ride, walk, lie down, there is from thence a fall into Eternity. We may well wonder, when we read of the three Childrens preſervation in the Fiery Furnace, Dan. 3. and of Daniels ſafety in the Lyons Den, Dan. 6. and yet I tell you, our daily and hourly deliverances are as great, only they are not ſo rare: for to name no more, Devils can as eaſily kill us, as the Fire or Lyons could them; and we have no more power to reſiſt or eſcape theſe Murderers, then they had the mercileſs Flames, or greedy Lyons; but as God miraculouſly preſerved them, ſo doth he wonderfully preſerve us, even in a croud of deaths and dangers.