Sarah and Hagar, Sermon 10
THE TENTH SERMON.
GEN. 16.6, 7.
And ſhe fled. Verſ. 7. And the angel of the Lord found her.
WE told you, that it was ill in her miſtreſs to uſe her ſo hardly; but yet ſhe cannot be juſtified in her flight. That now remaineth; and the Point is, That though maſters and miſtreſſes be rigorous,Obſerv. 1. Flight of ſervants not juſtifiable, by any hard uſage; having more lawful remedies. Pſal. 123.2. yet ſervants muſt not flee away.
A ſervant is to yeeld both active and paſſive obedience.
Firſt, Active, in performing the lawful commands of them. David makes it the property of a ſervant, to look to the hand of the maſter; and of a maid, to look to the hand of her miſtreſs, Pſal. 123. Thus did Eliezer, the ſervant of Abraham, Gen. 24. and the ſervant of Elijah, 1 Kings 18. and the Centurions ſervant, Matth. 8. he ſaid to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to another, Do this, and he doth it. On the other ſide, it was wicked in Ziba, who, being commanded by his maſter to ſaddle the aſs, went away, and did it not, 2 Sam. 19. and ſo in Jobs ſervants, who, being called,2 Sam. 19.26. would not anſwer, Job 19.
Secondly, there is a paſſive obedience required of them, and that is in regard of Correction and Reproof; and that not onelyonly in looks, when they are brow-beaten, as we ſay, and frowned upon, and that anger appears in the countenance; but alſo, when it is in words.Tit. 2.9. The Apoſtle chargeth this upon ſervants, Tit. 2. where he will not have them to be foreign, to anſwer again. Not but that a ſervant, when he is unjuſtly challenged, may reply, ſo he do it ſeaſonably, and modeſtly; as we ſee David did to Saul in the cave, 1 Sam. 24.1 Sam. 24. But ſervants muſt not raſhly, ſpitefully, in a ſpirit of contradiction: yea, they muſt patiently rather endure words. Yea, thirdly, if it come to blowes, they muſt endure it. 1 Pet. 2. Servants, 1 Pet. 2.18.be ſubject to your maſters with all fear, not onelyonly to the good and gentle, but to the froward, thoſe that be foreign, harſh and rigorous; they that will not onelyonly frown and talk, but lay on, and that ſeverely; for he ſpeaks preſently of buffeting. And we ſee how patiently Joſeph endured impriſonment, Gen. 39.Gen. 39.20. Pſal. 105.18. yea, fetters, and iron chains, Pſal. 105. And the Collator tells of a certain religious young man, who, having a blowe given him by his governour, that was heard to the fartheſt part of the room, where many were aſſembled, he was ſo far from murmuring, that he did not ſo much as change his countenance; but, holding his tongue, was as modeſt and humble in his behaviour, as if he had not been ſmitten at all. Now this patient enduring, is flatly againſt fleeing, as Hagar did here.
For the Uſe of this:
ApplicationIt meets with divers ſervants in theſe times, whoſe ſtoutneſs is ſuch, that they will not endure any kinde of Correction: If it be but in frowns, you ſhall have them as ſowre as their maſters and miſtreſſes; and they will pout, and lowre, and vie with them in this way: If it be in words, they will preſently chop Logick, and bandy word for word, without any modeſtie or ſobriety: And if it come to blowes, by no means they will endure this; they ſcorn to be beaten, they came not for that end; and therefore they will ſtruggle and ſtrive with maſter or miſtreſs; yea, ſometimes, even ſtrike again; and if they cannot make their party good, then they will run away; as ſhe here in our Text.
Why, (will ſome ſay) Why ſhould any one be ſubject to the unlimited humour of another? We may be miſuſed, and maimed.
I anſwer: Where maſters and miſtreſſes be unreaſonable in correction,Servants flight unlawful. and make a practice of it, it is lawful to ſeek redreſs, by means of friends; and if that will not do, it is lawful to ſeek to the Magiſtrate, for his help: but for any ill uſage, it is not lawful to run away.
And therefore, in the ſecond place, though it be durus ſerme to ſervants, an hard ſaying, that they muſt endure correction at the hands of their governours; they muſt digeſt it: And there be many things to help them in the ſwallowing of this bitter Pill; divers of them are preſſed by S. Peter, 1 Pet. 2.18.in the former place, 1 Pet. 2.18, and ſo forward.
Firſt, he ſaith, If the puniſhment be deſerved, there is no great thanks in ſuffering: Quae venit ex merito, poena ferenda; That mulct is to be born patiently, that cometh deſervedly.
Secondly, but if we ſuffer unjuſtly, then it is thank-worthy; and glorious, to be patient.
Thirdly, it is acceptable to God; and ſurely he will remember to reward us for it.
Fourthly, he ſaith, We are hereunto called, verſ. 25. Our Chriſtian calling requireth to turn the other cheek, Matth. 5.39.Matth. 5. to give place to wrath, Rom. 12.19. to overcome evil with goodneſs, verſ. 21. And if Chriſtians muſt ſhew ſuch patience to all men, even to their equals; how much more, ſervants to maſters?
Fifthly, he maketh ſervants, by this, conformable to Chriſt, who being reviled, reviled not again; and ſuffering, threatned not, but committed himſelf to him that judgeth righteouſly.
There may be added to all this, ſixthly, that a ſervants patient enduring of correction, may be a means (through Gods mercy) to work the ſter to more mildneſs and greater gentleneſs for aftertimes; whereas ſullenneſs and impudence doth more incenſe and harden him; and maketh him upon the next occaſion, more violent.Greg. lib. 1. dialog. Saint Gregory commendeth one Libertinus, who having a ſtool thrown at him by his Abbot (with which his face became blew and ſwelled,) he took it ſo patiently (confeſſing it to be his own fault and not his maſters cruelty;) which patient carriage of his, ſo wrought upon the abbot, that he became a very milde man; and ſo ſaith Saint Gregory, humilitas diſcipuli, magiſtra facta eſt magiſtri, the patience of the ſchollar became the ſucceſsful inſtructor of his hmaſter
Laſtly, let it be remembred by ſervants, that when upon correction they flye away, they add but one ſin to another; and if they think to be revenged on their maſters this way, it is worſe; and what a poor revenge is it, to hurt ones own ſoul, to be revenged on another! this was the practice of Thamar towards her father in law. Fearful it is, when we will revenge our ſelves; nay hurt our ſelves, yea our ſouls, to hurt anothers body; ſuch wrath worketh not the righteouſneſs of God.
One other Uſe of it:
And that is to us all; we cenſure ſervants for impatience under their corrections; I would we would reflect upon our own carriage towards God, when we are in the way of ſin; we are told of the judgments of God that will inherit it, we regard it not, we will do what ſeemeth good in our own eyes; and yet, when we ſuffer for it, we murmur, and repine, and take on, as if we had hard meaſure: we are apt to expoſtulate with God, why am I thus? and wherefore is this come upon me? and our hearts boyl up with tumultuous and diſcontented thoughts againſt him. Thus what we finde fault withall in ſervants, we practiſe in our ſelves; we deſpiſe Gods comminations, and yet are vexed when we ſuffer for our tranſgreſſions; we might have prevented it, and yet angry when puniſhed for it. But more of this hereafter.
We come now to the third part of this Chapter, from the beginning of the ſeventh Verſe, to the fifteenth; wherein is contained the Angels meeting with Hagar, being fled from her miſtreſs.
Secondly, his queſtioning with her about the cauſe of her flight.
Thirdly, the direction he gives unto her, upon the diſcovery of that cauſe.
Fourthly, his prediction concerning the childe that ſhe went withal.
In the firſt of theſe (laid down in the ſeventh Verſe) we may obſerve two things.
Firſt, that the Angel of the Lord found her.
Secondly, where he found her; by a Fountain of water in the wilderneſs; by the Fountain in the way to ſhur.
S. Chryſoſtom on the place.For the former, that the Angel found her; Saint Chryſoſtome would have us here obſerve foreign; the kindneſs of God, that he overlooks not, or deſpiſeth any: foreign though ſhe were but a ſervant, yet (ſaith he) this was not, foreign, not ſo much in regard of her, as of juſt Abraham, by whom ſhe was with childe; God would take care of her, out of reſpect to him; and this is a truth, Obſerv. 2. Wicked perſons oft fare the better for their relation to the righteous.That the ſervant fares the better for the maſters ſake; and the childe, for the fathers ſake.
God is good to Solomon for Davids ſake, yea to Rehoboam: yea even to Hezekiah long after; for he faith, he will defend Jeruſalem, even for David his ſervants ſake; the whole company for one good mans ſake, as we ſee in the ſhip where Saint Paul was, Act. 27. A neighbour, for a neighbours ſake; and as ſpiteful as the wicked of the world be, againſt the Godly that come amongſt them; and as deſirous as they are to be rid of them, they fare the better for them; and were it not for their ſake, they ſhould be ſoon be conſumed: and whenſoever God ſhall gather theſe flowers, the weeds will ſoon be rooted up; whenſoever he removes theſe pillars, the building will be ruined.Application When Lot is gone out of Sodom, we know what followeth: it might make the wicked ſo wiſe as to make much of godly people, for whoſe ſake they fare the better; they are pledges of their peace, and the pawnes of their tranquillity, when they perſecute and hate them; they, like mad men, wrong their beſt friends, and they cut off the right hand with the left; and they haſten but their own judgment, by ſeeking to extirpate them; they are a bleſſing whereſoever they come; by their preſence, by their prayers, they do good, and ſtand in the gap to divert Gods wrath. But I ſtand not upon it.
Obſerv. 3. Of the good offices the good Angels do us: touching guardian Angels, and the duties we are to return them Pſal. 34.7. and 91.11.The Angel of the Lord found her. If this were a created Angel, we ſee what good offices thoſe bleſſed Spirits do for men.
Firſt, they doe reveal things unto them, as we ſee in Daniel, and Saint John in the Revelation; and ſo to Saint Paul, Act. 27.
Secondly, they direct men what they ſhall do, as we read the Angel did Philip, Act. 8.
Thirdly, they protect them from danger, they pitch their tents about Gods people, as we read, Pſal. 34. and Pſal. 91 and they carry them in their hands, that they hurt not their foot againſt a ſtone.
Fourthly, they bring them out of danger, as the Angel did Saint Peter out of priſon, Act. 12.
Fiftly, they comfort them after troubles, as we ſee Luk. 22.
Sixthly, they revenge them on their enemies, Exod. 12. and ſo the Angel of the Lord ſlew in the Hoſte of Sennacherib, an hundred four ſure and five thouſand in one night.
Seventhly, they convey the ſouls of Gods people to happineſs, as the Angels carried the ſoul of Lazarus into Abrahams boſome, foreign (ſaith Saint Chryſoſtom;) and a ſweet burthen too,S. Chryſoſtom. an acceptable ſervice unto them; yea they take care of their dead bodies; as Moſes: there was a conteſtation between Michael and the devil, about the body of Moſes. In a word, they are miniſtring ſpirits ſent forth to miniſter for them that ſhall be heires of ſalvation, Heb. 1. It is not to be ſaid what good offices they do for Gods people,Heb. 1.10. both privately and poſitively.
For the Uſe of this:
Firſt,Application it lets us ſee the happy and honourable condition of Gods ſervants; David having ſaid, Pſal. 34.7. that the Angel of the Lord pitched his tent about them that fear him, he addeth, Verſe 8. Taſte and ſee how gracious the Lord is: to wit, in allowing of his children ſo glorious an attendance. It is accounted a great matter of ſtate in the world, to have a large train of followers, in ſilks and gold chains; alas, this is but beggary to the attendance of Gods people. It was a great favour to poor Mordecai, to have Haman the Kings favourite to wait upon him when he rode through the city; what honour then for a poor man that is the childe of God, to have thoſe glorious ſons of the morning, thoſe foreign (for ſo they are called;) thoſe gods to wait upon him? the very little ones have their Angels, Mat. 18.Mat. 18.10. and Solomon in all his magnificence and royalty,S. Bernard, ſuper Pſal. 91.11. was not like one of theſe: Saint Bernard upon the Pſalm 91. Qui habitat, loſeth himſelf in this meditation upon thoſe words; He hath given his Angels charge over thee: Quis? Quibus? de Quo? & Quid mandavit? Who? to whom? concerning whom? and what is it that is here commanded? Deus mandavit, & Angelis ſuis mandavit, & de te homine mandavit, & ut custodiant te in omnibus viis mandavit: Domine Quid eſt homo! 'Tis God that hath commanded, that hath commanded his own Angels, his Angels concerning thee, I, and to keep thee in all thy wayes; Lord what is man!
Secondly, this ſhould be a comfort to Gods people in regard of thoſe many afflictions that they are like to meet withal in the world; they have a good guard.The queſtion concerning guardian Angels. It hath been a queſtion much diſputed, whether every man hath his particular Angel. And it cannot be denyed, but that moſt of the Greek Fathers, and many of the Latine, and all the Schoolmen; yea, and ſome of the late writers, and thoſe of the Proteſtant party, have gone this way: taking encouragement from Mat. 18.10. and Saint Peters Angel, Act. 12. but what ſhould we need to trouble our ſelves about it, when not onelyonly one, but many Angels, wait upon every childe of God: And they are all miniſtring ſpirits, ſent forth for their good: there is comfort then in this: it is true, we ſee not theſe good Angels our guardians; no more do we the evil ones: and yet we doubt not, but they are ready to do us hurt; why then do we queſtion the good done to us by the other? If our eyes were opened,2 Kings 6. as Eliſha's ſervants were, 2 Kings 6. we ſhould ſee, that there are more with us then againſt us.
Thirdly, let us carry our ſelves fittingly, in regard of thoſe glorious ſpirits that are ſtill about us. Saint Paul adviſeth the women to carry themſelves decently in the Church,1 Cor. 11.10. becauſe of the angels, 1 Cor. 11. If we may grieve the Spirit of God by our evil converſation, Epheſ. 4.30. ſurely we may grieve theſe bleſſed ſpirits: If they joy at our converſion, Luke 15.10.Luke 15. they muſt be grieved with our badneſs; and we may make the ſervice they do us, tedious unto them; yea, for them going.
I know, we may do too much to the Angels, and that is, in adoring them, in invocating them, and making our prayers unto them; a thing condemned in Scripture; and ſo in the ancient Councel of Laodicea, Ne adoremus Angelos, We may not worſhip Angels. Their jugling tricks of adornemus Angulos, will not fit their turns; Let us adorn the corners of the temple:Binius Concil. In the Greek, it is foreign, as Binius cannot but acknowledge it Angels, (though he put Angulos, in the corner, as a different reading.) Again, they are ſervi Dei, the ſervants of God, and may not have their Maſters honour: Nay, they are conſervi, our fellow-ſervants; and upon that ground, the Angel refuſed adoration from Saint John, Rev. 10.Rev. 10. Now, as I ſay we may give them too much; ſo we may give them too little, while we will not ſhew our reverence unto them, by an holy carriage; but diſtaſte them,S. Baſil, in Pſal. 34. by our prophaneneſs. Saint Baſil ſaith, upon Pſal. 34. foreign: As the ſmoke driveth away Bees, and noiſom ſmells the Doves: ſo will our ſins profligate and put to flight theſe guarding-Angels.
Fourthly, let us learn of the glorious Angels, that as they are willing to ſerve us, ſo we ſhould be willing to do good offices for our brethren; and though we be above them in place, yet to ſerve them in love. Thus we, that look one day to be foreign, as the angels, ſhould be like them in This. Yea, we have a greater example, and that is from the Son of God himſelf, that emptied himſelf of glory, and came as lowe as the form of a ſervant, and ſtooped as lowe as the Croſs, to do us good. If he had ſtood upon his dignity, where had our Salvation been? Therefore, Let the ſame minde be in us, that was in Chriſt Jeſus.
Obſerv. 4. Gods Omnipreſence, and mans vain concealments.Some do think, that this was no created Angel, but the Son of God himſelf, the ſecond Perſon in Trinity; who did, in the Old Teſtament, appear oftentimes to holy men. And the reaſon of this conceit is, becauſe he ſaith, verſ. 10. I will multiply thy ſeed exceedingly; which is the work of God, and not of any creature. But this is no convincing argument; for ſuch words might be put into the mouth of a created Angel, as ſpeaking from God. But be it ſo, that it was God himſelf that found Hagar, it will help us to this Obſervation, (as one hath it upon my Text;) God can finde out people in any place.
For, ſaith my Author, Abraham, no queſtion, after he miſſed her, (out of his love to her, eſpecially to the childe ſhe went withal; and, it may be, out of worſe, for the ſcope that he had given to his paſſionate wife) ſought for her in every corner, but could not light on her: Though he could not, yet God findeth her; being in all places, nothing can eſcape his eye and obſervation. Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off? Jer. 23. The Rabbins call him foreign,Jerem. 23.23. The Place, by way of excellence; or, Place: not that all things are in him, ut in loco, as in their place; but that he fills all places. And another ſaith, He is a Sphere, whoſe Centre is every-where,Gods Omnipreſence. and his Circumference no where. He is intra omnia, & extra omnia; ſupra omnia, & infra omnia, ſaith Saint Gregory: Within all things, and without all things; above all, and beneath all things. It is true, he is ſometimes ſaid to come unto a place, and to depart out of a place; and to deſcend: but we muſt know, this is foreign, (as the Greek Father ſaith) a condeſcenſion to our weakneſs; for he changeth not place, who filleth all places: but it is to be underſtood of the manifeſtation of himſelf, by the effects of his Mercy or Anger; and ſo, onelyonly, he is ſaid to come or depart.
Now for the Uſe of this:
It ſhould teach us all, to take heed of ſinning againſt God,Application upon hope to convey our ſelves from him. Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit; or whither ſhall I flee from thy preſence? Pſal. 139.Pſal. 139.7. &c. If I aſcend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell thou art there: if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the ſea, even there ſhall thine hand lead me, and thy right hand ſhall hold me. If I ſay, Darkneſs ſhall cover me, even the night ſhall be light about me; yea, the darkneſs hideth not from thee, but the night ſhineth as the day: the darkneſs and the light are both alike to thee. Men may by flight eſcape the judgement of men; but they cannot eſcape Gods hand: As he is foreign, and foreign, many-handed; and heavie-handed; ſo foreign, long-handed, and can reach us at the greateſt diſtance. Jonah thinks he hath dealt ſubtilly, in getting into a ſhip, and going to Tarſhiſh: but God knows his flight, and overtakes him. It is a ſtrange infatuation of mens mindes, that they ſhould think they can either conceal their evil facts from Gods knowledge, or their perſons from his puniſhment. It ſeemeth to be the thought of thoſe wilde ones in Job, and the ancients in Ezekiel: But it is a fooliſh thought; for,Ezek. 8. all the ways of men are before the eyes of the Lord, (ſay both David and Solomon;) he knoweth all their natural, all their moral actions; and he needs no information, for that which is done in the moſt private cabinet, or darkeſt vault. And for mens perſons, they are not hid from him: Thine hand (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) ſhall finde out thine enemies; Pſal. 21.8.and thy right hand ſhall finde out thoſe that hate thee. And therefore I renew mine Exhortation.
Let us ſtand in awe, and ſin not: for if we ſin, upon a preſumption that we ſhall conceal either our actions or perſons from God, it is a forlorn hope; our iniquities will finde us out, (as Moſes told the Beubenites:) and we that have ſinned ſecretly, may (perhaps) be puniſhed openly, in the eye and obſervation of others.
The ſecond thing is, the place where the Angel found her; In the deſert, by a fountain. A great way had this poor woman wandered; and, after a good while wandering, the Angel meeteth her. He could have met with her, and ſpent that reproof upon her which afterwards he doth, quickly after ſhe removed from Abrahams houſe, in the beginning of her flight: but he letteth her alone (ſaith Muſculus upon my Text) for a certain time,Muſculus in locum. till her proud ſtomack was a little come down, and that now her neceſſity had abated her ſpirit, and that ſhe began to bethink her ſelf: What, have I (for a few blowes, for which I cannot ſay but I gave the occaſion) caſt my ſelf into this exigent? Am I in a place deſtitute of comfort and relief? What ſhall become of me? I ſhall either be a prey to wilde beaſts, or elſe periſh with famine.
Obſerv. 5. Affliction bringeth in more gueſts unto God, thou doth Proſperity. Jer. 4.24.God oftentimes ſpareth dealing with people for their faults, till they be a little pinched with the effects of their own errour.
For, while they are in their heat, they have no ear open to inſtruction; but when they ſmart a little, then they will be docible. Jerem. 2. the people of Iſrael are compared (by the Prophet) to a wilde aſs uſed to the wilderneſs, that ſnuffeth up the winde: In her occaſion, who can turn her away? They that ſeek her, will not weary themſelves; that is, they will hold it vain to run after her: but in her monethmonth they ſhall finde her. So the people were ſo impetuouſly ſet upon their luſts, that there was no ſpeaking to them; all admonitions and threatnings were ſpent in vain upon them: but yet in their monethmonth, when they ſhould come to be in pain with that which they carried in their womb, they would then be more pliable to inſtruction.Job 33.14, 15, &c. Elihu ſaith, (in Job) that God ſpeaks once and twice unto men, and they perceive it not; in a dream, in a viſion of the night. Thoſe be eaſie ways, Chap. 33. but then, verſ. 16. He openeth the ears of men, and ſealeth their inſtruction: that is, he dealeth with them by way of correction, and ſo openeth their ears: and the reaſon of this, he giveth in the next verſe, to be the abatement of mens pride: their proud hearts muſt firſt down, and then they will lend an ear; and, as it followeth, verſ. 22. When the ſoul draweth neer to the grave, then is the meſſenger of peace gratious unto him. When Iſrael is in her jollity,Hoſea 2. Hoſ. 2. ſhe will hear of none but her wanton lovers: but being a little puniſhed, and finding thorns in her way, then ſhe ſaith, She will return unto her firſt husband; for then it was better with her then now. Hoſea 5.10.So, Chap. 5. God ſaith, I will return unto my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and ſeek my face: in their affliction, they will ſeek me early. And the next words are, Come, let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn us, and he will heal us. How mad was the Prodigal upon the ſatisfaction of his voluptuous humour. No thought of father, or fathers houſe, till all was ſpent: But when he came to be pinched with famine, then he began to think of returning. When Paul was in his full carreer, there was no talking to him; he was mad upon his way, as himſelf ſaith: but being thrown from his horſe, he trembled, and was aſtoniſhed; and then he began to liſten: nay, God ſuffereth him (for the more mollifying of him, and fitting his heart for the impreſſions of his grace) to be three days in terrour of minde, without uſe of his eyes, without ſuſtenance.
For the Uſe of this:
Let us acknowledge the wiſdom of our good God,Application in dealing with us: He ſees our diſpoſition, how, in our jollity, we hearken not unto him; we forget both him and our ſelves: and therefore he changeth his hand, and ſuffers us to come into ſome ſtraight, before he will parley with us: yea, it may be, he lets us continue a good while in perplexity; for upon the firſt laying on of the rod, it may be, we will ſtamp and chaſe; but when it ſtill lies on, and (like the bird caught) we ſtruggle but onelyonly to our further entanglement, we lie quiet, and then our ſpirit comes down, and God may have ſome reaſon at our hands. It is like enough, that this Hagar in our Text, when ſhe broke from her miſtreſs, came away in ſuch a paſſion, that ſhe cared not what became of her, rather then ſtay there; and her miſtreſs ſhould ſee how little ſhe cared for her ſervice: But by that time ſhe is bitten with wearineſs and want, ſhe becometh more pliable. God knoweth how to take down the ſtouteſt ſtomack: and though they ſtorm and rage, (when touched by him) and be like a wilde ball in a net, Iſai. 51.20.Iſai. 51. yet he will humble them at laſt. When one hath ſtruck a great fiſh, he plungeth and flounceth: well, the Angler gives him line, and lets him weary himſelf, even till he may be taken up with the hand of a childe. And let us all learn to ſubmit to Gods courſes; let him do with us what he will: let us be content that plaiſter lie on, (though it ſmart) till it have done the work. We muſt be ſoftened, before we can be moulded. God is the Phyſitian and Healer of his people, and he knows the fitteſt means and ſeaſon for redreſs.
Again: He found her by a fountain of water in the wilderneſs. See,Obſerv. 6. Such is Gods goodneſs, that his mercies are ſtill interwoven with extorted judgements. (ſaith my Author) In deſerte reperit fontem, ſhe findes a fountain of water in the deſert. She was weary and thirſty, in this vaſt and uncomfortable ſolitude; and now ſhe findeth a fountain to refreſh her: And what could be more acceptable to her, at this time? This is the goodneſs of God, that in the midſt of anger, he remembreth mercy, Hab. 3. He correcteth in judgement, not in fury, Jer. 10.Hab. 3.2. Jer. 10.24. Though this woman deſerved to have taſted more deeply of that cup, yet God mingleth ſome comfort with it: In meaſure will he debate with his children, Iſai. 27. Mercy lays hold upon his Juſtice,Iſai. 27.8. and ſuffereth not his whole diſpleaſure to ariſe. All the ways of God are interweaved with mercy; yea, the very damned in hell finde this:Application for though a greater judgement could not befal them, extenſivè, in regard of continuance, (for it is everlaſting;) yet, intenſivè, he could lay more upon them: he could lay more upon them then they ſuffer.
Secondly, we may obſerve again,
Obſerv. 7. God can ſupply comforts unto the moſt deſolate places and caſes.That God is able to furniſh us with comforts, in the moſt deſolate places: and when men think their caſe moſt dark and deſperate, he can make light break out. In deſerto fons; a fountain even in the deſart.
When Jacob is full of grief, and lieth in the open field, and hath heaven onelyonly for his canopie, and an hard ſtone for his pillow; God refreſheth him with a ſweet viſion. Joſeph is ſold into Egypt; and yet, even there, he findes good entertainment: and when he is caſt into priſon, there alſo he findes favour: And he findes cauſe to call his firſt ſon Manaſſeh, becauſe God had made him to forget his trouble; and his ſecond, Ephraim, becauſe God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction. When Moſes is expoſed to Nilus, there is one takes him up, and gives him a liberal education. When Elijah fainteth under the juniper-tree, 1 Kings 19.there is meat provided for him, 1 Kings 19. Did the children of Iſrael want any thing, in the vaſt wilderneſs? There is a fourth to the three children, even when they are in the fiery furnace. S. John, in the place of his baniſhment, hath his Revelations. How many of us have found friends, where we leaſt looked for them and comforts, where we leaſt expected them!
ApplicationAnd therefore, let none of us diſtruſt the care of a good God, who can furniſh out conſolations, in our greateſt perplexities; and can give us that which ſhall ſweeten our bitter Potion: he that can give honey and water out of the ſtony rock; he that can make a dry ſtock bloom, and bloſſom, and bring forth ripe fruit: Why then do we doubt, O we of little faith!
There is yet another thing: By the fountain, in the way to Shur; which (as S Jerome obſerveth) was directly in the way to Egypt, her own country. So that Expoſitors do collect, that, by her taking this way, ſhe was purpoſed to return to Egypt, and ſo to renounce the true Religion that ſhe had embraced; and ſo, Sus ad volutabrum, (as the Apoſtle ſaith;) The ſow to the wallowing in the mire. And here we ſee, Obſerv. 8. The fearful events of Diſcontentment; with the Chriſtian remedies thereof.What fearful events of diſcontentment there ſometimes be.
She was ſo vexed at the ſharp correction of her miſtreſs, that ſhe is not onelyonly neglective of her body, what miſery that come into; but regardleſs of her ſoul, that ſhe is ready to relapſe into her old way of Idolatry.
This is too often ſeen: When people are diſcontented, they take ſtrange courſes. Saul is ſo vexed that he hath no anſwer, by Urim, nor the Prophets, that he runs to the witch of Endor for counſel. David is ſo diſcontented at Sauls continued purſuit of him, that he caſteth himſelf among the Philiſtims; which (if God had not been the more merciful) had been the next means of his confuſion. Jacob is ſo diſcontented for the loſs of Joſeph, that he will not be comforted: And ſo Rachel, for the loſs of her children, Jer. 31. Tamar, out of a diſcontent (as I told you before) maketh her ſelf a whore,Jerem. 31. to be revenged of her father in-law …hophel is diſcontented to ſee his counſel rejected, that he goes home, and hangeth himſelf. And how many …d inſtances have we had, in the like kinde! People, upon diſcontentment, and ſome ſharp affliction, have laid violent hands upon themſelves. And for that particular of apoſtatizing from the Faith,Tertullian. Tertullian ſaith of Valentinus, that miſſing of a Biſhoprick, he took it ſo ill, that he ſet on foot his deſperate Opinion. And ſo Julian, (againſt whom S. Auguſtine writes) Theodoret ſaith,S. Auguſtine. Theodoret. being diſcontented for miſſing of the like preferment, turned Pelagian. And upon the ſame ground, we have known, in theſe later times, both Clergie-men and Lay-men, to turn Papiſts. And Theodoret telleth us, how Arrius, out of his envie and diſcontentment at the preferment of Alexander, that good man, ſet on foot his deviliſh Tenet againſt the Conſubſtantiality of the Son with the Father.
The Uſe is this:
That we pray to God for his grace,Application that we may bear afflictions patiently: for if they work upon us too deeply, the devil is a ſubtil adverſary, and (as the ſons of Jacob did by the Sichemites) he will fall upon us while we are ſore; he will bring all our ſins to our remembrance, and aggravate them by all poſſible circumſtances; and he will do what he can, to make us injurious both to our bodies and ſouls. God knows, we are too much fleſh, the beſt of us; and when our ſins and afflictions make too deep impreſſions in us, Satan hath ſuch a faſt friend of the fleſh, that they joyn hands together, and put us on to that which is both againſt Reaſon and Religion. Yea, let Miniſters and others ſpeak unto them, it is with them as with the children of Iſrael, when there was an improvement of their vexation, Exod. 6.Exod. 6.9. They hearkened not to Moſes, for anguiſh of ſpirit, and cruel bondage. We grow careleſs, and care not what door we go out at, what iſſue comes of it. Oh that we could but admit of theſe thoughts in our afflictions: Who are we, that we ſhould not ſometimes have occaſion of diſcontentment! And why ſhould we look always to fail with winde and tide? Are we better then our fathers, and others of Gods people? 2. Have we not deſerved that God ſhould change his hand? 3. Hath not God the chief ſtroke in all afflictions; and dare we murmure againſt his diſpenſation? 4. Hath not he promiſed, that if we patiently ſubmit to our trial, and accept of the puniſhment of our iniquity, (as the phraſe is, Levit. 26.) he will do us good? 5.Levit. 26. Is this the way to cure our grievances, to run into further evils; and becauſe the body is afflicted, to hurt the ſoul? Is not this, when God hath made us ſick, to make the devil our Phyſitian? Oh let us in patience poſſeſs our ſouls, Kiſs the rod, and wait the iſſue which God will give to our temptation.
Preached, Novemb. 9. 1641.