Judgment and Mercy, Sermon 5
THE FIFTH SERMON VponUpon EXOD. CHAP. 8.
VERS. 5.
And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes, ſay unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod, over the ſtreames, over the rivers, over the ponds, and cauſe frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt, &c.
HAving ſpoken of the denunciation of this judgement, I come now to the ſecond thing, The execution of it, which is laid downe in verſ. 5.6. where there is,
Firſt, the injunction.
And then the performance of that injunction.
The injunction verſe 5. God ſaid to Moſes, ſay to Aaron, ſtretch forth thine hand with thy rod, &c.
The performance of this, verſe 6. Aaron did ſo.
In the former of theſe, the injunction, God ſpake to Moſes, ſay unto Aaron.
A man might ſay; Why did not Moſes take the rod as well as Aaron?
There are divers reaſons given why Moſes did not doe it, but Aaron rather.
The Hebrewes, they, (according to their fabulous manner) ſay, it was not fit for Moſes to ſmite the river; becauſe he was preſerved in the water when time was, as we read in the ſtory, Exod. 2. when he floated in an arke of bulruſhes, Pharaohs daughter tooke him up. Hee ſhould have beene ungratefull to thoſe ſtreames to have ſmitten them with a plague that were the meanes of his preſervation.
It is true, beloved, that gratitude works not only towards men, but toward the brute creatures, even to the place where, and inſtruments by which a man is benefited; but this is no ſolid reaſon. Suppoſe Moſes received never ſo much good there; thankfulneſſe to the creature would not beare him out in diſobedience to the Creator.
Another ſaith, that Moſes was not to doe it, becauſe the Egyptians then would have beene perſwaded that he had done it by ſorcery, and ſo they would have beene leſſe moved, and perſwaded by it: They were ſo unjuſt that they conceived of Moſes that he was a ſorcerer. The truth is, that he had all the learning of the Egyptians, and it is likely that many of them uſed that Art; yet we know nothing of Moſes, but that he was exerciſed in thoſe ſciences that were juſtifiable.
Againe, if this were the reaſon, Aaron might have beene ſuſpected; for he lived among them a great age, and without doubt Pharaoh would have brought it out.
Calvin gives a third reaſon, God would not have Moſes ſtrike the ſtreames, and bring the frogs, but Aaron; that Pharaoh, in regard of his pride and inſolencie, might be handled more contemptibly. As if Moſes would let him ſee that be would not trouble himſelfe, but his ſervant that was to officiate for him, he ſhould doe it.
There is a fourth reaſon; God hath ſet downe an order; he gives Moſes direction what to doe, and from him Moſes directs Aaron, and he executes it. Therefore God having appointed and ordained it, he looks that every one ſhould performe his office; and that ſhall be our obſervation: When God hath diſtinguiſhed men in ſeverall places, and given them ſeverall ſpheres to move in, he requires that they ſhould walke in their places. It is ſaid of the Tree, he ſhall bring forth his owne fruit. It is ſaid of the Sunne Pſal. 19. he rejoyceth like a Giant to run his owne courſe. And you ſhall finde Rom. 12.7. the Apoſtle chargeth the man that hath an office to attend it, to looke to his owne imployment without interloping in another mans affaires. So in 1 Cor. 2.24. every man is charged to abide in the place that God hath ſet him in. That intimates, not only faithfulneſſe and diligence, but wiſdome and conſcience, in a man to doe that that belongs to his place. So the Apoſtle, 1 Theſſ. 3.11. wiſheth every man to doe his owne buſineſſe.
In the body, as there are ſeverall parts, ſo every part hath a ſeverall imployment that it is to attend. See in a Family, the Maſter hath a ſeverall place from the ſervant. It is not fit for another man to ſteppe into the place of a Steward; nor for the groome of the ſtable, to come into the place of the Gentleman of the chamber. So in the Church of God, it is an army with banners: the Apoſtle would have it without ſcandall. It is a well ordered Army. Now in an Army when men are digeſted into ſeverall rankes; it is not for a Pike man to thruſt himſelfe into a file of Muſqueteers, every man muſt keep his own place, or elſe he is diſordered, and that may prove mortall. So, in the Church of God all the company muſt be ordered, there muſt be diſcipline, and every man muſt know what belongs to his place. If a man goe out of his rank, and doe that that belongs to another man, though with never ſo good intention; it may be ſaid to him, as Chriſt ſaid to Peter when he ſolicited him about Iohn, What is that to thee? Vzzah had better have adventured the falling of the Arke, though it tottered, 2 Sam. 6. when hee knew that no hand muſt meddle with it but that which was holy. You ſee how God was avenged on Vzziah that would doe the worke of another mans calling, and neglect his owne, when he uſurped the Prieſts office, God ſmote him with leproſie, he made him live a retired man all his life.
In the Ancient Councell, the 60 Canon, it was provided, that thoſe people that were Chriſtians, that ſuffered death for pulling downe the Images of the Heathens, they ſhould not bee enrolled for martyrs. The ground was good.
Firſt, there was indiſcreet ambition of heart in it.
Secondly, they did that that belonged not to their place. And thoſe that ſuffered in the time of Peter, as buſie men in other mens matters, they had no comfort in their ſufferings.
In the 26 Oration of Nazianzen, there the holy Father ſpeakes ſo much concerning order, and every man poſſeſſing his owne place, that if I could repeat it wholly to you, you need no other Sermon. Saith he, all things are in order; the Heavens above, the Sunne, Moon, and Starres; yea when they fought againſt Syſera, they fought in order. So the things below; the very times and ſeaſons in the yeare are ordered; the day and night are ordered, ſaith hee. When we read of thunder and lightning in heaven, and thoſe ſhaking commotions in the bowells of the earth; of ſhipwracks by ſea, and wars by land, and diſeaſes in mens bodies, and ſinnes in their ſoules; theſe are the beames of trouble and confuſion, and not of order. Saith he, What ſhall the diſſolution of the world be at the laſt, but a confuſion? Who ever ſaw the Oxe ſwim over the ſea? or the graſſe grow on trees? doth the eye of man performe the office of the foot? or the foot the office of the eye? The eye walks not but leads, and the foot doth not ſee, but walke, it doth that that is fit for it. The eare doth not trouble it ſelfe to ſpeake, or the tongue to heare. Order is the mother of ſecurity to all things. So he goes on a great way, and concludes, Let every man keep his ranke, and do his duty in his place, eſpecially in the Church, wherein above all things, men are ſaid to be in order.
For the Uſe of it, it meets with the Pope of Rome: If he had learned this, he would have caſt away his keyes before he had received them; or if he had medled with it, he would not doe two mens workes; he would have ſaid, Who made me a judge?
The doing of two mens workes is common in theſe times, we know not what belongs to our ſelves, wee meddle with other mens affaires. Lay people will preach the Word, and adminiſter the Sacraments. You ſhall have a Cobler above his Laſt, and take upon him to expound Scriptures, and not ſticke to informe the Miniſter how he ſhould preach. Doe you not ſee a great number of people of inferiour ranke take upon them to reforme evills? If a man ſhould ſay to them, as they did to Moſes, Who made thee a judge? They would reply, It is their zeale. I tell them their zeale is not according to knowledge; for if their judgements were rightly informed, they would know that God hath appointed a man the worke of his place, and no man ſhould extend himſelfe beyond the latitude of his owne calling.
And whereas they have pretended, they have Samſon and Phineas, and many more; they may well adde Elias, and Iames, and Iohn, thoſe ſonnes of thunder that lightned ſhrewdly when they called for fire from heaven; for ſuch they pretend all theſe, and well they may. It is ill reaſoning from things ill done, to that that ſhould bee done; or if they did it immediately we muſt not bring them to an example.
Secondly, learne every one to doe that that is right in his place; the Maſter of the family in his, the father in his, and the children in theirs; and all as God hath diſpoſed of them. If they goe out of this, it is an unſeemly thing. Is it not an unſeemly thing to ſee the ſtreames run over the bankes? to ſee the fire off from the hearth? to ſee a man out of his place? to ſee the glove drawne on the wrong hand, how ugly is it? Therefore the former Father Nazianzen, puts diſorder, and deformity together; and he might well ſay it. The Apoſtle puts order and beauty together; Let all things be done decently, & in order.
Secondly, a man doth not need to meddle with anothers, if he looke to his owne charge, God will be pleaſed well enough with that: whereas if a man neglect his owne, and meddle with others, he may have that ſaid to him, that he is skilfull in other mens affaires, and ignorant of his owne.
In the laſt place, when a man hath done that that belongs to his place, it may be he ſees other people defective, it is not for him to leap out of his calling; he may well mourne for it, and as occaſion ſerves, and his calling will afford, he may adviſe, and pray to God to incline the hearts of thoſe that have power to redreſſe theſe things; let him not thinke he ſhall ſuffer for other mens defects; for every man ſtands or falls to his owne maſter. So much for that. The next thing I note, Say unto Aaron, take thy rod, &c. Some may ſay, What needs this? when God with a word could have done this, what need he ſtretch out his rod?
It is true, there is none that doubts of the power of God, what God could have done: But the point is this; Where God hath appointed meanes, he will have them uſed, and not have miracles expected. He ſtretched out the rod. It was that that God had ſanctified for this purpoſe, God will have the meanes uſed. All the world knowes, God could have preſerved Noah without an Arke: He meant to drowne the world beſide; and he had fixed this way; Noah muſt work in this meanes. Every man will conceive that eaſily God could have preſerved Lot in the middeſt of Sodome, though all the City were burned about him; but ſince he had appointed Zear for a refuge, there he muſt flye, and take the courſe that he had appointed.
There is no doubt but God could have recovered Hezechiah to health by a word; but ſince God ſaid a bunch of figs ſhould be uſed, that muſt be applied, or elſe he could not amend. Doe you thinke that God was impotent, and unable to cure Naaman of his leproſie? with a word he could have done it; but having appointed Iordan the place to waſh him, and to waſh ſeven times, except he had gone, and performed it, whatſoever hee did thinke of Pharphar, and the rivers of Damaſcus, unleſſe he had waſhed there he had not beene cleane. God could have hid the Virgin Mary in Iudea, maugre the malice of Herod; but having appointed Egypt to be the place, thither they muſt flye.
Muſculus upon Iohn, ſaith, that Chriſt cauſed the ſtone to be taken away; he that could raiſe his body, why would he not raiſe the ſtone? God will not worke miracles for ordinary things, where the labour of man will ſerve.
For the Uſe of this, I deſire you to remember it for your ſpirituall, and corporall condition.
For the bodily condition, it is well knowne that God hath appointed labour to be the means of ſuſtentation of theſe tabernacles of ours; yet this meanes is not uſed. There are a great number of men that looke to be fed as Eliah was by the ravens, by miracle; they thinke to lye, and have the meat fall into their mouths; no paines will they take. Theſe kinde of people that will be idle, and like the doore on the hinges that will not uſe the meanes; they will not put their ſoules a foot out, as it is in the fable; they ſinne againſt the generall order of things. The heavens ſtand not ſtill, but by miracle. And they ſinne againſt pure nature; when man was in his innecency God provided him labour, Thou ſhalt dreſſe the garden: Surely that God that appointed a Sabbath, intended not man to be idle. They ſinne againſt corrupted nature; ſince the fall, Man is borne to labour as the ſparkes flye upward. And man muſt eat his bread with ſweat: And the Heathen had this light to call them flow bellies. Laſtly, they ſinne againſt the ſtore of nature. It lyes on Chriſtians mainly, they are ſo farre from the uſing the meanes of labour to effect that that God hath appointed, that they muſt withdraw themſelves from men that live inordinatly; He that will not labour muſt not eat.
Therefore, let no man love his eaſe ſo well, that hee refuſe labour, that his ſides ſhould ake; as that man in Seneca, becauſe he ſees another man take paines, this is odious.
And let not men be carried away with a private ſpirit, as a great number are that except their imployment bee generous, they will rather doe nothing. If the imployment be never ſo poore, if it be honeſt, it is better then to be idle ten thouſand times. The idle man diſhonours God, he tranſgreſſeth his commandements; he wrongs many beſides himſelfe: his Country, the Church, his family, and the poore; all challenge a part in him. When a man ſhall aske his conſcience, what profit hath the Church, or thy family, or the poore, or the State by thee? If he ſay nothing; it is a pitifull thing.
Againe, when a man doth nothing, he is expoſed to all temptations. The Devill entred when he found none at home. The Iron ruſts with lying. The Field unplowed overgrowes with weeds. Standing puddles ſtinke: therefore it was Ieromes counſell to Ruſticut, Alway to be imployed.
Againe, it is a reproach to the world: there is never a generous man, if he ſee another that labours not, but he accounts him an unprofitable burthen to the earth.
Laſtly, it drawes upon a man the miſery of another world. Shall ſuch a man live? If he doe, he hath but his ſoule to keep him out of hell: and St. Paul ſaith, ſuch people are dead while they live. How ſhall they live when they be dead, that are dead while they live? What ſaith God? Binde him hand and foot, and caſt him into utter darkneſſe, to the unprofitable ſervant.
Therefore hearken to God, take paines in that courſe that God hath appointed in his word: let us rather eat our owne bread then to live at another mans finding.
If this ſeeme a digreſſion, I deſire you to pardon it; for it may be of purpoſe I turned out of my way to turne ſome idle ones into it.
In the ſecond place, for our ſpirituall eſtate, God will have meanes uſed there: The Kingdome of Heaven comes not with obſervation, as it is ſaid in the Goſpell. Many prophane men ſay; What! cannot God ſave us without all this preaching? What! nothing without that rod, that Scepter of God, his Word; the rod of Aaron?
It is dangerous to diſpute what God can doe; farre be it from us: But when God hath appointed meanes ordinary, he ſhewes that he will not ſave without them. The Evnuch might have ſaid to Philip, and Paul to Ananias, and Lidia to Paul, God can doe this without you; but God muſt be ſerved that way that he hath appointed.
Therefore if a man thinke to be ſaved by a miracle, he ſhall fall ſhort of ſalvation. The rich man in hell had a ſtrange deſire to ſave his brethren by one that roſe from the dead; but ſaith Abraham, If they will not heare Moſes and the Prophets, they will not heare them. So much for that. Saith he: Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod, and cauſe the frogs to aſcend. What! muſt Aaron bring frogs out of the river? What man hath power to make one haire of his head, white or blacke, Who can adde one cubite to his ſtature? Muſt Aaron bring theſe frogs? So in the originall it is an imparative, Make or command them to aſcend. So the Septuagint is, Fetch thou them forth. We muſt acknowledge the power of God to be infinite: Yet obſerve, The workes that are his owne he attributes to men. Aaron is ſaid to bring them. The bringing of Iſrael out of Egypt, it was the worke of God, with a mighty Arme, none but God could doe it. He aſſumes it oft-times, I am the Lord that brought thee out of the land of Egypt. So, thoſe holy people acknowledged Nehemiah and Daniel; O God that broughteſt us out of Egypt: Yet this act is attributed to Moſes and Aaron. So God ſaith to Gedeon, Iud. 6. Goe and deliver Iſrael; yet it was God that muſt doe it. So it is ſaid of Samſon, and Shamger, and Othoneele, and Samuel, that they delivered Iſrael. And God ſaith to Moſes, Sanctifie to me the people againſt the third day; yet God muſt ſanctifie them. So, we ſee in the New Teſtament, that converſion is attributed to Miniſters, and remiſſion of ſinnes: Whoſe ſinnes ye remit are remitted: Nay, and the ſaving of men, 1 Tim. 4.11.
This is the honour of Gods Saints: God not only uſeth them, but attributes to them what is done. To arm them againſt diſcouragements, though many things obſtaculous to them lye in the way, and confront them, and be impediments to them; yet let them be comforted in this, the iſſue and effect that is wrought, God will pleaſe to honour them with it; he will part with ſome of his owne to give them: he will put a ſplendour on Moſes, and make him glorious in the eyes of all the people. God is content to give Iehu honour: The ſword of the Lord, and of Gedeon.
Though indeed we muſt take heed, if we be ſenſible of the honour that God puts upon men when he imployes them, that we doe nothing to diminiſh the glory of God. The Devill is ſo ſubtle, and the corruption of mans heart is ſo great, that he deſires praiſe to himſelfe. So that oft-times the chiefe Lord ſuffers by the unfaithfulneſſe of his Steward. Let us take heed, if God honour us for doing good things by him; aſſume not ſo much to our ſelves, whereby Gods glory may be diminiſhed.
Let me apply it to thoſe of the Church, God hath honoured them exceedingly, that he hath made them fellow workers with himſelfe, to diſpenſe the great myſteries of the Kingdome. And it is the obſervation of Chryſoſtome, when the Prodigall returned, the father doth not bid him goe to the wardrobe, and take the beſt robe; but he ſaid to the ſervants, Goe and fetch it. He would have the ſervants imployed for the benefit of the ſonne, that the meanes might be brought in credit.
That ſhewes how much the world is beholding to the Miniſters of the Word: We are co-workers with God; which as it may comfort us for the preſent, ſo it ſhall adde to our crowne afterward.
But let us take heed that we give the glory to God, and not take to our ſelves any thing that may diminiſh Gods honour: Let us be of the ſpirit of Paul, I laboured more then all, yet not I, but the grace of God in me. Saith Auſten, Nos mandamus, &c. we do not give the increaſe, we doe but helpe; and this, that we can helpe is not of our ſelves, but the grace of God: Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but it is God that muſt give the increaſe. Not unto us, not unto us, but to thy Name be the praiſe given: So ſhould be the ſpeech of every one. We are Stars, but we are Stars in the right hand of our Bleſſed Lord, and he is the Sun of righteouſneſſe. So, we have it by derivation from him; we ſhine in a borrowed light.
Secondly, for people, ſince God hath advanced Miniſters, know the neceſſity of their calling; though God made you without them, he will not ſave you without them. Know that you muſt reverence them for their workes ſake. Shew your reſpect by doing that which is commanded; for therein lyes the eſpeciall reſpect to a Miniſter, when that is practiſed that he teacheth.
In the laſt place; ſince God reckons things done by his ſervants as theirs, when he doth it: Let all people that doe any thing for God, take heed of ſtroaking their owne heads. It is the errour of Rome, in doctrine, and in practiſe, they make mens good works meritorious, and make themſelves ſaviours: When we have done all we can, we are unprofitable; and God workes all good things in us, and all our works for us. That as Auſten ſaith, It is certaine, O God, he that reckons up his owne merits, what doth he reckon but thy gifts?
We may have comfort and contentment in our conſciences, and may glory in thoſe things that God hath given us in the temptations of Satan, but let us not aſcribe that to our ſelves, that belongs to God; for God begins the worke, and perfects it to his owne praiſe. So much for that. Now we come to the execution. Aaron did ſo, and upon the doing of it there came an innumerable company of frogs that covered Egypt: here obſerve, The wonderfull power of God, how ſpeedily and eaſily, and at what a diſtance he can worke. Aaron no ſooner ſtretcheth forth his rod, but this was done; he doth it ſpeedily. And hee doth but ſtretch out the rod, and all theſe creatures come abundantly. And he doth but put forth the rod toward the river. Saith Toſtatus, he was now in the Court of Pharaoh, yet all this was done; therefore he workes at a great diſtance.
Thus is the power of God remarkable in working quickly and eaſily, and at a great diſtance. I will not ſtand long on theſe things, becauſe in many paſſages we meet with it. God at the firſt made the world, and with a word; He ſpake the word, and all was made. Therefore thoſe Epicures and Atheiſts, that aske what ladder and engine he had to raiſe this goodly frame? they may be anſwered by that in the Pſalme, He made them by his word: For as he ſpeakes in his workes; The heavens declare the glory of God; ſo he works in his ſpeeches. Nay, the very will of God, not only his word, but his will: I will, be thou cleane; not only ſpeake the word, and my ſervant ſhall be whole; but I will. How ſoone and how eaſily, and at what a diſtance did the Lord deſtroy the Army of Pharaoh in the red Sea? Exod. 14. So I might tell you of Sodome. Saith Tully the heathen, God can doe all things without labour and defatigation. Saith the old Poet, All things are eaſie to God; he knowes how to worke when he ſits ſtill.
Therefore for the Uſe of it in a word: Let us ſtand in awe of God; if the Lord can ſo eaſily, and quickly, and ſpeedily, and at ſuch a diſtance worke, it is in vaine to contend and ſtrive againſt his power. God doth not need to fetch an Army of men to overthrow poore ſinners, he can doe it by frogs, by the leaſt creatures; by his word he can drowne the whole world. Well may we incline his mercy by our repentance; but certainly we can never doe our ſelves good by reſiſting.
Secondly, never meaſure the worke of God by any diſtance. It was a fault in Naaman the Aſſyrian when he was to be cured of his leproſie, Eliſha ſaid, Goe waſh in Iordan; ſaith he, I thought he would have come out, and have laid his hand upon the ſore; as if it could not be wrought without touching. So, it was ſome infirmity in the Ruler, Goe downe before my ſonne dye: As if Chriſt could doe nothing without he were preſent. So Ioh. 11. ſaith Martha, Lord if thou hadſt beene here my brother had not dyed: As if God could not have prevented it at a great diſtance. The Lord is able to ſhew mercy from heaven, and to execute wrath as farre. Why doe we ſpeake of diſtance when the Lord is every where, and fills all places. No man is able to get out of the circumference where God is not. The Lord is preſent in all places, and doth what he will in heaven and earth; where, and how he will: there is no flying from his preſence; if a man goe to heaven, or to hell, or to the utmoſt parts of the ſea, there ſhall the hand of God finde him out. We come to another thing.
And the frogs came up, and covered all the land of Egypt.
Mark how God inlargeth the judgement; not one part of the land, but all the land was covered with theſe vermin. God ſometimes ſmites a whole family, as we ſee in the family of Abimelech, Gen. 12. And God threatneth to ſmite whole families head, and foot, Deut. 28. God ſmites ſometimes whole Cities, as we ſee Samaria had a famine, a fearfull one: and Ieruſalem was vexed by famine, that as Ioſephus ſaith, The children were taught a new way into their mothers wombe againe, they were faine to eat them for hunger. I, God ſmites divers Cities together, as the ſiſters of Sodome. Nay, God ſometimes proceeds to ſmite a whole Country. The ſinne of Saul was puniſhed in the dayes of Ahab, for three years the heavens were ſhut up till the bridle of heaven Eliah unlooſed them. So God viſited the whole world. I will not ſpeake of that great plague, that Evagrius ſaith, in his time there was a plague that continued in the world fifty yeares together; though it poſſeſſed not all the world at one time, yet ſucceſſively it went over all. We have examples in Scripture, God overthrew the whole world by water; and will he not when he ſhall bring a deluge of fire at the laſt.
The reaſon why God makes his judgements ſo generall, is the generality of ſinne. Looke in all the inſtances I mentioned, Pharaoh and Abimelech. So in the City of Samaria that was puniſhed, it was full of ſinne; the greateſt ſinnes of all Iſrael were in that Metropolis: The ſinne of Iſrael is Samaria. The Prophet makes a ſad complaint againſt Ieruſalem, being the worſt. So that City of Sodome, you may eaſily ſee how ill they were that ſolicited God for vengeance, that there were not ten righteous men found there, if there had, they had ſecured all. It was an epidemicall complaint, a generall diſeaſe. So we may ſay of the dayes of Saul, when there was ſuch a generall famine, it was for a foule ſinne. Nay, all the whole land was tainted. So in the dayes of Ahab, they were full of Idolatry and wickedneſſe: Eliah complained that there was ſuch a generall defection, that he ſaw none beſides himſelfe to ſerve God; though God told him of ſeven thouſand that bowed not their knees to Baal, yet what were theſe to all Iſrael? And in the dayes of the Prophets; and in the old world, the bloud and ſtain of ſinne, was ſo bad, that God knew not elſe how to waſh out that ſtaine. So at the laſt day, Iniquity ſhall abound; therefore God will bring fire to conſume them.
For the Uſe of this: Solomon ſaith, He went by the field of the ſluggard, and received inſtruction. Let us ſee how Gods judgements have ſpread. The deſtroying Angell hath been in all places, he hath not ſtricken all places at once; but he goeth further and extends himſelfe. Surely there is a generality of ſinne. I would God, I had nothing to accuſe mine owne Nation of, as Paul ſaith: But why ſhould I hold my peace when the ſinnes of the land proclaime themſelves as the ſinnes of Sodome? Who ſhall cenſure me or any Miniſter, for laying downe the cauſe of the plague? Looke on ſome ſinnes; how generall is the ſinne of pride? A common ſinne that fills the land from Dan to Beerſheba, in every corner, even to her that grindes at the mill. Nothing will keepe people from vanity this way. How common is the ſinne of exceſſe? The ſinne of the Court, of the City, of the Country; and among the baſe Gadarens this Devill is entred into a herd of ſwine. It is come into the Country, and every roome ſmells of it. Nay, how doth this ſinne reigne in this City, that the Lords day is divided betweene the Tavernes and the Church? Nay, will you not ſay, that the Devill goes with the better part. So for ſwearing, for oaths the land mournes. A common, generall ſinne, that unneceſſary vaine ſinne. The oaths of men, are like Ioabs ſword ever drawne out; men can ſcarcely ſpeake, but they muſt ſweare. A man can come into no company, or place, but his righteous ſoule will be vexed with this blaſphemy againſt God. Nay, I would to God we could ſay, that perjurie were not growne to a great height, men have no care of oaths, though it were held ſacred among the heathen.
What ſhall I ſay of uncharitableneſſe? It is a crying, groſſe, common ſinne; and a great number that ſeem to profeſſe Religion, that are moſt forward and zealous this way. The truth is, they are briniſh ſalt lights, that ſpit, and burne, and ſcald; they care not what dead flyes they caſt into this oyntment. It is far from the power of Religion, and the holy fire of charity.
I could inſtance in a great number; but what ſhould I trouble you? By theſe you may gather that God hath a juſt controverſie with this Nation of ours, and the ſin being ſo generall; theſe frogs creeping in every corner, and croaking in every nooke; when God ſends his judgements in every coaſt, we muſt not but ſay, He his righteous.
The laſt thing which I will conclude with, is this: This judgement, as it was the ſecond, ſo it ſeemes to be much greater then the former: for in the former judgement there was but the turning of the nature of a thing, the turning the water into bloud; but here, there is a creating of an innumerable company of frogs. Againe, there ſome might eſcape; there is no other likelihood, but the Noble-men, and the King himſelfe, and many of ability might have wine, and other juices, and waters to ſatisfie their thirſt: but here, there was not a man in the Kingdome, but had frogs leaping upon him, and was annoyed by them in bed, and board. And as I told you the laſt day, the waters turned into bloud annoyed but ſome ſenſes, as the taſte, and the ſight; but theſe annoyed all. They were ugly to the eye by their deformity, to the eare by their croaking ſound; and to the ſmell they could not endure them: They ſpoyled their taſte, they came among their victualls; and for their feeling, as I told you, both Toſtatus, and others, ſay, they were ſuch frogs as were poyſonfull, and would doe miſchiefe, ſuch as our toads that we are afraid of. From all this, this being a greater judgement then the former, obſerve this; that Where God ſeeth not amendment, he will make the ſecond judgement greater then the former. God doth not ſo puniſh, but he can puniſh a man more, Levit. 26.18. ſaith God, I will yet puniſh you ſeven times more. Veſichius upon the place, ſaith, It ſignifies that God would magnifie his power in laying the judgement more upon them. In Pſal. 78.38. the people of God it is ſaid angred him, but he ſuffered not his whole diſpleaſure to ariſe. Pſal. 2. If his wrath be kindled but a little, bleſſed are they that truſt in him. But if his whole diſpleaſure ariſe, and breake downe in wrath, who ſhall ſtand? Rev. 6. He can make his jealouſie ſmoke, and breake out in a flame, and burne to the bottome of hell. There are degrees of Gods wrath; ſo in Pſal. 9.12. David prayes againſt the enemies of the Church, that God would puniſh them ſeven fold more, to lay more upon them.
There were a great many judgements upon Iob; firſt, he heard of his goods taken, and then of his ſervants, and then of his children, all oppreſſed by the ruine of a houſe. And was it not ſo with Elie? how did the ſtood riſe on him to a great height? Firſt, he heares of the diſcomſiture of Gods people, and then of the death of his children, and then of the taking of the Arke; which I know not whether it brake his heart or his necke ſooneſt. Can Nebuchadnezzar heat his oven ſeven times hotter then before? and Rehoboam make his little finger heavier then his fathers loynes? Shall thoſe Lions that were ſo reſtrained, be the more furious? And cannot God greaten his plagues, and inhance his judgements to the full? he can adde ſtill.
It is ſaid by the Schooles, of the damned in hell, nothing can be added in the extention of time; but for intention, God could adde more, but that all his wayes are in merciemercy. Therefore if we be afflicted, ſay not that it is too much that God hath laid upon us, but wonder that it is no more. Doe not ſay with Rebecha, Why am I thus? as if God had dealt unjuſtly. Iob, he in a paſſion ſaid, O that my griefe were weighed; but in coole bloud, he laid his hand upon his mouth. He knew, that God was juſt and true in all his wayes, and holy in all his workes. Doth thy head ake? God could make thy heart ake. Haſt thou the tooth ake? God could have afflicted thee with the ſtrangurie, or with a violent burning feaver, that ſhould have put thee to nothing but frenzie and madneſſe: This God could doe: nay, it is Gods mercy that we are not conſumed, therefore doe not wonder why it is ſo much.
Secondly, ever beware of continuance in ſinne. One judgement had paſſed Pharaoh, and now another is on him. So all wicked ſinners if they ſtand out, and oppoſe God, and will not bow, God will increaſe their judgements more and more. There are a great number in the world that thinke, if they have eſcaped the ſtocks once, and have got free from ſome diſeaſe, they have a Superſedeas for a long time. It is a vaine perſwaſion, God deales gently, he firſt gives a jerke or two, the next time twice as many; and if that will not doe, the third time he ſets it on to purpoſe. God gives a ſippe of the cup, if that will not weane us from ſinfull pleaſures, then God gives us a great draught; and if that will not doe, we ſhall ſucke out the dregs. Thou canſt not conquer him, hee will bow thee, or breake thee. Thinkeſt thou that becauſe thou haſt eſcaped one judgement, God cannot bring another? Oh, what treaſures of wrath hath God! Suppoſe now thou art freed from a diſeaſe, and doſt not make good uſe of that, God can give thee up to ſpirituall miſchiefe, to adde one ſinne to another. Thou wouldeſt not thinke this a judgement (it may be) but it is the worſt of all; for when God gives up a man to run further into ſin, it is a pit that they fall in that hate God: God is angry with ſuch people out of all queſtion. And David had better have had the ſword in his family, then to have been given up from the committing of one ſinne to another. And the ſin that the Iſraelites run into, it was worſe then the ſword of Balaak. You ſee in Rom. 1. when God would puniſh the heathen to the full, He gave them up to their owne hearts luſts.
Againe, if God give thee not up to this, cannot God ſmite thee with horrour of ſoule, with terrour of conſcience, thoſe tempeſts of minde, as Ierome calls them? As one calls Chriſts ſufferings, thoſe unknowne ſufferings that none is able to relate but he that knew them. O, if God leave thee to diſmayed thoughts, and terrours, and helliſh cogitations, that ſometimes the ſoule hath; what will become of thee?
But ſuppoſe God quit thee of this, that thou come not into theſe brakes when thou offendeſt, if thou come to eternall torment, and God is able to doe that; all the afflictions of this life are nothing in compariſon of that, they are ſhadowes, that is the ſubſtance of all, for extention of time. The afflictions of this world are but things that paſſe too and againe; and if it bee foule now and then, it may be cleare againe; but that judgement is a ſtanding poole, and a lake that continues firme, and ſhall for ever, when time ſhall be no more. Therefore now judge whether it be good to fall into the hands of the living God? He can ſmite thee with new plagues and diſeaſes, with new torments; or elſe he can give thee up to a reprobate ſenſe; or elſe he can viſit thee with horrour of conſcience. And if thou eſcape all theſe, he can let thee go on in thy way till thou come to the place of torment; when thou ſhalt curſe the time that ever thou neglectedſt the day of thy viſitation. Therefore now let me be Peters Cock to crow, that if thou have forgotten thy ſalvation, and thy God hitherto: Now forſake thine iniquities, and thy evill wayes; or elſe looke for the improvement of judgements upon thee; and the plagues that come after, ſhall be greater then thoſe that went before. And no wonder if God heighten his plagues, when men advance in their ſins.