Judgment and Mercy, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON VponUpon EXOD. CHAP. 8.
VERS. 2.3.
I will ſmite all thy borders with frogs. And the river ſhall bring forth frogs abundantly, which ſhall come up into thine houſe, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed &c.
NOw we come to the amplification of this judgement.
Firſt, from the generality of it, in regard both of the perſons, and the place: the King and the Subjects: The bedchamber, as well as the common roomes; the paſtrie and kneading trough, as well as other utinſells.
Secondly, from the place from which this miſchiefe ſhould come, from the River.
Thirdly, from the manner, the noyſomneſſe and irkſomneſſe of it; they ſhould crawle and creep upon them in that manner as was fearfull to behold.
Theſe things being woven one within another, I will not tye my ſelfe to this ſtrict method I have laid downe; but I will gather obſervations as I goe along, and as the clauſes preſent themſelves; and I will begin where I left. It is ſaid here,
I will ſmite all thy borders with frogs.
It is well knowne that Egypt is a large place, and full of inhabitants. All places and perſons that were in Egypt God threatned to ſmite with this judgement, yet you ſhall finde that Pharaoh was the maine offender; it was he that uſed his power to miſchiefe, to plague Gods people, ſo as he provoked God to plague all Egypt: And my obſervation ſhall be this,
Multitudes are puniſhed oft-times for one mans ſinne.
The borders of Egypt all of them, all the places and inhabitants were plagued for Pharaohs offence. Examples in Scripture are frequent to prove this. Abimelech was the faulter, the party that faulted, and behold all the wombes in Abimelechs family were ſhut up, Gen. 20. So in Ioſ. 7. Ay was beſieged, and ſome were to goe up againſt it: but ſome of the men come out of Ay and ſlay 36 of the Iſralites: It troubled Ioſhua, and the Elders, and they fall downe before the Lord, and he ſatisfies them preſently, There is an accurſed thing among you, ſeeke it out or elſe you ſhall not prevaile: So there was one Athan that had ſtollen a Babyloniſh garment, and a wedge of gold. Saith Salvianus, One mans ſinne, was many mens miſery. Saul was the man that ſinned againſt the poore Gibionites, you ſee how all Iſrael was plagued with three yeares famine, 2 Sam. 21. So we finde David, whether out of curioſity, or vain-glory, he would needs number the people, yet ſeventy thouſand were ſlaine by the peſtilence, 2 Sam. 24. Ionah was the man that faulted, and all the ſhip, and the people in the ſhip were in danger; and he himſelfe ingeniouſly confeſſed that it was for his ſake that the ſtorme came, and that they ſhould proſper and doe well, if they were disburthened of him. Therefore the heathen could ſay, the whole City muſt ſuffer for one mans ill. And another of them obſerved of the Greeks unius obnoxa & furia &c. one mans wickedneſſe, is all mens trouble.
Now will ſome man ſay (if it may be lawfull to aske the queſtion) what juſtice is there in this, that one man ſhould ſinne, and other folke be puniſhed? will not this juſtifie the cavill of the old Atheiſts, That one man was ſicke, and another tooke the phyſicke? Doth not God ſay in Ezekiel, The ſoule that ſinneth ſhall dye? and would he not have that curſed proverb ſuppreſſed, The fathers have eaten ſoure grapes, and the childrens teeth are ſet on edge? And doth not St. Paul ſay, Gal. 6, Every man ſhall beare his owne burthen. Why then if Pharaoh ſinne, let Pharaoh alone be puniſhed; why ſhould God ſmite all the borders of Egypt? David ſaid, when he ſaw the Angell forrage the whole Army, and the people, What have theſe ſheep done, 2 Sam. 24.
Now for the anſwer to this, there muſt be one ground neceſſarily laid in the firſt place, and that is this, That however things appeare to us, God neither is, nor can be unjuſt, as in nothing elſe, ſo not in puniſhing: God forbid, that the judge of all the world ſhould be unjuſt, Gen 18.25. Is God unrighteous, Rom. 3.5. when he executes vengeance? It is true the wayes of God are far beyond out apprehenſion, beyond the poſſibility of our attaining, we may as well empty the Ocean into a cockle ſhell. The righteouſneſſe of God is a high mountaine; the judgements of God is a great deep, Pſal. 36. The well is deepe, and wee have not wherewith to draw, Ioh. 4. But this is ever certaine, though we doe not alway ſee the reaſon, there is a reaſon that we cannot ſee, That God is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works, Pſal. 145.17. That is the ground that I lay in generall.
More particularly now for the anſwer; ſome will ſay, That a King and his People make but one perſon, or one body; therefore it is free for God ſince Pharaoh ſinned, to plague all Egypt, ſince they were his dominion and people; it was free for him for a paine in the head to open a veine in the arme. As men take liberty when the hand is faulty, to put the feet in the ſtockes. But this comes not home ſufficiently; though it may hold in regard of Pharaoh, and his people making one body, or in regard of a Maſter and his family that make but one body, or of a Father and his childe; becauſe as Aquinas ſaith, The childe is part of the parent.
But how doth it hold when men are in the ſame ranke and condition, and multitudes of them are puniſhed for one mans ſin?
Therefore to ſalve it fully; know that there is a double impulſive cauſe of puniſhment.
Firſt, that that is called pro foreign.
Secondly, pro foreign.
Not to perplex you with the nycities of the Schooles, theſetwo cauſes differ thus, as the cauſe and the occaſion. To put an inſtance. A man that hath fed full a long time, comes to have a pletory fulneſſe of crude, and raw humours in his ſtomach. It falls out that this party riding after in the wet, taking cold, he begins to ſhiver and ſhake; and after he falls into a durable laſting Feaver. If the Phyſitian be a wiſe and underſtanding man, aske him what was the proper cauſe of this ſickneſſe? and he will tell you the inward ill humours of the body, and the abounding of them: yet it is like enough, that it had not turned to a Feaver ſo ſoone, if he had not tooke cold of his feet, or beene ſome way troubled in his journey. So when God brings puniſhment upon people, the proper cauſe is in every mans ſelfe. There are perſonall ſins inevery man to make him obnoxious to the curſe of God; yet may the ſinnes of the father, or parent, or neighbour be the occaſion that God will puniſh ſin.
So that we ſay, the perſonall ſinnes of men, are the primary, internall, antecedent diſpoſitive cauſe of Gods judgements; but the ſinnes of other men, they may bee the externall irritating, exitating cauſe of Gods judgements; for theſe are the tearmes of the Schoole-men.
And this helpes to ſalve that great queſtion, Why the children are puniſhed for the fathers ſinnes? For God in juſt judgement oft-times gives up the chile to follow the ſteps of the father. There is ſomething in nature: for eſpecially thoſe ſinnes that are ſenſuall, that ſymbolize with the predominant humour in the body, may prove oft as diſeaſes in the body, hereditary.
Secondly, ſometimes example, that workes much vitius corrumpunt vitia &c. examples that are ſo neare us often corrupt ſooner, and taint deeper.
Sometime education may helpe; the father may inſtruct his childe in Idolatry, in the rudiments of covetouſneſſe, and the like. So, many beggars bring up their children to idleneſſe, and theeving.
But ſuppoſe the childe be free from the fathers iniquity which hee hath committed; yet he hath ſinnes enow of his owne that may juſtly cauſe the wrath of God towards him; yet it may be when he ſhall be puniſhed in ſuch a time, in ſuch a meaſure, and manner, and other circumſtances, the ſinnes of the father may be the occaſion of the childs puniſhment; the remembrance of that may cauſe God to puniſh him at that time, and with thoſe circumſtances.
Now for the uſe of this to our ſelves; it lets us ſee, Beloved, (if a multitude may be puniſhed for one mans ſinne) what a miſchiefe a wicked man is to the place he lives in. For as it is with the childe of God, he is a great bleſſing whereſoever he comes, as God ſaid of Abraham, Thou ſhalt be a bleſsing, Gen. 12. So was Lot, he was the party that bare the Sodomites all the time that he was among them, Gen. 19. So you ſhall finde that had there beene tenne good perſons in all thoſe Cities they had beene ſpared. The innocent man delivers the Iſland, Iob 22.30. and reprieves it from the ſentence that is gone out againſt it. Abab hath ſo much ſenſe that he thinkes he ſhall be the better by Ieboſhaphats accompanying him to the battell. And all the people fared the better for St. Pauls going in the ſhip, Act. 27. Saith St. Ambroſe, Good men are the wall of the Country, and St. Chryſoſtome ſaith, They are the marrow of the Country.
On the other ſide, a wicked man is a plague, and a curſe to the place he lives in; let him be never ſo noble, never ſo honourable, or potent, or wealthy; if he bee a prophase man hee labours to haſten Gods judgements on the place he is in. We read of one Byas the Philoſopher that travelling in a ſhip in a tempeſt, with a great number of odd fellowes; ſome of them very rakeſhames and naught; they began in the tempeſt, in that extremity (as men will doe) to call upon the gods: he comes to them, and ſaith unto them with ſome jeſt, not in earneſt, ſaith he, Hold your peace, leſt the Gods take knowledge that you are here, and not only you, but we ſuffer for your ſakes. And the Hiſtory ſaith, That Iohn the Evangeliſt when he came into the Bath where Cerinthus was, he got out preſently; his reaſon was leſt the Bath ſhould fall for that mans ſake.
Many a wicked man, being challenged for his impiety, and not able to excuſe or juſtifie it any way; yet he hath thus much to ſay; What need you trouble your ſelfe about me, I hurt none but my ſelfe?
Alas, God knowes, if it were no more, it were too much that a man with Saul, ſhould fall upon his owne ſword. Vtinam vel ſic &c. as St. Auſten ſaith, I would to God it were no more; but if thou be a wicked man, thou hurteſt not only thy ſelfe, but more; (I ſpeake not of thy example ſo much) thou ingageſt the place thou liveſt in to the wrath of God, thou pulleſt it down.
The City of Abell entertained Sheba, 2 Sam. 20. It had like to coſt them all their blood: for if the head of that Traitor had not beene throwne over the wall, the edge of Ioabs ſword had fallen upon the whole City. And if the people had not ſeparated themſelves from the Tents of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, they had been involved in the ſame judgement, Num. 16.
Therefore it behoves the children of God nearly to take heed what company they conſort with; not only in regard of ſuſpition, that they may not be ſuſpected to be ſuch as they converſe with; but in regard of infection: for ſinne is as taking as the plague. Thirdly, in regard of the malediction. Therefore in Revel. 18. God ſaith, Come out of her my people, that yee be not partakers of her ſinnes, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
There is a humour in ſome people in the world; if the ſeat be pleaſant, or extraordinary commodious and profitable, they will caſt themſelves into the place though the inhabitants be as full of ſinne as may be. It was the humour of Lot, he liked the plaine of Iordan well, and thought Sodome as the garden of Eden; thought he, My lot is fallen in a good ground, he looked not to the inhabitants: but hee rued it after. So, all thoſe that for pleaſure, or profit caſt themſelves among the wicked, certainly they ſhall be ſcorched with thoſe flames that the wicked are apt to kindle where they dwell.
The ſecond Uſe, ſince God takes occaſion by one mans ſinne to puniſh many, and yet thoſe not without fault; It ſhould teach us to acknowledge when God puniſheth us that it is juſt, and that we our ſelves deſerve it what ever the occaſion be. Seneca tells a ſtory of Piſon a Roman Generall, he commanded a Souldier to be put to death; becauſe he returned without his fellow that went out with him to the Campe, and ſaid he killed him becauſe hee miſt him. The Captaine that had order to put the fellow to death, eſpying the man comming that was miſſing ſtayed the execution: Therefore Piſon put all three to death. What was his reaſon? Saith hee to the firſt, I have condemned you already, I will nor reverſe my judgement. Saith he to the ſecond man you ſhall dye, becauſe of your going away, and expoſing your fellow to death. And to the Centurion, you ſhall dye, becauſe you know not what it is to obey a Generall. So ſaith Seneca, he buſied his head to finde ſome cauſe, becauſe there was none. But it need not be ſo with God, he need not buſie his braine to finde cauſe to puniſh any of us that can pretend the greateſt innocency: for our owne thoughts, words, and deeds (God knowes) miniſter hourely occaſion and knowledge.
Therefore I ſay, whenſoever it pleaſeth God to lay his hand on us, though another may be the occaſion, yet juſtifie God in his ſayings, and cleare him when he is judged. All the difference is but this, as you ſee it is with a company of fellons, that have committed robberies in ſeveral places of the County, they are all brought to the ſame Gaol; they are all arraigned at the ſame bar, they all periſh at the ſame tree: ſo God gathers the ſins of men, it may be upon ſome occaſion, and puniſheth them all together; but they have ſins enow of their owne in particular that expoſe them to wrath; therefore let us ever acknowledge that God is juſt.
I have heard and read of that ſaying of Prince Henry in the time of his ſickneſſe, that ſame delitiae humanae, as it is ſaid of Titus (whoſe death was to this Kingdome as ſo much of the beſt blood let out of the veines of Iſrael) when it was told him that the ſinnes of the people cauſed that affliction on him. O no, ſaith he, I have ſins enow of mine owne. So ſhould we all confeſſe, though God take occaſion by another mans ſinne, and by the neglect of another perſon to fire my houſe, yet God hath juſt cauſe to bring it on me. God had cauſe againſt the ſeventy thouſand that dyed of the plague, though Davids ſin were the occaſion; yet there was a meritorious cauſe in them. So, though Pharaoh ſinned, yet all theſe Egyptians were not without fauſt; for they hated the Iſralites, and without doubt were glad of the hard meaſure of the people of God; therefore they juſtly ſuffered. Though the hardneſe of Pharaohs heart were the occaſion, yet there was cauſe in the people. All the borders and confines of Egypt were ſmitten. So much for that.
The next clauſe is, The river ſhall bring forth frogs.
Marke it well: The river, why muſt this abundance of noyſome creatures come out of the river rather then other places? God by his word, could have brought infinite thouſands more then here were; yet God will make the river the inſtrument of the vengeance; for two cauſes, ſaith Theodoret upon my Text.
Firſt, for the confidence that the Egyptians had in their river.
Secondly, for the cruelty that they exerciſed in the river. I will touch both theſe briefly.
Firſt, for the confidence they had in the river: for my Authour ſaith, That Nylum pro Deo &c. they accounted the river Nylus as a God. And indeed Solynus in Plinie, and others ſay, they afforded divine honour to this River, and worſhipped the Crocodiles that were found in it. Certainly they were very proud of it: for in Ezek. 29.3. the Prophet brings Pharaoh in thus; he compares him to a Dragon lying in the midſt of the river; and ſaying, The river is mine, I have made it for my ſelfe: proudly and inſolently. So Lucan ſpeakes of it, Egypt, ſaith he, non indigam, mercis &c. Egypt needs no commerce with other Nations; it needs not the heavens, they have ſuch confidence in Nylus that river. I, in the time of the Romans, they were ſo proud of their river, and the benefit by the ſame, that they ſtood not to ſay that the plenty and famine of the world, depended on them. And Herodotus ſaith of one of the Kings of Egypt, that he ſaid he thought that neither God nor man could take away his Kingdome. Therefore it was juſt with God to puniſh them in the ſtaffe of their confidence. My obſervation is this; That In that that a man is moſt troud of, and beares himſelfe moſt on, and is confident in, in that uſually, God ſends his judgement.
I will prove it to you. What confidence had the Philiſtins in Dagon, eſpecially after they had ſurpriſed the Arke? they attributed the conqueſt to that Idoll: what ſaid they, Shall any Nation ſtand out now the God of Iſrael is conquered? No: God let them ſleepe in their confidence, but the next morning they may read their folly in the floore. How confident were the Philiſtins of Goliah; they outbraved all the hoaſt of Iſrael for that monſter? you ſee what became of them; how God puniſhed them in him. How proud and confident was Sennacherib of his Army, as we ſee in the Kings and in Iſaiah; ſee how God met with him, and debaſed and diſabled him, he ruined 185000. in one night, that in the morning he found he reckoned without his hoſt.
In experience is it not found that many a man hath been proud of his wealth? David ſpeakes of the ſcornfull of their wealth, and the ſpite of the proud; ſo hard it is for a man to digeſt his felicity. God hath plagued him in that he hath been proud of; either he hath taken his wealth from him, or him from his wealth. Nay, it may be his eyes have ſeen theeves and robbers take them by violence.
Another hath beene proud of his dwelling as the Philiſtins were of their rocke, God puniſhed them in that, and made their pallace, and habitation a flame over their eares.
Many men have been proud of their honour, and outbraved the world for their greatneſſe, as we have ſeen of late: God hath made that to ſinke them, God hath ſo cauſed the people to envy them that their honour hath been laid in the duſt, and they have not had common pity. Many have been proud of their wit: God hath made it as Vriahs letter the inſtrument of their deſtruction; and their plots have beene their ruine. Many have beene proud of their memory, God hath ſmitten them in that. Many have beene proud of their legges, God hath made them bedred. Many have been proud of their eye-ſight, God hath puniſhed them in that with blindneſſe.
Many have beene proud of their beauty; ſee how God hath dealt with them: it may be he hath made them expoſed to ſpirituall temptations; and they have confeſſed, if they had beene leſſe faire, they had beene more ſafe. It may be he hath brought ſome foule diſeaſe on them that hath taken away their feature. Some people have been proud of their children, and doated on them in an extraordinary manner; and that childe that they have moſt loved hath proved the greateſt croſſe. There was the ſootſteps of this in Iacob (no doubt but he rued it after.) No man can deny, but that it is lawfull to love him in whom he ſeeth, as Ambroſe ſaith, the greateſt tokens of vertue; yet the expreſſion of it to excite emulation in the other brethren was not juſtifiable. So David doated upon Adoniah, he was the childe that rebelled in his old age.
There is great reaſon for this: for when the Lord ſees men powre out themſelves upon theſe things of the world; it cannot bee without diminution of the reſpect that we owe to him; and he being jealous of his honour, who can wonder if he ſmite them in that thing that riſeth as a rivall … him? If a man bee ſmitten as Abſolom was in his haire, who will wonder if hee were proud of it? If a poore bird come to a bough, and hope for reſt, and finde it ſelfe limed to its undoing; who will wonder at it when things priſed, and loved, and overloved, and God neglected, if they prove our ruine?
Therefore take heed of ſetting your heart and confidence on the things of the world; and being proud of them: for God will make them ſo farre unſerviceable; he will make them as the reed of Egypt, not only to faile, but to runne into your hands and hearts. Whatſoever in the world if thou pride thy ſelfe in it, and prize it too high, looke for a croſſe in it.
Nay, let me goe further, if it be grace it ſelfe, I would not have thee proud of it, and preſume on it: for certainly, God can bring a cloud quickly between thee and thy ſunne, and bring thee to thoſe diſtractions, and diſſertions, that thou ſhalt be puniſhed for thy pride. On the other ſide; if a man love God firſt, and truſt things in, and for him. Firſt, he will be pleaſed with it. Secondly, it will be a meanes to keepe theſe things to us. Thirdly, if God take them we ſhall digeſt the miſſe of them eaſily: For when God removes them, we are infinitely diſtracted: Why? becauſe we were fond in the uſe of them; nay, we make Idols of them. If we would afford God the firſt place, and not pride our ſelves in theſe things, we might have had more comfort, I am ſure leſſe ſorrow.
The ſecond reaſon why this river muſt bring forth theſe frogs, becauſe of the cruelty they exerciſed in it: So ſaith Theodoret: Ebulierunt &c. It abounded with frogs even for the poore children that were caſt into it. And the ſame Author ſaith, There was ſome ſutableneſſe betweene the ſinne and the puniſhment: for ſaith he, The poore children that were caſt into it, they were like frogs; for the children were not able to ſtand alone, therefore they were faine to goe upon all foure. I follow him not upon that. My obſervation ſhall be this; That In that way, and in theſe things, wherein men have ſhewed cruelty, God puniſheth them uſually.
Adonibezek cut off the thumbs both of the hands and feet of ſeventy Kings, himſelfe was ſo puniſhed (and hee confeſſeth) juſtly, for he had ſerved others ſo, Iudg. 1. Agags ſword had made many a mother childleſſe, and he was puniſhed by the ſword, 1 Sam. 5. you may think that Goliahs ſword had been bathed in blood, his owne ſword cut off his owne head, 1 Sam. 17. In the ſame place where Naboth was ſtoned to death, the dogges licked the bloud of Ahab. So you find that Haman upon the ſame Gibbet was executed that was intended for Mordecai. The ſame Lions that Daniel was thrown unto, conſumed his accuſers. Euſebius tells us, That the river, and that falſe bridge that Maxentius thought to have trapped Conſtantine by, was that upon which his Army ſuncke to the bottome. And the Tripartite hiſtory tells us of one Eutropius, under Arcadia the Emperour, that becauſe he had a minde to puniſh thoſe people that did flye to the Temples; he deſired the King to make a law that none might be priviledged by flying to the Sanctuary; and he being obnoxious to the Kings diſpleaſure was ſlaine, though he did flye to the Temple. Optatut ſaith of the Donatiſts, they gave the Euchariſt to dogs, and they tore them. Plutarch ſaith of Caſsius, hee ſtabbed himſelfe with the dagger with which he had ſtabbed another. And St. Auſten obſerves, that in Ieruſalem, and and at the Paſſeover, was the deſtruction of the Jewes by Titus the ſame time and place, where they crucified Chriſt.
The Uſe therefore is thus much:
Firſt, that we abſtaine by this meanes from ſinne; let but a man thinke beforehand, would I be ſerved in ſuch a manner? let me not doe it to another, leſt I look for the ſame ſawce. Would I have another man to violate my bed? why ſhould I be injurious to him? would I bee content to have my children diſobedient hereafter? why ſhould I being a childe, be diſobedient to my parents? would I be content to have theeving ſervants, when I am for my ſelfe? why then ſhould I for the preſent be unfaithfull to my Maſter? would I bee content to have dead flyes throwne into my oyntment? why ſhould I ſlander other men in their reputation? would I be content to have my poſſeſſion took from me, or my children by violence? why ſhould I doe ſo to others? we love our ſelves ſo well that we will not ſuffer theſe things: let us take heed of doing them: for Gods word, and experience makes it good, that God uſually payes men in their owne coyne.
In the ſecond place; let it be as an antidote againſt private revenge: doth God puniſh the ſame way? then whenſoever we ſuffer injuries, let us reflect upon our ſelves, whether we have beene wrong doers in the like kinde or no. And if it be ſo that God doth not only lay judgements on us, but makes them ſo fit, and ſo pat for our old offences; be content and ſubmit to the will of God. Solomon ſaith, Thou ſhouldeſt not heare every word they ſervant ſpeakes againſt thee; It may be thou alſo haſt ſlandered others. As if he ſhould ſay, Be ſatisfied if it be ſo. But if a man reflect on his former courſe and be not guilty, that hee have not done that to others, that hee would not have others doe to him; yet revenge not, uſurpe not Gods right: for what ſaith the Spirit of God in Revel. 13. They that lead into captivity, ſhall be led into captivity: this is the patience of the Saints. That is, herein the patience of the Saints is exerciſed, that they wait on God till he right their quarrell, that he will doe in his time to his glory, and the confuſion of their adverſaries. Theſe poore Iſraelites, all the time that their children were caſt into the river, they reſiſted not, they freely remitted their cauſe to God; and you ſee now, though it were long after, God comes, and that very river that choaked theſe children, was made the matter of ſo many frogs to infeſt Egypt; not only to putrifie the river, but to annoy the Country, and all their borders. So much of that clauſe.
The next clauſe is, The river ſhall bring forth frogs abundantly that ſhall goe up or aſcend.
Plinie, in his Naturall hiſtory tells us of two ſorts of frogs. There were thoſe that were called Rubedi, that have their name, becauſe they live in buſhes, and briers among the brambles. The other ſort were called Calamits, becauſe they live among reeds and ſuch things, that uſually have a watry foundation, that grow in the waters. Theſe kinde of frogs here, were thoſe that came out of Nylus, and ſuch as had the water for their proper element. Yet it is ſaid here, They ſhall come up: They ſhall leave their place before that was proper, and naturall to them, and againſt their kinde and nature, come out to dry land to annoy Gods enemies. Whence obſerve The overruling power that God hath over all creatures, to make them obey his will contrary to their owne naturall inclination, and common courſe.
It is the property of the fire to aſcend; yet the fire deſcended upon Sodome to conſume them. It is the property of the fire to burne, yet in obedience to God, hee commanded the fire not to burne; but to the three children it was as a coole arbour to walke in, ſaith Baſile. The water it ſelfe is ſo liquid a nature, that it was ſtrange to ſee it contrary to nature to runne upon heapes, to make way for the Iſraelites to paſſe, Exod. 14 Ioſephus may talke of the Pampillians ſea dividing; he injures the worke of God to compare it with a fabulous diſcourſe. It is contrary to the nature of the waters to runne on heaps, and to be a wall as it was then to them. And ſo Iordan when the people of God were to paſſe it ranne upon heaps; What ayled thee, O Iordan, that thou ranneſt backe? The waters ſaw thee, O God, and fled. It was the overruling power of God.
So in Elias, what a thing above nature, and againſt it was it, that a Raven muſt feed Eliah? The Raven is ſuch a creature, as is not indulgent to its owne: nay if God ſhould not provide for them, Pſal. 145. He feeds the young ravens, ſhe would not regard them. Ariſtotle and Plinie both, ſay of her, that ſhe caſts her young out of her neſt, let them ſhift for themſelves if they will; yet this creature muſt bring Eliah meat. That whereas it is ſo ravenous, that it would rather ſnatch from men their meat, then bring them any; yet they muſt doe it, and ſo obey God.
So, that Elias ſhould be carried to heaven in a whirlewind. They that know the nature of a whirlewind know that it moves not regularly, much leſſe upward; it runnes round in a tumultuous manner. But againſt the nature of it, God makes it carry him up to heaven. So the viper that lighted upon Pauls hand, againſt the nature of it, it hurt him not. What is more naturall for a viper then to bite and ſting? yet it did not hurt him, but he ſhakes it off free, Act. 28. So wicked men, what is more naturall then for them to play the beaſts with the children of God? for thoſe are the beaſts that St. Paul fought with; yet ſometimes God, contrary to their corrupt nature, makes them doe good offices to Gods children. Nay, the Devill himſelfe, that roaring Lion; all the world knowes that he deſires to do nothing but miſchiefe; for when he is doing good he findes no reſt, Mat. 12. yet God overrules him, and makes him contrary to his nature to depart and diſpoſſeſſeth him.
For the Uſe of it: Let us firſt tremble at the great power of God, and ſtand in awe, and not ſinne. God hath a wonderfull power, he can command all creatures; and whatſoever their naturall inclination be, and we thinke them harmleſſe, God can make them hurtfull, contrary to their common courſe. God is able to bring creatures from the place where their proper element is, to thoſe places where they never were before, to plague his enemies.
Secondly, I would we could learne obedience from the creatures: they contrary to their natures obey God. It is not ſo with men: for if things runne not in their owne ſtraine, but are contrary to their inclinations, by no meanes they will doe it; let God ſay what he will.
Hence it is that the yoake of God is ſo heavy: hence it is that the Commandements of God, becauſe they are againſt corrupt nature, are grievous. Hence it is that mortification is ſo ſevere a taske. Hence it is that ſuffering of affliction in a good cauſe is ſo troubleſome, that the fleſh ſaith as Peter, Maſter be good to thy ſelfe: but we ſhould remember who hath ſaid, If you will be my diſciples, you muſt deny your ſelves. Nature muſt be ſubdued, and ſuppreſſed, and all the fond reaſons of the ſame, and a man muſt captivate himſelfe in obedience to God Almighty.
This blinde obedience is lawfull, as Abraham followed God, not knowing whither be went. Shall I leave my fatneſſe, ſaith the Olive? Shall I leave my ſweetneſſe, ſaith the Fig-tree? Shall I leave all to obey God? Shall I leave my Country as Abraham did; and ſacrifice my Iſaak? Shall I cut off my hand, and ſacrifice my life, ſo I may be obedient to God? I know nature is ſtrong, it is hard for a man to conquer it: but let me tell you the truth, Fleſh and bloud cannot enter into heaven: Therefore all private reſpects muſt be neglected that God may bee obeyed. I haſten to an end. And they ſhall come up into thine houſe,
In the former Chapter it is ſaid, that when Pharaoh ſaw the waters turned into bloud, he returned to his houſe. Marke, how God followes him; God ſaith, The frogs ſhall come into his houſe. It is like enough for the judgement that was before inflicted, though it were ſeven dayes together; hee might have wine and other juyces to quench his thirſt, and he was not ſo ſenſible of the calamity as the common ſort: but God comes cloſe, hee followes him to his houſe, that would not be warned abroad.
How hard is it for a man to flye from the judgements of God.
It is ſo impoſſible for a man to flye from the judgements of God, that the Lord ſaith to Elia, 1 King. 17.19. He that flyeth from the ſword of Hazael, ſhall Iehu ſlay, and he that flyeth from the ſword of Iehu, ſhall Eliſha ſlay. So a man cannot flye from judgement, if God have marked him for vengeance. In Iſay 24.16, 17. ſaith the Lord, There ſhall be a feare, and a pit, and a ſnare unto you, O ye inhabitants of the earth. He that eſcapes the noyſe of the feare, ſhall fall into the pit; and when he is come out of the pit from the bottome, he ſhall fall into the ſnare. So here is a ſucceſſion of judgements; a man can never get out if God have marked him for vengeance. So in Amos 5.19. The Prophet deſcribes a man hunted out by Gods vengeance thus, He ſhall be as if he did flye from a Lion, and a Beare met him; and as if he eſcaped the Beare, and were got to his owne houſe, he ſhould leane upon the wall, and a Serpent ſhould bite him. So there is no freedome whereſoever. If he get into his owne houſe, and ſhut the doore, a Serpent in the wall ſhall bite him. So he that flyes ſhall not eſcape, if he flye to the top of Carmel, and hide him there. No, though a man goe to the bottome of the Sea and hide him, there is an eye of providence, a Serpent to bite him: there is no flying from the judgements of God. Adrm may flye among the buſhes, but God will pull him out to his deſerved puniſhment. Cain may flye from place to place, and build Cities, and thinke to keep himſelfe from being a vagabond, but he muſt be a runnagate. So Ionah may flye from the preſence of God, but God hath a meſſenger to diſpatch after him, that was a tempeſt, with a ſhrewd meſſage in its mouth. And mark what the Barbarians ſaid of Paul, Act. 28. See, though God hath ſuffered him to eſcape the ſea, vengeance hath followed him to the land. Though a man may eſcape this, and that judgement; he ſhall one time or other be caught: God will follow him to his owne home.
God hath many hands, therefore a man cannot eſcape him; it is not diſtance that can ſave him; he hath a long hand, and a heavy hand, there is no eſcaping from God; God can diſpatch a meſſage whereſoever a man goes. If Pharaoh bee in the field there is bloud; if in the houſe there are frogs. I told you of a Biſhop that flouted the poore Chriſtians, and called them rats; the rats followed him, and at laſt got into his Caſtle in the middeſt of the Sea, and there they ſmote and conſumed him. God will not ſuffer a man to be free, let him uſe all the meanes of ſafety he can.
Let us make our peace with God; there is no ſecurity but in being reconciled to God Almighty, let us ever ſeeke to him. We have knowne thoſe that have lived out of the favour of God, and in defiance to him in prophane courſes; that have proſpered in nothing, vengeance hath hunted them, they could be quiet no where. They ſay there is one of the furies called Ichma that followes men ſtep by ſtep, and makes every thing unproſperous. Other men have eſcaped from time to time, but God hath found them out at the laſt. As Moſes ſaith, There is no flight from God Almighty.
David tooke a good courſe, I would we could doe ſo, Pſal. 143.9. I flye to thee, O God, to hide me. Flye to God, not from God, make him thy protection, under his wings thou ſhalt be ſafe; live in the feare, and obedience of his holy Name; and then the field, and the houſe, and the chamber, and the deſart ſhall be all one; thou ſhalt not feare though thou walke in the ſhadow of death. But if thou live in a contemptuous courſe againſt God, it will bee juſt with God that thou ſhouldeſt feare where no feare is. And if the Lord ſuſpend the execution of judgement for a time; at laſt all thy feares ſhall be put together, when thou ſhalt be ſummoned to judgement, and then it will be in vaine to ſay, O let the hills and mountaines fall upon me. Saith the Father, It is impoſſible to hide, and intollerable to appeare; For every man muſt be brought forth to give an account for what he hath done in the fleſh whether it be good or evill.