Judgment and Mercy, Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON VponUpon EXOD. CHAP. 8.
VERS. 3.
And they ſhall come up into thine houſe, and into thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, and into the houſe of thy ſervants, and upon thy people; and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs.
WEE go on now in the further amplification of the judgement. It is ſaid here, They ſhall come into thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed. They ſhall not only come out of the river, and come into a ſtrange ſoile; but they ſhall come to annoy thee, not only into thy houſe, the lower parts of it, but into thy bed-chamber; and they ſhall not content themſelves with the floore, but they ſhall climbe up to thy bed; that even then when thou ſhouldeſt reſt, thou ſhalt bee annoyed with theſe baſe creatures. How ever ſome tranſlate the word here bed, for ſuch beds as they uſed to eat their meat upon; yet this word ſignifies ſuch beds as men reſt on: and being joyned here with bed chamber; bed, and bed chamber I make no queſtion, but it was ſuch a bed as Pharaoh uſed take his reſt on in the night.
And this aggravates the judgement extreamly: If he might have beene quiet in the night, which is the time that nature hath allotted to reſt; and the time where in a man hopes by reſt, and ſleep to forget the cares and ſorrowes of the day, and to be refreſhed and comforted; yet God tells him, that theſe creatures ſhall come in this place where he meanes to repoſe himſelfe, and ſhall diſturbe him where he would take reſt.
Doe you but judge what a kinde of judgement this was; if the chamber you lye in ſhould be full of toads and frogs, that you were ſcarce able to ſtep beſides them; that they ſhould continually leap upon your bodies, and upon your beds, as if they would enter into your bodies; for ſo the Jewes thinke that the frogs entred into the mouthes of many of them as they ſlept: but I ſtand not upon that. I note and obſerve that God threatneth this diſturbance in the night to Pharaoh when he ſhould reſt. It may be obſerved not only that, Ged is able to puniſh in the night as well as in the day: But that God makes his judgements ſo much the more terrible by bringing them in the night. For this circumſtance of time addes wondrouſly to the weight of this judgement. When God would bring that fearfull judgement upon Egypt, the laſt and greateſt, that decimus fluctus, the tenth wave that was the mightieſt of all other, The ſlaughter of the firſt bourne; God did it in the night, in the dead of the night. The text ſaith Exod. 12.31. Pharaoh, and all his ſervants aroſt, and there was acry through the land of Egypt: for there was not a houſe where there was not one ſlaine. O fearfull! a man to bee awaked out of his dead ſleep with ſuch a crie, and ſuch a generall crie; and ſuch a crie for which there was ſuch a cauſe, a generall lamentation of the land of Egypt; and Pharaoh himſelfe was not free: this made the wound deep. In 2 King. 7. the Aſſyrians were ſlaine in the night, for by breake of the day they were all gone; they heard noyſes in the night.
You know if a man be awaked out of his ſleepe with a noyſe of fire, and heare a generall crie in the ſtreet, it amazeth him, and ſends his bloud backe to his heart to nouriſh that, it makes his haire ſtand an end. So it was with them to heare a noyſe of chariots. So when God would aggravate his judgement againſt Sennacherib, though all his people went well to their reſt; yet before morning there was ſo many ſlaine: They were all dead corpſes in the morning. David in Pſal. 91.5. ſpeaks of the terrours of the night. I will not tell you what they are, they are different and various, as one reckons up a great many of them. Terrours of the night there be, and fearfull affrightings, and therefore the greater, becauſe they are in the night.
It hath beene the opinion of no meane men of the Church that Chriſt ſhall come at the laſt judgement in the night. Lactantius ſaith ſo, more then once; that hee ſhall come in the darke night; and he cites a verſe of the Sibills to that purpoſe, Amids the darke night. Ierome inclines to this opinion. And Caſidor upon the 118. Pſa. ſaith, That it was commonly received among the Chriſtans that it ſhould be ſo. They build upon the time, becauſe the firſt-borne in Egypt were ſlaine in the night. And (it may be) becauſe our Bleſſed Saviour was apprehended in the night to be brought to judgement, therefore his laſt judgement ſhall ſeize upon men in the night, and they build it upon the Parable in the Goſpell: Chriſt ſhall come as a thiefe in the night. And two being in a bed, one ſhall be taken, and the other left. And ſo of the Bridegroomes comming, There ſhall be a crie at midnight, Mat. 25. But this is no firme ground, and therefore I dare not ſtand upon it. Certainly Chriſt hath made that uncertaine, whether it ſhall be at evening or at midnight, or at Cock crowing, or at the dawning of the day, as himſelf ſaith.
Againe, it is againſt the principles of Nature; for it is not midnight to all the world at one time: for when it is midnight to us, the Sunne to other people is in the verticle point, at noone day. Therfore except the judgement ſhall be at ſeverall times, this will not hold.
And if we goe by probability, as Scotus ſaith, why ſhould we not thinke it ſhall be at that time when Chriſt roſe, that is, in the morning? or when he aſcended; or when hee expired and gave out his laſt breath on the croſſe?
But it may well be that Chriſt would ſhew us the uncertainty of his comming. And I may adde withall (to come to the point I obſerved) to ſhew the terror of his comming to judgement in the night; it is more terrible.
I appeale to any of you that have had an accute Feaver, if the night hath not more troubled you? The day is comfortable, the night is unpleaſing; and there are variety of objects, and intercourſe of friends, and talking one with another, that mitigate the paine that a man is deprived of in the night. I will not draw the threed of this loope further, but come to make uſe of it.
God makes his judgements fearfull to Pharaoh in his bed chamber, in the night. Let us night and day feare God. Let us ever know that hee is able to afflict us, not only (as he did them) in our bodies: but as in Deat. 28.67. They ſhall feare (ſaith the Holy Ghoſt) and in the evening ſhall ſay, would God it were morning, for the feare that ſhall be upon them. God is able to bring frogs into a mans bed as he did to Pharaohs to diſturbe him, faith Iob: When I ſaid my bed ſhall comfort not, then thou didſt terrifie me, Iob 7.13. And in verſe 3. he ſpeaks of weariſome nights. And what ſaith David, Pſal. 77. In the night ſeaſon my ſore ran and ceaſed not. The night was a trouble to him as well as the day, and more too, Sufficient to the day is the evill thereof, ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 6. I would God the day were ſufficient for the evill, but even in the night ſeaſon griefes are continued and improved. The ſafe mantle of the night, that covers much wickedneſſe. Thoſe ſonnes of flarkneſſe ruſh upon Chriſt at midnight. Theeves riſe in the night and doe miſchiefe: Aulus Gellius, ſaith, They doe their wickedneſſe in the darke. Licentiouſneſſe marcheth in the night. Solomon ſaw the young man goe to the whore in the darke. Iob ſaith, The drunkards watch for the twilight. Paul ſaith, They that are drunke are drunke in the night. I confeſſe the times were more modeſt then they are now; for now that fin is become Daemon meridianus, a noon day Devill; for men can make indentures in the ſtreets, by the third hour of the day.
But now if men would conſider that as they take liberty to ſinne in the night, ſo God is able to puniſh them in the night as well as in the day, it would be a meanes to reſtraine them. God is able to make the night more uncomfortable by farre then the day. Hee can take thy reſt from thee that thou ſhalt tumble, and toſſe upon thy bed, and that many nights together till thou grow wild, and ſpeake as frantickly, and as diſtempered as a man in Bedlam. God can make thy bed thy racke; he is able to ſend thee ſuch a diſeaſe as is able to be improved in the night, and thy torment ſhall increaſe. When other men take their repoſe thy paine ſhall keepe thee waking.
Therefore in the name of God, be fearfull of offending him: thinke upon God in the night; thinke thy ſelfe alway in his preſence, and in his eye; not only in the day, when civill honeſty may keepe thee good; but in the night when none but the eye of God looks on thee.
And that I may not make another point of it becauſe it falls in with this; As thou muſt thinke of God in the night, and ſtand in awe of him; let thy bed-chamber bee privy to it at all times.
God plagued Pharaoh in his bed chamber: It may be becauſe he would ſhew that his judgements can penetrate the greateſt privacie; for the field, and the hall, and the bed chamber, and the cloſet, are all one to God.
It may be alſo in ſome proportion to the ſinne of Pharaoh. I will not ſpeake of his luſt in his bed-chamber, becauſe I have no ground for it; but it is more then probable that in his bed-chamber he hammered thoſe cruelties againſt the Iſraelites; therefore God might make this place uncomfortable to him.
The bed-chamber hath been noted to have been guilty of foule finnes. It was guilty of evill counſell in the King of Aſſyria againſt Iſrael, 2 King. 6.12. Eliſha diſcovered it. And in Mica 2.1. There are thoſe that imagine miſchiefe upon their beds.
It hath been guilty of licentiouſneſſe, Reuben clymbed up to his fathers bed, and ſo alienated his affection. And you know the tricke of Amnon, that counterfeited ſickneſſe, 2 Sam. 13. and perſwaded his father to ſend his ſiſter to make him cakes, and ſhe comming to his bed ſide, he drew her and forced her. Solomon Prov. 7. ſpeakes of the harlot that had decked her bed, and ſaith to the wilde young man, Let us take our fill of love till the morning. And St. Paul puts chambring and wantonneſſe together, Rom. 13. Chambering: The Syriack tranſlate it, uncleane ſleeping places.
Nay, let me goe further, in the ſtate of matrimony and faire wedlocke, the bed chamber may be made a place of ſinne. I may not, I dare not tell you how, leſt when I reprove ſinne I teach it. As wee chalenge the Popiſh Caſuiſts, that have brought ſinne to an Art; by diſcovering iniquitie, they teach men that that they never minded. This I may be bold to ſay, That it is a ſhame to ſpeak of the things that are done by ſome men in ſecret, Eph. 5. It is poſſible for a man to be drunke with the wine of his owne Cellar.
The bed-chamber is guilty of much uncharitableneſſe: for though they have ſo much civility as to draw themſelves farre enough from the hearing of their family, yet man and wife abuſe one another upon their beds, by diſgracefull ſpeeches, and ſo ſleep in uncharitableneſſe ofttimes. So alſo it hath been full of ſlandering of others; there is the place of cenſure. Therefore Solomon was cautious and wiſe, Eccleſ. 10.20. when God ſaid, Curſe not the King in thy bed-chamber.
Well, let mee renew my Exhortation. The bed-chamber as private as it is, let it be a ſanctified holy place; and let a man thinke, God may ſmite him there as he did Pharaoh. Iſhboſheth was wounded and ſlaine upon his bed, 2 Sam. 4. And God ſaith, The ſword ſhall enter into the chamber, Ierem. 21.14. Let a man thinke, the bed hee goes up to, may be the altar he ſhall be offered on. When he lyes downe to ſleep, he commends himſelfe to his elder brother death; and he may ſleep and ſleep his laſt: let him recommend himſelfe to God. If he have vacancie from ſleep that he cannot reſt, let him reflect on his owne wayes, and examin his heart, and be ſtill; ſpend the time in prayer to God, that that is his dormitorie, may be his or atorie.
Surely David conſidered theſe good thoughts when he made his chamber his chappell, and ſo ſhould every man; Gods judgements ſeize on him there, as we ſee it beſell Pharaoh, he viſited him in his bed-chamber.
It is like enough that it would not move Pharaoh much that his borders were filled with frogs; but they muſt come into his houſe, and into his bed-chamber. My obſervation is, The greateſt Princes in the world if they offend God, are not exempted from judgements. Thy bed chamber. It is not the greateſt honour, nor potencie, nor power that can priviledge them from judgement, Pſal. 76.12. Saith David there, God will be terrible to the Princes of the earth. And Pſal. 82. Te ſhall dye as men, and fall as one of the Princes. We have inſtances enow of this in Scripture. Abimelech ſinned, and was puniſhed, a great Prince. So Adonnibezeck. So likewiſe another Abimelech was ſlaine by a piece of a milſtone, Iudg. 9. So we read of Ahab, and Saul, and Iezebel, great Princes, mighty in their times. We finde it in Sennacherib that came againſt Ieruſalem with ſuch as hoaſt, a great Commander. And Nebuchadnezzar that walked upon his Babel, he had a great and large command; a great latitude of dominions. So in the third Herod, and all thoſe perſecuters of the Church, that as wilde Bores of the Wood, laboured to roote out the Vineyard of God.
Beloved, if there were no more that we did meet with of God making them the objects of his judgements then that they ſicken and dye, it were no great thing. For ſurely they conſiſt of the ſame principles that other inferiour perſons doe. When Daniel ſaid to Nebuchadnezzar, Live for ever, he meant another life; for in regard of his temporall life, he knew he was like his Image; though the head were of gold, the feet were of clay. Surely as they conſiſt of ſoule and body, as well as others; they have no ſtronger tyes and ligaments to keepe ſoule and body together then meaner men; they have no more power over their breath then other men; they are ſubject to ſickneſſe and caſualties. But wee ſpeake of them as they are the objects of Gods diſpleaſure. What may be the ground of this, that thoſe who are ſo great in the world, that the Lord ſhould get the conqueſt over them, and make them inſtances of his wrath?
There may be divers reaſons given of it.
Firſt, their ſinne, and not ſimply their ſinne; but as their perſons are advanced, ſo uſually their ſinnes are of the firſt magnitude. Thoſe that are great ſinne with a high hand, they thinke they may ſinne with priviledge: And they are apt to heare paraſiticall flatterers as Alexander had, that what likes them they may doe. As Iulia told Baſhiana, It was for them to give lawes, and not to take them. Therefore the Lord meets with them to humble the proud, to pull downe theſe arrogant ones, as in Iob 40. He pulls downe the mighty from their ſeat: As it was with Pharaoh here, that was in his ruffe before, Who is the Lord? But now hee findes a God higher then hee.
Secondly, Princes, and great perſons, are uſually exempted from the reproofe of men. As for the Lawes, oft-times they are as cobwebs, the great flyes breake through them: who dares ſay to a Prince, Thou art wicked? Nay, one ſaith concerning the Pope, it is not lawfull to ſay, Why doth he ſo? Now when they are not within the compaſſe of humane reproofe, God ſtrikes them. In Levit. 20. when the people winke at ſuch offences, Then will I ſet my face againſt him, and cut him off, ſaith the Lord; he will take the matter into his owne hands.
Thirdly, the puniſhment of great perſons makes more for the glory of God: for the greater the inſtances of Gods judgements be, the more remarkable is his juſtice, the more legible characters are read in the world of his impartiality. Therefore in Rom. 9.17. it is ſaid concerning Pharaoh, I have ſet thee up that I might magnifie my power, and that my name might be knowne to the ends of the earth. He ſet him up; as he would ſinne, ſo he made him an inſtance remarkable of his diſpleaſure, that all the world might feare and tremble. And indeed it went farre and neare; for the Prieſts of the Philiſtines when they conſulted about the Arke, ſaith, 1 Samuel 6. Harden not your hearts as Pharaoh, and the Egyptians did.
For the Uſe of it, it ſhould teach all great ones in the world to be wiſe, to kiſſe the Sonne laſt he be angry, and ſo they periſh from the right way. I know they are apt to know their eminency: Herod can eaſily entertaine the voyce of the people, The voyce of a God, and not of a man. And the ſtomach of the Pope is not ſo ſquemiſh; but he can digeſt that ſpeech, Thou art another God on earth. But they ſhall know that if they uſe their power to injuſtice, and doe that that is diſhonourable to the Prince of Princes, the Lord of Lords; the hand of God will be upon them, as well as upon the meaneſt ſubject. Nay, the more mighty they are, the more grievouſly they ſhall be afflicted; and though they be Gods before men, yet they are but men before God.
Let the Lord put them in the ballance, and ſinde them too light, He will blow them away with the breath of his diſpleaſure. Certainly, he will get him honour by the confuſion of thoſe that ſtand up in contumacy againſt him. To the greateſt of them all, it may be ſaid, as it is Heſt. 4.13. Thinkeſt thou to eſcape, though thou be in the Kings houſe, more then the reſt of the Iewes? So may I ſay, If thou be a Monarch of the whole earth, if thou irritate Gods diſpleaſure, thinkeſt thou to eſcape? I will build my neſt in the mountaines, ſaith the Edomite, who ſhall pull me downe? He that ſits in heaven ſhall laugh thee to ſcorne. He bindeth Kings in chaines, and Robles in fetters of Iron. He that threw downe Lucifer from being a Prince of light, ſo he ſhall ſerve thee.
In the ſecond place, it ſhould teach men of inferiour condition, and yet have ſomething to beare themſelves out with in the world. Be not proud, though thou have wealth, it may be honour above thy brethren; and art as Saul, higher by the head then thy fellowes, preſume not too much; thinke not to be free from judgements if thou offend: For if thou wouldeſt give ten thouſand rams, and a thouſand rivers of oyle; the fruit of thy body, for the ſinne of thy ſoule, it will not doe. Riches availe not in the day of wrath, but righteouſneſſe delivereth from death, Prov. 11.14. Here an under officer, or Sheriffe may bee feed to forbeare the execution of his office; but it is not ſo with the arreſt of God. If God ſay to the rich foole, This night ſhall they take away thy ſoule: the Subpaena will not be anſwered but with his appearance, if hee would give all his full barnes to be releaſed.
Thirdly, it is an item to all to admire Gods juſtice, and impartiality, and equity; that ſinites the tall Cedars, as well as the low ſhrubs and thiſtles. Should God avenge himſelf upon the common people that are called, Curſed, and connive at the ſinnes of Princes, there might bee ſome cauſe of wonder: but when God ſhall puniſh one as well as another, who ſhall dare to ſay, but his wayes are equall?
Fourthly, ſtand in awe to pleaſe him, if hee puniſh Princes, he will peſants; if he ſmite the high Towers, he will the inferiour. Zeph. 1.8. I will viſit the Princes, and in the ſame day, I will viſit all that leap upon the threſhold. If I begin with the Princes, I will goe lower, I am no excepter of perſons, I am impartiall; if they ſinne they ſhall be puniſhed. All before me are as the ſtubble from him that ſitteth on the Throne, to her that grindeth in the mill; they ſhall taſte of my wrath, they ſhall be ſure to drinke of the cup of my diſpleaſure according to their ſinnes, that doe not repent. So Samuel tells the people, If ye doe wickedly, ye and your King ſhall dye, 1 Sam. 13.25. So much if that.
And into the houſes, and on the beds of thy ſervants. What were theſe ſervants? They were either ſuch as attended upon the body of Pharaoh, that were neare to him; or ſuch as were officers of State, to whom the adminiſtration of publick buſineſſe was committed. Whether the one or the other, it is more then probable they were ſuch as applauded Pharaoh in his ill courſes againſt the Hebrewes, out of an inbred hatred againſt the Hebrewes; for every Hebrew was an abomination to the Egyptians. And likewiſe they were ſubſervient to the King in the execution of his wicked deſignes. And now, beloved, you may juſtifie God in his proceedings; that as he puniſheth the Maſter, ſo he puniſheth the ſervants.
It is juſt with God when men ſerve others in wickedneſſe, to puniſh the inſtruments as well as the principall. The ſervants as well as Pharaoh.
In Gen. 12. Abraham comes to Pharaohs Court, (another Pharaoh of Egypt) and it ſeemes his wife being beautifull, he was afraid that injury ſhould be offered him for her, and you know what he put into her mouth; and after it fell out that Pharaoh and all his houſe were plagued. Chryſoſtome makes the queſtion, Pharaoh tooke the woman into his houſe, Why ſhould his houſhold be plagued? why ſhould his ſervants ſuffer? The Father, as he makes, ſo he anſwers the queſtion: let men conſider what went before; how the Princes of Pharaoh commended the woman to him; they looked and ſurveyed her excellencie, and commended her to the King. Hee that conſiders this, ſaith Chryſoſtome, ſhall finde them foreign, that they played the tricke and part of Panders and procurers, baſe people that were ſervile and officious to the luſt of their Prince. So he ſaith, they did further and give their hand to helpe forward the wickedneſſe to be committed; therefore ſaith he, they juſtly and deſervedly ſuffered for that fact: ſo being agents and inſtruments of ſatisfying the Kings laſciviouſneſſe, it was juſt with God to wrap and involve them in the ſame judgement.
There is a lively inſtance in Iudg. 9. the men of Sechem did further the wicked deſigne of Abimelech, and lent him money to ſtrengthen him in his uſurpation. Now becauſe they were ſo officious in that wicked way that he was in, it was juſt with God that afterward they were puniſhed, and a fire did breake out of the houſe of Abimelech againſt Sechem, he ſlew them, and raſed their City, and ſowed it with ſait. As himſelfe afterward was puniſhed, ſo were they that were inſtruments.
Thoſe Captains with their fifty that attempted to apprehend Elija, 2 King. 1. A man would thinke they came upon a faire meſſage; when the King ſent for them they muſt come. But ſaith Toſtatus (for the juſtifying of God) they were Idolatrous; and it is likely they were ſuch people as were at the becke of the King, to ſerve him in baſe ſervices, therefore it was juſt that they were conſumed.
So Ioab, you know he ſerved the turne of David in ſetting Vriah in the front, the time came that his owne blood was ſhed; and though the cauſe be made by David for the ſlaughter of Abner, yet without doubt God put in the murther of Vriah; for therein hee ſerved the Kings luſt: for when the deed was done, and he was to give an account, ſaith he, If the King be angry, tell him that Vriah is ſlaine; as if he had ſaid, that will ſalve up all; he thought the King will thinke he is true in the great matter, therefore I will paſſe by the leſſer; that the King might ſee he was officious to him in that.
So in Zedechiah, that he might ſhew his officiouſneſſe to him that he knew hated Micaiah, he ſtrikes him upon the face. Was it not juſt with God according to the Propheſie of Micaiah, that he ſhould runne into a chamber to hide himſelfe, and finde no ſecurity?
So thoſe that were ſo officious to Nebuchadnezzar to throw the three children into the fire, it was juſt with God that the flame ſhould licke them in, and conſume them. St. Auſten in one of his Sermons de tempore, hath a conceit that thoſe children that called Eliſha Bald-pate, were ſet on by their parents; and if it were ſo, it was juſt with God that thoſe that were ſet on by their parents ſhould be puniſhed. So if Nicephorus ſay true, it was juſt that Herodias daughter ſhould dye as ſhee did; hee ſaith that ſhe ſlipped into the Ice, and the Ice cloſed and cut off her head: Being an inſtrument of ſo foule an act, it was juſt with God that ſhe ſhould ſuffer. It is juſt indeed that the inſtruments ſhould ſuffer as well as the principall upon this ground: For many a wickedneſſe would finde its owne grave, if there were not ſome inſtruments officious for feare, or favour, or gaine, to execute thoſe purpoſes. The luſt of David might have eaſily beene ſwaged perhaps if his ſervants had not beene ſo ready to fetch Bathſheba. And thoſe high Prieſts had not ſo ſoone wreaked their malice upon Chriſt, if Iudas had not been ſo ready to betray Chriſt. So that becauſe inſtruments are ſo ready to being forth wickedneſſe, that elſe would periſh, and come to nothing; it is juſt with God that the inſtruments ſhould ſuffer.
For the Uſe of it. In the name of God let us all fear to ſerve any other whoſoever that hath power over us in regard of ſinne, let them be what they will; if conſcience tell us it is unlawfull, take heed we ſerve them not in it: For it will not ſerve another day for Doeg to ſay, Saul bid me fall upon thoſe that wore linnen Ephods. It will not ſerve the Task maſters of Pharaoh to ſay, He enjoyned us to lay great burdens upon the Iſraelites. It will not ſerve Abſaloms ſervants to ſay, Our maſter commanded us to kill Amnon. It will not ſerve Herodias daughter to ſay, My mother bid me aske Iohn Baptiſts head in a platter. O no, Beloved, father and mother, and maſter, and Prince, and all, muſt be obeyed in the Lord, as the Apoſtle ſaith, and no further. If therefore we ſhall wave God, and his Commandements to ſerve them in ill, we draw upon us judgements in this world, and in the world to come. And how many can you remember, perhaps in your experience, that have curſed the time that ever they were inſtruments to others ſinnes? Some that have beene baſe Panders and procurers in furthering others luſts. Some that have made a trade of wicked wayes, but many times have beene ingenious, in whom there have beene ſome ſeeds of good left, that have curſed the time that ever they officiated for other people in wickedneſſe.
Not only out of ſenſe of neglect of thoſe that have imployed them (though that have been juſt with God, and it hath often fallen out that they have beene ſhaken off that have been inſtruments to others; and when they have been troubled in conſcience, they have been ſhaken off as Iudas was by the Phariſees, not only thus) but in the apprehenſion of the judgements of God, before whom all muſt appeare; they know that every man muſt ſtand upon his owne bottome; and the maſter ſhall not then anſwer for the ſervant, or the ſervant for the maſter. The ſervant ſhall then looke on his maſter, and behold him that is ingaged in the ſame wickedneſſe; ſaith Auſten not as a patron for his cauſe, but as a companion in his puniſhment: for it is the ſpeech of old Ely, that is truth it ſelfe, If a man ſin againſt his brother the judge ſhall judge it: but if he ſinne againſt God who ſhall plead for him? Maſter, and father, and mother, and all to whom thou art tyed by ſtrict relation, that have uſed their power to command thee to ſinne, they cannot keepe thee from judgement then; thou muſt anſwer for thy ſelfe, and receive according to that thou haſt done, whether it be good or evill. Therefore I commend to you the reſolution of Ioſeph, that when his miſtris ſolicited him to evill, he ſaid, How ſhall I doe this great wickedneſſe and ſinne againſt God? As if he had ſaid, I may content thee, and thou maieſt thinke that I doe the part of a good ſervant to give thee ſatisfaction in this; but how ſhall I anſwer God, and my conſcience? I may not doe that that I may not doe with the preſervation of my peace, and the ſalvation of my ſoule. So much for that, Pharaohs ſervants were puniſhed. I goe on.
And they ſhall come into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs; or into thy lump of dough:
For ſo the word ſignifieth, and ſo it is uſed, Exod. 12. The Septuagint hath it, into thy paſtrie. And here there is another aggravation of the judgement, a fearfull one. Before God diſabled this people in regard of their drinke, for he turned their water into blood, that they could not drinke of the river without noy ſomneſſe and danger too; for blood is no congruous drink for mans body. Before he deprived them of their reſt: for how could they reſt when the frogs skipped upon them in their beds, and filled their chambers, and crept there? So now he diſables them in regard of their diet; that though they had provided food, and made it into dough, yet there ſhould be frogs in it, and in their paſtrie, and in their troughs; nay they ſhould goe into their ovens, to conſume, at leaſt to defile. As Ioſephus ſaith, every thing, bread and meat had frogs. Nay in their drinke too, they did not only eat, but drinke frogs. Nothing but filth, and noyſomnes, there was nothing to invite them to eating but defilement. So now ſee here a fearfull aggravation. Thirſt before had like to have killed them, and want of reſt, and now want of food; as if God meant to ſterve them. Obſerve, I beſeech you, How able God is for the ſinnes of men to diſable thoſe Pulchra natura, thoſe common ſupports, and ſtayes of humane nature. He can prevent us in taking food, though it be ready; he can ſend ſuch judgements in it that we ſhall not bee able to take it: if we provoke God there ſhall be frogs in our dough, and in our diſh, that that ſhall make us juſtly diſtaſte it, that we ſhall be afraid to eat it. That the Lord threatneth in Deut. 28. You ſhall be plagued in your basket, and in your ſtore, in your dough. In thoſe things that are ſerviceable for ſuſtentation. Sometimes God makes things that they are not eatable, though of themſelves they be provided for nouriſhment. Sometimes, though of themſelves they be eatable, yet there ſhall come a loathing and faſtidiouſneſſe upon the ſight of it. And when it is taken into the body, God ſometimes reſtrains the worke, and operation of it that it ſhall not nouriſh. For as in the creation God infuſed a quality and faculty into the creature; ſo in the exerciſe of it, God is able to diſpend them. If God inlarge not himſelf, and give a word of bleſſing, thoſe creatures will not doe that that we would have them. It is admirable to thinke how many wayes the Lord can prevent the uſe of the creature that that ſhould ſuſtain us in the way of food.
Sometimes he prevents men from having food by unſeaſonable weather that they cannot ſow their ſeed.
Sometimes if they ſow their ſeed, God ſuffers it to rot under the clods that it comes not up.
If it come up, and be in the blade, God ſmites it with mildew, and nips it with untimely froſts. If it be in the eare, God hath other judgements for it. If the time of reaping come, the weather may be ſo unſeaſonable that it cannot be got in. If it be carried into the barne, God can make it mould in the mow. If it be threſhed in the floore, God hath judgements for it there. If it be ground in the Mill, and brought to be bread (as it was here) the frogs ſhall be in the trough, that they cannot eat their bread unleſſe they will eat frogs with their dough. Nay further, if it be baked, and taken into the bodies of men, yet God reſerves the power of making it nouriſhable to himſelfe, It is he that gives the ſtaffe of bread; bread is the ſtaffe of our ſtrength: but bread it hath a ſtaffe, that is the word of Gods bleſſing; as Chriſt ſaith to Satan, Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. That is it that gives it ſoule, and life, and makes it nouriſhable. If God reſtrain this, Pharaohs ſeven leane kine may eat up the ſeven fat ones, and not be the fatter. As a man that hath the Boulemia, a dog-like appetite, he may eat, and eat, and is not the fatter. As one in the Poet, that the more he eat, the more he might. Gods bleſſing upon food, that muſt be taken in to make it beneficiall.
To make uſe of this: you ſee God prevented them, though they had dough, and proviſion they cannot eat it. God hath this power over the creatures to prevent us altogether, or elſe in making uſe of it.
What is the reaſon that we firſt aske leave for the uſe of Gods creatures, and beg a bleſſing? There is great reaſon that when we come to take the creatures of God we ſhould call upon him, and invocate his name for a bleſſing, that he would ſanctifie them: for if it bee the proviſion of the King, ſuch as was for the captive children, it will not nouriſh without Gods bleſſing.
This hath beene the practice of holy people in all times. Samuel bleſſed for the people; they did not eat till he had bleſſed, 1 Sam. 9.13. So it was with our Bleſſed Lord himſelfe, he never eat before he gave thankes; and Paul in a great tempeſt at ſea, Act. 27. hee brings them together, and defires them to take meat, but they did not touch it before he gave thankes. Plutarch ſaith, that the Heathen did it. And the Turkes now are obſervant of giving thanks. Tertullian in his Apologie for the Chriſtians, ſhewing the courſe that Chriſtians uſed in their feaſts, and …ting of their meat; they never ſate downe to the table before prayer was made to God that he would ſanctifie the creatures.
Secondly, as it is meet that we ſhould aske Gods bleſſing; ſo when we have found that they nouriſh us, and our ſpirits are refreſhed and enlivened, and quickned by them, and we are made more nimble, and agile for imployments; then we have reaſon to give God thankes, to returne thankes. When thou haſt eaten, and art full, remember (ſaith Moſes) the Lord thy God; thou ſhalt bleſſe him, Deut. 8.12. And as it is ſaid of Chriſt, after they had eaten their ſupper, they ſang a Pſalme before they went out of the roome, Mat. 26. And Athanaſius ſpeakes of ſome people that were wont as ſoone as ever they had done ſupper or dinner, to turne themſelves upon their knees to give God thankes. The Phariſees were ſo ſtrict this way, when a Phariſee had forgot to give God thanks at table, though he were in the field, he muſt returne to the place where he had eaten to doe it.
And he is no leſſe then an Atheiſt that habitually omits the giving of thanks to God. I will not ſay, but a man may forget it, and againſt his purpoſe; but if it be habituall to ſit downe, and riſe without giving thanks, he is a brute beaſt; and let him looke, and he may expect the next time he eats to have a frog in his diſh, that is, to have ſome judgement. For the Lord will not indure ſuch wretches.
Laſtly, ſince ſinne lets the judgements of God looſe, eſpecially in this particular of reſtraining a bleſſing upon the creatures. Take heed of groſſe ſinnes; thoſe that the Father calls fearfull preſſures, ſuch as waſte conſcience, and ſo provoke God not only to cut us ſhort in that which is ſuperfluous, but to maime us, and lame us in neceſſaries; in food that is the ſupport of this tabernacle, without which it cannot ſtand, more then the lampe can continue without the ſupply of oyle.
And becauſe it may be the wickedneſſe of this people in gluttony of meat cauſed this judgement upon them; for they were given to that; and becauſe in experience God reſtraines men of their meat for that; take heed of gluttony. I confeſſe at this day intemperance in drunkenneſſe is now more then that of eating, and the more generall ſinne; but intemperance of eating is of too great a breadth, and as great a ſin as the other. And judge you now how many thouſands there bee in the world, that eat above their meanes and ability. Though they pinch their backs their dainty tooth muſt be ſatisfied. I read of old that they were wont to feaſt openly in the ſtreets. If it were ſo with us, there would be many obſerved to ſpend that that they had reaſon to ſpare.
Againe, how many thouſands are there, that though they eat not above their ability, yet above their condition and calling? for nothing will pleaſe them but rarities, ſuch as are congruous for Kings, meane men muſt have. All their pretence is, they are able to doe it, what of that? I tell thee, and I tell thee as a Miniſter of God, that the rule of our apparrell, and our meat, it is not our ability, but next to Gods word; it muſt be thy calling, and eſtate thou art in: That is not lawfull for a meane man, that is for a noble man; this would bring attaxie and confuſion into the world, and blend thoſe things that God hath digeſted ſo ſweetly.
Againe, for the manner, how many thouſands eat unjuſtly? I meane are content to eat well, and to lye ſoft, and in the meane time never pay their debts? They are ſo far from that that the Apoſtle ſpeakes of eating their owne bread, that other mens goods muſt furniſh their tables.
How many eat unſeaſonably? That is, when the Church is under perſecution, and judgements are upon them, and the places they are in, they are moſt prone to feaſt; a fearfull ſinne, God ſaid it ſhould not be purged from ſome till they dyed, Iſay 22.
How many eat uncharitably? without reſpect to the poore; That ſtretch themſelves upon their beds of Ivory, and are not touched with the afflictions of Ioſeph. So the rich man in the Goſpell, he fared deliciouſly every day, and did not reſpect the poor man at his gate, though he asked but a crum.
How many eat immoderately? I may ſay as Auſten ſaith of them, They eat not daily bread; but as much at one time as is fit for them for three or foure meales, what a fearfull thing is this?
Nay, Beloved, how many are there in the world that eat impiouſly? that not only diſable themſelves from the workes of their ordinary calling; but from the performance of any act of Religion towards God; as if there were no God to ſerve but their bellies. They are farre from the practice of the Primitive Chriſtians, as Tertullian ſaith in the former place, that did alway eat ſo as that they remembred that God was to be worſhipped. They would not for all the world indiſpoſe themſelves in regard of thoſe holy performances.
Is there any of you that heare me, that can deny this to be a truth? I know you confeſſe it is a truth; I know your righteous ſoules grieve that there is ſuch juſt cauſe of complaint; and I know you feare the harveſt that this feed will bring out. What was the ſin of the old world? was not this one among the reſt? Mat. 24. they ate and dranke as brute beaſts; and did not God bring a deluge upon them? What was the ſinne of Sodome? was not one of them fulneſſe of bread? and did not God bring a fiery ſhowre from heaven and burne them? What was the ſinne of Eſau? was it not gluttony, when for a morſell of meat he ſold his birthright; and ſo after was deprived of the bleſſing? he was prophane, as it is Heb. 12. And what was the ſinne of the Iſraelites? among others this, they luſted, and were gluttons, therefore when the meat was in their month, wrath fell on them. And doth not wiſe Solomon threaten men that are gluttons in their diet, as well as thoſe that are drunkards, that they ſhall come to rags and poverty? All this is true.
And what, do we thinke to gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thiſtles? or are we conceited as ſome that Auſten ſpeaks of in his time, that God puniſhed the murthers of Troy, but loved thoſe of Rome? That God puniſhed the diſtempers of former times, but will not now? That there ſhall be no fregs in our diſhes, though Pharaoh had them? Is not he the ſame God? and our ſinnes as foule as theirs? and doe they not provoke God to wrath? Wee have found it by ſome experience, if we goe backe a little way. What ſpued out thoſe Abbeylubbers, but gluttony? What hath beene the ruine of many great families, but this? What was the cauſe that God puniſhed us the laſt yeare with famine? Many ſins we have, but I cannot aſcribe it to any more properly, then to gluttony; God puniſheth ſuch licentiouſneſſe with penury, and ſcarcity. And if we goe on, and provoke God as we have hitherto; God will plague us in our basket, and in our ſtore, and that that before was but a rod, he can whip us with ſcorpions.
God be thanked, though we had it deare, we had it for money; but God will cauſe the earth to denie her ſtrength that it ſhall not be to be had; & then we may eat our fleſh for bread, and our bowells ſhall ſound as a ſhalme. And this may be the cauſe of the plague, for famine and the plague goe together.
Thus the Lord can curſe us in our basket and in our ſtore, and ſend frogs into our kneading troughs, and into our chambers. Therefore in the fear of God, let us be aſhamed of our former intemperance, and let us now labour to honour God. I bridle not men up to neceſſity only; Religion gives a faire way as any reaſonable man in the world can deſire: but take heed that we diſhonour not God, abuſe them not; if we doe, penury will be the reward of abuſed plenty.