A Scripture-Map of the Wilderness of Sin, Treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Containeth the Application of the former Chapter.
LEt me improve this unto your Conviction and Exhortation:
Ʋſe 1 Conviction, how fearful is it to die in ſin.Firſt, For conviction; Underſtand from hence, what it is to periſh in the ſpiritual wilderneſs of ſin: of all places on earth, the wilderneſs in ſcripture is called moſt terrible; and ſurely of all deaths, dying in the wilderneſs is moſt terrible: The children of Iſrael had ſuch a natural horror of that natural wilderneſs, that it ſeems they had rather have died any where then there: Becauſe there were no graves in Egypt, haſt thou taken us away to die in the wilderneſs? Exod. 14.11. And it had been better for us to ſerve the Egyptians, then to die in this wilderneſs, ver. 12. rather do any thing, rather ſuffer any thing, rather die any where; would we had died when our brethren died before the Lord: and why have you brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderneſs, that we ſhould die there? Num. 20.3, 4. O friends, did you but conſider what it it is to die in this wilderneſs of ſin, you would rather chooſe bondage, priſon, death, any thing then ſin, for fear leaſt you ſhould die in ſin: There's that in dying in the wilderneſs, which to my thoughts, doth better repreſent dying in ſin, then any other kinde of death doth. To ſay nothing more of the ſad variety of wilderneſs-deaths, he that ſcapes the famine, is pierced through with thorns; he that ſcapes the thorns, is ſtung and bitten with ſerpents; he that ſcapes the ſerpents, is devoured of wilde beaſts; he that ſcapes the Bear, the Lion findes him; he that ſcapes the Lion, is torn of Leopards; he that ſcapes the Leopard, ſome other Beaſt of the foreſt devours him; one plague or another, one curſe or another will be ſure to ruine the ſining ſoul: There are theſe three things obſervable; It is the moſt remedileſs death, it doth repreſent a double death, it doth figure an eternal death.
Firſt, Dying in the wilderneſs,Wilderneſs death is remedileſs. is of all deaths the moſt remedileſs; you may eaſily phanſie it in theſe three particulars:
Firſt,1. None to deliver. if a man be in danger of death by robbers upon the road, he may hope for the coming on of paſſengers for his reſcue; but if a man be in danger of death in the wilderneſs, there is no man, yea none to be hoped for to redeem him; thus it is with the ſoul that dies in ſin: Now conſider this, you that forget God, least I come and tear you in pieces, while there is none to deliver, Pſal. 50.22.
Secondly, If there were any to intercede for,2. None can reſcue. or reſcue a poor wretch ready to die in the wilderneſs, yet could they not be able: when a yong Lion roareth upon his prey, though a multitude of ſhepherds be called out againſt him, he will not be afraid of their voice, neither will he abaſe himſelf becauſe of them, Iſa. 30.4. when wife, children, friends, do all of them lift up their voice for the dying ſinner, if once the Lion take him in his paw, none can, none ſhall deliver him, Mic. 5.8. If a yong Lion amongſt the flocks go through, he both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver: ſo will it be with God, Hoſ 5.14. As a lion will I be to Ephraim, as a yong lion unto Judah, I will tear and go away; I will take away, and none ſhall reſcue.
Laſtly, If a man be taken by his enemies,3 Thy own c…ies will be in-effectual. he may plead for mercy, and plead ſo, haply, as to prevent death; but if a man become a Lions prey, a prey in the wilderneſs, he may cry aloud, but the Lion roars louder, the Lion underſtands not, the Lion knows not what you ſay: The fooliſh virgins cry aloud, Lord, Lord open, Matt. 25 11. but God roars louder, I know you not, ver. 12. And now friends, what think you of dying in ſin? I may ſay to you, and to my ſelf, what the prophet ſpeaketh, Amos 3.8. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath ſpoken, who can hut propheſie?
2. Wilderneſs death a double death.Secondly, Dying in the wilderneſs, doth beſt repreſent the double death of ſin: If a man dieth on his bed, yea amongſt his enemies, yet doth he die but once, his body is buried, and returns unto the duſt in peace from whence it came; but if a man per…ſh in the wilderneſs, where body and ſoul are parted a ſunder, his carkaſe alſo is rent in pieces, and being rent is devoured of wilde beaſts, and ſo findes, as it were, a living grave: and do you not know that ſuch a grave is hell? The Lord threatneth it as a ſad judgement upon the people, that after death their carkaſes ſhould be devoured of wilde beaſts, Jer. 7.33. Their carkaſes ſhall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and beaſts of the earth, and none ſhall fray them away: Therefore doth the Lord compare that, which by Iohn is called the ſecond death, unto ſome beaſt of the foreſt opening his mouth, and widening, as it were, his throat to ſwallow down the prey, Iſa. 5.14. therefore hell hath enlarged her ſelf, and opened her mouth without meaſure: I tell you, hell hath a wide mouth, and open throat to receive the carkaſes, the ſouls I mean of thoſe that periſh in the ſpiritual wilderneſs of ſin.
3. Wilderneſs death an eternal death.Laſtly, Iſraels dying in that wilderneſs was a type of eternal death; ſurely dying in this wilderneſs will be ſeconded with that, Heb. 4.17, 18. They that fell in that wilderneſs, could not enter into his reſt: That reſt was (as it is there expounded) a type of heaven, ſo that falling ſhort is expounded alſo a figure of eternal ruine: Let us therefore fear, leaſt a promiſe being left us of entring into his reſt, any of you ſhould ſeem to come ſhort, Heb. 5.1.
Exhortation to lean upon Chriſt.Secondly, Be exhorted to lean upon the Lord Jeſus, that you may come forth of the deſtructive wilderneſs of ſin: If the famine, the thorns, the ſerpents, the wilde beaſts of the wilderneſs be ſo killing: Oh! what need have we of a Chriſt? Chriſt is Jeſus, and can be life unto us, notwithſtanding all exigencies.
Firſt, In this wilderneſs-famine,Who is, 1. Bread in this famine. the Lord Jeſus is Manna, bread from heaven, angels food, bread of God; what can a poor famiſhing creature deſire more? 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. They did all eat of the ſame ſpiritual meat, and drink the ſame ſpiritual drink; and that was Chriſt.
Secondly,2. Healer of theſe rents and piercings. If thy ſoul be pierced through or torn with the thorns of this wilderneſs, the guilt of ſin: The Lord can binde up that which was broken, Ezek. 34.16. as well as ſeek that which was loſt in the wilderneſs; therefore let us take their counſel in Hoſea 6.1. Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn us, and he will binde us up.
Thirdly,3. Curer of theſe ſerpents bitings. If thy ſoul be bitten by the ſerpents of this wilderneſs, you have heard of Iſraels cure, Numb. 21.8. 'tis alſo ours, the brazen Serpent, the Lord Chriſt: And as Moſes lifted up the ſerpent in the wilderneſs, even ſo was the Son of man lifted up, that whoſoever belived on him ſhould not periſh, but have eternal life, John 3.14.15.
Laſtly, If thy ſoul once get an intereſt in the Lord Jeſus,4. Reſcue from theſe beaſts devourings. thou need'ſt not fear what all the beaſts of the wilderneſs can do againſt thee: This is that ſpiritual David, that ſlaies both the Lion and the Bear, 1 Samuel 17.36. and he verily that reads not Chriſt there, miſſeth of the beſt part of the ſtory.
Firſt, Then Chriſt is able to ſecure thee,1. Being a lion. for he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Rev. 5.5. therefore deſpair not, onelyonly believe.
Secondly,2. Able to bring honey and …ood. He is that Sampſon that brings honey out of the Lions carkaſe, Judges 14 8. tha… can make even Satans temptations thine advantage, food for thy faith, and matter of thy Chriſtian experience, for thy future ſupport, Pſal. 74.14. Thou brakest the heads of Levi than, and gaveſt him to be food for a people inhabiting the wilnerneſs.
Thirdly, He ſhall as a Lion ariſe for thy ſalvation,3. Able to make thee as a lion. Pſal. 31 4, 5. Like as a lion, and a yong lion roaring upon his prey, that will not be afraid of a multitude of ſh…pherds; ſo will the Lord of hosts come down for mount Sion, and for Jeruſalem; as birds flying, ſo will the Lord defend it; defending alſo, he will deliver it; and paſſing over, he will preſerve it.
Thus wil the Lord Chriſt wil make thee, through his ſtrength, prevail againſt all thy ſpiritual enemies, be they never ſo many; yea, thou ſhalt be more then Conqueror, through Chriſt that loves thee, Mic. 5.8. The remnant of Jacob, in the midſt of many people, ſhall be as a lion amongst the beasts of the forest, as a yong lion amongſt the flocks of the ſheep; who if he go through, treadeth down, and tears to pieces, and none can deliver.