Good Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP: XVIII.
The ſeverity of Gods iuſtice vponupon the enemies of good Conſcience, and the vſuall equity of Gods adminiſtration in his executions of iuſtice
THus hauehave we ſeene Paul fiſted, and layd on the mouth. How doth Paul now take this blow at Ananias hands? He ſmites not againe, nor offers to repell one violence with another; he had learned of Chriſt rather to hauehave turned his other cheeke to him. But yet though he ſmite him not with the fiſt, yet hee ſmites with a checke and a iuſt reproofe for his violence. And ſo may a man ſmite without tranſgreſſion, and without revenge. Pſ. 141. 5. Let the righteous ſmite me, it ſhall not breake mine head. So may a man ſmite, and yet bee a righteous man. Theſe blowes are not to breake heads, as Ananias his blowes are, but theſe are to breake hard hearts. Thus Paul ſmites without tranſgreſſion of the bonds of meekeneſſe and patience. And ſo wee are now come to the third main point in the Text, Pauls zealous anſwer, and conteſtation.
Verſe 3. Then ſayd Paul vntounto him, God ſhall ſmite thee thou whited wall.
The conteſtation is contained in the whole verſe. And in this conteſtation we hauehave a denuntiation of iudgement, and that happily by a Propheticall and an Apoſtolicall ſpirit, prophecying to him what ſhould befall him; not an imprecation out of a private ſpirit ſtirred with a deſire of revenge. God ſhall, or will ſmite, not, I pray God ſmite, or I hope to ſee the day when God ſhall ſmite, but God ſhall ſmite. As if he had ſayd, well Ananias thou haſt ſmitten me, heare now what thy doome from God is, I am ſent to thee with heauy tydings, God will call thee to a reckoning for this blow, and Gods hand is ouer thine head to pay thee in thine owne kinde. So then from the whole learne thus much.
Doct. Chriſtian patience though it binde a mans hands, yet doth it not alwaies binde a mans tongue. Though it lay a law vponupon a man to forbeare violence, yet layes it not a law vponupon him alwayes to enioyne him ſilence. Though a man in Pauls caſe may not ſtrike, yet hee may ſpeake. Though Religion pinion a mans armes from ſtriking, yet doth it not ſow and ſeale vp a mans lips from ſpeaking. Ananias hath ſmitten Paul on the face, and if pleaſe him to hauehave another blow he will not reſiſt him, he hath his other cheeke ready for him, if his fingers itch to be doing, but yet for all this, though Paul hold his hands, he doth not hold his peace. Indeed Chriſts precept is well knowne, Matth. 5. 39. Turne the other cheeke alſo, but yet for all that ſee what his practice was when he was ſmitten, Ioh. 18. 23. Ieſus anſwered him, If I hauehave ſpoken evill beare witneſſe of the evill, but if well, why ſmiteſt thou me? And yet his precept and practice doe not interferre, nor croſſe ſhinnes. For though by his precept he forbids vsus to retaliate, or recompence iniury with iniury, out of the heate of a vindictiue ſpirit: yet by his practice he warrants vsus in caſes of iniurie to make a manifeſtation both of our own innocency, and others iniuſtice. Religion bindes no man to be a Traitor to his owne innocency, and the iuſtice of his cauſe, and by ſilence to abet others iniuſtice. With a good Conſcience may a man ſpeake, ſo long as he ſpeaks as Paul did before Feſtus, Acts 26. 25. The words of truth and ſoberneſſe. So a man anſwer truely, ſoberly without tackes of gall, and impatient touches of revenge. Chriſt and Religion ſay to man convented, and iniuriouſly proceeded againſt, as Agryppa did to Paul Acts 26. 1. Thou art permitted to ſpeake for thy ſelfe. This in generall, more particularly, in this Denunciation, Conſider the iudgement denounced, that is this, God ſhall ſmite thee. From which we may obſerue two things. Firſt:
Doct. 1 See Gods iudgements, and the ſeverity of his iuſtice againſt the enemies of a good Conſcience, and his faithfull ſervants. Ananias ſmites Paul, and for his good Conſcience, and what gets hee by it? God will ſmite him, and giuegive him as good as he brings. God will ſmite ſmiters. Ananias ſmites Paul, and God wil ſmite Ananias; yea, and God did ſmite Ananias, for hee was afterwards ſlaine by Manaimus, one of Captaines of the Iewes.
It is a dangerous thing, not to ſmite when God commands, 1 King. 20. 35. 36. He that would not ſmite a Prophet when God commanded, was ſmitten with an heauy iudgement. It is no leſſe dangerous to ſmite when God forbids ſmiting. God hath an heauy hand for thoſe that are ſo light fingred, and hee will giuegive them blow for blow that will be ſmiting his for a good Conſcience.
Touch not my annoynted, nor doe my Prophets no harme, Pſal. 105. 15. Hee that touches them, touches the apple of Gods eye, Zach. 2. 8. So hee that ſmites them, ſmites the apple of his eye. The eye is a tender place, and ſenſible of a little blow. God will not take a blow on the eye, nor beare a blow on his face at the hands of the proudeſt enemies of them all, and though we muſt turne the other cheeke, rather then ſmite againe, yet the Lord to whom vengeance belongs, will take no blowes at their hands, but if they will be ſmiting, they ſhall bee ſure to heare of him to their coſt.
You finde Exod. 2. 11. an Egyptian ſmiting an Iſraelite. It becomes none better then Egyptians to be ſmiting Iſraelites. Moſes ſpies an Egyptian ſmiting of an Hebrew. What gets the Egyptian in the end? See verſe 12. God ſtirs vp the ſpirit of Moſes to ſmite him, and to ſlay him. Thus will God teach Egyptians to be medling. Paſhur ſmites Ieremy, Ier. 20. 2. What got he by it? The heavy ſtroake of Gods hand vponupon himſelfe, and all his friends, verſ. 3. 4. 5. 6. Herod was a ſmiter too, Acts 12. 1. 2. Hee ſtretched forth his hands to vexe certaine of the Church, and he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the ſword. And what became of him in the ende? See ver. 23. The Angell of the Lord ſmote him, and he was eaten vp of wormes, and he gaue vp the Ghoſt. It is ſaid of Ionas his gourd that a worme ſmote it, and it withered Ion. 4. That was much that a worm ſhould ſo ſoon ſmite the gourd. But when men will bee ſmiting Gods people, and his Prophets for a good Conſcience, and when Herod will be ſo buſie as to ſmite Apoſtles, God can ſend not onelyonly an Angell, one of his moſt glorious creatures, but even a baſe worme, even one of the weakeſt creatures to ſmite Herod, and eate him both. Ieroboam ſtretches forth his arme againſt the Prophet, 1. King. 13. and his arme withers, he doth but threaten to ſmite, and God ſmites him. How much more when Herod ſtretches forth his hands to vexe the Church, & to ſmite Gods Miniſters, will God not onelyonly wither them, but ſmite him as Sampſon ſmote the Philiſtims, hippe and thigh, and make them a rotten, and a ſtinking ſpectacle to all malicious ſmiters to the worlds end.
Thus is that true which the Prophet implyes in that ſpeech, Eſa. 27. 6. Hath hee ſmitten him as hee ſmote his ſmiter? Marke then Gods dealing, he vſes to ſmite ſmiters.
Neither is this true onelyonly of ſmiters with the fiſt, and with the ſword, but it is alſo true of thoſe ſmiters, Ierem. 18. 18. Come, and let vsus ſmite him with the tongue. Euen ſuch ſmiters will God ſmite alſo, as we may ſee there, verſe 21 22. 23. Thus God met with Nabal. David ſends for reliefe to him vponupon his feſtival day, and he inſtead of an almes falls a rayling on him, and calls him, in effect, a Rogue, a Vagabond, and a runne-away. Thus he ſmote David with his tongue. What followes? See verſ. 38. And it came to paſſe abou… ten dayes after, that the Lord ſmote Nabal. And how ſmote he him? That he dyed. So Zach. 14. 12. Their tongue ſhall conſume away in their mouth. What might the reaſon be of that iudgment? Becauſe happily many that cannot, or dare not fight with their hands, for feare of the law, yet fight againſt Gods Miniſters and his ſervants with their tongues: Well, God hath a plague to ſmite ſuch ſmiters. Though they ſmite but with the tongue, yet God wil ſmite them, & giuegive them their portion with the reſt of the adverſaries of the Church. And if God will not ſpare ſuch ſmiters, how much leſſe will hee ſpare ſuch as ſmite with the ſword?
Vſe 1 Terrour to all ſmiters, eyther with hand or tongue, Smite on, goe on in your malicions courſes, doe ſo, but yet know that there is a ſmiter in heauen that will meet with you. Had Zimri peace who ſlew his Maſter? So ſaid Iezabel to Iehu, and ſo may it bee ſaid in this caſe. Search the Scriptures, ſearch the Hiſtories of the Church; Had euer any ſmiter peace which lifted vp either hand, or tongue againſt any of the Lords people? Did ſmiters euer ſcape ſcot-free? Had they any cauſe to brag in the end? Had they euer any cauſe to brag of the laſt blow? Did Herod proſper that ſmote Iames with the ſword▪ Did Ananias proſper that ſmot Paul? Did the Egyptian proſper that ſmote the Hebrew? Did Doeg proſper who was a tongue-ſmiter as well as an hand-ſmiter, Pſal. 52. Oh conſider this you that dare lift vp your hands and tongues againſt a good Conſcience, & be afraid of Gods ſmiting hand, tremble to meddle in this kind. Learne to hold your hands and tongues, vnleſſe ye long to feele Gods ſmiting hand. Eſpecially take heed of ſmiting Gods Miniſters in any kinde. Deut. 33. 11. Levi hath a ſtrange bleſſing, Bleſſe Lord his ſubſtance, and accept the worke of his hand, ſmite through the loynes of them that riſe againſt him, & of them that hate him, that they riſe not againe. God ſaw that of all others Levi would bee moſt ſubiect to the blowes of fiſts, and tongues, and therefore hee is fenced with a bleſſing for the nonce, to make ſmiters feare to meddle with him, or if they will needs meddle, yet to let them ſee that it were better to wrong any other Tribe then that, God would ſmite them, and ſmite them to the purpoſe, that ſhall offer to ſmite him.
Vſe 2 Here is that which may make Gods people comfortably patient, vnderunder all the wrongs & iniuries of ſmiters in any kinde. Here is that may make them by patience to poſſeſſe their ſoules, and may make them hold their hands, and their tongues from ſmiting. Smite not thou, God will ſmite ſmiters. Indeed when wee will be ſmiting, wee prevent Gods ſmiting, & ſo they hauehave the eaſier blowes by the meanes: For what are our blows to the Lords? Do as Chriſt did, 1 Pet. 2. 23. Who when he was reviled, reviled not againe, but committed himſelfe to him that iudges righteouſly. It is beſt leaving them to the Lords hand. Pray for thy ſmiters, that God would giuegive them ſmiting hearts, that their hearts may ſmite them for their ſmiting, pray to God if hee ſee it good they may be ſo ſmitten. This is a revenge will ſtand with charity. Yet if not, leaue them to God who beſt knowes how to ſmite ſmiters.
Vſe 3 It is great comfort againſt the ſore afflictions of Gods Church at this preſent. The enemies of the Goſpell hauehave ſmitten Gods Church with a ſore blow. Well, yet let vsus not bee out of heart, the time will aſſuredly come, that God will ſmite theſe ſmiters. The time will vndoubtedly come, when God will ſmite that whited wall, that Romiſh Ananias, that ſcarlet whore that animates and ſets a worke thoſe ſmiters. It was low with Dauid when he fled from Abſalom, and was glad to receiue reliefe from the childrē of Ammon, 2 Sam. 17. 27. But chap. 18. Ioab ſmites Abſalom with three darts, and David returnes in peace, and Pſal. 3. 7 bleſſes God for ſmiting his enemies vponupon the cheeke bone. How did the Egyptians oppreſſe, and ſmite the poore Iſraelites, Exod. 2. 11. and Exod. 5. 14. But at laſt Exod. 12. God ſmites the land of Egypt, and the firſt borne, & Exod. 15. 6. daſhes in peeces theſe ſmiters. See how hardit went with Iſrael, 1 Sam. 4. 10. 11. And the Philiſtims fought, and Iſrael was ſmitten and there was a very great ſlaughter; for there fell of Iſrael thirty thouſand footmen, and the Arke of God was taken. Behold what a terrible blow here was given: The Prieſts ſlaine, and the Arke captived, as if God himſelſe had beene taken priſoner, and yet at laſt, 1 Sam. 5. 6. God ſmites theſe ſmiters, But the hand of God was heavy vponupon them, and ſmote them with Emerods, yea as Dauid ſings, Pſal. 78. 66. Hee ſmote his enemies in the hinder parts, he put them to a perpetuall reproach. Hee ſmites them reproachfully. Sometimes he ſmites enemies on the cheeke bone, Pſalm. 3. 7. Sometimes he ſmites them in the hinder parts, both are diſgracefull and reproachfull, but the latter the worſe, a diſgracefull thing to be ſcourged and whipt like boyes. Antichriſtian ſmiters doe prevaile, and happely may yet much more, and may giuegive yet ſorer blowes, but yet as in Nebuchadnezzars dreame, Dan. 2. 34. 35. The ſtone cut out without hands ſmote the Image vponupon the feet, and brake them to pieces, ſo that the iron, braſſe, clay, gold, all became like the chaffe of the ſummer threſhing floores; So will Chriſt in his good time ſmite theſe ſmiters, ſo that their place ſhall be no more found.
Doct. 2 God ſhall ſmite thee. Obſerue the maruelous equity of Gods adminiſtration in the executions of his iuſtice. God fits his puniſhments to mens ſinnes. Here we ſee the truth of that, Math. 7. 2. With what meaſure yee mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you againe. If Ananias ſmite Paul, God will ſmite Ananias. Smiting was his ſin, ſmiting ſhall be his puniſhment. Paul ſayes not God ſhall iudge thee, or plague thee, but God ſhall ſmite thee, to teach that God doth not only iuſtice vponupon ſinners, but that there is a retaliation in Gods iuſtice, a recompenſing with the like. That looke as amongſt the Iudicials of the Iewes there was a law of retaliation, Eye for eye, tooth for troth, hand for hand, That if a man wronged another with the loſſe of an eye, he was not onelyonly to bee puniſhed, but to be puniſhed in the ſelfeſame kinde, to looſe an eye himſelfe; ſo the Lord for the moſt part followes the ſame courſe in diſpenſation of Iuſtice. If men ſmite, God will not onelyonly puniſh, but ſmite.
That looke as it is in the caſe of obedience, ſo is it in the caſe of ſin. When men yeeld obedience to God, hee not onelyonly rewards their obedience with a recompence, but with a recompence of Retaliation. Prov. 3. 9. Honouring God with the increaſe of the fruits, is honoured from God with recompence of the increaſe of the fruites. Abraham ſpares not his ſeed, therefore God will mul…iply his ſeed. Gen. 22. 16. 17. It was in Dauids heart to build God an houſe, therefore God will build him an houſe 2 Sam. 7. 2. 5. 11.
Thus it is alſo in the caſe of ſinne; this is the rule the Lord proceeds by often in his Iuſtice, to meet with wicked men in their kinde. As with the mercifull he ſhewes himſelfe mercifull, ſo with the froward hee will ſhew himſelfe froward. Pſal. 18. 25. 26. And if men will walke contrary vntounto him, he will walke contrary vntounto them. Leuit. 26. And hee will croſſe them that croſſe him. And thoſe that will not heare when he cals, he will not heare when they call. Pro. 1. 24. 28. For the better cleering of this point, we may ſee the truth of it in divers particulars.
1. Gods puniſhments are in the ſame manner. The ſame manner of ſinne, the ſame manner of puniſhment. Ananias ſmites Paul in a barbarous and a malicious manner, he himſelfe was cruelly ſmitten, and ſlaine. The ſinne of the Sodomites was a …inne againſt nature, their puniſhment was after the ſame manner, fire deſcended from heauen. It is vnnaturall for fire to come downwards. They ſinne vnnaturally, fire comes downe vnnaturally. The Philiſtims not onelyonly ſmite Iſrael, but they doe it with a ſpightfull heart, & meerely for Vengeance. Ezek. 25. 15. Therefore ver. 17. I will execute great vengeance vponupon them with furious rebukes. Vengeance for vengeance, manner for maner. Such was the late remarkable Iuſtice of God vponupon that popiſh Conventicle in the Citie, many of that crue were fallen from God, and fallen from the truth; the Lord ſlaughters them by a fall. A fall was their ſinne, a fall was their death, there was a fall for a fall.
2. Gods puniſhments are in the ſame kinde. Looke in what kinde the ſinne is, of the ſame kinde is the puniſhment. Sodoms ſinne was in fiery luſts, they were in their ſinne ſet on fire from hel. Their puniſhment was of the ſame kinde. God raines downe fire from heaven vponupon them. A fiery ſinne, and a fiery puniſhment. Memorable in this kinde was the Iuſtice of God vponupon that notorious, and fiery perſecutor, Stephen Gardiner, who would not ſit down to dinner till the newes came from Oxford Act and Mon.of the fire ſet to Ridley, and La…imer, but before his meale was ended, God kindled a fire in his body, which ere long diſpatcht him, and made him thruſt his tongue blacke out of his mouth. Such was Gods Iuſtice vponupon Adonibezek. Iudg. 1. 7. in the cutting off his thumbes, and his great toes. Threeſcore & ten Kings, hauing their thumbes, and their great toes cut off, gathered their meate vnderunder my Table. As I hauehave done, ſo God hath requited mee; God hath met with me in mine owne kinde, hee hath paid me with mine owne coyne. Thus was Gods Iuſtice divers wayes vponupon the Egyptians. They threw the Iſraelites children into the waters, and ſtayned the waters with blood, therefore God turnes their waters into blood. To which that place alludes. Apoc. 16. 4. 5. 6. And the third Angell powred out his viall vponupon the waters, and fountaines of waters, and they became blood. And … heard the Angell of the waters ſay, Righteous art th…n O Lord, &c. becauſe thou haſt iudged thus, for they hauehave ſhed the blood of Saints and Prophets; and thou haſt giuen them blood to drinke. Where not onelyonly the Iuſtice of God, but alſo the equity thereof is magnified, not only becauſe God had Iudged, but becauſe he had iudged thus. Againe, the Egyptians deſtroy the males of the children, God meetes with them in their kind, he ſmites the firſt-born through out all Egypt. The Egyptians drowne the Iſraelites Infants in the waters, God payes them in their kinde, he drowns the Egyptians in the waters of the re… ſea, there is drowning for drowning, and waters for waters, Nadab and Abihu, ſinne by fire, and Levit. 10. 2. there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them.
How many fires hath the Whore of Babylon kindled, wherein ſhe hath conſumed to aſhes the Saints of God, God will plague her with an end, ſuiting with her ſinne, Apoc. 17. 16. ſhe her ſelfe ſhall be burnt with fire; They ſhall eate her fleſh, and burne her with fire. There is fire for fire, Apoc. 9. 12. She there darkens the light of the truth, with the ſmoake of hereſie, and ſuperſtition; There aroſe a ſmoake out of the pit, as the ſmoake of a great furnace, and the Sun and the ayre were darkened by reaſon of the ſmoake of the pit: And Apoc. 18. 9. 18. there wee finde the ſmoake of her burning. There is ſmoake for ſmoake. God will make her ſmoake in the end that hath brought ſuch a deale of ſpirituall ſmoake intoFumo pereet qui fumum vendidit. his Church. And as that Emperor ſaid, Let him periſh with ſmoake that ſ…lde ſmoak; ſo ſhall ſhe periſh with ſmoak at the laſt, that hath put out the eyes of ſo many thouſands with the ſmoake of hereſie and ſuperſtition. This was that Iuſtice of God which the Papiſts Powder-Martyrs, Cateſby, and ſome others of them were forced to acknowledge, when they who had thought to hauehave▪ blowne vp the State with Powder, were themſelues ſpoyled with Powder, a ſparke of fire flying into it, as they were drying it, and preparing for their defence.
Such is that Iuſtice of God threatned. Heb. 2. 15, 16. Woe vntounto him that giueth his neighbour drinke, that putteſt thy bottle to him, and makeſt him drunken alſo, that thou mayeſt looke on their nakedneſse, Thou art filled with ſhame for glory, drink thou alſo, and let thy fore▪ skinne be vncouered, the cuppe of the Lords right hand ſhall be turned vntounto thee, & ſhamefull ſpuing ſhall be on thy glory. A good place for drunkards to thinke vponupon, eſpecially ſuch whoſe glory is their ſhame, whoſe glory is to make others drunke. They ſhall hauehave cuppe for cuppe, nakedneſſe for nakedneſſe, ſpuing for ſpuing, As they hauehave made others ſpue and vomit, through oppreſſion by drinke, ſo will God giuegive them ſuch a draught of the bitter dregs of the cup of his wrath, that ſhall make them ſpue their very hearts out, as Ier. 25. 27. Drink, and be drunken, & ſpue and fall, & riſe no more, becauſe of the ſword which I will ſend amongſt you. Of this kinde was that Iuſtice of God vponupon David himſelfe. He killes Vriah with the ſword, therefore the ſword ſhall not depart from his houſe; He defiles the wife of Vriah,, therefore his Concubines are defiled by Abſalom. This is that Iuſtice, Apoc. 13. 10. He that leadeth into Captiuity, ſhall goe into Captiuity; he that killeth with the ſword, muſt be killed with the ſword. It was the moſt righteous hand of God vponupon Saul, that hee that puts Gods Prieſts to the ſword ſhould fall vponupon his owne ſword; & iuſt with God that Elymas the Sorcerer, that would hauehave kept the Deputy in ſpirituall, ſhould himſelfe be ſmitten with bodily blindnes.
3. Gods puniſhments are oft in the ſame part, and member of the bodie, wherewith men hauehave offended. That look as renowned Cranmer dealt with himſelfe at his Martyrdome; That hand wherewith hee had ſubſcribed to the ſixe Articles, that hand hee firſt put in the fire, in an holy reuenge vponupon himſelfe; euen ſo deals the Lord very often in his Iuſtice; That which men hauehave made the inſtrument of their ſinne, God makes the ſubiect of his Iudgements. Abſaloms pride, and his weakeneſſe lay where Sampſons ſtrength was. Abſaloms haire was Abſaloms pride, therefore Abſaloms hayre, as it is conceiued, was Abſaloms halter, and whileſt hee will needes ſpare the Barber a labour, he alſo ſpares the Hangman a labour, Such was Gods Iuſtice vponupon Sampſon himſelfe. He can finde none to bee the pleaſure of his eyes, as the Prophet ſpeaks of his wife, Ezek. 24. but Philiſtims. Iudg. 14. 1, 2, 3. and Chapt. 16. 1. and ſo in the louelove of a Philiſtim, Dalilah, he abuſes his eyes. What is the iſſue? At laſt the Philiſtims put out his eyes. God puniſht the abuſe of his eyes with the loſſe of his eyes, and thoſe eyes that loued Philiſtims, were pluckt out by Philistims.
Memorable in this kinde was Gods iuſtice vponupon that French King Henry the ſecōd, who in a rage againſt a Proteſtant Counſellor, committed him into the hands of one of his Nobles to bee impriſoned, and that with theſe words, That hee would ſee him burned with his owne eyes. But marke the iuſtice of God within a few dayes after, the ſame Noble man with a Launce put into his hands by the King, did at a Tilting run the ſaide King into one of his eyes, whereof he dyed.
Of this kind was the Iuſtice of God, vponupon Zachary, Luke 1. Offending with his tongue in that queſtion, How can this be, he is puniſhed with the loſſe of the vſe of his tongue, and ſpeech for a time. The rich gluttons tongue had denyed Lazarus a crum, therfore it is denyed a drop of water. The ſame glutton had abuſed his tongue in gluttony, and therefore his tongue hath a peculiar torment in hell. So thoſe Zach. 14. 12. had their tongues conſumed in their mouths, like enough as with their hands ſo with their tongues they had fought againſt Ieruſalem.
Such was Gods Iuſtice vponupon Iere boam, hee ſtretches forth his arme againſt the Prophet, and the Lord withers it. He with his arme threatens to ſmite, and God ſmites him in his arme. Like that iuſtice which was done vponupon the Emperour Aurelianus, who when hee was ready to ſubſcribe, and ſe… Euſeb. lib. 7. cap. 29.his hand to an Edict for the perſecution of the Chriſtians, was ſuddenly cramped in his knuckles, and ſo hindred from it by the iudgment of God.
I may not here omit that notable inſtance of Gods Iuſtice vponupon Rodolph, Duke of SVEVIA, hee whom the Pope ſtirred vp againſt his lawfull Lord and Soueraign, againſt his Oath to vſurpe his Ctowne, and Empire. This Rodolph in his Warres for the Empire, was wounded in the right hand, of which wound hee dyed, and at his death acknowledged Gods Iuſtice in theſe words; You ſee, ſaith he to his friends, here my right hand wounded, with this right hand I ſware to Videtis manum dexteram meam de vulnere ſauciam. Haec ego iurauis Domino meo Henrico vt non nocerē ei nec inſidiar…r gloriae eius. Sed iuſsio Apoſtolicae, Pontificū que p…titio n…e ad id adduxit, vt turamcntt tranſgreſſor honerē mihi indebitum vſurparē. Quis igitur finis nos exceperit, videtis quiain manu vnde iurame…ta violaui mortale hoc vulnus accepi, &c Morn. Myſt …niq p. 256my Lord Henry the Emperour. But the command of the Pope hath brought me to this, that laying a ſide the reſpect of mine Oath, I ſhould vſurpe an honour not due to me. But what is now come of it? In that hand which hath violated mine Oath, I am wounded to death. And ſo with anguiſh of heart he ended his daies. An example ſo much the rather to be marked, that men may ſee how God bleſſes the Popes bleſsings, and his diſpenſations with Oathes, eſpecially, when they are giuen to arme men to rebellion againſt their lawfull Soueraignes.
4. The equitie of Gods Iuſtice appeares in that. Prou. 26. 27. Who ſo digeth a pit ſhall fall therein, and hee that rolles a ſtone, it will returne vponupon him. Such was Gods Iuſtice vponupon Haman, he made a gallowes for his owne necke. Hitherto we may referre the iuſtice of God, when God turnes mens beloved ſinnes into their puniſhments. Whoredome was the Leuites Concubines ſinne. Iudg. 19. 2. and Whordome was her death, verſe 26. The Lord Deu. 28. 27. threatens the botch of Egypt, and how frequently is the ſinne of vncleanneſſe ſmitten with the French botch, the fruit of the ſinne? How frequent are the examples of Gods Iuſtice vponupon drunkards, drunkenneſſe their ſinne, and drunkennes their death. And ſo that Proverbe is often verified. Prou. 5. 22. His owne iniquities ſhall take the wicked himſelfe, and he ſhall bee bolden with the cordes of his ſinnes.
5. The equitie of Gods Iuſtice appeares in this, when he makes the place of ſinne, the place of puniſhment. Wee hauehave frequent examples of this in Scripture. This was threatned Ahab. 1 King. 21. 19. In the place where dogges licked the bloud of Naboth, ſhall dogs licke thy bloud. And this was made good. 2 King. 9. 26. In Tophet the place where they had ſlaine their Sonnes, and Daughters, would God ſlay the Iewes Ier. 7. 31. 32. And as their houſes were the places of their ſinns, ſo ſhould their houſes bee the places of their puniſhment. Ier. 19. 13. And becauſe the Sabbath was profaned in the gates of Ieruſalem, therefore in the gates thereof would God kindle a fire. Ier. 17. 27. And remarkeable is that, Ezek. 6. 13. Their ſlaine men ſhall bee amongſt their Idols round about their altars, and vnderunder eueryevery thicke Oake, the place where they did offer ſweet ſauour to all their Idolls. Such was the Iuſtice of God in that late blowe vponupon that Popiſh Company. In the very place where they vſed to diſhonour God, the hand of God was vponupon them, they were ſlaine, and their carkaſes cruſhed in the place of their Maſſe-worſhip, the firſt floore falling into their Maſſing place, and ſo they and their Crucifixes, & Images, all daſhed together, God doing with them as with the Egyptians. Numb. 33. 4. Not onelyonly ſmiting them, but alſo executing iudgements vponupon their gods; yea, not onelyonly ſo, but executed them and their gods, in the ſelfe-ſame place, where God had been by them ſo much diſhonoured.
6. The equity of Gods iuſtice is to be ſeene in the time of his puniſhments. God oft makes that time wherein men hauehave ſinned the time of his iudgements. At the time of the Paſſe-over did the Iewes crucifie Chriſt, and at the time of the Paſſe-over was Ieruſalem taken. Heauy is the calamity that is befallen the Churches beyond the Seas, the time wherein the firſt blow was given, is not to be forgotten. The firſt blow was vponupon the Sabbath, vponupon that day was Prague loſt. What one thing hauehave all thoſe Churches fayled in more, then in that point of the religious obſervation of that day? That day they neglected to ſanctifie by obedience, vponupon that day God would be ſanctified in his iuſtice vponupon them, and in the time would hauehave them reade one cauſe of their puniſhment. Neither is the time wherein God did that late iuſtice vponupon thoſe Popiſh perſons to bee forgotten. It is ſomewhat that after their Roman accoūt, it was vponupon their fift of Nouember, God would let thoſe of that Ieſuited brood ſee how good it was to blow vp Parliament houſes, and happily would hauehave them learne more loyaltie and religion, then to ſcoffe at our new holyday.
Of this kind was Gods iuſtice vponupon one Leaver, who rayling on that worthy Martyr and ſeruant of Chriſt, Mr. Latimer, ſaying, that hee ſaw that evill fauoured knaue Latimer, when hee was burned, & that he had teeth like an horſe, his ſonne the ſame houre, and at the ſame time as neere as could bee gathered, wickedly hanged himſelfe. And the ſame was Gods Iuſtice, ceazing vponupon Steven Gardiner, the ſame day that Ridley and Latimer were burned.
Since then there is ſuch an equitie in Gods adminiſtration of iuſtice, let it be our care and wiſdome to obſerue the ſame. Learne to Coment vponupon Gods works of Iuſtice, and to compare mens wayes, & Gods workes together. God is to hauehave the praiſe and glory of his Iuſtice vponupon others, as well as of his mercy to ourſelues. Now we ſhal then be beſt able to giuegive God this glory, when we ſo obſerue his adminiſtratiō, that we may bee able not onelyonly to ſay, The Lord is iuſt, but the Lord is iuſt in this, and that particular, when we can ſay, as Reuel. 16. 5. not onelyonly Righteous art thou O Lord that iudgeſt, but righteous art thou O Lord that iudgeſt thus. Thus they ſinned, and thus are they puniſhed. It is good to obſerue all the circumſtances of Gods Iuſtice, that ſo not onelyonly the iuſtice, but the wiſdome and equity of Gods Iuſtice may bee ſeene; and this is to trace the Lord by the foote, Pſal 68. 24. Eſpecially we ſhould be thus wiſe in perſonall evills that befall our ſelues, that by our puniſhment, and the circumſtances thereof, we might bee led to the conſideration of our ſinnes, and ſo might ſay as Adonibezek; As I hauehave done, ſo hath God rewarded me.
Learne to giuegive God the prayſe of his equitie as of his iuſtice. So doth Dauid, Pſal. 7. 15. 16. 17. I will praiſe the Lord according to his righteouſneſſe.
Tremble and ſinne not. Take heede how, and wherein we ſinne, leaſt by our ſinnes we teach God how to puniſh vsus▪ Take heede of abuſing thy tongue in ſwearing, rayling, ſcoffing, leaſt God lay ſome terrible iudgement vponupon thy tongue here, or ſome peculiar torment vponupon thy tongue in hell hereafter. Take heede what meaſure thou meaſure to others, leaſt thou teach God to meaſure the ſame to thy ſelfe. Take heede that thou make not thine houſe a den of ſpuing drunkards, leaſt God make thine houſe to ſpue thee forth. Take heede how thou vſe thy wits, thy ſtrength, take heede of ſinning in thy Children, or any thing elſe thou haſt, leaſt God make the matter of thy ſinne, the matter of thy puniſhment.
FINIS.
End of the text · Jeremiah Dyke, Good Conscience (1626)