Balm from Gilead, Sermon 14
After-noone Sermon.
VVEe hauehave not yet done with the terme, from which we must turne; Let our proposition be that, when as the Lord calleth vponupon vsus to turne from sinnes, Doct. he requireth that wee turne as from our owne, so from the sinne of all others. And this also is the prescript of the Lord, and his intent, as shall appeare in our proofe of it, which is built vponupon this ground. Reason 1 Because a man may be punished, not so much, or onelyonly for his owne personall sinnes, as for the sins also of others, and wee cannot question, but the Lords call is for turning, from whatsoeuer sinne may cause or continue his punishment.
1 That the former is a truth, will appeare: First, because the Lord proclaimeth himselfe in that manner: The Lord strong, gracious, mercifull, &c. visiting the iniquity of fathers vponupon the children, Exod. 34.7.and vponupon the childrens children, to the third and fourth generation.
2 This is one of his threats, and a reason annexed, to enforce the obseruation of the second Commaundement: Exod. 20.5.I am a iealous God, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers, &c.
3 It is that which the Lord is acknowledged, to be by Prophets: so Moyses and Ieremie.Num. 14.18 Ier. 32.18.4
4 It is that which the Lord hath often, and ordinarily done. Besides, that great and vniuersall visitation of the iniquity of our first Father Adam, vponupon the world, he hath punished particulars: for the iniquity of Corah, Numb. 16.27.32.33.&c. It is said, they, their wiues, and little children, and all the men appertaining vntounto them (the earth opening her mouth) were swallowed vp.
For the iniquity of Achan, Psal. 7.Gods hand was vponupon Israel. For the sinne of Saul and his bloudy house, the Lord sent three yeares famine in the dayes of Dauid. For the sinne of Dauid, Dauids childe by Bathsheba shall dye: For Dauids shedding the blood of Vriah by, &c. The sword shall neuer depart the house of Dauid: for Dauids numbring the people, the Lord smote downe seauenty thousand men at one time in Jsrael with the plague. For the sinne of Salomon, God did rend the Kingdome from his posterity, and gaue it to Ieroboam: For the sinne of Ieroboam, the Lord did cut off from Ieroboam the man that pisseth against the wall. I might shew it in many particulars else more. Thus the Lord threatneth, and hath done.
And for that word fathers, in the second Commandement, I suppose the meaning to bee as in the fifth Commandement. It encludeth all superiours, and thats not all but inferiours sinnes by a parity of reason: for the sinnes of Elies sonnes, GOD visited Elie the Father: and when as the Lord was wroth with Jsrael, he let loose Sathan to moue Dauid to number Israel. And the Scripture is cleare, that it went ill with Moyses for Israels sake.
Indeede an whole land or family, &c. are as a body, in which members hauehave community; the actions of the part are the actions of the whole, and there is a kinde of consent and concurrence of the whole, euen as it is in a body: Suppose there be a command or conniuencie in a superiour; if there shall be consent, counsell, example, approbation, excuse, defence, commendation… in all which respects, there may bee a concurrence in sinne, a kinde of ioynt stocke, and so the one open and lyable to the personall aberration, and transgression of the other.
By all which, it is manifest, that God in many cases doth punish the sinne of one vponupon another, and therfore that wee may escape punishment, when as the Lord calleth for turning from sinne; he calleth, and we must answere, in turning from the sinnes of others.
But you will say, it is iniustice: Obiect. This is according to the Prouerbe, The Father, eateth sowre Grapes, and the childrens teath…are set on edge. Where also the Lord saith expresly, that the Child shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father.
This obiection is made, Answer. Ezek 18. and euen there also shall you finde the answer. Our proofe is a truth of the Sonne that walketh in his Fathers steps; and the exception or obiection holdeth, in case a Sonn shall not walke in his Fathers steps; which, what is it but the prescript of the Lord in this place, and a proofe of this matter?
Now then it will be demanded, Quest. in what this repentance doth consist, or how a man may turne from the sinne of another?
I answer, Answer. it consisteth in disposition or readinesse of soule, and also act of ceasing or parting from all others sinnes knowne vntounto mee, in minde, iudgement, will, affections, and (which is the other terme or part) a disposition and act of contrary good, in all the foresaid parts, with contrary profession, according vntounto my place.
Thus in Ezekiel, the Lord hauing expressed a wicked Father by his sinnes, speaking of the sonne exempted the punishment of the Fathers sinne, describeth him by contrary actions, denying and departing from his fathers sinnes known. A seer of all his sinnes, vers. 14. One that hath not eaten vponupon the mountaine, one that hath not lifted vp his eyes to the Idols of the house of Jsrael, that hath not defiled his neighbours wife, that hath not oppressed any, nor holden the pledge, neither spoyled by violonce &c. that hath not receiued vponupon Vsurie, &c. and then on the other side, hath walked in my Statutes, Of such a Sonne he pronounceth, He shall not dye for the iniquitie of the Father he shall surely liue.
And it is worthy our consideration, to take notice how Gods people hauehave expressed their contrariety. Of Lot liuing in Sodome, it is said, hee saw, and heard, and was vexed in his righteous soule from day to day, for their vnlawfull deedes. 2 Pet. 2.8.In the ninth of Ezechiel, those that are exempted from that iudgement, are said to bee such, as crie, and mourne for all the abominations done in the Cittie. Mine eyes, saith Dauid, gush out riuers of waters, because men keepe not thy law. Hither may we referre their confessions, as of their owne sinnes, so of the sinnes of others: In sinne was I conceiued, and in iniquity did my mother bring me forth: his originall sin, that which came from Adam. Thus Daniel confessed his sinnes, and the sinnes of his people Israel, wee and our Fathers, &c. are often found in the confessions of GODS people. Psal. 106.
Adde hereunto the complaints of Gods people vntounto God: So Eliah, the children of Israel hauehave forsaken thy couenant, throwne downe thine Altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword, 1, Reg 19.10.
Of this kinde are the priuate whisperings of Gods people, in the Church of the Iewes, of matters which sometimes may not safely be spoken, or borne. Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one vntounto another, Mal. 3.16.
Yea, the secret opposition of soule, when as the mouth is put to silence; the prudent shall keepe silence in that time, for it is an euill time, Amos 5.13. And thus may inferiours depart from the sinnes of their superiours.
Hither vntounto may we referre, departing by aduice and counsell, by dislike, by reproofe, according to a mans place. Iob suffered his seruant to contend with him. A Magistrate must by reproofe, and execution of iudgement. A Minister ought to reproue in his place, keeping his bounds, and so both are cleare: if they doe not, the people shall dye in their sinnes, and their blood will be required at both their hands.
1 If the Lord call vponupon a people, Vse 1 to part with the sinnes of others, as a meanes of healing the land of the plague. take notice of this cause, the sinnes of others, and the misery of many in these times in this respect; as if our personall sinnes were not enough, we may be enfolded in the sinnes of others; and for those sinnes, the plague may be inslicted vponupon vsus. by this doctrine, there is a new discouery of danger to superiours, inferiours, and equalls. magistrates, besides your owne sinnes: you may bee in danger this day for the sinnes of such as are vnderunder you. it may goe euill with you, as with moyses, for the peoples sake. minister besides thine owne sinnes, thou mayest bee in danger of the plague for the sinnes of other, in thy family, in thy charge, it may goe euill with thee for their sake. master of a family, besides the danger thou art in for thine owne sinnes, it may go euill with thee for thy wife, children, or seruants sake; and so contrary, or on the other side inferiours, besides the euill you are open to for your owne sinnes; it may goe euill with you for your superiours sakes. Companion, besides the danger thou art in, for thine owne sins; It may now goe euen with thee, for thy companions sake; when as the Lord calleth vponupon vsus, to turne from the sinnes of others: what doth he but discouer a danger, for, and in respect of the sinnes of others?
What remaineth, but that all of vsus, as alwayes, so now take notice of that danger, that we may auoide it. A wise and a prudent man foreseeth the plague, and flyeth from it: It is neere vsus, euen at the dores; and how may this be done, but by Gods aduice, turning from the sinnes of others. As a way to this, knowledge and notice of the sinnes of others is to be taken, and an enquirie to bee made: What may bee that sinne, those sinnes. VponUpon this ground Magistrates are to examine in their places, and to finde out such sinners and sinnes: that which the Lord spake to Ioshuah, is counsell giuen by the Lord to them: the tribes, families, housholds, are to bee enquired vntounto, I, euen particular men. Dauid did by prayer enquire of the Lord the cause of famine, and the Lord answered him, the sinnes of Saul, and his bloody house. When Achan was found, he was troubled: the sonnes of Saul were deliuered to the Gibeonites, and hanged vp: The famine did cease, the Lord went against Aie, with the men of Jsrael.
When Solomon came vntounto the Throne, hee tooke notice of offenders, 1 King 2.33.brought their blood vponupon their owne heads; and so promised vntounto himselfe, that vponupon Dauid, vponupon his seede, and vponupon his house, and his owne Throne, shall be peace for euer from the Lord.
The same is required of a Minister in his place: hee is to see his owne sinnes, I, and to examine the liues of others, his family, his Parish, or people: Hee is to crie aloud, not to spare: hee is to cause them what in him lyeth) to know the sinnes of their Fathers. Ezek. 20.4.Of all men in place according to the same: of Masters of families vponupon whom primarily this fault resolued lyeth heauie.
The same is the duty of inferiours, according to their places, and seeing they hauehave no power to reproue or redresse: vse those weapons of Christians, prayers & teares to God; let these be witnesses of our contrary mindes wills, and affections: In thy closet thou mayest confesse thy sinnes, and the sinnes of the people: with Eliah thou mayest complaine: These armes, a childe, a seruant, a subiect, may take vp against a Tyrant, and a bloody pers…cutor. Let the world see that thy life is contrary.
This is that which the Lord calleth vponupon vsus for this day, and wee must put in practise. Tell mee not now, that thou wilt breake Gods law in any point, because others doe; a Master, a Father, a Minister, a Magistrate, a multitude, liue not by examples of men, but Gods lawes: Ezek. 20.18Walke not in the statutes of your Fathers. In this case it is not good to obay man, to be the seruant of man. I am the Lord your God, walke in my statutes. God is greater submission vntounto superiours is euer limited in the Lord. EueryEvery Christian indeede is a man bought with a price, hee must not be the seruant of a man in this sence: hee is redeemed not with corruptible things, such as men giuegive siluer and gold, but with the blood of Iesus Christ, as of a Lambe without spot. And from what, hell, and sin? Vaine conuersation, 1 Pet. 1.18.euen that which is receiued by tradition from Fathers. If a man follow the sin of his Father, he shall beare his punishment, following the generation of his Father, he shall neuer see light.
Let the saying and doing of the Lord moue vsus to this duty: his present imminent hand, as wee would not hauehave others in relation to vsus cut off for our cause: superiour, thine inferiour, people, wife, childe, seruant, friend, inferiour thy superiour; Master, Father, Husband, Minister, Magistrate, turne thou from thine owne sinnes: Yea, as thou respectest thine owne life, turne withall from the sinnes of all others. It is Gods prescript for the plague, to turne from our owne sinnes, and the sinnes of others.