Balm from Gilead, Sermon 3
After-noone Sermon.
IN the third place, obserue, Doct. 3 that it is the manner of the Lord, to send the pestilen…e amongst his own people, those that are called by his name.
A people are his, in regard either of the common & outward couenant, and adoption, or inward couenant, as sonnes & daughters of God by faith in Iesus Christ.
Our proposition is true of both.
Such were Israel in the time of Moyses, in the time of Dauid, amongst whom the Lord sent the plague, and I suppose that man rash in his conceit, who will determine, that none of Israel (indeede) were of that company. It is cleare in Hezekiah, whom some probably iudge smitten with the plague. It is certaine of the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 11.that some of them were sicke, some weake, some asleepe: and when they were iudged, they were chastened of the Lord, that they might not be condemned of the world.
When Ionathan is taken away in one battell, and Josiah in another (if we had not experience) by a parity of reason, we might gather that God may, and doth send the pestilence amongst his people.
1 What meruaile, Reason 1 seeing amongst them the cause, sinne, is to be found: for those that are onelyonly in the outward couenant, circumcised with the circumcision made with hands of vncircumcised hearts & lips. It is cleare, sinne is in them, and it raigneth: They professe they know God; in their workes they deny God, are abominable, and vntounto eueryevery good worke reprobate. All the sinnes spoken of, causing the plague, are to bee found amongst them, though they be called by the name of God: What wonder if the effect be found amongst them?
For Gods owne, sinne is in them, though it raigne not, they hauehave members on earth, fornication, vncleanenesse, inordinate affection, euill concupiscence, couetousnesse, which is Jdolatry, as yet to be mortified: euen they whose life is hid with Christ in God: who when Christ shall appeare, Col. 3.3, 4, 5.hauehave faith made them by the Apostle, to appeare with him in glory, &c. there are the fruits, Iere. 4. Col. 3.vaine thoughts lodging in them: idle, I, cursed speaking: hee that is able to rule his tongue, is a perfect man, which state is reserued to happinesse, is glory: In many things we offend all: he that saith he hath no sinne, deceiueth himselfe, and the truth is not in him. When wee finde amongst them the cause, what wonder is it if there bee the effect, the plague?
Besides, the pestilence will discouer these, and put a difference: discouer grace, put it to a triall: it wil purifie & reform them more and more; it killeth voluptuousnesse, worldly mindednesse, glorying in a mans owne strength: it prepareth to death and iudgement: it exerciseth all graces, and so by Gods ouer-ruling hand, worketh euer to good, euerlasting good and glory.
Against this may be obiected that promise, Obiect. He will deliuer thee from the snare of the fowler, &c a thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: it shall not come neere thy dwelling.
I answere, Answer. that promise is not absolute, it hath limitation, as a iudgement, or punishment, properly so called; so shall they bee deliuered from it, who are indeede the Lords, not simply, but as a curse, and truly euill.
Besides, we may adde so often, as it shall not bee truly good for thee: it is sometimes truly good for the Lords to bee afflicted: it may bee a meanes of deliuerie from a greater euill to come; it is euer a pledge of Gods fatherly louelove, Heb. 12.at worst a conueigher to happinesse. 2. Reg. 22.10. Reu 14.13.Iosiah dying in battell, went to his graue in peace: blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, whatsoeuer the kinde of death is, or disease, if of the plague, euen so saith the Spirit.
We know, 2 Cor. 5.1.that if the earthly house of this our Tabernacle be dissolued, howsoeuer dissolued, wee hauehave an abiding place not made with hands, eternall in the heauens.
It may bee said, Obiect. the sinnes of Gods people are remitted, and therfore they are not cause.
I answere: Answer. graunting a plenarie remission to eueryevery faithfull soule: There's no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ: Rom. 8.1.I denie the consequent, that sinne is not a cause of the plague amongst them: all that followeth, is, it is not a cause of death, as a curse or punishment properly so called; it is not compensatorie, satis factorie: so Christ alone is accursed for vsus, hee troad the Winepresse of his Fathers wrath alone: and yet for this cause, sinne; some of you are sicke, weake, asleepe: when as Gods people are iudged of the Lord, they are not punished as before, but chastned of the Lord, and that they might not be condemned with the world.
1 Learne hence not to censure a people, not to be a people of God, particular persons, Parishes, Cities, Lands, because they are smitten with the pestilence; there is in man a censuring humour: out of the aboundance in the heart the mouth speaketh: if God smite a Minister, or one that is not iust of our cut, in matter of iudgement, we mark him with a blacke coale, we iudge them before the time; we account them as those did rashly, Paul touched with a viper. We conclude it, the vengeance of God, beware of it: that doth not euer follow, God smote Israel, Hezekiah, the Corinthians: thou mayest iudge the generation of Gods people. It is true, a man may say, it was for sinne: and yet it may be but a chastisement.
Who art thou that iudgest another? Either one of the godly, or a wicked man. If a godly man, gather the same may happen vntounto thee that doth to thy fellow-seruant, thou art if the Lord strictly examine, and looke what's amisse, in the same condemnation.
If thou bee a wicked man, feare what shall betide thee: if it be done thus with a greene tree, in whom there is sap, leaues and fruit: what shall be done with thee that art dry? Eezk. 15.with thee that art as the Vine, not fit for any good worke, not to make a Pin.
If iudgement beginneth at the house of God, what shall become of them that obay not the Gospell of Iesus Christ: 1 Pet. 4 17 18,if the righteous scarsely be saued, where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare?
2 Learne hence, Vse 2 that no outward priuiledge of Gods people, can exempt them of publique calamity, and the misery of eueryevery vngodly man, (though otherwise professing more strictnes then other men,) seeing as yet hee is open and lyable to the plague. Man, vaine man is in such times ready to build vponupon any priuiledge: the Jewes cried, Iere. 7. Math. 3.the Temple of the Lord, this is the Temple of the Lord, wee hauehave Abraham to our Father: What shall we speake of religious priuiledges? wee are ready to build on strength, on riches, on honours. It is a vaine thing, there is no cause: doth not GOD send the pestilence amongst his people? Thou sayest thou art a Christian, baptized, one that commest to the house of God, sittest amongst the people of God, receiuest the Sacrament, thou fastest and prayest: all these thou mayest doe, and bee an hypocrite, and not exempted. When the Iewes gloried in the Temple of the Lord, the Prophet calleth them lying words, and willeth them not to trust in them, sendeth them to Shiloe, to see what hee did there for the wickednesse of his people Israel; so long as wickednesse remaineth, the Temple cannot shelter. Ier. 7.3.4.12Amend your wayes and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Though the Iewes crie, wee hauehave Abraham to our Father. Iohn threatneth the Axe: It is laide to the roote, and calleth for repentance. The same is said to vsus.
Circumcision is nothing, nor vncircumcision, but a new creature: Rom 2.circumcision profiteth, if a man keepe the law: if circumcision breake the law, it is vncircumcision.
All these will auaile vsus nothing; meanes without profit by them, encrease sinne and condemnation: Woe be vntounto thee Corazin, woe be vntounto thee Bethsaidah, &c. Therefore Tire and Sidon shall rise against them in the latter day. The same may be applyed vntounto vsus in this Cittie. And if outward priuiledges exempt not from the plague, they cannot free a man from hell and condemnation, which notwithstanding is all that many men can shew and plead for it; much lesse priuiledges of nature in this world, lesse & worse then these are.
3 It teacheth such as are the Lords in these times, to fit and prepare themselues for the worst, to dispose themselues to death: at all times there is a cause, now especially, when as in all places we feare to meete with this messenger of death: Man that is borne of a woman, is but of a fewe dayes; his life is compared to a vapour, a bubble, to a shadow, to a flower, to grasse, all flesh is grasse, to vanity, it is lighter then vanitie: in middest of life we are in death: as soone as a man is, hee is sinfull, therefore corruptible: corruption encreaseth daylie, it cannot be long before hee be mortall, as soone as a man is borne, hee hath cause to take out this lesson, to learne to dye. Death is an enemie to nature, so are very thoughts of death, therefore doe we lay aside prouision for death. Gods people themselues more then flesh & bloud, then nature, are very backward: Teach me to number my dayes. Make me to know mine end, and the number of my dayes: God himselfe complayning of it, wisheth vsus wisedome to consider our latter end. How indocile so euer we are, we must all come to it: wee must hauehave a time to prepare our selues vntounto it, or be taken vnprouided; amongst other motiues, let this now preuaile, the plague is amongst vsus, and wee are not exempted.
Let it moue vsus to set our houses in order, to cast vp all reckonings with the Lord and man. The time seemeth now short: let vsus that hauehave wiues, be as if we had not, in weepeings for matter of this world, as if we wept not: in worldly ioy, as those that reioyce not, buying, as not possessing, vsing the world as not abusing it, liue as men dying: wee are seruants; let vsus be as seruants, wayting for the comming of our Lord: all the dayes of our appointed time, let vsus wayte till our change come, at any time we may: now it seemeth wee must dye; cleare wee now our euidences, and make sure wee are the Lords: liue vntounto the Lord, dye vntounto the Lord: Whether we liue or dye, belieuing, say, we are the Lords: Glorie and tryumpn in this against death, and all it meanes. I am perswaded, that no thing, nor life, nor death, shall be able to seperate vsus from the louelove of God, in Christ Iesus our Lord Come vntounto that passe, and rest not, till with the Apostle thou say, We know that if the earthly house of this our Tabernacle were dissolued, we hauehave a place not made with hands, eternall in the heauens. The vse is profitable at all times, now especially, seeing the pestilence is amongst vsus, from whence let vsus bee caried to prouide and comfort our selues, with those and the like sayings.
Last of all, it doth call vponupon vsus, euen the people of the Lord, for a carefull vse of the meanes prescribed, seeing the Lord sendeth the pestilence amongst vsus. Let vsus now worke for our liues: this is a time, wherein not onelyonly the wicked are called vponupon, to fast and pray: but also such as are godly indeede, such as hauehave humbled our selues already, fasted and prayed; wee must doe it more and more, wee may not bee wearie. That of Zephanie commeth home to vsus: Seeke yee the Lord ye meeke of the earth, which hauehave wrought his iudgements, seeke meekenesse, seeke righteousnesse, as we looke to be hid in this day of the wrath of the Lord. These are the meanes, vntounto these meanes vsed by vsus there is made a promise. Many thinges may moue vsus to bestirre our selues; that our heauenly Father may not be any longer angry with vsus, that the wicked which cannot pray, may not vtterly be cut off in their sinnes: that our friends and families may be safe: that wee may hauehave restored our former comforts, and enioy fellowship and society one with another againe: amongst the rest, for our owne liues sakes, which are now greatly in danger, the Lord for sinne hauing sent the pestilence amongst his owne people.