The Judgments of Providence in the Hand of Christ, Sermon
The Earth devoured by the Curſe.
Iſaiah XXIv. 6.
Therefore hath the Curſe devoured the Earth.
THIS Chapter is fill'd with lamentation and mourning and woe. The burden of the whole earth it may be called. For tho' it doubtleſs refers more immediately to the ravages and deſolations made far and near by the ſword of the Aſſirian, or the Babylonian armies; yet it may ſeem alſo deſigned to repreſent and bewail the general Curſe which ſin has bro't upon the world of mankind.
It begins thus, Behold the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waſte, and turneth it upſide down;— the land ſhall be utterly emptied and utterly ſpoiled;— the world languiſheth and fadeth away;— the earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; becauſe they have tranſgreſſed the law, changed the ordinance, broken the everlaſting covenant: Therefore hath the Curſe devoured the Earth.
It is GOD's curſe that is here ſpoken of; what He has uttered, and which he inflicts. The ſubject of this curſe is the Earth whereon Mankind dwell: That &c its inhabitants are under the curſe. The cauſe of the curſe is Sin, and the holy wrath of GOD which it provokes. The curſe is the threatning of the law, the righteous puniſhment of ſin. The nature of the curſe is deſcribed here from the terrible effects of it, its devouring the Earth. This makes the Curſe, namely, its devouring and deſtructive nature.
This is according to the threatning of GOD and his Judgment paſs'd on Adam, Curſed is the ground for thy ſake. This became the glory and holineſs of the infinite GOD, the Maker and Sovereign of the Univerſe.
Doct. That the Curſe of the great GOD is come upon the Earth for Man's ſin, and hath devoured it.
1. There is the Curſe of the great and holy GOD. Behold the LORD maketh the Earth empty, &c. He only hath a right to curſe, and he alone has power to do it. To Him it belongs to curſe and to bleſs, and whom he bleſſeth are bleſſed indeed, and his curſe is effectual and takes place. Pſalm 94.1. O LORD God to whom vengeance belongeth.
He made the earth good and bleſſed it: he made man holy and happy and bleſſed him. The curſe is of our ſelves, we bro't it on the earth. GOD is the ſame bleſſed, holy, good and wiſe Being, when he curſeth as when he bleſſeth. There is no ſhadow of change in Him. The change is in us: We conſtrain the infinitely pure, wiſe and righteous ONE to judge thus.
What then is the Curſe of GOD? It is the holy Anger and Wrath of ALMIGHTY GOD threatned againſt and inflicted on ſinful creatures.
1. There is the Anger, wrath and vengeance of GOD in the Curſe. Nahurn 1.2. GOD is jealous and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adverſaries, and he reſerveth wrath for his enemies.
2. GOD's threatned wrath in his Word, that is the Curſe to man. The law worketh wrath. We had not known the curſe but by the law, which curſeth every one that continueth not in all things written in it, to do them. Gal. 3.10. The threatning belongs to the Law, and contains the curſe. Deut. 11.26, 28. Behold I ſet before you this day a bleſſing and a curſe; a Bleſſing if ye obey the Commandments of the LORD your GOD; a Curſe if ye will not obey.
3. The threatned wrath of GOD inflicted is the Curſe. The curſe hath devoured, ſays the Text. GOD hath performed, and is executing the Threatnings of his Word. It is the Execution that gives force and terror to the Law; this makes the curſe ſeen and felt and feared. Mal. 4.6. I come and ſmite the earth with a Curſe. So ends the Old Teſtament, the miniſtration of the Law. — Thus the Curſe is GOD's righteous and terrible wrath, threatned in his word and inflicted by his power.
II. The curſe is come upon the Earth for Mans ſin. The ſubject and cauſe of the curſe is pointed to in the text, Therefore hath the curſe devoured the earth. It was threatned by GOD in caſe of ſin, it was inflicted upon the ſin of man. Sin provokes GOD to curſe, ſin highly deſerves his curſe, and only ſin merits and procures it. Sin bro't it on the head of Angels, and they beguiled man into it.
There was no curſe upon the Earth till man had ſinned: No, but it was full of bleſſings. It was all a Paradiſe, crowned and fill'd with the bounties of GOD. Every thing on it was very good, and the LORD bleſſed it. It was a ſeat of happineſs, a garden of pleaſure, while it remained a place of holineſs. But as by one man ſin enter'd into the world, ſo Death by ſin. Rom. 5.12. The ourſe is a train of dreadful evils preceeding death, and conſequent upon it.
The earth belong'd to the ſinner, and therefore is the curſe come upon it. GOD made the earth for the ſake of his Creature Man, and gave it to him for his poſſeſſion and dominion. And for mans ſake GOD curſed the earth, becauſe it belong'd to the ſinner. See Gen. 3.17, 18, 19. He yet gives particular places up to the curſe, for the iniquity of them that dwell therein.
The paradiſaic face of the earth paſs'd away with man's innocence and integrity. It was not fit that the ſinner ſhould remain in Eden: No, he muſt be driven out with a flaming ſword. If he be ſtill continued upon earth that muſt be changed, to become a place of affliction and pain to him. By ſin he forfeited the good, with which GOD had filled the earth, and he was deprived thereof. By ſin he deſerved pain, grief and vexation, and the earth was made to miniſter it unto him. So he came by the knowledge of evil after the Good, by a ſad ſenſe and feeling of it. He ſaw and felt the change without, as well as within himſelf; and that it was an evil and bitter thing that he had ſinned.
GOD valu'd not the Earth in compariſon of Man, the owner of it, and his obedience. GOD had made him in his Image, with much ſolemnity and a divine pleaſure. GOD had prepar'd and ſtock'd the earth for him, before he made him. GOD put it under man's feet, but reſerv'd man's heart and ſoul for Himſelf and for heaven. The ruine of Man was therefore more to GOD, than if the whole earth and all the creatures in it could have periſhed without him. A ſoul in the likeneſs of GOD, an immortal ſpirit capable of knowing, loving, ſerving and enjoying GOD for ever, is more than ſeas and lands, fiſh and fowl, beaſts and all cattle. What ſhall be given to GOD, what hath not he given, in exchange for a ſoul?
The Inhabitant is greater than the houſe he dwells in. The things that are made, however great in themſelves, are yet leſs at laſt than the Perſons for whom they are made. The earth may well diſſolve with its inhabitants.
But at laſt, the Glory and honour of GOD is in value infinitely beyond Man and his Earth together. Pereat mundus, ſed fiat juſtitia: Let GOD be glorified, tho' the earth periſh and man with it. GOD has caſt down Angels, and he will burn up Worlds, rather than bear with ſin, or let it go unpuniſhed.
III. The Curſe hath devoured the Earth. To devour is to eat up, conſume, deſtroy, lay waſte and deſolate. It is meant 1. of the Inhabitants of the Earth, 2. of that it ſelf, and 3. of the good and happineſs, peace and comfort that would have been, or that is yet in the world.
1. The Curſe is now devouring, and thro' every generation of man has been devouring, the Inhabitants of this earth in that one vaſt and comprehenſive part of it, Mortality and death. This is the very letter of the Curſe, in the firſt and ſhort (but O how extenſive!) compendium of it; In the day when thou eateſt thou ſhalt ſurely die. That is to ſay, become mortal and miſerable.
Number if you can the families and generations of men that have proceeded from the loyns of mortal. Adam: Where are they? what is become of every perſon that have belonged to them? The Curſe (that is Death) hath ſlain and devoured them all! the grave has eat 'em up! Unſatisfied death, and the inſatiaable grave, which never ſays it hath enough.
How many millions of people die in every age of the world? not one of theſe had died but for the curſe! What is become of all theſe buried bodies? Death and the worms (that is, the Curſe) has devour'd them; into duſt they are conſum'd away. Like a thing devour'd they are turn'd into corruption.
They that have liv'd to fifty or ſixty year old have almoſt ſeen that Generation devour'd which fill'd the earth when they came into it; and this dragon ſtands ready to devour every child of man that is yet to be born.
We read of death as the devourer, Pſal. 49.14. Like ſheep they are laid in the grave, death ſhall feed on them. Prov. 1.12. Let us ſwallow them up alive as the grave, and whole as they that go down into the pit. Hab. 2.5. Death cannot be ſatisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people. Thus Death is the Curſe which devoureth the earth.
II. There are many Plagues which belong to death and the curſe, by which the earth has been and ſtill is devoured. The curſe is a quiver full of deadly arrows, ſome whereof are ever on the ſtring, and flying every moment, directed at the heart of one or other of the ſons and daughters of men. It is a vaſt collection of many woes, and every one of them makes vaſt deſtructions. You have them in part enumerated in the 28. of Deuteronomy; All theſe curſes ſhall come upon thee and overtake thee; Curſed ſhalt thou be in the city and curſed in the field; curſed ſhall be thy basket and thy ſtore; curſed the fruit of thy body and of thy land, the increaſe of thy kine and of thy ſheep; curſed ſhalt thou he when thou comeſt in and when thou goeſt out.
The world had an Epitomy of the Curſe in the plagues of Egypt, thoſe ten plagues which devour'd that ſerrile Country. Again we have the branches and terrors of the Curſe in the ſeven laſt plagues, the vials of the wrath of GOD: Revel. 15.1. And I ſaw another ſign in heaven great and marvellous, ſeven Angels, having the ſeven laſt plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of GOD. 16.1. And I heard a great voice out of the Temple, ſaying to the ſeven Angels, Go, pour out the vials upon the earth. Here is the viſion of the Curſe; beyond the words of men and beyond their fears.
I will ſingle out and name ſome of theſe plagues and curſes, which devour the Earth; whereof how little a part is known by us, and how little can the leaſt part be deſcribed by us.
1. War is one part of the Curſe; one cruel and woful thing whereby it has devour'd the earth. From the days of Nimrod it has been ravaging and devouring; ſlaying its thouſands and ten thouſands, laying waſte Cities and Provinces. One devouring Beaſt and another have been the true Images of war. So the ſucceſſive Monarchies and Tynannies are repreſented in the book of Daniel. Such a devouring beaſt was the Aſſirian firſt; and then the Babylonian Empire; and ſuch the Grecian Victors, Alexander and his Captains; and then the Roman Empire which ſwallow'd up all in its turn; till at laſt it prey'd upon it ſelf and became a morſel to barbarous nations. And thus the ſword goes on devouring for ever: The deſtructions are perpetual and never like to come to an end. Death and the curſe have even ſubſiſted upon the wars, which have murder'd the nations of men. The labours and fruits of the field are the leaſt part of its devouring; It makes its arrows drunk with blood, and the ſword devours fleſh. Would you ſee the Earth devour'd? you have it, Dan. 7.23. And the fourth beaſt ſhall devour the whole earth, and ſhall tread it down and break it in pieces.
2. The peſtilence, that inviſible ſword of death, which walketh in darkneſs, is another form of the Curſe which devours the earth. If war has ſlain its thouſands, Diſeaſes have their ten thouſand. Who can number the hoſts of the various kinds of mortal ſickneſſes and diſtempers, to which our bodies are here liable? How many millions of lives do they ſilently ſweep away every day and week. The plague in the camp of Iſrael carried off in an hour 14700 ſouls; and in one night the Angel of death ſlew in the Aſſirian Camp 184000. In three days peſtilence GOD can kill as many, as in three years famine, or in three months flying before an enemy. Deut. 28.22. Every ſickneſs and every plague ſhall he bring upon thee, until he have conſumed thee. I ſuppoſe that threatning to be more than literally fulfilled from age to age, Ezek. 5.12. A third part of thee ſhall die by the peſtilence: i. e. by ſickneſs of one kind and other. So the wrath of the Almighty in the deſtruction of the lives of men is repreſented, Hab. 3.5, 6. Before him went the peſtilence and burning coals (i. e. Fevers) at his feet: And he ſtood and meaſured the earth: i. e. gave over ſuch a proportion of the lives upon it to the peſtilence: I heard (adds the Prophet) and my belly trembled, and rottenneſs enter'd into my bones.
3. Famine and the cauſes of it are another part of the curſe which devours the earth. The numbers that die of famine are not equal to thoſe that die in war, or by ſickneſs. It would be dreadful if it were ſo: for better it is to die of theſe than of that. There are troops of plagues to introduce a famine; the land is devour'd before it comes. The lean kine and the blaſted ears, devouring the fat and the rank ſtalk, is the rueful image of this plague. Drought or ſweeping rains devour the earth and leave no food. The fire devours the paſture, and the flame burns up the trees of the field. Joel. 1.19. Again the ſeed rots under the clods by exceſs of rain, and the garners are laid deſolate: Alas for the day! for as a deſtruction from the Almighty ſhall it come! how do the beaſts groan, and the cattle are perplexed! If GOD ſend the locuſt, or the caterpillar, or worms of various kind, they ear up every green thing. Theſe he calls the devourer: Mal. 3. II. A moſt proper name truly, and very formidable. Pſalm. 105.34.35. He ſpake and the locuſts came, and caterpillars without number; and did eat up all the herbs of their land, and devour'd the fruit of their ground. 2. Chron. 7.13. If I ſhut up heaven and there be no rain, or if I command the locuſts to devour the land. A very ſignal part of the curſe, Famine in all the cauſes of it.
4. Earthquakes, ſtorms and inundations belong to the Curſe which devours the earth. The LORD has his way in theſe, and they are dreadful executioners of his wrath and holy vengeance. They are irreſiſtible deſtroyers, before which there is no ſtanding and oppoſing, and from which there is no flying. The earthquake ſwallows up all before it, and the fierce wind bears down all before it, and the inundation rolls over all that ſtands in its way. Nahum. 1. init. The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind, and in the ſtorm, and the clouds are the duſt of his feet: — The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burnt at his preſence; yea the world and all that dwell therein: Who can ſtand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceneſs of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
The earth was devour'd in the days of Noah by earthquakes and inundations; The earth ſank, and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. In like manner the plains of Sodom were turned into a ſtanding water. This overflowing Scourge is ever in the hand of GOD, Pſalm. 18.7, —12. Iſai. 29.6. And every year almoſt we hear of ſome threatnings or executions of the Curſe after this kind, which ſhould GOD increaſe and multiply how ſoon would the earth be devoured by it? — Thus there are many plagues which belong to the curſe, and which devour the earth.
III. The curſe has once already devoured the whole earth by a flood of waters, and will devour it again by fire, in the Conflagration at the laſt day. Twice will the Curſe effect a univerſal diſſolution of the earth. One woe is paſt long ſince, and the other cometh quickly.
1. The Flood devoured the Earth in the days of Noah, and it was the Curſe of GOD for the ſins of mankind that did it. So it is at large related to us in the ſixth and ſeventh Chapters of Geneſis. It is computed by learned men, that there might then be living on the earth as great a number of people as are alive upon it at this day, by reaſon of the Longevity before the flood: But however that were, yet we muſt ſuppoſe many Millions of men women and children then drown'd together. They ſank by ſhoals innumerable. At the ſame time the waters tore the ground to pieces, and left it a mighty ruine, as its ſhores do ſhew at this day. Then the channels of waters were ſeen, and the foundations of the world were diſcovered; at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blaſt of the breath of his noſtrils. He made darkneſs his ſecret place, and his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the sky. Pſalm 18.
My context, as well as Pſalm now quoted ſeems to point us to this very Inſtance, the flood; for then indeed it was that the LORD made the earth empty (a kind of ſecond Chaos) and perverted the face of it: It was moved exceedingly, and was clean diſſolved: It reel'd to and fro like a drunkard, and was removed like a cottage: It ſank under the tranſgreſſion of men which was heavy upon it. Yet it roſe again by the power and patience of GOD; but bears the unſightly and mortal marks of the Curſe.
2. The Curſe will once more devour the earth in the laſt Conflagration, when the heavens and earth that now are ſhall be burnt up.
The Philoſophers and the Poets, both Greeks and Romans, have in their writings preſerved the tradition both of the flood which has once devoured the earth, and of the fire that will again do it. But it is the Holy Scripture which has taught us to believe it; more eſpecially thoſe famous words of the Apoſtle Peter, 2 Pet. 3.7,—12. But the heavens and earth which are now, are reſerved unto fire againſt the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men:— The day of the LORD will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat; the earth alſo and the works that are therein ſhall be burnt up. Here the end of the earth by fire is poſitively declared, and it will be a deluge of fire. The means of it are to us unknown, and after our beſt reaſonings about it altogether uncertain. Whether the LORD will rain down fire and brimſtone as he did on Sodom, or whether the fires within the earth ſhall break forth and pour out mighty ſtreams of flaming ſulphur, or whether ſome awful Comet, like that which ſome of us ſaw in the year 1680, paſſing (as that did they ſay) into the flames of the Sun, may come blazing down upon this wicked Earth of ours, and ſet it in a flame at once. GOD only knows the time and means of this Event, and has them in his power; but the thing is decreed, and in its time will be performed; and the earth will be devoured, melted and diſſolved by the fire of the Divine jealouſie. Zeph. 3.8. The Day will burn as an oven, and all that do wickedly ſhall be as the ſtubble. Mal. 4.1. "The flames will drink up the very ſea, ſays a learned Author, and run down the mountains and rocks into burning Oar." And then the Curſe will have devoured the Earth a ſecond time; and there ſhall be no more Curſe for ever †Here this Sermon may be divided..
IV. The latent hidden Curſe is at laſt in mens Souls, their vitiated minds and wild paſſions, their wicked and ungodly luſts, whereby they become plagues and curſes to one another now, and will be (without repentance) devoured by the Curſe of GOD in the Judgment of the great Day.
One ſinner deſtroyed much good, ſpoiling himſelf and all about him of all the comfort, happineſs and peace that the Earth has to give. From whence come wars which devour the earth? come they not of mens luſts that war in their members? their pride, ambition, covetouſneſs, hatred and revenge? What devouring beaſt of prey is there in the woods, like to a Sennacherib, or a Nebuchadnezzar among men? — Or what is it that devours the private good of perſons, towns, families and provinces, like mens private gains and intereſts, their envies and emulations, hatreds and wraths? they defraud and oppreſs, bite and devour one another, and ſo are conſumed one of another. The plague is in the heart, tho' few feel it in themſelves, whereby they become a curſe to themſelves and others.
And for this the Day is coming when the Wrath of GOD will devour ſouls; the day of the perdition of ungodly men. In that fearful day the Curſe will devour all that have ever lived upon the earth, ſave a ſmall remnant according to the election of Grace.
The ſpiritual and eternal part of the Curſe is eminently the Curſe. The outward and temporal plagues, how many ſoever they be and dreadful, are as nothing to that. A body liable to a devouring grave is nothing, in compariſon of an Immortal Soul in a ſtate of ſpiritual death and liable to the ſecond and eternal Death. That devours ſoul and body too, with an everlaſting deſtruction, and therefore is infinitely terrible. Mat. 10.28.
The laſt and full execution of the curſe is that fiery indignation which ſhall devour the enemies of GOD after the day of Judgment. Then death and hell, loſt ſouls and damned devils, ſhall be caſt together into the lake of fire, and the ſmoke of their torment ſhall aſcend for ever and ever. The Curſe is finally that, Mat. 25. ult. Depart ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
O how few out of the world of mankind will eſcape this devouring fire, theſe everlaſting burnings? Lord! are … few that ſhall be ſaved from it! How many thouſands of millions will ſink down together into hell under the heavy wrath of GOD in that terrible day! And when theſe periſh from the earth and from under theſe heavens, compared with whom Thoſe that ſhall he redeemed from the earth are but a ſmall number, then the Earth will be devoured by the Curſe in the moſt woful ſenſe: For what is the whole Earth to theſe Souls?
USE. I come now to ſome brief Improvement of this awful Doctrine. And
1. Let us ſee the hideous, ugly and deteſtable face of ſin and of ſatan in the devouring Curſe.
1. Of ſin: What a curſed thing is it? and what a dreadful Curſe to Man and to the Earth? SIN is the devourer of both: That is the parent and cauſe of the curſe: That bro't forth the Dragon. Whatever the Curſe hath done, or hereafter ſhall do, to the bodies or ſouls of men, muſt be all charged on their accurſed ſins.
Hence we muſt eſtimate the great Evil there was in the firſt ſin of man, by which death and hell entered. For in Adam all die, and by the offence of One judgment is come upon all men. Well ſaid the holy Judge to the woman, who was firſt in the tranſgreſſion, What haſt thou done? It may ſeem to ſome of her fooliſh children but a ſmal ſin, to take and taſte of the forbidden tree as ſhe did: But the Curſe conſequent thereon gives us a terrible proof that it was a great tranſgreſſion.
We ſee Original ſin in the Curſe devouring the earth; that we are by nature children of wrath. The curſe devours Infants in the womb, and the pains and death of the new born babes ſhews that they are ſhapen in iniquity and conceived in ſin. Yet theſe ſeem to have known leaſt of the Curſe: Job. 3.10. Becauſe it ſhut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid ſorrow from my eyes.
In all the bitter ſorrows and grievous afflictions of our lives we feel the Curſe. The effects muſt lead us back to the cauſe, and we ſee GOD judging us for our ſins†Levit. 26.41. Lam. 1, 14, 18.: The yoke of my tranſgreſſion is bound by his hand: The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled againſt him. We may not ſay of this or that particular perſon, at leaſt very rarely, that GOD viſits them for theſe or thoſe particular ſins; or that they are ſinners above others: But we may and ſhould every one judge himſelf before GOD when we are under his judgments; And as for a particular place or People judged by the LORD we may freely ſay, Thy way and thy doings have procured theſe things unto thee; This is thy wickedneſs and it is bitter. Jer. 4.18.
2. Let the Curſe ſhew us the ugly and deteſtable face of ſatan. In this his own glaſs ſee the accurſed fiend; his enmity to GOD and GOD's hatred of him, his cruel hatred to man and malice againſt him. He the tempter is the Abaddon and devourer. He maliciouſly ſeduced Eve into ſin, to bring the curſe of GOD upon the earth and on all her poſterity. For this GOD will never forgive him, nor ſhould we. He was a murderer from the beginning, and ſtill goeth about as a roaring lion ſeeking whom he may devour. This is the great red dragon, whoſe tail drew the third part of the ſtars of heaven after him; and the Manchild on earth he ſtands ready to devour. Rev. 12.4. He is the Original of ſin and miſery in both worlds. What a horrid face is this? Draw this likewiſe, That he can never repent. Let him bear the curſe for ever, has the righteous GOD ſaid, who bro't it on the earth, and on the lov'd race of Men. The utmoſt curſe of man is, to depart accurſed to him. He muſt anſwer in the day of Judgment, as for his own apoſtacy, ſo for all the ſins and woes that have fill'd this earth of ours. The Son of man will judge him in the great day, and revenge upon him this implacable and unpardonable enmity to GOD and wrong to man.
II. See the Grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and the mercy of GOD thro' him. O the height and depth of redeeming love! how unſearchable is it? Contemplate it in the following things, and be rapt in holy aſtoniſhment and thankfulneſs.
The SON OF GOD has in our nature been made ſin, and born the curſe, that he might ſave us from the curſe. 2. Cor. 5.21. Gal. 3.13. Great is this myſtery of Godlineſs, this triumph of Holineſs and Grace united! the Angels of heaven deſire to look into it! they look and worſhip (and ſo muſt we) before the Mercy-ſeat.
To CHRIST it is owing that the earth is not utterly devoured by the Curſe. It ſtands by his merits; and thro' his obedience and death we ſinners are under the care and bounties of Providence. The covenant of Providence is built upon the covenant of Grace, and the rain bow covers the throne of the Redeemer. All the forbearance of GOD to us, and all his ſalvations from day to day, are from his great propitiation. Therefore day and night, ſummer and winter, ſeed time and harveſt do not fail.
Nay our Lord JESUS has deſtroyed the devouring curſe as to all that believe in him; and he will finiſh the deſtruction of it at his ſecond Coming, and in the reſurrection of the Juſt. Then he will ſwallow up death in victory.
He delivers ſouls from the curſe now; from the power of ſin and from a ſtate of condemnation. He delivereth alſo from the wrath to come.
The glory of CHRIST and of redeening Grace is at laſt this, That to believers in him there is no more curſe. They may have ſorrow and grief, pain and torment, they may be ſick and die; Earthquakes may ſwallow them, and the grave devour their bodies; but the Day is coming when there ſhall be no more curſe. Revel. 22.3. There are remains of ſin and of the curſe here in the body, but out of it not the leaſt remain of either for ever and ever.
III. Is the Curſe devouring the earth for mans ſin? ſee the lamentable hardneſs of ſinners in their impenitency. Altho' men ſee the earth they live on devour'd by the curſe, yet they will not repent. As Pharaoh ſaw his kingdom deſtroyed by one plague and another, and yet hardned his heart. GOD highly reſents this in his own people, Amos. 4.10, 11, 12. Yet have ye not returned to me ſaith the LORD! tho' I overthrew ſome of you as I did Sodom and Gomorrah! Wherefore thus will I do unto you, and prepare to meet thy GOD O Iſrael! This is the Iniquity that is not purged, but men perſiſt in it till they die.
Men are and act as if there were no curſe, no ſin or miſery, upon earth. They ſpend their days in mirth, and in a moment go down to the grave. This is deeply reſented by GOD, with juſt anger and from his tender compaſſions to us: Ezek. 21.9, 10, 11. Son of man, A ſword is ſharpned and furbiſhed: It ſhall be upon my people: Terrors ſhall be on them: Smite thou on thy thigh. So our LORD wept over the inſenſible City, nigh unto deſtruction.
Every impenitent ſinner is under the Curſe. Hell is open before him, and the wrath of GOD abideth on him. Deſtruction upon deſtruction muſt be cried in his ears. And O that ſinners under the Goſpel would conſider how nearly the curſe concerns them, how dreadfully it threatens and hangs over them more than others! and how heavy it will ly upon them for ever if they die impenitent and unpardoned. — You that have heard and known the curſes of GOD's law, and have been warned and perſwaded by the terrors of GOD! You that have ſeen the flying roll as it is ſpread abroad in the Book of GOD; ſeen the length and the breadth of it, as it goeth over the face of the whole earth! how ſhould you fear its entring into thy houſe and thy ſoul!
Be exhorted therefore to an inſtant earneſt and deep repentance. Think who hath warned you, how GOD hath warned you, to flee from the wrath to come! Ly no longer ſecurely and profanely in a ſtate of ſin and miſery, quiet and at eaſe under the curſe of GOD. Wilt thou not fear under this Condemnation? O turn and look unto the crucified JESUS, that he would remember thee from his Kingdom! See how he bore the Curſe to ſave thee from it!
May I not ſay, This is the voice of GOD unto City and Country in the late fearful and terrible Earthquake, which but four nights ago ran thro' the Land, and threaten'd every Town, every Family and ever Perſon with a ſudden deſtruction. When the hollow trembling Earth roar'd ſo in our ears, when the ground ſhook to a fearful degree under us, and our houſes over our heads; when the earth threaten'd in a moment to open its mouth and ſwallow us up, and our houſes threaten'd to fall upon us and cruſh us to death; when we feared that we might inſtantly go down, we and our children and houſholds, our neighbours and friends together into the pit; buried in the ruines of our fallen dwellings; the Godly like the pious Sons and Daughters of Job on whom the houſe fell, the wicked like Dathan & Abiram whoſe tents and families the earth ſwallowed up at once. What the voice of GOD then was to every impenitent ſinner let his own Conſcience tell him! Conſcience, which was a ſwiſt witneſs in that amazing minute; and bro't thy ſins to remembrance, ſet thee to the bar of CHRIST, and caſt thee at the foot of mercy. What were thy inſtant cries for ſparing and pardoning mercy in that trying moment! Speak Conſcience, and tell ſinners again GOD's voice to them in that aſtoniſhing Diſpenſation.
I call it not a Judgment, but a Threatning and loud Warning of deſerved judgment; a mid night cry to awaken us out of a ſleep in ſin, the ſleep of death: And then it will eventually prove a Mercy, the greateſt mercy, the happieſt minute, of our whole life.
GOD from the bowels of the earth preach'd a ſtartling Sermon to us; we heard and quaked; as when he ſpake from the ſhaking Mountain of old unto his people; ſo we heard his voice and were afraid. O might the impreſſions be ſaving on us, ſanctifying and laſting, and never wear off!
Our GOD has ſhown us his greatneſs and power, his holineſs and juſtice, his great goodneſs and tender mercies: Say unto GOD how terrible art thou in thy works! thro' the greatneſs of thy power ſhall thy enemies ſubmit themſelves unto thee. All the earth ſhall worſhip thee and ſhall ſing unto thee; they ſhall ſing to thy name. Come and ſee the works of GOD: He is terrible in his doings to the children of men. He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: Let not the rebellious exalt themſelves. O bleſs our GOD ye people, and make the voice of his praiſe to be heard: which holdeth our ſoul in life, and ſuffereth not our feet to be moved. Pſalm. 66.4, —9.
What a ſingular thing is it and very extraordinary, that there is ſcarce a perſon now thro' the whole land, but has heard the terrible voice of GOD in a dreadful earthquake? that as was ſaid to Iſrael, Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, ſo I may ſay to you, From the bowels of the earth he has made us to hear it, and that a mighty voice! the earth cried out to us of our ſins, as a heavy burthen, too heavy to be born; it groan'd and travailed in pain, as wanting to be delivered.
The call of GOD in ſuch a Providence is general and univerſal, to every perſon, (man, woman and child) and every family, in every part of the land. The blow was immediately at every ones life, at every ſinners heart, and at the life of his ſoul; This night, this inſtant ſhall it be requir'd.—At the life of all thine with thee was the ſword pointed, thoſe that are deareſt to thee and as thy own ſoul: As at the periſhing of the rebels in Iſrael, their wives and little ones went down together, and all Iſrael fled at their cry. In what confuſion did they die? without time for one regular cry to GOD for mercy.
Nothing is like terrible, take the Judgment in all its parts together, as to be ſwallow'd up alive by an earthquake. Indeed death in ſome other form may be as ſudden, and ſo as awful to him that dies; but this is to many, to hundreds, to thouſands together, as GOD orders it.—The cry of fire is frightful to us; but what is a Nei'bour's houſe on ſire, or our own, to our houſes falling on us, or ſinking with us, in an inſtant? In ſtorms and inundations the winds and waters uſually riſe gradually, but an Earthquake gives no notice of its approach; nor is there any means of eſcaping as in moſt other judgments, nor time to call upon GOD.
And yet let me tell you, There's a day coming upon every one of us, more dreadful than an earthquake to impenitent ſinners; I mean the day of Death and the day of Judgment.
Are not the convulſions of death within the body of a ſinner equal to the quaking of univerſal nature round about him? when the the earthly bouſe of this Tabernacle is diſſolving, and his ſoul rending from his body! when the grave opens to ſwallow up his body, and hell is open before him to devour his ſoul! Suppoſe you could ſee an earthquake coming on at a day or two diſtance of time, but you knew that you and your houſhold muſt then be ſwallow'd up: Death is all this to perſons, families, towns and provinces. It daſhes the fathers and the ſons together, nor pities, nor ſpares, nor hath mercy: As the Prophet ſpeaks Jer. 13.14, 15, 16. Wherefore hear ye and give ear; be not proud, for the LORD hath ſpoken; Give glory to the LORD your GOD before be cauſe darkneſs, and your feet ſtumble on the dark mountains; and while ye look for light he turn it into the ſhadow of death, and make it groſs darkneſs.
But the day of Judgment is the day of terror; when the graves ſhall open at the voice of CHRIST, and the ſeas too, and throw up their dead, ſpue out the vile bodies of the wicked; which would be glad then if the earth would kindly open again, and cover them for ever from the face and wrath of the Lamb. Then the moſt fearleſs and audacious ſinners that are or have been on earth, the Captains and the mighty men, with all their ungodly train of dependents, every bond man of the ſame character for impiety and impenitence, ſhall fly to the rocks and mountains and call on them to fall on 'em and bide them. Rev. 6.15.
Was the ſudden noiſe of the Earthquake terrible t'other night? much more will the day of the LORD be ſo which comes as a thief in the night, wherein the heavens ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe. 2 Pet. 3 10. What will the noiſe of a diſſolving world be?—O realize it, ſinner! there is ſomething infinitely worſe before thee than the worſt of earthquakes except thou repent.
But I ſaid that I did not call it a Judgment, but a warning and threatning of judgment, and a call to repentance. It had been a terrible judgment if GOD had ſuffer'd it to go further, as he eaſily could, and was eno' provoked by our ſins. And the wonder was that it went no further. If our houſes had fallen and buried us; if many had ſunk together into the earth or been cruſhed to death, as in our time it was at Jamaica, and lately at Palermo a great City in Italy; how dreadful had the judgment been?
But O the mercy! the wonder of mercy! that after ſuch a ſhock we do not hear of one houſe fallen, nor of a ſingle life loſt, nor of a broken bone! GOD has only ſhook his rod terribly over us, and we muſt ſay —to us Goodneſs! while we think of the ſeverity to others, who were not greater ſinners than we, when we compare our light and means for repentance with theirs.
And I truſt GOD means this Providence in mercy to many, and of great glory to Himſelf in their converſion and ſalvation. So it may be among the greateſt favours of Providence that the land ever ſaw. And if it be not thus, it will be a dreadful ſpiritual judgment, as the rod of Moſes was to Pharaoh.
The preſent Impreſſions on the minds and hearts of all ſorts of Perſons by this ſhake, on young and old, godly and wicked, is a token for good. What prayers, with praiſes and thankſgivings, have been going up to heaven from perſons, from families, and from crowded Aſſemblies and Congregations; with eager eyes and hearts, and from many a fervent and gracious one! It looks as if GOD had ordained to himſelf praiſe and ſtrength from the mouths of babes and ſucklings for the preſent: But O how ſoon may the fearful minute be forgotten, and this ſudden impreſſion wear off? It will certainly do ſo if GOD do not graciouſly faſten it by the power of his SPIRIT on our hearts; which we muſt earneſtly beg of him with inceſſant ſupplications, and be often looking back on that night of trembling, and call to mind what our apprehenſions, pravers and tho'ts then were; and often put our houſholds on thinking over their ſober tho'ts and fervent holy deſires and purpoſes (by the grace of GOD) at that time.
Indeed ſuch extraordinary things are not the ordinary means of converſion to ſinners. They may be ſo, and they ought to be ſo; but the impreſſions of ſudden frights and ſurprizing terrors are apt as ſuddenly and ſtrangely to wear off. If men hear not Moſes and the Prophets, the preached Goſpel, neither will they be perſuaded tho' one ſhould come to them from the dead. The congregation of Iſrael lay quaking before the burning and ſhaking Mountain, but how few of them were ſuitably or ſavingly affected with what they ſaw and heard? Yea tho' they had a Moſes with them, to teach and warn and entreat them.
Again, One day the ſinners in Iſrael fled at the cry of ſinking Dathan and Abiram, but the very next day they fell a murmuring again, and called Moſes and Aaron the murderers of the LORD's people.
Yet in the hand of the SPIRIT, and by his bleſſing on the Word and Prayer, this Providence may become an effectual means for convincing and converting ſinners, and for the building up of ſaints in faith and holineſs to eternal life. GOD of his infinite mercy grant it may be ſo.
He has uſed one more Means with us, if we will be wro't upon by things extraordinary; and the Year has been filled with many ſuch means, even thunder and tempeſt and the flame of devouring fire. O that there were ſuch an heart in us! this was GOD's own wiſh reſpecting his trembling and promiſing people before the burning mountain; but it ſtrongly intimated to them how deceitful their hearts were, and how little would come of their ſudden promiſes and hopes of a perpetual future obedience.
If great terror and great goodneſs together will affect us and work on us, we ſhall be wro't upon. But theſe united will effect nothing without GOD's powerful hand.
Did ever any people ſee or hear or feel ſuch a ſhock of the earth, from one end of the Land to the other, and yet no hurt done to man or beaſt? They that have been in earthquakes in other places, in Jamaica and in Italy tell us, that they never felt, heard and ſaw the like. It is the LORD's doing and marvellous in our eyes.
Who of us is there that can now wiſh GOD had not done this! It was terrible for the time, may it be joyous in the fruits and remembrance of it. Every one is ready to ſay, LORD that I may never forget it! Ask this of GOD humbly, and beg of him an experience of ſaving good from it.
If it have not a ſanctifying effect on us, (as was hinted before) it will have a bad one, which GOD forbid! If it be not for the better to us, it will be for the worſe; like the other means that GOD uſes with men for their ſpiritual good. If we do not improve this call and warning of GOD from below to us, after the many we have had from above; it will aggravate our guilt now and our condemnation hereafter. We muſt anſwer for this alſo in the day of Judgment, That after the publick Inſtructions of the laſt Lord's day, GOD came at night to every family and to every perſon, and ſpake to them from the Deep that lieth under; and if yet we repent not to give him glory and to ſave our ſelves from wrath and ruine, we ſhall receive the greater damnation.
I now cloſe my Diſcourſe, as it hath pleaſed the HOLY GHOST to do the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament: Words worthy of our moſt ſerious attention and conſideration: Words full of terror to the wicked and impenitent, and as full of comfort to the penitent and obedient: Words full of proper warning and inſtruction unto both: Mal. IV. For behold the Day cometh that ſhall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly ſhall be ſtubblc; and the day that cometh ſhall burn them up, ſaith the LORD of hoſts; that it ſhall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name ſhall the Sun of righteouſneſs ariſe with healing in his wings; and ye ſhall go forth and grow up as calves of the ſtall.—Behold I ſend you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he ſhall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, leſt I come and SMITE THE EARTH WITH A CURSE.
FINIS.
End of the text · Benjamin Colman, The Judgments of Providence in the Hand of Christ (1727)