us in mercie as the same Red Sea which swallowed up the Aegyptians And also 2 Living afforded a safe passage to the Israelites towards the land of Canaan Yea for the present Gods people find themselves more safe under his mercifull hand than they can well hope to be under mans hand when Gods hand shall be whollie removed CHAP. V. Pestilence is yet the fruit of Mans Sin The Sin of these Israelites here All evill being for Sin wee are to justifie God his truth and people and to take all blame to our selves Quest BVt is not God a God of mercie grace and goodnes Our sinne the cause of our sorrow Whence then is it that wrath hot anger is said to goe out from the Lord and particularlie this of Plague or Pestilence We must therefore conceive and may easilie imagine that in case of gods wrath and of the breaking out of Pestilence there is some great cause provoking him thereunto seeing he doth not afflict willingly or froÌ„ his heart Lament 3.33 nor grieue the children of men The great God herein is like the litle Bee which yeelds hony of its selfe but stings not till it be angred or provoked The first in this Text provoking the Lord to this great wrath was the peoples murmuring against Moses and Aaron Psal 41.42 charging them with the death of those rebels whom God destroyed justly for their sinnes and their rising accordingly against them which as it is in its owne nature highly displeasing to God who cannot indure his officers and faithfull servants should either bee envied and maligned as these two were by Corah c. or repined at when for their sake the Lord doth punish such as wroÌ„g them So for the Circumstances of it it became exceeding great for it is said But on the morrow after Corah was swallowed up and they were spared and escaped all the Congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses The sin of these Israelites here aggravated against Aaron c. Where 1. for time it was on the morrow immediatly after their 1. former sinne 2. God wrath executed on others 3. their owne sparing 4 their former and but yesterdayes shew of repentaÌ„ce or forsaking the tents of the wicked 2. For the persons who sinned they were 1. for qualitie the children of Israel from whoÌ„ God had cause to have expected better things 2. For number All the congregation of them it was a generall sin and conspiracie 3. For persons againsâ— whom it was against Mosâ—â— and Aaron against Moses a Prophet Prince against Aaron the Priest of the Lord both which had lately yea and now made intercession for them they were neither afrayde to meddle with such deare servants of the Lord who prooved edge-tooles to them nor ashamed so ill to requite them for their love This was their sin Our like Sins causes of our Iudgments now And when our sins become like either for nature or for circumstances we have great cause to looke for like wrath nay if such sins as envying hating and rising against Gods Ministers and faithfull servants and if such circumstances of sin 2 4â— as to sinn upon sin and to multiply transgressions to sin after examples of Gods wrath on others after our ovvne sparing and deliverances and after former shewes of repentance If for men in covenant with God to sin against him and to sin as it were by conspiracie and consent and if unthankfulnesse against God and his Messengers and Servants deserve wrath and be followed with Pestilence then no marvell if wrath be gone out from the Lord against us of this place yea and Nation and if the Plague be alreadie begun amongst us and so far proceeded as it is But of the Sins more particularly for which wrath goeth out from God and for which Pestilence is sent I shall speake hereafter on some other Grounds of Scripture Here wee may observe in the generall Sin procures wrath That mans Sin is the cause of his Sorrow Love to Sin procures Gods anger against the Sinner And as here The Plague of the heart and soule brings Gods Plague upon the bodie 1 Kings 8.38 Remarkable examples hereof we have in the Angels cast 2 Pet. 2 4â— out of heaven for ever because of their Pride in Adam cast out of Paradise and with him all Mankind for disobedience Gen. 3.17 in a whole world of men Gen. 6. for violence sensualitie and securitie Math. 24.38 39. in Sodom and other Cities destroied suddenlie for Pride Ezek. 16.49 50. abuse of Gods good creatures Idlenesse and abominable Lusts Lamen 1.5 in the Iewes both in their first Captivitie when the Lord so grievouslie afflicted them for the multitude of their Transgressions 2 Chro. 36.14 15 16 with 17 c. and in this their so fearfull dispersion and scattering whereby they are broken off Isa 50.1 Rom. 11.20 because of unbeliefe But leaving other evils Specially Pestilence which is both threatned consider wee that God doth 1 Threaten pestilence for Sin as Levit. 26.14 15 16-24 25. Deut. 28 15-21 22. Ezek. 6.11 12. Alas for all the evill abominations of the house of Israel for they shall fall by the Sword by the Famine and by Pestilence So heere these Murmurers were first threatned with Pestilence for their unbeliefe Numb 14.11 12. and here in my Text it was inflicted for their Sin which is already mentioned So then 2 God doth also send And inflicted for sinâ— and Inflict Pestilence for Sin as see Exod. 12.29 Psal 78.50 51. Amos 4.10 So David was met with for his pride 2 Sam. 24.10 And so now must wee take this Pestilence and other like Sicknesses to be justly sent for our Sins and why not the same or like to the Sin of Irreverence among the Corinthians who because they came to the Lords Table and returned also from it in their Sins in their contentions contempt one of another dis-respect of their Teacher Saint Paul their ignorance and other Sins it is said 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many among you are sicke and weake and many sleepe Now this Sicknesse and death among them is not improbably by some thought to bee that of Pestilence Whence is this 1. This is froÌ„ Such is the nature of Sin The naturâ— of Sin as that it being evill Gen. 4.13 can bring forth nothing but evill therfore doth one and the same word in the originall include in the signification of it both Sin and Punishment So that he that will sinne doth but hatch the cockatrice egge nourish a viper in his own bosom which will be his destruction 2. From God holinesse Such againe is the Holiness and Iustice of God that hee cannot spare obstinate Sinners without impeachment to his Iustice Man himselfe being the Iudge to whom God seemes to appeale saying How shall I pardon thee for this
to destroy whence Origeâ— notes that the wicked aâ—â— as earthen vessels of dishonour to bee broken Anâ— doubtlesse the Lord by his judgements breakes iâ— upon his people like thâ— sea and makes a breaâ—â— among them as now by Pestilence by which heâ— scatters us one from another c. But especially here Pestilence And of this Plague by Pestilence wee understand the word here This same word is used also by Moses when hee speakes of the last Plague of Aegypt Exod. 12.23.27 the death of the first borne wherewith God is said by his Angell to smite them And that Angell is called a Destroyer For as God by an Angell delivered his people out of Aegypt Numb 20.16 so by an Angell hee destroyed their enemies Hebr. 11.28 So that it is very likely that those first borne were destroyed by Pestilence to which I I conceive the Lord in Amos hath reference when hee saith I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Aegypt Amos 4.10 Even so in the Pestilence which was in King Davids time hee is called the Angell that destroyed the people 2. Sam. 24.16 Moreover these Murmurers were threatned to bee smitten with the Pestilence Numb 14.12 I will smite them saith the Lord with the Pestilence now when after this threatning were they so smitten unlesse at this time It is not much materiall to our maine scope whether this Plague here were the Pestilence or no yet so we now take it Doctr. and doe observe that the Pestilence is Wrath Pestilence is an effect and signe of wrath in God or a signe and effect of Wrath and of Gods displeasure Here wee see the one is explanied and expressed by the other and this is the Observation hence to be made yet it is not so much a signe of Gods wrathfull displeasure to each and every particular person smitten by it seeing a child of God may both be smitten and die of it as to the Communaltie to the Kingdome Citie To whom Towne or place where it is in which a breach is made as in Davids case Yet here in my text they were all guilty and for the most part the Pestilence as well as the Sword comming to avenge the quarrell of Gods covenant â—ev 26.25 and to punish the disobedient and obstinate its maine busines is with those against whom God hath the greatest quarrell It is no ordinary death The Plague then is and must be taken to be a fearfull signe of Gods displeasure and wrath as it was said of the Aegyptians Hâ—â— that is God cast upoÌ„ them the fiercenesse of his anger Psal 78.49 â—0 51 wrath and indignation and trouble by sending evill angels among them Hee gave their life over to the Pestilence and smote all the first-borne in Aegypt c. So Numb 25.3 4 -8. This is not an ordinarie death or death barelie VVhy or a debt we owe to God and Nature as an effect of originall Sin or of Sin generallie but this as the like deaths by Sword and Famine is an effect of some great speciall spreading and raigning Sins In it is wrath and the face of an angrie God may ought be seen in it For 1. 1. Gods hand is specially in it Gods hand is more seen or to be seen in it God is said To fall upon or to meet men with Pestilence â—xod 5.3 â—am 24. And it s A falling into the hands of the Lord. In the place Exodus 5.3 as elsewhere I know the Greeke and Chaldee translate the word there used Deber Death yet that death is Pestilence for so the Holy Ghost puts it for Pestilence in Revel 6.8 from Ezek. 14.21 So the Murraine or Pestilence on the cattel is said to be from the hand of the Lord. Exod. 9.3 2. It s full of wofull evill Psal â—1 3 2. Commonlie it is a grievous death as that a grievous Murraine Exod. 9.3 And the Psalmist cals it noysome or rather wofull Pestilence or Pest of wofull miseries or evils Now what these evils are who knows not Through the noysomnesse and contagion of it it makes a man a straÌ„ger to his own house to his dearest friends yea as it were an enemie to them and an instrument of death to wife children friends and it deprives a man of comforters in his greatest agonie and need and at length of life and of an Honorable buriall It s an enemie of trading and civill commerce it s commonlie accompanied with Famine and followed where it workes not reformation with 〈◊〉 stung by Gods wise providence with this deadlie disease so the whole point it selfe affords unto us a double instruction Vse 1 Not to bee secure in time of pestilence 1. Not to dallie with God at such times especiallie as these God is in good earnest with us truly displeased with us with our waies and would have us know so much whilest hee manifests his wrath from heaven against us by Plague and Pestilence which is one of his foure sore Iudgements Ezek. 14.21 whereby hee powres out his furie upon us in blood to cut off man and beast as wee have great cause to feare Verse 29. and which he would have us take not for an ordinarie death but for a true signe of his Wrath which hee would have us see in it and accordinglie feare and tremble and so worke out our Salvation breaking off our Sins by Repentance and amendment of life not making light thereof when his hand is so heavie upon us for the same When Pestilence finds us in our Sin it is a fearfull signe of heavie wrath from God but if it leave us in our Sin then is it yet a more fearfull signe of Gods hot displeasure for so it leaves us either to the Sword of mercilesse and everlasting destruction of soule body as the just and full desert and reward of our sinnes Alas what is the plague or any bodily evill to this that we should be so much troubled with it and use such meanes and care to prevent or fly from it and yet the mean while be no whit at all or very little touched with a sense or feare of the other And to seek Gods favour more then health or life wheras a man may escape the danger of the Pestilence and be free from it and other bodily evills and yet be and remaine under Gods heavie and sore displeasure and so be liable to all plagues and punishments which his sinns deserve to be inflicted on him in this life and in hell for ever as on the contrary one may bee smitten in body by plague and pestilence as wee conceive King Hezekiah was or by some sore Isay 34 1-21 Psal 6.1 1 3. 9. 38 1 2 deadly or dangerous disease and sicknes as David was and yet be in happie and blessed estate and condition as being in love and favour with God though it
yet a remnant was reserved in whom God magnified his mercie and for example of others It were a happy thing if such among us as are either thus far spared or have escaped could see and make use of the mercie This hath been done by others why not now by us Wee reade concerning Waldus from whom the VValdenses tooke their name Acts and Mâ—â—um that making merrie with many of his rich neighbours one of the company suddenly fell downe dead whereupon hee apprehending Gods displeasure tooke warning gave himselfe to Reading Almes Prayer and exhorted others to the like The like might be observed in Mr. Gee escaping in that deadly downefall of neere an hundred Papists in the Black-friers in London Conclus 3 3. In case of Gods judgements on others and our owne sparing wee are neither rashly to censure them nor hastily to justifie our selves as innocent Christ himselfe Isa 53.3 â— because of his sufferings was esteemed stricken smitten of God and afflicted and thereupon despised Acts 28.4 So was Paul mis-judged because of the Viper And the blind man in that hee was borne blind But Christ though hee forbid not a wise consideration of Gods judgement on Sinners yet corrects such rash censures as men readily use and prescribes an Order rather to begin at home and not to secure our selves knowing that God often judgeth some 1 Cor. 11. â— 32. that they may not be condemned with the world 1 Pet. 4.18 Iudgement usually begins at Gods owne house that others thence may learn not to justifie themselves but rather not repenting to expect like or greater wrath Conclus 4 4. Lastly God warnes and cals all carelesse Livers to repentance by his corrections and judgements on some or else hee so summons them to like or greater wrath Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish 1. It s a mercie when God makes others examples to us The end of examples and Historie is to make us wise and watchfull lest wee bee made Examples and Histories to others And among men Executions are done for the living not for the dead who cannot be bettered by Example or Admonition as the living may be 2. Certaine destruction will befall such as take no warning by others See Levit. 18 3-24.27.28 2. King 17 6.7.8-18 God lookes wee should profit by the example of his displeasure even on enemies much more on friends both Forefathers Ierm 7.12.13.14 Dan. 5.20.21 22 23-30.31 2 Kings 21 9-12.13 and neighbours and equals Not to take warning by such especially after so many other warnings wherein God is not wanting to any of us now is a signe and fore-runner of speedy vengeance So God looked that Iudah should have taken warning by Israels captivity but his complaint is yet her treacherous sister Iudah feared not Ier. 3.7.8.9.10 but went and played the Harlot also and yet for all this her trecherous sister Iudah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but fainedly What hereupon followed King 17.15 Because Iudah which tribe onely now was left walked in the statutes of Israel which they made Therefore saith God I will cast you out of my sight Ier. 75. as I have cast out all your brethren 2 King 21.13 even the whole seed of Ephraim And I will stretch over Ierusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab The like complaint of not profiting by others evils is made Revel 9.20.21 and threatned Amos 4.11.12 I haue overthrowne some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and yee were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning yet haue ye not returned unto me saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I doe unto thee that is even overthrow thee as Sodom was overthrowne Now this accordingly came to passe for not taking warning in time Lament 4. as Ieremy lamenting doth bewaile What then remaines but as it followeth in Amos and as wee haue already directed that wee in time prepare to meet God To which end and for our further warning and wisedome I referre you as to the example of Gods displeasure against this place of * From May 6. till Decemb 31. 1636. there haue died of the plague within liberties 5027. without some 500. ours so to the insuing treatise it selfe now published as for our owne so also chiefly for your spirituall good which is most heartily wished and shall be still sought of God by him who professeth himselfe at this time the Interpreter of New-castles good meaning towards you and Yours and the Churches servant R. I. New-castle the 2. of Ianuary 1636. The Contents CHAP. I. An Introduction to the maine Observation with the occasion and also cure of the Plague spoken of in the Text. Pag. 1. CHAP. II. The maine Doctrine propounded The parts and particulars of the Text. Gods wrath against sinners shewed Mens senâ—â—lesnesse thereof bewaâ—led 1â— CHAP. III. That the wrath spoken 〈◊〉 was Pestilence That pâ—â—stilence is an effect 〈◊〉 Gods wrath and theâ—â— not to be dallied withaâ— yet Gods displeasure mâ—â— to be looked unto praâ—ed against then the â—â—stilence it selfe CHAP. IV. That pestilence is from Goâ— Iustice and Wisdome aâ—â— not to be ascribed to aâ—other Authour or Instrument neither much to be feared of the godly to whom it may bee a mercie 52 CHAP. V. Pestilence is yet the fruit of mans sin The sin of these Israelites here All evill being for sinne we are to justifie God his truth and people and to take all blame to our selves 69 CHAP. VI. The maine Dutie concerning our speedy using of Meanes to pacifie Gods present wrath urged and pressed by divers Motives in the Text. Aâ—â— first because this Pestâ—lence is wrath 11 CHAP. VII This Pestilence is senciâ—â— wrath wrath gone oâ—â— and manifested to tâ—â— end that taking noticeâ— Gods displeasure we might with good hope 〈◊〉 submission seeke to paciâ—â—â— the same 13 CHAP. VIII In that wrath is but goâ—â— out and this plague bâ— begun which therfore 〈◊〉 it may be staied from prâ—ceeding if we timeâ— meet God in the way his judgements so it will prove but the beginning of greater evils if we rerepent not we haue cause speedily to runne in with our Censers and to prevent our own ruine 144 CHAP. IX This wrath and pestilence is from the Lord therfore howsoever his Prophets may be despised yet God himselfe is not to be dallied withall whose greatnes and terror should cause us seeke peace with him in time 183 CHAP. X. The Conclusion of the Motives urging a speedie performance of the dutie of Humiliation both publikely and privately and that from the practise of the Heathen in case of Pestilence 203 CHAP. XI A Direction concerning the Means of pacifying Gods wrath and that both Negatively shewing what meanes wee are not either to use at all or not to rest in as also affirmatively what are the true and only meanes and duties to be performed at such times
Now this is 1. It is froÌ„ his 1. Iustice from his Iustice who as hee punisheth all sinne even originall alone with Death so some sinnes with more grievous and remarkeable death and with exemplary judgements Howsoever God doth not inflict either this or any of those other his sore judgements without cause and so hee would be acknowledged whilst hee concludes the mention of these inevitable sentences Ezek. 14.21 23. saying And yee shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done Of which cause in us more in the next point 2 Wisedome 2. This is also from his wisedome punishing sinne with sutable punishments wee infect one an other by evill example Retaliating sinnes with semblable punishments communication Company-keeping though we call it good fellowship by tempting and inticing one another to sinne by unprofitablenesse in company whereby wee edifie not one an other in the best things so by excesse and abuse of Gods good creatures by Pride in apparell and garishnesse whereby we insnare and tempt others to sinne so by covetousnesse and abuse of trading and such like How wisely then as well as justly doth God meet with us by such a judgement as whereby wee infect one another in body by our breathing touching and accompanying with them and whereby hee breaketh those cursed knots of good fellowes so whereby our very clothes in which we pride our selves doe infect our selves and others to the apparant danger of life it selfe and whereby through famine and poverty which commonly accompany the Plague our excesse and abuse both of Gods good creatures and of trading by oaths cousenage false wares at least covetousnesse and our pride and confidence in regard of our wealth are justly met withall This consideration concerning Vse 1 the Authour of Pestilence To looke chiefly to God is of Vse to us 1. to acknowledge Gods hand providence in it and not to ascribe it either to Chance as the Philistines were ready to have ascribed the disease of Emerods 1. Sam. 6.9 and that great death that did befall them or to second causes or instruments so as to rest in them or to expect helpe from them these are but instrumeÌ„ts in Gods hand And not 〈◊〉 the Instrâ—ment whether they be Angels by whom God often smites with Pestilence Or occasion as in the first borne of Egypt and in Davids people or whether it be the Ayre which is infected or any other Person or thing which wee occasionally received infected or by whom or who it at first was brought to our Towne or place or whether the unseasonablenesse of the weather helpe to continue or increase it In all these and the like wee are chiefly to looke to God and not either to complaine or cry out on and curse such as by whom it might seeme first to bee brought unto us though wilfull or rash spreaders of this infection It is his hand which both wounds and must heale should and ought both be inquired after and severely punished or much to hope that when the dog-dayes end or cold weather or winter approacheth then wee shall heare no more of it or at least have it to abate no no wee must both looke higher and expect helpe from an higher hand then all these It is Gods hand that smites whosoever or whatsoever be the rod as Exod. 7.17 compared with 19. and Esay 10.5.6.7 unto this hand wee must chiefly looke This is the hand which is now stretched out against us and which will be stretched out still whilst wee turne not to him that smiteth Isay 9.12.13 neither seeke the Lord of hosts Vse 2 2. This consideration that this wrath and plague is gone out from the Lord Comfort to Gods people in covenant with God and is sent by him as the Author of it may bee for the Comfort of all such as whose God is the Lord and generally of all such as by true sorrow and penitencie by faith by hearty confession of sinne prayer and sacrifice shall seeke unto him as did David this being even in this respect one of Gods gentlest judgements such as holy David did chuse before sword and famine 2 Sam. 24.14 saying Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man Oh beloved wee have yet to deale with God and not with mercilesse men who have so long waited their time and sought what by open violence as in their Spanish Navie and Forces in Ireland what by secret underminings Pestilence is often a mercy to them as in their Popish Powder-plot and secret workings to bring us under their tyrannie and to judge us with their judgements Great are the mercies of the Lord that we are not as yet given into their hands as too justly we deserve Dying by it as freeing them from greater evils Now if God have a purpose to bring this extreamest of evils upon us of this place or nation and why should wee secure our selves in these our defections from him will it not then bee a mercie to such as are in Christ to bee taken away by this more gentle correction and hand of a mercifull God from greater wrath to come The Lord in mercie took away good King Iosiah even by the sword which he made use of to remove him from those greater and more spreading evils which by the sword also were to befall his people and posterity for no sooner was hee so taken away by the sword of Pharao Necho but his successours and sons and Judah after some bondage under Necho were destroyed many of them by the bands of the Chaldees of the Syrians 2 King 24.2 Moabites and Ammonites but the land was wholly overrun destroyed captived by King Nebuchadnezzar How much rather may he remove his chosen from the raging evills of the sword and fury of the oppressour by withdrawing them with his owne hand and fetching them home to himselfe by this messenger of Death the plague 2 Chron. 7.13 for what is pestilence else but a messenger of Gods sending now if God please to call home any of his children by it why should they be afraid or too much dismayed true it is a messenger of a grim countenance and knocks at the doore somewhat fiercely and so before it bee acknowledged or well considered of it may terrifie a beloved heire but when hee shall perceive it is no other but his fathers servant to fetch him home and that from greater dangers where he is the feare abates and he goes with him cheerfully In this case our chiefe businesse will be to see that God be ours in Christ and to make our peace with him This once done we need not fear what kind of death we die seeing it befals us by the providence appointment yea hand of our mercifull father That which is sent in wrath to others shall befall
punishment is to the impenitent a Signe of the greatest anger that may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. 2. even as it is amongst men where such as are soone angrie and by anger doe shew their displeasure are sooâ—est pleased and appeased wheras such as whose anger is turned into hatred and who intend revenge are like the sulleâ— curre which gives no warning by barking silent threaten little conceale their hatred but secretly and silently purpose and contrive mischiefe and the utter ruine of the partie with whom they are displeased Difference betweene Anger and Hatred neither doe they care for being known to be the authors of such revenge because they seek not the partie his good or bettering but his utter ruine and destruction whereas such as are onely angry and doe not truely hate will shew their anger as when a Father or â—aster chides threatens â—â—corrects his Son or Serâ—â—nt hee would have his child or servant know that hee is displeased and for what that so hee might be feared sought unto and more respected afterward being ever ready upoÌ„ submission or amendment to shew favour and friendlinesse This difference the philosopher puts betweene Anger and Hatred Arist ut suprà And God himselfe seemes to doe somewhat like yet without all Sin in himself or wrong done any Whom hee loves and intends good to hee chastens namely by some outward sensible evils and corrections as a loving father ready to shew mercy upon submission repentance he will not let them go on securely in sin without correction though he also sensibly punish the wicked who receive no correction neither will he suffer them to goe to hell without warning and correction But for such as long contemne warnings and will not bee reformed by the word or by sensible strokes lesser judgements the Lord in greater wrath both gives them over to do their owne wicked wils and when so they do he will no longer shew his anger by using the rod sensibly though he be never more angry indeed then at such times God never is more angry with Sinners then when hee shewes it least thus leaving them insensiblie under his heavy wrath and reserving them to certaine and inevitable destruction both temporall eternall one text and instance for many In the Prophesie of Hosea thus we read Hos 4.12 13 14. My people aske counsell at their stockes for the spirit of whordomes have caused theÌ„ to erre and they have gone a whoring by Idolatry from under their God c. Therfore your daughters shall commit whoredome your spouses shall commit adultery I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery Thus they were left in their sinnes to finall impenitency and to finall destruction both in this life and for ever after This sensible evill is a mercie to us How justly might God even thus have dealt with us of this place and nation having especially so often before fairly and sensibly warned us and that as by other corrections so by this of plague and pestilence but in vain in regard of any amendment or reformation oh what a mercy is it then for him yet once more to put us in mind of his displeasure and anger conceived against us And should lead us to repentance and not wholly to leave us in our sinns to perish in them through our security but if it be possible to awaken us to use the means by which we may prevent greater wrath without speedy amendment inevitable destruction And certainly if this prevaile not with us to the amendment of our lives we must take it as a neere forerunner of much heavier wrath God wil not alwaies dally with us or yet bee dallied withall which we are further to consider in the next Motive CHAP. VIII In that this wrath is but gon out and this plague but begun which therefore as it may be staid froÌ„ proceeding if wee timely meet God in the way of his judgmeÌ„ts so it wil prove but the beginning of greter evils if we repent not we have cause speedily to run in with our Censers and to prevent our owne ruine LEt us now consider what cause we have to hasten our repentance froÌ„ this that is he◠〈…〉 is gone out 〈…〉 â—â—â—tance the plâ—gâ—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—gun Consider wee 〈…〉 that this wrath is but go 〈◊〉 out this plague is but begun it is not yet gone on so far as it may and will if it be not stayed in time it is not yet consummate or ended where it wil end or what the end of it will be who knows This affords us a double consideration Seeing this Plague is but begun first of Mercy secondly of Iustice and Security if wee meet not God by times 1. Wrath is but gone out 1. Gods mercy should move us in that it is but begun the Plague is but begun and therefore may be stayed if means be used in time God in his wrath doth not yet destroy us all at once as not these rebels heere though hee threatned to consume them as in a moment Verse â—5 Moses and Aaron falling on their faces And therefore may be stayed obtained some respite for them then as doubtlesse Gods faithfull servants obtaine like mercie for us now From this mercie and long-suffering in God it is that wee are not all consumed that we perish not all at once that the punishment of our Sin is not like to that of Sodom that was overthrowne as in a moment Lament 4.6 and no hands stayed on her The truth is God some thirty yeares agoe in the powder Furnâ—ce prepared by the Papists for us God destroyes us not in a moment all at once as once hee threatned did let us see both the extremity of their rage and wicked intentions toward us as also the greatnesse of our guiltinesse and how justly he might have given us then so long since into their hands to have beene swallowed up quicke by them when their wrath was kindled against us Psalm 124.3 Hee was neere then to have consumed us all at once when the fire like that of Sodome should not have begunne in some remote place as when it takes in some one or few houses in a towne or citie by which others farther off might have beene awakened taken warning and have provided for their owne safety at least if not also have stayed the farther spreading and raging of it no it should have begunne and ended all at once and at once made an end of all Thus hee then might have delt with us even destroyed us by that their mercilesse fire and sword or by some other sudden vengeance such as fell upon the host of the Assyrians And as he delt with others when the Angell of the Lord in one night destroyed an hundred fourescore and five thousand of the chiefe of them or as hee did
speciall reason Exod. 5.3 Exod. 8.25 26 27. Yet if the Plague and breaking out of wrath prevent our Humiliation And that speedily we must deferre our Humiliation no longer othervvise hovv soone may this spreading evill and overflovving Scourge or some other judgement sent to back it in Gods just wrath make an end of all save that God will have a remnant in whom hee will glorifie his Mercie and preserve his Church This is as the breaking out of fire or overflowing of waters unto which way and passage is not long to be given least the evill which at the first by a timely care might have beene prevented grow so great that it exceed the power and strength of man to withstand or resist it Whatsoever wee then doe in this kind Lest wee come too late it would bee done speedily and in time otherwise wee may come too late even when neither our own nor other mens prayers though never so holy will be accepted for us and when God will not be intreated for â—s See this in Gods deaâ—ing with the Iewes Pray â—ot for this people for their â—ood Ier. 14.11.12 said the Lord to Ieremie When they fast I will not heare their cry and when they offer a burnt offering and an oblation I will not accept them But I will consume them by the Sword and by the Famine and by the Pestilence Ezek. 14.19.20 So in Ezekiel If I send a Pestilence into that land and powre out my furie upon it in blood to cut off from it man and beast Though Noah Daniel and Iob were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall deliver neither cleave unto the Lord according to his word in a perpetuall covenant This the Lord expects from the whole nation when his wrath is but toward them Zephan 2.1 2 Gather your selue together yea gather together O nation not desired before the decree bring forth before the day passe 〈◊〉 the chaffe 3. before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you before the day of the Lords anger come upon you Howsoever if this be noâ— done publickly it must noâ— be neglected in private by the meeke of the earth Seeke yee the Lord all yâ—â— meeke of the earth which haue wrought his judgements seeke righteousnesse seeke meekenesse it may be yee shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger It is a wonderfull thing Examples to move us that now when Gods anger is so manifested and his wrath revealed from heaven men should so little seeke to pacifie his wrath and should shew themselves so little touched with these evident tokens of his displeasure never much seeking the meanes by which the cause of his wrath against us might be made knowne unto us nay wholly impatient of such discovery when by Gods faithfull messengers it is in some good measure made Both of the Godly Shall I send such to the godly examples of good and holy King David 2 Sam. 21.1 2 c. who in a famine of three yeares enquired of the Lord for what and whose sinne it was sent which when it was told him hee punished and so put away the evill or of tender-hearted Iosiah who conceiving by the booke of the Law that wrath was due to his people and towards them presently dispatched honourable messengers to Huldah 2 Chron. 34.19 20 c. 〈◊〉 prophetesse to enquire oâ— the Lord for him and the people concerning the words of the book which hee caused to be read in a solemne assembly and renued his Covenant vvith God If such examples prevaile not with us let us receive reproofe shame in this our sloth and negligence from the example of the very heatheÌ„ And of the Heathen Illiad 1. Homer the Poet brings in Achilles advising the Greekes Who have in case of Pestilence sought to their Gods by solemne Supplications in a time of a sore Pestilence to enquire the cause thereof from God by some Prophet or Priest or Dreamer of dreams These being footsteps of those three waies by which Israel of old had Oracles or answers from God namely by Dreames by Vrim that is the Priest with Vrim and Thummim Numb 27.21 and by Prophets see 1 Sam. 28.6 7. Liv. l. 3. And Livie tels us that in case of common plague or other danger the Romans were by publick authority called out Ad id quod sua mala quemque cogeâ—ant and coÌ„manded with their wives and children to make supplication to their gods for according to that which their owne proper sins and evils compelled them and thus filling all their Temples Stratae passim matres criminibus Templa verrentes vâ—â— niam Irarum coelestium 〈◊〉 nemque pesti exposcunt their Matrons prostrate on the ground sweeping their Temples with the haire of their head sought pardon And Sacrifices of their children and the favour of their offended angry gods and an end to be put unto the Pestilence Many such like things hath Livie concerning their Supplications even for many daies together upon occasioÌ„ of war â—nd publike evils and dangers as I shew * A word in Season or Englands Summons on Iosh 7. ver 8 9. Virgil Aeneid lib. 4. lib. 3. elswhere So Virgil Principiò deâ—ubra adeunt pacemque per aâ—as exquirunt And elsewhere Exorant pacem Divum id est inquit Noâ—ius propitiationem The first thing they use to doe is to frequent their Temples and from Altar to Altar to seeke Peace that is Propitiation So Plautus Plaut in Mercator Act. 4. sc 1. So the Carthaginians when they were plagued with Pestilence Aris impuberes admoveruâ— pacem Deorum sanguine câ—rum exposcentes Iustin lib. 18. as Iustiâ— relates That is as thâ— Scripture expresseth thâ— like practise of the degenerate Iewes Psal 106.37 They sacrifâ—ced their sons and daughter unto devils seeking atonement with these their goâ— by the blood of their chiâ—dren of which practise 〈◊〉 the Heathen in sacrificiâ—â— their children to the devill in case especially of distresse more * Israels Idolatry in sacrificing their children c. on Psalm 106.37 elswhere Now shall the Heathen â—n case of Pestilence desire to know from God the true cause therof that they might offer him acceptable Sacrifice and shal they accordingly by solemne Supplications and all expressions of sorrow and humilitie seeke the favour of their gods that with the blood of their onely children and shall wee Christians in like case of Pestilence be so far from searching into the true causes of the same as to take it ill and not willingly of his wrath and averting of his judgements If now wee aske what these Meanes or Remedies are as it is most needfull wee be aright directed herein I shall endeavour at this time at least in the generall to shew And because we are all of us apt to use such such meanes as most