had hard Taskes and cruel Task-masters yet they had their Fleshpots and their Garlicks and their Onyons to the full bnt now they labour and have nothing to eat thus the Messengers of ill newes as to Job did throng upon them one at the heeles of another which was none of the smallest aggravations of this Calamity that it followed so immediatly on the neck of the other The fourth marke of the Severity of this Judgment was the frustration of their hopes and expectations Ye looked for much and loe it came to little If hope deferred makes the heart sick Prov. 13. 12. Hope frustrate and lost can do no lesse then breake it When men thinke themselves sure as Esau did of the blessing and it then failes them this is matter of bitter weeping For God to take away the Corn in the time thereof and the Wine in the season thereof that is just at harvest when it is to be inned when the old store is spent and they looke for a new recruit then to have the meat cut from their mouths and the morsel from between their teeth then to have their hopes defeated hightens the misery A fifth print of the Severity of this Judgment was the loss of their labour It is very frequent and scarce ever otherwise to see the Sluggards hopes blasted he that will not sow in Winter can never promise himselfe to reap in Harvest but after Plowing Sowing nay Reaping too and bringing home to find but little that adds to the weight of the want Nothing so much discontents men as labour in vain to take paines and to see nothing come of it is enough to make a Prophet complain to labour all night in fishing and take nothing may tempt an Apostle to desist To labour in the fire and to weary themselves for vanity to lose oleum operam cost and paines is sufficient to bring men to desperation Especially when that little which is coming in doth no good when God blows on it and takes away the nourishing virtues so that either men dare not eat their fill for feare of want another day or if they do eat the Staffe of bread being broken for want of Gods concurrence they are not satisfied A Boulimy or Canine appetite being a disease common at such times when in the fulness of their sufficiency as Zophar in Job speaks of the wicked they are in streights that little is so far from abating that it encreaseth the Calamity And so much for the first Particular the Judgment with the Severity of it The Second thing is the Author of this Judgment I did blow upon it Saith the Lord of Hosts Shall there be Evil in the Citty and I have not done it Saith God himselfe Am. 3. 6. God Challengeth the execution of Justice to himselfe not only at the Last Day but in this world and it is as agreeable to his nature now as it will be hereafter It is not luck or fortune that tosseth or tumbleth things below but God sits at the stern and steers the affairs of this World The Genealogy of all the good creatures is resolved by God into himself Hos. 2 21. Unless he hear the Heavens and the Heavens hear the Earth no Corn or Wine or Oyle can be expected The Earth is a kind Mother yet it cannot open her bowels to yield seed to the sower or bread to the eater if it be not watered from above The Heavens are the Storehouses of Gods good treasure which he openeth to mans profit and nourishment yet they cannot drop down fatness on the earth if God close it up and with-hold the seasonable showers which he can do if he please and will do if he be provoked First He can do it easily Secondly He will do it justly First He can do it easily It is but his blowing upon it and it is done As he made all things so he can dissolve them by the breath of his mouth He hideth his face and the creatures are troubled he taketh away their breath and they dye He sendeth forth his breath and they are created and reneweth the face of the Earth He turneth man to destruction and again he saith come again ye children of men And this he can do so easily because he is the Lord of Hosts a title frequently used by these three last Prophets Haggai Zachary and Malachy who prophesying after the Jews return from the Babylonian Captivity when their state was at the lowest scarce ever name God by any other title to denote unto them how easie it was for him to bring his Judgments upon them and to remove them again all creatures being at his command as Lord of Hosts and like the Centurions Servants if he say to one Go hee goeth to another Come hee cometh and to a third Do this hee doth it When he will do a thing who shall hinder him Nature may be resisted and stopped in her course Men and Devils though never so potent may want of their will and be crossed in their designes and desires but the Lord of Hosts doth whatsoever he will both in Heaven and Earth without controul or contradiction Secondly He will do it justly Gods Judgments are not alwaies manifest they are alwaies just And he may say as David to his Brethren in another case What have I now done is there not a cause God never punisheth a People but there is a just cause for it and could men but see it the root of the matter would be found in themselves It is the Plague of their own hearts that procures them all their mischief and this might have been put among the aggravations of the Judgment that it is from themselves that they are the cause of their own ruine that they may thank themselves and blame their sin as the Mother of their misery and cause of their Calamity O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Saith God So that there is no ground of complaint why should a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Had man never been sinful he had never been miserable had he never lift up his heart against Heaven to provoke God God had never lift up his hand on earth to punish man If these Jewes would but have considered their own waies as God himselfe exhorts them twice in a breath vers 5. and 7. They might have easily found the Serpent that bit them to be lurking in their own bosom the contempt and neglect of Gods worship which brings me to The Third particular The cause of this Judgment why saith the Lord of Hosts c. Wherein three things offer themselves to our Consideration First The sin it's selfe Gods House lyes wast Secondly The Aggravation of that sin Ye run every man to his own house Thirdly The Proportion between the sin and the punishment First The sin it selfe is that Gods House is suffered to lie wast This House which God Challengeth to himself
Meditations and the object of your Attentions Judgment and Mercy the former included in the very words of my Text the latter in the designe and scope of those words And first of the Judgment that so I may end with that which is not onely the end of all our aimes and desires but of all Gods Judgments too and that is Mercy In the Judgment we may consider First The Judgment it self which was Famine Secondly The Author of it the Lord of Host. Thirdly The cause moving God to it the neglect of Gods House The Judgment very dreadfull the inflicter most powerful the cause provoking exceeding sinful And first of the Judgment which we shall consider first in it's nature Secondly In it's severity First Of the nature of it it was Famine a generall want of the supports of this life because of the failing of the creature both in the production and breeding Ye sow much and bring in little and in the vigour and nourishing power of them ye eat but are not satisfied And this is a sore and dreadfull Judgment King David choseth the Pestilence as the lesser evil which yet was so destructive that there died of the people in less then three daies space threescore and ten thousand men of whose destructive nature too he could not be ignorant having an instance in the law of Moses wherein he meditated day and night of three and twenty thousand slain by it while Aaron was putting incense into the Censer And as he prefers the Pestilence so the Prophet Jeremy the Sword They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger for these pine away stricken through for want of the fruits of the field Lam. 4. 9. and yet the Sword makes a deplorable desolation take it in the words of the prophet Joel A fire devoureth before them and behind them a flame burneth the land is as the garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate wilderness yea and nothing shall escape them Neither is it less dismal in its effects for necessity is an hard weapon and want will make a man part with any thing fourscore pieces of Silver ten pound sterling for an Asses head and five pieces of Silver 12 s. and 6 d. for the fourth part of a Kab which is but halfe a pint of Doves dung 2. King 6. 25. The Aegyptians who were famous or rather infamous for their covetousness yet can part with all their mony for Corn. Gen. 47. It not only makes men forget common humanity for the people are ready to stone Moses who had done so great things for them when they are ready to starve Exod. 17 but it dissolves all the bonds of nature making men to eat not only dogs cats and rats but one another pone pretium humanae carni was a proclamation in Rome in Honorius daies And in England An. 1316. Men did eat one another and thieves newly brought into the Goale were torn in pieces and eaten halfe alive by them that had been longer in nay it stifles natural affection In this Famine of my Text the Jewes sold their Sons and their Daughters for bond-slaves to buy Corne And in the before mentioned in Samaria Parents did devour their own Children The Prophet Esay foretels of one wherein every man should eat the flesh of his owne arme And our Chronicles tell us of one in England about An. 700. So violent that not only many dyed for hunger but great numbers joyned hand in hand 40 or 50 in a company and threw themselves headlong into the Sea But we shall better understand how sad and dreadful this Judgment was if we shall consider it in relation to several circumstances hinted in the Text. The first whereof is the country afflicted a most plentiful and fruitful land A land like not only the Garden of Eden but the Garden of God full of all kind of pleasant and delightful fruits which cannot be described more fully and signally than Moses hath done it to our hands Deut. 8. 7. A good land a land of brooks of waters of fountaines and depths that spring out of the Vallies A land of Wheat and Barly and Vines and Figtrees and Pomegranats a land of Oyle-olive and Hony A land wherein they might eat bread without scarceness a land whose Stones were Iron and out of whose Hils they might dig Brass And again c. 32. 13. A land wherein they might suck Honey out of the Rocks and Oyl out of the flinty Rocks Butter of Kine and Milk of Sheep with Fat of Lambs and Rams of the breed of Bashan and Goats with the fat of Kidnies of Wheat and drink the pure blood of the Grape A Land which had not only plenty for it self but bounty for others For the Country of Tyre was nourished by this Country That this fruitfull Land should become barren that this Paradise should be turned into a Wilderness that there should be scarcity in such a fruitfull Land is the first aggravating circumstance The second is That it was National universal an over-spreading Famine a comprehensive Judgment like a Chain-shot bearing all before it reaching to all men the great and good as well the mean and wicked Zerubbabel the Governour and Joshua the High Priest for to them the Prophet speaks verse 1. They are included in this Ye look for much c. Wisedom Riches or Strength may secure from other annoyances but Scarcity and Famine strike at the Life of every man The King as well as the Clown must beg for daily bread and the profit of the Earth is for all That the King himself is served by the Field was wise Solomons observation And King Ahab may be an evidence of it who in time of Dearth could not help himself much less others out of the Barn-floor or out of the Wine-press Even the Saints have their share and portion in it as being parts and members of that people which is to be punished and though not actors in those gross impieties which kindle the fire of Gods vengeance yet are guilty of sins though of a smaller nature which add to the fewel of Gods wrath Zerubbabel and Joshua though perhaps not themselves in fault or at least not so much for they were both very Religious yet because not so forward and putting forth as they should have been are lyable to the common Judgment The third Character of the Severity of this Judgment was the season of it which was immediatly after their returne from the Babylonian Captivity They had but a very little breathing space from the burden of that Yoake when God laies on an heavyer there to use Jeroboams expression they were Chastised with Whips but here with Scorpions There very probably they had meat after their labour and though they trod out the Corn their mouths were not muzled their masters sometimes lifted up the Yoake and set meat before them As in Aegypt although they
though we want Apples and Plums Let God deny us the worldly toyes of earthly enjoyments if he continue his spiritual blessings we cannot be esteemed miserable A third Island of mercy appearing in this Sea of misery is the measure of it They had a little though not much God did not take away all but left them a pittance as we say enough to keep life and soul together I will correct thee in measure saith God to his people and not leave thee altogether unpunished If he should have been extreame to have marked what had been done amiss he might have utterly destroyd them as he did Sodome and Gomorrha and set them forth as perpetuall examples of divine vengeance but it was of the Lords mercies that they were not consumed because his mercies fail not There is yet a fourth ray of mercy shining in this judgment and that is the discovery of the cause which he doth not onely in respect of himself for the vindication of his justice but also in respect to them that they might provide for deliverance God by reason of that independent dominion which he hath over all his creatures which in their very being depend upon him hath no obligation lying on him to give any other reason of his acting than his Sic volo sic jubeo and therefore it must be an act of great mercy to come to debate and reason with his creature to be content to bring himself as it were before mans tribunal and to plead his cause and make even sinners his judges yet so he doth frequently Come now and let us reason together And now O Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah judge I pray you between me and my Vineyard Should he have made short worke with them and dispatcht them in a moment yet he would have continued just and holy and he might have justified his proceedings but to stoop so low as to give an account of his doings and to render a reason of his sentence is a condescention of mercy that can be never expressed and never enough admired or praised And thus having run through the two Stages of my Text Judgment and Mercy I cannot dismiss you without making you partakers of some observations which you may improve to your advantage As First That all the industry and labour of man in his calling is in vain if God withhold his blessing he may sow and reap and bring in too he may export nay import too and little come of it if God do but blow upon it Not but that men may nay must take paines in their vocations Adam even in his innocency and integrity before his fall had his employment set out to him to dress and keep the Garden much more since the fall when all the Creatures are under the Curse for the sin of man and the earth is so farre from yeelding fruit without our labour that it is often fruitless and barren with it So that now it is not so much our curse as our duty that in the sweat of our brows we should eat our bread and he that will not labour as he doth not deserve so he hath no promise that he shall eat Labour then they must but in that they must depend upon God for the success whose blessing only can make rich Moses saith It is not bread that man liveth by only but by the word of God that is his blessing and therefore except the Lord build the House and watch the City mans labour and watching is to no purpose It is but lost labour that ye rise early and so late take rest and eat the bread of Carefulness if God doth not give sleep Joyne then to your honest labour trust in God and fear not a good success you have King Davids warrant for it Trust in the Lord and do good and verily thou shalt be sed Psa. 37. 3. Let your labours as well as the Creatures for which you labour be Sanctified by the word of God and Prayer Secondly The use or abuse the care or neglect of the Instruments of Gods worship is no indifferent thing no matter of slight consequence it procures a blessing or brings down a curse These Jewes neglect to build Gods House and God neglects to provide for their Families They no sooner go up to the Mountain and bring Wood and begin to build but from that very day God begins to bless them Take one instance more The Arke which before the building of the Temple was the dwelling place of Gods name was among the Philistins who profanely insult and triumph over it and are smitten with sore diseases and the hand of God is heavy upon them Afterwards it comes to the Bethshemites who are bold with it and pry into its secrets and fifty thousand of them are slain for it After this Vzzah toucheth it irreverently and is struck dead before it whereas Obed-Edom entertains it reverently and cheerfully and is blessed in all that he hath When God sends the instruments and means of Religion among a people it concerns them deeply to look about them God intends something towards them either of judgment or mercy and counts it an high indignity if men think he will do neither good or evil The Prophet Isaiah compares Gods Word to Rain which returns not voyd but accomplisheth what he pleaseth and prospers in the thing whereunto he sends it it either brings up wholsome Herbs or noysom Weeds it either furthers our Salvation or hastens our Destruction The Gospel of Christ is savour either of life unto life or of death unto death Gods Ordinances are all of the same nature with the Lords Supper they are either for the better or for the worse Christs coming to a Nation as to Capernaum is fatal it either lifts neerer to Heaven or throws lower into Hell Thirdly The neglect of Gods worship forfeits all our temporal estate as Tenants that refuse to do their homage to perform Suit and Service and to pay their Land-lords rent do make their Estates lyable to a seizure These outward blessings are the appurtenances of Gods worship And it is piety onely which hath the promises both of this life and that which is to come These provisions are properly for Gods Household and those that wait in the House of the Lord If a profane person that regards not Gods worship hath them it is but at adventures and they are so farre from beeing a blessing to him that they become a Snare making him fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition search the Chronicles and Annals of the Kings of Israel and you shall still find those times wherein Religion was advanced as under David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah to be prosperous times whereas under Idolatrous Kings all things went contrary So that the best way to secure what men have is to employ part of it
on Gods side and he pays them home in the same kind they thought in the Famine to have kept the more for themselves and they had less for keeping from him that which was his own A just hand of God upon all such who think every thing too much for his service for the most part they are alwayes in want and needy their wealth melting away like Snow before the Sun The Merchant that denyes to pay his Customs forfeits all his Commodities they forfeit their own portion who with-hold Gods from him God tames his Prodigals and starves their bodies who by neglect of his worship starve their owne souls God denies the same external things to them which they deny to Gods House But might not these Jews have pleaded against this Sentence and charged God with too much severity saying with their Forefathers The way of the Lord is not equal What is this Temple more then another place Cannot we worship God in any House as well as this Is not God a spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and truth and that we may do in any Mountain as well as this Whereunto although it might be a sufficient answer to say with S. Paul O man who art thou that replyest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Shall sinful man plead with his Maker Yet because this malapert sauciness is the temper of many in this age as well as that that the most just God may be justified when he speaketh and clear when he judgeth we may take notice of the equity of it by a twofold consideration First Of the nature of the place and Secondly Of the nature of the punishment First Gods equity will be cleared from the nature of the place which was First A visible sign and token of Gods more immediate and gracious presence for although God dwels not in Temples made with hands that is so as we dwell in our Houses to be comprehended in them yet God is sayed to dwell there where he manifests himself and therefore what was done before the Temple was sayed to be done before God called therefore The Throne of his Glory The place of his rest The place of his habitation His dwelling place Now we know that affronts offered to the Kings Chayre of State although in his absence are as much resented as when he is present Secondly That House was the choisest and chiefest instrument of Gods worship in the Jewish administration they were to direct all their worship towards it It was the King of Heavens Court of Requests which he had appointed for the hearing their prayers and granting their Petitions and which had the priviledge of an universally gracious audience In this place will I give peace saith the Lord c. 2. 9. Now because the honour done to any part of Gods service reflects on himself as those that offered any polluted bread on Gods Altar are sayed to despise his name therefore to punish this offence so grievously could be no over much severity Thirdly That House was a type of Christ it was a sacred Mystery representing their Messiah to them who was the true Temple made without hands as himself makes the application John 2. 19. Destroy this Temple and after three dayes I will raise it up which S. John who was his beloved Disciple and lay in his bosome interprets as meant of his own body Vers. 21. He spake of the Temple of his body And this the Apostle asserts at large in the ninth Chap. of the Epistle to the Hebrews Jesus Christ was that true Temple in which the God-head dwelt bodily that is really fully substantially by the neerest union and most intimate conjuction as the soul dwels in the body and so the neglect was the neglect of Christ himself Fourthly That place was the spring-head of all their blessings God had made that the staple of all his favours In all places where I record my name I will come to thee and bless thee From whence it is that in Scripture Gods blessings are not said to be given from Heaven immediatly but from Syon the place of Gods worship There the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. 3. And the Lord that made Heaven and Earth bless thee out of Syon Psal. 134. 3. The Ocean of blessing is in Heaven but the well-head is Syon and so by neglecting Gods House they forsook their own mercy so that the nature of the place acquits the Lord of Hosts from the imputation of over-rigorous proceeding which likewise will appear Secondly From the nature of the Judgment if we shall consider those veins of mercy which run through it which is the Second general part and is included in the scope and designe of the words of my Text. And this mercy is visible in four particulars First In the Judgment it self Secondly In the matter of that Judgment Thirdly In the measure of it Fourthly In the discovery of the cause and consequently the means of removing it First It was mercy that they were punished at all correction being a signe of Gods paternal care For every Son whom he loveth he Chastneth and Scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Immunity from Chastisement and Correction is the Bastards not the Childs prerogative Gods forbearances are his most dreadful Severities and a prosperous iniquity is the most unprosperous condition in the world It is cruelty not mercy to suffer men to go on in sin unpunished it being that which hardens men in sin and consignes them over to ruine and reprobation It is a deplorable condition when God shall say Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more Vis indignantis Dei terribilem vocem audire will you here the terrible voice of a provoked God Hear it saith Origen in that of Hos. 4. 14. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit whoredome Never was Jerusalem's case so desperate as when God sayd to her I will make my fury towards thee to rest and my jealousy shall depart from thee and I will be quiet and will be no more angry Ezek. 16. 42. That 's the first beame of mercy that they are punished A Second is that their Punishment is in external temporal things and not in internal and Spiritual which as they are most necessary so the loss is most dangerous Man may be happy without the one he cannot be so without the other The Lord of Hosts might instead of a famine of bread have sent a famine of the word of God which is the Souls proper food and without which it cannot live which he threatens in another Prophet as the most dreadful Famine Behold the day is come saith the Lord that I will send a Famine in the Land not a Famine for Bread nor a thirst for Water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. We never fear a dearth if we have Bread-Corne