righteousnesse then after they have knowne it to turne from the holy commandement delivered unto them 2 Pet 2 21. Those who are Christ's enimies are thus threatn'd He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh The Lord shall have them in derision Ps 2 4. Oh fearfull threat how sad is the conditon of those men at whose calamitie God rejoyceth or at whose wickednesse he laughes suffering them to run on in their sinnes because he seeth that their day of punishment is coming Ps 37 13. Give me any anger rather then a laughing anger whether of God or man See the threats Ps 59 8. Prov 1 26. Those to whom Christ is a scandal Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken Mat. 21 44. In Luke you have the same words cap. 20. 18. The like threat you have in Isaiah cap. 8. 15. Many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken Blessed is he saith Christ himselfe whosoever shall not be offended in me Mat. 11 6. If a man shall be blessed only for not being offended at or not disliking him whom he is bound to like and whom it is for his owne good to like and whom he hath no cause to dislike how can his condition be better then cursed who notwithstanding all this is offended at him and disallow's him and rejects him as unsit to build upon Those who have no Vnion or Commumunion with Christ Verily verily I say unto you except ye eate the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye have no life in you Joh 5 3. Ye have according to Beza's translation and not ye shall have according to Erasmus and the Vulgar because saith Beza otherwise it may be thought that Christ did not give life to us but only keep it for us I apply not this to those who do not imitate Christ especially in his passion as Grotius does for as upon most other places he endevor'd to be as little mysticall and spirituall as he could be so I think upon this he was more Socinian then he should be for thus he speakes Hoc ergo est edere bibere Christi uti exemplo Christi perfestisimum est exemplum tum virtutum aliarum tum praecipuè dilectionis quam imitari Compendium est praeceptorum Nam sicut cibus potus in corpus admissi hominem nutriâ—nt ita bona exempla in animum admissa eum mirabiliter confirmant But whereas he sayes Christ was a most perfect example of love and makes imitation of him to be the highest thing intended in the Gospel for doubtlesse eating Christ's flesh and drinking his blood was expressed as the highest and most principle of christianity let me aske wherin this love which he ackowledges did appeare I believe I shall not be answer'd by those of his mind in his dying a Sacrifice for us for then certainely example and imitation cannot be the thing hee came for And yet that in this chiefly both his love the love of the Father did consist appears by the words of John Herein is love not that we loved him but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sinnes 1 Ep 4 10. To conclude If eating Christs flesh and drinking Christs bloud be imitating his example how did our Fathers imitate him who were before him and yet did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drink for they drank of that spirituall rock that followed them and that rocke was Christ 1 Cor 10 3 4. Church not heard If he neglect to heare the Church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican Saith our Saviour to his Disciples concerning one Christian offending another Mat 18. 17. Clothes of men and Women promiscuously worne The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth to a man neither shall a man put on a womans garment for all that do so are an abomination to the Lord thy God Deut. 22 5. Some do make this prohition to belong to the second Commandement and for these two reasons First because the word which we translate abomination is usually spoken of Idolatry but this is no reason for it is as usually spoken of other things both in the Proverbes and elsewhere Secondly Because Maimonides saith it was the custome of Idolatrous Jewes if they were men to stand with the â—mbrodered garments of women before the starre Venus and if they were women with mens armour before Mars another of the Planets in imitation of the Heathen That there was such a custome is very likely and there seemes to be somewhat spoken in â—avour of this report in Deuteronomy ch 17. because in the second verse both sexes are mention'd If there be found c. man or woman c. and in the verse immediately following there is mention made of worshiping the Sun or Moone or any of the host of heaven as if it had been said or any of the Planets such as Mars and Venus and the rest but however if they make the prohibition to relate to this custome onely because they thinke the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated here that which pertaineth to a man to signifie nothing but armour I shall not take this for a reason neither for they cannot deny that this word hath of it selfe a more generall signification even as generall almost as when we say a man's or woman's things as may appear by twenty places which being so methinkes it is farre better to make the more speciall word used for the woman viz. garments to expound this rather then this which is a more generall word to exclude that at least let it be that which containes armour and clothes too viz. the Habit of a man Communicating or partaking of Christs body in the Sacrament unworthily It is threatned with being held guilty of the body and blood of Christ as if he who does not care to remember him in the best manner he can now he is dead if he had lived when he did would have been little troubled to have seen him put to death Whosoever shall eat this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty or shall be held guilty for he is guilty already of himselfe of the body and blood of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 27. It hath been punished with sicknesse and death For this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many sleep 1 Cor. 11 30. Chrysostome speakes of some possessed with the divell after it and Cyprian hath recorded divers examples of men thus punished one way or another for the most part they were sure to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some judgement or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be judged or punished and it was well for the Saints they were for it may be otherwise they might have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quite and cleane condemned or damned as the men
viz with making it loathsome to them Num 11 20. I believe this is a usuall punishment with Drunkards before they die 2 Want of those creatures Isaiah having spoken those wordes above mention'd c. 5 11 afterward addes Their honourable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst verse 13. 3 Poverty and want of other creatures also For the Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty Prov 23 21. come to poverty in the originall t is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies also to be dispossessed or disinherited but with this punishmeÌ„t wine it self will punish them disposessing them of themselves disinheriting them of their naturall estate of reason and causing their Parents to disinherit them of their civill estate Sometime they are and it were good if they were oftner punished thus by their Parents The word in the Hebrew viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies wine seems to be compounded of two other Hebrew words viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie thou shalt be Poor of these two words for that which signifies poore some put another like it viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Cheife the word will admit of both etymologies in like manner as wine produces both effects acording as it is well or ill used The richest wine is most dangerous in this regard because it hath most power to tempt thee to tarry long at it and therefore as I would have thee to come to all pleasant meates and drinkes with Feare so especially would I have thee be afraid to Looke upon the wine when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it moveth it selfe aright Prov 23 31. 5 Sudden Death if Priests and when they went about their office Doe not drinke wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy Sons with thee when ye goe into the Tabernacle of the congregation least ye die It shall be a statute for ever throughout thy generations Lev 10 9. Some thinke that Nadab and Abihu were Drunk when they took common fire instead of consecrated as you may see verse 1. of that chapter and that this Law was made upon that occasion because it is mentioned presently after now their punishmeÌ„t was also death viz by fire from the Lord as you may see verse 2. Either Sudden death or Surprizall by the day of judgment But and if that evill seravnt shall say in his heart my Lord delaieth his comming such speeches of security are common with Drunkards and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eate and drink with the Drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him c. Mat 24 48 49 50. shall begin If â—e be thus threatned for but beginning to drink c. what must he expect if he have practis'd this wickednesse for many yeares 6 Exclusion out of heaven Nor theeves nor coveteous nor DRUNKARDS shall inherit the Kindome of God 1 Cor 6. 10. See Mat 24 49 51. Such as make others Drunken are thus threatned Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink that puttest thy bottle to him the Prophet could not forbeare to come from the third person to the second for anger which is best expressed in that person and MAKEST HIM DRVNKEN also that thou mayest look on their nakednesse Thou art filled with shame for glory drink thou also and let thy foreskin be uncovered the cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned unto thee and shamefull spuing shall be on thy glory Hab. 2 15 16. Duties of Religion c. Duties of religion such as performe them with resolution to retaine their sinnes THEY are threatned First with non-acceptance as 1. in Fasting and humiliation When the Jews demanded of God Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not wherefore have we aflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge He made them this answer Behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your labours Isa 58 3. 2. In Prayer or seeking to God Yâ— pollute your selves with all your Idols even unto this day and shall I be inquired of by you O house of Israel as I live saith the Lord God I will not be enquired of by you Ezek 20 31. By you in the originall t is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for you which will expres both senses more anger I will neither heare you nor any body else for you See Zach 7 5 6 7. Mic 6 6 7 1. So Amos 5 22 23. Though ye offer me burnt offerings I will not accept them c. But let judgment run downe as water c. verse 24. As if he had said though you offer me never so many offerings c. I will not accept them as long as you doe not execute judgment See Jer 7 9 10. 3. In Believing God's word or believing in God or in preaching or reading But unto the wicked God saith what hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Ps 50 16 17. God's house is not a Den for theeves c. Jer 7 11. and as long as we reject his ordinances to obey them we have nothing to doe with his ordinances to enjoy them 2. Severe punishment For every one of the house of Israel or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel which separateth himselfe from mee c. And cometh to a Prophet to enquire of him concerning me I the Lord will answere him by my selfe And I will sett my face against that man and will make him a signe and a proverb c. Ezek 14 7 8. Samuel told Saul for all his sacrificing to the Lord because he disobeyed his command in not tarrying at Gilgal till he came Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee For now would the Lord have establish'd thy Kingdome upon Israel for ever But now thy Kingdome shall not continue 1 Sam 13 13 14. God's Altar was not allowed for a refuge for him that slew his Brother with guile Exod. 21 14. An earthly Father though his Son behave himself never so respectfully and shew him never so much reverence in his language and deportment yet if he be Disobedient is so farre from accepting of it that he likes him the worse Enemies of God's Children Enemies of God's children threatned and punished First with God's enmity against them especially when his children are dutifull for thus he speaks to rhe Israelites concerning the Angel whom he would send before them If thou shalt indeed obey his voyce and doe all that I speake then I will be an Enemy unto thine Enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries Exod. 23 22. Secondly a Curse Isaac when he blessed Jacob thus spake Cursed be every one that curseth thee and blessed be hee that blesseth thee Gen. 27 29.
greedinesse violently tooke what they pleased of the flesh of the offerings while it was raw to roast it were punished not onely in themselves by dying both and shortly after and in one day 1 Sam. 2 34. but in their posterity also For thus saith God to Eli There shall not be an old man in thine house v. 31. which threat is repeated v. 33. with this augmentation for ever as if God himselfe tooke this for a great punishment would have him take notice how greatly he had offended by the greatnesse of his punishment A short life hath beene alwayes counted among the Jewes for a very great punishment from God and therefore it is that to this day they have a custome when they come to 60 yeares of age to hold a Feast because at that time they say old age begins the number of 60 being contained in the letters of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in Job ch 5 26. where it is reckoned for a peculiar blessing of the godly to come to his grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a full age like as a shock of corne cometh in his season 7 Vntimely death Job's sons and daughters thus suffered While he was yet speaking there came also another and said Thy sonnes and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brothers house And behold there came a whirlewind from the wildernesse and smote the foure corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead Job 1. 18 19. If they were not gluttons then they who are gluttons have the more cause to feare the like punishment No sooner had the rich man said to his soule Eate drinke and be merry Luk. 12. 19 but God said to him Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee v. 20. It is said of the Israelites before mentioned Numb 11. 33 While the flesh was yet betweene their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with a very great slaughter Whether they died of a disease contracted by eating too much of the flesh or whether it were by a more immediate hand of God it is not expressed but the former seemes to be more likely from those words before mentioned vers 19 20. That gluttonous lust of the Israelites was so odious to God that as if there were no other or as if it were the worst lust of all his spirit hath set it downe under the generall name onely of lust They lusted a lust v. 4. And so to make the sin the more odious to men also the place where they buried the men that were punished with death for this lusting was called Kebroth-hattavah i. e. the graves of lust because saith the text there they buried the people that lusted v. 34. Among the Jewes the Son that was to be stoned to death upon the complaint of his parents the only vices to be mētioned in the complaint besides stubbornesse were gluttony and drunkennesse which is a kind of gluttony or as they call it intemperantia circa humidum Deut 21. 20 21. 8 Surprisall by the day of judgment or The worse usage when they are surprised Take heed to your selves least at any time your heart be overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Luk. 21. 34 see Mat 24. 39. But especially have Gluttons cause to fear God's wrath if they are such in times of mourning and publique calamities for then they are sure to be punished without hope of pardon In that day did the Lord God of hoasts and yet they were not afraid to disregard him call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth And behold joy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eate and drink for to morrow we shall dye And it it was revealed in my eares by the Lord of hoasts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die saith the Lord God of hoasts Isa 22. 12 13 14. God Speaking ungodly for him Shall have no thankes but anger and punishment also unlesse the anger be appeased For thus God spake to Eliphaz one of Job's friends who unjustly accused him in the defence of God's justice My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the tbing that is right as my servant Job hath Therefore take unto you now seven Bullocks and seven Rams and goe to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept lest I deale with you after your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right as my Servant Job hath Job 42. 7 8. Seven Bullocks and seven Rams A great offering and therfore doubtlesse they had Sinned greatly Folly There is much of this foolish hypocriticall Zeal amongst professours both doing and speaking more then they should in defence of religion In that ye have not God repeats the fault and therefore certainly he was much offended with it Observe how sharply Job took up his freinds for their uncharitable Zeal c 13. Will ye speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him verse 7. Gospel Such as oppose it They are in the same condition with Selfemuderers For Paul said to the Jewes that opposed him at Corinth Your blood be upon your heads I am clean c. Act 18. 6. Nay with fighters against God who are sure not only to have the worst but to be beaten also for fighting Gamaliel told the councell of the Jewes when he disswaded them from medling with the Apostles If it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happily yee be found to fight against God Act 5. 39. They are punished 1. With corporall blindnesse Elymas Barjesus the sorcerer resisting Paul and Barnabas and disswading Sergius Paulus the Deputy of Paphos from hearkning to them was imediatly stricken with blindnesse Act 13. 11. What fearfull expressions did Paul use when he denounced this judgment against them O full of all subtilty and all mischeife thou child of the Divell thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right waies of the Lord vers 10. He that would keep the light from another was justly punisht not to see the light himselfe Spirituall darkenesse both by the removall of the light of the Gospel as in the place afore quoted From hence forth I will goe unto the Gentiles Act 18. 6 and by utter rejection of the men themselves for so much seemes to be implyed in Paul's shaking his raiment to the Jewes of Corinth that opposed him in the same place As if he had said with all So God shake off you and every one that withstand the truth even thus let him be shaken out and emptied For such words Nehemiah used
to assure you for God cannot suffer it As a cage is full of birds so are their houses full of deceit therefore they are become great and waxen rich They are waxen fatt they shine yea they overpasse the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherlesse yet they prosper and the right of the needy doe they not judge Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Jer. 5. 27. 28. 29. Such as trust in them punished 1 With a Fall for they leane upon that which cannot support them He that trusteth in riches shall fall but the righteous shall flourish as a branch Prov 11 28. 2 Death the sooner when they have most wealth most Confidence to shew the vanity of their confidence I will say to my soul quoth the rich man in our Saviour's parable Luk. 12 soule thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But God said unto him thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee then whose shall these things which thou hast provided Luk. 12 20. Death temporall is the least that is here meant and of this we have frequent experience 3 Exclusion out of heaven It is easier for a Camel to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heaven Mark. 10 25. It is meant of him that trusts in his riches for our Saviour himselfe expounds it so vers 24. Not only him that trusts in them therefore keeps them such a one as seems to be meant in that place of the proverbs but now cited but him that trusts in them and therefore bestowes them and so even the the righteous man or the charitable man for so it is often meant let him be never so righteous shall fall as well as the other Doubtlesse trusting in riches will be punished punished with much rigour For thus speakes Job If I have made gold my hope or have said to the fine gold Thou art my confidence chap 31 24. and afterward addes This were also an iniquity to be punished by the Judge v 28 or as the Hebrew is an iniquity of the judges As if hee had said I should answer for such a sin not before a mercifull God but a just Judge It is not a sin of the Preists like a sin of ignorance for which the Preists may make mine atonement with an offering No it is scelus gladii a sin which I must be certainly punished for by the judge And the reason which he adds is For I should have denied the God that is above I have applyed these words to the 24 vers because I met with no answer to his IF betwitx this and that and because the reason agrees as well with this sin mentioned in that verse as with the other mentioned in the 27 viz. the sinne of Idolatry Now as Job joynes the sin of trusting in riches with Idolatry so the Apostle gives Covetousnesse the very name of Idolatry Coloss 3 5. which name it cannot have for any reason so well as because of this sinne which covetous men are usually guilty of See in the chapter of covetousnesse Such as love them too much though they came lawfully to them They are alwaies punished with Want of satisfaction He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with encrease Eccels 5. 10. He that hath it and doth not love it though he cannot be satisfied BY it as he cannot by any thing besides God yet he may be satisfied with it that is have so much as to desire no more or have what hee hath with rest and content which he that loves it never will This punishment of not-being satisfied is a sore punishment and it is very usuall with God to punish wicked men with it as I have hinted elsewhere See also Ezek. 7. 19. They have cause to feare other punishments by the hand of God For Job in the place last quoted immediately after those words If I made gold my hope as indeed love of riches and confidence in them more or lesse usually goe together though we doe not perceive it added also If I rejoyced because my wealth was great and because mine hand had gotten much vers 25. See for this also in Covetousnesse Rich and wicked The Scripture speaks against them thus 1 That they cannot prosper The sunne is no sooner risen with a burning heat but it withereth the grasse and the flower thereof falleth and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth so also shall the rich man fade away in his waies Jam 1. 11. They spring as grasse Psal 92. 7. But it is but as grasse for like grasse they wither Psal 102. 11 and in litle time like the grasse upon the top of a house Psal 129. 6. They are fading every way What they have is fading and they doe nothing that will last and stand by them when what they have faileth All their treasure is on earth They have none in Heaven neither doe they care to lay up any there and therefore they must not think to be able to live there especially having no friends there neither to entertaine them Luk. 16. 9. They have nothing whereon to build any hope for they doe not lay up a good foundation for the time to come 1 Tim 6. 18 19. life's joy and pleasure content is all that wicked rich men look after And yet they misse of those too For even this life is never the better for riches or for having more then others in regard that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth or a man's living upon his estate is not according to his having more then another Luk 12. 15. which was a reason our Saviour used to disswade his Disciples from greedinesse of having more wealth one then another Nay it is usually the worse as will appeare in the ensuing punishments 2 That they shall be nay that they are very miserable in regard of sundry evills and punishments some of which arise meerely from their wealth so that the preacher had very good cause to say There is a sore evill which I have seen under the sun riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Eccles 5. 13. Kept FOR them as who would ay kept by God as a scourge to punish them not kept BY. for wicked men are not masters but slaves of their wealth which they doe not so much use as they are abused by it Now those evills or punishments are 1 Want of sleep either through intemperate use or immoderate love of what they have The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat litle or much but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep Eccles 5. 12. 2 Trouble In the house of the righteous is much treasure and that is all without any
it to be a little sin because ther is little said in the Scriptures against it for the greatest sinnes there are least spoken of Glory Those that give it to themselves are threatned 1 With God's great displeasure and severe punishment marke his angry expressions to the King of Egypt Son of man set thy face against Pharaoh King of Egypt and prophecy against him and against all Egypt speake and say Thus saith the Lod God Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt the great Dragon that lyeth in the middest of his rivers which hath said My river is mine owne and I have made it for my selfe But I will put hookes in thy Jawes and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales c. Ezek 29 2 3. Those Hookes as it is likely were the Chaldeans by whom the King of Egypt was taken and all his Subjects like fish destroyed together with him 2 Severe punishment and the taking away of their glory I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high lookes for he saith by the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisedome for I am prudent c. Isa 10. 12 13. and it followes vers 16 under his glory he shall kindle a burning c. The Jewes say that the Angel smote his army with a secret fire which burnt their bodies without hurting their cloathes or their armes and that there were not ten men that escaped alive Hierom See Jer. 50 29 30. 3 Discovery of their weaknesse and frailty by suffering from others Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee I am God but thou shalt be a man and not a God in the hand of him that slayeth thee Ezek. 28 9. Those that take it when it is given them by other men and do not turne it off to God Have cause to feare severe punishment for it is said of Herod when the people gave a shout after he had made an Oration to them and said It was the voyce of a God and not of a man that immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory and he was eaten up of wormes and died Act. 12 23. Gave not God the Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Glory viz. which the people gave him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not-giving THE Glory or not refusing Glory already made and given must not looke to be unpunished being wilfull sinne and neerer to sacriledge then receiving stolne goods is to theft if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not-giving glory to God or not-bringing Glory to God of our owne making have beene so severely threatned and punished For so it was First in the Israelite priests with Cursing of their blessings If ye will not heare and if ye will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name saith the Lord of Hoasts I will even send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart Mal. 2 2. 2 In Belshazzar with The losse of his Kingdome at least it had a great hand in that punishment for Daniel when he told him of his sinnes whereby he had provoked Gods anger against him assoone as he had said The God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy wayes thou hast not glorified presently added THEN was the part of the hand sent from him and this writing was written Dan. 5 23 24. Gluttony Gluttons are punished or threatened 1 With Inconsiderate and selfe-hurtfull actions Esau was so greedy of and so gluttonously taken with the curious red red pottage which his brother had made that he sold him his birthright for a messe of it Gen. 25 30. whence he was afterward called Edom i. e. Red and his posterity Edomites 2 Loathing of that which they loved The full soule loatheth the hony-comb Prov 27. 7. 3 Sicknesse The Israelites wherein their God was their belly for they chose to serve that before God although they had no worse fare then the Angels Ps 78. 25 like so many swâ—ne snuffed at the pearle and as if they had been in such a lamentable case ready to starve for want of meat fell a weeping and crying who shall give us flesh to eat Num 11. 4. But how did God answer theÌ„ 't is true he gave them their owne desire but as the Sabines did Tarpeia who when she had desired of theÌ„ what thâ—y had in their left hands meaning no more then their rings put upon her rings and shields and all and pressed her to death with the weight For thus was Moses bid to answer them Seeing ye are so earnest for flesh ye shall have flesh but you shall have it with a vengeance for ye shall not eat one day nor two days nor five daies nor ten days nor twenty dayes but even a whole month untill it come out at your nostrills and it be loathsome unto you v. 18. 19. 20. I believe this punishment was inflicted upon them in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an unsatisfied craving of the stomack in eating It is often threatned to the wicked in Scriptures perhaps sometimes in another sense in these words ye shall eate and not be satisfied as Levit 26 26. Isa 9. 20. Mic 6. 14. as on the contrary it is promised as a blesing to the Godly to eate and be satisfied Deut 14. 29. Ps 22. 26. and the reason is because they have other food to eate with it heavenly food with which a man may be satisfied if he have no other without which nor food nor any thing else will satisfie a man 4 Taking away or Marring of those creatures which they have abused When the Israelites gathered Manna if any were so greedy as to gather more then they could eate that which was left till the next morning bred wormes and stank Exod 16. 20. 5 Hunger and want For the Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty Prov 23. 21 The Prophet Isaiah having told the Jewes of their Feasts which they kept in honour to their Idols chap 65. verse 11. in the 13 verse thus threatens them Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold my servants shall eate but ye shall he hungry behold my Servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty Our Saviour saith Woe unto you that are full for ye shall hunger Luk 6. 25. and so it came to passe in the Prodigall Son who wasted his substance in riotous living Luk 15. 13. for afterward it is said v. 16. he would faine have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eate and no man gave unto him 6 Shortnesse of life Ordinarily by their owne intemperance breeding diseases in their bodies and this every man sees and knows See Ecclus 37. 30 31. Extraordinarily by the hand of God thus Hophni and Phinehas who out of gluttony and
and would have also slaine Elijah 1 Kings 19. 14 was throwne out at window by her servants and troden under foot by her enemies and eaten up by the dogs 2 King 9. 36. according to Elijahs prophecy 1 King 21. 13. 2. Herod Antipas who beheaded John the Baptist Mat. 14. 10 was banished into France and there murdered as he was a hunting You may marke the end also of Herod Agrippa who imprison'd Peter and James although his death be by Luke attributed to another cause Act 12. 33. The Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory and he was eaten of wormes and gave up the ghost 3 Nero who caus'd Paul to be put to death he call's him the Lyon 2 Tim. 4. 17 had been drawn through the city and whipped to death according to the sentence of the Senate but that he cut his own throat before Lastly Domitian called also Nero by the people who banished John the Evangelist into the Island Patmos was conspired against and murdered by his own wife and some of his friends and after his death both his name and all his Acts were eras'd and abolished by the decree of the Senate But what doe I talke of persecuting by offering violence when as Such as Mocke at them are punished 1 With Wrath unappeaseable But they mocked the messengers of God and dispised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 2 Chron 36. 17. Against his people c. whom he was loath to be so angry with bâ—t being thus provoked he could not forbeare 2 Severe punishment both on them and theirs The Jewes because the Prophets had told them so many prophecies of God's judgements for their sinnes and of nothing else and because they saw none of those prophecies yet fulfilled at length began to mock at them when they met them and to aske them in derision because with those words usually they began their prophecie especially of Gods judgements What is the burden of the Lord and their false Prophets and Priests would doe the like But they are thus threatened by Jeremy And as for the Prophet and the Priests and the people that shall say the burden of the Lord I will even punish that man and his house Jer. 23. 34. So v. 36. Every man's word shall be his burden viz. either because God would burden them with heavie judgements for thus speaking or because it should lye as a burden upon their consciences hereafter when those prophecies should be fulfilled to have thus derided them 3 Reproach for their reproach And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon them and a perpetuall shame which shall not be forgotten Jer. 23. 40. We all know the proofe of this The very name of a Jew is to use the Scripture language a reproach a by-word and a curse to this day though I believe these words are rather meant of their unhappinesse then of their wickednesse 4 Violent death by wild beasts As Elisha was going up to Bethel There came forth little children out of the city and mocked him and said unto him Goe up thou bald head Goe up thou bald head And he turned backe and looked on them and cursed them in the name of the Lord and there came forth two shee beares out of the wood and tare forty and two children of them 2 Kings 2. 23 24. Children what must the elder sort expect then Some make this Allegory which I mention because what is said is not impertinent to the subject in hand Christ a Crucifying was Elisha the Jewes mocking him and saying If thou be that Christ the Sonne of God come down from the Crosse were the children and Titus and Vespasian who shortly after destroyed both them and their City the two bears though in the masculinâ— gender because they were so fierce that they had better have met with a beare robbed * of her whelps then them Such as Despise them or sleight them Shall be punished as despisers of Christ himselfe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10. 16. Just as Moses told the Israelites Exod. 17. 2. Why chide you with me wherefore doe ye tempt the Lord. And ch 16. 7. he heareth your murmurings against the Lord. For what are wee that you murmure against us Let them put it off how they will viz that they despise not God but the men their distinction will not serve For he that truly respects me will respect any one that comes from mee for my sake Further Such as Believe them not have been punished and threatned 1 With violent death That Lord that would not believe Elisha who when Samaria was besieged by the Syrians even in the extremity of the famine prophecied that the next day a measure of fine flowre should be sold for a shekle c. was by him threatned that he should see it indeed with his own eyes to his conviction but he should but see it to his griefe for he should not eat of it which fell out accordingly for the next day hee was troden to death by the hungry greedy people as they pressed out at the gate to take the spoile of their enemies camp to satisfie their hunger 2 Kings 7. 2. 17. 2 Being worse dealt with at the day of Judgement then Sodome and Gomorrah and how bad is that like to be Whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words when yee depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for that city Mat. 10 14 15. Further Such as will not suffer them to reap their carnall things One may conjecture their Condition is not safe by the strictnesse of the charge given to the Israelites concerning the Levites Take heed to thy selfe for thou wilt hurt thy selfe most that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upoÌ„ the earth Deu. 12. 19 as long as thou livest upon the earth Come what will poverty or any condition yet be sure to remember him and that as long aâ— thou art upon the earth though thou art led captive out of thine own countrey See the charge repeated Deut. 14. 27. after which it is added vers 29. That the Lord may blesse themin all the worke of thine hand which thou doest Which seemes to be spoken as if otherwise hee would not in this manner blesse them Nay further yet Such as doe not stand by them in persecution Have cause to to feare as may be gathered by what Paul saies of those who deserted him At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge 2 Tim. 4. 16 See the ch of Not-helping the godly at the end Ministery Such
would not pardon 2 Kings 24. 3 4. They are punished in their Posterity By Death or some other great calamity as you may see 1 In Joab according to David's threat to him For when Joab had trecherously murdered Abner who came over to him by taking him aside to speak with him thus he spake I and my kingdome are guiltles before the Lord for ever from the bloud of Abner the sonne of Ner let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his fathers house and let there not faile from the house of Joab one that hath an issue or that is a leper or that leaneth on a staffe or that falleth on the sword or that lacketh bread 2 Sam. 3. 28 29. See also Solomon's threat concerning him 1 Kings 2. 33. after which it is said also that hee himselfe was slaine by Benaiah at the command of Solomon even when he hung upon the altar 1 Kings 2. 28. to 34. For God will not be a refuge for murderers neither were the cities of refuge appointed for them Deut. 19. 11 2 In David for the murder of Vriah according to Nathans threat Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house because thou shast despised me and hast taken the wife of Vriah the Hittite to be thy wife 2 Sam 12. 10. 3 In Saul for murdering the Gibeonites For when the Gibeonites were asked by David what satisfaction they desired they demanded seven of Sauls sonnes and hung them all up with his consent 2 Sam 21 9 4 In Ahab for murdering Naboth For Joram his son King of Israel was by Jehu who was already anointed king in his stead shot to death with an arrow as hee sate in in his chariot 2 Kings 9. 24. See what he sayes when he had kil'd him v. 25 26 It was not long after ere Jehu put to death all the rest of his familie causing the heads of seventie of his sonnes to be brought to him at one time to Jezreel in baskets c 10. 7. Thus you see how loud and how long bloud crieth and how deeply it staineth so that nothing but bloud will fetch it out again especially if it be in a place where the true religion is professed for then the punishment will be as to one that hath defiled God's dwelling which must needs anger him exceedingly Num 35 33 34. So yee shall not pollute the land wherein yee are for bloud it defileth the land and the land cannot be cleansed of the bloud that is shed therein but by the bloud of him that shed it DEFILE not therefore the land which yee shall inhabit wherein I DWELL for I the Lord DWELL among the children of Israel The Odiousnesse of this sinne and how certaine it is to be punished may be further gathered out of the Scriptures thus 1 By the strictnesse of God's requiring the blood shed as if it were a thing more his owne then other things even at the hand of a beast that hath neither hand nor reason Gen. 9. 5. For if a beast killed a man yea though it were an Oxe the most usefull beast of any it was to be stoned to death and none of his flesh was to be eaten Exod. 21. 28. 2 By the strictnesse of God's inquiring after it I doe not read of his making inquisition for any thing but this and for this he allowes times of purpose as if it were a businesse which he constantly does and which he will not by any meanes omit When hee maketh inquisition for blouds be remembreth them Ps 9. 12. No wonder then there are such strange discoveries of murder so deeply concealed so long agoe committed Sithence he who is the searcher even of hearts maketh inquest for it and shall not he search it out See Isai 26. 21. I might produce many examples of such discoveries if it were not beyond my bounds 3 By the strictnesse of the Enquiry which he prescribed to the Elders of the Israelites when they found a man slaine and it was not knowne who kill'd him As likewise by the forme of prayer given them wherein they wereto desire God not to lay even such a man's bloud to their charge Deut. 21. 1. 4 By Davids charge to Solomon concerning Joab for murdering Abner and Amasa Let not his hoary head goe downe to the grave in peace 1 Kings 2. 5. 5 By the punishment which the Shechemites suffered for helping Abimelech in the murder of his brethren viz the slaughter of themselves and the utter ruine of their city by the hand of Abimelech himselfe Then God sent an evill spirit betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubaal might come and their blood come upon Abimelech thir Brother which slew them and upon the men of Shechem which aided him in Killing of his brethren Judg. 9. 23 24. 6 Lastly by what is said of the importunate cries of such as have been murdered which are sure to be heard Rev 6. 10. How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth What ever thou doest let the life of a man be precious in thy sight If thou hast the invitation of an opportunity to Save it as thou hatest bloud doe it For there are but two waies To Save life or to Kill Mark 3. 4. If thou hast the provocation of an injurie to destroy it as thou lovest life doe it not For if thou hast not hated bloud even bloud shall pursue thee Ezek 35. 6. Take heed of a bloudy hard heart How many Murderers are there that never lifted up their hand to hurt a man Oathes Such as doe not keep them or take them fasly threatened With Certaine punishment Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltles that taketh his name in vaine Exod 20 7. Name What an account doth the meanest of us make of his name and how tender are we of it and how doe we listen when we heare another mention it Thy God thou wouldest be wary of using the name of thy King or thy Master or thy Father in their hearing and why not of thy God who heareth at all times and places is then most quick of hearing when his name is used In vaine or for a Lie For that the word in Hebrew for vaine will signifie and is so used and that when the meaning is only of assertion and not of promise For whereas in this chapter vers 16 the word for false witnesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deut c. 20. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know they usually say that these wordes are cheifely meant of promissory oaths because of our Saviours words Mat. 5. 33. speaking only of the forbidding of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is forswearing And as if this word were properly