say is not the Lord among us None evill can come upon us Therefore shall Zion for your sake bee plowed as a field Mic 3. 11 12. 3 God's abhorring of them I the Lord love judgement I hate robbery for burnt offerings Isa 61. 8. Such robberies the Scribes and Pharisees to whom Christ spake those wordes before mentioned were guilty of who pretending they tooke it for pious uses as for offerings and the like by this means rooked the poore widows and orphanes of their livelyhood God abhorres such pretended religion as much as he did the hire of an whore or the price of a dog brought into his house though it were for a vow which he saith were an abomination to him Deut 23. 18. It was the saying of an Heathen that the Gods could not be made propitious with offering sacrifices to commit wickednesse 4 God's being against them Behold I am against the Prophets that use their tongues say HE SAITH Jer. 23. 31. 5 God's severe punishing them For thus he complaines Whose possessours slay them and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say Blessed be the Lord for I am rich Zach. 11. 5. Religion only in Shew Threatned 1 With Having no reward Take heed that yee doe not your almes before men to bee seen of them otherwise yee have no reward of your father which is in heaven Mat. 6. 1. No reward of your father All the reward you have is that which you do it for how can you expect any other viz. The praise of men They disfigure their faces that they may appeare unto men to fast verily I say unto you they have their reward Mat. 6. 16. They have their reward they are paid and let them look for nothing in heaven hereafter Hitherto may you referre that in Timothy if you expound it of fasting with Beza Bodily exercise profiteth nothing 1 Ep. 4 8. 2 Woe Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for yee make cleane the outside of the cup and the platter but within they are full of extortion and excesse Mat. 23. 25. Repenting late Strive to enter in at the strait gate For many I say unto you will seek which doe not strive to enter in and shall not be able When once the master of the house is risen up hath shut to the doores and yee begin to stand without and to knock at the doore saying Lord Lord open unto us and he shall answer and say unto you I know you not whence you are c. Luk. 13. 24 25. Reported well of by all Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you Luk. 6. 26. Reproaching Threatned 1 With certaine punishment because God takes speciall notice of it Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me Lam 3. 61. Ps 69. 19. Whosoever shall say to his brother Raka shall be in danger of the councell but whosoever shall say thou foole shall be in danger of hell fire Mat. 5. 22. 2 With sad and heavy judgments denounced in very angry expressions I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border Therefore as I live saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel surely Moab shall be as Sodom the children of Ammon as Gomorrah even the breeding of nettles and salt pits and a perpetuall desolation The residue of my people shall spoile thē the remnant of my people shall possesse them Zeph 2. 8 9. See Eze 21. 28. concerning the same people 3 Exclusion out of heaven Nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor 6. 10. Certainly a reviler is as much out of charity in his heart as a man can be and God lookes not so much to uncharitablenesse what it is either in our speech or our actions for that is according to our power as what it is in our hearts There is an example or two of reproachers severely punished 1 Nahash the Ammonite when he besieged Jabash Gilead would not yeeld to the desire of the inhabitants to enter into covenant with them although they profered to serve him but with this condition viz that he might thrust out all their right eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel 1 Sam 11. 2. But the inhabitants sent immediatly to Saul who came with his army upon the Ammonites in the morning watch slew them untill the heat of the day And it came to passe that they which remained were scattered so that two of them were not left together vers 11. 2 Nabal the Carmelite when David sent his servants to him for victualls for his men gave them this reproachfull answer Who is David and who is the son of Jesse There be many servants now adaies that break away every man from his master 1 Sam 25. 10. Now which sin it was that was punished whether his not giving David provision or his giving this reproachfull answer I knowe not But it is said in the same Chapter v 38. And it came to passe about ten daies after that the Lord smote Nabal that he died Had not his wife Abigail pacified David with a present he had been kil'd by him before ver 33. but the punishment was more notorious this way viz by the hand of God Reproofe Such as doe not Give it If Parents they are sometimes punished by God of which see in the Chapter of Parents Sometimes by their children themselves Thus was David punished by his son Adonijah of whō is it said that his father had not displeased him at any time in saying why hast thou done so 1 Kings 1. 6. But he took a course to work him trouble enough to reward him for his gentlenesse for hee sought to make himselfe King ver 5. If they are God's Ministers I know not what they may expect Their case is bad enough doubtlesse as you may gather by the Prophet Isai's words if the Latine translation be right Woe unto me because I have held my peace ch 6. 5. Those who follow this translation some of them interpret it of the Prophet's not reproving King Vzziah so boldly as he should for medling with the Priests office 2 Chr. 26. 16. Others because he did not see him putt out of the City according to the Law for the Lepers Lev. 13. 46. But this last we have the lesse cause to suspect for what is said in that chapter but now quoted v. 21 viz. That he dwelt in a severall house Such as doe not Take it punished 1 With Errour He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction bnt he that refuseth reproofe erreth Prov 10. 17. 2 Destruction Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way and he that hateth reproofe shall die Prov. 15. 10. The way againe as it was before For there is no other way to come to life
liberality to the rich and he used also the same word that is here used by the Apostle viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate recompence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least they also bid thee againe and a recompence be made thee Luk 14 12. he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and without relation as I conceive of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made to what was spoken before whereby the evill of having a mans reward now is more fully expressed as if he would have a man by all meanes take heed of having or desiring or being content with a reward in this present world But to give you all that I have to say of those words of the Psalmist I observe that not only the noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so it is likely that the Septuagint red it signifying recompence is more especially meant of the recompence of bad works as in Isaiah ch 34. 8. and else where but also the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to reward is diverse times so used as if it were properly appliable only to rewarding by punishment as Prov. 11. 31. Psal 31 23 c. Blindnesse see Ignorance Boasters of Holinesse Boasters of holinesse have cause to feare 1 God 's not justifying them because of their justifying themselves for both can never be The Pharisee said God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the weeke I give tithes of all that I possesse Luk. 18. 11. 12. But our Saviour saies of the Publican who would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven but smote upon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner I tell you this man went downe to his house justified rather then the other vers 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rather according to Beza's potius not More either magis as Austin translates or plus as Hierom or prae as Erasmus to shew that the Pharisee was not justified at all but rather condemn'd which may be gathered also by the words immediatly following For every one that exalteth himselfe shall be abased and he that abaseth himselfe shall be exalted v. 14. The connexion of these words with the former is such as appeares by the conjunction For that as it is here said of exalting and abasing so I may boldly say of justifying and condemning For every one that justifieth himselfe shall be condemned and he that condemneth himselfe shall be justified Theophylact puts the question why the Pharisee should be thus condemned for speaking but a few words in justification of himselfe and there should be no notice any where taken of Job for speaking so many But the answer may be this First a sin of the old Testament is not the lesse for not mentioning in the New 2. The Pharisee spake to God and without any provocation whereas Job spake the most of what he spake to men to cleare himselfe of their false accusations 3. It appears that Job condemned himselfe afterward for his justifying himselfe and that God hereupon accepted him Chap. 40. 4 5. and c. 42. 3. 9. 2. God's being exceedingly displeased with them for thus he speaks of the Jewes who despised the Gentiles for their barrennesse as Hagar did Sara Gen. 16. 4. notwithstanding the prophecy that the children of the desolate should be more then the children of ehe married wife Isa 54. 1. which perhaps for that reason was the sooner fulfilled which say stand by thy selfe come not neer me for I am holier then thou these are a smoake in my nose a b fire that burneth all the day Behold it is written before me I will not keep silence but will recompence and recompence into their bosome Isa 65. 5 6. Bribery Bribery is threatned 1. With punishment unavoidable Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof speaking of Judah because they sold the righteous for silver and the poore for a paire of shooes Amos 2 6. I take it to bee as much as if he had said There be many other sins which I meane to punish the Jewes for but I will especially make them smart for this viz because their judges have condemned him that had right on his side and him that had poverty to plead for him only for love of a little gaine 2. A Curse Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person Deut. 27 25. 3. If not the destruction of them and their family at lest the consumption of that wealth which they have gotten by Bribery Fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery Job 15. 34. bribe* So the Chaldee Paraphrase understanding thereby tabernacles or houses and estates purchased with mony taken for bribes which is a more plaine setting forth of the punishment of this sin being this way most severely and most usually punished then if we translated after the 70 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tabernacles of those that receive bribes for then they might be punisht notwithstanding for some other sin and God's anger against a sinne is never more visible then when he punishes the offender in that member or in that creature by taking it away or making it hurtful or troublesome or uselesse with which he committed it 4. The desolation of that countrey where it is practised The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they leane upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evill can come upon us Therefore shall Zion for your sakes bee plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heapes c. Mic. 3. 12. See also Ezek. 22. 12. 13 14 15. It were good therefore to prevent this sin that those laws were observed which ordaine that none shall be a judge or in place of power and authoritie but such as have a competent estate or at least that none who are in places of power and authority might be without a competent estate Those words in the Proverbs The King by judgement stablisheth the land but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it Prov. 29. 4. the Talmudists saies Buxtorf interpret thus When the judge is a King needs nothing then he establisheth a land but when he is as a Priest and beggs at every mans barne he destroyes it The Rabbins say that those six Lions placed upon each side of the six steps that went up to Solomons judgement seat 1 King 10 9. had every one of them in one of their paws a precept and the other he held open as it were ready to teare to shew that if he that sate in that seat neglected his duty the hand of God was ready to punish him and teare him in pieces Now one of those six precepts was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not receive
yet in this place viz. v. 17. I chuse to agree with the first Interpreters at least in the interpretation of the first expressions and the rather because cutting off is not attended with the usuall expression viz from among their people but with such an expression as to my remembrance it is no where else viz. in the sight of their people which cannot be so properly spoken of excommunication or any other punishment as of death 3 Under the New Testament Excommunication according to the practise of Paul upon him that committed Incest with his Fathers Wife 1 Cor 5. 15. 4 Being murdered As in Amnon the Son of David who lay with his Sister Tamar 2 Sam 13. 14 was murdered by his Brother Absalom verse 29. Vnnaturall lust was punished with unnaturall cruelty 5 Monstrous Births For the Twins which Tamar had by her Father in law Judah at the delivery one of them put forth his hand and drew it back againe so that the other was first borne Injurious dealing Injurious dealing is threatened In generall with punishment though he that doth the wrong be never so great and he that suffers be never so mean nay in what relation soever he be towards them for it is spoken especially of Masters in relation to their Servants But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons Col 3. 25. Punishment I say and that certaine and speedy even while it is acting by one meanes or other one way or other as by remorse of conscience and hurtfullnesse of the creatures wherein the injuries are done c. Whoso breaketh a hedge a Serpent shall bite him Whoso removeth stones or landmarkes whereby to couzen thē of their lands shall be endangered thereby Eccles 10. 8 9. Whosoever shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goe beyond or defraud his Brother 1 Thess 4. 6. whether by adultery and coveting his wife for so the words are limited by some or by cheating and coveting any other thing that is his especially in trading as some expound those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in any matter though the Law of man do not take hold of him as many times it doth not yet the Apostle sayes The LORD is the avenger of all such as we have also forewarned you and testified 1 Thess 4. 6. If God had not certainly determined the punishment of injurious dealing we should not be so strictly forbidden to resist evill as we are Mat 5. 39. For sinne will never leave crying till it be heard and justice must be executed The punishments more particularly mentioned may be these 1 If it be much used Having many enemies God said of Ishmael His hand will be against every man and every man 's against him Gen 16 12 which we may see sufficiently fulfilled in his posterity the Turkes and Arabians 2 Men's beeing Hurt by that themselves whereby they intend the hurt of others He made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made His mischiefe shall returne upon his owne head and his violent dealing shall come downe upon his owne pate Ps 7. 15. come downe for from God this punishment comes more notoriously then others and whatsoever goes up to him is sure to come downe againe in reward whether good or bad see Eccles 10 8. 3 Desolation of whole Countries For the rich men thereof are full of violence and the Inhabitants thereof have sopken Lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee for some times God makes men well by smiting thē in making thee desolate because of thy sinnes Mic. 6 12 13. it is spoken to the Jews 4 Destruction of the whole world which otherwise perhaps had not come before God so soone as it did The earth is filled with violence through them and behold I will destroy them with the earth Gen 6. 13. with violence In the fourth verse where we render Gyants Symmachus translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. violent men The Poet Ovid speaking of the age next before the floud which he calls the iron age for the heard-heartednesse and crueltie which then reigned complaines most of violence fugêre pudor verumque fidesque In quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique Insidiaeque vis amor sceleratus habendi and a litle after vivitur ex rapto non hospes ab hospite tutus l. 1. Met. Fab. 4. They that doe wrong must needs be very unhappy because they that suffer wrong are so happy Mat 5. 11 12. The Rabbines have a saying Be not of those that doe but of those that suffer wrong and the Apostle wondered why the Corinthians would not chuse to be of the number of these latter rather then the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why are you not rather wronged why are you not rather defrauded 1 Cor 6. 7. Injustice Injustice especially distributive that which is practised by Judges threatned and punished 1 With The hatred of men He that saith unto the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse Nations shall abhorre him Prov 24. 24. 2 The Hatred of God Both Injustice distributive He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord Prov 17. 15. And Injustice communicative i. e. in dealing For all that doe such things and all that doe unrighteously are abomination to the Lord thy God Deut 25 16 mention was made before of having divers measures and weights v. 13 14. 3 Woe Both in Making laws that are unjust Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees and that write grievousnesse which they have prescribed Isa 10 1 And not executing those that are just Woe unto them c. Which justify the wicked for a reward take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him cap 5. 22 23. 4 Feares and Terrours proceeding from a guilty conscience and the execution of God's judgments which none but the upright are able to behold or endure with comfort or without feare Thus saith the Lord behold I will make thee a terrour to thy selfe and to all thy freinds c. Jeremiah thus spake to Pashur who had smitten him put him in the stocks c. 20. 4 and 2. 5 Translatiō of power thus abused to others that is the least For Ananias having commanded Paul to be smitten contrary to Law according to Paul's threat to him God shall smite thee thou whited wall Acts 23. 3. either died shortly after or was removed from his place for there was another put in his roome The Injustice of Samuel's two Sons who were Judges of Israel occasioned the Israelites to desire a King 1 Sam 8. 3 5 and accordingly they had him chap. 10. 1. 6 Shortning of life For that Pashur formerly spoken of whereby we may gather that in those dayes men lived longer then
threescore and ten yeares for otherwise this had been no punishment and the time of the captivity was so many yeares was thus threatened Thou Pashur and all that dwell in thy house shall goe into captivity and thou shalt come into Babylon and there thou shalt die and shalt be buried there thou and all thy friends to whome thou hast prophecied Lyes Jer 20. 6. 7 Being given up by God to Continuance in it He that is unjust let him be unjust still Rev 22. 11. So Deiodate expounds the place comparing it with Ezek 3. 27 and 20 39. Dan 12. 10. Am 4. 4. 8 Destruction The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them because they refuse to doe judgment Prov 21. 7. destroy them the originalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some desire from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to draw to ground according to the Latin translation Rapinae impiorum detrahent eos as if it were said The weight of their money as bad as stollen by jnjustice bribery shall draw them out of their seat and sinke them to the ground 9 Damnation so certainly that Paul wonders if a Christian be ignorant of it Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor 6. 9. The greatnesse of this sinne and the dangerousnesse of it may be yet further gathered out of the Scriptures 1 From the frequent Complaints made of it more frequent then almost any other sin in those Books where punishments are most threatened viz the Books of the Prophets 2 By the names that are given it as of robberie * Prov 21. 7. Mighty Sinnes Am 5. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so in the same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which perhaps denoteth not so much many as large and as our English word very well expresses it Manifold transgressions as Samuel called the sinne of the Israelites in asking a King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A manifold wickednesse Now the Sinne mentioned immediatly before and after is Injustice Sutable with the first of these expressions is that of the Fist of wickednesse spoken concerning the same sinne Isa 58. 14. and with the latter that of wickednesse simply v. 6 spoken also concerning the same sinne as if it were so large wickednesse as to comprehend all wickednesse in it or as if it were so great wickednesse that you need not call it by any other name to make men know what you meane But this might more properly have beene put in the chapter of Oppression Insensiblenesse under punishments threatened In their heat I will make their feasts and I will make them drunken that they may rejoyce and sleepe a perpetuall sleep and not wake saith the Lord. It is spoken of the Babylonians Jer. 51. 39. Instruments of punishing punished Instruments or men imployed by God in punishing his children punished themselves The Assyrians are the most notable example that can be produced All that found them meaning the Israelites haue devoured them and their adversaries said we offend not because they have sinned against the Lord c. Jer. 50. 7. but it followes vers 9. I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great Nations from the North country c. Though the godly are justly punished by God that they cannot be so by men nor the wicked neither without authority Though Christ were delivered by the determinate Counsell of God yet were those hand◠wicked wherewith he was taken and crucified Acts 2. 23. The reason why God punisheth the Instruments wich he thus employs is partly this Because though they are weapons of his indignation as he cals the Medes by whom he punished the Babylonians Isa 13 5 to execute his wrath yet they doe it not in obedience to him or respect to his ends any more then a sword as David called the wicked gods sword Ps 17. 13 or an axe or a saw or a rod as God calls the King of Babylon Isa 10 15 or any other Senslesse Instrument Nay they doe it only with respect to their owne ends and out of malice or covetousnesse or ambition or some such thing The Assyrian though God sent him and sent him against a people of his wrath and gave him charge to take the spoyle Isa 10 6 yet because his aime was not so much to punish the Israelites by destroying as to destroy by punishing nor so much to destroy the Israelites only and then to sit down as to make himselfe the Monarch of all the world because he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destry cut off nations not a few vers 7. in the 12. v. he is thus threatned Wherefore it shall come to passe when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Sion on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria the glory of his high looks When God's own wrath against his people is out he will make the former wrath of the wicked to praise him and not only restraine that which remaines of their wrath but according to the Chaldee Par. upon that place Ps 76. 10. employ the remainder of his own in their destruction Such Instruments are no way likely to escape punishment 1. Because in doing their work they doe alwaies sinne 1 Either in the manner as I have shewed you how and therefore it is said of Babylon All yee that bend the bow shoot at her spare no arrows For she hath SINNED against the Lord Jer. 50. 14. 2 Or in the matter That which they doe being a wrong to those that are punished and therefore in the place but now quoted vers 15. Babylons punishment is called vengeance For it is the vengeance of the Lord take vengeance upon her as she hath done doe unto her 3 Or in the measure In doing more then God would have done I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease for I was but a litle displeased and they helped forward the affliction Zach. 1 15. See Esa 47. 6. 2 Because after they have done their work most commonly they provoke God to punish them by pride and make themselves unfit to avoid punispments by security out of conceit that their successe was to be attributed to their own strength or the justnesse of their cause or the like and not to the sinnes of those whom they have hurted And the Heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivitie for their iniquities because they trespassed against me Ezek. 39. 23. For their iniquities as if he had added not because your were better they their cause was juster and to intimate that they being guilty of that which the Israelites were viz iniquities must take their turnes also and be punished in the same manner Intemperance This will seeme to have had a great stroke at least in occasioning the destruction of the world if we take the interpretation
them are threatned 1 In generall with Woe For thus our Saviour threatned Chorazin and Bethsaida for not repenting notwithstanding he had done most of his mightie workes in them Mat. 11. 20. 21. 2 Removall of those meanes For thus our Saviour threatned the Priests Elders of the Jewes after he had told them a parable of husbandmen who returned their master no fruit of his Vineyard notwithstanding he had sent so many servants nay and his own Son and heire to receive them The kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21. 43. Now the justice of this punishment they themselves had before in the parable unwittingly acknowledged eveÌ„ as David did the justice of his in the parable of Nathan 2. Sam 12. 5. For being asked what they thought the Master would doe to those husbandmen when he came himselfe they made answer with indignation He will miserably destroy those wicked men will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen which shall render him the fruits in their season vers 40. 41. 3 Condemnation by others who profited by lesse shall rise up in judgement against them as witnesses to testifie that lesse means then they have had are sufficient meanes for coÌ„version For thus our Saviour told the Scribes and Pharisees they should be condemned by the Ninevites and the Queen of the South viz because they repented not at his preaching and refused to heare him whereas the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonas for so litle while and the Queen of the South came so farre even from the utmost parts of the earth and only to heare the wisdome of Solomon who were both farre inferiour to him Mat. 12 41. 42. 4 Greater condemnation then others Vnto whomsoever much is given of him shal be much required c. Luk 12. 48. They shall have many stripes vers 47. This is the condition of all men to whoÌ„ the Gospell is preached because they have no excuse at all to plead If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sinne but now they have no cloak for their sinne Joh. 15. 22. at least no cloak that is great enough to cover it Men-pleasers threatned 1 With Being disowned by Christ For if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. 2 God's hatred Yee are they which justify your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteem'd amongst men is Abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16. 15. Christ thus spake to the Pharisees who were altogether Men-pleasers in every thing that they did it was their maine fault and it was all they car'd for Paul was one of them and therefore in the place before quoted he saies if I YET please Mercies Not being bettered by them SeeVnthankefulnesse Security and Prosperity Ministers their Duty Ministers if naught have cause to feare these ensuing punishments Such as are Scandalous and Corrupters of the word Contempt For thus were the Priests among the Jewes threatned But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the law yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hosts Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my waies but have been partiall in the law Mal. 2. 8. 9. In Samuel it is said even of the servant of the Priests of Belial Wherefore the sinne of the young man was very great before the Lord viz because it was scandalous for by this means men abhorred the offering of the Lord. 1. Sam. 2. 17. See Ezek. 22. 26. Such as Teach false doctrine whereby they cause the wicked to presume and the godly to despaire a practise very much to be lamented amongst us Being by some severe punishment or other made to leave their function Wiâ— yee pollute mee among my people for handfulls of barley and for peeces of bread to slay the soules that should not die and to save the soules alive that should not live by your lying to my people that heare your lies Ezek. 13. 19. so ver 22. you have the same complaint but it followes vers 23. Therefore yee shall see no more vanity nor divine divinations for I will deliver my people out of your hand and yee shall know that I am the Lord. For handfuls of barly for pieces of bread Hierom saies this is most properly applied to Teachers of hereticall doctrines who as we have frequent experience in these dayes doe not take whole places of Scripture but broken pieces here there for the confirmation of their errors His words are these Non propter chorum hemichoruÌ„ hordei ut in Hosea legimus c. 5. sed propter pugillum hordei quo bruta vescuntur animantia fragmentum panis non panem integrum nec solida testimonia scripturarum sed quae haereticâ pravitate fracta decurtata atque imminuta sunt sanctos quosque decipiant ad mortem trahant peccatores vanis promissionibus vivificare contendant See the chapter of False-teachers Such as are covetous daubers and Men-pleasers 1 Ignorance and Shame Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my pâ—ople to erre that bite with their teeeh cry peace and he that putteth not into their mouthes they even prepare warre against hjm. therefore night shall be unto you that yee shall not divine and the Sun shall goe down over the Prophets and the day shall be darke over them then shall the Seers be ashamed and the diviners confounded yea they shall all cover their lips for there is no answer of God Mic. 3. 5 6 7. That bite with their teeth and cry peace Chald. Par. He that offereth them a feast of flesh to him they prophecy peace I am ashamed to remember how much it hath been the practise of many to preach for entertainment and preferment They even prepare warre the Hebrew word will import sanctifie warre and though I know it be usuall in this sense yet it puts me in minde of the Popish pretended holinesse in denouncing warres and excommunications against such as doe not stop their mouthes by feeding them with gifts They shall all cover their lips The Sept. translate they shall all of them curse for so I chuse to translate their translation rather then as others do all shal curse them because of the Hebrew word for all with an affixe after it signifying all of them reciprocally because of that which follows viz insteed of because there is no answer because there is none to heare them Which puts me in minde of what we have known of later daies especially both by false teachers amongst themselves and by Papists from abroad who having endeavour'd to seduce the people with their false doctrines when they see it is in vaine how doe they bite their lips for vexation If you
when God resolves to punish a man after that manner as he sins against him when he will walke contrary to them that walke contrary to him and shew himselfe froward with the froward or as it is here when he scorneth the scorners If one scorner or one froward man meet with another woe to him that is weakest The more proud the more resistance the more resistance the more paine and enraging of the adversary for the present and the greater punishment to come God takes a kind of delight to deale with such men as a valiant souldier doth to deale with a stubborn enemy whom he hopes to conquer If all the Kings of the earth should set themselves against him it would be but so much laughing matter to him Psal 2. 2 4. Me thinkes I see God like a challenged enemy after long provocation as it were entring into the lists against Babylon when I read those words of his Behold I am against thee O thou most proud Jer. 50. 31. AGAINST thee or To thee so the Hebrew as if he should say Have at thee or Come on Babylon now I am for thee now I see thee proud now thou art a fit object to exercise my full strength upon God doth not punish any so deliberately as I may say or with such resolution as he doth a proud man The Lord of hosts hath purposed it or upon consultation determined to stain the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Is 23. 9. And no wonder if it be according to that saying of the Jewes In whomsoever is haughtinesse of spirit God saies of him I and he cannot dwell together in one world So that the next thing he must expect is 5 Certaine punishment in spite of all his strength and endeavours to the contrary for to thus much the words will amount expound them how you will Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord though hand joyne in hand he shall not be unpunished Prov 16. 5. The punishments which the Scripture mentions are 1 Abasement It was a common saying among the Jews Whosoever exalteth himselfe shall be abased and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Our Saviour belike used it often Luke speakes of twice as c. 14 11. c. 8. 14. Abasement I say both by and with God whether it be pride towards him or towards men For one of those times our Saviour used it upon occasion of the Pharisee's justifying himselfe c. 18. the other upon occasion of a mans taking the uppermost seat at a feast without entreaty c. 14. Evills of punishment doe not spring out of the ground They come all from above and therefore no wonder that the highest things beare the brunt and the lowest escape The day of the Lord of hoasts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and hee shall bee brought low And upon all the Cedras of Libanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the Oakes of Bashan and upon all the high mountaines and upon all the hills that are lifted up c. Isa 2. 12. to 18. See c. 5 15. c. 13. 11. c. 14. 13. Job 40. 12. Infinite many more texts for such like threatning expressions might be brought against pride But I am oath to offer you to many lest you resolve to take none at all There be likewise many examples of men people that have beene abased for their pride wherof I will only namea few in whose relation pride is chiefly mentioned they are 1 the Sodomites Ez 16. 49. 2 Nebucadnezar Dan 5. 20 21 3 Belshazzar his son ibid. vers 23. 4 The Tyrians Ezek 28. 6. 5 The Assyrians Ezek 31. 10. 6 The Moabites Isa 16. 6. So likewise examples of evills occasioned by pride doubtles I might produce many but that it is not agreeable with my purpose to speak of consequents except such as are necessary or immediate However I will name one viz Amaziah King of Judah who being lifted up for his victory over the Edomites when he had no occasion given him would needs challenge Joash King of Israel to fight with him and was overthrowne and taken prisoner and both the Court and Temple plundered 2 Chron 25. 19 22. And I referre you to three or foure more the like instances in the Chapter of Despising 2 Shame an attendant of the former punishment When pride commeth then commeth shame Pro 11. 2. and indeed shame cannot come without pride for a humble man befall him what will hath no cause of shame if he have of griefe Shame I say not onely as we usually take the word being ashamed but as the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shame of reproach When a proud man falls many will reproach him and no body will pity him See Ps 119 78. As likewiâ—e the punishment of proud women Isa 3 17. and the parable of the guest who was made with shame to take the lowest roome Luk 14. 9. 3 Diseases upon their bodies which they have too proudly clothed or carried Because the daughters of Sion are haughty and walke with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as they goe and making a tinkling with their feet Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crowne of the head of the daughters of Sion c. Isa 3. 16 17. with the following verses Joash King of Israel was punished with very loathsome diseases so that no body could endure to come near him 2 Chr. 24 25. And he is thought to have been thus punished chiefly for his pride viz. in suffering men to adore him worship him as a God For this Hierom and others conceive to be meant by those words v. 17 of the aforesaid chapter After the death of Jehoiada because say they it could not be suffered while Jehoiada was living came the Princes of Judah and made obeysance to the King now saith one by this filthines uncleannes of his body through diseases God did mind him of the uncleannesse of his soule through pride The Septuagint in Prov 16. 5 where we render abomination translate uncleane 4 Ruine and destruction Upon their persons Hee that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction and that is easie enough to be found Prov 17. 19 As surely as he that exalteth his gate as we call it in going and takes no notice of his way is sure to fall See Mal 4. 1. Upon their Families The Lord will destroy the house of the proud c 15. 25. Pride will have a fall is so true a saying that if we once see a man proud we may conclude whereto he will For he is fallen with God already dead in Law there wants only execution 'T is God's way when hee will destroy a man to the purpose to let him get up high and then his fall will bee the greater
laying judgment to the line and spoken after the same manner viz in answer to the peoples opinion that there was no divine providence to take notice of mens actions that things should continue as they were without alteration But saith God they shall know the contrary for I will not only punish them but I will doe it very exactly so that not only not all but none shall escape Josephus saith that the Romane Souldiers under Titus when he tooke Jerusalem searched the very sinks and graves and dens for men and put to death those that they found That say in their heart you have had the expression twice before in this chapter of Security And indeed it is proper to all Secure men so to say and the best of us are guilty of it oftner then we take notice of In their heart That is enough with God to provoke him and we dare not say otherwise then in our hearts for feare of provoking men 3 Death by the sword All the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword which say the evill shall not overtake nor prevent us Amos 9. 10. 4 Sudden unavoidable destruction For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thess 5. 3. 5 All the curses written in the booke of the Covenant And it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkenesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his Jealousy shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Deut 29. 19 20. No wonder then that the Prophet Amos should say Woe to them that are at ease in Sion Amos 6. 1. Seducers and seduced See False teachers Selfe conceited men punished 1 By their own sin deceiving them For if a man think himselfe to be something when he is nothing he deciveth himselfe Gal 6. 3. 2 By God detaining from them that which they think they have Whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have Luk 8. 18. Selfe-destruction Threatned to Sinners In generall as for the prime and remote cause any sins whatsoever are mens owne snares and stumbling blocks so that you may say to a man of any of them as Moses does of serving Idols It will surely be a snare unto thee Ex 23. 33. Sinners will run themselves fast enough in and hang themselves sure enough with the Cords of their owne sins of their own accord although or rather indeed If God let them alone His own iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins Prov 5. 22. Wickednesse is the fire and they are the briars and thornes Isa 9. 18. Punishment by God is but their own way brought back again upon their own head The Scripture useth this expression for it 1 Kings 8. 32. as likewise that of eating the fruit of their own waies Pr. 1. 31. David prayed that the way of his enemies might be dark and slippery Psal 35. 6. Jeremy threatned that the way of the false Prophets should be so chap 23. 12. I make no doubt but I may say that the way of every sinner is so Which if it be there needs none to throw him downe for hee will fall soone himselfe and fall most dangerously as a man must needs doe in such waies Many are the places of Scripture which speake to this purpose especially in the Psalmes and the Proverbs You may see at your leasure Psal 64. 8. 140. 9. 141. 10 * Prov. 11. 5 6 19. ch 13. 6 14. 14. 21. 7. 29. 6. I say that every sinner will punish himselfe with his own courses when once God leaves him or gives him leave to take those courses and so to punish himselfe Now the main cause of God's leaving him in this manner is his leaving God first and refusing to hearken to the counsell of his word So that still the sinners destruction is from himselfe and he is his own greatest enemy They would none of my Councell they despised all my reproofe Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their owne devises Prov 1 30 31. If hee will not take God's Counsell he must needs take his owne and his own is never good Such as will not follow advice though it bee but man's advice we see but few of them prosper See more to this purpose in the Chapter of God's Leaving men to sin in the Title Sin Now by any sin as I told you before men do hurt theÌ„selves remotely in the end by just desert But there are some sins by which they are more immediatly their own executioners And of such sins and the manner of being punished by them mention is made in severall places of this book And therefore I will instance onely in two or three that are more noted and these are 1 An unruly tongue A fooles mouth is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his soule Prov 18. 7. 2 Anger and Envy For wrath killeth the foolish man and Envy slayeth the silly one Job 5. 2. 3 Frowardnesse The integritie of the upright shall guide them hut the perversnesse of transgressours shall destroy them Prov 11. 3. 4 Confidence and wantonnesse in prosperity The turning away of the simple shall sâ—ay them and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them Prov 1. 32. Of these you may see more in their severall Chapters This way of punishing men by themselves is a way that God uses very much whether it be by giving them up to such sins as are most hurtfull to the parties that commit them Or by causing them to be whâ—pt by those scourges which they made themselves and intended for the backs of others Insomuch that if you see men punished this way you have very good cause to think that God hath a speciall hand in it and that he is very angry As David saith The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Ps 9. 16. Selfe-Feare See Feare and Enemies of Gods people Selling deceitfully See deceitfull dealing Sinne. I meane to give you two or three of the more remarkable texts of Scripture which speak of Sin in generall as Sin Now we find in the Scriptures First that by Sin there comes no good no not in this world every thing considered What fruit had yee then then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Rom 6 21 and therefore sinnes are called the unfruitfull workes of darknesse Eph. Secondly that for Sin there will be certain punishment It was so
2 If they are our enemies God's turning away his wrath from them and perhaps to us Rejoyce not when thine enemie falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him he turn away his wrath from him Prov. 24. 17 18. Job puts it among those sinnes which if hee were guilty of he wisht or would be contented that any misery might fall upon him If I rejoyced at the destruction or misery of him that hated me or lift up my selfe when evil found him Job 31. 29. as if he had added I would have been contented God should have done to me what he would Lift up my selfe The Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if my heart onely did say 't is good enough for him a speech too often used At the destruction in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN the destruction as if he would not rejoice so much as at such a time when his enemie was destroyed Which is more then Solomon's at or for in the place above quoted And indeed they are no ordinary acts of piety which Job commends himselfe for in that Chapter But not more then David practised to the purpose not only not rejoycing but mourning at such times WHEN they were sicke my clothing was sackcloth Psal 35. 13. But if the men are godly it is threatned With God's exceeding great anger and the like miseries as they suffered For now it is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the miseries of wicked men wee may The Philosopher saies wee must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be without sorrow but at these we may not There are severall instances for this as 1. the Ammonites who rejoyced at the captivity of the Jewes Because thou hast clapped thine hands and stamped with the feet and rejoyced in heart with all thy despite against the Land of Israel Behold therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee and will deliver thee for a spoyle to the heathen and I will cut thee off from the people and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries I will destroy thee thou shall know that I am the Lord Ezek 25. 6 7. 2 The Tyrians though they rejoyced because it would be for their owne good Because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem Aha she is broken that was the gates of the people she is turned unto me I shall be replenished now she is laid wast Therefore thus saith the Lord I am against thee O Tyrus c. 2 6. 2 3. 3 The people of Seir. As thou didst rejoyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate so will I do unto thee Thou shall be desolate O mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it they shall know that I am the Lord. c 35. 15. Such insulting wordes at the affliction of the godly though for shame of the world men will not cōfesse they intend it so yet do indeede strike at God for I am sure he would not complaine without cause and yet in the chapter last quoted vers 13 you finde him thus complaining Thus with your mouth yee have boasted against me and have multiplied your words against me I have heard them Relapsing into sinne * Punished With a worse condition For the Vncleane Spirit when he comes again to a house which he hath left will bring seven more spirits along with him keep it so strongly that he will hardly be cast out When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh thorow dry places seeking rest or habitation and findeth none Then he saith I will return unto my house from whence I came and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished then goeth he and taketh with himselfe Seven or as many as can be gotten other Spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell therein before he did but lodge there but now he will dwell and the last state of that man is worse then the first Mat 12. 43 44 45. Our Saviour saies thus to the Jewes and his saying hath been verified in them according to his prophecy in the same place Even thus shall it be also unto this wicked generation This Parable-like speech of his you have delivered by Peter in plainer termes as if hee had it in his minde to interpret it For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world pollution unclean spirit answer very well through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are entangled again therin and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. The clean spirit if I may so call the Holy Ghost when it hath left a man for a while as many times in a manner it doth when it returnes againe it comes with a great deale more efficacy for it finds a man humbled for the want of it and empty Souldiers that have kept a Castle and lost it if they take it againe will goe neere to make it impregnable If you consider it you will finde it hold in Spirituall Civill and Naturall things that Returnes to former conditions or actions for the most part improve them Threatned With a worse punishment Our Saviour said to the man whom he had cured of an infirmity of 38 yeares Sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Joh 5. 14. Religion and religious actions used for a cloak Threatned 1 With Not-being accepted Though they be of the best sort even free-will offerings nay the best of that sort I meane the fairest and best to look to Thus was threatned Saul's sparing forsooth the best of the Oxen and Sheep to sacrifice to the Lord 1 Sam 15. 21. which was but a pretext to cover his covetousnesse his disobedience for Samuel told him To obey is better then sacrifice verse 22. Thus the Israelites their fasting for strife Isa 58. 3 4 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen v. 5. So in Jeremy saies God What hath my beloved to doe in my house seeing shee hath wrought lewdnesse with many ch 11. 15. Our Saviour speaking of those who denied to profit or help their decaied parents upon pretence that they had given their goods to the Korban for the use of the Church the poore applies the complaint of the Prophet Isay In vaine doe they worship me Mark 7. 7. See what an Epiphonema John puts upon Judas his charity forsooth to the poore when he would have had the ointment spent upon our Saviour's feet to have beene spent upon them Joh. 12. 6. This he said not that he cared for the poore but because he was a thiefe and had the bag and bare what was put therein 2 God 's not rewarding or satisfying them such as Trust Reliance The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for mony yet will they leane upon the Lord