shall not be quenched Jer 17. 27. Even entring in Though the things were carried into the ciâ—y for which there might bee more use and necessitie pleaded Yea and though they were carried by strangers whom they ought to have hindered Ezekiel in ch 20. relating to the Jewes the story of their fathers carriage in the wildernesse how they walked not in God's statutes but despised his judgements for which they had severer judgements threatned them then those which were inflicted which were some of them very dreadfull ones mentions no sin but this as you may see vers 13 16 21. Only vers 24 Idolatry is mentioned along with it Nay in the Priests only negligence in seeing it strictly kept and conniving at the breach of it or hiding their eyes from the sabbaths as the expression is Ezek 22. 26. is reckoned for one of the causes of that severe punishment mentioned ver 31. Therefore have I powred out mine indignation upon them I have conâ—umed them with the fire of my wrath In the 23 Chap. of that prophecy where severall punishments are threatned and their causes declared Sabbath breaking is made an aggravation after adultery murder and idolatry for complaint being made of them ver 37. it is added ver 38. MOREOVER this they have done unto me they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day and have profaned my sabbaths Sacriledge It is threatned with a Curse Will a man rob God Yet yee have robbed mee But yee say wherein have we robbed thee In tithes and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole nation Mal. 3. 8 9. It hath been punished 1 With Shortnesse of life As in the family of Eli whose sonnes Hophni Phinehas used to take away the flesh which the people brought for offerings to rost it for themselves But what said Eli of this sinne 1 Sam 2. 25. If one man sinne against another the judge shall judge him But if a man sinne against the Lord who shall entreat for him notwithstanding they hearkned not unto the voice of their father because the Lord would slay theÌ„ See the punishment denounced from v. 31 to the end of the Chapter 2 The death of the party Achan who at the taking of Jericho stole some of the gold and silver which was before consecrated for the Lords treasury Josh 6. 19. was by God's speciall sentence condemned to bee burnt ch 7. 15. and accordingly the people stoned him first and burnt him afterwards vers 25. 3 The conquest of the people to which hee belonged Josh 7. 5. Hitherto may you reduce the example of Belshazzar King of Babylon who upon a time in his jollity commanded to be brought forth to drink in the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple at Jerusalem But it is said that before one hour passed the hand came forth and wrote in the wall those words that told him his kingdome was divided and given to the Medes Persians Dan 5. 2 5 28. If I would follow others I might give you for examples Asa and Jehoash Kings of Judah Shishak King of Egypt and Ananias and Sapphira But because I take the sin of the two last to be no proper sacriledge that it was not so much the detaining of the mony that was punished And because I meet with no particular relation of Shishakâ—s punishment as inflicted for this sinne And lastly because of the two first it is not onely not mentioned that they were punished for this sin but said that they were punished for other causes Asa for relying on the King of Syria 2 Cor. 16 7 and Jehoash for the blood of the sonnes of Jehoida the Priest 2 Chron. 24 25 I think it is not best to make this use of them I might also present to you for your use examples out of the Maccabees As I Alcimus a Commander under Demetrius who as he began to pull downe the wall of the inner Court and the works of the Prophets Haggai and Zachary by whose perswasions the walls were built was stricken dumb and died suddenly 1 Mac. 9. 54. 2 Heliodorus who when hee came to the treasury of the temple to take it away saw a strange apparition and was stricken to the ground 2. Mac. 3. 25. and 27. 3 Menelaus one who had committed much sacriledge first last Against him it is said the King of Kings moved the mind of Antiochus who caused him to be put to death after the manner as sacrilegioâ—s persons were wont to be at Berea 2 Mac. 13. 4. But because the faith of these relations is suspected I doe but name them Whether these and other examples that might be brought bee truly related or not of this you may be confident that hee who takes a thing sacrilegiously is most taken himselfe For It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy Prov. 20. 25 Being Scandalized 1 At the waies of God Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walke in them But the transgressours shall fall therein Hos 14. 9. 2 At the word of God Peter saies that our Saviour becomes a stone of stumbling to them which stumble at the word 1 Pet. 2. 8. 3 At God himselfe He shall be for a sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel Isa 8 14. See the Chapter of Christ Scandalizing dangerous For 1 It makes God punish a sinne which otherwise he had not punished David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David The Lord hath also put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is borne to thee shall surely die 2 Sam. 12 13 14. 2 It makes him to resolve immutably to punish when perhaps otherwise hee would repent especially if it be in his ministers For thus he speaks of the Priests of Bethel in Jeroboam's time Because they ministred unto them before their Idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity therefore have I lift up my hand against them saith the Lord God and they shall beare their iniquitie Ezek 44 12. In Malachy mention is made how God punished such ministers in his time viz. with the contempt of the people Yee have caused many to stumhle at the law yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts Therefore I also have made you contemptible as you have made my ordinances contemptible and base before all the people according as yee have not kept my waies but have been partiall in the law Malach. 2. 8 9. How justly the Ministers of England by their scandalous life and doctrine have suffered doe still suffer this punishment I wish
Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam vers 9. who was stricken with Leprosie for her murmuring against Moses who was no Priest In Exod. chap 22. 28 where we render Thou shalt not revile the Gods the Chaldee Paraphrase saith Thou shalt not vilifie and for curse the ruler the Septuagint say speake evill against By speaking evill against them is not only meant speaking evill against them to their faces but any speaking evill of them behind their backs in any manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Peter calls it 2 Ep 2 10. i. e. word for word to blaspheme glorys and to speake indignely of dignities or to disgrace them who are in places of honour Jude saith that Michael although he were Archangell yet durst not do so to the very Devill himselfe Jud 9. to whom we have nothing to say unlesse it be to defend our selves from him In that place of the Proverbs before quoted for Them that are given to change the Latin renders Detractours and wheras it is added the ruine of them both Hierome interprets it thus both of him that detracts and him that willingly heares him So that he makes it reach further even to the hearer See concerning Korah in the chap of Ministers Such as doe contrary to their Sentence Are threatned with Death And the man that will doe presumptuously and will not hearken unto the Priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God or unto the Judge even that man shall die and thou shalt put away the evill from Israel Deut 17. 12. Such as did not Serve them though they were Heathen With sword and famine and pestilence And it shall come to passe that the Nation and Kingdome which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezar the King of Babylon that will not put their neck under the yoak of the King of Babylon that Nation will I punish saith the Lord with the sword and the famine and with pestilence untill I have consumed them by his hand Jer 27. 8. Such as perswade men to revolt from them Are punished with Death So those Prophets who spake to the Jewes of breaking the yoak of Subjection to the King of Babylon as namely Ahab Zedekiah who were rosted to death by Nebuchadnezar Jer. 29 22. Shemaiah whose whole family was likewise extirpated v. 32. Hananiah who was threatned by the Prophet Jeremy to dye the same yeare and died accordingly c. 28. 16 17. and besides this the wooden yoake was turned into an iron yoake v. 13 14. Such as doe not endeavour to preserve their lives In Davids opinion are sons of death For thus he spake to Abner and the rest that were with Saul when he tooke away his speare and his cruse of water as they lay asleep This thing is not good that thou hast done as the Lord liveth ye are worthy to die or according to the Hebrew ye are sons of death because ye have not kept your Master the Lord 's anointed 1 Sam. 26 16. I have beene the longer upon this subject chiefly for these two reasons 1 To shew that however the true religion be accused of sedition and faction and perhaps there are too many of those that professe it that are sons of Belial yet it doth not defend them 2 That those who are not of the true religion might no longer be scandalized as they have beene for prevention whereof our Saviour himselfe payed tribute which else he was not bound to doe Matth. 17 27. nor the name of God and his doctrine blasphemed as it hath beene very much by such practises 1 Tim. 6 1. Threatning and punishing with Vnfit Governours I will give children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them Isaiah 3. 4. With Wicked Governours In the 2 Booke of the Kings ch 17. after complaint of the disobedience and Idolatry of the children of Israel you have these words in relation of their punishment for it And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of the spoylers untill he had cast them out of his sight For he rent Israel from the house of David and they made Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat King and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord and made them sinne a great sinne vers 20 21. Threatning and punishing Of Wicked Governours With punishing their Subjects Because thou obeyed'st not the voyce of the Lord c. Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines 1 Sam. 28. 18 19. That three yeares Famine which was in Israel in the raigne of David the Lord himselfe said was for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21. 1. See 1 King 14. 16. Other wayes of punishing them may be seen in the chapters of their Sinnes especially Injustice and Oppression Grace Refusing of it threatned punished 1 With Conquest by enemies Our Saviour told Jerusalem The day shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on every side And shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children with thee and thou shall not have in thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation Luk. 9. 43 44. 2 Desolation O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy childreÌ„ together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings ye would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate Mat. 23. 37 38. it is likely by house is ment the Temple by being Desolate having no more Prophets and messengers from God because he addes verse 39 For ye shall not see me henceforth c. which if it be you may apply this place to the punishment which immediately followes viz. 3 Deniall of the meanes of grace such as Preaching c. Paul and Barnabas told the Jewes at Antioch It was necessary that the Word of Gâ—d should first have been spoken unto you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. Imagine they had said thus We were coÌ„manded to speak to you first whether you would heare and whether you would forbeare you were to have the refusall of the Gospel and we had commission withall if any were not worthy to let our peace returne to us Matt. 10. 13. now as for our parts we did not judge you unworthy We judge nothing before the time 1 Cor. 4. 5. but seeing by rejecting our letters of pardon you yourselves have therein judged your selves to be those who are unworthy we take the word we are now at liberty to goe to the Gentiles 4 Deniall of Grace it selfe If thou hadst knowne even thou at lest in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but
stones that they die Deut. 22 23 24. and by burning with fire If she were a Priests daughter And the daughter of a Priest if shee profane herselfe by playing the whore shee profaneth her father she shall be burnt with fire Levit. 21 19. There is one who herein a Paraâ—phrast if in nothing else expoundeth it of hot Lead powred into her mouth which indeed was practis'd in after times In imitation of Gods manner of punishing by fire which they say was by burning the parts within and not hurting the outer part of the body as in that example of Nadab and Abihu and others The punishment of Adultery by death had been executed by God before this Law was made if the sin had been committed as it seemes by what he said he would doe to Abimelech If thou restore her not knowe that thou shalt surely die thou and all that are thine Gen. 20. 7. Speaking of Sarah And by what he did to Pharaoh whose house he punisht with great plagues for detaining her in his house though as it is probable he knew her not and though he knew not that she was Abraham's wife Gen. 12. 17. It seems those people hated Adultery more then Murder For it is said that Abraham gave out that Sarah was his sister lest otherwise they should have killed him that so they might have the better liberty to enjoy her without adultery It was executed upon the Shechemites when Simeon and Levi put all their male to the sword for Shechems lying with their sister Dinah Gen. 34. And it was executed upon the Benjamites of Gibeah for abusing the Levite's Concubine when he lodged there for the Israelites slew of the Benjamites five and twenty thousand and burnt the citty Judg. cap. 8. cap. 9. Judah being told that his daughter Tamar had plaid the harlot gave sentence to have her burnt before hee knew that it was with himselfe Gen. 38. 24. See the punishment of Zedekiah aud Ahab for this and other sins Jer. 29 22. 23. It has been executed upon the child begotten in adultery as upon the child begotten by David upon the wife of Vriah Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die 2. Sam. 12. 14. Disgrace and Infamy is the least evill that befalls such children In Job cap. 31. 10. where he sayes Let my wife grind unto another man and let others bow downe upon her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint render the last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let my children be abased It hath beene observed that the posterity of Adulterers are usually short-lived see Wisd cap. 3. 16. If those that commit adultery escape death à thousand to one that they escape these ensuing punishments viz. 2. Retaliation or being done to as they have done to others thus David was punished Thus saith the Lord behold I will raise up evill against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy neighbour And he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of the sun 2 Sam 12. 11. this threat was fulfilled by one that was his neighbour with a witnesse for his owne sonne Absolom lay with his concubines upon the top of the house in the sight of all Israel cap. 16. 22. Job even in the chapter of his justification acknowledges it had bin justice for him if he had been guilty of adultery to be thus dealt withall c. 31. 9 10. Let my wife grind c. 3. Continuall feare They know not the light for the morning is to them even as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death He is swift as the waters Their portion is cursed in the earth he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards Job 24. 17 18. He alwaies goes swiftly for fear of being overtaken and he never goes in usuall wayes for feare of being seen 4. Disgrace A wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away Prov. 6. 33. 5. Wasting of the body It was Lemuels advise Give not thy strength to women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Prov. 31. 3. In Job cap. 31. 12 that which we render a fire that burneth to destruction the Septuagint render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fire that burnes in all the members The women under the law found experience of this punishment if they had been guilty of the sinne and had drunke of the bitter water It was given for triall in case of jealousie at the drinking therof the priest pronounced this curse The Lord make thee a curse and an oath amongst thy people when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rott and thy belly to swell Num. 5. 31. Galvin sayes by the thigh in this place is meant the power of child-bearing because oâ— the contrary it is said if she were not guilty she should conceive seed vers 28. 50. Pareus upon Rev. cap. 19. 16. where it is said hee had on his thigh this name written King of Kings saies hereby is shewed that Christs name should be propagated by a long posterity Both cursing others unlawfully being cursed lawfully as by excoÌ„munication the Jews thought it had great effects upon mens bodies See the chapter of cursing the Cabbalists observe upon the word Cherem a curse that the letters therof being one way transposed make it Rachem mercy because if hee that is cursed do repent it proves a mercy to him but being plac'd another way they make the word Ramach a dart the letters of which word will stand for 248. which they say is the number of members in a mans body because say they if he doe not repent the dart or the curse pierced thorow all his members thorow all his members say they and I may adde especially thorow his Liver by consumptions c. for so the Jewes expound that place in the Proverbs c. 7. 23. he goes after her straightway till a dart strike thorow his liver saying that lust is chiefly lodged in the liver and that it is Gods usuall manner in punishing offenders to make them suffer most in those parts wherewith they have committed most sinne 6. Wasting of the estate It is a fire that consumeth to destruction and would roote out all mine encrease Job 31. 12. See Whoredome 7. Hell But he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depth of hell Prov. 9. 18. Be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers c. shall enter into the kingdome of heaven â— Cor. 6. 9 10. See the threat against 〈◊〉 if it be not meant of spirituall adultery Rev. 2. 22. and Heb. 13 3. Tertullian in his booke de pudicitia sayes that those Churches which admitted into Communion those who had fallen after baptisme notwithstanding
from under heaven Deut. 29. 20. c. I have been so long in relating the Jew's excesse of revereverence to the name Jehovah for these reasons First that I might reproove the Christian's defect of reverence to the names of God the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit which we too often use either when we should not or as we should not either not thinking of them at aâ—l or not thinking of them as we should The verb Nekob which the Jews translate to name Signifieth also to pierce and though I would not be guilty either of their Kabalisme or Judaisme yet this I believe that those who pollute and prophane those names and make them contemptible either by false and frequent swearing or by irreverent and carelesse mentioning pierce the heart of Christ with such practises as bad as the Souldier pierced his side with the speare John 19. 34. In Zachary chap. 12. 10. it is said They shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced They have pierced c John in the chapter but now named speaks but of one Souldier that pierc'd him with a speare and therefore besides that it is translated Me and not Him it may be appli'd to and it is not improbable that it was meant of piercing by the reproach and blasphemy of others as well as by the speare of that Souldier Adde hereunto that though some Greek translators read the originall Dakern and translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pierced which translation of it John useth applying the place to Christ as some of the Jewes doe also to the Messiah yet the Septuagint read it Rakedu and translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a word that comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to leap or to dance I may render it Insulted There is nothing more piercing to any man then Insulting over him Suidas paraphrases this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies naso suspendere to jeere and snuffe at a man and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a man hath seen Divine Misteries and rites celebrated in secret to goe out and divulge them and make a sport of them What can be more piercing and cutting either to God or to man especially if he be in power and authority then to be snuffed at and scorn'd to God to have his name polluted and his Sanctuary and his most holy things evulg'd and prophaned to man to have his name which he stands more upon then his life reproched and those things which he would have kept with secrecy and respect divulged with derision The like difference of translation is there Ps 22 16 For where we translate pierced my hands and my feet Aquila translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shamed and might as well translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insulted over for Charu froÌ„ Charar to leap is as like to have been the original word if ours be not as any Aquila could have of that signification That place Psalm 105. 18 where it is said of Joseph that iron entred into his soule is interpreted of the griefe which Joseph tooke at the reproach of adultery cast upon him by Pharaohs wife which doubtlesse pierced his very soule And so likewise those words of Simeon to Mary Luk. 2. 35. A sword shall pierce thorow thy own soule also are interpreted of the griefe she also should take at the scornes and reproaches which should be offered to her Sonne which should cut and pierce her to the heart And it may very well be so because of the very last words of the verse immediatly going before which say of Christ that hee should be For a signe which shall bee spoken against It is as grievous to a mans spirit to be made a signe and a proverb and a wonder for misery as it is to suffer the misery it selfe For a man to come from far to his own paine and cost to reveal a most certain and necessary truth meerly out of love and yet to be not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made to come to no purpose but contradicted almost by every body as our Saviour was what can be more grievous The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews endeavouring to stir them up to patience by Christs example bids them Consider him who indured such contradictions of sinners c. 12. 3. such contradictions there is as much grievousnesse in evill speches as in any thing nay more to the mind of a man then in evill actions though I doe not say that by contradictions there is no more meant then evill speeches I am confident that the Jewes their mocking at our Saviour and crying to him Haile King of the Jews when they crowned him with thorns pierced a great deale deeper into his heart then the thornes did into bis head How many complaints has David in the Psalms whom we take to speak very often in the person of Christ of scoffing and reproachfull speeches And how many such speeches and actions have we related by the Evangelists of the Jewes against our Saviour Christ Blaspheming and vilifying and reviling of him was that which the Jewes were more guilty of then any thing else See the complaint of David Ps 123 3 4. and the Prophecy of Isaiah c. 53. 3. It was the sin which they oftnest committed and that which they never left committing till they had killed him out of the way Contempt of Christ for the meanesse of his condition that whereby chiefly he became a scandall to them and for which they rejected him was indeed The sinne of the Jewes and that which occasioned all the rest The second end which I had in thus lengthning my discourse of the Jewes religion towardes the name of God was as Paul said he would do to them by the conversion of the Gentiles Rom. 11. 14. that I might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provoke the Gentiles to a due reverence to it even for indignation by their superstitious reverence The third and last end was to make us take heed that their superstitious reverence to the very name of God doe not rise up in judgement against us for our contempt of God himselfe I will now proceed according to my main intention when I began this chapter and according to my sole designe when I began this worke to produce the punishments and threats which I finde in the Scriptures concerning the sin of blasphemy Sennacherib King of Assyria sent letters full of blasphemy to Hezekiah King of Judah 2 Chr. 32. 17. Hezekiah praying against him to make God the more angry with him spred the letters before him Isa 37. 14. an answer was presently returned that God had taken notice of his blasphemy to punish it which accordingly came to passe for an Angel came that very night and slew of his army a hundred fourescore and five thousand 2 Kings 19. 35 and he himself afterwards was miserably murder'd in the Temple of Nisroch whoÌ„ he had Idolatrously worship't insteed of the
true God whom he had blasphemed by his owne sons Isa 37. 38. a fit recompence that the sons should murther their father that begat them seeing the father had blasphemed the God that made him Benhadad the King of Syria though he had such an exceeding great army yet because he blasphemed the Lord in saying that he was God of the Hills and not of the Vallies wherein he was best able to fight his strength consisting chiefly in Horse was overthrown by Ahab's little army which being parted in two was but like two little flocks of Kids and an hundred thousand of his men slaine besides seven and twenty thousand more afterwards kill'd by the fall of a wall 1 Kings 20. 28 29 30. At your leasure you may see divers other examples of God's judgement upon blasphemy in the Apocryphall books as 1. Nicanor who being slaine in battle by Judas had his blasphemous tongue cut in pieces and given to the fowles 2 Mac. 15 5. 33. 2. Olophernes beheaded by Judith a woman and a Jew as hee lay in his bed Jud. 6 3. cap. 13. 8. 3. Antiochus dying of a most Loathsome disease 2 Mac. 9. 9. 38. 4. Some that were burnt alive at the taking of the citty Gazara 2. Mac. 10. 34 35. 5. Others that were miserably slaughtered at the taking of Caspis c. 12. 14. They that commit this sin must not look to escape unpunished if they who doe but give occasion to others to commit it may not as it is certaine they may not for the Prophet Nathan thus threatned David Because by this deed speaking of his adultery with Bathsheba Thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is borne unto thee shall surely dye 2. Sam. 12. 14. It is thought that Hezekiah forbad the people to answer Rabshakeh when hee was speaking blasphemy 2 Kings 18. 36 for feare they might occasion him to speak the more though others say he did it upon the same ground that we would forbid ignorant men to dispute with such as maintaine Erroneous opinions viz. for feare of betraying and disgracing the truth as if it could not be better defended which will come almost to the same with the former for disgracing Gods truth is disgracing God and disgracing God is blaspheming him The Jewes when they heard any one blaspheme c. See the APPENDIX Blasphemie against the Holy Ghost never pardon'd But hee that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgivenesse or shall never have forgivenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usuall in the Evangelists but is in danger of eternall damnation Mark 3 29. is in danger of eternall damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we but the vulgar translation abused by the Adorers thereof the Papists for the maintenance of their veniall sinnes and Purgatory renders is guilty of an eternall sin And indeed I speake it without any good will to the Popish opinion methinkes it were better to read as the ancient greeke copies read viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation for first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where else that I remember applied to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only once it is applied to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in the Epistle to the Hebrews which is questioned whether it were originally written in Greek or no. Neither if we consider it is the English more proper viz Eternall damnation then Eternall sinne though at the first view it seeme so noe more then if we said eternall Condemnation or sentence Secondly In other places where we render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in danger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put in the Dative case and not in the Genitive as Mat 5. 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Accusative case with the praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 22. If wee will render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in danger why may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne be taken for the punishment of sinne in imitation of the Hebrew Gen. 4. 13. c. lastly it seemes proper enough in any Language to affirme that Sin to be eternall the guilt whereof shall never be taken away The Language of the Scripture concernnig sinne as a thing that abides till it be taken away accords very well with this expression not only in the Greek in the New Testament as when it sayes Your sin remaineth John 9 41. He that delivered me vnto thee hath the greater sinne John 19 11. Ye shall die in your sinnes ch 8 21 speaking conerning Sin not pardon'd and so when it sayes Taketh away the sinnes of the world John 1 29 Your sinnes may be blotted out Acts 3 19. To putt away sinne Heb. 9 26 speaking of the pardon of sinne But also in the Hebrew in the Old Testament as when it sayes Sin lyeth at the doore Gen 4. 7. died in his owne sinne Num 27 3. My sinne is sealed up in a bagge Job 14 17. shall beare his sinne Num. 9 13. speaking concering sin not left unpunished and so on the other side when it sayes Whose sinne is covered Ps 32. 1. Removed our transgressions Ps 103 12. Blotteth out thy trangressions Isa 43 25. Speaking of the pardon of sinne Sin is not a thing that is only so long as it is in acting like the actions of naturall creatures or like the indifferent actions of rationall creatures good and bad actions even towards men as courtesies and injuries will be such an hundred yeares hence if you let them alone So will good and bad actions towards God be good and bad actions for ever for both he that turneth not away from his righteousnesse and he that turneth not away from his wickednesse their righteousnesse and their wickednesse endureth for ever There is a Booke of remembrance for them that feare God Mal. 3. 16 and they that feare him not their Iniquity is marked before him Jer 2 22. They shall in no way lose their reward for they shall have it for certaine and enjoy it for ever Sin is a debt though it is not to be understood as when we say pay your debts for then sinne should be a duty for which the word debt is many times us'd as that to which we are engaged not which we have incurred and a debt both is as much and is as much a debt for ever after till the due be paid or the debt forgiven as it was at the first minute of default of payment Sinne is visible for ever if it be not covered legible for ever if it be not blotted out and durable for ever if it be not taken away I have been the longer in this point because I heare so often those expressions of wicked men when they are told of such and such sinnes which they have committed O That is past and gone now That was in my younger yeares and the like not
to be false Now it is more likely that he who judgeth shall be judged then that he who judgeth not shall not be judged because there are other faults for which he may be judged And so is iâ— more likely then that if we judge our selves we shall not be judged which notwithstanding is the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 31. Besides in Matthew it is said c. 7. 1. judge not that yee be not judged Now if not judgeing be the way to avoid judgement judging must needs be a way to incurre it Judgement I say not only of Men for every body will be sure to judge him and spie and catch at every litle fault in him and will be glad to see him miscarry but of God too and such as will be damnatory even 2 Condemnation against which he cannot complaine for he hath condemned himselfe in condemning others for sinne being a sinner himselfe even in thus condemning which he thinkes not of even as David did when he condemned the rich man in the parable of Nathan 2 Sam 12. 5. so that he hath nothing to say and therefore saith the Apostle Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that JUDGEST for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that judgest doest the same thing Rom. 2. 1. In judging others he doth as it were shew God the way of Judging him and in a manner challenge him to do the like Condemnation I say yea and 3 Greater condemnation perhaps then else he should have had Be yee not many masters knowing that yee shall receive the greater condemnation c. Jam. 3. 1. viz. as for other sinnes and for this to boot No sooner had the Scribes Pharisees taxed the Disciples of Christ for transgressing the tradition of the Elders in eating with unwashen hands but presently Christ reproves them for transgressing the commandements of God in keeping the tradition of the Elders Mat. 15. 2 3. So the same men had no sooner condemned the Disciples for breaking the Sabbath in plucking eares of corne to satisfie their hunger but presently Christ condemnes them both for unmercifulnesse in not pitying the hungry and denying a little corne and for injustice to boot in condemning the guiltlesse ch 12. 7 and finding fault where there was none a thing usuall with them that are given to judging and censuring Iudgment day Take heed how you put it fâ—rre away and so be Secure in sinning for thus saith our Saviour But if that evill Servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his comming and shall begin to smite his fellow Servants and to eate and to drinke with the Drunken The Lord of that Servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder c. Mat. 24. 48 49 50 51. 'T is the only way to make you neglect to get oyle in your lamps the Danger whereof you may see in the Parable of the Foolish Virgins c. 25. 3 12. It will be in vaine to plead non putaram I was not AWARE Foolishnesse will be no excuse you slighted your Master and the Bridegroome while he was your Advocate and now there will be no more pleading no more place for an Advocate I remember a saying of Cicero speaking of Minos and Rhadamanthus whom the Poets make to be universall Judges in the life to come apud quos nec te L. Crassus defendet nec M. Antonius c. before whom thou shalt not have either Crassus or Antony two famous Oratours of Rome to plead for thee l. Tusc Q Kings and Governours threatened and punished 1 For Destroying their people with Woe Wo be unto the Pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture saith the Lord Jer 23. 1. The people are God's sheep and not theirs Rulers are but Shepheards for that is the usuall name they have both in Hebrew Greek therefore have no right to them nay they are Shepheards and therefore are bound to feed them and therefore woe must needs be to them if they destroy them 2 For Oppression with Removall from their places Requiring the Flock at their hands Thus saith the Lord God behold I am against the Shepheards and I will require my Flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the flock neither shall the Shepheardsâ— feed themselves any more for I will deliver my flock from their mouth that they may not be meat for them Ezek 34 10 see Zach 11 3 compared with v. 5 to the 8. see likewise the title Oppression 3 For Injustice with God's unappeasable Anger The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will powre my wrath upon them like water Hos 5. 10. seeing they have removed the bounds of their Injustice I will also remove the bounds of my wrath 4 For Bribery with Shame from men and judgment from doe* love or doe love that which is a disgrace to them Give ye Hos 4 18 and it followes c. 5. 1. Heare this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ye eare ye house of the King for judgment is toward you because you have been a Snare in Mizpah and a Net spread upon Tabor Her Rulers In the Hebrew her Shields to intimate what they should have been It is a signe that God is very angry especially in his threatenings when he calls men by such names as expresse that duty which they have not performed as you may observe the Kings are for the most part threatned under the name of Pastors such as they should bee A Snare in Mizpeh As others translate viz not Mizpeh as a proper name but as the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Jerome Speculationi that is the Watch making it an appellative or as the Paraphrast your Teachers this place may be better applied to that which many Kings and Governours are guilty of the hindering of the Ministers who are God's Watchmen in the worke of the Gospel See more in Bribery 5 For Feeding themselves and not the flock with Woe Sonne of man prophecy against the Sheepheards of Israel prophecy say unto theÌ„ thus saith the Lord God say unto the Sheepheards Woe be to the Sheepheards of Israel Should not the Sheepheard feed the flock Ezek 34. 2. 6 For Deserting their flocks with the Losse or Destruction both of their power and wisdom Woe be to the Idol Sheepheard that leaveth the flock the sword shall be upon his arme and upon his right eye his arme shall be cleane dried up and his right eye shall be utterly darkened Zach 11 17. Our English Paraphrast agreeing with Hierom in the exposition of this and the former verse who applied it to Antichrist thus speakes Woe be to that False Pastour which only carries the name and semblance of an Evangelicall Shepheard who leaveth the flocke to be wasted and spoiled the just
and perpetuall bondage The Gibeonites for saying they came from a farre country when they did not Josh 9. 9. were thus punished by Joshua Now therefore yee are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God Josh 9. 23. 6 Leprosy both in the Lyer himselfe and in his posterity after him as in Gehazi Elisha's Servant who partly for covetousnesse in running after Naaman the King of Syria for money for his Masters curing his leprosy when his Master had refused it whereby he disgraced his Master but as some think especially for telling him He went no whither was thus threatened by the Prophet his Master The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever 2 Kings 5 27 compared with v 22 23 25. 7 Many sad and bitter punishments as in the Prophets among the Jewes who for committing adultery and walking in lies which God cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a horrible thing are thus threatened I will feed them with wormewood and make them drinke the water of gall Jer 23 15 compared with the 14. Whether there were in this speech an allusion to that bitter water which the woman dranke that was suspected of adultery Num 5. 18. there being mention made before of committing adultery I know not but it may seeme probable because as it was said of such a woman that if she were guilty she should be a curse among the people so those Prophets especially Zedekiah and Ahab became a curse among the Jewes Whereby I meane not that they were cursed by them neither is this the meaning of that expression so often used in the Prophets but that their condition was so bad that the people when they cursed any body used to expresse it by wishing that he were as such men were as you may see it explained Jerem. 29. 22. The Lord make the like Zedekiah and like Ahab c. 'T is almost the same as to become a Proverb an expression usuall also in Scripture Ezek. 14 8 c. Even as Irus or Troy became a proverb being proverbially applied to signifie a poore man or a miserable place Now though this allusion be admitted because of what is before spoken of Adultery v. 14. They commit adultery and walke in lies c so that the punishment shall looke aside to that sinne yet methinkes the punishment threatened seemes to look back more directly upon the sin of lying by way of retaliation as if God had resolved that seeing those Prophets especially abused their mouths and their tongues to lying those same parts of theirs should be chiefly punished viz. in eating and drinking the bitterest things that could be gotten wormewood and water of gall In the ninth chapter verse 15 you have the same manner of threat to all the Jewes there the maine sinne complained of is Lying as you may see v. 5. The Septuagint in that place translate for wormewood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessities a word used likewise in the singular number in the same sense both in the Apocrypha and in the new Testament as Tob 3. 6. Bar. 7. 37. Luk. 21. 23. And here they translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrows or griefes In both places they use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to feed by little and a little at a time as one would children Whereby the punishment is very much aggravated To swallow downe a bitter thing at once is not so much but to take it by degrees and to be long in taking it is a great torture To conclude even by our English expression of feeding with wormewood c. can hardly be lesse signified then a long continuance of many bitter evills or a longcaptivity See the expressions of Devouring by bitter destruction Deut 32. 24. God's wâ—iâ—â—ng bitter things against Job c. 13 26 and the vision of the Star called Wormwood Rev. 8. 11. 8 Destruction Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing Ps 5. 6. and that unavoydable A false witnesse shall not be unpunished and he that speakes Lies shall not escape Prov 19. 5 see v. * 9. Ananias and Sapphira saying they had but so much for the possession which they sold whereas they had more wherein they did not only lie to but by lying endeavored to deceive the holy Ghost for so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the accusative case will import were both threatened by Peter with sudden death accordingly fell down as soon as he had done speaking Acts 5. 3 5 9 10. Shemaiah and Hananiah for making the People to trust in a Lie Jer 28. c. 29. Ahab and Zedekiah for prophecying a Lie c. 29 v. 21 were punished with death See the chapter of False-teachers And here I cannot but say somwhat of one grand Lyar more for somuch the name imports which the Jewes have given him viz. Bar Cosiba i. e. the Sonne of a Lie He fained himself to be that Star spoken of by Balaam Num 24. 17. And therefore at first the Jewes as long as they took him for the true Messias called him Bar Cochba i. e. the Son of the Starre The number of those that believed this lie was very great insomuch that after a while having slaughtered many thousands of the heathen especially of the Romans in Africa and elsewhere he caused himselfe to be crowned King in Bitter a City in Arabia But his kingdome was short for after a few months Adrianus being sent thither by Trajan the Emperour wonne the city by violence slew both the Impostour and forty hundred thousand men of the Jewes This happened about two and fifty yeares after the the destruction of Jerusalem 9 Exclusion out of the holy Jerusalem There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye Rev. 21. 27. Without are doggs c. and whosoever loveth maketh a lye Ch. 22. 15. The greatnesse and the hurtfulnesse of this sinne may be yet further gathered out of the Scriptures First from the words of David Psal 120. 3. For if we translate in the vocative case What shall be given unto thee or what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue he seemes to speake as if the sinne were so great that he could not tell what punishment he could name bad enough for it If what will be given c. and what will be done c. as if he could not expresse but admir'd the greatnesse of the punishment which he thought would be inflicted for it If in the nominative case which better accords with other translations and with the Hebrew it selfe thus What shall a false tongue give thee or what shall it adde unto thee that is profit thee he seemes to mean according to the usuall force of such expressions in the Hebrew a positive affirmation
for a prey and never so loud as then The cry of the Oppressed is a very lowdlong-lasting cry God heareth it saith Job chap. 34. 28 and forgetteth it not Saith David Ps 9. 12. and therefore they are sure to be avenged The Odiousnesse of this sinne in the sight of God and the danger of it may be further gathered out of the Scriptures thus 1 By the Odious names given to it Such as Grinding the faces of men Isa 3. 15. eating them Psal 14. 4. Devouring them Hab. 3. 14. Plucking off their skinne and their flesh from their bones Nay breaking their bones and chopping them in pieces as for the pot Mic. 3. 2 3. Blood which is the life and they that take away a man's livelyhood in effect take away his life almost every where in the Prophets Isay 3. 15. Ezek. 22. c. 2 By the odious names that are given those that practise it as of Lyons and Wolves Zeph. 3. 3. Ezek. 22. 27. Psal 10. 9 10. 3 By the greatnesse of God's anger even for not helping those that are oppressed and that speedily for thus it was said to Zedekiah King of Judah Execute judgement in the morning and deliver him that is spoyled out of the hands of the oppressour lest my fury goe out like fire and burn that none can quench it Jer. 21. 12. 4 Lastly by the greatnesse of the reward promised to those who doe not onely abstain from it for that they may out of policy onely but hate it For though it be not enough for such a reward yet it is the maine thing mentioned He that despiseth the gaine of Oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes c. He shall dwell on high c. Isa 33. 15. What ever they thinke Princes can never be so safe nor so secure when they have the feare as when they have the love of their subjects I have been the longer upon this subject because I see it is a sinne so much practised in most countries even which I am ashamed to speake of Christiandome Parents their Duty Such as Correct not their children rewarded 1 With Shame and sorrow The rod and reproofe give wisedome but a child left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame Prov. 29. 15. 2 Continuation of punishments inflicted for their childrens sinne which might else have been taken off In that day I will performe against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house When I begin I will also make an end For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sonnes made themselves vile and he restrained them not And therefore I have sworne unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not bt purged with Sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3. 12 13 14. He restrained them not in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did not bend his brow upon them He reproved them indeed because he would give content to the people and herhaps God punished him partly for his hypocrisie herein but in such a manner as any other body might doe and as if hee were loath to crosse them Marke his words ch 2. 23. Why doe yee such things c. and Nay my sonnes for it is no good report that I heare c. v. 24. There is too much of this counterfeit reproofe and correction in use both among Parents Magistrates And he restrained them not And therefore I have sworne c. I had but told him before but now I have sworne The iniquity of his house shall not be purged or thus The punishment of his house which I have threatened viz. ch 2. 21. shall not be taken off For I am not of their mind who gather from this place that Eli was damned Yet let me tell you thus much that though it may be charity in you to thinke the best of others yet I count it wisedome in you to feare the worst of your selves Parents their Due Such as Curse them threatened 1 with Death Every one that curseth his Father or his mother shall surely be put to death he hath cursed his father or his mother of whom he had his life his blood shall be upon him Lev. 10. 9. He shall be put to death he hath cursed his father c. Certainly God accounts this a hainous sinne for he seemes to have thought that he gave sufficient reason for the greatnesse of the punishment of it onely by repeating it Children might forbeare to curse their parents even out of malice for no doubt God will prosper them the better and blesse them the more The Jewes when they speake of a child's cursing his parents by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresse it by Barach a word which signifieth Blesse 2 Blacknesse of Darknesse as some compare the following expression with that in Peter 2 Epist 2. 17. Jud. 13. Who so curseth his father or his mother his lamp shall be put out in obscure darknesse Prov. 20. 20. When the godly die it is no more then if a man's candle should be put out when the day breakes I used the word cursing in the Title because it is so in our translation but yet I believe a smaller matter then wee usually understand by cursing will deserve punishment yea though it be meant onely of evill speaking for so in Leviticus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated by the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that shall speake evill To or OF So in Marke 9. 39. we translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SPEAKE EVILL OF me The word is the same which we translate curseth ch 7. 10. where this statute in Leviticus is cited in these words viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evill speaking I said but I meant not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as that 1 Pet. 2. 1 i. e. obtrectation and slander but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as that Eph. 4. 31. i. e. vilifying or disgracing by reports though true So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used in this statute and translated curseth shall be that thing in words which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred despiseth in Deut. 27. 16. may be in any other way viz in mind or behaviour Such as make Mocks of them or give them ill words 1 With a curse upon their posterity viz. of serving their brethren For Noah though he deserved sufficiently to be mocked for his folly because his sonne Cham finding him naked went and made sport of it or perhaps onely complained to his brethren of what his father had done whereas children should cover their parents failings in this sense thus saith of his son Canaan as some thinke because he first saw it and told his father who told it to his brethren Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren Genes 9. 25. with 22. Cursed be or cursed is So the Hebrew rather as if he did
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