bello Iud. l. 7. c. 8. Fame tantopere invalescente homines victus ratioxe mutata in aegritudines inciderunt Niceph. Eccl. Hist l. 15. c. 10. Pestilentia semper famem penuriam sequitur Hier. Com. in Ezek. 16. l. 4 Majorem habet poen am languor diuturnus quam citissimuus exitus Aug. Epist 122 ad Victorian Quidam pallidi summe macilenti perinde atq simulachra quaedam rerum omnium egeni hinc inde oberrantes proni in trivijs ipsis concidebant Niceph. Ecclesiast Hist l. 7. c. 28. flesh Zac. 11. 9. and not to spare the nearest and dearest they have For it causeth husbands to eate the flesh of their wives wives of their husbands parents of their children tender mothers of their children new borne Deut. 28. 54 55 56 57. There is an expresse instance of this kinde of inhumanity in the siege of Samaria 2 King 6. 29. Read also Lam. 2. 20. 9. It moveth men to eate their owne flesh Isa 9. 20. Eccl. 4. 5. This hath beene oft observed of such as have beene hanged alive in chaines 10. It procureth sundry diseases Among other sicknesses the infectious and mortall and most uncomfortable sicknesse the pestilence followeth most commonly on famine Experience of all ages hath given evidence to the truth hereof 11. It causeth the most miserable death that can be It first taketh away all the glory and beauty of a creature it maketh the flesh to pine all away and the skin to cleave to the bones Then commeth on a lingring death more intolerable then any speedy torture The Prophet thus with much passion and compassion sets it out The Nazarites were purer then snow they were whiter then milke they were more ruddy in body then rubies their polishing was of saphire Their visage is blacker then a cole they are not knowne in the streets their skin cleaveth to their bones it is withered it is become like a stick Lam. 4. 7 8. And againe Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine Lam. 5. 10. Hence he maketh this inference They that are slaine with the sword are better then they that are slaine with hunger for these pine away c. Lam. 4. 9. Our Ecclesiasticall histories also relate that in time of famine men being pale and extremely leane even as very images destitute of all things wandred up and downe fell groveling in the streets c. §. 5. Of preventing famine by procuring plenty FAmine being a judgement and as by the fore-named effects thereof is evident a fearefull judgement it will be our wisdome to do what in us lieth to prevent it or to * Sec § 7. moderate it or to * Sec §. 8. remove it For preventing Famine we must 1. Observe such duties as procure plenty Plenty how procured 2. Avoid such sinnes as cause famine For procuring and continuing plenty a Col 1. 10. Walke worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke Thus the Lord finding thee to be a fertile soile he will sow all manner of needfull seed plentifully in thee To this worthy walking is in particular required 1. An acknowledgement that the plenty which thou hast commeth from God Hereof we have a worthy patterne in him who said to the Lord b Psal 145. 15 16. The eyes of all waite upon thee and thou givest them their meate in due season thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing 2. Thanksgiving to God for what thou hast and for the refreshing and benefit thou reapest thereby c Deut. 8. 10. This is expresly commanded to this end 3. An using of what thou hast to the glory of God accorcording to this Apostolicall direction d 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God Gods creatures are used to his glory when besides the fore-mentioned acknowledgement of Gods providence in giving them and blessing him for them we endeavour in the use and strength of them to be the better enabled to do that worke which God appointeth us to do And when we bestow some of that which God bestoweth on us upon pious uses which after a peculiar manner tend to the honour of his name To this tendeth Salomons advice e Prov. 3. 9. Honour the Lord with thy substance f 10. Mal. â— 10. Plenty is expressely promised hereunto 4. Charity to the poore Thus thou sowest such seed as will bring forth a plentifull crop To this kind of seed the Apostle applieth this proverbe g 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully Somewhat more directly saith the Wiseman h Prov. 11. 25. The liberall soule shal be made fat and he that watereth shal be also watered himselfe 5. Providence in laying up against a deare yeare Thus Vir justus providet multo antea quo futurae penuriae succurri possit Chrys Hom 64 in Gen. 41. may the abundance of one yeare make supply of scarcity in another yeare and future want be prevented By such a provident care in summer Bees Ants and other like unreasonable creatures have abundance in winter i Pro 6. 6. To such creatures we are sent for instruction k Gen. 41. 48 54. Ioseph by such a provident care brought it to passe that when a dearth was in all lands there was bread in all the land of Egypt And if the famine had not continued so long as it did the store which Ioseph laid up might have made plenty notwithstanding a yeares famine or more §. 6. Of the sinnes which cause famine 2. THe sinnes which cause famine are in generall a Lev. 26. 26. Deu. 28. 23 38 Peccata gravia nec nitra nec herba bovis dâ—lui possunt sed gravioribus tormen lis indigent Hier. Com. lib. 1. in Hier. 2. all such notorious publique crying sinnes as so farre incense the wrath of God as thereby he is provoked to execute some publique and heavy judgement whereof famine is one and not one of the least as hath beene b § 3. 4. before shewed These sinnes are c Sec A Plaister for the Plague on Num. 16. 46 § 45. Dei beneficia ad i'los referunt qui cultorum suorum animas perdiderunt Hier. Comment lib 1. in Os. 2. elsewhere reckoned up The particular sinnes which the Holy Ghost noteth in speciall manner to be fore-runners and causes of famine are these that follow and such like 1. Superstitious attributing of plenty to other authors then to the onely God from whom all plenty commeth So did the Iewes that said d Ier. 44. 17. When we burnt incense and powred out drinke offerings to the Queene of heaven we had plenty of victuals Hereupon e 26 27. the Lord sware that they should die of famine So where Israel said f Hos 2. 5. My lovers gave me my bread and my water my
sojourned he went downe into Egypt where the Lord kept him and his wife in safety b 26. 1 2. Whē again there was a famine in Isaaks time God directed him whither to go c 45. 5. 50. 20. Psa 105. 16 17 God sent Ioseph purposely before hand into Egypt to preserve Iaakob and all that were with him in famine d 2 King 8. 1. By his Prophet God adviseth the Shunemite with her house to sojourne where was plenty when he intended to bring a famine on Israel e 1 King 17. 4. 16. Miraculously did the Lord provide for Eliah and the widow of Zarephats in famine So did he for the Israelites in the wildernesse f Exo. 16. 13 14 When they wanted bread and meat extraordinarily he provided Manna and Quailes for them and g 17. 6. when they wanted water he brought it out of a rocke for them So h Iudg. 15. 18 19. for Sampson when he was ready to die for thirst God extraordinarily provided water i 1 King 18. 42 At Eliahs prayer after Gods wrath was pacified on a sudden raine having beene with-held three yeares and an halfe fell downe abundantly k 2 King 6. 28. 7. 6 c. Samaria being so long besieged as they began to eate their children the Lord on a sudden with an extraordinary terrour caused the enemies to flie and to leave all their provision to the Israelites so as they had all manner of food in great plenty These visible and extraordinary evidences give sensible demonstration of Gods power and pity how able and ready he is to succour people in their extremities And due notice is the rather to be taken of these that we may know that when by more ordinary meanes succour is affoorded it is the Lord that ordereth and disposeth those meanes and his providence is to be acknowledged therein as much as if extraordinarily he did what is done §. 11. Of famine in a pious polity II. * §. 2. Ecce in adventu justi fames fames validat non turbatur justus neque aliquid humanum patitur Chrys Hom. 32. in Gen. 12. FAmine may be under a pious Governour Besides the instance of David mentioned in this text it is expresly noted of the three great Patriarchs who in their dayes were the supreme Governours of Gods Church that a Gen. 12. 10. 26. 1. 46. 5. there was such famine in each of their times as they were all of them forced from their owne habitations and so journed in strange countries b Ruth 1. 1. In the dayes of the Iudges there was a famine in the land Now all the Iudges except Abimelech a cruell and tyrannicall usurper were pious Governours extraordinarily stirred up by God and extraordinarily gifted and assisted by him Yet in their dayes there was a famine and that as the c Ruth 4. 18 c. generation of Pharez giveth evidence in Deborahs time who though a woman was one of the best Iudges §. 12. Of the causes of judgements under good Governours 1. THe best Governours have many times most impious subjects under them the cry of whose sinnes they being many and impudent more incenseth Gods wrath against a nation then can be pacified by the piety of a righteous Governor or of a few righteous subjects though they be men of extraordinary endowments For thus saith the Lord by one prophet a Ier. 15. 1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be towards this people And by another thus b Ezek. 14. 14 16. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in the city they should deliver neither sonne nor daughter c 2 Sam. 24. 1. In Davids time the anger of the Lord was so kindled against Israel as he moved David against them d Ier. 3. 6 10. Iosias vir sanctus non sclum peccatorem populum suis virtutibus non salvavit sed ipse in peccatis illius mortuus est Hier. Commēt l 4. in Ezec. 14. In the dayes of good Iosiah Iudah waxed rebellious so rebellious as that pious King was so farre from preserving that sinfull people as he himselfe died for their sinnes No marvell then that God send famine and other sore judgements upon a land in the time of pious Governours to punish such subjects 2. The most pious Governors do oft also themselves give too just cause unto God to say e Rev. 2. 4. I have somewhat against you It is in the register of truth recorded what he had against f Numb 20. 22. Moses and Aaron against g 1 Sam. 2. 29. Elie against h 2 Sam. 12. 9 David i 1 King 11. 9. Salomon k 2 Chro. 16. 10 Asa l 19. 2. Iehosaphat m 26. 16. Vzziah n 32. 25. Hezekiah and o 35. 22. Iosiah And without all contradiction these were some of the best Governours that ever the Church had 3. God doth sometimes treasure up the sinnes of predecessours and extend his wrath unto succeeding generations Excellent things are spoken of Iosiah and his Government yet at the end of all this dismall doome is added p 2 King 23. 26 Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Iudah because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall In our text we see how God treasured up Sauls bloudy sinne till Davids time §. 13. Of punishing predecessours sinnes in their successours time Quest. HOw can it stand with Divine equity and justice that succeeding ages should be punished for the sinnes of their predecessours Answ They are not simply and onely judged for their predecessours sinnes The sinnes of predecessours do onely aggravate judgements inflicted on successours True is that of Ezekiel a Ezek. 18. 14 17. If a wicked father beget a sonne that seeth all his fathers sins which he hath done and considereth and doth not such like he shall not die for the iniquity of his father He shall surely live Yet withall is that of the Law as true b Exo. 34. 7. the Lord visiteth the iniquity of the fathers upon the children We must therefore distinguish betwixt children There are children which no way make themselves accessary to their fathers sinnes but rather abhorre them and pray that they may not be laid to their charge These shall not beare their fathers iniquity There are other children which tread in their fathers Quomodo Sanctorum merita descendunt ad posteros sicut David caelerorum sic peccatorum flagitia si liberi nepotesque similia gesserint ad posteros perveniunt Hier. Comment l. 3. in Hier. 15. steps and commit like abominations or at least do not consider their fathers sinnes to be humbled for them or to make such satisfaction for them as is meet and to remove the evill effects of them but some way or other make themselves
that draw nigh unto God with their mouth and honour him with their lips have their heart farre from him Sincerity of heart is the fire of the Lord with which the incense of prayer must be offered up Others in performing duties of piety so rest in that which they do as they looke not at all to Christ who is the Lords altar from whence alone such fire as is acceptable unto God can be taken Others so set their minds on mans lawes and the penalty thereof as God his will his honour conscience to him is not at all respected In these and other like cases doe men offer their incense with strange fire Direction for matter and manner to be fetcht from Gods Word Eph. 5. 17. Rom. 12. 2. Isa 8. 20. It behoveth us therefore diligently to search the Scriptures thereby to understand what the will of the Lord is and to prove what is good and acceptable unto him Therein we may have sufficient warrant for matter and manner for substance and circumstance To the Law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them But what is done according to the warrant and prescript of it may comfortably and confidently be done and that in assured expectation of Gods gracious acceptation and bounteous remuneration On this ground we may expect a blessing on the duties that we now performe For our extraordinary humbling of our selves with fasting and prayer is as warrantable for pacifying Gods anger as incense under the Law Let us from the Lords altar his Sonne Iesus Christ thorow faith in him take the fire of zeale sincerity and integrity and therewith offer our incense of the efficacy hereof we shall have occasion afterwards to speake §. 31. Of shewing mercy to such as wrong us IIII. * See §. 25. Of praying for enemies See The whole armo of God on Eph. 6. 18. §. 51. DVties of mercy must be performed to such as wrong us This did he who tooke all occasions to do so himselfe give us in expresse charge a Mat. 5. 44. Love your enemies do good to them that hate you The Law exemplifieth this generall in these particulars b Exod. 23. 4 5. If thou meet thine enemies oxe or his asse going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him againe If thou see the asse of him that hatcth thee lying under his burden thou shalt surely helpe him If mercy must be shewed to the beasts of our enemies how much more to their persons In this respect the Wiseman thus further adviseth e Pro. 25. 21. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread and if he be thirsty give him water to drinke In like manner if they have pulled any judgement upon their owne pates our endeavour must be to helpe them to heale them 1. Thus shall we shew our selves to be children of our Father which is in heaven For he maketh his Sonne to shine on the evill and on the good Mat. 5. 45. Ad omnes faciamus bonum Christus non pro sanctis tantum passus est sed pro peccatoribus c Aug. de Salutar Dei c. 46. 2. Thus shall we be like-minded to him that let slip no opportunity of doing good to us his enemies even Iesus Christ our Saviour Phil. 2. 5. 3. Thus shall we give evidence of the holy Spirits abode in us For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse Eph. 5. 9. 4. Thus shall we Overcome evill with good which is a Divine property thus shall we mollifie their hardnesse and bow their incensed mind to mildnes kindnes Rom. 12. 21. Quando inimicis nostris praebemus beneficia malitiam eorum bonitate nostra superamus mollimus duritiam iratumque animam ad molliciem benevolentiam flectimus Hier. Hedib quaest 1 5. And whereas corrupt nature is too too much addicted to revenge by these meanes shall we leave our implacable enemies to Gods revenge which the Wiseman thus expresseth Thou shalt heape coals of fire upon his head Pro. 25. 22 So farre therefore we ought to be from with-holding our hands from doing mercy because he to whom mercy is to be shewed hath wronged us as so much the rather to take that opportunity of doing good that it may appeare we do good for goodnesse sake without respect of persons without any partiality Woe were it to children of men if God did not do good to his enemies If we could overcome our selves we also should so do They who are borne againe whose corrupt nature is altered will so do §. 32. Of speedy pacifying Gods wrath V. * Sec § 25. GOds wrath is with all expedition to be pacified a Exo. 32. 11. So soone as Moses observed the wrath of the Lord to be kindled while he was in the mount before he came down to enquire after the cause thereof he offered the sweet incense of humble fervent prayer to pacifie the same When b Ion. 3. 4. Ionah began to enter into Niniveh and to threaten Gods vengeance both King and people by fasting prayer and repentance prevented the judgement They did not stay till the forty dayes respited were expired The direction of an Heathen Monarch but guided by the Spirit of God is in this case very remarkable it was this c Ezr. 7. 17. 21 23. Buy speedily Bullocks Rammes c. Whatsoever Ezra shall require let it be done speedily For why should there be wrath against the realme d Iob 1. 5. Iob was so speedy as upon suspition that his children in their feasting together might have some way or other provoked Gods wrath offered burnt offerings for an attonement Thus did Iob every day Fiercenesse of Gods wrath Gods wrath is as a fire e Psal 78. 21. Isa 30. 30. Ier. 15. 14. Zeph. 3. 8. Saepius ab initio flammam quidam non extin guentes in magnum devencrant naufragium De peccatoribus Chrys Hom. 22. ad Pop. to fire in Scripture it is oft resembled Now a fire the longer it is suffered to burne the stronger and more violent it waxeth When therefore a fire is kindled will not wise men make all the speed that possibly they can to quench it The Prophets do thus set out the fiercenesse of this fire f Deut. 32. 22. A fire is kindled in the Lords anger and shall burne unto the lowest hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines c. g Nah. 1. 6. Who can stand before his indignation And who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger His fury is powred out like fire and the rocks are throwne downe by him In regard of the violence of Gods wrath it is also resembled to h Isa 28. 2. 30. 28. A floud of mighty waters over-flowing If waters once overflow and make a breach all speed must be used to make
Betwixt the cause of a judgement and the effect and fruit of it 1. Particular and private afflictions are oft in love by reason of Gods wise and tender care over his children inflicted on them a Heb. 12. 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth And b 10. See the profitable ends of afflictions in The whole armour of God on Eph. 6. 11. §. 2. Eph. 6. 15. §. 13. God chasteneth us for our profit But we read not of any publike and generall judgement which came not from the wrath of God Many instances of the affirmative that they were effects of wrath were given before and the Scripture affoordeth many more but not one to the contrary 2. There are common calamities that fall on all of all sorts and there are other more speciall that are intended onely against professours of the true Religion as persecutions made by enemies of the Gospell c 1 Pet. 4. 12 13 These may be for triall to their honour that suffer But a plague is not of that kind 3. When publike and generall judgements come from wrath against sinfull nations cities and other societies there may be some righteous ones mixed among those wicked ones and by reason of that mixture they may taste of the bitternesse of that cup that is given to the wicked to drinke Yet the Lord can so sanctifie that See §. 15. Sive famen sive bellum sive aliud quodcunque molestum inducat Deus ex benignitate multa dilectione hoc efficit Chrys ad Pop Hom. 7. common judgement to the Saints that partake thereof as that which is an effect of wrath to others may be a fruit of Gods love to them Thus a plague may be sent in wrath against a society and yet therein Gods love be manifested to his Saints either in preserving them from it or taking them by it to heaven In relation to such persons we may truly say that whether God send famine or war or any other trouble he doth it of his goodnesse and love 4. A judgement may at first be in wrath inflicted and yet upon the sense of the smart thereof people may be so humbled and brought to such repentance as the nature of that judgement be altered and prove to be an evidence of Gods love Yea such reformation may be wrought thereby as that calamity though generall and extraordinary prove very profitable and an evidence of Gods fatherly care over such a people whom he hath so purged e 2 Chro. 33. 11 c. Instance that fearefull judgement that was laid on Israel in Manassehs time This latter fruit of Gods love maketh not against the former evidence of his wrath For on such occasions God is said to repent him of the evill which he hath sent He was angry but his anger is turned into favour The conclusion then remaineth true that a plague as first sent to a people is an evidence of Gods wrath §. 50. Of the duties to be done when a plague is begun A Plague being an effect of Gods wrath for staying the plague meanes for pacifying Gods wrath must be used So did David He humbled himselfe confessed his sinne and that with a penitent heart and offered sacrifice to God Apply to this judgement of a plague the directions a § 4 5 6 10. before given And because Moses giveth here a direction when this plague begun be carefull betimes even at the beginning of a plague to seeke to asswage Gods anger Hereof also b § 30. before And that ye may be the more conscionable herein know that plagues come not by chance come not by any ordinary course and meanes They come from Gods wrath Let the directions therefore before given for pacifying Gods wrath be rather observed then any physicall directions I denie not but that they are lawfull needfull usefull But this which I speake of is more lawfull needfull and usefull All other without this is nothing at all In all diseases Gods helpe is especially to be sought It was Asa his fault that c 2 Chro. 16. 12 In his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians If in all diseases most of all in this that is such an immediate effect of Gods wrath The Lord is to be sought unto And so much the rather because the plague among other evidences of Gods wrath is a most fearefull one as * §. 71. 72. hereafter is shewed §. 51. Of the terrour of the beginning of Gods judgements II. * See § 47. GOD can make the beginning of a judgement terrible I denie not but that the Lord doth oft times begin very mildly and gently as he dealt with the Israelites in the wildernesse bringing them a Exo 15. 23. to bitter waters making them to feele b 16. 3. the want of bread and c 17. 1. water not starving them and d Deut. 25. 18. suffering Amalek to smite the hindmost of them to try if they would learne to cleave close vnto the Lord. But afterwards his stroaks were more heavy upon them Yet he can and oft doth make the beginning of his judgements very terrible At the first raising of the floud to drowne the world e Gen. 7. 11. All the fountaines of the great deepe were broken up and the windowes of heaven Was it not a terrible sight to behold the waters fall downe from heaven and rise up out of the earth so fast as they did Immediately upon the f Gen. 19. 23 24. Sunnes rising on the earth the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven How fearefull a spectacle was that even at the first sight thereof The Egyptian plagues give also evidence hereof So doth the drowning of Pharaoh and his hoste in the red sea For while they confidently pursued the Israelites supposing to get over as safe as the g Exo. 14. 24 25 Israelites did on a sudden The hoste of the Egyptians was troubled and their chariot wheeles taken off In a word stormes so arose and waters so fell upon them as they were all soone drowned Such were many of Gods judgements in the wildernesse Such h 2 King 19. 35 the destruction of the Campe of the Assyrians Such i Luke 13. 1 4 their death Whose bloud Pilate mingled with their sacrifices and theirs on whom the tower of Siloe fell and k Act. 12. 23. Herods and many other like judgements Gods almighty power makes his judgements to be very terrible His infinite wisdome makes him know when it is fit at the first and in the beginning to manifest his terrour answerably he doth so For in wisdome he ordereth all his actions and that so as may most make to the glory of his name Herein l Eph. 3. 10. his wisdome is manifested to be manifold in that he can sometimes by degrees encreasing his judgements and
wooll and my flaxe mine oile and my drinke the Lord answereth g 9 12. I will take away my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof c. I will destroy her vines and her figtrees c. 2. Ingratitude It is Gods usuall dealing to take away from ungratefull persons the blessings which he hath bestowed on them God gave the Egyptians seven yeares of Gen. 41. 53 54. Omnia auseret Deus ut qui ex copia datorem non senserant sentiant expenuria Aug. loc citat Lege Chrys Tom. 2. Hom. 29. Quae hunc habet titulum Quòd nemo laeditur nisi à seipso Ibi copiose disser it contra mâ—nsarum afflâ—entiam Legâ— item Sermonem ipsius contra luxum crapulam Tom. 5. extraordinary plenty They were not thankfull God therfore gave them seven years of such scarcity as all the former plenty was utterly consumed God will take away all from such that they who by plenty discerne him not to be the giver of all may discerne it by want 3. Perverting of plenty to gluttony drunkennesse and all excesse Of them that used to rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue untill night til wine enflame them and the Harp and the Viole the Taebret and Pipe and wine are in their feasts it is said their honourable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst Isa 5. 11 12 13. 4. Prodigality or a lavish spending of that abundance which God giveth Christ exemplifieth this in him that is commonly called the prodigall child Thorow his prodigality he brought himselfe to such penury as He faine would have filled his belly with the huske that the swine did eate and no man gave unto him Luk. 15. 13 16. 5. Insensiblenesse of their misery who are in want To them that stretch themselves upon their couches and eate the lambs out of the flock that drink wine in bowles and annoint themselves with the chiefe ointments but are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph The Lord said The banquet of them that stretched themselves shal be removed Amo. 6. 4 6. 7. 6. Cruelty to strangers that live among us for succour Lege Ambr. Offic l. 3. c 7. De non arcendâ— peregrinis urbe tempore famis Such were the Gibeonites that lived among the Israelites Ios 9. 15. Vpon these Saul executed much cruelty and for that cause God sent this famine 2 Sam. 21. 1. If uncharitablenesse to strangers much more to our owne poore must needs incense Gods wrath and move him to withdraw plenty even from the rich and make them to want 7. Rejecting the Word of God which is the bread of life To those that said to the Prophet Ieremiah Prophesie Quomodo quis poterit etiam cui saxeum cor lantum contemptum non gravatim ferre Chrys Hom. 6. in Gen 1. de contemp tu verbi Pseudoprophetae prespera promittendo supplantaÌ„t populum Dei Hier. Comment l. 3 in Ier. 15. not in the name of the Lord thus said the Lord of hoste Their sonnes and their daughters shall die by famine Ier. 11. 21 22. By want of corporall food God doth visibly demonstrate their folly in despising spirituall food 8. Ministers soothing of people with conceipt of plenty when the Lord threatneth famine Of the Prophets that said Ye shall not see the sword neither shall ye have famine the Lord said The prophets prophesied lies in my name I sent them not By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed And the people to whom they prophesie shal be cast out in the streets of Ierusalem because of the famine and the sword Ier. 14. 13 15 16. 9. Refusing to subject our selves to that yoke and government under which God will have us to be Ier. 27. 8 c. For such a government is a meanes of enjoying that which is needfull for us But resisting the same is a meanes of spoiling us of all 10. Wilfull standing out against such meanes of provision as God affoordeth because it is not pleasing unto our selves As when an enemy besiegeth a city and there is no hope of meanes to raise the siege nor sufficient in the city long to hold out and by the enemy conditions for preserving of life are offered by standing out too stifly in this case God is provoked by famine to destroy such men in their city So dealt God with the Iewes Ier. 21. 9. 2 King 25. 3. §. 7. Of moderating a famine FOr moderating a famine when it is begun 1. Provision must in time be sent for to such places as have plenty a Gen. 42. 1 2. So did Iaakob 2. They who are abroad must stirre up such as have plenty to be mindfull of those that are pressed with famine and send succour to them b 2 Cor. 8. 1 c Saint Paul was very diligent herein 3. More then ordinary diligence in every ones place and calling must be used that all of all sorts may eate their owne bread Thus will not some few have the burthen of many lying upon them which much increaseth a famine 4. Moderation in diet must be used and that by those that have greatest store That which is spared may be for supply to those who have nothing at all A little scarcity by immoderate lavishing soone produceth a great famine 5. Frequent fasts must be made by those that have plenty and what is spared at such fasts given to those that have not sufficiency Thus many may be sustained by that which a few do ordinarily spend 6. Then especially must men observe the counsell of Christ to invite to their table the poore the maimed the lame and the blind Luk. 14. 13. 7. Publique provisions must be wisely distributed according to the distribution of Manna whereof they had Exo. 16. 18. every one according to his eating that is according to the number of persons in a family and according to their age stature and strength 8. Magistrates must be more then ordinarily carefull in preserving peace and keeping good order that neither the rich and mighty oppresse the poore and weak as he that having many flocks and heards of his owne tooke from a poore 2 Sam. 12. 2 3 c. man that had but one little ewe lambe that lambe to entertaine a traveller that came to him nor the poore and needy felloniously and violently take from the rich In time of famine Magistrates must be the more diligent and carefull because feare of want will make them that for the time have enough oppresse others and present sense of want will move them that have nothing by hooke or crooke to get what they can And what is violently or fraudulently gotten wil be lavishly spent and so the famine prove to be the greater 9. Ministers must be the more carefull to feed their people with the bread of life that by the plenty and sweetnesse thereof they may
Taking away the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water That Metaphor is taken from an old man who being not able to stand upright of himselfe hath a staffe to leane upon and thereby is supported or from a rent which is held up by the staffe in the midst of it if ye breake or take away that staffe or stay downe will the old man or the tent fall This staffe of bread and stay of water is that vertue which by the Divine providence is in them of nourishing such as eate the one and drink the other It is therefore by some translated the strength of bread and the strength of water By others the vigour and power of Fortitudo panis fortitudo aquae Iâ—em robur panis robur aquae Hier in Esay 3. Vis vigor panis aquae Calvin in Isay 3. 1. Fulcimentum Vatab. bread and water Take away this vertue from bread and water they are as if they were not of no use of no benefit Now it is God onely that gives or takes away this staffe and in that respect causeth famine As in these so in all other meanes of famine the Lord hath an over-ruling providence so as these secondary causes give witnesse to this that God sendeth famine and that therefore God is to be sought unto for removing and taking away famine §. 23. Of enquiring of God in and by his Word Quest. HOw may we now seeke of God a The meanes of old used are now no more of use Answ In generall God requireth no other meanes of seeking him then what he himselfe hath ordained In particular we have as sure and certaine a meanes for enquiring of God as ever the Church had which is his written Word This meaneth he who saith We have a more sure word 2 Pet. 1. 19. And he who long before that said To Habent ubi quae rerent Christum Habent inquit Moysen Eliam id est Legem Prophetas Christum praedicantes secundum quod alibi apertè Scrutamini Scripturas in quibus salutem speratis Illae enim de me loquuntur Hic erit Quaeri e invenietis Tertul. de Praescript Haeret. the law and to the testimony If any speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isay 8. 20. This was it which he who in this text is said to enquire of the Lord made his counseller his lamp and light Psal 119. 24 105. This oracle of God first declareth the causes of famine wherof before § 6. If hereunto we impartially bring the testimony of our owne conscience we may soone find what causes hereof are in our selves and how farre we in our persons have provoked the Lord to judge us If further we bring a wise observation of the times wherein and of the persons among whom we live we may also find what are the common and publique causes of the judgements which God inflicteth 2. This oracle sheweth what means may be used for well ordering or removing that judgement whereof the causes are found out The means noted before § 8. are all prescribed in Gods Word 3. It also revealeth such Divine promises of blessing a right use of such means as are therein prescribed as we may with much confidence rest on a good issue Let this therfore be the generall use and close of all that in famine and other like judgements we do as David is here noted to do enquire of the Lord enquire of him in and by his word and withall as David here also did follow the directions prescribed by the Lord in his Word then shall we be sure to have such an issue as David had expressed in these words God was intreated for the land 2 Sam 21. 14. §. 24. Of the extremity of famine in the last fiege of Ierusalem BEcause reference is often made to the history of Flavius Iosephus of the warres of the Iewes concerning the extremity of famine in the last siege at Ierusalem by the Romanes in the dayes of Vespasian the Emperour I think it meet in the end of this Treatise distinctly to relate the said history so farre as it concerneth the famine The famine of the City and the desperation of the Ioseph de Bello Iud. lib. 6 cap. 11. Houses broken up and searched for corne theeves both increased alike every day more and more so that now there was no more corne found Wherefore the seditious persons brake into the houses and searched every corner for to find corne and if after their search they found any then they did beat the owners for denying it at the first and if they found none they tortured the housholders as having more cunningly hidden it And whosoever was yet strong of body and well liking him they presently killed for hereby they deemed him to have store of food or els he should not have been in so good plight of body as he was And they that were pined with famine were by these barbarous seditious people slaine who esteemed it no offence to kill them who would shortly after die though they were left alive Many both rich and poore secretly exchanged all that they had for one bushell of corne and All exchanged for bread presently shutting themselves in the secretest roome of their houses some of them did eate the corne as it was unground others made bread thereof as necessity and feare required No man in the whole city sate downe to eate his meate on a table but greedily taking it not boiled from the fire they even raw as it was did eare it Most miserable was this manner of living and a spectacle which none without teares was able to behold for the strongest still got the most and the weakest bewaild their misery for now famine was the greatest calamity they endured And nothing doth arme men more then shame for during this famine no reverence Food snatched out of one anothers mouths was had towards any man for wives tooke the meat even out of their husbands mouthes and children from their parents and mothers even from their infants which was the most lamentable thing of all No body had now any compassion neither did they spare their dearest infants but suffered them to perish even in their armes taking from them the very drops of life Yet could they not eate thus in such secrecy but presently some came to take away from them that whereon they fed For if in any place they saw any doore shut presently hereupon they conjectured that they in the house were eating meat and forthwith breaking downe the doores they came in and taking them by the throat they tooke the meat out of their mouthes already chewed and ready to be swallowed downe The old men were driven away and not permitted to keepe and defend Cruelty used to get food their food from being taken from them the women were drawne up and downe by the haire of the
alwaies well prepared against assaults The greater danger we are subject unto the better furnished and fore-armed we ought to be This providence See The whole armour of God Treat 1. Part 3. §. 2. Part 4 §. 10. must be manifested in regard both of corporall and also of spirituall dangers whereunto we are subject Yea the Israel of God they who are of the true Church must apply this to themselves For it was Israel against whom Amalek fought 4. It affordeth comfort to such as are assaulted that notwithstanding God suffer Amalek to come and fight against them yet they may be Gods Israel 5. It is a means of making Christian unity more firme Vbicunque à perditis ista commissa sunt ibi ferventius atque perfectius unitaâ— Christiana proficit Aug Bonefac Epist 50. and perfect yea and of causing more and more to increase For the more fiercely Christians are assaulted the more closely will they cling together 6. It is a motiue to make us willing to be dissolved when it shall seeme good to the Divine providence because so we shal be translated to the Triumphant Church where is freedome from all assaults §. 7. Of Amaleks inhumanity IIII. THe place where the assault is here said to be was Rephidim This was the name of one of the places where the Lord was pleased that Israel should make a station in the wildernes It was in number the a a a Num. 33. 15. tenth from their comming out of Egypt but the seventh from their passage thorow the Red Sea For they had made three stations before that passage thorow the Sea All these journies were made within the space of two moneths For * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in novilâ—â—io in the beginning of the third moneth after their escape out of Egypt they went from Rephidim to b b b Exo. 19. 1. Sinai The name of the place is here expressed 1. In generall to verifie the truth of the history For circumstances of Persons Times Places and such like make much to the confirmation of the truth of an history 2. In particular to aggravate the malice of the Amalakites who set upon them so soone after their comming out of bondage before they had time well to settle themselves For having travelled ten severall journies whereof one was c c c Exo. 15. 22 Num. 33. 8. three daies long others might be as long if not longer in the space of two moneths at the most they could not be long setled Besides in their journies they were oft brought to great straits as at the Red Sea where d d d Exo. 14. 9. Pharaoh pursued them furiously and had almost over-taken them and when e e e 15 22. after three daies journey they found no water and f f f 23. the first water that they met with was so bitter as they could not drink of it And at another station they g g g 16. 3. wanted bread and meat having nothing at all to eat And after that againe they came to this h h h 17. 1. Rephidim a drie and barren wildernesse where were no rivers springs wells ponds or any other ordinary means to afford them water to drinke Questionlesse the Amalakites dogged the Israelites after they were come thorow the Red Sea and thereupon knew how weary they must needs be and to what straits they were brought and in particular how destitute of water this Rephidim the place where they set upon them was For the Holy Ghost to aggravate their malice thus sets it out i i i 1 Sam. 15. 2. Amalek laid wait for Israel in the way when he came up from Egypt k k k Deut. 25. 18. He smote the hindmost of them even all that were feeble behind them when they were faint and weary The immediate connexion of this history with the former thus And Amalek came or as our English Translatours for more perspicuity turne it Then came Amalek importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much For it is as if he had said Israel had now beene wearied with much travell and disquieted with many distresses and wants and was now in a place destitute of all ordinary provision And in this case Amalek comes and fights against him An evident demonstration of much inhumanity and more then savage cruelty §. 8. Of the base advantages which malicious enemies take MAlicious enemies are ready to take all the base advantages that they can If the particulars * * * §. 7. noted of Amalek be well observed in him we shall find the doctrine verified The like is noted of the posterity of these Amalakites a a a 1 Sam. 30. 1 2 while David and his men were out of Ziklag the Amalakites surprize it smite it burne it with fire and carie the women away captive More basely dealt the Egyptians with the Israelites when they had them fast in their own land For first b b b Exo. 1. 11 13. they afflicted them with burdens and made them serve with rigour and made their lives bitter with hard bondage Then they c c c 16. tooke order with the midwives to kill all their male children in the birth Yea because the midwives obeyed not so cruell a charge d d d 22. the King commanded all the people to cast all the male children of the Israelites into the river It was a most inhumane base and barbarous advantage which the Edomites tooke against the Israelites when the Babilonians had overcome them and caused them to fly hither and thither for their lives e e e Obad. 14. to stand in the crosse waies to cut off them that did escape and to deliver up those that did remaine in the day of distresse The base advantages which Saul sought against David and the Priests Scribes Pharisies and other Iewes against Christ and his Apostles and other enemies heretiques and idolaters against the professours of the Gospell especially Papists against Protestants do further give abundant proofe of the foresaid proposition But not to insist on particulars the Psalmist doth indefinitely thus set out the disposition of the wicked against the righteous He sitteth in lurking places of the villages in the secret places doth he murder the innocent his eyes are privily set against the poore he lieth in wait secretly as a Lyon in his den he lieth in wait to catch the poore he doth catch the poore when he draweth him into his net He croucheth and humbleth himselfe that the poore may fall by his strong ones Ps 10. 8 9 10 Herein they shew themselves like to the most hatefull creatures Fraudulenta vulpes soveis se latibulisque demergens noune indicio est infructaosuÌ„ esse animal odioque digâ—uÌ„ Amb Hexaem l 6 c 3. Stratagems in warre The deceitfull Foxe hiding himselfe in ditches and secret places is he not thereby manifested to be a hurtfull and hatefull
8. 36. Psal 107. 34. which are sins against God Sinnes against God provoke Gods wrath Gods wrath incensed inflicteth judgements f See § 3. Among other judgements which are effects of Gods wrath famine is one of the principall Famine therefore must needs come from God 6. The meanes and secondary causes of famine which are all ordered by God For secondary causes do all depend on the high primary cause which is Gods will g Psal 119. 91. All are his servants That this may more evidently appeare I will instance it in such particular meanes as are registred in Scripture and there noted to be ordered by God §. 22. Of the meanes of famine ordered by God MEanes of famine are such as these 1. The heavens with-holding raine For the earth is drie of its owne nature being drie it can yeeld no fruit The ordinary meanes of watering and moistening it is raine from heaven Where that is with-held the earth waxeth drie and barren and living creatures want that sustenance which should maintaine their life But it is God that causeth the heavens to with-hold raine a Lev. 26. 19. I saith the Lord I will make your heaven as iron and your earth as brasse Iron can not dissolve into water nor brasse yeeld out fruit The meaning then is that heaven over them should yeeld no raine nor the earth under them fruit More plainely saith the Lord in other places b Isay 5. 6. I will command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it c Amos 4. 7. I have with-holden the raine from you I caused it to raine upon one city and caused it not to raine upon another city As an evidence hereof d Iam. 5. 17. 1 King 17. 1. Elias prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and six moneths 2. The heavens showring downe raine in such unusuall abundance as thereby the fruits which the earth hath brought forth are destroyed especially in harvest time We have few instances hereof in Scripture For Iudea was under an hot climate so as oft they wanted raine but seldome had too much Our Northerne cold Regions of the world are most punished with over-much raine which oft causeth dearth and famine Yet that this unseasonable and overflowing abundance of water is ordered by God is evident by that great instance of the e Gen. 7. 11 12. generall deluge and by that extraordinary instance of f 1 Sam 12 17. thunder and raine that at Samuels prayer fell in a day of wheat-haruest This phrase g Pro. 28. 3. A sweeping raine which leaveth no food sheweth that of old there was such immoderate raine as caused famine And this speech of the Lord himselfe h Ezek. 38. 22. I will raine an over-flowing raine and great haile-stones sheweth that God ordereth immoderate raine 3. Barrennesse of the earth For i Psal 104. 14. God bringeth forth food out of the earth And for their sustenance k Psal 115. 16. The earth hath he given to the children of men If therefore the earth where men abide be barren there must needs be dearth and famine But it is the Lord that maketh a land barren l Psal 107. 34. He turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse In this respect it is said m 1 Cor. 3. 7. Neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase 4. Very sharpe winters extraordinary frosts snow haile blasting mildew rotting of seed under the clods and such like meanes as destroy corne and other fruits before they come to maturity for mans use These are expresly noted to n 1 King 8 37 Iocl 1. 17. cause famine and to be o Amos 4. 9. ordered by God 5. p Psal 105. 34. Nah. 3. 15. Locusts grashoppers cater-pillars canker-wormes palmer-wormes and other like hurtfull creatures which oft by their innumerable multitudes eate up all the grasse corne herbes and fruits of the earth whereby men and beasts are nourished and so q Ioel 1. 4. cause famine These God calleth his r 2. 25. great army They are therefore at his command disposed by him 6. Enemies These oft bring great famines and that by Å¿ Iudg. 6. 4. destroying the increase of the earth and all manner of cattell and leaving no sustenance For they kill and burne and spoile all that they can when they enter into others lands Yea and by blocking up people within narrow compasses girting and besieging their townes and cities so as they can not go abroad to use any meanes for supply of their wants The forest famines that ever were have beene caused this way t 2 King 6. 25. Enemies long besieging a place force the inclosed to eate the flesh of asses the dung of doves and any thing that they can chew or swallow Yea it forceth them u Deut 28. 53. 2 King 6. 29. to eate their owne children Now enemies which so afflict others are Gods x Isa 10. 5. 15. rod staffe axe saw y Ier. 50. 23. hammer z Isa 34 5 6. Ier. 12. 12. sword * Ier. 43. 10. Pestis 〈◊〉 implicata saepissiâ—â— grassatur Niceph Eccles Hist l. 7. c. 28 servants 7. The plague Many are thereby taken away others moved to depart from their callings and meanes of maintaining themselves and providing for others Whence followes penury and famine We a 1 King 8. 27. Ezek. 7. 15. Ier. 24 10. oft in Scripture reade of plague and famine joyned together For the one is a cause of the other Famine breedeth pestilence and pestilence causeth famine b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fames 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestis utranque a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficeit Vide supr §. 4. distinct 10. The ancient Graecians do set them out by words very like which come from the same root 8. Perishing of graine fruit and other kinds of food in store or in the places where it is laid up For it oft falleth out that Monopolists and ingrossers of corne and other commodities do heape up for their owne private gaine all the provision they can get which being so heaped together by heate or moisture or some such other meanes mustieth putrifieth and is made unfit for use or by mice rats and other vermine is consumed or by fire devouted or some other way destroyed whence followeth famine That such courses of engrossing commodities have of old bene used is evident by this proverb c Prov. 11. 26. He that withdraweth corne the people shall curse him That God hath an hand in the spoile of such treasures is evident by d Nah. 2. 9. Gods threatning to spoile where there is no end of store 9. Deficiency of vertue in such meanes as men have This is comprised under this phrase of e Lev. 26. 26. Psal 105. 16. breaking the staffe of bread and f Isa 3. 1.