Gods three arrows plague, famine, sword, in three treatises. I. A plaster for the…Gods three arrovves plague, famine, svvord, in three treatises. I. A plaister for the…

§. 11. Of famine in a pious polity.

II. ^*Famine may be under a pious Governor. Besides the instance of David mentioned in this text, it is expressly noted of the three great Patriarchs, who in their days were the supreme Governors of Gods Church, that ^athere was such famine in each of their times, as they were all of them forced from their own habitations, and so journeyed in strange countries. ^bIn the days of the Judges there was a famine in the land. Now all the Judges (except Abimelech, a cruel and tyrannical usurper) were pious Governors, extraordinarily stirred up by God, and extraordinarily gifted and assisted by him. Yet in their days there was a famine: and that as the ^cgeneration of Pharez giveth evidence, in Deborah's time, who (though a woman) was one of the best Judges.

II. ^*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 ^athere 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. ^bIn 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 ^cgeneration of Pharez giveth evidence, in Deborahs time, who (though a woman) was one of the best Iudges.

1. *§. 2. Ecce in adventu justi fames, & fames validat & non turbatur justus, neque aliquid humanum patitur: Chrys. Hom. 32. in Gen. 12.
2. aGen. 12. 10.—26. 1.—46. 5.
3. bRuth 1. 1.
4. cRuth 4. 18, &c.

§. 12. Of the causes of judgements under good Governors.

§. 12. Of the causes of judgements under good Governours.

1. The best Governors have many times most impious subjects under them: the cry of whose sins, 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, ^aThough Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be towards this people. And by another thus, ^bThough these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the city, they should deliver neither son nor daughter. ^cIn Davids time the anger of the Lord was so kindled against Israel, as he moved David against them. ^dIn the days of good Josiah Judah waxed rebellious: so rebellious, as that pious King was so far from preserving that sinful people, as he himself died for their sins. No marvel then that God send famine, and other sore judgements upon a land in the ⟨p. 148⟩time of pious Governors to punish such subjects.

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, ^aThough Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be towards this people. And by another thus, ^bThough these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Iob were in the city, they should deliver neither sonne nor daughter. ^cIn Davids time the anger of the Lord was so kindled against Israel, as he moved David against them. ^dIn 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 ⟨p. 148⟩time of pious Governours to punish such subjects.

1. aJer. 15. 1.Ier. 15. 1.
2. bEzek. 14. 14, 16.
3. c2 Sam. 24. 1.
4. dJer. 3. 6, 10. Josias vir sanctus non sclum peccatorem populum suis virtutibus non salvavit, sed & ipse in peccatis illius mortuus est. Hier. Comment. l 4. in Ezec. 14.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.

2. The most pious Governors do oft also themselves give too just cause unto God to say, ^eI have somewhat against you. It is in the register of truth recorded, what he had against ^fMoses and Aaron, against ^gEly, against ^hDavid, ⁱSolomon, ^kAsa, ^lJehoshaphat, ^mUzziah, ⁿHezekiah, and ^oJosiah. And without all contradiction these were some of the best Governors that ever the Church had.

2. The most pious Governors do oft also themselves give too just cause unto God to say, ^eI have somewhat against you. It is in the register of truth recorded, what he had against ^fMoses and Aaron, against ^gElie, against ^hDavid, ⁱSalomon, ^kAsa, ^lIehosaphat, ^mVzziah, ⁿHezekiah, and ^oIosiah. And without all contradiction these were some of the best Governours that ever the Church had.

1. eRev. 2. 4.
2. fNumb. 20. 22.
3. g1 Sam. 2. 29.
4. h2 Sam. 12. 9
5. i1 King 11. 9.
6. k2 Chro. 16. 10
7. l—19. 2.
8. m—26. 16.
9. n—32. 25.
10. o—35. 22.

3. God doth sometimes treasure up the sins of predecessors, and extend his wrath unto succeeding generations. Excellent things are spoken of Josiah and his Government; yet at the end of all this dismal doom is added, ^pNotwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. In our text we see how God treasured up Sauls bloody sin till Davids time.

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, ^pNotwithstanding 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.

1. p2 King. 23. 26

§. 13. Of punishing predecessors sins in their successors 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 sins of their predecessors?

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 only judged for their predecessors sins. The sins of predecessors do only aggravate judgements inflicted on successors.

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, ^aIf a wicked father beget a son 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 withal is that of the Law as true, ^bthe 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 sins: but rather abhor them, and pray that they may not be laid to their charge. These shall not bear their fathers iniquity.

True is that of Ezekiel, ^aIf 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, ^bthe 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.

1. aEzek. 18. 14, 17.
2. bExo. 34. 7.

There are other children which tread in their fathers ¹steps, and commit like abominations, or at least do not consider their fathers sins, to be humbled for them, or to make such satisfaction for them as is meet, and to remove the evil effects of them: but some way or other make themselves accessary thereto: and in that respect are visited for them. As the virtues of predecessors descend to their posterity, as Davids and others: so the wickedness of sinners shall fall upon their posterity, if their children, and children's children do the like things.

There are other children which tread in their fathers ¹steps, 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 accessary thereto: and in that respect are visited for them. As the vertues of predecessors descend to their posterity, as Davids and others: so the wickednesse of sinners shall fall upon their posterity, if their children, and childrens children do the like things.

1. 1Quomodo 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.

In Josiahs days, ^cthough he himself did what lay in him to redress the remainder of his fore-fathers abominations, yet ^dthe people were not thoroughly reformed. ^eThat therefore which is noted of Gods remembering Manassehs abominations in Josiahs days, was not in regard of Josiah: for it is said, that ^fhe should be gathered into his grave in ⁵peace: but it was in regard of the people who continued to cleave to the sins of Manasseh, notwithstanding all the care that Josiah took for an universal reformation. For God will not accept the intercession of his best Saints, when the wickedness of a sinful nation is full, and in that kind perfected.

In Iosiahs dayes, ^cthough he himselfe did what lay in him to redresse the remainder of his fore-fathers abominations, yet ^dthe people were not thorowly reformed. ^eThat therefore which is noted of Gods remembring Manassehs abominations in Iosiahs daies, was not in regard of Iosiah: for it is said, that ^fhe should be gathered into his grave in ⁵peace: but it was in regard of the people who continued to cleave to the sinnes of Manasseh, notwithstanding all the care that Iosiah tooke for an universall reformation. For God will not accept the intercession of his best Saints, when the wickednesse of a sinfull nation is full, and in that kind perfected.

1. c2 King. 23. 2, &c.
2. dJer. 3. 6. 10.Ier. 3. 6. 10.
3. e2 King. 23. 26.
4. f2 King. 22. 20.
5. 5Deus non exaudiet Moysen, aut Samuelem, quoniam consummata sunt scelera populi delinquentis. Hier. Comment. l. 3. in Hier. 15.

As for Sauls sin, 1. David had not redressed it as he might and should have done. The slaying of the Gibeonites was a public fact, and that against a public agreement, and oath: so as David could not be ignorant thereof. He might therefore, and ought to have enquired of the remnant of the Gibeonites what satisfaction he should make: as he did being put in mind of Sauls sin by Divine oracle.

As for Sauls sinne, 1. David had not redressed it as he might and should have done. The slaying of the Gibeonites was a publique fact, and that against a publique agreement, and oath: so as David could not be ignorant thereof. He might therefore, and ought to have enquired of the remnant of the Gibeonites what satisfaction he should make: as he did being put in mind of Sauls sinne by Divine oracle.