Use 1. Informat. 1. Branch: See then from hence, that Gods punishing either a person or a Nation is not without a cause. A Father may chastise his Son out of an humour, ⟨p. 41⟩when there is no cause, but God doth never punish without a just cause. He doth it not purely to show his Sovereignty, or because he takes pleasure to bring his creature low, Lam. 3.33. He doth not willingly afflict; or as it is in the Hebrew, from the heart, *but there is some impellent cause, They were brought low for their iniquity. Cyprian writes thus, concerning the Persecution of the Church under the Emperor Valerian, We must confess that this sad calamity, which hath in a great part wasted our Churches, hath risen from our own intestine wickedness, whilst we are full of avarice, ambition, emulation, &c. *Jer. 4.17. As keepers of a field, are they against her round about. Like as Horses or Deer in a field, are so enclosed with hedges, and so narrowly watched, that they cannot get out. So Jerusalem ⟨p. 42⟩was so besieged with enemies, and watched, that there was no escape for her, without danger of life. Verse 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee, this is thy wickedness. As we use to say to Children when they are sick, this is your green fruit ye have eat, or your going in the Snow: So saith God, This is thy wickedness. Jer. 30.15. Why criest thou for thy affliction, because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. The Sword that wounds thee, is of thy own whetting; the cords that pinch thee are of thy own twisting; thank thy sin for all. 1 Cor. 11.30. For this cause many are sick, and weak, and many fall asleep. The Church of Corinth was punished with corporal death, because of coming unworthily to the Lords Table, and ⟨p. 43⟩profaning the body and blood of the Lord. *The abuse of holy things incenseth God. Nadab and Abihu found the flames of wrath hot about the Altar. *So that still there is a propter hoc, a cause why God brings any person low. There is no reason why God should love us, but there is a great deal of reason why God should punish us. They were brought low for their iniquity.
Use 1. Informat. 1. Branch: See then from hence, that Gods punishing either a person or a Nation is not without a cause. A Father may chastise his Son out of an humour, ⟨p. 41⟩when there is no cause, but God doth never punish without a just cause. He doth it not purely to shew his Soveraignty, or because he takes pleasure to bring his creature low, Lam. 3.33. He doth not willingly afflict; or as it is in the Hebrew, from the heart, *but there is some impellent cause, They were brought low for their iniquity. Cyprian writes thus, concerning the Persecution of the Church under the Emperour Valerian, We must confess that this sad calamity, which hath in a great part wasted our Churches, hath risen from our own intestine wickedness, whilst we are full of avarice, ambition, emulation, &c. *Jer. 4.17. As keepers of a field, are they against her round about. Like as Horses or Deer in a field, are so enclosed with hedges, and so narrowly watched, that they cannot get out. So Ierusalem ⟨p. 42⟩was so besieged with enemies, and watched, that there was no escape for her, without danger of life. Verse 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee, this is thy wickedness. As we use to say to Children when they are sick, this is your green fruit ye have eat, or your going in the Snow: So saith God, This is thy wickedness. Jer. 30.15. Why cryest thou for thy affliction, because thy sins were encreased, I have done these things unto thee. The Sword that wounds thee, is of thy own whetting; the cords that pinch thee are of thy own twisting; thank thy sin for all. 1 Cor. 11.30. For this cause many are sick, and weak, and many fall asleep. The Church of Corinth was punished with corporal death, because of coming unworthily to the Lords Table, and ⟨p. 43⟩prophaning the body and blood of the Lord. *The abuse of holy things incenseth God. Nadab and Abihu found the flames of wrath hot about the Altar.
- *[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
- *Ergo sivit hoc flagellum Deus, &c.
- *Neque divinat Paulus ide• ipsos plecti, sed asserit rem sibi compertam, dicit igitur multos decumbere aegrotos, &c. ob illum coenae abusum. Calvin.
- *Levit. 10.1, 2.
