Secondly. It consists in an eminent communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost unto those by whom the mysteries of the gospel are to be dispensed; and that either as to the increase of their number, » or of their abilities, with readiness unto, and diligence in their work. When God thus gives the word, great is the army of them that publish it; a5 Nav mowann, Psal. xlvin. 11. The word is of the feminine gender, and denotes the churches; which, ver. 26, of that Psalm, are called mbnpn, which we render ‘ congregations,’ that is churches, in in the same gender: ‘ Bless their God in the congregations:᾿ m>mpna, ‘the churches or congregations publishing the word, or glad tidings,’ as tke word signifies. And hereof there is 14 nay, ‘a great army.’ For the church in its work and order is, m>2129, ‘as bannered ones,’ that is, mxay mdr, ‘as bannered armies; ‘armies with banners,’ Cant. vi. 10. When God gave the word, (it is a prophecy of the times of the gospel,) great was the number of mnwann mbmpa: that like armies with banners, not for weapons, but for order and terror to the world, preached and published it. Such was the day that our apostle called the Hebrews to the consideration of. 1t was not long after the ascension of Christ, when the gifts of the Spirit were poured out on multidudes of all sorts, as was foretold, Acts 1. 16, 17, 18, ‘This is that which was spoken by the prophet, And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophecy.’ The extent of the communication of the Spirit at that season, is emphatically expressed in those words, ‘I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh.’ As the act of pouring denotes abundance, freedom, largeness, plenty, so the object of all flesh, signifies the extent of it to all sorts of persons. And you know how great and eminent were the gifts that were communicated unto many in those days, so that this work was every way complete. By this means the churches were many, whose work and duty it is to be στυλοι καὶ ἑδραιωματα TNE αληϑειας, 1 Tim. 111. 15, the pillars of the truth, that is, to hold it up, and to hold it forth, Phil. 11. 16. When there is any such season when in any proportion or similitude unto this dispensation, or in a way or manner any thing extraordinary, God is pleased to give or pour out of the gifts of his Spirit upon many, for the declaration and preaching of the word of truth, then doth he constitute such an especial day or season as that we are inquiring after.
Secondly. When God is pleased to give signal providential warnings, to awaken and stir up men unto the consideration of, and attendance unto his word and ordinances, this makes such a season to become a special day. For the end of extraordinary providences is to prepare men for the receiving of the word, or to warn them of impending judgments for the contempt of it. This remark did God put upon the season respected here by the apostle. For unto the mention of the pouring of the Spirit, that of signs and judgments is adjoined, Acts ii. 19, 20, ‘ And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come.’ The things here spoken of, were those signs, prodigies, and judgments which God showed unto, and exercised the people of the Jews withal, before the destruction of Jerusalem; even those foretold by our Lord Jesus Christ, Matt. xxiv. And they were all wrought during the time that they enjoyed the dispensation of the gospel before described. And what was the end of them? It was evidently to puta signal mark and note upon that day and season of grace which was then granted unto that people. Forso it is added, ver. 21, ‘And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ That is, that whosoever shall make use of these warnings, by signs and wonders, and dreadful representations of approaching indignation and wrath, so as to attend unto the word dispensed, by virtue of the plentiful effusion of the Spirit before mentioned, and yield obedience thereunto, (that is, make use of the day granted to them,) he shall be saved, when others that are negligent, rebellious, and disobedient, shall utterly perish.
Thirdly. When it is a season of the accomplishment of prophecies and promises for the effecting of some great work of God, in and on the outward state of the church as to its worship. The day the people had in the wilderness, was the time when the great promise given to Abraham 430 years before, was to have its typical accomplishment. Hereupon the outward state of the church was wholly to be altered; it was to be gathered from its dispersion in single families, into a national union, and to have new ordinances of worship erected in it. This made it a great day to the church. The day whereunto the application of these things is made by the apostle, was the season wherein God would make that great alteration in the whole worship of his church, by the last revelation of his mind and _ will in the Son. This was a day great and signal. So also when the time comes of the fulfilling of any especial prophecy or prediction for the reformation of the church, it constitutes such a season. Something of this nature seems to be expressed Rev. xiv. 6—8, ‘ And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people; saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and there followed another.angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication.” The time approaching wherein Babylon is to be destroyed, and the church to be redeemed from under her tyranny, as also to be freed from her pollution, and from drinking any more ‘ of the cup of her fornication,’ which is the greatest change or alteration that the outward state of it is left obnoxious to in the world; the everlasting gospel is to be preached with such glory, beauty, and efficacy, as if it were delivered from the midst of heaven; and men have an especial day of repentance and turning to God given to them hereby. And thus it is also at sundry seasons, when the Lord Christ deals with his churches in one place or another, in a way of preludium or preparation to what shall ensue in his appointed time amongst them all. '
These, and the like things, do constitute such a special season and day as that we inquire after; and whether such a day be not now on many places, need no great travel of mind or eminency of understanding to determine.
Secondly. It is declared in the proposition laid down, that such a day, such a season is diligently to be attended to and improved. And the reasons and grounds hereof are,
First. Because God expects it. He expects that our applications ‘unto him in a way of obedience, should answer his unto us in a way of care and tenderness. That when he is earnest in his dealings with us, we should be diligent in our observance of him. Every circumstance that he adds unto his ordinary dispensations is to have its weight with us, and in such a day they are many. See Isa. v. 1, ‘My well beloved hath a vineyard jw j2 ΤΡΞ ina horn of a son of oil,’ planted in a fat and fruitful soil, (that is, furnished with all possible means to render it fruitful.) And ‘he fenced it, (protected it by his providence from the incursion of enemies,) and gathered out the stones thereof, (removed out of it whatever was noxious and hurtful; it may be the gods of wood and stone in an especial manner out of the land) and planted it with the choicest vine, (in its order, ordinances, and institutions of worship,) and built a tower in the midst of it,’ that is, for its defence; namely, the strong city of Jerusalem in the midst of the land, which was built as a city that is compact together, all as one great tower, ‘whither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel,’ Ps. exxii. 3,4, ‘ And also made a winepress therein — (the temple and altar continually running with the blood and sacrifices.) And he looked that it should bring forth grapes.’ His expectations answer his care and dispensations towards his church. That is the meaning of the word 3p», he looked, he expected. Expectation properly isa thing future and uncertain. So is nothing unto God. Being therefore ascribed unto him, it only signifies what is just and equal, and what in such cases ought to be, such a vineyard ought to bring forth grapes answerable to all the acts of God’s care and grace towards it. And we may see in that place what is the end of frustrating such an expectation. Such aré the dealings of God with churches and persons in the day we have described, and an expectatation of such fruit is it accompanied withal.
Secondly. Such a day is the season that is allotted unto us for especial work, for especial duty. Some singular work is the end and design of such a singular season. So the apostle informs us, 2 Pet. ii. 11, ‘Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness.’ The supposition in these words, concerning the dissolution of all these things, 1s an intimation of such a day as we have described from one circumstance of it, namely, the impending judgments of God, then threatened to the church and state of the Jews, which was now expiring. And the inference that he makes from that supposition, is unto a peculiar holiness and godliness. That this at such a time is intended, is a thing so evident, that he refers it to the judgment of those to whom he wrote. ‘What manner of persons ought we to be? Judge in yourselves, and act accordingly. Great light, great holiness, great reformation in hearts, houses, churches, are expected and required in such a day. All the advantages of this season are to have their use and improvement, or we lose the end of it. Every thing that concurs to the constitution of such a day, hath advantages in it to promote special work in us, and if we answer them not, our time for it is irrecoverably lost, which will be bitterness in the end.
Thirdly. Every such day is a day of great trials. The Lord Christ comes in it with his fan in his hand, to sift and try the corn; to what end is declared Matt. iii. 12, ‘His fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ The fan of Christ is his word, in and by the preaching whereof, he separates the precious from the vile, the wheat from the chaff. He comes into his floor, the church, where there is a mixture of corn and chaff, he sifts and winnows them by his word and Spirit, so discarding and casting off light, empty, and fruitless professors. Such a day is described by Daniel, chap. xii. 10,
‘Many shall be purified, and made white and tried, but’ the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.’ Many, that is, of the saints, shall be purified, yan, purged, made clean from such spots, stains, or defilements, as in their affection or conversation they had contracted: and ‘made white,’ y:25m, shall be whitened in their profession; it shall be rendered more eminent, conspicuous and glorious: and ‘ tried,’ 1273*, as in a furnace, that it may appear what metal they are of. Thus shall it be with believers; so shall they be exercised in their spirits, and so approved. But wicked and false professors shall be discovered, and so far hardened, that they thall go on, and grow high in their wickedness, unto their utter destruction. So it fell out in the day of his coming in the flesh, and so it was foretold, Mal. 111. 1-3. The whole people jointly desired his coming, but when he came, few of them could abide it or stand before it. He came to try them and purify them, whereon many of them being found mere dross were cast off and rejected: Christ in such a day tries all sorts of persons whereby some are approved, and some have an end put to their profession, their hypocrisy being discovered. And it therefore concerns us heedfully to regard such a season; for,
Fourthly. Unto whom such a day is lost, they also themselves are lost. It is God’s last dealing with them. If this be neglected, if this be despised, he hath done with them. He says unto them in it, ¢ This is the acceptable time, this is the day of salvation.’ If this day pass over, night will come, wherein men cannot work. So speaks our Saviour concerning Jerusalem which then enjoyed that day, and was utterly losing it, Luke xix. 41, 42, ‘And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes.’ Both the things and words and manner of expression declare the greatness of the matter in hand. So doth the action of our Saviour, ‘he wept,’ which is but once more recorded of him in the gospel, John xi. 35. And the word here used, ekAavoe, denotes a weeping with lamentation. The consideration of what he was speaking to, moved his holy, tender, merciful heart unto the deepest commiseration. He did it also for our example and imi- - tation, that we might know how deplorable and miserable a thing it is for a people, a city, a person, to withstand or lose their day of grace. And the words here used also, are of the like importance, ‘If thou hadst known, even thou’ the reduplication is very emphatical, ‘thou, even thou.’ Thou ancient city, thou city of David, thou seat of the temple and all the worship of God, thou ancient habitation of the church, ‘if thou hadst known; and there is a wish or a desire included in the supposition which is otherwise elliptical; ‘if thou hadst known;’ Oh that thou hadst known; εἰ, is sometimes well rendered by utinam. And again it is added, ‘at least in this thy day.’ They had enjoyed many lesser days of grace, and many before in the messages and dealings of the prophets, as our Saviour minds them in that great parable, Matt. xxi. 3336. These they despised, persecuted and rejected, and so lost the season of their aagee but NN these were lesser days, and not decretory of their state and condition. Another day they were to have, which he calls ‘this their day;’ the day so long foretold and determined by Daniel the prophet; wherein ‘tthe Son of God was to come, and was now come amongst them; and what did he treat with them about? ‘ The things which belonged unto their peace;’ of repentance and reconciliation unto God; the things which might have given them peace with God, and continued their peace in the world; but they refused these things, neglected their day, and suffered it to pass over them unimproved. What was the issue thereof? God would deal no more with them; the things of their peace shall now be hid from them, and themselves be left unto destruction. For when such a dispensation is lost, when the evening of such a day is come, and the work of it is not accomplished,
1. It may be, God will bring a wasting destruction upon the persons, church, or people that have despised it. So he dealt with Jerusalem, as it was foretold by our Saviour in the place before insisted on. Luke xix. 43,44. The ‘ things of thy peace’ are now over and hid from thee. What then will follow and ensue? Why, ‘ the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children with thee, and they shall not leave thee one stone upon another, because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.’ Because thou hast not discerned thy day, nor regarded it, hast not answered the mind of God in it, all this shall speedily befall thee, as it did accordingly. The same hath been the issue of. many famous Christian churches. The very places where they were planted are utterly consumed. Temporal judgments are oft-times the issue of despised spiritual mercies. This is the language of those providential warnings by signs and prodigies, which oft-times such a season is accompanied withal. They all proclaim the impendent wrath of God upon the neglect of his gracious call. And with examples hereof are all records, civil and ecclesiastical, filled.
God may, and sometimes doth leave such a people, church, or persons as have withstood his dealings in a way of grace in and unto their outward station in the world, and yet hide the things of their peace utterly from them, by a removal of the means of grace. He can leave unto men their kingdoms in this world, and yet take away the king-_ dom of heaven, and give that unto others. They may dwell still in their houses, but be in the dark, their candlestick and the light of it being consumed. And this hath been the most common issue of such dispensations, which the world groans under to this day. It is that which God threateneth, 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. Because men would not receive the truth in the love thereof; that is, because they will not improve the day of the gospel which they enjoyed, God sent them ‘strong delusions, that they should believe a lie;’ and how came it to pass? by removing the sound and sincere preaching of the word, he gave advantage to seducers and false teachers to impose their superstition, idolatry, and heresies upon their credulity. So God punished the neglect and disobedience of the churches of Europe, under the papal apostasy. And let us take heed lest this vial of wrath be not yet wholly emptied. Or,
3. God may leave unto such persons the outward dispensation of the means of grace, and yet withhold that efficacy of his Spirit, which alone can render them useful to the souls of men. Hence the word comes to have a quite contrary effect, unto what it hath under the influences of God’s especial grace, God in it then speaks unto a people, as is expressed, Isa. vi. 9, 10, ‘ Hear you indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not; make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.’ I have now done with them, saith God; I have no design or purpose any more to deal with them about their conversion and healing; and therefore, although I will have the preaching of the word as yet continued unto them, yet it shall have no effect upon them, but through their own unbelief, to blind them and harden them to their’destruction. And for these reasons amongst others, ought such a day as we have described, carefully to be attended unto.
This duty being of so great importance, it may be justly inquired, how may a man, how may a church know that it is such a day, such a season of the gospel with them, so as to be suitably stirred up unto the performance of their duty? I answer, they may do so two-ways.
First. From the outward signs of it, as the day is known by the light and heat of the sun, which is the cause thereof. What concurs to such a day was before declared. And in all those things there are sigtis whereby it may be known. Neglect and ignorance hereof was charged by our Saviour on the Jews, and that frequently; so Matt. xvi. 3, ‘O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.” How they discerned the face of the sky, he shows in the foregoing verses; namely, they judged by usual known prognostics what the weather would be in the evening or morning, that so they might accordingly apply themselves unto their occasions. But, saith he, as God hath planted such signs in things natural, hath so ordered them that one should be a sign and discovery of another, so he hath appointed signs of this day of grace, of the coming of the Messiah, whereby it also may be known. But these, saith he, you cannot discern. Ov δυνασϑε, “ you cannot;’ but withal he lets them know why they could not; that was because they were hypocrites, and either grossly neglected or despised the means and advantages they had to that purpose. The signs we have before mentioned are such, as being brought at any time to the rule of the word, they will reveal the season that they belong unto. And herein consisted the wisdom of those children of Issachar, ‘ who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do,’ 1Chron. xn. 32.
Secondly. Such a day or season will manifest itself by its efficacy. When God applies such a concurrence of means, he will make men one way or other sensible of his design and end. The word in such a day will either refine and reform men, or provoke and enrage them. Thus when the witnesses preach, which is a signal season of light and truth, they ‘torment them that dwell on the earth,’ Rev. x1. 10. I they are not healed, they will be tormented. So it was at the first preaching of the gospel; some were converted and the rest were hardened. A signal work passed on them all; and those who dispensed the word, became a ‘good savour to them that are saved, and in them that perish” The consciences of men will discover their times. God will one day or other leave his witness within them. An especial day will make an especial approach unto their hearts. If it make not them better, they will be worse: and this they may find by the search of themselves. God in this dispensation, effectually speaks these words unto an evident experience in the minds of men; ‘ He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still,’ Rev. xxu. 11. nee |
The especial duty incumbent on men in such a day, 15 in all things to hearken to the voice of God.
We now proceed unto the second part of the words under consideration, comprising the example itself insisted on, and whereon the exhortation itself is founded. And this consists of two general parts. First. The sin; and, Secondly. The punishment of the people of old.
The sin is contained in these words, ‘ As in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.’
The first thing occurring in the words according to our former distribution of them, relating to the sin mentioned, is the persons of the sinners; they were their fathers, the progenitors of them to whom the apostle wrote. And they are in the next verse further described by their multitude; they were a whole generation; ‘I was grieved with that generation.’:
Who these were, was declared before in the exposition of the words, and it is plain from the story, who are intended. It was the people that came up out of Egypt with Moses, all of whom that were above twenty years of age, at their coming into the wilderness, because of their manifold sins and provocations, died there, Caleb and Joshua only excepted. So the Lord threatened, Num. xiv. 26—30, ‘ And the Lord spake unto Moses and ‘Aaron, saying; how long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As surely as I live, saith the Lord, as you have spoken in mine ears, so will I do unto you; your careases shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me; doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which 1 sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.’ And so it came to pass; for when the people were numbered again in the plains of Moab, it is said, ‘Among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai’ that is, besides those two who were excepted by name,’ Num. xxvi. 65. These were the fathers of the present Hebrews; that is, as it is expressed, Jer. xi. 10. tO 2~x7 max,
‘ their forefathers,’ as we render the words, rather their first fathers; those whom God first took into the express covenant with himself. For the place hath respect unto that very sin which is here reported. ‘ They are turned back unto the iniquity of their first fathers, who refused to hear my words;’ who hearkened not unto the voice of God. And this limits the term to those in the wilderness, seeing the former patriarchs did not refuse to hear the word of God. But they are generally called max indefinitely, warepec, the ‘fathers;’ as others also that followed in succeeding generations; once by our apostle they are termed πρόγονοι, ‘ progenitors,’ 2 Tim. 1.3. Now the Psalmist mentioning (and our apostle from him) the sin of the people ‘in the wilderness, and proposing it with its consequences unto the present Hebrews, calls them their fathers.
First. Because that people were exceedingly apt to boast of their fathers, and to raise a contidence in themselves that they must needs receive mercy from God on their account. And they had indeed no small privilege in being the posterity of some of those fathers. Our apostle reckons it as one of their chief advantages, Rom. ix. 4, 5, ‘ Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came.’ It hath a place in the great series of the privileges of that church. And when the church-state is made over to the Gentiles, it is promised her, that instead of these fathers, she should have her children, Psal. xlv. 16. Those that should succeed unto them in holiness and the favour of God. But this people run into a woeful mistake, which their posterity are hardened in at this day. Their only privilege in this matter, was because God had freely and graciously given his promises unto their fathers, and taken them into covenant with himself. And the due consideration hereof, tended only to the exaltation of the rich and free grace of God. So Moses expressly declares, Deut. vii. 7, 8, and elsewhere. But forgetting or dezpising this, they rested on the honour and righteousness of their fathers, and expected I know not what as due unto them on that account. This vain confidence our Saviour frequently rebuked in them, and so did the apostle. And for this reason, the Psalmist and the apostle having occasion to mention the sins of the people of old, calls them their fathers, minding them, that many of them in whom they gloried were sinful provokers of God.:
Secondly. It is done to mind them of their near concernment in the example proposed unto them. [{ isnot taken from amongst strangers, but it is what fell out among their own progenitors. ὌΡΗ
Thirdly. To warn them of their danger. There is a propensity in children to follow the sin of their fathers. Hence some sins prove eminently national in some countries, for many generations. _ The example of parents is apt to infect their children. The Holy Ghost then here intimates unto them their proneness to fall into disobedience, by minding them of the miscarrage of their fathers in the same kind. This intimates unto them both their duty and their danger. Again, these fathers are further described by their number. They were a whole generation; that is, all the people of that age, wherein they were in the wilderness. And this contains a secret aggravation of the sin mentioned, because there was’ in it a joint conspiracy as it were of all the persons of that age. These are they who were guilty of the sin here reported. And we may observe from this expression and remembrance of them,
Obs. XII. That the examples of our forefathers are of use and concerument unto us, and objects of our deepest consideration. God in his dealings with them, lays in instruction for their posterity. And ~ when parents do well, when they walk with God, they beat the path of obedience plain for their children; and when they miscarry, God sets their sins as buoys to warn them who come after them of the shelves that they split upon. ‘ Be not as your fathers, a stiff-necked generation,’ is a warning that he oft repeats. And it is in the Scripture an eminent part of the commendation or discommendation of any, that they walked in the way of their progenitors. Where any of the good kings of Judah are testified unto for their integrity, this is still one part of the testimony given unto them, that they ‘walked in the way of David their father, in the paths that he had trod before them. And on the other side, it is a brand on many of the wicked kings of Israel, that they walked in the ways of ‘ Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.’ Their examples, therefore, are of concernment unto us.
First. Because oft-times the same kind of temptations are continued unto the children, that the fathers were exercised withal. Thus we find in experience, that some temptations are peculiar to a nation. some to a family for sundry generations, which produce peculiar national sins, and family sins, so that at least they are prevalent in them. Hence the apostle chargeth national sins on the Cretians, from the testimony of Epimenides, who had observed them amongst them;
Tit. 1. 12, ‘The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.’ Lying, dissimulation, cruelty, and sloth, were the sins of that nation from one generation to another; children learning them from the example of their parents. So many families fora long season have been infamous for cruelty, or deceit, or the like. And these hereditary sins have proceeded in part from hereditary temptations; some are inlaid in their natural constitutions, and some are inseparably annexed unto some special course of life and conversation, wherein persons of the same family succeed one another. Now it is a great warning unto men, to consider what sad events have befallen them that went before them, by yielding unto those temptations, which they themselves have exercised withal.
Again. There is a blessing or a curse that lies secretly hid in the ways of progenitors. There is a revenge for the children of the disobedient unto the third and fourth generation, and ἃ blessing on the posterity of the obedient for a longer continuance. The very heathen acknowledged this by the light ofmature. Plato says expressly, εἰς reraptyy yeveay δια[θιίδαζει THY τιμωριαν, " punishment falls on the fourth generation.’ And they had the substance of it from their oracle.
So is that saying common in the same case,
The design is, what we have asserted of the traduction of punishment from wicked parents to their posterity. But there are conditions of the avoidance of the curse, and enjoyment of the blessing. When fathers have made themselves obnoxious to the displeasure of God by their sins, let their posterity know, that there is an addition of punishment coming upon them, beyond what in an ordinary course of providence, is due to themselves, if they continue in the same sins. So God tells Moses, in the matter of the golden calf which Aaron had made, when he had prevailed with him not immediately to destroy the whole people. ‘ Nevertheless,’ saith he, ‘in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them,’ Exod. xxx. 34. That is, If by their future sins and idolatry, they shall provoke me to visit and punish them, I will add unto their punishment, somewhat from the desert of this sin of their forefathers. Whence is that proverb among the Jews, ‘that there is no evil befals them, but it hath in it some grain of the golden calf.’
Myr ANW Dy MMT pyr 132 wy ὍΣΣ. “nope, saith Rashi, ‘ He will mix a little somewhat of the guilt of this sin, with the rest of their sins.’ And therefore the same word of visiting is here used, as in the threatening in the commandment, Exod. xx. 5. And when one generation after another shall persist in the same provoking sins, the weight of God’s indignation grows so heavy, that ordinarily in one part or other, it begins to fall within the third or fourth generation. And doth it not concern men to consider what have been the ways of their forefathers, lest there lie a secret consuming curse against them in the guilt of their sins? Repentance, and forsaking their ways, wholly intercepts the progress of the curse, and sets a family at liberty from a great and ancient debt to the justice of God. So God stateth this matter at large, Ezek. xviii. Men know not what arrears may by this means be chargeable on their inheritances, much more, it may be, than all they are worth is able to answer. There is no avoidance of the _writ for satisfaction that is gone out against them, but by turning out of the way wherein they are pursued. The same is the case of the blessing that is stored for the posterity of the obedient, provided they are found in the way of their forefathers. These things render them and their ways objects of our considerations. For, moreover,
Obs. XIII. It is a dangerous condition for children to boast of the privilege of their fathers, and to imitate their sins.—This was almost continually the state of the Jews. They were still boasting of their progenitors, and constantly walking in their sins. ‘This they are everywhere in the Scripture charged withal; see Num. xxxii. 14. This the Baptist reflected on in his first dealing with them: ‘ Bring forth,’ saith he, ‘fruits meet for repentance, and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father,’ Matt. i. 8,9. On every occasion they still cried out, ‘We have Abraham to our father;’ he who was so highly favoured of God, and first received the promises. For his sake, and by his means, they expected to be saved temporally and eternally. Hence they havea saying in their Talmud, o77aNw Doman Saws yw TD a> dw orm: Sw snp dy aw»; “ Abraham sits at the gates of hell, and will not permit that any transgressors of Israel shall go in thither.’ A great reserve against all their sins, but that it will deceive them when they are past relief. It is true, they had on this account many privileges, as our apostle testifies in sundry places, Rom. iii. 1, 2, ix. 4; and so he esteemed them to be as to his own personal interest in them, Phil. ui. 4, 5. But whilst they trusted unto him, and continued in the sins of them who had abused them, it turned to their farther ruin; see Matt. xxiii. 29—32. And let their example deter others from countenancing themselves in privileges of any kind, whilst they come short of personal faith and obedience. Again,
Obs. XIV. A multitude joining in any sin, gives it thereby a great aggravation. Those here that sinned were all the persons of one entire generation. This made it a formal open rebellion, a conspiracy against God, a design as it were to destroy his kingdom, and to leave him no subjects ia the world. When many conspire in the same sin, it is a creat inducement unto others to follow. Hence is that caution in the law, Exod. xxiii. 2, ‘Thou shalt not follow a multitude todo evil.” The law indeed hath an especial respect unto judgment and causes of differences among men. But there is a general direction in the law for our whole course. ΠΡ Dan ssnN nnn), ‘ Thou shalt not be after many (or great men) unto evils.” Take heed of the inclination
“of a multitude unto evil, Jest thou art also carried away with their errors and sin; and this aggravates the sin of many. It doth so also, that. the opposition unto God therein is open and notorious, which.
tends greatly to his dishonour in the world. And what resentment God hath of the provocation that lies herein, is fully expressed in Numbers, chap. xiv. 20—36, speaking of the sin of the congregation, in their unbelief and murmuring against him. In the first place, he engageth himself by his oath to vindicate his glory from the reproach which they had cast upon it, ver. 21, ‘ As truly as | live,’ saith he, ‘all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.’ Some take these words to be only an asseveration of that which follows; asif God had said that, ‘ As truly as I live, and as the earth is filled with my glory, all these men shall perish τ᾿ but the words rather contain the principal matter of the oath of God. He swears, that as they, by their conjunct sin and rebellion, had dishonoured him in the world, so he, by his works of power and vengeance on them, would fill the earth again with his glory. And there is in the following words a representation of a great παϑος; or commotion with great indignation. ‘ They have,’ saith he, ‘seen my miracles, and have tempted me now these ten times,’ ver. 22, The Hebrew doctors do scrupulously reckon up these ten temptations. The first, they say, is in Exod. iy, 11, when they said, ‘ Because there were no graves in Egypt.’. The second in Marah, Exod. xv. 24, ‘The people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? The third in the desert of Sin, Exod. xvi. 2, 3, ‘The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, and said, Would God we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots.’ The fourth when they left manna until the morning. Exod. xvi. 19, 20, And Moses said, Let no man leave of it until the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses, but some of them left until morning, and it bred worms and stank.’ The fifth was, when some of them went out to gather manna on the Sabbath day, Exod. xvi. 27, 28, which God called a refusing to keep his commandments and hislaws. Thesixth was in Rephidim, at the waters of Meribah, Num. xx. 8. The seventh in Horeb, wher. they made the calf, Exod. xxxil. The eighth at Taberah, Num. xi. 4,5. The ninthat Kibroth-Hataavah, Num. x1. 32. The tenth upon the return of the spies, Num. xiv. Thus are the ten temptations reckoned up by some of the Jews; and by others of them they are enumerated with some little alteration. But whether the exact number of ten be intended in the expression, is very uncertain; it seems rather to intend multiplied temptations, expressed with much indignation. So Jacob when he strove with Laban, told him. ‘Thou hast changed my wages ten times,’ Gen. xxxi. 41, that is, frequently, which he so expressed in his anger and provocation. So doth God here, ‘ You have tempted me these ten times;’ that is, so often, so far, that I neither can nor will bear with you any longer. In the whole discourse, which sinners ought to read and tremble at, there is represented, as it were, such a rising of anger and indignation in the face of God, such a commotion of soul in displeasure, both made use of to declare an unchangeable will of punishing, as scarce appears again in the Scripture. Thus it is for a multitude to transgress against God, as it were, by a joint conspiracy. Such issues will all national apostasies and provocations receive. And this is the first general part of the example proposed to consideration, namely, the persons sinning, with the observations that arise from thence. The second is, the matter or quality of their sin, which is referred unto two heads: First. Their provocation.—In the provocation, in the day of tempta- _tion. Secondly. Their tempting of him.—They tempted me and proved me. First. Their sin consisted in their provoking. It seems not to-be any one particular sin, but the whole carriage of the people in the action reflected on, that is intended; and that not at any one time, but in their own course. The word in the original, as was declared, signifies to chide, to strive, to contend, and that in words, Isa. sys S38) nN 35, ‘ Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker,’ and how doth, or may he do it? Shall ‘the clay say to him that made it Pde is by saying, by speaking against him, that he may so strive with him, But the apostle hath expressed it by a word denoting the effect of that chiding, that is, exacerbation or provocation. The expression of the actions here intended, in the places before mentioned, Exod. xvii.; Num. xx. 13, the chiding of the people, as we observed before, is directly said to be with Moses, as their tempting afterwards is of the Lord. Thus Moses saith unto them, ‘ Why chide you with me, and why tempt you the Lord?’ Exod. xvii. 2. But it is also said expressly, ‘ they strove (the same word) with the Lord,’ Num. xx. 13. The meaning is, that striving or childing (aa from 24) being properly ‘an altercation with, or in words,’ Moses, and not God, was the immediate object of their chiding. But because it was about and concerning the works of God, which Moses had no relation unto, but as he was his minister, servant, and employed by him, the principal object of their chiding, as formally a sin, was also God himself. In striving with Moses, they strove with him; and in chiding with Moses, they chode with him. This expression then, in general, compriseth all the sinful actions of that people against God, under the ministry of Moses.
First. The sin that is included in it.
Secondly. The event or consequent of it—God was provoked. The former seems first intended in the Hebrew word, the latter in the Greek.;
’ For the sin intended, it is evident from the story, that it was unbelief acting itself by murmuring and complaints, the same for the substance of it, by which also they tempted God. This the apostle declares to have been the great provoking sin, ver. 19. ‘So we see that they could not enter in by reason of unbelief.’ That was the sin which so provoked God, as that he sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. Yet it is not their unbelief, absolutely considered, that is intended; but as it brought forth the effects of chiding with Moses, and murmuring against God, which on all occasions they fell into. Though unbelief itself, especially in such a season, be a provoking sin, yet this murmuring and chiding so added unto its provocation, that it is directly laid on their accounts; but they also, as the apostle says, are to be resolved in their spring or cause, that is unbelief. They are but an especial sign, circumstance or effect of their unbelief.
The effect of this sin was the provocation or exacerbation of God. The Hebrew word which the apostle here expresseth by παραπικρασμος; is py2, which sometimes is taken actively, for provoking, inciting, stimulating, imbittering; sometimes passively, for indignation, perturbation, sorrow, grief, trouble. In the whole, it includes the imbittering of the mind of its object, with an excitation unto anger, displeasure, and wrath. Now these things are ascribed unto God, only by an anthropopathy. Such effects being usually wrought in the minds of the best men, when they are unjustly and ungratefully dealt withal, God to show men the nature of their sins ascribes them unto himself. His mind is not imbittered, moved or changed;
Now this provocation of God by their unbelief, acting itself in murmuring, chiding, and complaining, is further expressed from the season of it; it was in the day of temptation, the day of Massah. The denomination is’ taken from the name of the place, where they first murmured for water, and tempted God by the discovery of their unbelief. As it was called Meribah from the contention, chiding and provoking; so it was called Massah from the tempting of God there; the day of temptation. In this expression, not the addition of a new sin to that of provocation is intended; but only a description of the sin, and of the seasons of that sin. It was in the day of temptation that God was so provoked by them. How also they tempted him, we shall see afterwards. Now as this day signally began upon the temptation at Meribah, yet it continued the whole course of the people’s peregrination in the wilderness, their multitude tempting of God made this whole time a day of temptation.
Obs. XV. The sinful actings of men against those who deal with them in the name of God, and about the works or will of God, are principally against God himself.—The people chode with Moses; but when God came to call it to an account, he says, They strove with him and provoked him. So Moses told the people, to take them off from their vain pretences and coverings of their unbelief. Exod. xvi. 2. ‘The whole congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron; but,’ saith he, ver. 8. ‘The Lord heareth your murmurings against the Lord; and what are we that you murmur against us?’ as if he had said, Mistake not yourselves; it is God, and not us, that you have to do withal in this matter. What you suppose you speak only against us, is indeed directly, though not immediately, spoken against God, So God himself informs Samuel upon the repining of the people against him; ‘They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them,’ because he ruled them immediately in the name of God, 1 Sam. viii. 7. They pretended weariness of the government of Samuel, but they were indeed weary of God, and of his rule. And so what was done against him, God took as done against himself. And under the New Testament, our Saviour in particular applies this rule unto the dispensers of the gospel, Luke x. 16. Saith he, ‘ He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that dispiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.’ The preachers of the gospel are sent by Christ, and therefore their opposition and contempt doth first reflect dishonour upon him; and through him upon God himself.
And the reason hereof is, because in their work they are representatives of God himself; they act in his name, and in his stead, as his ambassadors; 2 Cor. v. 20. ‘ Now then,’ saith the apostle, ‘ we are ambassadors for Christ; as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be you reconciled to God.’ They treat with men as sent of God, in his name, about the affairs of Christ.
The violation of an ambassador amongst men is always esteemed to redound unto the dishonour of him by whom he is employed; for it is he unto whom the injury and affront are principally intended, especially if it be done unto him in discharge of his office. Nor are king or states ever more highly provoked, than when an injury is offered or an affront done unto their ambassadors. The Romans of old utterly destroyed Tarentum in Italy, and Corinth in Greece, on that account. And occasions of the same nature have of late been like to fill the world with blood and tumult. And the reason is, because, according to the light of nature, what is done immediately against a representative as such, is done directly and intentionally against the person represented. So it is in this case. The enmity of men is against God himself, against his way, his works, his wiil, which his ambassadors do but declare. But these things absolutely are out of ther reach. They cannot reach them nor hurt them, nor will they own directly an opposition unto them. Therefore are pretences invented by men against those who are employed by God, that under their covert they may execute their rage against God himself. So Amaziah priest of Bethel complained to Jeroboam the king, saying, ‘Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel, the land is not able to bear all his words.’ It is not because he preached against his idolatry, or denounced the judgments of God against the sins of men, that Amaziah opposeth him; no, it is merely on the account of his sedition and the danger of the king thereby, Amos vii. 10. And when, as it is likely, he could not prevail with the king for his destruction, he deals with him personally himself, to flee away and so to render himself suspected, ver. 12, 13. He had used an invidious expression concerning him to the king; ΤΣῊ “wp, ‘he hath conspired against thee;’ that is, to take away thy life. The word is used concerning two kings of Judah one after another, and the matter ended in their death, | 2 Chron. xxiv. 25, xxv. 27. And it is mostly used for a conspiracy ending in death. And yet all this was for enmity against God, and no affection to the king. Under the shade of such pretences do men act their opposition unto God, upon his messengers. God sees that they are all but coverts for their lusts and obstinacy; that himself is intended, and he esteems it so, accordingly.
Instruction lies plain herein for them, who by vainly invented pleas and pretences, do endeavour to give countenance to their own consciences, in opposition unto those who speak in the name and treat about the things of God. Let them look to it; though they may so satisfy themselves in and by their own prejudices, as to think they do God good service when they kill them; yet they will find things in the issue brought unto another account. This lies so clear from what hath been spoken, that I shall not further insist on it. But let them principally consider this, and thence what is incumbent on them, who are called to deal with others in the name of God. And
First. Let them take heed, that they neither do, nor act, nor speak any thing, but what they have sufficient warrant from him for. It is a dangerous thing, to entitle God or his name unto our own imaginations, God will not set his seal of approbation, he will not own a concernment in our lie, though we should think that it tends to his glory, Rom. iii. 7. Neither will he own what is done against himself, unless we stand in his counsels, and be found in the ways of his will. here is no object of a more sad consideration, than to see some men persecuting others for their errors. They that persecute (suppose them in the right, as to the matter in difference between them and those whom they do oppress, yet) do certainly act against God in what they pretend to act for him. For they usurp his authority, over the souls and consciences of men. And they that are persecuted, do sacrifice their concernments to the darkness of their own minds. God may concern himself in general to own their integrity towards himself, even in their mistakes. But in the particular wherein they suffer, he will not own them. Whether therefore we are to do, or to suffer any thing for God, it is of great concern unto us to look well to our call or warrant. And then, Secondly, when men are secured by the word and Spirit of God, that-their message is not their own, but his that sent them, that they seek not their own glory but his, they may have hence all desirable grounds of encouragement, support, and consolation in all the straits and temptations they meet withal in this world. They can be no more utterly prevailed against, that is, their testimony cannot, than can God himself. So he speaks to Jeremiah; “I will make thee a fenced brazen wall, they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee, for 1 am with thee to save thee, and deliver thee, saith the Lord,’ Jer. xv. 90. And in what they suffer, God is so far concerned, as to account all that is done against them, to be done against himself. Christ is hungry with them, and thirsty with them, and in prison with them, Matt. xxv. 35—37. Again,
Obs. XVI. Unbelief manifesting itself in a time of trial, is a most provoking sin. This, as we have shown, was the sin of the people in their provocation of God. And it is a great sin; the great sin, the spring of all sins at all times. But it hath many aggravations, attending it in a time of trial. And this compriseth the first sense of the limitation of time in that word, this day, before intimated; namely, an especial time and season wherein the guilt of this sin may be eminently contracted. For I speak not of unbelief in general with respect unto the covenant and the promises thereof, but of unbelief as working in a distrust of God with respect unto the dispensations of his providence. It is a disbelievine of God as to any concern of our own, when we have a sufficient warrant to believe and put our trust in him, when it is our duty so todo. And two things we may make a brief inquiry into.
First. What is required, that men may be in a condition to contract the guilt of this sin? and hereunto three things do belong;
1. That, in general, they be found in the way of God. God’s promises of his presence, and of his protection unto men, are confined unto his own ways; which alone are theirs, or ought so to be. ‘ He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways,’ Ps, xci. 11, that is, the ways that he bath appointed thee to walk in. The benefit of which promise the devil vainly attempted to deprive our Saviour of, by seducing him to ways that were not his; ways that God hath not appointed. Men in ways of their own, that is, in the crooked paths of sin, are not obliged to trust in God for mercy and_ protection in them. So to do, or to pretend so to do, is to entitle God to their lusts. For men to say, they trust in God, in the pursuit of their covetousness, injustice, oppression, sensuality, or in ways wherein these things-have a prevailing mixture; or to pray for the protecting, the blessing presence of God in them, is a high provocation.. Every difficulty, every opposition that such men meet withal, is raised by God to turn them out of their way. And to expect their removal by him, or strength and assistance against them, is to desire the greatest evil unto their own souls that in this world they are obnoxious unto. The Israelites here blamed, were in the way of God, and no opposition ought to have discouraged them therein.
2. That in particular, they have a warrantable call to engage in that way wherein they are. A way may be good and lawful in itself, but not lawful to a man that enters upon it without a sufficient call. And this deprives men also of the grounds of expectation of God’s presence, so as to that particular way wherein they cannot contract the guilt of this sin; though commonly it is distrust of God, that casts men into such ways. It was the way and work of God, that the Israelites should destroy the Amorites and possess their land. But when they would in an heat without a sufficient warrant go up into the hill and fight with them, Moses says unto them, ‘Go not up, for the Lord is not among you, and they were discomfited to Hormah,’ Num. xiv. 42—45. Unto a lawful way then in general,-a lawful call in particular must be added, or we have not a sufficient foundation for the discharge of that duty, whose defect is now charged by us.
3. They must have a sufficient warrant of the presence and protection of God. This is that which makes faith and trust a duty. And God gives it two ways. 1. In general, in the promise of the covenant, wherein he hath undertaken to be with us, to bless us, and to carry us through the course of our duty, Heb. xui. 5. ‘ He hath said, [ will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’ ‘This alone is a sufficient ground and foundation for faith and trust in every condition. And this the Israelites had in the promise made unto Abraham and others of their forefathers. 2. By giving some signal instances of his power, wisdom and care in his presence with us, by protection, direction, preservation, or deliverance in those ways of his wherein we are engaged. When by this means he hath given us experience of his goodness, faithfulness, and approbation of the ways wherein we are, this adds a speciality unto the general warrant for faith in the word of promise. And this they also had in all those works of God which they saw for forty ears. A Secondly. It must be inquired, what it is that makes any time or season to be a day of trial; seeing the miscarriage of men in such a season is expressed as a great aggravation of their sin. And they are the things that follow.
1. That there be a concernment of the glory of God in the performance of that duty wherein we are to act faith, or to trust in God. So God tried the faith of Abraham in a duty wherein his glory was greatly concerned. For by his obedience in faith, it appeared to all the world that Abraham respected God, and valued a compliance with his will above all things in this world whatever. So God himself expresseth it, Gen. xxii. 12. ‘ Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. This was the tenth and last trial that befel Abraham. Nine times he had been tried before: 1. In his departure out of his country. 2. By the famine which drove him into Egypt. 3. In the taking away of his wife there by Pharaoh. 4. In his war with the four kings. 5. In his hopelessness of issue by Sarah, whence he took Hagar. 6. In the law of circumcision. 7. His wife being taken from him again by Abimelech. 8. His casting out of Hagar after she had conceived. 9. His expulsion of Ishmael. In some of these it is known how he failed, though in most of them he acquitted himself as became the father of the faithful. But now the fluctus decumanus came upon him; his last and utmost trial, wherein he was made aspectacle to men, angels, and devils. The Jews tell us great stories, of the opposition made by Satan, in his arguing with Abraham and Isaac, about and against their obedience in this thing. And no doubt but he employed himself unto that purpose. And it is endless to show how many eyes were upon him, all which gave a concernment of glory unto God. Here therefore Abraham in a most especial manner acquits himself, whence God gives him that testimony; ‘ Now I know that thou fearest God,’ that is, now thou hast made it known beyond all exception; and this puts a blessed close unto all his signal trials. When therefore God calls men forth unto the performance and discharge of any duty, wherein his glory and honour in the world is concerned, then he makes it unto them a time of trial.
2. Difficulties and opposition lying in the way of duty makes the season of it a time of trial. When men have wind and tide with them in their sailing, neither their strength nor their skill is tried at ‘all. But when all is against them, then it is known what they are. When the sun shines and fair weather continues, the houses that are built on the sand, continue as well as those that are built on the rock. But when the rain, and the floods, and the wind come, they make the trial. While men have outward advantages to encourage them in the ways of God, it is not known what principles they act from. But when their obedience and profession is attended with persecution, reproach, poverty, famine, nakedness, death; then it is tried what men build upon, and what they trust to; then it is to them a time of trial. |
Farther. To give light to our proposition, we may inquire how, or by what means men do, or may act, and manifest their unbelief at such a time or season. And this may be done several ways.
1. By dissatisfaction in, and discontent at that condition of difficulty, whereunto they are brought by the providence of God for their trial. Herein principally did the Israelites offend in. the wilderness. Their condition pleased them not. This occasioned all their murmurings and complaints whereby God was provoked. It is true, they were brought into many straits and difficulties; but they were brought into them for their trial by God himself, against whom they had no reason to repine or complain. And this is no small fruit, effect, and evidence of unbelief in trials; namely, when we like not that condition we are brought into, of poverty, want, danger, persecution. If we like it not, it is from our unbelief. God expects other things from us. Our condition is the effect of his wisdom, his care, and love; and as such, by faith ought it to be acquiesced in. ἵν
2. By the omission of any duty that is incumbent on us, because of the difficulties that attend it, and the opposition that is made unto it. To be fearful and unbelieving, go together, Rev. xxi. 9, Where our fear, or any other affection, influenced or moved by earthly things, prevails with us to forego our duty, either absolutely, or in the most special and eminent instances of its practices, there unbelief prevails in the time of our trials. And this way also, in particular, did the Israelites fail. When they heard of fenced cities and sons of Anak, they gave up all endeavours of going into the land of Canaan, and consulted of making a captain to lead them back again into Egypt. And no otherwise is it with them who forego their profession, because of the giant-like opposition which they find against it.
3. When men turn aside, and seek for unwarrantable assistances against their difficulties. So did this people: they made a calf to supply the absence of Moses, and were contriving a return into Egypt to deliver them out of their troubles. When men in any thing make flesh their arm, their hearts depart from the Lord, Jer. xvii. 5.
4, When men disbelieve plain and direct promises, merely on the account of the difficulties that lie against their accomplishment. This reflects unspeakable dishonour on the veracity and power of God; the common sin of this wilderness-people. They limited God, and said, Can he do this or that? Seldom it was that they believed beyond what they enjoyed. Here lay the main cause of their sin and ruin. They had a promise of entering into the land. They believed it not; and, as our apostle says, they could not enter in because of unbelief. The promise was to their nation, the posterity of Abraham; the accomplishment of it in their persons depended on their faith. Here was their trial; they believed not, but provoked God, and so perished. Now, the reasons of the greatness of this sin, and its aggravations, are contained in the previous description of it. Every instance declaring its nature, manifests it also to be heinous. I shall take up, and only mention two of them.
First. There is, as was shown, an especial concernment of the glory of God in this matter. He calls men forth in such a season, to make a trial of their obedience. He makes them therein, as the apostle speaks, a spectacle unto men and angels. And the hinge that the whole case turns upon, is their faith. This all other actings hold a conformity unto. If here they discharge themselves aright, the glory of God, the manifestation whereof is committed unto them, is preserved entire. If herein they fail, they have done what lies in them to expose it to contempt; see Num. xiv. 21. So was the case in the trial of Job. God permitted Satan to try to the uttermost whether he believed in him, and loved him sincerely or not. Had Job failed herein, how would Satan have vaunted and boasted, and that against God himself? And the same advantage do others put into his hands, when at any time they miscarry in point of faith in a time of trial.
Secondly. The good and welfare, the peace and prosperity of the church in this world, depend on the deportment of men belonging to it in their trials. They may, at least as unto God’s outward dispensations towards them, sin at a cheaper rate at other times. A time of trial is the turn of a church’s peace or ruin. We see what their unbelief cost this whole generation in the wilderness; and these Hebrews, their posterity, were now upon the like trial. And the apostle, by this instance, plainly insinuates unto them what would be the issue if they continued therem, which accordingly proved to be their utter rejection.
Thirdly. Add hereunto, that it is the design of God in such particular instances, to try our faith in general as to the promises of the covenant, and our interest therein. The promise that this people had principally to deal with God about, was that of the covenant made with Abraham, the which all pretended to believe. But God tried them by the particular instances mentioned; and failing therein, they failed as unto the whole covenant. And it is so still. Many pretend that they believe the promises of the covenant, as to life and salvation by it, firmly and immoveably. God tries them by particular instances of persecution, difficulty, straits, public or private. Here they abide not, but either complain and murmur, or desert their duty, or fall to sinful compliances, or are weary of God’s dispensations. And _ this manifests their unsoundness in the general; nor can it be otherwise tried.
Obs. XVII. There is commonty a day, a time, wherein unbelief riseth to its height in provocation.—We showed before that there is a day, an especial season of God’s dealing with the sons of men, by his word and other means of grace. The due observance and improvement hereof, is of the greatest importance unto them. ‘To-day, if you will hear his voice; that is, the day wherein God’s dispensations of grace and patience come to their axun, status rerum inter incrementum et decrementum, ‘their height.’ After this, if not closed with, if not mixed with faith and obeyed, they either insensibly decline, in respect of their tender or efficacy, or are utterly removed and taken away. In like manner, there is a day, a season, wherein the unbelief of men in its provocation comes to its height, and uttermost issue, beyond which God will bear with them no longer, but will break off all gracious intercourse between himself and such provokers. This was the direct case with these Israelites. They had by their unbelief and murmuring provoked God ten times, as was declared before. But the day of their provocation, the season wherein it arrived to its height, came not until this trial, mentioned Num. xiv. upon the return of the spies that went to search the land. Before that time, God often reproved them, was angry with them, and variously punished them; but he still returned unto them in a way of mercy and compassion, and still proposed unto them an entrance into his rest according to the promise. But when that day once came, when the provocation of their unbelief was come to its height, then he would bear with them no longer, but swears in his wrath that they should not enter into his est. From that day, he took hold of all occasions to exercise severity against them, flooding them away, Ps. xe. 5, until that whole evil generation was consumed. And so it was with their posterity, as to their church and national state. -God sent unto them, and dealt variously with them, by his prophets, in several generations. Some of them they persecuted, others they killed, and upon the matter rejected them all, as to the main end of their work and message. But yet all this while God spared them, and continued them a people and a church. Their provocation was not come unto its height, its last day was not yet come. At length, according to his promise, he sent his Son unto them. This gave them their last trial, this put them into the same condition with their forefathers in the wilderness, as our apostle plainly intimates in the use of this example. Again, they despised the promises, as their fathers had done in the type and shadow; so did they when the substance of all promises was tendered and exhibited unto them. This was the day of their last provocation, after which, God would bear with them no more in a way of patience, but enduring them for the space of near forty years, he utterly rejected them; sending forth his servants, he slew those murderers, and burnt their city. This is that which our Saviour at large declares, in his parable of the householder and his husbandmen, Matt. xxi. 33—4]1.
And thus in God’s dealing with the antichristian state, there is a season wherein the angel swears, that ‘ there shall be time no longer,’ Rev. x. 6. That God would no longer bear with men, or forbear them in their provocations and idolatries, but would thenceforth give them up unto all sorts of judgments, spiritual and temporal, unto their utter confusion; ‘ Yea, send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness,’ 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. And concerning this day two things may be observed. 1. That it is uncertain. 2. That it is unalterable.
First. It is uncertain: men know not when their provocations do come, or will come unto this height. Jerusalem knew not in the entrance of her day, that her sin and unbelief were coming to their issue, and so was not awakened to their prevention; no more than the men of Sodom knew when the sun arose, that there was a cloud of fire and brimstone hanging over their heads. Men in their sins think they will do as at other times, as Sampson did when his locks were cut; and that things will be made up between God and them as formerly; that they shall yet have space and time for their work and duty. But ere they are aware, they have finished their course, and filled up the measure of their sins. ‘ For man also knoweth not his time, as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them,’ Eccles. ix. 12, For the day of the Lord’s indignation comes ‘as a snare on them that dwell on the face of the earth,’ Luke xxi. 35. And men are often crying ‘Peace, peace,’ when sudden destruction comes upon them, | Thess. v. 3. When Babylon shall say, she sits as a queen, and is no widow (her sons being again restored unto her) and shall see no sorrow; then shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire, Rev. xviii. 7, 8. Hence is Christ so often said to come as a thief, to manifest how men will be surprised by him in their sins and impenitency. And if the outward peace and the lives of men in this condition be respited for a while, as oft-times they are, yet they are no longer under a dispensation of patience. There is nothing between God and them but anger and wrath. If men knew when would be their last trial, and which were it, we think they would rouse up themselves to a deep consideration of it, and a serious compliance with the call of God. But this in the holy will and wisdom of God, is always hid from them, until it be too late to make use of it, until it can produce no effects but a few despairing wishes. God will have none of his warnings, none of his merciful dispensations put off or slighted with the hopes and expectation of another season, by a foolish promising whereof unto themselves, men ruin their souls every day.
Secondly. It is unalterable and irrecoverable. When the provocation of unbelief comes to this height, there is no space or room left for repentance, either on the part of God or the sinner. For men, for the most part after this, they have no thought of repenting. _ Either they see themselves irrecoverable, and so grow desperate, or become stupidly senseless, and lie down in security. So those false worshippers in the Revelation, after time was granted unto them no longer, but the plagues of God began to come upon them, it is said, ‘They repented not, but bit their tongues for anger, and blasphemed God.’ Instead of repenting of their sins, they rage against their punishment. And if they do change their mind in any thing, as Esau did when he saw the blessing was gone, it is not by true repentance, nor shall it be unto any effect or purpose. So the Israelites finished their sin by murmuring against the Lord upon the return of the spies, and said, they would not go up into the land, but would rather return into Egypt, Num. xiv. But after a while they changed their minds, ‘and they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo we be here, and we will go up into the place which the Lord hath promised,’ ver. 40. But what was the issue? Their time was past, the Lord was not amongst them, ‘and the Amalekites and the Canaanites that dwelt in that hill, smote them and discomfited them unto Hormah,’ ver.45, Their change of mind was not repentance, but a new aggravation of their sin. Repentance also in this matter is hid from the eyes of God. When Saul had finished his provocation, Samuel denouncing the judgment of God against him, adds, ‘ And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent,’ 1 Sam. xy. 29. God firms his sentence, and makes it irrevocable, by the engagement of his own immutability. There is no change, no alteration, no réprieve, no place for mercy, when this day is come and gone, Ezek. xxi. 25.
Let persons,—let churches,—let nations take heed lest they fall unawares into this evil day. I say, unawares to themselves, because they know not when they may be overtaken by 10. It is true, all the danger of it ariseth from their own negligence, security, and stubbornness. If they will give ear to previous warnings, this day will never come upon them. It may not therefore be unworthy our inquiry, to search what prognostics men may have of the approach of such a day. And