A view of the threats and punishments recorded in the Scriptures, alphabetically composed with some briefe observations upon severall texts / by Zachary Bogan ...

Discord.

Threats OF Discord among all sorts.

By the prophet Jeremy: I will dash them * 1.1 one against another, even the Fathers and the Sonnes together Jer: 13, 14. (concerning the Jews.)

By our Saviour: Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on* 1.2 earth, (no, my busines is to give peace in heaven, and reconcilia∣tion with God:) I tell you, nay, but rather di∣vision Luk. 12, 51. You may see those words in part fulfilled at Iconium, upon Pauls preaching there Act: 14, 4.

of Discord among the wicked, as a punishment, and for the good of the godly.

Every mans sword shall be against his bro∣ther (concerning Gog) Ezek: 38: 21.

A great* 1.3 tumult from the Lord shall be among them, and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour and his hand shall

rise up against the hand of his neighbour Zac: 14, 13. Concerning those that had fought against Jerusalem.

With this punishment God punished the Midianites when they fought with Gideon, Judg. 7, 22, where it is said, THE LORD set every mans sword against his brother, as it was above, a great tumult from THE LORD: and indeed the Lord's hand is especially seene in this punishment; be∣cause there is a worke to be wrought upon the heart; which the power of man cannot so well reach.

In this manner the Philistins likewise were panished, when they fought with Saul 1 Sam. 14, 20. and the Ammonites, and the Moabites when they fought with Jehoshaphat 2 Chr. 20, 24. See more in the chapter of The Enemies of the Church.

THREATS TO Discord (or to those that Cause and maintaine it.)

1 Of Confusion, and every evill worke, So S. James sayes, Where envying and strife is, there is confusion (or an unquiet* 1.4 life) and every evill worke, Jam. 3, 16. The Greeke is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉:† 1.5 but (I thinke) it may not be meant so much, every evill, or sinfull worke, or action (which is best exprest by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) as every evill or hurtfull thing: not so much the evill Sinne, as the evill of it. neither is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here a sinne; as it is in 2 Corinth. 12, 20. (for then there might have seemed to have beene a Tautologie) but a punishment; as it is in 2 Cor. 6, 5.* 1.6 The evill actions, which are the fruits of strife are many; but, I believe the evill things, which are the punishments, and ill consequents of it, are a great many more: for commonly, when men agree worst, they live best. enemies being (as they are called in Hebrew, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) observers, do make men for∣beare many sinnes, either for fear, or shame, or even for spite it selfe: and the want of an enemy makes them* 1.7 loose and carelesse.

The fruits of strife, both miseries, and sinnes, must needs be many, for these two reasons: 1 Because men at variance will not onel y not help one another; but will do all that they can to hurt one another: 2 Be∣cause men at variance, are for the most part in passion: now passion (usually) considers not what is profitable, and cares not what is lawfull. which way soever you interpret the words of the Apostle, they may very well be attended with those words of Solo∣mon, The beginning of strife is as when one let∣teth out water: therefore leave off contention before it be modled with, Prov. 17, 14. This

many seem to be better translated, thus: Leave off contention before thou hast * 1.8 intangled thy selfe: for before it be medl'd with, it cannot be left off. In like manner chap: 20, 3, I should render it, every foole will entangle himself: instead of, will be med∣ling; because, what ever it be that is there meant, it seems to be opposed to ceasing frō strife, expressed in the former part of the verse: which a man cannot so well be said to do, unlesse he hath already medl'd, or begun.

Strife is like a snare; which at first, when a man falls into, if he goe gently to worke, he may draw his foot out againe: or, i•• it be tyed, if he be not too hasty, but go wise∣ly to worke, he may untye it againe: but if once he fall to striving; the more he strives, the faster he is tyed. So one word drawes another, and the next is still worse then the former; and each party more an∣gry then before▪ when men are farre in, they resolve to goe on; either because they thinke they cannot come off with cred••t; or because they will not come off without it.

3 Destroying one another. But if yee bite, and devoure one another, take heed that yee be not consumed one of another Gal: 5, 15.

These evills are the naturall effects of the sinne it selfe: but can it be threatend with nothing from without viz. from God, or

from men? Yes it may be threatend:

1 With Gods hatred. for, him that soweth discord among brethren, Solomon hath put for one of his seven things, which, he sayes are an abomination to God Prov: 6, 16, 19.

2 Excommunication, (or a worse matter) I would they were cut off that trouble* 1.9 you Gal: 5, 12. (Spoken of them that caused division among the Galatians by urging circūcision) I would. he does but wish it; for his authority among the Galatians, was not so great as it was among the Corinthians (for if he were not an Apostle to others yet doubtlesse he was to them: as he sayes 1 Cor. 9, 2.) but among the Corinthians, I believe, he meant to see it done indeed, when he told them I feare lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as I would not; lest there be de∣bates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whispering, swellings, tumults. (behold dis∣cord's numerous and viperous brood) 1 Cor. 12, 20.

3 Ruine of families, cities, and kingdomes our Saviour used it as an argument against he Pharisees to prove, that he did not cast out one divell by an other (as they said he did) because, sayes he, Every kingdome di∣vided against it selfe is brought to desolation: and every city, or house divided against it selfe

shall not stand: and if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himselfe; how shall then his kingdome stand. Mat: 12, 25, 26. Where Dis∣cord is sown for the seed, the harvest must needs be destruction. Pallas (whom the Poets fain the goddesse of wisedome) thought that Cadmus intending to make himselfe King of Boeotia, could not take a wiser course to destroy his enimies* 1.10, then to sow this seed among them (which the Poet Ovid b 1.11 describes by the sowing of vipers teeth in the ground) which accordingly had its effect.

A viperous and poysonous seed indeed it is; as destructive in the body of a cōmon-wealth; as any poyson can bee in the body of a man. * 1.12 Id unum venenum, eam labem civitatibus o∣pulentis repertam, ut magna imperia mor∣talia essent; tis the only mortall dissease that a Kingdome can be sick of.

4 Exclusion out of the kingdome of God Hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings &c. (what a company of names* 1.13 this sin hath, or what a compound of sinnes it is!) of the which I told you before, as I have also told you in times past, (he could never tell them too much of it) that they which doe such things shall not in∣herit the kingdome of God Gal: 5, 20, 21.

Follow peace therefore with all men, if

not the peace of freindship, the peace of good will. Even the most wicked men, although thou doest not seek peace with them; yet if they seek it with thee, let them be sure to find it. Though the Israelites might not seek the peace of the Ammonites Deut: 23, 6. yet might they not distresse thē c.* 1.14 2, 9. Though they might not seek the peace of the Am∣monites with themselves, (that is, make a mutuall league of amity and association) yet they must seek their owne peace with the Ammonites (that is, not begin to contend with them in battell) Follow your own peace (love and good will) with all men, though not their peace with your selves: because it must not be gotten with enmity with God; and it cannot be had without it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The latin translation, ••separate them one frō another; which the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 will hardly beare; yet ours & that do very well agree: for things must be first se∣parated be∣fore you can dash them together.
• * 1.2

  Which seemes to be intimated, and an em∣phasis to be in the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on earth being pla∣ced in the end, apart frō 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 peace.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Septuagint, or madnesse: wherein the hand of God is eminent; viz. when men fall out on a sudden, & they know not where∣fore, as in Jud. 7, 22. where it is also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; but there they translate it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 confusion, and the vulgar caed••s slaughter.
• * 1.4

  Inquieta vita. Beza.
• † 1.5

  Like 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke: and as we say in En∣glish, such a one does well, for prospers, or is well.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Themist. orat. 12.
• * 1.8

  In the Hebrew 'tis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Those who dissettle you; it may be meant de statu dejicien∣tes, who make you to be of a¦nother mind: as it is v: 10. by whom they were re∣moved from him that cal'd them to li∣berty v: 13. and chap: 1, 6.
• * 1.10

  Those that were for Draco, whom ha∣ving slaine he usurped the King∣dome of Boeotia.
• b 1.11

  l. 3. Met. fab: 1.
• * 1.12

  Livy.
• * 1.13

  You may observe. both in this and the rest of the Epistles, there are more names for this sinne, than any other.
• * 1.14

  Some make these places to stand in need of a Reconci∣ler; but, I believe, there needs none; for in the first place doubt∣les by peace is meant their good and pros∣perity; as the text it selfe will expound it.