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

Disobedience to God (either meerly Dis∣obedience without any other sinne; or, as being the maine pro∣voking part of other sinnes) threatned and punished.

1 With God's Anger: The anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses Exod: 4, 14. (and it is likely it had burnt him, if he had still stood it out, & not obeyed at last) for denying to goe to Pharoah, three severall times, when God bid him ver: 1, 10, 13. Even Artaxerxes himselfe was sensi∣ble how it provoked God, to be Disobeyed: and therefore, when he gave commission to Ezra to build the Temple, he gave this charge: Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be diligently done: for why should there be wrath against the realme of the King and his Sons? Ezra 7, 23. and his Sons] he feared it would not be forgotten; but that God would visit such an iniquity of the Fa∣thers, even upon their Children after them.

2 God's Curse: I sett before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey &c.

and a curse if ye will not obey the commande∣ments of the Lord your God, saith Moses, Deu. 11, 27, 28. See Jer: 11, 8. Thus were A∣dam and Eve punished cheifely, if not meer∣ly for Disobedience; at least in the act it selfe was nothing sinfull but Disobedience. for what sinne could there be in in eating of a little fruit, unlesse God had commanded them to the contrary? And therefore when God pronounced judgment against them, all that he laid to their charge, was that they had eaten of the Tree of which he commanded them, that they should not eate Gen: 3, See what he sayes to the woman v. 11. and likewi••e to the man vers. 17. (al∣most the same words) When Paul would shew how we were made sinners in Adam, he sayes not, by the Ʋnholynesse, or by the Intemperance, or by the pride, or the like; but by the Disobedience of one man many were made sinners Rom: 5, 19. so on the other side, he sayes not, we were made righteous, by Christs holinesse; or by his patience, or by his meeknesse, nay nor by his sufferings, (for he might have suffered* 1.1 without com∣mand, and then he had merited nothing at his Fathers hand) but by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous (in the same place) Adam's Disobedience was as pure disobedience as could be; and Christ's Obedi∣ence.

What Christ did, or suffered, was neither duty (in it selfe) nor desert; but meerely (as he said) to doe the will* 1.2 of God, or to per∣form what the father had imposed upō him.

3 God's Setting himselfe against them. If ye will not OBEY the voice of the Lord, but rebell against the commandement of the Lord; then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, saith Samuel to the Israelites 1 Sam: 12, 15. voyce: and commandement] or, as it is in the originall, mouth; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rebell against (or provoke) the Mouth of the Lord; the aggravation is in the word, mouth. for if they should doe things not accor∣ding to his mind, it were not so much; but when they shall do them against his mouth, when he hath given them a charge with his owne mouth* 1.3 to the contrary; this is unan∣swerable. as our Saviour sayes, If I had not come, and spoken unto them they had not * had sinne, but now have they no cloake for their sinne John 15, 22. In Jeremy yon may see the sinne of Disobedience often aggravated by these expressions: I spake unto you rising early and speaking but ye heard not c: 7. 13. and I have spoken unto you rising early and speaking; but ye have not hark••ned chap: 25, 3. and so chap: 35, 14. you have the same words, Oh lit must needs anger God excee∣dingly (as it would any earthly Father)

to speak, and speak, and speak, and no body regard to hearken to him.

Then shall the hand of the Lord be against you:] His power shall be employed only a∣gainst you, to hurt you; and not at all for you, to protect you. O heavy Judgment!

4 In Kings, (in their Heiresa 1.4) with the Losse of their Kingdomes. Samuel told Saul, Thy Kingdome shall not continue &c. Because thou hast not kept that which the Lord com∣manded thee. 1 Sam: 13, 14. Yee read of no other fault reproov'd, but meere Disobedi∣ence to one command onely of the Pro∣phet's. viz: To tarry seven dayes for him at Gilgal chap: 10, 8. This (perhaps) he thought was a matter indifferent; or he thought that he would not come: or that he had obeyed his command, having tarried till seven dayes were fully come,* 1.5 (which is e∣nough in Scripture-account to make it so many dayes.) but yet because he did not that which doubtles he knew was the Pro∣phet's meaning viz: tarry out the full seven dayes; it argues, he cared little to obey his command, or follow his councell; and there∣fore he must suffer accordinly. So againe chap: 15, 23, he tels him thus, Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and stubbornesse is as iniquity * and Idolatry: Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also reje∣cted thee frō being King. Rejected] or, Slight∣ed,

(〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) as if he had said thus: Thou woul∣dest be thought to hate Witchraft, and Idola∣try, as most abominable crimes: But I tell thee, in Disobeying God's expresse command, thou doest Slight and Reject God, as much as he that doth worship an Idol, or goe to a witch:* 1.6 and therfore God hath also Slighted thee & thought thee unworthy to be King any longer. Here we read of no other fault but Disobedience nei∣ther, viz: in sparing Agag the King of the Amalekites, and the best of the spoile vers: 9, whereas he was cōmanded to destroy every thing without exception v. 3. Yet (perhaps) he thought to do God better service in reser∣ving some for sacrifice; therefore some ob∣serveupon the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (englished Ido∣latry verse 23. but signifying Images which they used to divine, and know things by) and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (englished stubbornesse, but, as they say, signifying to sinne by adding * 1.7 to God's command, and serving him another way then he commands) that in the verse be∣fore mentioned, Saul was told thus much, viz: That by serving God one way, wben he commanded another, (as if he knew better himselfe what way was best to serve him) he was as bad as they that neglecting to seek to God, sought to their Images or Teraphim But his serving of God in his owne way when God commanded another, was but will-worship; and

I may say of obedience, as God himselfe saies of mercy Hos: 6. 6* 1.8 God desireth obedience and not sacrifice. even knowledge only (as it is in the same place) he desireth MORE then burnt offerings; but, he desireth obedience and mercy, and NOT sacrifice. If you have no knowledge, I shall accept your offerings the worse; but, if you doe not performe o∣bedience to me, I will not accept of your sa∣crifices or your prayers at all. And there∣fore (as Solomon sayes Eccles: 5, 1,) Be more ready* 1.9 to heare, then to offer the sacrifice of fooles. you will but play the foole and loose your labour in offering sacrifices, so long as you refuse to heare and obey:

5 In whole nations, Conquest and Capti∣vity. The King of Assyria did carry away Is∣rael unto Assyria 2 Kings 18, 11 and it followes v. the 12. Because they OBEYED not the voice of the Lord their God.

They were DISOBEDIENT, and rebelled against thee &c. Therefore thou deliveredst thē into the hand of their enimies &c. thus said the Levites in their praier at the time of the fast, after the returne to Jerusalem Neh: 9. 26, (speaking concerning the old Israe∣lites.)

6 Cutting off from the congregation, (by the Leviticall Law) Whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut

off from the congregation of the Israel Ex: 12, 19. surely it must be only for Disobedience to a strict command; for otherwise, doubtlesse, such an action was in it selfe indifferent.

7 Destruction and death. God told the Israelites by Moses, before they went into Canaan As the nations which the Lord de∣stroyeth before your face, so shall yee perish be∣cause, you would not be obedient to voyce of the Lord your God. Deut: 8, 20. and he told the same people by Jeremy, after their returne from captivity, If they will not OBEY, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation Jer: 12, 17. Saul's one Disobedience, in sparing Agag, and the spoile, is mentioned for the chiefe cause of his death: So Saul died for his trangression (as if it were said, that his grand transgression of Disobedience) which he com∣mitted against the Lord, even against the word of Lord which he kept not 1 Chr: 10, 13. against the Lord even against the word of the Lord.] for if it had not been against the word of the Lord (that is, if the Lord had not com∣manded him to doe, what he did not) it had not been against the Lord.

What fault was there but Disobedience, in the Prophet of Judah, in eating and drin∣king with the old prophet of Bethel? 1 Kin: 13, 21. and yet it is there said, that while they sate at table the word of the Lord came to

the man of God that came from Judah say¦ing, For as much as thou hast DISOBEYED the mouth of the Lord &c. thy carcasse shall not come unto the Sepulchres of thy Fathers verse 20, 21, 22. and accordingly, a Lion met him, and killed him (v: 24.) but he was not suffered to eate him (v. 28.) belike, lest such an example of Gods anger against Dis∣obedience, might be too soone forgotten.

What other fault could there be in him who refused to smite the Prophet, when the Prophet himselfe bad him? 1 King: 20, 35 and yet, that Prophet, because he bad him in the name of the Lord, told him, Because thou hast not OBEYED the voyce of the Lord: behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a Lion shall teare thee. which accordingly came to passe, vers. 36.

Even of the righteous, when God hath made use of affliction to open their eares to discipline, Job saies, If they OBEY NOT, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall dye without knowledge Job 36, 12. without know∣ledge 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Septuagint renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.10 because being in∣structed, they would not learne, or, were Diso∣bedient.

Lot's wife was to blame indeed, for her cu∣riosity; but there is no fault of hers menti∣oned, besides Disobedience to the Angel's com∣mand

of not looking backe Gen. 19, 17. and yet shee was turned into a pillar of salt, verse, 26.

Jonah, for refusing to goe to Nineveh, when God commanded him, was made to lie for it no lesse then three daies in the belly of hell Jon. 2, 2.

Lastly, Those who were destroyed by the Flood, it seemes Disobedience had a great part of the cause of their punishment; for the terme that S. Peter gives them is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which sometimes were Disobedient, 1 Epist. 3, 20.

Disobedience to God's command, in some cases, is threatned worse, then in others: ac∣cording to the quality of the person, by whom it was delivered &c. If the command were delivered by the mouth of a Priest, it is threatned with Death. The man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken to the Priest, &c. evē that man shall die Deut. 17, 12.

If it were delivered but by the letter of an Apostle, with Excommunioation. If any man OBEY NOT our word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no fellowship with him, that he may be ashamed, 2 Thes. 3, 14.

How tenderly God takes it to be Disobey∣ed, may be gathered by his upbraiding the Jewes with the Obedience of the sons of Re∣chab. who, because their father command∣ed

them not to drinke wine, though he spake but once, and were now dead, obeyed his his command for ever: whereas the Jewes, though they had beene spoken to so often, and that by the Lord of Hosts *, and the God of Israel* 1.11, to leave their Idols, yet would never obey. See Jerem. 35, 14, 15, 16, 17.

Nothing (in the Scripture) is spoken so often, and with so much emphasis, in the praise or dispraise of a man, as doing, and doing not, as the Lord commanded; or, ac∣cording to the commandement of the Lord. as might be shewed in an hundred places.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See He∣ber: 5, 4, 5.
• * 1.2

  The pha∣risees pre∣ferd their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 law dilivered by mouth (th••ugh it it were but the mouth of men) before the written Law, Mar: 7, 8. but therein they erred.
• * 1.3

  That is, not so great: or they would have said they had not had sin.
• a 1.4

  For Saul was King all his life: hut after his deatb his King∣dome ceas∣ed, or conti∣nued no lō∣ger in his name and bloud; for then David had it.
• * 1.5

  As the word is in the Acts 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. cap. 2, 1.
• * 1.6

  which ap∣peared to bee so in∣deed after∣ward when he went to the witch of End or.
• * 1.7

  The Chaldee Par: trans∣lates it ad∣deth to the sayings of the Pro∣phets.
• * 1.8

  I desired mercy and not sacri¦fice; and the know∣ledge of God more then burnt offerings.
• * 1.9

  The vul∣gar renders multo me∣lior est o∣bedientia quam stul∣rorum vi∣ctima.
• * 1.10

  * See Isa: ••, 13.
• * 1.11

  Jer. 35, 17.