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

Impatience, and Murmuring.

In the Old Testament, you shall finde it Threatned.

1 With The grant of what is desired, in anger; which is a very sad punishment. Thus the Israelites were punished, for murmuring for want of flesh. Therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and yee shall eat. Yee shall not eat one day, nor two dayes, nor five dayes, neither ten dayes, neither twenty dayes: But even a whole month, till it come out at your nostrils, and it be loath∣some * 1.1 unto you: because that he have despised the Lord, which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, why came we forth out of Egypt Num: 11, 18. 19, 20. Because yee have despised the Lord which is among you, &c.] as if he had said, because yee have so underva∣lued me, and my being among you; chusing even to goe back againe into Egypt, so you may eat flesh; rather then goe along with me into Canaan, without it. Impatience under the want of temporall blessings, God takes as a d••spising, or thinking slight of him; as if he were not a sufficient portion without them. So, distrusting of Gods providence (at such a time,) is a polluting of his name, making it common and vile, as if hee were no more to be trusted then a creature; and therefore those that believe him, are said to sanctify

him in the eyes of others. Num: 20, 12. The Chald: par: at those words above cited, sayes, because the word of the Lord was loathsome to you; or, because you were weary of it: to intimate the neere resemblance of their punishment to their sinne: as if because they had loathed, (or were weary of the word of God) (or ra∣ther the Manna which he sent thē, v. 6.) they should be brought to loath, even that which they so earnestly desired, as it is said, (and as the Chaldee also renders, as if he thought it to be thus meant) till it be loathsome to you.

2. Death. and that first by fire* 1.2 from God: as in the Israelites, for complaining, (as 'tis thought) of their toylesome travelling. And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord, and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed in the uttermost parts of the Campe, Num: 11, 1. Secondly, by a feare∣full judgement.* 1.3 not specified; for the mur∣muring formerly spoken of. And while the flesh was yet in their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague* 1.4 vers. 33. I know some * interpret this plague, to be the fire spoken of vers. 1. and the murmuring to have beene the same, and the rather because of what is said, Ps: 78. 20. 21. But why then is it said

The children of Israel wept againe, v. 4. And why should the same place be called Tabe∣rah in the beginning* 1.5 of the chapter; and Kibroth Hattaavah, before you come to the * 1.6 end. Mark, how earnest, & hasty God was to punish this sinne. He had promised they should eat flesh for a moneth, v. 20. and there∣fore to be as good as his word, would not doe it sooner; but let them have a full moneth of daies, as it is in the Hebrew, v. 20.) but as soone as ever the moneth was out,* 1.7 he did it presently;* 1.8 so that though they tooke the meat into their mouthes, they had no time to chew it: While the flesh was yet in their teeth, the fire of the Lord was kindled, &c. Thirdly, by fiery serpents, for tempting* 1.9 God (as the Apostle's expression is, 1 Cor. 10 9.) to send other bread, and not being contented with, but loathing the Manna which he provided for them. And the people spake against God, & against Moses, Wherefore have yee brought us up out of the land of Egypt to die in the wil∣dernesse? for there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our soule loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents, and they bit the people, and much people dyed, Num. 21. 5, 6. Lastly, by Severall wayes, for mur∣muring at the journey into Canaan, upon the report of the cowardly spies, (who were themselves stricken with sudden

deathb 1.10, Num. 14. 37.) For because of this sin, their entrance into Canaan was prorogued for 40 yeares; & during that time, they wan¦dered up & down in the wildernesse so long, till all that were numbred at the time of the murmuring, and were above 20. yeares old, were dead according to the threat, v. 29. 30, All that were numbred of you according to your whole number, from 20 yeares old and upward, which have murmured against mee: Doubtlesse ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein.

In the New Testament you shall find it threatened.

1 With Not being owned by Christ. Whosoe∣ver doth not beare his crosse, & come after mee, cannot be my disciple, Luk. 14. 27.

2 Not having a crowne or reward, for not striving Lawfully. And if a man strive for masteries, he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully, 2 Tim. 2. 5. The Apostle had be∣fore exhorted Timothy to patience, v. 3. Strive lawfully] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, unlesse he fight a good fight. 1 Tim. 6. 12. unlesse he strive justum & legitimum certamen, doing every thing as he should. You may pati (suf∣fer,) & yet you may not be patiens (patient) in persecution. You must be sure that you suffer justly, as well as suffer unjustly: as you

must suffer well, and take it patiently; or else your suffering for doing well, will not be ac∣ceptable to God, 1 Pet. 2. 20. In James we have impatience threaten'd with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, condem∣nation, though it be but Impatience of what we suffer from men; & though it be never so wrongfully. What is there then, for impati∣ence under what we suffer from God, who al∣wayes punisheth us lesse then we deserve? Grudge not one against another, lest yee be con∣demned, Jam. 5. 9. Not only if ye wrong first, but if you returne wrong for wrong, you may be condemned in the opinion of all good men, who would else justifie you, and com∣mend you. The law gives an action against him that strikes again, as well as against him that struck first. And here in this place even for grudging, we have a Judge ready to pu∣nish, Behold the Judge standeth at the doore. The word in the Originall for grudge not, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and that it is meant of impatience, may be gathered by the verses immediately before and after. Be yee also patient, stablish your hearts, for the comming of the Lord draw∣eth nigh, vers. 8. Take, my brethren, the Pro∣phets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience, vers. 10.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Having eaten too much: and yet in Wis. c. 16. 3. Tis said they loathed those quailes, for the ugly sight of o∣ther beasts sent amōg them.
• * 1.2

  Unlesse the expres∣sions be me∣taphoricall and becaus•• it was said. before, hi•• anger wa•• kindled.
• * 1.3

  See Glut∣tony.
• * 1.4

  Perhap by an An∣gell, or as the Apost••∣calls him. (1. Cor. 1•• 10. the destroyer for by plague, is not me nt sicknes onl••
• * 1.5

  vers. 3.
• * 1.6

  vers. 34.
• * 1.7

  * vers. 20.
• * 1.8

  * Distru∣sting God is called tempting of him, Wisd. 1. 2.
• * 1.9

  In Wis∣dome, it is said, they were thus punished by beasts, for worshiping beasts, c. 16. 1. viz. after the manner of the Egypti∣ans. (Cro∣codilon a∣dorat pars haec Juv. Sat. 15.
• b 1.10

  R Solo∣men saith, their tongues (wherwith they spake the evill report) swoll, and that they dyed with poyson.