§. 168. Of the vengeance that followed upon grieving God.
ANother effect of their sinne is set out in these words, Whose carkasses sell 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Wildernesse.
This as it was the fruit of their sinne, so it was also a just recompence of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grieving God. By their sinne they grieved God: and God, being grieved, •…•…∣stroyed them.
The a 1.1 Greek word translated [carkasse] properly signifieth members of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 body: but by a Synecdoche it is put for the body, which is constituted of membe•…•… So this word is used in other Greek Authors. It is no where else in the New Te•…•…∣ment. The Apostle hath taken it from the LXX. For they do oft translate 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hebrew word, which signifieth a carkasse, or dead body, by this word: as 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.2 David saith, I will give the carkasses of the hoast of the Philistims, 1 Samuel 17. 4•…•… Three times is this word used in one Chapter, Numb. 14. 29, 32, 33, Yea this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 phrase is there thus used, Your carkasses shall fall in this wilderness: So as the A•…•…∣stle may seem to have taken it from thence.
Our English word carkass betokeneth a dead body: For they did not fall •…•…∣ving bodies, so as they might rise up again: but they were slain.
The Verb d 1.3 fall, implieth a sudden and extraordinary kinde of death. It 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.4 to set out the fall of the walls of Iericho, Heb. 11. 30. and the fall of the house 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was built on the sand, Matth. 7. 27. And of blinde men falling into a ditch, A•…•… 15. 14. And to Ananias and Saphira their sudden falling down dead, Act. 5. 5▪ And to Eu•…•…ychus his falling down dead, Act. 20. 9. And to those three and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thousand which fell in one day in the wilderness, 1 Cor. 10. 8. And to the fall of •…•…∣bylon, Rev. 148.
We do not reade of any one that died a natural death (as we speak) in the •…•…-derness all the time that the Israelites were there. Both Moses and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 while they were in health, and might according to the course of nature, have •…•…∣ved longer. Even their death was extraordinary, and a judgement on them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fell, and so did all the rest that died in the wilderness, They all fell.
Mention is made of the wildernesse, wherein the fore-said judgement was ex∣cuted, to give a more clear evidence of the kinde of judgement.
The wilderness was but a passage into the promised Land. The reason of the long abode there, was their murmuring against God, Numb. 14. 33. To die in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wilderness was to come short of the promise made to their fathers. In this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 respect to die there was reckoned as a judgement to Aaron, Numb. 20. 24. and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Moses, Deut. 32. 50, 51.
Of the wilderness, See v. 8. §. 92, 93.
This islue of those sinners that grieved God, giveth evidence, That they 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.5 by their sinnes grieve God, do therein sinne against their own souls: they▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vengeance upon themselves: So did the old world. Through their sinne it gr•…•… God at his heart that he had made man: and thereupon he said, I will destroy man, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 6. 6, 7. God was displeased at Onans sinne, and slew him, Gen. 38. 10. When E•…•… offended in Baal, he died, Hos. 13. 1. Reade through the book of God, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall ever finde some judgement following upon offending, grieving, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Lord.
His Justice, Power, Prudence, Truth, and other like Attributes stir him up th•…•… maintain the glory of them. Otherwise his wrath, his grief, and otherlike pa•…•…