The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

A SERMON Preached upon

1 KINGS XIII. 24.

And when he was gone a Lion met him by the way and slew him: and his carcass was cast in the way. And the Asse stood by it, the Lion also stood by the carcass.

IN this Chapter there is mention of one or two miracles, and there is intimation of two wonders. The miracles are the Altar at Bethel renting and Jeroboams head withered, and at the Prophets prayer restored again. The wonders are, that so brave a Prophet should be deceived as he was, should be destroyed, as he was: and its wondrous, that the Lion that destroyed him should not also destroy his Asse. I know you know the story. He was sent to cry out against the Idola∣trous Altar at Bethel and so he did. He is commanded not to eat or drink in that place, and he did not, though the King kindly invited him home. But by the deceiving of ano∣ther Prophet he is brought back again, when he was got out of Town; he eats and drinks in the Town contrary to what he was commanded; and when he goes out again a Lion meets him by the way and kills him.

There is no difficulty at all in the wordsof the story, it is very easie to be understood: but there is mysteriousness in the providential disposal of God, that appears in the story.

I. The good Prophet to be so destroyed. How would this incourage Jeroboam and the Idolaters at Bethel in their Idolatry? Oh! this man was but a false Prophet, all he said against our golden Calf and Altar was but a scarbabe, for otherwise he would never have come to such an end. And how might they boast, that their new God at Bethel had met with him for his sauciness against him.

II. And how might this discourage other Prophets to go on the message of the Lord, when this poor man sped no better, than to be killed with a Lion.

III. That one Prophet should so deceive another as the old Prophet at Bethel deceived this poor man to his undoing, by telling a lye and making him transgress the command of God. How might this disadvantage the function and credit of the Prophets, for who will believe them, when they lie one to another, and deceive one another?

IV. A poor man to be cheated and deceived into a transgression, having that fair ex∣cuse, The old Prophet did deceive me, and I did it: And yet to be so dreadfully pun∣ished for it, as that it must cost him his life; and in such a manner too as to be killed by a Lion.

V. That this poor man should suffer so severely for violating but one command of God, Eat not; and Jeroboam should escape so secure that had violated the greatest com∣mand in the two Tables, Thou shalt have none other Gods but me: and Thou shalt not make unto thy self any graven Image.

This poor man is induced to sin by another, and that by ignorance, and he speeds so sore; and Jeroboam induceth all Israel to sin, and that wilfully, and yet he is Jovial and feels and fears no dangers.

VI. It is something obscure what this old Prophet of Bethel was, a true Prophet or a false, a good or a bad. If a true Prophet, why did he lie to him? If a false, how could he foretel him of his end? He was a true Prophet, and this poor good man knew that he was a true Prophet: and the lie that he told was not with intention of any hurt to him, but an officious lie to perswade him to go home with him. He desired to have the company of this good man, and to give him some entertainment at his house. He sees

no arguments will perswade him: therefore he minteth that lie, that an Angel had spoken to him, and commanded him to bring him back, and so is the poor man deceived and undone.

In this story of his fatal end, we may first consider a little upon the instrument of his death, a Lion; and then concerning his death and fate it self.

I. A Lion met him and slew him. How much praise have you in Scripture of the Land* 1.1 of Canaan; that it was the pleasant Land, the glory of all Lands, Ezek. XX. 15. The Land flowing with milk and honey, in multiudes of places. A Land upon which the eye of the Lord was from one end of the year to the other. A Land of Vineyards, and Olive∣yards, &c. And yet how sadly, and dangerously was that Land infested with ravenous, cruel, wild beasts? Where almost might a man be safe? Samson walking by the vineyard of Timnah, a Lion sets upon him, and had served him as this Lion served this poor man, if he had not met with his match, and Samson had been too hard for him. And a Lion and a Bear ravin upon Davids flock and had rob'd him of a Lamb and Kid, had not he also been too strong for them. But every one was not so. As Jacob doubted concerning Joseph, Certainly an evil beast hath devoured him, undoubtedly my son Joseph is so dead. What a sad havock was it, when about this very place, Bethel, where the Lion destroys this Peophet, two she-Bears at one clap tear in pieces two and forty Children.

And that passage is very remarkable, in the story concerning the battel betwixt Da∣vids men and Absaloms, in the wood of Ephraim, 2 Sam. XVIII. 8. The battel was scatter∣ed over the face of all the Country, and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. The wood devoured? How? Why the Lions and Bears, and ravenous beasts that were in the wood, they pickt the men up as they were scattered up and down and made a greater slaughter than the sword.

It is something obscure that which is said, Deut. VII. 22. The Lord thy God will put out these Nations before thee by little and little: thou mayst not consume them at once lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. And among other things that might be inquired upon it, this might be one, why God did not drive out the wild beasts out of the Land, as well as he drove the Canaanites out? And the answer might be various.

I. That he might shew that there is no absolute quiet, and happiness, and security to be expected here. Canaan the choice Country upon Earth, the only paradise on this side Heaven, and yet even Canaan is not without its inconvenience and molestation. There were Gardens, and Orchards, and Vine-yards, and Olive-yards, but it may be a Lion or Bear lurking in them; there was all pleasure and plenty, but there were wild and ravenous beasts ranging abroad, that one could never say, I will walk without danger.

So would God teach them, that it was not their earthly Canaan that they were to look after, but they must look higher, if they would look for rest and quiet and secure habi∣tation. A man sat under his Vine or under his Fig-tree, it may be on a suddain a wild beast rusheth upon him, and he scapes narrowly, if he scape, devouring. A man is binding sheaves in the field, or a woman gleaning, and suddainly a Lion or Bear is at their back; that there is but a span betwixt them and death, if there proved so much. This was a very evincing lesson that absolute quiet and safety was not to be had there for all the bravery of the Land; but that they must look for another Land of promise, if they would be perfectly safe, quiet and free from danger.

II. These wild and ravenous beasts in the Land, were as it were a rod or scourge ready in the hand of God, to whip transgressors withal, as he saw cause, as he did this poor transgressor in the Text. And he reckons them among the Plagues and punishments that he used to avenge himself by upon the rebellious, Ezek. XIV. 15. If I cause noisom beasts to pass through the Land and they spoil it so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the noisom beasts. And vers. 21. How much more when I send my four sore iudgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisom beast, and the pestilence. You have some emblem of a man persecuted with noisom beasts, Amos V. 19. A man flees from a Lion and a Bear meets him, and he gets home and leans his head upon the wall and a Serpent bites him. And you have a real example of it, 2 King. XVII. 25. They feared not the Lord, therefore the Lord sent Lions among them, which slew some of them. And God doth give this as a promise of a singular blessing; Levit. XXVI. 6. I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land.

And how can we choose but remember the mercy of God to this our Land in this par∣ticular: That no such ravenous, dangerous beasts do range in our Nation; if men them∣selves would not be Wolves and Bears and Lions one to another. A man may take his journey and never fear being set upon by any wild beast. No father sending out his son needs to fear any evil beast devouring him; and no mother hath cause to weep with the women of Bethel for their children torn in pieces by he or she-Bears. God hath so blessed our Land, that such dangers are least feared of us. We see no Lions or bears,

unless it be under grates and bars. It is to be bemoaned with tears that we are such Lions, and Bears, and brute beasts one to another.

II. And thus much of the instrumental cause of this poor Prophets death, A Lion. The efficient cause was his transgressing a command of God.

Upon which if any heart be moved any whit to murmur, or dispute against the severi∣ty of God in this case, let me calm it much after the manner that Joabs messenger must calm David. If the Kings anger arise, and he seem vexed and displeased, saith Joab to the messenger, then say thou to him, Thy servant Uriah is dead also. If thy heart, sinner, arise against Gods dealing here, and thou think it very severe that this poor man must die thus, let me say this to calm thee, But thou art not dead, who art as great a transgressor as he▪ Why he died a reason may be given, but canst thou, or all the World, give a reason why thou art a live.

This then let it be the first application of this story: Every one to consider with them∣selves, That they after all their sinning are yet alive, when this poor man but for one sin came to so fatal a death. Let me use our Saviours stile and question a little, Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all others; or that those eighteen on whom the Tower of Siloam fell were sinners above all others? Thinkest thou this man was a greater sinner than thou art, that he came so to his end and to so fatal an end? Nay, speak heart from the very bottom and in sincerity, Thinkest thou not, that this man was an hundred fold, a thousand fold less sinner than thou art? And yet he was thus taken away and thou yet alive: He a good man, a holy man, a holy Prophet, and yet he so fearfully cut off for violating but one command, and deceived into that miscariage too. And how many com∣mands hast thou broke knowingly, wittingly, wilfully; and how far, how many degrees art thou short of the holiness of this man, and yet alive? Hast thou any heart to com∣plain of Gods severity against this poor man, look home and see what cause thou hast to stand amazed at his patience toward thee. He for breaking one command: How many ones hast thou broken? Nay if God had reckoned to cut thee off at the hundredth the thousandth breach of his commands, had not the account been up an hundred, a thou∣sand times over? And yet thou art here.

David questions, Lord what is man? Take the Philosophers answer, Homo mirum. Man is a wonder. And so he is, a wonder in his creation: and so David himself owns, Psal. CXXXIX. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. A wonder in his preservation, when there are so many concurrents, that might dash him all to pieces, and yet he lives.

I will draw nigh, saith Moses, and see this great sight, that is before me; The bush burn∣ing and yet is not consumed. And a great sight indeed, that fire that devours all things that it lays hold on, should burn so vehemently in the bush, and yet the bush nothing at all impaired. Draw nigh and turn thine eyes to such a kind of sight in thine own pre∣servation. So many things concurring that might cause thy consuming, dust and ashes, frailty, mortality, sinfulness, provoking of God and yet not consumed. What account can we give of our preservation?

First, Let us look upon this man, and then let us look upon our selves: As the man that fell among thieves travailing from Jerusalem to Jericho, lay by the way side half dead: So this poor man is fallen into the pa••s of the Lion, and lieth by the way side wholly dead. And is this nothing to us, that we should like the Priest and Levite thus slightly pass by him? The man was a good and holy man, and I make no question but he was sa∣ved, though he came to such a fatal end.

Saved? Will you say, when he came to such an end, for transgressing Gods command? He died in his sin certainly, and can we think that he was saved?

1. Consider what follows immediately in his story, 28. ver. The Lion had not eaten the car∣cass nor torn the Asse. God that so severely punished him to the death, yet shewed a miracle for him when he was dead. Which sheweth that God had not cast away all care of him, though he had so sorely punished him: And it was a very fair sign that God had not suf∣fered the great roaring Lion to devour his soul, in that he suffered not this Lion to de∣vour his carcass. Its Davids saying, Doest thou shew wonders for the dead? Yes, in one sense he did here: And can we think that God would shew such a miracle for a casta∣way, and for one whose soul was now in Hell, would he shew such a wonder for his body?

2. Its true indeed that he died for transgressing of Gods command, but had he not repented of that transgression? Its observable what is said of the Prophet, that had brought him back again, vers. 21. That he cried to the man of God that he had brought back: When God had revealed to him, what wrong he had done in lying to the poor Prophet, and making him transgress Gods command, and what a sad fate should befal him for his transgression, he cried out with sadness and affection, and told him how it should be with him. And can we think that the good man having his sin so laid before him, and

his dreadful punishment, was not deeply touched with the sense of his sin, and with all earnestness sought to God for pardon?

We may not judge of him by our selves; we little take to heart what we have mis∣done, and what is denounced by God against our sinning. A holy Prophet was of better temper and of a tenderer heart, and deeply sorrowed for his transgression, when he was convinced of it, and sought for pardon and obtained it. So that though he died for his sin, yet he died not in it. The case of David may give some illustration to this case. When Nathan told him home of his sin about Uriah and his wife, he instantly repents, is pardoned, that he falls not under condemnation for it: but he is not quit from tempo∣ral judgment and punishment for it. The sword shall never depart from thine house. And, the child shall die. So this man is told of his fault by the other Prophet; he repents, is pardoned, that he falls not under condemnation; but he is not acquitted from a temporal punishment, and that a severe one, that cost him his life.

We may here take notice of divers things.

First, Of the wild opinions of Antinomians, that say a Believer is not punished for his sins, whatsoever befals him. But the reason they give spoils what it would prove. For Christ, say they, hath born his punishment: which if it be true, yet it is punish∣ment as to satisfaction, not to castigation. For who among us ever said, that a Believer was punished for the satisfaction of his sin. God punisheth him upon other accounts. Davids sin was pardoned, and satisfied for by Christ, when Nathan tells him, the Lord hath done away thy sin; but the punishment followed, viz. the Sword, which was not to depart from his house. And the reason of his punishment was, because he had given oc∣casion to the enemy to blaspheme; therefore God, to vindicate his own honour, and the honour of Religion, punished him, that men might see that God was righteous, and ha∣ted iniquity, wheresoever he saw it.

Secondly, Let us remember here that strange passage, Amos III. 2. You have I known of all the families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. You have I known, owned, chosen, of all the families of the Earth. What then? One would think he should infer, Therefore I will not punish you; but he says the contrary, Therefor I will. The children of God are punished many and many a time as to temporal punishments, when wicked and ungodly men scape. This poor holy man falls under so sad a fate, while Jeroboam the wickedest wretch upon Earth, that made all Israel to sin, eats and drinks and sleeps, and no hurt comes to him. Some will think that speaks strangely, others will think it speaks as they would have it, in Hos. IV. 14. I will not punish your daughters, when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery. This is as they would have it; for then they may whore, and drab, and adulterate, and fear no colours. But that is a sad Diapason, Jer. V. ult. What will you do in the end thereof? And that 2 Pet. II. 9. God knoweth how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished.

That of the Apostle may state the case on both hands, 1 Cor. XI. 32. When we are judged, we are chastned of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World. When wicked men are not judged, it is a sore sign that they are to be condemned with the World. When God neither judgeth them, nor they judge themselves, there will be a judgment to come will pay for all. For a man to go on uncontrouled in his sinning is the very preface of destruction; and especially if his own conscience do not now and then controul him: for that is sometime the whip, wherewith God doth chasten. God saith of some persons, I will not punish, I will not chasten him, when he sins against me, but Let Ephraim alone he is joyned to Idols, so let him be. Let the Scribes and Pharisees alone; they are blind leaders of the blind, and let them be so still. Wouldst thou change thy afflicted state with one of these? Wouldst thou part with thy smarting conscience for such ••eared, stupid, past feeling souls, and such as God will have nothing to do withal? God hath thee in hand and is chastening thee for thy good, these he hath utterly cast off all care of, and will have nothing to do with.

But what kind of chastening was this to this poor man that it cost him his life, and cut him off, whereas God useth to do good to his people by his chastisements? Heb. XII. 11. No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that be exercised thereby. But what fruit was there with this man, when the very chastening was his death? A Jew will tell you that his death did expiate for his sin, and was a means to attone for it; and a Papist will almost be of the same opinion. But Gods intention in the dispencing of this providence looked another way, viz. to vindicate his own honour, and to shew to the World how tender he is of his own commands. And that is the third thing we may read in this great and dreadful severity, viz.

Thirdly, That God will not abide to have his Commands dallied and trifled withal: that we are not to account that common which he hath sanctified. He is a jealous God, that will not hold him guiltless that breaks his Commandments, Hos. VIII. 12. I have writ∣ten unto them the great things of my Law. The things of his Law and commands are great things, and what one of them is little, or so to be dealt withal? Though they are one less than another, if compared among themselves, yet none of them are to be reputed little by us. One is less than another in regard of their matter, yet all alike of reve∣rence and dread to us in regard of their Author. A small business you would think for this man, being hungry and weary, to eat and refresh himself in Bethel, and that being invited by another Prophet, and told too by him, that an Angel had commanded him to invite him. But because he had a command from God to the contrary, you see how dear it cost him.

A small thing you would think for Saul to save Agag alive, and to bring away some of the Amalekites cattel, especially when it was to sacrifice to God; yet how severely doth he smart for it, because in it he transgressed Gods command to the contrary. How might the poor man have pleaded, as he went to be stoned for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day; Alas! this was not so great a crime to gather a few sticks, especially when I wanted them for the necessity and benefit of my family. But, friend, there is an express com∣mand and Word of God against it; the Word of the Lord is sharper than a two edged sword.

That title of the Law is regardable and dreadful, in Deut. XXXIII. 2. From his right hand went a firy Law for them. Or, as it is in the Original, the fire of a Law for them. A Law not only given in fire, as it was in Mount Sinai, but a Law that it self is Fire, to consume and destroy those that transgress it. As our God is a consuming fire, so his Law and Com∣mandment is a consuming fire; Hos. VI. 5. I have hewen them by the Prophets: I have slain them by the words of my mouth. His word is a weapon of slaughter to them that disobey and rebel against it. And whereas it is said, Man shall live by the Word of God, if he obey it; he shall die by the Word of God, if he transgress it. The Commandments of God are edged tools, if slightly meddled withal they cut to the quick; and prove as that stone, if they fall upon one they will grind him to powder. Not one command, but the trans∣gression binds over to eternal condemnation: and therefore it speaks less to say, it binds over to temporal punishment.

Fourthly and lastly, This mans repentance so little a time before his death, as we spake of before, and obtaining pardon, some may chance take hold of, and use it as an argu∣ment for puting off repentance till his death bed, and latter end. For may his carnal heart thus argue: if this Prophet repented of his transgression but an hour or two be∣fore his death, and obtained pardon; I hope I may do so too, and obtain pardon as well as he. Yes, it is like thou mayest, if thou be like him. He was a holy, a good, a righ∣teous man all his time, only he was now fallen into one transgression a little before his death, and repents of it, and is pardoned. But thou, who thinkest of putting off re∣pentance till thy last time, I doubt, art in another case. He had no sin unrepented of, but only this, that he had just now committed, and that he repented of, and is pardon∣ed. Thou wilt have all thy sins to repent of at thy latter end; and that changeth the case not a little. He walked in the ways of repentance and holiness all his life, thou thinkest not to do so till thy death.

Notes

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