What should we learn from hence ?
Use 1. This should teach us to make much of such meii as truly fear God, seeing it is for their sakes that God doth spare us. They carry the bless- ing of God with them wheresoever they go. As Laban's house was blessed for Jacob's sake. Gen. xxs. 27, and Potiphar's for Joseph's sake. Gen. xxxix. 23, so the wicked are spared and fare the better for the saints who live among them. But what is the common course of wicked men ? To hate such with a deadly hatred above all others, because their lives and speeches do discover the wickedness of theirs, and because they tell them the truth, and reprove them.
Therefore it was that Ahab could not endure the sight of Micaiah, that holy prophet, who without flattery spake downright truth, 1 Kings xxii. 8, seq. So it is now beyond seas and elsewhere. They labour to root out all the good men. But what will they get by it ? Surely it will be a thousand times worse with them than it is ; for if they were out, then woe to the land presently.
Use 2. This should also teach us to pray to God to bless those tliat are r/nod. Is it not good for us to uphold those pillars whereby we stand ? What madness is it for a man to labour to pull down the pillar whereby he is holden alive ? As Samson, pulling down the pillars of the house, brought death upon himself, so godly men, the pillars of this tottering world, which uphold the places whereby they live, being once shaken, all the whole state falls. Therefore let us not be enemies to our own good, to hate the godly ; for it is for their sakes the Lord shews mercy to us, and refrains to pour out his judgment upon the wicked world. And when the best gather- ing of all gatherings shall come, that the elect of God shall be gathered together, then comes the misery of all miseries to the wicked. So we see this point is clear, that the godly, while they are alive, keep back ill and bring much good. For doth God continue the world for wicked men ? Surely no. For what glory and honour hath God from such wicked * That is, ' untiL'^ED. t Cf. Note cccc, Vol. III. p. 536.— G.
8G THE saint's refreshing.
•wretches ? Do they not swear, lie, live filthily, and ahusc his members ? Is it for these that God doth continue the world? Surely no ; but for the godly's sake are judgments deferred, and the world is continued.
Use 3. If this be thus, uell niai/ ice lament the death vf those that are good. For when they are gone, our safety is pone. * They are the chariots and horsemen of Israel,' 2 Kings ii. 12. Therefore well may we bewail their loss. Well might Jeremiah lament for the death of Josiah, for together with the breath of Josiah the life of that state breathed out ; together with him, the flourishing condition of Jerasalcm died, and lay buried with him as it were in the same grave.
See here again how God correcteth too much resting on the arm of flesh. They blessed themselves under Josiah, as if no evil should come near them ; as appears. Lament, iv. 20, ' The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live,' There is no greater wrong to ourselves, and to others on whom we rest so much, than to secui'o oui'selves so much on them as to neglect serious turning to God.
' Neither shall thy eyes see all the evil I will bring upon this place.'
This is the ground why he should die in peace, ' Because he shall not see all the evil I will bring upon this place.' Here we see that the judg- ment which God threatened to bring upon the church and commonwealth is set down by this word ' evil.' ' Thine eyes shall not see all the evil I will bring upon this place.' But who sends this evil. It is an evil brought by God. Thou shalt not see the evil ' I will bring,' &c. It was not God that brought it properly, but Nebuchadnezzar, who carried his sons into captivit}'. Howsoever, God had a hand in it. ' For is there any evil in the city and God hath not done it ? ' saith the prophet, Amos iii. 6. But we must distinguish between evil. There is,
1. The evil of sin ; and 2. The evil of punishment.
First, The evil of sin ; and this God doth not bring, for it is hateful unto him. Then the evil of punishment, which is twofold :
(1.) Either that which comes immediately from God, as famine, pesti- lence, or the like ; in which punishments w^e are to deal with God alone.
(2.) Or else, the evil that comes from God, but by men, which he useth as instruments to punish us, and this is by war and cruel usage.
Now thus Josiah is taken away from this greatest evil we can sufier in this life ; to have God correct us by the hands of men. For when we have to deal with God, the labour is easier to prevail with him, as David did, 2 Sam. xxiv. 14. But when we have to deal with merciless men, then we have to deal with the poisoned malice of men, besides God's anger. Now the evil that comes from God is chiefly.