Quest. In how many respects do we not speak aright in regard of the judgments of God ?
Alls. 1. First, III regard of God, men speak not aright when they do not see him in the judgment, but look to the creature, to the second causes ; as now in the time of the plague, to look to the air and weather, and this and that, which is a good providence, and to forget him that is the chief; to kill dogs and cats, and to let sin alone ; to cry out. Oh what air there is this year ! and what weather it is ! to talk of the second causes altogether, and to forget God : this is to talk amiss of God's judgments threatened, in regard of God.
2. Again, We talk amiss in regard of others, when we begin to slight them in our thoughts and speeches. Oh they were careless people; they adventured into company, and it was the carelessness of the magistrates ; they were not well looked to ; they were unmerciful persons, &c. Is it not God's hand ? Put case there might be some oversight ; art thou secure from God's arrow? He that struck them, may he not strike thee ? This is to talk amiss of the judgment of God in regard of others; when we think that God hath singled them out as sinners above the rest ; as the disciples thought of the Galileans, ' whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifice,' Luke xiii. 1. No, no, saith he; ' think not they were greater sinners than the rest ; ' do not add your bitter censure of the judgment of God on them, and make it heavier (there is a woe to such persons as add affiictions to the afilicted, Prov. xx. 22, Phil. i. IC) : ' Except ye repent, ye shall all
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likewise perish.' Is not tho ripest corn cut first ? God ofttimcs takes those away that arc fittest for him, and loaves others to the cruelty of men. Therefore by this rash judgment there may be great wrong to men, and to wrong men in our censures, it is to talk amiss of God's judgments in regard of others.
3. Again, We talk amiss of God's judgments in regard of ourselves.
(1.) When ivo murmur and fret any way ayainst God, and do not submit ourselves under his mighty hand as wo should.
(2.) Again, We sin against the judgments of God abroad, when we take liberty to inquire of the judyments of God abroad, and never make vse of them ; as now to bo asking what number die of tho plague weekly, and our hearts tremble not at it, we lift not up our hearts to God, * God be merci- ful to us,' * Lord forgive our sins,' ' What will become of us ?' We had need to make our accounts even. This is to talk amiss of God's judg- ments. It is a vein that men have naturally, to inquire after news of all sorts, be it the sharpest and bitterest that may be ; though it be the destruction, and ruin, and death of other men ; whatsoever it be they desire to hear it, if news. In the mean time there is no care to make use of it, which is directly that for which these men here are said to have talked amiss, * No man spake aright.' Why ? ' No man repented him of his wickedness,' &c., as we shall see afterwards. We should talk of the judg- ments of God to be bettered by them. We should * learn righteousness when the judgments of God are abroad,' Isa. xxvi. 9, and the arrows that wound others we should make warning arrows to ourselves. Now when we triflingly only inquire of these things, and are not moved ourselves, we talk amiss of God's judgments.
Use. Let us labour to talk of the judyments of God, when they are abroad, as we should. In regard of God, to raise our hearts above all second causes, to see him in it. It is the hand of God, as the Scripture calls the plague, whatsoever the second causes are, whether it be the air, and the devil mingling himself ofttimes to corrupt the air, all is by God's permission and providence. We should look to the first wheel that leads the rest and sets them going. We should see God in all, and therefore speak reverently of him. And in regard of our brethren, to speak charitably of them, and think, it is tho goodness of God that ho hath not stricken us as he hath them. And when we speak of ourselves, when the judgments of God are on us, let us humble ourselves and justify God. We may complain, but it must be of ourselves and of our sins, that have brought judgments upon us, of our want of making use of the judgment of God upon others or upon ourselves. Lesser judgments would not serve turn ; therefore God is fein to follow us with gi-eater. Let us alway justify God and complain of our- selves, and then in regard of ourselves we ' speak aright' of the judgments of God. Let us never speak of the judgments of God but with afi'ections fit for judgments, with awful affections. ' Shall the lion roar, and shall not the beasts of the forest tremble ?' Hos. xi. 10. Shall we hear God roar in his judgments, ' and hear the trumpet blown,' and not be affected ? Wo see here how God complains, that when ' he hearkened and heard, they spake not aright.' Let us therefore make conscience of all our words. We shall, if not now, yet at the day of judgment, * give account for every idle word,' Mat. xii. 3G, for every cruel word, as it is in the proi^hecy of Enoch, cited in the Epistle of Jude. But especially let us take heed of our words when we speak of God's judgments ; for it is the not speaking aright of them that is here especially meant. ' I hearkened and heard, but