Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

setting at nought his most sacred commands! Yea, in documents of the highest interest, and of national importance, His name is not to be found, and His being is only indirectly recognised; as though the nation were independent of Him, and it were an honour conferred on Him to be acknowledged by His creatures. In these things as a nation we have, like David, offended against God; and can we be surprised that he is displeased at our pride, self-will, and forgetfulness of him? Having described the character of the conduct displeasing to the Lord, we proceed to contemplate,

2. The manifestation of God's displeasure.

This was displayed in awful visitation; for "the Lord sent pestilence on Israel, and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men." What lamentation, and mourning, and woe, this must have produced in the dwellings of Israel! How many parents would have to weep over the loss of their sons! how many widows, to deplore the bereavement of their husbands, and dependent children would find themselves fatherless! Yea, what a severing of hearts and multiplying of sorrow these doings of death would occasion! so that in those habitations, where the voice of joy had been raised, the groans of the dying and wailings of the living would be heard; for the sin in its effects was not confined to the immediate transgressor, it was felt by the nation generally. From this indisputable fact we have no hesitation to affirm,

(1.) That the visitation of God's displeasure on Israel was judicial in its character.

The scourge was suited to the sin. David would know the number of his subjects, how many mighty men he could muster for march and for battle, and he heard of hundreds of thousands who could buckle on the helmet and draw the sword; and in a few hours, by tens of thousands they were rendered powerless by death of all ability to serve the purposes of his pleasure. He sinned as the head of the nation, and he was punished nationally, presenting the example of a nation subject to judicial judgment for the sin of their ruler. We are aware this has been objected to as unrighteous, and the justice of God has been impeached by his creatures; but such visitations are not opposed to the divine justice, but fully in keeping with it. Let it be regarded, that there are very few sins of rulers but what nations at large participate in, by tacit acquiescence, if not by open approval. Take for illustration the conduct of Israel in the circumstance under consideration: they do not appear to have objected to the measure as a nation, which they had time to do, had they been so disposed; on the contrary, there is reason to conclude from their silence, that it flattered their national vanity, and met with their full approbation. Many also of the seventy thousand had doubtless forfeited life by the abuse of it; and others might be removed in mercy, and thus preserved from evil to come. We may further remark, that the head of a family cannot sin, and be punished for that sin by sickness or poverty, or penal sentence, without the members of his family feeling the painful effects of his conduct; and yet who ever in such cases thinks of reflecting on the justice of God? And if we do not impugn his ways when thus dealing with individual families, why should we do so, when he thus visits a great national family? Besides, life is God's gift, and he has an indisputable right to require it, when and how he may deem proper. But could we not thus reason on the subject, could we not rest our conclusions on

the rights of the divine conduct, the fact clearly stated in the word of truth ought to be deemed satisfactory; knowing that whatever mystery in the estimation of human reason may environ the fact, when the Governor of the world shall deign to become his own interpreter, he will justify the righteousness of all his ways. On this part of our subject we further affirm,

(2.) That God continues to visit national sins with national calamities; and we are warranted to conclude that those visitations are of a judicial character.

To deny or dispute this conclusion, would be to question the continued holiness of God, and the continued offensive character of sin in the sight of God, which we have no encouragement to do; for it is, and ever must be, "the abominable thing that he hates." If then nations offend, and sin remains to be an offence, it cannot surprise that God visits offending nations with marks of his displeasure. It has been well observed, "The full punishment of individual men for their transgressions in this life is reserved for a future state of being; but as nations, in their collective capacity, will have no existence hereafter, the punishment of their sins is sure to be inflicted upon them sooner or later in the present world." And what shall we say of the character of those calamities under which our nation is now suffering? such as the want of trade and commerce, to employ our numerous poor, the destruction to an alarming extent of a valuable root of the earth, the consequent ravages of devouring famine, accompanied by wide-spread and appalling disease, which, like the pestilence of Israel, are numbering their multitudes of slain. We are well aware that were we to declare that in these things we hear the reproving voice, and see the uplifted hand, of God, we should be exposed to the sneers of some, and be accounted very presumptuous by others. And were the Prophet Isaiah to rise from the dead, and cry in our streets, 66 Howl ye, for the day of the Lord shall come as a destruction from the Almighty, to lay the land desolate, and destroy the sinners thereof;" or the Prophet Hosea to ascend our pulpits, and shout, "Hear the word of the Lord, for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land;" or the herdman Amos to enter into our Senate, and inquire, "Shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it?" there would not be wanting proud peers and profane plebeians, who would brand them as fanatics, and endeavour to overwhelm them with ridicule. Be it so: yet, careless about the taunts of the ungodly, we dare to pronounce the judicial character of our present visitations, and assert that they are the afflictions of an offended God for our sins :-For the sins of our rulers in a recent legislative endowment of a soul-blighting system of corruption and delusion, depriving our land of the glory bought by the blood of our forefathers, the glory of being the leading nation among the Protestants against the errors of Popery. We admit that a large proportion of our fellow-subjects did constitutionally oppose that Papistical measure. But, notwithstanding their opposition, and its constitutional character, which ought to have obtained for it more respect and power, not only was the measure carried, but in many places where the opportunity has been presented, those very Representatives who voted for it, or men avowing similar sentiments, have been returned to Parliament, and in some cases to the rejection of those who pledged themselves to the maintenance of Protestant principles. In so doing,

those who have aided their return have committed themselves to a participation of the guilt with which we must believe it to be connected. We likewise see public sin in the refusal of our rulers to legislate for the better observance of the Sabbath. It must be confessed that one of the most flagrant crimes of our land is the desecration of the day of God, which is spent by multitudes in profaneness and worldly pleasure, to the neglect of that reverence for the sanctuaries of religion which the Ordainer of the Sabbath and of public worship requires; so that thousands are far more familiar with the whistling of the railway than they are with the songs of Zion. To promote, by God-fearing regulations, the observance of the divine command, to "remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy," a mandate binding on nations as well as on individuals, petitions after petitions, session after session, have been presented to both Houses of Parliament. And how have they been received? By large majorities with indifference, and by individuals with contempt. Acts of desecration have been boldly pleaded for, and bill after bill thrown out with cheers. Can we wonder, then, if God continue to say, as in the days of the Prophet Jeremiah, "Shall I not visit for these things? shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?" Then there are what may be termed the sins of our nation. Such as profane swearing, by which the ear is offended in the public streets, and that even from the lisping tongues of children, and the faltering voices of grey-headed transgressors: such as degrading intemperance, which, after all the laudable efforts which have been made to suppress it, is yet awfully prevalent, to the destruction of the comfort of families, and ruin of the bodies and souls of individuals: such as a worldly spirit of sordid covetousness, prompting to schemes and speculations the most unjustifiable and contemptible, for the sake of amassing perishable riches. But especially the general sin from which others mainly flow, the rejection of the Gospel of salvation. Never was the Gospel preached at any period with greater clearness, fulness, and fidelity in the length and breadth of our land than at the present day. Yet what are the results? We refer not to those who practically reject it by never assembling where it is proclaimed; but we ask the question in reference to those who professedly regard the Gospel by attending Sabbath after Sabbath on its ministry. Why, comparatively, with few exceptions, to them it is a dead letter. It is heard, but not regarded; the great majority of hearers remain the slaves of their sins, strangers to converting grace and pardoning mercy, causing by their indifference, if not contempt, the Ministers of righteousness to "labour in vain and spend their strength for nought." Thus the head is sick, and the heart faint; and, laden with these abominations, well may the land groan, and mourn, and languish, under the chastening visitations of a displeased God.

We observe, again, from this history, that,

II. It is the duty and interest of men in the time of suffering to confess their sin, to implore divine mercy, and to commit themselves to the disposal of God.

1. In the time of suffering, sin should be confessed.

Thus did David: his "heart smote him," and he confessed, "Lord, I have sinned greatly." Confession is one of the inseparable concomitants of repentance: where this is wanting, godly sorrow for sin is unknown. True repentance is ever attended by an acknowledgment

of sin in all its guilt and magnitude; it never attempts to palliate the offence committed, or account it small and venial: the language of the true penitent invariably is, "Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great;" great, being committed against an holy God, the violation of a most holy law, and deserving of righteous punishment. David's confession was also attended by another mark of real contrition: it was personal; "I have sinned." In this he took all the blame on himself; and afterwards, when he saw the sufferings of his subjects, he exclaimed, "Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done?" He even prayed, "Let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and not on thy people, that they should be plagued." Here David is presented unto us as an example, as worthy to be imitated as that of his sin is to be condemned and avoided. Too frequently, and especially in reference to national guilt, there is a disposition to lay the blame on others: the poor ascribe it to the pride, pleasures, and oppression of the rich; and the rich, to the profaneness and murmurings of the poor; but all acquitting that innocent person, SELF. But we should do well as individuals to inquire, when God's judgments are abroad, "What have I done, and what proportion of national guilt belongs to me?" and personally humble ourselves before God under the conviction that repentance must be personal in order to be general, and that there are few, if any, who have not reason to confess, "Lo, I have sinned!"

In this

2. In the time of suffering, prayer should be made for divine mercy. So thought David, and in so doing he acknowledged the justice of God in the visitation inflicted. The prayerful language employed by him was, "I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly." Here it is worthy of remark, that David sought for a removal of the pestilence by the removal of the cause, which was personal guilt. As much as if he had said, "Lord, I am guilty: forgive my sin, and spare my subjects." prayer he was joined by the Elders of the people, "who clothed themselves in sackcloth, and fell upon their faces." In days of trouble, national or personal, the sin which may be the cause of trouble is too frequently overlooked, and concern only directed to the removal of the visitation for that sin; while it is forgotten that so long as the cause remains unlamented, we have no encouragement to expect that chastisement will cease. The offending "thing" must be removed, before the "displeased God" will say to judgment, "It is enough; stay now thine hand." But we have authority to assert, from developed principles of the divine procedure, that if guilty nations and individuals now humble themselves before God, and seek his mercy in the time of trouble, they will not, they cannot seek in vain; for as in the case of individuals, so with nations, if sin be confessed, mourned, and forsaken, the trespass will be pardoned; for God delighteth in mercy, and with him judgment is a strange work. This encouraging truth was made known to Israel when he declared by the Prophet, "At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." (Jer. xviii. 7, 8.)

3. In the time of suffering we should commit ourselves into the hand of God.

In reference unto David, it should be observed, that his confession of sin was so far accepted, and his prayer for mercy so far regarded, that the choice was submitted to him what the punishment should be: Gad the Seer was instructed to go unto David, and say, "Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them; either three years' famine, or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel." David wisely preferred the latter, saying, "Let me fall into the hand of the Lord; but let me not fall into the hand of man." This choice showed his confidence in God, and full persuasion of God's justice; it also manifested the sincerity of David's sorrow. Had he chosen famine, his wealth might have obtained for himself and family an abundance of food for the years of destitution. Had he chosen war, his power might have secured for himself and family a place of strong refuge. But to the ravages of the pestilence they would all be equally exposed, this being a destroyer regarding neither rank nor refuge, visiting the lofty as well as the lowly, and entering the palace as readily as the cottage. Yet, in the hands of God David in reality was safer than in the hands of men; for with Him judgment is ever mingled with mercy: this David had proved in former circumstances, and in his choice again tested God's tender and ready compassion. Still this is the character and conduct of the wise and just Governor of the world. A nation may sin, and the honour of the divine government may require a manifestation of God's displeasure; yet prayer, humiliation, and repentance will be regarded by him, through the mediation of the world's Redeemer, to the removal or mitigation of punishment. Individuals may offend against him; justice may require the effects of that sin to be visited on the sinner's person or property; still, mercy may be displayed in the forgiveness of that sin unto the saving of the soul of the sinner, and thus accomplishing a gracious end by judicial means. David did well in falling into the hands of God; and wise are all who resignedly "bear the indignation of the Lord against them for their sin," and allow him to "plead their cause and execute judgment;" for such assuredly will "behold his righteousness." (Micah vii. 9.)

From this history we are further instructed, that,

III. It is with God to remove, as well as to inflict, judgment.
From this portion of the sacred records we learn,-

1. With God there is power to remove judgment.

In obedience to His will, who has all things and persons at his disposal, the pestilence, which is called the "sword of the Lord," commenced the work of destruction, and rapidly spread from "Dan even to Beersheba." This pestilence is also represented as being attended by an angel, "standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand." On his errand of judgment he arrives at Jerusalem, and he stretched out his hand over the city, to destroy it : a moment of solemn interest to the inhabitants. David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord. He then ventured to speak unto his God; but it was in the language of confession and prayer: he falls on his face, not smitten down by the pestilence, but in the act of

« VorigeDoorgaan »