Thomas Vincent, 1667
BOOK
Section 1. How God speaks.
"By terrible things in righteousness, you will answer us." Psalm 65:5
This whole Psalm breathes forth nothing but grace and goodness unto the people of God, from the beginning of it, to the end; yes, in the verse of my text where God speaks most terribly and righteously it, the judgments and destructions which he brings upon their enemies — yet he is called the God of their salvation; and those terrible things by which God speaks, are not only a righteous answer unto their enemies' sins, but also a gracious answer unto his people's prayers: "By terrible things in righteousness, you will answer us."
I shall not speak of terrible things in the restrained sense, as they befall only the enemies of God's people, and the wicked, while the righteous do escape, and it may be hereby are preserved; but as they may befall any people, not excluding God's people, whom the Lord may answer by terrible things in righteousness.
Two doctrines we may observe:
Doctrine. 1. That God sometimes speaks unto a people by terrible things.
Doctrine. 2. That when God speaks most terribly — He answers most righteously.
First. That God sometimes speaks unto a people by terrible things. Here I shall show,
1. How God may be said to speak.
2. What those terrible things are, by which God sometimes speaks.
3. Why God sometimes speaks unto a people by terrible things;
4. The application.
1. How God may be said to speak.
God, being a Spirit, has no mouth nor tongue properly as men have, who have bodies; and therefore his way of speaking is not like ours (though sometimes he has created a voice in as articulate a sound, as if it had proceeded from the mouth of man, to declare his will,) but there are several ways in which God has spoken, and speaks unto men, by which he does as really and effectually make known his mind, as if he spoke with man's voice.
1. God has spoken formerly unto men immediately, in extraordinary ways, and that sometimes more terribly; as when he gave the law upon Mount Sinai, when the Mount burned with fire, and there was blackness, and darkness, and tempest, thunderings and lightnings, and the sound of the trumpet exceeding loud, and the voice of words so exceeding terrible, that it made the whole camp to tremble; and Moses himself said, "I exceedingly fear and quake," Exodus 19:16; Hebrews 12:18-21.
This way of God's speaking, the children of Israel were not able to bear; therefore they desired that Moses might speak unto them; but that God would not speak unto them thus any more, lest they should die, Exodus 20:19.
At other times God spoke with a more still and gentle voice, and in a more mild way; as when he spoke to Samuel in the night, he thought at first that it had been the voice of Eli, 1 Samuel 3:4, 5. Thus God spoke unto Abraham, unto Jacob, unto Moses, to whom it is said, "He spoke face to face, as a man speaks to his friend," Exodus 33:11.
God spoke also in an extraordinary way to his prophets of old, when he made known unto them his counsel, that they might declare it unto the people;
sometimes he spoke unto them with an audible voice, which he created when no shape was seen;
sometimes by angels, who appeared in bodies, which they laid down again when they had delivered their message;
sometimes by dreams and visions in the night;
sometimes by Urim and Thummim;
sometimes by more secret inspirations of the Spirit.
sometimes he spoke unto them with an audible voice, which he created when no shape was seen;
sometimes by angels, who appeared in bodies, which they laid down again when they had delivered their message;
sometimes by dreams and visions in the night;
sometimes by Urim and Thummim;
sometimes by more secret inspirations of the Spirit.
In the last days of God's extraordinary speaking, he spoke by the most extraordinary person, namely, by his own most dearly beloved, and only begotten Son, Hebrews 1:1, 2; whom he sent out of his bosom to declare himself, John 1:18; and reveal what he had heard of the Father, John 15:15, who brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel, and made known God's purpose and grace in man's salvation, 2 Tim. 1:9, 10; and uttered such things as were kept secret from the foundation of the world, Matthew 13:35.
The Gospel began to be spoken of by the Lord Jesus himself, and was continued and confirmed by his Apostles, who were his witnesses, to whom God also did bear witness with signs, and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his will, in such extraordinary ways.
Yet still God speaks unto men. There are two ways of God's speaking now unto men, namely, his Word and his works.
1. His Word contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which holy men wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:21. And thus God speaks either externally by his Word alone, or internally with his Word by his Spirit.
1. God speaks now unto men externally by his Word alone, to some more silently, unto whom he gives his Scriptures only to be read, and brings to their view his written Word alone, without the advantage of other ordinances, which might more powerfully declare unto them his will.
Unto others he speaks more audibly, where the Gospel sounds in their ears, and with the Scriptures God sends his ministers to preach unto them.
God speaks by his ministers, who are his watchmen, in his name to warn the people of his judgments temporal and eternal, which in the Scriptures he has threatened, Ezekiel 3:17, 18, etc.; Isaiah 62:6, who are the Lord's ambassadors, 2 Corinthians 5:20; from whom they have a commission to preach the Gospel, and declare the glad tidings of salvation unto all such as repent, and believe, and yield up themselves unto the obedience of the Word.
Ministers stand in the room of Christ; and it is well for us that God speaks unto us by ministers, because we would not be able to endure, should he speak unto us immediately by himself; should he speak unto us with an audible voice, as he did to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai, when he gave the law. This would be so terrible, that with them we would desire to hear Moses, and choose ministers, rather to speak unto us; yes, if Christ Jesus himself should come down from Heaven, however he might have been heard in his state of humiliation, when his Deity was so much veiled; yet if he should now appear in the glory he has with the Father, or as he appeared unto John his beloved disciple, when his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his countenance like the sun when it shined in its full strength, and his voice like the sound of many waters — I say, if Christ should thus appear, and preach unto us, such a dread and astonishment would fall upon us, that we should fall down dead at his feet, as his disciple John did, Rev. 1:13-17. Therefore it is better for us in this state of weakness, that God speaks to us by ministers, men of like passions and infirmities with ourselves, whom we may be able to bear up, and whose words, notwithstanding our weakness, we may be able to hear.
2. God now also speaks unto men internally, with his Word by his Spirit; when God sends his Spirit with his Word, for conviction only, or some common work. Thus God calls upon the wicked, who sit under the preaching of the Word, moves and strives with them by his Spirit, but they resist the Spirit, stifle convictions, and will not hearken to his calls and motions, Genesis 6:3; Acts 7:51.
But especially God speaks with his Word by his Spirit; when he sends his Spirit for conversion, and to effect a saving change: thus God speaks when he: calls blind sinners out of darkness into his marvelous light, 1 Peter 2:9; quickens dead sinners, putting into them a new principle of spiritual life, Ephesians 2:1; rescues enslaved sinners out of Satan's snare; 2 Tim. 2:26; delivering them from the power of the devil, and translating them into the kingdom of his dear Son, Colossians 1:13; when by his Spirit he draws sinners, John 6:44; and joins them unto Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 6:17.
God speaks unto men with his Word by his Spirit, when he does thus effectually call them; and he speaks unto men also by his Spirit, when he graciously visits those who are called, when he teaches, melts, warms, quickens, strengthened, and refreshes them by his Spirit, as they sit under the influence of his ordinances, when he speaks peace unto their consciences, shows them his reconciled face, shedding abroad his love in their hearts, and gives such sweet comforts, and ravishing joy as is unspeakable, and full of glory, John 6:45; John 14:26; Luke 24:32; Psalm 143:11; Ephesians 3:16; Acts 3:19; Psalm 85:8; Romans 5:5; Psalm 44:19; 1 Peter 1:8.
2. God speaks unto men by his WORKS; and that either by his works of creation, or by his works of providence.
1. God speaks by his works of CREATION. The Heavens have a voice, and declare God's glory, Psalm 19. 1; and the earth has not only an ear to ear, Isaiah 1:2; but also a tongue, as it were, to speak God's praise. We read of the seas roaring, and the floods clapping their hands; of the mountainssinging, and the trees of the forest sounding forth their joyful acclamations; yes, animals, creeping things, and flying birds, creatures of the deeps; fire, hail, snow, rain, and stormy wind — as they fulfill his Word, so they speak, and in their way declare what their Maker is. Or rather in them, and by them God speaks, and make known something of himself, Psalm 148:7, 8, 10, etc.
We read of the voice of the Lord in power, the voice of the Lord in Majesty, the voice of the Lord upon the waters, the voice of the Lord dividing the flames of fire, the voice of the Lord shaking the wilderness of Kadesh, breaking the cedars of Lebanon, and the like — which is the voice of the Lord in the terrible noise of thunder, Psalm 29:8-8.
And there is no one work of the Lord (though not with such a noise) which does not with a loud voice, as it were, in the name of the Lord, proclaim unto the children of men how great and glorious the Lord is, who has given it its being, and use, and place in the world; especially the work of God in the creation of Man, his body, the members and senses; his soul (its powers and faculties) does without a tongue speak the praise of that God who curiously framed the body in the womb, and immediately infused the living soul, Psalm 139:14, 15; Zech. 12:1.
2. God speaks by his works of PROVIDENCE, and that both merciful and afflictive.
1. God speaks by his merciful providences; by his patience, and bounty, and goodness, He calls men unto repentance, Romans 2:4. He gives witness of himself, in giving rain and fruitful seasons, Acts 14:17.
God's providing mercies, God's preventing mercies, God's preserving mercies, God's delivering mercies; the number of God's mercies — which cannot be reckoned; the order and strange method of God's mercies — which cannot be declared; the greatness of God's mercies — in the kinds and strange circumstances which cannot be expressed — do all with open mouth call upon men from the Lord to repent of their sins which they have committed against him, and to yield all love, thankfulness, and obedience unto him.
2. God speaks by his afflictive providences: there is a voice of God in his rod — as well as in his Word, Micah 6:9, "Hear the rod, and He who has appointed it!" When God "chastens, he teaches," Psalm 44:12. When God lifts up his hand, and strikes — he opens his mouth also, and speaks; and sometimes opens men's ears too, and seals their instruction. Job 33:16.
Sometimes God speaks by rods more mildly, by lesser afflictions; sometimes God speaks by scorpions more terribly, by greater judgments: which leads to the second particular.
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