at Johns coming Zach. 11.8 The Pharisees were held the best of those three si ad legem respexeris saith Tremellius if you look to the law and Saint Paul who was once a Pharisee of the Pharisees calleth them the most strictest Sect of the Jewish religion Act. 26.5 like those district ssimi Monachi among the Papists and yet there were seven sorts of Pharisees Talm. tract Suta cap. 3. as we find in their Talmud Hence much alienation of affection amongst them and great animosities father hating sonne and sonne father for truths sake as Mat. 10.35 So powerfull should John be in his Ministery that although the leprosie were gotten into their heads and were therofore held incurable Lev. 13.44 yet he should tuen the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1.17 All head-strong and bâ—utiâ—h affections should be calmed and corrected as Isa 21.6 7 8. and the peaceable v. isdome from above inâ—tilled lam Eph. 4.3 3.17 so that they shall indeavâ—ur to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace And albeit some jarrs may fall out a betwixt Paul and Barnabas yet Gods people can soon pecce again and reunite Job Worver in Polymath Vt 〈◊〉 percussus non laeditur into no dividitur quidâ—m sed resundit â—esâ— spissior redit c. As the ayre divided by a stone or stroke soon closeth and thickencth the more Certainly there is no such onenesse and entirenesse any where as among the saints their love is spirituall Cant. 6.9 The very Heathenâ— acknowledged that no people in the world did hold together and love one another so as Christians did Tacitus observeth of the Jews that there was misericordia in promptu apud suos but contra omâ—â—s alios hostile odium mercy enough for their own countreymen amongst them but hostile hatred against all others they use to say that there is no Gentile but deserves to have his head bruised c. But John Baptist by hiâ— preaching made Jewish Pharisees and Roman soubliers according to the phrase that Josephus useth of him to convent and knit together in baptisâ—ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiâ—dib 18. cap 7. 〈◊〉 I conte and sinite the earth with a curse that is lest coming I smite c. For there is no doubt to be made of his coming and as little of his smiting if men amend not These words menace as many as resisted Iohns ministry with utteâ— destruction whether it be done against the whole nation or against a mâ—â— only Iob 34.29 The Romans came and took amay both their place and their Nation not for leâ—â—ng Christ alone as they feared Iob. 11.48 but for laying wicked hands upon him and putting to death the Lorn or life Act. 2.23 Iohn also preached damnation to them Mat 3. and so did our Saviour Aâ—at 23. where by eight dreadfull woes as by so many links of an adamantine chain he drawes chose irreformable hypoerites down to hell their place and thâ—n lâ—aves them to be reserved unto judgement S. Jerome waâ— called 〈…〉 the Churchthunderbolt Mr. Perkins was a most caâ—â—st preacher and would prâ—n unce the word Damne with such an Emphasis M. Fullers Holy State 90. as lest a 〈…〉 in his Auditouts eares a good while after And when Catechist of Christ-coâ—â—eage 〈◊〉 pâ—unding the commandernents he applyed them so home that he made his hearers hearts sall down and their hairs to stand opright almost And surely this 〈◊〉 the way to work upon hard-harted sinners whence the Apostle bids Tâ—ns rebuke with all autâ—oâ—ty and then turning him to the people as Carvin sâ—â—â—th it chang th â—â—em not to despise him for so doing Tit. 1.15 The Apeille knew well that men are for most part of delicate eares and can 〈◊〉 abide plain dealing Ahab hates Micâ—iah and hath him in prison ever since that creadsull denunciation of displeasore and death for dismissing Benhadad for he was probably that disguised Pâ—ophet for which he was ever since sast in prisâ—n deep in disgrace But truth must be spoken how ever it be â—â—ken and those that will not be pricked at heart as Act. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. â—ut take up bucklers to ward oss the blow must have the sword of the spirit sheathed in their bowels and bâ—thed in their blood for mall this we are a sweet savour unto God 2 Cor. 2.15 yea though a savour of death unto death The barren earth must be smitten with cuâ—sing and they that minde earthly things Terra autem sunt qui terrona sapiunt saiâ—â— A sbon have damnation for their end De civ Deil. 20. c. 29. so that St. Paul cannot speak of them 〈◊〉 teares of compâ—ssion Philip. 3.18 19. Oh that it might expresse from them teares of compunction Oh that they would be forewarned to slee from the wrath to come Oh that they would think upon eternity and by breaking â—fâ— their sins disarme Gods indignation justly conceived against them He therefore threateneth that he may not smite he proceed not to punish till there be no remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger sacit An unâ—â—ly patient makes a cruell Physician O that we could all resolve to deal by our sins as Levis King of Fiance did by the Popes Bulls whereby he required the fruits of vacancies of all Cathedrall Churches of France Speed 496. about the year 1152. he cast them into the fire saying he had rather the Popes Bulls should restin the fire then his own soul should fiy in heil For a perclose of all take an observation of Amamas and before him of Baxtorfes that in many Hebrew Bibles the last verse save one of this Propesy as also of Ecclesiastes Isaiah and Lamentations is repeated again in the end thereof though without pricks lest any thing should be thought added to Gods word Factum hoc ex Scriharum decreto c. This the scribes thought fit to do either for the dignity of those repeated verses that the Reader might again ruminate and remind them or else as some will have it because all those bookes end in threatenings and sad speeches And therefore lest the Sun of Righteousnesse should seem to set in a cloud or not to shine upon the departing passenger they thought sit to leave the verse before to be last as being sweet and full of comfort that the Reader might Sampson-like goe his way feeding on that hony-comb Laus Deo in aeternum The Righteous mans Recompence OR A TRUE CHRISTIAN CHARACTERIZED AND ENCOURAGED Out of MALACHI 3.16 17 18. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord harkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name CHAP. I. The Text opened and analyzed THAT which was anciently spoken of Iohn Baptust who was
more then a Prophet a Math. 11.9 may not unfitly be applyed to Malachy the last of Prophets b Prophetarum ultimum veluti sigillum c. Petrus à Figuiero proaem in Mal. Judaei in hujus prophaeta obitum collocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id esi obfignationem proplietrae In ejus locum successisse aixnt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filam vociâ— id est oraculum divinum quo post prophetarwn tempo a dicunt suisse revelata futura Alsted Chron. that he is the boundary c Malachias à Terrulliano limes in tervetus novum Testam vocatur ad quem desineret Judaismus à que inciperet christianismus and buckle d Ioh Baptista fuit ut ita dicam legis gratiae fibula Chrysol of the Law and Gospel the golden girdle that knitsup and ties together those two brests of Consolation e If. 66.11 the old and new Testament between the which he seemes to lie as a bundle of Myrrhe or cluster of Camphire the sweet scent whereof fills the whole house of God f 1 Tim. 3. 15. and greatly affects all such as have their senses habitually exercised to discern both good and evill g Heb. 5.1 Summa libri est quòd cùm Judaei nuper reversi essent in patriam statim simul redieruâ—â— ad ingenium immemores gratiae dei ita se dediderant multis corruptelis ut nihilo melior esseâ—status eorum quam patrum antè suerat quasi Deus operam lusisset castigando corum scclera Calvin in Malach. proem Such were these good soules the subject of our text Reserv'd they were to those last and losest times of the Jewish Church after the return from Babylon where it seemes their seventy years captivity had not much mended the most of them h such alasse is the hardnesse of mens hearts that till the Spirit mollify and make them mallcable Afflictions Gods hammers do but beat cold iron Little good is done nay much hurt by accident for unsanctified persons grow worse with afflictions as water more cold after a heat witnesse these proud misereants that gave the occasion of this text Gods correcting hand had laine long time sore upon them to turn them from their enterprizes and to hide pride from their hearts i Iob. 33.17 But he had not his end upon this untoward generation Cohaerence nor they the best use of this affliction Witnesse their words above the text where they stand stouting it out with the Lord of Hosts ver ver 13. 13. and stick not to charge him with deep oscitancy and forlorne neglect of his best servants ver 14. yea with flat iniquity and most unequall administation of his earthly kingdome 14. For now we call the proud happy say they and those that work wickednesse are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered As who should say 15. Surely there is no reward for the rightcous verily there is not a God that doth judge in the earth Either things are not ordered by a divine providence but left at randome and let run at sixes and sevens as it happens or else there is not an equall hand held over the sons of men but partiality and unrig hteousnesse found with the judge of all the earth k Gen. 18.25 whiles the proud thus tempt God and trample upon his people and are not only not punisht but even preferr'd for their labour Thus they in their madnesse set their mouthes against heaven l Psal 73.9 and spare not despitefully to spit their venome in the face of God himself At the bearing of which abhorred blasphemies ‖ Mirum videtur coelum hoc dicto non sudare terram hiare mare non conuno veri c Cart. Hist Xpti I wonder if the heavens did not swear the Sun blush the Earth wax weary of her burthen and Hell gape wide and enlarge her self m Esay 5.14 for these prodigious Atheists these Gyants ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5.39 23 9. these monstrous men of condition I am sure the Godly of these times were much affected with it and met often about it not without a great deal of good conference and much holy duty perform'd on all hands to that God with whom they found all best audience and acceptance for the present together with a promise of fuller and further reward for the future to the comsort of his people and consusion of his enemies 16. The they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord harkened and heard it and there was a booke of remembrance written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. The words present unto us 1. aduty performed set forth 1. in the circumstances 1. of time Then 2. of persons they that feared the Lord. thought upon his Name 2. in the substance they spake often one to another 2. A mercy returned and that 's double 1. Gods grcious acceptation in that for present he regards what they did the Lord harkened and heard is future he records it And a booke of remembrance was written c. 2. his righteous retribution of 1. Mercy to his people respecting 1. their persons which 1. own they shall be mine c. 2. honour in the day when I make up my Jewels he will 2. their performances I will spare them as a man spareth his owne son that sorveth him 2. Judgment to his enemies ver 18. Then shall ye return and discern c. CHAP. I. Doctr. I. Saints must be best in worst times THem men were arrived at this height of impudency and prophanenes as to say T was to no purpose to serve God even then when their black mouths were now big swolne with such like blasphemies n Illis de Dei judicio blasphemantibus Hieron Tunc cum blasphemi talia loquerentur Pet à Figuiero in locum Doct. then they that fcared the Lord were thus busied as in the text Note hence That Gods servants must labour to shew themselves best in the worst times and then most bestirr them in his businesle when others are most carelesse of it and contrary to it SECT 1. The Point consirmed â— by precept 2 by practise THis you shall see confirm'd and commended to us 1. by precept from Gods mouth 2. by the constant practise of his best children in allages For precept first what can be more direct and expresse then those common texts Thou shalt not follow a multitâ—ide to do evill o Exod. 23.2 Save your selves from this untoward generation p Act. 2.40 Come out from among them my people and be ye separate q 2 Cor 6.17 Be not ye conform'd to this world but be ye transform'd by the rencwing of your mind r Rom 12.2 Have no fillowship with the unfruitfull works of
Octoginta sex annos illi servio nec ulla in re me unquam laesit quomedo possim maledicere c. Euseb Eccles hist l 4. c. 15. Of Origâ—â— who chose rather to continue a poor Catechist at Alex indâ—â—a in daily danger of his life then with Ploâ—â—nus his fellow-pupill to live at Court in great authority and favour would he but with him have reneagued Christ and renount'd the Faith c Erasmus in vita Grig oper praesixa It were easie to come lower and nearer our own times and to bring upon the stage a great fort of such as held forth the word of life by a bold and wise profession in the darâ—est mid-night of damned popery and Satans universall raigne d Legatur Illyrâ—â—â— Catalogue testium Dr. â—sher graviss quaesti Cade c. But I shut up with 〈◊〉 that notable Champion of Christ and stickler for the truth to the defence whereof he stood stoutly when all the Christian world besides was turn'd Arâ—â—aâ— e Ingemuit orhis mirabatur se facâ—urn esse Arrianum Hieron centrae Lucrferianos Iste vir totius orhis impetum sustinuit as a Father phraseth it Whence it went abroad of him That the whole world was set against Athanasius and Athanasius against all the world A brave commendation a stately praise Such honour have all his Sâ—unts f Psal 139 ult Wisdome ever hath been you see and ever must be justified of her children g Marth 11.19 against all obloquies and oppositions of the mad multitude * Haud peâ—â—ndâ— in crimme incendij quam Oâ—io Hâ—mâ—ni generis convicti sunt Sic de Christianis sub Nerone whis incensae falso accusatis Tacit lib. 15. Et Fertallianus in Apologet. ait in Christianis nomen damnari puniri non criâ—â—n scoelus ever besides it selfe in point of salvation SECT II. The point confirmed by yeasons 1. from God 2. scom men both 1. good 2. and bad ANd there 's good reason for it too as you shall soon see whether ye look up ward or downward to God or men the saints themselves or others All which Reasons are grounded upon our Text and shall be therehence gathered For God first his people should therefore strive then to be best when others are at worst 1. Because he graciously accepts it he hear kgns and hears Ver. 16. saith the text 2. He plentifully rewards it for there is a book of remembrance c. that this their labour of love may never be forgotten H. b. 6 For themselves next Gods saints shall hereby well approve that they are 1. True Christians fearing the Lord. 2. Zealous Christians such as think upou his name Lastly for others 1. Good men shall be thereby notably confirmed whiles they speak often one to another for mutuall quickning and encouragement 2. Bad men shall be utterly confuted and confounded while they return that is change their minds and discerne perforce a plain and palpable difference between themselves and Gods servants Yea whiles they are constrained by the testimony of their own evil consciences and by the evidence of their own evil experiences to see and say Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth b Psal â—8 11 Here then to begin with the first Reason taken from God and therein not to urge his command which yet is reason suâ—â—cient and tacitely implied in the text for what the Lord approveth and rewardeth that he certainly willeth and requireth sith his approving and prescribing will are though distinct yet not different the one from the other but to make use of so much onely in the text as lies above ground for our present purpose First the Lord doth curiously observe Resâ— 1. and graciously accept of such his servants as continue constant with him in depraved times in a generaâ— declension when sinne is grown usuall and almost â—â—versall The Lorab kâ—uâ—d and heard saith the text It imports that he was much taken with their sweet conferences and those savoury speeches that fell from their mouthes No noise so delightfull no musick so melodious to his heavenly ears which therefore he applies close and layes near to their honey lips i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Nestore suo Homerus as loth to lose any part of that precious language Well might Saint Peter say out of the Psalm The eye 's of he Lord are upon the righ cour and his care are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read are 〈◊〉 to their prayers k 1 Fet. 3.12 Psal 34. Reas 2. but the Originall is more emphaticall his ears are unto their prayers or rather into their prayers so farre is he affected therewithall And look what the Apostle speaks there of their prayers by way of Instance the same is as true of their whole Christian practise Not a prayer they make not a good work they do not a good speech they utter nay not a good thought they take up but he both notes it well he hea kâ—ed and hâ—aâ—d and sets it down in his note-book too for a book of remembrance was wrâ—tion besere the Lord for them that but thought vpon his Name in an evill time when mens words were stout against God verse 13 14. and their thoughts Atheisticall verse 15. But what will the Lord do for such which is the second branch of this first Reason drawn from God It follows in the Text And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts c. His not by a generall right onely as his creatures but by a speciall title as his saints such as have made a covenant with 〈◊〉 by sacrifice l Psal 50.5 and he interchangeably made a covenant with them of salt m Mam. 18.19 2 Chron. 13.5 that is permanent and inviolable And both sides hy a mutuall stipulation that he will be their God and they shall be his people he shall be their portion and they his for the Lords portion is his people n Dent. 32.9 saith Moses they are his proper goods and most esteemed treasure o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 text Peculium proprium fingulare thesaurus the top of his wealth the best of his gettings the people of his purchase p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 Such as compreheud all his gettings as Saint Peter after the Septuagint renders the word here found in our Text in summe his Jewels whom he will highly prize and safely set up by him in the golden cabinet of his speciall providence and fatherly protection Not casting them out for every small flaw nor lesse esteeming them for every little dust that falls upon them and fouls them but prizing them aright to their utmost value and giving them their allowance as men deal by light gold he will take them for currant And wherein they come short of what they should be he will spare them as a man spareâ—h
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again want we any good 't is no more but run to God for it who takes it in high scorn we should seek to any other If any man want wisdmi and by consequence any good thing else let him ask it of God n Jam. 1.5 expounded ob sol ob sol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Antigon apud Plutar. ob sol Oh but my deserts are nothing They are as much as he looks for he gives unto all men not sels or payes them for wages I know his reward is with him to give unto every man according to his works and then my share will be a very smal or nothing rather Nay he gives liberally saith the apostle not as befits us to receive but as becomes him to give Now no small things can fall from so great a hand as his Yca to such and such he will give and liberally Nay to all men without exception can they but name the name of the Lord Jesus in prayer and do their good will to depart from iniquity they shall be saved Oh but I have these and these discouragements My sins presse me down o 2 Tim. 2.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh that I cannot look up p Psal 40.12 sol and prick me in the foot that I cannot come neer Fear not for this God upbraides no man neither with former faults or present failings if heartily disclaimed and soundly set against The Publican departe Gods presence never awhit the lesse justified for his former extortions because truly humbled q Luk. 18.14 Take heart therefore upon all occasions to go boldly unto the throne of Gods grace in full assurance r Heb. 4. ult of finding him facile to stretch out his golden scepter upon the first sight of us as we appear in his Christ in whom he is abundantly well pleased ſ Mat. 3. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look what Zedekiah spake faintly and flateringly to his Princes you know that the king can denie you nothing t Ier. 38.5 Hence their stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what the Heathens falsely report of some of their Princes that never any departed pensive out of their presence the same is most true of our God Never came any unto him aright in his ordinances but he received thus much comfort and incouragement at least that he would come again Noah's dove brought an olive leaf in her mouth at first and that was encouragement to send out a second time and a third also and then better tidings So though the Lord hold his people off at first and seem to slight them yet his heart is still toward them and his hand is still under them there is a secret supporting grace upholding the Saints in their greatest desertions God hears sometimes when he seems to do nothing lesse and love entirely where he makes shew to hate extreamly as David dealt with his Absolom and s the son of David with the woman of Canaan Quest But how shall I know that God hearkens and hears when he seems to neglect and suspends his answer well enough Answ and 1. By a cast of his countenance 2. By the verdict of thine own conscience First you may guesse at Gods good minde and meaning towards you by a smile of his face by a cast of his countenace as a petitioner may read in the kings looks while his petition is in reading what the successe shall be If the king smile upon it and look cheerfully he is made as if the king frown and bend his brows upon it he is dashed Just so it is between God and his people in performance of religious duties The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous as wel as his ears open to their cryes u Psal 34.15 16. As o' to'ther side the face of the Lord as well as his heart is against them that do evil as the Psalmist there opposeth them A good man gathers by Gods countenance cast upon him in his service how he shall speed And this is his priviledge to be admitted into Gods presence-chamber when the wicked stand without doors amongst dogs and devils x Rev. 22.15 For an hypocrite shall not come before him y Iob 13.16 saith Job but the upright shall dwell in his presence z Psal 140.13 saith David The wicked man stands at the gate like a vagrant but comes not into the house to see whether the master be preparing for him an almes or a cudgel whereas a good man like a good Angel stands alwayes before the face of God who doth not hide his face from him but when he cryes unto him he hears a Psal 22.24 Secondly consult thine own sanctified conscience for thy better satisfaction and resolution in this case Conscience is Gods spie and mans over-seer excusing or accusing cheering or checking in Gods stead as there is occasion It may fitly be called our God in the sence that Moses was Pharaohs b Exod. 7.1 Come see a thing that tells all that ever we have done c Joh. 4.29 nay all that ever God doth as touching our salvation being enlightened and sanctified by the holy Ghost For as God knows the meaning of his spirit d Rom. 8.27 so doth the spirit know the meaning of God Now this spirit witnesseth together with our spirits e Rom. 8.16 Nay it disdaineth not for our comfort to give in evidence at the bar of our consciences that we are Gods children and our services good in his sight refreshing our hearts after holy actions with a secret content Weemse with a hidden approbation Now therefore as the High priest of the old Testament might read Gods minde in his Urim and Thummim born upon his brest though he heard no voice though hesaw no shape so may a christian inform himself from within what the Lord thinks of him and hi works he need but reflect upon his own conscience if not bemisted or abused by Satans temptaions and it will do him to know what his acceptation is in heaven If our hearts condemn us not saith Saint Iohn then have we confidence toward God And whatsoever we ask we receive of him f 1 Joh. 3.21 22. either in the same kinde we ask or a better By a clearing chearing conscience God testifies as once by fire from heaven that he is well pleased with our sacrifices c. CHAP. VI. Doctr. V. God perfectly remembreth and plentifully requiteth all our labours of love to him and his And there was a book of remembrance written before him for them that feared the Lord c. A Figurative speech Oblivis enim in Deum non cadit Parabolicw̄c hac dicta sunt pro humano captu Pol. and framed to our capacity for it befalles not God to be forgetful or to stand in need of a remembrancer It was in a distemper you may be sure that David asked Hast thou forgotten to be merciful
a Psal 77.9 and that Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me b Esay 49.14 The Butler may forget Ioseph and Ioseph his former toyl and fathers house c Gen. 41.51 but God cannot forget his people whom he hath chosen d Rom. 11.1 Can a woman forget her sucking childe e Esay 49.15 possibly she may some tigresses have proved unnatural to their own birth and bowels f Rom. 1.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so cannot God He is not unjust to forget your labour of love g Heb. 6.10 or if he should as I abhor to imagine beold there is a book of remembrance written before him for them that fear the Lord and that think upon his name A borrowed speech for our better apprehension from kings and great personages who use for memories sake to keep a catalogue a calendar of such as whom they minde to reward for some special service as Ahasuerosh did Mordecai when he had read his name in the roll of those that had deserved well of the king h Est 6.3 So Tamerlane had alwayes by him a catalogue of the names and good deserts of his servants which he daily pernsed Knol Tu r hist p. 227. Those stout rebels above my text were grown so bold and bedlam as to give out that Gods service was nothing worth and that it was a course of no profit to keep his ordinances i Mal. 3.13 14 15. The contrary whereunto is here vouched and the truth vindicated God saith our prophet both hearkened and heard the holy language of his people and so sealed up his dear respect unto them for present and also caused a book of remembrance to be written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and so setled it in his heart to requite them for the future That like as in the work of creation there went with Gods dixit his benedixit and with his ordinavit his ornavit so in the administration of all things especially in that which is special and proper to the elect with his remembrane there goes a recompence and with his regard a reward Note hence That God doth perfectly remember Doctr that he may plentifully requite all the good srvices done him by his saints and people SECT I. The truth confirmed by Scripture HE not only harkened and heard what good things passed between them here but registred up and ingrossed the same in his book of remembrance called elsewhere the book by a specialty k Dan. 12.1 the writing of the house of Israel l Ezek 13.9 the writing to life in Jerusalem m Isa 4.3 the book of life n Philip. 4.3 the book of life of the lamb o Rev. 21.27 wherein he records and where-out he will relate at last day all the good works of his children p Mat. 25. not once mentioning their sins and infirmties which he hath promised to remember no more q Heb. 8. Our labour of love he will not forget but be ever mindfull of his covenant r Psal 115.5 The Lord hath been mindfull of us saith the Church and as an effect thereof he will blesse us He will blesse the house o Israel He will blesse the house of Aaron He will blesse them that fear the Lord both small and great ſ Ps 115.11 12 Cornelius for instance he feared God winh all his bouseholde and he made good proof thereof for he gave much almes to the people and pray'd to God alway and therefore both his prayers and his almes came up for a memoriall before God t Act. 10.1 2 4 Thus God remembred his Noah u Gen. 8.1 Abraham x Gen. 19.20 Rachel y Gen. 30.22 Joseph z Psa 105.20 whose fetters he changed into a chain of gold his rags into fine linnen his stocks into a charret his goal into a palace Potiphars captive into his Masters Lord the noyse of his chains into Abrech and all because heremembred his Creatour in the dayes of his youth a Eccles 12.1 and thereby kept himself pure from the great Transgression b Psal 19.13 SECT II. The truth confirmed by six Reasons THe ground of which gracious dealing in God is first his incomprehensible wisdome Reas 1 and fore-knowledge The Lord hath the Idoea the perfect platforme and paern within himself of all persons and things together with the severall occurrences of either Hence it is that he knowes all things Simul semel together and at once not successively or by discourse collecting one thing from another as we do but in one simple and eternall act knowing and comprehending all things He need but reflect upon himself and there he seeth all things before him as in a glasse So that to speak properly there is neither foreknowledge nor remembrance in the Almighty all things both past and future being ever present with him Tine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them c Ps 139.16 In this fore-knowledge of God so we call it for teaching sake as in a book are recorded the persons birth quality and death of every man and woman together with their severall deeds and practises that they may receive according to what they have done in the flesh whether good or evill d 2 Gor. 5 And this is our first ground of this point Known to the Lord are all his works from the begining e Act. 15 18 The Lord knoweth them that be his f 2 Tim. 2.19 Yea he knowes the whole way of the righteous g Psal 1. ult And this his knowledge of them and their good works is a knowledge of singular apprbation yea of infinite delight and complacency which makes him wait to shew them mercy h Esay 30.18 Heremembreth saith the Psalmist when he writes up the people when he makes up his jewels i Mal 3.17 that such a man was born k Psal 87.5 6 there and that being born by a second birth and having followed him in the regeneration l Mat. 19.28 they shall not lose the things they have wrought but receive a full reward m 2 Ich. 8. Secondly Reas 2 God is just and faithfull hence his remembrances and remunerations of his peoples services Not of duty I must tell you but of mercy it being a mercy in God even to reward men according to their works n Psal 62.12 were they better then they be or can be To thee O Lord belongeth merey for thou rewardest every one according to his works n Psal 62.12 But this by the way We were drawing a second reason for the point from Gods justice and faithfulnesse And this we borrow fom the Apostle Heb. 6.10 God saith he is not unrighteous to forget your works and
Presse them to works of mercy and liberality to Gods poor alasse say they we are poor men our selves and have many to care for A man cannot tell what shall come after him and what shall come after him who can tell f Eccles 6.12 O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have afore-time spoken t Luk. 24.25 Hath not God said The liberall man deviseth liberall things and by liberall things he shall stand u Esay 32.8 not fall or come to ruine That he is able to restore any Amaziah more then the one hundreth talents come to x 2 Chro. 25.9 lost or rather laid out for Gods sake and in is service that whosoever forsaketh all and follows Christ shall receive a hundred-fold here and heaven hereafter y Mark 10.30 Ruth for instance she while Orphah wants bread in her own countrey is grown a great Lady in Bethlehem and advanced to be great-grand mother to the King of Israel nay to Christ the heire of all But the ground of this perversnes and misjudgment made by men of Gods work and is wages is that damned infidelitie that is rooted in our natures cansing that we dare not rely upon God nor trust his bare word without a pawne but think 't is beft every man to shift for one that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush as the prodigall that called for his portion here and that carnall Cardinall that wouldnot part with his part in Paris for his part in Paradise that wherever we see God 't is best tusting to our selves which what is it better then to give God the lie Cardinall Burbon to charge falshood upon the Almighty should some man promise me an hundred pound doing some small chare for him though I told him not plainely he did but seek to gull me with words yet if I should go my way from him turn againe and laugh in his face and never make use of his offer or triall of his curtesie I should in effect say as much as all that comes to Think the same of such as reject Gods just precepts and despise his large promises slighting his work and slandering his wages what do they lesse then put the lie upon him in grossest manner then the which I know not what greater indignitie can be offered to the God of truth Whereat though he seemes to wink for a season and they conceive basely and absurdly of him thereupon as if he were altogether such a one as themselves yet he will shortly reprove them and set their sins in order before their eyes z Psal 50.21 as they stand recorded in the roll of remembrance For as there is a book of remembrance written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name so no lesse for them that despisd the Lord and set light by his Name That therein as in a table they may run and read their own destiny written faire and so returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not SECT IIII. Vse 2. The wicked shall be surely and severely punished Use 2 ANd that 's a second use of this point and 't is for terrour to all gracelesse and profane persons that serve not God but Mammon not the Lord Christ but their own bellyes a Rom. 16.18 that forsake their Maker and pursue after lying vanities b Jon. 2.8 that say after all The Lord hath for sakenthe earth he will neither do good nor evill c Ezek. 9.9 Zeph. 1.12 He hath said in his heart quoth David of the Atheist God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it d Psal 10.11 And again by way of complaint Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long shall they bluster and speake hard things and all the workers of iniquitie boaft themselves They break in pieces thy people c. Yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it e Psal 94.3 c. They hide God from themselves and then think themselves hid from God * Struthiocamelo cum delit escendum est solum caput penitus in condenso loco seu frutice occultat reliquum corpus in aper to relinquit Ita dum in capite seeurus est nudus quâ— mâ—â—or â—â—t capitur totus 〈◊〉 Capite Plin. â— 10. tap 1. Impiorum dicta et facta similiter in Dei commentariis referuntur c. Gualth in textum Whose folly we can better revince then in the following words Vnderstand ye bruitish among the people and ye fooles when will ye be wise He that planted the eare shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall he not see He that chastiseth the heathen shall not he correct He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know Yea the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity He knowes them and ponders them he records and writes them down particularly in his ook of remembrance The sin of Iudah is written with a pen of iron and with the point of a diamond f Jer. 17.1 Behold it is written before me and I will recompence it into their bosomes g Esay 65.6 saith the God of recompence h Jer. 51.56 And as he writes up their actions for future vengeance so as men do their chief evidences which they are most carefull to keep safe God is said to lay up these records in store with him and to keep them seal'd up among his treasures i Deut. 32.34 And for what end doth he this but that he may produce them as so many swift witnesses against the workers of iniquity in that day Her sinnes have reached to heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Reward her therefore even as she hath Rewarded you and double unto her double k Mal. 3.5 according to her works said that mighty angel concerning Babylon l Rev. 18.5 6 Jacob Revlus in hist Pontific p. 177. Lente gradu ad vindictam sui divina procedit â—Ì„ura tarditatemque supplicij gravitate compenset De Dionysio Val. Max. Iib. 1. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the same sai th the mighty God concerning all impenitent persons well they may shuffle for a season and shift rom side to side as Balaams asse before the punishing Angel but surely their sin will finde them out and ring them such a heavie peal as Pope Innocent the fourth heard once from heaven and was found dead the next day in his nest Veni miser in judicium come thou wretch and receive thy judgment What though the Lord defer the execution of his sentence The master of that evilservant shall come in a day when he looks not for him and at an houre when he thinkes not and shall cut him in twain rend his soul from his body and appoint him his portion
say to Mr. Hawkes the Martyr that he was too curious for he would have nothing but his little pretty-Gods-book Acts and Mon. And is it not sufficient for my salvation said Hawkes yes said he but not for your instruction God send me the salvation said Hawkes and you the instruction That the Scripture is full and sufficient for both instruction and salvation see 2 Time 3.16 17. and my Treatise called the True Treasure Has igiâ—ur nocturnâ versate manu versate diurnâ Psal 1.2 Let there not by infrequency or disuse grow an alienation or strangenesse betwixt us and the holy Scriptures but be ready in them and have them as Saul had his pitcher and spear at his bolster as David had his chosen stones at hand in his scrip c. Luther wisheth all his own books burnt because I fear saith he they hinder men from reading the Bible that book of books in comparison whereof all the books in the world are but wast-paper After which I tremble saith he to think of the former age wherein many Divines spent so much time in reading Aristotle and Averroes and so little in reading the Book of God Melancthon saith that he heard some preach upon Texts taken out of Aristotles Ethicks Carolostadius was eight yeers Doctour when he began to read the Scriptures and yet at the taking of his degree Joh. Manlius being asked whether he had read the Decalogue negitabat se hujusmodi librum in Bibliotheca sua habuisse unquam he denied that he had ever had or heard of any Book so called Amam in Antibar praf such a perfect stranger was he to the great things of Gods Law And if the learned Doctours be thus bard and ignorant what may we think of the poor misled and muzled multitude that lie fast lockt up in the Popes dark dungeon and are flatly forbidden to meddle with the Scriptures lest they should be infected with heresie or possessed with a devil as some say they have been by that means Verse 13. They sacrifice flesh in the sacrifices of mine offerings and eat it q. d. They would seem not to have rejected the great things of my Law nor to be such strangers thereunto sith they were much in sacrificing according to the Law But their hypocrisie is most hatefull In decal In that First they offer with Cain Non personam sed opus personae as Luther saith not themselves but their bare sacrifices Esay 66.3 which is but as a brainlesse head and soul-lesse body it is but flesh as it is here called in contempt and scorne See the like Jer. 7.21 Hos 9.4 And think the same of all externall services si careant animâ suâ id est rect â in Deum fide erectâ in illum mente if not performed in faith and obedience Secondly They pretended to serve God when indeed they onely served their own bellies as those Rom 16.18 sought their own ends Phil. 2.21 catered for the flesh Rom. 13.14 insigne donum quo afficior as Luther Paraphraseth the text carnem offertis quam vos ipsi voratis i. e. A goodly gift it is that you give mee viz. the flesh of your peace-offerings which your selves may feast with and you therefore multiply sacrifices that you may gorge your selves with good chear Now one egge is not more like to another then these old flesh-mongers were to the Popish flesh-flies at this day It was an honest complaint of one of them We saith he handle the Scripture tantùm ut nos pascat vestiat onely that it may feed us and cloath us And it is evident to all the world that their Masses pilgrimages festivals vowed presents and memorials c. are onely to pamper their paunches which made them so angry with Erasmus and Luther for medling but the Lord accepteth them not How should he say when there was nothing but flesh nothing but self in them See the like Jer. 4.10 Am. 5.22 Esay 1.10 where God telleth them that their sacrifices were grievous and offensive to all his several senses nay to his very soul too The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 yea though he bring it with never so good an intent Pro. 21.27 how much more if he bring ex rapina holocaustum a sacrifice of what he hath got by rapine and robbery and so the Chaldee carrieth the sence of the former words the sacrifices of mine offerings quae collecta sunt ex injâ—ria saith He which were gathered and gotten by wrong-dealing how then should the Lord accept them now will he remember their iniquity Even while they are sacrificing let them not think to blinde his eyes with the smoak of their offerings to stop his mouth with their rich gifts and donaries to bribe him into a connivency to expiate and set off their sinnes with their sacrifices for God will remember them and punish them Yea now will he do it in the time of their holy duties he will come upon them then in his wrath Luke 13. as Pilate came upon the Galileans and mingled their blood with their sacrifices Sure it is that sin brought into Gods holy presence petitions against the sinner as Esther did against Haman at the banquet of wine picks out the time of prayer and other duties to accuse and call for vengeance Esth 7.6 Take we heed lest while we are confessing our sinnes which yet we close with and will not forsake and judging our selves worthy to be destroyed God say not Out of thine owne mouth will I condemn thee thou gracelesse person that hast so much impudence as to bring thy Cozbi into my presence then when all the people as on a fast-day are weeping before the door of the Tabernacle Lev. 10.3 God will be sanctified of all that draw nigh unto him one way or other he will be sanctified either in them or on them Of such he saith as Solomon once did of Adoniah 1 King 1 5â— If he shew himself a worthy man there shall not an hair of his head fall to the earth but if wickednesse shall be found in him he shall die If any defile the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. him shall God destory they shall return to Egypt They had a minde to run thither for refuge they sent also to So king of Egypt for that purpose 2 King 17.4 Instead of making their peace with God they betook themselves to base shifts and sought help of the creature This is the guise of gracelesse men when distressed Rahab But they shall soon have enough of Egypt chap. 9.3 6. Their strength or their Egypt had been to have sitten still in expectation of help from heaven Esay 30.7 Deut. 28 6â— and to have considered that the last and greatest curse denounced against their disobedience was And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt c. Verse 14. For Israel hath forgotten his maker Not more his Factour
to those that drank most and fourty one of the company killed themselves with drinking to get that crown Darius king of Persia caused this to bee ingraven upon his tomb I was able to drink much wine and to bear it bravely Was not this to glory in his shame had he no way else to shew his valour Athenâ—â—â— Did he never take notice of that Persian law that it should not bee lawfull for their King to be drunk but onely once a yeer when they sacrificed to the Sunne Idem whom they took to be the greatest of the gods How much better Bathsheba in her Lemuels-lesson It is not for Kings Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Princes strong-drink lest they drink and forget the law c. Prov. 31.4 And if not for kings much lesse is it for others to be drunk with wine wherein is excesse Eph. 5.18 lest with Nabal and the rich glutton they drink deep of the wine of Gods wrath and have the full vials of his vengeance poured upon them for ever and anoint themselves with the chief ointments After the manner of the Jewish Nation whereof see 2 Sam. 12.20 Eccles 9.8 Luk. 7.38 46. Psal 23.5 and 104.15 Mat. 6.17 They spare for no cost or pains to please all their senses And such a prodigall pleasure-monger was that rich citizens sonne mentioned in the second part of the Theatre of Gods judgments who to please all his five senses at once allowed to the delight of every severall sense a severall hundred pound For which end 1. Theat of Gods judgments part 2. pag. 110.111 He bespake a curious faire room richly hangd and furnished with the most exquisite pictures to please the eye 2. He had all the choysest Musick that could be heard of to give content to the eare 3. He had all the Aromatickes and odoriferous perfumes to delight his cent in smelling 4. All the Candies Preserves Junkets even to the stretching of the Apothecaries or Confectionaries art to please his taft 5. And lastly a beautifull and faire strumpet lodg'd with him in a soft bed and the daintiest linnen that could be compassed to accommodate his touch and all these this Epicure more then ever Sardanapalus did enjoy'd at one instant He spent thirty thousand pounds in three yeares and swore after all that if he had ten times more then ever he had he would spend it all to live one week like a God though he were sure to be damn'd in hell the next day after they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph i. e. of the Israelites Psal 80.2 and 77.16 Amos. 5.6 Joseph is mentioned and put for all the rest because he was famous amongst his brethren Aug. de doct Christian lib. 4. cap. 6. vel ob mala quae pendit vel ob bona quae rependit both for the evils that he suffered and for the good turns that he returned Time was when poor Joseph was ill handled by his mercilesse brethren and could not be heard though he used many intreaties Gen. 37.23 any 42 21. They when they had cast him into the pit there to pine and perish with hunger sat down to eat and so to ease themselves of any remorse of conscience that might be wrought in them See 1 Sam. 22.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They should have been sick at heart as the word here signifieth for the affliction the confraction the breaking to shivers of Joseph poor Reuben was so as farr as he durst shew it and Joseph forgat not his kindnesse when he came to his greatnesse God who is all bowels will never forget those that forget not his afflicted but commiserate and relieve them as they have opportunity and ability Verse 7. Therefore now shall they go captive with the first Heb. in the head of those that go captive as they have been first in the degrees of honour and of sin so shall they be now of punishment according to that saying of the Centuristâ— Ingentia beneficia Magdeburg Esa 50.11 ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia This they shall have of Gods hand they shall lie down in sorrow yea many sorrowes shall be to these wicked ones Psal 32.10 these mercilesse men shall not have the least mercy shewed them Iam. 2.13 God will surely set off all hearts from such as he did from Haman for whom in his misery not one man openeth his mouth once to intercede and he will punish magnum luxum magno luctu as One saith great luxury with great necessity and the banquet of them that stretched themselves They shall neither have mind nor mony to make feasts that were wont to lay on in all sorts of superfluities That prodigall above-mentioned was by a just hand of God reduced to extreame penury and cast off by all his former acquaintance Senâ—â—â— That luxurious Roman Apicius the expences of whose kitchin amounted to more then two millions of gold having eaten up his estate and fearing poverty poysoued himself leaving behind him ten bookes of direction how to furnish and set forth a feast with all manner of varieties which now he could sooner talk of then take of The word here rendred banquet is taken for a funerall feast Jer. 16.5 and so some think the sense here is Lively they shall be carried captive into a farr country and there be deprived of the honour of burialls which is a judgement elsewhere threatened Jer. 22.18 19. Aben-Ezra rendreth it facesset canticum the song of the wanton shall be set packing and for this he alledgeth that in the Arabick dialect the root word here used signifieth to lift up the voyce either for joy or grief The Seventy render it the neighing of horses as noting their immoderate lust according to Jer. 5.8 And this sense Ribera commendeth Verse 8. The Lord God hath sworn by himself Heb. by his soul which is himself sith whatsoever is in God is God So chap. 4.2 Gen 22.16 Heb. 6.16.17 Or He hath sworn by his soule that is Seriè ex animo Seriously and heartily Among the Heathens ex animi sui sententia was instead of an oath saith the Lord God of hosts who hath power enough in his hand to performe what he hath so solemnly assured I abhorr the excellency or the pomp and pride of Jacob So Basil speaking of the Western Church Odi fastum istius Ecclesiae saith He I hate their pride This he elsewhere calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Western brow from the fore-head that seat of pride and arrogancy which at length occasioned that lamentable separation of the Easterne or Greek church from communion with the Latine Field Gerson Carlton the other foure Patriarks dividing themselves from the bishop of Rome Pride is an odious evill fitly compared by One to a great swelling in the body which unfits it for any good service and is apt to putrify and break and run with loathsome and foule matter
Note on verse 8. Vers 18. What profiteth the graven image The Chaldees promised themselves much help against their enemies from their idols and were ready to say as that Roman Emperour Antoninus the Philosopher did when he was to meet his enemie Ita refer Vulcat Galliz in Avid Cass Non sic deos coluimus ut ille nos vinceret We have not so served the gods as that he should overcome us The Prophet here rejecteth their confidence and layeth open their folly See the like Jer. 10.8 14 15. Zech. 10.2 Esay 44.16 17 c. Confer Jer. 51.47 52. Ezek. 20.30 32. that the maker thereof hath graven it And can he hope for help from the work of his own hands can the image give that to others which it hath not for it self In Henry the eights time one Mr. Cotismore was accused of heresie for saying Act Mon 763. that Images were but Carpenters chips and that when men go to offer to them they did it to shew their new gear The men of Cockram not pleased with their new Rood quarrelled with the joyner and refused to pay him he complained to the Major of Doncaster who gave them this counsell Pay the poor man his money and go your wayes home and look on it and if it will not serve for a god make no more ado but clap a pair of horns on his head and so he will make an excellent devil This the Parishioners took well in worth the poor man had his money and diverse laughed well thereat but so did not the Babylonish priests Ibid. 1340 saith Mr. Fox Horace brings in Priapus that ridiculous garden god saying thus Olim truneus eram ficulnus c. He thought no otherwise of the Images of Jupiter and the rest but durst not say so for fear of the people So that of him it might be said as Augustine doth of Seneca who wrote a book against superstitions but colebat quod reprehendebat De civ Dâ—i lib. 6. c. 10. agebat quod arguebat quod culpabat adorabat he reproved them but yet used them the molten image and a teacher of lies Pictura falsa veritas est saith One. It is but a shadow of the person that it representeth God cannot be pictured or expressed by any image Images of Christ are not onely defects but also lies saith the Homily against perill of idolatry set forth in Queen Elizabeths dayes Irenaeus reproveth the Gnosticks for carrying about the images of Christ made in Pilates time after his own proportion Lactantius saith that there is no religion where there is an image Varro had said the same long before him as Austin reciteth him Plutarch saith it is sacriledge to worship by images c. and telleth us that Numa forbad the Romans the use of images in temples neither had they any for the first 170. years together no more had the Persians saith Strabo nor the old Germanes saith Tacitus The old Britones indeed had their idols Portenta diabolica so Gildas calleth them penè numero Aegyptiaca vincentia ugly for shape and almost as many as the Egyptians for number These all fell down together when Christ was first known here as they say the Egyptian idols did when Christ with his parents fled thither for fear of Herod but Antichrist soon set up others in their stead and taught the people that they were Lay mens books But if they be lying teachers as here they are called they must be lying books too and therefore not to be read by any that would receive the love of the truth that they may be saved Bern in Swisserland was the first town that after the Reformation was purged of images making a bone-fire of them on an Ashwednesday The like was done here in England in King Edward 6. his raigne on that very day wherein the victory was gotten at Muscleborough in Scotland and now I hope we are rid of them for ever The Turks will not endure them no not upon their coynes because of the second Commandement for they also do so honour Moses his writings Par. Porleg in Genes that they kisse any piece of Paper wherein any thing of his is written and do exceedingly hate Papists for their abominable idolatry as do likewise the Jewes that the maker of his work trusteth therein Which he would never do if not bewitcht and bereft of his right mind To trust in a god of a mans own making is a prodigious errour a stupendious stupidity to make dumb idols In the Hebrew there is an elegant Agnomination Elilim illemim speechlesse No-gods that give no answer to their suitours and quorum sunt numina nomina tant ùm Verse 19. Woe unto him that saith to the wood Awake It is wood still and yet he saith to it Awake Arise c. as if he would deny his own reason and un-man himself When Hezekiah saw that such was the venome of the Israelitish idolatry that the brazen-Serpent stung worse then the fiery he pulled it down and in contempt called it Nehushtan that is a piece of brasse 2 King 18.4 Pagnins rendreth it Thes Ling. sanct aenusum Marinus aeniculum that is parum quid aeris a little piece of sorry brasse The Jewes at this day say that as long as they see the Preacher direct his speech and prayer to that little wooden crucifix that standeth in the pulpit by him to call it his Lord and Saviour to kneel to it to embrace it to kisse it to weep upon it Spec. Eur. as is the fashion of Italy this is preaching sufficient for them and perswadeth them more with the very sight of it to hate Christian religion then any reason that the world can alledge to love it Woe therefore to those Popish Idolaters because of offences destruction to them that thus say to the wood Awake and to the dumb stone Arise A prayer fit to be preferr'd to God onely as Psal 35.23 who giveth not his glory to any other nor his honour to graven images Esay 42.8 He that is the right object of mens prayers must be omnipotent omnipresent omniscient a God also in covenant with us c. Is any wood or stone so Is it not inutile lignum a dead stock Eben dumam a dumb stone Our English seems to come of the Hebrew It shall teach Dumb and yet teach Others read it questionwise Ipse doceat Can it teach What better lesson can ye learn from it then a lie as verse 18 Bid adieu to it therefore as King Hen. 8. did to the Pope if he had done so to Popery too it had been better for him in his Protestation against him England is no more a babe to be led and fed with lies Surely except God take away our right wits Act. Mon. 990. not onely the Popes authority shall be driven out for ever but his name also shortly shall be forgotten in England We will from henceforth ask counsell of
charge The sunshine of prosperity ripens their sin apace and so fits them for destruction Let God therefore be justified and every mouth stopped Verse 16. Then they that feared the Lord c. Then Gen 6.12 Hos 4.1 when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the whole world turned Atheists Then when there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land none to speak of but that it was even darkened with profanenesse as Egypt was with those very grievous locusts that covered the eye thereof Exod. 10.14 15. Then when the faithfull city was become an harlot Esay 1.21 22. her silver turned into drosse her wine mixt with water her people not dilute onely but dissolute her self exaurea facta est argentea ex argented ferred ex serred terrea as One once said of Rome of gold become 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 iron of iron earth or rather muck 〈…〉 the Lord Those few names that had not desiled their garments in so 〈◊〉 a season Rev. 2.4 1 Jch. 5.18 but had kept themselves unspotted of the world undefiled in the way so as that that wicked One had not touched them had not thrust his deadly sting into them had not transformed them into sins image These stood up to stickle for God to stop the mouth of blasphemy and to stablish one another in perswasion of Gods holy truth and constant care of his dear children spake often one to another Montanus renders it Tune vastati sunt timentes Deminum sc ab impijs Atheis impune cos invadentibus That is Then were those that seared the Lord Wasted and destroyed viz. by those wicked Atheists who fell from fierce words to bloody blows so the word is used 2 Chron. 22.10 Psal 2.5 But this is far set and nothing so agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost here as our English after other approved Translations It is the same word that is used verse 13. Those spoke not so much against God as these did for him and about him to each other Heb. 12.13 for mutuall confirmation that that which was halting haply might not be turned out of the way but healed rather Great is the benefit of Chrillian conference for strengthening the weak knees and comforting the feeble minded Job 6.25 How Forcible are right words One seasenable truth falling upon a prepared heart hath oft a strong and sweet operation as some speeches of Staupicius had upon Luther Lise of Lâ—â—k by Mr Clack pag 85. Of whom it is also storted that he was much cheared up by conference with an old Priest discoursing about 〈…〉 by faith and explaining the Articles of the Creed to him Latimer likewise was much furthered by hearing Bilneys confession and having frequent conference with him at Heretikes-Lill as the place where they most used to walk in the fields at Cambridge Acts Mon. fol. 1574. was called long after Surely as a little boat may land a man into a large Continent so may a sew good words suggest matter sâ—â—â—â—ient for a whole lives meditation This 〈◊〉 well knows and therefore as he did what he could to keep God and Daniel asunder Dan. 6.7 So he doth still to keep the saints one from another that they may not build up themselves in their most Loly faith pray in the holy Chost pull one another out of the fire c. How were the Apâ—â—ies persecuted for their Christian meetings the primitive Christians banished and confined to Hes and Mines Jude 2â— 23. where they could not have accesse one to another as Cyprias complains the poor faints here in times of Popery 〈…〉 meeting as they could for mutuall edification and therefore accused of sedition for prevention whereof it was ordained that if 〈◊〉 should flock secretly together above the number of six they should be attached of treason 〈…〉 so the Protestants at Milcenburg in Cermany were forbidden upon pain of death to speak together of Scripture-matters And at Nola the Jesuites straitly charged the people not to talk of God 〈…〉 either in good sort or in bad See more of this in my Treatise on these words called The kighteous mans Recomponse Chap. 4. Docl. 3. annexed to this Commentary and the Lord hearkened and heard He not onely heard but hearkened or lisiened Gist us hit est diligenter auscultantis Esay 32.3 It imports not onely attention of body but intention of minde as when a man listeneth as for life and makes hard shift to hear all and retention of memory For which purpose also a booke of remembrance is here said to be written before him or by his appointment Liber monnmemi A book of Acts and Monuments in allusion to the custome of Kings See Esth 2.23 Tamerlan that warlike Scythian had alwayes by him a catalogue of the names and good deserts of his servants Turk hist sol 227. which he daily perused and whom he duely rewarded not needing by them or any others in their behalf to be put in remembrance Much lesse doth the Lord who bottles up the tears of his people files up their prayers puts all their holy speeches and practises on record that he may make all honourable mention of them at the last day in that great Amphitheatre that generall Assembly not once remembring any of their misdeeds Mat. 25.35 Heb. 8.12 See more of this in the Righteous mans Recompense Chap. 5. 6. and that thought upon his Name That had God before their eyes Psal 10.8 that minded his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 that thought upon his commandements to do them Psal 103.18 that can truly say with the Psalmist How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them Psal 139.17 See more of this verse in my Righteous mans Recompense Chap. 7. Doct. 16. Verse 17. And they shall be mine by peculiar right Et suum cuique pulchrum we all affect and admire our own things most God chuseth them for his love and loves them for his choice I will be a Father unto them and they shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.18 which is all one with that here They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts Concerning all which see my Righteous mans Recompense Part 2. Chap. 1. and 3. In the day when I make up my jewels viz. from the worlds malignities and misusages They shall not plunder him of his Jewels rob him of his chief treasure None shall take or pluck them out of Christs hands Job 10.29 they that attempt it shall find it a work not seisable When one desired to see Great Alexanders treasure he bade one of his servants shew him not his gold and silver but his friends Liban progâ—â— Chria 1. Henceforth I call you not servants but I have called you friends Joh. 15.15 And a friend is as a mans own soul Deut. 13.6 The Church is the dearly beloved of Gods soul Jer. 12.7 yea his dearly
for a just description of a godly Christian that he truely feares the Lord. First you shall finde Gods true service and his holy fear go coupled and handfasted in sundry scriptures Some few for a tast Now therefore fear the Lord saith Joshua in his last farewell to the world and serve him in sincerty and truth m Iosh 24.14 intimating that there is no sincere service done to God where his fear is not found So the Psalmist Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce before him with reverence n Psal 2.11 Fear then must be one thing in Gods works and reverence another whatsoever be the third Indeed it is the first second and third in Gods true service * As Demosthenes once said of Elocution in an Oratour Hence the Apostle Let us have grace saith he whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear o Heb. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae parit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As who should say A fearlesse heart is certainly a gracelesse heart neither let such a man think that he shall ever receive any wages at Gods hand for such unacceptable work sith displeasing â—â—rvice is a double dishonour But secondly as Gods true fear and service are in some places of scripture conjoyned so in other some they are confounded and indifferently taken the one for the other as tearmes convertible See for this Deut. 6.13 compared with Mat. 4.10 and again Mat. 15.9 with Esay 29.13 whereupon Solomon the wise makes this fear of God the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and last in Gods businesse The basis and beginning of all he sets it for in the beginning of his Proverbs p Prov. 1 7. the end and upshot of all he concludes it in the close of his Ecclesiastes Let us hear the end of all saith he Feare God and q Eccl. 12.15 Hoc est enim totus homo Ergo si hoc est omnis homo absque hoc nihil est homo Bern. super Cant ser 20. keep his commandements for this is the whole man r Act. 13.16 as Broughton after the vulgar reads that text Lastly to perswade this the scripture usually describes a godly person by this property sets him out by this periphrasis not only here in the text but a few verses below chap. 4.2 But unto you that fear my name set in opposition to the proud and wicked ver 1. as these here to those stout rebels ver 13.14 15. shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise c. So elsewhere up and down Gods booke Men of Israel saith the Apostle and ye that fear God give audience r Act. 13.16 A close connexion you see for All that are Israelites indeed Jews inwardly Å¿ Rom. 2 29. do fear God according to that of Solomon He that walketh in his uprightnesse feareth the Lord t Prov 14.2 Whence it is pinn'd as a badge upon the sleeve of every faithfull Christian as of Iob for instance in the old Testament u Iob 1.2 Act. 10.2 and Cornelius in the New that they fâ—ared God and eschewed evill u for by the fear of the Lord men depart from evill Pro. 16.6 The scripture then is expresse for us you see that every servant of the Lord feares the Lord Neither need we want Reasons for it whether we look upon this holy fear in its 1. Causes 2. Consequents 3. companions 4. contâ—aries the opposites I mean in either extreames SECT II. The Doctr. further confirmed by Arguments drawne from the 1. Causes 2. Consequences 3. Companions 4. Contraries to the true fear of God FOr the causes first Reas 1 the principall efficient cause and authour of this reverentiall fear is God in Christ by the hand and operation of the Holy Ghost whose sole work it is to spiritualize that natural affection of Fear common to all mankinde and by putting it into a right frame turning it into a new channel that it may thence forward run forth-right upon God to make it the fear of sons the fear of Gods elect partakers of the heavenly calling w Hob 3.1 that Covenant of grace one special claus whereof is this I will put my fear into their hearts 't is a fruit then of Gods own setting and taken off the tree of life for they shal never depart from me but I will rejoyce over them to do them good and will plant them in truth with my whole heart and with my whole soule x Ier. 32.40 'T is a blessing of Gods own right-hand I will put my sear c. I is emphaticall and exclusive q. .d I and only l. 2. And not a common blessing neither but such as he will bestow on his own alone with whom he is in speciall covenant Thirdly And this by way of infusion that all may be of grace for he will put his fear into their hearts Fourthly and for the best end all this is that they may never depart from him For this is a filiall fear out of ingenuity and the servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth for ever y Ioh. 8.35 saith the naturall Son of God that came out of the bosome of his father knew all his counfell and upon whom the spirit of the fear of the Lord rested for his members Some other subordinate and lesse principall causes also of this grace in speech I might here mention as making to ourpurpose such as are 1. a lively faith in all the glorious and gratious attributes of God especially his fatherly compassion and kindnesse a Hos 3. vlt. Psal 130.4 which is better then life b Psal 63.3 2. an aâ—dent child-like affection to God as a father whose displeasure we therefore fear and feel more bitter then death c Eccles 7.26 Neoffendamus quem diligamus ne ab eo separemur M. Sentent l. 3. dist 34. Reas 2. In via Dei à timore incipitur ut ad fortitudinem venia tur Non siâ—ut in via seculi timor debilitatem it a in via Dei timor forâ—itudinem gignit Greg. But these with some other graces that concur as principles to the constituting of the right fear of God â— passe for hast and come to the second Reason And that is taken from the effects and consequent of this holy fear and they also are such as suite only with Gods dear children and are found in none other besides To instance only in two of them till we come to the Application First Christian conrage and a confident reliance upon Gods fatherly love and affection for safety and salvation In the fear of the Lord saith Solomon is strong confidence and his children for such only sear God which is the point in proof have a place of resuge d Pro. 14 26. what even siorme be up they have God name to repair unto for shelter Now the Name of the Lord is a strong tower the
with unbeleevers m Mat. 24.51 Luk. 12.46 What though they flourish awhile here and spread themselves like a gren bay tree n Psal 37.35 exorientur sed exurentur it is that they may be cut off for ever What is fairer then the corn-field a little before harvest then the vineyard a little before the vintage Thrust in thy siclke and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe and cast t into the great wine-presse of the wrath of God o Rev. 14.18 19. SECT V. Vse Let them therefore hasten out of the Devils danger and get into Gods service How that may be done KNowing therefore the terrour of the Lord Vse 3 we perswade men p 2 Cor. 5.11 And oh that we could perswade all unregenerate prsons first by this point to do as Saint Peter adviseth all in their case Repentye saith he and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord q Act. 3.19 Bloted out I say and first out of Gods book of remembrance where they stand written with a pen of iron and with the point of a diamond r Jer 17.1 Secondly out of the book of their own consciences where they stand recorded for future time as ye may see in Josephs brethren Their own hearts condemned them and called them miscreants twenty years after the fact committed ſ Gen. 42.21 their consciences also bearing witnesse as saith the Apostle and their thoughts between themselves accusing one another t Rom. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formavit pinaeit Where it is remarkable that the Syriack translatour useth a word for conscience that signifieth a written or painted thing For the conscience now is as a table wherein are many things painted which sort of writting is fitly compared to that we write with the juice of an onion or lemmon hold it to the fire and it is legible So when the conscience is once put to the fire of Gods wrath all will out and old sins come to a new reckoning The onely way to spunge out this writing is by weeping upon it repentant tears that God may wash us throughly with the blood of his Son For if we confesse our sins against our selves with David u he is faithful and just to sorgive us our sins x 1 Joh. 1.7 9 and to crosse out of his debt-book the black lines of our sins and arrerages with those red lines of his sons blood I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins y Esay 43.25 And again I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses and their sins will I remember no more z Heb. 8.12 Lo if we but remmber our misdoings he will forget them if we reveale them with shame and sorrow he will cover them a Psal 32.1 if we but see them to confession we shall never see them to our confusion if we but acknowledge the debt he will cancel the bond blot out the hand-writting that was against us b Col. 1.2 14 and cast all our sins behinde him c Micah 7.19 as off-cast eidences that are past date into the depth of the sea so that we shall never see them again otherwise then the Israelites saw their enemies the Egyptians dead upon the shoare 2 Next doth the Lord so remember to requite the services of his people is there such a lively remembrance and ample recompence preparing for them how should this fire up the affections of all unregenerate persons to hire themselves out to God for servants d Rom. 6.13 to swear with David e Psal 119.106 to vow with Ioshua f Josh 24.14 to serve Iehovah renouncing the devils drudgery to whom they have hithereo damned themselves voluntary slaves to their inestimable disadantage It is a point I wot well they will not hear of that the devil is their good Lord that he sets them awork and will pay them their wages You know how ill the Jews took it to be told as much by our Saviour Christ g Ioh. 8.44 But that it is no better with them the scripture is clear and the joynt testimony of all Gods redeemed ones concurrent for we our selves also even I Paul and thou Titus were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures h Tit. 2.3 hampered and enwrapt in the invisible chaines of the kingdom of darknesse being taken alive captive by the devil at his pleasure i 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hurried about by him as Bajazei in his iron cage toiled out of all true comfort as Samson at his mill opprest with unreasonable tasks and insupportable burdens as hrael in the iron-furnace this is their work And for wages they are exposed to a world of plagues and curses armies and changes of sorrows and calamities here their whole life being but one continuate vexation k Eccles 2.17 besides the fear of death that upshot and center of evils to evil men making them subject to bondage all their life time l Heb. 2.15 And worthily for terrours take hold of them then as waters they make them afraid on every side m Job 27.20 18 19 Trouble and anguish make them afraid they shall prevail against them as a king ready to the battle n Iob. 15.23 24 Death seizeth upon them as a mercilesse officer o Psal 55.15 takes them by the throat as that cruel servant in the Gospel feedeth upon their flesh as a greedy lion p Psal 49.14 stings them to the soul as a fiery serpent q 1 Cor. 15.55 gripes them to the quick as a bear robbed of her whelps comes upon them with a firmae Ejectione as an inexorable Landlord carries them away as Gods executioner yea as the messenger and forrunner of the second death where the worm never dieth where the fire never goes out r Mar. 9.44 where they seek death but finde in no◠yea desire it but it fleeth from them ſ Rev. 9.6 It is reported of Roger somtimes Bishop of Sal shury the second man from king Steven that he was so tortured in prison with hunger and other calamities usually accompanying people in that case ut vivere noluerit mori nescierit live he would not die he could not How much more true think we is this of all those that are thrust into that outer-darknesse Nubrigensis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that darknesse beyond a darknesse as the word seems to import that utmost dungeon of the damned where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnaihing of teeth Weeping for extremity of heat and gnashing of teeth for extremity of cold Weeping is the expression of sorrow and sorrow cools the heart and cold makes the teeth to chatter Thus those miserable creatures do at some time freez and
is greatest gain t 1 Tim 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pietate 1 Tim. 4.8 saith the same Apostle such as wherein all losses are recompensed all wants supplied all curses removed crosses sanctified promises accomplished blessednesse procured Satan conquered Death destroyed the grave sweetned corruption abolished sanctification perfected and heaven opened for a more happy enterance What should I say more for a conclusion of this first Exhortation to those that are in their naturall condition There is no gain to that of grace no increase to that of Gods service The Usurer gaines six in the hundred but the gain of godlinesse is an hundred-fold here and eternall life hereafter Oh who would not then turne spirituall purchaser SECT VI. Vse 4. Exhortation to Saints to abide in Gods love and to abound in his work sith their labour of love is not in vain in the Lord. OUr second Exhortation is to be addressed to all those that are true of heart Use 4 whose names are written in heaven u heb 12.23 whose services are set down in Gods book of remembrance How should these first rejoyce in this priviledge more a great deal then if devils were subdued unto them x Luc. 10 what a mercy is his that God should set so highly by their poor performances as to record them in the high court of heaven to gratifie and grant them thereupon great suites on earth to glory and bost of them before the Prince of hell as he did of Iob y Iob 1.8 because he was jealous over himself and his with a godly jealousy z Iob 1.5 How should the Saints delight themselves in such a master and make their boasts of God all day long a Psal 44.8 How should they sing with David Lord thou hast dealt bountifully with thy servant according to thy word b Psal 119.17 carolling out and calendring up the noble acts of that Lord * Psal 105.5 who shall count when he writes up the people c Psal 87.6 that such a man was born there and there was faithfull in all his house as a servant d Heb. 3.5 with Moses kept his word and not denyed his name with Pergamus and Philadelphia e Rev. 2. 3 instantly served the Lord day and night with the twelvâ— tribes f Act. 26.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These things he carefully recordeth and honourably mentioneth and is it not a shame for us to be slothfull and silent to be forgetlull of him that thus remembreth us and the poor things that pass from us Of all things God cannotabide to be forgotten See how ill he takes it at the hands of his people They are a froward generation children in whom â—â—no faith saith he For of the Rock that begat them they are unmindfull and the God that formed them they have forgotten And when th Lord saw it he abhorred them because of this provoking of his sons and of his daughters g Deut. 32.18 20 And a fire was kindled in hisanger thereupon even such as burneth to the lowest hell For the wicked shall be turned into hell and who too With all them that forget God h Psal 9.17 But what shall become of them in the mean while Behold I even I will utterly forget you and so pay you home in your own coyne yea I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetuall shame which shall not be forgotten i Ier. 23. 39.40 See this exemplified in the rich glutton Luc. 16. who because he remembred not that God gave him his corne and wine and oile and multiplyed his silver and his gold k Hos 2.8 but sacrificed to his own net and burnt incense to his own yarn because by them his portion was fat and is meat plenteous l Habak 1.16 therefore is he not so much as once called by his name in holy scripture but lyes wrapt up in the sheet of infamy and buried in everlasting reproach which shall not be forgotten When as the poor beggar that set God alwayes before him m Psal 16 with David that remembred his name in the night and thereby kept his law n Ps 119.55 is thought worthy to have a name in Gods book and a nayle in Gods house o Ezra 9.8 the Lord saying unto him as once to Moses I have known thee by name p Exod. 33.12 thy memoriall shall endure to all generations q Psal 112. Nay the Lord Jesus remembreth such still now he is in his kingdome r Luc. 23.42 that bestirr themselves all they can and despatch a great deal of work in a little time as that samous theef did who therefore by a commendable thest after he bad offered violence to Gods king dome Å¿ Mat. 11.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arripiunt vel diripiunt ut citatur ab Hilario Metaph. â— castris aut arce quapiam quae irrumpentibus hostibus diripitur Beza stole heaven and supt in paradise SECT VII BUt secondly Doth God remember his Saints and their services then let us learn hence not only to reciprocate by remembring him and his mercies but also as his remembrancers to put him in minde in case he seem less forward to do us good of his ancient proceedings and gracious promises This is that the Prophet exhorts unto Ye that are the Lords remembrancers keep not silence t Esay 62.6 7 This the Psalmist constantly practised Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been for ever u Psal 25.9 And this the Lord though he needeth it not yet every where stands upon He exacts and expects it from us as a part of his service and as a condition on our part to be fulfilled in the new covenant Where after he had promised great things concerning Justification Sanctification and preservation he subjoyns Yet I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it x Ezek. 36.37 So in another Prophet I will blot out thy transgressions and not remember thy sinnes But then Put me in remembrance lit us plead together declare that thou mayest bee justified y Isa 42.25 26 Whereby you see what 's to bee done on our part if we would be remembred with the mercies of Gods people Plead wee must the gracious promises spread them before the Lord as Hezekiah did Sennacheribs letter z Esay 37.14 Pray them over as David often and so put him in mind of the good he hath spoken concerning us He loves to be importuned in his own words to bee burdened with his own promises and to be urged with rguments taken from his old proceedings Arise as in the dayes of old and performe the mercy which thou hast sworn to our fathers from the dayes of old a Mic. 7.14 20 This Moses and Elias well understood and therefore the former as in pleading for the people he minds the
stone y Rev. 2.17 Let them think basely of thy course but do thou think busily of Gods name and he will think as carefully of thy recompence even above all that thou canst aske or thinke z Eph 3 20 Up therefore that I may resume the exhortation and shut up all Up. I say and be doing and the Lord shal be with you a 1 Chr. 22.16 Why stand ye here idle all the day long b Mat. 20.6 Why linger ye and look thus one upon another c Gen. 42.1 Dies brevis est opus multum operarij pigri paterfam urget Quare castigemus mores moras nostras R. Simeon Qui studet optatam cursu contingere metam multa tulit fecitque sudavit alsit Hor. You see your work you know your wages It is but an inch of time you have to take paines in and then eternitie of rest and recompence Where it would repent you nothing more if 't were possible there to repent then that you had begun no sooner wrought no harder It is no small incouragement in the mean-while to know that he sets down in his book of remembrance not how many yeares only but dayes nay hours we spend in his service what heat we suffer what cold what hunger what thirst what losse what straights waht danger what difficulty what every thing There was found in a besieged city a poore wise man saith Solomon and he by his wisdome delivered the city yet no man remembred that same poore man d Eccles 9.15 merces mundi This is the course of the world but t is othewise with God I know thy workes and thy labour e Rev 2.2 saith he to Ephesus not thy work only but thy labour in working not thy love only but thy labour of love not thy hope only but thy patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our father f 1 Thessalonians 1.3 Not thy crosses only but the number time place and measure of our crosses are with God Ille non tantum quat annes sed quat dies atque horas in illius cultu consu imus apugillinribus suis notat aestum frigora famem culturam bonorum c. Cart. Not thy peroson only but thy flittings are in his book and thy tearesin his bottle g Psal 56.9 yea the haires of thy head are numbred h Matthew 10.30 Quae pretio habemus ea numeramus c. not one of them shall perish much leste the head it self But though washed a little with Paul in the ship-wrack i Act. 27. yet thou shalt be landed safe at the Key of Canaan the kingdome of heaven CHAP. VII Doct. VI. Such as fear the Lord will be thinking upon his Name what it is to do so And that thought upon his Name HEre 's a further description of the parties in speech by a second property As they feared the Lord so they thought upon his Name Where comes to be considered first what is meant by Gods Name the object of their thoughts secondly what by thinking upon this Name which is the act of these ancient beleevers about that object Name here hath reference to God and his Name signifieth 1. Gods self in his unsearchable Essence or that unutterable subsistence that each person hath in the God-head * Shindler in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro. 30.4 Jud. 13.18 2. All such names and titles of God his attributes actions ordinances and al things else that have any special print of Gods image stampt upon them are said to be gods Name upon them because by them he is known as a man by his name Next to think upon this Name of God is diversely glossed and expounded by interpreters He doth best in my opinion that saith to think upon Gods Name is nothing else but by sundry sad and serious meditations well to weigh and deeply to disgest whatsoever a man hath heard and learned of God and his wayes Thus Polanus succinctly and pithily This then was the guise of those godly ones of old and this is stil the property and practise of Gods faithful people who as they feared the Lord which is the first signe they are here set out by so as a fruit or rather root * aestimantibus gloriam nominis ajus Cald. Paraprast sapientibus corde peritis mysteriorum Dei R Abraham in intellectu suo inve nientibus omnes vias ejus judicium esse c. R. David Quigloriam Dei asserunt c. Gualther Qui supputant 1. in pretio babent nomen Dei Calvin Certain meminis cognitionein assiduâ mentis ruminatione pensitantes Folan in locum of that holy fear they think diligently upon his Name that is they bend and busie their best thoughts upon the things of his kingdome Hence we we may learn That it is the part and property of a man truly fearing God to be much in the meditation of he things of God Such as fear the Lord in truth will be thinking upon his Name * Hac lautione pietatis verae fontem indicat c. Gualther in locum Doct. SECT I. The Point proved by Seripture YOu see they go coupled in the text as individual companions and other where in scriptur it is made the mark of a man truly religious that he hat right thoughts that is well set upon those rightest objects God and his Name The thoughts of the righteous are right a Prov. 12 5 And again the desire of the righteous is onely good b Pro. 11.23 Not that any man in this viatory condition is so happy as to have his heart altogether empty of evil thoughts and desires * Magno studio superfluae cogitationes am◠putandae sunt Sed tamen amputare funditùs nequaquam pessunt Semper enim caro superslua generat c. Greg. Moral but that 's the thing he strives unto and breaths after he suffers not evil motions to roost in his minde to keep residence there to lodge in his inwards as Jeremies expression is he serves God in his spirit with Paul at least in his general resolution and intention He sets the Lord alwayes at his right hand c Jer. 4 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with David he walks continually in the sense of his presence and height of his countenance with Henoch Noah Abraham and others he wholly followeth after the Lord his God with Caleb f Josli 14 19. Num. 14.24 implevit post me As a ship under saile which is carried strongly with the wind c. in desire and endeavour at least he waites for God in the way of his judgements with the Church in Isai And the desire of his soul is to Gods name and the remembrance of him g Jsai 26.8 In which holy course if he be at any time interrupted as the best is many times he cryes out mournfully with the Church in the same Chapter O
haec locutio Deo esse suam opportunitatem c. Calvin in locum Baiom in isto die Jom significat per Synechdoch tempus certum atque id praecipuè cum de juturo agitur Shindl. pentag 2 Thes 1 10. 1 Thes 5.2 2 Thes 2.2 2 Pet. 3.12 Rom 2 5.16 Guaâ—â—ber Figuter Alii 1 Tim. 5.24.25 This Lord of Hosts will not fail to finde a fit time for the making up of his jewels from the worlds misusages There is a day here specified in the text a set and solemn day a particular time a certain season wherein God will make himself glorious and to be admired in all them that beleeve in that day So speaks the Apostle of that last day called elsewhere the day of the Lord the day of Christ the day of God and the day of the declaration of the just judgement of God according to the Gospel And of this last and great day of general judgement the most interpreters understand this text And truly I beleeve it is partly if not principally intimated and mainly though I cannot think onely here intended Some mens sins are open afore-hand going before to judgement and some men they follow after Likewife also the good works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid Some sinners are here punished that we may acknowledge a providence and yet not all that we may expect a judgement But a day there will be as sure as day whether sooner or later I have not to determine wherein God will take out the precious from the vile the corn from the chaffe the sheep from the goats the good fish and good figs from the bad wherein he will set a price upon his pearls make up his jewels advante his favorites his darlings his peculiar people and put away all the wicked of the earth as drosse Psal 119.119 And albeit he delay haply to do it because his hour is not yet come yet his forbearance is no quittance to the bad Vide Calvin in loc nor deniance to the better sort God first writes things down in his book of remembrance and then afterwards executes them which requires some time between But a time he will finde and that must needs be so for these reasons some respecting God and some the saints themselves but both sorts grounded upon the text and there-hence borrowed SECT I Reason 1 From Gods providence Reas 1 FOr God Sic spectat universos quast singulos sic singulos quasi solos Aug. 1 Tim 4.10 Curiosus plenus negotij Deus Tull. de nat deor first there be many things in Him that may well infer the point in proof as his providence power Faithfulnesse Goodnesse and Justice First his good providence which like a well-drawn picture eyeth each one in the room Neither is he a bare spectatour onely but as chief Agent he wisely ordereth all the worlds disorders to the good of his children He saveth that is he preserveth all men but especially those that beleeve saith the Apostle he is curious and full of businesse saith the Heathen my father worketh hitherunto and I also work saith our Saviour And this is meant by those seven eyes of the Lord Zech. 4.10 That run to and fro thorow the whole earth causing that none shall have cause to despise the day of small things Gods jewels are little in bulk great in worth for as small as they are they shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubb bel with or by those seven And the eyes of the Lord saith another Prophet run to and fro thorow the earth to behold the evil and the good and not so only but to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him and to give them an expected end And this reason is secretly couched in that clause of our text There was a book of remembrance writâ— before him Est autem hic liber providentiae 2 Chron 16.9 Jer. 29.11 saith Polanus this is the book of Gods providence wherein as all our members are written which in continuance of time were fashioned had he left out an eye in his common-place book thou hadst wanted it so are all our services Polan in loc Psal 139.16 that they may be recompensed yea and all our sufferings too that they may be remedied and revenged when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3.19 Thou tellest my wandrings saith David put thou my tears into thy botile are they not in thy book And there-hence he rightly concludes the point in hand ver 9. Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day that I call this I know that God will be for me Psal 56.8.9 or that God will be mine as the same phrase is rendered in this text SECT II. Reason 2. From Gods power NExt there is an almighty power in God called therefore Lord of Hosts in the text exerted and exercised for the relief and rescue of his poor people trampled on by those fat buls of Basan with the foule feet of contempt and cruelty whereby he taketh course that they be not over-trod or too long held under by the insolencies and insultations of their enemies But when they shall seem to themselves and others utterly forlorn and undone so that salvation it selfe cannot save them which was good Davids case Psal 3.2 then shall the Lord be a shield for them their glory their strong tower and the lifter up of their head Ver. 3. And this he shall do with a great deal of ease and expedition as being Lord of Hosts that is of all creatures by the hands of whom he shall send from heaven and save them from the reproach of him that would swallow them up Selah God shall send forth his mercy and his truth Psal 57.3 SECT III. Reason 3. from Gods Truth ANd that passage points us to two other reasons for the point God will send forth his mercy and truth And first his truth I meane his faithfulnesse intimated also in these words of our text Saith the Lord of Hosts These things saith he that is faithfull and true they shall be mine in the day c. I will have a time to make up my Jewels in much mercy Now hath God said it and shall he not accomplish it Is not his decree his facere shall he not fulfill with his hand what he hath promised with his mouth God is not as man that he should lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mal. 3.6 neither is he unconstant as other friends that he should change no nor yet unmindfull that he should forget least of all is he unfaithfull that he should falsify God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. 1 Cor. 10. He will give patience under the temptation a good use of it and a good issue from out of it in the best time SECT IIII.
Reason the 4. from Gods goodnesse BUt besides God will send forth his mercy as well as his truth for the â—alvation of his people This mercy moved him at first to make a sure covenant with them and to marke them out for his own and doth still to shew himselfe as he did oft for Moses seasonably and sweetly for their support and succour For they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. So they were ever may some say Ob. Sol. Yea but then they shall be mighty and mercifully declared to be the children of God by a kinde of resurrection from the dead as the Apostle speaketh of the head and it holds as true of the members Rom. 1.3 Thus God left his people in Egypt and afterwards in in Babylon till their civill estate was dead and buried as it were As after the captivitie these good soules in our text seemed so far given up and cast off by God as if he had had no further care of them or part in them But they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the day c. That is the time is at hand when it shall well appeare by my mercies to the one and judgments on the other who are mine who not which are pearles which are pibbles which precious Jewels which reprobate silver which are sons which bastards though all things now seeme to tend to a confusion and no such difference be yet discerned and acknowledged And the sooner shall this day come because the proud adversary lookes upon my people as outcasts my servants as abjects my children as fatherlesse For in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hos 14.3 And because they called thee an outcast saying This is Sion whom no man seekes after therefore I will heal thee of thy wounds c. Jer. 30.17 The righteous shall see this and rejoyce but all iniquitie shall stop her mouth Whoso is wise and will observe these things even he shall understand that it is of the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Psal 107. ult SECT V. Reason 5. from Gods Justice LAstly I might easily not unfitly argue out of ver 18. of this chapter from the Justice of God ingaged for his oppressed people For being judge of the whole earth Gen. 18.25 as Abraham once urged it for his Nephew Lot he must needs deal righteously between man and man rendring to every one according to his works Now who seeth not for present that dayly verified that above was wickedly objected Behold we call the proud happy yea they that work wickednesse are set up c. ver 15. when godly men o'tother side are usually held under hatches being destitute afflicted tormented even such of Gods worthies as the world is not worthy of yet such unworthy usage they mostly meet withall Now that Gods Justice may be cleared and every mouth stopped what more requisite then that God should set forth a fit time to set all to rights among the sons of men and to rectifie those things which even to godly men other-whiles seem less equally carried that Gods dear children being propitiously pardoned preciously esteemed and graciously recompensed the wicked may self-condemned return and discern between the righteous and themselves between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not It is even â— righteous thing with God to render tributional to them that trouble you but to you who are troubled rest with us if not before yet certainly when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels c. 2 Thes 1.6 7. SECT VI. Reasons from the Saints themselves SEcondly from God Reas 2 turne your eyes to the people of God and so they come here commended and described unto us 1. by their near relation to God they are his Sub persecutione Ariana Basillo Magno ista aliquando injecta est cogitatio An Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Dominus an novissima hora est Psal 34.19 21 his Jewels his sons his servants his serviceable sons his righteous servants and can such be alwayes unremembred So some have feared but time hath confuted them 2. By their rare qualifications For 1. habitually they are men fearing God religious and godly persons and therefore heires of the promises of good things for both lives 1 Tim. 4.8 And for evills be they never so many or great he that feareth God shall come forth of them all Eccles 7.18 Many saith David the father are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all but one affliction slayeth the wicked because his shadow is departed from him And of the same minde is Solomon his son Though the righteous man fall seven times into misery yet he hath time to rise again but the wicked at one evill fall downright Prov. 24.16 2. They actually expresse this holy habit of Gods true fear in their hearts 1. by setting their thoughts awork to chew upon Gods holy name and to roll it as sugar under their tongues that thence as Sampsons out of his hony-comb they might suck out strong consolations For the Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run to it and are safe And In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children have a place of refuge Prov. 10. Prov. 14.26 Now shall the saints think upon Gods name and he not think upon their needs Yea I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill and all to give you an expected end Jer. 29.10 11 For after 70. yeers be accomplished at Babylon loe they must have their time of suffering as he hath his of saving I will visit you and performe my good word toward you to cause you to returne to this place 2. By setting their tongues a work to vent those holy thoughts of theirs as opportunity was offered And first for the vindicating of Gods glory so much opposed and obscured by those above-said Belialists moved with a great zeal for the Lord of hosts as Elias once was against the pleaders for Baals service and saying as some will have this text to be read Verily the Lord whom you blasphemously charge with deep oscitancy or foul iniquity doth harken and hear both your detestable contumelies and his peoples pious performances and there is a book of remembrance written before him c. Next they spake often one to another as often as they met and might for mutuall help and incouragement stirring up themselves among themselves to take better hold of God and not by a shamefull recidivation or comporting with the times to lose those things that they had wrought but that they might receive a full reward a Ioh. Thus were those ancient Christians occupied both within dores and without at home in their own hearts and houses and abroad also among their foes on the one hand and their friends on the other and what their practise was then is