Ghost bringing but a part and affirming that they brought all For Peter saith to Ananias After it was sold Acts 5.4 was it not in thine own power Yet in that communication it was not lawfull for every man to take what he would Acts 5 35. but the Apostles distributed to every one according to their need Surely if Edom and the Chaldeans had had as good right to the City of Jerusalem and to the goods therein as Israel had God had not laid this for an evidence against Edom that he laid hand on their substance God is Lord of all and he hath given the earth to the sons of men yet not in common nor in equall distribution Here the rich and poor meet together Pro. 22. â— and the Lord is maker of them both The Apostle learnt how to abound and how to want and God giveth to the rich things necessary in possession as to owners thereof during his pleasure he giveth them things superfluous that their cup may run over to the relief of others as to his stewards put in trust to see that their brethren want not And there be two vertues commended in holy Scripture which make men Proprietaries in the things of this world that is Justitia qua suum cuique tribuis Justice whereby thou givest to every one his own Misericordia qua tuum and mercie whereby thou givest of thine own The Use of this point is Let every one know his own and not lay hand on the substance of his brother Eph 4 28. and let him that stole steale no more but let him labour not all for himself but that he may give to him that needeth that the poore may grow up with him as he did with Job and that none perish for want of meat and cloathing Godlinesse must be joyned with contentment the law doth not only bind the hand non furaberis thou shalt not steal but it bindeth the heart too non concupisces thou shalt not cover not his house not his ground not his wife not his servant not any thing of his There be many wayes of theft I am limited to that of violent taking away of our neighburs substance for that only is here named and judged and that is either directly by invasion or secretly practised by oppression Oppression like other sins putteth on the habit of vertue and passeth for good husbandry but all stopping of the Wels wherof Isacc and his cattel should drink is oppression and theft and whatsoever is saved from the poor by it is the treasure of wickednesse and the wise man telleth us Prov. 10.2 The treasures of wickednes profit nothing we shall see it clearer when we come to Gods revenge upon Edom for laying hand upon his brothers substance 3 They are charged with insidiation for life Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crosse-way to cut off those that did escape Verse 14. Edom divided himself against Israel some entring the City to rob and spoyle their goods and to destroy them that abode there others attended without the City to cut off them who to save their lives did escape out of the City The Chaldeans that came from farre to invade Jerusalem were not so well acquainted with the wayes and passages for escape neere to the City as the Edomites their brethren and neighbours were therefore that cruell office they take upon them to declare their full malice to Iacob and to make up a complete destruction The history of those times doth make this plaine And the City was broken up 2 Reg. 25. v. 4. and all the men of warre fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls which is by the Kings garden now the Chaldees were against the City round about and the King went the way toward the plain At that time the Edomite knowing the secret wayes mingled himself with the Chaldees to cut off such as escaped In this passage note Note 1 1. The miserable calamity of warre how it maketh desolations and filleth all places with blood no safety from invasion in the City and none from insidiation without the City 1. When you hear of these things thank God for the peace of the Common wealth in which you live reckon it amongst the great blessings of God that you are borne in a time of peace and live in peace every one under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree every one enjoying the comforts of life without the noyse of invasion no leading into captivity and no complaining in our streets 2. Let us also think of the wofull calamity of that part of the Church wherein we have so great a part so much of the best blood of this Land and Crown in danger of this cruelty and if either our persons or purses or our prayers to God may relieve them let us not spare to comfort their distresses as we would desire in like extremity to be comforted our selves 3. Let us learne to abhor the bloody religion of the scarlet Strumpet of Rome that maintaineth and abetteth these quarrels and kindleth those coales in Christendome which threaten conflagration 4. Let us observe all them that make contention and move the hearts of their brethren to schisme to alienate their affections from the peace of the Church lest this sire which beginneth but amongst thorns and brambles enflame the Cedars of our Libanus Note 2 2. See the afflictions of Iudah and Ierusalem and search the cause thereof Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah 2 Reg. 24.3 4. to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh according to all that he did And also for the innocent blood that he shed for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood which the Lord would not pardon Have not we provoked the God of mercies to awake his justice against our Land Did ever pride put on more formes of costly vanity and shamelesse disguise then our eyes behold Did drunkennesse ever waste and consume more of the necessaries of life which many poor Christians want then now Were the Prophets and Ministers of the Word rebuking the vices of the times lesse hearkned to then in our dayes Was there ever a more curious search into mens estates and lands or more advantage taken or more new inventions to get wealth then we have heard of Was the Church at any time more rent with Schismes and maymed by defections and separations and the faithfull Ministers more opposed with contradictions and depraved by unjust calumniations by those that usurp the appearance of great professors then now Did knowledge ever swel and puffe men up more then now The times are foul and the crimes thereof are clamorous why then should not we expect Iudahs punishment that live in Iudahs sins O sin no more lest some worse evill fall on thee 1. Let us break off these sins by repentance and seek the Lord whilst he may be found and seeing the light
Schisme of Private men Such as they are discovered so are they restrained and separated from the rest to Room then Parcius ista viris tamen objicionda memento Personall oppositions do not fasten imputation upon any entire Church of God And we say to the Roman Church Novimus et qui to c. For we have good evidence even from their own wrightings that the Church of Rome hath in later times dissented from those Tenets which in former times it hath maintained not in matters of light moment but in the main points of Christian Religion 1. For the books of Canonicall Scripture the learned of former times did refuse all those books which we call Apocryphall as well as we yet the Counsell of Trent hath since placed them in the Canon and given them equall authority with the Canonicall Scriptures 2. For the sufficiencie their own best learned have heretofore acknowledged the same as much as we 3. The vulgar translation hath been by their learned refused the originall preserved 4. For the conception of the Virgin Mary without sin it is not yet determined in the Church but contradictories are allowed 5. The distinction of Mortall and Veniall sins 6. The Doctrines of merite of super-erogation of the seven Sacraments of Transubstantiation of Purgatory of praying to Saints worshipping of images Indulgencies Popes supremacie all refused Therefore let them no longer charge us with differences our Church doth maintain one Truth in all these things with the former Church of Rome against this that now is Therefore let us observe the setled doctrine of the Church in which we live and receive that against the perverse oppositions of all schismaticall coiners of new Doctrines and that is the safest way for us to walk in for this rumor Domini is no rumour of the Lord. Doctr. 2 2. Because it is auditus a Domino heard from the Lord whence we are taught to distinguish between the rumours which we hear from men and those rumours which we hear from the Lord let us judge them by the word of God and let us learn of the Church the Spouse of Christ who best discerneth these spirituall things because they are deposited with it and the Spirit of God is with it and abideth with it for ever How holy Scriptures must be interpreted Let every man put his own particular fancies and humours to silence and as the Apostle saith let us receive with meeknesse the word of God and let it be graffed in us For the word of the Lord endureth for ever that is like him that gave it without variablenesse there is in it no shadow of change It was Davids rest Audiam quid loquatur Deus I will hear what the Lord speaketh And that we may hear this rumour of the Lord profitably The word is given to profit withall let me shew you who they be that receive the word of God profitably these namely who 1. Receive it in their understanding 2. in their judgement 1. In their understanding knowing what the Lord speaketh in his Word for the Word is the revelation of the good will of God To this is necessary 1. A preparation to this understanding 2. An use of the means For the preparation of our understanding two things are necessary as Saint Paul speaketh 1. Be not conformed to this world this world is our enemy Rom. 11.1 we must shake off all acquaintance with it it is the serpents fair fruit wherewith he tempteth us he setteth the eye and the heart a lusting and filleth us with the pride of life Christ first separated his disciples from the world then he fitted them to his service They deceive themselves that think they may embrace true religion and the world too following the vanities of fashion and surfetting in the pleasures of life for Godlinesse and vanity cannot dwell together and the god of this world blindeth the eye of the understanding that they which love the world cannot love God and the secrets of the Lord are revealed to none but such as love and fear God 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of the minde that is be ye new Creatures casting off the old man which is corrupt for this new wine must be put in new casks We must sing a new song Canticum novum novus homo a new man none else can sing it therefore David desired Cor novum a new heart and spiritum rectum a right spirit it is the only new fashion as in many of ours to renew the old fashion the image of God stamped in us in our Creation which is decayed repaired anew by the image of the new Adam who came to restore us 2. A use of the means which are 1. Delight in reading of the word give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.15 what though thou understand not what thou readest no more did the Eunuch but God sent Philip to him he was in the way of illumination Idle and wanton books take up too much of our time from the reading of Gods book rumor populi a rumour of the people takes us from reading this rumor Domim this rumour of the Lord. Yet these things are written for our use and onely these things make the man of God wise to salvation 2. Meditation for that helpeth the understanding and layeth up what we read in the memory that we may know where to have it again when we have need of it It is said of Mary Luâ—k 251 that she kept all these sayings in her heart The wise son of Sirach saith well The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel Ecclus. 21 14. and he will hold no knowledge as long as he liveth Truly the cause of all our sins and frailties is want of meditation in the Word want of keeping it in our heart we see in our selves how we are affected here in hearing of the Word of God if we did meditate on it we should have the same affections still 3. Hear the Word preached for this is Gods ordinance for the saving of souls Nehem. 8. Ezra had a pulpit of wood made him he stood up be read the law and gave the sense and all the people wept when they heard the wonderfull things of the Law But it is said All the people were attentive both man women yet he preached not by the glasse but from morning till mid-day And Paul preached from evening till midnight for it pleaseth God by the foolishnes of preaching to save those that beleeve Be swift to heaâ— 4. Meditation is necessary also after hearing the word in the publike Ministery for the Minister speaking to a mixt auditory if he divideth the word aright he hath a portion for every hearer milk for some stronger meat for others some have need of information in things unknown some of comfort some of resolution in doubes some of confutation of errours some of chiding some have need to have their dulnesse spurred others their deadnesse quickened
help of the wicked to execute the will of God upon Gods enemies yet they must be very carefull not to joyn with them in their wickednesse and idolatry We may use the help of Papists for the maintainance of the Lords cause but we must take heed that we fall not into the sin of Israel Psal 106.35 They were mingled with the Heathen and learned their Wickednesse and served their idols which were their ruine Let us not make the covenant with them that Ruth the Moabitesse made with Naomi Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God Ruth 1.16 The third Doctrine War is one of the punishments wherewith God doth punish his enemies And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant Levit. 26.25 Ezech. 14.21 It is one of the four sore judgements as God himself doth call it and it is first named used to cut off man and beast When Israel was by the favour of God put into possession of the promised land they sinned against God in contempt of Religion in idolatry theft and whoredom For which God punished them with war for the Aramites Philistines Midianites Moabites Canaanites and Ammonites fought against them and opposed them three yeers as appeareth in the book of Judges The misery of war is great as Moses doth expresse it They shall not regard the person of the old nor have compassion of the young they shall eat the fruit of thy cattell Deut. 28.50.51 they shall consume the profit of thy land they shall besiege thee within thy walls they shall drive thee to eat thy children the fruit of thy body during the siege and streightnesse wherewith they shall compasse thee in thy cities Reason 1 God hath a quiver it is full of arrows this is one of them Ezech. 5.16.17 The reason hereof is because they that make no conscience of their duty to God nor of obedience to his Word have put themselves out of Gods protection and he is become their enemy The protection of God is the fence of the vine if that hedge be once broken up not onely the foxes will come in and devour the grapes but the wilde boar will also come in and root it up Reason 2 2. They that make no conscience of charity to their brethren in the just judgement of God are delivered into the hands of men and as one saith Nullum animal morosius so Nullum animal ferocius O saith David Let me not fall into the hand of man Let men fall softly and easily when they fall into thy hands so shalt thou fall gently into their hands for God is love and the mercifull man shall not want mercie But as in the naturall body sometimes it is wholesome to open a vein and let out blood so it is in the body politick the sword must sometimes draw blood to parge the body of noxious and offensive humours And wheresoever this punishment lighteth as Medicinall it amendeth many faults where it lighteth as a judgement of indignation it cutteth off evil doers from the face of the earth The uses of this doctrine follow Use 1 1. Let us consider the lamentable estate of those that professe the same faith with us who have no other outward means of safety to preserve their liberty and rights but by the sword against whom great and mighty Princes do say one to another Arise ye and let us arise against them in battell You know who is at this time thus endangered even some of the branches of that vine under which we sit The forward free and cheerfull offerings of your hands have testified your good affections to that rightfull cause let lifting up of your hands secute that free opening of them that is let your prayers sight for them and give God no rest till he hath setled Peace in these walls and prosperity within these palaces Surely they shall prosper that love it for our brethren and companions sake the worshippers of the same God the professourâ— of the same faith with us let us wish them now prosperity for the house of Gods sake which they seek to enlarge advance let us seek and study to do them good Use 2 2. Let us thankfully consider our own peace we are filij pacis children of peace born and brought up in times of peace the prophecie of Zechariah is fulfilled in our land We have old men and Women dwelling in our towns even men with slaves in their hands for very age Zech. 8.4.5 and the streets of our cities and towns full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof And that promise of God to the obedient is performed in us I will end poâ—â—â— in the land Levt 26.6 and ye shall sleep and none shall make you afraid and the sword shall not go thorow your land The happy dayes of the long reign of Queen Elizabeth of everlasting memory the mother of our Peace were crowned with peace and she left a legacie of peace in the Common-wealth in her succession Our Solomon her heir hath maintained peace under his happy government both at home and abroad What Nation is there now under heaven which saith Arise ye and let us arise against England in battell We may say this is the Lords doing Psal 46.9 and we must give him the glory of it for as David saith He maketh wars to cease he breaketh the Bowe and cutteth the Spear in sunder and burneth the Chariots in the fire The Use Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted in the earth Use 3 Seeing we have outward peace from forraine enemies and none riseth up against us in battell we must be tender of maintaining peace one with another take heede ye bite not one another lest ye be devoured one of another Better it were we had wars abroad then that we should fight one with another of us at home by uncivill contentions by fraudulent and cunning underminings by slanderous and lying calumniations or by any other uncharitable meanes of molestation to breed unjust warâ— amongst our selves For by this curst crosnesse we do provoke God to draw his sword against us Use 4 Seeing God hath delivered us from the calamity of war and given us the blessing of peace let us know that this is the fittest time for semination of the Gospel of peace this is the seeds time for the word of God In such a time was Christ born in the peaceable reigne of Augustus Caesar Then were swords turned into sithes and spears into plough-shares and so the noyse of our redemption and the sound of the Gospel went over all the world We see that those years of peace have made learning and arts flourish in our land and for the light of religion it never shined clearer then now and the light thereof still encreaseth Let us know that now God hath so fenced in his Vine in our Land and bestowed such cost on
he sinneth another sin against the first Table and forsaketh the confidence in God and putteth his trust in men which turneth to his utter ruine and destruction So even the Saints of God fall as David for his adultery began to defile him and then he stained himself with the blood of his wel-deserving and faithful Subject this is the Plot of David in the matter of Vriah The reason why sin should be the punishment of sin is because nature being once corrupted and grace withdrawn we are then prone to those defections from God which do more and more corrupt us And that is a great punishment S. Paul cleerly sheweth it in the degrees thereof 1. When they knew God Lam. 1.21 they glorified him not as God 2. They were not thankefull 3. They became vain 4. Their foolish heart was darkened Thus did they runne out of one sin into another and at last Therefore God gave them up to uncleannesse Ver. 24. Ver. 26. through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves for this cause God gave them up to vile affections God gave them up to a reprobate mind Ver. 28. to do those things which are not convenient Sin in the heart is a fire in the bosome Prov 6.27 Can a man take fire in his bosomed and his clothes not be burnt Can a man go upon â—ot coles an his feet not be burnt St. Gregory hath a good description of sinnes 1. Some are simple in themselves sinnes such is every thought word and work against the Law 2. Some sins are causes of more sins as surfetting and fulnesse causeth luxury and uncleannesse of the flesh 3. Other sins are the punishment of former sins as in my Text. Edom his former sin is punished by a latter 4. Other sins are the punishment of former sins and the causes of latter as in David His idlenesse was punished by his Adultery and that Adultery was the cause of murther But here is a Quaere Quaere If sin be a punishment it is of God for all punishment is just and is of God but God is not author of sin therefore sin is no punishment To this our answer is that sin may be considered two ways Sol. 1. As it is a pollution of man 2. As it is in the effect thereof the just punishment of man God is not the author of sin as it is a pollution but being committed God in the even course of his justice turneth it into punishment of man And man is punished saith Thomas Aquinas three wayes 1. In praecedentibus because God withdraweth his preserving grace from a sinner and maketh the means of his preservation ineffectuall For to the just he faith I will not leave thee nor forsake thee but to the reprobate he shutteth up their eyes ne videant he stoppeth their ears ne audiant he hardeneth their hearts and leaveth them to their own corruptions to be wrought upon 2. In concemitantibus these are either 1. Inward the pollution of the heart 2. Outward in the calamities of life 3. In subsequentibus that is the unrest of the conscience and distraction of the mind Excellent and full to this purpose is the example of the Prodigall for 1. God withdrew his grace from him and left him to take his vitious and luxurious courses in the world till he had spent all and was cast forth 2. God punished him in his mind by giving him over for a time to the pollution of sin he outwardly punished him with contempt and beggery and famine 3. He punished him in his Conscience with the remorse of his sin which wrought with him so effectually that he repented him of his sin and returned to his Father so this punishment was not ad amandationem but ad emendationem Et que paena fuit facta est medecina Thus sin in the Elect may be the punishment of sinne to their great good and the recovery of them again to God as in Davids example and in the example of Peter But the reprobate are forsaken of grace polluted in their minds and tormented in their consciences and feele crosses and afflictions in the flesh and these be rods of their own making wherewith God scourgeth them sending the Angel of Satan to buffet them The most dangerous and damnable estate is of those who when they have sinned do not love the word of God which should restore them like those froward sick persons that refuse the physick that should heale them The word of God is plain-dealing and telleth every one of his faults and revealeth to them the justice of God When men begin to take exceptions at the Word and quarrell with the food and medicine of life and to say Durus est hic sermo this is an hard saying then sin groweth an heavie punishment to them and worketh their destruction Vse Therefore let all those that would not be their selfe tormentors heare what the spirit speaketh to the Churches let them not consult with flesh and bloud but let them order their wayes according to the word of God Let no burthen seem so heavy to them as the weight of their own sins Let no annoyance seem so stenching as the turpitude and pollution of their own sins And then Come unto me ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you Come to me you that are defiled and polluted with your manifold corruptions and I will wash you clean in my bloud saith the Redeemer of men When our sins have broken our hearts and made us contrite and the smart of them hath made us weary of them then shall we see them fastned to the Crosse of Christ and the grace of God will be sufficient for us Doctr. 2 God requiteth the wicked with the same measure which they have meeted to others Edom dealt perfidiously and treacherously with Israel therefore their confederates and professed friends deale so with them It is Christs rule of Justice With what measure you meete Mâ—t. 7.2 2 it shall be measured to you again proved Wo to thee that spoylest Isa 33.1 and wast not spoyled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou shalt cease to spoyle thou shalt be spoyled and when thou shalt make an end to deale treacherously they shall deale treacherously with thee It is the threatning of God Ye shall not afflict the widow or fatherlesse child Ex. 22 1â—2 if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their voyce And my wrath shall wake hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherlesse David smarted in this kind He defiled the wife of his faithfull servant Vriah Absolon his son defiled his fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel Cain feared this judgment so soon as he had killed his brother Abel Gen. 4 14 for he said presently it shall
turn edge against them Their wise men shall fail them and their Triple-crown and the temporall power of their Hierarchy shall be disabled we have the word of God for it The man of sin must be destroyed Even so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. Amen Amen VERSE 10 11 12 13 14. 10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever 11. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces and forreiners entred into his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem even thou wast as one of them 12. But thou shouldst not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of their distresse 13. Thou shouldest not have entred into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity yea thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity nor have laied hands on their substance in the day of their calamity 14. Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crosse way to cut off those of his which did escape neither shouldest thou have delivered those of his that did remaine in the day of distresse 3. The cause provoking God to this severe processe against Edom This is set down 1. In general terms v. 10. violence against their brother 2. In a particular description v. 11 12.13 14. 1. The generall terme is violence or as the old reading was Cruelty and the word here used doth expresse all injury Either done by strong hand or force Or done by subtilty and cunning In the particulars of their cruelty there is 1. Their confederacy with the enemies of their brother Iacob ver 11. this is cruelty of combination stabant ex opposito they were rather for the enemies of Iacob then for their brother as David saith They take the contrary part they were as one of them By the strangers that carried away the forces of Iacob captive and the forraigners that entred into his gates and cast lots upon Icrusalem are meant the Caldeans which referreth us to the story of those times Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the Sword 2 Chr. 36.17 18 19. in the house of their Sanctuary and had no compassion upon young man or maiden old man or him that stooped for age he gave them all into his hand There was direption of the Sanctuary robbing the Treasury of the King burning the house of God and deporation of the residue into Captivity In that day Edom was as one of them For then as the Psalmist sath In the day of Icrusalem they cryed Raze it Raze it even to the foundation thereof Psa 137.7 2. They are charged with the cruelty of their eye and that twice ver 12. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger Againe Ver. 13. Thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity 3. They are charged with cruelty of heart ver 12. Neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children of Iudah in the day of their destruction The heart is the seat of affections they joy'd in the sorrow of Edom. 4. They are charged with the cruelty of the tongue ver 12. Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of their distresses 5 With the cruelty of their hands violent actions against their brother Ver. 13. Thou shouldest not have entred into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity Nor have laid hand on their substance in the day of their calamity Ver. 14 Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crosse way to cut off those of his that did escape Neither shouldest thou have delivered these of his that did remaine in the day of distresse Which chargeth them with foure cruelties 1 Invasion of their Cities 2 Direption of their goods 3 Insidiation lying in waite for them 4 Depopulation not sparing the residue We have seen the sinne of Edom in the totall cruelty against their brother Iacob We summed up the particulars and finde that God had just cause to enter into judgement with Edom and to execute upon them his fierce wrath The sinne was breach of the Law and a trespasse against the second Table against Iacob that is the posterity of Iacob their brother And here I note that especially two Commandements of the second Table are broken 1. Thou shalt do no Murther 2. Thou shalt not steale For what part of their cruelty toucheth the life of Jacob is a breach of the First What toucheth his estate and goods is a breach of the latter Commandement And this example may serve for a Commentary upon those two Commandements teaching how they are broken for Edom is a very full example of transgression 1. In the cruelty of combination they that joyne with others that seek the life of man are murtherers not accessaries but principals so did Edom for he was even as they Saul after Paul a blessed Apostle doth charge the murther of Stephen upon himselfe because as here he was of the other side and sate by and kept the clothes of them that stoned him It is a fleshing of men in cruelty to associate in blood and to communicate with the blood-thirsty we see it after in Saul he was a principall Actor and got Commission to persecute and went about breathing threatnings against the Church And as it is in the Law of Murther so it is in the Law of Theft for every association with Theeves and Robbers is the breach of that Commandement and Edom brake both these Laws for they were even as they that robbed Israel and sought their life though they commenced not the war against their brother Iacob yet they joyned wit them that did and so they are pares culpa alike in fault Vse This teacheth us to be very carefull not only how we be Authors of murther and theft but how we be actors or abettors of the same and helps of the wicked against the Church of God for God said to Iehoshaphat aiding of Ahab Wouldst thou helpe the wicked and love them that hate the Lord 2 Chr. 19 2â— Therefore there is wrath upon thee before the Lord. Do not thinke that all the blame shall light upon the authors of evill Pro. 30.20 Do not wipe thy mouth with the Harlot in the Proverbs and say I have done no wickednesse for all societie with sinners in their sins is forbidden the Apostle is very precise herein If any man obey not our word 2 Thes 3.14 note that man and have no company with him The manifest breakers of the Law are dispisers of the word With such eat not God saith that such as converse with
tanta eorum sanctitate nullum inveniet orationis impedimentum This is further urged For when we say the Scripture doth tell us that God will everlastingly punish the wicked and David saith He will not suffer his truth to faile They answer that all those threatnings of Scripture are to be understood in veritate severitatis in respect of the evill desert of the wicked but not in veritate miserationis for that must at last have honour above all his works Further they plead God hath never more plainly and positively declared his will concerning the eternall destruction of the reprobate then he did by his Prophet Ionah declare the destruction of Niniveh it is but forty dayes and without any condition Ninive destruetur Except we allow mentall reservation mendacem non possumus dicere Deum tamen non factum est The truth was in this pronunciavit eos dignos haec pati Their inference is Si tunc pepercit eis Deus quando Prophetam suum contristaturus erat parcendo quanto magis tunc parcet miserabilius supplicantibus quando ut parcat omnes sancti ejus orabunt They adde the saying of the Apostle God hath concluded all under sin that he might shew mercy unto all To the first and therein to both Saint Augustine doth fully answer that if we deny everlasting death we may as well deny life everlasting for we have the same ground for both the same direct word of God Aut utrumque cum fine diuturnum Cap. 23. aut utrumque sine fine perpetuum To the second he denyeth that which is presumed that the Saints will pray for the damned here we pray for all because we know not who be elect who be reprobate but when God hath revealed his will concerning these cessat oratio praying ceaseth and the voice of the elect is fiat voluntas tua thy will be done Yea the Saints shall judge the world then and those bowels of humane commiseration which they had on earth are put off they now hate where God hateth and judge where God judgeth and rejoyce against them whom God condemneth And for the example of Niniveh his answer is full and sappie Evertuntur peccatores duobus modis 1. Sicut Sodomitae ut pro peccatis suis homines punianâ—ur 2. Sicut Ninivitae ut ipsa horum peccata poenitendo destruantur there was the mistake of Jonah for that was the City which God threatned and destroyed Eversa est Ninive quae mala erat bona aedificata est quae non erat Stantibus maenibus perditis moribus To the last Argument from the words of the Apostle he hath concluded all under sin that he might have mercy on all He bids them there read the whole text they shall there see quos omnes intelligit nempe eos omnes de quibus loquebatur that is both Jews and Gentiles not comprehending the whole of both but onâ—ly vasa misericordiae in both the vessels of mercy and the very course of the Text cleereth it to be so meant Therefore the revealed will of God hath setled this perpetuity of woe upon the ungodly They shall drinke and they shall drinke continually The justice of this proceeding against the ungodly is taken from the merit of sinne which being committed against an infinite Majestie must needs be also infinite now the person guilty being finite cannot beare a punishment infinite in the weight of it and therefore it must be infinite in durance to eternity Againe the hater of God repaieth vengeance which is deserved at least with the same measure wherewith his love giveth rewards undeserved but the love of God giveth eternall life therefore the haâ—red of God cannot give lesse then eternal death This sheweth you the reason of those earnest exhortations To worke out your salvation to make your calling and election sure he meaneth in your owne faith for so long as a man liveth in feare of this eternall judgement and seeth no way to escape it his soule is among Lyons even the roaring Lyon and all his whelpes it is in the keeping of the spirit of bondage his sins lye so heavie upon him that he cannot look up 2 The comfort implyed and exprest 1. He speaketh of the judgement on Israel as already past and over as ye have drunk 2. He calleth Ierusalem though thus wasted and made desolate My holy Mountaine 3. He graciously revealeth to his Church his just revenge upon his enemies 1. As ye have drunk that is when as ye have drunk of this Cup of affliction then God shall take it from you which doth yeeld this comfortable Doctrine That though the Church of God do live for a time under the Crosse God will not leave it so for ever Doctr. Afflictions are some part of that Physick which God doth minister to his Church to heale the soares and diseases thereof Time iâ—â— in Plutarch Apoph seeing the people very disorderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Physick is not given perpetually it ceaseth when the disease is removed God knoweth the use of the rod to be necessary for a time so the Church confesseth For when thy judgements are in the Earth Isa 26.9 the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse When they have taken out that lesson God ceaseth to afflict God is sharpe in these visitations Ioh hath not leasure to swallow his spittle Job 7.19 Psa 30.5 Yet he endureth but a while in his anger Weeping may abide for the evening but joy cometh in the morning For a little time have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I bid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee 1. The cause of Gods favour eftsoons shining on the Church after affliction is to let them see that his quarrell is not to the persons but the sinnes of men for no sooner do men repent of their sinnes but God also repenteth of his judgements He is a father and a tender father doth not love the smart but seeketh the amendment of his sonne and God himselfe in the smiting of his Church is first weary and he complains first Why should you be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint From the soule of the foot even to the head there is no soundnesse in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying soares cl Thus God suffereth in the passions of his children and all our stripes ake upon him Yet he is a God that loveth not iniquity and therefore when he layed upon his deaâ—ely beloved sonne the iniquity of us all the Apostle said He spared not his own Sonne but gave hin unto death 2. He will not suffer his Church to live alwayes forsaken under the Crosse in respect of his servants and that for foure reasons 1. Afflictions do worke upon them so that it breedeth in
them contrition and sorrow for their sinne and a broken and contrite spirit God cannot refuse he will not discourage the contrite and sorrowfull but will have them to know that their groanings and sighes come up even into his eares He putteth all their teares in his bottle 2. Afflictions do turne the children of God into prayers and supplications and he will not neglect them that pray to him that they may see the power and vertue of prayer that upon all occasions they may prostrate their hearts before God in prayer God hath said of the just man He shall call upon me in trouble Psa 91.15 Hos 5.15 and I will heare him yes I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and glorifie him in their afflictions they will seek me diligently In the house of bondage he heard Israel Exo. 3.7 Then the Lord said I have surely seen the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry St Iames saith If any man among you be afflicted let him pray If that were not our comfort when all remedies faile us we were most unhappy for we can never be shut up so but we may send our prayers from us to heaven to plead our cause in the name of Iesus Christ 3 Sharp afflictions may be a strong temptation to make the children of God doubt of the love of God It was not lawfull for them in the judiciall Law to be immoderate in correction A trespasser might have forty stripes given him but not more lest if he should exceed and beat him above these with many stripes Deu. 25.3 then thy brother should seem vile unto thee God will not overdoe in his chastenings of his Church to prevent this danger lest his servant should think himselfe lost in the favour of God We see how David was put to it in this kind When his soar ran and ceased not his soule refused comfort yea once he complained My God my God why hast thou forsaken me yea he thought upon God and was troubled Therefore God doth carry a favourable hand in his afflictions to prevent the despaire of his children for he knoweth whereof we be made 4. Sharp afflictions may be an occasion to harden the heart of man and make himful away from God to sinne and that reason is given by the holy Psalmist For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous Psa 125.2 lest the righteous put forth their bands to iniquity Indeed some that have been well taught and do understand well and have lived in some measure of good life and walked conscionably when God hath tryed them with wants have fallen into snares and embraced temptations Magnum pauperies opprobrium jubes quidvis facere pati vircutisquâ— viâ—m deserit arduae Shifts fraudes secret stealths borrowings without meanes or hope of repayment c. The wise son of Iakeh prayed to God Give me not poverty lest I be poor and steale Pro. 30.9 and take the name of my God in vaine Extremity of paine in sicknesse and soarenesse is a great temptation two great lights in the Church of God were ecclipsed by it Iob the example of patience fell into bitter cursings of the do of his birth so did holy Jeremy the Lords Prophet To these respects God is tender and suffereth not his chosen to be tempâ—â—d above their strength but doth give issue to their temptations Yet sometimes he suffereth his Elect to see their owne weaknesse by some fall that when he putteth to his helping hand they may be more wary to keep a better watch upon their hearts Reason 3 3. God doth not suffer his Church to be forsaken in afflictions lest the enemies thereof should too much insult over them It is Davids suite to God Let them not say we have prevailed When Saul and Ionathan were dead David lamented them with great lamentation The beauty of Israel is slaine upon the high places how are the mighty fâ—llon 2 Sam. 1.19 20. Tâ—ll is not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce lest the daughters of the uncirâ—â—â—tised triumph For this addeth to the ungodlinesse of the wicked they grow proud upon it Let not their wicked imagination prosper lesâ— they grow too proud Reason 4 4. The afflictions of the Church when they do grow sharpe and smarting cause the ungodly of the earth to blaspheme the name of God It is not for nothing that David doth pray so earnestly Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Ps 143.11 for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble The ungodly Iewes and Romanes standing by the Crosse of Christ did speake contemptibly of God and took his name in vaine in derision of his son It is the manner of the ungodly to blaspheme if once they prevaile against the Church then the God they serve is thought unable to protect them and the Religion that they professe is scandalized for untruth These be great reasons why God doth not forsake his Church in affliction but giveth them a heavenly issue out of them This point teacheth its own use for it serveth both to 1. Informe 2 Convince 3 Exhort 4 Rebuke 1 Information This is a sure and infallible rule That whom God once loveth he ever loveth as he saith I will never leave thee nor forsake thee for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance his love is himselfe and he cannot deny himselfe he hath given us to his son Rom. 8 35 and of them that thou hast given me saith he I have lost none and no man can take them out of my hand What shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus he nameth the greatest miseries of life Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things we are more then conquerors Cant. 2.4 through him that loved us The love of God to his Church is a banner over it 2 Conviction This Doctrine convinceth the Heathen who deny that there is a any Providence because the best men drinke deepest of the cup of affliction which maketh the profane say It is in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3.14 True that they who make conscience of their wayes are despised their soule is filled with the scorne of the proud True Ver. 25. that they that worke wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are delivered but the Elect say for thy sake we are killed all the day long Yet the comfort that the just have in their affliction doth assure that verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth And though for a time the wicked insult over the just the day will come
to trust in the shadow of Egypt Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion He declareth this folly in the next chapter Now the Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit when the Lord shall stretch out his hand Isa 31.3 he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they all shall fail together This sheweth want of faith when we trust in the vain help of friends It is true that we must use all good means to further Gods providence but we must not put any trust in these means there may be help by them there is no help in them David setteth these two in opposition and declareth the differing successe of them Some trust in chariots and some in horses Ps 20 7 8. but we will remember the name of our Lord. They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright Is it not folly for man to run himself upon the curse of God God hath said it Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. Jer. 17. The Poets the Prophets of the Heathen can tell us what ill successe the Gyants of the earth had which their confederacie against the gods Non est consilium contra Dominum The Use of this point is Let us all labour and pray for understanding 1. To know the impotencie of the creature that we may not trust to it 2. To know the omnipotencie of our Creator that we may not oppose it but seek our rest under that shadow This will change our vain confidence into a strong faith and faith is a shield in all our wars VERSE 8. Shall I not in that day saith the Lord even destroy the wisemen out of Edom and understanding out of the mount of Esau Their fourth hope despaired Doctr. They trusted to their wisdome God doth threaten to destroy both the wisdom and the wise men of Edom. In this paslage consider we 1. The judgment upon Edom Destruam sapientes I will destroy the wise men 2. The assurance Dicit Dominus saith the Lord. 3. The time in that day 1. Concerning the judgment we are taught that humane wisdome and counsels without God are no fense for a State Here is the mother disease of humane nature Eva heard that wisdome was to be gotten by eating the forbidden fruit and she aspired in the pride of her heart to be like God knowing good and evill ever since man hath much affected wisdome therefore God who hath revealed the true wisdome to his Church hath ever professed himself an enemy to the wisdome of this world it hath two titles inimicitiae apud Deum stultitiae enmity and folly The true and saving wisdome is Christ he is made unto us of God wisdome and his word is sufficient to make the man of God wise unto salvation Eccl 9 14 There was a little City and few men within it and there came a great King against it and besieged it and built a bulwark against it Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdome delivered the City This little City is the Church of God the few men in it be the little flock of Gods chosen the enemy that assaulteth it is Satan the Prince of darknesse the god of this world The poore wise man in it is Jesus Christ the Carpenter the son of poor Mary of whom the Scribes and Priests said Is not this the Carpenter he by his wisdome saved his Church This wisdome directeth to the whole Armour and teacheth how to fit it to us that we may be able to resist Sathan Ephes 6. But the wisdom that is of the world that studieth how to carry things on without God sometimes against God for God is not in all their wayes and this was ever a broken reed it doth both deceive and wound him that leaneth on it For The wisdom of the flesh cannot be Subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 yet it striveth in vaine For There is no wisdom nor understanding Prov 21.10 nor counsel against the Lord for it is written Job 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse 1 Cor 3.19 1. The reason is given by the Prophet Yet he also is wise meaning there the wisdom of direction Jsa 31.2 and counsel for that belongs to him only the wisdome of obedience and sequence is that which we most seek Therefore God resisteth and destroyeth all those that usurpe his wisdome but take counsell and not of him Jsa 30.1 and cover with a covering but not of his spirit that is seek protection and coverture against evils but not consulting his spirit who alone claimeth right in that title to be custos hominum the preserver of men 2. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to destroy the wise the reason is given 1 Cor. 1. â—7 That no flesh should glory in his presence ver 19. God is the only subject of glory properly in himself we give it to him in our Lords Prayer Tuum est regnum potentia gloria Thine is Kingdome c. He is a jealous God he hath sworn that he will not give his glory â—oany creature wisdom is one of his glories 1 Cor. 1.25 For The foolishnes of God is wiser then men And for this cause God will destroy the wise men of Edom both their persons and their wisdom as he did Achitophel the Oracle of those times he defeated him for he turned his wisdom into folly and left him not wisdom enough to save himselfe from the halter Vse Therefore by Edoms example let us learn not to trust to humane wisdome flattering our selves that we can do any thing without God for even the wicked when they oppresse the Church and hurt the Saints do it not without the counsell and wisdom of God so he saith before thus saith the Lord an Embassadour is sent to the Nations Arise ye against him in battaile It is God that maketh their confederates forsake Edom and the men of their peace be the sword of God drawn out against Esau Reviling Rabshakeh the Generall of Senacheribs forces against Ierusalem Isa 36.10 could say and he said truly And am I now come up without the Lord against this Land The Lord said unto me go up against this Land For God stirred them up and animated them to fight his battails against Israel The wisdome of the world is not worth the seeking because it may be lost and taken from us the wisdome of God which is from above God giveth to his chosen and he cannot take it away from us because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance But the wise men of the world when they have most cause to use their wisdome then it faileth them like the Sea-mans cunning in a violent
storm it is gone saith David The wisdom of God in man is ever at the best in the greatest tempest of danger and sense of sin The Disciples when they are brought before Kings and Rulers are promised Dabo vobis sapientiam I will give you wisdom and further Dabitur illâ horâ it shall be given in that houre Steven at the houre of his death not distracted with the fury of them that stoned him dyed calling upon God calling on him for them that killed him God takes away wisdome from them that know not how to use it Such as are wise to do evil but to do good have no understanding Wisdom in an ungodly man is armata nequitia armed wickednesse and therefore David prayeth against it let not their wicked imagination prosper It was Davids wisdom Audiam quid loquaturin me Deus I will heare what the Lord will say For he will speak to our hearts peace and joy in the Holy Ghost He will uphold us with his counsell the feare of the Lord is the beginning of our wisdome 2. The Assurance Thus saith the Lord. For the trust in wisdome is so confident that the holy Prophet though he had called his prophecy his Vision and though he had begun his whole Prophecy with Thus saith the Lord yet the more to assure the events threatned he resumeth this authority 1. He bringeth in God himselfe despersing their first hope I have made thee small the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee 2. In their second hope which was in the strength of their habitation he bringeth in God speaking to Edom I will bring thee down saith the Lord. 3. Now again in this third hope of theirs in the wisdome of their wise men two things do meet in this verse to fortifie the assurance 1. The authority of him that saith and doth those things Thus saith the Lord. 2. His appeale to them for he doth not say I will destroy the wise men out of Edom but he appealeth to their own hearts saying Shall I not destroy them q. d. Do you think that I will be over-reached by your wise men No they shall not have wit enough to save themselves much lesse to save you For I will destroy them Which peremptory declaration of the will of him who is judge of all the world doth leave no place for evasion for the Psalmist saith of him that He doth whatsover he will in heaven and in earth and in all deep places By vertue of this certaine word of God we do gather this assurance against all the enemies of the Church in all ages thereof for he hath said it by the mouth of Iob How often is the Candle of the wicked put out Job 21.17 And how oft cometh their destruction upon them God distributeth sorrowes in his anger What though the execution of this wrath be deferred he addeth God layeth up his iniquity for his children that is the punishment of his iniquity ver 19. as there is a decree against them in the counsell of God and word against them declaring the decree of God so dies erit there shall be a time 3 The time in that day Our days and times be all in the hand of God and they be hid in his own power who in his secret wisdom hath appointed them when that day should come he hath not yet revealed to Edom in this Prophecie God is so patient and long-suffering that he doth not punish presently for vengeance is his he may take his time when he will and no man can resist him The point here considerable is That God in his secret wisdome hath designed a particular day for every execution of his will yea the Scripture goeth so far as to the houre even to a moment the least fraction of time This declareth that the wisdome of the world and of flesh hath but its time there is a period fixed wherein it must detertermine Ahitophels counsels went for Oracles till this day then God turned his wisdom into folly and destruction So God threatned Ierusalem with a day in which the Lord would take away from them the mighty men Isa 3.2 and the men of warre the judge and the Prophet the prudent and the ancient This he doth two wayes One by turning all their knowledge into ignorance and their wisdome into folly Another by destroying their persons either by his sore judgements or by leading into captivity here both are threatned for he will destroy both prudentes wise men and prudentiam their wisdome in that day This may remember us of that great day of which St. Paul preached to the Athenians Act. 17.31 that God had appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousnes by that man which he hath appointed For as the day of Ierusalem and the day of Edom and the time of Gods particular judgements is set and fixt so is the day of the last judgement in which every man shall give an accompt to God of himself and all our works shall come to judgement What manner of men then ought we to be expecting this day and providing for it This Doctrine of the set day of particular execution of Gods threatned wrath against sinners doth teach 1. Holy patience in waiting the Lords leasure and as the Apostle admonisheth Cast not away therefore your confidence For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may receive the promise Heb. 10 35 36 37. For a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry And blessed is he that endureth to the end This living under the rod of the ungodly and this beholding the prosperity of the wicked doth much disquiet even the Saints of God on earth as is the example of David we see Therefore we have need of patience to sweeten the sorrows of life to us and to clear our eyes that we may not mourn as men without hope 2. It teacheth faith for the same Author saith Ver. 38 Now the just shall live by faith for he that hath promised is faithfull and no word of his shall fall to the ground unfulfilled Faith cometh by hearing let us then use it as the best remedy against the oppressions of the ungodly to be swift to hear the word of God that we may get the shield of faith to bear off all the darts of Satan so David in that disquiet went to the house of God there he was taught the end of those oppressors 3. It teacheth holinesse for seeing the wrath of God from heaven is revealed against the enemies of the Church there is no safety but in the Church of God and that is the Congregation of Saints these are safe in that day he hideth such under his wings his faithfulnesse and truth is their shield and buckler There shall no evill happen to them neither shall any plague come nigh their dwelling So long as we make conscience of our