of blood and He that planted the eare shall he not heare It covered the old world with waters the earth is filled with cruelty it was vox sanguinis that cryed and the heavens heard the earth and the windowes of heaven opened to let fall judgement and vengeance upon it The joy that the Jewes had at the death of Christ what sorrow hath it cost them ever since they have gone like Cain with a mark upon them stigmatized and branded as murtherers and they are scattered upon the face of the earth 1600 yeers almost deportation have they endured and who cries now it is time for the Lord to have mercy upon Sion The author of the three conversions of England writes a congratulatory Epistle to the Catholiques in England rejoycing at the timely quiet death of Queen Elizabeth in a full age full of dayes and full of honour and telleth them that they have as much cause of joy as ever the Christians had in the Primitive times for the death of the bloody and cruell Emperours This candle of the wicked was soon put out for ere that Epistle could come to them our gracious King was Proclaimed the heyre of her Crownes and of her Faith 4. They are charged with the cruelty of the tongue verse 12. Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of their distresse This is another kind of breach of the Law non occides thou shalt not kill to speak proudly or as the Originall doth expresse it to make the mouth great or wide against our brethren in their distresse For they animated the persecutors of their brethren in the day of Ierusalem Psa 137. and said raze raze it even to the foundations thereof They opened their mouth wide in cruelty or as Ezekiel speaketh for them Moab and Seir did say Behold the house of Iudah is like unto all the heathen Ezek. 25 8 i.e. God taketh no more care for them then for any other people It is one of the provocations wherewith God was provoked against Edom Because thou hast sayd these two Nations and these two Countries shall be mine Ez. 35.10 and we will possesse it though the Lord was there He accuseth them of Anger and Envy against those two Nations i.e. Israel and Judah so called because the Land was divided in Jeroboams time into two kingdomes Anger and envy are by our Saviour declared to be murther and the tongue is called by David a sharp sword the poyson of Aspes is under their lips it is the bow out of which they shoot for arrowes bitter words Thou hast loved all the words that may do hurt Verba be verbera Venite percutiamus eum lingua Jer. 18.18 Jam. 3.5 6. Come let us smite them with the tongue said the enemies of Jeremy and Saint Iames saith there is ignis in Lingua a fire in the Tongue Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the Tongue amongst the Members that it defileth the whole body and it setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell It is an unâ—uly evill full of deadly poyson There is that speaketh like the purcings of a Sword 1. In their anger they spake cruelly Pro. 12.18 instigating their enemies to destroy them 2. In their pride they spake insolently expressing their inward joy at their ruine by speeches of scorne and disdaine and of triumph over them The Iewes are a fearefull example of this in their processe against Christ for they cruelly said Crucifie him Crucifie him not him but Barabbas If thou let him goe thou art not Caesars friend And after tauntingly when he was upon the Crosse to him he saved others let him save himselfe to his Father Let him now save him if he will have him Which how deare it cost them let their owne tongues repeat their judgement Sanguis ejus super nos filios nostros his blood be upon us and upon our children it was so ever since and as God wrote the crueltie of Amaleck in a Book and vowed never to forget So even unto this day he remembreth what that Amalek did to Israel the desolation of their City and Temple the glory and pride and praise of the earth their miserable dispersion to this day is a certaine testimony of Gods unappeased displeasure to them Sarah saw Ishmael working he doth not say she heard him peradventure it was but a scornfull or proud looke that she observed but it is understood that he scoffed him with some words of disdaine that he should be the young-Master and heire of the house And this provoked Sarah to solicite his casting out of the house and the Apostle doth call it persecution and a kinde of murther Beloved do you know that cursing is murther do you know that bitter and scornful slandring which toucheth the good name of a brother is murther do you know that every word you speake to animate and encourage any against a brother is murther do you know that those reviling speeches which anger venteth in your common scoldings and reproachfull railings one upon anoâ—her and that secret and private whispers wherewith you deprave one another be murther Saint Iames teacheth you Jam. 4.11 That he that speaketh evill of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evill of the Law and judgeth the Law That is he declareth himselfe to be above the Law and takes upon him to judge for he that judgeth the Law and thinketh that the law of God doth not bind him to obedience he is not a doer of the law but a judge Christ saith he that saith to his brother satue thou foole is obnoxious to hell fire Let us all judge our selves by this Law and we shall finde that we had need to take heed to our wayes that we offend not with our tongue it is no easie worke to governe the tongue it asketh care and caution David himselfe must take heed That was the lesson Pambus found so hard that it was enough to take up his whole life And in our anger and fury we do little thinke upon it that By our words we shall he judged by our words we shall be condemned and if of every idle word we shall give an account to God how much rather of every angry word of every lying word of every spightfull and scornefull word every cruell and bloudy word of every prophane and blasphemous word This is commonly the revenge of the poore for when they have no other way to right themselves against injuries they fall to cursing and imprecations Saint Iames telleth you Jam. 1 26. If a man among you seems religious and bridleth not his tongue he deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine And againe Jam. 3.2 If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body It is a Master-peece â—o â—â—â—eene the tongue What
if it be not white and ready for the fickle observe thine own wayes and works and see if they do not tell that the day of the Lord cannot be farre off There be that put this day far off from them that is by flattering themselves in their sins they make themselves beleeve that they shall not yet come to punishment Repentance only lengtheneth this day and suffereth it not to approach to us Such an one feareth not in die malo in the evil day 3. The extent of this judgement over all the Heathen Meaning heâ—e all those that have joyned together in warre against the Jewes See Jer. 25. Here is a Quaerie Did not God stirre them up against Jerusalem In this Prophecy he declareth how Jerusalem was chastened by the Heathen and doth not the Holy story say Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Iudah 2 King 24.3 Iudah well deserved this punishment and God justly inflicted it and the heathen were the rod of God wherewith he chastened Iudah yet this execution done upon Iudah by the heathen was impious in them for they made warre against Gods Church and sought the ruine of Religion it was covetous they robbed Ierusalem it was cruel they delighted in the blood of the Lords people it was proud they insulted over them It is true that these heathen do not go without God to invade Iudah true that he sent them to punish the transgressions of his people true that they are the rod and sword of God for so David confest that God bade Shimei to curse him The Lord hath sayed unto him curse David 2 Sam. 16.10 As in the Creation God separated the waters from the face of the earth and called the gathering together of the waters Seas yet David sayes God hath set them their bounds which they cannot passe nor return to cover the earth Yet they would cover the earth Surely the wicked are resembled to the Sea in every consideration the Church may be compared to the dry land God holdeth the wicked in that they cannot droune this dry land yet this they would do for there is a naturall antipathy in the heathen to the Church of God When the Church sinneth God openeth a gap and letteth his Sea break in he suffereth the wicked to scourge the Church when it defaulteth for both their sakes that he may execute his judgement upon both and as Augustine saith Vtitur Deus malis bâ—â—â— In the story of the Iudges we read how the Concubine of Micah the Levite was abused to death in Gibeah which being complained of to the rest of the Tribes by the Levite they sent unto Benjamin to deliver up to them those men of Belial that had done the villany Jud. 20.13 that they might put away the evil from Israel But Benjamin would not heare their Brethren but prepared to put themselves in Armes and to go out to battail against the children of Israel The children of Israel arose and went to the house of God ver 18. and asked counsel of God and said which of us shall go up first to the battaile against the children of Benjamin And the Lord said Iudah shall go up first They went and Benjamin destroyed that day two and twenty thousand men The children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord untill even and asked counsell of the Lord saying ver 23. Shall I go up in battaile against the children of Benjamin my brother And the Lord said go up against him They did so the second day and the children of Benjamin destroyed of Israel eighteen thousand men Here was nothing done without consulting of God God bade them go and yet they prospered not yea they lost in all forty thousand men There is no cleere expression in this story to declare why God punished Israel with this great effusion of blood Plain it is that Gods purpose was to punish Israel and first the Tribe of Iudah but the Text sheweth 1. That the cause of this warre was a just provocation there was villany done in Israel 2. That the end of this war was godly for it was to remove evil from Israel 3. That they did nothing herein without Gods expresse warrant for they began to take counsell of the Lord. Yet before God would revenge the fault of the Benjamites upon them by Benjamin he punished the Tribe of Iudah first and then the rest of the Tribes with losse of so many men and effusion of so much blood And I must tell you that I find not the reason thereof exprest It may be that the Holy Ghost hath suppressed it that we might rest in the feare of God and not search further it is enough for us to know what God doth and not why for as Augustine saith Iudicia Dei occulta esse possunt injusta non possunt esse Gods judgements may be secret but never unjust And we must be very tender how we call God to accompt for what he doth for God is whatsoever his will is of which we must not seek to know more then is revealed for that is prying into the Arke and costeth death God is accomptable to none for what he doth The third day he gave Israel a full victory against Benjamin by Benjamin He first scourged Israel and by Israel he after destroyed Benjamin and left of them but six hundred men So may we say of this example in my Text God useth the heathen to scourge his Church and after destroyeth the heathen in his just but secret judgement Yet let me tell you what some learned judgements have conceived of that great example of justice in that story of Israel and Benjamin Rabbi Levi saith that Israel might provoke God at first because they came to God to aske who should go first against Benjamin and did trust to their own strength and did not beseech God to give them victory Rabbi Kimchi saith it was because that Israel had suffered Idolatry in Dan and had never taken the cause of God to heart to aske counsell of God against them iâ—â— but now in a private injury done to a Levite they were provoked and sought revenge 3. Others conceive that this was the cause They came too slightly to God at first for they did only bluntly enquire who should go first against Benjamin Not whether they should go or not Not enquiring by what way he meant to punish their brother But the second time they went up to the Lord they wept till even and then they asked counsell Shall I go up again in battaile against my brother Yet even then being commanded to go they lost eighteen thousand men True but they came not the second time with that preparation which became them that would sight the Lords battails to remove evil out of Israel for the third day they mended all Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto the house of God and wept ver 26. and
cast off the yoak of Rome and God caused a light to shine in darknesse and ever-since a face of the Church hath appeared gathering more and more fresh beauty and now we may say truly of our times the light never shone more clear in this Land then now it doth never more learning and never more communicated then now But beloved this will not serve our turne God must have as well a rule of our hearts as of our eares of our hands as of our heads Let us look to our example in my Text when God had restored this people to their land they established his Kingdome With publick Assemblies with fasting and humbling of themselves before God with confession of sinnes with weeping and mourning with solemne Vowes to performe all the Commandements of God They spent their time not all in hearing but in worshipping also of God They vowed not to make any marriages with such as were no profest subjects of the Kingdome of God such as was the marriage of Solomon with King Pharaohs daughter They vowed to keep the Sabbath holily to the service of God to deale charitably with their poor brethren To honour God with their riches setting apart a portion to maintaine the worship and publick service of God And all this must we do if we will advance the Kingdome of God amongst us not only in outward profession but in inward subjection You may know a true subject of Gods Kingdom by his walk and by his pace for he walketh 1. Circumspectly fearing danger before him to meet him behind him to follow him above him to presse him downe under him to blow him up temptations on his right hand provocations on the left hand therefore he loseth no time but redeemeth it to the service of God 2 He walketh in holines as in the sight of God who searcheth the hearts and reines and cannot be deceived with false semblances and emptie shadows and seemings of false and hypocriticall shewes but requireth truth in the inward parts He walketh in righteousnesse that is in the obedience of the Second Table of the Law living in the practise and exercise of his knowledge to the uttermost of that measure of grace that is given to him as it becometh the Saints For these know that they were therefore delivered from the hands of their enemies that they might more freely attend the service of God and the saving of their own soules Amongst such as these God reigneth and hath put on his glorious apparrel and is acknowledged God as their King Idolatry and false worship doth unking and dethrone God and trespasseth the majesty of our King swearing and blasphemy maketh the name of God which is the safety of his subjects for our help is in the name of the Lord like to a broken hedge Breach of the Sabbath which is Gods holy day is a trespasse against his moderate prerogative claiming some part of our time for his publique service and the exercise of Religion Contempt of the word is a trespasse against the Lawes of this kingdome Injury in any kind to our brethren is breach of peace amongst the subject of this kingdome Gluttony drunkennesse pride be wastfull sins and consume the outward treasures thereof and they also seem to quench the Spirit of God and to kill all good motions in our selves and others Let us remember our prayer adveniat Regnum tuum Let thy kingdome come And seeing God hath graciously establisht a Church amongst us in peace which he hath watered with early rain in the first coming thereof in this Land and with a later raine in the Government of two incomparable Princes truly called defenders of the Faith against Heresie and Schisme Let the kingdome be the Lords let our obedience to his Law bear witnesse of our Faith and let our peace amongst our selves give testimony of our charity and let us walk all one way like the horses of Pharoahs chariot let us all fight as one man against sin and Sathan against the Devil and the Pope tanquam acces ordinata For if the Lord be our King we shall have cause to be glad thereof For Blessed are the people that are in such a case blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God 2. Let us look as farre as we can by Saint Pauls prospective there will be a time when Christ our grand Captaine shall overcome all his enemies even death which is the last enemy and then shall he deliver up the kingdome to God even his Father then Israel shall have judged Esau the Church the world Then Christ resigneth his office of a Mediator and then God is all in all For then all his enemies shall be in prison in the chains of darknesse all his Elect shall be fastened together and united with Christ their head in glory God shall then have none to contest with him for sway and domination his glory shall then be great in the Salvation of his Church and in the Victory of his enemies Thus have I in a few months gone through this short but full and pithy Prophecy of Obadiah I know with what great comfort light and delight in mine own meditations I hope not unprofitably for you If you desire many houres work in a few minutes of time this is the Analysis of it It was divided into two parts 1. Titulus the Title 2. Vaticinum the prophecie 1. The Title shewed 1. Whose Obadiah 2. What. 1. Whose Obadiah Doctr. God stirreth up his servants the Prophets to give warning of the Anger to come 2. What a Vision Doctr. The faithfull Minister must see before he say and take instructions from God before he undertake to teach others 2. The Prophecie this hath two parts 1. Against Edom ad finem ver 16. 2. For the Church ver 17. ad finem In the first observe three things 1. The subject of this Prophecie Edom. 2. The suggestiorus of it The Lord. 3. The Prophecy it selfe 1. Of the subject Edom. Doctr. Riches strength honour Victory are not so pretious things as many do value them oftentimes they go away with them all a long time whom God hateth he saith I have hated Esau yet he had all these 2. Of the suggestour of the Prophecy The Lord saith thus Doctr. Gods Ministers must deale faithfully with the Church saying no more or lesse and in the same manner as God speaketh to them 3. The Prophecy that hath foure parts 1. The judgement intended against Edom v. 1 2. 2. The despaire of all Edoms hopes ver 3 ad 9. 3. The cause provoking God ver 10 ad 14. 4. Gods revenge ver 15 16. 1. The judgement intended contains 1. The discovery 2. The rumour it selfe 3. The effect 1. The discovery by a rumour from the Lord an Embassador sent among the heathen Doct. 1. The decrees of Gods judgement upon the wicked be constant and unchangeable Doct. 2. The consent of Embassadours all declaring the same judgement sheweth that the
Papists Waxe because they make Candles thereof which they do use in their false worship of God so Frankincense cloath c. this is made a breach of the second commandment Put this rule is too strict and unwarrantable for what providence can prevent abuse of all the commodities that any Land affordeth We sell wheat of which they may make their Wafer-gods we exchange gold with some of them they may gild their Images with it Some of them send us in Wine which is much abused to drunkennesse and silks of all sorts which is abused to pridc c. This is Nimia sapientia nimia justicia to be over-wise over-just Use 2 Seeing the godly and faithfull may lawfully make just wars we are taught to exercise Arms and to study Military Discipline and to value the worthy souldier as a necessary member of the Common-wealth and to give him all good encouragement That peace which rusteth the armour and despiseth the souldier and disuseth Arms is dangerous it weakeneth the hands and hearts of men of action it disableth the Common-wealth it provoketh the adversary to assault and putteth all into hazard As John biddeth the souldiers to be content with their pay so he alloweth them a pay and imposeth the charge of their mainnance upon the Common-wealth Let not daring and worthy spirits complaine as Themistocles did that they are like to the Platanes in a storme men fly under them for shelter in fair weather vellicant pluck off their leaves Use 3 3. We are taught when just occasions of war arise to gather courage as being helpers to our God in his battels When Hezekiah saw that Senacherib was come to fight against Ierusalem he said to his Commanders and souldiers Be strong and couragious feare not nor be afraid for the King of Ashur 2 Chron. 32 7. neither for all the multitude that is with him for there is more with us then with him with him is an arme of flesh but with us is the Lord our God for to help us and fight our battels So Nehemiah encouraged the people against Tobiah and Sanballat when they came to hinder the building of the walls of Ierusalem Be not afraid of them remember the great Lord and the fearfull and fight for your brethren your sons and your daughters your wives and your houses There be that have said that true Religion doth make men cowards and destroyeth fortitude and true valour It is not so 1. Because true Religion doth settle the conscience in the goodnesse of the cause which the Heathen did not respect 2. True Religion casteth us upon the protection of Almighty God which also the Heathen regarded not but trusted to them that were no gods Therefore let us say to our souldiers in the wars of God as we read it said by the Officers to the people by the commandment of Moses What man is there that is fearfull and fainthearted Deut. 20.8 let him go and return to his house lest his brethrens heart do faint as his heart fainteth For it was a base and unkingly answer that Ahab sent Benhadad who said Thy silver and thy gold is mine thy women and thy fair children are mine He answered Mylord king according to thy saying I am thine all that I have They that put their trust in the Lord do not fear what man can do unto them Use 4 Seeing wars are lawfull we conclude that it is lawfull also to use all witty means of circumvention to ensnare the enemy those are called stratagems of war So Ioshuah may lye in wait and come against Ai Josh 8.2 on the back side of the City So Abraham may divide his company Gen. 14.15 Jud. 20.29 and smight the enemy in the night when he attempteth the resâ—ue of Lot So the Israelites may use advice to draw the men of Gibea out of their City and so take advantage against them unawares Use 5 5. Seeing just wars may be undertaken by the servants of God let them prepare themselves as Gods servants to them When thou goest out with an host against thine enemy Deu 23.9 then keep thy self from every wicked thing The Lord thy God walkâ—th in the midst of the Camp to deliver thee and to give thee thine enemies before thee therefore let thine hoast be holy that he see no filthy thing in thee and turne away from thee Amongst the Heathen it was wont to be said that the Camp was the Schoole of vertue much more ought it to be so amongst Christians for there is a terrour of death and we know that immediatâ—y after death cometh judgment How ought men to sanctifie themselves and to repent them of their sins and to purge their hearts from all wickednesse that serve under Almighty God in his battels God hath threatned If you will not obey me nor do all these Commandments Levit. 26.14.17 I will set my face against you and ye shall fall before your enemies and they that hate you shall reigne over you and ye shall flye when none pursueth you Surely such are of he forlorne hope that come not to serve the living God therefore the strongest army is of them that are religious and make conscience of doing any wicked thing to displease God Use 6 Seeing it is lawfull to make just wars there must be a willing yeelding to the charge thereof moneys are the sinews of war and for this cause pay nâ— tribute Rom. 13. Give unto Caesar that that is Caesars God hath given our lawfull Princes an interest in our goods for the common good and the Apostle alleageth this cause of tribute and subsidy to our Princes For they are Gods Ministers appointed for this very thing that is to execute wrath upon them that do evil and to defend their own right Use 7 7. This reproveth those that sensually and securely play and sleep out their time without care of their own safety till the enemies come on them and make them a prey This was the ruine of Laish The children of Dan sent five men who came to Laish and behold the people that were therein dwelt carelesse Judg. 18.7 after the manner of the Zidonians quiet and secure This gave encouragement to the children of Dan to assault them Use 8 This Doctrine of the lawfulnesse of just wars doth seem to confute the Manichees and Marcionites of old times and the Anabaptists and those of the family of Love in later dayes who have maintained it unlawfull for Christians to make any either offensive or defensive war or so much as to wear a weapon Object 1 Christ saith Matth. 5.39 Resist not evil if one smile thee on one cheek turn the other if one sue thee for thy coat give him thy cloak Solu This must not be literally understood for Christ himself who gave this precept did not so he was smitten in the High Priests Hall and he turned not the other cheek but reproved him that smote him saying
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
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
of his countenance shineth on us let us walke worthy of this light 2. Let us serve the Lord in fear and pray to God that the thoughts of our heart which are only evill continually may be forgiven us 3. Let us receive with meeknesse the word of truth and suffer it to be graffed in us that we may bring forth no longer our owne sins with the fruits of evill works but the fruits of the word 4. Let us pray that God would passe by our offences and establish us with grace and pluck up sin within us that root of bitternesse which bringeth forth corrupt fruits of disobedience that God would continue upon us the light of his countenance 5. Let us not flatter our selves and say none of these things shall come upon us because we have so long enjoyed the favours of God for Iudah where God put his Sanctuary and Sion where he made himself a dwelling was not spared The righteous Judge of the world is not such a one as we though he hold his peace a while our provocations may make him whet his sword and prepare against us instruments of death Observe the cruelty of the Edomite he not only joyneth in open hostility but in secret insidiation to cut off all root and branch all in a day he is implacable Such is the hatred of the Romish Church to ours did we not see it in the attempt in 88 for Invasion and possession did we not see the heart of Antichrist in the Powder Treason plotted to a perfect and full destruction Surely David had cause to pray to God let me not fall into the hands of man This is further declared in the next circumstance Neither shouldest thou have delivered those of his that remained in the day of distresse 4 Depopulation For if any remained whom neither the Invasion had met with in the City nor the insidiation without those the Edomite found out and delivered into the hands of their enemies Of those some fell off to the enemy others were carried away captives others of the poorer sort were left in the Land to serve the enemy there to be Vine-dressers and Husbandmen This is called sweeping with a Besome and wiping as one wipeth a dish Two things do aggravate this cruelty of Edom 1. against thy brother Iacob For a Turke to oppresse a Christian an Infidell a Believer is but a trespasse against humanity for Hebrews to strive and one Christian to afflict another woundeth Religion also The Papist calleth himself a Christian and pretendeth great love to Christ he is our unnaturall brother and he casteth us out by excommunication he hateth us in our affliction yet he saith let the Lord be glorified But for us to wound and smite one another of us Protestant against Protestant this is seven spirits worse then the former Brethren by Nation brethren by Religion should live as brethren by nature live as brethren and our father will be angry if we do not and the God of peace will fight against us 2. Another circumstance of time is much urged and it maketh weight for when was Edom so bloudy you shall see that in the time and you will say with Solomon that the mercies of the wicked are cruell Verse 11. In the day that strangers carried away captive his forces and forreiners entred into his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem Ver. 12. In the day that thy brother became a stranger in the day of their destruction in the day of distresse Verse 13. Thrice named in the day of their calamity Verse 14. In the day of distresse 1. Observe in this how their cruelty is aggravated by the time the wofullest time that ever Ierusalem had called therefore the day of Ierusalem when all things conspired to make their sorrow full then in the anguish and fit of their mortall disease then did Edom arme his eye his tongue his heart his hand and joyne all those with the enemy against his brother 2. Observe that God taketh notice not only what we do one against another but when for he will set these things in order before thee for the God of mercie cannot abide cruelty To strengthen the hand of affliction and to put more weight to the burthens of them that be over-charged this is bloody cruelty as To oppresse the poor is alwayes abominable to God but to oppresse him in his tender and orphane infancie or in his feeble and decrepid age doubleth the offence To hinder the willing labourer from his labour at all times it is a crying sin and they are men of bloud that do so but in times of dearth or in times of his greatest expense to deprive him of his labour or his pay this God considereth for he knoweth wherof we are al made and he observeth our carriage towards one another of us VERSE 15 16. For the day of the Lord is neere upon all the heathen as thou hast done it shall be done to thee thy reward shall return upon thine own head 16. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain so shall all the heathen drink continually yea they shall drinke and they shall swallow down and they shall be as though they had not been This is the fourth part of this Section containing Gods revenge upon Edom which is before threatned particularly against Edom. Ver. 2. Behold I have made thee small among the heathen thou art greatly despised And after further declared it despeiring all the hopes of Edom. 1. The pride of their heart 2. The strength of their confederacie 3. The strength of their situation 4. The hope of their wise men 5. They hope in their own strong men Yet further Ver. 10. He saith Shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever But now as Edom was not alone in that sin but joyned with others so are they all joyned together in the punishment The words are somewhat obscure For the day of the Lord he meaneth the day of vengeance to repay the violence done to his own people called the day of the Lord because God will shew himself who hath lyen concealed as it were all this while and been a looker on whilest his people did suffer punishment for their sins The time of Ierusalems chastisement was called the day of Ierusalem because their sins deserved that day to come upon them but the day of the heathen is here called the day of the Lord because now God doth awake as one out of sleepe and sheweth himselfe cleerly to his enemies This day the Prophet telleth them is now at hand and neere to them This is neere upon all the heathen Not only upon Edom but upon all those with whom Edom joyned himselfe against the people of God The Prophet Ieremie foretelling this day Jer. 25. nameth the heathen upon whom the wrath of the Lord was to come And the judgement is eye for eye tooth for tooth Lex talionis wherein he telleth her As thou hast done it