can suck honey out of a flower so cannot a flye they should busie their eyes and regard the work of the Lord Isai 5.12 Psal 35.27 Ezek. 3.12 yea they should so consider the operation of his hand as to say sensibly Let the Lord be magnified Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place God hath delivered me out of all trouble saith David and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies The Edomites stood looking on and laughing at the Israelites destruction Obad. 12.13 God saw this and it displeased him as he is wondrous sensible of the least indignity done to his people He therefore payes them home in their own coyn and promiseth his Israel that they shall rejoyce when they see the vengeance Psal 58.10 they shall wash their feet in the blood of these wicked ones become more cantelous by their just destruction Learn we hence First To have our eyes open upon the judgements of God whether general or personal that nothing of this nature passe our observation lest we incur the curse denounced Isa 5.12 and be made examples to others because we would not be warned by the example of others Lege historiam ne fias historiae Sodom and Domorrah are thrown forth as Saint Iude hath it for an example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 June 7. Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 2. suffering the vengeance of eternal fire And Herodotus saith That the ruines and rubbish of Troy are set forth for an example of this rule That National sins bring national plagues and that God greatly punisheth great offences Let him that looketh upon me learn to fear God These words were engraven upon the standing picture of Sennacherib after that God had by an Angel slain his Army and sent him back with shame to his own countrey as the same Herodotus testifieth Secondly Learn we how far forth we may look upon the overthrow of the wicked with delight viz. Not as our own private but as Gods professed enemies Not simply for their ruine but as it is a clearing of Gods glory and of our integrity Psal 9.16 1 Sam. 25.39 Not out of private revenge but pure zeal for God and his cause I say pure zeal for it is difficult to kindle and keep quick the fire of Zeal without all smoke of sinister and selfe-respects And ye shal say The Lord will be magnified c. Or The Lord hath magnified himself i. e. hath declared himself mightily to be a great King above all Gods by executing judgement upon these Grandees of the earth Exod. 18.11 and making out that In the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them Hâ—nce it is that praise waiteth for God in Zion 1 Sam. 12.28 his Name is great in Israel He is sent unto as sometime Ioab sent to David to come and take the city of Rabbah to take the glory of all their deliverances and victories Not unto us Lord not unto us say they but to thy Name be the praise Hunniades would not own or accept the peoples applanses and acclamations Turk hist but ascribed all to God So did our Henry the fift at the battel of Agincourt Speed 799. where he won the day He would not admit his broken Crown or bruised Armour to be born before him in shew which are the usual ensigns of war-like triumphs He also gave strait order that no ballad or song should be made or sung more then of thanksgiving to the Lord for his happy victory and safe return c. Dan. 101 Polyd. Virg. lib. 19. So our Edward the third after his victory at Poictiers where he took the French King prisoner Anno 1356. took speedy order by Simon Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that eight dayes together should be spent in magnifying the Lord from the border of England From the borders of Israel Or from beyond the borders of Israel viz. thronghout the wide world The Saints have large hearts and could beteem the Lord much more praise and service then they have for him Psal 1.45.2 Psal 48.10 Psal 103. They would praise him infinitely and according to his excellent greatness filling up the distance as it were and calling in all the help they can get of Angels men unreasonable and insensible creatures as David did c. Verse 6. A son honoureth his father Heb. Will honour his father Nature teacheth him this lesson to reverence his father Pater est si pater non esset said the young man in Terence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl It is my father I must not crosse him Our parents are our houshold Gods said another heathen and to have all possible respect from us To God and our parents saith Aristotle we can never make recompence There is no nation so barbarous that acknowledgeth not this natural axiom A son must honour his father and a servant his master as Eleazar did Abraham the Centurions servants him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by being at his beck and check in all things Servus est nomen officii A servant is not one that moveth absolutely of himself but he is the masters instrument and wholly his saith Aristoâ—le and therefore oweth him all love reverence and obedience as if he were many Masters in one the word here used for Master is plural Now from this Principle in nature thus laid down the Lord tacitly accuseth them First Of Ingratitude for his great love to them evinced and evidenced in the former verses Secondly Of contempt cast upon him and his service as appeareth first by the application of that natural law confirmed by the custom of all countries If then I be a father c. As you commonly call me and claim me Ier. 3.4 Iohn 8.41 We have one Father even God And you have been long since taught Io to do by Moses and told by what right I come to be your Father though with an exprobration of your detestable undutifulnesse Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord Is not he thy Father and is not he by the same right and reason thy master too that hath bought thee Hath he not made thee and established or preserved thee Hath he not more then all that adopted and accepted thee for his childe 1 Pet. 1.3 begetting thee again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead unlesse thou be still in thy sinnes then the which thou canst not chuse unto thy self a worse condition All which considered what more equal then that I should have both love from thee as a father and fear as a master A mixture of both is required of all Gods children and servants that they yield unto him an amicable fear and a reverent love that they look at once upon his bounty and severity Rom. 11.12 and so call God Father that they spend the whole time of their sojourning here in fear that they fear God and his goodness
then his Benefactour as 1 Sam. 12.6 the Lord made Moses and Aaron i. e. he advanced them to that honour in his Church So our Saviour is said to have made twelve when he ordained them to the Apostleship Mar. 3.14 And the Apostle saith of Israel that God exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt Acts 13.17 sc to the priviledge of his peculiar people the possession of the promised land the custody of his Oracles and services c. besides the many benefits and deliverances wrought for them All which they are said to have forgotten 1. Because they laid them not to heart see Esay 57.11 they saw not God in them 2. Because their lives were not answerable they walked not worthy of such a God but said in effect We are delivered to do all these abominations Jer. 7.10 God challengeth remembrance and well he may Eccles 12.1 for he hath created us for his glory Esay 43.7 he hath formed us yea he hath made us as it followeth there and all that we might remember him the word made is used for a degree of grace after creation Those that are his workmanship his attificiall facture created in Christ Jesus who is the beginning of this creation of God Rev. 3.14 unto good works Ephes 2.10 if ever they should forget God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the character of a wicked man Psal 50.22 if they should forsake God that made them and lightly esteem the Rock of their salvation as Solomon did the Lord that had appeared unto him twice if they should not prefer him above their chief joy Deut. 32.15 or make him ascent above the head of their joy as the Hebrew hath it Psal 137.6 and set him over all as Pharaoh did Joseph causing Sun moon and starres to do obeysance to him I mean all their naturall morall temporall and spirituall abilities to bee subject and serviceable to him he would have an unanswerable action against them and both heaven and earth would have cause to blush at their disingenuity and unthankfulnesse Let it ever be remembred that of all things God cannot abide to be forgotten and buildeth temples To God no doubt and yet because they worshipped him not in his own way they are said to have forgotten him So do Papists in all their structures vowed presents and memories as they call them In king Stevens time here notwithstanding all the miseries of warre there were more Abbeys built then in an hundred years before But who required those things at their hands Christus opera nostra non tam actibus quam finibus pensat Zanch. Now the end why those Temples and Monasteries were built appears in stories to be pro remissione redemptione peccatorum pro remedio liberatione animae pro amore coelestis patriae in honorem gloriosae Virginis in eleemosynam animae c. for remission of sins Acts Mon. pag. 1077. redemption of souls honour of the Virgin Mary and other superstitious ends and uses and Iudah hath multiplied fenced cities As thinking thereby to fence themselves against Gods wrath to mott themselves up against his fire that had burnt up the ten tribes and threatened them Strong cities and munitions may be lawfully built but then their foundations must not be laid upon fire-works If sin be at the bottom as the voice from heaven is said to have told Phocas though they build as high as heaven Niceph. it will not do Babylons thick wals and large provisions could not secure her from the enemy Samaria held out for two or three yeers but was surprized at last by the Assyrian so was Jerusalem by the Babylonians and then by the Romanes Esay 22.8 9 10 c. great fault is found with this people for their war-like preparations with neglects of God vers 11. and of deep and down-right humiliation vers 12 13 14. The name of the Lord is the strongest tower Prov. 18.10 But cursed is he that maketh flesh his arm that trusteth in men though never so great or means though never so likely Jer. 17.5 those were never true to those that trusted them The Jebusites were beaten out of their fort though they presumed it impregnable The men of Shechem were fired out Judg. 9.49 so shall Judah be for I will send a fire upon his cities and it shall devour the palaces thereof The enemy did this but not without the Lord who cannot bâ—ook it that men should thrust in palaces and strong-holds and as Luthyer well observeth in this whole chapter is fully set forth whence it is that strong Palaces and flourishing kingdoms come to nought it is because men believe not in God but trust to their own strength Deut. 28.52 they fortifie themselves against an enemy but do not parifie God displeasure who is himself a devouring fire and can quickly quash all our forces and confute our confidences CHAP. IX Vers 1. REjoyce not O Israel for joy as other people Not as good people for they have reason to rejoyce and are called to it in both Testaments joy is the just mans portion but thou art naught all over thou hast gone a whoring from thy God who will shortly meet thee as a bear robbed of her whelpes or as the jealous hu band doth his adulteresse Again not as other bad people for they may revel rejoyce indeed they cannot and be merry after a sort rejoyce they may in the face as the Apostle phraseth it and from the teeth outward some kind of frothy and flashy mirth they may have and let them make them merry with it 't is all they are like to have but so mayest not thou because thou hast had warning sufficient and hast known thy masters will but not done it yea thou hast done that abominable thing that other nations never yet did Jer. 2.11.12 thou hast changed thy God for those that are no gods thou hast forsaken the fountain and run to the cistern c. which is such a prodigious wickednesse as the very heavens are astonished at and are horribly afraid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Grac. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dance a galliard yea desolate mourning and as it were melting at this horrid act Shall the heavens mourn and wilt thou rejoyce yea fetch a frisk or dance a galliard for joy as the word signifies what if other nations do so when they have got the better of their enemies or gathered in their harvest Es 9.4 or otherwise have all things go well with them yet revolted Israel had no such cause unlesse they were upon better tearms with God Say that this were the time when Joash beat Benhadad thrice over and recovered the cities of Israel 2 Kin. 13.15 Or say it was when he took Amaziah and brought all the spoyle of Jerusalem to Samaria Chap. 14.13 2 Chron. 28. or else when Pekah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day and
evill-gotten goods witnesse against them and eat their flesh as it were fire Jam. 5.3 till very Philistines and Egyptians cry shame on them and say as the Indians did of the cruel Spaniards that they carried themselves neither like Christians nor men but like devils that it had been better the Indies had been given to the devils of hell then to them and that if the Spaniards went to heaven when they were dead they would never come there Let no man think to thrive violentiâ vastitate by rapine and robery to treasure up sin is to treasure up wrath Rom. 2.5 which as a fire will devoure their palaces and it shall not be quenched Ier. 17.27 Verse 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord And he saith it in great hast and heat as appeareth by that concise kind of expression that he here useth after the manner of those that are through-angry Aposiopesis ut Ques ego c. and therefore say not much but meane to do the more an adversary round about the land A distresser at every corner that as all the borderers have beheld thy wickednesse so shall they thy wretchednesse by reason of the enemy and the avenger who shall meet thee at every turne and leave thee neither hope of better nor place of worse and he shall bring down thy strength from thee Thee in the feminine gender At for Atta ex â—â—agna perturbatione Chiskuni haply because they should be so infeebled and impoverished Or else to expresse the heat of Gods anger against them as Num. 11.15 where meek Moses being in a great passion of anger and grief together saith to God If Thou in the feminine deale thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand c. he was so out of measure moved that he could not fill up his speech nor utter the last syllable thy strength Thy strong-holds or thy riches those treasures of wickednesse wherein thou trustest Prov. 10.2 and verse 15. The rich mans wealth is his strong city It is called his strength because he confideth in it 1 Tim. 6.17 and because he is enabled by it to bring about his designes and thy palaces shall be spoyled They shall be blown up because their foundation was laid upon fire-works their morter mixt with blood their materials raked together by rapine and robbery their furniture and those ill-gotten goods therein hid and hoarded shall be given hosti non haeredi not to thine heire but to thine enemy for a booty An inheritance may be hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed Prov. 20.21 As the partridge sitteth on egges and hatâ—â—eth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the middest of his daies and at his end be a foole Jer. 17.11 A poor foole God will make of him ere he hath done with him as he did of Balaam Achan Ahab Gehezi the rich man Luk. 12. and 16. Verse 12. As the Shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the Lion by a countrey-comparison as before oft the Prophet sets forth the fewnesse of such as shall escape the enemies hands 1 Sam. 17.35 Is it but a little that a shepherd dare pull out of the jawes of a Lion Few Davids or Lysimachusses that dare look such fierce creatures in the face Something a shepheard in this case may adventure to do that he may not be made to stand to the loss Exod. 22.13 Gen 31.39 But it is not much quibus non est lectus integer Tarnou Kimchi neither are they many that shall make escape and those few shall be of the poorer sort too that have scarce a corner of a bed to lye on or such as are sick-abed and not cared for by the enemy not counted worth the killing Or such as are in good health but glad to hide themselves for feare of the enemy under any bed or bench-hole as is usuall in the sack of a city and in Damascus in a couch Or in the corner of a couch Now Samaria and Damascus are joyned together because they were both desolated about the same time by the same enemy and for the same cause viz. their invading Judaea in an hostile manner 2 King 16.7.9 Esay 7.4 See the like Esay 8.4 and 17.3 Verse 13. Heare ye and testisie c. ye my Prophets and all true beleevers The Septuagint add ô ye Priests whose lips were to preserve knowledge and to present it to the People All that were thereunto commissionated by the Lord God the God of Hosts are here straightly charged to heare and to charge testify or contest See 2 Tim. 4.1 and what they have received of the Lord to deliver the same to the whole house of Jacob not stealing away the word from them Jer. 23.30 or shunning to declare unto them his whole counsell Act. 20.27 but faithfully handling the law Ier. 2.8 Verse 14. That in the day that I shall visit c. Tell them so from me saith God say to these wicked Wo be unto them it shall be ill with them Esay 3.11 The jelous Lord of Hosts will surely visit the iniquity of Idolatrous fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation Exod. 20.5 See Ier. 3. Ezek. 16. Hos 2. As they have their day of defection so hath He of Visitation his season his harvest for judgment Mat. 13.30 What then will they do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what will they answer him Iob. 31.14 I will also visit the altars of Bethel At first there was but one altar 1 King 12.32 33. and 13.2 but afterwards they multiplied as in Peters at Rome there are said to be now above an hundred altars Hos 8.11 and 10.1 there is no end of will-worship but like the Ierusalem-Artichoke plant it where you will it over-runs the ground and choakes the Heart Now as God loved the gates of Zion where he was solemnly worshipped more then all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87.2 and as the walls of good people whose houses are little churches are continuall before him Esay 49.16 So he heartily hateth places and monuments of Idolatry and layeth them wast as he hath done our Abbeys and Monasteries Zisca overthrew three hundred of them in Bohemia and among the rest the famous Monastery called the Kings-Court a mile from Prague Zisca 's life by Mr. Clark in the walles whereof the whole Bible was most exquisitely written in letters of gold but little read or regarded by those filthy Abbey-lubbers of whom Luther testifieth that they were tam desperatae malitiae c. so desperately debauched that they durst adventure upon any villany whatsoever and the hornes of the altar c. which were held the holier parts thereof This was fulfilled by good Iosiah many yeares after 2 King 23.15 2 Chron. 34.4.6 Nullum tempus occurrit Regi Time can be no prejudice to Gods proceedings neither is his forberance any quittance Verse 15. And
A most bitter and biting taunt or mock Sarcasmus whereby the Prophet laugheth to scorn the fortifications of the Ninevites and their diligence and providence in defending themselves which shall nothing avail them because God will curse their enterprises Psal 127.1 2. See the like Sarcasme chap. 2.1 In those Eastern countries there was great scarcity of water Draw thee good store for the better holding out the siege for if water fail thee thou must needs yeeld fortifie thy strong-holds But they shall soon fail thee verse 12. as the tower of Shechem did those that fled to it and as the strong-hold of Zion did the braving Jebusites 2 Sam. 5.7 If God bee against us no other help can relieve us Brasse and iron can fence a man against a sword but not against fire go into clay and tread the morter viz. to make brick of For in maritine and moorish places where stones are not to be had they used to wall their cities and make their munitions with brick This proud Nineveh is commanded here to do by an Irony as Theophylact noteth but she shall but labour in the very fire take pains to no purpose for God will destroy the works of her hands Eccles 5.6 make strong the brick-kilne Or repair it that all may be ready And these things they did no doubt very diligently neither were they for that to be blamed But this was their fault as it was also the fault of the Jews in like case Esay 22. that they looked not to the Maker of all neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago See verse 8 9 10 11. This if they had done seriously though they had made lesse preparation the enemy might have been daunted and dismayed as much as that Duke of Saxony was who having proclaimed warre against the Bishop of Magdeburg and understanding by his intelligencers that the Bishop levied no army made no preparation but onely gave out that he would commit his cause to God who would not fail to take up arms for him Insaniat alius Bucholcer Chronol said the Duke It were a mad prank in me to make warre upon such an one as trusteth in God to right and revenge him Let who will meddle with such a man I will not Verse 15. There shall the sire devour thee There that is in thy strong-holds where thou thinkest thy self most safe These shall be to thee pro carcere pistrino for a prison or little-ease when the fire of Gods wrath shall kindle upon thee the fire of warre shall consume thee See Amos 1.4 Joel 1.19 and 2.3 30. Amos 7.4 with the Notes Evil shall hunt the violent man to destroy him Psal 140.11 neither must he think to be safe any where from divine vengeance Amos 9.2 3. Psal 139.7 8 9 10. Obad 4. which will not suffer them to live as those Barbarians could tell Acts 28.4 The Heathens called Nemesis or Vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that no guilty person could shun it Shufle he may for a season from side to side as Balaams asse did to avoid the Angels sword Num. 22.27 but at length lay down under it and so condemned her masters madnesse 2 Pet. 2.16 Running in to God is the onely best way to escape him as to close and get in with him that would strike you doth avoid the blow the sword shall cut thee off Est haec vehemens planè comminatio saith Gualther This is truely a very vehement threat See how thick it falls like hail-shot upon them that they can hardly take breath and all too little to work upon their hard hearts which could not repent These uncounsellable Ninevites were like the Smiths dog whom neither the hammers above him nor the sparks of fire falling round about him can awake Like Leviathan they esteemed iron as straw and brasse as roâ—ten wood Darts were counted by them as stubble they laughed at the shaking of the spear Job 41.27 29. It is proper to Gods people to tremble at his word to stand in awe of his judgements whilest they yet hang in the threatnings Wicked men flear when they should fear and say in their hearts when God threateneth them as Frederick the second Emperour of Germany was wont to say openly in the greatest threatning of his enemies Minarum strepitus Asinorum crepitus It shall eat thee up as the canker-worm Which useth to make quick dispatch and clean work See Joel 1. 2. to shear all afore it make thy self many Heb. Weighty with multitude so that the axle-tree of the earth may seem to groan under thy grandeur and massinesse Do this thou O king of Nineveh for the Hebrew Verb here is Masculine Do the like thou O city of Nineveh make thy self many as the Locust Which hath its name in Hebrew from multitude because as that Legion in the Gospel they are many and here the Hebrew Vâ—rb is â—eminiâ—â— Ministers must lay about them on all hands and bee ready to turn themselves as it were into all shapes and fashions both of speech and of spirit to bring people to the knowledge of God and his will of themselves and their duties Verse 16. Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the starres of heaven And so thinkest to have a stake in store howsoever the dice chance to turn For these 〈◊〉 were very rich and could furnish her with money which is the sinewes of waâ—re Besides they traded farre and near and so could give intelligence and if need were way-lay and intercept the enemies contributions that it came not to them But would you know saith the Prophet how these merchants will serve 〈◊〉 your greatest need The canker-worm spoileth and fleeth away q. d. They will serve themselves upon you and then leave you in the lurch to make as good shift as you can They are mere canker-worms which first eat up all and then hast away These false friends well they may be the causes but companions they will not be of your calamity like crowes that flock to a dead carcasse not to defend it but to devour it and no sooner have they bared the bones but they are gone Such false merchants as these hath this land been much pestered with from Rome in former ages Matthew Paris telleth us of one Florentinus the Popes Legate here in King Johns reigne Ferentinus the wiser sort called him for bearing away so much money And of another named Otto one of the Popes merchants Muscipulatores or rather mice-catchers as he calleth them who after three years raking together of money by most detestable arts at last departing hence to avoid a storm he left not so much money in the whole kingdome as he either carried with him or sent to Rome before him In the year 1235. there were spread thorow England certain Roman canker-worms called Caursim quasi capientes ursi devouring Bears quoth Paris who had intangled the King Nobles and all others that
of the Lord so we read 2 Chron. 31.4 that is that they might not follow their callings heavily for want of maintenance but cherefully bend themselves wholy to the service of the Lord. And here as Ferus once wished for the Romish synagogue I would we had some Moses said He to take away the evils of the times non enim unum tantum vitulum sed multos habemus for we have not one golden calf but many So have we of these times cause to wish we had some zealous Nehemiahs and Hezekiahs to stickle and stand for Christs Ministers not defrauded of their due maintenance only a signe of gasping devotion but trampled upon by the foul feet of the basest of the people as the filth of the world and the offcouring of all things Tythes they say are Iewish but if Melchisedech tythed Abraham by the same right whereby he blessed him Heb. 7. and if tythes by all lawes of God Nature Nations have been hallowed to God as Junius and other modern Divines alledge and argue and lastly if things consecratd to Gods service may not be alienated out of case of necessity Pro. 20.25 Gal. 3.15 it will appear to be otherwise Or if tythes be Jewish and yet Ministers must have a maintenance Christ having so ordained 1 Cor. 9.14 and that both honourable 1 Tim. 5.17 18. and liberall Gal. 6.6 how else shall they be given to hospitality 1 Tim. 2.2 if they be not hospitable they will be despicable how will men satisfie their consciences in the quota pars the particular quantity they must bestow upon them The scripture speaketh only of the tenth part Sed manum de tabula Enough of this if not more then enough Verse 9. Ye are cursea with a curse Vuig ye are cursed with penury and scarcity of victuals according to Deut. 28.23 c. and so great was this peoples poverty that they were forced for food to sell not their fields only but their sons and daughters Neh. 5. They had pinched on Gods side and he had paid them home in the same kind they thought in the famine to have kept the more to themselves and they had the lesse for keeping from him that which was his A just hand of God upon all church-robbers for most part they are alwayes in want and needy their wealth melting away as snow before the sun and their fields of blood purchased with the spoiles of Christ proving as unfortunate and fatall to them as the gold of the Temple of Tholose did to Scipio's souldiers of which whoever carried any part away never prospered afterward What get men by such a detiny that shall prove their fatall destiny Say they leave the gold behind them yet they are likely to carry the guilt to hell with them Iem 5.1 2. yea to cough in hell as Latimer phrased it unlesse they make restitution to disgest in hell what they have devoured on earth as Austin Because Pharaoh faith the river is mine own therefore faith God I will dry up the river Ezek. 29.3 9. The Merchant that denyeth to pay his custome forseits all his commodities so here for ye have robbed me And therefore I have cursed you God never punisheth people but there is just cause for it could they but see it but that the are hardly drawn to as here and Esay 26.11 the root of the matter is in themselves as job speakes in another case the plague of their own hearts 1 King 8 38. procureth them all the mischief and may say to them as the heart of Apoâ—â—â—â— us the tyrant seemed to say to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who dreamed one night that he was steaed by the Scythians and boyled in a caldron and that his heart spake to him out of the kettle It is I that have drawn thee to all this Let men therefore when under any misery lay their hand upon their heart thrust their hand into their besom with Moses they shall be sure to bring it out lepious let them turn short again upon themselves and say every man What have I done what evill have I committed or at least admitted what good have I omitted or intermitted Profane Esau beguiled of the blessing cryes out of his fathers store of his brothers subtlety not a word of his own prophanenesse in slighting and selling his birth-right he had forgot since he did eat and drink and went his way Gen. 25.4 The lerusalem-Paraphrast adds that he also despised his portion in the world to come and denyed the resurrection But this he never taketh notice of So Pompey beaten by Caesar out of the field blamed the divine providence for his ill successe when he should rather have faulted his own retchlesse security that he never considered into what place he were best to retire if worsted and especially his sacriledge not long before that defeat when he sackt Jerusalem and ransackt the Temple He might have considered what became a little before his time for the same offence of Alcimus 1 Maccah 9.54 55 56. 2 Maccah 3.24 25. and 4.39 41.42 and 5.15 16. and 13.4 8. and 15.30 34 Heliodorus Lysimachus Antiochus Menclaus and Nicanor all notorious Church-robbers and all hang'd u in gibbets as it were for example and admonition to all that should come after Sacriledge is a share saith Solomon Pro. 20.25 that 1. catcheth suddenly 2. holdeth surely 3. desroyeth certainly Cavete even this whole nation The disease was grown Epidemicall like that which Physicians call corruptio totius substantiae or that which he Prophet Esay also complaineth of chap. 1.5 6. The whole head is sick the whole heart is faint c. This sin of sacriledge was grown Nationall there was a conjuncture of all sorts in this wickednesse a rabble of rebels they were ripe for judgement yea though Gods judgements were upon them yet they persisted Neh. 13.18 and encreased wrath Ezra 9.13 God had smitten them but they sorrowed not Ier. 5.3 but to be revenged on him as it were for laying famine upon them they took away his tythes c. Verse 10. Bring ye all the tythes into the store-house All whether praediall or personall all and of every kind into the store-house the standing place for tythes as it is called Neh. 13.11 12 13. the tyth-barn as the Vulgar hath it that there may be meat in my house Tereph unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the English prey that there may be maintenance for my Ministers Cibus qui discerpi dividi disiribuiq polest enough not for themselves only but for to be distributed to those that are about them that they may not cat their morsels alone that they may not be slaves to others servants to themselves that they may not bite with their teeth and cry peace teach for hire and divine for money Mic. 3.5 11. that is be fain to maintain themselves with sordid and unworthy flatteries Balaam the false Prophet rode with his two men Num. 22.
weeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my neck behind me c. I would sling my mother to the ground run over my sacher and tread him under my feet thereby to run to Christ when he calls me Hierome c. For a counter-poison consider is there any friend to God or any foe to him Did not Eli pay dear for displeasing the Lord to please his children a 1 Sam. 2.29 See the story of Rebezies the Prench martyr Act. Mon f 842. and had it not like to have cost Moses his life for forbearing to circumcise one child as he had done another for angring his wife b Exod. 4.24 Tell me not here â—shall be mockt and hooted at if I refuse to be fashionable why what of that if a lame man laugh at thine upright walking wilt thou therefore halt * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. Plato if dogs bark and bounce at the Moon shall she therefore hide her head and cease to shine any longer c En peragit cursus-surda Diana suos David becam the drunkards song and a by-word among the sons of Belial who came round about him making mouths and mowes d Ps 35.15 16 was he ever a whit the worse man for that Did not Paul hear Pest e Act. 24.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a botch Elisha baldpate f 2 King 2.23 Ascend thou bald-pate as Eliah did before thee Sarcasticè our Saviour himself Conjurer ob traitour mad-man So true is that of Chrysostome sol Mad sinners censure all for mad that come short of themselves in madnesse g Inter insanos insanus videtur quisquis non insanit A very Philosopher could pitty those that set him at naught and count it his honour and happinesse to be despised by the many h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Seneca's enemies could not faster learn to raile then he to neglect i didicit ille maledicere ego contennere 3 Deny your selves further in your liberties * I am in phson till I am in prison said Sincere Saunders Act. Mon. p. 1358. 1 King 22 26 27. with Michaiah who would not biasse for any mans pleasure nor voice with the rest of Ahabs parasiticall Prophets though he were sure to kiss the stocks for his stiffnesse and there to be fed with hard-meat till the kings return in peace Deny your selves astly in your lives if call'd unto it What cared the three children for Nebuchadnezzars wrath burning seven times hotter then his furnace k Dan 3.16.19 I occidere potes lsdere non potest Patus de Nerone apud Dion Cass kill them he might possibly * Mihi vita eripi porest at non consessio verit atis Basil burt them he could not l Mat. 16.24 abdicat semetipsum perinde habet atque si nihil adse pertineret Beza and that made them so resolute For he that truly feares God and thinks upon his name dreads no danger * Hie est ille Farellius qui nullis difficultaibus fractus ruallis minis convitiis verberibus denique inflictis territus c. Melchior Ad. in vit p. 115. feares no colours denyes himself utterly m takes Christs crosse upon his shoulders a fagot in his armes and his life in his hand n 1 Sam. 19.5 and so resolves to follow Christ thorough thick and thin thorough fire and water poison and sword or any thing else that stands in his way * Thirdly blow up thy smaller spark into a flame of zeal which is an extream heat of all the affections love joy defire indignation detestation and the rest This as it will make us come off more roundly in Gods hardest or hottest services fervent in spirit serving the Lord o Rom. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boyling It is said of Baruch in repaiâ—ing the wall of Jerusalem he repaired earnestly or as some read it So accendit he fired himself from others chilness and so simshed his portion in a thorter time saith the Apostle so it will kindle it self from others coldnesse sharpen it self from others dulnesse quicken it self from others slownesse and heavinesse to duty like as the cold of the air makes in us our naturall heat the stronger and as water causeth the fire in the forge to flame the faster See an instance of this in David My zeal saith he hath consumed me because thine enemies hath forgotten thy p Psal 119.139 word Lo his anger so burnt against the sinners of his time that it eat him up q Psal 69 9. yea it inflamed his very hatred So far was he from running along with them that he abhorred them in his heart for do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies r Psal 139.21 22. Verse 20. Quoed Sol eodemi inere meabit quo nâ—nc meat eoúsque nunquam socieratem cam Xerxe coibimus I acedaem ap Plut. David knew well that patience in Gods cause and in case of his offence was but blockishnesse moderation mopishnesse connivence cowardize and that madnesse here was better then meeknesse which made him hate such wicked ones as spoke against God and took his Name in vain with perfection of hatred and not make dainty upon any politique respect to cast down the gauntlet of defiance to the faces of them as his utter enemies Now the blessing of God light on that Good heart that hath a stomack as David and the good people in the Text had against God dishonour But 't is a fearfull thing and a sore signe of a spirituall declension when Christians can comport with Gods enemies and disgest their oaths and other outrages with as much ease as the Ostrich doth the hardest iron The angel of Ephesus could not abide them that were evil nor away with those counterfeits that called themselves Aâ—ostles and were none Å¿ Rev. 2.2 and is highly commended for it though otherwise none of the forwardest t Vers 4. Avaritiae nomine taxari videtur bonus alioqui Episcopus Pareus Si fuit Timothcus uâ— quidam centendunt c. ib. ver 1. When the contentious Corinthians heard carnall for comming so near and looking so like the wicked that they could hardly be distinguished Are ye not carnalâ— and walk as men u 1 Cor. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A foul fault in a Christian Lastly Think sadly and seriously upon thine hâ—â—h and heavenly calling w Heb. 3.1 and labour to walk as 〈…〉 Apostle often exhorts x Ephes 4.1 Colos 1.10 1 Thess 2.12 And know that God will 〈…〉 from others which he will not abide in his own y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every calâ—ing hath a Decorum a seemlinesse a suitablenesse appertaining to it A Gentleman hath another manner of behaviour then a scullion a Courtier