HAGGEVS the Prophet Where-vnto is added a most plentifull commentary gathered out of the publique Lectures of D. Iohn Iames Gryneus professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Basill and now first published Faithfully translated out of Latin into English by Christopher Fetherstone student in Diuinitie LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger dwelling in Paternoster-row at the signe of the Golden Anchor 1586. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HOnorable and my very good Lord Iohn Lord Saint Iohn Baron of Bletsoe Grace and Peace with great encrease of honour WHen I call to minde right honorable the buildinge of the Lordes Temple by the Iewes of elder dayes and there-withall take a vew of the truth of that materiall temple of the Church I meane generally and more particularly here in England this angle of the world me thinks I may full wel compare these two buildings together whether wee respect the causes inforcinge or the hinderances lettinge or the punishments by the Lorde inflicted for not going forwarde in his woorke For the causes which ought to haue bene as prickes goades spurs to the Iewes were these principally First the choise which the Lord had made of them For seeing that the Lord had chosen them out of all nations countries tongues and people for of all the trees of the wood God chose one onely Vyne of all the fowles of the ayre one onely Doue of all the nations of the world one onely Iudea of all the cities of the world Hierusalem alone that he might build his Temple on high and put his name there and seeing that being iealouse of his glory carefull for his worship which the Heathen coulde not giue him for they had not called vpō his name but Hierusalem was the place of his rest there would hee be called vpon and for this cause would hee haue the Temple built at the first it stoode them vpon if they woulde escape the crime of impietie and ingratitude to build the Lordes house Another the remembrance of their deliuerance out of their late captiuitie where for solace they had sorrowe and pro socco saccum where in steed of their owne vynes which they some-times had and vnder which they were wont to sit they had Wyllowe-trees where-on they hanged their harps as being vnable to sing the Lords song Seeing that the Lord had deliuered them out of a nation so polluted as was this where they saw those Gods worshipped which neither they nor their fathers knewe had brought them backe againe to their owne countrie that they might worship the liuing God according to his law and that in his holy Temple what madnes mooued them to delay the building of the Lordes house If the consideration of those things could not haue serued to enforce them yet the other ought to haue drawen them as that Cyrus the king of Persia had cōmanded them and that the Lord of heauen had giuen them this in charge and had for this cause shortned their captiuitie But they were letted and that first outwardly and secondly inwardly Outwardly by the enimies of Iuda and Hierusalem who when the Lyons force coulde not preuaile assayed by foxes crafte to hinder the Lords building Inwardly they were le ts to them-selues because they sought their owne thinges and not the thinges of the Lord they preferred their owne affaires before the Lordes their owne buildings before the Lords house and their feete were swift to build their owne sieled houses where in they them-selues might dwell but they went with leaden heeles about the place of the Lords rest which lay in ruinous maner But as they had sinned so were they punished and that euen in those thinges which they preferred before the Lords affaires For the Lord with-drewe his blessing it pleased him to inflict a curse vpon them which Haggai doth in ample maner set downe namely that they did sowe much gathered in but a litle they did eate but they were not satisfied they did drink but their thirst was not quenched they were cloathed but they felt no warmth those which hyred them-selues out for wages receiued wages as in a bottomelesse bagge which did profit them nothing These were their plagues and many moe which to explicate I need not for why they sufficiently expound themselues But nowe let vs looke into our owne state Though the Lorde hath not chosen vs alone out all nations to call vpon his name yet hath it pleased him to call vs out of darknes into light to bring vs from horrible superstition and Gentilisme which raigned some times in this our nation and to giue vs his woorde to be a light to our paths and a lanterne to our feete in this dark and misty world and therefore are we bound to build a Church vnto the Lord as were the Iewes to build a temple that in the same the Lord may bee worshipped seeing the wall of seperation is taken away and the houre is come that neither in the mounte neither at Hierusalem the Lord is worshipped but the true worshippers doe worship him in spirit and truth Againe though our captiuity from Babyloin of the Assyrians hath not bene turned as the riuers in the south yet hath the Lorde brought vs in some measure from the captiuity of that romish Babylon out of which we ought so to depart that we ought to touche none of her vncleane thinges and that to the ende wee may worship him sincerely and with an holie worship and therefore ought we to build the Lords Temple Againe though Cyrus the king of Persia hath not enioyned vs this thinge yet Cyrus the Lordes sheepheard as the prophet tearmeth him hath cōmaunded vs and why doe we not then erect the ruinous walls of Hierusalem But alas for woe too many are our lettes For outwardely wee are letted by the enimies of Iuda and Hierusalem the papists I meane who though they can not by violence hinder our labour because the Lord hath cōpassed in his Vine with a brasen wall whose hedge is not yet broken downe yet by secret meanes they vnderminde our worke because they wil beare a showe of building they build with vntempered morter or rather vnder colour of building a Temple to the Lord they set vp a Synagogue to Satan yea by sattle meanes they steale away those stones which we shoulde lay in the Lords buildinge that they may bee corner stones in their ruinous worke These are no small lets but the more the pitty we haue as great amonge our selues And the first of these seemeth to bee the silence of those which haue some-times laboured painefullie whose worke is in daunger to decay if storme and tempest shoulde arise An-other let there is and that is the labourers want their wages by reason of the vnsatiable couetousnes of the men of our daies which will not suffer them to let goe the spoiles of the Church impropriations I meane Againe amongst the builders there bee those which fill the
inferre these wordes I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde which as I haue declared may bee rightly vnderstoode of his person but they are falselie by you restrayned vnto the humane nature although I am not ignorant y◠that pronoune I is sometime restrayned vnto the other nature But in this place you doe falsely restraine the name of Christ which without all doubt doeth signifie the person vnto his fleshe To Christ say you that is to his flesh is giuen all power Ob. The Godheade can take nothing therefore these wordes To mee is giuen all power ought to bee referred vnto the humanitie Ans You shoulde haue made a distinction betweene the diuine essence which is sufficient of it selfe and the person of the mediator Like as in respect hereof the sonne was sent hee went out from the father hee is inferiour to Mat. 28. 18. Phil. 2. 9. the father hee humbled himselfe c. so also he receyued all power and a name which is aboue euerie name Vnto the godheade of the Worde can nothing bee added which is all one with the father and the holy ghost For it is as hee saith a substance sufficient of it selfe vnto felicitie Thus say I least any man shoulde obiect that wee play the Arrians Quest What answere shall I make to those which restrain this pronoune I in the sayings which concerne Christ vnto his humanitie Ans Shew then these thrée things which are grounded vpon the authoritie of the scripture 1 First that it is sometimes to bee vnderstoode in the concrete of the whole person of Christ as in these sayinges I am and you shal Mar. 14. 62. see the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of power and comming in the cloudes of heauen Mar. 19. For I am that good sheapehearde Ioh. 10. 11. I haue ouercome the worlde Ioh. 16. 33. 2 Secondly it is sometime restrayned vnto the Godheade as in these sayinges Before Abraham was I am Ioh. 8. 85. I and the father are one Ioh. 10. 30. 3 Thirdly it is sometimes restrayned vnto the humanitie as it appeareth by these testimonies of scripture And if I shall bee lifted vp I shall draw all men vnto me Ioh. 12. 32. And againe You shall alwayes haue the poore with you but mee shall you not haue alwayes with you Ioh. 12. 8. Cyrillus expoundeth these wordes thus When hee saide of himselfe but mee shall you not alwayes haue the Lorde spake of the presence of his bodie For according to his maiestie according to his prouidence according to the vnspeakeable and inuisible grace of his godheade that is fulfilled which hee saide Beholde I am with you at all times euen vnto the ende of the worlde It shall bée the part and dutie of the godly omitting contention diligently to marke what y◠pronoune I doeth signify in diuers places I An absuditie will adde a breefe example of reducing the same vnto an absurdity Christe sayth Iohn 12. 26. Where I shall be there shall also my minister be But Christ is euery where in his flesh by that supposition which feigneth that this pronoune I is restrayned vnto his humanity onely Therefore shal his ministers be euery where Who is hée that doth not sée this same to bee false Forasmuch as wée shall haue occasion ministred Of the mysterie to speake else-where of the mysterie contained in this Oration we will onely recite the words of Hierome I wil be your helper build my house which amongest you is destroied whilste I am amongst you no man shall bee able to hinder your building To the same purpose serueth that saying of the apostle Do you not know that your body is the Temple of the holy ghost which is in you whome you haue of God neyther are you your owne 26. Lect. Feb. 8. Verse 14. And the Lorde raysed vp the spirit of Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel the captayne of Iehuda and the spirit of Iehosadac the high priest and the spirit of all the rest of the people and they entred in and did worke in the house of the Lord of hostes their God BY Gods assistance we will héere handle two pointes the history and the allegory The historie The Argument Thorough Gods ayde and helpe the second temple of Hierusalem was restored with greate good successe 1 Certaine it is that the consent of all estates to take in hande the worke of the Lorde and also to finish the same is a singular gift of God The chief gouernors of the people of the Iewes most ioyfully and with one consent took in hand the restoring of the Temple According to the oracle of the restoring of Sion For thy seruants shall fauour her stones and her dust And the heathen shall feare the name of the Lorde Psam 100. and all the kings of the earth thy glorie because the Lorde shall builde vp Sion and hee shall bee seene in his glorie c. Wherefore it is without all doubt that their spirit was raysed vp by the Lord. 2. Position It is onely in the hande of God not onely to take away such hinderances as doe let any good and godly purpose but also to turne them into the contrary so that whereas they were lettes they may be helpes and serue to godly purposes But the purposes and endeuours of these men which were vnwilling the Temple shoulde bee restored were not onely made frustrate but also serued to the purpose of the Iewes as we may sée Esdras 5. 6. in the history of Thatthenaus and Setharbosnaus and of other which were enemies vnto the Iewes Therefore most certain it is that God brought this thing to passe Positions 1 God is hee that worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his free good wil * Wherefore Phil. 2. 13. touching good workes whereof we are onely properly the instrumentall causes although not onely the passiue causes let vs sing that song of Dauid Not vnto vs O Lorde not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie for thy mercie and for thy truethes sake Psal 115. 1. Shal the hatchet the sawe the rodd triumph Isay 10. 15. 2 All the workes of God are amidest contrarie meanes Therefore when hee determineth to bring to passe wholsome and laudable things some hinderances are alwaies laide in the way which God doth afterwarde remooue that hee may make way for his counsels and workes Whenas the Iewes were begunne with great consent industrie and labour to builde the temple straightwaye come their enemies the captayne of Syria and the Samaritanes who when they coulde not hinder the holie worke themselues they referred the matter vnto Darius the sonne of Histaspes who hauing searched the chronicle commaunded them to hasten the building and also to beare the charge thereof 1. Esdras 5. 6. 3 Wée must not regarde what enuious men thinke and doe but what God doeth For God helpeth and furthereth the good not onely by meanes of the good but also by meanes
Sacrament of the bodie of Christ and therefore is the breade called the bodie of Christ by Metonymia hee which eateth this breade eateth the bodie of Christ sacramentallie To the end the yonger sort may vnderstand these thinges I say that the bodie of Christ is called his bodie sometimes properly sometimes metonymically As the bodie of Christ as it is called his bodie properly is giuen to be eaten of vs truly and spiritually so is it receyued of vs truely and spirituallie But the body of Christ as it is called the bodie metonymically that is the Lords bread if you respect the same as it is breade is eaten naturally and if you respecte it as it is the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ hee which eateth this bread eateth the bodie of Christ sacramentally But let it suffice to haue spoken thus much by the way For euen three wordes are sufficient in a good cause God graunt that all thinges may serue to his glorie and our instruction 45. Lect. Aprill 29. A declaration of the partes of the oracle concerning the censure of the religion and of life the Iewish people IF as Galene doeth thinke the Phisitions ought to behaue themselues in the cutting vp of the brayne as in a temple where the holy ceremonies are done decently orderly much more ought they which studie the holy Scriptures with great reuerence rightlie to cut in péeces and diuide the worde of trueth in the schoole of the holy Ghost Therefore I beséech the eternall GOD to sanctifie vs by his trueth and to giue vs grace so to enter into the secret corners of this oracle that we may thence gather and bring such thinges as may serue to the sanctifying of Gods holy name and our own saluation Moreouer if euery thing which is set in order be comelie as sayth Augustin then is the declaration of this oracle most comelie forasmuch as it is set in very good order Which we intend now to declare vsing a diuisiue instrument The partes of the Oracle are two in number a parable and an exhortation The partes of the argument wherein the Prophet proueth that the Iewes and their administratiō did displease God because they were vncleane are thus disposed 1 It contayneth an exordium concerning the persous which were their owne iudges verse 12. 2 The first probleme or harde question concerning thinges which did not sanctifie and the exposition thereof consisting vppon a denyall verse 13. 3 The seconde probleme concerning these thinges which make a man vncleane and an affirmatiue exposition thereof verse 14. 4 The applying of the former parabolicall problemes vnto the Prophets purpose Wherin he teacheth that both the people of the Iewes and also all their worshippe which they did to God so long as the Temple was vnbuilt was vncleane for this cause was not acceptable in the sight of God ver 15. And we see that in all these there is a preuenting of an obiection which is this As if our sacrifices Sacramentes holie dayes and all our ceremonies which God hath appointed coulde displease the Lord the Temple beeing yet not built so that for their sakes wee must needes builde the Temple least God doe not allowe of them The Prophete aunswereth that all these thinges were prophane and not acceptable in the sight of God because that neglecting the temple which God woulde haue builded they woulde rather purchase and demerite his fauour by their ceremonies The exhortation The other part of the oracle consisting vpon an exhortation vnto a more narrowe consideration of the life dependeth vpon the former part and may be thus deuided 1 First it containeth a rehearsall of the former life and of those euils whereunto it was subiect and of the principall causes thereof For it becometh the godly to profite vnder the fatherly correction and chasticement of God and hereunto doeth the remembraunce and consideration of euils that are past not a litle auaile That they were punished it appeareth in the 16. vers The cause why they were punished is set downe verse 18. The Lord sayth hee smote the Iewes and he reproueth them because they did not repent 2 Secondly it comprehendeth a promise of a blessing which God will send vppon the Iewes after they haue taken in hande the building of the Temple In this place we will note two circumstances the one concerning the time the other concerning the persons for the Prophete declareth who will blesse and whome hee will blesse verse 19. 20. All these thinges tende to this end that we may knowe that all those are accursed which buste themselues so in holy ciuill and housholde affaires that they haue no regarde of the glorie of God and the edifying of his Church and that they are blessed which doe so administer holie things and thinges appertayning to this life that before all thinges they giue vnto God the thinges which are his and bende all their might to the building vp of the Church Ver. 12. Thus sayeth the Lorde of hostes aske now the priestes the Lawe The meaning of these wordes is this Propounde vnto the priestes which professe that they are leaders of the blinde a light to those Rom. 2. 19. 20. which are in darkenes teachers of the vnlearned maisters of infants bycause they haue a forme of knowledge and trueth in the Lawe such questions as are not contrarie to their profession but are questions of the Lawe and such as are proper to their profession c. 1. In this place we will note that when as the corruptions of religion are to be redressed wée must first begin at those which are teachers in the Church and not at those which are learners For vnlesse the teachers be brought into the way of truth the blinde shall lead the blinde 2. And when as their errors are to be conuinced we must vse a religious kinde of zeale and wisedome that they themselues condemninge themselues may giue glory to God and yeelde to the trueth For if the teachers be conuinced of error and do suffer themselues to be brought backe againe into the way of trueth the hearers will be easelie brought to the same 3. It is the duety of those which are teachers in the Church to answeare discreatlie when any question is asked them concerning the Law according to that saying The lippes of the priestes shall keepe knowledge and they shal require the law at his mouth because he is the messenger of the Lord. Let vs also thinke that this is spoken to vs which are students in diuinitie and are bounde to giue an accompt of our faith when it is demaunded of vs and let vs get to our selues the most excellent knnwledge of heauenly thinges both by studdie and also by prayer There is a mery iest of Cicero extant which he vsed toward Pompilius who would seeme to be a Lawyer when as he was altogether ignorant of the lawe For being called to be a witnes in a matter he answered Cicero that he knewe
roumes of builders but knowe not how to lay one stone vpon an-other I speake of vnlearned ministers if it bee lawfull for mee to call them ministers whom I may more rightlie tearme Idoll sheepheards or if you wil Siphers in Augrim And manie there be also which know howe to build but they will not the worlde hath so ouer-taken them and their lasines is such which both are no small lets to the woorke And to bee briefe there is generallie amongst all a greater care to seeke their owne then the things which are Gods to preferre their owne cōmoditie before the Lords glory finally to seeke their owne ease rather thē the kingdome of God therefore is it that the Lords Temple is not builded and therefore is it that the Lordes plagues are in some measure vpon vs inflicted For let vs call to minde these latter yeeres and see if the Lord hath not scourged vs as he did some-times the Iewes And to gather their punishments into this abridgment that the Lord did not blesse the works of their hands how-soeuer they toyled and tooke great paines haue not we tasted of the like iudgmēt Let that generall dearth which laye and as yet doth lie vpon the whole Land witnesse for I will not stand to amplifie euery particular point for I hasten toward an ende If the punishments of the old people when wee onely heard thereof could not mooue vs to build the Temple of the Lord yet let them now enforce vs seeing wee taste thereof in some measure But now to come to your honour That especiall duetie which to your Lordship for many good causes Iowe hath caused mee to publishe these my labours vnder your honourable title and that not onely that it may bee a bush to shrowde them from euill tongues but that as they bee to your good Lordship presented so you may there-by bee mooued enforced incouraged to further the Lords building and to seeke the remoouing of these lets and hinderances which may stay the same And because right honorable it is no small help to the cōmon building for euerie one of what condition so-euer he bee priuately to erect in his owne family a Church vnto the Lorde as did that good Cornelius let mee with such reuerence and dutifulnes as I ought craue at your hands that you would proceede to consecrate your honors family to the Lorde in such sorte that it may with-in your priuate walls resemble the Lords Church And how-soeuer worldly respects may keepe you backe from this yet let that feare of the Lord which I know to be plāted in you and my very good Lady your wyfe ouer-come all these lets and hinderancances It is true liberty my Lord not to serue sinne it is true honor to honour and serue the Lord aright This therefore doe and no doubt the Lord will aduance you for hee hath promised to aduance those to honor which honor him Shake of therefore all those things which may hinder you in this course of godlines remooue all hinderances which may keepe you back call away your eyes from be-holding the vanities of this worlde whose shape must passe away make streight steps vnto the feare of the Lord consecrate your selfe to serue him halt not betwene the feare of the Lord and worldly vanity purge your house from all prophane persons such as was Esau so shall the Lords blessing bee vpon you so shall hee to honor aduance you and so shall you through faith in Christ raigne with Christ for euer and euer The Lord blesse your good honor and encrease in you the manifold blessings of his sacred spirit From my chamber in Southwarke this present xxj of Iuly 1586. Your honours much bounden and in the Lord at commaundement Christopher Fetherstone To the Reader THough good reader the aboundance and satiety of printed translated bookes hath in these daies bred in the mindes of many a certaine loathesomnes so that curious men with squinting eye and countenance disdainfull looke vpon other mens laboures thinking them to bee odlie how-soeuer not idlely occupied which imploy them-selues that way yet am I not ignorant that those paines which are bestowed about this doe profit manie if they bee well bestowed in thinges appertaining vnto godlines the explaning of the Scriptures for-asmuch as there bee manie which reade the woorde of God and all doe not vnderstand it neither can vnlesse they haue some to expound it vnto them Which because it can-not be done viua voce because there is too much want of that meanes they must haue it ex scripto My paines which I haue taken in this translation haue bene taken for thy sake Christian reader whose desire it is to reade other mens labors and there-by to profit that thou maist be instructed throughly to know the will of God who blesse thee in reading these learned Lectures which if with attentiuenes thou reade no doubt the profit thou shalt there-by reape shall be verie great Accept therefore my paines make thy profit there-of and pray for mee that the Lord will blesse my labours which I shall vnder-take for the profit of his Church Thine in the Lord Christopher Fetherstone ¶ TO THE EXCELLENT and right honorable Lord the lord Huldrich Fugger lord of Richberge and Weissenhorne the patron of the learned health MOST SWEETE is that saying of the sonne of GOD Christe Mat. 5. 4 Iesus our lord Blessed are they which mourne because they shall receiue cōfort For seeing that the calamitie of Ioseph that is of the miserable church of Christe being now oppressed with old-age and bewayling the most sorowfull fates of her warfare doth marueylouslie mooue the mindes of the godlie wee oughte all of vs most earnestlie to bethinke our selues what thinges may augment that huge sorrow and what may cure the same wee must also bring to light those remedies for these sorrowes to the profit of the godlie the which the spirite of Christe hath opened vnto euerie one of vs. It shal be therefore a pointe of equitie and humanity in the godlie to take in good parte those thinges which I shal speake both concerning the sorrowe of the church and of all the godly and also concerning the medicines and remedies whereby the same may be cured seeing that I set all thinges before the eyes of the godly to be examined according to the worde of God and would haue all thinges tried and examined but those good thinges onelie receiued which are correspondent and agreable vnto the straight rule of the holie scripture In this we are greatly deceiued that being too too much addicted vnto this world we do inuent greedelie desire to haue a diuorcement made betweene the gospell of Christe crucified and trouble and persecution and also in that wee thinke that wee are able with a weake faith to ouercome this worlde and those thinges which are therein We confesse that we must onelie glorie in the liuing and almightie God but
holy And the priestes answered and said No. 14 Then saide Haggeus If one that is polluted because of the dead carcas of a man shall touch any of these thinges shall it bee vncleane And the priestes answered and saide It shall be vncleane 15 Therefore Haggai beganne to say thus So is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lorde and so is all the worke of their handes and whatsoeuer they offer here it is vncleane 16 Nowe therefore set your hartes I pray you from this day and vpwarde before the workemen did lay one stone vpon another in the temple of the Lorde 17 Before they were in that worke the husbandman did come vnto an heape of twentie bushels and it was ten bushels when the dresser of the vineyard came vnto the winepresse that hee might drawe out fiftie hogsheades of wine out of the wine-presse there was but twentie 18 I haue smitten you with drought and meldewe and with haile all the workes of your handes and yee did not turne vnto mee saith the Lorde 19 Set nowe your heartes from this daye and vpwarde I say from the fower and twentith day of the ninth moneth that is frō the day wherein the foundaiion of the temple of the Lord was laid set your heart 20 Is there as yet seede in the barne Furthermore the vine and figgetree and pomgranate and the olyue tree hath not as yet brought foorth fruite I will blesse you from this daye 21 And the Worde of the Lorde was vnto Haggai the seconde time in the fower and twentith day of the same moneth that hee should say 22 Speake vnto Zerubabel the captayne of Iehuda saying I am about to shake the heauen and earth 23 And I will ouerthrowe the throne of kingdomes and I will destroye the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen and I will ouerthrowe their chariots and those which ride in them and the horses and they which shall ride vppon them shall come downe euery one with the sworde of his fellow 24 In that day saith the Lorde of hostes will I take vp thee Zerubabel thou sonne of Sealthiel my seruaunt saith the Lorde and I will set thee as my signet because I haue chosen thee saith the Lorde God of hostes The ende of the prophesie of Haggeus THE LECTVRES OF Iohn Iames Gryneus vpon the booke of Haggeus the Prophet BEcause in the notes vpō Haggeus wee haue touched those 1. Lect. 19. Oct. 1579 things which were to bee spoken of his booke in stéede of a preface it séemeth good to mée in this first lecture first of all to speake in generall of the Prophets that we may know what we ought to thinke generally concerning them and what accompt wée ought to make of them Secondly if time permit I will speake by name of Haggeus and of his authoritie Lastly I wil briefly note to you the causes for which I tooke in hande the interpretation of the same Prophet A methode concerning the Prophets according to certaine places of inuention 1 The selfe same men were called in times Notation past both Seers and Prophets In times past in Israel euery one said on this wise when he went to aske an answere of God Come let vs goe vnto the Seer because he which is called a Prophet at this day was in times past called a Seer They were called Seers in respect of the cause and also of the effect I call the vision shewed vnto them by the Lorde the cause which did instruct the Prophets in great matters The heauens Paul calleth it Reuelation by the general name were opened and I sawe the visions of God* But Daniel vnderstoode all the vision and the dreames I call the light of the minde and the excellent knowledge of the oracles Ezech. 1. 1. Dan. 1. 17. of God the Effect wherein the Prophets did excell all other men And it seemeth they were called Prophets for this cause because they were interpreters of the will of God according to the commaundement of God which Paul calleth Interpretation* 1. Cor. 14. Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet that is thine interpreter* Wee reade that Exo. 7. 1. some men haue attained vnto this gift by vse as Iesaias and that other some receyued the same at the handes of God forasmuch as they were called vnto the office of prophesying farre contrarie Ier. 1. 6. 7. to their expectation as Ieremie* and Amos* Amos. 7. 14. 15. This words Prophet is not affirmed of diuers sortes of men in one and the same respect in the holy Scriptures For it is attributed The diuers significations of this word Prophet Tit. 1. 12. vnto the heathenish Poetes improperly A certaine man of them being their own Prophet said the Cretians are alwayes lyers euill beastes slowe bellies* 2 Secondly this worde Prophet is affirmed Which is whe◠diuers thinges are called by one name Isa 9. 15. Is 28. 7. of the false Prophets Equiuocè The Prophet which teacheth lies hee is the taile* The Priest and the Prophet haue erred because of stronge drinke they are swallowed vppe because of wine they haue gone astray through drinke they haue erred in the vision they haue stumbled in iudgement 3 Thirdly this worde Prophete is taken by transsumption somtimes for the doctrine of the Prophets somtimes for their bookes Think not that I am come to destroye the lawe or Mat. 5. 17. the Prophets * that is their doctrine It is written in the Prophets And they shall bee Iohn 6. 45 all taught of God * 4 Fourthly it is taken properly as in these sayinges Wee see not our signes neither is their a prophet any more neither is there with vs any that vnderstandeth any more * Psal 74. 9. And againe I haue made thee the prophet of Ier. 1. 5. the Gentiles * 5 Fiftly according to the most principall signification Iohn 1. 4. Deut. 18. Christ is saide to bee that Prophet which should come I thought good to note thus much concerning the diuers significations of the worde Euerie Prophete is the seruaunt of God 3. Genus but not on the contrary Synce the day that your fathers went out of the lande of Egypt vntill this daye haue I sent vnto you all my seruauntes the Prophets rising day by daye early in the morning and sending them Ob. Your sōnes your daughters shal prophesie Ioel. 2. 28. * Therefore all the seruauntes of God are Prophets An. I answere that there is a fallacie which is called * Fallacia Aequiuocationis in this word Which is when a worde hath diuers significations Prophesie because in the saying of Ioel it is taken generally for the general confession of those which doe with the heart beléeue vnto righteousnesse But we doe nowe speake of the degrée of that good order and discipline which God hath appointed in his Church namely of the propheticall office in speciall All the Prophets were
comprehending vnder that common name Wiues Children Seruauntes declaringe that hee also is accursed Lastly vnder these wordes The labour of the handes hée comprehendeth the affaires of husbandrie the houshold affaires the ciuill affaires ecclesiasticall affaires affaires in the schooles c. And to be briefe all both publike and priuate actions and functions declaring that they were vaine and vnfruitfull by the iust iudgement of God Let vs behold this distribution of things that wee may without delay extoll the plentifulnes of Gods blessing if at any time the same be grauÌ„ted vs contrary to our deserts and that we may bee stirred vp to giue God thankes for his blessings both spirituall and corporall where-vnto the examples of holy men which we finde euery where in the holy scripture doe exhorte vs. 2 God is the gouernor of stormes and tempests Mat. 5. 45. Act. 14 17. God doth make his sunne to rise vpon the good and bad hee sendeth raine vpon the iust and vniust * for hee hath neuer suffered him-selfe to be without witnes in doing good giuing raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with meate and gladnes * The same thing doth the whole 29. psalme many other psalmes testifie 2. Question Qu. Why then doth Paul say that the gouerment of the ayre is in the hand of the deuill if God alone doe raise vp tempests encrease them and still them as it seemeth best to him I reason thus In whose hand the gouernment of the ayre is it seemeth that hee doth stirre vp tempestes gouerne them and cease them But the deuill hath the gouernement of the ayre in his hand as Paul doth testifie c. Ergo. An I answere vnto the minor proposition that Satan after a sort hath the rule in the ayre Tertul. â—he deuil ceaseth to hurt that hee may bee thought to cure and for this cause it is saide that hee beareth rule in the ayre but not simply For as the deuill by Gods permission doth bring diseases vpon men whenas he abuseth the naturall motions of the humors spirits members that either when he coÌ„meth he may procure diseases or els when hée departeth and ceaseth to mooue he may seeme to cure the same so when God doth permit him by yâ— stirring vp intermingling of windes cloudes meteors he bringeth to passe wonderfull things yet is not he able to do any more or any greater things then God will permit him to doe With fire did he consume the flockes of Iob and with a whirle-winde did hee throwe downe the house wherein his children were feasting 3. Question Qu. Doest thou thinke that witches are able to stirre vp thunder haile frost or other tempests An. I suppose that those witches which haue made them-selues yâ— bondslaues of Satan when as otherwaies there is some such teÌ„pest at hand are mooued by Satan for whom it is no harde matter to gather by the signes next afore going that there will some tempest insue or to foretell what tempests hee will stirre vp to thinke that certaine things being done they haue stirred vp tempests Ob. Therefore seeing they are not the efficient causes of tempests they are not to bee punished An. I deny the consequent For séeing that they haue willingly and wittingly giuen themselues to serue Satan and doe also destroy both men and beasts with their socerie finally haue forsaken God they deserue to be punished with death as reuolts homicides and idolaters Who is hee which doth thinke that a robber is worthy to be pardoned if being put to flight by the traueylers hee misse his purpose I speake of these witches which by godly persuasion not by any sodaine force of torments are brought to confesse that they haue forsaken God and godlines that with poysoned things they haue murdred men beastes that they haue serued the deuill I know there bee certaine which confesse that they haue done things which are impossible to be done eyther by force of nature or powre of deuils I thinke there is no credit to be giuen to their confessions which are wrunge out of them by torments neither doe I thinke that there ought any rigour to be vsed toward such And in this place we doe speake of those which are properly called witches concerning whom the law is Thou shalt Venisicae not suffer a witch to liue Paul in the number of the workes of the fleshe which deserue death Exod. 22. reckoneth vp witchcraft But let it suffice to haue spoken thus much by the waie touchinge this matter 20. Lect. Decemb. 1. Verse 12 And Zerubabel the sonne of Salathiel and To heare the voyce of the Lord. Iehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the highe Priest and all the rest of the people heard the voice of the Lord their God and the wordes of Haggai the prophet as the Lord their God had sent him and the people did feare before the face of the Lord. To feare the Lord. This history containeth the commendation description of the obedience of faith which the Iewish people together with their rulers began to declare and vse towarde the Lorde after they had heard Haggeus his sermon In this text we will briefly note these things 1 First the proposition By faith yâ— Iewes with one consent heard the coÌ„mandement giuen touching the building of the temple and they feared God 2 Secondly the confirmation The argumentes whereof are these 1 First the consent and agréement of all degrées of persons both superiours and inferiours 2 Secondly the forme and order For they hearde Haggeus not as a man but as an ambassadour of God with such reuerence and attentiuenes as if they had hearde God himselfe speaking vnto them out of the heauens 3 Thirdly the effect They feared the Lord. For they did well perceyue that they had not giuen vnto their most louing Father the honour that was due vnto him and therefore did they feare before the face of the Lorde But to the ende that you my brethren and The order which we will obserue in the handling of this text hearers may perceyue both by what meanes the argument being reduced vnto a position the vse of this historie may bee declared and also what methode and order wee will obserue in expounding the same wee will plainely set before your eyes first the position secondly the chiefe points of the exposition The position The séede of Gods worde beeing receyued by faith is effectuall and liuely and bringeth foorth good fruite as the feare of God and other fruits of the spirite which are meete for those which haue repented The principall poyntes of the exposition whereof wee will speake in order 1 First wee will speake of the efficacie of the word of God and of the causes thereof 2 Secondly of the phrase To heare the voyce of the Lorde And of the obedience of faith 3 Thirdly of the phrase To feare before the face of the Lorde or of the sonnely feare
one God and father of all c. Paul Rom. 4. Doth declare that wee are iustified by the same meanes whereby Abraham was iustified namely by faith that the manner of the fathers election and our election is all one namely free and vnchaungeable 1 Cor. 10. The Apostle saith that the fathers did eat the same spirituall meat and drinke the same spirituall drinke which we eate and which wee drinke Which thing all the godlie and these which haue vnderstanding doe sée to bée vnderstoode of the substaunce and fruite of the Sacramentes and not of the sacramentall signes These and other such like sayings doe teach vs that there is but one Testament and one couenaunt of grace in substance and trueth 3 Notwithstanding the olde Testament the Newe doe so differ in the dispensation that the newe Testament doeth farre exceede the olde Math. 13. 17. Verily I say vnto you manie Prophetes and iust men haue desired to see the thinges which you see and haue not seene them and to heare the thinges which you heare and haue not hearde them Yet let vs knowe that these thinges are spoken respectiuely and not simplie For hee doeth not denie that the Fathers knewe the same kinde of doctrine but he preferreth the estate and cōdition of Christ his Church before the discipliue of the lawe as beeing better For after that Christ the light of the worlde beganne to teach there did so great light of the knowledge of God shine in the heartes of the faithfull that hee that was least in that newe estate of the church was greater in the kingdom of heauē then Iohn the baptist if you consider the plentifulnes of doctrine In the eight to the Hebrues vers 7. the apostle reasoneth thus If that former testament he meaneth the olde testament had bene such that there had beene nothing wanting therein then had there béene no place sought for the second But there hath béene a place sought for the newe couenant vers 8. 9. And that may be vnderstood of the worde and the sacramentes For séeing the same doctrine the same faith and the same Christ doth raigne in the Church of both testamentes the diuersity of dispensation consisteth in the letter administration and whether you respect the preaching of the word or the administration of the Sacraments and not in the spirite and trueth But some there bée which doe attribute vnto the Fathers the shadowes and vnto vs the trueth And to the end they may prooue this they alleadge the wordes of the Apostle Heb 10. 1. The lawe hauing a shadowe of good thinges to come and not the very expresse forme of thinges c. I answere First they falsely take that as spoken simply which is spoken respectiuely and by way of comparison touching the moste solemne yéerely sacrifice which was nowe abrogated when Christe was vpon the Altar of the Crosse Secondly if they attribute no more vnto the Fathers but the shadowes and doe spoyle them of the truth then surely they thinke y◠there was but small prouision made for their saluation and restoring For what shall wee thinke that any man can bee saued without the trueth Thirdly why doeth Paul attribute to vs Circumcision made without handes Col. 2. 11. and to the Fathers Baptisme and the spirituall meate and drinke 2. Cor. 1. 2 if the thing signified by the Sacrament be not common to the faithfull of both Testamentes For all men doe know that their signes and ours are not all one Lastlie what shall we say Augustine meant when hee did affirme that the Sacramentes of the Fathers and ours doe differ in the signes but are all one in substance But of these things we shall speake else where The latter part of the sixt verse Also my spirite shall stande in the middest of you feare not 4. Argument There is no cause why the taskemaisters and ouerseers of the Lordes worke shoulde bee discouraged with the feare of their enemies and the feeling of their owne infirmitie seeing that the spirite of God doeth stande in the middest of them The reason For the spirite of the Lorde is a spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding a spirit of counsell and strength a spirite of knowledge and feare of the Lorde But the holy spirite of the Esay 11. 2. Lorde will bee present with you Iewes whilest you are in building the Temple This minor proposition is grounded vppon his promise who is a God that cannot lie Wherefore you must goe forward stoutly in the holy worke and hope Tit. 1. 2. well of the successe My The same holy ghost is sometimes called the spirite of the Father sometimes the spirite of the sonne Whereby it is well proued that hee doeth procéede from the Father and the sonne as we shall hereafter declare Spirite Certayne taking the effectes for the cause doe thinke that it is to be vnderstood of the giftes of the holy Ghost But Christ vsing the same argument when hee was readie to goe to the Father promiseth his Disciples the holy Ghost which should be present with them and shoulde leade them into all truth Shall stande These wordes doe signifie presence and perpetuall helpe like as doeth that phrase To stande at any mans right hande Psalm 16. 8. In the middest of you Therefore the holy spirite is present by the presence of his grace with these onely to whome this thing was promised and giuen by the Father Of the holy spirite Aphor. 1. This worde Spirite Ruah Pneuma is sometime attributed to the creator sometime to the inuisible creatures This distinction is drawen from the cause and the effectes God is the cause and creator of all thinges The same is also a spirituall essence infinite eternall vncreated 2 When as the worde spirite is attributed to the creator it doth sometime signify the essence which is common to the thrée persons sometime the diuine nature of Iesus Christe sometime the person of the holy spirite according to these sayinges Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirite This may be vnderstoode of the same essence of God Rom. 1. 4. The Sonne of God being mightily declared according to the spirit of sanctification c. He setteth the spirite that is the Godheade of the worde against the flesh that is the humane nature which is in Christe Ephe 1. 13. You are sealed with that holy spirite of promise 3 The third person in the Godhead is the holy ghoste because hee is the essentiall power of God whereby all thinges are vpholden and the Church is sanctified The worde Spirite doeth signifie a worker and mouer not any qualitie in God 1. Cor. 12. 4. There are diuersities of giftes but one spirite ver 12. 4. For to one man is giuen the worde of wisedome by the spirit and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirite 4 The spirite is a substaunce or person distinguished from the father and the sonne by the note and marke of proceeding 1. Cor. 12. 11. But that one
shalt decrée they shall be established as instruments which are lawfully sealed by an other metaphor did Isayas the prophet signifie the same authoritie speaking of the chusing of Eliachim into yâ— place of Sobna Isay â—2 22. And I will put the key of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder and he shall open and ther shall be none which shall shut and hee shall shut and there shall be none that shall open If you will knowe any thing which is worthie the knowing concerning the force of gold-ringes read the first chapter of the thrée and thirty booke of Plinie his naturall historie Let it be sufficient for vs to learne by this place that we must be subiect to the magistrate We knowe the verses of Philemon All seruants subiect are to Kinges Kinges downe before the Gods must fall The Gods to fate are subiect eke Small thinges to great are also thrall But we as we doo acknowledge and in spirit worship one God who is Lord ouer all thinges so doe we acknowledge him to be most free and not subiect to any Stoicall fate The efficient cause 2. The Lorde himselfe will extoll vnto great dignitie his seruant Zerubabell The Position As God doth punish proud princes with rebuke shame so doth he also crowne the humble with glorie and honour Psal 107. 4. Hee powreth contempt vpon princes and maketh them to wander in the wildernes wherin there is no way Psal 84. 12. For the Lord God is the sunne and shield vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightlie Although this be but a short verse yet doth it containe fiue benefites which are sent by God First the gift of vnderstanding wherewith the sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus doth illuminate our mindes according to that saying I am the light of the worlde he that followeth me walketh not in darkenes but he shall haue the light of life Ioh. 8. 12. The second is Gods protection in the middest of dauÌ„gers Because thou Lorde shalt blesse the iust thou shalt compasse him about with good wil as with a shielde Psal 5. 13. The Lord is my shield and the horne of my saluation and my lifter vp The thirde is authoritie which the prophet calleth glorie The fourth is grace or the good will and fauour of the subiects towards their superiors The fift all manner of good things aswell priuatiue as positiue as some doe terme them The internall cause is the chusing to the office yâ— The internall cause of a ciuill magistrate I haue chosen thee sayth the Lorde In like sorte it is saide of the chusing vnto the office of the Apostleship Haue not I chosen you twelue yet one of you is a deuill Ioh. 6. 70. By this place we learne that we ought not to take vpon vs any function vnlesse God do those vs thereunto according to that saying A man can receiue nothing vnlesse it bee giuen him from heauen Ioh. 3. 27. And we must iudge of the calling by the gifts which are requisit necessarie for the due executing of the office Of the third thing namely of the veritie of this figure No man doth better expound the veritie of the figure whereof we haue brieflie spoken then Paule the Apostle whose wordes are these 5. Let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus 6 Who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God 7 But he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto man and was founde in shape as a man 8 He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse 9 Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euerie name 10 That at the name of Iesus euerie knee should bowe both of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth 11 And that euerie tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Lorde vnto the glorie of God the father Phil. 2. The similitude is this As God will both marueylouslie defend and also wonderfully exalt in due time his faithfull seruaunt Zerobabell though all the Samaritanes and other his enimies say nay so in time to come shall he extoll vnto great dignitie the Messias when hee hath humbled himselfe being made obedient vnto his father euen vnto the death of the crosse c. We see that the Lorde did not onely put his seruaunt Zerubabell in good hope by one and the same oracle of obtayning ciuill and other good thinges but also he foretelleth that the Messias shal be reuealed and that al the Church shal be enriched with his fulnesse Wee learne that the goodnes and power of God is not to be measured by our weake faith but that we must be certainly perswaded that God is both able and also will if it be for his glorie and our saluation doe more and greater thinges for vs then wee can promise to our selues through the imbecillitie of our faith FINIS LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger dwelling in Paternoster-row at the signe of the Golden Anchor 1586.
in the meane while wee looke to haue the fauour consent and patronage of princes and noble men If wee wante these then thinke wee that the kingdome of Christe is quite vndone Wee doe throughly weigh consider in our mindes what thinges the world doth denie vnto vs and what it doth promise but in the meane season we doe not marke vntill such time as wee bee often-times admonished by the spirite of God and his instrumentes what the Lorde our God doth howe that by our miseries he bringeth good things to passe wonderfullie howe that by the meanes of our enimies he doth good vnto vs to howe good and wholesome an intent he taketh from vs earthlie things that hee may put heauenlie and eternall thinges in place thereof Seeing that I doe seeme to my selfe not fully to vnderstand what other men do think of the fountayne and originall of these errors and imaginations I will boldlie by the good leaue of others professe that which I haue alwayes conferring our affaires with the rule prescribed by God thought to be most like to be the fountaine thereof The principall cause of all those miseries and sorrowes wherewith wee are vexed by the iust iudgement of God most iust most good is the weakenes of our faith which maketh vs to be vnable to ouercome this world and the thinges therein contayned namelie the riches glory and most of all the vaine pompe thereof But notwithstanding as the weakenes of faith maketh vs to stande in neede of comfort so the stedfastnes thereof maketh vs to abounde with true and manifolde consolation We doe not sufficiently ponder that which notwithstandinge wee haue alwayes in our mouth namely that in God wee liue wee be and mooue that wee are the worke of God that God hath a care ouer vs that the liuing and almighty God is hee which hath not onelie a great respect to all mankinde but also to the church and all the faithfull Therefore wee are afraide to offend Monarches wee are so afraide of the affliction and death of godlie princes of the mutable natures of men as if all iudgement and power were in their handes and not in the handes of God And although wee heare that Christe doth Psalm 10. 2. raygne in the middest of his enemies yet because all his workes are brought to passe amiddest contrarie meanes wee doe hardlie suffer our selues to bee perswaded that the truth and those which beare recorde of the same shall haue the vpper hande when it is resisted although the enimies thereof doe rage against it and goe about to ouerthrowe the same that the kingdome of Christe shall come and shall florish that the enimies of Christe shal be so quite taken away that some of them by their sodayne destruction some of them by that destruction which commeth vppon them in tract of time shal testifie that God is the iudge of the whole earth Wee heare also that the holie spirite is the best comforter that the minde and purpose of the Lord is knowen vnto him that he only is the meetest witnes to testifie vnto vs the mercifull good will of God towarde vs. But in the meane while we haue great respect vnto men and their counsels and promises as if we coulde be more safe vnder their protection then vnder the protection of that spirite which gouerneth all thinges What man is hee which doth so often and so greatlie reioyce that hee is made a member of the church a fellowe Citizen with the saintes one of Gods housholde as he ought and as the thankefulnes of a Christian doth require I will not now speake of those which are rotten members of the church Howe many of vs are there which do make so great accompt of our calling regeneration and iustification as wee ought so that wee haue alwayes neede to haue some godlie exhortation giuen vs by the godlie teachers wherein wee may be exhorted hereunto Wee quake and tremble when wee heare any mention made of death when as in the meane whyle we glorie that wee doe belieue the resurrection of the fleshe and euerlasting life To be briefe we can not away with this to bee baptised with the baptisme of Christe his afflictions and to drinke of the cuppe of his suffringes but wee can bee verie well content with this to sit on high in glorie on Christes righte hande and on his left in his kingdome and in that time which the Lord hath appointed for warrefare and afflictions to triumph and to leade a most happie life Hereunto is added another and that the greatest error that in the choyse of good euill being greatly deceyued wee thinke that the witnesses of the truth are vnhappie seeing that they are hated of the worlde and that those which lay waste the church and are the aduersaries of the truth are happie because they lye softe and fare daintâ—lie in kinges courtes freely persecuting the churches and the faithfull ministers thereof and are in the meane season accompted amongst the vnskilfull as pillars of the church Truely seeing that it is meete that the godlie doe with great faithfulnes and diligence endeuour them-selues to mitigate the sorrowes of the mindes of men wherewith they are afflicted as they would extinguish a great fire I will vse the same order in declaring the meanes whereby I endeuor to mitigate the same sorrowe which I haue suffered these fewe yeares for the afflictions of the church both publike and priuate then the which also I am persuaded that the paine which I shal suffer at the departure of my soule out of the prison of this my body shal be nothing greater which I see obserued in the canon of our faith I meane the Apostles creede First I consider the benefit of my creation and when I doe reioyce that I doe belieue through the grace which to mee giuen is in God the father almightie creator of heauen and earth I doe feele my selfe reape most pleÌ„tifull fruites of manifolde consolation For I vnderstand that God doth as yet worke and that through him we all doe liue mooue and bee that hee hath a care ouer vs that all the Iohn 5. 17 haires of my heade are numbred that man Act. 17. 28. doth prepare his heart but the aunswere of the tongue is of the lorde Therefore forasmuch as I am persuaded that prosperitie and aduersitie life and death the 1. Pet. 5. 7. Mat. 10. 30. Pro. 16. 1. benefit of friendes and iniuries of enimies are moderated ruled by God bearing with a quiet minde aduersitie and with a temperate and a thankefull mynde prosperitie I thinke I might say with Iob If wee haue receiued Iob. 2. 10. good thinges at the handes of the Lord why should wee not receiue euill things at his handes also For I am persuaded that as prosperitie so aduersitie also doth happen vnto mee by the mercifull determination of God and that to my great profit and I also thinke that these men doe
when all things are quiete and in time of prosperitie that is which thinke that wee can be builded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles and that wee can bee brought vnto the kingdome of the euerlasting father by these middle honours ioyes and good successes which we haue in this life For as the heathen man saith In rebus arduis prodit se virtus Vertue sheweth her selfe in harde matters So that the Church wheÌ„ it groneth vnder the crosse addeth vnto faith vertue vnto vertue 2. Pet. 1. 5. 6. knowledge vnto knowledge temperance vnto temperance patience * c. Now let vs see how strong that demonstration is which our prophet Haggai setteth against yâ— fallacy and subtile reason which was framed by the Iewes There is greater regard to bee had vnto him who is most good most wise most iust c. and the author of al goodnes throughout the whole world then vnto all creatures This proposition is a principle which is written by God in the harts of all men which teacheth vs to attribute more vnto our most liberal creator then to al the things which are created and also to obey serue him Mat. 19. 17. Iam. 1. 17. readely sincerely and constantly But the Lord our God is most good most wise most iust and from him alone commeth euery good perfecte gift Therfore séeing he will haue a temple built for himselfe and the worship which is due vnto him to be giuen him there we are to let passe al other busines and letts and onely to apply the building thereof day and night The Rhetoricall arte Our Prophet doth amplifie the vnworthines or haynousnes of the matter by vsing certaine figures which are these which followe 1. An Apostrophe or reuersion O ye Iewes As of he should haue said I do not now speake vnto the heathenish Atheists of the worlde but vnto the Jewes the children of the Prophets and of the couenaunt which God made with the Fathers as saith Peter * Such an Apostrophe or reuersion is founde Rom. 2. 17. Behold thou art syrnamed a Iewe and thou resteâ—t vpon the law thou makest thy bost of God 2 An Eironia or a taunting I warrant you the time is nowe come in which you must neglect the temple of the Lorde and build and garnish your owne houses Such tauntings are vsed Gen. 3. Beholde man is as one of vs. And againe Sleepe and take your rest Mat. 26. 3 An interrogation or question Is it now a fit time for you to neglect the TeÌ„ple of the Lord 1. Cor. 10. â—0 and to be occupied about your owne buildinges The answere is vnderstood No. For we ought at no time to bee more carefull for those thinges which serue to the sustentation of this life then for the worship of God Herodotus saith verie wel Diuina sunt antiquiora potiora humanis The things which are Gods are both more ancient and also better then the thinges which are mans And Paul wold haue al other things to serue to the sanctifying of the name of God Whether therfore you eat or drink or whatsoeuer you doe do all to the glory of God * 11. Lect. Nouemb. 20. 1579. The application of this saying of Haggeus vnto ourselues Nowe that we may goe from the argument vnto the position we must fully determine with our selues that nothing which is created must be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christe Iesus our Lorde * And that we Rom. 8. 36. ought to preferre nothing which is in heauen or earth before God And that the feare of the Lord is our treasure * The fountaine from which this position springeth Isay 33. 6. is the lawe of God Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength Deut. 6. 5. Luk. 10. 27. And the same is most notably expounded in Ieremie Cap. 9. 23. 24. Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedom nor the stronge man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but let him that reioyceth reioyce in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord which shewe mercie iudgement and iustice in the earth for these thinges will I sayth the Lorde Séeing these things are so who seeth not that all thinges must serue God to the worshiping of him and that we ought not to make so great accompt of any thing as of God and of his holy and holesome will Nowe forasmuch as Aristotle saith and that truely that doctrine is attayned vnto by Syllogisme and Induction wée will vse these two instruments to prooue this position withall Demonstratiue syllogismes 1 The order which God hath appoynted séeing the it is a most manifest testimony of his diuine wisedome and goodnes is not to be altered For it is not méete that the clay should contend with the Potter that is that man should contend with GOD about the praise of wisedome But this is an eternall and immutable order appointed by God that mans affaires all other thinges should giue place to the things which are his For it is most méete that all other thinges should giue place to that which is the infinite good thinge Therefore we must attribute much more vnto the thinges which are Gods then to all thinges which are in this worlde 2 The effect which is * finite is not to bée Or conteyned within a certaine compasse compared with ne yet to bee preferred before the efficient cause whose goodnes might and wisedome is infinite For there is no proportion or equality betwene that which is finite that which is infinite But man is the creature of God compassed about with beginning and space both of time and place Psalm 100. 3. Knowe yee that the Lord hee is God hee hath made vs and not wee our selues And GOD is a spirit vncreated eternall with-out beginninge almighty c. Therefore we ought to haue greatest respect vnto him in all our affaires and actions 3 It is better to obey that will which is vnchaungeably good and whose effects are good then the will which is chaungeable and whose effects are vnlike one to another But the will of God is vnchaungeably good the will of man is chaungeable Therefore must we rather obey the will of God then of man 4 The affaires which are proper to the spirituall life and serue to the glory of God and our owne edification are neither to be quite omitted nor yet deferred for these affaires which are proper onlâ—e to the naturall life and serue for the same onely But vnto the former sorte doe appertaine the exercises of godlines vnto the latter the houshold ciuill affaires Therefore although these houshold and ciuill affaires are not quite to bée omitted yet for their sakes are not the exercyses of godlines eyther to bee let slip or to be done onely for fashions sake or
did iudge our selues wee shoulde not bee punished But when wee are punished wee are instructed of the Lorde least wee should bee condemned with the worlde ◠Cor. 11. 31. 32 Mi. But GOD doth grieuously punishe you in that hée hath shut the heauens that they may not moisten the earth with dewe neither yet water the same with raine and in that hee hath shut the earth that shee may not yéelde vnto you her increase Ergo. c. 1 In this minor proposition wée will note in order the situation of the holy land and howe the same was watered The lande whereunto yee goe ouer that you maie possesse it is a lande of Mountaines and Valleis thou shalt drinke water of the raine that cōmeth from Deut. 11. 11. heauen 2 Therefore was it a blessinge of GOD whenas the Countrie was watered with raine I will giue raine vnto your lande in his season earlie and late and so shalt thou gather thy Deut. 11. 14. corne and thy wine and thy oyle And I will giue grasse in thy fielde for thy cattle thou shalt eate and bee satisfied 3 On the contrarie the with-holdinge of raine was a testimonie of Gods curse God is angrie with the Idolaters so that he shutteth Deut. 11. 17. the heauens that there maie bee no raine that the earth maie not yeelde her encrease And the heauens which are ouer thy head shal be of brasse the earth which is vnder thee of Iron The Lord shall giue vnto thy lande for raine dust and ashes * c. Deut. 28. 23. Therefore it is certaine that the Iewes are brought vnto the féeling of the wrath of GOD and called to repentaunce by those punishments which were laide vppon them for breakinge the lawe neglecting the building of the Temple 1 Of the historicall sermons of the Prophets and Apostles 1 The historycall Sermons dooe plainely declare not onely what the Lord saith but also what hée doth 2 Hée sheweth in the wordes of the lawe that all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and in the ioyfull message of the gospell hee professeth that the faithfull are iustified fréely for Christ his sake Rom. 3. Rom. 3. 3 And as at all times hee setteth foorth his mercie toward the penitent so hee declareth his iustice towarde the stubburne and stiffnecked which will not repent 4 Therefore as Christ said to the disciples of Iohn Goe yee and shewe vnto Iohn what Mat. 11. thinges you heare and see so let vs heare and sée what God dooth 5 Let vs remember that it is our part and duety to séeke the Lord that wee may finde him euen by groping séeing that hée is not farre from euery one of vs. Act. 17. 27. 6 Therefore men are often-times that diligently to be put in minde of the deliueraunce of the Church which was in the west part of the worlde out of the captiuity of Babylon of the regeneration of the Church being striken in yéeres of the restoring of the light of the gospell of our conuersion and of the cōuersion of many moe that they may giue them-selues to marke the workes of God to extoll the same and to thanke God for his vnspeakeable benefits 2. Of the causes attending vpon the execution of Gods iudgement 1 All the whole nature of things serueth for Gods purpose and for the execution of his iudgements 2 This may wée see by the ready ministerie and obedience of the Elements 3 At Gods becke the heauen and earth are set open that men may enioy Gods blessinge 4 At his cōmaundement the riches of heauen and earth are shut vp so that vnthankfull disobedient persons can-not obtaine the same 5 And most certaine is that which the Apostle saith the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it selfe but because of him which hath subdued it 6 And although the agréement of the heauen and earth be wonderfull in preseruing of the life of liuing creatures yet is the same compelled to serue both the blessing of God also his curse 7 Therefore séeing that God doth vouchsafe to prosper the order of nature that he may blesse the obedient and againe séeing he doth restraine the force of the nature of things that he may send a curse vpon the disobedient euen the very experience of this most frée action ought to stirre vp and nourish in our mindes the hatred of sinne loue of righteousnes 19. Lect. 15. Decemb. Verse 11. And I haue called a drought vppon this land and vppon the Mountaines and vppon Wheate and vppon Wine and vppon Oyle and vpon all things which the earth bringeth forth and vppon men and vppon beastes vppon all the labour of mens handes THis verse contayneth the exposition of the verse going before and also the proofe of the minor proposition of the last Syllogisme This is the summe of the induction which the prophet vseth God hath brought a drought vpon the earth the Mountaines Wheate Wine Oyle vppon Man and Beaste and finallie vpon the workes of your hands And the like iudgment is executed vpon all other thinges Wherefore it is certaine that you are subiect to that curse whereof mention is made Deut. 28. 16. Thou shalt bee accursed in the towne and in the fielde Cursed shall thy basket bee and thy store Cursed shall be the fruite of thy wombe and the fruite of thy land the first begotten of thy oxen and of the flockes of thy Sheepe Cursed shalt thou bee when thou goest out and when thou commest in In these west countries wee had in the last Spring frost and colde in the verie Easter holydaies Before haruest and in the Séede-time cōtinuall raine This yeere did God shut the heauens that wee were quite past all hope to reape any store of fruite Whence wée doe gather that GOD doth punishe vs in like sorte as hee did the Iewes in times past and that hée doth shut the heauen and the earth ¶ Questions and answeares Qu. VVhat thinges are to bee noted in this induction which the prophet vseth An. The order and state of things For to th' ende the prophet may declare according to the comminations of the lawe that there is nothing which is not now accursed for the sinnes of the Iewishe people hee beginneth at those thinges which are as the heauen and earth which giue vnto vs lodging secondly he commeth vnto the fruites of these things which are and doe liue declaringe that the drought hath hurt the corne the wyne and the oyle and other the fruites of the earth and the trées thence he procéedeth vnto those things which are liue haue senses and whilest that by Synecdoche hée maketh mention of beasts he vnderstandeth all other liuing creatures which liue vpon th' earth in the water and which flie in the ayre Fourthlie he induceth him who hath also reason vnderstanding and for whose sake the creatures which are of lower degree are created namelie man
Worde and the Sacramentes and to chaunge the Sacraments into idols to attribute greater efficacie vnto them then vnto the Worde For vnlesse the worde bee added vnto the element there shall be no sacrament Moreouer it is euident that the worde is sufficient if the sacrament bee wanting but not on the contrarie And nowe if in an vnbeleeuer the word of God be not effectuall what force shall the sacramentes haue in him Therefore let vs affirme that which is most true that the efficacie of the worde and sacramentes doeth depend vpon the will of God And that hee will haue faith to bee ioyned therewith in the right vse thereof And consequently that God who giueth not holy thinges vnto dogges will not haue the vnbeleeuers to bee made partakers of the truth of the word and sacraments aswell as the faithfull Therefore as blindnes hath not power to beholde the light nor deafenes to heare the words which are vttered neither numnesse of the lymmes to feele the qualities which are perceyued by touching but let and hinder men from perceyuing such obiectes so incredulitie which is the priuation of faith hath no greater force then the worde of God and the sacraments but yet notwithstanding it doeth so let and hinder the Infidels that they cannot bee made partakers of the internall worde and the substaunce of the sacrament For faith is such an instrumentall cause that without the same we cannot lay holde vpon the celestiall giftes As without eyes no man seeth without eares no man heareth without smelling no man smelleth without tasting no man discerneth tastes without touching no man toucheth any thing so without faith can no man see heare smell taste eat and finally touch Christ 3 Thirdly the instrumental cause is the ministers of the worde of God 2. Cor. 3. 9. For wee are Gods ministers 1. Cor. 3. 5. Therefore who is Paul or who is Apollos but the ministers by whome yee haue beleeued and as the Lorde hath giuen to euerie man Mat. 16. The Apostles the Lorde working with them preached in all places Mat. 16. Quest If such be the efficacie of the worde of God howe commeth it to passe that all men which heare the same doe not beléeue it Ans I answere that that commeth to passe by meanes hereof because it is not giuen to euerie one to knowe the misteries of the kingdome of God And for this cause it is not giuen to euerie man to know the misteries of the kingdome of God because all men are not of God Mat. 13. 11. Ob. That which is openly preached in the hearinge of all that is receiued of all men But the word of God is hearde as well of the vnfaithfull Iohn 8. 47. as of the faithfull which are present Therefore is it receyued as well of the one as of the other An. I answere there is a double fallacie in this argument In the maior proposition there is a Or a crauing o◠that to be granted which is chiefly in controuersie Or a fallacie grounded vpon the diuerse significations of one word fallacie called * petitio principii Secondly in this worde Hearde there is * fallaci aeqniuocationis and also in these words the worde of God The vnbeléeuers doe heare with their eares the externall worde of God but they doe not receyue into a pure hearte the seede of the internall worde Therefore that same externall worde is a testimonie against them But the faithfull doe heare the holy spirite inwardly beating into them and sealing vp in thē those thinges which the ministers doe outwardly teach and testifie forasmuch as this thing is giuen vnto them alone and not vnto the other 22. Lect. Id. Ianu. 1580. An answere vnto an argument whereby this may be reduced vnto an absurditie THerefore these men are not to bee blamed for their incredulitie which haue not the gifte of faith giuen them which is the acknowledging of the trueth séeing they are rather to be pitied then reprehended Ob. I argue thus Euerie man hath not faith 2. Tim. 3. 2. Therefore are the vnbeléeuers not to bee reproued for their incredulitie Solu I answere I denie the consequent My reason is because here is a fallacie in this that y◠is assigned to be a cause which is no cause The middle and next cause of incredulitie is left out namely the will of the vnbeléeuer beeing wrested and turned away from God and the blindnes and hardnes of mans hearte 2 Of the phrase To heare the worde of God and of the obedience of faith No man can heare the voyce of the Lorde vnlesse God doe open his holy mouth and speake vnto him 1 God is saide to speake sometimes without vsing any wordes when hee sendeth thunders and tempestes 1. Sam. 12. 11. The Lorde sent thunder and rayne Sometimes God is Psal 29. saide to speake in playne wordes as when hee called our first parents vnto iudgement * when Gen. 6. hee gaue the lawe in mount Synai Deut. 18. I cannot heare the voyce of the Lorde anie longer And agayne The Lorde spake vnto Exod. 20. Deut. 18. you out of the middest of the fire you heard the voyce of his wordes but sawe no similitude Deut. 4. 12. Math. 3. 17. saue a voyce And when hee bare witnesse of his onely begotten sonne * 2 It pleased him to speake vnto men sometime in his owne person sometime by some other Hée spake in his owne person that I may not repeat the former examples when he made this aunswere vnto our Lords Iesus Christe saying I haue both glorifyed it and will glorifie it agayne The author of the Epistle to the Ioh 12. 28. Hebrues doeth testifie that hee hath sundrie times spoken vnto his saintes by others God many times and diuerse wayes in tymes past spake vnto our fathers by the Prophetes in Heb. 1. 1. these last dayes hath he spoken vnto vs by his sonne * 3 Hée will haue vs no lesse to estéeme hys voyce and worde vttered by others then if he vttered the same himselfe Luk. 10. 16. Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that reiecteth you reiecteth me and he that reiecteth me reiecteth him that sent me Examples The Iewes hearing the voyce of Haggeus thought they hearde the voice of the Lord. And the men of Thessalonica béeing taught by Paul receyued the worde of God with a pure 1. Thes 2. 13. heart Ob. The efficient causes are not to bee mixed But you in attributing that vnto the secondarie cause which is proper to the principall cause doe mixe them You attribute that vnto the ministers which is proper to GOD namely the effectuall worde of God Ergo. Ans I answere vnto the minor proposition wherein is a fallacie a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter Forasmuch as this reason is grounded vpon that which is spoken respectiuely as if it were spoken simplie That thing is attributed vnto the externall ministerie in some respecte
of the bad though they be ignorant thereof You saith Ioseph vnto his brethrē thought euill agaynst mee but God thought to turne the same to good Gen. 50. 20. And Haman the enemie of the Iewes was enforced to giue that honour vnto Mardocheus which hee hoped for himselfe These and the like examples may bee a comfort to those which are in miserie by reason Ester 9. of the crueltie and subtile dealinges of their enemies The Allegorie Although the most highest dwelleth not in temples made with handes yet woulde he haue the Temple of Hierusalem which by Salomon was builded to his name and by Zerobabel and others was restored to serue for the instruction of the olde people And furthermore hee will dwel in all the faithfull and in the whole Church as in temples by him sanctified for which cause we must giue our selues to leade an holy life séeing that wée are made Gods dwelling place And here for instructions sake wee will first of all speake of the temple made with handes secondly of the Temple of man thirdly of the Temple of the Church fourthly of the Temple of heauen lastly why Iohn Reuel 21. 22. doeth denie that there is any temple in the Ierusalem which came downe from heauen 27. Lect. Feb. 9. 1 Of Temples made with handes 1 STephen the first Martyr Act. 7. 48. calleth those Temples Temples made with hands which by the industrie cost and labour of men were buylded 2 And amongst all the most famous Temples which were in the whole worlde the temple of Ierusalem did beare the bell not onely in respect of gorgeousnes whereat the heathen did maruell but also of the commandement giuen by God and the vse thereof 3 Touching these things we wil cite the sayinges of Isay Chap. 56. I will bring them vnto my holy mountayne and I wil make them glad in my house of prayer Their burnt offeringes and sacrifices shall bee accepted vpon myne altar because my house shall bee called the house of prayer for all people saith the Lorde Although in this oracle the Prophete doeth intreate of the gathering together of the Church from among the Gentiles and of the worshippe which these men should giue vnto him by faith yet doeth hee also speake of the Temple of Ierusalem and of the vse thereof teaching first that the same was holy vnto the Lorde secondly that not onely the ceremoniall worship but also the reasonable worshippe was there done vnto the Lorde and was acceptable in his sight To the same purpose serueth the oracle of Ezechiel 43. 7. Wherein it is called the place of the throne of God and the place of the soles of his féete wherein hee dwelleth in the middest of the children of Israel This Temple therfore is extolled because God woulde bee present there and woulde heare in the same the prayers which should be powred out before him in faith 4 And although the seconde temple was not like vnto the first which Salomon did builde in A figure of the the Church gorgeousnesse of buylding yet was the glorie thereof greater for this cause because Christe The worship which the Church giueth to God taught therein Hagg. 2. 10. 5 Ob. But the wordes of Paul seeme to bée contrarie to that saying of Ezechiel touching the place of the throne and the soles of the Lords féete God who hath made the worlde and the thinges that are therein forasmuch as he is the Lorde of Heauen and earth dwelleth not in the Temples made with handes neyther is hee worshipped with mens handes as though hee had neede of any thing Act. 17. 24. 25. Ans I answere they are not contrarie forasmuch as they are not spoken both in respecte of one thing For Ezechiel speaketh of the presence of the grace of God whereby hee vouchsafed to bee present in the Temple not for the houses sake which was made with handes but for the godly mens sake which mette there and and worshipped God in faith But Paul teacheth that God hath no such neede of lodging food apparell and other helpes which serue to the sustentation of the naturall life For the Apostle speaking vnto the superstitious Ethnickes and Idolaters refuteth their imagination touching the temples and Altars of their Gods which they had feigned to themselues 2. Of the Temple of man 1 Likeas our Lorde Iesus Christ speaking of the temple of his bodie saide vnto the Iewes Destroy this Temple and in three dayes wil I buylde it againe * So Paul the Apostle speaking of the bodies of the faithfull sayth Knowe Iohn 2. 19. yee not that your bodie is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whome you haue of God neither are you your owne * This is the chiefest commendation which our 1. Cor. ◠19. bodie can haue béeing worthie to be preferred farre before all the titles and testimonies of the Phisitions and naturall Philosophers 2 And out of this commendation doeth the Apostle picke sufficient matter for a godly exhortation in the verse following You are bought 1. Cor. 6. 20. with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirit which are Gods * And thus doe wee glorifie God when we make our bodies a lyuely sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God and when as wee worship God who is a Rom. 12. 1. Iohn 4. 24. spirite in spirite and trueth These sayings of Bernarde are worthie to bee remembred The soule must bee enlarged that it may bee an habitation for God And agayne The soule is Christes house wherein hee dwelleth willingly And agayne The soule that walketh in the spirite is the house of the bridegrome Furthermore that is a notable saying of Augustine Wilt thou haue thy fleshe to serue thy soule Let thy soule serue God thou must be gouerned that thou maist bee able to gouerne 3. Of the Temple of the Church There can nothing bée more fitly and truely spoken of this temple then the which Paul taught Ephe. 2. 20. Beeing buylded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles whose chiefe corner stone is Christ Iesus himselfe 21. Wherein all the whole buylding beeing aptly coupled together it groweth to bee a Temple holy vnto the Lorde 22. In whome you also are buylded together that you may bee a dwelling place for God through the spirite 1 By this place wee learne first who is the foundation and who is the chiefe stone of the corner of this Temple namely Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 3. 11. For an other foundation then this can no man laye besides that which is laide which is Christ Iesus 2 Secondly who bée these liuely stones which are builded vppon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles namely the faithfull 1. Peter 2. 5. You also as liuely stones bee builded a spirituall house c. 3 Thirdly what is the manner of the building namely the coniunction with Christ by faith 1. Pet. 2. 4. Vnto whome you
beeing added who is the liuely stone beeing reiected of men but chosen and pretious with God 4 Fourthly who is the builder namely God Heb. 3. 4. For euerie house is builded of some man but he that buildeth all things is God 5 Fifthly who those be which together are Gods labourers namely the faithfull ministers 1. Cor. 3. 9. 10. You are Gods buylding By the grace of God which is giuen mee as a skilfull builder I haue laide the foundation but another buildeth thereon Furthermore let euery man take heede how he buildeth thereon 6 Sixtly what is the ende wherevnto it is ordayned namely the coupling together of the saynts as saith the the holy Apostle the work of the ministery the edification of the body of Christ 28. Lect. 10. Febr. 4. Of the Temple of heauen Apoc. 11. 19 Then was the Temple of God opened in heauen and the arke of his couenaunt was seene in his temple Most men do take this temple for the sanctuary of heauen whereof mention is made Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into a sanctuary made with handes which is a figure like to the true sanctuary but into heauen it self that he may appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs. In this temple is our freedome according to that saying of Paul For we behaue our selues as free-men of heauen from whence also wee looke for a Sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Philip. 3. 20. For this cause seeing we are risen with Christe let vs seeke the thinges that are aboue where Christe is sitting at the righte hand of God let vs care for heauenly things not for earthlie things Col. 3. 1. 2. Quest What meaneth Iohn by these wordes spoken of the heauenly Hierusalem Neyther sawe I any temple in her for the Lorde God Almighty is her Temple Apoc. 21. 22. An. The same which Paul meaneth by these wordes God shall bee all in all Therfore saith Iohn The Lambe shall be in steede of a Temple the Sunne the Moone to all the blessed And then shall bee reuealed the glorye and felicity of those men which are grafted into Christ and made partakers of his body and shal raigne with him c. God graunt that our sorrows which we now féele whilste we are strangers with the Lorde may bee mitigated by the hope of so great felicity Amen Quest Is it lawfull to build Churches in honour and remembraunce of dead saintes Ans It is not lawfull For wee must not giue that vnto any creature which is onely due vnto God and is proper to the diuine nature It is proper to God alone to appropriate vs to himselfe and to dwell in vs according to these sayings Know yee not that ye are the temple of God If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which you are 1. Cor. 3. 16. 17 And of all the faithfull it is sayde Know ye not that your bodye is the Temple of the holie ghoste which is in you and which you haue of God and ye are not your owne 1. Corin. 6. 19. These thinges are spoken of the Church and of the liuely members thereof wherein Inst without doubt the holie spirite doth dwell but the question was also mentioned concerning the temples made with handes Let vs therefore heare what Augustine saith who denyeth that the Temples are erected vnto the Martyrs To God saith he doe we builde Temples although they be named after the names of the Martyrs to put men in minde of the Martyrs Cyrillus in his Booke De fide praysing Quéenes amongest other thinges giueth them this commendation that they did erect moste sumptuous temples vnto Christe without making any mention of the dead saintes And whereas Hierome in a certaine place sayth that the temples of the martyrs are to bée had in great reuerence it ought not be preiudiciall to this matter For certaine it is that the honour which is due vnto God alone must not be giuen to Martyrs neither is their bloude to be mingled with Christ his bloud which is the price of our redemption The memoriall of the martyrs and the great admiration which their giftes wherein they excelled did and doeth procure ought to serue to the glory of God alone and to our amendment because hee powred out vpon them the gifts of his grace in such aboundaunce The first verse of the seconde Chapter In the fower and twentith daye of the moneth in the sixth moneth of the seconde yeere of Darius the king This verse agréeth with the former history set downe in the end of the first chapter as wee may gather euen out of Hierome his translation exposition I omit the allegories and to speake of the numbers heere mentioned The meaning of these wordes is this that the Iewes began to build the temple the fower and twentith day of September in the second yere of Darius the Sonne of Histaspes which was about the yeere from the creation of the worlde 3444. If we will followe Funcius a most diligent chronicle writer Moreouer it is an vsuall thing in the commentaries of the common wealth and in the inscriptions and titles of greate workes and buildings to make mention of the surueiers of the worke of the dayes and yeeres If you respect the doctrine which may hence be gathered we are admonished by the examples of the Prophetes Apostles and other the faithfull diligently to marke the time wherein great thinges were begunne continued and finished in Gods name through his assistance For euery thing hath an appoynted season and euery will vnder Heauen hath his time Eccle. 3. 1 Yet haue we néede to make some discourse whereto the destinction of things circumstances serueth according to that saying of Dauid Who is wise and will marke these thinges will turne his minde vnto the mercies of the Lorde Psal 107. 43. Also Esay doeth greatly reprehend those men that are drunken with pleasure because they regarde not the worke of the Lorde neither sée the workes of his hands It shall be therefore our partes dueties carefully to consider what the Lorde worketh in the Church in the common wealth and in our owne life that the testimonies of his presence his helpe his iudgements may nourish and kindle in vs faith loue and sonnely feare That wee ought to haue respect of time in preaching the celestiall doctrine and in the exercises of repentaunce it is euident by these sayinges Who is therefore a faithfull seruaunt and a wise whome the Lorde doeth appoint ouer his familie that he may giue thē meat in time Math. 24. 25. And againe And that considering the season howe that it is nowe time that we awake out of sleepe For our saluation draweth neerer nowe then when wee beleeued The night is past the day is come Let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darknesse and put vppon vs the armour of light Ro. 13. 11. c. And againe And this say I
kindes of curses these also must bee reckoned vp when the hope which men haue of their studies affaires is frustrate Iam. 4. 2. Yee lust and haue not ye enuie and haue indignation and cannot obtayne yee fight and warre and get nothinge because yee aske not Prayers made in vayne as the same Apostle telleth vs in the verse following Ye aske and haue not because ye aske amisse that yee may spende them vppon your lustes ver 3. 3. Labour bestowed in vayne It is in vaine to hast to rise vp earely and late to take rest and to eate the bread of sorrowe so shall hee giue his beloued sleepe Psal 127. 2. 4 And in verie deede that which is spoken concerning the haruest and vintage may well bee referred vnto other thinges also as vnto the studie of diuinitie and vnto the administration of the word of God The Lord in his iust iudgement doth accurse many so that seeing they wil not loue the trueth they are alwayes learning yet are they neuer able to come to the knowledge thereof For they preferre the opinion of men before the manifest worde of God and beeing addicted to heresie they become blinde deafe so that they can neither see nor heare these things which notwithstanding other men doe easilie see and heare and furthermore they fall to rayling as Galene saith verie truely The same opinion must we haue of the ministerie of certayne men and of their vaine labour whereby they profit no man For seeing that they seeke themselues and the glorie of this worlde they rage c. 53. Lect. 17. Iune 1580. Verse 28. I smote you with drought and meldewe all the workes of your handes and yee turned not vnto me saith the Lorde THis verse contayneth not onely a recitall of the causes of the former scarcitie wherewith the Lorde hath punished the Iewes but also a complaint of their stiffeneckednes which they did declare whenas they were not bettered though they were moued thereto by the miseries whereof they tasted Paul calleth this Hardnes and an heart that cannot repent Wee wil first handle the rehearsall of the causes secondly this notable question Whether Rom. 2. 5. aduersitie doeth make men better or no. The recitall of the causes This rehearsall of the causes comprehendeth in it selfe a treatie concerning meteores wherein wee must consider the causes and kindes of contrary tempestes The principall cause of such tempests is God who sometimes by the good temperature of the ayre and heauen doth blesse vs sometimes hee rayseth vp horrible tempestes and destroyeth the corne and making the ground either too dry or too moyst he doth send a curse vpon vs. Mat. 5. 45. Our heauenly Father maketh his sunne to rise vpon the bad and the good and hee sendeth rayne vpon the iust and the vniust Act. 14. 17. God hath not suffered himselfe to be without witnes in doing good giuing vs rayne from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hartes with meates and gladnesse But of the fearefull tempests of the aâ—re heauen whan it is troubled it is said Psal 29. 3. The voyce of the Lord is vpon the waters the God of glory maketh it to thunder c. Let vs therefore take no heede to these men which thinke that Deuils and their bondslaues magicians and witches are able to stirre vp teÌ„pestes Let vs rather thinke thus that the wicked spirits which are conuersant in the ayre and water dâ— forsee by the signes and causes tempests which are at hand and so they perswade witches to practise their deuillish charmes at that very instaâ—t when the tempeste ariseth One kinde of horrible tempest is hayle And hayle as Plinie in the second booke of his naturall historie chap. 60. doth witnes is a shower congealed which falleth oftener in the day time then in the night season and is sooner resolued De nat Deor. Lib. 30. then snowe And that which Cicero saith is false But the Gods doe not care for the smaller thinges neither doe they destroy the small fieldes and little vines of all men neither was it for Iupiter to take any heede to that if blasting or hayle haue hurt any thing neyther doe kinges regarde euerie small thing which is in their kingdome For both in this place and also in many other places of the holy scripture it is playnely affirmed that God doeth stirre vp and also appease tempests at his pleasure Psal 78. 47. Hee destroyed their vines meaning the Egyptians with hayle and wilde figge trees with the great hayle Hee gaue their cattle also to the halye and their possessions to the coales of fire Drought is called of the latines Vredo of the Gretians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby herbes trees vines are spoyled Plinie in his naturall historie writeth after this sort of diuers kindes of tempests Ante omnia autem duo genera caelestis iniuriae meminisse debemus c. And before all things we must speake of two sortes of iniuries which the heauen doeth One which weâ— call tempestes vnder which are comprehended haile stormes such like which wheÌ„ they chauÌ„ce it is called the greater violenâ—â— These proceede from the horrible starres as wee haue often times saide as from Arcturus Orion the Hoedi The other is the thinges which come to passe when the heauens are silent and when the nightes are faire which no man can perceyue vntill they bee done These thinges are common and doe much differ from the former which some call canker some blasting some the carbuncle but all barrennes Ruellius in his seconde booke of the nature Cap. 151. num 40. of stockes saith Plerique dixere c. Most men haue said that the dewe which is burnt with the whote sunne is the cause of canker in fruites and of the Carbuncle in Vynes which Plinie supposeth to be false in some respects and that all blasting commeth by colde onely and that the sunne doeth no hurt For first of all wee see that this thing happeneth onely in the night season and before the heate of the sunne and that it commeth to passe altogether by reason of the Moone because this hurt is done onely in the change and in the full of the Moone c. Robigo doth signifie both a feigned goddesse Or blasting whose feast was called Robigalia and also a maledie which happeneth to Corne. If any man bee disposed to reade of the thrée feastes of the Romanes which were called Robigalia vinalia Floralia let him reade amongest others bookes Plinie in the 18. booke of his naturall historie Cap. 29. Quest Whether doeth aduersitie make men better or no Ans I answere first by a distinction of men whereof some do loue God and some do not To those which loue God all thinges fall out for the best Therefore euen sufferings are vnto them Rom. 8. 24. instructions For they knowe and vnderstand that they are therefore iudged of God that they may not be condemned with the worlde 1.
doo neuer want the spirituall blessing but as for the earthly blessinge they enioy not the same alwaies If you respect the matter about which or the obiects of the blessing the spirituall and the temporall blessing doo some-times goe to-gether as the examples of Abraham Isaach Iacob Daniell Iob and of other whom the Lord did blesse with all manner of spirituall and earthly blessings doo testifie Some-times the saintes must be content with the spirituall blessing alone as Paul saith of him-selfe and of others Vntill this time are wee hungrie and thirstie and naked and buffeted wee wander in vncertaine places c. 1. Cor. 4. 11. The next endes of this blessing is that wée may bee holy and vnblameable the last the praise of the glorious grace of God Eph. 1. 4. 6. 6 The effect Of the earthly blessing it is saide The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and hee addeth no sorrowe there-with Pro. 10. 22. The generation of the righteous shal be blessed Riches and plenteousnes shal be in his house Psal 112. 2. 3. But of the celestiall blessing Paul saith But I knowe that when I shall come vnto you I shal come with a ful blessing of the gospell of Christ Rom. 15. 20. And againe Blessed bee GOD euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all maner of spirituall blessing in heauenly thinges in Christ c. Eph. 13. 7 The adiunctes of this blessing are described Psal 112. His seede shall be mighty vpon earth the generation of the iust shal be blessed Riches and plenteousnes shal be in his house and his righteousnes abydeth foreuer To the righteous there ariseth vp light in darkenes A good man is mercifull lendeth he ordereth his matters in iudgment And as the approbation of these men which iudge a-right doth accompany the blessing of it selfe so the hatred of the wicked enuy and bacbytinges doo follow the same accidentally For as Iosephus saith It is an hard matter to escape enuy in prosperitie 8 The curse is coÌ„trary to the blessing whereby they are called accursed which the scriptures call commonly vessels of the wrath of God Mat. 25. 41. And they are called priuatiuely or by takinge away of the contrary accursed which are destitute of the blessing of the life of God and of spirituall good things being subiect to sinne and to eternall death Let the godly learne out of Leuit. Cap. 26. and Deut. 27. 28. the contrarietie which is betweene the blessinge and the curse But that wee may come from speculation vnto practise and vse let vs persuade our selues that wee are called by the voyce of God vnto repentaunce let vs giue glory to God let vs bee of the number of those which are Gods let vs rather séeke heauenly thinges then earthly things If wee doo these thinges through the assistance and grace of God Christ Iesus who is blessed will blesse our studies our counsels and all our life Wee haue seene now these many yeeres manifest testimonies of Gods curse in that scattering abroade of the Church in the pouerty of Common-wealthes and in the priuate publike calamities of man-kinde Therefore let vs at length turne vnto him who smiteth vs humble our-selues â—nder the mighty hande of God and giue glory vnto the Lord. 55. Lect. Iune 28. 1580. The last oracle of Haggeus Verse 21. 22. And the woorde of the Lorde came the seconde time vnto Haggeus the foure and twentith day of the same moneth that hee shoulde speake vnto Zerobabell the captaine of Iehuda c. IT shal be a pointe of your godly diligence brethren and hearers beloued in the Lorde together with mee to marke the circumstances of God his oracles where-of Haggeus maketh mention in this place also Wee will speake briefely of euery one of them The Author 1 To the ende the godly might know from what fountaine the true oracles did flowe and also that their authoritie was most holy the Lorde of hostes doth plainely protest that hee was the author there-of GOD saith the author of the epistle to the Hebrues spake sundrie times and diuers waies in times past to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last daies hee hath spoken to vs by his sonne Heb. 1. 1. And this friendly conference is a manifest testimony of the goodnes of God and of his loue towarde man-kinde who though he dwell in vnaccessable light yet doth hee reueale vnto vs by his plaine woorde and euident testimonies him-selfe and also his will that hee may bring vs vnto eternall life by the knowledge of Iohn 17. him-selfe 2 And to what ende God doth vse the ministerie 2 The Cryer and preaching of men when it seemeth good to him to publish his mysteries Paul doeth teache vs 2. Cor. 4. 6. 7. For GOD who coÌ„mannded the light to shine out of darknes is hee who hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of GOD in the face of Iesus Christ But we haue this treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellencie of that powre might bee of GOD and not of vs. 3 Paul giueth the Iewes his prerogatiue 3 To whom the oracles of the Lord are committed Rom. 3. 2. aboue the Gentiles that vnto them were committed the oracles of GOD. And it appéereth that certaine were publikely pronounced before all the people as the former oracle concerninge the causes and testimonies of blessing and cursing certaine were vttered to some certayne persons onely It séemeth that this oracle which was tolde Zerubabel was of this sorte who strining both publikely priuately with much griefe and sorow had néed of some singuler comfort And séeing that God doeth promise great good things as the giuing of the Messias the preaching of the Gospell the calling of the Gentiles the punishing of the worlde for striuing agaynst God Zerobabell and other the godlie néede not to doubt of the lesser good things as the restoring and preseruing of the countrie common wealth of the Iewes and of the beating downe of their enemies God who hath commaunded his seruants to giue to his housholde their portion of doctrine in due season as hee doth all thinges in time so doth hee fore-tell the same in due time Therefore the marueilous wisdome goodnes and prouidence of God appéereth both in the reuelation of his will and also in executing of the same God graunt that wée also may bee giuen all our life longe to sanctifie his name and to obey his holy will and pleasure Verse 22. 23. I will shake the heauen and the earth And I will ouer-throwe the throne of kingedomes and I will destroy the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen and I wil ouer-throw the chariots and those that ride in them and the horses they that ride on them shall come downe euery man with the sworde of his fellowe Shaking doth signifie as the Apostle doth interprete it the remoouinge of thinges which are