by gracious acts that he will let out proofs of his glory there accept their service as glory given to him and give them frequent occasion of glorifying him for Build the house and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. 5. It may be a great encouragement to the Church to do service that the all-sufficient Lord should condescend to accept any service they can do or own and take pleasure in them or it for so doth the Lord encourage Build the house and I will take pleasure in it that is your service shall be owned I will dwell in that which ye build See 1 Chron. 29.14 1 Kings 8.27 Vers 9. Ye looked for much and lo it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it Why faith the Lord of Hostes because of mine house that is waste and ye run every man to his owne house 10. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew and the earth is stayed from her fruit 11. And I called for a drought upon the land and upon the mountaines and upon the corne and upon the new wine and upon the oile and upon that which the ground bringeth forth and upon men and upon cattel and upon all the labour of the hands To stir them up yet more effectually to the work he again layeth before them the evidences of Gods anger against them in disappointing their hopes of the harvest and not blessing what they had gathered in and all because there was no care had of the Temple and publick worship of God but all sought their own things v. 9. for which cause God had remarkably smitten them making the heavens to deny dew and the earth to deny fruit v. 10. for the drought had not only destroyed the fruit of all kindes and made all mens endeavours uselesse but he had made men and beasts feel it also by want of drink and food and by diseases which such a season occasions v. 11. Doct. 1. Even rods when they are sent on do not soon work nor speak Gods minde to an afflicted people to any purpose therefore here the observation and use of their râ—d is again inculcate 2. When the Lord is provoked he can not only send an affliction but so order it by faire appearances of a better lot and heightening of the sinners expectation and desire as may make it most sad Ye looked for much and lo it came to little 3. Sinners are never a whit the nearer contentment and happiness that they have these things which usually men take for their portion of happinesse for by withdrawing a blessing God can make it all one as if they had them not And when ye brought it home I did blow upon it 4. Though impenitent sinners having felt some stroakes may readily because of that expect exemption for the future yet it is righteous with God to pursue them with rod upon rod till they be compleatly miserable unlesse they return for it is not enough that the great harvest they expected came to little but that little is blasted I did blow upon it 5. As when the Lord strikes his owne people there must be some special and remarkable cause to be sought out so the stupidity of a stricken people is ordinarily so great that they can neither search nor finde it out till God discover it this question Why saith the Lord of Hostes doth not import any ignorance in him but that it was their duty to search the cause and yet could not finde it out without his light 6. The true cause of the Church and Professors their ill thriving in the world is that their care of these things takes them up from minding Gods work and matters and that they are taken up with the worst things neglecting the best thus to seek to gaine is indeed to lose for zeal for the publick and work of God is the compendious way to prosper in our private affaires this is the true cause of their want Because of my house that is waste and ye run every man to his own house 7. It is useful for secure sinners being afflicted by God to take a serious view of the rods upon them that they may see more of the bitter fruits of sin then can be discerned at first therefore doth the Lord repeat and inlarge the sight of their stroak v. 10 11. that therein they might see God provoked to be their Party in whose favour their life stood I called for a drought that they might see all the creatures armed and ready to execute Gods quarrel for sin Heaven stayed from dew and the earth from fruit both conspiring the sinners ruine that they might see mans frailty however he be oft-times stout against God in that there is no need of striking him immediately but take away one of many drops from him and he is gone stay but the heavens from dew and the earth from raine and fruit and man will smart for all that they might see that vengeance pursuing sin will cut a man short of all his contents and refuges on all hands will blast a land and all the fruits of it will sinite man and beast and all his labour v. 11. and in a word the afflicted sinner may see that it is great folly to provoke the Lord to jealousie and that there is no safety but in being reconciled with God and setting about duty Vers 12. Then Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel and Joshuah the sonne of Josedeâ—h the High Priest with all the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the Prophet as the LORD their God had sent him and the people did feare before the LORD The fruit and successe of this doctrine is recorded that the Rulers and remnant of the Jewes who were left of the preceding sore judgements or who had returned from captivity did acknowledge the voice of God in the mouth of his servant though there had been no Prophets sent of a long time before and out of the sense of their guilt and justnesse of Gods judgements did stand in awe of God speaking to them and did submit to the Command and go to work Doct. 1. The Word of God in the mouth of his servants will not take effect till his authority be seen and acknowledged in it and his servants looked on as coming in his Name for here they look on this message as the voice of the Lord and the words of Haggai as the Lord had sent him that is that the Lords voice was in his Word whom he had sent 2. It will be a notable meanes to make the Word effectual when beside the absolute authority of God speaking in his Word his interest in his people is considered and believed by them and that he who speaks and reproves and directs is their Confederate God whom they should be loath to offend or disobey so much the rather as his relation stands
true causes of Judahs captivity the ill use they made of deliverance which drew new plagues upon them out of Gods hand and their conceit of external performances when yet they neglected the weighty matters of the Law We will finde God so reproving them for sin as yet encouraging them to duty and richly comforting them when they are engaged in it we will see them declining after a reformation and this to be the cause of the many calamities that ensued We will also finde here many sweet Predictions concerning the Messiah in the accomplishment whereof the Gospel-Church ought to rejoyce and predictions concerning the various dispensations of God toward his ancient people the Jewes partly in their rejection and dispersion after the coming of the Messiah in the accomplishment whereof we should reade the severity of God and partly in their future conversion and recollection which we should be much in prayer to God for that he would hasten it These and many other precious truths are expressed in these Prophecies and briefly hinted at in the Exposition and Notes Which that they may prove useful to the Church of God and in parricular to your Lordship is the prayer of My Lord Your Lordships obliged Servant in the Gospel GEO. HUTCHESON TO THE Reader Christian Reader THy Acceptance of my former endeavours upon some of the Lesser Prophets hath encouraged me to go on in this work and to offer unto thee also this Exposition of these three Prophets who lived in the Church of the Jewes after their return from the captivity of Babylon My aime and desire herein hath been and is the promoving of thy spiritual good by holding forth as briefly as I could the sense and use of this part of Holy Writing And I desire that accordingly thy care may be to make right use of this as of other meanes which God in these times notwithstanding the thick clouds of errours and delusion that now abound offereth unto thee And that it may be so it is requisite that thy scope in reading be not to satisfie curiosity or to judge of mens abilities and parts in accomplishing what they undertake which is the most that many in this nauseating and wanton age propound to themselves in reading but that thou be one who indeed art making earnest in working out thy own salvation and of honouring God in thy station and generation In which case only the Scriptures will relish with thee as being driven thereunto for reproofe consolation and direction as thou needs them Nor is it to be expected that what is here gathered from the Scripture and presented to thy view will have due weight till first thou learne in thy heart to magnifie the truth and certainty of the written Word and see God who cannot lie speaking to thee in it and by it and then thou may discern much more in it and in every sentence of it then our weaknesse can dip into or comprehend and that thou art bound to deny thy self thy corrupt sense and reason and simply trust God speaking in it blessing him for so sure a ground whereupon thy soule may leane its weight I shall adde nothing concerning this peece in particular wherein are expounded many dark places by the obscurity whereof the Lord would exercise and humble us and the subject whereof is of use to the Church under variety of conditions and revolutions Only recommending it to thy favourable acceptance and thy self in making use of it to the Lords blessing who teacheth his people to profit I am Thine to serve thee in the Gospel GEO. HUTCHESON BOOKES Printed by RALPH SMITH Master Dicksons Exposition on the whole Book of the Psalmes in three Volumes Mr. Hutchesons Exposition on Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk and Zephaniah The Christians Charter shewing the Priviledge of Believers in this life and in the life to come by Mr. Watson Minister at Stephen Walbrook the third Edition much enlarged Also Mr. Watsons Art of Divine Contentment the second Edition A SERMON of Mr. Simeon Ash at the Funeral of Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker together with a Narrative of his pious life An Exposition on the whole Book of Ecclesiastes by that late learned and pious Divine Mr. John Cotton Pastor of Bostock in New-England A BRIEF EXPLICATION OF THE Prophecies OF Haggai Zechariah and Malachi Haggai THE ARGUMENT THis Prophet with the two that follow were sent of God unto the people of the Jewes after their return from the captivity in Babylon We reade not of any Prophets they had immediately after their returne but after that they had by reason of much opposition from without and their own weakness shamefully neglected the building of the Temple Ezra 4.23 24. The Lord who had inflicted several plagues on them for this did also stir up first this Prophet and shortly after Zechariah to rouze up the people and be helpful to them in building of the Temple Ezra 5.1 2. And then sent Malachi list of all to reprove and correct the abuses that fell out amongst them after the Temple was built Haggai being the first sent out is employed partly to reprove their following their own interests and neglecting of the work of God and to stir up that secure people to the work 〈◊〉 partly to encourage them to go on and to do it bonesily being set about it In which Zechariah chiefly joynes with him and enlarges that subject of their encouragement CHAP. I. IN this Chapter after the Inscription v. 1. we have 1. A Sermon reproving the peoples sinful negligence and stirring them up to build the Temple wherein he reproves their shifting to put hand to this work as if the time of doing it were not come whereas they were most active in their own private affaires v. 2 3 4. And exhorts them seriously to consider their condition and for what God had so smitten them v. 5 6. and so to consider as to be stirred up to set to the work of the Temple in which God would shew himself gracious v 7 8. and the neglect whereof had been the cause of so many plagues v. 9 10 11. 2. We have the successe of this doctrine all of them fearing God who spake by his Word set to the work v. 12. and being encouraged by the Prophet in so doing v. 13. they are so active as in short time they have materials ready wherewith they begin the work v. 14 15. Vers 1. IN the second yeare of Darius the King in the sixth moneth in the first day of the moneth came the Word by the LORD by Haggai the Prophet unto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel Governour of Judah and to Joshua the sonne of Josedoch the High Priest saying In the Inscription we have not only the Author and Penman of this Prophecie but the time of iâ— reckoned from the yeare of the Persiâ—n Kings reign under whose power now they were and the moneth designed which was the time of their hervest the Feast of Tabernacles being the
fifteenth day of the next moneth See Lev. 23.15 33 34. and the persons to whom it is directed which were Zerubbabel the Civil Governour who seems to have been the natural sonne of Pedajah 1 Chro. 3.19 and the legal sonne of Shealtiel or Salathiel as succeeding him in the Government though not now kingly or Shealtiel was his Grandfather and Pedajah his father and Joshua the High Priest whose father had gone into captivity Chro. 6.15 The message is directed to them not as chief in the guilt being godly men but that bearing 〈◊〉 they might stir up themselves and help to excite others â—â—tting what hath been observed on former Inscriptions We may learn hence 1. Whatever men may think of Gods threatenings when they are in prosperity and of his promises when they are in adversity yet time will prove the truth of both in experience as here it is supposed notwithstanding this peoples presumption while they stood a Kingdome and their fainting in captivity yet they had both been sent into captivity as the Prophets had sorewarned them and were brought back again according to Gods promise 2. When the Lord hath delivered his people from the outward captivity wherein they were held he may see it fit to keep them yet in a low and poore estate that they may yet repent of their sins which neither before nor in their captivity have been seriously laid to heart and may be kept from doating on much external glory but be held eying that which is the true spiritual glory of the Church for these ends are the Jewes when returned yet under Darius the King their time reckoned by the yeares of his reigne as a token of their subjection and have only a Governour and High Priest of their own in stead of the Kingly dignity they formerly enjoyed 3. As the Lord in mercy toward his people sweeteneth their sad times by sending messengers unto them as a meanes and token of good so it is an encouragement to his servants to go on in their duty in most desperate times when they consider that his blessing upon the endeavours of a preaching Ministery may be effectual to help forward his work speedily which without this had lien long behinde for here the Word of the Lord came by Haggai to them and that in the second yeare of Darius Now the work was finished in his sixth yeare Ezra 6.15 which being fourty six yeares in building John 2.20 gives us to understand that by his and Zechariahs help as they are called helpers Ezra 5.2 the work went faster on in some yeares then in fourty two yeares before yea when it had been laid by so long before 4. As it is the duty of faithful Watchmen to be instant in season and out of season so especially to take advantage of afflictions on sinful people to see how the rod may help the Word to work therefore came the Word of the Lord in the sixth moneth that their scarce harvest as is marked v. 6. might excite them to consider Gods Word 5. It is the duty of men in highest power to submit to what God saith in his Word and to be active also that the Word of God have place amongst others 〈◊〉 they have power and that Rulers in Church and State concur to see this work carried on for these causes came the Word of the Lord by Haggai unto Zerubbabel and to Joshua Vers 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hostes saying This people say The time is not come the time that the LORDS house should be built 3. Then came the Word of the LORD by Haggai the Prophet saying 4. Is it time for you O ye to dwell in your fieled houses and this house lie waste That the Lord may reprove their negligence in building the Temple he propounds their pretences whereby they thought to justifie them selves to wit that finding many lets and impediments from the Kings of Persia and many difficulties from themselves they neither pretend to unwillingnesse nor yet professe misbelief but that it will be built only however the seventy yeares of their captivity were expired they pretend that Gods time was not come wherein they should meet with no rubs and might be able to build it more stately and so pretended to acquiesce in Gods secret Will and Providence looking for better times This the Lord refutes from their own practice who did admit of no such excuse in their own affaires but notwithstanding all difficulties and vexations every one builded stately houses to themselves and how much more might all of them build an house unto the Lord Doct. 1. It is a fearful though usual sin in the Church when that which is the principal fruit and end of all their deliverances and a chief meanes of their happinesse and which they seemed to esteem most of when they wanted it is most neglected when they are delivered and have occasion to testifie their affection and thankfulnesse such was the building of the Temple to this people and yet this house lies waste 2. It is a most dangerous way of sinning when the sinner pretends affection to God when he wrongs him and his matters most and when he thinks himself able by faire pretences to excuse if not to justifie his way so did this people sin alledging no disaffection but that the time is not come c. 3. As the Lord may permit very great obstructions to be laid in the way of a work which yet he will carry on as was seen in this Temple which took fourty six yeares ere it could be gotten perfect so a people who do not openly disaffect the work may sinfully concur in obstructing of it as the Jewes do here And namely 1. When they are not sensible of obstructions in the way but are soon hindered for so much speaks their senselesse submission in this particular 2. When they neglect or passe from a known duty upon any pretence of Providence or of Gods secret will as here they leave off a commanded duty alledging that Gods time was not come 3. When they are hindered from their duty in advancing the Work of God by any hazard whatsoever if it were even by the command of misinformed authority especially when they have clear law for what they do as well as Gods command for this was their fault that they were hindered by Artaxerxes letter Ezra 4.23 24. when they had Cyrus decree standing for them which Darius sustaines Ezra 6.2 c. when they were challenged for building without a new warrant 4 When they look for times wherein there shall be no difficulties but all advantages for doing Gods work in and in expectation of such times do lie by from present duty because their times were not such they say The time is not come whereas his work goeth on in the midst of disadvantages Dan. 9.25 5. When the true cause of mens negligence which layeth many a lion in the way is their love to their own things and private interests
To exhort them who were employed in so holy a work to consider their former sin in neglecting of it and to do it purely lest they polluted it as to themselves which is propounded in two cases v. 10 11 12 13. and applied v. 14. â— 2. To encourage them yet to do the work in expectation of a blessing and of Gods change of his outward dealing which heretofore had been â—â—d v. 15 16 17. but from that day should be better v. 18 19. The third Sermon is directed to Zerubbabel as the type promising stability to that people in the midst of all commotions and to Christ as the Anti-type holding out the stability and enlargement of his Kingdome v. 20 21 22 23. Vers 1. IN the seventh moneth in the one and twentieth day of the moneth came the Word of the LORD by the Prophet Haggai saying 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel governour of Judah and to Joshua the sonne of Josedech the High-Priest and to the residue of the people saying 3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory and how do you see it now Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing These verses hold forth the time of this Sermon the persons to whom it was directed and the occasion of it which was their discouragement considering the meannesse of this Temple being compared with Solomons which now appeares to them by the materials they had provided and by their taking the rubbish off the old fouudation which had been laid in Cyrus time Ezra 3.12 for as yet they had built none themselves v. 10 15. and so they were discouraged consideriog that Ezekiel prophesied of other things Here two things would be cleared 1. How it can be supposed that any then alive should have seen the first Temple for many yeares before this they are called ancient men who remembred it Ezra 3.12 Answ This place speaks only by way of supposition if there were any such and to such as kept on foot that complaint which they had heard from others at the first laying of the foundation Ezra 3. 2. It would be cleared upon what ground the second Temple is thus exâ—enâ—â—â—â— for Cyrus his decree Ezra 6.3 compared with Solomons fabrick 1 Kings 6.2 seems to make it larger Answ 1. We are to suppose that Solomous building was measured by sacred cubits called the first measure 2 Chro. 3.3 and that Cyrus decree mentions common cubits which were by one half lesse and so the difficultie is in part removed 2. We are not to conceive that Cyrus allowed to double the height of the Temple but that the porch which was before one hundred and twenty 2 Chron. 3.4 was to be now sixty cubits and that the sixty cubits in breadth comprehended also the length of it which therefore seemeth to be omitted in that decree because these cubits expressed both these dimensions 3. There were many other things which might make this Temple as nothing in their eyes as the losse of many things which had been in the first Temple and their base materials having but rolling stones Ezra 5.8 and 6.4 in stead of polished stones 1 King 5.18 and 6 7. and wanting gold such as David and Solomon had prepared to adorn it withal which is a part of their trouble removed by God v. 8. Doct. 1. As they who are about the Lords work will need to be frequently encouraged so when the Lord hath engaged a people in a work he will not faile to obviate all their tentations by comfortable messages therefore shortly after they had begun even in the seventh moneth c. came the Word of the Lord c. 2. As all are bound to submit to the Word so the Lord hath an especial eye upon the difficulties of every one employed in his work to encourage them therefore are all ranks even to the meanest spoken to again v. 2. that they may be strong 3. As a people sleighting the Lords work are justly contemptible in his sight so when they fall to duty they become precious in his sight and he is tender of their afflictions for now they are not this people as chap. 1 2. but the residue of the people 4. Satan is so violent and so active an enemie to a work of Reformation and our hearts so unfit for going about it that when other impediments faile he will fetch discouragements from mens own carnal mindes and the work it self as nothing answerable to their expectation and so be in peril to make it be laid aside when none other would hinder it for this is a new impediment laid in the way that the house was nothing like the former 5. Our judging of Gods work by outward appearances and looking upon it with a carnal eye is a great enemie to reformation while we consider not that the more spiritual glory Christ is about to manifest in his Church the lesse visible glory will he let appear because it would take out heart off the other this was their tentation Is it not in our eyes in comparison of it as nothing as judging of prophecies according to sense whereas Christ by taking away of some of the outward glory was making way for the greater spiritual glory of the Temple Vers 4. Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel saith the LORD and be strong O Joshua sonne of Josedech the High Priest and be strong all ye people of the land saith the LORD and work for I am with you saith the LORD of hostes Notwithstanding any alleadged cause of fainting the Lord exhorts all of them to be encouraged and go on with the work and gives the first ground of encouragement from his presence with them Doct. 1. Discouragement in any of the Lords people is a disposition ill pleasing to him and which they should oppose in themselves whatever reason say to the contrary and when their tentations are at the height therefore in opposition unto and in the midst of all their fainting thoughts Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel c. saith the Lord. 2. Whatever debates and fainting thoughts of heart the Lords people may meet and be exercised with yet they would guard against slackening of diligence and weakening of hands from duty by them which will be the result of entertained discouragement whatever present exercise it may seem to put men to therefore saith the Lord be strong and work 3. The Lords work is so honourable an employment for any to be put to and his presence and approbation so sweet a cordial that it will be found a great wrong for such as are so employed and rewarded not to be encouraged Be strong saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of hostes Vers 5. According to the Word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt so my Spirit remaineth among you Fear ye not The exhortation is yet pressed and this first ground of encouragement confirmed The Covenant
difficulty and to which men need serious stirring up especially to take up the right cause of them therefore after all the pointing out of their former condition in the former Sermons they are again invited to consider it I pray you consider c. 2. Famine and scarcity is one of the publick scourges whereby the Lord chastiseth the sinfull contempt and negligence of his people in his work and service and he will be conspicuous in inflicting of it for Before a stone was laid on a stone in the Temple of the Lord when one cams to an heap of twenty measures there were but ten c. I smote you with blasting c. 3. As it is the usual plague accompanying common judgements that they do not work upon the hearts of men to draw them nearer God but rather harden them so such an impenitent disposition when God strikes is a ground of further controversie therfore he marks by the way their stupidity Yet ye turned not to me saith the Lord 4. However temporal things are not to be looked on as the chief reward of serving God nor as absolutely promised nor yet are they to be so much looked to under the Gospel as the Church of the Jewes might under their pedagogy yet in this the promise even concerning these things holds good that following of God hath the promise of this life in so fâ—rre as it is for the followers good that Gods changing adversity into prosperity when a people set about his work should be a confirmation to their faith and strengthen their hands that whatever adversity come on the Church it is not to be fathered on Gods work as if it had been the cause of her wo that as neglecters of Gods work are reall losers in their own affaires and will prove so in the end so followers of his work have a reall advantage in it and in a word that Gods work is never followed without a blessing evidenced some way or other to the godlies satisfaction This much we may learn from this particular promise made to the Church of the Jewes whereas they had been formerly much afflicted now from this day will I blesse you 5. It is a profitable study to remark the advantages of following God and to study encouragement in that duty so much are we taught by the Lords exciting them to consider the change of his dealing as trysting with the very day of their amending their fault 6. God is so sovereigne and absolute a Lord of all things and hath times and seasons blessings and cursings so in his hand as he may undertake to do things whereof there is no visible probability or certainty in the second causes and can certainly perform them therefore doth he undertake to blesse them when second causes and the season could speak no such thing 7. It is the prerogative of God only to know future contingent events which depend on times and seasons and uncertaine second causes and are known by men by no study of second causes and their influences but only by immediate revelation this is held forth as Gods prerogative by his extraordinary Prophet to foretell in the midst of winter what the succeeding harvest should produce Ver. 20 And again the Word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the foure and twentieth day of the moneth saying 21. Speak to Zerubbabel governour of Iudah saying I will shake the heavens and the earth 22. And I will overthrow the throne of kingdomes and I will destroy the strength of the Kingdomes of the heathen and I will overthrow the charets and those that ride in them and the horses and their riders shall come down every one by the sword of his brother 23. In that day saith the LORD of hostes will I take thee O Zerubbabel my servant the sonne of Shealtiel saith the LORD and will make thee as a signet for I have chosen thee saith the LORD of hostes The last Sermon delivered on the same day with the former may be understood of Zerubbabel the type unto whom is promised for the behoofe of his successors and that people that whereas God was about to send great commotions and was about to overthrow Kingdomes of the world and their power setting them by the eares among themselves yet he would preserve him and that people governed by him as his precious jewels and as his chosen people especially because Christ the substance of this type was to come of them And so we learn 1. It is the duty of the Lords watchmen to approve themselves before him in their diligent and active going about their calling and preaching the Word of the Lord instantly for Haggai is here sent out again upon the same day he had the former Sermon 2. As the office of Magistracy especially over the Lords people is no easie work so honest Magistrates shall have their own peculiar encouragements from God Therefore is Haggai commanded to speak to Zerubbabel governour of Judah 3. Honest Magistrates will be selfe-denied and will look on their publick charge as if it were their own particular so that favours promised and conferred on the people they govern are matter of encouragement to them for this promise made to Zerubbabel was not accomplished to himselfe nor in his time but to the people under his successors when the Persian and Grecian Monarchies were overturned and all the Kingdomes on every hand were reeling and threatening ruine to the Church amongst the rest and yet this is his encouragement as if all had tended to his own particular behoofe 4. As the Kingdomes of the children of men even of very Pagans are at Gods disposal to lettle or remove them as he pleases so these most eminent dignities are but uncertaine things obnoxious to many alterations wherein neither authority nor power will hinder Gods purpose nor will meanes be wanting so long as there is one Nation to dash upon another so much is held out in this promise I will shake heaven and earth and I will overthrow the threne of Kingdomes c. 5. Albeit the Church may seem to have reason to fear her enemies when they are in power and to fear the great commotions that are in the world about her lest she being a weak party come down with the rest yet in her weakest condition she may expect preservation in the midst of combustions especially where God hath any further work to do in her for as the Church of the Jewes lying in the midst of tottering Kingdomes especially of Syria and Egypt which seemed most to threaten her ruine gets a promise that in that day of common combustion she shall be as a signet because Christ was to be born in her so may every particular visible Church expect who hath Christ mystical in his members to bring forth to God 6. The Church is to confirm her own faith in the truth of promises by considering not what she is in her selfe or what her condition can promise but by looking to
answered Haggai and said So is this people and so is this nation before me saith the LORD and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean This second Sermon was delivered two moneths after the former when now having prepared materials as ch 1.8 and fitted all things in the space of three moneths ch 1.14 15. they are ready to lay the foundations of the Temple or at least to build on the old foundations that had been laid at their first returning Ezra 3. in so far as they were not demolished as appears here from v. 15. and 18. and the scope of this part of the Sermon is from ruled and clear cases in the law which the Priests could resolve unto them to discover their former sin for which God had punished them while they rested upon their building the Altar Ezra 3.2 and offering sacrifice on it and yet in the mean time did follow their own interests neglecting the Temple of the Lord and to stir them up to do the work they were now about purely and to joyne personal reformation with it In summe it is as if Haggai had said As your ordinary Priests will out of the Law resolve you that however the sacrifices being consecrate to God and now holy put some ceremonial holinesse on the garments which immediately touch them Lev. 6.27 yet that holinesse cannot be extended to any thing which the garment toucheth either of purpose or by chance and not the flesh immediately v 11 12. and on the contrary that ceremonial pollution doth make not only a mans garment unclean but whatsoever also whether common or sacred it toucheth v. 13. which is clear from the Law Lev. 11.24 and 15.4 Numb 9.10 and 19.11 13. So on the same grounds do I in the Name of the Lord assure all of you who deserve not the name of my people that your former negligence could not be cleansed by your sacrifices but it rather polluted them as well as your selves and your other works and that a present holy work will not sanctifie prophane workers but your prophanity will rather pollute it as to you v. 14. Doct. 1. All that is written in the Law concerning ceremonial pollution is but a shadow and representation of the moral uncleannesse of men which the sensible soul wil finde as difficult if not more to avoid as the Jewes found that while it put them to a perpetual affrightment and caution therefore Haggai by the one points at the other as the substance and sheweth that the same proportion holds in both 2. It is a profitable way for effectual convincing of sin to make use of any principles of light that are in men and by them to draw conclusions upon the conscience so doth Haggai make use of acknowledged and ruled cases from which he inferres a guilt upon them which they did not so clearly see 3. As the lips of the servants of God are to preserve knowledge and they are to be made use of by his people in resolution of difficulties so they are not to be looked on as infallible guides as if every thing they say they could not erre in it but they are to speak from the Word and their Doctrine to be examined by it for this is the will of the Lord of hostes that we aske the Priests concerning the Law 4. Such as rightly examine themselves will easily perceive the great difficulty there is of good in comparison of ill and how they are farre more easily polluted then sanctified so much do both cases hold out that holinesse extended no further at best then the garment which immediately touched the holy thing but pollution reached further 5. External performances whether of Gods worship or in his publick work will not of it self make a man acceptable but on the contrary want of personal reconciliation and purity will pollute best works will render the workers contemptible and all they do vile so doth the Lord teach us that by reason of former and present pollution So to wit unclean is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean 6 It is a profitable study when people are about works that are in themselves right to be sensible not only of former failings and neglects but of present uncleannesse which they may contract in them and for this end to search what they are in the sight of God that they may be humbled and not delude nor please themselves with the bare work for this end comes this Sermon out that same day they were ready to build that they might not so soon forget their former way nor be unmindfull that there was more required for approbation then being imployed in an holy work Vers 15 And now I pray you consider from this day and upward from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD 16. Since those dayes were when one came to an heap of twenty measures there were but ten when one came to the presse-fat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the presse there were but twenty 17. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with haiâ—e in all the labours of your hands yet ye turned not to me saith the LORD 18. Consider now from this day and upward from the four and twentieth day of the nineth moneth even from the day that the foundation of the LORDS Temple was laid consider it 19. Is the seed yet in the barne yea as yet the vine and the fig-tree and the pomgranate and the Olive-tree hath not brought forth from this day will I blesse you The scope of the second part of this Sermon is to shew that however God will put difference betwixt workers and knoweth who are sincere and who not yet to encourage them to be diligent in it as being a work which he approves in it self and which he will reward with temporal blessing and a change of his former dispensations And therefore he stirres them up to remarke the tokens of Gods anger on them while they neglected the Temple v. 15. that their expectations of the harvest and what they had gathered were much disappointed v. 16. and the Lord with the drought Chap. 1.11 had otherwayes also smitten the fruits of the ground whereof they had made no good use v. 17. but now having begun the work v. 18. he promiseth to send a blessing on the fruits of the ground and this he doth in the midst of winter when their seed was sown and nothing had budded and conseqently nothing could be foretold of the ensuing harvest but by God only that so by observing the subsequent seasons and the harvest it selfe they might be confirmed in the faith of Gods approving their work and be encouraged in it v. 19. Doct. 1. Though the Lords dispensations be visible and felt by all yet the right considering and understanding of them is a work of much