give them honour and favour and riches and abundance though they never keepe condition with him Fools and blinde who know they cannot live except they eate not reap except they sow not recover health except they use physicke and the means appointed And yet thinke without performing the grand meanes and condition with God they shall have what he hath promised and so happily they may But as Israel had a King in Gods wrath and quails in his displeasure And as the Physitian gives his patient liberty to eate what he list when he is out of all hope and despaires of ever recovering him Many a man perswades himselfe that God will save him though he never was able to performe the condition of the Law neither ever endeavoured to performe the condition of the Gospell Truly this is not to beleeve but deceive himselfe with an opinion of faith he neither having the knowledge of the promises the ground of it nor workes the answerable fruits of it And so hath but a vaine foolish and dead faith But he shall know his folly when God shall manifest unto him that he is not bound to perform promise because he never kept condition To teach every man that hath any desire that God should performe covenant with him Vse 3 to endeavour to performe conditions with God * Cum dominus promittis ne dubites sed illa fac per quae tales attrahere poteris promissiones Chry. hom 25 ad popul Anti. He must first Week to know what they are God requires of him and then do them for without that he cannot do And his searching for knowledge must not onely be for the generall but for the particulars of his place what command is sent to him and then faithfully do it that Gods covenant may stand We must repent beleeve and obey the Gospell and Commandments of God For it is godlinesse that hath the promises and shall have the performance Let such a one remember 1 Tim. 4.8 and Prov. 21.21 Yea he may assure himselfe that if he apply himself to that which God requireth of him and he hath covenanted for he shall be sure to finde him that hath been a willing promiser a most faithfull performer For parum erat promissio etiam scripto se teneri voluit Aug. in Psal 119. And so no good thing that he hath promised shall faile but shall all be made good Joshua 22.15 My covenant with Levi. Here is the honour and dignity he had bestowed upon them having made a speciall agreement and covenant with them The Lord hath specially honoured his messengers and servants the Priests in the old Doctrine and the Ministers in the new Testament for he hath not onely made the generall covenant with them I will be their God they my people but hath made a particular and speciall agreement and covenant with them So here and Numb 8.13.14 Thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron and before his sons and offer them as a shake offering to the Lord. Thus thou shalt separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine 1 Sam. 2.28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my Priest to offer upon mine Altar and to burn Incense and to weare an Ephod before me and I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel Joh. 15.15 2 Cor. 3.6 Because they are of his privy counsell and know his secret Reason 1 Amos 3.7 Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophets Privy counsellours are specially honoured and have a particular covenant made with them Because they are his messengers his embassadours Reason 2 2 Cor. 5.20 they are specially honoured and new sworne a new covenant No reason why the great and rich men of the world should contemne the ministry for their children as too base a thing Vse 1 and not fit for their sonnes when as God hath thus honoured it and taken them so neere unto himselfe In respect of which Amos who was beleeved to be the brother of Azariah the King of Judah thought it no base thing his sonne shoule be a Prophet neither Christ himselfe to be a preacher This may be a caveat for men to take heede how they abuse or injure the ministers who are so neere unto him Vse 2 and whom he hath thus honoured certainly they ought to honour him though it goe against the haire and stomacke with them as with Haman because he would have them honoured but if not but they abuse and disgrace them and use them as the Ammonites did Davids servants Let them take heede they stinke not in his nostrils for if Princes be tender hearted and stone affected with the injuries of their common subjects and will revenge them what will they doe for their counsellours their embassadours And yet meane men will now abuse them in words and contemne as farre as they can for the law of man if they sing not placentia if they teach crosse to their humours but their portion is with the Lord and so is theirs who so abuse them And one day they shall both know whether is better to reprove and lift up his voyce and spare not or to spare and reforme nothing It may comfort the minister against contempt when he is faithfull Vse 3 yet to be still so and bold remembring his honour God hath given him which is better then all the honour man can affoord And though men may thinke their faithfulnesse may hinder them from honour as Balaak said to Balaam Numb 24.11 Therefore now flee unto thy place I thought surely to promote thee to honour but loe the Lord hath kept thee back from honour yet it is not so for that is the true honour which God gives and will give and no man can take and they ought as it is 2 Cor. 3.12 seeing they have such hope to use boldnesse of speech This may teach what manner of men Ministers ought to be Vse 4 how sanctified of what puritie and integritie seeing God hath taken them to be so neer unto himselfe therefore ought they to be carefull that offer them to God and they that receive them when they offer and when they receive not for favour or money or kindred or any such thing A man will be marvellous carefull whom he commendeth but for a common servant to a mean man his friend more to a Prince most to be so nigh to him If the Steward of a house be permitted and trusted to admit such as are fit how carefull will he be If the President of a Princes Councell to take in such as are able men how vigilant and inquisitive will he be that they be such as be competent for the place So should it be in this the like care should be had and wo unto him that hath not And men that are in the place ought to looke marvellous
as they think God will deale farre better with them than the other If he care for servants more for sonnes so to think he will no lesse spare them than servants because they thinke he loves them his judgments then must they especially look upon and consider As children are specially affected with their fathers anger when it is but against servants or others then they feare and tremble seeke to please him and to avoid such things by which he is provoked especially when there is any good nature in them at all so ought they that as it is written of the Lion that he trembles to see a Dog beaten before him so if they have any alliance to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah they must see and feare feare and flee when the wicked are smitten more when it is upon his owne who are in the Church and of the Church as David Psal 119.120 My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am affraid of thy judgments And 2 Sam. 6.9 And David was affraid of the Lord that day and said How shall the Arke of the Lord come to me And Act. 5.5 11. And Ananias hearing these words fell downe and gave up the Ghost and great feare came on all them that heard these things And great feare came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard those things not on as many as take no notice of the judgments of God at all as not of other of his workes but as they thinke all things fall out by naturall course or common skill and providing and fore-cast of men for good so they thinke for evill and as they are not affected with Gods blessings to love him because they are common so not with his judgments but onely when they feele them Your eyes shall see it Edom hated Israel enemy unto her whose destruction as they sought and had rejoyced at so Israel would have beene glad to have seene Edom's and for feare was ready to faint as if they should never see it The Lord descends to her infirmity and assures her she shall see it The Lord he often descends to the infirmities of his Doctr. to let them see their desires upon their enemies and to see their destruction as here so Psal 37.8 9.10 Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy selfe in any wise to doe evill for evill-doers shall be cut off but those that waite upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth for yet a litle while and the wicked shall not be yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be Psal 59.10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies And Psal 54.7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble and mine eye hath seene his desire upon mine enemies Israel saw Egypts ruine the Jewes Hamans and their enemies Daniel his accusers Dan. 6. Peter Herods Act. 12. Because he might strengthen and confirme the weake faith of his children Reas 1 which would often stagger in this kind without these stayes as the best have done upon the sight of the prosperity of the wicked as Davids Psal 37. and their suffering at their hands Therefore God deales with them as Parents with their children when they are not able to goe alone and of themselves they have tressels and formes to goe along by so God affords these helps Because he would asswage and appease their impatient minds that can hardly be perswaded God is appeased towards them Reas 2 and at one with them after he had scourged and afflicted them by the hand of the wicked till they see his hand turned upon the wicked the rather because God saith Psal 81.13.14 O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my waies I should soone have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries As then a father to shew his child he is friends with him againe is content to throw the rod into the fire and to burne it before his eyes and face so God to shew him pacified againe towards his people is content in their sight to plague those he hath punished them by before But this must be understood not as a thing that God alwayes doth but as it is said of signes that he gave some though not many and usuall lest men should depend on them and be out of heart when they want them yet some for the confirming of the feeble and converting of the unbeleevers so he doth not alwayes shew them the confusion of the wicked their enemies in this life because he would not have them to looke for it and to inure them to goe without a stay and to swim as it were without helpe without blathers and yet sometimes lest they should faint when they see the rod of the wicked rest upon the lot of the righteous and never turne againe upon their oppressors but if ever he deny it he gives them another prop to assure them they shall see it though not now when they shall judge with him the world and Angels To admonish the wicked enemies of Gods people Vse 1 if they would take notice of it that oppose themselves and persecute the people of God to give over in time and not to doe it with such despight and malice as usually they doe lest God comfort his servants in their confusion and recompence unto them that they have done unto the Church and measure to them as they have meted and having beene fire to them that is to purge them he extinguish them for though they have them never so sure as they suppose in their clutches yet God can free them as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler and take them in their net they thought to have taken others his people in who would have believed it at least Haman himselfe would never have given credit to it that Mordecai should ever have seene him hang upon the tree that he had prepared in his owne house for Mordecai or that the Jewes that he had enclosed by vertue of the Kings Letters as Deere in a toyle should ever have had their will upon his house and see that end of his sonnes that after they came unto yet so it was a thing so unlikely God brought to passe even he 2 Pet. 2.9 He knows how to deliver his out of trouble yea and how to lay trouble upon those that trouble them to the refreshing and comfort of his who would have believed at least not our Nobles Knights and Esquires with their dependants who are now forth comming with hundreths more of the said associates If the day before it had beene told them that the Church and people of God should have seene them in hold and see them come to their just reward to the ruine of themselves and their houses when they intended all their destructions and to have subverted Church and Common-wealth Or if it had beene told the Pope at Rome whence this
but this bindes more as a twofold cord the law because of our creation the Gospell for our election and redemption we are no more servants but sonnes Galat. 4.5 6. But must we the lesse serve him or not this were a gallant Gospell indeed Nay we must the rather because sonnes Mala. 3.16 we must not change our service but the manner of our service for he hath made us to serve him Luke 1.74 75. that hee would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Not as servants for wages but as sonnes in a more honourable kinde of service with a free affection in no mercenarie manner In primo dedit me mihi in secundo dedit se mihi cui debeo me propter me debeo plusquam me propter se Ber. otherwise this bindes us more then before and to doe more if it were possible then the law requires If the other though free yet not so rare doe bind how much more this so rare a benefit should bind us In the first he gave me to my selfe In the other he gave himselfe to me To whom I owe my selfe for my being to him I am more indebted for giving himself to mee more is then due unto him and more must we endeavour if our being and being men require it of us what this being sonnes without which it had beene better wee had never been yea a thousand times If his bounty in creating us what his mercy and love in electing us The world though peevishly and corruptly it upbraids those that are Gods and in some sinister and corrupt affection challenges more of them then of others towards themselves then towards God yet those who are indeed Gods must thinke such speeches are goades to pricke them forwards to more For God hath done more for them therefore more is required of them yea more then they thinke they ought to performe Every one must argue as David see 2 Sam. 6.21 And David said unto Michal it was before the Lord which chose me before thy father and before all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord over Israel therefore will I play before the Lord It will not serve and goe for currant if Gods children elected be not more diligent to honour him then others Where is my honour wee have seene by what right God requires this we must see now the thing it is honour which is indeed childelike and filiall feare to obey and serve him for love rather then feare as sonnes doe their father and of this I will thus speak first that men must give it to God the sonnes to the father Secondly how it differs from the servile feare Thirdly the effects of it that it may be known whether had or no and if not it may be sought if had it may be joyed in First that Men must give it unto God Doctrine The Children of God that is his sonnes and daughters ought to honour him that is to serve and obey him to doe the good he commands not for feare of punishment or hope of reward but for the love of good and righteousnesse and his goodnesse and mercy willingly and of conscience hereto may we apply that Psal 130.4 and Rom. 12.1 and 1 John 2.1 inferred upon the second Reas 1 Because else they can not be sonnes and daughters Servilis est timor quamdiu ab amore non manat qui de amore non venit honor non honor sed adulatio Bern. Cant. 83. whose nature is to obey their parents and doe them all service of love feare is servile if it flow not from love and the honour which comes not from love is not honour but flattery a formall fawning Because if they obey him and honour him for hope of good Reas 2 and feare of evill and punishment it is self love that moves them not God love nor the love of righteousnesse now if men require more nor account not of this when selfe love hath the sway and men seeke themselves how should God and why should men expect it from him * One blesses God because he is powerfull Est qui confitetur Deo quia potms est est quoniam sibi bonus est est quia simplicitèr bonus est Psal 118.1.19 primus servus est timet secundus mercenarius cupit sibi tertius filius est diligit patrem another because he is good to him another because he is simple good in himselfe Psal 118.1 The first is a servant and feares The second is an hireling and lookes for gaine The third is a sonne and loves his father There are many promises of good things for obedience Object and threats of evill for disobedience are they made to servants or written for them alone or also for sonnes If Sonnes why may not they look to them and for them doe service Without question whatsoever is written is for sonnes not servants Sol. or principally for them yet is it not acceptable to God when it is done for these for nothing proceeding from hirelings or slaves can be acceptable why then are these written Namely to helpe them in it not to be the principall mover of it vide James 2.8 This proves that many mens workes and obedience are not the honour of God Vse 1 nor things acceptable though according to the law and things commanded which in another are his honour and accepted of him the end or motive not being good and right as it should The second thing to be observed is how this child-like and filiall feare differs from the other servile feare and that it doth in divers things The first difference is in respect of the object that is of that which is feared that is sinne the one feares sinne as it is sinne and because it is sinne the other onely the punishment of sin and not sinne at all but in regard of the punishment the former curbs the action onely Hosea 3.5 the other the affection the one liketh and loveth sinne but he dare not commit it in regard of the danger that may ensue of it the other hateth and abhorreth sinne and would not commit it though he might doe it without danger at all as Prov. 8.13 The feare of the Lord is to hate evill Psal 97.10 And because it deales with the affection it is called a pure feare Psal 19.9 The feare of the Lord is cleane or pure for it purgeth the heart as faith is said to doe Acts 15.9 The other is a melting feare but this is a purging and refining feare The second difference is in their grounds the one is grounded onely uon the wrath of God and for his justice the other regardeth them but specially his mercy and goodnesse Psal 130.4 Hosea 3.5 The filiall feare to offend God in regard of benefits past the servile for evill to come Se
receive the sacrament be diligent in the works of Gods worship but he is unjust covetous unchast c. we say his religion is in vain and this will every one subscribe to we see men just and chast and liberall in almes c. but he is irreligious he regards not Gods day he neglects the word the sacrament prayer and such like we say his righteousnesse is vaine But this will not all subscribe to but they shall know it at one time or other that it is in vaine not onely so farre as Chrysost speakes of workes without faith comparing them with the reliques of the dead * Cadavera enim etsi c. Chrysost carcases though they be covered with pretious and rich cloaths yet have no heate for them so such as want faith though they shine with glorious workes yet they do them no good now where there is not knowledge nor conscience of religion there cannot be faith But further Orig. in Job goes * Omnia quae faciant homines c. Orig. All things which men doe whether in keeping their virginity or in abstinence or in the chastnes of their bodies or in the mortifying of the flesh or in the distributing of their goods they are all to no purpose and to their losse if they do them not of faith And I infer they cannot be of faith where there is not care and conscience of religion In vaine then shall it be unto them for it shall bring them no fruit no profit For of whom should they have their reward Shall they receive from him whom they have not sought Whom they have not knowne Whom they have not believed Verily they shall not receive from him any reward but judgement and anger and condemnation This may admonish every one to adde to their righteousnesse Vse 3 religion to lay hold of that and not to withdraw their hand from this or rather to make their works of righteousnesse to be righteousnesse by labouring to be teligious to have knowledge and faith to have the fear of God and to serve him without which the other is nothing nothing profitable to the doer for as preaching being so excellent a worke as the power of God to salvation to the hearers profits not the preacher if he be unjust unchast impious but it shall be with him as with those who built Noahs Arke so as he that gives almes if he be without knowledge religion and faith he may profit the receiver not himselfe For if the Apostles rule be good Jam. 2.26 faith without works is dead then why not much more saith Chrysost are works without faith which works must needs be where there is not religion and so he shall not have his reward that doth them but they will be unprofitable to him for as he that builds without a foundation loseth his worke and hath only his labour travaile and griefe so is he that would build up works of righteousnesse without faith and religion Orig. And as he saith all the whole year that Noah was preserved in the Arke and the Sun shewed not her selfe nor sent her beames upon the earth the earth gave no fruit for without the Sun it can bring forth no fruit So unlesse the truth of God shine in the hearts of men they can bring forth no fruit of good works or righteousnesse Then must every one endeavour that is just upright chast c. not to rest there but labour to be religious and have knowledge and faith which must sanctifie and make acceptable and so profitable to the other as the Temple the gold and the Altar the offering lest they be to us as Ciprian ser dezelo livore or rather as the spirit of God saith Rom. 14.23 Sin because not of faith THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE PROPHET MALACHY FOR behold the day commeth that shall burne as an oven and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them up saith the Lord of hostes and shall leave them neither root nor branch 2 But unto you that feare my Name shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise and health shall be under his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as fat calves 3 And ye shall tread downe the wicked for they shall be dust under the soles of your feete in the day that I shall doe this saith the Lord of hosts 4 Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb in all Israel with the slatutes and judgements 5 Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the comming of the great and fearefull day of the Lord. 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with cursing VERSE I. For behold the day commeth that shall burne as an oven and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them up saith the Lord of hosts and shall leave them neither root nor branch FOR behold the day commeth that shall burne as an even In this fourth Chapter we may observe two principall parts First some predictions which are three First a prophesie of judgement to the wicked Verse 1. Secondly of mercy and goodnesse to the godly Verse 2.3 Thirdly of Iohn Baptist his comming and the fruit of it to the Church Verse 5.6 Secondly aprecept or exhortation to reade and remember the Law Verse 4. Now in this first verse is a prediction or denunciation of judgement even an utter destruction to the wicked by it opposing their former blasphemy who had affirmed that God did not respect the things that were done and had altogether cast off the duty and office of a Judge And in this the first word Behold shews the certainty of it poynting at it as if it were already come and present The judgement God threatens against the wicked he certainly performes Doctrine Vide Cap. 1.5 Doct. 1. The day commeth Many thinke this is to be understood of the day of the second comming of Christ when the wicked shall have their full doome and true it is till then this and the like are not fully accomplished the wicked have not their full portion yet doth God so execute his judgements here as may be to manifest his justice and to confirme the faith of his shewing by some few examples and small things that he doth that one day he will fully judge the wicked Therefore their opinion is the more probable and reasonable who think this was meant of the first comming of Christ that upon their ingratefull rejecting of mercy wheras they boasted of a redeemer and looked for a great day The day indeed should come but not such a day as they imagined but such as should consume them like that day Amos 5.20 a day of darkenes and not light And therfore he addeth it shall burne as an Oven
of ours that lie in the Sea into which the Sunne is said To goe downe which is an expression of the old Greeke Poets see Ioh. Scapula in Them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Prophet here useth such a word in the other originall when the West is called according to the vulgar conceit The Sun-set or The sunnes going downe or Going in introitus solis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To lie downe or Goe in My name great the Gen. supplies IS we supply it shall be great Gods Name what it is we saw ver 6. Shall bee great Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorified Among the Gentiles in the end of the verse they are cal'd The heathen but the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iewes theselves are also ordinarly called Gojim Esa 9.3 Thou hast multiplied the nation Hagoi The Thargum there the people of the house of Israel Ezek. 2.3 I send thee to the children of Israel to a rebellious Nation Gojim Nations called so in the plurall because though they were but one people they were many tribes or divided into many factions But when the word is opposed to the Jewes as here it denotes other people that are not of the seed of Abraham who in the new testament are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Math. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.11 Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word the Lxx use here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though this word also be used for the Iewes even in the new Testament Luc. 7.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee loved our Nation That is the Iewes But the Iewes used the word ordinarily to signifie another people and a people of another worship and to this day they use to call a Christian Goi A gentile As wee now also doe use the words Heathen Gentiles Pagans for such people as are without Christ or are without the covenant At in the Apostles time they ordinarily called all such as were not of the Church or which used to bee called Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greekes because the greatest part of the East Country spake Greeke and that people were the principall among the Gentiles which were knowne unto the Iewes But the Syriacke of the new Testament instead of Grecians usually turnes it Aramaeans see Tremell Marg. ad Act. 20.21.21.28 Rom. 29. And the difference of the Graecian and Graecist in the language of the new Testament see in Goodwyn Mos Ar. lib. 1. cap. 3. And in every place incense offered So also the Lxx. Arab. Syr. Pagn The Tigur Arias Mont. For Kitter and Ktora Ktoreth and the word that is here Muktar doe all signifie Incense or Perfume It is spoken in the language of the Leviticall Law which is ordinary with the Prophets to set out the spirituall worship of God under the time of the Gospell Yea under the Law it selfe Prayer was resembled by the Psalmist unto Incense Psal 14.1.2 And the same resemblance is used in the new Testament Apoc. cap. 5.8 Offered and so the Lxx Pagn Tigur Put so the Syr. the Arab. of Antioch Made but the other Arab. reades it Brought All agreeable both to the signification of the word Muggash of Nagash To drawe neare Or To come neare that which is offred it Drawes neare unto God and to the use of Incensing Onely the Vulg. Lat. translates it Sacrificed but improperly Yet the popish interpreters make use of that translation for their purpose in the interpreting of the next words of the Sacrifice of the Masse though without reason as wee shall see And a pure Offering This I say the Pontificians interpret of the Masse for say they the word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minhha signifies specially that offering of fine flower Levit. 2.1 which was say they a type of the Eucharist But I Mincha doth not alwayes signify a sacrifice as wee shall see afterwards And. 2. The words of the Prophet cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally bee understood of the Masse for the popish Priests doe not offer Fine flower and oyle and frankincense which goe all to the making of this Mincha of which see the place Levit. 2.1.2 and Maimon Tr. de Sacrif cap. 13. s 5. And for farther answer to this interpretation see the following commentary fully together with Chemnit Examen parte 2ª lib. 6. de Missa arg 8. There are diverse other interpretations The roote of this Hebr. word is Manahh an Arabique verbe signifying To give and Minhha is any solemne gift or present To man as Genes 32.13 Iacob tooke Mincha a present for Esau So Genes 43.11.1 Sum. 10.27 and 2 Sam 8.6 The Syrians became servants to David brought gifts He. Mincha gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But especially it is a present or gift to God which when it is of cattel it is called Korban and when of things inanimate as flower cakes wafers c. it is called Mincha So Gen. 4 3. Cain brought of the fruite of the ground Mincha an offring to the Lord. But most strictly it signified those particular kindes of meate offerings mentioned Lev. 2. There were five kinds of thē in that Chapter and among them that of fine flower which was to be offred every morning and evening Exod. 29.38.39.40.41 This Mincha was primarily a figure of Christs Oblation who gave himselfe for an offering to God for us Eph. 5.2 So Heb. 10.5 c. The Apostle openeth the 40th Psalme A type of Christ but not of the Eucharist Secondly it figured the persons of Christians who through Christ are sanctifyed to bee pure Oblations to God Prophecyed of Esa 66.20 The Gentiles shall bee brought for an offring Mincha to the Lord. To which place or rather to this of the Prophet Malachy the Apostle seemes to allude Rom. 15.16 where hee calls the convrtsion of the Gentiles through the Gospell An oblation or offering or Sacrificing of the Gentiles unto God in which respect also hee calls his preaching a Sacrifice as Erasmus reades it also Sacrificans Evangelium Though the phrase be obscure Hugo's interpretation here was of the Proselytes who should be an offring to the Lord to the Temple Ex omni loco from every place But it is not so in the Text but In every place And this sense agrees better with the conversion of us the Gentiles Thirdly it figured the fruites of grace and good works particularly Prayer The Iewish interpeters say this pure offering is meant of the prayers of the holy Iewes every were disperst So the Chalde paraphrase I will receive your prayers and it shall bee like a pure offering before mee But the place speakes of the Gentiles Therefore it is that Tertullian occasionally and Vatabl. and Calvin ad Loc. understand it of Christians their performing of worship to God in the dueties of holinesse and love Hence dueties of love are called Sacrifices Hebr.
his Church with a more speciall and excellent love than he loves either all creatures or all mankind So here Doctr. Amos 3.2 Exod. 19.5 Now therefore if yee will heare my voice indeed and keepe my Covenant then yee shall be my chiefe treasures above all people though all the earth be mine where the learned take the word to signifie a people of a precious treasure The Septuag read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peculiar people Tit. 2.14 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est thesaurus prae aliis electus and so it is more excellent and more deare and precious in Gods sight these were for themselves and the Type of others Hence is that 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people Things elected are more specially loved hence are those comparisons to set forth this love that he is the Head of his Members the Father of his Children the Husband of his Wife The Members are better affected than excrements the Children than servants the Wife without comparison as himselfe is one flesh Because love Reas 1 precious and excellent love is discerned by the things which proceed from love that are given and bestowed upon the beloved for he loves who bestowes meate and drinke and apparell but he more that provides land inheritance Non tam à veris rebus somnia superantur quà m haec terrena ab aeternis illis absunt Chrysost da. virg and layes up treasure and gives knowledge and education The servant is provided for the Child much more so the things God gives being more excellent spirituall Salvation things belonging to it but to others earthly things onely 1 Cor. 9.11 There is a three-fold state of man as Divines speake of him Esse bene esse optimum esse First naturae secondly gratiae thirdly gloriae The first of generall love the two last of speciall love which being those God gives his and his onely then is it with a more speciall love he loves them Because it is more constant and perpetuall Reas 2 for the generall love of mankind is terminated not with the Sunne and Moone onely but with their breaths they part with their lives and his love together but theirs is for ever and then specially is manifested when life is ended That in life was but a pledge and earnest of the other a penny to one hundred pound or an Angell to a thousand pound a bargaine of it Because in generall love onely sua dat Reas 3 his blessings and outward benefits but in speciall se dat he gives himselfe Hosea 2.19 Now as that of Samuel is true 1 Sam. 15.22 Obedience is better than sacrifice because in obedience a man gives himselfe to God but in sacrifice he gives but of his as Cain of the fruit of the ground Abel of the first of his sheepe and of the fattest of them so in this This should provoke every one to labour for this love Vse 1 being so speciall and so excellent rare things are deare and desired the more rare the more deare and more desired but when they are rare and excellent very precious then most of all such is this love But how may we get this Labour to be his and his children and Church so we all are But he is not a Jew that is one outward But how may we know that we are his and have love How doe commonly men know they have the generall love and whence is their generall bragge of it If they have the fruits of his love peace prosperity riches c. So in this if they have spirituall graces as true saving knowledge faith sanctification love meeknesse zeale which are the fruits of his speciall love Eccles 9.1 No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before us They are things within us which must manifest that to us for these then must we labour that we may know we have it This must teach every one to be more thankfull for this than he or others would be for the generall Vse 2 the thankfulnesse is to answer his love with obedience to heare and obey Exod. 19.5 Now therefore if ye will heare my voice indeed and keepe my Covenant then ye shall be my chiefe treasures above all people though all the earth be mine The fruits of the generall love of God will require this and the more fruits the more obedience He that hath received something though with the least owes the most he can doe how much more he that hath more houour credit riches c. Ought to performe more obedience be more zealous religious holy as August Surgunt indocti coelum rapiunt c. If for these common blessings and love how much more for the fruits of speciall love and it If to whom much of them much in the former how much more in this and of such as have his speciall love he looks for obedience and honour wherein is their thankfulnesse The Courtier that is advanced above others ought to be more respective of the Prince and his will and with more care and cheerefulnesse performe all obedience and the duty of his place than others He that hath his life liberty and living given unto him when all was lost if he shall not if he should not respect him every tongue would be ready to condemne him But if he should be made heire to the Crowne if his issue faile or hee have no child then more So in this and this not being nothing wil more prove that they are not that they would seeme to be and that they have not that they braggeon This is matter of comfort to as many as are indeed his Vse 3 beloved of him they may be sure they shall lack nothing that is needfull and good for them for if he love them thus specially as his owne God is faithfull to provide for his owne for as Rom. 8.32 who spared not his owne sonne but gave him for us all to death how shall he not with him give us all things also how much more readily will he give us other things when he hath given us himselfe and hath married us to himselfe Will a father see his child to want will a husband let his wife want when he is rich and able if they should yet will not God Isaiah 49.15 Can a woman forget her child and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will I not forget thee therefore they may best have their conversation without care or covetousnesse they need not sweare or deceive for gaine oppresse or offer injury to provide for themselves they need not prophane the Lords day nor use unlawfull meanes to lay up for another time to come for hee that doth so specially love them and hath laid up so great things for them and given them the pledges of them already and the earnest of such infinite things how will not he take care of them to provide necessaries for them He that in
upon them with indignation and wrath the wrath it self is heavy the messenger of death what when such a thunder shall bring such horrible haile Be admonished then you wicked ones great and small he respects not persons and do not make sport of your sins thinke not when God shall come to judgement your riches or honours will beare it out for not as he is a Judge much lesse as he is an irefull one and full of wrath and comes with indignation will he be abused For ever The continuance and perpetutity of Gods wrath upon the wicked it is not for a while but for ever The punishments and judgments of the wicked Doctrine though often long in comming they are alwayes long in continuance they are utter and perpetuall destructions So here for ever Isa 27.7 8. Psal 37.18 19 20. Jer. 30.11 Mich. 7.10 And as in this life much more in that to come Jude vers 13. Math. 25. Because they have hearts Reason 1 that cannot repent nor remove the cause of these judgments their sinnes These then cleaving fast to them Rom. 2.5 no marvell though the other be fastened upon them Because justice requires to punish proportionably their sinnes are infinit Reason 2 not in time not in quantity yet in relation of person sins increase by the person committing and against whom as in our State the same offence against the King is great then against another man This Vse 1 as the former teacheth a manifest and smoother difference betwixt the correction of the good and the punishments of the wicked when one is temporary the other perpetuall and eternall here and after with his he deales onely in the branches with the wicked in the roots his are as vines the other as bryers and thornes The husbandmen though they set the fire often to the thornes and use the axe to the rooting and stocking of them up yet to the vines doe they never sometimes they unbare the root and use a pruning knife to prune and purge them that they may abide still in the Vineyard and bring forth fruit To teach us to see the folly of the wicked Vse 2 and not to imitate their practise in sin for their pleasure seeing their judgments are thus Job 21.6 Rev. 2.27 Not to envy their prosperity or be offended with their flourishing estate Vse 3 vide Mich. 7.10 ult VERSE V. And your eyes shall see it and yee shall say The Lord will be magnified upon the border of Israel ANd your eyes shall see it The second witnes of Gods judgments upon Edom the Church her eyes should see it these God cals to give testimony of it and that they should bee witnesses without exception he sayth they should see for one eye witnes is more then ten others for it is a sence nothing so soone deceived as the hearing by it wee judge more certainely that is I have said it it shall be most certainely my threatnings shall not bee in vaine for your eyes shall see it which unlesse I make my word good cannot bee and thou shalt be a witnesse that thou mayst see when no such thing is befallen thee that then I love thee Seeing after the Hebrew is put for seeing with pleasure and delight when or because that comes to passe we wished So here and Mich. 7.10 Psal 54.7 35.21 To this not to the second sentence some adde The border of Israel and read from the border not upon and so it is they being safe in their own coast and borders should thence behold the judgment of God so manifest and perspicuous they should be in the ruine and overthow of the wicked The judgments God threatens against the wicked Doctr. hee certainly performs his decrees for justice and punishment are as certaine as for mercy and blessings So here and Numb 23.19 God is not a man that he should lye neither the sonne of man that hee should repent hath he said and shall he not doe it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good 1 Sam. 15.29 And also the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent Hosea 13.14 Matth. 24.35 Isa 14.24 Because he is without all change himself Reas 1 therefore his decrees Mal. 3.6 Gen. 1.17 For he and his word are all one Because he cannot be resisted Isa 46.10 Rom. 9.19 Reas 2 For then he should not be omnipotent but another as strong and mighty as he but he is and none like him The Church and Children of God Doctrine may rejoyce at the destruction and fall of their enemies Mich. 7.10 As God will have testimony from the wicked Doctrine of his judgements so especially will he have his Church and Children witnesses of them So here Therefore did he in the sight of Israel lay so many plagues and judgments upon Aegypt Pharaoh and his people and his finall destruction in their sight they standing upon the shoare he and his Host drowning in the Sea Exod. 14. Hence is it Psal 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked and Psal 97.8 Sion heard and was glad and the daughters of Judah rejoyced because of thy judgments O Lord. Mich. 7.10 Because they might feare Reas 1 and be affected with them to grow better and to restraine and reforme their wayes by them If the judgments of men must effect such a thing in them Deut. 13.11 much more the judgments of God And if the hearing of them more the sight for this affecteth more as to pitty and compassion to joy and gladnesse to anger and wrath so to sorrow and dislike Because they might magnifie and praise him his wisedome Reas 2 power justice as here for though he wring it from the wicked where it seemes to be without partiality as not this yet is this farre more acceptable to him their praises as their prayers for they are done willingly cheerefully sincerely all which he loves Besides they are from those he loves and so the things better affected To teach every one that is Gods Vse what is his duty what he ought to doe namely not to shut his eyes at the judgments of God but to open them wide and to behold all his judgments It is the part of children to observe all the workes of their fathers that they may imitate some and admire others love them for some and feare them for others yea their workes whether they touch themselves or their fellow-brethren or the hired servants so is it the part of Gods children to observe all his workes his meeknesse mercifulnesse goodnesse patience and long suffering to admire them to imitate his bounty care providence and riches in benefits towards them to love him his judgments to feare him If upon their brethren to know they must looke for the same as they hope for the goods and blessings so expect the evill and correction If upon hirelings
the vally shall picke it out and the young Eagles shall eate it And if the King must be well thought of Eccle. 10.20 how the parent to whom our affection naturally is more Chams curse came in part for his unreverent thought towards his Father Gen. 19. Because God hath made them reverent Reas 1 in that he hath communicated unto them part of his excellency and dignity now then as a man cannot endure to see so much as his picture or image lightly regarded and not set by but cast at the heels of those who ought to reverence it so God who regardeth the heart and inward affection as much or much more then the outward action cannot abide to see any sparke of his own image despised or any unreverent thought conceived of those whom he hath graced with extraordinarie dignitie of excellency or authoritie Because they ought to love them Reas 2 and if they doe love them they cannot disdaine them nor despise them For 1 Cor 13.5 Love disdaineth not Because else outward reverence is unsound Reas 3 fained counterfeite when the inward is wanting as the inward is lame maymed and unperfect without the outward To teach every child to see his sinne Vse 1 even every one of us for who can say that his heart is cleane that hath had naturall parents living when he had use of reason to whom though he have given outward respect reverence for some sinister respect for feare or shame or gaine of the rod the world or hope of some better portion yet he hath had many disdainefull and despising thoughts of his parents which if they were disliked and resisted were the lesse sinne but not checked in them they have proved the seed and spawn of many outward corruptions unreverences toward them yea of much disobedience and dishonouring of them for as the mouth speaketh of the abundance of the heart so the eye looketh scornefully or the tongue speaketh disdainfully or the whole outward cariage is disloyall when the heart is so corrupted for Chams dishonouring his father to his bretheren rose from the disdaining of him in his heart in secret But if it hath not broken out to this but either grace hath subdued it or worldly respect hath made us smother it yet must it be put upon the account among our sinnes when we humble our selves before the Lord for them to get a discharge of these as well as others To teach every childe Vse 2 to whom God hath given that comfort that he hath parents both or one to labour for all good and reverent affection towards them to honor them in his heart and inwardly to have all honourable estimation of them for the Lord he lookes into the heart and this he requires as the other and by all meanes labours against the contrary and that which is condemned of God which will make them contemne the counsells and advice of their Parents whose persons they disdaine in their hearts and take every thing from them in the worse part and so make their whole government unprofitable unto them Besides the feare of Gods curse threatned Prov. 30. as he well said he was a sinner with a witnesse whom the Holy Ghost gave witnesse against so he is accursed with a witnesse whom the Holy Ghost so accurseth for it saith Tremel God will condemne and bring that person to some evill end or other who shall scorne and disdaine his Parents for his curses are not threatnings alone but inflictions not denouncings but performance This were a good caveat to be written upon the doores of young mens and womens hearts to banish and keepe out unreverent and scornefull thoughts of their Parents and a sitter Posie to be written upon the walls of Parents than the vaine inventions of Poets and Painters The second is outward reverence both in word and carriage towards them Children Doctr. sonnes and daughters must outwardly reverence their Parents that is in behaviour and speech give them all reverent respect in gesture and such titles as are due unto them For if inward more outward seeing the contrary is more offence to them who take notice of it more griefe to their Parents that see and heare them Here to belongs that Prov. 30.11 There is a generation that curseth their father and hath not blessed their mother and that he speaketh of the eye verse 17. shewes that in the whole outward man is required reverence Hence was the blessing of Shem and Japhet Gen. 9.23 26 27. Hence was the excuse of Rachel Gen. 31.35 and the practice of Solomon 1 King 2.19 20. Besides those in the former point this may confirme it Reason because they have their bodies whole and parts from them made of their seed framed in her wombe nursed and nourished up by them then ought they by the whole and parts to doe them all the reverence they possibly can To teach every one to see his sins past or present Vse 1 when they have beene in this marvellous defective nay doing the contrary little reverence in gesture and speech to their Parents short of that it should have beene nay often carrying disdainfull eyes disloyall and despightfull tongues the sinnes of our youth in this respect to be repented of The cause with many why they are despised and want this outward reverence of theirs God using this retribution because they have done so yea and when they have children of yeares to discerne such things who see them unreverently use their Parents both in gesture and speech both with looks and words who teach them how to use theirs while they let them see how they use theirs Yea divers Parents my selfe have beene an eye-witnes of some who teach their children when they are young not onely to disdaine others but themselves the father teaching the child to scoffe or miscall his mother and delight in it which falls out justly that they keepe the sent of this liquor and when they are elder so despise and contemne them But if now when they finde such things from theirs it is good to call to mind their owne sinnes and to think that they thus use me for I have used mine the like and yet never repented of it To perswade every child as before to labour to give them all reverence both in his word and carriage Vse 2 to thinke it little enough to reverence them with the whole and every part which they received from him Let none thinke this is needlesse or too much curiosity to stand upon such things they acknowledge them their Parents and respect them somewhat what need all this for this must be done and not greater things neglected Nonnunquā in parvâ deterius quà m in majori culpâ peccatur major enim culpa quo citiùs agnoscitur cò etiam celeriùs emendatur minor verò dum quasi nulla creditur eò pejor est quo securiùs in usu retinetur Greg. and the sinnes of children in this kind are in
some sort greater than those in the other of greater note For as a man sometimes sinnes worse in a small than in a greater fault for the greater by how much the sooner 'tis acknowledged 't is quicklier mended but the lesser while 't is counted almost none at all is therefore worse because we more securely lived in it So of this particular though disobedience and want of reverence differ in themselves yet is unreverence thus the greater because it is accounted as none and men lye very secure in it Therefore ought men to avoid it and strive against it both because they are forbidden and because as a little wound neglected will fester to a great one so this unreverence accustomed will breake out to a greater contempt and disobedience and if Christ make him culpable of sinne that saith but Raka to his equall and him of hell-fire which calleth him Foole Matth. 5.20 what shall he be worthy of that calleth his Parents so and useth them most unreverently And if 2 Kings 2.23 24. Children that mockt the Prophet were torne with Beares how shall such things escape a judgment They shall not for that of Solomon shall be true Prov. 30.17 The outward reverence must not stand in signes and words onely but as 1 John 3.18 speaks of love My little children let us not love in words neither in tongue but in deed and in truth So say we of this this reverence must appeare in our actions and this will part it selfe into obedience and subjection for the first so much Children Doctrine sonnes and daughters must not onely give inward and outward reverence in thoughts and words but they must obey them as Christ sheweth by his condemning of the sonne who obeyed not Matth. 21.30 Hence are the Commandements Coll. 3.20 Children obey your Parents in all things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord in all lawfull things as the like 1 Cor. 9.22 To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some as farre as I may lawfully not seeking my owne profit 1 Cor. 10.33 even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saved in all lawfull things not seeking his owne profit preferring the pleasing of them before it the opposition being betwixt his and their pleasure and profit not betwixt their profit and pleasing of God So in this not betweene Parents and God but their will and their Parents shewing that the sonne is not to obey his Father in what he will and liketh but he is simply bound in all things though never so dislike to him so they be not displeasing to God Hence is the Commandement but with some limitation Ephes 6.1 Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right The Lord when he commends the Rechabites Jer. 35. doth shew this thing as a duty Because it is a thing well pleasing the Lord Reas 1 Coloss 3.20 so pleasing as that his owne obedience is more acceptable with it and without it he will not like of his owne at all as appeareth Matth. 15.5 6. But ye say whosoever shall say to his father or mother it is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me and honour not his father or his mother he shall be free thus have ye made the Commandement of God of none effect by your tradition And undoubtedly he that preferred pitty and mercy to men before sacrifice doth much account of piety towards Parents Because if not in all things but where they please Reas 2 and according to their owne will then they preferre themselves before their Parents indeed obey not their father but themselves As they who love others from whom they looke for good doe not love them but themselves so in this therefore is it that they must endeavour to obey in all things unpleasing To reprove all disobedience that is found in Children of all sorts to their Parents young and elder and all ages Vse 1 If the Law Deuter. 21.18 19 20 21. were now in force alas how many Parents should long before this be bereaved of all some of divers of their children because not onely negligence is to be found and omission but in many apparent contempts upon whom the Law was to take hold See your sinnes and forsake them O children else know that if the former shall not goe unpunished lesse this and if such punishments for that more for this And know you that if you have or may have children and live to that God shall make them revenge your Parents quarrell and contempt to bring you to repentance or to punish you for it and the more securely you now contemne the admonitions of the Ministers the more sharply shall God then punish you and the more piercing shall it then be unto your Soules Let this then admonish every childe to give obedience to his fathers commandements Vse 2 whatsoever they are not only when they are pleasing to him but even how crosse soever they be to his liking doing his fathers will not his own being affected in regard of his earthly father as Christ was of his heavenly John 6.38 For I came downe from heaven not to doe my owne will but the will of him that sent mee and therefore was contented to breake himselfe of his owne will rather then to crosse his fathers will Math. 26.39 so must they To obey them in things that are pleasing and profitable unto them liking them well enough is not so commendable because they may be led with these respects rather then duty or love but in things difficult and hard crossing their will and affections is a double obedience and shall receive a greater reward Therefore endevour thus to obey them and God in them it is not his will of permission but of command wherein Gods law is broken if they be disobedient And not so onely but he will reject all service done to them when they neglect that they owe to theirs so that he will be deafe to their prayers contemn their service his eyes shall be shut to their miseries they may pray he will not heare stretch out long hands he will not regard yea cry to him yet will he not accept if the sighes of thy father and teares of thy mother come up before God for thy rebellions towards them thinke that thy prayers shall little be accepted of God Num. 16. If Moses his words to God for the rebellion of Corah before God made not onely their sacrifice unacceptable but brought a curse upon them think of it and take heed of the like But some in this matter may doubt and for it object and question thus Pomand 17. First what if God commanded one thing and mens parent another It is answered thou must then answer with the Apostles Act. 5.29 We ought to obey God rather then Man or
without good ground or manner may not this be seen by that of Isaac submitting himselfe to his father to cut him at his pleasure Gen. 22. yea of Israel to be circumcised and of Christ to his mother Luke 2.48 49 Because by this they shew wisdome Prov. 13.1 Reas 1 A wise sonne heareth his fathers instruction but a scorner heareth not rebuke and they get and increase wisdome Prov. 29.15 The rod and reproofe give wisedome but a child left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame for they learne to avoid the like sinnes and to escape greater stroaks from their father That which gets wisdome must be submitted to Reas 2 because by it they prevent greater destruction and bring to salvation They are called The way of life Prov. 6.23 wholesome things though bitter To prevent greater evill and bring health we easily submit our selves to the Physitians hand to receive Because they come from love Prov. 13.24 Reas 3 For those men love not or they hate in effect under affection those they correct not To reprove the stubborne and stiffe-necked children of our age who repine at their fathers reproofe Vse 1 their hearts ready to swell against them if they check them for their carriage specially when they are of some few yeares they will frowne as long as their Parents can doe They imagine they know how to carry themselves well enough yea better than their Parents and often give them word for word or mutter and murmure marvellously against them the cause being not onely want of grace in their owne hearts but the omission of correction and the rod when they were younger because they did not correct them betime Many Parents like Eli neglecting the rod when they were young cockering of them that they get such heads when they are growne that they will not beare the rod and better nothing at all by their reproofes but they live often to see their perishing as Eli did his sonnes Whereas if they be duely and maturely used to the rod and correction they will be nothing so audacious and in the end a word shall doe more with them than many stripes To teach children to give honour unto their Parents Vse 2 in submitting themselves to their reproofes and correction Wisdome will make them take them from others who are farre off when it may be doubtfull with what minde they doe it how much more from Parents of whose love they cannot doubt It is profitable saith Chrysostome Ho. 27. ad pop A. to have many admonishers and keepers many reprovers is profitable because as a beast that is hunted and set on of all sides cannot escape so shall not a sinne or vice but when such as are so nigh us who see in secret and open it is farre better But we could beare it if there were cause and we had deserved it but when they doe it without cause as we thinke unjustly that is it which makes us repine First know that the Physitian sees often more than the Patient so doth the Parent But if yet there be no cause the Apostle shews yet we should submit And we should consider as Hierome would have Salvina to judge of his reproofe that it was ex abundantia amoris and it is his cujus votum est te nescire quae metuit Besides it is more thanke worthy when a man can in such cases suppresse the rising and swelling of his impatient and corrupt nature onely for conscience of the commandement for here being some conflict betwixt his word and our will he taketh tryall of our obedience who hath simply commanded subjection in this kind to children which is to bee obeyed as that thou shalt not steale Therefore should every one endeavour to it and thinke it is the part of a good childe to kisse the rod that beates as the hand that gives The second thing wherein their subjection is required and submission is for their calling and education Children must submit themselves unto their Parents Doctrine to what calling they shall thinke fit to bring them up in and to So did Samuel to his Mother he yeelded to her to be set apart for the service of God and to be brought up to it 1 Sam. 1.28 For that which she gave he performed So David submitted himself to his father to be a shepherd and some of his brethren souldiers So Christ was disposed of by his Parents when he was fit to teach others and for another manner of worke Luke 2.46 yet he went and was subject to them and in the same trade verse 51. and Marke 6.3 Justin Martyr thinkes so 't was likely the wisedome of God to blind the wicked and hide him from their eyes Then as 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also to walke even as hee walked so for this particular Because they in all reason are far better able to judge of them Reas 1 and their parts and gifts what they are fit for and wherein they are most like to give them most comfort and glorifie God and profit themselves then they can of themselves That same borrowed speech Psal 127.4 5. As arrowes are in the hand of a mighty man so are Children of the youth happie is the man that hath his quiver full of them they shall not be ashamed but they shall speake with the enemies in the gate seemes to insinuate somewhat they are as arrowes of divers heads some fit for one marke some for another he hath them in his hand and knows best which is fit for which Bcause they are not in their owne power but his Reas 2 while they live in his house and government but part of his substance therefore the Devill smote not Jobs wife as part of himselfe but his children as part of his substance and temporall goods 't is equall then he should have the disposition of his children not themselves or others It shall appeare that he may dispose of them in Marriages Reas 3 and not any other nor themselves which is then when they are of more yeares and grown of greater discretion in the world more when they are younger and without experience To reprove the sinnes of many Children Vse 1 who sometime without asking consent if denyed doe dispose of themselves at their owne pleasure in what calling they like as if their parents had no power over them as if they onely knew what was fit for themselves and their parents wanted the wit and experience they have to dispose of them for the best the cause of many miscarrying of them and not prospering in their profession because they went not to it the right way only led by their affection without judgement not knowing what God had fitted them for nor regarding their parents whom God had set over them for that purpose whence often the curse of God is upon them that they prosper not in such courses or if by the indulgence of God they prosper that their parents see not
their ruine yet when they are dead their sinne living not repented of they are requited often in the same kinde againe as they did to their Parents so their children doe to them yea often not without them but farre worse courses then they tooke The third thing wherein their subjection is required and submission is for their portion and childes part Children must submit themselves unto their parents Doctr. in receiving their provision and portion and be content with that they have provided and allotted unto them whether in their life or at death not being their owne carvers nor sharing it out as they list The Prodigall sonne amongst much evils is noted to bee free from this to share himselfe but was content his fathers portion whereas his elder brother though free from many other evils yet is blotted with this Luke 15.12 29. It is commended in the sonnes of Abraham that they in this thing submitted themselves At least no contrary thing is manifested of them Gen. 25.5 6. As Adoniah is reproved for usurping the kingdome and making his fathers will for him not content with his portion so is it the commendations of the rest of Davids children that they were content with their portions and never murmured that Solomon not the eldest but the son of Davids age had the kingdome given him of his father Kings 1. The rest of the Patriarkes are not recorded to be malecontent that Joseph had a double portion among them Because they must thinke Reas 1 they discerne better of their own estate and what they are able to afford every one out of the stocke while they live and they maintaine an honest and comely state as before and at their deaths how that they have gathered will part it selfe to them so some portion be for God good uses and other thing necessary Because the father best knows them and with lesse partiality then themselves Reas 2 who hath beene to him the best childe and who have more grace in them according to which he may deale and dispose As did Isaac to Jacob Jacob to Joseph a double portion all the other taynted with some grosse sinne for their goods they may and ought to dispose of according to grace and vertue which makes the youngest the eldest and so è contra Because they are able best to discern Reas 3 who is like to doe more good to Church Common wealth and see in some one more hope then in another and if he so dispose they must be content To reprove al discontented children not content with the portion the father hath set out for them Vse 1 neither living nor dead but murmuring at the dealing of his father as if his were lesse the other too much as the Prodigall sonnes elder brother or as Adoniah making choise of his own portion and if they have not the allowance they would have they think they may come by it as they can and whatsoever they get from their father they thinke it well gotten and but of their own and no sin But see what the holy Ghost sayth Pro. 28.24 who so robbeth his father or his mother and saith it is no transgression the same is a companion of a destroyer making such a sonne a companion and cozen german to a murtherer At his death and in his sicknesse if either they be privy to his will or guesse by his affection in his health that that will not fall to their portion they desire to helpe to shorten his dayes and hasten his end he shall heare newes that they have shar'd for themselves as Adoniah after his death many a sonne shewes himselfe gracelesse telling abroad every where how unkindely his father dealt with him that his portion was so small not remembring in the course of common society de absentibus mortuis nil nisi bonum much more for parents whose infirmities must be covered being living more dead neither remembring how little they deserved at their fathers hands or how unkindely they used him in respect of others or how little hope they gave him that they would use that well he should leave them and by it be profitable to God or man Church or Common-wealth To teach every child to be content with the portion his father sets out for him living or dead whether more or lesse Vse 2 equall or inferiour to others imputing somewhat and not a little to his fathers wisdome knowing his owne ability seeing their present graces or their future hopes somewhat looking at home how dutifull he hath beene in comparison of others how little deserving what little grace and so lesse goods And if his father seeme not to have dealt so equally yet it is his duty to suspect his owne wisdome rather than his fathers to accuse his owne demerits yea to cover it in every place and every way shewing himselfe contented If Jacob see good cause to disinherit Reuben and to passe by Simeon and Levi and leave the Lordship to Judahs hand yea if he shall skip over Dan and Asher and the rest till he come to Joseph from the eldest of all to the youngest or state one and bestow the double portion on him and his the rest must not be discontented with his distribution but give him leave to doe with his owne as he list honouring him thus yea and using his portion left thee for his honour for increase and advantage as the Talents that the world may judge of the justice and uprightnesse of thy fathers getting of his goods The fourth thing in this submission is to be disposed of for their marriages and matching It is the duty of children to submit themselves to their Parents in their matches and marriages Doctr. to be given and taken in marriages this is a part of their honour for the Scripture gives this authority to the parents to bestow them as is proved Deut. 7.3 1 Cor. 7.38 yea to break them Exod. 22.16 17. then must they and ought to be subject Besides the examples of all good children who have thus submitted themselves And exempla sanctorum pro regulis sunt ubi deest regula vel contraria non datur Isaac submitted to Abraham Gen. 24.3 Jacob to Isaac Gen. 28.1 2. Sampson to his parents Judg. 14.1 Rahel and Leah to their father Laban Gen. 29.19 yea even prophane and wicked have in some sort done it Ismael Gen. 21.21 Shechem Hamors sonne Gen. 34.3.6 Because this is to honour them Reas 1 when they thinke them wiser and better able to provide for them than themselves whose advice if they must submit themselves to for their calling and portion more for this when they are led commonly by the heate of affection to the liking of the person onely when there are many other things as necessary to concurre as that as religion honesty of kindred good report equality and such like all which is rarely found in youth to be so duely respected as parents by their experience respect and are able to
discerne Because he may not dispose of the goods of his father without him Reas 2 not sell his land or alienate any thing from him but as he will dispose how then himselfe This reproveth those children that dispose themselves without their parents consent Vse 1 prey upon their right intangle and contract themselves yea and consummate marriages they not witting yea unwilling or by some necessity forced to shew some willingnesse which is the cause of so many untoward uncleane and polluted families and prophane succession as other times can witnesse so too many presidents in our dayes For as when children are compelled to match against their wills and where they have just occasion of exception for some sinister respect the parents have there follows much uncleannesse and impiety so when without the parents consent and not of their providing but they are their owne choosers shewing where parents consent is wanting there Gods blessing is away yea where parents consent is not there is Gods curse as in Esau and his posterity in Judah taking his Hoasts daughter Gen. 38.2 having Er and Onan such as God would not endure to live but slew them himselfe Yea that may also be seene Gen. 6.2 in the sonnes of Seth the Church which matched with cursed Chams seed of themselves without parents consent had such a wretched posterity This thing then is reproofe-worthy yea damnable in children without repentance parents are often causes of it and that first to some it is Gods retribution because they so served and abused their parents Secondly because they give such liberty to their daughters to wander as Dinah and so Ezek. 23.3 their brests come to be pressed and the teats of their virginity bruised or else their affections by often meeting are so intangled and inflamed as the fathers threats will not loose it nor the mothers teares cannot quench it It was not so Prov. 30.18 19. it should not be so Hierom to Demetr Epist 8.11 would not have Virgins alone solae sine matre for in a flocke of Doves the Kite often will prey upon one when they are abroad and it is a scabbed sheep that loves wandring and leaves the fold Thirdly because parents doe not take and use their right and provide for them in due time mates fit for them which makes them provide for themselves not without sinne but greatly sinning yet the parents partakers of it and oftentimes of much shame and griefe as it was with Tamar Gen. 38.26 But howsoever one mans sinne cannot excuse another nor yet the parents the childs sinne nor will not exempt them from the curse of God when they thus match to the griefe of their parents and the shortening of their dayes and life by whom they received life and should have their lives continued and lengthened To instruct children to be subject to their parents Vse 2 knowing what power they have over them to guide their choyce that without them they may not chuse and if they chuse for them they cannot without great cause and just exception stray themselves from liking smaller things they must endeavour to overcome they must not suffer themselves to be entangled by some who seeke by kind usage of them to steale away their hearts from their parents for their daughters to advance them as is the manner of some wretched and unconscionable men As Usurers get their fathers inheritance from them by feeding them with money so they must not set their affections by fervency of society and company upon others without parents and where never like to give allowance They ought to remember this is the fathers right to choose to dispose of them not onely in the generall but for the particular person But what if he be farre off and cannot see If he give thee liberty duely asking it of him he hath given his right from himselfe as Isaac to Jacob Gen. 28. But what if he upon some sinister respect deferre and passe the flower of her age I answer then hath God ordained the Magistrate as for their punishment so for their reliefe who is not to be sought to but when most urgent necessity requireth when the opposition stands betwixt Marriage and burning because that reveales the fathers fault and bewrayes his or her infirmity But what if he tender a match out of the Church a Papist or such like Then must the Child refuse with reverence not disposing of himselfe for as it were sinne to yeeld so the other is sinne to make choyce of himselfe But what if another that is not so religious and so fervent a lover of the Truth as is to be wished No direct deny all is lawfull but a wise delaying and a discreet gaining of time to sollicite God with their prayers who hath the heart of their Parents in his hand and to intreate them by mediation of best friends who if they can be diverted it is well if not I know no warrant a Child hath to deny his fathers choyce though he thinke and it may be he might choose better and he may looke for a blessing from God if in duty he thus submit himselfe to his Parents The last part of this honour is thankfulnesse which Children must performe to their Parents Children must performe all thankfulnesse unto their Parents Doctrine that is helpe them when they need and in age when their state and bodies are decayed and to be eyes and leggs and limbs unto them and to administer liberally according to their state and ability to them as they did to them when they were young and when yet they had nothing nor knew not how to get any thing that this is a part of honour Christ sheweth Math. 15.4 5 6. some thinke that of Psal 128.3 when children are made Olive plants not Olives onely and Olive branches which was a signe of peace so they to make peace and love betwixt their parents but plants such as might stand under them underprop and uphold them in their weaknesse and thus verily have good Children honoured their parents so did the sons of Jacob Gen. 42.1 2. so did Joseph Gen. 47.12 so did Ruth though but a daughter in law To this purpose Paul forbids that the Church should be burthened with widowes but their children Nephews ought to maintain them 1 Tim. 5.4 Because else he should not onely be unnaturall Reas 1 but unjust when the father by his speciall care for him and the mother by her prayers bearing and carrying of him watching with him lending eyes and legs and limbes to him feeding and nourishing of him deserveth it All which they the better deserve if they have children with whom they have the like labour and endeavour now justice requires to pay debt due and deserved Because they had forme from them as body and members and limbes Reas 2 so their education their trade their stocke and portion or both whereby they are that they are by the blessing of God reason then they relieve and maintaine
them by it if their need require This reproves many gracelesse children Vse 1 who never perform any such duty unto their parents specially if they stand in need of them indeed but if they be base poor will hardly acknowledge them as thinking it their reproach and shame not forgetting but disdaining the rock whereout they were hewed the pit whereout they were taken or if they doe releeve them or be kind unto them it is either because they have yet somewhat to give and bestow which till it be gotten they use them kindly yea if many children they strive which should shew most kindnesse but once gotten made over to them they set them light and turne them out some making their parents complaine to authority against them or if they keep them decayed they make them drudge as servants they set them with the Hyndes some so gracelesse as they complaine they are a burthen unto them the best of them never tendering them as they did them nor maintaining them as they are able neither answerable to their former condition nor their owne present and some driving them away and not affording any entertainment of releefe to these and such like we apply that of Solomon Prov. 19.26 He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mather is asonne that causeth shame and bringeth reprovach and so esteem of them as God hath marked them To teach Children to performe all thankefulnesse to their parents Vse 1 if they live to be able and they to stand in need of them if they be never so base be not ashamed of them but remember the time was when thou wast naked and needy and not only had nothing but if thou hadst had all the world couldst not have had helpe but by them or some in steed of them And yet they covered thy nakednesse were not ashamed of thy infirmities carryed thee in their armes and nourished thee carefully Suppose and consider where thou hadst been if they had neglected thee thinke how many nights without sleepe and dayes without rest they spent about thee when thou wast young or weake or sicke see how love made all their labour light and all their charges as it were a gaine unto them And if thou hast any true naturall affection in thee thou wilt thinke nothing too much for them But feed and nourish them at thy table with thy morsell and cup carry and sustaine them in their weakenes and infirmitie yea though they should live as long or longer in infirmities and wants then thou wast of them there are some birds saith Basill who feed their dams as long as they fed them and carryed them how much more Christian Children oftentimes when thy father is dead his garment or his ring is deare to thee this thou carriest upon thy finger and wouldst not lose it for any thing think how should his body when he is living S. Aug. de Civ D. lib. 1. or if thou see others so esteeme them apply it to thy selfe and give them their whole honour or else looke for the shortning of thy daies and for the like recompence from thine His Father Having seene the duty we must proceede now to the parties to whom this duty and honour is to be performed to the father and parents as their parents authors of their being or at least instruments of their being God being Principall Children must performe all these duties this honour to their parents all their life long nothing will free them from them Doctrine nor dispence with the neglect and omission no greatnesse nor excellency themselves may come to no state nor condition of theirs neither want infirmity and imperfection of theirs This is manifest by the example of Joseph the second in the kingdome of Aegypt yet did not omit the least duty to his father but performed all in their places obedience subjection mainteinance reverence in his infirmity and weakenesse and his own greatnesse Gen 48.12 caeteris capiti Solomon to his mother 1 King 2.19 20. Christ to his parents Luke 2.51 Hence came the curse upon Cham pronounced by his father and executed by God notwithstanding what he had to say and could hold out for his defence his father was drunke and like a beast Gen. 9. But Shem and Japheth blessed who did him reverence To this purpose is that of Solomon Prov. 23.22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when she is old howsoever unworthy of it yet thou must performe it even to thy mother weaker by nature subject to more infirmityes by so much more apt to despise them more then when the infirmitie of their sex and the imperfections of the age are combyned together yet we have no liberty to despise or deny duty Because neither the greatnesse of the one Reas 1 nor the weakenesse and infirmitie of the other can breake that relation which is betwixt childe and parents which the Law of God being morall hath made perpetuall unto everlasting And the reason of this is because as Chrisost in Rom. 13. non principi sed principatui that honour obedience and subjection is required not so much to the Prince as to the Princedome not to the person as to his place So of this the honour is due not to the father but his fatherhood not somuch to the person of him as he is a man and so either a bad or a good man as to his place office as he is a father now he is a father she a mother though of never so bad life or bad parts and so to be honoured and the childe is to give it not as a man and so great or base high or low but as a childe which he ever is and so must alwayes performe it Because they are the authors or principall instruments of their lives Reas 2 essence and being which is that which never can be blotted out but will ever remaine while they are therefore is this to be performed 'T is Solomons ground Prov. 23.22 This serves to condemne the Church of Rome and their odious and impious positions Vse 1 where they allow by doctrine the childe to disobey his parents for they allow him not so much as to acknowledge him to be his father if he be an Hereticke if a protestant yea by the heresie of the father children are freed from all obedience and the father deprived of all his naturall power Symancha Justit Cathol Tit. 4. sect 74. see yee not these men going against the current of humanity and against the light of nature and are oppisite to the light of the word Cham may not dishonour his father though he be drunke but he shall have the curse how shall they escape it But Heresie is a greater sinne then drunkennes undoubtedly not as they count Heresie which is to differ from the Church of Rome in any thing specially in matter of the seven Sacraments And what is this in comparison of that which makes a man a beast
which is worse sayth Saint Chrysostome then to bee a beast because istud naturae illud culpae est which some small difference from them cannot make But say it were greater yet doth it not therefore dissolve the knot or relation betwixt them for it is not in the greatnesse of the sinne but when such a sinne can be given that doth breake the relation for instance Idolatry is a greater sinne then adultery yet this not that breaks and dissolves marriage Because that not this meets in cominter-position with the knot of marriage In that they being and becomming one flesh with another 1 Cor. 6.10 and so cutteth himselfe from her he was knit to before in this they are onely one spirit with an Idol and cease to be one spirit with the Lord. So this It is not heresie for his greatnesse that can dissolve this naturall bond which is perpetuall for it cannot make that he had not his essence and being from his father and the duty depending upon this obey thy father that begat thee hath he begotten thee it is no matter what he is thou must honour him Then impious are their positions but no marvaile if they teach rebellions and diobedience and murthering of Princes if they allow dishonouring of parents To teach every child to performe this honour his Parents Vse 2 whatsoever he is whatsoever they are Art thou higher and richer and wiser than they yet must thou doe them honour and by it shalt thou have these the more Looke upon Joseph Solomon and Christ and nothing can be in thee that can give thee freedome from it when they did it the two first ex debito Christ ex placito to fulfill all righteousnesse and give us example Though then thou be married or advanced or howsoever yet still they are thy Parents and thou must not deny but performe honour unto them for thou hadst thy being from them and till that be dissolved thou owest them still the duties the bonds remaining yea whatsoever infirmity is in them no sinne dissolveth the bond it makes not an annullity of the duty for as Gold is Gold though it be smeared over with durt and filth so are they thy Parents whatsoever their lives and manners be Thinke with thy selfe how their love made them beare with many naturall infirmities of thy Childhood and not to neglect thee for the many untoward carriages of thy youth and not to cast thee off from them And thinke what duty now should bind thee unto if they for their perfect love and upon some hope of comfort many yeares after did passe over all how much more thou in duty and in lieu of thankfulnesse for that which thou enjoyest from them Children must not be like Flies as Plutarch which slip along the glasse where it is smooth but catch hold of it where there are any scratches or flawes They must turne away their eyes from their infirmities and forget their hard usage if it have beene any and not be undutifull for that because they have their being and education from them Take heed of Chams curse and seeke Shems blessing by not seeing their infirmities but covering and performing duty to them accounting it to be a sin to be repented of when they cannot find their hearts so cheerefull in their duties as they ought because of their Parents infirmities A servant his master The second rule of nature the ground or other pillar of Gods reason against this people For the meaning 't is plaine the duties here required are in the generall the same for the most part with the former though not in every particular The first is reverence and this both inward and outward To joyne them together Servants must give all reverence unto their Master Doctr. all inward good affection and estimation of them and all reverent respect in gesture and speech Eph. 6.5 1 Tim. 6.1 Eccles 10.20 It may be applyed to Masters for the King is but a great Master and the Master a little King The outward in words as not replying unreverently Titus 2.9 not speaking their infirmities to others as 1 Sam. 25.17 giving them all reverent speech and submissive gesture as 2 King 5.13 not despising them as Hagar did Sarah Because God hath made them reverent Reas 1 in that he hath communicated unto them part of his excellency and dignity that is his Lordship and Dominion making them his Vicegerents and Lords over their family therefore they ought to reverence them Because his Commandements are spirituall Reas 2 and reach to the inward man and without it were all outward but hypocriticall and counterfeit which is abhominable And this without the outward is imperfect if it may be supposed it may be without it and so cannot be acceptable This is to let servants see their sinnes past or present Vse 1 when they have or doe carry themselves unreverently towards their Masters in heart and outward man in eye and tongue to their faces and behind their backs they are all guilty of the breach of the decree of the most High and indeed all for where shall we finde a servant any thing neere performing the carriage he ought to his Master and Mistris that he hath a base thought opinion and estimation of him appeares by his speech and carriage his speeches so void of reverence nay his answers full of contempt his eye and carriage so full of scorne and disdaine Hagar despising Sarah looking scornfully upon her which must needs argue unreverence in the heart for by these things many a man well knows what is in the privy Chamber of the heart and by this outward pulse thus beating may we discerne how the inward parts are affected For he that will speake so frowardly and looke so scornfully and doggedly as many will it must needs shew he hath no reverence but his heart is full of despight and contempt and he that will speake so to his face and in his presence what will he to others behind his back and in his absence Where is the feare and trembling Paul calls for Where is all the honour Peter exacts when ye will thus bourd them often thus disdaine them when ye will answer them frowardly or murmuring when their backs are turned when you tell their weaknesse not to your fellows but to neighbours servants whereby their estimation is impaired Thinke you the Apostles call for these in vaine or shall such things goe unpunished Assuredly no for when the Apostle saith to servants to encourage them that are good Eph. 6.7 8. with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free did he not meane the contrary and would have you to understand that whatsoever evill thing a man doth that shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free so expect it in this particular see then that unreverent and contemptuous
when he hath no such occasion yet thou must doe it and may so he imploy thee not about servile workes on that day and in that time The reason is because the Lords day may besanctified privately and publique exercises are not of absolute necessity in the sanctifying of it for then prisoners and sicke persons and such as lye lame should not be able to sanctifie it They onely are of necessity when they can be had without apparent breach of some other commandements and yet maist thou make this unlawfull to thee when if thou be left at home thy Master and Mistris are gone to Church but thou art with a child in thy armes or without gazing at the dore or gadding abroad or having thy companions comming to thee and spendest thy time prophanely when thou oughtest so much as may be to spend it in reading the word meditating on that thou hast heard in the forenoon or former time or such like And in this thou must take heed how thou setst God and thy master one against another another instance thy master commands that is unlawfull for him to bid not for the thing but his affection thou must obey having first wisely and humbly sought to turne thy master from such a sinne As betwixt David and Joabs numbring of the people 2 Sam. 24.2 3. But the thing he commands is unlawfull as well as his affection I meane not simply but by circumstance or consequent yet thou mayst obey as being an Officers Clerke to receive more fees then is due being extortion or a Noble mans bailiffe his extreame racke rents providing that in humility thou shew thy dislike of it seeke to reforme it or doe it with sorrow and griefe while thou art bound to it and get thy self rid of such a service so soone as thou may But if he command thee any thing simply that is sinne as to sweare for his gaine to lye for his commodity to deceive to steale or any such things thou mayst not obey and yet not rebell but suffer If the Magistrate and my Master command divers thing whether must I obey Quest 2 The Magistrate Answ ut supra and for the reasons there besides if it carry not any excuse neither is it any plea in law my Master bids me doe it It must needs follow that the Magistrate must be obeyed It would not excuse Absolons servants their Master bade them kill Amnon for which he was glad to flee for the power of the master is but subordinate to the Magistrate thy obedience then to thy Master hath this restraint because it cannot be lawfull But say the Magistrate commands me that which doth marvellously redound to the hurt of my master whose good I am bound to procure If it be very profitable to the Common-wealth a publique good must be preferred if not prejudiciall to it so there be no contempt of the Magistrate and his authority he being content to beare the penalty if it be executed and exacted from him I see not but he may preferre his master before as in the case of Children and instance of Ester My Master and my Father are opposites whether must I obey Quest 3 I answer as before in Children there is somewhat besides in those who are borne servants Exod. 21.4 Answ My Master and my Husband Quest 4 as the case may fall out in the meaner sort who are to be instructed as others or my state requires this of me wife and children but my Master another I answer his Master the Master is to be obeyed because he ought Psal 15.4 not to change though he swore to his hurt Answ The equity of it stands for any covenant that must be preferred before his profit and if before his owne then his wives or husbands for the man see an example in Jacob who would not labour for his owne family but obey his Master Gen. 30.30 For the woman if she be a servant borne and given in marriage as the manner was still she was to obey her Master Exod. 21.4 If she be a servant by covenant and consent of her Husband during the time of her covenant she is to obey and keepe the conditions of the covenant for he for the time hath remitted his authority The third duty of servants is submission that is to their reproofe and corrections for those men whom they feare they will suffer both at their hands Servants must submit themselves unto their Masters to be controuled and corrected by them Doctr. whether they doe it justly or unjustly whether deservedly or not they must feare them and therefore suffer from them When God allows the Master to reprove and correct his servant as he doth Prov. 29.19 then it must imply that his servant must suffer it 1 Pet. 2.19 for this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffering wrongfully Tit. 2.9 not giving crosse words one for another Hence is that Gen. 16.9 And the Angell of the Lord said unto her Returne to thy Mistris and submit thy selfe under her hands The example of Abrahams servants is commendable Gen. 17.23 his servants submitted to Circumcision and by proportion the example serves for this purpose Because if it be for well doing in conscience it is thanke-worthy Reas 1 and if it be borne with meeknesse the Lord shall give a man the more reward 1 Pet. 2.19 20. Because they are called to this Reas 2 1 Pet. 2.21 this is the Crosse that Christ hath called them to take up and beare after him this is the Crosse that God hath annexed to their calling as every calling hath some crosse or other and for the wrong that is offered them God as St. Paul saith Coloss 3.25 will right and revenge them c. To reprove many and most servants amongst us Vse 1 who goe not so farre as nature it selfe would teach them few so farre as Religion doth teach them for some cannot so farre subdue their crooked natures to submit themselves to their masters so farre as they can doe no otherwise because it is in vaine to struggle with the yoke when a man cannot slip it nor shift it off But if some come to this yet can they hardly suffer with patience hard measure though they suffer deservedly when as naturall equity condemneth him that doth otherwise And be it that some can thus subdue themselves yet is it no more than the Heathens and Publicanes will doe it is but Canina patientia a dog-like enduring saith Bernard such as God will not accept when either he dare not whine or hath done some foule fact and deserved it But if they have not or thinke they have not deserved it how ready are their answers how soone will they turne upon their Masters and take the rod by the end and if they be rebuked they murmure if they be corrected they either will resist or clamorously complaine or wickedly seeke revenge Let these know and see their sin and looke for a recompence from
ethe difference plainely Jer. 5.22 23 24. Feare ye not me saith the Lord or will ye not be afraid at my presence which have placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof rage yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it But this people hath an unfaithfull and rebellious heart they are departed and gone For they say not in their heart Let us now feare the Lord our God that giveth raine both early and late in due season he reserveth unto us the appointed weekes of the harvest If you will nor have this filiall feare yet at least shake not off this servile dread if not feare in regard of good I have yet of evill I may doe them By these two for the present may every one examine himselfe whether he hath a servile or a filiall feare If thou fearest as a Childe thou hatest sinne as sinne because it is sinne thou art like a man that loaths a meate and therefore would not eate of it If only a servile feare thou loathest sinne for the punishment not for it selfe indeed but the sequel like a man that hath a minde to eate of something that the Phisitian hath forbidden him and is hurtfull and abstaines only because he dares not touch it for feare of further inconvenience If thou hast the child-like feare* It is not the outward worke that dislikes thee and externall act of sinne only but even the desires Ista sagitta timor qui configit interficit carnis desideria Ber. motions and affections for it is pure That dart is feare which pierces and kills the very desires of the flesh If the servile onely then the outward worke onely and practice of sinne is feared if a filiall feare then it will grieve thee to offend nay to be provoked to offend so good and gracious so mercifull and loving a father who hath beene ever so gracious and good unto thee But if but the servile feare then onely when thou feelest his hand or fearest an imminent danger or hast the fresh remembrance of a judgment which is but new taken from him for which a Child of God must and ought to feare but then are not these the principall causes of feare in him for these he feares and flies sin but principally for the other If a filiall feare thou art afraid to offend in lieu of thankfulnesse for thy being and preservation and all thy manifold blessings received already If a servile onely for feare of evills or hope of that which is to come It is the whip the scourge and the rod that causeth the hypocrite as an Asse a foole and a stave to forbeare and leave sinne but it is love conscience and obedience that maketh Gods Children willingly to abhorre it Nazianz. if thou bee'st a slave and a servant stand in feare of the whip or the scourge if an hireling worke for thy wages expect thy reward but if over and above all these thou beest a sonne doe good because it is thy duty to please and observe thy father from whom thou hast received so much good before The third difference of these two feares is this the one is a loving feare and the other is a hatefull feare the first is joyned with love such as good subjects beare to good Princes and ordinarily children beare to their fathers The second is joyned with hatred such as servants beare to their hard and cruell Masters the one would if they could withdraw themselves out of Gods government and get out of his sight as Adam Gen. 3. as a fugitive servant as Hagar Gen. 16. the other would not willingly away from God but submitteth himselfe unto him and seeketh as he can to presse neerer and neerer as farre as he dare with due reverence of his Majesty like the Prodigall sonne who came home to his father and yeelded himselfe willingly into his hands And therefore it is a true saying that after sinne the wicked are troubled they cannot get themselves farre enough from God and the godly are troubled they can not come neere enough home to him the one is afraid of the losing of God the other is afraid of Gods finding of him of that saith Augustine in 1 John 4. it is called castus timer a chaste feare T is one thing to feare God lest he send thee to Hell Aliud est timere Deum ne te mittat in Gehennam aliud ne ipse à te recedat ille non est castus qui non venit ab amore Dei sedex timore poenae iste castus est quia venit ex amore Dei quem amlecteris August in 1 Joh. 4 another lest himselfe depart from thee that feare is not chast because it comes not from the love of God but from the feare of punishment but this is chast because it comes from the love of God whom thou delightest in So that this filiall feare agreeth with the love of Gods Majesty yea it riseth out of love a man is afrayd to offend one that he loveth but the servile fear is joyned with the deadly hatred of God And so as it is said whom they feare they hate Quem metuunt oderunt quem oderunt periisse cupiunt and they desire he may perish whom they hate So it may be said of this that by it he is not homicida a manslayer but Deicida a Godslayer wishing there were never a God to punish him The fourth difference of these two feares is in their continuance which is manifest First If we consider them in divers subjects for the one is but for a bront like lightning that giveth a flash and is gone and comes in an instant never ceizeth upon the soule nor dwelleth in the heart For instance we may take Pharoah Exod. Chap. 27 28 29 30. so Ahab when Eliah had summoned him hee feares 1 King 21.27 but soone after he goes fearelesse to Ramoth Gilead 1 King 22.26 27. The filiall feare is permanent and constant as the causes of it are Isa 11.2 Prov. 28.14 For it is no naturall worke but a supernaturall habit Secndly if we consider them in one subject the one outlasteth and overlives the other 1 Joh. 4.18 perfect love casteth out feare that is servile feare but Psal 19.9 The feare of the Lord is cleane enduring for ever that is filiall feare when it comes it casts out that because it brings with it assurance of God favour It remaines still having the lesse paine and trouble with it the longer it lasteth and the more forward it commeth to perfection And this feare is so lasting that it remaines after this life not that the blessed shall fear either lest they should offend for they are then without danger of falling but in regard of Gods power and his incomparable and his incomprehensible graces there shall be a reverent dread and yet delightfull such as the Angels
have now in Heaven As Angels feare Isaiah 6.2 3 4. when they are in the presence of God for as we reverence a great man in regard of his place though he beare us no evill will nor we expect any evill from him So no doubt the holy Saints and Angels in Heaven in regard of God though they neither feare to lose him because they can not fall from him nor to offend him because there is no danger to displease him yet they reverence him still in regard of his Majesty which they can neither sufficiently admire nor adore Now further by these two differences as by the former may every man examine himselfe whether he hath a childelike or servile feare As by the first whether thou lovest or hatest God for feare Deum tua peccata vindicare aut non posse aut nolle aut ea nescire vis ergò Deum non esse Deum qui vis eum aut injustum esse aut impotentem aut in sipientem Bern. de Temp. 58. wouldest thou flee from God when thou hast offended couldst thou wish he were not If thou desirest that either he knew not thy sinnes or could not or would not punish them then thou wouldst that God were not when thou desirest hee were ignorant or impotent or unjust And hence thy wretched heart under this feare even hates God thou hast but a servile feare but canst thou yeeld thy selfe to God and draw neere to him fearing to be forsaken of God being willing to yeeld thy self into his hands this is filiall feare There is sayth Augustine an unchaste adulterous woman who feareth her husband but she feareth him because she loveth her naughtinesse and therefore his company is not delighfull but burthen some unto her and loving evill she is afrayd of his comming lest he finde her so There is a chaste woman she loveth and affecteth her husband and liveth with him in good sort and would never have him out of sight now ask them both whether they fear their husbands they will say they doe there is the same answer but not the same minde Aske them why and that will put the difference Vna vox non eadem mens the one answereth lest he should come home and finde her and finde out her lewdnesse and lightnesse the other lest being present he should depart and lest he should love her lesse and by any offence of hers be estranged As he much misliketh the former woman so mislike thy self if thou fear God in that sort and carry thy self so to God in this sort as thou wouldst thy wife should be affected unto thee By the second is thy feare momentany soone come soone gone doest thou not feare awayes then feare thy feare it is not true If thou hast overcome thy servile feare and dost not feare still thou canst not have true feare for as love expels one feare and casts it out so it causeth another and that such a feare as is never afterwards extinguished though the act working of it be somtime more fresh then others yet the habit is never lost The third thing touching this filiall feare is the effects of it And these I reduce to these heads such as awfull and dutifull children have and so may well be so resembled The first is a desire to know his will and pleasure to finde it out and a delight in doing of it As a child will be desirous to know his fathers minde that he may not offend him and be ready to doe it of himselfe when he hath found it hence that Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandements See it by the contrary Job 21.9 14 Their houses are safe from feare neyther is the rod of God upon them Therefore they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Psal 25.12 13. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse his soule shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the Earth The second is a suspition and jelousy of particular actions lest they should doe that unawares which might be offensive to God A good childe if he doubt to doe ought that he thinketh his father will not like of he will first aske the question whether he will have him doe it or no and let it alone till he know his minde in the matter so a childe of God he will be carefull to try all his workes by his will and his word and to abstaine till he know what his good will and his pleasure is Thus was Job zealous of his children Job 1.5 so of his owne wife Job 9.28 Therefore the spirit commends him for a man fearing God and such as none was like yea as the devill could finde no fault with him Rom. 14.5 he will be fully perswaded it is Gods will before he doe it 1 Thessal 5.21 not enough to say I doe not know it unlawfull better debarrre our selves of some lawfull things then doe one unlawfull Eccles 5.5 6. The third is a wary shunning and avoyding of things he knows will offend as an awfull child will hardly be drawn or woed to do ought that his father hath expressely forbidden him or that will displease him as Jacob to lye and deceive his father Gen. 27. or if he be drawn yet if his father come suddenly upon him and finde him about it or beginning it he will stay his hand soone and bee ashamed of himselfe so the man that feares God will not be woed and urged to those things that he knoweth cannot but offend God So Joseph Gen. 39.9 There is none greater in his house then I neither hath he kept back any thing from mee but thee because thou art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Nehemiah 5.15 The former governours that had been before mee were chargeable unto the people and had taken of them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver yea even their servants bare rule over the people but so did not I because of the feare of God Or if by case of infirmity or strength of temptation he be violently carryed away yet if he shall but once seriously thinke of the presence of God about him it will make him for shame to stay or breake off the practice of sinne as in David 2 Sam. 24.10 Davids heart smote him and he said I have done very foolishly The fourth is a griefe and a feare to see ought done by others that may provoke God to wrath as a good childe will be loath any of his brethren or any of the servants should doe ought that may anger his father if it be but the disquieting of him so a true child of God will be vexed to see others take such courses as may be offensive to his heavenly father So that 2 Pet. 2.7 and David Psal 119.53.136.139.158 such are commended and
marked Ezechiel 9. as they are condemned 1 Cor. 5.1 who doe contrary The fifth a trembling at the wrath and anger of God declared for sinne either in word or deed First in word at Gods threatnings either against him selfe or others as a child quaketh and trembleth at his fathers chyding though it be with some others so doe the children of God commonly when they heare the wrath of God denounced against others so is it Isa 66.2 Psal 119.161 2 Chro. 34.27 Jer. 26 18. Habacuk 3.16 Now secondly if at his word how much more at his rod if when he speaks more when he beats themselves or others as a child if he see his father to take the rod in hand to correct any of the family he standeth trembling and quaking he feareth lest he should have a wipe by the way so the child of God feareth as before Gods face when he seeth the hand of God upon others as when he feeleth it upon himselfe David 2 Sam. 6.7.9 the Church Acts. 5.11 Psal 119.119 120. Habacuk 3.16 Now these being the effects and as it were the fruits of this filiall feare it shall be good for a man to examine himself by them whether he have it or no for by the fruits you shall know it It is to be feared that if men will doe this seriously but a few of those who call God father every day wil be found to have this filiall feare and so his sonnes indeed The first fruit is a desire to know and finde out Gods will and then to doe it but alas how many have wee that refuse to seek after the knowledge of his wayes like those Job 21.14 but say some will search the word yet it is onely to furnish themselves with matter of discourse and not to finde out that which may serve to order and direct their lives they are a curious kinde of Men and as Seneca saith scholae non vitae discitur they study schoole quirks and not points of practice others are sorry many times that they lighted on more then they looked after As the yong man not answered to his mind was sorry he had asked Luke 15.25 Bernard hath observed of his expereince Cant. ser 74. many saith he have I known made sad upon the knowledge of the truth because they could not so pretend ignorance as before Ber. in Cant. serm 74. Or if not this but with the sonne in the Gospell stay and doe not or deferre as Jonah or doe as Balaam blesse when he would have cursed so they their hands go against their hearts these and such like must needs be voyd of this feare The second is a jealousie over his particular actions but how many runne headlong into all actions never regarding what warrant they have for them that though never so many make doubt of them and the lawfulnesse of them yet all is one to them as they know nothing for them so they know nothing against them and they eyther doe as Peter Luke 22.49.50 who cut off Malchus eare before he could heare his answer or as Prov. 20.25 doe things first and examine them after These are farre from this feare for where it is there if any doubt arise about an action that seemed indifferent before he will be jealous of himselfe and walke the surest way when he knoweth he may doe or abstaine without offence but he is in some suspicion of the other he will rather be sure to goe on a good ground than hazard the incurring of Gods displeasure though he lose somewhat yea much both of his profit and pleasure knowing the feare of God is opposite to this manner of walking and so 't is made Eccles 5.1 5 6. The third is a carefull avoiding of knowne sinnes and things that will offend but how many give liberty to their flesh runne with a full swinge into the practice of sinne and never care to returne out of it againe who vaunt of this feare and yet often vaunt of their sinnes and never shame at them Nay sooner shame and blush to be a man noted to have a care to avoid the common sinnes of the age how have these men any child-like feare will they account that their children doe lovingly feare them when they runne into all or many things they know will displease them and are ashamed to be accounted more than ordinarily dutifull Questionlesse no then let them be their own Judges and shall for they tell us they have no feare if that be their feare Prov. 8.13 The fourth is a griefe to see others offend but many boast of the feare of God and yet they delight and take pleasure in the sight and hearing of other mens sinnes never caring nor regarding what others doe so they be not like them They can dayly see many Laodiceans neither hot nor cold amongst us many Ephesians that have lost their first love many Jebusites Idolaters amongst us and swarming amongst us these they see and yet they sigh not at it nay either take pleasure or make profit by it it is but a boast they are void of the filiall feare of God because they have no care whether he be honoured or dishonoured pleased or displeased as if a Child could endure his fathers dishonour if not be revenged of them for want of power and such like yet will he mourne and sorrow How should I beare my fathers dishonour and if these much more those who seeke to draw others to sinne swearing whoring drunkennesse and such like they can have no true feare of God as Children The fifth trembling at his judgments threatened or executed upon others Many say they feare God and yet they can heare the wrath and judgments of God denounced against sinne and it may be the sinnes they practise yet are never a whit moved at all but goe as they came as if the Word were but wind As jer 5.13 Their hearts melt not nor they mourne not nay when they see Gods judgments upon others they censure and condemne them but feare nothing themselves nay often when they are in the same condemnation if they be not in the same punishment Sure it is they have no child-like feare at all they are worse than the beasts yea senselesse things who tremble at his voice and they shew themselves Children of wrath Onely the children of wrath are fearelesse of wrath Soli filii irae iram non sentiunt Bern. as S. Bernard speaketh If I be a Master where is my feare The application of the second rule of nature we must speak of Gods Lordship then of the feare he requires for it He is a Lord in respect of his creatures either generally or specially First generally jure Creationis gubernationis by right of Creation and government Secondly particularly jure pacti redemptionis by right of Covenant and Redemption First jure redemptionis Exod. 20.2 1 Cor. 6.20 Secondly jure pacti conventionis by right of Covenant and agreement Those who
stony conduits God conveyeth the water of life as a Gardener doth water to his plants but it is not better in regard of them who doe it for it maketh their condemnation more grievous Judas preached condemnation to himselfe and yet no doubt converted some as the rest did Noah was glad he could get some to build his Arke himselfe and his sonnes being no workmen fit for it but it profited them not a whit that built it as good never have done it This may teach us what to judge of our Church-Papists Vse 1 who for feare of law avoiding of losse for escaping of imprisonment doe resort to our congregations without conscience and care they are worse than those who doe refuse to come than open recusants for if to come to Church for a shew to prophane Gods worship and to doe it rashly for sinister respects and in hypocrisie be worse than not doing then they are greater offenders in comming than others in abstaining The Shechemites were greater sinners with Hamor and Shechem his sonne in taking the Sacrament of Circumcision for profit and satisfying their pleasure and to make a prey as they thought of Israel Gen. 34. than the other Gentiles who refused it So in this they come to Church for advantage or profit or saving of that they have then is it better they should not come at all Nay not so but it is lesse e vill not more good The goodnesse is that they labour to be instructed in that they ought and to know how they ought and to endeavour to come with care and conscience as is required In the meane time hee that abstaines and comes not is lesse evill than he that doth come carelesly c. Why then should Magistrates compell men to the service of God Object when he shall make them sinne and sinne more than if they abstaine The Magistrate may not compell any man to doe evill Answ that is a thing simply forbidden of God but hee may compell a man to doe that which he may sinne in doing of it Things that men doe are of three sorts good and commanded evill and forbidden indifferent and neither commanded nor forbidden of God In this last the Magistrate ought to have a speciall and tender respect to the conscience of his subject though it be erronious specially when they are things of no moment the doing of them little profits the Church or Common-wealth and the omitting of them doth prejudice it nothing at all For the other Ad fidem unllus est cogendus invitus sed per severitatem into per misericordiam Dei tribulationum flagellis perfidia castigari August contr lit Petil. lib. 2 cap. 38. And againe Si quae igitur adversus vos leges constitutae sunt non bene facere cogimini sed malè facere prohibemini Ibid. he is not to respect the erronious consciences of men as not to suffer them unpunished for evill doing though they should pretend conscience in it so is hee not to abstaine from compelling them to that which is good for that evill is adjoyned to it it is not his fact that commandeth but comes from their infidelity and corruption who are commanded of which he cannot be accused when he hath carefully endeavoured that they be duely and rightly instructed and informed for when he may say the things I require are commanded in the Scriptures I have done my best endeavour that you may know the truth and not perish and I will not cease for hereafter to perswade and exhort and command you doe you need the Scriptures conferre with the Ministers pray God to open your eyes he hath then done his part This teacheth the fearefull condition of such as onely doe and performe the service of God Vse 2 but marvellous carelesly and corruptly they heare the Word they make prayers they receive the Sacrament but they are no more acceptable unto God than if they did them notat all God saith unto them as a Father to his Child and a Master to his servant seeing them scambling over their duties and businesse without care and respect I had as leese you did them nor at all Now what would we think of him that should never pray never heare the Word never receive Sacrament would not every one thinke hee is an odious man to God verily such and more odious if it may be is every one that doth these but without care of course without conscience they heare the Word but without profit God had rather have them away than come to Church to deride his Word to sleepe or talke there to prophane his worship So they pray but not with their hearts but with their lips their hearts are taken away with their pleasures profits and delights As Hosea 4.11 he esteemes of them as well when they pray not they receive the Sacrament but without preparation without understanding what they doe most unworthily they intrude themselves to the Table of the Lord God had as liefe have them away their roome were as acceptable to him as their thronging as his without the wedding-garment at the feast of the King Matth. 22. This is their fearefull condition he that heares is as though he heard not he that prayes as though he prayed not he that receiveth the Sacrament as though he did not and so of all the service of God he is as acceptable to God in not doing them as he is in doing and è contra as odious Then a man had as good not doe at all Object and so while you reprove one thing you open the gap to another from carelessenesse to prophanenesse If any man doe gather so Answ it is his collection not my assertion he like a Spider or Toad gathered venome and poyson from sweet flowers and wholesome herbs If a Master should tell his servant doing his businesse negligently that he had as lieve he did it not Will he reply then he will not if he doe shall he not for such contempt be beaten with more stripes Nay a servant that would avoid that and receive any wages and reward will seeke to correct his errour and reforme his corruption so in this This ought to instruct us that have any desire to be accepted in our service of God Vse 3 and not to be rejected as if we did neglect it altogether to doe it with all care and diligence and in the best manner that may be doe we must And then not to lose our labour and have no respect nor reward we must endeavour to doe them as they ought to be done heare with an honest heart to profit pray with a fervent spirit to prevaile use the Sacraments in knowledge and due preparation for them these and all other parts of his service as he requireth else we are in a strait as the Lepers were 2 King 7.3 4. without the walls of Samaria if they enter the City there is death if they sit still there is death also So we if we
in the first part of the comparison their good and worthy parts which were the predecessors vers 6. and the reason of it vers 7. There are foure worthy parts reckoned of theirs And these were not of private and particular parts as they were private men but they were such parts as were in them as publicke persons As if it had reference with the former he said he did not onely carry himselfe and approve himselfe a good and godly man but he shewed himselfe a wise and compleat Doctor both in teaching the Law and Truth of God and giving most wise grave and wholesome counsell The law of truth was in his mouth The first part of the predecessors which was commendable in them he was ever most studious of the law of God and most skilfull in it and taught it most sincerely to his people ever teaching most sound doctrine to them that they might observe my precepts And there was no iniquity found in his lips The second thing commendable he never propounded or taught any errour he never deceived any of my people to draw them from my true worship but taught ever that which was wholsome and good Iniquity is commonly taken for the pervertion and depravation of the knowne right and is opposite to equity and truth He walked with me in peace and equitie The third thing commendable the summe of it is he lived and performed the duty of his place without all negligence unfaithfulnesse approving himselfe to God and men He walkes with me i. he was most carefull to please me and to approve himselfe unto me to worship me as I required and followed not the wickednesse of the age nor was corrupted with the depravations of the time whereby men were depraved in my service and feare as Gen. 5.22 In peace That is peaceably not provoking me to anger but cleaving fast unto me and obeying my will so that I had no cause of expostulating or quarrelling with him Cyril saith To have peace with God is nothing else but to desire to know and do that which God requires and to offend him in nothing And did turn many from iniquity The fourth thing commendable in them was that by their exact walking and faithfull teaching they helped to turne others from their sinfull wayes Out of the coherence that from their personall and inherent vertues he proceeds to the vertues of their place and their publicke actions and carriages we may note It is not enough for a man to be honest and good in himselfe Doctrine in his owne person but if he have any place either more or lesse publicke he must be good faithfull in that if hee would be approved of God As if he be a Magistrate or Minister or officer or master of a family As this is manifest in the coherence so by that Gen. 18.17.18.19 Exo 18.19.20.21 Hence is both the cōmendations blemish of old Eli he was a good Priest a good Magistrate but a bad father in the more publicke good in the lesse defective 1 Sam. 1.2 Hence we read in Scripture the commendations of good governours and Kings both for their private parts and their publicke vertues In themselves fearing God and in publick discharging their duties sufficiently and faithfully And in the new Testament we finde not onely private and personall duties prescribed to Masters Fathers Husbands to Ministers and Magistrates but specially publicke Ephes 5. and 6. Col. 3. and 4. 1 Tim. 3.2 c. Tit. 1.6 Hence the commendation of the Angell of the Church of Ephesus though he was defective in personall Rev. 2.2 and the reproofe of the Angell of Pergamus verses 14.15 Because he more glorifies God for though his good workes Reason 1 as a private man do glorifie God yet nothing so much as his faithfulnesse in his place publicke which makes that God is glorified much more and of more An annuall Magistrate may procure the glory of God more in that yeare then in all his life not onely because Regis ad exemplum c. but because they may command and compell moe Because this will blemish the other their private parts Reason 2 and bring Gods judgements upon them at least temporall as in Eli and the Angel of Pergamus This may let all those see their errour and corruption Vse 1 who take places or seek them only for the honour and dignity of them without either ability for the duties or conscience and care to performe those publicke duties onely it sufficeth them that they have some faith and feare of God as other private men have and never shew themselves faithfull in their publicke places never regard to doe and execute the places But of few fathers of families can God say as of Abraham nay he knowes the contrary that they tooke the place with no minde to do any such dutie and so execute it still So of Magistrates and Ministers They are brought or thrust themselves before they be called upon the stage of the world and when they are on it do no more then make a dumb shew perform no more then lookers on or but things that must be done of course and would be though they slept which is the fault not onely of men profane or but civilly honest but of men who professe the feare of God and may well be thought to have some good measure of it and go for good and truly honest men Yet it is their blemish that they are carelesse of the duties of their place That as he said An evill man may be a good Citizen we may say Good men are evill Citizens Masters c. which blemisheth much their private graces in the sight of God and good men And upon many hath and doth and will bring particular and temporall judgements from their families and servants c. For this is a grand cause why good men fathers of families have such gracelesse children and corrupt servants Ministers such untoward flockes Magistrates such people This may admonish and instruct all that have the faith and feare of God Vse 2 to joyne with it this care of the duties of their place whatsoever it is that they must have because these duties though they be profitable for the common good yet are they not acceptable from him As he saith Cypriansec de zela livore that performeth holy things and is not a consecrated Priest doth things in respect of himselfe childish and unprofitable though they may be good to others So he that doth things without faith and the feare of God they are unprofitable yea wicked and damnable sinnes howsoever they may benefit others so may I say of these but yet this had will not beare out nor excuse the negligence and not doing the duties of his place It may make the infirmities of them passed over but not defend the omitting of them Therefore to be accepted of God men must also be carefull of that Masters c. The excuses that commonly are pretended will not
and but they two and so hence we have a doctrine which is the description of marriage Marriage is a lawfull conjunction of one man and one woman Doctrine that they two may be one flesh There are many sorts of conjunctions but what conjunction this is that which followes expresseth But that marriage is a lawfull conjunction of two thus to be made one is manifest as here so Gen. 2.24 He shall cleave to his wife which is meant of a carnall conjunction and copulation whereby they are as it were incarnated one to another That as Eve was flesh really of the flesh of Adam so she was given to him by marriage that she might againe be one and the same flesh with him by a holy conjunction of their bodies Hence followes it in the same place They shall be one flesh And this Chapter explaines Mat.h. 19.5 For having repeated the institution he addes for conclusion and for further confirmation vers 6. Wherefore they are no more twaine but one flesh Now when we speake of a conjunction we understand not that onely which is after the consummation of the marriage carnall copulation and knowledge one of another as it is cōmonly taken for without that though it never follow there may be marriage this marrimoniall conjunction as we commonly receive the marriage to have been betwixt Mary and Ioseph but also that voluntary and free covenant which is passed betwixt them by which the man hath power over the body of the woman and so è contra he is become her head and she subject to him as the body to the head as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 7. Because God would have a holy seed Reason 1 and the propagation of his Church which that it might be he requires a conjunction and a lawfull one and but of these two For howsoever it was increased by other conjunctions of one with many yet that was Gods indulgence to them and his over-ruling providence which brings light out of darknesse and makes good of evill Because he Reason 2 who by the holy Ghost in a reall union is united to the Lord is made one spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 Therefore by a reall conjunction of man with his wife they are made one with another one flesh Because he that committed adultery Reason 3 is become one flesh with a harlot 1 Cor. 6.16 And so as much as in him is hath cut off himself from his wife is no longer one flesh with her Then by a carnal corporal holy conjunction he is one and they one flesh This serves for that end the Prophet speaketh it Vse 1 it condemnes Polygamie for if marriage be a conjunction of two how can it be of moe Zane de operibus Dei p. 659. b. Adam and Eve were but two and God said they should be one flesh And his son which came from the bosome of the Father saith They two shall be one The reason that some give to excuse at least if not make lawful the Polygamy of the Fathers for the multiplying and increasing of mankinde might here have better taken place seeing whole mankinde was to be derived from them and the earth to be replenished from them and seeing to them was the commandment given Gen. 1.28 Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth If God did not permit it to them it must needs be apparant that it was not from the beginning but hath since crept into the world by the corruption of man But of this afterwards This condemnes all divorces Vse 2 which are not done and made for adultery but for other vain and slight causes such as for the hardnesse of the peoples hearts and which in compassion to the weaknesse of the women Moses permitted to the Jewes for when God hath said they shall be one they make them two as if his law were not perpetuall And when as Christ hath said Those whom God hath joyned may no man sever they take upon them to sever and dissolve themselves at their pleasure The decrees of the Medes and Persians were not to be broken no not by the Kings themselves much lesse could any subject do it But these decrees are far surer But such men are grossely impudent as take upon them to dissolve if not to give her a bill of divorce so put her away yet many send them home to their friends and separate themselves from them and live very reproachfully This condemneth all adultery all adulterers Vse 3 as they who doe divide that which God hath joyned more neere then any bond of nature can make for it is to be preferred before that which is betwixt children and parents when as both of them must forsake father and mother and cleave one to another yea their owne children that they may remaine one For seeing God hath made him one with his wife by his owne consent and he joyning himselfe to a harlot maketh himselfe one body with her as the Apostle Now one body cannot be two bodies therefore an adulterer cannot be one body with an harlot and at the same time one body with his wife but joyning to her he doth what is in him cut himselfe off from this and so they are no longer one but two And so as he dealeth injuriously with her taking from her that is hers for he is not his owne she having power over his body as he of hers 1 Cor. 7.4 So he dealeth impiously against God who hath joyned them and said they shall be one If he offend that puts away his wife for no just cause what doth he that cuts himselfe from her by such an impious course And the more when God gave her him to keep his body in holinesse and honour having no necessity to it For as he that casts away his ship in the haven is more inexcusable then he that doth it in the maine sea so he that doth cast away himselfe upon a harlot being in marriage estate Chrysostome making the comparison betwixt theft and adultery saith * Gravis quidem res fur sed non tam gravis quam adulter Ille enim etsi frigidam causam habet tamen ex pauperie necessitatem tretendere potest hic vero nulla ipsum cogente necessitate per dementia sola in peccati voragimen corruit Chrysost Hom. 10. ad pop Antioch It is an heynous thing to be a thiefe but not so heynous as to be an adulterer The thiefe though his excuse be but a sorry one yet may pretend he is forced by poverty but the adulterer having no necessity onely through his owne madnesse rusheth into the gulfe of sinne Yet had he abundance of spirit He could have made more women for one man for it had been as easie for him to have created more soules and breathed them into more bodyes as he did but one and gave her to Adam Insinuating that the spirit or soule of the woman as of the man was created immediately of nothing
or turning aside form the perfect rule of God and so they sinned or else that which offends God so that it provokes him to punish and in this sense they sinned not God thus remitting the Law Others excuse the Fathers because they did it and God so permitted for the increase of the Church and not for any filthy unclean lust to satisfie it which was true in some though it hold not in others As Solomon and some others who cannot be excused of incontinencie Some excuse from some probable ignorance that either they knew not the Law or they thought not of it and so though not no sinne yet a lesse sinne Some the succeeding ages by their predecessors that though their examples make not sinne to be no sinne yet to be smaller sinnes to offend by their example who were otherwise good and holy men then when any thing is done with a wavering conscience and men are boldly the first that doe it for they are to be judged to sinne by error of judgement then perversity of affection Finally it is probable that God did winke at that in this people and their progenitours for thepropagation of his people and to give passage to the fulfilling of his promise of the increasing of them and though God used that fact of the fathers well yet will it not follow that they sinned not when they turned aside from the word of God but if they sinned in it and so persevered and dyed impenitent what shall we thinke became of them It is probable they never repented either because they thought they sinned not or else because they well discerned not their sinne and yet might be pardoned it and were It is true to have Gods mercy for pardon requires repentance yet is it not necessary that every man should expressely repent himselfe of every particular sinne How many things are done which are not rightly done yet not done wickedly by us but in a conscience not well informed and so knew it not to be sinne And how many which are forgotten that they were done and yet by a mans generall humiliation for all his sinnes and craving pardon of unknowne sinnes Psal 19. pardon is obtained And those fathers often in their lives confessing themselves miserable sinners and humbling themselves no doubt that repentance and faith in Christ to come did save them But 2 Sam. 12.8 David had his masters wives It is answered by some that he did because God remitted his law to him But others it is never read that he took any one of them to wife neither is it said so but though the phrase into thy bosome is commonly understood of marriages yet it signifies there onely power and authority that is I have given thee all thy masters goods and have not excepted his wives that thou maist have them under thy power as other things Tremolius thus i. res personas etiam intimas charissimas eorum qui prius tui er ant domini subjecitibi But Deut. 25.5 the brother was to take the wife of his elder brother deceased It is answered by most that it was an extraordinary example and a speciall thing but no generall rule for else incest might be proved by it if it were generall Others answer that it must be taken and understood if he have not a wife before And so much they thinke those words carry if brethren dwell together And a reason of it is because it is not like that God would have a man to neglect his owne seed and his owne wife to raise up seed to others but onely he would have his brother substituted in his place I omit many more of no great weight though of some shew against all which the truth will stand and prevaile To perswde the men of our age against it Vse 2 for howsoever the forefathers escaped with it God either for the increase of the Church or by reason of their ignorance and rudenesse winked at it yet as in another case Acts 17.30 The time of this ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisheth all men every where to repent So may we say in this specially seeing Christ by himselfe and by others his Apostles hath declared us the law of the creation and brought it to the first institution he beingas Revel 1. Alpha and Omega and as Hierom applies it to this when he found all things at his comming brought to Omega to an extremity and height he reduced them to Alpha to that which was in the beginning And if it were then granted to be no sinne yet will it be now They who excuse the fathers make as of man so of the world foure ages the childhood of it the youth the mans estate and the old age Now many things are fitting for children and may be tolerated in them which may not be in men of riper yeares as S. August saith inold time for men to goe with garments having long sleeves and skirts it was an argument of softnesse and wantonnesse But now if they should weare them with either they should be noted They say againe that that was the time of darkenesse ours of the light for though they were light in respect of the Gentiles they are darkenesse in comparison of us Now many things are tolerable in darkenesse which may not be borne withall in the light Then in this as in many other things we must not study what was done or borne withall but what is lawfull for us to doe and walke not in this and many other things as others have done but as God hath spoken Now wee may adde to the former words and collect out of them that when it is said Did not he make one who is the Author of marriage The first instituter of marriage is God Doctrine the Author of the conjunction that is betwixt man wife as at the first so now is God and he alone Manifest as here So Gen. 2.2 And the rib which the Lord had taken from theman made he a woman and brought her to the man Hence that Prov. 2.17 It is called the Covenant of God called so properly because he is the Author of it Hence Math. 19.6 whom God hath joyned together Because the breach of this ordinance either in man or woman Reason 1 by his law is death when either hath broken he ordained that the nocent party should dye yea hee that abused a woman but betrothed it was death Deut. 22.22.23 Now God for no ordinance of man ever ordained death Because though parents friends Reason 2 and parties themselves take care to provide matches after their humors some one some another yet is it not in the power of them all or any to make liking or knit hearts but only the Lord. To this some apply that Mat. 19.6 whom God hath coupled he working secretly and leading their hearts one to another Hence that Pro. 19.14 House riches are the inheritance of the fathers but a prudent wife commeth of the Lord
their unlike and that which is so contrary to them The more righteous the Judge is the more he hates iniquity and sinne he is righteousnesse it selfe The sunne is the greatest enemy to darkenes because it hath light of it selfe and as it were is light it selfe Because it workes the destruction of the creature Reason 3 which he loves Jam. 1.15 Now then loving his creature he must needs dislike and hates this parents hate and dislike those creatures men or beasts who worke the ruine of their children the fruit of their bodies and generally whatsoever a man loves he hates that which worketh the ruine of it For sinnes past which a man hath commited Vse 1 he must be grieved and displeased with himselfe that ever he committed any such things by which he hath grieved and vexed so holy and righteous a God And this ought he to do if either he have love to God or to himselfe Semper in amore cautel la est nemò melius diligit quam qui maxime veretur offendere Sal. Ep. To God because where men love they are loath to offend and grieved when they have displeased them so that it is a note of a gracelesse child one without any love to his father that is never grieved when he sees his father grieved and vexed with his leudnesse and evill carriage he may be a child but he is a prodigall sonne and shall never be accepted till he returne and shew himselfe grieved that he hath grieved him True love seekes to please the beloved rather then it selfe and is more grieved that it hath displeased such one As Salvia Qui satis ailigunt non citò offendūtur sed si nō facilè offendunt then if it had offended it selfe And whereas men are more displeased of the losse of their owne pleasure then to the displeasure of God how can it be but that selfe love is above Gods love As Salvia saith whom a man is loathest to offend he most loves of himselfe or God but where Gods love raigneth as it ought there this dislike and griefe will be And if this should not make them dislike and grieve yet if any man indeed love himselfe he will dislike and grieve for them because if he doe it not voluntarily As Chry. of man quifuerit sub vinculis bonus nunquā erit profectò bonus simulac enim vi nullacogitur liber ipse ad ingentum subito conversus iterum descesset So I of this griefe he shall doe it by force and constraint for if he judge not himselfe and so take revenge of himselfe for his offending of God the Lord will and make him grieve though oftentimes not as he ought * because such griefe in judgements is not alwaies true griefe yet he shall grieve as he would not for God will bring upon him that which will make him grieve some judgement or other to shew that as he loves them who love him so will he grieve those who grieve him which if it be come upon them they shall finde that true that a disease is not so soone removed as it is easily prevented So here And that it will grieve them as in diseases not the disease but that they neglected the meanes by which they might have prevented it For the time to come men ought to put away their sinnes Vse 2 and keepe themselves from committing new sinnes or renewing the old for it is that which is a griefe unto the Lord and his Spirit and should not men avoid the grieving of God not words and workes which are against God and doe displease him If sinne were a thing which God regardeth not and he were no waies affected or moved with it to griefe or displeasure lesse matter were to be made of it it were no great matter though men satisfied themselves and pleased themselves but being as it is so displeasing to the Lord such a grief unto him It is not only to be sorrowed for cōmitted but carefully to be avoided If he be a foolish son that is an heavnesse to his mother Prov. 10.1 What is he that is a grief to God his father how foolish and wicked is he One asked this question to one about to sinne Tell me what thou thinkest will he pardon thee or no whatsoever thou answer it shall be against thy selfe Ablatus erat à peccatoribus timor nè posset esse cautela And tanta animorum vel potius peccatorum caecitas fuit ut cum absque dubio nullus perire vellet nullus tamen id agcret ne periret Salvia if thou thinke he will not pardon thee what folly and desperatenesse is that to offend a mighty Prince without hope of pardon if thou thinke he will what ingratitude and impiety is it to offend so gracious and good a God so when thou art about to commit any evill or dost omit some good formerly practised and as thou wouldest be thought to have done it of conscience and so it may be though now asleepe Tell me I say what thinkest thou dost thou grieve and displease God or is it liking to him Answer what thou wilt thou shalt not avoyde but be taken If thou say or thinke it doth not displease him thou thinkest wickedly and shalt know it Psal 50.21 but if thou thinke it displease him what a desperatenesse is this to provoke such a great God so mighty a Prince And though thy sinnes bring thee in never so much pleasure and profit for a time never so much contentment and satisfaction yet while God is displeased and offended yea grieved with it thinke the end will be worse for thee For doe they provoke me to anger saith God and not themselves to the confusion of their faces As if he said As Cyprian de lapsis Plus imò delinquit qui secundū hominem Deū cogitans evadere se poenā criminis credit si non palam crimē admisit sun̄ doe they imagine I will long beare my griefe and goe mourning away and not pay them home and ease my selfe yes they shall finde that I have said Isaiah 1.24 Therefore saith the Lord God of Hoasts the mighty one of Israel ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Therefore let men put away their iniquities cease of firming and not grieve the Lord. Let no man imagine that this he will not part with but yet doe something which may please God As prophane Esau with his father Gen. 28.8.9 for if they doe it shall be with them as with him though his father meant to blesse him yet God would not have it so though men and the worke blesse them yet shall it not be so For imitation if God be grieved at the sinnes of others Vse 3 then ought they to be so too vide Mal. 1.6 in properties of filiall feare And if it doe grieve them indeed then will they not use familiarity with those whose words and workes are bitter and sharpe
outward felicity Manifest here and that Eccles 9.1 Psal 73.1.1 Cor. 1.26 Because these states are common to both Reason 1 and if there happen to be any propriety in them prosperity long impunity is proper to the wicked and the crosse to godly as all times manifest to us And if either argue love or hatred or doe but looke that waies it is prosperity hatred and the crosse rather argue love Rev. 3.19 Because God lesse loves where outward things are Reason 2 not in particular but generally the reason of which is because men else would thinke them beloved for their outward things and by them to deserve love and so never acknowledge his love free but that he loved them because he might better honour himselfe by them As St. August gives the reason why he chose not the wise Scribe or Philosopher not the Senator not the rich Merchant to be his Disciples because they would say they were chosen for such things And therefore these argue rather not love By the way Vse 1 this will confute the Church of Rome making a flourishing estate a signe and true note of the Church and so of the favour and love of God for no Church without love when it is manifest the crosse is Comes Ecclesiae And no society hath had more afflictions then it but if it had not yet if it will not conclude that one man is beloved and so two c. then not a multitude This confutes the common judgement of most men Vse 2 who measure the favour and love of God to themselves and others by outward things accounting him that is in poverty and misery accursed and rejected and he that is rich and full to be the sonne of God and hence they blaspheme God so usually as they doe both in respect of themselves and others when they account them beloved their reason and ground is all upon this foundation they have riches and wealth and every thing succeeds well with them Like the high Priests who accounted the people accursed because they knew not the law and themselves happy because they knew when they knew nothing as they ought to know as these for knowledge so they for riches As among the Egyptians he onely was accounted rich that had his heard full of white kine So now he onely beloved that hath his purse and treasures full How usuall this manner of judging is is too too apparent but how fallacious and deceitfull it is may be as apparent like that of Sinionides who would have wealth better then wisedome because the wise stood with cap in hand to the rich so they the wealthy then the poore because they would have it to argue more favour and so judge a man how wicked at least how ungodly soever he be if he have riches and be in prosperity and plenty and others hated but these condemne the generation of Gods children as Psalm 73. yea they judge and condemne God himselfe as if he loved the wicked To teach us Vse 3 not to judge and measure the love of God by these outward things to thinke of that James 2.1 My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons for so much it will carry though more We have a proverbe which may confute these conceits and better informe us for usually we say not he is beloved of God that is rich but he is rich that God loves and so he is for he is rich that a Prince loves though he possesse him not with lands and livings because his love will ever administer that which is necessary for his place and state but this is true especially if we understand it of such a Prince as is not mutable in his minde not mortall in his nature he is rich that such a Prince loves which is onely God But admit this yet how shall a man know that God loves him or how may a man judge who is beloved if not by these outward things I answer by another question how doe Courtiers know Princes love them how children that their fathers love them as children The first is not from common gifts which are Princes larges they cast at all adventure but their speciall places of honor and dignities The second not that they have meate and drinke apparell and such things necessary common to htem and servants but that they have inheritances and portions provided for them So not these outward things common nor common graces knowledge utterance c. but particular graces faith hope sanctification and such like he that is rich in these is beloved oif God Or where is the God of judgement Their blasphemy consisted on two parts one that God should favour the wicked and reprobate Another that if that be denyed it will follow that God did not judge and governe things upon earth for if he did then would it not goe so well with such wicked They deny not here by this interrogation that there is a God of judgement but from the prosperity of the wicked that he shewes himselfe carelesse and remisse in his government and so in this thing calling it into question For men to deny or doubt of the providence of God Doctrine because of the prosperity of the wicked and their impunity and for the affliction of the godly and their sufferings and troubles is a wicked and blasphemous thing for such are these reproved This made David pray so earnestly for Gods judgements upon the wicked that it might appeare that his providence was over the earth Psalm 58. per totum Insinuating else that they would from their prosperity deny his providence He noteth of himselfe that from their prosperity he was tainted infected with this had not the waters of the sanctuary cured him Psal 73.17 And shewes directly that others seeing it by reason of the infirmity of the flesh and astonished at the greatnesse of their prosperity and their owne misery called into question the providence and administration of God Verse 11. Example of this is in Gideon Judges 6.12.13 Then the Angell of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him the Lord is with thee thou valiant man To whom Gide on answered ah my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this come upon us and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of and said did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites Because they see not how they can escape the former Reason 1 else to accuse God as a favourer of the wicked and one that loves not the good if they should acknowledge his providence seeing they measure his love by outward things Therefore they fall into this to deny his providence and particular disposition of things Because as S. Peter speaketh Reason 2 they are blinde or blinded with some passion and cannot see a farre off either to call to minde the judgements of
similitude but certainty That as they were acceptable to the Lord and Scripture which is truth hath said it so as certainly shall these sacrifices be accepted Then When they are pure and their offerings pure not else though they be Iudah and Ierusalem whatsoever their number glory and dignity is God accepts no mans prayers Doctrine and service moved by any outward things as dignity of persons vertue or place or office nor outward priviledges if they want faith and holinesse vide Cap 1.9 Then shall they be acceptable When they are purged and not before A mans prayer shall not be accepted unlesse he be purged Doctrine and clensed reconciled to God and justified and sanctified è con tra vide Cap. 1.10 As in old time and the yeares afore Here is amplified the former the acceptation of their offerings either by similitude as those so these or the certainty set downe that as certainly as they were received and were acceptable so certainly should theirs be It is as certaine a truth that God will graciously Doctrine and favourably accept the offerings prayers almes and other the spirituall service of those under the Gospel as it is certaine he did graciously accept the offerings of Abel Abraham Iaacob the holy Patriarkes and other of the forefathers now this is certain for it is apparently set down in the Scriptures as Gen. 4. and 22. and such then the other the 11. to the Heb. proves the one and is applied Cap. 12.1 to prove the other manifestly unto us For they are brought onely for a provocation to those duties but as an assurance of the like acceptation To this purpose for prayers is that Jam. 5.16.17.18 Because God as he is ever one and the same in himselfe Reason 1 so is he to all those who are his the like affected to them as a father loves all his children and will accept the service of one as of another will heare the request of the yongest as the eldest Because they have the same thing Reason 2 which made their prayers and workes pleasing and gave them boldnesse to the throne of grace Heb. 11.4.6 Which is faith Because they have the same spirit helping their infirmities Reason 3 Rom. 8.26 And the same Mediator giving them favour in his eies boldnesse and entrance Ephe. 3.12 Yea and the spirit in greater measure and more abundance and the Mediator more manifested unto them Then have we no need at all to pray Vse 1 and invocate the Sâ—ints departed that they would commend our prayers to God and pray for us when we are certaine our prayers may be heard as well as theirs Upon this ground sure it was that in all the Scriptures we find not any thing touching this no succeeding ages praying to their predecessors not Iaacob and the Patriarkes to Abel or Abraham not the posterity ever to them not the people to their Prophets departed not in the Gospel ever found either Precept or Practice of it nor in the Primitive and first Church for divers hundred years after Christ If Bellar. l. 1. de sancto beatit C. 20. give us it for a reason why the Fathers before Christ neither prayed in particular for the Church upon earth neither were prayed to because they were absent from God and did not enjoy his sight and presence but were in Limbus and not in heaven The same reason can e give them that for a long while after Christ there was none because it was doubted in the Church whether the faithfull departed out of this world be immediately received into heaven and enjoy the happy presence of God or whether they remaine and stay in Abrahams bosome or some place of rest till the day of the resurrection yea Iraencus Iust Martyr Tertullian and others thought that they abode in some part of hell or in some hidden and invisible place sequestred from the presence of God til the second comming of the son of man Therefore must it follow that invocation is but an innovation But to conclude seeing they know not our wants nor can take notice of our prayers heare us neither can we have any certainety of it if it were so and are certaine from the word of God that our prayers shall be heard as well as theirs We have not need to pray to them nor reason to induce us to it we neither in this nor any other thing adore them but as S. August de verâ religione 55. We honour them for imitation but adore them not for religion This teacheth us the priviledge Vse 2 those who are reconciled justified purged and sanctified have above others because they may both have accesse to God and have assurance to be heard To encourage every one that is Gods Vse 3 to doe service unto him to bring offerings and offer up their prayers being assured before-hand that they shall be accepted not onely heard but graciously heard not onely received but favourably received therefore ought they to come with confidence and boldnesse unto the throne of grace And if at any time they be fainting and doubing whether they shall be accepted or no let them call to mind how God hath received others and their offerings and apply this unto it and so strengthen and encourage themselves with assurance to be graciously accepted seeing they know God is the same now that before he that is not onely as a father like affected to his children but that which a father is not able to doe that to oft as to another to the youngest as to the eldest to the children of the Church of the Gentiles as it were his second wife as of the Jewes his first wife Provided they have the same faith the same spirit the same mediator when they come unto him which others have had who have beene graciously accepted then shall they be certainely received If they object that they are not so worthy as others have not such strength of faith such greatnesse of grace and such like I answer first this smells of infirmity and pride that as they thought to be heard for their much babling so these for their great worthinesse And secondly that children who seeke any thing from their father and hope to receive as others have done doe not looke upon their worthinesse but the naturalnesse of their fathers love VERS V. And I will come neere to you to judgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the sooth-sayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vex the Widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of bosts AND I will come neere unto you in judgement The Prophet having spoken of the effect of Christs power touching the godly and faithfull and in them he speakes now of it in respect of the wicked whom he would judge and condemne neither should there be any evasion from his judgements neither any way to
widowes know what they are to looke for from the Lord that howsoever they thinke all safe and he is farre off yet he will come nigh to them to judgement and be swift when they thinke he is slacke either to make their houses destitute or their wives widowes or to bring some such fearefull judgement against them besides the afterclaps that which is to come after this life But who are these that some men may see themselves touched Verily there are divers sorts of them some injure rich wido wes who left by their husbands under whose shadow they prospered well are by unjust Executors long kept without their portions and widowes part and never recover it but by long sute in law where the best part is spent before the other is recovered If they have it without any such troubles then are they by unconscionable kindred bought and sold by a peece of money to a man that hath neither wealth vertue nor grace many a man labouring for her making great shew of wealth which in truth many pounds is worse then nothing for poore widowes utterly forsaken of all kindred and friends on both sides never deserving the commendations given by Boez Ruth 2.20 for they soone cease to do good both to the living and dead And doing thus to kindred what can be expected of those who are not allied to them but that they should leave them destitute and soone subvert their cause or not right their wrong but be readier to vex them some as the Creditors of that widow 2. Kings 4. thoughin this generally this City lesse capable if they find any reasonable dealing This may perswade every one to avoid this sin Vse 3 if he have no love to justice no affection to mercy yet if he have any feare of punishment let him vex neither the rich nor the poore neither his friend nor one that is friend to him But if he would have his curse turned into a blessing he must have care and do his best that when he rejoyceth and is full the widow may be so too as is commanded in the feast of the Tabernacle Deut. 16.13.14.15 and let her have a part with thee both of the field and vineyard Deut. 24.19.20.21 that thou maiest pray with more boldnesse before the Lord. Deuter. 26.13.15 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God I have brought the hallowed thing out of mine house and also have given it unto the Levites and to the strangers to the fathers and to the widow according to all thy commandements which thou hast commanded me I have transgressed none of thy commandements nor forgotten them Looke downe from thy holy habitation euen from Heaven and blesse thy people Israel and the land which thou hast given us as thou swarest unto our fathers the land that floweth with milke and honey And the fatherlesse The third particular of oppression when they injure and vex the fatherlesse such as are without all helpe and hope The Lord will come nigh to judgment Doctrine to all such as vex oppresse and injure the fatherlesse such as are left yong not able for age and counsell and advice to defend themselves So here so in Exod. 22.22.23 And Deut. 27.19 Jer. 22.3.5 Ioh shewes this was just with God Job 31.21.22 If I have lift up my hand agarnst the fatherlesse when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate let mine arme fall from my shoulder and mine arme be broken from the bone Reasons as in the former To perswade Vse 1 all in authority to judge for the fatherlesse when his cause comes before them as is commanded Isaiah 1.17 which is not that they should accept persons and pervert justice for the fatherlesse because he is so a thing forbidden by God and horrible before him to favour the person of the poore as to feare the great and rich in an unjust cause but that when the poore fatherlesse cause comes before them against some great men or rich deceivers that seek to vex them they should defend their cause though they sue but in forma pauperis and respect the justice of it as if they were rich and do for them that which is right so shall they shew themselves Gods for where the name is given to them there the duty is injoyned them Psal 82.1.2.3.4 For the Magistrate is specially ordained for these not for such as are great men who neither will doe right nor suffer wrong able enough to right themselves and defend their own causes or not so much for these as for the poore orphanes widowes and such like As the defence is for the little coppes and small trees of grooth not for the great okes they have not such need of fencing against beasts as those Then may many men Vse 2 expect the judgments of God who vex and oppresse for their owne gaine many pore orphanes and fatherlesse children sometimes colourably sometimes openly Often they colour it by pretence of law and are legall oppressors who obtaining Wards do sell them from one to another as men do horses and when they are marriagable tenderthem such matches as they must live miserably all their lives with if they accept them so far different in nature state religion and such like or if they accept not when they tender of purpose such as they know they wil not regard then make they a further commodity of them that they happily recover not that oppression of many yeares if they do in all their lives Others that are Guerdons and Tutors having their portions give unto them such liberty that by their indulgences they grow unthrifts that of their possessions and mooveables they often interest themselves and strip them of all often defrauding them of many things wherewith they were put intrust many feed them with money and inwrap them into bonds to be paid when they come to yeares treble and quadrible that they are often out of their wealth before they be at yeares Many Executors put in trust with the whole estate make their fathers conditions far worse then it was that in this case that part of the proverbe is true There is never any dead man rich that is so rich as he is or was accounted before and in truth was yet Executors extenuate and lessen his state to better themselves counting him a bad Cooke who cannot licke his owne fingers In this number of sinners may go many fathers in law who marrying the widow to inrich her to himselfe cares not how he defraud the children many mothers to advance themselves care not what become of the children of their owne bodies with infinite such which happily many men of more experience could better decipher them but if there be others not touched by me he that is both witnesse and Judge seeth all and will judge and indeed doth judge the former oppressions in the age before by that which is in our age and will this by that which is to come I will make your children fatherlesse
Reason 1 the Scripture giveth it unto him Isai 45.6.7 Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord in every place behold the evill and the good Psal 28.18.19 34.15.16 Then without sinne this cannot be denied which were to give God and his Truth the lie Because by denying this they deny the wisedome the power Reason 2 and the goodnesse of God for seeing God hath created the world and all things specially men how should he be wise if he knew not how omnipotent if he could not how good if hee would not regard and governe the things and men he had made For who would account him a good father of a family who when he can and knowes well how to governe and dispose of the children he hath begotten and of the house he hath erected and his whole family yet will not but neglects them And when they deny this of God do they not deny his goodnesse Then have we many proud speakers Vse 1 many that utter stout words against the Lord for we have many and too many who deny the providence of God some in one thing some in another some after one manner some after another some deny any providence at all some affirme it only to be in heavenly things some if in earthly things then but in great matters and about the greatest creatures not the smallest If in man for the generall not in the particular actions and affaires of men These are all speakers against God when the Word and Reason witnesseth of him that his providence is over all these as in generall Psal 113.5.6 in great things Prov. 16.9.21.1 in particular actions Jerem. 10.23 Acts 17.28 in smaller Job 38.3 Matth. 6.26.28 and 10.50 and many other of the like kinde beside reason as that the world doth so long continue that the heavens still keep their certaine and perpetuall motion that there are interchanging of things and as the day succeeding of the night and the winter of the summer that the earth being founded upon the waters compassed about with it and yet it neither sinketh nor is over-flowed will not all these prove his providence specially when they are created of nothing when many things are compounded of contraries and by a naturall enmitie seeke the ruine and would wrack one another For they must needs be preserved of some other but of none but God for who else is able to sustain to rule and govern so great a masse and so infinite creatures but an infinite power To deny them this is to speake against God himselfe of which all these are guilty either out of the dulnesse of their braines as being not able to comprehend greater things then are before their eyes and which may be groped and felt or else out of the wickednesse and corruption of their hearts who living wickedly and filthily lest the continuall remembrance of this should vex and disquiet them and the perpetuall feare of punishment torment them they frame this comfort to themselves As children when they have offended could wish and desire they had neither a Father at home nor a Master at Schoole and these perswade them so it is with themselves Vse 2 This may teach men to take heed how they deny or call into question the providence of God lest they be found fighters and speakers against God and that proudly and contemptuously For what if they cannot see God how he doth it yet seeing they see it is done and the world and all things in it governed after a marvellous manner they ought to beleeve it is so If a man shall see a ship come sailing into the haven or standing upon the shore see it go along upon the sea and often sailing prosperously in the midst of great tempests though he see never a Mariner never a Master and Pilot yet he doubts not but he is there Or as Gregory Nazi anzen If thou heare a Harp sound of divers strings and all keep one harmony thou wilt conceive of one that strikes them though thou see him not so in the government of the world Yea when they cannot see the reason of things that are done yet men ought to admire the wisedome of God As in States men do give more to the wisedome of those which hold and sit at the sterne and governe the State that they thinke well of things done and projected though they see not the reason nay when their reason is contrary Finally well and with good reason may they imagine that if a Father will governe his house and a King will not forsake his kingdome God will much more governe the world and not forsake it And if a ship though well built and strong as Chry sostom cannot be preserved in the sea without a governour no not a day in the middest of the waves nor the body separated from the soule how should this be All which may keep us from denying the providence of God and so speaking against God VERS XIV Ye have said it is in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his commandement and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts YEE have said it is in vaine to serve God The Prophets replication in the person of God shewing them wherein they had prophanely and impiously spoken against God and this their impiety consisted herein that they said it was a needlesse and fruitlesse thing to serve the Lord that a mans labour should be in vaine that should busie himselfe about it and restraine himselfe of other things of his pleasure and profit and they affirme it to be a needlesse worke both in respect of God who was to be worshipped and in respect of those who should worship him for the first some understand these words i. God is farre above man neither hath commerce with him if he have yet God hath no need of these things which men possesse neither doth he desire he is not affected nor bettered by the worship of men Then is it in vaine and foolish for men to bestow their paines and labours in those things which never helpe nor profit him they doe them for Now these things profit not God therefore they are vaine in respect of him And what profit is it that we have kept his commandements Their second proofe they have in speaking thus against God because it is not profitable to men who worship and serve him and first they deny it any waies profitable to do the good God hath cōmanded and that there is not with him any reward for well doing And secondly that it is as little profitable to abstaine from evill and that we have walked humbly before him which is as I take it not to be understood of that humiliation which is in repentance as some thinke but as some others it describeth one who having piety and the feare of God before his eies neither hurteth any man and being hurt of others doth not violently revenge himselfe but rather suffereth all things
stream Rev. 3.4 For them that feared the Lord. The Lord hath a booke of remembrance for them which is not barely to remember what they have done but effectually to remember it that is to reward it and so much for them importeth that it is for their benefit and profit and to recompence and reward them It is not in vaine to serve the Lord Doctrine but godlinesse is gainefull and they who feare the Lord and thinke upon his commandements to doe them they shall be blessed and have their reward in their measure in this life in the full measure in the life to come so much is affirmed directly here Jam. 1.25 Blessed in the deed Because justice requires it Reason and equity that he should not dismisse his servants empty handed specially old and who have spent their strength in his service Heb. 6.10 But of this point formerly VERS XVII And they shall be to me saith the Lord of hosts in that day that I shall do this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him AND they shall be to me saith the Lord Here is the Prophets second answer from a gracious and sweet promise of God of his goodnesse and favour towards them who feare him even as an effect of his remembrance and a proofe he did not forget them And the sum of this promise is that in the time of the Gospell he would make his choice and refusall of the good and bad when it should appeare who was more excellent then others so that those who did believe should be taken into his family and should enjoy great commodities and great dignity both be his and so respected and enjoy the benefits belonging to his And they shall be to me And Here hath the force of an illation or reference to the former sentence ending that and beginning this i. To shew that I remember them I will make them mine so much the phrase in the originall signifies In that day when I shall make them my treasure my peculiar The Lord to shew how dear they should be unto him how he would defend them how he would honour and adorne them used this word which is used Ex. 19.5 translated chiefe treasure It signifies a portion of wealth got by a mans owne labour and industry which men used to love more earnestly and keep more diligently when they have it and so by this he tels them how dear and pretious they should be unto him who did receive the Gospell and truly professe him Some understand this of the last judgement only and that day which is not probable Some both of the day the Gospell and the judgement which hath great probability with it I will spare them or I will use mercy and compassion towards them I will receive them and specially love them and will shew my love in this in sparing them when they offend or as some in winking at their infirmities and corruptions and not rejecting their service for them which the similitude doth shew As a man spareth c. A similitude illustrating the promise of compassion and mercy shewing how great and how tender his compassions should be toward them when it should be as of a father to his sonne whom he loves both as his sonne and also because of that reverence honour and obedience he hath done unto him Now this that is first promised is that they shall be his for so is the phrase they shall be mine like that which we have Gen. 48.5 And now thy two sonnes Manasseh and Ephraim which are borne unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt shall be mine as Ruben and Simeon are mine i. They shall not be as my Grand children but as my owne sonnes and in the division of the Land shall have their portions as any one of my sonnes so here they shall be mine i. I will adopt them and make them mine who are not so by nature nor of themselves No man is of himselfe and by nature not of his parents the child of God but adopted so of God to it Reve. 2.17 Doctrine and in thee a new name written In that day that I shall do this for a flocke Or rather in that day when I shall make them my chiefe treasure as it is translated Exod. 19.5 But all comes to one end to note how deare the Church and people of God are unto him They who feare God and thinke of his name Doctrine delight in his waies are more excellent then others and more pretious deare and beloved of God Rev. 2.9 with 1. Pet. 2.9 And I will spare them c. Another matter promised unto them in it two things First That he would wink at and passe by their infirmities when they served him and did the duties of his worship and passe by many infirmities in them which he will not do in another Secondly That when he did visite them yet he would do it in love and compassion and use them as a father his son that serveth him This is a speciall thing Doctrine promised to Gods children proper to them that in their obedience when they endeavour to serve and performe duties commanded he will accept it though it be mixed with many infirmities and will winke at them and passe by them as though he never saw them Mich. 7.18 I will spare them or have compassion of them When he should come to afflict and correct them it should be in compassion and love The Lord when he afflicts and corrects his he doth it in compassion and love Doctrine grieving to do it retaining ever his fatherly affection towards them Isaiah 27.4 Rev. 3.19 VERS XVIII Then shall you returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not THen shall you returne and discerne c. The third part of the answer to these threatning a judgement to these who spoke thus blasphemously against the Lord. The sum is that such a judgement should come upon them as should open their eies which they winked on now and make them see and acknowledge a difference as well in the things as in Gods affection betwixt the good and bad Then shall you who now blaspheme God and say you have found nor reaped any profit by my service Shall returne that is be smitten with a late and unprofitable yea damned repentance no true and serious returning And discerne Out of wofull experience when you shall feele your owne misery and see the happy estate and condition of the godly shall you know in how farre better estate the righteous that is he that is carefull and conscionable in all the duties of justice honesty and equity And the wicked him that hath no conscience at all but is unjust unfaithfull uncleane or any waies wicked yea you shall discerne and know how excellent his estate is that serveth God that is conscionable in all the
his second comming to his owne is a day of salvation and they are bid to lift up their heads when it approaches but to the wicked both the first and second comming are fearfull and full of horror Therefore Montanus interprets it thus the day is great in respect of the good dreadfull in respect of the wicked resembling this place to that of Iohn Matth. 3.12 But the reason why the Papists contend it should be the true Eliah is because they might prove that the Pope is not Antichrist This is one of Sanders his great demonstrations to prove it because Eliah must resist Antichrist but Eliah is not yet come to do it ergo But what Prophet what Apostle what Scripture ever told them any such thing Papall traditions will leave nothing unknowne they tell us things wherein Gods spirit is silent they tell us the souldiers name who pierced Christ the theeves name who were crucified with Christ the hosts name in whose house he celebrated the supper and the names of the two witnesses Rev. 11.3 to the Enoch and Elias if we will believe them but their folly is made manifest to all that will see Before the comming c. Here is the time when Elias shall come immediatly before Christs comming that is his first comming which though it may seem to be described contrary when it is said to be acceptable and gracious yet this is spoken in respect of divers parties that whereas there were some that contemned and made no account of the mercies of Christ to them it should be a dreadfull day but to the godly acceptable and gracious The comming of Christ is very terrible to all naturall Doctrine wicked and impenitent men That is his preaching of the word whether in his owne person or by his Ministers So Esa 11.4 He shall smite the earth with the red of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked which is again repeated Rev. 2.16 And by his Ministers he doth it 2. Thes 2.8 2. Cor. 2.15.16 Because he brings them by this to the sight of sinne Rom. 3.20 Reason 1 1. Cor. 14.24.25 and so makes them to see though unwillingly how ugly and filthy lepers they are how defiled in nature in soule body mind will affections in word deed actions which must needs trouble them and strike terror into them Because by this he brings them to the sense of that punishment which is due for sin Reason 2 so that though the sight of sin last no longer then they are looking into the glasse that discovers them yet the sense of the punishment may terrifie them By this he also troubles his owne Object and the most penitent as we see Act. 3.37.38 He doth so Answ when he first brings them to repentance or after when they grow secure But the difference is that in these it is to salvation in the other to their greater damnation and hardning Other things which might be observed here are already noted Cap. 3.1 VERS VI. And he shall turne the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the Earth with cursing AND he shall turne the heart of the fathers In this verse is described the end of Iohns comming before Christ Vide brevem expos hujus versus apud D. Abbot Antich Demonstr ca. 6 p. 133. his office which is to convert the hearts of the Fathers to the children and to bring them to an holy union of faith to worke repentance in all and to turne them from iniquity to the living God He shall turne He shall be my instrument to turne or convert men speaking honourably of the Ministery of the word to shew how powerfull it is when he worketh with it The Ministers then convert when they are Co-workers with God 1. Cor. 4.15 1. Cor. 15.10 but prevaile not when he denies assistance 1. Cor. 3.7 The heart of the father to c. Saint Aug. and Hierom by the Fathers understand Abraham Isaack and Iacob and the Prophets and by Children the Jewes when by the preaching of Iohn the Jewes should believe in Christ in whom the Fathers had believed then should their fathers hearts be turned and affected towards them which otherwise were averse from them Some understand by Fathers the Jewes and by Children the Apostles and other Christians according to that Psal 45.16 And when the Jewes were converted by Elias to believe as the Christians did then were the Fathers and Children of one minde consenting in one truth But some understand by them all ages orders degrees of men meaning that Iohn should execute his office with the like authority gravity and power towards all and shall have and see the fruit of his labours in all sorts and so it is interpreted Luke 1.17 That Iohn when he came should finde many dissensions many strange opinions and dotages but he should gather them to God and bring them from those dissensions to true unity that they may grow together in one faith Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse These words menace as many as resisted Iohns Ministry There were among this people many obstinate and wilfull who had need of this rowsing and awakening a threatning also not only against particular men but to destroy the whole Nation of the Jewes by famine pestilence war and exile Repentance is wrought by the preaching of the word Vide Doctrine 1 Cap. 3.7 The Ministry of the word works upon all old yong rich poor Doctrine 2 noble base c. This was manifest by Iohns preaching Mat. 3.5 Luc. 3.10 c. By Pauls 1. Cor. 1.26.27 We read of Noble Theophilus Luc. 1.1 Of the Shop-keeper Act. 16.24 Of the Iaoler ver 34. Of the devout Greekes and the honorable women Act. 17.4 And of the elect Lady 2. Epist Iohn Because God hath decreed to save of all sorts some then must the word needs worke upon them it being the means of salvation Reason 1 1. Tim. 2.4 Because that when he converts by it the wise rich and mighty Reason 2 he might shew his power and the power of the word in the weaknesse of man 1. Cor. 1.25 when by it he shall make them account their wisdome folly c. Because when he calls of all sorts Reason 3 it might appeare that when they are not wrought upon it is not their state and condition that doth hinder them as if God had given it them to snare them but it is from the corruption of their own hearts who abuse them seeing others their equalls are converted To encourage the Ministers in the diversity of their hearers Vse as different in conditions as complexions in hearts as faces yet to go on and deliver the word with faithfullnesse expecting that the Lord shall make it profitable to the saving though not of all yet of some of all sorts that as he wrought effectually in Peter towards the circumcision and was mighty
for I assent not unto Iunius his reading and his note upon the place which the reader may see After the Captivity as they brought with them from Babylon the names of Angels not proper names as Iacob Bonfrerius discourseth it comment in Iudic. c. 13. v. 17. Where hee purposely handles the question whether Angels have any names but of their office as Gabriel Raphael Vriel so it is likely they might more usually call their sonnes Angells that manner of language seeming to bee very ordinary with them and our Prophet oft useth it so hee calls the Priest Cap. 2.7 and Christ Cap. 3.1 and Iohn Baptist in the same Verse T' was his name and I suppose given him not by the people as Epiphanius tells us in his life who because of his comely forme and holy life called him so but by his father at his birth or circumcision It was a commendable practise of the Iewes to give their children the names of such as had formerly exceld in vertue a custome imitated by Christians who used to call such children as were borne to them upon or neare the festivalls of any of the Apostles or others by their names which custome Philip Pareus in the life of his father David Pareus tells us was observed in his country and that for that reason his Father had that name given him or for the remembrance of some event or for the foretelling of some thing to come to passe But however usually they gave them names of a good signification Which though wee are not bound to imitate as some doe even unto superstition but have a liberty to impose such names as are in use in our Country though haply wee know not the signification of them yet it hath beene also the piety of Christian Churches to provide that no unfitting names bee given in Baptisme among others wee have a good constitution of Iohn Pecham sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury Attendant Sacerdotes ne lasciva nomina quae scilicet mox prolata sonent in lasciviam imponi permittant parvulis baptizatis sexus praecipuè foeminini si contrarium fiat per confirmantes episcopos corrigatur Let the Priests see that they suffer no wanton names which sound lasciviously to bee given unto infants in their Baptism especially to the female sexe and if there bee let the Bishops change them at their confirmation Lyndw. provinc lib. 3. De Bapt. cap. Circ Sacramentum See also the glosse there But this only by the way Who the Father of Malachy was we finde not and yet that his Father was not a prophet is not to be concluded for that rule of latter Hebrewes That such Prophets whose Fathers are named were the sonnes of Prophets and otherwise not Is found to bee uncertaine by Burgensis in Hos 1. and by Franc. Ribera praelud 4. in Expos proph and condemned also by Ioh. Drusius Lect. in Hos 1.1 The place also of his birth is as uncertaine save that Epiphanius and out of him Ribera praelud 5. tell us it was Sopha a Towne of Zabulon A place not at all mentioned or observed by Eusebius or S. Hierom in Bonfrerius his Onomasticon nor by M. Iohn More in his exact map of the Land For the time of his prophecying see the following commentary with which I sit downe in this point unwilling to endeavour to reconcile Chronologers about the precise yeare Ioh. Alsted in Thesauro Chronol Titulo 13. places him An. M. 3537. Our Isaackson in that diligent and industrious worke of his places him an hundred yeares sooner not farre from which time the Hebrewes in their Seder Olam Zuta or briefer Chronicle translated by Genebrard doe pitch setting his death An. M. 3404. But the Sepher hakkabala writ by R. Abraham Davidis as Genebrard calls him who also translated some part of it or R. Abraham bar dior as Buxtorfius names him in Bibliotheca Rabbinica litera P. yet nearer to the yeare of Isaackson and our commentary about A. M. 3450. Let such as have leasure and thinke it worth the time satisfy themselves farther to me it is plaine by the matter that he handles that he prophecyed after the Temple was built for he reproves their profaning of the Altar and a little before the comming of Ezra for he inveighed against their marrying with strangers which Ezra by his authority did remedy Epiphanius tells us hee was borne after the captivity and dyed young As if he had beene an Angel onely came and told his errand and presently returned But thus much for the inscription by way of preface wee are next to consider the prophecie it selfe from Vers 2. to the end of the Booke II. The prophecy it selfe which containes diverse contestations with them all both priests and people for many things that were amisse among them But being concise and patheticall as most of the Prophets are and abounding in affection hee intermingleth with his contestations and reproofes sometimes persuasions sometimes threatnings sometimes promises Yet saving the judgment of others who have handled this booke I resolve the whole prophecy into eight contestations First for their ingratitude and contempt of Gods worship from cap. 1. vers 2. to Chap. 2. v. 10. Secondly for their unequall and unrighteous dealing with each other Cap. 2. ver 10. Thirdly for their marrying with strangers and infidells Cap. 2. ver 11.12 Fourthly for their polygamy Chap. 2. ver 13.14 15 16. Fifthly for their blasphemy against God and his providence from Chap. 2. ver 17. to Chap. 3. ver 7. Sixthly for their impenitence Chap. 3. ver 7. Seventhly for their Sacriledge Chap. 3. ver 8 9 10 11 12. Eightly againe for their Blasphemy and Atheisme from Chap. 3. ver 13. to the end of the Booke I. The first Contestation He contests with the Priests and the people for their ingratitude and contempt of Gods worship from Chap. 1. ver 2. to Chap. 2. ver 10. In this 1. He expostulates with them Chap. 1. ver 2. to the 9. 2. He threatens them ver 9. to the end of Chap. 1. 3. He amplifies the former expostulations and threatnings Chap. 2. ver 1. to the 10. I. He expostulates with them 1. For their ingratitude ver 2. to the 6th 2. For their contempt and profaning of Gods worship ver 6 7 8. I. He expostulates with them for their ingratitude ver 2. unto ver 6. They did not account of nor so much as acknowledge Gods love The Prophet therefore presents the Lord reasoning with them and convincing them of it We have 1. The proposition of Gods love 2. The proofe of it First the proposition of Gods love ver 2. I have loved you sayth the Lord. Tremell reades it in the present I love you Not only as Hier I have loved you that is the Iewes while they loved me and kept my Covenant they had testimonies of my love but according to the force of the Hebrew who by one tense signify all I have loved you and doe love you else
say yet then in the greatest seeming disorders yet then they that feared God have other conceits and encourage one another and speake otherwise and thou oh God takest notice of them or oh my soule thou knowest or oh yee that feare God yee know that the Lord hearkens and heares and sets downe all in his booke c. But this conceit upon the place I doe with all submission leave to the judgement of those that can more clearely and with more facility give satisfaction to themselves about the coherence of these words Secondly he answers their blasphemy by shewing Gods taking notice of the different speeches and cariages of men ver 16. The latter part of it Then the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought on his Name I take not these to be the words of the godly as Tremell Tarnovius and generally all understands them by supplying the text with the word Saying They that feared the Lord spake to each other Saying The Lord hearkned c. But I conceave as I said in the former member of the verse that they are the words of the Prophet who answers their blasphemy by telling them in that way of rhetorique that I have exprest above that God is not so regardlesse as they imagine and speake but hee heares both their Atheisme and likewise what defense the godly doe make and puts it downe as it were for a remembrance to reward it in them I herein follow S. Hierom and desire leave to depart from the reverend author of our commentary who interprets them as the speeches of the people according to the supply in the Tremellian Bible And a booke of remembrance was written before him for them c. It is a Metaphor from the use of Kings to set downe the good services done unto them As we have an instance of that custome Esth 6.1 Wherein Mordecai's service was remembred And Corn. a lapide tells us that the Pope hath a booke of the merits of his Prelates whom hee promotes accordingly The prophet speakes Anthropologicè not that God needs any memoriall but because men doe keepe such bookes and the Lord will as surely remember to reward his as if they were written in a register Sepher Ziccaron The Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A booke of memorialls A chronicle An history As God hath a bottell for his peoples teares so he hath a Chronicle for their sufferings Thirdly Vse 17 he answers their blasphemy by declaring Gods gracious promises of dealing well with the godly and such as feare him ver 17. And they shall bee mine saith the Lord In that day when I make up my Iewells and I will spare him as a man spareth his sonne that serveth him A text of most sweete and comfortable contents But for the choyce and practicall Notions which it doth afford for the encouraging and supporting of the soule I doe refer to a discourse upon this verse by that excellent preacher my Reverend and worthy friend D. Richard Sibbs now with God They shall bee mine Vulg. and Genev. They shall be to me In that day when I make up my Iewells Vulg. They shall bee to me in the day in which I doe that is Doe judgment as they that follow the vulgar make good the sense as well as they can for peculiar The Geneva they shall be to mee in that day that I shall doe this for a flock The old autorised English Bible They shall be to me in the day that I shall doe judgement a flock And Peculium the word of the Vulg. Latine sometimes signifies a flock As in Plautus Asinar Quanquam ego sumsor didatus Frugi tamen sum nec potest peculium numerari But properly it is that part of the flock which the father 's granted their children or the masters to their servants as a stock whereon to exercise their industry according to Hottoman A stock of Cattell peculiar And so it somewhat agrees with the Hebrew Segulla a select portion So Deut. 6.6 The Lord hath chosen thee to be Segulla a speciall people unto himselfe But it is properly some rare or deare treasure a brooch or rich tablet or pendant a Jewell a rich and peculiar treasure As Eccle. 2.8 I gathered me Segullath melachim the peculiar treasure of Kings Exod. 19.5 yee shall bee a peculiar treasure unto mee above all people Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A peculiar people The Lord promiseth to take such care of the godly and to lay them up so safely as one would a speciall jewell And I will spare him as a man spareth his sonne The Geneva his owne sonne that serveth him I will bee indulgent towards and have pitty upon the godly I will deale tenderly pardon and remit their punishment See 2 Sam. 21.7 David spared Mephibosheth Or I will have compassion So the word is ordinarily translated as 1 Sam. 23.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tee have compassion on me Fourthly he answeres their blasphemy by warning them Vse 18 that Gods dealings and judgements shall bee so manifest even in their owne fight that they shall be clearly discerned from the godly ver 18. Then shall yee returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not You oh wicked blasphemers shall change your opinion and whereas you said the wicked prosper and it is in vaine to serve the Lord yee shall see a great difference betweene them and how much they gaine by it that serve the Lord. So S. Hierom c. See the point wholesomly and profitably handled in a Treatise of D. Prestons on Eccles 9.1 2 3 4 annexed to his treatise of The new Covenant Fifthly and lastly Chap. 4. he answers by a further amplification of that which was proposed before Vse 1 to shew Gods different dealing with the righteous and the wicked by an Hysterosis the righteous were first named in the proposition verse 18. but the wicked are first treated of in this amplification Chapter 4th as the Hebrew Bibles that we now use and the Latine and our English and most others doe distinguish it which yet Tremellius and Piscator and some others doe continue to the former Chapter making but 3 Chapters of this prophecy and so the first verse of this Chapter to be the 19th verse of the third and so on Where let me take occasion by the way to note it that all antiquity was ignorant of the division of the Bible that wee now use which was made about the yeare 1250 The worke as Genebrard thinks of those Schoolemen who assisted Hugh the Cardinall in gathering The Concordances and an invention so usefull and so much approved that the Iewes themselves after followed it in the Hebrew Bibles The Ancients indeed had their Titles and Chapters or versicles too but not so as wee divide them but usually in shorter periods as appeares by that of
Gen. 28.17 How dreadfull is this place saith Iacob that is Reverend because of the signes of the Divine presence See also Ezek 1.22 Thus even the day of Christs first comming is to be entertained with an awfull dread and reverence 3. That day though a day of salvation to believers yet was to others terrible as it was described to be in the former Chapter verse 2. and is oft described so in the New Testament Luc. 2.34 Luc. 3.9.17 Luc. 19.44 Math. 21.44 See Casp Blockmond System Theol. vol. 2. artic 28. pag. 831. Object 2. It is added lest I come and smite the Earth with a curse But Christs first comming was not to judge but to bee judged Answ 1. It may be understood with Montan. and Winkleman of the destruction of Ierusalem and the calamity that came upon the Iewes upon Christs first comming 2. But I have all the way interpreted this Chapter comprehensive even of the day of judgement also and the sentence then to bee given by Christ Yet it followes not but the place may be meant of Iohn Baptists comming before Christ to prepare men to belive least hereafter for their infidelity they bee condemned It followes not that hee must come presently before that day Object 3. Christ speaking of Elias Math 11.14 Saith This is Elias qui venturus est which is for to come but Iohn was come already Answ The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quiventurus erat Which was for to come speaking of him whom from Malachy's prophecy they expected and so might well be said of one that was already come as we have the same phrase Math. 2.4 He demanded where Christ should be borne Yet was Christ borne already Object 4. Iohn was indeed allegorically Elias but not literally therefore Christ speaking in the same place Math. 11.14 of Iohn saith If yee will receive it This is Elias that is Elias is indeed for to come yet if you will have one now also in this my first comming this Iohn is he But to shew that this is a mystery he addes He that hath eares to heare let him heare Answ Iohn was Elias literally that is in the Prophet Malachies literall sense but because the Scribes had another conceit not of another time as the Papists but of another person that it must be the Thisbite he tells them they mistake it in that for the Prophet in his very literall sense meant Iohn as the Prophet Ieremiah Ier. 30.9 ment the Mesiah literally as it is confessed not David the sonne of Iesse when he sayth They shall serve David their King And therefore he sayth If yee will receive him and addes Hee that hath eares let him heare Object 5. Elias is prophecyed of againe Rev. 11.3 One of the two witnesses Answ Besides the fuller meaning of that place for which let the Reader consult expositors and especially Mr. Ios Meades learned Commentaries upon his Clavis Apoc. There is there no mention at all of Elias It is but a begging to urge that text Object 6. Why else were Enoch and Elias rapt up before death and doe still live in their mortall flesh to dye againe but that they are for that service before the last comming of Christ Answ That they live in their bodies in Heaven is not doubted see Sixt. Amama Antibarb Bibl. l. 3. Syrach c. 44. pag. 947 c. but that they live in their mortall bodies and that they shall dye there is no Scripture for it neither is it likely seeing the Scripture sayth of Enoch Hebr. 11.5 He was translated that hee should not see death see Ios Scaliger's note upon Math. 17.11 among those few short notes of his which Iohn Bill the Kings Printer hath carefully collected at the end of his Impression of the New Testament Greeke at London 1622. But why they were wrapt up we must bee content to bee ignorant and it beseemes us most to bee so More of this point you have well treated of in the following Commentary Being thus rid of this interpretation wee have another which interprets the place of Christs first comming and we have S. Markes autority for it who makes the last words of Malachy to bee the first words of his Gospell and therefore leades us to understand by Elias in the Prophet Iohn Baptist in his Gospell And that we may bee further out of doubt we have the text clearely so expounded Luc. 1.16 17. See Laurent Valla his Castigation of the Vulg. Lat. according to the corrected edition of Iacobus Rivius Math. 11.14 15. Math. 17.10 11.12.13 Which places let the Reader peruse The name of Elias is given to Iohn not propter identitatem personae as if Elias were Redivivus or by a Metempsychosis were entred into Iohns body but propter identitatem spiritus virtutis because of the like gifts calling and Ministery See Iunius parall lib. 1. par 31. Pet. Martyr Loc. Clas 3. cap. 16. sect 21.22 But especially our late blessed King of famous memory in his Monitory preface before his learned Apology for the Oath of allegiance pa. 77.78 whose arguments are examined by Leonard Lessius Disp de Antichr Demonstr 15. but stand good And besides ours some learned and ingenuous Papists as Paul Burgensis Isid Clarius Bened. Arias Montan. in Locum who doe all admit our interpretation and Bishop Iansenius too in cap. 48. Ecclus. as Bened. Pererius affirmes of him lib. 15. in Daniel pag. 223. D. Let me here note by the way the conceit of Lucas Osiander who as he yields the place to bee meant of Iohn Baptist the second Elias before Christs first comming so hee also interprets it of a third Elias before Christs second comming and that is Martin Luther and accordingly interprets the following words and exhorts to the receiving of Luthers doctrine lest God come and punish our ingratitude Luther indeed was a man of notable zeale like Elias fit for the businesse hee was employed in by God and we have great reason to thinke honorably of him but none to thinke that Malachy thought of him or that the Holy Ghost meant him here Thus much of the comming of Iohn 2. Verse 6 His worke or office is declared in the last verse And hee shall turne the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the heart of the children to the Fathers Least I come and smite the Earth with a curse For their interpretation of this who respect only the second comming of Christ let the Reader see Corn. a lapid I content my selfe with that of our following author That whereas all was at that time out of order full of corruptions and errors and different sects see Tremell ad marg Zach. 11.8 Iohn was sent to preach repentance Math. 3.2 and to convert of all sorts from the error of their way and to reduce them to the faith of the old Patriarks But for the manner of the phrase Iunius parall lib. 1. par 55. makes it parallel to Luc. 1.76.77.79 and so it will bring
adeò est quod obduret mentes hominum quà m simplicitas divinorum operum quae in actu videntur magnificentia quae in effectu repromittitur Tertul. De bapt lib. cap. 2. Ipsi miramur quia credimus caeterùm incredulit as miratur non credit miratur simplicia quasi vana magnifica quasi impossibilia Idem There 's nothing that so much hardens mens minds as the simplicity of Gods workes that are seene and the greatnesse of the efficacy which is promised when as to the godly it is farre otherwise They are marvellously wrought upon by them because they look to him who workes by them here is the difference of faith and infidelity beleevers and infidels We wonder because we beleeve incredulity wonders but beleeves not it wonders at simple things as if they were vaine at great things as if impossible Wee are the Ministers of God Vse 3 and your servants for Jesus sake that we bring to you is the message and commandement of God Looke that ye receive not us if ye can dis-joyne us and our message but that we bring heare it beleeve it obey it That we have delivered that we doe and shall deliver as his commandement his will Looke therefore to it that you receive it for it both you and I must give an account I for the faithfull delivery of it you for the fruitfull receiving of it both of us for the carefull obeying of it Let no man thinke much I call so much for hearing and obeying when there is in the most still performance with the least and scarce with the least Tell me when you lend your money doe you not put your Debtor in minde of it when you meet him so doe we and so must I doe for I feare lest in that day I heare that Matth. 25.26 Thou wicked and slothfull servant thou oughtest to have put my money to the exchangers that at my comming I might have received mine owne with usury I have often put forth Gods stock unto you you must pay usury Vsura vero est auditae monitionis per opera exhibitio Your usury is to witnesse your profitable hearing by your workes See then that you obey and doe that as Nathan said to David 2 Sam. 24.13 so I may to you Now advise and see what answer I shall returne to him that sent me The burden by the ministery of Malachy Malachy must carry to this people a burden not onely things acceptable but displeasing and grievous The Ministers of God must not onely serve him in preaching the Gospell and comforts but also threatnings and judgments VERSE II. I have loved you saith the Lord yet yee say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob. I Have loved you saith the Lord The second part of the Chapter is the matter and Prophesies consisting in two parts on Gods expostulation with the people and Priest for their sinnes and his judgments against them for those sinnes The first is hence to the 9. verse Their sinnes are two ingratitude contempt of him and corruption of his worship The 1. to the 6. verse Their ingratitude is expressed that they did not acknowledge nor account of his love nor yet of his benefits the fruit of his love which hee had from time to time bestowed upon them that they might by the greatnesse of the one or by the weight of the other be drawne to performe the duties of Piety unto him their God and King who had deserved so well at their hands and of them First for his love I have loved you A speech spoken with affection specially by valuing his love and disdaining to have it so neglected of those upon whom he had bestowed it Some thinke it is a speech imperfect broken off and interrupted with griefe when he would have added more I have loved you griefe not suffering him to speake more The supply may be I have loved you alwayes but you acknowledge it not neither answered me with love againe but for this repayed me with sinnes Love given to God signifies not a passion nor affection for there is no such thing in God Ira Dei non perturbatio animi ejus sed judicium quo irrogatur poena peccato August of the anger of God De civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 25. So of this it is no passion but his free election to bestow yea an actuall giving to them the adoption of sonnes and eternall life For God is said to be angry when he doth that which commonly men doe when they are angry and to love when he doth that which men doe when they love Now this cannot be understood of his generall love of which all are partakers men and Angels blessing preserving sustaining them for then were it no great matter that he affirmes here to his But of a speciall love that is his choosing of them to be sonnes and to bestow on them eternall life I have loved you that is I have chosen you to be my people and I will be your God to be my children and I will be your Father and to give you the inheritance of sonnes than which what can be greater Hierome thinkes he denies now to love them because he useth the preter-tense But it is no rule when as the pretertense doth often include the present Rom. 1.24 Psal 1.1 The first sinne reproved is unthankfulnesse the reproofe being covertly insinuated rather than openly set downe under the recording and recalling of Gods love and the fruits of it whereof they had beene partakers Hierome observeth here lest the punishment should seeme unjust and God should without cause afflict them and lay the burden upon them he addeth the reproofe of their sinnes Hence we may observe The punishing and afflictions comming to men Doctr. 1 are caused by their sinnes Hosea 14.1 Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Now to the sinne here reproved in particular Doctr. 2 which is unthankfulnesse Ingratitude and unthankfulnesse unto God for his love and the fruits of it the blessings men receive either spirituall or temporall is a very great sinne So the Lord shews it here by his Prophet when he puts it in the foremost of all other sinnes in this people and as the principall which makes him threaten this burden unto them So Isaiah 1.2 sets it before all other sinnes It is by the Apostle put among the sinnes of the last dayes when iniquity shall get the upper hand and must abound 2 Tim. 3.2 This sinne is committed five waies or there are five kinds or degrees of unthankfull men First when men doe not acknowledge God as the Authour and giver of their benefits and blessings but finde out others as Hosea 2.8 9. Shee knew not that the Lord gave her Corne. Secondly when men doe forget him and his benefits against which David laboured Psal 103.2 Blesse the Lord oh my soule forget not all his benefits And confessed among sinnes Psal 106.7 our Fathers
remembred not the multitude of thy mercies Thirdly when they doe not give him praise in word and affection doe not utter it before men Such were the nine Lepers Fourthly when not onely these but recompense him evill for good as that Isaiah 1.2 I have brought up children and they have rebelled against me Deut. 32.5 6. Fiftly not faulty in any of these but doe not walke worthy of such mercies when he doth not render according to the benefit done unto him as it was said of Hezekiah 2 Chro. 32.25 Because the contrary is a duty so often commanded Reas 1 and so earnestly call'd for in Scripture even in every thing 1 Thess 5.18 In all things give thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus towards you Then the other must needs be a sinne Because the Saints of God have much laboured against it in themselves and others Reas 2 which they doe not but that which is evill and sinne Because the contrary is the honouring of God Reas 3 the crowning of him and the araying of him with honour and glory Psal 50.23 Who so offereth praise glorifieth me Then this is a great dishonour and then 't is evill That which is against the Crown and dignity specially immediately of a Prince is heinous and grievous This being such a sinne thus committed Vse 1 argues our age guilty before the Almighty some one way some after another yea who can say I am free Many and the most receive and devoure daily the blessings of God and know not or acknowledge not that he gave them but thinke they come naturally or by friends or by their owne labour and so as Habacuck 1.16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net and burne incense unto their yarne because by them their portion is fat and their meate plenteous and so commit Idolatry with their friends with the earth and heavens with their labours and hands But say they be so farre instructed that they confesse him the giver yet how some have forgotten him and his benefits A second brings the oblivion of the first a third of that c. As one naile drives out another but an affliction makes all to be forgotten as with men one injury they doe us makes us forget they ever did us good But say benefits be remembred and oftentimes spoken of yet not so much as the afflictions and troubles or if at one time many words to expresse the passion in suffering few in receiving or if of them yet as Courtiers bragge of the Kings favour as Haman Ester 5.11 12. more to magnifie himselfe than the Kings liberality for a long story they will tell you of their wealth and honour and children and such like but a few words and that very unsavourily will they drop out of praise to God They make not their Song or Psalmes of thankesgiving as the faithfull have done But if any can plead not guilty here and be culpable in none of these yet his unthankfulnesse appeares that he still remaines in his sinne and rebells against the Lord not onely offending him but by those things he hath received from him more than any married and modest woman will doe to her husband by the Rings Chaines Bracelets Apparrell and ornaments he gave her to adorne her so she might be acceptable to him not that shee should give to an adulterer to entice him to folly And yet what else doe many but by their riches and honours their health and beautie by their strength and valour and such like dishonour him By their riches they waxe proud against God by their honours and high places they oppresse others without feare health makes them study the adorning and trimming of the body by their beautie they entice others by their valour they contemne others and like mighty Nimrods they tyrannize in peace and warre so that God for all his cost hath not Grapes but sower Grapes as Isaiah 5. But say that herein they are not to be charged yet are they ungratefull because they have not walked worthy of such benefits because they have not rendered according to their reward and every benefit hath not beene answered with obedience and more care to please God To teach every man to labour to see and know himselfe guilty of this sinne Vse 2 to humble himselfe for it and repent of it as of one of the greatest sinnes he hath and the greater as in the degrees he finds himselfe guilty of it Now because there neither is nor can be true repentance where there is perseverance in it nor unlesse it be forsaken and the former good acted for he is ungratefull that is not thankfull as he is wicked that is not just the contrary evill is ever where the good is not where and when it ought to be Therefore must every one labour for the good and strive to be thankefull to acknowledge to remember to praise to abstaine from evill to reward with all good offices for such great kindnesse Hee must stirre up the best instrument that he hath to praise the Lord whose nature as one saith is such In conferendis beneficiis est liberalissima ita in gratiarum actionibus reposcendis est avarissima that in conferring of benefits hee is most liberall and most covetous in requiring acknowledgment This is most acceptable to him like the scent of all sacrifices Levit. 3.16 17. Let it repent us that we have deprived him of so much as is due to him and now strive to it singing the songs of thankesgiving with cheerefull hearts when hee calls us to it not loving him otherwise than hee hath done us both in word and deed ceasing to grieve him seeking to please him and to recompence as he hath rewarded us Et si gravia praeterierunt tamen gravium memoria ne praetereat non ut doleamus sed ut gratias agamus Chrysost Hom. 12. ad popul Ant. But Hom. 25. Vera gratiarum relatio haec est cum haec agamus unde Deus glorificari debet cum ea fugiamus à quibus jam fuimus liberati Nam cum Rege contumeliis affecto cum poenas luere deberemus honorati fuissemus mox iterum affecissemus contumelia tanquam ingratitudinis extremae rei maximam merito poenam priore multo graviorem dare deberemus Whereas on the contrary to be truely thankefull is a great treasure it is the way to more riches because a man doth anew draw at the Well of Gods bounty for to him that hath shall be given if hee use it for his Maisters glory and the evill avoided which else would come upon them I have loved thee This is understood not of his generall love but his speciall and that after a speciall manner not such as he loves whole mankind by but such as he loves his Church by The love of a whole Family of his Spouse and children is different one more excellent than other and so both more speciall and more excellent God hee loves