some ignorant pesant when he seeth his fowls bathing in his pond should cry out of them as the causes of foul weather Verse 8. The lion hath roared who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie Who that knoweth the terrour of the Lord can dare to do otherwise when he commandeth it Shall men fear fire water bears lions c. and not the great and terrible God If he roar upon his servants and say as to Jeremy he once did Thou therefore gird up the loynes of thy minde and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them We must roar against mens sinnes and bee instant Jer. 1.17 though they roar against us for so doing and threaten never so much Micaiah will not budge for a Kings authority when once he had seen the Lord in his Majestie nor Paul for an Angels Gal. 1. the rest of the Apostles for the Sanhedrims Acts 4.19 5.25 c. When the Emperour threatned Basil with imprisonment banishment death he answered Let him threaten boyes with such fray-bugs I am resolved neither menaces nor flatteries shall silence me or draw me to betray a good cause or conscience If I deal not plainly and faithfully with your souls said Bernard Bern. de tempore 99. Vobis erit damnosum mihi periculosum Timeo itaque damnum vestrum timeo damnationem ineam si tacuero i. e. it will be ill for you and worse for mee The truth is you would be betrayed and I should be damned if I should hold my peace Let me be accounted proud pragmaticall any thing Luth. ep ad Staple rather then found guilty of sinfull silence when the Lord calleth me to speak saith Luther These were men whose hearts were fraught with the reverentiall fear of God and therefore found themselves necessitated to bee faithfull besides the love of Christ constraineth them 2 Cor. 5.14 so that they could do no lesse they could not but speak c. Act. 4.19 Verse 9. Publish in the palaces at Ashdod c. that is in the courts of the Philistin-princes and of the Egyptian kings who are here attested and invited to judge betwixt God and his vineyard to passe an impartiall sentence and to say whether Israels sinnes deserved not all the judgements that God by his Prophets had denounced yea and greater too Holy Ezra acknowledgeth as much chap. 9.13 But because that many were ready to say as those in Jeremy Jer. 2.35 Because I am innocent surely his anger shall turn from me behold I will plead with thee saith the Lord because thou sayest I have not sinned Yea thy sworn-enemies shall give true evidence against thee and judge of the justice of my proceedings with thee that I may be justified and every mouth stopped Assemble your selves upon the mountains of Samaria that there-hence ye may be eye-witnesses and have a full prospect of their leudnesse which will be to you a pleasant spectacle that out of their tragedies you may frame comedies Samaria was a city set upon an hill and as it self so its wickednesse could not be hid Carnall people are very inquisitive into the miscarriages of professours and ready to search more narrowly thereinto then Laban did into Jacobs stuff What a jear made Ammianus Marcellinus of the pride and luxury of some of the primitive Bishops Averroes of the Papists Breaden-god the Turks of the Papists Asinus palmaris the Jews of their clipping the crucifix and weeping over it in the Pulpit as also the swearing that is so common amongst Protestants together with that mad conceit of some that he that cannot swear with a grace Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici wanteth his tropes and figures befitting a Gentleman This and such like unchristian practises made learned Lineker when he read Christs Sermon in the Mount cry out Certainly either this is not Gospel or we are but bad Gospellers It is a lamentable thing that it should be commonly reported that there be such abominations found in the Church as are hardly heard of among the Heathen 1 Cor. 5.1 pudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Why should it be told in Gath or published in the palaces of Ashdod 2 Sam. 1.20 why should Egyptians condemn Israelites as the Scythians once did the Greeks and the heathen Indians now do the beastly Spaniards that tyrannize over them Why should there be any successours to those Hereticks mentioned by Bellarmine and called Christianocategori Accusers of Christians because by their unchristian conversation they delivered up Christ and his people to bee buffetted De Eccles triumph l. 2. c. 11. and spitted on by their enemies See the Note on Hos 7.16 This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt and behold the great tumults Or the humming-noises the garboiles the violent irruptions upon the poor oppressed causing them to cry out as those that are crushed or broken in peeces and the oppressed in the middest thereof whether by force or fraud oppressed whether it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord is the avenger of all such 1 Thes 4.6 This the Heathen shall take speciall notice of and say with Calocerius the Conful Verè magnus est Deus Christianorum The Christians God is a righteous God indeed Verse 10. For they know not to do right They have done wrong so long together against knowledge and conscience that now they are given up to a reprobate sense to an injudicious minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. having sinned away that light they had and lost that little knowledge they had learned out of the law of Moses concerning good works this they have wickedly blotted out of their own minds as also those common notions of good and evill that glimmering of divine light left in the naturall man this in a defiled conscience is wholy extinct Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge No not they as appeares by what followes they eat up my people as they eat bread Psal 14.4 These Cannibals like pickrels in a pond or sherkes in the sea devoure the poorer as they the lesser fishes And though they cannot but know this to be evill condemned by the light of nature and much more of scripture yet they do it and will do it their eyes being put out with the dust of covetousnesse and their hearts so exercised therewith 2 Pet. 2.14 that they can say as that wretched fellow did We are masters of our consciences we can do what we will for all them and as Balaam resolved at length to curse whatever came of it who store up violence and robbery in their palaces Till the screech-owles of woe cry aloud from the wals and the beames out of the timber make answer Hab. 2.11.12 till their cursed boards of
is false that some contend for sc that every man may be saved in his own faith be it right or wrong For none can come to the Father but by the Son Joh. 14.6 Neither is there any other name but His under heaven whereby men must bee saved Acts 4.12 See Joh. 17.3 and 6.40 Heb. 11.6 whatsoever the Huberians affirme of Universall Election or the Puccians of a naturall faith and we will walk in his paths which are all paved with mercy and love so that the saints run therein and faint not walk and are not weary Esay 40.31 They are all Peripateticks ever in action Gen. 17.1 they are Currists not Quaerists Ambros saith Luther elegantly they do not reason but run the pathes of Gods precepts Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia For the law shall go forth of Zion The law or doctrine as Prov. 13.14 Understand here the Gospel that Law of God Psal 19.7 that Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 that perfect law of liberty Jam. 1.25 a counter-pane whereof God putteth into the hearts of his people Jer. 31. whereby they become as it was once said of the Thracians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law to themselves Herod as being transformed into the same image with the Gospel like as the pearl by the often-beating of the Sun-beams upon it becommeth radiant as the Sun and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Not from Africa at first as the brethren of the rosy-crosse would have it though 't is thought the Gospel was received and the Christian faith professed even from the Apostles time in that large region of Nubia in Africk But repentance and remission of sinnes was preached among all nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.41 The Jews were Gods Library-keepers and the Apostles sent and went from Jerusalem to plant Churches abroad the world and to gather into one the children of God that were dispersed Ioh. 11.52 Verse 3. And he shall judge among many people We had before Christs Propheticall Office here we have his Princely and elsewhere his Priestly This seems to have been the effect of that old prophecy among the Easterlings that Judaea profecti rerum potirentur some that came out ofâ— Jury should conquer all Vide Sueto in Vespas Tacit. lib. 21. wherein both the former are founded for he is the true Trismegist and Melchisedech was a right type of him He is the onely judge and needs no Vicar upon earth such as the Pope claims to bee Esay 33.22 no such Officers to see his lawes executed as the Ephori were among the Greeks and the Censores among the Romans The Lord that sent the rod of his strength out of Zion as verse 2. doth also give him to rule in the middest of his enemies whiles his people are willing in the day of his power in the beauties of holinesse Psal 110.3 willing that Christ should send forth judgement to victory Mat. 12.20 that is perfect his own work of grace begun in their hearts To which end as it here followeth He shall rebuke or convince strong nations Convince them I say by his Spirit of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement â—oh 16.8 Of the lothesomnesse of sin of the necessity of getting righteousnesse by Christ and repentance from dead works that men may serve the living God and as much as in them is Acts 17.30 live peaceably with all And they shall beat their swords into plowshares i. e. their fierce and fell natures shall be mansuefied as Esay 11.6 7 8 9. and if they wage warre it shall be non nisi coacti either for the just punishment of Delinquents whom they cannot otherwise come at or for their own necessary defence and that they may establish peace with truth But if men would live by the lawes of the Gospel they need not wage warre or want peace either of countrey or of conscience but they might take for their Motto that of David Ani shallom I am peace and have for their portion that peace peace Esay 26.3 even a perfect sheer pure-peace a multiplied peace with God with themselves and with others this is a main piece of Christs kingdom upon earth Florus who is the Prince of peace and came in a time of peace viz. in the raigne of Augustus when as there was Totius orbis aut pax aut pactio saith Florus a generall peace or truce thorowout the whole world neither shall they learn warre any more To make a trade or a gain of it and so to earn a curse Deut. 27.25 to delight in it Psal 68.30 and make a sport of it as Abner did 2 Sam. 2.14 and Pyrrhus king of Epirots to wage it without weighty reason rashly If we Princes said our Hen. 7. should take every occasion that 's offered the world should never be quiet but wearied by continuall warres We may also here take warring as St. Iames doth chap. 4.1 for jarring and jangling for private discords and dissentions Now these the people or God are so farre from learning that they utterly lay them aside and are kinde one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave them Ephes 4.32 Verse 4. But they shall sit every man under his vine seeding upon the fruit that shall even fall into his mouth saith à Lapide Sit they shall under Christ the true Vine saith Hugo and under the holy Ghost as a fig-tree whose fruit is farre sweeter then any honey But these are coynt interpretations saith Gualther I should rather expound this Text by that 91. Psalm wherein the safe and happy condition of the godly is at large described Vineyards and fig-yards were ordinary in those countreys and hence this proverbiall expression to set forth doubtlesse the spirituall security and that peace of conscience chiefly that is granted to Christs subjects a peace farre beyond that under Solomon which is here pointed at or that under our Queen Elizabeth not to be passed over without one touch at least upon that string which so many years together sounded so sweetly in the ears of our Fathers Then it was if ever that the mountains brought forth peace and the little hills righteousnesse Psal 72.5 The great ones defended their inferiours Westmer in Psal 72. and the inferiours blessed their superiours the Magistrate righted the subject and the subject reverenced the Magistrate and none shall make them afraid God they know will not hurt them man cannot he may take away their heads but not their crowns their lives but not their hopes for the righteous hath hope in his death his Posie is not onely Dumspiro spero but Dum expiro Let the wicked have a trembling heart and failing eyes while he lives Deut. 28.65 and when he dies crie out as a great man was heard to do Spes fortuna valete Farewell life and hope together The servant of Christ as he sits mediis tranquillus in undis all his life long
gapes for him where he shall rue it among reprobates Well he may flourish a while and feel no hurt as Saul did not of many years after his rejection and as the Pharisees after Christ had said of them Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind Mat. 15. But they shall pine swelter away in their iniquities Lev. 26.39 which is the last of those dismall plagues there threatened they shall not be purged till Gods wrath hath rested upon them Ezek. 24.13 so that now they may go and serve every one his idols sith they have such a mind to it Ezek. 20.39 and sith they have made a match with mischief they may take their belly-full of it Oh let us feare lest this should be any of our cases that God should say let him alone he is resolved of his way and I of mine he will have his swinge in sin and I am bent to have my full blow at him I am fully perswaded saith a Reverend man now with God that in these dayes of grace the Lord is much more quick and peremptory in rejecting men then heretofore the time is shorter neither will he wait so long as he used to do See for ground of this Heb. 2.3 God is oft quick in the offer of his mercy Go and preach the Gospel saith Christ Go and be quick tell men what to trust to that as fooles they may not be semper victuri ever about to be better but never begin to set seriously to work He that beleeveth shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall be damned I shall not longer dally with him Destruction cometh and they shall seek peace and there shall be none Mischief shall come upon mischief and rumour upon rumour then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priest and counsel from the ancient c. Ezek. 7.25.26 when men are even dropping into hell and have an hell afore-hand in their consciences then they 'le send hastily for the minister as they did in the sweating-sicknesse here so long as the ferventnesse of the plague lasted Then the Ministers were sought for in every corner you must come to my Lord you must come to my Lady c. But what if God have said of such a one Let him alone as he reproved Samuel for mourning for Saul and as he forbad Jeremy to pray for the Jewes and his Apostles to take care for the Pharisees Oh how dreadfull is that mans condition and what can a Minister say more then what the king of Israel said to the woman that complained to him of the scarcity of Samaria If the Lord help thee not 2 King 6.27 whence shall I help thee out of the barne-floore or out of the winepresse If any dram of comfort be applied to a wicked man the truth of God is falsified and that Minister will be reckoned amongst the devils dirt-dawbers upholsters Ezek. 13.18 that dawb with untemper'd morter sow pillowes under mens elbowes Let such alone therefore and let God alone to deale with them Verse 18. Their drink is sowre That is they are past grace and it is now past time a day to do them good for thou seest how the matter mends with them even as sowre alemends in summer and how they even stink above ground as Psal 14.2 Vina probantur odore colore sapore c. but their wine hath neither good colour smell nor favour or tast it 's dead and gone and they are as trees twice dead and rotten Jude and therefore pulled up by the roots such as the Latines call vappae that is past the best and now good for nothing See Esay 1.22 what life or sweetnesse can be in Apostates yea how sowre and unsavoury to such are all fleshly comforts They use to drink away their terrours and drive away their melancholy dumps with merry company But will that hold what are such plasters better then the devils Anodynes then his whistle to call men off from better practises there is a cup in the hands of the Lord it is full of mixture but extreme sowre and the very dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them up Psal 75.8 though it be eternity to the bottom they have committed whoredome continually Here they are taxed for whoredome as before for drunkennesse so some carry it and afterwards for covetousnesse This is that flagitiorum triga whereby the Prophet perswadeth Judah to shake off Israel as not fit to be conversed with He had charged them before with fornication of both sorts here he sheweth how unwearied they were in their wickednesse and withall how intense for fornicando fornicati sunt they have done wickedly as they could they have eeked out their idolatries and adulteries and though wearied and even wasted with the multitude of their wickednesses yet they have not given over but are unsatisfiable and would sin in perpetuum as that filthy fornicatour who said he would desire no other heaven but to live for ever on earth and to be carried from one brothel-house to another She hath wearied her self with lies and yet her great scum went not forth out of her Therefore shall it be in the fire Ezek 24.12 Therefore shall gracelesse wretches be tormented for ever because they would sin for ever and therefore suffer all extreamity Mic. 7. because they do wickedly with both hands earnestly wofully wasting the marrow of their time the flower of their age the strength of their bodies the vigour of their spirits in the persuit of their lusts in the froth and filth whereof is bred that worme that never dieth which is nothing else but the furious reflection of the soul upon its own once wilfull folly and now wofull misery her rulers with shame do love Give ye Her shields o shamefull do love Give ye where there is in the originall an elegant Agnomination that cannot be englished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahabhu hibhu Dilexerunt Afferte not Afferre as the Vulgar corruptly readeth it The Dorick dialect the horsleaches language Give Give they are perfectly skilled in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gift-greedinesse is all their delight like the ravens of Arabia that full gorged have a tuneable sweet record but empty screech horribly Plerique offictarij saith One Very many rulers do as Plutarch reporteth of Stratocles and Dromoclites a couple of corrupt officers Plutarch in politic qui sese mutuo ad messem auream invitare solebant who were wont to invite one another to the golden harvest thereby meaning the Court and the judgment-seate These follow the administration of justice as a trade onely with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gaine which iustifieth the common resemblance of the Courts of iustice to the Bush whereunto while the sheep flieth for defence in weather he is sure to lose part of his fleece Now are these Sheilds are they not
of the earth as swift as the Eagle flieth to which Text the Prophet here seemeth to allude as indeed all the Prophets do but comment upon Moses and draw out that Arras which was folded together by him before against the house of the Lord that is the house of Israel called Gods house Numb 12.7 Heb. 3.5 and Gods land Hos 9.3.15 and their Common-wealth is by Iosephus called a Theocratic And although they were now become Apostates yet they gloried no lesse then before to be of the stock of Abraham and of the family of faith like as the Turks call themselves at this day Musulmans that is the true and right beleevers especially after they are circumcised which is not done till they be past ten yeers of age following the example of Ismael Grand Signior Serag p. 191. whom they imitate and honour as their Progenitour alledging that Abraham loved him and not Isaac and that it was Ismael whom Abraham would have sacrificed because they have transgressed my Covenant and trespassed Sin is the mother of misery and the great Makebate betwixt God and his creature It moves him when we ask bread and fish to feed us as verse 2. to answer us with a stone to bruise us or a serpent to bite us The sin of this people was the more hainous because they were covenanters and confederate with God It was his covenant that was in their flesh Gen. 17.13 and he had betrothed them to himself and betrusted them with his Oracles but they like men transgressed the covenant and dealt treacherously against him Chap. 6.7 See the Note there they performed not the stipulation of a good conscience toward God 1 Pet. 3.21 they trespassed against his law As if it had not been holy and just and good Rom. 7. precious perfect and profitable grounded upon so much good reason that if God had not commanded it yet it had been best for us to have practised it Esay 48.17 I am the Lord that teacheth thee to profit c O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandements c. q. d. It is for thy profit and not for mine own that I have given thee a law to live by But they have trespassed or praevaricated and this out of pride and malice as the word signifieth and as before he had oft convinced them of many particulars and more will do therefore are they justly punished Verse 2. Israel shall crie unto me It is their course and custome to do so they will needs do it though I take no delight in it Hypocrisie is impudent as chap. 5.6 and Ier. 3.4 5. No nay but it will despite God with seeming honour and present him with a ludibrious devotion Israel though revolted and degenerated into Iezreel chap. 1. shall crie yea cry aloud vociferabuntur cry till they are hoarse as criers do and unto me but not with their heart chap. 7.14 It is but clamor sine side fatuus an empty ring that God regards not For not every one that saith unto him Lord Lord c Mat. 7.21 Many leane upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us none evil can come unto us Mic. 3.11 who yet shall hear Discedite Avaunt ye workers of iniquity I know you not Wo then to all profligate professors carnall Gospellers their prayers shall not profit them neither shall they be a button the better for their loud cries to the most High Pro. 1.28 and odious fawnings My God we know thee When their hearts are far from him Of such pretenders to him and his truth it is that the Apostle speaketh Tit. 1.16 They professe that they know God which yet God denies Hos 4.1 5.4 but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate To come and call God Father the guide of our youth and then to fall to sinne this is to do as evil as we can We cannot easily do worse Jer. 3.4 5. To cry The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord and then to steal murther and commit adultery c. this is painted hypocrisie Ier. 7.4 9. when men shall take sanctuary and think to save themselves from danger by a form of godlinesse as the Jews fable that Og king of Bashan escaped in the flood by riding astride upon the Ark when they are perfect strangers to the power of it this is to hasten and heap up wrath Iob 36.13 Religion as it is the best armour so the worst cloak and will serve hypocrites as the disguise Ahab put on and perished Castalio maketh this last clause to be the speech of the blessed Trinity We know thee O Israel q. d. Though thou collogue and cry My God yet we know thine hypocrisie and the naughtinesse of thy heart But the former sence is better though the placing of the word Israel in the end of the verse seem to favour this for thus it runs in the Hebrew To me thy shall cry My God we know thee Israel Verse 3. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good Heb. The Good as first the good God who is good originall universall All-sufficient and satisfactory proportionable and fitting to our soul He both is good and doth good Psal 119.68 and that both naturally abundantly freely and constantly Good thou art O Lord and ready to forgive saith David Psal 86.5 And the Good Lord be mircifull 2 Chron. 30. c. saith Hezekiah in his prayer for the people To speak properly there is none good but God Ase elonganit ' â—ipulis saith our Saviour Matt. 19.17 but Israel cast him or rather kickt him off procul à se rejecit as the word signifieth So do all grosse hypocrites they are rank Atheists practicall Atheists though professionall Christians Secondly they reject Christ as a Soveraigne though they could be content to have him as a Saviour they send messages after him saying We will not have this man to rule over us they will not submit to the lawes of his kingdom nor receive him in all his offices and efficacies they are Christlesse creatures as without God so without Christ in the world Thirdly hypocrites reject the good Spirit of God as David calleth him Psal 143.10 the fruit whereof is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5.9 When God striveth with them by his good Spirit as Neh. 9.20 they by yeelding to Satans suggestions grieve that holy Spirit and by grieving resist him and by resisting quench him and by quenching maliciously oppose him and offer despite unto him and so cast themselves into the punishing hands of the living God Heb. 10.29 31. Lastly they cast off the good Word and true Worship of God those right judgements true lawes good statutes and Commandements Neh. 9.13 they put the promises from them and judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life Acts 13.46 they hate instruction and cast Gods words behind them Psal 50.17 In a word bee hath left off to
fetch them thence into captivity Oft they had been warned not to go down to Egypt for help and they must needs be hard bestead that fled thither True it is that the Egyptians are renowned in histories for a thankful people and the Israelites are charged not to abhor an Egyptian because they were once strangers in his land Diod. Sic. l. 2. Dent. 23.7 and had tasted of his courtesies But withall they could not but know how hardly the Egyptians had dealt with their fore-fathers and how treacherously also with them and that they ought not de jure to have returned thither upon any tearms Sed Deus quem destruit dementat and although here they were resolved for Egypt yet Chap. 11.5 God resolveth otherwise and voluntas Dei necessitas rei his will shall stand when all 's done And they shall eat unclean things in Assyria Things forbidden by the law as swines-flesh c they shall be forced to eat or starve they must not look for liberty of conscience in Assyria nor have that favour to make a difference of meat as Daniel had Chap. 1. but as Ezekiel baked his barley-cakes with mans-dung Even so said the Lord shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the heathen whither I will drive them So haughty they were grown that their fathers house could not hold them therefore they shall be giad of huskes with hogs as that prodigal they shall eat as the heathens sith they would needs act as the heathens They thought it was hard with them in their own land when the floores and the wine-presse would not feed them vers 2. But now it is farre worse when forced by hard hunger they are glad of any meat be it clean or unclean neither have they any more mind to be so merry with other nations as vers 1. or cause so to be their stomacks craving and themselves with Drusus in Tacitus ready to eat the stuffings of their bed or with the Jewes in the last siege of Jerusalem not onely to feed upon dogs rats cats c. but the leather of their shooes girdles targets bridles yea Pontanus Hegesippus oxe-dung was a precious dish unto them and the shreddings of pot-hearbs cast out and trodden under foot c. Vers 4. They shall not offer wine-offerings unto the Lord Non libabunt multò minus litabunt they shall not have wherewith to offer sacrifice when they are in their banishment Chap. 3.4 much lesse to serve God with cheerfulnesse to exhilarate his heart with their wine-offerings Judg. 9.13 to chear up themselves with the wine and oyle-offerings Num. 15.5 which were symbols and signes of the Merit and Spirit of Christ for the Ceremonial Law was their Gospel it was Christ in figure and the deprivation of them threatened the deprivation of grace and glory Now therefore sith such a sad condition and such sinking of spirits abided this people what reason had they to rejoyce with joy as others Neither shall they be pleasing to him Heb. they shal not be sweet or mingled for as sweet and sowre maketh the best sawce so the mixture of things of divers qualities maketh the sweetest confections and most pleasing to the palat but so shall not be these mens wine-offerings to God if any they should present but sowre and savourlesse He is now resolved to take another course with them to glorifie himself in their calamity and to give unto them another while the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath Rev. 16.19 that is to delight as much in their misery as a man would do in drinking off a bowle of generous wine Their sacrifices shal be unto them as the bread of mourners i. e. as funeral-feasts whereof read Jer. 16.7 8. Ezech. 24.17 made ad levandum luctum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eaten in heavinesse by those that were polluted by the dead and therefore altogether unfit for sacrifice sith God loveth a cheerful service and will not have any of his come off heavily See Levit. 10.19 Deut. 13.7 and 26.14 Mal. 2.13 where those unkind husbands are blamed for causing their wives when they should have been cheerful in Gods service to cover the Lords altar with tears with weeping and with crying out so that he regarded not the offering any more So Ezr. 9.5 that holy man though till then he sat astonied at the sins of the people yet he arose from his heavinesse at the evening sacrifice for he knew that even sorrow for sin might be a sinful sorrow if unseasonable and sullen for it sowres a mans spirit and makes his services unacceptable to God For their bread for their soul shal not come into the house of the Lord Their bread That is their meat-offering or other sacrifices see Mal. 1.7 with the note for their soul that is for themselves soul is oft put for the whole person shal not come rightly and in due manner unto divine acceptation into the house of the Lord it should not have come into the Temple while it stood and the Levitical service was orderly performed how much lesse shall it be accepted now in a strange land being the bread of mourners Others by the bread for their soules understand their natural and necessary sustenance He speaks say they of that meat-offering Levit. 2.5 appointed for a spiritual use yet called here the bread for their life or livelihood because God esteemed it no other then common meat Tarnouius by the house of the Lord here understandeth the Church as Chap. 8.1 and 9.5 and 2 Tim. 2.20 The door of this house saith he is Christ Joh. 10.9 and door-keeper the holy spirit ibid. vers 3. the foundation and corner-stone Christ Eph. 2.20 the wall is God Zach. 2.9 the stewards the ministers 1 Cor. 4.1 Eph. 2.19 those of the houshold the Saints c. What will ye do in the solemn day c. q. d. How will ye do to laugh and leap then as ye do now vers 1. How will you be able to support your selves to keep your hearts from dying within you when you call to mind and consider your former solemnities and festivities which now alas in your captivity you are utterly deprived of Time was when you went with the multitude to the house of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy-day Psal 42.4 with dancing eating drinking and joy Deut. 16.14 15. Judg. 21.19.10 But now the scene is altered your singing is turned into sighing your mirth into mourning your joy into heavinesse and you must needs hold your selves so much the more miserable that you have been happy The Epicures indeed held that a man might be chearful against the most exquisite torments 1. In consideration of his honesty and integrity Ex praeteritc rum voluptatum recordatione Cic. de finib l. 2. Senec. de benef l. 4. c. 22. 2. In consideration of those pleasures and delights that formerly he had enjoyed and
seen the afflictions of my people in Egypt c. Behold I will engrave the graving thereof Hae coelaturae dona stigmata Christirepraesentant saith A Lapide These gravings represent the gifts and wounds of Christ Lib. 4. in allusion to the polished corners of the Temple Coelum dictum est quod coelatum id est signatum sideribus saith Varro Heaven hath its name in Latine from its being enameled and bespangled with glistering starres as with curious workmanship or costly furniture Of the third heaven the habitation of Saints and Angels Heb. 11.10 God is said to be by a specialty the builder and maker or as the Greek hath it the cunning Artificer and publike Architect A great deal of skill and workmanship he laid out upon it but nothing so much as upon the Humane nature of Christ wherein as in a Temple dwelt all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col 2.9 that is personally by vertue of the Hypostaticall Union For the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth John 1.14 full full to the very brimme full with a double fulnesse Vasis Fontis of the Vessell and of the Fountain Hence He was fairer much fairer double fairer as the Originall importeth then the sonnes of men sc with the beauty of wisdome and holinesse grace was poured into his lips God had anointed him with the oil of gladnesse above his fellows Ezek. 28.7 Psal 45.2 7. The Priests in the Law were consecrated first with oil compounded and confected of diverse precious spices so was Christ with gifts and graces of the Spirit Act. 10.38 and 4.27 Esay 61.1 not by measure as we are Ephes 4.7 but without measure as much as a finite nature was capable of particularly he was furnished and polished with wisdome as a Prophet against our ignorance with holinesse as a Priest against our guilt and with power as a King against our corruptions These and all other endowments he had well heapt pressed down and running over poured into his bosome Next as the Priests under the Law were also consecrated with blood so was the Lord Christ with his own blood when his Father engraved him with graving or as the Hebrew hath it here opened him with opening in his bloody passion baptized him in his own blood stewed him in his own broth as it were when in a cold winters-night hee sweat great clods of blood which thorow clothes and all fell to the very ground When after this they digged his hands and his feet Psal 22.16 and made his heart melt in the middest of his bowels verse 14. Wounded he was in the head to cure our vile imaginations In the hands to expiate our evil actions in the heart and feet for our base affections and unworthy walkings Tormented he was for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him tanquam pulcherrima corporis caelatura and by his stripes or bloody wails we were healed Adam signifieth Man red-earth or Bloody Esay 53. â— Christ was Man in his Incarnation and bloody all over in his passion This death of Christ therefore look on saith Master Bradford Martyr as the very pledge of Gods dear love towards thee see the very bowels of it as in an Anatomie See Gods hands are nailed they cannot strike theo his feet also he cannot runne from thee his arms are wide open to embrace thee his head hangs down to kisse thee his very heart is open so that therein look nay even spie and thou shalt see nothing therein but love love love to thee c. Cernis ut in toto corpore sculptus amor and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day I will remove i. e. remit and pardon the iniquity both guilt and punishment Of that land i. e. Of the Church that pleasant land more dear to God then all the earth besides In one day i. e. together and at once suddenly and in an instant See Esay 66.8 Verse 10. In that day saith the Lord of hosts shall yee call c. i. e. Yee shall have peace Regionis Religionis of countrey and of conscience Christus auferet iniquitatem afferet pacem Christ as he saveth his people from their sinnes so from the hands of them that hate them When this Prince of peace was born in the dayes of Augustus Vniversa gentium erat aut pax aut pactio Luc. â—lor l. â— there was a generall either peace or truce among all Nations And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into the land thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian c. Mic. 5.5 6. But behold a better thing This Shiloh this Tranquillator Pacificator by removing iniquity createth peace of conscience like as after Jonah was cast over-board the sea became calme Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Esay 9.7 Where Christ ruleth there is peace peace Esay 26.3 that is perfect sheer pure peace with God our selves and others and the more Christs government increaseth in the soul the more is peace renued continued multiplied Psal 119 16â— Great peace have all they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them saith David And thou hast been a strength to the poor a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat c. Esay 25.4 better then that of the broad-leaved Vine and fig-tree very cooling and comfortable in those hot countreys See this in righteous Noah who being justified by faith had peace with God and therefore was medijs tranquillus in undis How securely doth he ride out that uproar of heaven earth and waters He hears the pouring down of rain above his head the shrieking of men the bellowing of beasts on both sides him the raging and threats of the waves under him He saw the miserable shifts of distressed unbeleevers in the mean time sits quietly in his dry cabbin not feeling nor fearing evil How happy a thing is pardon of sinne and peace with God! what a quiet safety what an heavenly calme doth it lodge in the soul what earnest pantings and strong affections to the salvation of others Ye shall call c. CHAP. IIII. Verse 1. ANd the Angell that talked with me See the Note on chap. 1. ver 9. came again After some absence as it may seem and a new vision or revelation received from God to be imparted to the Prophet and waked me as a man that is wakened c. It fared with the Prophet notwithstanding the former visions as with a drowsie person who though awakened and set to work is ready to fall asleep at it So Peter James and Iohn those pillars as they are called Gal. 2. fell asleep at their very prayers Mat. 26.40 such dull metal are the best men made of and so weak is the
But they do better that expound it by that of Solomon Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4.23 and by that of the Apostle Mortific therefore your members which are upon earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evil concupiscence c. Col. 3.5 These are those that defile the man Mat. 15.19 20. These make his heart a filthy dunghill of all abominable lusts and his life a long chain of sinfull actions a very continued web of wickednesse therefore take head to your spirits that is to your affections keep those pure and chaste abstain from fleshly lusts that fight against the soul Take heed where you set gunpowder sith fire is in your heart Austin thanks God that the heart and temptation did not meet together Look well to the affections for by those maids Satan woes the mistresse Look to the cinque-ports the five senses shut those windows that death enter not in thereby Take heed to thy fancy we allow an horse to praunce and skip in a pasture which if he doth when backt by the rider we count him an unruly and unbroken jade So howsoever in other creatures we deny them not liberty of fancy yet wee may not allow it in our selves to frisk and rove at pleasure but by reason bridle them and set them their bounds that they shall not passe The Lord quieteth the sea and turns the storme into a calme Psal 107.29 If then the voluptuous humours in our body which is but as a cup made of the husk of an acorne in respect of the Sea will not be pacified when the Lord saith unto them Be still every drop of water in the sea will witnesse of our rebellion and disobedience and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth He had convinced them of this sinne before verse 14. Now he admonisheth them to abrenounce and abandon it Lo this is the true method and manner of proceeding in administring admonitions The judgement must be convinced ere the affections can be wrought to any thing like as in the law the lamps were first lighted before the incense was burned First know thine iniquity and then turn from it Jer. 3.13 14. Exhortation is the end of doctrine science of conscience reformation of information conversion of conviction and wo be to those that being convinced or reproved for their faults get the bit between the teeth as it were and run away with their rider When I would have healed Ephraim then his iniquity brake out as if it were to crosse me like the leprosie in his forehead Hos 7.1 what can such sturdy rebels expect better then that God should resolve as Ezek. 24.13 as if he should say Thou shalt have thy will but then I will have mine too I shall take another course with thee sith thou refusest to be reformed hatest to be healed thou shalt pine away in thine iniquities Levit. 26.39 O fearfull Verse 16. For the Lord the God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away Heb. Put away q. d. God hates that Put her away Put her away that is so much in your mouthes For because you are justly reproved for Polygamy for keeping two wives you think to mend that fault by putting away your old ones and plead you may do it by a law licensing divorces But the Lord would ye should know that he hates such your practises and the rather because you maliciously abuse his law as a cloke of your wickednesse Divorce is a thing that Gods soul hateth unlesse it bee in case of adultery which breaks the marriage knot and malicious perpetuall desertion This last was the case of that noble Italian convert 1 Cor. 7.15 Galeacius Caracciolus Marquesse of Vico as is to be seen in his life written by my much honoured brother Mr. Samâ—el Clark in the second part of his Marrow of Ecclesiasticall history pag. 101. who by the consent of Mr. Calvin Peter Martyr and other learned Divines who met and seriously debated the case sued out a divorce against his former wife who had first maliciously deserted him and had it legally by the Magistrate at Geneva granted unto him after which he married another Anno 1560. The Civill Law of the Empire permitted divorce for diverse other causes And these Jews for every light cause if but a blemish in the body or crookednesse of manners pretending to hate their wives would write them a Bill of divorce and turn them off Our Saviour deals against this matth 5. and 18. See the Notes there This sinne was also rife among both the Athenians who were wont to put away their wives upon discontent Archcol Attic. 140. or hope of greater portions c. and the Romans whose Abscessionale or Writ of divorce was this onely Res tuas tibi habeto Take what is thine and be gone It is ordinary also among the Mahometans But the Lord God of Israel saith here that he hateth it and it appeareth so by his practise to his Spouse the Church See Jer. 3.1 Joh. 13.1 and then say that Gods mercy is matehlesse and that he takes not advantages against his revolting people but follows them with his favour no otherwise then as when a man goes from the Sun yet the Sun-beams follow him shine upon him warm him c. Zanchy and some others reads the text thus If thou hatest her put her away in that discourse of divorces which he wrote upon occasion of Andreas Pixzardus his divorce as indeed agreeing best with the matter he undertook to defend But in another book of his he utterly disliketh the doings of Luther and some other Dutch Divines who advised Philip Lantgrave of Hesse to marry alteram hoc est Zanch. Misc Epist dedit adulieram his former lawfull wife being yet alive Archbishop Grindall by cunning practises of his adversaries Leicester and others lost Queen Elizabeths favour Camb. Elizab. Arslibishop Abbots also died in disgrace for opposing Semmersets abhorred match with the Countesse of Essex Figuier as if he favoured Prophecyings c. but in truth because he had condemned an unlawfull marriage of Julio an Italian Physician with another mans wife whilest Leicester in vain opposed against his proceedings therein for one covereth violence with his garment This Text had been easie had not Commentatours the Hebrew Doctours especially made it knotty Rabbi David in opening of it obscurior videtur quam ipsa verba quae explicare conatur seems to be more obscure then the words themselves which he undertaketh to open saith Figueir who also reciteth the expositions of severall Rabbines Concerning which I may say as One did once when being asked by another whether he should read such a Comment upon Aristotle answered Yes when Aristotle is understood then read the Comment The plain sence is this These wicked Jews pretended the Law of God as a cloke and cover of their sinne that it might be no sinne to them And though the Lord had protested to hate their divorces
must not be written on any parchment but what is made of the skin of a clean beast nor read but in a clean place No man must touch it but with the right hand and not without a kisse of reverence they usually carry it in procession about their synagogue with many ornaments of crowns and scepters the children kissing it as it passeth by them No man must sit in the presence of it nor so much as spet before it c. Whereas the Gospel of grace they utterlly reject and abominate as a Volume of vanity That Italian Translation that they had of the New Testament is called in and taken from them Evangelâ—â—â— Aven gelaion Eliah in Thesh Rad gillaion Buxâ—orf syneâ— cap. 1 p. 4. for their horrible abuse of it this being still the twelfth Article of their Creed I believe with a perfect faith that the Messiah is yet to come No marvell if the Apestle would not have us ignorant that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel Rom. 11.23 That lesser part or rather particle of them that are proselyted to our religion they pretend that they are none other then poor Christians hired to personate their part Voyage into Levant And yet they give compleat dispensation to counterfeit Christianity even to the degree of Priesthood In the day of their expiation their Rabbi doth absolve them from all their perjuries and deceits used against Christians He also assures them that they are not bound to keep any oath but what is sworn upon their own Torah or Law of Moses brought out of their Synagogue Weemse to the reading whereof they depute one third part of their day and wherein they are generally so expert that they have it as ready as their own names The mischief of it is Facilius quâ—â— nomen soum recitat Joseph Cont Appion lib. 2. that they are too much affixt to it and will needsly be saved by it which the Law cannot do for them as being weak through the flesh Rom 8 3. The Law is a yoke of bondage as Hierome calleth it and they who look for righteousnesse from thence are like oxen who coil and draw and when they have done their labour are fitted for slaughter Luther fitly calleth such drudges the devils Martyrs they suffer much and take much pains to go to hell And in another place he saith Qui scit inter Logem Evangelium disting siere gratiâ—â— agat Dto sciat se esse Theologum He that can rightly distinguish between Law and Gospel hath cause to praise God and may well passe for a Divine Moses my servant A farre higher title then Sonne of Pharaohs daughter for this was to be Pharaohs God Exod. 7.1 and higher then the kings of the earch Psal 89.27 No marvell though Moses so esteemed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Nâ—â—â—t king of Romans an Heathen did and Augustus the Emperouâ— câ—â—igratius fuit 〈◊〉 pietatis quam potestatis saith Tertultian he preserred prety before Monarchy so did those three succeeding Emperours Câ—â—stantine 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who called themselves Vassallos Christi the vassals of Christ as 〈◊〉 reporteth It was noted as a great both presage and desert of Dâ—â—ins his ruine when in his proud Embassie to Alexanaer he called himself the King of kings and Cousin of the gods but for Alexander he called him his servant That was worse in John Oneal father to the Earl of Tirone that rebell Anno 1398 who blasphemously inscribed himself in all places 1 great John Oneal Cousin to Christ friend to the Queen of England and foe to all the world c. Camd Eliz. 2 Pet. 2 What big bâ—bbles of words were these as Peter calls them His pretended Successour stileth himself the servant of Gods servants and one day in the yeer in an apish imitation of our Savtour washeth certain mens feet But he acteth as Dominâ—s â—â—gnorum munâ—i which is one of the Devils titles and can endure to be called by his Parasites Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope Moses held it honour enough to be the servant of the Lord and yet he was Vir Dâ—o longe acceptissimus quo 〈◊〉 habuit antiqua aetas mitius sapientius sanctius highly accepted in heaven and the most meek wise and holy man that Antiquity ever had or mentioned as Bellarmine himself acknowledgeth which I commanded him in Horeb Moses then was not the Law-maker as Solon Lycurgus Zaleucus c. but onely Gods Minister to utter what he would have him deliver or at utmost a Mediatour Gol. 3.19 not of expiation for so Christ onely but of communication of the Law to all Israel Exod. 20.19 wherein he was faithfull in all Gods house as a servant Hob. 3.5 Famulus inginuus a servant of the better sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of worship as the word there seemeth to import The place where Moses received the Law is mentioned Horeb the same with Sinai Act. 7.30 Exod. 19.1 18. to inmind them of the terrour of the Lord on that mountaine when God came down upon it with ten thousand of his Saints Deut. 33.2 from his right hand went a fiery law for them Heb. a fire of law And surely that fire wherein the law was given and shall one day be required is in it still and will never out Hence are those terrours which it flashth in every conscience that hath felt remorse of sinne Every mans heart is an Horeb and resembleth to him both heaven and hell The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15. to all Israel And it is reckoned as a singular priviledge to that people Neh. 9.14 Rom. 9.4 Prospers conceit was that Judaei were so called because they received Jus Dei the Law of God Josephus calleth their Common-wealth a Theocratie or God-government That of Philo is not so solid that their law was given in a wildernesse because it is to be learned in a wildernesse seeing there we cannot be hindered by the multitude But what a wretched conceit is that of the Jews at this day that the law of Nature shall bring to heaven those that observe it but the Hebrews unto whom the Law of Moses was peculiarly given by keeping it shall have a prerogative of glory How shall the Lion of the tribe of Judah roar upon them at that day and say Do not think that I will accuse you there is one that accuseth you Joh. 5.45 even Moses in whom ye trust Get you to him whom ye have chosen but cold comfort ye are like to have from him a very froward generation he ever found you children in whom is no faith Deut. 33.20 with the statutes and judgements that is with the Ceremoniall and Judiciall Law But what meant that false Rabbin to adde to this Text these following words Quamdiù non venit dies juâ—icy R. David Till the day of judgement comes as if men were bound till
among the princes of Judah Mat. 2.6 because Christ was born there The tribe of Nepthali is first reckoned of those by Rachels side because at Capernaum in this tribe Christ inhabited Rev. 7.6 in which respect also this town is said to be lifted up to beaven Mat. Gen. 42.4 11.2 3. Benjamin is called the beloved of the Lord Gods darling as their father Ben amin was old Jacobs because God dwelt between his shoulders sc in his Temple built upon those two mountaines Moriath and Zion Deut. 33.12 The glory of that first Temple was that the Majesty of God appeared in it covering it self in a cloud The glory of this later house was greater because therein the same divine Majesty appeared not covered with a cloud but really incarnated For the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Ioh. 1.14 In this flesh of ours and under this second Temple Christ not only uttered oracles did miracles and finished the great work of our redemption but also laid the foundation of the Christian Church Jam. 1. For the Law that perfect Law of liberty the Gospell came out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem to all the ends of the earth Esay 2.3 Psal 110.1 From hence it was that the Lord of glory whom the blind Jewes had crucified sent out his Apostles those messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ as they are called 2 Cor 8.23 to gather together unto him those desirable ones his elect verse 7. See the Note there whom he calleth the glory Esa 46.13 the house of his glory Esay 60.7 a crown of glory Esay 62.3 the throne of glory Ier. 4â— 21 the ornament of God Ezek 7.20 the beauty of his ornament ib. and that set in majesty ib. a royall diadem in the hand of Jehovah Esay 62.3 and in this place will I give peace Even the Prince of peace and with him all things also Rom. 8.32 pacem Pectoris Temporis Peace of countrey and of conscionce this later especially seemeth here to be meant For the former viz. outward Peace was not long enjoyed by these Jewes and their second Temple was often spoyled by the enemies Ioh. 14. and at length burnt and overturned But the Peace of God that passeth all understanding is that Legacy which the world can neither give nor take from Gods people And of this inward Peace the Septuagint according to the Roman edition taketh the Text and so doth Ambrose Haec est pax suâ—er pacem saith He. Christ as he was brought from heaven with that song of Peace Luk 2.14 Onearth peace good will toward men which is the same with that salutation of St. Paul who learned it belike of those Angels Grace be to you and Peace so he returned up againe with that farewell of peace Ioh. 14.27 and left to the world the doctrine of peace the gospell of peace Eph. 2.17 whose Authour is the God of peace 1 Cor. 14.33 whose Ministers are ministers of peace Rom. 10.15 whose followers are the children of peace Luk 10.6 whose unity is in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 whose duty is the study of peace Rom. 12.18 and whose end is to enter into peace to rest in their beds their soules resting in heaven their bodyes in the grave till the joyfull resurrection even every one walking in his uprightnesse Esay 57.2 Psal 37.33 Verse 10. In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month in the second yeer of Darius This diligence of the Prophets in noting and noticing the precise time of Gods hand upon them Scultet Annal. should teach us to do the like See the Note on chap. 1. ver 1. Melch. Adam in vit Bugenhà g The churches in Switzerland kept that day yearely as an holiday whereon the Reformation began amongst them Bugenhagius kept a feast every yeer on that day of the month wherein he and some other Divines had finished the Dutch Bible and called it The feast of the Translation of the Bible Philipp Pareus in vita Dau. Parei The University of Heidelberg kept an Evangelicall Iubilee three whole dayes together Anno Dom. 1617. in the Calends of November in the remembrance of the renowned Reformation of religion begun by Luther a just hundred yeers before Hereby Gods name shall be sanctified our faith strengthened and our good affection both evidenced and excited By the time here described it appeareth that they had now been three moneths building and the Prophet meane-while had given them great incouragement thereunto But forasmuch as he found that they stuck in the bark as they say rested in the work done thought they should therefore win upon God because they built him a Temple the Prophet gives them to understand that there is more required of them then a Temple viz. that therein they worship the Lord purely and holily in spirit and in truth that their divine worships bee right both quoad fontem quoad finem for principle and end of intention for else they impure all that they touch and are no whit better but a great deal the worse for all their performances This the Prophet teacheth them in the two following oracles propounded by way of demand to the Priests How apt are men to lose themselves in a wildernesse of duties To dig for pearls in their own dunghils to think to oblige God to themselves by their good works to spin a threed of their own to climbe up to heaven by to rest in their own righteousnesse to save themselves by riding on horses Hos 14.3 The Prophets designe is here to beat them off from such fond conceits telling them that the person must be accepted ere the service can bee regarded as Abels To the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 saith the Apostle Calvin upon this Text saith no more and yet Cor. a Lapide is very angry with him for saying so much Aug. de vera innocent c. 56. There is in Peter Lumbard this golden sentence eited out of August inc The whole life of unbeleevers is sinne neither is any thing good without the cheifest good This sentence Ambrose Rybera a Poprsh Postiller censureth for harsh and cruell But doth not God here say the same thing Crudelis est illa sententia Certain it is that good actions from bad men displease as a man may speak good words but we cannot hear because of his stinking breath The facrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 Charity is nothing unlesse it flow out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Verse 11. Ask now the Priest concerning the Law For who should know the law better then the Priests And who so fit to
resolve cases of conscience as they It was their office Levit. 10.10 11. Deut. 33.10 Mal. 2.7 See the Note there It was an evil time with Gods people when he was put to complain who is blind but my servant or deaf as my messenger that I sent Isay 42.19 Viu in Aug. de civ Dei l. 4. c 1. When the Prophet was a foole the spiritual man was mad for the multitude of their iniquity and the great hatred Hos 9.7 Varro upbraided the Roman Priests of old with their grosse ignorance of many things in point of their own rites and religions and Cicero brake a jest upon C. Popilius an ignorant Lawyer at Rome For when Popilius being called for a witnesse to some controversy answered Nihil se scire that hee knew nothing Cicero answered by way of jear Put as fortasse te de jure interrogari you mean perhaps that you know nothing in the law which yet you professe to have skill in What a shame was it for the Pharisees who took upon them to be guides of the blind teachers of babes c. Rom. 2.19.20 to be found blind leaders of the blind Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Enniâ—s 15 So is it for Divines being asked concerning the Law or will of God in such and such cases not to be able to answer discreetly and intelligently as he did Mark 12.34 as an egregie cordat us homo But so bungler-like and so farre from the purpose that it my well be seene that desiring to be teachers of the Low they underst and neither what they say nor whereof they affirme 1 Tim. 1.7 How like the motion of a puppet the language of a Parret is the discourse of such unlearned or uninteressed Casuists Every Minister of Gods making can truly say The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know to time a word to him that is weary he wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned Esay 50.4 See 1 Cor. 12.8 Tit. 1.9 Eph. 3.4 7.1 Cor. 2.13 Verse 12. If one bear holy flesh in the skirt c. problemes and parables are notable helps to the bolting out of the truth and conviction of the gainsayers For problemes see Mat. 21.25 Mat 22.42 c. For parables see Judg. 9. that of Jotham Mat. 21. Mat. 22. Mat. 13. of Nathan 2 Sam. 12. of the woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14. of our Saviour concerning the two brethren sent into the Vincyard the wedding of the Kings son the sower c. See the Note on verse 10. and the Priests answered and said no Roundly and readily without hacking and hewing without doubling and dissembling as those perverse priests those selfe-condemned Hierophants Mat. 21.27 that against their consciences answered Iesus and said We cannot tell The wit of gracelesse persons will better serve them to faulter and fumble deny or devise a thousand shifts to evade and elude the truth then their malice will suffer them to yeeld to it or professe it This is to detain the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 as Plato who had the knowledge of One God yet he dared not to communicate it to the vulgar and as some of the chief champions of Popery who held justification by faith alone but refused to say so lest their Dagon should down their Diana be despised Let every spiritual man but especially Ministers be ready as to every good work so to this of comparing spiritual things with spirituall that he may judge or discerne of all things 1 Cor. 2.13.15 according to the analogy of faith Rom. 12.6 the tenour of the Scriptures his sure Cynosura and laying up all in his heart Luke 2.18 he may have a treasure there of new and old a word of wisdom and a word of knowledge â—00 1 Cor. 12.8 both as a Teacher and as a Pastour to bring forth for common benefit Verse 13. If one that is unclean by a dead body with a ceremonial uncleannesse The Hebrew hath it thus If one that is unclean in soul that is in his whole person as every wicked man is totus totus pollutus wholly covered with corruption a lothsome leper from head to foot wholly set upon sin as Exod. 32.22 lying down in wickednesse or in that wicked one 1 John 5.19 sick of such a disease as the Physicians call corruptionem totius substantiae nay dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 and can therefore doe no better then dead work at best Heb. 9.14 such as the living God will not be served with ibid. See the note on Mal. 3.16 doct 4. Use 1. He is unclean unclean and impureth all that hee toucheth according to that which followeth Verse 14. So is this people and so is this Nation before me Though pure in their own eyes Prov. 30.12 and to the world-ward unrebukeable as Paul the Pharisees Phil. 3. and those self-iustitiaries Luke 16.14 15. Ye are those that justifie your selves and have the worlds good word for you but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Sordet in conspectu judicis quodfulget in conspectu operantis Splendida pecca u. Am. 6.13 Wicked mens services are but glistering sinnes they rejoâ—ce in a thing of naught as Amos hath it like as Leah rejoyced in that whereof She had cause to repent and said God hath given me my hire when she had more cause to say God I fear will give me my hire my payment because I have given my maiden to my husband Gen. 30.18 But she was in the common errour of measuring and judging of things by the successe as if God were not many times angry with men though they outwardly prosper or as if there were not here one event to the clean and to the unclean Eccles 9.2 Uutill the day that God shall separate the sheep from the goates whom for the glory of his name and the good of his people he suffers for present to goe one among another to make his own to stick the faster together and to their principles Shepheards say that it is wholsome for a flock of sheep to have some goats to feed amongst them their bad scent being good Physick for the sheep to keep them from the shakings Onely let Gods sheep take heed that they contract no corruption by conversing with goats which is soon done for sinne is catching and ill company is contagious Nemoerat sibi ipsi sed dementiam spargit in proximos saith Seneca No man erres out of the right way alone but drawes others along And multos sollicitat soâ—iet as nefanda saith Chrysostom evil company solliciteth many to sinke virtue is oft overcome by vice saith Nazianzen Orat. 1. Apolog as a little wormwood sooner imbittereth a great deal of hony then twice so much honey can sweeten a small deal of wormwood Or as one spoonfull of vineger will soon tart a great deal of sweet milk