give him notice thereof c. Thou shalt surely die Moth tamuth in dying thou shalt die that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt certainly die amongst the Hebrewes where there is repetition of the word by an Adverb Gerund Participle or the Verb it self it ever increaseth the signification of the first word 1 King 8.13 I have surely built thee an house it is in the Hebrew In huilding I have built thee an house so in 1 Sam. 26.25 Thou shalt do great things and shalt also still prevail the Hebrew is faciendo facies valendo valebis in doing thou shalt do in prevailing thou shalt prevail by such duplication of the words the signification is intended and so in these words thou shalt surely die In his iniquity That is for his iniquity so the Preposition ב Beth it must be understood if he would take notice of his sin repent and leave it he should not die but because he goes on in it he shall die for it Hosea 12.12 there you find Israel served for a wife the Hebrew is Beishshah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a wife but the sense inforceth it to be rendred for a wife and so here for his iniquity His blood will I require at thy hand His death shall be imputed unto thee and thou shalt answer for it I will charge it upon thy head and deal with thee as a murtherer thou hast shed his blood and I will avenge it on thee so the word inquire imports Gen. 9.5 Surely your blood of your lives will I require c. Require is thrice in that verse and what is meant by requiring the blood or life of man is fully exprest in the next Verse Who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed so then when blood is shed and life is lost Gods requiring of it is to have blood for blood and life for life hee that sheds blood or suffers blood to be shed when he may prevent it he shall be responsible for it God is wronged by shedding of blood and will have satisfaction for it therefore he is said to make inquisition for blood Psal 9.12 Gods requiring mentioned Deut. 18.19 is expounded by Peter of destruction Acts 3.23 What death is meant in this Verse is doubted among Interpreters whether the death of the body or of the soul or of both the Ancients interpret it of the death of the soul the soul of the wicked going on in his sin and of the Prophet neglecting his duty shall die for it some later Expositers would have it meant of the death of the body some temporall judgement to cut them off by but wee see many ill Prophets that neglect to warn the wicked of their evill wayes and many wicked men go on in their sinfull courses and neither are taken away by temporall judgements the young Prophet was slain by a Lion 1 King 13. because he was lesse faithfull then he should have been and Jonas was cast into the deeps buried in the belly of a Whale because hee declined the service of the Lord but these were extraordinary acts and chastisements not vindictae true reall punishments I conceive therefore by death is meant all calamities leading unto death Hâ—c loco accipitur sanguis pro animae damnatione licet etiam pro corporis caede pernicie possit intelligi Pint. in loc and the death of soul and body at last if faith and repentance did not intervene if eternall death be due to the sinner dying in his sins it 's threatned to the Prophet for not telling him of his sin otherwise a temporall punishment for an immortall soul lost eternally by the negligence of the Prophet should be all the recompence made and that is not compensatio sufficiens nay frequently there should not be any for ill and idle Prophets do live as long as healthfully and happily as others and die without any hand of God observable upon them Observ 1. The Lord Christ knowes who are wicked and vile we guesse at men and presume oft wrongfully they are such but the Lord knowes who are such in truth and is not deceived hee knowes the Goats and Swine as really as the Sheep and Lambs hee can distinguish between the vile and precious between his jewels and the reprobate silver he never mis-titles or miscalls any he knew the Scribes and Pharisees were hypocrites and therefore call'd them so hee knew that Judas was a Traytor Non eadem est sententia tribunalis Christi anguli susurronum Jer. Ep. 39. and therefore branded him with that name he call'd Herod a Fox Nathaniel a true Israelite and in neither was he mistaken 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his yea and those that are not his Christ could tell Ezekiel what the people of Israel were better then himself that dwelt amongst them hee told him they were Briers Thornes Scorpions a rebellious House if all the world besides had said so and not Christ it had been no great matter the world is full of errour it mistakes but when the Lord himself who is infallible shall pronounce a man wicked then is he wicked indeed there is great weight in it let us look to it what hee saith in his Word of us if he call us wicked proud froward c. we are so 2. The power of life and death is in Christs hand when I say to the wicked Thou shalt die he hath authority over their lives and can at his pleasure pronounce them dead men Act. 3.15 he is the Prince of life and Rev. 1.18 hee hath the keys of hell and death hee can let out the soul from the body and let it into hell when hee will The life of man which is most deare to him is at the will of another He spake with authority when hee said Bring those mine enemies that will not have mee to rule over them and slay them before mee Luke 19.27 When men are arm'd with power over our lives they are much feared Judges when they go forth to keep Assizes make Counties to quake and Princes when they go forth to war make Kingdomes tremble Now Psal 2.10 11. Kings and Judges are commanded to serve him with feare to kisse him with subjection lest hee be angry and command them to be slain or tell them they shall die If Kings and Judges that make others feare must feare the Lord Christ and submit unto him how should all under them do it then Christ knowes us what we are how we have sinned what wee deserve and can in a moment destroy us or proclaim it our consciences that wee shall die in our iniquities and eternally suffer for them It was hee awakened Judas's conscience and set it on fire let out his life and sent his soul to perdition Be you great or small he is the Lord he is ruler of the Princes of the earth all power is in his hand and though he be the Lamb of God
the conscience warn them they must and so warn them that they may take notice else it 's in vain and shall be before the Lord as no warning this they must do and do it oft and why else the blood of the wicked will be required at their hand their blood their lives lye at the stake for sinners souls they have a hard task a dangerous Calling and therefore had need preach and tell them of their sins that if it be possible they may save their souls if not their own people wonder many times at some Preachers they are so fierie so particular so terrible so long you may cease to wonder their lives their souls go for it if they do it not the hazard of souls and lives will make dumb men speak Croesus son being dumb and seing one ready to strike and endanger the life of his father cry'd out What will you kill my father and if our dumb Ministers had any faith if they did believe that sin was slaying the souls of their people they would lift up their voyce they would speak Psal 116.10 I believed said David therefore have I spoken and godly Ministers believe mens souls are in danger that their own do lie at the stake and therefore they have spoken do speak and will speak you that have curam animarum the charge of souls look about you if you discharge not your duty you undo them and undo your selves let not feare favour credits gifts hopes misbiass you let not difficulties mistakes of people or any other thing discourage you but remember your own danger warn sinners else their blood will be upon you and that is a dreadfull thing did men well consider this they would not be so greedy of Livings and pawn their souls for pelf if the death of the body were only here meant as it is not wee have great cause to feare silence for if we be liable to death for the death of that which is perishable and must die what guilt then doth a Prophet contract for the death of a soul which might have lived for ever if he had done his duty David knew the weight of blood-guiltinesse Psal 51.14 when he cryed out so Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse c. that was but the blood of the body what then is the blood of souls it's a mountainous sinking thing we have sins sufficient of our own we had not need to draw the guilt of others upon us a Alienas mortes addimus quiae tot occidimus quot ad mortem ire quot idic tepidi tacentes vâ—demus Greg. in loc so many we kill as we see to sin and silently suffer to go on in their sins Paul knew it and therefore said Wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 And there is a wo to all that have charges that preach not unto them it 's b The world is full of Priests Sed tamen in messe Dei rarus valdè invenitur operator we take upon us the office but opus officii non implemus Gre. Hom. 17. needfull for us all but especially for Non-residents dumb Ministers those are negligent in their preaching or impertinent to meditate oft on these words his blood will I require at thy hands which words are fulmina non verba saith Erasmus when the Bell rings for a wicked man feare lest there be blood to be required at thy hand f Herod l. 9. Euenius a Shepheard that had the Sheep belonging to a city committed to him through his negligence a Wolf entred and devoured sixty of them upon this hee was condemn'd and lost his eyes Not only Ministers but Parents and Masters their souls are ingaged for their children and servants and they must be responsible for them if they warn them not if they perish through their default 12. It 's the duty of people to heare their Ministers and willingly to receive instructions and take warning from them especially people of their Ministers because they watch for their souls they work for them and they venture for them even their own lives and souls it 's mercy God will send any to admonish us if we hearken to admonitions we shall live if we do not wee grieve the servants of God if they be silent our sins are not the lesse VER 19. Observ 1. THat men may be warn'd from their wicked wayes and yet be never the better they may go on still this is too evident amongst us daily 2. It is not fruitlesse if wicked men return not from their evill wayes upon warning The Prophet hath warn'd the wicked and hath freed his own soul and this was a great comfort unto Paul Act. 20.26 when he appeals to the people themselves I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men and how doth he prove it thus for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God He left none unwarn'd of sin danger untaught their duty towards God and man and therefore he had this testimony yeelding sound comfort I am pure from the blood of all so when hee had preached Christ to the Jewes and they opposed blasphemed hee shook his rayment and said your blood be upon your own heads I am clean Act. 18.5 6. much like that of David 2 Sam. 3. I and my kingdome are guiltlesse before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner Let it rest on the head of Joab That which Paul calls clean David calls guiltlesse when a man is guiltlesse he is clean he hath solid comfort a Minister having conscionably warn'd the wicked and nothing comes of it in regard of them yet somewhat comes of it in regard of himself he is a free man a cleer man the blood of souls shall not be charged upon him A Minister that is faithfull shall not need to complain of the want of successe if he save not others he shall save himself VER 20 21. Again when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and I lay a stumbling block before him he shall die because thou hast not given him warning hee shall die in his sin and his rightousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred but his blood will I require at thy hand 21. Neverthelesse if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous sin not and he doth not sin he shall surely live because he is warn'd also thou hast delivered thy soul IN these words is laid down the other part of the Prophets Charge it 's not only the wicked but the righteous also fall under his care and if he sin and be not warn'd that effect will be dangerous and deadly to the Prophet he is not only to deal with the wicked to get them into the way of God but also with the righteous to see that he go not out of the way and if he do to reduce him guilt will lie upon a Prophet if he do
heaven opened I saw visions of God and the Word of the Lord came expresly to mee and the hand of the Lord was there upon mee Here were strong evidences of his Call to the work he was to go about Ministers are to be the mouth of God to the people and the mouth of the people to God both are weighty businesses they deal about the eternall truths of the eternall God your immortall souls and the everlasting condition of them The glory of God is concredited in a great measure unto them the great things of the Kingdome of Christ are put into their hands to dispense as God shall move and give them opportunity Had they not need therefore to see to it that their Call be right and to make it out strongly and clearly that God hath sent them If they can clear it up that God hath sent them they may expect his assistance his blessing his protection and successe in their labours How ever things prove this will be their comfort in the midst of opposition reproach persecution hazard of liberty and lives I was called of God I am in his work in his way he brought me into his Vineyard hee will stand by mee I will go on let him do with me what he pleaseth The clearnesse of a mans Call will add much comfort to a mans spirit in a black day it makes conscientious pitifull and painfull a Ministers call being evident the peoples consciences will be satisfied will receive his doctrine then will they look upon him as their Pastor and Teacher reverence him for his works sake and are likely to receive much good by him Whereas otherwise if the Calling of Ministers reach no higher then a Patron or Prelate there is seldome any good comes either to Ministers or people therefore it concernes them to look narrowly to it that their Calling be of God cleare and strong to themselves else they cannot make it out to others neither shall finde that comfort nor do that good which otherwise they might 3. That in corrupt times when Religion the Chuâ—ch and Gods glory are greatly indangered God then takes care to raise up some extraordinary servants to vindicate his truth in his people his glory all was brought now to a desolate condition false Prophets prevailed Religion suffered Gods honour was low and now God takes Ezekiel that was one of the ordinary Priests before and bestowes a larger measure of his Spirit upon him and raiseth him up to be a Prophet and sets him awork to do great things in Babylon Though now men be not called immediatly by the voyce of God and Christ as of old yet by extraordinary instincts and motions of Gods Spirit they were heretofore and are still put upon great services Philip was a Deacon by his ordinay Calling but by extraordinary instinct and hints of Gods Spirit he was raised up to be an Evangelist and to do greater service unto the Church of God So Luther that was a Frier at first by extraordinary instinct of Gods Spirit was raised up to purge errors out of the Church and to glorifie God especially in clearing the doctrine of Justification by Free grace So Zwinglius Wickliffe and others in our dayes God hath not left himself without witnesse at this day he hath stirred up the spirits of some to do him great and extraordinary services 4. That those Ministers are fittest to speak to the people that finde the Word of God to have being in them The Word of the Lord came expresly to mee the Word of the Lord had being in him was ingraffed in him When the Word is a word of being in our hearts then it will be a word of power in your consciences That which comes from our hearts will reach to yours and will be effectuall in you otherwise the Word is but an empty sound it cometh from the teeth outward and reacheth but to your eares and seldome goeth down into your souls 5. Take this note that there are principles of opposition in the dearest servants of God to the work of his Spirit It is said the hand of the Lord came upon mee invaded mee so some render it I stood out against God I had my carnall reasonings I had stubbornnesse and opposition in my will I said there was a Lion in the way and I pleaded hard against this work and service But the Spirit of God came upon me came mightily upon me came with a strong hand upon me as he saith came so upon me that it subdued all my carnall reasonings subdued the stubbornness of my will it removed all my shifts and pretences and brought me off to go about the Work of God Is it not thus with most Christians When you would pray when you would do good is not evill present with you But when the Spirit of God cometh upon you it will overcome that indisposition that sluggishness that opposition it will work down distempers and frame you sweetly to go about the work of a God as it did Ezekiel 6. That the Word and Ordinances of it that visions and revelations do the heart of man reall good when divine vertue goes along with them otherwise not What if Ezekiel had seen never so many visions what if God had spoken never so expresly unto him unlesse the hand of God had been upon him too unlesse the Spirit of God had improved those visions and ingraffed those words in him all had been as an empty sound all had been as meer shadowes and sights to him But when the Spirit of God goes along then there is efficacy and benefit in any Ordinance take away the Spirit from the Word and Ordinances of God and they will be but dry bones without meat or marrow take the Gospel which is called the ministration of the Spirit if the Spirit be not in it the choisest promises the sweetest truths there what are they they are Literae damnatoriae and Leges mortis they are letters and lawes of death to the soul When the hand of the Lord is upon an Ordinance and upon a man in that Ordinance then is there good gotten and then doth the soul gain 2 Cor. 10.4 Our weapons are mighty through God 7. That all spirituall good received and done by the Saints is from the operation of Gods Spirit which therefore is called Gods hand Luke 11.20 If I by the finger or hand of God cast out devils this finger Mat. 12.28 is called the Spirit of God If I by the Spirit of God cast out Devills That which is called finger in one is called the Spirit in the other Now doe men receive any good have you faith have you love patience meeknesse understanding zeale godlinesse any all graces It is this hand of God that hath wrought them Doe you doe any divine good unto others It is this Spirit of God that workes by you and inableth you to doe that good Act. 6.10 They were not able to resist the wisedome and Spirit by
sent to comfort Gods servants when in straits under pressures Mary was a poore Maid of mean condition and to her comes an Angel Luke 1.30 Feare not Mary thou hast found favour with God So Cornelius thy prayers and almes are come up a memoriall before God Acts 10.4 Chap. 27.24 When the Ship was tossed waves winds and darknesse conspired their ruine then saith Paul an Angel stood by me and said Fear not Paul God hath given thee thy life and the lives of all with thee wherefore be of good cheer he had drunk a cup of Angelicall consolation and knew well to comfort them with the same consolation When Daniel fasted and prayed and was much afflicted for his people Dan. 9. Chap. 10.11.12 O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee for unto thee am I now sent fear not Daniel Mary rises early and meets with Angels that comforted her John 20. Luke 22.43 An Angel appeared to Christ and strengthened him the servant comforted the master 7. To look unto the souls of men that they fall not into the hands of Devils at their death for if the Devill durst contend with Michael for the body of Moses much more for the souls of men Luke 16.22 Lazarus soul was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome men carry the carkasse to the ground but Angels carry the soul to glory they guard it through the clouds into the presence of the blessed God before he had none but Dogs to pity him now hee hath Angels to attend him The Devill is mighty busie while we live hee goes about like a roaring Lion but at death then he is most busie and presumes there is a tree cut down for his fire 8. They are Gods reapers at the end of the world Mat. 24.31 He shall send his Angels and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the world to another they must blow that terrible trumpet awaken the dead and cite them to judgement they must gather the ashes bones limbs bodies of Saints together Matth. 13.41 42. The Son of man shall send his Angels and they shall c. Basil in his Hom. of 40. Martyrs tels of one that seeing them thrust in a Winters night into a cold lake he saw Angels descend and putting Crowns upon all their heads but one 9. To declare Kingdomes Cities People cursed Judg. 5.23 Curse yee Meroz bitterly said the Angel of the Lord A Lapid in locum because they came not out to help c. Some think this Angel was Michael who was Generall in this war but that is the opinion of men not the warrant of Scripture 10. The Angels have work and power in the Church of God Rev. 15.6 Seven Angels came out of the Temple and Chap. 14.15 17. Another Angel came out of the Temple Angels being in the Temple is often spoken of and notes some power that they have in the Assemblies under the Gospel Zach. 3. Ribera The stone with seven eyes some make to be Christ with his Angels that are imployed for the government of the Church throughout the world and surely Michael and his Angels do contend daily in the Assemblies against the Dragon and his In the Assemblies Devils are present and active Satan stood at Joshuahs right hand to resist him to hinder all the Temple work when we are neer God devils are neer us intending mischief but Angels are at hand and hinder their designes they observe us and our carriages in the Congregation Eccl. 5.6 Make not vowes and then slight them there is an Angel present and it will not be enough to say it was an error God will be angry and an Angel may smite thee for it this is spoken of us when we are in the House of God there the Angels keep speciall watch Lib. 6. de bello Iudaico Relinquamus has fedes L. 7. c. 12. Migremus hinc Aud to major humana vox excedâ—re deos Tacit. Josephus saith that the voyce of an Angel was heard out of the Temple saying Let us leave these seats they had a place in the Church as well as others and again he saith the Angels were the keepers of the Jewish people and that a little before the Romans coming was heard a voyce out of the Temple Let us go hence and a Heathen Writer saith that a voyce greater then mans was heard That the gods were departing VERS 6. And every one had four faces c. NOw we come to their severall parts and first of their faces which are mentioned here in the 8th and 10th verses every one had foure faces and the likenesse of their faces were 1. The face of a Man 2. Of a Lion 3. Of an Oxe 4. Of an Eagle In some Pictures you may see severall faces so drawn they are that which way soever you look a severall face is presented so here before was the face of a man behinde of an Eagle on the right side of a Lion and on the left side of an Oxe here is not a face but is compared to the face of some principall creature man is the chief of all the rest a Lion is the King of wilde Beasts the Oxe is the chief of tame ones and the Eagle of Birds The face of a man types out unto us the understandings of Angels and that their administrations are with knowledge and equity of this hath already been spoken This face is put first to shew the excellency of reason which must have the introduction into and managing of all actions else they are neither humane nor Angelicall By this face also is noted their humanity and love to mankinde Angels are of a loving nature and most carefull of men therefore it is said Heb. 1. last They are ministring Spirits sent out c. The face of a Lion types out the strength of Angels A Lion is a creature of great strength Prov. 30.30 The strongest amongst beasts and turneth not away for any he never flies or feares Isa 31.4 Aâ—st nunquaÌ„ fugit aut metuâ—t If a multitude of Shepheards be called forth he will not be afraid of them nor abase himself at their noise and Judg. 14.18 What is stronger then a Lion said the Interpreter of Sampsons riddle and we may say among all creatures what is stronger then an Angel The Scripture calls the Devill the strong one Mat. 12.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it calls the Angel Rev. 10.1 I saw a mighty Angel and they are very mighty an Angel can hinder the blowing of the wind Rev. 7.1 stop the mouths of Lions Dan. 6.22 break iron chains open prison doors and iron gates Acts 12. an Angel can smite with blindnesse Gen. 19.11 2 King 6.18 Both Sodomites and Syrians were so smitten Angels work upon the fancy Matth. 2.13.19 20. suggest many things of great and good use to the mind for if Devils can take the word out of our
or as it 's more fully in Chap. 2. ver 5. Regnum Dei non in eloquentia sed in fide constat that their faith should not stand in the wisdome of men it will go off from one to another as men are more witty and hold out the truth in siner and more inticing expressions which will prove evill therefore hee declined the wisdome of men and preached in demonstration of the Spirit that their faith might stand in the power of God in such conviction and operation of the Spirit as might breed invincible stedfastnesse in them Secondly not to please men Gal. 1.10 Do I seek to please men if that were my end I should not be the servant of Christ but he must serve Christ in saving of souls not in pleasing of men when that is propounded unto men they will subject truth to mens humor and become flatterers but Ministers must not doe so not frame their Sermons according to mens humors and minds Jer. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them do not thou comply debase the truth to please them but speak as the Oracles of God and let them please or provoke it matters not the provoking of them may be the neerest way to their salvation and that is thy end Thirdly not to get a living that is not the end of a Prophets office it 's to make men living men to save their lives and souls Paul preached the Gospel without charge to any and told the Corinthians he sought them not theirs their souls not their substance yet he denies not but that they that preach the Gospel should live of it 1 Cor. 9.14 It 's fit Preachers should have maintenance and sufficient but the end of preaching is not a living but life Cadit Asina est qui sublevet eam perit anima nemo est qui reparet Bern. the life of sinners to save to deliver them seeing this is the end of their calling how should it quicken them to their work If a Sheep were in a pit a child in a fire what haste would wee make to pull them forth and shall wee see souls rushing into the eternall pit the eternall fire and not move our feet our tongues to help them 8. The office of a Prophet and Minister is honourable it 's to save life to save souls their Calling is conversant about the lives and souls of men the soul is the immediate work of God the Image of God of more worth then all the world it was for the souls sake Magna res anima quae Christi sanguine redempta est Bern. Ep. that Christ came down from heaven prayed preached wrought Miracles suffered death and gave his heart-blood this made the Father say Precious is the soul being redeemed with Christs blood and being a thing of such worth and consequence the Ministers work is to save it that very work which is the Lords and Christs therefore in 1 Cor. 3.9 the Apostle saith of himself and all Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee are labourers together with God co-workers concurrent with God in the salvation of sinners this is great honour In Obad. and made Jerome say Ipse Salvator Apostolos suos mundi esse voluit salvatores Christ hath made Apostles saviours of the world he calls them the light and salt of the world they inlighten the blind and season the unsavoury souls of men and so save them from corruption and perdition it 's an hard but an honourable work therfore saith James Let him know that hath converted a sinâ—â— that hee hath saved a soul from death Jam. 5.20 let him know it it 's a great and glorious work is done that he may be incouraged and God be praised 9. Ignorance will be no plea for wicked men if they be not warn'd not told of their sins they shall die men are apt to excuse themselves they are ignorant they knew not this or that to be sins their Teachers were insufficient or negligent and this may be truth but neither their fault nor thy ignorance will be a sufficient plea before God warn'd or unwarn'd the wicked shall die Isa 27.11 It is a people of no understanding therefore hee that made them will not have mercy on them and hee that formed them will shew them no favour Nescience may excuse in part but ignorance hardly at all that which men produce in favour of themselves God produces against them you are an ignorant people saith God of no understanding you know not prima principia neither God nor your selves and think because you are ignorant therefore to find mercy and favour at my hands but you are deceived your ignorance aggravates your woe ever therefore will I shew you no mercy no favour those are ignorant of God and his wayes God will be ignorant of them in their greatest straits Depart frm mee I never knew you Matth. 7.23 Ignorance is a great evill it makes men brutish like Nebuchadnezzar who had an Oxes heart in a mans shape ignorance is part of the Devils image as knowledge is of Gods wee should labour therefore to get knowledge savory and saving for it 's not good that the heart be without knowledge Prov. 19.2 10. See here who are the most cruell bloody and damning Ministers even those that are silent that warn not the people of their sins that preach flattering things or to no purpose let men be dumb and not speak at all or preach so as not to warn them of their sins and dangers they are who ever they be whether the greater or lesser Clergie as they use to distinguish themselves they are the bloody damning soul-murthering Ministers you cry out of those Ministers that tell you most of your sins that set judgement hell and damnation before you they be bitter harsh men cryed out of on all sides whereas they are the faithfullest friends that sinners have they would fain save your souls pull you out of the pit keep you out of hell and help you into heaven and are they censurable for this should one see a company of travellers going in a way they should fall into the hands of Cavaliers or Thieves and tell them the danger of it with great affection and compassion should another see them and say nothing or bid them go on and they do so are taken stript imprison'd starv'd to death you can easily tell which of these dealt most faithfully and friendly which treacherously and cruelly too many of the Ministers in England have been faulty this way and guilty of murthering multitudes if not millions of souls it 's one of the crying sins of the Land that wee have had such a dumb insufficient and consequently such a bloody soul-damning Ministery And many amongst them having slain souls now by putting on these wars seek to slay bodies also 11. There is a great necessity lyeth upon the Prophets and Ministers of Christ to preach and to preach home to
sufferings would be lost have you suffered so many things in vain When men in war forsake their colours and run to the other side all the good services they have done are forgotten and they are accounted traytors to their Countrey and Cause and so it is when men run from God and his Truth to the worlds and Satans service Lumb l. 4. d. 14. Inanis est poenitentia quam sequens culpa coinquinat But this is not all that his righteousnesse shall not be remembred for him but it will be remembred against him 2 Pet. 2.21 It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from it and why better because they now sin against righteousnesse and that way they have affected and profest and their righteousnesse will be a witnesse against them Let us all take heed lest there be an evill heart in any of us to depart from the living God Heb. 3.12 4. Mans ruine is from himself he departs from his righteousnesse commits iniquity and God layes a stumbling block this in justice he doth because man hath sinned but who causes him to fall not God that is mans own act he looks not to his way it 's his own lust drawes him aside inticeth him Jam. 1.14 the cause is from within only the occasion is from without riches honour friends peace credit parts beauty truths Christ are the good and great blessings of God and God in his wise disposition of things may lay these as occasion of stumbling before us but if we do stumble that is mans not Gods fault Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destoyed thy self but in mee is thy help destruction is mans salvation is the Lords Man fell by his own free will but if ever he be raised it 's by Gods free grace and if God will not have mercy he will turn their iniquity upon them Psal 94.23 Hee shall bring upon them their own iniquity and shall cut them off in their own wickednesse yet Prov. 1.32 it 's said The turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them 5. Gods proceedings with the wicked and godly are divers Here he speaks of laying a stumbling block before the wicked man and in Jerem. 6.21 Behold I will lay stumbling blocks before this people the father and the sonne together shall fall upon them the neighbour and his friends shall perish yea Isa 8.14 God himself will be a stone of stumbling a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Jerem. 46.6 They shall stumble and fall but it 's otherwise with the godly touching them he saith Take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people Isa 57.14 hee will remove what offends and indangers them and Isa 63.13 Lest they should stumble hee leads them and Prov. 4.12 when they turn they shall not stumble and Psal 119.165 Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them God is carefull of the godly that they be not offended if they should be so offended as to stumble and fall at any time Psal 37.24 He shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand and keepeth them that they dash not their feet against the stones if God do lay stumbling blocks at any time before his it is in the wayes of sin as Hos 2. I will hedge up thy way but for the wicked he layes stumbling blocks in the way of mercies they stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2.8 it 's the savour of death to them 2 Cor. 2.16 they stumble at the Lords Supper they eat and drink damnation there 1 Cor. 11.39 they stumble at Christ himself 1 Cor. 1.23 6. An unfaithfull Minister is perfidious to God and man because thou givest him not warning he shall die in his sin and his blood will I require at thy hands God hath put honour upon the Minister set him in a great place made him a watchman trusted him with souls and hee now through sloth feare inconsideratenesse intanglements in the world neglects to warn the sinner hereby souls are lost Satan robs God of them is diligent to get and keep them this will be treachery and sacriledge too at last and fall heavie upon him is guilty if a band of men be slain through the Captains fault or taken through falshood all cry out of it and when souls perish through the fault and falshood of the Prophet it 's dreadfull Mont. in loc Zeph. 3.4 Her Prophets are light and treacherous persons the word treacherous in Hebrew is viri praevaricationum qui debitam Deo populo fidem pariter violaverint such as falsifie their faith to God and man and it 's the highest treachery that can be to be false to God and to rob him of the souls of men 7. That if a Minister may perish for not warning of sinners much more for incouraging them by corrupt doctrine and by a lewd life if death be in an omission much more in positive evils corrupt doctrine and a corrupt life are strong traces to draw men to perdition 2 Pet. 2.1 hee speaks of false teachers that bring in damnable heresies and withall that bring upon themselves swift destruction but their damnable heresies and opinions prevail with the people they follow their pernicious wayes and meet with their destructive ends Isaiah 9.16 The leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are led of them are destroyed VER 21. Neverthelesse if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous sin not c. THe words need little opening He shall surely live in living he shall live he shall have his life for a prey in time of danger or he shall live comfortably that persists in this righteousnesse he shall be secure for feare of death Observ 1. A Minister or Prophets care must extend to all sorts of people before he had said the wicked must be warn'd here he saith the righteous also must be warned good and bad fall under admonition and circumspection of the Prophets both are committed to their charge and they must warn them give account of them and if they fail of their duty die for it the best and worst they must tell of their sins 2. The Ministery of the Word is very needfull wicked righteous must be warn'd that they may not sin return when they have sinn'd escape death and be saved the warnings of the Prophets are salutarie remedia adversus mortem animarum not only the ministery of the Word in generall but admonitions and reproofes are means through God to prevent the death of souls Prov. 15.31 it 's call'd the reproof of life there is life in reproofes as death in sin increpationes sunt salutares vivificatrices they teach the way to live and lead to eternall life hence you have such expressions as that
2. Book de divinationibus Quid habet authoritatis furor iste quem Divinum vocatis ut quae sapiens non videt ea videat insanus is qui humanos sensus amiserit divinos assecutus sit vaticinari idem sit quod insanire This opinion was also in the Apostles time Act. 26.24 Festus the Governour of Syria tells Paul that he was besides himselfe that much learning had made him mad In the Metaphoricall sense take it thus The Jewes cannot endure thee nor thy prophecy they are so bitter so rebellious obstinate and set against thee that they will not suffer thee to look out of doores and come among them they decline thee and thy prophecy they will not endure either of them and so thou art as a prisoner and man in bands not that he had any materiall bands upon him but was bound up in this sense their sinnes were the Prophets bonds and we may take up this observation from it That peoples sinnes doe imprison and imbondage the spirits of the Prophets and so hinder the course of the word This Paul knew and therefore requests the Colossians to pray That God would open to him and others a doore of utterance Col. 4.3 that they might not be straitned in the work of their Ministery Mens sinnes doe silence the Ministers and send them to prisons if you look not well to it your sinnes may quickly make this good I incline to the literall sense and then it 's doubtfull who bound the Prophet They shall put bands c. Not the Angels though God use them in the Government of the world yet we finde not that God uses them to binde his Prophets Some conceive it to be his friends and familiar acquaintance and that it was done in love if others had done it they would have left him in custody other where then in his own house but without prejudice to any I conceive it came from the people who either bound him or bespake his binding And my ground for it is this He is made a Watchman to the House of Israel in that capacitie and relation the Lord speaks unto him here is no mention of any domestick friends but of the people it was they without not they within as is cleare from the words They shall put bands upon thee and thou shalt not goe out among them Observ 1. Christ deales fairely not fraudulently with his he tells them at first what they must expect not gold and silver but bands and chaines They shall binde thee He told Jeremy they shall fight against him Jerem. 1.19 So Paul no sooner is called to preaching but he heares of suffering Act. 9.16 I will shew him how great things he must suffer and Mat. 24.9 Christ tells all the Apostles that they must be afflicted hated killed and this he doth in faithfulnesse love and wisdome that they might not be deceived in looking for other kinde of entertainment in the world that they might not have hard thoughts of him for hiding away such things from them that they might be confirm'd against such evills when they fell out and remember it was no more then the Lord foretold them of Job 16.2 They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea they shall kill you and think they do God good service and ver 4. These things have I told you that you may remember I told you of them when the time comes 2. No excellency exempts a Prophet from the malice of mens tongues and hands Ezekiel is immediately call'd and sent by Christ sees extraordinary Visions hath much converse with Christ is fill'd with the Spirit yet all this keeps him not out of bands they spake evill of him and bound him Christ himself was all excellency beauty goodnesse yet these preserved him not out of the hands of malice there 's nothing will satisfie it but mens liberties and lives malice feeds on such dainties 3. The generality of people are enemies to their own good and active to their own ruine the house of Israel they are against the Prophet they fetter and chain him up and think they have done well to make him secure from coming amongst them and alas what have they done thrust away the physician should cure them shut out mercy by shutting up a Prophet put out the light and now are there not droves and multitudes of people that would think it a happinesse to get all the Prophets silenced imprisoned banished if not more they would live in darknesse and die in darknesse and so undo themselves for ever Christ the great Prophet the people after all his precious Sermons and glorious miracles cry Away with this man Crucifie him crucifie him Luke 23.18 21. They had cryed Hosanna formerly but now the time being turn'd they turn against Christ there be many that shew some kindnesse outwardly to the Prophets but inwardly they are against them 4. Wicked ones deal severely cruelly with the Prophets when they fall into their hands they put bands not one or two but many bands upon Ezekiel and they were wreathed twisted heavie thick bands such as might not only hold but hurt and pain the Prophet when Ahab had got Micaiah into his hands he sends him to prison and commands him to be fed with bread and water of affliction that is with so little and so unsavory ut longam potius mortem trahat quam vitam sustentet hee would kill him non brevi morte sed lenta fame Jeremiah the Princes are wroth with him smite him put him in the prison Jer. 37.15 yea into the dungeon where he sunk into deep mire and had perished if Ebedmelech an Ethiopian had not been more propitious to him then his own countreymen the Jewes were Jer. 38.6 7. Josephus saith Antiq. 10. they put him into a muddy pit ut ibi praefocatus moreretur which might easily have been for he was usque ad collum mersus others think they aimed not at his present death but thought paedore fame lingeringly to consume him Peter when he fell into Herods hands he was bound with two chaines Acts 12.6 You may observe something in that verse there is a prison chains souldiers keepers all these mentioned in it which shew the severity of Herod A bare prison had been too much for such an Apostle but he must be chain'd and with two chaines and for feare he should get out of his chaines hee must be between two souldiers which probably were more afflictive to his spirit with their oaths c. then the iron was to his body and lest hee should get from these there was also the keepers at the dore watching Paul tels you how he was handled by wicked men 2 Cor. 11.23 24. In stripes above measure in prisons frequent in deaths oft of the Jewes five times received I forty stripes save one thrice beaten with rods once stoned thrice shipwrackt 5. Afflictive conditions seldome better mens spirits they were in Babylon under captivity and
made a fire in the midst of the Market place and first burnt that they had left and could not eat and then cast in themselves and children to put an end to their miseries whence arose that speech or proverb Saguntina fames noting extreme want It 's also related of Cambyses son of Cyrus that seeking to subdue the revolted Ethiopians his army was in such a strait for victualls that they were forc'd to tithe out every tenth man and to live upon them and that this continued so long that Cambyses feared himself and thereupon return'd It 's known what a grievous famine was at Sanserre in France when Charles the 9th besiged it in the yeere 1573. and shot against it in three dayes space 3500. great shot of Ordnance and killed not one by them yet almost all the people were consumed by the famine in the siege thereof having eaten up all things living and the leather off of Trunks and Saddles In Edward the second his dayes was such a famine as a Parliament was call'd to moderate the prices of things Speeds History Lib. 9. c. 11. such was the dearth that bread could scarce be gotten to serve the kings own family the famine grew so terrible that Horse Dogs yea men and children were stolen for food and thieves newly brought into the Gaols were torn in peices and eaten presently half alive by such who had been longer there The Scipture tells us of as great famine as we can read of A Lapid in loc When Hannib besieged Cassilinum a mouse was sold for 200. groats Val. Max. l. 7. the Samaritan famine was such as that like Vulturs Dogs and Swine they fed upon carkasses dung it self 2 King 6.25 the Assyrians besieged Samaria untill an Asses head was sold for 80. pieces of silver that is 80. shekels and that came to above 8â— of our money and the fourth part of a Kab of Doves dung for five pieces of silver a Kab contain'd four pound and five ounces and the fourth part was thirteen ounces and for this they gave ten shillings and upward some think is was the corn in the crop of the Dove which did flie abroad and came home full but the Text is plain it was the dung of Doves which whether they used for salt having an acrimonious humour in it or for food their distresse was very great but this of Jerusalem was the sorest that ever was they had course fare the food of beasts beans lentiles millet fitches and little of this bread and water were measured out unto them their bread was defiled dressed with dung their firing failed having burnt up all things combustible Gods curse was upon what they had he brake the staffe of bread no strength nourishment came from that they had Deut. 28.53 55. they went up and down distressed and dyed for hunger read the 4th of the Lam. 4 5 c. the tongues of the sâ—â—cking children did cleave to the roofs of their mouth other children asked bread and none brake it unto them The scarlet men of the City imbraced dunghills the beautifull Nazarites were blacker then coals the slain with the sword were preferred before the slain with famine the pitifull women sod their children they were their daily meat thus God brought down Jerusalem and quickly can do any let us acknowledge Gods mercy that we are not under such a judgement let us be humbled for abuse of his good creatures no more pamper the flesh with them let us not be proud of what we have hoord up Gods blessings but communicate and distribute to the necessities of others and use all to Gods honour 3. That hunger makes course and loathsome things pleasant bread polluted will down in a famine bread made of that which Horses and Swine eat of beans lentiles fitches c. and be as barley-cakes barley of it self is a sweet grain but being made into cakes it was more pleasant and such is ill diet in time of famine Prov. 27.7 To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet the sweetest thing is bitter to the ful the bitterest is sweet unto the empty when Esau was faint then red pottage was worth a birth-right Gen. 25.32 Artaxerxes being put to flight his Provisions taken away and he had only a few dry figs and a little barley bread said Cujusmodi voluptatis hactenus inexpertus fui hunger is the best Cook and the best sauce when Darius dranke puddle-water and that defiled with dead carkasses Cicer. 5. Tusc he said He never drank more pleasant drink As it 's with women in their longings any thing long'd for is pleasant not other things what ever they be so in famine any thing edible is longed for and that makes it pleasant even an Asses head Doves dung polluted bread mans flesh 4. Note here the conformity of the punishment to their sin they had sinned in excesse and God would take away their plenty Hos 13.6 According to their pastures so were they filled they had full pastures fed largely exalted their hearts and thought they should never want they forgat God in their fulnesse and he made them to remember him in a famine fulnesse of bread was the sin of Sodome and the sin of Jerusalem also God brake the staffe of bread they sinned in defiling themselves with Idols and offered meal and oyl honey flowre for a sweet savour to their Idols Ezek. 16. and now they must eat polluted bread among the Gentiles they had worshipped dunghill gods and should shortly eat dunghill bread they had been proud of their ornaments and those in scarlet should imbrace the dunghils Hab. 2.8 Because thou hast spoyled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee it 's spoken of the Chaldeans Pharaoh drown'd the Israelites children he and his were drown'd in the red Sea for it Solomon to please his Idolatrous wives divided the worship of God between God himself and Idols and God divided his kingdome between his son and his servant Socrates tels of Severianus a Bishop that call'd Chrysostom a kneelesse fellow because hee would not bow and crouch to good causes one trode upon his toe which rankled and he was forc'd to cut off that leg and the other and so became kneelesse himself Comment of of civill wars of France Charles the ninth who had been bloody in his life died of a bloody flux and the blood issued out of the severall parts of his body who in the bloody massacre had caused or suffered blood to be shed in the severall parts of his kingdome he used to blaspheme in his life and died blasphemously at his death A Romish zealot repin'd at the fuell burnt at the Kings return from Spain and said There was such waste of wood as shortly there would not be a faggot left to burn heretiques this party being at Black-friers when the downfall was received a mark of remembrance by a piece of wood Doctor Goad in his Relation of that