See heer th ' effigies louely lively face Of reverend Rainolds full of fayth Grace Oxfords renowned Doctor of the Chaire Acute mellifluos Oratour most rare T. Cross sculp THE PROPHESIE OF HAGGAI Interpreted and applyed in sundry SERMONS By that Famous and Judicious Divine JOHN RAINOLDS D. D. Never before printed Beeing very usefull for these Times HAGGAI Chap. 1. verse 7 8 9. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Goe up to the mountaine and bring wood and build the house and I will take pleasure in it and I will bee glorified saith the Lord. Ye looked for much and loe it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it Why saith the Lord of Hosts because of mine house that is wast and ye run every man unto his own house LONDON Printed by W. W. for William Lee and are to be sold at the Turkes-head neere the Miter Taverne in Fleetstreet 1649. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Reader I Shall promise a few words concerning both the Authour and worke For the Authour of it it was Doctor JOHN RAINOLDS a man eminent both for learning and piety No man mee thinkes saith one is happy on Earth to him that hath grace for substance and Learning for ornament This verse is written about Dr. Rainolds Air picture Inâ—ertum est fuerit doctior an melior It is doubtfull whether He were more learned or pious When Bellarmine came out first both the Vniversities chose one in each Academy to confute him Oxford for I must ever give that the preheminence chose Doctor Rainolds for their Champion Cambridge Doctor Whitaker for theirs Whitaker was more nimble for hee went over a great part of Bellarmines Controversies and so solidly consuted him that it is credibly related by some English-men that travelled into Italy that Bellarmine himselfe procured his Picture out of England placed it in his study secretly admiring him for his great learning and when hee was asked by another Jesuite his friend and companion why hee would have the Picture of that Heretick hee was wont to answer that although hee was an Heretick and an adversary yet hee was a learned Adversary Whitaker that Honour of our Schooles and Angell of our Church Learned Whitaker then whom our age saw nothing more memorable what clearnesse of judgment what sweetnesse of stile what gravity of person what grace of carriage was in that man who ever saw him without reverence or heard him without wonder Doctor Rainolds whom a very reverend Divine compares to a pen too full of inke thought at the first that in two or three yeares he should have been able to have gone over all Bellarminâ— Controversies but he was 7 yeares about the very firâ—â— of 〈◊〉 de â—bris Apocryphis which yet he finished not neither insomuch that one Mr. Walter Travers jested with him and told him he was so long in reading the Apocrypha here that he would read the Canonâ—cals in Heaven Yet his conference with Hart that worke together doe amply discover his great abilities and he is justly stiled by one of our owne writers Pontificiorum malleus patriae suae dulcissimum decus the hammer of the Papists and most sweet ornament of his owne Country Doctor Rainolds alone was a well furnisht Library full of all faculties of all studies of all learning the memory the reading of this man were neare to a miracle For this worke of his it was reviewed and perfected by that Reverend Divine Master William Hinde sometimes Preacher of Gods word at Bunbury in Cheshire whose intention was to have printed it in his life time hee having set forth some other of the same Authors workes as that on Obadiah these Sermons immediately following thereupon to bee handled in the Doctors ordinary course of Preaching as appeares in the first page of these Sermons This Copy therefore being left with mee by Master Nathaniel Hinde a Minister in Staffordshire and Sonne to the forementioned Master William Hinde with a desire also of the publication of it I thought good to preface thus much in the behalfe both of the Author and worke It is I suppose the best Copy that is extant and though he wholly finished not the second Chapter of Haggai yet because the maine subject of that Booke is the building of the Temple it will not seeme unseasonable for these times wherein Reformation should bee the aime of all and in another respect also this worke may bee suitable to the present season because this learned and religious Author in this Book seemes to favour the Presbiterian way What ever it bee I commend it and thee to Gods blessing and rest Thy hearty well-wisher EDVVARD LEIGH AN EXPOSITION Upon HAGGAI Sermon the First CHAP. 1. vers 1. In the second yeare of Darius the King in the sixt moneth the first day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Haggai unto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel a Prince of Judah and to Jehosuah the sonne of Jehozadak the high Priest saying Thus hath the Lord of hoasts charged me to say This people say the time is not yet come the time that the Lords house shall be builded Then came the word of the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Haggai saying Is it time for you Sirs to sit downe in your seiled houses whiles this house lyes waste YOU have heard in the conclusion of the Prophesie of Obadiah the promise of deliverance made by God unto the Jewes and in them to all his chosen that their enemies should be overthrown and they restored to their ancient inheritance which should be performed by Saviours which should come up to mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau and that the kingdome should bee the Lords which that you might see how it was in shaddow performed to the Jewes and in truth to all the chosen of God I thought good to entreat of this Prophesie of Haggai wherein the same is delivered unto us In which we are taught that the Temple having been begun to be built long before and the worke intermitted was with much adoe continued by Zerubbabel and Jehosua who were thereunto moved by the ministery of Haggai prospered by the assistance of the godly encouraged by Gods word and grace of his spirit which representeth un o us the frame of the spirituall house the Church which Christ built by his Apostles which were sent from Sion as was prophesied of them The doctrine shall come from Sion Next if we consider the circumstances of the times letts helps the persons people Princes Preists dealings it may be an example unto us and to such as are to deale any way in the building of the church how to behave themselves therein Moreover by the consequence that once more he would shake the heavens and the earth bring the desire of all nations and fill that house with glory he comprehendeth the fulfilling
reproofe of ingratitude that they submitted not themselves thereunto considering that it was the worke of the Lord to whom they did owe themselves and all others the building of Christs-Church is a worke base and contemptible in the judgement of the world though before God most excellent precious But it is base as we list to account it If we cannot submit our selves to the bearing of these burthens let us remember it is our Lords worke and let us fear the just reproch which the Tekoits bear for the neglecting of it In the French story we read that at a dangerous siege of Rochel for the fortifying a Bulwarke against the enemies each one so bestirred themselves that even the gentlewomen and ladyes carryed stones and rubbish for the raising thereof which therefore was called the Ladyes Bulwarke because the great women in the siege of Rochel were content to submit themselves to bear rubbish it was the worke of the Lord by a consequent and shall it not be a shame for men of how great calling soever they be or count themselvsto be not to submit themselvs to the work of the Lord If they be such as have taken in hand to build many places let them remember that they are bound to build in all places even as the Tekoits were of whom it is noted that they edefied in divers places which in that building might more be done because that being many when they had perfected the work in one place they might after go to another but how many or any of us may undertake to build in sundry places I see not for if the building be such as requireth continuall labour therein of laying of living stones continually requireth residence of the builders that they should still be present on their charge that as new stones as still brought so they may still be laid on stil more more to be won to God let them remember that this is the Lords worke and if they be not able to build in many places let them be content to resigne their charges so that there may be a workeman able to furnish the places appointed thereunto Cursed be the man that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and cursed be the man that withholdeth his hand from bloud saith the Lord by his Prophet he speaketh of killing the enemies of the Lord God forbid that a curse should fall upon us amongst those that have faulted therein and that it may not fall the Lord hold still up their hearts to performe that with all care which the spirit of God teacheth to be their duty namely to advance the glory of God in building the temple and sanctuary of God For the rest which are not such as the Tekoits and yet are comprised in the number of them that are said to build the sanctuary and set to fight the Lords battailes let them remember that they were cursed that withheld their swords from bloud although they have not the strength of Gideon yet let them remember that the word of God is sharper then any two edged sword and peirceth through the dividing of the joynts and marrow wherefore if we builde in that measure which God hath given us God will yeeld his blessing and put strenght unto it and though we be not able with David to kill our ten thousand yet let us be content with Saul to slay our thousands yea there were of Davids worthies that slew but their hundreds let us remember the promise made to them that do their duty herein And that this sword may the better strike and wound we must remember that it must be applyed to the limbes and members we must take heed that we content not our selves to runne on the generalities and to stand upon flourishes but apply this sword to the speciall faults of our hearers for so it is like to peirce the better there are some also which although they use this sword yet they cover it with such a scabbard that by reason thereof it is not able to wound in such sort as it should as either with intermingling of strange language without any necessity or heaping up of many testimonies or other things not so fruitfull so that although they come neere with the sword yet because of these scabbards they perform not that duty which they ought to doe wherfore we may remember that the builders which the Apostle speaketh of the Corinthians are reproved not onely for the matter which they built as for raising hay and stubble upon the foundation but also for the forme and manner they used let these men set before their eyes the examples of the Prophets and Apostles in their preaching yea of the Fathers themselves whom they like so well and marke in what sort they apply this sword to the mortifying and slaying of the old man A great helpe hereunto might have beene the example if it had continued of many who heretofore out of other places and lastly out of this have broken the bread of life amongst us But what shall I complain of the masse of freewill-offerings when even those that were necessarily appointed either the morning or the evening offerings are oftentimes wanting so that often that which should be offered in the Evening is offered in the Morning is offered in the morning as at this present Howbeit that the free-will offrings so long continued should be intermitted the next year after God had delivered us from the Spaniard I cannot but lament when such offrings should rather be encreased to the glory of God and testimony of our thankefulnesse for so wonderfull a deliverance The fault hereof I cannot lay on them that before took pains herein or on the cheife Magistrate for that of them many are otherwise imployed And the Magestrate I thinke was ignorant that it hath been the use for them in that place to solicite others for this thing was at the beginning of the entrance into his office But I beseech you that are the Lords remembrancers that you would use all meanes to procure that these free-will offerings may be continued again When there had been long want of raine in Israel Elias promised Ahab at length that there should be raine and going to the top of a mountaine sent his servant to looke who at the first saw nothing and he still sent him down till at the 7 time when at length he saw a little cloud arising like a hand at the first whereof afterwards ensued great raine It may be you shall not have your desire at the first nor at the second time yet I beseech you not to omit this thing for at length doubt not after seven times you shall see though it be not a cloud whereof may ensue great store of raine A cause of the intermitting hereof may be the dislike which by some division amongst us by preaching might be bred because that all of us are not of one minde For though all agree that the foundations and walls
read it not only in Cyril but also in Gods own truth and the unlearned may heare it preaced by others thus 3ly in respect of the continuance of the spirit we are likewise to build up our selves as well as others Lastly we have the same promises that they had from the same Lord of Hosts Jesus Christ as he is described Rev. 19. 14. where it is said that the warriers or armies which were in heaven follow him and if they so excellent creatures then much more we who are farre inferiour nay he more kindly promiseth it to us promising that he will be with us by his spirit for ever to guide and comfort us in all our calamities and therefore it is our duty aswell as theirs to set aside all feare distrustfulnesse and with all courage go forward and with all encouragement to strengthen our weak knees and lift up our feeble hands that we may be able insome measure to accomplish the worke the Lord hath enjoyned every one for we have the like commandement that Zerubbabel had the like promises yea the same promises and the assistance of the same spirit and he that promiseth to be with us is the Lord of Hostes most mighty and able to do whatsoever he will which name least happily it should somewhat affright us let us remember that he is mighty and powerful against his enemies and towards his sonnes and servants mercifull and full of compassion yea he iâ— the Bishop and sheepherd of our soules 1 Pet. 2. and therefore it ought more to embolden us than discourage us as it did David Psa 23. My sheepherd saith he is the living Lord therefore will I feare no ill and indeed he himself shewed it to be true in his owne particular by his godly example in all his life and first when there was but a step betweene him and death as he had told his friend Ionathan 1 Sam. 20. he went forward with some circumspection indeed and care to prevent danger but yet never a whit discouraged because he knew that the Almighty was his sheepherd and that he was able to keep and defend him yea that he would defend him because that he had promised to de-defend all such as put their trust in him and why for the Kings hart is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it whether soever he willl and that as easily as a husbandman can turne the streames of waters And so the Lord did the heart of Saul to David as appeareth by the sequell of that story and when the Lord did not deliver him by his power yet he preserved him by his goodnesse Elias might have feared Ahab and Ehizeus might have beene dismaied with the taunts that were cast on him by Ieroboam but they went boldly forward shewing indeed that they had no cause to feare or be discouraged for they knew well enough that the Lord was with them The memorable example of the three children sheweth the like courage to have been in them when they said our God is able to deliver us if he do it not yet know O King that we will not worship c. whereby they shewed that they were fully perswaded that the Lord is present with his servants either by his power or by his goodnesse by his power to deliver them or by his goodnesse to comfort and strentghen them if to endure torments were most for Gods glory yea the very example of these three sheweth how true that in the Proverbs is when a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him so that not only the fury of Kings shall be turned away but if need be they shall become ever friends and if the hearts of Princes be so subject to the Lords ordination and government which seeeme to have some freedome how much more are the hearts of inferiour creatures the slothfull man saith that a Lyon is in the street but the Lord hath Lyons at command so that they shall not hurt his saints Dan. 6. he that observeth the winds shall not sow and he that marketh the clouds shall not reape so that the Lyon feareth the slothfull man on the one side and the winde on the other side keepeth him backe that he cannot go forward but for the true children of God who know that both winde and weather sea and aire are at Gods command they feare neither the heat of summer nor the cold of winter nor the storme of persecution but goe boldly on in their calling following the precept of their God and committing all other things to his providence for they know that he is with them even in affliction as David witnesseth Psal 23. thy rod and thy staffe comfort me where we are to consider that the rod and the staffe are tearmes used in respect of the former word sheepherd the word rod signifieth a long thing to strike with but yet used as sheepherds use the like about their sheep to keep them in by threatning them and a little tipping them the word staffe is borrowed from a word that signifieth to leane on which sheepheards use to leane on and withall to keep their sheepe but in proper the Prophet declareth that the Lord would not chasten him or if he did his chastisement should be but such as should comfort him as he saith else where Psalme 119. It was good for me that I was punished and before I was smitten I went wrong Columella writing of the use of the latter word for staffe saith that in some countries the sheeherds use to leane on their staffes and never sit downe but stand upright to looke on their flocke least that any sheepe comming after might be entercepted of wilde beasts of which the country is full in which sence if we take the word staffe it sheweth that the Lord is watchfull over his so regardeth them that none of his perish and look what chastisement he giveth them it shall in the end turne to their salvation and hence it was that the Apostle Paul when the Lord bad him be of good courage none shall hurt him he boldly and joyfully went about his calling even then when the Lord was not with him in his power to deliver him but yet by his goodnesse to comfort him as I said yea when he knew that he should be delivered up he boldly without feare went on to build up that body which he was sent for teaching us by his example to remember that in the Epistle to the Romans cap. 8. 31. 37 38 39. If God be on our side who can be against us nothing can separate us from his love which we have in Christ Jesus wherefore that this might the better be kept and performed the Pastours are to stir up the people to this boldnesse remembring that even in weakenes the Lord will perfect his strength and bring his will to passe and that he often useth weake instruments to
of all his promises made to his church in Christ Jesus Finally he layeth downe the everlasting destruction of the heathen when he sheweth that he will destroy the throne of kingdomes and the strength of the kingdome of the heathen c. and set Zerubbabell that is Christ of whom he was a signe as a signet for I have chosen thee saith the Lord of hosts whereby was signified the princly estate of the kingdome of the Jewes under the king of kings and utter ruine of all those that should set themselves against Christ and his church So the words of the doctrine touched darkly by Obadiah shall be opened more at large in the expounding of this prophet Haggai The Prophet first by commission from God reprooveth the people for neglecting the building of the Temple convincing them of sloath which he doth partly by rebuking the care which they tooke every man in building his owne house and partly by the Chastisements which God had for their sinnes laid upon them This that we may understand the better we are to remember out of the 4. of Ezra that whereas by the appointment of Cyrus they had laid the foundation of the Temple in his dayes the building of the Temple was hindred by the people of the land who discouraged the Jewes troubled them in building and hired accusers to accuse them to the King of Persia so that in the dayes of Ahashuerosh and Artaxerxes they were stayed for going forward Artaxerxes decreeing that they should cease When Artaxerxes was dead and Darius reigned in his stead they ceased also from the worke pretending that having beene often forbid before by Cambises and Darius Histaspis and not receiving any licence from the new King they might either be hindred as before or accused of Treason for breaking the former Kings commandement and lastly that it was not yet time to doe it The Prophet in the 1 verse noteth diligently the time the yeare the moneth and day when he received this commission from God In the 2 he proposeth their fault which in the 4 verse he reproveth both which are uttered by mentioning the messenger with the commandement of God in the 3 verse and in the 1 verse the two persons by whom chiefly the worke was to be set forward the times are especially noted to shew what just cause the Lord had to reprove them having so long neglected his will and the just cause of punishing them for their neglect In the reproofe we may note 5 things First the time when this commandement was given to the Prophet Secondly the Author thereof the Lord. Thirdly the persons by whom the thing was to be done Fourthly the fault that was committed by them they said the time was not yet come Fiftly the reproofe it selfe Is it time for you Sirs Which circumstances as they are first to be considered of us so shall wee make our best profit by them if wee compare our Church with theirs For as the Jewes were long in bondage in Babylon but at length were brought back by Cyrus so our Ancestors were held long under the bondage of the spirituall slavery of Rome which is spirituall Babylon whence by the meanes of H. 8. as they by Cyrus they were delivered The Jewes being restored laid the foundation of the Temple but were not able to goe further by reason of enemies that procured them displeasure with the Kings of Persia God hath dealt more graciously with us to whom hee hath granted gracious Princes to set forward this worke yet notwithstanding are not wee so forward as they For whereas they had laid the whole foundation in the dayes of Cyrus we in many places have not laid that For what is the foundation that is first to be laid The Apostle teacheth even the Doctrine of the beginnings of Christ as the Doctrine of repentance from dead workes and of Faith towards God the Doctrine of Baptismes Now how farre the people are from these things in many places wee may heare of those that speake out of experience for sundry there are who when they heare tell of these things wonder at them as the Athenians did at Paul and mervaile what so strange doctrine meaneth which is a lamentable thing confidering how mercifully God hath dealt with the Churches elsewhere And as it is said by the Prophet He hath caused it to raine upon one City and not to raine upon another So two or three Cities wandred to one City to drinke water but were not satisfied The word of God and doctrine of Religion is in Scripture compared unto raine the preaching thereof unto the dropping and falling downe thereof for which cause the Prophets are commanded to droppe their words Some Cities amongst us have had this Raine to droppe upon them others have not yea it hath dropped upon one part of a Citie and not upon another yet have they had clouds hanging over them but clouds without water laborers that have seemed to put to their hands and yet but seemed onely Ambassadors without tongues without the tongue of the learned Builders without hands hands to lay the foundation yea the Doctrine of Baptisme is strange to many that long since have been baptized and hands laid on them as justly may be feared to no great purpose Many there are againe which have stayed at the foundation but have not held on to build the walls they have not been led on to perfection and instructed in the wisedome of Christ For wee are not alwayes to be sucking of milke we must at length be acquainted with strong meat there is the begining and the perfect knowledge also Wherein againe appeareth the fault of many who as though they were only appointed as Nurses to feed their children with milke are able to doe no more whereas they should be stewards fit to deliver a portion to every one of the family not onely to lay the foundation but to raise up the walls also Howbeit yet God hath dealt more mercifully with some that the foundation hath not onely been laid but the walls also built and they raised even to the Roofe but that hath wanted that is the Doctrine of Christ hath been preached but there hath wanted asistance of such as by discipline should correct the unruly admonish the faulty suspend the offendours excommunicate the stubborne and absolve the penitent Such as were among the Jewes the Archisynagogi by whom notorious offendors were excluded from the society of the faithfull Such our Saviour spake of when he commanded that if our brother had ought against us we should first admonish him privately if he would not hearken to us to take two or three with us and to tell him his faulti f hee would not heare them to signifie it to the Church if he would not obey them to hold him as a heathen or publican Such as the Apostle appointed in every City that small faults might