limmit of the time vvill not suffer me to run through all The dependaunce of these vvords vpon the former is thus Coherence In this chapter are contained tvvo things First comfort and consolation to the godly from the first verse to the eighteenth Secondly iudgement and threatnings menaced against the vvicked and obstinate from the eight verse to the end but so as before he threatens the rod he tells them in the eight verse that he had sent his word vnto Iacob and it had lighted vpon Israel and hauing called them by his vvord and they vvould not be gathered and hauing indeuoured to bring them in order and they vvould not be reformed then according to that in the prophet Heare the rod and who hath appointed it Mich. 6 9. In the eleuenth and tvvelue verses of this chapter the Prophet threatens a heauie and grieuous iudgement that God should bring vpon them an enemie that should deuoure them vvith open mouth and because they profitted not by that iudgement he saith in the tvvelue verse The wrath of the Lord is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still the reason of it is giuen in the 13. verse and iusinuated in the 14. verse because the people haue not returned to the Lord that sinit them neither doe they seeke the Lord of hastes therefore he will cut off head and taile branch and rush c. Herein vve may obserue 2. things 1. the denouncing a Iudgement 2. the causes vvhy the Lord vvould bring it vpon them In the iudgement are 2. things to be considered 1. the generalitie of it 2. the impartialitie of it The generalitie because the Lord vvil cut off head and taile The impartialitie is double 1. because he vvill as vvell smite the head as the taile the braunche as the rush the great as the small 2. because hee vvill principallie smite the heads as those that vvere the cause of all the corruptions that vvere in the body The 2. is the causes and they are 2. First is general because the people had not profited by former iudgements and lesse afflictions therefore they should haue a 2. and 3. vvoe in the first vvord Therefore The 2. is a particular cause in the 16. verse because the leaders of the people caused them to câ—re and the people vvere content to bee misled by them therefore shall they bee deuoured all together So much for the coherence and diuision of the vvords And novv for the meaning of the vvords Therefore the Lord will cut off c. That is because the people haue not benefited by the former iudgements and afflictions to turne to God by repentance many of them onely seeking the Lord by mourning and fasting and sackcloth in outward show which is but as much as hipocrites may doe but fewe or none of them were sound to forsake their sinnes and turne to God by true repentance therfore saith the Lord I wil cut off head and taile c. The iudgement is God will cut off and destroy with a generall iudgement and consusion the whole state and the whole land for this sinne For to imagine as some do that the magistrate is called here the head because the head is the seate of sense and beginning of motion I take it it is besides the intent of the Prophet in this place and that he meerely intendes to note a generall consasion and plague that should spread ouer the whole body from the toppe of the head to the sole of the foote and 〈◊〉 one should be spared And not onely so but as it is saul that his iudgements are generall so they should be without partialitie God would out off as well the head as the taile the weake and feeble rush that hangs downe the head the stronge braunche that is high and mightie and therefore in the 15. verse hee tells vs whom hee meanes by head and whom by taile The head is the auncient and honourable and the taile is the Prophet that teacheth lyes Here is another part of Gods impartialitie obserued whereas the magistrate and the minister were the cause of the corruptions and cuill manners of the people therefore the Lord will smite them both and because these too conspired together the magistrate deceiued by the false Prophets slattering and fauning vpon him telling him of his insinite maiestie his absolute greatnesse and power to doe what hee list where he list and punish whom he list and being so perswaded by him because of his power he thinkes any thing is lawfull for him to doe and on the other side the lying Prophet because he had gotten fauour and countenance with the magistrate he thought that he should settle his neast so sure that he should haue no hurt whatsoeuer came thus saith the Lord because they haue agreed together the one to deceiue and the other to be deceiued herefore they shal be destroyed both together The leaders of my people cause them to erre c. Here is the particular reason why God would destroy them because there was deceiuers amongst them and they were willing to be deceiued as if he should say I set ministers ouer my people that they should lead them and teach them in the right way that they should learne knowledge out of the word and then teach it to others and teach them what they ought to doe and reprooue them when they doe that which is not fit and which they ought not to doe but on the other side they haue set their faces to get the applause and liking of the people preach onely pleasing and foothing things to please the care onely to get fauour and a name they therefore haue caused the people to erre and they that were lead by them are willing to be seduced therefore they shall bee deuoured together so much for the meaning of the words Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel c. The first thing is the generall cause of the iudgement that should come vpon this people which was because they had not sought the Lord nor turned to him nor profited by their former afflictions There the Lord would cut them off Doct. 1 The first thing that wee learne in these words is that this is the dealing of God with an obstinate and gaine-saying people when they doe not benefite by former and lesse iudgements that he layes vpon them to bring heauier and more fearefull plagues vpon them this is manifest euery-where in the word of God as Deut. 28. Deut. 28.45 Chapter and in verse 45. after the Lord had threatened a great many plagues against his people hee saith further that if this should doe them no good then All these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee to destroy thee because thou obeyest not the voyce of the Lord thy God And in verse 58. c. The Lord saith If thou wilt not obey and doe al the words of this law that are written in this booke and feare
enemies who compose themselues to their countenances and seeke not to frame them to the lawes of God who are like to some pictures that will looke on a man which way soeuer hee looke on the right haÌ„d or on the left before him or aside of him The Lord keepe all Christian Kings from such enemies And easie were it for them to be freed of them if they would countenance those that would deale plainely with them with discretion Prou. 25.23 and discountenance all such smoothers and flatterers For theÌ„ as the North-winde driueth away the raine so would an angry couÌ„tenance the slandering tong yea the flattering tongue I suppose that Alexander was a long time after free from flatterers when as Aristobulus hauing read vnto him many things that he had writ of him surpassing the truth as the was passing the riuer Hydaspis he tooke the booke from him and threwe it into the riuer and said hee was almost mooued to doe so with Aristobulus himselfe for his seruile dealing with such kind of entertainment they might easily rid theÌ„selues of such destroying flatterers least they be forced to say as Adrian the Emperour when he was a dying hauing delighted in Physitians all his life who administred nothing but pleasing things vnto him said that too many Physitians had killed the Emperor so too many flatterers haue caused their destruction Secondly ministers may learnes Vse 2 as they loue themselues to deale faithfully and to bee as the Cherubines vnto the mercie seate thither they looked and thence they gaue their aunsweres and not to be partiall in the law Mal. 2.11 least God cause them to bee despised and in the end destroy them as here is threatned They may liue in a time when such prophets as will speake of wine and strong drinke Mich. 2.11 and pleasing things shall be most desired and among such as are like those in Esay Isa 30.10 which say vnto the seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errors and such as will tell them if they deale faithfully as Balacke told Balaam I thought surely to promote thee to honour but the Lord hath kept thee backe from honour Numb 24.11 And so it proues that this is the way to earthly honour preferment and liuing for a season and a little while but the Lord threatned it shall not prosper long with them he can in a night take all from them as he did Ionas his gourd But if they enioy it longer it is but for a while Iob. 17.5 for the eyes of his children shall faile that speaketh flattery to his friends But if no such thing happen to them in this life what haue they gained to gaine the whole world to get all honour and preferment and lose their owne soules and to answere for so many soules as haue perished through their vnfaithfulnes For what can they answere when God shall come to iudge will they pretend the greatnes of those whom they indeuoured so to please certainly it will not benefit them Hom. 28. ad pop Antio Chrysostome when he had spoken somewhat which seemed to offend the rich and mighty of his audience spake to theÌ„ thus Ne quis miht diues c. Let no rich man nor no great or powerful man swell against me or knit his browes at me I account of all these as fables shaddowes and dreames for none of those that are present shall be able to defend me at that day when I shall be challenged and reprooued for not deliuering the lawe of God with sufficient sharpnes 1. Sam. 2.4 this was euen this was the ruine of that admirable olde man who himselfe liued a blameles life it destroyed him with his sonnes what then can any flattring Amaziahs or fawning Zedkiahs expect that any mans greatnes should excuse them it will not defend themselues how then their flatterers nay as is said before they then shal haue none of their greatnes to defend themselues or helpe others Now in the 16. verse followeth the particular cause of the iudgement which is the gouernours and Ministers misleading of the people making them to erre whence it must needs be that they themselues erred and teached errors Whence I gather this That the gouerners rulers Ministers of a particular visible Church Doctri 5 may erre in matters of faith and manners doctrine and life which is manifest through the whole booke of the Scriptures First these things were foretolde for howsoeuer the people made a bragge Come let vs imagine some deuice against Ieremiah Ier. 18.18 for the law shal not perish fro the priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophets Yet the Lord he threateneth it shuld come to passe cleane contrary Ezek. 7.26 as it is said in Ezek. Calamitie shal come vpon calamitie rumour shal be vpoÌ„ rumor then shal they â—â—â—ke a vision of the Prophet but the law shal perish 〈◊〉 the Priest counsel from the auncient and Micha 3.6 Therefore night shall be vnto you for a vision Mich. 3.6 and darknesse shall be vnto you for a diuination and the sunne shall goe downe ouer the Prophets and the day shall be darke ouer them Secondly it is manifest by that which is in Esay The watch men are all blâ—â—â—… they be asleepe Esay 6.10 and delight in sleeping and by that in Ieremie I haue seene foolisimesse Ier. 23.13 in the Prophets of Samariah c. If the exception be that this was Israel and not Iuda then see that which followeth I haue also seene filthinesse in the Prophets of Ierusalem If it be said Verse 14.16 that these are prophets and not priests Thirdly I manifest it by the euent All the chiese of the priests also and of the people trespassed wonderfully 2. Chron. 36.14 according to all the abominations of the heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which hee had sanctified in Ierusalem And if it be said that this was in the Synagogue not in the christian church as they absurdly speake that all the cheise of the priests and of the people trespassed c. We will follow them whither they call vs and see the Apostles how they erred when Christ spake vnto them of his sufferings in Luke Luk. 18.34 it is said They vnderstood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither perceiued they the things which were spoken which not vnderstanding of the speech of Christ grew out of an error which their mindes was forestalled withall before that Christ should raigne as a temporall king But it may be that this was before Christs resurectioÌ„ see therfore his disciples asked him Act. 1.6 saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdoe to Israel as dreaming of an earthly kingdome as if he should haue had one but though he now were risen vet was he not ascended
will bee hardly any scraps left for poore Lazarus seeing all is too little to furnish the table to pamper the backe and the belly for the seruice of sinne and Sathan Then if this pride be spread through the Citie and through the land what may we expect but greater plagues to come vpon vs If any man will put me to prooue it that it is to bee sound he shall pardon me I will adde no light to the sunne because if a man doe but looke thorow the Citie in euery place in euery familie in euery man and woman in euery Church and assemblie he shall see how the pride of Israel and of England doth testifie it to her face Now to these I will adde this speciall one 2. Chron. 36.16.17 where was a sinne that brought the wrath of God vpon the prople without remedie which was that they misused the messengers of God despised the word of God mocked the Prophets of God therefore the Lord gaue them into the hands of the Galdeans who slowe their young men with the word and spared neither young man nor virgine auncient nor aged And are not these rhinges thus with vs were euer the ministers of God in more contempt Nay are they not all in extreame contempt either justly or vniustlie whether such as doe conforme themselues according to the custome of the Church and will of his maiestie or they who refuse Whether such as bee gluttous or drinkers of wine and friends of publicans sinners as they falsly said of Christ or they be of an honester life and cariage comming neither cating nor drinking as Iohn whether they be either negligent and idle in their places and will hardly preach in any season but vnsauourly or they be diligent and painfull preaching in season and out of season whether they be plaine dealing Amoses or slattring Amaziahs all are in contempt some of one and some of another Is there thē any remedie but that heauier wrath must come vppon vs then yet any wee haue felt Ezech. 22. When the Lord had reckoned vp many sinnes which were in that people Hee saith I haue smitten my hands vpō thy couetousnes A similitude from those who incourage dogs to pull downe and deuour shewing with what desire and earnestnes he would contend with them and bring iudgements vpon them if such sinnes be found among vs not lessoned but increased since the height of our plague that crueltie and blood bee in our streets as verse 7.8 c. In thee haue they despised Father and Mother in the middest of thee haue they opposed the strangers in thee haue they vexed the fatherlesse and the widdow Thou hast despised my holy things and hast polluted my Sabboaths c. What can wee expect but the Lord should clappe his hands vpon our couetousnesse and bring a fresh and sierce reply of some fearefull iudgement To conclude this with a speech of Chrysost in his 5. Homilie to the people of Antioch after the Emperours wrath was asswadged towards that Citie Chrysost Ho. 5. 2d Pop. Ant. he said We haue made a happie change yet this I dare say if you reforme not your corruptions and sinnes though this cloude be ouer we shall see and suffer worse things for I haue euer beene more afraide of your security then of the Emperours wrath So say I wee haue a happy change in respect how it was with vs this time three yeres a happie change in respect of that which our cruell and bloody papists did designe vs vnto this time twelue-moneth But this I dare say If we doe not reforme our corruptions and manners though this cloud bee ouer yet we shall see and suffer more fearefull things for whatsoeuer other mens opinions are for my part I haue euer feared more the the securitie of the land then the wrath of God because the wrath of God if we were not secure were to be expiated and appeased by our repentaunce and turning vnto him but we being secure and setled vpon the dregs of our sinnes there is no hope that the wrath of God should bee remooued but that he should doe to vs as is spoken heere Cut off head and taile c. and that these should bee but the beginning of sorrows Vse 2 Secondly Psal 42.1.9 here is instruction for all christian magistrates who are called Gods and are so by their office and the communication of power and authoritie that they deale thus with wicked and obstinate malefactors when their lenitie or their smaller corrections will not make them relinquish the former corruptions and returne to better manners they ought to take them in hand and to vse more seueritie and sharpnes towards them amongst many I would presse this concerning one kind of offendors who are the greatest enemies of the kingdome of Christ the grossest idolaters of all the kingdomes of the world and the most pestilent enemies of this kingdome and state I meane our seducing and seduced papists In whom I rather instance because this day reuiues the memorie of their cruell designement seeing they purposed that it should haue beene the last day when any should haue spoken against them out of this place pretending they meant to to be the Lords executioners of this iudgement here set downe by the Prophet when they intended indeede to haue bin the diuels instruments to haue cut off from Jrael from England head and taile braunch and rush in one day Concerning these I say when neither lenitie of the state nor smaller meanes and mildenes will serue to reduce them from their heresies and Idolatries to make them conformable to the lawes of God and the land there ought now more seuerity to be vsed Psal 119 126. And as Dauid said to God It is 〈◊〉 for thee Lord to lay too thy hand for they have destroyed thy law So it is time for you gods to lay to your hands else they will destroy both the law and the land That such may and ought to be seuerely dealt with especially such as are seducers and obstinate I thinke no man will put mee to prooue neither doe I intend it being that which I once manifested out of this place since which the whole state in the honourable court of Parliament haue manifested their perswasion of the truth of this point else why haue they enacted established and confirmed more seuere yet most iust lawes against them for the execution of these lawes it is that I nowe speake and do vrge vpon this grounde that if you loue them if you loue the Church and truth if you loue your selues and the State do not the worke of God of the king negligently I say if you loue thē you must execute for if that be true of Hierom. Ille haereticum interficit c. he killes an hereticke who suffers him to be an hereticke Cont. Pelag lib. 3. c. 6. but a iust punishment of them is the quickning and putting life into them that dying to