flying roule of curses after them Zech. 5.2.3 he shall vomit up his sweet morsels here Job 20.15 or else disgest in hell what he hath devoured on earth as his belly hath prepared deceit Job 15.35 Serm. before K. Edw. 6. so God will take it out of his guts againe either he shall make restitution of his ill-gotten goods or for not doing it he shall one day cough in hell as Father Latimer phraseth it and committing adultery This is also an hainous crime saith holy Job yea it is an iniquity to be punished by the Judges Chap. 31.11 Heathens have punished it very severely Of one people we read that they used to put the adulterers or adulteresses head into the panch of a beast where the filth of it lay and so stiffled him God punished those stinking Edomites with stinking brimstone for their lothsome bruitishnesse and adjudged adultery to death because society and purity of posterity could not otherwise continue amongst men We read not in any general commandement of the law that any should be burnt with fire but the high-priests daughter for adultery Lev. 21.9 yet it seemes it was in use before the law or else Judah was much to blame for sentencing his daughter in law Tamar to the fire Gen. 38.24 Let us beware of that sin for which so peculiar a plague was appomted and by very Heathens executed See Jer. 29.22.23 If men be slack to take vengance on such yet God will hold on his controversie against them and avenge the quarrel of his covenant for so wedlock is called Prov. 2.17 either by his own bare hand or else by the hands of the adulterers themselves See an instance of both these even in our times In the yeare 1583. in London two citisens committing adultery together on the Lords day Divine Tragedie were struck dead with fire from heaven in the very act of uncleannesse their bodies being left dead in the place half burnt up sending out a most lothsome savour for a spectacle of Gods controversy against adultery and sabbath breaking This judgment was so famous and remarkable that Laurentius Bayenlink a forrain historian hath thought good to register it to posterity Opus Chronologiae Or his Vniversi Antwerp 1611. p. 110. Mr. Cleaver reports of one that he knew that had committed the act of uncleanesse and in the horrour of conscience he hang'd himself But before when he was about to make away himself he wrot in a paper and left it in a place to this effect Indeed saith he I acknowledge it to be utterly unlawfull for a man to kill himself but I am bound to act the Magistrates part because the punishment of this sin is death This act of his was not to be justified Viz. to be his own deathsman but it shewes what a controversy God hath with adulterers and what a deep gash that sin makes in the conscience they break out like wild horses over hedges or proud waters over the banks The Septuagint renders in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are poured out And St. Jude hath a like expression speaking of the Libertines of his time Verse 11. they run greedily Gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were powered out or powred away as water out of a vessel they ran headlong or gave themselves over to work all uncleanness with greedinesse to satisfie their lusts and to oppose with crest and brest whatsoever stands in their way bearing down all before them Beza So Sodom and Gomorrah are in the seventh verse of the same epistle said by unbridled licentiousnesse to give themselves over to fornication In scortationem effusae And when Lot sought to advise them better they set up the bristles at him with Base busie stranger Dubartas comest thou hither thus Controwler-like to prate and preach to us c Thus these Effractores as the Psalmist somewhere calleth them these breach-makers Judg. 16.9 Psal 2.3 breake Christs bands in sunder as Sampson did the seven green withes and cast away his cords from them These unruly Belialists get the bit betwixt their teeth like headstrong horses and casting their rider rise up against him They like men or rather like wilde beasts transgresse the covenant Hos 5.7 resolving to live as they list to take their swinge in sin Psal 12.4 for who say they is Lord over us Tremellius reades that text tanquam hominis they transgresse it as if it were the covenant of a man they make no more of breaking the law then as if they had to do with dust and ashes like them selves and not with the great God that can tame them with the turn of his hand and with the blast of his mouth blow them into hell Hath he not threatened to walk contrary to those that walk contrary to him to be as cross as they for the hearts of them and to bring upon them seven times more plagues then before and seven times and seven to that till he have got the better of them for is it fit that he should cast down the bucklers first I trow not He will be obeyed by these exorbitant yokelesse lawlesse persons either actively or passively The law was added because of transgression and is given saith the Apostle not to the righteous for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law to themselves 1 Tim. 1.9 as the Thracians boasted but to the lawlesse and disobedient who count licentiousnesse the onely liberty and the service of God the greatest slavery who think no venison sweet but that that is stolen Eccles 2.2 nor any mirth but that which a Salomon would say to Thou mad foole what do'st thou Loc for such rebels and refractaries for such masterlesse monsters as send messages after the Lord Christ saying We will not have this man to raigne over us for these I say was the law made to hamper them and shackle them as fierce and furious creatures to tame them and taw them with its foure iron teeth 1 of Irritation Rom. 7.7 2 ly of Induration Isa 6.10 3 ly Of obligation to condigne punishment Gen. 4.4 4. Of execration or malediction Deut. 28.16 17 c Let men take heed therefore how they break out against God Let them meddle with their matches and not contend with him that is mightier then they 'T is the Wise-mans counsell Eccles 6.10 and blood toucheth blood i. e. there is a continuation and as it were a concatenation of murders and other horrible villenies as was at Jerusalem in the murther of Zacharias the son of Barachias the blood of the sacrificer was mingled with the blood of the sacrifice And as Luke 13.1 the like fell out So at Athens when Scylla took the Town there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as mercilesse slaughter the gutters running with blood c. And so at Samaria which the Prophet may here probably intend when there was such killing of Kings and they fall not alone Hosea killed his Predecessour
Church again to wife but having found her formerly so fickle and faithlesse he would for a long time trie her and keep her unmarried as a probationer he would lay her as we do filthy garments a soaking and a frosting for many hundred years to try them and to purge and to make white even to the time of the end because it is yet for a time appointed Dan 11.35 And to presume to prescribe to him in this case is to set the Sun by our Dial. As he never fails his in his own time so he seldome comes at ours Here then our strength is to sit still Esay 30.7 and not to start up and say as that impatient Prince did 2 Kings 6.30 What should I wait for the Lord any longer Shall Christ lose his right in his wife because he takes her not by the day set down in our Calender Possibly the Calender of heaven hath a post-date to ours Sure it is that we are apt to antedate the promises in regard of the accomplishment as those Jer. 8.20 that looked for help that summer at furthest but were deceived See the disease and the remedy put together Hab. 2.2.3 and learn to wait God will surely bring us to it if we belong to him and thereby inure us both to patience and continence as here thou shalt not play the harlot c. thou shalt not hasten after another God and so multiply sorrowes upon thy self Psal 16.4 as he that hath broke prison gets but more irons to be laid upon him and a stricter watch Psal 44.19 the Church though sore broken in the place of dragons and covered with the shadow of death yet she stretched not out her hands to a strange God She knew that was not the way to get off with comfort Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou gaddest to the God of Ekron Isay 20.19 2 King 1. Should not a people seek unto their God from the living to the dead Should they seek to slip out at a back-dore and to help themselves by sorry shifts or sinister practises Is that ever like to do well or will not such be miserable even by their own election Ion. 2.8 Wherefore if God defer to help as he doth usually hold out faith and patience Wait upon him who even waits to be gracious Esay 30.18 for he is a God of judgement and well knoweth how and when to deale forth his favours Cito data cito vilescunt Manna being lightly come by was as lightly set by He therefore suspends us that he may commend his mercies to us and when he comes with them be the better welcome The longer he holds us in request the more will he do for us at length and if we abide for him many dayes we shall be no losers thereby for I also will be for thee He will love those that love him Prov. 8.17 1 Sam. 2.30 and honour those that honour him Yea if any man love me saith Christ my Father will love him and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Joh. 14.21.23 I will gather them sc into my bosome out of all nations that are sorrowfull for the solemn assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burthen Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee c. Zeph. 5.18.19.20 God esteems highly of those that abide for him in their banishment that stay for him till he minde marriage with them that stick to him in affliction that resolve to reserve themselves for him so as if they cannot have comfort in God they will have none elsewhere The Cherethites and the Pelethites that were with David at Gath and afterwards stuck to him when Absalom was up they were ever neare about him as his guard and dear to him as his favourites God is All in all to those that with the Spouse will be his altogether Jer. 29.13 he will do good to them with his whole heart that seek him with their whole heart c. Verse 4. For the children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a king c. They shall be as it is said of the Brasileans Sine rege sine lege sine fide in a wofull confused estate both for State and Church This they had brought upon themselves by their Idols set up at Dan and Bethel that is in the place of Judgment and in the house of God so Dan and Bethel signify Bethel was become Bethaven and the place of judicature called by Solomon the place of the Holy God Eccle. 8.10 so corrupted that people were ready to say as Themistocles once did that if there were two wayes shew'd him the one leading to hell and the other to the Tribunal he would chuse that which went to hell and forsake the other That corruption caused this confusion The children of Israel shall be without and without here are six withouts that they might be sensible of their abuse of mercies and see bona a tergo formosissima good things fairest behind their worth best appearing by their want The Persian law commanded that at the death of their kings there should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a suspension of lawes Stob. orat 42. a lawlesse liberty for the space of five dayes that subjects might know the necessity of government by being bereft of the benefit of it for a time and the better prize it when they had it The like custome they have now in Turky at the death of the Grand Signor Turk hist. which is no sooner known but every man doth what is good in his own eyes till his successor be sent for and set upon his throne Israel hath neither King nor Prince Ruler nor Civil Magistrate of their own the ten tribes I meane for Judah had both Prince and Priests after the captivity till the last desolation since which they have no forme nor face of Church or common-wealth no not of a corrupt or depraved Church meant here by Image and Teraphim See 2 King 17.10 Judg. 17.5 much less of such an one as God had prescribed meant by sacrifices and Ephod Prospers conceit was that this people were called Judaei because they received jus Dei their law from Gods mouth And Josephus calleth their common wealth a Theocratie or God-government They received their order both for Church and common-wealth from heaven which no other people ever did in the same manner and might truly take up that of the Prophet Esay The Lord is our Judge Esay 33.22 the Lord is our law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us But man being in honour is without understanding c. Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked then he forsook God which made him and sacrificed unto devils not to God to Gods whom they knew not to new Gods that came newly up c. Deut. 32.15.17 When Ephraim spake and
by the wretched rich who will ever go over the hedge where it is lowest and catch the poore by drawing him into the nets Psal 10.9 that is into their debts bonds and mortgages and at length making such their bondmen by abuse of that permission Lev. 25.39 See chap. 2.3 yea and sell the refuse of the wheat Quisquilias the husks more fit for pigs or poultrey hardly mans meate and yet held good enough for the poore deciduum pâ—â—â— gamenta the offall although their flesh was as the flesh of their brethren and their children as their children Neh. 5.5 however they used them How farr were these rich wretches from considering the poore as Davids blessed man Psal 41.1 and as Dr. Taylour the Martyr did whose custome was once in a fortnight at least to go to poore mens houses look into their cupbords see how they fared and what they lacked Act. Mon. that he might either make or procure them a supply from such as were better able Verse 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob i. e. by himself the matter of Jacobs chief boasting there being no God like unto their God their enemies themselves being judges Deut. 32.31 neither any nation so great as to have God so nigh unto them as Israel had in all things that they called upon him for Deut. 4.7 So that this oath of God grates upon their Ingratitude for such imparallel priviledges and it is uttered in great wrath as appeareth by the following angry Aposiopesis wherein the Apodosis is not set down but understood If I ever forget any of their workes forget to punish them These oaths cum reticentia are very dreadfull Psal 95. Take heed lest by stubbornnesse we provoke God to sweare in his wrath that we shall not enter into his nest Take heed lest a promise of entring being left us and a profer made us we should seem to come short of it Heb. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come lag or late a day after the faire an houre after the feast God is now more quick and peremptory then ever in rejecting men that neglect so great salvation Heb. 2.3 the time is shorter he will not wait so long as he was wont to do Mar. 16.16 He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall be damned Surely God will finish the work and cut it short in righteousnesse Rom. 9.28 because a short work will he make in the earth The time is short saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7.29 a metaphor say some from a piece of cloth rolled up only a little left at the end Let us therefore feare as the same Apostle inferreth upon the consideration of Gods oath Heb. 3.18 with 4.1 and let our feare not weaken but waken our diligence in well-doing lest he sweare and repent not lest be come to a resolution and decree Gods oath is nothing else but his inviolable and invariable decree to cast us off as he did Saul for his wilfull disobedience 1 Sam. 15. Saul lived long after his utter rejection and men could see no alteration in his outward condition but God had sworn as here never to forget any of his works Now saith Samuel to him and it is fearefull the Eternity of Israel the Excellency of Jacob will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 Do not think this a case that seldome comes it is done every day upon some or other saith a great Divine but woe be to that man upon whom it is done it had been much better for him that he had not been born Mat. 26.24 Oh consider this all ye that forget God lest he swear by his excellency Surely I will never forget any of your works Verse 8. Shall not the land tremble for this q. d. So great are the oppressions here exercised that the very axletree of the earth is even ready to crack under them Amaziah that hedge-priest of Bethel had said of our Prophet that the land was not able to beare all his words chap. 7.10 but Amoz more truely affirmeth that the land trembled under their many and mighty sins and could beare them no longer the earth-quake fell out about this time Am. 1.1 and it was a just wonder that the earth had not opened her wide mouth and swallowed them all up quick into hell as Numb 16.31 32. Called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as it did a great part of the city of Antioch Anno. 527. for their horrible heresies and blasphemies there held and broached by her bishops and every one mourn i. e. smart till they mourn Nationall sins bring nationall plagues The Hebrewes hold that there is not a worse sin then Oppression St. James saith that it it cryes to heaven and entreth into the eares of the Lord of sabbath Jam. 5.4 who will not faâ—le to heare for the is gracious Exod. 22. and it shall rise up wholy as a slood i. e. The land shall rise up shall seem to do so when it is sloated and over-covered with water as the sluggards field is said to rise up or ascend with thornes that is to be overgrown therewith Here then is threatened an overflowing scourge an universall destruction covering the face of the countrey as Nilus doth a great part of the land of Egypt every yeare leaving much mud behind it whereof see Pliny and other Authours Mercer thinks the words would be best read by interrogation as the former thus and shall it not rise up wholy as a flood q. d. shall it not be turned into a large lake as once Sodom and her sisters were for like cruelties to the poore Ezech. 16. Verse 9. And it shall come to passe in that day c. Here the Lord threateneth saith Mr. Diodate to encumber the land with horrible and mournfull calamities when it shall be least thought of Earthquakes inundations suddaine and dreadfull darknesses are sure effects and signes of Gods heavy displeasure against mens sins Psal 18.8 12. Lively Mat. 24. Luk. 21. Jocl 2.10 as Another noteth See a like text Jer. 15.8 9. and promise contrary to this threat Job 18.5 6. I will cause the sun to go down at noon A suddain change as was at Sodom the Sun was faire risen upon it that very day that it was destroyed in Gen. 19.23 24. as at Babylon when surprized by Cyrus they could not at first beleeve their own calamity as it was with Jerusalem often and shall be with Rome Rev. 18.7 8. She saith in her heart I shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine c. to confute their fond conceit of an eternall Empire For when they shall say Peace and safety then shall sudden destruction come upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In him to use the words of that divine Poet doctrine and life colours and light combine and mingle He doth moreover subject and make humane Learning subservient to Divine And finally useth it moderately without affectation and modestly without ostentation If we should now work an Embleme of this giver in his gift brought unto the Spouse of Christ as that reverend learned pious Doctor did upon his four Preachers and apply all his images and motto's to this Author they that know him and have heard him and seen his constant conversation would we presume justifie our judgement but we forbear onely taking leave before we take leave of thee to super-adde thus much to our thoughts of this Book That though in his former Commentaries he hath done excellently yet this excelleth them all as in other things so in this especially that the Text is expounded more largely and large satisfaction given to the Reader in the sence of the word which well becommeth a work of this nature So that here is not onely work for the studies of young Divines but the gravest may ask counsell of this Elihu who is so full of matter the Spirit of God within him constraining him thus to lay out himself for the good of the Church Private men also if they please to take the pains here may find what will very much both profit and delight Let us request a concurrence of thine with ours and the prayers of many for this Reverend and worthy Author that hee may live long and long a burning and shining light and bee enabled by the influence of Divine beams before his eyes be closed to open the rest of holy Scripture which we hope is his purpose and are sure is the earnest desire and expectation of his fellow-brethren And that his path may bee as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day His and thine in the service of Christ John Bryan Obadiah Grew Coventry August 29 th 1654. Christian Reader THough an Attestation from me to this work is but to light a candle to the Sun the Authour being so well known and approved of in the Church of Christ by his former labours yet out of my respect to the Authour and desire of thy profit I thought fit to tell thee that besides the golden Eloquence sweet Similitudes and fitly applied Histories which thou shalt find interwoven thorow all this Work thou shalt meet with more for Exposition and opening of the difficult Texts in this then in most of his former Commentaries And there is no Verse thorow all these twelve Prophets upon which he hath not said something And that which may make this Work more desireable is that there is very little in English written upon this portion of Scripture Besides the Authour is now grown Aged and so better experienced in this kind of writing then formerly In the latter part of this Book thou shalt meet with a Treatise called The Righteous mans Recompence upon Mal. 3.16 c. which therefore is fitly annexed to the former The subject is most Divine Comfortable and Necessary full of practicall Divinity and matter of daily use for every Christian The manner of handling it exceeding delightfull concerning which I may say with the Poet Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. I presume that I shall need to adde no more but to request thee to joyne thy prayers with mine to the God of heaven that he would prolong the Authors life that he may go over the rest of the Bible as he hath already begun and to subscribe my self From my study in Threedneedle street July 27th 1654. Thine in the Lord Sa Clarke IOHN TRAP Anagr. HARP ON IT So sweet is Scripture Harmony that we Bring it to argue it's Divinity But yet we understand the Musick better When you HARP ON IT both by note letter We think you finger't well and if you will We shall entreat you to HARP ON IT still S. Clarke A. M. To the Reverend Mr. J. Trap upon his Commentary c. To the Reverend Mr. J. Trap upon his Commentary c. John Trap Anagr. Oh! in part John Trappe Anagr. Part in hope And was I so mistrustfull us to fear There would no more of Trap in Print appear Oh! now I see 't was but IN PART in pledge What we received before was but to edge Our appetites So 't hath We like and wish We might feast every day on such a dish May you live to complete this work for we Love that good fruit should ripen on the tree I 'le fear no more but that while heavens favor Lends you to us you 'le freely give your labor 'T is our new treasure though 't be your old store Farewell but yet I PART IN HOPE of more J. Clark A. M. In Eruditum Autorem Livelaeus ille magnus qui lustris abhinc Quaâ—â—ordecim Lingua Professor Sanctae erat Academiarum in alâ—â—ra nostratium Et partumen capitis inter masculos Scitosque foetus luce Lucem quam attulit Aliqâ—ot Prophetarum minorum quos vocant Donavit O si gâ—ns tegâ—ra saepius Ardextiusque voâ—a sundiâ—â—â—iia Non coelâ—â—um ante copias kine emigrans Auxisset istâ—m quam Prophetis omnibus Saltem minoribus suam caliginem Sic pâ—orsus exemisset Interpres sacer Quibus ille tantoperè suo merito placet Adeste TRAPPI has paginas evolvite Aâ—â—â—e futâ—â—as eruditâ— omnibus Pâ—â—quâ— gratas atque Livelaei fuit 〈◊〉 veri aureum quo pauculos Ex â—â—is Protheâ—s clarâ—â—â—â—s reddidit Livelaeus alâ—er TRAPPVS Autor Vividus Vt Liberâ— siâ—â—â— Libris felix suis Vtriâ—que plâ—â—â—â—â— piis elegantibus Eâ—rlesiámqâ—e plurimùm ditantibus Morinecesse est aâ—teris sue ut Patri At alteris divina sic pandentibus Orà cla sic docentibus sic entheis Actas futura est quanta Vivacissinâ—is Thomas Dugard A.M.R.B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tho. Dugard A.M.R.B. A Table of such Texts of Scripture as in the Annotations on the twelve Minor Prophets and in the Treatise annexed are occasionally explained Chap. Vers GEnesis 37.35 I will go down to the grave to my son mourning Page 581 Levit. 19.14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf c. I am the Lord Page 808 Numb 11.15 Moses said I pray thee kill me out of hand Page 240 23.21 God seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel Page 927 Deut. 32.6 Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish and unwise people Page 109 11. As the Eagle carrieth her young ones on her wings Page 578
sons of the rebellious whorish woman children of transgrâ—ssion a seed of falshood Esay 57.4 The Hebrews call such children brambles such as Abimelech was who grew in the hedge-row of an harlot they call them also Mamzer as ye would say a strange blot And Shatuki or silent because when others are praising their parents such must hold their peace and hold down their heads with shame enough because by-blows for the land hath committed great whoredoms Fornicando fornicata est i. e. frequentissimè faedissimè most frequently and most filthily See Eezek 23. thoroughout Aholah that is Israel plaied the harlot when she was mine verse 5. In her youth they lay with her verse 8. so that she might say with that impudent strumpet Quartilla in Petronius â—etron Satyr that she could never remember her self a virgin Yea she grew old in her adulteries verse 43. opened her feet to every passenger and multiplied her whoredoms Ezek. 16.25 Meretrices scilicet hoc est meretricissimae Such a common prostibulum is the whore of Rome whom her followers call piam matrem quae gremium claudat nemini Joan of Naples was a saint to her Idolatry is spiritual whoredome in many respects It defiles the soul Gods bridal-bed It breaks the marriage-knot and discovenants It enrageth God who in this case will take no ransome It subjecteth men to Gods deepest displeasure It besots them and unmans them they that make idols are like unto them so are all they that trust in them Psal 115. Lastly â—dolatry is seldome without adultery in a proper sense as appears in the old Heathens at their feasts of Priapus Lupercalia c. the Canaanites had filled the Land from one end to another with their uncleannesse Ezra 9.11 and in the Papists at this day who reckon fornication a venial sin have their Stews allowed them yea among the very Indians who abhor their most loathsome living And for Rome it self tota est jam Roma lupanar it is become a great brothel-house and her stench is come up to heaven as Matthew Paris one of her sons long since said Departing from the Lord In whom all amiables and admirables are concentred This did exceedingly aggravate the unkindnesse Verse 3. So he went He said not john 6.60 This is a hard saying who can hear it Dura mihi praecipit poene terret He doth not reason but run dispute but dispatch God must be obeyed though we see no sense for it And took Gomer which signifieth both consummation and consumption to shew that she was consummata meretrix a compleat whore had all the tricks of a whore and brings her paramours to finall consumption utter extermination the daughter of Diblaim Not quasi de Belaim a place so called as Hugo dreameth though there was a wildernesse of this name whereto some think the Prophet here alludeth to shew the Churches wretched beginning in its own nature as Cant. 3 6. Ezek. 16.7 But Diblaim is by some taken for Gomers father by more for her mother which is also held to be an harlot according to that Ezek. 16.44 As is the mother so is the daughter Diblaim signifieth bunches of dried figs that were the delicacies of those times Gluttony is the gallery that lechery walketh thorough Sine Cerere Libero friget Venus Concupiscence as Plato saith hath the lowest places and is alligata ventri as one would tie an horse or an asse to the manger Jer. 5.8 Jeremy not unfitly compareth sensualists to fed horses neighing after their neighbours wives Saturity breeds security which is the sure forerunner of destruction Est ergo hic gnome saith à Lapide i. e. Here we have then an elegant sentence Gomer is the daughter of Diblaim that is rottennesse of sensuality for as the worm that grows in the fruit devoureth it so doth grief the pleasure of sin This Observation we have from the Cabbalists Verse 4. Call his name Jezreel For the honourable name of Israel is too good for this people call them therefore Jezreel a people devoted to dispersion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spargere and such as I will scatter into the four windes of heaven as the seedsâ—man scattereth his seed Thus Jeconiah is called Coniah for a judgement upon him Bethel Beth-aven Har Hammischa the mount Olivet or of Unction Har hammaschith the mount of corruption 2 King 23.13 And this is not unusuall amongst men so when they would disgrace a man to clip or play upon his name as when they spitefully called Athanasius Sathanasius Cyprian Coprian as if all his excellent works were but dung Calvine Cain c. This people saith God hére are more like Ahab then Jacob. Call them therefore Jezreel Ahabs Court that is a den of theeves and murtherers where innocent Naboth cannot be master of the vineyard that he was born to Micah who prophesied also much about these times hath a saying much to the same purpose Chap. 2. ver 7. O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings q. d. Ye that boast of Jacob to be your father do you tread in his steps are ye of his spirit of his practise was there such vile prophanenesse found in him as is openly found in you David describeth the generation of such as seek God Psal 24.6 as seek his face and then subjoyneth This is Jacob these are Israelites indeed these are Jews inwardly and all others are degenerate plants and are the worse for their outward priviledges sith tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul of man that doth evil but of the Jew first and then also of the Gentile Rom. 2.9 for yet a little while And yet this little was a long while through Gods gracious forbearance As bad as this people were they should not perish without warning yea though the Lord foreknew they would make no good use of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Heathen Historian God loves to foresignifie Herodot and premonish But there is nothing more dangerous and disinall then these still revenges as when God suddenly brake out in wrath upon Nadab and Abihu upon Nebuchadnezzar Herod Pharaoh at the Red-Sea when he would not beware It is a just both desert and presage of ruine not to be warned See this in Nineveh spared at first but after a little while revolting soundly paid for the new and old faults Nahum 3.19 Non consurget iterùm afflictio saith the same Prophet Nahum 3.19 chap. 1.9 Affliction shall not rise up the second time God will not make two doings of it but when he begins he will also make an end 1 Sam. 3.12 that is as sure as he begins so sure will he make an end and though it may be some time ere he begin yet a little while for he is slow to wrath and of great kindnesse yet assuredly he will avenge the blood of Jezreel i. e. the executions done by
to cast them out of that good Land as evils tenants that should hold no longer for vers 3. he threateneth to plead against them non verbis sed verberibus with 〈◊〉 and with blood as Ezek. 38.22 to make them say as Isai 45.9 Wo to him that striveth with his Maker that hath him for his adversary at Law such a one is sure to be undone unlesse he agree with him quickly Mat. 5.25 whiles he is yet in the way with him and before he be brought to the tribunall For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 his tribunall also is of fire Ezek. 1.27 his pleading with sinners in flames of fire 2 Thes 1.7 the triall of mens works shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 the place of punishment a lake of fire â—ed with a river of brimstone Isai 30.33 O pray therfore and prevent that God enter not into judgement with us for if so no man living shall be justified in his sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods people may have and shall be sure to have the devil an adversary at Law against them as Saint Peters word signifies 1 Pet. 5.8 The accuser of the brethren he is called which accuseth them before God day and night Rev. 12.12 But him they may resist stedfast in the faith and recover cost and charges of him as I may so say for they have Christ to appear for them in heaven Heb. 9.24 as a lawyer for his client 1 Joh. 2.2 to nonsuit all the devils accusations The Spirit also as a Paracletus or Advocate maketh request for them to God in their hearts and helpeth them to make Apologies for themselves 2 Cor. 7.11 Again if a man sin against another the judge shall judge him saith old Eli to his wicked sons that is the Umpire may come and take up the controversie and put an end to the quarrell But if a man have sinned against the Lord 1 Sam. 2.29 who shall intreat for him who dare be his â—â—yesman no mediation of man can make his peace no reconciliation can be here hoped for but by running from God as a Judge to God as a Father in Christ Let men therefore be wrought upon by the reprehensions of Gods faithfull Ministers by whom he appealeth and impeacheth them If they stand out as the old world did against that Preacher of righteousness by whom he went and preached to those spirits now in prison because they would not take up the matter in time but futured and fooled away their own salvation he will break off his patience and say as Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwayes strive with these men for that they also are flesh c. and are therefore the worse because they ought to be better Ideo deteriores quia me liores esse debebant therefore they shall fare the worse because they would be no better I have hewed them by my Prophets Hos 6.5 but can make no good work of them Like ill timber they fall to splinters and like ill stones they crumble all tto crattle They are therefore fitter for the high-way chimney corner then for my building My spirit shall therefore strive no more with these perverse persons either by preaching disputing convincing c. in the mouth of my ministers or in their own minds and consciences by inward checks and motions which they reject refusing to be reformed hating to be healed I will take away my spirit and silence my Prophets as he doth verse 4. of this chapter and resolve upon their utter ruine sith there is no good to be done upon them See Vers 17. of this chapter with the Note there Currat ergo poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia c. Because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land Lo here the charge and knowing the judgement of God you must needs say that those that commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1.32 For if the word spoken by Angels the law given by Angels in the hand of Moses a Mediatour were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience that is every commission and omission received a just recompense of reward Heb. 2.2 〈◊〉 should these miscreants escape that had left off to do good and for evil they did 〈◊〉 both hands earnestly For the second table of the Law it is articled against them for matter of omission or defect that there was neither truth nor mercy in the land And for the first table that there was no sound knowledge of God there and consequently no care of God either inward or outward worship for there can be neither faith nor repentance nor due obedience yeelded to an unknown God Joh. 4.22 A Samaritane service there may be ye worship ye know not what but not a rationall service Rom. 12.1 such as whereof a man can render a reason Now God will not have a blind sacrifice Mal. 1.8 1 Chr. 28.9 It is nothing worth that men are vertuous unlesse they joyn to their vertue knowledge 2 Pet. 1.5 nor that they offer sacrifice if they bring the sacrifice of fools Eccâ—es 5.1 Those must needs be abominable and disobedient that are to every good work reprobate injudicious as the word signifies Tit. 1.11 and what marvell though men be alienated from the life of God or a godly life through the ignorance that is in them Eph. 4.18 But let us take the words in order There is no truth Here God declareth against them a Lawyers do against offendors in courts and not for trifles but first for want of truth or trustinesse in word and deed without which humane society is but funiculus ex arena a rope of sand or arena sine calce sand without lime it cannot hold together It was an old complaint of the Prophets that Truth was fallen in the streets Esay 99.14 Psal 12.1 and faithfulnesse failed from among the children of men When Varus was slain Augustus grieved excessively and that because non esset à quo verum audiret he had none about him that would tell him the truth of things and deal plainly with him Multis annis jam transactis nulla fides est in pactis c. Jeremy bewailes it in his treacherous country men that they bent their tongues like their bowes for lies but they were not valiant for the truth on the earth Jer. 9.3 they were mendaciorum loquacissimi as Tertullian phraseth it loud an leud lairs and as Egesippus saith of Pilat they were viri nequam et parvi facientes mendacium naughty men and such as made nothing of a lie But Gods people are said to be children that will not lie Esay 63. they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of truth which was the title of honour given to Arrianus the Greek historian when as of all other historians Vopiscus testifieth that there is none qui non aliquid est mentitus that taketh not the libertie to lie more or lesse And for
every small wind and as easily blown out again it no sooner appears but it disappeares Lo such are the greatest kings and kingdoms when God taketh them in their wickedness He cuts off the spirits of Princes Psal 76.12 he slips them off so the Hebrew is as one would slip off a flower between ones fingers or as one would slip off a bunch of grapes The kingdoms of the earth are like foam upon the waters 1. For their seeming brightnesse 2. For their great eminence 3. For their instability and inability to resist 4. For their sudden fall and disappearance The Turkish Empire which hath swallowed up so many glorious Empires and renowned kingdoms laboureth with nothing more then the weightinesse of it self and shall shortly be cut off as foam and live no otherwise then by fame as others now do though for the present it be no whit inferiour in greatnesse and strength to the greatest Monarchies that ever yet were upon the face of the earth the Roman Empire onely excepted Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The high places also of Aven c. Sept. the Altars ab Alto dicta Of Aven for Beth-aven whereof before a place so hatefull now that God loathes at large to mention it he even cuts off the head of it as he had threatned to do by the Altars verse 2. So Jeconiah degenerating is Coniah c. the sinne of Israel that damning sinne of idolatry here committed that wickednesse with a witnesse which makes God abhorre places as well as persons and turns them into sin as it were What is the transgression of Jacob is it not Samaria and what are the high places of Judah are they not Jerusalem Mich. 1.5 shall be destroyed Thus mans sinne brings destruction upon the creatures It is as poyson in a glasse that causeth the glasse to be broken and cast upon the dunghill The vessels that held the sin-offering if made of earth they were to be broken if of brasse or other metalls to be purged with fire as one day the earth and visible heavens also shall be for the defilement that mans sinne hath set upon them The thorn and the thistle shall come upon their altars There shall be nil nisi solitudo in terris Tarnou aegritudo in animis c. See the Note on chap. 9. vers 6. they shall say to the mountains Cover us This they shall say out of the sense and terrour of Gods just judgements driving them to desperation tellus prius ima dehiscat c. Aristides commendeth Themistocles for this that he never was so perplexed by any evil occurrence as to wish that the earth would swallow him up quick or to pronounce the dead happy Rivet well observeth here that Iudaea as it was full of hills and rocks so they were wont to dig themselves therein caves and dennes wherein to hide in time of danger To these David oft repaired and so secured himself from Saul And to these he alludeth when he calleth God his Rock Psal 18.2 and the Rock of his refuge Psal 94.22 And of these places of security Iosephus writeth Antiq. l. 14. cap. 26. De bel Jud. â—ib 1. cap. 12. describing the forme of them Now when they were in those holes of the hills and were distressed by the enemy there what wonder though they said to the mountains fall upon us cover us bury us alive erush us to pieces grinde us to powder rather then that we fall into the bloody fingers of these mercilesse monsters who will put us haply to a lingring death kill us peecemeal as Tiberius did those he was angry with Sueton. and as the Canibals of America when they take a prisoner feed upon him alive and by degrees to the unutterable aggravation of his horrour and torment Our Saviour foretold his disciples that at the last destruction of Jerusalem men should crie out to the mountains on this manner And so shall the Antichristian rout also do one day Rev. 6.16 They that would not worship the Lamb shall finde him a Lion those that would not cast away their transgressions but faced the heavens shall run into the rocks to hide them those that would not aspire to eternity shall despair of mercy those that would not lift up their eyes to the everlasting mountains from whence comes help shall now in vain tire the deaf mountains with hide us help us Now what can the mountains do more then give an eccho to such help us for they need help also the wrath of God is upon the creature c. Verse 9. O Israel thou hast sinned from the dayes of Gibeah Or Prae diebus worse then in the dayes of Gibeah What those dayes were see chap. 9.9 and Judg. 19. when they were is not so certain but probably before the time of the Judges and soon after Joshuahs death for Jebus or Jerusalem was not yet taken Judg. 19. with chap. 1. and Phineas was yet alive and ministred before the Lord chap. 20.28 and was one of those Elders that out-lived Joshuah who had seen all the great works of the Lord which he did for Israel Judg. 2.7 so that these dayes of Gibeah were very ancient and Israels sinne the worse because from those dayes and yet more because above or beyond those dayes God made use of your forefathers to punish that great sin and yet you continue to be more vile and vitious then they were that were so punished by your forefathers Neither are ye at all warned by their harmes which is a just both presage and desert of your downfall Alterius perditie tua sit eautio Exemplo alterius qui sapit ille sapit there they stood Who stood either the men of Gibeah stood stoutly to it and slew in two severall battles fourty thousand Or there stood the men of Israel and their battle did not overtake the children of iniquity not so overtake them at first but that they were twice beaten by them All which notwithstanding they stood it out and prevailed at last but so shall not you sith it is in my desire and decree verse 10. to order it otherwise and utterly to destroy you at once Non surget bîc asslictio Verse 10. It is in my defire that I should chastise them That is Nahum 1.9 I am unchangeably resolved and fully bent upon 't to carry them captive and enslave them to their enemies wherein they shall finde that they have to do with God and not with man and that it is I that binde them though I make use of the Assyrians to that purpose Luther renders it Valde cupidè eos castigabo exceeding desirously will I chastise them O the venemous nature of sin that maketh the mercifull God to desire and to delight in mens miseries to take comfort in their punishments Ezck. 5.13 15. to laugh at their destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13. Prov. 1. And although he bear
amongst them yet God was the holy One in the middest of them Seven thousand he had reserved that Eliah knew not of 1 King 19.18 and a Church there was in Israel when at worst Like as there was in medio Papatu in the darkest midnight of damned popery and at this very day there are said to be thousands of profest Protestants Spec. Eur. even in Italy it self and in Sivil a chief city of Spain there are thought to be no fewer then twenty thousand and I will not enter into the city I will not invade the city as an enemy to wast all with fire and sword as once at Sodom For why there are holy ones in the middest of thee so Rivet expoundeth it by an enallage of the number a considerable company of righteous people for whose sake I will spare thee Jer. 5.1 Verse 10. They shall walk after the Lord powerfully calling them by his Word and Spirit going before them and bringing up the Rere Esay 52.12 their King shall passe before them and the Lord on the head of them Mic. 2.13 Time was when they fled from God Hos 7.13 and said I will go after my lovers c. chap. 2. Now they are of another minde and other manners they shall walk after the Lord non pedibus sed affectibus they shall be carried after him with strength of of desire Rev. 14.4 and delight which he shall work in them they shall follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth Gods people are said in Scritpture to walk before him in godly sincerity to walk with him in an humble familiarity to walk after him in an holy conformity yeelding unto him the obedience of faith As Israel in the wildernesse so must we follow God and the line of his Law though it seem to lead us in and out backward and forward as them as if he were treading a maze he shall roar like a lion By the preaching of the Gospel he shall shake heaven and earth The voice of the Gospel is Repent Aut poenitendum aeut pereundum except ye repent ye shall all perish He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved He that beleeveth not Mar. 16.16 shall be damned was a terrible voice Of the Lion it is reported that he roareth so fiercely that the rest of the creatures stand amazed and that whereas his own whelps come dead into the world he roareth over them and reviveth them Plutar. in lib. de just animal Afterwards when he meeteth with prey he roareth for them to come about him Let this be applied to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Confer Joâ—l 3.16 then the children shall tremble from the West The children of grace Deut. 14.1 shall joyn themselves in spirit to the communion of the Church from all the ends of the world where they have been scattered they shall serve the Lord with fear rejoyce with trembling The Ancient Hebrews applied this promise to the coming of the Messiah onely they dreamt of an earthly kingdom of his as did also the disciples being sowred with the leaven of the Pharisees Others think it to be a Prophecie of the conversion and calling of the Jewes to be accomplished in the last dayes as also of the generall spreading of the Gospel and gathering of the Elect far and wide from one end of the heavens unto another And this they call the time of the Restitution of all things Vorse 11. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt Trepidè accurent so Tremellius they shall run tremblingly Fear causeth hast Men delay and trifle till God strikes their hearts with fear then 't is ecce ego mitte me Here I am send me Speak Lord for thy servant heareth What wilt thou have me to do Lord c. timor addidit ulas as the doves when pursued by the hawk scour into their columbaries As birds frighted flie to their nests and other creatures to their holes and harbours so do those that are prickt at heart with the terrours of the law flee to the precious promises of the Gospel hiding themselves in the wounds of Christ crucified and are relieved All St. Pauls care was that when he was sought for by the justice of God he might be found in Christ not having his own righeousnesse Phil. 3.9 but that which is through the faith of Christ and as a dove out of the land of Assyria i. e. out of what countrey soever where they shall be scattered I will recollect them by my Gospel which is therefore called Gods arm because thereby he gathereth his Elect into his bosome Doves flie swiftly Psal 55.6 and by flocks Esay 60.8 so shall the Elect to Christ both of Jewes and Gentiles By the children of the West may be meant these Western Churches and withall the Northern parts By Egypt the whole South By Ashur all the Eastern Tract those large and mighty kingdoms that lie Eastward from Judea even to the Sun-rising Thus many shall come from East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and â—acob in the kingdome of heaven Mat. 8.11 The molten-Sea stood upon twelve Oxen which looked to all the four quarters of the world so did the twelve gates of the new Jerusalem c. and I will place them in their houses Not in strong garisons but in their own-houses where they shall dwell securely under their own vines and fig-trees for they shall have the Gospel of peace and the peace of the Gospel See 2 Sam 7.10 Or thus I will place them in their own houses that is in my Church saith Polanus which hath its houses and places of receipt among all people the whole world thorowout where they may serve God without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all their dayes Thus the Apostles in their travels where ever they came found brethren c. and having nothing yet they possessed all things 2 Cor. 6.10 True tranquillity and sound security is to be found no where but in Christ Mic. 4.4 and 5.5 nor by any but by those that hear him roaring and calling them to the participation of his grace and peace Those that hearken to Christs Oracles shall dwell in his tabernacle Verse 12. Ephraim composseth me about with lies They get about me as if they would do me doubty service Psal 76.11 the saints are called a people that are round about God and Psal 148.14 a people near unto him and that compasseth his altar See Rev. 4.4 but all 's but counterfeit a meer imposture a loud lie Psal 78.36 whereby they would cozen me of heaven if they could putting upon me false coyn silver'd over a little and circumventing me if it lay in their power But what saith Bernard Sapiâ—ns nummularius Deus est Nummum fictum non recipiet God is a wise Mint-man there 's no beguiling him with counterfeit coyn Hypocrisie that reall lie is an odious a complexive evil for it hath in it 1. Guile opposite to
borrows all the elegancies and flowers of the old Testament thereby to set out the story of the New in succeeding ages as herehence the Popish Priests are fitly called Locusts for their numerosity and voracity Rev. 9.3 They are also likened unto horses verse 7. fed and fierce to run and rush into the battle not without noise Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble Eccles 7.6 Or the ratling of the jumping charet-wheels Nahum 3.2 as a strong people set in battle aray In a bloody fight between Amurath the third King of Turkey and Lazarus Despot of Servia many thousands fell on both sides The brightnesse of the armour and weapons was as it had been the lightning the multitude of launces and other horsemens-staves shadowed the light of the Sun arrows and darts fell so fast that a man would have thought they had poured down from heaven The noise of the instruments of warre with the neighing of horses and out-cries of men was so terrible and great that the wild-beasts in the mountains stood astonied therewith Turk hist fol. 200. and the Turkish Histories to expresse the terrour of the day vainly say that the Angels in heaven amazed with that hideous noise for that time forgot the heavenly hymns wherewith they always glorifie God Verse 6. Before their face the people shall be much pained This is a confirmation of the former assertion the people when they shall see those swarms of Locusts c. mustering and marching in the air they shall be much pained as a travelling woman is pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them their faces shall be as flames Esay 13.8 for fear least they should light on their countrey and lay all wast all faces shall gather blacknesse Pallorem palenesse so Castalio rendreth it a blackish lead-like-palenesse such as is on sooty-pots the Originall here is hath gathered a pot Nigricantem colorem significat Mercer that is by a metonymy a pot-like-blacknesse See Nah. 3.10 Jer. 30.6 Psal 68.13 where by blacknesse such as slaves and scullions contract by lying among the pots and smoky and sooty chimney-corners is set forth the exceeding great fear and affliction that Gods people are oft in and from whence he graciously promiseth to deliver them that trust in him Such shall not be afraid whose heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. It was fear that now caused the naturall heat and the blood retiring to the heart to receive it as in a sudden surprize the souldiers run to the Castle palenesse and blacknesse of face It was hunger afterwards that burnt them Deut. 32.24 and made their visages blacker then a cole as Lam. 4.8 or darker then blacknesse as the Originall hath it Verse 7. They shall run like mighty men Horribiles fortissimi ut Gigantes They shall strike terrour into others Oecolamp as in the former verse but themselves as Giants and Conquerours shall over-run all with incredible swiftnesse and prowess Strong souldiers have strong sinews and thence their speedy marches and quick dispatch 2 Sam. 2 18â— Asahel was light of foot as a wild-Roe Aehilles is every where by Homer called Swift-footed Alexander the Great being asked how he so quickly conquered so many countreys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By my nimblenesse Caesar in omnia praeceps saith Lucan he passed the Alpes and was at Rome with a trice as they say His Word was Veni vidi vici I no sooner came but I overcame He is said to have taken a thousand Towns conquered three hundred Nations took prisoner one million of men and to have slain as many What a deal was done by Joshua in a short space at the conquest of Canaan Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany is reported to have won in the Indies by his Captains and Commanders there Tukr Hist 28. Kingdoms in 28. Battles Bajazet the Great Turk for his swiftnesse and fiercenesse was sirnamed Gilderun or lightning To such worthy Warriours ready and speedy prompt and present are these Locusts Gods armed souldiers here compared They shall run like mighty men they shall climbe the wall like men of war that cannot be kept out that will not be worsted They shall march every one Heb. man on his way though many yet they shall not one hinder or hurt another but hold a comely equipage keep rank and file observe the lawes and rules of discipline and so Conjuncti pollent etiam vehementer inertes They go forth all of them by bands or gathered together saith Solomon Prov. 30.27 So do those Locusts in the Revelation the Popish Clergie under their King the Destroyer Rev. 9.11 Locusts they are fitly called for their numerosity and voracity The Jesuites alone have sometimes 200000. schollars And how they feed on the fat and drink the sweet where they swarme who knowes not they shall not break their ranks Or writh and pervert their paths Sic R. Abrab in Comment as Aben-Ezra out of the Arabick idiom rendreth it Hierom testifieth that He and others saw in Judea troopes of Locusts flying in so even an order ut nè puncto quidem aut ungue teausverso declinent ad alteram that you could not say they brake rank at all tanto ordine dispositione jubentis Dei volitant saith He Psal 47. so strict and beautifull discipline there is in Gods whole army to whom belong the sheilds of the earth the Militia of the whole world Verse 8 Neither shall one thrust another Or straiten another The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to presse and persecute seemes to come from this Hebrew word Dakag The Prophet still alludeth to the manner of marshalling armies in such sort as that neither may the souldiers hinder one another nor the enemy have any advantage to break in upon them Exercitus pulchre dispositus amicis pulcherrimus videtur hostibus inexpugnabilis saith Zenophon that is In Oeconom A well-ordered army seemeth both beautifull to their friends and invincible to their enemies They shall walk every one Heb. Man Mighty man q. d. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir validus Mesillah Via trita Each locust shall walk and stalk as a strong lusty man in his trodden track in the path that God hath put him into and shall hold to it and when they fall upon the sword Heb. the long sword or javelin they shall not be wounded as if they were unwoundable or shot-free as the Poet fabled of Achilles and as the Persians vanquished by the Athenians at the field of Marathon cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stobaeus We fell them yet they fall not we then wound And think them dead but they are safe and sound Verse 9 They shall â—un to and fro As souldiers do when they have taken a town by assault and have leave to plunder En victoriam hostilem insultationem saith Mercer here See the lively portraicture
that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 14.18 This severing of night from day and day from night this mutuall and orderly succession and course of the night after the day and the day after the night the lengthening and shortening of the dayes in summer and winter the wonderfull eclipses and other occurrents of that nature are works of Gods power and providence not to be slighted but improved to true repentance We are to mark the countenance of the skie and to discerne the face of heaven that every day and night winketh at us and beckneth to us to remember the wisdome power justice and mercy of God lined out unto us in the browes of the firmament The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work Psal 19.1 The creatures are Regij professores saith One Catholike preachers saith Another real Postills of the Divinity saith a third Clemens Alexandrinus saith that the World is Dei scriptura the first Bible that God made for the instruction of man Antonius Eremita told a Philosopher who objected to him his want of bookes that the Universe was to him instead of a well-furnisht library Aug. de doct christ l. 1. Niceph. l. 8. cap. 40. Lib. 2. de Arca cap. 3. every where ready at hand Hugo affirmeth that every thing uttereth these three words Accipe Redde Fuge Receive mercy Return duty Shun sin together with that hell that it hales at the heeles of it Much a man may learn out of the book of Nature with its three leaves Heaven Earth and Sea but there he must not rest For as where the Naturalist ends the Physician begins so where Nature failes and can go no further there Scripture succeeds and gives more grace Iam. 4.6 Psal 19.1 2 7 8. The Caldee Paraphrast takes this text allegorically as if the sense were God changeth his hand towards the sons of men at his pleasure prospering them one while crossing them another so that they walk in darknesse and have no light Esay 50.10 yea they walk through the vale of the shadow of death Psal 23.4 Not through a dark entry or church-yard in the night time but a vally a large long vast place not of darknesse onely but of death and not bare death but the shadow of death that is the darkest and most dismall side of death in its most hideous and horrid representations And yet if God be with his Davids in this sad condition no hurt shall befall them butmuch good Flebile principium melior fortuna sequetur That calleth for the waters of the sea that is for great armyes saith the Chaldee But better take it litterally of the generation of raine the chief author whereof is God the materiall cause is the sea sending up vapours The Instrumentall cause is the Sun by the beames whereof God drawes the vapours upwards sends for them as it were into the middle region of the ayre there thickeneth them into clouds and then resolveth them into raine This Kimchi illustrateth by the simile of a boyling pot whereout vapours and fumes ascending to the colder pot-lid are turned into drops of water See Gen. 2.6 The waters of the sea 1 King 18.44 A little cloud arose out of the sea like a mans hand And presently the Prophet said to Ahab Prepare thy charet and get thee down that the raine stop thee not And it came to passe in the meane while that the heaven was black with cloudes c. Humorem magnâ— tollunt aequore ponti Nubes qui in toto terrarum spargitur orbe Lucret. lib. 6. Cum pluit in terris The Naturalists observe that it snowes not in the sea because it sends up hot vapours which presently dissolve the snow the Lord is his name His memoriall Hos 12.5 See the Note there He is not an idol to be dallied with and deluded Verse 9. That strengtheneth the spoyled against the strong Victorem à victo superari saepe videmus God can quickly change the scene turn the scales Ier. 37.10 though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burn this city with fire In a bloody fight between Amurath the third King of Turks and Lazarus Despot of Servia many thousands fell on both sides In conclusion the Turks had the victory and Lazarus was slaine Amurath after that great victory with some few of his chief captaines taking view of the dead bodyes which without number lay on heapes in the field like mountaines a Christian souldier sore wounded and all blood seeing him in staggering manner arose as if it had been from death out of an heape of slaine men and making toward him for want of strength fell down diverse times by the way as he came as if he had been a drunken man At length drawing nigh unto him when they which guarded the kings person would have stayed him he was by Amurath himself commanded to come neerer supposing that he would have craved his life of him Thus this half-dead Christian pressing neerer unto him as if he would for honour sake have kissed his feet suddenly stabbed him in the bottome of his belly with a short dagger which he had under his coat of which wound that great king and conqueror presently died The name of this man was Miles Cobelite who Turk hist fol. 200. before sore wounded was shortly after in the presence of Bajazet Amuraths son cut into small peeces So in that memorable fight between the Swissers and the Dolphâ—n neare to Basile when Burcardus monk a noble-man and a great souldier Lavat in Prov. 27.14 grew proud of the victory and put up his helmet that he might behold what a â—laughter they had made one of the half-dead Swissers rising up upon his knees threw a stone at him which hitting right gave him his deaths-wound At the battle of Agincourt where our Henry 5. won the day Speed 795. ex hypod Nerstr the French were so confident of a victory that they sent to king Henry to know what ransome he would give and c. Henry comforting his army with a speech resolved to open his way over the enemies bosome or else to die After which such was the courage of the English notwithstanding their great wants as he that ere while could scarcely bend his bow is able now to draw his yard-long arrow to the very head so that the spoyled or spoyle shall come against the fortresse And take it by assault Deus loca quantumvis valida vasta facit Prov. 21.30 There is no strength against the Lord. Verse 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate In domo judicij saith the Chalde for the gate was the place of judgement verse 12.15 Deut. 17.5 12 15. Those then that did not approve and applaud the oppressions and wrong-dealings of the Judges and rich bribers but cryed out
abuse them through their injustice to make the poor of the land fail For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord. I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12.5 Neither doth God say it onely though that were sufficient but swear it too in this chapter yea in this text the two next following verses are put in as by a parenthesis and these Cormorants are called upon to hear it and not to passe it by with a deaf ear tanquam monstra marina as such kind of creatures use to do Verse 5. Saying when will the New-moon be gone c. O what a wearinesse it is I and ye have snuffed at it Mal. 1.13 See the Note there This ye have said or thought at least and God knoweth the language of your hearts He presseth upon no man neither will he accept of that service that is pressed out of people as verjuice out of a crab All his saints are free-hearted Psal 110.3 all his souldiers volunteeres The sabbath they call Desiderium dierum they welcome the sabbath as that holy man did who went forth to meet and salute it with Veni sponsa mea Come my sweet spouse I have dearely longed for thee They also passe it over with singular delight Esay 58.13 walking into Christs garden of spirituall duties whereof there is so great variety for the good soule to breath it self in and not be sated Cant. 2. and then are taken into Christs wine-cellar 1 Cor. 2. and after an holy manner inebriated with divine consolations such as the cock on the dunghil knowes not such as pass all carnall mens understanding They find no more rellish in holy dayes and duties then they do in the white of an egge or in a dry chip the work they do at such times for fashion-sake or feare of law c. is dead work as the Apostle calleth it they sit in the stocks when they are at prayers and come out of the Church when the tedious sermon runs somewhat beyond the houre as prisoners do out of a jayle c. they cannot tell how to weare out the sabbath which therefore they wish over and constantly violate either by corporall labour or else which is as bad or worse by spirituall idlenesse Full ill would these men addere de profano ad sacrum as the Jewes say we should do Buxtorf Synag Jud. pronouncing those happy that begin the sabbath with those of Tiberias and end it with those of Tsepphore the former began it sooner then others the later continued it longer Full ill would they have liked our King Edgars law Act. Mon. that Sunday should be solemnized from Saturday nine of the clock till Munday morning Full loth would these men be to beg Davids office out of his hand of being a doore-keeper in Gods house that is to be first in and last out And what would they do to keep an everlasting sabbath in heaven that are so troubled and even tired out with so short an attendance on the Lords-day not without a world of wilfull distractions such as spoyle and fly-blow their performances so that they stink in the nostrils of the Almighty and the sabbath Not the sabbath of the seventh yeare called Shemittah Remission Levit. 25. as some would have it meant but the weekly sabbath which the unrighteous Mammonists here cry out of as if on that day the Sun proceeded a flower pace then on others and they greatly grutcht lucellum suum Dei cultui cedere that God should be served to their disadvantage Their fingers therefore itch to be setting out corn and they as dearely desire it as David did once to come and appeare before the Lord. O rus quand◠te aspiciam Horat. As He had his when shall I come by way of wish Psal 42.3 so they had their When shall we fell corn when shall we set forth wheat Surely as Davids soule longed sore to go forth unto Absalom 2 Sam. 13.39 so that he could have found in his heart but for stark shame to have gone himself and fetched him home so was it with these gripple corn-masters these frumenti corrasores veluti corrosores Prov. 11.26 They had a good mind to have been doing on the New-moones and sabbaths Exod. 20.8 34 21. Lev. 23.3 Neh. 10.32 13.15 c. Num. 10.1 2 Sam. 20.5 but that they were flatly forbidden by the law made on purpose for these lawlesse and disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 these masterless monsters these yokeless Belialists to be to them as chaines and shackles to confine them as Solomons command did Shimei that they may not leape over the pale after profit and pleasure or if they do they may dye for it Esay 66.23 it is prophecyed that in the restitution of the church from one new-moon to another and from one sabbath to another as oft as they come without tire-somenesse all flesh shall come to worship before the Lord they shall call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable Esay 58.13 be rapt and ravished in spirit Rev. 1.10 be in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost all the day long Epist 3. ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ignatius hath it Sabbatize spiritually rejoycing in divine meditations This well practised would take men off from the worlds tastelesse fooleries as his mouth will not water after homely provisions that hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance It would also blessedly free them from those many foolish and hurtfull lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 those heavy sorrowes and self-created miseries wherewith covetous caytiffes pierce them selves thorough gall and gore-their own hearts and trouble their own houses verse 10. taking no more rest then if upon a rack or bed of thornes making the Ephah small and the shekel great Selling by small measures but for great rates which was directly against the law Deut. 25.13 14. and that golden Rule of right the standard of equity the royall law of liberty Mat. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets this is the sum of what they have said for duties of the second table and falsifying the balances by deceit Heb. preverting the ballances of deceit that is by a metonymie as Job 22.6 making those that were right deceitfull See Prov. 20.10 23. with the Notes there Such falsifiers are counted no better then Canaanites Hos 12.7 and shall have small joy of their cursed hoards of evill gotten goods Verse 6. That we may buy the poore for silver c. Thus the poore alwayes pay for it the modest and mild poore especially as ver 4. Hence Poore and afflicted are put for one and the same Zeph. 3.12 and to want and to be abased Philip. 4.12 they that want shall be sure to be abased and abused
above an hundred yeers since forsaken it and embraced instead of it partly Mahumetanisme and partly Idolatry and that by the most miserable occasion that might be viz. famine of the word of God for lack of Ministers For as Alvarez hath recorded at his being at the king of Habassia's court Hist Ethiop cap. 37. there were Ambassadours out of Nubia to intreat him for a supply of ministers to instruct their nation and to repair Christianity gone to ruine amongst them but they were rejected Verse 12. And they shall wander from sea to sea Trouble themselves to no purpose take pains as Esau did for venison but lost his labour run to all coasts and quarters to seek the word of the Lord. and shall not find it And why they despised it when it was in their power they rejected the counsel of God against themselves with those Lawyers Luk. 7.30 He would have gathered them but they would not be gathered he would have purged them but they would not be purged Ezek. 24.13 14. they are therefore miserable by their own election as Saul was who slighted Samuel whiles he was alive and would have been full glad of his counsel when he was dead He that would not once worship God in Samuel worships at length Samuel in Satan and no marvel Satan was now become his refuge and preacheth his funeral his Vrim now was darknesse his Prophet a ghost O woful condition But what should a parent do when the child loaths and spils his victuals snatch it from him and lay it out of his reach Samaria felt this worser famine when carried captive especially so did Jerusalem after Malachi whose prophecy the Jews fitly call Chathimath Chazon the sealing up of vision Bath Chol or the Eccho from heaven they had now and then after this time Mat. 2.17 Joh. 12.28 they had also the writings of Moses and the Prophets interpreted after a sort by the Scribes and Pharisees whom whiles they sat close in Moses chair and kept it warm men were bound to to hear Mat. 23.2 3. which because Dives did not he suffered hunger and thirst in hell for ever Luk. 16.24 And had he been granted the liberty of hearing again upon earth but one more sermon how farre would not he gladly have gone for it and how as for life would he have listned to it But this could not possibly be for out of hell there is no redemption Psal 49.8 9. and when the night of death once comes men can work no more Night is a time not of doing work but of receiving wages up therefore and be doing whiles it is yet day Joh. 12.35 36. seek ye the Lord while he may be found Esay 55.6 seek him seasonably seek him seriously Then shall ye seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Jer. 29.13 That was a dismall doom that our Saviour passed upon those stiffe-necked Jewes and uncircumcised in heart and ears as Saint Steven rightly stiles them Act. 7.51 that were as good at resisting the Holy-Ghost as ever their fathers had been before them Ye shall seek me and yet shall die in your sinnes whither I go ye cannot come Joh. 8.21 Ye shall wander up and down for meat making a noise like an hungry dog and grudge that ye be not satisfied Psal 59.14 15. Do not the miserable Jewes do so all the world over to this day expecting their Messias quem tantis ululatibus exposcunt throwing open their windows to behold him and praying for the rebuilding of their Temple thus Templum tuum brevi valde citò Buxtorf Synag Ind. cap. 13. valde citò in diebus nostris citissimè nunc aedisica templum tuum brevi c. Merciful God great God bountiful God beautiful God sweet God mighty God thou God of the Jewes now build thy Temple do it shortly suddenly quickly very quickly very quickly very quickly even in our dayes now this day before the next c. Ah poor creatures they would not when time was know in that their day the things which belonged to their peace therefore to this day they are hid from their eyes and wrath is come upon them to the utmost Luk. 19.42 Alterius perditio tua sit cautio Let their harmes be our warning not to stand out the day of grace not to surfeit of the word lest we suffer a famine of it not to retain the snuffes of our sinnes lest they dim our candlestick a removal whereof except we repent may be as certainly foreseen and foretold as if visions and letters were sent us from heaven as once to Ephesus telling them so Rev. 2.5 And indeed it hath been the opinion and is still the fear of some not unconsiderable Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole protestant Churches Now if ever this come to passe as justly we may fear it will what may we thank but our detestable lukewarmnesse and loathing of the heavenly Manna our not receiving the love of the truth that we might be saved for which cause if God shall send us strong delusions 2 Thess 2.10 1◠even the efficacy of errour that we should believe a lie that being infatuated we should be seduced and being seduced be damned as Austin glosseth that text whom can we blame for it Verse 13. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst When God depriveth a people of his Ordinances and so withdraweth his gracious presence from them what wonder though temporal judgements come rushing in as by a sluce Persecute and take him said Davids enemies for God hath forsaken him and there is none to deliver him Psal 71.11 The Philistins are upon me saith Saul for God hath forsaken me Behold I am cast out from thy presence said Cain that is from my fathers house where thine ordinances are administred and therefore every one that findeth me shall slay me Gen. 4.14 In that day of the want of the word in the day of spiritual famine and thirst behold aliud ex alio malum another thirst shall seise upon the choycest and fairest as flies settle upon the sweetest perfumes when they are cold and corrupt them Shall the fair virgins whom all men favour for their comelinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beauty is of it self lovely and attractive it needeth no letters of commendations but God is no respecter of persons and beauty abused is like a fair house with an ill inhabitant said Diogenes like a jewel of gold in a swines snout said Solomon Prov. 11.22 Some are Helena's without but Hecuba's within painted sepulchres Egyptian temples like Aurelia Orestilla of whom Salust saith that she had nothing in her praise-worthy but her beauty Fair she was and foolish not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beautiful and wise as it is reported of Aspasia Cyrus his concubine Athenaeus Now these fair maids together with the
of prayer This therefore Jonah having prayed and perceiving that he was heard and by the goodnesse of God preserved safe in body and sound in mind he growes strong in faith Rom. 4. giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that he should yet walk before him againe in the land of the living out of the fishes belly where though he might seem buried alive and free among the dead yet he enjoyed Gods gracious presence and those strong consolations that made him live in the very mouth of death and say in effect as blessed Bradford did Act Mon. fol. 1476. I thank God more of this prison and of this dark dungeon then of any parlour yea then of any pleasure that ever I had For in it I find God my most sweet God alwayes Verse 2. And said I cried by reason of mine affliction His lips did not move in affliction like a creaking doore or a new cart-wheele with murmuring and mutinying against God and men Psal 73.9 he set not his mouth against heaven as the howling wolf when hunger-bit neither did his tongue walk through the earth cursing the day of his birth Lam. 3.29 and cutting deep into the sides of such as were meanes of his misery But putting his mouth in the dust if so bee there might be hope he cried by reason of his affliction The time of affliction is the time of supplication no time like that for granting of suites Zech. 13.9 Gods afflicted may have what they will of him then such are his fatherly compassions to his sick children he reserveth his best comforts for the worst times and then speaketh to the hearts of his people when he hath brought them into the wildernesse Hos 2.13 This Jonah experimented and therefore said I cried out of mine affliction unto the Lord. Ad Dominum asslicto de pectore suspirando And he heard me How else am I alive amidst so many deaths here 's a visible answer a reall return Oh blessed be God who hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me Psal 66.20 Surely as the cloud which riseth out of the earth many times in them and insensible vapours falleth down in great and abundant showers so our prayers which ascend weak and narrow return with a full and enlarged answer This was but a pittifull poore prayer that Ionas here made as appeares ver 4. and so was that of David Psal 31.22 For I said in mine hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee It would be wide with us if God should answer the best of us according to our prayers yea though well watered with teares sith Ipsae lacrymae sixt lacrymabiles c. we had need to weep over our teares sigh over our sobs mourne over our griefs c. Jonah was so taken with this kindnesse from the Lord his God that he repeates it and celebrates it a second time out of the belly of hell cried I and thou heardest my voice The whales belly he calleth hels-belly because horrid and hideous deep and dismall Thence he cried as David did De profundis and was heard and delivered Yea had hell it self closed her mouth upon a praying Jonah it could not long have held him but must have vomited him up A Mandamus from God will do it at any time Psa 44.4 and what cannot faithfull Praier have of God there is a certaine omnipotency in it said Luther Verse 3. For thou hadst cast me into the deep A graphicall description of his wofull condition which yet he remembreth now as waters that are past and is thankfull to his Almighty Deliverer See the like in David Psa 116.3 and learn of these and other Saints to acknowledge the uttermost extremity of a calamity after we are delivered out of it For hereby thy judgement will be the better instructed and the more convinced thine heart also will be the more inlarged to admire and thy mouth the wider opened to celebrate the power wisdome and mercy of God in thy deliverance As if this be not done God will be provoked either to inflict heavier judgements or else to cease to smite thee any more with the stripes of a father and to give thee up for a lost child for thou had'st cast me into the deep Not the mariners but Thou didst it and therefore there was no averting or avoyding it Thou had'st cast me with a force as a stone out of a sling or as that mighty Angel Rev. 18.21 that took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying Thus with violence c. In the middest of the seas Heb in the heart of the sea 's so Mat. 12.40 So shall the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth And Deut. 4.11 we read of the heart of heaven that is the middle of it as the heart sitteth in the middest of the body as king of that Isle of Man Now if it were so grievous to be cast into the main Sea what shall it be to be hurled into hell by such an hand and with such a force into that bottomelesse gulf whence nothing was ever yet boyed up againe and the floods compassed me about Aquarum confluges The Sea whence all floods or rivers issue and whereto they return Homer calleth the Ocean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a river by the figure Miôsis Danaeus here noteth that out of that gulf of the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which of Plato is called Tartarus that is hell the waters do flow into the veines of the earth as it is Eccles 1.7 losing their saltnesse in the passage Here Jonah cried out as Psa 69.1.2 Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my soule I fink in deep mire where there is no standing I am come into the deep waters where the floods overflow me It was onely his faith that held him up by the chin and like blown bleathers bore him alost all waters all thy billowes and thy waves passed over me All so it seemed to Jonah that God had powred out all his displeasure upon him but he sufâ—ereth not his whole wrath to arise against his people neither remembreth iniquity for ever Thy billowes or surges not the seas but thine God seemed to fight against Jonah with his own hand David likewise in a desertion complaines that all Gods waves and floods were gone over him Ps 42.7 In this case for it may be any ones case let us do as Paul and his company did in that dismall tempest Act. 27. when they saw neither sun nor star for diverse dayes and nights together cast anchor of hope even beyond hope and then wait and wish for day God will appeare at length and all shall clear up he will deliver our soules from the nethermost hell Vers 4. Then I said I am cast
could not outlast the Temple as may be gathered from Mat. 24.3 But they some of them lived to see themselves confuted and our Saviours words verified There shal not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Vers 2. and the mountain of the house that famous house that was worthily reckoned one of the seven wonders of the world and stood upon mount Moriah As the high places of the forrest As wooddy and desert places fit onely for wild beasts Lege Luge saith one speaking of Jerusalems desolation CHAP. IV. Vers 1. BVt in the last dayes it shall come to passe God reserveth his best comforts till the last as that Ruler of the feast did his best wine Ioh. 2.10 and as the sweetest of the honey lieth at the bottome These last dayes are Gospel-dayes Heb. 1.2 times of Reformation Heb. 9.19 of Restitution Act. 3.21 called the World to come Heb. 2.5 that new heaven and earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 that new Jerusalem that is all of gold Rev. 2.1 Ezekiels new Temple bigger then all the old Jerusalem and his new Ierusalem bigger then all the land of Canaan chap. 40.41.42 c. Let Popish buzzars blaspheme that description of the Temple and City Sanct. Argum. cap. 40. calling it as Sanctius doth once and again insulsam descriptionem a senselesse description so speaking evil of the things that they know not Jude 10. We beleeve and are sure Joh. 6.69 that God hath provided some better thing for us then for those under the law Heb. 11.40 viz. that great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 who should again restore the kingdom to Israel the spiritual kingdom to the Israel of God as is here foretold in the self-same words with those of Esay chap. 2.1 2. whence he is not ashamed to take it That the mountain of the house of the Lord The Church 1 Tim. 3.15 called elsewhere the mountain of the Lord and his holy hill Psal 15.1 and 24.3 and 48.2 Esay 30.17 both for its sublimity Gal. 4.26 and firmnesse Psal 46.3 and 125.1 winde and stormes move it not no more can all the power and policy of hell combin'd prevail against the Church Mat. 16.18 She is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kingdom that cannot be shaken and may better then the city of Venice take for her Posie Immota manet Shall be established in the top of the mountains Constituetur firmiter shall bee strongly set upon a sure bottom upon munitions of Rocks yea upon the Rock of Ages Mat. 16.18 Jer 31.35 Esay 33.20 Some by the house of the Lord here understand the Church and by the mountain of this house Christ whereon it is built and whom Daniel describeth by that great mountain that filled the whole earth Chap. 2.35 that stone cut out without hands that smot in pieces the four Monarchies ibid. And hence it is that this mountain of the Lords house is exalted above the hils the Church must needs be above all earthly eminencies whatsoever because founded upon Christ who therefore cannot be exalted but shee must be lifted up aloft together with him God who is rich in mercy saith that great Apostle hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.5 6. The Church is mysticall Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 she is his wife and wheresoever hee is Caius she is Caia she shineth with his beams and partaketh of his honours union being the ground of communion and people shall flow unto it As waters roul and run toward the Sea but that these waters should flow upward flow to the mountain as here is as wonderfull as that the Sun should send his beams downward to the earth when as it is the property of all fire to aspire and flie upwards This is the Lords own work and it is marvellous in our eyes Chrysost Hom 8. ad Hop Antioch The metaphor of flowing importeth the coming of people to Christ by the preaching of the Gospel 1. Freely Psal 110.3 2. Swiftly as the waters of the river Tigris swift as an arrow out of a bowe See Esay 60.8 3. Plentifully by whole Nations turned to the faith and giving up their names to Christ 4. Joyntly as verse 2. and Zach. 8.21 5. Zealously bearing down all obstacles that would damme up their way 6. Constantly and continually as rivers run perpetually by reason of the perennity of their fountains and are never dried up though sometimes fuller then some quin ut fluvij repentinis imbribus augentur saith Gualther as rivers swell oft with sudden showres and overflow the banks so beyond all expectation many times doth God take away tyrants and propagates his truth enlarging the bounds of his Church with new confluxes of Converts Verse 2. And many nations shall come and say The conversion of the Gentiles is here foretold a piece of that mystery of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 The Jews usually call Christians in contempt Gozin the word here used and Mamzer Goi Bastard-Gentiles But either they must come under this name themselves or deny that they are the posterity of Abraham Gen. 12.2 Where God saith I will make of thee a great Nation Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord The wicked have their Come Prov. 1.11 and would not go to hell alone Should not the Saints have theirs should they not get what company they can toward heaven The Greeks call goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it doth as it were invite and call others to it and every man is willingly to run after it and to the house of the God of Jacob to the publike ordinances where wee may hear and beleeve and be sealed with that holy spirit of promise as those Ephesians were chap. 1.13 We read that Marcellinus Secundanus and some others were converted to Christianity by reading Sibylla's oracles of Christs birth and that by Chaucers Book some were brought to the knowledge of the truth But either this was not so or not ordinary for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word preached which therefore the people of God do so prize as Luther did who said Acts Mon. 767. He would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible and that without the preaching of the word he could not live comfortably in Paradise as with it hee could live and enjoy himself though it were in hell and he will teach us of his wayes Cathedram in coelis habet qui corda docet saith Austin All true Converts are taught of God Joh. 6. and then quà m citò discitur quod docetur saith the same Father how soon are men discipled how soon learn they the wayes of God whereby to serve him here and be saved by him hereafter For it
to rise from earthly things to heavenly from corporalls to spiritualls See Rom. 10.15 Esay 52.7 O Iudah keep thy solemn feasts c. which hitherto hindered by the enemy thou hast intermitted Perform thy vows made in the day of thy distresse bring presents to him that ought to be feared Psal 76.11 2 Chro. 32.23 for the wicked Heb. Belial that stigmaticall Belialist Sennacherib that lawlesse yokelesse masterlesse monster that merum scelus that is so portentously so peerlesly vitious He is utterly cut off His Army by the Angel himself by his sonnes his Monarchy by the Babylonians See Esay 27.1 2. CHAP. II. Verse 1. HE that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face Nebuchadnezzar the elder that maul of the whole earth Jer. 50.23 that brake and dispersed the Nations as a Maul or great Hammer doth the hardest stones See how like a right Pyrgopolynicis he vaunteth of his valour and victories Esay 10.8 9 10 11 c. So Demetrius was sirnamed Poliorcletes the Destroyer of cities Attilas called himself Orbis flagellum the scourge of the World Julius Caesar was Fulmen belli The thunderbolt of warre he had taken in his time a thousand Towns conquered three hundred Nations took prisoner one million of men and slain as many These were Dtssipatores indeed and dashers in pieces rods of Gods wrath and this they took to be a main piece of theit silly glory How much more honour was it to Augustine M. Cottons pref to Hilder on Joh. 4. to be stiled Haereticorum malleus the hammer of Heretikes and to Mr. Hildersam to bee Schismaticorum malleus the maul of Schismatikes and lastly to Luther that he could thus say of himself Pestis eram vivus moriens ero mors tua Papa I living stopt Romes breath And dead will be Romes death Is come up before thy face Nineveh lay high and those that went thither were said to go up Hos 8.9 Nebuchadnezzar is said here to be come up to it long before he did which sets forth Gods omniscience Known to him are all his works from the beginning of the world Act. 15.18 Psal 139.2 and present to him are all things both past and future and to come up before Nineveh's face who thought none durst have been so bold as to look her in the face But though she had been a terrour yet now shee is a scorn as was likewise Ephraim when he offended in Baal Hos 13.1 See the Note there Keep the munition watch the way c. Ironicè omnia q.d. Do all this if you think it will do any good But 't is all to no purpose you are an undone people your enemies are above fear and you below hope you have hitherto delighted in warre you shall now have enough of it you have troubled the world with your armes and Armies now you shall meet with your match a people terrible from the beginning Up therefore and do your utmost Neglect nothing that may serve for your necessary defence but it will not be for except the Lord keep the city the watch-man waketh but in vain Psal 127.1 Verse 2. For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel Both the ten tribes carried captive already and the other two vexed by Sennacheribs invasion have taken their turnes and have had their part of bitter affliction and shalt thou O Niniveh altogether escape unpunished Never think it Especially sith thou hast exceeded thy commission and exercised an unheard of cruelty upon Gods people for he was but a little displeased but ye have helped forward the affliction Zach. 1.15 See the Note there for the emptiers have emptied them out The Assyrians have spoyled and pillaged till they have left neither men nor meanes behind them such clean work they have made sweeping all before them like a sweeping raine that leaveth no sood Prov. 28.3 Omnia corradunt converrunt and marred their vine-branches that is their sons and their daughters saith Lyra their cities and villages say others like a malicious vinedresser that not only cuts off the luxurious or barren branches but pulls up the yong sprouts by the rootes and so marrs the vineyard The Assyrians endeavoured utterly to destroy the whole seed of Abraham without any mercy or compassion and this undid them The jealous and just God cannot beare with such boares out of the wood that wast his vines Psal 80.13 Ver. 3. The shield of his mighty men is made red Panoplia terrorens auget All was red a colour much affected by the Medes Persians and Caldees to shew that they were a sanguinary nation and not more gold thirsty Esai 13. Herodot Diod. Sic. Xenophon Curtius then blood-thirsty the valiant men are in scarlet A colour affected by martiall men that would seem to feare no colours The Lacedemonians used it much when they went to fight that if they should be wounded their blood might not appeare upon their apparrell for the discouragement of themselves and encouragement of the enemy by such a sight The Romish Cardinals are clothed in scarlet and are created by a red hat which the Pope giveth them in a token that they should be ready to shed their blood for the Catholike faith which if they should do as never any of them yet did they would be no better then the Devils Martyrs sith it is the cause and not the punishment that maketh a true martyr A Tiburn-tippet as plain Mr. Latimer was wont to speake would well become those scarlet-Fathers who like bels will be never well tuned till well hanged for their blood-guiltinesse and soule-murther especially In the kingdome of Naples there were two notable theeves the one named Pater-noster Reinold de idol Rom. prafet the other Ave-Maria who at severall times had murthered one hundred and sixteen men and were therefore deservedly put to a cruel death But nothing so cruel as the Pope and his Conclave deserve for their sending of so many soules daily to that great red dragon red with the blood of soules which he hath swallowed as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 5.8 Rev. 12.3 the charrets shall be with flaming torches Those currus falcati charrets armed with sithes and hookes with and in which they were wont to fight these shall be with flaming torches carried along in them either to light them fighting by night or else to fire the enemies houses and to terrify their hearts and the firr trees shall be terribly shaken with the rattling of the charrets and clattering of the armour In a bloody fight between Amurath the third king of Turks and Lazarus Despot of Servia the noise of warlike weapons the neighing of horses and outcries of men were so terrible and great that the wild beasts in the woods stood astonied therewith the trees seemed to be shaken and the Turkish histories to expresse the terrour of the day vainely say Turk Hist that the Angels in heaven amazed with that hideous
settlement in the doctrine of Divine Providence Verse 2. Jam. 1.5 And the Lord answered me and said Wisdome he had sought of God who giveth liberally and wisdome is granted him without hitting him in the teeth with his bold expostulations and contestations about providence Faithfull prayer never miscarrieth but is sure of an answer either before as the prodigal See Esa 65.24 Or in the act as Dan. 10.12 I am come for thy words with an answer thereunto Or so one after as here If it come not all out so soon as we would have it know that ther 's water enough in the spring but the pipes are stopped or broken write the vision that is the following admonition write it for the use of all posterity Note this against those Opinionists that say that the Word of God was not written by his command Bell. lib. 4. de V. D. Cap. 4. Or that it was written only for the use of the present ages and of those particular Churches to whom it was directed or declared and make it plaine upon tables Boxen tables as the Seventy render it for on box for the firmenesse of the matter were the ancients wont to write that he may run that readeth it That though he be no great Clerk or in never so great hast of businesse yet he may read it being written in great letters and very legible See Deut. 27.8 Esa 8.1 and 30.8 Gal. 6.11 you see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek signifieth with what good great text-letters I have written c. God hath written for us the great things of his law Hos 8.12 and with much perspicuity and plainnesse in things needfull to be known he hath written them as it were with the beames of the Sun that none may plead difficulty or obscurity See Psal 19.9 119.105 Pro. 6.23 2 Pet. 1.19 Of the scripture it may be said latet lucet the knowledge thereof doth even bow down to us as trees do that are laden with fruits so that a child may gather them Verse 3. For the vision is yet for an appointed time This he is commanded to write that Gods people may learn to wait He that beleeveth maketh not hast he can both wait as knowing that many of Gods promises beare a long date and also want go without the good he desireth being well content that God is glorified though himself be not gratified And this is the work of effectuall faith which is herein like unto Christall of which it is reported that the very touching of it quickens other stones and puts a lustre and lovelinesse upon them but at the end it shall speake Effabitur It shall speak confidently boldly and freely to the great comfort of those that antedate not Gods promises but patiently abide the accomphshment thereof If any ask when this shall be it is answered In the end that is in Gods good time Shall he lose his right because he hath it not by the day set down in our Kalender Possibly the Kalender of heaven hath a post-date to ours Sure it is that as God seldome comes at our time so he never failes at his own Gods Expectants shall shortly clap their hands for joy and cry out with that holy Martyr Hee 's come Austin Hee 's come Mr. Glover Act. Mor. Hee 's come and not lie that is not disappoint as the earth is said to lie when it yeelds not her expected increase God is faithfull and cannot lie Christ hath a rainbow on his head Rev. 10.1 to shew that he is faithfull and constant in his promises and that tempests shall blow over the skie be cleared He hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes that the one shall succeed the other Ier. 33.20 25. and shall he break with his people How then should he be Amen the faithfull and true witnesse Rev 3.14 c. Every man is a liar either by imposture and so in purpose or by impotency and so in the event deceiving those that rely upon him Psal 62.9 But God is a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 though it tarry wait for it This is the duty wait and because it is a very difficult duty the Hebrews found it easier to beare evill then to wait for the promised good Heb. 10.36 therefore is the promise heere not delivered only but doubled and trebled It shall speake it will come it will surely come nay doubled againe for more surety It shall not lie it will not tarry It is as if God had said Do but wait and you shall be delivered you shall be delivered you shall be delivered you shall you shall Oh the Rhetoricke of God! and oh the certaintie of the promises It will not tarry sc beyond the time appointed of God In se non tardat carni tardare videtur Gods help seemes long because we are short A short walk is a long journey to feeble knees But that God tarries not beyond his appointed time See Exod. 12.40 41. at midnight were the first-born slaine because then exactly the 400 yeers were up And Dan. 5.30 In that night was Belshazzar slaine because then exactly the 70. yeeres were ended Verse 4. Behold his soule which is lifted up Ebulat protuberat which swelleth like a bubble and breaketh thorough its own weaknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.37 Ecce quisemu nit Gualth he that by unbeliefe or carnall security withdraweth from God and confideth in the creature seeking to shift and save himself some other way as he is a proud presumptuous person so let him know that his soule is not upright in him that is it is very corrupt and crooked stark naught and Gods soule can take no pleasure in him but he will punish him as a run-away as one that hath fled from his colours forsaken his captaine revolted to the enemy Heb. 10.37 38. Transfugas ubicunque inventi fuerint quasi hostes interficere licet was the old law of armes What God will do to such See Psal 125.5 but the just shall live by his faith This is an answer to those that would ask what shall we do till the vision speake how shall we hold out till it come till the seventy yeers of captivity be expired The just shall live by faith saith He and shall make a good living of it too He shall live and be safe by the same faith whereby he is just He shall feed upon faith as some read that Psal 37.3 And whereas we find in those Apocryphal additions to Daniel that Habakkuk brought a messe of pottage to that Prophet in the Lions den as it seems to be but a Jewish fable so the Jew that invented it grounding his conceit upon this text would expresse thus much Keck Phys that as pottage that succus benignus as Keckerman calleth it preserveth this naturall life from perishing so doth
promise yea to give oath and now thy truth bindeth thee to performe All thy pathes to thy people now are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 not mercy onely but mercy and truth not by a providence onely but by vertue of a promise ratified with an oath This is sweet indeed this deserves a Selah to be set to it thou didst cleave the earth with rivers Exod. 17.6 Psal 78.15 16. Deut. 8.15 Neh. 9.15 This cleaving the hard Rock and setting it abroach this turning of the flint into a fountain Psal 114.8 was a work of Omnipotency and is therefore so much celebrated It maketh much to the miracle that the earth was cleft with rivers this importeth both the plenty and the perennity thereof for the Rock that is the river out of the rock followed them 1 Cor. 10.4 lest in that dry and barren wildernesse they should perish for want of water The same God also who had given his people petram aquatilem gave them pluviam escatilem Tertul. de patientia as Tertullian phraseth it Manna from heaven Quails in great abundance and never was Prince better served in his greatest pomp He also defended them from the fiery serpents and delivered them from a thousand other deaths and dangers all which mercies are here implied though one onely be instanced and all to ascertain the Saints how much God setteth by them and what he will yet do for them as occasion requireth As he made the world at first that he might communicate and impart himself to his Elect so for their sakes doth he still preserve and govern it ordering the worlds disorders by an over-ruling power for his own glory and their eternall good Verse 10. The mountains saw thee and they trembled sc At the promulgation of the Law Exod. 19.17 Psal 114.4 6. when God came with ten thousand of his Saints Deut. 33.2 and so terrible was the earth-quake that it wrought an heart-quake even in Moses himself Heb. 12.21 It is the office of the Law to do so and happy is he who terrified and thunder-struck by the threats thereof runnes to Christ for refuge as to One who is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him Heb. 9.25 Some take mountains metaphorically for the Mighties of the earth and read it thus The mountains saw thee and they grieved See Num. 22.3 Josh 2.9 10 11 The over-flowing of the water passed by the inundation of Jordan passed into the dead-sea the lower part of it I mean like as the upper stood and rose up upon an heap Gualth Josh 3.16 being bounded and barred up by the Almighty power of God the deep uttered his voice and lifted up his hands on high i. e. summo consensis suffragatus est c. It voiced and voted for Gods judgements helping forward the execution thereof Verse 11. The Sun and Moon stood still in their habitation viz. In the dayes of Joshuah and upon his prayer chap. 10.12 13. whereupon One crieth out O admirabilem piarum precum vim ac potentiam quibus etiam coelestia cedunt c. O the admirable power of prayer Buchol that worketh wonders in heaven and oh the heroicall faith of Joshuah the trophees whereof hee set in the very orbes of heaven at the light of thine arrowes they went By these shining arrowes and glittering spears some understand that terrible lightening mixt with that horrible hail Josh 10.11 with Exod. 9.23 and then it is figura planè poetica a Poeticall expression for the poets call lightening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the sword of the Lord and of Gideon Judg. 7. 18. Joves arrow See the like Psal 18.14 The huge hail-stones were Gods glittering spears wherewith he slaughtered his enemies Others suppose that these things are meant of the arms and weapons of the Israelites called Gods arrowes and spears because used at his command and ordered by him This sence Gualther liketh better as most comfortable to Christian warriours who fight the Lords battels Verse 12. Thou didst march thorow the land in indignation Heb. Thou didst walk in pomp as a Conquerour thorow the land sc of Canaan in contempt of the opposite forces treading upon the neeks of thine enemies Josh 10.24 thou didst thresh the heathen in anger See Amos 1.3 Mic. 4.13 God by the hands of Joshuah did all this The most of the old inhabitants were destroyed Some few fled into Africk and left written upon a pillar for a monument to posterity We are Phoenicians that fled from the face of Joshuah the son of Nave Verse 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people q. d. Thou wast Generalissimo in â—our expeditions in the dayes of the Judges who therefore were so successefull How could they be otherwise when God came with them into the field Camd. Elisab If Q. Elizabeth could take for her Motto Cui adhaereo praest He to whom I adhere prevaileth how much more may Almighty God say as much even for salvation with thine anointed i. e. with David 1 Sam. 16.12 13. 2 Sam. 5.3 16. and 19.22 and 22.51 Psal 20.7 a lively type of Christ that Messiah the Prince the mystery of which promised Saviour the ancient Jew-Doctours confessed to be contained in this text It is not altogether unlikely that the Prophet might intend here to point at Jesus Christ when he saith for salvation Jeshang whence Jesus for thine anointed or thy Christ There are that read the words in the Future-tense thus Thou shalt go forth for the salvation of thy people sc when Messiah that great Sospitator cometh thou shalt wound the head of the wicked sc of the Devil Rom. 16.20 Thou shalt make naked the foundation of his kingdom unto the neck Selah thou shalt utterly destroy sin death and hell A remarkable mercy indeed a mystery of greatest concernment and most worthy to be considered Gualther carries the sence this way and yet addeth that if any please to refer the words to the history of the old Testament they must be understood of those tyrants that persecuted the true Church and whom God for Christs sake subdued and subverted together with their kingdomes Verse 14. Thou didst strike thorow with his staves the heads of his villages Heb. thou didst pierce or bore thorow as with an awger with his staves a Metaphor from shepherdy according to that Psal 23.3 thy rod and thy staffe c. or with his tribes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that entred the land of promise Acts 26.7 with these men or with these weapons though never so unlikely thou diddest by the hand of David wound the hairy scalp of thine enemies those Pagans and persecutours and much more wiâ—â— by the Son of David subdue Satan and his Complices they came out as a whirl-winde to scatter me Heb. they tempested they raised an hurly-burly being turbulent spirits as the devil is to disperse me as the dust of the mountains is scattered before a whirle-winde their
yet after some little motion do settle themselves in a meet poise and posture Verse 19. The Lord God is my strength And hence his joy of saith and ability to beare up under pressures of afflictions as a man that is well lined within and hath abundance of good blood and fresh spirits can endure to go with lesse cloths then another c. And he will make my feet like hindes feet As these do swiftly and suddenly run up to the top of inaccessible rocks so shall I quickly escape out of trouble and walk upon mine high places againe in the holy land Yea as Jacob after he had conversed with God at Bethel Gen. 29.1 lift up his feet and went lustily on his way to Padan-Aram so shall I go lightly on my long journey to heaven and having my soule suppled with the oyle of spirituall joy I shall find it made more lith nimble and ready to every good work to the chief-musitian on my stringed instruments This is David-like indeed as in the whole prayer or long he resembleth that sweet singer of Israel and the verse hath caused a cloud Euthymius saith of David that he was Primi regis linguae cor calamus the tongue hart and pen of almighty God In the primitive times happy was he held that could repeate aliquid Davidicum any thing of Davids doings Our king Alured translated the Psalter himself into his own Saxon tongue Andromicus the Greek Emperour made it his manuall his Vade-mcum It appeareth by the contexture of this whole chapter that the Prophet Habakkuk was well versed in the Psalms which is a sweet field and Rosary of promises a Summary of the old Testament saith Luther the good soules Soliloquie saith Another wherein are Amulets of comfort more pleasant then the pooles of Heshbon more glorious then the tower of Lebanon more redolent then the oyle of Aaron more fructifying then the dew of Hermon c. Most worthy to be laid up in that Persian casket embroydered with gold and pearle which Alexander reserved for Homers Iliads Our Prophet as he partly imitated and partly transcribed them in this Canticle yea in this verse Confer Psalm 18.33 34. So he concludeth as David many times beginneth To the chief-chaunter or Musick-master or To him that excelleth sc in the art of singing and playing on Instruments those holy Levites whose charge it was 1 Chron. 9.33 and for whom he doubted not but God would afford and provide new matter of Psalmody by compassing his people about with songs of deliverance Selah Psal 32.7 A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of ZEPHANIAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah which is by interpretation Gods Secretary or Hidden-one Psal 27.5 and 83.3 Or as Hierome and some others will have it Gods watchman Ezek. Hebraei Prophetarum patres quot quot nominatim recesentur ipsos quoque prophetas fuisse dicunt 3.2 and 33.7 A fit name for a Prophet the son of Cushi the son of Gedaliah c. These were if not Prophets as the Jew-Doctours make them yet men famous in the Church as were Alexander and Rufus though they be but mentioned and no more Mark 15.21 in the dayes of Josiah who rained one and thirty years but being in his minority began not to reform religion much corrupted in the dayes of his idolatrous father Amon till the eighteenth yeer of his raigne 2 King 22.1 and 23.22 whether before or after the Reformation the word of the Lord came unto Zephaniah Interpreters agree not Jeremiah his contemporary began not to prophecy till the thirteenth yeer of Josiah's raigne Ier. 1.1 2. at what time viz. in his twelfth yeer he had begun to reform with a great deale of zeale 2 Chron. 34.3 but with all he met with a great deale of opposition from the Princes and people who had been wofully hardened and habituated in their idolatry under Manasseh and Amon and therefore with much difficulty drawn off Zephany and Ieremy were singular helps no doubt to that peerelesse king in his zealous undertakings for God But why he should send to Huldah the Prophetesse rather then to either of them 2 King 22.13 what other reason can be given but that she dwelt in the Colledge at Ierusalem and so was next at hand And why He went up against Pharaoh Necho and sent not first to any Prophet to ask their advise what can we say but this that sometimes both grace and wit are asleep in the holiest and wariest breasts and that the best of Gods Saints may be sometimes miscarried by their passion to their cost Verse 2. I will utterly consume all things from off the land Exordium planè tragicum A tragical beginning of a terrible sermon Hard knots must have hard wedges hard hearts heavy menaces yea handfuls of hell-fire must be cast into the faces of such that they may awake out of the snare of the devill by whom they are held captive at his pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 It is in the Hebrew gathering I will gither all things c. q. d. g. I will pack up I will take mine owne and begone Converram convasabo omnia I will sweep away all by the beesome of my wrath and leave a clean land behind me for the sinnes of those that dwell therein The doubling of this denunciation Colligendo Colligam importeth the certainty verity and vehemency thereof Saith the Lord Dictumm Jehovae You may beleeve it therefore for every word of his is sure and cannot be broken Iohn 10.35 may not be slighted or shifted off Heb. 12.25 Verse 3. I will consume man and beast Heb. I will gather as verse 2. them and cast them away as they do the sweepings of the house See the word used in this sense Psal 26.9 Gather not my soul with sinners c. God gathereth his people for a better purpose both while they are alive Psal 27.10 and when they dye Esay 57.1 The righteous is taken away Heb. gathered from the evil to come as a Shepheard gathereth his sheep when a storm is coming or as a master of a family doth his jewels when his house is on fire But as for the wicked they are gathered too but it is for slaughter as beasts in a pound malefactours in a prison and at the last day the tares shall be gathered and bundled up together for hels Furnace Mat. 13 41.42 I will consume the fouls of the heaven Made for mans use to be to him for food Gen. 9.2 for physick and for delight as companions of his life hence it is threatned as a judgement to him to loose them Ier. 4.25 and 10. and here An the fishes of the Sea Made likewise for mans use to feed him Num. 11.5.22 Luke 24.42 hence the latine piscis of pasco to feed and the Hebrew Berechah for a fishpoole the word signifieth a blessing Gen. 12.2 with Neh. 2.14 Now the Lord here threateneth destruction to beasts
the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth and will rather unmake all again then we shall be unrelieved Psal 124.8 Yet have I set my king upon mine holy hill of Zion Psal 2.6 Yet for all the sorrow for all the malicious machinations and attempts of his enemies to the contrary who are therehence admonished to be wise for themselves and to kisse the sonne for he must raigne and all his foes must bee his foot-stool There is a Councill in heaven will dash the mould of all contrary counsels upon earth The stone cut out of the mountains without hands which is Christ the Conquerour will break in pieces the iron the brasse the clay the silver and the gold And in the dayes of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Dan. 2.44 45. So Dan. 7. after that the Prophet had described the greatnesse and glory of all the four Monarchies at length he comes to speak of a kingdome which is the greatest and mightiest under the whole heaven and that is the kingdome of the Saints of the most High Dan. 7.27 whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all Rulers shall serve and obey him Verse 23. I will take thee O Zerubbabel That is O Christ of whom Zerubbabel was both a father and a figure Luke 3.27 Zach. 4.10 I will take thee that is I will advance and exalt thee See this expounded and applied by that great Apostle Philip. 2.5 to the 12. and will make thee as a signet that is I will highly esteem thee inviolably keep thee and entirely love thee Cant. 8.6 Jer. 22.24 and all my people in thee and for thee Esay 49.16 for I have chosen thee as Esay 42.1 Quoniam in te mihi complacui saith the Chaldee For in thee I am well pleased as Mat. 3.17 See the Note there Saith the Lord of hosts This is three severall times set down in this one verse for our greater assurance and confirmation of our faith I shall close up all with that observation of Divines that all the Prophets except Jonah and Nahum expressely end in some prophecy concerning Christ He being their mark at which all of them chiefly aimed Indeed he is both mark and matter of both old and new Testament And therefore if we will profit in teaching hearing reading we must have the eye of our minde turned toward Christ as the faces of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy seat Do this if ever you will do well A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of ZACHARIAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. IN the eighth moneth in the second year of Darius Two moneths after Haggai began to prophesie See the Note on Hagg. 1.1 These two Prophets did jointly together reprove the Jews for their sloth in reedifying the Temple and incite them to set forward the work Ezra 5.1 contributing their utmost help thereunto vers 2. They were also a singular help the one to the other in the execution of their office For two are better then one and why see Eccles 4.9 with the Note For which cause also Christ sent out first the twelve and then the seventy by two and two Mar. 6.7 Luk. 10.1 So Paul and Barnabas were sent abroad the two faithfull witnesses Revel 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet speaks of Vlysses and Diomedes sent to fetch in the Palladium Acts Mon Exod. 4.16 One good man may be an Angel to another as Bradford was to his fellow-Martyr Dr. Taylour nay a God to another as Moses was to Aaron And for others in the mouth of two or three witnesses a truth is better beleeved by them and a twisted cord not easily broken Haggai layes down the mind of God to the people more plainly in direct and down-right termes Zachary flies an higher pitch abounding with types and visions and is therefore worthily reckoned among the abstrusest and profoundest Pen-men of holy Scripture Praecaeteris obscurus est profundus varius prolixus aeigmaticus Cor. a Lapid For it must be understood and let it here be prefaced that albeit all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is prositable to instruct 2 Tim. 3.16 pure precious and profitable every leaf line and letter of it Psal 12.6 Prov. 30.5 Yet between scripture and scripture there is no small difference some pieces of Gods Book for their antiquity and some other for their obscurity do justly challenge our greater attention and industry Of the former sort famous for their antiquity are the five Books of Moses whom Theodoret fitly calleth the great Ocean of divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fountaine of the following scriptures Of the second sort noted for their difficulty and that will not be acquainted with us but upon further suit some are hard through their fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words as the Poeticall bookes wherein no doubt the verse also hath caused some cloud And others againe by the sublimity of the subject they handle such as are the bookes of Ezechiel and Daniel and this of Zachary who is totus ferè symbolicus and is much followed by St. Iohn in his Revelation Hence Hierome in his prologue to this Prophet saith Hieron Ab obscuris ad obscuriora transimus cum Mose ingredimâ—r ad nubem caliginem Abyssus abyssum invocat c. We passe from dark prophecyes to that which is much more dark and with Moses we are entring into the cloud and thick darknesse Here one deep calleth upon another and being in a Labyrinth we hope to get out by Christs golden clue concerning whose Passion Resurrection and glory he speaketh more like an Evangelist then a Prophet and may therefore be rightly stiled The Evangelicall Prophet came the word of the Lord unto Zachariah the son of Barachiah Therefore the same that our Saviour speaketh of Mat. 23.35 Luk 11.51 though I once thought otherwise after Hierome Luther Calvin Beza Glassius Grotius c. But 1. the name of his Father Berechiah 2. the manner of Christs account reckoning from Abel the first Martyr to this penultimus Prophetarum last save one of the Prophets and last of all that was slaine by the Jewes after the reedifying of the Temple Zach. 11.1 13 whither being assaulted he ran for sanctuary easily perswades me to alter mine opinion As for those that hold that our Saviour there spcaketh of Zachary the Father of Iohn Baptist Luk 1. slaine by the Jewes because he preached Virginis partum Christi ortum Christ born of a Virgin Baronius Tolet and others as they affirme it without reason so they may be dismissed without refutation Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eâdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur saith Hierome the son of Iddo the Prophet Whether the
heaven This promise was not presently fulfilled for when they came into Egypt they were but seventy souls of them But under the Egyptian servitude they increased abundantly Exod. 1.7 they spawned as the word signifies and bred swiftly so that they went thence 600000. strong Exod. 12.37 So that they soon became a mighty and populous nation Dent. 26.5 Judea was not above 200 miles long and 50 miles broad not near the half of England by much yet what huge armies had they when the two tribes and the other ten met in the field one against another And even at this day whatever is become of the ten tribes whether they be in China or America the Jews are a very great and numerous people It is thought that there is not any one nation under heaven so great in number as that is if the dispersed Jews might all be gathered together into one place And who knows what we may some of us yet live to see The late Clavis Apocalyptâ—ica promiseth great matters to fall out within these three or four yeers Verse 9. And I will sow them among the people Scatter them indeed but for an excellent purpose that they may bring forth fruit to God and be a blessed means of bringing in the fulnesse of the Gentiles harvest Some kinde of the knowledge of God was diffused by the Jew wherever they came and when at length the Gospel was preached by the Apostles they first dealt with the Jews who had their Synagogues in all places as it was necessary Act. 13.46 that as they had been the onely people of God so now they might be the first invited guest This invitation when they put from them and so judged themselves unworthy ofâ—ternal life what remained but that the halt and the blinde Gentiles shoul be fetcht in from the high wayes and hedges that so Gods house might be full So then their despersion was a semination and their exile opened a gate for the Gospel hence also it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dissemination or scattering as when a man soweth seed abroad 1 Pet 1.1 Iam. 1.1 and they shall remember me in far countries Saint Paul testifieth that the twelve tribes instantly served God day and night Act. 26.7 a great deal better doubtlesse then they do at this day being as reverend in their Synagogues as grammer-boyes are at school when their Master is absent Spec. Europ saith an eye witnesse and they shall live with their children and turn again They or their posterity shal Gods promises bear a long date many times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the beleeving Hebrews are told that they had need of patience or tolerance that after they had done the will of God and suffered it too if need be they might receive the promise Heb. 10.36 And they are further exhorted to run with patience the race that is set before them Heb. 12.1 wherein he that beleeveth maketh not hast but can want and wait for what he wisheth till God please being desirous rather that God may be glorified then himself gratified if both may not stand together Verse 10. I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt whither they fled for fear of the Babylonians Jer. 44. Antiq. l. 11. Chap. 2. and where it seems they became a mighty people if that be true which Iosephus writeth viz. that Ptolomic Philadelph sent back an hundred and twenty thousand of them into Judea and by that royall beneficence obtained the seventy Seniours to be sent by Eleazar the High-priest Gualther praelat in Com. in Maâ—e for the translating of the Hebrew Bible into Greek His successour Ptoiomaeus Lathurus was nothing so courteous for he slew 30000. of them with unheard-of cruelty and made the living devour the dead and gather them out of Assyria whither the ten tribes were carried captive and scattered all abroad through the one hundred twenty and seven province as Haman suggested to the king Esth 3.8 and I will bring them into the land of Gilcad and Lebanon that is into Judea the bounds whereof were Lobanus and Gilead a figure of the Church that land of delights See Cant. 4.1 8. Gods Hephsibah Isa 62.4 O praeclaram illam dieculam when shall it once be The comfort is God can make a nation conceive and bring forth both in one day Esay 66.8 O pray pray pray as Psal 14.7 and as the poor Jews pray at this day Let thy kingdome come speedily Bimherah bejamenu and even in our dayes Verse 11. And he shall passe thorough the sea c. who shall The people for want of roome saith Junius they shall enlarge their quarters into Egypt Transiens per mare anguâ—â—â—â—s Assyria and other nations subduing them to Christ God shall say others and I think better he shall fright the sea and miraculously deliver his people as once he did at the red sea which threatened to swallow them but God made it to preserve them He will remove all rubs and Remora's all obstacles and impediments Neither Egypt nor Assyria shall be able to hinder what God will have done See Isa 11.15 The misunderstanding of this and the like texts to this might haply occasion that unhappinesse that befell the Jews in Creet Anno 434 The devill under the name of Moses whom he personated perswaded those poor creatures that he was sent from God to bring them home againe to their own countrey This they soon beleeved as they are wondrous apt to work themselves into the fooles paradise of a sublime dotage and leaving all their good to others followed this seducer who had spent a whole yeer in travelling over the countrey for the purpose together with their wives and children to the top of a steep rock that hung over the sea Thither when they were come this moâ—â— Moses commanded them to wrap their heads in their upper garments and so to thâ—â—â— themselves from the rock toward the sea assuring them of a safe passage They readily obeyed him and in that sort perished a great many of them And more had followed but that as God would have it some Christian fishermen being there at that instant took up some of them as they were sâ—oting upon the waves and ready to perish who afterwards returning to the rest of the Jews told them how they had been cheated and how narâ—owly they had escaped Funcc Chron. whereupon they being all enraged as they had reason sought for this Seducer to put him to death But when he could not possibly be found any where they soon concluded that it was the very devill that old man-slayer and diverse of them moved by this calamity became Christians The Jews generally beleeve that their Messias when he commeth shall do such miracles as Moses wrought at the red sea Hieron Remig. Huge They tell us also that in the time of the Maccabees diverse Jews that had sled into Greece passed through the
Luk. 16.15 because they were but skin-deep and not heart-sprung therefore they were not a button the better for them God loves and looks for truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 he looks that men should do his will from the heart Ephes 6.6 and serve him in their spirits Rom. 1.9 In doing whereof there is great reward Psal 19.11 praemium ante praemium that Euge of a good conscience this the stranger medleth not with conceives not of the wealth of Gods pilgrims standing more in Jewels and gold things light oâ— carriage and well portable then in house and land His servants have that here that doth abundantly pay them for their pains afore-hand righteousnesse being it own reward and they knowing within themselves that they have in heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 10. But hereaster oh the rich recompence that God shall make them oh the heaped up happinesse of such at the last when these vain talkers in the text and all that are of their mind shall roar out Nos insensati We fooles counted their lives madnesse But now c. See more of this in the following Note on ver 16. doctr 5. what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance The Chaldee hath it Quod mammon adeptisumus what mammon or wealth have we gained Mammonists are all for gain their very godlinesse is gain still they have an Eagles-eye to the prey when they seem to sly highest toward heaven If they may not get by God they soon grow weary of his work What shewes soever they make of better sure it is their belly is their God they mind earthly tings These will follow the chase as Jonathan till they meet with the hony-combe or as a curr followes his master till he meet with a 〈◊〉 These come to Christ as that young Pharisee did hastily but the 〈…〉 because they consider not that with the Lord are durable rich's Prv. 8.18 and that godlinesse as it hath many crosse so it hath many conâ—â—â—ts against 〈◊〉 Virtus lecyâ—â—â—â— habet in malis like as no countly hath more venomous creatures then Egypt 〈…〉 Antidotes This there Sensualists having not the spirit understand not 〈…〉 hence their complaint of a disappointment casting a stirr upon Gods 〈…〉 as those spies did upon the promised land Num. 14. and ready to run back into Egypt toth air flesh-â—ots garliâ—k and onions there Lo this is the guise of 〈…〉 wath whom thâ— ' the best religion that brings greatest advantage 〈…〉 thiâ— life if the Ark bring a blâ—ling with it as it did to Ohed-Edom it 〈…〉 upon as worthy of entertainment but if a plague of poverty 〈…〉 these Philistines will be glad to â—id their hands of it The garishnesse of ho 〈◊〉 wealth and pleasures do so â—azle their eyes that they think it the only happinesse to have and to hold Such fooles they are and such great beasts if David may judge Psal 73.22 to fly a fooles-pitch and to goc hawking after that that cannot be had as Solomon faith Pro. 23.5 Or if had yet cannot be held as being of swisrest wing and 〈◊〉 soon gone as a post that passeth by Godlinesse hath the preomise of â—â—th lives and we read of some godly men in scripture that were richer then any other But God will have it sometims to be otherwise that godimesse might be adâ—â—â—â—d for it self and to shew that his people serve him not for 〈…〉 Iob 1.9 But that none serves God for nought no not so much as 〈◊〉 a dâ—â— or 〈…〉 See before ch p. 1.10 that 〈◊〉 have kept his ordinances which if they had done indeed they would never have thâ—â—â—â—gged much less blasphemed they would have accused themselves 〈…〉 livine providence they would have said with holy Ezra All this is come upon us for our â—vill deeds and for 〈…〉 and thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve Aâ—â—â—â—test thou not be justly angry with us till thou hadst consumed us so that there should the no remnant nor eseaping Ezr. 9 1â— 14. Thus the good wheat falls low at the feet of the fanâ—er when thâ— chaff 〈◊〉 and flyes at his face Thus the sheep when shorn Hâ—at and lookes downward whereas the hang rbit wolf lookes up and howlesagainst heaven Hypocrites use to wrangle with God and expostulate the unkindness of his non-acceptance of their services as Esay 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not wherefore have we aslicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge God was in their opinion far too short and much behind with them and therefore much to blame and they must give him the telling of it They do so and they have their answer So they shall have here in the following verses and the next chapter which ought not to be divided from this as some conceive They upbraid the Lord as with their observances so with their humiliations and that we have walked mournfully Or in black the habit of mourners whence that of the Heathen Oratour Athenienses non nisi atrati c. The Athenians are never so good as when they are all in black that is under some heavy affliction And a great Satesman of this kingdome had this verse written upon his study door Anglica gens est optima flens pessima ridens Great Brittain all in black is in its best condition But what is it to wear sackcloth 1 Kâ—ng 21.27 and walk softly with Ahab when he had sold himself to do wickedly what is an humbling day without an humbled heart not only an irreligious incongruity but an high provocation like Zimri's act when all the congregation were weeping before the dore of the Tabernacle Surely God may say to such pretenders as Isaac did to his father Behold the fire and the wood but wher 's the lamb for a sacrifice or as Jacob did to his sons that brought him the bloody coat Loe her 's the coat but wher 's my child your garments are black but your hearts and lives are much blacker Go cleanse your hands ye sinners and purisie your hearts you double-minded Be afflicted in good earnest and mourn to some purpose and weep soak and souce your selves in teares of true repentance let your sorrow for sin be deep and downright turn your laughter to mourning and your joy to heavinesse Jam. 4.8 9. And then come let us reason together saith the Lord. All these unkind contestations shall cease and all loving correspondencies shall passe betwixt us God had said as much as all this before to them verse 7 10 11. Sed surdo fabulam their adamant was too hard to be mollified Their bulrushes though bowed down for a day while some storm of trouble was upon them was now so pierkt up as if it would threaten heaven witnesse their continued contumacy their robustious language in the next verse also stouting it out still with God Verse 15. And now we call the proud happy Such
must not be written on any parchment but what is made of the skin of a clean beast nor read but in a clean place No man must touch it but with the right hand and not without a kisse of reverence they usually carry it in procession about their synagogue with many ornaments of crowns and scepters the children kissing it as it passeth by them No man must sit in the presence of it nor so much as spet before it c. Whereas the Gospel of grace they utterlly reject and abominate as a Volume of vanity That Italian Translation that they had of the New Testament is called in and taken from them Evangelâ—â—â— Aven gelaion Eliah in Thesh Rad gillaion Buxâ—orf syneâ— cap. 1 p. 4. for their horrible abuse of it this being still the twelfth Article of their Creed I believe with a perfect faith that the Messiah is yet to come No marvell if the Apestle would not have us ignorant that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel Rom. 11.23 That lesser part or rather particle of them that are proselyted to our religion they pretend that they are none other then poor Christians hired to personate their part Voyage into Levant And yet they give compleat dispensation to counterfeit Christianity even to the degree of Priesthood In the day of their expiation their Rabbi doth absolve them from all their perjuries and deceits used against Christians He also assures them that they are not bound to keep any oath but what is sworn upon their own Torah or Law of Moses brought out of their Synagogue Weemse to the reading whereof they depute one third part of their day and wherein they are generally so expert that they have it as ready as their own names The mischief of it is Facilius quâ—â— nomen soum recitat Joseph Cont Appion lib. 2. that they are too much affixt to it and will needsly be saved by it which the Law cannot do for them as being weak through the flesh Rom 8 3. The Law is a yoke of bondage as Hierome calleth it and they who look for righteousnesse from thence are like oxen who coil and draw and when they have done their labour are fitted for slaughter Luther fitly calleth such drudges the devils Martyrs they suffer much and take much pains to go to hell And in another place he saith Qui scit inter Logem Evangelium disting siere gratiâ—â— agat Dto sciat se esse Theologum He that can rightly distinguish between Law and Gospel hath cause to praise God and may well passe for a Divine Moses my servant A farre higher title then Sonne of Pharaohs daughter for this was to be Pharaohs God Exod. 7.1 and higher then the kings of the earch Psal 89.27 No marvell though Moses so esteemed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Nâ—â—â—t king of Romans an Heathen did and Augustus the Emperouâ— câ—â—igratius fuit 〈◊〉 pietatis quam potestatis saith Tertultian he preserred prety before Monarchy so did those three succeeding Emperours Câ—â—stantine 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who called themselves Vassallos Christi the vassals of Christ as 〈◊〉 reporteth It was noted as a great both presage and desert of Dâ—â—ins his ruine when in his proud Embassie to Alexanaer he called himself the King of kings and Cousin of the gods but for Alexander he called him his servant That was worse in John Oneal father to the Earl of Tirone that rebell Anno 1398 who blasphemously inscribed himself in all places 1 great John Oneal Cousin to Christ friend to the Queen of England and foe to all the world c. Camd Eliz. 2 Pet. 2 What big bâ—bbles of words were these as Peter calls them His pretended Successour stileth himself the servant of Gods servants and one day in the yeer in an apish imitation of our Savtour washeth certain mens feet But he acteth as Dominâ—s â—â—gnorum munâ—i which is one of the Devils titles and can endure to be called by his Parasites Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope Moses held it honour enough to be the servant of the Lord and yet he was Vir Dâ—o longe acceptissimus quo 〈◊〉 habuit antiqua aetas mitius sapientius sanctius highly accepted in heaven and the most meek wise and holy man that Antiquity ever had or mentioned as Bellarmine himself acknowledgeth which I commanded him in Horeb Moses then was not the Law-maker as Solon Lycurgus Zaleucus c. but onely Gods Minister to utter what he would have him deliver or at utmost a Mediatour Gol. 3.19 not of expiation for so Christ onely but of communication of the Law to all Israel Exod. 20.19 wherein he was faithfull in all Gods house as a servant Hob. 3.5 Famulus inginuus a servant of the better sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of worship as the word there seemeth to import The place where Moses received the Law is mentioned Horeb the same with Sinai Act. 7.30 Exod. 19.1 18. to inmind them of the terrour of the Lord on that mountaine when God came down upon it with ten thousand of his Saints Deut. 33.2 from his right hand went a fiery law for them Heb. a fire of law And surely that fire wherein the law was given and shall one day be required is in it still and will never out Hence are those terrours which it flashth in every conscience that hath felt remorse of sinne Every mans heart is an Horeb and resembleth to him both heaven and hell The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15. to all Israel And it is reckoned as a singular priviledge to that people Neh. 9.14 Rom. 9.4 Prospers conceit was that Judaei were so called because they received Jus Dei the Law of God Josephus calleth their Common-wealth a Theocratie or God-government That of Philo is not so solid that their law was given in a wildernesse because it is to be learned in a wildernesse seeing there we cannot be hindered by the multitude But what a wretched conceit is that of the Jews at this day that the law of Nature shall bring to heaven those that observe it but the Hebrews unto whom the Law of Moses was peculiarly given by keeping it shall have a prerogative of glory How shall the Lion of the tribe of Judah roar upon them at that day and say Do not think that I will accuse you there is one that accuseth you Joh. 5.45 even Moses in whom ye trust Get you to him whom ye have chosen but cold comfort ye are like to have from him a very froward generation he ever found you children in whom is no faith Deut. 33.20 with the statutes and judgements that is with the Ceremoniall and Judiciall Law But what meant that false Rabbin to adde to this Text these following words Quamdiù non venit dies juâ—icy R. David Till the day of judgement comes as if men were bound till
for the attaining thereunto in a diligent use of the means These are among others First Means of getting the fear of God set on serious meditation and first upon your selves Reflect and see 1. your own miserable condition by reason of sin imputed to you sin inherent in you and sin issuing from you together with the deserved punishment all torments here and tortures hereafter which are but the just hire of the least sin f Rom. 6. ult 2. Your utter inability to free your selves either from sin or punishment From the former you can no more free your selves then the blackmore from his skin or the leopard from his spots g Ier. 13 23 And for the later there 's no power wit or any other meanes in our selves or the creature either to abide or avoyd it This meditation made Peters converts cry out for fear Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved h Act. 2 3â— Next busy your thoughts upon God be thinking upon his name with those in the text See him as he stands described 1. in his word 2. in his works The word sets out God for our present purpose 1. as a God of transcendent excellency and surprissing glory and thence inferrs a necessity of his fear Who would not fear thee O king of Nations i Ier. 10 7 c. saith Ieremy And thou art more glorâ—ous and excellent than the mountains of prey that is then the flourishing Assyrians with all their goodly Monarchy therefore as a consectary â—ring presents unto him that ought to be seared k Psa 76.4 11 2. As omnipresent and omniscient one that beholdeth and taketh knowledge of all we doe as much as of any thing in his own heart for all things consists in him l Collos 1.17 And the wayes of a man are before the Lord he ponderâ—th all his paths m Prov. 5 21 And will ye not tremble at my presence saith the Lord n Ier. 5.24 Ioseph did and so kept himself untouchâ— and Iob did and so frighted his conscience from sin by this wholesome consideration o Iob 31 1 2. 3. As armed with infinite power and might to reward us if we fear him and to punish us if we neglect him Shall servants â—ear their masters because the have power over the sleâ—h p Colos 3 23. and shall not we â—ear him that is aâ—le to cast body and sonle to hell q â—at 10 29. No man will puâ— his hand into a fiery crucible to setch gold 〈◊〉 because he knowes it will be râ—e hiâ—â— did we as truly beleeve and fâ—ar the fire of hell c. 4. As infinitely just and singularly carefull to punish sin where ever he finds it be it in the â—earest of his own nay in his onely son who being maâ—e sin for us r 2 Cor. 5.21 and found in the shape and stead of sinfull fleâ—h Å¿ 3 〈◊〉 8 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Liturg. Graec. was made to undergo those dolorous and â—â—concerveable sorrowes that drew clotted blood t Lue. 22.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his body and were joyn'd with a temporary desertion to his soule yet the very pâ—â—es of hell which he selâ—â—or a season u Ps 22.1 c. Who would not therefore fear before this just and impartial God See that sweet song of the triumphant saints that had overcome the beast by the blood of the lamb Iust and true a e thy wayes c. who shall not feâ—r thee O Lord and gloâ—ifie thy name w Rev. 15 4 c. 5. As abundantly and unâ—peakeably kind and loving to us in Christ This property in God throughly thought upon will inflame our hearts with his love and so make us fearfull to displease him as the dutifull spouse her loving husband or the gratious child his indulgent father This is to fear God and his goodnesse x Hos 3 5 to fear God through delight in his wâ—es y Psal 112.1 to reioyce in fear z Psal 2 11 and therefore to fear to offend him with hope because there is mercy with hâ—m a Psal 130.4 as the psalmist hath it Thus meditate on the attributes of God set forth in the word In the world next you may see God in his workes And first those standing miracles the hanging of the earth upon nothing b Iob 26.7 the bounding of sea that it cannot transgresse his word c Ier. 5.24 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth He gâ—thereth the waters of the sea together as a heâ—p he laveth up the depth in storehouseâ— Let all the earth seâ—â— the Lâ—â—d let all the 〈…〉 of the world stand inâ—awe of him For he spake and it was done he commâ—nded and iâ— stood fast d Psal 33 6 7 8 9 c. Secondly turne your eyes and thoughts upon the judgments of God and first particular executed upon others for our warning and learning The righteous hall see this and fear e Psal 52.6 as David speakes and as Dâ—vâ—d did too as himself testifieth my stâ— harembleth for fear of thee and I am aâ—â—aid of thâ— udg ments f Psl 119 120 When one child is whipt in a schoole the rest will tremble so it should be with us when we see others pun shed which because 〈◊〉 did not g Dan. 5 21 22.27 Dâ—scite justâ—iâ— am monai non temnere c. Pâ—ndit Herodotus suo temnore conspâ—ctam esse in Aegvpto statuam Sâ—na heribâ— cum hac insâ—â—ptinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when his father was turn'd a grasing therefore was he found too light in the ballance and his kingdome given to his neighbour that was better then he 2. Premeditate upon the generall judgment and the unconceivable terrour of that dreadfull day when the heavens shall passe awâ—â— with a greâ—â—nose â—nd the elâ—ments shall mslt with fervent heaâ—â— the earth also and thâ— workes thâ—t are theâ—ein â—halâ— burnt up h 2 pet 3 10 Faelix though a pagan trembled at Pâ—â—ls discourse of this great day i Act 24 25 The devils when they think of it shake and shadder the joynts of their loines are loosed with Belhizzar and their knees smite one against another k Dan 5.6 And can any man think seriously of this last judgment and not be moved with fear Fear God saith Solomon and as a help hereunto consider that God will bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill l Eccles 12.14 And this is the first meanes of getting Gods holy fear viz. Meditation The second is like unto it and that is faithfull and fervent prayer to the father of lights m Jam. 1.17 for it is a supernaturall gift to fear God as a father Thus David goes to God for this gift Vnite my heart which of
Presse them to works of mercy and liberality to Gods poor alasse say they we are poor men our selves and have many to care for A man cannot tell what shall come after him and what shall come after him who can tell f Eccles 6.12 O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have afore-time spoken t Luk. 24.25 Hath not God said The liberall man deviseth liberall things and by liberall things he shall stand u Esay 32.8 not fall or come to ruine That he is able to restore any Amaziah more then the one hundreth talents come to x 2 Chro. 25.9 lost or rather laid out for Gods sake and in is service that whosoever forsaketh all and follows Christ shall receive a hundred-fold here and heaven hereafter y Mark 10.30 Ruth for instance she while Orphah wants bread in her own countrey is grown a great Lady in Bethlehem and advanced to be great-grand mother to the King of Israel nay to Christ the heire of all But the ground of this perversnes and misjudgment made by men of Gods work and is wages is that damned infidelitie that is rooted in our natures cansing that we dare not rely upon God nor trust his bare word without a pawne but think 't is beft every man to shift for one that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush as the prodigall that called for his portion here and that carnall Cardinall that wouldnot part with his part in Paris for his part in Paradise that wherever we see God 't is best tusting to our selves which what is it better then to give God the lie Cardinall Burbon to charge falshood upon the Almighty should some man promise me an hundred pound doing some small chare for him though I told him not plainely he did but seek to gull me with words yet if I should go my way from him turn againe and laugh in his face and never make use of his offer or triall of his curtesie I should in effect say as much as all that comes to Think the same of such as reject Gods just precepts and despise his large promises slighting his work and slandering his wages what do they lesse then put the lie upon him in grossest manner then the which I know not what greater indignitie can be offered to the God of truth Whereat though he seemes to wink for a season and they conceive basely and absurdly of him thereupon as if he were altogether such a one as themselves yet he will shortly reprove them and set their sins in order before their eyes z Psal 50.21 as they stand recorded in the roll of remembrance For as there is a book of remembrance written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name so no lesse for them that despisd the Lord and set light by his Name That therein as in a table they may run and read their own destiny written faire and so returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not SECT IIII. Vse 2. The wicked shall be surely and severely punished Use 2 ANd that 's a second use of this point and 't is for terrour to all gracelesse and profane persons that serve not God but Mammon not the Lord Christ but their own bellyes a Rom. 16.18 that forsake their Maker and pursue after lying vanities b Jon. 2.8 that say after all The Lord hath for sakenthe earth he will neither do good nor evill c Ezek. 9.9 Zeph. 1.12 He hath said in his heart quoth David of the Atheist God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it d Psal 10.11 And again by way of complaint Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long shall they bluster and speake hard things and all the workers of iniquitie boaft themselves They break in pieces thy people c. Yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it e Psal 94.3 c. They hide God from themselves and then think themselves hid from God * Struthiocamelo cum delit escendum est solum caput penitus in condenso loco seu frutice occultat reliquum corpus in aper to relinquit Ita dum in capite seeurus est nudus quâ— mâ—â—or â—â—t capitur totus 〈◊〉 Capite Plin. â— 10. tap 1. Impiorum dicta et facta similiter in Dei commentariis referuntur c. Gualth in textum Whose folly we can better revince then in the following words Vnderstand ye bruitish among the people and ye fooles when will ye be wise He that planted the eare shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall he not see He that chastiseth the heathen shall not he correct He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know Yea the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity He knowes them and ponders them he records and writes them down particularly in his ook of remembrance The sin of Iudah is written with a pen of iron and with the point of a diamond f Jer. 17.1 Behold it is written before me and I will recompence it into their bosomes g Esay 65.6 saith the God of recompence h Jer. 51.56 And as he writes up their actions for future vengeance so as men do their chief evidences which they are most carefull to keep safe God is said to lay up these records in store with him and to keep them seal'd up among his treasures i Deut. 32.34 And for what end doth he this but that he may produce them as so many swift witnesses against the workers of iniquity in that day Her sinnes have reached to heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Reward her therefore even as she hath Rewarded you and double unto her double k Mal. 3.5 according to her works said that mighty angel concerning Babylon l Rev. 18.5 6 Jacob Revlus in hist Pontific p. 177. Lente gradu ad vindictam sui divina procedit â—Ì„ura tarditatemque supplicij gravitate compenset De Dionysio Val. Max. Iib. 1. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the same sai th the mighty God concerning all impenitent persons well they may shuffle for a season and shift rom side to side as Balaams asse before the punishing Angel but surely their sin will finde them out and ring them such a heavie peal as Pope Innocent the fourth heard once from heaven and was found dead the next day in his nest Veni miser in judicium come thou wretch and receive thy judgment What though the Lord defer the execution of his sentence The master of that evilservant shall come in a day when he looks not for him and at an houre when he thinkes not and shall cut him in twain rend his soul from his body and appoint him his portion
Lord often of his covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob b Exod. 32.13 and treats with him to that purpose by his Name Jehovah that emphaticall and comfortable Name c Exod. 6.3 so when he had foretold a plague to the Aegyptians or the remove of it yet he omitted not to pray the accomplishment And the later when he had by warrant from heaven promised rain to Ahab after three yeers draught yet he went afterward to the top of Carmel and prayed earnestly d Jam. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. James he prayed toughly lustily laboriously he strained every vein of his heart as it were in prayer for he stoopt and stretcht and put his face between his knees saith the story and this for a great while together till at length a cloud and after this a cataelysme of raine and waters came of it when once he had prayed to purpose e 1 Kin. 18.42 and not till then For the Lord though he be liberall yet he is not prodigall and although he reject not our weak services yet he throwes not away his mercyes upon such as hold them not worth whistling after as they say Be his children never so deare unto him yet they shall know their distance and their duty and although he love to be acquainted with them in the walkes of their obedience yet he taketh state upon him in his ordinances and wil be sought unto for his mercies Seek the Lord saith the Prophet and then will he raine righteousnesse upon you f Hos 10.12 For like as the Sun drawes up vapours from the earth not to retaine them but to return them to the moistening and so fattening of the same so doth the Lord draw from us our devotions and other duties not for any benefit of his own but to raine them down againe upon us in so many blessings SECT VIII LAstly this me thinks should mightily encourage good peoples hearts and strengthen their hands in well-doing to consider that the Lord doth perfectly remember plentifully to requite whatsoever service The pains cannot be cast away that we resolve to lay out nay to lose for Christ Master saith Peter we have laboured all night and have taken nothing Neverthelesse at thy word wee will let down the net g Luk. 5.5 6 And he sped accordingly for he enclosed a great draught of fishes even to the breaking of the Net c. So true is that of the Apostle Heâ— that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him h Rom. 10.12 He gives exceeding abundantly even above all that we ask or think i Ephes 3.20 Thus David asked life of the Lord and he gave him length of dayes for ever and ever k Psal 21.4 Solomon asked wisdome not wealth and he had wisdome and wealth too Hezekiah asked one life and God gave him two added fifteen yeers to his dayes which we count two mens lives and a yeer over The palsie man seeking health at Christs hands had health and heaven to boot Zacheus striving to see Christ not onely seeth him but heareth him spealâ—ing salvation to him and his Yea may some say God may crown his people with salvation Ob. John Baptist was without any law right or reason beheaded in Prison as though God had known nothing at all of him George Marsh Martyr Act. Mon. fol. 1423. Sol. but they are hardly put to 't in the mean while many of them and sorely vexed by the oppressions of their enemies who make pitifull havock of them and God regards it not First this is not for their diligence but negligence rather in the work of the Lord lazy servants must be quickned Secondly God hereby tryeth the truth and soundnesse of their graces makes it appear that they serve him for himself and not meerly for provender or for a whole skin as the Devil accused Job l Iob. 2.4 Thirdly God in humbling them remembreth them for his mercy endureth for ever m Psa 136.23 Is Ephraim my dear sonne is he a pleasant child for since 1 spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord n â—er 31.20 Lastly heaven will pay for all and the lesle they take up of their wages before hand the more they shall receive at the quarter day It we suffer together with him we shal be glorified together o Rom. 8.17 This made Abraham content to dwell in tents because he looked for a more enduring city p Heb. 11.9.10 Moses chose the repreach of Christ the worst part of him before the honour of Pharaoh's court this when he was no baby neither but at mans estate q Heb. 11.24 c. and therfore knew well what he did and all because he had respect to the recompence of Reward This made the beleeving Hebrewes suffer with joy the spoiling of their goods as knowing that they had in heaven abetter and more enduring substance r Heb. 10.34 Nudus opum sed cui coelum terraeque paterent De Archimede suo Silius lib. 14. Ezekiel willing to deliver an unpleasing message and suffer for it too because God took him up and let him heare the noise of a great rushing saying Blessed be the glory of the Lord Å¿ Ezek. 3 12 Nay our Saviour Christ helped himself over the hardship of his crosse by casting his eye upon the Crown leaving us an example to follow a copie t â— Pet. 2.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to write after And indeed it is a matter passing difficult to obey God when carnall reason suggesteth likely hood or damage or other danger But if it were a sufficient reason to move Jacob to neglect his stuffe in the land of Canaan because Pharaoh promised him the best things of Egypt u Gen. 45.20 How much more should the assurance of heaven that true treasure make us carelesse of this earthly trash How should the very fore-thought of that exceeding exceeding weight of glory x 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There ye have an elegant treble Antithefis double hyperbole beyond englishing A superlative transcendent phrase saith one such as is not to be found in all the Rhetorike of the Heathens because they never wrote of such a theme nor with such a spirit make us plentifull in Gods worke cause and even compell us to hear much pray much live holily deale uprightly be constant and abundant in well-doing what ever come of it Not standing upon the worlds censure who are apt enough to call thee foole for thy forwardnesse and two fooles for thy foole-hardinesse so they usually call and count the care of good conscience and courage in a good cause let them work on and spare not but scare thou God and against all their * Nigro carbone notandus Juven black coles comfort thy self with bis white
self as is above said it noteth out also 1. all that is or can be known concerning God by the reasonable creatour * Rom. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are his essentiall Attributes communicable and incommunicable Indeed they are all incommunicalbe to speak properly and as the thing is for they are infinitely otherwise in God then thy are in the creature in whom they are only by some 〈◊〉 resemblance and proportion These are his Simplenes Infinitenes Life Love Wisdome Power Holinesse Justice Goodnesse c. All which are but one in God for whatsoever is in God is God they are distinguished only for our better apprehension the Lord speaking to us of these things as divers one from another only in regard of our shallow capacities And this truth though we cannot so well comprehend yet we are bound to beleeve n Philip. 3.12 Credise vult Deus non examinari non judicari Aug. Our safest eloquence concerning God is our silence Hooker Deus sphaera est cujus centrum ubique peripheria nusquam Empedocles though we cannot subdue it to our understandings yet we must strive to be subdue unto it Here then think of God as one not to be thought of as one whose wisdome is his justice whose justice is his power whose power is his mercy and all himself Good without quality great without quantity everlasting without time present every where without place contayning all things and yet sustayn'd of nothing And here the well is deep and we want a bucket o Joh. 4.11 A wise ignorance therefore in these high points is better then a foolish wisdome It is sufficient here that we be of Gods Court thogh we be not of his Councel * We cansee but his back-parts and live and we need see no more that we may live But secondly Gods Name as it notes out the properties of God so his Ordinances also I mean all these means whereby he is pleased to manifest himself unto the world As 1. his works whether common to the world as Creation and providence the making and maintyning of all things by both which he may be groped out p Act. 17 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaketh in the dark or rather he is made visible q Rom. 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We cannot see the Sun in rota as the School-men speak that is in the eircle wherein it runs but only the beams of it No more can we see God in his essence you may see him in his word in his works c. Preston of Gods Attributes as the same Apostle saith elsewhere to the dimmest eye as the beams of the Sun are by reflection or as letters refracted and broken in a pair of spectacles And here in contemplating these generall works of God remember to tast the sweetnesse of God in the creature and to delight thy self more in a spirituall then in a naturall use of the same Secondly those works are Gods Name that are more proper and peculiar to the Church such as are Predestination Redemption Justification Sanctification c. Precious blessings and never enought thought upon and admired no though we should think upon nothing else all the dayes of our lives nay as long as the dayes of heaven shall last as that Martyr once said These are the works of God Secondly his word r Act. 9.15 Mal. 1.9 7 11 12 Micah 4.5 and all other means of salvation as the Sacraments Prayer discipline c. with whatsoever belongeth else to Christian religion is comprised under this Name of God Her 's a large field then of matter you see wherein you may freely and fruitfully expatiate and feed your thoughts with these sweetest varieties and most necessary pleasant profitable and excellent objects And to them that think upon these good things shall be mercy and truth ſ Prov. 14.22 SECT IX 2. For the manner of doing this duty well both for substance and circumstance BUt then secondly see as wel to the manner as matter of your meditaion For it is the manner that makes or marrs every action of religion and as a good garment may be marr'din the making so may a good duty in the doing The rules here to be observed if we would do this good work well concerne 1. the circumstances 2. substance of this service The circumstances are time and place For the time first there must be a taking heed lest at any time there be in us an evill heart of unbeleef to depart away from the living God t Heb. 3.12 But besides a continuall care of keeping alwayes a good conscience and communion with God and of raysing up the heart by occasionall meditation taken up from matters ever where occurring and offering themselves to our senses that may minde us of God as the spirituall mans fire will ever be aspiring Nehemiah u Neh. 2.2 for instance that man of ejaculations and much acquaintance with God But besides this I say there must be a set and solemn thinking upon Gods Name on sett purpose all the powers of the soul being concentricke and drawn into one point that we may attend upon God all the while as near as may be without distraction x 1 Cor. 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore I should judge it fit that some convenient portion of time should be redeemed from other occasions and purposely allotted and appointed for the better and more thorough discharge of this most necessary but yet much neglected duty Secondly for the place where we meditate let it be retired and secret for the preventing of distraction which else will certainly grow upon us by the singular policy and malice of the devil who taking all advantages of our carnality and knowing how near and familiar earthly things are to our senses how remote and supernaturall heavenly things y Prov. 24.7 he labours therefore all he can by outward objects to distract and divide * Divide regna Machia Anima dispersa fit minor the faculties of the soul by uncomely motions and impertinent thoughts so to slaken the earnestnesse of our affections and bereave us if possible of the benefit of our best meditations Retire we therefore into some secret place whensoever wee would meditate Peter did it upon the leads z Acts 10.9 Isaac in the field a Gen. 24 63 David in his closet b Psal 4.4 Jacob upon the high-way to Mesopotamia c Gen. 21.12 to whom therefore so good a day was followed with so sweet a night For he saw the blessed Angels climbing up and down that sacred ladder at the top whereof is the Father the whole length whereof is the Son the Spirit firmly fastning all such thereunto as duely meditated that they may bee transported unto blisse eternall Now in the next place for the substance of this duty let it be done in manner and form following First cheerfully for God
the walls of Jericho But what matter is it how unlikely the means are if in the hands of Omnipotency An Ox-goad in the hand of a Shamgar an Asse-bone in the hand of a Sampson may do much so here The Devil must needs down if God once send forth his Pauls to open mens eyes to turn them from darknesse to light Acts 26.18 and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in Christ Oh Obj but the Devil tells me I shall never inherit for I am not sanctified by faith Settle that first be sure by sound and infallible evidences Sol. See that thy faith and other graces be of the right stamp effectuall faith laborious love patient hope c. 1 Thes 1.3 and then sing a Requiem to thy self as Luther once did after a grievous conflict the Psalm De profundis Joh Manly loc com in contemptum Diaboli in defiance to the Devil Onely be advised not to pore over-much upon thy sanctification which in the best is unperfect but to take comfort of thy Justification which is compleat and absolute In confident consideration whereof St. Paul triumphantly cries out Rom. 8.33 34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen so long as it is God that justifieth Or as Austin reads it Shall God that justifies us Who is he that condemneth Do Angels No they rejoyce in our conversion and call us their fellow-servants But who then Do the insensible or unreasonable creatures They in their kind are in covenant with us Hos 2.18 and in earnest expectation groan nay travell together with us waiting and as it were lying bed-ridden the while for our full manifestation â—â—en the redemption of our bodies Rom. 8.19 c. But who is it then Do our own hearts condemn us No neither if not bemisted and abused by Satan for being justified by faith we have so farre peace with God that we glory in tribulation by the confident intergatory of a good conscience toward God Rom. 5.1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Joh. 3.20 But say our own hearts do wrongfully accuse us yet God is greater then our hearts as well for good as for evil to do us right notwithstanding a misgiving or misguided heart of our own But say then who is he that condemneth us Is it the Devil and his wicked imps Let them do their worst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 12. He is indeed the accuser of the brethren but Christ our Advocate is ever ready to non-suit and cast out all his accusations The Spirit also is in direct and full opposition to this Accuser called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter or Pleader for us Yea what apology or clearing of your selves Rev. 12.10 pleading our evidences to our spirits and helping us upon true repentance to make apology for our selves 2 Cor. 7.11 such as God admits of and accepts As for that old Serpent the Accuser of the brethren he is cast down already and all his limbs shall bee cast after him ere long into the burning lake In the mean while what cares the prisoner at the barre though the gaoler and his fellow-prisoners passe sentence of death upon him in the gaole so long as the Judge acquits him from the bench And as little need any servant of the Lord of Hosts stand upon the censurs of earth and hell so long as God thinks well of him and all the Hosts of God combine for his comfort Oh Obj but I have hosts within me that do me all the despite and displeasure The flesh lusteth against the spirit and other-whiles gets the better of it Besides there be bands of fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 which like armed souldiers lie billetted in my bosome and ever and anon fight against my soul Yet bee of good comfort the spirit also lusteth against the flesh so that thou canst not do what thou naturally wouldest Sol. Gal. 5.17 thy new nature will not suffer thee as Paul would have gone to a certain place but the Spirit forbade him As for thy lusts be they never so lordly God can easily cut the combes nay the throats of them and let out their life-blood My Father is stronger then all and None can take you out of his hands The weak brother shall be holden up amidst a world of scandals without Joh. 10 Rom. 14.4 and staggerings within for God is able to make him stand He can preserve a fire alive upon the face of the Ocean a spark of the spirit amidst a world of wickednesse within He can cause weak and worthlesse grashoppers to become a great nation Ioel 1.6 a mighty people chap. 2.2 a huge army ib. Esay 30.22 Psal 19.5 He can make the house of Israel pollute the idols which they had once perfumed with incense and to say to their familiar devils get thee hence He can stop or strike back the course of the Sun though it rejoyce as a strong man to run his race Naturally and freely it giveth light but he can turn it into darknesse and blood The mountains of themselves are ponderous and pressing yet at Gods command they skip like lambs Think the same of our dull and undutiful hearts God can quickly oyl them and nimble them drawing us by his free spirit so as we shall run after him as a baldder of it self is a heavy substance and unapt for motion but being filled with winde it will scarce ' bide in a place So we being filled with the holy Ghost shall finde our feet as hinds feet upon the everlasting mountains no longer shackled by corruption Psal 119. but at very good liberty to run the wayes of Gods commandments It s most sure we are not strained at all in God but in our own bowels He is both able and ready both to cover and cure our sins and sicknesses In the dayes of his flesh he offered himself to his patients and was found of them that sought him not He heal'd them also of diseases hereditary and such as all the Physitians in the countrey might have cast their caps at Now he hath lost nothing by heaven you may be sure neither of his will nor skill to do the same cures upon mens souls as once he did upon their bodies nay he cured their bodies onely in reference to their souls and still hangs out his table of cures Math. 8.17.18 to draw custome Rev. 3.18 Lo thus we have searched and so it is Hear it and know it for thy good Iob. 5.27 CHAP. II. The Lord will finde a fit time to make up his jewels from the worlds misusages And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels Doct GOd is the Lord of hosts This is a point hath been hitherto proved and improved Followes now a second Observation Confirmat
the Lord draweth nigh And to the same purpose St. Paul Philip. 4.5 Let your patient mind be known to all men Why the Lord is at hand to right your wrongs and plead your cause against an ungodly Nation Yea it may be God will look upon Davids affliction the sooner and do him good the rather for Shimei's cursing this day 2 Sam. 16.12 God gives over the wicked many times to exceed their commission that he may hasten deliverance to his chosen destruction to their enemies Gen. 15.16 their sinnes being once full See for this Psal 119.126 Jer. 51.33 34. Zach. 1.15 I am very sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease For I was but a little displeased with Israel my people but they helped forward the affliction that is they were excessively outragious above that they were bid to do I gave them an inch they took an ell Now therefore lest the righteous put beyond his patience should reach forth his hand to iniquity now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12.5 God seeth it but high-time to make us heavâ—e other-whiles with manifold afflictions But blessed is the man that endureth temptation for after hee hath suffered awhile he shall receive the crown of life For this light affliction which is but for a moment Jam. 1.12 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A levitate agilitate cervgrum nomen habet Chemnit Leve pondere â—â— pluma Cornel à Lapide Heb. 5.8 Luke 17 Psal 27.14 Eccles 3.1 11 Deut. 5 worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory An exceeding excessive eternall weight of glory is wrought out unto us by our short and light afflictions God will look upon us as those that have been judged already and account the present sufferings sufficient unto us 1 Pet. 4.13 Good therefore is the counsell of our Saviour who himself was perfected by sufferings In your patience possesse your souls And that of the Psalmist Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. He hath appointed a time for all and every thing is beautifull in its season The Israelites had their flesh at Even and bread in the Morning God will be waited on and give the consummation of his blessings at his leisure Their journey from Aegypt to Canaan might have been dispatcht in three dayes as Philo tells us but God led them up and down the wildernesse as if they had been treading a maze and held them sometimes a yeer together in a place to their grief no doubt but for their good that He might humble them and try them and do them good in their later end Water was not turned into wine till the wine failed Joseph was not set out of prison till the set time came The Israelites went not out of Egypt till the very last day of the four hundred yeers was well-nigh at an end Smyrna must be in prison ten dayes at least that she may be tried and that the trial of their faith being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth though tried in the fire might be found to praise honour and glory The day of the churches restauration by Christ here promised was not performed of 400. yeers after yet when the fulnesse of time was come Rev. 2.10 1 Pet. 1.7 Gal. 4. God sent his son made of a woman made under the law c. Say it had been 4000 years a thousand years is to God but as one day because in him there is no flux nor motion Our purblinde eyes see nothing but that which toucheth the lid as it were when Gods quick sight vieweth that as present that is a world off But now when all was at worst in Church and common-wealth and scarce a Ioseph or a Simeon left that looked for the consolation of Israel scarce a Mary or an Anna that waited for salvation in Ierusalem then came the desire of all nations Hag. 2 then the sun of righteous broke out with healing under his whings What shall I say more Christ himself the Captain of our salvation was fourty dayes and fourty nights tempted by the devil before the Angels ministred unto him his soul was heavy unto the death ere his heart was glad and his glory rejoyced Math. 4 Psal 16.9 Rom. 8.17 We also must suffer together ere we can be glorified together as two pieces of iron cannot be fastned till both hath passed the fire SECT XIII Helps to patient waiting upon God for deliverance VVHerefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Heb. 12.12 and for suport consider First that life it self in its full length and latitude is but short the afflictions therefore of life cannot be long To live saith one is but to lie a dying Venire me oper tet praeterire ut horam Epist Multos often dunt terris bona fata ultrà esse sinunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad l. 12. Thetis de Achille Dego à de ago Ita degimus quum quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minus fit nos unà Bèdman de Orig. Rev. 7.16 There is a time to be born and a time to die saith the wise-man He saith not There is a time to live for death borders upon life and a mans cradle stands in his grave Oh what a short cut hath the longest liver ab utro ad urnam from the womb to the tomb from the birth to the burial We chop into the earth before we are aware like a man that walking in a field covered with snow falls suddenly into a marle-pit Few and evil are the dayes of my pilgrimage saith old Iacob Evil they are but few and evil Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble Troublesome his dayes are but soon determining sharp his sufferings but short withal as the paines of a travelling woman whereunto they are oft compared Every day we yeeld somewhat to death and death at utmost cures all diseases as that Martyr said Secondly this life once ended heaven begins and makes amends for all For they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more nor shall the sun light on them nor any heat but the lamb shall feed them and lead them to the waters of life and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes as a nurse doth from the eyes of her tender babe Now she is a sorry spouse saith one that cannot make shift with an uneasie horse while she rideth to see the consummation of her love with her betrothed husband I reckon saith that great Apostle that had seen as much of this and the other world as ever man saw that the afflictions of the present time are not worthy to be compared or are in no comparison worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 For
their immortall happinesse 2 Cor. 4. ult yet from glory to glory they shall be transformed and translated till at length they become like the Ancient of dayes It doth noâ— yet appear saith Saint John what wee shall bee hence the world so much mistaketh and misuseth us but we know that when he shall appear we shall bee like him in the quality of our glory though not in an equality 1 Joh. 3.2 For we shall shine as the most radiant Jewels and Jaspers Rev. 21.11 Nay that 's not all we shall shine as the firmament with its glittering furniture Dan. 12.3 nay as the Sun in his strength Mat. 13.43 nay like Christ the Sun of righteousness Col. 3.4 And this 1. In regard of our souls which shall be filled with knowledge wisdome purity as the ayr is with light 1 Cor. 13.11 Moses and Elias appeared in the transsiguration Luke 9.31 and conferred with Christ concerning his death the mystery whereof they understood far better now then when they were in the flesh 2. In regard of our bodies which though now muddy and massy shall then shine as transparent-glasse Rev. 21.11 or clearest chrystall partly from the glory about them and partly from the spirit within them as a lanthorne shines from the candle put into it being clarified from all dregs fashioned like Christs most glorious body the standard in respect of incorruption and immortality beauty and brightnesse grace and favour strength Ecclesia in fine saeculi expectat quod in Christi corpore praemonstratum est Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia 1 Cor. 3.21 22 and nimblenesse majesty and such Angelicall excellency as shall render them rather like heavenly spirits then earthly bodies for the surpassing glory that shall be put upon them Lastly for our totum compositum the whole person together considered Every true Christian is the spouse of the Lamb and so actually invested into his dignity and made partaker of his glory For Vxor fulget radiis mariti it 's a Maxim in the civil law the wife shines with the beams of her husband and whatever he hath she hath all is in common between them so that as Luther saith there is nothing differenceth man and wife but sex onely Think the same to be true in the mysticall marriage betwixt Christ and his people All is yours because you are Christs His treasures riches beauty glory power kingdome all is yours so farre as you are capable For you shall bee next unto Christ Luk. 22.30 yea one with Christ Joh. 17.21 even as He and the Father are one and so above the most glorious Angels for are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 Bucan loc coâ—n p. 76. This according to some the devil and his black guard once bright Angels could not brook or bring their hearts to and therefore fell through envy and malice to the known truth Joh. 8.48 from their first estate and left their own habitation to dwell in darknesse rather then they would endure to honour such a Mordecai as man a clod of clay a bag of wind so poor a thing merely made up of soul and soil of breath and body a puff of wind the one a pile of dust the other nay now since the fall a very mixture and compound of dirt and sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whether the devil will or no the Church shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work the virgins her companions also shal be brought unto him With gladnesse and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the kings palace and be set on his right hand a place of dignity and safety in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 45.14 15 9. Psal 16. vlt. For quality ther 's joy and gladnesse for quantity a fulnesse of both for certainty at Gods right hand and for perpetuity for evermore SECT VI. It shall be far otherwise with the wicked NOw for Application this in the first place Vse 1 is no good newes to the wicked that persecute Gods people and cast dirt on his Jewels to hear that they shall one day be so dearly acknowledged and highly honoured by the God of heaven For as in a pair of buckets when the one is at well top the other is down at bottom as when David grew stronger and stronger the house of Saul waked weaker and weaker and as Mordecaies rise was Hamans downfal so when God shall make up his Jewels he shall put away the wicked of the earth as drosse and of-scouring and when soever he doth best to his chosen Psal 119.119 then doth he worst of all to reprobates This is so constant a thing with God that could we but go as far back with the feet of our mindes as Gods decrees and then come hand in hand with him again and view all his particular acts of Execution we should soon see that when he is chusing the one he is refusing the other when he is redeeming one he is renouncing another when he is comforting one he is terrifying another when he is converting the one he is hardning the other when he is rewarding one he is revenging another when he is quickning one he is killing another when saving one he is damning another And yet all his works are holy and just and good though he do not alwayes as often he doth give a reason of his proceedings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 33.13 This day of the Lord here mentioned in the text wherein God shall mercifully make up his Jewels as it shall be to them a day of light life liberty prosperity and victory Chap. 4.1 2 3. so shall it be to the wicked a day of blacknesse and darknesse for it shall burn them as an oven and themselves shal be as stubble whereof neither root nor stalk shall be left untou ht but all turned to ashes in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord under the feet of those that fear my name Then shall the sinners in Sion be afraid horrour shall surprize the hypocrites who shall run away with those sad words in their mouths Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings But whither alasse will they run from him that is every where Esay 33.14 If to the creature a horse is a vain thing for help the Egyptians are men and not God their horses flesh and not spirit c. If to the creatour he doth utterly disclaim and disown them for if any have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8.9 be he whose he will be These indeed shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. such a good man I know and such a godly woman I know but who are ye Then
over with flowers magnified dung guilded rottennes golden damnation who knowes not how sharply St. James takes up the partiall Christians of his time for admiring mens ease wealth and pomp rather then grace and true spirituall worth This saith he is to despise Christs poor and to be judges of evill thoughts Tanti vitrum â— quanti Margaritum Melius est pallens aurum quam fulgens aurichalcum Ber. in cant 6. Davids desire by Rob. Abbots Vertue is a thousand Escucheons saith one and it is grace alone that animateth and ennobleth all other good parts and abilities which else are but as a glassy bugle saith Hierome after Tertullian to the pearle of price or as gold to brasse saith Barnard and a little of the palest and counterfeit gold is far better then much of the finest and brightest brasse so is the meanest of Gods servants better then the most magnificent glorious worlding that ever trod upon earthly mould and so let us esteeme them Mr. Fox when he was asked whether he knew a certain poore man who had received succour from in time of trouble answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such SECT XI Exhortation to practise holinesse that is so honoured FOurthly are those that are sound faithfull so highly honoured in heaven Vse 4 This me-thinks should much raise the price of religion and bring godlinesse into greater request amongst all those that would be of any reckoning or repute with God at that day It will go to the hearts of ungodly men I wot well to see some of all sorts sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Rev. 21.8 Job 29. in the kingdome of heaven and themselves shut out amongst dogs to see such as they would have disdained to have set with the dogs of their flocks to be set then upon thrones judging their judges and having power over the Nations to binde their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of iron To execute upon them the judgments written 1 Cor. 3 and yet this honour have all his Saints Psal 149.8 9. For know ye not saith the Apostle that the Saints shall judge the world yea the angels Who would not therefore rule with God as Iudah by labouring to be faithfull with his Saints Hos 11.12 We see with what a deal of eagernesse honours and offices rich prizes and great places are sought and pursued after Balaams asse never gallops fast enough to fetch in profit and preferment Set but a wedge of gold in sight and Ioshua that could stop the course of the Sun cannot stay Achan from courting and catching at it In cepeet allium impensa 1600 talenta in pyramidum una extruenda refert Heredot Viri beni aviditas tuta est Sene. epist 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambitiese quippiam contendere sic ut te non patiaris ab alio vinci Eras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sumpta est metaphora à procis Zelotypis Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 24.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subaudi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interea duut resurrectiouem expecto Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet what are riches and honours but golden gyves the Noble miseries of this wretched life And what do they that are so set upon them with the neglect of heavenly honours and that wealth of a better world but prefer the onions of Egypt before the bread of angels paltry pibbles before precious pearles thick clay before pure gold counterfeit coine before true treature Oh see and bewaile this so great a folly in your selves and others and for future learne to covet spirituals to be greedy of grace to encroach upon God for more and more of his favour and fellowship as Moses did Exod. 33.12 13 14 17 18 19. chap. 34.9 To be ambitious of peace 1 Thess 4.11 And of pleasing God 2 Cor. 5.9 To seek for honour and glory by well-doing Rom. 2.7 To be zealous of the better things 1 Cor. 12.31 To pursue after the perfect knowledge of Christ having it as it were in chase as St. Paul had Philip 3.4 .. as the hunter hath his prey or as the persecuter hath him that he persecuteth He had once been mad in persecuting the saints Acts 26.11 And breathed out threatnings lay panting as it were for breath like a tired wolfe Acts 9.1 2. Now when God had turned the streame he was judged by some as mad the other way 2 Cor. 5.13 Whilst knowing the terrour of the last day he perswaded men and in the meane-while he laid his policy and bent his best wits as the word there signifies to keep a good conscience that richest treasure and most precious Jewell that ever the heart of man was acquainted with SECT XII Why. TO quicken you to the pursuit and practise of this duty Consider that Grace is the only thing that God looks after in this world God looked down from heaven saith David upon the sons of men to see not who were wealthy witty mighty Psal 14.2 magnificent c. but to see if there were any that did understand or sought God And he bids the Propher Jeremy run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem to sâ—eâ—f he could finde a man Ier. 5 1 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Lucernâ accensâ Hominem quaâ—â—bat Aesopus Ipris â—â—stijs bestâ—â—â—â—or est hâ—mâ—â—â—atione vigers ratione non vivens Bern in Cant. 5 Ratione homines jurentis religione hommes hominibus antestant Boet de consol l 4. Pros 3. Vltra homines prove nit probitas sola infra horninem detrudit improbitas tb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. that is a righteous man that feareth God and kept his commandements Hoc est enim torus homo for this is the whole man saith Solomon And it is as if he should say He is not a compleat man that 's voyd of Gods holy fear framing him to obedience though otherwise never so west accomplished This is that whereby one man doth as far excell another as any man excells a beast saith Bernard and Boetius The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour laith Solomon let him dwell where he will He is of better birth and breeding of better alliance and atendance of better place and office of higher degree and dignity The Holy Ghost stileth such the Nobles of the earth Ps 16.3 honourable personages Psal 45.9 plants of renown Esay 5.3 privy-councellours to the great King Psal 25.14 Princes in all lands Psal 45.16 Kings and Priests to God Rev. 1.5 yea higher then heathen kings Psal 89.27 and better then those mighty Monarks Dan. 7.37 Where it is very remarkable that the Prophet having set forth the greatnesse and glory of the Princes Potentates and mighty states in the four Monarchies comes to speak at last of a kingdome which is the greatest under the whole heaven and that is the kingdome of the saints of the most High Hence is
should and in good children doth ascend also It is but reason they should reciprocate and return their parents love for love do not publicans the same Mat. 5.46 Do not our clothes warmed by us warme us again That God loves all his with a love more then Fatherly hath been abundantly proved above God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son This is a sic without a sicut there is no sufficient similitude in nature to expresse it by Herein if ever he made naked unto us the bowels of his Fatherly affection as in an anatomy God so loved his Son as he gave him all the world for his possession Psal 2. but he so loved the world that he gave Son and all for its redemption Thus ô ye sinfull sonnes of men Gods bowels are open unto you his heart is enlarged Yee are not straitned in him but yee are straitned in your own bowels Now for a recompence in the same 2 Cor. 6.11 12 13 Conjungendo lumen suae aeternitatis limo tuae mortalitatis Bern. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 18.1 Psal 119.97 Psal 84.1 Pinkes Serm. of love he speaks unto you as unto his children be ye also enlarged Amate amorem illius saith St. Bernard Oh love that love of his who for love of thee coupled his love to thy love by abasing himself by advancing thee by uniting the light of his eternity to the mire of thy mortality Whom therefore having not seen ye love saith Peter 1 Epist 1.8 and My love was crucified said Ignatius And I love thee dearly O Lord my God saith David And again O how I love thy law O how amiable are thy Tabernacles he even wondereth at his own love and vents himself by an exclamation For Amor Dei est extaticus nec se sirit esse sui juris saith One. There is a two-fold love and both due to him in whom there is a concurrence of all attractives and retentives of our love 1. Of Desire this is an earnest longing after that which wee beleeve would do us much good if we could attain to it 2. Of Delight or complacency when having attained that which we desired we hugge and imbrace it and solace our selves in the fruition of it Now Christ the Everlasting Father Esay 9.6 must have both these and that in the highest degree For he is white and ruddy white in his life and ruddy in his death the chief of ten thousand or the standard-bearer of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as the tallest and goodliest men use to carry the Ensigne to display the Banner or Standard such is Christ All excellency is invested in him all good is conveyed unto us by him all love is therefore due from us to him Non bene conveâ—unt nec in una sede morantur Majestas et Amor. Juvenal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet 2.21 We say that Majesty love cannot dwell together because love is the abasing of the soul to all services But its otherwise in Christ Majesty and love could cohabite in his heart hereof he gave us the best assurance when the Lord of life was crucified to death Love is most seen in suffering as it self is a passion so it is tried rather by passions then actions He sealed up his love both by doing and dying for us leaving us a Copie to write after as St. Peter hath it to do whatsoever he bids us to forbear whatsoever heforbids us and to lay down our dearest lives for his sake if called thereunto according to that For thy sake are we slain all the day long Acts Mon. fol. 14 â—8 Ib. 1430. we are in deaths often Ye were every haire of my head a man said Ardely the Martyr to bloody Bonner I would suffer death in the opinion and faith I am now in The heavens shall sooner fall then I will forsake my Christ said William Flower Ib. 805. My wife and my children are so dearly beloved unto me said George Carpenter burnt at Munken that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bavaria but for the love of my Lord Christ I will willingly forsake them He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Math. 10.37 If a man hold not the Lord Christ worthy of more love then his dearest friends he hath no part in him All our love must be bestowed upon him as most worthy there is not one particle of it to be bestowed on any other thing But then he gives us our love againe and then we may disperse it here and there and love other things but no otherwise then as they convey love to us from Christ and may be meanes of drawing up our affections to Christ Pinkes Serm of love p. 21 My love unto my Saviour saith one although it came occasionally and impulsively from my love of my self yet it is terminated principally in his glory though accessorily likewise as he is contented it should in mine own happinesse D. Sibbes Ser on 1 Cor 2.9 But it is a kind of miracle saith another in evill when we love other things besides God or better then God baser then our selves It is as much as if a river should turne backward What a base thing is it for a man to suffer such a sweet streame as love to run into such a sinke And a little after It was a miracle saith he that the three young men should be in the midst of the furnace and be there as if they were in another place no hotter And it is as much a miracle that men should be in the midst of all incouragements to love God and yet love any thing more then God He is absolutly good and so is to be loved absolutly and for himself Vix diligitur Jesus propter Jesum Aug. but all other things in him and for him as our friends are to be loved in the Lord and our foes for the Lord. This is child-like indeed SECT XIII Let them depend upon their Father both for prevention of evill and provision of good LAstly learn we to depend upon God as a father for both prevention of evill and provision of good Phil. 4.6 In nothing be carefull but in all things make your request known to God with thanksgiving saith Paul And marke that he bids us bring our thanks together with our request 2 Sam. 13.4 to have the one as ready as the other for we are sure to speed Why art thou then pale and leane from day to day with carking cares 1 Pet. 5.5 Psal 55.22 and disquieting feares of this or that danger Art not thou the Kings son and will he deny thee any thing thou askest Cast all thy care upon God for he cares for thee Roll both thy self upon him and thy Gift upon
followeth his trade whereto he is bound apprentice though he be far from being his trades-master he shall have honour and life honour in earth and life in heaven Prov. 21.21 Yea but displeasing service is double dishonour Obj because we displease God in that act wherein he specially lookes to be pleased I grant that a powerlesse performance of holy duties Sol. proceeding from a spirit of sloth joyned with presumption so highly provoketh God against his own dear children that he hath much a doe to forbear killing them as he had to forbear Moses when he met him in the Inne Ready he is to have a blow at them as he had at David when he brake his bones and felt his fall to his dying-dying-day Psal 51 But they that see and sigh under their wants and weaknesses with shame and sorrow need not be discomforted Christ appeats for them in heaven with their names upon his bosom and their services in his hand which he not only presents but perfumeth not only puts them up but adds weight to them nonsuting and casting out of the court all accusations and allegations made against them either by sin or Satan and drowning their noise by that blood of sprinkling Heb. 12. that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel This he doth for them in heaven as on earth he is touched with the feeling of their infirmities and hath taken order with their enimies for their security Joh. 18.8 and with their friends for their kinde acceptance commanding the stronger to receive them into their affections Rom. 14.1 and to restore them in their outstraies Gal. 6.1 promising also to give strength to him that fainteth and to increase power to him that hath no strength Even the youths that trust to their own strength or to any measure of grace acquired which is but a creature and to trust in it is to trust in the arme of flesh lo those youthes shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Esay 40.29 30 31. In regard of the Authours absence and the misplacing of his Copy the Reader is desired to referre this Exposition of the 18. ver of the 3. Chapter to its proper place Verse 18. Then shall ye returne you wicked blasphemers that have flandred Gods hous-peeping and brought up an evill report of his providence and justice as if in managing the matters of the world he were lesse equall or lesse carefull You I say shall returne not to your right minds by a through conversion by an entire change of the whole man from evill to good alasse for your misery t is past time of day with you for any such good work But you shall alter your opinions when your eyes are once uncealed by the extremity of your suffering Plin. Prov. â—â— 25 Eâ—â— 4.30 Dan. 11.21 Vasallos Christi Socrat. as the Mole eyes are said to be when pangs of death are upon her to see and acknowledge a sensible difference between the righteous ever more excellent then his neighbour let him dwell where he will because sealed up to the day of redemption and the wicked who is but a vile person an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be as great as Antiochus Epiphancs the great King of Syria between him that serveth God accounting it the highest honour to be his vassall as Constantine Theodosius and Valentinian their Emperours called themselves And him that serveth him not but casteth off the yoke of his obedience being a son of Belial and counteth it the only liberty to live as he lists and not to be ruled by God Then shall ye returne Then when it it is too late when the day of grace is past the gales of grace gone over the gate shut the draw-bridge taken up Then shall ye wretched lingerers and loytorers Epimetheusses postmasters after-wits that come in at length with your fooles Had-I-wist return not as the Prodigall did who seasonably and savingly came to himself Luk. 15.17 having bin before utterly bestraught 1 King 8.47 and quite beside himself by the deceitfulnesse of sin called foolishnesse of madnesse Eccles 7.25 nor as those true converts mentioned in Solomons prayer that bethink themselves and repent and make supplication to their judge Par. in Rev. 18.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 27.3 Fox Martyrol But as Iudas who whilst he plai'd alone wan all but haunted with the furies of a guilty conscience which would needs make one with him he repented after a sort with a poenitentia sera Iscariotica as Pareus calleth it had some after-thoughts but not to a transmentation some inward wamblings but they boyled not up to the full height of a godly sorrow and therefore came to nothing Or as Iames Abbes with his hideous All too late All too late So these wicked ones in the text when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven and themselves thrust out Lazarus in Abrahams bosom and their selves in the burning lake Mat. 13.43 Christs poor despised fellow-sufferers shining forth as the Sun in the kingdome of their father and themselves cast out into outer darknesse then shall they change both their minde and their note then shall their odious blasphemies be driven back again down their throats and then made to say with Pharaâ— Exod. 9.27 The Lord is righteous and so are all his people Esay 60.21 but I and mine associates are wicked and therefore deservedly wretched We once counted the proud happy but now we see that of David verified which erst we beleeved not Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed for that they erred from thy commandements Psal 119.21 We looked upon the righteous as calamitous as worms and no men as the nullisicamen populi Tertullians expression fit to be set with the dogs of the flock De resurrect Iob 30.1 and as the off-scouring of all things But now we can vote with that man of God and say Happy art thou O Israel Who is like unto thee O people Deut. 33 29 saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and the sword of thine exeâ—â—ncy and thine enemies are now found liars unto thee for thou treadest upon their high places when they are troden under foot as unsavoury salt Woe unto 〈◊〉 spoilers for now we are spoiled c. Isa 33.1 Ier. 4.13 Isa 33.14 Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who can abide with ever lasting burnings Behold the day is come that burneth as an oven Mal. 4.1 and we are now as stubble fully dried that it may burn the better Nah. 1.10 We are put away even all the wicked of the earth like drosse Psal 119.119 thrust away as thorns 2. Sam. 23.6 placed as vile things under Christs feet Psal
wicked cannot pray 620. nor be heard ib. how to know our prayers are heard 837 Preaching what it is p. 84. twice a day 493 Pride 79 80. its picture 420. it precedes a fall 456 Prins stigmata Laudis p. 589 Processions popish p. 165 Procrastination is greatest folly p. 471. punished 944 Prodigies in heaven p. 210 Priviledges of saints p. 896. price of a saint 902. honour such ib. 108. their glory at the Resurrection 904 905. their priviledges privative and positive 925 926. Promises of God they shall be performed p. 636 637. they are a strong-hold 558. pray them over 848. mixt with menaces and why 566. Prophecy obscure p. 537 Prosperity no sure signe of piety p. 163 it causeth pride 170 420. slayeth the wicked 134 71 73 74 Providence of God Doubt not of it p. 424. see 882. He will preserve his and provide for them 878 Psalms book of Psalms praised p. 442 443 Publike most to be minded p. 476 Punishment waiteth upon sinne p. 59 217 531 535 545 670 843 punishment in kind 63. in all sorts of sinners 76. punishment insensible 87. one mischief after another 260 R RAin how taken in Scripture p. 603. it is from God 560 673 245. Doctrine resembled to it 246. rain of blood 210 Reformation was ever opposed p. 630. what Magistrates and Ministers are to do in it 631 Relapse not p. 587. let the relapsed return to God and how 28 Religion reproached as rebellion p. 272 273. otherwise reproached 455. mixtures in it 446. It is the beauty and bulwark of a land 512 Remission of sinne a great comfort p. 519 Christs righteousnesse imputed ib. Repentance the parts of it p. 27. the vertue of it 39. mercy leads to it 40. necessity of it 192. there is a naturall and morall repentance 321. Reformation is the best repentance 324. See Conversion Resemble God and wherein p. 922. Restitution is necessary p. 324 Resurrection it is sure p. 319. and will be glorious 562 904 905. Retract errours and evil practises p. 586 Revenge p. 226 Reward of righteousnesse is liberall p. 673. God remembreth and requiteth all his 839. and why ib. and 840 841. his service is very gainfull 842 843 849. See gain of godlinesse Righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us p. 932 Romish Edomites p. 610 Romish cruelty 347. Romes filth 611. its pride and downfall 65. avarice 66. 't is degenerate 206. must be burnt ib. Romes ruine 609. S SAbbath profaned p. 128. must be our delight 276. benefit of it ib. Sacrifices spirituall to be offered to God p. 625. our selves especially ib. Sacrilâ—dge a great sinne p. 215. punished 668 670 Saints are earthly Angels p. 608. their sinnes are most grievous 625. God will own them and honour them 895 896. despise them not for their outward meanenesse 906. their honour 907 Scandall to be shunned p. 239. scandalous Ministers 642. Professours 231 Scriptures commendation p. 120 121. See Word Seek God p. 146 Selah what it importeth p. 432 Seducers dangerous p. 584. they must be stigmatized 585. not tolerated 584. see 588. they are hardly ever recovered 587. Self-deniall to be studied p. 705 801 Self-seekers p. 137. self-ascribers 423 542 Sensuality p. 68 224 266 Septuagint translate amisse p. 629 620 628 Security fore-runneth ruine p. 263 427 Serve God with the best p. 615. not with slubbering service ib. 676. serve him with soul and body too 625. love Gods service 276 â—â—me devotion 618. honour of Gods service 687. he highly accepteth our performances 825 826 827 c. He rejecteth the services of the wicked and why 829 830. and that 's their misery 831 let them therefore repent ib. Blesse God for acceptance of our services 834. get into Gods service 846. and serve him earnestly 846. God how to bee served 917. serve God and why 937. He accepteth small services 938 939. how he is to be served 945. Setlednesse to be laboured after p. 618 Sicknesse fruit of sinne p. 378 379 Sight of sin is before sorrow p. 580 Silence in due season p. 257 Similies how to be used p. 164 Singing a Gospel-Ordinance p. 40 Sincerity accepted p. 98 Sinne a great burthen p. 606 607. It maketh God to disown people 634. to destroy them 23. remember it not with delight 42. the filth of sinne 78 518. hatefull to God 143. especially if iterated 223. 't is deceitfull 293. the greatest folly 317. hardly parted with 649. saints sinnes are most hainous 236. difference of their sins from other 933. adde not sin to sin 549 Sir whence p. 525 Slandering p. 85 86. make-bates 417 Sorrow godly p. 198. it follows upon sight of sin 580. 't is deep 581. greatest of all sorrows 581 582. 't is secret ib. forts of sorrows ib. Souls have no sexes p. 373. the worth of a soul 429. it comes from God and is like him 579. not propagated 653. precious ib. Spanish greatnesse p. 418 Spirits first work in the heart p. 852 Strength of a saint wherein p. 579 Stumbling at the word dangerous p. 642 Submission hath mercy p. 249 Suffer for God p. 144 Superstition pompous p. 70. prodigall 375 Supper Come prepared to the Lords Supper p. 616 Swearing a common sinne p. 532. dangerous 55 Sweating-sicknesse p. 247 310 T TEars powerfull with God p. 161 197 650 Temporals are to be slighted p. 24 25 saints oft have them 546 Temptation resist Satan p. 517. withstand first motions 544 Tempt not God p. 672 Thankfulnesse how it must be qualified p. 177. Think upon God and why p. 850 852. See Meditation Wicked think not on God 854 or not well 855 857 858 Thiâ—st corporall and spirituall p. 20 21 Thought not free p. 342 481 551. evil thoughts argue an evil man 856. earthly thoughts when they are naught 863 Threats shall be accomplished p. 643. wee should tremble at them 236 237. they are slighted 413. till felt 491 Time-servers p. 701 Tithings whence p. 345 Tythes to be payed p. 669 Tythe and be rich p. 673 674 Tongue order it well p. 383. an ill tongue destructive 407 Treachery to be avoyded p 646 Trinity of persons known of old p. 484 Truth little is to be found p. 53 't is ill taken 255. hated 256 274 Trust in God hath security p. 396 413. the triumph of Trust 420. Trust in Gods mercy 930 Tumults outragious p. 147 Turks Empire great p. 418. how they use their Asapi 420 Turn to God See Conversion and Repentance V Victory is of God and a great blessing p. 686. especially that over corruption ib. Vnity seek it p. 646. study it 462. Christian union 690 Vnsetlednesse in judgement p. 618 Vnthankfulnesse a grave p. 608 609. a great sinne 231. It exasperateth the Lord 572 Vnworthy Receivers p. 933 Vowes must be payed p. 318 W VVAit upon God p. 49 50 162 425 Walk exactly p. 520. worthy of God 706 Wantonnesse shun it p. 17 Warre the wo of it p. 566 595 148 153. desolation is by it
of the truth will make hard shift but they will bear armes against Christ and though feeble Scito quia ab ascensore sun dâ—mone perurgetur Sern yet will say I am strong a Satana impulsi armati saith Mercer here as being pricked on armed and agitated by the devill that old manslayer according to that of Bernard Seest thou thy persccutor outragious marvel not but know that the devil rides him makes him run Verse 11. Assemble your selves and come all ye heathen Come and fetch your bane whereof by your forwardnesse to come uncalled ye may seem to be ambitious Judgments need not go to find you out for you associate your selves that ye may be broken in peeces Isa 8.9 as at Armageddon Rev. 16.16 Come on therefore sith you will needes be so mad and take what befalles you Who would set the briars and thorncs against me in battel I would go thorough them I would burn them together Esay 27.4 See Zech. 14.2 3. with the Notes Ezech. 38.4 Gnushu pro chushu 16 17. c. Rev. 19.17 18. The word here Englished Assemble is by Iarchi rendred Festinate Hasten by others conglobamini cluster together that ye may be the sooner cut off that the mouth of Gods sword may have its full bit that he may make an utter end and your affliction may not rise up the second time Nah. 19. thither cause thy mighty ones to come down i. e. Vel Angelos vel alios saith Mercer either thine Angels called Gods mighties Psal 103.20 Esay 10.34 Psal 68.17 where these Mighty Ones are said to make Sion as dreadfull to all her enemies as those Angels made Sinai at the delivery of the law or other thine officers and executioners that by thy command they may fall on and destroy these Heathen-armies see verse 13. the answer to this prayer of the Prophet and the power of prayers which Luther fitly calleth bombardas instrumenta bellica Christianorum the great ordnance and warlike weapons of Christians Vers 12. Let the heathen be wakened Here begins Gods answer to the Prophets prayer The heathen though at ease Zach. 1.11 and fast asleep must be arrowsed and assembled to the valley of Jehosaphat where God the righteous Judge at the Prophets request reminding him of his promise I am come for thy words saith He to Daniel chap. 11.12 gets up to the Tribunall and there sits to judge all the heathen round about Let not us doubt of the like successe of our suites but when wronged run to the Judg of heaven and earth who will do us right so we pray over the promises as here and not faint though he heare long with us This our Saviour hath taught us by that famous parable of the unjust Judge and the importunate widdow Luk. 18.2 3. c. wherein we may take notice of many excellent encouragements to pray down our enemies 1. He was a Judge onely but God is our Father also 2. He was an unrighteous Judge But is there unrighteousnesse with God Rom. 9.14 3. He as he feared not God so he cared not for man but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly and peculiarly loving to man above other creatures Tit. 3.4.4 He avenged the widdow as wearied out with her and meerly to be rid of her And shall not God do as much for us out of his love to righteousnesse and hatred of wickednesse Psal 45.7 5. It was troublesome to him to be sued unto but God is displeased with us for nothing more then for our backwardnesse and bashfulnesse Ioh. 16.24 Quid est cur nihil petis what meanest thou to ask me nothing said Se verus to his favourite 6. the unjust Judge had no care of his credit but God is most tender of his glory and delights much in that title of his O thou that hearest prayers Verse 13. Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe It even hangs for mowing as we say the enemies are ready ripe for ruine down with them therefore that they may not shed in the field and seed again let this vally of decision be unto them a vally of excision let it be as a wine-presse to those bunches and branches of the grapes lopt off the vine Lacus iste locus coedis See Rev. 14.18 19. Mat. 13.39 There is a stint set to mens sins Gen. 15.16 Zech. 5.8 11. Mat. 23.32 with the Note there What more beautifull to behold then a field afore harvest then a vineyeard afore the vintage and yet how sudden an alteration when workmen once take it in hand for the wickednesse is great Here is that plainely that before was expressed parabolically The scripture oft expounds it self in the same text and is every where it s own best Interpreter Verse 14. Multitudes Multitudes in the vally of decision Or Concision as Hierom and Tremellius or of threshing as Piscator in reference to Iehosaphat who once threshed the Moabites and Ammonites there These multitudes are thither summoned Turbae Turbae adeste or are there lay'd dead even heapes upon heapes with those Philistines Judg. 15.16 So Aben-Ezra senseth it and thence the name of the valley of Concision or decision to shew that there God having passed a definitive sentence upon the Churches enemies and a very severe one too such as was that kind of punishment to put men under harrowes of iron c. 2 Sam. 12.31 Am. 1.3 would now finish the work and cut it short in righteousnesse Rom. 9.28 idque citò certò as sure and as soon as if that day of slaughter were at next doore by for the day of the Lord is neere Lyra understands it of the last day which cannot be far off And Diodate was of the same mind For upon the next words Verse 15. The Sun and the Moon shall be darkened he sets this note Signes which shall goe before the last judgement Mat. 24.29 Luk. 21.25 See the Note above on chap. 2.13 The Prophets by such formes of speech use to decipher greatest calamities when all things look dark as it fareth also with them that are under spiritual desertion Esay 50.10 who yet are exhorted there to trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon their God to cast the anchour of hope as Paul and his company did in the shipwrack Act. 27.20 when they saw neither Sun nor moon for many dayes together and no small tempest lay upon them all hope that they should be saved being taken away Verse 16. The Lord also shall roare out of Zion Out of his church he shall terrify his enemies as the Lion doth the rest of the creatures by his dreadfull roare so that they are amazed thereat and have no power to stirr from the place Lyra interpreteth it of that terrible Discedite Goe ye cursed that shall be uttered by Christ at the last day A sentence that breatheth out nothing better then fire and brimstone stings and sorrowes woe and alass torments without end and
past imagination and the heavens and the earth shall shake The heavens with thunder the earth with earth-quake to the terror of the wicked but comfort of the godly Hag. 2.6 for the Lord will be the hope or harbour of his people they shall have a good bush on their backs in the greatest tempest they shall not be afraid though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be cast into the middest of the sea Psal 46.2 fractus si illabatur orbis Hora◠Impavidos ferient ruinae O the force of a lively faith and the privy armour of proof that beleevers have about their hearts O the dignity and safety of Gods people in the worst of times Hab. 3.18 19. Happy art thou o Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help the sword of thine excellency and thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places Deut. 33.29 Verse 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God you shall experiement that which during your deep afflictions ye made some doubt of and were ready to say as Gideon did to the Angell If the Lord be for us why is it thus with us or as your unbeleeving forefathers in the wildernesse Is God amongst us as if that could not be and they athirst dwelling in Zion Defending my people and dispensing my best blessings to them The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion Psal 134. ◠The blessings that come out of Zion are farr beyond those that otherwise come out of heaven and earth then shall Ierusalem be holy with a double holinesse Imputed and Imparted the profane being purged out here in part but heareafter in all perfection This our Saviour sweetly sets forth in those 2. parables of the tares and of the draw-net Mat. 13. Or It shall be holy that is deare to God and under his care favour and protection from the dominion direption and possession of profane Heathens and there shall no strangers passe through her any more either to subdue her and prejudice her as the proverb runs of the great Turk that wherever he sets his foot no grasse growes any more such havock he makes or to fasten any filth or contagion upon her See Rev. 21.27 where St. Iohn alludeth to this text as all along that book he borroweth the elegancies and flowers of the old Testament to set out the state of the New in succeeding ages If this promise be not so fully performed to us as we could wish we must lay the blame upon our sins whereby the Reformation is ensnarled and our prosperity hindred Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated betwixt you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Esay 59.1 2. Nothing intricates our actions more then sin this is that devill in the ayre that hinders our happinesse this is that Make-bate Hell-hag Trouble-town charme this devill and make him fall from his heaven which is to do hurt and we shall inherit the promises The godly man only prospers Psal 1.3 Verse 18. The mountains shall drop down new wine By these hyperbolicall expressions is promised plenty of all things pertayning to life and godlinesse such a golden age as the Poet describeth Flumina jam lactis jam flumina nectaris ibant Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella Ou Metam Where it must be observed that spirituall good things are promised under the notion of temporall as of Must Milk c. Ob populi infantiam by reason of the infancy of that people of that time The mountaines i. e. the most barren places shall drop down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without our labour shall yeild plentifully New wine strong consolations and Scripture-comforts for strong Christians And the hills shall flow with milk that unadulterated sincere milk of Gods word for his babes 1 Cor. 2.2 1 Pet. 2.2 And all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters Sanctuary-waters wholesome doctrines such as have a healing cooling quenching quickning property in them Esay 44 3. and a fountain shall come forth viz. Baptisme that laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 that fountain opened Zach. 13.1 that pure river of water of life clear as chrystal that washeth away sin Rev. 22.1 Acts 22.16 and shall water the the valley of Shittim That dry valley in the borders of Moab neer to Jordan Num. 25. Josh 2. and not far from the dead Sea Here it was that the Israelites defiled themselves with the daughters of Moab as Jarchi noteth but shall bee purified and sanctified with the washing of water by the word Ephes 5.26 Tarnovius renders the Text Qui irrigabit vallem cedrorum which shall water the valley of cedars those choisest trees planted in the paradise of God Psal 92.13 For saith He as the Tabernacle was built and garnished of old with Shittim-wood for the most part Exod. 25.5 26.15 27.1 30.1 so is the spirituall temple with these spirituall cedars Verse 19. Egypt shall be a desolation By Egypt and Edom are meant all Christs adversaries whether they be professed open enemies as were the Egyptians or false brethren as the Edomites Romists have been both and shall therefore be desolated Rev. 17.16 with 11.8 For the violence against the children of Judah From the very cradle of the Church Exod. 1. yea sooner for Esau in the very womb justled his brother Jacob and offered violence against him that he might lose no time because they have shed innocent blood in the land The Saints blood is called innocent blood 1. Because their sinnes are remitted 2. Because they are causelesly killed And this is a land-desolating sinne The innocent blood spilt by Manasseh brought the captivity the Marian times our late troubles The blood of the Martyrs shed by Turk and Pope whom the Jew-Doctors understand by Egypt and Edom here shall be the ruine of them both Verse 20. But Judah shall dwell for ever Perpetuitas Ecclesiae declaratur saith Mercer The perpetuity of the Church is declared and assured The blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church Christ is with his to the end of the world and those Roman persecutours who sought to root out Christian Religion and erected pillars in memory of what they had done or rather attempted that way what got they thereby but perpetuall ignominy besides the irrepairable losse of their souls bodies and fortunes Tu vero Beza Herodes sanguinolente time The Church as the Palm-tree spreadeth and springeth up the more it is oppressed as the bottle or bladder Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus Horat. Cur. 4.4 Plin. l. 18. c. 16. that may be dipt not drowned as the oak that taketh heart to grace from the maims and wounds given it and sprouts out thicker as