their owne houses and because they had most carefullie sought after their owne commoditie omitting both the reasonable and also ceremoniall seruice of God And that I maie speake of our selues whilest that in the studdie of Diuinitie omitting the practise thereof which coÌ„sisteth in the exercise of true godlines repentaunce we follow the speculation do become rather better learned then better lyued preferring knowledge before conscience wee doe first of all seperate those things which God hath coupled together secondelie for the most parte it fareth with vs accordinge to the saying of Agatho That thing which is vnnecessarie that doe wee as if it were necessarie and that which is necessarie doe wee omit as if it were vnnecessarie What then remaineth for vs to do my brethren but to chaunge our mindes and purpose for the better to followe the counsell of Haggeus and to bee busied not so much about our owne priuate houses as about the Temple of the Lord that is giuing faithfully vnto God those thinges which are his that wee may at length be made partakers of his blessing But wee shall speake of all these thinges in the discourse which followeth Cap. 1. Ver. 1. THe Prophet beginneth his booke with an historicall 3. Lect. description of the circumstances that hée may teach when who and in whose name vnder whose conducte and finally vnto whome hée spake The same order will wée obserue in our exposition In the seconde yeere of Darius the Kinge The time wheÌ„ in the sixt moneth the first day of the moneth That is in the yeere after the creation of world 3444. the first day of September whenas in the yeere next going before Darius the sonne of Histaspes beganne to raigne ouer the Persians Darius the sonne of Histaspes succéeded Cambyses béeing elected by the Princes of the Persians as Herodotus doeth testifie in his Thalia Plato in his thirde booke of lawes praysing Darius saith That kingdoÌ„e which in the time of Cambyses the king was decayed was in the time of King Darius his raigne almost restored againe Furthermore he denyeth that Darius was dayntily brought vppe of a childe Also hée affirmeth that the kingdome was by him deuided into seauen partes Moreouer hée saith that hee brought in equalitie and that by his princely liberalitie and magnificence he wonne vnto himselfe the minds of the Persians Yet doth hee greatly blame him for this that he did not prouide that Xerxes his sonne might be instructed in that princely discipline of his testifying that vnto him it might bee saide O Darius howe is it that thou hast not learned to bee wise by Cyrus his harmes for thou hast trained vp Xerxes in the same maners in the which Cyrus trained vp Cambyses 1 Let such superstition be farre from the holy historie which will not permitte vs to vse the Positions names of Heathen kinges when néede doth require Wée must take héede that wée doe not offende either in excesse or defecte that is that we doe neither so much mixe prophane thinges with holy thinges that the holy thinges doe thereby waxe base and be thereby obscured neither that we do therefore contemne those things which are well saide because they did procéede from men which were destitute of the principal light which is Christ 2 Moreouer wée haue néede diligently to marke the times and seasons for euery thing hath his time * And that saying of Plato is well knowen Many things are giuen in time Eccl. 3. to those which vse our trade of life 2. The person sent of the ambassage THe person which was sent of the ambassage was Haggeus the Prophet who in this self same Chapter verse 3. is called the ambassasadour of the Lorde concerning which matter wée haue spoken somewhat before more will speake in his place The holy Prophets did their message vnto men in the name of God whence wee doe gather first that their authoritie is holy He that A position heareth you heareth me Luk. 10. 6. Secondly that the Apostles are partners and fellowes in office with the Prophets Therefore wee are the ambassadors of Christ Thirdly that wee 2. Cor. 5. 20. ought to make great accompt of the faithfull ministers of the Church séeing that they are together both Gods fellowe labourers and also the successours of the Prophets and Apostles And fourthly that they must be watchfull that their diligence and faithfulnes in their office may be aunswerable to the dignitie of their function In whose name Haggeus was to Prophesie WE may gather by these wordes The worde of the Lorde was in the hande of Haggeus in whose name the Prophet was to prophesie Which importe thus much as if hée should haue saide Haggai beganne to prophesie in the name of the God of Israel Therefore the holy spirite doth testifie that Haggeus was both called of the Lorde vnto the â— â—zr 5. 1. function of prophesying and also that hee preached the worde of the Lorde and not his owne worde neither any inuention procéeding from other mens braines 1 It is onely in the hande of the Lorde to A position make men to bee able ministers of both testaments Not that wee are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but what wee are it commerh of God who hath also made vs to be able ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit * Let those which are studentes of Diuinity 2. Cor. 3. 5. throughly pondering this in their minds pray daylie in faith Lorde Iesus Christe leade mee by thy holy spirite into all trueth graunt that I may profit in learning and innocensie of life that if thou shalt at any time hereafter call me to be a teacher in thy Church I may serue to the sanctifying of thy holy name and the restoring of the saints with great faithfulnes and watchfulnesse 2 Secondly it is the parte and duetie of the ministers and messengers of the Lorde not to tell olde wyues fables but to preach the word of God according to the saying of Christ Teach them to obserue all thinges which I haue Mat. 28. 20. commaunded you * And agayne Goe your way preach saying The kingdome of heauen Math. 10. 7. draweth neere * 3 Thirdly those fantasticall fellowes are not to bée heard which cumming in their owne name doe prophesie according to their owne Deut. 18. 20. heartes That Prophet which shall deale proudly that hee may speake a worde in my name which I haue not commaunded him to speake and hee which shall speake in the name of straunge Gods that Prophet shall die the death * Afterwarde hee addeth a rule whereby wée may knowe the false Prophetes which shall bee most excellentlie set foorth by the example of the fower hundreth false Prophets 1. Reg. 22. which promised to Ahab the victorie ouer the Syrians of whome hee was then conquered and slayne Ob. But that came not to passe which Ionas
and the same spirite worketh all these thinges distributing them particularly to euerie man as he will Out of these wordes wee will fraime two demonstrations 1 Actions are proper to subiects or persons But now as else where the creation and preseruation of thinges so in this place distribution of giftes is attributed to the same spirite Therefore it is certaine that the holy spirite is a person 2 Whosoeuer diuideth the most excellent giftes of God as it pleaseth him he is a person vnderstanding and willing But Paul doeth in plaine wordes affirme the same of the holie spirite Ergo c. 5 This spirite proceedeth aswell from the sonne as from the father Hee which is the spirite of them both that is both of the Father and the sonne hee is rightlie saide to proceede from them both For hee is sayde to bee theirs in such sorte that hee is consubstantiall with them both and the substantiall power of them both But that holy spirite is sayde to bee the spirite of the Father and the Sonne according to these sayings For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your Father hee it is that speaketh in you Mat. 10. 20. And agayne But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of GOD dwelleth in you But and if any man haue not the spirite of Christ hee is not his Furthermore if Christ The holy spirite is wholy in his substance in Christ bee in you c. Rom. 8. 9. 10. 6 Therefore the same holie spirite is verie God Whosoeuer is the true and eternall Iehouah creator of heauen and earth hee is verie God The reason For let the gods which haue not made heauen and earth perish from vnder these heauens Ier. 10. 11. But the holie spirite is the true and eternall Iehouah For the Lorde which appeared to Esay 6. 9. Act. 28. 25. Isayas is called the holy spirit The same spirit created all thinges according to that The spirit of the Lorde did nourish the waters Gen. 1. Yea the holy spirite created the masse of the humane Luk. 1. 35. nature which the Word tooke vnto him I will adde Dydimus his argument Hee is verie God whosoeuer is euery where and from euerlasting and yet is neither the Father nor the worde But the holy spirite is euery where and from euerlasting c. Ergo hee is verie God 7 The benefites of the holy ghost are of two sortes generall and speciall The generall benefites are the preseruation of all thinges and other such like The speciall benefites are the regeneration illumination gouerning and consolation of the faithfull vpon whome the spirit of grace and prayers is saide to be powred out 35. Lect. Mar. 6. Verse 7. For thus saith the Lorde of hostes yet a little and I will shake the heauen and the earth and the sea and the drie lande THis verse wherein the Prophet entreateth of the preaching of the Gospell doth the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes interprete on this wise Take heade that you doe not dispise him that speaketh For if they escaped not which refused him that spake in Gods name vpon the earth much lesse shall wee escape Heb. 12. 25. if we turne away from him which is frō heauē whose voyce did then shake the earth and now he hath declared saying yet once more will I shake not onely the earth but also the heauē Furthermore the word once more doeth signifie the remoouing of vnstable thinges as of thinges that are made with handes that the things that are stable may remaine All these thinges may we briefely set downe thus 1 The voyce of the Lorde shaketh the worlde and the inhabitantes thereof The voice of the Lorde doeth sometimes signifie thunder and the noise of tempestes * sometime it doeth Psal 29. signifie the worde of the Lord. 2 The Lorde spake from heauen first whē hee gaue the lawe secondlie when the Gospell was published I speake of that solemne and Exod. 19. 20. Deut. 4. publike publishing of the gospell celestiall doctrine which was done not without wonders and miracles altogether diuine and to bee wondred at 3 And then he prouided that the law might be published Moses being the interpreter therof but afterwarde he caused the gospell to bee preached his onely sonne béeing the expounder of his worde Iohn 1. 17. For the lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Jesus Christ 4 Therefore may wee not dispise GOD when hee speaketh whether wee respecte the interpreters or the doctrine reuealed from heauen Isay 1. 2. Heare o yee heauens and hearken O earth for the Lorde hath spoken 5 For if the Israelites did not escape which resisted Moses which spake in Gods name vpon the earth much lesse shall we escape vnpunished if we resist Christ which speaketh from heauen Of Christ Iesus Iohn the Baptist saith thus Hee which cometh from aboue is aboue all hee which is from the earth is earthie and speaketh the thinges which are earthie hee which cōmeth downe from heauen is aboue all And that which hee hath seene and heard doeth hee testifie Ioh. 3. 31. 32. And Paul saith The second man is the Lord from heauen 1. Cor. 15. 47. 6 Furthermore if you respect the doctrine there is no cause why we should attribute more to the lawe and his discipline then to the gospel and the liberty thereof 2. Cor 3. Gal. 4. 5. Is God then subiect to repentance and to the alteration of his purpose No. Yea hee knoweth what thing is fit for all times of the world The Physition c. Shaking doth signifie the remoouing of vnstable thinges as of thinges made with handes that the things which are stable may remaine These wordes may bee vnderstoode of the abrogation of the Ceremonies of the lawe of the instruments of the Leuiticall administration For the apostle calleth the Tabernacle which was made with handes together with all his vessels and the Leuiticall administration vnstable things and thinges made with hands The alteration thereof dooth hée call the abolishing and abrogating of them The thinges which are stable are the reasonable seruice and the obedience of faith These thinges will the Lord haue done in spirite and truth who grant vs grace with readines and constancie to obey him so that the holy name of God may be glorified by vs. Amen 36. Lect. March 18. Verse 8. And I will mooue all nations and the desire of all the Gentiles shall come I wil fill this house with glorie saith the Lord of hostes WHen-as here-tofore I did declare the disposition of the argumēts which Haggeus doth vse I tolde you that the fift and sixt demonstrations were comprehended in this eight verse and that the fifte was drawne from the giuing of the Messias and from his maiestie the sixt from that which should follow namely the glorie of the seconde Temple which the prophet doth amplifie by an opposition
HAGGEVS the Prophet Where-vnto is added a most plentifull commentary gathered out of the publique Lectures of D. Iohn Iames Gryneus professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Basill and now first published Faithfully translated out of Latin into English by Christopher Fetherstone student in Diuinitie LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger dwelling in Paternoster-row at the signe of the Golden Anchor 1586. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HOnorable and my very good Lord Iohn Lord Saint Iohn Baron of Bletsoe Grace and Peace with great encrease of honour WHen I call to minde right honorable the buildinge of the Lordes Temple by the Iewes of elder dayes and there-withall take a vew of the truth of that materiall temple of the Church I meane generally and more particularly here in England this angle of the world me thinks I may full wel compare these two buildings together whether wee respect the causes inforcinge or the hinderances lettinge or the punishments by the Lorde inflicted for not going forwarde in his woorke For the causes which ought to haue bene as prickes goades spurs to the Iewes were these principally First the choise which the Lord had made of them For seeing that the Lord had chosen them out of all nations countries tongues and people for of all the trees of the wood God chose one onely Vyne of all the fowles of the ayre one onely Doue of all the nations of the world one onely Iudea of all the cities of the world Hierusalem alone that he might build his Temple on high and put his name there and seeing that being iealouse of his glory carefull for his worship which the Heathen coulde not giue him for they had not called vpō his name but Hierusalem was the place of his rest there would hee be called vpon and for this cause would hee haue the Temple built at the first it stoode them vpon if they woulde escape the crime of impietie and ingratitude to build the Lordes house Another the remembrance of their deliuerance out of their late captiuitie where for solace they had sorrowe and pro socco saccum where in steed of their owne vynes which they some-times had and vnder which they were wont to sit they had Wyllowe-trees where-on they hanged their harps as being vnable to sing the Lords song Seeing that the Lord had deliuered them out of a nation so polluted as was this where they saw those Gods worshipped which neither they nor their fathers knewe had brought them backe againe to their owne countrie that they might worship the liuing God according to his law and that in his holy Temple what madnes mooued them to delay the building of the Lordes house If the consideration of those things could not haue serued to enforce them yet the other ought to haue drawen them as that Cyrus the king of Persia had cōmanded them and that the Lord of heauen had giuen them this in charge and had for this cause shortned their captiuitie But they were letted and that first outwardly and secondly inwardly Outwardly by the enimies of Iuda and Hierusalem who when the Lyons force coulde not preuaile assayed by foxes crafte to hinder the Lords building Inwardly they were le ts to them-selues because they sought their owne thinges and not the thinges of the Lord they preferred their owne affaires before the Lordes their owne buildings before the Lords house and their feete were swift to build their owne sieled houses where in they them-selues might dwell but they went with leaden heeles about the place of the Lords rest which lay in ruinous maner But as they had sinned so were they punished and that euen in those thinges which they preferred before the Lords affaires For the Lord with-drewe his blessing it pleased him to inflict a curse vpon them which Haggai doth in ample maner set downe namely that they did sowe much gathered in but a litle they did eate but they were not satisfied they did drink but their thirst was not quenched they were cloathed but they felt no warmth those which hyred them-selues out for wages receiued wages as in a bottomelesse bagge which did profit them nothing These were their plagues and many moe which to explicate I need not for why they sufficiently expound themselues But nowe let vs looke into our owne state Though the Lorde hath not chosen vs alone out all nations to call vpon his name yet hath it pleased him to call vs out of darknes into light to bring vs from horrible superstition and Gentilisme which raigned some times in this our nation and to giue vs his woorde to be a light to our paths and a lanterne to our feete in this dark and misty world and therefore are we bound to build a Church vnto the Lord as were the Iewes to build a temple that in the same the Lord may bee worshipped seeing the wall of seperation is taken away and the houre is come that neither in the mounte neither at Hierusalem the Lord is worshipped but the true worshippers doe worship him in spirit and truth Againe though our captiuity from Babyloin of the Assyrians hath not bene turned as the riuers in the south yet hath the Lorde brought vs in some measure from the captiuity of that romish Babylon out of which we ought so to depart that we ought to touche none of her vncleane thinges and that to the ende wee may worship him sincerely and with an holie worship and therefore ought we to build the Lords Temple Againe though Cyrus the king of Persia hath not enioyned vs this thinge yet Cyrus the Lordes sheepheard as the prophet tearmeth him hath cōmaunded vs and why doe we not then erect the ruinous walls of Hierusalem But alas for woe too many are our lettes For outwardely wee are letted by the enimies of Iuda and Hierusalem the papists I meane who though they can not by violence hinder our labour because the Lord hath cōpassed in his Vine with a brasen wall whose hedge is not yet broken downe yet by secret meanes they vnderminde our worke because they wil beare a showe of building they build with vntempered morter or rather vnder colour of building a Temple to the Lord they set vp a Synagogue to Satan yea by sattle meanes they steale away those stones which we shoulde lay in the Lords buildinge that they may bee corner stones in their ruinous worke These are no small lets but the more the pitty we haue as great amonge our selues And the first of these seemeth to bee the silence of those which haue some-times laboured painefullie whose worke is in daunger to decay if storme and tempest shoulde arise An-other let there is and that is the labourers want their wages by reason of the vnsatiable couetousnes of the men of our daies which will not suffer them to let goe the spoiles of the Church impropriations I meane Againe amongst the builders there bee those which fill the
greatly erre which doe thinke that we reape no commoditie by aduersitie which is sent vnto vs by God And although I doe in heart bewayle the manifolde ruine of â—ens affaires empires the perturbations and laying waste of the church the exile of the godlie the successe of hypocrites which are wonte almost to worke the vtter destruction of the godlie yet notwithstanding as I doe acknowledge all these miseries to proceede from these miscre antes so nothing doubting but that God vseth these thinges to his glory and our triall I repeat that saying of Dauid I held my peace Psal 39. 10. and opened not my lippes because thou hast done it For it cannot bee that a godlie minde beholdinge firste of all the enormities and tumultes which are to bee founde in certaine churches and vniuersities the banishment of godlie ministers the subtiltie and successe of certaine hypocrites the delighte which they take in those which are of high degree and also those men which are of base estate then secondlie the wicked ioy which the papistes coÌ„ceiue of the calamities of the godlie beholding all these things most gladlie the vaine hope which they haue of the restoring of Antichristianisme can be at quiet vnlesse turning vnto God who maketh all thinges for him-selfe euen the wicked against the euill Pro. 16. 4. daie it say with Dauid Therefore I thought vppon this in knowing it but it was a griefe in my eyes vntill I entred into the Sanctuarie of God and vnderstoode the ende of these men Certainelie thou settest them in slipperie places thou throwest them downe headlong Furthermore whom shall wee Psal 73. 16. 17. 18. thanke for these harbouâ—oughes and hospitals of the godlie teachers learners which are in some prouinces of Europe but the lord our God to whom the Psalmist did sometime say Thou preparest a table in my sight before myne enimies thou annoyntest my head with oyle my cup Psalm 23. 5. runneth ouer Secondlie when I consider the benefit of my redemption I giue thankes to my Lorde Iesus Christe both God and man who was crucified and raised vp againe for our sakes who sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie giueth giftes vnto men maketh intercession for vs and shal come out of the heauens at his time to iudge the quicke and the deade For I do know that he is present Mat. 28. 20. with vs and that he will be present with his church vntill the end of the world And forasmuch as he is true and the truth it selfe forasmuch as he is almightie almightines it selfe I am perswaded that he will not leaue Ioh. 14. 18. vs destitute but that hee will giue vs eternall life that we shall not perish for euer and that Ioh. 10. 28. no man is able to plucke vs out of his hands If wee were not made members of his body beinge made one body with him if Eph. 5. 30. wee were not fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones if wee had not bene planted with him and growen vp with him in the similitude Rom. 6. 5. of his death and resurrection If finallie that highe priest of ours Christe Iesus were not touched with the feeling of our infirmities then were there great reason why wee shoulde neither receiue anie comforte pleasure throughout our whole life by prosperity neither shoulde aduersity suffer anie hope of deliueraunce from so great miseries to remaine in vs. * For what doth it profit a man if hee winne the whole world and destroy Luke 9. 25. himselfe or loose him-selfe But we are assured in our heartes the spirite of Christe bearing witnes vnto our spirite that wee are one bodie with him that wee are ingrafted into him and that hee is throughlie touched with the feeling of our infirmities Therefore in him alone do we reioyce who is made vnto vs of God our wisedome righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. 30. sanctification and redemption * and we know assuredlie that we are more then conquerors through him who hath loued vs and that neither death nor life nor Angell nor principalitie nor power nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anie other thinge which is created is able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Rom. â— 37. 38. 39. Psalm 110. 2. Christe Iesus our Lord. * Christe raigneth hee raigneth in the middest of his enimies therefore shall his kingdome come vnto vs and the workes of the Mat. 6. 1. Ioh. 3. 8. deuill shal be loosed * Hee shall beate downe Satan vnder our feete and that shortly * Rom. 16. 20. Let vs not doubt but that hee shall shortly reuenge his glorie euen vpon those which in worde doe professe but in deede doe denie that Christe is come in the fleshe For the 1. Ioh. 4. 3. same Christe our Lorde shall confounde and ouerthrow this spirite of Antichrist with the breath of his mouth who is in deede made partaker of our fleshe and bloude but without sinne * Heb. 2. 14. All sorrowe departeth when wee haue once receiued Christe This is a true saying For if wee bee deade with him wee shall also liue 2. Tim. 2. 11. 12. with him If wee suffer with him wee shall also raigne with him * It is better for vs to Rom. 8. 29. bee made like vnto his image and denying Mat. 16. 24. our selues to take vppe the crosse and to followe such a guide which will leade vs vnto Act. 3. 15. to life finallie it is better for vs to suffer affliction with the people of God then to inioy Heb. 11. 25. the pleasures of sinne for a season * I proceede from the benefit of our redemption vnto the thirde thing which is sanctification If wee did in very deede trie that wee are profane and aliantes from God that wee are not onely borne in sinne and therein remayne during our whole lyfe but also that wee dye therein and by reason thereof are both in our lyfe and death abhominable in the sight of God then were wee most miserable hauing no hope and being quite destitute of God in the worlde and of all true coÌ„â—olation But it is good for vs that being segregated to bee Gods owne peculiar people proper to him-selfe God the father of mercy and of all consolation doth by his holy spirite sanctifie vs regenerate vs raise vs vp and comforte vs that hee will haue the same spirite to bee the pleadge and earnest of our inheritaunce vntill wee bee set at liberty to the praise of his glorie * Eph. 1. 14. The godly mindes doe perceaue that in this dauÌ„gerous and continuall warfare of the naturall life they haue neede of instruction exhortation consolation hope patience constancie and many moe giftes then these and they do alwaies freelie confesse with Ieremy Wee knowe O Lord that mans way is not his owne way neither is it in
remember that they are Temples of God for this cause let them loue Christ that by his spirite they may be more and more restored and renued Haggeus the Prophet The argument of the first Chapter 1 The discription of the circumstances of the time The iudiciall kinde is such as is vsed in accusing of a man or in defending of him The deliberatiue kinde of oration is such as is vsed to persuade a man to do a thing or to deswade him froÌ„ doing of it the persons and matters is comprehended in the 1. and 2. verses 2 Hereunto is annexed an oration partly of the iudiciall kinde and partly of the * deliberatiue kinde For first of all the Prophet sheweth that the Jewes had greouously offended in that they had in al hast and with great expedition builded their owne houses neglecting the restoring of the holy teÌ„ple of the Lord. Secondly he sheweth how the Lord had chastned theÌ„ Lastly he exhorteth theÌ„ vnto the building of the Temple adding a most large promise of the blessing of God wherewith they shoulde be enriched if they did their duetie as they ought from the third verse vntill th end of the eleuenth verse 3 A laudatorie narration of the obedience of the Princes and people of the Iewes vnto the end of the Chapter Cap. 1. 1 IN the second yeere of King Darius in the sixt moneth the first day of the moneth was the worde of the Lord in the hand of Haggeus the prophet vnto Zerubabell sonne of Salthiel captaine of Iehuda and Iehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the chiefe priest that he should say 2 Thus hath the Lord God of hostes said in saying This people hath saide The time is not yet come the time I say that the house of the Lorde shoulde be builded 3 The worde of the Lord was therefore in the hand of Haggeus the prophet that hee should say 4 Whether or no o yee is the time come that yee shoulde dwell in your sieled houses and that this house should lie wast 5 Nowe therefore the Lord of hostes hath thus spoken Sette your heartes vppon your wayes 6 Yee shall sowe much and bring in litle ye shal eate and not be satisfied ye shal drinke and not bee dronken yee shall cloath your selues and not bee warme and hee that shall place himselfe for wages hee shall place himselfe for wages which shall be as if it did fall into a bottomlesse bagge 7 Thus hath the Lorde of hostes spoken Set your hartes vpon your wayes 8 Goe vp into the mountayne and bring thence woode and builde my house and I will be fauourable therein and I will be glorified saith the Lorde 9 Yee shall looke vnto much and behold it is but a little and ye haue brought it into the house but I blowe vppon it For what cause saith the Lorde of hostes For my house which lyeth wast and yee runne euery one into his owne house 10 Therefore hath the heauen shutte it selfe vpon you that it may not giue you dew the earth also hath shutte her selfe that shee may not giue her fruite 11 And I haue called a drought vpon this lande and vpon the mountaines and vppon the wheate and vpon the wine and vpon the oyle and furthermore vpon men and vpon the cattell and vppon all the labour of the handes 12 And Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel and Iehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and all the remnaunt of the people hearde the voice of the Lorde their God and the wordes of Haggeus the Prophet as the Lorde their God had sent him and the people did feare before the face of the Lord. 13 Therefore saide Haggeus the ambassadour of the Lorde in the ambassage of the Lord vnto the people saying I am with you saith the Lorde 14 And the Lorde stirred vp the spirit of Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel captaine of Iehuda and the spirite of Jehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and the spirite of all the rest of the people and they entred in and did the worke in the house of the Lorde of hostes their God The argument of the seconde Chapter 1 An oracle of the great glory of the seconde temple wherein the Messias shoulde teach It is contained in the 10 first verses 2 An other oracle consisting vpon a Parable and an answere where hee teacheth that the sacrifices of the Iewes haue beene and are prophane which were and are offred without faith ver 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 3 The curse which shall befall those which onely seeke those thinges which are their owne and not those thinges which are Gods ver 16. 17. 18. 4 A promise that those shall bee blessed which repent ver 19. 20. 5 The last oracle of the preseruation of the Church and commonwealth of the Iewes Zerubabâ—ll being a figure of Christ hath this excellent title giuen him that he is a signet vpon the Lords hande 1 IN the fower and twentith day of the sixt moneth in the seconde yeere of Darius 2 In the seauenth moneth in the one and twentith day of the same moneth was the worde of the Lorde in the hande of Haggeus the prophet saying 3 Say nowe vnto Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel the captaine of Iehuda and vnto Iehosua the soÌ„ne of Iehosadac the high priest and vnto the remnant of the people saying 4 Who is there amongst you lefte which hath seene this house in her former glory and howe doe you see it nowe Is it not so as if it were not in your eyes 5 But nowe strengthen thy selfe Zerubabel saith the Lorde strengthen thy selfe Iehosua thou sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and strengthen thy selfe all thou the people of this lande saith the Lord and worke because I am with you saith the Lorde God of hostes 6 And I will doe the worde which I couenaÌ„ted with you when ye came out of Aegypt my spirite also shall stande in the middest of you feare not 7 For thus saith the Lorde God of hostes Yet a little and I will shake the heauen and earth and the sea and the drie lande 8 And I will moue all nations and the desire of the Gentiles shall come and I will fill this house with glorie saith the Lorde God of hostes 9 The siluer is mine and the golde is mine saith the Lorde God of hostes 10 The glorie of this latter house shall be greater then the glory of the former saith the Lorde God of hostes and in this place will I geue peace saith the Lord God of hostes 11 The fower and twentith daye of the ninth moneth in the seconde yeere of Darius was the worde of the Lorde in the hande of Haggeus the prophet saying 12 Thus saith the Lorde of hostes aske nowe the priestes the lawe saying 13 If any man shall carrie holy flesh in the skirtes of his garment and he shal touch with his skirte bread or pottage or wine or oyle or any manner of meate shall it be made
holy And the priestes answered and said No. 14 Then saide Haggeus If one that is polluted because of the dead carcas of a man shall touch any of these thinges shall it bee vncleane And the priestes answered and saide It shall be vncleane 15 Therefore Haggai beganne to say thus So is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lorde and so is all the worke of their handes and whatsoeuer they offer here it is vncleane 16 Nowe therefore set your hartes I pray you from this day and vpwarde before the workemen did lay one stone vpon another in the temple of the Lorde 17 Before they were in that worke the husbandman did come vnto an heape of twentie bushels and it was ten bushels when the dresser of the vineyard came vnto the winepresse that hee might drawe out fiftie hogsheades of wine out of the wine-presse there was but twentie 18 I haue smitten you with drought and meldewe and with haile all the workes of your handes and yee did not turne vnto mee saith the Lorde 19 Set nowe your heartes from this daye and vpwarde I say from the fower and twentith day of the ninth moneth that is frō the day wherein the foundaiion of the temple of the Lord was laid set your heart 20 Is there as yet seede in the barne Furthermore the vine and figgetree and pomgranate and the olyue tree hath not as yet brought foorth fruite I will blesse you from this daye 21 And the Worde of the Lorde was vnto Haggai the seconde time in the fower and twentith day of the same moneth that hee should say 22 Speake vnto Zerubabel the captayne of Iehuda saying I am about to shake the heauen and earth 23 And I will ouerthrowe the throne of kingdomes and I will destroye the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen and I will ouerthrowe their chariots and those which ride in them and the horses and they which shall ride vppon them shall come downe euery one with the sworde of his fellow 24 In that day saith the Lorde of hostes will I take vp thee Zerubabel thou sonne of Sealthiel my seruaunt saith the Lorde and I will set thee as my signet because I haue chosen thee saith the Lorde God of hostes The ende of the prophesie of Haggeus THE LECTVRES OF Iohn Iames Gryneus vpon the booke of Haggeus the Prophet BEcause in the notes vpō Haggeus wee haue touched those 1. Lect. 19. Oct. 1579 things which were to bee spoken of his booke in stéede of a preface it séemeth good to mée in this first lecture first of all to speake in generall of the Prophets that we may know what we ought to thinke generally concerning them and what accompt wée ought to make of them Secondly if time permit I will speake by name of Haggeus and of his authoritie Lastly I wil briefly note to you the causes for which I tooke in hande the interpretation of the same Prophet A methode concerning the Prophets according to certaine places of inuention 1 The selfe same men were called in times Notation past both Seers and Prophets In times past in Israel euery one said on this wise when he went to aske an answere of God Come let vs goe vnto the Seer because he which is called a Prophet at this day was in times past called a Seer They were called Seers in respect of the cause and also of the effect I call the vision shewed vnto them by the Lorde the cause which did instruct the Prophets in great matters The heauens Paul calleth it Reuelation by the general name were opened and I sawe the visions of God* But Daniel vnderstoode all the vision and the dreames I call the light of the minde and the excellent knowledge of the oracles Ezech. 1. 1. Dan. 1. 17. of God the Effect wherein the Prophets did excell all other men And it seemeth they were called Prophets for this cause because they were interpreters of the will of God according to the commaundement of God which Paul calleth Interpretation* 1. Cor. 14. Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet that is thine interpreter* Wee reade that Exo. 7. 1. some men haue attained vnto this gift by vse as Iesaias and that other some receyued the same at the handes of God forasmuch as they were called vnto the office of prophesying farre contrarie Ier. 1. 6. 7. to their expectation as Ieremie* and Amos* Amos. 7. 14. 15. This words Prophet is not affirmed of diuers sortes of men in one and the same respect in the holy Scriptures For it is attributed The diuers significations of this word Prophet Tit. 1. 12. vnto the heathenish Poetes improperly A certaine man of them being their own Prophet said the Cretians are alwayes lyers euill beastes slowe bellies* 2 Secondly this worde Prophet is affirmed Which is whe◠diuers thinges are called by one name Isa 9. 15. Is 28. 7. of the false Prophets Equiuocè The Prophet which teacheth lies hee is the taile* The Priest and the Prophet haue erred because of stronge drinke they are swallowed vppe because of wine they haue gone astray through drinke they haue erred in the vision they haue stumbled in iudgement 3 Thirdly this worde Prophete is taken by transsumption somtimes for the doctrine of the Prophets somtimes for their bookes Think not that I am come to destroye the lawe or Mat. 5. 17. the Prophets * that is their doctrine It is written in the Prophets And they shall bee Iohn 6. 45 all taught of God * 4 Fourthly it is taken properly as in these sayinges Wee see not our signes neither is their a prophet any more neither is there with vs any that vnderstandeth any more * Psal 74. 9. And againe I haue made thee the prophet of Ier. 1. 5. the Gentiles * 5 Fiftly according to the most principall signification Iohn 1. 4. Deut. 18. Christ is saide to bee that Prophet which should come I thought good to note thus much concerning the diuers significations of the worde Euerie Prophete is the seruaunt of God 3. Genus but not on the contrary Synce the day that your fathers went out of the lande of Egypt vntill this daye haue I sent vnto you all my seruauntes the Prophets rising day by daye early in the morning and sending them Ob. Your sōnes your daughters shal prophesie Ioel. 2. 28. * Therefore all the seruauntes of God are Prophets An. I answere that there is a fallacie which is called * Fallacia Aequiuocationis in this word Which is when a worde hath diuers significations Prophesie because in the saying of Ioel it is taken generally for the general confession of those which doe with the heart beléeue vnto righteousnesse But we doe nowe speake of the degrée of that good order and discipline which God hath appointed in his Church namely of the propheticall office in speciall All the Prophets were
either of them must doe that which is for him to doe The Syllogisme framed concerning the distributiue iustice is well worth the remembring Ma. It is certayne that wée haue no lesse néede of the thinges them-selues for life then of the degrees and offices which serue for the lawfull ordering thereof Mi. But wée haue néede of such things as doe appertaine vnto the sustentation of the life wée haue néede to be instructed concerning God and wée haue néede to be gouerned Con. Therefore the domesticall order the ecclesiasticall order and ciuill order are very necessary and least there should be a certaine barbarous confusion euery man must doe that only which vnto his function appertaineth Yet so that they doe alwaies remember that 6. Position they do worke together For like as all the powers which are in man do agrée together to work his safety so it becommeth all estates of Gods people to agrée together that there be no dissention in the fellowship of the saintes And God will haue them to geue place to mutuall 7. Position exhortation least anie shoulde waxe sluggish being discouraged with the tediousnes of troubles and vexations like as Zerubabell the captaine and Iehosua the priest were not discontented with those admonitions which were geuen them by the prophets ¶ An introduction OUr Lord Iesus Christ is in déede to be compared with all other For he is both the author of life and also an high priest after the order of Melchisadech alwaies liuing that he may make intercession for vs. Zerubabell and Iehosua were Types and figures of him For as they brought backe the Iewes into theâ— countrey so doth he bring vs into the celestialâ— countrey But wée shall speake els where morâ— at large of this matter 5. Lect. Nouem 2. 1579. Verse 2. THus saith the Lord God of hosts saying this people hath said The time is not yet come the time I say that the house of the Lord should be builded Although this be but a very short oration yet is it so full of matter that it is a most excellent example of the common prouerbe There is a grace adioyned vnto small thinges There is in the writinges of the prophets a peculiar and an holie kinde of breuitye concerninge which Gregorie Nazianzene saith finely in a certaine epistle That is not breuitie which is thought to bee breuitie namelie to write fewe syllables but to comprehend manie thinges in a fewe syllables But like as when we behold a precious-stone we vse to inquire of the place whence it came of the colour and price thereof so in this briefe oration let vs consider these eight pointes in order both for teaching and also for learnings sake 1. What kinde of cause beareth the greatest sway herein 2. In whose name it was made 3. Vnto whom it was chiefly directed 4. Who was the Witnes and Procurator which made the same 5. Of what maner speach it consisteth 6. What is the state thereof 7. Concerning what things it was made 8. What is the ende and vse of this whole oration 1. Of the kinde of cause THose orations doe appertaine vnto the iudiciall kinde of cause wherein are reprehended the vnrighteousnes and vngodlines of men and also both their publike and priuate faultes And in this speach though it bee but short is the people of the Iewes most sharplie reprehended both because they onelie sought after those things which doe appertaine vnto this life and also because they had no regarde of the heauenlie treasures and of the true worship of God It is greatlie to be feared that that complaint which the prophet here maketh of the people of the Iewes may be truely maâ—e of the greatest parte of men The matter it selfe doth testifie that the prophesie of Christe Iesus our Lord is fulfilled in our age As were the daies of Noah so shall also the comming of the sonne of Mat. 24. 37. 38. 39. man bee For as in the daies which were before the floode they eate they dranke they maried wiues and were geuen in mariage vntill that daie wherein Noah entred into the Arke neither knewe they the floode vntill it came and tooke them all awaie so shall the comming of the sonne of man bee 2. In whose name this oration was made THese thinges were published in the name of the Lord of hostes Wée haue spoken at large els where of this word * Iehouah Therefore wee will in this Iehouah place only speake a worde or two by way of distinction for the yonger sorts sake The word Iehouah doth properlie betoken the eternall essence * Yet such an essence as Exod. 3. 14. procéedeth not from any other from which procéede all thinges and which ruleth all thinges Therefore it agréeth vnto no creature no not vnto the humane nature which is in Christe And it is vsed likeas also this woorde Lorde sometimes essentially sometime personallie Neither is it restrayned vnto the person of the father onely In a diuerse respect Iehouah or the Lord is is not the father of the Word He is in respect of his person hee is not in respect of his essence For the Word is called and is the sonne of the father not of the essence But let vs come vnto the matter it selfe If at any time God himselfe be said to reprehend the workes of men let vs call to minde these most weightie Aphorismes First concerninge the presence of God The Lorde looketh downe from heauen he beholdeth all the sonnes of Psalm 132. 13. Gen. 11. 18. men * GOD is a beholder who inquireth most diligentlie after the life and workes of men * Secondly concerning the iudgement of God The Lord doth iudge the people * Psalm 7. 9. And althoughe hee doe sometimes deferre his iudgements neuerthelesse hee doth execute the same in their time The heathen men also learned this by experience whereupon this prouerbe did rise The Gods haue wollen feete Thirdlie concerning the wrath of God The wrath of God is reuealed from heaueÌ„ against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men which with-holde the truth in vnrighteousnes * Publike punishmeÌ„ts as plague famine Rom. 1. 18. warre are testimonyes of Gods wrath against the sinnes of men In like sorte priuate euils as blindnes of heart a reprobate minde coÌ„tempt and despising of the truth labour spent in vayne in studdy in other businesses These and such like testimonies of Gods curse are like sermons which the Lord maketh from heauen vnto vs that hée may bring vs vnto the knowledge and féeling of our sinnes God graunt that wee beholding the woorkes of the Lorde may not bée swallowed vp with sorrow but that féeling the hand of the Lorde wee may humble our selues vnder his mightie hand and bring forth fruites worthie of repentance so that those suffringes which are vnto vs nothing pleasaunt may bée made vnto vs wholesome instructions according to the saying Before I was humbled I did goe astraie but now
I doe keepe thy commaundements * Psal 119. 3. Vnto whom the oration in this 6. Lect. Nouem 3. verse was chiefly directed IT is without all doubt that these woordes Apostrophe were spoken vnto Zerubabel the Captaine and Iosua the high Priest who were then chiefe rulers amongst the people of the Iewes For wee may gather so much both out of the verse going before and also out of the thinge it selfe That there may reformation of enormities A position bee had the Magistrates and Pastours of the Church are to bee called vnto the consideration thereof Reason 1 First because it is much auaileable vnto the Church and Common-wealth that the magistrates shoulde neither bee ignoraunt of the enormities which doe raigne therein neither should they winke at the same 2 Secondly it becommeth these two orders and degrees to consent together so that Moses and Aaron may help one another for the Common-wealths sake 3 Thirdly it is certaine that God working by meanes doth vse these fellowe labourers to the rooting out of euill and planting of good 4. But what witnes or procurator did the Lord vse in this action HEe vsed Haggeus who also for the testifying of that matter said not Thus saith Haggeus but Thus saith the Lord God of hostes A position 1 No man taketh to him-selfe honour vnles hee bee called of God as was Aaron Heb. 4. 4. Of calling 2 A man can receiue nothing vnles it shal be giuen him from heauen * Ioh. 3. 27. Of 2. Pet. 1. 21. 1. Thess 2. 3. the giftes and dignitie of euery man 3 Forasmuch as the holie men of God did speake as they were mooued by the holie ghost * wee ought to receiue their words as the words of God and not of men 4 It is modestie and truth becomming the seruauntes of God to acknowledge to haue receiued the oracles of the holy ghost onely at the handes of God 5. What maner of speeche hee vsed THe Prophet vseth a counterfaytinge of the speech of the people that hee might amplifie the vnworthines of the matter As if hee shoulde haue saide This vnthankefull people haue this alwayes in their mouth The time is not yet come that the Temple of the Lord shoulde bee builded But it appeereth that they care especiallie for their owne houses and their owne commodities In like sorte it is said in Ezechiel * What Ezech. 18. 32. meane you that you speake this Parable parabolicallie vpon the lande of Israel The Fathers haue eaten sower grapes the Childrens teeth are set on edge c. 1 Wee must beware of those words which A position smell of incredulitie 2 And it is a token of incredulity for men to prescribe a time at their owne pleasure for these things which ought at all times to be done to the glorie of God 3 If wee must giue an accompt of euerie idle word much more of that which is blasphemously spoken against God Wee knowe the olde sayinge GOD is blasphemed by that wisedome which hee abhorreth And hee is blasphemed whenas words and speeches are spread abroade which are repugnaunt vnto his will The saying of Plato in his second Booke de Repub is worthy to bée remembred It appeereth that God is vnto no man the cause of euill being him-selfe good and by all meanes resisting euill neither doth it become anie man to saie so in his Cittie if hee will bee gouerned with good lawes neither ought anie man to heare anie either younge or olde telling fables either with measure or without measure if hee neither speake such honest things as are to bee spoken neither such thinges as are profitable for vs either such thinges as doe not hange well together And Plato addeth afterwardes two Lawes The first whereof is this that God is the cause of good thinges the seconde that God is not a deceiuer c. These thinges doe I speake that the younger sorte may vnderstand with what reuerence and howe religiously the sounder sorte of the Ethnickes did iudge it became them both to thinke and speake of God Howe reuerentlie ought wee to speake of his essence his will his iudgement which haue receiued the gift of the holy ghost 4 It is so farre off that GOD doth take in good parte reprochfull woordes vttered against him that hee will not haue vs to vtter the same against our brethren Thou sufferest thy mouth to speake euill thy tongue worketh deceit Moreouer thou speakest against thy brother thou slaunderest thyne owne mothers sonne These things hast thou Psal 50. 16. 20. done and I held my tongue thou thoughtest that I am like vnto thee but I will reprooue thee and set thy sinnes in order before thee 7. Lect. Nouemb. 4. 6. The state of the oration THe state of this oration is iurediciall For the question is whether it stoode with equity and pietie that the people of the Iewes did so longe deferre the restoringe of the Temple or no Haggeus hauing confuted the reason which the Iewes broughte in defence of their negligence doth teach that it did neither stand with equity neither yet with piety y◠they did so longe deferre the restoring of the temple This was the argument which the Iewes did vse There is a time to plucke downe and there is a time to builde vp Eccle. 3. 3. But the time is not yet come that the house of the Lord should bee builded therefore are not wee to be reprooued for our slacknes in building the house of the Lord. 7. Concerning what things this oration was chiefly made THat it may appeere what greate mischiefe was packed in this thinge let vs see what things the prophet doth chiefelie intreate of in this oration And wee will follow the course of the cōmon places of the state iurediciall as Lawe Custome Nature Equitie Couenant 1 The will of GOD is the highest and Lawe most iust lawe But GOD woulde haue his Temple restored and for this cause had hée raysed vp Haggeus and Zacharias the prophetes that they might bee Witnesses and Haraldes to proclaime his will openly 2 That which was appointed and assigned Custome by God to the religious custome of the Church of Israell could not bee neglected without committinge of a most haynous offence But the Temple of Hierusalem was in times past builded to that intent that the Israelites shoulde there méete together thrise euery yeere and shoulde doe holy worship therein For as yet the time was not come whereof Christ spake Iohn 4. 21. The houre commeth whenas yee shall neither in this mountaine neither at Hierusalem worship the father 3 What sway Nature ought to beare in Natur◠this case wée may sée euen by these disputations of Plato wherein hée teacheth in what place Temples are to bée builded And he forbiddeth to bring the weapons which are taken from the enimies into the Temples And although GOD doth not dwell in Temples made with handes yet woulde hée haue the
when all things are quiete and in time of prosperitie that is which thinke that wee can be builded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles and that wee can bee brought vnto the kingdome of the euerlasting father by these middle honours ioyes and good successes which we haue in this life For as the heathen man saith In rebus arduis prodit se virtus Vertue sheweth her selfe in harde matters So that the Church wheÌ„ it groneth vnder the crosse addeth vnto faith vertue vnto vertue 2. Pet. 1. 5. 6. knowledge vnto knowledge temperance vnto temperance patience * c. Now let vs see how strong that demonstration is which our prophet Haggai setteth against yâ— fallacy and subtile reason which was framed by the Iewes There is greater regard to bee had vnto him who is most good most wise most iust c. and the author of al goodnes throughout the whole world then vnto all creatures This proposition is a principle which is written by God in the harts of all men which teacheth vs to attribute more vnto our most liberal creator then to al the things which are created and also to obey serue him Mat. 19. 17. Iam. 1. 17. readely sincerely and constantly But the Lord our God is most good most wise most iust and from him alone commeth euery good perfecte gift Therfore séeing he will haue a temple built for himselfe and the worship which is due vnto him to be giuen him there we are to let passe al other busines and letts and onely to apply the building thereof day and night The Rhetoricall arte Our Prophet doth amplifie the vnworthines or haynousnes of the matter by vsing certaine figures which are these which followe 1. An Apostrophe or reuersion O ye Iewes As of he should haue said I do not now speake vnto the heathenish Atheists of the worlde but vnto the Jewes the children of the Prophets and of the couenaunt which God made with the Fathers as saith Peter * Such an Apostrophe or reuersion is founde Rom. 2. 17. Behold thou art syrnamed a Iewe and thou resteâ—t vpon the law thou makest thy bost of God 2 An Eironia or a taunting I warrant you the time is nowe come in which you must neglect the temple of the Lorde and build and garnish your owne houses Such tauntings are vsed Gen. 3. Beholde man is as one of vs. And againe Sleepe and take your rest Mat. 26. 3 An interrogation or question Is it now a fit time for you to neglect the TeÌ„ple of the Lord 1. Cor. 10. â—0 and to be occupied about your owne buildinges The answere is vnderstood No. For we ought at no time to bee more carefull for those thinges which serue to the sustentation of this life then for the worship of God Herodotus saith verie wel Diuina sunt antiquiora potiora humanis The things which are Gods are both more ancient and also better then the thinges which are mans And Paul wold haue al other things to serue to the sanctifying of the name of God Whether therfore you eat or drink or whatsoeuer you doe do all to the glory of God * 11. Lect. Nouemb. 20. 1579. The application of this saying of Haggeus vnto ourselues Nowe that we may goe from the argument vnto the position we must fully determine with our selues that nothing which is created must be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christe Iesus our Lorde * And that we Rom. 8. 36. ought to preferre nothing which is in heauen or earth before God And that the feare of the Lord is our treasure * The fountaine from which this position springeth Isay 33. 6. is the lawe of God Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength Deut. 6. 5. Luk. 10. 27. And the same is most notably expounded in Ieremie Cap. 9. 23. 24. Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedom nor the stronge man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but let him that reioyceth reioyce in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord which shewe mercie iudgement and iustice in the earth for these thinges will I sayth the Lorde Séeing these things are so who seeth not that all thinges must serue God to the worshiping of him and that we ought not to make so great accompt of any thing as of God and of his holy and holesome will Nowe forasmuch as Aristotle saith and that truely that doctrine is attayned vnto by Syllogisme and Induction wée will vse these two instruments to prooue this position withall Demonstratiue syllogismes 1 The order which God hath appoynted séeing the it is a most manifest testimony of his diuine wisedome and goodnes is not to be altered For it is not méete that the clay should contend with the Potter that is that man should contend with GOD about the praise of wisedome But this is an eternall and immutable order appointed by God that mans affaires all other thinges should giue place to the things which are his For it is most méete that all other thinges should giue place to that which is the infinite good thinge Therefore we must attribute much more vnto the thinges which are Gods then to all thinges which are in this worlde 2 The effect which is * finite is not to bée Or conteyned within a certaine compasse compared with ne yet to bee preferred before the efficient cause whose goodnes might and wisedome is infinite For there is no proportion or equality betwene that which is finite that which is infinite But man is the creature of God compassed about with beginning and space both of time and place Psalm 100. 3. Knowe yee that the Lord hee is God hee hath made vs and not wee our selues And GOD is a spirit vncreated eternall with-out beginninge almighty c. Therefore we ought to haue greatest respect vnto him in all our affaires and actions 3 It is better to obey that will which is vnchaungeably good and whose effects are good then the will which is chaungeable and whose effects are vnlike one to another But the will of God is vnchaungeably good the will of man is chaungeable Therefore must we rather obey the will of God then of man 4 The affaires which are proper to the spirituall life and serue to the glory of God and our owne edification are neither to be quite omitted nor yet deferred for these affaires which are proper onlâ—e to the naturall life and serue for the same onely But vnto the former sorte doe appertaine the exercises of godlines vnto the latter the houshold ciuill affaires Therefore although these houshold and ciuill affaires are not quite to bée omitted yet for their sakes are not the exercyses of godlines eyther to bee let slip or to be done onely for fashions sake or
40. 2. To vnderstand with the heart Mat. 13. 15. With a good and honest heart to heare the word of God and to keepe it and to bring forth fruite through patience Luk. 8. 15. Way doth signifie in this place the Cogitations counsels and affaires both domesticall ciuill and also holy whereunto the Iewes were so addicted that they did in verie deede testifie that they were more delighted in earthly and frayle thinges then in heauenly eternall and spirituall things Of this inordinate kinde of life doth Ecclesiastes speake through-out his whole booke whose theme or proposition is this* Vanitie of vanities and all thinges are vanitie And before him the kingly psalmist saith* Trulie all things are vanitie euery man that standeth Selah Trulie man walketh in a vaine shadowe trulie they disquiet themselues in vaine he heapeth vp riches and he knoweth not who shall gather them Psal 39. 7. In the argument wée will first expounde the The argument sentence secondly we will declare the vse thereof The meaning of the words Sainte Hierome very godlily and in fewe wordes expoundeth this sentence on this wyse Because saith hee you say it is not tyme to builde the Lords house and you your selues dwell in houses whose foundations are lowe laide and my house lyeth waste consider I the Lord commaunding you and call to minde what you haue done and what you haue suffered The thinge it selfe declareth that God is angrie with you seeing that his iudgements are so manifest in reuealinge his ire from heauen against your vnrighteousnes and vngodlines The vse of these wordes is declared in these positions The vse of these wordes 1 The prophets and apostles in their sermons did call their hearers vnto the beholding of the thinges themselues and vnto the consideration of the workes of the Lorde so that they might not onely vnderstand what God sayd but also see what he did and that they might declare it abroade to the glorie of God Accordinge to that saying I will enter in into the strength of the Lorde GOD I will make mention of thy righteousnes onelie O GOD thou hast taught mee from my youth vp and hitherto haue I declared thy wondrous workes Psal 71. 14. 15. 16. 17. Furthermore it is meete that wee with a thankful minde do meditate not only vpon those thinges which God hath bestowed vpon vs particularly but also that we make great accompt of those benefits which the Lorde hath both in times past and also in our time bestowed vpon the whole Church and that wee doe laude and magnifie the author and giuer thereof For as in times past the Israelites in their holie Sermons made vnto the people and in their Songes and Psalmes made mention of their deliuerance out of their bondage wherewith they were oppressed in Egypt and also of all other benefits which the Lord had bestowed vpon them and their forefathers in the Wildernes and in the lande of Canaan so let vs well weigh and consider with our selues what benefits wee haue receiued at the handes of the Lord as that that the sonne of GOD was giuen for vs that the Lorde hath gathered together a Church amonge the Gentiles that hee hath wonderfully regenerated the same and that hee hath purged the heauenly doctrine from all the leauen of mans traditions and then let vs giue thankes to the sonne of GOD our Lord Jesus Christe and leade our liues according to the prescript and rule which hee hath appointed for vs. 2 Forasmuch as it is both wiselie and truelie saide of Salomon Pro. 16. 25. There is a waye that seemeth right vnto man but the ende thereof is the waie of death euen they which are in the Church are to bee exhorted that they diligently coÌ„sider with themselues what way they haue taken For there is a kinde of disease called selfe loue which so bewitcheth men that whiles they onely beholde the vertues and good thinges which are in them-selues and doe make great accompt thereof they couer their vices and make them lesse then they bee in-deede so that at length they fall fast a sleepe in the cradle of securitie and flatter them-selues in euill matters thinking that they are wise so longe as they do not wander out of the high-way wherein most men doe walke 13. Lect. Decemb. 1. A Position concerning the censure which man ought to haue of his lyfe and studies NOwe that wee may goe directly from the argument vnto the doctrine and that wée may intreate of the iudginge or decerning of the way which euerie mortall man hath taken least it shoulde bee an hard matter for the younger sorte to marke the course of the things whereof wee are about to speake wee will after our accustomed manner draw out all things by waye of distinction and also declare from whence they bee fet 1. Aphorisme God will haue vs diligentlie and earnestlie to ponder in our mindes the way of our life according to those sayings Psalm 32. 9. Bee â—as thing soeuer â— shalt doe â—fider well what â—ges thereto â—â—n prudentlie about â—oe â—arke whether thâ—nd â—ood or no. not as Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding c. Prou. 12. 15. The waie of a foole is right in his owne eyes and hee that obeyeth counsell is wise Pro. 15. 19. The waie of a sluggard is a thornie path but the Pythagoras path of the righteous is lifted vp Pro. 16. 9. The heart of man inuenteth his waie but Wherein haue offended what â—aue I doneâ— or â—hat part of my â—uty haue I oâ—itted the Lord directeth his goinges Psal 90. 12. Make vs to number our daies and so make vs wise 2. Aphorisme That this thing maie be both wiselie and commodiouslie brought to passe we must followe the iudgment of GOD and not the wisedome of the flesh For of that waie which the flesh alloweth and sheweth it is saide There is a waie which seemeth to man to bee good and the ende thereof leadeth vnto death Prouer. 14. 12. And most swéet and comfortable is that promise which God hath made I will instruct thee and teach thee what waie thou shalt walke I will direct thee with mine eye Psal 32. 8. Therefore so often as wee are broughte into anie doubt as men comming vnto three waies and not knowinge which to take let vs call to minde this swéete promise and then let vs praie with Dauid Teach mee O Lord thy waie and leade mee in the right waie because of mine aduersaries Psalm 27. 11. Let vs also enter into the Sanctuary of GOD that is let vs ascend from the secondarie causes vnto the first and principall cause which is most iust most wise and most good and let vs staiâ— our selues vpon his good will and pleasure 3. Aphorisme Those men which doe this godlilie and religiouslie must consider with them-selues what beholder they haue what guide and what instructours they must also learne rightlie to discerne the workes of the Lord and
wisely giue vs this admonition to beware of vaine iangling 1. Tim. 6. 20. O Timotheus keepe that which is committed vnto thee and avoide prophane and vaine bablings and oppositions of sciences falsely so called 14 The fourtéenth thing is doctrine and ininstruction Let vs not bee carried about with diuers and straunge doctrines* Heb. 13. 9. If any man teach any other doctrine and agreeth not vnto the wholesome wordes of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to that doctrine which is according vnto godlines hee is puffed vp knowing nothing but doteth about questions and strife of wordes whereupon ryseth enuie strife railyng euill surmisinges 1. Tim. 6. 4. 5. 15 The fiftéenth is the scope and end of the iourney Al our studies must serue to the glory of God and the edification of the Church Hyrelings referre all things vnto gaine Heretikes to winne praise and get riches both of them do serue their Rom. 16. bellies and not our Lord Iesus Christ* 16. Lect. 7. Decemb. 1579. Verse 8. Goe vp into the mountaine and bring thence wood and build this house and I will bee fauourable therein and I will bee glorified saith the Lorde HAggeus proueth by fower arguments which are contayned in this verse that the Temple of the Lorde was to bee builded withall expedition The first argument 1 The first is fet a Facili from the facilitie of it Certaine it is that opportunitie to do things well is the singuler gifte of God by meanes whereof it commeth to passe that those thinges which are most difficult doe become easie and readie But God hath giuen you most singuler opportunitie to buylde the Temple which may sufficiently be prooued by this that the circumstances doe excellently agrée nowe vnto this purpose and all these lettes and hinderances which hitherto haue hindered you are taken away Wherefore yée Iewes goe too and bée not slacke to doe your duetie Goe vp into the mountaine bring thence tymber buylde the Temple c. Séeing that the Lorde doeth not onely in his expresse worde declare vnto vs what hee will haue vs to doe but doeth also helpe vs with these helpes whereof wee haue néede in doing that wel which he would haue done let vs indeuour our selues so that we neuer be found slacke to do our duties and let vs vse the opportunitie offered aright This word Opportunitie is nothing else but a Demost 1. Oly◠diligent considering of the time and other circūstances And agayne the exhortations giuen by time opportunitie are most graue and wise the same are plaine and euident neither are they neglected without great danger aed damage Let not the vertuous and studious yong men neglect any opportunity whenas they may profit in learning and manners but let them laye holde vppon it readely valiantly and constantly when it is offered vnto them and let them imploy and apply the same vnto their vse 2 The second argument which the Prophet vseth is fet ab aequo from the conueniencie It is most méete and conuenient that wee doe those thinges couragiouslie and religiously which we doe well perceyue doe please God But of the temple of the Lord it is saide I will be fauourable in it Ergo c. Ob. The most highest God dwelleth not in temples made with handes Act. 7. I will bee An obiection se◠apugnantibus from thinges which do disagree betweene themselues fauourable in the temple Hag. 18. Therefore the one of these two is false Ans I deny the consequent because in the antecedent there is ignoratio elenchi Ignorance of an argument or of the proofes For these thinges are not spoken both after one manner Stephen alledging the words of the Lorde which we read in Isa 66. 1. Heauen is my seat and the earth is my footestole intreateth of the vniuersall presence of God wherwith he replenisheth al things being himselfe infinite Am I God of that which is nigh me and not of that which is farre off Shal any man hide him Ier. 23. 24. 25. selfe in a secrete place and shall I not see him saith the Lord. Doe not I fill the heauen and earth saith the Lord. This vniuersall presence is an essentiall qualitie or propertie belonging onely vnto God which no creature hath nor can haue But the saying of Haggai is to bée vnderstood of the particuler presence of God which is the presence of his grace and also of his fauourablenes The meaning of the wordes of Haggai As in times past it pleased God to dwell in the tabernacle of Syloh and afterwarde in the temple which Salomon built and there to giue answeres and oracles vnto his seruantes so likewise héereafter will hee bee present in the seconde Temple and take in good part the worship done vnto him in faith Ob. The fleshe of Christ replenisheth all thinges Eph. 4. 10. Therefore not onely God the creator but euē this creature likewise is euery where An. I answere There is a double fallacie in this false reason 1. The first is Homonymiae or fet from the ambiguitie of the worde For that which Paul speaketh of Christe in the concrete some men doe falselie vnderstande in the abstract of the nature which Christ tooke 2. The seconde is Fallacia accidentis which is when wée reason from the accident to the substance For that which is rightlie spoken and affirmed of the giftes where-with hée fulfilleth all things Of whose fulnes wee haue all receiued euen grace for grace * is falselie Iohn 1. wrested vnto the substance of the flesh of Christ which is not infinite because it is mans flesh not Mercioniticall c. 3. The third argument which the prophet vseth is fet from the ende and vse of the Temple The building againe of that Temple is not to bée omitted wherein God will be glorified but God will be glorified in the Temple of Hierusalem as it is in playne wordes set downe in this place Therefore c. ¶ Positions concerning the Temple 1. Position Forasmuch as God would haue the Temple of Hierusalem to serue to his glorie the instruction of the Iewish people and the administration of the ceremoniall worship the building againe thereof coulde not be omitted without committing of a most haynous offence 2. Position And as God woulde in no case haue religion serue for gaine so woulde hée not haue the Temple polluted with the helps thereof Make not my fathers house an house of marchaundise * And againe My house is an house of praier but yee haue made it a denne of thieues * 17. Lect. 9. Decemb. 1579. 3. Position YEt GOD is most delighted in the Temple of the heart beinge purified by faith If anie man loue mee hee will keepe my sayings and my father will loue him and vnto him will we 2. Cor. 12. 14. ◠Cor. 4. 18. come make our aboade with him Againe Doe yee not knowe that your bodie is the Temple of the holie ghost which is in you whom you haue
did iudge our selues wee shoulde not bee punished But when wee are punished wee are instructed of the Lorde least wee should bee condemned with the worlde ◠Cor. 11. 31. 32 Mi. But GOD doth grieuously punishe you in that hée hath shut the heauens that they may not moisten the earth with dewe neither yet water the same with raine and in that hee hath shut the earth that shee may not yéelde vnto you her increase Ergo. c. 1 In this minor proposition wée will note in order the situation of the holy land and howe the same was watered The lande whereunto yee goe ouer that you maie possesse it is a lande of Mountaines and Valleis thou shalt drinke water of the raine that cōmeth from Deut. 11. 11. heauen 2 Therefore was it a blessinge of GOD whenas the Countrie was watered with raine I will giue raine vnto your lande in his season earlie and late and so shalt thou gather thy Deut. 11. 14. corne and thy wine and thy oyle And I will giue grasse in thy fielde for thy cattle thou shalt eate and bee satisfied 3 On the contrarie the with-holdinge of raine was a testimonie of Gods curse God is angrie with the Idolaters so that he shutteth Deut. 11. 17. the heauens that there maie bee no raine that the earth maie not yeelde her encrease And the heauens which are ouer thy head shal be of brasse the earth which is vnder thee of Iron The Lord shall giue vnto thy lande for raine dust and ashes * c. Deut. 28. 23. Therefore it is certaine that the Iewes are brought vnto the féeling of the wrath of GOD and called to repentaunce by those punishments which were laide vppon them for breakinge the lawe neglecting the building of the Temple 1 Of the historicall sermons of the Prophets and Apostles 1 The historycall Sermons dooe plainely declare not onely what the Lord saith but also what hée doth 2 Hée sheweth in the wordes of the lawe that all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and in the ioyfull message of the gospell hee professeth that the faithfull are iustified fréely for Christ his sake Rom. 3. Rom. 3. 3 And as at all times hee setteth foorth his mercie toward the penitent so hee declareth his iustice towarde the stubburne and stiffnecked which will not repent 4 Therefore as Christ said to the disciples of Iohn Goe yee and shewe vnto Iohn what Mat. 11. thinges you heare and see so let vs heare and sée what God dooth 5 Let vs remember that it is our part and duety to séeke the Lord that wee may finde him euen by groping séeing that hée is not farre from euery one of vs. Act. 17. 27. 6 Therefore men are often-times that diligently to be put in minde of the deliueraunce of the Church which was in the west part of the worlde out of the captiuity of Babylon of the regeneration of the Church being striken in yéeres of the restoring of the light of the gospell of our conuersion and of the cōuersion of many moe that they may giue them-selues to marke the workes of God to extoll the same and to thanke God for his vnspeakeable benefits 2. Of the causes attending vpon the execution of Gods iudgement 1 All the whole nature of things serueth for Gods purpose and for the execution of his iudgements 2 This may wée see by the ready ministerie and obedience of the Elements 3 At Gods becke the heauen and earth are set open that men may enioy Gods blessinge 4 At his cōmaundement the riches of heauen and earth are shut vp so that vnthankfull disobedient persons can-not obtaine the same 5 And most certaine is that which the Apostle saith the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it selfe but because of him which hath subdued it 6 And although the agréement of the heauen and earth be wonderfull in preseruing of the life of liuing creatures yet is the same compelled to serue both the blessing of God also his curse 7 Therefore séeing that God doth vouchsafe to prosper the order of nature that he may blesse the obedient and againe séeing he doth restraine the force of the nature of things that he may send a curse vpon the disobedient euen the very experience of this most frée action ought to stirre vp and nourish in our mindes the hatred of sinne loue of righteousnes 19. Lect. 15. Decemb. Verse 11. And I haue called a drought vppon this land and vppon the Mountaines and vppon Wheate and vppon Wine and vppon Oyle and vpon all things which the earth bringeth forth and vppon men and vppon beastes vppon all the labour of mens handes THis verse contayneth the exposition of the verse going before and also the proofe of the minor proposition of the last Syllogisme This is the summe of the induction which the prophet vseth God hath brought a drought vpon the earth the Mountaines Wheate Wine Oyle vppon Man and Beaste and finallie vpon the workes of your hands And the like iudgment is executed vpon all other thinges Wherefore it is certaine that you are subiect to that curse whereof mention is made Deut. 28. 16. Thou shalt bee accursed in the towne and in the fielde Cursed shall thy basket bee and thy store Cursed shall be the fruite of thy wombe and the fruite of thy land the first begotten of thy oxen and of the flockes of thy Sheepe Cursed shalt thou bee when thou goest out and when thou commest in In these west countries wee had in the last Spring frost and colde in the verie Easter holydaies Before haruest and in the Séede-time cōtinuall raine This yeere did God shut the heauens that wee were quite past all hope to reape any store of fruite Whence wée doe gather that GOD doth punishe vs in like sorte as hee did the Iewes in times past and that hée doth shut the heauen and the earth ¶ Questions and answeares Qu. VVhat thinges are to bee noted in this induction which the prophet vseth An. The order and state of things For to th' ende the prophet may declare according to the comminations of the lawe that there is nothing which is not now accursed for the sinnes of the Iewishe people hee beginneth at those thinges which are as the heauen and earth which giue vnto vs lodging secondly he commeth vnto the fruites of these things which are and doe liue declaringe that the drought hath hurt the corne the wyne and the oyle and other the fruites of the earth and the trées thence he procéedeth vnto those things which are liue haue senses and whilest that by Synecdoche hée maketh mention of beasts he vnderstandeth all other liuing creatures which liue vpon th' earth in the water and which flie in the ayre Fourthlie he induceth him who hath also reason vnderstanding and for whose sake the creatures which are of lower degree are created namelie man
comfort vnto the saintes But God is present with all these as his gouerning preseruing of the whole course of nature doth sufficiently testifie Therefore coulde not this oration I am with you saith the Lord any whit incourage the Iewes An. I answere vnto the minor proposition wherein there is a fallacie of equiuocation in the phrase I am with you which the prophet vnderstandeth of the presence of grace but in this argument it is taken for the presence of God Or which filleth all things which is commonly called the * repletiue presence These sayings may be vnderstood of the repletiue vniuersal presence of God Ps 135. 7. 8. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I flie from thy face If I goe vp into heauen thou art there If I make my bed in the hell behold thou art there also Isay 66. 1. Thus saith the Lord heauen is my seat the earth is my foote-stoole Ier. 23. 24. Shall any man hide him selfe in the secret places shall not I see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill the heauen and earth saith the Lord But of the presence of his grace ayde it is said I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer Psal 91. 15. him glorify him * Seeke the Lord while he Esay 55. 6. is to be foūd call vpon him while he is nigh * If God be on our side who is against vs * Rom. 8. 31. Que. Are these wordes of Christ Mat. 28. Beholde I am with you to bee vnderstoode of the person of Christ or of the one of his natures onlie An. They are to be vnderstood in the concrete of his whole person For whole Christ is euery where but not the whole of Christ And many things are rightly affirmed of his whole person which in the abstract doe agrée with neither nature of them-selues as the names of his office or els they doe agrée with the one of them as to be crucified to die doe not agrée with the Godhead Christ is dead in the flesh * 1. Pet. 4 Qu. Is the humanitie of Christ euery where reallie An. No truely and that first of all for this cause because he is an instrumentall creature if you respect his body a finite spirit if you respect his substantiall forme Secondly there is nothing in all places but that which is most simple there is nothing most simple saue that which is from euerlasting and vncreated Lastlie all the godly confesse that the body of Christ is not in the supper of the Lord really Cyrillus subscribing hereunto in his eleuenth booke vpon Iohn Cap. 19. saith whilest Christ was present liuing together with his apostles in the flesh it was vnto them a manifest cōsolation séeing y◠he might be séene with the eyes For mans minde is wont to giue credit not to hiddē things but to things that are euident Although therefore the Lord whē he is absent in body can doe all things what-soeuer hee will for Christ Iesus is the same yesterday and too day remaineth the same for euer yet his apostles being depriued of his presence coulde not but be troubled especially séeing that the waues of the world did with great rage beate against them and endeuoured by all meanes possible to throw them downe when-as they preached the truth Qu. Is that selfe same * humanitie euerie Or man-hoode where after a spirituall maner An. Yea truely For hee is present with the faithfull in all countries and places by the efficacie of his merites his power his maiesty and Ephe. 4. 10. giftes yea hée fulfilleth all things here-withall Qu. Howe are these words of his to bee vnderstoode The sonne of man is in heauen Iohn 3. 13. An. By the imparting of properties that is the manner of affirmation whereby the properties of the natures are attributed vnto the whole person in the concrete Therefore Christ was at that time in heauen and in all places according to his diuine nature but according to his humanity he was in that place where Nicodemus found him and spake vnto him Cyrillus interpreteth these word When as saith hee the sonne being the Worde of GOD came downe from heauen hee saith that the sonne of man came downe refusing to bee diuided into two natures after his incarnation neither suffred hee any man to affirme that the temple which was taken of the Virgin was one sonne and the word of GOD an other although these things which are in both of them naturally may be cōueniently distinguished For as the Word is of God so is the man of the woman Therefore is Christ one of both being indiuisible in his sonnehoode diuine maiestie For how can the thinges which are proper onelie to the worde of God be otherwise applied vnto the sonne of the Virgin And on the contrarie how can the things which belong only to the flesh be attributed vnto the word of God For he saith now that the sonne of man is come downe from heauen and it is written that in the time of the passion the sonne of God him-selfe did feare as if hee himselfe did suffer which thinges are onely proper vnto his humanitie Qu. Doth the sonne of man and the humanitie signifie all one thing An. Noe. The man Christ the sonne of man of God of the highest doe signifie his person in the concrete The godhead the word the person taking The flesh the humanity doe signifie the nature taken Qu. Is not Christ diuided when-as it is denied that his fleshe is euerie where with the worde An. He is not diuided For to be euery where together is not the specificall difference of the vnity of the word and the humanity for then should the father the sonne and the holy Ghost be all one person and not thrée distinct persons seeing they are together euery where which are one in essence but to make one person Furthermore forasmuch as the Godheade is infinite and incomprehensible as it is with-out the humane nature so is it in the same and ioyned personally to the same Qu. To Christ is giuen all power therefore the vniuersall presence or vbiquitie An. You should first of all haue diligently distinguished betwene all powre which appertayneth Omnis potestas Omnipotentia to his office and omnipotencie which is nothing els but the infinite essence of God for Christe speaketh of the former and not of the latter If omnipotencie that is an infinite essence were giuen to the flesh of Christ really thē perhaps this argument might procéede But forasmuch as there is a personall vnion of two natures in Christ I will then graunt that he is euery where in the flesh whenas you shall prooue that the same flesh hath bene from euerlasting that it is most simple Secondly you shoulde not haue bene inconstant in your woordes neither shoulde you haue reprooued your selfe For to prooue that Christ is euerie where in the fleshe you vse to
of the bad though they be ignorant thereof You saith Ioseph vnto his brethrē thought euill agaynst mee but God thought to turne the same to good Gen. 50. 20. And Haman the enemie of the Iewes was enforced to giue that honour vnto Mardocheus which hee hoped for himselfe These and the like examples may bee a comfort to those which are in miserie by reason Ester 9. of the crueltie and subtile dealinges of their enemies The Allegorie Although the most highest dwelleth not in temples made with handes yet woulde he haue the Temple of Hierusalem which by Salomon was builded to his name and by Zerobabel and others was restored to serue for the instruction of the olde people And furthermore hee will dwel in all the faithfull and in the whole Church as in temples by him sanctified for which cause we must giue our selues to leade an holy life séeing that wée are made Gods dwelling place And here for instructions sake wee will first of all speake of the temple made with handes secondly of the Temple of man thirdly of the Temple of the Church fourthly of the Temple of heauen lastly why Iohn Reuel 21. 22. doeth denie that there is any temple in the Ierusalem which came downe from heauen 27. Lect. Feb. 9. 1 Of Temples made with handes 1 STephen the first Martyr Act. 7. 48. calleth those Temples Temples made with hands which by the industrie cost and labour of men were buylded 2 And amongst all the most famous Temples which were in the whole worlde the temple of Ierusalem did beare the bell not onely in respect of gorgeousnes whereat the heathen did maruell but also of the commandement giuen by God and the vse thereof 3 Touching these things we wil cite the sayinges of Isay Chap. 56. I will bring them vnto my holy mountayne and I wil make them glad in my house of prayer Their burnt offeringes and sacrifices shall bee accepted vpon myne altar because my house shall bee called the house of prayer for all people saith the Lorde Although in this oracle the Prophete doeth intreate of the gathering together of the Church from among the Gentiles and of the worshippe which these men should giue vnto him by faith yet doeth hee also speake of the Temple of Ierusalem and of the vse thereof teaching first that the same was holy vnto the Lorde secondly that not onely the ceremoniall worship but also the reasonable worshippe was there done vnto the Lorde and was acceptable in his sight To the same purpose serueth the oracle of Ezechiel 43. 7. Wherein it is called the place of the throne of God and the place of the soles of his féete wherein hee dwelleth in the middest of the children of Israel This Temple therfore is extolled because God woulde bee present there and woulde heare in the same the prayers which should be powred out before him in faith 4 And although the seconde temple was not like vnto the first which Salomon did builde in A figure of the the Church gorgeousnesse of buylding yet was the glorie thereof greater for this cause because Christe The worship which the Church giueth to God taught therein Hagg. 2. 10. 5 Ob. But the wordes of Paul seeme to bée contrarie to that saying of Ezechiel touching the place of the throne and the soles of the Lords féete God who hath made the worlde and the thinges that are therein forasmuch as he is the Lorde of Heauen and earth dwelleth not in the Temples made with handes neyther is hee worshipped with mens handes as though hee had neede of any thing Act. 17. 24. 25. Ans I answere they are not contrarie forasmuch as they are not spoken both in respecte of one thing For Ezechiel speaketh of the presence of the grace of God whereby hee vouchsafed to bee present in the Temple not for the houses sake which was made with handes but for the godly mens sake which mette there and and worshipped God in faith But Paul teacheth that God hath no such neede of lodging food apparell and other helpes which serue to the sustentation of the naturall life For the Apostle speaking vnto the superstitious Ethnickes and Idolaters refuteth their imagination touching the temples and Altars of their Gods which they had feigned to themselues 2. Of the Temple of man 1 Likeas our Lorde Iesus Christ speaking of the temple of his bodie saide vnto the Iewes Destroy this Temple and in three dayes wil I buylde it againe * So Paul the Apostle speaking of the bodies of the faithfull sayth Knowe Iohn 2. 19. yee not that your bodie is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whome you haue of God neither are you your owne * This is the chiefest commendation which our 1. Cor. ◠19. bodie can haue béeing worthie to be preferred farre before all the titles and testimonies of the Phisitions and naturall Philosophers 2 And out of this commendation doeth the Apostle picke sufficient matter for a godly exhortation in the verse following You are bought 1. Cor. 6. 20. with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirit which are Gods * And thus doe wee glorifie God when we make our bodies a lyuely sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God and when as wee worship God who is a Rom. 12. 1. Iohn 4. 24. spirite in spirite and trueth These sayings of Bernarde are worthie to bee remembred The soule must bee enlarged that it may bee an habitation for God And agayne The soule is Christes house wherein hee dwelleth willingly And agayne The soule that walketh in the spirite is the house of the bridegrome Furthermore that is a notable saying of Augustine Wilt thou haue thy fleshe to serue thy soule Let thy soule serue God thou must be gouerned that thou maist bee able to gouerne 3. Of the Temple of the Church There can nothing bée more fitly and truely spoken of this temple then the which Paul taught Ephe. 2. 20. Beeing buylded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles whose chiefe corner stone is Christ Iesus himselfe 21. Wherein all the whole buylding beeing aptly coupled together it groweth to bee a Temple holy vnto the Lorde 22. In whome you also are buylded together that you may bee a dwelling place for God through the spirite 1 By this place wee learne first who is the foundation and who is the chiefe stone of the corner of this Temple namely Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 3. 11. For an other foundation then this can no man laye besides that which is laide which is Christ Iesus 2 Secondly who bée these liuely stones which are builded vppon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles namely the faithfull 1. Peter 2. 5. You also as liuely stones bee builded a spirituall house c. 3 Thirdly what is the manner of the building namely the coniunction with Christ by faith 1. Pet. 2. 4. Vnto whome you
exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable to all things c. 1. Tim. 4. 8. 2 Although the Congregation of the faithfull séeme to be but a small flocke of shéepe vpon earth set in the middest of Wolues although it be slaundred and chastened with many euils yet doth the glorie of God appéere vppon and in it when hée is present with it which said Beholde I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde Mat. 28. 20. 3 And men are often-times deceiued in their iudgement concerning the Church when they followe the reason of fleshe and bloude and not the light of faith As the Iewes made great accompt of Solomon his temple because it was famous by reason of the fine building and greatnes thereof also for the hangings the siluer and golde which was therein so many are desirous to haue a Church flourishing with ciuil power riches the fauour of princes and other earthly commodities and they abhorre the same when it groneth vnder the Crosse But the iust shall florishe like a Palme-trée And as that our holy apostle saith If wee haue hope in Christ in this life onely wee are the most miserable of all men 1. Cor. 15. 19. 31. Lect. 1. March 1580. Verse 5. Beholde now strengthen thy selfe Zerubabel saith the Lord strengthen thy selfe also Iehosua thou sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and strengthen thy selfe all thou the people of this land saith the Lord and worke because I am with you saith the Lord of hostes THis verse containeth the proposition and the first argument of the confirmation The proposition is exhortatiue Let the Iewes strengthen them-selues and let them builde the Temple with all diligence possible Ob. Why did God commaunde the Iewes to builde the seconde Temple séeing that the sonne of GOD saith The houre commeth when-as yee shall worship the father neither in this mountaine neither at Hierusalem Iohn 4. 21. I reason thus It was to no ende to builde a temple there where no man shoulde worship in time to come for temples are the houses of praier Mat. 21. 15. But in time to come no man shoulde worship at Hierusalem Ergo. c. An. I answere there is a fallacie in the maior proposition in that the reason is fet from that which is no cause as if it were a cause There is in these sayings no cōtrariety because they are not both spoken concerning one thinge The temple at Hierusalem and the Leuiticall Gal. 4. Heb. 9. 10. sacrifice were to serue for the instruction of the olde people which were vnder the tuition of the lawe and yet but vntill the time of reformation But the meaning of Christ his words is this that not the place but the spirit truth are that which maketh the praiers commendable and acceptable in the sight of God accordinge to that saying GOD is a spirit and they that doe worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. The first argument drawen from the efficient causes The prophet beginneth with the efficient causes and first of all with the instrumentall causes namelie with the consideration of the Captaine the high Priest and of the people of the Iewes and that by a preuenting of an obiection Ob. That which cannot be brought to passe by mans industrie and labour is not to bee inioyned any man least he take in hand that which he cannot doe But the Iewes were not able to builde the temple after their retourne from Babylon being oppressed with famine pouerty and the malice of their mighty neighbours Therefore there was no cause why they should be commaunded to builde the temple Ma. Against this argument doth the prophet set a demonstration You must ought to haue a greater regarde vnto the commaundemente of God then for the imbecillity of secondary causes to neglect the same Mi. But God commaundeth you to buylde the Temple Con. Wherefore yee must neither linger nor loiter in the woorke of the Lorde neither yet is it lawfull for you to neglect the same Aphorismes contayning instructions 1 Wee must not bee so inquisitiue about the commaundements of God that wee must aske whether we ought to obey them or no. 2 For this ought to bee sufficient for vs that wee are taught and tolde what God will haue vs to doo 3 For this is with-out all doubt we must obey God 4 And this is blockish incredulitie to waxe so dull through imbecillitie of the secondary causes that thou doost neuer so much as once thinke vpon the powre and might of the first cause 5 God graunt therefore that wee may all thinke vpon that oracle The power of Christ is made perfect in our weakenes 2. Cor. 13. A definitiue methode touching the spirit of strength 1 The genus is the gifte Rom. 12. 6. Hauing diuers giftes according to the grace which is giuen vs. 1. Cor. 4. 7. What hast thou which thou hast not receiued 2 The principall cause is God 2. Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not giuē vs the spirit of feare but of strength of loue and of soundnes of minde 3 The fellowe labourers are all the faithfull Therefore the prophet saith Strengthen thy selfe Zerubabel c. 4 The subiect A faithfull heart Psal 27. 14. Tarie thou the Lords leasure and bee strong and let thy heart be established I say tarie thou the Lords leasure 5 The forme is the acte it selfe driuing out vaine feare and staying vpon God with a sure confidence 6 The ende Couragiously to goe forward in the woorke of the Lord that these thinges may be brought to passe which are acceptable to God and profitable for the Church 32. Lect. March 2. The definition of the spirit of strength THe spirite of strength is an excellent gifte of God whereby the hearts of the faithfull are so strengthned that all vaine feare being driuen away they take in hand the woorke of the Lord couragiously and finishe the same ioyfully that those things may bee done which are in the sight of GOD acceptable and for the Church profitable Quest Why doeth God require at our hands this adiunct which no man can obtayne vnlesse he haue it from heauen according to that saying A man can receiue nothing vnlesse it shall bee giuen him from heauen Iohn 3. 27. Ans Det saith Augustine quod iubet iubeat quod vult Let him giue that which hée commaundeth and let him commaunde what he will And agayne In praeceptione disce quid debeas habere in correptione tuo te vitio non habere in precatione a quo petere debeas id quod debes habere In the commandement learne what thou oughtest to haue in reprehension that thou hast it not through thine owne follie in prayer of whome thou must aske that which thou must haue Furthermore these thinges which are subordinate are not contrarie And agayne these men which are regenerate must stirre vp the giftes of God in the number wherof is the strength of the heart For they
at Damascus confirming by testimonies conferred togither that this was Christ Act. 9. 22. The ende The next ende thereof is that it may serue to the instruction correction consolation and exhortation of those men which are coheyres partakers of one bodie and partakers of his promise in Christ through the Gospell Eph. 3. 6. And the last end of this knowledge is the glorie of God according to that saying of the same Apostle To the intent that that manifolde wisdome of God may be made knowen by the church to the principalities and powers in heauenly places Ephe. 3. 10. Therefore that doctrine wherein the pastors and doctors of the Church ought to excell is the gift of true vnderstanding which is according to godlinesse concerning our saluation seruing to instruct the faithfull that which the spirit of God reuealing Christ worketh to our restoring and the glorie of God Learne first sayth Hyerome before thou teach For no man shall euer be able to teach those thinges whereof he is ignorant Therefore they do offend grieuouslie which being neither furnished with the knowledge of heauenly thinges nor with the vse of spirituall thinges do take vpon them to teach in the Church And as Bernard sayth being more ready to take the chaire then the charge for their bellies sake to the great hinderance of the Church they play the part of those men which get their foode with their tongue and also they play the Parates in that they learne by heart and pronounce without iudgement sermons penned by other men 47. Lect. 36. May. NOwe let vs returne in Gods name vnto our purpose For those thinges aforegoing which were spoken concerning the skill in the lawe of God which the Priestes ought to haue tende onely to this ende that wee may vnderstande that the Priestes vnto whose consciences the prophete appealeth did condemne themselues Verse 13. If any man shal beare holy fleshe in the skirt of his garment and with his skirte doe touch bread or pottage or wine or oyle or any meat shall it bee made holy And the Priests made answere and said No. 1 The Fathers the Prophets Christ himselfe and his Apostles did often times vse a parable to reprooue and conuince men by their owne iudgement There bee parabolical examples extant Iud. 9. which Iotham the sonne of Gedeon vseth of the kinglie honour giuen to the Oliue tree the figge tree the vine and the bramble Which Nathan the Prophet vseth when he did reprooue Dauid for murder and adulterie of the rich man and the poore man which the woman of Thekoah vseth of her two sonnes 2. Sam. 14. Which Christ Iesus vseth of the two sonnes which were sent by their Father into the vyneyarde of the vineyarde and husbandmen of the mariage of the kinges sonne Mat. 21. 22. In this place wee haue an example of a Probleme And agayne in Mat. 21. 25. of the baptisme or doctrine of Iohn the Baptist And in the Chapter following of Christ the Lorde and sonne of Dauid A Position It is a poynt of spirituall wisedome so to appeale vnto an other mans conscience whether it be by a Parable or a Problem or by some other meanes that he may playnely confesse that he is conuict and that giuing the glory to God he may yeelde to the truth 2 The meaning of the probleme which Haggeus did propound to the Priestes is this Doe you thinke that you haue therefore beene an holy nation because you haue lightly executed the ceremonyall worshippe neglecting the restoring of the Temple Nay I prooue that you haue bene vncleane after this manner Looke how much holie flesh which is caried in the skirt of the garment doth sanctifie other meates when the garment toucheth them somuch doth your superstition and bodily exercise sanctifie you from the infection of sinne But flesh which is wrapped vp in a cloth doth not sanctifie other meates Therefore these ceremonies and bodily excercises do no whitt avayle to the sanctifying of you Some there be which by contradiction doe take these wordes holy and to hallowe or sanctifie so that they may signifie 1. Cor. 14. profane or to make vncleane Therefore the meaning shall be this Vncleane flesh which is wrapped in a cloth doth not pollute other meates Let the godly iudge whether exposition is better For the spirite of the prophets is subiect to the prophets 1. Position The people of God must not acknowledge that their sanctification whereby they are clensed from the infection and vncleanes of flesh and bloude commeth from the hungrie and weake elements of the worlde 2. Position All thinges are cleane to the cleane but vnto the profane and infidels there is nothing cleane but euen their mind and conscience is vncleane Tit. 1. 15. Out of this saying may we gather that onely the faithfull are cleane and that all infidels are vncleane 3 Position The worship which prophane men doe vnto God for-asmuch as it is vncleane it can in no case please God neither doth hee allowe the same The answere 3 The answere consisteth vpon the deniall which the priests make A Position In the confession of faith and in our answeres concerning religion we must vse no dissimulation ne feigninge no feigned refusall For it becommeth vs freely to professe these things which the Lord of his goodnes hath reuealed vnto vs. And it is manifest and execrable impietie falsely to pretend ignoraunce least thou be enforced to cōfesse the matter As when the Iewes did say y◠they knew not whether the baptisme of Iohn were from heauen or of men Mat. 21. 27. Therefore let no man suffer him-selfe to bee so caried away into such dissimulation being mooued with the example of those men which walk not rightly in the gospell of Christe and are of some authoritie that hée feigne him-selfe to bée ignorant of the truth and extinguish the spirit which is in him-selfe Which thinge alas for woe many haue done and in these daies doe to Latonus Hossmeisterut their vtter ruine as is too euident A digression Distinctions concerning conference in diuinity 1 God will haue vs to stirre vp the gift of God by godly conference concerning godlines that wée may profit accordinge to that saying o◠Paul Col. 3. 16. Let the woorde of Christ dwell in you plentifully with all wisedome teaching and admonishing one another c. Now if all the faithfull must doo this how much more ought they to doe it whom God doth seperate to teache others And it must néedes bee that the holy spirit must bee the author the taske-maister and moderator of this conference For the ende of such godlie conference is the truth which wee must knowe and bring to light And it is the holy spirit alone that leadeth vs into all truth 3 The naturall man is vnfit for such conference I call him the naturall man which followeth in all thinges the reason of the flesh being bée-witched with the acceptinge of persons and vaine glory and
finally which vnderstandeth not the thinges of God but the things that are of men I prooue that hee is vnfit for such godlie conference thus No man can dispute rightly about these thinges which he neither vnderstandeth nor yet alloweth but the naturall man vnderstandeth not thâ—se thinges which are of the spirit of God for they are vnto him foolishnes neither can hee knowe these thinges which are iudged spirituallie Ergo. c. 4 But the spirituall man will speake truely and proportionablie of the matters which appertaine vnto God I call him the spirituall man which is led by the spirit of God who acknowledgeth Christ Iesus a-lone to bee his maister and who in all thinges being lightned by faith doth â—éeke the glory of GOD. Hee is fit for such holie conference because comparinge Spirituall thinges with Spirituall thinges hée discerneth all thinges 5 The holy Scripture inspired by God is vnto him a marke and most certaine rule Whether prophecie accordinge to the proportion of faith Rom. 12. 6. Wee haue a most sure word of the Prophets to the which yee doe well that yee take heede c. 6 Hée declareth his vnderstanding according to the example of Christ Iesus both in apposing and also in answering I call the woorde of wisedome and knowledge or the excellent knowledge of the misteries of God Vnderstanding Apposinge serueth to the findinge out and pondering of thinges which concerne God For as wee must not answere before the opponent hath plainely declared his opinion so must not the consent goe before knowledge Answering must serue to the weighing and censuringe of matters and opinions that wee may freely testifie what the Lord hath reuealed to vs concerning the same 48. Lect. 31. March 1580. FOr-asmuch as the Lord doth commaunde vs â— The. 5. 21. to trie all thinges and to retaine that which is good wée must first conferre thinges together and afterward lay them vp in our heart GOD will not haue vs to belieue euery spirit but to trie the spirits whether they bee of God â— Iohn 4. 1. or no. Therefore let vs not take héede to those men which doo feigne any assertion such as this is Christ ascended that is hée vanished out of sight and doo commaunde vs to belieue the same with-out any authority of Scripture or reason saying that wée ought not to aske for any proofe there-of To conferre is diligently to compare one part of holy doctrine with an-other conferring the testimonies and the reasons together For there is no one part thereof repugnaunt to another but they doo all of them excellently agrée together Examples Hée which affirmeth that there is frée-will in a man that is not regenerate hee away originall sinne hee which either denieth or extenuateth * this he taketh away much Original sinne from the merits of Christ So hee which includeth in the breade of the Lords Supper the body of Christ corporally he gaine-saith the article of the Creede Hee ascended into heauen which wee must vnderstand historicallie and not allegoricallie So hee which will bee iustified by woorkes hath no part nor fellowship with Christ To lay things vp in heart is to lay vp déepely in the minde thinges which wee haue considered vpon and which wee doe well knowe that they may be readie serue for our purpose when wée haue néede of them as it is saide of Marie Luk. 2. 19. But Mary kept all these thinges pondering them in her heart 8 When-as the authority of Scripture is alleadged wée must sée whether wee ought to followe the written woorde or the meaninge there-of These two rules of Augustine deliuered in his third â—ooke of Christian doctrine Cap. 16. are worthie to bee remembred The first is If it be such a kinde of speech as containeth a commaundement or forbiddeth any wickednes or hainous offence or commaundeth profit or bountifulnes it is not figuratiue The second But if it seeme to commaunde any wickednes or haynous offence or to forbid commoditie or bountifulnes it is figuratiue Vnlesse saith hée you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drinke his bloude you shall not haue life in you This seemeth to commaunde wickednes or an haynous offence It is there-fore a figure commaundinge vs to bee partakers of the Lordes passion and sweetely and profitablie to remember that his fleshe was crucified wounded for vs. Thus saith hee 9 Also wée must make marke the choise of the instruments of Logicke namely of a demonstration and an argument Wee must not dispute pro and con after the manner of the Schooles as doo the schoole diuines about these matters which are vndoubtedly true least the duller and simpler sorte bee made doubtfull But thinges which are vndoubtedlie true are to bee handled demonstratiuely that they may both be declared and also by most firme reasons be prooued to be true And false things are to bee brought to light that they may bee refuted they are also to be reprooued that their falshood being disclosed they may hurt no man 10 It shal be a point of singuler wisedome to know these men well which are our aduersaries For some men there be which are delighted in the truth other some there bee which are not so Of the former sort was Apollos of Alexandria an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures whom Aquila Priscilla instructed more fully in the way of God Of the latter sorte are they of whom our Apostle speaketh And as Iannes Iambres resisted Moses so doe these men resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerninge the faith But they shall preuaile no loÌ„ger for their madnes shall bee made knowen to all men as theirs also was 2. Tim. 3. 8. 9. As they which are willing to be taught are to be instructed with all méekenes so ought also the mouthes of the stubburne to bee stopped 2. Tim. 2. 24. But the seruaunt of the Lorde must not fight but he must be gentle toward all men apt to teach suffering the euill Instructing them with meekenes that are coÌ„trarie minded c. Tit. 1. 9. 10. 11. Let a byshop hold fast that faithful word according to doctrine that he may also be able to exhort with wholsome doctrine and to conuince them that speake against it For there are many disobedient and vaine bablers and deceiuers of mindes chiefly they which are of the circumcision whose mouthes must be stopped c. 12 We must only dispute about these things which are méete for wholsome doctrine According to that commaundement of the Apostle But foolish and vnlearned questions auoide knowing that they breede strife 2. Tim. 2. 23. And 1. Tim. 6. 20. 21. O Timothie keepe that which is committed vnto thee auoide prophane outcries about vaine matters and oppositions of sciences falsly so called which while some men haue professed they haue erred concerning the faith 13 When-as the truth of anie opinion appéereth by a demonstration wee must not doubt anie longer For as