all these fruits the fruits of Lebanon a most sertile mountain the valleys whereof were most rich grounds for pasture corn and vineyards as the dew unto Israel he shall blossom as the lilly Quot verba tot lumina imo flumina orationis This Prophet aboundeth with similitudes as is before noted See chap. 12.10 with the Note there He beginneth here with a Simile drawn from the dew of heaven a mercy very much set by in those hotter countreys especially where from May to October they had no rain The Chaldee Paraphrase and Hebrew Doctours understand this Text concerning Christ and his benefits Psal 73.1 Gal. 6.16 Ephes 1.3 Truely He is good to Israel to the pure in heart Peace and mercy sanctity and safety all spirituall benedictions in heavenly things in Christ shall be upon the Israel of God What the dew is to the herbs fields fruits that is Christ to his Israel 1. The dew comes when the air is clear so doth Christ by his blessing Aristot lib. 1. meteor cap. 10. Plin lib. 2. cap. 60. lib. 18. cap. 29. when the light of his countenance is lift up upon us 2. As the dew refresheth and cherisheth the dry and fady fields hence it is called the dew of herbs Esay 26.19 which thereby recover life and beauty so doth Christ our hearts scorcht with the sense of sinne and fear of wrath 3. As the dew allayeth great heats and moisteneth and mollifieth the earth that it may fructifie so Christ cooleth the Devils fiery darts and filleth his people with the fruits of righteousnesse He is unto them as a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest Esay 18.4 and maketh their souls as so many watered gardens Jer. 31.12 4. As the dew falls in a narrow compasse without noise and is felt onely by those in the force of it on whom it descends so the grace of Christ watereth his faithfull onely secretly and sweetly insinuating into their hearts the stranger medleth not with their comforts See Joh. 14.17 The cock on the dunghill knows them not he shall grow as the lilly which hath its name in the Hebrew from its six leaves and serves here and elsewhere to set forth the great comelinesse Cant. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet odour and true humility of the Church for the lilly groweth in vallies as Theophylact upon this Text noteth sweet it is but not great and the more it blossometh the more it shooteth upwards to teach us heavenly-mindednesse It is also of a perfect whitenesse to mind us of innocency Her Nazarites were purer then snow whiter then milk Lib. 21. cap. 5. Lam. 4.7 Lastly Lilio nihil est foecundius saith Pliny nothing is more fruitfull then the lillie Et lachrymâ suâ seritur saith the same Authour it is sown in its own tears Weeping Christians grow amain c. and cast forth his roots as Lebanon i. e. As the Cedars of Lebanon as the Chaldee Paraphrast interpreteth it or as the frankincense-tree which taketh very deep rooting so Cyril senceth it The lilly with its six white leaves and seven golden-coloured grains within it soon fadeth and loseth both beauty and sweetnesse Rom. 6.10 but so doth not Christ and his People He can as well die at the right hand of his Father as in the hearts of his Elect where he dwels by faith whereby they are rooted and grounded in love strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Ephes 3.16 17. so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against them Immoâ—a manet is the Churches Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur which is the Venetian Motto They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Psal 125. Winds and storms move neither Libanus nor the well-rooted Cedars thereof which the more they are assaulted the better they are rooted So fareth it with the Saints Plato compareth man to a tree inverted The Scripture oft compareth a good man to a tree planted by the rivers of waters that taketh root downward and beareth fruit upward 2 King 19.30 quae quantum vertice ad auras Virg. Aeneid lib. 4. Aethereas tantum radice ad tartara tendit Let us cast forth our roots as Lebanon stand fast rooted in the truth being stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and with full purpose of heart cleaving close unto him 1 Cor. 15. ult being established by his grace Col. 1.11 Heb. 12.28 and 13.9 In the Civil Law till a tree hath taken root it doth not belong to the soil whereon it is planted It is not enough to be in the Church except like the Cedars of Lebanon we cast forth our roots and are so planted that we flourish in the Courts of our God and bring forth fruit in our old age Psal 92.12 13 14. Verse 6. His branches shall spread Heb. shall walk or expatiate shall reach out and stretch themselves all abroad so shall the Church be propagated all the earth over She shall flourish as the Palm-tree which though it have many weights hung on the top and many snakes hissing at the root yet it still saith Nec premor nec perimor I am insuperable I am like a green Olive-tree in the house of God I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal 52.8 and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree that goodly tree Lev. 23 40. that retaineth her greennesse in the depth of Winter yea in that Universall deluge Noahs Dove met with an olive-leaf The Lord hath called thy name saith the Prophet to the Church Jer. 11.16 A green olive-tree fair and of goodly fruit The Cypresse is fair but not fruitfull the fig-tree fruitfull but not fair and flourishing But the olive-tree is both fair and fruitfull her fruit also is of singular use to mankind both for food and physick and light for the lamp Exod. 29.20 Lev. 6.15 16. In one respect it is an emblem of peace it maketh the face shine Psal 104.15 and in the other it is an emblem of grace and spiritual gifts 1 Iob. 2.20 of increasing with the increase of God by the Spirit and of reigning with him in eternall glory and his smell as Lebanon Whereby is meant the sweet savour of the Gospel which spreadeth it self abroad in the ministery of the Word and in the lives of belcevers 2 Cor. 2.14 15. who besides their continuall offering up to God spirituall incense and services in prayers thanksgivings alms and good-works they perfume the very air they breath upon by their gracious and savoury communication Ephes 4.29 yea the very company they come into as a man cannot come where sweet spices and odours are beaten to the smell but he shall carry away the scent thereof in his cloathes Nihil nisi foetidain â—â— foedum exhalavit River When the spirit of Christ blowes upon them and grace is poured into their hearts then their
his hair so doth the strength and glory of our land consist in the true religion and Gods sincere service which if it should be shaved and deprived of though every shower were a shower of gold saith a Divine every stone in the land a pearl every begger an honourable Senatour every fool as wise as Solomon every weakling as strong as Samson yet our wealth honour strength wisdom and glory are gone and we shall sing a doleful Miserere with Phineas his wife Ichabod The glory of England is gone for Religion is gone Verse 6. Ho ho come forth and flee from the land of the North A proclamation to those in Babylon to make hast home and come away for shame now they had so fair a way made and such free liberty given them to return A man would wonder they should be so backward to a businesse of this nature But they that were born in hell know no other heaven as the proverb is There they had lived a long season in peace and safety in a rich and fat though a forreine Countrey There they were at quiet enjoyed their religion and customs got wealth had favourites at Court and what should they trouble themselves to remove into a Countrey where they were sure to meet with many bitter enemies the Samaritans and others And who can tell whether this Proclamation of King Darius be not a designe to try their affection to their countrey and so to fall upon such as did offer to return thither Thus by casting of perils distrusting of promises and listening to that Improba Siren Desidia Antiqr Lib. 11 Cap. 4. they staid half of them at least behinde whatever Josephus hath falsly storied of 4628000. that returned the contrary whereto see Ezr. 2.64 for I have spread you abroad into the four windes And do now offer to recollect and reduce you to your own countrey See that ye shift not off Me that speak from heaven Heb. 12.25 and 2.3 See that ye neglect not so great salvation How oft is the Lord even fain to smoak us and so force us out of our clayie cottages toward our heavenly home And what ashame is it to us that a Heathen should say Fugiendum est ad clarissimam patriam Plotin apud Ang de C. D lib. 9. Cap. 16 ibi pater ibi omnia We should even flee apace to our own countrey that is above sith there is our Father there is All that heart can wish or need require Verse 7. Deliver thy self O Zion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon q.d. Is Babylon a fit place for thee to abide in what comfort canst thou take in such lewd company Save thy self from this untoward generation Act. 2.40 Flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his soul be not cut off in her in iquity for this is the time of the Lords vengeance he will render unto her a recompense Jer 51.6.7 Shortly after this exhortation to the sons of Zion Babylon revolted from the Persians Iustin lib. 1. Herod lib. 3. and was taken and sackt by Darius in the fourth yeer of his reign that is two yeers after this Prophecy was uttered by the help of his friend Zopyrus Two thing should prevail with the people of God to shun the society of the ungodly 1. Infection of sin which is more contagious and catching then the plague Though Lot learned not the evil manners of Sodom yet his daughters did 2. Infliction of punishment Zac. 9.2 Hamath lay so nigh Damascus in places that she fared the worse for her neighbourhood See for both these Rev. 18.4 and say if at any time forced to be in bad company O that I had wings of a dove Psal 55.6 for then would I flee away and be at rest Or if this Oh will not set thee at liberty take up that Wo to expresse thy misery Wo is me that I sojourn in Meshech c. Vers 8. For thus saith the Lord of hosts Sanchez referreth these words to those aforegoing q. d. Deliver thy self c. for so the Lord commandeth But herein he stands alone the current of Interpreters carrying it against him This preface seems prefixed for procuring more authority to the ensuing promise which to the poor Jews might seem incredible If Jehovah speaketh it and he that hath all power in his hand to effect what he speaketh why should any one doubt or despair After this glory i. e. these glimmerings of glory these out goings of grace begun amongst you and by degrees to be finished hath he sent me unto the Nations which spoiled you Or against the Nationâ— for it is a sending in judgement and perhaps against either the Caldeans destroyed by the Persians see the Note on verse 7. Or the Persians afterwards destroyed by the Grecians and by Alexander the Great See Esay 33.1 Now whereas some object that Christ is her said to be sent of his Father and this seems to import an inferiority It is answered First that two equals by mutuall consent may send one another Mission doth not alwayes import inequality Secondly One may be inferiour to another either by nature and so Christ is not or by condition as he is the Mediatour and as he did voluntarily abase himself and so he is Phil. 2.7 For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye The little man that is in the eye as pupilla of pupa Or the black of the eye God Ishon of Ish It is here called Bath the daughter of the eye because it is as dear to a man as an onely daughter who at first drew light out of darknesse doth by an admirable work draw the light of the body out of the black apple of the eye Philosophers call it the Chrystalline bumour It is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part to expresse the inexpressible tendernesse of Gods love saith Salvian The eye is kept most diligently and strongly guarded by nature with tunicles A man can better beat a thultch on the backs then a touch on the eye Siquis digitum meum mordeat siquis pungat brachium crura siquis etiam duriter vulneret c. saith Calvin here If one bite my finger prick my leg or arm yea slash and wound me I can better bear it then if he thrust his finger in mine eyes Amida sonne of Muleasses king of Tunis cruelly put out his fathers eyes by holding hot burning basons before them Turk hist Robert de Behasme Earl of Shrewesbury Anno 1111. playing with his own childe Speed 473. for a pastime put his thumbe in the boyes eyes and thrust out the balls thereof We use to say Oculus fama non patiuntur joâ—os The eye and the good name will endure no jests Let persecutours take heed how they meddle with Gods eyes He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardened himself against God and prospered Job 94. Some read the text thus He
several Kings reigns as did likewise Athanasius and Latimer Jeroboams especially the second of that name and here only named when six other Kings of Israel in whose time Hosea prophesied are not once mentioned but lie wrapt up in the sheet of shame because wicked idolaters such as God took no delight in and hath therefore written them in the earth And in the dayes of Jeroboam the son of Joash Not the son of Nebat that ringleader of the ten Tribes revolt from the house of Dauid but another little better and yet very prosperous and victorious 2 King 14.25 28. He reigned also fourty one years and did great exploits yet is Hosea sent to contest with him to declaim against his sin and wickednesse and to proclaim heavy judgements against him and his people This the Prophet did for a long while together with all fidelity and fortitude when the King was triumphing over his enemies and the people were not only drunk but even mad again by reason of their extraordinary prosperity as Calvin expresseth it Non tantum temulenti erant sed etiam prorsus insani Calvin Now that so young a Prophet should so sharply contend with so fierce a people in the ruffe of their pride and jollity that he should so rouse and repple up these drunkards of Ephraim with their crown of pride Esay 28.1 this shews him to have been of an heroical spirit Jonah his contemporary flinched when sent against Nineveh Micah the Morasthite another of Hosea's contemporaries prophesied in the dayes of Hezekiah King of Judah and spake to all the people of Judah saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Zion shall be ploughed like a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house the high places of a forest Yet did not Hezekiah King of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death c. Jer. 26.18 19. He and Hosea though they prevailed little with the people they preached to yet they were better dealt with then the Prophet Esay their contemporary too of whom Hierom tels us out of the Rabbines that he was sawn asunder because he said he had seen the Lord and secondly because he called the great ones of Judah Hieron in Isa 1. Princes of Sodom and rulers of Gomorrah Isaiah 1.10 Verse 2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea Heb. In Hosea to note that the Lord was both in his mind and mouth in his spirit and speech God spake in him before he spake out to the people His prophesie must therefore needs be divine and deep That 's the best discourse that 's digged out of a mans own breast that comes a corde ad cor from the heart to the heart And blessed are the pleople saith one that have such Ministers that shall speak nothing to them but what hath been first spoken by God in them saying with David and Paul We believe therefore have we spoken we also believe 2 Cor. 4.13 and therefore speak we have experimented what we deliver we believe and are sure that God is in us of a truth and that we preach cum gratia privilegio The beginning Hence some gather that Hosea was the first Prophet Hoseas videtur tempore majestate aliis prior saith O Ecolampadius Certain it is he began before Esay because he prophesied in the dayes of Jeroboam who was before Vzziah whether before Amos or no is not so certain Di praep Evang l. 20 â—ulut Eusebius tels us there was no Greek History extant before Hosea's time Well therefore might that ancient priest of Egypt say to Solon You Grecians are all boyes and babies in matters of Antiquity neither is there one old man amongst you Samuel is counted the first Prophet Acts 3.24 Plato in Timâ—o but Hosea was the first of those that lived in these Kings dayes and likely held out longest see the Note on Verse 1. as did father Latimer preaching twice every sabbath day Act. Mon. though of a very great age and rising to his study winter and summer at two of the clock in the morning Others read the words thus At the beginning when the Lord spake by Hosea he said to Hosea himself Go take unto thee c. An uncouth precept and a rough beginning for a young preacher whose youth might be despised and whose sharpnesse might be disgusted But truth must be spoken however it be taken and a preacher should take the same liberty to cry down sin that men take to commit sin Esay 58.1 Hierom was called fulmen Ecclesiasticum the Church thunderbolt And our Mr Perkins applied the word so close to the consciences of his hearers that he was able to make their hearts fall down Mr Fullers Holy State and their hairs almost to stand upright But in old age he was more milde and delighted much to preach mercy as did also our Prophet Hosea whose prophesie is comminatory in the fore-part consolatory in the latter part And the Lord said to Hosea This is now the third time inculcated for more authority sake which the people so rubb'd and menaced would be apt enough to question He therefore shews them his commission and that he hath good ground for what he saith that they may have no cause to cavil Melch. Ad. but reply as that good Dutch Divine did if God would give them a heart so to do Veniat veniat verbum Domini submittemus ei sexcenta si nobis essent colla Let the word of the Lord come yea let it come and we will submit there unto though we had six hundred lives to lose for so doing Go take unto thee a wife of whoredoms An arrant whore a stinking strumpet Calvin scortum obsoletum a known and trite harlot such as were Thais Lais Phryne c. yea and such a one as after marriage with a former husband at least went astray after other sweet-hearts for so the application of the figure to the subject Chap. 2. requireth it to be understood Whereby it appears saith Diodate that all this was done in a vision Others infer as much from that phrase in this verse The beginning of the word of the Lord in Hosea that is saith Polanus appearing and speaking to him by an inward vision as it were in an extasie Besides in the third chapter and three first verses the Prophet is bidden to marry another harlot to buy her for his own use and to keep her at his house for a time Now scimus hoc non fuisse completum saith Calvin we know that this was never really done It follows therefore that this figure was only proposed to the people that they might perpceive in the looking-glasse of this allegory first their duty toward God second their disloyalty thirdly their penalty for the same It is not an historical narration but a Prophetical vision Children of fornication a bastardly brood such as this evil and adulterous generation is
in these words Let her put away her whoredoms out of her sight and her adulteries c. is that they should not be content meerly with change of their hearts to say Well we will acknowledge the Lord to be the true God and our hearts shall wholly trust in him but for these externall things what great matter is in them Oh no they must abstain from all appearance of evil from the badges of Idolatry c. Thus he Those badges or ensignes of Idolatry they usually carried between their breasts saith another Authour to testifie that the Idoll had their hearts whereas Christ should have been there Cant. 1.13 Who to shew his dear love to his Church appeared to John girt about the paps with a golden girdle Rev. 1.13 See the Note there Cor sedes amoris The heart is the seat of the affections Hence God calleth for it My sonne give me thine heart and the devil strives for it Luk. 22.3 Act. 5.3 Once he strove about a dead mans body Jude ver 9. but his designe therein was to have set up an idoll for himself in the hearts of the living His eldest son and successour the Pope useth the same policie It was a watch-word in Gregory the thirteenths time in Queen Elizabeths dayes My son give me thy heart Dissemble go to Church be a Papist in heart and then do what ye will Take the Oath of Allegiance Supremacy any thing that shall be put to you I will absolve you Do but carry a Crucifix between your breasts that 's the place where they wear such mawmets and kisse it when you have sworn as Lewes the eleventh of France used to do and it shall suffice Cominaeus An oath upon the conscience of a Popish Idolater is like a colier upon a Monkeys neck that he will slip on for his Masters pleasure and slip off again for his own Pascenius scoffes King James for the invention of the Oath of Allegiance Equivocation the Jesuites have invented or revived rather ad consolationem afflictorum Catholicorum for the comfort of afflicted Catholikes as Garnet and Blackwell professe So impudent is Idolatry such frontlesse whoredoms appear in their very faces they openly prostitute themselves Imo volunt extare signa foeditatis suae saith Calvin here they hang out their filthy superstitions in the sight of the Sun as Sodom they set them upon the cliffe of the rock as Jerusalem Ezek. 24.7 8. ut similes sint publicis scortis like common whores that solicite lovers and send to them as she Ezek. 22. It was a sad complaint God made Chap. 7.1 of this Prophecie When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered then it broke forth as the leprosie in their foreheads Their fornications were not onely covert but overt Their whoredomes in the face were their worshipping the two golden Calves and Baalim saith Parcus their adulteries between their breasts were their trust in Idols in the arm of flesh in confederacies c. when they would seem neverthelesse to trust in God alone As now the Papists professe to do and have thereto coyned diverse nice distinctions of worship per se per accidens proprie improprie and a hundred the like evasions But there is no hiding of their Asses cars by these subtilties Doctor Reynolds in his Books de Idolatria Romana hath among others proved them rank Idolaters Weston writes that his head aked in reading that Book but they all yeeld it unanswerable and yet they repent not of the works of their hands that they should not worship devils and idols of gold and silver and brasse and stones and of wood which neither can see nor hear nor walk Revel 9.20 But as those that make them are like unto them so are all those that trust in them stockish and sâ—upid given up to the efficacy of errour to beleeve a lie yea and that against common sence Isaiah 44.17 which is no small stumbling-block to both Jews and Mahometans Verse 3. Lest I strip her naked Deus ideo minatur ut non puniat God therefore threatneth that he may not proceed to punish Here he doth not so much direct as threaten as conditionally terrifie from the pernitious effect or sad issue of their adulteries a full and finall desolation after an utter deprivation of Gods gifts and graces shadowed under a fourfold Metaphor 1. Of stripping her of all her borrowed beauty those jewels and that comelinesse that he had put upon her 2. Ezek. 16.6 Of reducing her to her first forlorn condition wherein he found her Ezek. 16. viz. in her blood in her blood in her blood as it is there said and set out for greater emphasis 3. Of laying her wast as a wildernesse by the incursions and hostilities of cruel enemies or as in the wildernesse so some read it by understanding the particle In that is as in the wildernesse of Arabia where they were put to great straits when they came out of Egypt The very first handsel God gave them there was bitternesse and thirst It was by Marah that they came to Elim c. 4. Of afflicting and punishing her with the most miserable and unsufferable kinde of death I will slay her with thirst which is worse then to be slain with hunger All which is soretold with some hope neverthelesse of grace and forgivenesse if she return and seek the Lord as by the word lest is secretly given to understand Lest I strip her naked As a jealous husband snatcheth away with indignation the clothes and ornaments that he had bestowed upon his adulterous wife The Lord threatneth the wanton women of Zion to make naked their secret parts Esay 3.17 so that their shame should be seen Esay 47.3 even all their nakednesse Ezek. 16.37 to discover their skirts upon their face as Nahum 3.5 Thus the great whore of Babylon is threatned with nakednesse Revel 17.16 And this we see already performed upon her in part as Mr. Philpot barely told Chadsey in that vehement expression of his Afore God you are bare-breecht in all your religion Act. Mon. 1657. he uttereth it somewhat more grossely There was a base custome in Rome that when any woman was taken in adultery they compelled her for a punishment openly and beastly to play the harlot ringing a bell whiles the deed was doing that all the neighbours might be made aware This the good Emperour Theodosius took away M. Clark in the life of Theod. senior 47. and made better Lawes for the punishment of adultery God when he threatneth to strip the Jewish Synagogue naked meaneth saith Mercer that he will take away ornamenta regni sacerdotit those ornaments of the Kingdome and of the Priesthood leave them as 2 Chron. 15.3 without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law sine lege sine rege sine fide as the Brasilians are said to be The children of Israel saith our Prophet
for then was it better with me then now I will repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand c. Lo this is the right way of reasoning sc from mercy to duty from deliverance to obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 Tit. 2.14 Ro. 2.4 Ro. 12.1 Ezra 9.14 The love of Christ constraineth us saith Paul the grace of the Gospell teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and to live godly c. the kindnesse of God leadeth to repentance if besought by the mercies of God to present our bodies for a sacrifice to God how can we do otherwise If God bring vineyards out of wildernesses comforts out of crosses meate out of eaters honey out of the rock Deut. 32.13 and oyle out of the flinty rock that is mercies out of difficulties they must needs be very hard-hearted that are not melted and mollified thereby And the vally of Achor sor a doore of hope The vally was neer unto Jericho that city of Palmtrees and was fertile fat and full of vines Isai 65.10 thought to be the same with Engeddi which is often mentioned in the Canticles This vally was a kinde of dore or inlet into the promised land and here they began first to eate of the fruits of the land which they had so much longed for Josh 5.10 and now hoped for the enjoyment of the whole whereof that vally was a pledg and earnest Hereby then is covertly promised to Gods people deliverance by Christ together with the first-fruits and earnest of the spirit whereby they shall be brought to an assured hope of the harvest of happinesse of the whole bargain of Christs benefits Spes in humanis incerti nomen boni spes in divinis nomenest certissemi Heb. 11.1 this is hope unfaileable as proceeding from faith unfained which can believe God upon his bare word and that against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible It can take a man out of the vally of Achor that is of trouble see Josh 7.6 and set him on the everlasting mountains where as from Pisgah he may have a full prospect of heaven the hope where of maketh absent joyes present wants plentitudes and beguiles calamity as good company doth the way yea lookes upon it as an in let to mercy a promise whereof to apostatizing Israel some make this fat vally of Achor to be dotis nomine as a dowry in allusion to the manner of the Jewes in their marriages to give some piece of ground to the spouse as a pledge and she shall sing there As rejoycing in hope Rom. 12.12 Et res plena gaudio spes Psal 65.13 as Bernard hath it They shall shout for joy they shall also sing Some think the Prophet here alludeth to that custome of the Jewes to sing in the time of their vintage See Judg. 9.27 Esay 16.10 Others will have it to be an allusion to their marriage-songs that being the time of the rejoycing of a mans heart Cant. 3.11 Viz. at the recovery of his lostrib The Septuagint render 〈◊〉 shall be humbled and indeed the word signifieth both to be humbled and 〈◊〉 Some are humbled but not humble low but not lowly these must look for more load But they that mourn in a godly manner are sure to be comforted God will turn all their sighing into singing they shall sing aloud upon their beds which they have soaked in teares Gosr in rit Epist l. 1. Conf. l. 6. c. 12. and made to swim againe as David Psa 6. A reconciled condition is a singing condition Bernard was so over-joyed at his conversion that he was almost beside himself Cyprian telleth his friend Donatus that his comforts then were inexpressible Austin saith the like of himself The Saints cannot but sing at this dore of hope though they be not yet got in at it See Psal 138.5 they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord Psal 119.54 though they be yet but viatores Gods statutes are their songs even in the house of their pilgrimage as hoping to sing shortly in the height of Zion to flow to the bountifulnesse of the Lord Jer. 31.22 As in the dayes â—f her youth and in the day when she came up c. Out of a low countrey but a lower condition being shiftlesse and succorlesse Then did God put Timbrels into their hands and ditties into their mouths See Exod. 15. And so it is here said he will do againe in the time of the gospell Let our Nonsingers here take notice that singing and that joyntly with others is a Gospell-ordinance and for further proof let them read Mr. Cottons excellent treatise upon this subject Verse 16. And it shall be in that day A sweet promise of a thorow reformation much like that Zach. 13.2 God will turne to his people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder Zeph. 3.9 For which end he formes their speech for them tutours them here how to terme him Ishi they must call him but not Baali my husband So Tyrannus fur sophista but not my Lord Not that there was any hurt in the word my Baal or Lord but because it had been abused and given to Idols God would have none of it or because it was grown among the better sort a name of contempt like as for the same reason the word Burden is rejected Jer. 23.36 Or lastly lest the people whilest they spoke of one thing should think of another and naming Baal should be put in minde of an Idol This is Hieromes reason Some distinguish thus betwixt the 2 words Lyra. Oecelamp that Ish is a name of love Baal of feare Others observe that Ish signifieth an excellent man and is therefore made choyce of as every way better then Baal or Lord. Augustus forbad men to call him Lord and desired rather that more amiable name of Father of his countrey It is wisdome when we call upon God to make choyce of fit titles not onely such as he in his word hath warranted but also such as may be suitable to our requests and helpfull to our faith in prayer such as wherein we may see the thing prayed for comming towards us as it were This will notably excite devotion Instances of it see Psal 80.1 Act. 1.24 and 4.24.25 c. Note there and in the next verse that there is no small danger in words and names What a deale of mischief hath the word Huguenot done in France and Puritan here Anno 1572. Cardinall Allen at Rhemes instructed his emissary-seducers sent over hither to divide the people under the names of Protestant and puritan provoking them thereby to reall and mutuall both hate and contempt His Rhemists in their anotations on 1 Tim. 20. warn their readers of using the words of Hereticks so they call us though they have no great hurt in them and hold to their old termes of masse pennance Priest c. they call us
them Mal. 2.7 and though to strive with such be to invert Gods order who hath appointed the people to heare and obey their Teacher and not to prescribe to them to follow their Guides and not to run before them Heb. 13.7.17 and 1 Tim. 1 20. 2 Tim. 1.15 Num. 16. From which texts and 1 Cor. 11.2.3 a grave divine argueth thus It is a vile sin to vex our ministers by our obstinacy yea though they were not able to make so full demonstration yet when they reproove such and such things out of a spiritual jealousy and feare they corrupt their hearts they are to be heard how much more when they come in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 And yet how full is the church ever hath been of such Vitilitigatores as contend with the best ministers quarrel at Gods word and take up armes against it snuffing at it Mal. 1.13 chatting at it Rom. 9.19.20 casting reproaches upon it Jer. 20.8.9 enviously swelling at it Act. 13.45 The more you touch these toads the more they swell the more you meddle with these serpents the more they gather poison to spet at you Go about to coole them with faire words you shall but adde to their heate as the smiths forge fries when cold water is cast upon it and as hot water if stirred casteth up the more fume Plin. Eliaâ— Vultures unguento irritantur scaraboni rosa Vultures cannot endure sweet odours Tygers if they heare the sound of a drum will rage and teare themselve Ahab cannot abide Micaiah nor Herod John Baptist The people contested with Jeremy and cursed him Chap. 15.10 though he were Concionator admirabilis Rhet. Eclesiast cap. vlt. as Keckerman hath it an admirable Preacher yet they sought his life saying Prophesie not in the name of the Lord that thou dye not by our hands Chap. 11.25 Jer. 44.16 Bradford yea they told him flat and plaine The word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not heare O leud losels as that martyr in like case exclaimed O faithless hard hearts O Jesabels guests rockt and laid asleep in her bed O sorrowlesse sinners and shamelesse harlots c. Ministers are lights offensive to sore eyes the salt of the earth which is bitter to wounds c. Among the Athenians if the Comedians which were their teachers such as they had pleased not the people they were overwhelmed with stones Once was I stoned saith Paul 2 Cor. 11. and Jeremy is said to have met with the like death from his flagitious countreymen in Egypt amongst whom he was ever a man of strife and his service was in that behalf like that of Manlius Torquâ—tus among the Romans who gave it over saying Neither can I beare their manners nor they my government See Chap. 20.9 Verse 5. Therefore shalt thou fall how could they do otherwise that were a nation so incorrigibly flagitious so unthankfull for mercies so impatient of remedies so uncapable of repentance so obliged so warned so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked therefore shalt thou fall in the day vivens vidensque peribis thou shalt stumble at noon day because there is no knowledge of God in the land but thou hast loved darknesse rather then light therefore shalt thou have enough of it thy feet shall stumble upon the dark mountaines Jer. 13.16 yea thou shalt stumble and fall and never rise againe which is threatned expressly to these swearers Am. 8.14 implied in the Hebrew word here used Such was Elies fall off his stoole Hamans fall before Mordecai the Jew Esth 6.13 Impenitent persons are brats of fathomlesse perdition they are ripe for ruine shall fall into remediless misery and though never so insolent and angry against those that deale plainely and faithfully with them as in the former verse yet they shall never want an Hosea to tell them so to their teeth that those that will not bend may break that if they will needs fall they may fall with open eyes and not have cause to say that they were not fore-warned And this shall be done to day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is very shortly in this present age so some interpret it aut certe clarissima luce saith Mercer or else in the open light and in the view of all men not in huggermugger Tremellius thinks it is as much as rebus adhuc integris subitò opprimentur Thou shalt be suddenly surprised when thou art in thy flourish and fearest no changes What can be more faire and flourishing then the field a day before harvest then the vineyard a day before the vintage certissimè citissiméque corrues Every wicked man may apply it wherefore also it is delivered in the second person singular Thou even thou to thee be it spoken and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night The Chaldee hath it as in the night if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him John 11.10 The false Prophet cannot lay his hand upon his brest and say as dying Oecolampadius did Melch. Adam Hic sat lucis Here 's store of light Such are wofully benighted shall be utterly darkened Zech. 11.17 yet more may look to be for their right eye being blind leaders of the blind yea the night shall be upon them and it shall be dark unto them the sun shall go down over their heads c. Mic. 3.6 and when they fall together with those seduced soules into the ditch of destruction themselves shall fall undermost Mat. 15.17 and receive the deeper damnation Mat. 23.14 If others shall be damned they must look to be double damned as Dives feared to be if ever his brethren by his example came to that place of torment Mercers note here is very good Nocte casuros dicit c. He saith they shall fall in the night as signifying by an allegory that when calamity shall lay hold upon these false Prophets they shall also be pricked in their consciences which shall tell them that ventris causa for their bellye 's sake and other base respects they have brought upon the seduced people so great mischiefs This shall be as a dagger at their hearts and shall fill their consciences with horrour and distress and I will destroy thy mother i. e. the whole synagogue yea the whole Church and state the Vniversity of the Israelites so that their nation and name should perish together Is it not so with the ten tribes who can tell at this day where to find them or whence to expect them whether from China as some think and alledge Isay 49.12 Or from Tartary as others who say that Tartar alias Tatari or Totari comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tothar a Residue or remnant Breerw Enquir pag. 94. This is no other then a vaine and capricious fancy saith learned Brierwood c. Is it not altogether unlikely that the Lord in
for I will give them to do it both to will it and to work it for otherwise afflictions Gods hammers do but beat cold iron wicked men grow worse for corrections as water is more cold after a beat as naughty boyes are more stubborn or more stupid after a whipping These also may cry to God as prisoners at the bar or malefactours upon the rack yea seek him early after a sort and yet not finde him Prov. 1.27 no though they seek him with their herds and flocks Hos 5.6 because they seek him not early and earnestly or diligently as Prov. 7.15 inflamedly as Baruch Nehe. 3.20 and Jabez 1 Chro. 4.10 accurately and anxiously as the Church sought her beloved Cant. 5.1 as the Virgin Mary sought her lost Son Luke 2. they seek him not for himself but for his corn wine and oil Hos 7.14 they seek not him but his they seek him not till they have nothing else to seek to Most justly therefore may God reject their suits and regest upon them Judg. 10. Depart from me ye wicked Get ye to the gods whom ye have chosen c. Justly may he say to them as once Jephta did to his country men Do ye now come to me in your distresse who in your prosperity said unto me Depart from us we will none of the knowledge of thy wayes Those that will finde God must seek him early O satisfie us early with thy mercies Psal 90.14 They must seek him early and late too Esay 26.9 alwayes and by all means as the Apostle speaketh in another case but especially in affliction as here for he lookes for it Our Saviour being in an agony prayed more intensively so did David out of the deep Jonah out of the whales belly the Church when she was in danger as she thought of losing God then she set up her note and cryed Thou art put in the midst of us Jer. 14.9 leave us not Extingui lucem nec patiare tuam Thus afliction exciteth devotion in the Saints and although they seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore yet especially In their distresse they cryed unto the Lord and he heareth them Psal 120.1 in the night of affliction they take the light of a lively faith and seek him early And that they may not fail to finde him they call in help of others as here in the next chapter Come and let us return c. CHAP. VI. Verse 1. COme and let us return unto the Lord c. So sweetly was Gods expectation answered as likewise it was in David Psal 27.8 No sooner could God say Seek ye my face but his holy heart answered as it were by an eccho Thy face Lord will I seek Look what God aimeth at in his administration to his elect he will have it He will have out the price of his Sons blood who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity c. Tit. 2.14 and that he might give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins Act. 5.31 See the proof and practice hereof in these Jewish converts Come and let us return to the Lord c. See how in those dayes and at that time the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going and weeping they shall go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Jer. 54 5. Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Judah and Israel could not agree at other times but when they are in a weeping condition then they could when they passed through the valley of Bara Psal 84. and made it a Bochim with their penitent tears even they could go from strength to strength or from company to company one company coming this way and another that and not rest untill every one of them in Zion appeareth before God Psal 84.6 â— This was fulfilled partly when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion out of Babylon and those that had sown in tears reaped in joy those that went forth weeping and bearing precious seed came again with rejoycing and brought their sheaves with them Psal 126.5.6 confer Jer. 29.13 partly under their captivity and oppression by the Romanes which was when Christ came and by his Apostles converted thousands to the faith so that multitudes of them were â—aily added to the Church Acts 2. and 3. And lastly at that long looked for calling of the Jewes when they shall flie to Christ crucified as the doves unto their windows Isai 60.20 when they shall bring their brethren as an offering to the Lord upon horses in chaerets and in litters that is though sick weakly and unfit for travell yet rather in litters then not at all every one exciting other and saying Come and let us return unto the Lord. c. Return unto him from whom we children of Israel have deeply revolted Isai 31.6 Let us not pine away in our transgressions aa those Ezek. 33.10 for yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 we have done all this wickednesse yet let us not turn aside from following the Lord for this were to adde rebellion to sin 1 Sam. 12.20 this were worse then all the rest Come let us return unto the Lord By our sins we have run from him by repentance let us return unto him See for this the Note on Zach. 1.2 If the wicked have their Come Prov. 1.11 Esay 56. ult should not the Saints have theirs as Esay 2.3 Zech. 13.21 See the Note Should not Andrew call Philip and Philip Nathaneel as one linke in a chain doth another c. True grace is communicative charity is no churle the Saints like not to go to heaven alone For he hath torn Rapuit not cepit as the vulgar by a foul mistake of capio for rapio in the Hebrew Lexicons Here these converts confesse that their affliction neither came forth of the dust Job 5.6 nor without their desert they acknowledge God to be the Lion that tore them Chap. 5.14 and not without cause for that they had wickedly departed from him This is is one property of true repentance still to justifie God and to say as Mauritius the Emperour did after David when he saw his wife and children slain by the traytour Phocas c. Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy wayes and just in all thy proceedings Another property of it is Psa 119.137 to bring a man to God with some assurance of healing He will heal us For he is Iehovah the Physician Exod. 15.26 Now Omnipotenti medico nullus insanabilis occurrit morbus saith Isidore To an Almighty Physician no disease can be uncurable Ephraim went to the Assyrian upon sight of his disease but he could not heal him Chap. 5.13 But God both can and will Here he is compared both to a Physician he will heal and
commandeth but the Gospel helpeth God by his spirit assisting and further accepting pence for pounds the will for the work the desire for the deed done c. and laying meate before us meate that the world knowes not of hidden Manna the convivium juge of a good conscience c. Vers 5. He shall not return unto the land of Egypt That is he needs not run to Egypt for help as King Hosea did nor to the Assyrian to whom they were tributaries from the time of Menahem for they wanted nothing and less should have wanted if they would have been ruled by me but they refused to return He was not to have returned to the land of Egypt or of the Assyrian who is his king so some read the text Others sense it thus When I threaten them with the Assyrian they think to shift and shelter themselves in Egypt but I shall keep them thence or find and ferret them out there God knowes how to cross wicked men of their will to spoyle their plots Egypt shall prove no better then a broken reed running into the hand of him that leaneth on it 2 King 18.21 The Egyptian was ever an enemy to Israel and though for his own ends he gave goodly words and seem reconciled yet such Reconciliations are but vulpinae amicitiae But were he never so fast a friend yet sin-guilty Israel shall not have their an Asylum nec stabile stabulum see Chap 9.3 with the Note because the desire of the wicked shall perish Psal 112.10 They take counsell together but it shall come to nought they speak the word but it shall not stand Esay 8.10 Confer Esay 30.1.2 and 31.1.2.3 Prov. 21.38 but the Assyrian shall be his king Will they nill they they shall be carried captive to Assyria and sith they will needs be crossing of God he will cross them much more he will walk contrary to those that walk contrary to him Lev. 26.21 and be as froward as they for the hearts of them Psal 18.26 They will not return to me saith the Lord they shall not therefore return to Egypt they will not submit to my scepter they shall therefore have the Assyrian for their King that proud cruel stout-hearted Prince Isay 10.5.7.12 who will tyrannise over their bodies and over their cattle at their pleasure so that they shall be in great distress Neh. 9.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they refused to return Heb. they disdained to do it scorned the motion slighted the messenger Sen in Agamem Plus est a viâ—s se revocaesse quà m vitia ipsa necivisse Amb. in Psal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By their sins they had run from God by repentance they should have returned unto him and then the amends had been well-nigh made for Quem poenitet peccasse paenè est innocens the penitent is in almost as good a case as the innocent Ambrose saith he is in a better But for these men to all other their sins to add obstinacie and impenitencie as Herod to all his former evils did the death of the Baptist this was to heap up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 The word here rendred refused is by the Seventy turned They would not That therefore thy returned not to God it was the fault of their will True it is they had no power to turn themselves but the cause of that inability too was in themselves They therefore neither could nor would return and both by their own fault and folly Vers 6. And the sword shall abide on his cities Heb. shall keep residence or rush upon his cities It can do no less it cannot return into the scabbard rest or be still till the Lord who put it into commission call back againe his commission Jer. 47.6.7 It is a dreadfull thing when the sword abideth on a people as in Germany that stage of warr Ireland still a land of divine ire c. England hath some Halcyons at present incredibili celeritate temporis brevitate à Pompeio confectum Aug de Civ Dei Mr. Burr praise be given to God and let every good man pray with David scatter thou the people that delight in warr Psal 68.30 The Piraâ—s warr was dispatcht by Pompey with incredible swiftness to his eternall commendation And we have cause to bless God saith a countryman of ours that God hath raised up instruments for us who have hazarded the shortening of their own lives for the shortning of the warr who have done their worke of late as if they had took it by the great c. And the same Author observeth that it is a sad thing for the sword to be in the field but for the sword to be in the cities it is much more sad and he instanceth in JerusaleÌ„ out of Josephus Jos de bell Jud l. 7. c. 7. where the number of the slaine was eleven hundred thousand We may further instance in that unhappy city of Magdeburg in Germany where so much cruelty was exercised first by Charles the fift much regrated by him at last in his retired life taking account of his actions since that in our memory by Mounsier Tilly who like a bloody villain put to the sword there twenty thousand persons at least of all ranks ages and sexes Mr. Clark life of K. of swed 23. that great city also he burned down utterly turning it into cinders excepting an hundred nine thirty houses c. The like immanity was exercised by the Popes champions upon the poor Protestants at Angrogue in France where they killed and burned without mercy but could never set fire upon the two temples there nor upon the Ministers house Act and Mone 880. which remained whole the houses round about being all consumed with fire and shall consume his branches and devour thèm His branches or his villages which are as branches of the greater cities The trees of America but especially of Brasile are so huge that it is reported of them Abbbots Geog. p. 271. that severall families have lived in several armes or branches of one tree to such a number as are in some petty village or parish here The greater cities are as the body or-root of a tree the villages as the branches The scripture oft calleth them mother and daughters as Heshborn and all her daughters That is villages Num. 21.25 as the Chalde there explaineth it See Ezech. 10.44.45.46.48.53 hence we read of a citieand mother in Isracl 2 Sam. 20.19 Branches also are called daughters of the trees they grow from Gen. 44.23 The word here rendred branches is by some rendred Barres by others Diviners or Liers as the word here used is interpreted Jer. 50.36 A sword is upon the liars or diviners and they shall dote potest Augur Augurem videre nou ridere saith Tully of such diviners that is Can they one looke upon another and not laugh considering how they gull people with their lies and fopperies The sword
been so foolish as to think that dumb Idols that cannot help themselves should help us But now we are otherwise resolved experientiâ edocti poenitentiâ ducti we finde at length that which we should have beleeved sooner without trying conclusions that men of high degree are but a lie that horses are but a vanity that an Idol is nothing and can give nothing That power belongeth unto thee none else can do it that mercy belongeth unto thee none else will do it therefore since in thee onely the fatherlesse that is the friendlesse and shiftlesse finde mercy O be thou pleased to do us good For in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy The poor pupil the forlorne orphan that 's left to the wide world and lost in himself cries out Lord I am hell but thou art heaven Miseria res digna misericordiâ Ruperti Imp. symb c. I am an abject oh make me an object of thy pity Jer. 39.17 Because they call thee an outcast saying This is Zion whom no man seeketh after therefore I will restore health unto thee c. The proud Assyrian and other enemies would be apt to insult over Israel as afterwards Cicero did The Jewish Nation saith he shew how God regards them that have been so oft overcome by Pompey Crassus c. But let Gods people be but fatherlesse enough let them withdraw their confidence from men and means and cast it wholly upon God making him their Tutour and Protectour and they shall be both preserved and provided for Deo confisi nunquam confusi I will not leave you orphans saith Christ Job 16. Hence the Church resteth on God in the fail of other comforts Psal 10.14 17 18. Psal 27.10 Hab. 3.17 Psal 102.13 The prayer of the destitute he regards The Hebrew word signifies a poor worthlesse shrub in the wildernesse trod upon by beasts unregarded Verse 4. I will heal their back-slidings Relapses we know are dangerous and Apostasie little lesse then incurable 2 Pet. 2.20 21. Heb. 6.6 Bishop Latimer in a sermon afore King Edw. 6. tells of one notorious back-slider that repented but beware of this sinne saith he for I have known no more but one that did so To fall forward is nothing so dangerous as to fall backward with old Eli. Hence Paul so thundreth against the Galathians and Peter against apostatizing Libertines 2 Epist 2.22 Omnipotenti medico nullus insanabilis occurrit morbus Isidor But if Jehovah the Physitian as he is called Exod. 15.26 undertake the cure and say I will heal their back-slidings what can hinder Christ in the Gospel cured the most desperate diseases such as all the Physicians in the countrey might have cast their caps at Matt. 4.23 24. and 8.16 He refused none that came to him Matt. 12.15 no not his enemies as Malchus Will he then reject his Ephraim a child bemoaning himself though not a pleasant childe a towardly sonne Jer. 31.18 20. a back-slider indeed but such an one as crieth now that God bindeth him Job 36.13 No sooner doth God cry Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your back-slidings I will love you freely but Ephraim melted with such a love replieth Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Ier. 3.22 O most happy compliance See the like Zach. 13.9 with the Note there They shall return even to the Lord from whom they had deeply revolted and he shall be intreated of them and shall heal them Esay 19.22 They had beg'd of him to take away all iniquity verse 2. And He here in answer promiseth to heal their back-slidings that compound of all iniquities that falling-sicknesse that oft hales hell at the heels of it Heb. 10.38 I will love them freely Ephraim might remember and Satan would be sure to suggest that the Prophet had said before Ephraim is smitten or wounded My God will cast them away or hate them Mine anger is kindled against them Chap. 8.5 and 9.16 17. Here therefore upon their repentance all this is graciously taken off in one breath and Satan silenced Be it that they are back-sliden and sore wounded by their fall I will heal their back-slidings and make their broken bones to rejoyce Be it that there is nothing at all in them that is laudable or love-worthy yet I will love them freely ex mero motu of mine own free absolute and independent grace and favour out of pure and unexcited love without any the least respect to their merit which is nothing better then hell Be it that they have bitterly provoked me to anger and as angry people use to do I have both threatened them and punished them yet now mine anger is turned away from them I am fully reconciled unto them in Christ will clear up my countenance toward them and remove mine heavy judgements from them Gods favour is no empty favour It is not like the Winter-Sun that casts a goodly countenance when it shineth but gives little heat or comfort If he love a man freely and out of the good-pleasure of his will cum spontaneitate as he doth all His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2.8 making them accepted in the Beloved Ephes 1.6 such a man may promise himself all the blessings of this and a better life Excellent is that of Bernard Qui misit vnigenitum immisit spiritum promisit vultum c. Bern. de Temp. Aug. Confes lib. 5. c. 8. Psal 20.4 He that sent his Son for thee poured his Spirit into thee promised to clear up his countenance upon thee quid tandem tibi negaturus est What can he deny thee He that inviteth thee to feed upon the fatted-calf will not onely take away all iniquity but give good That was the second Petition they preferred and they have it answered in the next verse ad cardinem desiderij God not onely grants their prayer but fulfills their counsell Verse 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel I will give good in abundance and and this is sweetly set forth in a seven-fold Metaphor all answering to the name of Ephraim which signifieth fruitfull and to the ancient promises made unto him and all again opposite to the many contrary curses threatned in the former parts of the Prophesie under Metaphors of a contrary importance as Pareus and out of him Tarnouius have well observed As First of solid and fruit-causing dew in opposition to that vanishing and barren dew chap. 6.4 and 13.3 Secondly of the flourishing lilly contrary to those nettles thorns and thistles chap. 9.16 and 10.8 Thirdly of the well-rooted and durable trees of Libanus contrary to dry-roots chap. 9.16 Fourthly of spreading and growing branches instead of branches consumed chap. 11.6 and 9.16 and 10.8 Fiftly of trees yeelding pleasant shade and repose contrary to chap. 9.3 6. Sixtly of corn to fatisfie hunger contrary to chap. 8.7 Lastly of a Vine bringing forth excellent wine Adricom Brocard Hierom. contrary to chap. 9.16 and 10.1 And
of the truth will make hard shift but they will bear armes against Christ and though feeble Scito quia ab ascensore sun dâ—mone perurgetur Sern yet will say I am strong a Satana impulsi armati saith Mercer here as being pricked on armed and agitated by the devill that old manslayer according to that of Bernard Seest thou thy persccutor outragious marvel not but know that the devil rides him makes him run Verse 11. Assemble your selves and come all ye heathen Come and fetch your bane whereof by your forwardnesse to come uncalled ye may seem to be ambitious Judgments need not go to find you out for you associate your selves that ye may be broken in peeces Isa 8.9 as at Armageddon Rev. 16.16 Come on therefore sith you will needes be so mad and take what befalles you Who would set the briars and thorncs against me in battel I would go thorough them I would burn them together Esay 27.4 See Zech. 14.2 3. with the Notes Ezech. 38.4 Gnushu pro chushu 16 17. c. Rev. 19.17 18. The word here Englished Assemble is by Iarchi rendred Festinate Hasten by others conglobamini cluster together that ye may be the sooner cut off that the mouth of Gods sword may have its full bit that he may make an utter end and your affliction may not rise up the second time Nah. 19. thither cause thy mighty ones to come down i. e. Vel Angelos vel alios saith Mercer either thine Angels called Gods mighties Psal 103.20 Esay 10.34 Psal 68.17 where these Mighty Ones are said to make Sion as dreadfull to all her enemies as those Angels made Sinai at the delivery of the law or other thine officers and executioners that by thy command they may fall on and destroy these Heathen-armies see verse 13. the answer to this prayer of the Prophet and the power of prayers which Luther fitly calleth bombardas instrumenta bellica Christianorum the great ordnance and warlike weapons of Christians Vers 12. Let the heathen be wakened Here begins Gods answer to the Prophets prayer The heathen though at ease Zach. 1.11 and fast asleep must be arrowsed and assembled to the valley of Jehosaphat where God the righteous Judge at the Prophets request reminding him of his promise I am come for thy words saith He to Daniel chap. 11.12 gets up to the Tribunall and there sits to judge all the heathen round about Let not us doubt of the like successe of our suites but when wronged run to the Judg of heaven and earth who will do us right so we pray over the promises as here and not faint though he heare long with us This our Saviour hath taught us by that famous parable of the unjust Judge and the importunate widdow Luk. 18.2 3. c. wherein we may take notice of many excellent encouragements to pray down our enemies 1. He was a Judge onely but God is our Father also 2. He was an unrighteous Judge But is there unrighteousnesse with God Rom. 9.14 3. He as he feared not God so he cared not for man but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly and peculiarly loving to man above other creatures Tit. 3.4.4 He avenged the widdow as wearied out with her and meerly to be rid of her And shall not God do as much for us out of his love to righteousnesse and hatred of wickednesse Psal 45.7 5. It was troublesome to him to be sued unto but God is displeased with us for nothing more then for our backwardnesse and bashfulnesse Ioh. 16.24 Quid est cur nihil petis what meanest thou to ask me nothing said Se verus to his favourite 6. the unjust Judge had no care of his credit but God is most tender of his glory and delights much in that title of his O thou that hearest prayers Verse 13. Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe It even hangs for mowing as we say the enemies are ready ripe for ruine down with them therefore that they may not shed in the field and seed again let this vally of decision be unto them a vally of excision let it be as a wine-presse to those bunches and branches of the grapes lopt off the vine Lacus iste locus coedis See Rev. 14.18 19. Mat. 13.39 There is a stint set to mens sins Gen. 15.16 Zech. 5.8 11. Mat. 23.32 with the Note there What more beautifull to behold then a field afore harvest then a vineyeard afore the vintage and yet how sudden an alteration when workmen once take it in hand for the wickednesse is great Here is that plainely that before was expressed parabolically The scripture oft expounds it self in the same text and is every where it s own best Interpreter Verse 14. Multitudes Multitudes in the vally of decision Or Concision as Hierom and Tremellius or of threshing as Piscator in reference to Iehosaphat who once threshed the Moabites and Ammonites there These multitudes are thither summoned Turbae Turbae adeste or are there lay'd dead even heapes upon heapes with those Philistines Judg. 15.16 So Aben-Ezra senseth it and thence the name of the valley of Concision or decision to shew that there God having passed a definitive sentence upon the Churches enemies and a very severe one too such as was that kind of punishment to put men under harrowes of iron c. 2 Sam. 12.31 Am. 1.3 would now finish the work and cut it short in righteousnesse Rom. 9.28 idque citò certò as sure and as soon as if that day of slaughter were at next doore by for the day of the Lord is neere Lyra understands it of the last day which cannot be far off And Diodate was of the same mind For upon the next words Verse 15. The Sun and the Moon shall be darkened he sets this note Signes which shall goe before the last judgement Mat. 24.29 Luk. 21.25 See the Note above on chap. 2.13 The Prophets by such formes of speech use to decipher greatest calamities when all things look dark as it fareth also with them that are under spiritual desertion Esay 50.10 who yet are exhorted there to trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon their God to cast the anchour of hope as Paul and his company did in the shipwrack Act. 27.20 when they saw neither Sun nor moon for many dayes together and no small tempest lay upon them all hope that they should be saved being taken away Verse 16. The Lord also shall roare out of Zion Out of his church he shall terrify his enemies as the Lion doth the rest of the creatures by his dreadfull roare so that they are amazed thereat and have no power to stirr from the place Lyra interpreteth it of that terrible Discedite Goe ye cursed that shall be uttered by Christ at the last day A sentence that breatheth out nothing better then fire and brimstone stings and sorrowes woe and alass torments without end and
past imagination and the heavens and the earth shall shake The heavens with thunder the earth with earth-quake to the terror of the wicked but comfort of the godly Hag. 2.6 for the Lord will be the hope or harbour of his people they shall have a good bush on their backs in the greatest tempest they shall not be afraid though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be cast into the middest of the sea Psal 46.2 fractus si illabatur orbis Hora◠Impavidos ferient ruinae O the force of a lively faith and the privy armour of proof that beleevers have about their hearts O the dignity and safety of Gods people in the worst of times Hab. 3.18 19. Happy art thou o Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help the sword of thine excellency and thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places Deut. 33.29 Verse 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God you shall experiement that which during your deep afflictions ye made some doubt of and were ready to say as Gideon did to the Angell If the Lord be for us why is it thus with us or as your unbeleeving forefathers in the wildernesse Is God amongst us as if that could not be and they athirst dwelling in Zion Defending my people and dispensing my best blessings to them The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion Psal 134. ◠The blessings that come out of Zion are farr beyond those that otherwise come out of heaven and earth then shall Ierusalem be holy with a double holinesse Imputed and Imparted the profane being purged out here in part but heareafter in all perfection This our Saviour sweetly sets forth in those 2. parables of the tares and of the draw-net Mat. 13. Or It shall be holy that is deare to God and under his care favour and protection from the dominion direption and possession of profane Heathens and there shall no strangers passe through her any more either to subdue her and prejudice her as the proverb runs of the great Turk that wherever he sets his foot no grasse growes any more such havock he makes or to fasten any filth or contagion upon her See Rev. 21.27 where St. Iohn alludeth to this text as all along that book he borroweth the elegancies and flowers of the old Testament to set out the state of the New in succeeding ages If this promise be not so fully performed to us as we could wish we must lay the blame upon our sins whereby the Reformation is ensnarled and our prosperity hindred Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated betwixt you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Esay 59.1 2. Nothing intricates our actions more then sin this is that devill in the ayre that hinders our happinesse this is that Make-bate Hell-hag Trouble-town charme this devill and make him fall from his heaven which is to do hurt and we shall inherit the promises The godly man only prospers Psal 1.3 Verse 18. The mountains shall drop down new wine By these hyperbolicall expressions is promised plenty of all things pertayning to life and godlinesse such a golden age as the Poet describeth Flumina jam lactis jam flumina nectaris ibant Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella Ou Metam Where it must be observed that spirituall good things are promised under the notion of temporall as of Must Milk c. Ob populi infantiam by reason of the infancy of that people of that time The mountaines i. e. the most barren places shall drop down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without our labour shall yeild plentifully New wine strong consolations and Scripture-comforts for strong Christians And the hills shall flow with milk that unadulterated sincere milk of Gods word for his babes 1 Cor. 2.2 1 Pet. 2.2 And all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters Sanctuary-waters wholesome doctrines such as have a healing cooling quenching quickning property in them Esay 44 3. and a fountain shall come forth viz. Baptisme that laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 that fountain opened Zach. 13.1 that pure river of water of life clear as chrystal that washeth away sin Rev. 22.1 Acts 22.16 and shall water the the valley of Shittim That dry valley in the borders of Moab neer to Jordan Num. 25. Josh 2. and not far from the dead Sea Here it was that the Israelites defiled themselves with the daughters of Moab as Jarchi noteth but shall bee purified and sanctified with the washing of water by the word Ephes 5.26 Tarnovius renders the Text Qui irrigabit vallem cedrorum which shall water the valley of cedars those choisest trees planted in the paradise of God Psal 92.13 For saith He as the Tabernacle was built and garnished of old with Shittim-wood for the most part Exod. 25.5 26.15 27.1 30.1 so is the spirituall temple with these spirituall cedars Verse 19. Egypt shall be a desolation By Egypt and Edom are meant all Christs adversaries whether they be professed open enemies as were the Egyptians or false brethren as the Edomites Romists have been both and shall therefore be desolated Rev. 17.16 with 11.8 For the violence against the children of Judah From the very cradle of the Church Exod. 1. yea sooner for Esau in the very womb justled his brother Jacob and offered violence against him that he might lose no time because they have shed innocent blood in the land The Saints blood is called innocent blood 1. Because their sinnes are remitted 2. Because they are causelesly killed And this is a land-desolating sinne The innocent blood spilt by Manasseh brought the captivity the Marian times our late troubles The blood of the Martyrs shed by Turk and Pope whom the Jew-Doctors understand by Egypt and Edom here shall be the ruine of them both Verse 20. But Judah shall dwell for ever Perpetuitas Ecclesiae declaratur saith Mercer The perpetuity of the Church is declared and assured The blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church Christ is with his to the end of the world and those Roman persecutours who sought to root out Christian Religion and erected pillars in memory of what they had done or rather attempted that way what got they thereby but perpetuall ignominy besides the irrepairable losse of their souls bodies and fortunes Tu vero Beza Herodes sanguinolente time The Church as the Palm-tree spreadeth and springeth up the more it is oppressed as the bottle or bladder Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus Horat. Cur. 4.4 Plin. l. 18. c. 16. that may be dipt not drowned as the oak that taketh heart to grace from the maims and wounds given it and sprouts out thicker as
Fenugreek which the worse it is handled the better it growes as Pliny saith No fowl is more preyed upon then the pigeon no creature more killed up then sheep yet are there more pigeons then birds of prey more sheep then slaughter-men c. Verse 21. Optatus For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed i. e. I will clear their consciences from dead works from the stain and sting of all sinne that they may not question their right to these precious promises but boldly take the comfort of them I will say unto them Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are justified but ye are sanctified Be of good cheer therefore sith your sinnes your bloody sinnes are forgiven you Or thus I will cleanse their blood that is I will declare that the blood of the godly which the world thought to have been justly spilt was indeed innocent blood and that they were slain without cause This I will do partly by rooting out and damning their enemies and partly by clearing their innocencie and crowning their constancy Thus Mercer Levely c. for the Lord dwelleth in Zion This is the last promise but not the least It referreth saith Danaeus to Christ taking our flesh by the which he dwelt among us being God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 and Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we saw the glory thereof c. This is reserved to the last place as the causa cumulus felicitatis especially since he dwelleth with his Church for ever as it is in the precedent verse and maketh her a true Jehovah Shammah as she is called Ezech. 48.35 A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Of the Prophesie of AMOS CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE words of Amos Not of that Amos who was father to Isaiah as some Ancients for want of Hebrew mistook it but a man of meaner rank 2 Cor. 11.6 rude in speech but not in knowledge tam sensuum nomine quam simplicitate verborum clarus as Hierom saith of Didymus The Jews firname him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Stammerer as if he had been a man not onely of a low but of a letsome language one that had an impediment in his speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt Michael Balbus as Mark 7.32 and this they gather from his name Amos which signifieth a burthen as if this herds-man had had bovem in lingua a clog upon his tongue and could not utter himself freely But let this passe for a Jewish tradition True it is that Amos is by interpretation a burden and no lesse true that the words of Amos are onerosa prophetia the burthen of the word of the Lord to Israel by Him See the Note on Mal. 1.1 who is a vehement Prophet laden with reproofs and threatnings Comminationibus ac reprehensionibus Onustus as Luther saith of him such as the land was not able to bear said that Malecontent Amaziah who had sel in aure his gall in his ears as they write of some creatures But truth must be spoken however it be taken neither may Gods Ministers meddle with toothlesse truths onely as Balac bid Am. 7.10 Neither curse nor blesse at all but bind heavy burdens if need be upon the shoulders of obstinate sinners that may cripple their iron sinewes and make them buckle under the sense of Gods unsupportable displeasure who was among the herdmen of Tekoah He was no Prophet neither was hee a Prophets sonne but an herdman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit chap. 7.14 1 Cor. 1.27 and extraordinarily called to this high office by Him who chooseth the foelish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty who enabled the dumb Asse to forbid his Masters madnesse 2 Pet. 2.16 and sent this down-right Net-herd to deal with a bruitish people worse then the Ox an Asse that have no understanding Psal 32. Esay 1.3 Job 10.4 and who had changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into a four-footed calf and creeping things Rom. 1.23 Tekoah is said to be six miles from Bethlehem twelve from Jerusalem Kimchi in loc in cap. 3.10 seituate in the tribe of Judah 2 Chron. 11.6 Quinquius that learned Hebrew therefore is utterly out in saying that Tekoah was a great townin the tribe of Asher which he saw concerning Israel He not onely heard these words but saw them in a vision he had them by revelation from God See the Note on Hos 1.1 concerning Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot Or against Israel that is the ten revolted tribes who had many Prophets sent them to foretell their captivity God loves to foresignifie In the dayes of Vzziah c. At the same time with Hosea and Isaiah and Micah when Procas Sylvius was king of the Latines and Sardanapalus of the Assyrians as Hierom saith and in the dayes of Ieroboam the second not that funestum Iudaeis caput that Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat 2 Kin. 14.20 25. 2 Chro. 26.6 7 8 c. who caused Israel to sinne Under the raign of these two kings Judah and Israel were in great prosperity and bewitcht therewith applauded themselves in their impiety as Psal 73.5.6 This Prophet therefore is sent to rouse them and rub them up to tell them their own and what they should trust to Two years before the earthquake That notable earth-quake famous and fresh in most mens memories Whether it sell out just then when Vzziaâ— attempted to offer incense and was therefore smitten with leprosie 2 King 15.5 as some Ancients affirme or whether at that instant when Esay in a vision saw the Lord in his glory and the posts of the door mooved Esay 6.4 as some Rabbins tell us I have not to say It seems to be foretold chap. 3.5 and so terrible it was that people fled from it Zach. 14.5 See the Note there Josephus maketh mention of it in the ninth Book of his Antiquities chap. 11. and telleth us that half a great hill was removed by it out of its place and carried four furlongs another way so that the high-way was obstructed and the kings gardens utterly marred God by such extraordinary works of his shâ—weth his justice and displeasure against sinne Psal 18.8 Esay 13.23 as also his special mercy to his praying people as at Antioch in the yeer 529 and at Bern Anno 1584 near unto which city a certain hill carried violently beyond and over other hills is reported by Polanus who lived in those parts to have covered a whole village that had 90 families in it one half house onely excepted Polan syntag 841. wherein the master of the family with his wife and children were earnestly calling upon God Oh the terrour of the Lord and oh the power of prayer Verse 2. And he said The Lord will roar This is spoken for the terrour of the wicked as the
brothers of love Epicurus his hoggs they might better tearme them saith the Historian Bellarm. lib. 2. de Monach. cap. 5. The Papists would prove their Monkes to be Christian Nazarites but the abolishing of that order is declared Act. 21.25 and Monks are so farr from the abstinence of the Nazarites that they eat of the best and drink of the sweetest that Sea and Land can afford So farr also from the singular sanctimony of the Nazarites whereof see Lam. 4.7 that the Poet sung truly of them Non audet Stygius Pluto tentare quod audet Effraenis Monachus They may better professe themselves successors to the Scribes Pharisees who may seem saith One to have fled and hid themselves in the Monks and friers Vitae sanctimonia voâ—o singulari ab aliis Separati Now the Pharisees pretended to succeed the ancient Nazarites as their very name imports but they were as likewise the Popish Monks a generation never instituted by God nor brought in by the Prophets but only a humane invention and through their own boldnesse whence Chemnitius upon the tenth of Iohn takes theeves there to be the Pharisees An Interpreter here sheweth how God hath now made all his people Nazarites i. e. separated and sanctified unto himself by making them paterns of piety as the Rechabites holy harmelesse undesiled of dead works and evill works Eph. 5.18 1 Thess 5.22 Jude 23. from whom they are bid to stand off 1 Tim. 6.5 as also not to be drunk with wine wherein is excesse but to be filled with the Spirit abstaining from all appearance of evill hating the garment spotted with the flesh c. See the Notes on Numb 6. Is it not even thus O ye children of Israel If it be not testified against me as Mic 6.3 and if ye cannot then read the sentence against your selves Mat. 27.4 as Judas did that ye may appear to be subverted and self-condemned Tit. 3.11 God loveth to fetch witnesse from mens own consciences for the justifying his proceedings and to convince them cleerly that he is no way wanting to them but they to themselves A cunning carver can cut the similitude of any creature but not on a rotten stick What could god do more to his Vineyard then he had done Es 5. How oft would I have gathered thy children as an hen her chickens c. Mat. 23.27 How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Ier. 4.14 God is so farr from being guilty of Israels misery as that besides other undeniable arguments of his love as bringing them out of Egypt destroying the Amorite c. he had raised them up Prophets and Nazarites given them his word Sacraments all good helps to mollify their hearts and then appealeth to their consciences by this Rhetoricall interrogation Is it not even thus so to wring from them a confession of the truth in spite of their teeth Verse 12. But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink Opponit jam Propheta pessimam gratiam c. saith Gualther Here was the ill requitall they made the Lord for all his benefits they corrupted his young Nazarites as Buzzards snatch up yong lapwings and silenced his Prophets or enjoyned them at least to meddle with toothlesse truths only to preach placentia threatening them if they did otherwise for so the Original importeth that so they might sin without controule and go to hell without hinderance This God heavily here complaines of as an horrible Ingratitude To render good for evill is divine good for good is humane evill for evill is brutish but evill for good is divelish Verse 13. Behold I am pressed under you c. A countrey comparison such as this Prophet is full of plaine but pithy to shew how God is pressed and oppressed with peoples sins wearied as it were Esay 43.24 and his patience even worn out so that he can forbeare them no longer Isay 42.14 but like a travelling woman that bites in her paine as long as she is able at length cryes out so here God hath much adoe to forbeare killing men in their sins as he was ready to have a blow at Moses when he met him in the Inne and could hardly hold his hands he even grones under the pressure as a cart seemes to do under an extraordinary loade laid on it till it creake and crack againe He seemes to screeke out to sinners as Jer. 44.4 Oh doe not this abominable thing And when he cannot be heard to sigh out Ah sinfull nation a people laden with iniquity c. Esay 1.4 as Fasciculus temporum Anno. 884. bitterly bewailing the iniquities of those times cries out Heu heu Domine Deus c. That ninth age is much complained of by many Waters God hath as much nay more cause to complaine of ours considering his paines with us and patience towards us to so little purpose and profit See the Note on Mal. 1.1 many Interpreters make these words not a complaint but a communication rendring it thus I will presse or straighten your place as a cart full of sheaves presseth sc either the ground whereon it goeth or the corn which it thresheth out of the husk Esa 28.27 28. or as the creature that lieth under the wheeles of it is crusht in pieces It was a memorable saying of Mr. Bradford Martyr He that will not tremble in threatening shall be crusht in peeces in feeling These perverse Israelites would not be warned by any threatening therefore they were pressed to some purpose in that sore famine and straight siege of Samaria Obsidione vos premam saith the Chalde here Samariana I will so beleaguer your city that there shall be no escaping Look how a laden cart onustum sibi so laden that another sheaf can hardly be laid on so sticks in straight places that it can neither go forward nor backward so will I bring you into those distresses that you shall not know how to avoid or abide them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confer Psal 4.2 Prov. 4.12 2 Cor. 4.8 I will distresse my distressers and presse with such piercing afflictions as shall make you sigh and screech out another while Oh it is an evil thing and a bitter to forsake the Lord c. Jer. 2.19 Oh he is worse then mad that would buy the sweetest sin at so deare a rate Verse 14. Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift men are apt to blesse themselves when God curseth Deut. 29.19 and to bind upon impurity in a common calamity to make faire weather when such a tempest is up as shall never be blown over Or if worse come then as all creatures run to their refuges Prov. 30.25 Psal 104.18 Prov. 18.11 Dan. 4.14.11 Judg. 9.50 51. the hunted hare runns to the forme to the bushes that she formerly haunted but now those cannot save her so men in misery bethink themselves of and betake themselves to creature-comforts and refuges either naturall or artificiall as here but
make beleeve Where is the promise of his comming Let him make speed and hasten his work Esay 5.19 Jer. 17.15 that we may see it Let him increase his army and come down Judg. 9.29 Such jearing and daring spirits there are still abroad But do they provoke the Lord to anger are they stronger then he The great and terrible day of the Lord will come time enough to their cost they need not accelerate it Can they stand to his triall Job 26.14 or abide the thunder of his power to what end is it for you when God shall answer you as he did a far better man out of the whirlewind and say Job 38.2 3. 1 Pet. 4.18 Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Gird up now thy loynes like a man c. Where then shall the ungodly and the wicked appeare what hils will they call upon to fall on them when the elements shall fall upon them like scalding lead or burning bell-mettall and yet all this be but the beginning of their sorrowes Now therefore be not ye mockers lest your bands be made strong Esay 28.22 God can easily hamper you if he once take you in hand the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light No interchange of light an evill an onely evill without mixture of mercy Ezech. 7.5 a black and dismal day of one mischief upon another in a continued series Affliction shall not rise up the second time Nah. 1.9 but ye shall totally and finally be destroyed wrath shall come upon you to the utmost 2 Thes 2. This is illustrated in the next verse by an apt Similitude Verse 19. As if a man did sly from a lion c. And so by running from his death should run to it by seeking to shun the shelves should split against a rock Incidit in Scyllam c. Alsted Chronol pag. 480. as Nicodemus Frischline that famous Poet Orator and Philosopher endevouring to escape out of close prison by casting himself out at a window the rope broke and he perished by falling headlong upon a rock So fareth it with those that feare not God Aliud ex alio malum One mischief treadeth on the heeles of another as Iobs messengers The clouds returne after the raine Eccle. 12.2 as in April-weather one showre is unburthened another is brewed and deep calleth upon deep at the noise of the water-spouts Psal 42.7 Evill shall hunt the violent man to destroy him Psal 140.11 your sins shall find out out as a blood-hound Num. 32.23 as it did that Popish Priest in London who having escaped the fall of Black-friers Anno. 1623. where Drury had his braines knockt out of his head together with his sermon and taking water with a purpose to saile into Flanders was cast away together with some others under London-bridge Jac. Revius de vit Pontif. 312. the boat being overturned And as Philip the second King of Spaine who going from the Low-countries into Spaine by sea fell into a storme in which almost all the Fleet was wracked his housholdstuff of very great valve lost and himself hardly escaped Hist of Counc of Trent 417. He said he was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranisme which he presently began to do But the hand of God was upon him in an extraordinary manner Caros Scribonde inflit Princ. cap. 20. for beside the invincible Armado here defeated to his great heart-break for his pretended patience was but as the fever called Epialis wherein men are cold without but hot as fire within he fell into that most lothsome lowsy disease called Phthiriasis whereof at length he dyed and a Beare met him A Beare robbed of her whelpes which she licketh into forme and loveth above measure is a very fierce and fell creature To meet her in such a rage is to meet death in the very face and yet that danger may be sooner shifted and shunned then the heavy wrath of God avoyded or averted without true and timely repentance there is no way to run from him but by running penitently to him as in a tempest at Sea it is very dangerous to strike to the shore the safest way is to have sea-room and to keep in the Maine still or went into the house To shelter himself from the Beare as every creature in danger runneth to its harbour Prov. 30.26 Psal 104.18 and leaned his hand on the walles As being breathlesse in running and glad to stay himself on what he can next lay hold on Man like the vine must have somewhat to leane on if it be but a broken reed or bulging wall Psal 62.3 he shifts and sharks in every by-corner for comfort as the Papists stung by the Friers sermons do by pardons and pennances Prov. 23.32 which are but palliate cures for a serpent bites them the guilt of sin abiding biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder Verse 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse c. q. d. How say ye now when thus beset with mischief on all hands such as ye can neither avoyd nor abide must ye not needes subscribe to the truth of what I said verse 18. and do here againe repeate that you may the better observe it with greater emphasis and earnestnesse you shall not have the least glimmering of comfort ease direction or good counsel To what end then should you desire this dreadfull day of the Lord Are you in hast to be undone Verse 21. I hate I despise your feast-dayes wherewith ye think to stop my mouth and to make me your debter saying as that Romane Emperour when his enemy came against him Non sic Deos coluimus ut ille nos vinceret we have not so served the Gods that they should serve us no better then to give the enemy the better of us The feast-dayes Antonin Philosoph refer Vulcat Gallic in Avidio Cassio Jer. 32.35 and solemne assemblies you so much bind upon are yours and not mine I never commanded them viz as you now use them neither came they ever into my mind So farr am I therefore from accepting your sacrifices as that I hate I despise I will not smell an elegant Asyndeton importing Gods utter distaste of what they did The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Prov. 21.27 and assuring a sudden vengeance as in that quick and smart passage Go preach baptise He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Will-worship and out-sidenesse in religion is very odious to the Almighty and stinks worse in his nostrils then any ill vapour from the vilest dunghill doth in ours or as those poisonous smels that ascended up once from the five cities of the plaine and brought down from him a counterpoyson of fire and brimstone Rome also that spirituall Sodom shall be destroyed in like sort with a terrible fire Rev. 17.16 and 18 8 9. for her
precio should be the Magistrates Motto And Iustice Iustice as Moses phraseth it Deut. 16.20 that is cleer sheer justice without mud should run down as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty torrent Am. 5.24 and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money They were meerly mercenary and as Apollo's Oracles corrupted by Philips gold were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak as he would have them so was it here Both Priests and Prophets were ignava ventris mancipia see vers 5. with the Note greedy dogs In Mat. 10.16 slow-bellies they all looked to their own way every one for his gain from his quarter Esay 56.11 Albertus Magnus complained of the covetousnesse of Pastours in his time Bernard for this cause calleth them Impostours and By-seers Hugo Cardinalis said that the devil had two daughters Avarice and Luxury the former whereof he had married to the Iewes the latter to the Gentiles but now saith he the Priests have taken away both of them from their right husbands and make use of them for their own Si posui aurum in conjugium meum So the Septuagint read that text Job 31.24 signifying the covetous mans great love to money whence Saint Iames calleth such 2 Pet. 2. adulterers and adulteresses Chap. 4.4 Saint Paul saith they minde onely earthly things sc their purses and paunches Phil. 3.19 and and uncessantly wooe this Mundus immundus this vile strumpet the world having eyes full of the adulteresse and that cannot cease to sinne But their money shall perish with them that teach for hire that follow the ministery onely as a trade to pick a living out of qui plus fisco quam Christo vacant plus attonsioni quam attentioni gregis ubi non vident quaestum rident Christum c. All seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs Psal 2.21 yet will they lean upon the Lord Or lay their weight upon him as upon a staffe or crutch velut firmissimo scipione Thus their forefathers Psal 78.32 35. though they sinned still and believed not for his wondrous works yet they would needs believe that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer So their successours Jer. 3.3 4 5. when they had spoken and done evil as they could yet having a whores forehead they could give goodly words Wilt thou not from this time crie unto me My father thou art the guide of my youth Will he reserve his anger for ever Will he keep it to the end Here were good words for they are good cheap as we say but nothing more The Lord was much in their mouthes but farre from their reins Jer. 12.2 Selfe-deceivers think they lean upon the Lord when it is no such matter Their faith is a mock-faith a strong phansie a blind presumption which will prove but a broken reed and was never true to those that trusted it Surely as he that maketh a bridge of his own shadow cannot but fall into the brook so neither can he escape the burning lake that had rather be carnally secured then soundly comforted Good gold is a cordial so is not Alchymy gold neither will it passe the seventh fire as the other will Security is the forerunner of calamity neither miscarry any so sure or so soon as the over-confident and say Is not the Lord amongst us And hath he not promised so to be for ever True but upon condition that you be with him and no otherwise 2 Chron. 15.2 He is not so tied to you but that he can go away from you See his many removes Ezek. 9 10 and 11 Chapters and observe that still as he goes out some judgement comes in They call themselves of the holy city and stay themselves upon the God of Israel the Lord of hosts is his name Jer. 48.2 but all this was but court-holy-water as they call it empty words such as our profligate professours are full of But wilt thou know O vain man or O empty man that words without works are bootlesse Jam. 2.20 that externall priviledges alone profit not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 7.4 Act. 6.14 that formal profession and performances are disaccepted and those that please themselves therewith are but as women travelling with a false birth Isai 26.18 Men are wont to do with these as those Conjurers did with the name of Jesus they thought if they used that name it was enough They heare therefore Act. 19.5 Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye So shall it fare with such as glory in this that they were born in the bosome of the Church live under the means of grace c. Gehezi took the Prophets staffe but there was something more else the childe had not been raised Those tell but an ill tale for themselves that have no more to say but this Is not the Lord amongst us Men are the worse for his presence with them if they walk not worthy of the Lord in all wel-pleasing Col. 1.10 if they have not grace to serve him with reverence and godly fear for even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. None evil can come upon us Let Prophets say what they please we shall have peace Deut. 29.19 all shall be well with us whiles God is with us and for us Job 8.20 Exod. 34. Psal 5. But God will not take the wicked by the hand saith Job neither will he at all acquit the guilty saith Moses The foolish shal not stand in his sight saith David for he hateth al the workers of iniquity Psal 5.5 Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions Exod. 23.21 or if he do yet 't is two to one that he will take vengeance of your inventions Psal 99.8 Shake off therefore carnal security fear the Lord and depart from evil Vers 12. Therefore shal Zion for your sake be plowed as a field even for your sakes O wicked Princes Priests and Prophets you are the traytours that have betrayed us all into the hands of divine justice to be angry with us for saying so and telling you what to trust to is as if some fond people should be angry with the herald or the trumpet as the cause of their warres Zion shal be â—lowed as a field Shall be utterly laid waste and sevelled Conquerours used to plow up those places that they would not have re-edified and to sow them with salt Judg. 9.45 It must needs be a dismal destruction that is described in such exquisite tearms Alterius perditio tua sit cautio This threatning of the Prophet took so well that the judgement was respited for above an hundred years Jer. 26.19 But now mens hearts are more hardned and therefore their destruction more hastened and Jerusalem shal become heaps Rupes ruderum This they once thought as possible as to overthrow Gods own throne the very disciples had a conceit that the World
is false that some contend for sc that every man may be saved in his own faith be it right or wrong For none can come to the Father but by the Son Joh. 14.6 Neither is there any other name but His under heaven whereby men must bee saved Acts 4.12 See Joh. 17.3 and 6.40 Heb. 11.6 whatsoever the Huberians affirme of Universall Election or the Puccians of a naturall faith and we will walk in his paths which are all paved with mercy and love so that the saints run therein and faint not walk and are not weary Esay 40.31 They are all Peripateticks ever in action Gen. 17.1 they are Currists not Quaerists Ambros saith Luther elegantly they do not reason but run the pathes of Gods precepts Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia For the law shall go forth of Zion The law or doctrine as Prov. 13.14 Understand here the Gospel that Law of God Psal 19.7 that Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 that perfect law of liberty Jam. 1.25 a counter-pane whereof God putteth into the hearts of his people Jer. 31. whereby they become as it was once said of the Thracians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law to themselves Herod as being transformed into the same image with the Gospel like as the pearl by the often-beating of the Sun-beams upon it becommeth radiant as the Sun and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Not from Africa at first as the brethren of the rosy-crosse would have it though 't is thought the Gospel was received and the Christian faith professed even from the Apostles time in that large region of Nubia in Africk But repentance and remission of sinnes was preached among all nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.41 The Jews were Gods Library-keepers and the Apostles sent and went from Jerusalem to plant Churches abroad the world and to gather into one the children of God that were dispersed Ioh. 11.52 Verse 3. And he shall judge among many people We had before Christs Propheticall Office here we have his Princely and elsewhere his Priestly This seems to have been the effect of that old prophecy among the Easterlings that Judaea profecti rerum potirentur some that came out ofâ— Jury should conquer all Vide Sueto in Vespas Tacit. lib. 21. wherein both the former are founded for he is the true Trismegist and Melchisedech was a right type of him He is the onely judge and needs no Vicar upon earth such as the Pope claims to bee Esay 33.22 no such Officers to see his lawes executed as the Ephori were among the Greeks and the Censores among the Romans The Lord that sent the rod of his strength out of Zion as verse 2. doth also give him to rule in the middest of his enemies whiles his people are willing in the day of his power in the beauties of holinesse Psal 110.3 willing that Christ should send forth judgement to victory Mat. 12.20 that is perfect his own work of grace begun in their hearts To which end as it here followeth He shall rebuke or convince strong nations Convince them I say by his Spirit of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement â—oh 16.8 Of the lothesomnesse of sin of the necessity of getting righteousnesse by Christ and repentance from dead works that men may serve the living God and as much as in them is Acts 17.30 live peaceably with all And they shall beat their swords into plowshares i. e. their fierce and fell natures shall be mansuefied as Esay 11.6 7 8 9. and if they wage warre it shall be non nisi coacti either for the just punishment of Delinquents whom they cannot otherwise come at or for their own necessary defence and that they may establish peace with truth But if men would live by the lawes of the Gospel they need not wage warre or want peace either of countrey or of conscience but they might take for their Motto that of David Ani shallom I am peace and have for their portion that peace peace Esay 26.3 even a perfect sheer pure-peace a multiplied peace with God with themselves and with others this is a main piece of Christs kingdom upon earth Florus who is the Prince of peace and came in a time of peace viz. in the raigne of Augustus when as there was Totius orbis aut pax aut pactio saith Florus a generall peace or truce thorowout the whole world neither shall they learn warre any more To make a trade or a gain of it and so to earn a curse Deut. 27.25 to delight in it Psal 68.30 and make a sport of it as Abner did 2 Sam. 2.14 and Pyrrhus king of Epirots to wage it without weighty reason rashly If we Princes said our Hen. 7. should take every occasion that 's offered the world should never be quiet but wearied by continuall warres We may also here take warring as St. Iames doth chap. 4.1 for jarring and jangling for private discords and dissentions Now these the people or God are so farre from learning that they utterly lay them aside and are kinde one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave them Ephes 4.32 Verse 4. But they shall sit every man under his vine seeding upon the fruit that shall even fall into his mouth saith à Lapide Sit they shall under Christ the true Vine saith Hugo and under the holy Ghost as a fig-tree whose fruit is farre sweeter then any honey But these are coynt interpretations saith Gualther I should rather expound this Text by that 91. Psalm wherein the safe and happy condition of the godly is at large described Vineyards and fig-yards were ordinary in those countreys and hence this proverbiall expression to set forth doubtlesse the spirituall security and that peace of conscience chiefly that is granted to Christs subjects a peace farre beyond that under Solomon which is here pointed at or that under our Queen Elizabeth not to be passed over without one touch at least upon that string which so many years together sounded so sweetly in the ears of our Fathers Then it was if ever that the mountains brought forth peace and the little hills righteousnesse Psal 72.5 The great ones defended their inferiours Westmer in Psal 72. and the inferiours blessed their superiours the Magistrate righted the subject and the subject reverenced the Magistrate and none shall make them afraid God they know will not hurt them man cannot he may take away their heads but not their crowns their lives but not their hopes for the righteous hath hope in his death his Posie is not onely Dumspiro spero but Dum expiro Let the wicked have a trembling heart and failing eyes while he lives Deut. 28.65 and when he dies crie out as a great man was heard to do Spes fortuna valete Farewell life and hope together The servant of Christ as he sits mediis tranquillus in undis all his life long
so when he dies he can call his soul to rest and sing old Simeons Nunc dimittas Lord now let thy servant depart in peace c. for the mouth of the Lord of hosts And what better assurance can we desire sith God can neither die lie nor denie himself Sith secondly he is the Lord of Hosts and so armed with power to make good what he hath spoken Peter had a will to deliver Christ from the Jews but wanted power Pilate had power to have done it but wanted will God wanteth neither of these to do for his people and to deliver them out of danger Courage therefore Verse 5. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god They will do so they are resolved not to alter their religion as Tully said Me ex ea opinione quam à majoribus accepi de cultu deorum nullius unquam movebit oratio I will never be disswaded by any one from that way of divine worship which I have received from my forefathers How wilfull at this day are Jews Papists Pagans Heretikes And how much easier a matter do we finde it to deal with twenty mens reasons then with one mans will A wilfull man stands as a stake in the middest of a stream le ts all passe by him but hee stands where he was Nay but wee will have a king say they when they had nothing else to say Nay but I will curse howsoever though against my conscience said Balaam and do not the Popish Balaamites as much as this many of them As for the Vulgar sort of them they are headlong and headstrong resolved to retaine contra gentes the senselesse superstitions transmitted unto them by their Progenitours But what saith the Oracle Rev. 14.7 Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come and what ever your ancestours did worship you him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God This was well resolved and is as well practised by all Christs faithfull people who dare not follow a multitude to do evill Exod. 23.2 dare not walk by their fathers practise Iosh 24.2 14 15. for they consider that no commandement doth so expresly threaten Gods judgements upon posterity as the second They therefore resolve to walk in the name that is by the lawes and under the view of the Lord their God who is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible as Moses describeth him in opposition to all other deities whether so reputed or deputed Deut. 10.17 for ever and ever We will not only take a turn or two in his wayes as temporaries who are hot at hand but soon tire and give in but we will hold on a constant course of holinesse and not faile to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Psal 1.2 Ioh. 8.12 and 10.4.14 Rev. 7.17 As for those Apostates that change their God that change their glory for that which doth not profit as they therein commit an horrible wickednesse such as the heavens have cause to be astonished at Ier. 2.11 12 13. so they could not chuse out for themselves a worse condition Heb. 10.37 38. for why they put the son of God to an open shame chap. 6.6 like as those that are carted amongst us are held out as a scorn and do in effect say that they have not found him such as they took him for Verse 6. In that day sc of grace and of the Gospel It is called a day and that day by an excellency in regard of Revelation Adornation Consolation Distinction speedy Preterition saith the Lord Whose word cannot be broken Ioh. 10.35 and is therefore the best security 2 Cor. 1.20 will I assemble her that halteth Heb. that goeth sideling that is maimed disioynted lamed Esa 35.3 torn Psal 35.15 and tired out with long journeys into captivity as the Jewes were by the Babylonians Greeks and Romanes before Christs comming that they might breath after those dayes of refreshing from the presence of the Lord Mal. 3.1 and I will gather her that is driven out Or rejected thrust away with a force that is the Gentles suffered to walk in their own wayes Act. 14.16 and carried away unto dumb idols even as they were led 1 Cor. 12.2 and her that I have afflicted Both Jewes and Gentiles the whole community of people for God shooke all nations then when the desire of all nations Christ Heb. 12.25 was to come Hag. 2.7 See verses 22 23. Junius after the Septuagint rendrâ—th it ut veniant desiderati omnium gentium that the Saints those desirable ones out of all nations may come for unto Shiloh in a most afflicted time when the scepter was departed from Judah c. was the gathering of all people to be Gen. 49.10 Esa 26.8 9. See Esay 66.20 rather in litters as lame people are carried should they come then not at all rather on one leg with Jacob should they wrestle then not prevaile Verse 7. And I will make her that halted a remnant Yea a renowned remnant Zeph. 3.19 Not many Jewes were converted in comparison of the Gentiles hence they are called a remnant They both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets they have also persecuted us saith the Apostle or cast us out as by an Ostracisme and they please not God and are contrary to all men 1 Thess 2.15 16. forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles c. Thus the generality of them then and so to this day they continue crosse and cursing Christ and his followers thrice a day in their synagogues Hieron in Esai l. 12. c. 49. l 14. c. 42. Buxtorf Synag Howbeit at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 and that remnant became the seminary of the Christian Church and her that was cast far off a strong nation Numerous and valorous Vide fidem passionem martyrum de gente robusta non ambiges saith Hierome here Consider the faith and patience of the Martyrs and you will easily yeeld them to be a strong nation indeed Christians have shewed as glorious power in the faith of Martyrdome as in the faith of miracles They can do that which others cannot turn their hands to they can suffer wrongs best of any Compell them to go a mile they 'le be content to go two yea as far as the shooes of the preparation of the Gospel of peace will carry them There is nothing that they date not undertake and undergo for the glory of their God Thi courage in Christians Heathens counted obstinacy Tertull. in Apologet. but they knew not the power of the spirit nor the privy armour of proof that the Saints have about their heart which maketh them insuperable more then Conquerours and the Lord shall raigne over them in mount Zion i. e. In the Christian
his people shall stand and fall together But he shall stand at the later day upon the earth Iob 19.25 yea he shall set his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth Rev. 10.2 as Lord of sea and land maugre the malice of all that sought to supplant him who shall there-hence fall and never rise up againe Am. 8.14 Verse 13. Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion Go in this thy might wherewith thou so lustily threshest out thy wheat by the wine-presse said the Angell to Gideon Judg. 6.14 and thresh the Midianites another while thou shalt smite them as one man ver 16. thresh them as the sheaves of the floore that lie ready for the flaile or as the custome of those countries was Deut. 25.4 1 Cor. 9.9 1 Tim. 5 18. for oxen to tread out or the wheel to turn over Esa 2.28 for I will make thine horne iron c. So that thou shalt do great exploites by mine assistance against Sennacherib Antiochus and other enemies subdued and threshed down to straw by the valiant Macchabees Spiritualiter etiam hoc intelligendum saith Sa. here this is also spiritually to be understood of converting people to the faith separatâ paleâ infidelitatis This the Apostles did vigorously and effectually being furnished by Christ with hornes of iron and hoofes of brass with spirituall courage and metall whereby they did soon beat in peeces many people and brought them to Christ by the obedience of faith together with all their wealth and substance which they cheerfully consecrate unto the Lord of the whole earth This was typified of old by the Tabernacle built with the spoils of the Egyptians and by Davids dedicating to the Lord the gold and silver which in great abundance he had taken from the enemies 2 Sam. 8. It is prophecied of Tyrus that being converted she should find another manner of merchandise then formerly viz to feed and cloth Gods poore with durable cloathing The Centurion Esa 23.18 Luke 7. when once he became a Proselyte built the Jewish Synagogues that had been thrown down by Antiochus Constantine the Great was bountifull to the Church above measure insomuch as that he was by the heathens in scorn called Pupillus as if he had wanted a guardian to over-rule and order his expences Sed refriguit hoc studium hodiè in magistratibus plerisque as Gualtheâ— â—re complaineth and not without cause The Church is not only scanted but spoâ—ed of her revenues and that which was piously consecrated is impiously converted to other uses c. Thus He. CHAP. V. Ver. 1. NOw gather thy self in troopes O daughter of troopes Here the Virgin the daughter of Zion despiseth her adversaries of Assyria and Babylon and laughes them to scorn the daughter of Ierusalem shaketh her head at them Isa 37.22 and bearing her self bold upon the foregoing promise chap. 4.13 that she should beat in peeces many people she taketh liberty to taunt the Assyrian Monarch with all his troopes beleaguering her and basely abusing her Judges telling him that the Babe of Bethlehem would shortly take an order with him And although she were but a Virgin yet having such a Champion as Christ who is in love with her that will take her part and fight her quarrell she doubteth not to say Now gather thy self in troopes c. Nunc turmatim coito ô turmaria Increase thine army and come forth Gather your selves and ye shall be broken in peeces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in peeces Take counsel together Isai 8.9 10. Isai 33.22 and it shall come to naught speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Jehovah is our Juge Jehovah is our Champion Jehovah is our king he will save us Lo this is the Churches confident boasting in Christ this is the triumph of her trust in him Psal 32.7 The thought of his birth swalloweth up all her fears and discontents and compasseth her about with songs of deliverance He hath laid siege against us And already devoured us in his hopes but if we do but turne us to Christ and say Behold she whom thou lovest is distressed the Assyrian as a strong river is come up over all his channels and reacheth even to the neck yea the stretching out of his wings filleth the breadth of thy land O Immanuel Esay 8.7 8. he will soon bestir himself he will besiege our besiegers he will smite them upon the cheek-bone Psal 3.7 and break the teeth of those ungodly that smot the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek for a reproach to the whole people Hugo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bacillis ceciderunt Beza by this Iudge of Israel understandeth Christ who was indeed at his passion contumeliously buffetted and smitten with rods upon the cheek Mat. 20.6 7. But this though it be true yet cannot be the sence of this text Verse 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah Not so called from Ephratah Calebt wife 1 Chron. 2.19 50 51. but from its fruitfulnesse whence also it had the name Bethlehem Joh. 6. that is the house of bread where Jesus that Bread of life that came down from heaven was born in the fulnesse of time as is here first foretold by this Prophet that great mystery of godlinesse being revealed to the world by degrees in severall Ages Here was Christ born by meer accident in regard of his parents who were brought hither by a tyrannicall Edict of Augustus Luk. 2.2 but yet by a sweet providence of God that this Scripture might be fulfilled and our faith in Christ setled Though thou be little among the thousands of Iudah Or Art thou little c q.d. No such matter and so it agreeth with Mat. 2.6 Or thus And thou Bethlehem Ephrata it is a small thing to be among the Princes of Judah Out of thee shall come a Ruler c. q. d thou hast a dignity above this and above them all in that out of thee shall come a Ruler c. Take tsagnir in the Neuter gender as Scultetus after Osiander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Forster doth and then the â—eeming difference betwixt the Prophet and Evangelist is taken away Some make St. Matthew to relate the words of the Scribes to Herod as they had varied the Text before him But we finde not that they are any where taxed for altering or corrupting the Text but for misinterpreting it onely Mat. 5. Besides that they were by their office Text-men to look to the letter of the Scripture and to keep it pure 1 Cor. 1 20. where they are distinguished from teachers of traditions and teachers of Allegories yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to God the Father that we may know that the coming of Christ in the flesh was a plot of Gods own contriving He came not by câ—â—â—ce but by counsel him hath God the Father sealed anointed and appointed to the work Joh.
where the Empire of the world was won and lost in one day called Nicatorium by Alexander the great as a constant trophee of that famous victory he there gat over Darius As she is highest in the favour of God so she shall be highest in her self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strabo and her enemies shall be found liars unto her Her hand shall be lifted up and fall very heavily upon her adversaries if not sooner yet at utmost at the Resurrection the upright shall have dominion over them in that morning Psal 49.14 the Church shall shine as the Sun in his strength when her enemies shall be in that place that is fittest for them even the lowest place the footstoole of Christ Meane-while she conquereth thâ—n when she is conquered as Christ overcame as well by patience as by power and is sure not to be shivered though shaken not to be drowned though dowsed over head and eares in the waters of affliction Niteris incassum Christi submergere navem Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illa ratis That ship may be tossed saith One not shipwrackt whereof Christ is the Pilot the scripture the Compasse the promise the tacklings hope the Anchour faith the cable the holy Ghost the windâ— and holy affections the sailes filled with heavenly graces Such a soul sailes safely and will neither fall upon the soft sands of presumption nor hard rocks of despaire Verse 10. And it shall come to passe in that day Viz. of Christs power and kingdome Psa 110.3 The word day here signifies non spatium diurnum sed diuturnum ac à Deo destinatum saith Danaeus not the space of 24. houres but a long time yet certain and set by God that I will cut off thy horses out of thee for the which thou hast been trading with Egypt and in which thou trustest more then in me Some trust in horses and some in charrets c. I will therefore cut off both I will take away thine earthly idol and that in much mercy to thee that in quietnesse and confidence may be thy strength Esay 30.15 and ver 7. your strength is to sit stil or your Egypt is to sit stil q. d. by sitting still you shall have an Egypt the same word Rahab signifieth strength and Egypt by being without their horses you shall do better then when you had them and thought your selves simply the better or safer for them See Zach. 9.10 and I will destroy thy charets That other prop and supposed help I will pull from thee that thou maist not trust to such uncertainties that cannot save but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enioy 1 Tim. 6.17 Trust is Gods jewel and of all things he cannot endure to be robbed of it or wronged in it by creature confidence for it giveth him the soveraignty Judg. 9.15 and sets the crown on his head and the contrary Verse 11. And I will cut off the cities of thy land thy fenced cities and places of strength for like reason as before that thou maist look upon my name alone as a strong tower and thereto run and be safe Prov. 18.10 that thou maist hover and cover under my wings Psa 91.1 2. and there hold thee as secure as in a tower of brasse or town of warre Blessed be the Lord saith David who could not be safe in Keilah that had gates and barres for he hath shewed me his marvellous loving kindnesse as in a strong city Psal 31.21 The tower of Shechem saved not those that ran to it Judg. 9. The strong-hold of Zion could not secure the Jehusites that in the height of their pride scorned David and his host that laid siege to it 2 Sam. 5.6 7. Belshazzar and his Babylonians bare themselves so bold upon the strength of their city and provision laid in for 20. yeares if need were as Xenophon testifieth that they reproached the Persians that besieged them and derided their attempts as to no purpose yet were shortly after made a prey to the enemy Arimazes having gaâ—ison'd a very strong and steep rock in the Sogdian countrey with 30000. Plut in Alex. Curt. lib. 7. men sent to Alexander the great who demanded it to know whether he could fly or not But the next day he was taken together with his strong hold and nâ—â—â—ed to a crosse God delights to confute men in their confidences that those that are his may run to the Rock of ages Isa 26.4 to that Arx roboris of his holy Name which alone is impregnable inexpugnable The Spaniards called their Navy in 88. the Invincible Armado but it proved otherwise and that upon Saint James his day whom they count their Patrone their Tutelary-Saint It is not unlawfull to have cityes and strong-holds c. but to confide in them by rising up to a corky frothy hope when we have them or to sit down in a faithlesse sullen discontent and despondency when we want them this is to make flesh our arme and so to incurr that heavy curse Ier. 17.5 God will cut off all occasions of so doing from those whom he loveth as here he promiseth and as accordingly he performed to this people after their return from Babylon and especially a little before the comming of Christ in the flesh when they were reduced by Pompey into a province of the Roman Empire Verse 12. And I will cut off witch-crafts c. As before God had pâ—omised to take away such things as in themselves are not evill but only by our abuse so here he will also remove from his people things simply evill and unlawfull such as are witch-crafts idolatry c. that he may make way for mercy which he is ready to give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fascino were they but fit to receive it The word here rendred witchcrafts hath the signification of changing or turning and is used for unlawful divelish arts and Artisans It is also applyed to false teachers and their juglings Gal. 3.1 Rev. 18.23 See a like promise Zech. 13.2 with the Note there See Mal. 3.5 with the Note and thou shalt have no more sooth-sayers Or starr-gazers Fuller Misc lib. 1. cap. 16. diviners fortune-tellers One derivation of the word clepeth them Nebulones or Knaves as those that undertake to foretell future things ex nebulis by the clouds planets starrs by calculating nativities and the like unlawfull practises of Judiciary Astrologie Necromancie Pyromancie Oneiromancie Aruspicie Sorâ—ilegie and other diabolicall Arts of that nature The Ephesians were much addicted to such wicked practises hence the proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the black art The Samaritans also Act. 8. And hence that malicious slander of the Jewes Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan that is one that dealeth with the devil for otherwise they knew that Christ was no Samaritan but a Galilean as they called him in scorn Joh. 8.48 in truth a Bethlehemite as verse 2. The
birds and fishes not by way of Hyperbole as the Rabbines dreams but because in common calamities in warlike tumults and when God will destroy a people indeed the beasts also are killed up the foules hunted away the fish-pooles wasted c. Let those that will not beleeve this look into Illyricum Thracia Macedonia Greece and divers parts of Turky laid utterly desolate and empty both of men and other creatures Hierome upon this text and likewise upon Hos 4. affirmeth the same of his native countrey wasted so with Warre ut praeter coelum coenum crescentes vipres condensa sylvarum cuncta perierint that besides ayre and earth and briars and forrests all was destroyed And that we may not wonder at this severitie of God hear what the same Father saith elswhere of his ungracious countrymen In mea patria de us Ven er est in dâ—em vivitur sanctior est ille qui ditior In my countrey their belly is their god Epis ad Chremat their glory is in their shame they minde earthly things and so their end hath been destruction and utter desolation as Phil. 3.19 Gualthers Note here is very good herein we may observe saith he the judgement of God and his wonderfull providence that whereas we see in populous places rivers and pooles to abound with fish woods and fields with birds and beasts though they bee continually caught and carried away yet where there want men to make use of them there are few or none to be found For as they were all made for man so when men are consumed they also are consumed as is here threatned Non ita temerè fieri putemus c. Let Gods hand herein be acknowledged and his anger appeased by faith in Christ Jesus and repentance from dead works that our land may be sowed with the seed of men and of beasts And the stumbling-blocks with the wicked Those Balaams blocks In lib. Reg. those moments and monuments of idolatry that so much offend God and cause offence and ruine to those that worship them as Eucherius interpreteth it who are here called wicked with an accent and by a specialty And I will cut off man from off the land Even the better sort of men too who shall be wrapt up together with the wicked in the common calamity The good figges as well as the bad are packt to Babylon but with this difference that God will there set his eyes upon the good for good Ier. 24.6 as the corne is cut down as well as the weeds but for better purpose Saith the Lord who hath spoke it twice that you may once well observe it and lay it to heart Verse 4. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah To whom I have so long stretcht out my hand in vain to reclaime them Esay 65.2 Prov. 1.25 If God do but put forth his hand to afflict as Satan sollicited him to doe against Job chap. 1.11 and 2.5 who can abide it but if he stretch it out as here woe be to those that must feele the waight of it His hand is a mighty hand 1. Pet. 1.6 the same that spannes the heavens and holds the earth as a very little thing Esay 40. Lord saith David who had felt it in part who knoweth the power of thine anger Even according to thy fear so is thy wrath q. d. Let a man fear thee never so much he is sure to feele thee much more who falleth under the stroke of thine heavy hand Oh keep out of his fingers who can crush us to death before the moth Job 4.19 And upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who are therefore worse then others because they should be better and shall fare the worse for their external priviledges wherein they glory And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place That which remained since Josia's reformation 2 King 23.3.4.5 saith Diodate shall a Nation be born at once Esay 66.8 And the name of the Chemarims Baals chimney-chaplaines They are translated idolatrous priests 1 Chron. 23.5 But because we find them here mentioned as distinct from the Priests therefore many Expositores hold that they were certain Ministers of their idolatry different from the priests such as the Monks are among the Papists The vulgar rendereth it Aedituos Underlings to the other Priests Elias in Tijby saith they were such as were shut up in cloisters Chemarim Atrati thy are called either from their black garments or because they were smutched with burning incense or from the brand-markes they had superstitiously set upon their bodies or because of their pretended fiery zeal and fervency in their religion such as are the Saorisici Seraphici among the Papists who falsly and foolishly call them the Lights of the World sc to light them into utter darknesse Verse 5. And them that worship the host of heaven upon the house tops Called elsewhere the Queen of heaven the constellations and heavenly bodies whom they thought to worship so much the more acceptably if in an open place and on high in the very sight of the starres Observent ista qui hodie Astrologiam judiciariam prositentur saith Gualther Let those amongst us observe this who professe judiciary Astrologie for these worship the starres no lesse then did the heathens of old and doe openly bring in Heathenisme again whiles first they call the starres by the names of those heathenish deities that ought to be abolished and next they subject to those starres all events of things yea man himselfe as touching all his manners and fortunes which the Scripture affirmeth to depend upon the eternal providence of God alone This is intolerable impiety and they that fall into it shall not escape the just judgement of God And them that worship and that swear by the Lord or to the Lord consecrating themselves as by oath to his service and that swear by Malcham that is by their King Epec. Eur. as the Egyptians did of old Gen. 42.15 The Spaniards at this day in the pride of their Monarchy are grown also to swear by the life of their King There are a sort of mongrell Christians in the East called Melchites Niceph. as one would say Of the Kings Religion because they resolved to doe as Melech the King commanded them though it were to make a mixture of religions as these in the text would and as our late Modelatours Sancta Clara and others of whom one said well that they had made a pretty shew had there been no Bible to tell us that the jealous and just God hateth and plagueth halting betwixt two lukewarmnesse and neutrality in religion all dow-baked duties speckled birds plowing with an Oxe and an Asse mingled seeds linsey-wolsey garments Lev. 19.19 Upon which text the Doway Doctours note is Here all participation with heretiks and schismatiks is forbidden But by Malchâ—â— most understaud here an Idoll of the Ammonites otherwise called Mosecâ— served in Tophet near
David they might disarm his indignation Saving a little pains in this case doubleth it and the best that can come of negligence is repentance It is better that we should try our selves then that he should try us in his furnace of temptation or other affliction Do it therefore before the day passe as the chaffe or before the chaffe or stubble passe in that day passe before the wind wherewith God shall winnow you who would not winnow your selves The scholer that will not scan his own verses shall find that his master will scan them to his cost And the tradesman that will not cast up his books shall have his books to cast up him at length Before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you As a mighty torrent of fire such as you are never able to avoid or abide Abused mercy turneth into fury neither will God suffer his patience to stand still for a sinning stock Twice in a breath these hypocrites are here told what to trust unto for more suretie Verse 3. seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth Here the prophet turneth himselfe to the better sort for upon those hypocritical halters afore mentioned he had but lost his sweet words he did but wash a blackmore We read not in Scripture of any hypocrites conversion and what wonder for whereas after sinne conversion is left as a means to cure all other sinners what means to recover him who hath converted conversion it selfe into sinne This made our Saviour say to his Disciples concerning the Pharisees those cankered hypocrites Let them alone Mat. 15.14 and himselfe weary of wasting words upon them called to the multitude and said here ye and understand verse 10. In like sort this Prophet here Seek ye the Lord for it is past time of day with them to seek him therefore they shall goe with their flocks and their herds to seek the Lord but they shall not find him he hath withdrawn himselfe from them Hos 5.6 Concerning seeking the Lord see the Note on Am. 5.6.8 All ye meek of the earth This is the character the distinctive note of a true Christian who as he is sure to be afflicted affliction and meeknesse grow both upon the same root in the holy tongue so by affliction hee is meekened and mortified his flesh is crucified with the affections and lusts and so he is fitted to seek the Lord to lie at his feet and say speak Lord for thy servant heareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag The e meek and lowly ones are they whom God will teach Psal 25.9 beautifie Psal 149.4 solace Isai 29.19 and 61.1 save God will save the humble person Job 22.29 Now meeknesse and humility are a pair of twin-sisters never asunder Sorores collactanea See how they goe coupled Mat. 11.29 and the Seventy render this text all the lowly of the earth that are as low as th earth in your own eyes and esteeme Which have wrought his judgement i.e. have been doing at it qui fecistis praecepta etsi non perfecistis who aime at perfection though ye cannot attain to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solo aquatus Psal 103.18 who think upon his Commandements to doe them having respect to them all and wishing well to the worke Psal 118.5 6. which God graciously accepteth as a working his judgement and yet would have you to abound more and more Wherefore Seeke righteousnesse seek meeknesse i. e. further measures of holinesse and degrees of grace Let him that is holy be holy still let him persevere grow and advance forward toward the high prize proposed unto him taking for his motto that of Charles 5. Plus ultra further yet perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. So 1. Tim. 6.11 But thou O man of God that is O godly man as the life of God is put for a godly life Eph. 4.18 see 2 Kings 4.9 fly these things what things heterodoxies ver 3 4 5. and love of money ver 9 10. And follow after Gr. persecute pursue alacriter acriter righteousnesse this is the totum hominis Ecles 12.13 the bonum hominis Mic. 7.8 and by way of distribution comprehendeth as to God godlinesse and faith as to men love patience meeknesse It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords wrath possibly ye may probably ye shall be pardon of sinne ye shall be sure of mitigation also of sorrow if not prevention saved ye shall be or more gently handled or so inwardly calmed that ye shall be able to call your souls to rest when others are at their wits ends You shall be safe under the covert of Gods wings and in the hollow of his hand when others that are without God in the world shall be as a naked man in a storm an unarmed man in the field or as a ship at Sea without anchor subject to dash and split against rocks and quick sands Verse 4. For Gaza shall be forsaken and Askelon c. Here is dainty Rhetoricke in the Originall This Prophet was as Quintilian saith a good Oratour ought to be Vir bonus dicendi peritus a good man and a master of speech The Hebrew tongue seemeth to have bin in the prime and flourish when Esay Micah and Zephany prophecied like as the Latine was about Tullies time The Philistines are here threatened for a terrour to the impenitent Jews who should tast of the same whip and for the comfort of the Godly who should be hid when these their enemies should be utterly destroyed Gaza was so forsaken according to its Prophesie that it was therehence called Gaza the desart Askelon according to its name became ignis ignominia the reproach of the fire that wasted it and as a mercilesse element laid it desolate Act. 8.26 Ashdod called in the New Testament Azotus Act. 8. shall also according to its Etymon be wasted with fire and her inhabitants driven into a far country as Captives at high noon when the Sun in those hot climates especially is most parching and scorching they shall be driven out with all the disadvantage that may be And Ekron shall be rooted out Ekron was the place where Beelzebub the Prince of Devils had his throne Virg. The Poets put it for hell Flectere si nequeo superos Acheronta movebo Threatened it is therefore here not without an elegancy that cannot be englished with utter extirpation The grand-devill had nested and nestled himselfe as near the holy land as might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but he shall not long rest there the Hebrew child will disquiet the great Pan e. Verse 5. Woe to the Inhabitants of the sea coast These were the Philistines they lay between the Jewes and the Sea God having so disposed of it that his people might not have much commerce with forreign nations nor learn their manners Into havens and maritime towns there is
Prophetarum ora sunt Dei os Chrysost as Ezra 5.1 being sent and set awork by God whose alone it is to make meet Ministers of either Testament 2 Cor. 3.5 to send gift and blesse them Jer. 23.21 by Haggai the Prophet Heb. by the hand of Haggai that is by his means and Ministery See the Note on Mal. 1.1 Haggai signifieth merry and pleasant Festivus laetus as at a solemn feast which name of his excellently suiteth both with the time of his prophecy viz. after the return from captivity see Psal 126.1 2. and also with the matter whereof he treats and whereto he drives Christ the Desire of all nations Wilt thou be merry at any time saith Seneca think on Caesar canst thou be sad and he be in health How much more cause have wee to be to be merry in the Lord Christ Let us keep the feast with all solemnity let us keep holy-day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sith Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Let this swallow up all our discontents and crown the calender of our lives with continuall festivals Let the ransomed of the Lord return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads c. Esay 35.10 The Septuagint ascribe certain of the Psalmes to Haggai and Zachary in the titles they prefix though some think that the Hallelujah-Psalmes as they are called because they begin and end with Hallelujah or Praise ye Lord were sung by the Jews returning out of Babylon those two Prophets beginning the tune or giving the verse as they call it And hereunto the Prophet Jeremy might have an eye chap. 31.12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion and shall flow together to the goodnesse of the Lord c. unto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel Philo saith he was also called Barachias He is called Shesbazzar Ezra 1.8 others Phadaias out of 1 Chron. 3.17 His name Zerubbabel signifieth either Born in Babel or Far from confusion A Prince of all men should observe order keep the peace By the Lawes of England a Noble-man cannot be bound to the peace because it is supposed that the peace is alwayes bound to him and that of his own accord he will be carefull to keep others in good order But what a regnum Cyclopicum was at Rome in Nero's dayes Quando poterat quisque eâ quam cuperet potiri Dio in vit Neron negare licebat nemini Tum servus cum Domina praesente Domino suo gladiator cum virgine nobili inspectante patre rem habuit c. Blessed be God for better times Governour of Judah Or Duke Captain Provinciall President The many-headed Multitude hath need of a Guide who may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peaceable and prudent Lib. 1. de leg saith Plato to keep and care for the well-fare of his subjects Such an one was Zerubbabel Aug. epist 179 Nobilis genere nobilior sanctitate Noble by birth but more noble by his piety drained from the dregs and sifted from the brannes of the baser sort of people In loc M. Pemble In the seventeenth year of his age he led back part of the people from Babylon to Jerusalem where he continued Governour for the space of fifty eight years saith Grynaeus Those that make Darius in the Text to be Darius Nothus must needs allow him a much longer life and government which God say they granteth to some because hee hath something to bee done by them The Revolution of States may here also be remarked This people was first governed by Judges or Captains then by Kings and now by Captains again So the Principality of Edom as it began with Dukes and rose to Kings so it returned to Dukes again after the death of Hadad in Moses his time 1 Chron. 1.51 Gen 36.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adeo nihil est in vita firmum aut stabile So uncertain are all things and to Joshuah the sonne of Josedech A brand pluckt out of the fire Zech. 3.2 and therefore the fitter for such a preferment Bernard ut in alto positus non altum sapiat David came not to the kingdom till his soul was even as a weaned childe Psal 131.2 Queen Elizabeth swam to her crown thorow a sea of sorrows Matthias King of Hungary was taken from the prison to the throne But to the businesse Joshuah the High-priest was a type of Christ in regard Turk hisi 1. Of his name which signifieth a Saviour 2. Of his Office of High-priesthood 3. Of his partner-agency with Zerubbabel in reducing the people home to their own countrey The Lord Christ Acts 3.15 Heb. 4. 7. is both our Prince of life and our mercifull and faithfull High-priest ever living to make request for us the high-priest saying Zerubbabel and Jeboshuah were the Chieftains of the people and though not themselves in fault or at least nothing so much for they were both very religious yet they were not so forward and forth-putting as they should have been in so excellent a work Howsoever if the task be not done the Task-masters are beaten Exod. 5.14 It is the misery of those that are trusted with authority that their inferiours faults are beaten upon their backs If the people gather Manna on the Lords sabbath Moses and Aaron shall hear How long refuse ye to keep my commandements Calvin in loc Exod. 16.28 It is Mr. Calvins opinion that Haggai therefore addressed himself to these two principall persons to the end that they might joyne their forces with him in reprehending and exciting the people to the Lords work When the word and the sword go together there is great likelihood of much good to be done Upon the sword of Charles the Great was written Vtriusque tabulae custos And Queen Elizabeth riding progresse once is Suffolk M. Leighs treat of Divin ep Ded. said that now she saw the reason why that County was so well governed for she observed that all the Justices coming to meet her had every one his Minister next to his body Verse 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying This title is oft used in these three last prophecies eighteen severall times in that eighth of Zachary because being to build they had many enemies therefore had need of all encouragement And Hierom in his Prologue â—oteth it as an act of great courage in Haggai and Zachary that against the Edict of King Artaxerxes or Cambyses and the oppositions of Sanballat and other potent Adversaries they should stir up the people to build the Temple and as an act of heroicall faith in the Prince priest and people to set upon the work and finish it Not by might nor by power but by the spirit the Lord of Hosts Zach. 4.6 See more of this title in the Note on Mal. 3.17 Doct. 1. this people say Words then have their weight neither are mens tongues their
among the princes of Judah Mat. 2.6 because Christ was born there The tribe of Nepthali is first reckoned of those by Rachels side because at Capernaum in this tribe Christ inhabited Rev. 7.6 in which respect also this town is said to be lifted up to beaven Mat. Gen. 42.4 11.2 3. Benjamin is called the beloved of the Lord Gods darling as their father Ben amin was old Jacobs because God dwelt between his shoulders sc in his Temple built upon those two mountaines Moriath and Zion Deut. 33.12 The glory of that first Temple was that the Majesty of God appeared in it covering it self in a cloud The glory of this later house was greater because therein the same divine Majesty appeared not covered with a cloud but really incarnated For the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Ioh. 1.14 In this flesh of ours and under this second Temple Christ not only uttered oracles did miracles and finished the great work of our redemption but also laid the foundation of the Christian Church Jam. 1. For the Law that perfect Law of liberty the Gospell came out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem to all the ends of the earth Esay 2.3 Psal 110.1 From hence it was that the Lord of glory whom the blind Jewes had crucified sent out his Apostles those messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ as they are called 2 Cor 8.23 to gather together unto him those desirable ones his elect verse 7. See the Note there whom he calleth the glory Esa 46.13 the house of his glory Esay 60.7 a crown of glory Esay 62.3 the throne of glory Ier. 4â— 21 the ornament of God Ezek 7.20 the beauty of his ornament ib. and that set in majesty ib. a royall diadem in the hand of Jehovah Esay 62.3 and in this place will I give peace Even the Prince of peace and with him all things also Rom. 8.32 pacem Pectoris Temporis Peace of countrey and of conscionce this later especially seemeth here to be meant For the former viz. outward Peace was not long enjoyed by these Jewes and their second Temple was often spoyled by the enemies Ioh. 14. and at length burnt and overturned But the Peace of God that passeth all understanding is that Legacy which the world can neither give nor take from Gods people And of this inward Peace the Septuagint according to the Roman edition taketh the Text and so doth Ambrose Haec est pax suâ—er pacem saith He. Christ as he was brought from heaven with that song of Peace Luk 2.14 Onearth peace good will toward men which is the same with that salutation of St. Paul who learned it belike of those Angels Grace be to you and Peace so he returned up againe with that farewell of peace Ioh. 14.27 and left to the world the doctrine of peace the gospell of peace Eph. 2.17 whose Authour is the God of peace 1 Cor. 14.33 whose Ministers are ministers of peace Rom. 10.15 whose followers are the children of peace Luk 10.6 whose unity is in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 whose duty is the study of peace Rom. 12.18 and whose end is to enter into peace to rest in their beds their soules resting in heaven their bodyes in the grave till the joyfull resurrection even every one walking in his uprightnesse Esay 57.2 Psal 37.33 Verse 10. In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month in the second yeer of Darius This diligence of the Prophets in noting and noticing the precise time of Gods hand upon them Scultet Annal. should teach us to do the like See the Note on chap. 1. ver 1. Melch. Adam in vit Bugenhà g The churches in Switzerland kept that day yearely as an holiday whereon the Reformation began amongst them Bugenhagius kept a feast every yeer on that day of the month wherein he and some other Divines had finished the Dutch Bible and called it The feast of the Translation of the Bible Philipp Pareus in vita Dau. Parei The University of Heidelberg kept an Evangelicall Iubilee three whole dayes together Anno Dom. 1617. in the Calends of November in the remembrance of the renowned Reformation of religion begun by Luther a just hundred yeers before Hereby Gods name shall be sanctified our faith strengthened and our good affection both evidenced and excited By the time here described it appeareth that they had now been three moneths building and the Prophet meane-while had given them great incouragement thereunto But forasmuch as he found that they stuck in the bark as they say rested in the work done thought they should therefore win upon God because they built him a Temple the Prophet gives them to understand that there is more required of them then a Temple viz. that therein they worship the Lord purely and holily in spirit and in truth that their divine worships bee right both quoad fontem quoad finem for principle and end of intention for else they impure all that they touch and are no whit better but a great deal the worse for all their performances This the Prophet teacheth them in the two following oracles propounded by way of demand to the Priests How apt are men to lose themselves in a wildernesse of duties To dig for pearls in their own dunghils to think to oblige God to themselves by their good works to spin a threed of their own to climbe up to heaven by to rest in their own righteousnesse to save themselves by riding on horses Hos 14.3 The Prophets designe is here to beat them off from such fond conceits telling them that the person must be accepted ere the service can bee regarded as Abels To the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 saith the Apostle Calvin upon this Text saith no more and yet Cor. a Lapide is very angry with him for saying so much Aug. de vera innocent c. 56. There is in Peter Lumbard this golden sentence eited out of August inc The whole life of unbeleevers is sinne neither is any thing good without the cheifest good This sentence Ambrose Rybera a Poprsh Postiller censureth for harsh and cruell But doth not God here say the same thing Crudelis est illa sententia Certain it is that good actions from bad men displease as a man may speak good words but we cannot hear because of his stinking breath The facrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 Charity is nothing unlesse it flow out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Verse 11. Ask now the Priest concerning the Law For who should know the law better then the Priests And who so fit to
as not to see God in that they suffered They had learned that out of Psal 78.47 48. Psal 29.3 c. Tully indeed thought that God minds not mildew or hail c. Nee si uredo aut grando quippiam nocuit id Iovi animadvert endum fuit neque enim in regnis reges omnia minima curant c. As kings take not notice of smaller businesses in their kingdoms saith He so neither doth God of these ordinary occurrences But the Jewes for the generality had learned better things And the Apostle tells those Heathens too Acts 14. that God had not left himself without witnesse amongst them in that he did good and gave rain from bâ—aven and fruitfull seasons c. â—Cicero himself likewise another time could say Curiosus est plenus negotii Deus God taketh care of all and is full of businesse And oh that this truth were as fruitfully improved as it is generally acknowledged Oh that men would turn at Gods reproof his recall reproofs his vocall rods Mic. 6.9 and not put him to his old complaint Why should ye be smitten any more Esay 1.5 ye revolt more and more This we may wish but God alone can effect For till he please to thrust his holy hand into mens bosomes and pull off the fore-skin of their hearts Afflictions those hammers of his do but beat cold iron Salvian See Ier. 2.30 31. and 6.29 30. Lev. 26.41 Plectimur à Deo nec flectimur tamen corripimur sed non corrigimur We are put to pain but to no prosit Jer. 12.13 as Abaz that stiffe stigmatick 2 Chron. 28.23 and Ahaziah who sent a third Captain to surprize the Prophet 2 King 1. after two before consumed with fire from heaven as if he would despitefully spit in the face of God and wrestle a fall with the Almighty Verse 18. Consider now from this day and upward And see how punctually the time of benediction answereth to the time of your conversion so that you no sooner begin to build but I begin to blesse It is said of the men of Issachar that they were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times 1 Chron. 12.32 It is certainly a point of spirituall prudence to consider the times and to compare things past with present and future Time is the wisest of all things Laert. lib. 1 said Thales the best counsellour said Plutarch Truth is the daughter of Time In Pericles saith Another Philosopher See the Note on verse 15. Verse 19. Is the seed yet in the barne Hierom rendreth it In germine In the sprouting or spirting as they call it and so farre enough from the harvest and yet further if yet in the barn and not put into the ground Neverthesse for your diligence in building Gods house I assure you in the word of truth that you shall have a very great increase a plentifull harvest From this day will I blesse you And it is the blessing of God that maketh rich as is to be seen in the examples of the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac Iacob Others whose godlinesse was their gain whose piety was profitable to all things as having the promises of both lives 1 Tim. 4.8 Now all that are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Gal. 3.9 are heirs of the world with him Rom. 4.13 and so have right to all things in Christ the heir of all things 1 Cor. 3.22 Heb. 1.2 though these things on earth be detained from them for present by those men of Gods hand Psal 17.14 as Canaan was from Israel by the cursed Amorites till their sinnes were full Gen. 14. yet they shall shortly have power over the Nations and which is better Christ will give them the morning-starre that is himself Rev. 2.26 28 and with himself a Cornucopia of spirituall blessings Ephes 1.3 The Lord that made heaven and earth will blesse them out of Zion that is with better blessings then heaven or earth afforded We read not here of any other blessings but increase of corn wine oil c. because this people was wholly almost affixed to earthly things 1 Cor. 2. The Prophet could not speak wisdom among those that were perfect But better things were implied and assured to the godly as appearâ—th by the ensuing Oracle Verse 20. And again the word of the Lord Again the same day Twice-aday-preaching is no new practise then This Prophet did it so did our Saviour Acts Mon. fâ—l 940. Mat. 13.1 So did Chrysostome as appeareth by his Note on 1 Thes 5.17 So did Luther which because one Nicholas White commended in him he was accused of heresie in the raign of Hen. 8. It is not so long since it was held here practicall Puritanisme The late Arch-prelate being sued unto by a Noble-man to preferre a Chaplain of his whom he commended for an able Divine Socraâ— and a twice-aday-preacher turned away in a great heat saying The more fool he Verse 21. Speak to Zerubbabel governour of Judah Governours are sure to meet with many difficulties and discouragements high-seats are never but uneasie and had need therefore of singular consolation that they may hold on their course like the Sun in the firmament and shew themselves to be of an undaunted resolution We may well say to Governours as that Propheticall Simeon spoke to the pillars which he whipped before the earth-quake Stand fast for yee shall be shaken I will shake the heavens and the earth sc by abrogating and abolishing both Jewish Ceremonies and Heathenish superstitions Heb. 12.27 As also by Nationall commotions and translations of Monarchies The Greeks shall break the power of the Persians the Romans of the Greeks the Goths and other barbarous nations of the Romans But especially by casting the devil out of the heaven of mens hearts Luke 10.18 those strong-holds wherein he had entrenched himself Mat. 24.7 2 Cor. 10.4 5. that the ransomed of the Lord may receive a kingdome which cannot bee moved Heb. 12.28 and partake of those new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 even that world to come as these dayes of the Gospel are called Heb. 2.5 See the Note above on vers 6.7 Verse 22. And I will overthrow the throne of kingdomes sc by pouring contempt upon Princes and causing them to wander in the wildernesse where there is no way Psal 107.40 as he dealt with Darius the last Persian Monarch by putting down the mighty from their seat and exalting them of low degree Luke 1.52 as hee dealt with Bajazet the great Turk and Tamerlan the Scythian shepherd by changing the â—imes and the seasons removing kings and setting up others in their stead Dan. 2.21 All this God will do and all that follows in the Text viz. destroy the strength of kingdoms overthrow the charets and their riders c. rather then his Church shall be unhelped or his kingdome of grace hindered Our help is in
the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth and will rather unmake all again then we shall be unrelieved Psal 124.8 Yet have I set my king upon mine holy hill of Zion Psal 2.6 Yet for all the sorrow for all the malicious machinations and attempts of his enemies to the contrary who are therehence admonished to be wise for themselves and to kisse the sonne for he must raigne and all his foes must bee his foot-stool There is a Councill in heaven will dash the mould of all contrary counsels upon earth The stone cut out of the mountains without hands which is Christ the Conquerour will break in pieces the iron the brasse the clay the silver and the gold And in the dayes of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Dan. 2.44 45. So Dan. 7. after that the Prophet had described the greatnesse and glory of all the four Monarchies at length he comes to speak of a kingdome which is the greatest and mightiest under the whole heaven and that is the kingdome of the Saints of the most High Dan. 7.27 whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all Rulers shall serve and obey him Verse 23. I will take thee O Zerubbabel That is O Christ of whom Zerubbabel was both a father and a figure Luke 3.27 Zach. 4.10 I will take thee that is I will advance and exalt thee See this expounded and applied by that great Apostle Philip. 2.5 to the 12. and will make thee as a signet that is I will highly esteem thee inviolably keep thee and entirely love thee Cant. 8.6 Jer. 22.24 and all my people in thee and for thee Esay 49.16 for I have chosen thee as Esay 42.1 Quoniam in te mihi complacui saith the Chaldee For in thee I am well pleased as Mat. 3.17 See the Note there Saith the Lord of hosts This is three severall times set down in this one verse for our greater assurance and confirmation of our faith I shall close up all with that observation of Divines that all the Prophets except Jonah and Nahum expressely end in some prophecy concerning Christ He being their mark at which all of them chiefly aimed Indeed he is both mark and matter of both old and new Testament And therefore if we will profit in teaching hearing reading we must have the eye of our minde turned toward Christ as the faces of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy seat Do this if ever you will do well A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of ZACHARIAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. IN the eighth moneth in the second year of Darius Two moneths after Haggai began to prophesie See the Note on Hagg. 1.1 These two Prophets did jointly together reprove the Jews for their sloth in reedifying the Temple and incite them to set forward the work Ezra 5.1 contributing their utmost help thereunto vers 2. They were also a singular help the one to the other in the execution of their office For two are better then one and why see Eccles 4.9 with the Note For which cause also Christ sent out first the twelve and then the seventy by two and two Mar. 6.7 Luk. 10.1 So Paul and Barnabas were sent abroad the two faithfull witnesses Revel 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet speaks of Vlysses and Diomedes sent to fetch in the Palladium Acts Mon Exod. 4.16 One good man may be an Angel to another as Bradford was to his fellow-Martyr Dr. Taylour nay a God to another as Moses was to Aaron And for others in the mouth of two or three witnesses a truth is better beleeved by them and a twisted cord not easily broken Haggai layes down the mind of God to the people more plainly in direct and down-right termes Zachary flies an higher pitch abounding with types and visions and is therefore worthily reckoned among the abstrusest and profoundest Pen-men of holy Scripture Praecaeteris obscurus est profundus varius prolixus aeigmaticus Cor. a Lapid For it must be understood and let it here be prefaced that albeit all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is prositable to instruct 2 Tim. 3.16 pure precious and profitable every leaf line and letter of it Psal 12.6 Prov. 30.5 Yet between scripture and scripture there is no small difference some pieces of Gods Book for their antiquity and some other for their obscurity do justly challenge our greater attention and industry Of the former sort famous for their antiquity are the five Books of Moses whom Theodoret fitly calleth the great Ocean of divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fountaine of the following scriptures Of the second sort noted for their difficulty and that will not be acquainted with us but upon further suit some are hard through their fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words as the Poeticall bookes wherein no doubt the verse also hath caused some cloud And others againe by the sublimity of the subject they handle such as are the bookes of Ezechiel and Daniel and this of Zachary who is totus ferè symbolicus and is much followed by St. Iohn in his Revelation Hence Hierome in his prologue to this Prophet saith Hieron Ab obscuris ad obscuriora transimus cum Mose ingredimâ—r ad nubem caliginem Abyssus abyssum invocat c. We passe from dark prophecyes to that which is much more dark and with Moses we are entring into the cloud and thick darknesse Here one deep calleth upon another and being in a Labyrinth we hope to get out by Christs golden clue concerning whose Passion Resurrection and glory he speaketh more like an Evangelist then a Prophet and may therefore be rightly stiled The Evangelicall Prophet came the word of the Lord unto Zachariah the son of Barachiah Therefore the same that our Saviour speaketh of Mat. 23.35 Luk 11.51 though I once thought otherwise after Hierome Luther Calvin Beza Glassius Grotius c. But 1. the name of his Father Berechiah 2. the manner of Christs account reckoning from Abel the first Martyr to this penultimus Prophetarum last save one of the Prophets and last of all that was slaine by the Jewes after the reedifying of the Temple Zach. 11.1 13 whither being assaulted he ran for sanctuary easily perswades me to alter mine opinion As for those that hold that our Saviour there spcaketh of Zachary the Father of Iohn Baptist Luk 1. slaine by the Jewes because he preached Virginis partum Christi ortum Christ born of a Virgin Baronius Tolet and others as they affirme it without reason so they may be dismissed without refutation Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eâdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur saith Hierome the son of Iddo the Prophet Whether the
then with any thing that befell himself It is said of Melanâ—thon that the miseries of the Church made him almost neglect the death of his dearest children and put him upon many prayers and tears which Idem in vita Melanch like musick upon the water made a most melodious noise in the ears of God When Luther in a certain Epistle checked him and chod him for his exceeding great care of the Churches welfare calling him pertinacissimam curarum hirudinem c. he meekly replied Si nihil curarem nihil orarem If I should not care so I should not pray so God seemeth sometimes to have lost his mercy as here How long wilt thou be unmercifull to Jerusalem and then we must find it for him He seems to have forgot his people we must remind him He seems to sleep delay we must waken quicken him with How long Lord Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come saith Daniel Psal 102.13 14 who is probably held to be the Pen man of that excellent Psal 102. Confer Dan. 9.2 and he speaks it with as much confidence as if he had been in Gods blessed bosom the while This also he spake not now by a spirit of prophecy or speciall revelation but by way of argumentation or necessary demonstration For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof They pity her and melt over her therefore thou Lord much more sith all their tendernesse is but a spark of thy flame a drop of thine Ocean against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeers There is much ado among Interpreters about Jeremies 70 and Zacharies 70 whether one and the same or different one from another That of Scaliger is most unlikely who reckoneth these yeers of the captivity from the first year of Xerxes with his father Darius unto the fourth year of Darius Nothus Lib. 6. de Emend Temp. How much better our countreyman Lydiat whom yet Scaliger so much scorned saying Quis est ille ex ultima Britannia Canis qui Ios Scaligerum audeat allatrare who concludes it to be 70 years from the last destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldees Lyd. Emend Temp. Anno M. 3485. to this second year of Darius Hystaspes wherein Zachariah prophecyed That of A Lapide upon this Text I cannot passe by Moraliter idipsum dicamus idipsum oremus obsecremus pro Anglia c. Let us say the same pray the same for England Scotland c. that the Angel here doth for Jerusalem How long Lord wilt thou not have mercy upon England where Heresie hath prevailed now these hundred years and upwards The English fugitives beyond-seas write upon their Colledge and Church-doors in great golden letters Jesu Jesu converte Angliam Fiat Fiat Jesu convert England Amen Amen Why yet this is somewhat better then that of Pererius the Jesuite upon Genes 15.16 If any man marvell saith He why England continueth to flourish notwithstanding the over-flow of heresie and cruel persecution of Catholikes just execution of Catholikes he should have said wee answer because their iniquity is not yet full God grant it Ier. 28.6 Sed veniet tandem iniquitat is complementum But the time is not far off and forbearance is no quittance c. Vers 13. And the Lord answered the Angel How should God do otherwise then answer his welbeloved Son with good and comfortable words sith he is all in all with the Father and can do any thing with him Father saith he Joh. 12. I know thou hearest me alwayes Did God hear Abraham for Ismael nay for Sodom Did David hear Ioab interceding for Absolom Acts 12.20 Did Herod hearken to Blastus making request for those of Tyre and Sidon with whom he was highly displeased And shall not God give ear to his Son praying for his people that are as dear to him as the apple of his eye Good and comfortable words he doth surely answer him such as were once those Joh. 12.27 28. when Christ had thus prayed Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour Father glorifie thy Name Then came there a voice from heaven Bath-chol the Rabbins call it saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again So when he shall say in his daily intercession for he ever liveth to make request for us at the right hand of the Majesty on high It irketh me that the whole earth is at rest and my Church at so much unrest Return O Lord Psal 90.13 how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants Save now I beseech thee O Lord Psal 118.25 O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity How can God do less then answer as Isa 33.10 Now will I arise now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self Or as in the words next following here which indeed are all along good words and comfortable words I am jealous for Jerusalem c. The Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet chuse Jerusalem Yet for all the sorrow he shall do it Ier. 30.17 and for all that Others called her an outcast saying This is Zion whom no man seketh after and she her self concludeth her dolefull ditty with Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us Lam. 4.22 Verse 14. So the Angell that communed with me See the Note on ver 10. cry thou saying q. d. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Speake ye comfortably to Jerusalem speake ye to her heart and cry unto her saying that her appointed time is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned and so the quarrell is ended for she hath received of the Lords hands double for her sins Nothing so much as I have deserved saith she Ezra 9.13 twice so much as she hath deserved saith He. O sweet contradiction O beautifull contention The same Hebrew word signifieth to repent and to comfort 1 Sam. 15.35 Esay 40.1 Gods care is to comfort those that are cast down His command to his Prophet is to cry comfort to the penitent with an extraordiny earnestnesse from the God of all consolation I am jealous for Ierusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Love is strong as death zeal or jealousie for the same word signifieth both is hard as hell Cant. 8.6 Non amat qui non zelat saith Augustine He loves not that zeales not And Basil venturing himself very farr for his friend and by some blamed for it answered Ego aliter amare non didici I cannot love a man but I must do mine utmost for him When one desired to know what manner of man Basil was it is said there was presented in a dreame to him a pillar of fire with this motto Talis est Basilius Lo such an one is Basil It is certaine that our
have dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a deceitfull heart to destroy it for the old hatred Ezek. 25.15 17. and 26.2 Therefore I will execute great vengeances upon them with furious rebukes and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall laymy vengeance upon them 2 Sam. 13.39 Joab never pleased David better then when he made intercession for banished Absolom for the soule of king David longed to go forth unto Absolom whom yet he had very just cause to be greatly displeased with God in a heat as it were against Israel offereth Moses a great fortune Exod. 32.10 but would have taken it very ill that Mosâ—s should have taken him at his word He is but a little angry with his people and soon repenteth him of the evill But woe be to those that help forward the indignation that deale by Gods afflicted as the Herd of Deer do which when any of the herd is shot the hest push him out of their company Camden It is said of Q. Elisabeth that she hated ho lesse then did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted vertue forsaken of fortune Think the same of God He weareth his rod to the stumps and then throwes it into the fire He sets his horse-leeches to his people when he findes them sick of a plethory of pride when fulnesse hath bred forgetfulnesse saturity security and suffereth them to suck rill they burst and then treads them under his feet and puts them away as drosse Psal 119.118 119. Verse 16. Psal 42.7 Therefore thus saith the Lord Thus one deep calleth another the lower deep of our misery the higher deep of Gods mercy As Craesus his dumb son burst out into Kill not king Craesus so when enemies are ready to devoure the Church Gods bowels work he can hold no longer but cryes Save my child Handle the yong man gently for my sake See Ier. 31.20 Isa 57.16 I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before me c. when the child swoons in the whipping God let falls the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it againe A Physitian in some cases purgeth his patient till nothing be lest almost but skin and bone or blooddeth him ad deliquium animae till he faint and sink but yet his care is still to maintain nature so this heavenly Father and Physitian is carefull to keep up the spirits of his suffering Saints by comforts and cordials as here I am returned to Ierusalem with mercies Miserationibus visceralibus with multitudes of tender mercies that flow from the inwards from the bowels from the bosom and bottom of the heart had that of a Parent nay of a mother toward her child in an extremity as 1 King 3.26 And here observes how fully and sweetly the Angels prayer verse 12. is answered even ad cardinem desiderij Aug. Confes lib. 5. c. 8. God not only grants him according to his own heart but fulfills all his counsell as it is Psal 20.4 Le ts it be to him even as he will nay gives him an enlarged answer presseth upon him as Naaman did upon Gehezi's two talents when he desired but one How long wilt thou not be mercifull to Jerusalem saith He behold I am returned to Jerusalem with many mercies saith God I went away and hid me from it in my anger Hos 5.15 but am come again with many comforts to relieve it As all light is from the Sun and all waters from the sea so is all comfort from God In thy light shall we see light but Thou diddest hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.7 as when the Sun is eclipsed all creatures here flag and hang the head there is a drooping in the whole frame or nature and as when the extracting force of the Sun leaves the vapours that are drawn up they fall down again to the earth So sares it with the Church If God withdraw she lyes all amort yea she lieth open to all sorts of evils and enemies for her shadow is departed from her But he cannot be long absent such is his love he will repent for his people when he seeth their power is gone Dent. 32.36 when there is a dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose when misery weighs down nothing but mercy turns the scale then at furthest in the very turning and criticall point He will return to Jerusalem with mercies He will return to her not as the winter sun that casts a goodly countenance when it shines but gives little comfort and heat but with a Cornu-copia of all manner of blessings will he come my house shall be built in it saith the Lord of Hosts and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem that is both Church and State shall flourish God will both do good in his good pleasure unto Sion be will also build the walls of Jerusalem Psal 51.18 but mark that he saith in his good pleasure as here in tender mercies to teachus that all the good we enjoy is merely of mercy it is all of free grace for otherwise there should not be so much as any face of Church or common-wealth as we see in the Jewes at this day a miserable dissected people because Lo-ruhamah Hos 1. such as have not obtained mercy Then Ancestours acknowledged with all thankfulnesse for so undeserved a favour that Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto them a very small remnant Isay 1.9 they should have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah Had not the Angels laid hold upon Lots hand and the good Lord been mercifull unto him Gen. 19.16 he also had perished amongst those sinners against their own soules Jehoshua was a brand pluckt out of the fire Zech. 3.2 And when One said to Mr. Bradford the Martyr God hath done much for you since I first knew you and hath wrought wonderously in you to his glory he thus answered Truth it is for He hath dealt favourably with me Act. Mon. 1473. Ezra 9.13 in that he hath not punished me according to my sins but hath suffered me to live that I might seek repentance Thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve saith Ezra And it is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed saith the Church because his compassions faile not Lam. 3.22 Verse 17. Cry yet saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts my cities Here are foure Yets in this one verse and all very gracious ones to break their hard harts and to raise their faith in his promised mercies For it is as if God should say Though I was sore displeased with your Fathers and ye are risen up in their roomes a very rate of rebels so that I have had indignation against you full seventy yeers ver 12. yet I do you to know and by my Propher I proclaime with great earnestness and evidence of truth that I do
yet own you my cities so that ye are not discovenanted and will yet prosper you so that it shall no more be said This is Zion whom no man careth for for you shall have plentifull increase of men Ier. 30.17 cattle and all manner fruits of the earth as chap. 2.4 yea you shall have a fulnesse of all things not only repletive but diffusive not only of abundance but of redundance too your cup shall over flow into the lesser vessels of others my cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad Diffundentur dissluent aut effluent You shall have not for necessity only but for lawfull delight and honest affluence and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion sc with spiritnall comforts taking her into his wine-cellar Cant. 2. yea into the wildernesse and there speaking to her heart Hos 2.13 and shall yet chuse Ierusalem That is settle her in the sound assurance of her Election and Adoption whereof those outward blessings are both fruites and pledges Hence David doubts not to conclude his spiritual good estate and hopes of eternall happinesse from his externall enjoyments Psal 23.5 6. Thou preparest a table before me thou anointest mine head my cup runneth over Hence he inferrs Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever In all that is here said we may see that scripture fully made good Ier. 51.5 Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord of Hosts though their land was filled with sin against the Holy one of Israel And herein God dealt with his people according to hiâ— prerogative and not according to his ordinary course When the cursed Canaanites had fiâ—led their land from corner to corner with their uncloannesies Ezra 9.11 they were devoted to destruction When the Edomites grew insolent and ripe for ruine they were called the border of wickednesse and the people against whom the Lord had indignation for ever Mal. 1.4 See the Note there Verse 18. Then I lift up mine eyes and saw That is I gave good heed to this second vision also which was added purposely for confirmation of the former promises which should be certainly accomplished to the Church notwithstanding her many and mighty enemies Horns they are called for their might and mischievousnes by a metaphor à feris cornupetis from fierce beasts whose strength and wrath lies in their horns or else from warriers who wore iron horns upon their helmets and behold four horns Not the foure Monarchies for the Grecians and Romanes were not yet and this is spoken here for the present comfort of the afflicted Church but the enemeis of Israel from all the four parts of the world fee Psal 107.2 3. for they were surrounded On the North were the Syrians Assytians and Babylonians Ab Aqu lone nihil boni Ier. 4.6 and 6.1 On the East the Ammonites and Moabites On the South the Edomites and Egyptians On the West the Philistines as may be gathered out of Ieremy and Ezekiel Geneva is at this day a small people invironed with enemies French Spanish Savoy Pope and barred out from all aid of neighbours citâ—es and churches yet by the mighty arm of God strangely and strongly upheld and desended This Mr. Beza represented in a most elegant emblem of a city depainted as hanged by a twined threed Melch. Ad. in vit Bez. 227. sustained and maintained by the mighty hand of God alone Would any man take the Churches picture saith Luther then let him paint a a silly poor maid sitting in a wood or wildernesse compassed about with hungry wolves Loc. com de perfec verae Ecclesiae lions bores and beares and with all manner of cruel and hurtfull beasts and in the midst of a great many surious men assaulting her every moment and minute for this is her condition in the world Verse 19 And I said unto the Angel that talked with me What be these Though the vision be dark and mysterious yet the Prophet despaireth not of a right understanding neither doth he waywardly reject it with a Quod non vult intelligi vult negligi But wanting wisdome he asketh it of God as St. Iames also adviseth us to do chap. 1.5 and as David practised Teach me good judgment and knowledge saith He give me understanding and I shall obserue thy law Thus Daniel prayed and had an Angel sent to informe him not once but often in friendly and familiar manner Dan. 9.21 and 10.11 and 11.2 3. So had Ioseph Cornelius Paul c. And although Angels are not so ready now or appear not at least so visibly to tell us the mind of God yet He will not be wanting to his willing servants but in the use of meanes they shall be all taught of God as David was by repayring to the Sanctuary Psal 73.13 and as the Eunuch was by Philip Act. 8. these are the hornes which have scattered Heb. tossed them up in the ayre as furious beasts do with their homes Lud de Dieu in Mat. 22.44 and sorely bruised them Num not modo dispersionem significat quae fit per modum ventilationis sed etiam quae fit per modum alâ—isienis contritionis See Hos 10.14 and 13.16 Verse 20. And the Lord shewed me foure carpenters He that before was called an Angell is here called Jehovah this shewes him to be Christ who is God blessed for ever In respect of his eternall essence he is called the Lord in respect of his office or Mediatourship an Angell foure carpenters Or smiths so many horns so many Artificers to batter and break them God wants not wayes and meanes to help his at a dead lift he knowes how to deliver saith Peter 2 Pet. 2.9 and herein usually he goeth a way by himself Many times he setteth the enemies together by the eares among themselves whilest that I withall escape saith David Psal 141.10 Thus by Nebuchadnezzar as by a mall or bettle he brake the rest of those horrible hornes as at this day the Pope by the Turk and Spaniard by the French and that the Church may have her Halcions N. marvell I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched said Philip of Macedon We may better say of Antipater our gracious Father and guardian the keeper of his Israel Verse 21. What come these to do he asketh not what they were for by their tooles or weapons he perceived they were Carpenters or smith as some think with iron instruments to breake these iron homes confer 1 King 22.11 He inquireth therefore of their imployment only Futilous and foolish questions should be avoided Tit. 3.9 so that no man did lift up his head Turn head or looke cheerfully as Luke 21.28 but these are come to fray them deterrere saith the Vulgar better deterrere to fright them now that they had pusht Israel to the Lord. to cast out c. Thus Omne sub
igne ereptus newly snatcht out of the Babylonish furnace Psal 68.12 where they have long lain among the pots where they have been not only sullied but scorched and half-burnt should they then be cruelly cast again into the flames which they have strangely scaped like as the barbarous Persecutours ran Polycarp through the bowels with a sword when the beasts would not devour him nor the fire burn him Or as the bloody Papists in Queen Maries dayes Act. Mon. fol. 1392. cast the woman of Garneseys babe again into the fire that sprang and sprawled out of his mothers womb as she was in burning This was clean contrary to that Apostolical precept Of some have compassion pulling them out of the fire Jude 21. Ean 3.30 And far short of Nebuchadnezzars practises who taking the three worthies out of the burning fiery furnace promoted them to great honour and offices Verse 3. Now Joshuah was clothed with filthy garments The tottered rags of the old Adam the nasty filthynesse and superfluity of naughtinesse that yet remained in him though in part regenerate and intermingled with his best works Sin is the Devils excrement it defiles the soul worse then any jakes can do the body as the Hebrew word here signifieth and as our Saviour shews Mar. 7.20 or then the Sanies of a plague-sore doth a garment Hence that of the Church We are all as an unclean thing Esay 64.6 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags And that of Job If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own cloathes shall make me to be abhorred Job 9.30.31 1 Cor. 4.5 this is the same in effect with that of Paul I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby â—ustified but he that judgeth me is the Lord who when he coms to turn up the bottom of the bag as the steward did Benâ—amins he will manifest the hidden things of darknesse finde out our thefts that we dreamt not of open all fardles on that great fair-day Saccâ— soluto 〈◊〉 argentum Ambr. the day of judgement As in the meanwhile should Lord but break open that filthy sink of sin that is in the very best of us we should not onely be lothsome to God Zach. 11.8 and to good men Prov. 29.27 but even to our own selves also as Job was hap 42.6 Judas was not able to abide is own stench Mat. 27.4 5. Yea and some holy men as Mr. Lever for one when they have desired to see their utmost uncleannesse their corruptions in the most ugly colours God hath heard them But yet his hand therewith was so heavy upon them that they went alwayes mourning to their graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdom to give them a sight of their sins and to mingle the the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers See that excellent text Iob 15.14 15 16. And then stand aloof with the Leper and say I am unclean I am unclean yet Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and stood before the Angel His filthy garments notwithstanding Though we cannot say our hearts are pure and our performances perfect yer if we wallow not in sin allow it not if with the daughters of Zion we look upon our former neatnesse as nastinesse and finenesse as filthinesse if we be in any measure purged from the love and liking of sin by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burnning Isai 4.4 Christ will neither abhor our presence nor reject our services Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy offerings Exod. 28.38 Christ is this Aaron c. And though there be an inequality of expressions in duty quoad nos in us yet there is a constancy of intercession by Christ propter nos for us Verse 4. And he answered and spake to those that stood before him i. e. to the Angels that waited upon him Est autem hoc humanitùs dictum saith Iunius This is â—â—â—ken after the manner of men for properly men are washed justified and sanctified by the Merit and Spirit of Christ alone 1 Cor. 6.11 But the Lord Christ speaketh thus to the created Angels his Ministers to shew that He who onely hath power to for give sins doth yet therein imploy the holy ministery for an instrument See 2 Cor. 9.18 and Iob 33.33 24. take away the filthy garments Those symbols of his sinfulnesse see the Note on verse 3. so his sins were pardoned in heaven But because it is small comfort to a condemned person to have a pardon granted him unlesse he know it and be assured of it therefore it followeth and unto him he said behold By whatthou hast seen in the Angels stripping of thee I have caused thine iniquities to passe from thee Transtuli peccatum as he once said to David I have taken away thy sin I have tranferred it upon my self speaking to my Father for thee as once Paul did to Philemon for his son Onesimus Philem. 18 19. if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account I will repay it This is the greatest happinesse that can befal a man in this world Psal 32.1 2 and could not but be a singular comfort to these poor Jews priest and people amidst their manifold afflictions A man that hath got his pardon is not troubled though he lose his glove or hankercheife nor though it should prove a rainy day Being â—ustified by faith we glory in tribulation Rom. 5.1.3 Feri domino eri nam a peccatis absolutus sum saith Luther Strike Lord strike while thou wilt my sins are pardoned I thank thee O Lord said Another in his great extremity for all my pain and I beseech thee if thou think good to adde to it an hundred-fold But behold a further honour as mercies seldom come single and I will cloath thee with change of raiment i. e. I will change thy rags into robes thy stained clouts into clean cloathing Thou shalt be arraied with the righteousnesse of the saints Rev. 19.8 that twofold righteousnesse imputed and imparted that of justification and this other of sanctification that as an undercoat this as an upper that clean and pure this white and bright both must be had from Christ who is made unto us of God not onely wisdom but righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor 1.30 2 Cor. 5.19 Surely as our apparrel is not bred of us neither grows out of our bodies so neither doth this change of raiment in the Text. But the blessed Lamb of God cloatheth us with his own fleece which is long enough and large enough to cover all our defects and deformities and to set us forth to the admiration of Angels As he taketh upon him our sins so he putteth upon us his righteousnesse This is a blessed exchange indeed a sure pledge of our peace with him and with God by
simple means Spec. Erop yea by casual and crosse means this saith one is that miracle which we are in these times to look for For they shall rejoyce Or But they shall rejoyce or Nay they shall rejoyce nay they shall see viz. that which they despaired of ever seeing and were therefore much cast down about the perfection of the work and its glorious accomplishment And this shall be surely effected by Gods powerful and watchful providence called here those seven eyes of the Lord which run to and fro thorow the whole earth called elsewhere the seven spirits of God Rev. 5.6 and 1.4 and Gods spirit here Verse 6. so guiding and managing all affaires and occurrences that all the rayes and beames of providence issuing from those eyes might be seen to meet in the accomplishment of this as their ultimate ayme and scope See the Note on Chap. 3.9 Verse 11. Then answered I and said unto him No mean measure of understanding would content the prophet but he is still enquiring and incroaching upon the Angel so doth Moses upon God Exod. 33. He had not been long out of the Mount but he is asking God to shew him his glory which when he had seen yet he resteth not satisfied but must have more and yet more So David though deep-learned is ever and anon at it teach me thy statutes Spiritual learning is infused by degrees our hearts are as narrow-mouth'd vessels and God delights oft to hear of us Whither I go thou canst not come now but thou shalt afterwards Then shall ye know if ye follow on to know provided that ye beg and dig Prov. 2.3 4 5 and beat as the foul doth the shell to get out the fish and be discontentedly contented till ye come to see as ye are seen a spe ad speciem c. What are these â—w olives c. And. Verse 12. Joh. 13. Hos 6.3 What be these two olive-branches c. See the Notes on verse 3. and verse 7. Verse 13. Knowest thou not what c. See the Note on ver 5. Vers 14. These are the two anointed ones Heb. sonnes of oyl See the Note on verse 7. that stand by the Lord of the whole earth because by the candlestick and utensils of the Temple and Type of the Church which is at Christs right hand Psal 45. as he at his Fathers right hand Rom. 8. He is with all his to the end of the world and it is a part of his joy that we shall be one day where he is This Lord of the whole earth soveraigne over all but takes delight onely in such as Esther like he purifies and perfumes for royall use and these he loveth so affectionately as never any Lord did his subjects Zech. 3.17 He loves the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacoh Psal 87.2 CHAP. V. Verse 1. THen I turned me and lifted up mine eyes i.e. I prepared me to the receiving of a new vision nothing so comfortable as the former but no lesse necessary that the people by sense of sinne and fear of wrath might be taken off their wicked practises redeem their own sorrows and be accounted worthy to escape all those things that should otherwise come to passe as verse 11. and to stand before the Son of man at that dreadfull day This seemeth to bee the mind of the Holy Ghost Luke 21.36 in these two visions here recorded which while some Interpreters attend not in toto vaticinio neque coelum neque terram attingunt saith Calvin they are utterly out and behold a flying roll Or volume as Psal 40.10 or scroll of paper or parchment usually rolled up like the web upon the pin mi convolvuntur nostrae Mappae Geographicae as our Mappes are rolled up saith A Lapide and as in the publike Library at Oxford the Book or Roll of Esther an Hebrew Manuscript is at this day to bee seen D. Prid. Orat. 4. Amem Antibarb lib. 3. Volans velocissimum astionâ—s incursum significat Chrysost but here flying Not onely because spread wide open as Rabshakeh's letter 2 King 19.14 and as that Book of the Prophet Esaias Luke 4.17 but also as fleeting along swiftly like a bird ready to seiz on her prey Nemo scelus gerit in Pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo The Heathens thens named Nemesis their Goddesse of Revenge to take punishment of offend ours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because no man can possibly escape her They tell us also that their Jupiter writeth down all the sinnes of all men in a book or scroll made of a goatspelt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word whereby Aquila and Theodotion two Greek Translatours do render the Hebrew of this Text. See Dan 7.18 Rev. 20.12 Symmachus turnes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Chapter or Abstract of a larger Book full of sinnes and Woes and yet it is of an unheard of hugenesse verse 2. and of very sad contents like that book of Ezechiel chap. 2.9 10. lamentation and mourning and woe or the first leaf of Bishop Babingtons book which he turned over every morning all black to inmind him of hell and Gods judgements due unto him for his sinnes Vers 2. What seest thou q. d. Mark it well and let thine eye affect thine heart let these things be oculis commissa fidelibus I see a flying book See the Note on verse 1. Some read it A double book according to the Chaldaick signification of the word as containing double that is manifold menaces and punishments of sinne But the Chaldee Paraphrast Septuagint and others render it flying as hasting and hovering over the heads of wicked persons the length thereof is twenty cubits c. Ten yards long and five broad Neither let men say that words are but wind as they did Jer. 5.13 For 1. Even wind when gotten into the bowels of the earth may cause an earth-quake as when into the bowels of the body an heart-quake 2. God threateneth those scoffers verse 14. that he will make that word which they tearmed wind to become fire and themselves fuel to feed it And as fire flyeth upon fuell fully dried Nah. 1.10 and consumeth it in an instant so Gods flying roll will lick up the evil-doers no otherwise then the fire from heaven after it had consumed the sacrifice the wood the stones and the dust licked up also the water that was in the trench 1 King 18.38 The threatnings of Gods Law the same with this Roll are as Erasmus saith of Ezek. 3.18 fulmina non verba lightbolts rather then words or if words yet they are as One saith Verba non legenda sed vivenda Words not to be read onely but lived at least not to be read as men do the old stories of forraigne warres wherein they are nothing concerned but as threatening themselves in every threat cursing themselves in every curse c. nor as
had collected an elected Church 1 Epist 5.13 and thence he writeth his Epistle to the sojourning Jews scattered thorow those Eastern parts chap. 1.10 from whence also those kings of the East Rev. 16.12 the converted Jews as some expound it are expected And who can tell whether this land of Shinar be not the same with that land of Sinim Esay 49.12 Confer Esay 11.16 Zach. 10.11 Or by the land of Shinar here may be meant exilium totius orbis their generall rejection by all nations the whole world being to them a Shinar that is a land of excussion and it shall be established c. This denoteth the diuturnity or perpetuity of their punishment CHAP. VI. Verse 1. ANd I turned and lift up mine eyes i. e. I passed on to another vision and 1 lifted up the eyes of my mind higher to heaven saith Hierom to receive a further revelation from God And whereas he saith I turned he declareth that God from on every side giveth his Church clear testimonies of his care of her so that she will give heed unto them and lift up her eyes there came four chariots out i.e. four squadrons of Angels Gods Warriours and Ministers of his manifold decrees which are here set forth by the name of brazen mountains 2 King 2.11 2 King 6.17 So Hab. 3.8 See chap. 1.8 with the Note Chariots the Angels are called in many places but especially Psal 68.17 The chariots of God in the Hebrew it is chariot in the singular to note the joynt service of all the Angels are twenty thousand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even thousands of Angels of chearfull ones so the Septuagint of such as serve the Lord readily and freely with joy and tranquillity and so do quiet his spirit Deut. 33.26 God rideth upon the heavens for Isra els help i.e. upon the Angels Heb. as it is said here vorse 8 give him full satisfaction The Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place that is the Angels by their swiftnesse and warlike prowesse make Sion the Church as dreadfull to all her enemies did not one of them so to Sennacherib as those Angels made Sinai at the delivery of the Law which was given in fire Deut. 33.2 The word rendred Angels in the above-cited Psal 68.17 and so the Chaldee plainly expresseth it is by some who derive it of Shaan to sharpen referred to chariots to note a kinde of chariots armed with sharp hooks used in warres as many humane Writers record And so it maketh something to the confirmation of this Interpretation Statius Macrob. Vegetius concerning Angels rather then the four Monarchies But the Angel himself is our best Interpreter verse 5. where being asked by Zachary what these chariots were he answereth These are the four spirits of the heavens which go sorth from standing before the Lord of all the earth a plain Periphrasis of the Angels chap. 1.10 See the Note there from between two mountains tanquam è carceribus as designed by Gods all disposing providence and power and ready prest at his appointment and pleasure to run their race do their office execute Gods judgements which are both unsearchable and inevitable and this the Poets hammer'd at in their ineluctabile Fatum as they called it Gods decrees lie hid under mountains of brasse as it were till they come to execution they run as a river under ground till they break out and shew themselves When he hath once signified his will then we understand it which before lay hid from us that is when these chariots come out from between the mountains of brasse when the event declareth what was the immutable decrce of God Hence the Psalmist Thy right cousnesse is like the great mountains thy judgements are a great deep this for the decree And for the execution Thou preservest man and beast Psal 36.6 but by such means and in such manner as to thee seemeth best It is our part to say Amen to his Amen and to put our Fâ—at and Placet to his The will of the Lord be done said those primitive Christians Act. 21.14 Here am I send me Esay 6.8 Verse 2. In the first chariot were red horses c. These severall colours seem to set forth the diverse ministrations of the Angels deputed to severall employments The black colour betokeneth sorrowfull occurrences and revolutions The white joyfull The red bloody The grisled sundry and mixt matters partly joyfull and partly sorrowfull But I easily subscribe to Him that said We must be content to be ignorant of the full meaning of this vision Tanta est profunditas Christianarum literarum saith Austin so great is the depth of divine learning that there is no fathoming of it Prophecy is pictured like a Matrone with her eyes covered for the difficulty For which cause Paulinus Nolanus would never be drawn to write Commentaries and Psellus in Theodoret asketh pardon for expounding the Canticles of Solomon Verse 4. What are these my Lord Difficulty doth but whet desire in Heroick spirites the harder the vision the more earnest was the Prophets inquisition he was restlesse till better resolved and therefore applieth himself again to his Angel Tutour rather then Tutelar whom for honour sake he calleth My Lord. See the Note on chap. 4.5 and take notice of the truth of Saint Peters Assertion concerning the Prophetick scrutiny 1 Pet. 1.11 with greatest sagacity and sedulity Verse 5. These are the four spirits of the heavens Angels are spirits Heb. 1.7 14. and spirits of heaven Mat. 24.36 Gal. 1.8 resembling their Creatour as children do their Father both in their substance which is incorporeall Hence they are called sons of God Job 1.6 and 38.7 and in their excellent properties Life and Immortality Blessednesse and Glory a part whereof is their just Lordship and command over inferiour creatures For like as ministring spirits they stand before the Lord of the whole earth who sends them out at his pleasure to serve his providence so they have as his Agents and Instruments no small stroke in the ordering and managing of naturall and civill affairs as may be seen in the first of Ezechiel The wheels that is the events of things have eyes that is something that might shew the reason of their turnings if we could see it And they are stirred but as the living creatures that is the Angels stirred them And both the wheels and living creatures were acted and guided by Gods spirit as the principall and supream Cause of all the Lord of the whole earth as he is here called that stand before c. As waiting his commands and ready to runne on his errand Mat. 18 10. Dan. 7.10 Jacob at Bethel saw them 1. ascending sc to contemplate and praise God and to minister to him 2. descending sc to execute Gods will upon men for mercy or for judgement Psal 103.20 For which purpose Ezekiel tells us that they have four faces to look every way when as
and the ceremonious observation 〈…〉 wherein ye placed so much holinesse abolished 〈…〉 on the duties of Piety and 〈…〉 your selves and though of a good 〈…〉 an evil 〈…〉 much adoe about them with neglect or the one thing necessary And now learn and 〈…〉 the love of the truth that ye may he saved 2 Thes 2.10 to speak the 〈◊〉 love Eph. 4.15 to do the truth 1 John 1.6 〈…〉 lest your lives give 〈…〉 the lie So will God say Surely they are my people children 〈◊〉 will not 〈…〉 will be your Saviour Esay 63.8 So shal there 〈…〉 your 〈◊〉 Should we have peace upon any tearms peace without truth it world be 〈…〉 short 〈◊〉 between the Egyptian plagues Peace we may 〈…〉 yea peace we may have to buy turth but we may not give truth to 〈…〉 He purchaseth peace at too dear a rate that payes his integrity to get 〈…〉 it be passible Rom. 12. Esay 32. as much in you lies have peace with all menâ— But if you 〈…〉 but with loss of truth and ship-wrack of conscience let it go And 〈◊〉 long the 〈◊〉 righteousnesse shall be peace God wil make thine enemies to be at peace with thee The Historian tells us that Numa's Temple of 〈◊〉 had this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Temple of faith and peace But Faith frist and then Peace Keep in with God that he be not a terrour to thee as Ieremie prayes and then seek peace with men and ensue it 1 Pet 3.10.11 as ever thou desirest long life and good dayes cheerful feasts as here in the text called good dayes Esth 8.17 as ever thou hopest to have the Calender of thy life crowned with many festivals Verse 20. It shall yet come to passe that there shall come people The Prophet cannot shut up with the former Corollary but further comforts the Jews with a promise of the conversion and conflux of the Gentiles to the Church yea Christs people shall be willing in the lay of his power Psal 110.3 they are like the Isles that wait for his law Esay â— 8 Esay 66.20 Mar. 12. they are set upon 't to come for an offering to the Lord upon horses in chariols and in litters to make any shist rather then not come in litters rather then not at all The kingdom of heaven shall suffer violence and the violent take it by force Verse 21. 〈…〉 of one city shall go to another Not onely come upon them when they light on them and they have a fit opportunity but they shall go on purpose one city to another to gain them to Christ Propriissimum opus viventis est generare sibi simile saith the Philosopher It is the most proper work of every living creature to 〈◊〉 his own kinde The Divine saith the same Grace is communicative charity 〈◊〉 churl Birds when they come to a full heap of corn will chirp and call in for their fellows let us go speedily As so many heavenly Cherubims winged creatures as the doves to their windows with wearinesse of flight as counting him happiest that 's first there Many amongst us fall publikely and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to God 〈◊〉 It will be long enough ere such men beg Davids office of 〈…〉 of his 〈◊〉 for the door-keeper of Gods of house was to be first in and last outâ— but these clean contrary Mr. Fox speaking of out godly Ancestours at the beginning of the Reformation here To see saith he their travels earnest seekings burning zeal readings watchings sweet assemblies resort of one neighbour to another for conference and mutual confirmation 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 7â—6 may make us now in these our dayes of free profession to blush for shame to pray before the Lord To see his face in Zion to partake of his ordinances what gadding is these by Popish pilgrims to Hull Loretto c. Sic videmus in Italia 〈…〉 ac se invicent coheort ari ad visitandam 〈…〉 .i. e. So we see whole towns and villages 〈…〉 and to call one upon another to visit the Lady of Loretto and to stuff her Churches with vowed presents and memories though all the thank they have for the same from God is who required these things at your hands 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to be informed of the right way and 〈…〉 instanted as 〈…〉 I will 〈◊〉 Act. and Mon. 〈…〉 as my old 〈◊〉 will 〈…〉 Go ye 〈…〉 others with duty but themselves would do nothing Mâ—t. 23.4 〈…〉 good souls in the text every of whom was as forward for himself as zealous for another There are that make these to be the words of the well-affected in answer to the former invitaion Let us go speedily say some citizens Agreed say the others I will go also Verse 22. Yea many people and strong nations c. The most populous and potent people subdued by Christ 2 Tim. 1.7 Esay 16.1 not by an army nor by power but by Gods Spirit of power of love and of a sound mind shall send a lamb to the Lord of the whole earth submit to the scepter and lawes of Christs kingdome yeeld the obedience of faith and be proselyted to the Church and to pray before the Lord Heb. to intreat his face which they behold in his Ordinances those visible signes of his presence Popish pilgrims though used hardly and lose much of their estates yet satisfie themselves in this I have that I came for viz. the sight of a dumb Idol What then should not men do or suffer to see God in his Ordinances Verse 23. Ten men shall take hold out of all languages Ten that is many out of all languages therefore not by compact or fraudulent convention for they were farre asunder and of diverse languages nam quisque alijs est barbarus saith Calvine of the nations for God manifested in the flesh was preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world c. 1 Tim. 3.16 shall take hold even take hold as children do on their mothers garments of him that is a Jew who shall not shake them off as bastard Gentiles worthy even the very best of them to have their heads bruised with the serpent as the moderne Jewes say of us Come unto me saith Christ Therefore my brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord Phil. 4.1 my dearly beloved saith Paul we will go with you Be of your religion not for fear or any other by-respect as those Persians Esth 8.17 Josephus relates of the Jewes that they were very carefull how they received Proselytes in Solomons time because then their state flourished but out of sound conviction and good affection for we have heard And by hearing tasted 1 Pet. 2.3 that God is with you Of a truth as that plain Corinthian confesseth 1 Cor. 14. â—5 CHAP. IX Verse 1. THE burden i. e. the bitter and burdensome Prophecy See the Note on Mal. 1.1 In the
land of Hadrach Better on the land of Hadrach whereby is meant Because Messiah is chad sharp to the Nations but rach gentle to the Israelites not thy land O Immanuel or O Messiah as Hierom after Rabbi Benaiah nor a countrey that is neer or lying round about another countrey as Junius and Danaeus expound the Syrian word But either a province or a city of some Note in Syria not fat from Damascus Diodate maketh it to be an Idoll of the Syrians which represented the Sunne from which the countrey took its name as Esay 8. 8. Jer. 48.46 Hos 10.5 and Damascus The Metropolis of Syria built say some in the place where Cain slew Abel and therehence called Damesech or a bag of blood a great scourge to Israel chiefly famous for Saint Pauls conversion there and his rapture into the third heaven during that three-dayes darknesse Act 9.9 with 2 Cor. 12.2 shall be the rest thereof sc of that bitter burden which shall here abide and be set upon its own base as chap. 5.11 See a like expression Joh. 3.36 the wrath of God abideth upon an unbeleever tanquam trabali clavo fixa he can neither avert nor avoid it when the eyes of man c. That is of other men the Gentiles also who as yet are carnall and walk as men shall be toward the Lord lifted up in prayer and confident expectation of mercy See Psal 122.2 Verse 2. And Hamath also shall border thereby i. e. shall share in the same punishment with Damascus and fare the worse for its neighbourhood though it be very wise and think to out-wit the enemy to be too hard for him that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Midian was for Israel by his wiles rather then by his warres Num. 25.18 God taketh these Wisards in their own craft as beasts in a toil and makes very fools of them notwithstanding their many fetches specially when they boast of their wit as Tyrus did Ezek. 28.3 4 c. and trust in it Prov. 3.5 The Phoenicians and Tyrians were wont to boast that they first found out the use of letters c. Sure it is that by much trading by Sea they were grown cunning and crafty Merchants to cosen others and this they coloured with the name of wisdome Wise they were in their generation Luke 16.8 but so is the fox the serpent and the devil who when he was but young out-witted our first parents And wee are still sensible of his slights and not ignorant of his wiles his methods and his stratagems Verse 3. And Tyrus did build her self a strong-hold Thor did build her self Matsor An Elegancy not to be Englished such as are many in the old Testament but especially in Esay It is as if it should be said A strong hold such as Tyrus which was naturally fortified did build it self a strong hold sc by the industry and diligence of men so that she might seem impregnable yet all should not do A Lapide Alexander after seven moneths siege took it and destroyed it and heaped up silver as dust Pulverizavit argentum quasi pulverem Shee had money enough by means of her long and great trade with all the world Ezek. 27. and so might hire what souldiers she pleased for her defence The sinewes of warre were not wanting to her She heaped up her hoards as it were to heaven her Magazines were full fraught The word here rendred heapt up signifieth to comport and gather in money as men do corn into barnes and granaries Exod. 8.10 Psal 39.7 But riches avail not in the day of wrath And Tyrus converted leaves laying up and treasuring and falls to feeding and cloathing Gods Saints Esay 23.18 Vers 4. Behold the Lord will cast her out Or impoverish her as some render it that 's for her money God can soon let her blood in the vena cava called Marsupium and make her nudam tanquam ex mari And then for her munitions He will smite her power in the sea She was seated in a Island upon munitions of rocks the sea was to her instead of a three-fold wall and ditch She was better fortified then Venice is which yet hath flourished above nine hundred years and was never in the enemies hands whence she hath for her Motto Intacta manet But Tyrus was taken Nebuchadnezzar as his wages and afterwards by Alexander who never held any thing impossible that he undertook how unlikely soever it were to be effected He found means to fill up the sea with stones trees and rubbish where it divided Tyrus from the Continent and made himself master of it and she shall be devoured with fire though seated in the heart of the sea Ezek. 28.2 Curt. lib. 4. Plin. lib. 5. c. 19 and had motted up her self against Gods fire Nothing shall quench the fire that he kindleth Verse 5. Ashkelon shall see it and fear for jam proximus ardet Vcalegon her next neighbours house was now on fire and she might well fear she should be dasht at least with the tail of that over-flowing storm that had swept away Tyrus The sword was now in commission it was riding circuite Ezek. 14.17 and God had given it a speciall charge against Ashkelon and against the Sea-shore there had he appointed it Jer. 47.6 7. Now Ashkelon Gaza and Ekron were scituate all along the Sea-coast Southward of Tyre and Sidon All these were bitter enemies to the Church and were therefore destroyed by Alexander the Great that man of Gods hand Gaza also shall see it and be very sorrowfull like a travailing woman as Esay 26.17 18. where the same word is used her heart shall ake and quake within her she shall have sore throwes and throbs and Ekron for her expectation shall be ashamed Her hope hath abused her her confidence is cut off her countenance is covered with confusion She looked that Tyrus should have been a bulwark to her or at least a refuge if need were But now she seeth her expectation shamed The expectation of the wicked shall perish They look out of the window with Siserah's mother and say Have they not sped have they not divided the prey c But what saith the Church So let thine enemies perish O Lord c. Judg. 5.30 31. and the king shall perish from Gaza Rex id est Regulus for there were five Princes of the Philistines each great city having a Prince over it The Prince of Gaza that is here designed to destruction may very well be that Betis whom Darius the last king of Persia had set over Gaza He having kept out Alexander for two moneths was at length taken by him together with the city and put to a cruell death as Curtius testifieth Q. Curt. l. 4 and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited It was so wasted by warre and dispeopled that it became cottages for shepherds and folds for sheep See Zeph. 2.4 ◠Howbeit after
this it was reinhabited for that bloody Herod that slew the Infants was borne there being sirnamed Ascalonita and at this day it is a strong garison of the Saracens Saladine pulled down the walls of it but our Richard the first set them up again as Adrichomius telleth us out of Gul. Tyrius Verse 6. But a bastard shall dwell at Ashdod Perhaps he meaneth Alexander In descripâ— Tur. sanâ— who was a bastard by his mother Olympia's confession The Greek here hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stranger an alien or one of another generation as the Greeks under Alexander and afterwards the Jews under the Maccabees Whence the Chaldee turnes this Text thus The house of Israel shall dwell in Ashdod and shall be there as strangers which have no father In the Acts we find that the Jewes were scattered up and down Palestina and some found at Azotus or Ashdod chap. 8.40 and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines that is their wealth strength and whatsoever else they gloried in and grew insolent and injurious to the Church Verse 7. And I will take away his blood out of his mouth That is his bloody prey for saith Aben-Ezra these Philistines did according to the salvage custome of those times eat of the flesh and drink of the blood of their slain enemies and I will keep them from devouring my people any more and his abominations Hoc est praedas abominabiles saith Calvin his abominable spoils his bloody robberies and pillages and he that remaineth The small remnant of Jews not yet altogether devoured by these cruell Canniballs the Babylonians Philistines and other enemies even he shall be for our God Though they be but an Hee a small poor company of them yet God will both own them and honour them and he shall be as a governour in Iudah They shall all be Magnifico's little Princes of high rank and dignity even as Governours in Iudab God will honour them in the hearts of all men See chap. 12.8 and Ekron as a Iebusite i. e. either slain or slave and tributary I know this Text is otherwise expounded by Iunius and others but I now like this Interpretation as most proper Verse 8. And I will encamp about mine house Though it be otherwise but ill fenced and fortified yet I will see it safegarded and secured from the inrodes and incursions of enemies who are ranging up and down and not onely robbing but ravishing Psal 10.9 For what was Alexander but an Arch-pirate a strong theef as the Pirate whom he had taken told him to his teeth And whether here be intimated by these words because of him that passeth by and him that returneth something of Alexanders voyages who passed by Judaea into Egypt and to Ammons Oracle with his Army and thence returned to Persia by the same way not hurting the Jewes or something about the many expeditions of the Seleucidae and Lagedae to and fro from Egypt to Syria and back again among which hurly-burly the Jewes State stood fast though sometime a little shaken I dare not say saith a learned Interpreter It may be both those and all other the like dangers are here generally comprized and no oppressour shall passe thorow them any more Chald. No Sultan not the Turkish tyrant Lord of Greece as verse 13. say those that take the text of the Jew glorious state at last Calvin thinkes that by this clause he only expounds what he had figuratively said before Danaeus takes it of violence and oppression among themselves or of wringing and vexing by their own rulers they shall be free from violence both abroad an at home for now have I seen with mine eyes i. e. I have taken good notice of it I have seen I have seen as Exod. 3.7 and mine eye hath affected mine heart I have well observed that the enemy is grown unsufferably insolent and therefore come to rescue and relieve my people The Chaldee hath it thus I have now revealed my power to do them good Ahen-Ezra makes these to be the Prophets words of himself q. d. I have seen all this in a manifest vision But this is frigidum imo insulsum saith Calvin and odd conceit unlesse we refer it with Montanus to the following words and make this the sense which yet I like not so well Behold I see in the spirit with the eyes of my mind the Lord Christ comming and entring with state the city and temple Verse 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion Draw all thy waters with joy out of this welspring of salvation Loe here is the summ of all the good news in the world Ier. 31.12 and that which should make the saints everlastingly merry even to shouting and singing in the height of Zion that their king commeth This should swallow up all discontents and make them sing Hosanna in the highest Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. behold thy King commeth Not Zorobabel or Judas Maccabeus as some Jewes interpret it nor yet Alexander the Great as some others but a greater then he even Messiah the Prince as Christ is stiled Dan. 9.25 who shall cut off the charret c. as it followeth in the next verse yea all the 4 charret or Monarchies as some expound chap. 6. how much more Tyrus Gaza Ekron Damascus c. of which he spake before in this chapter unto thee i. e. meerely for thy behoof and benefit and not for his own Other kings are much for their own profit pleasures pomp c. Christ emptied himself of all his excellencies that we might be filled with his fulnesse he is just and having salvation That he may justifie thee by his righteousnesse and save thee by his merit and spirit The Vulgar rendreth it Iust and a Saviour so doth the Chaldee Salvation properly denotes the negative part of mans happinesse freedome from all evils and enemies but it is usually taken for the positive part also viz. fruition of all good because it is easier to tell from what then unto what we are saved by Jehovah our righteousnesse lowly Or poor afflicted abject See them set together Zeph. 3.12 and Phil. 4.12 I have learned to want and to be abased Poverty rendreth a man contemptible and ridiculous Pauper ubique jacet men go over the hedge where it is lowest the poor are trampled upon and vilipended as Luke 16.30 This thy Son he scorned to call him brother because he was poor Now Christ became poor to make us rich 2 Cor. 8. Rom. 2.7 a worm and no man nullificamâ—n populi as Tertullian phraseth it that we might be advanced to glory and honour and immortality Neither was he more low and mean in his estate then lowly and meek in mind as farr from pride and statelinesse as as his state was from Pomp and magnificence riding upon an asse A poor silly beast used by the meaner sort of people yea upon a colt the foale of an asse Heb. asses
which he not onely casteth but thrusteth into the bottom of the sea whence it cannot be boyed up This Angel might well be Luther with his Book de captivitate Babylonica confer Jer. 51.63 whom God strangely preserved from the rage of Rome and Hell like as he did from that deadly danger by the fall of a stone whereof Mr. Fox writeth thus Acts Mon. Upon a time saith He when Luther was sitting in a certain place upon a stool studying a great stone there was in the Vault over his head where he sate which being staid miraculously so long as he was sitting assoon as hee was up immediately fell upon the place where he sat able to have crusht him in pieces if it had light upon him But no malice of man or devil could antedate his end a minute whilest his Master had work for him to do as the two witnesses could not bee killed till their businesse was dispatched Rev. 11.7 Verse 4. Turk Hist I will smite every horse with astonishment Great is the strength of the horse and the rage of his rider Jehu marched furiously Bajazet the great Turk of his fierce and furious riding was surnamed Gilderun or Lightening But God can make the Egyptians to appear men and not Gods and their horses flesh and not spirit When the Lord shall but stretch out his hand and that 's no hard matter of motion both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they shall all faile together Esay 31.3 See Psal 76.5 6. Psal 33.17 An horse is a vain thing for safety though a warlike creature full of terrour but safety or victory is of the Lord Pro. 21.31 In nothing be terrified saith the Apostle Philip. 1.28 The Greek word is a metaphor from horses when they tremble and are sore affrighted as it fell out in the Philistines army when the Angels made a bustle among the mulbery-trees 2 Sam. 5.24 in the Syrians army when the Angels likewise made an hurry-noise in the ayre of charrets of horses and of a great host 2 King 7.6 in the army of Sennacherib when at Gods sole rebuke both the charret and horse were cast into a dead sleep Psal 76.6 Lastly in the German wars against Zisca and the Hussites in Bohemia where God smot every horse with astonishment and his rider with madnesse Parei Meduè hist Profan pag. 785. such a panick terrour seized upon the enemies of the truth though they came in with three potent armies at once that they sled before ever they looked the enemy in the face How this Prophesie was litterally fulfilled to the Maccabees see 2 Mac. 10.30 and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah who before seemed to wink or to be asleep Now will I awake saith the Lord Now will I arise Isa 33.10 now will I lift up my self for the relief and rescue of my poor people and that because they called them outcasts saying This is Zion whom no man looketh after Ier. 30.17 Verse 5. And the Governours of Judah The Dukes of Chiefetaines meaning the Maccabes who ware not any kingly crown but were only Governours Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commanders in chief such as went before others like as in the Alphabet Aleph is the first letter So Omega nostrorum Mors est Mars Alpha malorum Saith the Poet wittily shall say in their hearts i. e. shall say heartily from the root of the heart and not from the roof of the mouth only Profession of the truth and prayer for so some make this verse to be are not a labour of the lips but a travel of the heart The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which comes from the depth of the brest As in instrument-musick the deeper and hollower the belly of the Lute or Violl is the pleasanter is the sound the sleeter the more grating and haâ—sh in our eares the inhabitants of Iorusalem shall be my strength Though now there be few found in it yet it shall be much repeopled and fortified so that under God it shall be a fortresse to the whole countrey and the Governour shall so take it to be Or thus there is strength to me and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem in the Lord of Hosts their God Every governour shall say so for his own particular And this seemes to me to be the better reading The Maccabes did so as appeared by their posy whereof before their prayers and their singular successe as appeares by their history and by Josephus Deo confisi nunquà m confusi They that trust in God shall never be confounded Our father 's trusted in thee and they were delivered O trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Look not down on the rushing and roaring streames lest ye grow giddy but look up to the heavens from whence comes your help and fasten by faith on Gods power and promises Faith unseined breeds hope unfaileable such as never miscarrieth O trust in him at all times ye people c. Psal 62. for with God is wisdome and strength Iob. 12.13 Plutarch saith of the Scythians that they have neither wine nor musick but they have Gods Say that the Saints have neither power nor pollicy as their enemies yet they have all in God who is more then all Verse 6. In that day will I make the governours c. This is the third similitude whereof the scripture is full according to that I will open my mouth in parables c. These are of excellent use to adorn and explain and yet they are evermore inferiour to the matter in hand They are borrowed from things well known and easy to be conceived as here from an harth of fire among wood Now we can all tell how great a matter or wood a little fire kindleth Iam. 3.5 As when Nero for his pleasures sake set Rome on fire among other stately buildings that were quickly burnt down the Circus or race-yard was one being about half a mile in length of an ovall form with rowes of seats one above another capable of at least an hundred and fifty thousand spectatours without uncivil shoulderings As the fire burneth a wood and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire So persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid with thy storme saith the Church Psal 83.14 15. Thus they pray'd and thus it is here promised and was accordingly performed in those first warrs of the Maccabees as appeareth in the first book of their story Antiq. lib. 12. and in Josephus Diodate and others understand this text of the Apostles and Evangelists who should fill the world with wars and dissentions by preaching the Gospell Luke 12.49 whereby the enemies should be ruinated Hieron Remig. Albert. A Lapide and the church reestablished Obad. 18. thorough the spirit of judgement and of burning Esay 4.4 To which purpose Chrysostome saith
Bradsord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.3 Job 41.27 shall be crusht in pieces in feeling as that Martyr said and let all those scoffers that make childrens play of Gods dreadfull menaces as St. Peters word importeth that Leviathan-like esteem Gods iron as straw that read his Propheticke burdens as they do the old stories of forraine warres or as they behold the wounds and bloud in a picture or piece of Arras which never makes them smart or feare Let all these I say read and ruminate that flaming place Jer. 23.33 37. and let them know that if they belong to God Am. 5.12 he will cripple their iron sinews by the sense of their many and massy or bony sinnes As if otherwise he will fall upon them with his full weight and grind them to powder Mat. 21.44 Cavete cavebitis autem si pavebitis to 〈◊〉 The two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin with those few of the ten Tribes that returned amongst them from the Babylonish captivity These though we never find them again going a whoring after Idols the sinne that they had paid so dear for and had now bought their wit yet forgetfull of former both beatings and benefits as children are they soon returned to their old flagitions practises of Polygamy blasphemy sacriledge defilement of Divine Worship unlawfull marriages c. and so had lost in a manner the fruit of their sufferings putting God to his old complaint why should ye be smitten any more c. and causing him to sigh out as even sick of them Ah sinfull nation c. Reprobate silver shall men call them c. by Malachi Heb. by the hand of Malachi i. e. by his mouth and Ministery Isai â—â— Jer. 6. Hand is put for Mouth by a Catachresis because the hand is the Instrument of Instruments as saith the Philosopher See the like Exod. 9.35 Numb 4.37 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 8.11 One Expositor noteth here that this expression by the hand is used to teach us that Prophets and Ministers must preach not with their Tongues only but with their hands too lest they be found in number of those Pharisees that say but doe not that bind heavy burdens and hard to be born upon other mâ—ns shoulders but they themselves touch them not with one of their fingers Mat. 23.3 4. Let our hands also preach as well as our tongues nè dicta factis deficientibus erubescant as Tertullian speaketh lest talking by the Talent and working by the the Ounce our hands give our tongues the lye by Malachi i. e. Mine Angel or an Angelicall man Not an heavenly Angel as Origen held Litera Jod in fine format nomen adjectivum ut in Nochri alienus Chopshi liber nor as told and taught by an Angel how to deliver and deport himself in his office like as when that Bathâ—gol or voice from heaven came to Christ Joh. 12.28 the people that stood by and heard it said that it thundered others said an Angel spake to him ver 29. But either he was so called by his parents at his birth and circumcision as Angelus Politianus and others or else so sirnamed by the good people of those times as whose disposition communication conversation countenance and whole carriage were Angelicall Chrysostom for like cause calleth Paul Angelum terrestrem an earthly Angel And the Authour to the Hebrewes speaking of those faithfull Martyrs that lived and suffered soon after Malachi's time he saith Of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11.38 Meaning that they were fitter to be set as Angels in heaven to be fixed in the region of happinesse to shine sull fair upon the Coelestial shelf as that Martyr said then to abide here among sinners Act. and Mon. Chrysostom in his 55. Homily upon Matthew calleth certain religious men of his time Angels for their sanctimony and celestiall conversation And Dr. Tailor Martyr blessed God that ever he came in company with that Angell of God John Bradford Verse 2. I have loved you saith the Lord Thou hast loved us might they reply whilest we were willing and obedient Thou lovest them that love thee Prov. 8.17 and shewest mercy to thousands of them that love thee and keep thy commandements Lam. 5.22 Exod. 20. But now thou hast utterly re ecled us thou art very wroth against us Nay saith God I do love you so Tremelline renders this Text I am Jehovahs I change not Chap. 3.6 I do rest in my love and will seek no further Zeph. 3.17 Surely Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord of Hosts though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel Jer. 51.5 Thus it was before the captivitie But how after See Zach. 1.17 The Lord had professed before that he had been sore displeased with their Fathers verse 2. and it appears ver 3 4. they were no better then their Fathers all which notwithstanding see a sweet promise ver 17. Cry yet saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet chuse Jerusalem There are four Yets in the Text and all very gracious ones to shew that the fulnesse sinne in us doth not abate the fulnesse of love in God toward his people And the same in effect is thankfully acknowledged by those holy Levites at their solemn fast held much about the time of our Prophet Malachy Nehem. 9. where they make a catalogue of the many fruits and expressions of Gods love to themselves and their fathers Besides extraordinary favours not a few he gave them good Lawes verse 13. good Sabbaths verse 14. his good spirit to instruct them 20. He forsook them not when they dealt proudly against him 16 17. but crowned them with outward comforts 21 25. afflicted them when they provoked him 26 27. sent them Saviours when they cryed to him 27. after often revolts was often intreated 28. with held his worst and consuming judgements for a long time 30 31. And was there not love in all this Might not God well say I have loved you Ribera thinks there is an Aposiopesis in the words as if God would have said more but very grief breaks off his speech out of a deep sense of their detestable ingratitude David hath such an abrupt expression Psal 116.1 I love because the Lord hath heard my voice Such a pang such a passion he felt that he was not able to say I love the Lord but I love and soâ—breakes off abruptly The like whereunto may here be conceived of God who cannot endure to have his love lost his grace undervalued as it was by these obstreperous Questionists who put him to his proof as those did Jer. 2.25 yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us Their late captivity and calamity so stuck still in their stomacks that they could not see wherein he had shewed them any love But
him but will needs have one leg upon the earth and the other upon the water as that Angel in the Revelation one foot upon the solid ground and the other upon a quagmire that rest upon Christ but as a part-Saviour as Papists or trust to him as the Apricock tree that leaneth against the wall but it 's fast rooted in the earth so some seem to lean upon Christ in their performances but are rooted mean-while in the world in pride filthinesse c. Or lastly as the Ivy which though it clasp about the oak and draweth much from it yet brings forth all its berries by vertue of its own root Thus hypocrites also offer sacrifice but it s a sick facrifice because it is srom themselves and in themselves they do all in their own strength that is in their own weaknesse For our strength is to sit still Isa 30.7 Isa 26.4 and to work our selves into the Rock of ages Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength The blind and the lame Jebusites when they had secured themselves in the strong hold of Zion insulted over David as if he could not come in thither 2 Sam. 5 6 7 though he did his utmost to get in to them the very blind and lame there inclosed should be able to withstand him But both their hold and their hope deceived them Neverthelesse saith the Text David took the strong-hold of Zion the same is the city of David But they that get into the Rock Christ Jesus shall neve be visited of evil Deo confist nunquam confust nor disappointed of their hopes but of weak they shall be made strong Heb. 11.34 able to present their bodies a lively not a languishing sacrifice holy acceptable unto God Rom. 12.16 they shall do all things thorough Christ which strengtheneth them Philip. 4.13 Offer it now unto thy Governour Be it but some petty Provinciall President some Duke of Venice or Despot of Servia Jacob can tell that the Lord of Egypt will look for a present and therefore biddeth his sonnes take of the best fruits in the land in their vessels and carry down the man a present a little balme Gen. 42.11 and a little honey spices and myrrhe nuts and almonds of every good thing somewhat though it were the lesse for to do much it was not in the power of their hands but see that it be of the best saith He. The poor Persian that met Artaxerxes with a handfull of water out of the river Cyrus went away well rewarded So did the gardiner that presented the Duke of Burgundy with a rape-root because it was the best they were able to do Semblably the Almighty takes any thing well aworth from those that are willing indeed but alasse not able to bring a better present Vow and performe saith He unto the Lord your God bring presents unto him that ought to be feared Psal 76.11 Say not I fear to present because I have nothing worthy of him Send a lamb to the Ruler of the earth Esay 16.1 Or if thou hast not a lamb offer a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons but see they be young and that thy lamb be the best in thy fold and it shall be accepted Every man cannot do as Solomon did at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.63 when he offered two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep Or as great Alexander of whom Pliny reporteth that in his childhood when he threw incense upon the Altar in great plenty his Schoolmaster checkt him for so doing and bade him sacrifice on that sort when he had conquered the incense-bearing countreys and not till then Alexander when he had subdued Arabia remembred his School-master and presented him with a ship laden with frankincense largely exhorting him to spare for no cost when he sacrificed to the gods But no man must come before the Lord empty-handed if it be but an handfull or two of flour or a corn or two of salt Lev. 5.6 11 12. 14.30 31. Casaub in Theoph. Scholiost Aristop So the Athenians thought the gods would be well-pleased with a poor man if he offered but meal especially if he could mingle it with oyl and wine for they held that every man was bound to bring his best and not to be base in saving charges in this case Hence it was that when the famous Artificer Phidias advised them to make the statue of Minerva rather of marble then of ivory 1. Because it was more durable this passed with allowance 2. Because lesse chargeable at the mention hereof with insinite indignation they commanded him silence Their meat-offerings were to be sound and without blemish whether it were an ox sheep goat swine calf The more wealthy did cast frankincense on the altars and in their blind devotion Vide Pollucem lib. 1. thought they could hardly over-do in honour of their dunghill-deities What then shall become of those base wretches amongst us that think every thing too good for God too much for his Ministers that study to beat down the price of heaven and will not deal except they may have it under foot Will he be pleased with thee I trow not The Vulgar renders it Si placuerit c. If it please him or if he accept thy person q. d. then let me never be beleeved But the other reading is better and more agreeable to the Original Or accept thy person Heb. Accept thy face that whores forehead of thine hatcht with so much impudence that thou darest bring him a worse present when thou hast a better at hand but holdest it too good for him Araunab 2 Sam. 24.23 though a subject yet as a king he gave unto the king oxen for sacrifice and threshing instruments for wood And although David accepted of his courtesie but not of his cost yet God hath crowned him and chronicled him for his munificence Zach. 9.7 Ekron that is the barbarous people of Palestina shall be as the Jebusite that is as this famous Jebusite Araunah a Proselyte a true Convert as appeared by his ready parting with his free-hold to God and the best that he had to his Prince Let all those that look for acceptance in heaven honour the Lord with the prime of their age with the choice of their dayes as the Hebrew hath it Eccles 12.1 with the primrose of their childhood with the best of their time and of their talents and not unworthily and wofully wast and cast away the fat and marrow the flower of their age the strength of their bodies the vigour of their spirits in sinfull pleasures and sensuall delights in pursuing their fleshy lusts that hale hell at the heels of them Will they give the devil the best and then think to serve God with the dregs the bottom the snuffe the very last sands their extreme dotage that themselves and their friends are weary of Surely
God takes no pleasure to pledge the devil or drink the snuffes that he hath left If men reserve the dregs of their dayes for him He will likewise reserve the dregs of his wrath for them He will put them over to the gods whom they had chosen as Judg. 10. and make them to know the worth of his good acceptance by the want of it He that should set before his Prince a dish of meat that had been half-eaten before by hogs or dogs would he not be punished with all severity What then shall become of those that serve God with the devils leavings that sacrifice to themselves as Sejanus did Dio in Tiberio that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies as those Seducers Rom. 16. that say to God Depart from us and to the devil Reigne thou over us that are serious at his work sleighty in Gods c. Verse 9. And now I pray you besecch God Heb. Weary God with your prayers presse him till he be even sick of you improve your uttermost interest in him if at least you have any Pray hard if ye can at least for all men cannot pray wicked men are gagg'd by the devil and their character is They call not upon God They may cant or chatter out a charm when Gods chastening is upon them yea be with childe as it were of a prayer and yet bring forth nothing better then winde Isai 26.16 17 18. In prosperity they may have some few short-winded wishes as Balaam satans spelman had yea they may by strength of wit or memory devise an handsom prayer and seem to set it forth with much life that they may passe for men of parts and gifts But will the hypocrite pray alwayes Iob 27.10 will he persevere in prayer when God seems to cast out his prayers and to multiply his crosses will he not rather curse in that case as Iob's wife and Micah's mother will he not how lagainst heaven as the wolf when hungerbit and as the Parrot when beaten leave imitating man and turn to his own natural harsh voice But say that wicked men do Ioab like run to the horns of Gods altar when in distresse or danger say they roar out a consession when they are upon the rack Hos 6. Psal 78.34 as Pharaoh and call for good prayers say they seek him with their sacrifices as Israel did when he slew them then they sought unto him c. and made their voices to be heard on high as the prisoner at the bar as the hog under the knife as a bull in a net Say they weary out God with their many words as those sacrificing Sodomites Isai 11. those hypocrites in the Gofpel that hoped to be heard for their much babling Mat. 6. yet all this is but the prayer of the flesh for ease and not of the spirit for grace it is but the fruit of sinful self-love to rid themselves of Gods rod or to still the noise of their consciences or out of a vain hope to stop Gods judgements c. And hence it is that they miscarry that they pray to so little purpose as here is hinted and that they are not a button the better for all their long prayers For either God answers them not at all he hath no respect to their sacrifices which was Cains and Sauls unhappinesse The Philistims were upon him and God was departed from him Or else he answers them according to the idols of their hearts bitter answers Or if better it s but as he answered the Israelites importunity for a king for a scourge to them and for quails to choak them Deus saepe dat iratus quod uegat proprtius God often gives that in anger which he denies in mercy If it were otherwise the devil should have received mercy from God when upon his suit he was suffered to enter into the swine Let our chief and constant Petition therefore be in all our our addresses to God that he would be gracious unto us that he would cast a loving aspect upon us that what ever else he denie us corn wine c. yet that he would lift up the light of his countenance upon us This David preferred before his crown and scepter He had a crown of gold but he valued not that in comparison of that other crown Psal 103.4 he crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies Hence Saint Paul having himself obtained mercy beginneth and concludeth all his Epistles with wishes of Grace mercy and peace as not knowing what better to wish those whom he wished best unto This was Abrahams prayer for Ismael O that he might live in thy sight that is be joynt-heire of the promise of grace with Isaac God answers Divers Dukes shall come of Ismael but with Isaac as a token of special grace will I make my covenant This was also Iosephs prayer for Benjamin Gen. 43.29 God be gracious unto thee my son This the priests were appointed to pray for as a blessing upon the people Num. 6.24 25. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee And hereunto the Prophet seems to allude in this text q. d. you are the Lords Priests and your office is to preach and pray Deut. 33.10 They shall teach Iacob they shall put incense before thee Shew now what ye can do in a time of necessity Beseech the Lord that he would be gracious unto us This is the main the mother-blessing that comprehends all the rest Every man seekes the face of the Ruler Prov. 29.26 I humbly beseech thee that I may sinde grace in thy sight my Lord O king q. d. that 's better to me then all the land thou hast given me said that crafty Sycophant Ziba 2 Sam. 16.4 How much more is the grace of God to be preferred before all outward blessings whatsoever The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion Psal 134.3 saith the Psalmist intimating that blessings out of Zion are above all the blessings besides that heaven and earth can yeeld us What is the ayre without light what was Haman the better for all his honours when the king frowned upon him How can a wicked man be happy though wealthy so long as God is his enemy As that father speaks of Ahab he describes him sitting in his ivory palace in the time of the three yeers famine in Samaria he had gold silver and jewels in every place but what good did all that when the heaven was brasse above and the earth iron beneath Cry therefore as those in Zachary Grace Grace unto us pray for our selves and others as David did for Ittai the Gittite mercy and truth be with thee 2 Sam. 15.20 Stir we up our selves to take hold of God and to get of him Gaius-his-prosperity dona throni soul-blessings and such as accompany salvation Jesus Christ when he came into the world brought grace and truth with John 1.17 And
for a just description of a godly Christian that he truely feares the Lord. First you shall finde Gods true service and his holy fear go coupled and handfasted in sundry scriptures Some few for a tast Now therefore fear the Lord saith Joshua in his last farewell to the world and serve him in sincerty and truth m Iosh 24.14 intimating that there is no sincere service done to God where his fear is not found So the Psalmist Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce before him with reverence n Psal 2.11 Fear then must be one thing in Gods works and reverence another whatsoever be the third Indeed it is the first second and third in Gods true service * As Demosthenes once said of Elocution in an Oratour Hence the Apostle Let us have grace saith he whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear o Heb. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae parit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As who should say A fearlesse heart is certainly a gracelesse heart neither let such a man think that he shall ever receive any wages at Gods hand for such unacceptable work sith displeasing â—â—rvice is a double dishonour But secondly as Gods true fear and service are in some places of scripture conjoyned so in other some they are confounded and indifferently taken the one for the other as tearmes convertible See for this Deut. 6.13 compared with Mat. 4.10 and again Mat. 15.9 with Esay 29.13 whereupon Solomon the wise makes this fear of God the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and last in Gods businesse The basis and beginning of all he sets it for in the beginning of his Proverbs p Prov. 1 7. the end and upshot of all he concludes it in the close of his Ecclesiastes Let us hear the end of all saith he Feare God and q Eccl. 12.15 Hoc est enim totus homo Ergo si hoc est omnis homo absque hoc nihil est homo Bern. super Cant ser 20. keep his commandements for this is the whole man r Act. 13.16 as Broughton after the vulgar reads that text Lastly to perswade this the scripture usually describes a godly person by this property sets him out by this periphrasis not only here in the text but a few verses below chap. 4.2 But unto you that fear my name set in opposition to the proud and wicked ver 1. as these here to those stout rebels ver 13.14 15. shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise c. So elsewhere up and down Gods booke Men of Israel saith the Apostle and ye that fear God give audience r Act. 13.16 A close connexion you see for All that are Israelites indeed Jews inwardly Å¿ Rom. 2 29. do fear God according to that of Solomon He that walketh in his uprightnesse feareth the Lord t Prov 14.2 Whence it is pinn'd as a badge upon the sleeve of every faithfull Christian as of Iob for instance in the old Testament u Iob 1.2 Act. 10.2 and Cornelius in the New that they fâ—ared God and eschewed evill u for by the fear of the Lord men depart from evill Pro. 16.6 The scripture then is expresse for us you see that every servant of the Lord feares the Lord Neither need we want Reasons for it whether we look upon this holy fear in its 1. Causes 2. Consequents 3. companions 4. contâ—aries the opposites I mean in either extreames SECT II. The Doctr. further confirmed by Arguments drawne from the 1. Causes 2. Consequences 3. Companions 4. Contraries to the true fear of God FOr the causes first Reas 1 the principall efficient cause and authour of this reverentiall fear is God in Christ by the hand and operation of the Holy Ghost whose sole work it is to spiritualize that natural affection of Fear common to all mankinde and by putting it into a right frame turning it into a new channel that it may thence forward run forth-right upon God to make it the fear of sons the fear of Gods elect partakers of the heavenly calling w Hob 3.1 that Covenant of grace one special claus whereof is this I will put my fear into their hearts 't is a fruit then of Gods own setting and taken off the tree of life for they shal never depart from me but I will rejoyce over them to do them good and will plant them in truth with my whole heart and with my whole soule x Ier. 32.40 'T is a blessing of Gods own right-hand I will put my sear c. I is emphaticall and exclusive q. .d I and only l. 2. And not a common blessing neither but such as he will bestow on his own alone with whom he is in speciall covenant Thirdly And this by way of infusion that all may be of grace for he will put his fear into their hearts Fourthly and for the best end all this is that they may never depart from him For this is a filiall fear out of ingenuity and the servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth for ever y Ioh. 8.35 saith the naturall Son of God that came out of the bosome of his father knew all his counfell and upon whom the spirit of the fear of the Lord rested for his members Some other subordinate and lesse principall causes also of this grace in speech I might here mention as making to ourpurpose such as are 1. a lively faith in all the glorious and gratious attributes of God especially his fatherly compassion and kindnesse a Hos 3. vlt. Psal 130.4 which is better then life b Psal 63.3 2. an aâ—dent child-like affection to God as a father whose displeasure we therefore fear and feel more bitter then death c Eccles 7.26 Neoffendamus quem diligamus ne ab eo separemur M. Sentent l. 3. dist 34. Reas 2. In via Dei à timore incipitur ut ad fortitudinem venia tur Non siâ—ut in via seculi timor debilitatem it a in via Dei timor forâ—itudinem gignit Greg. But these with some other graces that concur as principles to the constituting of the right fear of God â— passe for hast and come to the second Reason And that is taken from the effects and consequent of this holy fear and they also are such as suite only with Gods dear children and are found in none other besides To instance only in two of them till we come to the Application First Christian conrage and a confident reliance upon Gods fatherly love and affection for safety and salvation In the fear of the Lord saith Solomon is strong confidence and his children for such only sear God which is the point in proof have a place of resuge d Pro. 14 26. what even siorme be up they have God name to repair unto for shelter Now the Name of the Lord is a strong tower the
labour of love which ye have shew'd toward his name in that ye have ministred to the saints and do also minister o Heb. 6.10 For the better understanding of which argument it must be premised that there is a double Justice of God one of Equity which is the giving of every man his own as ye all know and another of fidelity according to that of St. Iohn If we confesse our sinns he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins p 1 Ioh 1.9 Posset alioqui justus esse Deus c. sed quia se verbo suo nobis constrinxit justus censeri non vult nisi ignoscat Calvin in locum And in this sence as it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you which is the justice of Equity so to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that beleeve q 2 Thes 16 7 which is the justice of sidelity for faithfull is he that hath promised who also will do it Take it thus God having made himself our voluntary debter not by receiving any thing from us for who hath given unto him first and he shall be recompensed r Rom. 11 35 not one but by promising all good things unto us what ever unworthinesse be found in us Yet he abides faithfull he cannot deny himself Å¿ 2 Tim. 2.13 nor forget to crown his own graces in us with that life eternall which God that cannot lie promised before the world began t Tit. 1.2 He hath of his own accord smitten a covenant with us of mercy and given us his band for ou security nay his oath nay his seal both the privy seal of his spirit u Eph. 1.13 and the broad seal of the sacraments x Rom 4.11 That by so many immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye we might have strong consolation which have our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before us y Heb. 6.18 Reas 3. Thirdly God is gratious and hountiful as well as righteous and faithfull He is rich in mercy to all that call upon him z Rom. 10.12 or do him any other businesse Doth Icb serve God for nought a Iob 1.9 No nor any man living he is a large paymaster Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought neither do ye kindle a fire upon mine altar for nought b Mal. 1 10 David indeed would serve him on free-cost c 2 Sa. 24.24 but di the Lord dye in his debt nay did he not pay him his charges are the Sun went down the same day with usury At another time David had but a purpose to build God an house and God promised thereupon to build him an house for ever d 2 Sa 7.2 16 Again he had but a purpose of confessing his sinns and before he could do it the Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin e Psal 32.5 The Apostle tells us that a poor servant if in serving his master according to the flesh he do withall serve the Lord Christ doing it heartily as to the Lord and not as to men let him know saith he that of the Lord he shall receive the reward of inheritance f Coloss 4.24 He meets it may be with a hard master that both belly-beats him and back-beats him too gives him very hard work and litle or no wages but Christ will do all Not wages only shall he receive as a servant but inheritance as a son Nay the poor begger that gives but a cup of cold water with desire of doing more if he had wherewithall Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour he shall not lose his reward g Mat. 10 42 Saul when he went to enquire about the Asses had but five-pence in his purse to give the Seer h 1 Sam. 9.8 the Seer after much good cheer gives him the kingdome Such is Gods deaing with us he liberally rewards the small offerings of his weak servants when he perceives them proceed from great love How often doth he send away his poor Oratours as Boaz did Ruth wit their bosome full ofblessings i Ruth 3.15 as David did Mephibosheth with a royal revenew k 2 Sam. 9.7 as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba with what soever heart can wish l 1 King 10.13 or as Caleb did his daughter Achsah m Iudg. 1.15 with upper and nether springs a confluece of spirituall comforts temporall contentments and all of the riches of his grace doth he thus give us all things richly to enjoy n 1 Tim. 6.17 Reas 4. Fourthly God is wondrous tender an chary of his own glory seeking the setting forth thereof mainly and indeed onely in all his works Now the glory of God is no way more advanced and enlarged then by keeping open house as it were giving all best entertainment and incouragement to those that frequent him not forgetting the labour of love that is shewed to his Name For this is it that will draw in much ompany about him and make men very obsequious and observant when they seâ— for certain that there is a reward for the righteous o Psal 58.11 yea stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord as knowing that their labour is not in vain in the Lord p 1 Cor. 15. ult Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion and unto thee shall the vow be performed q Psa 65.1 2 3 Sint mecoenates non deerunt Flacce Marones Virgiliumque tibi vel tua rura dabunt Mart. But how comes it about that men are so officious and forwardly as to stand waiting at the posts of the gates of Wisdom with free offer of their best devotions and services It followes there O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come As who should say It is for no marvell though men come thick about thee and thou have followers good store for a little eutreaty serves turne for the obtaining of great suits of all sorts and mercies without measure And it is seldom seen that a good house-keeper wants company ' is pitty he should Fifthly God rewards even wicked men that do his will Reaf 5. though against their own will and beside their own intentions as he did Nebuchadnezzar his involuntary and unwitting servant to whom he gave Egypt in way of wages or military pay for the long labour and hard pains he had taken in the siege of Tyrus r Ezek 29.18 Howbeit he thought not so but imagined to destroy and cut off not a few nations Å¿ Esay 10.7 Likewise those that serve him out of servile respcts and sinfull self-love he rewards out of the abundance of his bounty as Ahab to whom he requited a temporary repentance with a temporall deliverance Nay those
is greatest gain t 1 Tim 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pietate 1 Tim. 4.8 saith the same Apostle such as wherein all losses are recompensed all wants supplied all curses removed crosses sanctified promises accomplished blessednesse procured Satan conquered Death destroyed the grave sweetned corruption abolished sanctification perfected and heaven opened for a more happy enterance What should I say more for a conclusion of this first Exhortation to those that are in their naturall condition There is no gain to that of grace no increase to that of Gods service The Usurer gaines six in the hundred but the gain of godlinesse is an hundred-fold here and eternall life hereafter Oh who would not then turne spirituall purchaser SECT VI. Vse 4. Exhortation to Saints to abide in Gods love and to abound in his work sith their labour of love is not in vain in the Lord. OUr second Exhortation is to be addressed to all those that are true of heart Use 4 whose names are written in heaven u heb 12.23 whose services are set down in Gods book of remembrance How should these first rejoyce in this priviledge more a great deal then if devils were subdued unto them x Luc. 10 what a mercy is his that God should set so highly by their poor performances as to record them in the high court of heaven to gratifie and grant them thereupon great suites on earth to glory and bost of them before the Prince of hell as he did of Iob y Iob 1.8 because he was jealous over himself and his with a godly jealousy z Iob 1.5 How should the Saints delight themselves in such a master and make their boasts of God all day long a Psal 44.8 How should they sing with David Lord thou hast dealt bountifully with thy servant according to thy word b Psal 119.17 carolling out and calendring up the noble acts of that Lord * Psal 105.5 who shall count when he writes up the people c Psal 87.6 that such a man was born there and there was faithfull in all his house as a servant d Heb. 3.5 with Moses kept his word and not denyed his name with Pergamus and Philadelphia e Rev. 2. 3 instantly served the Lord day and night with the twelvâ— tribes f Act. 26.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These things he carefully recordeth and honourably mentioneth and is it not a shame for us to be slothfull and silent to be forgetlull of him that thus remembreth us and the poor things that pass from us Of all things God cannotabide to be forgotten See how ill he takes it at the hands of his people They are a froward generation children in whom â—â—no faith saith he For of the Rock that begat them they are unmindfull and the God that formed them they have forgotten And when th Lord saw it he abhorred them because of this provoking of his sons and of his daughters g Deut. 32.18 20 And a fire was kindled in hisanger thereupon even such as burneth to the lowest hell For the wicked shall be turned into hell and who too With all them that forget God h Psal 9.17 But what shall become of them in the mean while Behold I even I will utterly forget you and so pay you home in your own coyne yea I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetuall shame which shall not be forgotten i Ier. 23. 39.40 See this exemplified in the rich glutton Luc. 16. who because he remembred not that God gave him his corne and wine and oile and multiplyed his silver and his gold k Hos 2.8 but sacrificed to his own net and burnt incense to his own yarn because by them his portion was fat and is meat plenteous l Habak 1.16 therefore is he not so much as once called by his name in holy scripture but lyes wrapt up in the sheet of infamy and buried in everlasting reproach which shall not be forgotten When as the poor beggar that set God alwayes before him m Psal 16 with David that remembred his name in the night and thereby kept his law n Ps 119.55 is thought worthy to have a name in Gods book and a nayle in Gods house o Ezra 9.8 the Lord saying unto him as once to Moses I have known thee by name p Exod. 33.12 thy memoriall shall endure to all generations q Psal 112. Nay the Lord Jesus remembreth such still now he is in his kingdome r Luc. 23.42 that bestirr themselves all they can and despatch a great deal of work in a little time as that samous theef did who therefore by a commendable thest after he bad offered violence to Gods king dome Å¿ Mat. 11.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arripiunt vel diripiunt ut citatur ab Hilario Metaph. â— castris aut arce quapiam quae irrumpentibus hostibus diripitur Beza stole heaven and supt in paradise SECT VII BUt secondly Doth God remember his Saints and their services then let us learn hence not only to reciprocate by remembring him and his mercies but also as his remembrancers to put him in minde in case he seem less forward to do us good of his ancient proceedings and gracious promises This is that the Prophet exhorts unto Ye that are the Lords remembrancers keep not silence t Esay 62.6 7 This the Psalmist constantly practised Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been for ever u Psal 25.9 And this the Lord though he needeth it not yet every where stands upon He exacts and expects it from us as a part of his service and as a condition on our part to be fulfilled in the new covenant Where after he had promised great things concerning Justification Sanctification and preservation he subjoyns Yet I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it x Ezek. 36.37 So in another Prophet I will blot out thy transgressions and not remember thy sinnes But then Put me in remembrance lit us plead together declare that thou mayest bee justified y Isa 42.25 26 Whereby you see what 's to bee done on our part if we would be remembred with the mercies of Gods people Plead wee must the gracious promises spread them before the Lord as Hezekiah did Sennacheribs letter z Esay 37.14 Pray them over as David often and so put him in mind of the good he hath spoken concerning us He loves to be importuned in his own words to bee burdened with his own promises and to be urged with rguments taken from his old proceedings Arise as in the dayes of old and performe the mercy which thou hast sworn to our fathers from the dayes of old a Mic. 7.14 20 This Moses and Elias well understood and therefore the former as in pleading for the people he minds the
own greater glory to make himself a name in the earth when thus in a moment in the turning of a hand he turns the wheel causing light suddenly and sweetly to spring forth not onely in but out of deepest darknesse All that we have here to do is to leave the labouring Church in Gods everlasting armes Deut. 33.27 〈…〉 agens de 〈…〉 Melch. Adam Jer 8.20 Psal 90.13.14.15 Isai 45.15 as Moses speaketh crying out unto him day and night How long Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwel on the earth Lord how long shal the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long wilt thou not have mercy on Ierusalem and the cities of Iudah against which thou hast had indignation these threescore yeers Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Psal 102.13 The sight of the rubbish moved affections of prayer hence they knew the set time of help was at hand as when we bid our children ask us any thing it is because that we mean to give it them the harvest is past the summer is ended and we are not saved Return O Lord how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants O satisfie us early with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our dayes make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us and the yeers wherein we have seen evil c. This was the course that Daniel took in like case when he understood by books the number of the yeers that the set and appointed time was now past he set his face by earnest prayer to seek out that God that hideth himself and so to draw him out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their cruelty and to plead the cause of his oppressed people Isai 26.21 A time there is set we all now for the fall of Antichrist Roma diu titubans vartis erroribus acta Corruet mundiâ— desinet esse caput Luk. 18.7 9 This cannot be far by all signes and tokens well nigh fulfilled and accomplished And for the elects sake should not those dayes be shortned would they but cry day and night to him that heareth prayers though he bear long with them I tell you that he would avenge them speedily And that he doth it no sooner may we not thank our own dulnesse and slacknesse to ply the the throne of grace with faithful and fervent prayer For when the son of man cometh to destroy that wicked one with the brightnesse of his coming shall he finde faith upon earth 1 Thes 2. such a vigorous and victorious faith as would make Gods remembrancers pray and faint not which is the drift of that parable of the importunate widow to make mention of the Lord and to give him no rest till he establish and make his Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isaiah 62. 6 7 SECT IX Comfort under personal crosses and grievances NExt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas apud Socrat. hist Eccles lib. 3. cap. 14. Isai 26 Heb. 10. Hab. 2 Rev. 22. Psal 37. Hab. 2. Heb. 10.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A military word from souldiers who recoyle and leave their standing Prov. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. here 's a word of comfort and encourragement to each particular Christian as touching his personal crosses and encombrances whatsoever Let none faint or shrink under the heaviest burden of their light affliction sith it is but for a moment as Paul hath it for a few dayes onely while you would say what 's this as Jacob computed it Mourning lasteth but till morning saith David for a very little while saith Esay for a smal pittance of time saith the Author to the Hebrews after Habacuc and then he that shal come will come and will not tarry Behold I come quickly saith Christ and my reward is with me But what shall we do in the mean while Feed on faith saith David The just shall live by faith saith Habacuc yea and make a good living of it too For 1. It will rein him in that he shall not run from his colours forsake his captain to seek for help of the God of Ekron to bring it in by the back-door that he shall not make more hast out of his present presures then good speed according to that He that beleeveth maketh not hast he can be content to wait Gods leisure and not to anticipate his time 2. Faith again fetcheth comfort and support as the merchants ship doth treasure from afar it makes a man look thorough the present durance to the furure deliverance which faith saluteth afar off and resteth as confident of the accomplishment of Gods promise by hope as if it were already in hand Faith taketh and individuateth the promise applies and appropiates that to it self He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee No devoratory evil as Tertullian termeth it shall touch thee tactu qualitativo as Cajetan hath it with a deadly touch Touch thee it may to thy smart but not at all to thy hurt Touch it may thy feet as Jordan did the Priests feet that bore the Arke but sure the proud waters shall not go over thy soule Psal 124.5 Psal 94.13 Ezek. 36.11 For God will give thee rest from the dayes of adversity untill the plt be diged for the wicked Yea I will settle you after your old estates will do better unto you then at your beginnings and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Now all these and the like promises saith takes for present pay counts them sure-hold and so lives upon them and the just by it 3. Faith puts a mans head into heaven gives him to walk with God in affliction sets him as it were into the upper region above all stormes as Henoch who seing and walking with him that is invisible was taken up even before he was taken up Here below are many changes of weather but above with God there is a continuall serenity Now the way of the righteous is on high saith Solomon and as waters abide not on ground that lyes high so neither doth the sense of afflictions lye long on mindes lifted up in heavenly contemplations I will not say but such may be surprized by a common calamity by a deluge of destruction that overspreads the whole land But usually God doth either hide his Jewels then in the golden cabinet of his gracious providence that they shall not be much the worse for it as he did the Israelites in Goshen the disciples in Pella the marked mourners in the hollow of his own hand Or if they be wrapt up in a common condition with others Psal 129 3â—4 yet God will make a manifest difference in that day For either he will give them their lives for a prey Thou hast afflicted me sore saith David
their immortall happinesse 2 Cor. 4. ult yet from glory to glory they shall be transformed and translated till at length they become like the Ancient of dayes It doth noâ— yet appear saith Saint John what wee shall bee hence the world so much mistaketh and misuseth us but we know that when he shall appear we shall bee like him in the quality of our glory though not in an equality 1 Joh. 3.2 For we shall shine as the most radiant Jewels and Jaspers Rev. 21.11 Nay that 's not all we shall shine as the firmament with its glittering furniture Dan. 12.3 nay as the Sun in his strength Mat. 13.43 nay like Christ the Sun of righteousness Col. 3.4 And this 1. In regard of our souls which shall be filled with knowledge wisdome purity as the ayr is with light 1 Cor. 13.11 Moses and Elias appeared in the transsiguration Luke 9.31 and conferred with Christ concerning his death the mystery whereof they understood far better now then when they were in the flesh 2. In regard of our bodies which though now muddy and massy shall then shine as transparent-glasse Rev. 21.11 or clearest chrystall partly from the glory about them and partly from the spirit within them as a lanthorne shines from the candle put into it being clarified from all dregs fashioned like Christs most glorious body the standard in respect of incorruption and immortality beauty and brightnesse grace and favour strength Ecclesia in fine saeculi expectat quod in Christi corpore praemonstratum est Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia 1 Cor. 3.21 22 and nimblenesse majesty and such Angelicall excellency as shall render them rather like heavenly spirits then earthly bodies for the surpassing glory that shall be put upon them Lastly for our totum compositum the whole person together considered Every true Christian is the spouse of the Lamb and so actually invested into his dignity and made partaker of his glory For Vxor fulget radiis mariti it 's a Maxim in the civil law the wife shines with the beams of her husband and whatever he hath she hath all is in common between them so that as Luther saith there is nothing differenceth man and wife but sex onely Think the same to be true in the mysticall marriage betwixt Christ and his people All is yours because you are Christs His treasures riches beauty glory power kingdome all is yours so farre as you are capable For you shall bee next unto Christ Luk. 22.30 yea one with Christ Joh. 17.21 even as He and the Father are one and so above the most glorious Angels for are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 Bucan loc coâ—n p. 76. This according to some the devil and his black guard once bright Angels could not brook or bring their hearts to and therefore fell through envy and malice to the known truth Joh. 8.48 from their first estate and left their own habitation to dwell in darknesse rather then they would endure to honour such a Mordecai as man a clod of clay a bag of wind so poor a thing merely made up of soul and soil of breath and body a puff of wind the one a pile of dust the other nay now since the fall a very mixture and compound of dirt and sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whether the devil will or no the Church shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work the virgins her companions also shal be brought unto him With gladnesse and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the kings palace and be set on his right hand a place of dignity and safety in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 45.14 15 9. Psal 16. vlt. For quality ther 's joy and gladnesse for quantity a fulnesse of both for certainty at Gods right hand and for perpetuity for evermore SECT VI. It shall be far otherwise with the wicked NOw for Application this in the first place Vse 1 is no good newes to the wicked that persecute Gods people and cast dirt on his Jewels to hear that they shall one day be so dearly acknowledged and highly honoured by the God of heaven For as in a pair of buckets when the one is at well top the other is down at bottom as when David grew stronger and stronger the house of Saul waked weaker and weaker and as Mordecaies rise was Hamans downfal so when God shall make up his Jewels he shall put away the wicked of the earth as drosse and of-scouring and when soever he doth best to his chosen Psal 119.119 then doth he worst of all to reprobates This is so constant a thing with God that could we but go as far back with the feet of our mindes as Gods decrees and then come hand in hand with him again and view all his particular acts of Execution we should soon see that when he is chusing the one he is refusing the other when he is redeeming one he is renouncing another when he is comforting one he is terrifying another when he is converting the one he is hardning the other when he is rewarding one he is revenging another when he is quickning one he is killing another when saving one he is damning another And yet all his works are holy and just and good though he do not alwayes as often he doth give a reason of his proceedings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 33.13 This day of the Lord here mentioned in the text wherein God shall mercifully make up his Jewels as it shall be to them a day of light life liberty prosperity and victory Chap. 4.1 2 3. so shall it be to the wicked a day of blacknesse and darknesse for it shall burn them as an oven and themselves shal be as stubble whereof neither root nor stalk shall be left untou ht but all turned to ashes in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord under the feet of those that fear my name Then shall the sinners in Sion be afraid horrour shall surprize the hypocrites who shall run away with those sad words in their mouths Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings But whither alasse will they run from him that is every where Esay 33.14 If to the creature a horse is a vain thing for help the Egyptians are men and not God their horses flesh and not spirit c. If to the creatour he doth utterly disclaim and disown them for if any have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8.9 be he whose he will be These indeed shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. such a good man I know and such a godly woman I know but who are ye Then
it that God himself makes a challenge to all the world besides in the behalf of his Israel Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord meaning mdeed that no Nation under heaven how happy so ever was comparable to them And hence it is also that the kings of the earth shall bring their glory to the church as Constantine did and coming to see as Theodosius did an excellency in grace a beauty in holinesse above any outward trappings they shall leave the throne and palace to seek the sweet delights of the faithfull and to sing their songs Psal 138.4 5. Aencas Sylvius relates of Ingo King of Draves and Veneds Chap. 20. that making on a time a stately feast he invited thereunto all his Nobles at that time Pagans together with a multitude of poor christians His Nobles he set in his hall below and those poor Christians with himself in his presence-chamber giving them all royall entertainment and attendance At which when his Nobleswondred and stomacked he told them this he did not as he was King of Draves but as King of another world wherein these poor ragged people should be his compeeres and fellow-Princes These HeathenNobles might haply stumble hereat as the Saracen Prince once did at a like speech of Charles the great His custome was to have ever at his meals a board of beggers feeding not farr from his table This Prince Aigoland for so was the Saracens name coming gallantly accompanied to the French Court pretending that he would be baptized Viri annis pannisque obsiti Melancthon apud Ioh. Manl. loc com pag. 361. and become a Christian and being feasted by King Charles asked what those Lazars and poor people were Answer was returned that these were the friends and servants of our God whom we Christians worship Whereupon he speedily depatted desperately protesting that he would not serve that God which could keep his servants no better This man knew not that God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith to be heirs of his kingdome of glory Smyrna the poorest of the seven Churches hath the richest price set upon it The poor man indeed speaks supplications and the rich man answereth him roughly Prov. 18.23 The world despiseth the poor though never so veâ—tâ—ous as the Prodigalls elder-brother did him This thy son saith he not this my brother he disdains to call him brother because of his poverty So doth not the Lord Christ Of Queen Elisabeth it is said that she hated no less then did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted vertue forsaken of fortune Camdens Elisa fol. 531. The poorest bondslave if a free-man of Christ when he suffers hard words and ill usage from his master for well-doing doth herein finde acception with God 1 Pet. 2.19 Quales sunt plerique verae Ecclesiae cives Beza 20. Be a man never so poor in estate if withall he be poor in spirit and pure in heart the kingdome of God is his Mat. 5.3 Gods kingdome indeed is not of this world commeth not by observation neither consisteth in meat and drink in pomp and outward splendour but in righteousnes and peace as did that of Melchisedech and joy in the holy Ghost unspeakable and glorious joy Mr. Boltons Disc of true Happ Epist dedicat concerning which hear him that had felt it and spoke by experience Certain it is saith a late Reverend Writer that if a man were crowned with the royall state and imperial command of all the kingdomes upon earth if his heart were enlarged to the utmost of all created capacity and filled with all the exquisite and unmixed pleasures that the reach of mortality and most ambitious curiosity could possibly devise and might without interruption and distast enjoy them the length of the worlds duration they were all nothing to the precious and peerlesse comforts of the kingdome of grace but even for an hour I speak the truth in Christ and use no hyperbole the spirit of all comfort and consciences of all true christians bearing me witnesse Hitherto He and I cannot better conclude this discourse then he doth that with a little alteration Be we all entreated with a proportionable zeal and fervency to encline and enlarge our affections to the pursuite and practise of so excellent and glorious a happinesse that God may guide us with his counsell and afterwards receive us to his glory Psal 73. SECT XIII Let the Saints see their dignity and be thankfull LAstly let Gods Jewels be hereby excited to a double duty Use 1. Let them be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high praises of God be in their mouths Jam. 1.9 10 and a two-edged sword be in their hands Psal 149.5 6. Let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted to that Christian parity spoken of Colos 3.11 but the rich in that he is made low that is that he is taken off from that high esteem he once had of outward honour and excellency before his conversion whereas now he seeth they are but fading flowers things not worth the while and is therefore called upon here to rejoyce in that true treasure that fellowes him with his poor brother poor in purse but rich in faith before him haply in the best things though far behinde him in worldly wealth and worship The best is that in Gods kingdome money bears no mastery as that Martyr said neither is there respect of persons with God Act. 10. but in every rank and degree of people he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is highly accepted in heaven One such shall stand before him to turne away wrath as Abraham and Lot when ten thousand Sodomites shall not be looked upon And this is that that may stay up the heart of a poor despised christian against all the contempts and oppositions of the ungodly God is his gold and his portion for ever Iob 22.25 Neither doth any covetous person so entirely love his gold his god and so set by his hid treasure as God doth by his dear children He will surely see to his own will not every Infidell do as much and makes up his Jewels safe in the golden Cabinet of his gracious providence as he did Noah in the Ark Jeremy in the prison-court Luther in his Pathmos as he called it c. God will one day right their wrongs and clear thir innocency Psal 37.6 bring forth their righteousnesse as the light and their judgements as the noon-day The Church in the Canticles was wounded by the watch-men as an evill-doer judg'd as a dishonest woman whose feet would not abide in her house no not in the night-season they beat her and took away her vail branding her thereby with a note of infamy and disloialty to her Lord Ez. 23 25 as and husband whom she went to look out Cant. 5.7 All which notwithstanding the daughters
seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel See he doth 't is true for he is all eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 1.6 and all things are naked and open before him Yea he seeth enough in the best to provoke the eyes of his glory For though the crow think her owne bird whitest and some parents can see nothing amisse in their children as David in his Adonijah Jeb 4.18.21 25.5 6. yet he charged his Angels with felly and the starrs are not pure in his sight How much less man that is a worme c. He is neither so blinde as not to behold nor so fond as not to mislike the least fault in his best childe For he is of more pure eyes then to behold evil in whomsoever Habuc 1.13 with approbation he cannot look on iniquity and not shew his displeasure All which notwithstanding the truth of this point is irrefragable and the text alledged is no lesse firm then plain for us God seeth no sin in his children For besides that he will never throw them to hell which is the just hire of the least sin it 's often seen Rom. 6.23 that he never so much as corrects them no not with the rods of men for innumerable faylings and infirmities But winking at smal faults as we say nay passing by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage like as a father pittieth his children and pardoneth them their childishnesse so the doth lord pitty them that fear him Lo he pittieth them not punisheth them Psal 103.13 14. Or if he do proceed to correction as he must other whiles such is our frowardnesse yet amidst all he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are but dust Esay 2.22 a peace of earth neately made up that we carry our souls as a light in a paper-lanthorne that our breath in our nostrils is every moment ready to puffe out and that therefore if he should alwayes chide the spirit would fail before him we should soon faint and swoon under his hands wherefore he deals not with us after our sins nor rewards us according to our iniquities But as a man chasteneth his son saith Moses and he would have us wisely to consider of it too so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee Deut. 8.5 Break their stomackes he will but not their bones their hearts but not their heads And albeit they such is their peevishnesse under the rod give up all for lost and make desperate conclusions upon their corrections Judg 6.13 2 Tim. 2. as Gideon did yet the foundation of God remaineth sure The Lord knoweth who are his he knows their souls in adversity I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight Here was a poor prayer And yet thou heardest the voyce of my prayer poor though it were when I cryed unto thee Psal 31.22 So Zion when under the lash sud The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.15.16 Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea she may forget and some Tigresses have done it yet I will not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands c. Look how a natural mother turns her childe out of doors for dabbling himself or some other shrewd turn and with a thump on the back bids it be gone a begging yet when the childe begins once to make a lip whimper and set up his lure Jer. 31.20 she takes him in again and puts him in her bosom the very like dealing we may read of in God with Ephraim his dear son his pleasant childe Hos 13.1 2 3. c. Ephraim of trembling and tender conscienced became a flagicious offendour a desperate idolater Ver. 1.2 And was not it high time then to take him in hand therefore they shall be as the morning cloud as the early dew as the chaffe before the whirl-winde as the smoke out of the chimney No lesse then utter desolation is threatened against them But the Lord soon repents him concerning his servants witnesse the words following Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt I am thy sole saviour Here 's now mercy in the midst of judgement Oh but they abuse mercy forget their God and sin again Ver. 6. Why therefore God threateneth them again with a more terrible judgement Vers 7 8. Behold I will be unto them as a Lion and a leopard as a bear bereft I will rent the kell of their hearts and devour them Oh fearful condition who would ever think of such but as of deplored and desperate yet see the sequel O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Ver. 9. Thou hast done thy utmost utterly to undoe thy self but yet I have thought of a way for thy help I will be thy king where is any other that would save thee as I do in all thy cities And albeit thou art an unwise son yet I will binde up thine iniquity as a cancelled bond and hide thy sin Ver. 12. And although the travels of a sorrowful woman be upon thee such is thy dulnesse in not coming off roundly with God work with those lively Israelitish women Exod. 1.19 but staying too long in the birth which might justly be thy death as it was Racâ—els yet I will ransome thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death Ver. 14. Ey but for how long might they say I shall be likely breaking out again and then thou wilt undoe me after thou hast done me good No saith God repentance shall be hid from mine eyes He will not cast away a perfect man saith Bildad Iob 8.20 The Lord will not cast off for ever saith Ieremy but though he cause grief Lam. 3.31 32. yet will he have compassion according to the multitude or the magnitude of his mercies And this was that miracle that amused so and amased the Prophet Micah chap. 7.18 who is a God saith he like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever And will ye know a reason That text supplies us with two for failing and both from God 1. He delights in mercy 2. He provides for his own glory as occasioning hereby his pardoned people to praise him for present saying as here who is a God like unto thee c. and to trust him for future He will turn again he will have compassion upon us c. Thou wilt perform thy truth to Iacob c. ver 19.20 SECT II. The reasons are of two sorts First respecting God Reas 1 FIrst God will father-like pitty and pardon his poor people Psal 19.4 Eccles 7.25 Numb 14.8 2 Sam. 15.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2.13 because he delights in mercy Now delight will do any thing as we say If the sun delight to run his race who
Hag. 2.3 2. The Authour to the Hebrews bids us study one another and take notice of such things only in our brethren Heb. 10.24 as may whet on love not that engender dislike Pitch upon such things as are amiable and passe by the rest This is love and this is to be like unto God who is love There was nothing good in all Sarahs speech Gen. 18.12 but only this that she calles her husband lord and yet for this God praiseth her setting it as a pearle in a gold-ring to her eternall commendation 1 Pet. 3.6 There was nothing almost but sin in Rahabs entertainment of the spies and in the midwives excuse to the King and yet Rahab is registred among the ancient beleevers and God builded the midwives houses that is Rivet in Exod. gave them children as some interpret it in lieu of their care for preserving the Hebrew children Nay for a patern of ingenuity and candour to us he gives the very devills also their due praising in them what is praise-worthy when he stiles them principalities powers Rulers c. who yet sin against him of malicious wickednes And shall we unchristianly conceal or but dissemble the better parts and practises of our weaker brethren and fasten only upon that they may draw on dislike or disaffection This is with the crow to light upon carrion and prefer it before sweeter food This is with the fly to fasten on the sore Vultures ad male olentia feruntur passing by the sounder places of the body This is with the vultures to hunt after dead carcasses and with swine turn'd into a garden to root in the muck-kill if any such be there not once taking notice of the fruits and sweets Sure it is that if a man should do nothing else but pore upon his own infirmities he would in short space loath and abhorr himself with Iob how much more if God should break up that sink of sin that is in us as in Judas should we never be able to abide the stench thereof 3. Is it not sufficient that the wicked censure us for hypocrites factionists humourists c. watch for our haltings making a man an offendour for a word and turning aside the just for a thing of nought Esay 29.21 barking and blaspheming for every small matter but that we must thus fall out amongst our selves and thus fall foule upon one another Is it not enough that the Pharisees quarrell Christs disciples for not fasting but Iohns disciples must joyne with them Res commiseranda cum pij fratres c. Cartw in loc and be first in the quarrell Mar. 2.18 Mat. 9.14 should'st thou sit and speak against thine own mothers son Psal 50.20 4. Consider lastly the evill that redounds here-hence to our selves For a censorious christian subjects himself to the judgment both of God Mat. 18.34 Scalig de re poet cap. 16. gives this proud and unmannerly censure Gothi belluae Scoti non minus Angli perfidi inflati feri contemptores stolidi amentes inertes inhospitales immanes One comes after and censures him thus His bolt you see is soon shot and so you may happily guesse at the quality of the Archer Iam. 3.4 and men Mat. 7.1 2. Luke 6.38 Good men will suspect such bad men scorn them and all shun them and desire to be rid of them Besides it may be just in God to leave such to themselves and to give them over to the power of the like temptation or worse Gal. 6.1 that they may learne to lend that mercy too ther 's that now they are compell'd to borrow of others SECT XI Exhortation to put our selves into Gods service THirdly this Doctrine may serve for justification and first to those without that are yet to chuse their master let them learne to pitch upon God alone Use 3 and to put themselves as soon as may be into his service sith he looketh upon every servant as a child and useth them accordingly Time was when the kingdome of heaven suffered violence and men throng'd into it when the people were so forward to serve God with the best of their substance that they brought more then enough for the works of the Tabernacle Exod. 36.6 Esay 2.1 When men called upon themselves and one another with Come let us go up to the house of the Lord c. In which voyage they passed from strength to strength Psal 84. went many a dearne mile and many a weary step till they came to see the face of God in Sion And yet how did they see it otherwise then in the dark glass of the ceremonies and not with that evidence of vision and nearnesse of acquaintance that we now see and serve him Time was when the people in Ioshua's dayes were set to serve God And notwith standing he told them Ye cannot serve the Lord Iosh 24.18 for he is a holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgression nor your sin which was enough in likelihood to have quailed and cooled them yet they resolutely replyed Nay but we will serve the Lord as not knowing how better to prefer themselves or provide for their posterity How is it then that we seek not after his service that we hire not our selves into his house sith his work is so fair his wages so great that we put not our necks under his yoke sith it is so easy that we bear not his burden sith it is so light no more burden to a man then wings are to a bird Esay 56.6 that we love not to be his servants sith he rules with so much love and lenity that we come off no more roundly with his businesse as a free-hearted people Psal 110.2 3 sith he is content to take up with so little But we are ready rather to shift off that little as Ionas did his journey to Niniveh Virtus nolentium nulla est He that does good with an ill will does ill God strains upon no man Exod. 25.2 Exod. 25.2 neither likes he that service that is wrested from us as Pharaoh's or wrung out of us as verjuyce is out of a crab He loves a cheerfull giver and therefore when he calls for an offering he wills that every man give it willingly with his heart And that none may pretend cause to hang off see how low he stoops Content he is to accept of a lamb or two for a sacrifice And if that be too much and a man want means for a lamb let him bring a pair of turtles or two small pigeons and it shall be taken Or if he cannot reach to that a hand-full or two of flower with a corn or two of salt shall suffice Levit. 14.10 21 31 32. An it is often repeated for the encouragement of weak ones Looke what a man is able according to his ability even what his hand is able to reach unto and it shall be accepted Now is not this
445. 't is from God and how 549 Watch in prayer and meditation p. 524. the heart is to be watched 654 Wealth oft betrayeth the owner p. 403. it sinketh the soul 427 Whale a huge creature p. 313 Whoredome mischief of it p. 35. whores 75. impudent 230 Wicked grow worse and worse 675. above measure 131. wittily wicked 398. they shall be surely and severely punished 843. let them therefore repent and meet the Lord 844 845. They are Satans slaves and perish with him ib. disavowed by God 899. specially at the Resurrection 900. they are vile persons 944 Widdows and Orphanes are Gods Clients p. 665 Wilfulnesse is destructive p. 358 Will-worship rejected p. 81 261 Wisdome wherein it consists p. 183 Witches seek not to them p. 664 Wives why to be kindly dealt with p. 650 652 Women wicked boysterous p. 242 Word of God stumbled at p. 183 642. why things are repeated in scripture 189. famine of the Word 279 caused by contempt 280 477. Word wrested 291. word read converted Cyprian 351. A short bible 375. the word is is plain in necessaries 424. word and sword go together 470. It is of God 473. It is made operative by the spirit 478. Lay-men must read it 481. It will lay hold upon the wicked 502 Words look well to thy words p. 41 383. idle and evil words condemned 813 Works of God must be regarded p. 186 they instruct us 253. Sea is commanded by God alone 394 World its vanity p. 169. mutability 411 Worship of God externall onely is little worth 374 Wrongs done to the righteous reach to God Y Youth must be consecrated to God p. 381 Z ZEal of Gods people p. 699 703 706. FINIS The Contents of the Righteous Mans Recompence Or A True Christian characterized and encouraged Out of Malachy 3.16 17 18. CHAP. I. THe Text opened and Analysed Pag. 693 CHAP. II. Doct. 1. Saints must be Best in worst Times p. 695 Sect. 1. The point Confirmed by 1 Precept 2 Practise p. 695 Sect. 2. The point confirmed by Reasons from 1 God p. 697 2 Men. 1 Themselves p. 698 2 Others Good p. 699 Bad. p. 700 Sect. 3. Vse 1 A sharp Reproof of Luke-warme Laodiceans p. 701 Timorous Temporizers p. 702 Sect. 4. Vse 2 A forcible Exhortation to courage for Christ with 4 Helps thereunto p. 703 CHAP. III. Doct. 2. Of the severall sorts of fear and that every saithfull Christian feareth the Lord. p. 708 Sect. 1. The Doctrine cleared and confirmed by Scripture p. 708 Sect. 2. The Doctrine further confirmed by Arguments drawne from 1 The Causes 2 Consequents 3 Companions 4 Contraries to the true fear of God p. 709 c. Sect. 3. Objections and Quaere's touching the Fear of God cleared and answered p. 804 Sect. 4. Vse 1. Information They that fear not God are not His and who these are by their Character out of Psalm 36.1 2 3 4 c. p. 804 805 c. Sect. 5. Vse 2. Examination where Marks of the true Fear of God in respect of 1 Evil both in Judgement Practise 2 Good toward God Men Others Rich Poor Our selves in Prosperity Adversity p. 807 808 809 Sect. 6. Vse 3. Exhortation to get and grow in this holy Fear with 6 Motives and 2 Means tending thereto p. 809 810 811 CHAP. IV. Doct. 3. The Text expounded and the Duty of Christian conference propounded p. 812 Sect. 1. Christian Conference and mutuall confirmation confirmed by Scripture p. 812. 813. Sect. 2. Reasons of the point 1 From God commanding rewarding 2 From Men and 1 our selves shall be hereby sealed secured 2 Others 1 Good men shall be 1 curbed from sinne 2 quickened to duty 2 Bad men shall be 1 confuted 2. defeated p. 813 814 815 816 Sect. 3. Vse 1. Reproof of idle and evil speakers together p. 817 Sect. 4. Vse 2. Complaint against the better sort too too barren and backward to holy Conference p. 818 Sect. 5. Vse 3. Exhortation to be forward and free to godly Discoursâ— p. 820 Sect. 6. Helps to a holy dexterity this way How to 1 get it 2. Use it p. 821 822 823 824 CHAP. V. Doct. 4. The Text further expounded and withall the Doctrine of Gods gracious acceptance of our upright performances propounded p. 825 Sect. 1. The Doctrine confirmed by Scripture p. 825 Sect. 2. The Doctrine confirmed by reasons from God the Father â—onne holy Ghost p. 827 Sect. 3. The Doctrine further confirmed by reasons from the Saints p. 828 Sect. 4. Vse 1. It 's otherwise with the wicked Their persons are hated their performances rejected and why p. 829 Sect. 5. Vse 2. Admonition Let the wicked break off their sins that they lose not their services p. 831 Sect. 6. Vse 3. Exhortation to the best to be humbled for their 1 not prizing their priviledge 2 Not praising God for it 3 Not improving it to the utmost p. 833 Sect. 7. Vse 4. Exhortation to the saints 1 To admire this mercy Helps thereunto respecting God and themselves p. 834 Sect. 8. 2 To retain it and if lost to recover it and how with answer to some Quaeres and objections made by a miâ—giving heart p 835 CHAP. VI. Doct. 5. God perfectly remembreth and plentifully requiteth all our labours of love to him and His p. 838 Sect. 1. This truth confirmed by Scripture p. 839 Sect. 2. This truth confirmed by 6. Reasons p. 839 Sect. 3. Vse 1. Confutation of the contrary-minded that say or conceive at least that it 's in vain to serve the Lord p. 84â— Sect. 4. Vse 2. The wicked shall be surely and severely punished p. 84â— Sect. 5. Vse 3. Let them therefore hasten out of the Devils danger and get into Gods service How that may be done p. 844 Sect. 6. Vse 4. Exhortation to Saints to abide in Gods love and to abound in his work sith their labour of love is not in vain in the Lord p. 847 Sect. 7. pag. 847 Sect. 8. pag. 848 CHAP. VII Doct. 6. Such as fear the Lord will be thinking upon his Name What it is to do so p. 850 Sect. 1. The point proved by Scripture p. 851 Sect. 2. The point proved and enforced by 5. Reasons p. 851 Sect. 3. Vse 1. Those that habitually think not upon God fear not God p. 953 Sect. 4. Of those that think base and bald thoughts of God p. 855 Sect. 5. Against thoughts of Atheisme blasphemy infidelity and rebellion p. 855 Sect. 6. Vse 2. Examination where Trialls of the goodnesse of our best thoughts by their 1 Causes 2 Effects p. 856 Sect. 7. Vse 3. Exhortation Settle the soundnesse of your sanctification by the goodnesse of your thoughts Motives thereto p. 859 Sect. 8. Directions for 1 the matter of good Meditations p. 861 Sect. 9. Directions for 2 the manner of doing this duty well both for substance and circumstance p. 862 Sect. 10. Directions about the measure of divine Meditation where is shewed how men offend 5 wayes in