followeth his trade whereto he is bound apprentice though he be far from being his trades-master he shall have honour and life honour in earth and life in heaven Prov. 21.21 Yea but displeasing service is double dishonour Obj because we displease God in that act wherein he specially lookes to be pleased I grant that a powerlesse performance of holy duties Sol. proceeding from a spirit of sloth joyned with presumption so highly provoketh God against his own dear children that he hath much a doe to forbear killing them as he had to forbear Moses when he met him in the Inne Ready he is to have a blow at them as he had at David when he brake his bones and felt his fall to his dying-day Psal 51 But they that see and sigh under their wants and weaknesses with shame and sorrow need not be discomforted Christ appeats for them in heaven with their names upon his bosom and their services in his hand which he not only presents but perfumeth not only puts them up but adds weight to them nonsuting and casting out of the court all accusations and allegations made against them either by sin or Satan and drowning their noise by that blood of sprinkling Heb. 12. that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel This he doth for them in heaven as on earth he is touched with the feeling of their infirmities and hath taken order with their enimies for their security Joh. 18.8 and with their friends for their kinde acceptance commanding the stronger to receive them into their affections Rom. 14.1 and to restore them in their outstraies Gal. 6.1 promising also to give strength to him that fainteth and to increase power to him that hath no strength Even the youths that trust to their own strength or to any measure of grace acquired which is but a creature and to trust in it is to trust in the arme of flesh lo those youthes shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Esay 40.29 30 31. In regard of the Authours absence and the misplacing of his Copy the Reader is desired to referre this Exposition of the 18. ver of the 3. Chapter to its proper place Verse 18. Then shall ye returne you wicked blasphemers that have flandred Gods hous-peeping and brought up an evill report of his providence and justice as if in managing the matters of the world he were lesse equall or lesse carefull You I say shall returne not to your right minds by a through conversion by an entire change of the whole man from evill to good alasse for your misery t is past time of day with you for any such good work But you shall alter your opinions when your eyes are once uncealed by the extremity of your suffering Plin. Prov. â—â— 25 Eâ—â— 4.30 Dan. 11.21 Vasallos Christi Socrat. as the Mole eyes are said to be when pangs of death are upon her to see and acknowledge a sensible difference between the righteous ever more excellent then his neighbour let him dwell where he will because sealed up to the day of redemption and the wicked who is but a vile person an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be as great as Antiochus Epiphancs the great King of Syria between him that serveth God accounting it the highest honour to be his vassall as Constantine Theodosius and Valentinian their Emperours called themselves And him that serveth him not but casteth off the yoke of his obedience being a son of Belial and counteth it the only liberty to live as he lists and not to be ruled by God Then shall ye returne Then when it it is too late when the day of grace is past the gales of grace gone over the gate shut the draw-bridge taken up Then shall ye wretched lingerers and loytorers Epimetheusses postmasters after-wits that come in at length with your fooles Had-I-wist return not as the Prodigall did who seasonably and savingly came to himself Luk. 15.17 having bin before utterly bestraught 1 King 8.47 and quite beside himself by the deceitfulnesse of sin called foolishnesse of madnesse Eccles 7.25 nor as those true converts mentioned in Solomons prayer that bethink themselves and repent and make supplication to their judge Par. in Rev. 18.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 27.3 Fox Martyrol But as Iudas who whilst he plai'd alone wan all but haunted with the furies of a guilty conscience which would needs make one with him he repented after a sort with a poenitentia sera Iscariotica as Pareus calleth it had some after-thoughts but not to a transmentation some inward wamblings but they boyled not up to the full height of a godly sorrow and therefore came to nothing Or as Iames Abbes with his hideous All too late All too late So these wicked ones in the text when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven and themselves thrust out Lazarus in Abrahams bosom and their selves in the burning lake Mat. 13.43 Christs poor despised fellow-sufferers shining forth as the Sun in the kingdome of their father and themselves cast out into outer darknesse then shall they change both their minde and their note then shall their odious blasphemies be driven back again down their throats and then made to say with Pharaâ— Exod. 9.27 The Lord is righteous and so are all his people Esay 60.21 but I and mine associates are wicked and therefore deservedly wretched We once counted the proud happy but now we see that of David verified which erst we beleeved not Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed for that they erred from thy commandements Psal 119.21 We looked upon the righteous as calamitous as worms and no men as the nullisicamen populi Tertullians expression fit to be set with the dogs of the flock De resurrect Iob 30.1 and as the off-scouring of all things But now we can vote with that man of God and say Happy art thou O Israel Who is like unto thee O people Deut. 33 29 saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and the sword of thine exeâ—â—ncy and thine enemies are now found liars unto thee for thou treadest upon their high places when they are troden under foot as unsavoury salt Woe unto 〈◊〉 spoilers for now we are spoiled c. Isa 33.1 Ier. 4.13 Isa 33.14 Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who can abide with ever lasting burnings Behold the day is come that burneth as an oven Mal. 4.1 and we are now as stubble fully dried that it may burn the better Nah. 1.10 We are put away even all the wicked of the earth like drosse Psal 119.119 thrust away as thorns 2. Sam. 23.6 placed as vile things under Christs feet Psal
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
that our special care should be to give God his due to seek first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and then all other things shall seek us Cicero Caetera aut aderunt aut caetera non oberunt But most people are so busied about their own houses their cottaeges of clay the body that Gods house 2 Cor. 5.1 the soul lies wast and neglected the lean kine eat up the fat the strength of the ground is spent in nourishing weeds Earthly mindednesse sucketh the sap of grace from the heart as the Ivy doth from the Oake and maketh it unfruitfull Men are so taken up about the world that they think not on Gods kingdome as the Duke of Alva told the French king Fren. Hist who asked him whether he had observed the late great Eclipse No said he I have so much to doe upon earth that I have no leisure to look toward heaven But is not one thing necessary and all other but by-businesses And have we not in our dayly prayer five petitions for spirituals and but one for temporals Are we not taught to make it our first request that Gods name may be hallowed though our turnes should not be served Is not Esau stigmatized for selling his birth-right for a messe of broth And is not Shemei chronicled for a foole Heb. 12.16 who by seeking after his servants lost his life Pope Sixtus for a mad man that sold his soul to the devil to enjoy the Popedome for seven years what shall it profit a man to win the world and lose his own soul to win Venice and then be hanged at the gates thereof as the Italian proverb hath it Surely such a mans losse will be 1. Mat. 16. Incomparable 2. Irreparable for what shall a man give in exchange of his soul It was no evill counsel that was given to John the third King of Portugal to meditate every day a quarter of an hour on that divine sentence It would be time well spent to ponder as oft and as long together on this Text Is it time for you O ye that are so sharp set upon the world so wholly taken up about your private profits your pleasures and preferments to sit in your ceiled houses as Ahab once did in his ivory Palace or Nebuchadnezzar in his house of the kingdome as he vain-gloriously calleth it Dan. 4.30 and Gods house lie waste and his service neglected to whom we owe our selves 1 Cor. 6.19 our lives Mat. 16.25 our parents children friends means Mat. 19.29 our gifts and abilities 1 Cor. 4.7 our honours and offices Psal 2.10 11 12. all that we are and have How justly may God curse our blessings Job 16.15.16.18 21. 1 Cor. 12.21 as he threateneth these selfe-seeking God-neglecting Jews both here and Mal. 2.2 scatter brimstone upon our houses drp up our roots beneath and above cut off our branches drive us from light into darknesse and chase us out of the world with his terrours Col. 3.2 Phil. 2.21 Surely such are the ceiled dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God that inverteth the order appointed of him by coveting not the best guists but an evil covetousnesse Hab. 2.9 by setting his affections not on things above but on things on the earth by seeking their own things every man and not the things of Jesus Christ Verse 5. Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts Haggai was but a yong man saith Epiphanius Now therefore lest any one that heard him should despise his youth and slight his doctrine he shews his authority he comes to them cum priviligio he delivers not the conceptions of his own brain but the Word and mind of God For as Chrysostom saith of St. Paul so may we say of all the rest of the pen men of the Holy Scripture Cor Pauli est cor Christi their heart is Christs own heart and their words are to be received reverenced and ruminated not as the words of mortal men but as they are indeed the words of the everliving God 1 Thes 2.13 Greg. in Reg 3 Excellently spake he who called the Scripture Cor animam Dei the heart and soul of God It is every whit of it divinely inspired or breathed by God saith the Apostle and is profitable both for reproof and for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 See an instance hereof in this Text together with the Prophets rhetorical artifice in first chiding and now directing them to reprove and not withal to instruct is to snuffe the lamp but not powre in oyle that may feed it consider your wayes Heb. set your hearts upon them diligently recogitate and recognize your evil doings and so shall ye soon find out the cause of your calamity Judge your selves so shall ye not be judged of the Lord accept of the puntshment of your iniquity so iniquity shall not be your ruine your ruth but not your rums Capite consilium ex rebus ipsis velexperiment is Learn at least by the things ye have suffered Let experience the mistrisse of fooles reduce you to a right mind Lay to heart your manifold miseries those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one calleth them Free Schoolmasters curst enough and crabbed but such as whereby God openeth mens ears to discipline and eyes to observation of his works and their own wayes Job 36.8 9 10. according to that of Ezechiel chap. 40.4 Son of man behold with thine eye and hear with thine ears and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee c. the senses must be exercised that the heart may be affected with the word and works of God according to that mine cye affecteth my heart Lam. 3.51 and Solomon gat much of his wisedom by observation as appeareth by his Ecclesiastes which some have not unfitly called Solomons Soliloquy It is but little that can be learn'd in this life without due and deep Consideration which is nothing else but an act of the Practical understanding whereby it reflects and staies upon its own intentions and comparing them with the rule it proceeds to lay a command upon the will and Affections to put them in execution Thus David considered his wayes and finding all out of order he turned his feet to Gods testimonies Psal 119.59 And to still Gods enemies Psal 4.4 he bids them commune with their own hearts and be still or make a pause viz. till they have brought their consideration to some good upshot and conclusion For when consideration hath soundly enlightened a mans mind informed his judgement according to that light that candle held to his mind and determined is will according to that judgement it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and practises as it did in the Ninivites Ephraim Ier. 31.19 Iosiah 2 Chron. 34.27 the Prodigal Luke 15. the Church in Hosea chap. 2.6.7 She considered she was crossed and hedg'd in with afflictions and resolveth to return to
But they do better that expound it by that of Solomon Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4.23 and by that of the Apostle Mortific therefore your members which are upon earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evil concupiscence c. Col. 3.5 These are those that defile the man Mat. 15.19 20. These make his heart a filthy dunghill of all abominable lusts and his life a long chain of sinfull actions a very continued web of wickednesse therefore take head to your spirits that is to your affections keep those pure and chaste abstain from fleshly lusts that fight against the soul Take heed where you set gunpowder sith fire is in your heart Austin thanks God that the heart and temptation did not meet together Look well to the affections for by those maids Satan woes the mistresse Look to the cinque-ports the five senses shut those windows that death enter not in thereby Take heed to thy fancy we allow an horse to praunce and skip in a pasture which if he doth when backt by the rider we count him an unruly and unbroken jade So howsoever in other creatures we deny them not liberty of fancy yet wee may not allow it in our selves to frisk and rove at pleasure but by reason bridle them and set them their bounds that they shall not passe The Lord quieteth the sea and turns the storme into a calme Psal 107.29 If then the voluptuous humours in our body which is but as a cup made of the husk of an acorne in respect of the Sea will not be pacified when the Lord saith unto them Be still every drop of water in the sea will witnesse of our rebellion and disobedience and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth He had convinced them of this sinne before verse 14. Now he admonisheth them to abrenounce and abandon it Lo this is the true method and manner of proceeding in administring admonitions The judgement must be convinced ere the affections can be wrought to any thing like as in the law the lamps were first lighted before the incense was burned First know thine iniquity and then turn from it Jer. 3.13 14. Exhortation is the end of doctrine science of conscience reformation of information conversion of conviction and wo be to those that being convinced or reproved for their faults get the bit between the teeth as it were and run away with their rider When I would have healed Ephraim then his iniquity brake out as if it were to crosse me like the leprosie in his forehead Hos 7.1 what can such sturdy rebels expect better then that God should resolve as Ezek. 24.13 as if he should say Thou shalt have thy will but then I will have mine too I shall take another course with thee sith thou refusest to be reformed hatest to be healed thou shalt pine away in thine iniquities Levit. 26.39 O fearfull Verse 16. For the Lord the God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away Heb. Put away q. d. God hates that Put her away Put her away that is so much in your mouthes For because you are justly reproved for Polygamy for keeping two wives you think to mend that fault by putting away your old ones and plead you may do it by a law licensing divorces But the Lord would ye should know that he hates such your practises and the rather because you maliciously abuse his law as a cloke of your wickednesse Divorce is a thing that Gods soul hateth unlesse it bee in case of adultery which breaks the marriage knot and malicious perpetuall desertion This last was the case of that noble Italian convert 1 Cor. 7.15 Galeacius Caracciolus Marquesse of Vico as is to be seen in his life written by my much honoured brother Mr. Samâ—el Clark in the second part of his Marrow of Ecclesiasticall history pag. 101. who by the consent of Mr. Calvin Peter Martyr and other learned Divines who met and seriously debated the case sued out a divorce against his former wife who had first maliciously deserted him and had it legally by the Magistrate at Geneva granted unto him after which he married another Anno 1560. The Civill Law of the Empire permitted divorce for diverse other causes And these Jews for every light cause if but a blemish in the body or crookednesse of manners pretending to hate their wives would write them a Bill of divorce and turn them off Our Saviour deals against this matth 5. and 18. See the Notes there This sinne was also rife among both the Athenians who were wont to put away their wives upon discontent Archcol Attic. 140. or hope of greater portions c. and the Romans whose Abscessionale or Writ of divorce was this onely Res tuas tibi habeto Take what is thine and be gone It is ordinary also among the Mahometans But the Lord God of Israel saith here that he hateth it and it appeareth so by his practise to his Spouse the Church See Jer. 3.1 Joh. 13.1 and then say that Gods mercy is matehlesse and that he takes not advantages against his revolting people but follows them with his favour no otherwise then as when a man goes from the Sun yet the Sun-beams follow him shine upon him warm him c. Zanchy and some others reads the text thus If thou hatest her put her away in that discourse of divorces which he wrote upon occasion of Andreas Pixzardus his divorce as indeed agreeing best with the matter he undertook to defend But in another book of his he utterly disliketh the doings of Luther and some other Dutch Divines who advised Philip Lantgrave of Hesse to marry alteram hoc est Zanch. Misc Epist dedit adulieram his former lawfull wife being yet alive Archbishop Grindall by cunning practises of his adversaries Leicester and others lost Queen Elizabeths favour Camb. Elizab. Arslibishop Abbots also died in disgrace for opposing Semmersets abhorred match with the Countesse of Essex Figuier as if he favoured Prophecyings c. but in truth because he had condemned an unlawfull marriage of Julio an Italian Physician with another mans wife whilest Leicester in vain opposed against his proceedings therein for one covereth violence with his garment This Text had been easie had not Commentatours the Hebrew Doctours especially made it knotty Rabbi David in opening of it obscurior videtur quam ipsa verba quae explicare conatur seems to be more obscure then the words themselves which he undertaketh to open saith Figueir who also reciteth the expositions of severall Rabbines Concerning which I may say as One did once when being asked by another whether he should read such a Comment upon Aristotle answered Yes when Aristotle is understood then read the Comment The plain sence is this These wicked Jews pretended the Law of God as a cloke and cover of their sinne that it might be no sinne to them And though the Lord had protested to hate their divorces
1 Sam. 7.6 met together at Mizpeth drew water and poured it out before the Lord Page 803 2 Kings 18.4 Hezekiah brake the brazen serpent and called it Nehushtan Page 434 1 Chron. 17.23 24 25. See how David improves Gods promise and works upon it Page 390 1 21.12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the Prophet Page 392 2 34 28. Thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace Page 228 Ezra 2.62 therefore they were as polluted put from the priesthood Page 622 Nehem. 3.16 And to the house of the mighty Page 579 Esth 8.7 Because he laid his hands on the Jews Page 373 Job 13.10 He will surely reprove you if you secretly accept persons Page 645 14.17 Mr transgression is sealed up in a bagge Page 101 38.31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion Page 253 Psal 5.3 In the morning will I direct my prayer to thee and look up Page 176 7. Title Davids words concerning Cush the Benjamite Page 287 32.4.5 for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me Page 607 36.1 2 3 4. the transgression of the wicked saith within my heart Page 805 806 65.1 2. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion unto thee shall the vow be perfor Page 891 68.21 He shall wound the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on in trespasses Page 870 76.3 there he broke the arrows the shield the sword and the Battle Page 211 12. He cuts off the spirit of Princes Page 513 80.2 3 7. Stir up thy strength and come and save us Page 676 V. 3. Turn us again O God and cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved V. 7. Turn us again O God of hosts and cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved 102.13 14. Thou shalt arise and have mercy on Sion for the set time is come Page 505 V. 14. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof Page 505 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voyce Page 608 119.56 This had I because I kept thy precepts Page 684 Prov. 5.18 19. Rejoyce with the wife of thy youth let her be as the loving bind Page 652 10.25 As the whirlwind passeth so is the wicked no more Page 393 11.7 When the wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish Page 256 24.25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight Page 701 Eccles 7.16 17. Be not righteous over-much neither make thy self over-wise Page 705 Ver 17. Be not over-much wicked neither be thou foolish Page 705 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads and nayls Page 816 Cant. 2.14 That art in the clefts of the Rocks in the secret places of the stairs Page 582 4.9 Thou hast ravished my heart my sister and my spouse Page 826 Esaiah 25.11 He shall spread forth his hands as he that swimmeth Page 243 26.16 They poured forth a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Page 110 305. They are but vaine words I have counsell and strength for warre Page 527 54. â—1 I will lay thy stones with fair colours and thy foundation with Saphyrs Page 49 66 1â—.20 And I will set a signe and send to Tharshish Pull and Lud Page 623 Ezek. 16.3 4 5 6. Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan c. Page 920 16. â—1 Thou hast slain my children and delivered them to the fire Page 214 29 1â— Every head was made bald and every shoulder was peeled Page 216 37.16 Take thou one stick and write upon it for Judah Page 603 38.17 Art thou he of whom I have spoken in ancient times by my Prophets Page 514 Dan. 2.4 Tell thy servants the Dream and we will shew the interpretation Page 533 3.14 It is true O Shadrach Meshach and Abednego do not ye serve my God Page 99 Hosea 13.1 2. When Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself Page 928 Matth. 16.18 The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Page 879 21.20 How soon is the sig-tree withered away Page 626 23.35 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth Page 496 24.7 for nation shall rise against nation Page 477 Luk. 1.74 75. that he would deliver us from our enemies that we may serve him Page 945 75. in holinesse and righteousnesse all our lives Page 945 18.2 3. there was in the city a Judge that feared not God nor man Page 218 Acts 3.19 That your sins may be blotted outwhen the times of refreshing come Page 844 Rom. 8.19 Expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons c. Page 889 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All things are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Page 926 1 12.4 Now there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit Page 209 1 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts yet I shew to you a more excellent way Page 428 2 5.14 For the love of Christ constrainethus Page 893 Phil. 4.6 Be carefull in nothing but let your requests be made known to God Page 836 Col. 4.6 Knowing how to answer every man Page 822 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of God was exceeding abundant Page 145 1 4.2 Having their consciences seared with a hot iron Page 668 Heb. 11 6. For he that commeth to God must beleeve that he is Page 698 11.21 Jacob worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff Page 69 Jam. 1.9 10. Let the brother of low degree rejoyce that he is exalted Page 909 4.8 9 10. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Page 832 1 Pet 1.11 searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ Page 504 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that you might beleeve on God Page 700 Rev. 10.1 And a rain-bowe was on his head Page 390 13.7 fear God and give glory to him for his hour of judgement is come Page 879 18. Court the number of the beast for it is the number of a man Page 261 16.14 15 16. for they are the spirit of Devils working miracles Page 411 17.1 I will shew to you the judgement of the great whore Page 15 18.2 Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen Page 84 18.9 The Kings of the earth shall lament for her Page 264 21.16 He measured it 12000 furlongs Page 600 Books formerly published by this Authour 1 GOds love tokens and the Afflicted mans Lessons in a Treatise upon Revel 3.19 2 The true Treasure c. A Discourse concerning the Divinity and Excellency of the holy Scriptures Out of Heb. 1.1 3 A Commentary upon the four Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles The second Edition much enlarged by the Authour and printed in Fol. 4 A Commentary upon all the Epistles of the Apostles and upon the Revelation together with a Decad of Common-places 5 A Commentary upon the Pentateuch or Five Books of Moses 6 A Commentary upon the holy Writings of King Solomen viz. Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Song of
is not so yet with this sinfull nation that we are not yet a Loruhamah an Acheldama that we are not already as Sodom Esa 1.9 Zeph. 2.9 and like unto Gomorrah even a place of nettles and saltpits a perpetuall desolation as another prophet hath it we may well cry out O the depth the fathomlesse depth of Gods dear love to England Certain it is that we have hitherto subsisted by a miracle of his mercy and by a prop of his extraordinary patience Certain it is that God hath not dealt with England according to his ordinary rule but according to his prerogative royall England if one may so speak with reverence is a paradox to the Bible God grant that being lifted up to heaven with Capernaum in the abundance of blessings she be not brought down to hell by the abuse of them that God set not that sad impression of Loruhamah worse then any black Theta upon her and make her know the worth of his undervalued favours by the want of them why should it be said of us as once Anglica gens est optima flens et pessima ridens why should we provoke the Lord so long till he shall resolve upon an evill an onely evill i. e. without mixture of mercy Ezek. 7.5 till the decree bring forth Zeph. 2.2 and God pronounceth that fatall sentence against us that he did once against the old world Fiat justitia ruat mundus Let justice be done though the world be thereby undone Of all Gods Attributes he can least abide an abuse in his mercy Gods mercy is precious saith one and he will not let it run out to wast he will not be prodigall of it There is a time wherein God will say now I have done I have even done with this people mercy hath had her turn c. I will not alwayes serve them for a sinning-stock but will take another course with them I will take my own and be gone and woe be unto them when I depart from them When the sun is eclipsed all creatures fade and flag here below Thou hiddest thy face Lord and I was troubled Psal 30.7 David could not live but in the light of Gods countenance he begs for mercy every where as for life never did poor prisoner at the bar beg harder for a psalm of mercy then he doth Psal 51.1 and other where Neither would common mercies content him he must have such as are proper and peculiar to Gods own people even the sure mercies of David Oh make sure of mercy what ever you go without And the rather because there are a race of Loruhamahs a sort of such amongst men as are excluded from mercy God is not mercifull to any wicked transgressours Psal 59.5 that go on in their trespasses Psal 68.21 that allow them and wallow in them That last letter in Gods name had need to be well remembred Exod. 32.7 He will by no meanes clear the guilty And that terrible text should never be forgotten by those that are obstinate in an evill course and bless themselves when God curseth them Deut. 29.19.20 See the note there Gods mercy goes oft-times in Scripture bounded by his truth and as the same fire hath burning heat and cheerfull light so hath God plagues for the obstinate and mercy for the penitent Surely as he is pater misevationum the father of mercies so he is Deus ultionum the God of vengeances as he hath vbera so he hath verbera treasures of punishments for those especially that kick at his bowels that despise his long-sufferance that argue from love to liberty which is the Divels logick Cavete a Melampygo But I will utterly take them away Tollendo tollam So Calvin renders it and further tels us that some render it Comburam I will burn them and indeed war is fitly compared to fire that cruel element and to extream famine Isaia 9.19.20 The vulgar latine translateth it Obliviscendo obliviscar I will utterly forget them and that 's punishment enough as when one carried himself insolently toward the State of Rome a grave Senator gave this counsel Let us forget him and he will soon remember himself Woe be to those to whom Christ shall say Verily I know you not I have utterly forgot you Mercer rendreth it Levabo id est projiciam I will lift them up that I may throw them down againe with the greater poise The Seventy hath I will set my self against them in battell array Now the Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.4 yea he is the Lord and Victor of wars as the Chaldee there paraphraseth But what meant the Chaldee here to render this text by Parcendo parcam eis Sparing I will spare them is not this point-blank against Loruhamah How much better Tremellius ut ullo-pacto condonem-ist is that I should any way forgive them Have I not pardoned them enough already may I not well by this time be weary of repenting I will even break off my patience and forbear to punish no longer I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self now will I cry like a travelling woman who bites in her paine as long as she is able I will destroy and devour at once I will I will Isa 42 1â— The ten tribes never returned out of captivity unless it were some few of them that came up with the other two tribes out of Babylon Ezr. 2. by the appointment of Cyrus and some others that fled home when Nineveh where they were held captive was destroyed But for the generality of them whether they abide in China or Tartary or West-Indies I cannot tell you Parcus rendreth it Nam tolerando toleravi eos for I have a long while born with their evill manners And surely Subito tollitur Aug. qui diu toleratur as an Ancient saith Gods patience will not alwayes hold c. Vers 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah The Ark and the mercy seate were never separated Judah had not utterly cast off God as Israel had but worshipped God in the Temple how corruptly soever therefore they shall have mercy because they kept the right way of worship See the Churches plea for mercy to this purpose Jer. 14.9 Againe Judah was now in a very great straight having been lately beaten and plundered by Israel 2. King 4.12 therefore they shall have mercy God heard Hagars affliction and relieved her I have seen I have seen the sufferings of my people in Egypt saith God Exod. 2 and am come to ease them Because they have called thee an outcast saying This is Zion whom no man looketh after therefore I will restore health unto thee and I will heale thee of thy wounds saith the Lord Jer. 30.17 He will repent for his people when he seeth their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose He knowes that mercy is never so
he basely recalled into France whence they had been banished and admitted them into his bosom making Father Cotton his Confessour et sic probrose se gessit et rem confusione dignam admisit as here He both shamed and undid himself For she hath said I will go after my lovers Amasios meos My sweet-hearts Marbeck Act. Mon. those that have drawn away my heart from my husband But if that persecutour could say to the Martyr What a devil made thee to meddle with the Scriptures how much better might it be said to the Synagogue and so to all Apostates What a devill meant you to go a whoring from such an husband who is totus Cant. 5.16 totus desiderabilis altogether lovely even the chief of ten thousand after dumb idols and false Prophets who are their brokers proxenetae et proci and spokesmen Athenaeus brings in Plato bewailing himself and his own condition that he was taken so much with a filthy whore Adultery is filthinesse in the abstract Gelulim Ezek. 22.3 1 Pet. 4.3 so is also idolatry and therefore idols are called by a word that signifieth the very excrements that come out of a man a tearm too good for those dunghill-deities those abominable idolatries as Saint Peter expresseth it Mention is made in histories of a certain heathen people that punish adultery with death and with such a death as is suitable to the sin For they thrust the adulterers or adulteresses head into the paunch of a beast where lieth all the filth and garbage of it there to be stifled to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 7. Sodom and Gomorrha had fire from heaven for their burning lust and stinking brimstone for their stinking brutishnesse They are also thrown out as St. Jude phraseth it for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall fire And in the like pickle are the Beast and the false Prophet those Arch-idolaters for these both are cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 And worthily Esay 3.9 sith they declared their sins as Sodom they hid it not And as this huswife in the text who said I will go after my lovers she did of wickedness forethought upon deliberation de industria ex consilio wilfully and of purpose impudently and without all shame of sin say I will go after This was shameles indeed They should rather have gone after her Deut. 23.18 then she after them Moses fitly compareth a whore to a salt-bitch that is followed after by all the dogs in a town And am I dogs-head said Abner to Ishbosheth 2 Sam. 3.8 that is Am I so given to lust lasciviousnes as dogs are that run after every salt-bitch But this harlot verified that saying in Ezekiel The contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms whereas none followed thee to commit whoredoms thou followest them and gloriest in thy so doing as Lots daughters did in their detestable incest naming their children Moab that is a birth by my father and Benammi that is begotten by one of my near kindred These all might have held their tongues with shame enough But such kinde of sinners are singularly impudent Jer. 3.3 infatuated Hos 4.11 and past feeling Ephes 4.19 And so are Idolaters wickedly wilfull and irreclaimable for most part See Jer. 44.16 17. 2.10 Esay 44.19 20. A seduced heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soul nor say Is there not a lie in my right hand How stiffe are Papists to this day in defence of their Image-worship how severe against such as deface or but disgrace them Murther is not so hainous a sin c. That give me my bread and my water c. What can be more like to the doings of the Papists then this saith Danaeus Who knows not what suit they make and what thanks they return to their He-Saints and She-Saints and how they sacrilegiously transfer the glory due to God alone to the creature The Lord rightly resolveth the genealogy of corn wine and oil into himself verse 22. of this chapter And the Aposte tells us that it is He that filleth mens hearts with food and gladnesse Act. 14.17 Et cum charissima semper Munera sint Author quae preciosa facit This should make us lift up many an humble joyfull and thankfull heart to God well content if we may have offam et aquam bread and water and the gospel and vowing with Jacob Gen. 28.20 that if God will give us bread to eat and raiment to put on then shall he be our God and we will honour him with the best of our substance As for other gods whether Pagan or Papagan say we as that Heathen did Contemno minutulos istos deos modò Jovem mihi propitium habeam I care not for these petty-deities I trust in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy All things I say both ad esum et ad usum for back and belly besides better things which is all that carnall people care for There be many too many that say and can skill of no other language Who will shew us any good who will give us bread Psal 4. water wooll oil c they look no higher know no heaven but plenty hell but penury God but their belly whereunto they offer sacrifice with Poliphemus and care for no more quam ut ventri bene sit ut lateri then that their bellies may be filled Epicur ap Hor. their backs fitted Let them have but plenty of victuals and the Queen of heaven shall be their good Lady Jer. 44.17 Base spirits look onely after low things gain and credit carry them any way They work for their peny a day and are like little children which will not say their prayers unlesse they may be promised their breakfast Whereas a true worshipper of God soareth aloft hath his feet at least where other mens heads are trades for higher commodities cannot be put off with mean matters When great gifts were sent to Luther he refused them with this brave speech Valde protestatus sum me nolle sic satiari Melch. Adam I deeply protested that I would not be put off by God with these low things The Papists offered to make him a Cardinall if he would be quiet He replied No not if I might be Pope They sent Vergerius the Popes Nuncio to tempt him with preferment and to tell him of Eneas Sylvius who following his own opinions Hist of Counc of Trent p. 73. with much slavery and labour could get no further preferment then to be Canon of Trent but being changed to the better became Bishop Cardinall and finally Pope Pius 2. The same Vergerius also minded him of Bessarion of Nice who of a poor Collier of Trapezond became a great renowned Cardinall and wanted not much of being Pope But what said Luther to all this Contemptus est a me Romanus et favor et
came first from Babylon For Ninus having made an image of his father Belus this Baal in the text all that came to see it were pardoned for all their offences whence in time that image came to be woâ—shippâ—d A great promoter of this kind of Idolatry in Israel was Ahab in favour of his wife Jezebel and to ingratiate with her kindred 1 King 16.31 and this was the ruine of his house This Baal was by the Zidonians called Jupiter Thalassius or their sea Jupiter and is thought to be their chief God They had their Dij minorum gentium petty gods called in scripture the host of heaven the queen of heaven and a little further in this chapter Baalim the Greeks called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Plato are certain middle-powers or messengers betwixt God and man to carry up prayers and bring down blessings c. Quam autem haec damonum theologia conveniat cum sanctorum et Angelorum cultu apud pseudochristianos res ipsa loquitur Mede in Apoc. pag. 115. saith learned Master Mede How this doctrine of devils or heathen-deities agreeth with Saint-worship Melch. Ad. de Germ. Theol. pag. 815. and Angel-worship among he Papists is easie to be discerned A great stumbling it is to both Jewes and Turkes who know it to be contrary to the first commandment and image-worship to the second Whence the Turkes will not endure any images Lib. 4. no not upon their coynes And Paulus Jovius tells us when Sultan Solyman had taken Buda in Hungary he would not enter into the chief Temple of that city to give praise to Almighty God for the victory till all the images were first down and thrust out of the place We read also of a certain Turkish Embassadour who being demanded why the Turkes did not turn Christians he answered because the Christian Religion is against sense and reason for they worship those things that are of lesse power then themselves and the works of their own hands as these in the text that made them Baal yea as if God had hired them to be wicked they made it of the very gold and silver which he had given them though for a better purpose And this was horrible wickedness hatefull ingratitude This was to sue God with his own mony to fight against him with his own weapons as David did against Goliath as Jehu did against Jehoram and as Benhadad did against Ahab with that life that he had lately given him Zâ—naras in Annal. I read of a monster who that very night that his Prince pardoned and preferred him slew him and raigned in his stead This was Michael Balbus and he is and shall be infamous for it to all posterity Ingratitude is a monster in nature Lycurgus made no law against it quod prodigiosa res esset benesicium non rependere To render good for evil is Divine good for good is humane evil for evil is brutish but evil for good is devilish And yet alasâ—e how ordinary an evil is this amongst us to abuse to Gods great dishonour our health wealth wit prosperity plenty peace friends means day night corn wine silver gold all comforts and creatures our times our talents yea the holy Scriptures the Gospel of grace and our golden opportunities the offers of mercy and motions of the spirit turning our backs upon those blessed and bleeding embracements and pursuing our lusts those idols of our hearts those Baals that is Deut. 32.5 Lords and husbands that have us at their beck and check But is this faire dealing Do we thus requite the Lord foolish and unwise as we are Holy Ezra thinks there is so much unthankfulnesse and dis-ingenuity in such an entertainment of mercy that heaven and earth would be ashamed of it Ezra 9.13 Should we do so saith He oh God forbid us any such wickednesse Others render it which they have sacrificed or dedicated to Baal for Idolaters spare for no cost Dum Deum alienum dotant as some render that text Psal 16.4 whiles they give their goods not to the Saints as David that are on the earth but to another God They lavish gold out of the bag as we read of a certain King of this land who laid out as much as the whole crown revenues came to in a yeare upon one costly crucifix and of another that left by will a very great sum of mony for the transporting of his heart to be buried in the holy land as they called it How profuse papists are in decking their mawmets and monuments of idolatry is better known then that it needeth here to be spoken of Their Lady of Loretto that Queen of heaven as they call her stilo veteri hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents and memories Sands his Relat. as they are faine to hang their Cloisters and Churchyards with them Verse 9. Therefore will I returne i. e. I will alter my course change my stand change the way of mine administrations deale otherwise with them then yet I have done they shall bear their iniquities and know my breach of promise as Num. 14.34 they shall know the worth of mine abused mercyes by the want of them another while I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.15 Finally I will cut them short of alimony and hold them to straight allowance Hos 7.14 and then I shall be sure to heare them howling upon their beds for corne and wine as dogs do that are tied up and cannot come at their meat And take away my corn and my wine those precious fruits of the earth as S. James calleth them James 5.7 the product of Gods great care from years end to years end Deut. 11.12 without which the earth could not yield her increase neither would there be a veine for the silver a mine for the gold iron taken out of the earth or brass molten out of the stone Job 28.3 All that we have is his in true account and he is the great Proprietary Mat. 20.15 who onely can say as he in the gospel May not I do what I will with mine own And what should he sooner and rather do then take away meate from his childe that marrs it If fulnesse breed forgetfulnesse as the fed hawk forgets his master and as the full Moon gets furthest off from the Sun so men when they have all things at the full forget God and wickedly depart from him what can he do lesse then forget them that so they may remember themselves and make fat Ieshurun look with leane cheeks that they may leave kicking Deut. 32.15 Isay 26.9 and learne righteousnesse Neither doth God do this till greatly provoked till there is a cause for it Therefore I will returne He may well say as that Roman Emperour did when he was to pronounce sentence of death Non nisi coactus I
this is an heathenish opinion as indeed many of theirs are whence they are called Gentiles in opposition to the holy City the Church Rev. 11.2 wherein she burnt incense to them which typified prayer both in the sweet savour and ascending property elationibus fumi with pillars of smoke Chap. 3.6 This should have been done to God alone He is the proper object of prayer as being omnipresent omniscient and omnipotent and besides in covenant with his people He never said to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain No he scorns that and leaves that to the Heathen idols to do Esa 45.18.19 Deut. 2 2. Our Rock is not as their rock our enemies themselves being judges He is not like Baal that pursuing his enemies could not hear his friends Nor like Jupiter of Creet that was carved without ears Luc. dial and could not be at leisure to attend small matters no nor greater neither unless it were at certain times when he was pleased to look down through certain chinkers in heaven as Lucian faineth He is not as Diana who being present at Alexanders birth Sic. de nat deor lib. 2. could not at the same time preserve her Ephesian temple from the fire O thou that hearest prayers saith David that 's one of his titles of honour Psal 65.2 unto thee shall all slesh come Whither else should I go Basil makes prayer a chain tied to Gods ear and mans mouth Jamblichus saith it is copula quâ homines cum Deo conjunguntur a tie wherewith men are knit unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De orth fid Damascen saith it is an ascent of the heart to heaven The Church is said to ascend out of the world by these pillars of incense Cant. 3.6 And as the Angel that appeared to Manoah by ascending up in the flame of the Altar is said to do wondrously Judg. 13.19 20. So do the Saints by their daily devotions coming up as Cornelius his prayers and alms did for a memoriall before God Act. 10.4 and being a precious incense Psal 141.2 far beyond that of Baal Priests or Chimney-Chaplaines who were called Chemarims 1 King 23.5 Zeph. 1.4 or Black-ones ab incensione thuris from their much offering up of incense with the smoke whereof they were blacked and sooted as some hold and she decked her self with her ear-rings and her jewels Harlot-like matrons adorn not themselves so pompously Whence Tully compares the Latine tongue to a grave Matrone the Greek to a sumptuous harlot in all her bravery This drawes the senses and is therefore much in use amongst adulterers and Idolaters as Papists for instance with their excessive gayetie in Gods service their palles copes and other massing-vestments of as great price some of them Athenaâ—s as Demetrius king of Macedon his robewas which none of his successours would were propter invidiosam impendij magnificentiam for the richness thereof Gods likes no such doings now adayes in his service The High-Priest indeed of old was sumptuously attired from head to foot Os humerosque Deo similis as representing the person of God Virg. that he might dazle the eyes of the beholders and breed reverence in them by such an appearance But now it is far otherwise Cor aureum requirit Deus non vestem God lookes not for gorgeous array but gracious hearts faith and love within modesty and humility without these are things of great price in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3.4 these beautifie the soul better then Isaacs jewels did Rebeccah's body It was therefore excellent counsell that Tertullian gave the young women of his time Lib. de cult foemin and may be usefull to to us all Vestite vesserico pietatis byssino sanctitatis c. Cloath your selves saith he with the silk of piety with the sattin of sanctitie with the purple of modestie So shall you have God himself to be your suitour Christ will make love to you and greatly desire your beauty Psal 45.11 The kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold vers 13. She is like that Spartan woman mentioned by Plutarch who when her neighbours were shewing their apparrell and jewels she brought out her children vertuous and well taught and said These are my ornaments and jewels and she went after her lovers This is oft objected to her as a foul business indeed this was the sin that disjoynted Gods soul from her to the making of her desolate a land not inhabited Jer. 6.8 We must take speciall care that no creature creep into the Bridall-bed betwixt Christ and the soul or if any do complain to him betime and he will play Phineas his part Act. and Mon. as Master Bradford phraseth it And forgat me saith the Lord This is reserved to the last as the foot and root of all the forementioned evils both of sin and punishment See the lack of Gods holy fear Rom. 3.18 There is no fear of God before their eyes And thence it is that their throat is a gaping grave their mouth full of gall and guile that destruction and miscry are in their wayes c. 13 14 15 16. c. Fearlesness and forgetfulness of God go alwayes together Jer. 5.22 23. those that remember him and his presence cannot but bear an awfull respect to him It is a problem in Aristotle why are men credited more then other creatures His answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they beleeve a Deity Man alone remembreth and therefore reverenceth God Those therefore that so forget him after long experience especially of his gracious care to protect them and provide for them as a husband doth for the wife of his bosom these are strange creatures and must look to be visited and reminded of him from whom they have so deeply revolted for of all things God cannot abide to be forgotten See Isai 17.10 Deut. 8.21 Verse 14. Therefore behold I will allure her A strange Therefore It may very well have a Behold at the heeles of it For the sense is this Because she hath quite forgotten me and will never be converted of her self I will prevent her by my mercy recalling her mildly but mightily by my Gospel Seducam eam et deducam in desertum Such another sweet text as this we have in Esay 57.17 18. For the iniquity of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him Wayes what wayes his covetousness frowardness c. And it is as if God should say I see these froward children will lay nothing to heart frownes will not humble them blowes will not better them If I do not save them till they seek me they will never saved therefore I will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners I will create the fruit of the lips peace to
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
Novatores but we may call them so better The truth is we may not teach nova nor yet novè Castalion cannot be excused in his Jana Genius Respublica for Ecclesia and other affected novelties Melanchthons wish was that men would not onely teach the same things but in iisdem verbis in iisdem syllabis in the same words yea in the same syllables for he that faineth new words brings in new doctrines it may be thought as did Arminius And yet it is not many yeares since here amongst us that he that would not be an Arminian was held no better then a practicall Puritan But let us keep our old words said those Veteratores and we shall easily keep our old faith The devill doth sometimes speake the trueth for his own ends But was Winchester well advised when he made The Lord and not to say our Lord Act. Mon. 1116. Ib. 1803. to be symbolum baereticorum a note of an heretick Or Dr. Stery whose rule to know an heretick was this they will say The Lord and we Praise God and The living God This was not Novum nomen but Novum crimen C. Caesar Much like that of Pope Paul 2. Cade of the church Alsted who pronounced them hereticks that did but name the name Academy either in earnest or in jest And another Pope made it heresie to hold that there were any Antipodes Verse 17. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth So precise she shall be so circumspect according to Exod. 23.13 that she should spit out of her mouth those dunghill duties with utmost contempt as David had done before her Psal 16.4 If bodily filthinesse may not be once named among Christians Ephe. 5.3 why should spirituall The Primitive Christians would not call their dayes of the week by the Heathenish names of Dies Martis Dies Mercurii c. as Mercurius Trismegist had superstitiously named them but the first second third c. day of the week as not willing to have the names of those Idols mentioned among Gods people Mentioned they may be no doubt recitative without sin as Baal is Rom. 11.4 and Castor and Pollux Act. 18.11 but not honoris gratia for honour sake or without some expression of detestation of them such as was that of Cyril who speaking of Paganish idolatries breaks out thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we rake a dunghill in a discourse of dunghill gods What a patheticall speech or rather shriek is that of Almighty God Jer. 44.4 Oh! do not this abominable thing do not honour Idols in the least Act. Mou. shall I bow my knee to yonder Iackanapes said that martyr pointing to the Rood in Pauls Should I kiss Baal as they did 1 King 19.18 Or so much as kiss my hand in honour to him as Job 31.27 were not this to deny the God that is above Verse 28. And how can those be excused that have so often in their mouths Jupiter omnipotens mehercule Mecastor Hieron Damaso caetera magis portenta quam numina saith Hierom and those that think their verses nothing so neate unlesse there be often naming and sometimes invocating too of Apollo Jam. 3.11 Minerva Venus c. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter Those that say they think no hurt in all this are no more excused thereby then he that said Lasciva est nobis pagina Ovid. vita proba Those that thus borrow garnish of the Egyptians may therewith get their botches and boyles Howsoever they may feare to have Bellarmine himself who was no precisian to rise up in judgment against them and condemn them who would not have Paul called Divus Paulus but Beatus because Divus and Diva were the words of the heathens for their gods and goddesses and they shall no more be remembred sc without indignation and detestation without a What have I to do any more with Idols Hos 14.1 Esay 30.22 or a Get you hence Abite hinc abite longe as Charles 5 said of all his worldly pomp and atchievements at the last as Amnon thrust Tamar out of dores when he had had his will of her when he had moyled himself in that filthy guzzle and sullied his conscience She multiplied her whoredomes saith the Prophet in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth wherein she had plai'd the harlot in the land of Egypt Ezek. 23.21 and verse 8. Not the new sent of meat but the remembrance of their old flesh-pots moved Israel they found sweetnesse in a lust twice sod they had still the broth of these abominable things in their vessels as the Prophet Esay hath phrased it Chap. 65.4 To remember with delight sins past is to recommit them and herein the deceitfull heart is with all care to be looked unto that when we call to mind former evill practises though with an intent to be humbled for them we be not insnared and drawn to commit them afresh by being tickled in the thought of them Verse 18. And in that day will I make my covenant for them with the beasts c. At the first creation all things were subject to man on this condition that he should be subject to his maker as his master Augustin Rebellis autem facta est quia homo numini creatura homini But no sooner did man rebell against God but the creature began to rebel against him Look how a Noble-mans servants will draw in defence of their Lord and souldiers fight for their Generall so here God is Lord of hosts Psal 119.91 They continue this day according to thine ordinance and fight in their courses Judg. 5.20 for they are all thy servants ready prest they are to seise a sinner and to doe execution upon him as a traytour and rebel to the highest Majesty as the sword that Hector gave Ajax turned into his own bowels when once he began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtlesse creatures Now here God promiseth to abolish that enmity to make peace even pacem omnimodam peace peace as the Prophet Esay hath it Chap. 26. a muliplied peace a perfect sheere pure peace with God with themselves with all creatures and to restore them in Christ that dominion they once had over the works of his hands Rom. 8.28 Psal 8.6 with Heb. 2.7 yea power over all nations Rev. 2.26 with a promise that all shall work together for their good and they shall be fully freed if not from the smart yet from the hurt of every creature Compare Ezek. 34.25 Job 5.23 Esay 11.6.7 where the Prophet seemeth to allude to the carriage of the beasts in Noahs Ark all bloodiness and rapine laid aside The Jewes foolishly argue from these texts that Christ is not yet come because the Lion yet rageth the Wolf devoureth Serpents yet sting and spare not the best And some interpreters of ours are of opinion that these promises shall be literally
51.34 yea Iehojakim himself though a King was no better used Ier. 22.18 and Moab that haughty nation Ier. 48.38 In which sence Moâ—b shall be my washpot saith David Psal 60.10 that is brought into most abject slavery as your scullions or scavengers they shall lie among the pots Psal 68.13 not onely to make pots for the king of Babylons use as those servile souls the base brood of their degenerated forefathers 1 Chron. 4.23 Matulam praebere but also to hold pots or empty pots and vessels of dishonour that they might know a difference betwixt Gods service which is all clean and fair work 2 Tim. 2.21 fit for a vessell of honour an elect vessell elect and precious sanctified and fit for the masters use and the service of their enemies base and beastly such as is beneath the excellency of an ingenuous man such as the Turks at this day put the Jews to and the Spaniards the poor Indians Verse 9. For they are gone up to Assyria a wilde asse alone by himself This was that that most moved the Lord to denounce and determine hard and heavy things against Israel they had suspicious thoughts of God as if he either could not or would not do for them and help them out as the Assyrian though an enemy would This prank of theirs God uttereth here with as great indignation and dislike as old Iacob did his sonne Reubâ—ns incest when he said He went up to my couch The Lord is as jealous of his glory as any man can be of his wife neither will he give it to another Esay 42.8 he admits not of any corrivall in heaven or earth as Potiphars wife was his own peculiar Now God is no way more glorified by us then when we put our trust in his love and faithfulnesse and expect from him safety here and salvation hereafter For in so doing we set him up for our king Iudg. 9.15 and put the crown royall upon his head Cant. 3.11 As in doing otherwise we turn his glory into shame loving vanity seeking after leasing Psal 4.2 Hence that angry expostulation Ier. 2.36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way How dost think to mend thy self by running to the creature as if there were no God in Israel thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wast ashamed of Assyria Yea thou shalt go forth from him and thine hands upon thine head after the manner of mourners 2 Sam. 13.19 for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences and thou shalt not prosper in them a wilde asse alone by himself Foolish and fierce above measure untameable and untractable loving to be alone and so becomes a prey to the lion Lib. 8. cap. 40. as saith Siracides chap. 13. verse 21. Pliny speaketh much of the wilde asse and his properties and Interpreters on this Text bring many reasons why Israel is compared to him Israel is as stupid and as mad as the wilde asse saith Lyra. He is all for himself saith Iunius he casteth off Gods yoak saith Tremellius he is a contemptible creature saith Kimchi he walks where he lists as masterlesse saith the Chaldee hee seeketh water in the wildernesse but hardly findeth it so doth Israel help of the cruell enemies and hath it not saith Oecolampadius he taketh a great deal of pains for his belly saith Mercer he cannot be tamed and made serviceable saith Gesner He is left alone by God to be carried captive by the Assyrian saith Ribera The Scripture describeth the nature of this creature in many places Gen. 16.12 Iob 6.5 11.12 24.5 39.8 Psal 104.11 Esay 32.14 Ier. 2.23 14.6 Dan. 5.21 Ephraim hath hired lovers This is the second similitude taken from a most libidinous harlot See the like basenesse in Judah Ezek. 16.33 They were so mad upon their idols and creature-confidences that they were at no small charge for them they lavished money out of the bag and laid on Jer. 5.38 as if they should never see an end of their wealth They sent great gifts and summes of money to the Assyrians and Egyptians and leaned upon them as their champions they hired loves as the Hebrew here hath it But love as it cannot well be counterfeited a man may paint fire but he cannot paint heat so it cannot at all be hired or purchased Those that go about it shall finde loathing for love and be scorned of those mercenaries which are seldome either satisfied or sure Verse 10. Yea though they have hired among the nations The uncircumcised strangers to the promises and aliens from the common-wealth of Israel that they should so far distrust God and debase themselves as to seek help of such this went neer to the heart of God and was very grievous They brought up an evil report upon Gods house-keeping charged him with unfaithfulnesse to his people whom he now seemed to leave in the lurch to shift for themselves in their straits and hardened his enemies in their wicked but yet more prosperous condition Foelix scelus virtus vocatur Cic. de divin lib. 2. How would these Heathens hugge themselves in the conceit that Israel should do thus who was Gods portion Deut. 32.9 the dearly beloved of his soul Jer. 12.7 of whom it was anciently sund and commonly said among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them Psal 126.2 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thine excellency and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high-places Deut. 33.29 Whosoever was free of the city of Rome might not accept of any freedome in another city for that they counted a dishonour to Rome And will not God take it in ill part from his covenanters to seek or make after correspondency with his enemies and safety by them The help of the wicked Ecclesiae sunt tandem perniciosa semper perfidiosa are the best perfidious and at length pernicious to the Church now will I gather them This the Chaldee and the Vulgar make to be a promise of bringing back their captivity when indeed it is a commination of carrying them into captivity I will gather them that is either the enemies against Israel or else Israel for the enemies ut eos acervatim perdam that I may lay them heaps upon heaps and gather them as dead corps slain in battle are gathered together for buriall Or I will gather them to the end that I may disperse them And they shall sorrow a little And but a little now for the burden of the king of princes for the taxes and tributes exacted from them by the king of Assyria whose Nobles were Princes 2 King 18.24 Esay 10. See 2 King 15.19 29. But all this is but a little it is but the beginning of sorrows it is but small drops fore-running the great storm or as a crack fore-running the
shall break his clods Judah doth the worst of the work and suffers more hardship in the wayes of my worship and is held under by Israel as appeareth in the second book of Kings chap. 10.16 c. Jacob that is the ten Tribes did onely break the clods or harrow which is the lighter work and should therefore have been done with more delight But they love to take their ease and onely follow after their pleasure and profit and though taught to plow yet like it not because laborious no though they have Judah for an example of better Verse 12. Sowe to your selves in righteousnesse reap in mercy Righteousnesse is a sure seed a precious grain which those that sowe and every action of our life is a sowing shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing and bring their sheaves with them Psal 126.6 Onely they must not look to sowe and reap all in one day as one saith of the Hyperborean people far North that they sowe shortly after the Sun-rising with them and reap before the Sun-set that is because the whole half year is one continuall day with them The Church is Gods husbandry Heresbach de re rust 1 Cor. 3.9 the seed is the Word of God Luke 8.11 Ministers are Gods husband-men harvest-men Matth. 9.37 38. the plough Luke 9.62 plough-staff Luke 13.8 axe Mat. 3.10 are the Lawes threatnings the fruit-causing rain are the promises of the Gospel Esay 55.10 11. faith that works by love are the fruits the last day the harvest Mat. 13.39 40 41. Then at utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that sowe bountifully or in blessings as the Greek hath it shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 He that soweth seemeth to cast away his seed but if he sowe in locis irriguis as Eccles 11. 1. Ezek. 34.26 upon fat and fertile places he knowes he shall receive his own with usury In some parts of Egypt where the river Nilus overfloweth they do but throw in their seed and they have four rich harvests in lesse then four moneths S. H. Blounts voyag 77. Oh sowe bountifully the seeds of piety and charity into Gods blessed bosome and then be sure to reap plentifull mercy in thy greatest necessity reap in the month of mercy as the Originall here hath it that is according to the measure of divine mercy see Levit. 27.16 Exod. 16.16 proportionably to the infinitenesse of Gods mercy Now the Scripture hath three notable words to expresse the fulnesse of Gods mercy in Christ to those that sowe in righteousnesse Ephes 2.7 the abundant riches of his grace that are cast in over and above Rom. 5.20 The grace of God hath been more then exceeding there 's a second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of God was exceeding abundant It had a pleonasme before yea but here 's a superpleonasme here 's good measure pressed down Luk. 6.38 shaken together and running over shall God give into mens bosomes Like as when a poor man asked Mr. Fox for an alms he finding him religious gave him his horse Or as Alexander gave one that craved some small courtesie of him a whole citie And when the poor man said It was too much for him to receive yea Non quaero quid te accipere deceat sed quid me dare Sen. de benef l. 2. c. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not for me to give said he So God giveth liberally and like himself Jam. 1.5 He doth not shift off his suiters as once a great Prince did a bold begging Philosopher He asked a groat of him and the king told him it was too little for a king to give He requested the king then to give him a talent the king replied It was too much for a begger to crave Certain it is that God in his spirituall blessings and mercies to us is wont to regard not so much what is fit for his to ask or expect as what standeth with his goodnesse and greatnesse to bestow If Israel had a hundred-fold increase of his seed those that sowe to themselves in righteousnesse Gen. 26 1◠by doing and suffering Gods will shall have much more Even an hundred-fold here and eternall life hereafter Matth. 19.29 so great a gain is godlinesse so sure a grain is righteousnesse who would not then turn spirituall seeds-man break up your fallow ground sc of your hearts that ye sowe not among the thornes Jee 4.3 The breaking up of sinfull hearts is a singular meanes to prevent the breaking down of a sinfull nation Hence the Prophet though almost out of hope of any good to be done upon his desperate countreymen resolves to try one more exhortation to them and as in the morning he had sowed his seed Eccles 11.6 so in the evening he with-holdeth not his hand for who can tell whether it may not prosper and whether in the midst of threats they might not suffer a word of exhortation Heb. 13.22 and whether it might not leave some impression being delivered in few words Sowe therefore saith he to your selves in righteousnesse c. but first break up your fallow ground Innovate vobis novale Repent and be renued in the spirit of your mindes in spirit and speech in mindes and manners in constitution and conversation in the purpose of your hearts and practise of your lives Old things are past 2 Cor. 5.17 let all things become new turn up the turf stock up and stub up the roots and weeds get into Christ and become a new creature Till this be done men are in an undone condition though they should spend their whole time in gathering up pearls and jewels for it is time to seek the Lord High time sith your souls lie upon it Plowmen we know are carefull to take their time so are all others wise enough in their generation The wayfaring-man travelleth while it is light The Seafaring-man takes his opportunity of winde and tide The Smith smites whiles the iron is hot The Lawyer takes his terme-time to entertaine Clients dispatch suits The men of Issachar were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chron. 12.32 so are they with God that regard and use the seasons of grace that seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Esay 55.6 that put in the plough set upon the practise of repentance after a showre when the heart is best affected after God by his Word and Spirit hath taught so some render the Text or rained righteousnesse upon them Rain comes from heaven so doth every good and perfect giving Rain poures down plentifully Psal 68.9 thou didst send a plentifull rain on thine inheritance so do the showres of righeousnesse on good hearts Not a drop of rain falls in vain or in a wrong place but by a divine decree Job 28.26 so here Seek it in time and we shall not fail
sacrifice ceased and all good hearts were thereby sadded See vers 9 with the Note Verse 17 The seed is rotten under their clods It lieth buried or drowned with excessive rain and moisture corrupting the seed soon after it was sown and that which was not so marred was afterwards when it came to be corn dried up with excessive heat The corn is withered So that the garners were desolated the barnes broken down for want of stuffing and for that there was no use of them sith they sowed but reaped not Mic. 6.15 The husbandman was called to mourning Amos 5.16 for a three-fold calamity that lay upon his tillage First Immoderate rain in or about seeding Secondly Locusts and other vermine at spring Thirdly extreme drought after all verse 19 20. Thus God followeth sinners with one plague in the neck of another as he did Pharaoh that sturdy rebell till he have made his foes his footstools To multiply sin is to multiply sorrow Psal 16.4 to heap up wickednesse is to heap up wrath Rom 2.5 I will heap mischiefs upon them Si quoties peccent homines sua fulmina mittat Jupiter exiguo tempora inermis erâ—â— Ovid. saith God I will spend mine arrows upon them Deut. 32.23 which yet cannot be all spent up as the Poet feared of his Jupiter that if he should punish men for every offence his store of thunder-bolts would be soon spent and exhausted Verse 18. How do the beasts groun The wilde beasts groan in their kinde The herds of cattell home and tame beasts as oxen c. are perplexed as not knowing what to do 't is the same word with that Esth 3.15 God had hid his face withdrawn his hand and they were troubled he taketh away their breath for lack of pasture they die and return to their dust as David telleth us in his Physicks Psal 104.29 Epiphaxius his Physiologer reporteth of the bird called Charadius that being brought where a sick man lieth if he look upon the sick with a fixed and unremoved eye there is hopes of recovery but if he look another way the disease is deadly Sure it is that if God look in mercy upon man and beast they are cared and catered for Psal 36.7 and 104.27 and 145.15 16 c. and the contrary yea the flocks of sheep c. which yet can bite upon the bare live with a little and get pasture where the bigger creatures cannot come Verse 19. O Lord to thee will I cry I will though others will not I have called upon others to cry mightily unto thee and to meet thee by repentance but they ranquam monstra marina as so many Sea-monsters passe by my words with a deaff ear they refuse to return thy hand is lifted up in threatning and will fall down in punishing but they will not see Esay 26.11 they will not search they will not have their eyes like the windowes in Solomons Temple broad inward the eyes of their mindes are as ill set for this matter as the eyes of their bodies they see not what 's within But whatever they do 1 King 6.4 my soul shall weep in secret for their pride and mine eyes shall weep sore c. Jer. 13.17 for their insensiblenesse of their misery For the fire hath devoured the pastures that is the immoderate scorching heat of the season See Psal 83.14 Jer. 17.6 Or the blasting winde as Lyra expounds it or the locusts as Drusius or God who is a consuming fire by any or all these instruments of his wrath as Tarnouius And the flame hath burnt all the arees of the field This was dreadfull but yet nothing to that conflagratio mundi spoken of by St. Peter 2 Epist 3.12 when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements melt with fervent heat on the heads of the wicked who shall give a terrible account with the world all on alight fire about their ears Verse 20. The beasts of the field cry also unto thee Glocitant a term taken from Deer they cry as they can they cry by implication imploring thine help each for himself See Psal 149.9 Job 39.3 Psal 104.27 And should men be silent For the rivers of the waters are dried up This maketh the Hart bray after the water-brooks yea shed tears as hunters say the Hart will when hot and hard-bestead for water Hereto David seems to allude Psal 42.5 My tears have been my meat c. And the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse This had been said before verse 19. The reason of such repetitions see above in the Notes on verses 11 12. Neither let this last exaggeration of the common calamity by that which befell the bruit beasts seem superfluous For whereas the security and obstinacy of most men is such that they take little notice of present pressures but promise themselves peace and safety whatsoever God by his servants shall say to the contrary it is but needfull surely that their danger should be inculcated and their calamity set out and set on with utmost importunity and vehemency CHAP. II. Verse 1. BLow ye the trumpet in Zion Idem aliis verbis repetit saith Mercer here The Prophet repeateth the same as in the former Chapter onely in other words more at large and after another manner pressing the people further to the practise of repentance by many sweet promises of the blessings of this and a better life Our Prophet may seem to bee of the same mind with Tertullian who said that he was nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae born for no other end but to repent and to call upon others so to do Tot autem verbis figuris ntitur saith Luther he useth so many words figures because he had to do with a people that were harder then rocks Jer. 5.3 as also because there is an absolute necessity of repentance Aut poenitendum aut pereundum as our Saviour tells his Disciples twice in a breath Luke 13.2 5. The Prophet had urged them hereunto from the evils they felt or feared chap. 1. Pain and penitency are words of one derivation God plagueth men that he may make them cry Peccavi not Perij onely I am undone as Cain but peccavi I have done very foolishly as David The seventeen first verses of this Chapter are Hortatory the rest Consolatory The day of the Lord cometh therefore Repent This is the summe of the exhortation It cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod and that instantly Give warning therefore God loveth to foresignifie saith the Heathen Historian and to premonish before he punish He dealt so with Cain to whom he read the first lecture of Repentance Gen. 4. as he had done of Faith to his father Adam in the Chapter before He dealt so with the old world with the Sodomites Ninevites c. Sound an alarm in my holy Mountain Ring the bels backwards as amongst us they do the house is on fire the enemy is at hand Let all
choice young men best able to endure thirst a long season shall faint for thirst Heb. shall be over-covered with grief shall be troubled and perplexed shall faint and swoon shall find by experience that all flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flower of the field that even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Esa 40.30 31. Verse 14. They that swear by the sin of Samaria i. e. by the calfe set up at Bethel not farre from Samaria This calfe is called the sin or guilt of Samaria Esa 40.6 7. to shew the abomination of it for which cause also Paul cals it sinful sin Rom. 7.13 as not finding for it a worse Epithite and Antichrist for like cause he calleth That man of sin 2 Thess 2 3. to note him Merum scelus saith Beza meerly made up of sin Now to swear by this of Samaria was to deifie it to swear by any thing besides the true God is to forsake him Jer. 5.7 which is an hateful wickednesse Jer. 2.12 13. as in Papists who familiarly swear by their Hee-Saints and She-Saints and so sacrilegiously transferre upon the creature that which pertaineth to God alone and say Thy god O Dan liveth God onely liveth to speak properly 1 Tim. 6.17 but to say that Dan's Deunculus lived being no better then a dumb and dead idol and to sweat by the life of it Spec. Eurâ—p as the Spaniards do now in the pride of their Monarchy by the life of their king this is horrible impiety As for that of Abigail to David 1 Sam. 25.26 Now therefore my Lord as the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth the former was an oath the latter was not an oath but an asseveration or obtestation onely conjoyned with an oath and the manner of Beersheba liveth that is the formes and rites of worshipping in Beersheba another nest of idolatry Chap. 5.5 and Hos 10.13 as the Chaldee paraphraseth it Durandus hath written the Romish Ritual the way of worship used in that Synagogue of Satan Mercer rendreth it Vivet peregrinatio Beerseba the way or passage of Beerseba liveth Beerseba had an idol and was the way to Dan and Bethel hence this superstitious oath drawn out to the full length By the sin of Samaria by the god of Dan and by the manner of Beersheba like as the great Turk Mahomet promising his souldiers the spoyle of Constantinople for three dayes together if they could win it for confirmation of his oath solemnly swore by the immortal God and by the four hundred Prophets by Mahomet by his fathers soul by his own children Turk hist 345. and by the sword wherewith he was girt faithfully to perform whatsoever he had to them in his proclamation promised even they shall fall and never rise up again Fall fatally ferally irrecoverably as old Eli did when his neck was broken but first his heart The ten tribes for their idolatry and contempt of the word never returned out of captivity From the famine foretold what could follow but irreparable ruine though for a time they might flourish See Prov. 29.1 with the note Of that spiritual famine let us be most impatient and say as Luther did I would not live in Paradise without the word but with it I could make a shift to live in hell it self CHAP. IX Verse 1. I saw the Lord This Seer Chap. 7.12 saw the Lord in a vision for otherwise God is too subtile for sinew or sight to seize upon him We cannot look upon the body of the Sun neither can we see at all without the beams of it so here standing upon the Altar Or firmly set sc to do execution upon that Altar sc that idolatrous Altar at Bethel fore-mentioned and formerly threatned by another Prophet 1 Kin. 13.1.2 The Rabbines say God was seen standing upon that Altar as ready to sacrifice and slay the men of that age whose idolatries and other impieties he could no longer bear with And hence it is haply that he is brought in standing like as Act. 7.55 Jesus at Stevens death was seen standing at the right hand of God where he is usually said to sit Stat ut vindex sedet ut judex And he said sc to the Angel that stood by Zeck 3.7 or to the enemy commissionated by him or to some other creature for they are all his servants Psal 119.91 neither can he want a weapon to tame his rebels with smite the lintel of the door that the posts may shake Smite with a courage as Ezeck 9. Angels give no light blowes Behold the Lord the Lord of Hosts shall lop the bough with terrour and the high ones of stature shall be hewen down and the haughty shall be humbled Esa 10.33 34. And he shal cut down the thickest of the forrests with iron and Lebanon shal fal by a Mighty one that is by an Angel shall he smite to the ground that mighty army which was like a thick wood see Esai 37.36 Psal 78.25 and 89.6 So at our Saviours Resurrection an Angel in despite of the souldiers set to watch rolled away the grave-stone and sat upon it And as a mighty man when he sitteth down shaketh the bench under him so did He shake the earth and for fear of him the Keepers did shake and became as dead men Mat. 28.2 4. Down with this Idol-Temple down with it saith God here even to the ground and cut them in the head al of them cleave them down the middle so that every post may be sure to fall being divided from the top to the bottom and let this act be a signe to them all of what I intend to do to their persons as many of them as by this gate have entred into this Idol-Temple and Altar A deep cut in the head is dangerous and deadly Gen. 3.15 Psal 68.22 and I wil slay the last of them I by mine agents and instruments as afore for it is but one hand and many executioners that God slayes men with Job could discern Gods arrowes in Satans hand and Gods hand on the armes of the Sabaean robbers The sword is bathed in heaven before it is embrewed in mens blood Isai 34.5 The Lord killeth and maketh alive saith holy Hannah 1 Sam. 2.6 He that fleeth of them shall not flee away See chap. 2.14 with the Note and say Behold the severity of God Rom. 11.12 Verse 2. Though they dig into hell c. No starting-hole shall secure them from the wrath of God and rage of the creature set a work by him Hell and destruction are before the Lord Prov 15.11 yea hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering Job 25.6 He hath a sharp eye and a long hand to pull men out of their
lurking-holes as he did Adam out of the thicket 2 Chro. 33.11 Manasseh from among the thornes Jonah from the sides of the ship the Duke of Buckingham in Rich. the thirds time c. Be sure saith Moses your sinne will finde you out Speed Num. 32.23 and Gods hand will hale you to punishment Though they climb up to heaven That is by an hyperbole to high and strong places as the Babel-builders the Benjamites that fled to the Rock Rimmon and there abode four moneths Judg. 20 47. the gibing Jebusites that were so confident of their strong-hold of Zion that they flouted David and his forces 2 Sam. 5.8 the proud Prince of Tyre and others thence will I bring them down From their loftiest tops of Pride and creature-confidence which God loves to confute and defeat as I might instance in Nebuchadnezzars Xerxes Haman Sejanus Bajaezet that terrour of the world and as he thought superior to fortune yet in an instant with his state in one battle overthrown into the bottome of misery and despaire Turk hist 287. and that in the middest of his great strength The same end awaits the Pope and his hierarchy ruet alto à culmine Roma that Jupiter Capitolinus shall be one day unroosted by him who casteth the wicked down to the ground Psal 147.6 Verse 3. And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel In densis sylvis inter spelaea ferarum Lawfull enough it is in some cases to hides David did oft and Elias and Christ and Paul 2 Cor. 11.32 and Athanasius and diverse other Saints Tertullian was too rigid in condemning all kind of hiding in evill times Lib. de suga on persecution But to hide from God who searcheth Jerusalem with lights and to whom the darknesse and the light are both alike Psal 139.12 to whom obscura clarent muta respondent silentium confitetur this is base and bootlesse Carmel shall not cover them nor any other starting-hole secure them from divine justice The poore Jewes were pulled by the Romanes out of privyes and other under-ground places where they had hid themselvss as Josephus writeth and so were those Samaritans served by the Assyrians who ferreted them out and slaughtered them and though they be hid from my sight as they think but that cannot be for He like the Optick vertue in the eye sees all and is seen of none in the bottome of the sea which how deep and troublesome soever is to God a Sea of glasse like unto Chrystal corpus diaphanum a pervious clear Rev. 4. transparent body such as he sees thorow and hath the sole command of thence will I command the serpent For there is that crooked serpent Leviathan there are also creeping things innumerable Esay 27.1 Psal 104.26 to arrest wicked men as rebels and traitors to the highest Majestie and to drag them down to the bottom of hell All elements and creatures shall draw upon them as servants will do upon such as assault their Lord. Rebellisque facta est quia homo numini creatura homini as Austin truely and trimly avoucheth Verse 4 And though they goe into captivity c. And so may hope the worst is over Surely the bitternesse of death is past yet it shall prove otherwise The hypocrites hope is as the giving up the ghost saith Iob and that 's but cold comfort 1 Sam. 15.32 Or as the spiders web spun out of her own bowels and when the beesome comes swept to the muck-hill before their enemies whose custome was to drrive their captives before them Lam. 1.5 young and old naked and barefoot even with their buttocks uncovered Esay 20.4 Or before their enemies that is before they are taken captive by the enemies by a voluntary yeeldance in hope of quarter for their lives The Jewes indeed had a promise from the Prophet Jeremy chap. 21.9 That if they went out and fell to the Chaldeans that besieged them they should have their lives for a prey but the ten tribes had no such promise made them They were strangers from the covenants Ephes 2.12 and therefore could look for no mercy Loammi and therefore Lo-ruhamah Hos 1. the Ark and the Mercy-seat were never sundred thence will I command the sword See Esay 13.15 16. Jer. 9.10 and 43.11 Ezek. 14.17 and I will set mine eyes upon them Emphaticoteâ—on est qâ—am si dixiâ—set Oculos pluraliter Mercer Heb. eye viz. the eye of my providence that oculus irretortus whereby I will look them to death and take course that nothing shall go well with them see a little below vers 8. Jer. 21.10 Psal 34.16 In Tamerlanes eyes sat such a Majesty as a man could hardly endure to behold and many in talking with him became dumb He held the East in such awe as that he was commonly called Turk hist 211.236 The wrath of God and terrour of the world Augustus Cesar frowned to death Cornelius Gallus and so did Queen Elizabeth Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellour Gods enemies are sure to perish at the rebuke of his countenance Psal 80.16 and if he but set his eyes upon them for evil and not for good all occurrences shall certainly work together for the worst unto them Verse 5. And the Lord God of Hosts is he c. Here the Prophet proveth what he had said in the foregoing verses by an argument drawn from the wonderfull power of God which profane persons are apt to question that they may harden their hearts against his fear Consider saith He first that He is the Lord God of Hosts and as the Rabbines well observe he hath the upper and lower troops ready prest as his horse and foot to march against his enemies Next that he toucheth the land as it were with his little finger and it shall melt like the fat of lambs before the fire it shall crumble to crattle moulder away and be moved because he is wroth Psal 18.7 and shall men be unmoved shall they bee more insensible then the senselesse earth The people of Antioch though many of them gave their hands for Chrysostoms banishment yet terrified by an earthquake which wrought in them an heart-quake as it had done in the Gaoler Acts 16. they immediately sent for him again But thirdly the tremend power of God appears in this that The land shall rise up wholly like a flood and it shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt God can flote it and flood it at his pleasure See chap. 8.8 Water is naturally above the earth as the garment above the body saith David and would but for the power and providence of God prove as the shirt made for the murdering of Agamemnon where the head had no issue out Let God be seen herein and mens hearts possessed with his holy fear who can so easily pull up the sluces let in the Sea upon them and bury them all in one universall grave of waters Fear ye not me
Esth 8.2 Psal 9.6 Eph. 6.11 The Samaritanes afterward served them in like sort as Josephus reporteth especially when Antiochus tormented the Jewes they wrote to him to excuse themselves as no Jews and offering him their service basely stiled him Antiochus the mighty God In the day that the strangers carried away captive c. Edoms malice is here aggravated by the circumstance of time they took to expresse it viz. when Gods people were at worst and when their extreme misery should have moved pity This was a Dog-like Devil-like practise to fall upon those that are down before to adde affliction to the afflicted Psal 69.26 to push the wounded out of the Heard as they say Deer do Of such barbarous and savage usage David oft complaineth and Job and Jeremy and Jesus Psal 22. such shall one day cry out at Gods barre as Josephs brethren did Gen. 42.21 and finde no mercy Jam. 2.21 no more then cruell Haman did Esth 7. it being just with God to set off all hearts from him who had been so unreasonably mercilesse This Job well knew and therefore so studiously purgeth himself of this hainous wickednesse chap. 31.29 Ausonius also out of Pitaccus Mytelenaeus affirmeth him to bee a beast and worse that maketh himself merry in another mans misery The beastliest among bruit creatures even swine seem to be affected with the out-cries of their kind Men onely more bruitish then they triumph in the calamities each of other and are not moved with their out-cries albeit as bitter as that of Hezekiah Esay 38.14 O Lord I am oppressed help me This Solomon calleth oppression of an high nature Eccles 4.1 See Psal 142.4 and forreiners entred into his gates having taken the city then did the Edomites set fire to the Temple 2 Esdr chap. 4. vers 45. Citizens in a siege fortifie their gates and defend them to the utmost for if the gates bee gained the city is lost as it was at Jerusalem and as it had like to have been at the city of Coccinum in the Island of Lemnos which the Turks had surprized on the sudden but that they were happily prevented by the courage of one Marulla a maiden of that city who seeing her father slain in the gate took up the weapons that lay by him and like a fierce Amazon notably revenged his death desperatly fighting in defence of her countrey Turk hist 412 with those few that were in the gate at the first and so kept the Turks out untill the rest of the citizens moved with the alarm came to the gate and cast lots upon Jerusalem i. e. upon the plunder of Jerusalem according to the custome of old souldiers Num. 26.56 See this fulfilled 2 King 24. and 25. See allso more of this practise Nah. 3.10 Joel 3.3 and how grievous it is to the ingenious hear Andromache O foelix una ante alias Priameia virge Hostilem ad tumulum Virg. Aeneid Lib. 3. Troiae sub moenibus altis Jussa mori quae sortitus non pertulit ullos Nec victoris heri tetigit captiva cubile Even thou wast as one of them The emphasis lieth in the word Thou as in that of Julius Caesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vov 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Di◠Cass beholding Brutus among the Conspiratours that took away his life What Thou my sonne Brutus Even Thou brother Edom whom we spared in our passage thorow the wildernesse when we destroyed other Nations Deut. 2. Thou who hast from David's dayes for most part been our vassall and tributary Hierom applieth this to Heretikes Mercer to that Arch-heretike Antichrist an utter opposite to Christ yet a pretended friend as was Iudas a servant of Gods servants if you 'le beleeve him but a most bloody persecutour of the Church in whose ruines he yet revelleth and will do till Christ shall punish him with his sore and great and strong sword Esay 27.1 and dung his vineyard with the flesh of that wild-bore Verse 12. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day Unlesse it were with weeping eyes Ijsdem quibus videmus oculis flemus Men have the same organ of seeing and of weeping that when they behold a dolefull object they might weep over it not as the Crocodile doth over the dead body which she had slain before and afterward devoureth but with true tears of compassion Gen. 4.6 weeping with those that weep God takes it ill here that any should once look upon his afflicted people unlesse it be to pity and relieve them He observed Cains lowring upon his brother and the Jewes wagging their heads Mat. 27.39 Rabshakehs lofty looks Gen. 31.2 Esay 37.23 Labans change of countenance c. Men may not look at liberty and as they list Vultu saepe laeditur charitas It was not for nothing therefore that in Queen Elizabeths dayes at a meeting of the borderers in the Marches betwixt England and Scotland about goods unjustly taken Cam Elisab 279. security was given and confirmed on both sides by oath according to custome and proclamation made that no man should harme other by word deed or look when he became a stranger and fell under a strange punishment as Job speaketh chap. 31.3 that is a rare and unheard of misery monstrosum exilium Tremellius rendreth it This was threatened 2 Chron. 7.21 and accordingly fulfilled Lam. 1.9 Israel became the worlds wonderment a famous instance of Gods severity against a people of his wrath and of his curse Aben-Ezra rendreth it In his strange day such as he had never seen the like before Others when he was banished his own borders and became a stranger at home when God seemed to look strange upon him and to stand aloof or as a man astonied that knows not whether he had best help or no as a mighty man that cannot save Jer. 14.8 Acts Mon 1423. 9. Iohn Baptist was beheaded in prison without any law right or reason as though God had known nothing at all of him said that Martyr neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children c. For this is to bee sick of the devils disease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such are assured that they shall not go unpunished Prov. 17.5 God will soon see it and be displeased and turn the current of his wrath upon such an offendour Prov. 24.18 as he did here upon Edom for looking with liking on the calamity of his brother for rejoycing at the downfall of his enemy Neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly Heb. Magnified thy mouth blustering and breathing out big threats setting up thine horne on high and saying Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Psal 137.7 Diripite ex imis evertite fundamentis Buchanan Such a Pyrgopolynicas was Nebuchadnezzar Esay 10.13 and Alexander the great and Antiochus that little Antichrist Dan. 7.8 and that great Antichrist of Rome bellowing with his bulls and menacing hell to all that adhere not to him See Rev. 13.5
out of thy sight Thus those straits brought him to these disputes of despair as they did likewise David Psal 31.22 the Church in the Lamentations Chap. 4.22 and others apt enough in affliction to have hard conceits of God and heavy conceits of themselves Whiles men look at things present whiles they live by sense onely it must needs be with them as with an house without pillars tottering with every blast or as a ship without anchor tossed with every wave They must therefore thrust Hagar out of doors and set up Sarah silence their reason and exalt Faith as did Jonas here Then I said I am cast out of thy sight Here you may take him up for a dead man here he inclineth somewhat to that of Cain Gen. 4.13 14. and surely they that go down to this pit of despair as Hezechiah speaketh of the grave cannot hope for Gods truth Esa 38. as long as there they stay yet I wil look again toward thine holy Temple Here he recollects and recovers himself as the same soul may successively doubt and believe not simultaneously and faith where it is right will at length outwrastle diffidence and make a man more then a conquerour even a Triumpher When sense saith such a thing will not be Reason saith It cannot be Faith gets above and saith Yea but it shall be what talk you to me of Impossibilities I shall yet as low as I am and as forlorn look again towards Gods holy Temple of heaven yea that here on earth where God is sincerely served and whereto the precious are annexed Faith is by one fitly compared to the cork upon the net though the lead on the one sinks it down yet the cork on the other keeps it up in the water The faithful soon check themselves for their doubtings and despondency as Jonah here as David chides David Psal 43.5 and as Paul saith of himself and his fellowes that they were staggering but not wholly sticking 2 Cor. 4.8 Vers 5. The waters compassed me about even to the soul that is usque ad animae deliquium till I laboured for life and was as good as gone The depth closed me round about see the Note on vers 3. and further observe that Gods dear children may fall into desperate and deadly dangers see Psal 18.3 and 88.3 116.3 And this for 1. prevention 2. purgation 3. probation 4. preparations to further both mercies and duties Let us not therefore censure our selves or others as hated of God because greatly distressed but incourage our selves in them as did David at Ziklag 1 Sach 30.6 The right of the Lord shall change all this Flebile principium melior fortuna sequetur The weeds were wrapt about mine head Alga as Alligando The weeds which the fish had devoured or whereunto the fish wherein I was had dived and lain down amongst them Or this might befal Jonah in the bottom of the sea before the fish had swallowed him for weeds easily wrap about those that swim or are drowned Vers 6. I went down to the bottomes of the montains that is of the promontories or rocks of the sea where the waters are deepest Thus Mercer after Kimchi The channels of waters were seen and the foundations of the world were discovered Psal 18.15 The mountains are said to be under water Prov. 8.25 because their foundations are there placed the earth with her barres was about me for over As if resolved there to keep me close prisoner that though the fish had disgorged me yet I should never have got to land The shores are set by God as barres to keep the sea within his bounds Job 38.8 10 11. Jer. 5.22 Here then all the creatures seemed to set against poor Jonas and which was more then all the Creatour too so that he might sigh and say as in the Poet In me omnis terraeque aviumque marisque rapina est Martial Forsitan coeli Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption i. e. from the place where I was likely to have laine and rotted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses when things are at the worst God appeareth as it were out of an engine In the mount will the Lord be seen Ezek. 37.11 c. 2 King 19.3 he stayes so long sometimes that he hardly findes faith on earth Luk. 18. and yet comes at last to the relief of his poor people viz. when they are ripe and ready for it He is a God of judgement he knowes how and when to deale forth his favours and even waiteth to be gracious Esay 30.22 See Esa 28.24 25 27 28. O Lord my God sc by the meane and merit of thy son in whom alone it is that thou Lord art my God and that I can call thee Abba Father It is well observed by an Interpreter that in this short history of Jonah are all things contained which may make to the sound and saving knowledge of God and his will of our selves also and our duties Verse 7. When my soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord And could say as the Church in Esay when at lowest Esa 63.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father our Redeemer thy Name is from everlasting As there is in the creatures an instinct of nature to do their kind so there is of grace in the Saints to run to God Yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee with my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early c. Esa 26.8 9. Oh Lord saith Habacuc art not thou from everlasting my God and mine holy One It was a bold question but God approves and assents to it in a gracious answer ere they went further Hab. 1.12 We shall not die say they obruptly O Lord thou hast ordained them the Caldeans for judgement but us onely for chastisement Here was the triumph of their faith and this was that which held up Jonas his hope though with wonderfull difficulty held head above water He remembred the yeeres of the right hand of the most High Psal 77.10 he called to mind his songs in the night season ver 6. his former experience a just ground of his present confidence He remembred the Lord his Power and Goodnesse those two pillars the Jachin and the Boaz that support Faith and this fetcht him againe when ready to faint I had even fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living Psal 27.13 and my prayer came in unto thee q. d. Though I was so faint I could scarce utter a prayer yet thou harknedst and heardest as Mal. 3.16 thou madest hard shift to hear as I may say thine ears were in my prayers as S. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 3.12 thou felst my breathing when no voice could bee heard Lam.
neighbourhood Jerusalem would take it in high scorn likely to be matched with Samaria so much slighted and shunned by her Ion. 4.9 as Papists now do to be set by Protestants Turks by Christians the word of a mussulman beares down all other testimony amongst them But this Prophet is very bold as it is said of Isay his coaetaneus Rom. 10.20 binds them both up in one bundle and spareth not to shew Judah their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins Verse 2. Heare all ye people He beginneth as Esay in a lofty and stately stile powring himself out in a golden flood of words as Tully speaketh of Aristotles Politicks and calling for utmost attention and affection as knowing that he had to do with men more deaf then sea-monsters and more dull then the very earth they trod on which is therefore here commanded to hearken sith men that habitable part of Gods earth Pro. 8.31 will not heare and give eare wherein they are worse then the insensible creatures Psal 119.91 and let the Lord God be witnesse against you Here he turneth his speech to the refractary Jewes speaking to God as a righteous judge and swift witnesse Judex Judex vindex against them if they hearkened not to his message nisi pareant ideoque pereant the Lord from his holy temple that is let him testifie from heaven Psal 11.4 that he is displeased with you and that I have carefully sought your soules-health Or from his temple at Ierusalem wherein ye glory and where ye think ye have him as fast bound to you as the Tyrians had their idol Apollo whom they chained and nailed to a post that he might not forsake them when Alexander besieged their town and took it The Heathens had a trick when they besieged a city Macrob. lib. 3. cap. 9. Virg. Aeâ— 2. to call the Tutelar gods out of it by a certain charme as beleeving that it could not otherwise be taken In a like sense whereunto some have interpreted the following verses here Verse 3. For behold the Lord commeth out of his place that is say they out of Iudaea and his temple there leaving it to the Chaldaeans and Assyrians See Ezech. 3.12 and chapters 9.10 and 11. where God makes divers removes from the Cherubins to the threshold from thence to the East-gate from thence to mount Olivet quite out of the city chap. 11.23 and when God was gone then followed the fatall calamity in the ruine of the city But by Gods comming forth out of his place here I conceive is meant his descending from heaven to do justice on this hypocriticall nation Esay 26.21 and because hypocritis nihil stupidius hypocrites resting on their externall performances and priviledges will hardly be perswaded of any evill toward them Mic. 3.11 Is not the Lord say they amongst us none evill can come upon us therefore we have heare an emphaticall Ecce Behold the Lord commeth he is even upon the way already and will be here with the first He will come down as once at Sodom when their sin was very grievous Gen. 18.20 when they were overcharged with the superfluity of naughtinesse God came from heaven to give their land a vomit And so he would do here for Unregenerate Israel was to God as Ethiopia Am. 9.7 as the Rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah Esay 1.10 and tread upon the high-places of the earth the High and mighty Ones that having gotten on the top of their hillocks as so many Ants think themselves so much the better and safer repose confidence in their high places and strong-holds as Nebuchadnezzar did in his Babel Edom in his clifts of the rocks munitions of rocks Obad. 3. the rich fool in his heapes and hoards Luk. 12. these with their false confidences God will tread down in his anger and trample them in his fury as the mire of the streets he will bring down their strength to the earth and lay their honour in the dust Isa 63.3 6. Verse 4. And the mountaines shall be molten under him This is to the self-same sense Though men swell in their own eyes to the hugenesse of so many mountains and though gotten upon their hill of ice they think they shall never be moved Psal 30.6 7. yet when God with his devouring fire and everlasting burnings comes in presence these craggie mountains shall soon dissolve and melt as wax they shall be as waters poured down a descent they shall flow as a land-flood c. By which similitudes and familiar comparisons is notably set forth the irresistible wrath of God for the affrighting of hard-hearted sinners that they may take hold of his strength and make peace with him Esay 27.5 The valleys also shall be cleft The poorer sort also shall have their share in the common calamity God will neither spare the high for their might nor the base for their meannesse but Lords and losels together shall be as wax before the fire c. Wax is a poor fence against fire sticks and stubble against a strong torrent so humane force against divine judgements Verse 5. For the transgression of Iacob is all this Lest they should think either that these things were threatned in terrorem onely and would never be inflicted or else that they had not deserved such severity but that God should pour out his wrath rather upon the Heathen that knew him not and upon the families that called not on his name The Prophet here sheweth that Jacob was become a just object of Gods indignation by his transgressions or rebellions and the whole house of Israel by their sinnes there was a generall defection and therefore they must expect a generall destruction I or why the just Lord is in the middest thereof he will not do iniquity he will not acquit the guilty morning by morning doth he bring his judgements to light he faileth not but the unjust knoweth no shame will take no warning which is a just both presage and desert of his ruine What is the transgression of Iacob say they in a chatting way like these miscreants in Malachy that so worded it with God chap. 1. and 3. Is it not Samaria saith the Prophet in answer to that daring demand of theirs So what are the high-places of Iudah viz. the superstitions and carnall confidences thereof Is it not Jerusalem saith the Prophet Are not their capitall cities become their capitall sinnes Read we not of the calf of Samaria Hos 8.5 and did not her kings set up idols at Dan and Bethel and Gilgal and Beersheba As for Jerusalem had she not turned the very Temple into an high-place by resting in her ceremoniall services and sacrifices Did not some of her best kings wink at the high-places And Ahaz that stigmaticall Beliâ—list shut up Gods Temple and set up strange worships How then could these frontlesse fellowes ask What is the transgression c and What are the high-places c The Prophet goes not behind the door
have been prevented Verse 4. In that day shall one take up a parable c. In that day that dolefull and dismal day of their calamity shall One Any one that is moved at your misery and would work you to a sense of your sin the mother of your misery shall take up a parable tristem querulam sad and sorrowfull and lament with a doleful lamentation Heb. with a lamentation of lamentations or with heigh-ho upon heigh-ho as the word seemes to signify we be uttterly spoiled Plundered to the life laid naked to the very foundation chap. 1.6 put into such a condition as that there is neither hope of better nor place of worse he hath changed the portion of my people that is God or the Assyrian by Gods appointment hath taken away our countrey and given it to strangers The Pope took upon him in Henry the 8. dayes to give England Primo occupaturo to him that could first win it This brutum fulmen came to nothing But when Gods people changed their glory for that which profited not Ier. 2 11. he soon changed their portion he caused that good land to spew them out he turned their weale into woe and brought wrath upon them to the utmost Neither profited it them any more to have been called Gods people then it did Dives in flames that Abraham called him Son or Judas that Christ called him Friend how hath he removed it from me Erah This is Lamentation-like indeed See Lam. 1.1 and 2.1 and 4.1 all beginning with the same word How The speech is concise and abrupt meet for mourners There is an elegancy in the original not to be Englished How uncertaine are all things here God sits upon the circle of the earth and shakes out the inhabitants qt pleasure as by a canvas Esa 40. Persons and things are said to be in heaven but on earth on the outside of it only where they have no firm footing Dionysius was driven out of his kingdome Aelian lib. 2. which yet he thought was tied to him with chaines of adamant saith the Historian turning away from us as a lothsome object being so incorrigibly flagitious he hath divided our fields sc to the enemy for a reward like as he gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar for his paines at Tyre Or thus Instead of restoring which now we are hopelesse of he hath divided our fields our fertile and fat countrey to those that will be sure to hold their own in it as the Gaules and Gothes did in Italy after they had once tasted the sweetnesse of it Vatablus rendreth the text thus How hath he taken from me those fields of ours which he seemed ready to restore he hath even divided them sc to others Verse 5. Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot Fields were divided with cords of old and inheritances also See Psal 16.5 and 105.11 and 78.55 2 Sam. 8.2 This hope is henceforth cut off from revolted Israel the ten tribes never returned the other two did and some few of the ten amongst them Whether upon their conversion to Christ they shall be restored to the promised land Time the mother of Truth will make manifest In the congregation of the Lord So you were once but now nothing lesse A Congregation ye are still but of malignants a rabble of rebels conspiring against heaven A name ye have to live but ye are dead ye cry out Templum Domini The Temple of the Lord are we but in truth ye are no better then those Egyptian temples beautifull without but within nothing to be seen but a cat rat or some such despicable creature Here they are called the Congregation of the Lord by an irony as the Cardinall of Ravenna is so called by way of derision Verse 6. Prophesie ye not say they to them that prophesie Prodigious impudency thus to silence the Prophets or else to prescribe to them according to the other reading of the text Prophesie not as they prophesie for they are too tart therefore Drop not ye who thus drop vineger and nitre who vex our galled consciences no lesse then the cruel Spaniards do the poor Indians naked bodies which Sr. Fr. Drake for a sport they do day by day drop with burning bacon But let these drop that can smooth us up that can utter toothlesse truths that will drop oyle into our eares byssina verba and give us silken words these be Prophets for our turns c. God cannot please some hearers unlesse he speak tinkling and tickling words Now these must get their eares healed as Demosthenes advised his countreymen of Greece ere they can be in case to hear with profit They must learn of Bees to paslâ— by roses and violets and sit upon Time to heed I meane sound rebukes rather then smooth supparasitations There are that note a jeare it the tearm Drop It is well known that the word Preached is oft compared to raine Deut. 32.2 Esay 55.10.11 The Prophets therefore are here in derision called Droppers or Distillers Luk. 16 1â— and forbidden to do their office or at least to drop in that sort Thu their successors in evill the Pharisees who were likewise coverous derided Christ And thus their predecessours also in Esay's time put a scost upon him and his preaching cap. 28.10 where the sound of the words in the Original carries a taunt as scornfull people by the tone of their voice and riming words gibe and jeare at those whom they vilify they shall not prophesie to them q. d. You shall have your wish my droppers shall give over dropping and be no further troublesome nor take shame any more by prophesying to such a perverse people so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked that they shall not take shame Or shall they not take shame q. d. though they will not heare of it that shame shall be their promotion and confusion their portion yea they shall surely feel and find it so Verse 7. O thou that art named the house of Jacob That hast a name to live but art dead Rev. 3.1 that art called a Jew and makest thy boast of God Rom. 2.17 that hast a form of knowledge Rom. 2.20 and a form of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3.5 a semblance of sanctimony Luke 8.18 acting religion playing devotion as if it were a neme onely or as if it were enough to be named the house of Jacob or to have his voice though the hands are the hands of Esau the practise nothing suitable to the profession Thus many amongst us content themselves with the bare name of Christians as if many a ship hath not been called Safe-guard or Goodspeed which yet hath fallen into the hands of Pirates The devil will surely sweep and hell swallow all such Nominalists such shall find that an empty title yeelds but an empty comfort at the last What was Dives the better for this that Abraham called him sonne or Iudas that Christ called him friend or
for his great goodnesse We are so joyfull that I wish you part of my joy c. The posy of the city of Geneva stamped round about their mony was formerly out of Iob Ibid. Post tenebras spero lucem After darknesse I look for light But the Reformation once settled amongst them they changed it into Post tenebras lux Light after darknesse Scultet Aunal Like as the Saxon Princes before they became Christians gave for their armes a black horse Cranz in Saxon. but being once baptized a white Verse 9. I will beare the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him The Church had sinned and God was angry with her So Zech. 1.12 Esay 57.17 What meane then the Antinomians to tell us that God is never angry with his people for their foule and flagitious practises no not with a fatherly anger nor chastiseth them for the same no not so much as with a fatherly chastizement Virg. Aeneid Is not this contra Solem mingere Godlinesse is on target against affliction Blind Nature saw this nec te tua plurima Pentheu Labentem texit pietas Onely it helpes to patient the heart under affliction by considering 1. That it is the Lord. 2. That a man suffers for his sin as the penitent theef also confessed Luk. 24.41.3 That the rod of the wicked shall not lie long upon the lot of the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Say we then every one with David I know that thy judgements are right and thou hast afflicted me justly Psal 119.75 yea in very faithfulnesse hast thou done it that thou mightest be true to my soule And with that Noble Du-plessy who when he had lost his onely son a gentleman of great hopes which was the breaking of his mothers heart quieted himself with these words of David I was silent and said no word because thou Lord diddest it Psal 39. See my Love-tokens pag. 145.146 c. It shall be our wisdome in affliction to look to God and to reflect upon our sins taking his part against our selves as a Physician observes which way nature workes and helpes it until he plead my cause As a faithfull Patron and powerfull Avenger for though it be just in God that I suffer yet it is unjust in mine enemies who shall shortly be soundly paid for their insolencies and cruelties he will bring me forth to the light He will discloud these gloomy dayes and in his light I shall see light I shall behold his righteousnesse that is his faithfulnesse in fulfilling his Promise of deliverance in due time Meane-while I will live upon reversions live by faith and think to make a good living of it too All the wayes of God to his people are mercy and truth Psa 25.10 this is a soul-satisfying place of scripture indeed All the passages of his providence to them are not onely mercy but truth and righteousnesse they come to them in a way of a promise and by vertue of the Covenant wherein God hath made himself a voluntary debter to them 1 Joh. 1.9 Verse 10. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it c. Not onely shall I behold his righteousnesse as before but mine enemy shall see it and feel it too to her small comfort They shall see it when 't is too late to remedy it as they say the Mole never opens her eyes till pangs of death are upon her And shame shall cover her when she shall see that thou hast shewed me a token for good that thou hast holpen me and comforted me Psal 86.17 which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God So laying her religion in her dish whereby God became interested in her cause and concerned in point of honor to appear for her The Church is no lesse beholden to her enemies insolencies for help then to her own devotions for God will right himself and her together See Joel 2.17 with the Note Mine eyes shall behold her and feed upon her misery not as mine enemy but as Gods nor out of private revenge but out of zeal for his glory Now shall she be trodden down as the myre of the streets Erit infra omnes infimos she shall be as mean as may be Nineveh that great city is now a little town of small trade Babylon is nothing else but a sepulture of her self Those four Monarchies that so heavily oppressed the Church are now laid in the dust and live by fame onely so shall the Romish Hierarchie and Turkish Empire All Christs enemies shall shortly be in that place that is fittest for them sc under his feet as was before noted he will dung his Church with the carcasses of all those wilde boars and buls of Bashan that have trod it down Verse 11. In the day that thy walls are to be built In the type by Nehemiah chap. 3. who did the work with all his might and having a ready heart made riddance and good dispatch of it Mar. 16.15 In the truth and spiritually when the Gospel was to be preached to every creature and a Church collected of Jews and Gentiles The Church is in the Canticles said to be a garden enclosed such as hath a wall about it and a well within it Cant. 4.12 See the Note there God will be favourable in his good pleasure unto Zion Psal 51.18 and build the walls of Jerusalem His spirit also will set up a standard in his Saints against strong corruptions and temptations and make them more then conquerours even Triumphers Esay 59.19 Rom. 8.37 2 Cor. 2.14 In that day shall the decree be farre removed That decree of the Babylonians forbidding the building of the Temple and City shall be reversed and those statutes that were not good given them by Gods permission because they had despised his statutes Ezek. 20.24 25. shall be annulled and removed farre away Some read it In that day shall the decree go farre abroad and interpret it by Psal 2.7 8. of the doctrine of the Gospel Verse 12. In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria To thee Ierusalem in the Type shall recourse be had from all parts as if thou wert the chief city of the world Pliny saith that in his time she was the most famous of all the cities of the East and Titus himself is said to have wept at the last destruction of it by his souldiers whom he could not restrain from firing the Temple To the new Jerusalem the Church of the New Testament in the Antitype from whence the Gospel was sent out to every creature which is under heaven Col. 1.23 and whereunto people of all sorts flowed and many nations came Mic. 4.1 2. with highest acclamations most vigorous affections and utmost indeavours bestowing themselves upon the Lord Christ Act. 2.9 c. Jerusalem in the Hebrew tongue is of the duall number in regard of the two parts of the city the upper and the nether town Or
5.10 she received not correction or disciplâ—ne as being incurable or incorrigible pining away in her iniquity Lev. 26.39 and not accepting the chastisement of her sin she trusted not in the Lord but knockt at the creatures doore for help in her distresse and made flesh her arme her heart departed from the Lord Ier. 17.5 This God taketh very ill Ier. 2.12.13 as he hath very great reason Confidence being the least and yet the best we can render to him for all his benefits she drew not neer to her God Though he were her God yet she gat as far from him as she could and like a wild beast would not be tamed nor managed by him Now if these be undoubted arguments of filthy and polluted State as surely they are what shall we think of our selves who are as deeply guilty as ever Jerusalem was in the promises what shall the Lord do or what shall he not do rather to a nation so incorrigibly flagitious so obliged so warned so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked Verse 3. Her Princes within her are roaring lions Roaring over the meaner sort and tearing them with their claws See the Notes on Mic. 3.1 2 3. her Iudges are evening-wolves c. See Hab. 1.8 This rapacity and bribery they had learned likely under Manasses and Amon and exercised under good Iosiah who either knew it not or could not redresse it Est ergo periculi plena reip forma quae ab uno dependet saith Gualther here And Tertullian telleth us Tert. Apol. that one speciall thing the Primitive Christians pray'd for the Emperour was that God would send him Senatum fidelem a faithfull Senate pious Councellours good under-officers Of Aurelians Councell it was said that by them the good Emperour who might know nothing but as they informed him was even bought and sold Alphonsus King of Arragon said that Princes were for this in a worse condition then other people because they could seldome heare the truth of things Augustus bitterly bewailed the death of Varus because now said he Grand Signi Serag 148. I have none about me that will deal truly with me The Grand Signior goes oft abroad that he may receive poor mens petitions and right them upon the greatest Bashawes who bewitcht by bribery have denied them justice And hence it hath been ever observed that few of his chief officers die in their bed These evening-wolves many times have not a morrow left them to gnaw the bones in Rodulphus Archb. of Canterb next after Anselm was surnamed Nugax for his jesting toying Verse 4. Her Prophets are light Rash headlong futilous debauched as the French translateth it aeriall fantasticall waightlesse worthlesse men such as in whose doctrine there is no authority in whose life no gravity staiednesse severity constancy like the planet Mercury they can be good in conjunction with good and bad with bad like that French Apostate of whom Beza saith that he had religionem ephemeram for every day a new religion ab his ad illos ab illis ad hos leviter iens levius transiens double-minded and unstable in all his wayes Jam. 1. and treacherous persons Viri perfidiaerum most perfidious persons This is their true title whom the world counteth and calleth facile facetious fair-conditioned comporting condescending people-pleasing preachers Can there be a worse treachery then to betray mens souls as your Aiones and Negones do that cry peace peace and so cozen men to hell her priests have polluted the sanctuary Or holy services Cum coelum terrae commiscent sacra profanis God looks to be sanctified in all those that draw nigh unto him Levit. 10.3 that they should be singularly holy handling the word sanctè magis quà m scitè as One once told the wanton Vestall and living so that malice it self may be silenced God of old appointed both the weights and measures of the sanctuarie to be twice as large as those of the Common-wealth to shew that hee expects much more of those that serve him there then he doth of others See 1 King 7.15 with 2 Chron. 3.15 they have done violence to the law sc by their crafty and perverse glosses setting it on the rack as it were and so making it speak more then it would tawing it with their teeth as shoomakers do their upper-leather forcing it two miles when it would go but one yea murthering it as Tertullian saith of some quod caedem scripturarum faciant that they slaughter the scriptures to serve their own purposes for which cause also he calleth Marcion the heretike Murem Ponticum the Rat of Pontus for his arroding and gnawing the text Verse 5. The just Lord is in the middest thereof The unjust Princes were said to be in the middest of Jerusalem as roaring lions vers 3. Here the just Lord is also said to be in the middest of her as a sin-revenging Judge He sitteth as God in the middest of those uncircumcised vice-gods as I may in the worst sence best terme them he sets a jealous eye upon all their unrighteous proceedings and is with them in the judgement Neither eyeth he them onely but all others in like sort as the king in the Gospel came in to see his guests His eye like a well-drawn picture taketh view of all that come into the room O that we could be in his fear all the day O that we would ever walk uin the sense of his presence and light of his countenance Nè pecces Deus ipse videt bonus Angelus astat c. Sinne not for God seeth thee the good Angels stand about thee Satan will accuse thee Noli peccare nam Deus videt Angeli astant diabolus accusabit conscientia testabitur Infernus cruciabit Conscience will give in evidence against thee Hell will torment thee A reverend and religious man had this written before his eyes in his study he will not do iniquity i. e. He will not let enormities go unpunished nor passe by the infirmities of his people without a sensible check Psal 99.8 See Hab. 1.13 Every morning doth he bring his judgement to light Daily and diligently doth He both threaten by his Prophets and execute with his hand the menaces of his mouth upon those that will not be warned that refuse to be reformed He hath in a readinesse to revenge all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 Maturely he will do it and accurately It is his mornings work Psal 101.8 like as it is theirs to rise early and corrupt all their doings vers 7. He will be up and at it as soon as they he faileth not As he may seem to do when he forbeareth Non deest He will not be wanting to his office to proceed against the uncounsellable but the unjust knoweth no shame He can blush no more then a sackbut as the proverb is Such an impudency hath sinne woaded in his face that he basheth nothing Et pudet non esse impudentem he is past all
is I will accept your worships Psal 73.23 24. though in this meaner temple If God may have the substance of worship hee stands not much upon the circumstance The sick may pray upon their beds the persecuted in chambers Acts 1. yea in dens and caves of the earth Heb. 11.38 The Church in Queen Maries dayes met and prayed oft together in a cellar in Bow-church-yard It was one of the laws of the twelve tables in Rome Ad divos adeunto castè pietatem adhibento Act. Mon. opes amovento Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire viz. in comparison of obedience 1 Sam. 15.22 but as a better thing mine ears hast thou opened Psal 40.6 Hypocrites by cold ceremonies think to appease God they observe the circumstance neglect the substance they stick in the bark of religion gnabble on the shel offer the skin keep back the flesh serve God with shewes shall be served accordingly Verse 5. According to the Word Or as Tremellius hath it better Cum VERBO quo pepigeram vobiscum with the WORD in and sor whom I covenanted with you c. So my Spirit remaineth among you And so it is a gracious promise that the whole Trinity will be with them The particle eth seemeth put for gnim◠and the article He is emphatical shewing that by Word is meant the second person often called the Word both in the Old Testament 2 Sam. 7.21 with 1 Chron. 17.19 and in the New Luke 1.2 John 1.1 1 John 5.7 The Caldee seemeth to favour this interpretation for he rendreth it My Word shall be your help Hierome Albertus Nyssen and Haymo dissent not Haggai and other Prophets and Patriarches of old did well understand the mystery of the Sacred Trinity See my note on Gen. 1.1 Elihu speaks of the Almighty his makers Job 35.10 Solomon the same Eccles 12.1 Cant. 1.11 which Jarchi interpreteth of the Trinity Isay hath his Trisagion or Holy Holy Holy chap. 6.3 and chap. 42.5 Thus saith God the Lord He that created the heavens and they that stretched them out So Deut. 6.4 When Moses beginneth to rehearse the law and to explain it the first thing he teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One Three words answering the three persons and the middle word Our God deciphering fitly the second who assumed our nature as is well observed by Galatinus Others observe that the last letters in the Original both in the word Hear and in the word One are bigger then ordinary as calling for utmost heed and attention The old Rabbines were no strangers to this tremend mystery as appeareth by R. Solomons note on Cant. 1.11 We will make c. though their posterity desperately deny it The Greek Church was not so sound in this fundamental point therefore their chief City Constantinople was taken from them by the Turks as Estius observeth on Whitsunday or as others on Trinity Sunday which day saith our Chronicler the Black Prince was used every year to celebrate with the greatest honour that might be Speed 723. in due veneration of so divine a mystery Now Christ is here and elsewhere called The Word either because hee is so often promised in the Word Or else because by him Gods will was manifested and revealed to men and that either mediately in the Prophets whence Peter Martyr thinketh that phrase came Then came the Word of the Lord that is Christ Or immediately himselfe Heb. 1.2 and 2.3 That I covenanted with you Or in whom I covenanted and whence Christ is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Christ then was a Saviour to those of the Old Testament also Rev. 13.8 the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Christ undertook to pay his peoples debt in the fullnesse of time and hereby they were saved A man may let a prisoner loose now upon a promise to pay the debt a year after See Heb. 9.15 and take notice of the unity of the faith in both Testaments they of old saw Christ afarre off in the promises they saluted him and were resaluted by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. When ye came out of Egypt Ye that is your ancestours Things done by the parents may be said to be done by the children because of the near conjunction that is between them Hence Levi is said to pay tithes in Abraham and Adams sinne is imputed to us all Heb. 7. So my spirit remaineth amongst you Not the substance but the gifts of the Spirit not the tree but the fruits Those whom God receiveth into the covenant of grace he endues them with the spirit of grace See Rom. 8.9.11 How else should they be able to perform their part of the Covenant sith we cannot so much as suspirare unlesse he doe first inspirare breath out a sigh for sinne till he breath it in to us by his Spirit Hereby then we may know whether or no we are in Covenant with God the Devill will be sure to sweep all that are not sc if his spirit remain in us Jer. 31.35 working illumination 1 Cor. 2.14.15 Mortification Rom. 8.13 Motion Rom. 8.14 Guifts 1 Cor. 12.4 7 8. c. Fruits Gal. 5.22.23 strength Esay 11.2 Courages as here Fear ye not Cur timet hominem homo in sinu Dei positus Aug. why should such fear man who have God in Christ by his Spirit standing with them and for them The righteous may be bold as a lyon he hath the peace of God within him and the power of God without him and so goes ever under a double guard what need he fear It is said of Achilles that he was Styge armatus and therefore could not bee wounded But he that is in covenant with God is Deo Christo Spiritu Sancto armatus and may therefore be fearlesse of any creature Verse 6. For thus saith the Lord of hosts i. e. the three persons in Trinity as appeareth by the note on the former verse Howbeit the Author to the Hebrews chap. 12.25.26 applyeth the words to Christ whence observe that Christ is Lord of hosts and God Almighty even the same second person that is called haddabhar the Word in the former verse is very God Compare John 1.3 with Col. 1.14.16 and Iohn 1.9 with Iohn 8.12 and Iohn 1.11 with Acts 3.13.14 c. See those cohaerencies of sentences Iohn 9.3.4 and 11.4 and 12.39.40 besides the Apostles argument Heb. 1.4 That one Gospel written by St. Iohn who was therefore called the Divine by an excellency as afterwards Nazianzen also was because he doth professedly assert and vindicate the Divinity of Christ ever strongly impugned by the Devill and his agents those odious Apostates and hereticks ancient and moderne And no wonder for it is the Rock Mat. 16.18 setting him forth 1. as coessential to the Father his onely begotten sonne Iohn 1.14 One with the Father in essence and power
up and down when the deadly arrow sticks in their ribbes but not so easily shake it off Verse 6. Did they not take hold of your fathers Overtake and catch them as Huntsmen their prey or as one enemy doth another in flight 1 King 18.27 2 King 25.5 to drag them down to the bottome of hell A godly man as he hath peace with God with himselfe and with the creatures so he hath also with the Ordinances and may say as Hezekiah Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken Are not my words alwaies good saith God to them that walk uprightly Mic. 2.7 Excellently Augustine Adversarius est nobis quamdiu sumus ipsi nobis quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es inimicum habebis sermonem Dei Gods word is adversary to none but such as are adversaries to themselves Neither doth it condemn any but such as shall be assuredly condemned by the Lord Cor anima Dei Greg. in 3. Reg. for what is the Word but the heart and soul of God as Gregory saith And what saith the Essential Word of God who came out of the bosome of his father and knew all his counsell He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the some shall judge him in the last day Iohn 12.48 Oh consider this ye that forget God that slight his word as if it were but wind that bely the Lord and say It is not he neither shall the cvill foretold come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall become wind and the word is not in them thus shall it bee done unto them Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts because ye speak this word and is there not such language of many mens hearts now-adayes Behold I will make my words not wind but fire and this people wood and it shall devour them Ier. 5.12 13 14. The Word of God in the mouths of his Ministers may well be likened to Moses his rod which whiles he held it in his hand it flourished and brought forth almonds but being cast upon the ground it became a serpent Semblably Gods words and statutes if laid to heart they yeeld fruit and comfort but if slighted or snuffed at as Mal. 1.13 serpent-like they will sting the soul and become a savour of death c. This contempt will also call for a sword to revenge the quarrel of the Covenant as it did upon these mens fathers for their instance and admonition It is reckoned by Daniel as a great aggravation of Belshazzars sinne Dan. 5.22 that hee was not sensible of his father Nebuchadnezzars pride and fall And thou his sâ—nne Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this The sinne of these Jewes in the Text was the greater because their Fathers and Elders either out of sound conversion or at least out of clear conviction of conscience had confessed and remonstrated the truth and justice of God in threatening and executing his judgements upon themselves saying as Lam. 1.18 The Lord is righteous for we have rebelled against his commandements and as chap. 2.17 The Lord hath done that which he had devised he hath fulfilled his word he hath thrown down and hath not pittied c. Hear them in their own words here like as the Lord of hosts whose power is irresistible thought devised determined with himselfe Zamam and accordingly denounced by his Prophets to doe unto us who did not the words which he commanded us Ier. 11.8 according to our wayes which were alwaies grievous Psal 10.5 and according to our doings that were not good Ezek. 36.31 so hath he dealt with us for he loves to retaliate and to render to every transgression and disobedience a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 Verse 7. Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month The third month after the former prophecy when the Jewes probably had practised the doctrine of Repentance so earnestly pressed upon them and had humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God who was now ready to lift them up by this and the seven following most comfortable Visions touching the restauration and reformation of the Church and State The Devill and his impes love to bring men into the briars and there to leave them as familiars forsake their witches when they have brought them once into fetters as the Priests left Judas the traytour to look to himself Mat. 27.4 and as the Papists cast off Cranmer after that by subscribing their Articles he had cast himself into such a wretched condition that there was neither hope of a better nor place for a worse Melch. Ad. in vita ut jam nec honestè mori nec vivere inhonestè liceret But such is not Gods manner of dealing with those that tremble at his word and humble at his feet Deijcit ut relevet premit ut solatia praestet He comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 commandeth others to comfort the feeble-minded 1 Thes 5.14 and noteth those that do not with a black-coal Nigro carbone notar Job 6.14 See the workings of his bowels the rowlings of his compassions kindled into repentance toward his penitentiaries Jer. 31.20 Hos 11.8 Esay 40.1 2. See how he comforts them with cordials according to the time wherein he had afflicted them Psal 90.15 and in the very thing wherein he had abased them as he once dealt with their Head Philip. 2.7 8. Kerse 8. I saw by night The usuall time for such revelations It may note moreover the obscurity of the Prophecy whence also the mention of myrtle-trees low and shady and that in a bottom as Calvin conceiveth and all this that he might give a taste of good hope to the Jews by little and little and behold a man riding upon a red horse Not Alexander the Great riding upon his horse Bucephalus and translating the Empire from the Persians to the Grecians as Arias Montanus conceited it But the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 the Captain of the Lords Host Josh 4.14 and of our salvation Heb. 2.10 riding upon a red horse In the same sense saith One that this colour is given to his garments Esay 63.1 2 3. and to the Angels horse Rev. 6.4 The wild Bull saith Another of all things cannot abide any red colour Therefore the hunter for the nonce standing before a tree puts on a red garment whom when the Bull seeth he runneth at him as hard as he can drive But the hunter stepping aside the bulls horns stick fast in the tree as when David slipped aside Sauls spear stuck fast in the wall Such an hunter is Christ He lifted up upon the tree of his crosse had his garment dipt and died in his own blood as one that cometh with red garments from Bozra Therefore the Devil and his Angels like wild bulls of Bashan ran at him with all their force in that
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 his truth shall be thy shield and buckler Under this shield and within this strong-hold of the promises God had made them in the foregoing verses these prisoners of hope these heires of the promises were to shroud and secure themselves amidst those dangers and distresses as incompassed them on every fide And that they might know that the needy should not alwayes be forgotten Psal 9.18 the expectation of the poor should not perish for ever here 's as precious promise of present comfort even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee Though you be now at never so great an under yet I do make an open promise unto you verbis non solum disertis sed exertis I do assure you in the word of truth that I will render unto thee thou poor soule that liest panting under the present pressure double that is life and liberty saith Theodoret Grace and Glory saith Lyra Or double to what thou hopest I will be better to thee then thy hopes saith Hierom Or double that is multiplied mercy but especially Christ who is caled the Gift of God by an excellency Ioh. 4.10 the Benefit 1. Tim. 6.2 that which shall abundantly countervaile all crosses and miseries Mar. 10.30 Iob had all double to him Valentinian had the Empire Q Elisabeth the Crown God will be to his Hannah's better then ten children Verse 13. When I have bent Judah for me God himself did the work though by the sons of Zion as his instruments whom he used and prospered against the sons of Greece that is the successours of Alexander the Great who led them out of Greece against the power of Persia and who seizing upon Egypt and Syria crusht and ground the poor Jews betwixt them as betwixt two milstones This Prophesie was fulfilled in the Maccabes but may have on eye to the Apostles who were some of them of Judah some of Ephraim that is of the ten tribes as of Zebulon Psal 45.5 Nepthali c. these Christ used as bowes and arrowes in the hand of a mighty man whereby the people fell under him the sons of Greece especially where so many famous churches were planted as appeares by the Acts and the Revelation See Rev. 6.2 with the Note and made thee as the sword of a mighty man given thee both armes and an arme to weild them For it is God that strengtheneth and weakeneth the armes of either party in battel Ezek. 30.24 It is he also that rendreth the weapons vaine or prosperous Isa 54. ult Ier. 50.9 This Judas Maccabeus well understood and therefore had his name from the capitall letters of this motto written in his Ensigne Mi camoca belohim Jehovah who is like thee O Lord among the Gods St. Paul also that conquered so many countries and brought in the spoiles of so many soules to God whence the change of his name from Saul to Paul as some think 2 Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 15. from Sergius Paulus the Proconsul whom he converted to the faith Act. 13.9 The weapons of our warfare saith He are mighty through God to the casting down of strong-holds Not I but the grace of God that is with me c. And ye men of Israel why look ye so earnestly upon us saith Peter as if by our own power of holinesse c. Act. 3.12 Verse 14. And the Lord shall be seen over them shall be conspicuous amongst them he shall appeare for them in the high places of the field he shall make bare his arm and bathe his sword in blood How many do you reckon me at said Antigonus to his souldiers when they feared the multitudes of their enemies May not God say so much more to his Hath ever any waxed fierce against him and prospered If he but arise onely his enemies shall be scattered Psal 68.1 and those that hate him shall flee before him his arrow shall go forth with the lightening Here the former matter is illustrated by many lofty tropes and allusions either to those ancient deliverances at the red-sea and against the Canaanites and Philistines by thunders lightening and tempest or else as Calvin rather thinks to the terrible delivery of the Law with thunderings and lightenings and sound of trumpets to the great amazements of the people insomuch as Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake He confers Habak 3.3 4 5. and further alledgeth that Teman here rendred the South was the same with Sinai and lies South from Judaea Lightening thunder and whirl-winds are a part of Gods Armies which he can draw forth at his pleasure against his enemies Such things as these fell out oft-times in the warres of the Maccabees And how the Lord mightily assisted his Apostles whose arrowes went forth as the lightening swiftly suddenly irresistibly and whose thunder gave a loud alarum to all Nations I need not relate Vers 15. The Lord of hosts shall defend them Heb. Paulum quoâ—iescunque lego non verba mihi audire videor sed tonitrua shall hold his buckler over them which none can strike thorow and they shall devour sc their enemies that till then did eat up Gods people as they eat bread Psal 14.5 and subdue with sling-stones with weak means as David did Goliath and they shall drink and make a noise Tumultuabuntur quasi temulenti 'T is a Catechresis signifying the very great destruction of their enemies so that they might be even drunk with their blood if they had any mind to it the tongues of their dogges should be dipped therein as Psal 68.23 24. and they shall be filled like bowls c. that held the blood of the sacrifices and as the corners of the altar which were all besprinkled with the blood of the sacrifices A Lapide applies all this to those heavenly Conquerours and more that is Triumphers the Apostles and Martyrs Verse 16. And the Lord their God shall save them Not defend them onely as Lord of Hosts verse 15. but as a further favour save them as their God in Covenant with them as the flock of his people rescuing them as David did his lamb from the lion and bear and tending them continually as the stones of a crown Costly and precious or Monumentall-stones with crowns on the top and set up for Trophies Verse 17. For how great is his goodnesse He shuts up all with this sweet Epiphonema or exclamation admiring the singular goodnesse of God to his people in all the former particulars and yet promising them Abundance of outward necessaries even to an honest affluence they should have store of corn and wine so much as should make them succulent and vigorous full of sappe and good humours Provided that first they content not themselves with the naturall use of the creature but tast how good the Lord is And next that they put this promise into suit by their prayers as chap. 10.1 CHAP. X. Verse 1. ASK you of the Lord rain Ask it and have
it Hos 10.12 Open your mouthes wide and he will fill them Seek yee the Lord till he come and rain righteousnesse upon you Surely as the Sunne draws up vapours from the earth and sea not to retain them but to return them and as thin vapours come down again in thick showers of rain So God calls for our prayers for our profit and does for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think Ephes 3.20 Ask we must Ezek. 36.37 Prayer is an indispensable duty Our Saviour taught his disciples to pray He himself was to ask of his Father and then he should have the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 He could have had presently twelve legions of Angels to rescue him but then he was to send to heaven for them by prayer Mat. 26.53 I came for thy words that is for thy prayers sake saith the Angel to Daniel As well as God loved him he looked to hear from him Dan. 10.11 12. for he will grace his own Ordinances and make his people know both their distance and dependance Rain in the time of the latter rain Rain is the flux of a moist cloud which being dissolved by little and little by the heat of the Sun lets down rain by drops out of the middle region of the air This if it come right in due time and measure it maketh much for the fattening of the earth Psal 65.11 laying the heat nourishing the herb and tree Esay 44.14 refreshing all creatures grasse fruits c. Lev 26.4 Jam. 5.18 Esay 30.23 So if otherwise it proves a great punishment Joel 1. Joel 1.10 11 c. 17 19 c. Great expectation there was in Judaea and those Eastern parts of the former and the latter rain That fell in the seed-time about Autumne this in the Spring â—ide causing the corn to ear and kearn before harvest Both were to be sought of God alone For are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain or can the heaven give showres No no These come by a divine decree Job 28.26 God prepares rain Psal 147.8 he dispenseth it in number weight and measure Job 28.25 not a drop falls in vain or in a wrong place he also with-holds it when and where he thinks good Amos 4.7 The Egyptians used in a profane mockery to tell other Nations that if God should forget to rain they might all chance to starve for it The rain they though was of God but not their river which therefore God threateneth to dry up Ezek. 29.3 9. Esay 19.5 6. Nat. quaest lib. 4. cap. 2. Art am l. 1. Jer. 2.13 as also he did as both Seneca and Ovid testifie in the raigne of Cleopatra The creatures at best are but broken cisterns Not fountains but cisterns onely and those broken too there 's no trusting to them they were never true to those that trusted them So the Lord shall make bright clouds Nubes cursitantes thin clouds that flie swiftly in the air most commonly before and after very rainy weather R. Salomon interprets the word here used not lighenings which yet are signes and fore-runners of rain Psal 135.7 Ier. 10.13 but clouds bringing rain Clouds are nothing else but vapours thickened in the middle region of the air by the cold invironing and driving them together that they may be as so many heavenly bottles holding water to be seasonably distilled How they are upheld and why they fall here and now and by drops not by spouts sith they are vessels as thin as the liquor contained in them we know not and wonder and give them showres of rain Heb. rain rain that is plentifull rain upon his inheritance Eccles 12.2 Esay 45.19 the clouds shall return after the rain and one showre is unburthened another shall be brewed God scorns to say to the seed of Iacob Seek ye me in vain or that any of his suitours should go sad away for want of an answer David asked his for life and God gave him more even length of dayes for ever and ever Psal 21.4 Many came to Christ for cure of their bodies he cured them on both sides and was better to them then their prayers Gehezi asked Naaman for a talent of silver nay take two said he and he pressed it upon him So saith God to his Ask and spare not that your joy may be full Ye are not straitened in me but ye are straitened in your own bowels Ye have not because ye ask not and he is worthy to want it that may have it for asking onely to every one grasse Grasse for the cattle and corn for the food of man as the Chaldee expounds it Verse 2. For the idols have spoken vanity q. d. Therefore ask good things at Gods hands as rain food and all necessary provision because Idols and soothsayers cannot help you to these things If they promise you as they will beleeve them not for they lie as fast as once Rabshakeh did for his Master when he promised the people a land of corn and wine Esay 36.17 a land of bread and vineyards And they will finally serve you as Absaloms mule served her Master whom she left at his greatest need to hang betwixt heaven and earth as rejected of both Lo such are all creature-comforts golden delusions lying vanities apples of Sodom nec vera nce vestra 1 Cor. 7. 31. the fashion of this world saith Paul the phantasies of mens brain saith Luke Act. 25.23 the semblances and empty shews of good without any reality or solid consistency saith Solomon often They are saith our Prophet here a wicked deceit and cosinage An arrant lie a false dream a vain or empty comfort that utterly deceiveth a mans confidence and maketh him in the fulnesse of his conceited sufficiencie to be in straights These here for instance viz. the Jews that had been carried captives as a flock without a guide sheep without a shepherd and ye had not till after some while at least abrenounced their Idols Ier. 44.22 Ezek. 9. therefore they went their way as a flock Driven by the butcher to the slaughter-house Idolatry is a land-desolating sin as besides these Jews the more ingenuous of them at this day confesse that in all their punishments there is still an ounce of the golden-calf made by them in the wildernesse the Greek Church was undone by it The worshipping of Images they defended with tooth and nail as they say and established it in the second Councell of Nice not long before the Turk took Nice and made it the seat of his Empire in opposition to Constantinople which at length he took also and brought in Mahometisme that foul impiety which quickly over-spread the whole East and South like as Popish Idolatry did the West and North. But this iniquity will be their ruine Babylon the great is fallen is fallen She hath fallen culpably she shall therefore fall
penally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And why She is become the habitation of devils that is of idols See Rev. 9.20 1 Cor. 10.20 Verse 3. Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds Pastores Impostores the greedy priests and false prophets main causes of the captivity because through their default there was no knoledge nor fear of God in the land Esay 5.13 Hos 4.6 7. See Ier. 23.1 Ezek. 34.1 and I punished the goats The Grandees and Governours temporall and Ecclesiasticall See Ezek. 34.17 They should have been as the hee-goats before the flock Ier. 50.8 worthy Guides to God But they were goats in another sence unruly and nasty and lascivious as those two filthy fellows for instance whom for their adultery the kind of Babylon roasted in the fire Ier. 29.22 and such as begat kids of their own kind men of their own make and went before them in wickednesse as the goats lead the flocks for the Lord of hosts Better to read it but the Lord of hosts c. And this is spoken for the comfort of those that called upon God and abhorred Idols and Idol-shepherds that were in speciall covenant with him and therefore owned by him as his flock or peculiar charge Now to such he promiseth to feed them as him sheep and to furnish them as his horse for service his goodly warre-horse mainly respected by his Master as Bucephalus was by Alexander Plin. l. 8. c. 41. This may in part be understood of the Maccabees victories but principally of the Apostles those white horses upon which they rode thorow the world conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Saint Paul is fitly compared to that war-horse in Job chap. 39.20 whose neck is clothed with thunder and the glory of his nostrils is terrible He mocketh at fear and turneth not back from the sword He goeth on to meet the armed man and swalloweth the ground with fiercenesse and rage c. Verse 4. Out of him came forth the corner Angulus not Angelus as some Vulgar Latine translations have it and A Lapide justly finds fault with it Chap. 35. A like fault Surius and Caranza his fellow-popelings are content to wink at nay to defend in the Laodicene Councell because it makes for their Angel-worship For whereas the Councell truely saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians must not pray to Angels They make the words to be Non oportet Christianos ad angulos congregationes facere Christians ought not hold their meetings in corners and they make the title say the same thing but is this fair dealing thus to falsifie antiquity for their own ends and to maintain their own errours As for the Text. Out of his came forth c. That is Out of Judah shall be had all things necessary both at home and here the Prophet proceeds from the foundation to the nails or fastening of the house together and abroad both for the mastering of the enemy by the Battle-bowe c. and the making of him tributary for Out of him shall come every exactour sc Of homage and tribute as the fruit of their victory Danaeus senceth it thus Out of Judah shall go every oppressour which did vex his people before God driving him forth Verse 5. And they shall be as mighty men Or as Giants as Gabriels they shall be strong in the Lord Ruth 2.11 and in the power of his might they shal do worthily in Ephratas and be famous in Bethlehem their bow shall abide in strength and the armes of their hands be made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob from thence is the shepheard the stone of Israel Plutarch Gen. 49.24 If it could be said of Mithridates a meer Atheist that he never wanted any courage nor counsel how much of Gods warriours such as Iudas Maccabeus especially Messiah the Prince who treads down his enemies as the mire of the streets setting his feet in their necks and making them to be found liars unto him that is to yeeld him at least a forced and fained subjection and they shall sight because the Lord is with them This is enough to make them fight up to the knees in blood that they have God to stand by them not onely as a spectatour or Agonotheta though that 's somwhat dogs and other baser creatures will fight lustily when their masters are by and to set them on but as a Captain of the Lord Hosts as Christ is called and a Coadjutor a Champion a man of war Exod. 15.3 Yea he alone is a whole army of men he is Van and Reiâ—e both Isai 52.12 The shields of the earth belong to him the Militia of the world is his Psal 47.9 he hath magnleh choloth and matteh choloth as the Rabbins well observe armies both above and beneath as his horse and foot to fight for him people and the riders on horses shall be confounded As they were in the conquest of Canaan where the enemies had horses and chariots when the Israelites had neither as Origâ—n observeth and as they were in all Davids wars and the rest of the victorious kings of Israel who according to the Law Deut. 17.16 made no use of horses but said An horse is but a vain thing for battel c. God takes no delight in the strength of an horse and ever fought on foot with singular successe So did the Maccabees Zisca and after his the Bohemians the English in France at the battle of Spurres so the battle of Terwin was called in Henry the eighth his time from the French posting away to save their lives Spied 1000. Verse 6. A Lapide And I will strengthen the house of Judah Robustos as quasi Gabricles efficiam See Chap. 12.8 Esay 10.34 See verse 5. of this chapter The Saints shall be strengthened with all migh according to his glorious power Col. 1.11 at the Resurrection especially when Christ shall change their vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body in strength agility beauty c. The bodies of the Saints saith Luther shall have that power as to tosse the greatest mountains in the world like a ball Auselme saith such as they shall be able to shake the whole earth at their pleasure Our Saviour saith that they shall be as the Angels of God Luk. 20.36 more like spirits then bodies while they are here In quiet and confidence is their strength Esay 30.15 and again in the same chapter verse 7. their strength is to sit still They expected much strenght from Egypt but the Prophet tells them that by siting still and waiting for the salvation of God by faith they shall have an Egypt Heb. 11.34 and better out of weaknesse they should be made strong wax valiant in fight turn to flight the armies of the aliens as the Maccabees did and as Michael and his Angels Rev. 12. the noble Army of the Apostles who were more then Conquerours and Martyrs who tired their tormentours and laughed at
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
speaketh of the times of the Gospel chap. 12.10 and of the kingdom of Christ Sequitur ergo saith Mr. Calvin here well and worthily non modò legem illam fuisse Judaeis positam quemadmedum nugantur fanatici hemines qui vellent hodie sibi permitti orbis turbandi licentiam sed extenditur ad nos etiam eadem lex It followeth therefore that that Law Deut. 13.9 was not made for the Jewes onely as some brain-sick people conceit it who would fain get leave to trouble the world with their fopperies but the same law extendeth it self even to us For if at this day theeves and witches and adulterers c. are held worthy of punishment how much more are heretikes seducers blasphemers who poison mens souls rob God of his glory confound the whole order of the Church c. See Rom 13.4 1 Pet. 2.13 14. and hold to that old Rule Non distinguendum ubi scriptura non distinguit Men must not distinguish where the scripture doth not that his father In whose heart there is naturally an Ocean of love to his own child as we see in David toward Absalom in old Andronicus the Greek Emperour in our William the Conquerour and Maud his wife toward their unnaturall sonne Robert Curtuoise whom she maintained out of her own coffers in his quarrell for Normandy which the king her husband knew Speed 452. and took as a cause rather of displeasure then of hatred as proceeding from motherly indulgence for advancing their sonne that begat him This is twice here repeated for honours sake to these zelots who forgat all naturall and carnall respects for the vindication of Gods glory and his sincere service See Mat. 10.37 with the Note there thou shalt not live sc to do more mischief and to draw more souls to the devil Non Catilinae te genui sed patriae said Aulus Fulvius when he slew his own sonne taken in Catalines conspiracie I begat thee not for Catiline but for thy countrey More to be commended a great deal then Philip that bloody king of Spain who said openly that he had rather have no subjects then Lutheran subjects that he would not leave a Lutheran in his dominions that if he thought his shirt smelt of that heresie he would tear it from his own back And out of a blind zeal he suffered his eldest sonne Charles to be murthered by the cruel Inquisition because he seemed to favour our profession For which noble exploit that mouth of blasphemy Hieron Catina the Pope gave him this commendation Non pepercit filio suo sed dedit pro nobis He spared not his own sonne but gave hm up for us O horrible for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord Lies in hypocrisie doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4.12 Rev. 2.24 depths of Satan that artificer of lies and father of them Joh. 8.44 which yet he would fain father and fasten upon the God of Amen or of truth as he is called Psal 31.5 like as varlets beget bastards and lay them at honest mens doors to be kept Thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord. This is to substitute the devil in the place of God or to transform God so as that he should nothing differ from the devil No wonder therefore though he that break the least commandement and teach men so Mat. 5.19 be called least in the kingdom of heaven especially if he pretend Gods authority for it as the false Prophets of old and the Swenckfeldien heretikes alate entitle themselves The Confessours of the glory of Christ For this is the highest indignity or rather contumely that can be put upon God It is a more detestable evil then to kill an innocent man yea to commit parricide or treason Imo quaecunque poterunt numerare scelera non pervenient od hoc crimen saith Calvin upon the text Let Sectaries and Seducers look to it those harmlesse hornlesse creatures as they would be accounted shall thrust him thorough when he prophesieth As Phineas did that stinking couple in the flagrancie of their lust Num. 25.8 and as Levi in like case consecrated himself to the Lord even every man upon his sonne and upon his brother Exod. 32.29 He said unto his father and mother when Gods glory required it I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor know his own children Deut. 33.9 All naturall relations and self-respects should be drown'd in the glory of God and the good of our own and other mens souls They should be even swallowed up thereby as the fuell is by the fire and as the sorcerers serpents were by Moses serpent or the fat kine by the lean Verse 4. The Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision Of their Midianitish dreams which they had first dreamed and then told it for gospel to their fond neighbours They shall be so clearly convinced that they shall blush and bleed to think how they have been besotted how many souls they have murdered how oft they have even stradled over hell-mouth and yet have been preserved 2 Thess 2.10 12. See the Note This makes them shame and shent themselves in the presence of God and his people Ezra 9.6 saying O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our imquities are increased over our head and our guilt is grown up to the heavens This was fulfilled in those Scribes and Pharisees that afterwards became beleevers and said with Saint Paul Beware of the concision For we are the circumcision Philip. 3.2 3 which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no considence in the slesh Luther revolted from the Popish religion which he had held and maintained taking it for an honour to be called Apostate by them that is as he interpreted it One that had fallen off from the devil Bugenhagius when he first read Luthers book de captivitate Babylonica pronounced it to be the most pestilent piece that ever was published Qui fidem diabolo datam uon servavit But afterwards when he had better considered he grew ashamed of that rash censure and protested that Luther onely was in the right and all that held not the same that he did were utterly deceived Latimer was of the like mind after that he had once heard Bilneys confession Vergerius after he had read Luthers books with purpose to confute them Denckius and Hetserus two great Anabaptists in Germany retracted their former false doctrines and repented of their licentious and abominable practises Sâ—ultet Annal. the former of them being converted by Occolampadius grew ashamed of his pretended visions and died piously at Basile The later was beheaded at Constance for his multiplied adulteries Ibid. which first he sought to defend by Scripture but afterwards died very penitently confesting his former filthinesses giving glory to God and taking shame to himself These two were learned men well skilled in
family of Egypt So called from one Aiguptos a King there In the Hebrew it is called mostly Mizraim from one of that name Gen. 10.6 sometimes for its power and pride it is called Rahab Psal 87.4 and 89.11 Esay 51.9 The family of Egypt is here put for the whole Nation see the like Amos 3.1 because after the confusion of tongues especially Nations took their originall and denomination from the head of some family as did the Egyptians from Mizraim Chams second sonne go not up and come not But they did receive the Christian religion with the first had Christian schools Doctours and Professours after that Saint Mark had there planted a Church at Alexandria now called Scanaeroon This was fore-prophecred Esay 19.21 The Lord shall be known to Egypt c And the Lord shall smite Egypt he shall smite and heal it c. he shall cause them to passe under the rod and to bâ—â—g them into the bond of the covenant as it is Ezek 20.37 thâ—â— have no rain Others read it thus It shall not rain upon them For they also needed rain in some measure as well as other nations See Psal 105.32 though not so much by reason of the overslowings of the river 〈◊〉 which if it arise to a just height 〈…〉 sc of fifteen or sixteen cubits as Pliny â—ells us it 〈◊〉 the land very fruitfull so that they do but throw in the seed and have â—our 〈◊〉 harvests in lesse then four moneths S. H. Blant◠〈◊〉 Indeed where the Nile arrives not 〈◊〉 nothing they say in Egypt but a whitish fand bearing no grasse but two â—tile weeds colled Suâ—it and Gazul which burnt to ashes and conveyed to Venice make the finest thrystall-glasses The Chalâ—ee â—enders it Non cresâ—et ejus Nâ—ns God loves to confute men in their confidences to dry up their Nilusses See Ezck. â—â—◠〈…〉 9. Isaâ— 19.5 6. as he did for two yeers together in the time of Cloopatra a little before Christs birth and once before for nine years space there shall be the plague q.d. If they escape the forethreatened evil a worse thing abides them their preservation from famine is but a reservation to those everlasting burnings Verse 12. And though here they abound even to satiety and surfet the Egyptians were wont to boast that they could feed all men and feast all the gods without any sensible diminution of their provision yet at the last day they shall be cut short enough eat fire drink brimstone God himself uttering those or the like words Esay 65 1â— Behold my servants shall cat but you shall â—e hurgry â—ehold myservants shall drink but you shâ—ill be thirsty behold my servants shall rejoice but none shall be ashamed Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for â—exation of spirit Verse 19. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment Or sin Indeed the sin of sins to slight Gods Ordinances and offers of grace and to neglect so great salvation as is tendred in and by Christ This very sin is it own punishment This is condemnation or hell asorehand John 3.19 This brought Capernaum down from heaven to hell Mat. 11.23 Pagans that never heard of Christ shall havean easier judgement then such Mat. 10.23 for they shall have a double condemnation One from the law which they have broken wherein Christ found them another from the Gospel for rejecting Christ and the bath of his blood to the which even the Prinâ—es of Sodoâ— are invited Esai 1.10 See Iohn â—2 48 Mat. 21.44 It is with such as with a malefactour that being dead in law doth yet refuse a pardon Danaeus observeth here that mention is made of the feast of Tabernacles especially 1. Because this least was now most solemnly kept among the Jews Neh. 8. And secondly because it was a most evident testimony of the first gathering together of the people of Israel that is of a free ordained Church Therefore it was better liked of the people and a more evident sign of their uniting or knitting together within themselves as is unto us the holy supper of our Lord Jesus Christ Verse 20. In that day shall there be upon the bels of the horses hang'd upon their heades or about their necks as Iudg. 8.26 the Midianitish camels â—ad rich collars and chains about their necks for ornament sake It was a witty conceit of a modern Divine D 〈…〉 that many deal with their Ministers as carriers do with their horses lay heavy burthens upon them and then hang bels about their necks they shall have harâ— work and great commendations but easy commons good words but slight wages This was better then that bald conceit of Theodoret 〈◊〉 others Lib. 1. hist cap. 18. Ruff. in lib. 1. c. 8. Socâ—at 1.1 that this Prophesie was then fulfilled when as Constantine the Great or hâ—â— mother 〈◊〉 for him caused the bits of his horse-bridle to be made of the nailes of the crosse of Christ I confesse the word is by some rendred bridles by others trappings Frontals collars 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read only here and hence this variety of interpretations Calvin renders it stables of horses which although they are but contemptible places and usually stink yet the Prophet saith they shall be â—â—ly to the Lord. Hereby the Prophet teacheth saith He that God shall so be king of the world as that all things shall be applied to his worship neither shall any thing be of so common and ordinary use that shall not change its nature and be sanctified to Gods service The comparison here is made betwixt things profane and the inscription on the high-Priests mitre which was Holinesse to the Lord. This is a manifest testimony of a godly mind when godlinesse runs thorough a mans whole life as the woose doth thorough the web whenordinary actions are done from a right principle and to a right purpose according to that old and good Rule Quicquid agas propter Deum agas Whether ye eate or drink or what soever ye do 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Tim. 4.14 Holinesse must be written upon our bridles when we warr upon our cupps when we drink Dr. Harris de all to the glory of God Receive every creature with thank sgiving in serving men serve the Lord Christ exercise your general calling in your particular do earthly businesse with heavenly minds Content not your self with a naturall use of the creature as bruit beasts do but tast the sweetnesse of God in all and in all thy wayes acknowledge Him depending upon him for direction and successe consulting with him and approving thine heart and life unto him This is to go the upper way Pro. 15.24 which indeed is both cleaner shorter and safer This is to be of that royall Priest-hood that hath for its posy Holinesse to the Lord. This is to be harmelesse and blamelesse the sons of God known by
not preach though gifted men Rom. 10.15 with Esay 52.8 All that are in office to preach are Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastours or Teachers Eph. 4.11 Elders onely my preach Tit. 1.5 And the contrary would prevent the Apostle willeth that in the Church all things be done decent'y and in order 1 Cor. 14.4 which could not be if all were teachers for then there would be no distinction of Ministers and people But Are all teachers saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.29 And he answers himself No but onely those whom God did set verse 13. like as he set apart the tribe of Levi to execute the Priests office which whiles Corah Dathan and Abiram sought to impugne and level they went quick into the pit Num. 16.30 Meddle not therfore without a calling that in the day of Gods displeasure you may appeal unto him with Jeremy and say As for me I have not hastened or thrust in my self for a Pastour after thee neither have I desired the woful day thou knowest that which came out of my lipps was right before thee Jer. 17.16 And being able safely to say this thou mayest binde upon it that God who is in covenant with all his Levi's his faithful Ministers will be their shield and their exceeding great reward how ever the world deal with them Verse 5. My covenant was with him of life and peace Now Gods covenant saith an expositour here is of four sorts 1. General made with all creatures Gen 9.2 2. With the Church in general Gen. 17. 3. With the Church of the Elect Jer. 31.33 4. With some particulars of some special graces as here with Levi of life and peace So then to ministers above others hath the Lord bound himself by special covenant to be their mighty Protectour and rewarder to give them life and peace that is long life and prosperous See Num. 25.12 13. Life of it self though pestered with many miseries is a sweet mercy and highly to be prized Better is a living dog then a dead lion Eccles 9.4 And why is the living man sorrowful a man for the punishment of his sins Lam. 3.39 As who should say let a man suffer never so much yet if he be suffered to live he hath cause to be contented It is the Lords mercy he is not consismed When Baruc sought great things for himself Jeremy tels him he may be glad in those dear years of life Jer. 45.5 Gen. 45.26 when the arrows of death came so thick whisking by him that he had his life for a prey Jacob took more comfort of his son Josephs life then of his honour Joseph is yet alive c. Quis vitam non vult saith Austin who is it that desires not life When David moveth the question what man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Austin brings in every man answering I do and I do Long life and happy dayes is every mans desire If God give these blessings to those that are gracelesse it is by vertue of a providence onely and not of a promise and that 's nothing so comfortable life in Gods displeasure is worse then death said that Martyr if wicked men live long it is that they may make up the measure of their sins and by heaping up sin increase their torment If godly men die soon God taketh them away from the evil to come as when there is a fire in an house or town men secure their Jewels And though they fall in wars yet they die in peace 2 Chron. 34.28 Hieren as good Josiah did who also in brevi vitae spacio tempora virâ—utum multareplevit lived quickly lived apace lived long in a little time For life consists in action Esay 38.15 16. The Hebrews call running water living water Now Gods faithful Ministers if they work hard and so wear out themselves to do good to others as a lamp wasteth it self to give light or as that herb mentioned by Plâ—y that cures the patient but rots the hand that administreth it if like clouds they sweat themselves to death to bring souls to God yet shall they be sure to finde it a blessed way of dying they shall mori vitaliter die to live for ever God will not send any of his to bed till they have done their work The two witnesses could not be slain till their testimony was finished No malice of man can antedate their ends a minute The dayes of mourning for my father will come said Esae and then Hekâ—ll my brother Jacob Gen. 27.41 Here Esâ—uâ— that rough reprobate threateneth his father also as Luther conceiveth For it is as if he should have said I will be avenged by being the death of my brother though it be to the breaking of my fathers heart But what 's the proverb Threatened falk live long for even Isaac who died soonest lived above forty yeers beyond this My times are in thy hands saith David and that 's a safe hand And blessed be God that Christ liveth and reigneth alioqui tot us desperassem or else I had been in ill case said Miconius in a letter of his to Calvin Ren. 1. Ministers are stars in Christs right hand and it will be hard pulling them thence They must carry their lives in their hands and be ready to lay them down when it may be for the glory of their Master but they shall be sure not to dye whether by a natural or by a violent death till the best time not till that time when if they were but rightly informed they would desire to die But whether their death be a burnt-offering of Martyrdome or a peace-offering whether they die in their beds as Elisha or be carried to heaven in a fiery chariot as Elijah let it be a free-will-offering and then it shall be a sweet sacrifice to him who hath covenanted with them for life and peace They shall by death as by a door of hope Esay 56.2 Eccles 5.12 enter into peace they shall rest in their beds yea in Abrahams bosome and as the sleep of the labouring man is sweet unto him whether he eat little or much so heaven shall be so much the more heaven to such as have here had their purgatory Mark the upright man Psal 37.37 saith holy David and behold the just for how troublesome soever his beginning and middle is the end of that man is peace and I gave them to him Here 's the performance of Gods covenant to Levi and his posterity God doth not pay his promises with fair words onely as Sertorius is said to do Neither is he like Amigonus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignominiously so called because forward in promising slack in performing But as he hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes Jer. 33.20 25. that one should succeed the other so much more doth he keep promise with his people for as his love moved him to promise so his truth bindeth him to perform
hypocrite he will not yeeld though never so clearly convinced but will have still somewhat to say though to small purpose as had Saul to Samuel 1 Sam. 15. and these Questionists here to God whom as before oft and again after they put to his proofs See the Note on chap. 1. verse 2 6. and his answer is ready Because the Lord hath been winesse between thee and the wife of thy youth The Heathen could say Maxima debetur pueris reverentia siquid Turpe paras And again Turpe quid acturus te sine teste time We should not do wickedly if but a child be by And when thou art about to do ought amisse fear thine own conscience which is a thousand witnesses But if God be by as a witnesse should not men fear to offend him Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. He that dares sin though he know God be an eye-witnesse is more impudent in sinning then was Absalom when he spred a tent upon the top of the house and went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel and of the Sunne These treacherous husbands could not but know that they had entred into a covenant of God Prov. 2.17 when they married that the bond was made to God and that upon the violation of it he would be ready enough to take the forfeiture for whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.3 That God had been witnesse Protestatus est or had protested so Montanus renders it and withall had by interposing of his own authority confirmed the contract and compact saying verbis concept is as Hos 3.3 Thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee and not for another woman till God shall separate us by death Indeed if the husband or the wife be dead Rom. 7.2 the surviving party is at liberty to marry again whatsoever the Canonists say against bigamy Hierome tells us of an old man in Rome that had buried twenty wives which hee had married one after the death of another and that he had taken to wife the one and twentieth who also had buried nineteen husbands And that Hier. apud Lonicer in Theat histor p. 734. burying that wife too he followed the corps to the Church so his neighbours would needs have it with a garland of bayes upon his head in manner of a triumpher But against Polygamy which is when a man or woman couples himself or her self in marriage to more then one here are an heap of arguments in the text which we shall take as they lie in order Mean-while it is worthy our observation that the first Authour of Polygamy was that Thrasonicall Lamech noted for a profane and wicked person as was likewise Esan another Polygamist Laban though he had cheted Jacob into the having of his two daughters to wife yet he could not but confesse it to be a sinne against the light of Nature Hence at parting he takes a solemne oath of Jacob Gen. 31.50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters or if thou shalt take other wives besides my daughters no man is with us see God is witnesse betwixt me and thee Some of the Fathers were herein faulty as Abraham David c. and some say it was their priviledge but that 's not likely Rather it was their ignorance or incogitancy they considered not that it was a breach of the first institution of marriage or as some conceive it was their meer mistake of that Text Lev. 18.18 Thou shalt not take a wife to her sister to vex her Confer Ezek. 1.9 to uncover her naked esse besides the other in her life time Here they took the word sister for one so by blood which was spoken of a sister by nation as those clauses to vex her and daâ—â—ghter life do evince One thing was the commonnesse of the sinne and the 〈◊〉 custome of it So long had it continued and was grown so fashionable that it seemed to be no sinne But debt is debt whether a man know of it or not And sin as a debt may sleep a long time and not be called for of many years as Sauls sin in killing the Gibeonites slept fourty years and Joabs killing of Abner slept all David's dayes c. Another thing that might cause desire of many wives was want of love and chast affection to the wife of their youth Isaac is noted for a most loving husband to his Rebecca and he never desired more wives then her Re oyce in the wife of thy youth Let her be as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe c. This will keep thee from being ravished with a strange woman or ombracing the bosomc of a stranger Prov. 5.18 19 20. The Hind and the Roe are most loving to their mates and therefore most faithfull to them So among birds are the turtle-dove and the stork The former they say as he keeps close to his mate while she lives so when she dies he groans and moans continually and never sits upon a green bough The later are chast and severe in punishing those of the kind that are not It iscredibly reported by some that have seen it that whole flocks of Storks meeting in a medow they have set in the middest of them two of their company that have been found disloyall Sphiâ—â— Philos pag. 231. and runnning upon them with main force have killed them with their beaks So that the company breaking up and all the rest flying away the two offending Storks onely have been found dead in the place against whom thou hast dealt treacherously viz by superinducing another wife contrary to thy covenant This is not a simple injury against thy lawfull wife but such as is joyned with contumely which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the children that come of such copulation they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are subject to contumelies The Hebrews call them brambles Aâ—imelech was such an one Iudg. 9.14 a right bramble indeed who grew in the base hedge-row of a concubine and scratcht and drew blood to purpose Lo this is the Prophets first argument against Polygamy it is treachery against both God who is deeply interested in the marriage-covenant and against the true wife who is hereby extremely desrauded and defeated Follows not the second yet she is thy companion thy compeer and copartner thy consort and fellow-friend such another as thy self so the woman is called Gen. 2.18 a second-self a mate meet for thee a piece so just cut out for thee as answereth thee rightly in every point in every joynt A wife is not a slave saith One but a companion a yoke-fellow standing on even ground with thee though drawing on the left side From the left side say some she was taken where the heart is to teach that hearty love should be betwixt married couples Made she was of a rib a bone of the side
his own sonne that serveth him Then the which I know not what the Lord could have spoken more effectuall for the glory of his own rich grace or the shirring up of our utmost affections to an holy contention in godlinesse be the times never so bad or boisterous sith in doing thereof there is so great reward q Psal 19 11 Perinde ut homo cum homine amico vel Domino suo ubique judiâ—ulse inambulans c Aug. In which respect how fitly doth the Authour to the Hebrews close up the story of 〈◊〉 hs heroicall faith with that golden corollary He that cometh to God as Henoch did who walked familiarly with God as a man with his friend * with whom he is in covenant for can two walk together saith the Prophet and they not be agreed r Am. 3.3 must beleeve that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him s Heb. 11.6 The Greek text hath it that seek him out t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely when he is cast into a blind corner if I may so speak with reverence to the Divine Majesty conveyed out of the way and covered as it were with the calumnies and stout words of the wicked those hard words against which Malachy here and Henoch anciently prophecied u Jade 14 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum 〈◊〉 durum inconveniens c. of ungodly persons whose throats are as open fepulchres x Psal 5.9 to bury Gods Name in as much as they may were it not for Henoch and such as hee that do daily and diligently vindicate that reverend y Psal 111.9 Name from their false aspersions and as it were dig it out of the grave wherein they had villanously conceal'd after a sort and cover'd it But what lost Henoch by this labour of love z Heb. 6.10 had he not this testimony from heaven hereupon that he pleased God a Heb. 11.5 was hee not translated as a Jewel of price into the heavenly Cabinet b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 11.19 and were not the fewnesse of his dayes on earth in comparison of his forefathers recompensed in that longest life of his sonne Methuselah c Gen 5.27 And why all this but because he walked with God when others walked aster the lust of their hearts and sight of their eyes d Eccles 11.9 seeking to take men off from their lewd and lawlesse courses by the terrou of the Lord which he most powerfully denounced Jude 14 15. In doing whereof though to his own thinking he laboured in vain and spent his strength for nonght yet surely his udgement was with the Lord and his reward with his God e Esay 49.4 whith was the first reason taken from God The second follows respecting our selves And so by cleaving close to Jehovah in corrupt times it shall well appear first that we are the same we would all seem to be Men searing God For this is pure religion indeed to keep a mans self unspotted of the world f Jam. 1. ulc There must be heresies amongst you saith the Apostle that they which are approved may be made manifest g 1 Cor 11 19 And by a like reason there must h Nen à Den sed ab hominis corruptione voluntaria Beza be a perverse and gracelesse generation a viperous brood i Mar. 3.7 amids whom Gods sunts may shine as lamps in the world and so approve themselves blamelesse and harmelesse the sonnes of God without rebuke Holding forth the word of life k Philip. 2 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great lights for an Ensigne * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a bold and wise profession and practise of the truth that is in Jesus then when it is most oppos'd and opprest by the sonnes of Belial This is the guise of a man that truely fears God he cannot blow hot and cold o Erasm Adag p. 350. ex codem are calidam â—â—frigidum esslare as they say he dare not swear by God and Malchom p Zeph. 1.3 he will not hold the truth in indifferency q 2 Thes 2.10 God he knowes must be worshipt trucly that there be no halting r 1 King 18.21 and totallr that there be no halving s Hos 7.8 for what communion hath Christ with Belial and what fellowship hath the temple of God with idols t 2 Cot. 6.16 Out upon those Rimmonites that plead for an upright soul in a prostrate body u 2 King 5.18 Thou shalt not how down to them nor worship them w Exod 20 for any mans pleasure And why for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God c. therefore let my fear fall upon thee as a strong counter-blast to the base fear of any tyrant x As the fifth commandement is the first with promise so is the second the first with punishment which the Lord severely threatens there to them that worship him not aright because men commonly inflict punishment on them that do For as one fire drives out another so doth the fear of God the fear of the creature Obadiah for instance that good steward of a bad Lord that Non-such Ahab I mean a man that had sold himself to do wickednesse y 1 King 21.20 Not so Obadiah but whatever my Lord the King and the whole State do I fear God greatly saith he to the Prophet z 1 King 18.12 13. I but how shall this appear Obadiah Why when Jezabel kiâ—d up the Lords Prophets I not standing to cast perils hid them and fed them by fifâ—y in a cave not without the hazard of my head if it should ever have been noticed Loe here 's a man of courage fearing God a Exo. 18.21 and he gave the best testimony of it by ruling with God and contiuuing faithfull with the Saints as Judah then when Ephraim compassed him about with lyes and the whole house of Israel with deceit b Hof 11.12 Real 4. c 2 Chr. 7.14 But secondly as the practise of this point proves one a Christian fearing God so a zealous forward christian one that solicitously thinks upon Gods name that high and holy Name whereby he is called and wherewith he is intruded d 2 Chr. 12 13 with charge not to take it in vaine e Exod. 20. but to bear it up aloft as the word f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elevavit evexiticonfer Esay 5.26 elevabit vexillum ad gentes in that third commandement signifies to lift it up as a standard saying Jehovah Nisi g Exo. 17.15 the Lord is my banner or as servants do their masters badges upon their shoulders so they Gods Impress upon their forcheads yea upon the bridles of their horses h Zach. 14.20 21. in their common conversation also even Holinesse to the Lord. Being consident of this very thing with Paul that in nothing they
a Psal 77.9 and that Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me b Esay 49.14 The Butler may forget Ioseph and Ioseph his former toyl and fathers house c Gen. 41.51 but God cannot forget his people whom he hath chosen d Rom. 11.1 Can a woman forget her sucking childe e Esay 49.15 possibly she may some tigresses have proved unnatural to their own birth and bowels f Rom. 1.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so cannot God He is not unjust to forget your labour of love g Heb. 6.10 or if he should as I abhor to imagine beold there is a book of remembrance written before him for them that fear the Lord and that think upon his name A borrowed speech for our better apprehension from kings and great personages who use for memories sake to keep a catalogue a calendar of such as whom they minde to reward for some special service as Ahasuerosh did Mordecai when he had read his name in the roll of those that had deserved well of the king h Est 6.3 So Tamerlane had alwayes by him a catalogue of the names and good deserts of his servants which he daily pernsed Knol Tu r hist p. 227. Those stout rebels above my text were grown so bold and bedlam as to give out that Gods service was nothing worth and that it was a course of no profit to keep his ordinances i Mal. 3.13 14 15. The contrary whereunto is here vouched and the truth vindicated God saith our prophet both hearkened and heard the holy language of his people and so sealed up his dear respect unto them for present and also caused a book of remembrance to be written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and so setled it in his heart to requite them for the future That like as in the work of creation there went with Gods dixit his benedixit and with his ordinavit his ornavit so in the administration of all things especially in that which is special and proper to the elect with his remembrane there goes a recompence and with his regard a reward Note hence That God doth perfectly remember Doctr that he may plentifully requite all the good srvices done him by his saints and people SECT I. The truth confirmed by Scripture HE not only harkened and heard what good things passed between them here but registred up and ingrossed the same in his book of remembrance called elsewhere the book by a specialty k Dan. 12.1 the writing of the house of Israel l Ezek 13.9 the writing to life in Jerusalem m Isa 4.3 the book of life n Philip. 4.3 the book of life of the lamb o Rev. 21.27 wherein he records and where-out he will relate at last day all the good works of his children p Mat. 25. not once mentioning their sins and infirmties which he hath promised to remember no more q Heb. 8. Our labour of love he will not forget but be ever mindfull of his covenant r Psal 115.5 The Lord hath been mindfull of us saith the Church and as an effect thereof he will blesse us He will blesse the house o Israel He will blesse the house of Aaron He will blesse them that fear the Lord both small and great ſ Ps 115.11 12 Cornelius for instance he feared God winh all his bouseholde and he made good proof thereof for he gave much almes to the people and pray'd to God alway and therefore both his prayers and his almes came up for a memoriall before God t Act. 10.1 2 4 Thus God remembred his Noah u Gen. 8.1 Abraham x Gen. 19.20 Rachel y Gen. 30.22 Joseph z Psa 105.20 whose fetters he changed into a chain of gold his rags into fine linnen his stocks into a charret his goal into a palace Potiphars captive into his Masters Lord the noyse of his chains into Abrech and all because heremembred his Creatour in the dayes of his youth a Eccles 12.1 and thereby kept himself pure from the great Transgression b Psal 19.13 SECT II. The truth confirmed by six Reasons THe ground of which gracious dealing in God is first his incomprehensible wisdome Reas 1 and fore-knowledge The Lord hath the Idoea the perfect platforme and paern within himself of all persons and things together with the severall occurrences of either Hence it is that he knowes all things Simul semel together and at once not successively or by discourse collecting one thing from another as we do but in one simple and eternall act knowing and comprehending all things He need but reflect upon himself and there he seeth all things before him as in a glasse So that to speak properly there is neither foreknowledge nor remembrance in the Almighty all things both past and future being ever present with him Tine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them c Ps 139.16 In this fore-knowledge of God so we call it for teaching sake as in a book are recorded the persons birth quality and death of every man and woman together with their severall deeds and practises that they may receive according to what they have done in the flesh whether good or evill d 2 Gor. 5 And this is our first ground of this point Known to the Lord are all his works from the begining e Act. 15 18 The Lord knoweth them that be his f 2 Tim. 2.19 Yea he knowes the whole way of the righteous g Psal 1. ult And this his knowledge of them and their good works is a knowledge of singular apprbation yea of infinite delight and complacency which makes him wait to shew them mercy h Esay 30.18 Heremembreth saith the Psalmist when he writes up the people when he makes up his jewels i Mal 3.17 that such a man was born k Psal 87.5 6 there and that being born by a second birth and having followed him in the regeneration l Mat. 19.28 they shall not lose the things they have wrought but receive a full reward m 2 Ich. 8. Secondly Reas 2 God is just and faithfull hence his remembrances and remunerations of his peoples services Not of duty I must tell you but of mercy it being a mercy in God even to reward men according to their works n Psal 62.12 were they better then they be or can be To thee O Lord belongeth merey for thou rewardest every one according to his works n Psal 62.12 But this by the way We were drawing a second reason for the point from Gods justice and faithfulnesse And this we borrow fom the Apostle Heb. 6.10 God saith he is not unrighteous to forget your works and
self as is above said it noteth out also 1. all that is or can be known concerning God by the reasonable creatour * Rom. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are his essentiall Attributes communicable and incommunicable Indeed they are all incommunicalbe to speak properly and as the thing is for they are infinitely otherwise in God then thy are in the creature in whom they are only by some 〈◊〉 resemblance and proportion These are his Simplenes Infinitenes Life Love Wisdome Power Holinesse Justice Goodnesse c. All which are but one in God for whatsoever is in God is God they are distinguished only for our better apprehension the Lord speaking to us of these things as divers one from another only in regard of our shallow capacities And this truth though we cannot so well comprehend yet we are bound to beleeve n Philip. 3.12 Credise vult Deus non examinari non judicari Aug. Our safest eloquence concerning God is our silence Hooker Deus sphaera est cujus centrum ubique peripheria nusquam Empedocles though we cannot subdue it to our understandings yet we must strive to be subdue unto it Here then think of God as one not to be thought of as one whose wisdome is his justice whose justice is his power whose power is his mercy and all himself Good without quality great without quantity everlasting without time present every where without place contayning all things and yet sustayn'd of nothing And here the well is deep and we want a bucket o Joh. 4.11 A wise ignorance therefore in these high points is better then a foolish wisdome It is sufficient here that we be of Gods Court thogh we be not of his Councel * We cansee but his back-parts and live and we need see no more that we may live But secondly Gods Name as it notes out the properties of God so his Ordinances also I mean all these means whereby he is pleased to manifest himself unto the world As 1. his works whether common to the world as Creation and providence the making and maintyning of all things by both which he may be groped out p Act. 17 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaketh in the dark or rather he is made visible q Rom. 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We cannot see the Sun in rota as the School-men speak that is in the eircle wherein it runs but only the beams of it No more can we see God in his essence you may see him in his word in his works c. Preston of Gods Attributes as the same Apostle saith elsewhere to the dimmest eye as the beams of the Sun are by reflection or as letters refracted and broken in a pair of spectacles And here in contemplating these generall works of God remember to tast the sweetnesse of God in the creature and to delight thy self more in a spirituall then in a naturall use of the same Secondly those works are Gods Name that are more proper and peculiar to the Church such as are Predestination Redemption Justification Sanctification c. Precious blessings and never enought thought upon and admired no though we should think upon nothing else all the dayes of our lives nay as long as the dayes of heaven shall last as that Martyr once said These are the works of God Secondly his word r Act. 9.15 Mal. 1.9 7 11 12 Micah 4.5 and all other means of salvation as the Sacraments Prayer discipline c. with whatsoever belongeth else to Christian religion is comprised under this Name of God Her 's a large field then of matter you see wherein you may freely and fruitfully expatiate and feed your thoughts with these sweetest varieties and most necessary pleasant profitable and excellent objects And to them that think upon these good things shall be mercy and truth ſ Prov. 14.22 SECT IX 2. For the manner of doing this duty well both for substance and circumstance BUt then secondly see as wel to the manner as matter of your meditaion For it is the manner that makes or marrs every action of religion and as a good garment may be marr'din the making so may a good duty in the doing The rules here to be observed if we would do this good work well concerne 1. the circumstances 2. substance of this service The circumstances are time and place For the time first there must be a taking heed lest at any time there be in us an evill heart of unbeleef to depart away from the living God t Heb. 3.12 But besides a continuall care of keeping alwayes a good conscience and communion with God and of raysing up the heart by occasionall meditation taken up from matters ever where occurring and offering themselves to our senses that may minde us of God as the spirituall mans fire will ever be aspiring Nehemiah u Neh. 2.2 for instance that man of ejaculations and much acquaintance with God But besides this I say there must be a set and solemn thinking upon Gods Name on sett purpose all the powers of the soul being concentricke and drawn into one point that we may attend upon God all the while as near as may be without distraction x 1 Cor. 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore I should judge it fit that some convenient portion of time should be redeemed from other occasions and purposely allotted and appointed for the better and more thorough discharge of this most necessary but yet much neglected duty Secondly for the place where we meditate let it be retired and secret for the preventing of distraction which else will certainly grow upon us by the singular policy and malice of the devil who taking all advantages of our carnality and knowing how near and familiar earthly things are to our senses how remote and supernaturall heavenly things y Prov. 24.7 he labours therefore all he can by outward objects to distract and divide * Divide regna Machia Anima dispersa fit minor the faculties of the soul by uncomely motions and impertinent thoughts so to slaken the earnestnesse of our affections and bereave us if possible of the benefit of our best meditations Retire we therefore into some secret place whensoever wee would meditate Peter did it upon the leads z Acts 10.9 Isaac in the field a Gen. 24 63 David in his closet b Psal 4.4 Jacob upon the high-way to Mesopotamia c Gen. 21.12 to whom therefore so good a day was followed with so sweet a night For he saw the blessed Angels climbing up and down that sacred ladder at the top whereof is the Father the whole length whereof is the Son the Spirit firmly fastning all such thereunto as duely meditated that they may bee transported unto blisse eternall Now in the next place for the substance of this duty let it be done in manner and form following First cheerfully for God
profitably of him the whole week after Our infinite week-day wandrings and wofull trisling out our golden hours in idle and evill thoughts comes much-what from our customary and carnall keeping of Gods holy-day z Esay 58.13 Sixtly exercise your selves in the word of life be swift to hear and 〈◊〉 Gods holy word Search and study the scriptures a Ioh. 5.39 These will 1. free the heart from impure lusts Wherewithal shall a young man one that is in the heat of his passions cleanse his way b Psal 119.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rub off his filth It is a metaphor from glasse which though rub'd never so clean will soon gather dust again Answer is made there by taking heed thereto accrding to thy word 2. It will fill the head with good notions of God and his nature his word and his works c. * Hieronymus de Nepot vit cum assiduâ lectione meditatione diuturnâ pectus suum bibliothecam christi effecisse Cogitationes innumerae sunt uno die cas quis colliget quis corriget quis reprimet quis exprimet Sphinx philos so that no rome shall be left for worse thoughts which else will be stirring For the thoughts of a man are never idle as ye know save when he sleeps nor then many times but are like a mill that turns round uncessantly while it hath water and if it want other grist will grind and grate upon it self Lastly to sett all the former awork add hearty prayer to him that is both the heart-maker and heart-mender too Pray him to make the meditations of our hearts ever acceptable in his sight c Psal 19. and when we are in a good frame to keep it ever in the imagination of the thoughts of our hearts and to prepare our hearts unto himself d 1 Chron. 19.18 as David beggs in the behalf of his people Pray him to open your understandings to sanctify your wills and affections to raise up and ravish your hearts to fix your quicksilver as one speaks that is in meditating upon good things to grant you strength of memory stedfastnesse of imagination staâ—ednesse of minde sharpnesse of conceit soundnesse of judgement and all other necessary gifts and abilities that ye may so meditate upon Gods precepts that withall ye may have respect to his wayes e Psal 119 15 16. SECT XII The Conclusion LOe this is the way walk in it And 's as many as walk after this direction peace shall be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God f Gal. 6.16 For Do they not erre that devise evill but to them that think upon good things shall be mercy and truth g Prov. 14.28 Mercy and truth be with you h 2 Sam. 15.20 Amen The Righteous mans Recompence OR GODS JEWELS MARKT AND MADE UP FROM MENS MISUSAGES The Text MALACHI 3.17 And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels And I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him CHAP. I. The Text divided GODS gracious acceptation of his people and their holy services hath been hitherto described and discovered Followes now his righteous remuneration and rich respects to their persons which he highly prizeth for They shal be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels 2. To their performances which he bountifully rewardeth And I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern c. The former without forcing points us to these three positions 1. That God is the Lord of Hosts 2. That this Lord of Hosts will have his day to do good to his people and to make them up as his Jewels from the worlds misusages 3. That this people of his shall be gratiously owned and greatly honoured in that day SECT I. That God is Lord of Hosts What these Hosts are why called Hosts what it is to be Lord of Hosts FIrst God is the Lord of Hosts So he is frequently stiled in the old Testament Doct 1 Lord of Sabaoth which is all one in the New thought this more seldome because the old Law was given in fear the new in love as Hugo will have it Now touching this title here and elswhere given to God let us see 1. What these Hosts or Armies are whereof he is Lord. 2. Why they are called his Hosts 3. What it is to be Lord of these Hosts and what honour accrues and is a scribed to God by this Attribute In treating whereof I must intreat my Reader the same that the Oratour did His when he spake of Socrates Vt majus quiddâ—m de â—is quà m quae â—â—ripta sunt suspicarentur Cic. 3. de Oratore Loquimur de Deo non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus Gratian. Imperator and Lucius Crassus that they should imagine some greater matter then here they finde written forasmuch as in speaking of God we speak not what we ought but what wee are able as that Emperour hath well observed in his Epistle to Ambrose First then these Hosts whereof God is said to be Lord Soveraigne are all creatures heaven in earth and under earth 1. In heaven there are 1. Angels which are calâ—ed The Host of heaven 1 King 22.19 An heavenly Army or the multiâ—ude of the heavenly Host Luke 2.13 the armies that are in heaven following the Lord Christ upon white horses c. Rev. 19.13 The Authour to the Hebrews calles them the heavens as some conceive it Chap. 7.26 Not because they were coworkers with God in the creation of the world as the Rabbins will have it Goodw. Child of Light c. 102. for though Angels are called Elohim Psal 8.5 yet it was Jehovah Elohim onely that made all things of nothing Gen 2.4 Esay 45.24 Neither yet because they move the heavens and governe the whole world as the Jews after the Platonists beleeved and thereupon fell into the sinne of Angel worship Ratione pluralis Elohim ex Hebrais aliqui existimant so iarchum Deo Angelos in opere creationis c. Pareus in Gen. 1.1 Hebrai Platonicis imbuti opinionibus Angelos coelorum motores tâ—tiusque mundi gubernatores esse putabant c. Pareus in Heb. 2.5 intruding into those things that they had not seen Colos 2.18 and curiously prying into those secrets whereof there is neither proof nor profit Howbeit that they have under God a main stroke in ordering the course of naturall and civil affairs it may be proved out of Ezekiel Chap. 1. where the beasts are said to stir the wheels as themselves are stirred by the Spirit of God And for the manner of their motion every one of them is said to have four faces that is they can look every way at once and to have calves feet round that is they are apt to go every way and this with the greatest facility that
Hosts by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Hierome Ornatus for order makes an army beautiful 3. For their obedience which is no lesse admirable then their order amiable No souldier is so obsequious so active so ready prest at the command of his captain as all creatures are at the command of God So well disciplined are they and trained to it not by rules of art but by instinct of nature Psal 119.91 that if he say but to any go he goeth if come he cometh if do this he doeth it Never was any Emperour so observed as he is even to a nod or beck Psal 123.2 Fiftly therefore is he stiled somtimes Lord of Hosts and other times Lord God of Hosts to denote and set forth his infinite and irresistible power and that there is no standing before him thus armed and appointed if his wrath be kindled yea though never so little which is an answer to the third quaere Beza in Rom. 9.29 exauditi sunt domino multo potentiore quam ipsi sitis Ad infinitas ipsius vtres copias explicandas Beza in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sets forth his absolute power and soveraignty over all creatures whence he is called the one or onely Lord. Ephe. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est dissipare perdere quod victori conâ—enit imprimis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc epitheto summa tribuitur Deo potentia saith a grave and learned interpreter Chiefest power and soveraign authority is given and ascribed to God by this attribute For this it is often used and urged in the old Testament as in the new the very Hebrew word Sabaoth is retained for more Emphasis Iam. 5.4 The cryes of them that have reaped your fields and yet received no wages are entred into the eares of the Lord of sabaoth that is they are graciously heard by a Lord far more mighty then you are any saith the same interpreter And in his larger Annotations this saith he is added to shew his infinite forces and matchlesse might The like may easily be collected from Rev. 4.8 compared with Esay 6.3 Where the holy Ghost rendereth Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts by Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely such a one as hath not the sole command alone but the whole command of all the creatures In heaven he hath good servants in hell bad in earth both The other Apostles call him Lord it is Gorrans observation Iudas calls him not so but Rabbi Mat. 26.22 25. because he had shaken off the yoke of obedience but they that will not bend must break as he did when shortly after he became his own deathsman after that he had delivered up his master and all by the determinate counsel of God the might strong God as he is stiled Esay 9.6 the Al-sufficient God Gen. 17.1 Aben Ezra renders it The conquerour and the Lord Christ is said to go forth riding on his white horse conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 The Septuagint render it Self-sufficient able to do all without help of any how much more when having such hosts at command Aquila renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong lusty valiant Pagnine and Iunius Omnipotent Now dicitur Omnipotens quia omnium tenet potestatem saith Isidore And this David the King acknowledgeth in all ample manner yea Nebuchadnezzar the tyrant Dan. 4.37 Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty For all that is in the heaven is thine thine is the kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all c. 1 Chron. 29.11.12 SECT II. The Pope will needs be Lord of Hosts Vse 1 VVHat meaneth then that man of sin that mouth of blasphemy that I may apply to speak so great things of himself Rev. 13.5 2 Thes 2. Psal 100. Fran. Zabar Bellar. lib. 4. de Poâ—t Roquia in omnibus admirabilis stuper mundi to boast himself so much in mischief Psal 52.1 to lift up himself above all that is called God sitting in Gods temple and shewing himself there as if he were Lord of Hosts For although he hath but some angle and not all the corners of the earth though he is but a fox in a hole yet his discreet doctors say of him that he can do all that Christ can do that God hath put all things in subjection under his feet the beasts of the field that is men living on the earth the fishes in the sea that is souls in purgatory the fouls of the aire that is the souls of the blessed It sufficeth not Mosconius to derive Pape of Papae the interjection of admiring because the Pope is the worlds wonderment Rev. 13 3 Admiratio peperit philosophiam sic et Antichristianismum habens in toto mundo utrunqe gâ—adium c. Dulia adorandus De ministr milit Eccles l. 1. cap. 1. Os papae eâ—t eulus diaboli in eodem sunt praedicamento Jgnatij Con. clavs pag. 139. vide Pareum in Apoc. 13.3 Orâclis vocis mundi moderaris habenas et merito in ter ris diceris esse Deuâ— Super Angelos eleuatier papa adeo ut eos excommunicare possit ait Joh. 23. in extravag Luk. 4.6 Dr. Featly his Transub exploded that beast he should have said in the Revelation that all the world wondered after and Pontifex because he makes men a bridg to blessednesse but he will have him to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords having the power of both swords throughout the world yea command over all reasonable creatures Boniface the 8. wrote to Philip K. of France that he was Lord of all both temporals and spirituals in all countries which is one of the divels titles Math. 4. Valladerius shames not to say of Pope Paul 5. that he was a god lived familiarly with the Godhead heard Predestination it self whispering to him had a place to sit in councel with the most divine Trinitie And another of the same Popes parasites dedicates a book to him thus To Paul the 5. Vice-God the most invincible Monarch of the Christian common-wealth the most mighty defender of the Pontifician omnipotency Our Lord God the Pope saith a certaine Canonist And to thee is given all power in heaven and earth said the Councel of Lateran the very year before Luther stood up against that Romish Antichrist who weares a triple crowne in token that he is Lord of heaven where he may canonize saints of hell where he may free soules out of purgatory of earth where he saith as once the divel did All power is delivered unto me and unto whomsoever I will I give it But how haps it then that he gives no more to many of his best servants To instance in some of our own fugitives Allin had a Cardinals hat but with so thin lining meanes to support his state that he was commonly called the starveling Cardinall Stapleton was made professour
he is above them 2 Pet. 3 9. Exod. 18.11 He hath an eye to follow them a goard to look to them and a goaler to bring them forth whensoever he shall call for them In case they should make escape as they cannot he hath armies above them armies below them armies about them armies upon them yea armies within them to bring them back to execution For a wicked person is not safe from his own tongue to peach him from his own hands to dispatch him from his own phantasy to disquiet him from his own conscience to affright him from his own friends to betray him from his own beasts to gore him from his own fire to burn him from his own house to brain him Thus it is with him whiles at home as if he look abroad to every creature he meets he may say as Ahab once said to the Prophet Hast thou found me O mine enemy For as every good souldier will fight for his Generall and as a Noble-mans servants will soon draw if their Lord be set upon so there is not a creature in all the world that is not ready prest to fight Gods battles and revenge his quarrell upon an ungodly person Gen 4.14 What Cain sometimes said he hath good cause to take up and second Job 18.15 Every thing that findeth me shall slay me Brimstone is strawed upn the house of the wicked saith Iob so that if the fire of Gods wrath do but lightly touch upon it Job 9 5 Eccles 6.13 Necesse est ut eum omnibus doctâ—orem agnoscam qui triginta habet legiones Phavorm de Adriano â—mp apud Spartian they are suddenly consumed they walk all day long upon a mine of Gunpowder either by force or stratageme they are sure to be surprised Had Zimri peace that slew his master Hath ever any waxed fierce against God and prospered Oh that these gracelesse men would once learn to meddle with their match and according to the wise-mans counsell beware of contending with one that is mightier then they this Lord of Hosts I mean the Lord mighty in battle Psal 24.8 this man of warr as Moses calls him whose name is Jehovah sabaoth before whose dreadfull presence and unresistible puissance they are no more able to stand then is a glasse-bottle before a cannon-shot SECT IIII. Tremble before this mighty Lord of Hosts THirdly Use 3 Is he the Lord of Hosts with whom we have to deal be we all hence exhorted and excited to the pracise of divers duties And first to tremble before this mighty God who having so many millions at his beck and obedience can with as much ease and in as little time undo us as bid it be done So Caesar once threatened Metellus in a bravado but so God only and easily can do indeed to such as set against him If the breath of God blow men to destruction Iob 4.9 for we are but dust-heaps if he can frown us to death with the rebuke of his countenance Psal 80.16 what is the waight of his hand that mighty hand as James calls it wherewith he spans the heavens Jam 4 1â— Isay 40.22 and weigheth the earth in a ballance He sits upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants are as grashoppers he shakes them out of it at pleasure as it were by a canvass or as out of ones lap so much the Hebrew word imports Iob 38.13 Who would not therefore fear thee O King of Nations Jer. 10.6 7 Mat 22.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to thee doth it appertain forasmuch as thowart great and thy Name is great in might Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars saith Christ and unto God the things that are Gods Where it is remarkable that the Article in the Originall is twice repeated when he speaks of God more then when he speaks of Caesar to shew saith a Divine that our speciall care should be to give God his due Now shall we fâ—ar to break the penall lawes of a King Prov. 19 12 Prov. 16.14 Prov. 20.2 because his wrath is as the roaring of a lion and as the messengers of death so that whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul And shall we not fear this King of Nations who hath Armies of creatures to do us to death and after that legions of devils to torment us in hell shall we fear fire water lions leopards bulls bears and other common souldiers yea the wrath of a fool because it is heavier then the sand of the sea Prov. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 10.28 Philip. 3. ult 27.3 4. An shall we not fear the great Emperour of all these that hath them all at his beck and obeisance These may kill us but they cannot hurt us as he once told the tyrant destroy they may the body but neither keep the good soul from heavents nor the body from a glorious resurrection But God can do all this yea more then this and shall we not fear his heavy displeasure Especially since according to his fear so is his wrath Psal 90.11 That is according to some as any one doth more or less fear Gods indignation in the same degree and measure shal the feel it as he trembles at it he shall tast of it Or as others and perhaps better Let a man stand in never so great awe of thy wrath yet his fear shall not prove proportionall or ever be able to match it he shall never fear thee so much as thy wrath amounts to let him fear his utmost For there is a fire kindled in his anger and it burns unto the lowest hell Deut. 32.22 Now Bellarmine is of opinion that one glimps of hell were enough to make a man not only turn Christian and sober but Anchorite and Monke to live after the strictest rule that can be I conclude with the Apostle Wherefore let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. SECT V. Trust in his power for fulfilling his promises SEcondly is He the Lord of Hosts This should teach us to rest confidently upon his power for the fulfilling of his promises For what should hinder First God is not as Man that he should lie he payes not what he hath promised Plutarch as Sirtorius is said to do with fair words Secondly hee is not off and on with us he doth not say and unsay Mal. 3. he is Jehovah that changeth not Thirdly he is the Lord of Hosts and cannot be resisted or interrupted in his course Nature may be and was when the fire burnt not the water drown'd not the Lions devoured not c. Men may be withstood though never so mighty as the potent Prince of Persia was Daniel 10.20 And as Asa was who although he brought five hundred thousand men into the field yet was he encountred and overmatcht by an Army of a thousand thousand and upward
locusts c. Till Pharaoh was compelled to answer for him The Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked This was a faire confession but extorted for he was no sooner off the rack but he bit it in again and became more hard and hardy as water grows more cold after a heat And such for all the world was the forced and fained obedience of those Israelites im the wildernesse while God slew them by fiery serpents and others his warriors then they sought him yea they returned and enquired after God Psal 78.34.36 as if they would have done the deed Neverthelesse they flattered him with their mouthes and lied unto him with their lips So must not we do if ever we mean to do well but throwing away our weapons lay our selves low before his foot-stool unfainedly submitting to the scepter of his kingdom obeying from the heart that form of doctrine whereunto we have been delivered For what a shame is it for us not to do that homage to God Rom. 6.17 that all other creatures so gladly pay perform what a monstrous thing that man amidst al Gods handy-works that revere the Almighty and readily do his will that he I say should prove a great Heteroclite an open rebel a profest adversary to God his soveraign Lord his crown and dignity Oh send a lamb in token of homage and fealty to the ruler of the world Vow and pray to the Lord your God bring presents unto Fear that is to him that ought to be feared And for as much as with your ten thousand you are not able to encounter this great King that comes against you with twenty thousand times twenty thousand send an embassage quickly of prayers and tears whiles he is yet on the way Irent propè ne remorando iram victores exasperarint Tacit hist lib. 2 Mittamus preces lacrymas cordis legatos Cyprian 1 Kin. 20.32 The British Embassadours came in torne garments with sand on their heads in the time of Valentinian the third Daniels hist of Eng. The Callice men came to Ed. 3 bare headed bare-footed in their shirts with halters about their necks c. lib. p. 240. Psal 27. and desire conditions of peace Luk. 14.32 You know how Jacob disarmed that rough man Esau that came against him with 400. cutthroats at his heels how Abigail appeased that enraged man David that had desperately vowed the death of so many innocents how the Syrians prevailed with that non-such Ahab for the life of their Lord Benhadad Having heard that the kings of Israel were merciful men they put sackcloth upon their loines and ropes upon their heads and in this form of humble suppliants they came to the King and said Thy servant Benadad saith I pray thee let me live And a like addresse we read of in our own histories of the old Brittones to Aetius the Roman Governour and of the Calice-men to one of our Edwards Oh let their practise be our pattern We have heard abundantly that there is a matchlesse mercy in God for all penitent persons above that ever was found in the best king of Israel this mercy we have a promise of if we submit to the condition in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hos 14 3. So had not the Syrians their best encouragement was a general hear say This condition is no more then what every man will yeeld to be reasonable viz. that we lay down the bucklers first that we come before him in lowliest manner with ashes on our heads so they of old as unworthy to be above ground with sack-cloth on our loyns as unworthy the coursest cloathing with ropes about our heads as deserving to be destroyed yet humbly begging that we may live in his sight with Ismael yea that we may serve in his presence with Moses and dwell in his house with David all the dayes of our lives to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple This is all that God requires and this was that one thing that David beg'd so dearly at Gods hands Psal 27.4 and accordingly obtained it Hence he so confidently calls his soul to rest amidst a multitude of molestations and incumbrances Hear him else Psal 3. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about I laid me down and slept I awaked c. He never brake his sleep for Absalom and all his forces the up in arms against him For why salvation saith he is of the Lord his blessing is upon his people Ver. 5 6 8. whereof I am one and shall therefore be in safety Behold I have blessed him and he shall be blessed said Isaac of Iacob saith the God of Iacob of all those that rest confidently upon his power for their preservation that hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto them at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh saith Eliphaz neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Iob. 5.22 23. SECT VII Set his power awork by prayer The power of prayer LAstly is God Lord of Hosts how should this consideration quicken and call us up to a constant instancy in prayer to that God Eph. 3.21 2 Cor. 8 Phillip 4 Oratio fidelis omnipotens est Luther Est quaedam omnipotentia precum Alsted syst Theol. lib. 4. cap. 2. Luk. 18.6 who is able to do for us above that we are able to ask or think that we having all sufficiency alwayes in all good things may abound unto every good work through Christ that strengthneth us Many and glorious things are spoken of the power of prayer in the book of God Indeed there is a kinde of Omnipotency ascribed unto it and not without cause For certainly whatsoever God can do prayer can do sith prayer sets God awork God sets his power awork and Gods power sets the creature awork as at Peters enlarge ment and then what wonder the thing come on an end though never so difficult For shal any thing be too hard for God or shal not God avenge his praying people that cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Asa and Iehosaphat prayed down their enemies so did the Jewes in Esthers time the Saints in the acts the thundering legion The death of Arrius Acts 4. Secrat lib. 1. cap. 15. was precationis opus non morbi He was brought to confusion by the prayers of Alexander the good Bishop of Constantinople Luther had obtained of God that whilst he lived the enemie should not plunder his countrey when I am gone said he Acts Mon. let those pray that can So when the states of Germany were once assembled to consult
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