read and they returned saying Never man spake like that man If they that run from the word may be taken thus with a glance upon it you may soone conceive what effect it may work in those that run to it that are swift to hear that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse If they that hear or read the word immediately aliud agentes may perceive the mind of the Lord by the plain opening thereof much more they that come of purpose and run to it that come with appetite and desire after it with delight in it with purpose to profit by it and with due Preparation of the heart by earnest Prayer for the holy blessing of God upon the Ministry and hearing of it therefore quid Scriptum est quomodo legis what is written how readest thou 2. The assurance that he gives of the performance of his purpose in due time The Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie Next verse It will surely come it will not tarry This is Rhetorically set down For 1. Here is veritas decreti the truth of the decree The Vision is yet for an appointed time 2. Here is veritas verbi the truth of the word it shall speak it shall not lye 3. Here is veritas facti the truth of the deed It will surely come it will not tarry 1. Decretum the Decree The Vision is here put for the thing seen as you have heard and that is the declaration of Gods just judgment in the cause of his Church against the Chaldaeans for he saith the time is appointed meaning in his own holy and fixt decree which is unchangeable 2. Verbum the Word God will speak his minde by this Vision and declare what he intendeth against the Chaldeans and therein he will deal truely and faithfully for he is truth he cannot lye For these be two Premises or Antecedents to one conclusion for we may conclude both wayes 1. The Decree of God is past Ergo veniet non tardabit he shall come he will not tarrie 2. The Word of God is past Ergo. From thence we are taught Doctr. That whatsoever God hath decreed or spoken shall certainly take effect in the appointed time The holy word of Scripture confirmeth this Indeed who should alter Gods decrees for he himself will not I may say truly he cannot change them for the Apostle saith he worketh all things after the councell of his will Eph. 1.11 And the Will of God is himself And he cannot deny him self 2 Tim. 2.13 Neither can he repent as Samuel told Saul The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent 1 Sam. 15.29 for he is not a man that he should repent And if God himself be without variablenesse and shadow of change his Will being established by his counsell and wisdom we may be sure that there is no power beneath him that can swerve him from his own ways for the wiseman saith There is no wisdom nor understanding Pro. 21.30 nor counsell against the LORD One reason may serve of this Doctrine God is equall infinite in his wisdom justice and mercie to conceive him infinite in power to do whatsoever he will and not infinite in wisdom to decree whatsoever he will do were to make him a Tyrant not a King but David saith The Lord is King and we do ascribe it to him Tuum est regnum potentia thine is the Kingdom and power for power without equall proportion of wisdom must needs degenerate into cruelty This wisdom foreseeth all things that shall be this wisdom decreeth all things that he will do which his power after in the times appointed doth performe and bring to act Against this Doctrine is Objected Object 1. Why then do so many texts of Scripture tell us that God repenteth Sometimes he repenteth of the good that he hath done for to make man upon the earth was a good work yet it is said And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth Gen. 6 6. and it greived him at his heart So to make Saul King over Israel was a good work for it was his own choise yet himself saith It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King 1 Sam. 15.11 Sometime God is said to repent of the evil that he hath done malum poenae the evil of punishment is there to be understood So after the great plague when David had made a fault in numbring the people When the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it the Lord repented him of the evil 2 Sam. 24.16 and said to the Angel It is enough stay thy hand And concerning his Word we have frequent examples in Scripture of events contrary to the letter of his Word For example His word was to Hezekiah by Isaiah set thy house in order for thou shalt dye non vives Yet Hezekiah did live 15 years after that his word was to Nineveh by Jonah 40 days and Niniveh shall be destroyed yet yet it fel not out so and the story saith God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do to them Joh. 3.10 To all we answer Sol. 1. That the Will of God that is his counsell decreeing what he will do is constantly the same and unchangeable as we have taught 2. Where it is in Scripture charged upon God that he doth repent we say with Chrysost it is verbum parvitati nostrae accommodatum a word accommodated to our weaknesse Hom. 22. in Gen. For we are said to repent when we change our mindes now the God of wisdom and power never changeth his minde but sometimes he doth change his operations there is not mutatio mentis but mutatio dextrae Exclesi as St. Aug. Paenitudo dei est mutandorum immutabilis ratio by which he without changing of his own decree maketh alterations in the disposition of things mutable This for want of understanding in us to comprehend the ways of God is called repentance and greif in God but as Aug. saith Non est perturbatio sed judicium quo irrogatur poena as Saint Paul I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh 3. I approve that received distinction of the Will of God 1. Voluntas signi of the Signe 2. Voluntas beneplaciti of his good Pleasure 1. God doth reveal his ways to the sons of men and sheweth them what he would have them do and openeth to them the knowledge and tendereth to them the use of fit means to performe that which he would have them and so it is said he would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of his Truth According to this revealed Will of God he doth offer mercy to all and he doth withall threaten judgment to such as forsake their own mercy as Jonah saith And when he seeth cause to call in either his mercy from them
God and the firmaments and the out goings of the morning praise him Therefore do we lift up our eyes to heaven when we pray we say that every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of lights Yet is not God so far off but that as heaven is his throne earth is his foot-stoole The Lord looketh from heaven Psal 33.13 he beholdeth the sonnes of men He is not so far off but if we pray to him Prope est invocantibus ipsum he is neer to them that call upon him And in this respect all the earth is a common oratory so is the sea for our prayers But as the perpetuall duty of a Religious service of God which doth require holinesse and righteousnesse all the days of our lives doth not take away the particular duty of the Sabbath neither doth the great hahitation of God in heaven abate any thing of his special presence both in the temples dedicated to his service and in every particular person which doth belong to the election of grace For so God saith I dwell with him that is humble and contrite in heart and he saith so presently after he had said I will dwell in the high and holy place in so much as St. Augustine upon those words of David exaudivit de templo sancto suo vocem meam saith Exaudivit de cordo meo in quo habitat Dominus vocem meam For know you not that you are the temples of the holy Ghost and that God dwelleth in you c. God is in heaven Per specialem gloriam He is in our Churches per specialem cultum He is in our hearts per specialem indulgentiam He is in his Word per specialem illuminationam In a word wheresoever is cultus dei there is vultus dei The use of this point is taught in the Text it is the second part of my Text. 2. The duty Let all the earth keep silence before him This as you heard is a postulation of reverence he doth not put us to silence that we shall say nothing for he hath commanded us to call upon him and invocation is a note of his children He saith hee shall call upon me and I will hear him The wise man doth help us to expound this Text Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any word before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth Eccles 5. Reg. lib. ver 2. Gen. 5.1 therefore let they words bee few So that temerity and rashnesse is here forbidden and reverence and holinesse required 1. Let us consider God in our Churches the temples of his holinesse there we are taught 1. Take heed that thou have not an unreverent opinion of the house of God St. Paul saith despise ye the Church that is Vse 1 the place set apart for the worship of God and that he meaneth so the place and not the company So Theophil loco ipsi infertis injuriam you do wrong to the place Lyranus est contemptus ecclesiae quae consecrata est divinis usibus the very words of that Text do shew it For our own houses and Gods house our houses for our common meals and Gods house for the Supper of the Lord are compared together 2. There must be in us a love of those houses of God God said of his holy City where his Temple was built here will I dwell Vse 2 for I have a delight therein It is Davids protestation for Ierusalem For the house of Gods sake I will seck to do thee good The heart never more desired the water-brooks then he did to go to the Tabernacle where God was my soul longeth and fainteth for them I was glad when they said to me come we will go up to the house of the Lord. 3. Let us prepare our selves before we come to Gods house for he is present there come not hand over head as thou wouldest go into thine own house consider if thou wert to go before thy Soveraign King how thou wouldest compose thy self that nothing in thy apparel in thy gesture in thy countenance in thy words might give him offence Wilt thou do lesse when thou art to appear before the Lord of Hosts who is the King of glory Micah saith Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord Mich. 6.6 and bow my self before the most high God shall I come before him with burnt offerings The old law was None shall appear before me empty When Iesse heard that David his sonne was sent for to King Saul 1 Sam. 16.20 I-sse took an asse laden with bread and a bottle on wine and a kid and sent them by David to Saul So Jacob sent a present to Pharaoh when his sons went the second time for corne Solomon saith and it is no news in our times A reward in the bosome pacifieth strong wrath we know what cause we have given our God to be angry with us let us think of it when we are to come and stand in his sight at Church Manus in sinu tuo manus in sinu dei He is not ashamed to ask it fili praebe cor 4. Take heed to thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God for the place where thou art entring is holy ground put off thy shooes that is all earthly and carnal affections and say with Iacob Gen. 28. quam terribilis est hiclocus this is no other but the house of God porta coeli 5. When thou art entred into Gods house remember thou art come before the face of God and his holy Angels into the place where God's honour specially dwelleth 1. It is enough thy heart be reverent let thy outward man expresse it also do not think that because the Papists do superstitiously adore the Crucifix and the Altar and idols therein therefore it is superstition to do worship to God every man that comes into anothers house doth in good manners salute the Master of the house where he enters the same may not a visible worship be due to the invisible God! O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker It is a godly custome if done in zeal of Gods glory with devotion and not in a customary formality to sanctifie our entrance into Gods house with Prayers to fall low upon our knees before God to invocate him for his blessing upon our selves upon our Minister upon the whole Congregation 2. Learn of the Apostle let all things be done decently and in good order compose thy outward man to all due reverence and conformity with the holy Congregation and thine inward man to all zealous devotion remember the meetings of the Saints in the primitive times of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do not give God thy knee and thy tongue thine eye thine eare and thy hand thy whole outward addresse and keep thy heart from him and let thy thoughts go and wander from the service thou
threatning against two of the sins of this People violence and the want of the feare of the Lord whereby the law is slacked And for corruption of Justice they that turn judgement into wormwood have their doom Judgment without mercy shall be shewed to them that have no mercy Let us not therefore feare them or be troubled at them that go in these wicked ways for the Judge of all the world will do justly The cry of the oppressed shall prevaile against them He also will heare their cry and will help them The Lord is King the earth may be glad thereof and the multitude of the Ilands may rejoyce for he is known by executing judgment he is the husband of the widow and the father of the fatherlesse The poore committeth his cause unto him for he relieveth the oppressed 2. The particulars of this judgment threatned contain two things 1. The Judgment threatned 2. The Executioners thereof 1. The judgement threatned is that he will punish them by the conquering hand of the heathen This calleth to our remembrance divers points of doctrine delivered out of the prophecy of Obaâ—iah 1. That the decrees of Gods judgments upon the wicked are constant and unchangeable 2. That God useth warre as one of his rods to punish sin 3. That all wars are ordained by God for he stirreth up this warre against the Jews 4. That God punisheth one evil Nation by another 5. That God giveth warning of his judgments to those whom he fore knoweth to be such as they will take no warning to amend 6. That God requiteth sinners in the same kind in which they offend The Jews sinne was violence and violence is their punishment 7. That the judgment of God upon the wicked and unmerciful shall be without all mercy The point that I will now adde Doct. is That the Justice of God doth not spare his own People if they provoke him The Jews shall have no favour if the Prophets and holy men have cause to complain of them All the promises that God made to Israel are limited by the condition of their obedience and the law given to them is called the Lords Covenant because all those promises did follow the obedience of that law otherwise God stood free to withdraw his mercie from them So Moses The Lord made a Covenant with us in Horeb. The Covenant is 1 Pet. 2.5 You shall walk in all the wayes which the Lord your God commanded you that yee may live and that it may go well with you Vers 33. and that yee may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possesse God himselfe confesseth Psal 89.3 I have made a Covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant Thy Throne will I establish for ever Vers 4. and build up thy Throne to all Generations But yet with condition of obedience for If his children forsake my law Vers 30. Vers 31. Vers 32. and walk not in my judgements If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandements Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes So that no promise or oath of God doth give Priviledge or immunity to any to offend the law of God And such is the equal Justice of God that David though a man after Gods heart although a servant of Gods finding a king of Gods own annointing doth confesse If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not hear me Moses his sister Miriam must be a Leper and shut out of the Camp for murmuring Moses and Aaron shall not go into the promised land for their want of sure trust in God For God is no accepter of Persons Those who are sealed with the spirit of promise Reas have their infirmities lapses and relapses but as they sin not unto death 1. The second death so they can't suffer any other then temporal chastisements yet these they cannot stop for by this Physick God doth often purge them and restore them to health in this fire of tribulation he doth often purge their drosse For some water will serve them to wash them if they be taken in time for some that have taken rust with Gods long forbearance and their own custome of sinning fire is necessary to burn out their drosse But none escape of this all are Partakers and as personal sins have personal chastisements so epidemical sins have popular punishments when a Common-wealth is diseased what though it be a People as Israel whom God hath chosen out of all the nations of the world what though he have rooted out the heathen to plant them in although he have given them a land flowing with miâ—k and honey setled the Priesthood and his Worship given them his Word continued them in peace many generations Yet if they shall use violence and oppression if they shall break the Law of God and corrupt the seat of judgement The Lord will see it and be angry and Noah Daniel and Job shall not keep out judgment rather the complaints of the just shall help to hasten the coming of wrath against that land We have heard also that judgment beginneth at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 When God sent destroyers into Jerusalem their Commission was Slay utterly old and young both maids and the children Ezech 9.6 and the women and begin at my Sanctuary We may say that England hath been for many years since the restitution of our Religion Gods pleasant plant Vse he hath given it rest he hath hedged you walled it with his Providence He hath given us peace within he hath given us victories abroad he hath kept out the Chaldaeans the Spaniards whose invincible strength came to possesse and divide the land He hath spoken the word and we have had multitude of Preachers Religion and all kind of learning all Mercature hath flourished and we have traded to the ends of the world Mechanical and manual arts have come up to their full growth we may say Non fecit Deus taliter we have peace now with all the world at least in shew and pretence Let not these favours of God swell us and make us presume in our hearts that our God cannot be lost to us to encourage sinne if the sins of the Iews be found amongst us violence contempt of Religion and corruption of Justice God will do a thing in our days which he that heareth will not believe by reason of our long rest All the favours of God came in with true Religion and the contempt thereof wil carry them out again for God is no accepter of Persons as we are Angli if we were Angeli he would cast us out of our heaven upon earth and give our land to strangers that shall punish us and make them that hate us to be lords over us 2. The executioners of this judgment wherin observe 1. By whom God will punish 2. How farre the punishment shall extend 3. What shall become of
bounds we are taught that they whom God employeth without their knowledge and Privity do only seek their own ends neither is God in all their ways 3. As this passing over signifieth the short joy of their victory so it teacheth that an ungodly man can never be an happy man nor a sinful man a wise man for in short time he will lose that what he hath unjustly gotten for though God intended the taking away of the Iews land from them he intended it but for a time he meant the Jews a sharp chastisement not an eradication I understand those words of a cessation from any further prosecution of this warre against the Jews for he shall carry away some captive into his own land and the meaner sort he shall leave behind to husband Judaea and so shall cease And this doth strengthen our former doctrine that those whom God useth as instruments of his Justice shall at length desist God will not suffer them beyond his decreed time 3. They shall offend Let no man mistake this place as if God did lay upon them a necessity of offence but he doth out of his Prescience foretell that they will offend God as with all their other sinnes so particularly with this their service done to him They are stirred up to this warre by God Doctr. and it is his just will to punish the Iews yet the Chaldaeans that execute this will do offend which was before proved by their evil intention and will after more appear in the close of this text wherein we have charged the action upon God and the evill of the action upon the Chaldaeans Doct. 2 2. God foreknoweth the sins of men He foreknew the fall of Adam and provided a remedy for it in his eternal counsel He foreknew the sins of the old world and provided a judgment to punish them He foreknew the sinnes of his Israel and therefore he made all his promises conditional and referred them to their obedience He foreknew the trespasse of Judas the cruelty of the Iews the injustice of the Romanes against his sonne and he made his death medicinal and cordial for his Church and a ruine to the enemies thereof the same stone which was the corner stone of the Church was a rock of offence to her enemies This is the ground of Gods Justice against the Chaldaeans in the next section of this chapter for fore-seeing how they would offend He did also fore-decree how he would punish them He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seer for all things are manifest in his sight the eye of the Lord is over all the world he seeth both the good and the bad God foreseeth offences before they be come into the hearts of men as Christ knew Judas would be a â—raitour before Judas knew it himself 2 Reg. 13.8 and God by his Prophet told Hazael how cruel he should be before Hazael was King and when Hazael though such wickednesse could not have bred in him Am I a dog that I should do this great thing And Christ told Peter that he would deny him when Peter protested against it very strongly 1. Because he knoweth the heart in which sinne breedeth and knows how apt it is to conceive sinne He knoweth whereof we be made 2. He foreseeth the temptations wherewith man shall be tempted 3. He knoweth what measure of strength and vertue is gone out from him to man to enable him against these temptations Vse 1. Let no man therfore flatter himself that he can commit any sinne so secretly that the eye of God shall escape it he knoweth our thoughts long before there can no darknesse hide us from this eye but the darknesse is as light as the day to him darknesse and light are both alike And if God foresee offences to come much more doth he remember sins past and observe sins present 2. Let this stirre us up to the feare of the Lord which is a continual putting of us into the presence of God and filleth us with fervent prayers to God to keep us from sinne either from the desire of it or from the committing of it or from the punishment of it by giving us strength to resist sinne tempting us or at least to hate the evil which we do against the law of our mind transported by the law of our members or to give us the grace of repentance that we may turn to him and break off our sins by righteousnesse and godly life This is that petition in our Lords Prayer Lead us not into temptation Which petition followeth that former forgive us our trespasses for whom God pardoneth them Satan tempteth most both because he despighteth God and because relapse into sins once pardoned is a double danger And he prayeth God not to lead him into the temptation because we must not only remember with grief the sins we have committed but we must consider with feare what sins our infirmities may fall into Into which God leadeth us by withdrawing his grace from us or from which he keepeth and preserveth us by his assisting grace The foresight of God is in respect of himself and his own perfect knowledge infallible and certain that will come to passe which he foreseeth and this is his wisedome though man have a free will to do evil yet he knoweth how far this his free will shall mislead him And for that cause he hath set such a guard of Angels about the just to keep them in all their ways that they fall not to take them up again when they fall and he hath given his word and lanthorn to their feet to guide and direct their paths Yet we may say that this foresight of God may be in respect of the means conditional and so God may foresee such an event upon some secret condition which yet by means may be prevented and not succeed A great example hereof in Davids story He heareth that the Philistims do rob Keilah David goeth against the Philistims 1 Sam. 23. and overcometh and saveth the men of Keilah Saul hearing of it armes his forces to surprize Keilah secretly David asketh of God Vers 12. Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul The Lord said They will deliver thee up Here God foresaw a sinne in the men of Keilah which was never committed but Saul had sent and God knew the corruption of the heart of those men and gave warning Here his foresight in respect of himself was certain which was that David should take this warning to escape But in respect of the successe it was conditional because it hath reference to the means of evasion So God foresaw the death of Ezechiah by his conditional will deferred but by his revealed will present and his revealed will doth not always make necessity of event but sometimes it is a warning to escape it Thus God foreseeth the spawning of sinne in mans life in the seed or root thereof which is
and was afraid In thy word I see how corrupt I am for that sheweth me what thou requirest my conscience feareth those sins of which it is guilty for which I come to thee for mercy O give me through Iesus Christ our Lord that which my prayer without him dare not presume to ask Here is spirituall boldness through Iesus Christ our Lord here is fear in respect of our selves for we must serve the Lord in fear and rejoyce in trembling it is vvell that that is not branded vvith a mark of contradiction We have to do vvith three sorts of persons 1 The prophane and carnall 2 The generation the Wise man nameth of such as are wise in their own eyes yet want washing 3 The truly zealous faithfull ones that do worship God with fear and trembling First concerning the prophane and carnall These do not pray at all the reason is because they do not fear Psa 9.20 of such David saith Put them in fear O Lord that they may know they are but men for when they know that they will see and confesse that they have need of help Thus was Saul converted there suddenly shoon a light from heaven upon him a voyce spake to him he was cast down to the earth Then trembling and astonished he said Lord Act. 9.6 what wilt thou have mee do then was hee fit to be wrought To such wee must preach as Paul did to Felix of righteousnesse Act. 24.25 temperance and the judgment to come to put them into trembling better to put them between the two mil-stones of the law of Moses and the lavv vvritten in their hearts and to grind them as small as the dust of the earth then to let them make sinne out of measure sinfull by holding out to be abominable and to every good vvork reprobate We cannot open the gates of hell too vvide for such to shevv them the anger to come a fit text for a generation of Vipers vve cannot lift up our voyces too loud in the deaf ears of such to tell them their transgressions and to put them in fear David vvept rivers of vvaters for such and that is a good remedie let the faithfull vveep for them for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich signifieth to vveep comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frango So vvhen the man of God looked on Hazael 2 Reg. 8.11 and fore-savv the cruell butcheries vvhich his bloody hand should perform he vvept this vveeping of the Prophet brake the heart of Hazael for the time and he said Is thy Servant a dog that he should do these things So St. Paul putteth them together What mean you to weep and to break my heart Act. 21.13 their vveping brake his heart The hearts of the prophane are hardened with the custome of sinning St. Bernard Aperiatur vena ferro compunctionis vve must dravv bloud of them by the preaching of the terrour of the Lord to them This bloud is the tears of compunction of vvhich David My soul melteth or drippeth for heaviness St. Augustine saith that Lachrymae compunctionis be sanguis vulnerati cordis Epist 199. vvhen the remembrance and consideration of their sins hath vvounded them and left them half dead then the good Samaritan vvill come vvith his Wine and Oile even the Oile of gladnesse and the poor patient vvill say Thou hast put gladnesse into my heart This was Sauls hard heart broken in pieces first and he that before did carry the crosse of Christ to torment others now rejoyced in nothing but the crosse of Christ himself whereby the world was crucified to him and he to the world Thus vvhen the lavv hath humbled the prophane under the mighty hand of God he turneth all into tears full of the fear of God and vovveth vvith himselfe as he did in the Poet In fontem frontem atque in flumina lumina vertam then is he fit to pray and to call upon the name of the Lord saying Sana animan mean quia peccavi contrate heal my soul O Lord for I have sinned against thee 2 Wee have to doe vvith that generation vvho are vvise in their ovvn eyes these have a good opinion of themselves that they knovv more then others and they are not in conversation like to the Publican and therefore they look God in the face they dravv neer to him they stand and pray these are so ful of the spirit that they need no help in their prayers they can pen their ovvn petitions their hearts endite good matters their tongues are the pens of ready vvriters they can talk vvith God Almighty ex tempore Dabitur illa hora. Self-opinion is a kind of spirituall drunkenesse and therein of like effect it maketh men daring and fool-hardy the prophane care not for God there is no fear of God before their eyes these make tvvo bold vvith him they also must take a little physick to purge the exuberancy of their presumption vve must give them a doze of fear and teach them to drink of the cup of trembling next their hearts there is no such antidote against tumor as timor swelling as fear It is the Wise mans counsell Be not rash with thy mouth Eccle. 5.2 and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before the Lord for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few He addeth Vers 3. a fools voice is known by multitude of words that is further urged In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin Prov. 10.19 For this Christ teaching us to pray beginneth at Our Father which art in heaven that we upon earth might consider that he to whom we pray is in Heaven that we might compose our selves with fear and reverence to come before him and to present him with our prayers And again he comprehendeth all that we may aske of God in a very short prayer to teach us that our words must be few And to that purpose in his Sermon he taught Mat. 6 7. But when ye pray use not vain repititions as the heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking They that come in presence of great persons speak their words by number and by weight the very presence doth stamp in them an impression of reverence and fear now seeing God to whom we pray is invisible our faith must behold him before us in glorious majesty as hee saith I have set God always before mee and like Abraham the neerer we come to his presence and the more that we solicite him the more shall vve be shaken vvith this holy fear considering him vvho dwelleth in the light that no man can attein unto and considering our selves that we are but dust and ashes the heathen could teach deos caste adeunto let men go reverently and inwardly cleave before their gods 3 There are yet another sort of them vvhom their sins do oppress as a burthen too heavie for them to bear
God is armed vvith povver to punish evill doers 4 That in all this God vvas glorified First the consideration of former mercies doth strengthen faith in present troubles Therefore do they commemorate the manner of Gods glorious comming from Teman and of Paran vvherein he had glory in the heavens and prayse upon the earth David did make good use of this point often For vvhen my distresse came he found comfort in this remembrance Novv thou art farre of and goest not forth with our armies Thou makest us turn back from the adversary Psal 44.9.10 and they which hate us spoile for themselves c. To comfort this affliction he beginneth that Psalme We have heard with our ears O God and our fathers have told us what thou didst in their days and in the times of old How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand and planted them c. So Psal 74 9. again complaining of great afflictions We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet this is his comfort God is my King of old working Salvation in the midst of the Earth Thou didst divide ehe Sea by thy power c. So again Psal 77.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my soar ran and ceased not and in the night my soul refused comfort Then I considered the days of old Verse 5. Psal 4.1 and the years of ancient times Thou hast enlarged me when I was distrest The reason why this doth minister comfort to the Church 1 Reas is because we have learned that our God is constant in his love whom he once loved he ever loveth for he is without variablenesse and shadow of changing as the Apostle and the Psalmist saith But thou art the same thy years shall have no end Ps 102.27.28 The children of the servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee The goodness of God endureth continually Psal 52.1 Reas 2. Because the commemoration of former benefits is a work of thanksgiving and prayse and that is the highest service that we can perform to God in his worship this is Sicut in coelo it is heaven upon earth For it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing prayses to the Name of the most High Psal 92.1 Ps 50.23 It is good for God for He that offereth me praise glorifieth me and for that he made us It it good for us for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased there is our happiness for in his favor is light Reas 3 Again the thankfull commemoration of former mercies of God to us doth draw on new benefits for thanksgiving as it is Gods crop which he gathereth from us of the seed of his many favours so it is our seed which we cast into the ground of Gods kindness and it bringeth us an harvest of new blessings Every man thinks his seed well bestowed in good ground that yeeldeth an encrease and God hath said Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 This point is of excellent use Vse to stir us up to a wise consideration of the constant love of God to such as fear serve him Benefits are soon forgotten therefore as David saith I called upon the Lord in my trouble so he stirreth up himself to thankfulness My soul praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits He found great comfort in this looking back When he undertook Goliah and Saul discouraged him as unable for it he looked back to the time past and remembred how God had delivered him from a Lion and a Bear and from that experience of Gods good help he resolved to attempt the uncircumcised Philistine And in his declining years when age grew upon him he comforted his drooping spirits thus Thou art my hope O Lord God Psa 71.5 even my trust from my youth Vpon thee have I been stayed from the womb thou art he that took me from my mothers bowels Cast me not off in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth There be three sorts of men that do even run themselves upon the edge and point of reprehension we cannot here forgive them a chiding 1 Those that tanquam prona pecora as groveling beasts do look onely upon the time incumbent mistaking St. Paul who saith I forget that which is behind Lyranus understandeth him legalia terrena Theophilact better Praeteritarum virtutum nihil reminiscor nec memoria repeto Phil. 3.13 sed ea omnia post tergum relinquo So we must forget all the good we have done as being short of perfection that we may mend our pace in the ways of Gods Commandements But the Apostle did look back to times past to see what Christ had done for us how he loved us when vve vvere his enemies how he washed us in his bloud how he forgave him his sins and how he obteined mercy of him because vvhat he did he did it ignorantly through unbelief 2 Those also are here reproved vvho look only to the time past and see therein nothing but Gods temporall favours but regard not the times present and consider not Gods spirituall graces Some that lived in the time of Popery do prayse those dais then vvas good house-keeping easie rents a constant fashion of apparrel that many Gentlemen had the lands of their grandfathers in possession and their cloaths on their backs then vvas no seeking of reversions or buying of offices no market of Church-livings Israel did so Remember the fish that we are in Aegypt for nought the Cucumbers and the Melons and the Leeks and the Onions num â—1 5 and the Garlick I deny not but when the people of this Land vvere fewer and the vanity of the pride of other Nations and many of their foul sins kept home and were not imported hither there were better times for the belly then these are But let us see the state of souls at that time they were then in the house of bondage under Pharaoh of Rome Beef and Mutton Wheat and Barly were cheap but the two Testaments the two breasts of the Church vvere like a Fountain sealed up and like a Garden enclosed But when Queen Elizabeth began to rest in this Hemisphere like the Sun to run her race she turned that night into day and maintained this light till she vvas taken up into heaven and she that vvas a shining star on earth and blest the Church of God here vvith benigne aspect and influence vvas made a glorious ever blessed Saint in heaven In the beginning of her raign God came from Teman The Holy one from mount Paran God revealed himself in the glorious Sun-shine of his Gospel of peace 3 They are also reproved vvho out of too much fore-casting fear of the times to come do quite forget both the former and the present mercies of God and astonish themselves vvith representations of hideous formes of ensuing
2 It serveth for the good of our Brethren Hâ—b 5.19 for it is the end of all strife I wil not enter into the lists with the Anabaptists to confute their weak arguments against the lawfulnesse of an oath you hear it warranted by reason and examples grow thick in the book of God to justifie it 2 Quaere Whether every oath be to be kept To that we answer in a word every lawfull oath is to be kept so is every lawfull promise If a man vow a vow unto the Lord nuâ— 30.3 or swear an Oath to bind his soul with a bond he shall not prophane his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Every oath and every promise engageth our faith that is our fidelity and so it is a bond upon our souls and though it it be to our hinderance we must not break Remember how the breach of the oath of the Lord made by Joshua and the elders of the people to the Gibeonites smarted in the house of Saul Zedekiah had engaged himself by oath to Nebuchadnezzar an heathen King and brake and rebelled against him indeed it was before the doctrine of Rome was afoot Fides non est servanda cum haereticis no faith to be kept with hereticks But here the Prophet Shall he escape that doth such things Or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered Eze. 17 15 And after saith God As I live surely mine oath that he hath despised Ver. 19. and my Covevenant that he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head For he said He despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when lo Vâ—rse 18. he had given his hand A lawfull promise and oath hath three notes to justifie it Truth Righteousness Judgement Jer. 4.2 1 In truth the heart joyning with the Author 2 In righteousnesse seeking Deo proximo servire serve God and our neighbour 3 In judgement it is deliberation and advice 4 Doctr. God declareth his power sometimes openly to the comfort of his Church and the terrour of the enemies thereof gathered from these words Thy Bow was quite naked for as before there was abscontio roboris the hiding of his strength when God revealed himself to his Church onely upon Mount Sinai so there was now revelatio roboris a revealing of his strength when he had made his Bow quite naked 1 For the setling of his Church in obedience to him Reas 2 so saith the Psalmist after commemoration of the wonder All works of God done for Israel That they might keep his statutes Ps 1â—5 45 and observe his Laws 2 For the glory of his name Reas 2 that he might fill the mouthes of the faithfull with his praise and this effect it wrought with Israel a while for when God had done great things for them Then they sang his praise Ps 106.12 3 For the credit of his Word Reas 3 that they might settle their faith in his promises so it is there said Then they believed his Word 4 To convince the ingratitude of men Reas 4 if they notwithstanding the manifestation of his power to them do start aside and rebell against him so doth the Psalmist taxe them where repeating the manifest and naked bow of God revealed to them it is the burthen of his song Yet they sinned more against God by provoking the most High in the wildernesse he repeateth more of his great works Psa 78 17. and addeth For all this they sinned still and believed not for all his wondrous works he repeateth more and saith Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God and kept not his testimony c. 5 To instruct posterity that should succeed them Reas 5 That the generation to come might know them even the children which should be borne Psa 78 6. who should arise and declare them to their children That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his Commandements This is the way to keep the bow of God still naked that all the ends of the world may see the salvation of our God God layeth his Bow quite naked in the sight of the world that the Egyptians may see that God fighteth for Israel against them and may fly from them that the world may see that all their consultations against the Church shall faile of successe and it will turn to bitternesse in the latter end You may easily discerne how all this is directed to our instruction Vse To awake us to a consideration of the revealed power of God for if God shew it it is that we may see it it was the cause of Israels so many rebellions For whereas God did so great things for them Ps 78.7 That they might not forget his works They forgate his works and his wonders that he hath shewed them and that made them children of disobedience To direct to the right use of this mercy of God which is as you have heard 1 In respect of God to give him due praise that he may have the honour due to his name 2 In respect of our selves to confirme our hope and faith in his word and in the arm of his strength believing that bow and the whole quiver of arrows belonging to it is on our side and we need not fear what man or Devil can do against us 3 In respect of this life that we passe the time of our dwelling here in fear living in the obedience and service of this Almighty Maker and preserver of men by keeping his statutes c. 4 In respect of posterity that we leave them our good example and the light of our knowledge to instruct them in the wonderfull works of God that generation may praise him to generation and declare his power 5 In respect of our enemies that they may see and know whom we have trusted and may know that our help is in the name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth so that we shall not need to fear their bow nor their arrows upon the string ready to goe off against us there is a Bow on our side and an arme to weild it Verse 10. The mountains saw thee and they trembled the overflowing of the water passed by the deep uttered his voice and lift up his hands on high THese words have reference to the former wonders of Gods works in which the Holy Ghost Poetically and Rhethorically doth give life to things in-animate to expresse their yielding and giving vvay to Gods extraordinary operations some understanding that For such impression did the power of God make in the everlasting mountains as he calleth them before ver 6. and in the perpetuall hils that they gave way to his people as if they had seen God himself and that the feare of God had been upon them to make them tremble The like Poeticall streine we have in the Psalmist What ailed ye mountains that ye skipped like
case of Nineveh God pleaded with Jonah for the infants But God never forsaketh us till we first forsake him not then if there be but animus revertendi he is patient and long suffering but when we come once to two evils To forsake him the Fountain of living waters and to dig to our selves cisterns of our own making then he can no longer forbear when we grow A sinfull nation a people laden with iniquity Isai 1.4 a seed of evill doers children that are corrupters forsaking the Lord provoking the Holy One of Israel to anger going away backward No wonder If he make our Countrey desolate burn our Cities with fire let strangers devour our land in our presence and lay it desolate as overthrown by strangers Where we are guilty to our selves of provocation Vse 1 of the Lord against us we have cause to lay all the blame upon our selves and to say We have gone away from thee and have not hearkned to thy voice therefore art thou displeased with us Seeing the Justice of God doth set him against us we are also to acquite him of any hard measure towards us and to say just art thou O Lord and just are thy judgments But especially this stirreth us up to divert this wrath to come for to that purpose God giveth warning by threatnings not in judgment to punish and torment us before our time with the fear of them and after in their time with the sense of them but to admonish us to fly from the anger to come for Jeremy was sent on this very message to this people and he threatned them from God as Habakkuk here doth yet with this caution of repentance For Jeremie being required by King Zedekiah to enquire of the Lord concerning Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel If the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderfull works that hee will go from us Jer. 21.2 Jeremie through the whole Chapter resolveth him that God is purposed to deliver his people and their Land into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar yet in the next Chapter he bringeth this comfortable message from God to the King Thus Jer. 22.1 saith the Lord go down to the King of Judah and speak there this word And say hear the Word of the Lord O King of Judah that sittest upon the throne of David thou and thy servants and the people that enter in by these gates Thus saith the Lord execute you judgment and righteousnesse and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressour and do no wrong do no violence to the stranger the Fatherlesse nor the Widow neither shedinnocent bloud in this place For if you do this thing indeed then there shall enter in by the gates of this house Kings sitting for David upon his throne riding in Chariots and on horses he and his servants and his people But if ye will not hear these words I swear by my self saith the Lord that this house shall become a desolation c. This declareth that the threatnings of God when he menaceth our sins with judgments are like Jonathans arrows shot rather to give us warning then to hurt us Which admonisheth us that whensoever any fear surprizeth us of wrath to come upon our land either in the corruption of our religion or in the perturbation of our peace or in the fear of falf friends that may kisse and betray or in the dearth and scarcity of the necessaries of life in any in all these fears the change of our ways the repentance of our sins the amendment of our lives will ever make our peace with our God and turn away these threatned and feared evils from us for godlinesse hath the promises both of this life and of that which is to come 2 Let us consider the instruments in this action called his troops The armies of the Chaldaeans Doct. by which Israel is to be punished are the troops of God God owns them as Jeremiah telleth Zedechiah Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Jer. 21.4.5 Behold I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands wherewith ye fight against the King of Babylon and against the Chaldaeans which besiege you without the wals and I will assemble them into the midst of this City And I my self will fight against you with an out-stretched hand and with a strong arm even in anger and in fury and in great wrath So he told them before in this Prophecy I raise up the Chaldaeans a bitter and hasty nation Hab. 1 6. which shall march through the breadth of the land to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs From whence we have learnt That God ordereth this war against his people which Doctrine we have at large handled in the Prophecy of Obdiah We learnt also that God punisheth one evill nation by another and those whom he employeth in the correction of his enemies he protecteth and prospereth in their wars and he is very carefull to pay them wages as in the service of Egypt against Tyrus which Nebuchadnezzar did Ezek. 29.20 I have given him the Land of Egypt for the service wherewith he served against it because they wrought for me saith the Lord God For God can make use of wicked men to ferve in his troops for the punishing of such as rebell against him Therefore let no man say the Turk is an enemy to God and to Religion he serveth Mahomet he is an infidell and therefore he shall not prevail against us Let no man say the Pope is a man of Sin and a mainteiner of Idolatry an usurper upon the royall prerogatives of Jesus Christ he advanceth himself above all that is called God and is worshipped hee is an incroacher upon the rights and honours and power of Princes and usurpeth a transcendent jurisdiction over them a mainteiner of treason and murther of Kings a Coiner of Articles of Faith an hider of the Word of God a maker of counter-laws against the Law of God therefore neither he nor his religion shall ever prevail against the Professours of the truth of God For if these sins be found in our land which God conditioned again in Judah that is If just judgment be not executed and righteousnesse practised if the spoiled be not delivered from the hand of the oppressour if wrong be done to the stranger the poor the Fatherlesse and the Widow Turk and Pope Papists and Infidels may be gathered together into the troops of God and employed against us and prevail against us for we are no better then Judah nor deerer to God then his own people And if he please to punish Christendome or the professours of his truth by these if once they become Gods troops they shall prosper and carry all before them 2 The misery in the patient the Land of Israel threatned as you hear in the trees Here are named the chief trees for fruit the fig-tree the vine and the olive Non omnis fert omnia
prostitute strumpet to the shame of their Religion he that hath begun will also in time make an end and he that beginneth to lose estimation at home will hardly either encrease or maintein it abroad Who are papists or affected popishly amongst us for the most part but such as are ignorant of holy Scriptures or such as corrupt and pervert them for the revelation doth point out Antichrist as the finger of John did Christ with This is he it calleth Rome Babylon and sheweth us the fall thereof and the cheerfull rising of the true Church to light and glory In all those dangers that the Church of God runneth the comfort here expressed in the Lord stays the heart thereof with flagons and comforteth it with apples for his love is a banner to it The parts of this text are three 1 The hope of the afflicted Church 2 The ground of this hope and comfort 3 The dedication of this Psalm 1 The hope of the afflicted Church Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord. You know that joy dilateth the heart and giveth it sea-room in the stormy and tempestuous state of trouble joy is a thing that every soul affecteth we desire many days to see good we are apt with Solomon to try our hearts with joy This is welcome to them that live here on earth which is convallis lachrymarum a valley of tears wherein the story of our whole life is written upon a scroul on both sides filled with lamentations mourning and wo and our Saviour saith Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted We have so many causes of mourning that whether we look to our selves the occasions of our own woe or to our sorrows the fruitfull spawn of our breeding sins the naturall and proper effects of our own corruptions we have from both matter of grief and provocation of sorrow 1 Pro nobis for our selves for what we suffer 2 In nobis in our selves for that we do deserve Therefore we must not seek joy in our selves for then we shall weep as Rachel for her children because they are not The joy of the Church is in the Lord. Plerumquè in ipsis piis fletibus gaudii claritas erumpit and then it is when man forsaketh all comforts and findeth that Gregor Bonum est adhaerere Deo semper when a man unmindeth all other comforts This as Augustine saith est gaudium quod non datur impiis sed eis qui te gratis colunt quorum gaudium tu ipse es ipsa est beata vita gaudere de te propter te ipsa est non est alia All you then who have found sorrow and heavinesse by the due consideration of those evils which you have committed and of those holy duties which you have omitted and of those punishments which you have justly suffered come hither and learn how to rejoyce forget that which is behind remember Lots wife look not back to the beguiling delights of the bewitching and flattering world look before you to the Lord for hee is the Authour he is the Mediatour he will be the finisher of your joy gaudium vestrum nemo tollet a vobis and your joy no man shall take from you Joy not in greatnesse and high place or in riches in the fruit of the womb in the extent of your lands in the favours of Princes in the full sea of temporall happinesse they that suffer in all these things do finde joy in the Lord. Reasons why in the Lord. 1 They that joy in the Lord rest in the Lord and cast all their care upon him they pray fiat voluntas tua thy will be done and they are content with it and they are thankfull for it when it is done neither relucting at the doing of it nor repining and finding fault when they see it performed They say with old Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 Isa 39.8 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good and with Hezechiah good is the Word of the Lord. And therefore the Lord is the same to them whether he be offerens opening his hand and giving or auferens stretching out his hand to strip and divest them of all that he hath as he was to Job 2 They that rejoyce in the Lord rejoyce in nothing otherwise then as a means and faculty to serve the Lord. And so we may rejoyce in honours which do put our good example more in sight that others may behold our good works and glorifie God So we may rejoyce in authority and power over others if we use it to the winning of others to the service of our God to the coertion of evill doers and the reward of the good So may we rejoyce in riches if we use them as means to advance the Law of God and to expresse our charity to the needy All this is joy in the Lord that God trusteth us with the dispensation of these outward things and the applying of them to his service 3 They that rejoyce in the Lord rejoyce because God is Lord so David The Lord is King the earth may be glad of it for Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. This is the Jubilation of the Church Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us Isa 25.9 this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation that do thus acknowledge him their Lord and are glad that they live under his government Isai 26.8 The desire of their souls is to his name and to the remembrance of him For when thy judgments are in the world the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousnesse O Lord our God other lords have ruled us but by thee onely will we make mention of thy Name This was the joy of the Church here professed in the midst of extream sorrows There cannot be a better signe to know this true spirituall joy from all other false seemings and blandations of joy 1 Signe then the lasting thereof for the candle of the wicked shall be put out but God is a Sun and a shield to his Church Joy in all other things is but a sojourner and tarrieth but a small time but when once it fastneth upon God it saith Here will I dwell for ever for I have a delight herein This joy hath none of the fears that other joys have to make us doubt the losing of it it hath none of the impediments to stop the way to it that other joys have It hath none of the sorrows that other joys have to commedle with it It hath none of the miseries that conclude all other joys to determine it Therefore as the Apostle admonisheth Vse rejoyce always in the Lord again I say rejoyce Rejoyce when thou aboundest rejoyce also when thou wantest full and empty when thou givest alms and when thou receivest alms it is a more blessed thing to give it is also a blessed thing to receive in health
Prophets of the Lord and his holy Ministers beholding the sins which they do daily reprove to come up so fast as though they had never layd the axe of Gods judgment against the root of that corrupt tree the zeal of Gods glory so stirreth them that they cannot hold â—ut they must strike with the sword of the Spirit they must lift up their voices like trumpets they must tell the house of Jacob their sins Jeremy doth expresse this to the life Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord Jer. 6.11 I am weary with holding in I will pour it out upon the children abroad c. Let not the sensuall and carnall man call our threatnings of sin our own ravings and railings and our comminations of judgment the intemperate issue of our own choler Jeremy calleth it The fury of the Lord. And so long as we reprove justly and mingle none of our own heat with the fire of Gods altar we shall kindle a fire in the bones of the sinner which shall give him no rest but his conscience shall say to him as Nathan said to David Thou art the man 3. In respect of his compassion Do not think that it is any joy to us to reprove or to threaten St. Paul is loth to use the rod. Jonah will rather runne away from God then he will carry the newes to Niniveh that it must be destroyed Many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping We shall find as soone as we are past this first verse that this Prophet did feel the burthen which he did see and the griefe he took for them turned his Harp into mourning and his Organes into the voyce of them that weep every tender heart avoydeth being a messenger of evil news but their feet be beautifull that bring glad tydings tydings of peace 3. The word of threatning is a burthen to the people to whom it is sent 1. Judaeis non Chaldaeis 1. To the Penitent 2. To the Impenitent 1. To the Penitent it is an heavy burthen to them to think how they have provoked God to anger and have drawn out his sword against themselves They that truly fear God when they hear their sins threatned do retire themselves into their chambers they weep and deplore their iniquities Hezekiah hearing the Prophet threatning his life He turned himself to the wall Isa 38.2 3. he prayed to the Lord and Hezekiah wept sore Never think that you hear the threatnings of God with any profit till you feel the burthen of them oppressing and the edge of them drawing bloud on you Lachrymae be sanguis animae The Lyon roareth and all the beasts of the forrest do tremble a tender sonne that hath done a fault and heareth his father threatning to punish him findeth that threatning so great a burthen to him that he can give himself no rest till he have recovered his fathers favour 2. The very Impenitent who have any sense of the terrour of the Lord feel Gods threatnings heavie it will make Ahab that sold himself to do wickednesse put on sackcloath and crowne his head with ashes and go mourning if he hear that Gods anger is stirred to bring evill upon his house Even Absolon an ungratious son is impatient of living out of his fathers presence and he setteth Joabs corn on fire for neglecting the mediation which might bring him to his fathers face Esau will seek his fathers blessing with tears and what would not Balaam give that he might die the death of the righteous Surely God is a consuming fire and if coals of this fire are kindled in the bosome of the impenitent and their damnation doth not sleep but is awake in them in the accusation of their guilty consciences to begin their hell even here on earth Hab. 1.2 O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry out unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save Here this Habakkuk this Wrastler doth begin his wrastling for what is this whole Chapter but a serious Expostulation and complaint wherein the Prophet 1. Contesteth with God himself vers 2.3 4. 2. He bringeth in God denoucing his own intended judgments against Judah and Jerusalem vers 5.6 7 8 9 10 11. 3. He returneth again to expostulate with God vers 12.13 14 15 16 17. 1. He contesteth with God Wherein 1. He chalengeth him for not hearing his prayer vers 2. 2. For shewing to him the sins of the people v. 3.4 In the first observe 1. What the Prophet did 1. He cryed 2. He cryed long 3. He cryed to him 2. What cause he had Of violence 3. What successe 1. Thou wilt not heare 2. Thou wilt not save To give some light to that which followeth let me first admonish you that it may well be gathered by the title that is here given to Habakkuk the Prophet that he was sent by Almighty God to preach to the Iews to reclaim them from their evil wayes and to still the noise of their crying sinnes and prevailing nothing with them to bring them to repentance he prayeth and cryeth to Almighty God for his judgement upon this People to punish their many sins and God not hearing him nor giving way to his anger to correct them the Prophet moved with the zeal of Gods glory wrastleth with God and contendeth with him for his rod upon them 1. What the Prophet did 1. I cry he lifteth up his voice against this People his brethren for it is twice exprest 1. He cryeth then he resumeth it he saith he cryeth out this is a thing that God doth use to take special notice of expectavi Justitiam ecce clamor It is said of Abel that being dead he spake Moses saith it was voxsanguinis a voice of blood God said that voice cryed to him out of the earth for vengeance The Cry of a Prophet one of Gods Secretaries to whom he revealeth his will one of Gods Chaplains to whom he committeth the Ministry of the Revelation of his will one of Gods Saviours to whom he committeth the office of saving his People the crying the vociferation of one of Gods Seers who cries not out of passion or humane perturbation but from a secret inspiration illuminating him and shewing him things to come One of Gods holy ones whom the zeale of Gods glory doth inflame with this earnestnesse the grief of mans rebellion doth provoke to that loudnesse Such a cry cannot spend it self all into aire and Sunne and perish with the noise it makes 2. He was no Sonne of thunder to make some suddain ratling noise and then cease He cryed loud he cryed long How long shall I cry if the weaknesse of his voice could not penet rate the eare of God vi by force here was saepe cadendo by often falling So David got an hoarsenesse in throat with crying loud and long to the Lord and our Saviour hath commanded that kind of importunity in Prayer and
the Prophet will give God no rest till he heare and answer for the Prayer of the just if it be fervent prevaileth with God zeale is an holy fire the flame of it ascendeth to heaven and penetrateth all the passages till it come to God Cold and perfunctory devotions intermitted and given over do not prevaile with God they please him best that use most violence for the kingdome of heaven suffereth violence 3. Vnto thee he directeth his prayers aright for Baals Priests may cry from morning to night may cut and lance their flesh and make many signes of zeale and earnest importunity without successe because their God heareth not his eyes see not his ears hear not his hands handle not there is no breath in his mouth to give them answer But the cry of the Prophet went up to God who beholdeth ungodlinesse and wrong that he may take the matter into his own hand Thus farre we have seen what the Apostle did 1. He cried 2. He cryed loud 3. To God 2. What cause had he to cry For violence this is fully and largely exprest in the second part of his contestation with God ver 3 4. I therefore only observe here two things 1. That he complained not without great provocation for violence was Gods own complaint and quarrel against the old world The earth is full of violence Gen. 6.13 and behold I will destroy them with the earth It was Gods quarrel against Edom for thy violence against thy brother Iacob shame shall cover thee Obad. 10. and thou shalt be cut off for ever 2. We consider where this violence was not of Esau against Iacob but of Iacob against Iacob as Isaiah describeth it Every man eating the flesh of his own arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh Isa 9. ult and both of them against Judah Civil and Domestick warres in the bosome of the Church grievances and vexations one of another these differences it is likely that the Prophets had laboured to compound and used all meanes to settle Peace there but it appeareth that they prevailed not therefore he complaineth 3. With what Successe 1. Thou wilt not hear the Cry of the Prophet was to awaken the Iustice of God to chasten his People for this violence for so desperate was the disease of the Church that they needed the sharpest Physick to heal it even the rod of God to correct them Yet God is so slow to wrath and so long-suffering that he would not hearken to the voice of his Prophets as yet to pull his hand out of his bosome though they said with David It is time for thee Lord to put to thine hand 2. Thou wilt not save 1. Thou wilt not succour them that suffer violence against the hand of their oppressours as his not hearing is to be imputed to his mercy and patience so his not saving is to be imputed either to his wisedome putting his children to the trial of their faith by afflictions or to his Justice making one of them who have corrupted their wayes a rod to scourge the other neither of them being as yet worth the saving till he had humbled them The text thus cleared the doctrines which grow upon this stemme and first branch of the Prophets contestation are these 1. That the weapons wherewith the holy servants of God do fight against sinne are their Prayers to God 2. That one necessary ingredient in our Prayers is earnestnesse and importunity 3. That the zeal of Gods glory and the love of Peace cannot dispense with tumule and combustion in the Church of God 4. That God sometimes suspendeth the desired successe of the earnest Prayers of his most faithful servants when they do pray according to his will and doth not heare them by and by Of the first of these first 1. Doctr. The weapons wherewith the holy servants of God do fight against sin is their Prayers I find that this People to whom God had sent his Prophets rising early and sending them were grown incorrigible and therefore even the Prophets that loved them and wished them well having no other way to reform them were now put to it to pray against their violence to God They that had wont to stand in the gap to turn away ingruent judgements do take such offence at their ungodlinesse that they are put to it to pray to God against them Thus Ioseph carried the evil report of his brethren to his father and made them to be shent wherein he did a brotherly office to seek their Reformation The spleen of Habakkuk is not against the Persons of his brethren they are not so much as named here he cryeth out of violence And so Saint Paul saith The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men David did thus in a case of violence Psal 109.3 4. They compassed me about with words of hatred and fought against me without cause For my love they are mine adversaries but I give my selfe unto Prayer Ego oro Quaere How doth it stand with the rules of charity to complain to God of our brethren and to stirre up his indignation against them Sol. I confesse that this asketh an especial tendernesse in the servants of God for to begin here without using other means to reclaim our offending brother may shake the walles of our charity and may accuse us of want of love therefore all those ways of charity must be first tried as to admonish privately or not speeding so joyn another with thy self in the private chiding of his sinne after failing to communicate the matter to the Church If all these supports which we do owe to our brother will not keep him up then let him be as an heathen and then is Davids Prayer in season Let the heathen know that they are but men But in my text here was the body of the Church diseased the members parts of the body in armes one against another only some few of Gods holy servants lived with grief in their righteous souls to behold the ungodly conversation of men nefariously wicked and carelesse of religion therfore what other way was left them but that of David I will yet pray against their wickednesse take away their ungodlinesse and thou shalt find none The Prophets and Seers of former times have had speciall Revelations of the Will of God concerning the ungodly of the earth whereby they might as boldly use imprecation as deprecation or supplication We that come short of their measure of the spirit must not dare to go to the farthest extent of their liberty in Prayer to pray against our brethren only thus farre we may with Habakkuk cry out unto God and make our moan to him for violence 1. Committing our cause and the care of our safety unto him as to a faithful Creator and so the care and safety of our brethren 2. Desiring God to bring to an end the wickednesse of the ungodly and
to finish their sins This serveth 1 To settle faith in God and to seeke our repose only in him in all crosse opposals because he is the sunne and shield and there is no rest but in him he only over-ruleth all and evacuateth the counsels and frustrateth the works of wicked men He only shall bring it to passe 2. This serveth to reprove the means that are in use amongst us to reforme sinne as we pretend but they are unlawful and ungodly 1. By publick blazing and detecting of offenders to put them to open shame in the world for the losse of a good name doth more often harden a sinner and cause impenitency then reclaim him for what hath he to boast that hath lost the good opinion of men love covereth a multitude of sinnes and therefore that is an evil tongue that is the trumpet of anothers shame It is charity to make the best of every thing 2. The same offence is committed in private whispers and secret detractions and the fault is aggravated by concealing our selves as unwilling to justifie our accusations 3. By cursing and bitter calling upon God for his vengeance on them that offend if the offence touch us or our friends for God knoweth without us who to manage his judgments and cursing it returneth and smarteth at home For the Apostle saith it twice Blesse Curse not 4. By publike playes and interludes to represent the vices of the time which though it were the practice of the heathen which knew not God but afarre off yet in Christian-states it is no way tolerable nor justifyable to act the parts of evil doers since the Apostle saith it is a shame to name them much more to act and personate them 5. By private conceived libels after divulged by secret passage from pocket to pocket from one bosome to another for which the devisers thereof have no warrant and to which they have no calling 6. By Satyres and Poeticall declamations for who hath sent these into the world to convince the world is it not to put the spirit of God out of office who is sent to convince the world of sinne And who but the Lords Prophets have warrant to lift up their voyces like Trumpets to tell the house of Jacob their sinnes Every Emperique man may not professe and practice Physick There is a Colledge of soule-Physicians who have a calling to this purpose and are sent to heale the soars of the People 1. By their diligent preaching of the World of God to them 2. By drawing against them and exercising upon them the sword of Ecclesiastical discipline 3. By continual prayer unto God to give end to their sinnes whereby they do trespasse God and good men 3. This serveth to discourage men from doing evil for fear of offending the Prophets and Ministers of the Lord whose righteous souls cannot but be vexed to see their good seed cast away upon barren stony or thorny ground For howsoever basely and unworthily we be deemed if the incorrigible iniquity of men do put us to it to move Almighty God by our earnest prayers against them they shall find that as Iob can do his friends good by his intercession because he is a Prophet so the Lords Ministers may awake judgement against such as go on still in their wickednesse and will not be reformed 2. Doctr. Our Prayers must be importunate The Prophet cried yea he cried out to the Lord. This importunity is exprest two ways 1. In the ardency and zeale of his Prayer it was not oratio a Prayer but vociferatio a crying 2. In the continuance of time How long Thus must we pray with fervour of spirit our tongue is the piece of Ordnance our Prayer is the shot the zeale of our heart is the powder that dischargeth it and according to the strength of the charge such is the flight of the shot Niniveh cryeth mightily to God Christ our Saviour cryed earnestly to his father Jou 3.8 yea with strong crying and tears Salomon spred his armes abroad the Publicane beat his breast Christ fell on the ground David said My sighing is not hid from thee Psal 38.9 The Israelites weeping is thus described They drew water and poured it out before the Lord. The Holy Ghost doth not furnish us so much with words and phrases in Prayer as with sighs and grones which cannot be exprost Paul prayed three times against Sathans Angel Abraham moved God six times for Sodome Nehemiah had so spent himselfe in watching and prayer for his People that the King observed his countenance changed Beloved it is not Prayers by number tale as in the Romish Church nor Prayers by rote or by the ear perfunctoriously vented in the Church and for custome said over at home It is not much babling and multiplicitie of Petitions or vain repetitions that will send up our Prayers to heaven Though you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you Isay 1. and though you make many Prayers I will not heare you The Pharisees wanted powder to their shot for they prayed in their Synagogues and in the corners of the streets but as God saith Quis requisivit ista Who required these things The soule that actuateth and animateth Prayer is fervor spiritus the holy zeal of him that prayeth 2. Duration of time is another testimony of zealous importunity when our prayer is not a passion but a deliberate and constant earnestnesse holding out as the Apostle saith Pray continually not as the Euchites to do nothing else but to entertain all occasions to conferre with God and to prostrate our suites before him Christ spent a whole night together often in prayer Dan. 10. David day and night Daniel 21 dayes together during the time that he ate no pleasant bread and was in heavinesse Jonah three dayes and three nights in the belly of the Whale made it his Oratory and Chappel from whence he prayed to the Lord. If our soare runne so long we can pray whilest we smart or if our necessities do presse us to importunity we can hold out long for our selves But in my Text the cause is Gods zeal and Gods glory cannot contain it self in the cause of God 3. Doctr. the Lords people do break his Law and will not be reformed the Prophet of the Lord cannot stand and look on as in the next verse he doth and see the glory of God thus suffer but he must awake in the cause of God to bring him to correction So David Rise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered let them that hate thee flie before thee And thus for Gods glory sake we may with reservation of those that do belong to the election of grace pray to God earnestly for the confusion of all Sions enemies and of all that would faine see Jerusalem the true Church of God in the dust Shall our servencie and heat be only for our selves if it be the grant of our requests doth quench
And this 1. In sincerity not with eye-service to be seen of men against hypocrisie 2. In zeal and fervency of spirit his word in our hearts must be as a burning fire Ier. 20.9 against cold and perfunctorious Profession which is the general disease of Professors 3. With perseverance to the end without any intermission or cessation against Apostasie back-sliding even as our great example did who was obedient to the death even he bowed down his head and gave up the Ghost This and nothing else doth make this life peace and the next life glory This is the old and good way walk in it and you shall find rest for your souls 3. The corruption of Justice is another of the Prophets complaints Doctr. Corruption of Justice is a dangerous signe of a drooping Common-wealth The Magistrate sitteth in the place of God Reas 1 and he is the common father of the People and God hath put his own sword into his hand and commanded him to judge justly between man and man If either there be no Magistrate as when there was no King in Israel the People did what seemed good in their own eyes Then every man is his owne judge and the stronger prevaile against the weaker Or if the Magistrate be corrupt there goeth forth wrong judgment good causes have unequal hearings and right taketh no place Solon in the Athenian Clâ—o and Lycurgus in the Lacedemonian Common-wealth got them honour in the books of time for their Justice and Herodotus reporteth that amongst the Medes when they yet had no King Deioces being but a private man by com-promising contentions betwixt man and man justly and equally got that reputation amongst the People that in short time all the causes of the countrey were referred to his hearing which got him such a name of doing justice that when they found it necessary to put themselves under the Government of a King they found no man so fit to invest in that honour as Deioces and they with one censent chose him to be their King And Solomon saith Prov. 16.12 The Throne is establisted by righteousnesse Therefore where justice faileth Gods Ordinance is made an instrument of cruelty and the Kings Throne is set on a slippery place as we find it exemplified in this Kingdome of the Iews whereof Zephaniah complaineth Her Princes within her are roaring Lâ—ons Zeph. 3.3 her â—udges are evening Wolves And Mica They build up Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity Mic. 3 10 The Heads thereof judge for reward Werse 12. Therefore shall Sion for your sakes be plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forrest For God cannot long endure that his sword shall he drawn against his People and that his gods for he giveth Iudges his own title should become lyons and bears and buls and wolves and devils amongst the sheep of his pasture He did the Government then a great honour who bore in his shield the picture of Iustice having in one hand the sword in the other the states with this word Dum illa evincam But when Tribunalia may be called Tributalia where Iudgment is given according to the gifts and rewards that are given or where corrupt affection serveth its own turn any way from the way of Iustice God seeth it and is angry that there is no judgment qui videt requiret 2. Corruption of Iustice is a signe of a drooping Common-wealth because it not only is contrary to Religion Reas 2 and the written Law of God but it is contrary to the Law of God written in the heart of man For as Lactant. saith well Radix Justitiae omne fundamentum Devin Instit aequitatis est illud vide ne facias ulli quod pati nolis This Counsel is good Transfer in alterius personam quod de te sentis in tuam quod de altero judicas And if this law of nature must bind all men to do Instice one to another much more must it oblige those to whom the office of administration of justice is committed let them make it their own case and so no wrong judgement shall go forth For this same Jus naturale is the fountain of all justice which Religion hath so enlightned that God having planted true Religion in his Church the Prophet saith He looked for judgment The proper application of this text is to the Magistrate Isay 5.7 to admonish him to execute the judgements of God justly Vse 1 that neither the People may have cause to complain of wrong but may know where to have right done them neither the Prophets of God may have cause to awake the justice of God against those that manage the sword of justice cruelly or partially or any way corruptly But I have none such in this audience to admonish and therefore I omit that exhortation as unproper for this hearing For us if we hear the cry and complaint of our brethren Vse 2 or feel the smart of oppression in our selves we see the danger of it to the State in which we live threatning it with ruine and it ought to stirre us up as the Apostle doth admonish to pray to God for his help I exhort therefore that first 〈◊〉 Supplications Prayers 1 Tim. 2.1 Intercessions and giving of thanks 〈◊〉 made for all men 2. For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Insurrection against the Magistrate and deposition of Kings and violence offered to their Persons even unto death is a Presbyterian doctrine Buchanan the Scottish Chronicler our Kings first Schoolmaster in his book de jure regni was the first broacher hereof who maketh Kings to derive their authority from the People and giveth power to the People to take away the same if he govern not justly Against this we have Gods own word saying Touch not mine annointed where he calleth Kings his annointed by a special title not given to any other Persons but such as exercise regal Authority all the Scripture through And if they may not be touched much lesse may they be deposed or their Persons violated And this title is not only given to David but to Cyrus Thus saith the Lord Isay 43.1 Lib. 5. to Cyrus mine annointed For as Ireneus saith Inde illis potestas unde Cyrus For so the Apostle The powers that be are ordained of God Therefore the Presbytery and Papacy like Herod and Pilate are friends to do a shrewd turn when they both put power on the People to right themselves against Kings that do not execute judgement The Apostle is a better guide he bids pray for them and if you consider what Kings then raigned you will say there could not be worse I must therefore with the Apostle admonish
let every soul submit it selfe Let no man let not a confederacie of men seditiously and maliciously advance themselves against the Lords annointed hand off offer him violence use not the tongue to curse him use not the pen against him to libel him Curse him not in thy heart touch him no noxious and offensive way and if subordinate Magistrates do let wrong judgement proceed appeal from them to him that sitteth on the Throne of Iustice who doth drive away all evil with his eye If he will not do thee right go in the Prophet Habakkuks way wrastle with God by thy prayers and make thy complaint to him He heareth the complaint of the poore 2. He complaineth and chideth with God for shewing him all this iniquity and violence Vid. sup p. 36. Doctr. From whence we are taught It is lawful in our Prayers to expostulate and contest with God Habakkuk goeth farre in this you have heard Jerome saith Nullus Prophetarum ausus est tam audaci voce Deum provocare Yet we shall find that others have gone very farre this way David for one My God my God why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so farre from helping me Psal 22.1 and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day but thou hearest me not and in the night season I am not silent And he professeth it I will say unto God Psal 42.9 My rock why hast thou forgotten me why go I a mourning because of the oppression of the enemy David is very frequent in these expostulations so is holy Job so is Jeremie and both these are very much overgone in passion and therefore examples rather of weaknesse which we must decline then rules of direction to imitate St. Paul doth give us good warrant for this wrastling with God it is his very phrase Rom. 15.30 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God He useth a word that signeth such striving as is in trying of mastery who shall have the best And Jacob is a type hereof who wrestled with the Angel till the break of the day and though he got a lamenesse by striving with his over-match yet would he not let him go till he had gotten a blessing Representing the fervent petitioners that come to God in the name of Christ as the woman of Canaan did for her daughter neither the Disciples nor Christ could make her turne aside or be silent But here is a Quaere for the Apostle doth say Quer. Rom. 9.20 O man who art thou that replyest against God When once God hath declared himself in any thing how daâ—e we call him to accompt and aske him a reason for any thing he doth And again the Prophet Isay saith Isa 45.9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Further is it not contrarie to that petition in the Lords Prayer Fiat voluntas tua For doth not the Prophet declare here a dislike of that which God did as seeming to wish it had been otherwise when he asketh why dost thou shew me iniquity and make me to behold violence The best way to clear this doubt Sol. is to behold this passion in some chosen servant of God and see what he makes of it we will take David for our example and let us hear him first complaining and then answering for himself his complaint is passionate Will the Lord cast off for ever Psal 77.7 and will hee be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever Vers 8 doth his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Vers 8. hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies He recovereth himself saying And I said Vers 10. this is mine infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high Surely there be infirmities in the Saints of God and this expostulation with God is an effect of infirmity Yet shall you see that this doth no way weaken the doctrine before delivered that it is lawfull to expostulate with God in our prayers The infirmities of Gods servants are of two sorts 1. Naturall 2. Sinfull We must so destinguish for when Christ took our nature into the unity of his person with it he took upon him all our infirmities but not our sinfull ones For he was like man in all things but sin Three especially are noted in the story of the Gospel that is to say Sorrow Fear Anger 1. Sorrow for he wept and mourned 2. Fear for he was heard in that he feared 3. Anger for he did often chide and reprove These affections be naturall and so long as they be affections they are without blame when they exubrate and grow into perturbations then they are faulty For there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the inclination and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the inflammation of nature God who in creation gave these affections to nature hath not denyed us the use of them yea he hath ordained them as excellent helps for his work of grace in us Therefore we find fear mingled with faith to keep it from swelling into presumption that fear is not a sin in the Elect as some weak consciences ignorantly mistake it but it is Cos fidei the whetstone of faith to give it the more edge As in that complaint of David My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Where the first part of that complaint is vox fidei the voice of faith My God my God the second is vox timoris the voice of fear quare me direliquisti and we say fear is a good keeper it makes us lay so much the faster hold on God by faith Yea it is a warning to us to avoyd any thing that may do us hurt The wise-man feareth and departeth from evill Pro. 14.16 Sometimes we find fear mingled with joy as for example When the Lord brought again the captivity of Sion Ps 126.1 we were like them that dream They were overcome with joy for their deliverance and restitution and yet they felt withall a fear that it was too good to be true and doubted that it was but a dream We do not receive any good newes but before the hearing of it we fear Luk. 1.13 the Angel that appeared to Zecharie the Preist found him afraid The Angel that came to the Virgin Mary found her afraid so did he that brought the newes of the birth of Christ to the shepheards for all men know that we have no cause to expect any newes from heaven wee are so evill and sinfull And although the comforts of God do remove that fear for a time yet God would not have it quite extinguished in us for the Prophet biddeth us Serve the Lord with fear Psal 2.11 and rejoyce with trembling And the Apostle doth bid us too workout our salvation
up together with the profession of the Gospel which could not be if we had zeal proportionable to our knowledge such as was in David All false wayes Iutterly abhorre We see also great corruptions in manners which holy zeal might soon eat out and without which Religion may bring us to Church and to the Font and to the Lords Table and may rank us with outward professors but till we grow to such an hatred of sin as the very patience and forbearance of God toward those that do abominably and will not be reformed doth disquiet and greive us and make us complain we fail and come short of duty to God 2. Another complaint of the Church is of inordinate zeal Which is 1. Either in Persons without a lawful calling seeking to reform things amisse 2. Or in respect of the things when men carryed with the strong current of opinion find fault where no fault is or make the fault greater then it is 3. Or in respect of times when men prevent the time and exasperate the judgments of God and provoke his justice against their brethren before they have done all that can be done by the spirit of meeknesse 4. Or in respect of time when they expresse their zeale First against those things that may with least hurt to the Church be forborn till more concerning affairs of the Church be advisedly thought upon 5. Or in respect of the measure of zeal if it be more or lesse then the cause of God requireth 6. In respect of the mixture of it if it be commeded with any of our own corrupt and furious perturbations 2. Seeing therefore we may make so boldwith God as the Prophet here doth we are to be taught that God is so slow in the execution of his judgments even upon them that do ill that till he find that his patience is a burthen to his Church and till he be even chidden to it by his faithful ones he cannot strike Wherefore we must both stirre up our selves and our brethren to a serious consideration of this goodnesse of God and that which the Apostle doth call The riches of his patience that we despise it not that we spend not such riches unthriftily but bestow it upon our repentance and making our peace with God 3. Seeing we may thus call God to account as the Prophet here doth and chide his remissenesse let us not take it ill at the hands of God if he chide us for our sins which do well deserve it and he contest with us for our neglect of our duties either to him or our brethren 4. Seeing we have so good warrant for it when we see any unremedied evils which do threaten ruine to our Church or Common-wealth which perchance the Minister may be forbidden to reprove or to disswades uch as these in my text Violence and oppression corruption of Religion and corruption of Courts of Justice which the Minister in general terms may reprove but he must not with Nathan say tu es homo thou art the man to any delinquent in any of these kinds This then is the remedy we may go to God himselfe and chide with him for it without any feare of scandalum magnatum and in holy indignation and zeal of Gods glory laying aside our own corrupt passions we may call him to account for shewing us and making us to see such things And I do not doubt but we shall have as good successe as this Prophet had as the next section of this chapter doth declare Vers 5. Be hold yee among the heathen and regard and wonder marvellously for I will work a work in your days which you will not believe though it be told you 6. For lo I raise up the Chaldeans that bitter and hasty Nation which shall march through the bredth of the land to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs 7. They are terrible and dreadful their judgement and their dignity shall proceed of themselves 8. Their horses also are swifter then the Leopards and more fierce then the evening Wolves and their horsemen shall spread themselves and their horsemen shall come from farre they shall fly as the Eagle that hasteth to eat 9. They shall come all for violence their faces shall sup up as the East-wind and they gather the captivity as the sand 10. And they shall scoffe at the Kings and the Princes shall be a scorne unto them they shall deride every strong hold for they shall heap dust and take it 11 Then shall his mind change and he shall passe over and offend imputing this his power unto his God THese words are the second section of this chapter and do contain Gods own answer to the former complaint of the Prophet wherein God declareth how he will be avenged on his own People for the oppression and violence which they have used for the corruption in manners in religion and in the administration of Iustice Let us begin at the words Verse 5. and search the will of God revealed therein Behold ye among the heathen and regard and wonder marvellously Here is God himselfe speaking to his sinful people the Iews and awaking them to behold the anger to come Here is first the roaring of the Lion Cap. 1.2 as in Amos. The Lord will roare from Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem This is the thunder the thunderbolt doth after follow 1. He biddeth them behold that is to take this threatning of Gods judgement and to spread it before their eyes and to peruse the sad contents thereof 2. Behold yee among the heathen He turneth their eyes to the heathen whom God will now make their sharp schoolmasters to instruct them for seeing they will learn nothing by the ministry of his Prophets whom he hath sent to them to chide them and guide them and seeing they are not moved with the lamentable complaints of their brethren groaning under their oppressions and grievances and injustice now he biddeth them to look among the heathen as to the quarter from whence the following tempest is like to arise for by them God intendeth to punish the Iews 3. He addeth Regard for beholding without regarding and taking the matter into due and serious consideration is but gazing As the Apostle presseth an exhortation Consider what I say God had sent his Prophets to instruct them and they heard them but regarded them not Now he will not be so neglected 4. He addeth and wonder maxveilously attoniti este obstupescite Here he prepareth their expectation for some extraordinary judgement this is that which the Apostle doth call Terror domini and ira ventura the terrour of the Lord and the wrath to come 5. He addeth in general terms the matter of their feare and consternation For 1. There is a work to be done 2. God himself professeth to be the worker 3. The time is at hand in your days 4. The wonder is that though God himself foretell them thereof Non credetis
ruine of the Chaldeans for being puffed up and proud of their victories they shall not acknowledge the great God of heaven the God of their warre or esteem themselves his agents to chasten the Jews but shall give the glory of their conquest to their own Idol god Now in these words thus interpreted observe 1. The Totall 2. The Particulars 1. The Totall is the answer of God to the greivous complaint and expostulation of the Prophet 2. The Particulars are two 1. The Judgment threatned 2. The executioners of this Judgment very fully and Rhethorically described 1. The Totall God answereth the Prophets complaint Yeildeth this Doctrine that God doth hear the complaints of such as have just cause to complain of violence Doctr. to execute his judgments upon them that offend The story of holy Scripture is full of examples of this truth Cain for Abel vox sanguinis the voyce of bloud The whole old world was punished with a general inundation for the cruelty that was upon the earth their violence made the Lord repent that he made them You have heard out of Obadiah how the cruelty of Edom was intolerable and God heard the cry of the Church and delivered them and punished Edom with desolation And when Israel was in the land of Egypt in the house of bondage God sayeth I have seen Acts 7 34. I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt and I have heard their groaning and am come down to deliver them Even Israel his own people is not spared Sion his holy mountain Jerusalem his holy City is punished for oppression He doth this First Reas 1 In regard of his servants that do complain to him to let them see the power of their prayers that he may stirre them up in all greivances to commit their cause to him and not to seek private revenge Injuriam as Tertull. Si apud deum deposueris injuriam ipse ultor est si damnum restitutor est Therefore let not the oppressed wrong their own cause with vexing Vse and disquieting their own hearts at them that lie heavy upon them for St. James tels us that The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God Jam. 1.20 Let them not vent their spleen in bitter cursings and execrations which be the voyce and language of impatience and impiety and turne upon us and all to tear us But let them seriously complain to God and he will hear them and do them right Let them tarry the Lords good leasure and they shall see that he will take the matter into his own hand 1. Either he will take the oppressed out of the world and give them rest from their labours and lay them in the beds of ease and lock them in the chambers of peace till all stormes be over and then he will say Returne ye sons of Adam 2. Or he will change the heart of the oppressours and for stony hearts give them hearts of flesh and fill them with compassion and tendernesse 3. Or he will restrain the power of the wicked against his chosen and suffer no man to do them wrong but will reprove even Kings for their sakes the rage of man will he restrain 4. Or he will give the oppressed such a measure of patience and charity as he shall bear injuries without murmuring and blesse them that hate and persecute him 5. Or he will pour forth his wrath upon the oppressor and let him feel the weight of his hand either upon his body by inflicting diseases upon it or upon his minde by the troubles of an unquiet conscience Or upon his familie by cursing the fruit of his loyns that they shall be his sorrowes by taking ill wayes Or upon his estate by cursing all his gatherings that though all the streams of profite runne every way into his bagges nothing shall make him rich like the Caspian sea into which many rivers do pour in water continually yet is it never the fuller rather like the lean kine never the fatter Or upon his life by taking him out of the world and thereby giving occasion to the afflicted to rejoyce Therefore art thou afflicted pray and complain and expostulate with God for he will hear thee 2. God heareth the complaint of the just against the oppressours for his names sake Reas 2 for so David urgeth him Hear me O God for thy names sake For it toucheth God in honour when his faithfull servants do appeal from the school of unrighteousnesse where they are oppressed to the tribunal of his judgment where they should be releived and cannot be heard You remember when Christ was on the crosse and his enemies had their cruel hearts desire against him they contented not themselves to be cruell and scornfull to him but they blasphemed also the name of God saying He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him Mat. 27 43 The very theives that were fastened then to the crosse on either hand of him cast that in his teeth When the wicked prevail against the just the next word is Where is now their God Let us then know the name of God is himself Vse he cannot deny himself he hath a name above all things and a speciall glory due to that name he cannot suffer that name to be blasphemed He will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Therefore in all greivances let us say with David Our help is in the Name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth It is our comfort in trouble that we do suffer together with the name of God and if we do lay fast hold on that we shall be delivered together with it we may well cast our trust upon that name for in hoc vinces in this thou shalt overcome is the Motto and word thereof it is a strong tower to all that trust in it 3. God will hear the complaints of the just Reas 3 for his truths sake for he hath promised the just I will not leave thee nor forsake thee And he hath said He shall call upon me and I will hear him I am with him in trouble I will deliver him and he shall glorifie me And David saith He will not suffer his truth to faile We have more then his promise we have his oath against the ungodly I have sworn in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest Ps 95.11 Vse Let us build then upon this promise for God is faithful that hath promised The violent and the oppressour hath part in the wrath of God as he saith And I will come near to you in judgement Mal. 3.5 and I will be a swift witnesse against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against them that oppresse the hireling in his wages and the fatherlesse and the widow and that turn aside the stranger from his right and that feare not me saith the Lord of hosts Here is Gods
them whom God doth use as his rods in this execution 1. By whom by the Chaldaeans These are described 1. By their own fitnesse for their designe 2. By their Praparation to accomplish it 3. By their intention in it 2. How far the punishment shall extend 1. To a full Conquest 2. To a proud triumph 3. What shall become of them 1. They shall change their mind 2. They shall offend in imputing their victories to their own idols 1. By whom God shall punish the Jews 1. Of their fitnesse for this execution they are described to us by these notations 1. They are bitter 2. They are hasty 3. They are dreadfull 4. They are wilful 1. Bitter in their harsh and cruel natures 2. Hasty in their participation and speed 3. Dreadful in their power and strength 4. Wilful in taking their own ways for their judgement and dignity proceedeth from themselves To be bitter and slow gives warning to resist and affordeth the benefits of time a great friend to defence To be bitter and hasty and weak is but a lightning a flash and away To be bitter and hasty are dreadful but to admit advice gives time of breathing but when the nature is inflamed with bitternesse and the action is accelerated with haste and fortified with strength and followed with wilfulnesse this makes up a full danger especially where God setteth such a work These be evil affections in this People prove their minds set upon mischief yet God maketh rods of these twigges and whips of these cords to punish the sins of his own People The point of doctrine here is That God can make good use of the vices of men Doctr. and can make wicked men serve him as the instruments of his will as Augustine Deus bonus utitur malis necessariis bene Civ dei 18 So Mr. Calvin judiciously observeth in the text Hec quidem non fuerunt laudanda in Chaldaeis amarulentia furor sed potest deus haec vitia convertere in optimum finem St. Augustine treating of the prosemination of the Gospel and the quick spreading thereof hath two chapâ—ers to our purpose cap. 50. In the 50. he sheweth Per passiones praedicantium illustrior facta est Praedicatio by the sufferings of Preachers preaching is made the more famous In the 51. Per dissentiones hareticorum fides Catholica roboratur by the dissentions of hereticks the Catholik faith is strengthned He is so full to this purpose to shew what good God works out of evil that I cannot suppresse his words Inimici ecclesiae quolibet errore caecentur si accipiunt potestatem Corporaliter affligendi exercent ejus patientiam Si tantummodo malè sentiendo adversantur exercent ejus sapientiam Vt diligantur exercent ejus benevolentiam But when the Church of God grows foule and when People of God forsake God and go in their own ways then God useth the wicked ad vindictam then as David saith the wicked are the sword of the Lord. Ps 17.13 And that is the reason why God doth suffer so many evils in the world because they be his rods to chasten evil Even in this example Ieremie the Prophet of the Lord doth threaten the same judgment The Chaldaeans shall fight against this city and take it and burn it with fire Jer. 37.8 Thus saith the Lord deceive not your selves saying the Chaldaeans shall depart from us for they shall not depart For though you had smitten the whole army of the Chaldaeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men amongst them yet they should rise up every man in his tent and burn the city with fire Thus God doth Cap. 1. because he will declare his owne perfection of wisedome and goodnesse that he can work good out of evil and dispose the very vices of men to good And thus the examples of foule sinnes in our brethren do move us 1. To a loathing thereof as we read the Lacedemonians would make their slaves drunk and then shew them to their children to make them loath drunkennesse and all that have the feare of God when they see and heare the evil conversation and evil and profane words of the wicked they behold in them the ugly face of sinne and are touched at the heart with a detestation of the same 2. They move us to charity 1. Charitas incipiens at our selves to take warning by their example that we when we see a thief do not turn to him nor be Partakers with the adulterers To make us set a guard upon our whole life a zealous purpose to eschew evil To use the means for our preservation from evil which are hearing and meditation in the law of God and frequent and fervent Prayer 2. Charitas proficiens to pray God for our brethren that he would direct their paths forgive their sins and mend their lives and preserve others from being corrupted by their evill example 2. God bringeth forth the effects of his own good will Reas 2 out of the ministry of the vices of men to declare his true justice in punishing sinne by sinne that sinners may see that they serve for rods one to whip another of them whereas the just do not cannot hurt one another for all evil is noxious holinesse is humble God declareth himself King and supream Lord of the earth herein Reas 3 for as David saith fecit quicquid voluit he hath done what ever he will He will not let either the sinner that acteth or Satan that suggesteth evil to have the managing thereof for howsoever it seemeth that they serve their own turns therein he will dispose their evil to his own proper ends and they shall unwillingly work for him though both the bent of the suggestion of Satan and the promise of the intention of the sinner and the fewel of the affection and the whole force of the action be diverted against him So Josephs brethren full of envie to him sold him into Egypt What a charity did God work out of it so the Jews for envy pursued Christ to the Crosse all the godly fare the better for the good which was effected by it Israel is here punished by the Chaldaeans and God maketh use of these bryars and thorns to prick and goare his People he suffereth them to be carried into captivity All the force of Satan and his instruments prevail no farther against the Church then for correction and burning out the drosse God doth still do all things for the best The consideration where of serveth 1. To pacifie us against evils Vse and to lay that storme which either humane passion or inordinate zeal may stirre up against sinne and sinners though that all punishment in its nature be evil yet God may work good of it and the Son of God saith Resist not evill let it have its course and expect Gods end in at You see how much Habakkuk was troubled at the sins of the Iews how he did even
punishment God himself assumeth it to himself Shall there be evil in a city Amos. 3.6 and the Lord hath not done it Malum poenae the evil of punishment So Moses Ps 90.7 For we are consumed by thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled So David Ps 39.11 When thou with rebuke dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth 1. Because every sinne is a trespasse against God as David Tibi Reas 1 tibi soli peccavi Against thee only have I sinned for every sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the Law and therein God is offended and he is a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children The trespasses against our brethren in the breach of the second Table be immediate sins against God For as when the plate is not cut for the mint to clippe it is no breach of the law but when it hath the stamp impressed and is coine then to clippe or wash it is treason not for the matter but because of the stampe So the matter of our brethren is but earth and the violation of it is but the defacing of earth but bearing the image of God in it it is a trespasse against him whose image is therein insculped to wrong it 2. Because every punishment as it is poena a punishment Reason 2 so it is vindicta a revenge and God layeth claim to that by Prerogative vindicta mea my revenge no man can take the sword out of his hand it is virga tua saith David thy rod. 3. Because none but God can search the heart where sinne breedeth Reas 3 and knoweth how to proportion punishment to the sinne Punishment is the Physick of the Church as Augustine Quod pateris medicina est non paena that thou sufferest is thy medicine not thy punishment He only knoweth how to temper the medicine for the health of the Patient for he knoweth wherof we be made he only can work good out of evil 4. Because there is none but God that doth whatsoever he will none but he can ordain or establish judgement Reas 4 the judgements are called Iudicia dei the Judgements of God in that cruel execution done upon Christ in our flesh Acts 2.23 as there were the wicked hands of the Jews and the Romanes so there was the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God 1. Let us not therefore sinne against God Vse 1 and make an idol of him by making him all mercy for though we call him father doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the world who upon the wicked will rain snares stormes and tempest this shall be their portion to drink rather meet a temptation with Ioseph and say How then shall I do this great wickednesse and so sin against God For our God is a consuming fire And It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. Let us not fret at the means ordained by God for our correction Vse 2 remembring that God hath established them for our chastisement Psal 39 9. but let us rather say with David obmutui non aperii os meum quia tu domine fecisti I was dumb c. because thou Lord hast done it let us know and confesse who it is that smiteth us and say Thou hast smitten me and thou wilt heale me 3. Let us remember when God taketh off his hand and restoreth us again to the chearful light of his countenance Vse 3 to acknowledge his mercy to us and as Christ saith to sinne no more least some more heavy judgement fall upon us Let us with David remember the vows which we made to God in our affliction and spend the time of our so journing here in feare 4. Lastly Vse 4 Seeing God hath comforted us let us also comfort our brethren 2 Cor. 1.9 as the Apostle saith for God comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which be in any trouble by the comfort wherewith our selves are comforted of God so as Christ said to Peter when we our selves are converted we shall strengthen the brethren and the God of Peace and all Consolation shall give unto us the blessing of his Peace 2. The Prophets dispute with God The Prophet seemeth amazed at the course of Gods proceeding against the Jews by the Chaldaeans And the remain of this chapter doth contain his expostulation with God wherein 1. He layeth a ground of this Argument The eyes of God are pure 2. He questioneth God how these inconveniences following are born withal by him which are these Grievances 1. How God should look on whilst men deal treacherously v. 13. 2. How God should hold his tongue whilst the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he vers 13. 3. How God can expose the Jews his People as a prey to the Chaldaeans ver 14. And thou makest men as the fishes of the sea and as the creeping things that have no Ruler From which liberty given to them They break forth into all extremes of cruelty ver 15. They take up all with their Angle they catch them in their net and gather them in their dragge 4. They insult over the conquered ver 15. They rejoyce and are glad They commit self-idolatry ver 16. Therefore they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their dragge because by them their portion is made fat and their meat plenteous 5. How God can so long dispense with the enemies of his Church and whether he will so forsake them ver 17. Shall they therefore empty their net and not spare continually to slay the nations 1. Of the ground of his contestation Thou art of pure eyes This phrase is according to the capacity of humane understanding and it is doubly figurative 1. In that eyes are attributed to God 2. In that they are said to be pure 1. It is a thing frequent in Scripture to give the parts of a mans body to God the eye the eare the hand the heart the foot the bowels the arme the face the back-parts whereupon certain hereticks literally understanding those phrases have believed and taught that God is like to man in shape of bodie and that the image wherein God made man was corporeal These hereticks are called Anthropomorphites because they ascribed to God the image and corporeal likenesse of man Whom some ignorant Persons have used to point in the representation of a grave old man against the clear text of Scripture and warrant of truth Of this I will only tell you what Saint Augustine writing to Fortunatianus a bishop concerning the judgment of another Bishop Epl. 1.11 who maintained this heresie saith The text of Scripture attributing the parts of humane bodies to God must not be literally understood for then we must allow God also to have bodily wings for we read also often of the wings and feathers of God But saith he as
by the wings of God we do understand divine Protection sic cum audimus manus operationem pedes praesentiam oculos visionem faciem justitiam brachium potentiam So by hands divine operation by feet Presence by eye vision by face Iustice by hands divine Power And to shew that neque solus neither alone nec prior nor first he is of this opinion he citeth Saint Hierome Saint Gregory Nazianzen St. Ambrose St. Athanasius all of the same judgment And surely because this errour is yet in the minds of many simple and ignorant people of the world it will be fit that you do learn that when you do either give thanks to God or pray or think on God you do not conceive him in your thoughts in any such manner but as he hath revealed himself to us in his word God is a spirit eternal immortal invisible infinite in Wisedome Justice Holinesse Power Mercy Goodnesse Seeing and foreseeing all things doing whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth and in all deep places governing all things by the word of his power Moses who searched as deep into this sacred and secret mystery of God found that the face of God that is his heavenly nature could not be seen only his back-parts that is the effects of his attributes might be seen No doubt God took that occasion in Moses to teach the Church how they should conceive him in their thoughts Thou shalt see my back-parts Ex 33.23 Gregor Nyslene We must follow after God for he goeth before us and guideth us as David He teacheth the way that we should chuse Qui autem sequitur non faciem sed tergum aspicit Procopius Invisibilia dei videntur ex creatione For we must remember how tender God was of appearing in any forme which might have been represented in picture or sculpture for fear of idolatry Take yee therefore good heed unto your selves for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Hored Deut. 4.15 out of the midst of the fire Least ye corrupt your selves Vers 16. and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure c. Neither is it necessary for adoration that we do assigne any set figure to God in our thoughts seeing every one of us doth believe that he hath a living soule in him whereby all the parts of the body are both directed and enabled in their several offices yet no man can conceive any set forme or similitude wherunto it may be resembled 2. Another figurative speech here is where the Prophet calleth these eyes of God pure eyes for wickednes and evil cannot defile the sight it is said of the fair eye of heaven that it shineth upon the just and unjust And David saith that God seeth all the thoughts of mans heart why he then seeth much vanity and much iniquity But those are called pure eyes which do behold nothing that is evil to approve it in it selfe to abet it in our brother to imitate it in our selves and in this sense the eyes of God are said to be pure that is abhorring sin Again the Purity of Gods eyes doth import the clear judgment of God which is of such penetration as nothing can conceal it self from him in which sense David saith The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lords Throne is in heaven Ps 11.14 his eyes behold his eye lids try the children of men upon which words Saint Augustine saith that there is apertio and opertio oculorum dei an opening and a covering of Gods eyes He is said to see with his eyes when he declareth himself to see and take notice of any thing but he doth try with his eye-lids when he maketh as though he slept and considered not winking for a time at the iniquities of men Our lesson from this double figure of speech is That God is a severe searcher and punisher of sinne Doct. for search he trieth the hearts râ—ins for punishment judgment begins at his own house this certain rule of truth we must lay hold beleive that the Justice truth of God can't fail the whole course of Scripture the experience of all times doth make this good The sin of the Angels that kept not their first estate was soon found out and punished the first news we hear of them was that one of them was a tempter and deceived our first Parents There was a light shining in darknesse which the darknesse comprehended not The Manichees seeing the devil went so early against God thought and taught that there were two principia two beginnings one good God the Author of all good another evil God the Author of all evil not knowing the fall of the Angels and the mischief that they attempted against God after their fall But they were the first example of the severe vengeance of God Of whom Saint Iude saith And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation Jude 6. he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the last day And for our first Parents the pure eyes of God saw their nakednesse after their fall and came himself into the garden in the coole of the day and convinced the Delinquents and examined the fault and gave judgment against them all and presently executed that judgment The Cain when his sin was yet but in the bud at the first putting forth thereof in the casting down of his countenance was called to account for it God disputing the matter with him and after when he came to the execution of his abominable wickednesse God again well examined the evidence convicted the Prisoner and brought him to confession of his fault and banished him from his presence In all these examples God was a speedy and a severe Judge as was fit for terrour in the beginning but after he grew more remisse and as the Apostle saith The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3.20 So that God declared himself patient and long-suffering who had before shewed and revealed his severe Justice that the terrour of his righteousnesse might discourage sin and yet his gentle forbearance might invite to repentance Therefore throughout the whole course of holy Scripture we have examples of both sorts both of quick vengeance and of favourable sufferance that God may be known both to be just and merciful The reason whereof is 1. That the danger might breed terrour for who can promise himself mercy when our just God may and doth take such quick vengeance Remember Lots wife that she was Lots wife whom God favoured that the Angel pulled her out of Sodom to hasten her from their judgment that her offence was no more then looking back whether out of curiosity to see what God would do to Sodome or out of unbelief doubting the truth of the threatning or out of love to the place or
conscience endeavouring to serve God sincerely for that either diverteth the judgment that the Sun shall not smite us by day nor the Moon by night or it maketh us able to bear it as from the hand of a Father that cannot finde in his heart to hurt us You heard the faith of this Prophet concerning this point we shall not die Thou hast ordained them for judgment thou hast established them for correction Only let not us be incorrigible nor faint when we are rebuked for he chasteneth every son that he receiveth The fourth grievance is the pride and vain-glory of the proud Chaldeans exprest in two things 1. In the joy of their victories They rejoyce and are glad 2. In their attribution of this glory to themselves which is self-idolatry 1. They rejoyce and are glad The enemies of the Church have their time to laugh the Wiseman calleth it the candle of the wicked it lighteth them for a time it is unius diei hilariis insania they dance to the pipe and drink their wine in bowles they eate of the fat and they remember not the affliction of Joseph to pity it they remember it to result over Joseph The King and Haman sate drinking together when the Edict was gone forth for the destruction of the Jewes Hest 3.15 and then the City Shushan was perplexed The grief of the Church is the joy of the ungodly It is Davids complaint Yea they opened their mouth wide against me and said Ps 35.21 Aha our eye hath seen it They have Davids deprecation Let them not say in their hearts Vers 25. Ah so would we have it let them not say we have swallowed them up They have Davids imprecation Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion that rejoyce at mine hurt Vers 26. let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnifie themselves against me He was in the very passion of this Prophet for this Lord how long wilt thou look on Saint Augustine upon these words saith Vers 17. Quod capiti hoc corpori what was to the head that to the body for thus did the Jewes rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ they had their will of him it is vox capitis the voyce of the head But in mine adversity they rejoyced and gathered themselves together against me Vers 15. Saint Augustines comfort against this calamity is Quicquid faciunt Christus in caelo est honoravit ille pâ—nam suam jam crucem suam in omnium frontibus fixit which hath reference to the signing with the signe of the Crosse in the Baptisme of Christians then in the use of the Church The reason of this joy in the wicked at the sorrowes of the Church is Reason 1 because the wicked do want the knowledge and feare of God they do not know that God is the protector of the Church but because they see them in outward things most neglected they judge them given over of God and forsaken Davids complaint For mine enemies speak against me Ps 71.10 and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together Saying God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him For they measure the light of Gods countenance according to the scantling of outward prosperity 2. The wicked want the unity of the spirit Reas 3 which is the bond of peace for the God of peace is not in their wayes they love not they call not upon God Charity is a Theological virtue where there is not true Religion there can be no true love I am sure this is a true Rule in Divinity whatsoever humane policie have to say against it Christ foretold his Disciples in the world ye shall have affliction These things I command you that ye love one another Joh. 15.17 Vers 18. Vers 19. If the world hate you ye know it hated me before it hated you If ye were of the world the world would love his own Charity is the bond of peace only to the children of peace and they that in Religion do stand in termes of contradiction it is not possible to fit them with a girdle This point is thus made profitable to us 1. For our selves seeing Religion is the best bond of brotherhood Vse and where no Religion is there can be no sincere love let us labour to grow up more and more in the knowledge and love and obedience of the truth that we may be fortified throughout both in our bodies and in our souls and spirits for this maketh us all one body and we can no more fall out then the members of our natural bodyes can disagree one with another the Orator spake ignorantly of the union of affections by the same Country Patria omnes in se charitates complexa est the love of charity comprehends all love for we know that we have had many unnatural fugitives which have abandoned their Country and plotted treasons abroad against it and have returned full of forraine venome and poyson to corrupt the affections of the natural subjects of their Soveraign with hatred of Religion and peace That is only true of Religion for that so sweetneth the affections of men that as they are content to do any thing they can one for another so they can be content to endure any thing one for another to beare for one anothers sakes and to put up at one anothers hands many things to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven times For the true Church as Bernard saith doth suspendere verbera producere ubera hide the rod and lay forth the breasts 2. For our children we must instruct them betimes in the knowledge and fear of God that they may learn the doctrines of piety charity and may be taught to be members one of another 3. This fetteth a mark upon the enemies of God because where there is strife and envying where there is hatred and malice are not they carnal If it be our duty to rejoyce with them that rejoyce and to weep with them that weep they belong not to the fold of Christ that rejoyce at the weeping or weep at the rejoycing of their brethren 4. This declareth the vanity of the joy of the world for seeing their rejoycing is evill it cannot be long lived and therefore it is said that the candle of the wicked shall be put out but the joy of the elect shall no man take from them Therefore wo to them that laugh here for their Harp shall be turned into mourning and their Organs into the voyce of them that weep but blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted and the time shall come when they shall rejoyce over them who have joyed at their paines and rejoyce over her O heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets Pro. 18.20 for God hath avenged you on her 2. They attribute the glory of the conquest to themselves they understand not who raised them up against the
flesh them that they shall empty their nets and fish again amongst the nations and not cease to shed bloud Ezcchiah hath the name of a good King he prayed to God Let there be Peace or as the Kings Pible reads is it not not good that there be Peace and Truth in my days But careful Princes will look beyond their own days and fit their designes to the good of Posterity Present evils being in their growth threaten furture dangers and we say of them as our Saviour doth These are but the beginnings of sorrows and there is fear that there will be semper deterior posterior dies the latter times will be the worser The best remedy is to awake the tender love of God to his Church with an expostulation Shall they do this O Lord Thy will be done Shall they do it continually wilt thou suffer it when the time is come he will have mercy CHAP. II. Vers 1. I will stand upon the watch and set me upon the Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me and what I shall answer when I an reproved IN this Chapter God answereth all the Prophets grievances and it containeth two parts 1. The Prophets attendance upon God for his answer vers 1. 2. The Lords answer in the rest of the chapter In the first The Prophet having disputed with God and as his name importeth having wrastled with him doth resolve I will stand upon the watch and set me upon the tower alluding to the military practice of souldiers who appoint some in some eminent place to observe the enemie and to give timely warning of their doings And seeing God hath declared himself an enemy to the Iews by all those evils which he hath threatned to bring upon them the Prophet watcheth him and attendeth to receive further advertisement from himself concerning his purpose toward them I will watch to see what he will say unto me for the secrets of the Lord are revealed unto them that fear him And God spake in the mouth of all the Prophets which have been since the world began Neither doth the Prophet attend God out of a curiosity scire ut sciat to know only as Bern. speaks but that he may know what to answer for God when he is reproved or as the Margent saith much better when he is argued with and others come to dispute with him upon those grievances as he hath done with God for you must understand that in all the former complaints this Prophet hath not argued as a particular man but as undertaking the cause of the Church and sustaining the Persons of all his afflicted brethren for whose sakes that he may satisfie them and for Gods sake whose Minister he is that he may know how to maintain to them the cause of Gods Wisedome and Iustice he doth now attend Gods answer By this standing upon the watch and upon the tower in this place is meant the Prophets attending upon a further Revelation of the Will of God concerning these grievances because in those times God did speak to his Prophets by visions and dreams and secret inspirations And holy men then had accesse to him immediatly whereby they knew the mind of God and yet did communicate to them his counsels Yet so as he put them to it to await his good leasure and to expect his answer So David in his own case I will heare what the Lord God will say unto me These words do wel expresse the whole duty of a faithful Prophet and Minister of the Word consisting of two parts 1. His information of himself implet cisternam he fils the Cistern 2. His instruction of others for then he will turn the Cock. In the first observe 1. His wisedome he will borrow all his light from the Sun What he will say unto me 2. His vigilancy I will stand upon the watch 3. His patient expectation I will set me upon the tower 4. His holy care to see what will be said to him 1. His Wisedome He will take his information from the mouth of God teaching us That the faithful Minister of God must speak only in the Lords message he must see before he say Doct. he must be first a Seer and then a Speaker and he must not go from the instructions which God shal give him to speak more or lesse This is our wisedome and understanding to take our light from the father of lights to gather our wisedome from him that is wisest Whose foolishnesse is wiser then man as the Apostle telleth us 1. Because of our nature which is corrupt Reas 2 so our reason and judgement subject to errours and mistakes as we see in Nathan who encouraged David in his purpose of building a Temple which in his humane reason seemed a good intention and David a fit person to undertake it But God directed him to repeal that Commission and to assigne that work to Salomon Davids sonne 2. Because we are Ambassadors from God Reas 2 and Ambassadours go not of themselves but are sent and they must remember whose Persons they beare and be careful to speak according to their instructions 1. This as it is a direction to us to limit our Ministry Vse that we may not do more or lesse then our erand 2. So it is a rule for you to whom we are sent to receive or refuse our Ministry accordingly as you shall justifie our Preachings by the Will of God revealed in the sacred Canon of Scripture searching the Scriptures as the men of Berea did whether those things which we teach be so or not And if any shall in the name of God broach or vent the doctrines of men you may say to him as Nehemiah did to Sanballat There are no such things as thou sayst but thou feinest them out of thine own heart Nehem. 6.8 But take heed you exceed not this example of Nehemiah for he did not charge Sanballat thus till he perceived that God had not sent him but that he pronounced this prophecy For many hearers are so seasoned with prejudice against their Teachers that if any thing sound not to the just tune of their own fancies they will suddenly quarrel it Yet as Gamaliel saith If the Counsel be of God it will stand whosoever oppose it 3. This reproveth those forward intruders into the Lords harvest who come unsent and bring not their Sickle with them they will work without tools and they will teach before they have learnt Like the foolish Virgins they would spend of the wise Virgins oyle they do sapere ex Commentario and take their Sermons upon trust hearkning what God hath said to others and not tarrying till God speak to them It is no wonder if these Merchants do break who set up without a stock they be but broken Cisterns though some water run through them they hold none The faithful Minister must not only observe quid dicit dominus what the Lord saith but quid dicit mihi what
long life of the fathers the oracles of God were committed to them without any mention of writing because they were both wise and faithful in the custody and transmission of them For Adam himself living nine hundred and thirty years to teach his children had under his teaching Seth Enosh Kenan Mahalaleel Iarod Henoch Methusalah and Lamech the father of Noah And Noah lived with Abraham 57 years But after the flood when the Church in the posterity of Iacob encreased and no doubt had many corruptions by dwelling in Aegypt then was Moses appointed both to be the deliverer of the People of Israel from Aegypt and to be the Penman of God to write those things which God would have to remain in the Church for all succeeding times and after him successively holy men wrote as they were inspired And a better Argument we cannot give for the danger of unwritten traditions which the Church of Rome doth so much commend even above Scripture then this God saw that men had corrupted their ways and he found the imaginations of mens hearts only evil continually and that the Church was a very few therefore he stirred up Noah to be a Preacher of righteousnesse in whom the light of truth was preserved he destroyed the old sinful world and by Noah and Sem he began a new Church to the restored world Yet after Noahs death the worship of strange gods were brought in so that to heal this grief and to prevent the danger of traditions God caused the Word to be written by holy men for the perpetual use of his Church whose books were faithfully preserved in all ages thereof Then came the Sonne of God and he left his spirit in the Church to lead the Church into all truth by which spirit the New Testament was endited and written So that now all things necessary to salvation are so clearly revealed that traditions of men have no necessary use in the Church in the substance of true Religion for that which is written is sufficient The Church of Rome denieth the sufficiency of Scripture Many of their great learned men write both basely and blasphemously thereof But they are not agreed upon the point for Scotus Gerson Oecam Cameracensis Waldensis Vincentius Lerinensis do all confesse what we teach of the sufficiency of Scripture as the learned Deane of Glocester Dr. Field l. 3. de Eccoles c. 7. hath fairly cited them And Dr. White in his way of the Church addeth Tho. Aquinas Antoninus Arch-bishop of Florence Durandus Alliaco a Cardinal Conradus Clingius Peresius Divinity Reader at Barcilena in Spain and Cardinal Bellarmine Of whom Possevinus writeth that he is one of the two that have won the Garland De verbo Dei l. 1. c. 2. Sacra Scriptura regulae credendi certissima tutissima est Per corporales literas quas cerneremus legeremus erudire not voluit Deus Writing against Swenck field and the Libertines this is a legal witnesse Pro Orthodoxo heretici testimonium valeat I know to whom I speak and therefore I forbear the Polemical bands of arguments to and fro upon this question which in print and in English is so fully and learnedly debated Our lesson is seeing Gods care of his Church for the instruction thereof is here exprest in commanding his revealed will to be written that God would have his Church to be taught his ways in all the ages thereof Doct. 1. Because the ways of God Reas 1 and the saving health of God cannot be parted none can have the saving health of God without the knowledge of his ways no ignorant man can be saved it is said of Christ By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53.11 per scientiam qua scitur Therefore Davids Prayer is That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations 2. Because the promise of God doth run in semine Reas 2 in the seed I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Our children are the Lords inheritance his care extendeth so farre That yee may live Deut. 5.33 and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days But that is not all That it may be well with them and their children for ever Vers 29. 3. For his own sake Reas 3 that his Wisdome Power and Iustice may be known to men that they may be able to plead the cause of God against such as either ignorantly through unbelief or maliciously and blasphemously shall dispute and argue against God for therefore God doth condescend to this Apology of himself that he may instruct his Church how to plead the cause of his Iustice against all strife of tongues that the name of God be not evil-spoken of To make profit of this point Vse 2 1. Herein let us consider what the Lord hath done for our souls for he hath given us two means to communicate to us his holy will hearing and reading and he hath used to this purpose both the voice and the pen of holy men for he spake by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began and holy men wrote as his spirit directed them Let him that hath ears to heare heare quid Spiritus Ps 34.16 Mat. 24.15 and seek yee out the book of the Lord and read but then adde this caution Who so readeth let him understand It was Philips question sed intelligis quod legis Seeing God hath written to us Vse 2 and the whole body of holy Scripture may well be called Gods Epistle or Letter to his Church let us bestow the reading of Gods letter St. Augnstiue saith Quae de illa Civitate unde peregrinamur venerunt nobis literae ipsae sunt Scripturae It was St. Gregories complaint of Theodorus In Ps 90.2 that he was so over-busied with secular cares Regist 4.84 Et quotidie legere negligit verba redemptoris sui quid est autem Scriptura sacra nisi quaedam epistola Omnipotentis dei ad venturam suam It is a question in our times whether printing hath done more hurt or good for Satan finding this a means to keep things alive in the world hath employed the Presse in all sorts of heresies in all sorts of idle and lascivious false and dicterious slanderous and biasphemous books The remedy is to refrain such readings and as Dr. Reynold tels Hart his adversary that he hath no book allowed him to read but the Bible It is likely then that he is perfect in that book and that Physitians do well when they find their Patient surfeited with too much variety of meat to confine him to some one wholesome dyet So shall we do well to limit our selves to the reading of Gods letter and know his mind for he is wisest and the wisedome that we shall gather from thence is wisedome from above it is able to make us wise unto salvation as the Apostle saith 3. Seeing God teacheth us by
have nothing but vanity and lyes to support their staggering and reeling estate of temporal felicity God is not in all their wayes nor the direction of God to manage them and therefore not the protection of God to defend them he leads them into temptation but he doth not deliver them from evill But God is a Rock for foundation and a Castle for defence to all such as put their trust in him 3. The patient expectation which he requireth in the Prophet for the peformance of this promise Though it tarry wait for it We must not not think long to tarry the Lords leasure Doctr. it is the Prophets rule He that beleeveth shall not make haste Isa 28.16 Ps 37.34 and it is Davids precept Wait on the Lord and keep his way And we have Jobs example All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait The promise of the Messiah was made in Paradise The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent This was the Gospel that God himself preached to the Serpent and all the sacrifices of the old law and all the Prophecies of former ages and all the Types in the Old Testament were Commentaries upon this text the Fathers in all ages of the Church before Christ rested on this the Apostle saith of them These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them a far off and were perswaded of them Heb. 11.13 and embraced them 1. Because this doth best fit the constant decree of God that we do rest in it Reas 1 for it were in vaine for us to serve a God whom we might not trust and upon whose word we could not build assurance It is the Apostles rest Scio cui credidi I know whom I have beleeved 2. Because this doth best declare our faith Reas 2 for faith being of things not seen in themselves the Apostle saith here we see in a glasse faith is a Christian mans Prospective through which he beholdeth all things far off as if they were near at hand 3. Because this is an exercise of our patience Reas 3 for ye have need of patience Heb. 10.36 that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise For yet a little while Vers 37. and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 4. This also doth exercise our hope Reas 4 for hope is nourished and fed with future objects as sense is with present and hope hath that wise forecast that as soon as the seed is cast into the ground hope is at work to gather in the harvest Rejoyce in hope Saint Bernard doth teach us to make use of this doctrine Vse of awaiting Gods leasure for first he layeth a good foundation Tua considero in quibus tota spes mea consistit 1. Charitatem adoptionis 2. Veritatem promissionis 3. Potestatem redditionis upon this he buildeth Dicit fides parata sunt magna inexcogitabilia bona à Deo fidelibus suis Dicit spes mihi illa servantur Dicit charitas curro ego ad illa We must be very tender how we do invade the royalties of God Christ saith that his Father hath kept the times and seasons in his own power he will have the alone managing of them They that cannot tarry the Lords leasure do commonly fall into one of these two evils 1. Either they murmure impatiently at God and quarrel his delay as Israel did when they came out of Egypt 2. Or else they seek unlawful means to accomplish their desires so the woman of Endor gets customers Against these Jam. 1.4 Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing This work is thus perfected 1. Let us not be too busie to search into the wayes of God to know things to come It pleased God before the coming of Christ in the flesh to reveale much of his purpose concerning the time to come by the ministry of his Prophets and the Devill finding men taken with this desire of the knowledg of future events did erect his oracles whose giddy and dubious predictions did so infatuate the world that few did undertake any matter of moment without consulting the oracle the Devill grew rich by the offerings and presents that were given him for divination when the successe sorted and he lost nothing of reputation or belief when it failed because all his oracles were of ambiguous sense for to carry if need were contrary constructions And it is a thing admirable which the wisdome of observation hath recorded to the honour of Christ that at his coming into the world all oracles grew speechlesse to shew that he that should dissolve the works of the Devill was come The head of this Serpent being now by his coming bruised the way to establish our hearts is to rest in the Lord and not to be too busie with the Key of his Closet and to content our selves with so much knowledge of things to come as either 1. The wisdome of foresight may read in the volume of reasonable discourse 2. Or the faith of Gods holy ones may read in the written word of holy Scripture 3 Or the judgment of those Sholars of nature may finde by searching the great book of the creatures for these open things are for us and here qui potest capere capiat he that can let him receive it It hath been the fault of many that they have so anxiously discrutiated themselves with the solicitous inquisition of the future that they have too much neglected the present and desiring to know what God would do for them hereafter both themselves lose the sense and God the thanks of that good that he was then doing God hath his wayes and his paths where his footsteps are not seen 2. Let us take the word of God for his promise and threatnings whatsoever appearances do put in to counterswade In the case of my text The oppressed Church must tarry they have two promises One of their own deliverance and restauration Another of their enemies confusion and ruine God hath promised both yet against this promise the Church which hears of comfort feels smart and their threatned enemies rejoyce and divide their spoyle the assurance is God cannot lye and repentance is hid from his eyes Why should man desire better assurance then the word of God to fix and establish his heart seeing al things had their being from the word and no man now in being doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God 3. To perfect our patience that we may wait the Lords leisure we must beforehand consider that the Vision may tarry the promises of God which shall be fulfilled in their fulnesse of time may be foretold long before Christ was promised in Paradise some do think the first day of the world to man i. e. in the day of mans creation the eve of the first Sabbath but he was
not borne till almost 4000 yeers after yet the faithful in those times waited for the coming of Christ and tarried with patience till he came 4. God himself waited 120 yeers for the repentance of the old world all the while the Arke was preparing it is the Apostles phrase The long-suffering of God waited If God have the patience to wait on us for our good 1 Pet. 3.20 this may perfect our patience in our waiting on him for our own good Saint Paul calleth this The riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering Rom. 2.4 and saith that The goodnesse of God leadeth to repentance If we consider his provocation and how our daily sins tempt him to repent that he either did make us or do any thing for us all which are in his sight and all which his soule abhorreth and if we compare this his patience with our passionate bitternesse upon the least provocation and consider how ready we are to call for fire from heaven to consume them that anger us we shall see that God doth wait for our repentance with much patience and who would not wait upon such a Lord 5. Let us consider how willingly we do attend and observe those that can do us any good how early we rise to be sure to prevent their hours how well our hopes do support us and stay our stomacks though many delays interpose their stop and threaten failing yet the successe of expectation in things temporal depending on men is always uncertaine for there are no bounds that can oblige humane favour not merits not rewards not promises not oaths but the promises of God are Yea and Amen as he saith The vision is yet for an appointed time at the end it shall speak and not lye it wil surely come This assurance that we have from the Word doth make expectation easie it is no pain to tarry for that which shall not faile us Jacob thought the seven years a short time bestowed for Rachel because he loved her though he served and was not his own man till he had fulfilled the time Neither doth that of Solomon discourage our tarrying the Lords leasure because he saith Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick 1. Because if that hope be of some things temporal depending upon the favour of the times or persons of men there may be a failing therefore delay is a disease in such cases and maketh the heart sick 2. But hope in-the promises of God determined to their certain time cannot be said to be delayed for his hope is in vain who hopeth any thing before the time 3. And again where hope resteth in the Word and Promise of God neither the alterations of persons nor the vicissitude of times not the intercurrence of impediments can any way crosse the purpose disable the means or defeat the end of Gods decree Further if we understand Solomon of hope rightly grounded on the promise and construe the deferring it not to any protraction beyond the time but to the long expectation of it in tempore suo which desire of fruition doth make long that that hope maketh the heart sick we must not understand this sicknesse as a disease of the heart for when the Church saith Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. 2.5 Let no man think that this sicknesse was any disease in the Church we may say of it as our Lord did of Lazarus his sicknesse This siknesse is not to death This is but fervour of the Spirit and earnestnesse of desire as Bern. saith it is taedium quoddam impaetientis desideris he means and holy impatience quo necesse est affici mentem amatoris absente eo quod amat dum totus in expectatione quantamlibet festinationem reputat tarditatem This is an wholesome sicknesse it is the disease of the whole creation and of all the Elect For we know that the whole creation groaneth and traveleth in pain together untill now Rom. 8.22 And not only they Vers 23. but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body This vers 19. is called the earnest expectation of the creature waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God This is not weaknesse of the flesh in the Elect but fervour and strength of the Spirit So David longed as he professeth My soul longeth Ps l 84.2 yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God And this desire goeth with us to heaven for even there the souls must wait and they are full of this holy desire which proves that their happinesse is not consummate till the resurrection For the soules under the Altar cry with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and averge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.10 This desire is Cosâ—orationis the whetstone of prayer for the more our hearts are established in the assurance of the truth of Gods promises the more is the fire of this desire kindled and enflamed in us and then it breaketh forth into prayer and the prayers that are fired at the Altar of zeal asend the next way to the throne of grace Christ himself kindled this heat in us when he taught us to pray to our father fiat voluntas tua thy Will be done for we may tarry the leasure of the fiat in faith and yet desire it with fervency for in nothing do we more declare our concurrence with the will of God then in our earnestnesse in prayer to him to fulfill his Will For Application of this point let us look back to the Vision it is double For God revealeth 1. The purpose of his fierce wrath against the enemies of his Church whom he threatneth to consume 2. His promise of mercy to his Church that he will restore it to the joy of his countenance and give it rest from all her enemies This promise of God holdeth to the worlds end even the whole Vision is for appointed times Therefore the distresses of the Church must ever be comforted with those comforts for these the Apostle doth call The comforts wherewith we are comforted of God All other comforts spend themselves into breath and vanish and leave the heart oppressed as it was the Vision of Gods revealed comfort establisheth the heart for this telleth us where we may have rest for our souls namely in the decree and promise of God And needfull is this comfort now for though our Church by the good favour of God do enjoy the liberty of the Word in peace under the gracious government of our King whom God hath annoynted defender of the Faith The Protestant and reformed Churches in other parts of the world do at this present smart for it long have they lived under
nor can sin 2. Veniall so every man sinneth but this kind of sinning saith he doth not break the law of God because they deserve not the wrath of God and condemnation Lyndanus Levicula vitiola lapsuum quotidianorum aspergines naevuli sunt qui per se non maculant contaminant sed quasi pulvisculo leviter aspergunt vitam humanam Yet as light as they make of this pollution it is no way to be purged but by the blood of Christ and Christ is answerable to the Father and to the justice of his Law even for the least of these Therefore the Prophet saith God laid upon him the iniquity of us all and all our sins met in him this cannot but include veniall sins for the elect have no mortal sins Yet our tenet is that all even the least obliquity of thought primi motus ad peccata sunt peccata the first motions to sinne are sins and directly against the tenth Commandment and he that breaketh the least of the ten is guilty of all for he breaketh the Law So then the veniality of sin is not in the nature and merit of sinne Ps 22.1.2 but in the favour of God by Christ he suffering and satisfying for it and we by faith applying this to our selves and it will follow for in its own nature every sin is mortal deserving death and the just are not said to be blessed because they have no sinne but because their iniquities are forgiven and their sin is covered and because God imputeth not their sinne to them as some are quit by Proclamation because no evidence is given in against them 2. We must then fly to Evangelical righteousnesse which hath two parts The one is called the righteousnesse of faith the other of a good conscience Rom. 10.6 Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 1. The righteousnesse of faith This is Christs righteousnesse by faith received of us by grace imputed to us as the Apostle saith Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 The end of the law is to save those that fulfill it this by reason of the body of sinne that we do bear about us none of us can perform but Christ hath fulfilled the law for us and his obedience is by the favour of God imputed to us and by our faith applyed and we justified and saved thereby For what the law exacted of us is accapted for us as if we in our owne persons had done it because we believe it done by Christ for us 2. The righteousnesse of a good conscience This is a work of the Holy Ghost in us by which we do approve our selves to God and man by our indeavour to do that which the law commandeth And such a righteous person David describeth Surely he doth no iniquity Ps 119.3 but walketh in the way of God If any man object Object Then is he no transgressour of the law because he doth none iniquity then is his obedience full because he walketh in the way of the Lord. St. Paul doth answer for himselfe Sol. and therein for all the elect of God and sheweth wherin his innocency consisteth and saith For that which I do I allow not for what I would do that I do not Rom. 7.15 but what I hate that do I. If then I do that which I would not Vers 16. I consent unto the law that it is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 17.22 I delight in the law of God in the inward man Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know if thou be an elect child of God thou consistest of a double man so long as thou livest here on earth 1. There is in thee an outward man that is the unregenerate part of thee 2. There is an inward man that is the regenerate part For we must know and confesse that we are not capable in this life of a total and full regeneration which is an utter abolition of the body of sin There is Corpus peccati the body of sin there is lex membrorum a law of the members there is Concupiscence which doth carry us into the evil which we know in our understandings to be against the law of God and our conscience trembleth at it this is an inward man which in Peter is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.4 So that the inward man which keepeth the law is the understanding and conscience and the outward man that breaketh the law is the will and the appetite and the instruments thereof in the act of sin So then I shall now describe to you whom the Prophet here meaneth by the just man even him who in his understanding apprehendeth the good and perfect Will of God and maketh conscience of obeying it according to the measure of grace given to him for this is an Evangelical righteousnesse The use of it is great for the Prophet saith of Christ Jesus that he put on righteousnesse as a Brest-plate He that came to loose the works of Satan and therefore to bid him battel Is 59.17 did not come into this life which is militia super terram a warfare upon earth unarmed he is the General of Gods forces against the Kingdome of darknesse against the Prince that ruleth in the ayr against the god of this world against Principalities and Powers and no sooner was he baptized and began to appear to his employment but the spirit led him into the field to a duel with Satan for fourty days together where this Brest-plate of proofe was a sufficient wall about his vital parts and did preserve him against Satans fury and force And we that are his souldiers who must ambulare sicut ille walk as he we are taught by the Apostle both to get and put on this righteousnesse as a Brest plate The benefits that this righteousnesse doth bring with it are many 1. It is a proofe against temptations for howsoever our affections do receive some titillations from the outward senses to affect them with evil 1. Benefit our understanding like Goshen will always see the Sunne although the rest of our Aegypt be benighted Howsoever our Will may be corrupted for a time our conscience will continue zealous of good works In our minds we shall serve the law of God and this will keep our heads always above water that though we be put to it to strive and labour hard for life in the deep waters both of temptations and afflictions yet through many dangers and painful struglings we shall at length recover the shore The distrest conscience troubled with the terrour of sin though it cannot escape Satans sifting and buffeting and wounding yet can it not fall into final despair because this righteousnesse cannot be lost 2. This maketh our calling and election sure 2. Benefit
me out of his belly shall flow rivers of the water of life John 7.38 These be sure proofs of sincere faith which though it be weak yet it will gather strength and being able to fight will in the end be made able to overcome all our enemies 3. How faith may be preserved This seemeth a needlesse question because we have cleare evidence of Scripture that sincere faith cannot be lost True it cannot finally be lost it is assured to God but we must preserve it so as that in temptations and afflictions we may not be cast down with fear that it is lost Neither that we do bear our selves too bold upon it so farre as to presume Therefore we are bound to the use of all those means ordained by God to preserve faith If it be an hypocritical or a temporary Faith it may be lost if it be a true Faith this is one certain sign of it The same means that breede Faith in us the same means do nourish it therefore If thou standest by Faith be not high minded but fear It is a Tenet of the Church of Rome Rom. 11.20 and it is now revived of late by the Anabaptists in a book of the last yeer that a man may finally fall away from saving grace And many false shewes are made out of Scriptures not rightly understood to maintain this heresie I say no more but as the Apostle doth Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall He that is once assured of his standing 1 Cor. 10.11 cannot fall because the same Spirit which witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God doth also teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance which Christ hath taught us The means are The Word the Sacraments Prayer 1. The Word for as we are born anew by the immortal seed of the Word so we must as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that we may grow thereby 2. The Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper for these also serve to strengthen Faith 1. By visible representations to the sense of the inward graces of Gods spirit that walking here by Faith and not by sight we may have something to fasten our eye upon which may be to us as the brazen serpent lifted up 2. By the vertue of consignation because these Sacraments are the Seals of Gods Covenant of grace obliging God the giver to continue his love to us and reciprocally binding us to return duty and love and obedience to him 3. By the efficacy of mediation because they be the means in the Ordinance of God whereby he doth convey his spiritual graces to us so that Baptism is called the cover of regeneration and by Baptism Christ is put on The Supper of Christ presenteth Christ to us our spiritual food and therein we do eat and drink his body and blood This admonisheth us to be swift to hear and to neglect no opportunity for the same To renew our Baptism by often repentance to frequent the Table of the Lord as the feast of our souls This advanceth our ministry of these by which this Serpent is lifted up on high and set on a pole for all that desire health to look upon it They that are carelesse and negligent in these things will soon make shipwrack of that temporary faith that they seem to have for they that live in the neglect of these things do forsake their own mercy and declare plainly that their Faith is not sound and sincere but their whole righteousnesse is like the morning dew soon dried up 3. Prayer 1. for that shewes of whom we hold not of our selves but of God 2. That bringeth us into Gods acquaintance and familiar conversation whereby we do more perceive Gods love to us and declare our love to God 4. How Faith must be used The handling of this point draweth in the third word of my text which is life The just shall live by Faith The right use of Faith is to live by it as I have shewed in the exposition of the words 1. There is use of it in the natural life 2. In the spiritual life 3. For the eternal life 1. In the natural life for 1. In prosperity 2. In adversity there is use of it 1. In prosperity 1. Faith is a shield to bear off all the flattering temptations of the flesh Heb. 11.24 the world the Devil so it is said of Moses By Faith Moses when he was come to yeers refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter And by Faith Joseph when he was tempted by his unchaste mistris whose offer tendered him all sensual delight refused her and would not sin against God 2. Faith is the contentment of the righteous in those things that they possesse they beleeve them to be the gifts of God and they are satisfied with his allowance so by Faith Daniel was content with his pulse and refused the Kings meat they that do beleeve that God knows better then they what is good and sufficient for them are content with what they have 3. Faith is the acknowledgment of all our good from God for thanksgiving is a work of Faith and giveth God his due 4. Faith dependeth upon God for the time to come Psal 16.5 as David saith thou maintainest my lot I have set the Lord alwayes before me Psal 16.8 he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Upon which ground the faithful do build things hoped for and commit their wayes to the Lord. They cast all their care upon God for he careth for them And surely it is for want of Faith that the filii saeculi hujus the men of this world do rise so early and go so late to bed and eate the bread of carefulnesse robbing God of his service and breaking the Sabbath and often doing wrong to their brother to build up themselves it is a signe that they dare not trust God A strange inference 1. For we beought nothing with us into the world 2. We cannot deny but that whatsoever we have or possesse in the world it is the gift of God for aperiente manum de implet omnia we have no interest in any thing being born in sin the right is in him the gift from him 3. We must confesse that very little will serve our necessities whilest we do live in the world 4. We shall carry nothing away with us and why should we discruciate our selves with cares for others seeing that is the care of God our children also are his inheritance I know and beleeve that our children are under the Covehant and Promise of grace Ero Deus tuus seminis tui Let us study to breed them to the love and service of God let us not waste unthriftly what we may spare from our own necessities and for the charge of their education Let us use all honest and lawfull means to provide for them Thus are we discharged
of our duty permitte Deo Caetera leave the rest to God Faith now doth all that remains to be done By Faith Isaak blessed Jacob Heb. 11.20 21. and Esau concerning things to come By Faith Jacob when hee was dying blessed both the sonnes of Joseph 2. In adversity Thus it serveth to furnish us with 1. Patience 2. Hope 1. With Patience to bear the present distresse without murmuring at God David is a notable and a full example of this Faith I shall shew you him in distresse For when the Amalekites had burnt Ziklag 1 Sam. 30. and had carried away captives all the people therein and amongst them Davids two wives Abinoam and Abigael David was greatly distrest so were all the people They lift up their voice and wept untill they had no more power to weep David beside this sorrow of his losse and compassion of the losse of his people c. Feared For the people speak of stoning him because the souls of all the people were greived every man for his sons and his daughters No remedy against all this sorrow but Faith 1 Sam. 32.6 But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God 2 Chor. 20. The like example of Jehoshaphat When some came and told the King of an army coming against him to invade him instead of mustering his men surveying his armour sending out for oxciliaries to resist this armie Or instead of sending a messenger to treat of peace to divert the enemy and to prevent war Jehoshaphat lets the enemy come on Vers 3. Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Juda he goes to Church and prayes O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us Vers 12. neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee In the very distresse to which this remedy is applied God hath threatned the Jews with an invasion by the Chaldeans he hath declared the enemy insolent and violent what shall the Jews do in the misery Observe God takes no care of the wicked let him sin let the Chaldeans do his worst to him but The just man shall live by his Faith For he shall possesse his soul in patience Beloved we hear of distresses abroad if we do but crosse the water the sword is drawen against the professours of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they that have armes put them on to save their lives and stand upon their guard The bloody Iesuits cry to the French King of our Religion Rase it Rase it We know not how God may visit us hereafter when the light of Israel shall be quenched although there go over neitheir men nor mony to relieve the distresses of our own mothers children filios ecclesiae children of the Church such consultations are far above us yet let us pray for them to God that God would give them Faith to depend upon him and the just amongst them shall live by that Faith There is an example nearer kinne to this land the daughter of great Britaine and her root and branches for whom many a loyall heart in this Kingdom aketh in whose quarrel the honourable house of Parliament have in the name of the Commons offered to unlock all the treasures to put on armes and to adventure the lives of all faithful Patriots in the just cause of restoring them to their rightful inheritance and all such honours as their just claime shall challenge In their distresse I know no other comfort but my Text. The just shall live by Faith In a word where these three great and crying sins do raigne which in this Prophecy are threatned That is corruption of conversation when there is no honesty nor truth left amongst men but that every man studyeth the building of his own house he cares not where he hath the brick and the morter Corruption of Religion that schisme and heresie do carrie it from peace and truth Corruption of justice that honours places of service in the Common wealth and justice it self are sold for mony good men punished evil men rewarded Comfort Justus ex fide sua vivet the just shall live by his Faith 2. Faith furnisheth us with Hope That also 1. In Prosperity 2. In Adversity We have hope through Faith that God will continue his loving kindnâ—sse to us and not take away from us the light of his countenance So David Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life Psal 23.6 and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Observe in Davids hope two things 1. The ground of it Faith in Gods protection for that is the part of the whole Psalme The Lord is my shepheard he shall feed me he restoreth my soul In the valley of the shadow of death thou art with me Thou preparest my table thou anoyntest my head with oyle my cup runneth over 2. The means by him used to continue the assurance thereof even by dwelling in the house of God continually that is by consecrating his whole life to Gods service and worship 2. In adversities We have hope that either God will strengthen us to bear it or give issue out of it This is grounded upon that promise of God to his Church I will not leave thee nor forsake thee And if we hope for that we see not Rom. 8.25 we do with patience waite for it There is no such comfort in the sorrows and distresses of life as reading the holy Scriptures for the support of our hope For They are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 This hope keeps the heart from breaking for building upon the truth of God it cannot be shaken 2. How Faith must be used in the Spirituall life 1. For this the Apostle doth call it the sheild of Faith and it serveth for defence against the fiery darts of Sathan to keep off the evil that is yet without us either in temptation or provocation 2. It serveth also to purify our hearts from that evil which we do bear about us in the infection thereof 3. It serveth for a provocation to stirre us up to resist the power of the enemy 1 Pet. 5.8 For so Saint Peter saith Though Sathan go about like a roaring lyon seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Vers 9. 4. It serveth for victory This is the victory by which we overcome the world even our Faith 5. Many that returne out of the field victorious yet may bring home some dangerous wound that they have received in the battaile and there is another good use of Faith to cure and heal all the wounds For our Faith maketh us whole 6. It serveth for the effectuating the means 1. Hearing 2. Sacraments 3. Prayer 3. For our eternall life Faith is profitable unto all things which hath the Promise of
readeth This taunting speech against the King of Babel How hath the oppressor ceased the golden City ceased c. You see in derision she is called the golden City Isa 14.4 And after All they shall speak and say unto thee Vers 10. Art thou also become weak as we art thou also become like unto us How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer Vers 12. c. Thus the great glory of the mighty Monarchy is become ludibrium vulgi fabula mundi the scoffe of the vulgar and the tale of the world So Jeremy declareth that this shall be one part of the punishment of Babylon she shall be laughed to scorne read at your leasures the 50. and 51. of Ieremy Amongst many salt and sharp taunts spent upon Babel this is one for a taste Babylon is suddenly fallen Jer. 51.8 and destroyed howle for her take balm for her paine if she may be healed It is Davids phrase But thou O Lord shall laugh at them Psal 59 8. thou shalt have all the heathen in derision It was no small part of the passion of Jesus Christ the subsannations and scornful derisions of his enemies they made sport with him as the Philistims did with Sampson Thou that couldest build the Temple Come down c. It pleaseth God sometimes to suffer his good servants to be tongue â—â—â—itten as we see in the example of David and of Jeremy and Job and others And we have many examples of his permission of it in the punishment of the wicked This doth not justifie contumelies or make libels and scandalous derisions lawful but it declareth them to be the rods of God Therefore let men tender their reputations and do that which is right in their places be they high or lo that they may not deserve ill of the times in which they live that they may have good report of all men and of the truth it self Amongst other things which by way of caution we may take warning of 1. Let them that would live out of the danger of scorne and derision apply themselves to glorify God in their bodies and in their souls and to honour him for God hath spoken it He that honoureth me him will I honour 1 Sam. 2.30 but they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 2. Let such take care that they be no despisers of their brethren that they sit not in the chaire of the scornful for the wages of the scorner is scorne and they that trust in themselves and despise others go away from the sight of God unjustified Can pride have a fall and the lookers on not laugh them to scorne 3. Let such keep a good tongue in their own heads for many fair pretenders of Religion and outward professors are as long as Pambo in Eusebius taking out of that lesson from David Servabo circa os meum capistrum ne peccem lingua I will set a watch c. It was in fashion while that they that sought as they pretended Reformation of the Church sought it in the way of libelling and breaking jests upon the Prelates and Malignants of the Church But St. James telleth us That if any among us seem to be religious Jam. 1.26 and refraineth not his tongue that mans religion is in vain 4. Let such take out the lesson of the Apostle Cor. 4.6 Let their speach alway be with grace seasoned with salt that you may know how to answer every man This is the seasoning of wisdom from above which being the breath of the holy Ghost which is the spirit of meeknesse doth rather put the burthens of our brethren upon us in Christian compassion then heap burthens upon them in spight and disdain 2. Yet I do not determine all sharp and satyrical tartnesse of speach unlawful the acrimonie of a taunt hath sometimes due place and it may be some of the fire from Gods own Altar when they do not proceed from anger envy desire of revenge vaine ostentation of wit flattery of others whom it may please pride of our own hearts When Adam had transgressed and God had laid his curse upon him God said Behold the man is become like one of us to know good and evill Gen. 3.22 St Augustine saith Verba sunt insultantis quòd non solùm factus fuerit qualis esse voluit sed nec illud quod factus fuerat conservavit God derideth the folly of man fallen away from him It is said of Eliah And it came to passe at noon that Eliah awaked them 1 Reg 18.27 and said cry aloud for he is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or hee is in a journey or peradventure hee sleepeth and must bee awakeed So the Prophet Isaiah plays upon the Idolmakers and Idolaters as if he had one of our Papists in hand For he sets a man upon the stage having cut down a tree He burneth part of it in the fire Is 44.16 with part thereof he eateth flesh he rosteth rost and is satisfied yea he warmeth himself and sayeth Aha I am warme I have seen the fire And the residue thereof he maketh a god Vers 17. even his graven image he falleth down to it and worshippeth it and prayeth to it and saith deliver me for thou art my god You see what sport the Prophet maketh with Idolaters and sure he had the Spirit of God The Apocryphal book of Baruch 6. chap. is a very pleasant bitternesse against Idols and Idolaters Surely this example in my Text is justifiable for it taxeth the covetous oppressours of the earth for fools that take so much pain and do so much wrong to load themselves with thick clay But is it not an injury to Almighty God Object to set no higher price and to give no better tittle to the richest of all mettels that which God himself was pleased should be used in the choice vessels and ornaments of his own house then thus to indignifie it I answer Sol. the Prophet doth not indignifie the creature but as God said to man Pulvis es thou art dust and he told him true out of what materials the frame of his body was built so it is no disgrace to gold to call it thick clay it being no other in the matter of it And howsoever good use may be made of these outward riches yet are they never to be esteemed for themselves but for their use which if men on earth could once understand and beleive they would not set their hearts upon them Saint Peter calleth them Corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 1 Tim. 6.57 Saint Paul calleth them Vncertain riches Every man is easily drawn to study and labour to the getting of this burthen and so insatiable in desire that few say with Esau I have enough There is a singular wisdom in the use of riches which few do seek because they do not understand for what this thick clay serveth In the Latine phrase all those
shedding of blood to make their own portion fat and whereas they have studied honour and greatnesse all turns to shame abroad in the world and to the burthen of a guilty conscience within them Thou hast sinned against thy soul For the stone shall cry out of the wall Vers 11. the beame out of the timber shall answer it Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood Vers 12. and stablisheth a city by iniquity Here God bringeth in inanimate and senselesse things accusing and upbraiding them they cannot look upon either the stone-work of the wals or the timber-work on the floors and roofs of their buildings but they shall hear the voice of their upbraidings speaking to their consciences that these are ill gotten rapine and cruelty put them together and married them in that frame without a license The voyce of their clamour is woe to him that hath done so Behold Vers 13. is it not of the Lord of Hosts that the People shall labour in the very fire and the People shall weary themselves for very vanity I understand him thus it is Gods own hand against them that they shall endure hard and extreme labour as it were in the fire to compasse their own ends and when they have crowned themselves they shall reap a crop of vanity as David Man disquieteth himself in vain For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord Vers 14. as the Waters cover the sea That is God who by his long forbearance and remissenesse is forgotten in the world shall now declare himself in the execution of justice that he shall be known as David saith God is known by executing judgement ut aquae as the waters i. e. sine mensura that is without measure The Summe of this section is the denunciation of that judgment of God against the Chaldeans wherein we consider 1. Peccatum the Sinne. 2. Poenam the Punishment 3. Effectum the Effect 1. Peccatum here is a Chaine For. 1. Here is Infidelity he would be delivered from the power of evil but he will not trust God with protecting him from it 2. Here is Ambition desire of high place to build his nest on high for more security 3. Here is Covetousnesse to get the means of this high rising 4. Here is cruelty to break through all impediments that stand in the way 2. Poena 1. Shame to his house 2. Sin against his soul 3. Losse of labour 3. Effectus The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord c. 1. De peccato One observation I gather from this whole point concerning the sin of the Chaldeans it is St. Augustines Peccatum nunquam est solitarium sins grow in clusters it is a stream that runneth in the channel of nature and the further it runnes the more corruptions send in their currents into it and as rivers the further they runne the wider they grow so doth sin viresque acquirit eundo When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and lust may say of that birth as Leah did when Zilpah also bare Jacob a son A troop cometh Gen. 30.11 and she called his name Gad. For sinne is sociable In the temptation which corrupted Evah 1. Satan suggested infidelity shaking her faith in the truth of Gods word 2. He gave a touch upon the Iustice of God that it was scarce equal that God should except any tree and not give Adam unlimited power 3. He suggested a titillation of pride making her believe that they might be like God 4. Wherewith is joyned a suggestion of discontent with their present state 5. There went with this a tang of gluttonous desire So in Gehezies sinne 2 Reg. 5.20 who was Elisha's servant 1. He grudged that Naaman the Syrian should go away with such a favour done him and carry away the whole present that he rendred to his Master 2. He had a covetous desire to have some of it 3. He went after and told Naaman a lye my Master hath sent me 4. Another lye followed There be two young men of the Sons of the Prophets 5. He was sent to demand a talent of silver and two changes of raiment for them 6. He dissembled He must be urged to take two talents 7. He made a cunning conveyance He bestowed them in the house and let the young men go secretly 8. He shut up all with another lie Thy servant went no Whether Davids sin had many sins in it 1. A sin against God in the disobedience of his law 2. Sin against his own body in defiling it 3. A sin against the body of his neighbours wife 4. A sin against the Religion which was so scandalized 5. A sin against his neighbours life 1. Inebriavit eum 2. Jussit occidi 6. Which followed all these a neglect of Gods service for ten moneths together in which he continued impenitent St. James saith Whosoever shall keep the whole law Jam. 2.10 and yet offend in one point is guilty of all How can a man keep the whole and yet break the whole Law of God Sol. He is called here a keeper of the whole Law Quest either 1. By supposition and so it is but a case put thus Put the case a man could keep the whole law save only in some one thing 2. Or by his own opinion of himself 3. Or by his indeavour to keep all Yet this man offending in one breaketh the whole law 1. Because there is such a concatenation of the Duties of Religion and Justice that he which offendeth in one breaketh the chaine 2. Because any one sinne unrepented violateth love and obedience which if it be not full it is no love no obedience at all For the breach of one Commandment doth distaste all the rest of our obedience as a little leaven sowreth the whole lump therefore though we cannot say that he which breaketh the Sabbath committeth adultery or that he that stealeth is a murtherer yet we may say that he that doth break the least Commandment of the law is guilty of the breach of the whole law in omission though not in Commission seeing the obedience that the law requireth failing in one duty corrupteth all that we do say or think Let us now behold the concurrence of sins in the Chaldaean and begin 1. At his incredulity for he would be delivered from evil but he trusteth not God with it but goeth his own way to it This is the mother sinne of all evil ways and means unlawfully used to accomplish mens ends here on earth distrust in God For when we use fraud and lying and dissembling and concealing of the truth and bind untruths with oaths to gain credit to what we say untruly when we make no conscience of injury which may be hidden with cunning or born out with violence all this proceeds from distrust in God And so we grow guilty of the two great evils of which God himself complaineth For
day and night and thou shalt have none assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart which thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Here is unquietnesse even upon the bed of rest the reason is given Isa 28.20 For the bed is shorter then a man can stretch himself on it and the Covering narrower then he can wrap himself in it For there is no Peace to the wicked man It is one of Satans suggestions that the way of righteousnesse is painful and denieth a man the content of his heart And from hence arise these flattering temptations Shall I labour and travel all my days to sustain my life with mine own pains when a little violence will strip my neighbour out of all that he hath gotten together and make it mine own Shall I make conscience of an oath or a lye when it may get me more wealth in an houre then my labour shall earne in a year Shall I work my self when I may make prize of the labours of other men and drink down merrily the sweat of others brows Shall I sit low and be despised in the world when I may lay my neighbours on heaps under me and raise up my self upon their ruines Shall I undergo the charge of a family and the care of posterity when rich gifts and fair words may subdue change of beauties to my welcome desires and lusts of the flesh Shall I expect a slow and lingring advancement by the worth of vertue in the service of God when I see the servants of Mammon carry all honours and preferments before them Shall I be humble when I see the proud happy Mal. 3.15 shall I live a godly life when they that work wickednesse are built Let us here observe how these wicked ones do work to compasse their ends they labour in the very fire the fire of hell The Way of Peace they have not known 2. The next point casteth up the account of their gettings and it is anoughts a meer Cypher in Arithmetick Vanity very Vanity Is it riches then is it a thing corruptible it is a thing uncertain and little of it is for use and what profit hath the Possessor thereof in the surplusage but the beholding thereof with his eye When a man considers his wealth gotten by oppression and injury how can he but think it may be so lost as it was gotten Is it the favour of Princes and great men True they be gods upon earth but they die like men at last and they change their minds often before they die One day Haman rides about in Pompe he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mordecay waiteth at the lane gate another day Mordecay is set upon the Kings beast and Haman leadeth the horse and proclaimeth him honourable and the next day Haman is hanged and Mordecai rules all under the King Is it honour that thou labourest for that also is vanity Honour is in honorante as Aristotle saith it is very unhappy for a man to have his honour without himself his pride within him and his happinesse without him Wise Salomon that had all temporal felicitie in the fullest measure and all of the gift of God yet called all those things Vanity of Vanities I will shut up this point in the words of David Doubtlesse man walketh in a shadow and disquieteth himself in vain Ps 39.6 3. Is it not of the Lord Many crosse betydings befall the ungodly and they never observe who opposeth them It is the Lord that bringeth all the labours of the ungodly to losse and vanity that when they come to thrash their crop of travel in the world they find nothing but strawe and chaffe To expresse his power to do this he is here called the God of Hosts for all things serve him and he resisteth the proud he and his Hosts He layeth their honours in the dust he disperseth their riches and giveth them to the poor he spoiled them of all their treasures he that exalted them made them low he that gave to them taketh away They had need be made to see this therefore he saith Nonne ecce à Domino hoc is it not of the Lord In the time of the Persecutions under the bloody Emperours if at any time they succeeded not in their wars they cried Christiani ad furcas ad leones Christians to the gallows to the lyons they saw not the hand of God against them this makes Balaam smite his Asse he seeth not Gods Angel In the processe of humane affairs they that go on in these sins which God himself threatneth with woe though they find these sins profitable and to afford them large revenews that they live plentifully upon the wages of unrighteousnesse yet have they many crosses in their ways many great losses they sustain these they impute to second causes and lay great blame upon those whom they do oppresse because they stand not to it whilst oppression grindeth them they observe not the hand of God against them yet saith God Is it not of the Lord of Hosts that they weary themselves for very vanity It is a great matter to know who it is that protecteth his servants that crosseth the designes of their enemies David prayeth for Gods saving help to them and That they may know that this is thy hand Ps 109 27 that thou Lord hast done it For let all offenders in this kind of oppression and indeed in all kinds of bold and presumptuous sins know that they sin with an high hand They are a People that provoke God to anger continually to his face Isa 65.3 if you observe the text well you will find two things in it and they are two great judgments and both of the Lord. 1. Is it not of the Lord of Hostes that the People shall labour in the very fire and shall weary themselves 2. Is it not of the Lord of Hosts that the People shall labour for very vanity For the hand of God is in both for their punishment both in putting them to extreme labour and in turning all their labour into vanity He asketh the question as if he should say Come now and let us reason together to what do you impute it that this People take such pains and prosper so ill do you not perceive that Gods hand is in it and that I the Lord do undo all that they do 1. It is of the Lord that they labour in the fire For God saith Ego creo malum labour and travel is the curse of man the wages of sin In labore vesceris in sudore vultus Here is fire that melteth and dissolveth us into water All the pains that is taken here on earth to do evil is of the Lord. 1. In respect of the strength and wit used therein for in him we live and move he planted
spake on the Crosse Sitio I thirst do not thou make thy self drunk with that which should quench his thirst lest thy last draught be like his vinegar mingled with gall 6. Remedy is a consideration that we are required to pray continually and in all things to give thanks which holy duty we cannot performe so long as we are in our cups these duties require a sound judgment a cleare understanding an heart established with grace as the Apostle saith Not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse but put ye on the Lord Jesus and have no care to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof We were created to glorifie God in our bodies and in our souls for they are God's and therefore whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God 7. Remedy consider that we are bidden guests to the Supper of the Lamb and the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let whosoever heareth say come Rev. 22.17 and take of the waters of life freely we cannot tell when this supper time is till Gods messenger death cometh and telleth us all things are prepared come now let not us over-charge our hearts with surfetting and drunkennesse least that day come upon us unawares they that are drunk already and full gorged with wine and strong drink Luc. 21 34. have left no roome for the waters of life vas plenum plus non recipit It is a work for our life on earth to travel and take paines and to exercise our souls to godlinesse and all to get us a stomach to this Supper of the Lamb here is meate enough the fatnesse of Gods house we shall be fed as it were with marrow here is the hidden Manna for bread here is Calix inebrians we shall be made to drink of the rivers of Gods pleasures for at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Here are good guests for many shall come from the East and West Mat. 8.11 and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven They that come there let them drink and spare not but let them keep their stomachs till then I conclude this point in the words of our Saviour If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them 2. They give their neighbour drink Joh. 13.17 and put their bottle to him adding heat to heat Drunkennesse as you have heard is a grievous sin but this is a degree of fuller unrighteousnesse to make others drunk Amongst all the sins that David did commit nothing sate so close to him nor left so foul a staine upon the honour of his memory as did his carriage toward the Hittite Vriah David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned from nothing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Reg. 15.5 This excuse of David in all other things wherein through humane frailty he failed often doth shew how God passeth over the sins of the elect as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through infirmity they do commit but this special notice taken of the matter of Vriah the Hittite declareth it to have been peccatum primae magnitudinis a sin of the first magnitude in a vessel of glory because so many sins met together in it to name the most eminent First adultery then the making of Vriah drunk then the murthering of Vriah Wherein you see that this foul sin doth make weight in the burthen of David The Holy Ghost to declare how foul and hideous a sin drunkennesse is hath not spared to leave the dishonour of Gods good servants upon record offending therein as of Noah who is much to be excused because having planted a Vine and out of the grapes having pressed the first liquor that we read made of grapes and not knowing the strength thereof being also old he was overtaken with it once and no more Surely it was the will of God so early to let the danger of wine appeare even at the first drinking thereof that all succeeding times might beware So the example of David who made Vriah drunk against whom the matter of Vriah is upon record for terrour that men should feare this great sin of making their neighbours drunk for that is part of the matter of Vriah the Hittite Will you hear the decision of the canon law in their cases of conscience concerning this sin Ille qui procurat ut quis inebrietur Summa Anglica ebrietaâ—e mortaliter peccat quia consentit in damnum notabile proximi This is now the crying sin of our Land Court City Country all defiled with it and I must confesse a truth which the Sunne seeth not all innocent of it who should by authority from God reprove it by the word and punish it by the sword it is a sin in fashion Yet at the great feast which Assuerus made to his Princes it is specially noted And the drinking was by an order Hest 1.8 none might compel for so the King had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to every mans pleasure Lyran his note is Nolebat Rex ut in aula sua aliquis uteretur modo incomposito irrationabili more barbarorum qui nimis importune inducebant homines ad bibendum 1. It is our duty to stir up one another Reaf 1. and to provoke one another to all Christian duties of these to act sobriety in the moderate using of meat and drink and fasting in the abstinence from them for a season St. Paul whether ye eate or drink do all to the glory of God Christ quando jejunatis To omit this duty is a great sin to commit the contrary evill is most abominable This the Prophet sheweth In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call unto weeping and mourning Isa 22 12 Vers 13. c. And behold joy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking Cras moriemur And it was declared in the eares of the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye die How then shall they appeare before God who insteed of calling to fasting call to drinking and presse the drinking even to the making of their neighbour drunk 2. If we contrive against our neighbours life to take it from him Reas 2 we are murtherers if against his wife to defile her we are adulterers if against his goods to rob him of them we are theeves if against his good name we are false witnesses consider then what thou dost when thou attemptest thy neighbour to make him drunk for thou seekest to perish his understanding to rob him of the use of reason which should distinguish him from a brute beast to expose him a spectacle of shame and filthinesse to all beholders and to make him a transgressor of the law of God
art about Confesse your sins together pray together give thanks together confesse your faith the common faith together hear the Word together both read distinctly and preached profitably Remember that God speaketh in the Ministry of his Word and say with David I will heare what the Lord God will say Gather Manna whilst you may for you and your houses Take heed that Satan coole not your zeale of Gods glory by suggesting irreverent opinions of the Prayers and forme of service of the Minister of the Ceremonies of the Church or uncharitable opinions of the Congregation For all these be whips of Satans twisting to whip thee out of Gods Temple and to make the ordinances of God ineffectual Bring with thee an humble and contrite heart and say within thy self as St. Paul did I am the worst of sinners I am the worst Person in all this Congregation for I know mine own wickednesse and my sinne is ever against me Bring faith with thee that will shew thee the glorious and gracious face of God by that eye thou shalt see the sonne of God making intercession for thee and thou shalt feele the spirit of God helping their infirmities mingle faith with thy hearing and the word shall profit thee Hide the word in thy heart be not like a leaking vessel to let it out as fast as it is poured in Take heed of the cares of this life and voluptuous living least they choak the good seed of the Word when it cometh up In thy whole carriage at Church consider that the service is publick hoc age do all thou dost at Church according to the occasion separate not thy self from the body of which thou art apart by reading praying or any other meditation which may divide thee from the Congregation Tarry it out to the end and depart not without Gods blessing pronounced by his Minister to whom he hath given power from above to blesse in his name 2. God is in his holy Temple Let all the earth be silent before him This serveth for the direction of our whole life for 1. This dwelling of God declareth his Omnipotency The Lord is in heaven he doth whatsoever he will The earth is but as the drop of a bucket compared to the unbounded unsounded ocean of his fulnes of power and strength 2. This dwelling declareth the graciousnesse of God for every good and perfect gift cometh from above and unlesse the heavens heare the earth the earth perisheth utterly 3. This dwelling declareth the Omniscience of God there God standeth in the Congregation of God as upon a watch-tower and from the heaven the Lord beholdeth the earth the eye of the Lord is over all the world 4. This declareth the eternity of God so he saith The high and lofty that inhabiteth eternity which makes his purpose established with stedfast decree Isa 57.15 without variablenes or shadow of change a God that repenteth not his gifts and calling are without repentance 5. This declareth the wisedome of God for the Master of that house is the wisest as the Prophet saith of him He that ruleth that house well where the Angels dwell that excel in strength Isa 31.2 The Lord of Hoasts is his name and they are his ministring spirits how can it be but his wisedome is incomprehensible and his ways past finding out 6. This declareth his justice for there is the throne of judgement heaven is his Throne and all the holy ones give him that glory Even so Lord God Almighty Rev. 16.7 true and righteous are thy judgements To conclude 1. Tremble O earth at the presence of God who hath such power tempt not provoke not this power against thee he can rain snares but if he be thy father fear not there are more with thee then against thee 2. Love the Lord who is so rich in goodnesse and mercy who dwelleth in the storehouse of blessings and who giveth liberally with an open hand and filleth c. 3. Be jealous of thy words works and thoughts before the eye of jealousie which seeth all things 4. Be strong and God shall establish thy heart for he is unchangable whom he once loveth he loveth to the end that is finis sine fine 5. Let his wisedome guide thee and seek that wisedom which is from above ask it of him for he giveth it liberally and never upbraideth thee He upbraideth many with his gifts never did he any with the gift of his wisedome for that cannot be abused his grace may 6. Remember that for all that thou hast done in this life God shall bring thee to judgment every man shall give an account unto God of himself Felix trembled to hear this Let all the earth keep silence before this God A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON HABAKKUK HABAK. 3.1 A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet upon Sigionoth THese wordes are the title of this Chapter shewing the contents thereof It is called a prayer and it is a Psalme or Hymne such as Davids Psalms the Heathen Poets call them Odes or Songs It is called the prayer or song of Habakkuk both as composed by him used by himself and addressed to the use of the people of God in their captivity in Babylon It is a song upon Sigionoth The Hebrews affirm this song to be one of the hardest places to interpret in all the old Testament because it is full of dark Parables such as could not be well understood till he came Who hath the key of David who openeth and no man shutteth Our former Translation readeth a Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet for the ignorances and it is expounded diversly Some understanding it a prayer to God for the pardon of all those sins which the people of God have committed ignorantly Others conceive thus that seeing the Prophet in the behalf of the Church in the first Chapter had taxed God of too much remisness toward his people in bearing with their sins and forbearing to punish them and then again fore-seeing how God in time would awake and punish them by the furious Chaldaeans hee doth as much tax the severity of God towards his Church Now that God in the second Chapter hath declared his justice in punishing his people and reveiled the decree of his vengeance against his and their enemies now the Prophet maketh this recantation and prayer for the ignorances because they not knowing the secret purposes of God have been so forward to judg his ways But we must admit this confirmation and the learned translators of the Kings Bible finding this to have been an errour in the former translations have followed the Originall more faithfully and call it The Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet upon Sigionoth Some say this Sigionoth was some speciall instrument of Musick upon which this song was sung in the Church of God and the last verse of this Chapter saith To the chief singer on my stringed instruments For as Titleman saith in this Psal the Prophet Canendo orat orando
svavity of matter and order as is often involved in tropes and figurative and parabolicall Phrases so that all readers of holy Scripture finde the poeticall parts of the Bible exceeding difficult more then the historicall and morall Now where most cost is bestowed of search to finde out the meaning of the holy ghost and most delight is reaped it being found that doth tarry by us better and we hold it with strongest retention This pleaseth God well that we hide his word in our hearts that we do not runne it out in a leake This doctrine of the holy use of Poetry in the worship and service of God serveth Vse 1 To stir us up to affect the best gifts of all in Gods worship if there be any way more excellent then others to use that in our prayers and thanksgivings and prayses of our God I remember what David said to Araunah the Jebusite when he offered to give him his threshing floore to erect an altar upon it for God I will not offer a burnt Offering to the Lord my God 2 Sam. 24.24 of that which cost me nothing Let it cost us the highest straine of our invention the lowdest extension of the voice the earnestest intention of the heart we have nothing good enough for him all we have is of him let it be all for him and for the advancement of his glory 2 Seeing this kind of exercise of Hymns and Psalmes hath been by Gods holy Servants consecrated to the worship of God let us bestow our wit and inventions that way not in devising Satyres to gird and lash our Brethren not in amorous and wanton evaporations of our lustfull affections not in base flattery of the corrupt times and soothing of ungodly persons not in broaching and venting uselesse fictions the scumme and froth of idle and unsanctified brains but let our wits and pens be exercised in glorifying of our God and our readings rather bestowed in the Psalmes and Hymns of holy Scripture then in the vain and artlesse dull and brainlesse Ballads and Poems which fly abroad amongst us and devoure precious time which should be better spent and transport affections which should bend their strength to Gods service 2 I consider that this song of Habakkuk was directed to the Musician to be fitted to the stringed instruments so to be not onely sung but played in the meetings of the Church from whence I collect That Church-musique hath the honour of antiquity and of holy use also I need not prove this out of the old Testament for the examples grow so thick there that he hath read little in the Old Testament that hath not informed himselfe of the Churches use and practise therein We have Myriams consort Exod. 15.20 There were Timbrels and Dances all the women came out after them We have Jephthaes Daughters consort Judg. 11.34 meeting her victorious Father with Timbrels and Dances We have Davids full example in the Tabernable Solomons constitution for the full Musique of the Temple If any object that these be those old things which are done away but now all things are made new those were but shadows and ceremonies serving onely for those times but now antiquate and abolisht Let me tell them that in the time of the Gospell where the Church hath more cause of joy then ever it had before we can give no cause to abate any thing of Gods worship Who can deny but that the first tydings of the birth of Christ was proclaimed by an Angell and the Proclamation was seconded by a Quire of heavenly Souldiers even a multitude of them the whole consort of heaven praising God The Anthume which they sung is upon record in the living Book of the Gospell Gloria in excelsis Luke 2.14 Ob. But yet the singing and Musick of instruments in the time of the Law were shawdows of things to come at the coming whereof they must cease whereof then were they shadows It is answered of the inward and spirituall joy of the faithfull for the coming of the Messiah Sol. Had not then the faithfull before Christ this inward and spirituall joy and why should we which have it more in the inward man expresse it lesse in the outward worship Ps 48.10 David saith According to thy name so is thy praise to the ends of the earth Christ saith I have manifested thy name to them that thou gavest me doth it not follow well where there is manifestum nomen there should be manifesta laus The Church use to prayse God with instruments of Musick the Church hath more cause to prayse God since the coming of Christ then before why should any thing not repealed and forbidden to be used be neglected to manifest Gods prayse Ob. But all things in the Church must be done to edification Musick doth not edifie Sol. Then was it never of lawfull use in the Church and David and Solomon did ill to bring it into the Tabernacle and the Temple and the Church did as ill to contiune it if it be without edification But if ever it seemed for edification why not now as well as ever it is the same God that is now served whom they worshipped and as Augustine Tempora variata sunt fides vna times vary but faith is one how where and when did Musick loose that honour that use in the Church of God Ob. But it spendeth time which were much better bestowed in hearing the Word of God preached Sol. I answer it was used when much more was to be done in the Church then we have now to do and they thought it not tedious They had many Sacrifices to offer and the time spent in prayer and hearing of the word yet they use it Ob. But popish superstition hath so defiled it that it is not now fit to receive it in our Christian Churches Sol. I finde that our fathers before the coming of Christ were not so squeamish to like their own holy worship the worse because Idolaters did use some of their formes of worship for Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image and that was worshipped with all kinde of stil and loud Musick yet that did not defile the holy worship of the Church It is a dangerous rule of religion to menage it by opposition they are not all opera Diaboli workes of the Devill which the devill doth for you know that he confest Christ which many Scribes and Pharisees did not They that condemne all that popish superstition hath also abused may want a candle to light them to bed I professe sincerly I cannot see but that the same motives that bgan to bring in Musick into the Church may hold it there still for any thing that I can see 1 In respect of God to glorifie him in the best manner that we can by any gifts of art or nature And Musick being one of them we see how much it hath decayed and how much Students in that excellent art have been discouraged from that
knovvn he re-inforceth his former petition novv desiring that God vvould reveale his gracious purpose of succouring his Church and triumphing over the enemies thereof In the mean time vvhile thy Church is groaning under the burthen of their exile make thy vvill knovvn to them This favour of God vvil svveeten the adversity of their banishment vuhen they shall knovv the loving purpose of God tovvard them In wrath remember mercy They confesse that they have given God cause of displeasure and have provoked him to vvrath they feel the smart thereof in a strange land and they have no plea but mercy they dare not make so bold vvith him as to entreat him to turn avvay all his vvrath from them because they are so guilty to themselves that they have provoked him and deserved his indignation Onely they desire that in the midst of his vvrath he vvould remember mercy By vvrath in this place is not meant any such affection in God vvhereof his unchangeable and constant nature is not capable for God is semper idem ever the same vvhom hee loveth he loveth vvith an everlasting love and he cannot at any time be angry vvith them But vvhom he loveth upon occasion he rebuketh and chasteneth every son vvhom he receiveth and this love sometimes bringing forth the effects of that vvhich in man is called vvrath vve speak after the manner of men and avouch it of God Thus then the text is literally to be understood O Lord I have heard vvhat thou hast spoken in the defence of thy upright justice I have heard vvhat thou purposest in the punishing and in the avenging of thy Church in the mean time preserve it and make it knovv thy love tovvards it and vvhilst thou art punishing of it remember mercy The parts of this are tvvo 1 The preparation to prayer 2 The prayer it self 1 In the preparation I observe Motum the motive Metum fear 2 In the prayer I observe 1 Subjectum the subject 2 Petitiones the petitions The petitions are three 1 O Lord revive thy Work in the middle of the years 2 O Lord in the middle of the years make knovvn 3 In wrath remember mercy First of the preparation 1 of the Motus O Lord I have heard thy Speech The Word of God is vvell bestovved on them that vvill hear it vvith reverence and receive it vvith humility here vvas a maze the Prophet and the Faithfull of the land had lost themselves they knevv not vvhat to think till they had put the matter to God himself Cap. 1. and God having made a ful ansvver novv the Prophet saith in his ovvn name and in the name for whom he consulted God I have heard thy speech All the Scripture is full of examples of the Children of God hearkening to his word of precepts and admonitions to us to hearken of promises to them that do hearken The reason is because it is a speciall note of Gods children to heare his Word even as our Saviour himself saith He that is of God heareth Gods Word ye therefore hear them not Joh. 8.47 because ye are not of God And now seeing God hath given over speaking by miracles extraordinarily to his Church St. John saith We are of God 1 Joh. 4. he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of errour The Spirit of truth is left in the Church by our Saviour and he speaketh in such who by the Ordinance of Christ are the Priests of the new Testament of whom Christ saith Qui vos recipit me recipit qui recipit me recipit eum qui misit me he that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me we must hear him before he hear us for St. Paul telleth us true Rom. 8.26 We know not what we should pray for as we ought The art of prayer is not so quickly learned as some forward proofessours make themselves believe John besides his continuall preaching to his Disciples taught them also to pray And never had any Disciples a better Master then the Disciples of Jesus Christ yet they living in the eare of his Doctrine and in the eye of his holy example were glad to come to him to be taught to pray he taught them the Lords prayer privately which after he taught the whole multitude in a Sermon openly My observation is that his Word must minister matter to our prayers Doct. and all our petitions must be grounded thereupon The reason is because God heareth not sinners John 9.31 and David saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not hear me But the prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much Jam. 5.16 if it be fervent Against sin we have no such remedy as the word So David Thy word have I hid in my heart Psal 119.11 that I might not sin against thee Our Lessons from hence are 1 We must take it for a great favour of God to us that he giveth us his word for that is a lanthorne to our feet that is our counsalor as David calleth it This word is given us to profit withall and it is deposited 1 In the Books of the Canonical Scripture which we have not as the Church of Rome shut up in an unknown language but translated faithfully into our own tongue that all of us may be partakers of it 2 As in the time of the law the Priests lips did preserve knowledge and men were to require the law at their lips so in the time of the Gospel St. Paul saith of the Apostles and of all the Ministers that should succeed them in their office in the Church 1 Cor. 5.19 God hath committed to us the word of reconciliation he hath so committed it to his Son first as he gave him power to transmit it in the Priesthood of the New Testament to all ages of the Church till his second coming The spirit which Christ left to comfort and instruct his Church was not given at large to all men but in perticular ordinance to them whom he sent to teach all Nations as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.6 Our sufficiency is of God who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life So we are the Ministers of the word that giveth life and there is no life to be had but by our Ministry This gives us interest in your affections in your understandings in your goods in your prayers 2 Now we know where we may hear God we are taught also not to neglect him speaking to us for as the Author to the Hebrews saith Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven
revealed to Abraham Gen. 15.13 Know that thy seed of a surety shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred Years And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judg Vers 14. and afterward shall they come out with great substance This as St. Augustine vvell understandeth doth include all the time that passed between the birth of Isaac and the entring of the people of Israel into the land of promise during vvhich time they had no land of their ovvn and in a dis-junct reading they vvere either strangers as during their first abode in Canaan and after in Aegypt or they served as after Josephs death and vvere afflicted Four hundred years are a long time yet they savv an end of their travails and afflictions and they knevv that their posterity should have rest at last and they knevv that God vvould judg their oppressours this made them able to bear the affliction Here is a picture dravvn to the life of a christian mans life here on earth for he must be a stranger and pilgrime here and must serve and suffer before he can come to Jerusalem which is visio pacis the vision of peace before he can come to rest from his labours This captivity in Babylon was a great punishment to this people but God made his vvill known to them as the Prophet here teacheth them to pray for he gave them vvarning of it long before 2 Reg. 20.17 but somwhat obscurely he came to a more cleer discovery of his purpose to Hezechiah All shall be carried into Babylon nothing shall be left The Lord also by Jeremie his Prophet gave them warning of it Jer. 16.13 I will cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not He threateneth to send Fishers to fish them compare that with Habakkuks prophecy Thou makest them as the fishes of the Sea Hab. 1.14 there you heard of their angle net and dragge Jeremy is yet more plain in this prediction Jer. 20.6 I will deliver all the strength of the city and all the labours thereof and all the pretious things thereof Jer. 25.11 c. to be carried into Babylon But most fully begin at the 9 verse And this whole Land shall bee a Desolation Vers 12. and an Astonishment and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon 70 years And it shall come to passe when 70 years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon Jer. 30.2 and that nation saith the Lord. There is some better news sic dicit Dominus The days come faith the Lord that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah saith the Lord and I will cause them to returne to the land that I gave to their Fathers and they shall possess it The miseries that smart upon afflicted men do make them forget the comforts that should heal their wounded spirits David expresseth his vexation so My soul refused comfort therefore O Lord make it known Make thy people sensible of that comfort which thou hast gratiously reserved for them And indeed the people were not quite out of heart all the time that they lived in that captivity they stil remembred Jerusalem and thought upon Sion and expected their deliverance But the dispersion of the Jews that hath now continued almost 1600 years that hath lasted long and the time of their restitution is not perticularly revealed this maketh them hang the head God in justice for the cruelty which they did execute upon his Son would not let them know the time of their deliverance as in their former afflictions he did which no doubt is a great signe of Gods heavy indignation Seeing then that the knowledge of the will of God and his purpose revealed in his Word 1 Vse is so great a comfort in afflictions we are taught to study and search the Book of Gods Will and therein to exercise our selves for he is the same God that he was and his wil is the same the just have the same promises that they had the unjust shall have the same judgments hear read the Book of God and apply it as thou goest for there thou shalt have thy portion Labour for newnesse of life and that shall bring thee to the proof and tryal to the discerning and experience of the will of God as the Apostle saith And be not conformed to the World but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind Rom. 12.2 that you may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God For God will not reveale himself to the ungodly but the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant We must rest in this wil of God with a fiat voluntas tua thy will be done we must not resist it we must not murmure at it we must not make haste but we must live by faith and tarry the Lords leasure and in the mean time gather strength from his promise to establish our hearts that they faint not and fail us in our tribulations 3 Petition In wrath remember mercy The plea of the true Church in afflictions is mercy Doct. 1 Reas God taught us this himself for when our first Parents had sinned they were afraid and ashamed and hid themselves from God there was no mercy yet revealed Hovv vvould they solicite God Jesus Christ vvas not yet known to them therefore they fled from God for there is no drawing neer to God for sinners without Christ then God came and sought out Adam he arraigned the offenders and finding the Serpent guilty of the temptation he cursed him and there he promised Christ When mercy was revealed to man then he called the man first and then the woman And ever since that mercy was made known to the Church the true Church hath had no other plea but mercy There is misericordia condonans a pardoning mercy he forgiveth all our iniquities an article of faith remissio peccatorum remission of sins there is misericordia donans a giving mercy he giveth medicine to heal all our infirmities The Church knoweth that they have given God cause to be angry 2 Reas they know that if his wrath be kindled but a little he is a consuming fire and it is a fearfull thing to fall into his hands they know that in his favour is life and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore We have nothing to keep us from the anger to come but mercy Lam. 3.22 Psal 51.1 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not all consumed for his compassions fail not Have mercy upon me O Lord according to thy loving kindnesse c. We have nothing to bring us again in favour with God whom we provoke every day but his mercy But as for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy
us at the doore vvhen vve are going forth to act it he may overtake us vvhen we are upon the vvay he may cut us off in the act of sin and bring us from the fact to judgement And how soever his mercy hath the name above his other works and his patience and long suffering be the fruits of his mercy yet he never had mercy enough to swallow or consume either his justice or his truth He hath diverted his plague often he hath sometimes called it in and long he keepeth it in for that he expecteth repentance but he hath never turned it out of his service but hath it always before him he hath also turned his fire another way that it might not come neer the Tabernacles of the righteous but he hath never quenched it it is always at his feet if he moveth that moveth with him the Rain-bow about his head is the joy of his Church the coals of terrour at his fire are the terrour of the wicked 2. We have also our lesson herein Vse 2 2 Cor. 5.11 for the Apostle saith Knowing therfore the terror of the Lord we perswade men but we are made manifest unto God and I trust are made manifest also in your consciences We find this danger in sin and this severity in judgement thereupon we perswade men to a conscionable course of life such as may keep them unspotted of the world If we do not acquaint you with the terrour of the Lord and shew you the pestilence that walketh before him and the burning coals at his feet God will right himself upon us for as he told his Prophet Ezekiel so he will deal with us Son of man I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel therefore hear the word from my mouth Ezc. 3.17 and give them warning from me When I say to the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his evill way to save his life the same wicked man shall dye in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at thy hand This excuseth us to you when we preach the rod of God even pestilence and coales of fire that this is not our furie and railing as some call it but it is the wrath of the Lord against sin and if we temper a bitter potion for you to drink it is not poison but medicine and it is ministred to you as God himself saith to save your lives that you may not dye in your sins it is the therapentique physick to heal your souls it is prophilactique to us to prevent disease that we perish not for your unreproved sins The arrows of vengeance are aimed at your sins that you may kill sin and save the sinner alive Cry therefore Spare us good Lord. 4. Doct. God is glorious in heaven and in earth for this Heaven is covered with his glory and the Earth is full of his praise This is the confession of David O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth Psa 8.1 who hast set thy glory above the heavens What need we any more reason to think this his due Reas 1 then these two 1 His name onely is excellent his glory is above the Earth and Heaven Here we are sure we cannot over-doe in matter of praise and glory the Angels and Saints do him that service and cover the heaven with the praises of God Psa 148.13 for his love shineth to his Church and we pray Sicut in Coelo as in heaven He also exalteth the horne of his people Psa 14.3 the praise of all his Saints Let not us sit out vvhen all joyn to glorifie God Vse let not any of us like the fleece of Gideon be dry vvhen all the floore is watered vvith the joys and jubilations of the Church David is not content vvith a bare praising of the name of God as they that say alway The Lord be praised but he requireth both a song Ps 149.1 Canticum novum a nevv song and that in the congregation of the Saints He also requireth a dance Verse 3. he requireth also instruments of musique he gives reason He vvould have us delight in the service that we do to God therefore he addeth The Lord taketh pleasure in his people Verse 4. he will beautifie the meek with Salvation Let the Saints be joyfull in glory Verse 5. let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high praises of God be in their mouth Verse 6. This is that vvhich this example requireth not to be shallovv and sleight in the promises of God but to strein our selves to the uttermost the inward man of the heart the voice the hand playing the feet dancing till vve cover the heaven and fill the earth vvith his glory Verse 6. He stood and measured the earth he beheld and drove in sunder the Nations and the everlasting Mountains were scattered the perpetuall hils did bow his ways are everlasting 2 HEre is a commemoration of the power and glory of God in giving to his Israel the Land of Canaan for their possession Diverse judgments have made diverse constructions of these words Mr. Calvine is of opinion that they declare God in his glorious Lordship over all the world for as David when he should come to be absolute Monarch of Judah and Israel said I will rejoyce therefore and divide Shechem and mete out the valley of Succoth c. So God is here declared absolute Monarch in this phrase of measuring of the earth as David would cast his shooe over the Philistines would rejoyce So God is here declared Conquerour of all by dividing in sunder the nations c. St. Augustine turnes all into Allegory and applieth it to Christ You remember how before I found that the Church doth comfort their present miseries with remembrance of Gods former mercies therefore I choose to keep pace with the story of Gods former mercies to his Israel And as before he spake of the comming of God from Teman and Paran when he appeared glorious to them in giving the law so now he comes to another powerfull mercy that is when he gave them the promised Land for then he that went before them all the vvay of their journey in their removes now stood still as declaring that novv they vvere come to the land of their rest as he had promised it And there He measured the Earth it is ascribed here to God that he divided the land amongst the Tribes because it vvas done by lot vvherein not chance but God answered This hath reference to that story vvhich vve read Joshua 5. for when the people vvere entred into the land of Canaan and vvere come so far in to it as Gilgall that the Ark of God was setled in Gilgall Then God commanded the Sacrament of Circumcision to be revived vvhich in the vvhole journey between their comming out of Aegypt to this place had been omitted
of the Jews shall be resetled there before the end of the world as it was after the return from the captivity of Babylon so that though there have been interruption of possession for so many years there shall be no impeachment of title but their right doth run on till the time appointed for the restoring of them Concerning the calling of the Jews and the restoring of them to the Church St. Paul hath prophecyed so plainly Rom. 11. as there can be no doubt thereof But for the restoring of them to the land of promise we have no good ground in holy Scripture 1 Because they have forfeited their estate therein which they held with condition of obedience When thou shalt beget children Deut 4.25 and childrens children in the land and shalt have remained long in the land and shall corrupt your selves and make a graven image or the likenes of any thing and shall do evill in the sight of the Lord thy God to provoke him to anger I call Heaven and Earth to witnesse against you this day that ye shall soon utterly perish from of the Land whereunto you goe over Jordan to possesse it ye shall not prolong your dayes upon it but shall utterly be destroyed And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations This is not without hope for as by sin they lost their inheritance there so by repentance it was recoverable When thou art in tribulation Verse 3. and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days if thou turn to the Lord thy God and be obedient to his voyce He will not forsake thee nor destroy thee nor forget the Covenant with thy Fathers This proves their tenure conditional and their restitution to this land after their return froÌ„ captivity was also upon the same condition of obedience as appeareth in the words of Christ How often would I have gathered thy children together Moâ—h 23.37 38 39. even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Behold the house is left unto you desolate For I say unto you you shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. That place is plain that the habitation of Jerusalem that is Domus vestra and the temple of which our God said Domus mea now become by abuse Domus vestra shall be desolate till the second comming of Christ 2 The Prophesies do speak plain Thus saith the Lord of hoasts Jer. 19.11 even so will I break this people and this city as one breaketh a potters vessell that cannot be made whole again My conclusion therefore is that Though the argument drawn from the free gift of that land to the people measuring out the same to the tribes do serve to comfort their captivity in Babylon with hope of restitution yet now in these times and ever since the dispersion of the Jews for the cause of Christ this can minister no comfort at all to that nation to promise them their land again I come to matter of instruction 1 These words aime not at the generall scope of this Section in which is declared that The remembrance of Gods former mercies is a sweet consolation of present afflictions 2 Because he nameth the measuring out of the land of Canaan to the tribes the driving in sunder the nations the scattering of the mountains the bowing of the hils 1 Docemur We are taught The best form of thanksgiving is that which maketh perticular commemoration of the mercies of God to his Church or to any member of it 2 That the matter of thanksgiving is an acknowledgment of all benefits as received from the hand and free gift of God 3 From the phrase and manner of speech here used we are taught that figurative forms of speech are in use in holy Scripture In thanksgiving 1 Doct. let us be perticular in our commemoration we have Davids example for it Prayse the Lord Psal 103.2 O my soul and forget not all his benefits so he stirreth up himself to remember them to remember them all The two Psalmes 105.106 are full examples of this perticular thankfulnesse and they are good guides to such as would learn it This is necessary Reas 1 1 Because the more perticularly we recompt the favours of God to us the more we discerne Gods love to us as in the example of this people Deut. 4. Moses saith That God had done much for this people never so much for any read from Verse 32. ad finem 38. And all those favours grew out of one root Because he loved thy Fathers It is the Apostles note Ecce quantam charitatem behold how great love Sic Deus dilexit mundum God so loved the world 2 Seeing Gods temporall favours are not always bestowed in love but are made rods to whip the ungodly Reas 2 this is a certain rule that these favours of God are evermore tokens of his love to such as are thankfull for them and to none else 3 They that keep an inventorie of their receipts Reas 3 and are always reckoning and reporting the bounty of God to them shall finde that their receipts of favours have been more and greater then their issues of prayers For how many great blessings have we from God that we never prayed for so that God giveth us much more cause of thanksgiving and prayse of his name then of prayer and supplication 4 Thanksgiving is a work of justice as David Reas 4 it well becommeth the just to be thankfull and again give to the Lord the glory due to his name that is for every perticular benefit perticular prayse and thanks Thanksgiving doth put us in mind of our unablenesse to requite God Reas 5 we cannot make him amends for his favours done to us we shall finde that our wel-doing extendeth not to him we must therefore do good to all propter Dominum for the Lord. 6 Thanksgiving doth put us in mind of our unworthinesse Reas 6 as Mephibosheth to David What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a de ad dog as I am Jacob Non sum dignus I am not worthy David himself What is man 2 Sam. 9.8 that thou art so mindfull of him 7 If we will forget God will remember us as to David Reas 7 I anointed thee King over Israel I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul I gave thee thy Masters house and thy Masters wives into his bosome Domus Israel Domus Judae Surely Vse we have not well taken out the lesson of thanksgiving to God for to shuffle it up with generall God be thanked for all comes if but coldly and is a poor rependam for all the benefits bestowed upon us St. Augustine upon those words of David And forget not all his benefits saith pro quibus bonis primo quia es cum non esses sedest lapis deinde quia vivis sed vivit pecus
sunder the Nations God is all eye and beholdeth all things all ear and heareth all things all hand and maketh all things and doth whatsoever he wil all foot and standeth in all places he is here said to behold which denoteth his provident care of his work and he is said to drive in sunder the Nations because he ordeined their expulsion and he gave commission for the destruction of them that he might give their land according to his promise to his own people 4 Where he cals the mountains everlasting and the hils perpetuall this is also a figure For these be attributes onely belonging to God to be everlasting and perpetuall and it sheweth the stability and setlednesse thereof 5 There is also another figure in the very name of mountains for we must not literally understand that there was any violence offered to the mountains and hils but thereby the strength and processe and setled estate of those nations that dwelt in the land of Canaan is signified and so the scattering and bowing of these moutains doth expresse the dispersion of those nations or the bringing of them under the yoake of subjection to the people of Israel 6 His wayes are everlasting this is also figurative for by the ways of God are understood here the counsels and decrees of God and his executions of his will which are no sudden operations but proceed from everlasting wisedome And this is the wisedome of the Reader of holy Scripture to observe what is spoken literally and what figuratively else many errours and heresies may arise As even in this attribution of the parts and motions and actions of the body of man to God the Anthropomorphites not understanding the figure did conceive God in body like to man The heresie of transubstantiation grew out of the mistake of those words hoc est corpus meum this is my body wherein the figure not observed the Romanists do believe a reall transmutation of the bread into the body of Christ whereas that is to be understood only by sacramentall representation as as the sacrament of Circumcision is called the covenant of God in the flesh and the water of Baptisme is called the laver of regeneration being the sign and seal thereof You know that when Christ said to his Disciples Beware of the leaven of the Pharises Mat. 16.16 they understood him not to speak figuratively and said It is because we have taken no bread So when he said Destroy this Temple the Jews understood him of the temple at Jerusalem The Scriptures of both Testaments are full of examples of figurative speaking The whole book of the song of Solomon is a continued figure and all the poeticall part of holy Scripture abound therewith The reasons why the wisedome of God hath thus exprest it self are 1 Because herein he would commend to us the use of that excellent science of the Rhetorick which teacheth the use of figures for there is no eloquence or oratory in all the wisedome of the world comparable to the holy elocution of Scripture the majesty whereof is such that it convinceth the judgment of man and maketh it to yield it to the breath of God 2 Because this cripticall manner of speaking doth involve the secrets of Gos wisedome in some obscurity to stirre up and awake our diligence in the search that we may be put to it to study holy Scriptures as Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 search for easie things do soon cloy us and make us idle 3 Because this difficulty doth put us to our prayers to be seech God to open to us the secrets of his wisdome 4 This makes us fear God because the secrets of the Lord are onely revealed to them that fear God 5 This difficulty is so sweetned with the pleasant mixture of art as it hath omne punctum in it for it mingleth utile dulci. 6 It doth teach us to be spirituall for the carnall man cannot perceive the things of God because they are spiritually discerned and the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life this Spirit he hath left to teach his Church and to bring all things to our remembrance 7 This obscurity doth call upon us to set apart some time for the study and search of Scriptures and we cannot employ our spare hours of leasure better then in this search for here are the treasures of wisedome and knowledge and these are able to make the man of God wise to salvation perfect then to throughly perfect to all good works 8 He hath distributed his graces in his Church accordingly and hath ordained some to be teachers of others whose whole time is consecrated to the study of this book of Scripture that they may be able to understand this word aright divide it aright to their hearers Herein you have a great advantage if you consider the goodnesse of God to you for in one hour you reap the harvest of our labours in many hours of our readings of our inventions judgments search These reasons I gather from Clemens Alexandrinus St. Augustine and St. Gregory and some others Vse 1 This teacheth us that the worthie Minister of the Word must be no smatterer in those necessary arts and learning which is helpfull to the study of Divinity for want whereof many bunglers handle the Word of God too homelily and instead of giving a constant light do only make a blaze which yet like one of our night-walking fires devours more admiration that the full Moon that shines all night long Logick and Rhethorick are two such necessary and requisite parts in a Minister as without which neither can the method of Scripture nor the power of the arguments therein used nor the clear interpretation of the words be given Vse 2 This teacheth the hearer and reader of the World to put his strength to it not to parrat the words of Scripture but to study the sense thereof St. Origen saith that as man so the whole Bible doth consist of a body and a soul the body is the better the sense is the soul of Scripture That is the spirituall Manna that giveth strength to the weak that is the true Light that giveth understanding to the simple Vse 3 Let not this discourage any zealous Christian from exercising himself in the reading and study of holy Scripture because we do confesse that the figurative forms used therein do often make the Scripture obscure For we do also affirme that figures do sometimes give light to our apprehension and make the mind of God better known to us as when Christ saith I am the good Shepheard as David said The Lord is my Shepheard this doth make Christ better known to us in his carefull protection of us and his watchfull keeping and his plentifull feeding and safe foulding of us and in such like Now because the Church of Rome hath taken advantage of the obscurity of the Scripture to forbid the translation thereof into the vernacle tongues of nations and to prohibit
but in the fields and amidst their military preparations when their tents were pitcht as it were in readinesse to give battail which is a Rhethoricall amplification of the greatnesse of their terrour My observation from this place in this The power of God shewed in the terror of the wicked doth prove that there is a God Doctr. and therefore no people on earth can be altogether ignorant of the God-head Why should the tents of Cushan be in affliction Why should the curtains of Midian tremble but that the fear of the Lord is upon them God daunteth and dismayeth them It was one of Gods promises to his people Ye are to pass through the coasts of your brethren the children of Esau which dwell in Sen and they shall be afraid of you Deu. 2.4 This deliverance of Israel from Egypt was a most memorable act of Gods power and made his name great in all the earth it followeth He i.e. Esau knoweth thy walkings through the great wilderness these forty years Vâ—r. 7. the Lord thy God hath been with thee thou hast lacked nothing Rahab that entertained the Spies whom Joshua sent to view the Land of Canaan saved them from the dangerous pursuite of the messengers of the King of Jericho and she said to them I know the Lord hath given you the Land and that your terror is fallen upon us Josh 2.9 and that all the Inhabitants of the Land melt because of it For we heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea for you when he came out of Egypt and what you did to the two Kings of the Amorites on the other side Jordan Sihon and Og whom ye destroyed utterly And assoon as we heard these things our hearts did melt neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you for the Lord your God he is God above in Heaven and in Earth beneath And this is the right way to make God known to the wicked and ungodly of the earth From thence came that prayer of David Put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves to be but men Psa 9.20 The fear of God vvill smite them vvith such terrour that they shall not have hear to stirre against him So it is said that God is known by executing his judgments Reason Rom. 2.5 For as the Apostle saith the very naturall man hath the work of the law written in his heart The lavv vvritten in the heart of every man is a generall principle both of truth in the understanding vvhich affirmeth a divine nature and of avve in the affections to make him feared And this lavv is not idle but it vvorketh for there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vvork of the lavv And this is the true cause vvhy there is no peace at all to the vvicked man because he hath the lavv of nature vvorking vvithin him vvhich is against him and he hath not the lavv of grace to lay the storms vvhich the law of nature raiseth From hence it commeth that the wicked flyeth when no man pursueth as Solomon saith and he feareth where no fear is and Tully could say that all the poeticall fictions of the furies which disquieted men so much were but the pinchings and convulsions of mens guilty consciences who when they had done evill knew that they had broken the law written in their hearts and then feared the power which they saw above them armed with vengeance against evill doers St. Paul teacheth us the use of this point Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power Vse Rom. 31.3 do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Where doing that which is good hath a double reward for it quiteth fear and it crowneth us with praise Me thinks that this consideration of the reward should stirre us up to say What shall we do that we may work the works of God John 6.28 29. Then will Christ tell us This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent Faith in Christ taketh away this terrour of the Lord as the Aoostle saith we knowing the terrour of the Lord do perswade men and what is the thing to which the Apostles doe perswade but to reconciliation with God through Christ so that when we preach faith to you wee preach peace even as the Apostle saith peace to them that are neer peace to them are far off and the God of peace sendeth his Son the peace of his Church with the Gospell of peace Wee are taught here that the welfare of the Church is the grief and vexation of her enemies 2 Doct. Cushan and Midian are afflicted and in a cold fit when they hear what God doth for Israel So did the Aegyptians repine at the prosperity of Israel in Aegypt they said Behold the children of Israel are more and mightier then we Exod. 1.10 Come let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply c. You see vvhat the vvorld thinks of their plots against the Church of God they think they do vvisely vvhen they vex the Church this is that wisedome which the Apostle doth call carnall sensuall and divelish And these be the wifemen of which it is said ubi sapiens where is the wiseman and God hath made the wisedome of the world foolishnesse The reason of this opposition is given by our Saviour the world hateth you because you are not of the world Reas 1 and I have chosen you out of the world and for this they weep at the joy of the Church they joy at their weeping the Prophets complaint Truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himself a prey Isa 59.15 So David But mine enemies they are lively they are strong Psal 38.19 and they that hate wrong fully are multiplyed They also that render evill for good are mine adversaries Verse 20. because I follow the thing that good is They began betimes for Cain slue his brother 1 Joh. 3.12 Ratio rationis and wherefore slue he him because his own works were evil his brothers righteous I can easily bring you to the head of these bitter waters so soon as Adam had fallen from grace when God kept his first assise upon earth and convented and arraigned the transgressours the man the woman and the serpent he revealed his eternall counsell of election and reprobation and put a difference between the seed and seed the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Which is not onely to be understood of the unreconciliable enmity that is between Christ and the Devill For Christ was the seed of the woman quia solus ita semen mulieris non etiam vâ—ri semen sit But hee meant therein that enmity vvhich should be betvvixt the elect vvho are the seed of the vvoman by naturall generation and the holy seed by spirituall regeneration so called Semen sanctum and the seed of the
into the red sea The most that we read of Moses concerning any art in naturall Philosophy is that Moses was brought up in all the wisedome of the Aegyptians and no man thinketh that he got all their wisedome from them how then did not the wisedome of the Aegyptians at time serve the Aegyptians themselves when this was done 6 Another memorable miracle of this passage was that before all Israel had recovered the further shore the same passage was safe to Israel and pernitious and fatall to the Aegyptians which appeared 1 Because God did not let the waters come together to hinder the Aegyptians pursuit but kept them divided till they vvere all within the verge of the sea for this God could have done as it after follovveth 2 That to hinder their journey of pursuit God turned the pillar of Cloud behind Israel between them and the Aegyptians so that Israel led the vvay by a clear light the Aegyptians follovved them in the dark 3 That their chariot vvheels vvere smitten off in the night so that they drove uneasily 4 That the vvaters came together upon their consultation to return and drovvned them all before all the children of Israel had recovered the further shore 7 The last memorable wonder was the casting up of the bodies of the Egyptians upon the further shore which Israel had recovered and whereon they pitched to make good the word of Moses you shall see them no more that is living to terrifie you thus Israel saw what God had done for them and their eyes had it desire against their enemies All these be things worth remembring 3 He addeth another wonderful mercy in cleaving the earth with rivers which hath reference as you have heard to Numb 20.11 In which 1 It is wonderfull that God hearing the murmur of his people for want of water had not punished their sin with present death but did choose rather to give them their hearts desire and to satisfie them with water 2 That he made the rock to yield them water which did not naturally but by vertue of his word 3 That it should have been done so easily as by a word of Moses that it was done so easily as by twice smiting 4 That those waters did follow the hoast to relieve it all the way of their journey till they had other supply as also the Manna did till they came to come in Canaan so these waters ran into no sea 5 That these rivers dryed up after Israel and no shew of any river ever since vvhere these vvaters ran in dry places to shevv vvho ordained that stream and for whom Though God hath had his praise for all the things before yet they desire Canticum novum a new song Here and here it is work for the rector Chori 2 The motive that induced God to do all this for his people 1 Affirm exprest in two things internus motor 1 His desire of the preservation of his Israel For he did ride upon his Horses and Chariots of salvation Pharaoh followed Israel into the red Sea on horses and in chariots these were the horses and chariots of destruction God took off their wheels and they failed in their speed But God went forth with salvation Israel could not but see in all these wonderfull works of God that God was for them 1 In their setting forth to bring them out of the house of bondage even through the sea 2 In the way of their journey to quench their thirst in the dry and unwatered wilderness 3 At their journeys end to open them a passage into the promised land through Jordan Israel is a type of the Catholique Church of God on earth and their passage from Egypt to Canaan is a type of our passage from the wombe to heaven and God is the same his Church is as dear to him as ever it was and he hath taken upon him the care of it He is called by Job The preserver of men especially of his elect Here are onely mentioned three of the most eminent wonders of God there were many more which David repeated Psal 105 106. All these were the effects of the free favour of God to his people Ps 106.21 whereby he got the name of a Saviour And thâ— Psalmist prayeth Remember me Ps 106.4 O Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people O visit me with thy saluation This was a singular favour for he saith also Non fecit taliter he did not so to any Nation That I may see the good of thy chosen Verse 5. that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thine inheritance For this favour of God to his Church is a speciall grace above his universall protection This it is that the Spouse of Christ doth pray for Set me as a seal on thy heart Cant. 8.6 and as a Signet upon thine arm That wish of the Church then was thus and is now an Article of Faith that prayer was then and now is our Creed But much more evidently hath this eternall love of God to his Church in Christ Jesus shewed it self since Christ our Saviour was made manifest in the flesh and much more hath it extended and dilated it self since he was believed on of the Gentiles and preached to the world For when God once had fitted him with a body and therewith had given him a heart like ours and such an arm as we have and such hands it hath been more discerned how we were set as a seal upon that heart how we are worne upon that arm how we are ingraven in the Palms of those hands For that heart was pierced with a spear those hands were nailed to the Crosse and these be the stamps and Characters of his love to us And as the affection of love is noted to be most vehement in a woman as David doth imply when he bewailed Jonathans death Thy love to me was wonderfull passing the love of women 2 Sam. 1.26 so our Saviour to take upon him this affection in the dearest tenderness and most intense measure and degree is said to be made of a woman and she a Virgin And that sin might not corrupt this affection Ga. 4.4 or harden the heart He was conceive by the Holy Ghost The Church doth well to remember this interest that God gave them in this land for there out suck they no small advantage This calls God the God of Israel and it cals Israel Gods peculiar people this doth spread the wings of this Hen over all her Chickens and gathereth them together under the same it makes them roome in the bosome of God 2 Another motive vvas the oaths of the tribes even Gods Word that is the covenant of God made vvith Abraham and his seed for so the Psalmist doth expresse it He hath remembred his Covenant for ever Ps 105.8 the word that he commanded to a thousand generations Which Covenant he made with
Abraham and his oath unto Isaac And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a Law and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant And after having briefly surveyed the story of Israels deliverance and passage having recapitulated the comming of Israel into Egypt the plagues of Egypt there comming out thence vvith the vvealth of Egypt the pillar of cloud the pillar of fire the Quails the Manna the vvater out of the rock he gives this reason of ad for he remembred his holy promise Vâ—rse 42. and Abraham his servant Of this oath of God the Authour to the Hebrews Heb. 6.13 for when God made a promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater he swear by himself saying Surely blessing I will blesse thee and multiplying I will multiply thee The reason vvhy God bound himself by oath followeth Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise Verse 17. the immutability of his counsell confirmed it by an oath This was a great obligation to bind God to this performance neither doth it any vvhit abridge his own liberty but that he remained Liberimum agens still for that he declared therein the constancy of his decree which vvas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Because as I have shewed that and all other Gods promises have reference to the obedience of the people so that God might have cancelled this obligation upon their forfeiture thereof by disobedience if he had pleased which maketh good the former motive of his own good wil and favour vvho notwithstanding their many provocations and rebellions yet performed this promise 2 The motive is negatively set down For here it is exprest vvhat vvas not the cause of these vvonderfull vvater-vvorks vvas it vvhich is as much as it was not because the Lord was displeased at rivers it was not because his wrath was against the sea To part the Sea in two to divide Jordan to make rivers run a vvhile in full stream to serve his people was no displeasure taken at these elements God never layeth his rod upon those creatures which he hath ordained for the service of man but to punish man To the creature it is all one to keep the naturall order of creation or to suffer supernaturall alteration for omnia illi serviunt all things do serve him vvas God angry vvith the earth vvhen he cursed it after Adams fall vvhen he drown'd it after it grevv full of cruelty The insensible creatures do the will of him that made them It is recorded as a blemish to that mighty King Xerxes Herod Polihim lib. 7. Num. 173. that he foolishly overweened his power in such a case For being to passe his army over the Hellespont where the sea vvas about seven furlongs over he caused a bridge to be made of floaty vessels to that purpose But a great tempest arising and breaking his bridge vvhen he heard thereof he vvas in such passion at the sea that he commanded it to be punished vvith three hundred stripes and he cast in fetters into it to take it prisoner and caused these vvise vvords to be spoken to it O aqua amara Dominus hanc tibi irrogat poenam quod eum laesisti qui de te nihil mali meritus es te tamen Rex Xerxes velis nolisve transmittet As wisely either he himself or as Herodotus reporteth Clio 34. Cyrus Cyrus his Grandfather fell out with the river Gyndes for drowning him a white horse but his revenge was more in sight so was his deliberate furious folly For he set his army a work to cut out new channels and divided the river into 360 brooks ut à mulieribus ne genua tingentibus transiri possit But our God had no quarrell the text saith to these inanimate creatures of his which were so at his command The Church here doth God right to confesse the true motive of this extraordinary operation of God so here is a double confession 1 That Tu Domine fecisti thou Lord hast done it 2 That he did for such a cause This is not barely avouched but it is proved Thy bow was made quite naked that is thou didst let all the world take notice of thy power and strength and favour in the cause of thy Church At the comming of God in great Majesty and Glory on Mount Sinai to give the law before-mentioned there was absconsio roboris the hiding of his strength God revealed himself then to Israel onely but these three great wonders here confest did uncase the bow of God made it quite naked so that all nations might take knowledge of the arm of the Lord and might give testimony to the same The Argument drawn from hence is still the same for from the former evidences of Gods great power and mercy shewed and openly declared unto the Church they gather comfort to assure themselves of the favour of God toward them in this captivity in Babylon They know and believe that the hand of God is not shortned nor his arme weakned but that he who was able to cut a way for them through the sea and the river of Jordan and to make rivers run in dry places to relieve their fathers in the wildernesse is still as able to succour them in that captivity against the King of Babel and all the Chaldeans so hee sheweth by what faith the just shall live in their banishment Namely by faith grounded on the power and wisedome and love of God and of his truth The doctrines which this passage affordeth are these 1 God must have the glory of his own great Works Doctr. David is a full example of this duty for 1 in his own case he saith Ps 66.16 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul 2 He stirreth up others to do the like even in this case mentioned in my text Come and see the works of God Ps 66.5 6. he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men He turned the sea into dry land they went through the flood on foot there did we rejoyce in him The reason hereof is in sight Reas 1 for David saith this honour is due to his name We have two debts which we shall ever be paying and yet never clear with our Creditors that is of prayse to God of love to our neighbours he that came of purpose into the world to pay our debts hath not wip't off this score rather he hath set us further in debt 1 To our brother if God so loyed us as to send his Sonne amongst us we ought also to love one another so much the more 2 To himself David saith The loving kindnesse of the Lord is ever more and more toward us therefore laus ejus erit semper in ore meo his prayse shall be ever in my mouth The comming of Christ amongst us hath made it more and more seen for therein the bow of God was made quite naked 2
We must do God this right to honour him in his own works Reas 2 because if we be silent and do not our duty herein yet David saith Ps 145.10 All thy works shall praise thee O Lord. 3 We see the enemies of God do not spare to do all they can to rob God of his glory Reas 3 and as one saith Vigilat bostis tu dormis the enemy waketh and dost thou sleep Some gave out amongst the Egyptians that this passage over the sea on dry land was onely an advantage taken by Moses of a great ebbe occasioned by an extraordinary wind which comming of the land at the head of the bay made all the head of the bay dry land for many miles together but the text is against that for it sheweth how the waters were a wall unto them on both hands Again the waters were divided by an East vvind but that vvind blows not from that shore but rather it should have been a Northerly vvind others imputed this to Moses as done by magicall arts vvhich if it had been so no doubt but there vvere vvith Pharcah of his Magitians that could in the learning of the Egyptians have vvrought vvith Moses hand to hand And surely that is the reason that there is so often mention of this vvonder in Scripture to stirre up all faithfull people to vindicate the honour of God against the depravers thereof This admonisheth us both to the hearing and reading the story of the Bible Vse 2 that we may understand what the Lord hath done in former ages Gen. 18.19 God himself made Abraham so much of his counsail for that because he knew that Abraham would teach his children And for that the Sacrament of the Passeover was instituted Ex. 12.26 for that it might teach their children after them For this were the twelve stones set up in Gilgall Josh 4.21 to teach the story of the passage over Jordan and in the New Testament the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was instituted in remembrance of Christ till his coming so many as would learn matter enough to fill their mouthes with the praise of God let them open the two Testaments and read therein let them hear and study that holy story there is enough in it to make a man wise to salvation For this is your wisedom and understanding to know the Lord and to serve him and to honour him for For him that honoureth me I will honour saith our God 2 This reproveth those that swallow the gratious favours Vse 2 of God without any relish or tast of them neither consider the former mercies of God nor his present blessings that live like bruit beasts saying this day is like yesterday and to morrow will be like this day and more abundant and such sensuall and carnal sons of nature there are that reap benefits where they never sowed prayers and gather mercies where they never scattered supplications 3 This chideth the Euchites of our time Vse 3 that are all for prayer and they never give God rest from petitious but like the nine Leapers when they are healed they never return any thanks I have ever commended to you the use of prayer it is a speciall part of Gods worship and God loves both frequent and importunate petitions but if we part praise from it and do not joyn thanksgiving with supplication we have the profit but God hath not the honour of his own favours All our care must not be who will shew us any good we must also offer to him the sacrifices of righteousness as well as call upon the name of the Lord for quid recipiam we must have quod retribuam Seeing God must have the glory of his own great works Vse 4 we must take the pains to search after them not onely content our selves with such as offer themselves to our consideration but we must take delight to look them out so David The works of the Lord are great Psa 111.2 sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His work is honorable and glorious and his righteousness endureth for ever He hath made his wonderfull works to be remembred Which shews that our praising of the name of God is no meritorious act of free-will but an officious service due to him and it is a great injustice in you to deny it to him for David saith He is worthy to be praised This serveth for caution Vse 5 It is a glory to God vvhen vve thankfully remember vvith praise the vvonderfull vvorks that he hath done but it is no honour to him at all vvhen vve report of him more then he hath done and put miracles upon him that he never did The Church of Rome hath long had a busie hand in these false ascriptions the golden legend of vvorm-eaten authority amongst them and their Speculum exemplorum set forth by John Major a Jesuite in Anno 1607 and Cantipatranus a Domican Friers full Volume of miracles set forth Anno 1605. tell fine tails ridiculous even to children yet the implicite faith of Papists doth svvallovv all for canonicall vvherein God is dishonored vvith humane inventions and truth it self vvith lies their legends of their Ladies of Loretto and Hales are of the same coynage and it is the policy of that Strumpet of Rome to keep this mint alvvays at vvork to amaze the ignorant vvith strange vvonders But I say unto them in the vvords of Iob Job 13.7 Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Gregory their own Pope upon these words saith Veritas fulciri non quaerit auxilio falsitatis he saith that it is the trick of hereticks It is I am sure the practise of Papists but thou man of God fly these things truth is not honored but vvith truth 2 We must search out and confesse the true cause of all the good that God doth to us Doct. 2 It is Aristotles Doctrine in his Elenches that Elene 1.4 id quod non est causa ut causam ponere to make that a cause which is not is a capatious and sophistical manner of reasoning So the Serpent over-reach't Eve in Paradise for when God had given our Parents there a precise Law Thou shalt not eat of the tree in the midst of the Garden The true cause why God put that restraint upon them vvas to try their obedience to him in a small and easie precept forbidding them a thing in it self good to shew his reservation of his own power to awe them So saith Moâ— 35.10 Saint Gregory But Satan tempting the woman to break this Law and to cast off this light burthen and easie yoak of God suggested another cause Gen. 3.5 God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eys shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil as if God had dealt too sparingly with man in the communication of his own similitude to him and had set him that bar
word is their warrant his truth their assurance When we behold the same power of God in the change of Ministers of his will Vse vve learn to know vvhatsoever alteration the vicissitude of time maketh on earth yet thou Lord art the same and thy years do not fail Therefore as David saith Put not your trust in Princes nor in any son of man for there is no help in them there is help by them but it is not in them our help is in the name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth 2 This shevveth the perpetual course of Gods favour to his Church the faithfull servant of God Moses dieth but the spirit that God put upon Moses survived him Eliah Elisha Num. 27.18 and rested upon Joshua he was consecrated to that imployment 1 By Gods own election and designation 2 By the imposition of Moses hands and the devolution of some of his honour upon him 3 By Gods own gift of the same spirit that vvas upon Moses Thus vvhere God loveth a poople the favour of God runeth in a full stream in the Chanel of his Church 3 Seeing this constant truth of God in his gratious promises to to his Church hath reference to our obedience this much teach us to obey and serve our God in all things that his sun may shine upon our Tabernacles and that vve may anoint our paths with butter for as David saith No good thing will he with-hold from them that serve the Lord. Dâ—uâ— 28. He hath shevved his people vvhat they shall trust too blessings and cursings life and death 3 Doctrine This also teacheth us as the Apostle doth The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much James 5.16 He proveth it by the example of Eliah who though he were a man subject to the like passions as we are he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth in three years and six moneths And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain So this example of Joshua praying is a full example of the effectuall power of prayer these examples as that also of Moses praying upon the Mount when Joshuah fought with Amalek do all seeme to prove the force of prayer Exod 17. And great reason there is that this should be effectuall with God 1 Because there is no service that man can perform to God wherein he doth so much part with himself and even lay himself down in prayer for therein he openeth his heart to God and poureth forth his spirit to him and his faith doth bring God to him face to face When men pray as they ought they know God and themselves they know and confesse him the faithfull Creatour the mercifull redeemer the gracious preserver the bounteous rewarder of men And they know themselves to be but men that is indigent and needy having nothing but what they receive from his hand and of his free gift immerent deserving none not the least of his favours Which two considerations do serve to humble us and to honour him We finde in Scripture watching and fasting often joyned with prayer as outward means to tame and subdue the flesh that it may be the lesser able to resist the power of the spirit for the spirit is willing in the servant of God but the flesh is weak 2 There is no part of Gods worship that hath so many precepts to impose it on us as prayer hath in both the Testaments none that we have so many examples of great successe and prevayling with God none that we have so good means to perform as prayer none that hath so many promises made to it in holy Scripture 1 For precepts 1 Precept so soon as God had established him an house for his publique worship he commanded it to be called an house of prayer to all nations Solomon dedicated that house to God by prayer it is Gods own Word seek ye my face it is the Churches answer Thy face O Lord will I seek And Christ our Saviour often in the gospel the Apostles after him enjoyns it 2 For example we have Abraham 2 Example Isaac and Jacob Moses David Solomon Hezekiah Eliah Manasseh Nehemiah Job Samuel Daniel all the Prophets all the holy men Christ his Apostles all with admirable successe 3 For means 3 Means Christ taught us to pray shewed us the way to the Father in his mediation and by his name And the spirit which Christ left in his Church helpeth our infirmities Christ hath comprehended all in a few words 4 Promise Whatsover you shall ask the Father in my name it shall be given you Ask and receive that your joy may be full petite quaerite pulsate These great examples of successe do all seem to stirre us up Vse to the performance of this part of Gods worship both 1 In obedience to the Commandement of God who hath imposed this duty on us whose Commandements are mighty and ought not to be light layed 2 In an holy ambition of the best graces of God vvhich are this way obteined of him 3 In an humble love to our God to whose presence and conference we come by prayer 4 In an holy imitation of those great examples vvhich are so frequent in Gods faithfull ones in the double Testament of God 5 In a thankfull use of the means by God ordeined to facilitate this service that we receive not the grace of God in vain 6 In a confident faith in Gods gratious and free promises vvhich are yea and Amen 7 In an humble sense and feeling of our ovvn vvants and the necessities of our brethren for so vve do exercise both our piety to God and our charity to our selves and our brethren But this discourageth many Ob. we read of great power of prayer of old as that Moses prayer gave Joshua victory Joshuahs prayer made the Sun stand still Eliah by prayer shut up heaven by prayer he opened it Daniel by prayer shut up the mouths of the lions in their den We see no such effects of prayer now and therefore we think prayer is not of such effect now as heretofore To this our answer is Sol. that great and extraordinary examples of the successe of prayer are but thinly scattered in the Book of God to shew the power of Gods Ordinance Neither may that be a rule to us that prayer is not of force as it hath been because we do not see such great effects thereof as have appeared in former times For in the time of the shadow when Christ was seen in type and under a veil there was need of extraordinary examples to confirm faith but to us that live in the cleer light of the gospel to whom Christ is made manifest to be our intercessor this may seem to strengthen faith If God did hear the prayers of his faithful owns and answered them by miracles they had speciall warrant to demand those things at the hands of
fear of them upon them all This is a great advantage in all wars to have God on their sides for as David saith If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us they had swallowed us up c. Then is God a speciall protectour when he directeth his war to the good of them whom he protecteth and marcheth in fury against their enemies And thus it was with Israel when they took possession of Canaan as you have heard For they gate not the Land in possession by their own arm neither did their own arm save them Psal 44. but thy right hand and thine arme c. The distressed have a speciall warrant to call upon God and it was the voice of the Church when the Arke removed to say Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici ejus let God arise and let his enemies be scattered God is mercifull to our land and Church that we yet live in peace it is full of comfort when God marcheth before his Church in their wars but it is much more happinesse when he biddeth us go to our chambers and shut the door after us and tarry a while till the storm of troubles over-blow But then it is most joyous hen he giveth peace within our walls and plenty within our palaces Thus have we lived hitherto by the favour of the God of peace and it shal do well that we do lay this example to heart For the same God that marched before Israel to plant them in doth now march before the Chaldâ—ans to cast them out he that fought for them to give them their land now fighteth against them to carry them captives out of the Land It is the indigâ—ation of God that maketh this change and it is their sin that thus provoketh him Yet they look back in their captivity and comfort themselves with the remembrance of Gods former protection Sin hath made this change are we more in the favour of God then Israel was or have we sinned lesse then they did that their evils should not come on us Surely the sins of our land are both many and hainous the double edge of the word which is drawn and used against them doth not draw bloud Nullus sequitur de vulnere sanguis The course that is taken for reformation is preposterous for men look without themselves and complaine of the faults of others and would faine amend their brethren but the right way is Let every one strive and labouâ— to amend one And all that say Let not this evill come upon us not the sword not the pestilence not famine let them be tender that no evill come out of them for our sins are they which part God and us which maketh him that set us up cast us down 2 His conquest This is exprest in divers phrases to declare it fierce and violent 1 Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger 2 Thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked 3 Discovering the foundation to the neck All look one way to describe God in his indignation how he layes about him and they teach us that It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God for he is known by executing judgement and the heathen are punished in his sight True that he is patient and long-suffering even toward the heathen that know not God long did the cursed seed of Cham possest the land of Canaan and God deferred their punishment to the fourth generation himself giveth the reason of it For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full There be six signs of ensuing judgment Gâ— 15.16 and where they are found what remaineth but a fearfull expectation of the fierce wrath of God 1 The qualitie of the sins committed if they be of those crying sinnes which do immediately impeach the glorious Majesty of God such as are superstition and Idolatry which do give the glory of God to creatures Blasphemy breach of Gods Sabbath Or such as violate humane society sins against nature as in the Sodomites sins of bloud as in the old world sins of oppression bribery extortion corruption of justice and such like These things do put Almighty God so to it that he saith How shal I pardon thee for these things Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Jer. 5.7 Ver. 9. shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this The fields look yellow as Christ saith for the harvest and call for the sickle of Gods vengeance to cut them down 2 The spreading and extent of sins when it hath corrupted the most as in the old world God said to Noah Thee onely have I found righteous before me in this age And in Sodome not ten righteous to be found and in Jerusalem God said Run too and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can find a man if there be any that executeth judgement that seeketh truth and I will pardon it The Prophet did go the circuit He searched amongst mean men and he found them foolish and ignorant he gate him amongst the great ones and he found them such as had broken the yoak When sin once covereth the face of the earth and is grown like a generall pestilence infecting the greatest part Moses Job Samuel and Daniel may pray and have no audience 3 The impudencie and boldnesse of sin when men are not ashamed of their evils that they commit to cover and conceal them to do them in the dark but brave the Sun with them as Absolon defiled the Concubines of David in the sight of the Sun and before all Israel It is Gods complaint of his people The shew of of their countenance doth witnesse against them Jer. 3 9. and they declare their sin as Sodome and they hide it not And again Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay Jer. 6.15 they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush Thou hast an Harlots forehead thou refusest to be ashamed 4 Ostentation of sin â—er 3.3 when men do make their boast thereof Why boastest thou thy self in mischief Upon which words Saint Augustine saith Gloria malignitatis gloria est malorum He saith it is a foolish boast to glory in evill for evill is easily done He gives many instances the care of preparing the seed and of the ground the sowing the weeding the attending how many hands it asketh and Absolon can set it all on fire in a moment So Samsons Foxes did the fields of the Philistines The Wiseman setteth it down as a fault Most men will proclaim every man his own goodnesse Prov. 20.6 how much more to boast of evil As wantons boast how many they have defiled and drunkards how many they have out-drunk 5 Making a mock at sin so the Wiseman saith there be that tosse fire-brands and say Am not I in sport All our sins are fire-brands we
I have waited for thy salvation for thy Jesus 2 This repetition of salvation Doct. 2 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people even for salvation teacheth us That God hath taken upon himself the care of the preservation of his Church Therefore he goeth before them for salvation and he doth never leave them nor forsake them 1 God hath many gratious titles Reas 1 which do assure his love and favour to us He is cal'd Jehovah so we live move have our being in him He is callrd by Job The preserver of men Saint Paul addeth especially of the elect for their salvation is a peculiar grace no common favour And so his right hand both supporteth and guideth us that vve neither stray out of the vvay nor fall in the vvay He is called our Shepherd and so we come to want nothing for he leadeth us both to the green pastures and to the waters of comfort He is called the husband of the Church and Christ preserveth her to him sine macula ruga without spot or wrinckle and Christ teacheth us to call him our father so as a father hath compassion c. The Lord is our King of old he maketh salvation in the middest of the earth All these titles declare him no Non-residont from his charge he is always Incumbent For ipse est qui dat salutem 2 Because the Church committeth it self to him Reas 2 and casteth her care upon him and he never failed them that trust in him Saint Paul I know whom I have trusted Commit thy ways to the Lord and trust in him and hee shall bring it to pass 3 The Church of God giveth him no rest Reas 3 but by continual supplications importuneth his saving protection saying O Lord I pray thee save now O Lord I pray thee now give prosperity he hath commanded her so to do To seek to aske to knock and invocation is one of the marks of Gods children He that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved They are called the assembly of Gods armies and their prayers be their weapons Heaven is their abiding City which they besiege and Christ saith the violent take it by force For multorum preces impossibile est contemni 4 Christ himself always prayeth the Father for his Church Reas 4 that God would keep it and he saith to his Father I know that thou hearest me always This comfortable Doctrine serveth to refresh the grieved soul in time of affliction Vse the smart of Gods rod doth many times puts us into fits of impatience and murmuring and the delay of Gods saving help doth often stagger our weak faith that the man after Gods one heart doth sometimes feare that God hath given him over In great losses as of our honours and preferments of our libertie of our wealth of our dear friends it is some time before wee can recover from this shaking fit of feare that God hath forsaken us and we say Why standest thou so far off O Lord and hidest thee in due time Psal 1◠1 in time of affliction But when we remember thou art with me it establisheth our footsteps it strengtheneth our weak knees and comforteth our sorrowfull hearts and biddeth us Rejoyce in the Lord again it saith Rejoyce so David I waited patiently for God and so he comforteth his soul Psal 43.5 Wait on God for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his presence he is my present help and my God So then if present issue appear not out of affliction let us not faint in our troubles but perswade us that God is with us and the rock of our salvation will not fail us 2 This sheweth that we need not seek further for salvation Vse 2 then to God himself and his anointed seeing they are always with us It is a foolish and idle superstition and idolatry to seek our salvation from or by the means of Angels or Saints or the mother of our Lord when we have both him and his anointed Messiah that is both the giver and the mediatour of salvation with us This foolish devotion of the Roman Church of making way by Angels and Saints hath three great defects which all the wit of Rome and hell could never cover or conceal 1 It hath no Commandement to require it 2 It hath no example to lead us to it 3 It hath no promise in Scripture to reward it Whom have I in heaven but thee and I have none upon earth Psal 73.25 that I desire besides thee They be our glorious fellow creatures we honour God for the good that they have done in his Church We believe that they pray for our happy deliverance from all miseries of life and the society of their lives We imitate their holy examples and do strive to follow them in their vertues and pray for the graces of God that sanctified them on earth But for our salvation we know that he is always with us that saveth us and his anointed doth never forsake us that keepeth us from evill We hear him saying Come unto me and he calleth us not to heaven to him but Lo I am with you to the end of the World he is neer unto all that call upon him and he is easily found of them that seek him 3 This doth give us fair warning to take heed that we do not leave our God and live in sin Vse 3 for he is not so neer us but that our selves may separate between him and us for it is also true that God putteth a great deal of difference between an ungodly and godly man as Solomon saith The Lord is far from the wicked Pro. 15.29 but he heareth the prayer of the righteous And as God is far from them so is salvation as David saith Psal 119. Salvation is far from the wicked Verse 155. As we tender the favourable protection and love of God let us take heed of sin Behold Isay 59.1 the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated between you and your God Verse 2. and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear 4 Seeing our salvation is of him Vse 4 onely by his anointed let us remember that we are called Christians after his name not onely Christum Lo I am with you and Spiritum Christi whom I will send you from the father but we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very anointing it self left and deposited in the Church as S. John saith But ye have an Vnction from the holy one 1 Joh. 2.2 If we keep this Unction we are sure of this salvation therefore grieve not the spirit of God resist not the holy ghost receive not the grace of God in vain And so let the enemy of mankind and his agents do their worst to annoy us our salvation is bound up in the bundle of life with
law against her Mother in law and a mans enemies are the men of his own house What shall we do then Therefore Verse 7. I will look upon the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me Christ our Saviour doth apply this text to his own comming into the world Mat 10.34 he professeth it that he came not to bring peace into the world but the sword In which words hee rather expresseth the events and effects then the intention and purpose of his comming for where the light of the gospel doth shine Father Mother Brother Sister are but nuda nomina bare names where Christian Religion is not for the true Gospeller will fall out with all and forsake them all for Jesus Christ The rest of the Church is God in Christ let us seek peace with men if it be possible as much as in our power let us have peace with all men but let us trust no humane or temporall supportation Seeing it is here set down as a great judgment of God upon Midian Vse 4 that they were beaten with their own staves and wounded with their own weapons Let us take notice of this judgment and take it for a great signe of Gods indignation against us when we break the bonds of peace and Christian charity byting and beating one another libelling and defaming woorrying one another with suits of molestation schismatically forsaking the fellowship one of another and changing publique Congregations into private Conventicles and forsaking the setled Priesthood of the Church for such as do labour most to break the peace of the Church for what is this but the angel of Satan beating of us with our own staves Doth not this home-contention in our Church open an easie way to the enemie of both to enter in and spoil all And this I have observed that two sides have gained by our Church contentions The Anabaptists have recovered some from us who standing so violently against Popery have questioned all that they received The Papists have recovered many who have gone so far in the defence of the mean that themselves have staggered into the extream God be mercifull to our land and continue the peace of the State even the sweet correspondence of our Sovereign and his subjects and we shall have hope that our arms shall be strengthened against our enemies and our own staves shall do us no hurt 2 Their sin it was a trespasse against the Church of God devouring of the poor and that by open violence comming like a whirlwind in sudden fury against them and by secret practises to hurt and annoy them teaching us that It is a grievous and provoking sin Doct. openly or secretly to distresse the poor There be two words of strong signification here used 1 Scattering which signifieth their expulsion out of their places where they dwelt to go as the Levite did to get them a place where they can finde one which suiteth well with the humour of the covetous rich man who desires to dwell alone upon the earth 2 Devouring which signifieth taking away from them all that they have to put it to their own heap whereby they become vassals to those that strip them This is a grievous sin Reas 1 and well deserves the punishment above mentioned 1 Because God hath declared himself the patron and protector of the poor and therefore the Psalmist saith The poor committeth himself unto him for he is the father of the fatherlesse so that to distresse those is to clip the wings of the hen that gathereth in her chickens it is 2 Because the poor are our own flesh Reas 2 so they are called by the Prophet and it is used as an argument to perswade compassion To deal thy bread to the hungry to bring the poor that are cast out to thy house Isa 58 7. when thou seest the naked to cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh The poor and rich both digged out of the same pit both cast in the same mould 3 Because Reas 3 Natura paucis contenta nature is content with a little and we have enough amongst us to minister that For if we have food he meaneth not Manna and Quails but necessary food and raiment he meaneth not costly but necessary raiment we must be therewith content To strip the poor naked to multiply our changes of raiment or to take away a whole garment from them to put one lace more upon ours this is inhumane irreligious To scatter them that we may have elbow-room enough and more then needs for our selves that we may have so much the more to look upon and lie by us this is Midianitish and heathenish Vos autem non sic do not you so Because God hath committed together with riches Reas 4 the care and custody of the poor to the rich and as they hold their wealth not as rightfull owners but as mercifull stewards and dispensers thereof so in the dispensation they are accomptants to God for the overplus and he wil call for the inventory and judg their administration of those things Understand therfore that God doth not at any time relinquish his interest that he hath in the gifts which he bestoweth on men but still he saith The silver is mine Hag. 2.9 and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hoasts When David gave up all the provisions that he had made for the building of Gods temple to Solomon his Son he blessed the Lord and he confest saying O Lord our God 1 Ceron 29 16. all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thy holy name commeth of thine hand and is all thine own so before all things come of thee and of thine own hand have we given thee The use then that we must make of this point is Vse 1 For the rich let them know their duty to the poor love is a debt that they owe to them not an arbitrary courtesie they may not 1 Either encroach upon them by robbing or spoiling them of that which they have as here those Midianites did to spoil their corn to take away any thing of theirs 2 Neither may they come upon them as a whirlwind to encompass and gird them in by their devices of power or wit or authority to make prizes of their labours whilst they eat the bread of adversity and drink the waters of Marah 3 Neither may they withhold their hands in their bosomes in their wants but stretch them forth to relieve their necessities The wise son of Jakeh saith Pro. 30.14 There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and there jaw teeth as knives to devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among men And Solomon saith The soul of the wicked desireth evill Pro 21.10 his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes Let them remember that the rich man in the gospel is not charged with any oppression of
my bones are out of joynt Ps 2.14 my heart is like waxe it is melted in the middest of my bowels Thus the perturbations of griefe and fear and the passions of anguish are exprest The quivering of the lips which hindereth speech sheweth a man overcome with anger fear or grief so doth The generall disabling of the body as if the parts thereof the brains and sinews suffered luxation and debilitation And the earth-quake in the whole frame thereof and the distemper of the man within us I trembled in my self that is the inward man the hid man of the heart felt this anguish of grief and fear and all this trepidation and terrour had this good effect following That I might rest in the day of trouble For of sufferance comes ease this fear of the heavy hand of God is but a fit for faith followeth it and consumeth it and setleth the heart in a yielding to the mighty hand of God and that giveth rest in the day of trouble that day is also described When he commeth up unto his people he will invade them with his troops Either when God cometh or when the enemy whom God shall employ in the execution of this judgment cometh he will invade his people that have rebelled against him and are fallen away from him with troops that is hee will come upon them with a full power to make a full conquest of them This day is is further described in the verse following Verse 17. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines Hâ—b 3.17 the labour of the Olive shall fail and the field shall yield no meat the flocks shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stals IN which words he supposeth the worst that may befall to the land that God should not onely as before carry away or destroy the inhabitants thereof although he should smite the land it self with barrennesse that neither the fig tree nor the vine should relieve them nor the olive nor the fields nor the foulds yet the Church will not despair of the loving kindnesse of the Lord toward them This land so long promised to the seed of Abraham so long expected and at last by them possessed is much praised in Scripture God himself calleth it a good land and a large Exâ—d 3.8 a land flowing with milk and honey And so the spies that were sent to search it brought word num 13.9 and they brought of the fruit and shewed it to the people Again for the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land Deut. 8.7 a land of brooks of water of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hils A land of wheat and barley and wines and fig trees and pomegranates a land of oil olive and hony A Land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarcenesse thou shalt not lack any thing in it a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hils thou mayest dig brasse It was one of the miracles of the earth and the full blessing of the Lord was upon it for the land was small both in length and breadth as all the Charts thereof describe it For from Dan to the river of Egypt which is somewhat further then Beersheba it was litle more then three hundred miles which was the length of it and in the broadest place thereof it was not an hundred yea do I put it in this accompt all the land on this side Jordan the portion assigned to Reuben Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh Yet did it contein two great Kingdomes of Judah and Israel and in Davids time there were numbred in it thirteen hundred thousand fighting men 2 Chron. 24. which cannot in probable computation be more then a fourth part of the people seeing aged men women and children and all undertwenty years of age are not reckoned and this land fed them all much is said by heathen writers of the fruitfulnesse of this land and as great a wonder is it of the change thereof now for travailers do report it at this time to be a barren and unfruitfull land it is in the possession of Gods enemies and David saith A fruitfull land maketh he barren for the iniquity of the people that dwelt therein De verbis hactenus of the words hitherto The parts of this Section are two 1 The fear of the Church 2 The misery of the Land In the first I observe also three things 1 The cause of this fear 2 The fear it self 3 The effect hereof In the second the misery of the land It is distrest in the three great commodities of life 1 In the trees yielding fruit 2 In the soil yielding corne 3 In the flocks yielding encrease 1 Of the fear of the Church and therein 1 Of the cause of this fear in these words When I heard The commination of Gods judgments Doct. doth make the Church of God to fear 1 Because this openeth to man his conscience and declareth to him his sin for we know that God is gratious and mercifull and long suffering and hideth his hand in his bosome his mercy doth often pull it out and openeth it and he filleth the hungry with good things his mercy stretcheth it out often to gather together his chosen to defend them from evill to stay and support them If his indignation do pluck it out it is a sign that sin hath provoked him and therefore we read what of old was the practise of the Church If there were any judgment abroad presently they made search for the sin that had provoked God to it for they knew him so just that he will not smite without cause God taught Joshua this when the men of Ai smote the men of Israel and made them to fly before them Joshua went to the Lord to make his moan and God told him Israel hath sinned And so there was a present search made by the commandement of the Lord throughout all Israel to finde out the sinner and Achan was defected In like manner when Saul had made a vow that none of his army should tast any food till night and Jonathan not hearing of the commandement had eaten a little hony upon the end of his rod hee went to advise with God concerning the pursuit of the Philistines by night and God answered him not wherefore Saul said Draw you neer hither all the chief of the people 1 Sam. 14.38 and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day And this is so naturall a quest as that whosoever do acknowledg a divinity cannot but upon the sense of judgment or the fear of it presently conclude God offended with some sins So the Mariners in the great storme in Jonah said every one to his fellow Come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this evill is upon us Jonah 1.7 The confideration of Gods judgments do breed fear in respect of God whose
judgments they are For Reas 2 1 he is so quick sighted to discerne our sins that he seeth all nothing can be hidden from him but all lyeth open and naked to his sight 2 Hee is so wise to weigh the sins that we commit putting into the scales the incitements and temptations the circumstances of time person place number even the very affection wherewith sin is committed 3 He is so just as not to impute more sin to us then we have committed not to abate any of that we have mis-done 4 He is so holy as not to abide or appear the least evill for he is a God that hateth iniquity 5 He is so powerfull as to avenge it with his judgment and he hath all sorts of instruments of vengeance to punish sinne 6 He is Ubiquitarie as that no remove can avoyd him his presence filleth all places 7 He is so true of his word that heaven and earth shall passe but no part of his Word shall fail till all be fulfilled 8 He is one that cannot repent of any thing that he peremptorily decreeth All these things do declare that there is great cause to fear when he threatneth The Apostle teacheth us the use of this point Vse Româ— 3.3 wilt thou not then be afraid of the power do that which is good then shall thou have praise of the same This is the way to make us seek the face of God the first sinners fled from the presence of God behind the trees in the garden Adam confessed to God Gen. 3.10 I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid A good life is a good fence against fear Solomon saith the righhteous is bold as a lyon Perfect love casteth out fear for perfect love is â—â—e fâ—â—filling of the law where our love falleth short there fear filleth the empty and void room The voyce of the Lord is comfortable and his words are sweet to those that fear him he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Psal 85.8 But let them not turn again to folly So David resolves there I will hear what the Lord will speak It is a plain sign that all is not well with us when the voyce of God doth cast us into fear when we are afraid to hear the Word preached when just reproofs of our sins are unwelcome to us and anger us and make us think the worse of our Minister that chideth and threatneth us A good life and a well governed conversation doth not fear the voyce of God the Word of God is the light which God hath set up in his Church to guide her feet in the wayes of peace they that do evill hate the light and will not come neer it lest their-works should be reproved the children of the light resort to it and call upon God search my reins and my heart and see if there be any way of wickednesse in me This fear of the Church is not joyned either with obstinacy against God or murmuring at his judgments or despair of his mercy it is that fear which is one of the effects of a godly sorrow and it is one of the documents to true repentance it is the hammer and mallet of God wherewith he bruiseth us and breaketh us that we may be truly humbled under his almighty hand it is that fear which the spirit of bondage suggesteth which is not a grace of God in us Rom. 8.15 but a punishment of God upon us and we would fain be without it it is the fear of servants and not of sons yet God useth it as a means to bring us home to him again when we like sheep have gone astray and therefore the prodigall to re-enter himself into his fathers house prayed fac me unum ex mercenariis make me as one of thy hired servants it may be that fear which in the school is called Initialis which re-entreth us into the service of God and keepeth us in awe it is ut ilis but not sufficiens and we would be glad to be delivered out of it that we might serve God without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse For so the Apostle doth recompt it a favour to the Romans Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of adoption 2 The fear it self This fear was great both in the inward man and in the outward it was that fear of which David spake to God saying of the heathen put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves to be but men And David himself was soundly shaken with it as his complaint sheweth My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments Psal 119.120 And we finde the best of the faithfull servants of God subject to this fear and it is cleer in my text that it may be joyned with faith For after this cold fit of fear you shall see the faith of the Church to quicken it again The elect of God are shaken with fear 1 Because they are great Students in the Law of God Doct. Reas 1 for that is a speciall mark of a righteous man he doth exercise himself in the Law of God day and night And wheresoever the law is wisely understood and applyed rightly there fear doth arise for so long as we are under the Law we are under a School-master and as the Apostle doth say a child differeth very little from a servant you know when a young man came to Christ to ask him the way to heaven Christ referred him to the Law and the keeping thereof That is our first lesson it follows so in the mission of our Redeemer he was made of a woman made subject to the Law The law sheweth us how much we are in Gods debt and you may note it in the parable of the good Mr. in the gospel 1 He called his servant to accompt and cast up the debt 2 Then he put him to it to pay it 3 When he saw him willing but unable then he forgave it God calleth us by the light of the Law by the sight of our sins our sins are debts when we see them how can we choose but together vvith them behold the danger of them and the vvrath due to them this cannot be done vvithout fear even great horrour and dejection The thief that vvas converted upon the crosse when he had but a little time he made an example of great mercy the onely example in all the Book of God of so late a conversion yet in that short time he began at the Lavv of God and said to his fellovv We indeed are justly punished for we receive the due rewards of our deeds Lu. 2341. And after that he sought grace this Lavv vvas the Schoolmaster that brought him to Christ saying Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome for Until we compare our selves with the law of righteousness we cannot know how unjust wee are and what need we
my salvation 19. The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like Hinds feet and he will make me to walk upon my high places To the chief singer upon my stringed Instruments THis is the last part of this Psalme it endeth in consolation notwithstanding all these afflictions of the Church threatned though they shall fall upon it and it must needs suffer this sharp Visitation Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord. It is the Apostles counsell Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and here the Church doth so the Apostle resumeth it again I say rejoyce and the Church here resumeth it I will joy in the God of my salvation shewing the reason and ground of her joy Psal 13.5 which is Gods salvation My heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation The Lord God is my strength they are the words of David and he is more full and Rhetoricall in the expressure thereof I will love thee Psal 18.1 2. O Lord my strength The Lord is my rock and my fortresse my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation my high tower David speaks like one in love with God for he doth adorn him with confession of praise and his mouth is filled with the praise of the Lord which he expresseth in this exuberancy and redundance of holy Oratory the Church addeth He will make my feet like hinds feet this also is borrowed of David in the same Psalme He maketh my feet like hinds feet and setteth me upon my high places Psal 18.33 that is he doth give swiftnesse and speed to his Church as St. Augustine interpreteth it transcendendo spinosa ambrosa implicamenta hujus saeculi passing lightly through the thornie and shadie incumberances of this world He will make me walk upon my high places David saith he setteth me upon my high places For consider David as he then was when he composed this Psalm it was at the time when God had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul For then God set his feet on high places setting his Kingdome and establishing him in the place of Saul The Church here hoping to obtein of God the like deliverance by faith apprehendeth the same mercy and favour of God that God will again restore them to their high places and establish them in the same that is in the free and undisturbed possession of their own land and the liberties thereof Isaiah 58.14 Those are called high places Deut. 32.13 because God was exalted in them in the profession of Religion and God exalted them above all other places of the world by his speciall favour as it is said Non fecit taliter St. Augustine goeth higher in the mysticall surveigh of these words and looketh up to the future glory of the Church saying Super Coelestem habitationem figet intentionem meam ut impleat in omnem plenitudinem Dei The last words of the Psalm are a dedication thereof to the use of the Church dedicating it to the chief singer to be fitted to the Church musique that it may be sung in the congregation The words are taken from Davids Psalmes Doct. 1 and applyed to this perticular occasion of the Church From whence we are taught what use we may make of Davids Psalms in our frequent reading and meditation of them Our Church hath divided the Psalms into so many equall portions for our reading that in every thirty days such as can read may read over the whole book of Davids Psalmes and it is no great task for every one of us so to read them over privately in our houses the benefit is great that will redound to them that shall do this for this will our experience finde that St. Augustine long ago hath testified of the book of Psalms that it is Communis quidam bonae doctrinae thesaurus a common store-house of good learning it will instruct the ignorant it will draw on forward those that are incipients it will perfect those that are proficients it will comfort all sorts of afflictions veteribus animarum vulneribus novit mederi recentibus remedium applicare it knows how c. He that would pray to God may make choice here of fit forms dictated by the Spirit of God to petition God upon all occasions whatsoever he would desire of God either to give him or to forgive him He that would make confession of his sins to God is here furnished accommodated with the manner of searching and ripping up of the conscience and laying the hid man of the heart open before God He that would make confession of praise hath his mouth filled with forms of praise to set forth the goodness of God either in perticular to himself or in general to the whole Church He that is merry and rejoyceth in the Lord may finde here the musique of true joy and may from hence gather both matter and manner of Jubilation you see that the Church in my text resorteth to this store house of comfort He that findeth himself dul and heavy in the duties of Gods service may here finde cheerfull strains of musique to quicken his dead affections and to put life into them Many are too well conceited of their own sufficiency for those holy services of God so that in confession of sins in prayer or in praysing God they over-ween their own measure of the spirit of God and are too much wedded to their own forms of addresse to God But let no man despise these helps the best of us all need them the most able amongst us shal abate nothing from his own sufficiency to borrow of them we are sure that the Holy Ghost hath indited them and if a wise judgment do make choice and fit application of them to our severall purposes and occasions we cannot more holily or more effectually expresse our selves then in them the sweet singer of Israel hath furnished us plentifully by them 2 Before I come to handle the text in the parts thereof let me return your thoughts to the former verse where the Church putteth her own case in great affliction supposing the good land flowing with milk and hony touched and accursed for their sakes so that neither their best fruit trees nor their common fields nor their fruits nor their flocks and herds shal yield encrease yet saith she Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Teaching us that where there is the true joy of the Holy Ghost no temporall affliction whatsoever Doct. 2 though it extend even to deprivation of the necessaries of life can either extinguish or so much as eclipse that joy but that as a light it will shine in darknesse The Book of God is thick sown with examples and promises with doctrine and use with assertions and experience of this truth and it is so sealed to the perpetuall consolation of the
Church of God that when Christ left his sheep among Wolves saying In the world you shall have affliction He left the Holy Ghost in his Church in the office and under the name and title of a comforter to assure this David gives a good reason hereof Reas 1 for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth we are but dust Indeed we are made of such stuffe and by our sin we have so marred our own first making that if God did not support us in afflictions with a strong supply of faith wee should soon sink under the burthen of our own infirmities David confesseth as much I have fainted unlesse I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living Psal 27.13 Blessed be God that ministreth ever some comfort to sweeten the calamities of life and to keep the soul from fainting to keep the head above water that the deep waters swallow us not up The true Church of God when the ambition of the Bishop of Rome to be universall Bishop began to sway Religion to the service of humane policy then began to lose of her full numbers many of them most of them defecting to popery and superstition the true professors of the Gospel were pursued with all kinds of bloudy persecution and in many years the true Church of God lived in concealment yet God did never suffer this little remaining spark to be quite put out and when the Pope thought himself absolute Lord of all then arose Martin Luther an arrow out of their own quiver and in the low ebbe of the true Church he opposed the Pope and put a new life into the true Christian Church which ever since his time hath grown to a cleerer light and the man of sin is more and more revealed and the mystery of ungodlinesse detected and in many parts of Christendome the Pope ejected as an usurper both in Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and temporall Sovereignty At this time this poor Church doth suffer persecution in France and is threatned with utter extirpation In Bohemia the Protestants feel the uttermost of extremity the Prince Palatine and the Kings Children remain under proscription and in exile from their inheritance and their country invaded and depopulated doth groan under the fury of war Religion is oppressed the fig-tree and the vine and olive fail the earth is not husbanded to profit to feed the inhabitants In this extremity what comfort surviveth but this that our God the husband of his Church will not chide continually nor reserve his anger from generation to generation but even in this extremity of distresse we have joy in his favour and love to his Church This holy care of Religion now assaulted and the naturall care that our loyall allegiance to our Sovereign and his children doth lay upon us inciteth us to joyn as one man with united strength to work for God and his truth to the uttermost of our best abilities and who knoweth whether God having crowned our land so many years with peace and truth doth now try us what we will do for Religion and peace and how forward we will be in his cause and how charitably compassionate of the afflictions of our brethren abroad wherein if we shall acquite our selves like the children of light and the sons of peace we may prevent a further tryall of us neerer hand in our own land Blessed be the God of mercy and of all consolation who hath revealed to us this comfort and joy in him in all our afflictions that we may be able to comfort the distresses of our brethren as we our selves are comforted of our God His Majesty by his letters gratiously inviteth all his loyall subjects to this commiseration of his children to this religious compassion of Gods afflicted Church he requireth us your Ministers to lay this as neer as we can to your hearts to stir up your willing and forward affections to a tendernesse and encrease of zealous love of this cause and he believeth that our labour in the Lord will not be in vain If it be heavy to us to part with some small portion of our estates to this assistance what is it to his children to lose all Impius haec tam culta novalia miles habebit Barbarus has segetes shall we look on whilst Papists possesse the inheritance of Protestants while superstition and Idolatry usurpeth the temples where the holy worship of God and the gospell of truth and peace have been so many years gloriously mainteined Hia Majestie hath well acquited himself to us to be a Prince of peace who hath with unmeasurable expence assaid by mediation and treaties to compose the bloudy wars in Christendome with fair conditions of peace he hath shewed himself tender in the case of Christian bloud and he would have all the Christian world bear him witnesse that if he could recover the inheritance of his children in peace he would not draw a sword nor hazard a life in that cause He is now put to it to seek peace by the way of wars and his children being shut out of their own in the way of inheritance must wade in again by way of conquest or sit out altogether If that part of the afflicted Church have hope in this disconsolate extremity and trust in God for deliverance and restitution they shal sing Carmen in nocte and let God strengthen their faith and trust in him and let them not think it long to await his leasure till he have mercy upon them Worse was the condition of Jerusalem and the people of Judah Gods own inheritance yet when they had summed up their miseries and cast them into one totall of full calamity they have both faith to assure both deliverance and restitution and hope to expect it and joy to recreate and refresh their present droopings And truly to our understanding it is time for the Lord to put to his hand for the cause is his The strife was for a kingdome but Religion is such a party in the quarrell that it cannot but share in the sufferings of those who fare the worse for Religions sake Be we comforted in the Lord. Rome and Roman Idolatry can neither spread further nor gather more strength then her elder sister Babylon did her armies are called here the troops of God God employed them and God prospered thē they prevail'd against Gods inheritance But the same Prophets who are sent to tell Judah of their deportation into Babylon do also foretell the ruine of Babylon for this read at your leasure Isaiah 46.47 Chap. Jerem. 50 51. and when you have read them compare them with Revel 17.18 Chap. and you shall see that Babylon in Chaldaea was but a type of the present Babylon in Rome a double type of sin and punishment Therefore comfort your selves in the Lord God worketh as we see against the usurper of Rome by his own domestiques and they tell tales of him and discover the nakednesse of that
in sicknesse on the bride-bed on the death-bed always Quest But have not the Saints of God on this earth their sorrows do they not bear forth their seed weeping do they not sow in tears do they not feel heavinesse for the night is it not a true word Tribulus est qui non est tribulatus Was not Davids soul heavy within him did not Hezechiah tast of bitternesse of soul when he chattered as a swallow did not this very Church of the Jews in Babylon sit down by the rivers of water when they remembred Sion Did they not hang up thâ—ir harps upon the willows or could they sing the song of the Lord in a strange land True Sol. and yet all these who found such cause of mourning in themselves and exprest so much grief to others yet rejoyced in the Lord always I deny not that their cup was bitternesse yet had they sweet fruits of spirituall joy even in the midst of sorrows for as David saith They did rejoyce in trembling Optime dictum est exultate contra miseriam optimè additum est cum tremore August contra presumptionem quia tremor est sanctificationis custodia see this in the Apostle who expresseth the life of a Christian well As unknown 2 Co 6 9. and yet known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed As sorrowfull yet alway rejoycing as poor and yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Which words though neither Mr. Calvine nor Beza in their Commentaries have vouchsafed so much as a note upon them yet are they an holy riddle to flesh and bloud and both these have brought forth their light in much fairer weather Aquinas cleareth this darknesse well for he sheweth that temporall things have but the resemblance and appearance of good and evill they have no true existence and substance of them and therefore they are brought in with a tanquam as for as the Apostle saith we are tanquam ignoti as unknown c. tanquam castigati tanquam dolentes But Gods spirituall favours are reall we are known not tanquam noti as known we rejoyce not tanquam dolentes as sorrowing For the light affliction which is but for a moment trouble them and he speaketh of them rather as they appear to others then as they do feel themselves or of them rather in some crazy fits of distraction then in the constant uniformity of their true health And I deny not but the dearest of Gods Saints here on earth have their sudden qualms and their agonizing pangs and convulsions even such as do sometimes shake their very faith as you have seen in this Church of the Jews that make their bellies and bowels without them to tremble and their lips to quiver and themselves to fear within themselves but when they remember Jesus Christ the authour and finisher of their faith saying to them Eccè ego sum vobiscum ad finem saeculi behold I am with you to the end this reneweth the face of the earth and puts new life into them and quickeneth them for how can they want any thing habent enim omnia qui habent habentem omnia for they have all who have him that hath all for he that gave us his son how could he not together with him give us all things I hear St. Ambrose thus comforted upon his death bed Non ita vixi inter vos ut me pudeat vivere nec mori timeo quia bonum Dominum habemus for it is a true rule poenitens de peccatis dolet de dolore gaudet Another note to distinguish this joy in the Lord from all other joys is the fulnesse and exuberancy of it 2 Signe for it is more joy then if corn and wine and oile encreased else what needed the Apostle having said Rejoyce in the Lord always to adde And again I say Rejoyce what can be more then always but still adding to the fulnesse of our joy till our cup do overflow This is that measure which the Apostle doth so comfortably speak of which is both full and pressed down and heaped and running over for it is still growing and encreasing like the waters in Ezekiels vision from the ancles to the loins to the chin over head and ears for waders for swimmers for saylers Upon working days rejoyce in the Lord who giveth thee strength to labour and feedeth thee with the labour of thy hands on holy days rejoyce in the Lord who feasteth thee with the marrow and fatnesse of his house In plenty rejoyce again and again because the Lord giveth in want rejoyce because the Lord taketh away and as it pleaseth the Lord so come things to passe This poor distressed Church being in deportation and feeling the heavy burthen of affliction yet it found comfort in the Lord. Jerusalem remembred in the days of her affliction Lam. 1.7 and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old And this joy was quickened with hope of the favour of God to be shewed to them even till their joy did swell into extasie as David expresseth it When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion then were we like them that dream Then was our mouth filled with laughter Psal 126.1 and our tongne with singing Therefore is the joy of the ungodly comparâ—â—â— to a candle which spends it self to the snuffe Job 18.5 and goeth out in a stench and evill savour for the very name of the wicked shall rot but to the just Isai 58.8 saith God Thy light shall break forth as the morning this begins in obscurity and groweth more and more till the Sun rising and yet groweth till the noon day that is also promised the just Thy light shall rise in obscurity Verse 10. and thy darknesse shall be as the noon day he expoundeth himself Thou shalt be as a watered garden Verse 11. and like a spring of water whose waters fail not Therefore it is said of the just that they shall bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing and this is To shew that the Lord is upright that he is our rock and that there is no unrighteousnesse in him For his word is gone out his promise is past to his Church he will neither deny it nor reverse it to comfort them with all spirituall consolation for he is the God of all consolation not of some onely 2 The ground of this joy wherein consider 1 The main The Lord is the God of her salvation 2 The Lord is her strength 3 The Lord will perform two great mercies to her 1 He will make her fect like hindes feet 2 He will make her walk upon her high places 1 Under the title of Salvation I comprehend not onely corporall and spirituall but eternall salvation also 2 Under the name of strength I understand the whole mercy of supportation by which God doth preserve them
they mis-do all these are excluded from this salvation Jesus Christ died for none such and goeth not forth with his anointed amongst them These shall have no salvation hereafter they can have no true joy here and therefore when the evill day commeth they are shaken with the terrour of the Lord and they finde no balm in Gilead their sins do appear to them greater then the mercies of God Let those who have the comfortable assurance of their salvation rejoyce therein in the Lord Vse 2 and take heed of presumption of Gods mercy which is one of the worms of faith let them take heed of receiving the grace of God in vain of recidivation and relapse into their former sins of murmuring at the Lords chastisements of quenching the spirit of crucifying again the Lord for we see that it is possible Heb. 6.4 5 for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made pertakers of the holy Ghost have tasted the good Word of God and the power of the world to come to fall away which putteth Jesus Christ to open shame Therefore the joy of our salvation must not be rooted and grounded in our selves but in the Lord that the whole honour of it may redound to him as the whole benefit and profit of it doth redound to us Our salvation is onely of God Doct. 2 It is Jonahs faith Salvation is of the Lord. It is Davids faith Salvation belongeth onely unto the Lord. Jonah 2.9 Psal 3.8 Ps 43.11 God taketh it upon himself I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour He giveth it as a reason of his first Commandement Ose 13.4 Thou shalt know no God but me for there is no Saviour beside me I may call heaven and earth to record this day to avouch the truth of this for who is it that supporteth the great frame of the whole universe who is he that knoweth the numbers of the stars and calleth them all by their names that sendeth forth the Sun as a bridegroom out of his chamber and as a mighty gyant to run his race who is it that maketh and keepeth the covenant between day and night to take their turns for the use of man who is it that clotheth the lilies that feedeth the birds of the ayr that can neither labour nor spin that preserveth man and beast but the Lord Psal 36.6 All these look up unto thee and thou givest them their meat in due season It is glory and happinesse enough for the Angels in glory to behold the face of God always Hail and snow stormy winds and vapours the dragons and all deeps mountains and all hils fruitfull trees and all cedars beasts and cattel creeping things and feathered fouls Kings of the earth and all people yong men maids old men and children all Queristers in this great temple of the world and this is the matter and argument of their song salus Jehovae salvation is of God for their being is derived from him their supportation is borrowed of him their operation is guided by him their whole addresse is directed to him The Angels that kept not their first estate of glory man that kept not his first estate of innocency could not lose could not forfeit their existence and being their happy being they might they did forfeit he preserveth the Devils and the reprobate and he maketh them immortall that he may be glorious in his just punishment of them But especially he is the salvation of his elect so St. Paul We trust in the living God 1 Tim. 4 10 who is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe He is the saviour of all men by universall providence but of them that believe by singular and especiall grace And that is the salvation here meant our preservation in this life our sanctification for a better life our glorification in heaven is of the Lord. Because the Kingdome is his and none hath power to make us Kings but he Reas 1 whose Kingdome ruleth over all and salvation maketh us Kings Because salvation is a work of power and none can give it but he who is able to put all our enemies under our feet and none but God can do this Because salvation is a work of glory of glory to him that worketh it of glory to them upon whom it is wrought for he maketh his Saints glorious by deliverance and the saved do serve him and glorifie him in earth and in heaven These three we ascribe to him in our Lords prayer for thine is the Kingdome the power and glory Salvation is a work of mercy and David saith Apud te est misericordia with thee is mercy and God hath committed the dispensation of mercy to no creature it is one of the glories of his Crown and prerogatives of his supream Diadem onely his son who thought it no robbery to be equall with him hath the dispensation of his mercies This teacheth us where to seek and finde salvation Vse 2 God saith seek ye my face We are wise enough in our quest of temporall either protection or preferment to observe which is the way to the fountain of honour and to direct our observance that way let us not be wise for this life and fools for the life to come With men on earth there be some small brooks of a present life but apud te est fons vitae with thee is the well of life and the brooks and cisterns that we seek after do derive themselves from this fountain These brooks doe often change their channell for men have their breath in their nostrils they die and their thoughts perish but God is the same and his years do not fail And our Saviours method that he teacheth his Disciples is seek ye first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and then all these things shall be cast upon you This also serveth to stir us up to a godly life Vse 2 for that hath the promises of this life and of the life to come David putteth us in good comfort Psal 84.11 For the Lord God is a Son and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that live uprightly and the Apostle saith For the eyes of the Lord are open to the righteous 1 Pet. 3.12 and his ears are open to their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that do evill And who is he that wil harm you Verse 13. if you be followers of that which is good Let the wicked take root in the earth and spread his boughs never so far God hath not denyed him this yet his face is against him and though the Sun shineth on him for a time and the early and later rain do make him grow and flourish yet our Saviour will tell us that Every plant which his heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted out This
we have done these things and therefore unlesse we redeem the time and amend our ways our consciences will tell us that his servants we are whom we obey and the servants of sin must look for the wages of sin that is death But let us do no more so seeing the Lord is our strength let our strength be the Lords let it serve him for himself our brethren for his sake Another use of this point I learn from the song of Moses Vse 2 the man of God and of the children of Israel after they came out of the red sea The Lord is my strength and song let him that is our strength Exod. 15 ◠be our song also that is let us praise him with joy and thanksgiving it is the honour that David giveth to the Lord as his strength is always from him so he promiseth My song shall be always of him he desireth that his mouth may be fil'd with his prayse all the day long these be called the calves of the lips of them that confesse his name they are sacrifices of righteousnesse and they please God better then bullocks that have horns and hoofs this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonable service It followeth there and it is another use of this point Vse 3 The Lord is my strength I will prepare him an habitation In which words though literally there be a propheticall reference to the Tabernacle of God which God did after appoint to be erected and consecrated to his speciall worship and further yet to the building of the Temple at Jerusalem the joy of all the earth yet in thankfull retribution to God for the strength that we have from him every faithfull soul must within it self erect an habitation for God and his anointed Know you not that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost doth not Christ dwell in us by faith is not the soul the body of the Church is not the understanding and intellectuall part the holy of holies the chancell of the Church where the glory of God dwelleth and where the memorials of his mercies are kept is not the heart the altar wherupon all our sacrifices of thanksgiving the incense of our praiers are burnt Is not the mouth of them that confesse his name the beautiful porch of this Temple Doth not Christ stand at our doors and knock and desire our entertainment O let us receive him he is our strength there is not a stronger man to come in and bind him and cast him out that day we receive him that day is salvation come home to our house Let him not come in as a guest and sojourner to tarry a night and be gone let him have the rule of the house Christ will then tell us that the Kingdome of God is within us and where he ruleth there is peace which passeth all understanding 3 The next ground of their hope is a strong faith that he will make my feet like hynds feet That is he will give me a swift escape out of all my affliction and I shall come again out of captivity The Lord will loose the bonds of his Church and give her deliverance out of all her troubles Doct. This is a good ground of hope Because it is one of Gods honourable titles to be a deliverer so is he called in this 18 Ps v. 2. Reas 1 From whence these words are taken so Thou art my help and my deliverer Psal 70.5 Thus David honoureth God with that great title for it includeth a confession of prayse both of the power of God able to deliver and of his wisedome and love applying that power to the comfort of his afflicted Church Because it was the office of his anointed the Son in whom he was well pleased Reas 2 to deliver his people from the hands of all their enemies He gave redemption to his people He shall save his people from all their sins he confesseth it his errand hither He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted Isai 6.11 to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Because God knoweth the weaknesse of his Church Reas 3 and though he chasten them with the rods of men yet will he not take his mercy utterly from them Psal 125.3 lest the righteous should put forth their hand unto wickednesse This hath speciall vertue to comfort us both Vse 1 Generally in our whole life and 2 especially in the severall crosses and distresses incident to the body of the Church or any member of the body 3 And individually to each perticular person in their personall vexations and unrest 1 For the generall calamities incident to life Job saith Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery If a man have no time of respiration from sorrow if his body be in sicknesse his mind in grief his estate in poverty his person in prison suppose him as much afflicted as his time and strength can bear yet death determineth all and setteth the oppressed and the prisoner free as Job saith 2 The Church or any part of it be it afflicted and driven into corners persecuted as in the time of the ten bloudy persecutions and as at this day the Protestants are cruelly pursued both in our neighbour France and in the Palatinate and in Bohemia Ministers banished as raisers and strivers of sedition which was laid to the charge of Jesus Christ and after of St. Paul The Lord hath ever heretofore been a deliverer of his Church and his hand is not shortned our hope is that he will also make his Saints hearts glad by a timely deliverance and will give them hinds feet to escape from the arrow that fleeth after them by day and from the dogs that hunt and pursue them with open mouth 3 In the case of personall grievances how can we either in dangers feared or in oppressing griefs and pains receive any peace to our souls but in the faith of deliverance believing that no miseries can so environ us but that there may be found an open way out of them so David saith Many are the troubles of the righteous Dominus ex omnibus liberet This admonisheth the afflicted to Vse 2 call upon God for this deliverance and to seek it no where but in his hand wo be to them that go to Egypt for help it was the undoing of Israel their trust in the broken staffe and reed of Egypt And they that trust to Idolatrous nations to help them in their distresses and wants thrust thorns into their own eyes and goads into their own sides and their trust shall be their ruine Israel did finde it so and smarted sharply for it This also as all other favours of God either possessed or expected doth awake us to a duty of service of our God Vse 3 for we are servi quasi servati and we must serve him that we may be
he saith to me he must have the warrant of his own mission from a special illumination of his own understanding or else his Trumpet will never give a certain sound 4. This bindeth the hearer to affection For if the spirit speaketh to the Churches then qui habet aures audiendi audiat he that hath ears let him hear Est Deus in nobis God is in us they do not flatter us as they did Herod and we shall never die of the wormes for receiving that testimony of our Ministry if we deal faithfully that say of our preaching The voice of God and not of man for Saint Paul testifieth of the Thessalonians For this cause also thank we God 1 Thes 2.13 because when ye received the Word of God which yee heard of us yee received it not as the Word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also on you that believe Beloved it is true that we that are now the witnesses of God have not that open accesse to him that the Prophet had to receive immediate instructions from his own mouth But Christ saith Sicut misit me Pater it a ego mitto vos as the Eather sent me so send I you And he telleth his Father how he hath provided for his Church till his second coming I have given them the word which thou gavest me Iohn 17.8 and they have received them and having so done he said unto them Ite docete Go and teach When thou comest then to Church and hearest Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms which was the Manna wherwith God fed the fathers before the incarnation of Christ when the Veile of the Temple was up remember what Abraham said to the rich man Habent Mosen Prophetas audiant eos They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them that is the way to keep out of hell When thou hearest the voice of the Sonne of God in the Gospel the Veile of the Temple being torn from the top to the bottome Christ now reveiled to thee with open face Take heed thou despise not him that speaketh to thee in the Ministry of a mortal man this is a treasure which is brought unto you in earthen vessels value the vessels at their own worth in themselves but yet regard them above their worth for their use for they bring you the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Enough to make you wise unto salvation sufficient to beget faith in you by which you may overcome the world enough to make you perfect throughly perfect to all good works This is done by our Ministry if you will hear God in us and what would you desire more then to be taught how to become wise and honest for such are not afraid of the Parliament and say with Saint Paul With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you 1 Cor. 4.3 or of mans judgement 2. The vigilancy of the Prophet I will stand upon the watch Amongst the great titles of honour and service that are given to the Ministers of the Word in Scripture this is one they are called Watchmen It is Gods word to Ezechiel Ezek 3.17 Sonne of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me which is repeated in the same words chapt 33.7 as the Margent of the Kings Bible directeth you This correspondence must be between God and his Minister for if God do make us watchmen over the house of Israel then with Habakkuk we must stand upon the watch Let not us plead the trust of God committed to us except we can plead our faithfulnesse in the discharge of that trust This is indeed an honour done to the Prophets and Ministers of the Church to commit the Church of God to our care but the burthen of this care to keep watch is exceeding great A necessity is laid upon me and wo be to me if I preach not the Gospel Here be two things in this office 1. To watch 2. To give warning 1. Some can watch but they can give no warning Ministers of good and preaching lives but not apt to teach which Saint Paul requires in his Ministers Of whom Saint Hierome saith Innocens sine Sermone Conversatio quantum prodest exemplo tantum nocet silentio 2. Some will sometimes give warning but they cannot always watch Preach learnedly when they preach but they have not learnt out all their lesson of the Apostle Cave tibi doctrina in his Persta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Continue in these things it requires incumbency as the Law calleth it 3. But if we will do our duties we must do both some would fain do both and cannot get a watchmans place there is none void For be the People never so empty yet Ecclesia est plena the Church is full All is not well that way the Church complains and they that have laboured abundantly to enable themselves for this watch are too much searched and examined too narrowly for their gifts Others have a watch but they do not with the Prophet stand upon it either they sit at ease or they sleep it out soundly this Prophet promiseth to stand in readinesse for action and execution of his charge Beloved many will not beleeve it but we feel it if we make conscience of our duties in our calling that our vocation is laborious this watching in all weathers and this robbing of our temples of their timely rest to attend the watch over your souls as those that must give an account to God for our selvs and for you is an honourable burthen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is sufficient 1. Vigilat hostis The enemy watcheth he compasseth the earth to and again he goeth about like a roaring Lyon he is ever either reaching out an Apple of temptation as to Eve or stretching our an arme of provocation as to the blessed Virgin gladius pertransibit animam tuam We must keep you waking that he bring not upon you the spirit of slumber we must awake you if you sleep in sin that he surpize you not Custos Israelis non dormit the keeper of Israel slumbreth not Alexander lies down to sleep without fear because he leaves Parmenio his faithful counsellor waking David will lay him down in peace and take his rest seeing God doth make him dwell in safety Dominus dat dilectis suis somnum Yet let us observe two things concerning our sleep for the Apostle saith Therefore let us not sleep as do others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 5.6 as unbeleevers Lyranus qui sunt increduli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are left out of the Church and out of Gods fold to the world let us not sleep so how then 1. Before our sleep let us take Davids example for our Donec until I will not give sleep to mine eyes nor slumber to
mine eye-lids untill I finde out a place for the Lord that is Ps 132.4 5. Isa 66. saith Augustine Donec inveniam locum Deo meo in me till I finde a place for God in me for God doth delight to dwell with the humble and such as are of a contrite heart And Christ saith Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man open to me I will come into him In the letter David sweareth to take no rest till he have found out a place for the building of the Temple that was Davids care This is our Donec untill till we have done our especial service to God which concernes us in our Calling let us not think of sleep till we have consecrated our selves as temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in 2. Let us in sleep take the example of the Church I sleep but my heart waketh it is the voyce of my beloved saying open to me Cant. 5.2 That is let our sleep be moderate so sanctified by our prayer that we may say with the Church Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth Thus doth the faithfull Watchman of Israel take heed to himself and to his doctrine to himself and to his flock as the Shepherds to whom the Angel appeared giving them notice of the birth of Christ They kept watch by night because of their flock Blessed is that servant whom the Master when he cometh shall finde so doing 3. His patient expectation I will set me upon the tower and will watch to see God doth not alwayes reveale himself and his will to his Minister he must tarry Gods leasure and wait his times Sometimes God doth withdraw his light from the Minister for the punishment of the people and will not let him see a danger that is coming that he may chasten the sins of his people with the rods of men Sometime he doth shut up the door of utterance and will not let them give warning of the wrath to come to punish their sin Therefore Saint Paul willeth the Ephesians Praying always with all manner of supplication for all men Eph 6.18 19. and for me that utterance may be given me Beloved we watch for you we pray for you we preach to you whilst we stand upon these towers to give you warning pray you for us that God would be pleased to make us sufficient for this holy service When Paul and Silas went to preach Acts 15 40 They were commended of the brethren to the grace of God pray the Lord of the harvest ut mittat operarios that he would send forth labourers We do not stand upon these Towers to keep watch for our selves only but for you and whensoever we come into a Pulpit your thoughts must be ready to say to us as Cornelius did to Peter Now therefore we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10 33 The care imposed on us is greater then the care of the King and the Magistrate To which of them hath he said at any time feed my sheep feed my lambs Obey them that have the rule over you Heb. 13.17 and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as those that must give account Wonder not at our infirmities and do not make the worst of our weaknesse for we stand upon the Tower and suffer many a blast which cometh not neare you No sort of men lye so open to Satans force and fury as we do he vexeth us with all his stormes When Joshua stood before the Angel of the Lord to receive his Commission Satan stood at his right hand to resist him He desired to winnow Peter Zech. 3.1 God sent the angel of Satan to buffet Paul When Christ lived a private life little is said of him but so soone as he was baptized and entred into the execution of his ministry he was tempted of Satan in the wildernesse forty dayes together It was the policy of the King of Aram to bend all his forces against the Captains of the Lords Army 1 Reg. 22.31 We are not able of our selves to think any thing as of our selves all our sufficiency is of God who hath made us able Ministers 2 Cor. 3.5.6 Therefore whilst we attend the opening to us of the whole counsel of God we have great need of your prayers that we faint not in our expectation that we shrink not in the execution of our duty For through God only we are mighty I conclude this point in the Apostles words of exhortation 2 Cor. 10.4 seeing we stand upon the Tower and keep watch till God will put a word into our mouths You also helping together by prayer for us 2 Cor. 1.11 that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf The Apostle doth confesse that our gifts are bestowed on us by the means of many persons by the prayers and supplications of many of Gods good servants Therefore that we may stand it out in all weathers that we be not idle and drowsie in our watch that we may be full of the strength of God to do the work of Evangelists pray you to God without ceasing for us For we have many discouragements and standing so high upon the Tower we have many eyes upon us and Satan on our right hand ro resist us and the world on the left hand to tempt us and the great difficulty of our service and employment in the Church to dishearten us yet audiam quid loquatur Deus yet I will hear what God will say to me 4 His holy care in his office It is not to study what his own brains will suggest â—ut to hear what God will say to him for this is Dignus vindice nodus a knot worth the loosing Many observing the state of the Church and seeing the best men on earth suffer most and possesse least and beholding the wicked and ungodly gather all live in peace of the world in fulnesse heaping up riches rising to honours and having the monopoly of this life present have staggered in the faith of Gods providence Davids feet upon this slippery ground had well-nigh slipt and there were some that professed it It is in vaine to serve God Mal. 3.14.15 and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance And now we call the proud happy yea they that work wickednesse are set up yea they that tempt God are delivered Therefore it is high time for the Prophet to seek his information and light from God himself The light of humane reason cannot penetrate this thick cloud David confesseth so much the sweet singer of Israel could not hit upon this tune for he saw how prosperously every thing succeeded with the ungodly of the earth When I thought to know this it was too painful for me Vntill I went to the Sanctuary of God