remember that they are Temples of God for this cause let them loue Christ that by his spirite they may be more and more restored and renued Haggeus the Prophet The argument of the first Chapter 1 The discription of the circumstances of the time The iudiciall kinde is such as is vsed in accusing of a man or in defending of him The deliberatiue kinde of oration is such as is vsed to persuade a man to do a thing or to deswade him froÌ„ doing of it the persons and matters is comprehended in the 1. and 2. verses 2 Hereunto is annexed an oration partly of the iudiciall kinde and partly of the * deliberatiue kinde For first of all the Prophet sheweth that the Jewes had greouously offended in that they had in al hast and with great expedition builded their owne houses neglecting the restoring of the holy teÌ„ple of the Lord. Secondly he sheweth how the Lord had chastned theÌ„ Lastly he exhorteth theÌ„ vnto the building of the Temple adding a most large promise of the blessing of God wherewith they shoulde be enriched if they did their duetie as they ought from the third verse vntill th end of the eleuenth verse 3 A laudatorie narration of the obedience of the Princes and people of the Iewes vnto the end of the Chapter Cap. 1. 1 IN the second yeere of King Darius in the sixt moneth the first day of the moneth was the worde of the Lord in the hand of Haggeus the prophet vnto Zerubabell sonne of Salthiel captaine of Iehuda and Iehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the chiefe priest that he should say 2 Thus hath the Lord God of hostes said in saying This people hath saide The time is not yet come the time I say that the house of the Lorde shoulde be builded 3 The worde of the Lord was therefore in the hand of Haggeus the prophet that hee should say 4 Whether or no o yee is the time come that yee shoulde dwell in your sieled houses and that this house should lie wast 5 Nowe therefore the Lord of hostes hath thus spoken Sette your heartes vppon your wayes 6 Yee shall sowe much and bring in litle ye shal eate and not be satisfied ye shal drinke and not bee dronken yee shall cloath your selues and not bee warme and hee that shall place himselfe for wages hee shall place himselfe for wages which shall be as if it did fall into a bottomlesse bagge 7 Thus hath the Lorde of hostes spoken Set your hartes vpon your wayes 8 Goe vp into the mountayne and bring thence woode and builde my house and I will be fauourable therein and I will be glorified saith the Lorde 9 Yee shall looke vnto much and behold it is but a little and ye haue brought it into the house but I blowe vppon it For what cause saith the Lorde of hostes For my house which lyeth wast and yee runne euery one into his owne house 10 Therefore hath the heauen shutte it selfe vpon you that it may not giue you dew the earth also hath shutte her selfe that shee may not giue her fruite 11 And I haue called a drought vpon this lande and vpon the mountaines and vppon the wheate and vpon the wine and vpon the oyle and furthermore vpon men and vpon the cattell and vppon all the labour of the handes 12 And Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel and Iehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and all the remnaunt of the people hearde the voice of the Lorde their God and the wordes of Haggeus the Prophet as the Lorde their God had sent him and the people did feare before the face of the Lord. 13 Therefore saide Haggeus the ambassadour of the Lorde in the ambassage of the Lord vnto the people saying I am with you saith the Lorde 14 And the Lorde stirred vp the spirit of Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel captaine of Iehuda and the spirite of Jehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and the spirite of all the rest of the people and they entred in and did the worke in the house of the Lorde of hostes their God The argument of the seconde Chapter 1 An oracle of the great glory of the seconde temple wherein the Messias shoulde teach It is contained in the 10 first verses 2 An other oracle consisting vpon a Parable and an answere where hee teacheth that the sacrifices of the Iewes haue beene and are prophane which were and are offred without faith ver 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 3 The curse which shall befall those which onely seeke those thinges which are their owne and not those thinges which are Gods ver 16. 17. 18. 4 A promise that those shall bee blessed which repent ver 19. 20. 5 The last oracle of the preseruation of the Church and commonwealth of the Iewes Zerubabâ—ll being a figure of Christ hath this excellent title giuen him that he is a signet vpon the Lords hande 1 IN the fower and twentith day of the sixt moneth in the seconde yeere of Darius 2 In the seauenth moneth in the one and twentith day of the same moneth was the worde of the Lorde in the hande of Haggeus the prophet saying 3 Say nowe vnto Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel the captaine of Iehuda and vnto Iehosua the soÌ„ne of Iehosadac the high priest and vnto the remnant of the people saying 4 Who is there amongst you lefte which hath seene this house in her former glory and howe doe you see it nowe Is it not so as if it were not in your eyes 5 But nowe strengthen thy selfe Zerubabel saith the Lorde strengthen thy selfe Iehosua thou sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and strengthen thy selfe all thou the people of this lande saith the Lord and worke because I am with you saith the Lorde God of hostes 6 And I will doe the worde which I couenaÌ„ted with you when ye came out of Aegypt my spirite also shall stande in the middest of you feare not 7 For thus saith the Lorde God of hostes Yet a little and I will shake the heauen and earth and the sea and the drie lande 8 And I will moue all nations and the desire of the Gentiles shall come and I will fill this house with glorie saith the Lorde God of hostes 9 The siluer is mine and the golde is mine saith the Lorde God of hostes 10 The glorie of this latter house shall be greater then the glory of the former saith the Lorde God of hostes and in this place will I geue peace saith the Lord God of hostes 11 The fower and twentith daye of the ninth moneth in the seconde yeere of Darius was the worde of the Lorde in the hande of Haggeus the prophet saying 12 Thus saith the Lorde of hostes aske nowe the priestes the lawe saying 13 If any man shall carrie holy flesh in the skirtes of his garment and he shal touch with his skirte bread or pottage or wine or oyle or any manner of meate shall it be made
brethrē because the time is short hereafter let those which haue wiues bee as though they had none 1. Cor. 7. 24. And againe Redeeming the time because the daies are euil Eph. 5. 16. THE SECOND CHAPTER of the prophesie of the Prophet Haggai The first verse In the seauenth moneth the one and twentith day of the same moneth was the word of the Lorde in the hand of Haggeus the prophet saying 29. Lect. Feb. 12. THe order and number of the partes of the seconds Chapter haue wee touched in the notes Therefore omitting that whereof we haue spoken before wee will come to speake of the tymes whereof mention is made in the first verse For we haue oftentymes spoken both of the simple and also of the compounde wordes which are mentioned in this place In the same yeere from the creation of the world 3444. the fower and twentith day of October which was the seuenth daye of the feast of tabernacles the great feast of palmes was this oracle followinge published by the mouth of Haggeus The second verse Speake nowe vnto Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel the captaine of Iehuda vnto Iehosua the sonne of Iehosadac the high priest and vnto the residue of the people saying This verse and the verse going before containe the circumstances of the persons The same may wée distinguish after this manner 1 First the author of the oracle was the Lord at whose cōmaundement also it was to be published according to that saying The Lord doth nothing vnlesse hee shall reueale his secret to his seruaunts the prophets If a Lyon roare who will not be afraid The Lord God hath spoken who shall not prophecie * Amos. 3. 7. 8 2 Secondly the Crier by whom this oracle was proclaimed was Haggeus the Prophet who did testifie before Cap. 1. 13. that hee was the ambassadour of the Lord did his message 3 Thirdly to whom the prophet reuealed the will of the Lord namely to the magistrate the priest to al the people of the Iewes For these things are to bee declared to all men which all men ought to knowe But it belongeth to all those which are of the people of God to knowe what is the holie will of God Therefore must the same bée reuealed both to those which are of great dignity and of meane estate and finally to those which are of lowe degrée that all men of what degrée soeuer they bée may fulfill the same most diligentlie Aphorismes touching the publishing of the oracles of God 1 No oracles concerning the will of God are true but such as procéede from the inspiration and reuelation of the true powre diuine Ier. 23. 16. Thus saith the Lord of hostes Heare not the wordes of the prophets which prophecie vnto you they teach you vanitie they speake the vision of their owne hearts not out of the mouth of the Lorde 17. In saying they say to those which dispise me the Lord hath saide peace shal be vpon you and to euerie one that walketh in the hardnes of his heart There shall no euill come vppon you 18. For who hath stoode in the counsell of the Lord and hath seene and hearde his woorde Who hath marked his woorde and hearde it 2 They to whom the publishing of the oracles of God is committed must speake in the name of the Lord and not in their owne name Amos. 27. 14. Amos answered Amasia I am no prophet nor the sonne of a prophet but an heard-man and a gatherer of wilde figs 15. But the Lorde tooke mee as I followed my cattell and the Lorde saide vnto mee goe prophecie vnto my people Israell 16. Nowe therefore heare the woorde of the Lord. Hee testifieth both things first that hee was called vnto the office of a prophet and secondly that in the name of God hée spake his woorde 3 And this preaching and publishing of the will of God must serue for all those which are of the people God For the oracles of God are not like to these holie things which might not be dispersed abroade amongst the common people It belongeth to all men to know them And therefore saith Christ to his disciples What things I say to you I say to all men And Paul saith Hee will haue all men that is all sortes men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Greeke For he that is Lord ouer all is riche vnto all that call vpon him Rom. 10. 12. 4 Furthermore the faith of the auditorie must bee answerable to the dispensation of the Oracles of God Therefore let vs not be like to those of whom it is sayd The word which they heard did profit them nothing because it was not coupled with faith of those that heard it Heb. 4. 2. 5 Wee must not make a diuorse betwene faith and confession With the hart saith the Apostle man belieueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Rom. 10. 10. The same Apostle teaching vs by his owne example saith I am not ashaymed of the Gospell of Christ * Rom. 1. 16. 6 The woorkes of the hands must represent the consent which is betwéene the heart the mouth least the déedes be contrarie to the woords and the woords contrarie to the affection of the heart The heathen man said Wee must plaie the philosophers not only in word but also in deede In like sort must wée plaie the Diuines Heere wee haue an example of this harmonie or consent in this history of the people of the Iewes For by the same it doth euidently appéere that all men of what degrée so-euer they were gaue credit to the Oracles of the Lord published by Haggeus the prophet and that fearing God they set hand with all celeritie vnto the holy worke GOD graunt that we also building a spirituall Temple vnto the Lord readely and sincerely may offer our bodies a quick sacrifice acceptable vnto God and that wée may be holy in spirit soule and body 30. Lect. 28. Febru Verse 4. Who is there left of you which hath seene this house in the former glory and how doe you see it now Is it not as if it were not in your eyes THat which Socrates was woont to say concerninge the entraunces and beginninges of humane Orations and actions touching weightie matters that to begin well was no small matter yet did it seeme to bee but a small matter came often into my minde when-as I began the simple and plaine exposition of most weighty oracles Some men there bee which make no great accompt of the beginninges of thinges But belieue mée it is no small matter to begin a matter as it were at the A. B. C. to point out with the finger the Fountaines thereof and to bring godly and vertuous men vnto the contemplation of most excellent thinges then at length to reclaime them vnto the practise and vse thereof Hereof
the holy Spirit the remnaunt of the godly vntill such time as the Messias was giuen and the Iewes were reiected for their inuincible hardnes of heart and the holy City together with the Temple was ouer-throwen and quite destroyed the gospell was preached farre and wide amongst the Gentiles and Iesus Christe was belieued on in the worlde Of the presence of Gods grace As light doth accompany the rising of the sunne which lightneth thinges which are vpon the earth so the participation and powringe out of Gods giftes doth followe the presence of his grace 2 For where-soeuer God is hee both is worketh there freely and effectually 3 God is some-times present for a season in places countries and with persons This time is called the time of visitation Luk. 19. 44. 4 And in his iust iudgment hée forsaketh certaine persons Beholde your house is left vnto you desolate Mat. 23. 38. 5 But the Lord doth neuer quite forsake the Church of the elect Isa 54. 7. I haue left thee for a space but in my great mercies will I gather thee together 8. In the time of my wrath I hid my face for a while but in mine euer-lasting mercie haue I had mercie on thee saith the Lorde thy redeemer 10. The mountaines shall remooue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenaunt of my peace fall away saith the Lorde that hath compassion on thee 6 The same opinion must wée haue concerning all the faithfull For God is also present with them by the powre and grace of his spirit Hee furnisheth them with most excellent and wholesome giftes with faith hope charity patience and other things which are vndoubtedly testimonies of the presence of the grace of God And how-soeuer such men so suffer persecution by false brethren be smitten with blockish thunder-boltes and rash curses yet must we make great accompt of them seeing they fare no worse then did the Prophets Apostles in times past Wée knowe what Dauid saith But vnto the saintes which are vppon the earth and the Psalm 16. 3. stronge towarde whom is all my delight 43. Lect. Verse 11. The fowre and twentirh day of the ninth moneth in the second yeere of Darius was the woorde of the Lord in the hand of Haggeus saying THis verse contayneth the circumstances of the second oracle which is in this chapter set downe where-of I will speake orderly and briefly 1 The time In the seconde yéere of the reigne of Darius the sonne of Histaspes which was before the birth of Christ about 519. yéeres and in the yéere after the creation of the worlde 3 444. according to Funcius his chronicle in the 24. day of December which moneth the Hebrewes call Cisleu was this oracle published Wée sée that the prophets doe exhort vs by the examples of their diligence attentiuely to obserue at what time the celestiall doctrine was purged and preached what signes of times happened whose ministerie God vsed that we may bee confirmed in the faith and sanctifie the name of God The author This oracle proceeded from the Lorde God of hostes For prophesyinge came not in tymes past by the will of men but the holy men of God beinge mooued vp the holie spirit spake* Hence therefore doe wée fitly gather 2. Pet. 1. 20. 2◠that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any priuate motion And for this cause they which are Teachers in the Church must examine all things by the proportion of faith and they must haue respect vnto the dignity of prophesie whether a man looke vnto the sincerity of things or the purity of speech according to these sayings Rom. 1. 12. 6. Whether wee haue prophesie according to the proportion of faith And againe If any man speake let him speake as the woorde of God 1. Pet. 4. 11. 3 The Crier was Haggeus the prophet the ambassadour of the Lord. For God in times past spake many times and sundry waies to the Fathers by the prophets Now speaketh hee Heb. 1. 1. vnto vs by the faithfull Ministers of the Church whom who-soeuer doth heare hee heareth the Luk. 10. 16. Lord Iesus And those men must remember that they doe not speake in their owne name but in the name of God and for this cause must they speake reuerētly least in time to come they bee punished for doing their message wronge Of the dispensation of the misteries of God For-asmuch as it is so often repeated that the Lord spake by Haggeus the prophet to the ende that these oracles might bée of credit and authoritie and it is also very profitable for vs to know◠throughly how the misteries of God are orderly distributed I will intreat there-vpon positiuely The Lord Iesus graunt that wee may also handle this point with great fruit and that in the same wee may adore the wisedome and goodnes of God 1 We call these points of y◠doctrine of faith hope charity which are set forth in the woorde of God and are sealed with the Sacramentes the misteries of God 2 We call them misteries because they doe farre excéede the capacity of the naturall man For they are vnto him foolishnes neither can he ◠Cor. 2. 14. know them because they are iudged discerned spirituallie They are called the misteries of God because as they procéede from him alone so are they also reuealed by him alone Mat. 11. 27. Neither knoweth any man the father but the sonne hee to whom the sonne will reueale him And againe Fleshe and bloude hath not reuealed these thinges to thee but my father which is in heauen Mat. 16. 17. 3 In these all thinges must be referred vnto Christ who is made our wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption As Christ is to be compared with all other things so is he made vnto vs al things for our saluations sake so that wée ought thus to determine with our selues to knowe nothing amongst other men but Iesus Christ him crucified Wée knowe 1. Cor. 2. ◠the verses Si Christū discis nihil est quòd caetera nescis Si Christū nescis nihil est quòd caetera discis If Christ thou learne it skilleth not If thou doest know none other thing If Christ thou knowe not all things els To learne no gaine at all doth bring To learne Iesus is more profitable then any thing that can be knowne as saith Bernard in a certaine Epistle who in another place saith very godlily that the name of Iesus is meat light and medicine And as Christ Iesus is made vnto vs all thinges so ought all out life studdies and actions to smell of nothing but of faith loue humility righteousnes and finally that I may be briefe of Christ Iesus our Lord who dwelleth and reigneth in vs. They which broche and bring abroade the oracles of GOD are the faithfull ministers of God his Testament who as Paul saith doo sowe spirituall thinges It is
holy And the priestes answered and said No. 14 Then saide Haggeus If one that is polluted because of the dead carcas of a man shall touch any of these thinges shall it bee vncleane And the priestes answered and saide It shall be vncleane 15 Therefore Haggai beganne to say thus So is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lorde and so is all the worke of their handes and whatsoeuer they offer here it is vncleane 16 Nowe therefore set your hartes I pray you from this day and vpwarde before the workemen did lay one stone vpon another in the temple of the Lorde 17 Before they were in that worke the husbandman did come vnto an heape of twentie bushels and it was ten bushels when the dresser of the vineyard came vnto the winepresse that hee might drawe out fiftie hogsheades of wine out of the wine-presse there was but twentie 18 I haue smitten you with drought and meldewe and with haile all the workes of your handes and yee did not turne vnto mee saith the Lorde 19 Set nowe your heartes from this daye and vpwarde I say from the fower and twentith day of the ninth moneth that is frō the day wherein the foundaiion of the temple of the Lord was laid set your heart 20 Is there as yet seede in the barne Furthermore the vine and figgetree and pomgranate and the olyue tree hath not as yet brought foorth fruite I will blesse you from this daye 21 And the Worde of the Lorde was vnto Haggai the seconde time in the fower and twentith day of the same moneth that hee should say 22 Speake vnto Zerubabel the captayne of Iehuda saying I am about to shake the heauen and earth 23 And I will ouerthrowe the throne of kingdomes and I will destroye the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen and I will ouerthrowe their chariots and those which ride in them and the horses and they which shall ride vppon them shall come downe euery one with the sworde of his fellow 24 In that day saith the Lorde of hostes will I take vp thee Zerubabel thou sonne of Sealthiel my seruaunt saith the Lorde and I will set thee as my signet because I haue chosen thee saith the Lorde God of hostes The ende of the prophesie of Haggeus THE LECTVRES OF Iohn Iames Gryneus vpon the booke of Haggeus the Prophet BEcause in the notes vpō Haggeus wee haue touched those 1. Lect. 19. Oct. 1579 things which were to bee spoken of his booke in stéede of a preface it séemeth good to mée in this first lecture first of all to speake in generall of the Prophets that we may know what we ought to thinke generally concerning them and what accompt wée ought to make of them Secondly if time permit I will speake by name of Haggeus and of his authoritie Lastly I wil briefly note to you the causes for which I tooke in hande the interpretation of the same Prophet A methode concerning the Prophets according to certaine places of inuention 1 The selfe same men were called in times Notation past both Seers and Prophets In times past in Israel euery one said on this wise when he went to aske an answere of God Come let vs goe vnto the Seer because he which is called a Prophet at this day was in times past called a Seer They were called Seers in respect of the cause and also of the effect I call the vision shewed vnto them by the Lorde the cause which did instruct the Prophets in great matters The heauens Paul calleth it Reuelation by the general name were opened and I sawe the visions of God* But Daniel vnderstoode all the vision and the dreames I call the light of the minde and the excellent knowledge of the oracles Ezech. 1. 1. Dan. 1. 17. of God the Effect wherein the Prophets did excell all other men And it seemeth they were called Prophets for this cause because they were interpreters of the will of God according to the commaundement of God which Paul calleth Interpretation* 1. Cor. 14. Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet that is thine interpreter* Wee reade that Exo. 7. 1. some men haue attained vnto this gift by vse as Iesaias and that other some receyued the same at the handes of God forasmuch as they were called vnto the office of prophesying farre contrarie Ier. 1. 6. 7. to their expectation as Ieremie* and Amos* Amos. 7. 14. 15. This words Prophet is not affirmed of diuers sortes of men in one and the same respect in the holy Scriptures For it is attributed The diuers significations of this word Prophet Tit. 1. 12. vnto the heathenish Poetes improperly A certaine man of them being their own Prophet said the Cretians are alwayes lyers euill beastes slowe bellies* 2 Secondly this worde Prophet is affirmed Which is whe◠diuers thinges are called by one name Isa 9. 15. Is 28. 7. of the false Prophets Equiuocè The Prophet which teacheth lies hee is the taile* The Priest and the Prophet haue erred because of stronge drinke they are swallowed vppe because of wine they haue gone astray through drinke they haue erred in the vision they haue stumbled in iudgement 3 Thirdly this worde Prophete is taken by transsumption somtimes for the doctrine of the Prophets somtimes for their bookes Think not that I am come to destroye the lawe or Mat. 5. 17. the Prophets * that is their doctrine It is written in the Prophets And they shall bee Iohn 6. 45 all taught of God * 4 Fourthly it is taken properly as in these sayinges Wee see not our signes neither is their a prophet any more neither is there with vs any that vnderstandeth any more * Psal 74. 9. And againe I haue made thee the prophet of Ier. 1. 5. the Gentiles * 5 Fiftly according to the most principall signification Iohn 1. 4. Deut. 18. Christ is saide to bee that Prophet which should come I thought good to note thus much concerning the diuers significations of the worde Euerie Prophete is the seruaunt of God 3. Genus but not on the contrary Synce the day that your fathers went out of the lande of Egypt vntill this daye haue I sent vnto you all my seruauntes the Prophets rising day by daye early in the morning and sending them Ob. Your sōnes your daughters shal prophesie Ioel. 2. 28. * Therefore all the seruauntes of God are Prophets An. I answere that there is a fallacie which is called * Fallacia Aequiuocationis in this word Which is when a worde hath diuers significations Prophesie because in the saying of Ioel it is taken generally for the general confession of those which doe with the heart beléeue vnto righteousnesse But we doe nowe speake of the degrée of that good order and discipline which God hath appointed in his Church namely of the propheticall office in speciall All the Prophets were
and these thinges which serue to the feading of our bellie for in Christes warrefare wee must not seeke the commoditie of this worlde as saith Ierome but the glorie of God and our owne edification and also the edification of the whole Church 9 Let vs not doubt but be well assured that our studies are sanctified by prayer thankesgiuing the continuall reading of the holy bible Panormitanus saith that Alphonsus king of Aragonia was wont to boast y◠he had red the holy Bible with the glosse fourtéene times ouer Let vs therefore giue our selues to reading and meditating vpon the holy Scriptures which intreate of the almightie God For Plato saith very well Omnis scientia magis obest quam prodest sine cognitione optimi All knowledge hurteth more then it profiteth without the knoweledge of the best 10 Let vs applie these thinges which wee read in y◠scriptures vnto our vse that they may serue to our instruction consolation correction and reprehension For the ende of our studie is not onely to behold and consider vpon things but also to practise the same And God will haue vs not onely to bee hearers but also doers of his lawe The Lorde Iesus graunt that wee may daylie profite and bee made better then our selues bringing foorth fruites méete for our holy profession to the sanctifying of his holy name and the saluation of our soules Amen 51. Lect. Inne 13. 1580. Verse 16. Nowe therefore I pray you set your heart from this day vpwarde before the workmen did lay one stone vppon another in the Temple of the Lorde THis phrase Set your heart from this day vpwarde doth signifie thus much to cal to an accompt our former led life to inquire iudge what hath beene done according to the lawe and what contrarie to the same There is the same manner of speech vsed in the 4. Psalm ver 4 Speake in your heart that is ponder these thinges with your selues Our Prophete in these wordes exhorteth the Iewes diligently to consider what they haue béene and howe they haue behaued themselues heretofore and hee willeth them not to disceyue thēselues beeing blinded and bewitched with selfe-loue For as Paul the Apostle saith whosoeuer seemeth to himselfe to bee some thing when hee is nothing this man is desceyued by his owne mind or as it is in the greeke text He deceiueth himselfe Gal. 6. 3. Omitting the supposition or argument wee will proceede vnto the position Of the iudgement of the Saintes 1 It is without all doubt that the Saintes which lyue here vpon earth must iudge themselues For this is most certaine If we did iudge our selues we should not bee punished But when we are punished we are instructed of the Lord least we should bee condemned with the worlde ◠Cor. 11. 31. 32. The example of Paul is extant Rom. 7. who did most seuerely iudge himselfe 2 And least wee bee deceiued in this our iudgement wee must followe the rules of faith hope and charitie appointed vnto vs by God For it is méete that wee stande or fall by the iudgement of God 3 Of the tryall of our faith it is sayd Proue yourselues whether you bee in the faith or noe examine your selues Know not yee your owneselues howe that Iesus Christ is in you Vnlesse you bee reprobates 2. Cor. 13. 5. 4 And that must be vnderstood of the words and déedes of the whole life which the same Apostle taught 1. Cor. 11. 31. If we did iudge our selues wee shoulde not bee punished 5 What the godly iudge ought to thinke of the wicked which are in florishing estate the Psalmist teacheth in these wordes Vntill I entred into the sanctuary of God and vnderstoode the last end of these men Certaynely thou hast set them in slipperie places thou makest them to fall into desolation Howe sodaynely c. 6 We may learne out of the 77. Psalme not onely what wee ought to thinke of the suddayne alteration and fall of the saints from the coppe of dignitie but also a remedie for the same I numbred the dayes frō the beginning and the yeeres of olde I called my song to remembrance I commened with mine hart in the night season and searched out my spirits Will the Lorde absent himselfe for euer and will hee shewe no more fauour And agayne ver 10. And I saide this is my death yet I remember the yeeres of the right hande of the most highest 11. And I remembred the workes of God certaynely I remembred thy marueilous workes from the beginning 12. And I did meditate vpon all thy workes and I did deuise of thine actes It is better for vs to doe thus then to speake vnto fortune in that olde verse of Demetrius Thou hast created me and thou seemest to flye from me This Censure teacheth vs that it is good for vs that the Lorde doeth humble vs that we may learne his iustifications Sufferinges are made vnto vs instructious a◠he saith in Herodotus I wil make an end after that I shal haue told you that euen Pythagoras taught his to discende into themselues and to trie and examin◠themselues according to the verse Wherein haue I offended what haue I done or what part of my duetie haue I omitted For we offend three manner of wayes First when we doe otherwise then wee ought as when Elye did but lightly and for fashions sake rebuke his children whenas they offended grieuouslie and manie wayes Secondlie when wee doe that which should haue beene left vndone As when Ahas king of Iuda beeing not contented to haue God for his defender did flie vnto the king of the Assyrians and became his partner in warre Lastlie when as we leaue that vndone which we ought to haue done As if hee which is a professor of diuinitie doe not applie his studie as hee ought 52. Lect. 14. Iune Verse 17. Before they were in that worke the husbandman came vnto an heape of twenty bushels and it was but ten bushels Also the dresser of the vineyarde came vnto the wine-presse that he might drawe out fiftie hogsheades of wine out of the presse and there were but twentie IN this place wee haue an example of Gods curse whereof mention is made Deut. 28. 20. The Lorde shall sende vpon thee a curse contrition and destruction in euery thing which thou handlest and doest vntill thou be quite put out and perishe swiftly because of the wickednes of thy workes whereby thou hast forsaken mee 1 In this place wee must suppose that the blessing concerning things appertayning to this life was vnto the people of Israel as the earnest of spirituall thinges the curse concerning the same was a most manifest token of the want of spirituall thinges The particular in place of the generall 2 Therefore let vs thinke that one Species is put in place of the Genus that the Church and common wealth were in like case as were the priuate affayres and husbandrie 3 Amongst the other
doo neuer want the spirituall blessing but as for the earthly blessinge they enioy not the same alwaies If you respect the matter about which or the obiects of the blessing the spirituall and the temporall blessing doo some-times goe to-gether as the examples of Abraham Isaach Iacob Daniell Iob and of other whom the Lord did blesse with all manner of spirituall and earthly blessings doo testifie Some-times the saintes must be content with the spirituall blessing alone as Paul saith of him-selfe and of others Vntill this time are wee hungrie and thirstie and naked and buffeted wee wander in vncertaine places c. 1. Cor. 4. 11. The next endes of this blessing is that wée may bee holy and vnblameable the last the praise of the glorious grace of God Eph. 1. 4. 6. 6 The effect Of the earthly blessing it is saide The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and hee addeth no sorrowe there-with Pro. 10. 22. The generation of the righteous shal be blessed Riches and plenteousnes shal be in his house Psal 112. 2. 3. But of the celestiall blessing Paul saith But I knowe that when I shall come vnto you I shal come with a ful blessing of the gospell of Christ Rom. 15. 20. And againe Blessed bee GOD euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all maner of spirituall blessing in heauenly thinges in Christ c. Eph. 13. 7 The adiunctes of this blessing are described Psal 112. His seede shall be mighty vpon earth the generation of the iust shal be blessed Riches and plenteousnes shal be in his house and his righteousnes abydeth foreuer To the righteous there ariseth vp light in darkenes A good man is mercifull lendeth he ordereth his matters in iudgment And as the approbation of these men which iudge a-right doth accompany the blessing of it selfe so the hatred of the wicked enuy and bacbytinges doo follow the same accidentally For as Iosephus saith It is an hard matter to escape enuy in prosperitie 8 The curse is coÌ„trary to the blessing whereby they are called accursed which the scriptures call commonly vessels of the wrath of God Mat. 25. 41. And they are called priuatiuely or by takinge away of the contrary accursed which are destitute of the blessing of the life of God and of spirituall good things being subiect to sinne and to eternall death Let the godly learne out of Leuit. Cap. 26. and Deut. 27. 28. the contrarietie which is betweene the blessinge and the curse But that wee may come from speculation vnto practise and vse let vs persuade our selues that wee are called by the voyce of God vnto repentaunce let vs giue glory to God let vs bee of the number of those which are Gods let vs rather séeke heauenly thinges then earthly things If wee doo these thinges through the assistance and grace of God Christ Iesus who is blessed will blesse our studies our counsels and all our life Wee haue seene now these many yeeres manifest testimonies of Gods curse in that scattering abroade of the Church in the pouerty of Common-wealthes and in the priuate publike calamities of man-kinde Therefore let vs at length turne vnto him who smiteth vs humble our-selues â—nder the mighty hande of God and giue glory vnto the Lord. 55. Lect. Iune 28. 1580. The last oracle of Haggeus Verse 21. 22. And the woorde of the Lorde came the seconde time vnto Haggeus the foure and twentith day of the same moneth that hee shoulde speake vnto Zerobabell the captaine of Iehuda c. IT shal be a pointe of your godly diligence brethren and hearers beloued in the Lorde together with mee to marke the circumstances of God his oracles where-of Haggeus maketh mention in this place also Wee will speake briefely of euery one of them The Author 1 To the ende the godly might know from what fountaine the true oracles did flowe and also that their authoritie was most holy the Lorde of hostes doth plainely protest that hee was the author there-of GOD saith the author of the epistle to the Hebrues spake sundrie times and diuers waies in times past to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last daies hee hath spoken to vs by his sonne Heb. 1. 1. And this friendly conference is a manifest testimony of the goodnes of God and of his loue towarde man-kinde who though he dwell in vnaccessable light yet doth hee reueale vnto vs by his plaine woorde and euident testimonies him-selfe and also his will that hee may bring vs vnto eternall life by the knowledge of Iohn 17. him-selfe 2 And to what ende God doth vse the ministerie 2 The Cryer and preaching of men when it seemeth good to him to publish his mysteries Paul doeth teache vs 2. Cor. 4. 6. 7. For GOD who coÌ„mannded the light to shine out of darknes is hee who hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of GOD in the face of Iesus Christ But we haue this treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellencie of that powre might bee of GOD and not of vs. 3 Paul giueth the Iewes his prerogatiue 3 To whom the oracles of the Lord are committed Rom. 3. 2. aboue the Gentiles that vnto them were committed the oracles of GOD. And it appéereth that certaine were publikely pronounced before all the people as the former oracle concerninge the causes and testimonies of blessing and cursing certaine were vttered to some certayne persons onely It séemeth that this oracle which was tolde Zerubabel was of this sorte who strining both publikely priuately with much griefe and sorow had néed of some singuler comfort And séeing that God doeth promise great good things as the giuing of the Messias the preaching of the Gospell the calling of the Gentiles the punishing of the worlde for striuing agaynst God Zerobabell and other the godlie néede not to doubt of the lesser good things as the restoring and preseruing of the countrie common wealth of the Iewes and of the beating downe of their enemies God who hath commaunded his seruants to giue to his housholde their portion of doctrine in due season as hee doth all thinges in time so doth hee fore-tell the same in due time Therefore the marueilous wisdome goodnes and prouidence of God appéereth both in the reuelation of his will and also in executing of the same God graunt that wée also may bee giuen all our life longe to sanctifie his name and to obey his holy will and pleasure Verse 22. 23. I will shake the heauen and the earth And I will ouer-throwe the throne of kingedomes and I will destroy the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen and I wil ouer-throw the chariots and those that ride in them and the horses they that ride on them shall come downe euery man with the sworde of his fellowe Shaking doth signifie as the Apostle doth interprete it the remoouinge of thinges which are
roumes of builders but knowe not how to lay one stone vpon an-other I speake of vnlearned ministers if it bee lawfull for mee to call them ministers whom I may more rightlie tearme Idoll sheepheards or if you wil Siphers in Augrim And manie there be also which know howe to build but they will not the worlde hath so ouer-taken them and their lasines is such which both are no small lets to the woorke And to bee briefe there is generallie amongst all a greater care to seeke their owne then the things which are Gods to preferre their owne cōmoditie before the Lords glory finally to seeke their owne ease rather thē the kingdome of God therefore is it that the Lords Temple is not builded and therefore is it that the Lordes plagues are in some measure vpon vs inflicted For let vs call to minde these latter yeeres and see if the Lord hath not scourged vs as he did some-times the Iewes And to gather their punishments into this abridgment that the Lord did not blesse the works of their hands how-soeuer they toyled and tooke great paines haue not we tasted of the like iudgmēt Let that generall dearth which laye and as yet doth lie vpon the whole Land witnesse for I will not stand to amplifie euery particular point for I hasten toward an ende If the punishments of the old people when wee onely heard thereof could not mooue vs to build the Temple of the Lord yet let them now enforce vs seeing wee taste thereof in some measure But now to come to your honour That especiall duetie which to your Lordship for many good causes Iowe hath caused mee to publishe these my labours vnder your honourable title and that not onely that it may bee a bush to shrowde them from euill tongues but that as they bee to your good Lordship presented so you may there-by bee mooued enforced incouraged to further the Lords building and to seeke the remoouing of these lets and hinderances which may stay the same And because right honorable it is no small help to the cōmon building for euerie one of what condition so-euer he bee priuately to erect in his owne family a Church vnto the Lorde as did that good Cornelius let mee with such reuerence and dutifulnes as I ought craue at your hands that you would proceede to consecrate your honors family to the Lorde in such sorte that it may with-in your priuate walls resemble the Lords Church And how-soeuer worldly respects may keepe you backe from this yet let that feare of the Lord which I know to be plāted in you and my very good Lady your wyfe ouer-come all these lets and hinderancances It is true liberty my Lord not to serue sinne it is true honor to honour and serue the Lord aright This therefore doe and no doubt the Lord will aduance you for hee hath promised to aduance those to honor which honor him Shake of therefore all those things which may hinder you in this course of godlines remooue all hinderances which may keepe you back call away your eyes from be-holding the vanities of this worlde whose shape must passe away make streight steps vnto the feare of the Lord consecrate your selfe to serue him halt not betwene the feare of the Lord and worldly vanity purge your house from all prophane persons such as was Esau so shall the Lords blessing bee vpon you so shall hee to honor aduance you and so shall you through faith in Christ raigne with Christ for euer and euer The Lord blesse your good honor and encrease in you the manifold blessings of his sacred spirit From my chamber in Southwarke this present xxj of Iuly 1586. Your honours much bounden and in the Lord at commaundement Christopher Fetherstone To the Reader THough good reader the aboundance and satiety of printed translated bookes hath in these daies bred in the mindes of many a certaine loathesomnes so that curious men with squinting eye and countenance disdainfull looke vpon other mens laboures thinking them to bee odlie how-soeuer not idlely occupied which imploy them-selues that way yet am I not ignorant that those paines which are bestowed about this doe profit manie if they bee well bestowed in thinges appertaining vnto godlines the explaning of the Scriptures for-asmuch as there bee manie which reade the woorde of God and all doe not vnderstand it neither can vnlesse they haue some to expound it vnto them Which because it can-not be done viua voce because there is too much want of that meanes they must haue it ex scripto My paines which I haue taken in this translation haue bene taken for thy sake Christian reader whose desire it is to reade other mens labors and there-by to profit that thou maist be instructed throughly to know the will of God who blesse thee in reading these learned Lectures which if with attentiuenes thou reade no doubt the profit thou shalt there-by reape shall be verie great Accept therefore my paines make thy profit there-of and pray for mee that the Lord will blesse my labours which I shall vnder-take for the profit of his Church Thine in the Lord Christopher Fetherstone ¶ TO THE EXCELLENT and right honorable Lord the lord Huldrich Fugger lord of Richberge and Weissenhorne the patron of the learned health MOST SWEETE is that saying of the sonne of GOD Christe Mat. 5. 4 Iesus our lord Blessed are they which mourne because they shall receiue cōfort For seeing that the calamitie of Ioseph that is of the miserable church of Christe being now oppressed with old-age and bewayling the most sorowfull fates of her warfare doth marueylouslie mooue the mindes of the godlie wee oughte all of vs most earnestlie to bethinke our selues what thinges may augment that huge sorrow and what may cure the same wee must also bring to light those remedies for these sorrowes to the profit of the godlie the which the spirite of Christe hath opened vnto euerie one of vs. It shal be therefore a pointe of equitie and humanity in the godlie to take in good parte those thinges which I shal speake both concerning the sorrowe of the church and of all the godly and also concerning the medicines and remedies whereby the same may be cured seeing that I set all thinges before the eyes of the godly to be examined according to the worde of God and would haue all thinges tried and examined but those good thinges onelie receiued which are correspondent and agreable vnto the straight rule of the holie scripture In this we are greatly deceiued that being too too much addicted vnto this world we do inuent greedelie desire to haue a diuorcement made betweene the gospell of Christe crucified and trouble and persecution and also in that wee thinke that wee are able with a weake faith to ouercome this worlde and those thinges which are therein We confesse that we must onelie glorie in the liuing and almightie God but
had foretold as touching the destruction of the Niniuites shall hee therefore be accompted in the number of the false Prophets An. I answere that the threatning of Ionas had the condition of repentaunce annexed thereunto which beeing fulfilled wée sée that there fell out nothing contrarie to the threatening There is therefore in this argument afallacy forasmuch as that which was spoken condicionally is here taken as if it had beene spoken simplie But all the godly do knowe what place Ionas is worthie to haue amongest the Prophetes of the Lorde so that there is no cause why wée should goe about to finde a fault where there is none to be found 4. To whome the Prophet Haggeus was sent HE was sent vnto Zerubabel the sonne of Salthiel the captaine of the Iewes and vnto 4. Lect. 23 oct 1579. Iehosua the sonne of Iehosadack the high Prieste Wée haue noted in this place two thinges First a personal description of two most notable men namely Zerubabel and Iosua and secondly the counsell of the holy Ghost which admonisheth vs of weightie matters Of Zerubabel 1 This worde Zerubabel doth signifie void of confusion as certayne doe affirme Philo doeth saye that hee was also called Barachias Forasmuch as thinges are signified by A position names it becommeth vs to be delighted in the most excellent names And such are those which doe resemble godlinesse and doe pricke men forwarde earnestly to followe the same 2 Zerubabel had for his father Salthiel His father which issued out of the most noble stocke of Dauid the King A position concerning Nobilitie It is only liberty with God not to serue sinne and it is onely nobilitie with God to excell in vertues * Hier. ad Celantiam 3 The office of Zerubabel was this he was His office the captaine of the Iewes who was also borne in the yeere of the worlde 3410. When he was but seauentéene yeare olde he brought a part of the Iewes backe from Babylon vnto Hierusalem He executed the office of a Captaine 58. yeeres He began to vse the ministerie of Haggeus the Prophet when hee was 30. yeeres of age The multitude haue néede to haue a captaine A position which will bée peaceable and prudent that hee may keepe these which are vnder him Plato lib. 1. de leg knit together with the bonde of friendship and that he may be carefull ouer them Of Iosua the high Priest THis word Iehosua doth signifie a Sauiour His name or Deliuerer Math. 1. 21. When the ministers are ioyned with Christ A position they are saide to saue themselues and others also 1. Tim. 4. 16. But when they are compared vnto him they are found to be nothing 1. Cor. 3. 7. 2 His fathers name was Iehosadac A His father most excellent name forasmuch as it doth signifie the Righteousnes of the Lorde A position Euen the princely Priesthoode of God doeth acknowledge no other cause of their saluation saâ—â— onely the righteousnes of God His office 3 Hée was the high priest of the Iewes Hée beganne to execute the office of the Priesthood in the yeere of the worlde 3428. and hee was chiefe Priest 36. yeeres Then being sent of a long ambassage vnto Darius the king of the Persians and sonne of Histaspes he continued therein eight yeeres which being ended hee became high priest againe for the space of twentie yeeres A position 1 Those which serued in the Priestes office and which doe nowe serue in the ministerie they doe not serue them-selues onely but the Church 2 The Priestes of the Iewes did take vpon them certayne ciuill offices but the ministers of the Church must onely bee occupied about the administration of the worde and Sacraments Of the drift and purpose of the holy Ghost TO th ende wee may shewe the drifte and meaning of the holy Ghost we will first of all reduce the argument vnto certayne positions then secondly we will handle in fewe words a briefe introduction concerning Christ Iesus 1 First God is the onely reformer of those A position misorders which are in the Church and common wealth Which thing is proued first by example The worde of the Lorde was by the hand of Haggeus â— Example ver 1. Whence we gather that this reformation of misorders was taken in hande God being the author thereof 2 Secondly it is proued by reason for God is not the aucthor of misorder but of order and decencie séeing that hee is both most wise and most good Let those therefore especially respect God and not man who are desirous all misorder being quite taken away to haue that good order which GOD hath appointed to bee put in place thereof that is which are desyrous to prouide for the profit and tranquillitie of all estates And here God bringeth to passe this reformation 2. Position by the meanes of others for the most parte vsing the ministerie of the Prophets and other fellowe labourers This is proued by authoritie The Lord doth 1. Authoritie nothing vnlesse hee shall reueale his secrete intent vnto his seruantes the Prophets If the lyon roare who shall not be affraide The most mightie God hath spoken who shal not prophesie Amos. 3. 7. 8. Secondly it is prooued by example The Lord made knowen his will concerning the building of the Temple by che hande of Haggeus the prophet c. God beginneth first to worke this reformation 3. Position in the heads that he may afterward reforme the members Reasons 1 For as the beginning of moouing procéedeth from the head so the health vertue and integritie of the superiours are not only an example vnto the inferioures but they are also a great commoditie and help vnto them 2 Furthermore such is the mutuall agréemeÌ„t of the head and the members that when as the head aketh all the rest of the members are out of frame when it aketh not all the other members are in better case For the head is not onely the place of vnderstanding reasoning and of memory but also the shop of all the Senses both internall and externall In like sorte ought those to excell in the giftes of the minde which are gouernours in the Church and common-wealth Whiles God doth worke this reformation he 4. Position doth not seperate those orders which are straitely lincked together I call the ecclesiasticall function and the ciuill function the orders which are lincked together the seminarie whereof is the good discipline kept in priuate houses God did adioyne vnto Moses Aaron to bee vnto him a helper when as the people of Israell was to bee brought out of Egypt Such fellowes in office were Zerubabel and Iehosua of whom our prophet doth here make mention God will haue the ciuill Magistrate to doe 5. Position that which appertaineth vnto his office and him which beareth an office in the Church to do that which belongeth vnto his office so that
either of them must doe that which is for him to doe The Syllogisme framed concerning the distributiue iustice is well worth the remembring Ma. It is certayne that wée haue no lesse néede of the thinges them-selues for life then of the degrees and offices which serue for the lawfull ordering thereof Mi. But wée haue néede of such things as doe appertaine vnto the sustentation of the life wée haue néede to be instructed concerning God and wée haue néede to be gouerned Con. Therefore the domesticall order the ecclesiasticall order and ciuill order are very necessary and least there should be a certaine barbarous confusion euery man must doe that only which vnto his function appertaineth Yet so that they doe alwaies remember that 6. Position they do worke together For like as all the powers which are in man do agrée together to work his safety so it becommeth all estates of Gods people to agrée together that there be no dissention in the fellowship of the saintes And God will haue them to geue place to mutuall 7. Position exhortation least anie shoulde waxe sluggish being discouraged with the tediousnes of troubles and vexations like as Zerubabell the captaine and Iehosua the priest were not discontented with those admonitions which were geuen them by the prophets ¶ An introduction OUr Lord Iesus Christ is in déede to be compared with all other For he is both the author of life and also an high priest after the order of Melchisadech alwaies liuing that he may make intercession for vs. Zerubabell and Iehosua were Types and figures of him For as they brought backe the Iewes into theâ— countrey so doth he bring vs into the celestialâ— countrey But wée shall speake els where morâ— at large of this matter 5. Lect. Nouem 2. 1579. Verse 2. THus saith the Lord God of hosts saying this people hath said The time is not yet come the time I say that the house of the Lord should be builded Although this be but a very short oration yet is it so full of matter that it is a most excellent example of the common prouerbe There is a grace adioyned vnto small thinges There is in the writinges of the prophets a peculiar and an holie kinde of breuitye concerninge which Gregorie Nazianzene saith finely in a certaine epistle That is not breuitie which is thought to bee breuitie namelie to write fewe syllables but to comprehend manie thinges in a fewe syllables But like as when we behold a precious-stone we vse to inquire of the place whence it came of the colour and price thereof so in this briefe oration let vs consider these eight pointes in order both for teaching and also for learnings sake 1. What kinde of cause beareth the greatest sway herein 2. In whose name it was made 3. Vnto whom it was chiefly directed 4. Who was the Witnes and Procurator which made the same 5. Of what maner speach it consisteth 6. What is the state thereof 7. Concerning what things it was made 8. What is the ende and vse of this whole oration 1. Of the kinde of cause THose orations doe appertaine vnto the iudiciall kinde of cause wherein are reprehended the vnrighteousnes and vngodlines of men and also both their publike and priuate faultes And in this speach though it bee but short is the people of the Iewes most sharplie reprehended both because they onelie sought after those things which doe appertaine vnto this life and also because they had no regarde of the heauenlie treasures and of the true worship of God It is greatlie to be feared that that complaint which the prophet here maketh of the people of the Iewes may be truely maâ—e of the greatest parte of men The matter it selfe doth testifie that the prophesie of Christe Iesus our Lord is fulfilled in our age As were the daies of Noah so shall also the comming of the sonne of Mat. 24. 37. 38. 39. man bee For as in the daies which were before the floode they eate they dranke they maried wiues and were geuen in mariage vntill that daie wherein Noah entred into the Arke neither knewe they the floode vntill it came and tooke them all awaie so shall the comming of the sonne of man bee 2. In whose name this oration was made THese thinges were published in the name of the Lord of hostes Wée haue spoken at large els where of this word * Iehouah Therefore wee will in this Iehouah place only speake a worde or two by way of distinction for the yonger sorts sake The word Iehouah doth properlie betoken the eternall essence * Yet such an essence as Exod. 3. 14. procéedeth not from any other from which procéede all thinges and which ruleth all thinges Therefore it agréeth vnto no creature no not vnto the humane nature which is in Christe And it is vsed likeas also this woorde Lorde sometimes essentially sometime personallie Neither is it restrayned vnto the person of the father onely In a diuerse respect Iehouah or the Lord is is not the father of the Word He is in respect of his person hee is not in respect of his essence For the Word is called and is the sonne of the father not of the essence But let vs come vnto the matter it selfe If at any time God himselfe be said to reprehend the workes of men let vs call to minde these most weightie Aphorismes First concerninge the presence of God The Lorde looketh downe from heauen he beholdeth all the sonnes of Psalm 132. 13. Gen. 11. 18. men * GOD is a beholder who inquireth most diligentlie after the life and workes of men * Secondly concerning the iudgement of God The Lord doth iudge the people * Psalm 7. 9. And althoughe hee doe sometimes deferre his iudgements neuerthelesse hee doth execute the same in their time The heathen men also learned this by experience whereupon this prouerbe did rise The Gods haue wollen feete Thirdlie concerning the wrath of God The wrath of God is reuealed from heaueÌ„ against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men which with-holde the truth in vnrighteousnes * Publike punishmeÌ„ts as plague famine Rom. 1. 18. warre are testimonyes of Gods wrath against the sinnes of men In like sorte priuate euils as blindnes of heart a reprobate minde coÌ„tempt and despising of the truth labour spent in vayne in studdy in other businesses These and such like testimonies of Gods curse are like sermons which the Lord maketh from heauen vnto vs that hée may bring vs vnto the knowledge and féeling of our sinnes God graunt that wee beholding the woorkes of the Lorde may not bée swallowed vp with sorrow but that féeling the hand of the Lorde wee may humble our selues vnder his mightie hand and bring forth fruites worthie of repentance so that those suffringes which are vnto vs nothing pleasaunt may bée made vnto vs wholesome instructions according to the saying Before I was humbled I did goe astraie but now
to the flesh of Christ vniuersall presence Therefore they doe affirme that the fleshe of Christ was eternall and without beginning 4 The proofe of the maior What thinges soeuer can not be seperated from their subiect and nature these thinges also cannot bee seperated one from another But to be in all places at once and eternitie with-out beginning cannot bee seperated from the diuine essence for they are not accidentes but the essence it selfe Therefore they cannot bee seperated one from another Therefore if the fleshe of Christ bee euery where really it is also from euerlasting 5 I prooue the maior thus For if one thinge haue many properties if one of them bée in any nature the rest shall also be in it But if as they falsly suppose vniuersall presence bée in the fleshe of Christ Therefore shall also eternitie the greatest simplicitie and other adiuncts of the God-heade be actuallie in the fleshe of Christ Which euery man of sounde iudgment dooth sée to be false I will adde in stéede of a conclusion Paul his exposition vpon the oracle of the comming of the desire of all the Gentiles Iesus Christe being in the forme of GOD thought it no robberie to bee equall with GOD. But he made him-selfe of no reputation takinge to him the shape of a seruaunt and was made like vnto men and was founde in his apparell as a man he humbled him-selfe being made obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 6. 7. 8. Hée which was longe looked for came when-as the Woord was made fleshe Iohn 1. The forme of GOD doth signifie in this place the diuine nature as Basil taught godlily whose woordes are these That which is in the forme GOD is in the substance of GOD for the forme of GOD is not one thinge and the substance an other being not compounde hee therefore which is equall accordinge to the forme hee is equall according to the substance Basil reasoneth thus by reducing his argument vnto that which is vnpossible If in the person of the Woorde the forme of God were one thinge and the essence of God another thinge then were God compounded and not simple but the consequent is absurde therefore is the antecedent absurde also Nowe seeing that the forme of a seruaunt is set against the forme of God what man is hee that is well in his wittes that doth doubt that it doth signifie the humane nature Moreouer Paul calleth it the similitude of men and that hee was founde in apparell as a man Neither did that glory which was annexed vnto the humane nature take from it the truth and properties of nature as Augustine taught very well Further-more in the blessed life we shal be as angels not in respect of substance but of the qualities 1. Cor. 15. 39 Lect. 15 April Why is the Messias called the desire THis did Christ expounde Luke 10. 23. 24. Blessed are the eyes which see those things which you see For I say vnto you that manie prophets and kinges haue desired to see those thinges which you see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which you heare and haue not heard them Obiect Haue not therefore the holy prophets and kinges séene and hearde Christe I reason thus Abraham reioysed to sée Christ his daie and hee sawe it and reioysed Ioh. 8. 56. Therefore that his assertion is false Luk. 10. 24. Ans I deny the consequent and my reason is this because in this obiection there is ignoratio elenchi ignorance of an argument For these are not spoken both concerninge one thinge The saying of Christe in Iohn intreateth of the faith in Christ which is common to all the elect whereby Abraham and his true sonnes are said to sée Christ But in these woordes which are in Luke hee speaketh of the measure and degrées of light and of faith in some respect to declare the difference which is betwéene the two Testamentes which is fet from the measure of the reuelation Qu. But for what cause is hee said to bee desired Answere The cause is set downe in these words of the Prophet and the Apostle Isa 61. 1. 2. 3. The spirit of the Lord vpon mee because the Lorde hath annoynted mee to preache glad tydinges vnto the meeke hath hee sent me to binde vp the broken in heart to preach libertie to the prisoners and opening of the pryson vnto those which are bounde To preach the acceptable yeere of the Lorde and the day of vengeance of our God to comforte all that mourne To appoint vnto them that mourne in Sion and to giue to them for ashes oyle of gladnesse for mourning the garment of gladnes for the spirite of heauines c. Ioh. 11. 25. I am the resurrection and the life c. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Iesus Christ is made vnto vs of God wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption c. Therefore I reason thus from these benefites which wee haue by Iesus Christ Hée is rightly saide to be desired which is sight to the blind life to the deade resurrection to them which lye in the dust of the earth the right way to them which wander and are out of the way wisedome to the foolish righteousnes to the giltie sanctification to the vncleane and prophane redemption to the prysoners But Iesus Christ our Prophet our king and mediator is and doeth all these thinges for vs and many moe Therefore hee is rightlie sayde to bee desyred 3 But whie is hee called the desire of all the Gentiles Ob. Some man will perhaps reason on the contrarie thus No man is desirous of that which hee knoweth not The promise of the comming of the Messias was vnknowen to the Gentiles but the Iewes knewe it full well Therefore the Messias ought to bee called the desire of the Iewes and not of the Gentiles I aunswere confitendo by confessing Although the promise concerning the sending of the Messias was not so much beaten into the heades of the Gentiles as of the Iewes yet is Christ rightly tearmed the desire of the Gentils because hee was to bee sent euen for their sakes also that he might deliuer them out of the power of darkenes And why mast thou not confesse y◠hee is rightly called thy desire which was as they say the heade and the helme But I reason thus Seeing that God is the redeemer onely in Iesus Christ Christ is rightly called their desire whose God that is redemer is the Lord. But the Lorde is the God not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles Rom. 3. Surely of the Gentiles also Therefore I conclude that the Lorde Iesus is the desire aswell of the Gentiles as of the Iewes I prooue the maior For they whose God is the Lorde are not onely perswaded that Christ hath created them but also that hee is their redeemer As by faith they perceyue that the worlde was made by the worde of God so beeing iustified by faith they confesse
the poore if other helpes doe fayle then that the sacralegious enemie shoulde carrie it away Shall not the Lorde say why hast thou suffered so manie poore people to starue And yet thou haddest gold to buy them foode withall Why were so manie prisoners ledde into captiuitie and not redeemed Why were they slayne It had beene better for thee to haue saued the vessells of the liuing then of metals To this purpose serueth the 17. Law in the booke Lib. 1. Tit. 5. l. Sancimus If need shall require in redeeming of prisoners then wee doe graunt licence both to sell the foresaide thinges and also to lay them to gage forasmuch as it is no absurde thing to preferre the soules of men before all matters vessels and garmentes 6 These wordes of Ambrose doe teach vs what answere we ought to make to those men which crie out that the sacraments are dispoiled of their dignitie if golden vessels siluer vessels be not vsed in the administration thereof I was affraid wouldst thou say least the Temple of God want his furniture He would answere The Sacramentes doe not require gold neither doe these thinges please in golde which are not bought with gold The ornament of the Sacramentes is the redemption of prisoners And these are precious vessels indeed which redeeme the soules from death c. in the same Chapter 7 Therefore if wee doe vse in our Churches vessels of golde and siluer in the administration of the Lordes supper yet let vs vse them without all boasting and opinion of the necessitie and price of the matter thereof Neither let vs so deale that that Ecclesiasticall adage may bee verified in vs. In times past there were golden Priestes and wooden vessels but nowe there bee wooden priestes and golden vessels 8 Neither let vs condemne nor finde faulte with the reformed Churches in the number whereof is the Tigurine Church which doe imitate the thriftines and simplicitie of the primitiue Church doe vse wooden vessels yet such as are clenly and fit for the purpose For if wee thinke that the Lords supper cannot be decently ministred vnlesse wee vse vessels of gold and syluer why are wee not also desirous to haue fontes and lauers of gold and syluer Vnlesse peraduenture wee thinke that we ought to make more accompt of the Lordes supper and of the administration thereof then of Baptisme which is the Lauer of our regeneration 43. Lect. Aprill 29. Verse 10. The glorie of this latter house shall bee greater then the glorie of the former sayth the Lorde God of hostes and in this place will I giue peace sayth the Lorde GOD of hostes 7 Argument drawen from the comparing of the first Temple and the seconde together THat Temple is to be builded with all readinesses and diligence whose glorie shall bee greter thē was the glorie of that first house builded by Salomon the king For there is no cause why any man shoulde obiect that it will bee but base and of no price and estimation But the glorie of this seconde Temple will bee greater then the glory of the first as the Lorde himselfe doth testifie Of the vnlooked for woorkes of God It is sayde in the holy Scriptures that God doeth oftentimes bring to passe wonderfull thinges both because in rewarding of godlines ordinarily and punishing of vngodlines hee setteth vppe the méeke and pulleth downe the prowde and also because hee restoreth thinges which are almost quite gone to decay contrary to all mens expectation and those men which séeme most of all to florishe doeth hee in his his iust iudgement throwe downe to the grounde Psal 75. 6. 7. Promotion commeth neyther from the east nor from the west nor yet from the wildernesse For God is the gouernour hee bringeth lowe and hee exalteth The meditating vppon these workes of God ought to nourish and kindle in vs feare of God and the hope of hauing these miseries mitigated wherewith wee are oppressed The Iewes thought in times past that it coulde neuer come to passe that the latter temple shoulde bee corespondent to the former in any poynt Neyther was there any other cause frō which this imagination did spring saue this because they did looke vnto thēselues and vnto the smal wealth of the Iewish people and not vnto God But the Prophet in the name of the Lord God of hostes telleth the Iewes of litle faith a thing that they litle loked for namely that the glory of this temple would be greater then euer was the glory of the first Temple And howe often are wee brought to the passe in time of aduersitie wherevnto Dauid doth confesse him-selfe to haue bene brought Psal 31. 22. But I saide in my hast I am cast out from the sight of thine eyes not-withstanding thou hast heard the voice of my praier whilest I cried vnto thee Let vs therefore endure and so much as wee are able let vs saue our selues in time of prosperitie The Church of GOD in Germany is marueilously troubled in these our dayes that by the counsels and endeuours of these men which had rather bee Lordes ouer Gods Heritage and enforce all other men to receiue their doctrine then to bée examples vnto the flocke But let vs valiantly beare the vniust preiudices 1. Pet. 5. ◠excommunications of these princely Potentates and looking vnto the iudgmēts of God whereof hee often sheweth manifest tokens let vs waite for the mitigation of these euills For God is faithfull and hee will not suffer vs to bée tempted aboue that which wee are able to beare Hée neither slumbreth nor sléepeth which kéepeth Israell Therefore to him alone let vs commit the Church and all our selues also 8 Argumēt drawen from the plenty of peace and of the giftes of the holy ghost And in this place will I giue peace saith the Lord God of hostes Vnder the woorde peace hée comprehendeth by Synecdoche all manner of spirituall giftes For the Iewes did not enioy earthly peace longe and the second Temple was often-times spoyled and at length was it set on fire and ouerthrowen But the prophet Haggeus reasoneth thus God will giue peace in this Temple hee will cause the gospell to bée preached hee will powre out the spirit of grace and of praiers Wherefore you must apply the holy woorke that you may obey your chiefest good thinge the Lord your God commaunding you to builde this second Temple Obiect The Lord Iesus saith The houre commeth when-as yee shall neither in this mountayne neyther at Hierusalem worshipp the Father Therefore God did not geue peace Iohn 4. 21. in that place For doubtles there can no peace be giuen with-out praier faith and other gifts Ans I denie the consequent and my reason is this because there is ignoratio elenchi ignorance of an argument For these sayings are not vttered both concerning one time God gaue peace in that place in that hee preserued and enriched wonderfully with the plenty of the gifts of
Sacrament of the bodie of Christ and therefore is the breade called the bodie of Christ by Metonymia hee which eateth this breade eateth the bodie of Christ sacramentallie To the end the yonger sort may vnderstand these thinges I say that the bodie of Christ is called his bodie sometimes properly sometimes metonymically As the bodie of Christ as it is called his bodie properly is giuen to be eaten of vs truly and spiritually so is it receyued of vs truely and spirituallie But the body of Christ as it is called the bodie metonymically that is the Lords bread if you respect the same as it is breade is eaten naturally and if you respecte it as it is the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ hee which eateth this bread eateth the bodie of Christ sacramentally But let it suffice to haue spoken thus much by the way For euen three wordes are sufficient in a good cause God graunt that all thinges may serue to his glorie and our instruction 45. Lect. Aprill 29. A declaration of the partes of the oracle concerning the censure of the religion and of life the Iewish people IF as Galene doeth thinke the Phisitions ought to behaue themselues in the cutting vp of the brayne as in a temple where the holy ceremonies are done decently orderly much more ought they which studie the holy Scriptures with great reuerence rightlie to cut in péeces and diuide the worde of trueth in the schoole of the holy Ghost Therefore I beséech the eternall GOD to sanctifie vs by his trueth and to giue vs grace so to enter into the secret corners of this oracle that we may thence gather and bring such thinges as may serue to the sanctifying of Gods holy name and our own saluation Moreouer if euery thing which is set in order be comelie as sayth Augustin then is the declaration of this oracle most comelie forasmuch as it is set in very good order Which we intend now to declare vsing a diuisiue instrument The partes of the Oracle are two in number a parable and an exhortation The partes of the argument wherein the Prophet proueth that the Iewes and their administratiō did displease God because they were vncleane are thus disposed 1 It contayneth an exordium concerning the persous which were their owne iudges verse 12. 2 The first probleme or harde question concerning thinges which did not sanctifie and the exposition thereof consisting vppon a denyall verse 13. 3 The seconde probleme concerning these thinges which make a man vncleane and an affirmatiue exposition thereof verse 14. 4 The applying of the former parabolicall problemes vnto the Prophets purpose Wherin he teacheth that both the people of the Iewes and also all their worshippe which they did to God so long as the Temple was vnbuilt was vncleane for this cause was not acceptable in the sight of God ver 15. And we see that in all these there is a preuenting of an obiection which is this As if our sacrifices Sacramentes holie dayes and all our ceremonies which God hath appointed coulde displease the Lord the Temple beeing yet not built so that for their sakes wee must needes builde the Temple least God doe not allowe of them The Prophete aunswereth that all these thinges were prophane and not acceptable in the sight of God because that neglecting the temple which God woulde haue builded they woulde rather purchase and demerite his fauour by their ceremonies The exhortation The other part of the oracle consisting vpon an exhortation vnto a more narrowe consideration of the life dependeth vpon the former part and may be thus deuided 1 First it containeth a rehearsall of the former life and of those euils whereunto it was subiect and of the principall causes thereof For it becometh the godly to profite vnder the fatherly correction and chasticement of God and hereunto doeth the remembraunce and consideration of euils that are past not a litle auaile That they were punished it appeareth in the 16. vers The cause why they were punished is set downe verse 18. The Lord sayth hee smote the Iewes and he reproueth them because they did not repent 2 Secondly it comprehendeth a promise of a blessing which God will send vppon the Iewes after they haue taken in hande the building of the Temple In this place we will note two circumstances the one concerning the time the other concerning the persons for the Prophete declareth who will blesse and whome hee will blesse verse 19. 20. All these thinges tende to this end that we may knowe that all those are accursed which buste themselues so in holy ciuill and housholde affaires that they haue no regarde of the glorie of God and the edifying of his Church and that they are blessed which doe so administer holie things and thinges appertayning to this life that before all thinges they giue vnto God the thinges which are his and bende all their might to the building vp of the Church Ver. 12. Thus sayeth the Lorde of hostes aske now the priestes the Lawe The meaning of these wordes is this Propounde vnto the priestes which professe that they are leaders of the blinde a light to those Rom. 2. 19. 20. which are in darkenes teachers of the vnlearned maisters of infants bycause they haue a forme of knowledge and trueth in the Lawe such questions as are not contrarie to their profession but are questions of the Lawe and such as are proper to their profession c. 1. In this place we will note that when as the corruptions of religion are to be redressed wée must first begin at those which are teachers in the Church and not at those which are learners For vnlesse the teachers be brought into the way of truth the blinde shall lead the blinde 2. And when as their errors are to be conuinced we must vse a religious kinde of zeale and wisedome that they themselues condemninge themselues may giue glory to God and yeelde to the trueth For if the teachers be conuinced of error and do suffer themselues to be brought backe againe into the way of trueth the hearers will be easelie brought to the same 3. It is the duety of those which are teachers in the Church to answeare discreatlie when any question is asked them concerning the Law according to that saying The lippes of the priestes shall keepe knowledge and they shal require the law at his mouth because he is the messenger of the Lord. Let vs also thinke that this is spoken to vs which are students in diuinitie and are bounde to giue an accompt of our faith when it is demaunded of vs and let vs get to our selues the most excellent knnwledge of heauenly thinges both by studdie and also by prayer There is a mery iest of Cicero extant which he vsed toward Pompilius who would seeme to be a Lawyer when as he was altogether ignorant of the lawe For being called to be a witnes in a matter he answered Cicero that he knewe
Cor. 11. 37. Secondly by a distinction of afflictions wherof some are sent for the punishing of men some for to trie them The godly being chastened both wayes are made better The Infidels when they are punished of the Lord they are angrie they rage they murmure against the iudgments of God Thirdly they onely profite by the Lords gentle correction whome the Lorde endâ—weth with the gift of repentaunce But as Moyses proueth by the example of many of the Isralites GOD doeth not giue vnto all men an heart to vnderstande eyes to sée eares to heare Lastlie Deut. 29. 4. Esayas proueth the same thinge by the example of the people of the Iewes cap. 9. 13. And the people returned not vnto him that smote theÌ„ neither haue they sought the Lord of hostes Ob. Therefore they which doe not repent are to be excused seeing they cannot haue the gift of repentaunce Ans I denie the consequent because here is a fallacie in that that is assigned to be a cause which is no cause For the cause of impenitencie is vnbeléefe which is grafted in the naturall man And Oecolampadius saieth well That where there is want of fayth there is also impenitencie and want of good workes In stéed of an epiloge I will adde certayne excellent sayings of the fathers which serue somewhat for this purpose Augustine intreating of blasphemie against the holy ghost concludeth Therfore this impenitencie for so may we after a sorte call by some one name both Blasphemie and the worde against the hole Ghost is vnpardoned for euer Thereby we gather that there is one kinde of impenitencie which is vnpardonable and another which is pardonable And the reason of this diuersitie is fet from the knowledge and ignorance of those which doo offend The same Augustine in his 7. sermon of time sayeth Whilest that the wicked are brydeled the licentiousnesse of their sinnes is restrayned For oftentimes the wicked are reformed by stripes if the exhortations of the iust doe profite nothing Punishment doth oftentimes keepe backe men from damnable factes whom the benefites of God can not keepe in good workes Cyprian As a good maister bestoweth a good almes by the ministerie of an euill seruaunt So also the mercifull Lorde will call vnto repentaunce one by meanes of another although he be an vnpenitent person Thus much did the holie Martyr moste truely say of reaping fruite by the impenitencie of other men Chrysostome doth by a metaphore testifie that the deferring of repentaunce doth bringe forth impenitencie Hom. 9. If saith he we shal proceed to neglect a flame which is kindled we build a fire against our selues which wee cannot extinguish for euen in wickednesse it commeth to passe c. 54. Lect. 27. Iune 1580. Verse 19. 20. Set your heart from this day and vpwarde I say from the fower and twentith day of the nynth moneth that is from the day wherein the foundation of the Temple was layde set your heart Is there as yet seede in the barne Furthermore the figge tree and the Pomegranate and the olyue tree haue not as yet brought fourth fruite froÌ„ this day will I blesse you The argument SYnce that time wherein setting a-part your worldly busines you laide the foundation of the Temple hath the Lorde blessed you c. The positions which are to be noted in this place 1 Likeas a curse doeth ensue too much carefulnes for earthly thinges so the blessing of the Lorde doeth accompanie the desire of heauenly thinges 2 For as the Lord doth worthely dispise those which contemne him so doth hee neuer for-sake those which loue him 3 Hée wilt haue the promises of this life of life euerlasting to be answerable vnto godlines which is profitable vnto all thinges 4 This thinge is so certaine that the time of the blessing agreeth euen with the time of the conuersion as Haggeus teacheth vs in this place 5 Further-more the scarsitie and infirmitie of the second causes are no let or hinderance to the bountifulnes and powre of the first and principall cause Of the blessing of God 1 The signification of the blessing of God The blessing of God which is called in Hebrue BERICHA in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth in this place the bountifull dispensation or bestowing of the benefits of God which who-soeuer doo enioy they are called The blessed of the Father Mat. 25. 34. 2 Wée gather first of all by the blessing which was promised to Abraham and his séede that God doth blesse vs by bestowing vpon vs his benefits aboundantly Secondly wee gather this by the generall experience of all the saintes according to these sayings I will make thee great and I will blesse thee make thy name great and thou shalt bee a blessinge And againe Therefore they which are of faith Gen. 12. 2. are blessed with faithfull Abraham Gal. 3. 9. 2 Whether it â—ee And wee doe in verie deede trie that so often as wee descend into our selues God doth also blesse vs and that many waies as that which followeth shall declare 3 It is certaine that God doth blesse vs by 3 What it is bestowing his benefits vppon vs. And hee bestoweth his benefits vpon vs when hee giueth vs hability to increase and when hee adorneth furnisheth vs most aboundantly with all maner of commodities Therefore wee say that the blessing of God is a participation of yâ— gifts of God which serueth both to the glorie of God also to our owne health or that it is an effectuall dispensation of good thinges which serue both for this naturall life also for the spirituall life 4 As the spirit is set against the body so is 4 How manie â—ites of Gods â—essings there â—e the spirituall blessing both set against the corporall blessing and also preferred before the same Paul séemeth to note these kindes Eph. 1. 3. Hee hath blessed vs with all manner of spirituall blessings in the heauens in Christ The same Paul also speaketh briefly of the earthly blessing Act. 17. 28. By him wee liue mooue and haue our being Our election and adoption our calling and iustification ouâ— sanctification and all spirituall giftes must bee referred vnto the spirituall blessing But vnto the corporall blessinge must wee referre all the helps of this naturall life which wée call things seruing to the sustentation of this life 5 The principall efficient cause of both these 5 Why it is Iam. 1. 17. blessinges is God from whom commeth euery good and perfect gift If you respect the matter wherein or the blessed all men are not of like estate The earthly blessing is most times bestowed vpon the children of this worlde Luk. 16. 25. Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and like-wise Lazarus paines But they neuer haue the spirituall blessing giuen them vnlesse for a season they taste of certayne gifts as the examples of Saule and Iudas doo testifie The children of God
which must be referred vnto th' office of his priest-hoode and Mediatorship and not vnto his princely authority There is also some ambiguitie in this phrase to deliuer vp the kingdome which in this place doth not signifie to put away and lay away the princely person and dignity but to approoue the office of mediation and intercession which Christ hath most faithfullie executed as hee shall manifestly declare 57. Lect. Aug. 15. 1580. Verse 24. In that day saith the Lord of hostes will I take thee O Zerubabell my seruaunt the sonne of Sealthiel saith the Lord I wil make thee as a signet because I haue chosen thee saith the Lord of hostes FOr instructions sake wee will handle in this oracle which is last in order not in excellencie of the mystery three things first what accompt we ought to make of this oracle sccōdly what we must thinke of the figure historie there-of thirdly what is the truth of this oracle I will intreat of the first pointe syllogisticallie The oracles which with-out al doubt doo come from God th' author there-of must be accompted most holy for God can-not lye Tit. 1. 2. Further-more his truth is the foundation of our faith for which cause Paul calleth faith periphraftically the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. But this oracle came from God for our prophet affirmeth thrise in this one verse that the Lorde of hostes spake it 1 We will here note first y◠the word who was partaker of y◠eternity of the father is the fountaine from whēce doo spring these oracles which God would haue to be declared to the fathers 2 Secondly that the holy sermons which cōtaine the interpretation of the oracles of God are most of all commended for the sanctifying of the name of God Therefore I conclude that thauthority of this oracle is holie The considering here-vpon serueth both for our instruction because if we be wise we learne nothing but that which God doth allow of and also for our consolation for our conscience cannot be quiet vnlesse it be certainely persuaded of the fauour of God Of the second thing namely of the figure and of the history there-of In this part wée must obserue two things A briefe discription of a person a most swéete promise where-by God did make glad the heauy heart of Zerubabell Of the discription of the person there be three members his name his father his adiunct where-of we will speake in order 1 His name was Zerubabell where-of we His name haue often-times spoken before Here let vs note thus much the God doth some-times speake vnto by name the whole Church company of his elect that most kindly as for example Esa 45. 1. Feare not because I haue redeemed thee I haue called thy name thou art my people Some-times hee speaketh vnto some one of the faithfull particularly * His sheepe heare his voice and hee calleth his sheepe by name hee leadeth them out Let vs therefore heare the voice of Christ Iesus who speaketh in vs by his holy spirit let vs receiue the same with a pure heart let vs reioice in heart that we haue this testimony of Gods fauour towarde vs. 2 His father was Sealthiel Wée will not His father stande about this man whose history all men know which study the holy scriptures as they ought Wee will rather vse that admonition which the Apostle setteth downe Heb. 12. 9. If we haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs we gaue them reuerence shall we not much more be in subiection to the father of spirits and we shall liue For they verely for a fewe daies chastened vs after their owne pleasure but hee chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holines Therefore let vs loue and feare with all our heart this father let vs readely and sincerely obey him and séeing that hee is our treasure let vs sanctifie his name 3 The adiunct My seruant Magistrates are the 3 The adiunct seruants of God first because they haue God to be their Lord and to rule them who is blessed and prince onely the king of kings and Lord of Lordes Therefore Princes do offend most gréeuouslie 1. Tim. 6. 15. when they doe not remember that they are men but thinke that they are equall with Psalm 9. 1◠God As it is said of the king of Tyre Eze. 28. 2. Beccause thine harte is exalted and thou hast saide I am God I haue fit in the seate of God in the middest of the Seas yet thou art but a man and not God and thou hast set thine harte as the harte of God c. Secondly because they must serue by his counsell Act. 13. 36. For Dauid when he had serued his time by the counsell of God he slept Psal 2. 11. Serue the Lord in feare and reioyce vnto him with reuerence Therefore if you respect God and his commaundements princes are neither frée frō making an accompt nor yet from lawes And let vs also remember that we also are made the seruauntes of God through his grace who hath called vs vnto the fellowship of the saintes and that most happilie for our parte séeing that we haue néede of such a Lorde as may cherishe and defend vs vnder the shadowe of his winges and leade vs into all trueth by his holie spirite Let vs therefore feare him and loue our fellow seruants and liuing wisely in the perfect way let vs bestowe the talant committed vnto vs by God well that when as we shall hereafter giue an accompt of our factorshippe and ministerie vnto the Lord we may heare that amiable voyce Well done good seruant thou hast bene faithfull ouer few things therefore shalt thou be appoynted ouer many thinges enter into the ioye of thy Lord. Mat. 25. Lect. 58. Aug. 15. The promise which was a medicine for sorrowe WHen as Zerubabell through the difficultie of the times was very sad sorrowfull God Greg. Wee shal easely bee comforted if amiddest the stripes which we suffer wee call to minde the faults which we haue done cheared him vp with this promise I will take thee vp I will set thee as a signet because I haue chosen thee sayth the Lord of hosts We will handle this promise according to the causes thereof 1 The forme of the benefite is ciuill authoritie wherein the gouernours must excell euen against their enimies will whereof Zerubabell had great store I will take thee vp that is I will lift thée vp and exalt thée The like thing is said of Dauid Psal 78. 70. He chose his seruaunt Dauid he tooke him from the sheepefoldes 1. Sam. 16. For Dauid was called e caula in aulam from the shéepe coates to the courte vnto the office of a prince Thou shalt be my signet that is most deare and in great estimation as pretious stones and signets vse to be Furthermore what thinges soeuer thou
Leuiticall and Ceremoniall worship which was a parte of the Discipline of the lawe to bee done orderlie and decentlie in the Temple at Hierusalem Of the Tabernacle of the Couenaunt it is said And they shall make mee a Tabernacle that I maie dwell in the Exo. 25. 8. middest of them 4 Furthermore equitie it selfe doth teach Equitie vs that wée oughte as well to appoynte a place a time and other necessaries for the holie publike administration as for our owne busines laboure rest foode and ryches Thererefore as wée are woonte to saye A friendes house is the best house So let vs saye with Dauid I was glad for them which sayd to mee wee will goe into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122. 1. 5 More-ouer the Couenaunt which God Couenaunt had made with the Israelites did import thus much that they should both goe vnto the Temple at the appoynted seasons and also that euen when they were in Exile they shoulde make their prayers turning their faces towardes the Temple Agayne GOD would haue the Messias to teach in the second Temple therefore they coulde not neglect the restoringe thereof without committinge a most grieuous crime 8. The ende and vse of this oration 1 FIrst it is the office of the Magistrate and Ministers with all their might to endeuour that the Temple of the lord may bée builded that is to say that true doctrine may bée taught and all the holy rites and ceremonies maye bée done rightly and orderlie 2 Secondely wée must take héede that wée doe not become like vnto these of whom our Apostle speaketh* For all men seeke Philip. 2. 21. the thinges which are their owne and not the thinges which are Christ Iesus his Philip 2. 21. 3 Thirdly wée must beware of that kinde of confusion which chaungeth the order appoynted by GOD and maketh a man to preferre priuate affaires before publike affaires households affaires before Ecclesiasticall affaires prophane thinges before holy things corporall things before spirituall things earthly thinges before heauenly thinges thinges temporall before thinges eternall and finally him-selfe before God 4 Fourthly let vs remember that wée are the dwellinge place of God in the spirit* Ephe. 2. 22. But wée shall speake hereof more at large in that which followeth 8. Lect. Nouemb. 16. 1579. Verse 3. Therefore the worde of the Lorde was in the hand of Haggeus that hee might say Of the dispensation of the oracles of God TO the ende the studious youth may sée that in the bookes of the prophets Apostles euery litle verse is repleanished with most wholesome doctrine and also with great store thereof wée will nowe speake somewhat as touchinge the dispensation of the oracles of GOD but yet by way of position and hauing respect vnto the time 1. Position The prophets doe call the Oracles of GOD Adauerim the Apostles doe call them Liuely speeches The Grecians doe call these oracles Rom. 3. 2. Act. 7. 38. which were vttered in prose Logia and these which were geuen in verse Chresmous Of the principall efficient cause they are called the Oracles of GOD and of the force and efficacie they are called liuelie wordes For the worde of God is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword* Hee hath made my mouth as a sharp two edged sword Esa 49. 2. These thinges doe chieflie concerne the will 2. Position of God Some men do verie godlily deuide the will of God into that which is hidden from vs and that which is reuealed vnto vs and whereof the annoynting of the holie spirit doth testifie Vnto the hidden will of God doe appertayne these curious and loftie questions Why all men are not elected in Christ Why the gift of faith is not common vnto all men Why God loued Iacob and hated Esau And such like whereof we ought not curiously to enquire For it is impietie to séeke out any other cause then the will of God But as for the reuealed will of God it standeth vs vpon to séeke out the same through faith both to the glorie of God and also to our owne edification For it is not modestie but impious sluggishnesse to bee vnwilling to knowe these thinges which God doeth vouchsafe to reueale That saying of Theodoret is worthie of rehearsing Wee must not curiousle search after hidden thinges but wee must loue these thinges which are written which are meete for vs. 3. Position And wée cannot certaynely knowe this reuealed will of God vnlesse GOD doe speake vnto vs. GOD is saide to speake fower manner of wayes Sometimes by discerning and commaunding As God saide Let there be light* Sometimes by making others partakers of his purpose As Let vs make man according to Gen. 1. 3. our owne similitude and likenesse * And agayne Gen. 11. 7. Exod. 20. 18. Deut. 18. 16. Goe to let vs goe downe and confounde there their language * Sometimes hee is sayde to speake with a voyce from heauen * Sometimes he is saide to speake familierly face to face which is a testimonie of the Ge. 12. 15. 17. 18 presence of his grace Therefore God doeth speake vnto vs but yet either without meanes or by some other 4. Position meanes Hee spake in his owne person in times paste vnto Adam Noah Abraham and such like Yet certaine it is that no man was able to heare God speake vnto him without beeing horribly astonyed and without casting downe to the grounde And therefore the heartes of the godly had néed to bée vnderpropped and strengthened as the examples of Moyses Daniel Esay and many moe do testifie Forasmuch as God doeth speake vnto vs in the person of others it standeth vs vppon to make great accompt of the holy ministerie which hée vseth according to these sayings Hee that Luke 10. 16. heareth you heareth me And agayne Who is Paul or who is Apollos but ministers by whome you haue beleeued and as the Lorde hath giuen to euerie man * And agayne 1 Cor. 3. 5. We together are Gods labourers And again Ibid. 6 Heb. 13. 17. Obey your guides and submit your selues And although the oracles of God be committed vnto all the Church yet hath hee of credite 6. Position giuen the interpretation thereof vnto the teachers particularly 1. Cor. 14. 29. Let two or three of the Prophets speake and let the other iudge * In this precept Paul sheweth that the teachers and learners are two distinct orders And that the oracles of the liuing God do appertaine and are giuen vnto the Church it appeareth by these sayings Deu. 4. 8. And what nation is there so great which hath statutes and iudgements so iust as is this whole Law which I giue before you this day Psal 76. 6. God is well knowen in Iehuda c. Rom. 3. 2. For that is a principall thing that vnto them the oracles of God are of credite giuen Seing that these words Ipse dixit
the Lord hath sayde it are annexed vnto the oracles of God there is no cause why they shoulde loose any whit of their authority because of the ministers The worde which we receyued of God which ye haue hearde of vs haue ye receyued not as the word of men but as it is indeed as the worde of God which also worketh in you which beleeue 1. Thes 2. 13. Therefore these men doe greatly offende which doe attribute the honour due onely to God to his seruauntes and also they which do reiecte the oracles of God for the â—erie names sake of these men whome they doe hate You may see some whome it sufficeth if you alledge onely Luther Caluin Melangthon although you bring no testimonies of holy scripture Agayne you may finde othersome who hearing some doctor whom they hate onely named they wil streight way cast away the booke and reiect the opinion giuing iudgement before they knowe the matter George Duke of the Saxons doeth seeme to haue beene one of this sorte of men for it is reported that he should say Although I am not ignorant that there haue both errours and abuses crept into the Church yet will I not embrace that Gospell which Luther Preacheth We must giue eare vnto that which is spoken 8. Position Or prophesie let vs prophesie according to the proportioÌ„ of faith * 1. Thes 5. 19. 20. Extinguish not the spirite * despise not prophesying Therefore if we perceyue that any man doeth teach according to the proportion of faith let vs not reiect him Forasmuch as the oracles of God are most 9. Position sure and certayne the full perswasion of our faith must be answerable thereto God requireth at our handes that thing which he giueth namely that not onely these inferiour degrées as comprehension and knowledge bee in vs but also that superiour degrée which is a steedfast faith Comprehension is coÌ„moÌ„ vnto al these which haue any vnderstaÌ„ding as that God is good mercifull iust Knowledge is proper to these which by an externall illumination of the holy spirite haue gotten a certayne kinde of faith which lasteth onely for a season But all men haue not a full perswasion without wauering 2. Thes 3. 2. And this degree doeth distinguish the electe from the reprobat Tit. 1. 1. 10. Position There can no greater mishappe befall the Church militant then the want of prophesie We see not our signes there is not anye more a Prophet and there is none with vs Psal 74. 9. which knoweth anie more * When there is no vision the people are scattered abroade * Pro. 29. 18. The Prophets were called Videntes Seers a visione of seeing In the time of Heli the worde of the Lord was pretious and there was no manifest vision 1. Sam. 3. 1. And agayne in the same Chapter ver 21. The Lorde appeared againe in Siloh because the Lorde had shewed himselfe to Samuel in Silo in the worde of the Lorde 11. Position There bee many weightie and great eauses for which it is expedient that God shoulde speake vnto vs by holy men rather theÌ„ in his owne person 1 Mans weakenes altogether vnable to suffer the maiestie of God I am not able saith the Ex. 20. 16. Deut. 18. 16. people of Israel to heare the voyce of the Lord my God neither can I beholde this great fire any more least I die 2 The faithful are the Temples of the holy ghost Therefore is it méete that the oracles bâ— 1. Cor. 6. 19. 1. Cor. 4. 1. giuen by those which together are Gods labourers in the dispensation thereof and are calleâ— the dispensers of the secretes of God 3 Also forasmuch as all our senses amonâ— these séeing and hearing ought especially tâ— serue vnto knowledge God will haue vs tâ— heare the voyce of the teachers outwardly anâ— the voyce of the holy spirit inwardly For faitâ— commeth by hearing hearing is by the worâ— Rom. 10. 17. of God * Furthermore this is an especiall worke oâ— charitie to instructe others in the knowledge oâ— God and his wil. Therefore the Lorde wil hauâ— godly men to doe this Psal 119. Let the well disposed reade Caluin 4. lib Inst Christ cap. 3. Sect. 1. c. and August iâ— his preface vpon his books de doct Christ concerning this matter 9. Lect. Nouemb. 17. The Rhetoricall art vsed in the oration oâ— Haggeus made vnto the people of the Iewes 1 The kinde of cause is mixed forasmucâ— as our Prophet doeth in the beginning sharpelâ— reprehende the people of the Iewes for the neglecting of the restoring of the temple of Ierusalem and doth also threaten vnto them greeuouâ— punishment for this their negligence and afterwarde exhorteth them that they woulde in all hast set their handes vnto the holy worke and building Therefore the first part of this oration is iudiciall the latter consisteth vpon an exhortation and a giuing of counsell The iuredicial state beareth the chiefe sway in the first parte The restoring of the Temple hath hitherto ben omitted vngodlily and vniustly This proposition doeth our Prophet proue by two arguments 1 The first argument is fet a comparatis froÌ„ comparing of thinges together Whosoeuer doe preferre their householde affaires before the ecclestasticall and holy affaires they doe without all doubt greeuouslie offende But you Iewes doe the same as your sieled houses and the temple of the Lorde which lyeth wast doe sufficiently testifie 2 The seconde argument is fet from the effecte Certaine it is that the transgressors of the lawe are accursed according to the saying Cursed is hee which continueth not in all Deut. 27. 26. the wordes of the lawe to doe them * But God curseth you This minor proposition doth the Prophet proue by an induction ver 5. You shall sawe much c. The state of the latter part of the oration wherein is contained a giuing of counsell is in like sorte iurediciall You shall doe well and it shall turne to your great commoditie if you shall in all hast set hande to the restoring of the temple of the Lorde The argumentes seruing to the proofe hereof are fet 1 From the facilitie thereof Goe vp into the mountayne c. ver 8. 2 From the fauourable good will of God I wil be well pleased therewith In the same ver 3 Thirdly from the end I wil be glorified saith the Lord. In the same verse 4 Fourtly from the threatning denounced against the disobedient Yee shall looke vnto much and beholde it is but a little ver 9. 5 Fiftly from the impulsiue cause For my house his sake In the same verse 6 Sixtly from the punishment which had befallen them afore time which hee proueth by an induction ver 11. The forme of the oration It is like an hypotheticall disiunctiue Syllogisme IIII. It must needes bee that you shall either bée blessed if you take in hande to buylde the temple of the Lorde or accursed if you neglect the