have not alwayes the same or the like gracious effect and fruit ye shall it alwayes more or lesse accomplish the worke and will of him that sends it It shall not only shake and move the weake and slender reed but cause also the stoutest and strongest Caedar to quake and tremble so did it prevaile with Faelix when he heard Paul preaching and disputing of righteousnesse and temperance and of the judgement to come for the text saith he trembled and answered go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee It hath been ever and is yet still the use and custome of froward and profane people when either their ministers or their friends did rebuke and reprove them not so much to be grieved that they had offended as to be angry and moved that their faults were tould them It was an affection of an naughty Tyrant to cast Iohn Baptist into prison for reproving his incest in retaining and maintaining his brother Phillips wife When Alippins a young man of great hope and of Austines acquaintance was too much transported with an inordinate desire and delight in and after the games and spectacles at Carthage especially those which they called the Circences ludi Austine much desired and endeavoured out of the love he bare unto him by the best meanes he could to reclame him but could not for the thife prevaile with him Not long after the same Alppins hearing Austin in his Rhethoricke lector at Carthage drawing a similitude from the same playes to make the matter he had in hand more plaine and pleasing with a kinde of biting derision of those who were captivated too much with the madnesse of those sports Alippins tooke the whole matter unto himselfe and was perswaded saith Austin that I had not spoken so much but even for his sake and that which another would have taken as an occasion to be angry with me the honest young man made an occasion to be angry with himself and to love me more fervently For thou hast said it O Lord and set downe in thy writings Rebuke the wise man and he will love thee Thus was Alipins both healed of his error and reclaimed from his vaine sports by the good providence and power of God in the hand of Austine never thinking of Alippins nor intending his curing or healing as he himselfe saith at that time For after those words the filthinesse of all those sports and delights did so recoyle and vanish from his mind and heart that he never after came amongst them any more Now let us well consider my brethren that if Alippins profited so well in hearing a rhethorick lecture both for the informing of his judgement and reformation of his life and all by the blessing of God as Austine himselfe doth acknowledge in that place why may not why ought not we to looke for the like good fruit and effect of our desires and labours in hearing of divine lectures and godly sermons such as may be more able having a better promise to convince the judgement convert a sinner save a soule and cover a multitude of finnes And this we shall yet the more effectually finde and feele if we reverently and obediently as it now followeth in this scripture hearken to the messenger of the Lord in the Lords message Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger in the Lords message unto the people saying I am with you saith the Lord. These words comprehend another sermon of the Prophet Haggai and do signify thus much in effect unto us that after the people were moved a little at the first sermon to reverence and obey the word of the Lord sent unto them yet notwitstanding they stayed a little and then the Prophet came againe unto them both to take some feare out of their hearts which was upon them and also to make them a promise of Gods gratious presence and assistance in this great businesse feare not I am with you saith the Lord of hosts By the words of the Prophet it doth evidently appeare that in this worke of the building of the Temple they much feared the Persian King lest he should molest or hinder them in the same therfore the Lord sendeth them this word that they should not feare for he would be with them to incourage and strenthen them and cause the worke to prosper in their hands and least they should think he spake this of himself and not from the Lord the Prophet addeth thus Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger in the Lords message unto the people saying I am with you saith the Lord shewing therby that he came unto them not only as the messenger of the Lord but that the thing which he brought was the Lords message also When David being troubled in his minde that he should dwel in a house of Caedar trees the Ark of God remain under curtaines he purposed in his thoughts to build a house unto the Lord Nathan the Prophet spake unto him saying Go do all that is in thy heart for the Lord is with thee Nathan that spake this was the messenger of the Lord because he was a holy Prophet of the Lord but that which he spake was his own and not any message from the Lord for the fame night the word of the Lord came unto Nathan to let David understand that not he but his son that should proceed out of his loynes should build a house unto the Lord. A good lesson for such as preach or prophecy unto Gods people to hold nothing backe from them which the Lord by them hath sent unto them but to open unto them the whole councell of God as Saint Paul did that they may say with more comfort even as he sayed that which we have received deliver we unto you as the Message of the Lord and the Lords messenger Which also justly condemneth such of our Prophets and Preachers as refusing to stand in the councell of the Lord and to deliver his word unto his people do utter the dreames and deceipt of their owne hearts and put upon them the fancies and visions of their owne heads of whom the Lord may justly say now as he said of some such Prophets in Jeremiahs time I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken unto them yet they prophesied and this may well serve also for a christian admonition unto all such as are hearers of the Lords Prophets to looke as carefully to the Message as to the messenger to the matter as to the man and to try the spirits and proving all things take hold of that which is good like the men of Berea who are said to be more noble than they of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readinesse of minde and searched the scriptures dayly whether those things which Paul had taught them were so We may heare also well and worthily observe how necessary often preaching is to Gods people if ever we will
other things but I speak to men of understanding Sermon the Seventh Haggai Chap. 1. verse 12 13. Vers 12. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the sonne of Josedech the high priest with all the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet as the Lord their God had sent him and the people did feare before the Lord. Vers 13. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger in the Lords message unto the people saying I am with you saith the Lord. WHen the Prophet Haggai had delivered his message from the Lord of Hosts unto Zerubbabel Joshua and the remnant of the people the fruit of this message from the Lord is here set downe what effect it wrought in the hearts of the hearers not only of Zerubbabel and Joshua but even of the people also The principall effects that followed upon the Prophets Sermon are here noted to be two one of Obedience They all obeyed the voice of the Lord Another of reverence And the people did feare before the Lord. The word of the Lord by the messenger of the Lord had brought some feare and reverence upon them to cause them to stoope unto the will of God and this feare had wrought some desire in their hearts to yeeld themselves in obedience to do the worke of the Lord in the building of the Temple also It is said of Christ Isai 11 Chapter That the feare of the Lord should rest upon him and so it may be likewise of all true Christians that the feare of the Lord is before them not that fear which John speaks of which is a feare that hath painfulnesse wherewith the wicked are vexed dreading punishment that being a slavish and a servile feare but such a feare as Abraham had when he would have offered his deare sonne for a sacrifice to the Lord feare arising from faith and love and drawing us on to obedience That fear of the Lord which Joh. saith continueth with love for ever herein is love perfect that we should have boldnes in the day of judgement This feare is a token of grace in the children of God that they tremble and feare at the word of the Lord so saith the Lord by the Prophet Isai Is 66. c. v. 2. To this man I looked even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word and againe v. 5 hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word Such aâ—â—are did the Lord himselfe approve and commend in the heart of goo◠〈◊〉 fiah 2 Kings 22. chap. 19. ver Because thine heart was tender and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I also have heard thee saith the Lord. And such a feare joyned with obedience the Lord requireth in all his servants Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkenesse and hate no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Thus did Zerubbabel Joshua with the remnant of the people they obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the Prophet as the Lord their God had sent him and the people did before feare the Lord. A lesson of no small importance both to us that preach the word and to you that heare it also For us that preach that we do the worke and preach the word of the Lord not onely faithfully but plainely also that the people that heare us may be effectually moved to reverence and obedience there withall To you that heare that you receive the message not as from men but as from God as did the Thessalonians to whom the Apostle gives testimony with thanksgiving and that without ceasing for that when they receaved the word which they heard of him and others of Gods Ministers they receaved it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh in them that beleeve And let us here consider what the Apostle saith follow after charity and desire spirituall gifts but rather that yee may prophecy All preachers of the word after a sort are Prophets not because they foretell things to come but because they open and reveale the word of the Lord and apply it also unto Gods people For he that prophecieth speaketh from God unto men to edefication exhortation and comfort and so is he said to edefie the Church of God according to that of the Apostle he that speaketh a strange language edefieth himselfe but he that prophesieth edefieth the Church The Church is said to be edefied by a Metaphor when they that are believers are layd as living stones one upâ—â— another being edefied that is built as a spirituall 〈◊〉 is by Gods Ministers who are therefore called Gods buildâ—â—s as the people are Gods building 1 Cor. 3. 9. and so it it is said Acts 9. 31. That the Church had rest throughout all Judea and Galile and Samaria and were edefied and walking in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed To preach or prophecy therefore is not to speake strange language if we will ever have the people edefied but we must Prophecy as the Prophets and Apostles did in plaine evidence of spirit and speech rather to profit than to please either our selves or those whom we speake unto which if either we would follow the Apostles judgement or did minde so much the peoples profit as he did we would be much more willing to do so our selves also For though he could speake as many and more languages than any of them all yet had he rather said he speake five words plainly and profitably to instruct others than ten thousand in a strange tongue And it is well worth the observing that which the Apostle hath noted already that when God spake in a strange language he did it because of the peoples infidelity 1 Cor 14. 22. and it was no mercy but a judgment that the Lord would speake with other tongues to that people Isai 28 11. For all that will they not heare me saith the Lo The Fathers of the Greek Church never preached in the learned Hebrew but in their vulgar tongue neither any Church till Papistry came in The Apostles themselves being filled with the Holy Ghost began to speake with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance and although the multitude which heard them were of divers languages yet did they heare what the Apostles spake every man in their owne tongue wherein they were borne They spake not in Greeke to the Arabians nor in Latine to the Egyptians nor in the Parthian tongue to the Phrygians nor in the
draw them to walke in his feare the spirit may be willing but the flesh is weake as our Saviour saith and when we are at the best our best dutyes are full of many wants and mingled with much imperfection insomuch that we have need continually to be stirred up quickned and strengthened unto every good worke by the preaching of the word It is not enough for Paul to plant unlesse Apollos doth water also there must be precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little neither must the Philippians be weary of hearing the same things often seing it is not grievous unto Paul to write them and for them it is a safe thing when Moses and the Prophets spake of preaching they called it a dropping My doctrine shall droppe as the raine and my speech shall distill as the dew Sonne of man set thy face toward the South and drop thy word toward the South and prophecy against the forrest of the South-field for as the raine by often dropping and falling upon the earth doth soften it and make it fruitfull so doth the word by often preaching make the hearts of men like good ground to bring forth their good fruit in due season It was the councell and charge of Paul to Timothy to preach the word in season and out of season not only ordinarily in a constant course but extraordinary also if any just occasion should so require and if we well consider the good successe which Haggais often preaching found with this people it may be an incouragement unto us to take the like course to procure the like blessing his first Sermon was delivered in the first day of the sixt month and therein their finnes discovered and reproved Gods judgements opened and applyed for their neglect in building the Lords house and themselves exhorted to go up to the mountaine to bring timber to undertake the worke and to build the house had not this been thus spoken the worke had not beene so thought upon nor taken into due consideration His second sermon was preached unto them in the foure and twentieth day of the same month somewhat about three weekes afterwards and had not this been added unto the former the worke in all likelihood had been neglected still this made the Prophet to strike once and againe while the iron was hot least the sparks which were kindled by the first Sermon should have beene either quenched or cooled for want of another to second and abett the same unto this the Lord himselfe giveth testimony when he telleth us Ezra 6. 14 that the elders of the Jews having now taken the work in hand builded the house of the Lord and prospered through the prophecying of Haggai the Prophet and of Zachary the sonne of Iddo and thus doth the Lord make his owne word by faithfull and frequent preaching either as a hammer to bruse us or a fire to melt us that so he may accomplish his owne worke which he requireth at our hands The Eight Sermon Haggai Chap. 1 verse 14. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtie a Prince of Judah and the spirit of Joshua the sonne of Jehosideck the High-Priest IT hath been heretofore declared in the explication of the former part of this Chapter how the Jewes having begunne to lay the foundation of the Temple of the Lord did afterward surcease from proceeding in the Lords worke wherefore they were first sharpely reprehended and reproved by the Prophet of the Lord for their sinne and afterwards he did incovrage them to go on forward in the building of the Temple In these words he sheweth how the Lord unto the words of the Prophet did adde the inward operation of his spirit 1 The Lord did stirre up the spirit c. 2 The obedience of the Prince and people thereunto in the words following and they came and did the worke The first needeth no exposition saving that whereas it is said that the Lord did stirre them up we may conceive their drowsle sluggishnesse was like unto a sleepe and sleepe is nothing but a similitude of death wherefore the Apostle saith Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light The same admonion the Jewes did receive by God at the time when by stirring them up he awoke them out of sleep The next point is the circumstance of time v. 15. In the 24 day of the sixt moneth in the second year of Darius the King which doth shew that the part doth not belong to the second Chapter but to the first for the scriptures were delivered into chapters a little before our age but the scripture it selfe sheweth this division is more probable seeing that the second verse of the next Charter should begin with another circumstance of time so Saint Jerome and others have divided the same a matter wherein I would not have spent so many words but that the councell of Trent and some of the antient Fathers have joyned the same to the second Chapter according to the translation of the old latins Sextus the 5 doth not joyn this to the former but to the latter circumstance in the second Chapter Paulius de Palatio one of the popish writers would have this part according to the Hebrewes to be joyned to the circumstance of time and Rebera also a man of the papists and of greater judgment affirmeth that this circumstance of time in the first verse of the second Chapter appertaineth to the first Charter So cleare and undoubted it is that the circumstance of time and the course of the scripture doth shew that as soone as the spirit of the Lord did stirre them up they made no delay but went and built the house of the Lord so that they did not then deferre so many dayes as before they had done yeares but went and did worke in the Lords house we may also further here observe that this house is called The House of the Lord of Hosts To shew his power over all creatures a thing which might stand much for their incouragement for whenas they had began to build the house of the Lord. Ezdras 1 2. by the permission of Cyras then their adversaries procured a commission from Artaxerxes to hinder and molest them in the building of the roofe and afterwards they obtained liberty to reedifie the same in the dayes of Darius as appeareth Ezdras 4. 24 so that they might have beene discouraged if they had not considered that the hearts of princes are in the hands of God as the rivers of waters 2 as his power so his fatherly goodnesse is shewed in this in that he is called their God as he made promise to Abraham to be a God unto him and to his seed for ever so now he sheweth himselfe to be their God being Abrahams seed The consideration whereof must needs breed a child-like affection
in them to obey so good a Father for when he might have justly punished them for their daily sinnes yet as a loving father he raised them out of the same which must needs incourage them and make them thankefull for it and the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel The spirit of God teaceth us that what soever is written a fore time is written for our instruction so that in this place we may learne divers lessons for our learning First where the Lord is said to have stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel with this connexion and the Lord c. The connexion sheweth that it dependeth on the words which went before whence we may observe that the orninary meanes which the Lord useth to stirre us up and to convert us unto himselfe is the ministry of the word so that it pleaseth him to send his messengers not only to the meaner sort of men but to Kings and Princes also for the same purpose A thing the more to be marked because there are some as tradsmen schollers and Divines which may happily thinke themselves not to be charged with these things or els not to have need thereof whereby they may seeme to be exempted from them but let such men consider that this is the meanes whereby they must be stirred up Lydia a seller of purple had her heart opened thereby even at the preaching of Saint Paul And as for others although they have never so much learning yet I hope they neither may nor will preferre themselves before David a man after Gods own heart and indued with a principall and singular spirit who did not arise out of the dead sleepe of sinne untill the prophet Nathan came unto him to stirre him up and them he cryed as it is Psalm 51 Have mercy upon me O God cast me not away from thy presence nor take thy holy spirit from me and this the same spirit of God doth manifest unto us that which our Saviour Christ said to Nicodemus that we must be borne anew except a man be borne againe be cannot see the Kingdome of God and borne againe we cannot be unlesse we be first begotten by the word and though it be true that God begetts us by the inward operation of his holy spirit yet he useth the outward meanes of the ministry to the perfecting an laccomplishing of the same and therefore Paul is said to beget the Corinthians and Onesimus by the word so unlesse we receive the messengers which bring this word unto us and apply the same unto our hearts we can have no regeneration of the spirit God the creator of all things might have begotten us without Fathers or Mothers or any other meanes as he did in Adam and Eve and he might of stones have raised up Children unto Abraham but he ordained and used the meanes of naturall generation and so must we in our new birth that so we may be-gotten not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever Rachel said give me children or else I die unto whom Jacob answered am I in Gods steed who hath withholden from thee the fruit of thy wombe so that as in naturall generation the fruit of the body cometh by the blessing of God so is it in our spirituall regeneration also if Rachel had not asked of God God had not remembred her and if she had not used the meanes she had not beene the mother of Joseph and Benjamin which teacheth us that we must use the meanes of the ministery that we may be begotten and borne again as many as will be the children of God they must receive the word which is brought unto them by the Lords messengers that they may be begotten anew by the same and being thus begotten and borne anew we must not stay here but be nursed up further and brought up with the pure milke of the word that as new borne Babes we may grow thereby and when we be growne to be of riper age in Christ then this word will afford us strong meat also for this is not onely the sincere milke of the soule which as new borne babes we must desire that we may grow thereby as 1 Pet. 2. 2. but as it is also strong meat for strong men and belongeth also to them of riper age which through long custome have their witts exercised to discerne both good and evill As Heb. 5. 14. Let us not therefore neglect the means of our so great salvation for if he which despiseth Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses how much more sore punishment shall he be worthy of that neglecteth the worke of reconciliation whereby we grow up in Christ Jesus Remember the word of the Lord spoken by the Prophet Amos 8. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but for hearing of the word of the Lord and they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even unto the East shall they runne and seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it And this plague shall not onely be upon the ancient and Elders of Israel but he addeth further that even the faire virgins and young men shall perish for thirst a most evident proofe that as our bodyes would quickly perish unlesse they should be strengthened with materiall food and nourishment even so our soules unlesse they be fedd and nourished with the heavenly food of the word brought unto us by the ministers and preachers thereof would quickly dye and perish whereby we are to acknowledge the singular goodnesse of God and his great mercy shewed unto us above the Jewes in sending us so great plenty of this food and therefore the more wretched and ungratefull are we if we contemne so great a grace and mercy when it is offered unto us It is said Jer. 29. that the Lord had sent them Prophets rising up early and instructing them yet they were not obedient to receive doctrine The word of rising early should put the ministers in minde of their industry and diligence in their vocation and delivering the message of the Lord and if this early rising do seem to be to early to some Let them remember the saying of the wise man in the Proverbs which may helpe to awake them How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep yet a little sleep a little slumber a little foulding of the hands to sleep therefore thy poverty cometh as one that travaileth by the way and thy necessity as an armed man wherefore let every one awaken and strengthen the things that remaine least if we do not watch he come upon us as a theife in the night at unawares If we say with the Church of the Laodiceans that we are rich and increase with goods and have
notwithstanding yee are now poore and see no meanes how to effect this yet it is in my power to inrich you The earth is the Lords and all that therein is which he shewed when hee fulfilled his promise by raising up Herod and inriching him to build up this House in glory as an eye witnesse Josephus by name Antiquitat l. 15. e. ult and de bello Judaico lib. 6. cap. 5 as it is divided in the Greeke doth testifie the disciples desire our Saviour to behold the goodly buildings of the Temple And Luke 21. 5. It is said that some did admire the Temple how it was garnished with goodly stones and consecrated things Now for the stones Josephus who at large expounds that in Luke saith the Temple was made all of white stones some six cubits long and sive broad some of twelve and some of twenty five some of forty five in respect of which perhaps it might be compared with that other built by Solomon Now for those consecrated things which Luke calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Josephus saith that all the upper parts of the Temple were set about with spoyles which Herod had taken from the Arabians and others Further he affirmeth that nine of the doores were covered with gold the upper gate with Corinthian brasse the inward with gold the posts were covered with gold the forefronts with plates of gold the roofe set with round spires and boules of gold so that all was either glistering white or shining with gold And so also within the vessels were many of gold some of those as were before others made new especially the golden Table Candlestick and Altar of Incense Insomuch that besides Luke and Josephus even externe writers as Tacitus lib. 5. History saith that it was immensae opulentiae Templum Now whether in these respects it may be said to be more glorious than the former I pronounce not but certainely in respect of the spirituall glory mentioned in the former verse and this temporall added together it was much more eminent and glorious then the former Now hereto is added And in this house I will give peace meaning thereby that not onely warre and dissention should cease as we commonly take the name of peace but that also all prosperity temporall blessings should be added as the word in the Hebrew doth signifie perfection and Integrity Salubritie and Incâ—â—lumitie as they used it in their salutations Peace be unto you wishing them all good as wee may see 2 Sam. 11. 7. where it is said that David asked of Vriah of the peace of the warre that is of the prosperousnes and of the good successe of the war which Zachary Zach. 8. makes plaine to be meant here speaking of the same thing two yeares after for there he asked them whether before they received the commandement of building the Lords house they did not remember there was no peace Nay saith God I did set every one against his brother but now there is a seed of peace as i. as translations render it a prosperous seed noting that by peace is meant prosperitie for which they must waite as husbandmen doe untill it grow up which is plaine from the words following that as other peace cannot as it is said doth make the vines to bud but is Gods gift of peeac as after he saith and you that were once accursed shall be a blessing among all Nations So that by peace there is not meant onely concord and unitie but that as is promised Deut. 28. all prosperitie to them that obey the Lord. And this you see that the Lord of Hostes the Almighty God signifying unto these people that gold and siluer is his and therefore that he can performe what they cannot doth promise also that he will make the glory of this latter house greater then the former and therewithall will blesse it with peace and temporall prosperitie The foundation of which promise being a premonition to take away distrustfulnesse from them the silver is mine doth instruct us in this ground of common faith that the Lord of heaven by the right of creation doth injoy and possesse all earthly blessings and can as he please dispose them This Moses and Aaron did not so well remember when Numb 20. being commanded to speake to the Rocke and promised that the water should flow out they by destrusting Gods power did not sanctifie the Lord in their hearts nor so before the people by beleeving his promise as they should have done that therefore he would not let them bring the people into Canaan God then sanctified by beleeving this which here is said that the silver is his under which are comprehended all other creatures and temporall blessings as his owne and at his disposing serving for the performance of his will the benefit of his servants When Samaria was besieged and the famine so sore that the Mothr was to boyle her sonne and to refresh her selfe with her owne childe as we reade 2 Kings 7. and the Prophet coming to the King told him from the Lord that by to morrow this time there should be plenty in the gate of Samaria A Prince on whom the King leaned thinking it a thing impossible answered the man of God and said behold If God should make windows in the heaven could this come to passe The Prophet replyed that he was sent from God and confirming that which he said threatned him punishment for his incredulity that he should see it with his eyes but that he should not taste thereof as also it came to passe when the Angell Gabriel sent from God promised Zachary a sonne Luke 1. How can this be saith he since I am old and my wife barren well saith the Angel I am sent from God and it shall be but because thou hast not beleeved thou shalt be dumbe untill this thing be done which example of Moses of Aaron of the Prince and of Zachariah doth teach us to beleeve that what the Lord doth promise in his word it shal undoubtedly be made good by his worke in due season silver is his and gold is his for so saith the Lord of Hostes The silver is mine and the gold is mine c. A point that may further teach us to remember that seeing also these earthly blessings are the Lords therefore in getting using loosing or wanting them we should have care so to behave our selves as those that know they are not ours but the Lords In getting he giveth it them to whom it pleaseth him and it is not as many foolishly imagine committed to the Prince of the world to be disposed by him at his pleasure It 's true indeed that Sathan said so that all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them are delivered unto him and to whom hee would he gave them but he said it falsly and for the most part as false as this wee see here worldly men as if silver and gold and these
See heer th ' effigies louely lively face Of reverend Rainolds full of fayth Grace Oxfords renowned Doctor of the Chaire Acute mellifluos Oratour most rare T. Cross sculp THE PROPHESIE OF HAGGAI Interpreted and applyed in sundry SERMONS By that Famous and Judicious Divine JOHN RAINOLDS D. D. Never before printed Beeing very usefull for these Times HAGGAI Chap. 1. verse 7 8 9. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Goe up to the mountaine and bring wood and build the house and I will take pleasure in it and I will bee glorified saith the Lord. Ye looked for much and loe it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it Why saith the Lord of Hosts because of mine house that is wast and ye run every man unto his own house LONDON Printed by W. W. for William Lee and are to be sold at the Turkes-head neere the Miter Taverne in Fleetstreet 1649. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Reader I Shall promise a few words concerning both the Authour and worke For the Authour of it it was Doctor JOHN RAINOLDS a man eminent both for learning and piety No man mee thinkes saith one is happy on Earth to him that hath grace for substance and Learning for ornament This verse is written about Dr. Rainolds Air picture Inâ—ertum est fuerit doctior an melior It is doubtfull whether He were more learned or pious When Bellarmine came out first both the Vniversities chose one in each Academy to confute him Oxford for I must ever give that the preheminence chose Doctor Rainolds for their Champion Cambridge Doctor Whitaker for theirs Whitaker was more nimble for hee went over a great part of Bellarmines Controversies and so solidly consuted him that it is credibly related by some English-men that travelled into Italy that Bellarmine himselfe procured his Picture out of England placed it in his study secretly admiring him for his great learning and when hee was asked by another Jesuite his friend and companion why hee would have the Picture of that Heretick hee was wont to answer that although hee was an Heretick and an adversary yet hee was a learned Adversary Whitaker that Honour of our Schooles and Angell of our Church Learned Whitaker then whom our age saw nothing more memorable what clearnesse of judgment what sweetnesse of stile what gravity of person what grace of carriage was in that man who ever saw him without reverence or heard him without wonder Doctor Rainolds whom a very reverend Divine compares to a pen too full of inke thought at the first that in two or three yeares he should have been able to have gone over all Bellarminâ— Controversies but he was 7 yeares about the very firâ—â— of 〈◊〉 de â—bris Apocryphis which yet he finished not neither insomuch that one Mr. Walter Travers jested with him and told him he was so long in reading the Apocrypha here that he would read the Canonâ—cals in Heaven Yet his conference with Hart that worke together doe amply discover his great abilities and he is justly stiled by one of our owne writers Pontificiorum malleus patriae suae dulcissimum decus the hammer of the Papists and most sweet ornament of his owne Country Doctor Rainolds alone was a well furnisht Library full of all faculties of all studies of all learning the memory the reading of this man were neare to a miracle For this worke of his it was reviewed and perfected by that Reverend Divine Master William Hinde sometimes Preacher of Gods word at Bunbury in Cheshire whose intention was to have printed it in his life time hee having set forth some other of the same Authors workes as that on Obadiah these Sermons immediately following thereupon to bee handled in the Doctors ordinary course of Preaching as appeares in the first page of these Sermons This Copy therefore being left with mee by Master Nathaniel Hinde a Minister in Staffordshire and Sonne to the forementioned Master William Hinde with a desire also of the publication of it I thought good to preface thus much in the behalfe both of the Author and worke It is I suppose the best Copy that is extant and though he wholly finished not the second Chapter of Haggai yet because the maine subject of that Booke is the building of the Temple it will not seeme unseasonable for these times wherein Reformation should bee the aime of all and in another respect also this worke may bee suitable to the present season because this learned and religious Author in this Book seemes to favour the Presbiterian way What ever it bee I commend it and thee to Gods blessing and rest Thy hearty well-wisher EDVVARD LEIGH AN EXPOSITION Upon HAGGAI Sermon the First CHAP. 1. vers 1. In the second yeare of Darius the King in the sixt moneth the first day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Haggai unto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel a Prince of Judah and to Jehosuah the sonne of Jehozadak the high Priest saying Thus hath the Lord of hoasts charged me to say This people say the time is not yet come the time that the Lords house shall be builded Then came the word of the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Haggai saying Is it time for you Sirs to sit downe in your seiled houses whiles this house lyes waste YOU have heard in the conclusion of the Prophesie of Obadiah the promise of deliverance made by God unto the Jewes and in them to all his chosen that their enemies should be overthrown and they restored to their ancient inheritance which should be performed by Saviours which should come up to mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau and that the kingdome should bee the Lords which that you might see how it was in shaddow performed to the Jewes and in truth to all the chosen of God I thought good to entreat of this Prophesie of Haggai wherein the same is delivered unto us In which we are taught that the Temple having been begun to be built long before and the worke intermitted was with much adoe continued by Zerubbabel and Jehosua who were thereunto moved by the ministery of Haggai prospered by the assistance of the godly encouraged by Gods word and grace of his spirit which representeth un o us the frame of the spirituall house the Church which Christ built by his Apostles which were sent from Sion as was prophesied of them The doctrine shall come from Sion Next if we consider the circumstances of the times letts helps the persons people Princes Preists dealings it may be an example unto us and to such as are to deale any way in the building of the church how to behave themselves therein Moreover by the consequence that once more he would shake the heavens and the earth bring the desire of all nations and fill that house with glory he comprehendeth the fulfilling
cause than this it is also added all this came on them because of his house that was waste while every man rann to his owne house This is the substance of the exhortation whereby he inciteth them to continue the building of the Lords house which they had so long neglected wherefore they were punished of God by scarcity and need in their goods and by want of strength in their bodies The first point to be noted is that the Prophet saieth nothing unto the people but what the Lord hath given him in charge for which cause he doth so often put them in minde that this is the word of the Lord for both the exhortation in the 5. and 7. verses have the same annexed and the two reasons adjoyned to strengthen them in the 8. and 9. verses wherein he sheweth himselfe a wise and faithfull steward in dispensing the mysteries of God faithfull in that he goeth not beyond his charge wise in that he fasteneth the thing which hee would teach them the more deeply in their mindes by sundry repetitions For such is the frowardnesse of mans perverse nature that if we be any way crost wee believe not at the least seeme not to believe the message therewithall sent us but perswade our selves that the Ministers rather speake out of affection Example whereof we have in Johanan and the rest c who when Jerusalem was taken by the Caldeans came to the Prophet Jeremiah beseeching him to pray to God for them to teach them the way in which they should walke promimising very earnestly to do according to all things for which the Lord should send him to them but when Jeremiah had told them that it was the commandement of the Lord that they should dwell in the land and not go up into Egypt c. them Johanan and all the proud men said unto Jeremy thou speakest falsely the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say go not into Egypt to dwell there but Baruch provoked thee against us c. A man would have thought that they who made so solemne promise would not have so disobeied the commandemenâ— of God but Jeremiah so behaved himselfe in this message that they were ashamed to lay the blame which they pretended on him But said that he was thereto perswaded by them to cast off the Word of the Lord as it had been a lye devised against them by the malice of man and that which increased the mischief they said it was done to the end that the Caldeans might destroy them whereas indeed it was onely for their good We are therefore diligently to beware of these inchanting Syrens flesh and blood not to hearken unto them and howbeit the message delivered us by Gods Ministers serve not our humour of pleasure and ease yet to receive the same not as the words of man but as they are indeed the words of God for although we speak not by revelation as the Prophet did yet we speak by knowledge and the very same which they saw by extraordinary do we know by ordinary The godly Ministers are called to the same Office that were the Priests of the Law as Malachi saith to be the Messengers of the Lord of hosts and Paul speaketh not onely of himself but of others also such as Apollos and Sosthenes were Let a man so think of us as the Ministers of Christ c. Whatsoever therefore the man be so long as he preacheth the truth let us account thereof as of the doctrine of God himself and so oft as the Word of God is alleadged so oft let us think that this soundeth in our ears The Lord of Hosts Upon this riseth another point to be likewise observed That the Preachers and dispensers of Gods word in all their office behave themselves faithfully according to the function wherewith they are put in charge and so Paul hauing taught the Corinthians their duties towards Gods Messengers straitly addeth the duty of the Ministers Now saith he it is required of the stewards that they be found faithful which faithfulnesse concerneth not onely the matter which they are to handle but the manner also that they deliver the truth of God with all reverence discretion and sobernesse which Peter teacheth also when he saith If any speak let him speak as the words of God wherefore he must say nothing but what he may warrant by this which the Prophet speaketh Thus saith the Lord. But if hereunto the commandment of Christ and his Apostles move nothing let the curse threatned against the breakers of this commandment move us In the Prophecie of Ezekiel mention is made of two sorts of them that break this commandment prophesying out of their own hearts following their own spirit when they had seen nothing the one of such men as saw lyes saying The Lord saâ—th it when the Lord hath not sent them One saith the Prophet built up a wall and the other daubed it up with untempered mortar and because of that the Lord saith his hand shall be upon them they shall not be in the assemblies of his people c. The other sort were of the Prophets that sowed pillows under all arm-holes c. soothing up the wicked with promises of all happinesse telling them of peace peace as if all things were well when as the Lord had threatned heavie plagues against them for which cause there is a Wo threatned them which judgement is therefore said to be pronounced against them because they spake and prophesied when the Lord commanded them not whereby we are put in minde to be careful in behaving our selves faithfully as Moses did in all his house not to sooth up men in their sins nor to flatter the breakers of his Commandments In which point I was desirous to satisfie them who have a care how the Church may be builded which causeth me to call to minde a point mistaken by some wherein I have been thought to have sown cushions under the elbowes and pillows under the arm-holes of some Non-residents when by accasion heretofore I spake against that sin whereas I indeed if my words had been generally of them who multiply Living upon Living and have no care to discharge any of them that I had justified the incomparison of the meer Non-residents who stay here having no charge at all or calling in this place I might have been justly condemned of this fault but speaking in respect of some that were present who have a good care to build the Church of God though they do it not in every place with that diligence and assiduity they ought comparing them with others that having no charge in this place follow onely their pleasure not doing so much on any of their charges as these do on all I trust I shall be cleared from this suspition wherfore I would you did consider that when I put a difference in the degrees of this sin I meant not to deny that all of it was wicked to be condemned
that you would also receive the message with such equity as it was delivered I should come to the Exhortation but that somwhat is to be first said of the repetition namely why so often this is added Thus saith the Lord no doubt to give this lesson to Teachers not to be grieved to teach the self-same things oftentimes if they be necessary to the hearers not to think it loathsome to be taught the same matter if it be profitable and expedient for them If Paul said that it grieved safe there caused them to cast off the word of the Lord as it had been a lye devised against them by the malice of man and that which increased the mischiefe they said it was done to the end that the Caldeans might destroy them whereas it was indeed only for their good we are therefore diligently to beware of these enchanting Sirens flesh and bloud not to hearken unto them and howbeit the message delivered us by Gods Ministers serve not our humour of pleasure and ease yet to receive the same not as the words of man but as they are indeed the words of God for although we speake not by revelation as the Prophet did yet we speak by knowledge and the very same which they saw by extraordinary doe we know by ordinary The godly Ministers are called to the same office that were the Priests of the Law as Malachy saith to be the messengers of the Lord of Hosts and Paul speaketh not onely of himselfe but of others also such as Apollos and Sosthenes were Let a man so thinke of us as the Ministers of Christ c. Whatsoever therefore the man be so long as he preacheth the truth let us account thereof as of the doctrine of God himselfe and so oft as the word of God is alledged so oft let us thinke that this soundeth in our eares The Lord of Hosts Upon this riseth another point to be likewise observed that the preachers and dispensers of Gods word in all their office behave themselves faithfully according to the function wherewith they are put in charge and so Paul having taught rhe Corinthians their duties towards Gods Messengers straitly addeth the duty of the Ministers now saith he It is required of the stewards that they be found faithfull which faithfulnesse concerneth not onelâ— the matter which they are to handle but the manner also 〈…〉 they deliver the truth of God with all reverence discreâ—◠〈…〉 sobernesse which Peter teacheth also when he saith 〈…〉 let him speaks as the words of God wherefore he 〈…〉 but what he may warrant by this which the 〈…〉 Thus saith the Lord. But if hereunto the 〈…〉 Christ and his Apostles move nothing le◠〈…〉 against the breakers of this Commander 〈…〉 Prophecy of Ezekiel mention is made 〈…〉 breake this commandment prophesy 〈…〉 following their owne spirit when 〈…〉 one of such men as saw lyes 〈…〉 Lord hath not sent them one saith the Prophet built up a wall and the others daubed it up with untempered morter and because thereof the Lord saith his hand shall be upon them they shall not he in the assemblies of his people c. the other sort were of the Prophets that sowed pillowes under all arme-holes c soothing up the wicked with promises of all happinesse telling them of peace peace as if all things were well when as the Lord had threatned heavy plagues against them for which cause there is a woe threatned them which judgement is therefore said to be pronounced against them because they spake and prophesied when the Lord commanded them not whereby we are put in minde to be carefull in behaving our selves faithfully as Moses did in all his house not to sooth up men in their sins nor to flatter the breakers of his commandements In which point I was desirous to satisfie them who have a care how the Church may be builded which causeth me to call to minde a point mistaken by some wherein I have been thought to have sowen Cushions under the elbowes and pillowes under the arm-holes of some non-Residents when by occasion heretofore I spake against that sinne whereas I indeed if my words had been generally of them who multiply living upon living and have no care to discharge any of them that I had justified the incomparison of the meer non-residents who stay here having no charge at all or calling in this place I might have been justly condemned of this fault but speaking in respect of some that were present who have a good care to build the Church of God though they do it not in every place with that diligence and assiduity they ought comparing them with others that having no charge in this place â—llow only their pleasure not doing so much on any of their 〈…〉 as these do on all I trust I shall be cleared from this sus 〈…〉 â—herefore I would you did consider that when I put a di 〈…〉 â—he degrees of this sin I meant not to deny that all of 〈…〉 to be condemned that you would also receive 〈…〉 such equity as it was delivered I should come to 〈…〉 that somewhat is to be first said of the repe 〈…〉 often this is added thus saith the Lord no 〈…〉 to teachers not to be grieved to teach 〈…〉 times if they be necessary to the hea 〈…〉 to be caught the same matter if it 〈…〉 if Paul said that it grieved not not him to write the same things and that it was for them to whom he wrote a safe thing how much lesse ought it to grieve us how much more safe is it for you being a warrant by the example of the Prophet in this place who repeateth the same words in his exhortation in the 5 and 7 verses and the reason of his exhortation to the same effect and in the 6 and 9 verses which considering the Prophets set down their sermons in fewer words than they preached confirmeth more that which hath been said for if the Holy Ghost thought it necessary in so breif a rehearsall to set so oft in the same words the exhortation and reason of it we may well know that it is also needful for us often to keep the selfe same things how oft is this one speech repeated in the Prophets shew the house of Israel their sinnes how often doth S. Iohn iterate that commandment Love one another this is that old Commandement c. this is that new Commandement c. How often doth our Saviour by divers similitudes teach one and the very same thing the seven Epistles in the Apocalips are all shut up with one Court answer Let him that hath eares heare what the spirit saith c Which point I would they did consider who are greived that we speake so much of that sinne of the negligence of carelesse pastors For if skilfull Chirurgeons after they have lanced imposthumes put in new tents day by day should not we also whom God hath
called to be the Physitians and Chyrurgeons of your soules after we have lanced your wounds daily also put in new tents that at length they may be healed The Lord by Ezekiel reproveth such Prophets as rose not up in the gappes and stood not in the breaches where he useth a Metaphor drawne from the manner of Warriors who are wont to joyne their force together and to make a head against their enemies in such places as they had made a breach this fault of the negligent pastour is one of the greatest breaches whereunto if we runne not and stand not up in it what may our Generall and Captaine thinke of us When Coesar besieged Avaritium in France his souldiers raised a Bulwarke against it the Citizens set it on fire which when Caesars souldiers laboured to quench one stood in the gate to whom was brought such matter as might be cast into the Fort to continue the flame he that first was there placed was shot through with a Scorpions bone and so was slaine in whose place came the second who being so served there followed the third and the fourth neither was that place left without a man while there remained any hope to do good there hath been a fire kindled to consume this hold of sinne God forbid it should be quenched nay it cannot indeed for it is nourished by Gods spirit The Papists themselves at their councell of Trent after they had long debated the matter they were enforced by the clearnesse of the truth to conclude That the Pastor by the law of God is bound to be resident on his charge what the law of man permits it is for the heardnes of mens hearts whereunto that may be replyed that from the beginning it was not so wherefore although we be shot through with speeches as sharpe as arrowes yet let us shew ourselves no lesse valiant than did the Citizens of Avaricum chiefly seing they fought but for a corruptible City for the safguard of the body and that with uncertaine hope but we fight for an incorruptible crowne of glory for the eternall salvation of the soule and that under undoubted hope But we perswade our selves better things of you brethren whom we desire to remember that the wounds of a freind is better than the kisses of an enemy Of my selfe I know and I conceive the the like of others that I onely reprove this sinne for the salvation of your soules and of them that are committed to your charge and why the same is done so often we have example and warrant of the Prophet using so many iterations of the same thing and of the good Chyrurgeons who cease not to apply their medicines till such time as they have cured the wound Now to proceed the exhortation is laid down in the 8 verse Goe up to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house the reasons hereof are because the Lord had already corrected them ver 6 9. 10 11 Where as he threatneth them punishment if they do it not so on the other side he promiseth that he will take pleasure in them c. vers 8 and bestow his blessing on them if they do his commandement but for that you have heard sufficiently already in the exhortation I will come to the reasons Jt is first set downe for them to consider that because of the neglect of Gods commandment he had chastised them with dearth famine scarcity wherein the first point to be observed is that the Lord did send these punishments on them for it is said I blowed on it I called for a drought For as God hath by his power created all things so doth he continually by his providence governe dispose of them So that it is verified that our Saviour saith my Father worketh hetherto and I also worke For all things are his worke and come from his power though it be true that he worketh most by secundary causes even as it is here said that to cause a famine among this people he called for a drought upon the land and upon the mountaines c. for the heavens are appointed to water the earth to make it fruitfull that it may yeeld seed to the sower but neither can the raine make the earth fruitfull nor can the earth bring forth her fruit without his blessing and providing which the Prophet by occasion of the mention of Gods blessing to his Church doth lay open In that day I will heare saith the Lord I will hear even the heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the Corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israel By which is signified that all creatures shall labour with common consent for Israel for such as feare and serve God that as they wish to have necessaries from the earth so the earth shall look for rain from the heavens c But all this the Lord saith he will heare that we may learn to lift up our eyes from these second causes to him For men that regard not this would goe no further than to say this dearth came from want of rain c. as though it were not the Lord that ruleth these things which Seneca might teach us when he saith what thou callest nature is God for nature created the heavens earth and corne may say to us as John and Peter said to the people Why looke you on us as though by our power and strength we had done this A sparrow falleth not to the ground without his providence There is no evill in the City .i. no punishment of evill which the Lord hath not wrought The want and need in goods the weakenesse of the body the punishments here mentioned are said to come from him for sometimes he withdraweth the things themselves from them sometimes the power and faculty of them though they remaine For sometimes he worketh by these meanes and second causes sometimes without them yea also against them as he teacheth us when signifying how wonderfully he preserved them in the wildernes and fed them he yeeldeth this as the reason that he might teach them That men liveth not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord that is whatsoever he enforceth or commandeth to feed us Yea by the same power he caused their raiment to endure and not to wax old and kept their feet that they swelled not Daniel appointed to be fed with the Kings ordinary fearing lest thereby he should be defiled therwith besought his governour that he and his fellowes might feed on pulse instead thereof but the governour feared least so they should be in worse taking than the rest who fared on finer meats but through Gods blessing they looked better with their diet than the other with the Kings ordinary Pulse is but a homely meate and by the Physitians judgement but of a bad Juyce yet with Gods blessing it is better than a
of Non-residency was spoke against and misliked as Edward 3 his Epistle to the Pope doth testifie What ensued hereupon were not the livings hereupon so abused taken away by little and little And they who were put in trust to dispose them did they not make marchandize of them that so the Church was spoyled on each side and of them that should feed others it might be said you feed your selves Now because Pastours cannot feed others unlesse themselves be also nourished and that there might be a continuall supply when any failed our ancestors provided nurseries for learning as Abbies Bishops-houses Cathedral-Churches Colledges in sundry places of this realme beside our universities The Abbies they fell to idlenesse pleasure pampering of their bodies c wherefore God hath done unto them as he did unto Shilo their dwellings were wasted c. Shilo was destroyed for the wickednesse of the priests from whom iniquity as the Prophet saith went forth into all the land and is it not to be feared lest the same also happen to our Bishopricks nay would to God it were not past fearing for are not Bishops impoverished Cathedrall Churches also and but very few Colledges except these in our universities but they have been brought to the same decay that Abbies have been and shall not the like happen to our Colledges I am sorry to say it but the Lord hath said it and not one of his words shall fall to the ground if we hear not his word to turne from our evil wayes and leave our transgressions he will doe unto us as he did to Shilo God hath provided a nursery for his Church by these meanes to the establishing of doctrine and discipline amongst us but seeing that the meanes for this end appointed have not been so used he will no doubt even deale with Bishopricks as he hath done with Abbies for the word of God is gone out of his mouth and shall be certainely accomplished he that is neither Prophet nor prophets child may see this All men know what forwardnesse the thing was in in K. Edwards dayes when so many things went to wrack not through his fault but theirs who in his minority were put in trust with the matters of the Realme whenas the dissolution of the Bishoprick of Durham was brought about which had been so continued had it not pleased God to send Queene Mary to dissolve that dissolution as he sent the Philistims to deliver David els had a Bishoprick so necessary for the Church been quite lost and had come to the same end that Shilo did God he praised our Prince hath been carefull to preserve these and give us grace to use them to his glory least that happen to them which the ungodly wish for who in their minds have devoured them The onely way to turne away these plagues is for us to do our duty in that vocation whereunto we are called The history of Agrippa and his fable for the belly and other members If they shall see these things so well bestowed and necessarily as he proved to them and will be as well content as the Romanes to maintaine the Senators Sermon the Fourth June 11. 1584. Verse 8. Go up to the mountaine and bring timber and build this House and I will take delight in it and I will be glorified in it saith the Lord. THe Prophet Haggai being sent by special Commandement of the highest to preach to the Jewes that were returned from the captivity of Babylon and to stir them up to the building of the Temple the foundation whereof was laid before because they were faulty herein doth first reprove them for that they were so careful to seel their own houses but suffer the Lords house to lye waste and next doth advertise them to call to minde the punishments which they â—uffered in sowing much and bringing home little in eating and not having enough in drinking but not being filled in clothing themselves but not being warme in earning of wages and putting it as it were into a bottomlesse bagge shewing that all this did light upon them for this cause Because they left the house of the Lord waste and every man ran to his owne house Thirdly he exhorteth them that they would go up to the mountaine and bring timber and build the house and so promiseth he will accept thereof and be glorified c. Of the former parts and namely of the reproof and advertisement I have spoken heretofore It followeth that I now speake of the exhortation in this 8 verse in the which there are two things to be observed First who it is that exhorteth Secondly what he exhorteth unto First who exhorteth the Lord himself signified in the last words of the verse saith the Lord Secondly to what he exhorteth that they go up to the mountain and bring timber to build the house The which exhortation that it may be more effectuall he addeth thereunto two reasons to stirre them up to that he exhorteth them First that he will accept of it Secondly that he will be glorified So that in the substance there are three branches commended to us in these words to be considred First who exhorteth Secondly the thing he exhorteth Thirdly the reasons for which he exhorteth them the reunto For the first it is the Lord for though the exhortation be delivered by the voice and ministry of the Prophet yet is it indeed the Lord that exhorteth them even as it is added saith the Lord and this as the rest of the Prophets are wont often to mention and that to raise up the hearts of the people to the dutifull consideration of that which is uttered for Haggai also mentioneth the same both in the former words and here againe and likewise afterward having thought it good to put them still in remembrance hereof thereby to move them to obey and beleeve the Commandment and promise delivered from the Lord The which the very name of God which the Prophet useth doth therefore recommend more effectually to them because it layeth before their eyes the Majesty of him that speaketh and the truth of the speech For whereas in the language which the Prophet spake there are divers names attributed to God some of them betokening his Almightinesse and Alsufficiency some his Majesty and power some his authority and judgement one there is above the rest that most lively expresseth his eternall essence the constancy also and the truth of his word as the which is derived from a word that signifieth to Be betokening not onely the eternall essence of the Lord of Majesty as John sheweth in his Revelation where he openeth the meaning of that name when he saith I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is which was and which is to come even the Almighty as it were interpreting that which he spake of himself by the Prophet Moses demanded by what name he should call him if the people of Israel
enquired who sent him I am saith he that I am For when our Saviour said of himselfe Before Abraham was I am he ment to shew the eternity and everlastingnesse of his God-head that was from the beginning or rather indeed without any beginning or end being the same yesterday and to day and for ever Neither thereby is the eternity onely of his Majestie noted but the truth also and certainety of his word and Promise which in the 6 of Exod. is signified so plainely that the words could not be interpreted unles the name Iehovah were there retained I apeared unto Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob by the name of Almighty but by my name Jehovah was I not knowne unto them whereby he signifieth that as afterwards himselfe expoundeth it that unto them he made the promise of giving them the land of Canaan but that he had not made his promise to bee as a man would say therefore afterwards he addeth to tell the children of Israel I am Jehovah I will bring you from under the burthen of Egypt I am Jehovah I will make that to be which I have promised to your Fathers who relyed on my promises as knowing me by my Name Almighty and beleiving that I would do it but not by my name Jehovah that I did it indeed But after the 430 yeares were accomplished which was the time prescribed to Abraham then performed he that which before he had promisâ—d And this the Apoâ—tle declareth when he speaking of the hope of eternall life saith That God which cannot lye hath promised â—efore the world began As if he would say that if it be his promise then must it needs be performed for he is not a man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should promise and not performe So that by the name of Lord of Majesty which the Prophet useth in his language betokening him that was from everlasting that is and is to come the same for ever who is most true in his word most constant in his promises God which cannot lye The prophet would stirr them up to be carefull to receive the message delivered with faith to his promise adjoyned to the precept and obedience to the precept established by the promise and this is the holy preparation which wee also have need of that the message delivered from God may with faith and obedience be received of us as of them This though I need not to stand upon here because it hath been oftentimes handled in your hearing yet because the Prophet againe and againe repeateth it I cannot passe it over cheifly seeing that the Prophet though sent immediately and instructed of God useth to warrant his message by these words the case being not alike in us who although we be sent of God yet are we sent by men also neither have we our commission from his owne mouth immediately but by writing in the Scripture but you that have learned that the whole Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable to teach convince correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute even throughly absolute and made perfect unto all good workes I say you have also learned that the message therein delivered us is the same message sent before by the Prophets and Apostles to whom the Lord himselfe spake immediately neither did he onely ordaine in his Church Apostles and Prophets but gave also Pastors and Teachers for gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ Therefore we also have Commission from God to deliver his will unto you and do his message so long as we can soundly professe that the corrections exhortations c. which we use are deduced from the writing of the Apostles and prophets which he hath delivered to his Church and appointed us his servants to cut his word aright and thereby to feed your soules It must be therefore our care that the words we speake be as the words of God and you brethren should be likewise skilful in the scriptures to discerne the spirits of them that preach unto you but the doctrine we preach being rightly delivered you are no otherwise to receive than if the Lord himself by his Prophets Apostles did speake unto you And this being the substance of that which I thought to nete briefely in this first point namely that both we which teach are to learne that what we teach wee must deliver unto you as the word of God and you that heare are to â—eceive and heare it as it is indeed not the word of man but of God I come to the doctrine comprehended in the 2 point with the matter of the exhortation delivered first to the Jewes by the Prophet 2ly by consequence to us all Go up saith the Prophet to the mountaine bring timber and build this house where first for the better understanding of these words that is to be observed that this house of God in Jerusalem was built on a mountaine even on the mountaine or hill of Moriah as it is apparent out of 2 Chron. 3. 1. which place being chose by the Lord himselfe for the seat of his sanctuary the Jewes returning out of captivity came by direction of Zorobbabel and Jehoshua to set the Temple on her former seat that is to say upon her old foundation as t' is declared in the Booke of Ezra chap. 2. and as they came to set it on the old foundation so they began in the 3 Chap. though hindred by divers devises of the adversaries all the dayes of Cyrus and unto the second yeare of Darius the Prophet therefore now in the second yeare of Darius stirreth them up to go forward with the worke begun and to build up the whole worke upon the foundation exhorting them to goe up to the mountaine and bring timber and build the house but because the work was paineful and laborious and the people of the Jewes as all of us are by nature had rather to play for nothing than worke for nothing therefore the Lord by the Prophet stirreth them 〈◊〉 hereunto by adjoyning his promises 1 Of his grace and favour 2. with his gracious blessings 1 I wil take delight in it 2 I will be glorified Touching the former it may seeme strange that God promiseth to take delight in the Temple for if he taketh no pleasure in the strength of a horse neither delight in any mans leggs how much lesse likely is it that he should take delight in an heape of stones and timber But we must consider the temple not nakedly in it selfe but in such sort as respecteth the use and signification of it First the signification in that it betokened Christ Jesus of whom it was a figure and shadow Secondly the use and end whereunto it was directed namely to serve God For the signification you know that the Apostle
in the Epistle to the Hebrewes as also to the Colossians both plainely teach that the things under the law were shadowes to represent Christ they were shadowes but he the body even so the whole temple was a figure and a shadow of Christ and that nor of himselfe onely but of his Church also of him as the head of it as the body So the parts thereof shaddowed him as the Apostle in the 9 and 10 to the Heb. teacheth the verse signifying his flesh whereby he entred into heaven as into the holy of holyes so the altar of incense the sacrifices the bloud which were offered the table whereon they were offered c. all these things appertaining to the Leviticall services were so many mysteries to represent and shadowed out unto us the person of Christ in whom the light and truth of them all shineth Neither hereby onely was the head figured but the whole body also for so saith the Apostle to the Corinthians you are the temple of the living God Now the Lord himselfe saith of our Saviour This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased and we also read in the 1 Ephes 6. that it hath pleased him of his infinite mercy to accept and take delight in us in his beloved Wherefore you see that God might take delight in the temple in that it signified and shadowed out Christ in whom only if we speak absolutely and properly God is delighted as also his members whom it hath pleased God to adopt and so to delight in his beloved sonne whom also he vouchsafeth this grace that he accepteth not onely of their persons but of their workes too Wherein the latter promise is contained and I will be glorified which regardeth the end whereunto this house was built to be a house of prayer and to offer up praise and thanksgiving for his mercy to heare his word read and expounded and so because these workes of Christians are acceptable through Christ in this respect also it may be said that he tooke great delight in the temple Not in it selfe as Pilgrimagers imagine that God delighteth in places for themselves or because that holy men haue possessed them For when these actions I spake of were not practised in this place but the temple was so polluted that it did not represent his dearly beloved son God himselfe shewed sending his Prophets to them that he took no delight in it and namely by the prophet Ezekiel to whom the Lord shewed the great abominations that the house of Israel had committed to cause him to depart from his sanctuary c. which having at large in that Chap. shewed in the 11 Chapter he declareth how the Cherubims lift up their wings and mounted from the earth and went forth and stood upon the mountain and so by degrees the Lord forsook them from the sanctuary to the threshold of the temple then to the Cherubims which stood at the right hand of the Court verse 3 then to the Eastgate and entrance of the Court. verse 19 to provoke the people of the City to repentance and openly to shew his departure Finally flying from the City into the mountaine Chap. 11. 13. declaring thereby that he took no delight no not in his temple when his religion was not therein maintained and it not applyed to those uses whereunto it was erected and where ever hath there been either any person more holy abiding or any actions more Godly practised then in the temple at Jerusalem where Christ Jesus himselfe preached and taught the people yet even this place if ever any beloved both for the persons and actions was so detested of him when it ceased to practice these actions and to present that whereunto it was instituted that not many yeares after our Saviours death it was as you know ruined by the Romanes and made even with the ground yea when Julian the Apostata in despite of Christ went about to raise it up again it pleased God by miracles to shew his dislike therereof First by an earth-quake and then by flakes of fire issuing out of the earth and plagueing the workmen which not only Ruffinus and Zozomene write of but also Aminimi Marcellus who lived at that time and served Iulian being a great admirer of him witnessing that out of the earth there issued such flames of fire as consumed the worke men sundry times and so brought to passe that the worke could not be accomplished hereby it is manifest that God delighted not in the temple of it selfe neither yet for the persons that have been conversant therein actions performed when they ceased to be but because it râ—preâ—ented Christ Jesus and his Church in whom indeed he delighted and as it might be used to the service of the people of God therin to worship him with a holy worship yea in this respect he saith he will take such delight in it that this temple should be more accepted than the former though it were for the building nothing so glorious because in this Christ Jesus himself should be present in person And this is the former reason namely the favour which he will shew them nowout of his favour proceedeth his benefit and that is it which he addeth I will be glorified for we may perceive that this is the meaning of these words if we match them with those that go before and those that follow after for having before laid downe the punishments that were fallen upon them he adjoyneth withall the cause thereof for that each man ran to his owne house and left the house of the Lord waste Now things contrary have contrary consequences as if he had thus said in effect as those chastisements which heretofore you suffered came upon you because you did not build the house of the Lord so on the other side if you do build the same you shall be refreshed by sundry blessings yet by the way when he saith I will be glorified he putteth them in minde what they ought to do when they have received these benefits for so by the consequent he betokeneth the Antecedent by the glorifying of him the holy invocation of his name wherby he is glorified and these be the reasons whereby he stirreth up the Jewes to go up and bring timber and build the house But doth the Prophet stirre up them only and not us also yes my brethren even us also For whom whatsoever before time was written as the Apostle saith to the Romanes for our sakes I say was it written that we in the assurance of Gods favours and blessings which containe the promises of this life and that which is to come should do the same things that here are mentioned Therefore up to the mountaine bring wood and build this house for as you have heard that this house was a figure of Christ and Christians so let us remember as they were willed to build that materiall temple so we likewise are required to
edisie the Church of Christ which that you may the better do consider with me the points noted in the things whereunto they are exhorted and the reasons although the time will not suffer me indeed to stand on th reasons howbeit I must request that in the meane while you have an eye unto the reasons that are drawne from the rewards proposed to them that performe the commandment that so you may be stirred up with a fervent zeale to performe that to which so glorious a reward is promised And first let us consider who they are that be exhorted It is before said Zerubbabel and Ioshua the Prince and the Priest as they whose helpe and endeavour is most necessary to the building of the Church because they were as guides to direct others yet as it is manifest in the 13 and 14 verses the Prophet was sent to the remnant of the people and the Promise as well made unto them and their hearts likewise stirred up that they came and did the worke of the house of the Lord. They therefore who are to build by Gods Commandment are Zerubbabel and Ioshua with all the remnant of the people principally Zerubbabel and Joshua who are best able for speciall graces and gifts bestowed on them or because of the ministery of the word and authority committed unto them but next all the people likewise not the Prince and high Priest only now for the Princes how the Temple is to be built by them I shewed you when I spake of the former verse at which time I shewed for the generall building that the foundation hereof is as the Apostle to the Hebrewes declareth the doctrine of the beginning of Christ taught and contained in the catachisme the building of the wall the laying of the roof is the perfection of doctrine and encrease of Godlines till it be built in all respectts perfect even such aone pleaseth God himselfe to pourtray out in Scripture Therefore touching the generall building I then spake which must be done by them that are in principall place the Queenes highnesse and the states in Parliament and declared how it was to be done for the increase of true godlinesse by preaching of whol some doctrine and establishing godly discipline through all Churches in the Realme according to the prescription of the Lord revealed in his word A thing though hardly hoped for in these dayes in which so small care is had in Universities to make sufficient persons to furnish the ministery and of Patrons abroad to call them that are sufficient finally so small will in the people to submit themselves to the yoake of Christ yet it is to be prayed for of Gods people according to the example of Daniel who when the temple of God lay waste more then ours did make earnest prayer to God to cause his face toshine on his sanctuary that did lye waste for the Lords sake but leaving this to them that have amongst us the place of Zerubbabel and Ioshua and of whom we are to hope in due time they will have a care that the Church of God in all places be perfectly built up in the wisdome and spirit of Joshua let us remember the next branch namely that this commandment reacheth also to all the rest of the people for that this charge concerneth also all us likewise Saint Jude the Apostle and brother of Iames expresly teacheth when he saith but ye beloved edefie your selves in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost and keeping your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life and have compassion of some in putting difference and others save some with feare pulling them out of the fiâ—e and hate even the garment spotted with the flesh For whom are they that Jude giveth this charge even they who are called and sanctified of God the Father and saved by Iesus Christ even as the title of the Epistle sheweth in which respect it is also called Generall as written to all faithfull Christians now the foundation that we are to build upon is as the Apostle here saith the most holy Faith For that Iude signifieth when he saith edefie or build up your selves on your most holy Faith the walls and roofe of the house are the exercise of the workes of faith namely the love of God and man breeking out into fruits of righteousnesse so that we hate even the garment spotted by flesh In which speech there is an allusion to the law of Moses wherein the clothes and garments that had touched any unclean things were likewise accounted uncleane as if he would thereby teach them that they were to grow on continually from faith to faith in practise of Godlinesse with such a fervent zeale that they detest all contagion of sin and shew themselves perfect according as the weakenes of men will suffer as their heavenly Father is perfect but alas may I make this exhortation to all that are assembled in this place I may make it to all but would to God there were not in some even a want of the foundation For what is the foundation it is as Iude saith a most holy faith Now S. Paul to the Thessalontans writeth that all have not faith doubtlesse these words were true not onely in his dayes but in ours wherein sure all men have not faith and though all had faith yet have they not this faith which Jude nameth a most holy faith for many have faith which yet have not a most holy faith which is the Essentiall difference whereby the faith of hypocrites and wicked men is distinguished from the faith of Gods true servants For there is a beliefe which is without holinesse whereof Saint James speaketh when he saith The Devils beleeve and tremble But as for you my brethren who by the testimony of your consciences know that Iude speaketh to you who are called and sanctified Remember you that this exhortation is in speciall sort made to you namely that you build up your selves upon your most holy faith keeping your selves in the love of God and man c the exhortation is made to all God grant that all may imbrace it but it shall be imbraced of all to whom S. Iude writeth let us all then that make a profession of this faith Joyne vertue with your faith with vertue knowledg with knowledg temperance with temperance patience with patience godlines with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes love In which words as it were Saint Peter doth interpret the other making faith the foundation as it were of all other vertues willing the rest to be built upon it not as though these were distinct but mentioning so oft the same by divers names as if he would shew he could not satisfie himselfe with any words when he was earnest to exhort such as called upon the name of the Lord to depart from iniquity and to lay the walls of a holy and
Godly conversation upon the foundation of an holy and sound faith The Apostle Paul likewise to Titus delivereth the same thing though in fewer words The grace of God saith he that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared and teacheth us that we should deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world which words would God they were so well marked of us as they are continually rehearsed in our Assemblies soberly righteously godly containing the substance of all religion Soberly in respect of our owne vessels righteously in respect of other men godly in respect of God himselfe In the duties touching the which three the whole law and the Prophets consist neither must we only take care to build up our selves in this sort but others also For so Saint Iude also commandeth and have compassion of some and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire Though if Saint Iude taught it not yet we may learne it out of Saint Paul when he willeth us to exhort one another for every one of us is the temple of Gods holy spirit and every one of us is exhorted to build up this temple according to the grace which is given him Not all indeed as the ministers who are specially given for the gathering of the Saints together for the worke of the ministery and for edification of the body of Christ but in some sort by example and word at due times and seasons according to the measure of grace given to them and this do the godly in the prophecy of Esau where they are brought in one exhorting encouraging and calling upon another Come let us go up to the house of the Lord and he will teach us his wayes and we will walke in his paths And David rejoyced when he heard them say Come let us go up to the house of the Lord our feet shall stand in thy Gates O Jerusalem but with us there is so little care had hereof that men take scorne to be advertised of their duty especially by their inferiours yea that they who should advertise others and be advertised themselves too are most carelesse of all men and some there are so wretchlesse and carelesse in this respect of going up and bringing timber and building the house of the Lord that they no whit regard it as though it no whit appertained to them to build others but let us learne that it was the voice of Cain am I my brothers keeper Reuben though none of the best sonnes of Jacob yet when he saw that Ioseph was not in the pit he rent his clothes and returning to his brethren said the childe is not yonder and I alas whither shall I goe This then is the first point that we are to mark that they who are willed to go up and build are not Zerubbabel and Ioshua onely but all the remnant of the people and all faithfull Christians are bound to build up themselves and others For both we are the body of Christ others also both which are noted by the name of the Temple both in the 1 Cor. 6. 19. and 2 Cor. 6. 16. In the former place he speaking to every one saith that their bodyes are the temples of the Holy Ghost and in the latter he speaking to the Congregation saith they are the temple of God The second point to be noted is that we are not onely commanded to build but that with industry also and paines for the Prophet saith go up to the mountaine bring wood and timber and build this house wherin by proposing the particularities of the paines difficulty and labours he telleth them that though indeed it be painefull and hard yet it is the duty which God requireth of them To goe up a hill is not very pleasant but to go up having carriage burthen must needs be troublesome now the Prophet telleth them that they were not onely to go up a hill but to carry up timber thither also and it seemeth the Prophet would mention the hardest thing for what was it to bring timber In the third of Ezra 7. it is declared how they gave mony to the Carpenters and fellers of wood and meat and drinke and oyle unto them of Tyrus and Sidon to bring them Caedar-wood from Libanon to the Sea to Ioppa so that if we consider the difficulties First in felling of the trees at Libanon then of bringing them to the Sea to Ioppa then the carriage of them to Jerusalem and the bringing of them up to the mountaine we shall finde that it was a matter of no smal weight nor importance and yet all this was but little in comparison of that which they are lastly commanded namely to build the house especially considering that Salomon having so many workmen all things ready prepared for the building was yet as we read some seven yeares in building it when therefore he saith Go up bring timber and build the house he teacheth us that if we meane to build this temple of the Lord we must not do as they who take their ease and stretch themselves on their beds and drink wine in bowles killing Oxen and sheep and eating the fattest of the heard anoynting themselves with oyle and singing of songs to the instruments of musick but we are to take paines to fetch timber and to build he that will not do this is no workeman for the house of the Lord a hard speach for us my brethren who are like them that are troubled with the greene sicknesse that we cannot well travell on plaine ground much lesse climbe up mountains with burthens on our backs or like the Roman gentleman who when others were busied in military exercises laid him downe and tumbled in the grasse saying Vâ—inam hoc esset laborare O would that this were to take paines imagining so many difficulties and adversaries to come against us if we should set our selves about it as though we were the persons described by Salomon The slothfull man saith a Lyon is in the way a Lyon in the streets as the door turneth upon his hinges so doth the sluggard on his bed the slothfull man hideth his hand in his bosome and it grieveth him to put it againe to his mouth The sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seven men that can render a reason But these are slothfull men Saint Paul is of another mind of another spirit who fought with beasts at Ephesus and was not afraid to meet a Lyon in the streets of Rome from whose mouth he also saith that the Lord delivered him yea who was contented that he might do this worke to suffer imprisonment stripes hunger nakednesse even death as it were often as he sheweth in the 2 to the Corinthians 11. furnished indeed with a greater measure of grace then all or any of us are to looke for but according to the measure which we have
Cor 6. was made manifest Now concerning the use of the Temple we know it was called the house of prayer in regard of the holy exercises and rites prescribed by God which were therein performed which ceasing to be used in such sort as were by Gods commandment appointed it was according to the threatnings of the Prophets as before destroyed by the Babylonians so after it was renewed was it made desolate by Antiochus and in the end of all as our Saviour foretold quite overthrowne by the Romans wherefore it was the regard of the Mystery thereby figured for the vaile as it is shewed by the Evangilist signified Christ the holy of holyest c. and the exercises by God prescribed for which he saith that he would delight therein From the delight which he promiseth to take in it to stirre them up yet the rather he proceedeth and addeth the latter reason he will also be glorified whereby is meant that he will also poure his blessings upon them in such sort that they should have occasion hereby to praise and magnifie his mercy For that this is the meaning of the Prophet it is manifest by the Antithesis which is here used for setting downe how for their negligence they had been afflicted eating and not being satisfied putting on clâ—thes and not being warmed c. so contrariwise he promiseth that doing his commandment these evills should be removed and good things bestowed on them whereby they should have cause to glorifie his holy name for his mercy In these reasons proposed to them to move them to the building of the Temple Let us first consider how the truth was first performed to the Jewes the Lord promiseth his favour and likeing of them and his blessings proceeding from his favour how this was to be performed the Prophet expoundeth in the 2 Chapter in the words of the Lord himselfe v. 16. 17. 18 19. where willing them 1 to consider how they had been afflicted he bids them to reckon from that day signifying that from that day forth he would blesse them Neither promiseth he onely temporall blessings and corporall for which they should glorifie and praise his Name but eternall and spirituall also which is likewise sheweth in the 2 Chapter in the words of the Lord ver 6 7 8 9. Yet once againe saith the Lord and I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory silver is mine and gold is mine the glory of this house shall be greater than the former I will give peace in it In which promise the Lord of Hosts so often repeated he noteth the greatnesse and power of him that maketh this promise this peace glory signifieth not worldly prosperity or earthly peace in which respect this Temple exceeded not that of Solâ—mons but hereby is signified another peace even a peace of peaces the peace of God which passeth all understanding Which the Apostle wisheth the faithfull grace and peace peace betwixt God and us in the Covenant of grace of which I say he saith unto us a sonne is given the prince of peace Ephes 2 he is our peace he came and preached the gospel of peace a covenant betwixt God and man That this is the meaning is most evident by Heb. 12. 18. Akingdome that cannot be moved and Luke 2. 1. 13 14. peace on earth In this second temple the Prince of peace was to sitt here the Jewes have on their heartes the vaile aske them how this was performed seeing the Temple was destroyed how the glory of the latter Temple was greater than the former some of them will say in regard of the building for that albeit it were at the first lesser than Solomons yet was it after amplyfied by Herod others in respect of the continuance for that as they account this stood ten yeares longer than the former which is laid down by the author of their ordinary glosse but the promise of glory is made to this temple which in the 3 of Ezra was nothing in comparison of the former so that although it be true that afterwards it was inlarged by Herod as Josephus sheweth yet the promise is of glory not greatnesse onely which stretcheth further Saul had a greater body yet was he moved with anger thinking that a greater glory was given to 〈◊〉 in the womens song and when the Lord saith silver is miâ—â— he could if he had pleased have made it in that respect more glorious than Solomons yet as the Rabbins confesse themselves in respect of the gold the latter was nothing to the former which as the Scripture sheweth was all covered with gold walles beames floores posts and that with the fine gold of Opher read Josephus lib. car 8. and lib. 15. ult for the comparison of the two Temples in respect then of the glory by greatnesse and beauty joyned together especially of the riches of gold and silver c. the latter was nothing As for the continuance that is nothing for what if it stood ten years longer could it therfore be more glorious amongst all the Kings of Judah Solomon excelled in glory yet reigned but forth yeares Manasses 55. did he therefore excell him for it be said that he was in thraldome part of that time so may it be said of the dishonoring of this temple by Pompey and Cassiuâ— but Vriah reigned 52 yeares as much longer then Solomon as this Temple stood longer than the former wherfore if it be repugnant to scripture to say ste excelleth therefore in glory Solomon so it is for this cause to say that this Temple did excell the former Nay they are convinced of madnesse by the same Rabine for on the same word because the Hebrew word wanteth the letter which in number standeth with them for 5th he saith it is a note a mystery for that this latter temple wanted 5 things which the former had 1 Vrim and Thummin 2 the Arke of the Covenant 3 fire from heaven 4 the signe of Gods glory 5. presence of the Holy Ghost and this iâ— proved alledging a place of Talmud which is among the the Jewes as the decretall among the Papists the Author thereof would no more erre than can the Pope a Talmudicall fancie for although were wanting as it is not in those copies which are received without points but if it were by their fault that copied out the booke what reason that there should want 5 things because signifieth 5 in numbring which is nothing but a sottish and Cabalistine toy for even this temple wanted more than these five things as they also confesse even in the same booke for there was not the cup of Manna and therefore not onely 5 but 8 or 9 more were were wanting But to take that which they grant seing these five things were not in the latter Temple which were in the former unlesse the thinges of latter which were not in the former may match and excell
need of nothing then it is to be feared least indeed we be wretched and miserable and poore blinde and naked or if we thinke it enough for us to be present onely where the word is preached though we take it not home to our owne hearts let us consider that the high Priests did frequent those places where the messengers of the Lord did deliver their message but it was not sufficient unlesse they did apply the message to themselves which was brought unto them unto that end Moreover where it is said that the Lord did stirre up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel we are taught that neither the chastisements of the Lord nor yet the preaching of the word can bring us out of the sleepe of sinne unlesse it please God to adde thereunto the inward operation of the spirit to awake us for though affliction do cause us to cry and call unto the Lord as Isai saith Lord in trouble they have visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastisements was upon them yet oftentimes afflictions doe worke no such effect in the hearts of men else would not the Lord have said why do I correct you in vaine Nay many times the very griefe of affliction doth estrange men from God cause them to blaspheme the name of the Lord and breed hardnesse of heart in many of the wicked as is manifest Revel 16 when the angell did plague the wicked they boyled in great heat and then they blasphemed the name of God which had power over plagues and they repented not to give him glory and if they breake not out to these extremities yet they will continue still in their wickednesse and not turne unto the Lord that he may have mercy upon them so that neither afflictions nor yet the preaching of the word can stirre us up unlesse God do adde the secret operation of his holy spirit thereunto A resemblance herereof the Romans do afford us by the fact of Camillus who when he had besieged the City of Phalisci with ten yeares warre and attempted by the sword and famine to cause them to yeeld unto him yet all was in vaine till at length by his clemency and lenity he prevailed with them for when the Schoolmaster of the City who had the charge of the noblemens sonnes did bring them and betray them to Camillus that thereby they might be enforced to yeeld up themselves and the City for the ransoming and redeeming of their children Camillus considering that the falshood and treachery of the School-Master could bring him neither comfort nor credit commanded his officers to stripp him naked and binde his hands behinde his backe and to cause the children his Schollers each of them having rod in his hand to whip him backe into the City againe At which Noble action the Citizens were so moved that they presently delivered up their City unto him acknowledging Camillus as their Saviour and God and father even so oftentimes the Lord doth plague us with Famine and sword but yet we will not turne unto him untill by his Holy Spirit he gently move our hearts to yeeld unto him and then we beginne to acknowledge him our Saviour our Father our God in Christ Jesus We indeed are oftentimes overcome with such a dead sleep of security that affliction doth not awake us nor worke our amendment that we might turn unto God nay rather the greife of a son as hath beene said doth many times more withdraw and estrange our hearts from the Lord. It is recorded that the men of Canas after they were overcome by the Carthaginians alledged that they prospered better so long as they burnt their children unto their idols but what should I speake of the heathen seeing the people of God the Jewes blush not to tell the prophet Jeremy that whilest they burnt incense to the Queene of heaven and poured out drinke offerings unto her they had plenty of victualls and saw no evill but since they left off say they to burne incense to the Queene of Heaven and to poure out drinke offerings unto her we have wanted all things and have been consumed by the sword and by famine The word of God I confesse is a very forceable meanes to stirre them up and to prevaile for obedience but yet of it selfe insufficient unlesse by the power of Gods spirit it be put upon our minds and written upon our hearts and therfore our Saviour Christ and his Apostles dealing with the unbeleving stifnecked Jews said unto them as was prophecied of them Hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and seing ye shall see and shall not perceive for the hart of this people is waxed fat and their eares are dull of hearing they have eyes and see not eares and heare not and all because as the Prophet speaketh they are a rebellious house wherefore we may say with Elihu Job 32. Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding and this is not true only in the first operation of the spirit but in going on forward in the grace bâ—gunne and not therein only but in the perfecting of the same So that we may well acknowledge that of our Saviour That no man cometh unto the father except the father draw him and the Spouse in the Canticles saith wisely draw me and I will run after thee And the Apostle to the Philippians sheweth that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do And when the Apostle had preached the Gospell from Jerusalem and round about to Illericum he ascribeth nothing unto himselfe but all to the power of the spirit and grace of God which was with him But some may object that if God do onely worke in us all good motives and actions by the secret and inward operation of his holy spirit and that we can do nothing of our selves why then doth God punish us for not doing these things seeing that he himself is the cause why we do them not To this I answer that God doth justly punish us for that we have lost that knowledge that was given us in our first creation and then we had free will to do good our selves but now we are ignorant thereof and therefore are justly punished For as Laertius reporteth of Piltacus who made lawes whosoever were drunke should be double punished if he committed any offence according as Aristole also witnesseth Tertio Ethicorum cap. 5. First for his drunkennesse and secondly for his fault committed in his drinke so we are justly punished not onely for the fault or sinne it selfe but because of our originall corruption and ignorance which is incident into us by reason of that generall curse which fell upon all mankinde at the beginning but as for us that have better learned Christ and can cut of all objections with the word we know that it is not in him that willeth nor
building of the Temple but if being able to do little or nothing themselves they will not favour nor cherish others then it is to be feared they be but deceitfull workemen pretending to build the house of the Lord when indeed they do but build a Temple for Idolls The two reasons follow drawne from the two circumstances one of person whose house they were to build viz. the house of the Lord of Hostes their God And the other of the time without delay in the foure and twentieth day of the sixt moneth so soone as the Lord had stirred up their spirits they began to build the house of the Lord the former circumstance of the person containeth a double reason to move them to all speedy and due regard of building of the Temple one saw the power and all sufficiency of him whose worke it is viz. the Lord of Hosts â—o called because he is the chiefe commander and possessor of heaven and earth and useth all creatures as his armies and souldiers to execute his will both for his freinds and against his enemies The due consideration whereof might greatly incourage them against all the power of the Persian Kings and all other their adversaries that should attempt to hinder their worke and the other from his goodnesse and mercy in that he was by covenant the Lord their God and therefore considering that the building of the Temple was the worke of God their Father th◠〈◊〉 â—â—ght and ought to encourage themselves in going forward 〈◊〉 being well assured that he would both blesse them in their labour and take it in good part at their hands In regard wherereof it were no lesse than their bounden duty to bestowe not onely their labour but their lives also in the building of their Fathers house the Temple of the Lord their God The summe and substance of both which reasons drawne from Gods power that he was able and from his mercy that he was willing to blesse and prosper them in their worke I do further commend unto you in the example of the three children mentioned Daniel 3 who being in danger of the fiery furnace resolved to cast and repose themselves upon Gods power and mercy and so to be constant in their profession both in doing and suffering his good pleasure whatsoever should befall them Our God is able to deliver us Dan. 3 if it be so say they our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hands O King but if not be it knowne to thee that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship thy golden image which thou hast set up As also in that example of S. Paul what do you weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not only to be bound but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus If this were so ingraven in our hearts that the Lord of hosts is our God able and willing to defend us it would teach us to have a good conscience and to shew forth a good profession knowing that in all this the Lord of hosts both can and will be our guide unto death He that regardeth the wind as the Wiseman saith shall never sow therefore let us casting from us all things which might presse down go forth in the strength of the Lord onely and so build in his Temple assuring our selves with the Prophet David that the Lord is our strength and stony rock and defence and Saviour and our God and our might in wham we will trust our Buckler the horne of our salvation and our refuge The last reason to move us hereunto is the shortnesse of time wherein we are to build we must apply our selves to that which is in hand we must remember that this is our day and it may be but a day let us therefore as children of the day walke in the light and worke in the day the night of death may come we know not how soone whereof we may be put in minde every night when we lye downe to rest our sleepe being and image of death our beds a resemblace of our graves our sheets of our winding sheets the putting off our cloathes the putting of our mortality wherwith we are clothed the putting them on our rising up a figure of our resurrection from our graves and the putting on of mortality let us therefore remember that the Lord may say unto us as he said to the rich man in the Gospell This night shall they take thy soule from thee The consideration whereof might cause us to go on forward in the building of our temple And other reason is effectuall might move us hereunto the unreasonablenesse of the weather whereby the judgement of the Lord do light upon us therefore if now we will begin to build this house then he will be mercifull unto us and we shall see great plenty and if he will not deliver us from these plagues yet let us assure our selves with the thee children that he is able if he will to take these plagues from us but if he will not let us resolve to worship none but him and confesse with Saint Paul that we are not onely ready to suffer these punishments but even to dye at Jerusalem being alwayes prepared to build his temple seeing he is the Lord of Hosts and therefore able mightily to defend us and our God therefore kind and loving unto us his children that call upon him Therefore to this our God together with the Son and Holy-Ghost be rendred all praise power might and dominion both now and for evermore Amen Sermon the Ninth Haggai 2. 1 2 3 4. In the seventh moneth and in the one and twentieth day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by the Prophet Haggai saying speake now to Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel governour of Judah and to Joshua the sonne of Josedech the high Priest c. to the end of the fourth verse WHen as the Jewes had eftsoones beene exhorted by the word and after stirred up by the quickning power of the spirit to build the Temple of the Lord whose foundation long before was laid the Lord here least they should be hindred in their worke stirs them up with a new message enjoyning them to goe forward Ezra 3. we read that when the foundation of this house was laid in the dayes of Cyrus many of the antient men which had seen the former temple built by Salomon wept with a loud voice conjecturing by these beginnings as well they might that this latter temple would be nothing so beautifull and magnificent as the former was The cause wherof some interpretors thinke was the decree of Cyrus Ezra 6. who commanded that the height should be sixty cubits and the breadth 60 cubits and that it should be made ex lapidibus impolitis as the vulgar latin hath it of rough and vnhewed
stones whereas the former as we may rather gather from 1 Kings 5. 17. and 62. and 2 Chron. 3. 35. was in breadth 20 cubits in height an hundred and twenty cubits and in lenght sixty cubits after the cubit of the sanctuary which was as long againe as the common cubit and all made of broad and faire hewed stones others not perswaded that Cyrus herein differed so much from the former attributed this to thir poverty and meane estate that built it who coming farre short of Solomon in riches and magnificence we are not able to bestow so much on this as he did on the other And indeed it agreeth with that Caldee word used in that place that it was not rough stones as the vulgar Latin hath it but faire and great stones as the septuagint agree whereof this house was built wherefore though Ribera a papists upon this place in his commentaries give this decree of Cyrus as a reason thereof yet in his second booke de Templo etijs quae ad templum pertinent he denieth the same adding for the credit of their latine text that where it is written ex impolitie it should be ex politus lapidibus whatsoever was the cause the thing is cleare that the ancient men had marked that this temple was no way compararable to the magnificence of the former temple now seeing hope deferred maketh the heart faint as it is in the Proverb to faile in our desire in any thing hindreth our resolution to go forward with it The Jewes whose cheife honour was in the glory of their temple and therefore they would faine have seen it as fair as ever it was before could not but be thereat dismaid and discouraged And therefore the Lord here by his Prophet with this thought laid before them encourageth them to goe forward in the building of the temple adding to stirre them up hereunto three most gracious promises first of his assistance with his word and spirt in the building of the temple ver 4 5. Be strong and worke and I am with you secondly of honouring it with Christs presence in it verse 6 7. Thirdly of enriching it more then the former setling in it peace and all felicity ver 8 9. This message he commands his servants to carry ver 1. 2. In the seventh moneth in the one and twentieth day c. The thought and cogitation that hindred them he layes before them ver 3. who might be left c. And then he exhorts them with courage to goe forward verse 5. yet now be of good courage After which he adderh the promises verse 4 5 6 7 8 9. I will be with you my spirit shall be with you I will fill this house with glory c. Concerning the charge given to the Prophet we must call to minde that in the first day of the sixth moneth he was sent unto them from the Lord to exhort them to build and after in the foure and twentieth day of the same moneth he was sent with a new message to cause them to goe forward in building with one of these promises concerning the Lords assistance when they stirred up with things being considered and compared with that which followeth that notwithstanding both the former sermons of the Prophet and the working grace of the Spirit to meet wit this temptation hindring them they were to be stirred up yet with a new message to be encouraged with more promises as they instruct us on the one side that Gods grace must be both prevenient to go before and subsequent to follow after us in all things First to worke in us and then together with us first to stir us up after to help us forward so do they on the one side teach us that the good graces of God even in the best of us will be quickly extinguished and put out if so be they be not quickned and repaired in us by hearing the word of life whereupon it is that Christ Jesus when he ascended into heaven gave gifts unto men Besides those which were to remaine for a time even which should continue for ever for the repairing of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edefying of the body 1 the Church whereon was built this temple a type of those pastours which he hath given Paul writing to Timothy commands that they preach the word and be instant in season and out of season which though they seeme yet it is not disagreeing with that of Christ Luke 12 where he commendeth the faithfull Seward which giveth to each servant his portion of meat in due season for men are so backward to come where this meat is to be received and so many excuses they make as trying of Oxen seeing a farme marrying a wife that the importunity which may seeme to them and perhaps also sometime to the Minister to be unseasonable is hereby the Apostle commanded to be practised so that the Ministers are to teach instantly and as some thinke unseasonably and common sense will teach us this if we will consider the parable of our Saviour Christ whereas he compareth the minister to the Steward the people to the servants the word to the food so that as food sustaines the body so doth this word mainetaine the soule spiritually for the word he useth in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or signifieth a measure of corne so many pecks as was wont to be given unto servants for their monethly allowance which if they should not receive havingno more to live one common sense would teach us that they could not but be pined and what may we looke for if we regard not to receive this our allowance when it is distributed but to be pined with that famine threatned Amos 8. Not a famine to bread nor thirst for water but of hearing of the word of God when men shall wander even from sea to sea and from the north to the east and shall runne to an fro and shall seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it which I would to God they would consider better of and for small causes absent themselves from Ecclesiasticall exercises where the servants of the Lord destribute these portions light of nature should as I thinke so much teach them that herein they so much injury themselves as he did his servants of whom the Poet Juvinall speakes Servorem ventres modio castigat iniquo And this should make them herein more carefull Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 10. writes of an unlearned monke who living in the wildernesse of Egypt called Pambo who coming to one and requesting to be taught he reading that in the Psalme I said that I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not in my tongue Pambo would heare no more but requested him to stay there till he had learned that and so departed from the man who meeting him six monethes after and asked him why he had not come unto him againe why
for looking to the profits and fruits which may arise from them how much better were it for them to have that cogitation that David had 1 Chro. 11. who when he had desired to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem and three of his valiant men had broken through the Host of the Philistimes and had drawne of the water and brought it to him would not drinke if it but poured it out for an oblation unto the Lord and said let not my God suffer me to doe this should I drinke the bloud of these mens lives and is not this the blood of these mens lives which we drinke when we are cloathed and fedd with that which they allow us and yet leave them in that case that they pine away for want of feeding and as the Prophet saith they dye in this blindnesse and ignorance for want of teaching Therefore I beseech you in Jesus Christ though perhaps you have had a longing desire to drinke of this water yet thinke better on it and take Davids affection and resolution and say let not my God suffer me to do this and rather bate of that you spend of your raiment and faire then take such dead pay and keep backe other faithfull watchmen which else they might have The Lord for his mercy so sanctifie our harts that by the often hearing of his holy word we may consider and acknowledg our wants and imperfections and hereby be stirred up to redresse what we find amisse in our selves to the building of his Church to the comfort of our owne soules to the glory of his blessed Name through the grace of his holy Spirit in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour to whom with the Father and the same holy Spirit be all praise for evermore Amen Amen Sermon the Tenth 1599. Haggai 2. 5 6. For I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came forth of Egypt so my spirit shall remaine among you feare not HOw the Lord by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai did often and earnestly exhort and stirre forward the Jewes after their returne from the captivity of Babylon to the building up of the Temple hath beene hitherto declared unto you now of the promises or causes of encouragement whereby it pleased God to harten them least the conceit which they had that this house should not be so famous and so execellent as the former should discourage them and hinder them from that businesse this is the first which I have read unto you which containeth in it a most gracious promise of his aid and assistance by his spirit because that flesh and blood is ready to suggest into the minde of a man that which is in the Proverbs It is better to be idle than to be occupied in vaine and to make folke measure things by the event so that unlesse they see present meanes to effect that which they undertake they cast off all hope of accomplishing their purpose and so cease from medling any further whereon it was that Moses Exod. 4. 10. when he should be sent to Pharaoh excused himself that he was not eloquent that he had a stammering tongue but the Lord raised him up from that thought telling him that he should trust in the grace of the Almighty saying who hath given the mouth to man or who maketh the dumbe to speake c. do not I the Lord now therefore go and I will teach thee what to say to the like effect is the message sent to Haggai because that Zerubbabel and Jehoshua and the rest which should have been the chief in the worke having laid the foundation of the Temple despaired of finishing it and so despaired before he began it The Lord therefore stirred them up to go forward by these words which I have now read unto you a reason very forcible and motive very pregnant to move them forward I am with you saith the Lord of Hostes which words the Prophet often useth there by putting them in minde both of his power that sets them forward whose will all creatures as souldiers are ready to performe and meaning thereby also that by his favourable assistance he will blesse them and that by his spirit he will give them grace to accomplish that which they had undertaken In the second place the doubtfull understanding of the word word hath caused interpretors diversly to expound it for by word in scripture is sometimes signified the second person in the Trinity the Saviour of the world the Essentiall and eternall word of God of which John speaketh John 1. In the beginning was the word by whom all things were made and through whom all things are now preserved and so here should be three things which the Lord should novv promise 1 His owne presence 2 The presence of his Son 3 The presence of the holy Ghost which sense the Hebrewe would beare as may be translated and then it should be translated thus I am with you by my word that I covenanted with you c. whereto also the Argument agreeth because he was the Angell mentioned Exo. 23. 20. that spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai that gave the law unto the Israelites and promised them his favour if they kept his covenant as Stephen sheweth Act. 7. 38 sometimes it signifieth a promise made unto any insomuch that David Psal 105. ver 8 mentioning the covenant that the Lord made with Abraham saith thus he hath alwayes remembred his covenant and presently addeth this word of promise made to a thousand generations and thus othersome do thinke it to be taken in this place and this indeed the text will best beare and so much the more sith the Lord on the like occasion saith Deut. 31. ver 8. that he himselfe would goe before them and therefore encourageth them not to feare or be discouraged for himselfe would be with them and would not faile them nor forsake them and this the ordinary construction of the Hebrewes doth include as they know that are skilled that way especially I say if these words be compared with the 8 9. verses of the 105 Psal before mentioned besides there is a more pregnant motive to induce me hereunto even the authority of the Apostle himselfe who Heb. 12. 27. declareth that those words which are in the next place set downe by Hag. were spoken by Christ himselfe yet once more I will shake the heavens so by the word in this place cannot be meant Christ seeing Christ is said to have spoken this It followeth therefore that his word was not the Essentiall word of God but some externall word not the eternall word of God but some word that had a beginning namely when this promise and covenant was made when the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt and delivered them by his Angel God the Father by his son promised his favour assistance if we follow this interpretation the
sense will well agree with the former namely this word this promise was made by Christ considering that in him all promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20 and considering that Christ saith Joh. 14 15 16. that if we love him and keep his commandements he will pray the Father and he will give us another comforter that he may abide with us for ever whence the latter place in the Text of the Holy Ghost receiveth also light our Saviour there calling him the comforter and promising his abiding with us not for a season but for ever And this for the meaning of the words whereby the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel and the rest to go about the building of the Temple assuring them that he will be with them and that he will be mercifull unto them and prosper them in their endeavours that he will send them his spirit to guide and direct them and to releive them in all wants and doth not the Lord here likewise stirre up and exhort us to go forward with the building of the spirituall house not only such as have the place of Zerubbabel or the office of Jehosua but all the faithfull also that every one in his vocation should doe what in him liâ—th to the building up of the body of Christ no doubt as we have the like command so to us likewise is given the like encouragement according to the rule of the Apostles Ro. 15. ver 4. Whatsoever is written is written for our learning For why have not we Temples to build as well as they are not our bodyes called temples of the Holy Ghost Ephe. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor 6. 19. and therefore not onely the Church that is the Church universall assemâ—ly of the faithfull is to do this but also every man and woman in particular and albeit the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments Pastors and Teachers are to be principal labourers herein because they were cheifely given to this end Eph. 4. 12. yet all the faithfull are appointed as under-workemen for as much as the Lord exhorteth them that they exhort and edifie one another 1 Thes 5. 11. and Iude commandeth them to have care to edifie one another in their most holy faith verse 10. the commandement therefore that was given to them is given to us which is so much the more to be regarded of us how much more neere to God and more precious the spirituall house that is built on Christ and is to last for ever is above the materiall temple built on earth which was not to continue but to be laid waste insomuch that one stone should not be left one upon another so that thus you see that in respect of the like commandment we also are to build up our spiritual tabernacle and temple to the Lord which also we must do in respect of the like promises that they had which the Lord most graciously hath made unto us as he did unto them to the end that we should cast away all feare and distrustfulnes nay rather we have greater promises made unto us than ever they had to them at lest in measure greater howsoever in substance they be the same for what saith Christ Mat. 28. 16. the last ver Behold I am with you to the end of the world what promise can be more gracious what more comfortable which cannot be understood of the Disciples and Apostles only because of that circumstance till the end of the world and though they did belong chiefly to the ministers who were to observe and teach all that the Lord had commanded them yet in command they also respect all other as many as beleeve in the Lord by their ministery as Christ well sheweth in his praise Iob. 17. 20. where he addeth the enâ— also that they might be all one they in him and he in them as the Father is in him yea the promise is more graciously given to us then to them insomuch that Heb. 8. 8. the words of Jeremy that the Lord spake unto the Jewes are cited I will be their God and they shall be my people saith c. are appointed unto us promising us that he will prosper us he will not leave nor forsake us that he will blesse us not onely with heavenly blessings but also with temporall and with earthly treasures according to the meaning of the very same promise made to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy God and renewed to us Jer. 31. and yet with more kinde words 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters 2ly In respect of like or greater promises we must build up our spirituall Temple 3. We must do it respect of the like continuance of the spirit which we have amongst us as they had for Christ promiseth us Iohn 14. 16. That he will pray the Father and he will give us a comfortor and he shall abide with us for ever which least any should thinke to be spoken in respect of the disciples onely the Apostle 1 Cor. 16. telleth us that the spirit of God dwelleth in us also thereby the Metaphor of abiding in us as it may be explained by that which Cato in Tully saith of the soule namely that nature hath given it an abiding place in the body not a dwelling place therefore it must go out of the body as out of an Inne and not out of a dwelling house yea this is so to be understood of all Christians that the Apostle saith Rom. 8. after he had used the same phrase of the soule dwelling in us that he that hath not the spirit of God dwelling in him is none of Gods avouching that there is no Christian to whom this promise is not made good or verified it is true indeed that the spirit being God filleth full all places taking in it that generality but when we shall talke of this dwelling amoung the faithfull we take it after a more particular manner that he dwelleth in them by his gifts and graces as the Apostle signifyeth Ephes 3. 17 when he saith that he would pray that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith for so Christ dwelleth in us by communicating his spirit The Spirit I say shedding in our hearts faith and love and then Christ cometh and dwelleth in them which Augustine implyeth when he applyed those words to the widdow that wept for her husband why saith he dost thou weepe for thy husband thou hast by faith a better husband in thy heart for thou hast Christ himselfe for thy husband A sentence beloved most comfortable to the faithfull and which may serve well to assure them of their salvation by Christ and therefore the Papists desiring to impair it where Cyril useth the same words they willed them to be put out least any of their Schollers reading them in Cyrill not so corrected should conceive that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith but blessed be God that our students may
read it not only in Cyril but also in Gods own truth and the unlearned may heare it preaced by others thus 3ly in respect of the continuance of the spirit we are likewise to build up our selves as well as others Lastly we have the same promises that they had from the same Lord of Hosts Jesus Christ as he is described Rev. 19. 14. where it is said that the warriers or armies which were in heaven follow him and if they so excellent creatures then much more we who are farre inferiour nay he more kindly promiseth it to us promising that he will be with us by his spirit for ever to guide and comfort us in all our calamities and therefore it is our duty aswell as theirs to set aside all feare distrustfulnesse and with all courage go forward and with all encouragement to strengthen our weak knees and lift up our feeble hands that we may be able insome measure to accomplish the worke the Lord hath enjoyned every one for we have the like commandement that Zerubbabel had the like promises yea the same promises and the assistance of the same spirit and he that promiseth to be with us is the Lord of Hostes most mighty and able to do whatsoever he will which name least happily it should somewhat affright us let us remember that he is mighty and powerful against his enemies and towards his sonnes and servants mercifull and full of compassion yea he iâ— the Bishop and sheepherd of our soules 1 Pet. 2. and therefore it ought more to embolden us than discourage us as it did David Psa 23. My sheepherd saith he is the living Lord therefore will I feare no ill and indeed he himself shewed it to be true in his owne particular by his godly example in all his life and first when there was but a step betweene him and death as he had told his friend Ionathan 1 Sam. 20. he went forward with some circumspection indeed and care to prevent danger but yet never a whit discouraged because he knew that the Almighty was his sheepherd and that he was able to keep and defend him yea that he would defend him because that he had promised to de-defend all such as put their trust in him and why for the Kings hart is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it whether soever he willl and that as easily as a husbandman can turne the streames of waters And so the Lord did the heart of Saul to David as appeareth by the sequell of that story and when the Lord did not deliver him by his power yet he preserved him by his goodnesse Elias might have feared Ahab and Ehizeus might have beene dismaied with the taunts that were cast on him by Ieroboam but they went boldly forward shewing indeed that they had no cause to feare or be discouraged for they knew well enough that the Lord was with them The memorable example of the three children sheweth the like courage to have been in them when they said our God is able to deliver us if he do it not yet know O King that we will not worship c. whereby they shewed that they were fully perswaded that the Lord is present with his servants either by his power or by his goodnesse by his power to deliver them or by his goodnesse to comfort and strentghen them if to endure torments were most for Gods glory yea the very example of these three sheweth how true that in the Proverbs is when a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him so that not only the fury of Kings shall be turned away but if need be they shall become ever friends and if the hearts of Princes be so subject to the Lords ordination and government which seeeme to have some freedome how much more are the hearts of inferiour creatures the slothfull man saith that a Lyon is in the street but the Lord hath Lyons at command so that they shall not hurt his saints Dan. 6. he that observeth the winds shall not sow and he that marketh the clouds shall not reape so that the Lyon feareth the slothfull man on the one side and the winde on the other side keepeth him backe that he cannot go forward but for the true children of God who know that both winde and weather sea and aire are at Gods command they feare neither the heat of summer nor the cold of winter nor the storme of persecution but goe boldly on in their calling following the precept of their God and committing all other things to his providence for they know that he is with them even in affliction as David witnesseth Psal 23. thy rod and thy staffe comfort me where we are to consider that the rod and the staffe are tearmes used in respect of the former word sheepherd the word rod signifieth a long thing to strike with but yet used as sheepherds use the like about their sheep to keep them in by threatning them and a little tipping them the word staffe is borrowed from a word that signifieth to leane on which sheepheards use to leane on and withall to keep their sheepe but in proper the Prophet declareth that the Lord would not chasten him or if he did his chastisement should be but such as should comfort him as he saith else where Psalme 119. It was good for me that I was punished and before I was smitten I went wrong Columella writing of the use of the latter word for staffe saith that in some countries the sheeherds use to leane on their staffes and never sit downe but stand upright to looke on their flocke least that any sheepe comming after might be entercepted of wilde beasts of which the country is full in which sence if we take the word staffe it sheweth that the Lord is watchfull over his so regardeth them that none of his perish and look what chastisement he giveth them it shall in the end turne to their salvation and hence it was that the Apostle Paul when the Lord bad him be of good courage none shall hurt him he boldly and joyfully went about his calling even then when the Lord was not with him in his power to deliver him but yet by his goodnesse to comfort him as I said yea when he knew that he should be delivered up he boldly without feare went on to build up that body which he was sent for teaching us by his example to remember that in the Epistle to the Romans cap. 8. 31. 37 38 39. If God be on our side who can be against us nothing can separate us from his love which we have in Christ Jesus wherefore that this might the better be kept and performed the Pastours are to stir up the people to this boldnesse remembring that even in weakenes the Lord will perfect his strength and bring his will to passe and that he often useth weake instruments to
great purposes which they should do well to remember that separate themselves from us because there is not that perfection in us which they dreame there should be In the Church of Sardis there were but a few names left among them was the minister then to leave them because it was even then decaying and declining no he was to stirre them up againe to awake and strengthen the things that remaine which is not spoken to the Ministers alone but to all the rest that remaine as appeareth ver 1. 4. the like charge Paul gave to Archippus Col 4. 14 namely that he should take heed to the ministery that he should fulfill it which certainely ought to stirre up all such as have charges that they imploy themselves about their calling teaching them privately publickly as it is Acts 20. not thinking it enough to read unto their charge once a moneth for so they shall never fulfill their ministery well may they indeed quite starve their flocke which Columella waiting of sheepherds well sheweth and when he saith a few sheepe well fed will bring more profit to the owner then a grat many ill fed for besides that they bring small profit they also perish and in fect others for leannesse breeds scabbs and scabbs death and therefore are Ministers to labour and feed the Lords flocke according to their gifts that the Lord may receive the advantage according to the quantitie of the tallent And therefore let me beseech them to give themselves to reading and exhortation if their maintenance be not sufficient that they should leave their Colledge let them remember how the Lord fed the Israelites with Manna and how the widdowes oyle was increased and how Elias was fed with Ravens and not to go to miracles how the Shunamites provided for the Prophet how Paul laboured with his owne hands nay remember that golden Mediocritie which Paul speaketh of in Tim. If we have food and raiment we ought therewith to be content and for such as have charges and yet preach not but pretend they be not eloquent c. Let them remember what the Lord said to Moses pretending the like will they doe better then they can you know what Julius Florus said to Julius secundus a little boy should make a declamation which he had done saving he wanted a fit Proem which he laboured three dayes for and could not hitt of any to his liking and thereby grew very heavy Julius Florus his Vncle would needs know the cause he tolâ— him whereupon he smiling said numquid tu melius vis dicere quam potes so may we say to them will they doe better then they can God regardeth that they can doe not that which they cannot when as Socrates had bid many to dinner his wife told him that there was but a little meat why saith he if they be honest men it is enough if not too much so may they thinke if their hearers be godly be it a little that they bring it shall suffice be they wicked it will be too much and therefore feare not to be bold the Lord will be with you in the preparation and in the delivery and see others which are hearers such as take not that profit by the word as they hold whose flesh is alwayes rebelling against the spirit let them endeavour and the Lord will adde a blessing endeavour they must to reforme themselves and to informe others For the more they heare the more they understand the more will be looked for at their hands let them not use those idle excuses of a Lion in the street let neither the frost in the winter nor the heate in the summer hinder you from going forward Be faithfull unto the death and you shall have the Crown of life which the Lord grant for his Sonnes sake Jesus Christ Amen Sermon the Eeleventh Haggai 2. 7 8. Yet once againe that is but a little and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and I will move all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this House with glory saith the Lord of Hostes OF the three most gratious promises whereby the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel and the residue of the Jewes to go forward in the building of the Temple the second in these words ensuing doth declare that our Saviour Christ by his presence and powerfull preaching to the salvation of them that should believe would replenish this house with glory A blessing which how excellent it is we are by St. Paul Eph. 1. 18. and Col. 1. 17. sufficiently taught and this is both compared to and amplified by the benifit which the people had in their deliverance out of Egypt mentioned in the former verse when he saith here yet once that is small for so it is in the originiall which is diversly supplied by the learned interpreters somethinking here a short time to be meant put it thus after or yet a little while as if it had bin spoken to comfort the godly in the shortnesse of the time as Isay 10. Hab. 2. Heb. 10. others deeming the thing bâ—fore spoken of to be meant which sence I take to be more agreeable to the place read it by aparenthesis yet once I that is a small thing viz. to bring them out of Egypt I le doe a greater matter which kind of phrase we have also Isay 49. 6. But howsoever it be taken the rest of the words wherein these leanes doe extoll the benifit of the Gospell by Christ brought to all nations comparing it with the law delivered to the Jewes as the Apostle inferres it Heb. 12. 26 27. Where having stirred them up to receive the Gospell he adds that as a reason that if they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth much lesse should they that refuse him speaking from heaven whose voyce then shooke the earth and hath now also declared saving yet once more will I shake not the earth onely but also the heaven to which in this place is added the seas and lands as parts of the earth for greater amplification whereby is imployed that as when the Lord gave the law on Mount Sinai he made the earth to shake Exod. 19. so now would he shake not onely the earth but the heaven also to authorize the Gospell which corporally was done as both Matth. and Luke record when as reconciling the Gentiles by his passion the earth quaked and when the glad tidings of this reconciliation was sent to the Apostles there came a voyce from heaven as a mighty winde and the earth eftsoones shaked although taken figuratively spirituall things may be thought to be intimated as some expound it that the earth and the heaven may rejoyce for that whereby a new heaven and a new earth was to be made as did the Angels in heaven as well as the men on earth then verse 8. There followes the efficacy of the Gospell toward them to whom it is sent wherein are noted two
dwell among us sanctifie us O Lord that we may remember that the gold is thine Sermon the Thirtenth Haggai 2. 11 12. In the fourth day came the word of the Lord saying Thus saith the Lord aske now the Priests concerning the law and say if one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or eyle or any meat shall it be holy and the Priests answered and said No. AFter many and great promises of sundry blessings and benifits whereby the Lord had before incurraged these people of the Jewes to go forward in the building of the Temple wherein at this time they shewed themselves somewhat slacke Heare againe for the strengthening of their hands and the chearing of their hearts to stirre them up againe in these words the Prophet reneweth one of the former promises concerning the plenty of temporall blessings of wine and oyle so the comfort of which benifit is annexed and set out by the contrary to wit barrenesse blasting by which for their sinnes they were chastised in the former yeare and least being the only people chosen to serve the Lord they should flatter themselves in the multitude of their sacrifices and religious worshiping of the Lord and thinke therefore that they weare not so plagued for their sinnes they are advertized from the Lord that notwithstanding their daly offerings and services and not only their other actions weare displeasing to him but even their sacrifices abominable in his sight so long as they neglected his Commandements and left his Temple unbuilt The severall points to be observed are these First that their sinnes is opened and they by themselves convinced of it v. 12. to v. 16. Secondly the Prophet sheweth that therfore they were plagued with barrennesse from v. 16. to v. 19. Thirdly Vpon amendment of this fault and going constantly on in building plenty is promised v. 19. to v. 20. The first point is as much I shall be able to handle at this time though I did reade all because of the connection and coherance of one part with another For the first therefore to omit the other whereon this depends Their sinne the Prophet opens by two misticall Resemblances rawne from Moses Law v. 13 14. and declaring thence v. 15. that they being themselves uncleane so were all their workes and their sacrifices which they more effectually to perswade them the Lord v. 12. commandeth Haggai to aske the Priest concerning the Law as by the witnesses of them that were therein skilfull to convince them and perhaps to reprove the Priest which should before have taught the people according to the Law Now the Law of Moses laith open these two Types for 1 Levit. 6. 27. concerning the sinne offering the Lord by Moses pronounceth that it was most holy and whatsoever should touch the flesh should be holy and here is the former question made by the Prophet v. 12 13. if one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with the skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage whether the bread or the meate so touched shall be holy whereunto the Priest answered no And that eightly for though it be said there that whatsoever thing the flesh of the finne-offering toucheth shall be holy yet doth he not say that whatsoever toucheth that which toucheth the flesh shall be holy In like manner the Iewes in their sacrifice could not be said to be holy because they touched that onely which touched the thing that was holy and never touched that thing which was holy to witt the true flesh of sinne as he called Gal. 2. the body of those shaddowes Heb. 9. 9. who was sacrificed on the Crosse to take away sinne whom and whose garments as they only who touched by faith were healed Mar. 6. 56. Matth. 9. So onely as many as touched him in the sacrifices of the Iewes spiritually by a true and a lively faith first those that spiritually believed in him were saved and so consequently sanctified which spirituall touch is required Ioh. 3. Heb. 11. 6. wherefore as the Iewes by neglecting the building of the Temple and therein their obedience shewed their unbelief wanting that faith which worketh by love although they touched the outward shaddowes and cerimonies yet since they touched not Christ the substance and body of them by a true faith they remained yet unholy still Againe Numb 2. 19. it is written that whosoever toucheth the corps of a dead man shall be polluted and uncleane and whatsoever the uncleane person toucheth it shall be also uncleane And hence is the second question moved whether if a person sopolluted by touching a dead body as the word in the originall sheweth and is although not here yâ—t Levit. 22. 4. translated touch any thing uncleane by the dead whether the thing so touched should be unclean to this question the Prophet answers yes it shall be uncleane and that also agreeable to the law as before we have heard wherefore the touching of a dead body doth betoken the committing of sinne which is called â—â— dead â—ork Heb. 9. 14. As may appeare by Christs blood â—â—â—ging â—â—om us the uncleannesse of sinne to that clenâ—â—ng water which purged them from that uncleannesse of the dead Heb 10. 〈…〉 that the Ieweâ— howsoever by the sacrifices and ceremonies they were outwardly washed from such pollutioâ— yet being not washed by Christ blood they were dead in the 〈◊〉 and sinnes and so polluted with dead workes that all of them were unclean yea and their sacrifices defiled and all they did which is the maine point of reproofe inferred as from those former proofes by the testimony eveâ— of the Priests themselves concerned 〈◊〉 where the prophet answereth So iâ— this people 〈◊〉 which say it is not time to build the Lords house 〈…〉 cleane before me saith the Lord i in my judgment howsoever they thinke themselves cleane by their sacrificeâ— and so ar◠〈◊〉 but all the workes of their hands and that which theâ— effect here viz. as we may gather from their daâ—ly 〈◊〉 offering into uncleane Thâ—â— weare the Ieweâ— informed how they did 〈◊〉 against the law of God in not building aâ— they weare commanded the Temple of the Lord and therefore for all their sacrifices they were uncleanâ— â—nd all their 〈◊〉 ye and their own sacrifices an abominatioâ— unto him and that by the confeflida of the high Prieâ—â—â— their owne teacher of which 〈◊〉 â—â—ction given unto them wee may make 〈…〉 we may see 1. The sinne of these Iewes viâ— the neglect of the â—â—â—filling of the Lords commandement inbuilding as 〈…〉 2. The convicting of 〈…〉 3. By resemblances and 〈…〉 serve for opening the meaning of these words now see what heare we learne for instruction and our further use v. 12. thus saith the Lord aske the Priests de lege whence 1. We learne in generall that for convicting men of sinne instructing them in the way of God
the word of God is an infallable rule and ought to be the square of all our actions The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule And the testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome to the simple And Psalme 19. Neither doth only David Psalm 119. say that it teacheth a young man â—o redresse his way but even of his owne he saith that the word is a laâ—thoâ—ne unto his feet And our Saviour Christ when he was asked oâ— the Scribe how he might have eternall life sendeth him to the law saying how is it written how readest thou Mat. â—9 And so being to prove to the Saduces the resurrection he sendeth them to the Scripture saying Have ye noâ— read and Mat. 22. so the Apostle Paul perswaded Timothy and in them all the Ministers to continue in the things they had heard which are able to make them wise unto salvation and desired Titus to continue in the doctrine taught him and thereby to convince them that gain-say not by mens Doctrine which are all but vaine rudiments Colos 2. and which they teach but all invaine to worship God Mat. 15. a doctrine necessary to be noted touching the sufficiency of the word of God against the doctrine of mens traditions which the Lord by Esay complaineth of in the Jewes that gave themselves to the Talmud tying themselves to the doctrine of Rabbins and also digging broken Cisterns that would hold no water and forsaking the fountaine of living waters alledging those Canons for directing of mens actions as now the Papists in their giving directions for the training up of their Novices A Jesuite Ribera on these words aske the Priests saith that it is as much as we say now aske the Priest in cases of conscience and the observation is very true but then seeing cases of conscience are decided in Gods word they that be thus asked must be golded by Gods spirit and be able to answer as the Papists here did out of the law of the Lord what God saith not out of mens doctrine what Tho. Aquinas saith But remember that they be â—ases of conscience which only God doth determine and resolve and herein let theâ— take their owne Doctor Thomas Aquinas who par◠〈◊〉 questâ— 1 〈◊〉 ar 8. upon the words of Titus saith that although by way of reason mens authorities may be alledged as of Aratus by the Apostle yet these are but probable not demonstrative and that onely the doctrine of the Canonicall Scriptures is certaine and infallible such as whereon our faith may must alone be grounded as on the Revelation given immediately by God unto the Prophets whereon also Saint Augustine saith that he had learned to give only to the holy Scriptures that reverence that they could not erre when all other men might and in their writings often did But as for us my brethren we are not to rely upon Thom. Aquin. or any other man our heavenly school-master hath taught us better Es 8. Should not a people inquire at their God To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this it is because they have no light in them They have no light in them that have not learned this and this we learne in that the Prophet did aske the Papists concerning the law The next thing to be observed here is that the Prophet being bidden to aske the Papists the Papists make answer out of the law where we may observe the duty of the Papists viz. that they ought to be men who ought to know the law and thence to be able to resolve the truth in any question being asked out of the law for so saith God Mat. 2. that he made his covenant with him of life and death hereupon inferres that the Priests lipps should preserve knowledge and the people should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the Angel of the Lord of Hosts we my brethren that are called to the Ministery of the Gospel succeed the Priests in this office though the name indeed be not given to us in the new Testament but together with other Christians as may appeare by Esay 66. 21. there the Prophet alluding to the old name to set downe our office saith In the Lords name I will take of them 1 from all nations Priests and Levites unto me summe and therefore we also must know the law of God and that as it was said then so it is now said of us also that our lipps also should preserve knowledge that we may teach the people and this Saint Paul requireth of Tymothy to give attendance to reading although he had beene brought up in it from his youth and though old men may thinke that this was spoken to young men such as Timothy yet may they know that this also belonge to those who are old persons such as Paul and that from August Epist 63. Terti â—â— Volsianam to whom having written for resolution to Austin as if â—â— thought he knew all things Austin correcting the opinion saith that so profound and deepe were the Scriptures that he might profit still in them although from his child-hood unto his old age with most diligent study he was conversant in them Not as things necessary unto salvation were to be attained unto by so great difficulty an exception needfull to be inserted for the Pupists but that when they have attained to Christian faith yet such mysteries are there and so shaddowes that although the Ministers be ingenio accutissimo aniâ—â— fiagnantissimo yet they cannot in all their life as Eccl. 7. attaine to them of knowledge So that the lesson given to young Timothy is to extend to the old also Paul himselfe doing what he exhorteth Timothy to doe as the glosse thereon Cherion notes And Chrysostom that Paul did that himselfe which he exhorteth Timothy to doe by Pauls so often writing of the Oracles of God in the old Testament and by other circumstances now this knowledge is not to be kept under a bushell but we must teach and instruct the people and resolve of questions according as it is said aske the Priests which thing before they should have done since they could not chuse but read in Deut. that they should teach Jacob Gods judgements and Israel his lawes which the better to performe they are forbidden Levit. 10. to drinke wine or strong drinke when they enter into the Lords Tabernacle that they may discerne things aright teach what was to be observed among other Christian dutyes as to instruct correct reprove 2 Tim. 3. Paul also requireth of the Ministerâ— not in the strictnesse of that law to drink no wine at all yet not to be vinodeditus given to wine and for the same end according as Plato in Cratylo saith that temperance is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereto Aristotle assents Ethic p. 6. which Etimologi although some Gramariane dislike yet it
had now made Emperour standing by him he after his wonted manner saluted the Emperour himselfe but of purpose did not obeysance unto his son which the Emperour observing and thinking it to be done by Amphitochius only of forgetfulnesse he commanded him to come unto his sonne and in token of honour to salute him with a kisse Amphitochius answered that it was sufficient that he had done his duty unto him Whereat the Emperourwas much moved with great indignation interpreting the neglect of his sonne to be the contempt of himselfe Then immediately the most wise Amphitochius as Theodoret stiles him declaring the whole purpose and drift of that he said and cryed aloud O Emperour dost thou so take to heart the neglect of thy sonne and art thou so vehemently angry with them that are contumelious against him why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Almighty God doth hate the blasphemeâ—â— of 〈◊〉 only begotten Sonne and is angry with them as being unthankefull towards him their Saviour and benefactor the Emperor being convincest by these his words and deeds did forthwith make a law for the restraint of the Arrians Hereticks according to the Petition of Amphitochius Sermon the Fourteenth Haggai 2. 13. c. If one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with the skirt do touch bread or partage shall it be holy and the Priests answered and said No c. and Haggai said So is this people c. TO passe over all coherence of those words that follow with these noted heretofore and to remember you only of the drift and meaning of the same The Jewes being now returned from their Babylonish captivity to Jerusalem although they went not forward with the building of the Temple as the Lord commanded them yet because they offered sacrifice on the alter of the Lord built long before they supposed that they were thereby sanctified so that their disobedience in not building the Temple did not defile them The contrary thereto here they are taught out of the law by two resemblances 1 Levit. 6 2 Num. 19. for that 1 avouching every thing that touched the flesh of the sinne offering to be cleane did not yet imply that the bread and wine that touched the skirt which touched the sinne offering should be likewise cleane and the 2 affirming them that touched a dead body to be uncleane and whatsoever they touched also to be uncleane did shew plainely that all that such a party did touch whether bread or oyle was thereby defiled and uncleane after which points out of the law avouched by the confession of the Priest for God bad the Prophet aske them the latter part of the second similitude followeth so is this people and so is this whole nation before me c. the force of the illation or argument why the Jewes were not sanctified by their sacrifices but count their sacrifices defiled by their disobedience doth consist in the mysteries represented by those ceremonies For First Christ Jesus our Saviour was signified by the sinne-offering whose flesh was most holy here called holy flesh the touching of which here signifies the spirituall touching of Christ by faith as the woman Luke 8. is by our Saviour said only to have touched him when as others did more then so wherefore since they that truly doe beleeve in God do love him and keep his Commandements and the Jewes did not build the Temple as he commanded them it followeth that although the Jewes did touch that which in some sort might be said to touch Christ viz. the sacrifices and shaddowes of the law wherein he was covered as in the skirt of a garment yet they did not touch Christ himselfe by a lively faith working by love therefore they were not by these sacrifices sanctified and made Holy nay contrarily all their sacrifices were by them defiled and made uncleane since the touching of a dead body did signifie the committing of sinfull disobedience which was deadly and whatsoever such a person did touch did signify whatsoever he did which thereby he defiled so that the Jewes being themselves defiled by their disobedience in not building of the Temple defiled all their works even their very offerings seemed they never so holy before men yet before God they were but polluted and defiled Now to passe by the ground of this reproofe the testimony namely of the Priests out of the law of which before ver 12. and to proceed to other notes of instruction 1 from the two similitudes in generall from the ptne of their meaning applyed we may observe that the sacrifices and ceremonies of the old law were ordained by God not to signify only those things which the words barely did import unto the Jewes but other myster ies also for the comfort of the godly unto the end of the world this the Apostle Col. 2. 17. sheweth us that these were but shadowes 1 as it were the just draughts of the lineaments as painters whence the phrase seemeth to be taken use first in a darker sort as with a coal or the like to shadow forth their portraiture as Apelles did Ptolomie his servant Plin. lib. 35. c. 10. which after they make more perfect and yet more plainely Heb. 8. 5. where it is said that Moses made the tabernacle and all things therein according to the heavenly patterne which God shewed him in the Mount which patterne what was it but the mysteries of our redemption by our Saviour Christ which were shadowed out by the Tabernacle To shew this by examples Exo. 12. there was a paschall lambe appointed to be killed and the bloud to be sprinkled on the doore posts 1 Cor. 5. the Apostle applyeth this to Christ saying For Christ our saviour is offered Exo. 29. 38. There was appointed in the daily sacrifice two lambes to be offered one in the morning and the other in the evening John the Baptist seeing our Saviour Christ Ioh. 1. saith behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world whereof indeed the other were but shadowes Numb 21. Moses is appointed to erect a brazen Serpent that the people who were stong with the fiery serpents might looke thereon and be healed in John 3. our Saviour Christ doth shew that himself was shadowed by that serpent for as Moses lifted up the serpent c. I need not to open other mysteryes hid in these touching the faithfull as that 1 Cor. 5 that when the Pascal was eaten they eat unleavened bread the Apostle there seemes to signify that we being by our saviour redeemed are to put away all leaven of malitiousnesse and to keepe a continuall feast all our life with the unleavened bread of sincerity truth and so in this place the touching of the flesh of the sinne-offering which did make holy that which did immediately touch it though not that which did onely touch that as did touch it did signifie as by the Prophets application we learne the touching of our
God did open the hart of Lydya to attend to that was spoken so also that at Ierusalem it was likewise used that famous place Nehemiah 8 9. doth shew sufficiently as also in other places of Jury as 2 Kings 4. 23 from that answer which the Shunamites husband gave unto his wife when her childe being dead and he not knowing thereof and marveiling why she sadled the Asse asked why she would go to the man of God that day since is was neither new Moon nor Sabboth day the learned gather that on such feasts as the new moones Sabboth dayes the people that dwelled far off even in the Countries did use to assemble unto the Cities where were Prophets Levites which they called men of God to be taught instructed by them as Acts 15. 14 it is sayd that Moses had them which preached him in their Synagogues being read every Sabboth-day as even in our Saviours time it appeareth by that which is recorded Lu. 5. 17 where it is said that to heare Christ among the rest there came the Pharisees and teachers of the law out of every towne of Galilee and Iudea and from Ierusalem insomuch that when the scriptures were read if there were any likely in the Congregation to preach or make any exhortation they were requested therunto as Acts 13. 15. we reade how at Antiochia after the lecture of the Law and the Prophets the ruler of the Synagogue sent unto Paul saying yea men and brethren if yee have any word of exhortation for the people say on which farther appeareth by that is storied of our Saviour Luke 4. 17. how comming into the Synagogue at Nazareth the booke of the Prophets was delivered unto him which having opened he read and expounded a portion of 61 of Isay unto the people Therefore since that to these sacrifices here mentioned the Jews joyning both prayer and preaching of the word and yet were not thereby sanctified without obedient hearts we may learne also that by our calling on the name of the Lord in prayer and learning his will by hearing his word we cannot at all be sanctified without obedient and beleeving hearts And doth not the Apostle teach us the very same things why else doth he exhort 1 Tim. 2. 8. that men should pray every where lifting up pure hands and without wrath and without doubting if so be that onely prayer and lifting up the hands would serve without the puriry of the affections of the heart And why doth he say to the Hebrewes that the gospell was preached unto them aswell as unto the old Jewes in Moses his time but the word that they heard did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it if that barely to come to heare the word were all that were required Or why doth he say concerning the Sacraments which are the visible as the preaching is the audible word of God 1 Cor. 10. that the Fathers under the law did all eate of the same spirituall meate and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke and yet with many of them God was not pleased so that they fell in the wildernesse and addeth that these are examples unto us but to instruct us that although we have such graces as they and be partakers of the like Sacraments of Christ yet if we be disobedient as they were we must looke to taste of the like plagues as they did so evident is that doctrine which from the former similitude in the beginning I observed that by the outward service of God none are sanctified but those only which have faithfull and obedient hearts Wherefore since it behooveth us reverend and beloved to be carefull of holinesse without which none can see God Heb. 12. 14. wee see how wee should stirre up our selves not only to the outward but even to the inward worship of the Lord for Mat. 7. 22. Many shall say Lord Lord so that there shal be prayers and have not we in thy name preached c they shall use preaching also and yet Christ shall say unto them I never knew you Seeing then the outward ceremony will not serve to sanctifie any or bring them to salvation we must be very careful not only to performe this outward service to God of prayer which by an excellency is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9. as all other Rom. 12. but also to offer up our soules and bodyes even the best of our inward and spirituall sacrifices and services to Gods glory for we are bought with a price and I am sorry that I am prevented by the time so that I must speake breifely which else I should more largely 1. How many of us are there that do not come to the outward service of God so as they ought I refer it to every mans conscience to consider how they frequent the assemblies for prayer and divine service in their private Collegs but for comming at the beginning of tearmes when as wee are by oath and conscience bound thereto how slackly is that done if done at all Alasse how far are we from the zeale that was in the Iewes who with wearisom journeys walked on through the wildernes till they appeared before God in Sion Psal 84 how far from that foretold should be in the people of God Psal 110. 3. thy people shall come willingly c how farre from that example which the people give us Neh. 8. who were said to have heard the word willingly from morning untill night So we reade Act. 20. Paul being to depart on the morrow the people that beleeved assembled themselves together to hear him so that he continued his preaching untill midnight but alasse how do we degenerate from these who cannot indure but for an houre or two to frequent such religious Assemblies it is recorded by Zoromen l. 6. c. 18. that when Valence an Arrian Emperour had forbidden the Christians to have any Assemblies the Godly notwithstanding used to meet together in the fields for the service of the Lord. The Emperour hearing therof was very wroth with his Cheife Captaine Modestus for so he was called and so indeed he shewed himselfe because he suffered them so to do Modestus therefore forewarning them that they should meet so no more and threatning that if they did they should be punished they notwithstanding the next day in great multitudes met againe which Modestus understanding thought good to go out against them with a band to scatter them but as he went a certaine woman with her head not throughly tired with a little child in her hand overtaking them brake through among the Souldiers and made hast towards the place where the Christians were assembled Modestus causing her to be called to him demanded of her whither she was going in such hast shee answered that she was going to the place where the Christians were assembled to serve God Why said Modestus dost thou not know that the Emperor hath commanded that
sanctified and which they most esteemed holy both in respect of the thing viz. their offering on the Altar Exod. 29. 30. wherof all were holy and some most holy so that their service of God in this kinde was by an excellency called the service of God witnesse the Apostle to the Hebrewes and Romans and also in regard of the place where they offered them here in Jerusalem the place chosen of purpose to that end called therefore the holy City in Matthew and greatly praysed in sundry of the Psalmes for that respect Seeing then the people and whole Nations of the Jewes yea all their workes even their very sacrifices offered in Jerusalem were unclean and detestable in the sight of God because they had not faithfull and obedient hearts but did neglect the building of the Temple commanded by the Lord the lesson hence to bee gathered is plaine which in the beginning wee mentioned viz. that whosoever hath not a faithfull and an obedient heart himselfe and all his workes even his divine Service of God is impure and uncleane in the sight of God This in the carnall sacrifices as in the shaddow doth Isay teach Isay 66. 3. declaring that who so is not of a contrite spirit as onely the faithfull are to tremble at Gods Word If hee kill a bullock hee was as if hee flew a man c. for in these words expresly noting all the severall sacrifices that the Jewes did offer as greater beastes and lesser meate offerings and incense and comparing them wiâ—h dogs flesh and swines blood things forbidden by the Law nay to the murthering of a man or the blessing of an Idole which his soule abhorrâ— hee plainly shewes how detestuble the Lord holds all these where was wanting a faithfull and an obedient heart in them that offer the same also concerning spirituall sacrifices of Prayers and of Sermons preached or heard doth the spirit else where witnesse as of Prayers Prov. 28. 9. hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall bee abominable of Sermons preached Psalme 50. but unto the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to take my words in thy mouth and hatest to be reformed of Sermons heard likewise Ezek. 20. and also Ezek. 33. 31. where first the Elders and then the people are reproved because they came and sate before the Prophet as if they would learne the will of the Lord and yet their hearts went after their covetousnesse and they did not that they were injoyned finally all the actions of the unfaithfull whatsoever are censured by two rules of the Apostle 1. In respect of the things themselves that are done Rom. 14. ult whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and the 2. In regard of the persons that do them Heb. 11. 6. without faith it is impossible to please God c. so undoubted an axium proved by the Scripture is this which here our Prophet teacheth that the best workes of men are of themselves uncleane in Gods sight without a faithfull heart c. Whence may be confuted anâ—er or of the Prophets who howsoever the ancient Fathers Ierome Gregory Prosper and especially Austin proving the point not onely by those two places last alleadged out of St. Paul but also by that of our Saviour Matth. 7. a corrupt Tree cannot but bring forth bad fruit do hold that all the workes of the unregenerate done before faith are sinne and deserve Gods Wrath yet the Papists I say in their authenticall counsell of Trent Sescion 6. cano 7. Pelagian-like stick not to pronounce That if any man shall say that all the workes done before institution are to be accounted properly sinnes or do deserve the hatred and wrath of God let him be accursed A curse heretically and blasphemously uttered by Antichristian impes whose faces are set against Heaven and their tongues walke through the Earth for all works done without faith are uncleane in Gods sight as here Haggi teacheth us but before in justification no workes are done with faith for then we are justified and made the Sonnes of God when we believe Iohn 1. therefore whatsoever workes are done before in justification are properly uncleane and do defile but whatsoever is uncleane and doth defile is properly sinne Mark 7. 10. and 1 Cor. 8 now God hateth all sinne Zach. 8 13. he being just in all his wayes Psalme 145. yee all workes done before in justification are properly sinne and deserve Gods wrath nor can they be pure whiles the heart the roote or fountaine whence they proceed is impure and corrupt now the heart is only purified by faith Act. 15. 9. and all unbelievers even in their minde and conscience are defiled Titus 1. 15. the Papists therfore herein curse the Prophets nay the Lord of life who here himselfe spake by the Ministery of his Prophet And shamelesse is that shift which Ribera the Jesuit maketh writing one this place â— 76. first saying that the Prophet doth not speake of all the Works of the unregenerate but only of their sacrifices from the which glosse if the Text it self did not refute it yet where it is plainly added and all whatsoever they do yet St. Ieroms authority which in other places he vvould seem to esteem Should have at least occasioned him to have forborn and to have rather passed it over in silence then so to have gainsayd him and the Text for omnia cuncta quae agit saith Ierom nam de cunctis loquitur profanantur Nay Ierome not so content in generall only to avouch it applies it in particular to the works of both Iewes Heretichs and Gentiles and sayth that whatsoever they do not only vvhatsoever they offer their vowes their prayers their charity and Almes-deeds c. all are unclean for although thâ—se actions seem in shew to be good are so indeed in their own nature yet because they are touched by him that is polluted they are unclean But as for us beloved vvho are taught for his sake to bear reproaches and to endure curses patiently that vve may become conformable unto him according to that of the Prophet the rebuks of them that rebuked thee are fallen on me let us I say against all Pelagian spirits hold constantly vvhat here the Prophet teacheth us c. and let the princely Prophet David joyn vvith Haggai in interpreting this ceremoniall type of Moses vvhere Psame 51. having confessed sins actuall and originall vers 7. he prayeth purge mee with hysope and I shall bee clean No vvay to be made clean but by Hysop novv vvhat that purging vvith Hysop meant vve may understand by the ceremony Num. 19. of the red Kovv burnt vvithout the hoste the figure of our Saviours sacrifice as the Apostle interprets it Hebrewes 13 vvho to sanctifie us suffered vvithout the City And St. Iohn plainly setteth dovvn that vvith by allusion only vvas signified in the figure vvhere 1 John 1. 7. he saith that it is the blood of Christ