shall stop him If Salomon delight to search out the secrets of wisdom what shall be hid from him If Somson delight in Daliance what will h not dare to do for it if Ahashueroh delight in Esther what may not she have of him If the Lord delight in us saith Caleb then be will bring us into this land of giants and give it us As if he hath no delight in me said David behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good to him But now the Lord doth delight in every David and will shew him yea seal up unto him the sure mercies of day He delights in mercy saith the Prophet yea such a mercy saith the Apostle he rejoyceth against judgement and glories over it as over his adversary whom he hath subdued Hence it was that he erected himself of old not a judgment-seat but a mercy-seat in the midst of his people as one that settled himself to shew them mercy When the Judge sate him down in the gates of Israel it was to do justice Psal 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. When the scorner sits him down in the chair of pestilence he will scoff to some purpose so now that God sits in his mercy-seat he will surely shew mercy with ease yea a multitude of mercies When a man hath setled himself in his seat it 's supposed he is at ease and a small matter shall not raise him God is never more at ease as I may say and better pleased then when he is in his mercy-seat in his throne of grace Hence he is said to rise out of his place Heb. 4.16 to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity Esay 26.21 and to do his work his strange work when he is to do justice Esay 28.21 It is an act neither so proper to him for it is his strange work nor so pleasant to him for he riseth out of his place to do it which is a kinde of diseasement and a pain to him especially from whom mercie flows as freely and as naturally as light from the sun hony from the comb water from the well-spring He quits himself in it as well apaid thereof he rests in his love and will seek no farther Zeph. 3.17 This mercy-seat was the cover of the Ark where the two tables of the Law lay to note the blessednesse of those that receive mercy their iniquity is forgiven their sin is covered Again from this mercy-seate Psal 32.1 scituate not between the Seraphim those flaming executioners of justice Isa 6. but between the Cherubims as ministers of mercy the Lord shewed himself Act. 7. and gave forth the lively oracles as St. Steven stiles them Once he spake from the burning bush or smoaking mountain so terrible that Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake This was mount Sina in Arabia But we are come to mount Sion c. Heb. 12.21.22 and upon all the glory now there is a covering or mercy-seat Isa 4.5 The tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them Rev. 21.3 Jerusalem which is from above is now called the throne of the Lord and all nations flock unto it Jer. 3. God puts them among the children of his love and saith to each of his Thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turn away from me Jer. 17.19 Therefore are they before the throne of God answerable to the ancient mercy-seat serving him day and night in his temple Rev. 7.15 Where the Angel of his presence Jesus Christ offers their services powring in of his incense with the prayer of all Saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne Rev. 8.3 And hence it is that the good Lord pardoneth every one that prepareth his heart to seek God 2 Chr. 30.18 19. though he be not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary that he winks at small-faults shall I say and spares them as a man spares his own son that serves him nay that he pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression or treason he retaineth not his anger for ever seem he never so much displeased and all because mercy pleaseth him which puts the prophet to his patheticall exclamation by way of wonderment Who is a God like unto thee c. SECT III. ANd that is the rise of our second Reason from God Reas 2 who therefore spares his people as a father his childe that they may 1. praise him for present yea for ever Cretae Jovis est imago auribus carens ait Plutarchus Non enim convenit audiri ab eo quenquam qui omnium dominus sit princeps Plut. Mor. Lucianus fingit cancellos in coelo per quos Jupiter certo tempore homines respiciat quo solummodo tempore petentes exaudiantur Psal 48.10 Tollens iniquitatem peccatuÌ„ scelus sic enim exprimitur magnitudo clementiae quod non levibus tantum delictis det veniam sed graviss quibusque sceleribus Calvin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim 1.14 that he may fill their mouths with laughter and their tongues with triumph that they may say among the heathen The Lord hath done great things for them that they may say among the saints Their Rock is not as our Rock our enemies themselves being judges Oh who is God like unto thee â— The Gods of the Nations are idols And we know that an idol is nothing and that of nothing nothing comes of such dung-hill deities no mercy is to be expected they cannot work beyond the sphere of their activity But our God is in the heavens and as the heavens are high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him He is a great God and a great King above all Gods And as himself is great so is his mercy and so also is his glory For according to thy name O Lord so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth Now what is Gods name Heare it from his own mouth Iehovah Iehovah God mercifull and gracious c. forgiving iniquity transgression and sin that is all sorts of sins though never so heavy never so heinous Naturall pollution actuall transgression stifneckt presumption all sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven to the sons of men saith our Saviour how much more the involuntary slips of the saints their unavoidable infirmities their sins of daily incuâ—sion for which also there is provided a pardon of course it needs no more but suing out It is the glory of a man to pass by a transgression saith Solomon Prov. 19.11 And it makes no lesse for the glory of God that he pardons the iniquity of his people that he multiplyeth pardons as they multiply sins Esay 55.7 that where grace aboundeth then doth grace superabound or abounds to flowing over as the word there signifieth that they cannot commit more then he will remit Surely hereby the power of our Lord appears to be exceeding great and as true as he liveth
all the earth is thereby filled with the glory of the Lord as it is Num. 14.17 19 21. He maketh his wonderfull works to be remembred saith the Psalmist and that in nothing more then this that the Lord is gracious and full of compassion Psal 111.4 This makes his people sing and shout Hallelujah O praise the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever SECT IIII. NExt Reas 3 as they praise him for the present so they trust him for the future which is the greatest honour they can do him as the thistle in Ionathans parable could tell Iudg. 9.15 sith every former mercy is a pledge of a future and every old mercy draws on a new as the links do one another in a chain if we break not off their course by our unbelief and diffidence Psal 36.10 O continue thy loving kindnesse saith David It is in the Hebrew O draw out thy loving kindnesse to the full length Gods mercies to his are a continued series there is a concatenation a connexion between them Eccles 1.8 As a spring runneth after it hath run so doth God spare his after he hath spared them The eye is not weary of seeing nor the eare of hearing no more is God of shewing mercy Hence Gods servants have usually argued from what they have had to what they should have as David Paul and the church here in Micah She had praised God for his clemency in pardoning her sins and there hence confidently concludeth for power against sin If God will cover it certainly he will cure it The same mercy that moved him to pass by the transgression of his heritage will make him turne againe and have further compassion upon us say they in subduing our sins and casting them all as a stone into the mighty waters so that we shall see them no more any otherwise then the Israelites saw the Egyptians dead on the shore And all this he will do for his truth and mercies sake to Jacob and Abraham for his promise and covenants sake to our fathers of old Our father 's trusted in thee they hoped in thee and were not confounded Oh who is a God like unto thee c All nations will walk every one in the name of his God Mic. 4.5 we also will trust in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever And these are the reasons respecting God SECT V. 6. Reasons respecting the Saints themselves weo are 1. pure in heart 2. perfect in Christ A second rank of Reasons respect the Saints who are 1. Pure in heart 2. Perfect in Christ and therefore spared as a man spares his own son that serves him Reas 1 First Gods people are pure in heart they are washed they are justified 1 Cor. 6.11 Austin answered roundly when one upbraided him with the sins of his youth Quae tu reprehendis ego damnavi And when One twitted Beza with his youthly wanton poems he replied Hic homo invidet mihi gratiam Christi Iedidiah 2 Sam. 12.25 they are sanctified by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God Now Yet God is good to Israel to the pure in heart Psal 73.1 Yet for all the sorrow Yet for all their faults and frailties which forasmuch as they disallow and disclaim bewail and out-grow therefore they are not laid to their charge Iob was a patient man yea he is set forth as a pattern of patience notwithstanding all his frowardnesse notwithstanding he made so many knots and brake his thread so oft as he did God accounts of him as if he had spun an even thread of patience all the time of his temptation David had his faults as great as another and yet because he was upright in the main God testifieth of him that he had followed him with all his heart and done only that that was right in his sight 1 King 14.8 Solomon at Gibeon climbes those disallowed hills the high-places and yet loves the Lord and is loved of him God will not see weaknesses where he seeth truth so pleasing a thing to him is sincerity in his service With one breath doth God report both these The high-places were not removed that was a great fault no doubt neverthelesse Asa's heart was perfect all his dayes Such is the mercy of our Gd to the pure in heart to those that study purity that he will not suffer our well-meant weaknesses to bereave us of his favour he rather pittieth then plagueth his children for the infirmities of upright hearts 2 Chro. 15.17 A slender service a small chare though but bungled at by child is much set by of the father And a bridegroom thinks nothing the worse of his bride for a little dirt she hath got being about some foul chare it being such especially as she may wash off at pleasure Zach. 13.1 1 Ioh. 2.1 We have a fountain alwaies open where we may wash and be clean and a dayly propitiation for dayly transgression even Jesus Christ the Righteous in whom SECT VII The Saints are perfect in Christ SEcondly our wants are covered and our works perfected and refined from all the filth and flesh that cleaves unto them Reas 2 For although the Saints are not so pure in heart but that their sanctification is still spotted and imperfect yet their justification by Christs righteousnes imputed is absolute and without blemish According to that He hath made him to be sinne or sinne-offering for us who knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Not that essentiall righteousnesse of God as Osiander vainly dreamt but that perfect obedience both active and passive of the Son of God performed unto his Father by whom he is made unto us wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 Jer. 23.6 righteousnesse c. yea Jehovah our righteousnesse Which one Name of his would answer all our doubts and objections had we but skill to spell all the letters in it This righteousnesse of Christ made ours by imputation and acceptation is that white raiment Rev. 3.17 wherewith being clothed the shame of our nakednesse doth not appear for it is full broad large and wide enough to cover all our imperfections This is that broydered work and those bracelets wherewith the Church in Ezekiel being bedight and bedeckt became perfectly beautifull even to admiration These are those jewels of gold with studs of silver made us by the whole Trinity Cant. 6.9 that best robe of the prodigall that cloth of gold and needle-work-vesture of the royall daughter Psal 45.9 that fair mitre Zach. 3.4 5 and change of raiment of Jehoshuah the high-priest when the Lord took away his filthy garments and clothed him with better although Satan at the same time stood at his right hand had the upper hand of him because as some will have it his accusation was as true as vehement In short 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the
Fenugreek which the worse it is handled the better it growes as Pliny saith No fowl is more preyed upon then the pigeon no creature more killed up then sheep yet are there more pigeons then birds of prey more sheep then slaughter-men c. Verse 21. Optatus For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed i. e. I will clear their consciences from dead works from the stain and sting of all sinne that they may not question their right to these precious promises but boldly take the comfort of them I will say unto them Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are justified but ye are sanctified Be of good cheer therefore sith your sinnes your bloody sinnes are forgiven you Or thus I will cleanse their blood that is I will declare that the blood of the godly which the world thought to have been justly spilt was indeed innocent blood and that they were slain without cause This I will do partly by rooting out and damning their enemies and partly by clearing their innocencie and crowning their constancy Thus Mercer Levely c. for the Lord dwelleth in Zion This is the last promise but not the least It referreth saith Danaeus to Christ taking our flesh by the which he dwelt among us being God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 and Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we saw the glory thereof c. This is reserved to the last place as the causa cumulus felicitatis especially since he dwelleth with his Church for ever as it is in the precedent verse and maketh her a true Jehovah Shammah as she is called Ezech. 48.35 A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Of the Prophesie of AMOS CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE words of Amos Not of that Amos who was father to Isaiah as some Ancients for want of Hebrew mistook it but a man of meaner rank 2 Cor. 11.6 rude in speech but not in knowledge tam sensuum nomine quam simplicitate verborum clarus as Hierom saith of Didymus The Jews firname him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Stammerer as if he had been a man not onely of a low but of a letsome language one that had an impediment in his speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt Michael Balbus as Mark 7.32 and this they gather from his name Amos which signifieth a burthen as if this herds-man had had bovem in lingua a clog upon his tongue and could not utter himself freely But let this passe for a Jewish tradition True it is that Amos is by interpretation a burden and no lesse true that the words of Amos are onerosa prophetia the burthen of the word of the Lord to Israel by Him See the Note on Mal. 1.1 who is a vehement Prophet laden with reproofs and threatnings Comminationibus ac reprehensionibus Onustus as Luther saith of him such as the land was not able to bear said that Malecontent Amaziah who had sel in aure his gall in his ears as they write of some creatures But truth must be spoken however it be taken neither may Gods Ministers meddle with toothlesse truths onely as Balac bid Am. 7.10 Neither curse nor blesse at all but bind heavy burdens if need be upon the shoulders of obstinate sinners that may cripple their iron sinewes and make them buckle under the sense of Gods unsupportable displeasure who was among the herdmen of Tekoah He was no Prophet neither was hee a Prophets sonne but an herdman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit chap. 7.14 1 Cor. 1.27 and extraordinarily called to this high office by Him who chooseth the foelish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty who enabled the dumb Asse to forbid his Masters madnesse 2 Pet. 2.16 and sent this down-right Net-herd to deal with a bruitish people worse then the Ox an Asse that have no understanding Psal 32. Esay 1.3 Job 10.4 and who had changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into a four-footed calf and creeping things Rom. 1.23 Tekoah is said to be six miles from Bethlehem twelve from Jerusalem Kimchi in loc in cap. 3.10 seituate in the tribe of Judah 2 Chron. 11.6 Quinquius that learned Hebrew therefore is utterly out in saying that Tekoah was a great townin the tribe of Asher which he saw concerning Israel He not onely heard these words but saw them in a vision he had them by revelation from God See the Note on Hos 1.1 concerning Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot Or against Israel that is the ten revolted tribes who had many Prophets sent them to foretell their captivity God loves to foresignifie In the dayes of Vzziah c. At the same time with Hosea and Isaiah and Micah when Procas Sylvius was king of the Latines and Sardanapalus of the Assyrians as Hierom saith and in the dayes of Ieroboam the second not that funestum Iudaeis caput that Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat 2 Kin. 14.20 25. 2 Chro. 26.6 7 8 c. who caused Israel to sinne Under the raign of these two kings Judah and Israel were in great prosperity and bewitcht therewith applauded themselves in their impiety as Psal 73.5.6 This Prophet therefore is sent to rouse them and rub them up to tell them their own and what they should trust to Two years before the earthquake That notable earth-quake famous and fresh in most mens memories Whether it sell out just then when Vzziaâ— attempted to offer incense and was therefore smitten with leprosie 2 King 15.5 as some Ancients affirme or whether at that instant when Esay in a vision saw the Lord in his glory and the posts of the door mooved Esay 6.4 as some Rabbins tell us I have not to say It seems to be foretold chap. 3.5 and so terrible it was that people fled from it Zach. 14.5 See the Note there Josephus maketh mention of it in the ninth Book of his Antiquities chap. 11. and telleth us that half a great hill was removed by it out of its place and carried four furlongs another way so that the high-way was obstructed and the kings gardens utterly marred God by such extraordinary works of his shâ—weth his justice and displeasure against sinne Psal 18.8 Esay 13.23 as also his special mercy to his praying people as at Antioch in the yeer 529 and at Bern Anno 1584 near unto which city a certain hill carried violently beyond and over other hills is reported by Polanus who lived in those parts to have covered a whole village that had 90 families in it one half house onely excepted Polan syntag 841. wherein the master of the family with his wife and children were earnestly calling upon God Oh the terrour of the Lord and oh the power of prayer Verse 2. And he said The Lord will roar This is spoken for the terrour of the wicked as the
heritage Not of all but of those poor few that confesse and forsake their sins Pro. 28.13 and in whose spirit there is no guile Psa 32.2 that are mortified persons Rom. 11.26 with Esay 59.20 It is a priviledge proper to the Communion of Saints he retaineth not his anger for ever Angry he may be and smite in his anger Esay 57.17 yea he may take vengeance of the inventions of those whom he hath pardoned Psal 99.8 temporall vengeance I mean but it soon repenteth him concerning his servants and a little punishment serveth turn for a great offence Jer. 31.19 20 21. David no sooner said I have sinned but he heard The Lord hath taken away thy sin 2 Sam. 12. because he delighteth in mercy And hence he pardoneth iniquity of free-grace ex mero motu out of his pure and unexcited love out of his Philanthropy and undeserved favour the sole impulsive cause of pardon What a man delighteth to do he will do howsoever If the Sun delight to run his race who shall stop him If God so delight in mercy that he will save for his Names sake and come in with his Non obstante as he doth Psal 106.8 who or what shall hinder him Verse 19. He will turne again he will have compassion upon us Here 's the pith and power of faith particularly applying promises to a mans self Say that sin hath separated betwixt us and our God Esay 59.2 and made him send us farre away into captivity yet he will turn again and yern toward us he will turn again our captivity as the streams in the South His compassions are more then fatherly Psal 103.13 motherly Esay 49.15 brotherly Heb. 2.12 This the Church knows and therefore cries after him Cant. 8.14 Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart which when it fleeth looketh behind it saith the Chaldee Paraphrast there And this that he will do she is bold to beleeve He will he will and that to us saith the Prophet here Lo this is that work of faith to wrap it self in the promises as made to us in particular 1 Tim. 1.15 and unlesse faith be on this sort actuated it is as to comfort as good as no faith Compare Mat. 8.26 with Mark 4.40 He will subdue our iniquities By force and violence as the word signifieth subjugabit pessundabit conculcabit Sin is sturdy and will rebell where it cannot reigne It hath a strong heart and will not easily yeeld But yeeld it shall for God will subdue it And this is a further favour as every former is a pledge of a future To pardon of sinne God will adde power against sinne to justification by Christs merit sanctification by his Spirit he will let out the life-blood of sin and lay it adying at our feet he will tread Satan with all his black train under our feet shortly Rom. 16.20 He will not onely turn us againe but turne his hand upon us and purely purge away our drosse and take away all our tinne Esay 1.25 In fine hee will so mortifie the deeds of the body by his Spirit that sinne shall not have dominion over us Rom. 6.14 shall not play Rex in us the traveller shall not become the man of the house as Nathans parable speaketh And thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the bottom of the sea Where-hence they shall never be boyed up again This the Prophet by an insinuating Apostrophe turneth himself to God and speaketh with much confidence Such is the nature of true faith sc to grow upon God and as I may so say to encroach as Moses did Exod. 33.12 13 c. to chap. 34.10 and as David did 1 Chron. 17.23 c. See how he improves Gods promise and works upon it ver 24 25. he goes it over again and yet still encroacheth and the effect was good chap. 18. We hinder our selves of much happinesse by a sinfull shamefacednesse Let us come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4. ult so shall we see our sins as Israel did the Egyptians dead on the shore Verse 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham Heb. Thou wilt give for all is of free gift His love moved God to promise his truth binds him to performe 2 Sam. 7.18 21. For thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these things Having made himself a voluntary debter to his people he will come off fairly with them and not bee worse then his word but better Hence Rev. 10.1 Christ is said to have a rainbowe upon his head to shew that he is faithfull and constant in his promises and that tempests should blow over the skie be cleared For this is as the waters of Noah unto mee saith the Lord for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart c. Esay 54.9 10. God hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes Jer. 33.20 25. that one shall succeed the other therefore much more will he keep promise with his people which thou hast sworn unto our fathers And in them to us by vertue of the covenant So he spake with us when he spake with Jacob at Bethel Hos 12.4 and that the promises sworn to the Fathers of the old Testament belong also to us of the New See Luke 1.55 73 74. Now that God swore at any time to them or us hee did it for our sakes doubtlesse that by two iâ—â—â—â—table things in which it was impossible for God to lie wee might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6.17 18. See the Note there Gloria Deo in Excelsis A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of NAHUM CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE burden of Nineveh i. e. The burdenous prophesie See the Note on Malac. 1.1 It is a burden to wicked men to be told of their sinnes and foretold of their punishments To whom we may not unfitly apply that of the Civilian Perquà m durum est Vlpian sed ita lex scripta est If it be so tedious to hear of it what will they do to bear it Nineveh had fair warning before by Jonah and for present the unclean spirit seemed to be cast out of her but he returned soon after with seven worse as appears by this Prophesie and so their last state was worse then the former Mat. 12.45 Their bile half-healed breaking out again proved to be the plague of leprosie Lev. 13.18 19 20. such as shut them out of heaven God will do good to those that are good and continue so But as for those that turn aside unto their crooked wayes as all Apostates do the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity as cattle are led to the slaughter or malefactours to
promise yea to give oath and now thy truth bindeth thee to performe All thy pathes to thy people now are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 not mercy onely but mercy and truth not by a providence onely but by vertue of a promise ratified with an oath This is sweet indeed this deserves a Selah to be set to it thou didst cleave the earth with rivers Exod. 17.6 Psal 78.15 16. Deut. 8.15 Neh. 9.15 This cleaving the hard Rock and setting it abroach this turning of the flint into a fountain Psal 114.8 was a work of Omnipotency and is therefore so much celebrated It maketh much to the miracle that the earth was cleft with rivers this importeth both the plenty and the perennity thereof for the Rock that is the river out of the rock followed them 1 Cor. 10.4 lest in that dry and barren wildernesse they should perish for want of water The same God also who had given his people petram aquatilem gave them pluviam escatilem Tertul. de patientia as Tertullian phraseth it Manna from heaven Quails in great abundance and never was Prince better served in his greatest pomp He also defended them from the fiery serpents and delivered them from a thousand other deaths and dangers all which mercies are here implied though one onely be instanced and all to ascertain the Saints how much God setteth by them and what he will yet do for them as occasion requireth As he made the world at first that he might communicate and impart himself to his Elect so for their sakes doth he still preserve and govern it ordering the worlds disorders by an over-ruling power for his own glory and their eternall good Verse 10. The mountains saw thee and they trembled sc At the promulgation of the Law Exod. 19.17 Psal 114.4 6. when God came with ten thousand of his Saints Deut. 33.2 and so terrible was the earth-quake that it wrought an heart-quake even in Moses himself Heb. 12.21 It is the office of the Law to do so and happy is he who terrified and thunder-struck by the threats thereof runnes to Christ for refuge as to One who is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him Heb. 9.25 Some take mountains metaphorically for the Mighties of the earth and read it thus The mountains saw thee and they grieved See Num. 22.3 Josh 2.9 10 11 The over-flowing of the water passed by the inundation of Jordan passed into the dead-sea the lower part of it I mean like as the upper stood and rose up upon an heap Gualth Josh 3.16 being bounded and barred up by the Almighty power of God the deep uttered his voice and lifted up his hands on high i. e. summo consensis suffragatus est c. It voiced and voted for Gods judgements helping forward the execution thereof Verse 11. The Sun and Moon stood still in their habitation viz. In the dayes of Joshuah and upon his prayer chap. 10.12 13. whereupon One crieth out O admirabilem piarum precum vim ac potentiam quibus etiam coelestia cedunt c. O the admirable power of prayer Buchol that worketh wonders in heaven and oh the heroicall faith of Joshuah the trophees whereof hee set in the very orbes of heaven at the light of thine arrowes they went By these shining arrowes and glittering spears some understand that terrible lightening mixt with that horrible hail Josh 10.11 with Exod. 9.23 and then it is figura planè poetica a Poeticall expression for the poets call lightening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the sword of the Lord and of Gideon Judg. 7. 18. Joves arrow See the like Psal 18.14 The huge hail-stones were Gods glittering spears wherewith he slaughtered his enemies Others suppose that these things are meant of the arms and weapons of the Israelites called Gods arrowes and spears because used at his command and ordered by him This sence Gualther liketh better as most comfortable to Christian warriours who fight the Lords battels Verse 12. Thou didst march thorow the land in indignation Heb. Thou didst walk in pomp as a Conquerour thorow the land sc of Canaan in contempt of the opposite forces treading upon the neeks of thine enemies Josh 10.24 thou didst thresh the heathen in anger See Amos 1.3 Mic. 4.13 God by the hands of Joshuah did all this The most of the old inhabitants were destroyed Some few fled into Africk and left written upon a pillar for a monument to posterity We are Phoenicians that fled from the face of Joshuah the son of Nave Verse 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people q. d. Thou wast Generalissimo in â—our expeditions in the dayes of the Judges who therefore were so successefull How could they be otherwise when God came with them into the field Camd. Elisab If Q. Elizabeth could take for her Motto Cui adhaereo praest He to whom I adhere prevaileth how much more may Almighty God say as much even for salvation with thine anointed i. e. with David 1 Sam. 16.12 13. 2 Sam. 5.3 16. and 19.22 and 22.51 Psal 20.7 a lively type of Christ that Messiah the Prince the mystery of which promised Saviour the ancient Jew-Doctours confessed to be contained in this text It is not altogether unlikely that the Prophet might intend here to point at Jesus Christ when he saith for salvation Jeshang whence Jesus for thine anointed or thy Christ There are that read the words in the Future-tense thus Thou shalt go forth for the salvation of thy people sc when Messiah that great Sospitator cometh thou shalt wound the head of the wicked sc of the Devil Rom. 16.20 Thou shalt make naked the foundation of his kingdom unto the neck Selah thou shalt utterly destroy sin death and hell A remarkable mercy indeed a mystery of greatest concernment and most worthy to be considered Gualther carries the sence this way and yet addeth that if any please to refer the words to the history of the old Testament they must be understood of those tyrants that persecuted the true Church and whom God for Christs sake subdued and subverted together with their kingdomes Verse 14. Thou didst strike thorow with his staves the heads of his villages Heb. thou didst pierce or bore thorow as with an awger with his staves a Metaphor from shepherdy according to that Psal 23.3 thy rod and thy staffe c. or with his tribes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that entred the land of promise Acts 26.7 with these men or with these weapons though never so unlikely thou diddest by the hand of David wound the hairy scalp of thine enemies those Pagans and persecutours and much more wiâ—â— by the Son of David subdue Satan and his Complices they came out as a whirl-winde to scatter me Heb. they tempested they raised an hurly-burly being turbulent spirits as the devil is to disperse me as the dust of the mountains is scattered before a whirle-winde their
igne ereptus newly snatcht out of the Babylonish furnace Psal 68.12 where they have long lain among the pots where they have been not only sullied but scorched and half-burnt should they then be cruelly cast again into the flames which they have strangely scaped like as the barbarous Persecutours ran Polycarp through the bowels with a sword when the beasts would not devour him nor the fire burn him Or as the bloody Papists in Queen Maries dayes Act. Mon. fol. 1392. cast the woman of Garneseys babe again into the fire that sprang and sprawled out of his mothers womb as she was in burning This was clean contrary to that Apostolical precept Of some have compassion pulling them out of the fire Jude 21. Ean 3.30 And far short of Nebuchadnezzars practises who taking the three worthies out of the burning fiery furnace promoted them to great honour and offices Verse 3. Now Joshuah was clothed with filthy garments The tottered rags of the old Adam the nasty filthynesse and superfluity of naughtinesse that yet remained in him though in part regenerate and intermingled with his best works Sin is the Devils excrement it defiles the soul worse then any jakes can do the body as the Hebrew word here signifieth and as our Saviour shews Mar. 7.20 or then the Sanies of a plague-sore doth a garment Hence that of the Church We are all as an unclean thing Esay 64.6 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags And that of Job If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own cloathes shall make me to be abhorred Job 9.30.31 1 Cor. 4.5 this is the same in effect with that of Paul I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby â—ustified but he that judgeth me is the Lord who when he coms to turn up the bottom of the bag as the steward did Benâ—amins he will manifest the hidden things of darknesse finde out our thefts that we dreamt not of open all fardles on that great fair-day Saccâ— soluto 〈◊〉 argentum Ambr. the day of judgement As in the meanwhile should Lord but break open that filthy sink of sin that is in the very best of us we should not onely be lothsome to God Zach. 11.8 and to good men Prov. 29.27 but even to our own selves also as Job was hap 42.6 Judas was not able to abide is own stench Mat. 27.4 5. Yea and some holy men as Mr. Lever for one when they have desired to see their utmost uncleannesse their corruptions in the most ugly colours God hath heard them But yet his hand therewith was so heavy upon them that they went alwayes mourning to their graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdom to give them a sight of their sins and to mingle the the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers See that excellent text Iob 15.14 15 16. And then stand aloof with the Leper and say I am unclean I am unclean yet Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and stood before the Angel His filthy garments notwithstanding Though we cannot say our hearts are pure and our performances perfect yer if we wallow not in sin allow it not if with the daughters of Zion we look upon our former neatnesse as nastinesse and finenesse as filthinesse if we be in any measure purged from the love and liking of sin by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burnning Isai 4.4 Christ will neither abhor our presence nor reject our services Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy offerings Exod. 28.38 Christ is this Aaron c. And though there be an inequality of expressions in duty quoad nos in us yet there is a constancy of intercession by Christ propter nos for us Verse 4. And he answered and spake to those that stood before him i. e. to the Angels that waited upon him Est autem hoc humanitùs dictum saith Iunius This is â—â—â—ken after the manner of men for properly men are washed justified and sanctified by the Merit and Spirit of Christ alone 1 Cor. 6.11 But the Lord Christ speaketh thus to the created Angels his Ministers to shew that He who onely hath power to for give sins doth yet therein imploy the holy ministery for an instrument See 2 Cor. 9.18 and Iob 33.33 24. take away the filthy garments Those symbols of his sinfulnesse see the Note on verse 3. so his sins were pardoned in heaven But because it is small comfort to a condemned person to have a pardon granted him unlesse he know it and be assured of it therefore it followeth and unto him he said behold By whatthou hast seen in the Angels stripping of thee I have caused thine iniquities to passe from thee Transtuli peccatum as he once said to David I have taken away thy sin I have tranferred it upon my self speaking to my Father for thee as once Paul did to Philemon for his son Onesimus Philem. 18 19. if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account I will repay it This is the greatest happinesse that can befal a man in this world Psal 32.1 2 and could not but be a singular comfort to these poor Jews priest and people amidst their manifold afflictions A man that hath got his pardon is not troubled though he lose his glove or hankercheife nor though it should prove a rainy day Being â—ustified by faith we glory in tribulation Rom. 5.1.3 Feri domino eri nam a peccatis absolutus sum saith Luther Strike Lord strike while thou wilt my sins are pardoned I thank thee O Lord said Another in his great extremity for all my pain and I beseech thee if thou think good to adde to it an hundred-fold But behold a further honour as mercies seldom come single and I will cloath thee with change of raiment i. e. I will change thy rags into robes thy stained clouts into clean cloathing Thou shalt be arraied with the righteousnesse of the saints Rev. 19.8 that twofold righteousnesse imputed and imparted that of justification and this other of sanctification that as an undercoat this as an upper that clean and pure this white and bright both must be had from Christ who is made unto us of God not onely wisdom but righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor 1.30 2 Cor. 5.19 Surely as our apparrel is not bred of us neither grows out of our bodies so neither doth this change of raiment in the Text. But the blessed Lamb of God cloatheth us with his own fleece which is long enough and large enough to cover all our defects and deformities and to set us forth to the admiration of Angels As he taketh upon him our sins so he putteth upon us his righteousnesse This is a blessed exchange indeed a sure pledge of our peace with him and with God by
saith David Psal 51.4 Lo there lay this pinch of his grief that he had offended so good a God It was the Myrrhe and its scent that Christ had dropped on the bars of the door that waked the drousy Spouse and made her bowels fret Cant. 5. This made her first weep in secret and then seek out after him whom her soul loved She first went to enquire of the Lord as Rebecca did Gen. 25.22 and then she hears from him those sweet words Cant. 2.14 Oh my dove that art in the clefts of the rocks that hast wrought thy self a burrough a receptacle of rest in the Rock of ages in the secret places of the stars whither thou art retired as for security so for secrecy to mourn as a dove and to pray for pardon Shew me thy face which now appeareth most orientally beautiful because most instampt with sorrow for sin Let me hear thy voice which never sounds so melodiously as when thy heart is broken most penitentially for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance comly and their wives apart Sarah had her peculiar tent Ge. 24.65 wherein she dwelt Ge. 18.6 died Ge. 23.2 Rebecca likewise had her retiring-room whither she went to enquire of the Lord Ge. 25.22 Rachel Leah had their several tents apart from Iacobs Ge. 31.33 Miriam and her women do apart by themselves praise God for deliverance Exo. 15.20 Esth 4.16 I and my maidens will fast likewise saith Esther In a time of solemn humiliation let the bride-groom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet Ioel 2.16 See 1 Cor. 7.5 Amongst both Jews Greeks and Romans the women were separated from the men in publike acts and assemblies in times of common calamity especially as may be gathered out of Plutarch Athenaeus Virgil Livy ad templum non aequae Palladis ibant Iliades Stratae passim Matres crinibus Templa verrentes veniam irarum coelestium exposcant saith He The men by themselves and the women by themselves sought to appease the angry Gods Here they are severed to shew that they wept not for company sed sponte proprio affectu as Calvin hath it but of their own accord and out of pure affection they freely lamented not so much for Christs dolorous death as for that themselves had a chief hand in it and were the principal causes of it The best kinde of humiliation is to love and weep as that woman did Luk. 7. who made her eyes a fountain to wash Christs feet in and had his side opened for a fountain to wash her soul in as it is Chap. 13.1 A remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 all the families that remain Out of every family of this people God will have some converts A thing so incredible that to perswade it the Prophet may here seem to some prophane person to use more words then needeth CHAP. XIII Verse 1. IN that day there shall be a fountain opened Nunc fructum poenitentiae adiungit sath Calvin here This is the fruit of their repentance No sooner mourn they over Christ but they are received to mercy I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and or ever I can do it thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin that is both the sting and stain of it the guilt and the filth Psal 32.5 the crime and the curse Repent and your sins shall be blotted out saith Peter to those nefarious Kill-Christs Act. 3.9 God will crosse the black lines of your sins with the red lines of his sons blood 1 Ioh. 1.6 A fountain shall be opened not a cistern but a spring a pool better then that of Siloam which is by interpretation Sent Iohn 9.7 and so a type of Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen To seal up this matchlesse mercy to us Rev. 1.5.6 he sent first by the hand of his forerunner and baptized those that repented for the remission of sins Mat. 3.2 Act. 2.38 And afterwards he set wide open this blessed fountain this laver of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 Saying by his Ministers to every beleever as once to Paul Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord. Act. 22.16 whereunto salvation is promised Rom. 10.13 Ioel 2.22 Baptisme also is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 sc sacramentally for it sealeth up salvation to the beleever Mar. 16.16 and is of perpetual and permanent use to him for that purpose his whole life thorowout ut scaturigo semper ebulliens as a fountain bubbling up to eternal life Here then the Sacrament of Baptisme is prophecied of and promised And hence haply the Baptisme of Iohn is said to have been from heaven Mat. 21.25 All the Levitical purifications pointed to this Kings-Bath of Christs meritorious blood this ever-flowing overflowing fountain for the grace of our Lord Jesus hath abounded to flowing over as S. Pauls expression is with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither can it ever be dried up as was the river Cherith the brooks of Tema c. but is an inexhausted fountain a fresh-running spring for all that have but a minde to make toward it Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est ac si hac horâ fudisset sanguinem saith Luther Christ is still as fresh and soveraign to me as if this very hour he had shed his blood He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world and shall be so to the end thereof Cruci haeremus sanguinem sugimus intra ipsa Redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam saith Cyprian of the Lords Supper i. e. We cleave to the crosse at this holy ordinance we suck Christ's blood we thrust our tongues into the very wounds of our Redeemer and are hereby purged from all pollutions of flesh and spirit to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem i. e. To all sorts and sexes of penitents be they noble or ignoble strong Christians or weak see Zach. 12.8 none shall be secluded from this fountain thus opened or exposed to all not sealed and shut up as that Cant. 4.12 God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him Act. 10.34 35. and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him for sin and for uncleannesse i. e For all sorts of sinnes though they be such as in their desert do separate us from communion with God and company of men See Levit. 12. and 15. render us worthy to be excommunicated proscribed and banished out of the world as pists and botches of humane society by a common consent of nations as the obstinate Iews are at this day for their inexpiable guilt in crucifying Christ The vulgar here
easie p. 152. he is a thorough-Saviour 169. a dew to his 179. King of his Church 360. Abyssines emblem of his works 457. his Deity asserted 485. he pacifieth the heart 488. be shall reigne 492. his intercession answered 506. how he is sent of his Father 513. how anointed 522. his dolorous passion 523. his subjects have peace ib. why He is called the Branch 539. All prophecies are fulfilled in him 557. his poverty stumbled at ib. the Bath of his blood 583 660. benefites thereby 682. he is Gods shepherd 589. the Sun of righteousnesse 683. the souls physitian 683. his Intercession 943. A false Christ p. 689 Clouds p. 560 Comfort God comforteth the abject 503. comforts of the scripture and of the creature 423. Company evil is contagious p. 490 513 Conference benefit of it p. 680 700 824. Satan hindereth it 680. it is an indispensable duty 812. and why 813. barrennesse in and backwardnesse unto it reproved 818. be forward and free that way 820. means and helps thereunto 821 822 823 824. Conscience naturall stoopeth to the image of God p. 700 Consideration its necessity and utility p. 473. See thought meditation Constantinople covetousnesse was its ruine 403. 591. Conversion turn to God and how p. 197 498 600. because God is gracious 499. Cyprian converted by reaâ—ing Jâ—nah 351. Covenant breach a great sin p. 643. dangerous 647. New covenant sweet p. 44. see 594 Covetousnesse restlesse p. 340 341. unsatisfiable 405. accursed 428 Councell of Trent p. 16 Courage for Christ get it p. 482. and how ib. Cruelty inhumane p. 223 225 226 227. gloried in 429. Parisian Massacre 227 Curse of God lights heavy p. 626 D DEad digg'd up p. 228 Deliverance the times of it p. 885 866 527 903. Church shall be delivered 887 888 903. pray for it 888 Dependance upon God for all p. 925 Depopulation accursed p. 455 Desertion p. 89. what to do in it 836 Desolation fruit of sin p. 36 Desires seconded with endeavours p. 483 Digressions when they are lawfull p. 441 Diligence in well-doing p. 891 Disgrace a great judgement p. 633. more feared then sin is ib. Devils first sin what p. 899 Divorce for light matters not lawfull p. 654. 655 Doctrine like rain and how p. 246 Drowsinesse spirituall p. 476 Drunkennesse mischief of it p. 104. 't is the mother of mary sinnes 426. 't is a damning sin 432. gloried in by some 265. drunken-healthing 431. drunken soâ—s 187 Duty be much in it p. 834 835 891 shall be accepted 825. and why 827 828 829 E Earthquakes terrible ones p. 597 222 394 Eclipses portentous p. 210 211 Egypt fruitfull p. 604 converted ib. Q. Elisabeths clemency p. 309. her prayer 436 Enemies of Gods people open and secret p. 214. their cruelty 215 Gods heavy hand upon them 601. set 〈◊〉 against another 602. Woe unto them 870 871 916. who they be 871. see persecutours Church England our ancient mearenesse p. 165. our Reformation wonderfull 205. our destruction may be sudden 278. God warned us by John Friths Book in a fishes-belly 321 Englands Genge 395. 't is a blessed Countrey 674 675. Pererius his prophecy of our ruine 505 Enthusiâ—sts slight the scriptures p. 129 130. see 209 Exact walking required of saints p. 910 911 Self-Examination p. 452. do it or God will punish 453 475 F FAith an hard work p. 43. wherein it consisteth 45. aâ—â—â—opriate God by it 384. it quickeâ—â—th other graces 425. founded upon the power of God 546. live by faith 426 808 889. it maketh men couragious 602. do all in faith 662. beleeve the goodnesse of God 936 Famine a sore plague p. 632 245 Fasting the exercise of it p. 197 201 202. fruit of it 204 Father God is a Father to all his faithfull ones p. 911. whence and how 91 914 he is not a Father to the wicked 915. yet they claim kindred 916. his mercy is more then fatherly 927 928. Fear it causeth hast p. 157. Panick fears 412 577 602 805 Fear of God p. 614. every true Christian feareth the Lord 708 709. how and why 707 800 801 c causes effects companions and opposites of this holy fear 800 801 802 803. kinds of it 804 627 708. who they are that fear not God 804. or other things more then God 805. The best are defective in it 807. signes of Gods holy fear 807 809. moâ—ives to it 810. means 810 811 Few exalt God p. 154. few wise 182. few good 212 377 591 Scottish fire-crosse p. 217 Forgetting of God p. 121 Fortune how represented p. 237 Free-grace p. 179. all is of mercy 509. magnifie free-grace in our adoption 920 Friends are oft perfidious p. 383 Fruitfulnesse p. 180 G GAin of godlinesse p. 676 849. many look onely at wages â—77 Garments wherefore given p. 33 Geneva upheld by the hand of heaven p. 509 5â—0 Gentiles your calling p. 623. disgusted by Jews ib. Gifts once abused blasted p. 632 Glory give all to God p. 422. in case of victory 612 Glory of saints here and hereafter p. 898 God he is a great King p. 628. 629. his name is dreadfull 629. his patience abused turns to fury 655 656. his hatred of sin 22. his omniscience 78. his liberality in rewarding 145. seek him ib. his patience 233 238. his superabundant pardoning mercy 388 389 390. his subduing grace 390. he frowaeth the wicked to destruction 286. how he is a Rock 421. He seeth therefore take heed 421 652. how he hateth sinne 4â—1 his faithfulnesse 425. We see but little of Him 438. He is with his and for them 479. his anger against sinners 497. his jealousie for his people 506 507. he comforteth the abject 503. his tender mercies 508 513. he effecteth great matters by small means 529 he is immutable 666 667. how he is said to repent ib. wicked men have base and bald thoughts of him 855. He is Lord of Hosts 867 869. what his hosts are and why so called 867 868. his truth 883. his goodnesse ib. his justice ib. he is not an hard Master 934. he taketh small things in good part 935. let us beleeve his goodnesse 936. Gospels three-fold operation p. 486 Grace of God is the greatest blessing p. 621. get it rather then gold ib. seek it first 472. it is free p. 14 179 518. See free-grace Grace hath unspeakable comfort p. 909 Great mens sins do much hurt p. 322. they must be told of them 348 Grief causing death p. 133 Grow in grace p. 684 685 Gunpowder-treason p. 58 H HArdnesse of heart p. 544 Hear attentively p. 136. enhearing ear 501 Heavens rest and happinesse p. 889 Heavenly-mindednesse p. 605 Hell-fire terrible p. 591 592 681. torments thereof 601. not beleeved 681. History usefull p. 166 Holinesse is honourable p. 907. and therefore to be sought 907 908 Honour God in 1 thought 2 words 3 works p. 921. see glory and praise Hope p. 40 The horrible Sophister p. 419 Hosea when and how long he prophesied
p. 1. how he took to wise an harlot 4 Humiliation must be hearty p. 678 Humility in holy duties threefold p. 376 Hypocrisie is an hatefull lye p 157. an odious vice 244 626 627 628 Hypocrites are accursed p. 627 114. their specious pretences 568. why they partake of Ordinances 569. they wrangle with God 677 I IDolatry and adultery together p. 4 69 70 71. It is an abominable sinne 99 115 116 584. a senselesse sinne 433 434. a land-desolating sinne 561 Idolaters are over at uncertainties p. 368. they kisse their idols 168 Jehovah Gods memoriall 161. the import of it 666 Jewes their calling 121. their land fertile tile 193. a disjected and despised people 288. their sublime dotage 302. Satan stir'd up Herod to beautifie their Temple 487. of their conversion and future flourish 515 578 592 599 602. their cruelty 548. how they are hated ib. they are a very numerous nation 564 cozened by a mock-Moses 565. their last dolefull desolation 571. they are discovenanted ib. sold 30 a penny 572 disjected 573. they are still vain-glorious 592. harsh husbands 650. earthly-minded 685. their great respect to the Law 686 687 they reject the Gospel ib. and Christians ib. they falsify the text 688. their sects and dissentions 689 Ignorance bruitish 617 57 affected 63 64 71. a blushful sin 436 Ignominy the reward of iniquity p. 634 Images in Churches p. 80 Impudence in sin p. 534 Incorrigible 26 27 53 77 78 94 100 Ingo King of Danes his respect to poor saints p. 908 Infiâ—â—â—â—ties what are p. 933. they deprive nâ—â— of Gods favour 941. objections about them answered 942 Ingratitude how displeasing to God p. 29 a remedy against it ib. hatefulnesse of it 30 109. it forfeiteth all 31,33,50 Joel who and when he lived p. 185 Joy in wickeds downfall limited p. 612 Joy of the wicked is short p. 34 35. they joy in other mens misery 298 The just mans joy p. 207. in affliction 442 Judges evil a publike mischief 459. judgement perverted 418 Judgement generall it shall certainly be 431. terrible 658 682. the sire of that last day 406. where Christ shall sit to judge p. 596 213 Judgements of God in this life Observe them 612. rejoyce in them ib. He smiteth not till needs must 632. and then is resolute ib. He loveth to retaliate 643. He punisheth slowly but surely 663. K KNow God as a Father p. 918 and how 919. grow in knowledge 92. sinne not against knowledge p. 635. L LAnd-mark removed and how p. 85 Lawes excellency and use 686. the Law judiciall ceremoniall and morall 688 Licentionsnesse under Nero p. 470 Lye not p. 264. 't is a great sin 55 378 159. brings desâ—lation ib. Life a precious mercy p. 636. 't is in Gods hand ibid. how and why mens lives are shortened 481. live apace 598 Lip-labour lost-labour p. 110 Lord whence p. 525 Losses of saints made up p. 563 Love God and how p. 923 924. suffer for him out of love ib. Lukâ— warmnesse condemned p. 701 Lutâ—er over-magnified p. 689 M MAccabees whence so called p. 558 Magistrates must countenance Ministers p. 470. Exactours are a publike pest 573. they must fear God 666. See Judges Malachy who p. 607 608 Manner do all aright p. 662. in faith ibid. Marriages with Idolaters dangerous p. 648 Meditation on God p. 850 852 857. motives to it 859. matter of meditation 861. manner 862. measure 863. hinderances 864. helps ib. See Consideration Meck persons preyed on p. 230 Memory corrupt p. 373 Mercy and judgement to be kept p. 162. mercy abused p. 8. limited to the saints onely 10. let it melt us 151. God delighteth in it 929 Merchandise usefull p. 448. but abused and how 449 Merits p. 36 Ministers must bee unblameable p. 613. well maintained 622 669. may not preach till called to it 625. must speak truth howsoever they speed 638 639. shall convert souls 640. must be able and apt to teach ib. and plainly 641. alledging Scripture ib. they must bee made welcome ib. scandalous Ministers 642. flatterers 645. they must repeat the same points 47. use all means to win men 95. bee faithfull 239. Ministers are Saviours and how 303. must be content with mean things 329. parasiticall preachers a plague 347 351. The best have small successe 300. they must both say and do well 441 442. take their best opportunities 469. must bee knowing men ib. cry aloud 51. Satans spite at them 516. may lose their abused gifts 574. their hard labour 587. burthen 606. Ministers must bee exact 613 639. they are slighted if poor 617. they are the worst men if wicked 621. thsoe that scant them are cursed 670. how they are begrutcht and beguiled 672. they must preach home to the conscience 690. Mocking goodnesse derided p. 521 Money monarch of this world p. 229 Moses praised p. 166 Mulâ—itude not to be followed p. 704 go to heaven alone rather 707 Murther a foul sin p. 56 58 Mutuall help p. 492 552 N A Good Name gotten by holinesse p. 644 ignominy fruit of iniquity ib. and 634. be not over-tender of thy good name 328 Nationall sinnes bring nationall plagues p. 590 Nineveh a great city 305 320. desolated 305 306 Nullifidians p. 435 O OBedience Jehu's partiall p. 6 7. obey God rather then man 85 86 Obstinate in sin p. 77 78 94 100. bee not so 654. some love to thwart God 609 Occasions of sin shun them p. 72 Offers of grace slighted p. 604 Old age kept unspotted p. 106 Omissions are dangerous sinnes p. 109 945 Oppressours are Cannibals p. 349. their evil-got goods prosper not 295. but are cursed 474. Shun their sinne 646 P PApists are idolaters p. 18. Pagans they are 599 Patience of God no quittance p 5 Patient be in misery p. 892. and how 893 894 Paul censured p. 706. and Marg Peace and truth together p. 552 Perjury a great sin and heavily punished p. 533 664 665 Persecutours plagued p. 209. they help to increase the Church p. 220. wo to such 900. God is against them and why 902. See Enemies Pleasure-mongers p. 224. a notorious one p. 266 Plenty is from God p. 46 Polygamy unlawfull and why p. 651 652 Policy reason of State p. 407 Pope not infallible p. 640. his insolency and usurpation 269. his soul-murther 401 his be witching superstition 408. he is over-magnified by his parasites 870 Poverty preyed on p. 277. despised 464. no prejudice before God 909,910 Power of God p. 867 869. fear him therefore 872. trust in him 873. submit unto him 874 875. comforts flowing from it 878. See God Practise be doing p. 483 684. saints practise 884 Praise God for his mercy p. 930 Prayer pray and faint not p. 620. person must first be accepted 6â—2 The power of prayer 37 211 217 270 4â—0 876 877. ask and have 559. pray carnestly 541. 't is a necessary duty 177. Gods liberall answers 205. He hearâ—th prayers 218 388 424. bold accesse to him 417.
wicked cannot pray 620. nor be heard ib. how to know our prayers are heard 837 Preaching what it is p. 84. twice a day 493 Pride 79 80. its picture 420. it precedes a fall 456 Prins stigmata Laudis p. 589 Processions popish p. 165 Procrastination is greatest folly p. 471. punished 944 Prodigies in heaven p. 210 Priviledges of saints p. 896. price of a saint 902. honour such ib. 108. their glory at the Resurrection 904 905. their priviledges privative and positive 925 926. Promises of God they shall be performed p. 636 637. they are a strong-hold 558. pray them over 848. mixt with menaces and why 566. Prophecy obscure p. 537 Prosperity no sure signe of piety p. 163 it causeth pride 170 420. slayeth the wicked 134 71 73 74 Providence of God Doubt not of it p. 424. see 882. He will preserve his and provide for them 878 Psalms book of Psalms praised p. 442 443 Publike most to be minded p. 476 Punishment waiteth upon sinne p. 59 217 531 535 545 670 843 punishment in kind 63. in all sorts of sinners 76. punishment insensible 87. one mischief after another 260 R RAin how taken in Scripture p. 603. it is from God 560 673 245. Doctrine resembled to it 246. rain of blood 210 Reformation was ever opposed p. 630. what Magistrates and Ministers are to do in it 631 Relapse not p. 587. let the relapsed return to God and how 28 Religion reproached as rebellion p. 272 273. otherwise reproached 455. mixtures in it 446. It is the beauty and bulwark of a land 512 Remission of sinne a great comfort p. 519 Christs righteousnesse imputed ib. Repentance the parts of it p. 27. the vertue of it 39. mercy leads to it 40. necessity of it 192. there is a naturall and morall repentance 321. Reformation is the best repentance 324. See Conversion Resemble God and wherein p. 922. Restitution is necessary p. 324 Resurrection it is sure p. 319. and will be glorious 562 904 905. Retract errours and evil practises p. 586 Revenge p. 226 Reward of righteousnesse is liberall p. 673. God remembreth and requiteth all his 839. and why ib. and 840 841. his service is very gainfull 842 843 849. See gain of godlinesse Righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us p. 932 Romish Edomites p. 610 Romish cruelty 347. Romes filth 611. its pride and downfall 65. avarice 66. 't is degenerate 206. must be burnt ib. Romes ruine 609. S SAbbath profaned p. 128. must be our delight 276. benefit of it ib. Sacrifices spirituall to be offered to God p. 625. our selves especially ib. Sacrilâ—dge a great sinne p. 215. punished 668 670 Saints are earthly Angels p. 608. their sinnes are most grievous 625. God will own them and honour them 895 896. despise them not for their outward meanenesse 906. their honour 907 Scandall to be shunned p. 239. scandalous Ministers 642. Professours 231 Scriptures commendation p. 120 121. See Word Seek God p. 146 Selah what it importeth p. 432 Seducers dangerous p. 584. they must be stigmatized 585. not tolerated 584. see 588. they are hardly ever recovered 587. Self-deniall to be studied p. 705 801 Self-seekers p. 137. self-ascribers 423 542 Sensuality p. 68 224 266 Septuagint translate amisse p. 629 620 628 Security fore-runneth ruine p. 263 427 Serve God with the best p. 615. not with slubbering service ib. 676. serve him with soul and body too 625. love Gods service 276 â—â—me devotion 618. honour of Gods service 687. he highly accepteth our performances 825 826 827 c. He rejecteth the services of the wicked and why 829 830. and that 's their misery 831 let them therefore repent ib. Blesse God for acceptance of our services 834. get into Gods service 846. and serve him earnestly 846. God how to bee served 917. serve God and why 937. He accepteth small services 938 939. how he is to be served 945. Setlednesse to be laboured after p. 618 Sicknesse fruit of sinne p. 378 379 Sight of sin is before sorrow p. 580 Silence in due season p. 257 Similies how to be used p. 164 Singing a Gospel-Ordinance p. 40 Sincerity accepted p. 98 Sinne a great burthen p. 606 607. It maketh God to disown people 634. to destroy them 23. remember it not with delight 42. the filth of sinne 78 518. hatefull to God 143. especially if iterated 223. 't is deceitfull 293. the greatest folly 317. hardly parted with 649. saints sinnes are most hainous 236. difference of their sins from other 933. adde not sin to sin 549 Sir whence p. 525 Slandering p. 85 86. make-bates 417 Sorrow godly p. 198. it follows upon sight of sin 580. 't is deep 581. greatest of all sorrows 581 582. 't is secret ib. forts of sorrows ib. Souls have no sexes p. 373. the worth of a soul 429. it comes from God and is like him 579. not propagated 653. precious ib. Spanish greatnesse p. 418 Spirits first work in the heart p. 852 Strength of a saint wherein p. 579 Stumbling at the word dangerous p. 642 Submission hath mercy p. 249 Suffer for God p. 144 Superstition pompous p. 70. prodigall 375 Supper Come prepared to the Lords Supper p. 616 Swearing a common sinne p. 532. dangerous 55 Sweating-sicknesse p. 247 310 T TEars powerfull with God p. 161 197 650 Temporals are to be slighted p. 24 25 saints oft have them 546 Temptation resist Satan p. 517. withstand first motions 544 Tempt not God p. 672 Thankfulnesse how it must be qualified p. 177. Think upon God and why p. 850 852. See Meditation Wicked think not on God 854 or not well 855 857 858 Thiâ—st corporall and spirituall p. 20 21 Thought not free p. 342 481 551. evil thoughts argue an evil man 856. earthly thoughts when they are naught 863 Threats shall be accomplished p. 643. wee should tremble at them 236 237. they are slighted 413. till felt 491 Time-servers p. 701 Tithings whence p. 345 Tythes to be payed p. 669 Tythe and be rich p. 673 674 Tongue order it well p. 383. an ill tongue destructive 407 Treachery to be avoyded p 646 Trinity of persons known of old p. 484 Truth little is to be found p. 53 't is ill taken 255. hated 256 274 Trust in God hath security p. 396 413. the triumph of Trust 420. Trust in Gods mercy 930 Tumults outragious p. 147 Turks Empire great p. 418. how they use their Asapi 420 Turn to God See Conversion and Repentance V Victory is of God and a great blessing p. 686. especially that over corruption ib. Vnity seek it p. 646. study it 462. Christian union 690 Vnsetlednesse in judgement p. 618 Vnthankfulnesse a grave p. 608 609. a great sinne 231. It exasperateth the Lord 572 Vnworthy Receivers p. 933 Vowes must be payed p. 318 W VVAit upon God p. 49 50 162 425 Walk exactly p. 520. worthy of God 706 Wantonnesse shun it p. 17 Warre the wo of it p. 566 595 148 153. desolation is by it
is not so yet with this sinfull nation that we are not yet a Loruhamah an Acheldama that we are not already as Sodom Esa 1.9 Zeph. 2.9 and like unto Gomorrah even a place of nettles and saltpits a perpetuall desolation as another prophet hath it we may well cry out O the depth the fathomlesse depth of Gods dear love to England Certain it is that we have hitherto subsisted by a miracle of his mercy and by a prop of his extraordinary patience Certain it is that God hath not dealt with England according to his ordinary rule but according to his prerogative royall England if one may so speak with reverence is a paradox to the Bible God grant that being lifted up to heaven with Capernaum in the abundance of blessings she be not brought down to hell by the abuse of them that God set not that sad impression of Loruhamah worse then any black Theta upon her and make her know the worth of his undervalued favours by the want of them why should it be said of us as once Anglica gens est optima flens et pessima ridens why should we provoke the Lord so long till he shall resolve upon an evill an onely evill i. e. without mixture of mercy Ezek. 7.5 till the decree bring forth Zeph. 2.2 and God pronounceth that fatall sentence against us that he did once against the old world Fiat justitia ruat mundus Let justice be done though the world be thereby undone Of all Gods Attributes he can least abide an abuse in his mercy Gods mercy is precious saith one and he will not let it run out to wast he will not be prodigall of it There is a time wherein God will say now I have done I have even done with this people mercy hath had her turn c. I will not alwayes serve them for a sinning-stock but will take another course with them I will take my own and be gone and woe be unto them when I depart from them When the sun is eclipsed all creatures fade and flag here below Thou hiddest thy face Lord and I was troubled Psal 30.7 David could not live but in the light of Gods countenance he begs for mercy every where as for life never did poor prisoner at the bar beg harder for a psalm of mercy then he doth Psal 51.1 and other where Neither would common mercies content him he must have such as are proper and peculiar to Gods own people even the sure mercies of David Oh make sure of mercy what ever you go without And the rather because there are a race of Loruhamahs a sort of such amongst men as are excluded from mercy God is not mercifull to any wicked transgressours Psal 59.5 that go on in their trespasses Psal 68.21 that allow them and wallow in them That last letter in Gods name had need to be well remembred Exod. 32.7 He will by no meanes clear the guilty And that terrible text should never be forgotten by those that are obstinate in an evill course and bless themselves when God curseth them Deut. 29.19.20 See the note there Gods mercy goes oft-times in Scripture bounded by his truth and as the same fire hath burning heat and cheerfull light so hath God plagues for the obstinate and mercy for the penitent Surely as he is pater misevationum the father of mercies so he is Deus ultionum the God of vengeances as he hath vbera so he hath verbera treasures of punishments for those especially that kick at his bowels that despise his long-sufferance that argue from love to liberty which is the Divels logick Cavete a Melampygo But I will utterly take them away Tollendo tollam So Calvin renders it and further tels us that some render it Comburam I will burn them and indeed war is fitly compared to fire that cruel element and to extream famine Isaia 9.19.20 The vulgar latine translateth it Obliviscendo obliviscar I will utterly forget them and that 's punishment enough as when one carried himself insolently toward the State of Rome a grave Senator gave this counsel Let us forget him and he will soon remember himself Woe be to those to whom Christ shall say Verily I know you not I have utterly forgot you Mercer rendreth it Levabo id est projiciam I will lift them up that I may throw them down againe with the greater poise The Seventy hath I will set my self against them in battell array Now the Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.4 yea he is the Lord and Victor of wars as the Chaldee there paraphraseth But what meant the Chaldee here to render this text by Parcendo parcam eis Sparing I will spare them is not this point-blank against Loruhamah How much better Tremellius ut ullo-pacto condonem-ist is that I should any way forgive them Have I not pardoned them enough already may I not well by this time be weary of repenting I will even break off my patience and forbear to punish no longer I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self now will I cry like a travelling woman who bites in her paine as long as she is able I will destroy and devour at once I will I will Isa 42 1â— The ten tribes never returned out of captivity unless it were some few of them that came up with the other two tribes out of Babylon Ezr. 2. by the appointment of Cyrus and some others that fled home when Nineveh where they were held captive was destroyed But for the generality of them whether they abide in China or Tartary or West-Indies I cannot tell you Parcus rendreth it Nam tolerando toleravi eos for I have a long while born with their evill manners And surely Subito tollitur Aug. qui diu toleratur as an Ancient saith Gods patience will not alwayes hold c. Vers 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah The Ark and the mercy seate were never separated Judah had not utterly cast off God as Israel had but worshipped God in the Temple how corruptly soever therefore they shall have mercy because they kept the right way of worship See the Churches plea for mercy to this purpose Jer. 14.9 Againe Judah was now in a very great straight having been lately beaten and plundered by Israel 2. King 4.12 therefore they shall have mercy God heard Hagars affliction and relieved her I have seen I have seen the sufferings of my people in Egypt saith God Exod. 2 and am come to ease them Because they have called thee an outcast saying This is Zion whom no man looketh after therefore I will restore health unto thee and I will heale thee of thy wounds saith the Lord Jer. 30.17 He will repent for his people when he seeth their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose He knowes that mercy is never so
river of Gods pleasures Psal 26.8 which cast him into a sweet slâ—â—â— at which time one clad all in white seemed to stand before hâ—m and to say Samuel Samuel be of good cheer for after this day tho shâ—â—t never be hungry or thirsty more for soon after this he was buried and from that time till he should suffer he felt neither hunger nor thirst as himself declared though he were kept by the cruel B of Norwich with 2. or 3. morsels of bread every daâ— and thâ—ee spoonfuls onely of water Mercer expounds this text of spirituall thiâ—st the same that was foretold by Amos. Am. 8 Ideoque subdit vers 4. saith Oecolampadius and therefore God addeth in the next verse that he will not have mercy upon her childrer but will kill them with death huâ—â— them to hell as he threateneth to do Jesâ—bel's children Ren. 2.23 Oh when the poor soul shall be in a wildernesse in a dry and thirsty land scorched and parched with the sense of sin and feare of wrath when the terrours of God fall thick upon it even the invenomed arrowes of the Almighty Besides the bufferings of Satan that haile shot hell-shot of fiery darts Eph. 6. so called for the dolour and distemper they work in allusion to the poisoned darts used in war by the Scythyans and other nations the venemous heat whereof is like a fire in the flesh when conscience I say shall by this means lie burning and boyling what would it not gieve for a cup of consolation Phil. 2.1 Gen. 16.14 Judg. 15.19 yea for any consolation in Christ as the Apostle hath it for any Beer-lahai-roi to fill the bottle at yea for any En-haccore any cleft in a jaw-bone to revive a thirsty Sampson that must else be slaine with thirst David never so desired after the water of the well of Bethlehem as he did after God in a dry and thirsty land where no water was Psal 63.1 As the hunted Hart the Hind saith the Septuagint panteth after the water-brookes so panteth or brayeth my soul after thee My soul thirsteth for God c. Oh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 42 1.2.3 when shall I come and appear before God The tears have been my meat c. Hunters say the Hart sheds tears or somthing like when hotly pursued and cannot escape He is a beast thirsty by nature and whose thirst is much increased when he is hunted The female especially in whom the passions are stronger then in males Christ that Aicleth Shachar that is the morning-Hart or stagg as he seemeth to be stiled Psal 22.1 in the title felt his soul heavie to the death in his bitter agony and tasted so deep of that dreadfull cup that in a cold winter night he swat great clods of blood which through cloths and all fell down to the ground And when this lamb of God was even a roasting in the fire of his fathers wrath he cryed out I thirst At which time men gave him cold comfort even vineger to drink but God his Father most sweetly supported him so that he might better say then David In the multitude of my perplexed thoughts within me thy comforts have refreshed my soul But what shall those poore creatures do that are strangers to the promises and have no water of the well of life to relieve them when Gods wrath is as a fire in their bones and falleth upon their flesh like molten-lead or running-bell-mettle Then they that have suckt in sin as an Ox sucks in water shall suck the gall of aspâ— and venom of vipers and have none to pitty them Francis Spira fele this spirituall thirst c. Verse 4. And I will not have mercy upon her children Lo here another And to those foure afore and more dreadfull then the rest Like as that in the 16. of Jeremy vers 13. where I will not shew you favour was worse to them then their captivity in a strange countrey Say that God do cast off his people yet if he say Ezek. 7.5 they shall be as if I had not cast them off and will hear them Zech. 10.6 the affliction is nothing so great as when he sends an evill an onely evill without mixture of mercy as here Oh this pure wrath this judgment without mercy must needs be very heavy when it is once grown to hatred there is little hope Hos 9.15 All their wickednesse is in Gilgal for there I hated them God is not of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hater of mankind but the contrary Titus 3.4 But such is the venemous nature of sin and so contrary it is to Gods both holy nature and just law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he cannot but hate it in whomsoever he finds it yet with this difference that he pitties it rather in his Saints hates it in his enemies as we hate poyson in a toad but we pitty it in a man because in the one it is their nature in the other their disease And as revenge is the next effect of hatred wicked men may expect no better dealing from God then a man would afford to his stubborn enemy Pharoah had plague upon plague neither did the Lord leave him till he had dasht the breath out of his body so true is that of the Psalmist Psal 18. With the froward thou wilt wrestle and that of Solomon The back slider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes He hath made a match with mischief he shall have his belly-full of it Prov. 14 He would needs have his own way and had it for I would have purged him but he would not be purged Now I will have my way another while for thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Ezek. 24.13 So our Saviour to those refractory Jewes in the Gospell I would have gathered thee as the hen gathereth her chickens I would but thou wouldst not therefore they shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee And I will not have mercy upon her children Lo God is so incensed by a generall defection that he will make havock and destroy even the mother with the children which was Jacobs great fear Gen. 32.11 yea he will dash the mother in pieces upon the children as Shalman did at Betharbel Hos 10.14 he will put young and old into the same bag together as fowlers deal by birds which yet was forbidden by a law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qualis mater talis filia Partus sequitur ventrem Deut. 22.6 his eyes shall not spare children as Isai 13.19 And why For they are the children of whoredoms They are maliex malis as Hierom interprets it they love and live in the adulteries of their mother they take after her as the birth usually followeth the belly and as in a Syllogisme the conclusion followes the weaker proposition Those Jewes in the Gospel boldly boasted
furor I care neither for the favour nor fury of Rome The Bramble thought it a brave businesse to raigne over the trees not so the vine and fig-tree We read of Pope Silvester that he gave his soul to the devil for seven yeers enjoyment of the Popedome which Luther spurn'd at One good cast of Gods loving countenance was more to David then a confluence of all outward comforts and contentments Thou hast put gladnesse in mine heart saith he more then in the time that their corn and their wine increased Psal 4.7 Their corn and their wine he calleth it because it is their portion poor souls and they are too too well apaid of it Wealth upon any tearms is welcome to them and those are their lovers that will keep them to it yea though it be the devil himself whose language also here they seem to have learned when they say my corne and my water c. All 's their own if you will beleeve them like as the devill sayd to our Saviour Luk. 4.6 All this wealth is mine and to whomsoever I will I give it But God is the true proprietary the owner of all and it is his alone to say Cui volo do illa Dan. 4.22 The devill is God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 but t is but titular onely as a king at chesse or at best by usurpation onely as Absalom was a king and as the Pope is Lord of all the kingdomes of the world both for temporals and spirituals to dispose of them at his pleasure When he makes Cardinals he useth these big-swoln words estote confratres nostri et principes mundi Be you brethren to us and princes of the world And by such high honours bishopricks and benefices he prevaileth with very many to be wholy at his devotion One of his poore beneficiaries ingenuously confessed that he and those of his rank preached the gospel for nothing else nisi ut nos pascat vestiat then to get a poore living by it Let Saints say Non est mortale quod opto we breath after better things Rev. 12.1 we have the moon under our feet and are above corn wooll flax c. The devill shall not stop our mouthes with these palterments Balaam may run and ride after the wages of wickednesse and get a sword in his guts Ahab may make a match with mischief and sell himself to do wickedly Judas hunt after lying vanities and hastened to his own place But Moses was of another spirit Heb. 11.37 and refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter Heb. 11.24 And those Worthies in the same chapter that were tempted with offers of profit and preferment could not be won over but resisted the devill and he fled from them The world was crucified to Saint Paul and he to the world He was of too generous a spirit he was no malleable matter all was but dung and dogs-meat in his account Philip. 3.8 D. Taylor martyr was promised not onely his pardon but great promotion yea a Bishoprick but he would none of it Another D. Taylour Bishop of Lincoln Act. mon. fol. 1386. Ib. 1918. Ib. 815. Ib. 1444. Ib. 1578. was violently thrust out of the Parlament-house in his robes in Q. Maries raigne and deprived So was Hirmanius Archbishop of Colen for certain reformations done by the ayd and advice of Martin Bucer I dare say said B. Bonner to Mr. Hawkes martyr that Cranmer would recant if he might have his living so judging others by himself But Latimer and Shaxton parted with their Bishopricks in King Henry the eights time rather then to submit to the six Articles And John Knox refused a Bishoprick offered him by King Edward the sixth as having aliquid commune cum Antichristo so did Miles Coverdale in Q. Elisabeths raigne Knox his life by Mr. Clark chusing rather to continue a poore Schoolmaster Pliny saith of Cato that he took as much glory in those dignities and honours that he denyed as he did in those that he enjoyed He was wont also to say that he had rather men should question why he had no statue or monuments erected to him then why he had Plin. Nat. hist praef Certainely it is so with the Saints and upon better grounds Verse 6. Therefore behold I will hedg up thy way with thorns i. e. with difficulties and distresses So God had fenced up Jobs way that he could not pass Chap. 19.8 he had thrown the cross in his way to stop him in his career And so he had hedged the church about that she could not get out Lam. 3.7 he had enclosed her wayes with hewen stone and made her paths crooked Vers 9. A great mercy if well considered though grievous to the flesh that loveth not to be cooped or kept within compasse Man is fitly compared to a wild-asse colt used to the wildernesse Jer. 2.24 Job 11.12 snuffing up the wind at her pleasure rude and unruly untamed and untractable To be kept by hedges and fences within a pasture seemes to such no small punishment neither count they any thing liberty but licentiousnesse or a merry life unlesse they may have the devil their play-fellow But the devil plaies at no small games capite blanditur ventre oblectat caudâ ligat he playes at swoop-stake he lyes in wait for the precious life as that harlot Prov. 6.26 nothing less will content him In great wisdome therefore and no less mercy to mens souls doth God restrain and bound them by afflictions that they may not run wild as they would nor feed upon the devils commons which would fat them indeed but for the slaughter This made Job prize affliction as a speciall favour Job 7 18. Jerom prayeth Correct me O Lord Chap 10. and Luther to like purpose Feri Domine feri clementer Strike Lord strike it shall be a mercy And King Alfred prai'd God alwayes to send him some sicknesse whereby his body might be tamed and he the better affectioned to God-ward It is observed by one of our Chroniclers Dan hist fol. 14. that Affliction so held in the Saxon Kings in the Danick wars as having little out-lets or leisure for ease and luxury they were made the more pious just and carefull in their government otherwise it had been impossible so to have held out c. Sure it is that if God did not hedge us in as by his hedge of protection Is 5.5 so by his hedge of affliction as here no reason would rule us no cords of kindnesse would containe us within the bounds of obedience David himself before he was afflicted I went astray saith He But God brought him home againe by weeping crosse He once so leapt over the pale that he broke his bones and felt the paine of it to his dying day he brake Gods hedge and a Serpent bit him Eccles 10.8 his conscience flew in his face the guilt whereof is compared by Solomon to the biting of
came first from Babylon For Ninus having made an image of his father Belus this Baal in the text all that came to see it were pardoned for all their offences whence in time that image came to be woâ—shippâ—d A great promoter of this kind of Idolatry in Israel was Ahab in favour of his wife Jezebel and to ingratiate with her kindred 1 King 16.31 and this was the ruine of his house This Baal was by the Zidonians called Jupiter Thalassius or their sea Jupiter and is thought to be their chief God They had their Dij minorum gentium petty gods called in scripture the host of heaven the queen of heaven and a little further in this chapter Baalim the Greeks called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Plato are certain middle-powers or messengers betwixt God and man to carry up prayers and bring down blessings c. Quam autem haec damonum theologia conveniat cum sanctorum et Angelorum cultu apud pseudochristianos res ipsa loquitur Mede in Apoc. pag. 115. saith learned Master Mede How this doctrine of devils or heathen-deities agreeth with Saint-worship Melch. Ad. de Germ. Theol. pag. 815. and Angel-worship among he Papists is easie to be discerned A great stumbling it is to both Jewes and Turkes who know it to be contrary to the first commandment and image-worship to the second Whence the Turkes will not endure any images Lib. 4. no not upon their coynes And Paulus Jovius tells us when Sultan Solyman had taken Buda in Hungary he would not enter into the chief Temple of that city to give praise to Almighty God for the victory till all the images were first down and thrust out of the place We read also of a certain Turkish Embassadour who being demanded why the Turkes did not turn Christians he answered because the Christian Religion is against sense and reason for they worship those things that are of lesse power then themselves and the works of their own hands as these in the text that made them Baal yea as if God had hired them to be wicked they made it of the very gold and silver which he had given them though for a better purpose And this was horrible wickedness hatefull ingratitude This was to sue God with his own mony to fight against him with his own weapons as David did against Goliath as Jehu did against Jehoram and as Benhadad did against Ahab with that life that he had lately given him Zâ—naras in Annal. I read of a monster who that very night that his Prince pardoned and preferred him slew him and raigned in his stead This was Michael Balbus and he is and shall be infamous for it to all posterity Ingratitude is a monster in nature Lycurgus made no law against it quod prodigiosa res esset benesicium non rependere To render good for evil is Divine good for good is humane evil for evil is brutish but evil for good is devilish And yet alasâ—e how ordinary an evil is this amongst us to abuse to Gods great dishonour our health wealth wit prosperity plenty peace friends means day night corn wine silver gold all comforts and creatures our times our talents yea the holy Scriptures the Gospel of grace and our golden opportunities the offers of mercy and motions of the spirit turning our backs upon those blessed and bleeding embracements and pursuing our lusts those idols of our hearts those Baals that is Deut. 32.5 Lords and husbands that have us at their beck and check But is this faire dealing Do we thus requite the Lord foolish and unwise as we are Holy Ezra thinks there is so much unthankfulnesse and dis-ingenuity in such an entertainment of mercy that heaven and earth would be ashamed of it Ezra 9.13 Should we do so saith He oh God forbid us any such wickednesse Others render it which they have sacrificed or dedicated to Baal for Idolaters spare for no cost Dum Deum alienum dotant as some render that text Psal 16.4 whiles they give their goods not to the Saints as David that are on the earth but to another God They lavish gold out of the bag as we read of a certain King of this land who laid out as much as the whole crown revenues came to in a yeare upon one costly crucifix and of another that left by will a very great sum of mony for the transporting of his heart to be buried in the holy land as they called it How profuse papists are in decking their mawmets and monuments of idolatry is better known then that it needeth here to be spoken of Their Lady of Loretto that Queen of heaven as they call her stilo veteri hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents and memories Sands his Relat. as they are faine to hang their Cloisters and Churchyards with them Verse 9. Therefore will I returne i. e. I will alter my course change my stand change the way of mine administrations deale otherwise with them then yet I have done they shall bear their iniquities and know my breach of promise as Num. 14.34 they shall know the worth of mine abused mercyes by the want of them another while I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.15 Finally I will cut them short of alimony and hold them to straight allowance Hos 7.14 and then I shall be sure to heare them howling upon their beds for corne and wine as dogs do that are tied up and cannot come at their meat And take away my corn and my wine those precious fruits of the earth as S. James calleth them James 5.7 the product of Gods great care from years end to years end Deut. 11.12 without which the earth could not yield her increase neither would there be a veine for the silver a mine for the gold iron taken out of the earth or brass molten out of the stone Job 28.3 All that we have is his in true account and he is the great Proprietary Mat. 20.15 who onely can say as he in the gospel May not I do what I will with mine own And what should he sooner and rather do then take away meate from his childe that marrs it If fulnesse breed forgetfulnesse as the fed hawk forgets his master and as the full Moon gets furthest off from the Sun so men when they have all things at the full forget God and wickedly depart from him what can he do lesse then forget them that so they may remember themselves and make fat Ieshurun look with leane cheeks that they may leave kicking Deut. 32.15 Isay 26.9 and learne righteousnesse Neither doth God do this till greatly provoked till there is a cause for it Therefore I will returne He may well say as that Roman Emperour did when he was to pronounce sentence of death Non nisi coactus I
him O the never-enough adored depth of Gods free grace and fuperabundant love to his people This David well understood Psal 25.11 and therefore prayed pardon my iniquity for it is great He knew that God both could and would remit more then he could commit and that mercy rejoyceth against judgement whilest God for his own sake though not for ours blotteth out the thick cloud as well as the cloud enormities as infirmities Esay 44.22 See his Non-obstante Psa 106.8 his Resolve Gen. 8.21 and his Mandamus Psal 14.4 and then it must needs be done though no god would do it but himself Mic. 7.18 though no man could imagine how it should be done Esay 55.7 8. I will allure her that is I will effectually perswade her by the preaching of the Gospel Men may speak perswasively but God onely can perswade Gen. 9.27 they may speak to the ear but He to the heart and this He doth to his Elect not onely by a morall perswasion but by an irresistible inward attraction Act. 11.17 by a mercifull violence by making them willing to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth They kisse the Son with a kisse of love and homage having first been kissed with the kisses of his mouth whereupon immediately followes Draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1.1 4. Elisha could more with a kisse then his man could with a staffe in raising the dead child Christs works upon his people fortiter but yet suaviter powerfully Recte Calvin textum hunc reddit Inclinabo eam but yet sweetly he inclineth their hearts to his testimonies and not to covetousness Psal 119.36 and brings them to the obedience of faith monendo potius quam minando docondo quam ducendo If he do seduce them as some render the word here it is for no hurt it is but to speak in a word private with them as one friend may with another it is but to give them his loves as he speakes in the Canticles to shew them his glory as he did Moses to spread before them his beauty and so to catch them by guile as Saint Paul did Corinthians 2 Ep. 12.19 to steal away their hearts before they are awar◠according to that Cant. 6.12 that they thenceforth may be an Amminadib a willing people a free-hearted people Psal 110.3 waiting for the law Esay 42.8 and walking by the rule Gal 6.16 c. Oh it is a blessed thing to be thus allured thus inveigled thus seduced out of the wayes of sin and death into the wayes of holiness and happiness by the doctrine of the Gospel Mercer Rivet which is the true Pitho the Suadae medulla qua capiuntur homines sed bono suo the divine Rhetorike wherewith mens minds are taken but for their greatest good and I will bring her into the wilderness Look how I at first allured my people out of Egypt where they sat by the flesh-pots and enjoyed the pleasures of sin for a season out of Egypt have I called my son that I might set him higher then the Kings of the earth and brought them into the wilderness and there extraordinarily provided for them never was Prince so served in his greatest pomp and spake to their hearts giving them right judgements and true lawes good statutes and commandments Neh. 7.13 to their great comfort Ps 19.8 So will I again do for them and much more then so by Christ in the dayes of the Gospel Indeed as the people at their first setting foot upon the promised land met with trouble in the valley of Achor by the sin of Achan so shall the Saints be sure of troubles but Christ will not leave them comfortless a door of hope he will open unto them in their deepest distresses Death shall be unto them not a trap-door to hell as it is to the wicked but an inlet into life eternall where they shall sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Rev. 15.13 Let the Saints therefore rejoyce in hope be patient in tribulation Vineyards God will give them here some grapes at least of the heavenly Canaan aforehand spirituall benedictions Divine comforts to sustain them such generous wine as shall make the lips of those that are asleep to speak Cant. 7.6 Yea to sing Eph. 5.18.19 Lo such wine of the bests and such songs of joy shall the Saints have for those vines which before he threatened to destroy vers 12. and that mirth which he would cause to cease vers 11. Repentance can turn crosses into comforts and like the Philosophers stone make golden afflictions 1 Pet. 1.7 As it is the fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother viz. sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is the mother of all mercies and benefits for it is repentance unto life Act. 11.18 yea to salvation and therefore never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 It is that rainbow which if God see shining in our hearts and lives he will not onely not drown us but do us all good and speak comfortably to her Heb. speak to her heart such things as shall chear her up and make her heart leap and even dance Levalto's Confer Gen. 34.3 Ruth 2.13 Judg. 9.3 Pastquam perauxero eam Tremell Benigne alloquar Castalio See Isai 40.1 and comparing 1 Sam. 15.35 Observe that the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nacham signifieth to repent first and then to comfort And to this purpose it is that some translate the text thus After I have brought her into the wilderness and so humbled her thoroughly as I once did her forefathers there I will speak to her heart yea I will take her alone for the purpose even into a solitary wilderness where I may more freely impart my minde to her so some fense it that having her whole desire she may come up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved Cant. 8.5 and so be brought into the bride house with all solemnity Verse 15. I will give her her vineyards from thence or from thenceforth either from that time or from that place God as out of his melting heartedness toward her he thinks she hath suffered double for all her sins Esay 40.1 though she think she hath suffered less then her sins Ezra 9.13 So he is ready upon her repentance to make her strait a plentifull amends He destroyed her vineyards and damped her mirth vers 11.12 Now she shall have all again with advantage not her corn onely for necessity but her vineyards also for delight yea an honest affluence of both She shall have reall manifestations of his love and although he take her into the wilderness yet will he not be unto her a wilderness or a Land of darkness wherefore then should his people say we are Lords we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2.31 why should they not rather reason thus with the prodigall I will go to my father for in his house is bread enough I will return to my first husband
Christ and forthwith thou shalt see him play Phineas part And again if Satan should summon us saith he to answer for our sinnes or debts in that the wife is no sutable person but the husband we may well bid him enter his action against our husband Christ and he will make him a sufficient answer Thus Mr. Bradford in a certain letter of his unto a friend In righteousnesse and in judgement in loving kindnesse c. These are the gems of that ring that Christ bestoweth upon his Spouse saith Mercer These are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love-tokens that Christ the Bridegroom giveth to his Bride the Church saith Tarnonius Here he promiseth to performe to her and to work in her all those offices and requisites due from married couples in that estate the one to the other God will both justifie her by the imputation or Chriâ—â—s righteousnesse and sanctifie her by the spirit of judgement that is or sanctification See John 16.10 11. Matth. 12.20 and the Note there And because the best have their frailties and although they be vessels of honour yet are they but earthen vessels and have their flawes their cracks therefore it is added I have betrothed thee unto me in loving-kindnesse and in mercies q. d. My heart and wayes towards you shall be full of gentlenesse and sweetnesse without moâ—osity or harshnesse My loving-kindnesse shall be great Neh. 9.17 marvellous great Psal 31.21 Excellent Psal 36.7 Everlasting Esay 54.8 Mercifull Psal 117.2 Multitudes of loving-kindnesse Psal 36.5 Esay 63.7 as for my mercies or bowels of compassion towards you they are incomprehensible as having all the dimensions Ephes 3.18 Thy mercy O God reacheth unto the heavens there 's the height of it Great is thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowermost hell there is the depth of his mercy Psal 86.13 The earth is full of thy goodnesse there is the breadth of it All the ends of the earth have seen thy salvation there is the length of it O pray to see that blessed sight Ephes 1.18 and 3.18 that beholding as in a glasse this glory of the Lord shining bright in his Attributes you may be transformed into the same image 2 Cor. 3.18 from glory to glory and as in water face answereth to face as lead answereth the mould as tally answereth tally Indenture indenture so may we resemble and expresse the Lord our Husband in righteousnesse holinesse loving-kindnesse tender mercies and faithfulnesse that as the woman is the image and glory of the man so may we be of Christ For our encouragement it must be remembred that the Covenant that Christ maketh with us is a double Covenant to performe his part as well as ours to make us such as he requiretâ— us to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse for which end also we have a â—uplicaâ— of his Law written in our hearts Jer. 31.33 a law in our mind answerable to the law of his mouth Rom. 7.23 In a word he graciously undertaketh 〈…〉 parts therefore is the Covenant everlasting and the fruits of it are sure merâ—â— compassions that fail not In foedere novo nihil potest incidere quo miniss sit â—â—â—raum quum non sit ei adjecta conditio saith Mercer upon this Text that is In the new Covenant there can nothing fall out whereby it should not be everlasting sith there is no condition required on our part That faith or faithfulnosse mentioned in the next verse God requireth not as a mutual restipulation of our part as works were in the old covenant But here it is rather a declaration of his pleasure what he would have us to do and whereto he will enable us It is not a condition to endanger the Covenant but an assurance that he will give us strength to keep it Verse 20. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse Tremellius Drusius and Tarnonius render it in fide in faith and interpret it of de fide vera et salvifica of that true justifying faith whereby we are united to Christ And for this they urge the next words as an Exposition of these And they shall shall know the Lord alledging some other texts of Scripture wherein saving knowledge is put for justifying faith as Esay 53.11 Jer. 31.33 Job 17.3 The Septuagint also render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tarnou in exer cit Biblic See Master Dugards treatise called The change Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the New Testament is oft used for saving and growing faith Tit. 1.1 Col. 2.1 and 3 10. which indeed is the bond of the spirituall marriage and is it self nothing else but a fiduciall assent presupposing knowledge For man is a rationall creature faith a prudent thing comprehending in it self these three acts 1 knowledge in the understanding 2. Assent or rather Consent in the Will 3. Trust or confidence in the heart certainty of Adherence if not of Evidence The Papists fasten faith in the will as in the adaequate subject that they may the mean while do what they will with the understanding and the heart To which purpose they exclude all knowledge detest Trust in Christs promises expunging the very name of it every where by their Indices Expurgatorij A blind belief as the Church beleeves is as much as they require of their misled and muzzled Proselytes Bellarmine saith that faith may far better be defined by ignorance then by knowledge But how shall men beleeve on him of whom they have not heard Let us leave to the Papists their implicit faith and their blind obedience and cry after Christ as that poor man did Lord that mine eyes might be opened and that I may know the Lord yea grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ These things have I written unto you saith Saint John to those that were no Babyes or Zanyes in faith or knowledge that beleeve on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternall life and that ye may yet more beleeve in the Son of God 1 John 5.13 David though he had proceeded further in the discovery of Divine truthes then those before him Psal 119.99 yet he was still to seek of that which might be known ver 96. Even as those great discoverers of the new-found lands in America were wont to confesse at their return that there was still a Plus-ultra more yet to be discovered Vers 21. And it shall come to passe in that day In that time of grace and reconciliation fitly set forth by the name of a day in regard of 1 Revelation 2 Adornation 3 Consolation 4 Distinction 5 Speedy Preterition I will hear saith the Lord of Hosts that is I that have the command of both the upper and nether springs and forces Sun Moon Stars c. Deut. 4.9 those storehouses of Gods good treasure which he openeth to our profit Deut. 28.12 and therehence makes a
now cheared up himself with the remembrance of This last is a very slight and sorry comfort indeed The former hath much in it for a good man keeps every day holy day said Diogenes and can be merry without musick saith another Philosopher He hath a merry heart or good conscience which is a continual feast and is bound to rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5.16 and to keep the feast in all countries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.8 the Calender of his whole life is crowned with continual festivals and he is the happiest man and may be the merriest if he but understand his own happinesse But this alas was not the case of these woful caytives and captives They had sinned away all their comforts and what with the sad remembrance of their former enjoyments and with the sense of their present servitude they had little mind to keep holy-day Hence this passionate exclamation what will ye do c God had threatned before Chap. 2.11 to take away their feast-dayes new-moons sabbaths and solemnities but they heeded him not tanquam monstra marina Dei verba surda aure praeterierunt therefore now God fulfilleth what he â—ad forethreatned Lam. 2. â—â— and calleth as in a solemn day his terrours round about them what they were wont to do in their solemn dayes and festivals may be seen Num. 10.10 what we do or should do at least upon our Lords day-sabbaths the delight of every good soul we need not be told Let us take heed lest by profane violating or carelesse observing that holy rest with all its solemnities we deprive not our selves as these Israclites did of such a precious priviledge God gave us a good warning in that the first blow given the German Churches was upon the sabbath-day which is there so ill sanctified Alsted in Encyclop Dike of Consc pag. 276. that if it should be named according to their deserving of it Doemoniacus potius quam Dominicus saith Alsted it should be called not the Lords-day but the Priests-day rather It is very remarkable that upon that day was Prague lost and with it all opportunity of hearing singing publique praying communicating on that high and honourable day Esay 58.13 Vers Abierunt i.e. obierunt 8. For lo they are gone because of destruction They are gone either into Egypt for refuge or into the state of the dead they are gone out of the world They shall perish by destructiou so some render it When God had said in the former verse what will ye do they should have faln down before him and said What wilt thou have us to do Lord we know not what at all to do but our eyes are toward thee This had been right and thus they might have disarmed Gods indignation but they had other carnal shifts and thought they could tell well enough what to do and whither to go whereupon they were so fully bent that the prophet here reports them gone already For lo they are gone and got to Egypt as divers of them did doubtlesse during the siege and after the sack of Samaria when they were forced to shift for themselves as they could but did they so escape by iniquity in thine anger cast down the people O God saith David and it is not more a prayer then a prophesie Psal 56.7 and this people had the proof of it Egypt shall gather them either for punishment or for burial as Ezech. 29.5 Jer. 8.2 so that they fled but out of the smoak into the fire and in running from death they ran to it as the Historian saith of those poor Scots at Muscleboroughfield who running for their lives S. J. Heyw in Edw. 6. p. 35. so strained themselves in their race that they fell down breathlesse and dead Memphis shall bury them Lest they should please themselves with vain hopes of return to their countrey he shews that that shall never be but they shall lay their bones in a strange land Memphis anciently called Noph Isay 19.13 or as some will No Nahum 3.8 at this day Grand Caire famous for the Pyramides and the kings sepulchres Memphis I say a principal city of Egypt shall be a Kibroth-hattaavah to you a place of sepulchres especially then when Nebuchadnezzar sent by God who giveth him Egypt as his pay for his paines at Tyre shall come and smite that land and deliver such as are for death to death and such as are for the sword to the sword c. Jer. 43.11 The pleasant places for their selves nettles shall possesse them Heb. shall possesse them as their inheritance so that the Israelites nor their heirs shall ever repossesse these pleasant places for their silver i. e. where they either laid up their silver their repositories or counting houses or where they laid out their silver either in costly buildings and sumptuous furniture or else in idols and statues placed therein to their no smal charge delight These shal be ruined and over-run with nettles thorns and thistles a token of horrible desolation Esa 32.13 and 34.13 Note hence that as God spareth a place for a few good men found therein as he would have done Sodom which is now a place of nettles and saltâ—pits Zeph. 2.9 so a fruitful land bringeth he into barrennesse or saltnesse for the wickednesse of them that dwel therein Psal 107.34 witnesse Judaea that land of desire Ezek. 1. ult that garden of Eden Joel 2.3 that glorious land Dan. 11.16 yea glory of all lands Ezek. 20.15 now wofully waste and desolate so is Grecia formerly so farmous for armes and arts so are some parts of Germany and so may England soon be without the greater mercy of God by a miracle of whose mercy and by a prop of whose extraordinary patience we have hitherto subsisted I say England whose vallies now are like Eden whose hils are as Lebanon whose springs are as Pisgah whose rivers are as Jordan whose walls is the Ocean and whose defence is the Lord Jehovah Vers 7. The dayes of visitation are come A visitation that is like to prove a vexation for every transgression and disobedience that is Omission and commission shall receive a just recompence of reward from the God of Recompences so he is called Jer. 51.56 whose eyes behold his eye-lids trie the children of men Psal 11.4 the former points out his knowledge the latter his judgement or his critical descant in his visitation or inquisition the dayes whereof are set Stat suae cuique dies and Israels dayes are come are come it is repeated for more assurance as Babylon is fallen is fallen certò citò penitus and as Ezek. 7.5 6 7. the Prophet tells them The end is come is come is come and so some ten or twelve times that he might beat it into them and awaken them them out of the snare of the devil The wickeds happinesse will take its end surely and swiftly but its hard perswading them so And the Jews as they were
shall break his clods Judah doth the worst of the work and suffers more hardship in the wayes of my worship and is held under by Israel as appeareth in the second book of Kings chap. 10.16 c. Jacob that is the ten Tribes did onely break the clods or harrow which is the lighter work and should therefore have been done with more delight But they love to take their ease and onely follow after their pleasure and profit and though taught to plow yet like it not because laborious no though they have Judah for an example of better Verse 12. Sowe to your selves in righteousnesse reap in mercy Righteousnesse is a sure seed a precious grain which those that sowe and every action of our life is a sowing shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing and bring their sheaves with them Psal 126.6 Onely they must not look to sowe and reap all in one day as one saith of the Hyperborean people far North that they sowe shortly after the Sun-rising with them and reap before the Sun-set that is because the whole half year is one continuall day with them The Church is Gods husbandry Heresbach de re rust 1 Cor. 3.9 the seed is the Word of God Luke 8.11 Ministers are Gods husband-men harvest-men Matth. 9.37 38. the plough Luke 9.62 plough-staff Luke 13.8 axe Mat. 3.10 are the Lawes threatnings the fruit-causing rain are the promises of the Gospel Esay 55.10 11. faith that works by love are the fruits the last day the harvest Mat. 13.39 40 41. Then at utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that sowe bountifully or in blessings as the Greek hath it shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 He that soweth seemeth to cast away his seed but if he sowe in locis irriguis as Eccles 11. 1. Ezek. 34.26 upon fat and fertile places he knowes he shall receive his own with usury In some parts of Egypt where the river Nilus overfloweth they do but throw in their seed and they have four rich harvests in lesse then four moneths S. H. Blounts voyag 77. Oh sowe bountifully the seeds of piety and charity into Gods blessed bosome and then be sure to reap plentifull mercy in thy greatest necessity reap in the month of mercy as the Originall here hath it that is according to the measure of divine mercy see Levit. 27.16 Exod. 16.16 proportionably to the infinitenesse of Gods mercy Now the Scripture hath three notable words to expresse the fulnesse of Gods mercy in Christ to those that sowe in righteousnesse Ephes 2.7 the abundant riches of his grace that are cast in over and above Rom. 5.20 The grace of God hath been more then exceeding there 's a second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of God was exceeding abundant It had a pleonasme before yea but here 's a superpleonasme here 's good measure pressed down Luk. 6.38 shaken together and running over shall God give into mens bosomes Like as when a poor man asked Mr. Fox for an alms he finding him religious gave him his horse Or as Alexander gave one that craved some small courtesie of him a whole citie And when the poor man said It was too much for him to receive yea Non quaero quid te accipere deceat sed quid me dare Sen. de benef l. 2. c. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not for me to give said he So God giveth liberally and like himself Jam. 1.5 He doth not shift off his suiters as once a great Prince did a bold begging Philosopher He asked a groat of him and the king told him it was too little for a king to give He requested the king then to give him a talent the king replied It was too much for a begger to crave Certain it is that God in his spirituall blessings and mercies to us is wont to regard not so much what is fit for his to ask or expect as what standeth with his goodnesse and greatnesse to bestow If Israel had a hundred-fold increase of his seed those that sowe to themselves in righteousnesse Gen. 26 1◠by doing and suffering Gods will shall have much more Even an hundred-fold here and eternall life hereafter Matth. 19.29 so great a gain is godlinesse so sure a grain is righteousnesse who would not then turn spirituall seeds-man break up your fallow ground sc of your hearts that ye sowe not among the thornes Jee 4.3 The breaking up of sinfull hearts is a singular meanes to prevent the breaking down of a sinfull nation Hence the Prophet though almost out of hope of any good to be done upon his desperate countreymen resolves to try one more exhortation to them and as in the morning he had sowed his seed Eccles 11.6 so in the evening he with-holdeth not his hand for who can tell whether it may not prosper and whether in the midst of threats they might not suffer a word of exhortation Heb. 13.22 and whether it might not leave some impression being delivered in few words Sowe therefore saith he to your selves in righteousnesse c. but first break up your fallow ground Innovate vobis novale Repent and be renued in the spirit of your mindes in spirit and speech in mindes and manners in constitution and conversation in the purpose of your hearts and practise of your lives Old things are past 2 Cor. 5.17 let all things become new turn up the turf stock up and stub up the roots and weeds get into Christ and become a new creature Till this be done men are in an undone condition though they should spend their whole time in gathering up pearls and jewels for it is time to seek the Lord High time sith your souls lie upon it Plowmen we know are carefull to take their time so are all others wise enough in their generation The wayfaring-man travelleth while it is light The Seafaring-man takes his opportunity of winde and tide The Smith smites whiles the iron is hot The Lawyer takes his terme-time to entertaine Clients dispatch suits The men of Issachar were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chron. 12.32 so are they with God that regard and use the seasons of grace that seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Esay 55.6 that put in the plough set upon the practise of repentance after a showre when the heart is best affected after God by his Word and Spirit hath taught so some render the Text or rained righteousnesse upon them Rain comes from heaven so doth every good and perfect giving Rain poures down plentifully Psal 68.9 thou didst send a plentifull rain on thine inheritance so do the showres of righeousnesse on good hearts Not a drop of rain falls in vain or in a wrong place but by a divine decree Job 28.26 so here Seek it in time and we shall not fail
commandeth but the Gospel helpeth God by his spirit assisting and further accepting pence for pounds the will for the work the desire for the deed done c. and laying meate before us meate that the world knowes not of hidden Manna the convivium juge of a good conscience c. Vers 5. He shall not return unto the land of Egypt That is he needs not run to Egypt for help as King Hosea did nor to the Assyrian to whom they were tributaries from the time of Menahem for they wanted nothing and less should have wanted if they would have been ruled by me but they refused to return He was not to have returned to the land of Egypt or of the Assyrian who is his king so some read the text Others sense it thus When I threaten them with the Assyrian they think to shift and shelter themselves in Egypt but I shall keep them thence or find and ferret them out there God knowes how to cross wicked men of their will to spoyle their plots Egypt shall prove no better then a broken reed running into the hand of him that leaneth on it 2 King 18.21 The Egyptian was ever an enemy to Israel and though for his own ends he gave goodly words and seem reconciled yet such Reconciliations are but vulpinae amicitiae But were he never so fast a friend yet sin-guilty Israel shall not have their an Asylum nec stabile stabulum see Chap 9.3 with the Note because the desire of the wicked shall perish Psal 112.10 They take counsell together but it shall come to nought they speak the word but it shall not stand Esay 8.10 Confer Esay 30.1.2 and 31.1.2.3 Prov. 21.38 but the Assyrian shall be his king Will they nill they they shall be carried captive to Assyria and sith they will needs be crossing of God he will cross them much more he will walk contrary to those that walk contrary to him Lev. 26.21 and be as froward as they for the hearts of them Psal 18.26 They will not return to me saith the Lord they shall not therefore return to Egypt they will not submit to my scepter they shall therefore have the Assyrian for their King that proud cruel stout-hearted Prince Isay 10.5.7.12 who will tyrannise over their bodies and over their cattle at their pleasure so that they shall be in great distress Neh. 9.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they refused to return Heb. they disdained to do it scorned the motion slighted the messenger Sen in Agamem Plus est a viâ—s se revocaesse quà m vitia ipsa necivisse Amb. in Psal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By their sins they had run from God by repentance they should have returned unto him and then the amends had been well-nigh made for Quem poenitet peccasse paenè est innocens the penitent is in almost as good a case as the innocent Ambrose saith he is in a better But for these men to all other their sins to add obstinacie and impenitencie as Herod to all his former evils did the death of the Baptist this was to heap up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 The word here rendred refused is by the Seventy turned They would not That therefore thy returned not to God it was the fault of their will True it is they had no power to turn themselves but the cause of that inability too was in themselves They therefore neither could nor would return and both by their own fault and folly Vers 6. And the sword shall abide on his cities Heb. shall keep residence or rush upon his cities It can do no less it cannot return into the scabbard rest or be still till the Lord who put it into commission call back againe his commission Jer. 47.6.7 It is a dreadfull thing when the sword abideth on a people as in Germany that stage of warr Ireland still a land of divine ire c. England hath some Halcyons at present incredibili celeritate temporis brevitate à Pompeio confectum Aug de Civ Dei Mr. Burr praise be given to God and let every good man pray with David scatter thou the people that delight in warr Psal 68.30 The Piraâ—s warr was dispatcht by Pompey with incredible swiftness to his eternall commendation And we have cause to bless God saith a countryman of ours that God hath raised up instruments for us who have hazarded the shortening of their own lives for the shortning of the warr who have done their worke of late as if they had took it by the great c. And the same Author observeth that it is a sad thing for the sword to be in the field but for the sword to be in the cities it is much more sad and he instanceth in JerusaleÌ„ out of Josephus Jos de bell Jud l. 7. c. 7. where the number of the slaine was eleven hundred thousand We may further instance in that unhappy city of Magdeburg in Germany where so much cruelty was exercised first by Charles the fift much regrated by him at last in his retired life taking account of his actions since that in our memory by Mounsier Tilly who like a bloody villain put to the sword there twenty thousand persons at least of all ranks ages and sexes Mr. Clark life of K. of swed 23. that great city also he burned down utterly turning it into cinders excepting an hundred nine thirty houses c. The like immanity was exercised by the Popes champions upon the poor Protestants at Angrogue in France where they killed and burned without mercy but could never set fire upon the two temples there nor upon the Ministers house Act and Mone 880. which remained whole the houses round about being all consumed with fire and shall consume his branches and devour thèm His branches or his villages which are as branches of the greater cities The trees of America but especially of Brasile are so huge that it is reported of them Abbbots Geog. p. 271. that severall families have lived in several armes or branches of one tree to such a number as are in some petty village or parish here The greater cities are as the body or-root of a tree the villages as the branches The scripture oft calleth them mother and daughters as Heshborn and all her daughters That is villages Num. 21.25 as the Chalde there explaineth it See Ezech. 10.44.45.46.48.53 hence we read of a citieand mother in Isracl 2 Sam. 20.19 Branches also are called daughters of the trees they grow from Gen. 44.23 The word here rendred branches is by some rendred Barres by others Diviners or Liers as the word here used is interpreted Jer. 50.36 A sword is upon the liars or diviners and they shall dote potest Augur Augurem videre nou ridere saith Tully of such diviners that is Can they one looke upon another and not laugh considering how they gull people with their lies and fopperies The sword
once said Judg. 9.29 Vbi est Rex tuus ubinam nunc servit te c. Where is the king where is he let him now save thee in all thy cities so Polanus rendreth it Can they save thee who cannot save themselves It is a Sarcasticall concession See the like Deut. 32.37 38. Judg. 10.4 Am. 4.4 And observe that Gods to deride and insult over men in their carnall confidence and his people are licenced to do so too so it be out of pure zeal Psal 52.6 7. and not out of private revenge and thy judges Or chief Officers Princes that are necessary to a King and are called his Comites cousins and counsellours whereof thou saidst and wast set upon it thou wouldst needs have them contra gentes as they say and hadst soon enough of them Strong affections bring strong afflictions Give me a king and princes It was partly their ambition and partly discontent with the present government as the present is alwayes grievous that prompted them to this request 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. and they had it but for a mischief It is not alwayes in mercy that prayers are answered for Deus saepe dat iratus quod negat propitius God oft throwes that to his enemies when they are over-importunate which he denies to his friends in great mercy to their souls They do best that acknowledging him the onely wise God pray Not our but thy will be done c. Verse 11. I gave thee a king in mine anger As once before he gave them Quails to choak them A king that is all those kings they had since they fell off from the house of David These were Gods gifts but giftlesse-gifts which hee cast upon them in his anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a punishment both of the sinnes of Davids ho use and likewise of the peoples rebellion It was ab irato potius quam ab exorato Deo Take him saith He sith you will needs have him with all that shall follow after The hypocrite shall raigne that the people may ensnared Job 34.30 Set thou a wicked man over him saith the Psalmist and let Satan stand at his right hand Psal 109.6 See Dan. 8.23 Saul was an hypocrite Jeroboam a wicked man so were all his successours in that Throne Levit. 26.17 it is written as an heavy curse of God If you still trespasse against me I will set Princes over you that shall hate you mischievous odious princes odious to God malignant to the people and took him away in my wrath Heb. In mine immoderate wrath that passed the bounds This is spoken of God after the manner of men for he cannot exceed or over-do fury is not in him Esay 27.4 but here he threateneth to take away king and kingdome together as he did Hosea by the Assyrian that carried them all captive Observe here that better a bad Magistrate then none for this latter is the fruit of Gods utter indignation Those Anabaptists that from this Text inferred that no Christian can with a good conscience take upon him kingly dignity should have observed that as an evil king is reckoned as a plague to a people so a good king is to be held a speciall blessing to them Verse 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up sc in a bundle or fardle or fagot as the French hath it And like as all fardles are opened on a Fair-day so shall Ephraims iniquities be brought to light and punished at the last day As the housholder bindeth up the tares in bundles at harvest and burneth them so shall it be in the end of the world The Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire c. Matth. 13.30 41 42. As the Clark of Assizes bindes up the inditements of malefactours in bundles or seals them up in a bag for more surety and at the Assizes brings his bag takes them out and reads them so will it be at that last and great day My transgression is sealed up in a bag saith Iob and thou sowest up mine iniquity viz. as the writings or informations of a processe which is ready to be sentenced See Deut. 32.34 Ier. 17.1 Hos 9.9 Sinners shall one day know that Gods for bearance is no quittance Job 14. ◠that however he is silent for a season and thereupon they are apt fondly to conceit him to be such another as themselves yet He will confute them and set their sins in order before their eyes Psal 50.21 Their actions are already in print in heaven and God will one day read them aloud in the ears of all the world And then though their sinne be hid for present all shall out to their utter shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12.2 that last light of the day of wrath shall reveal all Rom. 2.5 punish all Hos 9.9 Whatever God hath threatned shall then be inflicted whatever arrowes are in the bow-string shall then flee and hit and stick deep And the longer the Lord is in drawing the heavier they will light Morae dispendium foenoris duplo pensabitur the longer He forbeareth the heavier He punisheth So that there shall be no cause why sinners should say Where is the God of judgement Mal. 2.17 See the Note God will enquire after their iniquity and search after their sin Iob 10.6 Verse 13. The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him This Common-wealth was before compared to a mother chap. 1. 3. And as a woman that hath conceived is not for a while discerned to be with child till she biggen and burnish and grow near her time so is it with sinners see it elegantly set forth by S. Iames chap. 1.14 15. The sorrows of a travailing woman are known to be unexpected exquisite and inevitable so shall Gods judgements be upon the workers of iniquity such as they shall never be able to avert to avoid or to abide This is set forth by an apt similitude ordinary in holy Scripture Mic. 4.9 10. Psal 48.7 Ier. 49.29 and 50.43 c. And whereas some might say A travailing woman is soon delivered her pain is sharp but short she hath hope not onely of an end but of a birth the joy whereof maketh her remember her anguish no more Ioh. 16.21 The Prophet replieth that it is otherwise with Ephraim he is an unwise sonne that will be the death both of his mother and of himself He hath no list to help himself and to get free of the straights and petils of the birth by passing thorow the narrow womb of Repentance and being born anew God stands over him stretching out his hands all the day long to do a midwives office to take him out of the womb as Psal 22.9 to cut his navell and wash off his blood to salt him and swaddle him as Ezek. 16.4 but he hath no minde
your corrections their instructions See 1 Cor. 10.5 to 12. Greg. Mor. Ruina majorum sit cautela minorum Hast thou marked the old-way saith Eliphas to Job Chap. 22.15 16. which wicked men have trodden which were cut down out of time whose foundation was overflowen with a flood Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation which said unto God Depart from us c He speaketh of those Antediluvian Atheists buried in one universall grave of waters See Iosh 22.20 Neh. 13.26 Iude 5 6 7. and learn to keep a Catalogue of Gods great works whether of mercy or judgement yea to polish and garnish them for the use of posterity not with vain affectation of wit not with pedantick pomp of words but with sobriety and holy gravity as here such as may stick by our children and leave impression Verse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zachala 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eruca ab erodendo Isidor lib. 12. Orig c 5. Lecusta quaft locae ustulans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten The palmer-worm hath its name in Hebrew from shaving because it shaveth off the fruits of the earth In Chaldee from creeping In Greek from crookning In Latine from gnawing The Locust hath its name in Hebrew from multitudo wherewith the very Sun is darkened In Latine from burning places where it spoileth In Greek from cropping the tops of corne and plants which as they fled they fed upon The Canker-worm hath its name in Hebrew from licking In Chaldee from fleeing In Greek and Latine from feeding upon the flowers of apples and other fruits Comester some render it Flemings call it The preacher a bombo quem polando edit from the noise it maketh as it flies The Caterpiller hath its name Chasil from wasting because it utterly consumeth all not onely fruits and leaves but tender boughes and branches Vt ita crescat oratio sicut ipsum malum to shew that as their sinne increased so did their punishment The Lord of Hosts cannot possibly want a weapon wherewith to beat a rebel neither may wicked men expect that He should lay down the bucklers first To that bold question of Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey him God made a large reply by his armies of locusts lice slies c. till Pharaoh was forced to answer himself The Lord is righteous What spoil hath been made by these despicable creatures here mentioned in other countreys Pliny recordeth Pierius testifieth that the Egyptians made the Locust an Hieroglyphick of Famine Plin. l. 11. c. 29 And although we finde not expressely set down in the holy History when this particular plague was executed yet we need not doubt but it was done according to Deut. 28.38 39. See 1 King 8.37 Verse 5. Awake ye drunkards ye Ale-stakes and Suckers Heb. Shiccorim that pour in heady and intoxicating drinks such as soon lay you to sleep and besides take away your heart Hos 4.11 rob you of your selves and lay a beast in your room Portentosum sane potionis genus saith Pliny concerning ale Lib. 14. cap. ult that excessively drunk maketh men more sleepy then dormise besides that worse sleep of carnall security Eph. 5.14 Rom. 13.11 These therefore are here called upon to be sober and watch See 1 Thess 5.6 1 Pet. 5.8 1 Pet. 4.7 ye to weep and howl to turn their laughter into mourning and their joy into heavinesse And why For their sinne they should have done as that drunkard in the Ecclesiasticall History that toucht with a sense of his sin wept himself blind but here they are sarcastically called upon to weep for their great losse as they esteem it Vinum merum nondum dilutum Because of the new-wine for it is cut off from your mouth As many things fall out betwixt the chin and the challice the cup and the lip You made account to have mouthed it to have swilled your souls as they say and to have swallowed it down your wide gullets But behold it falls out somewhat otherwise the caterpiller hath been before you and left you nothing better then Adams-ale to tipple This is cold comfort to the drunkard whose Word is that of the Vine in Jothams parable Non possum relinquere vinum meum Take away my liquor Aug. de temp ser 131. you take away my life Austin brings him in saying Malle se vitam quà m vinum eripi He had rather lose his life then his wine And Ambrose tells of one Theotimus that being told by his Physicians that much quaffing would make him blinde Vale lumen amicum said he Farewell sweet eyes if ye will not bear wine ye are no eyes for me This drunkard would rather lose his sight then his sin his soul then his lust Such kinde of persons are like the Panther which is said to love the dung of man so much as if it be hang'd on high from it it will skip and leap up and never leave till it have burst it self in pieces to get it and this is the way they take that creature God will take these naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2.14 after another manner He will not onely cut them short enough here Grand sign Serag 186. but turn a cup of fire and brimstone down their throats Psal 11.6 which will be worse to them then that ladle full of boyling lead poured down the throat of a drunken Turk by the command of a Bashaw Verse 6. For a nation is come up upon my land A nation sc of vermine Sic columella de apibus Virgil. de piscib Hom. de muscis by swarmes as vers 9. called afterwards an army chap. 2.11 and a people chap. 2.2 See the like Prov. 30.25 26. Is come that is shortly shall come Vpon my land this glorious and goodly land as it is called Dan. 11.16 Tarnouius makes this by a mimésis to be the drunkards lamentation A nation is come up c. Strong and without number yea therefore strong because without number insuperable because innumerable Feeble they are and yet formidable because set on by God Almighty whose warriers they are as the Roman spoylers are called Matt. 22.7 And perhaps the Assyrians may here be hinted at I doubt not but the literall sence is chiefly intended Neither can I concur with Oecolampadius who holdeth it to be Propheta indignum unbeseeming the Prophet to preach thus concerning worms and locusts For concerning such poor creatures deal the Prophets by the instinct of the Holy Ghost in sundry other places Prov. 6.6 Am. 4.9 and 7.1 Nahum 3.15 Whose teeth are the teeth of a lion that is they devour all that is in their way as there is no standing before a lion no not before a moth that hath commission to crush a man Job 4.19 Verse 7. He hath laid my vine wast The Prophet proceeds in aggravating the the calamity that he
and pray alwayes saith our Saviour that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Son of man Luke 21.36 with 25 Something God will yeeld to the prayers of his people when he seemeth most bitterly bent and unchangeably resolved against them Matth. 24.20 and when the tribulation is so great that it is not likely that any flesh shall be saved vers 21 22. Prayer saith One is the best lever at a dead lift provided that it be the prayer of faith for Mercy is the Mother Faith the Midwife of deliverances Hence it followeth for in mounth Zion and in Jerusalem where the pure word of God was preached Esay 2.3 and mens hearts purified by faith Acts 15.9 shall be deliverance from all evils and enemies Psalm 76.3 There brake he the arrows of the bowe the shield and the sword and the battle Selah There where In Salem in Zion verse 2. where Gods people were praying This Moab knew and therefore more feared a praying people then a numerous army Numb 22.3 This the Queen Mother of Scotland knew and therefore said that she feared-more the fasting and prayers of Iohn Knox and his disciples then an army of twenty thousand men Spec. bell sacri Let Gods suppliants but call upon him in the day of their trouble and he will deliver them that they may glorifie him Psal 50 15. He will deliver them yea and honour them with long life will he satisfie them and shew them his salvation Psalm 91.16 Holy Merlin Chaplain to the Admirall of France at the Parisian Massacre had the performance of this promise among many others For understanding the danger they were all in he prayed in the Admirals chamber and by his command a little before the Murtherers brake in and by a singular providence escaped into an Hay-mow Epitom hist Gullick where he lay hid for a fortnight and was miraculously fed by a hen that cam daily and laid an egge hard by him as the Lord hath said and Gods suppliants have stedfastly beleeved and do therefore put his promises in suit In the want of other Rhetorike let Christians in their prayers burden God with what he hath said sue him upon his own bond urge this with repetition Lord thou hast promised thou hast promised and they shall finde that he cannot deny himself and he can as soon deny himself as his promises His covenant he will not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 and in the remnant whom God shall call Those holy brethren that shall partake of the heavenly calling to glory and vertue Heb. 3.1 whether they be Jewes or Gentiles Faithfull is he that calleth them who also will do it 1 Thess 5.24 And although they are but a remnant which is but a small to the whole piece an hand-full to an house-full a fold to a field a little little flock Luke 12.32 yet being the caled of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.6 and such as call upon him in truth they are not onely his called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but chosen and faithfull Revel 17.24 They are also heirs of that promise Mic. 5.7 which shall be fully made good to them that as for their propagation this remnant of Iacob shall be in the middest of many people as a dew from lehovah the dew is ingendred and distilled from the Lord immediatly so for their growth and increase they shall be as the showers upon the grasse as the sprouting up of grasse and herbs in the wildernesse that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sonnes of men to come with watering-pots to nourish them as herbs in gardens do but these have showers from heaven that give the increase CHAP. III. Verse 1. FOr behold in those dayes and in that time In is diâ—bus illis ipsis in hoc tempore ipso In those very self-same dayes and in that self-same time sc In the time of the Messias in the dayes of the Gospel when God shall deliver Jerusalem and call the remnant of Gentiles and so bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem of the whole Jsrael of God preaching liberty to the captives Esay 61.1 and proclayming the everlasting Jubilee Joh. 8.36 In those happy dayes I say Jer. 23.5 6. Wo to the wicked enemies of the Church it shall go ill with them They are sure to be broken with a rod of iron to be dashed in pieces like a potters vessell Psal 2.9 dashed against Christ the King who as He is Pierum rupes a Rock of refuge to his people such as was that to Moses Exod. 33.22 Sic Val. Max de tribunali L. Cassij so He is Reorum scopulus a Rock of revenge to Persecutours to split them to pieces such a rock as that out of which fire arose Judg. 6.21 the fire of Gods jealousie Zach. 1.14 which burneth unto the lowest hell Deut. 32.22 Let them therefore have grace as the Apostle from this ground adviseth Heb. 12.28 29. Let them at least have so much wit for themselves as Pilats wife had in a dream to take heed of having any thing to do with just men Let them do as Tertullian counselled Scpula Si non nobis tibi si non tibi Carthaginiparcas God will reduce the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem which shall be as a cup of poyson to all the people round about as a burdensome stone as an harth of fire Zech. 12.2 3 6. See the Notes there Their destruction must needs go along with the Saints salvation Philip. 1.28 29. Esay 8.9 Prov. 11.8 The Jew-Doctours collect from this and other like places in the Prophets that when the Messias commeth he shall recollect the Jewes into the land of Canaan where they shall get the better of their enemies and have a most flourishing Common-wealth and glorious Church For this they daily expect the visible appearance of the Messias Buxtorf Synag Jud. cap. 13. Sanbed c. 11. oft throwing open their windowes to behold and crying altogether to God Let thy kingdom come let it come quickly even in our dayes quickly quickly quickly That he stayes so long is for our sins say they which are many See the Notes on Zach. 14.2 3. Verse 1. I will also gather all nations that are adverse to my Church that I may have my peniworths of them and do execution upon them with ease troubling those troublers of his Israel 2 Thess 1.6 licet videantur plures potiores as he dealt by Jehosaphats enemies 2 Chron. 20. and leaving them no more place to escape then those have who are environed in a valley by a potent enemy who hath gotten them into a pound as the proverb is And this God will do in the valley of Jehosaphat a valey saith Lyra Adrichomius and Montanus betwixt Jerusalem and Mount Olivet in the very view of the Church that the righteous may rejoyce when he seeth
off from them The former sense is the better Verse 9. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them It is not usuall with God to hit men in the teeth with what he hath done for them Jam. 1.5 unlesse in case of unthankfulnesse as here Then indeed people shall hear of what they have had and be taught the worth of good turns by the want of them Good turns aggravate unkindnesses and our offences are not a little increased by our obligations Hence this approbation and it is as if God should say This people hath not only done the evills afore-mentioned but also after the receipt of mercies without measure and many miraculous deliverances as if I had even hired them to be wicked and as if that were to pass for truth which the snake in the fable said to the country man that had shewed it kindness Summum praemium pro summo beneficio est Ingratitudo Speed 622. ex Parisien In the yeere 1245. the Pope was denied entrance into England it being said that the Pope was but like a mouse in a fachell or a snake in ones bosome who did but ill repay their hostess for their lodging God had done exceeding much for this perverse people and this they now heare of with stomack enough as well they deserved At Athens if a servant proved ungratefull for his manumission his master had an action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against him Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 1 and might recover him again into bondage Lycurgus the Lacedemonian law-giver would not make a law against Ingratitude as holding it monstrous not to requite a kindness not to acknowledge a good turn The old Romanes decreed that such as were found guilty of this fault should be cast alive to the Cormorant to be pulled in peeces and devoured Our Saviour fâ—â—ly yokes together the evill and the unthankfull Luk. 6.35 and God here summs up all this peoples sins in this One as the Epitome of all the rest yet I destroyed the Amorite when once his iniquity was full Gen. 15. when he had filled the land from corner to corner with his uncleannesse Ezrh. 9.11 then sent I my hornets before them which drove them out before them But not with their sword nor with their bow Iosh 24.12 See this thankfully acknowledged by this Church after she had payed for her learning Psal 44.2 3. with 9.10 whose height was like the height of the Cedars c. For stature and strength they seemed insuperable Num. 13.28 c. But God soon topt them and tamed them he took them a link lower and made them know themselves to bee but men Psal 9.20 or if trees cedars oakes as Plato saith of man that he is but arbor inversa yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his root from beneath I left him little enough to be proud of lesse then Nebuchadnezzar who had a stump left and was reserved for royall State againe Dan. 4.15 God cut off these Amorites that is all the seven nations head and tayle root and branch old and young together Deut. 7.2 Iosh 6.21 Behold the severity of God as if he had forgotten that forepart of his back-parts Jehovah Jehovah gracious mercifull c. and had taken up that Emperours Motto Fiat justitia pereat mundus Let Justice be done though never so many be undone Verse 10. Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt which lies lower then Judaea as doth also mysticall Egypt then Ierusalem which is above which is the mother of us all To what great preferments and priviledges Gods people are now brought up by Christ See Heb. 12.22 23 24. and cry out with that noble Athenian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how great miseries to what great mercies are we advanced Act. 26.18 Even from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to God that we may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among the Saints c. And shall we then againe break Gods commandements Ezra 9.14 Or say We are delivered to do all these abominations Ier. 7.10 Would not the heaven sweat over us and the earth cleave under us yea hell gape for us upon such an entertainement of divine bounty and led you forty yeares through the wildernesse led you all along in my hand as an horse in the wildernesse that ye should not stumble Isay 63.13 Led you and fed you dayly and daintily sending you in Angels food and then setting the flint abroach that you might not pine and perish in that vast howling wildernesse Deut. 32.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides that I there bore with your evill manners Act. 13.18 as a mother beares with her childs frowardness or as an husband beares with his wives crossenesse which he knowes he must either tollere or tolerare cure or cover to possesse the land of the Amorite to fit you for such a mercy to humble you to prove you and to do you good at the latter end Deut. 8.16 God knowes the height of our spirits and the naughtinesse of our natures c. how ill able mens braines are to beare a cup of prosperity and how soon their hearts are lifted up with their estates as a boat that riseth with the rising of the water God therefore usually brings his people into the wildernesse and there speaketh to their hearts he holds them first to hard meate Hos 2.14 and then puts them into full possession Verse 11. And I raised up your sons for Prophets The Ministery is worthily instanced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a singular mercy Psal 147.19 20. Other nations had their Prophets such as they were Tit. 1.12 Tragedians and Comedians were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour in teaching the people and were highly esteemed of the Athenians insomuch as that after their discomfit in Sicily they were relieved out of the publike stock Rous his Archaen 90. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.21 who could repeate somewhat of Euripides But what were these to Israels Prophets those holy men of God who spake as they were moved acted and as it were carried out of themselves by the holy Ghost to say and to do what God would have them yea those holy children such as Samuel and Jeremy for of them especially the Rabbines understand this text who devoted themselves to the work betimes being more forwardly then either Athanasius the boybishop or Cornelius Mus who if we may beleeve Sixtus Senensis was a Preacher at twelve yeare old and such one an as with whome all Italy was in admiration and of your young men for Nazarites The Chalde hath it Doctours or Teachers it being the office of these holy Votaries to teach the people Heathens also had a kind of Nazarites as Lucian setteth forth in his Dea Syria Habent vespae favos simiae imitaâ—tur homines and the Turks at this day have their Dermislars Turk hist fol. 473. and their Imailers whom they call the religious
22.30 31. Verse 2. The virgin of Israel is fallen i. e. Though of the spouse of God she be become the devils adulteresse Jer. 3.1 Hos 1.2 yet shee will needs be counted and called a virgin still as Sardis she hath a name to live but is dead as the Romish crew cry themselves up the onely Church Catholike and therein like Oyster-wives do much out-crie us Rev. 3.1 But what saith the Lord by his Prophet Ieremy chap. 18.13 Ask ye now among the Heathen who hath heard such things The Virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing And the Virgin of Rome may well say as Quartilla the strumpet in Petronius doth Iunonem meam iratam habeam si unquam me meminerim virginem fuisse Petron. Satyr I can hardly remember my self a maid Israel may also be called a virgin because she yet subsisted and flourished in her first liberty and splendour till taken and defloured as it were by the Assyrian And in this sence we read of the virgin of Babylon Esay 47.1 of Egypt Jer. 46.12 of Zidon Esay 23.12 and now of Venice whose Motto is Intacta maneo I am still a maid as having never yet fallen into the enemies power Tournay a town in France was ever counted so invincible that this sentence was engraven over one of the gates Iannes ton me perdu ton pucellage Thou hast never lost thy maidenhead Yet was it yeelded up to our King Henry 8. with 10000. pound sterling Speed sol 1001. for the citizens redemption The Virgin of Israel sped not so well Shee is fallen That is shee shall fall surely suddenly utterly she shall no more rise i. e. return out of captivity and be restored to her pristine splendour yet some think otherwise she is forsaken upon her land Projecta est prostrata jacet she is thrown hard upon her ground and as it were dashed against it like an earthen pot against a rock and all this because she had left off righteousnesse in the earth Verse 7. Those that forsake God shall be forsaken of him 2 Chron. 15.2 there is none to raise her up God will not and then man cannot Behold saith Bildad God will not cast away a perfect man neither will he take the ungodly by the hand Job 8.20 he will bring them into trouble and there leave them Ezek. 22.20 29.5 His own he will not leave or if he do yet forsake them he will not Heb. 13.5 and if men do he will relieve them the rather Because they called thee an out-cast saying This is Zion whom no man seeketh after therefore I will restore health unto thee and I will heal thee of thy wounds saith the Lord Jer. 30.17 Verse 3. The city that went out by a thousand i. e. that had a thousand inhabitants passing to and fro thorow the gates See Gen. 34.24 and 23.10 for men love not to bee cooped up or confined to a place as the Duke of Venice is but to be travelling and trading Or that can send out a thousand fit to bear arms Shall leave an hundred Here 's a wofull decimation purporting a very great paucity of people such as was threatned Deut. 28.62 a tenth man onely shall be left if that Behold the severity of God and betray not the lives of others by an impenitent continuance in sinne Turn to God if but for your poor brethrens sake that are in danger or in durance Hezekiab's reason to repent is very remarkable 2 Chron. 30.9 For if ye turn again to the Lord your brethren and your children shall finde compassion before them that lead them captive so that they shall come again into this land for the Lord your God is gracious and mercifull and will not turn away his face from you if ye return unto him Shall leave ten Not take ten in an hundred and leave the rest as the Roman Generals used to do in the Army in case of a mutiny This was fulfilled in that three yeers siege of Samaria 2 King 18.10 as afterwards the like fell out at Ierusalem which could hardly be repeopled in Nehemiah's time and at this day is but thinly inhabited there being not an hundred housholds of Jews to be found there In our Countries of the abundance of people commeth dearth which maketh many male-contents to mutter but in many parts of Turkey for want of men to manure the ground most of the poor being enforced with victuals and other necessaries to follow their great Armies in their long expeditions of whom scarce one of ten saith mine Authour ever return home again there by the way perishing Turk hist 1153. if not by the enemies sword yet by the wants intemperatenesse of the air or immoderate pains-taking Verse 4. For thus saith the Lord Or Truly thus saith the Lord Notwithstanding the former terrible sentence which the Prophet could not denounce with dry eyes but takes up a lamentation though lesse concerned in it and might well say as One did in another case Tu quibus ista legis inâ—ertum est lector ocellis M. Fox of the L. Jane Gray Ipse quidem siccis dicere non potui All Gods threatnings for most part are conditionall Ier 18.7 and 26.2 sc if men repent not As if they do they may live in his sight and be accounted worthy such is Gods great goodnesse to escape all those things that shall befall the impenitent Luke 21.36 The Gospel is post naufragium tabula and hath its reward too Heb. 11.6 Heb. 11.6 sc of grace and mercy Do this and live saith the Law Seek the Lord and live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Gospel He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and that is the force of the Hebrew word here used which signifieth to euquire to make serious search and scrutiny to seek him out as the Seventy have it when he is with-drawn to seek him as a Student doth sciences a worldling gold a hungry man meat c. as a man studiously turns over a Commentary to finde out the sence of a Text 1 Thess 3.8 1 Sam. 25.6 Esay 34.16 Do this saith God and ye shall live not onely have your lives for a prey but live merrily happily Now we live saith the Apostle that is we rejoyce and Thus shall ye say to him that liveth that is hath a comfortable life and a confluence of blessings But besides all this yee shall live for ever and aterna vita vera vita eternall life is the onely life properly so called Life in what sence soever taken is a sweet mercy Aug. A living dog is better then a dead Lion saith Solomon and Ioseph is yet alive saith Iacob he doth not say Ioseph is Lord of Egypt I will get down Eccles 9.4 Gen. 46.28 Rom. 6. â—lt and see him before I die But eternall life is by a specialty and with an accent the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord and this gift
your God See Esay 21.9 understand Mereury Verse 17. Therefore will cause you Idolatry is a land-desolating sin beyond Damascus and not only so but also beyond Babylon Act. 7 by the way of Damascus by Tiglath Pileser sent for by Ahaz for that purpose Es 8.4 King 15.29 CHAP. VI. Verse 1. In utramv is aurem dorin WOe to them that are at ease in Zion that lye sleeping on both sides and slighting the former menaces as Leviathan doth the iron-weapons Iob. 41.27 that live as if ye were out of the reach of Gods rod and as for all your enemies ye puff at them saying We shall not be moved we shall never be in adversity Psal 10.5 6. To these sleepers in Zion God here sends forth his summons the word Hoi signifieth as well Heus as Vae Ho as Wo Esay 55.1 Zach. 2.6 Ho ho come forth that were quiet and still Zach. 1.11 lulled asleep by Satan or rather cast into a dead lethargy Sampson-like their enemies are upon them and they fast asleep the while Ishbosheth-like they stretch themselves upon their beds of ivory till they lose not their precious lives onely but their immortall souls Security ushereth in destruction those that are at ease in Zion shall be raised by a dreadfull Woe rung in their ears that shall make their hearts fall down and their hairs stand upright In the froth of carnall security and sensuall delights is bred that worm of conscience that never dieth Mar. 9. and here begins to grub and gnaw like as while the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Ichneumon or Indian Rat shoots himself into his bowels after which he never is at ease as having his entrails daily devoured so that one while he will be in the water and anon after on the land till life fails him and trust in the mountain of Samaria Are carnally confident and secure as good David also was when gotten upon his strong mountain Psal 30.6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag but was soon confuted Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled The best are apt by rest to contract rust and being full-fed to wax wanton Deut. 32.15 To affect more mundi delicias quam Christi divitias as One saith the worlds dainties then Christs comforts to trust in uncertain riches then to rely upon the living God who giveth them all things richly to enjoy This must be lookt to 1 Tim. 6.17 for it hath a woe hanging at the heels of it Jer. 17.5 6. Psal 52.7 9. which are named chief of the Nations Heb. expressely named declared notified celebrated chief the head or first fruits the head and height Principium id est praecipuum gentium So Amalec is called the first of the Nations Numb 24.20 haply they held themselves so Justin lib. 2. as the Egyptians afterwards boasted much of their Antiquity and the Chinois at this day do of their excellency and perspicuity above other Nations Many wicked ones are of great renown in this world Psal 73.4 6. and stand much upon their titles and termes of honour who yet in the next generation shall be utterly forgotten Psal 109.13 for that their names are not written in heaven Rev. 17.8 and look how much they have glorified themselves and lived deliciously so much torment and ignominy shall be given them Rev. 18.7 To whom the house of Israel came The whole house of Israel viz. the two tribes to Zion the ten to Samaria Vel sacrorum causà vel judiciorum saith Drusius as to places of worship and besies courts of Justice Others sence it thus The house of Israel came unto them that is the Israelites invaded those nations that once held Zion and Samaria and succeeded them therein not by any strength of their own but by Gods mighty hand and out-stretched arm which they ungratefull wretches acknowledge not but came in for themselves so Ribera rendreth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quasi sibi tantum nati se solos esse aliquid as if they were the onely proprietaries the sole owners of all and owed no service to any chief-Lord Such insolency grows from security See Job 21.23 Verse 2. Passe ye unto Calneh and see Take a voyage to and a view of those most famous bordering cities Calneh or Selencia in Mesopotamia on the East whereof see Gen. 10.10 the beginning of Nimrods Kingdom Hamath the great or Antiochia now Aleppo a famous Mart-town on the North. Then go down Southward to Gath of the Philistines which was of all the five satrapies potissima potentissima and is therefore called Metheg-Ammah 2 Sam. 8.1 with 1 Chron. 18.1 because being a town of great strength it was as it were the bridle whereby the whole countrey about was kept in awe It was afterwards known by the name of Diocaesarea Away to these neighbouring cities and see in them as in so many Optick-glasses how much more God hath done for you then for them in every respect the greater is your guilt and the deeper will be your judgement in the end for abuse of these rich mercies of a fertile soil a large Empire c. to security oppression and other detestable vices and villanies be they better then these kingdoms sc of Judah and Israel which were certainly multis nominibus laudatissima very fruitfull and pleasant countries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 8.7 8 9. Numb 14.7 8. whatsoever Strabo spitefully reporteth to the contrary Lib. 7. being therein worse then Rabshakeh Esay 36.17 Or their border greater then your border sc till the Babylonians Syrians and Assyrians took part of your countrey from you and cooped you up cut you short And now that you are so straitned for room doth not the Lord recompense you in multitudes of people Judea was not above 200. miles long and 50. miles broad say Geographers and yet what huge armies brought they into the field Observe then saith the Prophet the great things that God hath done for you above other Nations and walk accordingly or else take lessons out of their losses and damages and know that the case will be your own Aliorum perditio vestra sit cautio Learn by other mens harms to beware Verse 3. Ye that put farre away the evil day Wo to you that would do so if you could that fondly perswade your selves there is no such danger in evil-doing as the Prophets pretend but that all shall be hail and well with you though yee walk in the imagination of your hearts to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 and to heap up sin as high as heaven Quae longinqua sunt non metuuntur Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 5. Rev. 18.5 This cursed security and hope of impunity is the source of much wickednesse in the world See Prov. 7.19 20. Matth. 24.48 with the Notes It is a sad thing when men shall say as Ezek. 12.27 The vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophesieth of the times
As he is gracious Exod. 22.27 and quickly repenteth him of the evil Joel 2.13 Redire nos non perire desiderat I said Chryselog I would scatter them into corners c. Deut. 32.26 27. Mercy could not behold such strange wrath and cruelty and not weep her self even sick as it were this also shall not be saith the Lord. So ready is he to yeeld himself overcome by the suits of his servants Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus See verse 3. Verse 7. This he shewed me and behold See verse 4. The Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb-line c. Here he was set or stood firme as the word signifieth as not to be removed from his purpose by any intreaties he was fully resolved upon their ruine and it should be done exactly ad amussim by line and by rule as it were and with so much justice and most exquisite diligence that against it should lie no manner of exception It is said of the Areopagites in Athens that their sentence was so upright that none could ever say he was unjustly condemned of them How much more true is this of the righteous judgement of God who must needes therefore be justified and every mouth stopped Mat. 22.12 And he was speechlesse because self-condemned Tit. 3.11 and had not what to request with a plumb-line in his hand To shew that he would accurately examine their actions and punish their pravities See Lam. 2.8 and 2 King 21.13 not sparing them as heretofore A heavy sentence surely Psal 130.3 Verse 8. Behold I will set a plumb-line I will call them to a strict account and shew them no favour Jer 16.13 I will now actually execute my justice which I have hitherto suspended and pay them home for the new and the old bringing upon them an evill an onely evill without mixture of mercy Ezech. 7.5 I will not againe pass by them any more A metaphor from men that passe by such things as they slight and count inconsiderable winking at small faults as not worthy to be reckoned upon Hence Mic. 7.18 God is said to pardon iniquity and passe by transgression as elsewhere he is said to bind them up in a bundle to seale them up in a bag to cast them behind his back to remove them as far as the East is from the West Psal 103. so that he beholdeth no sin in Jacob nor perversenesse in Israel Num. 23.21 The Church privy to her own infirmities calleth her self black Cant. 1.5 but Christ calleth her faire all over chap. 4.7 She saith God hath punisht us lesse then our sins Ezra 9.13 He saith She hath received double for her sins Isa 40.1 Too much saith God too little saith She. O beautifull contention But this is a priviledge proper to the communion of Saints with whom God will not deale according to the rigour of his law as he doth with the wicked but according to his prerogative Verse 9. And the high-places of Isaac shall be desolate The Edomites also came of Isaac but by a Synechdoche the Israelites only are here and ver 16. to be understood Like as elsewhere Heber is put for the Israelites only Num. 24.24 and Ioseph for Ephraim Rev. 7.8 Some think that the high places of Isaac are here mentioned to shew that they were erected by the people in an apish imitation either of Beersheba where Isaac worshipped or of mount Moriah where Isaac should have been offered And that Isaac is here written with Sin and not tsadi to shew that God held himself not adored but derided by those high-places of irrision or those ridiculous ultars which therefore he threateneth to desolate and lay wast and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword as a prelude to the utter extermination of all by the Assyrians See this fullfilled 2 King 15.10 and chap. 17. Jeroboam was very prosperous and victorious yet designed to destruction Aug. Mat. 6.30 It is said of wicked men that foeneâ quadam felicitate temporaliter floreant they flourish to day as grass and to morrow are cast into the oven and as the mettle whereof men make glass is nearest melting when it shineth brightest so are gracelesse persons nearest destruction when at greatest lustre The Turks observing that few of their Visiers die in their beds Grand Sig. Serag have this proverbe amongst them that the greatest man is but as a statue of glasse Verse 10. Then Amaziah the Priest of Beth-el Observing that the prophet had foretold a desolation and not prayed as before that it might be averted because he saw God was fully resolved and their destruction determined Amos hath conspired against thee in the land Thus Eliah was the Troubler of Israel Jeremy a feedsman of sedition Christ an enemy to Caesar Luther a trumpet of rebellion all Contra-remonstrants antimagistraticall As Athaliah cryed Treason Treason when her self was the greatest traytour and as in Nero's dayes Sedition was unicum crimen corum qui crimine vacabunt Lipsiu◠laid ordinarily to the charge of those that were most free from it so was it here Amos bath conspired c. whereas Amos might well have said as Latimer did 3 Serm. bef K. Ed. 6. As for sedition for ought that I know methinks I should not need Christ if I might so say Religion is an utter enemy to rebellion and as there are few conscionable Christians Prophets especially that have not passed under this calumniation so he cannot be rightly esteemed such an one that deserveth it But Amazia's honour and incomes were now at stake as he well perceived when he heard Amos say Go not up to Bethe-el c. the high-places of Isaac shall be destroyed and hence his zeale against the Prophet like as Erasmus told the Electour of Saxony that the Pope and his shavelings were therefore so sharp set against Luther because he lifted at the triple crown and sought to bring down the monks fat paunches the land is not able to beare all his words his burdensome prophesies See Mal. 1.1 with the Note much lesse can I endure them or any faithfull servant of thine true to his trust Such a lying accusation we read of Esth 3.8 made by haughty Haman against the innocent Jewes that they kept not the kings lawes and that therefore it were good policy to weed them out as not to be longer endured So Francis King of France desiring to excuse to the Protestant-Princes of Germany his cruell persecution of the Lutherans in his Kingdome wrot to them that he looked upon them all as Anabaptists and as enemies to civil government and therefore used such severity against them This gave occasion to Calvin to write his admirable Institutions to vindicate our religion from that soule aspersion Saultet Annal 454. the like divelish policy was afterwards used to blanch over that horrid French massacre For it was given out that the Protestants had conspired against the King the Queen-mother
he sinned not Dei scriptis injuriam faciunt saith Luther they wrong the scriptures The best have their infirmities as the snow-like swan hath black legs and as no pomegranate is without some rotten graines David saw such volumes of corruptions and so many Errata's in all that he did that he cries out Who can understand his errours Cleanse thou me from secret faultes Joseph Antiq. lib. 9. cap. 11. Psal 19.12 to flee unto Tarshish Tarsus in Cilicia St. Paules countrey Act. 21.39 and 23.3 rather then the city Tunis in Afrike as Vatablus will have it or the East-Indies as others Tarshish sometimes signifieth the maine Ocean as Psal 48.8 whence some take it here for the sea but that may be by a metonymie of the adjunct because Tarsus stood upon the Ocean-shore and was a fit haven whence to hoise up saile into sundry countries from the presence of the Lord Ab ante Domini from the speciall and spirituall presence of God wherein he had hitherto stood and ministred For from Gods generall presence whereby he filleth all places and is not farr from any one of us Act. 17.27 not so farr surely as the bark is from the tree the skin from the flesh or the flesh from the bones Jonas knew he could not flee Blind Nature saw and could say quascunque accesseris oras Sub Jove semper eris God is a circle said Empedocles whose center is every where whose circumference is no where Why the Prophet fled many causes are assigned by Interpreters as Amor patriae timor humanus c. his feare of the Ninevites his love to his Israelites his conceit that it would be to little purpose to preach to heathens sith he had prevailed so little at home c. The very cause was that which we find chap. 4.2 I fled to Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gratious God c. and I feared lest I should thereupon be counted a false Prophet So much there is of Self found in the best who when once they are got out of Gods way they may run they know not whither and return they know not when and went down to Ioppa Heb. Iapho a sea-town in the tribe of Dan. Iosh 19.46 distant about 50. miles from Geth-Hepher Jonas his town 2 King 14.25 which was in the tribe of Zabulon toward the lake of Tiberias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinners are no small paines-takers There is the same Hebrew and Greek word for wickednesse and toilesomenesse Would sinners be at the same paines for heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are at for hell they could not lightly miss of it and he found a ship going to Tarshish They that have a mind to commit sin shall easily meet with an occasion the Tempter who feeleth their pulses and knoweth which way they beat will soon fit them a penniworth He hath a wedge of gold to set before Achan a Cozbi before Zimri Indeed it is the just mans happinesse that no evill shall happen to him Prov. 12.21 that is as Mercer interpreteth it non parabitur ei dabitur occasio iniquitatis Non causabiâ—ur aptabitur God shall cut off from him the occasions of sin remove stumbling-blocks out of his way either not lead him into temptation or not leave him in it so he paid the fare thereof Forsan ut citiùs navie solveret Mercer perhaps to make the marriners hasten the more Jonas might better have obeyed God and gone to Nineveh on free-cost But wit is best when 't is bought they say How many be there who perish at their own charge as Phocion the Athenian payd for the poyson that dispatched him to go with them to Tarshish from the presence c. i. e. out of Gods blessing into the worlds warme Sun All wilfull sinners are runnagates from the Lord factique sunt à corde suo fugitivi saith Teritullian faine they would also run if they knew how or whither from their own consciences But if they belong to God Conscience shall be awakened to do its office and they shall one day say with her I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home againe empty why then call ye me Naomi call me Marah for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Ruth 1.20 21. Verse 4. But the Lord sent out Heb. cast forth sc out of his treasuries Psal 135.7 where-hence he sendeth at his pleasure mighty great winds which he the only Aeolus holdeth in his fist hideth in his repositories checketh them as he seeth good weighs them in his hand Iob 28.25 sends them out as his Posts makes them pace orderly appoints them their motion whether as messengers of mercy Num. 11.13 Gen. 8.1 Exod. 14.21 or as executioners of justice Exod. 10.13 Iob 1.29 hurting mens houses cattle corn persons yea hurrying and hurling the wicked into hell Iob 27.21 a great wind into the sea whither they that go down in ships see Gods great wonders in the deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof c. Psa 107.23 24 25. c. Did it not so in a marvelous manner here in 88. and againe in that other 88. some few yeares since Had not Jehosaphat his ships broken at Ezion-geber 1 King 22.48 Val. Max. Christian pâ— 132. and Charles the fifth at Algeire by two terrible tempests which destroyed almost all that goodly Fleet The very marriners acknowledged this wind to be an effect of Gods justice and therefore thought fit to implore his mercy for there was a mighty tempest in the sea which is troublesome of it self and never still though sometimes it seems so but by blustering and big winds is made out of measure troublesome such as was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 8.23 Inhorrait marâ— Virg. and that Eurâ—clydon Act. 27.14 which Pliny calleth Navigantium Pestem the marriners misery so that the ship was like to be broken Heb. thought to be broken Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in danger to be broken the marriners made no other reckoning they looked upon all as lost God reserveth his holy hand for a dead lift usually and loveth to help those that are forsaken of their hopes Verse 5. Then the marriners were afraid and cryed every man to his God Forced by the present necessity first these stout fellowes were surprized with feare neither could they looke pale death in the face with blood in their cheeks Death is the king of terrours Iob 18.14 Natures slaughter-man Gods curse and hels purveyour Next they cryed every man to his God This was a lesson of Dame Natures teaching sc that there is a God and that this God is to be called upon and especially in distresse Those fooles of the people that said there was no God could not when hardly bestead but look up to heaven and cry out for help 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All people will walk every one in the name of
cause before he proceedes to judgment this deserves admiration and acknowledgement in the highest degree O the depth Verse 4. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt Here God twits them with his former favours which he never doth but in case of brutish unthankfulnesse Now there was brutish and worse To render good for evill is divine good for good is humane evill for evill is brutish but evill for good devilish This makes God contrary to his custome upbraid people with what he hath done for them and angrily call for his love-tokens back againe as Hos 2.9 For their deliverance out of the Egyptian servitude how great a mercy it was see the Note on Hos 11.1 such as they were againe and againe charged never to forget Deut. 6.12 and 5.15 and 26.5 to 12. How much more bound are we to God for our Redemption by Christ for what 's Pharaoh to Satan Egypt to this present evill world Egyptian bondage to fins slavery Seeing then that our God hath given us such deliverance as this should we againe break his commandements c. Well might the hills and mountaines testify against such a monstrous unthankfullnesse and disingenuity and redeemed thee out of the house of servants Gradatim progreditur saith Calvin It was somthing to be brought out of the land of Egypt a most superstitious place where they turned the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man for they defiled their king Osiris and of birds for they worshipped the hawk and Ibis and of foure-footed beasts for they worshipped an ox Rom. 1.23 a dog a cat a swine and of creeping things for they worshipped the Crocodile Ichneumon c. yea they worshipped plants and pot-herbs Hence the Poet Felices gentes Iuven. quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina To be brought out therefore from amongst such hatefull Idolaters was no small favour lest they should smell of their superstitions as Mica's mother did after all that ayring sin in the desert Judg. 17.3 and Jeroboam by being there awhile had learned calf-worship hence that strickt charge never to make leagne with them But to be redeemed out of the house of servants was more out of the iron furnace Deut. 4.20 Ier. 11.4 where they wrought night and day in latere luto Exod. 1. in setting up those famous Pyramids and treasure-cities for Pharaoh where they served with rigour Exod. 1.13 their lives were made bitter with hard bondage ver 14. till God withdrew their shoulders from the burden and their hands did leave the pots Psal 81.6 till they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved-work of a Saphire-stone Exod. 24.10 to shew that God had now changed their condition their bricks made in their bondage to Saphirs Confer Esay 54.11 and consider what God hath done for us by bringing us into the glorious liberty of his own children who were once the devils drudges and dromedaries serving diverse lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 which gave lawes to our members Rom. 7. and held us under in a brutish bondage much worse then the Heathens mil-house the Turks gallies Bajazets iron-cage the Indian mines or Egyptian furnace For there if they did their task they escaped stripes but here let men do the devill never such doughty service they are sure of scourges and scorpions after all armies and changes of sorrowes and sufferings terrours and torments without any the least hope of ever either mending or ending This should make us lift up many an humble joyfull and thankfull heart to our most powerfull Redeemer saying with St. Paul Now to the King eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.17 and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam As three principall guides and Miriam for one who did her part among the women Exod. 15.20 and having a prophetick spirit became a singular instrument in the hand of God who spake by her Num. 12.2 But her weak head was not able to bear such a cup of honour without being intoxicated which caused her father to spit in her face Num. 12.2 14. Her death is recorded in scripture Num 20.1 but not her age as is Sarahs Gen. 23.1 Some have observed that God thought not fit to tell us of the length of the life of any woman in Scripture but Sarah to humble that sex But as soules have no sexes so of some women such as were Miriam Deborah the Virgin Mary Priscilla Blandina the Lady Jane Gray Q. Elizabeth c. it may be said that in them besides their sex there was nothing woman-like or weak as if what Philosophy saith the soules of these noble creatures had followed the temperament of their bodies which consist of a frame of rarer roomes of a more exact composition then mans doth It is possible that Miriam might till that matter of emulation betwixt her and Moses his wife fell out be as helpfull to Moses and Aaron as Nazianzens mother was to his father Non solum adjutricem in pietate sed etiam doctricem gubernatricem Nazian Epitap pat not a help-fellow only but a doctresse and governesse Verse 5. O my people remember now what Balak There must be a Recognition of Gods mercies or else there will neither follow Estimation nor Retribution Else we that should be as temples of his praises shall be as graves of his benefits Our soules are naturally like filthy ponds wherein fish die soon and frogs live long rotten stuff is remembred memorable mercies are forgotten whereas the soul should be as an holy Ark the memory like the pot of Manna preserving holy truths as the Law and speciall blessings as Aarons rod fresh and flourishing This Israel did not and are therefore justly blamed Psal 106.7 13 21. and here againe reminded of one signall mercy among many that they might take notice of the enemies malignity Gods benignity and their own indignity and ingratitude that parching wind that drieth up the fountaine of divine favours Ventus urens exsiccans what Balack king of Moab consulted Joshua saith that he arose and fought against Israel chap. 24.9 that is he had a good mind to have fought but he did not because he durst not So Esth 8.7 Haman is said to have laid his hand upon the Jewes because he intended and attempted such a matter They that is the Sortilegi or Lot-sorcerers with whom Balack-like he consulted cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day and from month to month viz. Esth 3.7 to find out what month or day would be lucky for the accomplishment of his intended massacre of the Iewes but before that black-day came Mordecai was advanced and Haman hanged Now as there by the speciall providence of God over-ruling the superstition of that wicked wreth way was made for the preservation of Gods people So
conduct of Constantine carried it against them they shall lay their hand upon their mouth Be struck dumb as if they had seen Medusa's head they shall not be able to contradict the Gospell or to hinder the progresse of it Valens the Arrian Emperou comming upon Basil while he was in holy duties with an intent to do him hurt was not only silenced but so terrified that he reeled and had fallen Greg. orat de laud. Basil had he not been upheld by those that were with him their cares shall be deaf With the sudden bursting forth of Gods wonderfull and terrible works saith Mr. Diodate Verse 17. They shall lick the dust like a scrpent that is be reduced not only to extreme hunger and penury but to utmost vility and basenesse of condition so as to lick the very dust And whereas it is added like a sâ—â—pent he puts them in mind of that old malediction Gen. 3. and gives them to know that as like that old serpent they have lifted themselves up against God so will God cast them down again to the condition of serpents and abase them to the very dust See Psa 22.30 and 72.9 Es 49.23 they shall move out of their holes like wormes or creeping things of the earth They shall tumultuate and be all on an huddle as ants are when their molehill is thrown up with a spade The Hebrew word imports great commotion and bustle they shall be afraid of the Lord our God and shall feare because of thee O God or O Church terrible as an army with banners Impiety triumpheth in prosperity trembleth in adversity and contrarily saith holy Greenham Since the fall we tremble before God Angels and good men What have I to do with thee thou man of God said She Art thou come to call to mind my sin and to kill my son At the siege of Mountabove in France the people of God within the wals ever before a sally sang a Psalme with which holy practise of theirs the enemy comming acquainted when they heard them singing would so quake and tremble crying they come Spee belli sal 282. they come as though the wrath of God had been breaking out upon them Verse 18. Who is a God like unto thee No God surely whether so reputed or deputed whether heathen deities heavenly Angels or earthly Rulers can compare with our God or come neare him for pardoning of sin Indeed none can do it at all but He as the blind Pharisees saw and could say Men may pardon the trespasse but God alone the transgression But say they could do something that way yet nothing like our God who maketh his power appear to be great Num. 14.17 in pardoning such offences as no God or man besides would pardon See Jer. 3.1 Neh. 9.31 he forgiveth iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34.6 7. that is all sorts of sins to all sorts of sinners without excertion Mat. 12.31 This is the expresse letter of Gods covenant which we ought not either to obliterate or to interline but to beleeve it in the full latitude and extent We are apt to cast Gods pardoning-grace into a mould of our own and to measure it by our modell But against this we are cautioned Isai 55.8 God must be magnified in our thoughts his quarters there enlarged high and honourable conceptions are to be had of him or else we wrong him no lesse then we should do a King by respecting and receiving him no otherwise then we would do another ordinary man He is set forth here as a God imparallell and that not without an interrogation of admiration O! who is a God like unto thee Thy mercy is matchlesse thy grace aboundeth even to an overflow 1 Tim. 1.14 it is more then exceeding it hath a superpleonasme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle there Surely as the Sea swallowes up hugest rocks and as the Sun scattereth greatest mists so doth He pardon enormities as well as infirmities and blotteth out the thick cloud as well as the cloud Isa 44.22 Jam. 2 His mercy rejoyceth against or glorieth over judgment and is ready to say of a great sinner indeed Jam dignus vindice nodus The more desperate the disease is the greater glory redoundeth to him that cureth it Our Saviour gat him a glorious name by curing incurable diseases and gained greatest love by franckly forgiving Mary Magdalens and others sins Luk. 7.42 47. which were many and mighty or bony as the Prophets word signifies Amos 5.12 Adams Apostacie Noahs drunkennesse Lots incest Davids blood-guiltinesse Manasseh his idolatry and witch-crast Peters thrice denying and abjuring his master Pauls blasphemy and persecution All these sins and blasphemies have been forgiven to the sons of men neither can they commit more then he both can and will remit to the penitent Note this against Novatus that proud heretick and strive against that naturall Novatianisme that is in the timerous conscience of convinced sinners to doubt and question pardon for sins of Apostasie and falling after repentance and to say as those Unbeleevers of old Can the Lord prepare a table for us in the wildernesse So Can he forgive such and such iniquities so oft reiterated This is a question no question what cannot our God do in this kind who pardoneth sin naturally Exod. 34.6 and therefore freely as the Sun shineth or as the Fountaine casteth out waters who doth it also abundantly Isai 55.7 multiplying pardons as fast as we multiply sins and lastly Constantly Psal 130.4 Ioh. 1.27 Zach. 13.1 It is his perpetuall act and it should be as a perpetual picture in our hearts We should go on our way toward heaven as Sampson did toward his parents feeding on this hony-comb that pardoneth iniquity Heb that taketh away sheere away non ne sit sed ne obsit not sin it self but the guilt of it the damning and domineering power of it this David calleth the iniquity of his sin and saith that this God forgave him Psal 32.5 pronouncing himself and all such happy as are so dealt with verse 1.2 and passeth by the transgression Heb Passeth over it taketh no notice of it as a man in a deep muse or as one that hath hast of businesse seeth not things afore him his mind being upon another matter he neglects all else besides that As David when he saw in Mephibosheth the feature of his friend Jonathan took no notice of his lamenesse or any other defect or deformity so God beholding in his people the image of his son winks at all faults that he might soon find in them That which Cicero said flatteringly of Caesar is truly affirmed of God Nihil oblivisci solet praeter injurias He forgetteth nothing but the wrongs that are daily done him by his and as it is said of our Henry 6. that he was of that happy memory that he never forgat any thing but injury c. so here Daniel 198. of the remnant of his
word Prophet be to be referred to Zechariah 2 Chr. 22.15 or to Iddo is uncertaine That there was a Prophet Iado we read and Zechary might well be of his line after many descents He is here mentioned as also Ezr. 5.1 ut nepoti suo Zachariae nomen decus conciliet for an honout to his ab-nephew Zechary according to that of Solomon The glory of children are their fathers Prov. 17.6 to wit if they be godly and religious What an honour was it to Jacob that he could sweare by the feare of his father Isaac to David that he could say Psal 116.16 2 Tim. 1.5 Truly Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant the son of thine handmaid to Timothy that he had such a mother as Lois such a grandmother as Eunice to the children of the Elect Lady to the posterity of Latimer Bradford Ioh 8.33 Mat. 3.9 Ridley and other of those men of God who suffered for the truth If the degenerate Jewes so boasted of Abraham their father how much more might Zechary no degenerate plant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no bastardly brood as they were Mat. 12.39 boast and beare himself bold on his father Berechiah the blessing of God and his grandfather Iddo Gods Witnesse Confessour or Ornament sith he trod in their holy steps and was adorned with their gifts and virtues The Papists brag much of Peter and other Apostles their founders and predecessours But this is but an empty title to talk of personall succession which yet cannot be proved unlesse they could also shew us their gifts and graces as all the world may see they cannot We read of a painter who being blamed by a Cardinall for colouring the visages of Peter and Paul too red tartly replyed that he painted them so as blushing at the lives of their successours Verse 2. The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers Heb. He hath boyled against your fathers with foaming anger with height of heate There are degrees of anger see Mat. 5.22 and Deut. 29.28 The Lord rooted them out of their land in Anger and in wrath and in great Indignation Surgit hic oratio and the last of those three words is the same here used in the text noting an higher degree then the two former even such a fervour and fiercenesse of Gods wrath as maketh him ready to kill and cut off see 2 King 6 6. and note the affinity of that word with this like as he had much adoe to forbeare killing of Moses Exod. 4. when he met him in the Inne and as Nebuchadnezzar was not only angry but very furious and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon Dan. 2.12 Now if the wrath of a king be as many messengers of death Prov. 16.14 what shall we think of the foming and frothing wrath of God which burnes unto the lowest hell and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains Deut. 32.22 After which followeth in the next verse I will heape mischiefs upon them Deut. 32.23 I will spend minc arrowes upon them c. He had done so upon the Ancestours of these refractary Jewes who had been saepius puncti repuncti minimè tamen ad resipiscentiam compuncti ost punished but could never be reclaimed so incorrigibly flagitious so shamelesly so prodigiously wicked were they till there was no remedy This their vile stubbornnesse made him sore displeased with them and put thunder-bolts into his hands to destroy them For though Fury be not in God Isay 27.5 to speak properly he is free from any such passions as we are subject to yet if briars and thornes set against him in battle if a rabble of rebels conspire to cast him out of his throne saying We will not have this man to rule over us c. I would go through them I would burn them together saith he in the same breath Abused mercy turneth into fury Nothing so cold as lead yet nothing so scalding if molten Nothing more blunt then iron yet nothing so keen if sharpened The ayre is soft tende yet out of it are ingendered thunder and lightenings The sea is calme and smooth but if tossed with tempests it is rough above measure The Lord as he is Father of mercies so he is God of recompenses and it is a fearefull thing to fall into his punishing hands If his wrath be kindled yea but a little Heb. 10. Psal 2. woe be to all those upon whom it lights how much more when he is sore displeased with a people or person as here For who knoweth the power of thine anger saith Moses even according to thy feare so is thy wrath that is let a man feare thee never so much Psal 90.11 he is sure to feel thee much more if once he fall into thy fingers And this is here urged by the Prophet as a motive to true repentance sith by their fathers example they might see there was no way to escap◠the dint of the divine displeasure but to submit to Gods Justice and to implore his mercy men must either turn or burn For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Verse 3. Therefore say thou unto them These Jewes saith Cyrill had neither seen their fathers wickednesses nor heeded their calamities mittitur ergo ad cos Zacharias quasi paedagogus Zachary therefore is sent unto them as a schoolmaster or Monitour that by considering what had been they might prevent what otherwise would be and redeem their own sorrowes thus saith the Lord of hosts A farr greater Lord and Potentate then that great King of Persia who was now their soveraigne True it is that they had been commanded by a former King to desist from building the city Ezr. 4.12 21. But there was no one word in that letter to forbid the building of the Temple There was also now another King set up and of another family They are therefore by this Prophet and by Haggai called upon again and again to turn to the Lord and to return afresh to their work Ezra 5.1 Wherein because they were sure to meet with many enemies therefore here and elsewhere eighteen severall times in that eight chapter there is frequent mention made of the Lord of Hosts for their better encouragement See the Note on Mal. 3.17 turn ye unto me saith the Lord of Hosts This is the great Doctrine of the Old Testament as Repent ye is of the New And this He purposely prefixeth as a preface and preparative to the other Prophesies both of Mercies and Judgements whereof the whole is fitly made up Sowr and sweet make the best sauce Promises and Menaces mixt make the most fruitsull discourse and serve to keep the heart in the best temper Hence Davids ditty was composed of discords Psal 101.1 I will sing of mercy and judgment and so be both merry and wise But to the words of the Text turn ye unto me c. By sin men run away
then with any thing that befell himself It is said of Melanâ—thon that the miseries of the Church made him almost neglect the death of his dearest children and put him upon many prayers and tears which Idem in vita Melanch like musick upon the water made a most melodious noise in the ears of God When Luther in a certain Epistle checked him and chod him for his exceeding great care of the Churches welfare calling him pertinacissimam curarum hirudinem c. he meekly replied Si nihil curarem nihil orarem If I should not care so I should not pray so God seemeth sometimes to have lost his mercy as here How long wilt thou be unmercifull to Jerusalem and then we must find it for him He seems to have forgot his people we must remind him He seems to sleep delay we must waken quicken him with How long Lord Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come saith Daniel Psal 102.13 14 who is probably held to be the Pen man of that excellent Psal 102. Confer Dan. 9.2 and he speaks it with as much confidence as if he had been in Gods blessed bosom the while This also he spake not now by a spirit of prophecy or speciall revelation but by way of argumentation or necessary demonstration For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof They pity her and melt over her therefore thou Lord much more sith all their tendernesse is but a spark of thy flame a drop of thine Ocean against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeers There is much ado among Interpreters about Jeremies 70 and Zacharies 70 whether one and the same or different one from another That of Scaliger is most unlikely who reckoneth these yeers of the captivity from the first year of Xerxes with his father Darius unto the fourth year of Darius Nothus Lib. 6. de Emend Temp. How much better our countreyman Lydiat whom yet Scaliger so much scorned saying Quis est ille ex ultima Britannia Canis qui Ios Scaligerum audeat allatrare who concludes it to be 70 years from the last destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldees Lyd. Emend Temp. Anno M. 3485. to this second year of Darius Hystaspes wherein Zachariah prophecyed That of A Lapide upon this Text I cannot passe by Moraliter idipsum dicamus idipsum oremus obsecremus pro Anglia c. Let us say the same pray the same for England Scotland c. that the Angel here doth for Jerusalem How long Lord wilt thou not have mercy upon England where Heresie hath prevailed now these hundred years and upwards The English fugitives beyond-seas write upon their Colledge and Church-doors in great golden letters Jesu Jesu converte Angliam Fiat Fiat Jesu convert England Amen Amen Why yet this is somewhat better then that of Pererius the Jesuite upon Genes 15.16 If any man marvell saith He why England continueth to flourish notwithstanding the over-flow of heresie and cruel persecution of Catholikes just execution of Catholikes he should have said wee answer because their iniquity is not yet full God grant it Ier. 28.6 Sed veniet tandem iniquitat is complementum But the time is not far off and forbearance is no quittance c. Vers 13. And the Lord answered the Angel How should God do otherwise then answer his welbeloved Son with good and comfortable words sith he is all in all with the Father and can do any thing with him Father saith he Joh. 12. I know thou hearest me alwayes Did God hear Abraham for Ismael nay for Sodom Did David hear Ioab interceding for Absolom Acts 12.20 Did Herod hearken to Blastus making request for those of Tyre and Sidon with whom he was highly displeased And shall not God give ear to his Son praying for his people that are as dear to him as the apple of his eye Good and comfortable words he doth surely answer him such as were once those Joh. 12.27 28. when Christ had thus prayed Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour Father glorifie thy Name Then came there a voice from heaven Bath-chol the Rabbins call it saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again So when he shall say in his daily intercession for he ever liveth to make request for us at the right hand of the Majesty on high It irketh me that the whole earth is at rest and my Church at so much unrest Return O Lord Psal 90.13 how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants Save now I beseech thee O Lord Psal 118.25 O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity How can God do less then answer as Isa 33.10 Now will I arise now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self Or as in the words next following here which indeed are all along good words and comfortable words I am jealous for Jerusalem c. The Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet chuse Jerusalem Yet for all the sorrow he shall do it Ier. 30.17 and for all that Others called her an outcast saying This is Zion whom no man seketh after and she her self concludeth her dolefull ditty with Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us Lam. 4.22 Verse 14. So the Angell that communed with me See the Note on ver 10. cry thou saying q. d. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Speake ye comfortably to Jerusalem speake ye to her heart and cry unto her saying that her appointed time is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned and so the quarrell is ended for she hath received of the Lords hands double for her sins Nothing so much as I have deserved saith she Ezra 9.13 twice so much as she hath deserved saith He. O sweet contradiction O beautifull contention The same Hebrew word signifieth to repent and to comfort 1 Sam. 15.35 Esay 40.1 Gods care is to comfort those that are cast down His command to his Prophet is to cry comfort to the penitent with an extraordiny earnestnesse from the God of all consolation I am jealous for Ierusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Love is strong as death zeal or jealousie for the same word signifieth both is hard as hell Cant. 8.6 Non amat qui non zelat saith Augustine He loves not that zeales not And Basil venturing himself very farr for his friend and by some blamed for it answered Ego aliter amare non didici I cannot love a man but I must do mine utmost for him When one desired to know what manner of man Basil was it is said there was presented in a dreame to him a pillar of fire with this motto Talis est Basilius Lo such an one is Basil It is certaine that our
their cruelty the valour of the patients the savagenesse of the persecutours strove together till both exceeding nature and belief bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers These were those lion-like men of the tribe of Judah that took the kingdom by violence Judah which signifieth the Confessour had the kingdom as Levi had the Priest-hood both forfeited by Reuben who was weak as water Gen. 49. and I will save the house of Joseph that is Ephraim but for the ten tribes whom God here promiseth to save not to bring back saith the Geneva-Note on Ver. 9. But others there are that gather from these words and these that follow that God will not onely preserve them but reduce and resettle them in their own countrey yea and multiply them so abundantly as that their countrey shall not be able to hold them Verse 10. Whence cometh Ashurs and Egypts subjection to Christ that is all the tract of the East and of the South verse 1. and their perpetual establishment in the faith Verse 12 And I will bring them again to place them I will place them in their houses as Hos 11.11 The Sept. render it I will cause them to dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compos The Caldee I will gather together their captivity Some special mercy is assured them by this special word of a mixt conjugation for I have mercy upon I them Here 's a double cause alledged of these so great and gracious promises and both excluding works First Gods mere mercy Secondly his Election of grace for I am the Lord their God This latter is the cause of the former for God chose his people for his love and then loveth them for his choice The effects of which love are here set down 1. That he heareth their prayers I will hear them 2. That he reaccepteth and restoreth them in Christ as if they had never offenced against him They shall be as though I had not cast them off That was a cutting speech and far worse then their captivity Jer. 16.13 When God not onely threateneth to cast them out of their countrey into a strange land but that there he would slew them no favour Here he promiseth to pitty them and then they must needs think deliverance was at next door by and they shall be as though I had not cast them off And this the sooner and the rather because they called them out-casts saying This is Zion whom no man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 The Jewish Nation saith Tully shew how God regards them that have been so oft overcome viz. by Nehuchad-nezzar Pompey c. God therefore promiseth to provide for his own great name by being fully reconciled to his poor people whom the world looked upon abjects for I am the Lord their God And if I should not see to their safey Psal 119. it would much reflect upon me This David well knew and therefore prayes thu I am thine Lord save me and will hear them Or I will speak with them speak to their hearts It is no more saith One then if a man were in a fair dining-room with much good company and there is some speciall friend whom he loveth dearly that calleth him aside to speak in private of businesse that neerly concerneth him and though he go into a worse room yet he is well enough pleased So if God in losse of friends houses countrey comforts whatsoever will speak with us will answer us the losse will be easily made up Philip Lantgrave of Hesse being a long time prisoner under Charles 5. was demanded what upheld him all that time He answered that he had felt the favour of God and the Divine consolations of the Martyrs There be Divine comforts that are felt onely under the crosse I will bring her into the wildernesse and there speak to her heart Hos 2.13 Israel was never so royally provided for with Manna Quails and other cates as when they were in the wildernesse The crosse is anointed with comfort which makes it not onely light but sweet not onely not troublesome and importable but desirable and delightful saith Bernard Thy presence O Lord made the very gridiron sweet to Laurence saith another How easily can God make up our losse and breaches Verse 7. And they of Ephraim shall be as a mighty man The same again and in the same words for more assurance because the return of the ten Tribes might seem a thing more incredible Erant enim quasi putridum cadaver saith Calvin here they were as rotten carkasses and they had obiter onely heard of these promises as if some grain of feed should be dropt by the high-way-side for they were now as aliens from the Common-wealty of Israel and their hert shall rejoyce as throught wine Which naturally exhilarateth Psal 104.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is called by Plato one of the Mitigaters of humane misery See Prov. 31.6 with the Note Some nations use to drink wine freely before they enter the battel to make them undaunted Some think here may be an allusion to such a custom I should rather understand it of that generous wine of the spirit Eph. 5.18 yea their children shall see it Therefore they were not to antedate the promises but to wait the accomplishment which should certainly be if not them yet to theirs after them even a full restauration in due season Verse 8. I will hisse for them and gather them As a shepheard hisseth or whistleth for his flock See Judg. 5.16 where it should not be translated the bleatings of the flocks but the hissings or whistlings of the shepheards to their flocks when they would get them together God who hath all creatures at his beck and check can easily bring back his hanished gather together his dispersed with a turn of a hand Zech. 13.7 with a blast of his mouth as here as if any offer to oppose him herein he can blow them to destruction Iob. 4.9 He can frown them to death Psal 80.16 He can crush them between his fingers as men do a moth Psal 39.11 and crumble them to crattle Psal 146.4 Like sheep they are laid in the grave death shall feed on them and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling Psal 49.14 For I have redeemed them I have in part and that 's a pledge of the whole my hands also shall finish it as Chap 4.9 God doth not his work to the halves neither must we but if he shall be All in All unto us we must be altogether His Cant. 2.16 His is a covenant of mercy ours of obedience which must be therefore full and finall as Christ hath obtained for us an entire and everlasting redemption Heb. 9.12 and they shall increase as they have increased By verue of that promise to Abraham Gen. 13.16 I will multiply thy seed as the dust of the earth and Gen 15.5 as the stars of
the Angell of Gods presence and that went before the people in the wildernesse Such were those of the blood-royall and that succeeded David in the government but especially such were the Apostles Christs Mighties who should be endued with so many graces in majesty Authority Strength and truth that men should receive them Cornelius like as so many Angels of God yea even as Christ Jesus Gal. 4.14 Verse 9. I will seek to destroy I will make inquisition and diligent scrutiny I will draw them out of their lurking-places to execution as Saâ—l went to seek David upon the rocks of the wild-goats those high steep and craggy rocks 1 Sam. 24.2 which could not but be very tedious both to himself and to his souldiers to march in But he was set upon 't and would leave no place unsearched See his charge to the Ziphites to take knowledge of all the lurking-holes where he hid himself and to bring him word that he might seek him thorough all the thousands of Judah 1 Sam. 23.23 The Lord need not do so to find out his enemies for in him they live move and subsist Col. 1.17 they are everunder his view and within his reach He sitteth upon the circle of the earth Is 40.22 and can easily shake them out of it as by a canvasse Yea he sits in the height of heaven and wherein they deale proudly he is above them Exod. 18.11 disclosing their cabinet-counsels as he did Benhadads and blasting their designes to destroy all nations God stands not upon multitudes he takes not the tenth man but destroyes all nations be they never so many of them that come against Ierusalem that oppose or affront his people either with their virulent tongues or violent hands When a rabble of rebels shall set themselves against the Lord and against his Christ his mysticall Christ the Church he will utterly destroy them Mercer the word signifieth he will destroy them ut nihil reliquum maneat that there shall be no remainder of them Woe therefore to the Churches enemies for their destruction ever goes with the saints salvation Philip. 1.28 29. Esay 8 9. Prov. 11.8 Gods jealousie Zach. 1.14 and justice 2 Thess 1.6 will effect it surely severely suddely Verse 10. And I will pour upon the house of David Pour as by whole paile-fuls God is no penny-father no small gifts sall from so great a hand he gives liberally Iam. 1.15 and is rich to all that call upon his name Rom. 10.12 abundant in kindnesse Exod. 34.6 plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ hath over-abounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath overflowed all the banks 1 Tim. 1.14 indeed it hath neither bank nor bottom Oh pray for that blisse-full sight Eph. 1.18 and 3.18 19. that Spirit of wisdome and revelation of grace and of supplications Or deprecations of that utter destruction that shall befall other nations God will save his people but so as by prayer Psal 32.6 2 Chron. 7.14 Zach. 13.9 he will grace his own ordinance draw many suitours and derive many prayses to himself See Ezek. 36.37 Psal 50.15 and 116.2 Some render it a spirit of grace and of lamentations sc before the Lord when they felt the nailes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where with they had pierced Christ pricking their own hearts Act. 2.37 punctually pricking and piercing them and they shall look upon the whom they haue pierced Dacaru whom they have dâ—ggered or digged as Psal 22.16 him they shall look upon and lament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 1.7 Lam. 3. their eye shall affect their heart for the eye is the instrument both of sight and of sorrow and what the eye never sees the heart never rues The Sun looketh upon the earth draweth up vapours thence and distilleth them down again so doth the Sun of the understanding which till it be convinced the heart cannot be compuncted Sight of sin must precede sorrow for sin The The prodigall came to himself ere he repented of his loose practises men must bethink themselves or bring back to their hearts as the Hebrew hath it 1 King 8.47 ere they will say We have sinned and dealt perversely we have committed wickednesse See Ier. 8.6 Psal 38.18 An infant in the womb cryes not because he sees not but as soon as it comes into the light he sets up his note Get therefore your eyes anointed with eye-salve with this spirit of grace and supplications so shall you soon see saith Mr. Bradford martyr your face foull arrayed and so shamefull saucy mangy pocky and scabbed that you cannot but be sorry at the contemplation thereof It is the spirit that convinceth the world of sin neither can the waters till his wind bloweth Psal 147.18 A sigh is not breathed out for sin till the spirit imbreach the same into us and they shall mourn for him Or for it viz. for their crucifying the Lord of glory in their forefathers and having a great hand in it themselves sith their and our sins were thorns and nails that pierced him the lance that let out his heart-blood c. We bound him with cords we beat him with rods buffetted him with fists reviled him with our mouths nodded at him with our heads c. We were the chief actours and principal causes that set awork Judas Pilat c. Oh stand a while with the devout women and see him bleeding groaning dying by the wounds that we gave him and mourn affectionatly over him as here they shall mourn with such outward pomp and rites as are used at fune ralls as wringing the hands beating the breasts shaking the head and the like externall gestures and expressions of heavinesse and shall be in bitternesse by inwardnesse of extream grief as when Davids heart was leavened with it Psal 73.21 it was sowred with goodly sorrow and sowced in the teares of true repentance So Peter went forth and wept bitterly Mat. 26.15 waters of Marah flowed from Mary Magdalens eyes which were as a fountain for Christs feet here sorrow was deep and down-right producing repentance never to be repented of The sorrow we conceive for an unkindnesse offered to Christ must not be slight and sudden but sad and soaking like that of the Israelites met at Mizpeh when they drew water before the Lord 1 Sam. 7.6 whereunto the Prophet Jeremy seemeth to allude when he seriously wisheth that his head were waters c. Ier. 9.1 and David with his rivers of teares Psa 119.136 His heart was soft and soluble now softnesse of heart discovers sin as the blots run abroad and seem biggest in wet paper and as when the Cockatrice egge is crushed it breakes forth into a viper Isa 59.5 Now to make and keep the heart soft and tender the consideration of Christs dolorous passion must needs be of singular use and efficacy as the sight of Câ—sars bloody robes brought forth greatly affected the people of Rome and edged them to revenge The
hist Exod. 28.30 and as it is reported of Suetonius they took the same liberty to cry down sinne that men did to commit it Elian tells us that the High-priest among the Egyptians wore about his neck a Saphir-stone which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth This was but an apish imitation of Aarons Vrim and Thummim s. e. light of truth and integrity of life Mercuries Priests were wont to feed upon figs and then to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is sweet It is so indeed to those that have their senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult But most men cannot brook down right truth the hearing of it galls them as they write of some creatures that they have fel in aure their gall in their ears Hence Truth breeds hatred and plain-dealing is generally disgusted it is bitter in the stomacks of those that hear it though sweet in the mouth of those that utter it Rev. 10.9 Micaiah would not budge or be base in his errand to Ahab though he were sure to kisse the stocks for his stoutnesse Azariah the high-Priest withstood king Vzziah to his face and put him out of the Temple Which whiles Vriah did not but wickedly complied with idolatrous Ahaz in making and setting up the altar of Damascus 2 King 16.11 16. he is branded with a black-cole for a court-parasite and shall be infamous to all posterity His contemporary Esay was of another spirit Implevit post me Num. 14.24 and fulfilled after God as it is said of Caleb He kept the law of truth in his mouth and rolled it as sugar under his tongue though he suffered for it For as Hierom tells us he was sawn asunder by his wicked countreymen for two causes First because he said he had seen the Lord. Hier. in Isa 1. ex Rabbin Secondly because he called the great Ones of Judah Princes of Sodom and Rulers of Gomorrah Quintilian saith of Vespasian the Emperour that he was patientissimus veri very patient of truth though it never so much touched him But not many such to be met with Asa though otherwise a good Prince yet fell out grievously with Gods Prophet for his plain-dealing and layed him by the heels Queen Elizabeth dealt little better with a Bishop that had in a zealous Sermon admonished her to think on her last end The Newlanders cure by Sr. Wil Vaugh. by reason of her great age which few Princes had attained unto and of the Clymactericall year of her life which happened at that time The Bishop had the Queens Apage but Gods Enge And so shall all Truths-Chaplains have however the world entertain them Wisdome shall be justified of her children Act. 20.26 27 and God will see to their safety modo audeant quae sentiunt so they shew men all the counsel of God and keep back nothing that they have in charge to deliver and iniquity was not found in his lips Heb. Crossenesse or Crookednesse Chaldee No falsenesse He did not preach distorted doctrines that produce convulsions of conscience as those Seducers did Act. 20.30 He did not handle the word of God deceitfully or fraudulently as those deceitfull workers did 2 Cor. 11.13 Neither did he broach errours and writh from the right way for self-respects setting his diall by that Sunn 1 Thess 2.3 But being of a most masculine disingaged and noble spirit that hath received the truth in the love of it he will not be drawn to falsity or faulter to huckster the word or handle it craftily and covetously but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God c. 2 Cor. 2.17 Without mixture of errours or humane inventions Let Pharisees soure mens soules with their leaven of false doctrine Let those Inhabitants of the Sea as they are called Rev. 12.12 Popish Padres set abroach grosse troubled brackish Tenents which rather bring barrennesse to their hearers and gnaw their bowels then either quench thirst or yeeld good fruit He that feares God can pitty poor soules made prize of by Sectaries and Seducers Col. 2.8 and knowing that he that breaketh the least of Gods commandements and teacheth men so shall be least in the kingdome of heaven Mat. 5.19 that is nothing at all there Mat. 20.16 Psal 19.104 he hateth every false way with David and takes care that no iniquity be found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity i. e. He kept constant correspondency and communion with me so that we never disagreed or differed For can two walk together and they not agreed He was like-minded to me in all things and observed my law in every point and part thereof An high commendation and a necessary qualification in a minister that he not only talk of God but walk with him and that not loosely and at all adventures but stricktly and exactly as a pattern of the rule as a transcript of his own sermon ne verba factis deficientibus erubescant lest his words blush for want of deeds accordingy Tertull. ne virtutis stragulum pudefaciat lest he put honesty to an open shame as Antipater did when being vitious he wore a white cloke the ensigne of innocency lest his life gives his lips the lye as it fared with those Pharisees that said and did not Mat. 23.3 The foolish Virgins were found with their Sic dicentes so saying but the faithfull servants shall be found with their Sic facientes so doing And when men come to give account it shall be enquired non quid legerint sed quid egerint non quid dixerint sed quomodo vixerint not what they have taught others but what they have practised themselves Origens preaching and living were said to be both one Quod jussit gessit So did Mr. Bucer whom his friends could never sufficiently praise nor his foes in any point find fault with his singular life and sincere doctrine Bern. Act. and Mon. and did turn away many from iniquity The effect of his unspeakable labours and unblameable life was conversion of soules and those not a few God sometimes gives a Pastour after his own heart to such places where he takes but one of a city or two of a family Ier. 3.14 15. Quod si decimus quisque si unus persuasus fuerit c. saith Chrysostom If one in ten be gained nay if one of ten thousand be turned from iniquity it is a great mercy Nay saith He say that none be converted the faithful Minister that indeavours their conversion though he effect it not non minus praemii shall have no lesse reward then if he had prevailed for their conversion Some good Divines think he shall have more then those that do convert because they have praemium ante praemium that which may encourage them in Gods work but he does his utmost amidst all discouragement Well may Ephraim love to tread out the corn because while he treads Hos
presently Hence he calleth things that yet are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 and this as in the works of Creation Renovation Resurrection so in the accomplishment of his promises which we must not antedate as we are apt to do but learn to live by faith Hab. 2.2 Possibly the Kalendar of heaven hath a post-date to ours Strive to be strong in faith and glorifie God my messenger Not Christ as Ensebius doated nor Meslias the sonne of Jâ—seph Lib. 5. de demon Evang. cap. 28. that is of the tribe of Joseph as Rabbi Abraham would have it For the Jews soolishly expect two Meslians's one the sonne of David and the other the sonne of Joseph Nor an Angel of heaven as Rabbi David interprets it according to Exod. 23.20 But John Baptist as our Saviour expounds himself Mat. 11.10 who is here called Christs Messenger or Angel by reason of his office one by whom he would manifest his mind to his people He was a burning and a shining light Joh. 5.35 or lamp and shone for a season till the Sun of righteousnesse came in place as lights and candles are of good use till the Sun riseth See 1 Sam. 3.3 and he shall prepare the way Expurgabit Everret emundâ—bit He shall clear the way sweep it accoutre or dresse it He shall remove all rubs and remora's out of the way he shall pare and pave a path for Christ into the soul open those everlasting doors that the king of glory may come in he shall make ready a people for the Lord. Luke 1.17 Mans heart is full of mountains and vallies Luke 3.5 These must be levelled ere Christ can be admitted and that 's not done but by repentance unto life As John Baptist was Christs fore-runner into the world so must repentance be his fore-runner into the heart for he that repenteth not the kingdom of heaven is far from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viam apertam oculis intuentium conspicuam faciet so he that cannot see it as the Hebrew word here used imports he must do for his lusts that hang in his light and the Lord whom ye seek Dominator that Lord Paramount of whom David speaketh Psal 110.1 and for whose sake Daniel desireth to be heard chap. 9.17 Messiah the Prince verse 25. the Prince and Saviour Act. 5.31 Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 the God of judgement whom they called for Mal. 2.17 and whom they are said to seek for As God he is not very sar from any one of us saith Paul Acts 17.27 not so far as the bark is from the tree for in him we all live and move and subsist And as God-Man he shall suddenly come to his Temple suddenly that is in the fulnesse of time which is but a short time in respect of the long expectation of the Patriarches and speedily after John Baptists birth suddenly also because unexpectedly to the most who stood amazed at his preaching and said Whence hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works Is not this the carpenter c To his Temple he came when presented there to be circumcised Luke 2. when he put forth a beam of his Divinity there in his disputation with the Doctours verse 46. But especially when he purged the Temple 1. By his Doctrine Matt. 5. and 15. and 2. By his Discipline Joh 2.14 15 16. and 12.12 at which time Tell ye the daughter of Zion saith God Behold thy king cometh unto thee Mat. 21.5 meek and sitting upon an asse c. Not upon a stately palsrey as an earthly Potentate And that was the very cause that these in the text that are said to see him when they had him amongst them could by no means think well of him in respect of his mean and despicable condition They had a certain notion of the Messiah and were in expectation of him and of temporall deliverance and felicity by 〈◊〉 Of which when disappointed they were as blank as when they saw the hoped issue of their late Jewish Virgin turned to a daughter or as when they saw Mahomet eat of a camell whom till then when they saw him arising in such powetr D. Halfs Peacemaker hey were ready to cry up for their long looked-for Messiah even the messenger of the Covenant viz. of the covenant of grace for in Christ God reconciled the world to himself And of this covenant Christ is the Angel or Messenger because 1. He revealeth it and we must take heed how we slight it Heb. 2.3 shift it Heb. 12.25 2. He mediateth it 1 Tim. 2.5 and in and by him it hath accomplishment 2 Cor. 1.20 Hence Esay 9.6 he is called the Prince of peace and according to the Septuagint there the Angel of the great Counsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all that would receive mercy from God get into Chrst and so into Covenant For as the Mercy-seat was no larger then the Ark so neither is the grace of God then the covenant of grace And as the Ark and Mercy-seat were never separated so neither are such from God as are found in Christ whom ye delight in They delighted in his day the better sort of them though afar off Joh. 8.56 they saluted him and were resaluted by him Heb. 11.13 They promised themselves through Christ malorum ademptionem bonorum adeptionem freedom from all evil and fruition of all good Hence he is called the desire of all Nations Hag. 2.8 The Church in the Canticles saith he is totus desiderabilis altogether desireable chap. 5.16 The Church in Esay desires him with her whole soul chap. 26.9 and chap. 64.1 as impatient of further delayes crieth out Oh that thou wouldest rent the heavens and come down that the mountains might flow down at thy presence Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies pour aown righteousnesse Let the earth open and let them bring forth salvation c. chap. 45.8 Lo what earnest pantings and inquietations were in those ancient beleevers after Christ what continuall fallies as it were and egressions of affection behold he shall come He shall he shall nay he is even come already for so the Hebrew hath it Hinneh ba behold he is come me-thinks I even see him A like text there is Habak 2.3 The duty required is Wait the promise is delivered doubled and trebled It shall speak it will come it will surely come Nay doubled again It shall not lie it will not tarry It is as if God had said Do but wait and you shall be delivered you shall be delivered you shall be delivered you shall you shall Oh the Rhetorike of God! oh the certainty of the promises A Lapide his Note is not here to be passed by This word Behold signifieth that this comming of Christ in the flesh should be 1. New admirable and stupendious 2. Sure and certain 3. Desireable and joyfull 4. Famous and renowned saith the Lord of Hosts And that 's assurance good enough
Latimer tells them they shall cough in hell the widow A calamitous name she is called in Hebrew from her dumbnesse Almanan because death having cut off her head she hath lost her tongue and hath none to speak for her A vine whose root is uncovered thrives not so a widow the covering of whose eyes is taken away joyes not God therefore pleads for such as his clients and takes special care for them the Deacons were anciently ordained specially for their sakes Act. 6.1 1 Tim 5.3 and Pharisees doomed to a deeper damnation for devouring widows houses Mat. 23.14 and Magistrates charged to plead for the widow Isai 1.17 as judge Job did Chap. 31.16 and all sorts to make much of her and communicate to her Deut. 24.19 20 â—â— and the fatherlesse We are Orphans and fatherlesse saith the Church Lam. 5.3 And we are all Orphans said Queen Elizabeth in her speech to the children of Christs Hospital let me have your prayers and you shall have my protection That Hospital was founded by her brother King Edward the sixth for the relief of father lesse children after the example of the ancient Church which had her Orphanotroph Orphan-breeders With God the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hos 14.3 and all his vice-gods are commanded the like Psal 82.1 2 3 4. unlesse they will consult shame and misery to their own houses and Joab-like leave the leprosy to their little ones for a legacy Better leave them a wallet to beg from door to door then a cursed hoard of Orphans goods and that turn aside the stranger The right of strangers is so holy saith Master Fox that there was never nation so barbarous that would violate the same When Steven Gardiner had in his power the renowned Peter Martyr then teaching at Oxford Act. and Mon. fol. 1783. he would not keep him to punish him but when he should go his way gave him wherewith to bear his charges and fear not me This is set last as the source of all the former evils See the like Rom. 3.18 and Psal 14.1 where Atheisme and irreligion is made the root of all the sin in the world Gods holy fear is to the soul as the banks are to the sea or the bridle to the horse it was so to Isaac who reigned in the reverend fear of God when he saw that he had done unwilling justice durst not reverse Jacobs blessing though prompted to it by natural affection and Esaus howlings Gen. 27.33 It was so to Job Joseph Nehemiah Daniel c. who could easily have born out their oppressions by their greatnesse And indeed whereas other men have other bits and restraints great men if they fear not God have nothing else to fear but dare obtrude and justifie to the world the most malepart misdemenours because it is facinus major is abollae Juvenal the fact of a great one who do many times as easily break through the lattice of the laws as the bigger flies do through a spider-web as Anacharsis was wont to say of his Scythians Exod. 18. Hence Jethro would have his Justice of peace to be a man fearing God And this qualification he fitly placeth in the midst of the other graces requisit to him as the heart in the body for conveying life to all the parts or as a dram of musk perfuming the whole box of oyntment Exod. 18.21 Nothing makes a man so good a patriot as the true fear of Gods blessed name and a zealous forwardnesse for his glory goodnesse and good causes This this alone is it that can truly beautifie and adorn all other personal sufficiencies and indeed sanctifie and blesse all publick imployments and services of state Whereas on the contrary sublat à pietate sides tollitur take away piety and fidelity is gone as we see in the unjust judge Luk. 18.2 in Abrahams judgement of the Philistines Gen. 20.11 and in Constantinus Chlorus his experiment of his Councellours and Courtiers whence that famous Maxime of his recorded by Eusebius He cannot be faithful to me that is unfaithful to God religion being the ground of all true fidelity and loyaltie to king and Countrey Hence that close connexion Fear God honour the king And that again of Solomon My son fear thou the Lord and the king and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24.21 Verse 6. For I am the Lord I change not I am Jehovah This is Gods proper and incommunicable name It imports three things 1. That God is of himself This Plato acknowledged calling God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julius Scaliger by a wonderful word calleth God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that hath his being or existence of himself before the world was Esay 44 6. 2. That he giveth being to all things else for in him they both are and consist He sustains all both in respect of being excellencies and operations Heb. 1.3 The greatest excellencies in us do as much depend upon God as the essigies in the giasse upon the presence of the face that causeth it 3. That he giveth being to his word effecting whatsoever he speaketh Hence when either some special mercy is promised or some extraordinary judgment threatened the name of Iehovah is affixed See Exod. 6.3 Esay 45.2 3. Ezek. 5.17 The Ancient Jew-Doctours make this distinction between Elohim and Iehovah By Elohim say they is signified Middath dir a quality or property of judgment By Iehovah middath Rachamim a quality or property of mercy And here unto they apply that text Psal 56.11 In God Elohim I will praise the word in Iehovah I will praise the word that is five â—ure agat mecum five ex aequo bono whether he deal strictly with me or graciously I will praise him howsoever But this distinction as it holds not alwayes so not here For to shew the certainty of the judgement denounced verse 5. is this subjoyned I am Iehovah c. And if Iehovah come of Hovah which signifies Contrition or destruction as Heronymus ab Oleastro will have it what can be more sutable to the Prophets purpose it is somewhat like that in Esay chap. 13.6 Shod shall come from Shaddai destruction from the Almighty or from the Destroyer as some interpret Gods Name Shaddai I change not I am neither false nor fickle to say and unsay to alter my minde or to eat my word Psalm 89.34 The eternity of Israel cannot he nor repent said Samuel to Saul and it was heavy tidings to him as Ahi ah said to Ieroboams wife 1 Sam. 15.29 I come unto thee with heavy tidings For he is not a man that he should repent Men are mutable and ther 's no hold to be taken of what they say Of many it may be said as Tertullian of the Peacock all in changeable colours as often changed as moved Italians all as Eneas Sylvius said of Italy Novitate quadam nihil habet stabile ther 's no taking their words Of
is that the secret of the Lord is with them tha◠〈…〉 and he will yet shew them his Covenant m Psal 25 14. Such shal be both of his Court and his Councill as Abraham for instance betwixt whom and the Aâ—mighty was much mutuall correspondency and exchange of curetesy 〈…〉 was the 〈◊〉 of God n Esay 41.8 and God was the Fear of Abâ—aham for I 〈◊〉 the thus 〈◊〉 me said the oracle hooansâ— thou hist not withheld thine enely sonre from 〈◊〉 o Gen. 22 12 Now if Abraham withheld not his sonne from God his Feare shall God withhold his secret from Abraham his friend Noe but he shall snow Gods mind with the first p Gen. 18.19 when the blind Sodomits shall not see till they feele hell rame down from heaven upon their hides as a Father speakes for saile of ten such men as Aâ—raâ—â—â— in five great townships q Gen. 18.32 that feared God and thought upon his name For the froward is abomin itâ—on to the Lord but his secret is with the righteous r Prov. 3 32 And the feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fooles for want of this fear despise wisdom and instruction Å¿ Prov. 1 7 A second companion of this holy fear is sweetest complacency and all dearest delight in God and his wayes This also is an adjoynt of Gods holy fear and an indulgence granted only to his sons and daughters A good man is like a good Angell t Mat. 18 10 Timor transit in charitatem Gregor alwayes looking upon the face of God and the more he lookes the more he loves and the more he loves the more he feares he loves in sear and feares in love that like as in God mercy and truth meet together u Psal 85.10 so in the child of God love and fear do kisse each other By the first their mouth is filled with laughter and their hearts with joy w Psal 126.2 By the second they are troubled at his presence and when they consider his absence they are afraid of it x Iob 23.15 In respect of both the Psalmist saith serve the Lord with feare and reâ—oyce before him with reverence y Psal 2.11 These two concurre in the godly in their journey to heaven as they did in Jacob journying to Padan Aram. How fearfull is this place z Gen. 28.17 saith he where yet neverthelesse he saw nothing but blissefull and beatifical visions Or as they did in the good women in the gospell who departed from the sepulchre with feare and great Ioy a Mat. 28 8 A strange composition of two so different affections will you know a reason All other base-borne feare hath paine in it b 1 Ioh. 4.18 Omnis timor supplicamentum habet Tertul. but this fear that issues from love carryes meate in the mouth for it is not anxious and tormentfull but delicious and comfortable Hence feare and joy are set so close together by the psalmist Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and at same time delighteth greatly in his commandements c Psal 112.1 a practise proper to Gods free hearted people d Psal 110.3 Neh 1.11 And the churches are said to walke in the feare of god and in the comfort of the holy ghost e Act. 9.31 And here it might be easie to enumerate and reckon up many more Companions of the fear of God * Timor virtuturn omnium custos est Hierony such as are 1. Humility for by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life g Prov. 22.4 2. Care of sincerity and truth in Gods service Now therefore fear the Lord saith Joshua and serve him in sincerity and turth h Iosh 24.14 3. Hope in Gods mercy for Let them that fear the Lord trust in the Lord saith the Psalmist i Psal 115.11 4. Godly sorrow for the least sinne k 2 Cor. 7.11 Fuit Iosephi vita coelum quoddam lucidissimis virtutum stellis exornatum erga Deum quidem timoris ac pietatisierga herum c. Bucholcer p. 211. c. But it shall suffice in this hast of time and croud of matter to shaddow out unto you the lovely traine of heavenly graces that guard and attend the true fear of God in that on example of Joseph a man famous for this fear and noe lesse eminent in the attendants and companions of it as is well observed by that divine Chronologer in whose words I will relate it Josephs life saith he was a kind of heaven gayly belpangled and richly stor'd with orient starres of excellent vertues Towards his good God he shewed forth all holy fear and piety toward his loving master thankfulnesse and fidelity toward his immodest mistresse shamefast'nesse and chastity as touching himself all godly wisdome and continencie Toward his father after this tender respect and more then Storke-like affection Toward his brethren greatest mercy and tender compassion In adversity none so patient * Ferrum in carcere transiit animam ejus Psal 105. Sed peccatum non transiit vel sauciavit conscientiam ejus ib. Reas 4. in prosperity none so provident c. And all flowing from this fountaine of Gods holy feare most eminent and exemplary in Joseph if ever in any as ye all know that are any whit vers'd in his heart-melting history Lastly look a while upon the feare of God in the Opposite on either hand and you shall plainly see that none but the truely religious holdeth the meane It is he that walkes in the middle way though not without some stumbles in it and stragglings out of it otherwhiles to the right hand or to the left which yet he quickly perceives and assoone recalles and recovers These extremes are 1. In the defect a carnal security and senselesnes in sin 2. In the excesse an hellish and slavish fear of God as a judge or tyrant The first of these is nothing else but that bold venturousnes whereby gracelesse and ungodly persons presume to rush desperatly without fear l Prov 14.2 or wit into sins of all sorts flattering themselves with false hopes of impunity m Deut. 29.19 against all the judgments of God denounced in the word and executed in the world * Exemplis tragicis non caret ulla domus yea though their imiquitie be found to be hatefull n Psal 36.1.2 These the scripture tearmeth fooles to whom t is a pastime to do mischiefe o Prov. 10.23 Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur c. living as if there were neither heaven nor hell God nor devill till coming at length to that dead and dedolent disposition of such as being past feeling do work all uncleannes with greedinesse p Eph. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they work out to themselves their own damnation and be made to feele that unsupportable wrath and vengeance which they
mourn a little for so great sins as ye are guilty of let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heavinesse Vse al good means to work your hearts to a through humiliation turning al the streams of your affections into this one channel that serves to drive the mil for the grinding of the heart Thus humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shal lift you up yea thou shalt lift up thy face unto God and have delight in the Almighty Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy vows z Job 22.26 27. He shal remember all thine offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice He shal grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsel a Psal 20.3 4 In the time of the Levitical service there were two several altars one without the tabernacle to slay the beasts on and another within to offer incense upon To teach us that if we would be the temples and tabernacles of the living God and have him pleased with our sacrifices of righteousnesse with our offerings and whole burnt-offerings b Psal 51. vlt. we must slay our bullocks on the outer altar mortifie our beastly sins I mean that raigne in the outward man the deeds of the body by the spirit c Rom. 8 1â— before we kindle our incense of devotion in the inward man So shall God smell a sweet savour of rest from us and we interchangably of life and peace from him But thus much be spoken to them SECT VI. Vse 3. Exhortation to the best to be humbled for their 1. not prizing their priviledge 2. not praising God for it 3. not improving it to the utmost NExt to all such as are already in favour with God and can tell as much by his good acceptance of their services mine exhortation from this point is double First to reflect with Pharaohs butler and calling to minde their sins this day be humbled for a threefold evill First for not prizing this priviledge to the worth of having Gods eye alwayes upon us his eare open unto us his presence with us his providence over us the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush round about us d Deut. 33.16 his goodnesse and mercy to follow us all the dayes of our lives we dwelling in the house of the Lord for ever e Psal 23. ult Secondly for not praising God as we ought for this inestimable benefit So David held it and celebrated it often Blessed be God saith he which hath heard the voice of my supplication f Psal 28.6 Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me g Psal 66. ult Who am I and what is my people that we should offer so willingly after this sort Now therefore O our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name h 1 Chro. 29.13 14. c. O look upon this thankfull man and chide your selves soundly for your unthankfulnesse or at least for your few and feeble prayses for so many services well taken at your hands Hath God enlarged himself to us and are we thus straitened in our own bowels i 2 Chr. 6.12 Hath God harkened to Hezekiah's chattering and shall he not render according to what he had received k 2 Chr. 32.25 especially having vowed better things so deeply as he did l Es 38.19.20 'T is possible then ye see that the best should forget themselves in this kinde and twenty to one but we have also Oh see it by your selves and be humbled for this shamefull unthankfulnes Thirdly for not improving this indulgence by making our best of it falling into that sin by supine negligence that Ahaz did of stubborn wilfulnesse Ask thee a signe saith the Prophet of the Lord thy God Ask it either in the depth or heighth above m Es 7.11.12 Expounded Here was a fair offer to a gracelesse caitiff that where sin abounded grace might superabound But Ahaz said I will not ask neither will I try the Lord as if he should have said I l'e ask no askes I know a trick worth two of that let God keep his signes to himself I crave no such curtesy at his hands c. This is that Ahaz a stiff Stigmatick an unworthy churl a prophane bedlam Now as in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of a man to a man n Prov. 27.19 As there were many Merij in one Caefurt so there are many Cains and Ahaz's in the best of us all T is certain ther 's none of us but have within that which may send forth as great a wickednesse as his and 't is well if the best of us have not coasted upon his unkind usage of his God by rejecting his sweet offers or at least by not making often triall of his gracious acceptance after manifold experience Oh how should we abound in Gods work o 2 Cor. 9.8 1 Cor. 15. ult yea abound more and more p 1 Thess 4â—1 as the Apostle would have it sith he harkens and heareth and ever looketh upon our labour of love with an eye of delight so that if we would but do him eye-service it were sufficient How should we be dayly and hourly serving such a Master that giveth such large incouragement by his both assistance and acceptance how should we be continually sowing more good performances into his bosome the fruit whereof we should be sure to reap in our greatest need for as sin lies at our door to do us hurt q Gen. 4.7 so doth every christian service lye at Gods door to do us good It is certain that he is so farr taken with them that of his kingly munificence he bids us ask what we will and it shall be given us r Iosh 15.17 And surely he is deservedly miserable that will not make himself happy by asking a better condition Oh that ever any beloved Esther any faithfull soul I mean should sit feasting and banquetting with God her Ahashuerosh in the ordinances of life feeding on the fat and drinking of the sweet and not bethink her selfe then what suites she hath to commence what boones to beg what Hamans to hang up what Mordecaies to preferr what grace I mean to get what corruption to quell what friend to speak for what child to prefer c. How should she be sure of her request even to the whole of Gods kingdome why art thou thus lean from day to day said Jonadab to Amnon Art not thou the kings son Å¿ 2 Sam. 13.4 and so maist have any thing for asking why is thy countenance sad sith thou art not sick t Neh. 2.2 said the king to Nehemiah How sensible saith a great Divine thereupon do we think the father of mercies is of all our pensive thoughts when a heathen master is so tender of a servants grief How ready should our tongues
be to lay open our cases and cares to the God of all comfort when we see Nehemiah again so quick in the expression of his grief to an uncertain eare That we have come off so heavily with our good God and done so little heretofore in his work upon so great incouragement let it heartily humble us SECT VII Vse 4. Exhortation to the Saints 1. To admire this mercy Helpes thereunto respecting God and themselves ANd for the future that I may speak forward here is a threefold duty to be commended from the point in hand to your christian care and practise First Use 4 doth the Lord of heaven and earth so abase himself as to take the least notice of our poor performances Yea as the bridegroom is glad of the bride doth our God so rejoyce over us u Isa 62.5 doth he delight to see our faces to hear our voyces to smell our odours to taste our fruits to be handled and embraced x Heb. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by our faith Is he so farr taken by the poor things that passe from us that he rests in his love and will seek no further Yea that he joyes over us with singing y Zeph. 3.17 Oh how should the due appehension of this dear love of his ravish and affect our hearts with deepest admiration and how should we even stand amazed at the never-enough-adored depth of his love unto us in this behalf To help you herein the wonder will appear the greater if we first look up to God and there see 1. what he is 2. how little either need he hath of us or gain he makes of our services and then secondly look down again to our selves and consider 1. who we are 2. what are our best works in themselves For God first he is the high and mighty Monarch of heaven and earth of transcendent perfection and excellency even above all degrees of comparison for he is great z Psa 77.17 greater a Iob 33.12 greatest of all b Psal 95.3 greatnesse it self c Psal 145.3 Again he is good d Psal 106.1 better e Psal 108 9 best f Phil. 1.23 goodnesse it self g Mat. 19.17 So that if men should attempt to serve God and do sacrifice to him according to his excellent greatnesse h Psal 150.2 and goodnesse all the wood of Lebanon would not serve to burn nor all the beasts that be in it suffice for sacrifice i Esa 40.15 16 Yea little enough would all the wood in the world be and all the cattle therein to make up but some one sacrifice Next see how little this mighty and All-sufficieut God either needs us or gets by us For the first hear what he saith Psal 50. from the seventh to the sixteenth Hear O my people and I will speak O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings c. For every beast of the forrest is mine and the cattel upon a thousand hills c. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me k Psal 50.6 7 8 9 10 11 12 c. Lo this is all he looks for at our hands Not but that he could well enough be without that too sith his glory being eternall and infinite as himself is no way capable of any our addition or detraction For as the Sunne would shine though all the world were blinde so should God be glorified though we were all condemned Yea he could glorifie his justice by our eternall damnation There 's all the need he hath of us And for matter of profit If thou be wise thou art wise for thy self l Prov. 9.12 saith Solomon what shall the Lord gain by it And if thou be righteous what givest thou to him saith Elihu and what receiveth he at thy hands m Job 37.5 And yet we see how highly he esteems and how greatly he respcts that little Nothing of our endeavours of doing him the least service and bringing honour to his Name Secondly take notice what we are and what the best of our works To the first Abraham answereth I am but dust and ashes n Gen. 18.27 then when he stood before the Lord to mediate for Sodom Jacob answereth I am losse then the least of thy loving-kindnesses o Gen. 32.10 then when he wrestled with excellent wrestlings and prevailed with God p Gen. 30.8 David answers I am a worm and no man q Psal 22.6 Esay answers I am a man of polluted lips r Esay 6.5 Peter answers Depart from me for I am a sinfull man or a man a sinner ſ Luk. 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a very mixture and hodgpodge of dirt and sinne for ever since the fall whole evil is in man and whole man is evil Lastly the whole Church answers It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed t Lam. 3 22 that hee plungeth us not in the ditch and that our own clothes abhor us not u Job 9.31 Especially since all our righteousnesses which is an answer to that second demand what are the best of our works are but as filthy clouts x Esay 64.6 such as a man would be afraid to touch and asham'd to take up The best we can present God withall passeth from us no otherwise then as pure water thorow a muddy sink or sweet wine thorow a sowre cask See it in Jonas's prayer or rather brawl y Jon. 4.1 Jobs request or rather curse z Job 6.8 9 Sarah's heat and hast to send for God by a post to arbitrate a Gen. 16.5 Moses his carnall expostulation his former tergiversation and at last cast when he had nothing else to reply his flat and peremptory refusall to go upon Gods errand to the King of Egypt b Exod. 4.1 13. 5.22 23 The conscience of which weaknesse or rather wickednesse in himself drives holy David so often to pray for his prayers c Psal 119.169 170 and good Nehemiah to crave pardon for his best performances d Nehem 13.2 c. Horreo quicquid de meo est ut sim meus Bern. In any of which if the Holy Ghost had not his hand there would not be as from us the least goodnesse no not so much as truth and uprightnesse without which the Lord Jesus would never present them for us to his Father nor the Father once vouchsafe to look upon or hearken after such refuse stuffe which yet he doth such is the de-delight he taketh in the exercise of his own graces in the fruits of his own Spirit And this is that that may justly drive us into a deep extacie of admiration at his incomparable love and more then fatherly affection SECT VIII 2. To retain it and if lost to recover it and how With
labour of love which ye have shew'd toward his name in that ye have ministred to the saints and do also minister o Heb. 6.10 For the better understanding of which argument it must be premised that there is a double Justice of God one of Equity which is the giving of every man his own as ye all know and another of fidelity according to that of St. Iohn If we confesse our sinns he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins p 1 Ioh 1.9 Posset alioqui justus esse Deus c. sed quia se verbo suo nobis constrinxit justus censeri non vult nisi ignoscat Calvin in locum And in this sence as it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you which is the justice of Equity so to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that beleeve q 2 Thes 16 7 which is the justice of sidelity for faithfull is he that hath promised who also will do it Take it thus God having made himself our voluntary debter not by receiving any thing from us for who hath given unto him first and he shall be recompensed r Rom. 11 35 not one but by promising all good things unto us what ever unworthinesse be found in us Yet he abides faithfull he cannot deny himself Å¿ 2 Tim. 2.13 nor forget to crown his own graces in us with that life eternall which God that cannot lie promised before the world began t Tit. 1.2 He hath of his own accord smitten a covenant with us of mercy and given us his band for ou security nay his oath nay his seal both the privy seal of his spirit u Eph. 1.13 and the broad seal of the sacraments x Rom 4.11 That by so many immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye we might have strong consolation which have our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before us y Heb. 6.18 Reas 3. Thirdly God is gratious and hountiful as well as righteous and faithfull He is rich in mercy to all that call upon him z Rom. 10.12 or do him any other businesse Doth Icb serve God for nought a Iob 1.9 No nor any man living he is a large paymaster Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought neither do ye kindle a fire upon mine altar for nought b Mal. 1 10 David indeed would serve him on free-cost c 2 Sa. 24.24 but di the Lord dye in his debt nay did he not pay him his charges are the Sun went down the same day with usury At another time David had but a purpose to build God an house and God promised thereupon to build him an house for ever d 2 Sa 7.2 16 Again he had but a purpose of confessing his sinns and before he could do it the Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin e Psal 32.5 The Apostle tells us that a poor servant if in serving his master according to the flesh he do withall serve the Lord Christ doing it heartily as to the Lord and not as to men let him know saith he that of the Lord he shall receive the reward of inheritance f Coloss 4.24 He meets it may be with a hard master that both belly-beats him and back-beats him too gives him very hard work and litle or no wages but Christ will do all Not wages only shall he receive as a servant but inheritance as a son Nay the poor begger that gives but a cup of cold water with desire of doing more if he had wherewithall Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour he shall not lose his reward g Mat. 10 42 Saul when he went to enquire about the Asses had but five-pence in his purse to give the Seer h 1 Sam. 9.8 the Seer after much good cheer gives him the kingdome Such is Gods deaing with us he liberally rewards the small offerings of his weak servants when he perceives them proceed from great love How often doth he send away his poor Oratours as Boaz did Ruth wit their bosome full ofblessings i Ruth 3.15 as David did Mephibosheth with a royal revenew k 2 Sam. 9.7 as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba with what soever heart can wish l 1 King 10.13 or as Caleb did his daughter Achsah m Iudg. 1.15 with upper and nether springs a confluece of spirituall comforts temporall contentments and all of the riches of his grace doth he thus give us all things richly to enjoy n 1 Tim. 6.17 Reas 4. Fourthly God is wondrous tender an chary of his own glory seeking the setting forth thereof mainly and indeed onely in all his works Now the glory of God is no way more advanced and enlarged then by keeping open house as it were giving all best entertainment and incouragement to those that frequent him not forgetting the labour of love that is shewed to his Name For this is it that will draw in much ompany about him and make men very obsequious and observant when they seâ— for certain that there is a reward for the righteous o Psal 58.11 yea stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord as knowing that their labour is not in vain in the Lord p 1 Cor. 15. ult Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion and unto thee shall the vow be performed q Psa 65.1 2 3 Sint mecoenates non deerunt Flacce Marones Virgiliumque tibi vel tua rura dabunt Mart. But how comes it about that men are so officious and forwardly as to stand waiting at the posts of the gates of Wisdom with free offer of their best devotions and services It followes there O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come As who should say It is for no marvell though men come thick about thee and thou have followers good store for a little eutreaty serves turne for the obtaining of great suits of all sorts and mercies without measure And it is seldom seen that a good house-keeper wants company ' is pitty he should Fifthly God rewards even wicked men that do his will Reaf 5. though against their own will and beside their own intentions as he did Nebuchadnezzar his involuntary and unwitting servant to whom he gave Egypt in way of wages or military pay for the long labour and hard pains he had taken in the siege of Tyrus r Ezek 29.18 Howbeit he thought not so but imagined to destroy and cut off not a few nations Å¿ Esay 10.7 Likewise those that serve him out of servile respcts and sinfull self-love he rewards out of the abundance of his bounty as Ahab to whom he requited a temporary repentance with a temporall deliverance Nay those
is greatest gain t 1 Tim 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pietate 1 Tim. 4.8 saith the same Apostle such as wherein all losses are recompensed all wants supplied all curses removed crosses sanctified promises accomplished blessednesse procured Satan conquered Death destroyed the grave sweetned corruption abolished sanctification perfected and heaven opened for a more happy enterance What should I say more for a conclusion of this first Exhortation to those that are in their naturall condition There is no gain to that of grace no increase to that of Gods service The Usurer gaines six in the hundred but the gain of godlinesse is an hundred-fold here and eternall life hereafter Oh who would not then turne spirituall purchaser SECT VI. Vse 4. Exhortation to Saints to abide in Gods love and to abound in his work sith their labour of love is not in vain in the Lord. OUr second Exhortation is to be addressed to all those that are true of heart Use 4 whose names are written in heaven u heb 12.23 whose services are set down in Gods book of remembrance How should these first rejoyce in this priviledge more a great deal then if devils were subdued unto them x Luc. 10 what a mercy is his that God should set so highly by their poor performances as to record them in the high court of heaven to gratifie and grant them thereupon great suites on earth to glory and bost of them before the Prince of hell as he did of Iob y Iob 1.8 because he was jealous over himself and his with a godly jealousy z Iob 1.5 How should the Saints delight themselves in such a master and make their boasts of God all day long a Psal 44.8 How should they sing with David Lord thou hast dealt bountifully with thy servant according to thy word b Psal 119.17 carolling out and calendring up the noble acts of that Lord * Psal 105.5 who shall count when he writes up the people c Psal 87.6 that such a man was born there and there was faithfull in all his house as a servant d Heb. 3.5 with Moses kept his word and not denyed his name with Pergamus and Philadelphia e Rev. 2. 3 instantly served the Lord day and night with the twelvâ— tribes f Act. 26.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These things he carefully recordeth and honourably mentioneth and is it not a shame for us to be slothfull and silent to be forgetlull of him that thus remembreth us and the poor things that pass from us Of all things God cannotabide to be forgotten See how ill he takes it at the hands of his people They are a froward generation children in whom â—â—no faith saith he For of the Rock that begat them they are unmindfull and the God that formed them they have forgotten And when th Lord saw it he abhorred them because of this provoking of his sons and of his daughters g Deut. 32.18 20 And a fire was kindled in hisanger thereupon even such as burneth to the lowest hell For the wicked shall be turned into hell and who too With all them that forget God h Psal 9.17 But what shall become of them in the mean while Behold I even I will utterly forget you and so pay you home in your own coyne yea I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetuall shame which shall not be forgotten i Ier. 23. 39.40 See this exemplified in the rich glutton Luc. 16. who because he remembred not that God gave him his corne and wine and oile and multiplyed his silver and his gold k Hos 2.8 but sacrificed to his own net and burnt incense to his own yarn because by them his portion was fat and is meat plenteous l Habak 1.16 therefore is he not so much as once called by his name in holy scripture but lyes wrapt up in the sheet of infamy and buried in everlasting reproach which shall not be forgotten When as the poor beggar that set God alwayes before him m Psal 16 with David that remembred his name in the night and thereby kept his law n Ps 119.55 is thought worthy to have a name in Gods book and a nayle in Gods house o Ezra 9.8 the Lord saying unto him as once to Moses I have known thee by name p Exod. 33.12 thy memoriall shall endure to all generations q Psal 112. Nay the Lord Jesus remembreth such still now he is in his kingdome r Luc. 23.42 that bestirr themselves all they can and despatch a great deal of work in a little time as that samous theef did who therefore by a commendable thest after he bad offered violence to Gods king dome Å¿ Mat. 11.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arripiunt vel diripiunt ut citatur ab Hilario Metaph. â— castris aut arce quapiam quae irrumpentibus hostibus diripitur Beza stole heaven and supt in paradise SECT VII BUt secondly Doth God remember his Saints and their services then let us learn hence not only to reciprocate by remembring him and his mercies but also as his remembrancers to put him in minde in case he seem less forward to do us good of his ancient proceedings and gracious promises This is that the Prophet exhorts unto Ye that are the Lords remembrancers keep not silence t Esay 62.6 7 This the Psalmist constantly practised Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been for ever u Psal 25.9 And this the Lord though he needeth it not yet every where stands upon He exacts and expects it from us as a part of his service and as a condition on our part to be fulfilled in the new covenant Where after he had promised great things concerning Justification Sanctification and preservation he subjoyns Yet I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it x Ezek. 36.37 So in another Prophet I will blot out thy transgressions and not remember thy sinnes But then Put me in remembrance lit us plead together declare that thou mayest bee justified y Isa 42.25 26 Whereby you see what 's to bee done on our part if we would be remembred with the mercies of Gods people Plead wee must the gracious promises spread them before the Lord as Hezekiah did Sennacheribs letter z Esay 37.14 Pray them over as David often and so put him in mind of the good he hath spoken concerning us He loves to be importuned in his own words to bee burdened with his own promises and to be urged with rguments taken from his old proceedings Arise as in the dayes of old and performe the mercy which thou hast sworn to our fathers from the dayes of old a Mic. 7.14 20 This Moses and Elias well understood and therefore the former as in pleading for the people he minds the
haec locutio Deo esse suam opportunitatem c. Calvin in locum Baiom in isto die Jom significat per Synechdoch tempus certum atque id praecipuè cum de juturo agitur Shindl. pentag 2 Thes 1 10. 1 Thes 5.2 2 Thes 2.2 2 Pet. 3.12 Rom 2 5.16 Guaâ—â—ber Figuter Alii 1 Tim. 5.24.25 This Lord of Hosts will not fail to finde a fit time for the making up of his jewels from the worlds misusages There is a day here specified in the text a set and solemn day a particular time a certain season wherein God will make himself glorious and to be admired in all them that beleeve in that day So speaks the Apostle of that last day called elsewhere the day of the Lord the day of Christ the day of God and the day of the declaration of the just judgement of God according to the Gospel And of this last and great day of general judgement the most interpreters understand this text And truly I beleeve it is partly if not principally intimated and mainly though I cannot think onely here intended Some mens sins are open afore-hand going before to judgement and some men they follow after Likewife also the good works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid Some sinners are here punished that we may acknowledge a providence and yet not all that we may expect a judgement But a day there will be as sure as day whether sooner or later I have not to determine wherein God will take out the precious from the vile the corn from the chaffe the sheep from the goats the good fish and good figs from the bad wherein he will set a price upon his pearls make up his jewels advante his favorites his darlings his peculiar people and put away all the wicked of the earth as drosse Psal 119.119 And albeit he delay haply to do it because his hour is not yet come yet his forbearance is no quittance to the bad Vide Calvin in loc nor deniance to the better sort God first writes things down in his book of remembrance and then afterwards executes them which requires some time between But a time he will finde and that must needs be so for these reasons some respecting God and some the saints themselves but both sorts grounded upon the text and there-hence borrowed SECT I Reason 1 From Gods providence Reas 1 FOr God Sic spectat universos quast singulos sic singulos quasi solos Aug. 1 Tim 4.10 Curiosus plenus negotij Deus Tull. de nat deor first there be many things in Him that may well infer the point in proof as his providence power Faithfulnesse Goodnesse and Justice First his good providence which like a well-drawn picture eyeth each one in the room Neither is he a bare spectatour onely but as chief Agent he wisely ordereth all the worlds disorders to the good of his children He saveth that is he preserveth all men but especially those that beleeve saith the Apostle he is curious and full of businesse saith the Heathen my father worketh hitherunto and I also work saith our Saviour And this is meant by those seven eyes of the Lord Zech. 4.10 That run to and fro thorow the whole earth causing that none shall have cause to despise the day of small things Gods jewels are little in bulk great in worth for as small as they are they shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubb bel with or by those seven And the eyes of the Lord saith another Prophet run to and fro thorow the earth to behold the evil and the good and not so only but to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him and to give them an expected end And this reason is secretly couched in that clause of our text There was a book of remembrance writâ— before him Est autem hic liber providentiae 2 Chron 16.9 Jer. 29.11 saith Polanus this is the book of Gods providence wherein as all our members are written which in continuance of time were fashioned had he left out an eye in his common-place book thou hadst wanted it so are all our services Polan in loc Psal 139.16 that they may be recompensed yea and all our sufferings too that they may be remedied and revenged when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3.19 Thou tellest my wandrings saith David put thou my tears into thy botile are they not in thy book And there-hence he rightly concludes the point in hand ver 9. Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day that I call this I know that God will be for me Psal 56.8.9 or that God will be mine as the same phrase is rendered in this text SECT II. Reason 2. From Gods power NExt there is an almighty power in God called therefore Lord of Hosts in the text exerted and exercised for the relief and rescue of his poor people trampled on by those fat buls of Basan with the foule feet of contempt and cruelty whereby he taketh course that they be not over-trod or too long held under by the insolencies and insultations of their enemies But when they shall seem to themselves and others utterly forlorn and undone so that salvation it selfe cannot save them which was good Davids case Psal 3.2 then shall the Lord be a shield for them their glory their strong tower and the lifter up of their head Ver. 3. And this he shall do with a great deal of ease and expedition as being Lord of Hosts that is of all creatures by the hands of whom he shall send from heaven and save them from the reproach of him that would swallow them up Selah God shall send forth his mercy and his truth Psal 57.3 SECT III. Reason 3. from Gods Truth ANd that passage points us to two other reasons for the point God will send forth his mercy and truth And first his truth I meane his faithfulnesse intimated also in these words of our text Saith the Lord of Hosts These things saith he that is faithfull and true they shall be mine in the day c. I will have a time to make up my Jewels in much mercy Now hath God said it and shall he not accomplish it Is not his decree his facere shall he not fulfill with his hand what he hath promised with his mouth God is not as man that he should lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mal. 3.6 neither is he unconstant as other friends that he should change no nor yet unmindfull that he should forget least of all is he unfaithfull that he should falsify God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. 1 Cor. 10. He will give patience under the temptation a good use of it and a good issue from out of it in the best time SECT IIII.
doest fret Why doest faint Hope in God for I shall yet praise him c. Should I conclude that it will never be better with me either I should deny that I am Gods child and one of his Jewels which were to bely my self and deny the work of Gods grace in my soul or basely and blasphemously to joyne with those ranke Atheists above-mentioned that charge him with heedlesnes and improvidence as one that laid his Jewels at his heels and cared not what became of them Which were to set my mouth against heaven and like a breathing-devill to bely the Almighty whose secret is upon my tabernacle Iob 29.4 that is his secret and singular providence who ordereth my down-sitting and mine uprising Psal 139.2 who cutteth out my whole condition and not only keepeth my bones not one of them is broke but numbreth all my haires not one of them is missing Things are therefore numbred that none of them may be diminished Lo the hairs of our heads are numbred as the three childrens were in the Babylonish furnace not one of them can fall to the ground without your heavenly father And if not a hair much less the head it self Mat. 10.29 Zion may say The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lordâ—hath forgotten me But that was but her mistake and misprision of the matter Esay 49.14 Psal 94.14 For the Lord will not utterly cast off his people nor forsake his inheritance for ever For a small moment he may forsake them to their thinking but with great mercy will he gather them In a little wrath he may hide his face from them for a moment Esay 54.7 8 Esay 57.16 but with everlasting kindnesse will he have mercy on them He will not contend for ever nor be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before him When the childe swouns in the whipping God le ts fall the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it again In some diseases blood must be let usque ad deliquium till the patient faint again Yet it is a rule in Physick still to maintain nature so doth God uphold the spirits of his children by cordials of consolation in their deepest affliction This we should never doubt of but constantly shame and shent our selves in Gods presence for our forwardnesse and faintheartednesse SECT XI Exhortation to diligence in duty THe last use we shall put this point to for present Use 3 is an Exhortation to a double duty 1. Diligence in doing Gods will 2. Patience in suffering it For the first It 's encouragement enough to shew all good Conscience and fidelity in our generall and particular callings to consider that sooner or later God will not sail to requite our labour of love even to a cup of cold water or a bit of bread cast upon the waters and so cast away as a man would think but after many dayes thou shalt finde it Give a portion to seven and also to eight Eccles. 11.1 for he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he giveth will he pay him again Not down upon the naile it may be Prov. 19.17 but he is a sure and a liberall paymaster he gives double interest Mat. 19.29 nay a hundred fold here as Isaac had a hundred sold increase of the seed he sowed in the land of Canaan and eternall life hereafter When we have laid our grain in the ground we look not to see it the same day in the barne or garner as he saith of the Hyperborean people farr North that they sow shortly after fun-rising and reap before sun-set Heresbach de re rustica Spes alit agricolas spes sulcis credit aratis Semina quae magno foenore reddit ager Tibull for with them the whole half-yeer is but one continuall day but we are content to wait for a crop till the yeer be run about living in hope mean-while and therewith sustaining our selves And shall we not shew like patience in waiting Gods good leisure without being dismayed or dishartened though not presently requited light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Lo it is but seed-time with the saints while here and that 's commonly a wet time and dropping But they that sow in tears shall reape in joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing Psal 126.5 6 Ob. Sol. Rev. 22.12 Act. 13.36 Act. 13.25 2 Tim. 4.7 8 Gal. 6.9 1 Cor. 15. ulc bringing his sheaves with him Ey but when Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give unto every man according to his works David served out his time and it entred into his masters joy Iohn Baptist did up his work and is gone to take up his wages St. Paul finished his course and hath received his crown Wherefore let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall surely reap if we faint not Yea be ye stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. SECT XII Exhortation to patience in misery NExt let this Doctrine of gods day of delivering and doing good to his people patient our hearts and quietly compose our spirits in an humble submission to Gods holy hand and a hopefull expectation of the day of grace walking and waiting in the midst of our houses till he come unto us Psal 101.2 It is but a little while that we have to wait that he futures us yet and comes no sooner it is for the more effectuall triall of our faith and patience and for the better exercise of our hope and prayerfulnesse When that 's once done He will send his Mandamus as Psal 44.4 by some swift Gabriel who brought an answer to Daniels prayers with wearinesse of flight Dan. Esay 64.1 9.21 Yea he himself will break the heavens and come down he will come riding upon the wings of the wind he will come leaping as a hind over the mountains of Bether all lets and impediments to our relief and release In the Courts of Princes there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8 delayes and discardings But God is quick to help and constant in his care even when he seems to cast off hee hates putting away Jam. 5.7 whatever he makes shew of Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord saith St. James and sweeten your present tears yea though God should make you a diet-drink of them with the hope of future comforts Look upon the husband-man saith he who although his barn bee empty and his seed cast into the earth not yet appearing above ground yet hee waiteth for the crop and hath long patience for it untill he receive the former and latter rain Verse 8 And what of all this Be ye also patient therefore and stablish your hearts for the comming of
of Jerusalem the truely religious discetned her beauty in the dark night of her tribulation and confessed that she was fair and glorious Chap. 6.1 Christ also passing by her former remissenesse and unworthy usage of him professeth that she was as amiable in his eyes as ever her hair teeth temples all as fair and well featured yea that she was fair as the Moon cleer as the Sun that Sun of righteousnesse having blotted out all her sins as a cloud Isa 44.22 so that none of her transgressions could be found though lookt for Fer. 50.20 but every tongue that rose up against her should she condemn Isa 54.17 Further he hath provided that every body do love and honour his people he hath given a charge to that end in diverse scriptures Now what is wanting in men himself will make up honoring pleading for them in the hearts of their very enemies who cannot but be confounded many times and stand amazed at the height of spirit and resolution that possesseth their hearts and at the sober and undaunted majesty that shines in the faces of those that fear the Lord. Now if he say Grace Grace unto us it should suffice to encourage us in building the towre of godlinesse Yea it should make us hold out to lay the very last stone thereof with joy Zach. 4.7 being vexed at nothing more then at the vile dulnesse of our hearts that are no more affected with there indeleble ravishments SECT XIV Let the Saints see their duty and be carefull 2. Next 1 Pet. 2.9 Mat. 5.14 Qui in excelso aetatem agunt corum sacta cuncti mortales novere Salust ad Caesarem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess 3.2 compact of meer incongruities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Mat. 19 Ideò deteriores sumus quia meliores esse debemus 1 Sam. 6.3 In maxima libersate minimalicentia Salust Deus in circuitu sanctorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 5.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Posse nolle nobile est Benesicium postulat officium as Gods servants must see their dignity and take comfort in it so must they also look to their duty and take care about it And thisis to walk worthy of the high and heavenly vocation wherewith they are called remembring alwayes that they are a chosen generation a royall priesthood a peculiar people the light of the world the salt of the earth to season the rest a city seated on an hill conspicuous to all the countrey The Sunne may go assoon unseen as they unobserved there are that watch for their halting and snatch at any thing whereat they may snarl and cavil be it but an indiscreet speech that falls from such it 's enough to break down the banks of blasphemy Oh labour to silence these absurd men to stop an open mouth to cut off all occasion of obloquy Any spot is spied in white apparrell and the least stain doth evil upon a royall robe A small flaw in a jewel is a great blemish and so is a small defect in a Christian His heart is made pure by the blood of Christ and fine white linen is sooner and deeper stained then course rags Therefore are such worse saith Salvian though they be no worse then others because they ought to be better Adde hereunto that it is some singular thing that God requires of his servants He will take that from Philistines that he will not brook from Israelites who thought they might carry Gods Ark in a new-cart as those Pagans had done before them but they payed for their presumption Greatest States afford least liberty His Saints are round about him and like good Angels they stand always in the presence of their heavenly Father All holy circumspection therefore and exact walking is required of them even an excellency above ordinary Every Calling hath a comelinesse appertaining to it The Scholler behaves himself otherwise then the clown the Courtier then the carter the Prince then the pesant so should a Christian otherwise then an unbeleever then a profligate professour a carnall Gospeller He should walk nobly bravely gallantly worthy of God and as becometh a Saint considering that of Bernard in every enterprize of his an liceat an deceat an expediat whether the thing bee lawfull seemly suitable to his state Not stretching alway to the utmost of his chain lest he break a link but beating off a sollicitation to sinne as Nehemiah did to cowardize Shall such a man as I do it God forbid that I should part with my patrimony said Naboth that I should leave my fat and my sweet said the Vine in Jothams parable that I should look back with Lots wife having set my hand to Christs plow that I should flinch from my colours having taken his presse-money disgrace his house being received into his retinue Great things are bestowed upon me great things are expected from me Every mercy calls for duty every deliverance commands obedience God hath elected me for a vessel of honour shall I defile my self with the kitchin-stuffe of uncleannesse He hath bought me with a price shall not I yeeld my self up to his service He hath adopted me for his childe shall not I carry my self as a childe he hath sanctified me by his spirit shall I pollute his temple He hath inrighted me to a kingdom and keeps a crown for me shall I lay it to gage for ever trifle shall Isay with Esau what is this birth-right Oh let there be no root of bitternesse no profane person amongst you as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right and is therefore so often branded for it with this is Edom. CHAP. IIII. God is a Father to all his faithfull servants And I will spare them as a man sparethhis own son that feareth him VVHat gracious respects and high honours the God of heaven puts upon the persons of them that fear him Psal 115.13 both small and great hath been said already That which follows in the text concerneth their performances Psal 19.11 For every childe in Gods house know's his own work in doing whereof as there is great reward so there is no little favour shewed him in case it be not all out so well done For I will spare them saith the Lord of hosts as a man spareth his own son that serves him I will be no lesse propitious unto him then is the most indulgent parent to his most obedient childe Videmus ergo c. We see then saith judicious Calvin the Prophets purpose in this precious promise 1. That they shal serve God and serve him as sons do that is ingenuously and freely 2 That God will graciously accept the service of such taking in God part from them what they are able and pardoning the rest These are his notes upon the text and these shall be ours Doct 1. That God is a father to all his faithful servants Deus nobis est Pater nos sibi reconciliavit in
seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel See he doth 't is true for he is all eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 1.6 and all things are naked and open before him Yea he seeth enough in the best to provoke the eyes of his glory For though the crow think her owne bird whitest and some parents can see nothing amisse in their children as David in his Adonijah Jeb 4.18.21 25.5 6. yet he charged his Angels with felly and the starrs are not pure in his sight How much less man that is a worme c. He is neither so blinde as not to behold nor so fond as not to mislike the least fault in his best childe For he is of more pure eyes then to behold evil in whomsoever Habuc 1.13 with approbation he cannot look on iniquity and not shew his displeasure All which notwithstanding the truth of this point is irrefragable and the text alledged is no lesse firm then plain for us God seeth no sin in his children For besides that he will never throw them to hell which is the just hire of the least sin it 's often seen Rom. 6.23 that he never so much as corrects them no not with the rods of men for innumerable faylings and infirmities But winking at smal faults as we say nay passing by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage like as a father pittieth his children and pardoneth them their childishnesse so the doth lord pitty them that fear him Lo he pittieth them not punisheth them Psal 103.13 14. Or if he do proceed to correction as he must other whiles such is our frowardnesse yet amidst all he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are but dust Esay 2.22 a peace of earth neately made up that we carry our souls as a light in a paper-lanthorne that our breath in our nostrils is every moment ready to puffe out and that therefore if he should alwayes chide the spirit would fail before him we should soon faint and swoon under his hands wherefore he deals not with us after our sins nor rewards us according to our iniquities But as a man chasteneth his son saith Moses and he would have us wisely to consider of it too so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee Deut. 8.5 Break their stomackes he will but not their bones their hearts but not their heads And albeit they such is their peevishnesse under the rod give up all for lost and make desperate conclusions upon their corrections Judg 6.13 2 Tim. 2. as Gideon did yet the foundation of God remaineth sure The Lord knoweth who are his he knows their souls in adversity I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight Here was a poor prayer And yet thou heardest the voyce of my prayer poor though it were when I cryed unto thee Psal 31.22 So Zion when under the lash sud The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.15.16 Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea she may forget and some Tigresses have done it yet I will not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands c. Look how a natural mother turns her childe out of doors for dabbling himself or some other shrewd turn and with a thump on the back bids it be gone a begging yet when the childe begins once to make a lip whimper and set up his lure Jer. 31.20 she takes him in again and puts him in her bosom the very like dealing we may read of in God with Ephraim his dear son his pleasant childe Hos 13.1 2 3. c. Ephraim of trembling and tender conscienced became a flagicious offendour a desperate idolater Ver. 1.2 And was not it high time then to take him in hand therefore they shall be as the morning cloud as the early dew as the chaffe before the whirl-winde as the smoke out of the chimney No lesse then utter desolation is threatened against them But the Lord soon repents him concerning his servants witnesse the words following Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt I am thy sole saviour Here 's now mercy in the midst of judgement Oh but they abuse mercy forget their God and sin again Ver. 6. Why therefore God threateneth them again with a more terrible judgement Vers 7 8. Behold I will be unto them as a Lion and a leopard as a bear bereft I will rent the kell of their hearts and devour them Oh fearful condition who would ever think of such but as of deplored and desperate yet see the sequel O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Ver. 9. Thou hast done thy utmost utterly to undoe thy self but yet I have thought of a way for thy help I will be thy king where is any other that would save thee as I do in all thy cities And albeit thou art an unwise son yet I will binde up thine iniquity as a cancelled bond and hide thy sin Ver. 12. And although the travels of a sorrowful woman be upon thee such is thy dulnesse in not coming off roundly with God work with those lively Israelitish women Exod. 1.19 but staying too long in the birth which might justly be thy death as it was Racâ—els yet I will ransome thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death Ver. 14. Ey but for how long might they say I shall be likely breaking out again and then thou wilt undoe me after thou hast done me good No saith God repentance shall be hid from mine eyes He will not cast away a perfect man saith Bildad Iob 8.20 The Lord will not cast off for ever saith Ieremy but though he cause grief Lam. 3.31 32. yet will he have compassion according to the multitude or the magnitude of his mercies And this was that miracle that amused so and amased the Prophet Micah chap. 7.18 who is a God saith he like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever And will ye know a reason That text supplies us with two for failing and both from God 1. He delights in mercy 2. He provides for his own glory as occasioning hereby his pardoned people to praise him for present saying as here who is a God like unto thee c. and to trust him for future He will turn again he will have compassion upon us c. Thou wilt perform thy truth to Iacob c. ver 19.20 SECT II. The reasons are of two sorts First respecting God Reas 1 FIrst God will father-like pitty and pardon his poor people Psal 19.4 Eccles 7.25 Numb 14.8 2 Sam. 15.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2.13 because he delights in mercy Now delight will do any thing as we say If the sun delight to run his race who
no other way to utter it vent himself by an exclamation Oh how excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God! The clouds may commend thy faithfulnesse the mountaines thy righteousnesse the great deep thy judgements but who or what can set forth thy goodnesse Psal 36.5 6 7. It is beyond all that heart of man can conceive or tongue of Angels expresse Having therefore such a mercy to make use of such a father to do service unto how is it that we are so dull and disconsolate how is that we serve not the Lord with gladnesse and come before him with singing Psalm 100.2 A son feeling the love of his father creeps neerer under his wing or elbow and is welcom So here Yea but I am so weak and worthlesse Obj that I doubt much whether I am a childe or not How weak say thou be no stronger then a childe newly quickned in the womb Sol. the very first-springings in the womb of grace are precious before God Co. 2.13 And you hath he quickned to assure the weak saith One that though they be but as the childe that lies in the womb and have not so much as the strength of a babe new-born they are accepted with God Quickned I trust I am saith another and born anew to God Obj but it s so little I know and lesse that I can do that I have no great joy of my self for though God spareth some yet it is as a father spares his son that serveth him A childe Heb. 5.11 12 Fractu â—st or est 〈◊〉 liber orum sed injantra dulcior Sence 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lun 365. Pater libros non reijeit quod aegâ—oâ—i claudi debiles deformes sint sed chariores â—ibet mollius tractat c. Spin. de justi christi Ob. during his nonage is very infirm ignorant wayward does few chars in the house makes many So is it also in Gods house for he hath sons of all sizes Such children in grace were the Disciples during the bridegrooms abode with them such also were the contentious Corinthians 1 Epist 3.1 2 3. the dull and droanish Hebrews milk-sops and babies at first who yet afterwards came to be his proper men tall Christians The greatest giant hath been in swadling-clouts the learnedst Doctour hath been in his horn-book and he that now doth God best service time was when he did him little enough But parents delight as much in their younger children that play about the house as in those bigger that can earn their livings If we can but call Abba father or but name the name of the Lord in prayer and so depart from evil 2 Tim. 2.19 he is much taken with it His ears are open to their prayers saith David to their breathing saith Jeremy as a kinde mother watcheth and listeneth to the least whimping of her childe Yea because the soul is sick the service is twice welcome as if a sick childe reach us any thing we count it more then to send another on a laborious errand Oh but I do not onely not serve my heavenly father but disobey and displease him and that often Is any childe turned out of doors because dabbled Sol. No but if he be for a while yet afterwards he is whipt and taken in again I am so vile and froward Ob. I cannot take a whipping but am ready to fret at it or to faint under it What father will abandon his childe because being weak Sol. and wearyish he is therfore thwart and waspish and cryes himself out of breath it may be when corrected especially if he have been otherwise a good-natured childe and well-deeded Ey Ob. but I am none of those I am such a childe as no father would away with Thy father is God and not man and will do more then any earthly father or friend else will or can do Sol. Jer. 3.1 And when my father and my mother forsake me the Lord takes me up Ey but if the Lord should take me up yet it would not be long ere he turned me out again for my naughtinesse Ob. Not so for he hates putting away Besides the servant abideth not in the house but the son abideth Joh. Sol. 8.35 The servant if he cannot do his masters work to his minde is dismissed and packt away as that young man of Egypt that was servant to an Amalekite was cast off by his master because three dayes afore he fell sick and became unfit for service But a son 1 Sam. 30.13 albeit he be not able to do any thing to speak of is retained and cherished because a son If I were so good a childe as some I know and could do such service as they I should be very cheerful Ob. 1. They that have more grace have more to account for that which thou hast is thy fathers allowance Sol. be contented Imploy and improve thy stock and thou shalt have more 2. Omnis Christianus Cruci anus Luther Thou knowest not their pressures and grievances whom thou so admirest thou seest but the best of them they have also enough to do with themselves if you knew all little do others know where their shooe wringeth them Every Christian is a Crucian 3. I told you before that God requires no more then he gives and yet gives also as much as shall suffice to his acceptation In Eucharisticis licebat offerre panes fermentatos ut osienderetur deum ferre nestram infir mitatem Alsted Matth. 6.28 one may be a good servant though he be not the best in the countrey All the good grounds brought not forth a like quantity of fruit some not the third part as others did and yet that little they did was good and ripe fruit and themselves were grounds respected of God and blessed by him He calls our good works the fruit of the vine and loves to taste of them though they relish stil of the old stock The vine is the weakest plant vet very fruitful The lilies spin not and yet are gorgeously attired God wil greatly glorify himself in the branch of his planting in the work of his hands so that a little one shall be come a thousand and a small one a strong nation I the Lord will hasten it in his time Esay 60.21 4. You have more cause of comfort in that little you have then of discouragement in that more that you want sith it is a far greater work to beget grace where it is not then to increase it where it is Look therefore on others bitternesse for imitation and incitation but not for slavish dejection and self-blinding Disgrace not thine own graces because of other mens perfections and precedencies but be thankfull if Christ be formed in thee to any degree and that thou hast any thing to do about God Only whatsoever thy hand sindeth to do do it with all thy might And then he that followeth after righteousnes as a servant