spoyled Edom by his people whom they preserved And the Kingdome shall be the Lords that is God will declare himselfe to be King in the government and protection of his Church and in the victorious conquest of the enemies thereof he will settle his Church and worship at Jerusalem as in former times for then is God said to have the Kingdome when his word is a Law to his people to rule them and when the people live in the obedience and awe thereof As appeareth performed by them of the returne from the captivity who made a Covenant with God and sealed the same For we read that the children of Israel did assemble themselves with fasting and sackcloth Nehe. 9.15 and earth upon them They stood up in their place and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day Ver. 3. and another fourth part of the day they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God Note here how hearing and worshipping are distinguished they do hear first and thereby they learn to worship Then followeth their commemoration of the great mercies of God to their Fathers which David calleth Gods mercies of old and his former mercies they do also to the praise of this mercy confesse the transgressions of their Fathers Then they confesse their own sins for which they were carried away captive they acknowledge the just judgement of God upon them And now being restored again to their possessions they make a sure Covenant with God cap. 10. They entred into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in Gods law Verse 29. which was given by Moses the servant of God and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord and his judgments and statutes In particular they vowed Not to give nor take daughters to wife with strangers which I understand to be in respect of the difference of religion Ver. 30. because there can be no good marriage between Beleevers and Infidels between the sons of God and the daughters of men between the sons of God and the daughters of Belial that was the same that first corrupted the old world and at last followed the floud God is not acknowledged King where such marriages are 2. For observation of the Lords Sabbath they covenanted to keep it strictly and not to buy any thing of the people of the Land on that day for where the Sabbath is not kept there God is not acknowledged King 3. For forgiving of debts every seventh yeere which was a Judicial constitution and did onely binde them yet the equity of that constitution remaineth in the Church that men should lend freely and where there is no ability of repayment extremity must not be used if God be our King 4. They charged themselves yeerly every man with the third part of a Shekel for the maintenance of the service of the house of God for God is denyed his kingdome there where his holy worship hath not fit maintenance to support it from every person according to his ability for they conclude we will not forsake the house of our God Verse 39. And this they vowed to performe 1. In the maintenance of the material Temple 2. In the just provision for the Offerings of all sorts to be made unto God there 3. In the true payment of Tythes for the maintenance of the Levites that served at the Altar This was the summe of the Covenant which the people made with God and bound themselves by a Vow with a Curse to observe it as the Apostle saith taking God to record against their soules if they observed it not that the curse of God might come upon them And they sealed this Covenant to binde themselves the more yet was all this no more then they were bound before to do by the Law of God yet they vow to make the bond greater This is the literall and Historicall Exposition of these words the learned Interpreters of this Prophecy have well conceived that this Prophet this Seer did look further into the purpose of God for his Church and they say that Mount Sion doth here also signifie the whole Church of God De civ Dei l. 18.31 all the world over Saint Augustine understandeth by Mount Sion the Church of the Jews and by Edom the Church of the Gentiles and meeting with an ill translation and not understanding well the originall he perverteth the meaning of the Prophet as if the salvation of God should go out of Sion to the Edomites whereas there is a plaine prophecy of judgement against Edom in particular and therefore Edom whom God did threaten to destroy utterly in this prophecy cannot be a figure of that part of the Church which was by the preaching of the Gospel to be gathered together out of the Gentiles Lyranus gives another exposition for by Sion he understandeth Jerusalem by the Saviours he understandeth S. Peter and S. Paul and the chiefe of the Apostles as he calleth them by the Mount of Esau he understandeth Rome and by judging the Mount of Esau he understandeh their application to Constantine the first Christian Emperour who setled Christianity in the Romane Empire And by the kingdome which shall be the Lords he understandeth that Rome shall be head of the Church for that point of learning they can collect from all texts to make the Church of Rome the onely true Church I like nothing in that exposition but his resemblance of Rome to Esau for that doth fit most properly for they are the persecutors of Iacob even of all true worshippers and God hath promised them a destruction The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Master Calvin hath a learned observation upon this place for understanding it of the state of the Church under the Gospel he saith that these Saviours here spoken of are but ministeriall and so this place pointeth out the Messiah to whom these Saviours are subordinate For the expected Messiah is such a one as by whom all the other Saviours are sent and for whom all others work whom all others do serve and observe And this is the extent of this prophecy in the judgement of M. Calvin Iunius and Arias Montanus that Christ shall leave in his Church his Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel to shew to men the way of salvation in such sort aâ— that the Kingdom of God shall be advanced in the Church God ruling by his Word Others by Saviours on Mount Sion judging the Mount of Esau understand the last and finall judgement wherein the Saints shall judge the world and then the Kingdome shall be the Lords of which S. Paul saith He shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father when hee hath put downe all rule and all authority and power I like those expositions that take the wings of a Dove and fly to the uttermost part of the text non relinquit locum surely this is Gods promise to his Church that it shall
no necessity it was a temporall practise in those times when the gift of healing was in the Church instead whereof we have prayers both in private and in publike Congregations The Grace of Baptism we hold sufficient for the whole life to sanctifie it and in the Elect of God it is not it cannot be lost The true Sacrament of Confirmation is the Lords Supper for that representeth to us the body that was broken for us and the blood that clenseth us from all our sins that is often repeated to call us to repentance and to strengthen our Faith If we flatter our selves that the act of receiving doth sanctifie us that is a deceiving of our own hearts for the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickeneth We know that it may be eaten to condemnation if there were carnall presence of Christ none could eat of it but he must be joyned so with Christ as he could not perish Lastly for the Sacrament of orders they deceive themselves in the pride of their hearts thinking that God hath given them the Kingdome of Grace and of glory to bestow where they will We are the Ministers of God sent forth as Gods Embassadours to carry his pardon to such as are penitent the pardon doth set forth who are capable of it we are the Ministers of God to make tender of the means of Grace to such as are capable of them We cannot make a man capable either of Grace or Salvation yet none can have either but by our Ministry except God will shew his Prerogative and say Ecce ego creabo rem novam in terra Behold I create a new thing upon earth Humility deals truly with us for it I be humble I am content with that I have and think it more then I deserve I do not envy either greater graces in others or higher places for I know mine own weckâ—dnesse and my sins are ever before me and therefore I think it happy with me and acknowledge it a great mercy that I am not consumed I do not glory in mine own knowledge but with Agur the son of Jakeh I say and confesse Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man Prov. 30.2 3. I have neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the holy I do not glory in mine own righteousnesse but looking to mine heart within and into my wayes without I say with Saint Paul of Sinners I am cheefe An humble man hath this advantage of a proud man for he cannot fall his estate may grow both higher and fuller but his heart keepeth one point of elevation and is fixed at that he never graspeâ—h for wind to hold it he hunteth not after opinion he doth not flatter himself with vain hopes Well may an humble man suffer from others but he will keep so good a watch upon his own heart that that shall never deceive him by any information of self-wisdome But I commend a Virtue that but half keeps a living man in the earth saith the gallant true but as the root is deep embosomed of the earth which makes the Free bear a storm the better But this keepeth men from putting forth themselves where they may exercise their other virtues I but it joyeth all well-affected that Church and Common wealth aboundeth so in choyce that there is no need of me And those whom pride putteth forth have an evil edition 2. Their next confidence was in the siituation of their dwelling resembled to an Eagles building her nest in the clefts of a rock on high So there meets to make up their confidence strength and height of dwelling That is their confidence and that is dispersed in the fourth verse Thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. This opinion of the strength of an impregnable habitation hath deceived many After David had reigned seven yeeres in Hebron The King and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites the inhabitants of the land 2 Sam. 5.6 which spake unto David saying except thou take away the blind and the lame thou shalt not come in thither Thinking David cannot come hither The Hebrewes have made a figurative construction of these words namely that the Jebusites did preserve two Images the one of Isaac who was blind the other of Iacob who was lame these two Isaac and Iacob made a Covenant with Abimilech in which League they comprehended the Iebusites therefore the league must be broken which was made with Isaac and Iacob if they did come thither to remove the Iebusites But this is vain and fabulous The true meaning is that the Iebusites did think their hold so strong that so long as there were any men therein though blind and lame they would be able to defend the place against David But that hope was dispaired for ver 9. David dwelt in that Fort and called it the City of David c. The like Example we have of Babylon Here her in her ruffe and in the pride of her heart Thou hast said in thy heart Isa 14.13 I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my throne among the stars of God I will sit also upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most high Which pride of heart smarted in them for it followeth yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell to the sides of the pit I deny not but this is litterally to be understood of Babylon Dr. Reynâ—â— on Obed. but it troubleth me that any learned man of our dayes should charge so many great judgements as have applyed this to the of the Angels with unskilfull application thereof I know The learnedst and gravest judgements have gone that way as far as we have any thing written of the fall of Angels And men of yesterday do not well to impute unskifulnesse to such expert Scribes But in the posthumous writings of great learned men the publisher may shuffle in some of his own brann amongst their Wheate For understand this either literally of Babylon or allegorically of the Angels that fell either of them thought their dwellings impregnable and therefore safe Jerusalem called the joy of the whole earth was compassed so with mountains that the prophet to expresse the safety of the Church resembleth it to Jerusalem As the mountains are about Jerusalem Psa 125 2 so is the Lord round about his people c. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount-Sion ver 2. Yet we know how it was destroyed David was gone far that way in presuming upon the safety of his person and state Dixi nunquam movebor I said I shall not be removed thou Lord of thy goodnesse hast made my mountain so strong All which examples and all experience meeteth in one point of Doctrine that it is a vain confidence to trust in the strength of our state and dwelling on earth A full
tanta eorum sanctitate nullum inveniet orationis impedimentum This is further urged For when we say the Scripture doth tell us that God will everlastingly punish the wicked and David saith He will not suffer his truth to faile They answer that all those threatnings of Scripture are to be understood in veritate severitatis in respect of the evill desert of the wicked but not in veritate miserationis for that must at last have honour above all his works Further they plead God hath never more plainly and positively declared his will concerning the eternall destruction of the reprobate then he did by his Prophet Ionah declare the destruction of Niniveh it is but forty dayes and without any condition Ninive destruetur Except we allow mentall reservation mendacem non possumus dicere Deum tamen non factum est The truth was in this pronunciavit eos dignos haec pati Their inference is Si tunc pepercit eis Deus quando Prophetam suum contristaturus erat parcendo quanto magis tunc parcet miserabilius supplicantibus quando ut parcat omnes sancti ejus orabunt They adde the saying of the Apostle God hath concluded all under sin that he might shew mercy unto all To the first and therein to both Saint Augustine doth fully answer that if we deny everlasting death we may as well deny life everlasting for we have the same ground for both the same direct word of God Aut utrumque cum fine diuturnum Cap. 23. aut utrumque sine fine perpetuum To the second he denyeth that which is presumed that the Saints will pray for the damned here we pray for all because we know not who be elect who be reprobate but when God hath revealed his will concerning these cessat oratio praying ceaseth and the voice of the elect is fiat voluntas tua thy will be done Yea the Saints shall judge the world then and those bowels of humane commiseration which they had on earth are put off they now hate where God hateth and judge where God judgeth and rejoyce against them whom God condemneth And for the example of Niniveh his answer is full and sappie Evertuntur peccatores duobus modis 1. Sicut Sodomitae ut pro peccatis suis homines punianâ—ur 2. Sicut Ninivitae ut ipsa horum peccata poenitendo destruantur there was the mistake of Jonah for that was the City which God threatned and destroyed Eversa est Ninive quae mala erat bona aedificata est quae non erat Stantibus maenibus perditis moribus To the last Argument from the words of the Apostle he hath concluded all under sin that he might have mercy on all He bids them there read the whole text they shall there see quos omnes intelligit nempe eos omnes de quibus loquebatur that is both Jews and Gentiles not comprehending the whole of both but onâ—ly vasa misericordiae in both the vessels of mercy and the very course of the Text cleereth it to be so meant Therefore the revealed will of God hath setled this perpetuity of woe upon the ungodly They shall drinke and they shall drinke continually The justice of this proceeding against the ungodly is taken from the merit of sinne which being committed against an infinite Majestie must needs be also infinite now the person guilty being finite cannot beare a punishment infinite in the weight of it and therefore it must be infinite in durance to eternity Againe the hater of God repaieth vengeance which is deserved at least with the same measure wherewith his love giveth rewards undeserved but the love of God giveth eternall life therefore the haâ—red of God cannot give lesse then eternal death This sheweth you the reason of those earnest exhortations To worke out your salvation to make your calling and election sure he meaneth in your owne faith for so long as a man liveth in feare of this eternall judgement and seeth no way to escape it his soule is among Lyons even the roaring Lyon and all his whelpes it is in the keeping of the spirit of bondage his sins lye so heavie upon him that he cannot look up 2 The comfort implyed and exprest 1. He speaketh of the judgement on Israel as already past and over as ye have drunk 2. He calleth Ierusalem though thus wasted and made desolate My holy Mountaine 3. He graciously revealeth to his Church his just revenge upon his enemies 1. As ye have drunk that is when as ye have drunk of this Cup of affliction then God shall take it from you which doth yeeld this comfortable Doctrine That though the Church of God do live for a time under the Crosse God will not leave it so for ever Doctr. Afflictions are some part of that Physick which God doth minister to his Church to heale the soares and diseases thereof Time iâ—â— in Plutarch Apoph seeing the people very disorderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Physick is not given perpetually it ceaseth when the disease is removed God knoweth the use of the rod to be necessary for a time so the Church confesseth For when thy judgements are in the Earth Isa 26.9 the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse When they have taken out that lesson God ceaseth to afflict God is sharpe in these visitations Ioh hath not leasure to swallow his spittle Job 7.19 Psa 30.5 Yet he endureth but a while in his anger Weeping may abide for the evening but joy cometh in the morning For a little time have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I bid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee 1. The cause of Gods favour eftsoons shining on the Church after affliction is to let them see that his quarrell is not to the persons but the sinnes of men for no sooner do men repent of their sinnes but God also repenteth of his judgements He is a father and a tender father doth not love the smart but seeketh the amendment of his sonne and God himselfe in the smiting of his Church is first weary and he complains first Why should you be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint From the soule of the foot even to the head there is no soundnesse in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying soares cl Thus God suffereth in the passions of his children and all our stripes ake upon him Yet he is a God that loveth not iniquity and therefore when he layed upon his deaâ—ely beloved sonne the iniquity of us all the Apostle said He spared not his own Sonne but gave hin unto death 2. He will not suffer his Church to live alwayes forsaken under the Crosse in respect of his servants and that for foure reasons 1. Afflictions do worke upon them so that it breedeth in
for the graces of God already bestowed prayer for the continuance and encrease of them this is the worship which is immediately directed by Christ to himselfe and for himselfe onely that is for his glory And in this the Holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities for being the greatest duty of Christian worship we cannot without great help performe it and great help we have the whole Trinity joyning with us The Holy Ghost in conceiving and uttering our prayers and putting life into them The Son in carrying them up to the Father And the Father in receiving of them Pray continually in all things give thanks 2. God performeth this mercy of deliverance to his Church first and then there shall be holinesse God is ever before hand and he would have us know that our holinesse is rather a fruit and effect of his deliverance then a cause of it procuring or meriting it And so the Lords deliverance of us is a free as well as a full favour it is no wages for our work as the Church of Rome doth not only erroniously but blasphemously teach So doth Zachary confesse ut liberati a manibus inimicorum festiamus ei that being delivered from the hands of our enemies c. not us servientes liberemur not that sâ—rving we should be delivered ut liberandi serviamus but he doth all his favours for us to winne us to his service The Church of God was punished for not serving of him as it should and now it is restored to her owne possessions that it may serve him hereafter in holinesse It is an excellent use that we make of the good favours of God when they make us the more holy and the more carefull to serve him But now being made free from sin Rom. 6.22 and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life 1 Delivered and made free from sin 2 Then our fruit unto holinesse 3 And then everlasting life 1 This deliverance a motive to holinesse 2 This holinesse a fruit of our deliverance 3 This Everlasting life a reward of our holinesse It is a great signe that God is not with us when his favours do corrupt us as when our knowledge doth beget in us spirituall pride and our riches and temporall preferments bring forth carnall pride when the many affaires of the world doe make us neglect the Church service or break Gods Sabbath which ought to be religiously consecrated to Gods worship and when any temporall happinesse doth worke in us any relaxation of the service of God for the true sanctification of all these doth consist in this that we do make them motives and provocations to holinesse This doth make holinesse our chiefest study and care because God in the promise of restoring Israel to his possessions doth not say then shall be outward peace and prosperity and wealth and ease but then there shall be holinesse as the proper fruit of Gods favours for peace and health and plenty may be lost againe but holinesse cannot be lost because that is a worke of the Holy Ghost in us which cannot perish for that spirit shall abide in the Church for ever This doth also shew whereby we may settle our possessions to us namely by embracing of holinesse for the enemy hath no power against as so long as we be holy and when Israel shall see that their unholinesse was their sinne God restoring them they shall make conscience of sinning any more least some worse judgement overtake them For God doth promise to restore Religion and his holyworship which is the only safety of his people which whilest they formerly corrupted they brought upon themselues deportation ruine upon their City and fire upon the Sanctuary of God You see all the earnestnesse of holy Scripture to perswade us to holinesse doth aime at our owne safety and God for our owne good perswadeth it for what good will our holinesse do him or what do we hurt him if we be unrighteousse our well-doing extendeth not to him to adde any thing to him our il-doing is no prejudice to him the benefit of our holinesse redoundeth to our selves and thy word that teacheth it is given to profit us withall God give us all grace to make a right and profitable use therof to his glory Amen VERSE 18. And the House of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau for stubâ—lâ— and they shall kindle in them and devoure them and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it 19. And they of the South shall possesse the Mount of Esau and they of the plaine The Philistines and they shall possesse the fuldes of Ephraim and the fulds of Samaria and Benjamin shall pâ—ssesse Gilead 20. And the Captivity of this Host of the Children of Israel shall possesse that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephah and the Captivity of Ierusalem which is in Sepharad shall possesse the Cities of the South 2. Their victories These are exprest two wayes 1 In the conquest of their enemies 2 In the dilatation of their kingdome by taking in their possessions The Kingdome of Israel in Ieroboams time was divided into two Kingdomes Iudah and Israel and the Kingdome of Iudah is here called the house of Iacob the kingdome of Israel is called the house of Ioseph and these two are promised this victory There were also two Captivities The Israelites were carried away captives by Salmanazar Iudah by Nebuchadnezar God promiseth that fire shall go out from those to consume Esau utterly till there be none of them remaining He promiseth them also victory over the Philistines their ancient enemies so that Ephraines portion shall come againe to them and Samaria wherein the King of Assyria having removed the Inhabitants thereof and led them Captives into his land and setled Assyrians in the possessions of their land that shall be recovered from them And Benjamin confining upon enemies should have quiet possession of Gilead This victory with the extent of their Kingdome here promised doth shew that the people after their returne shall have more room more glory and power then they had before their deportation From whence these comfortable Doctrines do arise 1 That the afflictions of the Church do turne to their greater good 2 That God punisheth the enemies of his Church even by those against whom they have prevailed 3 That the Church hath good warrant to settle their faith in this assurance for the Lord hath spoken it 1. The afflictions of the Church turne to their greater good And here a double benefit is exprest 1 Spirituall good he will endue them with holinesse 1 Of restitution 2 Of Dilatation 2 A Temporall 1 Of the spirituall good So David said It is good for me that I was afflicted for now I learne thy Statutes afflictions have their good uses for though afflictions for the time seeme grievous in the bearing thereof yet they