sanctified and which they most esteemed holy both in respect of the thing viz. their offering on the Altar Exod. 29. 30. wherof all were holy and some most holy so that their service of God in this kinde was by an excellency called the service of God witnesse the Apostle to the Hebrewes and Romans and also in regard of the place where they offered them here in Jerusalem the place chosen of purpose to that end called therefore the holy City in Matthew and greatly praysed in sundry of the Psalmes for that respect Seeing then the people and whole Nations of the Jewes yea all their workes even their very sacrifices offered in Jerusalem were unclean and detestable in the sight of God because they had not faithfull and obedient hearts but did neglect the building of the Temple commanded by the Lord the lesson hence to bee gathered is plaine which in the beginning wee mentioned viz. that whosoever hath not a faithfull and an obedient heart himselfe and all his workes even his divine Service of God is impure and uncleane in the sight of God This in the carnall sacrifices as in the shaddow doth Isay teach Isay 66. 3. declaring that who so is not of a contrite spirit as onely the faithfull are to tremble at Gods Word If hee kill a bullock hee was as if hee flew a man c. for in these words expresly noting all the severall sacrifices that the Jewes did offer as greater beastes and lesser meate offerings and incense and comparing them wiâ—h dogs flesh and swines blood things forbidden by the Law nay to the murthering of a man or the blessing of an Idole which his soule abhorrâ— hee plainly shewes how detestuble the Lord holds all these where was wanting a faithfull and an obedient heart in them that offer the same also concerning spirituall sacrifices of Prayers and of Sermons preached or heard doth the spirit else where witnesse as of Prayers Prov. 28. 9. hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall bee abominable of Sermons preached Psalme 50. but unto the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to take my words in thy mouth and hatest to be reformed of Sermons heard likewise Ezek. 20. and also Ezek. 33. 31. where first the Elders and then the people are reproved because they came and sate before the Prophet as if they would learne the will of the Lord and yet their hearts went after their covetousnesse and they did not that they were injoyned finally all the actions of the unfaithfull whatsoever are censured by two rules of the Apostle 1. In respect of the things themselves that are done Rom. 14. ult whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and the 2. In regard of the persons that do them Heb. 11. 6. without faith it is impossible to please God c. so undoubted an axium proved by the Scripture is this which here our Prophet teacheth that the best workes of men are of themselves uncleane in Gods sight without a faithfull heart c. Whence may be confuted anâ—er or of the Prophets who howsoever the ancient Fathers Ierome Gregory Prosper and especially Austin proving the point not onely by those two places last alleadged out of St. Paul but also by that of our Saviour Matth. 7. a corrupt Tree cannot but bring forth bad fruit do hold that all the workes of the unregenerate done before faith are sinne and deserve Gods Wrath yet the Papists I say in their authenticall counsell of Trent Sescion 6. cano 7. Pelagian-like stick not to pronounce That if any man shall say that all the workes done before institution are to be accounted properly sinnes or do deserve the hatred and wrath of God let him be accursed A curse heretically and blasphemously uttered by Antichristian impes whose faces are set against Heaven and their tongues walke through the Earth for all works done without faith are uncleane in Gods sight as here Haggi teacheth us but before in justification no workes are done with faith for then we are justified and made the Sonnes of God when we believe Iohn 1. therefore whatsoever workes are done before in justification are properly uncleane and do defile but whatsoever is uncleane and doth defile is properly sinne Mark 7. 10. and 1 Cor. 8 now God hateth all sinne Zach. 8 13. he being just in all his wayes Psalme 145. yee all workes done before in justification are properly sinne and deserve Gods wrath nor can they be pure whiles the heart the roote or fountaine whence they proceed is impure and corrupt now the heart is only purified by faith Act. 15. 9. and all unbelievers even in their minde and conscience are defiled Titus 1. 15. the Papists therfore herein curse the Prophets nay the Lord of life who here himselfe spake by the Ministery of his Prophet And shamelesse is that shift which Ribera the Jesuit maketh writing one this place â— 76. first saying that the Prophet doth not speake of all the Works of the unregenerate but only of their sacrifices from the which glosse if the Text it self did not refute it yet where it is plainly added and all whatsoever they do yet St. Ieroms authority which in other places he vvould seem to esteem Should have at least occasioned him to have forborn and to have rather passed it over in silence then so to have gainsayd him and the Text for omnia cuncta quae agit saith Ierom nam de cunctis loquitur profanantur Nay Ierome not so content in generall only to avouch it applies it in particular to the works of both Iewes Heretichs and Gentiles and sayth that whatsoever they do not only vvhatsoever they offer their vowes their prayers their charity and Almes-deeds c. all are unclean for although thâ—se actions seem in shew to be good are so indeed in their own nature yet because they are touched by him that is polluted they are unclean But as for us beloved vvho are taught for his sake to bear reproaches and to endure curses patiently that vve may become conformable unto him according to that of the Prophet the rebuks of them that rebuked thee are fallen on me let us I say against all Pelagian spirits hold constantly vvhat here the Prophet teacheth us c. and let the princely Prophet David joyn vvith Haggai in interpreting this ceremoniall type of Moses vvhere Psame 51. having confessed sins actuall and originall vers 7. he prayeth purge mee with hysope and I shall bee clean No vvay to be made clean but by Hysop novv vvhat that purging vvith Hysop meant vve may understand by the ceremony Num. 19. of the red Kovv burnt vvithout the hoste the figure of our Saviours sacrifice as the Apostle interprets it Hebrewes 13 vvho to sanctifie us suffered vvithout the City And St. Iohn plainly setteth dovvn that vvith by allusion only vvas signified in the figure vvhere 1 John 1. 7. he saith that it is the blood of Christ
See heer th ' effigies louely lively face Of reverend Rainolds full of fayth Grace Oxfords renowned Doctor of the Chaire Acute mellifluos Oratour most rare T. Cross sculp THE PROPHESIE OF HAGGAI Interpreted and applyed in sundry SERMONS By that Famous and Judicious Divine JOHN RAINOLDS D. D. Never before printed Beeing very usefull for these Times HAGGAI Chap. 1. verse 7 8 9. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Goe up to the mountaine and bring wood and build the house and I will take pleasure in it and I will bee glorified saith the Lord. Ye looked for much and loe it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it Why saith the Lord of Hosts because of mine house that is wast and ye run every man unto his own house LONDON Printed by W. W. for William Lee and are to be sold at the Turkes-head neere the Miter Taverne in Fleetstreet 1649. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Reader I Shall promise a few words concerning both the Authour and worke For the Authour of it it was Doctor JOHN RAINOLDS a man eminent both for learning and piety No man mee thinkes saith one is happy on Earth to him that hath grace for substance and Learning for ornament This verse is written about Dr. Rainolds Air picture Inâ—ertum est fuerit doctior an melior It is doubtfull whether He were more learned or pious When Bellarmine came out first both the Vniversities chose one in each Academy to confute him Oxford for I must ever give that the preheminence chose Doctor Rainolds for their Champion Cambridge Doctor Whitaker for theirs Whitaker was more nimble for hee went over a great part of Bellarmines Controversies and so solidly consuted him that it is credibly related by some English-men that travelled into Italy that Bellarmine himselfe procured his Picture out of England placed it in his study secretly admiring him for his great learning and when hee was asked by another Jesuite his friend and companion why hee would have the Picture of that Heretick hee was wont to answer that although hee was an Heretick and an adversary yet hee was a learned Adversary Whitaker that Honour of our Schooles and Angell of our Church Learned Whitaker then whom our age saw nothing more memorable what clearnesse of judgment what sweetnesse of stile what gravity of person what grace of carriage was in that man who ever saw him without reverence or heard him without wonder Doctor Rainolds whom a very reverend Divine compares to a pen too full of inke thought at the first that in two or three yeares he should have been able to have gone over all Bellarminâ— Controversies but he was 7 yeares about the very firâ—â— of 〈◊〉 de â—bris Apocryphis which yet he finished not neither insomuch that one Mr. Walter Travers jested with him and told him he was so long in reading the Apocrypha here that he would read the Canonâ—cals in Heaven Yet his conference with Hart that worke together doe amply discover his great abilities and he is justly stiled by one of our owne writers Pontificiorum malleus patriae suae dulcissimum decus the hammer of the Papists and most sweet ornament of his owne Country Doctor Rainolds alone was a well furnisht Library full of all faculties of all studies of all learning the memory the reading of this man were neare to a miracle For this worke of his it was reviewed and perfected by that Reverend Divine Master William Hinde sometimes Preacher of Gods word at Bunbury in Cheshire whose intention was to have printed it in his life time hee having set forth some other of the same Authors workes as that on Obadiah these Sermons immediately following thereupon to bee handled in the Doctors ordinary course of Preaching as appeares in the first page of these Sermons This Copy therefore being left with mee by Master Nathaniel Hinde a Minister in Staffordshire and Sonne to the forementioned Master William Hinde with a desire also of the publication of it I thought good to preface thus much in the behalfe both of the Author and worke It is I suppose the best Copy that is extant and though he wholly finished not the second Chapter of Haggai yet because the maine subject of that Booke is the building of the Temple it will not seeme unseasonable for these times wherein Reformation should bee the aime of all and in another respect also this worke may bee suitable to the present season because this learned and religious Author in this Book seemes to favour the Presbiterian way What ever it bee I commend it and thee to Gods blessing and rest Thy hearty well-wisher EDVVARD LEIGH AN EXPOSITION Upon HAGGAI Sermon the First CHAP. 1. vers 1. In the second yeare of Darius the King in the sixt moneth the first day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Haggai unto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel a Prince of Judah and to Jehosuah the sonne of Jehozadak the high Priest saying Thus hath the Lord of hoasts charged me to say This people say the time is not yet come the time that the Lords house shall be builded Then came the word of the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Haggai saying Is it time for you Sirs to sit downe in your seiled houses whiles this house lyes waste YOU have heard in the conclusion of the Prophesie of Obadiah the promise of deliverance made by God unto the Jewes and in them to all his chosen that their enemies should be overthrown and they restored to their ancient inheritance which should be performed by Saviours which should come up to mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau and that the kingdome should bee the Lords which that you might see how it was in shaddow performed to the Jewes and in truth to all the chosen of God I thought good to entreat of this Prophesie of Haggai wherein the same is delivered unto us In which we are taught that the Temple having been begun to be built long before and the worke intermitted was with much adoe continued by Zerubbabel and Jehosua who were thereunto moved by the ministery of Haggai prospered by the assistance of the godly encouraged by Gods word and grace of his spirit which representeth un o us the frame of the spirituall house the Church which Christ built by his Apostles which were sent from Sion as was prophesied of them The doctrine shall come from Sion Next if we consider the circumstances of the times letts helps the persons people Princes Preists dealings it may be an example unto us and to such as are to deale any way in the building of the church how to behave themselves therein Moreover by the consequence that once more he would shake the heavens and the earth bring the desire of all nations and fill that house with glory he comprehendeth the fulfilling
for looking to the profits and fruits which may arise from them how much better were it for them to have that cogitation that David had 1 Chro. 11. who when he had desired to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem and three of his valiant men had broken through the Host of the Philistimes and had drawne of the water and brought it to him would not drinke if it but poured it out for an oblation unto the Lord and said let not my God suffer me to doe this should I drinke the bloud of these mens lives and is not this the blood of these mens lives which we drinke when we are cloathed and fedd with that which they allow us and yet leave them in that case that they pine away for want of feeding and as the Prophet saith they dye in this blindnesse and ignorance for want of teaching Therefore I beseech you in Jesus Christ though perhaps you have had a longing desire to drinke of this water yet thinke better on it and take Davids affection and resolution and say let not my God suffer me to do this and rather bate of that you spend of your raiment and faire then take such dead pay and keep backe other faithfull watchmen which else they might have The Lord for his mercy so sanctifie our harts that by the often hearing of his holy word we may consider and acknowledg our wants and imperfections and hereby be stirred up to redresse what we find amisse in our selves to the building of his Church to the comfort of our owne soules to the glory of his blessed Name through the grace of his holy Spirit in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour to whom with the Father and the same holy Spirit be all praise for evermore Amen Amen Sermon the Tenth 1599. Haggai 2. 5 6. For I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came forth of Egypt so my spirit shall remaine among you feare not HOw the Lord by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai did often and earnestly exhort and stirre forward the Jewes after their returne from the captivity of Babylon to the building up of the Temple hath beene hitherto declared unto you now of the promises or causes of encouragement whereby it pleased God to harten them least the conceit which they had that this house should not be so famous and so execellent as the former should discourage them and hinder them from that businesse this is the first which I have read unto you which containeth in it a most gracious promise of his aid and assistance by his spirit because that flesh and blood is ready to suggest into the minde of a man that which is in the Proverbs It is better to be idle than to be occupied in vaine and to make folke measure things by the event so that unlesse they see present meanes to effect that which they undertake they cast off all hope of accomplishing their purpose and so cease from medling any further whereon it was that Moses Exod. 4. 10. when he should be sent to Pharaoh excused himself that he was not eloquent that he had a stammering tongue but the Lord raised him up from that thought telling him that he should trust in the grace of the Almighty saying who hath given the mouth to man or who maketh the dumbe to speake c. do not I the Lord now therefore go and I will teach thee what to say to the like effect is the message sent to Haggai because that Zerubbabel and Jehoshua and the rest which should have been the chief in the worke having laid the foundation of the Temple despaired of finishing it and so despaired before he began it The Lord therefore stirred them up to go forward by these words which I have now read unto you a reason very forcible and motive very pregnant to move them forward I am with you saith the Lord of Hostes which words the Prophet often useth there by putting them in minde both of his power that sets them forward whose will all creatures as souldiers are ready to performe and meaning thereby also that by his favourable assistance he will blesse them and that by his spirit he will give them grace to accomplish that which they had undertaken In the second place the doubtfull understanding of the word word hath caused interpretors diversly to expound it for by word in scripture is sometimes signified the second person in the Trinity the Saviour of the world the Essentiall and eternall word of God of which John speaketh John 1. In the beginning was the word by whom all things were made and through whom all things are now preserved and so here should be three things which the Lord should novv promise 1 His owne presence 2 The presence of his Son 3 The presence of the holy Ghost which sense the Hebrewe would beare as may be translated and then it should be translated thus I am with you by my word that I covenanted with you c. whereto also the Argument agreeth because he was the Angell mentioned Exo. 23. 20. that spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai that gave the law unto the Israelites and promised them his favour if they kept his covenant as Stephen sheweth Act. 7. 38 sometimes it signifieth a promise made unto any insomuch that David Psal 105. ver 8 mentioning the covenant that the Lord made with Abraham saith thus he hath alwayes remembred his covenant and presently addeth this word of promise made to a thousand generations and thus othersome do thinke it to be taken in this place and this indeed the text will best beare and so much the more sith the Lord on the like occasion saith Deut. 31. ver 8. that he himselfe would goe before them and therefore encourageth them not to feare or be discouraged for himselfe would be with them and would not faile them nor forsake them and this the ordinary construction of the Hebrewes doth include as they know that are skilled that way especially I say if these words be compared with the 8 9. verses of the 105 Psal before mentioned besides there is a more pregnant motive to induce me hereunto even the authority of the Apostle himselfe who Heb. 12. 27. declareth that those words which are in the next place set downe by Hag. were spoken by Christ himselfe yet once more I will shake the heavens so by the word in this place cannot be meant Christ seeing Christ is said to have spoken this It followeth therefore that his word was not the Essentiall word of God but some externall word not the eternall word of God but some word that had a beginning namely when this promise and covenant was made when the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt and delivered them by his Angel God the Father by his son promised his favour assistance if we follow this interpretation the
worldly things were not the blessings which God bestowes seeke them by unjust and unlawfull meanes belike thinking they are none of Gods at all otherwise as Jacob said hee would serve Laban seven yeares for his daughter Rachel so they would also serve God for his blessings But with many as the wise man saith stolne waters are sweet and his bread is pleasant The sonnes of Eli robbed the people that came to sacrifice and tooke by force that which was not theirs And I would to God that not only the sons of Eli but that also our Elies themselves for I would be loath to judge any did they not I will not say rob but did they take more then their owne from the portion of the Lords Sacrifices c. Sure if any so doe they consider not with David Psalme 15. that preferment comes not neither from the East nor from the West but that it is the Lord that doth give it else they would be of Davids mind I hope who would not doe any thing that hee should not against Saul a wicked-King no not for a Kingdome God forbid that I should doe this and sinne egainst God c. They that pray to God as their heavenly Father Give as this day our daily bread and yet delight in stolne waters shew that they doe the lusts of another Father God forbid that I should say they are of another Father but sure herein they serve him by serving another then the Lord in good duties they should get that they desire by good meanes For silver is mine and gold is mine c. Secondly in using we are but Stewards to the Lord in using and disposing those blessings which wee enjoy and therefore must remember that wee must give an account thereof unto the Lord. Nabal when Davids messengers came to him for some provision to refresh himselfe and his followers 1 Sam. 25. Shall I take my bread and my wine and my flesh c. And give it to strangers All was mine and mine and mine with him he did not consider that he had received them from God to be at his will disposed not all for himselfe but some for others also It is said Proverbs 3. Withold not the goods from the owner thereof neither say to thy neighbour goe and come againe too morrow c. The owners are called them that has need of any good we have and we are but as stewards to dispose it to them according to that rule in the Epistle to the Corinthians He that soweth bountifully shall also reape bountifully for the Lord loves a cheerefull giver and he gives twice that gives quickly The Israelites in Hosea had forgotten that it was the Lord that gave them silver and gold flax and oyle which they gave to Baal and therefore hee threatens to take it away So if wee bestow those blessings that he gives us amisse let us know that he yet retaines an interest in them to take away What if his silver and his gold bee bestowed upon Papists Images Idolatry c. what if men make their bellies their Gods as Phil. 3. and serve them with their riches like Polixhemus in Euripides who said he never sacrificed to any God but to his belly and he thought that wise men would thinke that it 's a mans God to eate and drinke yet for all this the right of these blessings thus abused by wicked men belongs unto God and hee will at his pleasure both take them away from them and call them to an account for the abuse of them Alas if it were not so with us also we should be more ready to come to these assemblies when as we are so ready to fill our owne bellies but let us know that we have now but the disposing of these things and the Lord will require an account of us Thirdly what if we loose them yet let us comfort our selves with Job remembring that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away and therefore blessed be the name of the Lord. Fourthly if we want them yet remember they are the Lords who if he please can give them â— But say that we want them and the Lord bestowes them upon the wicked that worse deserves them This is a greaâ— temptation I confesse to the godly as we may see in David and Jeremy yet consider he is the Saviour of all though especially of the godly and he makes his Sun to shine and his raine to fall on all sorts that so by his long suffering and goodnesse he may call them to repentance or at last as Acts 14. Filling their hearts with food and gladnesse he may not leave himselfe without witnesse But to come from this point which is set downe to strengthen their faith in the power of God to the promise it selfe of greater glory The glory of this house shall be greater then the former which ministers greater comfort to the Church as comprehended with Judah in this promise under the name of Israel Zach. 8. 13. whereby Israel is meant the same as in that speech Gallat 6. As many as walke according to this rule peace shall be upon them and upon the Israels of God c. Israel not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Even the Gentiles which are joyned in the building of this latter house as the Peophet Isa speaks Isa 6. 13. alluding to the Temple The glory of Lebanon shall come to thee the Firre tree the Elme tree and the Boxtree together i. the Gentiles to beautifie the place of my Sanctuary and then shewing he meanes hereby the Church to be gathered out of all Nations he saith The sons of them that hated thee shall bow to thee c. And I will make thee an eternall glory and joy noting thereby that before the Gospell was preached the Jewes were hated by all who then being converted shall submit themselves to that religion which before they detested so that there should be a perpetuall joy made for all the Church And verse 9. he saith that the Isles shall come and the ships of Tarshish c. Even they that grow by merchandise unto greater wealth as Isa 23. speaks of Tyrus that came with their silver and their gold unto the Lord to beautifie therewith his spirituall Temple the Church This is that then which here is promised that God will provide for the merchandise of his Church those things that may be sufficient as for food and raiment for so the Apostle interpreting the promise limits it 2 Tim. 6. When we have food and raiment let us therewith bee content Howbeit to this is added a greater glory due in this life that prerogative to bee called the sonnes of God and fellow heires with Christ Rom. the 8. And after this life to enjoy an exceeding weight of glory So that the Church shall be blessed though not with abundance and superfluitie of earthly goods it may be for it was not for