these it cannot be said that so the glory of the latter should excell the glory of the former It may be that Zacheus in some one coyne or other had some more money then Herod as happily a meane gold-smith in London may have in Crasadoes or Florrens or Duckets more than the Prince yet if Herods treasure farre passe the wealth of Zacheus and the Princes the substance of the gold-smith were not he absurd that would say the gold-smith were richer than the Prince In like sort sith the glory of the latter Temple was to excell the glory of the former and howsoever in continuance and bignes it passed the latter if in other points of greater glory it were behinde it how shall one truly say that this was performed wherefore if those things which they confesse be wanting in the latter nay if some one of them be more glorious than the continuance wherein they make this excellency the glory thereof must be placed in some other thing than they fancy Now how excellent was the Vrim and Thummin whereof Deut. 33 The mercy seat Arke fire from heaven glory of God visible in the cloud that filled the Temple presence of the holy Ghost succession of Prophets Whereof seeing some one how much more all farre exceed the ten yeares continuance it followeth that in this respect the glory of the latter house could not be greater Therefore since God promised that it should be greater and that cannot be but in respect that in this Christ taking flesh should personally teach during the same make attonement betweene God and man working our redemption which one thing farre excelleth all that were in the former Temple he being the truth and they but shadowes It is most manifest that the Jewes were possessed with a spirit of giddinesse as was threatned them their ears dulled their eyes darkened against the evident light of Gods truth But for us we are assured that this peace was performed in our Saviour as all circumstances noted by the Prophets agreeing to him of the time by Daniel mentioned the place by Michael his name his progeny his Mother so that in respect of us to whom God hath made this known we may use those words For I tell you that many prophets and Kings and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seene them and to heare those things which you heare and have not heard them To whom is this performed this promise of peace as the Angell said to the shepheards for Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shal be to all people for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this is the first point by reason of the celebration of the Lords Nativity in accomplishing the promise of God by giving peace above all blessings sending Christ a Saviour to take flesh upon him The next point in these words is that God taketh delight and will poure a blessing upon it on the temple onely in respect of Christ figured and holy exercises commanded by him therein practised how the Temple figured Christ and the exercises there the duties of Christians in perticular set down else we are not to stand on them But note the blockishnesse first of the Jewes then of the Papists for they in their Talmud thought that God tooke delight in the Temple that now for sorrow he hath destroyed it he spendeth many houres in bewayling the same the papists though the Temple be overthrowne yet thinke that that God tooke such delight in the place where it stood that they goe on Pilgrimages as though yet that prayer of Solomons were in force for them that pray more in that place then the other blinde men that consider not rudiments of the law while the Jewes as children were therby to be schooled to Christ our Saviour to the Samaritane so expounded it Woman beleeve me the hour cometh wherin ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet in Jerusalem worship the Father But the houre cometh and now is when the true worshippers of the Father shall worship him in spirit and in truth meaning the time had been when the place of true worship appointed was Jerusalem but the truth being come all places are now sanctified as Jerusalem according to that 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray very where lifting up pure hands without wrath doubting The Remish Jesuites upon Matthew 17. ver 9. say the mountaine is called holy by Saint Peter 2 Pet. ver 18. as that place by Moses Exod. 3. 5. was called holy ground whereby it is evident say they that by such a precious place they are sanctified and thereupon groweth a religion and devotion in the faithfull towards such places and that there was great pilgrimage in the Primitive Church to this mountain and unto all those places which our Saviour had sanctified with his presence and with his miracles and therefore to the whole land of promise also upon Iohn 12. 20. the gentiles say they came to adore the gentiles came of devotion Pilgrimage to the temple of Jerusalem and Acts 8. 27 Note that the Ethiopian came to Jerusalem to adore that is on Pilgrimage Out of all these places they would prove that yet we should goe to Jerusalem by vertue of which conclusion they may also prove that we should also offer bulls and Calves which were prescribed by the law as was this coming to Jerusalē for as they were bound to come up to appear before the Lord so were they also commanded not to come empty if bound to Jerusalem because of a speciall promise made to that place why not to all the ordinances prescribed by Moses Besides Pauls resort to Jerusalem at the feast was for the opportunity of preaching to them then assembled as on the Saboth Acts 13. 44. and so they may conclude that we are to keepe the Jewes sabboth which the Jesuites will deny Therefore of the example of Paul going up to Jerusalem it can no more be proved that we ought to go thither than that we should also yet offer for that we reade he did so in the temple Acts 21. 16. and it maketh as much for his offring as the other for the going thither The Remists note on the 17 of Mathew is more forcible in shew but as weake in substance That the mount was called holy because it was sanctified by that apparition we grant but was it then so sanctified that holinesse must then needs cleave unto it for ever and still abide therewith Peter called it the holy hill so likewise Mathew 27. 33. calleth Jerusalem the holy City and the 24 the holy place namely as other things are called holy because consecrated to holy uses so the City because of the holy assemblies to it because of the Church of God it signified and the temple more especially because of the glory of God which
other things but I speak to men of understanding Sermon the Seventh Haggai Chap. 1. verse 12 13. Vers 12. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the sonne of Josedech the high priest with all the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet as the Lord their God had sent him and the people did feare before the Lord. Vers 13. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger in the Lords message unto the people saying I am with you saith the Lord. WHen the Prophet Haggai had delivered his message from the Lord of Hosts unto Zerubbabel Joshua and the remnant of the people the fruit of this message from the Lord is here set downe what effect it wrought in the hearts of the hearers not only of Zerubbabel and Joshua but even of the people also The principall effects that followed upon the Prophets Sermon are here noted to be two one of Obedience They all obeyed the voice of the Lord Another of reverence And the people did feare before the Lord. The word of the Lord by the messenger of the Lord had brought some feare and reverence upon them to cause them to stoope unto the will of God and this feare had wrought some desire in their hearts to yeeld themselves in obedience to do the worke of the Lord in the building of the Temple also It is said of Christ Isai 11 Chapter That the feare of the Lord should rest upon him and so it may be likewise of all true Christians that the feare of the Lord is before them not that fear which John speaks of which is a feare that hath painfulnesse wherewith the wicked are vexed dreading punishment that being a slavish and a servile feare but such a feare as Abraham had when he would have offered his deare sonne for a sacrifice to the Lord feare arising from faith and love and drawing us on to obedience That fear of the Lord which Joh. saith continueth with love for ever herein is love perfect that we should have boldnes in the day of judgement This feare is a token of grace in the children of God that they tremble and feare at the word of the Lord so saith the Lord by the Prophet Isai Is 66. c. v. 2. To this man I looked even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word and againe v. 5 hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word Such aâ—â—are did the Lord himselfe approve and commend in the heart of goo◠〈◊〉 fiah 2 Kings 22. chap. 19. ver Because thine heart was tender and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I also have heard thee saith the Lord. And such a feare joyned with obedience the Lord requireth in all his servants Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkenesse and hate no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Thus did Zerubbabel Joshua with the remnant of the people they obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the Prophet as the Lord their God had sent him and the people did before feare the Lord. A lesson of no small importance both to us that preach the word and to you that heare it also For us that preach that we do the worke and preach the word of the Lord not onely faithfully but plainely also that the people that heare us may be effectually moved to reverence and obedience there withall To you that heare that you receive the message not as from men but as from God as did the Thessalonians to whom the Apostle gives testimony with thanksgiving and that without ceasing for that when they receaved the word which they heard of him and others of Gods Ministers they receaved it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh in them that beleeve And let us here consider what the Apostle saith follow after charity and desire spirituall gifts but rather that yee may prophecy All preachers of the word after a sort are Prophets not because they foretell things to come but because they open and reveale the word of the Lord and apply it also unto Gods people For he that prophecieth speaketh from God unto men to edefication exhortation and comfort and so is he said to edefie the Church of God according to that of the Apostle he that speaketh a strange language edefieth himselfe but he that prophesieth edefieth the Church The Church is said to be edefied by a Metaphor when they that are believers are layd as living stones one upâ—â— another being edefied that is built as a spirituall 〈◊〉 is by Gods Ministers who are therefore called Gods buildâ—â—s as the people are Gods building 1 Cor. 3. 9. and so it it is said Acts 9. 31. That the Church had rest throughout all Judea and Galile and Samaria and were edefied and walking in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed To preach or prophecy therefore is not to speake strange language if we will ever have the people edefied but we must Prophecy as the Prophets and Apostles did in plaine evidence of spirit and speech rather to profit than to please either our selves or those whom we speake unto which if either we would follow the Apostles judgement or did minde so much the peoples profit as he did we would be much more willing to do so our selves also For though he could speake as many and more languages than any of them all yet had he rather said he speake five words plainly and profitably to instruct others than ten thousand in a strange tongue And it is well worth the observing that which the Apostle hath noted already that when God spake in a strange language he did it because of the peoples infidelity 1 Cor 14. 22. and it was no mercy but a judgment that the Lord would speake with other tongues to that people Isai 28 11. For all that will they not heare me saith the Lo The Fathers of the Greek Church never preached in the learned Hebrew but in their vulgar tongue neither any Church till Papistry came in The Apostles themselves being filled with the Holy Ghost began to speake with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance and although the multitude which heard them were of divers languages yet did they heare what the Apostles spake every man in their owne tongue wherein they were borne They spake not in Greeke to the Arabians nor in Latine to the Egyptians nor in the Parthian tongue to the Phrygians nor in the
Hebrew tongue to the Grecians but the people heard them speakeing in their owne tongues the wonderfull things of God What the true language and learning is which Preachers should labour for and so present unto Gods people we may understand and finde by the Prophet Isai speaking in the person of Christ the cheife Preacher of the Gospel The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary which also we may take from his owne blessed mouth in his owne person to the same purpose Matth. 11. 28. when that of the Prophet was accomplished Come unto me saith he all yee that are weary and laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and you shall finde rest unto your soules and yet more effectually when that Scripture Esai 61. 1 2 by his owne testimony was fulfilled in him and by him Luk. 4. 18. The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclame liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. And began to say unto them this day is the scripture fullfilled in your eares and in the pening and applying of which words he did so wonderfully affect the minds and harts of his hearers that as the Evangelist saith they all bearim witnesse and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Here then may we see indeed what true learning is and who hath the tongue of the learned who he is that is best able to preach the Gospel with most power and best fruit even he that hath the spirit of God upon him in some measure as Christ had above measure and so delivering the word of grace causeth those that heare it to wonder at the gratious words that proceeded out of his mouth That preaching then is most warrantable which is most profitable and that most profitable which is most powerfull and that most powerfull which best informeth the minde enlightneth the judgement affecteth the soule aright and warmeth the heart with the comforts and contentments of it As it fell out with the two disciples going to Emaus Did not our hearts say they burne within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures which no doubt he did not in any strange language to procure the credit of a learned tongue but in plaine evidence of speech and spirit for the helpe of their understandings and affections in their Vulgar language well knowne unto them Saint Paul exhorteth to prophecy in words of understanding and not to use a strange language Learning doubtlesse is fallen to a low ebb if men cannot understand us nor will acknowledge any learning in us except we construe greek or hebrew and stuffe our sermons with allegations of divers languages which may indeed please our selves and humor others but tendeth nothing to the profit and edification of them that heare us and albeit the scripture seemeth sometimes to use some words of a strange language yet must we wisely consider upon what just occasion such words were so uttered and then so recorded by the penmen of the Holy-Ghost it was not for any vaine ostentation nor purposely for our imitation but either for the explication of some mystery or exposition of some prophecy When Christ raised up the daughter of Jairus Ruler of the Synagogue from the death to life he said using these words of the Syrian language Tabitha-cumi to put them in minde of the Scripture that was now performed which Isai prophecyed Isai 16. 1. Send ye the Lambe to the Ruler of the land from the Rocke of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Sion when the eares of the deafe were opened Mat. 7. 34. he said Ephatha a word of the Syrian tongue which the Evangelist presently expounded be opened that so that might be knowne to be performed which was spoken by the Prophet Isay 35. 5. Then shall the eyes of the blinde be enlightned and the eares of the deafe be opened when he was crucified in his greivous agony upon the Crosse he cryed out with a loud voice in these words Eli Eli Lamma-sabaâ—thani the former of which words being Hebrew and the latter beings words of the Syrian language which Christ uttered and the Evangelist interpreted My God my God why hast thouforsaken me and this was done to shew both the accomplishing of the prophecy of David Psal 22 concerning his person and bitter passion whence these words were taken and also the bitter mocking of the Jewes who hearing him call Eli Eli said in a scoffing manner he calleth upon Elias and let him alone let us see whether Elias will come to take him downe and so we finde that both Christ and his Apostles did divers times in the New Testament use the Syrian word Abba Father when they called upon God or spake of the voice of the spirit of Adoption in our hearts whereby we cry unto God as unto our Father a probable argument as some do conceive that usually they did both preach and pray in a knowne language even in the vulgar tongue all which being duely weighed and considered we may easily perceive that it is much safer and better both for preachers and hearers that the word be delivered not in words and sentences of a strange language but to the best capacity of the hearers in a knowne tongue for as we must not so preach that we may seeme to be learned so neither may the hearers desire to hear otherwise our other things then such as whereby they may goe away better instructed and edefied in the Faith and feare of God And then if thus we speake and thus we heare and if thus we deliver and thus we receive the Lords message from the Lords messengers as the people of God did in this place we shall receive the patterne of wholsome words and be better acquainted with the forme of true godlinesse we shall speake as the words of God and receive the word that is brought us not as the word of man but as indeed it is the word and Oracles of the living God Such was the effect and fruit of Peters Sermon Act. 2. when he spake not onely so plainely to their eares and understanding but also powerfully and peirceingly to their very heartes and affections concerning Christ the son of God whom with their wicked hands they had crucified for they upon the hearing thereof they were pricked in their hearts perplexed in their spirits they repented of their sins beleeved the Apostles werâ— baptized and received the Holy Ghost and the same day there were added unto them about three hundred soules And albeit the word of God though powerfully and plainely preached
in them to obey so good a Father for when he might have justly punished them for their daily sinnes yet as a loving father he raised them out of the same which must needs incourage them and make them thankefull for it and the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel The spirit of God teaceth us that what soever is written a fore time is written for our instruction so that in this place we may learne divers lessons for our learning First where the Lord is said to have stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel with this connexion and the Lord c. The connexion sheweth that it dependeth on the words which went before whence we may observe that the orninary meanes which the Lord useth to stirre us up and to convert us unto himselfe is the ministry of the word so that it pleaseth him to send his messengers not only to the meaner sort of men but to Kings and Princes also for the same purpose A thing the more to be marked because there are some as tradsmen schollers and Divines which may happily thinke themselves not to be charged with these things or els not to have need thereof whereby they may seeme to be exempted from them but let such men consider that this is the meanes whereby they must be stirred up Lydia a seller of purple had her heart opened thereby even at the preaching of Saint Paul And as for others although they have never so much learning yet I hope they neither may nor will preferre themselves before David a man after Gods own heart and indued with a principall and singular spirit who did not arise out of the dead sleepe of sinne untill the prophet Nathan came unto him to stirre him up and them he cryed as it is Psalm 51 Have mercy upon me O God cast me not away from thy presence nor take thy holy spirit from me and this the same spirit of God doth manifest unto us that which our Saviour Christ said to Nicodemus that we must be borne anew except a man be borne againe be cannot see the Kingdome of God and borne againe we cannot be unlesse we be first begotten by the word and though it be true that God begetts us by the inward operation of his holy spirit yet he useth the outward meanes of the ministry to the perfecting an laccomplishing of the same and therefore Paul is said to beget the Corinthians and Onesimus by the word so unlesse we receive the messengers which bring this word unto us and apply the same unto our hearts we can have no regeneration of the spirit God the creator of all things might have begotten us without Fathers or Mothers or any other meanes as he did in Adam and Eve and he might of stones have raised up Children unto Abraham but he ordained and used the meanes of naturall generation and so must we in our new birth that so we may be-gotten not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever Rachel said give me children or else I die unto whom Jacob answered am I in Gods steed who hath withholden from thee the fruit of thy wombe so that as in naturall generation the fruit of the body cometh by the blessing of God so is it in our spirituall regeneration also if Rachel had not asked of God God had not remembred her and if she had not used the meanes she had not beene the mother of Joseph and Benjamin which teacheth us that we must use the meanes of the ministery that we may be begotten and borne again as many as will be the children of God they must receive the word which is brought unto them by the Lords messengers that they may be begotten anew by the same and being thus begotten and borne anew we must not stay here but be nursed up further and brought up with the pure milke of the word that as new borne Babes we may grow thereby and when we be growne to be of riper age in Christ then this word will afford us strong meat also for this is not onely the sincere milke of the soule which as new borne babes we must desire that we may grow thereby as 1 Pet. 2. 2. but as it is also strong meat for strong men and belongeth also to them of riper age which through long custome have their witts exercised to discerne both good and evill As Heb. 5. 14. Let us not therefore neglect the means of our so great salvation for if he which despiseth Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses how much more sore punishment shall he be worthy of that neglecteth the worke of reconciliation whereby we grow up in Christ Jesus Remember the word of the Lord spoken by the Prophet Amos 8. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but for hearing of the word of the Lord and they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even unto the East shall they runne and seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it And this plague shall not onely be upon the ancient and Elders of Israel but he addeth further that even the faire virgins and young men shall perish for thirst a most evident proofe that as our bodyes would quickly perish unlesse they should be strengthened with materiall food and nourishment even so our soules unlesse they be fedd and nourished with the heavenly food of the word brought unto us by the ministers and preachers thereof would quickly dye and perish whereby we are to acknowledge the singular goodnesse of God and his great mercy shewed unto us above the Jewes in sending us so great plenty of this food and therefore the more wretched and ungratefull are we if we contemne so great a grace and mercy when it is offered unto us It is said Jer. 29. that the Lord had sent them Prophets rising up early and instructing them yet they were not obedient to receive doctrine The word of rising early should put the ministers in minde of their industry and diligence in their vocation and delivering the message of the Lord and if this early rising do seem to be to early to some Let them remember the saying of the wise man in the Proverbs which may helpe to awake them How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep yet a little sleep a little slumber a little foulding of the hands to sleep therefore thy poverty cometh as one that travaileth by the way and thy necessity as an armed man wherefore let every one awaken and strengthen the things that remaine least if we do not watch he come upon us as a theife in the night at unawares If we say with the Church of the Laodiceans that we are rich and increase with goods and have
need of nothing then it is to be feared least indeed we be wretched and miserable and poore blinde and naked or if we thinke it enough for us to be present onely where the word is preached though we take it not home to our owne hearts let us consider that the high Priests did frequent those places where the messengers of the Lord did deliver their message but it was not sufficient unlesse they did apply the message to themselves which was brought unto them unto that end Moreover where it is said that the Lord did stirre up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel we are taught that neither the chastisements of the Lord nor yet the preaching of the word can bring us out of the sleepe of sinne unlesse it please God to adde thereunto the inward operation of the spirit to awake us for though affliction do cause us to cry and call unto the Lord as Isai saith Lord in trouble they have visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastisements was upon them yet oftentimes afflictions doe worke no such effect in the hearts of men else would not the Lord have said why do I correct you in vaine Nay many times the very griefe of affliction doth estrange men from God cause them to blaspheme the name of the Lord and breed hardnesse of heart in many of the wicked as is manifest Revel 16 when the angell did plague the wicked they boyled in great heat and then they blasphemed the name of God which had power over plagues and they repented not to give him glory and if they breake not out to these extremities yet they will continue still in their wickednesse and not turne unto the Lord that he may have mercy upon them so that neither afflictions nor yet the preaching of the word can stirre us up unlesse God do adde the secret operation of his holy spirit thereunto A resemblance herereof the Romans do afford us by the fact of Camillus who when he had besieged the City of Phalisci with ten yeares warre and attempted by the sword and famine to cause them to yeeld unto him yet all was in vaine till at length by his clemency and lenity he prevailed with them for when the Schoolmaster of the City who had the charge of the noblemens sonnes did bring them and betray them to Camillus that thereby they might be enforced to yeeld up themselves and the City for the ransoming and redeeming of their children Camillus considering that the falshood and treachery of the School-Master could bring him neither comfort nor credit commanded his officers to stripp him naked and binde his hands behinde his backe and to cause the children his Schollers each of them having rod in his hand to whip him backe into the City againe At which Noble action the Citizens were so moved that they presently delivered up their City unto him acknowledging Camillus as their Saviour and God and father even so oftentimes the Lord doth plague us with Famine and sword but yet we will not turne unto him untill by his Holy Spirit he gently move our hearts to yeeld unto him and then we beginne to acknowledge him our Saviour our Father our God in Christ Jesus We indeed are oftentimes overcome with such a dead sleep of security that affliction doth not awake us nor worke our amendment that we might turn unto God nay rather the greife of a son as hath beene said doth many times more withdraw and estrange our hearts from the Lord. It is recorded that the men of Canas after they were overcome by the Carthaginians alledged that they prospered better so long as they burnt their children unto their idols but what should I speake of the heathen seeing the people of God the Jewes blush not to tell the prophet Jeremy that whilest they burnt incense to the Queene of heaven and poured out drinke offerings unto her they had plenty of victualls and saw no evill but since they left off say they to burne incense to the Queene of Heaven and to poure out drinke offerings unto her we have wanted all things and have been consumed by the sword and by famine The word of God I confesse is a very forceable meanes to stirre them up and to prevaile for obedience but yet of it selfe insufficient unlesse by the power of Gods spirit it be put upon our minds and written upon our hearts and therfore our Saviour Christ and his Apostles dealing with the unbeleving stifnecked Jews said unto them as was prophecied of them Hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and seing ye shall see and shall not perceive for the hart of this people is waxed fat and their eares are dull of hearing they have eyes and see not eares and heare not and all because as the Prophet speaketh they are a rebellious house wherefore we may say with Elihu Job 32. Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding and this is not true only in the first operation of the spirit but in going on forward in the grace bâ—gunne and not therein only but in the perfecting of the same So that we may well acknowledge that of our Saviour That no man cometh unto the father except the father draw him and the Spouse in the Canticles saith wisely draw me and I will run after thee And the Apostle to the Philippians sheweth that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do And when the Apostle had preached the Gospell from Jerusalem and round about to Illericum he ascribeth nothing unto himselfe but all to the power of the spirit and grace of God which was with him But some may object that if God do onely worke in us all good motives and actions by the secret and inward operation of his holy spirit and that we can do nothing of our selves why then doth God punish us for not doing these things seeing that he himself is the cause why we do them not To this I answer that God doth justly punish us for that we have lost that knowledge that was given us in our first creation and then we had free will to do good our selves but now we are ignorant thereof and therefore are justly punished For as Laertius reporteth of Piltacus who made lawes whosoever were drunke should be double punished if he committed any offence according as Aristole also witnesseth Tertio Ethicorum cap. 5. First for his drunkennesse and secondly for his fault committed in his drinke so we are justly punished not onely for the fault or sinne it selfe but because of our originall corruption and ignorance which is incident into us by reason of that generall curse which fell upon all mankinde at the beginning but as for us that have better learned Christ and can cut of all objections with the word we know that it is not in him that willeth nor
for looking to the profits and fruits which may arise from them how much better were it for them to have that cogitation that David had 1 Chro. 11. who when he had desired to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem and three of his valiant men had broken through the Host of the Philistimes and had drawne of the water and brought it to him would not drinke if it but poured it out for an oblation unto the Lord and said let not my God suffer me to doe this should I drinke the bloud of these mens lives and is not this the blood of these mens lives which we drinke when we are cloathed and fedd with that which they allow us and yet leave them in that case that they pine away for want of feeding and as the Prophet saith they dye in this blindnesse and ignorance for want of teaching Therefore I beseech you in Jesus Christ though perhaps you have had a longing desire to drinke of this water yet thinke better on it and take Davids affection and resolution and say let not my God suffer me to do this and rather bate of that you spend of your raiment and faire then take such dead pay and keep backe other faithfull watchmen which else they might have The Lord for his mercy so sanctifie our harts that by the often hearing of his holy word we may consider and acknowledg our wants and imperfections and hereby be stirred up to redresse what we find amisse in our selves to the building of his Church to the comfort of our owne soules to the glory of his blessed Name through the grace of his holy Spirit in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour to whom with the Father and the same holy Spirit be all praise for evermore Amen Amen Sermon the Tenth 1599. Haggai 2. 5 6. For I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came forth of Egypt so my spirit shall remaine among you feare not HOw the Lord by the ministry of the Prophet Haggai did often and earnestly exhort and stirre forward the Jewes after their returne from the captivity of Babylon to the building up of the Temple hath beene hitherto declared unto you now of the promises or causes of encouragement whereby it pleased God to harten them least the conceit which they had that this house should not be so famous and so execellent as the former should discourage them and hinder them from that businesse this is the first which I have read unto you which containeth in it a most gracious promise of his aid and assistance by his spirit because that flesh and blood is ready to suggest into the minde of a man that which is in the Proverbs It is better to be idle than to be occupied in vaine and to make folke measure things by the event so that unlesse they see present meanes to effect that which they undertake they cast off all hope of accomplishing their purpose and so cease from medling any further whereon it was that Moses Exod. 4. 10. when he should be sent to Pharaoh excused himself that he was not eloquent that he had a stammering tongue but the Lord raised him up from that thought telling him that he should trust in the grace of the Almighty saying who hath given the mouth to man or who maketh the dumbe to speake c. do not I the Lord now therefore go and I will teach thee what to say to the like effect is the message sent to Haggai because that Zerubbabel and Jehoshua and the rest which should have been the chief in the worke having laid the foundation of the Temple despaired of finishing it and so despaired before he began it The Lord therefore stirred them up to go forward by these words which I have now read unto you a reason very forcible and motive very pregnant to move them forward I am with you saith the Lord of Hostes which words the Prophet often useth there by putting them in minde both of his power that sets them forward whose will all creatures as souldiers are ready to performe and meaning thereby also that by his favourable assistance he will blesse them and that by his spirit he will give them grace to accomplish that which they had undertaken In the second place the doubtfull understanding of the word word hath caused interpretors diversly to expound it for by word in scripture is sometimes signified the second person in the Trinity the Saviour of the world the Essentiall and eternall word of God of which John speaketh John 1. In the beginning was the word by whom all things were made and through whom all things are now preserved and so here should be three things which the Lord should novv promise 1 His owne presence 2 The presence of his Son 3 The presence of the holy Ghost which sense the Hebrewe would beare as may be translated and then it should be translated thus I am with you by my word that I covenanted with you c. whereto also the Argument agreeth because he was the Angell mentioned Exo. 23. 20. that spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai that gave the law unto the Israelites and promised them his favour if they kept his covenant as Stephen sheweth Act. 7. 38 sometimes it signifieth a promise made unto any insomuch that David Psal 105. ver 8 mentioning the covenant that the Lord made with Abraham saith thus he hath alwayes remembred his covenant and presently addeth this word of promise made to a thousand generations and thus othersome do thinke it to be taken in this place and this indeed the text will best beare and so much the more sith the Lord on the like occasion saith Deut. 31. ver 8. that he himselfe would goe before them and therefore encourageth them not to feare or be discouraged for himselfe would be with them and would not faile them nor forsake them and this the ordinary construction of the Hebrewes doth include as they know that are skilled that way especially I say if these words be compared with the 8 9. verses of the 105 Psal before mentioned besides there is a more pregnant motive to induce me hereunto even the authority of the Apostle himselfe who Heb. 12. 27. declareth that those words which are in the next place set downe by Hag. were spoken by Christ himselfe yet once more I will shake the heavens so by the word in this place cannot be meant Christ seeing Christ is said to have spoken this It followeth therefore that his word was not the Essentiall word of God but some externall word not the eternall word of God but some word that had a beginning namely when this promise and covenant was made when the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt and delivered them by his Angel God the Father by his son promised his favour assistance if we follow this interpretation the
sense will well agree with the former namely this word this promise was made by Christ considering that in him all promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20 and considering that Christ saith Joh. 14 15 16. that if we love him and keep his commandements he will pray the Father and he will give us another comforter that he may abide with us for ever whence the latter place in the Text of the Holy Ghost receiveth also light our Saviour there calling him the comforter and promising his abiding with us not for a season but for ever And this for the meaning of the words whereby the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel and the rest to go about the building of the Temple assuring them that he will be with them and that he will be mercifull unto them and prosper them in their endeavours that he will send them his spirit to guide and direct them and to releive them in all wants and doth not the Lord here likewise stirre up and exhort us to go forward with the building of the spirituall house not only such as have the place of Zerubbabel or the office of Jehosua but all the faithfull also that every one in his vocation should doe what in him liâ—th to the building up of the body of Christ no doubt as we have the like command so to us likewise is given the like encouragement according to the rule of the Apostles Ro. 15. ver 4. Whatsoever is written is written for our learning For why have not we Temples to build as well as they are not our bodyes called temples of the Holy Ghost Ephe. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor 6. 19. and therefore not onely the Church that is the Church universall assemâ—ly of the faithfull is to do this but also every man and woman in particular and albeit the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments Pastors and Teachers are to be principal labourers herein because they were cheifely given to this end Eph. 4. 12. yet all the faithfull are appointed as under-workemen for as much as the Lord exhorteth them that they exhort and edifie one another 1 Thes 5. 11. and Iude commandeth them to have care to edifie one another in their most holy faith verse 10. the commandement therefore that was given to them is given to us which is so much the more to be regarded of us how much more neere to God and more precious the spirituall house that is built on Christ and is to last for ever is above the materiall temple built on earth which was not to continue but to be laid waste insomuch that one stone should not be left one upon another so that thus you see that in respect of the like commandment we also are to build up our spiritual tabernacle and temple to the Lord which also we must do in respect of the like promises that they had which the Lord most graciously hath made unto us as he did unto them to the end that we should cast away all feare and distrustfulnes nay rather we have greater promises made unto us than ever they had to them at lest in measure greater howsoever in substance they be the same for what saith Christ Mat. 28. 16. the last ver Behold I am with you to the end of the world what promise can be more gracious what more comfortable which cannot be understood of the Disciples and Apostles only because of that circumstance till the end of the world and though they did belong chiefly to the ministers who were to observe and teach all that the Lord had commanded them yet in command they also respect all other as many as beleeve in the Lord by their ministery as Christ well sheweth in his praise Iob. 17. 20. where he addeth the enâ— also that they might be all one they in him and he in them as the Father is in him yea the promise is more graciously given to us then to them insomuch that Heb. 8. 8. the words of Jeremy that the Lord spake unto the Jewes are cited I will be their God and they shall be my people saith c. are appointed unto us promising us that he will prosper us he will not leave nor forsake us that he will blesse us not onely with heavenly blessings but also with temporall and with earthly treasures according to the meaning of the very same promise made to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy God and renewed to us Jer. 31. and yet with more kinde words 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters 2ly In respect of like or greater promises we must build up our spirituall Temple 3. We must do it respect of the like continuance of the spirit which we have amongst us as they had for Christ promiseth us Iohn 14. 16. That he will pray the Father and he will give us a comfortor and he shall abide with us for ever which least any should thinke to be spoken in respect of the disciples onely the Apostle 1 Cor. 16. telleth us that the spirit of God dwelleth in us also thereby the Metaphor of abiding in us as it may be explained by that which Cato in Tully saith of the soule namely that nature hath given it an abiding place in the body not a dwelling place therefore it must go out of the body as out of an Inne and not out of a dwelling house yea this is so to be understood of all Christians that the Apostle saith Rom. 8. after he had used the same phrase of the soule dwelling in us that he that hath not the spirit of God dwelling in him is none of Gods avouching that there is no Christian to whom this promise is not made good or verified it is true indeed that the spirit being God filleth full all places taking in it that generality but when we shall talke of this dwelling amoung the faithfull we take it after a more particular manner that he dwelleth in them by his gifts and graces as the Apostle signifyeth Ephes 3. 17 when he saith that he would pray that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith for so Christ dwelleth in us by communicating his spirit The Spirit I say shedding in our hearts faith and love and then Christ cometh and dwelleth in them which Augustine implyeth when he applyed those words to the widdow that wept for her husband why saith he dost thou weepe for thy husband thou hast by faith a better husband in thy heart for thou hast Christ himselfe for thy husband A sentence beloved most comfortable to the faithfull and which may serve well to assure them of their salvation by Christ and therefore the Papists desiring to impair it where Cyril useth the same words they willed them to be put out least any of their Schollers reading them in Cyrill not so corrected should conceive that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith but blessed be God that our students may