stayes not here in the porch or lobbyes but passeth into the presence yea privy-chamber ver 2. yea my thoughts in posse before I think them Deus intimo nostro nobis intimior The word is to God a sea of glasse Rev. 4 6. a clear transparent body and his eyes are as a flaming fire Reu. 1.14 which needs no outward light because it seeth extramittendo by sending out a ray Psal 139.12 so that the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both alike to him What wonder therefore though he know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from him And how should this both humble them for which cause it is here urged and caution them for the future as it did that holy man who had written upon the walls and windowes of his study these verses Ne pecces Deus ipse videt bonns Angelus astat Accusat satanas et lex mens conscia culpae c. For now O Ephraim thou committest whoredom and Israel is defiled in body and soul Eph. 4.19 rushing into all impiety without restraint working all uncleanness with greediness being filled withall unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit c. Rom. 1.29.30 All these evil things come from within and defile a man Mar. 7.23 worse then any leprosie worse then the vomit of a dog or the mire of a swine It is the pollution of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 it is the putrefaction of a dead carcase the sanies of a plague-sore the devils excrement and that which defileth far worse then that which is cast into the draught Mar. 7.21 It sets defilement upon our selves others the whole land Jer. 3.1 yea upon the visible heavens which must therefore be purged by that last fire And this was typified by those many Leviticall washings and purification of garments vessels persons c. Wash you therefore make you clean put away the evil of your doings c. Esay 1.16 Wash thy heart from wickedness O Jerusalem 〈◊〉 hands onely as Pilate though those too Jam. 4.8 Jer. 4.14 Cleanse your selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 17.1 Of the flesh that is fleshly lusts and gross evils as uncleanness earthly mindedness or Of spirit that is those more spirituall lusts that lie more up in the heart of the countrey such as are pride creature-confidence self-deceit presumption c. Out with all these there 's both a stain and a sting in them Run to the Bath of Christs blood that blessed fountain Zech. 13.1 and there wash and be clean Look not upon Gods Jordan with Syrian eyes as Naaman did Abanah and Pharphar may wash and scoure but Jordan is for cure And if God see fit to Iay us a frosting to fetch out our filth yea or cast into the fire to take away our defilements let us be contented Verse 4. They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God Or their doings will not suffer them That is they are so habituated and hardened in sinfull practices that they are not onely disinabled to conversion but evil-affected thereunto they stand a-crosse to all good to their sinewes of iron they have added browes of brasse Isai 48.4 to their sin they adde rebellion which is as bad as witch-craft 1. Sam. 15.23 till at length they lose all passive power also of being converted and so are transformed as it were into so many devils having by custome contracted a necessitie of sinning they are become incurable they neither will nor can return to their God they will not frame their doings to it The Vulgar hath it their studies the Septuagint their counsels Castalio their endeavours Pagnine their pains c. The Originall is very elegant and metricall Lo ijttenu magnallchem Lashub el Elohehem I scarce know a like text in all the Scripture unlesse it be that Lam. 5.16 Oi na lanu chi chattanu Woe to us that we have sinned which is so elegant also in the Originall that Master Wheatly of Banbury who used to be very plain in his Preaching and not to name a Greek Latine or Hebrew word Master Leigh nis Saints encouragement c. ep dedic quoted it once in the Hebrew as witnesse learned Master Leigh who lived some while under his Ministry But to return to the text whereas some might possibly conceive or reply Ephraim is far gone indeed but he may return No never saith God for he will not give his minde to it or shew his good will he is even set and there is no removing of him he hath made his conclusion and is as good as ever he meaneth to be They are so far from yielding themselves unto the Lord as 2 Chro. 30.8 that they stand in full opposition to him yea send messages after him We will not have this man to rule over us The Jewes were an untoward generation saith Peter Act. 2.40 they by their obstinate refusall of the Gospel judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life saith Paul Act. 13.46 there were unmalleable unframeable so knotty that they were fit for nothing but the fire so nastie that they were fit for no place but the dunghill And why the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them The devill is at Inne with them as that Martyr said he even sits abrood upon them Master Bradford Eph. 2.2 hatching all manner of evil counsels and courses he worketh effectually in these children of disobedience as a smith doth in his forge an artificer in his shop he acts them and agitates them making their souls and all the powers thereof nothing else but a shop of sin their bodies and all the parts thereof tooles of sin their lives and all their actions of both soul and body a trade of sin a web of wickedness spun out and made up by the hands of the devil and the flesh an evil spinner and a worse weaver Hence they he rotting all their lives long in the graves of sin wrapt up in the winding sheet of hardness of heart they will not frame their doing to turn to God and blindness of mind they have not known the Lord and as a carcase crawleth with woâ—mes so do these men swarm with those noisome lusts that are able to poisorâ—â—â— an honest heart How can it be otherwise the spirit of fornication is in the mâ—â—dest of them as a King in his Kingdom yea hath filled their hearts from corner to corner as he had done the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira Act. â— That unclean spirit besiegeth the puâ—est hearts and compasseth them about seeking to devour them 1 Pet. 5.8 but they keep him out stedfast in the faith or if he any way get in they quickly cast him out again so that he cannot long rest or roost much lesse raign there for the Spirit of God keepeth them 1 Joh. 5.18 Caietan and that evil one toucheth them not tactu qualitativo with a deadly touch
is I will accept your worships Psal 73.23 24. though in this meaner temple If God may have the substance of worship hee stands not much upon the circumstance The sick may pray upon their beds the persecuted in chambers Acts 1. yea in dens and caves of the earth Heb. 11.38 The Church in Queen Maries dayes met and prayed oft together in a cellar in Bow-church-yard It was one of the laws of the twelve tables in Rome Ad divos adeunto castè pietatem adhibento Act. Mon. opes amovento Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire viz. in comparison of obedience 1 Sam. 15.22 but as a better thing mine ears hast thou opened Psal 40.6 Hypocrites by cold ceremonies think to appease God they observe the circumstance neglect the substance they stick in the bark of religion gnabble on the shel offer the skin keep back the flesh serve God with shewes shall be served accordingly Verse 5. According to the Word Or as Tremellius hath it better Cum VERBO quo pepigeram vobiscum with the WORD in and sor whom I covenanted with you c. So my Spirit remaineth among you And so it is a gracious promise that the whole Trinity will be with them The particle eth seemeth put for gnim◠and the article He is emphatical shewing that by Word is meant the second person often called the Word both in the Old Testament 2 Sam. 7.21 with 1 Chron. 17.19 and in the New Luke 1.2 John 1.1 1 John 5.7 The Caldee seemeth to favour this interpretation for he rendreth it My Word shall be your help Hierome Albertus Nyssen and Haymo dissent not Haggai and other Prophets and Patriarches of old did well understand the mystery of the Sacred Trinity See my note on Gen. 1.1 Elihu speaks of the Almighty his makers Job 35.10 Solomon the same Eccles 12.1 Cant. 1.11 which Jarchi interpreteth of the Trinity Isay hath his Trisagion or Holy Holy Holy chap. 6.3 and chap. 42.5 Thus saith God the Lord He that created the heavens and they that stretched them out So Deut. 6.4 When Moses beginneth to rehearse the law and to explain it the first thing he teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One Three words answering the three persons and the middle word Our God deciphering fitly the second who assumed our nature as is well observed by Galatinus Others observe that the last letters in the Original both in the word Hear and in the word One are bigger then ordinary as calling for utmost heed and attention The old Rabbines were no strangers to this tremend mystery as appeareth by R. Solomons note on Cant. 1.11 We will make c. though their posterity desperately deny it The Greek Church was not so sound in this fundamental point therefore their chief City Constantinople was taken from them by the Turks as Estius observeth on Whitsunday or as others on Trinity Sunday which day saith our Chronicler the Black Prince was used every year to celebrate with the greatest honour that might be Speed 723. in due veneration of so divine a mystery Now Christ is here and elsewhere called The Word either because hee is so often promised in the Word Or else because by him Gods will was manifested and revealed to men and that either mediately in the Prophets whence Peter Martyr thinketh that phrase came Then came the Word of the Lord that is Christ Or immediately himselfe Heb. 1.2 and 2.3 That I covenanted with you Or in whom I covenanted and whence Christ is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Christ then was a Saviour to those of the Old Testament also Rev. 13.8 the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Christ undertook to pay his peoples debt in the fullnesse of time and hereby they were saved A man may let a prisoner loose now upon a promise to pay the debt a year after See Heb. 9.15 and take notice of the unity of the faith in both Testaments they of old saw Christ afarre off in the promises they saluted him and were resaluted by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. When ye came out of Egypt Ye that is your ancestours Things done by the parents may be said to be done by the children because of the near conjunction that is between them Hence Levi is said to pay tithes in Abraham and Adams sinne is imputed to us all Heb. 7. So my spirit remaineth amongst you Not the substance but the gifts of the Spirit not the tree but the fruits Those whom God receiveth into the covenant of grace he endues them with the spirit of grace See Rom. 8.9.11 How else should they be able to perform their part of the Covenant sith we cannot so much as suspirare unlesse he doe first inspirare breath out a sigh for sinne till he breath it in to us by his Spirit Hereby then we may know whether or no we are in Covenant with God the Devill will be sure to sweep all that are not sc if his spirit remain in us Jer. 31.35 working illumination 1 Cor. 2.14.15 Mortification Rom. 8.13 Motion Rom. 8.14 Guifts 1 Cor. 12.4 7 8. c. Fruits Gal. 5.22.23 strength Esay 11.2 Courages as here Fear ye not Cur timet hominem homo in sinu Dei positus Aug. why should such fear man who have God in Christ by his Spirit standing with them and for them The righteous may be bold as a lyon he hath the peace of God within him and the power of God without him and so goes ever under a double guard what need he fear It is said of Achilles that he was Styge armatus and therefore could not bee wounded But he that is in covenant with God is Deo Christo Spiritu Sancto armatus and may therefore be fearlesse of any creature Verse 6. For thus saith the Lord of hosts i. e. the three persons in Trinity as appeareth by the note on the former verse Howbeit the Author to the Hebrews chap. 12.25.26 applyeth the words to Christ whence observe that Christ is Lord of hosts and God Almighty even the same second person that is called haddabhar the Word in the former verse is very God Compare John 1.3 with Col. 1.14.16 and Iohn 1.9 with Iohn 8.12 and Iohn 1.11 with Acts 3.13.14 c. See those cohaerencies of sentences Iohn 9.3.4 and 11.4 and 12.39.40 besides the Apostles argument Heb. 1.4 That one Gospel written by St. Iohn who was therefore called the Divine by an excellency as afterwards Nazianzen also was because he doth professedly assert and vindicate the Divinity of Christ ever strongly impugned by the Devill and his agents those odious Apostates and hereticks ancient and moderne And no wonder for it is the Rock Mat. 16.18 setting him forth 1. as coessential to the Father his onely begotten sonne Iohn 1.14 One with the Father in essence and power
up his poyson so doth the good soul when afflicted purge it self from all filth of flesh and spirit striving to perfect holinesse in the fear of God These Jews after they had been in the Babylonish furnace for idolatry hated and feared that sinne as much as the burnt child dreads the fire They would die any death rather then admit an idoll Josephus tells how stoutly they opposed Pilate and Petronius that would would have set up Cesars statue in their Temples offering their throats to the swords of the souldiers rather then they would endure that idoll in Gods house What God is now doing with them and for them in this long time of their sad desolation and dispersion who can tell There are that think that after much purging and proving as here God will gather a Church of them to himself according to that which followeth They shall call upon my name and I will hear them I will say it is my people c. And that upon their profession of Christ shall come the sorest time of affliction that ever was chap. 14.1 2. when Gog and Magog with all his troops and armies shall compasse the beloved city Rev. 20.8 9. But the Jews shall get a glorious Conquest for God himself from heaven will miraculously fight for them verse 3 4 5. together with all the holy Angels the ministers of his judgements verse 5. Sure it is that the Turks fear some such thing as this and therefore they cannot abide that any Jew amongst them should turne Christian In the yeer 1528. a certain Jew dwelling in Constantinople became a good Christian and was baptized which the Turks understanding were vehemently exasperated against him for it fearing lest his conversion should prove prejudiciall to their Mahometan religion and therefore they apprehended and cruelly murthered him and try them as gold is tried viz. that when I have tried them they may come forth as gold Job 33.10 Hence Gods people fall into manifold temptations Jam. 1.2 they fall they go not into them step by step but are precipitated plunged into them and not into one of them or a few but into manifold temptations or trials yea fiery trials so afflictions are called because thereby God proves what is in his people Deut. 8.16 Rev. 2.10 Not to better his own knowledge of them neither for he knows all things and is intimo nostro intimior nobis Job 2.25 Act. 1.24 Heb. 4.12 Artificers perfectly know the nature and properties of their own works and shall not God see Psal 94.9 10. But tentat ut sciat hoc est ut scire nos facâ—at August he trieth us 1. That he may make discoveries of himself unto us especially of his power and goodnesse and so get him a name as Esay 63.11 12 13. 2 Cor. 12.9 Elias would have water poured upon the sacrifices yea the Altar covered therewith that Gods power might the more appear in consuming it with fire from heaven and the people thereupon might cry Iehovah he is God 1 King 18.39 Iehovah he is God think the same here 2. That he may make discoveries of us to our selves and to others who are apt to misjudge and undervalue us as not onely Satan did Iob chap. 1.9 but even Elihu also though otherwise a good man and the best of his friends chap. 34.36 But when they see our holy carriage under the crosse they can say of us as that Centurion did of our Saviour Luke 23. Verily this was the Son of God and as one Culocerius in the Church-history when he saw the piety and constancy of the Martyrs he cryed out Verè magnus est Deus Christïanorum The Christians God is a great God indeed But as by afflictions we are made known to others so to our selves much more We are apt either to over-value or else to under-value our selves till put to the triall as is to be seen in the history of Saunders and Pendleton Hard weather tries what health wind and stormes what sap withered leaves soon fall off Rotten boughes with heavy weights quickly break Woodden vessells set empty to the fire soon break and leak not so vessells of gold and silver The best divination what men are is at the parting-way as Ezek. 21.21 When the fire comes to green wood it will appear what 's within when the pond is empty what 's in the bottom It is not known what corn will yeeld till it come to the flail nor what grapes till it come to the presse Grace is like the stone Chrysolampis quem lux celat prodit obscurum which shine brightest in the dark The skill of a Pilot is unknown but in a tempest Solinus the valour of a Captain but in a battle the faithfulnesse of a wife but in an assault The wicked tried are found to be but reprobate silver or at best but Alchymy-gold that endureth not the seventh fire They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Crocodiles Chameleons Bats Spunges c. They murmure when tried as Psal 78.40 41. Or curse as Micah's mother Iudg. 17. Or fret and howl upward as Wolves when hunge-rbit Esay 8.21 Or faint in the day of affliction as Saul who lay upon the ground like a beast 1 Sam. 28.20 Or Nabal who lay in his bed like a block Or desert God and his cause as those Renegado's Dan. 11.32 and those in the Palatinate who fell to Popery as fast as leaves fall off the trees in Autumne Many titular Christians amongst us were in times of peace but as wolves in a cage but as lions tamed by art they wanted nothing but liberty and opportunity to shew their wolvish and worrying natures which now these late shedding and discriminating times have sufficiently discovered Have all these workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up Gods people as they eat bread and call not upon God They shall call upon my name and I will hear them Psal 14.4 No time for hearing of prayers and obtaining of suits like that of affliction Those are mollissima fandi Tempora the time of affliction is the very time of supplication then our hearts are largest then Gods ear is openest Then the saints may have any thing for asking Psal 50.15 and 91.15 Thus Lot had Zoar at his request Deut. 29.23 Paul had all the souls in the ship given him Act. 27. Jacob greatly fearing to be bereft of his Benjamin prayed God give you bowels of mercy before the man Gen. 43.14 He prayed it and he had it ver 30. For Ioseph made hast for his bowels did yern upon his brother c. God reserves his best comforts for the worst times as the feast-maker kept his best wine till the last Ioh. 2. as the mother brings forth her conserves and cordials when the child sis at sickest Israel was never so royally provided for as in the wildernesse I will bring her into the wildernesse and speak to her heart Hos 2.13 As a bone once broken is stronger
sword by his presence and preaching Surely his sanne is â—â— his hand though the devil and his imps would fain wring it out Augustin Mat. 3.12 Jer 23.20 and he will thâ—roughly purâ—ge his â—loo mali in area nobiscum esse possum in horrco non pessunt he will drive the chaff one way and the wheat another for what is the chiff to the wheat saith the Lord he will purifie the souls of his Saints in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfained love of the brethren 1 Pet. 1.22 So that they shall be united to such and separated from sinners Fire we know congregat homog nea segregat heterogenea for what fellowship hath light with darknesse The spirit of Christ called a spirit of judgement and of burning washeth away lo here resiners fire and sullers 〈◊〉 the filth of the daughter of Zion and purgeth the blood of Jerusalem from the midest thereof Esay 4.4 By silth and blood understand their exceslive bravery mentioned chap. 3. which now they had learned to call by another name since their own names were written among the living in Jerusalem verse 3. And here God made good to them that he had promised Chap. 1.25 that he would purely purge away theeir drosse and take away all their tinne and that though their sinnes were as sear let they should be white as 〈◊〉 though red like crimson they should be as wooll verse 18. Fullers 〈…〉 as some render it is of singular use to fetch out stains and spots and to a biter wooll 5 Pâ—naria â—â—de Puin lib. 1â— chap. 3. 〈…〉 So much more is the blood and spirit of Christ to whiten sinfull 〈◊〉 and to make men his Candidates Such were those Corinthians 1 Eph. 6.11 Such were some of you that is as bad as bad might be lepers all over but ye are washed sc by that Fuller of soules Christ Jesus And if any ask How washed It sollowes but ye are sanctified but ye are just ified in the name that is 〈◊〉 by the merit of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God The Jews in their Talmud hammer at this when they question What is the name of Messias Their answer is Hhevara Leprous sc by imputation 2 Cor. 5. â—0 Esay 53.6 August de Râ—â—na in Concil Basil whence also he is said by one to be Maximus peccatorum the greatest of sinners and he sitteth among the poor in the gates of Rome carrying their sicknesses according to that Himself took our infirmities and here our â—â—knesses There are two things in guilt 1. The meit and desert of it 〈…〉 took not 2. The obligation to punishment this he took and so he 〈◊〉 that is bound to the punishment of sin which also he suffered even to the â—â—â—sion of his blood that true Pactolus or rather Jordan whereby he hath cleamed his people from sins both guiltinesse and filthinesse We have inveterate staines which will hardly be got out till the cloth be allmost rub'd to peeces 〈…〉 leaves so close to us Jer. 1â— 13 that fire and fullers sope is but needfull to setch it off Nature and custome have made our spots like that of the Leopard which no art can cure no water wash off because they are not in the skin only but in the flesh and bones in the sinews and in the most inner parts Hence David prayeth again and again to be washed thorowly to be purged with hyssop to be washed and wrung in this fullers sope of Christs blood and with the clean water of his holy spirit This is the only true Purgatory the Kings bath the fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesle Zach. 13.1 Here Christ washeth his not only from outward defilement but from their swinish nature that when washed clean they may not as else they would wallow in the next guzzle Here are those soveraign mundifying waters of the Sanctuary which so wash off the corruption of the ulcer that they cool the heat and stay the spred of the infection and by degrees heal the same Hither poor sinners need not come as to the poole of Bethesda one by one but as Turks to their Mahomet Papists to their Lady by troops and Caravans true Christians to their All-sufficient Saviour how much more In that poole of Bethesda the Priests used to wash their sacrifices because no unclean thing might come within the Temple Itinerar Scrip. pag. 20. The water was of reddish colour and ran into that place in great abundance and therefore it was called saith One the house of effusion This shadowed out that every of Christs sheep must be washed in the poole of his blood before they can be meet sacrifices an offering unto the Lord in righteousnesse as it is in the next verse Other blood slaines what is washed in it this blood of the spotlesse lambe whiteneth as fuilers sope and purifieth from all pollution of flesh and spirit Rev. 7.14 This is he that came by water and blood even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and blood 1 Ioh. 5.6 The Priests of the old law were consecrated first with oyle and then with blood So was Christ first with the spirit Esa 61.1 and then with his own blood for our benefit Verse 3. And he shall sit as refiner i. e. he shall stick to the work and not start from it till he bring forth judgement to victory Mat. 12.20 that is till he have perfected the work of grace begun in his people for he is Authour and finisher of their faith Heb. 12.2 and by patience made them perfict and entire wanting nothing Iam. 1.4 Christ who is the God of all grace and hath called them to his eternall glory will after they have suffered 〈◊〉 in his fornace or fining-pot Pro. 17.3 of afflictions wake them perfect stablish strengthen settle them 1 Pet. 2 Cor. 9 8. 5.10 yea make all grace to abound toward them that they alwayes having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work For which holy purpose Christ our Refiner hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Ierusalem Isai 31.9 his conslatories and his crucibles wherein his third part being brought thorough the fire shall be resined as silver is resened and tried as gold is tried Zach. 13.9 that the triall of their faith who have glorified him in the very fires Isa 24.15 being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth may be found to praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1.7 True gold will undergoe the tâ—iall of the seventh fire which Alchymy gold will not Christ Jesus after that he hath been to his people as a refiners fire and fullers sope that is after that he hath justified and sanctified them also in some part will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver that is he will be serious accurate and assiduous in scouring them from corruption by correption in purging out the remnants of sin by affliction
mean fear of punishment is a good legall preparative to filiall the spirit of bondage to the spirit of Adoption which it introduceth as the needle or bristle doth the threed that follows it Secondly as it cannot be utterly cast out whiles we are here so it is of singular use to a Christian in his way homeward for being paâ—tly flesh and partly spirit it is profitable for the unregenerate part which is a slave and not a sonne to be contain'd in duty and restrain'd from sinne by the fear of Gods justice power and punishments And hence it is saith One that the fear of God is so much urged in Scripture Cum audis quod Dominus tuus dulcis est attende quid disigas cum audis quod rectus attende quid timeaâ— ut amore timore Dei excnatus legem ejus custodias Cass super Psal 25. Dulcis rectus Dominus Si amor Deite tenere noâ— potest saltem teneat terreat amor judicis meius gehennae laqueâ—mâ—tis â—olorâ—s injer ni ignis urens vermis corrodens c. Hug. l. 3. de anima to shew a difference between mans first integrity wherein he needed no other motive to duty then love and the renovation of Gods image in us since the fall which being but imperfect and in part onely therefore hath God purposely fixed in us the affection of fear and sanctified it in his own to the restraining of them from sin and provoking them to duty How farre forth then may it be lawfull to stand in fear of Gods wrath and judgements Quest Divines determine it thus Answ we may not fear the punishment onely and not the offence The chief object of godly fear is evil of sin a just man is one that feareth an oath Eccl. 9.2 Gods offence rather then his own distresse which appears in that however God spare him yet he will not spare himself he is a law to himself nor yet the punishment chirefly and more then the offence but the punishment must be feared with the offence the offence being feared first and most And this is both commanded by the Lord Christ q Maâ— 10.28 29. and commended unto us in the examples of David r Psal 119.120 Jostah Å¿ 2 Chron. 34.27 Habakkuk t Hab. 3.16 and diverse other saints And the reason is ready rendred by Moses Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath u Psal 90.11 that is As any man fears thy displeasure more or lesse so shall he feel it as some understand that Text. SECT IIII. Use 1. Information They that scar not God are not his and who these are by their Character out of Psal 36.1 2 3 4 c. Vse 1. NOw for Use of this point Is it so that every faithfull servant of God feareth God hence then in the first place will follow as a consectary that all such as are destitute of this reverentiall fear of the Almighty are notwitstanding all their other commendable parts and properties to be esteemed no better then gracelesse and irreligious persons Hence it is so often made the brand of a sonne of Belial that there is no fear of God before his eyes and this is purposely reserved in Scripture after a large bedroll of other abominations found in mens hearts and lives to the last place of all w Rom. 3.18 Mal. 3 5. to intimate that the want of Gods fear is the ground of all the forementioned mischiefs the mother of all the misrule in the world As in that unjust Judge for instance who was therefore unjust because he fear'd not God nor regarded man x Luk. 18.2 And surely the fear of God is not in this place therefore they will slay me said Abraham of the men of Gerar y Gen. 20.11 Lo he could promise himself no good at all of that place and people Object Sol. where God was not feared God was not feared may some say what a reason 's that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timendus terribiliâ— per Metonyâ—â—aÌ„ Deus cui timor debetur Shindler there is no people so barbarous or person almost so bruitish that feareth not God For answer I confesse there is nothing more naturall then to stand in awe of a Deity Whence also it is that God in the Greek tongue hath his Name from fear as some derive it And the Chaldee Paraphrast sometimes useth the word Fear or Terrour for God because of the fear confessedly due to him Hence Jacob coming from Syria and being to swear to a Syrian sware by the fear of his father Isaac z Gen. 31.53 But that all fear not the true God or 2. that they do not truely fear him and so are none of his 't is more then evident First 't is certain that all men fear not the true God but some thing else which they set up in his room Who seeth not that some fear idols and devils a 1 Cor. 10.20 Lev. 17.7 Seghnirim of their horrour and terrour which they cause to men as Pagans some hee-saints and shee-saints as Papagans some the Queen of heaven b Jer. 44.17 as the superstitious person that consults his calendar and scars nothing more then to fall sick upon an evil day Some again fear diâ—grace as Saul c 1 Sam. 15.30 see Jer. 38.19 danger and displeasure of great Ones as Pilate who fear'd if he released Clirist according to his conscience Caesote * Caius Imperator should as indeed afterwards he did pull his purple over his ears and kick him off the bench * Contra propriae couscientiae testimoniuÌ„ ores sui enuntiatum he delivered up to death the Lord of life so not only drew upon Casar and his throne the guilt of innocent blood in which respect Christ is said to have been crucified at Rome Revel 11. but also ran himself at once vpon Gods and the Emperours heavy displea sure shortly after became his own deaths-man Eurrop 1.7 Eus b.l. 2 c. 7. some fear losse of goods as the rich young man that went away sorrowfull for nothing more then that Christ should require such conditions as he was not willing to yeeld to d Mat. 19 20 21 Some fear losse of liberty as those that forsook Paul the prisoner and were ashamed of his chaiâ— e 2 Tim. 4.16 some fear losse of life making much of a thing of nought f Psal 39.5 shrinking in the shoulder when called to carry the crosse of Christ or to suffer with him though it be to bee glorisied together g Rom. 8.17 Thus men can make a shift to fear any thing so what they should fear God I mean 〈◊〉 proper object of this and all other our affections whatsoever There is I confesie a â—nd of fear of God abusively * Timor Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic appellatus Polan Synt. so called a generall fear a
Cam guilty l Gen. 4.10 or if earth do not heaven will reveal the iniquity m Ier. 20.27 Servi ut taâ—eant jementa loquentur luvenal Yea the very beasts have a wordist to passe upon evill-doers as the asse upon Balaam n 2 Pet. 2.26 A bird of the ayre shall carry the voice and tell the matter o Eccle. 10 20 Or it all tlâ—ese should faile yet the eyes of the Lord run to and fâ—o beholding the evill and the good p Prov. 15 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mus Neither is he an 〈…〉 as the Epicures dreamt but he hath a revenging eye as the hrathen Poet. and hand to q Esa 5.25 as the holy Prophet assure us the remembrance whereof reyn'd in Ioseph from yeelding to the wicked motion of his wanâ— on mistresse though he might have commâ—tted that folly and the world have been never the wiser r Gen 39 9 Lastly it cleanseth also from secret sins such as the world never comes acquainted with for such as fear the Lord shall not be â—â—sited of evill Å¿ Prov. 19.23 It weeds by pâ—crisy t Iosh 24.14 out of the heart and pride and arrogancy and every 〈◊〉 way u Prov. 8.13 be it but in thought as is to be seen in Iob who durst not once 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ully upon a maid because God he knew saw his wayes and coumed 〈…〉 w Iob 31.1 1 Loe this was it that mâ—de him retrain wanton lookes and 〈…〉 wâ—ckednesse cleausing himself from all fi lt himsse of slesh and spirit so persâ—â—ling holâ—â—ss 〈◊〉 the fear of God x2 Cor. 7.1 Secondly this holy fear as it frames the heart to a shâ—â—ing of sin so it formes it no leâ—e to the dâ—ing of duty and that 1. toward God 2. toward men For God first it mâ—keth a man 1. beleeve him 2. â—â—â—y him First it trembleth all out as mâ—ch at the threats of God mouth as at the stâ—okes of his hand y Esay 66.2 as is to be seen in Habakkuk z Hab. 3 16 And the scripture noteth 〈◊〉 of the Patriarch Noah that moved with fear he beleeved a Heb. 11.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—d the denvered Israeliâ—â—s possest with this filiall fear beleeved God and â—is servant Moâ—es b Ex 14. nlt. Thus it frames a mans heart to saith in Gods word c Prov. 13 13 And so it doth secondly to the obedience of his will for they that fear the Lord will keep his covenant d Ps 103.13.18 yea they will work hard at it e Act. 10.35 as afraid to be taken with their tasks undone Thus it orders us in point of duty toward God and no lesse toward men both our selves and others For others first this fear of the Lord teacheth both rich and poor their seve all duties The rich it teacheth 1. not to brow-beat or oppresse their poorer brethren f Gen 42 18 This do and live saith Ioseph for I fear God and that 's your secâ—â—â—ty As if he should say â—â—ntend you no huâ—t though ye are fallen into my danger for it stands nâ—t with that scar of God that hath taken up my heart And ought ye not to have walked in the fear of God g Nehem. 5.9 said Nehemiah to those mercilesse usurions Israelites that had engrated upon their brethren 2. To be hospitable and haâ—borous ready to relecve the necessitous such especially as are of the houshold of saith This we see in Obadiah h 1 King 8.12 13 for the old testament and Cornelius for the new he feared God saith the text and he gave much almes i Act 10.1 2 As on the other side to him that is afflicted saith Iob pitry should be shewed from his friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty k Iob 6.14 What cares Nabal the churle though worthy David dye at his doore so long as he may sit warme within eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet All his Logick is little enough to conclude for himself Shall I take my bread and my flesh that I have kill'd for my shearers and give it to men whom I know not whence they be l 1 Sam. 25.11 No why should he say but the fear of God would have taught the foole * Nabal is his name and folly is with him moe wit But Secondly as it formeth the rich to their duties so the poorer sort too whom it rendreth 1. Content with their pittance as knowing that Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith m Prov. 17 12 2. Far from envying the rich sith God hath meted out to each one the portion of his allowance n Acts 17 26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with this condition that where much is given much shall be required o Luke 12.48 Let not thine heart envy sinners saith Solomon but for an antidote against that evil disease be thou in the fear of the Lord all day long p Prov. 23.17 Lastly for our selves in what estate soever the fear of the Lord will make and keep a man in prosperity 1. humble 2. thankfull as in adversitie 1. patient 2. confident In prosperity it teacheth 1. Humility according to that of the Wise-man By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches q Prov. 22.4 c. where you may observe a very close connexion of humility and the fear of the Lord set forth by an elegant asyndeton in the originall there being no grammaticall copulative set between them but such a near affinity intimated as if they were the very same thing and the one praedicated of the other as termes convertible 2. Thankfulnesse as appears in the example of Job and David and may be gathered out of that text in Jeremy Neither say they in their hearts Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth rain both the former and latter rain in his season c. r Jer. 5 2â— One would think he should rather blame them there for not saying Let us praise the Lord our God c. but that former includes this latter for he that truely feareth God will not fail to be thankfull Next in time of adversity the fear of God is of no small use and benefit for 1. It makes men patient willing to bear Gods hand and to wait his leisure to seek remedy onley in Gods wayes and to accept of it onely upon his termes Thus those holy women in Peter being under the crosse of unequall yoke-fellows might not seek to win their loves by plaited hair or garish attire but by a meek and quiet spirit and by a chast conversation coupled with fear Å¿ 1 Pet. 3.3 Adde hereunto in the last place that the fear of God keeps men confident in the evil day holds up their hearts from dejection and disquietment For it brings a man before God in prayer t Prov.
the walls of Jericho But what matter is it how unlikely the means are if in the hands of Omnipotency An Ox-goad in the hand of a Shamgar an Asse-bone in the hand of a Sampson may do much so here The Devil must needs down if God once send forth his Pauls to open mens eyes to turn them from darknesse to light Acts 26.18 and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in Christ Oh Obj but the Devil tells me I shall never inherit for I am not sanctified by faith Settle that first be sure by sound and infallible evidences Sol. See that thy faith and other graces be of the right stamp effectuall faith laborious love patient hope c. 1 Thes 1.3 and then sing a Requiem to thy self as Luther once did after a grievous conflict the Psalm De profundis Joh Manly loc com in contemptum Diaboli in defiance to the Devil Onely be advised not to pore over-much upon thy sanctification which in the best is unperfect but to take comfort of thy Justification which is compleat and absolute In confident consideration whereof St. Paul triumphantly cries out Rom. 8.33 34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen so long as it is God that justifieth Or as Austin reads it Shall God that justifies us Who is he that condemneth Do Angels No they rejoyce in our conversion and call us their fellow-servants But who then Do the insensible or unreasonable creatures They in their kind are in covenant with us Hos 2.18 and in earnest expectation groan nay travell together with us waiting and as it were lying bed-ridden the while for our full manifestation â—â—en the redemption of our bodies Rom. 8.19 c. But who is it then Do our own hearts condemn us No neither if not bemisted and abused by Satan for being justified by faith we have so farre peace with God that we glory in tribulation by the confident intergatory of a good conscience toward God Rom. 5.1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Joh. 3.20 But say our own hearts do wrongfully accuse us yet God is greater then our hearts as well for good as for evil to do us right notwithstanding a misgiving or misguided heart of our own But say then who is he that condemneth us Is it the Devil and his wicked imps Let them do their worst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 12. He is indeed the accuser of the brethren but Christ our Advocate is ever ready to non-suit and cast out all his accusations The Spirit also is in direct and full opposition to this Accuser called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter or Pleader for us Yea what apology or clearing of your selves Rev. 12.10 pleading our evidences to our spirits and helping us upon true repentance to make apology for our selves 2 Cor. 7.11 such as God admits of and accepts As for that old Serpent the Accuser of the brethren he is cast down already and all his limbs shall bee cast after him ere long into the burning lake In the mean while what cares the prisoner at the barre though the gaoler and his fellow-prisoners passe sentence of death upon him in the gaole so long as the Judge acquits him from the bench And as little need any servant of the Lord of Hosts stand upon the censurs of earth and hell so long as God thinks well of him and all the Hosts of God combine for his comfort Oh Obj but I have hosts within me that do me all the despite and displeasure The flesh lusteth against the spirit and other-whiles gets the better of it Besides there be bands of fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 which like armed souldiers lie billetted in my bosome and ever and anon fight against my soul Yet bee of good comfort the spirit also lusteth against the flesh so that thou canst not do what thou naturally wouldest Sol. Gal. 5.17 thy new nature will not suffer thee as Paul would have gone to a certain place but the Spirit forbade him As for thy lusts be they never so lordly God can easily cut the combes nay the throats of them and let out their life-blood My Father is stronger then all and None can take you out of his hands The weak brother shall be holden up amidst a world of scandals without Joh. 10 Rom. 14.4 and staggerings within for God is able to make him stand He can preserve a fire alive upon the face of the Ocean a spark of the spirit amidst a world of wickednesse within He can cause weak and worthlesse grashoppers to become a great nation Ioel 1.6 a mighty people chap. 2.2 a huge army ib. Esay 30.22 Psal 19.5 He can make the house of Israel pollute the idols which they had once perfumed with incense and to say to their familiar devils get thee hence He can stop or strike back the course of the Sun though it rejoyce as a strong man to run his race Naturally and freely it giveth light but he can turn it into darknesse and blood The mountains of themselves are ponderous and pressing yet at Gods command they skip like lambs Think the same of our dull and undutiful hearts God can quickly oyl them and nimble them drawing us by his free spirit so as we shall run after him as a baldder of it self is a heavy substance and unapt for motion but being filled with winde it will scarce ' bide in a place So we being filled with the holy Ghost shall finde our feet as hinds feet upon the everlasting mountains no longer shackled by corruption Psal 119. but at very good liberty to run the wayes of Gods commandments It s most sure we are not strained at all in God but in our own bowels He is both able and ready both to cover and cure our sins and sicknesses In the dayes of his flesh he offered himself to his patients and was found of them that sought him not He heal'd them also of diseases hereditary and such as all the Physitians in the countrey might have cast their caps at Now he hath lost nothing by heaven you may be sure neither of his will nor skill to do the same cures upon mens souls as once he did upon their bodies nay he cured their bodies onely in reference to their souls and still hangs out his table of cures Math. 8.17.18 to draw custome Rev. 3.18 Lo thus we have searched and so it is Hear it and know it for thy good Iob. 5.27 CHAP. II. The Lord will finde a fit time to make up his jewels from the worlds misusages And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels Doct GOd is the Lord of hosts This is a point hath been hitherto proved and improved Followes now a second Observation Confirmat
when they have once brought them into fetters God dealeth not so with any of his when he is most angry But as in very faithfulnesse he afflicts them that he may be true to their souls So when they follow hard after him as David did they are sure to overtake him though perhaps not presently when they seek him they are sure to finde him so they search for him with all their heart Jer. 29.13 True it is that God often by the hand of the enemy as by a pursivant at Arms fetcheth in bankrupt tenants that is his own untoward and backsliding people and leaveth them in the pursivants hand till they take some course to satisfie for their arrears But that once done he will soon set them at liberty and make them glad according to the dayes wherein he had afflicted them Psal 90. Let a poor soul but say as here I will go and return to my first husband that is to God I have run away from him by my sins I will now return again to him by repentance Let there be but such language in the hearts of Gods prodigals and he will soon relent toward them meet them on the way Isa 65.24 fall upon their necks and kisse them Luke 15.20 hee will receive them with all sweetnesse Jam ex hoc loco licet colligere quae sit vera resipiscentia saith Calvin here By this Text we may gather what true repentance is Namely when a sinner not onely confesseth himself guilty and worthy of punishment but truly displeaseth himself and seriously returnes to God Here we have those two essential parts of true Repentance sc Contrition and conversion or Humiliation and Reformation The former is called in Scripture Repentance for sin the latter Repentance from sin and the one without the other is to no purpose or profit for then was it better with me then now It was so but how came you to conceive or consider of it in this sort but by disappointments and afflictions These are to us as Benhadads best counsellours that sent him with a cord about his neck to the mercifull King of Israel The Septuagint render the Text thus For he was good to me then o're he is now And what wonder Is there any thing to be gotten by departing from Christ by leaving thy first love by quenching the spirit and making Apostacie from former degrees of grace and holinesse Can any son of Jesse do for us as Christ can or do we think to mend our selves by running out of Gods blessing into the worlds warm Sun as Demas did O call me not Naomi said she once but call me Marah for I went out full and am come home empty So doth a revolted Christian say Ruth 4. when he comes from the act of sinning when he hath been seeking after his sweet-hearts he went with his heart full of peace and his hand full of plenty and meeting with a bargain of sinning thought to eeke out his happiness and make it fuller as Solomon did but came home empty empty of comfort but laden with crosses He hath lost his evidences is excommunicated from the power of the Ordinances is under the terrour of a wounded spirit is buffetted by Satan is out of hope of ever recovering the radiancy of his graces hath his back-burden of afflictions so that he is forced to confesse it to be the greatest madnesse in the world to buy the sweetest sin at so deer a rate David found it so the Shulamite found it so Cant. 5.1 2 c. No rest she had at home nor comfort abroad till she had recovered her first husbands company for then it was better with her then now and yet now too upon her hearty repentance all becomes as well with her as ever it had been before Chap. 6.4 c. Was it not so likewise with Ephraim Ier. 31.19 20 21. with the Prodigall Luke 15. with Peter after his shamefull recidivation Let this then be to all Gods relapsed people as a valley of Achor a door of hope that they may be readmitted Shall Sarah receive Hagar into favour Ioseph his brethren David his Absolom Philemon his Onesimus Shall that Non-such Ahab shew mercy to his profest enemies the Syrians that had the second time set upon him And shall not God receive his repenting children fetch home his banished yea though they may seem to be as water spilt upon the ground bring them back into his own bosome though they have never so far wandred out of the way He will he will Onely he expects that they should say and do as the Church of Israel here and as the Church of Ephesus is advised Revel 2.4 First Remember whence ye are fallen sc not onely from your former feelings and comforts but also from your former fitnesse for Gods kingdome that jus aptitudinale as the Schools call it that David himself had parted with for a season and therefore is called plain David so oft together and not my servant David as formerly 2 Sam. 24.12 c. Secondly Repent Sigh out that of Iob Job 29 2 3 4 O that I were as in moneths past as in the dayes when God preserved me When his candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked thorow darknesse As I was in the dayes of my youth when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle When the Almighty was yet with me c. O it was far better then with me then now Thus relent repent revenge upon your back-slidings spare for no pains but be extraordinarily humbled detest your selves give God no rest till he return unto his rest c. Thirdly Do your first works with a redoubted diligence for your former negligence and tie your selves thereto by solemne Covenant Begin though at first but faintly to pray read confer meditate cease from sin shun the occasions recover by degrees as a weak body doth by good diet moderate exercise c. Verse 8. For she did not know i. e. She would not be aknown or affected of this she was willingly ignorant as S. Peter hath it 2 Epist 3. Vt liberius peccet libenter ignorat as Bernard Her ignorance was not a meer nescience or an invincible ignorance such as she could not help but it was wilfull affected acquired they not onely desired not the knowledge of Gods wayes but haced it spurn'd and scorn'd at it Tu aedepol si sapis quod scis nescies Terent. shutting the windows lest the light should come in and being blinded by the God of this world lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 lest they should see and say that which Nature and Scripture do both teach them viz. that all their accommodations and comforts come from me alone Had this their ignorance been meerly negative yet had they not been wholly excused The Apostle noteth that our Saviour laid down his precious life even for the not-knowings of the
to cast them out of that good Land as evils tenants that should hold no longer for vers 3. he threateneth to plead against them non verbis sed verberibus with 〈◊〉 and with blood as Ezek. 38.22 to make them say as Isai 45.9 Wo to him that striveth with his Maker that hath him for his adversary at Law such a one is sure to be undone unlesse he agree with him quickly Mat. 5.25 whiles he is yet in the way with him and before he be brought to the tribunall For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 his tribunall also is of fire Ezek. 1.27 his pleading with sinners in flames of fire 2 Thes 1.7 the triall of mens works shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 the place of punishment a lake of fire â—ed with a river of brimstone Isai 30.33 O pray therfore and prevent that God enter not into judgement with us for if so no man living shall be justified in his sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods people may have and shall be sure to have the devil an adversary at Law against them as Saint Peters word signifies 1 Pet. 5.8 The accuser of the brethren he is called which accuseth them before God day and night Rev. 12.12 But him they may resist stedfast in the faith and recover cost and charges of him as I may so say for they have Christ to appear for them in heaven Heb. 9.24 as a lawyer for his client 1 Joh. 2.2 to nonsuit all the devils accusations The Spirit also as a Paracletus or Advocate maketh request for them to God in their hearts and helpeth them to make Apologies for themselves 2 Cor. 7.11 Again if a man sin against another the judge shall judge him saith old Eli to his wicked sons that is the Umpire may come and take up the controversie and put an end to the quarrell But if a man have sinned against the Lord 1 Sam. 2.29 who shall intreat for him who dare be his â—â—yesman no mediation of man can make his peace no reconciliation can be here hoped for but by running from God as a Judge to God as a Father in Christ Let men therefore be wrought upon by the reprehensions of Gods faithfull Ministers by whom he appealeth and impeacheth them If they stand out as the old world did against that Preacher of righteousness by whom he went and preached to those spirits now in prison because they would not take up the matter in time but futured and fooled away their own salvation he will break off his patience and say as Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwayes strive with these men for that they also are flesh c. and are therefore the worse because they ought to be better Ideo deteriores quia me liores esse debebant therefore they shall fare the worse because they would be no better I have hewed them by my Prophets Hos 6.5 but can make no good work of them Like ill timber they fall to splinters and like ill stones they crumble all tto crattle They are therefore fitter for the high-way chimney corner then for my building My spirit shall therefore strive no more with these perverse persons either by preaching disputing convincing c. in the mouth of my ministers or in their own minds and consciences by inward checks and motions which they reject refusing to be reformed hating to be healed I will take away my spirit and silence my Prophets as he doth verse 4. of this chapter and resolve upon their utter ruine sith there is no good to be done upon them See Vers 17. of this chapter with the Note there Currat ergo poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia c. Because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land Lo here the charge and knowing the judgement of God you must needs say that those that commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1.32 For if the word spoken by Angels the law given by Angels in the hand of Moses a Mediatour were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience that is every commission and omission received a just recompense of reward Heb. 2.2 〈◊〉 should these miscreants escape that had left off to do good and for evil they did 〈◊〉 both hands earnestly For the second table of the Law it is articled against them for matter of omission or defect that there was neither truth nor mercy in the land And for the first table that there was no sound knowledge of God there and consequently no care of God either inward or outward worship for there can be neither faith nor repentance nor due obedience yeelded to an unknown God Joh. 4.22 A Samaritane service there may be ye worship ye know not what but not a rationall service Rom. 12.1 such as whereof a man can render a reason Now God will not have a blind sacrifice Mal. 1.8 1 Chr. 28.9 It is nothing worth that men are vertuous unlesse they joyn to their vertue knowledge 2 Pet. 1.5 nor that they offer sacrifice if they bring the sacrifice of fools Eccâ—es 5.1 Those must needs be abominable and disobedient that are to every good work reprobate injudicious as the word signifies Tit. 1.11 and what marvell though men be alienated from the life of God or a godly life through the ignorance that is in them Eph. 4.18 But let us take the words in order There is no truth Here God declareth against them a Lawyers do against offendors in courts and not for trifles but first for want of truth or trustinesse in word and deed without which humane society is but funiculus ex arena a rope of sand or arena sine calce sand without lime it cannot hold together It was an old complaint of the Prophets that Truth was fallen in the streets Esay 99.14 Psal 12.1 and faithfulnesse failed from among the children of men When Varus was slain Augustus grieved excessively and that because non esset à quo verum audiret he had none about him that would tell him the truth of things and deal plainly with him Multis annis jam transactis nulla fides est in pactis c. Jeremy bewailes it in his treacherous country men that they bent their tongues like their bowes for lies but they were not valiant for the truth on the earth Jer. 9.3 they were mendaciorum loquacissimi as Tertullian phraseth it loud an leud lairs and as Egesippus saith of Pilat they were viri nequam et parvi facientes mendacium naughty men and such as made nothing of a lie But Gods people are said to be children that will not lie Esay 63. they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of truth which was the title of honour given to Arrianus the Greek historian when as of all other historians Vopiscus testifieth that there is none qui non aliquid est mentitus that taketh not the libertie to lie more or lesse And for
18. It was never beautifull nor cheerfull since At this day it lies bed-ridden and looks to be burnt up shortly with her works 2 Pet. 3.10 Here it is brought in as a mother in mourning bewayling the losse of all her children and refusing to be comforted And surely though the land be eased of a very heavy burden as I have said when purged by Gods just judgements of her ungratefull and wicked inhabitants yet because she lies under the dint of Divine displeasure at such a time therefore is shee rightly said to mourn in this case and to be in a sad disconsolate condition See Jer. 12.4 she becomes a very Ahil that 's the word here used see Iudg. 11.33 a Bochim an Hadadrimmon an Iri-sland and being desolate she mourneth unto thee for she seeth that her convulsions are like to end in a deadly consumption And every one that dwelleth therein shall languish Heb. shall wither as a flower Nahum 1.4 Or shall be weakened Those that now stand upon their tiptoes and face the very heavens stouting it out with God shall then be weak as water withered as a flower strengthlesse as a moth-eaten-cloth Psal 39.11 low-spirited and crest-faln as the king of Sodom erst man good enough to look four kings in the face but anon suppliant to Abraham a forlorn forreiner Gen. 14.21 Manasseh that sturdy rebell in trouble basely hides his head among the bushes 2 Chron. 33.11 Caligula in time of thunder ran under beds and benches Affliction will tame and take down the proudest spirits they break in adversity that bore their heads on high in prosperity they speak out of the ground and whisper out of the dust Esay 21.4 that look to be brought into the dust of death Psal 22.15 It is the pestilence that here seemeth to be threatened as before sword and famine and an universall pestilence too reaching not onely to men but to other creatures made for mans uses which shewes the greatnesse of the wrath like as when a King not onely executeth the traytour but also pulleth down his house confiscateth his goods and and disinheriteth his children c. But what have those sheep done the beasts birds Pareus and fishes that they must suffer also It is but reason they should sith first they are part of mens enjoyments secondly they are many times though harmelesse in themselves yet instruments of mens sin and therefore well doth the Chaldee here paraphrase Diminutionem patientur propter hominum peccata they shall suffer for mans sin who may therefore well say to them as Judah did to Tamar Thou art more rigteous then I. with the beasts of the field which shall dye by the murrian and the foules of the ayre which shall catch the contagion Joseph and fall down dead as those birds do that attempt to fly over the dead sea and the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away Colligentur conficientur they shall be gathered together as seeking help one of another in a common danger and yet they shall be destroyed Engl. Chron. the very waters being pestilentiall as they were here in King Edward the thirds dayes so that the very foules and fishes had botches upon them This was a heavier judgement then that which befell the old world for then the fishes perished not though the Jew-doctours would perswade us that these also died in the flood for that the waters thereof were boyling hot Verse 4. Yet let no man strive nor reprove another let him not lose so much good labour and spill so many sweet words upon this people for they are grown uncounsellable incurable incorrigible They have rejected the counsel of God within or against themselves Luk. 7.30 corripiuntur sed non corriguntur it is because the Lord intendeth to destroy them 1 Sam. 2.25 yea he hath determined it 2 Chron. 25.16 Hence as dying men lose their hearing and other senses by degrees so those that are destined to destruction grow stupid and stubborn and will neither heare good counsel nor see the things that concern their peace but spurn at admonition and scorn at reproof Tunc etiam docta plus valet arte malum And therefore God forbids to reprove such as deplored and desperate to cast pearles of good counsel before such dogs who preferr lothsome carrion before sweet odours yea rage at them as Tigers do and fly in the faces of such as present them or at best grunt and goe their wayes as swine leave good counsell where they find it not putting it in practise Now as dogs and swine were counted unclean creatures and unfit for sacrifice so are such for admonition Let a man be never so able and apt to teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be vir praestans eximius insignis a gallant man as the word here used sometimes signifieth and one that can do his work never so well yet the wisdome of his words shall be despised Prov. 23.9 Let him strive till his heart akes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disputatos arguere as St. Jude speaketh he shall but strive against the stream and by reprooving a scorner get him a blot Pro. 9.7 The Pharisees denied our Saviour and blew their noses at him Luk. 16.14 Let them alone therefore saith our Saviour to his disciples they be blinde leaders of the blind ther 's no good to be done of them Mat. 15. therefore let him that is filthy be filthy still Rev. 22.11 and he that is ignorant let him beignorant sith he will needs be so 1 Cor. 14.38 Levit. 26.39 Let him pine away in his iniquity Let him pine and perish go on despair dye and be damned My spirit shall no longer strive with him unless it be by furious rebukes Ezek. 5.15 and by fire Am. 7.4 Oecolampadius upon this text doubts not to say that the sin of such as reject admonition is the sin against the holy Ghost certainly it is worse then all the forementioned swearing lying c. Blind nature could see and say as much Hesiod saith that there are three sorts of men the first and best are those that live so well as not to need reproof The second and those not bad are such as doe not so well but can be content to heare of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod Oper. et dier Ver. 29. The third and worst are they that will neither do as they ought nor be advised to do better Plutarch saith those that are troubled with tooth-ach will go to the Physitian those that have a fever will send for him but he that is frantick or stark mad will do neither but reject the remedy and strike at the Physitian So doth the scorner c. See my common place of Admonition for this people are as they that strive with the priest though Gods officer and in his stead 2 Cor. 5.20 though the peoples Oracle to preserve and present knowledg to
rather Sharkes Are they protectours and not rather pillagers Latrones publici publike robbers as Cato called them These shields of the earth belong to God saith David Psal 47.9 should they not then be like him 2 Chron. 19.7 Now there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor accepting of persons nor receiving of gifts neither by himself nor by his man Elisha nor by his mans man Gehezi without distaste By one period of speech by one breath of the Lord are they both forbidden Deut. 16.18 19 20. Thou shalt not respect persons nor receive a gift For why A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise yea it transformes them into walking Idols that have eyes and see not eares and heare not onely it leaveth them hands to handle that the very touching whereof will infect and venom a man as Pliny writes of the fish Torpedo Let such therefore shake their hands from bribes Isay 33.15 as Paul shoke off the viper and be so far from saying Give ye that he should rather say to those that offer it Thy mony perish with thee he that hateth gifts shall live Prov. 15.27 Jethro's Iustice of peace should be a man of courage fearing God hating covetousness Exod. 18. not bound to the peace as one phraseth it by a gift in a basket nor struck dumb with the appearance of Angels c. Verse 19. The wind hath bound her up in her wings The evill spirit saith Hierom hurries them towards hell which is the just hire of the least sin how much more of these fore-mentioned abominations Take it rather to be spoken of the suddennesse swiftnesse and unresistablenesse of Gods judgments set forth by mighty winds rending the rocks and tearing up the mountaines by the roots Job 38.9 How then shall wicked men compared to chaffe or dust of the mountaines stand before the tempest of Gods wrath the thunder of his power Well they may applaud and stroke themselves for a time but the wind shall bind them up in her wings God shall blow them to destruction Job 4.9 his executioners have the wings of a stork large and long and wind in those wings to note their ready obedience Zech. 5.9 And although Ezek. 1. God be represented as sitting upon a throne to shew his slowness to punish yet that throne hath wings hands under those wings to shew his swiftness readinesse to do seasonable execution upon his enemies and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices wherein they trusted but now see themselves disappointed their idols not able to help them Then shall they cast their idols of silver and of gold which they have made each for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks Isay 2.20 21. See also Isay 30.22 If they be not thus ashamed of their former fopperies they are the more to be pittied Illum ego periisse dico cui periit pudor He is an undone man that shames not shents not himself for his evill practises that blusheth not bleedeth not before God for them lying down in his shame Jer. 3.25 as fully ashamed of his former hopes Psal 119.116 which now he seeth how far they have abused him CHAP. V. Verse 1. HEare ye this ye Priests For you are not so wise Prov. 1.5 but that ye may heare and increase learning Chap. 4.6 and besides from you is profanenesse gone forth into all the land Jer. 23.15 For you therefore in the first place I have a citation to appeare before Gods tribunall to heare your sin your sentence Jac. Ren. de vit Pont. your crime your doom God cited Adam immediately by himself Gen. 7.9 Adam where art thou so he did Cain Laban Nabal others when he sends for them by death saying as once to that Pope Veni miser in judicium Come away and heare thy sentence Centum revolutis annis Deo respon debitis mihi Mediately he citeth men by the mouth of his ministers as he did the Councill of Constance by his faithfull martyr John Husse and his word stood and as he doth here the three Estates of the kingdome Priests People and Princes by the Prophet Hosea That was very strange and extraordinary that Mr. Knox reporteth in his history of Scotland Hist of Scot. of one Sr. John Hamilton murthered by the kings meanes that he appeared to him in a vision with a naked sword drawn and strikes off both his armes with these words Take this before thou receive a finall payment for all thine impieties and within 24 houres two of the Kings sons died It is indeed but part of their punishment that wicked men here receive seem it never so grievous when God entreth into judgment with them as here it is said for judgment is toward you that is â—am about to pronounce sentence against you and to do execution and therefore hear harken and give-eare the first second and third time I admonish you that ye may know that my citation is serious and peremptory and that your damnation sleepeth not Priest and people are set before the house of the king Salvian because theirs was sedes prima vita ima an high place but a low life And besides Courtiers and great men though they be in other cases forward enough to take place of others yet in point of punishment they slink back and are well content that others should go before them God regards none for his greatnesse Potentes potenter torquebuntur neither spareth he any for his meannesse or because they were born down either by the lawes or lives of their Superiours The people are here placed betwixt the Priests and Princes and with them appealed and impeached to shew how frigid and insufficient their excuse is who plead that they did but as they were taught by their Ministers and as they were commanded by their Governours Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement because hâ— willingly walked after the commandement as it is in the eleventh verse of this chapter See the note for judgement is toward you Vengeance is in readinesse for the disobedient be he what he will kesar or caytiffe Lord or losell Priest or people every whit as ready in the Lords hand as in the ministers mouth 2. Cor. 10.6 neither shall multitudes priviledge or secure them Though they be quiet or combined and likewise many yet thus shall they be cut down when he shall pass through Nah. 1.12 yea though they be briers and thorns that set against him in battle and those never so much confortuplicated and sharpened yet God will go through them and burn them together Esay 27.4 he will cut off the spirit of Princes and destroy a whole rabble of rebels that rise up against him because ye have been a snare on Mizpah That God may be justified and every mouth stopped a reason is here rendred of his most
such denunciations thereof And so must Gods Ministers c. Because they have transgressed against me This is a new degree of their Apostasie from God Wicked men and deceivers grow worse and worse and adde rebellion to sin As a stone will fall down to come to its center though it break it self in twenty pieces so will Apostates till they come to their own place with Judas they cease not till they become altogether filthy Psal 53.3 as the dog at his vomit or the sow in her slow 2 Pet. 2.22 It fareth with such as in that case Lev. 13.18 19 20. If a man had a bile healed and it afterwards brak out it proved the plague of leprosie Though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me All was done against God whence the word me is so often inculcated in this and the next verse God is as it were a sufferer in all the sins of the sonnes of men and this is no small aggravation of the evil of sin that it strikes at Gods face lifts at his throne makes to his dishonour Thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes and wearied me with thine iniquities Esay 43.23 And to shew this to be so it was that the offendour was confined to the city of refuge during the High-priests life Godw. Antiq. Heb. p. 98. as being the chief God on earth Good David was very sensible of this and much humbled when he said Against thee thee onely have I sinned Psal 51.14 The trespasse was against Vriah but the transgression against God so gracious a God and there lay the pinch of his grief viz. the unkindnesse that was in his sinne Therefore also Moses in his swan-like-song sets on this humbling consideration Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not hee thy Father and wilt thou kick against his naked bowels hast no where else to hit him but there Again Is not he thy Redeemer that hath bought thee and brought thee out of the iron furnace where thou labouredst in the very fire and wast wearied out with unsufferable servitude More hath he not made thee and dost thou rebell against thy Maker thy Master Or hath he not made thee that is exalted thee in which sence he is said to have made Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 12.6 that is to have advanced them to that honour in his Church and so we say Such an one is made for ever Lastly hath he not established thee that thou mightest abide in his grace and remain unmoveable And dost thou yet evil requite him c. To render good for evil is Divine good for good is humane evil for evil is brutish but evil for good is devillish See how grievously God taketh it here Though I have redeemed them viz. out of the hands of their enemies in generall See an ample proof hereof Nehem. 9. and the whole book of Judges thorowout and in speciall as a late particular mercy to Ephraim I have delivered and prospered them in their warres under Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash 2 King 14.27 and therefore they should have given me their good word at least and spoken good of my Name yet They have spoken lies against me Ascribing the glory of their deliverances to their Idols or arrogating it to themselves or fathering their false worship upon me as the Authour or at least Abbettour thereof by my present prospering of them See Ier. 7.10 Verse 14. And they have not cried unto me with their heart Hitherto hath been said what they had done now what they had not done Omissions are sins as well as commissions Not serving of God not sacrificing is condemned Mal. 3.18 Eccles 9.2 Not robbing onely but the not relieving of the poor was the rich mans ruine Omission of diet breeds diseases and makes work for hell Luke 16. or for the Physician of our souls It is the character of a gracelesse man that he calleth not upon God And wee have too many of that profane Earl of Westmorelands mind who said that he needed not to pray at all Camd. Elisa for he had Tenants enow to pray for him Some wicked pray so as it is indeed they Cant or Charme rather then pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 26.16 they powred forth a charme when they chastening was upon them but they pray not with their heart Their hearts are exercised with covetousnesse 2 Pet. 2.14 and inhabited by the devil Acts 5.3 Simon Magus his heart was not right with the Lord Acts 8.21 How could it be when it was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of perdition 23. as every unregenerate heart is Hence though God be neer in their mouthes yet he is far from their reins Jer. 12.2 and though they honour him a little with their lips yet their heart is farre from him Matth. 15.8 A little artificiall breath they can give God and that 's all The breath that comes from life is warm as that from the body whereas artificiall breath is cold as that from bellows The deeper and hallower the belly of the Lute or Violl is the pleasanter is the sound the fleeter the more grating and harsh in our ears The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which comes from the depth of the breast Ephes 6.6 Do the will of God from the heart serve God in the spirit Rom. 1.9 Lift up hands and hearts to God in the heavens Lam. 3.41 Lip-labour is but lost-labour yea it is sin Prov. 15.8 Displeasing service is double dishonour as dissembled sanctity is double iniquity These men cried vociferabantur voce stentorea sonum edebant They did set up their note yea they howled upon their beds whereupon they had cast themselves being sick not of wantonnesse as once Ahab was but of want which made them howl as dogs do when tied up from their meat and hunger-bit but were no more regarded then a dog that howleth or then the Cuckow in June For why Jejelilu They howled indeed to some tune as they say the Hebrew word hath a letter more then ordinary to note as much It was the Heathen fashion to cry hideously to their gods as also the Indians do at this day So did these because kept short and held to strait allowance It is said of the Ravens of Arabia that when they are hungry they screech horribly And a Parrot when he is beaten utters an hoarse and harsh voice Esay 66.3 The songs of the Temple shall be howlings in that day Amos 8.3 Their sacrifices as the cutting off a dogs neck which is not done without much howling and yelling They assemble themselves sc To make publike supplication in their Idol-temples called beds before as some conceive because as corporall fornication is committed in beds so is spirituall in those places of superstition Here therefore they met not ad ruminandum as the vulgar Latine to feed as beasts nor to cut
bee wise and to do good hee setteth himself in a way that is not good hec abhorreth not evil Psal 36.3 4. The words may be read thus The good God hath rejected Israel the enemy shall pursue him according to that in the Psalme God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him Psal 71.11 Sure it is that the Lord is with us while we are with him and if we seek him he will be found of us But if we forsake him he will forsake us And if he forsake us wo be to us chap. 9.12 we are in danger to be caught up by every paltry enemy as young Lapwings are to be snatcht up by every buzzard If Israel cast away the thing that is good ◠Chron. 15.2 what marvell if evil hunt him to overthrow him Psal 140.11 and if he find himself in all evil in the midst of the Congregation and the assembly Prov. 5.14 Hence Cains fear when cast out by God and Sauls complaint that the Philistines were upon him and God had forsaken him Verse 4. They have set up kings but not by me c. The Septuagint and vulgar Latine render it They have reigned to themselves like as St. Paul telleth the haughty Corinthians who carried aloft by their waxen wings domineered and despised others ye have reigned as kings without us c. 1 Cor. 4.8 But our reading is according to the Originall and so they are charged with a double defection the one Civil from the house of David they have set up kings c. the other Ecclesiasticall from the sincere service of God they had made them idols For the first it was not their fault to set up kings but to do it without God without his licence and approbation They took counsel but not of God they covered with a covering but not of his spirit that they might adde sin to sin Esay 30.1 They went headlong to work in setting up Jeroboam the son of Nebat For although the thing were done by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God as was likewise Christs crucifixion Acts 2.23 See 1 King 11.31 17. and Chap. 12.15 24. yet because the people were led by their own pride and ambition to chuse a new king without either asking Gods consent or eyeing his decree they did it rashly and seditiously neithey aimed they at any thing else but at the easing of their burdens and drawing to themselves the wealth of the kingdome As for Jeroboam it is before noted that although he had it cleared to him that Gods will was he should be king over the ten Tribes yet because it was a will of Gods decree not of his command as of a duty to be done by him and because he did not as David who when he had the promise of the kingdome yea was anointed king yet invaded not the kingdom but waited till he was lawfully exalted thereunto by God therefore passeth he for an usurper And the people are here worthily reprehended sith whatsoever is not of faith is sin and it is obedience when men obey a Divine precept but not ever when they follow a Divine instinct they have made princes c. Some render it They have removed Princes R. Sal. Jark as if in the word Hasiru Sin were put for Samech they have taken liberty to make and unmake Princes at their pleasure as the Roman Army did Emperours and as that potent Earl of Warwick in Henry the sixths time who is said to have carried a king in his pocket But because the former reading is confirmed by the Chaldee Paraphrase and the sence is agreeable to what went before neither read we of any kings of Israel deposed by the people we retain it as the better Of their silver and their gold have they made them idols Of the guts and garbage of the earth had they made them terricula fray-bugs or molestations Gnatsabim terrorem enim tristitiam duntaxat afferunt suis cultoribus for they cause terrour and heavinesse onely to those that worship them Polan Their sorrow shall be multiplied that hasten after another God Psal 16.4 The Greek Churches for instance so set upon Image-worship and therefore now subjected to the Turkish tyranny a type whereof were these ten Tribes carried captive by the Assyrian without any return Idols are called griefs or sorrows saith Peter Martyr because they torment the minde and trouble the conscience neither can they quiet or pacifie it Com. in 1 Sam. 31.9 so that Idolaters must needs be alwayes in doubt and despair as Papists are whose whole religion is a doctrine of desperation Their penances and pilgrimages to such or such an Idoll might still their consciences for a while but this was a truce rather then a peace a palliate cure which would not hold long a corrupting of the sergeant but not compounding with the Creditour that they may be cut off Not their silver and gold the matter of their idols as some sence it but the whole nation Princes and people together Idolatry is a God-provoking and a land-desolating sinne as in this Prophecy Often it is not so much the enemies sword as the sin of idolatry that destroyeth cities and kingdoms through the justice and jealousie of Almighty God Verse 5. Thy calf O Samaria hath cast thee off That is it can do thee no stead nor deliver thee from the destroyer Be not afraid of such mawmets saith Jeremy for they cannot do evil neither also is it in them to do good 〈…〉 chap. 10.5 they can neither hurt nor help for an idoll is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 nothing but a meer fiction it hath no god-head or power divine in it self as the following words shew that there is none other God but one How then can help be reasonably expected from it Israel had cast off the thing that is good for calf-worship ver 3. therefore is he worthily cast off by his calf called here Samaria's calf or calves because that was the chief City the Palace of the King and is therefore put for the whole Province and their idols called a calf by way of contempt as the brazen-serpent is called Nehushtan or a piece of brasse when once it was Idolized See how Rabshakeh insults over those Heathen-deities 2 King 18.33 34 35. and blasphemously applieth it to the God of Israel who never casteth off his faithfull servants but is with them in trouble to deliver them and honour them Psal 91.15 Surely the Lord will not cast off his faithfull people neither will he forsake his inheritance Psal 94.14 Behold God will not cast away a perfect man Job 8.20 But though he cause grief yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies Lam. 3.31 32. some reads it thus Thy calf O Samaria hath been carried away into a far countrey namely into Assyria as the idols of the nations which were overcome were carried away captive
they are full of base fears whereof the true fear of God would have freed them Matth. 10.28 Hee that feareth God needeth not fear any other thing or person Psal 112.7 but can say with David My feet Horat. that is mine affections stand in an even place that is in an equable tenour Impavidum ferient ruinae I shall rest in the day of trouble when he cometh up against the people saith holy Habakkuk chap. 3.16 I shall rejoyce in the God of my salvation when those that fear not God shall be at their wits end yea they shall be mad for the sight of their eyes that they shall see Deut. 28.34 Because of the calves of Beth-aven Calves in the feminine gender Shee-calves by way of contempt and derision S. H. Blounts voyage 122. Grand Sign Serag 199. Virg. Aeneid 9 Hom. Il. 8. In loc as Hierom noteth as Esay 3.12 Women rule over them The Jewes at this day look upon women as a lower creation and suffer them not to enter into the Synagogue As among the Turks they never go to Church neither is there any reckoning made of their religion The Heathens had the like conceits and expressions O Phrygiae neque enim Phryges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We cannot speak over-basely of idols the Scriptures calleth them excrements Nothings c. Luther wonders that Jeroboam knowing how ill the people had sped with their golden Calf in the wildernesse should yet dare to set up two at Dan and Bethel both here called Bethaven or houses of iniquity and a man might as well wonder that having as great a miracle wrought before him in the drying up of his hand as St. Paul at his conversion yet was he no whit wrought upon But if God strike not the stroke if the Spirit set not in with the means all 's to no purpose Who would think that men should ever be so void of reason as to trust in that which cannot save it self from the enemies hands as these calves of Beth-aven and as the Papists breaden-god brought into the field by the rebels of North-folk in King Edward the sixths dayes neither was there lacking masses crosses banners candlesticks with holy-bread and holy-water plenty to defend them from devils and all adversary power which in the end neither could help their friends nor save themselves from the hands of their enemiees but eft-soons both the consecrated god and all the trumpery about him Act. and Mon. 1190. was taken in a cart and there lay all in the dust Leaving to them a notable lesson of better experience saith Mr. Fox who relateth it For the people thereof i. e. of the calf to whom they had dedicated themselves as the Moabites are called the people of Chemosh Num. 21.29 and Turks Mahometans For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Mic. 4.5 Do mourn over it As those women wept for Tammuz Ezech. 8.14 that is for Osiris king of Egypt whose image they had adored as those Rev. 18. wailed over that old whore when they saw her a broyling as Idolatrous Micah cried after his gods Judg. 18. and as the people of the East-Indies in the Isle Zeylon having an apes tooth which they had consecrated gotten from them mourned and offered an incredible masse of treasure to recover it Should not men then mourn after the sincere service of God and hold it dear to their soules And the Priests thereof that rejoyced in it Heb. the Chemarims or Chimney-chaplaines that were all black and sooty with the smoak of the sacrifices and were therefore called Chemarim or Camilli as affecting a black habite sanctimoniae ergo or having black brand-marks upon their bodies in honour of their Idols whereof these haply were the Hierophantae or masters of the Ceremonies and made a great gain thereof the ground of their joy for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gain so called because it delights the heart For the glory thereof i. e. of the calf the beauty and bravery of its worship all is now utterly gone Vers 6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria c. As no small part of the spoyl shal this Deafter be carried captive being so far unable to save others that he cannot save himself For a present to king Jareb See Chap. 3.13 in signum omnimodae victoriae so Aeneas Ilium in Italiam portat victosque penates Aeneid 1. though in another sense yet they must needs be poor despicable deities See Isay 46.2 that fall into the enemies hands The Ark indeed fell into the Philistines hands but the Ark was not Gods but onely a signe of his presence which God suffered so to be taken for a punishment to his people and for a plague to his enemies whom he smote in the hinder parts and so put them to a perpetual reproach Psal 78.66 Ephraim shall receive shame because they hoped and harped upon better things Job 6.20 O pray with David that our hopes be not disappointed that they make us not ashamed as Paul speaketh that they prove not as the spiders web Rom. 5.5 curiously framed but to catch flies onely or as the childes hope who catcheth at the shadow on the wall which he thinks he holds fast or at the butterflie which if he catch he hath no such great catch of And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsels of their impolitick plots and practises in dividing themselves from Davids house and setting up unwarranted worships calling in forrain helps c. Their own counsels have cast them down Job 18.7 because they were acted by false principles and aymed at their own corrupt ends They took counsel but not of God and covered with a covering but not of his spirit that they might adde sin to sin Esay 30.1 They made not the Word the man of their counsel as David did Psal 119.24 neither prayed they as he Psal 73.24 Guide me Lord with thy counsel and so bring me to glory In a word they perished by their own counsels Hos 11.6 whereby they provoked God and so were brought low by their iniquity Psal 106.43 and then they were ashamed of their own counsel they saw themselves befooled by their carnal reason and by that which they call Reason of State which indeed is treason unlesse it be seasoned with Justice and Religion Vers 7. As for Samaria her king is cut off as the feam upon the waters An apt simile whereof this prophet is full Her king not her idols as some sense it though gotten into Samaria a strong city so well victualled and fortified as to hold out a siege of three years continuance yet shall be cut off or silenced as Chap. 4.7 as the foam upon the waters bulla evanida more weak then water whereof it ariseth and whereby it is wherried away and cannot resist or as a bubble blown up by
of it Onely we must not set God a time when to come but wait upon him who waiteth to be gracious Elijah sent seven times ere the rain came Seek till God comes Limit not the holy One of Israel As he seldom comes at our time so he never failes in his own Hold out therefore faith and patience for behold he cometh on the clouds on the wings of the winde and his reward is with him To him that soweth righteousnesse shall be a sure reward Prov. 11.18 Verse 13. Ye have plowed wickednesse The former exhortation was even spilt upon them for they went on to plot and plough wickednesse they had their necks in the devils yoak and promoted his kingdom with sides and shoulders they let out the strength of their spirits for the furtherance of sin and were at no small pains to go to hell as being the devils hinds and horses to draw his plough Prov. 21.4 Job 4.8 Even as I have seen saith Eliphaz they that plow iniquity and sowe wickednesse reap the same Ye have reaped iniquity saith our Prophet that is dignum factis praemium the reward of your wickednesse And her iniquity is opposed to mercy in the former verse as wickednesse also is to righteousnesse or wickednesse may be taken for their Apostacy Idolatry and creature-confidence and iniquity for the rest of their enormities proceeding from those former for these wicked ones are never out of action Plaut Capt. Act. 3. sc 5. Arant serunt occant scelera they plow sowe and harrow mischiâ—â—â— so that would they but take the like pains for heaven that they do for hell they could not lightly misse of it Ye have eaten the fruit of lies That is ye have been cozened by your false Prophets and State-politicians whose fetch it is to formalize and enervate the power of truth till at length they have left you an heartlesse and saplesse religion Ye have fed hungerly upon the murthering morsels of sin and that 's the reason that there is so much ill blood amongst you Your bread is that panis meadacij Solomon speaks of Prov. 20.17 full of grit and gravell made up with saw-dust as they served the Martyrs and mixed with lime Turk hist as the treacherous Greeks dealt by the Western Christians marching towards the Holy-land because thou didst trust in thy way In thy Calf-worship Way is oft put for religion and every action men do is a step either to heaven or to hell he that walketh uprightly walketh safely These Idolaters were very confident of their way so are our Papists and other heretikes as David George that pestilent Libertine was fully perswaded that the whole world would submit to him And Campian Coster and other zealous Papists tell us to our heads that our religion is errour our selves heretikes our end destruction that one heaven cannot hold us hereafte one Church now c. Thus the way of a fool is right in his own eyes but hee that hearkeneth to counsell as no confident fool will is wise Prov. 12.15 and in the multitude of their mighty men This made them ready to boast as that young king of Hungary did that though the skie should fall down upon them Sigismund Turk hist yet they were men enow and strong enough with their pikes to bear it up These Ephraimites liked their way of false worship the better because backt by a strong Army That way the mighty men go that shall be troden this is a secret byasse a strong poyse upon the spirits of most men Rev. 13. when power and authority was put into Antichrists hands the whole world wondered after him But cursed be that man that maketh flesh his arm c. I will not trust in my bowe Jer. 17. my sword shall not save me saith David There is no king saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength Psal 33.16 See Psal 146.3 4 5. Verse 14. Therefore shall a tumult arise among the people c. Even among those mighty men wherein ye trusted shall there be seditious tumults that shall soon bring all into a miserable confusion Intestine commotions may undo a people as a man may die of an inward bleeding Ac veluti in magno populo cum saepe coorta est Seditio saevitque animis ignobile vulgus c. Virg. Aeneid lib. 1. When the multitude is in a rage they are like to a tiled house that is on fire saith One there 's no coming near the house the tiles do so flie about your face so it is in tumults there 's no coming neer to talk to them to convince them but they are ready to flie presently upon you In Kets sedition Dr. Parker in his Sermon before the Rebels neer Norwich touched them for their missiving so near that they went near to touch him for his life The rude rage of the rebels was such that some being disabled almost to hold up their weapons would strive what they could to strike their enemies others being thrust thorow the body with a spear would run themselves further to reach those that wounded them deadly Yea boyes were observed to be so desperately resolved as to pull arrows out of their own flesh Lise of King Edward the 6. p 75. and deliver them to be shot again by the archers on their side There are none so insolent and cruell as the vilest of the people when they are got together in a head What havock made the seditious in Jerusalem a little before the last destruction of it the Guelfs and Gibellines in Italy Wat Tyler and his complices here That Rebell Joseph lib. 2. cap. 11. l. 6. cap. 11. Speed 734. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 held up by the many-headed multitude dared to say that all the Lawes of England should come out of his mouth The Hebrew word here used signifieth an inundation or multitude of waters which over-run their banks with violence and roaring The people are a most dangerous and heady water when once it is out it is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food Prov. 28.3 The Septuagint render it Destruction Sal. Jarchi saith it signifieth the voice of those that cry Fugite Fugite Away Away the enemy is at hand c. Some say to the same purpose that it signifieth clamorem meticulosorum the crying of those that are scar'd Virg. Aen. as when there is Luctu ubique pavor plurima morti imago See Am. 2.2 Zeph. 1.15 c. and all thy fortresses shall be spoyled Yea though they be munitions of rocks Thy terriblenesse hath deceived thee and the pride of thine heart O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock that holdest the height of the hill though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee down from thence saith the Lord Jer. 49.16 And again all thy strong-holds shall be like fig-trees with the first ripe figs if they be
rebels 5 He is thy God in covenant with thee and will accept of pence for pounds desires for deeds sincerity for perfection 6 Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity and yet wilt fall further and never rise again as Am. 8.14 if thou stop not step not back by repentance and stir up thy self to take hold of God Verse 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord Confesse your sins beg pardon and promise amendment Sue to God to give you those words that he bids you Take go to him in his own words put his promises in suit crave the help of his holy Spirit without which what can we do Rom. 8.26 Say to God as Job 37.19 Teach us what we shall say unto thee for we cannot order our words by reason of darknesse David promiseth not onely to pray but to marshall up his prayers to put them in good array so the word signifieth Psal 5.3 In the morning will I direct my prayer order it in the best manner his words should be nec lecta nec neglecta neither curious nor carelesse but such as are humble earnest and direct to the point avoiding vain babblings Here 's a form prescribed in the Text forms of prayer therefore are not so unlawfull as some conceive them words put into their mouthes as the phrase is 2 Sam. 14.3 that they might not misse Men must as well look to their words as to their feet when they come before God and see that their affections in prayer be not without answerable expressions Take with you such words as may testifie that ye turn heartily to the Lord and not from the teeth outward as they in the Psalmist Psal 78.36 37. Turn before ye begin to pray for God heareth not sinners sith their incense smels of the hand that offereth it Esay 1. Say unto him Mentally and vocally with spirit and speech True it is that prayer is not the labour of the lips but the travell of the heart and God hath promised to answer his people before they call Esay 65.24 By calling upon his Name we neither inform him of what he knoweth not nor move him to shew us more mercy then he intendeth But yet prayers are necessary as means which God will have used that we may receive what he of free mercy giveth Besides it prepareth us holily to enjoy the things received and makes us ready either to wait for them or to want them and to be content that he may be glorified though we be not gratified And although God knoweth our thoughts and understands the mind of the spirit as being the searcher of hearts Rom. 8.27 yet he calls for the calves of our lips the service of our tongues Jam. 3.9 guiding them now and then in a wonderfull manner farre beyond all naturall apprehension and strangely enabling his praying servants who do also finde no small benefit by this practise of pouring out their hearts before him both for the preventing of distractions and kindling affections and discerning their profiting in holy disires for the more worthy effect followeth where more fervent affection went before Take away all iniquity Few words but full of matter O quam multa quam paucis What a short but pithy prayer is this Such was that of the Publican Gic. de Bruti epistola Luke 18.13 that of our Saviour in his agony when yet he is said to pray more fervently that also which he taught us to pray Mat. 6.7 8 c. set in flat opposition to Paganish battologies This in the Text is not much unlike that perfect pattern for here they are taught to beg Vt auferantur sua maleficia conferantur Dei beneficia Take away all evil and give good and then to restipulate thanks So will we render c. Take away from us as an unsupportable burden such as we cannot stand under All iniquity stain and sting crime and curse power and punishment that there be no after reckonings crosse out the black lines of our sinnes with the red lines of thy Sons blood that Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world by this Merit and Spirit by his Value and Vertue that true scape-goat Joh. 1.29 Heb. 9.28 that carrieth the sins of his people into the wildernesse and receive us graciously Heb. Receive good that is as some interpret it Accept out of thy fatherly favour the true witnesses and effects of our thorow conversion But better they that thus sence it Take good to wit to bestow upon us as Psal 68.19 with Ephes 4.8 And it is not improbable saith a Reverend Writer that the Prophet here secretly leadeth us to Christ the Mediatour who first receiveth gifts from his Father and then poureth them forth upon his Church Act. 2.23 D. Reyn. in loc So will we render the calves of our lips Thy benefits shall not be cast away upon unthankfull persons but we will present unto thee a sacrifice that will please thee better then an oxe or bullock that hath horns and hoofs Psal 69.31 This cannot be done but by a sound Convert for the Lepers lips must be covered according to the Law and the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord. To the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Name into thy mouth c. hee liketh not a good motion from an ill mouth as that State in the Story The lip of excellency becommeth not a fool Prov. 17.7 no more then lying doth a worthy man that is renowned for his wisdom It well becommeth the Saints to be thankfull to cover Gods Altar with the calves of their lips This expression implieth saith One That Gods people should not offer their thankfulnesse to God of that which cost them nothing but bring 1. A calf do something to further Gods worship or relieve the necessities of others 2. It must be a dead calf that is it must proceed from humble and mortified mindes 3. A sacrificed calf where is required 1 An Altar our praises must be tendred in the mediation of Christ 2 Fire for the bare throwing out of words though in the name of Christ will not serve without feeling ardency and zeal 3 We must lay our hands on the head of the calf that is in all humility confesse our unworthinesse of the blessings we give thanks for as being lesse then the least Gen. 32.10 Verse 3. Ashur shall not save us c. q. d. He cannot if he would he shall not if he could The two great sinnes of this people were Creature-confidence and Idolatry both these they do here abrenounce and abandon The best repentance saith Luther is a reformed life It is true say they we have gone to the Assyrian wherein we have dealt as the silly bird flying to the snare or as fishes which to avoyd the powle wherewith the water is troubled swim into the net We have taken our horses instead of our prayers and gone about to finde out good We have
for necessity and delight and this is so much inculcated and iterated that you may not slight it as a common occurrence but be deeply affected with it as a sore affliction Verba toties repetita viva sunt vera sunt sana sunt plana sunt Let no man think that this is a superfluous tautologie Aug. or an idle repetition of the same thing For in sacred scripture there is not a tittle in vain there is not an apex whereon there hangs not a mountain of fense as the Rabbines use to say By one and the same thing repeated memory is helped affection is excited and matters of moment are better minded Phil. 3.1 Besides Repetitio confirmatio est saith Ambrose De bone Mart. c. 12. The repeating of a matter implyeth 1 The infallible truth of it 2 The inexpressible excellency of it 3 The profitable use of it 4 The absolute necessity of it Aut faciendum aut patiendum Verse 13. Gird your selves and lament ye Priests Be you Prest and first in the practise of humiliation Be you an example of the believers in word in conversation c. 1 Tim. 4.12 a patern of piety Si vis ne flere c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Horat. Judg. 9.18 If others shall lament you must begin to them and say as Abimelech did to his souldiers What ye have seen me do make hast and do likewise and as St. Paul doth to his Philippians Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do Philip. 4.9 and the God of peace shall be with you for the meat-offering and the drink-offering c. your maintenance is substracted and that which should more affect you the sacred service of God is intermitted and so the glory is departed the dayly sacrifice is neglected which the Jewes counted and called The abomination of desolation Phineas his wife was not without natural affection 1 Sam. 4.21 but her spiritual affections prevailed Therefore in the declaration of her sorrow that of her father in law and husband is but once named but twice it came in The glory is departed The glory is departed All comforts are but Ichabods to a good heart without the ordinances without the sincere milk of the word Gods new-born babes cannot be quitted Tom. 4. Oper. Lat. p. 424. I could not live in Paradise without the Word said Luther as with the Word I could easily live in hell it self Verse 14. Sanctify ye a fast Having humbled your selves preach repentance to others That 's the best sermon that 's digged out of a mans own brest Sanctify your selves first and then prepare your brothren saith losiah to the Priests of his time 2 Cron. 35.6 A religious fast for that the Prophet intends here by Sanctify rightly observed and referred to religious ends is both a testimony of true repentance and a furtherance thereunto for it cames the rebell flesh 1 Cor. 9. ult which else will wantonize and overtop the Spirit Deut. 32.15 And it giveth wings to our prayers which before groveld on the ground as it were Fasting inflameth prayer and prayer sanctifieth fasting sanctify therefore a fast call a solemn assembly Heb. a day of restraint separating your selves as Zech. 8.19 from all fleshly delights amercing and punishing your selues in that sort by an holy revenge as Psal 35.13 and afflicting your soules with voluntary sorrowes for your sins and miseries gather the Elders both those qui canis annis sunt tales who are full of dayes and so of sins and also those that are in place of authority whose offences have sored higher on the wings of Example and Scandal and all the inhabitants of the land For as all are sin-guilty so your unanimity and charity will further the service All should get together in this case and bring their buckets to quench a common fire the more publike and general the humiliation is the more pleasing and prevalent Judg. 20.26 2 Chron. 30.3 13. Ion. 3.5 7 8. into the house of the Lord your God which house was a type of Christ in whom God heareth His and had made many promises to prayers there put up in faith 1 King 8.37 38 39. 2 Chron. 6.28 29. of the Lord your God Yours still by vertue of the covenant be sure to keep faith in heart when we are at the greatest undâ—r And cry unto the Lord with the heart at least as Moses did at the red sea Moses egit vocis silentio ut magis audivetur when yet none heard him but the ear of heaven only and as Hannah did when she uttered no audible voyce and yet poured forth her soul to the Lord with such a strange and unwonted writing of her lips that Eli thought she had been drunk Verse 15 Alas for the day c. 1 Sam. 1.15 Gr. Alas Alas Alas the Vulgar Latine A A A which à Lupide makes much adoe about to little purpose for the day of the Lord that is The day of the greatest evils and miseries then ever hitherto they had suffered if repentance prevent not That they had suffered much already appeareth chap. 2.25 but those were but the bâ—ginnings of their sorrowes if they yet went on in their sins for as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come An Elegant Agnomination there is in the Original together with an allusion to that tremend title of God Shaddai The Jewes probably boasted much and bare themselves over-bold upon their interest in God almighty The Prophet therefore tel's them that Gods greatest power should be little to their profit whiles impenitent for that it should be put forth and exercised for their utter destruction Aben-Ezra interpreteth Shaddai a Conqueror Others a Destroyer which a Conqueror must needs be And hereto this text and that Esa 13.6 do allude when they say Shod shall come from Shaddai Destruction from the Almighty Here also we may learn when we are under affliction to ascend to the first cause thereof Am. 3.6 as David did in that three years famine 2 Sam. 21.1 See â—am 3.38 Verse 16 Is not the meat cut off before your eyes Heb. before your eyes and so it appeareth to be the Prophets speech and not a form prescribed by him to the people by adding the word saying to the end of the fourteenth verse Cry to the Lord saying Alas for the day c. And it is as if the Prophet should say Doe ye not yet see what case you are in Are ye so stupid and so stout or sturdy as not to stoop though starved almost should not Vexation give understanding Are not the fiercest creatures tamed with hard hunger Will not men in such case buy or beg food of their deadly enemies O brawny breasts O horny heart-strings yea joy and gladnesse from the house of our God All Gods services were to be performed with joy but now for want of corn and wine which cheareth God and man Iudg. 9.13 the dayly
your day of grace the things that belong to your peace before the gate be shut the draw-bridg taken up the taper burnt out c. Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 The Apostle after the Prophet Esay purposely beateth upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should say Now or never sith thou mayest the very next minute be cut off by the stroke of death from all further time of repentance and acceptation Up therefore and be doing It is the Lord himself that thus saith Turn ye even to me Vsque ad me altogether as far as to me Stultitia sempâ—r in â—pâ—t vivere Sen. give not the half turn onely begin not to repent and then give over the work Some are ever about to repent but they can never finde time and hearts to set seriously about it to do it in good earnest Some wamblings they have as I may say and some short-winded wishes some kinde of willingnesse and velleity but it doth not boyl up to the full height of resolution to return The Prodigall changed many places ere he came home Many came out of Egypt that yet never came into Canaan with all your heart with the heart Jer. 4.14 Prov. 23.26 and with the whole heart in opposition to a divided heart Hos 10.2 a double heart Jam. 4.8 a heart and a heart Psal 12.2 This whole heart is elsewhere called a true heart Heb. 10.22 a perfect heart 2 Chron. 16.10 truth in the inwards Psal 51.6 where there is an unfained faith 1 Tim. 1.5 laborious love 1 Thess 1.3 sound and cordiall repentance as here undissembled wisdome Jam. 3.17 such holinesse as rendreth a man like to a chrystall glasse with a light in the middest of it doing the truth Job 3.21 and having his works full Rev. 3.1 2. being a true worshipper Joh. 4.24 an Israelite indeed Ioh. 1.47 God he knows to be just and jealous he will not endure corrivals or compartners in the kingdome His jurisdiction is without peculiar he will not divide with the Devil Be the gods of the Heathen good-fellows saith One the true God is a jealous God and will not share his glory with another He must be served truely that there be no halting and totally that there be no halving and with fasting weeping and with mourning with deep and down-right humiliation sutable to your sins as Ezr. 9.6 ye have inveterate stains such as will not be gotten out till the cloth be almost rubb'd to pieces Satan hath intrenched himself in your hearts and will not be gotten out but by fasting and prayer Fasting is of it self but a bodily exercise and meriteth nothing for religion consisteth not in meat and drink 〈◊〉 the belly full or empty Rom. 14.17 Col. 2.23 But fasting is a sinâ—ular furtherance to the practise of repentance and the enforcing of our prayers â—ee Ezr. 8.21 As full feeding increaseth corruption Ier. 5.7 8. so religious Aâ—stinence macerateth tameth and subdueth the Rebell Flesh 1 Cor. 9.27 giving it the blew-eye as there and 2 Coâ— 7.11 so that not the body so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the soul is made more active by emptinesse Fasting dayes are soul-fatting dayes they fit men for conversion as here and make much to the humbling of the spirit hence they are called dayes of humiliation and of self affliction Levit. 16.31 and 23.37 and with weeping Drown your sins in a deluge of tears cleanse your wounds by washing in this precious water quench hell fire with it kill the woâ—m fetch out sins venome there 's a healing property in these troubled waters Tears of vine-branches are said to cure the leprosie and the Olive is reported to be most fruitfull when it most distil eth These April showers bring on May-flowers and make the heart as a watered garden or as some faces appear most oriently beautifull when most bedewed with tears Peter never lookt so sweetly as when he wept bitterly David never sung more pathetically then when his heart was broken most penitentially Psal 6. and 51. when tears in stead of gemmes were the ornament of his bed as Chrysostom speaketh Mary Magdalen that great weeper as she made her eyes a fountain to wash Christs feet in so she had his wounds as a fountain to bath her soul in yea she had afterwards the first sight of the revived Phoenix whom shee held fast by those feet that had lately trod upon the lion and the adder c. and with mourning This is added as a degree beyond the former Men may fast and yet find their pleasures Esay 58.13 weep out of stomack as Esau or complement as Phryne the harlot who was sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weep-laugh because she could easily do either and as among the Brasileans Magirus in Gâ—â—gr Vt flerent oculos erudi resuos Ovid. tears are for a present salutation and as soon gone as if they had said How do ye What is an humbling day without an humbled heart not onely a religious incongruity but an high provocation like Zimri's act when all the Congregation were weeping before the door of the Tabernacle Here therefore the Lord calleth to mourning funerallmourning Nudaque marmoreis percussit pectora palmis Ovid. In gloss margin as the word signifieth with tabring upon the breast Nah. 2.7 smiting on the thigh Jer. 31.19 beating on the head face and other parts sicut mulierculae in puerperio facere solent saith Luther there See Esay 32.11 and 22.12 Sorrow for sin must not be slight and sudden but sad and soaking the heart must be turned into an Hadadrimmon Zech. 12.10 11. where the Prophet seems in a sort to be at a stand for comparisons fit enough and full enough to set forth their sorrow who looking upon Christ whom they had pierced felt the very nails sticking in their own hearts as so many sharp daggers or stings of scorpions The good soul say the School-men seeth more cause of grief for sinning then for the death of Christ because therein was aliquid placens something that pleaseth but sinne is simpliciter displicens simply displeasing So that Gods mourners need not send for mourning women to teach them to mourn as Jer. 19.17 but rather have need to be comforted lest they should be swallowed up with overmuch grief 2 Cor. 2.7 and lest Satan get an advantage against them verse 11. by mixing the detestable darnell of desperation Act. Mon. with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart as Mr. Philpot Martyr speaketh Verse 13. And rent your heart and not your garments i. e. not your garments onely Schindler which was gestus perturbationis among the Jews a gesture usuall with them to set forth the greatnesse of their grief and displeasure as 1. At funerals and losse of friends Tumpius Aeneas humerâ—â— abscinaere vestem Auxilioque vocare Deos tendere palmas Virg. Aeneid as Gen. 37.2 In
case of blasphemy as 2 King 18.3 In time of common calamity Esth 4.1 Godly sorrow for sinne should exceed all other sorrows whatsoever both in intention and extension the whole soul sending continuall streams into it out of every faculty And hence it is that the Prophet here calleth upon them to Ront and as it were to discontinuate their hearts Cor integrum cor scissum the broken heart is the onely sound heart and to rent the garment and not the heart is as very a juggle as that of Players who seem to wound themselves but do not and make a shew of thrusting themselves thorow their bodies but the sword passeth onely thorow their clothes Stage-players can act to the life those whom they personate yea out-strip them in outward actions so do hypocrites the true Christian 2 Cron. 34.27 Doth good Josiah melt at the menaces of the law and weep and rend his clothes and humble himself wicked Ahab will also in like case 1 King 21.27 rend his clothes put sackcloth upon his flesh fast lie in sack cloth and go softly and heavily as sorrowfull men and mourners use to do Doth the Publican fix his eyes on the ground those hypocrites in Esay will hang down their heads as bulrushes Doth holy Timothy weaken his constitution with religious abstinence the false Pharisee will not onely weaken his constitution but wither and disfigure his complexion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may appear to men to fast Matth. 6.16 Such pains men will be at for applause for a little stinking breath which yet cannot blow one cold blast upon them when they shall be frying in hell for their seemingnesse Rent therefore your hearts saith the Prophet break up your fallow-ground circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the filthy fore-skin of your hearts Jer. 4.3 4. wash them from wickednesse that ye may be saved verse 14. Be ye active and voluntaries in your sorrows for sinne Virtus nolentium nulla est Fained and forced grief is nothing worth Judas grieved confessed restored and yet miscarried He went not forth as Peter to weep bitterly he did not cast himself into heavinesse as Iam. 4.9 10. It was fired out of him as sweet-water out of roses It was squeezed out of him as Verjuice out of crabs Gods people are commanded to afflict themselves with voluntary sorrows Lev. 16. to loath themselves for all their abominations Rom. 8.13 Ezek. 16. to mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit to do it with their own hands and not to give over the practise of it till they feel their hearts to ake and quake within them yea to fall asunder in their bosomes like drops of water See all this done by David after he had numbred the people 2 Sam. 24.10 Some shadow of it we have in the example of Epaminondas the Theban Generall who the next day after the Victory and Triumph went drooping and hanging down his head and being asked Plutar. why he did so he answered Yesterday I felt my self too much tickled with vain-glory therefore I correct my self for it to day 2 Sam. 24.10 Expounded But we have a better example in holy David whose heart smote him saith the Text and made him smart inwardly He was not yet smitten either by Gods hand or the Prophets reproof as afterwards but his sanctified conscience did its office of a faithfull Monitour and houshold Chaplain his heart misgave him Bee-masters tell us that those are the best hives that make the greatest noise Sure it is that that 's the best conscience that suffers not a man to sleep in sin Davids heart smote him But for what for numbring the people It was for his own sin for a small for a secret sin for a failing in the manner only David knew that a man may dye as well of an inward bleeeding as of an outward hurt The good soul is oft afflicted for faylings in that holy duty which others applaud and extol And David said unto the Lord he could not rest till he had opened his mind unto him by confession and supplication and so got a vent to his troubled spirit as when a sore is opened there is ease immediately To God therefore he addresseth himself not to men as Judas did and Papists do and many amongst us being in pain of conscience will rather shark for ease then sue for pardon and acknowledgeth with aggravation the iniquity of his sin the sinfulnesse of it as Pauls expression is Rom. 7.13 Psal 32.3 for sin is so vile that he could call it no worse then by its own name I have sinned greatly in that I have done his sin swelled like a toad in his eyes and he spat it out of his mouth with utmost indignation He confesseth sorrowfully but not desperately as Iudas for he both cryes for pardon Take away the iniquity for as for the punishment how he stood affected see verse 17. Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house and concludeth himself Gods servant yea proveth himself so as some godly learned think by those following words For I have done foolishly q. d. If I deserve not to be called Gods servant in regard of my late sin and indeed God calls him but plain David verse 12. Goe and say to David not to my servant David as at other times yet at least in regard of my later service of confession joyned with Reformation for now I see I have done very foolishly who once thought I had done wondrous wisely and politickly and turn unto the Lord your God Of turning to God see at large the Note on Zach. 1.3 Here it is prescribed as a remedy against Gods wrath and pressed again and again to shew the necessity of doing it or we are utterly undone So elsewhere Turn you turn you why will you dye except ye repent ye must needsly perish Aut poenitendum aut pereundum Either you must turn on earth Ioh. 3.3 or burn in hell be born again or ye cannot see the kingdome of God Heaven was too hot to hold the Apostate-Angel And although the devill could get into paradise yet no unclean thing ever gat into heaven No dirty dog may trample on that golden pavement The pure in heart only can see God as whole eyes can look upon the Sun-beames and as transparent bodies receive the light Turn you therefore unto the Lord If a man see a Lion or a burning fire before him he will make some shift to turn another way So here biasse for there is no safety in going forward sith our God is a consuming fire and as a roaring lion will tear and rent the cawle of our hearts in sunder Hos 13.8 if we rent not our hearts and turn unto him By turning may well be here meant Reformation that Repentance from sin as Humiliation before required is in scripture called Repentance for sin for it is not enough to mourn
Him see to it where my soul shall rest who took so much care for it as that he laid down his life for it Verse 28. And it shall come to passe afterwards sc In the dayes of the Messiah which is called the world to come Heb. 2.5 but especially after his Ascension see Ioh. 7.37 Act. 2 where this prophesie was fulfilled and this place taken for the first text preached on by the Apostles verse 17. to the conversion of three thousand soules at one sermon For together with the word there went forth a power Luk. 7. 2 Tim. 1.7 even that Spirit of power of love and of a sound mind here promised to be powred out not distilled only see the Note on Zech. 12.10 and that upon all flesh Spirit upon flesh the best thing upon the basest yea upon all flesh without respect of persons or difference made of sex age or condition provided that they know and acknowledg themselves to be but flesh Gen 6.3 corrupt and carnal animas etiam incarnavimus Bern. as an Ancient complaineth and that whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean that whole Man is in evill and whole evill in Man neither can it be gotten out in any measure till the heart be mollified and made tender as flesh Ezeh 11.19 and 36.26 27. which cannot be done till men be taught of God and drawn out of darknesse into his marvelous light till they be spiritualized 2 Cor. 3.18 and transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie This was fulfilled Act. 2. as St. Peter sheweth For the new Testament is but the old unfolded and fulfilled as was also typified in the two Cherubims of the sanctuary looking intently into the Propitiatory Christ Rom. 3.25 but with their faces turn'd one towards another Exod. 25.20 See Act. 26.22 It was fulfilled I say in that visible descension of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles and the rest Act. 2. Act. 8.15 17. and 10.44 So that this makes nothing at all for the Enthusiasts raptures and dotages the true offpring they are Funcc Chronol of those ancient Euchites or Messalanii who leaving their trades gave themselves to much sleep and called their dreams and phantasies prophesies Anno Dom. 371. your old men shall dream c. your yong men shall see visions i. e. God will no less open his will unto them then he did of old to the Prophets by dreams and visions for by the conduct of the Spirit they shall be led into all truth and holinesse they shall be all a royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 1.6 full of all goodnesse filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another Rom. 15.14 Verse 29. And also upon the servants they shall be the free-men and women of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 7.22 by as full a measure of Gods free and noble Spirit bestowed upon them as upon their Masters and Mistresses The Trent Translation hath it upon my servants and my handmaids But there is no such pronoun in the Original though it is true that all that have the spirit are his and the contrary Rom. 8 9. Eph 1.13 The scope of the text is as Mercer well noteth to shew that ut gratuitum commune Christi beneficium sic spiritus as the benefits of Christ are free and common to all his people so is the Spirit And surely next to the love of Christ in dwelling in our nature we may well wonder at the love of the holy Ghost that will dwell in our defiled soules and act in them as he doth For there are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 11.4 as the divers smels of flowers come from the same influence and the diverse sounds in the organ froin the same breath Verse 30. And I will shew wonders in the heavens Prodigia beneficia credentibus a Lapid malefica horrifica incredulis saith Cornelius a Lapide who interpreteth the text of those signes and wonders that shall precede the day of judgment and for confirmation here of alleageth chap. 3.2 together with Mat. 24.29 Luk. 21.25 And had he looked a little higher into those chapters and taken in all the troubles that befell the Church from our Saviours ascension to his second comming together with those horrible calamities and confusions that shall befall the wicked for contempt of the Gospell and persecution of the professors thereof he had done right in mine opinion It is ordinary with the Prophets to set forth horrible commotions by such figurative expressions See Ier. 4.23 c. Isay 13.10 Rev. 6.12 Those that have received the Spirit of Adoption must not dream of a delicacy but expect persecution Christ came to send fire on the earth Luk. 12.49 Neither may Persecutors hope to escape unpunished but look to be pursued by divine justice See the Note on Rev 6.15 How heavie was the hand of God upon Jerusalem that slaughter-house of the Saints and afterwards upon the Ten Persecutors of Rome 1 Nero whom Tertullian rightly calleth Dedicatorem damnationis Christianorum quippe qui orientem fidem primus Rema cruentavit the first bloody Persecutor of the Christian religion lost thirty thousand of his subjects by the pestilence had his army utterly routed and cut off in Britanny both the Armenia's revolted from him the Senators rose up against him and compelled him to be his own deaths-man 2 Demitian was butchered by his souldiers 3 Trajan dyed of a dropsie 4 Severus dyed miserably here at York 5. Maximinus with his sonn was cut in peeces 6. Decius dyed in a farr country 7. Valerian was flea'd by Sapores king of Persia who took him prisoner 8. Aurelian was slain by his own men 9. Dioclesian poisoned himself 10 Maximian hang'd himself What should I speak of Julian Anastasius Heraclius c. The French persecutors Francis the second Charles the ninth Henry the third the Guises c. Philip the second of Spain who returning out of the Low countries fell into a storm and suffered shipwrack to the great danger of his life Hist of Gennc of Trent 417. He said he was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranisme which he presently began to do with all his might He afterwards died miserably of the lousie disease Q. Mary died of a tympany or else of grief of heart for K. Philip's unkind departure Speed forraine losses Callice surrendred hurt done by thunders from heaven and by fire in the royal navie extream dearths raging her conceptions fayling c. What heavy judgments befell divers particular persecutors of those times Poole Gardiner Bonner Morgan Story Burton see Acts and Mon. 1902. 1904. c. 1915. George Eagles alias Trudge-over the world having hid himself in a cornfeild was Mr. Leigh his Saints Encouragement Ep. to Read for mony descried
abuse them through their injustice to make the poor of the land fail For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord. I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12.5 Neither doth God say it onely though that were sufficient but swear it too in this chapter yea in this text the two next following verses are put in as by a parenthesis and these Cormorants are called upon to hear it and not to passe it by with a deaf ear tanquam monstra marina as such kind of creatures use to do Verse 5. Saying when will the New-moon be gone c. O what a wearinesse it is I and ye have snuffed at it Mal. 1.13 See the Note there This ye have said or thought at least and God knoweth the language of your hearts He presseth upon no man neither will he accept of that service that is pressed out of people as verjuice out of a crab All his saints are free-hearted Psal 110.3 all his souldiers volunteeres The sabbath they call Desiderium dierum they welcome the sabbath as that holy man did who went forth to meet and salute it with Veni sponsa mea Come my sweet spouse I have dearely longed for thee They also passe it over with singular delight Esay 58.13 walking into Christs garden of spirituall duties whereof there is so great variety for the good soule to breath it self in and not be sated Cant. 2. and then are taken into Christs wine-cellar 1 Cor. 2. and after an holy manner inebriated with divine consolations such as the cock on the dunghil knowes not such as pass all carnall mens understanding They find no more rellish in holy dayes and duties then they do in the white of an egge or in a dry chip the work they do at such times for fashion-sake or feare of law c. is dead work as the Apostle calleth it they sit in the stocks when they are at prayers and come out of the Church when the tedious sermon runs somewhat beyond the houre as prisoners do out of a jayle c. they cannot tell how to weare out the sabbath which therefore they wish over and constantly violate either by corporall labour or else which is as bad or worse by spirituall idlenesse Full ill would these men addere de profano ad sacrum as the Jewes say we should do Buxtorf Synag Jud. pronouncing those happy that begin the sabbath with those of Tiberias and end it with those of Tsepphore the former began it sooner then others the later continued it longer Full ill would they have liked our King Edgars law Act. Mon. that Sunday should be solemnized from Saturday nine of the clock till Munday morning Full loth would these men be to beg Davids office out of his hand of being a doore-keeper in Gods house that is to be first in and last out And what would they do to keep an everlasting sabbath in heaven that are so troubled and even tired out with so short an attendance on the Lords-day not without a world of wilfull distractions such as spoyle and fly-blow their performances so that they stink in the nostrils of the Almighty and the sabbath Not the sabbath of the seventh yeare called Shemittah Remission Levit. 25. as some would have it meant but the weekly sabbath which the unrighteous Mammonists here cry out of as if on that day the Sun proceeded a flower pace then on others and they greatly grutcht lucellum suum Dei cultui cedere that God should be served to their disadvantage Their fingers therefore itch to be setting out corn and they as dearely desire it as David did once to come and appeare before the Lord. O rus quand◠te aspiciam Horat. As He had his when shall I come by way of wish Psal 42.3 so they had their When shall we fell corn when shall we set forth wheat Surely as Davids soule longed sore to go forth unto Absalom 2 Sam. 13.39 so that he could have found in his heart but for stark shame to have gone himself and fetched him home so was it with these gripple corn-masters these frumenti corrasores veluti corrosores Prov. 11.26 They had a good mind to have been doing on the New-moones and sabbaths Exod. 20.8 34 21. Lev. 23.3 Neh. 10.32 13.15 c. Num. 10.1 2 Sam. 20.5 but that they were flatly forbidden by the law made on purpose for these lawlesse and disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 these masterless monsters these yokeless Belialists to be to them as chaines and shackles to confine them as Solomons command did Shimei that they may not leape over the pale after profit and pleasure or if they do they may dye for it Esay 66.23 it is prophecyed that in the restitution of the church from one new-moon to another and from one sabbath to another as oft as they come without tire-somenesse all flesh shall come to worship before the Lord they shall call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable Esay 58.13 be rapt and ravished in spirit Rev. 1.10 be in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost all the day long Epist 3. ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ignatius hath it Sabbatize spiritually rejoycing in divine meditations This well practised would take men off from the worlds tastelesse fooleries as his mouth will not water after homely provisions that hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance It would also blessedly free them from those many foolish and hurtfull lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 those heavy sorrowes and self-created miseries wherewith covetous caytiffes pierce them selves thorough gall and gore-their own hearts and trouble their own houses verse 10. taking no more rest then if upon a rack or bed of thornes making the Ephah small and the shekel great Selling by small measures but for great rates which was directly against the law Deut. 25.13 14. and that golden Rule of right the standard of equity the royall law of liberty Mat. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets this is the sum of what they have said for duties of the second table and falsifying the balances by deceit Heb. preverting the ballances of deceit that is by a metonymie as Job 22.6 making those that were right deceitfull See Prov. 20.10 23. with the Notes there Such falsifiers are counted no better then Canaanites Hos 12.7 and shall have small joy of their cursed hoards of evill gotten goods Verse 6. That we may buy the poore for silver c. Thus the poore alwayes pay for it the modest and mild poore especially as ver 4. Hence Poore and afflicted are put for one and the same Zeph. 3.12 and to want and to be abased Philip. 4.12 they that want shall be sure to be abased and abused
teeth and fed them with the bread of affliction and water of affliction with prisoners pittance as they call it which will neither keep them alive 1 King 22.27 nor suffer them to die Then shall they cry and whine as hogs when hungry as dogs when tied up from their meate but God will not hear them He will even cast out their prayers with contempt as beeing the prayers of the flesh for ease and not of the spirit for grace They cry unto the Lord aloud but it is only to be rid of his rod they roare when upon the wrack but 't is only to get off they look rufully as the fox doth when taken in a gin but it is only to be set at liberty they chatter out a charme when Gods chastening is upon them yea they may be with child as it were of a prayer and yet bring forth nothing but wind Esa 26.16 17 18. For either God answereth them not at all which was Sauls case curse 1 Sam. 28.15 Moabs Isa 16.12 and Davids enemies Psal 18.41 Or else he gives them bitter answers Ezek. 14.4 Judg. 10.13 14. Or if better it is but for a further mischief that he may curse their blessings and consume them after that he hath done them good Iosh 24.20 Their preservation from one evill is but a reservation to seven worse as we see in Phaoh Senacherih Ahab and others Lo this is the portion of a wicked man with God and the heritage of oppressours which they shall receive of the almighty Iob 27 13 14 15. c. See the place Remedilesse misery shall befall them calamities that shall wring from them clamours but to no purpose or profit See Prov. 1.28 he will even hide his face from them that is withdraw his savour care providence help presence and benefits of all which the face is the symbol that like as they have turned upon God the back and not the face and have been mercilesse to men Esa 58.7 hiding their eyes from their own flesh so shall it be done to them in the day of their distresse God will award them judgement without mercy who shewed no mercy Iam. 2.13 He will set off all hearts from them as he did from wicked Haman See Prov. 21.13 with the Note when the king frowned upon him Lastly he will turn their own consciences loose upon them as once he did upon Iosephs brethren Gen. 42.21 to ring that dolefull knell in their eares Isa 3â— 1. Woe to thee that spoilist c. when thou shalt cease to spoile thou shalt be spoiled c. Talionis lege mulctabere as Adonibezek Phocas Charles 9. c. Verse 5. Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets False prophets who pretended divine authority when as God never sent them but expresly declareth here against them and threateneth them Those prophane Princes had their flesh-flies those court-parasites to sooth and smooth them up in their sins to promise thâ—m peace albeit they walked in the imagination of their own hearts to add drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 28.19 Bucholcer and to live as they listed Mirifica est sympathia inter Magnates parasitos saith One. There is a strange sympathy betwixt Great men and claw-backs nothing so troublesome to such as truth nothing so toothsome as flattery this is the fruit of 〈◊〉 self-love and the end thereof are the wayes of death Prov. 16.25 that make my people to erre That 〈◊〉 them and carry them out of the right way into by paths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.30 and blind thickets 〈◊〉 â—rrour where they are lost for ever Deut. 13.13 Seducers are said to draw 〈◊〉 violently or to thrust them onward Jeroboam is said to have driven Israel from following the Lord and the false Apostles to drag disciples after them Act. 20. compelling them by their perswasions to embrace those distorted doctrines that cause convulsions of conscience that bite with their teeth The dogs of Congo bite through they bark not saith Mr. Purchas Pilgr of Religion Christs Polititian by Tho. Scot. there are a sort of cuâ—-dogs saith Another that suck a mans blood only with licking Seducers are such Beware of false Prophets for they come to you in sheeps cloâ—thing but inwardly they are ravening wolves And in this sense Hierome and Theodoret take this text they devoure those they make prize of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles word signifieth Colos 2.8 Others think their covetousnesse and gormandise is noted O Monachi Vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi Vos estis Decis est testis certissima pestis As hungry dogs they snap at a crust and make cleane work such is their voracity and unsatisfiablenesse Ingluvies tempestas barathrumque macelii And cry Peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All shall be as well as heart can wish or need require Let these Cerberusses but be morselled and you shall heare no worse of them Like they are to the ravens of Arabia that full gorged have a tuneable sweet record but empty screech horribly Si ventri benè si lateri as Epicurus saith in Horace Let their bellyes be filled and their backs fitted and they will prophecy all good to you as those false Prophets nourished by Iezebel did to Ahab as the Pharisees cryed up the Centurion who had built them a synagogue Luk. 7. as the Popish Clergy canonize their benefactours and extoll them to the skies Wvlsin Bishop of Sherborn displaced secular Priests and put in Monks Hence the Monkish writers make him a very holy man and report of him that when he lay a dying he cryed out suddenly I see the heavens open Godw. Cataloc 335. and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God and so died Yea they had a trick to make their Images speak their minds this way As the rode of grace here in England had a man within it inclosed with an hundred wires to make the image goggle with the eyes nod with the head hang the lip move and shake his lawes according as the value was of the gift that was offered If it were a small peece of silver he would hang a frowning lip if a peece of gold then should his jawes go merrily This idolatrous forgery was at last by Cromwels meanes disclosed Act. Mon. fol. 1034. and the image with all his engines shewed openly at Pauls crosse and there torn in peeces by the people who had been so seduced and he that putteth not into their mouthes they even prepare warr against him Heb. sanctifie a warr id est excomunicatis aquâ igni interdicunt Gualth crucem adversus eos praedicant c. they thunder against them and throw them out of the Church publish their Croysades as they did against the Waldenses in France the Hussites in Bohemia and Luther in Germany whom the pope excommunicated the Emperour proscribed diverse divines wrot against the reason whereof when Erasmus was asked by
is false that some contend for sc that every man may be saved in his own faith be it right or wrong For none can come to the Father but by the Son Joh. 14.6 Neither is there any other name but His under heaven whereby men must bee saved Acts 4.12 See Joh. 17.3 and 6.40 Heb. 11.6 whatsoever the Huberians affirme of Universall Election or the Puccians of a naturall faith and we will walk in his paths which are all paved with mercy and love so that the saints run therein and faint not walk and are not weary Esay 40.31 They are all Peripateticks ever in action Gen. 17.1 they are Currists not Quaerists Ambros saith Luther elegantly they do not reason but run the pathes of Gods precepts Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia For the law shall go forth of Zion The law or doctrine as Prov. 13.14 Understand here the Gospel that Law of God Psal 19.7 that Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 that perfect law of liberty Jam. 1.25 a counter-pane whereof God putteth into the hearts of his people Jer. 31. whereby they become as it was once said of the Thracians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law to themselves Herod as being transformed into the same image with the Gospel like as the pearl by the often-beating of the Sun-beams upon it becommeth radiant as the Sun and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Not from Africa at first as the brethren of the rosy-crosse would have it though 't is thought the Gospel was received and the Christian faith professed even from the Apostles time in that large region of Nubia in Africk But repentance and remission of sinnes was preached among all nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.41 The Jews were Gods Library-keepers and the Apostles sent and went from Jerusalem to plant Churches abroad the world and to gather into one the children of God that were dispersed Ioh. 11.52 Verse 3. And he shall judge among many people We had before Christs Propheticall Office here we have his Princely and elsewhere his Priestly This seems to have been the effect of that old prophecy among the Easterlings that Judaea profecti rerum potirentur some that came out ofâ— Jury should conquer all Vide Sueto in Vespas Tacit. lib. 21. wherein both the former are founded for he is the true Trismegist and Melchisedech was a right type of him He is the onely judge and needs no Vicar upon earth such as the Pope claims to bee Esay 33.22 no such Officers to see his lawes executed as the Ephori were among the Greeks and the Censores among the Romans The Lord that sent the rod of his strength out of Zion as verse 2. doth also give him to rule in the middest of his enemies whiles his people are willing in the day of his power in the beauties of holinesse Psal 110.3 willing that Christ should send forth judgement to victory Mat. 12.20 that is perfect his own work of grace begun in their hearts To which end as it here followeth He shall rebuke or convince strong nations Convince them I say by his Spirit of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement â—oh 16.8 Of the lothesomnesse of sin of the necessity of getting righteousnesse by Christ and repentance from dead works that men may serve the living God and as much as in them is Acts 17.30 live peaceably with all And they shall beat their swords into plowshares i. e. their fierce and fell natures shall be mansuefied as Esay 11.6 7 8 9. and if they wage warre it shall be non nisi coacti either for the just punishment of Delinquents whom they cannot otherwise come at or for their own necessary defence and that they may establish peace with truth But if men would live by the lawes of the Gospel they need not wage warre or want peace either of countrey or of conscience but they might take for their Motto that of David Ani shallom I am peace and have for their portion that peace peace Esay 26.3 even a perfect sheer pure-peace a multiplied peace with God with themselves and with others this is a main piece of Christs kingdom upon earth Florus who is the Prince of peace and came in a time of peace viz. in the raigne of Augustus when as there was Totius orbis aut pax aut pactio saith Florus a generall peace or truce thorowout the whole world neither shall they learn warre any more To make a trade or a gain of it and so to earn a curse Deut. 27.25 to delight in it Psal 68.30 and make a sport of it as Abner did 2 Sam. 2.14 and Pyrrhus king of Epirots to wage it without weighty reason rashly If we Princes said our Hen. 7. should take every occasion that 's offered the world should never be quiet but wearied by continuall warres We may also here take warring as St. Iames doth chap. 4.1 for jarring and jangling for private discords and dissentions Now these the people or God are so farre from learning that they utterly lay them aside and are kinde one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave them Ephes 4.32 Verse 4. But they shall sit every man under his vine seeding upon the fruit that shall even fall into his mouth saith à Lapide Sit they shall under Christ the true Vine saith Hugo and under the holy Ghost as a fig-tree whose fruit is farre sweeter then any honey But these are coynt interpretations saith Gualther I should rather expound this Text by that 91. Psalm wherein the safe and happy condition of the godly is at large described Vineyards and fig-yards were ordinary in those countreys and hence this proverbiall expression to set forth doubtlesse the spirituall security and that peace of conscience chiefly that is granted to Christs subjects a peace farre beyond that under Solomon which is here pointed at or that under our Queen Elizabeth not to be passed over without one touch at least upon that string which so many years together sounded so sweetly in the ears of our Fathers Then it was if ever that the mountains brought forth peace and the little hills righteousnesse Psal 72.5 The great ones defended their inferiours Westmer in Psal 72. and the inferiours blessed their superiours the Magistrate righted the subject and the subject reverenced the Magistrate and none shall make them afraid God they know will not hurt them man cannot he may take away their heads but not their crowns their lives but not their hopes for the righteous hath hope in his death his Posie is not onely Dumspiro spero but Dum expiro Let the wicked have a trembling heart and failing eyes while he lives Deut. 28.65 and when he dies crie out as a great man was heard to do Spes fortuna valete Farewell life and hope together The servant of Christ as he sits mediis tranquillus in undis all his life long
heritage Not of all but of those poor few that confesse and forsake their sins Pro. 28.13 and in whose spirit there is no guile Psa 32.2 that are mortified persons Rom. 11.26 with Esay 59.20 It is a priviledge proper to the Communion of Saints he retaineth not his anger for ever Angry he may be and smite in his anger Esay 57.17 yea he may take vengeance of the inventions of those whom he hath pardoned Psal 99.8 temporall vengeance I mean but it soon repenteth him concerning his servants and a little punishment serveth turn for a great offence Jer. 31.19 20 21. David no sooner said I have sinned but he heard The Lord hath taken away thy sin 2 Sam. 12. because he delighteth in mercy And hence he pardoneth iniquity of free-grace ex mero motu out of his pure and unexcited love out of his Philanthropy and undeserved favour the sole impulsive cause of pardon What a man delighteth to do he will do howsoever If the Sun delight to run his race who shall stop him If God so delight in mercy that he will save for his Names sake and come in with his Non obstante as he doth Psal 106.8 who or what shall hinder him Verse 19. He will turne again he will have compassion upon us Here 's the pith and power of faith particularly applying promises to a mans self Say that sin hath separated betwixt us and our God Esay 59.2 and made him send us farre away into captivity yet he will turn again and yern toward us he will turn again our captivity as the streams in the South His compassions are more then fatherly Psal 103.13 motherly Esay 49.15 brotherly Heb. 2.12 This the Church knows and therefore cries after him Cant. 8.14 Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart which when it fleeth looketh behind it saith the Chaldee Paraphrast there And this that he will do she is bold to beleeve He will he will and that to us saith the Prophet here Lo this is that work of faith to wrap it self in the promises as made to us in particular 1 Tim. 1.15 and unlesse faith be on this sort actuated it is as to comfort as good as no faith Compare Mat. 8.26 with Mark 4.40 He will subdue our iniquities By force and violence as the word signifieth subjugabit pessundabit conculcabit Sin is sturdy and will rebell where it cannot reigne It hath a strong heart and will not easily yeeld But yeeld it shall for God will subdue it And this is a further favour as every former is a pledge of a future To pardon of sinne God will adde power against sinne to justification by Christs merit sanctification by his Spirit he will let out the life-blood of sin and lay it adying at our feet he will tread Satan with all his black train under our feet shortly Rom. 16.20 He will not onely turn us againe but turne his hand upon us and purely purge away our drosse and take away all our tinne Esay 1.25 In fine hee will so mortifie the deeds of the body by his Spirit that sinne shall not have dominion over us Rom. 6.14 shall not play Rex in us the traveller shall not become the man of the house as Nathans parable speaketh And thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the bottom of the sea Where-hence they shall never be boyed up again This the Prophet by an insinuating Apostrophe turneth himself to God and speaketh with much confidence Such is the nature of true faith sc to grow upon God and as I may so say to encroach as Moses did Exod. 33.12 13 c. to chap. 34.10 and as David did 1 Chron. 17.23 c. See how he improves Gods promise and works upon it ver 24 25. he goes it over again and yet still encroacheth and the effect was good chap. 18. We hinder our selves of much happinesse by a sinfull shamefacednesse Let us come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4. ult so shall we see our sins as Israel did the Egyptians dead on the shore Verse 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham Heb. Thou wilt give for all is of free gift His love moved God to promise his truth binds him to performe 2 Sam. 7.18 21. For thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these things Having made himself a voluntary debter to his people he will come off fairly with them and not bee worse then his word but better Hence Rev. 10.1 Christ is said to have a rainbowe upon his head to shew that he is faithfull and constant in his promises and that tempests should blow over the skie be cleared For this is as the waters of Noah unto mee saith the Lord for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart c. Esay 54.9 10. God hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes Jer. 33.20 25. that one shall succeed the other therefore much more will he keep promise with his people which thou hast sworn unto our fathers And in them to us by vertue of the covenant So he spake with us when he spake with Jacob at Bethel Hos 12.4 and that the promises sworn to the Fathers of the old Testament belong also to us of the New See Luke 1.55 73 74. Now that God swore at any time to them or us hee did it for our sakes doubtlesse that by two iâ—â—â—â—table things in which it was impossible for God to lie wee might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6.17 18. See the Note there Gloria Deo in Excelsis A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of NAHUM CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE burden of Nineveh i. e. The burdenous prophesie See the Note on Malac. 1.1 It is a burden to wicked men to be told of their sinnes and foretold of their punishments To whom we may not unfitly apply that of the Civilian Perquà m durum est Vlpian sed ita lex scripta est If it be so tedious to hear of it what will they do to bear it Nineveh had fair warning before by Jonah and for present the unclean spirit seemed to be cast out of her but he returned soon after with seven worse as appears by this Prophesie and so their last state was worse then the former Mat. 12.45 Their bile half-healed breaking out again proved to be the plague of leprosie Lev. 13.18 19 20. such as shut them out of heaven God will do good to those that are good and continue so But as for those that turn aside unto their crooked wayes as all Apostates do the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity as cattle are led to the slaughter or malefactours to
Sext. Ruf. Sueton. in vit Caesa cap. 47. drew Caesars affection for the conquest of Britain and as Nineveh's fish-pool did the Chaldean fishermen The greater wealth the greater spoil awaiteth a people or person Prov. 1.19 As if a tree hath thick and large boughes every man desires to be lopping of it Nineveh's antiquity is here also noted Of old or of a long time she hath been Empresse of the East She was the seat of the first Monarchy which she also held longest of any even above thirteen hundred yeers Howbeit this shall be now no protection to her but an article or an argument against her that she is an old sinner and hath been long time heaping up and hoarding the mammon of unrighteousnesse yet they shall flee away as waters do when the banks of a pond are broken down and as fish do when the water is drawn out or dried up then they friggle any way So shall the Ninevites flee away when their city is once broken pugnae obliti pristinaeque virtutis Stand stand shall they cry Their own Commanders desirous to rally them or their enemies desirous to ransack them and make prize of them Sed surdo fabulam but none shall look back Or cause them to turn Nemo potest eos resupinare their hearts are fallen into their heels and they have much more mind to save themselves by flight then by fight Vers 9. Take ye the spoil of silver take ye the spoil of gold This is the voice of God to the Caldeans incouraging them to fall on sith they are sure of good booty plenty of plunder which he here freely bestoweth upon them In like sort Mahomet the great Turk the better to encourage his souldiers to storm Constantinople caused proclamation to be made thorow his Camp the day before that hee would freely give all the spoil of the city for three dayes unto them Turk hist 345. if they could win it And for confirmation thereof he solemnly swore the Turks great oath c. Now the love of money is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a Father daring and desperate For there is none end of the store Fat plunder as was at Constantinople the wealth whereof the Turks themselves wondered at and were therewith so enriched that 't is a proverb amongst them at this day if any grow suddenly rich Ibid. 347. to say He hath been at the sacking of Constantinople Neither did they more wonder at their wealth then derided their folly for that possessing so much they would part with so little to their Emperour Ibid. 345. for the defence of themselves and their Countrey And the like is reported of Heidelberg and glory out of all the pleasant furniture Heb. vessels or utensils of desire which are said to yeeld glory because with men one hath so much glory and respect as he hath wealth and rich houshold-stuff See Gen. 31.1 with the Note 1 King 10.23 2 Chron. 32.27 See here also the just judgement of God upon such as set their affections upon that costly vanity rich furniture Hezechiah smarted for it Esay 39.2 6. 2 Chron. 32.27 or rich attire which is superbiae nidus the nest of pride saith One. The worst apparell is natures garment the best but follies garnish saith Another Verse 10. She is empty and void and waste An elegant Agnomination in the Originall Bukab umebukah umbylla kah beyond Englishing whereby the utter destruction and consternation of the City and Monarchy is graphically depainted and set forth to the life See a like elegancy Jer. 16.15 The last word rendred waste signifieth burst up or void of all verdure a place where nothing green groweth Such an horrible devastation followeth upon Gods word of command to the Caldees verse 9. like as when Christ cursed the barren fig-tree Matth. 21.20 it withered away immediately though it be the most succulent of any tree and beareth the brunt of winter-blasts unwithered Gods words however slighted are not wind but fire Jer. 5.13 14. and the heart melteth The heart in quo fortitudo stabulum habet the seat of courage fell asunder in their bosomes like drops of water Crocius they were cowed out See Jos 2.11 5.1 7.5 Esay 13.7 Ezek. 21.12 and the knees smite together Genua labant as is usuall in extreme fear the blood retreating to the heart Virg. to releeve it See Dan. 5.6 Job 4.4 Esay 35.3 and much pain is in all loins Such pain as befalleth women in travell Esay 21.3 and 13.8 Joel 2.6 Mic. 4.9 10. the doubled form of the Hebrew word implieth the extremity of it The loins are the seat of strength whence the Latines call weak men Elumbes Loinlesse men and the faces of them all gather blacknesse Heb. â— pot i.e. such blacknesse as is on the sides of a pot Olla lebes cacabus See Joel 2.6 Ioy and sorrow will shew themselves in the face as in a glasse Now if for a temporall mischief there is so great a consternation in wicked men what shall we think there is in hell Verse 11. Where is the dwelling of the Lious c. Where is Nineveh once so terrible now so despicable Leoni mortuo vel mus insultat Once none durst look at it or mute against it now each passenger can insult over it enquire where it stood and not be afraid to take this Lion by the beard God powreth contempt upon princes and weakeneth the strength of the mighty Job 12.21 when once they turn tyrants and exercise regiment without righteousnesse as Mic. 3.2 3. Such a mighty hunter or devourer of men and nations was Nimrod the first founder of this Assyrian Monarchy and became a proverb against all tyrants and persecutours Gen. 10.9 Such a Lion was Nero 2 Tim. 4.17 Such a Tiger Tiberius of whom One saith that he laid hold with his teeth on all the excellent spirits of his time Domitian who not content with the blood of Christians commanded all Jews that were of the stock of David to be sought out and put to death Dioclesian and the rest of the Primitive persecutours As also that man of sinne the whole pack of Popes successours to Boniface the eighth who came in like a fox reigned like a lion died like a dog and to Benedict the twelfth who when he died had this Epitaph made of him Hic situs est Nero laicis leo vipera clero Devius à vero turba repleta mero â—â—ei Medulla hist Eâ—cles 321. and the feeding place of the young lions Where the old ones provided prey fro them till they could skill to do it for themselves that which they would soon learn and practise when once grown up The Assyrian young-princes were accustomed to rapine and cruelty from the first being no better then young Tiberims whom his Tutour Theodorus Gadareus rightly characterized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he said he was Dirt kned with blood Or then Nero the lion of
from a blind understanding and carnall affection The Church in its infancy was inticed with shewes and shadowes but now God requires a reasonable service he calls for spirit and truth Verse 4. Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel c. Here he exhorteth all ranks first to good Affection Be strong or of a good courage Secondly to good Action Work or Be doing for affection without action is like Rachel beautifull but barren Charach unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valeo Sept. vertunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be strong so as to prevaile and carry on the service all discouragements notwithstanding Those that will serve God in the maintenance of good causes must be couragious and resolute 1 Cor. 16.13 For otherwise they shall never be able to withstand the opposition that will be made either from carnall reason within or the World and Devill without for want of this spirituall mettle this supernaturall strength this spirit of power of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 4.7 opposed to the spirit of feare that cowardly passion that unmans us and expectorateth and exposeth us to sundry both sins and snares when he that trusteth in the Lord shall be safe Prov. 29.25 Here then that we faulter not budge not betray not the cause of God nor come under his heavie displeasure who equally hateth the timerous and the treacherous let us 1. Be armed with true faith for Fides famem non formidat faith quelleth and killeth distrustfull feare 2. Get the heart fraught with the true feare of God for as one fire so one feare drives out another Mat. 10.28 1 Pet. 3.13 14. 1. Get and keep a clearing chearing conscience for that feareth no colours as we see in St. Paul Athanasius Luther Latimer and other holy Martyrs and Confessours 4. Think on Gods presence as here Be strong and be doing for I am with you Though David walk thorough the vale of the shadow of death that is of death in its most hideous and horrid representations he will not feare For why thou art with me saith He Psal 23.3 4. Dogs and other creatures will fight stoutly in their Masters presence 5. Consider your high and heavenly calling and say Et Turnum fugieutem haec terra videbit Virg. Shall such a man as I fly c Either change thy name or be valiant saith Alexander to a souldier of his that was of his own name but a coward Lastly look up as St. Steven did to the recompence of reward steale a look from glory as Moses Heb. 11.26 help your selves over the difficulty of suffering together with Christ by considering the happinesse of raigning together Thus be of good courage or deale couragiously and God shall be with the good 2 Chro. 19. vlt. as Iehosaphat told his Judges when to go their circuit and work Good affections must end in good actions else they are scarce sound but much to be suspected Num. 23.10 Ruth 1. Good wishes and no more may be found in hels mouth Num. 23. Orphah had good affections but they came to nothing God must be entreated to fix our quick-silver to ballast our lightnesse to work in us both to will and to doe that it may be said of us as of those Corinthians that as there was in them a readinesse to will so there followed the performance also 2 Cor. 8.12 Desire and Zeal are set together 2 Cor. 7.11 desire after the sincere milk and grouth in grace 1 Pet. 2.2 John Baptists hearers so desired after heaven that they offered violence to it Mat. 11. True affections are the breathings of a broken heart Acts 2.37 Rom. 7.23 But the desires of the slothful kill him Prov. 21.25 Virtutem exoptat contabescitque relictâ Good affections are ill bestowed upon the sluggard sith they boyl not up to the full heat and height of resolution for God or Pers at least of execution of his will The sailes of a ship are not ordained that shee should lie alwaies at rode but launch out into the deep God likes not qualmy Christians good by fits as Saul seemed to be when Davids innocency triumphed in his conscience or as Ephraim whose duties were dough-baked and whose goodnesse was as the morning-dew c. Be ye stedfast and unmoveable 1 Cor. 15. 〈◊〉 always abounding in the work of the Lord. Stick not at any part of it difficulty doth but whet on Heroick Spirits as a boule that runs down hill is not slugged but quickened by a rub in the way If this be to be vile I le be yet more vile 1 Sam. 6.22 who art thou O great mountain Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain Zach. 4.7 And hee said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 For I am with you saith the Lord of hosts By a twofold presence 1. Of help and assistance 2. Of love and acceptance Of the first see chap. 1. verse 13. with the note there The second seems here intended The Jews were poore yet God assureth them they had his love So had the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2.9 I know thy poverty but that 's nothing thou art rich rich in reversion rich in bils and bonds yea rich in possession or All is theirs they hold all in capite they have 1. plenty 2. propriety in things of greatest price for they have God All-sufficient for their portion for their protection I am with you saith he and that 's enough that 's able to counterpoise any defect whatsoever as we see in David often but especially at the sack of Ziklag where when he had lost all and his life also was in suspence the Text saith he comforted or encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 whereas Saul in like case goes first to the witch and then to the swords point A godly man if any occasion of discontent befals him retires himselfe into his counting-house and there tells over his spiritual treasure he runs to his cordials he reviews his white stone his new name better then that of sonnes and of daughters Isay 56.5 Rev. 2.17 he hath meat to eat that the world knoweth not of the stranger meddleth not with his joy Virtus lecythos habet in malis Tua praeseutia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit saith a Father Thy presence O Lord made the very gridiron sweet to the martyr Laurence It made the fiery furnace a gallery of pleasure to the three worthies the lions den an house of defence to Daniel the whales belly a lodging-chamber to Jonas Egypt an harbour a sanctuary to the child Jesus c. He goes with his into the fire and water as a tender father goeth with his child to the Surgeon Neverthelesse saith David I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory Again I am with you that
Iohn 10.30.38 and 14.23 2. As having the incommunicable names and attributes of God Iohn 8.58 and 20.28 Eternity Iohn 1.1 and 17.5 Infinitenesse Iohn 3.13 Omniscience Iohn 2.24 and 21.27 3. As doing the works of God such as are Creation Iohn 1.3 Conservation Iohn 5.17.3 miracles c. 4. As taking to himselfe divine Worship Iohn 9.38 and 20.28 and 14.1 This truth men must hold fast as their lives and be rooted in it getting strong reasons for what they beleeve The second ground wanted depth of earth The seed was good and the earth was good but there was not enough of it therefore the heat of the sun scorcht in up Christ is here called the Lord of Hosts and the Lord of glory Isay 6.1 with John 12.41 Jam. 2.1 Yet once it is a little while c. Adhuc unum pusillum This little little while this inch of time was the better part of five hundred years viz. Galatin lib. 4. cap 9 10. till Christ came in the flesh Heb. 12.26 the Jew-Doctours say no lesse A long time to us is but a little while to God A thousand years is but as one day to the Ancient of dayes His Prophets also being lifted up in spirit to the consideration of eternity count and call all times as indeed they are in comparison moments and points of time Punctum est quod vivimus puncto minus could the Poet say D. Hall Peaâ—m What is that to the Infinite said a certain Noble-man of this Land to one discoursing of an incident matter very considerable but was taken off with this quick Interrogation So say we to our selves when under any affliction we begin to think long of Gods coming to deliver us What is this to Eternity of extremity which yet we have deserved Tantillum tantillum adhuc pusillum Yet a very little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry as in the Interim the just must live by faith Heb. 10.37 Gods help seems long because we are short We are short-breathed short-sighted apt to antedate the promises in regard of the accomplishment We also oft find it more easie to bear evil then to wait till the promised good be enjoyed Those beleeving Hebrews found by experience that the spoiling of their goods exercised their patience but staying Gods leysure for the good things he had promised them required more then ordinary patience or tarriance Heb. 10.36 Take we heed of prescribing to the Almighty of limiting the Holy One of Israel of setting him a time with those Bethulians and I will shake the heavens Not the earth onely as at the giving of the Law to purchase reverence to the Law-giver but the heavens also viz by the powerfull preaching of the Gospel whereby Satan was seen falling from heaven Luke 10.18 that is from mens hearts and the Saints set together in heavenly places or priviledges in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.6 For he that hath the Son hath life hee hath heaven aforehand 1. In pretio 2. In promisso 3. 1 Joh 5 1â— In primitiis Here then the Prophet encourageth these builders telling them that under this second Temple how mean soever it seemed he would first send Christ called the Desire of all Nations vers 7. and Peace vers 9. with Ephes 2.14 to grace it with his presence Secondly he would cause the Gospel to be preached in a pompous and powerfull manner I will shake c. Shake them to settle them not to ruine them but to refine them shake their hearts with sense of sin and fear of wrath that they may truly seek Christ For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 And the end of this universall shake was to shew saith Chrysostome Hom. 14. in Matth. that the old law was to be changed into the New Moses into Messias the Prophets into Evangelists Judaisme and Gentilisme into Christianisme When Christ was born we know how Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him Matt. 2.3 What a quire of Angels was heard in the air at Bethlehem and what wondering there was at those things which were told them by the shepherds Luke 2.18 Eusebius tells of three Suns seen in heaven not long before his birth Orosius tels of many more prodigies The Psalmist foretelling our Saviours coming in the flesh breaks out into this joyfull exclamation Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad let the sea roar and the fulnesse thereof Let the field be joyfull and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousnesse and the people with truth Psal 96.11 Lib. 18. de C. D. cap. 48. 12 13. and Psal 98.7 8 9. This I know is by some but not so properly understood of Christs second coming to judgement And both Augustin and Rupertus construe this text also the same way But the whole stream of Interpreters old and new carry it against them and some of them tell us of sundry strange and stupendious commotions that fell out even according to the letter in heaven earth and sea about the time of Christs birth death resurrection and soon after his Ascension when he rode about the world upon his white horse the Apostles and their successours with a crown on his head as King of his Church and a bowe in his hand the doctrine of the Gospel whereby the people fall under him Psal 45.4 and he went forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Vers 7. And I will shake all Nations First by the civil warres between the Triumviri not long before Christs Incarnation Secondly by the generall taxe Luke 2.3 when all went to be taxed every one into his own city Thirdly by the preaching and miracles of Christ and his Apostles whereby the Nations were shaken out of their sinfull condition and brought to the obedience of faith by effectuall conversion Thus a Lapide I will shake all Nations with wonder at so great a mystery with joy and with newnesse of life saith Sa. The Gospel saith Forbes on Revel 14. hath three degrees of operation in the hearts of men First it falleth to mens ears as the sound of many waters a confused sound which commonly bringeth neither terrour nor joy but yet a wondering and acknowledgement of a strange force and more then humane power Mar. 1.22 23. Luke 4.32 Job 7.46 This may be in the reprobate Act. 13.41 The second effect is the voice of thunder which brings not onely wonder but fear This may also be in a reprobate as Felix The third effect proper to the Elect is the sound of harping while the Gospel not onely ravisheth with admiration and shaketh the conscience with terrour but also filleth it with sweet peace and joy Hitherto He. Certain it is that the Gospel maketh a stirre where it cometh and brings an earthquake
because they did not but stood stouting it out with God which was their manner from their youth therefore were the Syrians before and the Philistines behind to devoure Israel with open mouth and for all this his anger was not turned away but his hand was stretched out still Isay 9.12 13. Besides the hinderance and hurt they did to others by standing out For ifye turn again to the Lord your brethren shall find compassion said Hezekiah to his people moving them to repent 2 Chr. 30.9 And should not we lend them this friendly help and I will turn to you saith the Lord of Hosts And should not such a favour from such a Lord melt them and make them malleable Rom. 2.4 Ioel 2. If. 55.7 Mat. 3.3 Psal 130.4 Iam. 4.4 Lukâ— 15. Should not the goodnesse of God lead them to repentance Should they not rent their hearts because God is gracious return unto him because he will multiply pardon repent because his kingdome is now at hand feare him the rather because with him there is mercy draw nigh to him who thus drawes nigh to them make hast home with the prodigall where there is bread enough Surely nothing worketh so much as kindnesse upon those that are ingenuous Those Israelites at Mizpeh drew water and powred it forth before the Lord upon the return of the Ark. There is no mention of their lamenting after the Lord while he was gone 1 Sam. 7. but when he was returned and settled in Kiriath-jearim 1 Sam 7.6 2 Cor. 5.14 Tit. 2.14 David argues from mercy to duty Psal 116.8 9. Ezra from deliverance to obedience chap. 9.13 14 The love of Christ constraineth us saith Paul his grace that bringeth salvation teacheth us to denyungodlinesse and to live up to our principles Rom. 12.1 I beseech youby ' the mercies of God saith the same Apostle as not having any more prevailing more heart-attaching attracting argument in the world to presse them with I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with mercy have I drawn thee Ier. 31.3 And againe I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love Hos 11.4 that is with reasons and motives of mercy befitting the nature of a man with rationall motives to neglect mercy is to sin against humanity not to convert by kindnesse is to receive the grace of God in vaine nay it is to heape up wrath against the day of wrath A son feeling his fathers love creepes nearer under his wing A Saul sensible of Davids curtesy in sparing him when he might have spilt his blood was strangely moâ—â—ified and melted into teares Shall God offer to turn to us and we refuse to turn to him Shall he beseech us to be reconciled and we go on in our animosities and hostilities Doth he offer to powre out his spirit even upon scorners and to make known his words unto them and all this that they may turn at his reproof Prov. 1.23 And shall they yet turn their backs upon such blessed and bleeding embracements Had God given us but one Prophet and forty dayes time only to turn unto him as he dealt by Niniveh that great city surely we should have repented long agone in sackcloth and ashes But how justly alasse may he complaine of us as he did once of Jezabel Rev. 2.21 I gave them space to repent but they repented not I have striven with them by my spirit and wooed them by my word I have heaped upon them mercies without measure and all to bring them back into mine own bosom I have also smitten them with blasting and mildew with judgements publike and personall and yet they have not turned unto me saith the Lord Am. 4.9 Ah sinfull nation c. If any ask What can we do toward the turning of our selves to God I answer First you must be sensible of your own utter inability to do any thing at all toward it Ier. 10.23 Btza Iob 15.5 Philip. 2.12 Non minus difficile est nobis velle credere quam cadaveri volare It is no lesse hard for us to be willing to beleeve then for a dead carcase to fly upwards Secondly know that yet it is possible feisable by the use of these meanes that God hath appointed who also hath promised to make it both possible and easie to us He bad Moses fetch his people out of Egypt but himself effected it He bad the Israelites go and blow down the walls of Jericho they obeyed him and it was done So here Thirdly as our liberty in externall acts is still some as to come to the publike ordinances to set our selves under the droppings of a powerfull ministery and there to lie as he did at the pool of Bethesda waiting the good houre so must our indeavours be answerable The Bereans brought their bodyes to the Assembly took the heads of St. Pauls sermon compared them with the scriptures Act. 17.11 12. and yet they were unconverted Fourthly make much of the least beginnings of Grace even those they call Repressing since they prepare the heart for conversion See Luk. 11.32 Fiftly Pray Turn us O God and we shall be turned Draw us and we shall run after thee And here remember to be earnest Ask seek knock as the importunate neighbour that came to borrow two loaves or as the widdow that came for justice Luke 18.1 and would not away without it He that heareth the young ravens that cry onely by implication will he be wanting to his weake but willing servants Lastly wait for the first act of conversion the infusion of the sap of Grace which is wholy from God our will prevents it not but followes it and whensoever the spirit imbreatheth you turn about like the mill when God hath tuned and doth touch you do you move and make melody resigning up your selves wholy to him and putting your selves out God into possession Thus if you turn to him he will turn to you The Lord is with you whiles ye be with him If ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you 2 Chron. 15.2 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh in this text with so much affection and earnestnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.25 see that ye slight him not that ye shift him not ofâ— as the word signifieth for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that thus speaketh from heaven sc by his blood Word Sacraments Mercyes motions of his spirit crosses c. When Physick that should remove the disease doth cooperate with it then death comes with the more paine and speed The stronger the conviction of sin is the deeper will be the wrath against it if it be not by repentance avoyded No surfet more dangerous then that of bread no judgment more terrible then that which growes out of mercy offered and despised Verse 4. Be ye
God is a consuming fire who would set the briars and the thorns saith He that is the churches enemies against me in battel Es 27.4 I would go through them I would burn them together And yet he saith in the same place Fury is not in me Prov. 6.34 What will he do then when jealousie is in him as here Iealousie is the rage of a man and hath these three properties First it is exceeding watchfull and quick-sighted hardly shall the Paramour escape the husbands eye a wanton glance is soon noted and noticed God is no lesse sensible and observant of the least indignity done to his deare spouse his Hephzibah Gen. 4.6 Esth 7.8 be it but in a frown or a frump Why is thy countenance cast down saith God to that dog-bolt Cain Why dost lowre upon my righteous Abel What will he force the Queen also before me in the house If Davids enemies mow and make mouths at him Psal 40.15 if they cry Aha Aha so would we have it God will reckon with them for it If Edom say jearingly to the Prophet Watchman what of the night watchman what of the night If Ammon clap but his hands at Gods Israel if he stamp with the feet and rejoyce in heart only when it goes ill with the church God will stretch out his hand upon him and cut him off out of his countrey and he shall know that he is Jehovah Ezek. 25.67 yea that the Lord God of Israel is a jealous God He will be jealous for his land and pitty his people Ioel 2.18 Secondly jealousie is violent it is cruel as the grave the coales thereof are coales of fire Cant. 8.6 The same word is elsewhere put for fiery thunderbolts Psal 78.48 also for a carbuncle or burning feaver Deut. 32.24 Jealousie puts a man into a feaver-fit of outrage arms him with fiery darts yea with light-bolts makes him cast firebrands be ready to take any revenge Think the same of God in a way of justice He will spit in the face of a Miriam that shall but mutâ—er against his Moses Num. 12.14 what then will he do or rather what will he not do against Jezabel Athaliah Herodias c Thirdly jealousie is irreconcilable implacable Prov. 6.34 35. He will not spare in the day of vengeance He will not regard any ransom neither will he rest content though thou give many gifts what would not Balaac have given to have had his will upon Israel What large offers made Haman he would pay ten thousand talents of silver to those that had the charge of the businesse to destroy the Jewes Ahashuerosh yeelded but so did not God Esth 3.9 Esth 7.4 We are sold said Esther I and my people to be destroyed to be slain and to perish But God never consented to the bargaine He had warr with Amalec for ever and laid his hand upon his own throne as swearing to root him out Exod. 17.16 And this proud Agagite Haman shall feel the force of his curse in his very bowels Let the labouring Church but cry out Help O King heare O husband give eare O shepheard of Israel Isa 8.8 Isa 63.15 the enemy is come into thy land O Immanuel and the stretching out of his wings filleth the whole bredth of it Where is thy zeale or jealousie and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained Doubtlesse thou art our Father our Redeemer or neer kinsman nay our husband Thy church is unto thee A sister a spouse Esay 58.7 1 Cor. 6.17 Gen. 14. 1 Sam. 30.18 Ier. 12.7 Ier. 4.10 And canst thou hide thine eyes from thine own flesh from her that is joyned to the Lord and is one spirit shall Abraham venture for the rescue of his kinsman David of his two wives and wilt thou do nothing for the dearely beloved of thy soule shall she be given up into the hand of her enemies shall the sword reach unto the soule Let Christ but heare such words from the mouth of his Spouse and he will soon gird his sword upon his thigh he will act Phineas his part and execute judgement Psal 78.66 he will smite his enemies in the hinder parts whip them as men use to do boyes and so put them to a perpetuall reproach shame them for ever as a company of punyes or Zanies Verse 15. And I am very sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease Heb. I am in such a heate as causeth fuming and foaming I am boyling-hot and even ready to burst out upon them to destroy them for the word here used hath great affinity with another word that signifieth to cut down and to destroy 2 King 6.6 and importeth an higher degree of displeasure a greater height of heate then either Anger or wrath as may be seen in that signall gradation Deut. 29.28 The Lord rooted them out of their land in Anger and in Wrath and in great Indignation The last of these three is this word in the Text Fervore maximo ferveo I am as hot as may be against those Heathens that are at ease at hearts-ease that come not in trouble like other men neither are they plagued as better men Psal 73.5 and are therefore secure and insolent above measure Iob 21.23 haughty and haunty so that the Church cannot rest for them they thrust with the shoulder and push with the horn as afterwards verse 18.19 with Dan. 8.4 yea they push the diseased Ezek. 34.21 which is a singular cruelty they help forward the assliction they fall like dogs upon the wounded Deere This David complaines of as an unsufferable grievance Psal 69 26. Esay 27. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded God smiteth his in mercy and in measure in the branches only Aug. and not at the root neque ad exitium sed ad exercitium Displeased he may be with his own and make bloody wails upon their backs if need be but then he lookes that others should pitty them and not lay on more load and seek to bring them to utmost extremity God puts his people sometimes into the hands of his enemies for correction sake Now they commonly being inraged with haughty revengfull and malicious desires exceed their commission and so derive the mischief upon themselves See Prov. 24.17 18 they cannot doe but they must overdoe as Nebuchadnezzar the rod in Gods hand Isai 10. and thereby utterly undoe themselves for ever For their cruelty comes up to heaven 2 Chron. 28.9 and God soon heareth the cry of his oppressed for he is gracious and avengeth himself on their pittilesse enemies standing over them and saying as Isa 47.6 I was wroth with my people I have polluted mine inheritance and given them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy upon the ancient hast thou heavily laid the yoke And againe Because these Philistines
as the Hebrew word signifieth Exod. 33.16 And though there were some interruption in shewing favour for a time yet was there no imercision and utter breach of covenant nor is to this time as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 11.28 29. About the time when the Turkish tyranny shall have lasted 350. yeeres saith my former Authour out of Dan. 7.25 and 12.7 11. Rev. 9.15 the Jews shall repaire toward their own countrey Esay 11.15 16. and 51.10 11. Ier. 3.18 Hos 1.11 where they shall have a great conflict with the Turk Ezech. 38. and be in great distresse for a time Dan. 12.1 but at length prevaile to the utter ruine of the Grand Signior himself and the overthrow of his Army perhaps not far from the sea of Gennezaret otherwise called the lake of Tiberias Ezek. 39.11 After which they shall dwell in their own countrey Ier. 3.18 and 23.8 Ezech. 37.21 22. Am. 9.14 15. They shall inhabit all the parts of the land as before Obad 15.19 20. Ier. 31.38 39 40. Esay 27.12 and 65.10 The land shall be more fertile then ever it was Ezech. 35. Hos 2 21 22. Ioel 3.18 Am. 9.13 Zach. 14.10 The countrey more populous then before Esay 49.19 20 21. Ezech. 34.31 and 36.37 38. There shall be no separation of the ten tribes from the other two but all make one entire kingdome Ezech. 37.22 24. Hos 1.11 and a most flourishing Commonwealth Dan. 7.27 together with a Church most glorious both for outward beauty Zech. 14.6 7. Esay 60.20 and 62.1 2 3. and inward purity in doctrine Ezech. 37.23 Zacb. 13.2 3. in discipline all prophane purged out Ioel. 3.17 Zach. 14.8 abundance of spirituall graces Esay 25.6 c. safety Zach. 10.12 and 14.11 prosperity Esa 25.8 and 51.13 and stability Esay 26.1 and 33.16 Ier. 30.20 c. perpetuity Esay 60.21 Ioel. 3.20 Verse 13. Be silent O all flesh before the Lord Heb. Hus St. Peace and be still as our Saviour once said to the raging Sea Mar. 4.39 whereupon the wind ceased which before had blowed and blustered till it was weary againe as the Greek word there importeth and there was a great calme all was suddenly husht 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and silent the enemies of the Church are no lesse brutish and boisterous then the fierce winds and waves Psal 107.25 26 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But God who sets a bound to the mighty waters which they may not passe Psal 104.9 he also resraineth the remainder of mans wrath Psal 76.10 If he do but as the Roman Tribune was wont to do interpose his Veto If he do but say st Be silent O all flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plot not prate not practise not against my people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who dare quatch in his presence or gainest and his commands Who art thou O man that chattest against God saith Paul Who is this that darkeneth counsell by words without wisdom Rom. ◠20 Iob 38.2 saith God to Iob how now Let all flesh be silent Let God be justified and every mouth stopped Talk no more so exceeding proudly let not arrogancy come out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed He will keep the feet of his Saints and the wicked whether they will or no shall be silent in darknesse for by strength shall no man prevaile The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to peeces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them saith holy Hannah And then they shall be glad to be quiet 1 Sam. 2.3 9 10. and to save themselves as they can like as the wormes when it thunders wriggle into the comers of the earth and as Caligula that bold miscreant that dared his Jove to a duel when it thundered covered his eyes with his cap Sueton. running under the bed or any bench-hole O all flesh fraile and foolish weak and worthlesse men who may not compare their wisdome or oppose their strength to Gods before whom they can no more stand then a glass-bottle can before a Cannon-shot They should therefore do well to meddle with their match and not contend with him that is Mightier then they Eccles 6.10 The Church is called Jehovah shammah or the Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 and although she be but a Virgin yet she hath a thrice-puissant Champion Es 37.22 23. even the Holy One of Israel who is now also already raised up Or arroused awaked as a man out of sleep Psal 44.23 or as a giant that shouteth by reason of wine Psal 78.65 out of his holy habitation That is out of Heaven Deut. 26.15 where he hath bathed his sword Isa 34.5 and bent his bow and made it ready Psal 1.12 Or out of his Temple which was likewise Gods habitation 1 Sam. 2.20 and thence God would help his people as they once said to David at Mahanaim 2 Sam. 18.3 Therefore now it is better that thou help us or cause us to be helped out of the city Remarkable is that of the Psalmist In Salem is Gods Tahernacle and his dwelling place in Zion Psal 76.2 3. There brake he the arrowes of the bow the shield and the sword and the battel Selah There where In the Tabernacle in the Assemblies of Gods Saints By all flesh here may also be meant the unbeleeving Jews who are enjoyned silence and submission they are stiled here as the Levites stiled the people saying Neh. 8.11 Hold your peace dispute not doubt not distrust not Gods promises seem they never so improbable or impossible to be effected harken not to the murmurings of your own misgiving hearts but silence your reason exalt your faith c. CHAP. III. Verse 1. ANd he shewed me Jehoshuah the High-Priest In a vision doubtlesse and that for this end that both the Prophet and by him the people also might be advertised that they wrestled not against flesh and blood men like themselves but against spirituall wickednesses or wicked spirits who did act them and agitate them against the Church ride them and spur them to do mischief as he did that bloody Farnesius one of the Popes Champions Scito persecutorem tuum ab ascensore daemone perurgeri Bern. who coming with an army into Germany swore that he would ride his horse up to the spurrs in the blood of Protestants It was the devill that stirred up the spirit of Tatnai Shether-Boznai Sanballat c. to hinder the good work now in hand like as he did Eckius Cajetan Cochlaus Catharinus and many other great schollars besides the two kings of England and Hungary to write against the Reformation begun by Luther and Charles the fifth with all the strength of the Empire to withstand and hinder it But all in vaine Here he bends his acculation chiefly against the chief Priest but thorough his sides he strikes at the welfare of the whole Church Ministers are the maine object of his malice a speciall
igne ereptus newly snatcht out of the Babylonish furnace Psal 68.12 where they have long lain among the pots where they have been not only sullied but scorched and half-burnt should they then be cruelly cast again into the flames which they have strangely scaped like as the barbarous Persecutours ran Polycarp through the bowels with a sword when the beasts would not devour him nor the fire burn him Or as the bloody Papists in Queen Maries dayes Act. Mon. fol. 1392. cast the woman of Garneseys babe again into the fire that sprang and sprawled out of his mothers womb as she was in burning This was clean contrary to that Apostolical precept Of some have compassion pulling them out of the fire Jude 21. Ean 3.30 And far short of Nebuchadnezzars practises who taking the three worthies out of the burning fiery furnace promoted them to great honour and offices Verse 3. Now Joshuah was clothed with filthy garments The tottered rags of the old Adam the nasty filthynesse and superfluity of naughtinesse that yet remained in him though in part regenerate and intermingled with his best works Sin is the Devils excrement it defiles the soul worse then any jakes can do the body as the Hebrew word here signifieth and as our Saviour shews Mar. 7.20 or then the Sanies of a plague-sore doth a garment Hence that of the Church We are all as an unclean thing Esay 64.6 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags And that of Job If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own cloathes shall make me to be abhorred Job 9.30.31 1 Cor. 4.5 this is the same in effect with that of Paul I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby â—ustified but he that judgeth me is the Lord who when he coms to turn up the bottom of the bag as the steward did Benâ—amins he will manifest the hidden things of darknesse finde out our thefts that we dreamt not of open all fardles on that great fair-day Saccâ— soluto 〈◊〉 argentum Ambr. the day of judgement As in the meanwhile should Lord but break open that filthy sink of sin that is in the very best of us we should not onely be lothsome to God Zach. 11.8 and to good men Prov. 29.27 but even to our own selves also as Job was hap 42.6 Judas was not able to abide is own stench Mat. 27.4 5. Yea and some holy men as Mr. Lever for one when they have desired to see their utmost uncleannesse their corruptions in the most ugly colours God hath heard them But yet his hand therewith was so heavy upon them that they went alwayes mourning to their graves and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wisdom to give them a sight of their sins and to mingle the the potion of sorrow then to be their own choosers See that excellent text Iob 15.14 15 16. And then stand aloof with the Leper and say I am unclean I am unclean yet Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and stood before the Angel His filthy garments notwithstanding Though we cannot say our hearts are pure and our performances perfect yer if we wallow not in sin allow it not if with the daughters of Zion we look upon our former neatnesse as nastinesse and finenesse as filthinesse if we be in any measure purged from the love and liking of sin by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burnning Isai 4.4 Christ will neither abhor our presence nor reject our services Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy offerings Exod. 28.38 Christ is this Aaron c. And though there be an inequality of expressions in duty quoad nos in us yet there is a constancy of intercession by Christ propter nos for us Verse 4. And he answered and spake to those that stood before him i. e. to the Angels that waited upon him Est autem hoc humanitùs dictum saith Iunius This is â—â—â—ken after the manner of men for properly men are washed justified and sanctified by the Merit and Spirit of Christ alone 1 Cor. 6.11 But the Lord Christ speaketh thus to the created Angels his Ministers to shew that He who onely hath power to for give sins doth yet therein imploy the holy ministery for an instrument See 2 Cor. 9.18 and Iob 33.33 24. take away the filthy garments Those symbols of his sinfulnesse see the Note on verse 3. so his sins were pardoned in heaven But because it is small comfort to a condemned person to have a pardon granted him unlesse he know it and be assured of it therefore it followeth and unto him he said behold By whatthou hast seen in the Angels stripping of thee I have caused thine iniquities to passe from thee Transtuli peccatum as he once said to David I have taken away thy sin I have tranferred it upon my self speaking to my Father for thee as once Paul did to Philemon for his son Onesimus Philem. 18 19. if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account I will repay it This is the greatest happinesse that can befal a man in this world Psal 32.1 2 and could not but be a singular comfort to these poor Jews priest and people amidst their manifold afflictions A man that hath got his pardon is not troubled though he lose his glove or hankercheife nor though it should prove a rainy day Being â—ustified by faith we glory in tribulation Rom. 5.1.3 Feri domino eri nam a peccatis absolutus sum saith Luther Strike Lord strike while thou wilt my sins are pardoned I thank thee O Lord said Another in his great extremity for all my pain and I beseech thee if thou think good to adde to it an hundred-fold But behold a further honour as mercies seldom come single and I will cloath thee with change of raiment i. e. I will change thy rags into robes thy stained clouts into clean cloathing Thou shalt be arraied with the righteousnesse of the saints Rev. 19.8 that twofold righteousnesse imputed and imparted that of justification and this other of sanctification that as an undercoat this as an upper that clean and pure this white and bright both must be had from Christ who is made unto us of God not onely wisdom but righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor 1.30 2 Cor. 5.19 Surely as our apparrel is not bred of us neither grows out of our bodies so neither doth this change of raiment in the Text. But the blessed Lamb of God cloatheth us with his own fleece which is long enough and large enough to cover all our defects and deformities and to set us forth to the admiration of Angels As he taketh upon him our sins so he putteth upon us his righteousnesse This is a blessed exchange indeed a sure pledge of our peace with him and with God by
flesh be the spirit never so willing so ill-disposed is our most noble and immortal part the soule to supernall and supernaturall employments Meditation and prayer are the creatures of the holy Ghost Iude 20. and that we may not run out into extravagancies or put up yawning petitions we must watch and pray Mat. 26.41 yea watch while we are praying meditating c. against corruption within the sin that doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 and temptations without whether from the world the things whereof are so neer us and so naturall to us or from the devill who is ever busiest with the best as flies are with sweet-meats and with the best part of their best performances as in the end of their prayers when the heart should close up it self with most comfort Verse 2. What seest thou The sight was already in sight but the Prophet had not seen it or noted it if the Angel had not stirr'd him up to it If the Lord give us not sight as well as light if he inlighten not both Organ and Object too if he shine not into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of himself in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor 4.5 seeing we shall see but not perceive with Hagar we shall not be able to discern the fountain that is just before us I have looked Carefully viewed the sight It is expected ut acti agamus that having a talent of grace we trade with it that our will which at first conversion was meerly passive should be afterward active that we which once were darknesse but now are light in the Lord should walk as children of light Eph. 5.9 behold a candlestick that is the Church as Rev. 1.20 all of Gold pure gold as the Candlestick in the Tabernacle Exod. 25.31 which is therefore called the pure Candlestick Lev. 24.4 Exod. 31.8 noting out the Churches purity in doctrine and manners Chrysostome that golden Preacher testifieth of some Saints in his time that they were puriores coelo purer then the visible heaven Her Nazarites were purer then the driven snow whiter them milk ruddier then rubies their polishing was of Saphire c. Lam. 4.7 with a bowle Heb. gullah an oyle-glass or oyle-cruse a hollow round vessel quod pariter Latinè rectè gulam appellas saith a Lapide which you may not unfitly call a gullet or throat for as the throat receiveth the food and transmitteth it to the stomach so did this vessel receive the oyle to be transmitted to the lamps It figured Christ in whom it pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1.19 for the Churches use Ioh. 1.16 and 3.34 and his seven lamps thereon signifying the manifold graces and diversity of gifts in the Church by the same spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 12.4 6. For of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Iob. 1.16 and seven pipes to the seven lamps Heb. seven and seven that is seven I say seven by the figure Anadiplosis saith Sanctius This is a better glosse then that of those that say the Hebrew text is corrupted as having two sevens for one These seven pipes you must imagine to be in the bottome of the bowle to distribute the oyle to each lamp the grace of Jesus Christ to each Christian that he may shine as a lamp or luminary in the world Phil. 2.15.16 holding forth the word of life as the hand doth the torch or the watch-tower the light and so the haven to weather-beaten Mariners Verse 3. And two Olive-trees by it The two chief branches whereof through the two golden pipes empty the golden oyle out of themselves ver 12. that is the spirit of grace infuseth all precious graces much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tried in the fire into the Church Hence grace is called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 yea Spirit 25. Danaeus his Note here is though from these two olive trees there was continuall oyle powred into that burning candlestick that it should never dry up or be put out yet are not these olives said to be pressed by any man which notwithstanding amongst us must needs after an ordinary manner be done that the oyle may flow or run from them Neither is this oyle said to flow nor with toyle and labour to be carried from one part or place into another that there may be alwayes oyle for the candlestick but there stand these olive trees growing and dropping down oyle into the Bowle and this of themselves without the help or service of any men or oyle-mills Mr. Pemble to shew saith Another Interpreter that Gods grace only is sufficient for his Church to repaire and maintaine the same without all other meanes against all opposition of man and this is the Scope of this vision Verse 4. What are these my Lord Or Sir which English word comes from Cyrus the Persian word for a Lord or great Prince as H. Stephanus will have it Others fetch it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authority or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lord and so the word Adoni in the text is usually rendred Others think our word Sir comes from the French Sieur whence Monsieur my Lord as the word Lord from the old Saxon Laford which commeth of Laef to sustaine like as the Hebrew Adonai from Eden a foundation or pillar that sustaineth the whole building It is written sometimes with Camets or long A in the end and then it is proper to God as having the vowels of Jehovah and is given to him 134. times in the old Testament Sometimes it is written with Bathach or short A and then it is applied to the creatures as here to the Angell Hinc Hispanorum Don saith Drusius what are these The Prophet had been before warned by the Angell to behold and heed the vision This he had done and yet was to seek of the sense and meaning of it as a man may look on a trade and never see the mystery of it or look on the hand-diall and never understand the curious clock-work within None can understand the mysterie of Christ but such as have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.7 11 16. such as are spiritually rationall and rationally spirituall such as are taught of God and conducted by his spirit into all truth Ioh. 16.13 No understanding of Gods riddles but by plowing with his heifer as I may say This the Prophet here knew and therefore applies himself to the Angell for information so did Daniel chap. 8.15 see chap. 9.22 Verse 5. Knowest thou not what these be Thus preparation is made to the ensuing interpretation of the vision by this dialogue that we might give better heed to that manifold wisdome of God made known to and by the Church Eph. 3.10 wherein the very Angels themselves are great students and daily proficients Docent proficiendo docendo proficiunt The best of men know not so much as they might have known Are
returning are found by computation in that 〈◊〉 set down Ezra 3.64 as the Jew-Doctours have concluded There are that understand the words of the general conversion of all the Jews in the time of the Gospel and this may very well be for ought that I see to the contrary so will 〈◊〉 you Lest you should say in the language of Ashdod 1 Sam. â— 9 It is a chance I will do it saith God and ye shall be a blessing Not onely a name and praise as Zeph. 3.20 but a form to be used in blessing of others such as was that Ruth 4 11 12. And not altogether unlike is that prayer of David Psal 119.132 Look thou upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name sow not but let your haâ—ds be strong Be not diffident but diligent in well doing in due season you shall reap Gal. â—â— if you faine not See the Note on verse 9. â—ase feare expectorates and unmans us banish it therefore or ye will be betrayed by it Verse 14. As I thought to punish you He had promised to make them of a curse a blessing and here he shews them the cause of this change namely Gods better thoughts of them and toward them upon their return unto him And because they might haply think that their Fathers had hard measure he tels them that their panishment was the fruit of their provocation And whereas they might expect that God should repent and relent toward them He shewes here that He had repented so long that He was even weary with repenting and that he therefore Jer 15.6 Crudelem â—medicum intemperans ager facit Mimus as implacable because he found them incurable Hence he resolved as Ezek. 24.13 and would not be altered Lo thou far these Jews had sound and felt Gods fingers and that in his menaces he had been as good as his word Verse 15. So again have I thought Sic conversus sum This change was not in God but in the people to whom He is now resolved to shew mercy and that from a gracious purpose and determination such as altereth not sear ye no Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear but awful dread it breedeth seedeth fostereth and cherisheth Verse 16. These are the things that ye shall do Heb. These are the words God will not so do all good for his people but that they should reciprocate and do somthing for him by way of thankfulnesse Particularly these are the words or commands that ye shall not onely know but do They are verba vivenda non legenda as lessons of Musick must be practised and a copy not read onely but written after speak the truth every man to his neighbour Let your words be few and ponderous Lie not in jest lest ye go to hell in earnest Let Socrates be your friend and Plato but the truth much more Rather die then lie for any cause execuse the judgment of truth and peace That is upright judgment pronounced or delivered with a calm and quiet minde not angry Jadicium pacis dâ—st placidum rite compositum Calv. Deut. 16.20 nor partial nor of any distempered or toubled affection such as hatred fear favour c. All that savours of self should be strained out and Iustice Iustice as Mâ—sâ—s speaketh that is pure justice wihout mud should run down as a river That Magistrate hath too impotent a spirit whose services like the Dial must be set onely by the Sun oâ— self and sinister respect He should have as nothing to lose so nothing to get he should be above all price or sale 2 Chro. 19.7 and 〈…〉 persons nor receive gifts Verse 17. And let none of you 〈…〉 7.10 Take notice here that as 〈…〉 proves one to he carnal Eâ—h 2.3 〈…〉 the root oâ— bitternesse Deut. 29.18 〈…〉 somthing in it that men are here 〈◊〉 to imagine evil in 〈…〉 particle in their hearts may seem 〈…〉 secret sins that lie conched in the 〈…〉 man of the heart and never shew themselves to the world men shall be accoâ—â—able See Heb. 4.12 Eccles 12.14 Jer. 6 1â— Rev. 2.23 The very want of good thoughts is a sin against that 〈◊〉 and great commandment 〈…〉 22.30 and concupiscence even before it come to consent is a sin against the last Commandement Rom. 7.7 But evil thoughts allowed and wallowed â—â— is a flat 〈◊〉 of every Commandment so vain is their plea that say Thought is fra◠〈…〉 thereupon lay the reins in the neck and run riot in vain and vile imaginations O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse if thou meanest to be saved Jer. 4.14 How many alasse have we that professe large hopes of heaven whose hearts are no better then dens of darknesse dungeons of filthâ—nesse cages 〈…〉 clean birds brothelhouses slaughter-houses pesthouses of maicious 〈…〉 Atheistical proud covetous malicious and fraudulent projects 〈…〉 continually hammering and wherewith their wretched hearts are 〈…〉 haunted and pestered Contrariwise a godly man is said to 〈…〉 Prov. 12.5 holy imaginations Prov. 12.2 and that his desire 〈◊〉 onely good Prov. 11.23 or if worse croud in as they will he rids them 〈…〉 and will not let them lodge there Ier. 4.14 he boyls out that filthy 〈◊〉 Ezek. 〈◊〉 and purifieth himself of all pollutions of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 he both 〈◊〉 them Psal 119.113 and forsaketh them Esay 55.7 and love no false oath As not only he that maeth a 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 out of heaven but he that loves it though made by another â—akes it up and divulgeth it Rev. 22.15 So not onely he that taketh a 〈…〉 perswadeth another to it or that 〈…〉 is a Miosis lesse is spoken and more understood 〈…〉 God 's just hatred for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord And as the next effect of hatred is revenge he will not fail to punish such sinners against their own souls Verse 18. And the word See the of Note Verse 1. Verse 19. The fast of the fourth moneth wherein the city was taken 2 Kings 25 3. and the fast of the fift and the fast of the seventh See 〈…〉 and the fast of the tenth Wherein Jerusalem was first 〈…〉 25.1 This last mentioned was first taken up upon a like 〈…〉 Constantinople when the city was besieged by the 〈…〉 advertised of the enemies purpose for a general 〈…〉 mended the defence of himself and the city to the 〈…〉 Turk hist 〈◊〉 345. and prayer and afterwards appointed every Captain and 〈…〉 certain place of the wall for defence thereof shall be to the house of Iudah joy and 〈◊〉 God 〈…〉 into feasting all their sadnesse into gladnesse all their 〈…〉 their tears into triumphs and so gives 〈…〉 about Fasting after a larger and most 〈◊〉 preface 〈…〉 and making much more to their benefit and 〈…〉 main question proposed by them to the Prophet 〈…〉 this with them by way of 〈…〉 therefore love the truth 〈◊〉 〈…〉
which he not onely casteth but thrusteth into the bottom of the sea whence it cannot be boyed up This Angel might well be Luther with his Book de captivitate Babylonica confer Jer. 51.63 whom God strangely preserved from the rage of Rome and Hell like as he did from that deadly danger by the fall of a stone whereof Mr. Fox writeth thus Acts Mon. Upon a time saith He when Luther was sitting in a certain place upon a stool studying a great stone there was in the Vault over his head where he sate which being staid miraculously so long as he was sitting assoon as hee was up immediately fell upon the place where he sat able to have crusht him in pieces if it had light upon him But no malice of man or devil could antedate his end a minute whilest his Master had work for him to do as the two witnesses could not bee killed till their businesse was dispatched Rev. 11.7 Verse 4. Turk Hist I will smite every horse with astonishment Great is the strength of the horse and the rage of his rider Jehu marched furiously Bajazet the great Turk of his fierce and furious riding was surnamed Gilderun or Lightening But God can make the Egyptians to appear men and not Gods and their horses flesh and not spirit When the Lord shall but stretch out his hand and that 's no hard matter of motion both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they shall all faile together Esay 31.3 See Psal 76.5 6. Psal 33.17 An horse is a vain thing for safety though a warlike creature full of terrour but safety or victory is of the Lord Pro. 21.31 In nothing be terrified saith the Apostle Philip. 1.28 The Greek word is a metaphor from horses when they tremble and are sore affrighted as it fell out in the Philistines army when the Angels made a bustle among the mulbery-trees 2 Sam. 5.24 in the Syrians army when the Angels likewise made an hurry-noise in the ayre of charrets of horses and of a great host 2 King 7.6 in the army of Sennacherib when at Gods sole rebuke both the charret and horse were cast into a dead sleep Psal 76.6 Lastly in the German wars against Zisca and the Hussites in Bohemia where God smot every horse with astonishment and his rider with madnesse Parei Meduè hist Profan pag. 785. such a panick terrour seized upon the enemies of the truth though they came in with three potent armies at once that they sled before ever they looked the enemy in the face How this Prophesie was litterally fulfilled to the Maccabees see 2 Mac. 10.30 and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah who before seemed to wink or to be asleep Now will I awake saith the Lord Now will I arise Isa 33.10 now will I lift up my self for the relief and rescue of my poor people and that because they called them outcasts saying This is Zion whom no man looketh after Ier. 30.17 Verse 5. And the Governours of Judah The Dukes of Chiefetaines meaning the Maccabes who ware not any kingly crown but were only Governours Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commanders in chief such as went before others like as in the Alphabet Aleph is the first letter So Omega nostrorum Mors est Mars Alpha malorum Saith the Poet wittily shall say in their hearts i. e. shall say heartily from the root of the heart and not from the roof of the mouth only Profession of the truth and prayer for so some make this verse to be are not a labour of the lips but a travel of the heart The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which comes from the depth of the brest As in instrument-musick the deeper and hollower the belly of the Lute or Violl is the pleasanter is the sound the sleeter the more grating and haâ—sh in our eares the inhabitants of Iorusalem shall be my strength Though now there be few found in it yet it shall be much repeopled and fortified so that under God it shall be a fortresse to the whole countrey and the Governour shall so take it to be Or thus there is strength to me and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem in the Lord of Hosts their God Every governour shall say so for his own particular And this seemes to me to be the better reading The Maccabes did so as appeared by their posy whereof before their prayers and their singular successe as appeares by their history and by Josephus Deo confisi nunquà m confusi They that trust in God shall never be confounded Our father 's trusted in thee and they were delivered O trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Look not down on the rushing and roaring streames lest ye grow giddy but look up to the heavens from whence comes your help and fasten by faith on Gods power and promises Faith unseined breeds hope unfaileable such as never miscarrieth O trust in him at all times ye people c. Psal 62. for with God is wisdome and strength Iob. 12.13 Plutarch saith of the Scythians that they have neither wine nor musick but they have Gods Say that the Saints have neither power nor pollicy as their enemies yet they have all in God who is more then all Verse 6. In that day will I make the governours c. This is the third similitude whereof the scripture is full according to that I will open my mouth in parables c. These are of excellent use to adorn and explain and yet they are evermore inferiour to the matter in hand They are borrowed from things well known and easy to be conceived as here from an harth of fire among wood Now we can all tell how great a matter or wood a little fire kindleth Iam. 3.5 As when Nero for his pleasures sake set Rome on fire among other stately buildings that were quickly burnt down the Circus or race-yard was one being about half a mile in length of an ovall form with rowes of seats one above another capable of at least an hundred and fifty thousand spectatours without uncivil shoulderings As the fire burneth a wood and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire So persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid with thy storme saith the Church Psal 83.14 15. Thus they pray'd and thus it is here promised and was accordingly performed in those first warrs of the Maccabees as appeareth in the first book of their story Antiq. lib. 12. and in Josephus Diodate and others understand this text of the Apostles and Evangelists who should fill the world with wars and dissentions by preaching the Gospell Luke 12.49 whereby the enemies should be ruinated Hieron Remig. Albert. A Lapide and the church reestablished Obad. 18. thorough the spirit of judgement and of burning Esay 4.4 To which purpose Chrysostome saith
the Angell of Gods presence and that went before the people in the wildernesse Such were those of the blood-royall and that succeeded David in the government but especially such were the Apostles Christs Mighties who should be endued with so many graces in majesty Authority Strength and truth that men should receive them Cornelius like as so many Angels of God yea even as Christ Jesus Gal. 4.14 Verse 9. I will seek to destroy I will make inquisition and diligent scrutiny I will draw them out of their lurking-places to execution as Saâ—l went to seek David upon the rocks of the wild-goats those high steep and craggy rocks 1 Sam. 24.2 which could not but be very tedious both to himself and to his souldiers to march in But he was set upon 't and would leave no place unsearched See his charge to the Ziphites to take knowledge of all the lurking-holes where he hid himself and to bring him word that he might seek him thorough all the thousands of Judah 1 Sam. 23.23 The Lord need not do so to find out his enemies for in him they live move and subsist Col. 1.17 they are everunder his view and within his reach He sitteth upon the circle of the earth Is 40.22 and can easily shake them out of it as by a canvasse Yea he sits in the height of heaven and wherein they deale proudly he is above them Exod. 18.11 disclosing their cabinet-counsels as he did Benhadads and blasting their designes to destroy all nations God stands not upon multitudes he takes not the tenth man but destroyes all nations be they never so many of them that come against Ierusalem that oppose or affront his people either with their virulent tongues or violent hands When a rabble of rebels shall set themselves against the Lord and against his Christ his mysticall Christ the Church he will utterly destroy them Mercer the word signifieth he will destroy them ut nihil reliquum maneat that there shall be no remainder of them Woe therefore to the Churches enemies for their destruction ever goes with the saints salvation Philip. 1.28 29. Esay 8 9. Prov. 11.8 Gods jealousie Zach. 1.14 and justice 2 Thess 1.6 will effect it surely severely suddely Verse 10. And I will pour upon the house of David Pour as by whole paile-fuls God is no penny-father no small gifts sall from so great a hand he gives liberally Iam. 1.15 and is rich to all that call upon his name Rom. 10.12 abundant in kindnesse Exod. 34.6 plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ hath over-abounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath overflowed all the banks 1 Tim. 1.14 indeed it hath neither bank nor bottom Oh pray for that blisse-full sight Eph. 1.18 and 3.18 19. that Spirit of wisdome and revelation of grace and of supplications Or deprecations of that utter destruction that shall befall other nations God will save his people but so as by prayer Psal 32.6 2 Chron. 7.14 Zach. 13.9 he will grace his own ordinance draw many suitours and derive many prayses to himself See Ezek. 36.37 Psal 50.15 and 116.2 Some render it a spirit of grace and of lamentations sc before the Lord when they felt the nailes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where with they had pierced Christ pricking their own hearts Act. 2.37 punctually pricking and piercing them and they shall look upon the whom they haue pierced Dacaru whom they have dâ—ggered or digged as Psal 22.16 him they shall look upon and lament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 1.7 Lam. 3. their eye shall affect their heart for the eye is the instrument both of sight and of sorrow and what the eye never sees the heart never rues The Sun looketh upon the earth draweth up vapours thence and distilleth them down again so doth the Sun of the understanding which till it be convinced the heart cannot be compuncted Sight of sin must precede sorrow for sin The The prodigall came to himself ere he repented of his loose practises men must bethink themselves or bring back to their hearts as the Hebrew hath it 1 King 8.47 ere they will say We have sinned and dealt perversely we have committed wickednesse See Ier. 8.6 Psal 38.18 An infant in the womb cryes not because he sees not but as soon as it comes into the light he sets up his note Get therefore your eyes anointed with eye-salve with this spirit of grace and supplications so shall you soon see saith Mr. Bradford martyr your face foull arrayed and so shamefull saucy mangy pocky and scabbed that you cannot but be sorry at the contemplation thereof It is the spirit that convinceth the world of sin neither can the waters till his wind bloweth Psal 147.18 A sigh is not breathed out for sin till the spirit imbreach the same into us and they shall mourn for him Or for it viz. for their crucifying the Lord of glory in their forefathers and having a great hand in it themselves sith their and our sins were thorns and nails that pierced him the lance that let out his heart-blood c. We bound him with cords we beat him with rods buffetted him with fists reviled him with our mouths nodded at him with our heads c. We were the chief actours and principal causes that set awork Judas Pilat c. Oh stand a while with the devout women and see him bleeding groaning dying by the wounds that we gave him and mourn affectionatly over him as here they shall mourn with such outward pomp and rites as are used at fune ralls as wringing the hands beating the breasts shaking the head and the like externall gestures and expressions of heavinesse and shall be in bitternesse by inwardnesse of extream grief as when Davids heart was leavened with it Psal 73.21 it was sowred with goodly sorrow and sowced in the teares of true repentance So Peter went forth and wept bitterly Mat. 26.15 waters of Marah flowed from Mary Magdalens eyes which were as a fountain for Christs feet here sorrow was deep and down-right producing repentance never to be repented of The sorrow we conceive for an unkindnesse offered to Christ must not be slight and sudden but sad and soaking like that of the Israelites met at Mizpeh when they drew water before the Lord 1 Sam. 7.6 whereunto the Prophet Jeremy seemeth to allude when he seriously wisheth that his head were waters c. Ier. 9.1 and David with his rivers of teares Psa 119.136 His heart was soft and soluble now softnesse of heart discovers sin as the blots run abroad and seem biggest in wet paper and as when the Cockatrice egge is crushed it breakes forth into a viper Isa 59.5 Now to make and keep the heart soft and tender the consideration of Christs dolorous passion must needs be of singular use and efficacy as the sight of Câ—sars bloody robes brought forth greatly affected the people of Rome and edged them to revenge The
saith David Psal 51.4 Lo there lay this pinch of his grief that he had offended so good a God It was the Myrrhe and its scent that Christ had dropped on the bars of the door that waked the drousy Spouse and made her bowels fret Cant. 5. This made her first weep in secret and then seek out after him whom her soul loved She first went to enquire of the Lord as Rebecca did Gen. 25.22 and then she hears from him those sweet words Cant. 2.14 Oh my dove that art in the clefts of the rocks that hast wrought thy self a burrough a receptacle of rest in the Rock of ages in the secret places of the stars whither thou art retired as for security so for secrecy to mourn as a dove and to pray for pardon Shew me thy face which now appeareth most orientally beautiful because most instampt with sorrow for sin Let me hear thy voice which never sounds so melodiously as when thy heart is broken most penitentially for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance comly and their wives apart Sarah had her peculiar tent Ge. 24.65 wherein she dwelt Ge. 18.6 died Ge. 23.2 Rebecca likewise had her retiring-room whither she went to enquire of the Lord Ge. 25.22 Rachel Leah had their several tents apart from Iacobs Ge. 31.33 Miriam and her women do apart by themselves praise God for deliverance Exo. 15.20 Esth 4.16 I and my maidens will fast likewise saith Esther In a time of solemn humiliation let the bride-groom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet Ioel 2.16 See 1 Cor. 7.5 Amongst both Jews Greeks and Romans the women were separated from the men in publike acts and assemblies in times of common calamity especially as may be gathered out of Plutarch Athenaeus Virgil Livy ad templum non aequae Palladis ibant Iliades Stratae passim Matres crinibus Templa verrentes veniam irarum coelestium exposcant saith He The men by themselves and the women by themselves sought to appease the angry Gods Here they are severed to shew that they wept not for company sed sponte proprio affectu as Calvin hath it but of their own accord and out of pure affection they freely lamented not so much for Christs dolorous death as for that themselves had a chief hand in it and were the principal causes of it The best kinde of humiliation is to love and weep as that woman did Luk. 7. who made her eyes a fountain to wash Christs feet in and had his side opened for a fountain to wash her soul in as it is Chap. 13.1 A remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 all the families that remain Out of every family of this people God will have some converts A thing so incredible that to perswade it the Prophet may here seem to some prophane person to use more words then needeth CHAP. XIII Verse 1. IN that day there shall be a fountain opened Nunc fructum poenitentiae adiungit sath Calvin here This is the fruit of their repentance No sooner mourn they over Christ but they are received to mercy I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and or ever I can do it thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin that is both the sting and stain of it the guilt and the filth Psal 32.5 the crime and the curse Repent and your sins shall be blotted out saith Peter to those nefarious Kill-Christs Act. 3.9 God will crosse the black lines of your sins with the red lines of his sons blood 1 Ioh. 1.6 A fountain shall be opened not a cistern but a spring a pool better then that of Siloam which is by interpretation Sent Iohn 9.7 and so a type of Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen To seal up this matchlesse mercy to us Rev. 1.5.6 he sent first by the hand of his forerunner and baptized those that repented for the remission of sins Mat. 3.2 Act. 2.38 And afterwards he set wide open this blessed fountain this laver of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 Saying by his Ministers to every beleever as once to Paul Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord. Act. 22.16 whereunto salvation is promised Rom. 10.13 Ioel 2.22 Baptisme also is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 sc sacramentally for it sealeth up salvation to the beleever Mar. 16.16 and is of perpetual and permanent use to him for that purpose his whole life thorowout ut scaturigo semper ebulliens as a fountain bubbling up to eternal life Here then the Sacrament of Baptisme is prophecied of and promised And hence haply the Baptisme of Iohn is said to have been from heaven Mat. 21.25 All the Levitical purifications pointed to this Kings-Bath of Christs meritorious blood this ever-flowing overflowing fountain for the grace of our Lord Jesus hath abounded to flowing over as S. Pauls expression is with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither can it ever be dried up as was the river Cherith the brooks of Tema c. but is an inexhausted fountain a fresh-running spring for all that have but a minde to make toward it Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est ac si hac horâ fudisset sanguinem saith Luther Christ is still as fresh and soveraign to me as if this very hour he had shed his blood He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world and shall be so to the end thereof Cruci haeremus sanguinem sugimus intra ipsa Redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam saith Cyprian of the Lords Supper i. e. We cleave to the crosse at this holy ordinance we suck Christ's blood we thrust our tongues into the very wounds of our Redeemer and are hereby purged from all pollutions of flesh and spirit to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem i. e. To all sorts and sexes of penitents be they noble or ignoble strong Christians or weak see Zach. 12.8 none shall be secluded from this fountain thus opened or exposed to all not sealed and shut up as that Cant. 4.12 God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him Act. 10.34 35. and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him for sin and for uncleannesse i. e For all sorts of sinnes though they be such as in their desert do separate us from communion with God and company of men See Levit. 12. and 15. render us worthy to be excommunicated proscribed and banished out of the world as pists and botches of humane society by a common consent of nations as the obstinate Iews are at this day for their inexpiable guilt in crucifying Christ The vulgar here
family of Egypt So called from one Aiguptos a King there In the Hebrew it is called mostly Mizraim from one of that name Gen. 10.6 sometimes for its power and pride it is called Rahab Psal 87.4 and 89.11 Esay 51.9 The family of Egypt is here put for the whole Nation see the like Amos 3.1 because after the confusion of tongues especially Nations took their originall and denomination from the head of some family as did the Egyptians from Mizraim Chams second sonne go not up and come not But they did receive the Christian religion with the first had Christian schools Doctours and Professours after that Saint Mark had there planted a Church at Alexandria now called Scanaeroon This was fore-prophecred Esay 19.21 The Lord shall be known to Egypt c And the Lord shall smite Egypt he shall smite and heal it c. he shall cause them to passe under the rod and to bâ—â—g them into the bond of the covenant as it is Ezek 20.37 thâ—â— have no rain Others read it thus It shall not rain upon them For they also needed rain in some measure as well as other nations See Psal 105.32 though not so much by reason of the overslowings of the river 〈◊〉 which if it arise to a just height 〈…〉 sc of fifteen or sixteen cubits as Pliny â—ells us it 〈◊〉 the land very fruitfull so that they do but throw in the seed and have â—our 〈◊〉 harvests in lesse then four moneths S. H. Blant◠〈◊〉 Indeed where the Nile arrives not 〈◊〉 nothing they say in Egypt but a whitish fand bearing no grasse but two â—tile weeds colled Suâ—it and Gazul which burnt to ashes and conveyed to Venice make the finest thrystall-glasses The Chalâ—ee â—enders it Non cresâ—et ejus Nâ—ns God loves to confute men in their confidences to dry up their Nilusses See Ezck. â—â—◠〈…〉 9. Isaâ— 19.5 6. as he did for two yeers together in the time of Cloopatra a little before Christs birth and once before for nine years space there shall be the plague q.d. If they escape the forethreatened evil a worse thing abides them their preservation from famine is but a reservation to those everlasting burnings Verse 12. And though here they abound even to satiety and surfet the Egyptians were wont to boast that they could feed all men and feast all the gods without any sensible diminution of their provision yet at the last day they shall be cut short enough eat fire drink brimstone God himself uttering those or the like words Esay 65 1â— Behold my servants shall cat but you shall â—e hurgry â—ehold myservants shall drink but you shâ—ill be thirsty behold my servants shall rejoice but none shall be ashamed Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for â—exation of spirit Verse 19. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment Or sin Indeed the sin of sins to slight Gods Ordinances and offers of grace and to neglect so great salvation as is tendred in and by Christ This very sin is it own punishment This is condemnation or hell asorehand John 3.19 This brought Capernaum down from heaven to hell Mat. 11.23 Pagans that never heard of Christ shall havean easier judgement then such Mat. 10.23 for they shall have a double condemnation One from the law which they have broken wherein Christ found them another from the Gospel for rejecting Christ and the bath of his blood to the which even the Prinâ—es of Sodoâ— are invited Esai 1.10 See Iohn â—2 48 Mat. 21.44 It is with such as with a malefactour that being dead in law doth yet refuse a pardon Danaeus observeth here that mention is made of the feast of Tabernacles especially 1. Because this least was now most solemnly kept among the Jews Neh. 8. And secondly because it was a most evident testimony of the first gathering together of the people of Israel that is of a free ordained Church Therefore it was better liked of the people and a more evident sign of their uniting or knitting together within themselves as is unto us the holy supper of our Lord Jesus Christ Verse 20. In that day shall there be upon the bels of the horses hang'd upon their heades or about their necks as Iudg. 8.26 the Midianitish camels â—ad rich collars and chains about their necks for ornament sake It was a witty conceit of a modern Divine D 〈…〉 that many deal with their Ministers as carriers do with their horses lay heavy burthens upon them and then hang bels about their necks they shall have harâ— work and great commendations but easy commons good words but slight wages This was better then that bald conceit of Theodoret 〈◊〉 others Lib. 1. hist cap. 18. Ruff. in lib. 1. c. 8. Socâ—at 1.1 that this Prophesie was then fulfilled when as Constantine the Great or hâ—â— mother 〈◊〉 for him caused the bits of his horse-bridle to be made of the nailes of the crosse of Christ I confesse the word is by some rendred bridles by others trappings Frontals collars 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read only here and hence this variety of interpretations Calvin renders it stables of horses which although they are but contemptible places and usually stink yet the Prophet saith they shall be â—â—ly to the Lord. Hereby the Prophet teacheth saith He that God shall so be king of the world as that all things shall be applied to his worship neither shall any thing be of so common and ordinary use that shall not change its nature and be sanctified to Gods service The comparison here is made betwixt things profane and the inscription on the high-Priests mitre which was Holinesse to the Lord. This is a manifest testimony of a godly mind when godlinesse runs thorough a mans whole life as the woose doth thorough the web whenordinary actions are done from a right principle and to a right purpose according to that old and good Rule Quicquid agas propter Deum agas Whether ye eate or drink or what soever ye do 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Tim. 4.14 Holinesse must be written upon our bridles when we warr upon our cupps when we drink Dr. Harris de all to the glory of God Receive every creature with thank sgiving in serving men serve the Lord Christ exercise your general calling in your particular do earthly businesse with heavenly minds Content not your self with a naturall use of the creature as bruit beasts do but tast the sweetnesse of God in all and in all thy wayes acknowledge Him depending upon him for direction and successe consulting with him and approving thine heart and life unto him This is to go the upper way Pro. 15.24 which indeed is both cleaner shorter and safer This is to be of that royall Priest-hood that hath for its posy Holinesse to the Lord. This is to be harmelesse and blamelesse the sons of God known by
God takes no pleasure to pledge the devil or drink the snuffes that he hath left If men reserve the dregs of their dayes for him He will likewise reserve the dregs of his wrath for them He will put them over to the gods whom they had chosen as Judg. 10. and make them to know the worth of his good acceptance by the want of it He that should set before his Prince a dish of meat that had been half-eaten before by hogs or dogs would he not be punished with all severity What then shall become of those that serve God with the devils leavings that sacrifice to themselves as Sejanus did Dio in Tiberio that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies as those Seducers Rom. 16. that say to God Depart from us and to the devil Reigne thou over us that are serious at his work sleighty in Gods c. Verse 9. And now I pray you besecch God Heb. Weary God with your prayers presse him till he be even sick of you improve your uttermost interest in him if at least you have any Pray hard if ye can at least for all men cannot pray wicked men are gagg'd by the devil and their character is They call not upon God They may cant or chatter out a charm when Gods chastening is upon them yea be with childe as it were of a prayer and yet bring forth nothing better then winde Isai 26.16 17 18. In prosperity they may have some few short-winded wishes as Balaam satans spelman had yea they may by strength of wit or memory devise an handsom prayer and seem to set it forth with much life that they may passe for men of parts and gifts But will the hypocrite pray alwayes Iob 27.10 will he persevere in prayer when God seems to cast out his prayers and to multiply his crosses will he not rather curse in that case as Iob's wife and Micah's mother will he not how lagainst heaven as the wolf when hungerbit and as the Parrot when beaten leave imitating man and turn to his own natural harsh voice But say that wicked men do Ioab like run to the horns of Gods altar when in distresse or danger say they roar out a consession when they are upon the rack Hos 6. Psal 78.34 as Pharaoh and call for good prayers say they seek him with their sacrifices as Israel did when he slew them then they sought unto him c. and made their voices to be heard on high as the prisoner at the bar as the hog under the knife as a bull in a net Say they weary out God with their many words as those sacrificing Sodomites Isai 11. those hypocrites in the Gofpel that hoped to be heard for their much babling Mat. 6. yet all this is but the prayer of the flesh for ease and not of the spirit for grace it is but the fruit of sinful self-love to rid themselves of Gods rod or to still the noise of their consciences or out of a vain hope to stop Gods judgements c. And hence it is that they miscarry that they pray to so little purpose as here is hinted and that they are not a button the better for all their long prayers For either God answers them not at all he hath no respect to their sacrifices which was Cains and Sauls unhappinesse The Philistims were upon him and God was departed from him Or else he answers them according to the idols of their hearts bitter answers Or if better it s but as he answered the Israelites importunity for a king for a scourge to them and for quails to choak them Deus saepe dat iratus quod uegat proprtius God often gives that in anger which he denies in mercy If it were otherwise the devil should have received mercy from God when upon his suit he was suffered to enter into the swine Let our chief and constant Petition therefore be in all our our addresses to God that he would be gracious unto us that he would cast a loving aspect upon us that what ever else he denie us corn wine c. yet that he would lift up the light of his countenance upon us This David preferred before his crown and scepter He had a crown of gold but he valued not that in comparison of that other crown Psal 103.4 he crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies Hence Saint Paul having himself obtained mercy beginneth and concludeth all his Epistles with wishes of Grace mercy and peace as not knowing what better to wish those whom he wished best unto This was Abrahams prayer for Ismael O that he might live in thy sight that is be joynt-heire of the promise of grace with Isaac God answers Divers Dukes shall come of Ismael but with Isaac as a token of special grace will I make my covenant This was also Iosephs prayer for Benjamin Gen. 43.29 God be gracious unto thee my son This the priests were appointed to pray for as a blessing upon the people Num. 6.24 25. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee And hereunto the Prophet seems to allude in this text q. d. you are the Lords Priests and your office is to preach and pray Deut. 33.10 They shall teach Iacob they shall put incense before thee Shew now what ye can do in a time of necessity Beseech the Lord that he would be gracious unto us This is the main the mother-blessing that comprehends all the rest Every man seekes the face of the Ruler Prov. 29.26 I humbly beseech thee that I may sinde grace in thy sight my Lord O king q. d. that 's better to me then all the land thou hast given me said that crafty Sycophant Ziba 2 Sam. 16.4 How much more is the grace of God to be preferred before all outward blessings whatsoever The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion Psal 134.3 saith the Psalmist intimating that blessings out of Zion are above all the blessings besides that heaven and earth can yeeld us What is the ayre without light what was Haman the better for all his honours when the king frowned upon him How can a wicked man be happy though wealthy so long as God is his enemy As that father speaks of Ahab he describes him sitting in his ivory palace in the time of the three yeers famine in Samaria he had gold silver and jewels in every place but what good did all that when the heaven was brasse above and the earth iron beneath Cry therefore as those in Zachary Grace Grace unto us pray for our selves and others as David did for Ittai the Gittite mercy and truth be with thee 2 Sam. 15.20 Stir we up our selves to take hold of God and to get of him Gaius-his-prosperity dona throni soul-blessings and such as accompany salvation Jesus Christ when he came into the world brought grace and truth with John 1.17 And
departed from our English Israel my name shall be great Name for fame as Exod. 34.5 6. Philip. 2.9 Gen. 11.4 Renouned men are called men of name Gen. 6.4 and base men are called men of no name Iob 30.8 shall be great Not that God is great or lesse Magnum parvum sunt ex ijs quae sunt ad aliquid saith Aristotle But Gods name is said to be great when he is declared or acknowledged to be great as the word sanctified is used Mat. 6.9 and the word justified Mat. 11.19 Iam. 2.21 Gods fame and glory is as himself eternall and infinite and so abides in it self not capable of our addition or detraction As the Sun which would shine in its own brightnesse and glory though all the world were blind and did wilfully wink Howbeit to try how we prize his Name and how industrious we will be to magnifie and exalt it he hath declared that he esteemes himself made glorious and accounts that he hath received as it were a new being by those inward conceptions we have of his glory and those outward honours we do to his name and in every place incense shall be offered Not at Ieâ—usalem only as the Jews held nor in mount Gerizim as the Samaritans Iob. 4.20 21. but any place without difference be it but a chimney might make a goodly Oratory 1 Tim. 2.8 All religious difference of places was taken away by Christs death Therefore so soon as he had said Ioh. 19.30 It is finished he gave up the Ghost and presently the vail of the Temple was rent from the top to the bottom Mat. 27.51 And from that hour there was no more holinesse in the Temple then in any other place Though till then the Temple was so holy a place and such religious reverence did Gods people beare to it that after the Caldeans had burnt it they honoured the very place where it had stood and esteemed it holier then any other This appears by those eighty persons whom Ishmael murthered Ier. 41.5 and by Daniels opening his windowes toward Ierusalem when he prayed Dan. 6.10 Incense shall be offered and a pure offering Insigne testimonium pro sacrificio Missae saith Bellarmine This text is a notable testimony for the sacrisicing of the Masse which Papists will needsly have to be the sacrifice here meant and mentioned Much like that Sorbonist that finding it written at the end of S. Pauls epistles Missa est Bee-hive of Rome fol. 93. c. bragg'd he had found the Masse in his Bible So another reading John 1.4 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion We shall wave their arguments as sufficiently answered by others and take the meaning of the holy Ghost here to be of such spiritual sacrifices of the new Testament as all Christians even the whole royal priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 are bound to offer up to God These are called Incense and Offering by Analogy the type for the thing thereby shadowed as Ireneus Tertullian Rev. 5.8 Rev. 8.3 4. and Augustine interpret the Text. This incense is prayer and praise Psal 141.2 Heb. 13.15 Hos 14.4 Psal 51.21 This pure offering is every saithful Christian together with all the good things that he hath or can do It is simplex oratio de oonscientia pura Cont. Marcion lib. 4. saith Tertullian Thus those good Macedouians gave themselves to the Lord saith S. Paul and vnto us by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 I hus the Romans had delivered themselves up to the form of Doctrine Rom. 12.1 that had been delivered unto them Rom. 6.17 and are yet further exhorted to exhibit present make tender yield up and offer as spiritual priests their bodies and much more their souls to God as a living sacrifice by a willingnesse to do what he requireth Psal 40.6 Rom. 15.16 and to die for his fake if called thereunto Phil. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 Swenk feldians took away all external service saith Zanchy Libertines say it is sufficient that we sacrifice to God the hidden man of the heart The Pope saith to his vassals My Son give me thy heart be a papist in heart and then go to Church dissemble do what ye will But God requires to be Glorified with our spirits and bodies both because both are his 1 Cor. 6.20 The very Manichees that denied God to he the Author of the body fasted on sundayes and in fasting exercised an humiliation of the body But 2 as the true christian sacrificeth himself to God so all that he hath or can and is ready to say as that Grecian did to the Emperor If I had more more I would bring thee It comforts him to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8. 1 Tim. 1.5 That if there be a willing minde God accepts according to that a man hath and not ac-according to that he hath not Noahs sacrifice could not be great yet was it greatly accepted because of clean beasts and offered in faith It is the godly mans care that his offering though it be poor yet may be a pure offering proceeding from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained and then he is sure it is pure by divine acceptation through Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 In confidence whereof he lifts up holy hands 1 Tim. 2.8 And although sensible of his impurities imperfections his heart misgives him sometimes as Jacobs did lest his father should discern him yet when heremembreth that he is clothed as Jacob was with the garment of his elder brother the robe of Christs righteousnesse which is not a scant garment as Bernard saith but reaching to the heels and covering all the parts of the soul he goeth boldly to the throne of grace and covers Gods altar with his evangelical sacrifices Such as are contrition and self-denial Ps 51.17 Confidence in God Ps 4.6 Obedience to the preaching of the gospel Rom. 15.16 Beneficence to the poor Phil. 4.8 c. In all which his aim and endeavour is to worship God in spirit and to do all more out of thankfulnesse and lesse out of constraint of conscience For he knows that as the greatest growth of sinners is in spiritual wickednesse as in those that sin against the holy Ghost so the greatest growth of grace is in spiritual holinesse in worshipping God more in spirit and truth Verse 12. But ye have prophaned it Ye Jews in general though my peculiar people and called by my name You that quarter armes with me as it were and should therefore lift up my Name as an ensign that you should use me thus coursely and cast dirt upon my name by your irreligion this moves me not a little so that I cannot but once and again complain of it Had it been an enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I should better have born it But it was thou my familiar c. What thou my son Brutus Friend betrayest thou the Son of man and that with a kisse Scipio had rather
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Deliverer It was the thankfull acknowledgement of Generall Captaines and souldiers at Edge-hill-fight that the Lord was seen in the Mount Never lesse of man in such a businesse never more of God But what shall it prosit a man to conquer countries 2 Tim. 2.26 and yet be vanquished of vices to tread upon his enemies and yet be taken captive by the devill at his pleasure to command the whole world as those Persian kings and yet were commanded by their concubines so by their base lusts by yeelding whereunto they give place unto the very devill and receive him into their very bosomes Eph. 4.26 who therehence leads them away naked and barefoot as the Assyrian did the Egyptians Isa 29.2 How much better Valentinian the Emperour who said upon his deathbed that among all his victories over his enemies this one only comforted him viz. that by the grace and power of Christ Jesus he had got the better of his corruptions and was now more then a Couquerour even a Triumpher for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet Even the ashes of that stubble burnt in Christs oven Verse 1. This shewes their utter and ignominious destruction And the like is foretold of mysticall Babylon Rev. 18. Tota eris in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses sang Sibylla of old Fiat Fiat Our corruptions also shall one day be incinerated they are already buried Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 the fiery spirit of Christ will do with the body of sin as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Am. 2.1 burn its bones into lime In the day that I shall do this sc partly here but perfectly at the last day Mean while sinne may rebel in Gods people but it cannot raigne Satan may nibble at their heele but he cannot come at their head the world may kill them but cannot hurt them Re of good chear saith Christ I have overcome the world Joh. 16.33 All evils and enemies shall cooperate for their good Rom. 8.28 saith the Lord of Hosts Who hath also said Heaven and earth shall passe but not one jot or tittle of my word c. Verse 4. Remember ye the law of Moses viz. Now henceforth in the fail of Prophecy for Malachy knew that after him untill the dayes of John Baptist no Prophet should arise Hence this exhortation to read and remember the Law as leading them to Christ the Law I say in all the parts of it not excluding the Prophets those Interpreters of the Law and most excellent Commentaries thereupon with like reverence to be read and received The Jews at this day read in their Synagogues two lessons One out of the Law by some chief person another out of the Prophets correspondent to the former in argument but is read by some boy or mean companion for they will in no sort do that honour neither attribute they that authority to any part of the Bible that they do to their Law But this their way is their folly Psal 49.13 yet their posterity opprove their sayings as the Psalmist speaketh in another case Two things offer themselves to our observation from these first words First the little coherence that this verse hath with the former the Prophet chusing rather to fall abruptly upon this most needfull but too too much neglected duty of remembring the Law then not at all to mention it See the like Rom. 16.17 where the Apostle breaks off his salutations to warne them of their danger by seducers and that done returns thereto again Secondly In the Hebrew word rendred Remember Buxtorf in Comment Mafor c. 14. there is in many Bibles a great Zain to shew as some think the necessity and excellency of this duty of remembring the law of Moses It is well enough known that since the fall mans soul is like a filthy pond wherein fish die soon and frogs live long profane matters are remembred pious passages forgotten Our memories are like sieves or nets that retain chaffe and palterment let go the good grain or clear water Gods word â—uns thorough us as water runs thorough a riven vessell And as hour-glasses which no sooner turned up and filled but are presently running out again to the last sand so is it here And yet the promise of salvation is limitted to the condition of keeping in memory what we have read or heard 1 Cor. 15.2 And Davids character of a blessed man is that he meditateth in the Law day and night Psal 1.2 Hoc primum reâ—etens opus Nor. ep 6. hoc postremus omittens Bishop Babington had a little Book containing three leaves onely which he turned over night and morning The first leaf was black to inminde him of hell and Gods judgements due to him for sinne The second rod to minde him of Christ and his passion The third white to set forth Gods mercy to him through the merits of his Son in his Justification and sanctification The Law of the Lord as it is perfect in it self so it is right for all holy purposes Psal 19. â— 8 It serves to discover sinne Rom. 3.20 and 7.9 shews the punishment due to sinne Gal. 3.10 scourgeth men to Christ Gal. 3.24 And is a perfect rule of obedience it being so penned that every man maythink it speaks de se in re sâ—a as â—thanesivs saith of the book of Psalms and must therefore be of all acknowledged to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods own invention Demost Moses was but the Pen-man onely though it be here called his Law because God gave him the Morall Law written with his own hand Deut. 10.2 adding it to the promise made to Abraham that thereby guilt being discovered c. men might acknowledge the riches of free-grace and mercy and that they might walk as Luther hath it in the heaven of the promise Gal. 3.19 but in the earth of the law that in respect of beleeving this of obeying that they might live as though there were no Gospel die as though there were no Law passe the time of this life in the wildernesse of this world under the conduct of Moses but let none but Joshuah Jesus bring them over to Canaan the promised land This the generality of the Jews could not skill of though the Morall-law drove them to the Ceremoniall which was then Christ in figure as it doth now drive us to Christ in truth they would needs have Moses for a Saviour and being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse wilfully ignorant they go about to establish their own Rom. 10.3 and so lose all They jear at an imputed righteousnesse and say That every fox must pay his own skin to the fleare They blaspheme Jesus Christ and curse him in a close abbreviature of his name and call those among them that convert to Christianity Mtshumadim that is lost or undone Buxtorf syn Jud. cap. 5. Schicard de jure reg Jiebr Moses Law they extoll without meature It
would never be drawn to fear or stand in awe of For Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he that in a desperate boldnesse or Cyclopicall contempt of the divine Justice hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe q Prov 28 13 yea shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy r Prov. 29.1 In executing of which dreadfull sentence though the Lord be slow yet he is sure his forbearance is no quittance But although a sinner in high contempt of Gods heavy displeasure do evill an hundred times and his dayes through Gods infinite patience be prolonged yet surely I know saith Solomon that it shall be well with them that feare that Lord which fear before him Å¿ Eccles 8.12 That is that fear him in his ministers and deputies trembling at his judgments while they hang in the threatnings t Isa 66.2 melting as Josich u 2 Chr. 34 27 at the terrour of his menaces nay by the kindnesse of his mercyes which dissolves their good hearts as weake water doth some thin substances or as the hot â—un doth the hard ice An instance hereof ye have in that solemne meeting at Mizpeh where Israel which had found the misery of Gods absence is now resolv'd into teares of contrion and thankfulnesse when he was once returned and settled in Kiriath-jearim Then they mett together at Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the Lord w 1 Sam. 7 6. In signum expiationis iniquitatum juâ—ta Iob 11.15 R. Sâ—lomon dicit quod hâ—c feâ—erunt in signum humiliationis q d sicut aqua effusa ad nihi 'um valet ultra siâ—in conspectu tuo nihil sumus aut videmur 2 â—sal 86.11 Whether 't were teares out of their eyes or water out of their vessels as a ceremony or pledge of their hearty humiliation the difference is little Sure it was to testify the tendernesse of their hearts which having hang'd loose a long time from the Lord began now to unite again unto his fear* It is certaine that the mercies of God draw more teares from his children then his judgments do from his enemies who as in prosperity bec use they have no changes therefore they fear not God y Psal 55.19 so in adversity their hearts are the more hâ—rdâ—ed thereby from his fear z Is 63.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.7 as in Pharaoh and Ahaz till at last by long trading with the devil in the wayes of sin they come to lose with him all passive power also of being wrought upon and arrive at that that height of incurable hardnesse that neither ministry nor misery nor miracle nor mercy can possibly mollify Which is the greatest plague that can befall a man out of hell and the very next step into it But the second extreame standing in as full opposition to that fear of God we are treating of is that slavish and hellish fear and terrour that evill spirits and men conceive of God whom they look upon only as an implacable sin revenging judge or tyrant rather ready to teare the very kell of their hearts in suder a Hos 13 6. Quem metunnt Oderunt Ennius Odium timerem spirat Tert and to send them packing to their place in hell Hereupon follows an exulcerate hatred of God according to that of the Poet whom men fear they hate a desperate â—unning away from God with Cam Saul Ahrzath b 2 King 1.2 Quem quisque odit pernsse expetit Ennius c. A secret rising up against God and an inward desire that there were no such thing as God that so they might never be called to an Audit and account of their wicked wayes and sinfull courses as they are sure to be in that dreadfull day This the Devill and his impes beleeve and therefore tremble c Iam. 2.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greek word seemes to imply such an excesse of fear as causeth gnashing of teeth like the clashing of armour or horrible yellings like the roaring of the sea * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est maris agnatio Hom Iâ—â—ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Eustach in locum Nullum maleficium sine formidine quia nec sine conscientia sai Tert. They have no rest day nor night Apoc. 14.11 The reason of which outrage is rendred by Terâ—uâ—iam No sinner saith he escapes fear of Gods wrath and all because he can never possibly shake off Conscience which being Mans spie and Gods overseer if it be not desperately feared or sealed up securely with a spirit of slumber against the day of slaughâ—â—r doth sting the evill-doer betwixâ— whiles d Rom. 2.15 with unquestionable conviction and horrour And thus it fares ordinarily with a wicked person But now t is otherwise with the godly when they are out of temptation for then you must know it is ego non sum ego with them they are not themselves neither can any right judgment as then be made of them But usually their hearts being purisied from an evill conscience e Heb. 10.22 through the blood of sprinkling f 1 Pet. 1.2 cast upon them by the hyssop bunch of faith g Rom 5 1 they have peace with god their reconciled father in Jesus Christ Whom therefore they love in fear and fear in love wishing nothing more then his being Let he Lord live h Psal 18.44 saith David as the principle of their well-being for it is good for me to draw neer to Jehovah i Psal 73.28 Into whose presence they therefore flee as the doves unto their windowes k Esay 69 8 I will come into thine house in the mulutude of thy mercies there 's his reverence l Psal 5.7 Loe this is the guise of a godly person whiles himself He feares and loves feares and hopes feares and prayes feares and feasts m Iude 12. feares and workes yea workes out his whole salvation with fear and trembling and all because he knowes that 't is not of himself but of God a most free agent that gives both to will and to worke and all of his own good pleasure n Philip 2.12.13 as the Apostle there enforceth it SECT III. Objections and Queries touching the Fear of God cleared and answered IF any object here that of Saint John Object Perfect love casleth out fear o 1 Joh. 4.18 That is Sol. Duo sunt timores Dei servilis amicalis Bedain Prov. 1 say we for abswer servile and base fear which love is perpetually purging upon For as for filiall and friendly fear it is never cast out no not in the state of perfection neither for the very angels cover their faces and feet before God p Esay 6.2 as knowing their distance But is the fear of Gods children here purely filiall without all mixture of that which is servile Quest No Ans nor need it be For first servile fear I
hands and hearts of Gods people in well-doing as good Shechaniah did Ezra's Arise saith he for this matter belongeth unto thee we also will be with thee be of good courage and do it g Eâ—r 10.4 they do their utmost to hinder and discourage them as those spies of old did the people as Elymas the sorcerer did the Deputy and as those mercenary prophets did the Incomparable Nehemiah For they all made us afraid saying Their hands shall be weakened from the work that it be not done h Nehem. 6.8 To such I say no more but onely admonish them to remember that a bitter curse Nehemiah in the spirit of prophecy wishd to such back-friends Hear O our God for we are despised and cover not their imquity neither let their sin be blotted out from before thee i neh 4.5 A fearfull execration a heavy curse which who so dreads not but professing himself an Israelite dare yet expresse himself in the broad dialect of Ashdod k Neh. 13 23 25. it were much to be wished that there were some good Nehemiah found to smite him and pluck off his hair till he learn better language Howsoever let such know that their tongues be wray them what countreymen they are l Mat. 26.73 Certainly he cannot be of the Common-wealth of Israel that speaks familiarly the language of hell Stinking breath argues corrupt inwards so doth unsavoury speech a rotten heart If the discourse be naught the religion is vain saith St. Jame m Jam. 1.26 and they want the character of a true Christian according to our text that speak not of good things and that speak not often of them one to anothers SECT IIII. V 2. Vse 2 Complaint against the better sort too too barren and backward to holy Conference WHich if it be so how may we for a second Use justly complain of a double defect found in some of the more forwardly who as they meet not so often as they might for mutuall edification Satan hindring them n 1 Thes 2.18 so when they do became either unprofitable or idle in this work of the Lord to what they might be were they but as they should 1. Unprofitable they prove to one another whiles the precious time of their coverse is squandred out and wasted in speculative curiosities nice and impertinent questions some ceremoniall unseasonable controversies not tending to edification but contention rather novelties some more remarkable accidents and affairs abroad other mens matters and infirmities which are brought forth upon the stage either untruly * We must both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.15 1 Joh. 3 18 or at least untimely and not in an ordinance as one speaks These are the canker woâ—mes that eat out the heart of godly and profitable conference these are those trosis that nip better speeches in the bud these are those leaner kine that devour the fat and leave no room nor time for mutuall edification to the scandall of the weak and scorn of the wicked A second sort here justly met with are such as are idle and uselesse backward and barren in godly speeches when they light into good company dumb and dull Christians that either say nothing there or as much as nothing * Insulsus dicatur sermo qui vel nocet vel minimè prodest Ep. Sarisb Colos I know there are a sort of such as are over-talkative speaking much but saying little * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Alcibitade Plutarch Nunquam desunt Domniones qui non quid sed quanturn dirant ponderare consueverunt Hiero. in Apologet ad Domnionem A fool also quoth the Wise-man is full of words prodigall and profuse ingrossing all the talk as if himself were the onely speaker Which redious and troublous custome of his is there elegantly set forth by way of imitation * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of is vain tautologies A man cannot tell what shall be and what shall be after him who can tell o Eccles 10.14 Sic Ovâ—d de Batto unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 montibus inquit erant erant in montibus illis Cui Mercurius par pari referens Me mihi perfide prodis me mihiprodis ait Here 's a great deal of small talk you see to as little purpoâ—e as may be And such babblers are to be found not a few bunglers ye may better call them for so indeed they prove themselves in the issue dancing in the air * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socr. ap Plat. like light Meteors that want a sufficient Orb wherein to move speaking great sweelling woras of vanity p 2 Pet. 2.18 or if they stumble upon a better subject the high points of religion not knowing what they speak nor whereof they affirm q 1 Tim. 1.7 but doing all by roat as Socrates taught his schollers and betraying themselves ever and anon by their lisping Sibboleth r Iudg. 12.6 to be Ephraimites and not Gileadites counterfeits * Jacob must name himself Esau with the voyce of Jacob T is hard if our tongue do not bewray us what we are in despite of our habit D. Hall or at best new converts rank hypocrites or else but indiscreet and unexperienced Christians For as ye may discern a lame man by the unevennesse of his legs so ye may a lame Christian many times by his unequall discourse in divine matters For he usually exceeds and speaks more then his part comes to and then he is able well to weild or else his words agree not together his sentences are senselesse and unsuitable in a word he talks like a bungler But this onely by the by and as in a digreslion We were speaking erewhile to the other extreme and finding sault with those rather that speak not when they should then that speak when they should not I would not hee thought to inveigh against forwardlinesse in favoury discourse so it be seasonable * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isocrat and sober Å¿ Act. 26.25 No my quarrell is rather to such as having both opportunity and ability thereunto are over-shie and shamefast or otherwise averse and awkward to this godly conference slipping or slighting those many fair occasions and opportunities of doing and receiving good that way that God even thrusts into their hands It is true that every man is naturally possest with a dumb and deaf devil till Christ say to his soul Epphata be opened t Mark 7.34 But what I marvell should hinder the righteous from opening his mouth with wisdome when once the Law of God is in his heart u Ps 37.30 31 Should not a good tree bring forth good fruit and a good man out of the good treasure of his heart being forth good things x Mart. 12.35 Should we not as the Corinthians abound in all speech and in all wisdome y 1 Cor. 1.5 Should we not with the beleeving Romans be silled with all knowledge
fry weep and gnash live and die a dying life a living death not for a time or times or half a time t Rev. 12.14 oh happy they if ever they might hope an end but ever and ever and beyond all time throughout all eternity Oh considerchis all ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you u Psal 50.22 Save your selves from this tormenting Tophet and be forwarned to flee from the wrath to come See what miserable slaves ye are to Satan being altogether as much in his power and clutches x Act. 26 18 as he that goes gyved is in the gaolers or he that goes up the ladder pininond and hoodwinkt in the hangmans and for how little good advantage ye lay forth your selves and toyl out your lives in wearisome * Ier. 9.5 Psal 55.10 wickednesse Do but summon the sobriety of your senses afore your own judgments and see what uncessant pains ye are at and all to go to hell whiles you do wickedly with both hands earnestly y Mic. 7.3 working hard at the works of the flesh but putting your gets into a bottomlesse bag z Hag. 1.6 Nay that 's not all for he that soweth the winde shall reap the whirelwinde a Prov. 22 8 Hos 10 12 saith Solomon that is he that soweth the wind of sin and vanity shall reap the whirlwinde of vengeance and misery And he that soweth to his flesh shall of the fiesh reap that corruption that is contradistinguisht to life everlasting b Gal. 6.8 for the wages of sin is death c Rom. 6. ult Sursum cursum nostrum dirigamus minantem imminentem exterminantem mortem attendamus ne simul cum corporis fractura animae jacturam faciamus temporal spiritual and eternal And is it nothing to lose an immortal soul to purchase an everliving death hear then set thy self in good earnest to see and sigh under Satans servitude be sensible of his yoke as galling thy neck and let it make thee cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this unsufferable servitude Behold I am more miserable then Samson at the mill for he had hope in his death d Prov. 14.32 but what hope have I When God shall take away my soul e Job 27.8 I am more miserable then Zedekiah in cold irons for though he los his eyes yet he escaped with his life but I alasse am am dead while alive f 1 Tim. 5.6 a very living ghost a walking sepulchre of my self I am more miserable then Ieremy in the dungenon for he found friends and means of enlargement but to which of the Saints shall I turn my self g Job 5.1 or where shall I finde help or rescue in heaven or earth I am more wretched then Israel in Egypt for if they performed their tasks they escaped the lash but I after all my best services done o the devill am laden with stripes and shall be scourged with scorpions * â—â—â—nsideret his quilibet quam jod 1 sir servitus servhe priacipi immò tyranno diabolo qui subditos sibi infandis divexat modis Bucer Thus make moan to thy self first and tenmake out to Christ next for manumission and enlargement for if the son set you free you shall be free indeed h Ioh. 8.36 Cry to the Lord Christ in the words of the ancient Church O Lord other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but we will remember thee only and thy name i Isa 26.13 Thy name is as an oynt munt powred out theresore the Virgins love thee k Cant 1.3 O pour upon my dry soul of that precious oyntment and stablish me with thy free spirit l Psal 51 12 for where thy spirit is there is liberty m 2 Cor. 3.17 from both the commanding and the condemning poer of sin and Satan O deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove to these wicked ones x in thy righteousnesse rid me and set me free For a day in thy courts is better then a thousand other-where I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God o Ps 84.10 11 then to be Satans chlef-favourite or one of the privy chamber For the Lord God is a Sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory large wages grace and glory what things be these one would think that were reward enough for such sorry service as we can do him a best ey but then her 's more then enough for no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Oh bountifull God! who would not chuse and covet to be thy servant who would not gladly stand waiting at the posts of thy gates p Prov. 8 34 if haply at any hour of th day he might hear thy happy call and be hired into thy heavenly Vineyard who would not â—un through thick and thin * Quidam ad omnia viae vitae hujus exercitia non solum ambulant sed currunt imò potius volant Bern. Serm. 3. de Asc Dom. to compasse such a gainfull service And yet 't is a world to see a wonder to behold how strangely men hang off here how hard they are to be wonn to the setting in hand with the works of the Lord miserably slighting God offers and letting slip their golden opportunities of getting into his employment They talke sometimes of the wages but shrink at the work as the Israelites talked of the reward of Goliath's conquest yet fled from it when they had done q 1 Sam. 17.24 25 The land is good said those faint-hearted spies but the cityes are walled up to heaven and the inhabitants unconquerable They wish well other-whiles to heaven as he that kneeled to our Saviour with good master r Mat. 19.16 Turpe est impios diabolo tam strenuèservire nos Christo pro sanguinis â—retio nihil rependere Cyprian lib. de oper et eleemos in his mouth they could be glad with Balaam to dye the death of the righteous but to live their precise and austere life that goes to the heart of them they cannot frame to it O blinder then Beetles the merchant refuseth no adventure for the hope of gain the hunter shrinketh at no weather for love of game the souldier declineth no danger for desire of glory or spoile the bear breaks in upon the hives contemning the stings And shall we fain to our selves an ease in not understanding or an idlenesse in not seeking after that service that will be a means unto us not only of avoyding intollerable and endlesse torments which is the devills meed and wages but also of attaining immeasurable and immortall glory pleasure and gain which is Gods reward and guerdon For glory honour and peace to every man that works good to the lew first and also to the Gentile Å¿ Rom. 2 10 And contented godlinesse
the spirit x Rom 8.27 so of the flesh too though it never put forth it self in the outward man that he sets our secret sinnes also in the sight of his countenance y Psal 90.8 and will not fail to bring every secret thing to judgement z Eccles 12. ult even all their Atheisticall vainglorious covetous ambitious adulterous malicious thoughts and projects against the Lord and his Christ his crown and dignity And that none may be ignorant he makes Proclamation thereof as it were in open Sessions by the voice of his holy Prophet with a solemn Oyes Hear O earth behold I will bring evill upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts a Jer. 6.19 Where ye have to observe that the heavy wrath and vengeance of Almighty God is both the just desert and certain event of evil thoughts and count you that a small matter Is it nothing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God b Heb. 10.31 Is there not a fire kindled in his wrath even for some one root of bitternesse that is inward distemper and mentall abomination harboured and allowed that burns as low as the nether-most hell c Deut. 32.22 SECT V. Against thoughts of Atheisme Blasphemy Infidelity and Rebellion BUT in the third place most of all to be condemned of want of Gods holy fear are such as not onely not think of God or not duely think of him but unto all other their sinnes adde this that they think thoughts against him directly opposite to his Name Devise things contrary to the Name of Jesus d Acts 26.9 taking up high and haughty imaginations such as exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and obedience of Christ e 2 Cor. 10.4,5 And of this sort of sinners is that heavy complaint made by God himself in the Prophet Hosea Though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me though I have bound and strengthened their arms yet do they imagine mischief against me f Hos 7.13 15 Hitherto may be referred 1. Thoughts of Atheisme as to think there is no such thing as God or if any yet that hee seeth not careth not doth neither good nor evil g Zech. 1.12 Deos didici securum agere aevum Nec siquid miri faciat Natura Deos id Tristes ex alto coeli demittere tecto Horat. serm walks in the circle of heaven and hides himself in the thick cloud h Job 22.13 without any respect at all to this inferiour world 2. Thoughts of blasphemy as to murmur grudge and speak against him in our hearts and secretly to mock at his mighty works his powerfull ordinances i 1 Cor. 1.23 the promise of his coming c. 3. Thoughts of infidelity and despair as that God doth not heed me will not help me l Gen 4.13 save me make good his word unto me c. This is to make God a lier m 1 Ioh. 5.10 Cum Leoni X. Papae Bembus Card. aliquid ex Evangelio obijceret subridens ille dixit Nunquid non compertum abunde fuit quantum nobis coetui nostro contuler it haec de Christo fabula Alsted Chronol p. 398 saith St. John and upon the matter to averre and avouch that there is no such thing as Christ or at leastwise no such vertue and efficacy in his death and life k 2 Pet. 3.4 as to save all those that repose upon him 4. Thoughts of high-treason and open rebellion against heaven as when men rise up against God in their hearts as the horse against his rider thinking within themselves though they shame to say as much Who is the Lord that wee should serve him o Exod. 5.2 Who made thee a Prince or a Ruler over us p Act. 7.27 Our lips are our own who shall controll us q Psal 12.4 The word that is spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not do No but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth r Ier. 44.16 17 say the Prophets and Preachers what they can to the contrary Against all which detestable and damnable Atheists yokelesse and frontlesse Belialists Behold the Lord cometh saith that ancient Enoch with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and by vidicating his glorious Name from their base surmises and blasphemous aspersions to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which upon such false and abhorred principles they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have out of the abundance of their hellish hearts spoken against him ſ Iude 14.15 Where wee leave them for present to chew awhile upon that fearfull doom that abides them till we hear of their amendment and hasten to a second Use SECT VI. Use 2. Examination Where trialls of the goodnesse of our best thoughts by their 1. cause 2. effects IS this so that the thoughts of the righteous are right t Prov. 12.5 and that wheresoever the true fear of God is there are great thoughts of heart u Iudg. 5.15 concerning God and his Name This then serves next for an Use of Triall And so let every man learn hence to take a true estimate to make a right judgement of his spirituall good estate by the quality of his thoughts For ever as the man is such are his thoughts and as the thoughts are habitually and ordinarily good or evil so is the man Purity in the inward parts is the most sound and infallible evidence of our portion and interest in the power and purity of Christs saving passion and sancifying bloodshed Whereas if our speeches and actions be never so Angelicall yet if the thoughts of our hearts be not forgiven us x Acts 8.22 Verse 23. Quum reproborum mentibus occasto perpetrandi peccati deest desideriorum cogitationes eorū cordibus nullatenùs desunt quum non semper diabolum sequuntur in opere valdè tamen se illi obligant in cogitatione Greg. Moral lib. 14. and we enabled to keep them in some good compasse by the spur of the first and curb of the last commandement we are in no better case then Simon Magus was who for all his fair pretences stuck fast still in the gall of bitternesse and bond of perdition A civil honest man a painted hypocrite a gracelesse and wicked persn dare insatiably mind and muse upon those foul evils which for want either of ability or opportunity or both he cannot act Now such a man as this though his outward behaviour be never so fair and unrebukeable yet the Scripture every where brands for a sonne of Belial one that hath nothing of the spirit of God in him y 2 Cor. 10.5 but is filled with the devil that foul spirit from corner to corner z Act 5.3 4 a man not washed from his wickednesse a Jer. 4.14
away his stomack as he did also for 40. dayes together in the mount of God In a word the Lord of hosts hath a thousand means ready and at hand to provide for his people his strength and wisdome ever busieth and bestirreth it self for their comfort The Lord saith Peter who had tried it knowes how to preserve his own 2 Pet 2.9 Phil. 4.12.13 1 King 22. Heb. 11. Act. 7. and to deliver the godly out of temptation And I can do all through Christ that strengtheneth me saith Paul whether it be to be full or to be hungry to abound or to be abased A beleever walks about the world like a Conquerour as Michaiah did after he had seen the Lord on his throne with all the host of heaven about him So Moses after he had by faith seen him that is invisible and Steven after he had seen the son of man on the right hand of God Angels authorities and powers being made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3.22 And as in temporall so in spirituall regards also this holds true for the soul and inward man of the heart much distressed many times by wicked spirits in high places Ephe. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about our interest in heavenly priviledges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Xerxis exercitu Aristi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.19.2 Cor. 12 9 Luke 22.31 Rev. 12.8 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 8 37 They have the upper ground of us which is no small advantage they assault us out of the air and there-hence buffet and batter us with their fiery darts so called for the dolour and distemper they work in us like a fire in the flesh and the likest hell of any thing with the haile-shot hell-shot of their temptations But God succours us by the supplies of his spirit and by the visible ministry of his angels as he did our Saviour in his agony and after his great temptations His grace is sufficient for us his strength made perfect in our weaknesse The serpents head is broke his work dissolved his trenches thrown down and himself driven out of the field by the Captain of our salvation the author and finisher of our faith who hath also prayed that our faith fail not even at such times as Satan desires to have us as a challenger Goliath-like desires to have one of the other side to combate with Michael and his angels have disarmed and driven out the dragon and his angels they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb yea the saints do overcome or are more then conquerours because through faith in Christ they overcome before they fight they are sure of victory aforehand And although Satan is said to make warre upon the Saints and to overcome them Revel 13.7 yet this is but spoken according to humane conceit and in regard of outward persecutions But thanks be to God who maketh us alwayes to triumph through Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 The gates of hell shall not prevail against us that is Mat. 16.18 all the power and policy of hell combined for in the gates sate the Elders to consult in time of peace and at the gates was planted the best munition in time of warre Impostours should deceive if it were possible the very Elect as that third part of the stars of heaven but that cannot be Object not here that Satan with a full mouth as a fell Lion roars upon you Obj and threatens to ruin you It is a Spanish Proverb The Lion is not so fierce as he is painted Sol. Satan in sidiis tanquam Leo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5 8. Christus insub sidiis tanquam Leo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 1.10 Obj. Rev. 12.15 Draco multis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaligero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quia animal venenatum homini infestū Sol. Rom. 16.20 Colos 2.15 1 Cor. 15.55 1 Joh. 4 nor is the Devil so powerfull 〈◊〉 he makes himself well he may shake his chain at us but he cannot set his fangs in us well he may nibble at the heel but he cannot hurt us in the head He that is born of God keepeth himself and that wicked One toucheth him not that is Tactu qualitative saith Cajetan with a deadly touch Besides Christ is a Lion also even the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the victorious Tribe that can out-roar Satan and easily over-master him As for thee that humblest thy self at his feet for mercy assure thy self he will never trample on the yeelding prey Oh but Satan is not onely a Lion but a dragon hee not onely roars but spets poyson yea spews out of his mouth floods of venemous and violent temptations yea he is a great red dragon colour'd and died red as it were with the blood of souls he hath swallowed and besides he hath seven heads to plot and ten horns to push me into the pit of perdition Rev. 12.3 True all this but Mi-ca-el who is as the strong God Christ our onely Michael hath with his sore and great and terrible sword punished Leviathan that crooked piercing serpent and slain the dragon that is in the sea Esay 27.1 Under our feet he will tread him shortly as he hath done already under his own triumphing over him on the crosse with Death where 's thy sting hell where 's thy victory To be brief The Lamb with his two horns can do more then the dragon with his ten Stronger is he that is in you then he that is in the world Christ is that stronger man that casts out the strong man armed out of his castle and spoils his goods Oh but he hath so strongly entrenched himself in my heart Obj by a herd of base lusts and a frame of evil thoughts that he will hardly ever out if at all The weapons of our warfare are not carnall Sol. but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong-holds or trenches casting down imaginations and every thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Christs Ministers are called his white horses whereon he rides about the world conquering Rev. 6.2 and to conquer And although for their persons they be mean and contemptible yet their message and ministery is that power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Luk. 10 which the Devil cannot stand before Our Saviour saw Satan falling as lightning from the heaven of mens hearts when the Apostles were abroad preaching the Gospel We preach Christ crucified saith St. Paul unto the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Gentiles foolishnesse But unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1.22 23. And a verse or two before It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that beleeve As unlikely a means in the worlds eye to do such a feat as the blowing of rams horns to over-turn
their immortall happinesse 2 Cor. 4. ult yet from glory to glory they shall be transformed and translated till at length they become like the Ancient of dayes It doth noâ— yet appear saith Saint John what wee shall bee hence the world so much mistaketh and misuseth us but we know that when he shall appear we shall bee like him in the quality of our glory though not in an equality 1 Joh. 3.2 For we shall shine as the most radiant Jewels and Jaspers Rev. 21.11 Nay that 's not all we shall shine as the firmament with its glittering furniture Dan. 12.3 nay as the Sun in his strength Mat. 13.43 nay like Christ the Sun of righteousness Col. 3.4 And this 1. In regard of our souls which shall be filled with knowledge wisdome purity as the ayr is with light 1 Cor. 13.11 Moses and Elias appeared in the transsiguration Luke 9.31 and conferred with Christ concerning his death the mystery whereof they understood far better now then when they were in the flesh 2. In regard of our bodies which though now muddy and massy shall then shine as transparent-glasse Rev. 21.11 or clearest chrystall partly from the glory about them and partly from the spirit within them as a lanthorne shines from the candle put into it being clarified from all dregs fashioned like Christs most glorious body the standard in respect of incorruption and immortality beauty and brightnesse grace and favour strength Ecclesia in fine saeculi expectat quod in Christi corpore praemonstratum est Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia 1 Cor. 3.21 22 and nimblenesse majesty and such Angelicall excellency as shall render them rather like heavenly spirits then earthly bodies for the surpassing glory that shall be put upon them Lastly for our totum compositum the whole person together considered Every true Christian is the spouse of the Lamb and so actually invested into his dignity and made partaker of his glory For Vxor fulget radiis mariti it 's a Maxim in the civil law the wife shines with the beams of her husband and whatever he hath she hath all is in common between them so that as Luther saith there is nothing differenceth man and wife but sex onely Think the same to be true in the mysticall marriage betwixt Christ and his people All is yours because you are Christs His treasures riches beauty glory power kingdome all is yours so farre as you are capable For you shall bee next unto Christ Luk. 22.30 yea one with Christ Joh. 17.21 even as He and the Father are one and so above the most glorious Angels for are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 Bucan loc coâ—n p. 76. This according to some the devil and his black guard once bright Angels could not brook or bring their hearts to and therefore fell through envy and malice to the known truth Joh. 8.48 from their first estate and left their own habitation to dwell in darknesse rather then they would endure to honour such a Mordecai as man a clod of clay a bag of wind so poor a thing merely made up of soul and soil of breath and body a puff of wind the one a pile of dust the other nay now since the fall a very mixture and compound of dirt and sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whether the devil will or no the Church shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work the virgins her companions also shal be brought unto him With gladnesse and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the kings palace and be set on his right hand a place of dignity and safety in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 45.14 15 9. Psal 16. vlt. For quality ther 's joy and gladnesse for quantity a fulnesse of both for certainty at Gods right hand and for perpetuity for evermore SECT VI. It shall be far otherwise with the wicked NOw for Application this in the first place Vse 1 is no good newes to the wicked that persecute Gods people and cast dirt on his Jewels to hear that they shall one day be so dearly acknowledged and highly honoured by the God of heaven For as in a pair of buckets when the one is at well top the other is down at bottom as when David grew stronger and stronger the house of Saul waked weaker and weaker and as Mordecaies rise was Hamans downfal so when God shall make up his Jewels he shall put away the wicked of the earth as drosse and of-scouring and when soever he doth best to his chosen Psal 119.119 then doth he worst of all to reprobates This is so constant a thing with God that could we but go as far back with the feet of our mindes as Gods decrees and then come hand in hand with him again and view all his particular acts of Execution we should soon see that when he is chusing the one he is refusing the other when he is redeeming one he is renouncing another when he is comforting one he is terrifying another when he is converting the one he is hardning the other when he is rewarding one he is revenging another when he is quickning one he is killing another when saving one he is damning another And yet all his works are holy and just and good though he do not alwayes as often he doth give a reason of his proceedings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 33.13 This day of the Lord here mentioned in the text wherein God shall mercifully make up his Jewels as it shall be to them a day of light life liberty prosperity and victory Chap. 4.1 2 3. so shall it be to the wicked a day of blacknesse and darknesse for it shall burn them as an oven and themselves shal be as stubble whereof neither root nor stalk shall be left untou ht but all turned to ashes in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord under the feet of those that fear my name Then shall the sinners in Sion be afraid horrour shall surprize the hypocrites who shall run away with those sad words in their mouths Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings But whither alasse will they run from him that is every where Esay 33.14 If to the creature a horse is a vain thing for help the Egyptians are men and not God their horses flesh and not spirit c. If to the creatour he doth utterly disclaim and disown them for if any have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8.9 be he whose he will be These indeed shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. such a good man I know and such a godly woman I know but who are ye Then
seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel See he doth 't is true for he is all eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 1.6 and all things are naked and open before him Yea he seeth enough in the best to provoke the eyes of his glory For though the crow think her owne bird whitest and some parents can see nothing amisse in their children as David in his Adonijah Jeb 4.18.21 25.5 6. yet he charged his Angels with felly and the starrs are not pure in his sight How much less man that is a worme c. He is neither so blinde as not to behold nor so fond as not to mislike the least fault in his best childe For he is of more pure eyes then to behold evil in whomsoever Habuc 1.13 with approbation he cannot look on iniquity and not shew his displeasure All which notwithstanding the truth of this point is irrefragable and the text alledged is no lesse firm then plain for us God seeth no sin in his children For besides that he will never throw them to hell which is the just hire of the least sin it 's often seen Rom. 6.23 that he never so much as corrects them no not with the rods of men for innumerable faylings and infirmities But winking at smal faults as we say nay passing by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage like as a father pittieth his children and pardoneth them their childishnesse so the doth lord pitty them that fear him Lo he pittieth them not punisheth them Psal 103.13 14. Or if he do proceed to correction as he must other whiles such is our frowardnesse yet amidst all he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are but dust Esay 2.22 a peace of earth neately made up that we carry our souls as a light in a paper-lanthorne that our breath in our nostrils is every moment ready to puffe out and that therefore if he should alwayes chide the spirit would fail before him we should soon faint and swoon under his hands wherefore he deals not with us after our sins nor rewards us according to our iniquities But as a man chasteneth his son saith Moses and he would have us wisely to consider of it too so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee Deut. 8.5 Break their stomackes he will but not their bones their hearts but not their heads And albeit they such is their peevishnesse under the rod give up all for lost and make desperate conclusions upon their corrections Judg 6.13 2 Tim. 2. as Gideon did yet the foundation of God remaineth sure The Lord knoweth who are his he knows their souls in adversity I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight Here was a poor prayer And yet thou heardest the voyce of my prayer poor though it were when I cryed unto thee Psal 31.22 So Zion when under the lash sud The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.15.16 Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea she may forget and some Tigresses have done it yet I will not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands c. Look how a natural mother turns her childe out of doors for dabbling himself or some other shrewd turn and with a thump on the back bids it be gone a begging yet when the childe begins once to make a lip whimper and set up his lure Jer. 31.20 she takes him in again and puts him in her bosom the very like dealing we may read of in God with Ephraim his dear son his pleasant childe Hos 13.1 2 3. c. Ephraim of trembling and tender conscienced became a flagicious offendour a desperate idolater Ver. 1.2 And was not it high time then to take him in hand therefore they shall be as the morning cloud as the early dew as the chaffe before the whirl-winde as the smoke out of the chimney No lesse then utter desolation is threatened against them But the Lord soon repents him concerning his servants witnesse the words following Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt I am thy sole saviour Here 's now mercy in the midst of judgement Oh but they abuse mercy forget their God and sin again Ver. 6. Why therefore God threateneth them again with a more terrible judgement Vers 7 8. Behold I will be unto them as a Lion and a leopard as a bear bereft I will rent the kell of their hearts and devour them Oh fearful condition who would ever think of such but as of deplored and desperate yet see the sequel O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Ver. 9. Thou hast done thy utmost utterly to undoe thy self but yet I have thought of a way for thy help I will be thy king where is any other that would save thee as I do in all thy cities And albeit thou art an unwise son yet I will binde up thine iniquity as a cancelled bond and hide thy sin Ver. 12. And although the travels of a sorrowful woman be upon thee such is thy dulnesse in not coming off roundly with God work with those lively Israelitish women Exod. 1.19 but staying too long in the birth which might justly be thy death as it was Racâ—els yet I will ransome thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death Ver. 14. Ey but for how long might they say I shall be likely breaking out again and then thou wilt undoe me after thou hast done me good No saith God repentance shall be hid from mine eyes He will not cast away a perfect man saith Bildad Iob 8.20 The Lord will not cast off for ever saith Ieremy but though he cause grief Lam. 3.31 32. yet will he have compassion according to the multitude or the magnitude of his mercies And this was that miracle that amused so and amased the Prophet Micah chap. 7.18 who is a God saith he like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever And will ye know a reason That text supplies us with two for failing and both from God 1. He delights in mercy 2. He provides for his own glory as occasioning hereby his pardoned people to praise him for present saying as here who is a God like unto thee c. and to trust him for future He will turn again he will have compassion upon us c. Thou wilt perform thy truth to Iacob c. ver 19.20 SECT II. The reasons are of two sorts First respecting God Reas 1 FIrst God will father-like pitty and pardon his poor people Psal 19.4 Eccles 7.25 Numb 14.8 2 Sam. 15.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2.13 because he delights in mercy Now delight will do any thing as we say If the sun delight to run his race who