A SERMON PREACHED AT CERN IN THE COVNTY of Dorset the 18. day of September 1623. at the Visitation of the Right Reuerend Father in God the Lord Bishop of BRISTOLL BY ROBERT LOVGHER Pastor of Mapowder HAGGAI 1.4 Is it time for your selues to dwell in your sieled houses and this house lye wast LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT for FRANCIS CONSTABLE and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the White Lyon in S. Pauls Church-yard 1624. To the Right Reuerend Father in God ROBERT by Diuine prouidence Bishop of BRISTOLL R. L. wisheth all health and happinesse both Temporall and Eternall RIght Reuerend Your Lordships request at Cern was to me as a command vpon my Canonicall obedience so that I durst not neglect the Apostles precept Obedite praepositis as hauing likewise learned that obedience is better then sacrifice Hauing hereupon summed vp my weake Meditations I haue now made bould to send you a Copie of my poore Labours in your Visitation according to your Lordships pleasure and my promise Whatsoeuer it was if any thing in the speaking I feare me it will be no thing or no thing like in the reading as wanting that life which is the first second and third thing as in a Rhetoricall so in a Theologicall Orator Onely this is my comfort that your Lordship will be pleased to giue it both life and grace by your reading it together with a kind of Episcopall confirmation by imposing your sacred hands vpon it Whatsoeuer it is it is wholy yours preached by your appointment and in your Lordships Visitation transcribed according to your pleasure and now with all humilitie it comes to kisse your Lordships hands in hope of a gracious and fauourable acceptance Princes and people did bring to King Dauid Brasse Siluer Gold and pretious Stones in great aboundance towards the building of a Temple a materiall House for the Lord of Hostes. Siluer I haue none and Gold I haue none nor any precious and curious stuffe fit for this purpose but such as I haue giue I vnto you towards the building of Gods spirituall House And where there is a willing and a readie minde God accepteth according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Tolle Lege And the Lord giue a blessing to it and vouchsafe to blesse your Lordship for deigning thus to blesse and to grace it And so I cease to trouble you but neuer to honour you resting Euer deuoted to your Lordships seruice ROBERT LOVGHER Haggai cap. 1. vers 14. And the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel a Prince of Iudah and the spirit of Iehoshua the sonne of Iehozadak the hie Priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the people and they came and did the worke in the house of the Lord of Hosts their God THE Lord commanded Moses to make two siluer trumpets which were to bee sounded by the Priests the sonnes of Aaron Numb 10.1 c. At the first sound of the trumpet the Rulers were to stirre the sounding againe of the trumpets was for the people so we reade in the tenth chapter of the booke of Numbers Men brethren and fathers right reuerend and the rest beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ It hath pleased God at this time to send me one of the meanest and weakest of the sonnes of Aaron to sound out the siluer trumpet of his sacred word to incite and stirre vp both Rulers and people to a conscionable performance of their duties in their seuerall places And the rather to animate and incourage me in this his Message he commandeth me as he doth all his Embassadours in the like case To cry aloud to lift vp my voice like a trumpet to shew his people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes Esay 58 1. as it is in the 58. chapt of the prophesie of Esay You know how famous Ierusalem sometimes was the Citie of God and the Temple builded there by King Salomon â— Chro. 22.5 accounted the mirrour and glory of the world Yet for the sinnes of Princes Priests and people both Citie and Temple were brought vnto destruction by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians Who after two yeeres siege rased the Citie and burnt the Temple downe to the ground carrying away both Princes and people as slaues to Babylon when after 70. yeeres captiuitie Cyrus king of Perfia subduing the Chaldeans gaue them leaue to returne to Indea their owne countrey with commandement and authoritie to reedifie and build vp the Temple destroyed by the Babylonians restoring also the vessels of the house of God which were of siluer and gold carried away by Nebuchadonosor all which to a great number were deliuered to Zerubbabel Prince of the people 50400. Eâ—ra 1.11 which returned with him to Ierusalem This people two yeeres after their returne began to lay the foundation of the Temple where it stood before And this was done with great reioycing with trumpets and cymbals with singing of the Leuites and shouting of the people But they had no sooner begun but presently there arose vp aduersaries who openly and secretly hindered this worke vntill the second yeere of king Darius who mou'd by the Spirit of God did further this building as king Cyrus did before him But now behold Prince Priest and people were so carried away some with matter of pleasure this way and some with matter of profit that way that they little regarded the building of Gods sanctuary running euery man to his owne house and letting Gods house lie waste as it is in the ninth verse Whereupon the Lord raised vp this his Prophet Haggai to rouse them out of their sleepe of security and carelesnesse and to spurre them forward in the worke of the Lords house which here you see did take effect And the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Zerubbabel the Prince c. In which words are foure things remarkeable and of vs at this time to be considered First what is meant by the word spirit Secondly who stirred vp the spirit And that was God The Lord stirred vp the spirit Thirdly the persons whose spirit the Lord stirred vp And they were Prince Priest and People The Lord stirred vp the spirit of Zerubbabel the Prince and the spirit of Iehoshua the hie Priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the people Fourthly the end wherefore the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Prince Priest and people and that was to the repairing and building of his Temple they came and did the worke in the house of the Lord of hosts their God Of these points while I shall speake briefely and plainly as it shall please the Spirit of God to afford me his blessed assistance lend me I beseech you a little your wonted patience and attention And the Lord stirred vp the spirit This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit hath in the Scriptures diuers significations Sometimes it is
taken for the nature of the Godhead or for God generally as in the 4. Ioh. 4.24 of Iohn God is a Spirit Sometimes for the third person in the Godhead specially so in the 1. Ioh. 5. There are three which beare record in heauen 1. Ioh. 5.7 the Father the Word and the holy Spirit Sometimes the good Angels are called spirits as in the first of the Hebrewes Hee made the spirits his Messengers Sometimes the euill angels are called spirits Heb. 1.7 as in the 10. of Luke Luk. 10.20 In this reioyce not that the spirits that is that the diuels are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen Sometimes againe it is taken for the winde So in the 3. of Ioh. Spiritus vbi vult spirat The winde bloweth where it listeth Ioh. 3.8 Sometime it is taken for a vehement zeale and violent motion of the minde either to good or euill Luk. 9.55 So in the 9. of Luke Nescitis cuius spiritus estis You know not of what spirit you are Sometime it may be taken for breath as the signe of the soule or life as in the 2. of Iames the last verse As the body without the spirit is dead Iam. 2.26 so faith without workes is dead also Where by spirit I doe not thinke to be properly vnderstood the soule as the Rhemists would haue it in their annotations on that chapter for then workes must animate and giue life to faith as the soule doth to the body whereas S. Austin teacheth that Opera sunt ex fide non ex operibus fides That workes are of faith and not faith of workes So then as breath is not the life of the body but a signe of the soule which is the life of the body so charity is not the forme of faith good workes are not the life of faith but they are a signe of that confidence and trust in God which is forme and which is the life of faith As therefore that body which is without spirit that is without breth is knowne to be but a dead body So that faith which is without good workes is knowne to be but a dead faith Sometime indeede it is taken for the soule of man as in the seauenth of the Acts. Domine suscipe spiritum meum Act. 7.59 So Saint Steuen Lord receiue my spirit that is my soule And so our Sauiour Christ in the 23. of Luk. Pater in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum Father into thy hands I commend my spirit that is my soule Luk. 23.46 Contrarie to that error of Apollinaris who held that Christ had a true body but had no soule but in steed of the soule stood the diuinitie which is plainly confuted by that of our Sauiour in another place where he saith Mark 14.34 My soule is very heauie euen vnto the death And againe Christ was made man like vnto vs in all things sinne only excepted and therefore needs must haue a soule which is the chiefe and principall part of man Sometimes againe it is taken for the mind of man Pro animo quo sapimus pro mente qua diuina contemplamur And this is said to be the noblest part of the soule Whereof the Apostle in the first of the Thess 5. I pray God that your spirit and soule 1. Thess 5.23 and body may be kept blamelesse and in the 1. Cor. 2. What man knoweth the things of man saue the spirit of man 1. Cor. 2. â—â— that is the minde of man which is in him Finally it may be taken sometime for the will of man or rather for a mixt power in the minde and will of man and so vnder the leaue of better iudgement I take it to be vsed here in my text Now let vs see in the next place who stirred vp this spirit this Mixtam potestatem in mente voluntate humana And that was God The Lord stirred vp the spirit Here must I of necessitie passe by a a maine point of controuersie touching mans will for I haue farre to goe and but a little time to spend and I would not willingly forget that saying of S. Hierome Quâm auditoris animus plus quà m valet tenditur mentis corda rumpitur When the eares of auditors are once strained beyond their accustomed compasse the strings of their attention are ready to burst asunder Briefely then to the purpose and no more The Lord stirred vp the spirit Here the Prophet setteth downe God to be the author of the godly motions of their minds and of the good inclination of their wils that they might not attribute any thing to their owne strength or powerfulnesse And as the Prophet preached not of his owne head and by his owne authoritie but by the instinct of Gods holy Spirit as the Lord his God had sent him So the Spirit of the same Lord stirred vp the minds and wils of Prince Priest and people first to here Gods messenger secondly to learne his will thirdly to feare him and fourthly to doe what he required at their hands The Prophet faithfully deliuered the word of the Lord as you may see in the 12. verse But to shew that Paul May plant and Apollos may water and that neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase It is here said That the Lord stirred vp the spirit Whence we learne so oft as we doe any thing that good is not to attribute that arrogantly to our selues which properly belongs to God seeing no man is fit for Gods worke but whom God stirreth vp transforming his minde informing his vnderstanding reforming his will conforming his affections and forming or rather creating in him a cleane heart and renewing a right spirit within him And thus is man changed into the image of God from from glory to glory by the spirit of the Lord whose workemanship he is 2. Cor. 3.18 created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes Eph. 2.10 which God hath ordained that he should walke in them The Apostle teacheth in the 2. of the Cor. and the 3. that of selues as of our selues we are not able to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 much lesse saith S. Aug. are we able to desire to will and doe a good worke but all our sufficiency saith th'apostle is of God who worketh in vs Et velle operari Phil. 2.13 both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure So that without Gods operation first to make vs willing and cooperation afterwards when we are willing we are neither able nor willing to doe any thing that good is No euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue Iam. 1.17 and commeth downe from the Father of lights who as at the first with his preuenting grace doth worke this in vs to be willing so afterwards with his subsequent grace he doth accompanie vs cooperate and
worke with vs that we will not in vaine according to S. Austin In short then As the eccho answereth not vnlesse first there be a voice or a sound as it were infused into it So Zerubabel the Prince Iehoshua the hie Priest and the remnant of the people could not answer in the language of true obedience vnto God vntill first the voice of the Lord did sound in their eares and his holy Spirit was infused into their hearts whereby they might say Paratum est cor nostrum Deus paratum est cor nostrum Our hearts are ready ô God our hearts are ready and so are our hands for the building of thy house And the Lord stirred vp excitauit The word in the originall signifieth to awake out of sleepe according to S. Hierom And so he translates it thus suscitauit Dominus spiritum And the Lord awaked the spirit Which me thinkes is a notable metaphor or borrowed phrase of speech setting forth the nature of sinne vnto vs. For sinne is indeede a sleepe of the soule hauing no feare nor feeling of God so long as a man lyes secure and carelesse in it And this is a phrase much vsed by the Apostle Saint Paul as you may see throughout his Epistles As in the 13. of the Rom. It is now time to awake from sleepe Rom. 13.11 and in the 1. of the Thess 5. Let vs not sleepe as other doe 1. Thess 5.6 but let vs watch and be sober And in the 1. Cor. 15. Awake to liue righteously and sin not 1. Cor. 15.34 and in the 5. of the Ephes Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead Ephes 5.14 and Christ shall giue thee light c. Thou hast a name that thou liuest saith the Lord to the Church of Sardis in the 3. of the Reuel 1. verse but indeed thou art dead Now as if this death in sinne were a sleepe he saith in the 2. verse be awaked and if thou wilt not awake I will come on thee as a theefe c. God in his holy word by corporall things vseth to declare vnto vs the nature of things spirituall both good and bad As we when our bodies lye sleeping in our beds which is the very image of our graue can neither see here feele taste smell mooue out of the place nor take any pleasure in any one creature of God vntill we be awaked So when we lye sleeping in sinne we can neither see the Maiestie of God with the eye of our faith nor feele his mercies offered vnto vs in his Sonne Christ nor can taste at all how sweet our Lord and Sauiour is our eares are stopt from hearing good counsell we perceiue nothing at all of Gods goodnesse toward vs his word is vnsauorie vnto vs neither be once stirred vp to any one good worke of pietie toward God nor to any one good worke of charitie toward men So that as the Shunamite sonne lay dead starke dead vntill the Prophet Elisha came and stretched himselfe vpon him laying his mouth vpon his mouth and his eyes vpon his eyes 2. King 4.34 and his hands vpon his hands vntill his flesh waxed warme and he opened his eyes and saw saith the text In like manner albeit we haue a name that we liue yet are we dead starke dead in trespasses and sinnes vntill God by his Prophet vntill God by the preaching of his sacred word together especially by the powerfull opâ—ration of the H. Ghost do touch as it were our eyes and our eares and our mouthes our hands and our hearts and that the spirituall warmth of a new life be wrought in vs being baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire burning vp all carnall affections and kindling our hearts with faith hope charitie and such like spirituall graces As that Lacedemonian then when he could not set a dead man to stand vpright vpon his feet said Oportet aliquid intus esse there must be somewhat within meaning a life or a soule to quicken him So we can not be set to stand vpright before God as true conuerts as penitent and repentant persons vnlesse there be aliquid intus somewhat within euen the spirit of truth working together with the word of truth to quicken and support vs. The meanes to awake men out of this sleepe of sinne are many and diuers but the ordinarie and speciall meanes which God vseth is the preaching of his word which he will haue to be sounded as a trumpet in the eares of his people according to that in the 58. of Esay Cry aloud as you vse to a man that lies in a dead sleepe Cry aloud spare not life vp thy voice like a trumpet Esay 581. shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes Dauid was a good king and said to be a man after Gods owne heart yet he was apt to fall into the sleepe and slumber of sinne adultery and murther and therein lay securely sleeping for the space of a yeere vntill the Prophet Nathan came and sounded the trumpet of Gods word in his eares then he awaked and cryed out peccaui Against thee oh Lord haue I sinned 2. Sam. 12.13 c. as it is in the 51. Psalme which he composed vpon the same occasion Ezekiah was a good and a religious king yet was he apt to fall into the sleepe of sinne euen pride and vaine-glory and therein lay securely sleeping vntill the Prophet Esay came and sounded the trumpet of Gods word in his eare then he began to awake and he had no sooner cast downe his eyes vpon his black feete but presently he began to let fall his proud peacocke plumes 2. King 20 15 16. c. as you may reade in the 2. Kings 20. chapt Ioas was a good king so long as his vncle Iehoida the hie Priest â—iued and sounded the trumpet of Gods word in his eares but as soone as Iehoida dyed and the trumpet of Gods word lay still Ioas began to slumber nap yea and fell fast asleepe 2. Chron. 24.17 aufinem cap. He fell into a grosse sinne of foule idolatry and therein was murthered by his owne seruants as you may reade in the 2. of Chron. the 24. chapt Now to come home vnto my text The Iewes here after their returne from Babylon fell into a deepe and a heauie sleepe of securitie and carelesnes forgetting God and his house where he would be worshipped But the Prophet Haggai had no sooner sounded the trumpet of Gods word in their eares but they awaked and presently came and did the worke in the house of the Lord of hosts their God Here if you marke it not only the meaner sort the remnant of the people fell asleepe but Zerubbabel the Prince and Iehoshua the hie Priest were heauie headed too and had neede to be awaked as well as the rest Whence we may obserue that there is not the wisest man nor the greatest
learned man that liues vpon the face of the earth but needeth the instruction and admonition of an other man though farre inferiour to himselfe in learning and knowledge For as a skilfull Phisitian when he is throughly sicke indeede can not cure himselfe nor hath his senses and iudgement so sound and perfect but is faine to seeke counsell and helpe at an other Phisitians hands it may be farre inferiour to himselfe in knowledge and iudgement so the greatest learned man and the wisest man that liues so long as he carrieth sinfull flesh about with him shall haue such sinfull and froward lusts and affections dwelling in him which will so dimme his vnderstanding so obscure and darken the eye of his soule that he shall not so well perceiue his owne sinnes infirmities and imperfections as when he is put in minde of them by an other man especially such a man whom God had ordained and consecrated for that purpose whom Iob calleth a messenger Iob 33.23 an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse as it is in the 33. of Iob 23. verse The parable of the wise and the foolish virgins doth teach vs plainely that not only the foolish Math. 25.5 but the wise virgins too did slumber nap yea and fall fast asleepe Wherein is set before our eyes the nature of vs all that whether we be wise or whether we be foolish whether we be learned or whether we be ignorant we are apt to fall into the sleepe and slumber of sinne forgetting God and our duties And therefore there is not the best of vs all but had need to be put in minde of our duties yea and of those things which we know most perfectly Philip king of Macedonia knew that he should die and he knew as well how apt he was to forget the same being carried away with the pompe and glory of a kingdome and therefore he would haue a remembrancer euery day to knocke at his doore with a memento Remember Philip thou art but a mortall man Dauid no question knew that to sinne as he did and to continue in his sinnes was euill yet the Prophet Nathan was saine to come and reproue him before he left it King Ezekias no doubt knew vaine-glory to be a foule sinne yet the Prophet Esaiah was faine to come and rebuke him before he forsooke it And what made Saint Paul to write so earnestly vnto Timothy and Titus two such worthy Euangelists and men of such rare and excellent gifts but to shew that the best had neede to be put in minde of their duties yea and of those things which they know as perfectly as they doe their names And therefore th' Apostle Saint Peter telleth them to whom he writeth 2 Pet. 1.12.13 that he would put them in minde of their duties so long as he liued albeit they knew it well enough as you may see in his second Epistle and the first chapter You haue heard what is meant by the word spirit and you haue heard who stirred vp or who awaked the spirit and that was the Lord. Come we now to the third poynt to wit the persons whose spirit the Lord stirred vp and they were Zerubbabel the Prince Iehoshua the high Priest and the remnant of the people in all to the number of 42360. as we reade in the 2. of Ezra Ezra 2.64 The Israelites were first ruled by Moses secondly by Ioshua thirdly by Iudges fourthly by Kings and fiftly by Dukes or Princes the first whereof was this Zerubbabel and so is he here called a Prince of Iudah When God gathered his Church in the 4. of Exodus he appoynted two chiefe Rulers of the People the one in ciuill matters the other in Religion And to those two places he chose two Brethren to wit Moses and Aaron to teach all posterity that the Magistrate and the Minister should loue ioyne together as brethren And so here you see are ioyned together Zerubbabel the Prince and Iehoshua the high Priest that the one with the Word the other with the Sword should ioyntly and zealously set forward the building of Gods house Whose example the remnant of the people was ready to follow Nam facilè transitur ad maiores Men are apt to imitate great authorities And where those that bee in authority are men of vnderstanding there the City prospereth saith Salomon and all goes well Prou. 10.11 Here if you marke it Zerubbabel the Prince is alwaies first named before Iehosua the high Priest and hath still the precedency as you may see from the beginning of this Prophesie to the end thereof Whence wee may obserue the preheminence of the chiefe ciuill Magistrate by what name or title so euer he be called And from hence we may learne cheefe power in all Common-weales to be ioyned with the temporall Sword And that euery man must be subiect to the chiefe ciuill Gouernour within his Realmes and Dominions Euery soule saith S. Paul in the 13. of the Romanes yea though an Apostle Rom. 13.1 though an Euangelist though a Prophet So Saint Chrysostome doth expound it Chrysost hom 23 in Epist ad Rom. writing vpon that Epistle All which notwithstanding the Pope and Bishop of Rome is so farre from yeelding obedience and subiection to King or Kaesar that all Emperors Kings and Princes throughout the world according to Bozius that all Christian Emperours Kings and Princes according to Bellarmine are inferiour to his Holinesse yea and so farre inferiour too as the Moone is lesser then the Sunne and that is 57. times according vnto Bellarmines Astronomy But S. Peter whose successour the Pope would faine be was not onely obedient to ciuill Rulers and those prophane men and Infidels in obeying them in all things not contrary to Gods worship and Religion for then that rule of the same Apostle is in force It is better to obey God then men Acts 4.19 1 Pet. 2.13 Saint Peter I say himselfe was not onely obedient to ciuill Rulers but left it written to all posterity that wee should obey the King as chiefe and highest aboue all other And euen so wrote Tertullian in his time Tertul. ad Seapu Lam. Colimus Imperatorem vt hominem à Deo secundum solo Deo minorem We reuerence the Emperor the King the chiefe ciuill Magistrate as second vnto God and inferiour onely vnto God That may be true saith the Papist in matters concerning man but not in matters concerning God But you must know beloued that a Christian Prince is custos vtriusque tabulae Hath the charge of both the Tables committed vnto him to giue him to vnderstand that not onely ciuill and temporall matters but also religious and Ecclesiasticall doe appertaine vnto his Office that is hee is put in trust as well with the first as the second Table of the law of God not onely to obserue and keepe the Contents of both the Tables in his owne person but
to see that all his Subiects as well Clergie men as Lay men each man in his vocation doe obserue and keepe them duely And therefore S. Augustine saith to Bonifacius Aug. Epist 50. ad Bonis In hoc seruiunt Domino Reges herein Kings are said to serue the Lord as they are Kings when within their owne Realmes and Dominions they doe those things which none can doe but onely Kings Obiect But the Apostle in the 5. of the Hebrewes at the 1. verse will tell vs that not Zerubbabel the Prince but Iehosua the high Priest is ordained for men in things that appertaine to God and so we say too that hee is ordained to doe them as it followeth in the next word of the same Scripture to offer guifts and sacrifices for sinnes which wee acknowledge to be the peculiar Office of Iehosua the Priest which if Zerubbabel the Prince take vpon him to meddle with as sometime King Vzziah did then transgresseth he the bounds of his Office and prouoketh the wrath and vengeance of the Lord against him as King Vzziah did 2 Chro. 26.19 Solution But to prouide by good lawes ciuill punishments and orders that Ministers doe their duties in things concerning God and not onely the Ministers but the people too this is Zerubbabels charge this is the Kings charge And so is he ordained of God within his Realmes and Dominions next and immediatly vnder Christ a supreame Gouernour ouer all persons and that in all causes not onely ciuill and temporall but also religious and Ecclesiasticall so farre forth as belongeth to the outward preseruation but not to the personall administration of them wherefore the supremacy which we giue vnto our Zerubbabel in causes Ecclesiasticall is to deale therein not as King Vzziah but as good King Ezekiah did that is not to offer Incense not to preach the Word not to administer the Sacraments not to celebrate publike prayers not to practise the discipline of the Church and such like But to see that these things bee done as they ought to bee done by such as are lawfully called thereunto this is Zerubbabels charge And in giuing this to Caesar we giue no more then is Caesars The greater then is their fault who reprooue the Oath of the Kings supremacy as wicked and vngodly For to be sworne to this of his Maiesty is no more but to acknowledge him to be the lawfull Soueraigne And why may not our Parliament take an oath of Englishmen for Iames our King against the Pope vsurping his right as well as Iehoida tooke an oath of the men of Iudah for Ioash their King 2. King 11.4 against Athaliah that vsurped his State as you may reade in the 2. Kings 11. This poynt then let me close vp with that of Saint Augustine In hoc seruiunt Domino Reges c. Herein are Kings said to serue the Lord as they are Kings when within their owne Realmes and Dominions they doe command good things Aug contra Cresâ—â—b 3. cap. 13. and forbid the contrary not onely concerning the ciuill state of men but concerning the religion of God also so S. Augustine writing against Cresconius And now let vs descend to the last poynt to bee handled to wit the end wherefore the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Prince Priest and people And that was to the building and repairing of his Temple They came and did the worke in the house of the Lord of hosts their God To shew that they were awaked from sleepe they came and set themselues to worke A good argument that a man lies not still sleeping Many you know will answer in their sleepe speake and talke in their sleepe and say they will doe this and that and yet all the while lye sleeping still But when you see a man once set himselfe handsomely to worke then you may be assured that he is awaked indeed As when the chiefe poise of a clocke lies downe vpon the ground all the wheeles stand still but as soone as the weights are wound vp from the ground presently all the wheeles are set a worke and are euery one in its proper motion and so by the Horologe and the bell you may see and here how the day passeth In like manner so long as the heart of Prince Priest and people lay groueling on the earth and earthly things running euery man to his owne house letting Gods house lie waste so long their was no stirring no motion in them towards the building of Gods Temple But as soone as the Spirit of the Lord drew vp the poise of their heart from the earth toward heauen and heauenly things presently as so many wheeles all the powers and faculties of their soules and all the parts and members of their bodies were set a worke in building the house of the Lord of hosts their God Some commanding some directing some aduising some deuising some working in brasse some in gold and siluer some in purple some carrying some sawing some squaring timber some hewing stones some building the walles and some bearing mortar And so couragiously and cheerefully did they follow this businesse that whereas before Gods house lay waste in the dust and in the rubbish for the space of fortie yeeres after their returne from Babylon Now they had finished the worke in foure yeeres space as we reade in the sixt of Ezra They began the second yeere and made an end in the sixt yeere of King Darius Ezra 6.15 As you may see by comparing this prophesie with that of Ezra And now to come vnto our selues Application Let this teach vs beloued as carefully and as cheerefully to set forward the building of Gods spirituall Temple And what is that the Apostle will tell you Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19 and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you O let vs then repaire the ruines 1. Cor. 3.16 and breaches of this temple made by sinne and Satan and let vs adorne and beautifie it with meekenesse temperance sobrietie chastitie faith hope charitie and such like spirituall graces that the Spirit of God may take a delight to dwell in our heart as in the Sanctum Sanctorum of this Temple From whence as from betweene the Cherubines of verity and mercy it may vtter the oracles of God to the euerlasting consolation and comfort of our soules And let vs remember what the same Apostle saith 1. Cor. 3.1 If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy And therefore let vs glorifie God in our body and in our spirit for they are Gods 1. Cor. 6.2 They are the temple of the holy Ghost Againe let this instruct and teach vs as cheerefully and with as great alacritie to set forward the building of Gods spirituall house which the Apostle calleth the Church of the liuing God the pillar and the ground of truth built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and