with fear and tembling Sometimes greif is mingled with faith as in the poor man in the Gospel of whom Christ said Doest thou beleeve he answered first with his tears then with his words saying Lord I beleeve help thou my unbeleefe So in the Publicane beating his breast and saying Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Sometimes indignation is mingled with faith as in all the imprecations of the Prophet which as they are Prophecies and so proceed from the Spirit of God so are they passions in these holy men and are vented with that indignation of which the Prophet saith Be angry and sin not and which the same Prophet justifieth Shall not I hate them O Lord which hate thee And this holy indignation you see in the very separate soules They cry with a loud voice how long Lord dost thou not judg and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.10 Tantaen animis caelestibus ira To come now to the point in question This zeal of the Prophet is not a dislike of or an opposition to the will of God by way of contradiction but a dislike of the thing done according to the expresse will of God wherein the Prophet doth not offend The example of our Saviour Christ is full and giveth testimony to this truth for coming of purpose to lay down his life for his Church and knowing it to be his Fathers will that he should so do yet in the garden he three times prayed that if it were possible that cup might passe from him he did not resist the Will of God for to that he submitted himself but he distiked that which he was to suffer according to that Will The reason is because it was evil and a punishment and he who taught us to pray libera nos a malo Deliver us from evil did so himself So though he knew the Will of God to be peremptorie for the destruction of Jerusalem and the rejection of the Jewes he sorrowed and wept for the same which shewed his dislike of the thing decreed though he approved the decree it self and resisted it not Sorrow is a griefe taken by a naturall dislike of that for which we greive When our parents wives children or freinds die we greive the Apostle doth not forbid that affection he limiteth and regulateth it he would not have us sorrow as men without hope And when he took on him our naturall infirmities and affections he did not so undertake them to remove them from us or to extinguish them in us but to correct and temper them As St. Cyrill saith ut sic natura nostra reformaretur ad melius that so our nature might be bettered In this very example in my Text of the Prophets dislike that God should shew him this iniquity and violence of the Jews which was a greif and a burthen to him to see remember what is said of Lot by St Peter For that righteous man dwelling among them 2 Pet. 2.8 vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawfull deeds Here was not only an holy greif for but an holy indignation against the sight of these things which God shewed him and that in the righteous soul of a righteous man I conclude this point as before with Davids words I deny not that this was the Prophets infirmitie I deny it to be his iniquity it was no sin in him And I again urge my former point of Doctrine it is lawfull for the holy servants of God to expostulate and contest with God in their prayers 1. Because hereby we declare our dislike of those things against which we contest Reas 1 as here the Prophet sheweth that it is to him very hateful and offensive to behold the sins of the people which both corrupt and end anger the state of the Commonwealth So when the Prophet complaineth often of Gods long-suffering toward the wicked he sheweth it to be an offence to the children of God that the enemies of God should be so long forborne And when he awaketh God up Lord why sleepest thou and stireth him to revenge of his own cause therein he declareth his zeal of the glory of God of which he must be careful especially 2. This publique expostulation used in this case to awake the justice of God against the wicked Reas 2 doth seem to terrifie the ungodly from their wicked wayes for when they see that they that fear God and walk before him and with him are up in armes against them and bandie their imprecations against them they cannot but see their estates in great danger 3. This expostulation of the just doth declare that their yeilding to the Will of God in these things which they do without offence to Gods dislike 3 Reas is not out of naturall principles and reasons incident to humanity but from a supernaturall dedition and yeelding of themselves to the transcendent Will of God whereby they do approve even what they do dislike because they find the Will of God that way The profit which we may make of this point is 1. To teach us zeal in the cause of God for there is no life in the service that we performe to God without zeal there is not only the Spirit of God required in us but fervency of the Spirit by the Apostle and that the same Apostle calleth the Spirit dwelling in us plentifully and in another place The Spirit sanctifying us throughout This giving our bow the full bent that it may have the full strength and this to be drawn home when we send our prayers up to heaven that they may reach the mark this is So run that ye may obtaine It is called striving to the mark Zeal only used in matters of forme and ceremonie and in outward things makes us like Agrippa almost Christians but zeal against the evil life and crying sins of the time is discreet and necessary for these do hack and hew the bough we stand upon these under-dig the ground we walk upon These put it to an if Si filius dei es if thou be the Son of God Let them that love righteousnesse and peace be troubled at these things and quench this common fire first that is the Apostles method For having taught the doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and of holy preparation to the communicants he concludeth And the rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 11.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First he directed them in the prayers of piety he reserveth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the order till his coming to them shewing that he had Apostolicall power for that but that must be done after this In Religion that is now the double complaint 1. Of want of zeal where it most should be 2. Of inordinate zeal in other things The want of zeal in many Professours of Religion is such as that both Poperie and Anabaptistrie and other schismaticall and sectarious professors are suffered to grow
long life of the fathers the oracles of God were committed to them without any mention of writing because they were both wise and faithful in the custody and transmission of them For Adam himself living nine hundred and thirty years to teach his children had under his teaching Seth Enosh Kenan Mahalaleel Iarod Henoch Methusalah and Lamech the father of Noah And Noah lived with Abraham 57 years But after the flood when the Church in the posterity of Iacob encreased and no doubt had many corruptions by dwelling in Aegypt then was Moses appointed both to be the deliverer of the People of Israel from Aegypt and to be the Penman of God to write those things which God would have to remain in the Church for all succeeding times and after him successively holy men wrote as they were inspired And a better Argument we cannot give for the danger of unwritten traditions which the Church of Rome doth so much commend even above Scripture then this God saw that men had corrupted their ways and he found the imaginations of mens hearts only evil continually and that the Church was a very few therefore he stirred up Noah to be a Preacher of righteousnesse in whom the light of truth was preserved he destroyed the old sinful world and by Noah and Sem he began a new Church to the restored world Yet after Noahs death the worship of strange gods were brought in so that to heal this grief and to prevent the danger of traditions God caused the Word to be written by holy men for the perpetual use of his Church whose books were faithfully preserved in all ages thereof Then came the Sonne of God and he left his spirit in the Church to lead the Church into all truth by which spirit the New Testament was endited and written So that now all things necessary to salvation are so clearly revealed that traditions of men have no necessary use in the Church in the substance of true Religion for that which is written is sufficient The Church of Rome denieth the sufficiency of Scripture Many of their great learned men write both basely and blasphemously thereof But they are not agreed upon the point for Scotus Gerson Oecam Cameracensis Waldensis Vincentius Lerinensis do all confesse what we teach of the sufficiency of Scripture as the learned Deane of Glocester Dr. Field l. 3. de Eccoles c. 7. hath fairly cited them And Dr. White in his way of the Church addeth Tho. Aquinas Antoninus Arch-bishop of Florence Durandus Alliaco a Cardinal Conradus Clingius Peresius Divinity Reader at Barcilena in Spain and Cardinal Bellarmine Of whom Possevinus writeth that he is one of the two that have won the Garland De verbo Dei l. 1. c. 2. Sacra Scriptura regulae credendi certissima tutissima est Per corporales literas quas cerneremus legeremus erudire not voluit Deus Writing against Swenck field and the Libertines this is a legal witnesse Pro Orthodoxo heretici testimonium valeat I know to whom I speak and therefore I forbear the Polemical bands of arguments to and fro upon this question which in print and in English is so fully and learnedly debated Our lesson is seeing Gods care of his Church for the instruction thereof is here exprest in commanding his revealed will to be written that God would have his Church to be taught his ways in all the ages thereof Doct. 1. Because the ways of God Reas 1 and the saving health of God cannot be parted none can have the saving health of God without the knowledge of his ways no ignorant man can be saved it is said of Christ By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53.11 per scientiam qua scitur Therefore Davids Prayer is That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations 2. Because the promise of God doth run in semine Reas 2 in the seed I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Our children are the Lords inheritance his care extendeth so farre That yee may live Deut. 5.33 and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days But that is not all That it may be well with them and their children for ever Vers 29. 3. For his own sake Reas 3 that his Wisdome Power and Iustice may be known to men that they may be able to plead the cause of God against such as either ignorantly through unbelief or maliciously and blasphemously shall dispute and argue against God for therefore God doth condescend to this Apology of himself that he may instruct his Church how to plead the cause of his Iustice against all strife of tongues that the name of God be not evil-spoken of To make profit of this point Vse 2 1. Herein let us consider what the Lord hath done for our souls for he hath given us two means to communicate to us his holy will hearing and reading and he hath used to this purpose both the voice and the pen of holy men for he spake by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began and holy men wrote as his spirit directed them Let him that hath ears to heare heare quid Spiritus Ps 34.16 Mat. 24.15 and seek yee out the book of the Lord and read but then adde this caution Who so readeth let him understand It was Philips question sed intelligis quod legis Seeing God hath written to us Vse 2 and the whole body of holy Scripture may well be called Gods Epistle or Letter to his Church let us bestow the reading of Gods letter St. Augnstiue saith Quae de illa Civitate unde peregrinamur venerunt nobis literae ipsae sunt Scripturae It was St. Gregories complaint of Theodorus In Ps 90.2 that he was so over-busied with secular cares Regist 4.84 Et quotidie legere negligit verba redemptoris sui quid est autem Scriptura sacra nisi quaedam epistola Omnipotentis dei ad venturam suam It is a question in our times whether printing hath done more hurt or good for Satan finding this a means to keep things alive in the world hath employed the Presse in all sorts of heresies in all sorts of idle and lascivious false and dicterious slanderous and biasphemous books The remedy is to refrain such readings and as Dr. Reynold tels Hart his adversary that he hath no book allowed him to read but the Bible It is likely then that he is perfect in that book and that Physitians do well when they find their Patient surfeited with too much variety of meat to confine him to some one wholesome dyet So shall we do well to limit our selves to the reading of Gods letter and know his mind for he is wisest and the wisedome that we shall gather from thence is wisedome from above it is able to make us wise unto salvation as the Apostle saith 3. Seeing God teacheth us by
read and they returned saying Never man spake like that man If they that run from the word may be taken thus with a glance upon it you may soone conceive what effect it may work in those that run to it that are swift to hear that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse If they that hear or read the word immediately aliud agentes may perceive the mind of the Lord by the plain opening thereof much more they that come of purpose and run to it that come with appetite and desire after it with delight in it with purpose to profit by it and with due Preparation of the heart by earnest Prayer for the holy blessing of God upon the Ministry and hearing of it therefore quid Scriptum est quomodo legis what is written how readest thou 2. The assurance that he gives of the performance of his purpose in due time The Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie Next verse It will surely come it will not tarry This is Rhetorically set down For 1. Here is veritas decreti the truth of the decree The Vision is yet for an appointed time 2. Here is veritas verbi the truth of the word it shall speak it shall not lye 3. Here is veritas facti the truth of the deed It will surely come it will not tarry 1. Decretum the Decree The Vision is here put for the thing seen as you have heard and that is the declaration of Gods just judgment in the cause of his Church against the Chaldaeans for he saith the time is appointed meaning in his own holy and fixt decree which is unchangeable 2. Verbum the Word God will speak his minde by this Vision and declare what he intendeth against the Chaldeans and therein he will deal truely and faithfully for he is truth he cannot lye For these be two Premises or Antecedents to one conclusion for we may conclude both wayes 1. The Decree of God is past Ergo veniet non tardabit he shall come he will not tarrie 2. The Word of God is past Ergo. From thence we are taught Doctr. That whatsoever God hath decreed or spoken shall certainly take effect in the appointed time The holy word of Scripture confirmeth this Indeed who should alter Gods decrees for he himself will not I may say truly he cannot change them for the Apostle saith he worketh all things after the councell of his will Eph. 1.11 And the Will of God is himself And he cannot deny him self 2 Tim. 2.13 Neither can he repent as Samuel told Saul The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent 1 Sam. 15.29 for he is not a man that he should repent And if God himself be without variablenesse and shadow of change his Will being established by his counsell and wisdom we may be sure that there is no power beneath him that can swerve him from his own ways for the wiseman saith There is no wisdom nor understanding Pro. 21.30 nor counsell against the LORD One reason may serve of this Doctrine God is equall infinite in his wisdom justice and mercie to conceive him infinite in power to do whatsoever he will and not infinite in wisdom to decree whatsoever he will do were to make him a Tyrant not a King but David saith The Lord is King and we do ascribe it to him Tuum est regnum potentia thine is the Kingdom and power for power without equall proportion of wisdom must needs degenerate into cruelty This wisdom foreseeth all things that shall be this wisdom decreeth all things that he will do which his power after in the times appointed doth performe and bring to act Against this Doctrine is Objected Object 1. Why then do so many texts of Scripture tell us that God repenteth Sometimes he repenteth of the good that he hath done for to make man upon the earth was a good work yet it is said And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth Gen. 6 6. and it greived him at his heart So to make Saul King over Israel was a good work for it was his own choise yet himself saith It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King 1 Sam. 15.11 Sometime God is said to repent of the evil that he hath done malum poenae the evil of punishment is there to be understood So after the great plague when David had made a fault in numbring the people When the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it the Lord repented him of the evil 2 Sam. 24.16 and said to the Angel It is enough stay thy hand And concerning his Word we have frequent examples in Scripture of events contrary to the letter of his Word For example His word was to Hezekiah by Isaiah set thy house in order for thou shalt dye non vives Yet Hezekiah did live 15 years after that his word was to Nineveh by Jonah 40 days and Niniveh shall be destroyed yet yet it fel not out so and the story saith God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do to them Joh. 3.10 To all we answer Sol. 1. That the Will of God that is his counsell decreeing what he will do is constantly the same and unchangeable as we have taught 2. Where it is in Scripture charged upon God that he doth repent we say with Chrysost it is verbum parvitati nostrae accommodatum a word accommodated to our weaknesse Hom. 22. in Gen. For we are said to repent when we change our mindes now the God of wisdom and power never changeth his minde but sometimes he doth change his operations there is not mutatio mentis but mutatio dextrae Exclesi as St. Aug. Paenitudo dei est mutandorum immutabilis ratio by which he without changing of his own decree maketh alterations in the disposition of things mutable This for want of understanding in us to comprehend the ways of God is called repentance and greif in God but as Aug. saith Non est perturbatio sed judicium quo irrogatur poena as Saint Paul I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh 3. I approve that received distinction of the Will of God 1. Voluntas signi of the Signe 2. Voluntas beneplaciti of his good Pleasure 1. God doth reveal his ways to the sons of men and sheweth them what he would have them do and openeth to them the knowledge and tendereth to them the use of fit means to performe that which he would have them and so it is said he would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of his Truth According to this revealed Will of God he doth offer mercy to all and he doth withall threaten judgment to such as forsake their own mercy as Jonah saith And when he seeth cause to call in either his mercy from them
is of fear Sol. To this I answer let not us dispute the Will of God or search beyond that which is revealed if God have revealed his Will to us that must be our guide That revealed will hath threatned nothing in us but sin and sin carrieth two rods about it shame and feare There be two things in a regenerate Elect man 1. A Conscience of his sin 2. Faith in the promises of God through Christ So long as we do live we do carry about us Corpus peccati the body of sin and as that doth shake and weaken faith so doth it confirme and strengthen fear 1. We are taught from hence to believe the Word of God Vse 1 the Apostle saith He is faithful that hath promised The faithful servants of God have this promise I will not leave thee nor forsake thee David believes him in convalle umbr aemortis non timebo in the valley of the shadow of death I will not fear Job believes him Though he kill me I will trust in him David believes verily when he smarts I shall see the goodnesse of God in the land of the living It is a sweet content of the inward man when the conscience pleads not guilty to the love of sin though our infirmities miscarry us often that we may say with Nehemiah Remember me O Lord concerning this and blot not out the loving kindnesse that I shewed to thy house and to the officers thereof Neh. 13.14 and with Ezekiah Remember Lord now I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth Is 38.3 and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight But it followeth And Hezekiah wept sore If he were so good a man why did he weep if not so good why did he boast Surely we carry all our good amongst a multitude of infirmities and therefore we cannot rejoyce in our own integrity with a perfect and full joy yet is it a sweet repose to the heart when God giveth us peace of conscience from the dominion of sin So on the other side believe God threatning impenitent sinners with his judgments for he is wise to see the sins of the ungodly he is holy to hate them he is just to judge them and he is Omnipotent to punish them Let me give one instance The third Commandment in the first Table of the law saith Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain what needs any more 1. Put these two one against another Thou The Lord thy God 2. Consider what the law concerns Gods name wherein standeth His glory Our help 3. What is forbidden taking it in vaine and we pray Sanctificetur let it be hallowed But where all this will not serve yet this is murus ahenus a brazen wall one would think God doth make yet another fence about his name an hedge of thornes The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine The Lawes of God be unreversible decrees heaven and earth shall passe ere one of these words shall sink or lose strength Yet the blasphemer feareth nothing that is a crying sinne in this land not the houses only the streets and high wayes resound the dishonour of Gods name this sin is grown incorrigible The Land mourneth because of oaths Hoc dicunt omnes ante Alpha Beta puellae And beleeve God who cannot lye He will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain Thus we may make use of this doctrine to restraine if not overcome and to destroy the dominion if not the being of sinne in us 2. For the better rectifying of our judgments and reformation of our lives Vse 2 let us observe the consonancy of Gods practice in the world with the truth of his word he hath declared himself an hater of evill and do we not see daily examples of his judgements upon wicked men how ill they prosper in their estates what shame and disgrace and losse of all that they have unrighteously gotten cometh upon them how their posterity smarteth according to that threatning in the second Commandment God bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and visiting it to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him that we may say Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Whence cometh all this but from the constant truth of Gods unreversible decrees because the word is gone out of his mouth and though the ungodly do not beleeve it though it be told them Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth in the earth We may say of our times as Hecuba did of hers Non unquam tulit documenta fo rs majora quà m fragili loco starent superbi for We live in the schoole of discipline and the rod of correction is not only shewed but used with a strong hand that all men may fear to be unrighteous we have not only Vigorem verborum the vigor of words chiding sin in our ministry of the word but rigorem verberum the rigor of stripes in the administration of justice never did any age bring both fuller examples of terror then we have heard with our ears and seen with our eyes for the wisdome of Gods decrees and the word of Gods truth is justified in our sight therefore seeing sentence executed upon evil works let the hearts of the sons of men be wholly set in them to do evil 3. Let us consider the vaine confidence of the ungodly Vse 3 and compare it with the constant truth of the decrees and word of God Isay expresseth it fully Ye have said we have made a Covenant with death Isa 28.15 and with hell are we at agreement when the over-flowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come to us for we have made lyes our refuge and under falsehood have we hid our selves They are answered and confounded The bed is shorter then a man can stretch himself on it Vers 20. and the covering narrower then he can wrap himself in it He that is to lodge so uneasily cannot say I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest The Chaldeans invade the Church they kill and take possession and divide the prey they oppose better and more righteous men then themselves their trust is in their strength and riches and power Nec leves metuunt Deos. What care they who weeps so they laugh or who bleeds so they sleep in a whole skin who dies so they live They trust in lying vanities Solomon saith Eccl. 8.12 Though a sinner do evill an hundred times and his dayes his prolonged yet surely I know it shall be well with them that feare God Vers 13. which feare before him But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are a shadow because he feareth not before God God hath made an Act against them their judgment is sealed they
the rod of the Spanish inquisition long subject to the sugillations of the Jesuits their mortall enemies But now the sword of massacre is drawn against them before there were some attempts made upon the persons of some few of the Religion or some encroachment made upon their goods They thought it gain to lose all for Christ so that they might win him and be found in him but now the poor distressed Church heareth the voyce of the daughter of Babel crying out against her Nudate Nudate First discerning them and then but who can tell what then the true Church lying at the mercy of Rome shall find her mercies cruel We cannot but take notice of it that the Church of Rome is both a strong and a bloody enemy she is not yet stupannated nor past teeming she aboundeth in continuall sucerescence of new seed Cardinal Bellarm. under the name of Tertus doth wonder why our King should fear the cruell dominion of the Pope under whom all his Tributaries do so well And the humble Supplicants to his Majesty for the liberty of conscience as they call it and for Toleration of the Romish Religion have urged the peaceable state of our neighbours in France where the Papist and Protestant do both exercise their Religion in Peace We now see they feele and smart for it that there can be no peace with Jezebel of Rome 2 Reg. 9.22 so long as her whoredomes and her witchcrafts are so many She lieth lurking in the secret places to murther the innocent her patience is limited with no other bounds but Donec adsint vires till they have strength Nuni proximus ardet Vcalegon They have declared themselves here what they would have done Our comfort is in this Vision and we must tarry and wait the Lords leasure Haman the Jesuit hath got a decree against the Reformed Church in France to root it out and the sword is now drawn against them the Protestants in Bohemia have felt the edge of the Romish sword she that cals her selfe mother of the Christians ostendit ubera verbera producit she pretendeth love Savus amor docuit natorum sanguine matrem commaculare manus And the Church makes pitiful moan saying Shall they therefore empty their not and not spare continually to stay the nations Hab. 1.17 But we know that God is good to Israel to such as be true of heart God hath a sword too and he is whetting of it he hath a quiver and it is full of arrows he is bending of his bowe and preparing his instruments of death and he hath a right hand and that shall find out all his enemies How shall we wear out the weary houres of time till God come and have mercy upon Sion we have many ways to deceive the time 1. The idle think the time long whilst we have therefore time let us do good we have work enough to work out our salvation with feare and trembling to make our Calling and Election sure ro seek the Lord whilst he may be found to wash us and make us clean to put away the evil of our works to cease to do evil to learn to do well to get and keep faith and a good conscience to walk with our God They that well consider what they have to do borrow time from their natural rest from their meats from their recreations to bestow it on the service of God There be that overcharge themselves with the businesses of the world with the care of gathering riches with ambitious thoughts of rising higher with wanton desires of the flesh with sensual surfeits in gluttony and drunkennesse and the day is not long enough for these children of this world to whom I say with the shepheard Quin tu aliquid saltem potius quorum indiget usus Virg Alexis Are these the things you look upon non relinquetur lapis super lapidem There shal not be left a stone upon a stone Walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evill Remember your Creation to good works that you should walk in them and whilst you have the light walk in the light Ambulate in luce Ambulate digni luce 2. To sweeten the delay of the vision and to shorten the time of our expectation let us heare our Saviour saying Search the Scriptures There 1. We shall find the promises of God made to his Church in all ages thereof beginning in Paradise at semen mulieris the seed of the woman and so continuing to the fall of the great strumpet the ruine of Babylon in the Revelation wherein we shall find God to be yesterday and to day and the same for ever 2. We shall read the examples of Gods mercy to his Church and judgement of the enemies there of all the Bible through It is a work for the Sabbath as appeareth in the proper Psalm for the day To praise God for this Psal 92. to sing unto the name of the most high The Church professeth itâ—â—◠〈…〉 Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work Vers 4. I will triumph in the works of thy hands The works of God are these When the wicked spring as grasse and when all the workers of wickednesse do flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever For lo thine enemies O Lord for do thine enemies shall perish all the workers of iniquity shall be scartered But my horne shall be exalted like the horne of an Vnicorn I shall be annointed with fresh oyl Mine eye shall see my desire upon mine enemies mine eares shall heare my desire of the wicked that rise up against me The righteous shall flourish like a palme-tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall bring forth more fruit in their age they shall be fat and flourishing The use of all To shew that the Lord is upright he is my rock and there is no unrighteousuesse in him These be meditations of a Sabbath of rest and the word of God giveth full examples of this truth and daily experience in our own times offereth it 3. The Scripture doth put into our mouths Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs teaching us to sing and to make melody to God in our hearts Excellent to this purpose are the Psalms of the Bible and if we sing merrily to the God of our salvation this will passe away the time of our waiting for the promise of God cheerfully we shall not think it long For this did David desire to live Oh let me live and I wil praise thy name 4. The Scripture is full of heavenly consolations to establish the heart that it shall not sinke under the burthen of this expectation for in the Scriptures the Spirit of God speaketh Let him that hath ears to hear hear what the Spirit speaks to the Churches this Spirit Christ hath left in his Church
need no other rods to scourge us here no other fewell to enfire us hereafter then our owne sins this is Hilaris insania to make our selves merry with these and to set in the chair of the scornfull 6 Incorrigibility when the gratious warnings of God do not lead them to repentance when the angry threatnings of God do not draw bloud of them when the rods of Gods favourable chastisement doe not smart upon them O Lord saith Jeremy Jer. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved Correction had wont to be the way to reclaime sinners but when iniquity is come to the full ripeness God may lay on while he will they that have not known the way of peace will harden their hearts as Pharaoh did and correction will but make them curse and blaspheme God to his face This was the full iniquity of these nations whom God threshed and wounded and digged up and cast out that he might plant his Israel therein And it teacheth us to be wise to salvation Vse as the Apostle saith Thou man of God fly these things And let me say to you as Lot to the Sodomites I pray you my brethren do not so wickedly Take heed of Idols Babes keep your selves from Idols Idolatry hath growen bolder of later then heretofore the Factors of Rome are busie amongst us trading for proselites but God stirreth up the spirits of his religious servants to solicite the cause of Religion and the worthies of our land stand up with zealous fervency of spirit for the truth of God This is the light of Israel so long as we keepe the fire of God burning upon our Altars we shall have hope that God is with us and that he will give us his blessing of peace Let us break off our sins by repentance that we may turn away the indignation of God from us let not sin reign in our mortall bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof Let us take heed that we give not way to sin either in our selves or in others left it over-grow us but let us examin our own hearts in our chambers and turn to the Lord. And if a brother by occasion fall into sin let them that are spirituall restore him with the spirit of meeknesse Let shame cover our faces for the evils that we have done it is no shame to be ashamed of our evils as there is a godly sorrow so there is a godly shame let us say with Job I covered not my transgression with Adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosome Let it grieve us that wee have sinned and let us not boast thereof but say with Job Peccavi quid faciam tibi with Saul I have sinned and done foolishly Let the remembrance of our sin smite our hearts as Davids heart smote him when he had numbred the people and let us do no more so Let the judgments of God make us afraid Let the corrections of God humble us and cast us at the feet of God that he may shew us mercy and with Paul let us pray three times that the Angel of Satan may be taken from us Then shall we neither feel the flail of God threshing us nor the sword of God wounding us nor the spade of God diging up but we shall rejoyce every man under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree 2 What he did in favour to his own Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people even for salvation with thine annointed David saith Truly God is good to Israel The everlasting comfort of the Church hath been planted and grounded in the favour of God by the mediation of Jesus Christ his anointed For although Christ were not so manifest to his Church before and in the time of the law as he hath been in the time of the Gospel yet he hath been always the hope of all the ends of the world The reason is Reason because Christ is not onely a Mediatour of intercession to pray for us and a Mediatour of satisfaction to die for us and a Mediatour of salvation to prepare eternall mansions for us but he is and ever was and will be a Mediatour also of temporall protection all to keep and defend us from all evils So that the Sun shal not smite us by day nor the Moon by night For as God created us to his own image so he fitted to his only begotten Son a body in our image he was made of a woman and so soon as his word had made him the promised seed so soon was he crucified for us and was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Then did he take his Church into his bosome and married her to himself and they became one body and ever since his Angels have charge over her to keep her in all her ways and this must comfort Israel in Babylon that God vvent before them vvith his anointed to setle them in the promised Land There be no other mercies that vvill tarry by us but those which God doth vouchsafe us by the means of this Mediator He importeth many outward blessings even to the vvicked by the means of his holy ghost For all the knovvledg that they have all the vvisedome in arts and sciences be the gifts of the holy ghost but they have no portion at all in the office of Christ he vvas not anointed for them From hence the Apostle doth conclude that God hath not forsaken the Jevvs but that they shall be called again for he saith Hath God cast away his people he ansvvereth God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew Ro. 11 1 2. The election of grace vvhich made them his doth confirm them to him forever and therefore they mention his going before them with his anointed to assure them that though they go into captivity and abide a long time there yet they shall not be left in bonds for ever For the spirit of the Lord is upon this anointed to preach liberty to Captives Isal 61.1 and the opening the prison to them that are bound This is now the true comfort of the distressed parts of the Church which groan under the burthen of oppression and bloudy persecution They cry for the help from men and no Nation doth succour them they weep and pray to God and to his annointed and no doubt but in good time he wil come down to them to visit them in his mercy they are Christians and they carry the name of Gods anointed his name is in them and his righteousnesse and truth are their hope and strength It is time for thee Lord to put to thy hand for the wicked sons of Belial the children of Edom cry out against thy Church down with it down vvith it even to the ground The Bishop of Rome abetteth the unchristian shedding of Christian bloud by his letters and disperseth his vvhetstones to sharpen the sword of Gods enemies against Gods Church Let us say vvith old Jacob O Lord
done in former ages page 105 Religion in the Head is speculation in the Heart affection in the Hand action page 169 Rich mens duties to the poor page 161 S. SAlvation is a work of power 210. of glory Ibid. Of mercy page 211 Salvation only of God page 229 Satans Suggestions that God is merciful animates sinners to do evil page 58 Satan is but Gods instrument in afflicting of the Church page 84 Selah what it signifieth page 49 Self conceited men how they ought to be taught page 32 Self-opinion is a kind of spiritual drunkennesse page 32 Set-prayers both lawful and necessary to be used page 6 Senselesse and livelesse creatures are subject to Gods will page 119 133 Sigionoth what it signifieth page 2 Signes of true spiritual joy page 201 203 Six Signes of ensuing judgment page 146 Sin is that which parteth God and us page 146 Sometimes God taketh away from his children their feeling of his love and of the joy of the Holy-Ghost page 56 T. TEmporal things have but a resemblance of good and evil spiritual favours are reall Pag. 202 Thanksgiving ought to be joyned with Prayer Pag. 106 Thanksgiving is a work of Justice which puts us in mind of our unablenesse to requite God and of our unworthinesse Pag. 69 The Contemplation of Gods justice in punishing the sins of his Church of his vengeance in revenging the quarrels of it of his mercy in his mercy in healing the wounds of it give the faithful occasion to resort to God by prayer Pag. 3 The Churches Plea in affliction is for mercy Pag. 45 The Church of God hath a special interest in the power and protection of God Pag. 54 The best forme of thanksgiving is that which maketh particular commemoration of Gods mercies Pag. 68 The sense of Scripture is the soul thereof Pag. 76 The welfare of the Church is the grief and vexation of her enemies Pag. 82 The truth of God is a good ground because the word of God is a sure word Pag. 112 The devil knew where Moses was buried Pag. 137 The effectual fevrent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much Pag. 139 The poor are under Gods protection and his own flesh Pag. 160 The very Elect are shaken with fear Pag. 177 The law sheweth us how much we are in Gods debt Pag. 178 The same hand that put the children of Israel in possession of the land of Canaan put them out again Pag. 186 The Chaldaeans armies the Troops of God Pag. 186 The Saints of God have their sorrows on earth yet they always rejoyce in the Lord. Pag. 202 The general apprehension of Gods mercy in Christ will not justifie a man in the sight of God Pag. 207 The Lord will loose the bonds of his Church and give her deliverance out of her troubles Pag. 220 They that joy in the Lord rest in the Lord and rejoyce in nothing otherwise then as a means to serve the Lord. 200 and because God is Lord. Pag. 201 Three notes of a lawful promise and oath Pag. 115 VAin repetitions not to be used in Prayer Pag. 33 W WE ought to give the whole glory and praise for all good to God 70. And thanks to creatures as ministers and instruments of God Pag. 71 We must search out and confesse the true cause of all the good that God doth to us Pag. 107 What use may be made of Davids Psalmes in our frequent reading and meditation of them Pag. 19 What is meant by the works of God Pag. 19 What is meant by the midst of years Pag. 21 Whether we ought to swear at all Pag. 114 Whether every oath ought to be kept Pag. 115 Wheresoever there is Election there is Vnction pag. 130 154 Where God loveth a People his favour runneth in a full stream in the channel of his Church Pag. 138 Where there is the true joy of the Holy Ghost no temporal affliction can extinguish or eclipse it Pag. 195 X Xerxes angry with the sea causeth it to be beater with stripes pag. 102 FINIS A Commentarie OR EXPOSITION UPON The Prophecy of HABAKKVK CHAP. I. Verse 1. The Burthen which HABAKKUK the Prophet did see THis first verse tels us what we shall find in the ensuing Prophecy and it openeth to us three things which give light to that which followeth 1. The Minister of God in this Prophecy 1. By his name Habakkuk 2. By his Function the Prophet 2. The manner how he came by it Vision 3. The matter of it the Burthen 1. Of the Minister First of his name The name Habakkuk is rendred by Philo the Jew amplexans embracing so doth Pagnine give it our English a wrastler for they that wrastle do embrace and hold fast one the other a name well expressing the office and employment of this Prophet who wrastled with the sinners of those times and their horrible iniquities to cast them 1. But as God wrastled with Jacob that he might leave behind him a blessing His tribe Dorothaeus saith was Simeon I know not upon what information for the silence of the holy Scripture doth argue it to be conjectural Concerning the time when he prophecied it is not particularly exprest but it appears to be before the deportation into Babylon for the Chaldeans invasion is here threatned and therefore Junius thinks him contemporary with Jeremiah and referreth his Prophecie to the end of Josias his Government Others after the Hebrews referre it is the â—â—me of King Manasseh Master Calvin very truly affirmeth it before the time of Zedekiah Arias Montanus gives a probable conjecture by comparing that which is said 2 Reg. 21.12 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel behold I am bringing forth an evill upon Jerusalem and Iudah that whosoever heareth of it both his ears shall tingle That in the eleventh verse t is said Because Manasseh King of Judah hath done these abominations and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did which were before him and hath also made Iudah to sinne with his idols And this Commination is almost in the same words in the fifth verse of this chapter Saint Hierome in his Prologue to this Prophet saith that he is called a wrastler quia certamen ingreditur cum deo because he wrastled with God Nullus enim Prophetarum ausus est tam audaci voce Deum ad disceptationem justitiae provocare none durst so boldly provoke God to vindicate his Justice as it appears v. 2. But he doth violate the text of Canonical Scripture and History to verifie that Apocrypha tale of Habakkuks bringing food to Daniel by miracle which destroyeth the truth of the history to make faith of a Legend For either there must be two Habakkuks or this one must live as Arias Montanus doth cast it up three hundred years if he lived to feed Daniel in the Captivity a long time of life then or this must prophecie before he was born Bellarmine hath found out two Daniels one the
by the wings of God we do understand divine Protection sic cum audimus manus operationem pedes praesentiam oculos visionem faciem justitiam brachium potentiam So by hands divine operation by feet Presence by eye vision by face Iustice by hands divine Power And to shew that neque solus neither alone nec prior nor first he is of this opinion he citeth Saint Hierome Saint Gregory Nazianzen St. Ambrose St. Athanasius all of the same judgment And surely because this errour is yet in the minds of many simple and ignorant people of the world it will be fit that you do learn that when you do either give thanks to God or pray or think on God you do not conceive him in your thoughts in any such manner but as he hath revealed himself to us in his word God is a spirit eternal immortal invisible infinite in Wisedome Justice Holinesse Power Mercy Goodnesse Seeing and foreseeing all things doing whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth and in all deep places governing all things by the word of his power Moses who searched as deep into this sacred and secret mystery of God found that the face of God that is his heavenly nature could not be seen only his back-parts that is the effects of his attributes might be seen No doubt God took that occasion in Moses to teach the Church how they should conceive him in their thoughts Thou shalt see my back-parts Ex 33.23 Gregor Nyslene We must follow after God for he goeth before us and guideth us as David He teacheth the way that we should chuse Qui autem sequitur non faciem sed tergum aspicit Procopius Invisibilia dei videntur ex creatione For we must remember how tender God was of appearing in any forme which might have been represented in picture or sculpture for fear of idolatry Take yee therefore good heed unto your selves for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Hored Deut. 4.15 out of the midst of the fire Least ye corrupt your selves Vers 16. and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure c. Neither is it necessary for adoration that we do assigne any set figure to God in our thoughts seeing every one of us doth believe that he hath a living soule in him whereby all the parts of the body are both directed and enabled in their several offices yet no man can conceive any set forme or similitude wherunto it may be resembled 2. Another figurative speech here is where the Prophet calleth these eyes of God pure eyes for wickednes and evil cannot defile the sight it is said of the fair eye of heaven that it shineth upon the just and unjust And David saith that God seeth all the thoughts of mans heart why he then seeth much vanity and much iniquity But those are called pure eyes which do behold nothing that is evil to approve it in it selfe to abet it in our brother to imitate it in our selves and in this sense the eyes of God are said to be pure that is abhorring sin Again the Purity of Gods eyes doth import the clear judgment of God which is of such penetration as nothing can conceal it self from him in which sense David saith The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lords Throne is in heaven Ps 11.14 his eyes behold his eye lids try the children of men upon which words Saint Augustine saith that there is apertio and opertio oculorum dei an opening and a covering of Gods eyes He is said to see with his eyes when he declareth himself to see and take notice of any thing but he doth try with his eye-lids when he maketh as though he slept and considered not winking for a time at the iniquities of men Our lesson from this double figure of speech is That God is a severe searcher and punisher of sinne Doct. for search he trieth the hearts râ—ins for punishment judgment begins at his own house this certain rule of truth we must lay hold beleive that the Justice truth of God can't fail the whole course of Scripture the experience of all times doth make this good The sin of the Angels that kept not their first estate was soon found out and punished the first news we hear of them was that one of them was a tempter and deceived our first Parents There was a light shining in darknesse which the darknesse comprehended not The Manichees seeing the devil went so early against God thought and taught that there were two principia two beginnings one good God the Author of all good another evil God the Author of all evil not knowing the fall of the Angels and the mischief that they attempted against God after their fall But they were the first example of the severe vengeance of God Of whom Saint Iude saith And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation Jude 6. he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the last day And for our first Parents the pure eyes of God saw their nakednesse after their fall and came himself into the garden in the coole of the day and convinced the Delinquents and examined the fault and gave judgment against them all and presently executed that judgment The Cain when his sin was yet but in the bud at the first putting forth thereof in the casting down of his countenance was called to account for it God disputing the matter with him and after when he came to the execution of his abominable wickednesse God again well examined the evidence convicted the Prisoner and brought him to confession of his fault and banished him from his presence In all these examples God was a speedy and a severe Judge as was fit for terrour in the beginning but after he grew more remisse and as the Apostle saith The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3.20 So that God declared himself patient and long-suffering who had before shewed and revealed his severe Justice that the terrour of his righteousnesse might discourage sin and yet his gentle forbearance might invite to repentance Therefore throughout the whole course of holy Scripture we have examples of both sorts both of quick vengeance and of favourable sufferance that God may be known both to be just and merciful The reason whereof is 1. That the danger might breed terrour for who can promise himself mercy when our just God may and doth take such quick vengeance Remember Lots wife that she was Lots wife whom God favoured that the Angel pulled her out of Sodom to hasten her from their judgment that her offence was no more then looking back whether out of curiosity to see what God would do to Sodome or out of unbelief doubting the truth of the threatning or out of love to the place or
Justice or directly unjust in suffering his own servants to be opprest with the injuries of men The Minister must diligently preach the hearer must reverently hear and faithfully believe the truth concerning the Providence of God or else all Religion will sink and want foundation Vers 2. And the Lord answered me and said Write the vision and make it plaine upon Tables that he may run that readeth it 3. For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry HEre begins the second part of the chapt which contains the Lords answer to the Prophets expostulation Containing 1. A Direction to the Prophet ver 2 3. 2. A Declaration of his holy will in the general administration of Justice 1. Concerning the Direction given to the Prophet And the Lord answered me and said For the manner how God maintained intelligence with his holy Prophets we are not very particularly informed we find inspiration and revelation and ision mentioned he that made the light that is in us and gave us our understanding can best make his ways known to his holy ones and as I do not think that Habakkuks contestation with God was verbal and vocal but rather a wrastling and striving of his spirit and inward man neither do I think this answer of God was audidle presented to the eare but by some secret divine illumination suggested And where he saith The Lord answered and said These phrases do expresse so plain an answer as is made in conference between man and man Write the vision That is set down in writing my answer It is our manner for the better preservation of such things as we would not forget to set them down in writing But because this request of the Prophets doth concerne others that he may inform them God addeth Make it plain upon Tables that he may run that readeth it That is write my answer in a Table in great Characters that though a man be in haste and run by yet he may read as he runneth shewing that he was desirous to satisfie all such as the Prophet spake of before who should argue against him As out manner is to fix publike Proclamations and Edicts on wals or on Posts in ways of common passage that any Passenger may take notice thereof seeing it concerneth every one to that the Lord alludeth in this place giving the Prophet great charge for the declaration of his holy will in this great matter so to expresse it that every one of his People may receive information thereof Vult aperta esse verba apertè scribi saith St. Hierom. For the vision is yet for an appointed time The time is not yet fulfilled for the execution of the Will of God but it is in the holy wisedome and purpose of God determined when it shall be fulfilled At the end it shall speak and not lie That is in the time prefixed by Almighty God it shall take effect and the counsel and decree of God shall be executed For God that hath promised cannot lie The answer of God is full as it after will appear and doth not only clear the Iustice of God in the present cause of the oppressed Iews against the Chaldaeans but it maketh a further and more general overture of Gods decree against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men so that this Prophecy shall not only comfort that Church and those times but it is directed to the perpetual use of the Church in all the ages thereof He therefore addeth Though it tarry wait for it do not think by any importunity to draw down the judgements of God upon the ungodly or to hasten the deliverance of the Church God doth all things tempore suo in his time and the servants of God must tarry his leasure Because it will surely come it will not tarry He giveth assurance of the complement of his Will in the proper and prestitute season thereof which nothing shall then hinder The parts of this text containing Gods direction given to his holy Prophet are three 1. The care that God takes for the publishing of his Wil to the Church vers 2. 2. The assurance that he gives of the performance thereof in the time by him appointed 3. The patient expectation which he commands for the performance thereof 1. The law that he takes for publishing it The Prophet must not only hear God speak the Seer must not only behold the vision but he must write the same litera scripta manet the written letter abideth I will not stand to search how ancient writing is wherein some have lost time and labour I know that many do make God the first immediate Author of it and do affirm that the first Scripture that ever was was Gods writing of the law in two Tables Exod. 32. But because I find in Exod. 24 that Moses wrote all the word of the Lord Vse 4 and Josephus doth report a tradition of the Hebrews for writing and graving before the flood I hold it probable that both Scripture and Sculpture are as ancient as the old world I will not question Josephus his Record of the two pillars erected before the flood engraven for the use of posterity with some memorable things to continue in succeeding ages whereof one remained in Syria in his own time It is frequent in Scripture to expresse a perpetuity of record by writing In the case of Amalek Write this for a memorial in a book Ex. 17.14 Iob. O that my words were now written that they were printed in a book Job 19 23 Graven with an iron pen Vers 24. in lead and in the ink for ever Isay the Prophet I heard a voice from heaven saying to me write all flesh is grasse Ioh. Audivi vocem dicentem Beati mortui I heard a voice from heaven saying Blessed are the dead Beloved thus have we the light that shineth upon the Church and guideth our feet in the ways of peace by writing for all Scripture is given by inspiration holy men wrote as they were inspired It was given to them by inspiration to know the will of God they impart it to the Church of God by writing and that boundeth and limiteth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus hath God revealed himself to his Church 1. Cor 4.6 both sufficiently that we need no more knowledge for eternal life then what is contained in Scripture and so clearly that the word giveth understanding to the simple And as this word from the immediate mouth of God doth warrant this particular prophecy so doth the Apostle say of all the body of Canonical Scripture that all Scripture is given by inspiration and Gods care is double 1. That it be written to continue 2. That it be written plain to be read 1. It must be written that it may remain 1. Written For in the old world because of the
of the Whale 11 Is this song of Habbakkuk In the New testament we haue three The song of the blessed Virgine Magnificat The song of Zechariah called Benedictus The song of Simeon Nunc dimittis Besides frequent mentions of singing to instruments upon several occasions where the songs themselves are not recorded From whence I gather these two observations 1 That Poetry is ancient and hath been of use in the Church of God and in Gods service and worship for these were the Anthems of the Church in former times 2 That Church-musique hath had the same honour both of reverend antiquity and holy use The first point concerning the ancient laudable and holy use of Meeters which we call Poetry so continued through the whole course of the Bible as you have heard doth shew that God requireth of us in his worship not only plain faithfulnesse soundly and sincerely to expresse our selves in his service but he requireth also that we shew all our learning wit and art in our compositions according to the strict lawes of a Verse those were the Ballads of former times And though vaine obscene wanton lying rithmes now printed do carry the name of Ballads wholly yet holy songs have been so called if you look in your old Church Bibles that were first printed in English you shall finde the Song of Solomon or the Canticles called Solomons Ballad or the Ballad of Ballads The reasons why God desired and delighted in this form of worship 1 Because this gift of holy Poetry is of and from himself he is the Authour of it and the sweet Singer of Israel learned it of him to honour him in Hymnes therefore the Apostle calleth them spirituall songs that is inspired by the Holy Ghost it is just that those spirituall graces which derive their being from him should be consecrated in their use to him And this is cleer that there is no poetry so ancient as the holy Hymns of the Church 2 St Augustine in his preface to the Psalmes saith Spiritus sanctus videns obluctantem ad virtutis viam humani generis animam ad delectationes hujus vitae inclinari delectabilibus modulii Cantilenae vim suae doctrinae permiscuit ut dum svavitate Carmine mulcetur auditus divini sermonis pariter utilitas inseratur He saith he hath observed that both yong children and those of more yeares who have at Church given no heed to the reading of the Prophets and Apostles have been so taken with the delight of the Psalmes that they have learned to sing them at home and upon the way which also brought forth good effects in them by the power of that good Spirit which endited them quia miscuit utile dulci. St Augnstiue resembleth the wisedome of God herein to the art of the Physitian who gives his patient things wholesome but not very tastfull in some sweet sirrups or liquours which may convey it without distast into the body 3 This expressure of the zeal of Gods glory in verse being the labour of the brain the marrow of wit the earnest wrestling of the soul striving to glorifie God as David saith With the best member that we have doth best present the inward man the hid man of the heart as St. Peter calleth it to Almighty God The Apostle biddeth us to affect the best gifts They that do only read a Psalme or a Prayer in a book have done little but they that love the dead letter an enlightened understanding and sanctified affections they pray and praise God They that wisely compose their own meditations and exexpresse their own hearts in their own words holy hearts in holy words do mount a degree higher But they that honour God with art and nature observing the lawes of time number and measure as Bernard saith they have Eruditam mentem a learned mind and they are come ad provectam aetatem to a ripe age Solomon excelled in this kinde whose Nuptiall Hymne is called worthily Canticum Canticorum It is a good observation of St. Bernard that the Proverbs of Solomon which is Disciplina morum the discipline of manners and Ecclesiastes which is Disciplina amorum the discipline of loves the one correcting our vain love of our selves the other of the world must go first and then our understanding and affections will be fitted to make such Verses 4 This kind of honouring God in Ditties and Hymnes doth please God in the Church because even such of the learned Heathen who had no other light but the light of nature have yet in this kind honoured the unknown God Therefore Lactantius writing to the Heathen to bring them to the knowledge of the true God proveth the Divinity by the very testimonies of their Poets who in Poeticall raptures have given testimony to this truth 1 He nameth the most ancient of Poets that we do read amongst the heathen De falsa relig 1.1 Jude 23. Orpheus who lived about the time when Thola judged Israel He did celebrate the honour of one God whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod ante ipsum nihil sit genitum sed ab ipso sint cuncta generata He spake also of the immortality of the sonnes of this god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Lactantius saith he could not rest in Jupiter seeing he heard Saturn was his father nor in Saturn who was said to be the sonne of the heaven nor in the heaven which was but a part of the world eguit authore and wanted an authour Haec illum ratio perduxit ad primo genitum illum deum cui assignat tribuit principatum this brought him to the first begotten god to whom he assigned primacy he passeth over Homer and Hesiod as finding nothing in them but Virgil who lived about the time of Christ and excelled in Poeticall invention hath much honoured God in his Verses according to the Light that shined on him I need not follow Lactantius any further having in him overtaken the point which I have delivered that seeing God hath had honour from Poetry amongst the heathen much more in his Church let him be so honoured St. Paul hath transplanted some of those flowers of Poetry 1 Cor. 15.33 which grew in the gardens of the heathen into his own holy Epistles From Menander the poet he took that excellent saying that evill words doe corrupt good manners Acts 17.28 and he took it out of a wanton Comoedy called Thais From Epimenides they took that imputation on them of Candie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now since God had honour from heathen Poets much more is he honoured within the Church by those ravished spirits within a lofty strain sound out his prayses or their own sorrowes and wants 5 This kind of writing as it is most delectable so it is most hard and difficult of all others the strict laws of Verse exacting choice of words to take their places in there measure and the inspired wit affecting such sublimity and
word is their warrant his truth their assurance When we behold the same power of God in the change of Ministers of his will Vse vve learn to know vvhatsoever alteration the vicissitude of time maketh on earth yet thou Lord art the same and thy years do not fail Therefore as David saith Put not your trust in Princes nor in any son of man for there is no help in them there is help by them but it is not in them our help is in the name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth 2 This shevveth the perpetual course of Gods favour to his Church the faithfull servant of God Moses dieth but the spirit that God put upon Moses survived him Eliah Elisha Num. 27.18 and rested upon Joshua he was consecrated to that imployment 1 By Gods own election and designation 2 By the imposition of Moses hands and the devolution of some of his honour upon him 3 By Gods own gift of the same spirit that vvas upon Moses Thus vvhere God loveth a poople the favour of God runeth in a full stream in the Chanel of his Church 3 Seeing this constant truth of God in his gratious promises to to his Church hath reference to our obedience this much teach us to obey and serve our God in all things that his sun may shine upon our Tabernacles and that vve may anoint our paths with butter for as David saith No good thing will he with-hold from them that serve the Lord. Dâ—uâ— 28. He hath shevved his people vvhat they shall trust too blessings and cursings life and death 3 Doctrine This also teacheth us as the Apostle doth The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much James 5.16 He proveth it by the example of Eliah who though he were a man subject to the like passions as we are he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth in three years and six moneths And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain So this example of Joshua praying is a full example of the effectuall power of prayer these examples as that also of Moses praying upon the Mount when Joshuah fought with Amalek do all seeme to prove the force of prayer Exod 17. And great reason there is that this should be effectuall with God 1 Because there is no service that man can perform to God wherein he doth so much part with himself and even lay himself down in prayer for therein he openeth his heart to God and poureth forth his spirit to him and his faith doth bring God to him face to face When men pray as they ought they know God and themselves they know and confesse him the faithfull Creatour the mercifull redeemer the gracious preserver the bounteous rewarder of men And they know themselves to be but men that is indigent and needy having nothing but what they receive from his hand and of his free gift immerent deserving none not the least of his favours Which two considerations do serve to humble us and to honour him We finde in Scripture watching and fasting often joyned with prayer as outward means to tame and subdue the flesh that it may be the lesser able to resist the power of the spirit for the spirit is willing in the servant of God but the flesh is weak 2 There is no part of Gods worship that hath so many precepts to impose it on us as prayer hath in both the Testaments none that we have so many examples of great successe and prevayling with God none that we have so good means to perform as prayer none that hath so many promises made to it in holy Scripture 1 For precepts 1 Precept so soon as God had established him an house for his publique worship he commanded it to be called an house of prayer to all nations Solomon dedicated that house to God by prayer it is Gods own Word seek ye my face it is the Churches answer Thy face O Lord will I seek And Christ our Saviour often in the gospel the Apostles after him enjoyns it 2 For example we have Abraham 2 Example Isaac and Jacob Moses David Solomon Hezekiah Eliah Manasseh Nehemiah Job Samuel Daniel all the Prophets all the holy men Christ his Apostles all with admirable successe 3 For means 3 Means Christ taught us to pray shewed us the way to the Father in his mediation and by his name And the spirit which Christ left in his Church helpeth our infirmities Christ hath comprehended all in a few words 4 Promise Whatsover you shall ask the Father in my name it shall be given you Ask and receive that your joy may be full petite quaerite pulsate These great examples of successe do all seem to stirre us up Vse to the performance of this part of Gods worship both 1 In obedience to the Commandement of God who hath imposed this duty on us whose Commandements are mighty and ought not to be light layed 2 In an holy ambition of the best graces of God vvhich are this way obteined of him 3 In an humble love to our God to whose presence and conference we come by prayer 4 In an holy imitation of those great examples vvhich are so frequent in Gods faithfull ones in the double Testament of God 5 In a thankfull use of the means by God ordeined to facilitate this service that we receive not the grace of God in vain 6 In a confident faith in Gods gratious and free promises vvhich are yea and Amen 7 In an humble sense and feeling of our ovvn vvants and the necessities of our brethren for so vve do exercise both our piety to God and our charity to our selves and our brethren But this discourageth many Ob. we read of great power of prayer of old as that Moses prayer gave Joshua victory Joshuahs prayer made the Sun stand still Eliah by prayer shut up heaven by prayer he opened it Daniel by prayer shut up the mouths of the lions in their den We see no such effects of prayer now and therefore we think prayer is not of such effect now as heretofore To this our answer is Sol. that great and extraordinary examples of the successe of prayer are but thinly scattered in the Book of God to shew the power of Gods Ordinance Neither may that be a rule to us that prayer is not of force as it hath been because we do not see such great effects thereof as have appeared in former times For in the time of the shadow when Christ was seen in type and under a veil there was need of extraordinary examples to confirm faith but to us that live in the cleer light of the gospel to whom Christ is made manifest to be our intercessor this may seem to strengthen faith If God did hear the prayers of his faithful owns and answered them by miracles they had speciall warrant to demand those things at the hands of
fear of them upon them all This is a great advantage in all wars to have God on their sides for as David saith If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us they had swallowed us up c. Then is God a speciall protectour when he directeth his war to the good of them whom he protecteth and marcheth in fury against their enemies And thus it was with Israel when they took possession of Canaan as you have heard For they gate not the Land in possession by their own arm neither did their own arm save them Psal 44. but thy right hand and thine arme c. The distressed have a speciall warrant to call upon God and it was the voice of the Church when the Arke removed to say Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici ejus let God arise and let his enemies be scattered God is mercifull to our land and Church that we yet live in peace it is full of comfort when God marcheth before his Church in their wars but it is much more happinesse when he biddeth us go to our chambers and shut the door after us and tarry a while till the storm of troubles over-blow But then it is most joyous hen he giveth peace within our walls and plenty within our palaces Thus have we lived hitherto by the favour of the God of peace and it shal do well that we do lay this example to heart For the same God that marched before Israel to plant them in doth now march before the Chaldâ—ans to cast them out he that fought for them to give them their land now fighteth against them to carry them captives out of the Land It is the indigâ—ation of God that maketh this change and it is their sin that thus provoketh him Yet they look back in their captivity and comfort themselves with the remembrance of Gods former protection Sin hath made this change are we more in the favour of God then Israel was or have we sinned lesse then they did that their evils should not come on us Surely the sins of our land are both many and hainous the double edge of the word which is drawn and used against them doth not draw bloud Nullus sequitur de vulnere sanguis The course that is taken for reformation is preposterous for men look without themselves and complaine of the faults of others and would faine amend their brethren but the right way is Let every one strive and labouâ— to amend one And all that say Let not this evill come upon us not the sword not the pestilence not famine let them be tender that no evill come out of them for our sins are they which part God and us which maketh him that set us up cast us down 2 His conquest This is exprest in divers phrases to declare it fierce and violent 1 Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger 2 Thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked 3 Discovering the foundation to the neck All look one way to describe God in his indignation how he layes about him and they teach us that It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God for he is known by executing judgement and the heathen are punished in his sight True that he is patient and long-suffering even toward the heathen that know not God long did the cursed seed of Cham possest the land of Canaan and God deferred their punishment to the fourth generation himself giveth the reason of it For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full There be six signs of ensuing judgment Gâ— 15.16 and where they are found what remaineth but a fearfull expectation of the fierce wrath of God 1 The qualitie of the sins committed if they be of those crying sinnes which do immediately impeach the glorious Majesty of God such as are superstition and Idolatry which do give the glory of God to creatures Blasphemy breach of Gods Sabbath Or such as violate humane society sins against nature as in the Sodomites sins of bloud as in the old world sins of oppression bribery extortion corruption of justice and such like These things do put Almighty God so to it that he saith How shal I pardon thee for these things Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Jer. 5.7 Ver. 9. shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this The fields look yellow as Christ saith for the harvest and call for the sickle of Gods vengeance to cut them down 2 The spreading and extent of sins when it hath corrupted the most as in the old world God said to Noah Thee onely have I found righteous before me in this age And in Sodome not ten righteous to be found and in Jerusalem God said Run too and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can find a man if there be any that executeth judgement that seeketh truth and I will pardon it The Prophet did go the circuit He searched amongst mean men and he found them foolish and ignorant he gate him amongst the great ones and he found them such as had broken the yoak When sin once covereth the face of the earth and is grown like a generall pestilence infecting the greatest part Moses Job Samuel and Daniel may pray and have no audience 3 The impudencie and boldnesse of sin when men are not ashamed of their evils that they commit to cover and conceal them to do them in the dark but brave the Sun with them as Absolon defiled the Concubines of David in the sight of the Sun and before all Israel It is Gods complaint of his people The shew of of their countenance doth witnesse against them Jer. 3 9. and they declare their sin as Sodome and they hide it not And again Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay Jer. 6.15 they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush Thou hast an Harlots forehead thou refusest to be ashamed 4 Ostentation of sin â—er 3.3 when men do make their boast thereof Why boastest thou thy self in mischief Upon which words Saint Augustine saith Gloria malignitatis gloria est malorum He saith it is a foolish boast to glory in evill for evill is easily done He gives many instances the care of preparing the seed and of the ground the sowing the weeding the attending how many hands it asketh and Absolon can set it all on fire in a moment So Samsons Foxes did the fields of the Philistines The Wiseman setteth it down as a fault Most men will proclaim every man his own goodnesse Prov. 20.6 how much more to boast of evil As wantons boast how many they have defiled and drunkards how many they have out-drunk 5 Making a mock at sin so the Wiseman saith there be that tosse fire-brands and say Am not I in sport All our sins are fire-brands we