above an hundred yeers since forsaken it and embraced instead of it partly Mahumetanisme and partly Idolatry and that by the most miserable occasion that might be viz. famine of the word of God for lack of Ministers For as Alvarez hath recorded at his being at the king of Habassia's court Hist Ethiop cap. 37. there were Ambassadours out of Nubia to intreat him for a supply of ministers to instruct their nation and to repair Christianity gone to ruine amongst them but they were rejected Verse 12. And they shall wander from sea to sea Trouble themselves to no purpose take pains as Esau did for venison but lost his labour run to all coasts and quarters to seek the word of the Lord. and shall not find it And why they despised it when it was in their power they rejected the counsel of God against themselves with those Lawyers Luk. 7.30 He would have gathered them but they would not be gathered he would have purged them but they would not be purged Ezek. 24.13 14. they are therefore miserable by their own election as Saul was who slighted Samuel whiles he was alive and would have been full glad of his counsel when he was dead He that would not once worship God in Samuel worships at length Samuel in Satan and no marvel Satan was now become his refuge and preacheth his funeral his Vrim now was darknesse his Prophet a ghost O woful condition But what should a parent do when the child loaths and spils his victuals snatch it from him and lay it out of his reach Samaria felt this worser famine when carried captive especially so did Jerusalem after Malachi whose prophecy the Jews fitly call Chathimath Chazon the sealing up of vision Bath Chol or the Eccho from heaven they had now and then after this time Mat. 2.17 Joh. 12.28 they had also the writings of Moses and the Prophets interpreted after a sort by the Scribes and Pharisees whom whiles they sat close in Moses chair and kept it warm men were bound to to hear Mat. 23.2 3. which because Dives did not he suffered hunger and thirst in hell for ever Luk. 16.24 And had he been granted the liberty of hearing again upon earth but one more sermon how farre would not he gladly have gone for it and how as for life would he have listned to it But this could not possibly be for out of hell there is no redemption Psal 49.8 9. and when the night of death once comes men can work no more Night is a time not of doing work but of receiving wages up therefore and be doing whiles it is yet day Joh. 12.35 36. seek ye the Lord while he may be found Esay 55.6 seek him seasonably seek him seriously Then shall ye seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Jer. 29.13 That was a dismall doom that our Saviour passed upon those stiffe-necked Jewes and uncircumcised in heart and ears as Saint Steven rightly stiles them Act. 7.51 that were as good at resisting the Holy-Ghost as ever their fathers had been before them Ye shall seek me and yet shall die in your sinnes whither I go ye cannot come Joh. 8.21 Ye shall wander up and down for meat making a noise like an hungry dog and grudge that ye be not satisfied Psal 59.14 15. Do not the miserable Jewes do so all the world over to this day expecting their Messias quem tantis ululatibus exposcunt throwing open their windows to behold him and praying for the rebuilding of their Temple thus Templum tuum brevi valde citò Buxtorf Synag Ind. cap. 13. valde citò in diebus nostris citissimè nunc aedisica templum tuum brevi c. Merciful God great God bountiful God beautiful God sweet God mighty God thou God of the Jewes now build thy Temple do it shortly suddenly quickly very quickly very quickly very quickly even in our dayes now this day before the next c. Ah poor creatures they would not when time was know in that their day the things which belonged to their peace therefore to this day they are hid from their eyes and wrath is come upon them to the utmost Luk. 19.42 Alterius perditio tua sit cautio Let their harmes be our warning not to stand out the day of grace not to surfeit of the word lest we suffer a famine of it not to retain the snuffes of our sinnes lest they dim our candlestick a removal whereof except we repent may be as certainly foreseen and foretold as if visions and letters were sent us from heaven as once to Ephesus telling them so Rev. 2.5 And indeed it hath been the opinion and is still the fear of some not unconsiderable Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole protestant Churches Now if ever this come to passe as justly we may fear it will what may we thank but our detestable lukewarmnesse and loathing of the heavenly Manna our not receiving the love of the truth that we might be saved for which cause if God shall send us strong delusions 2 Thess 2.10 1◠even the efficacy of errour that we should believe a lie that being infatuated we should be seduced and being seduced be damned as Austin glosseth that text whom can we blame for it Verse 13. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst When God depriveth a people of his Ordinances and so withdraweth his gracious presence from them what wonder though temporal judgements come rushing in as by a sluce Persecute and take him said Davids enemies for God hath forsaken him and there is none to deliver him Psal 71.11 The Philistins are upon me saith Saul for God hath forsaken me Behold I am cast out from thy presence said Cain that is from my fathers house where thine ordinances are administred and therefore every one that findeth me shall slay me Gen. 4.14 In that day of the want of the word in the day of spiritual famine and thirst behold aliud ex alio malum another thirst shall seise upon the choycest and fairest as flies settle upon the sweetest perfumes when they are cold and corrupt them Shall the fair virgins whom all men favour for their comelinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beauty is of it self lovely and attractive it needeth no letters of commendations but God is no respecter of persons and beauty abused is like a fair house with an ill inhabitant said Diogenes like a jewel of gold in a swines snout said Solomon Prov. 11.22 Some are Helena's without but Hecuba's within painted sepulchres Egyptian temples like Aurelia Orestilla of whom Salust saith that she had nothing in her praise-worthy but her beauty Fair she was and foolish not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beautiful and wise as it is reported of Aspasia Cyrus his concubine Athenaeus Now these fair maids together with the
ever noted for obstinate and overweening so to this day they are light aeriall and Satanicall apt to work themselves into the fools paradise of a sublime dotage But they shall know it to be so as I have said by wâ—â—â—ll experience that Mistresse of fools Israel shall know it sc to his sorrow he shall pay for his learning buy his wit Oculos incipit aperire moriendo Plin open his eyes as the mole doth when death is upon him roar and look upward Esay 8.21 as the hog doth when the knife is at his throat O Lord saith the same Prophet Chap. 26.11 when thy hand is lifted up and thy hand is a mighty hand Jam. 4.10 it falls heavy they will not see they wink wilfully or seek strawes to put out their eyes withall as Bernard hath it but they shall see will they nill they Festucam quarunt unde oculos sibi eruant and be ashamed of their former oscitancy or rather obstinacy when that hand of God which was lifted up in threatning shall fall down in punishing and the fire of thine enemies shall devâ—ur them How much more at that last and great visitation that terrible day of Retribution when they shall answer for all with flames about their ears Tunc sentient magno suo malo then shall they feel to their eternall wo the truth of all the threatnings which till then they heard and read as a man doth an Almanack-prognostications of winde or foul-weather which he thinks may come to passe and it may be not And give nothing so much credit to them as the Prior of S. Bartholomewes in London did to an idle and addle-headed Astrologer Holinshead in 1524. when he went and built him an house at Harrow on the hill to secure himself from a supposed flood that that Astrologer foretold The Prophet is a fool c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a naughty man the Hebrew word here is evil and signifieth a rash and unadvised fellow that is headstrong and headlong such were their false prophets that promised peace when warre was at their gates and made all fair weather before them when the tempest of Gods wrath was even bursting out upon them such a tempest as should neveâ— be blown over These should now appear to be fools or rather Impostours that had brought the credulous people into a fools paradise the spiritual man is mad Heb. the man of the spirit or ventosus the windy man that uttereth vain and empty conceits humani cerebelli Minervas the brats of his own brain light aery Nothings the disease of this age full of flashes and figments idle speculations of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth These pretend altogether to the spirit and would be thought the onely spirituall men as the Swenkfeldians whom for their ill savour Luther called Stenckfeldians who bewitched many with those glorious words which were ever in their mouthes of Illumination Revelation the inward and spiritual man c. and entituled themselves the Confessours of the glory of Christ So the Entusiasts and Anabaptists what boast make they of the spirit professing that they will deliver nothing but what they have immediately revealed to them from heaven Muncer their ringleader wrote a base book against Luther which he dedicateth to king Jesus wherein Lutherum flagellat quod Enthusiasmorum spiritu careat nil nist carnalin sapiat he falls foul upon Luther as wanting the spirit of revelation Scultet Annal. pag. 239. and one that savoureth nothing but carnall things All his followers look upon Luther as more pestiferous then the Pope and for Calvin they say and I have heard it that it had been happy for the Church if he had never been born It was their practise of old as Leo Judae observed in his epistle before Bullingers book against the Catabaptists and is still to discourage and disparage Christs faithfull Ministers all they can as carnall and not relishing the things of the spirit the right off-spring they are of those ancient Hereticks called Messalanii the same with the Euchites and Enthusiasts who in the year of Christ 371. professed to be wholly made up of the spirit gave themselves much to sleep and called their dreams and wild phantasies prophesies and revelations for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred Heb. the great Satanical hatred that thou hast born against God and thy neighbour but especially Gods faithfull prophets whom thou heartily hatedst for their plain dealing as Ahab did Michaiah because he never spake good to him It is very probable that Michaiah was that disguised Prophet who brought Ahab the fearfull message of displeasure and death for dismissing Benhadad for the which he was ever since fast in prison deep in disgrace Lo this is the worlds wages Truth breeds hatred great hatred as the text hath it devillish hatred and this is through the multitude of mens iniquities the overflow of sinnes which wretched men hold so dear to themselves that they cannot but rage against those that declaime against them and proclaim hell-fire against their hatefull practises they cannot stand still to have their eyes pickt out how should they say Now for such what wonder is it if God in justice give them up to the efficacie of errour that they may beleeve a lie sith they would not receive the love of the truth Augustin in loc 2 Thess 2.11 ut infatuati seducantur seductijudicentur that being infatuated they may be seduced and being seduced perish what wonder also if he deliver them up as to strong delusions so to vile affections and abominable actions that they may receive in themselves that recompense of their errour that is meet Kom 1.27 What marvell if men that will not endure sound doctrine be left to seducers if those that have itching ears meet with clawing Preachers 2 Tim. 4.3 4. if such as turn away their ears from the truth be turned to fables and fopperies It is for the multitude of mens iniquities and especially for their great hatred to the truth that the Church is so pestered with Impostours 2 Pet. 2.1 2. who bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them Do not our modern seducers so amongst us when among other portentous opinions held by them they stick not to affirm that Christ is a carnall or fleshly thing That those that are grown Christians may go to God immediately without a Christ that Christ did not rise again c. Others contemn him by the notion of the man dying at Jerusalem O horrible Dr. Homes his character of the present times 200. Time was when the Popes were so notoriously naught as to speak thus basely of Christ to deny or at least doubt of the immortality of the soul the resurrection of the body c. and then a poor Popeling cried out that the sinnes of that Synagogue were so great as that it deserved not to be ruled by any other
and higher that the Dâ—spâ—sers might be the more affected Behold ye despisers So St. Paul after the Septuagint whose translation he here followeth as most received and most making for his purpose Act. 23.45 the sense being one and the same for I will work a work in your dayes This phrase noteth the strong intention of God upon it as Ier. 18.18 to devise devises noteth strong plotting to mischief the Prophet So Christ is said to work a work Joh. 5.36 many do rather play their works then work them This is not God-like He is serious and through in his workes which ye will not beleeve though it be told you But put off all as those in the Gospel did with a God-forbid and so go on in sin till wrath come upon you to the utmost To this day we cannot get men to beleeve the truth of Gods judgments whilest they hang in the threatenings but one put-off or another they get through self-self-delusion or obstinacy of heart Lam. 3.65 next unto which followeth Thy curse upon them Verse 6. For loe I raise up the Chaldaeans that bitter and hasty nation The Chaldaeans were anciently the Philosophers of the Babylonians Babylon was a Province of the Assyrian Empire but not the same with Niniveh only walled about by Semiramis and by her called Babylon as Suidas noteth Niniveh was the Metropolis Babylon ruled by Prefects One of whom viz Merodach Baladan rebelling against Esar-haddon King of Niniveh translated the whole kingdome to the Babylonians Gualth using the help and counsell of the Chaldaeans famous for their wisdome and authority which yet was not done without the Lord who then stirred them up and now sent them against the Jewes to averge the quarrell of his covenant In like manner God hath in these last times raised up the Turkes that bitter and hasty nation bitter and bloody hasty and headlong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pursuing their victories and subduing in a short space many nations and kingdomes to their Empire Hence the Jews are in the former verse called upon to view among the heathen what havock the Chaldaeans had made that is should shortly make by overrunning Syria the greater part of all Asia and some part also of Africa In the greatnesse of the Turkish Empire is swallowed up at this day both the name and Empire of the Saracenes the most glorious Empire of the Greekes the renowned kingdomes of Macedonia Peloponnesus Epirus Bulgaria Servia Bosina Armenia Cyprus Syria Egypt Judaea Tunes Argeirs Media Chaldaea with a great part of Hungary as also of the Persian kingdome Turk Hist pref to the Reader and all the Churches and places so much spoken of in scripture the Roman only excepted which yet he daily threateneth and in briefe so much in Christendome as far exceedeth that which is thereof at this day left In fine no part of the world is left untouched by the Othoman monarchy but America only Turk hist 132. not more happy in her rich mines then in that she is so far from so great and dangerous an enemy The King of Spaine of all other Princes Mahometan or Christian that border upon the Turk is best able to wage war with him How far and with what bitternesse and hast he hath carried on his Catholike Monarchy is better known then that it need here to be related Q. Elizabeth put a stop to him Cambd. Elisab 285. Captaine Drake and his souldiers when they took Sancto Domingo Anno. 1585. where his arms were to be seen in the town-hall with this inscription Non sufficit orbis derided his avarice and ambitions but the poor Indies groane heavily under his cruelty and Grynaeus commenting upon these words that bitter and hasty nation Tribuuntur illis duo saith he Two things are here attributed to the Chaldees bitternesse and swiftnesse in undertaking and dispatching conquests quibus dotibus Iberos nostra aetate praeditos proh dolor experimur this by wofull experience we find now adayes too much verified of the Spaniards Verse 7. They are terrible and dreadfull Or horrible Such as were those gyants called Emims Deut. 2.11 Gen. 14.3 and far more formidable then that Disputant at Paris who would needes be stiled Horribilis Sophista De caus cor art lib. 3. the Horrible Sophister non minorem eam appellationem ratus saith Vives quam Africam aut Asiatici taking it for as great an honour as to be a Conquerour their judgement and their dignity shall proceed of themselves i. e. They shall do as they list their lust shall be their law Pellitur è medio sapientia vi geritur res See Psal 12.4 5. Exod. 5.2 These Chaldaeans will be their own carvers ministring law according to their own pleasures Ipsa sibi judicabit et decretum suum exequetur vel ex decreto suo exequetur Sic Symmachus Vide Plin. lib. 8. cap. 17. and lib. 1. c. 10. cap. 73. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The honour also and dignity of this nation now base and obscure shall grow up and appeare Verse 8. Their horses also are swifter then the leopards Or Panthers famous for their swiftnesse whence the proverb Panther â velocior The horse is so swift in service that the Persians as Pausanias hath it dedicated him to their god the Sun as the swiftest creature to the swiftest god See Iob. 41.20 Prov. 21.31 and are more fierce then the evening wolves Heb more sharp set after that they have been held hunger bit and empty all the day long See Virg. Aeneid lib. 9. ver 59. c. Oppian lib. 1.3 Homo homini lupus One man left to himself is a wolf nay a devill to another The Metaphor is here taken from sharpest swords which quickly cut and their horsemen shall spread themselves with incredible swiftnesse which in war is most necessary and usefull as Julus Caesar experienced and we in our late commotions and their horsemen shall come from far The Jews were secure of the Chaldaeans as being far remote but that shall be no hinderance they shall flee as the Eagle that hasteth to eat In singulis verbis pondus est saith Drusius Here each word hath its waight Job 9.26 for he that hasteth on his way is said to flie and the Eagle is swifter of flight then any bird and especially when she hasteth to eat Of the Eagles swiftnesse why and whence See Ambrose Hexam l. 1. c. 14. Ver. 9. They shall come all for violence that by force and violence they may carry all before them Fit via vi Cedit viribus aequum They are set upon 't and will have it so their faces shall sup up as the East-wind that ventus urens exiccans they shall blast all they look upon Euroclydon-like they shall overturn all Act. 27.14 Lib. 2. c. 28. Navigantium pestem the Mariners misery Pliny calleth this wind for the hurt it doeth by sea Some read it Their faces shall look towards the East
several Kings reigns as did likewise Athanasius and Latimer Jeroboams especially the second of that name and here only named when six other Kings of Israel in whose time Hosea prophesied are not once mentioned but lie wrapt up in the sheet of shame because wicked idolaters such as God took no delight in and hath therefore written them in the earth And in the dayes of Jeroboam the son of Joash Not the son of Nebat that ringleader of the ten Tribes revolt from the house of Dauid but another little better and yet very prosperous and victorious 2 King 14.25 28. He reigned also fourty one years and did great exploits yet is Hosea sent to contest with him to declaim against his sin and wickednesse and to proclaim heavy judgements against him and his people This the Prophet did for a long while together with all fidelity and fortitude when the King was triumphing over his enemies and the people were not only drunk but even mad again by reason of their extraordinary prosperity as Calvin expresseth it Non tantum temulenti erant sed etiam prorsus insani Calvin Now that so young a Prophet should so sharply contend with so fierce a people in the ruffe of their pride and jollity that he should so rouse and repple up these drunkards of Ephraim with their crown of pride Esay 28.1 this shews him to have been of an heroical spirit Jonah his contemporary flinched when sent against Nineveh Micah the Morasthite another of Hosea's contemporaries prophesied in the dayes of Hezekiah King of Judah and spake to all the people of Judah saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Zion shall be ploughed like a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house the high places of a forest Yet did not Hezekiah King of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death c. Jer. 26.18 19. He and Hosea though they prevailed little with the people they preached to yet they were better dealt with then the Prophet Esay their contemporary too of whom Hierom tels us out of the Rabbines that he was sawn asunder because he said he had seen the Lord and secondly because he called the great ones of Judah Hieron in Isa 1. Princes of Sodom and rulers of Gomorrah Isaiah 1.10 Verse 2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea Heb. In Hosea to note that the Lord was both in his mind and mouth in his spirit and speech God spake in him before he spake out to the people His prophesie must therefore needs be divine and deep That 's the best discourse that 's digged out of a mans own breast that comes a corde ad cor from the heart to the heart And blessed are the pleople saith one that have such Ministers that shall speak nothing to them but what hath been first spoken by God in them saying with David and Paul We believe therefore have we spoken we also believe 2 Cor. 4.13 and therefore speak we have experimented what we deliver we believe and are sure that God is in us of a truth and that we preach cum gratia privilegio The beginning Hence some gather that Hosea was the first Prophet Hoseas videtur tempore majestate aliis prior saith O Ecolampadius Certain it is he began before Esay because he prophesied in the dayes of Jeroboam who was before Vzziah whether before Amos or no is not so certain Di praep Evang l. 20 â—ulut Eusebius tels us there was no Greek History extant before Hosea's time Well therefore might that ancient priest of Egypt say to Solon You Grecians are all boyes and babies in matters of Antiquity neither is there one old man amongst you Samuel is counted the first Prophet Acts 3.24 Plato in Timâ—o but Hosea was the first of those that lived in these Kings dayes and likely held out longest see the Note on Verse 1. as did father Latimer preaching twice every sabbath day Act. Mon. though of a very great age and rising to his study winter and summer at two of the clock in the morning Others read the words thus At the beginning when the Lord spake by Hosea he said to Hosea himself Go take unto thee c. An uncouth precept and a rough beginning for a young preacher whose youth might be despised and whose sharpnesse might be disgusted But truth must be spoken however it be taken and a preacher should take the same liberty to cry down sin that men take to commit sin Esay 58.1 Hierom was called fulmen Ecclesiasticum the Church thunderbolt And our Mr Perkins applied the word so close to the consciences of his hearers that he was able to make their hearts fall down Mr Fullers Holy State and their hairs almost to stand upright But in old age he was more milde and delighted much to preach mercy as did also our Prophet Hosea whose prophesie is comminatory in the fore-part consolatory in the latter part And the Lord said to Hosea This is now the third time inculcated for more authority sake which the people so rubb'd and menaced would be apt enough to question He therefore shews them his commission and that he hath good ground for what he saith that they may have no cause to cavil Melch. Ad. but reply as that good Dutch Divine did if God would give them a heart so to do Veniat veniat verbum Domini submittemus ei sexcenta si nobis essent colla Let the word of the Lord come yea let it come and we will submit there unto though we had six hundred lives to lose for so doing Go take unto thee a wife of whoredoms An arrant whore a stinking strumpet Calvin scortum obsoletum a known and trite harlot such as were Thais Lais Phryne c. yea and such a one as after marriage with a former husband at least went astray after other sweet-hearts for so the application of the figure to the subject Chap. 2. requireth it to be understood Whereby it appears saith Diodate that all this was done in a vision Others infer as much from that phrase in this verse The beginning of the word of the Lord in Hosea that is saith Polanus appearing and speaking to him by an inward vision as it were in an extasie Besides in the third chapter and three first verses the Prophet is bidden to marry another harlot to buy her for his own use and to keep her at his house for a time Now scimus hoc non fuisse completum saith Calvin we know that this was never really done It follows therefore that this figure was only proposed to the people that they might perpceive in the looking-glasse of this allegory first their duty toward God second their disloyalty thirdly their penalty for the same It is not an historical narration but a Prophetical vision Children of fornication a bastardly brood such as this evil and adulterous generation is
Christ and forthwith thou shalt see him play Phineas part And again if Satan should summon us saith he to answer for our sinnes or debts in that the wife is no sutable person but the husband we may well bid him enter his action against our husband Christ and he will make him a sufficient answer Thus Mr. Bradford in a certain letter of his unto a friend In righteousnesse and in judgement in loving kindnesse c. These are the gems of that ring that Christ bestoweth upon his Spouse saith Mercer These are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love-tokens that Christ the Bridegroom giveth to his Bride the Church saith Tarnonius Here he promiseth to performe to her and to work in her all those offices and requisites due from married couples in that estate the one to the other God will both justifie her by the imputation or Chriâ—â—s righteousnesse and sanctifie her by the spirit of judgement that is or sanctification See John 16.10 11. Matth. 12.20 and the Note there And because the best have their frailties and although they be vessels of honour yet are they but earthen vessels and have their flawes their cracks therefore it is added I have betrothed thee unto me in loving-kindnesse and in mercies q. d. My heart and wayes towards you shall be full of gentlenesse and sweetnesse without moâ—osity or harshnesse My loving-kindnesse shall be great Neh. 9.17 marvellous great Psal 31.21 Excellent Psal 36.7 Everlasting Esay 54.8 Mercifull Psal 117.2 Multitudes of loving-kindnesse Psal 36.5 Esay 63.7 as for my mercies or bowels of compassion towards you they are incomprehensible as having all the dimensions Ephes 3.18 Thy mercy O God reacheth unto the heavens there 's the height of it Great is thy mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowermost hell there is the depth of his mercy Psal 86.13 The earth is full of thy goodnesse there is the breadth of it All the ends of the earth have seen thy salvation there is the length of it O pray to see that blessed sight Ephes 1.18 and 3.18 that beholding as in a glasse this glory of the Lord shining bright in his Attributes you may be transformed into the same image 2 Cor. 3.18 from glory to glory and as in water face answereth to face as lead answereth the mould as tally answereth tally Indenture indenture so may we resemble and expresse the Lord our Husband in righteousnesse holinesse loving-kindnesse tender mercies and faithfulnesse that as the woman is the image and glory of the man so may we be of Christ For our encouragement it must be remembred that the Covenant that Christ maketh with us is a double Covenant to performe his part as well as ours to make us such as he requiretâ— us to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse for which end also we have a â—uplicaâ— of his Law written in our hearts Jer. 31.33 a law in our mind answerable to the law of his mouth Rom. 7.23 In a word he graciously undertaketh 〈…〉 parts therefore is the Covenant everlasting and the fruits of it are sure merâ—â— compassions that fail not In foedere novo nihil potest incidere quo miniss sit â—â—â—raum quum non sit ei adjecta conditio saith Mercer upon this Text that is In the new Covenant there can nothing fall out whereby it should not be everlasting sith there is no condition required on our part That faith or faithfulnosse mentioned in the next verse God requireth not as a mutual restipulation of our part as works were in the old covenant But here it is rather a declaration of his pleasure what he would have us to do and whereto he will enable us It is not a condition to endanger the Covenant but an assurance that he will give us strength to keep it Verse 20. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse Tremellius Drusius and Tarnonius render it in fide in faith and interpret it of de fide vera et salvifica of that true justifying faith whereby we are united to Christ And for this they urge the next words as an Exposition of these And they shall shall know the Lord alledging some other texts of Scripture wherein saving knowledge is put for justifying faith as Esay 53.11 Jer. 31.33 Job 17.3 The Septuagint also render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tarnou in exer cit Biblic See Master Dugards treatise called The change Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the New Testament is oft used for saving and growing faith Tit. 1.1 Col. 2.1 and 3 10. which indeed is the bond of the spirituall marriage and is it self nothing else but a fiduciall assent presupposing knowledge For man is a rationall creature faith a prudent thing comprehending in it self these three acts 1 knowledge in the understanding 2. Assent or rather Consent in the Will 3. Trust or confidence in the heart certainty of Adherence if not of Evidence The Papists fasten faith in the will as in the adaequate subject that they may the mean while do what they will with the understanding and the heart To which purpose they exclude all knowledge detest Trust in Christs promises expunging the very name of it every where by their Indices Expurgatorij A blind belief as the Church beleeves is as much as they require of their misled and muzzled Proselytes Bellarmine saith that faith may far better be defined by ignorance then by knowledge But how shall men beleeve on him of whom they have not heard Let us leave to the Papists their implicit faith and their blind obedience and cry after Christ as that poor man did Lord that mine eyes might be opened and that I may know the Lord yea grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ These things have I written unto you saith Saint John to those that were no Babyes or Zanyes in faith or knowledge that beleeve on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternall life and that ye may yet more beleeve in the Son of God 1 John 5.13 David though he had proceeded further in the discovery of Divine truthes then those before him Psal 119.99 yet he was still to seek of that which might be known ver 96. Even as those great discoverers of the new-found lands in America were wont to confesse at their return that there was still a Plus-ultra more yet to be discovered Vers 21. And it shall come to passe in that day In that time of grace and reconciliation fitly set forth by the name of a day in regard of 1 Revelation 2 Adornation 3 Consolation 4 Distinction 5 Speedy Preterition I will hear saith the Lord of Hosts that is I that have the command of both the upper and nether springs and forces Sun Moon Stars c. Deut. 4.9 those storehouses of Gods good treasure which he openeth to our profit Deut. 28.12 and therehence makes a
Universities were so in times of Popery and began to be so again a few years since Revera Gilead est iniquitas profectò vanitas sunt they were grown so incorrigibly flagitious that they seemed to be as it were transformed into sinnes image Some render the Text thus Is there iniquity in Gilead Are they onely vanity in Gilgal They sacrifice bullocks c. and set this sence upon it What think you the men of Gilead those beyond the river of Jordan whom Tiglath Pilesen poyled and lâ—d captives that they onely were guilty of idolatry and you not because you remain at home untouched of the Assyrian Nay saith He the very entrance into the Countrey Jun. Trem. Gilgal it self so aboundeth with idolatry that it is not to be doubted but in the rest of the parts of the kingdome their altars are as thick as furrows in the field that is to say innumerable Some think this last clause their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field or of my fields whereof I am chief Lord Sadai and wherein he should have served me and not idols hath reference to some superstitious way of theirs of seeking God by erecting altars in the furrows for the fructifying of their fieldsâ— the Heathen did so to their Dij Terminales and the Papists still do so in their solemn Processions erecting crosses and crucifixes in the bounds of their fields and thereby thinking to get a blessing on their corn and pastures Turnovius noteth here that God in the old Testament would therefore have but one Altar whereon to offer sacrifice and that to be at Jerusalem onely to teach them that Christ the Anti-type of all their sacrifices should once be offered up upon the altar of his Crosse a propitiation for their sinnes Heb. chap. 9. 10. This Altar he also appointed to be in the Temple that the sacrificers might beleeve the gracious presence of God with them and might worship him in spirit and in truth Verse 12. And Jacob fled into the countrey of Syria Iacob in whom ye glory was a poor forlorne fugitive glad to runne for his life and to take hard on for his livelyhood Gen. 28. 29. This they were bound by the Law to make confession of ever when they offered their basket of first fruits and to say A Syrian ready to perish was my father c. Deut. 26.5 that considering the meannesse of their original they might not boast of their ancestry but magnifie Gods free-grace in their present enjoyments and say as that noble Athenian General Aphicrates did in the middest of all his triumphs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how great basenesse and misery to what great blessednesse and glory are we exalted King Agathocles would be served in earthen vessels to mind him of his father who was a poor potter Willigis Arch bishop of Ments Anno 1011. being a Wheel-wrights sonne hang'd wheels and wheel-wrights-tools round about his bed-chamber and under-wrot in Capitall Letters Willigis Willigis recole unde veneris Remember thine Originall Buchâ—lâ—er How low and mean were we of this Nanion at first Brith signifieth blew-coloured sc with woad Hence our name Britains This was their fine clothing their food was barks of trees and roots Holiâ—shâ—d saith chat some old men he knew who told of times in England that if the good-man of the house had a matris or a flock-bed and a sack of chaffe to rest his head on he thonght himself as well lodg'd as the Lord of the Town for ordinarily they lay upon straw-pallets covered with canvase and a round log under them heads instead of a bolster they said pillows were fit onely for women in child-bed and in a good farmers house it was rare to find four pieces of Pewter and it was accounted a great matter that a farmer should shew five shillings or a noble together in silver c. There are that render the Text thus Thither fled Jacob nut of the countrey of Syriâ— after Israel had served for a wife and for a wife had kept sheep Verse 13. Hither also by a Prophee did Jehovah bring up Israilent of Egypt c. that is Gilead served as a sanctuary unto Jacob when be fled from Laban In Gilgal also God by Joshuah renewed his Covenant with your fathers after he had brought them out of Egypt by the hand of Moses and Aaron A horrible thing therefore it is if well considered that these two places should now he so impured with idolatry and become the nutâ—â—â—â—s of evil which heretofore were the means of so great comfort to Gods people Thus Junius Pâ—lanus and others A witty interpretation but somewhat forced And Israel served for a wife He had nothing to endow her with he would therefore earn her with his hard labour wherein he shewed singular humility patience meeknesse waiting upon Gods providence none of all which graces were found in his degenerate posterity who yet prided themselves in their father Iacob And for a wife he kept sheep q. d. Jacob that he might obey his father was content to serve his Uncle and to suffer a great deal of wrong from him but ye refuse to serve me though a liberall Lord a bountifull Benefactour He held close to me in that hard service but you abusing your liberty enslave your selves to false gods He in his misery kept his confidence of the blessing but you in your prosperity cast it clean away c. Luther upon this Text speaketh much about the blessing of a good wife â—um qua perpetuâ— rixan dum a commodity that cannot be too dear bought and the plague of a scold that is alwayes rayling and wrangling The Heathen well saith that every man when he marrieth bringeth either a good or an evil spirit into his house and so maketh it either an heaven or an hell Parcus well observeth here the great use of Histories and holy examples according to Rom. 15.4 Plato thinks that Historia comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Cratyle of stopping the flux of errours and enormities Verse 13. And by a Prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt By Moses that Prophet by an excellencie as Aristotle is called the Philosopher Tully the Oratour Paul the Apostle Calvin the most learned Interpreter c. Moses was a famous Prophet indeed and a Type of Christ Confer Deut. 18.15 18. and 34.10 11 12. Acts 3.22 and 7.35 36 37 38. Theodoret calleth him the great Ocean of Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellarmin Gods speciall favorite then whom Antiquity had nihil sapientius sanctius mitius none more wise meek and holy Indeed titles of honour are not worthy of him Howbeit he was but a mean man at first Exod. 4.30 he took his wife and his sonne and set them upon an asse that was the best and the onely beast that he had for ought we read It was not very likely that so poor a Prophet should do so great a
the kings brethren the king of Navarre and the Princes of the blood There was also coyne stamped in memory of the matter in the forepart whereof with the kings picture was this inscription Virtus in rebelles Cambd. Elisab 163. and on the other side Pietas excitavit justitiam Piety hath stirred up justice Here was a faire glove drawn upon a foule hand and this they learned of the devill who was first a slanderer and then a murtherer as those that have a mind to kill another mans dog make the world beleeve he was mad first that they may do it with the better pretext Verse 11. For thus Amos saith Jereboam shall die by the sword c. When did Amos say so he said indeed that the house of Jeroboam should be smitten with the sword ver 9. and this Amaziah maliciously transferreth to the person of Jeroboam the more to enrage him against the Prophet whom therefore he nameth once and againe to create him the more displeasure That Jeroboam died by the sword we read not but that his son Zechary was slaine and his house destroyed in the next generation we find 2 King 15. according to Amos his Prophecy But to colour this calumny some truth shall be admingled and Israel shell surely be led away captive This indeed the Prophet had oft affirmed though not in any of those three last visions and it proved too true but because Amos saith so he must passe for a traytour against the majesty both of the king and of the people What an impudent sycophant was this The king and people are pretended and what good subject can endure it but that which irked him was that his own authority was by this plain-dealing Prophet impaired and his gaine like to be lessened if the superstition of Bethel were thus decried It is said of Phlugius and Sidonius authours of the Interim in Germany that among other points of Popery therein defended they spake much for Chrisme and extreame unction ut ipsi discederent unctores Melch. Adam that thereby they might hold fat bishopricks Such arguments prevaile much with all self-seekers whose covetousnesse and ambition usually ride without reines and over whose neck it mattereth not Veese 12. Also Amaziah said unto Amos After he had maliciously misinformed the king but prevailed not so God would have it in whose heart is the kings hand who rebuketh even kings for their sakes saying Doe my Prophets no harme O thou Seer Faire words the better to insinuate Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Some think he calleth the Prophet thus by way of jeare quasi fatidicum aut fanaticum as a fortune-teller or distracted Others that he giveth the Prophet good words and seemeth to give him good counsel as fearing the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligam fecit with whom Amos was in some credit and therefore the king was told of a conspiracy against him in the middest of the house of Israel verse 10. Flee-thee away into the land of Judah Age. fuge as a friend wrote to Brentius when he was in danger to be surprized by the Emperours Agent Melch. Adam in vita Brent Fuge fuge Brenti citò citiùs citissimè Flie for thy life hast hast hast So the Pharisees for no great love be sure but only to be fairely rid of him came and said to Christ Get thee out and depart hence for Herod will kill thee Luk. 13.31 into the land of Judah This he speaketh scornfully q. d. we are not good enough for you you are so strict c. Mercer and there eat bread and prophesie there Invidiosè omnia contemptim dicit If you stay heare you may hap to starve for it Away therefore into your own country and there make thee a living by prophesying He seemes to measure Amos by himself as if he were of those that prophesied for an handfull of harly and a morsell of bread Ezek. 13.19 Mic. 3.11 and as a certaine Popish Priest confessed concerning himself and his symmists We preach the gospell said he tantum ut nos pascat vestiat only to pick a living out of it Verse 13. But prophesie not any more at Bethel Take heed of that lest by diffusing too much light amongst us thou marre our markets and hinder the sale of our false wares This was the naked truth of the businesse though something else was pretended and the kings interest pleaded for it is the kings chappell and the kings court Touch these mountaines and they will smoake Truth is a good mistresse but such of her servants as follow her too close at heeles may hap to have their teeth struck out Ahab hateth Michaiah and Herod Iohn Baptist and the Pope Savanarola for their plaine dealing laying them fast enough for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great ones love it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they must heare pleasing things or if told of their faults it must be done with silken words as She said They are usually beset with their Aiones and Negones as One hath it Bucloc that will say as they say mirifica est sympathia inter magnates parasitos and there is a wonderfull sympathy betwixt kings and court-parasites as was betwixt Ahab and the false prophets Few Vespasian◠are to be found of whom as it was said that he was the only One who was made the better man by being made Emperour so Quintilian commendeth him for this that he was patientissimus veri most patient of truth though never so sharp Jeroboam was none such or at least Amaziah the Priest of Bethel would make the Prophet so beleeve when he tells him it is the kings court an ill ayre for truth to breath in Nihil veritate gravius nihil assentatione suavius Verse 14. Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah With no lesse courage So Ioh. 1.19.21 I suppose then Paul and Barnabas used to the stubborne Jewes Act 13.46 or Basil to Valent the Emperour or Johannes Sarisburiensis to the Pope Anno 154. or Bishop Ridly when offering to preach before the Lady Mary and receiving a repulse he was brought by Sr. Thomas Wharton her servant to the dining place and desired to drink Which after he had done he paused a whille looking very sadly and sodainely brake out into these words Surely I have done amisse why so quoth the knight for I have drunk said He in that place where Gods word offered hath been refused whereas if I had remembred my duty I had departed immediately and shaken off the dust of my shooes Act. Mon. fol 1270. for a testimony against this house These words were by the said Bishop spoken with such a vehemency that some of the hearers afterwards confessed the haires to stand upright on their heades I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets son Neither born nor bred a Prophet neither have I rashly or ambitiously put my self upon this
such as was that of Sodom and her Sisters Gen 19.25 Ier. 20.16 Es 13.19 Am. 4.11 Now we must not think that Ionah said no more then is here set down that he expressed no condition such as was that Rev. 2.5 Except ye repent or that like a mad man he ran up and down the city as one did once about Jerusalem and another lately about London repeating and thundering out these words onely inconditis ineptis clamoribus Am. 3.7 with harsh and hoarse outcries God therefore threatneth that he may not punish and all his threats are conditional Ier. 18.8 if they repent he will also This if Ionah expressed not yet the Ninivites understood for else they would never have repented but despaired as Iudas with his poenitentia Iscariotica and defied Ionah as an evil messenger sent against them They might well enough think that if God had not meant them mercy he would never have forewarned them never have given them fourty dayes respite the Septuagint cannot be refused for rendring it three dayes though some have attempted it It is probable that Ionah omitted nothing that pertained to the preaching of repentance though here we have it set down in some onely The Hebrews tell us that the Mariners also went to Niniveh and telling what had befallen Ionah at sea confirmed his doctrine and sentence against the Ninivites who thereupon repented But these as they affirm without reason so they may be dismissed without refutation Vers 5. So the people of Niniveh beleeved God See the mighty power of Gods holy word The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 to the laying flat those wals of Iericho making the devil fall as lightning from the heaven of mens hearts Luk. 10.18 These Ninivites though rich great peaceable prosperous profane above measure as great cities use to be c. yet at the preaching of Ionah they believed God and repented of their evil wayes whether truly and seriously I have not to say There is an historical faith an assent to the truth of what God speaketh and trembling thereat Jam. 2.19 there is also a natural and moral repentance wrought by natural conscience such as was that of Pharaohs Saul Ahab Alexander the Great when having killed Clitus he was troubled in conscience and sent to all kind of Philosophers as it were to so many Ministers to know what he might do to appease his conscience and satisfie for his sinne There are very good Authours that hold this conversion of the Ninivites to have been sound and serious and for this they alledge that of our Saviour Mat. 12.41 flowing from a lively faith in God which is the root of all the rest of the graces the very womb wherein they are received the fountain also and foundation of all good works as the Apostle Peter hinteth when he saith 2 Pet. 1.5 adde to your faith vertue which is nothing else but faith exercised and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth These were the fruits of their faith and though but bodily exerciseâ— and external performances yet they might serve both to evidence Jejunium saccus armae poenit entiae Hieron and to increase their inward humiliation True it is that hypocrites and heathens may do all this and more as Ahab those Psa 78.34 36. and Isa 58.3 The Romanes in a strait ad Deos populum vota convertunt commanded the whole people with their wives and little ones to pray and pacify the gods to fill all the temples Liv. l. 3. and the women to sweep and rub the pavements thereof with the haires of their heads c. from the greatest c. See the Note on Ioel. 2.16 Verse 6. For word came unto the kâ—ng of Nineveh I can hardly beleeve that this was Sardanapalus as some will carry it but some other better Prince that Vespasian-like was patientissimus veri Quintilian one that had those about him that would tell him the truth of things and he was content to heare it and submit to it Like enough it is that this was but harsh newes to him at first hearing but when he had well considered it and taken advise upon it he set upon a reformation Our Chroniclers tell us of a poore Hermite that came to Richard the first Anno 1195. and preaching to him the words of eternall life bad him be mindfull of the subversion of Sodom and to abstaine from things unlawfull Otherwise said He the deserved vengance of God will come upon thee The Hermite being gone the king at first seemed to slâ—ght his words But afterwards falling sick he more seriously bethought himself and waxing sound in soule as well as body he grew more devout and charitable to the poore Hovedon 428. Speed 542. rising early and not departing from the church till divine service were finished c. If the king of Nineveh had ever heard of Jonah his being in the whâ—les belly it might well be some inducement to him to beleeve his preaching it might do him no lesse good then Iohn Friths book called A preparation to the crosse brought in a fish's-belly to the University of Cambridge a little before the Commencement did to some good people here that had hearts to make use of it One grave Divine gave this Note upon it in a sermon before the Parliament Mr. Jeremy Dike above twenty yeares since That such a book should be brought in such a manner and to such a place and at such a time when by reason of peoples confluence out of all parts notice might be given to all places of the land in mine apprehension it can be construed for no lesse then a divine warning and to have this voice with it England prepare for the crosse he arose from his throne Laid aside his state as the great Turk also doth at this day when he entreth into his temple to pray Jer. 13.18 Say unto the King and to the Queen Humble your selues sit down for your principalities shall come down even to the crown of your glory This great king could not but know himself to be a great sinner and that his sins had done much hurt 1. by Imputation for plectuntur Achivi Horat. the people oft pay for their Rulers follyes as in Davids dayes 2 Sam. 24. 2. by Imitation for Magnates are Magnetes they draw many by their example and as bad humours flow from the head to the body so do bad Rulers corrupt the rest This conscious and as some think conscicucious King therefore riseth up from his throne Jud. 3.20 Zarnou as Eglon that unweildy king of Moab had once done to heare Gods message by Ehud qui paulò antè sedebat superbus in folio nunc jacet humilis in solo he lieth low and putteth his mouth in the dust Lam. 3.29 laying aside all cogitation and pride of his kingly majesty together with all soft
could not outlast the Temple as may be gathered from Mat. 24.3 But they some of them lived to see themselves confuted and our Saviours words verified There shal not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down Vers 2. and the mountain of the house that famous house that was worthily reckoned one of the seven wonders of the world and stood upon mount Moriah As the high places of the forrest As wooddy and desert places fit onely for wild beasts Lege Luge saith one speaking of Jerusalems desolation CHAP. IV. Vers 1. BVt in the last dayes it shall come to passe God reserveth his best comforts till the last as that Ruler of the feast did his best wine Ioh. 2.10 and as the sweetest of the honey lieth at the bottome These last dayes are Gospel-dayes Heb. 1.2 times of Reformation Heb. 9.19 of Restitution Act. 3.21 called the World to come Heb. 2.5 that new heaven and earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 that new Jerusalem that is all of gold Rev. 2.1 Ezekiels new Temple bigger then all the old Jerusalem and his new Ierusalem bigger then all the land of Canaan chap. 40.41.42 c. Let Popish buzzars blaspheme that description of the Temple and City Sanct. Argum. cap. 40. calling it as Sanctius doth once and again insulsam descriptionem a senselesse description so speaking evil of the things that they know not Jude 10. We beleeve and are sure Joh. 6.69 that God hath provided some better thing for us then for those under the law Heb. 11.40 viz. that great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 who should again restore the kingdom to Israel the spiritual kingdom to the Israel of God as is here foretold in the self-same words with those of Esay chap. 2.1 2. whence he is not ashamed to take it That the mountain of the house of the Lord The Church 1 Tim. 3.15 called elsewhere the mountain of the Lord and his holy hill Psal 15.1 and 24.3 and 48.2 Esay 30.17 both for its sublimity Gal. 4.26 and firmnesse Psal 46.3 and 125.1 winde and stormes move it not no more can all the power and policy of hell combin'd prevail against the Church Mat. 16.18 She is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kingdom that cannot be shaken and may better then the city of Venice take for her Posie Immota manet Shall be established in the top of the mountains Constituetur firmiter shall bee strongly set upon a sure bottom upon munitions of Rocks yea upon the Rock of Ages Mat. 16.18 Jer 31.35 Esay 33.20 Some by the house of the Lord here understand the Church and by the mountain of this house Christ whereon it is built and whom Daniel describeth by that great mountain that filled the whole earth Chap. 2.35 that stone cut out without hands that smot in pieces the four Monarchies ibid. And hence it is that this mountain of the Lords house is exalted above the hils the Church must needs be above all earthly eminencies whatsoever because founded upon Christ who therefore cannot be exalted but shee must be lifted up aloft together with him God who is rich in mercy saith that great Apostle hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.5 6. The Church is mysticall Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 she is his wife and wheresoever hee is Caius she is Caia she shineth with his beams and partaketh of his honours union being the ground of communion and people shall flow unto it As waters roul and run toward the Sea but that these waters should flow upward flow to the mountain as here is as wonderfull as that the Sun should send his beams downward to the earth when as it is the property of all fire to aspire and flie upwards This is the Lords own work and it is marvellous in our eyes Chrysost Hom 8. ad Hop Antioch The metaphor of flowing importeth the coming of people to Christ by the preaching of the Gospel 1. Freely Psal 110.3 2. Swiftly as the waters of the river Tigris swift as an arrow out of a bowe See Esay 60.8 3. Plentifully by whole Nations turned to the faith and giving up their names to Christ 4. Joyntly as verse 2. and Zach. 8.21 5. Zealously bearing down all obstacles that would damme up their way 6. Constantly and continually as rivers run perpetually by reason of the perennity of their fountains and are never dried up though sometimes fuller then some quin ut fluvij repentinis imbribus augentur saith Gualther as rivers swell oft with sudden showres and overflow the banks so beyond all expectation many times doth God take away tyrants and propagates his truth enlarging the bounds of his Church with new confluxes of Converts Verse 2. And many nations shall come and say The conversion of the Gentiles is here foretold a piece of that mystery of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 The Jews usually call Christians in contempt Gozin the word here used and Mamzer Goi Bastard-Gentiles But either they must come under this name themselves or deny that they are the posterity of Abraham Gen. 12.2 Where God saith I will make of thee a great Nation Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord The wicked have their Come Prov. 1.11 and would not go to hell alone Should not the Saints have theirs should they not get what company they can toward heaven The Greeks call goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it doth as it were invite and call others to it and every man is willingly to run after it and to the house of the God of Jacob to the publike ordinances where wee may hear and beleeve and be sealed with that holy spirit of promise as those Ephesians were chap. 1.13 We read that Marcellinus Secundanus and some others were converted to Christianity by reading Sibylla's oracles of Christs birth and that by Chaucers Book some were brought to the knowledge of the truth But either this was not so or not ordinary for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word preached which therefore the people of God do so prize as Luther did who said Acts Mon. 767. He would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible and that without the preaching of the word he could not live comfortably in Paradise as with it hee could live and enjoy himself though it were in hell and he will teach us of his wayes Cathedram in coelis habet qui corda docet saith Austin All true Converts are taught of God Joh. 6. and then quà m citò discitur quod docetur saith the same Father how soon are men discipled how soon learn they the wayes of God whereby to serve him here and be saved by him hereafter For it
the root and after many blowes he resolves to have them down For instance compare Gods different dealing with Noah and the old world with Lot and the Sodomites Israel and the Canaanites Moses and Pharaoh David and Saul c. Fret not therefore thy self because of evill-doers Psal 37.1 when the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity do slourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 92.7 Pharaoh bad faire way made him till he came to the midst of the sea not one wave may rise up against him to wet so much as the hoof of his horse It was a faire Sun-shine-day when Lot went out of Sodome but ere night there fâ—ll out a dismall change It was in the Spring that the flood came then when every thing was in its prime and pride besides that the world never more flourished in wealth peace arts and all magnificence yet sudden destruction came upon them they were all at once buried in one universall grave of waters Ver. 10. For while they be folden together as thornes And so can hardly be handled without hurt God will burn them together in the same place 2 Sam. 23.7 as a man puts thorns folden and that cannot easily be sundred all together into the fire where they make a sudden blaze and are extinct So will God deale with the Ninivites not withstanding their carnall combinations and confederacies Junius Crocius and while they are drunken as drunkardâ— who are very quarrelsome bragging and braving but may be easily dealt with and pusht down with one finger as stubble sully dry that hath long laine a sunning and so is very combustible The wicked are oft compared to stubble because good for nothing but the fire and when fully dry when ripe for ruine they shall be fully devoured as some read the words Ecqâ—em vero mihi dabis Rhetorem c. as One saith of another text But what gallant Rhetorick is here well might God say Hos 12.10 I have spoken also by the Prophets and used similitudes c. See the Note there here we have three in a breath and all little enough to work on the hearts of the wicked who are loth to beleeve the truth and certainty of Gods threats but rather blesse themselves when God curseth Deut. 29.19 Ver. 11. There is one come out of thee that imagineth evill against the Lord Many there are but one among and above the resT sc Sennacherib that bold Briareus that lifteth up his hundred hands at once against heaven and threateneth to cut off at a blow Gods people as if they had all but one neck See verse 9. He is come up over all his chanels and gone over all his banks Isa 8.7 but God shall soon put a stop to him and with an over-running slood that he may be even with him make an utter â—nd of his place as it is here ver 8. a wicked Counsellour Heb. a counsellour of Belial or of the devill who lendeth him his seven heades to plot and his ten horns to push Gods people What pernicious counsel he gave them see 2 King 18. 2 Chron. 32. Esal 36. sc to cast off God as not able to deliver them out of his hands and to make an agreement with him by a present c. the pestilent counsell he gave them by Rabshakeh who was say the Rabbines a Renegado-Jew Every Visier and Basha of State among the Turks useth to keep still a Jew of his private counsell whose malice wit and experience of Christendome with their continuall intelligence is thought to advise most of that mischief Voyage into the Levant p. 114. which the Turk at this day puts in execution against us saith mine Authour the Jews being found the most nimble and Mercuriall wits in the world but counsellours of Belial In all the shop of hell there is no anvile so well set whereon to forge no engine so apt whereby to execute any choice piece of mischief as that man who is ingenuose nequam publico maâ—o facundus as it is said of C. Curio the Roman Wittily wicked and pestilently eloquent Such were Cardinall Pool to England Cardinall Sadeletus to Geneva and the Iâ—suiteâ— generaily great Politicians and factours for Rome They say Satan sent Luther and God sent them to withstand him They destroy many souls as the Dragon doth the Elephant by biting his ear and sucking his blood because he knows that to be the onely place which the Elephant cannot reach with his trunk to desend They take crafty counsel against the Church Psal 8.33 Verse 12. Thus saith the Lord To thee O Jerusalem and for thy comfort The Lord will speak peace to his people and Ministers are charged to speak to their hearts Esay 40 1. though they be quiet Or still well disciplined as the Turkish Army is to the wonder of all that passe thorow it Turcae perpepetuum silentium tenent ut muti Cuspin de Caesar p. 475. there was no falling out nor complaining in the Assyrian hosts therefore and by this means did their king march on pâ—sse throw and likewise many How great an Army they were may bee gathered from the many thousands of them that were slain by the Angel Esay 37.36 It is all one with God whether it be done against a nation or against a man onely Job 34.29 he stands not upon multitudes who taketh up the Isles as a very little thing Esay 40.15 yet thus shall â—â—ey be cut down Heb. shorn with as little ado as one would shear a sheep mow down a meddow or shave off hair with a sharp rasor The Prophet seemeth to allude to that Text in Esay with whom as his contemporary he hath many things common chap. 7.20 and to threaten the Assyrian that he shall bee payd home in his own coyn and that as he had done to Israel so should it bee done again to him God loveth to retaliate when he shall passe thorow Heb. and he passeth or away he goeth se to his own countrey after the losse of his Army slain by the Angel so Hierom. Others they shall be cut down sc by the hand of a mighty One as Esay 10.34 or of an Angel when he that is Sennacherib and every one of his Army hath passed thorow sc the land without restraint or controul and now maketh account that hee is master of all Though I have afflicted thee yet I will afflict thee no more sc by these Nineviten no nor by any other enemies unlesse there be very great need 1 Pet. 1.6 The Church hath ever had her Halcyous her interchanges of prosperity and adversity God will not alwayes chide Psal 103.9 he delighteth in the prosperity of his servants Psal 35.27 and wisheth Oh that this people were wise c. O that my people had hearkened c Psal 81.13 14 15. There is another reading of the words as may be seen in the margent This is Iunius the Chaldee
ye also ignorant of these things saith our Saviour to the twelve are ye also without understanding Mat. 15.16 what know you not c. seven several times in one chapter 1 Cor. 6. And how doth the Apostle shent and shame his Hebrewes for their duâ—nesse and doltishnesse Heb. 5.12 It was expected it seems by the Angel here that Zachary a Master in Israel should have known more then he did of the meaning of this candlestick by Moses his ancient candlestick For the godly of those times did not beleeve those rites and ceremonies of the law did of themselves please God or that they were dumb shewes and insignificant Heb. 9. But they acknowledged them to be figures the truth and signification whereof was to be sought in Christ The ceremoniall law was indeed their Gospell and I said No my Lord An ingenious confession of his ignorance and this was far better then to plead for it as many now-adayes or to pretend more skill then he had that he might at least seem to be some body Ignorantiam meam non ignoro saith Origen Though I know little else yet this I know that it is but little that I know And not only in innumerable other things am I ignorant Ep. 119. c. 21. saith Austin but even in the very Scriptures also my chief study multò plura nescio quam scio I am to seek of many more things then I understand Surely saith Agur I am more brutish then any man and yet he had commerce with Ithiel and Vcal ver 1. and have not the understanding of a man sc of a man in Christ I neither learned wisdome though taught it nor have the knowledge of the holy that is of the Angels as Dan. 4.13 17. and 8.13 Zachary here saw himself farr short of the holy angel that â—alked with him and therefore desireth to be taught by him Verse 6. This is the Word of the Lord that is this Hieroglyphique containes the mind of God in it This is the interpretation of the vision neither so concise nor obscure ut Oedipo sit opus as a Lapide after Ribera here saith that it can hardly be understood For who seeth not by the opposition here made between humane help and divine that in building and beautifying his Church with safety and salvation God will make bare his own holy arme and do the work alone or by the weakest meanes against the strongest resistance Thus then have we saith an Interpreter in three words the scope of this whole vision Mr. Pemble That as the making and maintaining of this Candlestick and his Lamps was without the art and cunning of man by means supernaturall so Gods spirit without and above all humane helps should suffice for the reedification and preservation of the materiall Temple and true Church unto Zorobabel The Tirshata or chief magistrate Ezra 2.63 called also as it is thought Shesbazzar Ezra 1.8 He was a type of Christ to whom also God the Father here speaketh concerning his church to be gathered by the preaching of the Gospell not by might nor by strength as Mahomet in the East and the Spaniard in the Indies but by the power of his spirit that great Wonder-worker whereby the people fall under him Psal 45.5 and strong holds are cast down before him 2 Cor. 10.4 as once the walles of Iericho Thus he unwalled all the children of Seth Num. 24.17 viz. by the foolishnesse of preaching and thus hestill rideth upon his white horses his Ministers conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 Britaniorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo subdita sunt Tertull. The Romanes could never subdue this Nation but Christ could The Germans and other Western people embraced the Christian religion in the yeer 772. when the Mahomitan impiety wasted the East Gods spirit is irresistible compared to the wind Ioh to a mighty rushing wind Act. 2. that beares all before it therefore called a spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 of counsel and of might Esay 11.2 and therefore here fitly opposed to an army and to the arme of flesh to all humane power and policy whatsoever though the gates of hell come to their help not by might nor by strength c. These two words some take to be Synonymas Mercor saith that the former signifieth stout and noble acts the later importeth power and faculty of doing those acts and is the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek By the Spirit of God we are to understand his power providence and Grace 2 Thes 2.8 Is 11.4 c. whereby he helpeth his people with a little help Dan. 11.34 that throug weaker meanes they may see his greater strength Thus he helped David against Goliath and the Israelites against the Philistines often but especially then when unarmed they marched with their slings and plow-staves and hooks and forks and other instruments of their husbandry against a mighty and well-furnished enemy and returned laden both with arms and victory Sometimes againe God helpeth his without any visible help as when he destroyed Senacherib's army by an Angel swept away Sisera's army by the river Kison and the Saracens and Persians by the river Euphrates in the dayes of Theodosius Anno. 394 Alsted Chronol p. 300. smitten with a Panick terrour they ran headlong into the river and were drowned to the number of an hundred thousand for whom also the winds sought in that famous battle against Maximus as both winds and waves did for us against the invincible navy Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 5. cap. 26. The Church alone deserveth to be stiled invincible that hath the Lord of Hosts to be her Champion who hath armies above and armies beneath as the Rabbines well observe 2. generall troopes as his horse and foot Magnleh cheloth matteh cheloth ready prest Legions of Angels Millions of other creatures the curtaines of the Tabernacle embroidered with Cherubims signified the service and protection of the Church by the Angels Let the Pope be the Sun and the Emperour the Moon as the Canonists stile them yet the Sun must not smite the Church by day nor the Moon by night but the starrs in their courses must fight against Sisera and both the Popes bull and the Emperours thunderbolt tend exceedingly to the furtherance of the Reformation begun by Luther Whereupon Scultetus makes this observation Ecce tibi adimpletum Psalmicum illud Psal 54.3 Behold that of the Psalmist made good He shall send from heaven and save us from the reproach of him that would swallow us up Selah God shall send forth his mercy and his truth He shall but when will he may some say First when his people in distresse cry aloud I came for thy word Dan. 10.12 He will come but he will have his peoples prayers lead him Secondly when his enemies blaspheme and insult saying Where is now their God When Rabshakeh a Renegado Jew as the Rabbins report him shall jear at Hezekiahs prayers as an
then to the observation of the ceremoniall and judiciall Law But it is ordinary with those Jew-Doctours to corrupt the Text for their own purpose adding and altering at their pleasure The judiciall law was fitted to the jews and was the best that they could suffer as Solon said of the Athenian Lawes The ceremoniall law was their Gospel pointing them to Christ and therefore abolished by him as having no use in the Church after his death but by accident As for the Morall law called here by an excellency the Law of Moses it is established for ever in heaven Psal 119.89 and albeit some duties of certain commandements shall cease when we come to heaven yet the substance of every one remaineth This perpetuity of the morall law was noted by engraving of it in stone Exod. 34.27 2 Cor. 3.7 The Jewshave a saying That God hath more respect to the letters of the Law then to the stars of heaven Mat. 5. And Christ either alludes to or confirms it in that saying of his Heaven and earth shall passe before one jot or tittle of the Law passe Think not that I am come to destroy the Law viz. the Morall Law or the Prophets who presse Morall duties as explainers of the law they do as it were unfold and draw out that Arras which was folded together before These therefore together with the Law of Moses must be daily and duely read and remembred Lege Melachim meum meum inquam meum quicquid enim didicimus tenemus nostrum est rolog in lib. Reg. Scripturas sanctas memoriter tenebat His rom calls the books of Kings his own because by the frequent use and reading of them he had got them by heart and as it were made them his own Of Paula he testifieth that she had most of the Scriptures by heart Of Nepotian likewise that with daily reading and continuall meditation he had made his heart Bibliothecam Christi the Library of Christ See my True Treasure pag. 315. Verse 5. Behold I will send you Elijab the Prophet Not Elijah the Thishite as the Septuagint corruptly read and the Popish Expositours make no smail use of it to prove that the Pope is not Antichrist because Enoch and Elias are not yet come and yet are to come in his time before the day of judgement as they sondly fable to preserve the Elect in the faith of Christ and to convert the Jews But we have better Interpreters of this Text. 1. An Angel who applies it to Iohn Baptist Luk. 1.17 2. Christ that Angel of the Covenant Mat. 17.10 11 and 11.14 Hear ye him against all Antichrists Agitatours Saint Mark begins his Gospel with these very words of Malachy to let us know that this Elias is the Baptist who is called Eliah the Prophet because of the like gifts calling and ministery office of reforming habit people with whom they dealt c. The like almost may be said of Lather a third Elias for boldnesse courage zeal knowledge successe c. But yet we see no footing in this Text for Lucas Osianders conceit viz. that the Prophet here pointed at Luther as well as at John Baptist and that men must receive his Doctrine or else look to be smitten with a curse Howbeit this is more passable and possible then that of the Jesuites who presume to controul Christs own Exposition and give out that as the Devil stirred up Luther to call the Pope Antichrist so God raised up them to resist Luther But what a mad fellow was that Spaniard of whom Severus Sulpitius writeth that professed himself first to be the Prophet Eliah and afterward when he had gained authority Lib. 1 de vita S. Martini fere in calce to be The Christ carrying himself so cunningly in his collusion that Bishop Ruffus was led away with the errour beleeving in him and adoring him as God for which he was justly deprived of his dignity Had we not need receive the truth in the love of it lest God give us up to the efficacy of errour 2 Thess 2.10 lest being first infatuated we be seduced and then being seduced we be damned as Austin glosseth on that Text before the coming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord Great in respect of the good and dreadfull or horrible in respect of the wicked as Montanus interprets it paralelling it with Mat. 3.12 Or great because it shall be a beginning of great changes both to the godly and the ungodly and dreadfull to the bad yea and to the best also at first till they have recollected and better bethought themselves as Another senceth it as taking it of the last day which is the generall mistake of Popish Expositours and that upon this ground because Christs first coming was an acceptable time and a day of salvation But though it be so to Gods people yet to others it was terrible as hath been shewed in the Note on Chip 3. verse 2. and is so described Luke 2.34 and 3.9 17. and 19.44 Mat. 21.44 Esay 11.4 He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with his two-edged sword he shall slay the wicked See the like Râ—v 2.16 And by his Ministers he doth it still 2 Thes 2.8 2 Cor. 2.15 16. 2 Cor. 10.6 Vengeance is as ready in Christs hand as in the Ministers mouth for the disobedient Some read the words thus Before the day of the great and dreadfull Lord come like as others read that Jam. 2.1 Have not the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons Both readings are good and the Text will bear both Verse 6. And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children c. John Baptists office and efficacie is here described He shall as a powerfull instrument by preaching repentance Mat. 3.2 and prevailing as he did with all sorts even to admiration so that all men mused in their hearts whether he were the Christ or not Luke 3.10 12 14 15. convert sinners from the errours of their way reduce them to the faith of the old Patriarches make them unanimous in the love of God and of one another and tye them up together as it were by his Baptisme For the multitude of beleevers were of one heart and one soul Act. 4.32 animo animaque inter se miscebantur as Tertullian phraseth it neither was there any controversie at all amongst them as One ancient Greek copy subjoyneth there Controversies there were great store among the Jews when the Baptist came As Joseph found his brethren in Dothan which signifieth Defection so did he They were all gone out of the way and being led aside by the errour of the wicked they were fallen from their own stedfastnesse Many strange opinions and dotages they had taken up and were wofully divided specially by those three different Sects Pharisees Sadduces and Essenes which the Prophet Zachary calleth three shepherds that were to be destroyed in one moneth