to 16. 2. For the Israel of God 17. to the end The title of the first part is my text Thus saith the Lord concerning Edom. Consider here 1. The subject of the prophecie Edom. 2. The authour of it Diciâ— Dominus Thus saith Lord. 1. Of the subject Edom. Isaac had two sons by Rebâ—â—â—a Esaw and Jacob. Esau was called Edom the reason of that name is thus given Jacob had made red pottage and when Esaw came from the field hungry and faint he said to his brother Jacob Feed me 〈◊〉 pray thee with that red with that red pottage Gen. 25.30 for I am faint Therefore was his name called Edom because he so affected that red colour being himself also red and very hairy This name doth maintain the memory of a quarrell for he bought that red pottage dear enough with the sale of his birth-right Esau and Jacob are a figure of the Church of God and the Synagogue of Sathan for they strove in the womb of their mother so that Rebeeca wondered at it saying v. 12. If it be so why aâ—â— I thus The blessing how soever usurped by â—sau be longeth to Jacob and when Jacob hath his right Esau is angry From this naturall Antipathy between these two brethren and the grudge that the elder should serve the younger From the sentence of this difference which was I have loved Jacob and I have hated Esau there was ever mutuall war and hatred between Israel and Edom in their succeeding posterities for the posterity of Esau did encrease both in number and wealth and grew both many and strong Thus doth the world gather riches and strength and armeth it self against the Church of God and therefore the Church is called Militant Concerning Edom is this part of the Prophecie declaring both Gods quarrell against them and his judgement threatened We may take notice here of one point by the way Edom is a mighty people a strong and rich nation able to molest the Lords Israel that God from heaven undertaketh the quarrell of his Church Do you not see that they whom God hates may have riches and honour and strength and may encrease and grow into multitudes how cometh it then to passe that so many in the world do measure the love and favour of God by these outward things as one flattered his Prince O nimium dilecte deo tibi militat aether What though their oxen be strong to labour what though their sheep bring forth thousands and though they have the fruits of the womb of the herb and purchase lands donec non siâ— locus till there be no room what though they have power and high places all this had Edom whom God hated and doth not our Saviour make it an hard thing for the rich to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Outward things are the gifts of God and he doth not value them at so high a rate as we do He doth not care if his enemies have them His own Son when he took upon him our flesh had none of them more then for necessity and his Apostle perswadeth us if we have food and raiment to be therewith content For there be snares in these outward things and if God give not a blessing with them they be the rods of God to scourge the sons of men and great impediments to godly life There is an Holy use may be made of them but they are not our happinesse seeing they whom God hateth may have them in a greater abundance then those whom God loveth best 2. The authour of the Prophecie Thus saith the Lord. This is the assurance of the truth of all that followeth in this Prophecie and it is the ground of our faith to beleeve what is here revealed it is no passionate motion in the heart and affections of the Prophet against Edom but it is the word of the Lord. These be the bounds that are set to the Prophets and Holy ministers of the Lord we may go no further then the word of the Lord. Christ himself saith often The word which thou gavest me I gave them And Balaam did his office and calling right when he told the king of Moab Lo I am come unto thee Num. 22. v. 38. have I any power to say any thing the word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord hath put in my mouth 23 12. All that the Lord speaketh that must I do v. 26. Cap. 24.12 And Balaam said unto Balak Spake I not to thy messengers saying If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine own minde but what the Lord saith that will I speak When God designed Jeremie to the office of a Prophet who did fear to undertake that great employment God said to him Say not I am a childe Jer. 17. for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thee shalt thou speak When our Saviour sent forth his disciples he so limited them Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 20.20 And accordingly Saint Paul doth professe First of all I delivered unto you 1 Cor. 15.3 that which I also received Thus doth the Apostle again professe being accused of the Jews I obtained help of God and continue unto this day Act. 26.22 Witnessing unto to small and great saying no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come 1. This limitation we finde in the titles of our office for we are the Lords workmen and we must do his work not our own the Lords builders he provideth the materials we work not by great but day-work We are the Lords Messengers and Embassadors we may not digresse from our instructions the messenger of the Lord must speak the Lords message 2. This is necessary in respect of those to whom we are sent for the seeling of their faith so the Apostle hath declared it And my speech and my preaching was not in the entising words of mans wisdom 1 Cor. 2.4 but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery There is nothing that giveth faith firm footing but the word of God That is the Lords fan which purgeth away the chaff and trash from the good corn That is the bread of our fathers house words of mens brains be the husks that the prodigall gathered up in his famine That is the two edged sword that divideth between the bone and the marrow that is the medicine that searcheth the soars and diseases of the inward man Humane wisdom put into the best words is but as a woodden dagger it may dry beat it will never kill the body of sin it
shall be done to thee c. And after Metaphorically he expresseth the retaliation As thou hast drunk upon my holy mountain hereof we observe the change of the manner of speech that is here used we shall cleere the Text from that difficulty that hath distracted interpreters so that they have failed in the right meaning of these words For whereas before the Prophet speaketh to Edom here he bringeth in God himselfe speaking to Ierusalem comforting them in the declaration of his just judgement against her enemies for he saith to Iacob As thou hast drunk upon my holy mountains so shall all the heathen drink continually By the Metaphor of drinking which is referred to that which is called the cup of the Lords indignation of which David saith In the hand of the Lord there is a cup the Wine is red c. By this figure then the cup of affliction is understood the phrase was used after by our Saviour Let this cup passe from me again If thou wilt not let it passe but that I must drink thereof thy will be done We use that phrase to drink of the cup of God So the threatning runneth in this sense that as the people of God upon Gods holy mountaine have drunk of the cup of Gods wrath and have had their draught thereof which was but for a time So shall all the heathen drinke and their judgement shall not have end they shall drink continually there shall be no end of their affliction they shall swallow down the wrath of the Lord untill they be utterly destroyed for they shall be as though they had not been In which words is contained 1. A judgement against the Heathen 2. A consolation to the Church In the judgement observe 1. The certainty thereof the day is set 2. The propinquity of it it is neere 3. The extent of it to all the heathen 4. The equity of it as thou hast done 5. The certainty of it they shall drinke c. 6. The duration of it continually In the comfort note 1. He speaketh of it as of a judgement past and gone at ye have drunk thereof 2. He calleth their dwelling though thus punished My Holy Mountain 3. He revealeth to them his severe vengeance against their enemies 1. Of the judgement 2. Of the certainty The Lord hath set down and decreed a day for vengeance threatnings of woe at large do move but little but when the punishment is denounced and the day set for the execution thereof this cannot but pierce and draw blood And being here called the day of the Lord that is a day designed by the Lord for this execution it is more quick and penetrating There is no sin which is committed on earth but God hath both made a Law against it to forbid the doing of it and he hath declared his judgement against it yet hath he given us the light of his word or the light of the Law which his finger wrote in our hearts to declare it to us and he hath given us time also to repent and amend it and he is patient and long-suffering in his expectation of our amendment But where it is not amended he doth set down a day for the execution of his just judgement for he will not he cannot suffer his truth to faile His patience and mercy will take their day first and his justice will also have her day Saint Iames advertizeth us Let patience have her perfect work Jer. 1. â— We have a faire example of God for this For he will not let the work of his patience be unperfect he will forbear us till the very day of his justice designed for punishment Though all the masters of Assemblies all the Ministers of the word be continually striking at this naile we cannot drive it into the head to make men beleeve that God hath set a day for punishment of all our sins The promise of grace to the penitent doth so comfort us generally that we hope we shall have time enough to put off that day by our repentance and then again we often take that for repentance which is not it For it is not enough to remember our sins with a God forgive me Repentance is a putting off of sinne an hatred of it and a change of life and manners every sorrow is not such But were it that this day were thought upon with that feare and trembling that is due to it it would put sin out of countenance and the sinner out of hope The sinner that beleeves not this doth make God a lyar whose word of truth hath revealed the certainty of this day to us 2. It armeth the lusts of the flesh against the soule for who is he that liveth without fear that will bridle his affections or stop the swift current of nature in himself but runneth into sinne as an horse rusheth into the battaile But when we do consider upon every sin that we commit that the day of the Lord shall declare it the day of the Lord shall punish it this maketh us afraid of our secret sins for feare of shame and of all sins for feare of punishment The certainty that this day will come the uncertainty when it will come is the greatest motive to hasten repentance that may be 2. The Propinquity it is neere If our Consciences be convinced of the certainty of this day and the judgement thereof Sathans next allusion is to flatter us that it is afarre off and shall not come yet and there will be time enough to repent us of our sin If we tell you indefinitely that it is neere yet you may hope not so neere but that we may prevent it For the Apostle hath told his brethren long-agoe of the last day The end of all things is at hand But it is 1600 yeers since 1 Pet. 4.7 and where is the promise of his coming But let not that comfort thee in sin for even that day is neer seeing time is nothing to eternity but thy day wherein God shall visit thy sinnes with his judgements may be much sooner If we had Commission to tell you it is but forty dayes and the next day is the day of the Lord as Jonah did peradventure it would warn you but we have no Commission to say it is so it is a good proofe that it is neere when none can promise that this very day shall not be it Yet we see there were some that took the day of their death neere themselves cras moriemur yet they made evil use of it Edamus bibamus as the Epicure Dum vivimus â—rvamus For the sensuall and carnall man maketh that evil use of his neere end to live more sensually Post mortem nulla voluptas In every particular mans case St. John doth admonish us all well Now also is the Axe layed to the root of the Tree I learn a parable of Christ Do but consider thine own field and see the Com that grows upon it and observe
If I have spoken evil Joh. 8.22.23 bear witnesse of the evil but if well why smitest thou me This then is spoken by our Saviour to forbid private revenge that no man should be the judge of his own wrong but should bear it with patience It is Saint Augustines answer Obedientia istanon in ostentatione corporis est sed in preparatione cordis And he saith Non maxillam tantum obtulit sed totum corpus dedit figendum cruci And he addeth Quanto melius et respondit vera placatus et ad perferenda graviora paratus est He could have withdrawn his cheek from the smiter Lam. 3 30 but he would fulfill the Prophecie He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him he is filled with reproaches Private revenge Christ forbiddeth us Christ did not take it against his adversary that smote him he reproved it in Peter he amended the maim that he made and healed his smiter But war is a publike revenge and the Magistrate beareth the sword to that purpose to execute revenge upon evil doers Vengeance is Gods and where he committeth the trust of execution thereof as he doth to the Magistrate there it is lawfull This cleareth many other like objections as that Qui gladio ferit Lam. 11. gladio peribit He that smiteth with the sword shall perish by the sword we must recompence to no man evil for evil For all this is meant of our revenge but the revenge of the Magistrate is the vengeance of God because he is Gods Minister Object 2 The prophet Isay foretold that in the time of the Gospel Isa 2.4 they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more Sol. These words bear three interpretations 1. That this was a signe of the coming of the Messias into the World he was born in a time of cessation from wars when the Romane Monarchy had leasure to leavie a taxation by the Poll so when David had rest then he thought of numbring his People 2. That this was fulfilled in the spirituall Peace and Unity of the Church collected now out of all nations of the World Iew and Gentile made one 3. That this is the proper effect of the Gospel where it was embraced faithfully to make Peace Under the name of Edom we may understand all the enemies of the Truth of God and Christian Religion such as are Schismaticks and Hereticks who understanding not the mystery of Godlinesse and Peace do set their wits against the Church to corrupt the Truth therein deposited and professed or to disturb the quiet professours thereof 1. Hereticks These are our brethren by outward profession 1. Heretiques calling themselves Christians but they see that we have gotten the birthright and the blessing from them and therefore they hate us and are comforted against us to destroy us The Church is Gods Israel the children of the Promise filij regni filij thalami filij lucis children of the kingdom of the Bridechamber and of the light The Embassadours that are sent to stir up to war against those be the Ministers of the Word of God for to this purpose we are sent forth to confirm the brethren against those to reconcile these to God And we are commanded to arise against these in battell The war and so the weapons with which we fight against these are not carnall but spirituall the clear light of the Gospel which is the power of God to salvation to them that beleeve and the Truth of God which is strong and prevaileth against them that beleeve not It is time for us to joyn together as one man in battell against these Especially the Papists whose Religion is ambition whose piety is worldly policy whose zeal is combustion whose faith is fury who hide the Word of Light in the darknesse of an unknown tongue to keep the people ignorant that they may not know Gods right hand from his left to emplunge them in the flames of their imagined Purgatory that they may be well paid to release them thence They mingle the sacrament of Baptisme with their own inventions which they make acquivalent in vertue to the power of Gods ordinance The mangle the sacrament of the Lords supper by robbing the people of one half thereof taking the cup from them They disable the sacrifice of Christs sufficient satisfaction for sin by addition of humane merits of erogation and super erogation They weaken the sole intercession of Christ by intrusion of more Mediatours Angels the Mother of our Lord and Saints They shorten the free and full grace of God which Christ himself from Heaven told Paul was sufficient by their lying doctrine of Free-will They flatter and abett some by their doctrine of indulgencies which attributeth to the Pope power of pardoning sins past and to come They dishonour the holy sufficient Word of God by acqui-ballancing with the same humane Traditions and false Legends They destroy true saving faith by their false doctrine of implicite faith teaching that is enough to beleeve as the Church beleeveth not declaring what the Church beleeveth and upon what ground their faith is built They maintain flat Idolatry by teaching the worshipping of Images and praying to Saints And for the power which they give to the Pope against God in dispensing with the breach of his Covenants in coining new Articles of faith in defining the interpretation of Scriptures in usurping authority over temporall Princes to enthrone and to dethrone at pleasure to arm their natural subjects against them to animate Incendiaries to abett treasons to blow up States All these things and many more call upon us take arms and joyn our strengths against this Edom this red and hairy and bloody enemy whose mercies are cruell The best weapon against this Kingdom of darknesse is the Light of Truth the more we carry this Light about us the more will the ignorant amongst them know how they are abused and mis-led For our war is spirituall not against their Persons but against their Heresies 2. Schismaticks These also call us brethren but they break the Unity and Uniformity of the Church All the children of Peace must arise against these in battel this also is a spirituall war and the sword of the spirit must be drawn and used against these to cut them off as Saint Paul wisheth I would they were cut off that trouble you Or if the Word of God cannot prevail with them to convert them to peace The discipline of the Church which Saint Paul calleth his rod must be used against them to cut them off from our congregations The Apostle calleth them Leaven and saith that a little leaven soureth the whole lump So do Schismaticks for a few of them do corrupt many and divert them from the congregations whereof they are members and distaste the established Ministery to them and set them in opposition to
in summa pericula misit Venturi timor ipse mali fortissinâ—â—â— ille est Qui promptus metunda pati The feare of evil to come hath endangered many he is the most valiant that is ready to suffer what is feared 2. It tryeth our faith Christ said to Peter Cur times exiguâ fide praedites when he so felt himselfe sinking in the waters God promised I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Do we beleeve him Dare we trust him as Christ Do you beleeve in God beleeve also in me 2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Jam. 2. 3. Knowing this that the trying of your Faith worketh patience 4. But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 1 Pet. 1 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more precious then of gold which perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ c. 3. This setteth before our eyes the great appearance that our enemies shall make before us either in this world when our eye shall have our desire on them that hate us or in the last day when the Saints shall judge the world which serveth to admonish us with the Prophet To commit our wayes to the Lord and to trust in him for he shall bring it to passe Excellent is the story of Elisha whom the King of Syriâ— sent an Army to take and they beset Dothan where he lodged but Elisha prayed and God smote the whole Army with blindnesse and he whom they sought offered himselfe to them to be their guide and he brought them into Samaria and then God opened their eyes and they saw themselves in the hand and power of their enemies Thus doth God blind the eyes of the enemies of his Church and when ther malice is at the height they find themselves set at the Barre to be judged by his Saints then Iacob shall judge the Mount of Esau Methinkes I see the great appearance of the boisterous Tyrants of the earth whose eyes did sparkle fire in the faces of Gods servants whole tongue spake proud words whose foot trode upon Gods Saints whose hand spared them not whose countenance darted against them scorne and disdaine and whose swords were made drunke in the bloud of Gods Holy ones With what a feareful trembling and horrible dread they come to this judgement against their wils where they shall see the Saints all in long white robes like a flock of sheep that come from the washing in whose glorified faces they shall behold their owne shame and dishonour in whose place and joy they shall behold the bloudy persecution wherewith they have oppressed them in their life and in whose setled happinesse they shall read their doom of eternall woe And as Saint Peter saith How shall the wicked and ungodly appeare there needs no more evidence against them bring them to judgement and that sight shall convince them 3. The issue and effect of all And the Kingdome shall be the Lords This is the proper fruite of our deliverance from the hands of our enemies that the Kingdome of God may be established on earth in Gods Church 1. For so long as the enemies of God do tyrannize and fill all with their grosse actions the face of the Church is covered the Temples of God are defiled and demolished the worship of God seeketh private corners and sheweth not it selfe the Saints of God fly from the Sword of Persecution wandring here and there from one Nation to another people and it is hard to say where the Church of God is During the persecution under the cruell Emperours till Constantine aross and restored the Kingdome to God the Kingdome of God on earth was not abolished quite but it was in some sort invisible not that it was then hidden from all the faithfull as it was from the world therefore concerning the invisiblenesse of this Kingdome we do affirme 1. That though this Kingdome of God be so established on earth that the gaâ—â—â— of hell shall not prevails against it because God gave to his son that asked him the heâ—â—hen for his inheritance and the utmost part of the earth for his possession And Christ promised to give the Holy Ghost to his Church to abide with it for ever 〈◊〉 yeâ—at sometimes the faithfull may be so few in number and they so separated one from another in the pursuit of their owâ—â— sâ—â—â—ty that the world cannot easily discome the face of a Church This some of the Church of Rome have confessed affirming that about the time of Christs passion and the dispersion of his Disciples theâ—â— true faith remained onely in the blessed Virgin Mary But untruly◠〈◊〉 the Disciples though they fled from the persecution of that time they fled not froâ—â— the â—aith of Christ But was it not so in Eliahs time when he knew of no more but himselfe alone that served the true God yet God had knees that had never bowed to Baal even then 2. We affirme that Satans Kingdome may so farre dilate it selfe in power and spreading that the externall government of the Church may cease the succession of Bishops and Pastors may be interrupted the Discipline of the Church hindered and the outward exercise of Gods Worship suspended the sunne of righteousnes may suffer ecclipse and thus much the Rhemists do confesse in their notes upon 2 Thes 2.2 3. That which the common opinion doth embrace for the Kingdome of God may be Satans Kingdome whose doctrine is poison whose pastors are wolves in sheeps cloathing whose children are bastards of the Strumpet of Babylon This appeares in the Church story for when Româ— forsook her first Love and began to turne saith into faction and religion into carnall policy to establish a tâ—anscendent greatnesse on the face of the earth and to tyrannize over all that stood for the truth revealed in the word then was the candle of the Church put out so farre as they could prevaile and the word of God the light of our steps was taken away from the people Then did the faithfull subjects of Gods Kingdome hide themselves from the sword and the fire and the sundry persecutions which Rome devised to oppresse them then their heresy past for truth commonly their usurpers for lawfull Bishops their mercenaries for Pastors their legendes for Gospel and they boasted themselves the only true Church of God and Spouse of Iesus Christ And when by the ministry of Dr. Lurher the Church began to lift up the head againe and that one single man opposed the Pope and was a burning and shining Lampe to whose light many dayly resorted we see that ever since that time the Church hath come more and more in sight and growne both in number and strength Kings have been nursing Fathers and Queens have been Nurses and the Kingdom of God hath been gloriously advaanced on earth Then did England