abuse them through their injustice to make the poor of the land fail For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord. I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12.5 Neither doth God say it onely though that were sufficient but swear it too in this chapter yea in this text the two next following verses are put in as by a parenthesis and these Cormorants are called upon to hear it and not to passe it by with a deaf ear tanquam monstra marina as such kind of creatures use to do Verse 5. Saying when will the New-moon be gone c. O what a wearinesse it is I and ye have snuffed at it Mal. 1.13 See the Note there This ye have said or thought at least and God knoweth the language of your hearts He presseth upon no man neither will he accept of that service that is pressed out of people as verjuice out of a crab All his saints are free-hearted Psal 110.3 all his souldiers volunteeres The sabbath they call Desiderium dierum they welcome the sabbath as that holy man did who went forth to meet and salute it with Veni sponsa mea Come my sweet spouse I have dearely longed for thee They also passe it over with singular delight Esay 58.13 walking into Christs garden of spirituall duties whereof there is so great variety for the good soule to breath it self in and not be sated Cant. 2. and then are taken into Christs wine-cellar 1 Cor. 2. and after an holy manner inebriated with divine consolations such as the cock on the dunghil knowes not such as pass all carnall mens understanding They find no more rellish in holy dayes and duties then they do in the white of an egge or in a dry chip the work they do at such times for fashion-sake or feare of law c. is dead work as the Apostle calleth it they sit in the stocks when they are at prayers and come out of the Church when the tedious sermon runs somewhat beyond the houre as prisoners do out of a jayle c. they cannot tell how to weare out the sabbath which therefore they wish over and constantly violate either by corporall labour or else which is as bad or worse by spirituall idlenesse Full ill would these men addere de profano ad sacrum as the Jewes say we should do Buxtorf Synag Jud. pronouncing those happy that begin the sabbath with those of Tiberias and end it with those of Tsepphore the former began it sooner then others the later continued it longer Full ill would they have liked our King Edgars law Act. Mon. that Sunday should be solemnized from Saturday nine of the clock till Munday morning Full loth would these men be to beg Davids office out of his hand of being a doore-keeper in Gods house that is to be first in and last out And what would they do to keep an everlasting sabbath in heaven that are so troubled and even tired out with so short an attendance on the Lords-day not without a world of wilfull distractions such as spoyle and fly-blow their performances so that they stink in the nostrils of the Almighty and the sabbath Not the sabbath of the seventh yeare called Shemittah Remission Levit. 25. as some would have it meant but the weekly sabbath which the unrighteous Mammonists here cry out of as if on that day the Sun proceeded a flower pace then on others and they greatly grutcht lucellum suum Dei cultui cedere that God should be served to their disadvantage Their fingers therefore itch to be setting out corn and they as dearely desire it as David did once to come and appeare before the Lord. O rus quand◠te aspiciam Horat. As He had his when shall I come by way of wish Psal 42.3 so they had their When shall we fell corn when shall we set forth wheat Surely as Davids soule longed sore to go forth unto Absalom 2 Sam. 13.39 so that he could have found in his heart but for stark shame to have gone himself and fetched him home so was it with these gripple corn-masters these frumenti corrasores veluti corrosores Prov. 11.26 They had a good mind to have been doing on the New-moones and sabbaths Exod. 20.8 34 21. Lev. 23.3 Neh. 10.32 13.15 c. Num. 10.1 2 Sam. 20.5 but that they were flatly forbidden by the law made on purpose for these lawlesse and disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 these masterless monsters these yokeless Belialists to be to them as chaines and shackles to confine them as Solomons command did Shimei that they may not leape over the pale after profit and pleasure or if they do they may dye for it Esay 66.23 it is prophecyed that in the restitution of the church from one new-moon to another and from one sabbath to another as oft as they come without tire-somenesse all flesh shall come to worship before the Lord they shall call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable Esay 58.13 be rapt and ravished in spirit Rev. 1.10 be in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost all the day long Epist 3. ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ignatius hath it Sabbatize spiritually rejoycing in divine meditations This well practised would take men off from the worlds tastelesse fooleries as his mouth will not water after homely provisions that hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance It would also blessedly free them from those many foolish and hurtfull lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 those heavy sorrowes and self-created miseries wherewith covetous caytiffes pierce them selves thorough gall and gore-their own hearts and trouble their own houses verse 10. taking no more rest then if upon a rack or bed of thornes making the Ephah small and the shekel great Selling by small measures but for great rates which was directly against the law Deut. 25.13 14. and that golden Rule of right the standard of equity the royall law of liberty Mat. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets this is the sum of what they have said for duties of the second table and falsifying the balances by deceit Heb. preverting the ballances of deceit that is by a metonymie as Job 22.6 making those that were right deceitfull See Prov. 20.10 23. with the Notes there Such falsifiers are counted no better then Canaanites Hos 12.7 and shall have small joy of their cursed hoards of evill gotten goods Verse 6. That we may buy the poore for silver c. Thus the poore alwayes pay for it the modest and mild poore especially as ver 4. Hence Poore and afflicted are put for one and the same Zeph. 3.12 and to want and to be abased Philip. 4.12 they that want shall be sure to be abased and abused
Philosophers say that before a snow the weather will be warmish when the wind lies the great raine falles and the faire weather made before him till the instant that he was drowned in the sea Nebuchadnezzar Herod and other tyrants were smitten in the height of their pride and ruffe of their iollity Jerusalem had three yeares great plenty before her last destruction of which some interpret this Text. Those seven once flourishing Churches of Asia how glorious and resplendent were they till they had sinned away their light The same might be said of many others and who knowes how soon it may be said also of us who knowes whether we be not even now upon the very Tropikes and turning-points of time Surely Gods patience towards us quò diuturnior eò minacior the longer it lasteth the more evill is toward us if we abuse it If in a land of light we love darknesse better then light we may soon have enough of it Solem in Britannia non occidere nec resurgere retulii Tacitus In vit Agricol Tacitus telleth us that at some time of the yeare the Sun seemeth neither to rise nor fall in this country but so lightly to pass from us in the night that you can scarce discern day from night Of England for this many yeares it may be said as Solinus doth of the Rhodes Polyhistor that it is semper in Sole sita ever in the Sun How long it shall be so He alone knowes that knowes all Walk whiles ye have the light and pray that God would discloud these gloomy dayes with the beames of his mercy and not cause our Sun to go down at noon nor our land to be darkened in the clear day Oh stop this Sun of righteousnesse posting as it may seem from us when the blind man cried lustily Jesus though journying stood still stay him by your importunities as those two did at Emaus and say Vespera jam venit nobiscum Christe maneto Extingui lucem nec patiare tuam Verse 10. And I will turn your feasts into mourning Whether your idolatrous feasts and temple-musick whereby you vainely conceit to be secured from danger saying Is not the Lord amongst us what evill can come unto us Or your common feasts whereat you have songs to cheer you up and so to put sorrow from your hearts and evill from your flesh nourishing your selves as in a day of slaughter or good cheer Jam. 5.5 All shall be turned into mourning funerall mourning see ver 3. and I will bring up sack-cloth upon all loynes for a token of your great grief as the custome then was and is still for mourning-weedes The Hebew word sack is the same in almost all languages which sheweth that the Hebrew is the mother of all the rest saith Mercer and baldnesse upon every head you shall pull off your haire for grief Or because they had learned of the Heathens their neighbours in token of lamentation to shave their heades Ezech. 7.18 Jer. 48.37 and beards too Isa 15.2 which yet was forbidden them to do Lev. 19.27 and 21 9. unlesse it were to shew their sorrow for sin Esa 22.12 and I will make it as the mourning of an only son which was very bitter Jer. 6.26 Zech. 12.10 The losse of a loving yoke fellow is more grievous then that of a son but to father and mother together nothing more bitter then luctuosa foecunditas Laeta's case in Hierome to bury many children and especially to bury all in One and the end thereof as a bitter day Thereof that is either of that land or of that lamentation there shall be bitternesse in the end So the Poet Nunc amara dies noctis amarior umbra est Tioul lib 2. Omnia jam tristi tempora felle madent How could it be otherwise then extream bitter with this people when heaven and earth conspired to punish them neither had they the good word of God called the word of his patience Rev. 3.10 written on purpose that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 that out of those breasts of consolation we might suck and be satisfied Esa 66.11 to succour them and keep from swooning Psal 119.92 And this was the greatest plague of all the rest and is therefore reserved to the last place deterrima tanquam colophon as a most sad catastrophe Verse 11. Behold the dayes come Behold it for it is a just wonder the Lord createth a new thing in the earth when Israel should want the word Israel to whom were committed the oracles of God Israel to whom God had spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets which had been since the world began Luc. 1.70 in a sweet succession See my True treasure pag. 3.4 He made known his wayes to Moses his acts and monuments to the children of Israel Psal 103.7 Yet even these who had the cornu-copia of Gods word shall now suffer a famine of it they shall have cause to â—ry out We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there amongst us any that knoweth how long Psal 74.9 the word of God shall be pretious 1 Sam. 3. and they shall be hard put to 't to come by it Amaziah and his complices shall not need to pack away the Prophets as chap. 7.12 and to bid them go preach elsewhere the law shall be no more the Prophets also shall find no vision from the Lord Lam. 2.9 that I will send a famine in the land Heb. I will let it out sc out of my treasury of plagues where I have it ready and desirous to be a broad and turn it loose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag which before I kept up as a wild beast that it might not hurt nor destroy in all mine holy mountaine now it shall out amongst you and the devill with it Rev. 12.12 with hell at the heeles of it not a famine of bread though that 's very grievous Lam. 1.11 19. and 2.12 20. and 4.4 9. and 5.16 and puts people to many hard straits and extremities as were easie to instance even to the eating of one another nor a thirst for water a torment more intolerable then the former Lysimachus to save his life parted with his kingdom for a draught of water But of hearing the word of the Lord which is pabulum animae the souls proper food such as she cannot live without but when God seeth his oracles vilipended and lying under the table 't is just with him to call to the enemy to take away It was so with those seven churches of Asia among many others as also with those of Africa that vast Continent thrice as large as Europe in all which there is not any region intirely possessed by Christians but the kingdom of Habassia for as for the large region of Nubia which had from the Apostles time as 't is thought professed the Christian faith it hath again
countrey-men of Athens to get their ears healed and Diogenes used to tell his tale to the statues and images that he might inure himself to lose his labour as he had so often done in speaking to the people Pag. 18. Let us to the wearing of our tongues to the stumps preach and pray never so much men will on in sinne said blessed Bradford in that excellent Sermon of his of Repentance We cry till we are hoarse saith another rare Preacher we speak till we spit forth our lungs but all to as little purpose as Bede did when he preached to an heap of stones Asine quispiam narrabat fabulam at ille movebat aures But shall people thus carry it away and God lose his sweet words Never think it Those that will not hear the word shall hear the rod verse 9. of this chapter and if they could but see their misery they would do as the Prophet requires cut their hair and cast it away under the sense of the horror of Gods indignation Jer. 7.27 29. they would beg of God a hearing ear which is as an ear-ring of gold Prov. 25.12 and beseech him to make the bore bigger that his word might enter yea to draw up the ears of their souls to the ears of their bodies that one saving sound might pierce both at once Let him that hath an ear to hear hear or if yet any think good to forbear let him forbear Ezek. 3.27 but he will certainly repent it He that now gives God occasion to call to the hills c. shall one day tire the deaf mountains saying Fall on me hide me dash and quash me in a thousand peeces O that I might trot directly to hell and not stay to hear that dreadfull Discedite Go ye cursed Verse 2. Hear O ye mountains the Lords controversie Although the people would neither hear nor obey God the Prophet doth and according to command he summoneth the mountains to hear and testifie the Lord seeming to say unto him as once he did to Ezekiel But thou sonne of man be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house but hear what I say unto thee and do it It might seem to him a senselesse thing to cite the mountains c. But hee knew that if God command a thing to argue or debate upon it were bold presumption to search the reason of it proud curiosity to detrect or disobey it flat rebellion To the mountains and foundations of the earth he applies himself happly with like minde and in like manner as the Host of Nola did to the Church-yard and there called at the graves of the dead Oh ye good men of Nola come away Anton. de Guevara for the Roman Censor calls for your appearance for he knew not where to call for a good man alive and ye strong foundations of the earth Those roots of the mountains Jon. 2.7 yet not so strong but God can shake them Job 9.5 6. Nah. 1.5 6. and that by so weak a creature as air gotten under ground and seeking a vent Hee can lift them off their foundations Deut. 32.22 and carry them to another place to hear his controversie as he did the hill in Herefordshire Anno 1571. Camden de Bâ—â—tan fol. 473. Polan synt and that other in the territories of Bern that removing out of his place in an earth-quake covered a whole village that had 90 families in it See the Note on Amos 1.1 for the Lord hath a controversie with his people See the Note on Hos 4.1 and learn to tremble before this great God who sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers Esay 40.22 which he can shake out of their place at pleasure and send them packing to hell O consider what a fearfull thing it is to be at controversie with God and to have him both our Accuser witnesse and Judge O the terrour of the Lord at that great and last day of the world Vtinam ubique de hoc judiâ—io disseretur Then shall they begin to say to the mountains Fall on us but they shall reply Luke 23 30. we are witnesses against you for your detestable unthankfulnesse and to the hills Cover us but they shall eccho out Cover us for who can dwell with this devouring fire who can abide these everlasting burnings and he will plead with Israel At which time they shall find that an empty title hath but an empty comfort and that tribulation and anguish shall be on every soul of man that doth evil but of the Jew first because of his priviledge Rom. 2.9 and then of the Gentile None so deep in utter darknesse as those that once were Angels of light Let us all pray with holy David Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord c. And with Job If thou shouldst contend with me Psal 143.2 Joh 9.2 3. Dan. 9.7 8. I could not answer thee one of a thousand And with Daniel O Lord righteousnesse belongs unto thee but to us confusion of face because we have sinned against thee Verse 3. O my people what have I done unto thee Or rather what have I not done to do thee good O generation see yee the word of the Lord Jer. 2.31 and not hear it onely was ever any thing more evidencing and evincing then what I now alledge Have I been a wildernesse unto Israel a land of darknesse May I not well say unto you as He did to his ungratefull countreymen What Are ye weary of receiving so many benefits from one man But say What hurt have I ever done you Themistocles and wherein have I wearied you or been troublesome to you unlesse it be by daily loading you with loving-kindnesses Psal 68.19 and bearing with your provocations Forgive me that injury 2 Cor. 12.13 Testifie against me Put me in remembrance let us plead together declare thou against me that thou mayest be justified Esay 43.26 See here first with what meeknesse and mildnesse God proceedeth against sinners so Esay 5.3 Judicate quaeso See next that God is content for our better conviction to submit his courses unto scanning and to bring his proceedings with us to a triall before hee passe sentence that he might be justified when he speaketh and cleared when hee judgeth Psal 51.4 Here hee wills them to plead the cause with him as it were at even hand offering to make answer to whatsoever they could object or lay to his charge Seipsum quasi reum sistit He maketh himself the Defendant Gualther and bids them put in their Bill of complaint against him freely and without fear This is Stupenda sanè dignatio a wonderfull condescention indeed Should he use martiall law against us M. Neh. Rog. and assoon as ever we offend like Draco write his lawes in blood upon us as One well saith it were but just and right But for him to reason and plead with us about the justice of his
another Atheist is brought in saying Dextrae mihi Deus Virg. Aeneid lib. 10. telum quod missile libro So Sesostris king of Egypt in Sampsons dayes would needes be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord of the whole world and when he had conquered any countrey he caused these words to be engraven there upon marble pillars This countrey I gained by mine own strength c. So Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod l. 2. that little Antichrist is said to worship his God Mauzzim that is his forces and armies Dan. 11.38 It was Nebuchadnezzar that was here pointed at and how he deified himself and his own doings see Es 10.13 Dan. 4.26 and burn intense to their draggs whiles they ascribe to the instrument that which is due to God alone the chief Agent Hold out net said they well done dragge c. Hoc ego primus vidi said Zabarell Hoc ego feci saith Another But what saith Luther By mens boasting in this sort Haec ego feci haec ego feci Luth. in Psal 127. they become nothing better then mere Faeces dreggs and lees because by them their portion is fat By them that is by their net and dragge they think that their condition is well mended and their meat is fat opimus optimus God the giver of all this is not in all their thoughts but as the moon the fuller it is of light the further it getts from the Sun the fountain of her light so deale men with God Verse 17. Shall they therefore empty their net That they may fill it againe anew and so draw to themselves as to a pond or pool the wealth and power of the whole East Interrogatio precationis speciem habet saith Gualther This question is an effectuall prayer and it is as if the Prophet should thus say If as hitherto thou go on to wink at their wickednesse O God will they not grow more audacious every day and mischievous to mankind Arise therefore O Lord of recompences to the help of thy people Set up and shew thy self above the heathen that they may know themselves to be but men and not spare continually to slay the nations q. d. This cannot hold long and that it may not is mine earnest suite and supplication Lord when thou makest inquisition for blood remember their blood-guiltinesse Psal 9.12 and forget not the cry of the humble These cruell Chaldeans do not only subjugate but slay not a few but whole nations and that continually and that without mercy Is it not high time for thee to set to thy hand O preserver of men c. Note the Prophets ardency in prayer and learn of him to get upon the battlements and look up to see what comes of it chap. 2.1 This was also Davids practise Psal 5.3 where he useth the self-same military word atsappeh importing that he would be as a Spy upon a tower to see whether he prevailed with God whether he got the day CHAP. II. Verse 1. I will stand upon my watch To see what becomes of my prayer and what will be the issue of my doubts and temptations about Gods providence ruling the affaires of the world See the Note on chap. 1.17 There are spaces betwixt our prayers and Gods answers God harkens what Habacuc speakes and Habacuc must harken another while what God speakes This he had learned of David Psal 85.8 Prayer is a Christians angel seed dove messenger and must be looked after Who shootes an arrow or casts a boule and takes not notice where it lights They that observe not the answer of their prayers do as scoffing Pilate who asked in scorn of Christ what 's truth but staid not for an answer and set me upon the tower Heb set me firme and fast as a Champion that will keep his ground upon the tower or fortresse of divine meditation upon Gods word Nescio quomodo imbecillior est medicina quam morbus which alone hath virtutem pacativam a settling property to compose the soule when distempered and to lodge a blessed calme a sabbath of rest in it far above all Philosophicall Consolations whereunto when Cicero had ascribed very much yet he is forced to conclude that the disease was too hard for the medicine And this well appeared both in Socrates who died doubtingly and Cato who desperately slew himself after he had first read Plato's discourse concerning the immortality of the soule So foolish a thing it is to flie in distresse of mind ad consolatiunculas creaturulae as Luther speaketh and not to run to the Name of the Lord that strong tower Prov. 18.10 R. Kimchi reades the text thus I have set me in a circle q. d. I will not out till I have an answer why thou deferrest to punish the wicked and will watch to see what he will say unto me Or in me viz. by a Prophetick spirit by internall revelation 2 Sam. 23.1 Zach. 1.9 and 2.2 Preachers must still hearken what the Lord God saith unto them and in them speaking as the oracles of God 2 Pet. 4.11 and able to say with St. Paul I have received of the Lord that which also I deliver unto you 1 Cor. 11.23 For ut drachmam auri sine imagine Principis sic verba Praedicantis sine authoritate Dei contemnunt homines saith Lipsius Bring scripture or else you do but throw forth words without wisdome and to little purpose because they come not Cumprivilegio and what I shall answer when I am reprooved Heb upon my reproof or arguing Increpationis nomine tentationes intelligit saith Gualther Under the name of reproof he understandeth those temptations whereby his faith was assaulted when he saw bad men prosper good men suffer Satan and the world do usually set upon Gods servants with this weapon to unsettle their faith and to make them fall from their own stedfastnesse Dost thou still retain thine integrity said Jobs wife to him Seest thou not how little good there is to be got by Gods service that all things are in a huddle here below that they run on wheeles and have no certain course Thus the devill and his imps suggest to the godly and thereby greatly disquiet them setting their thoughts all on an hurricomb It was the case of David Psa 73. of Jeremy chap. 12.1.5 Of Basil under the heat of the Arrian persecution An Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Dominus saith He what hath the Lord cast off all care of his churches Is it now the last houre c. Of many good people in Salvians time for whose satisfaction he was forced to write those eight excellent bookes De Gubernatione Dei as likewise Austin upon a like occasion did those two and twenty elaborate bookes De Civitate Dei and as the Prophet Habacuc here doth the following vision which he had for some time waited for and now receiveth as a gracious answer to his prayer chap. 1. for his own and others
can suck honey out of a flower so cannot a flye they should busie their eyes and regard the work of the Lord Isai 5.12 Psal 35.27 Ezek. 3.12 yea they should so consider the operation of his hand as to say sensibly Let the Lord be magnified Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place God hath delivered me out of all trouble saith David and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies The Edomites stood looking on and laughing at the Israelites destruction Obad. 12.13 God saw this and it displeased him as he is wondrous sensible of the least indignity done to his people He therefore payes them home in their own coyn and promiseth his Israel that they shall rejoyce when they see the vengeance Psal 58.10 they shall wash their feet in the blood of these wicked ones become more cantelous by their just destruction Learn we hence First To have our eyes open upon the judgements of God whether general or personal that nothing of this nature passe our observation lest we incur the curse denounced Isa 5.12 and be made examples to others because we would not be warned by the example of others Lege historiam ne fias historiae Sodom and Domorrah are thrown forth as Saint Iude hath it for an example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 June 7. Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 2. suffering the vengeance of eternal fire And Herodotus saith That the ruines and rubbish of Troy are set forth for an example of this rule That National sins bring national plagues and that God greatly punisheth great offences Let him that looketh upon me learn to fear God These words were engraven upon the standing picture of Sennacherib after that God had by an Angel slain his Army and sent him back with shame to his own countrey as the same Herodotus testifieth Secondly Learn we how far forth we may look upon the overthrow of the wicked with delight viz. Not as our own private but as Gods professed enemies Not simply for their ruine but as it is a clearing of Gods glory and of our integrity Psal 9.16 1 Sam. 25.39 Not out of private revenge but pure zeal for God and his cause I say pure zeal for it is difficult to kindle and keep quick the fire of Zeal without all smoke of sinister and selfe-respects And ye shal say The Lord will be magnified c. Or The Lord hath magnified himself i. e. hath declared himself mightily to be a great King above all Gods by executing judgement upon these Grandees of the earth Exod. 18.11 and making out that In the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them Hâ—nce it is that praise waiteth for God in Zion 1 Sam. 12.28 his Name is great in Israel He is sent unto as sometime Ioab sent to David to come and take the city of Rabbah to take the glory of all their deliverances and victories Not unto us Lord not unto us say they but to thy Name be the praise Hunniades would not own or accept the peoples applanses and acclamations Turk hist but ascribed all to God So did our Henry the fift at the battel of Agincourt Speed 799. where he won the day He would not admit his broken Crown or bruised Armour to be born before him in shew which are the usual ensigns of war-like triumphs He also gave strait order that no ballad or song should be made or sung more then of thanksgiving to the Lord for his happy victory and safe return c. Dan. 101 Polyd. Virg. lib. 19. So our Edward the third after his victory at Poictiers where he took the French King prisoner Anno 1356. took speedy order by Simon Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that eight dayes together should be spent in magnifying the Lord from the border of England From the borders of Israel Or from beyond the borders of Israel viz. thronghout the wide world The Saints have large hearts and could beteem the Lord much more praise and service then they have for him Psal 1.45.2 Psal 48.10 Psal 103. They would praise him infinitely and according to his excellent greatness filling up the distance as it were and calling in all the help they can get of Angels men unreasonable and insensible creatures as David did c. Verse 6. A son honoureth his father Heb. Will honour his father Nature teacheth him this lesson to reverence his father Pater est si pater non esset said the young man in Terence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl It is my father I must not crosse him Our parents are our houshold Gods said another heathen and to have all possible respect from us To God and our parents saith Aristotle we can never make recompence There is no nation so barbarous that acknowledgeth not this natural axiom A son must honour his father and a servant his master as Eleazar did Abraham the Centurions servants him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by being at his beck and check in all things Servus est nomen officii A servant is not one that moveth absolutely of himself but he is the masters instrument and wholly his saith Aristoâ—le and therefore oweth him all love reverence and obedience as if he were many Masters in one the word here used for Master is plural Now from this Principle in nature thus laid down the Lord tacitly accuseth them First Of Ingratitude for his great love to them evinced and evidenced in the former verses Secondly Of contempt cast upon him and his service as appeareth first by the application of that natural law confirmed by the custom of all countries If then I be a father c. As you commonly call me and claim me Ier. 3.4 Iohn 8.41 We have one Father even God And you have been long since taught Io to do by Moses and told by what right I come to be your Father though with an exprobration of your detestable undutifulnesse Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord Is not he thy Father and is not he by the same right and reason thy master too that hath bought thee Hath he not made thee and established or preserved thee Hath he not more then all that adopted and accepted thee for his childe 1 Pet. 1.3 begetting thee again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead unlesse thou be still in thy sinnes then the which thou canst not chuse unto thy self a worse condition All which considered what more equal then that I should have both love from thee as a father and fear as a master A mixture of both is required of all Gods children and servants that they yield unto him an amicable fear and a reverent love that they look at once upon his bounty and severity Rom. 11.12 and so call God Father that they spend the whole time of their sojourning here in fear that they fear God and his goodness
for hath he said it and shall he not do it Here is firm footing for faith and men are bound to rest in Gods Ipse dixit Abraham did and required no other evidence Rom. 4. He cared not for the deadnesse of his own body or of his wives womb He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleef c. No more must we if we will be heirs of the world with faithfull Abraham Gods truth and power are the Jachin and Bozez the two pillars whereupon faith must repose beleeâ—ing God upon his bare word and that against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible Verse 2. But who may abide the day of his coming The Prophet Esay asketh Who shall declare his generation Esay 53.8 Daniel 2.11 that is the mystery of his incarnation that habitatio Dei cum carne which the Magicians held imposlible or the history of his birth life and death as some sence it whose tongue shall be able to speak it or pen to write it Who can think of the day of his coming so the Vulgar reads this text viz. of all the glory graces benefits of that day But the Hebrew word is the same as Prov. 18.14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity and is so rendred here by the Chaldee and Kimchi Who can sustain or abide the day of his coming sc in the flesh What wicked man will be able to endre it for he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth that is the consciences of carnall men glued to the earth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Esay 11.4 And this is spoken of the Branch that grew out of the root of Jesse vers 1. when thâ—â— goodly family was sunk so low as from David the king to Joseph the Carpenter With what terrour struck he the hearts of Herod and all Jerusalem by the news of his nativity Mat. 2.3 And si praesepe vagientis Herodem tantum terruit quid tribunal judicantis If Christ in the cradle were so terrible what will he be on the Tribunall The Text that troubled those miscreants was Mic. 5.2 which some taking tsagnir in the Neuter Gender render thus And thou Bethlehem Ephrata it is a small thing to be among the Princes of Judah out of thee shall come a ruler c. This Herod and his complices could not hear of without horrour as neither could that other Herod of the same of Christs mighty works Mart. 14.1 2. such a glimpse of Divine glory shone in them The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse surprizeth the hypocrites and they run as farre and as fast as they can from Christ with these frightfull words in their mouthes Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire who shall abide with the everlasting burnings The Ruffianly souldiers were flung flat on their backs when he said no more but Lam he August Joh. 18.6 Quid autem judicaturus saciet qui udicandus hoc fecit What will he do when he comes to judgement who was thus terrible now that he was to be judged Oh that the terrour of the Lord might perswade people to forsake their sins and to kisse the Son lest he be angry Though a lamb he can be terrible to the kings of the earth and though he break not the bruised reed Matth. 12.20 yet his enemies he will break with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessell Be wise now therefore O ye kings c. Psal 2.9 10. And as the Sun Moon and eleven Starres in Joscphs vision did obeysance to him so let our souls bodies all our temporall naturall morall and spirituall abilities bee subject and serviceable to Christ as ever wee hope to look him in the face with comfort and who shall stand when he appeareth Heb. at the sight of him True it is that Christ coming to help us in distresse for the want of externall pomp in his Ordinances and worldly glory in his Ministers and members and splendour of humane Eloquence in his Doctrines is despised by those that form and frame to themselves a Christ like to the mighty Monarchs of the earth like as Agesilaus King of Spartans coming to help the King of Egypt was slighted in that countrey for his mean habit and contemptible outside But if the Centurion were worthy of respect because he loved the Jewish Nation and built them a Synagogue Shall not Christ much more even as Prince of the Kings of the earth sith hee loved us and washed us with his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father Revel 1.5 6 By whom also hee is made unto us righteousnesse imputatively wisdom sanctisication and redemption effectively by way of inherency and gracious operation Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.20 Jer. 10.7 as the men of Bethshemesh once said Who would not fear this king of Nations saith Jeremy this king of Saints saith John for to him doth it appertain Rev. 15.3 4. sith there is none like unto him neither can any stand before him when he appeareth any more then a glasse bottle can stand before a Cannon shot O come let us worship and bow aown Psal 95. let us keel befoâ—e this Lord our maker If we harden our hearts he will harden his hand and hasten our destruction There 's no standing before this Lion no bearing up sail in the tempest of his wrath you must either be his subjects or his footstool either vail to him or perish by him Thine arrows are sharp iâ— the hoaâ—t of the kings enemtes whereby the people sall under thee Psal 45.5 What a world of miseries have the refractary Jews suffered and do yet for rejecting the Lord Jesus They might have known out of their own Cabalists besides Dâ—ntels seventy weeks and other Scripture-evidences that the Mesliah was amongst them for it is there expressely recorded Vide Malcolin in Act. 18.28 that Messias should come in the time of Hillels disciples one of whom was Sâ—â—â—on the 〈◊〉 who embraced the child Jesus in his arms who also foretold that that child was set for the 〈◊〉 and rising again of many in Israel and soâ— a signe which shouiâ—â—â— spâ—kâ—n against Luk. 2.34 35. thâ—u the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed And to the same purpose St. Peter 1 Epist cap. 2. ver 7 8. But before them both Our Prophet here For he is like a refiners fire Intimating that the times of the Messiah would be discriminating shedding times and that he would separate the precious from the vile the gold from the drosse the sheep from the goats That Nabal should no more be called Nadib the vile person liberali the churle bountifull Esay 32.5 but that good people should be discerned and honoured hypocrites detected and detested as was Judas Magus Denias c. slit up and slain by Christs two-edged
charge The sunshine of prosperity ripens their sin apace and so fits them for destruction Let God therefore be justified and every mouth stopped Verse 16. Then they that feared the Lord c. Then Gen 6.12 Hos 4.1 when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the whole world turned Atheists Then when there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land none to speak of but that it was even darkened with profanenesse as Egypt was with those very grievous locusts that covered the eye thereof Exod. 10.14 15. Then when the faithfull city was become an harlot Esay 1.21 22. her silver turned into drosse her wine mixt with water her people not dilute onely but dissolute her self exaurea facta est argentea ex argented ferred ex serred terrea as One once said of Rome of gold become 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 iron of iron earth or rather muck 〈…〉 the Lord Those few names that had not desiled their garments in so 〈◊〉 a season Rev. 2.4 1 Jch. 5.18 but had kept themselves unspotted of the world undefiled in the way so as that that wicked One had not touched them had not thrust his deadly sting into them had not transformed them into sins image These stood up to stickle for God to stop the mouth of blasphemy and to stablish one another in perswasion of Gods holy truth and constant care of his dear children spake often one to another Montanus renders it Tune vastati sunt timentes Deminum sc ab impijs Atheis impune cos invadentibus That is Then were those that seared the Lord Wasted and destroyed viz. by those wicked Atheists who fell from fierce words to bloody blows so the word is used 2 Chron. 22.10 Psal 2.5 But this is far set and nothing so agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost here as our English after other approved Translations It is the same word that is used verse 13. Those spoke not so much against God as these did for him and about him to each other Heb. 12.13 for mutuall confirmation that that which was halting haply might not be turned out of the way but healed rather Great is the benefit of Chrillian conference for strengthening the weak knees and comforting the feeble minded Job 6.25 How Forcible are right words One seasenable truth falling upon a prepared heart hath oft a strong and sweet operation as some speeches of Staupicius had upon Luther Lise of Lâ—â—k by Mr Clack pag 85. Of whom it is also storted that he was much cheared up by conference with an old Priest discoursing about 〈…〉 by faith and explaining the Articles of the Creed to him Latimer likewise was much furthered by hearing Bilneys confession and having frequent conference with him at Heretikes-Lill as the place where they most used to walk in the fields at Cambridge Acts Mon. fol. 1574. was called long after Surely as a little boat may land a man into a large Continent so may a sew good words suggest matter sâ—â—â—â—ient for a whole lives meditation This 〈◊〉 well knows and therefore as he did what he could to keep God and Daniel asunder Dan. 6.7 So he doth still to keep the saints one from another that they may not build up themselves in their most Loly faith pray in the holy Chost pull one another out of the fire c. How were the Apâ—â—ies persecuted for their Christian meetings the primitive Christians banished and confined to Hes and Mines Jude 2â— 23. where they could not have accesse one to another as Cyprias complains the poor faints here in times of Popery 〈…〉 meeting as they could for mutuall edification and therefore accused of sedition for prevention whereof it was ordained that if 〈◊〉 should flock secretly together above the number of six they should be attached of treason 〈…〉 so the Protestants at Milcenburg in Cermany were forbidden upon pain of death to speak together of Scripture-matters And at Nola the Jesuites straitly charged the people not to talk of God 〈…〉 either in good sort or in bad See more of this in my Treatise on these words called The kighteous mans Recomponse Chap. 4. Docl. 3. annexed to this Commentary and the Lord hearkened and heard He not onely heard but hearkened or lisiened Gist us hit est diligenter auscultantis Esay 32.3 It imports not onely attention of body but intention of minde as when a man listeneth as for life and makes hard shift to hear all and retention of memory For which purpose also a booke of remembrance is here said to be written before him or by his appointment Liber monnmemi A book of Acts and Monuments in allusion to the custome of Kings See Esth 2.23 Tamerlan that warlike Scythian had alwayes by him a catalogue of the names and good deserts of his servants Turk hist sol 227. which he daily perused and whom he duely rewarded not needing by them or any others in their behalf to be put in remembrance Much lesse doth the Lord who bottles up the tears of his people files up their prayers puts all their holy speeches and practises on record that he may make all honourable mention of them at the last day in that great Amphitheatre that generall Assembly not once remembring any of their misdeeds Mat. 25.35 Heb. 8.12 See more of this in the Righteous mans Recompense Chap. 5. 6. and that thought upon his Name That had God before their eyes Psal 10.8 that minded his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 that thought upon his commandements to do them Psal 103.18 that can truly say with the Psalmist How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them Psal 139.17 See more of this verse in my Righteous mans Recompense Chap. 7. Doct. 16. Verse 17. And they shall be mine by peculiar right Et suum cuique pulchrum we all affect and admire our own things most God chuseth them for his love and loves them for his choice I will be a Father unto them and they shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.18 which is all one with that here They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts Concerning all which see my Righteous mans Recompense Part 2. Chap. 1. and 3. In the day when I make up my jewels viz. from the worlds malignities and misusages They shall not plunder him of his Jewels rob him of his chief treasure None shall take or pluck them out of Christs hands Job 10.29 they that attempt it shall find it a work not seisable When one desired to see Great Alexanders treasure he bade one of his servants shew him not his gold and silver but his friends Liban progâ—â— Chria 1. Henceforth I call you not servants but I have called you friends Joh. 15.15 And a friend is as a mans own soul Deut. 13.6 The Church is the dearly beloved of Gods soul Jer. 12.7 yea his dearly
profitably of him the whole week after Our infinite week-day wandrings and wofull trisling out our golden hours in idle and evill thoughts comes much-what from our customary and carnall keeping of Gods holy-day z Esay 58.13 Sixtly exercise your selves in the word of life be swift to hear and 〈◊〉 Gods holy word Search and study the scriptures a Ioh. 5.39 These will 1. free the heart from impure lusts Wherewithal shall a young man one that is in the heat of his passions cleanse his way b Psal 119.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rub off his filth It is a metaphor from glasse which though rub'd never so clean will soon gather dust again Answer is made there by taking heed thereto accrding to thy word 2. It will fill the head with good notions of God and his nature his word and his works c. * Hieronymus de Nepot vit cum assiduâ lectione meditatione diuturnâ pectus suum bibliothecam christi effecisse Cogitationes innumerae sunt uno die cas quis colliget quis corriget quis reprimet quis exprimet Sphinx philos so that no rome shall be left for worse thoughts which else will be stirring For the thoughts of a man are never idle as ye know save when he sleeps nor then many times but are like a mill that turns round uncessantly while it hath water and if it want other grist will grind and grate upon it self Lastly to sett all the former awork add hearty prayer to him that is both the heart-maker and heart-mender too Pray him to make the meditations of our hearts ever acceptable in his sight c Psal 19. and when we are in a good frame to keep it ever in the imagination of the thoughts of our hearts and to prepare our hearts unto himself d 1 Chron. 19.18 as David beggs in the behalf of his people Pray him to open your understandings to sanctify your wills and affections to raise up and ravish your hearts to fix your quicksilver as one speaks that is in meditating upon good things to grant you strength of memory stedfastnesse of imagination staâ—ednesse of minde sharpnesse of conceit soundnesse of judgement and all other necessary gifts and abilities that ye may so meditate upon Gods precepts that withall ye may have respect to his wayes e Psal 119 15 16. SECT XII The Conclusion LOe this is the way walk in it And 's as many as walk after this direction peace shall be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God f Gal. 6.16 For Do they not erre that devise evill but to them that think upon good things shall be mercy and truth g Prov. 14.28 Mercy and truth be with you h 2 Sam. 15.20 Amen The Righteous mans Recompence OR GODS JEWELS MARKT AND MADE UP FROM MENS MISUSAGES The Text MALACHI 3.17 And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels And I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him CHAP. I. The Text divided GODS gracious acceptation of his people and their holy services hath been hitherto described and discovered Followes now his righteous remuneration and rich respects to their persons which he highly prizeth for They shal be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels 2. To their performances which he bountifully rewardeth And I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern c. The former without forcing points us to these three positions 1. That God is the Lord of Hosts 2. That this Lord of Hosts will have his day to do good to his people and to make them up as his Jewels from the worlds misusages 3. That this people of his shall be gratiously owned and greatly honoured in that day SECT I. That God is Lord of Hosts What these Hosts are why called Hosts what it is to be Lord of Hosts FIrst God is the Lord of Hosts So he is frequently stiled in the old Testament Doct 1 Lord of Sabaoth which is all one in the New thought this more seldome because the old Law was given in fear the new in love as Hugo will have it Now touching this title here and elswhere given to God let us see 1. What these Hosts or Armies are whereof he is Lord. 2. Why they are called his Hosts 3. What it is to be Lord of these Hosts and what honour accrues and is a scribed to God by this Attribute In treating whereof I must intreat my Reader the same that the Oratour did His when he spake of Socrates Vt majus quiddâ—m de â—is quà m quae â—â—ripta sunt suspicarentur Cic. 3. de Oratore Loquimur de Deo non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus Gratian. Imperator and Lucius Crassus that they should imagine some greater matter then here they finde written forasmuch as in speaking of God we speak not what we ought but what wee are able as that Emperour hath well observed in his Epistle to Ambrose First then these Hosts whereof God is said to be Lord Soveraigne are all creatures heaven in earth and under earth 1. In heaven there are 1. Angels which are calâ—ed The Host of heaven 1 King 22.19 An heavenly Army or the multiâ—ude of the heavenly Host Luke 2.13 the armies that are in heaven following the Lord Christ upon white horses c. Rev. 19.13 The Authour to the Hebrews calles them the heavens as some conceive it Chap. 7.26 Not because they were coworkers with God in the creation of the world as the Rabbins will have it Goodw. Child of Light c. 102. for though Angels are called Elohim Psal 8.5 yet it was Jehovah Elohim onely that made all things of nothing Gen 2.4 Esay 45.24 Neither yet because they move the heavens and governe the whole world as the Jews after the Platonists beleeved and thereupon fell into the sinne of Angel worship Ratione pluralis Elohim ex Hebrais aliqui existimant so iarchum Deo Angelos in opere creationis c. Pareus in Gen. 1.1 Hebrai Platonicis imbuti opinionibus Angelos coelorum motores tâ—tiusque mundi gubernatores esse putabant c. Pareus in Heb. 2.5 intruding into those things that they had not seen Colos 2.18 and curiously prying into those secrets whereof there is neither proof nor profit Howbeit that they have under God a main stroke in ordering the course of naturall and civil affairs it may be proved out of Ezekiel Chap. 1. where the beasts are said to stir the wheels as themselves are stirred by the Spirit of God And for the manner of their motion every one of them is said to have four faces that is they can look every way at once and to have calves feet round that is they are apt to go every way and this with the greatest facility that
18. It was never beautifull nor cheerfull since At this day it lies bed-ridden and looks to be burnt up shortly with her works 2 Pet. 3.10 Here it is brought in as a mother in mourning bewayling the losse of all her children and refusing to be comforted And surely though the land be eased of a very heavy burden as I have said when purged by Gods just judgements of her ungratefull and wicked inhabitants yet because she lies under the dint of Divine displeasure at such a time therefore is shee rightly said to mourn in this case and to be in a sad disconsolate condition See Jer. 12.4 she becomes a very Ahil that 's the word here used see Iudg. 11.33 a Bochim an Hadadrimmon an Iri-sland and being desolate she mourneth unto thee for she seeth that her convulsions are like to end in a deadly consumption And every one that dwelleth therein shall languish Heb. shall wither as a flower Nahum 1.4 Or shall be weakened Those that now stand upon their tiptoes and face the very heavens stouting it out with God shall then be weak as water withered as a flower strengthlesse as a moth-eaten-cloth Psal 39.11 low-spirited and crest-faln as the king of Sodom erst man good enough to look four kings in the face but anon suppliant to Abraham a forlorn forreiner Gen. 14.21 Manasseh that sturdy rebell in trouble basely hides his head among the bushes 2 Chron. 33.11 Caligula in time of thunder ran under beds and benches Affliction will tame and take down the proudest spirits they break in adversity that bore their heads on high in prosperity they speak out of the ground and whisper out of the dust Esay 21.4 that look to be brought into the dust of death Psal 22.15 It is the pestilence that here seemeth to be threatened as before sword and famine and an universall pestilence too reaching not onely to men but to other creatures made for mans uses which shewes the greatnesse of the wrath like as when a King not onely executeth the traytour but also pulleth down his house confiscateth his goods and and disinheriteth his children c. But what have those sheep done the beasts birds Pareus and fishes that they must suffer also It is but reason they should sith first they are part of mens enjoyments secondly they are many times though harmelesse in themselves yet instruments of mens sin and therefore well doth the Chaldee here paraphrase Diminutionem patientur propter hominum peccata they shall suffer for mans sin who may therefore well say to them as Judah did to Tamar Thou art more rigteous then I. with the beasts of the field which shall dye by the murrian and the foules of the ayre which shall catch the contagion Joseph and fall down dead as those birds do that attempt to fly over the dead sea and the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away Colligentur conficientur they shall be gathered together as seeking help one of another in a common danger and yet they shall be destroyed Engl. Chron. the very waters being pestilentiall as they were here in King Edward the thirds dayes so that the very foules and fishes had botches upon them This was a heavier judgement then that which befell the old world for then the fishes perished not though the Jew-doctours would perswade us that these also died in the flood for that the waters thereof were boyling hot Verse 4. Yet let no man strive nor reprove another let him not lose so much good labour and spill so many sweet words upon this people for they are grown uncounsellable incurable incorrigible They have rejected the counsel of God within or against themselves Luk. 7.30 corripiuntur sed non corriguntur it is because the Lord intendeth to destroy them 1 Sam. 2.25 yea he hath determined it 2 Chron. 25.16 Hence as dying men lose their hearing and other senses by degrees so those that are destined to destruction grow stupid and stubborn and will neither heare good counsel nor see the things that concern their peace but spurn at admonition and scorn at reproof Tunc etiam docta plus valet arte malum And therefore God forbids to reprove such as deplored and desperate to cast pearles of good counsel before such dogs who preferr lothsome carrion before sweet odours yea rage at them as Tigers do and fly in the faces of such as present them or at best grunt and goe their wayes as swine leave good counsell where they find it not putting it in practise Now as dogs and swine were counted unclean creatures and unfit for sacrifice so are such for admonition Let a man be never so able and apt to teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be vir praestans eximius insignis a gallant man as the word here used sometimes signifieth and one that can do his work never so well yet the wisdome of his words shall be despised Prov. 23.9 Let him strive till his heart akes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disputatos arguere as St. Jude speaketh he shall but strive against the stream and by reprooving a scorner get him a blot Pro. 9.7 The Pharisees denied our Saviour and blew their noses at him Luk. 16.14 Let them alone therefore saith our Saviour to his disciples they be blinde leaders of the blind ther 's no good to be done of them Mat. 15. therefore let him that is filthy be filthy still Rev. 22.11 and he that is ignorant let him beignorant sith he will needs be so 1 Cor. 14.38 Levit. 26.39 Let him pine away in his iniquity Let him pine and perish go on despair dye and be damned My spirit shall no longer strive with him unless it be by furious rebukes Ezek. 5.15 and by fire Am. 7.4 Oecolampadius upon this text doubts not to say that the sin of such as reject admonition is the sin against the holy Ghost certainly it is worse then all the forementioned swearing lying c. Blind nature could see and say as much Hesiod saith that there are three sorts of men the first and best are those that live so well as not to need reproof The second and those not bad are such as doe not so well but can be content to heare of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod Oper. et dier Ver. 29. The third and worst are they that will neither do as they ought nor be advised to do better Plutarch saith those that are troubled with tooth-ach will go to the Physitian those that have a fever will send for him but he that is frantick or stark mad will do neither but reject the remedy and strike at the Physitian So doth the scorner c. See my common place of Admonition for this people are as they that strive with the priest though Gods officer and in his stead 2 Cor. 5.20 though the peoples Oracle to preserve and present knowledg to
to a Surgeon he will binde up That which the Poets fable concerning Telephus his Spear is here onely verified Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque ferat Initium poenitentiae est sensus clementiae Dei The same holy hand that tare us must cure us and the sound perswasion of his readinesse to do it for us will soonest of any thing bring us into his presence Iudas confesseth his wound and despaireth of the cure But Peter is constrained by the love of Christ to weep bitterly and beleeve A stroak from guilt broak Iudas his heart into despair but a look from Christ brake Peters heart into tears There is no mention of Israels lamenting after the Lord while he was gone but when he was returned and setled in Kiriath-jearim then they poured forth water c. 1 Sam. 7. then they gather about him and will do any thing that he commandeth them Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 11.22 Deijcit ut relevet premit ut solatia praestet Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus Verse 2. Jer. 18.12 After two dayes will he revive us Whereas some of those that were called upon to Come and return unto the Lord might say with those in Ieremy Nay for there is no hope Psal 88.5 God hath mortally wounded us so that we are already in the jawes of death free among the dead as the Psalmist hath it free of that company The better sort of them fullest of faith answer Dead though we be yet God will revive us and long though it seem yet after two dayes or such a matter in a very short space so soon as ever it shall be convenient and for our greatest good He that shall come to our comfort Heb. 10.37 will come and will not tarry And for the certainty of it as sure as the third day followeth the second so sure shall deliverance come in due season fear ye not In the third day he will raise us up He will he will never doubt of it O the Rhetorick of God! O the certainty of the promises See the like expressions Esay 26.20 10.25 Hagg. 2.7 Habak 2.3 Heb. 10.37 and have patience Gods help seems long becauser we are short Nec quia dura sed quia molles patimur We should draw forth hope as a line Senecal Joh. 13.7 and think we hear Christ saying as he did to Peter What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter Verse 3. Sciemus sectabimur que Vatabl. Then shall we know Heb. And we shall know we shall follow on to know i. e. We shall experimentally know the Lord if we turn unto him wee shall tast and see that the Lord is good We shall not onely be raised out of the dust of deaeth that is of deep afflictions wherein we lay as among the pots and live in his sight Psal 22.15 Psal 68.13 that is comfortably but we shall know him which is life eternall yea we shall prosecute knowledge follow on to know as unsatisfiable and not content with any measures already required yea we shall proceed therein and make progresse as the morning light doth to the perfect day Those that turn from their iniquities shall understand Gods truth Dan. 9.13 shall be of his Councel Psal 25.14 shall have the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 the wisdom of God in a mystery verse 7. such as the great Rabbies of the world can no more understand then the Philistins could Sampsons riddle verse 8. yea these pure in heart shall see God Matth. 5.8 see him and live see him and eat and drink being much acheared and refreshed as those Nobles of Israel Exod. 24.10 11. Provided that being onâ—â— enlightned and having tasted of the heavenly gift they be not slothfull but shew the same diligence Heb. 6.4 11 12. in the use of means to get more knowledge till they all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 or as the words may be read of that age wherein Christ filleth all in all Ephes 3.19 so as to be able to comprehend with all Saints the severall dimensions and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Lo this is indeed to follow on to know the Lord when we are still adding to our vertue knowledge till with those famous Romans we be full of goodnesse Rom. 15.14 filled brim-full with all knowledge able also to admonish one another saying Come and let us returne to the Lord c. Come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord Esay 2.5 walk in that light we have and we shall have more for to him that hath sc for use and practise shall be given Mar. 4.25 He that first begs and then digs for knowledge searching for her as for hid treasure Prov. 2.3 4. He shall be sure of some daily comings in from Christ he shall understand the fear of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God verse 5. Christ will say unto him as once he did to Nathaneel Thou shalt see greater things then these Iohn 1.50 even great and mighty things which thou knowest not Ier. 33.3 His going forth is prepared as the morning That is as sure as the morning followeth the night and shineth more and more unto the perfect day so sure shall God appear for our comfort and shall dispell the night of our calamity Psal 30. Mourning lasteth but till morning and as before the morning-light is the thickest darknesse so before deliverance our afflictions are usually increased upon us God appeareth on the sudden and beyond expectation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as out of a cloud or as out of an engine and shews himself then usually when things are at worst Hence that of Iob Post tenebras spero lucem and that of the Church in Micah Though I fall Mich. 7.8 I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me Vatablus applieth this Text to the comming of Christ that day-star from on high Orietur Christus ut aurora qua adâ—entu suo depellit tenebras that Sun of righteousnesse to whom all the Prophets point Gods people when they would comfort them indeed for he is the Consolation of Israel the Desire of all Nations for whom their souls waited more then they that watch for the morning wait for the morning Psal 130.6 But because Gods going forth is opposed to his departure when he retired to his place Chap. 5.10 therefore his setled going forth here is by most interpreted of his manifestations of his mercy to his poor prisoners of hope those disconsolate captives whom he not onely brought back from Babylon but also shined into some of their hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 by the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
for he hateth the devil for sins sake and not sin for the devils sake Idolatry must needs be so much the more odious to him because therein the devil sets up himself in the place of God and requires men as once he did Christ himself to fall down and worship him See Deut. 32.17 1 Cor. 10.20 Rev. 9.20 So he dealeth by the poor Indians at this day compelling them to worship him with bodily worship and tormenting them if they do not worse if worse may be then the cruel Spaniards Sir Francis Drake World encomp 53. who suppose they shew the wretches favour when they do not for their pleasure whip them with cords and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon The Hebrew word here used hath some letters more then ordinary in it to encrease the signification and to shew what a very horrible thing Idolatry is It is spurca pollutio Tremel in loc as Jer. 23.14 and worse See Jer. 2.11 12. and 18.13 and know that God doth not use to aggravate things beyond truth as men do witnesse Nebuchadnezzar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 3.14 Is it true O Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Or is it of set purpose so Buxtorf rendreth it Is it for the nonce to provoke me Num de industria Or Nunquid desolatio so Arias Moutanus As if he should say What you to oppose the command of a king If this be suffered what desolation must needs follow But this is not Gods way he layes no more words upon a thing then the matter amounteth to if he call Idolatry filth fornication abomination an horrible thing such as a man would start or stand agast at we may be sure it is so The Septuagint here render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things to be trembled at or shreeked at In Barbary 't is death for the Xeriffs wife when she seeth a man though but thorow a casement not suddenly to shriek out God is a jealous God and allows not his to look toward an Idol If they do he will soon see it and visit for it I have seen c. There is the whoredome of Ephraim Thus God looketh upon it as filthinesse and nastinesse which the people beheld as finenesse and neatnesse And the same do all that have the minde of God and senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evil judge of all the Popish pomp and palterment wherewith they bewitch the deluded vulgar as the serpent Scytale doth the fleeing passenger whom when she cannot overtake yet with her beautifull colours she doth so astonish and amaze him Plin. that he hath no power to passe away till stung to death Verse 11. Also O Judah he hath set an harvest for thee This is a very difficult Text and much vexed by Interpreters Et hic nisi Lyra lyrasset nos omnes delirassemus Lyra sets this sence upon the Text and I accord him Though thou Judah art also to be carried captive yet God hath set or provided for thee an harvest in thine own land when I shall have returned the captivity of my people viz. under the conduct of Zorobabel by the Decree of Cyrus Here then is a promise of a joyfull harvest to Judah who is not to be punished with like severity as Israel Chap. 1.7 and for the change of person when I returned for he shall have returned See Esay 29.19 Ier. 31.23 Zeph. 3. ult Psal 14. ult Simul Judae captivitas reditus praedicitur significanter admodum saith Hierom here Both the captivity and return of Judah is here very significantly foretold It is a very good Note that One giveth here sc that God in his chastisements ever sheweth himself mindfull of his Covenant after a long barrennesse Rive◠he setteth for his people a plentifull harvest and turneth again their captivity after that for a time he hath tried them His mercy also and faithfulnesse herein appeareth that he mingleth promises with threatnings and whiles he utterly destroyeth the kingdome of the ten Tribes he preserveth the Common-wealth of Judah wherein the Messias was to come and whereof there was not by the ancient prophesies to be a dissolution till Shiloh came Hence it is that promises of the restauration of Judah are ever intermingled lest any should doubt of the manifestation of the Messiah in the fulnesse of time CHAP. VII Verse 1. WHen I would have healed Israel c. Whereas Israel hearing of an happy harvest promised to Judah Chap. 6.11 and themselves excluded unus might complain of hard dealing God shews them here that Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit the fault was meerly in themselves God came with his healing medicines to have cured them but they hated to be healed and like mad-men railed and raged against the Physician spilt the potions would none of those slibber-sauses as they accounted them yea as if on purpose to crosse God then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered and the wickednesses malitia multiplex of Samaria Of so perverse a spirit were they and therefore in Solomons judgement Prov. 12.8 worthy to have been despised and let alone to perish in their corruptions In Hippocrates his time the Physicians were bound by oath to leave such under their wounds to perish by them as were unruly and would not be ordered We would have healed Babylon saith the Church but she would not be healed forsake her therefore saith God Jer. 51.9 Let them alone saith Christ Matth. 15.14 That that will die let it die A fearfull sentence Let them swelter and pine away in their iniquities Levit. 26.39 In their silthinesse is leudnesse their disease is complicate it is the leprosie in the head it breaketh forth in their forehead and my people love to have it so Jer. 5.31 but what will they do in the end thereof Ephraim here discovereth a headstrong wilfulnesse that was uncounsellable uncureable He runs away after conviction with the bit between his teeth as it were he runs I say upon the rock Am. 6.12 where he first breaketh his hoofes and then his neck Some grow desperately sinfull like those Italian Senatours that despairing of their lives when upon submission they had been promised their lives yet being conscious of their villany made a curious banquet and at the end thereof every man drank up his glasse of poyson and killed himself So men feeling such horrible hard hearts and privie to such notorious sins they cast away souls and all for lust and perish wofully because they lived desperately and so securely It is a fearfull signe of reprobation when Gods means and medicines do men no good but hurt rather when Physick which should remove the disease doth cooperate with it then death comes with the more pain and speed The stronger the conviction of sin is the deeper will be the wrath against it if it be not by repentance avoided for they commit falsehood They do not the truth 1 Joh. 1.6 but deal
say to Mr. Hawkes the Martyr that he was too curious for he would have nothing but his little pretty-Gods-book Acts and Mon. And is it not sufficient for my salvation said Hawkes yes said he but not for your instruction God send me the salvation said Hawkes and you the instruction That the Scripture is full and sufficient for both instruction and salvation see 2 Time 3.16 17. and my Treatise called the True Treasure Has igiâ—ur nocturnâ versate manu versate diurnâ Psal 1.2 Let there not by infrequency or disuse grow an alienation or strangenesse betwixt us and the holy Scriptures but be ready in them and have them as Saul had his pitcher and spear at his bolster as David had his chosen stones at hand in his scrip c. Luther wisheth all his own books burnt because I fear saith he they hinder men from reading the Bible that book of books in comparison whereof all the books in the world are but wast-paper After which I tremble saith he to think of the former age wherein many Divines spent so much time in reading Aristotle and Averroes and so little in reading the Book of God Melancthon saith that he heard some preach upon Texts taken out of Aristotles Ethicks Carolostadius was eight yeers Doctour when he began to read the Scriptures and yet at the taking of his degree Joh. Manlius being asked whether he had read the Decalogue negitabat se hujusmodi librum in Bibliotheca sua habuisse unquam he denied that he had ever had or heard of any Book so called Amam in Antibar praf such a perfect stranger was he to the great things of Gods Law And if the learned Doctours be thus bard and ignorant what may we think of the poor misled and muzled multitude that lie fast lockt up in the Popes dark dungeon and are flatly forbidden to meddle with the Scriptures lest they should be infected with heresie or possessed with a devil as some say they have been by that means Verse 13. They sacrifice flesh in the sacrifices of mine offerings and eat it q. d. They would seem not to have rejected the great things of my Law nor to be such strangers thereunto sith they were much in sacrificing according to the Law But their hypocrisie is most hatefull In decal In that First they offer with Cain Non personam sed opus personae as Luther saith not themselves but their bare sacrifices Esay 66.3 which is but as a brainlesse head and soul-lesse body it is but flesh as it is here called in contempt and scorne See the like Jer. 7.21 Hos 9.4 And think the same of all externall services si careant animâ suâ id est rect â in Deum fide erectâ in illum mente if not performed in faith and obedience Secondly They pretended to serve God when indeed they onely served their own bellies as those Rom 16.18 sought their own ends Phil. 2.21 catered for the flesh Rom. 13.14 insigne donum quo afficior as Luther Paraphraseth the text carnem offertis quam vos ipsi voratis i. e. A goodly gift it is that you give mee viz. the flesh of your peace-offerings which your selves may feast with and you therefore multiply sacrifices that you may gorge your selves with good chear Now one egge is not more like to another then these old flesh-mongers were to the Popish flesh-flies at this day It was an honest complaint of one of them We saith he handle the Scripture tantùm ut nos pascat vestiat onely that it may feed us and cloath us And it is evident to all the world that their Masses pilgrimages festivals vowed presents and memorials c. are onely to pamper their paunches which made them so angry with Erasmus and Luther for medling but the Lord accepteth them not How should he say when there was nothing but flesh nothing but self in them See the like Jer. 4.10 Am. 5.22 Esay 1.10 where God telleth them that their sacrifices were grievous and offensive to all his several senses nay to his very soul too The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 yea though he bring it with never so good an intent Pro. 21.27 how much more if he bring ex rapina holocaustum a sacrifice of what he hath got by rapine and robbery and so the Chaldee carrieth the sence of the former words the sacrifices of mine offerings quae collecta sunt ex injâ—ria saith He which were gathered and gotten by wrong-dealing how then should the Lord accept them now will he remember their iniquity Even while they are sacrificing let them not think to blinde his eyes with the smoak of their offerings to stop his mouth with their rich gifts and donaries to bribe him into a connivency to expiate and set off their sinnes with their sacrifices for God will remember them and punish them Yea now will he do it in the time of their holy duties he will come upon them then in his wrath Luke 13. as Pilate came upon the Galileans and mingled their blood with their sacrifices Sure it is that sin brought into Gods holy presence petitions against the sinner as Esther did against Haman at the banquet of wine picks out the time of prayer and other duties to accuse and call for vengeance Esth 7.6 Take we heed lest while we are confessing our sinnes which yet we close with and will not forsake and judging our selves worthy to be destroyed God say not Out of thine owne mouth will I condemn thee thou gracelesse person that hast so much impudence as to bring thy Cozbi into my presence then when all the people as on a fast-day are weeping before the door of the Tabernacle Lev. 10.3 God will be sanctified of all that draw nigh unto him one way or other he will be sanctified either in them or on them Of such he saith as Solomon once did of Adoniah 1 King 1 5â— If he shew himself a worthy man there shall not an hair of his head fall to the earth but if wickednesse shall be found in him he shall die If any defile the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. him shall God destory they shall return to Egypt They had a minde to run thither for refuge they sent also to So king of Egypt for that purpose 2 King 17.4 Instead of making their peace with God they betook themselves to base shifts and sought help of the creature This is the guise of gracelesse men when distressed Rahab But they shall soon have enough of Egypt chap. 9.3 6. Their strength or their Egypt had been to have sitten still in expectation of help from heaven Esay 30.7 Deut. 28 6â— and to have considered that the last and greatest curse denounced against their disobedience was And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt c. Verse 14. For Israel hath forgotten his maker Not more his Factour
now cheared up himself with the remembrance of This last is a very slight and sorry comfort indeed The former hath much in it for a good man keeps every day holy day said Diogenes and can be merry without musick saith another Philosopher He hath a merry heart or good conscience which is a continual feast and is bound to rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5.16 and to keep the feast in all countries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.8 the Calender of his whole life is crowned with continual festivals and he is the happiest man and may be the merriest if he but understand his own happinesse But this alas was not the case of these woful caytives and captives They had sinned away all their comforts and what with the sad remembrance of their former enjoyments and with the sense of their present servitude they had little mind to keep holy-day Hence this passionate exclamation what will ye do c God had threatned before Chap. 2.11 to take away their feast-dayes new-moons sabbaths and solemnities but they heeded him not tanquam monstra marina Dei verba surda aure praeterierunt therefore now God fulfilleth what he â—ad forethreatned Lam. 2. â—â— and calleth as in a solemn day his terrours round about them what they were wont to do in their solemn dayes and festivals may be seen Num. 10.10 what we do or should do at least upon our Lords day-sabbaths the delight of every good soul we need not be told Let us take heed lest by profane violating or carelesse observing that holy rest with all its solemnities we deprive not our selves as these Israclites did of such a precious priviledge God gave us a good warning in that the first blow given the German Churches was upon the sabbath-day which is there so ill sanctified Alsted in Encyclop Dike of Consc pag. 276. that if it should be named according to their deserving of it Doemoniacus potius quam Dominicus saith Alsted it should be called not the Lords-day but the Priests-day rather It is very remarkable that upon that day was Prague lost and with it all opportunity of hearing singing publique praying communicating on that high and honourable day Esay 58.13 Vers Abierunt i.e. obierunt 8. For lo they are gone because of destruction They are gone either into Egypt for refuge or into the state of the dead they are gone out of the world They shall perish by destructiou so some render it When God had said in the former verse what will ye do they should have faln down before him and said What wilt thou have us to do Lord we know not what at all to do but our eyes are toward thee This had been right and thus they might have disarmed Gods indignation but they had other carnal shifts and thought they could tell well enough what to do and whither to go whereupon they were so fully bent that the prophet here reports them gone already For lo they are gone and got to Egypt as divers of them did doubtlesse during the siege and after the sack of Samaria when they were forced to shift for themselves as they could but did they so escape by iniquity in thine anger cast down the people O God saith David and it is not more a prayer then a prophesie Psal 56.7 and this people had the proof of it Egypt shall gather them either for punishment or for burial as Ezech. 29.5 Jer. 8.2 so that they fled but out of the smoak into the fire and in running from death they ran to it as the Historian saith of those poor Scots at Muscleboroughfield who running for their lives S. J. Heyw in Edw. 6. p. 35. so strained themselves in their race that they fell down breathlesse and dead Memphis shall bury them Lest they should please themselves with vain hopes of return to their countrey he shews that that shall never be but they shall lay their bones in a strange land Memphis anciently called Noph Isay 19.13 or as some will No Nahum 3.8 at this day Grand Caire famous for the Pyramides and the kings sepulchres Memphis I say a principal city of Egypt shall be a Kibroth-hattaavah to you a place of sepulchres especially then when Nebuchadnezzar sent by God who giveth him Egypt as his pay for his paines at Tyre shall come and smite that land and deliver such as are for death to death and such as are for the sword to the sword c. Jer. 43.11 The pleasant places for their selves nettles shall possesse them Heb. shall possesse them as their inheritance so that the Israelites nor their heirs shall ever repossesse these pleasant places for their silver i. e. where they either laid up their silver their repositories or counting houses or where they laid out their silver either in costly buildings and sumptuous furniture or else in idols and statues placed therein to their no smal charge delight These shal be ruined and over-run with nettles thorns and thistles a token of horrible desolation Esa 32.13 and 34.13 Note hence that as God spareth a place for a few good men found therein as he would have done Sodom which is now a place of nettles and saltâ—pits Zeph. 2.9 so a fruitful land bringeth he into barrennesse or saltnesse for the wickednesse of them that dwel therein Psal 107.34 witnesse Judaea that land of desire Ezek. 1. ult that garden of Eden Joel 2.3 that glorious land Dan. 11.16 yea glory of all lands Ezek. 20.15 now wofully waste and desolate so is Grecia formerly so farmous for armes and arts so are some parts of Germany and so may England soon be without the greater mercy of God by a miracle of whose mercy and by a prop of whose extraordinary patience we have hitherto subsisted I say England whose vallies now are like Eden whose hils are as Lebanon whose springs are as Pisgah whose rivers are as Jordan whose walls is the Ocean and whose defence is the Lord Jehovah Vers 7. The dayes of visitation are come A visitation that is like to prove a vexation for every transgression and disobedience that is Omission and commission shall receive a just recompence of reward from the God of Recompences so he is called Jer. 51.56 whose eyes behold his eye-lids trie the children of men Psal 11.4 the former points out his knowledge the latter his judgement or his critical descant in his visitation or inquisition the dayes whereof are set Stat suae cuique dies and Israels dayes are come are come it is repeated for more assurance as Babylon is fallen is fallen certò citò penitus and as Ezek. 7.5 6 7. the Prophet tells them The end is come is come is come and so some ten or twelve times that he might beat it into them and awaken them them out of the snare of the devil The wickeds happinesse will take its end surely and swiftly but its hard perswading them so And the Jews as they were
once said Judg. 9.29 Vbi est Rex tuus ubinam nunc servit te c. Where is the king where is he let him now save thee in all thy cities so Polanus rendreth it Can they save thee who cannot save themselves It is a Sarcasticall concession See the like Deut. 32.37 38. Judg. 10.4 Am. 4.4 And observe that Gods to deride and insult over men in their carnall confidence and his people are licenced to do so too so it be out of pure zeal Psal 52.6 7. and not out of private revenge and thy judges Or chief Officers Princes that are necessary to a King and are called his Comites cousins and counsellours whereof thou saidst and wast set upon it thou wouldst needs have them contra gentes as they say and hadst soon enough of them Strong affections bring strong afflictions Give me a king and princes It was partly their ambition and partly discontent with the present government as the present is alwayes grievous that prompted them to this request 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. and they had it but for a mischief It is not alwayes in mercy that prayers are answered for Deus saepe dat iratus quod negat propitius God oft throwes that to his enemies when they are over-importunate which he denies to his friends in great mercy to their souls They do best that acknowledging him the onely wise God pray Not our but thy will be done c. Verse 11. I gave thee a king in mine anger As once before he gave them Quails to choak them A king that is all those kings they had since they fell off from the house of David These were Gods gifts but giftlesse-gifts which hee cast upon them in his anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a punishment both of the sinnes of Davids ho use and likewise of the peoples rebellion It was ab irato potius quam ab exorato Deo Take him saith He sith you will needs have him with all that shall follow after The hypocrite shall raigne that the people may ensnared Job 34.30 Set thou a wicked man over him saith the Psalmist and let Satan stand at his right hand Psal 109.6 See Dan. 8.23 Saul was an hypocrite Jeroboam a wicked man so were all his successours in that Throne Levit. 26.17 it is written as an heavy curse of God If you still trespasse against me I will set Princes over you that shall hate you mischievous odious princes odious to God malignant to the people and took him away in my wrath Heb. In mine immoderate wrath that passed the bounds This is spoken of God after the manner of men for he cannot exceed or over-do fury is not in him Esay 27.4 but here he threateneth to take away king and kingdome together as he did Hosea by the Assyrian that carried them all captive Observe here that better a bad Magistrate then none for this latter is the fruit of Gods utter indignation Those Anabaptists that from this Text inferred that no Christian can with a good conscience take upon him kingly dignity should have observed that as an evil king is reckoned as a plague to a people so a good king is to be held a speciall blessing to them Verse 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up sc in a bundle or fardle or fagot as the French hath it And like as all fardles are opened on a fair-Fair-day so shall Ephraims iniquities be brought to light and punished at the last day As the housholder bindeth up the tares in bundles at harvest and burneth them so shall it be in the end of the world The Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire c. Matth. 13.30 41 42. As the Clark of Assizes bindes up the inditements of malefactours in bundles or seals them up in a bag for more surety and at the Assizes brings his bag takes them out and reads them so will it be at that last and great day My transgression is sealed up in a bag saith Iob and thou sowest up mine iniquity viz. as the writings or informations of a processe which is ready to be sentenced See Deut. 32.34 Ier. 17.1 Hos 9.9 Sinners shall one day know that Gods for bearance is no quittance Job 14. ◠that however he is silent for a season and thereupon they are apt fondly to conceit him to be such another as themselves yet He will confute them and set their sins in order before their eyes Psal 50.21 Their actions are already in print in heaven and God will one day read them aloud in the ears of all the world And then though their sinne be hid for present all shall out to their utter shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12.2 that last light of the day of wrath shall reveal all Rom. 2.5 punish all Hos 9.9 Whatever God hath threatned shall then be inflicted whatever arrowes are in the bow-string shall then flee and hit and stick deep And the longer the Lord is in drawing the heavier they will light Morae dispendium foenoris duplo pensabitur the longer He forbeareth the heavier He punisheth So that there shall be no cause why sinners should say Where is the God of judgement Mal. 2.17 See the Note God will enquire after their iniquity and search after their sin Iob 10.6 Verse 13. The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him This Common-wealth was before compared to a mother chap. 1. 3. And as a woman that hath conceived is not for a while discerned to be with child till she biggen and burnish and grow near her time so is it with sinners see it elegantly set forth by S. Iames chap. 1.14 15. The sorrows of a travailing woman are known to be unexpected exquisite and inevitable so shall Gods judgements be upon the workers of iniquity such as they shall never be able to avert to avoid or to abide This is set forth by an apt similitude ordinary in holy Scripture Mic. 4.9 10. Psal 48.7 Ier. 49.29 and 50.43 c. And whereas some might say A travailing woman is soon delivered her pain is sharp but short she hath hope not onely of an end but of a birth the joy whereof maketh her remember her anguish no more Ioh. 16.21 The Prophet replieth that it is otherwise with Ephraim he is an unwise sonne that will be the death both of his mother and of himself He hath no list to help himself and to get free of the straights and petils of the birth by passing thorow the narrow womb of Repentance and being born anew God stands over him stretching out his hands all the day long to do a midwives office to take him out of the womb as Psal 22.9 to cut his navell and wash off his blood to salt him and swaddle him as Ezek. 16.4 but he hath no minde
the inhabitants of the land tremble and take course to prevent or mitigate the ensuing mischief to cut the cart-ropes of sin that pull down wrath upon the land for the day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand An end is come is come is come as Ezekiel hath it chap. 7.6 7. I will overturn overturn overturn as the same Prophet hath it elsewhere Ezek. 21.27 and 10. Should we then make mirth as it is in the same Chapter should we sleep upon a mast-pole dance upon a weather-cock go hallowing and hooping to the place of execution Verse 2. A day of darknesse and of gloominesse Lest they should imagine it to be some light matter that hath been and is still threatned he sets forth to the life the bitternesse of that day so lowring and lightlesse that it can hardly be called a day a dark and dolefull doomesday it will be to the impenitent infaustus infelix dismall and dreadfull What better can be expected by those Tenebriones that delight in the deeds of darknesse and are acted by those Rulers of the darknesse of this world Ephes 6.12 the Devils whom they follow as they are led 1 Cor. 12.2 till they fall into outer darknesse even that darknesse beyond a darknesse as the dungeon is beyond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or below the prison where they shall never see the light againe till they see all the world on a light fire Let those Lucifugae look to it that love darknesse better then light for besides what they meet with here they shall one day have their bellies full of it in that dungeon of darknesse Exod. 19.15 A day of clouds and of thick darknesse Caused by that huge army of Locusts c. coming in great swarms Postera vix summos spargebar lumina montes Orta dies Virg. Lux subit primo feriente cacumina sole Ovid. and darkning the air as the morning spread upon the mountains i. e. longe lateque far and neer all the countrey over and that in an instant even as the Morning spreadeth abroad upon a sudden over the tops of hills though they be a great way off Hereby is imported that the calamitie here threatned is such as they can neither avert nor avoid Irretensibilis est saith Luther A great people and a strong So the Locusts are called See Chap. 1.4 5 6. not without some respect to the Chaldeans that should afterwards carry them captive as Hierom here glosseth there hath not been ever the like sc in the land of Judea nor of the like continuance See chap. 1.2 3. even to the yeers of many generations Heb. of an age and an age so Deut. 32.7 Joel 3.20 This assureth us of the greatnesse of this peoples sin sith they were so signally punished for God doth not use to kill flies with beetles as they say Verse 3. A fire devoureth before them and behinde them a flame burneth Such waste these vermine shall make like as it is said of the great Turk that where-ever he sets his foot there never growes grasse again he doth so eat up the countreys where he comes with his huge armies And the late Lord Brook Pag. 47. in his discourse of Episcopacy noteth that that unhappy proverbe amongst us was not for nought The Bishops foot hath troden here In Biscay a Province of Spain they admit no Bishops to come amongst them and when Ferdinand the Catholike K. came in progresse hither accompanied amongst others by the Bishop of Pampelune Heyl. Geog. pag. 55. the people arose in armes drove back the Bishop and gathering all the dust on the which they thought he had troden flung it into the Sea What fires they kindled here in Queen Maries dayes devouring six or seven hundred at least of Gods faithfull witnesses in five yeers space And what work they made in our remembrance thorowout the three Kingdoms to the imbroyling of all and their own utter ruine I need not relate That renowned Authour afore-cited had told them time enought L. Brooks discourse of Episcop 39. but that they were destined to destruction that if they forbare to touch the supreme Authority of the Land which they affected it was but as once Mercury spared Jupiters thunderbolts which he durst not steal lest they should roar too loud or at least burn his fingers The land is as the garden of Eden i. e. of all kinde of pleasures and delights Eden inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Gen. 2.8 and 13.10 Strabo speaks spitefully of the land of Canaan as if it were a dry stony and barren countrey not worth the seeking after Rabshaketh shews more ingenuity then this Strabus pravus Strabo as one therefore calleth him 2 King 18.32 Tacitus commends it for a fertile soil so doth Pliny but above all the holy Scripture setteth it forth to be Sumen totius orbis Heidfeld a land flowing with milk and honey c. Exod. 3.15 Deut. 32.13 and behind them a desolate wildernesse Not such a wildernesse as yeelded pastures and habitations for shepherds chap. 1.19 20. but utterly desolate and therefore unhabitable as under the Torrid Zone No place can be so pleasant but sinne can lay it waste A fruitfull land turneth the Lord into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 107.34 There is no foot-step left at this day of that gallant Garden planted by God himself or if any cecidit rosa sit spina the place remains in the upper part of Chaldea but not the pleasantnesse of the place The like we may say of Sodom of Jerusalem of Greece of Asia the lesse of Germany Ireland c. England hath hitherto subsisted meerly by a miracle of Gods mercy and by a prop of his extraordinary patience The Lord continue it to the glory of his Name and the good of his poor people Fiat fiat Verse 4. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horsemen i. e. the Locusts and other Insects come on amain they march with much nimblenesse and swiftnesse An horse is a warlike creature full of terrour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pausan so swift in service that the Persians dedicated him to their god the Sun as the swiftest creature to the swiftest god See Job 41.20 Prov. 21.31 In Persia they do all almost on horseback they buy sell confer but especially fight on horseback to this day So they did of old and so did the Chaldeans from whom they took the Monarchy These were horsemen and not as horsemen this place therefore is properly and principally to be understood of the locusts Confer Rev. 9.7 Verse 5. Like the noise of charets on the the tops of mountains Not onely on the tops of standing-corn as other Locusts which therehence also have their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as the hurry of charrets in stony places Rev. 9.9 For in that book of the Revelation the Pen-man
Him see to it where my soul shall rest who took so much care for it as that he laid down his life for it Verse 28. And it shall come to passe afterwards sc In the dayes of the Messiah which is called the world to come Heb. 2.5 but especially after his Ascension see Ioh. 7.37 Act. 2 where this prophesie was fulfilled and this place taken for the first text preached on by the Apostles verse 17. to the conversion of three thousand soules at one sermon For together with the word there went forth a power Luk. 7. 2 Tim. 1.7 even that Spirit of power of love and of a sound mind here promised to be powred out not distilled only see the Note on Zech. 12.10 and that upon all flesh Spirit upon flesh the best thing upon the basest yea upon all flesh without respect of persons or difference made of sex age or condition provided that they know and acknowledg themselves to be but flesh Gen 6.3 corrupt and carnal animas etiam incarnavimus Bern. as an Ancient complaineth and that whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean that whole Man is in evill and whole evill in Man neither can it be gotten out in any measure till the heart be mollified and made tender as flesh Ezeh 11.19 and 36.26 27. which cannot be done till men be taught of God and drawn out of darknesse into his marvelous light till they be spiritualized 2 Cor. 3.18 and transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie This was fulfilled Act. 2. as St. Peter sheweth For the new Testament is but the old unfolded and fulfilled as was also typified in the two Cherubims of the sanctuary looking intently into the Propitiatory Christ Rom. 3.25 but with their faces turn'd one towards another Exod. 25.20 See Act. 26.22 It was fulfilled I say in that visible descension of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles and the rest Act. 2. Act. 8.15 17. and 10.44 So that this makes nothing at all for the Enthusiasts raptures and dotages the true offpring they are Funcc Chronol of those ancient Euchites or Messalanii who leaving their trades gave themselves to much sleep and called their dreams and phantasies prophesies Anno Dom. 371. your old men shall dream c. your yong men shall see visions i. e. God will no less open his will unto them then he did of old to the Prophets by dreams and visions for by the conduct of the Spirit they shall be led into all truth and holinesse they shall be all a royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 1.6 full of all goodnesse filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another Rom. 15.14 Verse 29. And also upon the servants they shall be the free-men and women of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 7.22 by as full a measure of Gods free and noble Spirit bestowed upon them as upon their Masters and Mistresses The Trent Translation hath it upon my servants and my handmaids But there is no such pronoun in the Original though it is true that all that have the spirit are his and the contrary Rom. 8 9. Eph 1.13 The scope of the text is as Mercer well noteth to shew that ut gratuitum commune Christi beneficium sic spiritus as the benefits of Christ are free and common to all his people so is the Spirit And surely next to the love of Christ in dwelling in our nature we may well wonder at the love of the holy Ghost that will dwell in our defiled soules and act in them as he doth For there are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 11.4 as the divers smels of flowers come from the same influence and the diverse sounds in the organ froin the same breath Verse 30. And I will shew wonders in the heavens Prodigia beneficia credentibus a Lapid malefica horrifica incredulis saith Cornelius a Lapide who interpreteth the text of those signes and wonders that shall precede the day of judgment and for confirmation here of alleageth chap. 3.2 together with Mat. 24.29 Luk. 21.25 And had he looked a little higher into those chapters and taken in all the troubles that befell the Church from our Saviours ascension to his second comming together with those horrible calamities and confusions that shall befall the wicked for contempt of the Gospell and persecution of the professors thereof he had done right in mine opinion It is ordinary with the Prophets to set forth horrible commotions by such figurative expressions See Ier. 4.23 c. Isay 13.10 Rev. 6.12 Those that have received the Spirit of Adoption must not dream of a delicacy but expect persecution Christ came to send fire on the earth Luk. 12.49 Neither may Persecutors hope to escape unpunished but look to be pursued by divine justice See the Note on Rev 6.15 How heavie was the hand of God upon Jerusalem that slaughter-house of the Saints and afterwards upon the Ten Persecutors of Rome 1 Nero whom Tertullian rightly calleth Dedicatorem damnationis Christianorum quippe qui orientem fidem primus Rema cruentavit the first bloody Persecutor of the Christian religion lost thirty thousand of his subjects by the pestilence had his army utterly routed and cut off in Britanny both the Armenia's revolted from him the Senators rose up against him and compelled him to be his own deaths-man 2 Demitian was butchered by his souldiers 3 Trajan dyed of a dropsie 4 Severus dyed miserably here at York 5. Maximinus with his sonn was cut in peeces 6. Decius dyed in a farr country 7. Valerian was flea'd by Sapores king of Persia who took him prisoner 8. Aurelian was slain by his own men 9. Dioclesian poisoned himself 10 Maximian hang'd himself What should I speak of Julian Anastasius Heraclius c. The French persecutors Francis the second Charles the ninth Henry the third the Guises c. Philip the second of Spain who returning out of the Low countries fell into a storm and suffered shipwrack to the great danger of his life Hist of Gennc of Trent 417. He said he was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranisme which he presently began to do with all his might He afterwards died miserably of the lousie disease Q. Mary died of a tympany or else of grief of heart for K. Philip's unkind departure Speed forraine losses Callice surrendred hurt done by thunders from heaven and by fire in the royal navie extream dearths raging her conceptions fayling c. What heavy judgments befell divers particular persecutors of those times Poole Gardiner Bonner Morgan Story Burton see Acts and Mon. 1902. 1904. c. 1915. George Eagles alias Trudge-over the world having hid himself in a cornfeild was Mr. Leigh his Saints Encouragement Ep. to Read for mony descried
oft at this day The Preachers Travels 63. I have seen him saith a traveller many times to alight from his horse onely to do justice to a poor body The Grand Signior himself sits one day in the week to receive the poors petitions and punish the faulty Grandees about him For as he stiles himself Awlem Peâ—awh that is the worlds refuge so he would have the world to take notice that such as lament unto him The Grand Sign Serag pag. 148. shall be sure to have redresse and succour from him although his Ministers fail them or abuse them through their injustice Hence few Visiers die in their beds from the middest thereof i. e. of Kerioth the chief city where the Court was kept as Kimchâ— saith with a great deal of pomp and pride We have heard of the pride of Moab See Ier. 48.7 11 14 18. Zeph. 2.8 10. It was their nationall sin and fore-runner of their fall Verse 4. Ideò deteriores quia meliores esse debebant Zach. 1.19 For three transgressions of Judah who were therefore worse then the above-mentioned Nations because they ought to have been better Beset they were with enemies round about who dealt cruelly with them and this should have made them to cleave more close to God these hornes pushing and scattering them should have pushed them home to him but it proved otherwise For Judah also is found to to be incorrigibly flagitious guilty as the former of three transgressions and of four c. worse in them then in others because in Judah was God known and to them were committed the Oracles of God whom they might hear eftsoons screeking out unto them when they were putting forth their hands to wickednesse Oh do not this abominable thing But they tanquam monstra marina as One saith Jer. 44.4 like so many Sea-Monsters passed by Gods words with a deaf ear They despised the law of the Lord They would none of his counsell they liked well to live in Gods good land but not to live by Gods good lawes like those in the Gospel they rejected the counsel of God within themselves Luk. 7.30 and that with scorne and disdain as the word here used signifieth See the Note on Hos 6.6 and have not kept his commandements though holie just and good though such as if a man keep them be it but Evangelically si faciat etiaâ—si non perficiat he shall live in them by a life of grace as the flame lives in the oyle or the creature by his food Though in keeping thereof how much more for keeping thereof Liv. 18.5 there is great reward Psal 19.11 and their lies caused them that is their idols as the Vulgar well rendreth it and their will-worships their new inventions and good intentions thereby to serve and please God These are properly called lies because contrary to the law of truth whereto they are here opposed and to Davids practise who did the truth 1 Ioh. 1.6 and could safely say I hate and abhorre lying but thy law do I love Psal 119.163 and ver 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way after the which their fathers have walked So that they are a race of Rebels a seed of evil-doers and do fill up the measure of their fathers sins till wrath come upon them to the utmost This is no small aggravation Ezek. 20.30 Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers and commit ye whoredom after their abominations See Acts 7.51 Must I bee provoked by you from one generation to another Vers 5. But I will send a fire upon Judah They shall also bear the punishment of their iniquities yet is it not said as ver 2. that Judah shall die with tumult c. God will make a difference in his dealings with his own and others his sonnes and his slaves these shall totally and finally be consumed at once Nah. 1.9 not so the Saints The remnant of the Philistins shall perish Am. 1.8 But of Judah a remnant shall be still reserved for royall use Isai 11.11 16. Ver. 6. For three transgressions of Israel c The ten Tribes come in last lest they with whom his main businesse lay and to whom he will hence-forth apply himself should conceit themselves priviledged because for present prospered lest they should read or hear the menaces of Gods mouth as men do the old stories of forrein wars that nothing concern them because they sold the righteous for silver Even God 's own pasture-sheep that had golden-fleeces precious souls these they made sale of for a little money which ever was and still is a common medler and drives the bargain and businesse to an upshot Money saith One is the worlds great Monarch and bears most Mastery whence it is that the Hebrew word Adarcon used for money 1 Chron. 29.7 Esay 8.27 comes of Adar strong or mighty and Con to prepare to shew that a moneyed man is a mighty man as this world goes Unlesse we may say of money as one doth wittily of Sardanapalus the last of the Assyrian Monarchs Sardanapalus saith He had a terrible name Sar noteth a Prince Dan a Judge Niphal an overthrower or Conquerour no otherwise appliable to him but that his Luxury was the overthrow of both Soveraignty and Judgement So is money mighty and well prepared but it is to blind the eyes of the wise and to pervert the matters of the righteous Deut. 16.10 who because not so well underlaid as his adversary lies long languishing many times at Hopes hospital as that lame man did at the pool of Bethesda but might not be sped because for want belike of stirring Angels he could get none to put him into the Pool immediatly after the Angel had stirred it That was a sad complaint made by the Prophet Habakkuk chap. 1.4 Behold the law is slacked and judgement doth never go forth for the wicked doth circumvent the righteous viz. by his bribery and basenesse therefore wrong judgement proceedeth A Judge is to retain the decency and gravity of the Law yea of the Law-maker with whom their is none iniquity nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts 2 Chron. 19.7 Nec prece nec precio should be the Magistrates Motto he should be above all price or sale and the poor for a pair of shooes For a cup of wine Joel 3.3 for handfulls of barley or peeces of bread Ezek. 13.19 for a thing of nothing so base they were grown at length a very small deal of gain would win them over See chap. 8.6 At first a little matter would not hire them it must bee silver and a considerable summe too as an harlot that requires at first no small reward but afterwards prostituteth her self light-cheap to all commers Sinne seemeth modest and maidenly at first but meddle not for it sooneth woadeth an impudency in mens foreheads and debaucheth them Vers 7. That pant after the dust of the earth on the
upon you and the people not be afraid or run together to make resistance Jer. 5.22 Psal 114.7 Will ye not then tremble at my threats saith the Lord Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. Fear is an affection of the soul shrinking in it self from some imminent evil God is the proper object of it whence hee is called Fear in the abstract Psal 76.11 and those that come on his errand should bee received with reverence yea with fear â—and trembling as was Titus 2 Cor. 7.15 and before him Samuel by those Elders of Bethlehem 1 Sam. 16.4 as suspecting it was the purpose of some judgement that brought him thither Commest thou peaceably said they It is a good thing to stand in awe of Gods Messengers and to tremble at his judgements whilest they yet hang in the threatnings It appeareth by this Prophet that carnall security was grown epid emicall and had over-spread the land chap. 6.2 3. Some there were that said God had not sent the Prophets to denounce those evils but that they had done it of their own heads as we say Others doubted of the certainty of those evils denounced chap. 6.3 against whom He here disputeth by these fore-going similitudes and in the next words plainly asserteth the Divine providence and the authority of the Prophets Gods privy-Counsellours Shall there be evil in a city Understand it of the evil of punishment See Lam. 3.37 Esay 45.7 Mic. 1.12 Eccles 7.14 1 King 9.9 and 21.29 See my Treatise called Gods love-tokens pag. 3 4. c. and the Lord hath not done it Although God doth it not but onely as it is bonum Justitiae good in order to his glory That which we are here advertised is that it is not Luck and Fortune that doth tosse and tumble things here below but that God sits at the stern and steers the affairs of the world The Gentiles indeed held Fortune as a goddesse representing her by a Woman sitting upon a Ball as if the whole world were at her command having with her a razor as if she could at her pleasure cut off and end mans happinesse bearing in her right hand the stern of a ship as if she could turn about all things at her pleasure and in her left hand the horn of abundance as though all plenty came from her This was abominable idolatry to be shunned by Christians yea the very name of Luck or Fortune is to be spet out of their mouthes with utmost detestation It repented Austin that ever he had used that wicked word Fortuna Aug. Retract Verse 7. Surely the Lord God will do nothing i. e. Hardly any thing He lo-veth to foresignifie to warn before he wound and this meerly out of his Philanthropie Howbeit sometimes and in some cases he is more sudden and still in his revenges that he may thereby First maintain his honour and glory the eyes whereof are by some sinnes extraordinarily provoked as Acts 12.23 And secondly to teach men not to continue in sinne no not for a moment sith they may bee presently cut off from all further time of repentance acceptation and grace for ever This made Austin say that he would not be an Atheist no not one half hour to gain all the world See Luke 17.32 and 12.20 Pharaoh had warning of the first and second plagues not so of the third and again of the fourth and fifth but not of the sixth and yet again of the seventh and eight but not of the ninth And when neither warning nor no-warning would do good then came that sweeping plague Tandem prototocos ultima plaga necat But he revealeth his secret to his servants the Prophets Gods Prophets then are his meniall servants not his underlings or inferiour hinds but of noblest employment about him Every faithfull Minister is servant to the king of heaven Act. 27.23 whose I am and whom I serve this the Devil denied not Act. 16.16 17. yea his Steward Embassadour Herald as here by whom he proclaims warre but first proffers pardon and proposes conditions of peace A practise usuall not onely among the people of God by his appointment Deut. 20.10 but also among the Heathens as Histories informe us The Romans had their Lex Facialis by their Heralds they sent to such as had wronged them Caduceum Hastam as Ensignes of peace and warre that within thirty dayes they might take their choice within which time if they did them not right the Herald presently denounced warre against them casting forth a dart in token thereof Alexanders course was when he sat down before a city to set up a torch to shew that if they would come in and submit before that torch were burnt out they should have hearing Tamerlan hang'd out first a white flag then a red and lastly a black And the Turks at this day Turk hist. 344. first make to their enemies some offer of peace how unreasonable soever it matters not Gods offers in this kinde are all of grace and for our good If it were otherwise what need he give warning and why doth he not as Absalom did when intending to murther Amnon hee spake neither good nor evil to him Well might the Lord say Fury is not in me O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self As I live I desire not the death of a sinner c. If he did why might he not rush suddenly upon such and confound them at once as he did the reprobate Angels even in the very act and first moment of their sinne Why comes he first in a soft still voyce when he might justly thunder-strike us and why sendeth hee his Heralds to proclaime warre but yet with articles of peace and reconciliation open in their hands Chrysost Why was He but six dayes in making the world and yet seven dayes in unmaking and destroying one city Jericho Was it not to shew that the Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and of great kindnesse And this he hath commanded his Prophets to make known Psal 103.8 that the goodnesse of God may lead men to repentance As if they turn his grace into wantonnesse and pervert his patience to presumption Rom. 2.4 their commission is to declaim against such practises with all authority Tit. 2.15 and to proclaim hell-fire in case men amend not Necessity is laid upon them so to do and wo be to them if they preach not law as well as Gospel that when they return up their commission they may report the matter saying Behold we have done as thou hast commanded us Ezek. 9.11 True it is that perverse people question the Prophets and quarrell them for this plain-dealing as Ahab did Eliah for a troubler of Israel and Amaziah our Prophet Amos for a trumpetter of rebellion But this is as great folly as if some fond people should accuse the herald or the trumpet as the cause of their warre or as if
and I will one day read them aloud in the ears of all the world Fac ergo confitendo propitium quem taeciendo non facis nescium saith Austin Make therefore God thy friend by confessing thy sins to him which thou caust not by any means conceal from him they afflict the just they pinch and distresse him by their oppressions which are often here laid in their dish as an abomination to the Lord for he is mercifull See Chap. 2.6 they take a bribe Cophe◠A ransome to blinde their eyes as 1 Sam. 12.3 or a pacification of their pretended displeasure against heinous crimes brought before them Olim didici quid sint munera said a worthy man Once I have learned long since how dangerous a thing it is for men in place to meddle with gifts A publike person as he should have nothing to lose so nothing to get he should be above all price or sale c. they turn aside the poor in the gate that is in the place of Judicature This makes many that go to law to be at length of Themistocles his minde who professed that if two wayes were shewed him one to hell and the other to the barre he would chuse that which went to hell and forsake the other Another said that hee wondered much at two sorts of men viz. those that go to sea and those that go to law not so much that they did so at first but that after triall they would ever go a second time Verse 13. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to that old and good rule Either keep silence or speak that which is better then silence There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak Eccles 3.7 and it is a singular skill to time a word Esay 50.4 to set it upon its circumferences Prov. 25.11 so to speak and so to do as those that shall be judged by the law of liberty Iam. 2.12 He that would be able to speak right and forcible words must first learn how and when to keep silence It is not good casting pearls before swine nor pulling a Bear or mad dog by the ear 'T is the true ambition of a Christian to study to be quiet 1 Thess 4.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to meddle with his own businesse to affect rather quietnesse from the wicked world then acquaintance with it and to passe thorow it with as little noise and notice as he can Not but that Gods faithfull servants must cry aloud and not spare lifting up their voyces like a trumpet c. Esay 58.1 and casting away the inverse trumpets of Furius Fulvus which sounded a retrait when they should have sounded an alarme But this must be done with godly discretion Zeal should eat us up but not eat up our widome saith One nor should policie eat up our zeal The Apostles professed that they could not but speak the things that they had heard and seen they must either vent or burst And yet holy Paul who was full of the spirit of judgement and of burning Esay 4.4 though he preached at Ephesus where hee lived two yeers and more together that they be no gods that are made with hands yet he made no particular invective against their great goddesse Diana whereon they so impotently doated Act. 19.26 37. He that hath a good mixture of zeal and prudence is like a ship well ballasted that sails with a prosperous gale but zeal without discretion is like fire on the chimney-top or like mettle in a blinde horse or the devil in the demoniack that cast him sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water What a storm of persecution raised Bishop Abdias in Persepolis by his intemperate zeal not bridled with discretion as the Poets fable that Minerva put a golden bridle upon Pegasus lest he should flie too fast And it was some disadvantage to Paul when in the Councel though provoked and unjustly smitten he called the high-priest whited wall he was glad to excuse it by his ignorance We may not be too bold or too forward to speak in a good matter to such as hate him that rebuketh in the gate and abhor him that speaketh uprightly verse 10. for it is an evil time by reason of an evil and adulterous generation that make it so It is a day of evil as Psal 41.1 that is of difficulty and danger to those that dare speak out Such as were Tiberius his times That Tyger laid hold with his teeth on all the brave spirits that could speak their minds fitly and durst do it freely He put to death a certain Poet which in a Tragedie had inveighed against Agamemnon suspecting himself to be intended Senec. Freedom of speech used by the Waldenses in blaming and reproving the vices dissolute manners life and actions of great ones made them looked upon and persecuted as hereticks Girardus and enemies to the Sea Apostolike as Manichees Catharists what not Verse 14. Seek good and not evil that ye may live See verse 4. and 6. Oh Seek seek seek saith our Prphet as some of the Martyrs cryed out Pray pray pray Mr. Sanders and Mrs. Askew repeated those words two severall times together Mr. Marsh once adding Never more need To seek God is to seek good and to finde life for with him is the fountain of life Psal 36.9 To seek evil is to seek the devil who is that evil one it is as Solomon saith in a like case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death Prov. 21.6 and so the Lord the God of Hosts shall be with you to assist and accept you in seeking good to protect and provide for you in shunning evil Deal couragiously therefore and God shall be with the good 2 Chron. 19. ult as your seven-fold shield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 See the note there as ye have spoken Vt praedicatis jactitatis as ye boast and bear your selves bold upon saying as Mic. 2.11 Is not the Lord amongst us none evil can come upon us But that 's as you make it for ye are upon your behaviour The fault is not in God but wholly in your selves if ye live not happily reigne not everlastingly at Paris ut vivat regnetque beatus Cogi posse negat Horat. ep 2. God is far from mens hearts and therefore far from their help for can two walk together except they be agreed Chap. 3.3 Verse 15. Hate the evil and love the good God doth so you must also or else never look for his gracious presence with you for idem velle atque idem nolle ea demum vera est Amicitia Cicer◠True friends do both will and nill the same things Minutius Foelix saith that he and his friend Octavius did so The like did Basil and Nazianzen Jonathan and David Corporibus geminis spiritus unus erat All Gods
your God See Esay 21.9 understand Mereury Verse 17. Therefore will cause you Idolatry is a land-desolating sin beyond Damascus and not only so but also beyond Babylon Act. 7 by the way of Damascus by Tiglath Pileser sent for by Ahaz for that purpose Es 8.4 King 15.29 CHAP. VI. Verse 1. In utramv is aurem dorin WOe to them that are at ease in Zion that lye sleeping on both sides and slighting the former menaces as Leviathan doth the iron-weapons Iob. 41.27 that live as if ye were out of the reach of Gods rod and as for all your enemies ye puff at them saying We shall not be moved we shall never be in adversity Psal 10.5 6. To these sleepers in Zion God here sends forth his summons the word Hoi signifieth as well Heus as Vae Ho as Wo Esay 55.1 Zach. 2.6 Ho ho come forth that were quiet and still Zach. 1.11 lulled asleep by Satan or rather cast into a dead lethargy Sampson-like their enemies are upon them and they fast asleep the while Ishbosheth-like they stretch themselves upon their beds of ivory till they lose not their precious lives onely but their immortall souls Security ushereth in destruction those that are at ease in Zion shall be raised by a dreadfull Woe rung in their ears that shall make their hearts fall down and their hairs stand upright In the froth of carnall security and sensuall delights is bred that worm of conscience that never dieth Mar. 9. and here begins to grub and gnaw like as while the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Ichneumon or Indian Rat shoots himself into his bowels after which he never is at ease as having his entrails daily devoured so that one while he will be in the water and anon after on the land till life fails him and trust in the mountain of Samaria Are carnally confident and secure as good David also was when gotten upon his strong mountain Psal 30.6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag but was soon confuted Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled The best are apt by rest to contract rust and being full-fed to wax wanton Deut. 32.15 To affect more mundi delicias quam Christi divitias as One saith the worlds dainties then Christs comforts to trust in uncertain riches then to rely upon the living God who giveth them all things richly to enjoy This must be lookt to 1 Tim. 6.17 for it hath a woe hanging at the heels of it Jer. 17.5 6. Psal 52.7 9. which are named chief of the Nations Heb. expressely named declared notified celebrated chief the head or first fruits the head and height Principium id est praecipuum gentium So Amalec is called the first of the Nations Numb 24.20 haply they held themselves so Justin lib. 2. as the Egyptians afterwards boasted much of their Antiquity and the Chinois at this day do of their excellency and perspicuity above other Nations Many wicked ones are of great renown in this world Psal 73.4 6. and stand much upon their titles and termes of honour who yet in the next generation shall be utterly forgotten Psal 109.13 for that their names are not written in heaven Rev. 17.8 and look how much they have glorified themselves and lived deliciously so much torment and ignominy shall be given them Rev. 18.7 To whom the house of Israel came The whole house of Israel viz. the two tribes to Zion the ten to Samaria Vel sacrorum causà vel judiciorum saith Drusius as to places of worship and besies courts of Justice Others sence it thus The house of Israel came unto them that is the Israelites invaded those nations that once held Zion and Samaria and succeeded them therein not by any strength of their own but by Gods mighty hand and out-stretched arm which they ungratefull wretches acknowledge not but came in for themselves so Ribera rendreth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quasi sibi tantum nati se solos esse aliquid as if they were the onely proprietaries the sole owners of all and owed no service to any chief-Lord Such insolency grows from security See Job 21.23 Verse 2. Passe ye unto Calneh and see Take a voyage to and a view of those most famous bordering cities Calneh or Selencia in Mesopotamia on the East whereof see Gen. 10.10 the beginning of Nimrods Kingdom Hamath the great or Antiochia now Aleppo a famous Mart-town on the North. Then go down Southward to Gath of the Philistines which was of all the five satrapies potissima potentissima and is therefore called Metheg-Ammah 2 Sam. 8.1 with 1 Chron. 18.1 because being a town of great strength it was as it were the bridle whereby the whole countrey about was kept in awe It was afterwards known by the name of Diocaesarea Away to these neighbouring cities and see in them as in so many Optick-glasses how much more God hath done for you then for them in every respect the greater is your guilt and the deeper will be your judgement in the end for abuse of these rich mercies of a fertile soil a large Empire c. to security oppression and other detestable vices and villanies be they better then these kingdoms sc of Judah and Israel which were certainly multis nominibus laudatissima very fruitfull and pleasant countries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 8.7 8 9. Numb 14.7 8. whatsoever Strabo spitefully reporteth to the contrary Lib. 7. being therein worse then Rabshakeh Esay 36.17 Or their border greater then your border sc till the Babylonians Syrians and Assyrians took part of your countrey from you and cooped you up cut you short And now that you are so straitned for room doth not the Lord recompense you in multitudes of people Judea was not above 200. miles long and 50. miles broad say Geographers and yet what huge armies brought they into the field Observe then saith the Prophet the great things that God hath done for you above other Nations and walk accordingly or else take lessons out of their losses and damages and know that the case will be your own Aliorum perditio vestra sit cautio Learn by other mens harms to beware Verse 3. Ye that put farre away the evil day Wo to you that would do so if you could that fondly perswade your selves there is no such danger in evil-doing as the Prophets pretend but that all shall be hail and well with you though yee walk in the imagination of your hearts to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 and to heap up sin as high as heaven Quae longinqua sunt non metuuntur Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 5. Rev. 18.5 This cursed security and hope of impunity is the source of much wickednesse in the world See Prov. 7.19 20. Matth. 24.48 with the Notes It is a sad thing when men shall say as Ezek. 12.27 The vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophesieth of the times
therefore here a sinfull kingdome wholly given to Idolatry as Athens was Act. 17.16 which is that sin with an accent that wickednesse with a witnesse Exod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 32.21 1 King 12.30 and 15 3 30. that land-desolating sin Jer. 22.7 8 9. Psal 78.58 59 62. and I will destroy it See here the venomous nature of sin and shun it else we shall prove traytours to the state and have our hands if not upon the great cart-ropes yet upon the lesser cords that draw down vengance upon the land And here some one sinner may destroy much good Eccle. 9.17 how much more a rabble of rebbels conspiring to provoke the eyes of Gods glory saying that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob A remnant shall be left for royall use See Jer. 30.11 reliquas faciam reliquias and so make a manifest difference remembring my promise Lev. 26.40 which is a speciall text touching the rejection and conversion of the Jewes as is also this in some mens judgments For here say they is a threatening of extream desolation with some comfort enterlaced of a remnant to be reserved amongst whom it is further promised 1. that the kingdome of David thorough Christ shall be set up as glorious as ever it was before in the most flourishing times of David or Solomon ver 11.2 Next other nations shall joyne with them and be made partakers of one common inheritance ver 12. So doth James Act. 15.16 17. expound it 3. Thirdly there is promised the fruitfulnesse of their land ver 13. the inhabiting in their own countrey ver 14. and the perpetuity of their abode there ver 15. But all this others think to be optabile magis quà m opinabile little better then a golden dreame Verse 9. For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel It is not without Gods command and good leave that evill spirits and men can sift the saints as Satan desired to have done Peter He desired it as a challenger desireth one of the other side to combate with so he beg'd leave to sift Iob and so he tempted David to number the people but it was by Gods permission Up therefore and pray that ye enter not into temptation Luk. 22.31 46. or that ye may come cleer out of it Rom. 16.20 and more then conquerours even Triumphers the enemy is stinted yea Christ will tread him under your feet shortly and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations The ten tribes among the Assyrians who were Emperours of the whole East and whither since they are scattered whether into Shina Tartary West-Indies or other countries is not known The whole twelve-tribes those also that once instantly served God day and night Act. 26.7 are now wofully disjected and dissipated being cast out of the world Aug. in Psal 58. as it were by a common consent of Nations and generally slighted and hated The Romanes permitted other nations to call themselves Romanes after they had conquered them but so they would not suffer the Iewes upon any termes to do lest there should be some blot stick to the glory of the Romanes by that odious and sordid people The Pope useth them as spunges the Turk as slaves c. like as corne is sifted in a sieve Or by a fann to the same sense as that Zach. 13.9 for as here a sieve so there fire serveth to denote Affliction with the use of it sc to purge Gods people specially of those two troublesome choke-weeds High-mindednesse and Earthly mindednesse Cribratione Dei non perditur sed purgatur frumentum saith Zanchy Gods good corne is not lost but made cleane by the sifting they suffer Jer. 23.28 yet shall not the least grain Heb stone fall upon the earth As the chaf and dust shall Augustin Mat. 3.12 for what is the chaf to the wheate saith the lord Improbi nobiscum esse possunt in horreo sed non in area Christ hath his fan in his hand and will surely discriminate he will take out the pretious from the vile he will drive the chaffe one way and the wheat another and take care that not the least grain of weighty wheat that had good tack in it as a stone hath though but a little stone shall be lost He will turn his hand upon the little ones and secure them Zech. 13.7 Verse 10. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword The flagitious presumptuous persons Deut. 29.19 that blesse themselues when I curse them saying We shall have peace though we walk every man in the imagination of his heart and take his full swinge in sin Such sinners in Zion Esa 33.14 such sacrificing Sodomites Esa 1.10 such profligate Professours shall die by the sword either by the hand of the enemy or which is worse gladio spiritali saith Mercer by the spiritual sword being blinded and rejected by God so that their preservation is but a reservation to a greater mischief Whereas on the other side some of Gods elect might in a common calamity perish by the sword but then Josiah-like they died in peace though they fell in battle their death was right pretious in the sight of the Lord and a plentifull amends made them in heaven which say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us Or for our sakes by our default If affliction do find us out yet we have not deserved it Begnaden◠propter nos common occurrences we cannot be against Thus the wicked man flattereth himself in his own eyes untill his iniquity be found to be hatefull Psa 36.2 In all my labours they shal find none iniquity in me that were sin Hos 12.8 Yet thou sayst Because I am innocent surely his anger shal turn from me behold I wil plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned Jer. 2.35 Ver. 11. In that day wil I raise up the Tabernacle of David A most sweet conclusion of the Prophesie by sundry Evangelicall promises after so many very severe and sharp menaces the Sun of righteousnesse liketh not to set in a cloud In that day that happy day whensoever it shall dawn that Christ shall come for the Prophets knew not the certaine time when but made diligent enquiry as far as they might with sobriety 1 Pet. 1.11 and well knew that the Law which they preached and explained was an introduction to a better hope Heb. 7.19 which they saw afar off and saluted Heb. 11.13 wil I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is the kingdome of the house of David saith the Chaldee Paraphrast meaning of the Messiah whom the sounder sort of Rabbines from this text call Ben Niphlei the repairer of the breach Galatin the restorer of pathes to dwell in Now the Church is here called the Tabernacle of David because that once stately Palace of David was by many desolations reduced to a tent as it were and that ready to drop
too The Branch grew out of the root of Jesse when that goodly family was sunk so low as from David the king to Joseph the carpenter Besides all was out of order both in Church and State when Christ came and close up the breaches thereof Heb. wall up by unwalling as the Hebrew hath it Num. 24.17 all the children of Seth by subduing the sons of men the godly seed to the obedience of faith by bringing into captivity every haughty thought c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. that at the name of Jesus every knee may bow Philip. 2.10 and getting a full conquest by the preaching of the gospell which shall quickly close up all ruptures and raise up all ruines by chasing away terrours and false-worships doctrines of devils and traditions of men whereby the Scribes and Pharisees had made the commandement of God of none effect and I will build it as in the dayes of old in those purer times of David and the other holy Patriarches who made up but one and the same Church with us and were saved by the same faith in Christ Jesus that Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world Rev 13.8 Mine antiquity is Jesus Christ said Ignatius the Martyr As we preferr the newest Philosophy so the ancient'st Divinity saith Another Verse 12. That they may possesse the remnant of Edom That they which are called by my name which are called Christians viz. the Apostles and their successours to the end of the world may possesse together with Christ to whom the Father hath given the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession the remnant of Edom those few of them that receive the faith who are but as a remnant to the whole peece an handful to a houseful Psal 2. â— And not of the Edomites onely those inveterate and hereditary enemies to the Israel of God but of all the heathen which are called by name who beseech and are baptized into Christs name being content to receive his mark and to professe his Religion which formerly they were perfect strangers to These and those first Preachers of the Gospel and Planters of Churches being Israelites by birth are said to possesse by inheritance because Christ was pleased to make use of their ministery and upon these his white horses to ride abroad the world conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.1 2. In a like sense it is promised Esa 14.2 that the house of Israel shall possesse their proselytes in the land of the Lord for servants and for handmaids and take them captives whose captives they were and rule over their oppressours Such a change shall the Gospel make saith the Lord that doth this For indeed none else could have done it Effectual conversion is his work alone God perswade Japhet c. Noah may speak perswasively but God onely can perswade Rebecca may cook the venison but Isaac onely can give the blessing Paul may plant c. Deus potest facere nec solet fallere Verse 13. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that the plowman c. The Gospel of peace brings with it the peace of the Gospel and with peace plenty with the horn of salvation the horn of plenty a confluence of outward comforts and contentments Boâ—us Deus Constâ—nâ— tantis terrenâ— implevit muâ—â—â—bus qâ—anta â—pâ—â—re nullus â—uderet Dâ— C D. l. 5.25 Elizabetha gloriâ—sissima foeliciss soemina Thuan. Hist lib. 124. as in Solomons dayes and Constantines whom God prospered and blessed beyond all that he could have wished saith Austin and Q. Elizabeths whom for her care to propagate the Gospel He made to be the happiest woman that ever swayed scepter as her very enemies were forced to acknowledge so liberal a paymaster is the Lord that all his retributions are more then bountiful and this his servants have not ex largitate sed ex promisso out of his generall providences but by vertue of a promise which is farre sweeter The Masorites have observed that in this verse are found all the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet as also in 26 more verses of the Old Testament to note say the Calvinists that in the kingdome of the Messiah there shall be great abundance of all things plenum copiae cornu or if that should fail yet plenty of all spiritual benedictions in heavenly things In instauratione casulae Davidicae coâ—apsae Merc. Amama Eph. 1.3 and contented godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.6 which hath an autarkie a self-sufficiency so that having nothing a man possesseth all things 2 Cor. 6.10 This the Prophet expresseth in the following words by many excellent hyperbole's though to say sooth Christus regnum ejus non patiuntur hyperbolen All words are too weak to set forth the worth of Christ and his kingdom the plowman shall overtake the reaper In signis hyperbole saith Mercer no sooner shall harvest be ended but seeding shall succeed and that promise fulfilled Levit. 26.5 all businesses belonging to the tillage of the ground and the inning of the fruit shall have their fit and sutable seasons where under the name of corporal blessings spiritual also are to be understood and indeed those blessings out of Zion are farre beyond any other that come out of heaven and earth Ps 134.3 and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed precious seed Ps 126.5 sowing-seed as one englisheth it drawn out of the seed basket and cast all along upon the land the meaning is that the vintage shall last so long that the seeds-man shall scarce have time to do his businesse for waiting upon the wine-presse and the mountains shall drop sweet wine Or juice of pomegranates more delicious liquor then that which the Italians profanely call Lachrymae Christi or that which at Paris and Lovaine is called Vinum Theologicum or Vinum Cos that is â—oloris odoris saporis optimi the best in the countrey for colour savour and taste to please the palate and al the hils shal melt sc with milk honey oyl as Joel 3.18 the same almost with this And the heathen Poet hath the like Subitis messor gaudebit aristis Claudian lib. 1. in Ruffin Rorabunt querceta favis stagnantia passim Vina fluent oleique laeus Ver. 14. And I will bring againe the captivity of my people There is an elegancy in the original that cannot be englished and God seemes delighted with such Agnominations as hath been before observed to shew the lawfull use of Rhetorike in divine discourses Act. 26.18 so it be not affected abused Idolized This promise is fulfilled when beleevers are by the gospel brought from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and be set free from the tyranny of corruption and terrour of death Heb. 2.14.15 Colos 1.13 Luk. 1.74 Zach. 9.11 Psa 68.19 and they shall build the wast cities Restore the sincere service of God as those noble Reformers did
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
10.4 5. and bringing in not the heads but hearts of those whom they had subdued as Paul did of Sergius Paulus the Proconsul Acts 13.9 where also he is first called Paul in memory belike of those first spoils hee brought into the Church By shepherds here are meant saith Gualther the Ministers and Preachers of the word who feed defend and watch over the flock By principal men Magistrates endued with that free or as the Chaldee hath it kingly spirit Psal 51.12 to decree and act for the good of the Church Such shepherds in the time of the Assyrian warre were Esay Micha Joel c. such principall men were Hezekias and Eliakim Isa 22. c. Such after the captivity were Ezra Haggee Zachariah Malachi Zorobabel Nehemiah Judas Macchabeus c. Qui nutantem remp Ecclesiam suis consilijs fortibus gestis fulserunt who under-propped and kept up the tottering Church and Common-wealth by their prayers counsels and valiant atchievements both before and since the dayes of Christ upon earth Verse 6. And they shall wast the land of Assyria Heb. They shall eat it down as shepherds do pastures with their flocks Pascere is put for perdere saith Calvin they shall leave nothing there safe or sound but either bend or break the Churches enemies bring them to Christ by the sword of Gods word or utterly ruine them by temporall slaughters Aut poenitendum aut pereundum Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian It is Christ that delivereth his what instruments soever he please to make use of Luke 1.71 1 Cor. 15.24 anâ— he must have the praise of it The Grecians thankfully acknowledged to Jupiter their deliverance from the Persians wrought by Themistocles and therehence called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Romans for like cause Sospâ—tator presenting a Palme to him and sacrificing a white Ox Liv. lib. 6. d. 3. â—o acknowledging it was his power whereby the conquest was atchieved Our Edw. 3. after his victory at Poâ—â—â—ers where hee took the French king Anno 1356. took speedy order by Sâ—mon Archbishop of Canterbury that eight dayes together should be spent in giving God the thanks and glory How much more should wee praise him for spiritual deliverances Polyd. Virg. lib. 19. from sinne Satan the world c. and consecrate our selves wholly to his service sith Servati simus ut serviamus Luke 1.74 deliverance commands obedience Ezra 9.14 Verse 7. And the remnant of Jacob The remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 these are but a few in comparison as a remnant to the whole peece or an hand-full to an house-full but they shall increase and multiply by Gods blessing upon them as is here set forth by two similitudes First for their propagation and multiplication the Prophet compareth them to the dew which is ingendred and distilled from heaven immediatly Therefore also Psal 110.3 new converts are compared to dew and Gods begetting them to the womb of the morning See M. Tho. Goodw. fastserm Apr. 27. 1642. when over-night the earth was dry Secondly for their growth and increase he compareth it to the sprouting up of herbs and grasse in the wildernesses where man cometh not and so their springing tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sonnes of men for them to come with their watering-pots to nourish them as herbs in gardens do but these have showers from heaven that give the increase I the Lord do keep my vineyard I will water it every moment Esay 27.3 There is an honour due to Gods Ministers 1 Thess 5 13. but the word onely must be â—â—â—â—fied Act. 13.48 and Christ earnestly intreated that as of old the Manna â—â—me down with the dew which covered the Manna whence that expression hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 so He himself who is the bread of life would descend into us by the word of his grace and fill us with the fruits of righteousnesse that he would rigare recreare refresh and cherish our hearts as the dew from heaven doth the dry and fady fields Vers 8. And the remnant of Jacob as a Lion among the beasts of the forrest The saints shall prosper and do great exploits as being indued with an invincible force of the spirit making them as so many Cuer-de-lions or as Chrysostom saith of Peter that he was like a man made all of fire walking among stubble What Lion-like men were all the Apostles those white horses upon which the Lord Christ rode about the world conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 That lion of the tribe of Judah Rev. 5.5 had put upon them of his own spirit Ioh. 1.16 and of his fulnesse bestowed upon them grace for grace hence their transcendent zeale and courage for the truth Steven was amongst his country-men the Jewes as a Lion among the beasts of the forrest So were in their severall generations Athanasius Basil Ambrose Luther Latimer Farel c. that noble army of Martyrs One of them told the Persecutours that they might pluck the heart out of his body but never pluck the truth out of his heart Another Act. Mon. 1430. 1438. that the heavens should sooner fall then he would turn A third that if every haire of his head were a man he would suffer death in the opinion and faith that he was now in A fourth said Can I die but once for Christ And generally the valour of the patient and the savagenesse of the persecutours strove together till both exceeding nature and beleefe bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers and in some effectual conversion as in Justin Martyr in Calberius in those 400. said to be converted at the Martyrdome of Cecilia and lastly in Silvester the executioner at the martyrdome of Simon Laloe at Dyion in France where seeing the great faith and constancy of that heavenly Martyr he was so compuncted with repentance Act. Mon. fol. 829. and fell into such despair of himself that after much adoe being comforted and converted he removed with all his family to the church of Geneva But what a silly conceit is that of the â—ewes at this day that when Messias comes they shall be these Lions among the Gentiles in the middest of all other people to tread them down and to teare in peeces without rescue and what a true character hath a late writer given of them that they are a light aeriall S. H. Blount and fanaticall-brain'd people and easily apt to work themselves into the fooles paradise of a sublime dotage Verse 9. Thine hand shall be lift up upon thine adversaries q. d. Adversaries thou shalt be sure of O my Church but thou shalt have the better of them Thou shalt keep footing still under the stanâ—ard of the crosse and prevaile Sub militia crucis Calv. The mountaine of the house of the Lord shall overtop all other mountaines of worldly power chap. 4.1 It shall be as that mountain not far from Arbela
for his great goodnesse We are so joyfull that I wish you part of my joy c. The posy of the city of Geneva stamped round about their mony was formerly out of Iob Ibid. Post tenebras spero lucem After darknesse I look for light But the Reformation once settled amongst them they changed it into Post tenebras lux Light after darknesse Scultet Aunal Like as the Saxon Princes before they became Christians gave for their armes a black horse Cranz in Saxon. but being once baptized a white Verse 9. I will beare the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him The Church had sinned and God was angry with her So Zech. 1.12 Esay 57.17 What meane then the Antinomians to tell us that God is never angry with his people for their foule and flagitious practises no not with a fatherly anger nor chastiseth them for the same no not so much as with a fatherly chastizement Virg. Aeneid Is not this contra Solem mingere Godlinesse is on target against affliction Blind Nature saw this nec te tua plurima Pentheu Labentem texit pietas Onely it helpes to patient the heart under affliction by considering 1. That it is the Lord. 2. That a man suffers for his sin as the penitent theef also confessed Luk. 24.41.3 That the rod of the wicked shall not lie long upon the lot of the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Say we then every one with David I know that thy judgements are right and thou hast afflicted me justly Psal 119.75 yea in very faithfulnesse hast thou done it that thou mightest be true to my soule And with that Noble Du-plessy who when he had lost his onely son a gentleman of great hopes which was the breaking of his mothers heart quieted himself with these words of David I was silent and said no word because thou Lord diddest it Psal 39. See my Love-tokens pag. 145.146 c. It shall be our wisdome in affliction to look to God and to reflect upon our sins taking his part against our selves as a Physician observes which way nature workes and helpes it until he plead my cause As a faithfull Patron and powerfull Avenger for though it be just in God that I suffer yet it is unjust in mine enemies who shall shortly be soundly paid for their insolencies and cruelties he will bring me forth to the light He will discloud these gloomy dayes and in his light I shall see light I shall behold his righteousnesse that is his faithfulnesse in fulfilling his Promise of deliverance in due time Meane-while I will live upon reversions live by faith and think to make a good living of it too All the wayes of God to his people are mercy and truth Psa 25.10 this is a soul-satisfying place of scripture indeed All the passages of his providence to them are not onely mercy but truth and righteousnesse they come to them in a way of a promise and by vertue of the Covenant wherein God hath made himself a voluntary debter to them 1 Joh. 1.9 Verse 10. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it c. Not onely shall I behold his righteousnesse as before but mine enemy shall see it and feel it too to her small comfort They shall see it when 't is too late to remedy it as they say the Mole never opens her eyes till pangs of death are upon her And shame shall cover her when she shall see that thou hast shewed me a token for good that thou hast holpen me and comforted me Psal 86.17 which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God So laying her religion in her dish whereby God became interested in her cause and concerned in point of honor to appear for her The Church is no lesse beholden to her enemies insolencies for help then to her own devotions for God will right himself and her together See Joel 2.17 with the Note Mine eyes shall behold her and feed upon her misery not as mine enemy but as Gods nor out of private revenge but out of zeal for his glory Now shall she be trodden down as the myre of the streets Erit infra omnes infimos she shall be as mean as may be Nineveh that great city is now a little town of small trade Babylon is nothing else but a sepulture of her self Those four Monarchies that so heavily oppressed the Church are now laid in the dust and live by fame onely so shall the Romish Hierarchie and Turkish Empire All Christs enemies shall shortly be in that place that is fittest for them sc under his feet as was before noted he will dung his Church with the carcasses of all those wilde boars and buls of Bashan that have trod it down Verse 11. In the day that thy walls are to be built In the type by Nehemiah chap. 3. who did the work with all his might and having a ready heart made riddance and good dispatch of it Mar. 16.15 In the truth and spiritually when the Gospel was to be preached to every creature and a Church collected of Jews and Gentiles The Church is in the Canticles said to be a garden enclosed such as hath a wall about it and a well within it Cant. 4.12 See the Note there God will be favourable in his good pleasure unto Zion Psal 51.18 and build the walls of Jerusalem His spirit also will set up a standard in his Saints against strong corruptions and temptations and make them more then conquerours even Triumphers Esay 59.19 Rom. 8.37 2 Cor. 2.14 In that day shall the decree be farre removed That decree of the Babylonians forbidding the building of the Temple and City shall be reversed and those statutes that were not good given them by Gods permission because they had despised his statutes Ezek. 20.24 25. shall be annulled and removed farre away Some read it In that day shall the decree go farre abroad and interpret it by Psal 2.7 8. of the doctrine of the Gospel Verse 12. In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria To thee Ierusalem in the Type shall recourse be had from all parts as if thou wert the chief city of the world Pliny saith that in his time she was the most famous of all the cities of the East and Titus himself is said to have wept at the last destruction of it by his souldiers whom he could not restrain from firing the Temple To the new Jerusalem the Church of the New Testament in the Antitype from whence the Gospel was sent out to every creature which is under heaven Col. 1.23 and whereunto people of all sorts flowed and many nations came Mic. 4.1 2. with highest acclamations most vigorous affections and utmost indeavours bestowing themselves upon the Lord Christ Act. 2.9 c. Jerusalem in the Hebrew tongue is of the duall number in regard of the two parts of the city the upper and the nether town Or
beaten with 300. stripes and cast a pair of fetters into it to make it his prisoner But to how small purpose all this together with his digging through Isthmus his drinking up rivers with his army and the like it well appeared when he was forced to fly back out of Greece in a poor fishers boat which being overburdened had sunk all if the Persians by the casting away themselves had not saved the life of their king The story of Canutus the Dane somtimes king of England is well known He was told by a Court-Parasite that all things in his dominions were at his beck and command Canutus to confute him caused a chair to be set on the sea-shore wherein being set he said to the sea flowing fast toward him Thou belongest to me and the land upon which I now sit is mine own neither is there any whosoever that obeyes me not shall escape unpunished I command thee therefore thou sea that thou come up no higher into my land nor presumest once to wet thy masters legs or garments But the Sea keeping his ordinary course without duty or reverence washed both his legs and gown He then leaping back said Let alâ— the inhabitants of the world know â—en Huntington that the power of kings is frivolous and vaine neither is there any mortall man worthy the name of a king but he to whose beck heaven earth and sea by his lawes eternally are obedient Neither did Canutus after this time weare a crown but set it upon the Crucifix according to the superstition of those times thereby acknowledging it to be a royalty proper to Christ alone to rebuke the surges of the sea and to say unto them Peace and be still Luk. 4.24 Mar. 4.39 and drieth up all the rivers As he did Jordan Ios 4 2 King 2. Chereth 1 King 17.7 the great river Euphrates Rev. 16.12 See the Note there See also Plin. nat hist l. 2. cap. 85. and 103. Bashan languisheth and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon languisheth all the beauty of those fertile and pleasant places fadeth When the earth beareth fruit and flowers she is said to yeeld her strength to bring forth her increase as when through drought or otherwise she doth not she is said to languish and hang the head See Ioe 1.10.12 If the Eclipse of the Sun cause a drooping in the whole frame of nature how much more the wrath and vengeance of God Ver. 5. The mountaines quake at him and the hills melt Though vallies and low places are also liable to earthquakes as Antioch often Ferrara in Italy An. Dom. 1514. and 1573. yet hill-countreys much more because there are more holes and cavernes Alsâ—ed Chronol See Psal 29.6 and 144.4 Zach. 14.4 5. In the yeere 1618. Aug. 25. Pleurs a town in Rhetia was overwhelmed by a hill which with a most swift motion opprest 1500. men So that village aforementioned in the country of Bern that was over-covered by a hill in an earthquake to the destruction of 50. Polan synt families All this and that which followeth is alledged here to shew how easily God can overturn the Assyrian greatnesse and the earth is burnt at his presence Viz. by his fire from heaven as Sodom and by other his land-desolating judgments such as Judea that once fertile now barren country Greece Asia once so flourishing Germany Ireland c. do at this day grone under God turneth a fruitful land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 107.34 yea the world and all that dwell therein Quae quidem sunt mira sed tamen vera divinae potentiae effecta Wicked men besides what they here suffer Tarnou shall one day give an account of what they have done in the body with the world all on a light fire about their eares The triall of their workes shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 the tribunall of fire Ezek. 1.27 the Judge a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 His attendants Seraphins flaming creatures Isai 6.2 his pleading with sinners in flames of fire 2 Thess 1.7 the place of punishment a lake of fire fed with tormenting temper Isai 30.33 Sodoms fire and brimstone was but a toy to it And shall the Ninivites think to mott up themselves against this formidable fire which the most solid parts of the world cannot avoid or abide Ver. 6. What can stand before his indignation A glasse bottle may as well stand before a cannon-shot There 's no standing before a lion much lesse before a devouring fire least of all before an angry God When our Saviour did but put forth a beame of his Deity and said I am he the stout souldiers fell to the ground Ioh. 18.6 and there they had lame if he had not licensed them to rise againe Augustin Quid autem judicaturus faciet qui judicandus hoc fecit The wicked shall not stand in judgment saith David Psal 1.7 who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger Heb Collectumque premeus volviâ— sub naribus ignem in the inflammation of his nostrils Thus the Prophet describeth Gods terrible executions of justice on the Churches enemies pulcherrimis metaphoris hypotypôsi evidentissima distributionis artisicio insignissimo by most elegant Metaphors evident demonstrations and artificiall distributions Crocius in loc his fury is powred out like fire A metaphor either from metalls melted or from showâ—es of raine such as God powred down upon Sodom whereunto probably the Prophet here alludeth as verse 8. to Noahs flood flaming showers Jer. 7.20 and 44.6 and the rocks are thrown down by him that is by his fierce wrath when it is at the full height as the fire which at first burns a little within upon a few boards and rasters but when it prevaileth bursteth out in a most terrible flame as thunder which we heare at first a little roaâ—ing noise afarr off but stay awhile and it is a dreadfull crack cleaving the very rocks See Ier. 4.23 24. Mat. 27.51 Verse 7. The Lord is good To Israel though terrible to the Assyrians as hath been plainly and plentifully set forth to the pure in heart Psal 73.1 and he doth good Psal 119.68 to those that are good that are upright in their hearts Psal 125.4 These shall tast and see that the Lord is good these shall feelingly fay ' Oh blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psal 34.8 Oh praise the Lord for he is good c. a strong hold in the day of trouble Praesidium aut fortalitium A strong fort or fortification better then aâ—â—wer of brasse or town of warr the righteous run thereunto and are safe Prov. 18.10 Hezekiah for whose sake this is spoken had the experience of it He had a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy the children were come to the birth and there was not strength to bring forth Esai 37.3 To God therefore he runs in this dolefull day of his and had present help
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-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
done by God not by Fate or Fortune or any necessity of Nature that states and kingdoms must have their times and their turnes their rise and their ruine as Politicians dote Osorius'de Nobil l. 3. Ver. 7. And it shall come to pass that all they â—hat look upon thee shall flee from thee Thou shalt be a very Magor-missabib a terrour to all that are round about thee so that they shall decline thee and stand a loof off Resilient à te they shall leape back from thee faith the Vulgar translation as if they had trod upon a snake Vbi simul hominum mores exprimit saith Gualther This is the manner of most people they measure friendship by profit and shamefully forsake those in adversity whom they were wont to follow and fawne upon in prosperity David complaines of such dealing and Ovid and many others And say Niniveh is laid wast which most men held impossible Tempera fuerint nubila solus eris Cum fortuna perâ—t nulius amicus erit and never looked to have seen such a day So Rome was called Aurea and AEterna and the Romans once thought as it is said Dionysius did that the monarchy of the world had been tied unto them with chaines of adamant But God confuted their golden dreames by breaking their Empire and giving up their city six severall times in one hundred thirty nine yeares into the hands of the Barbarians who exercised therein all kind of cruelty Besides that it is observed that Rome since it became Papall was never besieged by any enemy but it was taken The finall ruine of it is daily expected according to that prophecy of St. John Rev. 18.2 Lib. 8. Babylon is fallen is fallen and that other of Sibylla afore recited Tota eris in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses Who will bemoane her Heb. Who will move his lips for her Some perhaps will shake his head or shoot his bolt at her but none open his mouth to bemone her It was the just hand of God to set off all hearts and shut up all mouthes from her that had been so unreasonably mercilesse and hard-hearted Iam. 2.13 Whence shall I seek comforters for thee q.d. So odious thou art that none will do thee that good office or if they would so calamitous thou art that no comsort will fasten For as to sore eyes the gentleft medicine is troublesome so is comsort ministred to such as are in an hopelesse condition The care that tasteth words as the mouth doth meat is at such a time imbittred and out of tast Ver. 8. Art thou better then populous No Heb. No Amon a great corn-countrey and therefore populous Amon i.e. Nu. tritia Alma mater for where victuall and good trading is to be had thither people will repaire apace No that is Alexandria was the nurfing mother of Egypt and Egypt was called the worlds barn or storehouse horreum unde hauriatur Gen. 42.1 It is called Ier. 46.25 Amon de No and Ezek. 30.11 Hamon No and Verse 14.16 No without any addition This was the old name of this city before it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar to whom God had given Egypt as his pay for his paines in taking Tyre It was reedified by Alexander the great and he called it after his own name Alexandria Amon it was called for the reasons above-given Though there be that sech that name of it from Ham the son of Noah Theodoret will have it so called from Iupiter Hammon whose sonne Lib. 2 p. 51. Pausan Lib. 3. Lib. de Isid et Osirid Alexander desired to be held and from whom the Egyptian husbandmen were called Ammonii and their arable Ammonia as Herodotus writeth Plutarch also telleth us that the Africans worship an unknowne God by the name of Amon that is in their language Heus tu quis es This city therefore is called No Amon probably to distinguish it from other cities of the same name as Alexandria Egypti Caesarea Philippi Augusta Vindelicorum c. Iosephus saith that it abounded in people Lib. 2. de bell Iud. Gap 16. and wealth being little lesse then Hierusalem in compasse Thinkest thou now O Niniveh saith God here that thou art in a better or safer condition then this city once was but I am magnum infoelix nil nisi nomen habet Let Niniveh go to Ierusalem Succurrat illud mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur to Shiloh Ier. 7.12 and do as Scipio did when beholding the downfall of Carthage he fore-saw and bewailed the like future destiny of Rome his own countrey That was situate amnng the rivers which is held the best situation for profit pleasure Lib. 17. and strength That had the waters round about it The river Nilus begirt it saith Strabo but could not mott it up from Gods fire See Psal 33.17 Prov. 21.30 with the Note Whose rampart was the sea and her wall was from the sea She had the Egyptian sea on one side and the lake of Mareôtis on the other which the Hebrews called the Sea Verse 9. Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength No was the Metropolis of Egypt and knew no end of her power as bearing rule over Ethiopia the strong and Egypt the infinite some read this text and as having all the rest of the peoples inhabiting Afrike and Lybia for her confederates Chus Valida et Egyptij infiniti Drusius See Ier. 46.9 where the Prophet speaketh of such People as brought aide to Egypt against the Caldees but were foiled and worsted Of the huge armies that Ethiopia was able to raise see 2 Chron. 14.9 and 16.8 Egypt for her strength was called Rahab Psal 87.4 and 89.11 that is mighty and proud Put and Lubim were thy helpers By Put Hierome understandeth Africa which was over anent Alexandria the sea between a wast continent thrice as big as Europe and by Lubim Lybia a considerable part of that continent somtimes put for the whole These would have been helpers to No but could not because over-powred by Nebuchadnezzar sent against them by God Leagues entred into with wicked men profit not those whom God will punish The Grecian Churches Anno 1438. being afraid of the Turks sent and subjected themselves to the Bishop of Rome that they might have the help of the Latine Churches but shortly after they were destroyed and their Empire subdued and swallowed up in the Turkish greatnesse It is gathered by some out of Revel 16.14 15 16. that the Pope and his adherents shall towards the end of the world for the restoring of his decayed authority call in the help not onely of Popish Princes but of forraign States out of Asia Africa and America to suppresse the heretikes as they call us and to root out Religion but with evil successe for they shall associate themselves onely to be broken in pieces Esay 8.9 these Auxiliaries shall speed no better then those subsidiarie Syrians did 2 Sam. 10.18 19.
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-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
up and for thine own private family and posterity it is not all thy care paines plotting and practising that can preserve it from ignominy and utter ruine God will turn thy glory into shame and make thy name to rot and stink as putrified flesh Prov. 10.7 and ver 9. He that perverteth his wayes shall be known And when such a man is raked up in the dust his evill courses shall be cast as dung in the faces of those whom he leaveth behind him What fooles then are Extortioners Muckwormes and Cormorants that live miserably and deale unjustly opening the mouthes of all to cry out upon their crâ—â—tinesse covetousnesse and cruelty and yet think to raise up their houses and advance their names and adorne their children with glory and estimation by cutting off many people A poore glory it was to Sylla to have made such a mercilesse massacre at Athens and after that to have proscribed and slaine 4700. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 citizens of Rome as he caused it to be publikely recorded videlicet ne memoria tam praeclarae rei dilueretur saith mine Authour Johnst de Nat. Const So for Julius Caesar to have been the death of a million of men Mahomet the great Turk of 800000. So for Stokesly bishop of London to boast upon his death-bed that he had in his time brought to the fire fifty heretikes as he called them or for the bloody Spaniards that they have murthered fifty millions of Indians in 42. yeers as Acosta the Jesuite testifieth and hast sinned against thy soule The worth whereof is incomparable the losse irreparable as Christ who only went to the price of soules telleth us Mat. 16.26 It was therefore no ill counfell that Francis Xaverius gave Iohn 3. King of Portugall to meditate every day a quarter of an houre on that divine sentence What shall it profit a man to win the world and lose his soule Neither was it any evill answer that Maximilian King of Bohemia afterwards Emperour gave the Pope who perswaded him to be a good Catholike with many promises of profits and preferments the king answered I thank your holinesse but my soules health is dearer to me then all the things in the world Hist of Counc of Trent 429. Speed 496. This pleased not the Pope who said that it was a Lutheran form of speech and yet that of Lewis king of France about the yeer 1152. pleased him much worse who cast his Bulles whereby he required the fruites of vacancies of all Cathedrall Churches of France into the fire saying I had rather the Popes bulles should roast in the fire then that my soule should fry in hell Verse 11. For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answer it Here are wofull Antiphonies screech-owles of woe cry aloud from the beames of the oppressours chambers and make most hideous noises in the eares of their consciences So that although none other should dare to mute against them or accuse them of wrong-dealing yet their very houses built by rapine and blood shall testifie against them so shall other creatures that grone under their abuses Rom. 8.19 20 22. They seeme all to say unto us those 3. Lib. 2. de Arcap 3. words saith Hugo Accipe Redde Fuge Accipe beneficium Redde Officium Fuge Supplicium Now if we harken not to them but do the contrary they shall be one day as so many swift witnesses against us and the beame out of the timber shall answer it Tignum è ligno respondet ei An allusion to responsores as in Quires and musick And perhaps the Prophet here tacitely taxeth the Babylonian luxury in keeping Quiristers and Musicians for their sinfull delight God saith he will fit you with other singsters shortly that shall twit you by turns with your murthers and ravages for the stone shall cry out of the wall Woe to him that buildeth a town with bloods and the beame out of the timber shall answer it And wo to him that stablisheth a city by iniquity Verse 12. Wo to him that buildeth a town with blood This seemeth to be the senselesse creatures black Cantus as they call it chaunted out against the wrong-doer by Gods own appoinrment cui obscura clarent muta respondent silentium confitetur saith an Ancient cui servi ut taceant jumenta loquentur Juvenal The very beasts have a verdict to passe upon oppressours as the dumb Asse did upon Balaam yea the lifelesse creatures shall ring a dolefull knell of Woe and alasse in their eares and cry them guilty as the earth did Cain and the heaven did Phocas and as the tignum è ligno doth here Nehuchadnezzar His town of Babylon was built in blood by Seminamis who slew her husband so was Rome by Romulus so was Alexandria in Egypt by Alexander that great man-slayer the founder of populous No of whose Woe reade Nah. 3.8 10. with the Note And for Alexander himself Speed he lay unburied thirty dayes together neither did his bloody conquest above ground purchase him any title for an habitation under ground The like befell our Conquerour William who laid his foundation here upon fire-works and was punished in his posterity for his depopulations at Newforrest and elsewhere and stablisheth a city by iniquity That thinketh so to stablish it but it proveth otherwise Josephus telleth us that Nebuchadnezzar set three severall walles of brick about his Babylon Joseph lib. 10. chp. 11. one within another but all would not do when once God took it to do Oppression is a bony sin Am. 5.12 13. Verse 13. Behold is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the fire Labour in vaine to quench the fire wherewith Babylon shall be burnt Jer. 51.58 Or have laboured to no purpose in building that city and enlarging that Empire which now God will have down Is it not evident that they have lost oleum operam yea hazarded their own lives as those do that stâ—ive against a flame What profit hath he that laboureth for the wind Eccles 5.16 much lesse he that laboureth in the fire that devouring element See Esay 33.14 Possibly he may besaved himself yet so as by fire but his work shall be burnt that losse he shall suffer 1 Cor. 3.15 As they that seek after the Philosophers stone labour in the very fire to as little purpose as may be for they must use so much gold and spend so much gold and then perhaps they can turn as much into gold by it as they have spent in making of it Hence One calles Alchymy A multiplying of something by nothing Another an Omne Aliquid Nihil Another an art without art never taught by Moses and Miriam as some have doted and delivered that this was a peece of their Egyptian learning But it is certain that those holy soules never either learned or taught any such laborious losse of time and
a cry from the fish-gate called also the firstgate Zach. 14.10 whereat the Caldeans entred and caused a great hubbub as in such a case is usuall and an howling from the second Called by the Chaldee Paraphrast the bird-gate there was also one called the horse-gate Jer. 31.40 Some understand the text not of any gate Jerushalaijm but of the second part of the city for there was the upper town and the lower town whence Jerusalem is of the duall number and the tower of David on the hill of Zion Others of the Colledge where Huldad dwelt 2 King 22.14 a school of learning as the Chaldee interpreteth it and called Mishneh as you would say a place of repetition or of catechising the younger sort with whom nothing sticks but what is repeated to them over and over as the knife goeth over the whetstone Shanan Shanah repetire sicut in acuendo See Deut. 6.7 and a great crashing or shivering Heb. shebher from the hills Gareb and Goath Jer. 31.39 and the rest that were round about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 The Prophets scope is to shew that all places shall be full of tumult and out-cry upon the approach of the enemy They that would not listen to the sweet voice of God inciting and inticing them to repentance have now their ears filled with hideous and horrid notes and noises Verse 11. Howl ye inhabitants of Maktesh Or of the mortar or of the low and hollow place of the base-town where corn was brayed in mortars before Mills were in use These are here called upon to turn their laughter to mourning and their joy into heavinesse to weep and howl for the evils that shall come upon them Jam. 4.9 and 5.1 but especially for their sinnes the cause of those miseries for Gods judgements upon sinners are feathered from themselves as a fowl shot with an arrow feathered from her own body for all the merchant-people are cut down The merchant-men were wont to furnish the mortar-men such as dealt in corn spicery and the like These shall be cut down as being more like Canaanites a people devoted to destruction then Israelites a people saved by the Lord the shield of their help and the sword of their excellency Deut. 33.29 Vide Garol Paschalij legat cap. 7. p. 24. See Hos 12.8 with the Note He is a merchant the ballances of deceit are in his hand he loveth to oppresse See Amos 8 5 6. Mic. 6.10 11 12. Merchandise well managed is of great use to Kingdoms and States for many reasons 1. For descrying the counsels and strength of other Nations 2. For procuring the love and friendship of forreine Princes and people 3. for exchanging of commodities for non omnis fert omnia tellus 4. for gaining experience of many and great matters this caused Thales Hippocrates and Solon to exercise merchandise 5. It occasioned the building of many famous cities Massilia for one as Plutarch writeth Neverthelesse this honourable profession is much abused by those whom Nahum calleth cankerworms chap. 3.16 for their covetousnes luxury oppression bringing in unnecessary wares that emasculate and dissolve mens spirits and hereticall books that undoe their soules and lastly for their carrying out the wealth of their country to strangers yea to enemies sometimes Hence they are justly cut down by God and are to be ordered by the Magistrate according to Lev. 19.35 36. Deut. 25. Ezek. 45.9 10 11 12. all they that bear silver are cut off The rich traders that had marsupia plena and carried money in great burthens these shall be also cut off or silenced have nothing to say for themselves why they should not be destroyed with the rest as those that have been involuti argento as the vulgar translation hath it here so wrapped up in their money and affected to it as that it hath rather possessed them then they it Cor habent in aere non in athere their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33.31 Here they are called Portatores argenti silver-carriers sumpter-horses laden with thick clay Silver is that which the basest element yeeldeth the most savage Indians get servile apprentises work Midianitish Camels carry miserable muck-worms admire covetous Jewes swallow unthristy Ruffians spend c. It is to be wondred saith One that treading upon these minerals we cannot contemn them They lye furthest from heaven and the best of them are in India furthest from the Church and yet how many doth mony make to run quick to the devill on an errand and payes them home for their paines Verse 12. I will search Jerusalem with candles which yet he needs not do sith the darknesse hideth not from him but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are to him alike Psal 139.12 Confer Iob 34.22 Ier. 23.24 Deo obscura lucent muta respondent silentium confitetur Night will convert it self into noon before God and silence become a speaking evidence His eyes also are a flaming fire that needs no outward light but sees by sending out a ray c. but when Jerusalem is threatened to be searched with ligâ—ts the meaning is that it shall be set all upon a light fire and the inhabitants ferretted out of their lurking-holes their Princes and potentates pulled out of privies and sepulchers by the pursuing enemy as Hierome out of Josephus here affirmeth they once were Besides that they shall be brought to a particular and punctuall account for their sins God will be very exact and accurate with them that way setting all their evill deeds in order before their eyes Psal 50.21 and bringing wrath upon them to the utmost 1 Thes 2.16 This is fearefull Psal 130.3 and shall be fulfilled especially at the last day when wicked men shall give an account minutatim of all their Atheisticall thoughts Psal 14.1 ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Iude 15. with the whole world flaming about their eares 2 Pet. 3.7 10 12. 1 Cor 4.5 2 Thes 1.8 and punish the men that are settled on their lees Coagulati curded or thickened congealed and condensed that are habituated and hardned in their evill practises that have got a sward nay a hoof upon their hearts that have brawny breasts and horny heart-strings that stick stifly in the mire of their sins as Moab Ier. 48.11 and being deeply drowned in the world are desperately divorced from God whom they basely fancy to be a God of clouts one that howere he speak big words yet will do neither good nor hurt mibi haec mortalia curat that say in their hearts As that saplesse fellow doth Psal 14.1 Some set their mouths against heaven and shame not to utter their reasonings and resolutions of this kind These are Epicuri de gregiporci such as was Lucretius Diageras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herace with his credat Iudaeus apella Herat. serm Nonego namque deos didici secuum
that our special care should be to give God his due to seek first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and then all other things shall seek us Cicero Caetera aut aderunt aut caetera non oberunt But most people are so busied about their own houses their cottaeges of clay the body that Gods house 2 Cor. 5.1 the soul lies wast and neglected the lean kine eat up the fat the strength of the ground is spent in nourishing weeds Earthly mindednesse sucketh the sap of grace from the heart as the Ivy doth from the Oake and maketh it unfruitfull Men are so taken up about the world that they think not on Gods kingdome as the Duke of Alva told the French king Fren. Hist who asked him whether he had observed the late great Eclipse No said he I have so much to doe upon earth that I have no leisure to look toward heaven But is not one thing necessary and all other but by-businesses And have we not in our dayly prayer five petitions for spirituals and but one for temporals Are we not taught to make it our first request that Gods name may be hallowed though our turnes should not be served Is not Esau stigmatized for selling his birth-right for a messe of broth And is not Shemei chronicled for a foole Heb. 12.16 who by seeking after his servants lost his life Pope Sixtus for a mad man that sold his soul to the devil to enjoy the Popedome for seven years what shall it profit a man to win the world and lose his own soul to win Venice and then be hanged at the gates thereof as the Italian proverb hath it Surely such a mans losse will be 1. Mat. 16. Incomparable 2. Irreparable for what shall a man give in exchange of his soul It was no evill counsel that was given to John the third King of Portugal to meditate every day a quarter of an hour on that divine sentence It would be time well spent to ponder as oft and as long together on this Text Is it time for you O ye that are so sharp set upon the world so wholly taken up about your private profits your pleasures and preferments to sit in your ceiled houses as Ahab once did in his ivory Palace or Nebuchadnezzar in his house of the kingdome as he vain-gloriously calleth it Dan. 4.30 and Gods house lie waste and his service neglected to whom we owe our selves 1 Cor. 6.19 our lives Mat. 16.25 our parents children friends means Mat. 19.29 our gifts and abilities 1 Cor. 4.7 our honours and offices Psal 2.10 11 12. all that we are and have How justly may God curse our blessings Job 16.15.16.18 21. 1 Cor. 12.21 as he threateneth these selfe-seeking God-neglecting Jews both here and Mal. 2.2 scatter brimstone upon our houses drp up our roots beneath and above cut off our branches drive us from light into darknesse and chase us out of the world with his terrours Col. 3.2 Phil. 2.21 Surely such are the ceiled dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God that inverteth the order appointed of him by coveting not the best guists but an evil covetousnesse Hab. 2.9 by setting his affections not on things above but on things on the earth by seeking their own things every man and not the things of Jesus Christ Verse 5. Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts Haggai was but a yong man saith Epiphanius Now therefore lest any one that heard him should despise his youth and slight his doctrine he shews his authority he comes to them cum priviligio he delivers not the conceptions of his own brain but the Word and mind of God For as Chrysostom saith of St. Paul so may we say of all the rest of the pen men of the Holy Scripture Cor Pauli est cor Christi their heart is Christs own heart and their words are to be received reverenced and ruminated not as the words of mortal men but as they are indeed the words of the everliving God 1 Thes 2.13 Greg. in Reg 3 Excellently spake he who called the Scripture Cor animam Dei the heart and soul of God It is every whit of it divinely inspired or breathed by God saith the Apostle and is profitable both for reproof and for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 See an instance hereof in this Text together with the Prophets rhetorical artifice in first chiding and now directing them to reprove and not withal to instruct is to snuffe the lamp but not powre in oyle that may feed it consider your wayes Heb. set your hearts upon them diligently recogitate and recognize your evil doings and so shall ye soon find out the cause of your calamity Judge your selves so shall ye not be judged of the Lord accept of the puntshment of your iniquity so iniquity shall not be your ruine your ruth but not your rums Capite consilium ex rebus ipsis velexperiment is Learn at least by the things ye have suffered Let experience the mistrisse of fooles reduce you to a right mind Lay to heart your manifold miseries those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one calleth them Free Schoolmasters curst enough and crabbed but such as whereby God openeth mens ears to discipline and eyes to observation of his works and their own wayes Job 36.8 9 10. according to that of Ezechiel chap. 40.4 Son of man behold with thine eye and hear with thine ears and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee c. the senses must be exercised that the heart may be affected with the word and works of God according to that mine cye affecteth my heart Lam. 3.51 and Solomon gat much of his wisedom by observation as appeareth by his Ecclesiastes which some have not unfitly called Solomons Soliloquy It is but little that can be learn'd in this life without due and deep Consideration which is nothing else but an act of the Practical understanding whereby it reflects and staies upon its own intentions and comparing them with the rule it proceeds to lay a command upon the will and Affections to put them in execution Thus David considered his wayes and finding all out of order he turned his feet to Gods testimonies Psal 119.59 And to still Gods enemies Psal 4.4 he bids them commune with their own hearts and be still or make a pause viz. till they have brought their consideration to some good upshot and conclusion For when consideration hath soundly enlightened a mans mind informed his judgement according to that light that candle held to his mind and determined is will according to that judgement it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and practises as it did in the Ninivites Ephraim Ier. 31.19 Iosiah 2 Chron. 34.27 the Prodigal Luke 15. the Church in Hosea chap. 2.6.7 She considered she was crossed and hedg'd in with afflictions and resolveth to return to
And it is a part of his joy that we shall one day bee where he is attended with innumerable Angels John 17.24 who will be glad of our company How much better cause have we then that Heathen to cry out O praeclarum diem cum ad illud animorum concilium coetumque preficiscar Cic. de seneclute cum ex hac turba colluvione discedam c. O what a brave and bright day will that be when wee shall go to that Congregation-house of blessed spirits and walk no longer in the way of this world which is like the land of Chabul dirty and dangerous like the vale of Siddim slimy and slippery 1 Sam 2. full of lime-pits and pitfalls snares and stumbling-blocks laid by Satan to maime or mischieve us O happy they that walk humbly with God who keepeth the feet of his Saints and hath charged his Angels to bear them up in their hands lest they dash their feet against a stone This whiles they are here Psal 90.12 and when they go hence to convey them thorow the air whereof the devil is the prince as thorow the enemies countrey into the heavenly habitations and there to entertain and welcome them with sweetest varieties felicities eternities sitter to be beleeved then possible to be expressed Verse 8. Hear now O Ioshua the high Priest Hear a sermon of Christ the Fountain of all this mercy bestowed upon thee and yet further promised unto thee Hear for thy self hear for thy whole Society Thou and thy fellows thy fellow-friends the rest of the priests thy fellows in service though inferiour in Office for there was a subordination of priests both before the Temple Num 3. and 1 Chron. 23.4 5. and under the Temple 2 Chron. 35.8 9. Types also of Christ and partakers of the benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 for they are men wondered at Erant omnibus probrosi saith Calvin They departed from evil and thereby made themselves a prey Esay 59.15 they were for signes and for wonders in Israel Esay 8.18 hissed and hooted at Psal 71.7 as those that affected to be singular and seraphicall They think it strange saith Saint Peter to his holy converts that you run not with them to the same excesse of riot speaking evill of you as if you were no better then mad-men Esay 59.15 1 Pet. 4.4 robb'd of your right minds as the word signifieth It is a French proverb He that would have his neighbours dog hang'd gives out that he is mad The primitive persecutours used to put Christians into bears and dogs skins or ugly creatures and then bait them so gracelesse persons put the saints of God into ugly conceits look upon them as strange creatures and then speak and act against them In our wretched dayes as the Turks count all fools to be saints so people account all saints to be fools and the more zealous among them monsters and miscreants Holy Statâ— As for Athanasius and Marcellus who have impiously blasphemed against God and have lived as wicked miscreants and are thereupon cast out of the Church and condemned we cannot receive them to the honour of Episcopacy said those fourscore Bishops in the mock-Synod of Sardis And Bede testifieth of the ancient Brittains immediatly before their destruction by the Saxons that they were come to that height of wickednesse as to cast reproach upon the professours of religion as upon the worst of men Doth not Saint Paul say as much 1 Cor. 4.9 We are made a theatre or are set upon the stage for a laughing-stock unto the world and to Angels and to men c For behold I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH The same that grew out of the root of Jesse when that goodly family was sunk â—o low as from David the King to Joseph the Carpenter See Esay 4.2 and 11.1 and 45.8 and 53.1 Ier. 33.15 where the Chaldee for Branch rendreth it Messiah as here also he doth And some have observed that themagh a Branch is by transposition of letters the same with Masciach Messias Samech and tsade being neer akin and of the same sound almost A servant Christ is called by reason of his Mediatorship taking upon him the form of a servant yea of a faulty servant that was to be beaten yea that being cruelly beaten was brought forth to the people with an Ecce homo Behold the man Behold saith God here Joh. 19.5 I will bring forth my servant the Branch bring him forth out of the bosom of his Father out of the womb of his Mother out of the types of the Law c. Verse 9. For behold the stone c. Another title given to Christ who is the foundation and chief corner-stone of his Church and another Behold prefixed as a starry Note or as a hand pointing to a remarkable matter All the Prophets pointed to Christ who is therefore called the Branch the Stone c. that in these creatures every where obvious as in so many optick glasses wee may see him and be put in continuall remembrance of him It being as necessary to remember Christ as to breathe saith a Father See Psal 118.22 Esay 28.16 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. that I have laid and that I will engrave The Church is Gods building and we are his workmanship this artificiall manufacture created in Christ Jesus unto good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2.10 there being not so much of the glory of God in all his works of creation and providence as in one gracious action that a Christian performeth As for the glorious work of our redemption by Christ it was a plot of Gods own contriving a fabrick of Gods own erecting it was the Lords own doing and it is justly marvellous in our eyes Vpon one stone shall be seven eyes That is Christ shall draw all eyes and hearts to him as the stones of the Temple did the Disciples eyes Mat. 24.2 and Mar. 13.1 Master say they to Christ see what manner of stones and what buildings are here Thus some sence it I should rather by these seven eyes understand the Spirit in his severall operations upon Christ as Esay 11.2 for he received not the Spirit by measure as others but had as much of it as a creature could possibly have See the Note on Rev. 1.4 where the holy Ghost for his manifold good gifts and perfect givings is called The seven Spirits like as he is also stiled the seven golden pipes Zech. 4.2 3. There are that by these seven eyes upon one stone understand the Providence and Wisdome of Christ in the Government of his Church Hee is indeed as One saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All-Eye Sic spectat universos quasi singulos sic singulos quasi solos like a well-drawn picture hee eyeth all Christ as he is a living so he is also a looking stone he looketh at the miseries and matters of his Church Exod. 3.7 and saith as once I have seen I have
Esay 56.11 which could never have enough they were sick of the bulimy or appetitus caninus yea they were as so many yong lions ramping and ravening as it is here and Ezek. 19.2 3. Psal 78.72 Both Princes and Priests were turned tyrants and instead of feeding the people in the integrity of their hearts and guiding them with the skilfulnesse of their hands prey'd upon them and pluckt the skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones Mio 3.2 for the pride of Iordan is spoiled the swelling of Iordan dryed up by the Romans as Hierome interprets it Or the proud and stately palaces and possessions that the great Ones had gotten upon the banks of Iordan for fruitfulnesse and pleasance as à Lapide Or the numerous and proud nation of the Iews likned to the yearly overflowing of Iordan whereof see Iosh 3.15 Ier. 49.19 as Diodate Verse 4. Thus saith the Lord my God Feed the flock of slaughter so lately pulled out of the jawes of those lions ver 3. with Am. 3.12 and yet destined to destruction by the Romans those Raptores Orbis their former preservation being but a reservation to future mischief for their desperate obstinacy and incorrigiblenesse feed them saith God to the Prophets for their ordinary shepheards have cast off all care of their good Tell them what evill will betide them unlesse they repent forewarn them to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3. Luke 21.36 to take course that they may escape all these things that shall come to passe O the goodnesse of God to a nation so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked Besides himself the Shepheard of Israel that led Ioseph like a flock Psal 80.1 and neglected no good office of seeking and feeding them of handling and healing them of washing them and watching over them c. how carefull was he ever to raise them up seven shepheards and eight principal men Mic. 5.5 till at length he sent the man Christ Iesus who is the chief of ten thousand the chief Shepheard as St. Peter calls him 1 Epist 5.4 that One and only Shepheard as Solomon Eccles 12.11 that gteat Shepheard of the sheep as Paul Heb. 13.20 who came to look up the lost sheep of the house of Israel whom to move compassion and affection here calleth the sheep of slaughter untill the time prefixed for their totall dispersion by reason of their ingratitude Verse 5. Whose Possessours stay them flaying their skin from off them eating their flesh breaking their bones c. Mic. 3.3 feeding themselves and not the flock of God Ezek. 34.2 as if they had been Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 Owners and Possessours as here vel precio vel praemio and as the Pope and his Curia Romana quae non vult ovem sine lana as the old Proverb was and hold themselve not guilty Non peccant They fault not themselves they are not found guilty by others Such an illimited power over Gods people they have usurped as if they might use them at their pleasure and never be once questioned or punished for the same but scape scotfree This was the extremity of tyranny such as the cruell Spaniards exercise over the poor Indians they suppose they shew the wretches great favour when they do not for their pleasures whip them with cords and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon which is one of the least cruelties they inflict upon them World encompassed by S. F. Drake 53. and they that sell them Sell them for slaves whom they ought to redeem rather with their own blood and grow rich by them being greedy of filthy lucre not without foule blasphemy against God whom they entitle to their riches sacrilegiously and most theevishly gotten whilest they say blessed be the Lord for I am rich Deo gratias Blessed be God is a very good saying and was much in Austins mouth But as the fountain of goodnesse will not be laden at with unwashen hands so fair words from a foul mouth are infinitely displeasing to him that inhabiteth the praises of Israel Psal 22.3 Hypocrites are not unfitly compared to Monkies that have the gravest countenances of all creatures but are uncessantly doing mischief or to the Harpies that are said to have Virgins faces Vultures tallons Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Pharisees under pretence of long prayers devoured widdows houses Mat. 23.14 whiles their lips seemed to pray or praise God they were but chewing and champing some sweet morsel snatcht from the flock but sawced with the wrath of God Job 20.15 See how our Saviour sets them out in their colours Mat. 23.15 16 23. c. Such fair professours but foul sinners were their predecessours Esay 66.5 who when they had done evil as they could thought to salve all by saying Let the Lord be glorified And such also are their Successours The Pope and his followers Verba tua Dei planè sunt facta verò diaboli said one once to Pope Innocent the third preaching peace but sowing discord you speak like a God but do like a divel wherefore you shall receive the greater damnation When one of our persecuting Bishops read the sentence of excommunication against a certain Martyr and began as the usual form was Act. and Mon. In the name of God Amen the Martyr cryed out you begin in a wrong name And it grew to a common proverb In nomine Dei incipit omne malum All mischief begins on that maner Gentilis that impious Anti-Trinitarian gave out that he suffered for the glory of the most High God Becket the Arch-traitour pretended to submit to his Soveraign but with this false reserve Salv◠honore Dei The Swenckfeldians entituled themselves the confessours of the glory of Christ And Conradus Vorstius his late monster hath De Deo in the front and Atheisme and blasphemy in the text and their own shepheards pitty them not Which yet they ought to have done had they had never so much right and reason to destroy them A shepheard hath his name from friendly feeding in Greek from earnest desire and love to the sheep David when he was hunted from Samuel the Prophet he fleeth to Abimelech the Priest as one that knew Justice and Compassion should dwell in those breasts that are consecrated to God and his people But these shepheards through want of Gods holy fear Iob. 6.14 had brawny breasts horny heart-strings their hearts first turned into earth and mud did afterwards freeze into steel and adamant cursed children they were 2 Pet. 2.24 having their hearts exercised with covetousnesse and cruelty Verse 6. For I will no more pitty the inhabitants of the land Or surely I will no more c. A feareful sentence written in blood and breathing out nothing but utter destruction David knew what he did when he chose rather to fall into the hand of the Lord then of men For his mercies are many
be ' two or three berries in the top of a trce four or five in the outmost branches Gods Elect are so very few that the world shall wonder Esay 8.18 and even hoot to see Christs flock so very little little 1 Kin. 20.27 as our Saviour speakes Luke 12.22 as Israel stood like two little flocks of kids when the Syrians filled the countrey There were but a few names in Sardis and many bad in the best Churches as at Philippi Chap. 3.18 Christ wondered at one good Nath. nacl as rara avis in terris and when he comes shall he find faith How many think you shall be saved in this City saith Chrysostom in his fourth sermon to the people at Antioch It will be a hard speech to you but I will speak it Though there be so many thousands yet there cannot be sound an hundred that shall be saved And I doubt of them too c. And again in his third Sermon upon the Acts he breaks out into this speech Non arbitror inter sacerdores multos esse qui sà lvi siant I do not think that there are many no not among the Ministery that can be saved sith many are called but few are chosen like as all the people were called together by Samuel but Saul only was chosen king Only the called according to purpose are elected and shall be glorisied Rom. 8.28 29. Christ at last day will do as Joshuah did to find out who had stolen the Babylonish garment there were many brought together and all to finde out one So all shall then appeare out of them a small number deducted that have heard of Christ Josh 7. Out of them those that have professed him and out of them those that have professed him in sincerity and these will be Mithe mispar a small few indeed They are as a fold in a wide field as a garden in a wild wast Juvenal P. de exculp Hence they are called pearls which are but few to the number of pibbles Jewels which are but little to the lumber strangers that are nothing so many as home-dwellers sons of God and of the bloud royal and of such there are but a few to common subjects Rari quippe boui saith the Poet. And Pauci sunt qui Philosophantur saith UIpian the Lawyer c. Verse 9. And I will bring the third part through the fire Few they were but not faultlesse they must therefore thorow the fire that there they may leave their dreggs and drosse behind them For Quod ignis cst auro lima ferro ventilabrum truico lixivium paâ—no sal carni hoc tribulatio est viro usto saith Corn. a Lapide upon this Text that is what the fire is to the gold the file to iron the fanne to wheat the sope to clothes the salt to flesh that is tribulation sanctified to a righteous man God is said to have his fire in Zion and his surnace in Jerusalem Esay 31.9 to carry his thorow fire and thorow water Psal 66.12 from above to send fire into their bones Lam. 1.13 to put them to the fiery tryall 1 Pet. 4.12 yea he himself is a Refiners fire unto them and Fullers sope Mal. 3.2 see the Note there He knowes them to be right gold which will endure the seventh fire Alchymy gold will not so and therefore he puts them to 't that the tryall of their faith being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth though tryed in the fire may be found to praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1.7 himself mean-while goeth with them into the fire and pulleth them out as a brand Zech. 3. Non sic impij Psal 1. not so the ungodly True it is the tryall of their works also shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 Deut. 32.3 and they shall give an account one day with all the world on a light flame about their ears 2 Pet. 3.12 Then shall they find that the law they are judged by is a fiery law the tribunall is of fire Ezek. 1.27 the Judge a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his attendants Seraphims that is flaming creatures Heb. 1.7 his pleading with sinners in fire of flame 2 Thess 1.7 the place of punishment a lakeof fire fed with a river of brimstone Isa 30.33 a formidable fire it is fed with tormenting temper and kindled by Gods own breath instead of bellows Bellarmine is of opinion that one glimpse of this fearfull fire were enough to make a man not only turn Christian and sober but Anchoret and Monk and to live after the strictest order that can be Pope Clement the fifth upon the death of a Nephew of his and one of his Catamites sent his Chaplaine to a Conjurer Jac. Ren. de vit Pont. 159. to enquire how it fared with him in the other world The Conjurer shewed him to the Chaplaine lying in a bed of fire in hell This news so affected the wretched Pope that he never held up his head but Nabal-like died within a few dayes after it But oh what a dreadfull shreek gave his guilty soul to see it self lanching into an infinite Ocean of scalding lead and to think that it must swim naked therein for ever and will refine them as silver is resined This is all the hurt he doth them by the fire he hides pride from them Job 33.19 c. and divides betwixt the sinne which he hates and the sonne whom he loves For by this the iniquity of Jacob shall be purged and this is all the fruit the taking away of their sinne which they may very well spare Esay 27.9 and never hurt themselves Surely as one poison is antidotary to another so is affliction to sinne when sanctified it is no more penall but medicinall not a curse but a cure As oil of scorpions is good against the biting of scorpions As the wine wherein a viper hath been drowned cureth a leprosie As the juyce of hemlock a deadly plant heals hot corroding ulcers and asswageth the inflammation of the eyes Or as Rhubarb though full of choler doth mightily purge choler Moses neglected to circumcise his child as we do our hearts it is such a bloody work till God met him and would have killed him David could never see the benesit of affliction till God by those sharp waters had cleared up his eye-sight Geheza's leprosie cured him his white forehead made him have a whiter soul Surely as the fining-pot is for silver and the furnace for gold so is affliction to the soul Corrections of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 But he that refuseth correction despiseth his own soul Pro. 15 32. Winds and thunder clear the air whereof they are the beesoms saith Ruperius so do crosses the soul â—f the outward man decay the inward is thereby renewed and the winter of the one 2 Cor. 4.16 is the spring of the other As the viper when he is lashed casteth
eyes their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished The Irish rebels bound the husband to the bed-post whiles they abused his wife before his face In the time of K. Edward the third Donec mulier fatigata spiritum exhalare◠Walsing the French souldiers at Winchelsey in Sussex took their lustfull turns upon a beautifull woman in the Church and at the time of divine service untill they had turned her out of the world as a learned man phraseth it and half of the city shall go forth into captivity An evill an onely evill threatened Deut. 28. and sulfilled to the utmost upon this nation so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked as can hardly be peered or parallelled I have noted before that this their last captivity and dispersion is such as that one of their own Rabbines concludeth from thence that their Messiah must needs be come and they must needs suffer so much for killing him They use to say that there is still an ounce of the golden calf in all their publike calamities There is another thing lieth more heavily upon them to this day were they but sensible of it Let us be sending up and sighing out for them that of the Psalmist O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad Psa 14.7 and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city A remnant shall be reserved as it were for royall use whether a third part as chap. 13.8 or an half as here 't is not much materiall in numeris non est anxiè laborandum saith Calvin here for the direct number it is neither here nor there as we say God shall reserve unto himself a set and select number He who comforteth those that are cast down speaketh this to his for encouragement The Church may be shaken not shivered persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Cor. 4.9 Verse 3. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations Some read it Among those nations He shall be the Archistrategus the Commander in chief of those Armies which he hath brought together against Ierusalem to revenge upon her the quarrel of his Covenant But I like the other way better because it is purposely spoken for the comfort of Saints in evill times When therefore there is dignus vindice nodus periculum par animo Alexandri as he was wont to say when it is time for God to arise that his enemies may be scattered and those that hate him fly before him he will arise and have mercy upon Zion he will awake as in the dayes of old he will come forth from his holy place to the relcue of his praying people There brake he the arrowes of the bow the shield and the sword and the battel Selab Psal 76.3 4. There he appeared more glorious and excellent then the mountaines of prey There he did and there he will for this is a common and currant Scripture-medium Esay 10. God shall fight against those nations the very rod of his wrath which after he hath worn to the stump he will cast it into the fire The wicked are called Gods sword Psal 17.13 But it will fall out with them as with that sword which Hector gave Ajax which so long as he used against his enemies served for help and defence but after he began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtlesse beasts it turned into his own bowels as when he fought in the day of battel with his own bare hand as it were Esay 52.10 and in a miraculous manner as he did for Israel at the red sea for Ioshua Iehoshaphat Hezekiah c. and as he shall do at that last great battle against Antichrist and his Adherents Rev. 20.8 9 10. which is here haply pointed at Let the Lord but arise only and his enemies shall be scattered but if he once take hold of shield and buckler for defence he draw out the spear and sword those weapons of offence and appear as a man of warr Exod. 15.3 or as a Lord and Victour of warrs so the Chaldee there hath it he will charge thorough and thorough he will burn them together Esay 27.4 and in the same place 2 Sam. 23.7 Verse 4. And his fcet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives that is he shall so put forth his power for defence of his people as if he did visibly appear amongst them and beheld the fight from the top of a mountain like as Zerxes used to pitch his tent on high and stand looking on his army when in fight to encourage them and to send out orders From this Mount it was that God departed after many former removes from Ierusalem Ezech. 11.23 And what wonder when as Har Hamischa the mount of Unction was become Har Hamaschith the mount of Corruption 2 King 23.13 the bold lews having let up their Idol in this mount Olivet even in the sight of the Lord so that he never looked out of the Sanctuary Iohn 18. Mat. 26.30 but he beheld that vile hill of abominations From this mount it was that our Lord Christ ascended into heaven Act. 1.11 There he was apprehended by the Jews there therefore it is prophecied that he shall stand against them by the Romans say some out of Josep de Bello Jud. lib. 6. cap. 3. And that when these things should come to pasle the Jews might know that their utter destruction was neer at hand So God shewed unto the Ninivites on what side their city should be taken and what at that time should be the power and the attempts of the enemy against them Nah. 2. and 3. and yet neither of these repented for all this Others more probably hold that here is promised such a powerfull presence of God for the relief of his people as shall farr exceed the glory that appeared at the promulgation of the law when the mountains skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs Psal 114.6 Heb. 12.21 so terrible also was the sight that Moscs said I exceedingly fear and quake I also see and tremble at the resemblance said an holy man betwixt that giving of the law and the requiring of it at the last day In the one Mount Sinai only was on a flame all the world shall be so in the other To the One Moses that climbed up that hill and alone saw it sayes God came with ten thousand of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Hereunto some refer that obscure passage in the next verse The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee and that at the day of judgement Christ shall descend with all his Angels into mount Olivet which hangs over the valley of Jehoshaphar that there he may plead with all nations for his people
and make them know and rue his breach of promise Num. 14.34 Surely if Jacob was afraid when he went about to seek a blessing lest his blinde father should discern him and his deceit in dealing with him Gen. 27.12 and so he might get a curse instead of a blessing How ought men to take heed and fear to dissemble or deal deceitfully with the All-seeing God especially since he is so great a God see him set forth in his greatnesse Deut. 10.17 and therefore lesse patient of affronts and indignities he lookes to be served like himself and according to his excellent greatnesse for I am a great king saith the Lord of Hosts Yea a great King because Lord of Hosts See the Note on Chap. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is absolute Monarch of the whole world and by him it is that all other kings reign and Princes rule Prov. 8.15 All other Soveraignes are but his substitutes his Viceroyes he makes them and unmakes them at his pleasure as proud Nebuchadnezzar was forced to acknowledge Hence he is rightly stiled a great King a title anciently given to the kings of Persia Dan. 4 and now to the Grand Signior yea Joh. Manl. loc com he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords in another sense then Maximilian the Emperour of Germany said that he was because the Princes and cities of the Empire were free states and yeelded him little obedience God hath all the Kings of the earth at his beck and check Constantine the great Valentinian and Theodosius three Emperours called themselves Vasallos Christs the vassals of Christ as Socrates reporteth And well they might inasmuch as all nations taken together are in comparison of him but as a drop of a bucket and as the dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing as one would take up a feather at his foot And if a sacrifice fitting for him should be prepared Lebanon would not be sufficient to burn nor all the beasts thereof for a burnt-offering All nations to him are as nothing c. Act. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esau 40.15 16. Simon Magus gave out that he was some great matter and the world hath been troubled with Alexander the Great and Pompey the Great c. But what 's now become of all these Grandees with their swelling titles and loud bragg's Hath not God long since cut off the spirits of these petty Princes and become terrible to the kings of the earth Psal 76.12 where the word rendered cut off signifieth that he slips them off as one would slip a flower betwixt ones fingers or a bunch of grapes off the vine The kings of Persia were wont to give laws to their people sitting in a chaire of State under a vine tree of gold that had as it were bunches of grapes made up of sinaragds or em'ralds and other stones of greatest price Athenâ—us lib. 12. The King of heaven sits upon a throne far more costly and stately as may be seen Ezek. 1. Esai 6. Dan. 7. Omnino igit ur â—portet nos orationis tempore curiam intrare coelestem in qua Rex Regum stellato sedet solio c. as Bernard excellently inferreth it behoveth us therefore at prayer-time to enter into the Court of heaven Bern de divers 25. where the King of Kings sits in his starrie and stately throne environed with an innumerable number of glorious Angels and crowned Saints with how great reverence therefore with how great fears with how great humility ought a poore base toad creeping and crawling out of his ditch to approach so dreadfull a presence and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen It was ever so from the very distinction of men into Hebrews and Heathens At the first before the covenant made with Abraham all Nations were alike before the Lord. But as soon as it was said I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee the Church was evidently divided from the world as light was from darknesse at the first creation The Heathens God suffered to walk in their own wayes Neverthelesse he left not himself without witnesse but his Name was ever terrible and tremend amongst them Act. 24.16 17. The Hittites honoured Abraham as a Prince of God Pharaoh was raised up on purpose that on him God might get him a name throughout all the earth Exod. 9.16 Jethro heard of his doings in Egypt and became a Proselyte The hearts of the Canaanits melted and they were made to say The Lord your God he is God in heaven above and in earth beneath Josh 2.11 The Philistins were woe-begon when they beheld the Ark of the God of Israel brought into the field and were ready as worms to wriggle into their holes The king of Babylon sent Embassadours and a present to Hezechiah because he had heard that for his sake God had caused the Sun to go back Daniel records what a Name God had gotten him in his dayes all the world over And after the captivity neer Malachi's time the famous victories gotten by the Maccabees were far and neer discoursed of Judis M ccabaeus had his name from the capital letters of this motto written in his Ensigne Mi camocha Elohim Jehovah who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods But besides and above all this Gods name is dreadfull among the Heathen in a special manner now since the calling of the Gentiles and the conversion of so many nations to the faith of Jesus Christ Maugre the malice of earth and of hell This made Calocerius an Heathen say Verè magnus esâ— Deus Christ anorum the God of the Christians is a great God indeed And another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your God is a most Majestick God What a mouth of blasphemy then opened that desparate Papist John Hunt in his humble appeal to King James The God of the Protestants saith he whom he knowes to be the Father Son Chap. 6. of that Pamphlet and holy Ghost is the most uncivil evil-manner'd God of all those who have born the name of gods upon the earth yea worse then Pan God of the clowns which can endure no ceremonies nor good manners at all True it is that humane inventions in his service and Popish will-worships our God will not away with Such strange fire if any presume to bring before him they may look to speed as Nâ—dab and Abihu Core and his complices did but he expects and requires that all his worshippers should come before him with reverence and godly fear For even our God no lesse then the Jews God is a consuming fire He is terrible out of his holy places Psal 68.35 Heb. 12.28 And albeit he loves to be acquainted with his people in the walkes of their obedience yet as a great King he takes state upon him in his ordinances and wil be trembled at in his word and Sacraments Hence Chrysostome
beloved soul as the Septuagint and Vulgar render it c. See my Righteous mans Recompense Part 2. Chap. 2. and I will spare them Or indulge them as David did Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 21.7 Vide ubi supra Chap. 4. 5. Verse 18. Then shall ye return and discern See The Righteous mens Recompense ad calcem CHAP. IIII. Verse 1. FOR behold the day cometh This Chapter should not be divided from the former for here Gods different dealing with the righteous and the wicked proposed in the former verse is further amplified by diverse effects of Christs coming in the flesh And if any ask saith an Interpreter how this was verisied of that his first coming we answer It was inchoative and by way of preparation then and shall be consummate in the day of the last judgement This day comprehendeth all that time that is called by the Apostle the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 and the world to come Heb. 2.5 all the administrations of Christs kingdome from his Incarnation to the end of all things which also is at hand and as it were under view already Behold The day that notable day so long-looked for by the Jews who boasted of a Redeemer and promised themselves all possible comforts then Tune â—nâ—m Deus nos dignabitur clarissima visione saith Jachiades on Dan. 12.4 tunc intelligemus res ipsas prout sunt Then shall we have a most clear vision of things as they are c. Lo that day cometh not such a day as you imagined but like that in Amos A day of darknesse and not light even very dark Am. 5.20 Dan. 3. Ezek 7.6 and no brightnesse in it A day that shall burn like an oven Nebuchadnezzars oven seven times more heated then it was wont This day is come the end is come it watcheth for thee behold it is come It was fulfilled in part upon this people at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans and their miserable exile ever since for their unbelief Howbeit all these are but the beginning of sorrows their present sorrows but a typicall hell the pile whereof is sire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of fire doth kindle it Isa 30 33. It is said to be prepared for the devil and his angels Mat. 25.41 as if the All-powerfull wisdome did deliberate and as it were sit down and devise most tormenting temper for that most formidable fire The fire of the last day shall surely be very terrible when all the world shall be on a light fire and wicked men shall give account with flames about their ears with the elements melting and falling like scalding lead or burning bell-mettall on their heads But all this will be but a shadow or spark of that fire of hell the smoke whereof ascendeth for ever and ever Rev. 19.3 Some have held the fie of hell to be no true materiall and corporeall fire but metaphoricall qualem novit Deus The most conspire in the contrary Tenent because bodyes are to be punisht by it De civ Dei lib. 21. c. 10. How spu its are also thus tormented as the rich gluttons Luk. 16. Austin sits down and admires he mystery He tells us that for vehemency of heat it exceeds our sire as far as ours doth fire that 's painted on a wall I would we had not cause to complain that preaching of hell is but as the painting of fire which men can look on and handle without hurt or affrightment Esse aliquos Manes Nec pueri credunt nisi qui nondum are lavantur Juven Surely he that observes the impiety of this age may say to us as Cato did to Caesar Credo quae de info is dicuntur falsa existimas I beleeve you think hell to be a very fable and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly c. Those proud whom you pronounced happy chap. 3.15 because jolly and full of worldly prosperity rich and renowned those workers of wickednesse whom you looked upon as set up built upon a firm basis God shall abase every one that is lifted up he shall repay the wicked-doer to his face Deut. 7.10 and into his bosom Esay 65.6 What ever arrowes are in the bow-string will one day sly and hit and strike deep They shall be as stubble saith the text as stubble that is fully dryed Nah. 1.18 even when they be folden together as thorns Who would set these briers and thorns against me in battle saith the Lord I would go thorough them I would burn them together Esay 27.4 Did he not deal so by Pharaoh Senacherib Herod the Primitive persecutours c Those mighty Magnifico's that here seemed fortes ferrei aenei strong and made up as it were of brasse and iron shall appear to be but as stubble that cannot stand before Gods fire the day that cometh shall burn them up Heb. shall so burn them ut flamma ex ipsis excitetur as to set them aflame Here Ghrist burneth up his enemies with invisible judgements inward terrours and torments pangs and plunges a very hell in their consciences a fore-tast of eternall torment as was to be seen in Belshazzar and our Rich. 3. But what willthey do at the last day when the law they shall be judged by is a fiery law Deut. 33.2 the tribunall of fire Ezak 1.27 the Judge a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 his attendants flaming Seraphims his pleaing with sinners in flames of fire 2 Thess 1.7 the place of punishment a lake of fire fed with a river of brimstone Isa 30.33 what can be the fruit of such a fiery proceeding but utter excision Surely this fiâ—e will leave them neither root nor branch Verse 2. But unto you that fear my name What shall be the condition of graâ—â—esse persons hath been said already Now for the righteous that they have not served God in vain it shall well appear by the many benefits they shall reap and receive by Christ five whereof are heâ—e recited 1 Imputation of Christs righteousnesse which is compared to the illightening of this lower world by the beames of the Sun 2. Remission of sins which is compared to the healing or diseases 3. Regeneration which is likened to a sick mans walking forth when he is somewhat recovered 4. Spirunall grouth as calves of the stall 5. Victory over all enemies corporall and spiritual which shall be trodden under foot as ashes of the furnace ver 3. shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise So Christ is called as by other Prophets Isa Psal 84.11 60.1 2 19. Luks 1.78 Ioh. 8.12 to signific the joy of Gods elect at the sight of him as those that have long layne in darknesse count it a Pleasant thing to see the light A Sun of righteousnesse he is said to be 1. As afferting and vindicaing the righteousnesse of God called in question by those Blasphemers 2. As bestowing upon his people a double righteousnesse Imputed and Imparted as the Sun
doth his light Ioh. 1.16 It is further said here that he shall arise that is he shall appear and shew himself on earth who now lieth hid as it were in heaven as the materiall Sun doth under the Horizon God was manifested is the stesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Manifested out of the bosom of his father out of the womb of his mother out of the types of the law c. In his Nativity he came forth as the Sun doth as a bridegroome out of his chamber In the whole course of his life he rejoyced as a Gyant to run his race He enlightened and warmed the dark and dry hearts of men he filled them with the fruits of righteousnesse Ioh. 15.5 He could not be stay'd or stopped in his course He made his gospel to run and be glorified He was and is still in continuall motion for the good of his Church as the Sun in heaven is for the good of the world He went under a cloud in his passion and brake forth again in his Resurrection From heaven he daily darts forth his beams of righteousnesse and showres down all spirituall blessings in heavenly priviledges Eph. 1.3 The Sun sucks up foul water from the earth drawes it up into the ayte not to hold it there but first purifies it and then distilles it down again with a fattening and fructifying property Hereupon the thankfull earth brings forth most fair and fragrant fruits and flowers c. Semblably this â—un of righteousnesse took on him our sins and miseries sordes nostras induit assumed our humane nature not to retain it and glorify it in himself alone Philip. 1 10 but that we might be conglorisied and in the mean space filled with those fruits of holinesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God And as the Sun the nearer he runns to the earth the weaker he is in operation as in winter-time But the higher in heaven the more effectuall So while Christ was not yet ascended the holy Ghost and his grace were not in that full measure imparted nor Churches gathered as afterwards Ioh. 7.39 Lastly at that last and great day he will shew himself in speciall manner a Sun of righteousnesse clearing all obscurities bringing to light the hidden things of darknesse causing his peoples most holy faith that now lyes hid in great part to be found to praise honour and glory Chearing up their spirits after manifold tribulations healing all their spiritual maladies for he comes with healing under his wings and making them as so many Sampsons whose name signifies a little Sun in the Noon of their full strength Ipse est ergo nester Apolle sanitatis praeses A Lap. Solisus For the righteous shall shine as he Sun in the kingdome of their Father Mat. 13. I shall shat up this discourse with that observation of an Ancient When the Sun of righteousness was yet in his Mothers womb he might be said to be in Virgo when on the Cross in Taurus when he rose from death in Leo when he shall come again to judgement in Libra And as when the Sun is in Libra the day is of an equall length so when Christ cometh all shall be perfected with healing in his wings that is in his beames This implies sicknesse in all to whom Christ comes the world being as it were a great Hospitall or Nesoromium though few feel it and that true of every person that is spoke of the whole people Esay 1.6 The whole head is sick c. O my head my head said the Shunamites son my belly my belly faith the Prophet my leaenesse my leanenesse c. And surely it were happy if men would be more sensible of their malady and make out to this Jehovah Rophe this Almighty Physitian Exod. 15.26 that wants neither will nor skill to cure all that come unto him See him hanging out his tables as it were and setting to sale his eye-salve Rev. 3.18 for there he begins the cure Act. 26.18 Hear him 1. Complaining of our dulnesse backwardnesse frowardnesse Ior. 8.22 Ezech. 24.13 Hos 7 1. 2 Wishing we had more care of our poor soules Oh that this people were wise c. Why will ye dye 3. Threatening Ezek. 24.13 4. Promising Hos 14.4 mat 11.28 5. Performing Psal 103.3 2 Cron. 30.20 Lastly providing all sorts of physick for us preventing purging restoring corrosives of the law lenitives of the Gospel plaisters of his on blood for here Sanguis medici est curaio phrenetici and requiring us no more but to come unto him as they of old did to the brazen serpent with sorrow for sin and faith in his name having a good opinion of our Physician and casting our selves wholy upon him for cure Calling upon him as blind Bartimaeus did and crying out as that Martyr did at the stake Son of God shine upon me and immediatly the Sun shone out of a dark cloud so full in his face Act. and Mor. fol. 1398. that he was constrained to look another way What shall I say more this blossed Sun of Righteousnesse must be sought in the West if we will get the kingdome as Strato's servant in Justin did by the advise of his master Lib. 18. whom he had preserved upon the cross I mean and in the state of his Abasement so shall we be sure to finde healing in his wings that is the gracious influence of the holy Spirit convaying the vertue of Christs blood to the conscience as the beames of the Sun do the heat and influence thereof to the earth thereby calling out the herbes and flowers and healing those deformities that winter had brought upon it and ye shall go forth To shew that ye are thoroughly healed ye shall rise up and walk Where the spirit is there is liberty live things love to be stirring 2 Cor. 3.17 and those that are restored to health after sicknesse are not satisfied till they can go about their businesse in their accustomed strength Quod sanitas in corpore id sanctitas in corde Holinesse is to the soul what health is to the body Let men 〈…〉 out that Christ Jesus hath wrougtht a cure upon their soules by being 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 in his work Life consists in action Esâ—y 38.16 O Lord by 〈…〉 and in all theâ—â— things is the life or my spirit saith Hezekiah And 〈…〉 in them saith the Lord as the fish lives in 〈…〉 lives in the oyle and as the creature by his food Vp 〈…〉 Live betime live quickly and apace Some men live 〈…〉 then others in a moneth as wiâ—e men speak more in two words 〈…〉 two hundred or as one piece of gold is more worth then twenty of 〈…〉 what to do for God as David did Psal 116.12 serve out your 〈◊〉 as he Act. 13.36 do not idle it out wear out do not wast out slame out Hie suns est Vacla 〈…〉 out burnout be not blown out Be not buried alive as 〈…〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Deliverer It was the thankfull acknowledgement of Generall Captaines and souldiers at Edge-hill-fight that the Lord was seen in the Mount Never lesse of man in such a businesse never more of God But what shall it prosit a man to conquer countries 2 Tim. 2.26 and yet be vanquished of vices to tread upon his enemies and yet be taken captive by the devill at his pleasure to command the whole world as those Persian kings and yet were commanded by their concubines so by their base lusts by yeelding whereunto they give place unto the very devill and receive him into their very bosomes Eph. 4.26 who therehence leads them away naked and barefoot as the Assyrian did the Egyptians Isa 29.2 How much better Valentinian the Emperour who said upon his deathbed that among all his victories over his enemies this one only comforted him viz. that by the grace and power of Christ Jesus he had got the better of his corruptions and was now more then a Couquerour even a Triumpher for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet Even the ashes of that stubble burnt in Christs oven Verse 1. This shewes their utter and ignominious destruction And the like is foretold of mysticall Babylon Rev. 18. Tota eris in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses sang Sibylla of old Fiat Fiat Our corruptions also shall one day be incinerated they are already buried Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 the fiery spirit of Christ will do with the body of sin as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Am. 2.1 burn its bones into lime In the day that I shall do this sc partly here but perfectly at the last day Mean while sinne may rebel in Gods people but it cannot raigne Satan may nibble at their heele but he cannot come at their head the world may kill them but cannot hurt them Re of good chear saith Christ I have overcome the world Joh. 16.33 All evils and enemies shall cooperate for their good Rom. 8.28 saith the Lord of Hosts Who hath also said Heaven and earth shall passe but not one jot or tittle of my word c. Verse 4. Remember ye the law of Moses viz. Now henceforth in the fail of Prophecy for Malachy knew that after him untill the dayes of John Baptist no Prophet should arise Hence this exhortation to read and remember the Law as leading them to Christ the Law I say in all the parts of it not excluding the Prophets those Interpreters of the Law and most excellent Commentaries thereupon with like reverence to be read and received The Jews at this day read in their Synagogues two lessons One out of the Law by some chief person another out of the Prophets correspondent to the former in argument but is read by some boy or mean companion for they will in no sort do that honour neither attribute they that authority to any part of the Bible that they do to their Law But this their way is their folly Psal 49.13 yet their posterity opprove their sayings as the Psalmist speaketh in another case Two things offer themselves to our observation from these first words First the little coherence that this verse hath with the former the Prophet chusing rather to fall abruptly upon this most needfull but too too much neglected duty of remembring the Law then not at all to mention it See the like Rom. 16.17 where the Apostle breaks off his salutations to warne them of their danger by seducers and that done returns thereto again Secondly In the Hebrew word rendred Remember Buxtorf in Comment Mafor c. 14. there is in many Bibles a great Zain to shew as some think the necessity and excellency of this duty of remembring the law of Moses It is well enough known that since the fall mans soul is like a filthy pond wherein fish die soon and frogs live long profane matters are remembred pious passages forgotten Our memories are like sieves or nets that retain chaffe and palterment let go the good grain or clear water Gods word â—uns thorough us as water runs thorough a riven vessell And as hour-glasses which no sooner turned up and filled but are presently running out again to the last sand so is it here And yet the promise of salvation is limitted to the condition of keeping in memory what we have read or heard 1 Cor. 15.2 And Davids character of a blessed man is that he meditateth in the Law day and night Psal 1.2 Hoc primum reâ—etens opus Nor. ep 6. hoc postremus omittens Bishop Babington had a little Book containing three leaves onely which he turned over night and morning The first leaf was black to inminde him of hell and Gods judgements due to him for sinne The second rod to minde him of Christ and his passion The third white to set forth Gods mercy to him through the merits of his Son in his Justification and sanctification The Law of the Lord as it is perfect in it self so it is right for all holy purposes Psal 19. â— 8 It serves to discover sinne Rom. 3.20 and 7.9 shews the punishment due to sinne Gal. 3.10 scourgeth men to Christ Gal. 3.24 And is a perfect rule of obedience it being so penned that every man maythink it speaks de se in re sâ—a as â—thanesivs saith of the book of Psalms and must therefore be of all acknowledged to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods own invention Demost Moses was but the Pen-man onely though it be here called his Law because God gave him the Morall Law written with his own hand Deut. 10.2 adding it to the promise made to Abraham that thereby guilt being discovered c. men might acknowledge the riches of free-grace and mercy and that they might walk as Luther hath it in the heaven of the promise Gal. 3.19 but in the earth of the law that in respect of beleeving this of obeying that they might live as though there were no Gospel die as though there were no Law passe the time of this life in the wildernesse of this world under the conduct of Moses but let none but Joshuah Jesus bring them over to Canaan the promised land This the generality of the Jews could not skill of though the Morall-law drove them to the Ceremoniall which was then Christ in figure as it doth now drive us to Christ in truth they would needs have Moses for a Saviour and being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse wilfully ignorant they go about to establish their own Rom. 10.3 and so lose all They jear at an imputed righteousnesse and say That every fox must pay his own skin to the fleare They blaspheme Jesus Christ and curse him in a close abbreviature of his name and call those among them that convert to Christianity Mtshumadim that is lost or undone Buxtorf syn Jud. cap. 5. Schicard de jure reg Jiebr Moses Law they extoll without meature It
the Lord draweth nigh And to the same purpose St. Paul Philip. 4.5 Let your patient mind be known to all men Why the Lord is at hand to right your wrongs and plead your cause against an ungodly Nation Yea it may be God will look upon Davids affliction the sooner and do him good the rather for Shimei's cursing this day 2 Sam. 16.12 God gives over the wicked many times to exceed their commission that he may hasten deliverance to his chosen destruction to their enemies Gen. 15.16 their sinnes being once full See for this Psal 119.126 Jer. 51.33 34. Zach. 1.15 I am very sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease For I was but a little displeased with Israel my people but they helped forward the affliction that is they were excessively outragious above that they were bid to do I gave them an inch they took an ell Now therefore lest the righteous put beyond his patience should reach forth his hand to iniquity now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12.5 God seeth it but high-time to make us heavâ—e other-whiles with manifold afflictions But blessed is the man that endureth temptation for after hee hath suffered awhile he shall receive the crown of life For this light affliction which is but for a moment Jam. 1.12 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A levitate agilitate cervgrum nomen habet Chemnit Leve pondere â—â— pluma Cornel à Lapide Heb. 5.8 Luke 17 Psal 27.14 Eccles 3.1 11 Deut. 5 worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory An exceeding excessive eternall weight of glory is wrought out unto us by our short and light afflictions God will look upon us as those that have been judged already and account the present sufferings sufficient unto us 1 Pet. 4.13 Good therefore is the counsell of our Saviour who himself was perfected by sufferings In your patience possesse your souls And that of the Psalmist Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. He hath appointed a time for all and every thing is beautifull in its season The Israelites had their flesh at Even and bread in the Morning God will be waited on and give the consummation of his blessings at his leisure Their journey from Aegypt to Canaan might have been dispatcht in three dayes as Philo tells us but God led them up and down the wildernesse as if they had been treading a maze and held them sometimes a yeer together in a place to their grief no doubt but for their good that He might humble them and try them and do them good in their later end Water was not turned into wine till the wine failed Joseph was not set out of prison till the set time came The Israelites went not out of Egypt till the very last day of the four hundred yeers was well-nigh at an end Smyrna must be in prison ten dayes at least that she may be tried and that the trial of their faith being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth though tried in the fire might be found to praise honour and glory The day of the churches restauration by Christ here promised was not performed of 400. yeers after yet when the fulnesse of time was come Rev. 2.10 1 Pet. 1.7 Gal. 4. God sent his son made of a woman made under the law c. Say it had been 4000 years a thousand years is to God but as one day because in him there is no flux nor motion Our purblinde eyes see nothing but that which toucheth the lid as it were when Gods quick sight vieweth that as present that is a world off But now when all was at worst in Church and common-wealth and scarce a Ioseph or a Simeon left that looked for the consolation of Israel scarce a Mary or an Anna that waited for salvation in Ierusalem then came the desire of all nations Hag. 2 then the sun of righteous broke out with healing under his whings What shall I say more Christ himself the Captain of our salvation was fourty dayes and fourty nights tempted by the devil before the Angels ministred unto him his soul was heavy unto the death ere his heart was glad and his glory rejoyced Math. 4 Psal 16.9 Rom. 8.17 We also must suffer together ere we can be glorified together as two pieces of iron cannot be fastned till both hath passed the fire SECT XIII Helps to patient waiting upon God for deliverance VVHerefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Heb. 12.12 and for suport consider First that life it self in its full length and latitude is but short the afflictions therefore of life cannot be long To live saith one is but to lie a dying Venire me oper tet praeterire ut horam Epist Multos often dunt terris bona fata ultrà esse sinunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad l. 12. Thetis de Achille Dego à de ago Ita degimus quum quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minus fit nos unà Bèdman de Orig. Rev. 7.16 There is a time to be born and a time to die saith the wise-man He saith not There is a time to live for death borders upon life and a mans cradle stands in his grave Oh what a short cut hath the longest liver ab utro ad urnam from the womb to the tomb from the birth to the burial We chop into the earth before we are aware like a man that walking in a field covered with snow falls suddenly into a marle-pit Few and evil are the dayes of my pilgrimage saith old Iacob Evil they are but few and evil Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble Troublesome his dayes are but soon determining sharp his sufferings but short withal as the paines of a travelling woman whereunto they are oft compared Every day we yeeld somewhat to death and death at utmost cures all diseases as that Martyr said Secondly this life once ended heaven begins and makes amends for all For they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more nor shall the sun light on them nor any heat but the lamb shall feed them and lead them to the waters of life and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes as a nurse doth from the eyes of her tender babe Now she is a sorry spouse saith one that cannot make shift with an uneasie horse while she rideth to see the consummation of her love with her betrothed husband I reckon saith that great Apostle that had seen as much of this and the other world as ever man saw that the afflictions of the present time are not worthy to be compared or are in no comparison worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 For
their immortall happinesse 2 Cor. 4. ult yet from glory to glory they shall be transformed and translated till at length they become like the Ancient of dayes It doth noâ— yet appear saith Saint John what wee shall bee hence the world so much mistaketh and misuseth us but we know that when he shall appear we shall bee like him in the quality of our glory though not in an equality 1 Joh. 3.2 For we shall shine as the most radiant Jewels and Jaspers Rev. 21.11 Nay that 's not all we shall shine as the firmament with its glittering furniture Dan. 12.3 nay as the Sun in his strength Mat. 13.43 nay like Christ the Sun of righteousness Col. 3.4 And this 1. In regard of our souls which shall be filled with knowledge wisdome purity as the ayr is with light 1 Cor. 13.11 Moses and Elias appeared in the transsiguration Luke 9.31 and conferred with Christ concerning his death the mystery whereof they understood far better now then when they were in the flesh 2. In regard of our bodies which though now muddy and massy shall then shine as transparent-glasse Rev. 21.11 or clearest chrystall partly from the glory about them and partly from the spirit within them as a lanthorne shines from the candle put into it being clarified from all dregs fashioned like Christs most glorious body the standard in respect of incorruption and immortality beauty and brightnesse grace and favour strength Ecclesia in fine saeculi expectat quod in Christi corpore praemonstratum est Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia 1 Cor. 3.21 22 and nimblenesse majesty and such Angelicall excellency as shall render them rather like heavenly spirits then earthly bodies for the surpassing glory that shall be put upon them Lastly for our totum compositum the whole person together considered Every true Christian is the spouse of the Lamb and so actually invested into his dignity and made partaker of his glory For Vxor fulget radiis mariti it 's a Maxim in the civil law the wife shines with the beams of her husband and whatever he hath she hath all is in common between them so that as Luther saith there is nothing differenceth man and wife but sex onely Think the same to be true in the mysticall marriage betwixt Christ and his people All is yours because you are Christs His treasures riches beauty glory power kingdome all is yours so farre as you are capable For you shall bee next unto Christ Luk. 22.30 yea one with Christ Joh. 17.21 even as He and the Father are one and so above the most glorious Angels for are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 Bucan loc coâ—n p. 76. This according to some the devil and his black guard once bright Angels could not brook or bring their hearts to and therefore fell through envy and malice to the known truth Joh. 8.48 from their first estate and left their own habitation to dwell in darknesse rather then they would endure to honour such a Mordecai as man a clod of clay a bag of wind so poor a thing merely made up of soul and soil of breath and body a puff of wind the one a pile of dust the other nay now since the fall a very mixture and compound of dirt and sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whether the devil will or no the Church shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work the virgins her companions also shal be brought unto him With gladnesse and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the kings palace and be set on his right hand a place of dignity and safety in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 45.14 15 9. Psal 16. vlt. For quality ther 's joy and gladnesse for quantity a fulnesse of both for certainty at Gods right hand and for perpetuity for evermore SECT VI. It shall be far otherwise with the wicked NOw for Application this in the first place Vse 1 is no good newes to the wicked that persecute Gods people and cast dirt on his Jewels to hear that they shall one day be so dearly acknowledged and highly honoured by the God of heaven For as in a pair of buckets when the one is at well top the other is down at bottom as when David grew stronger and stronger the house of Saul waked weaker and weaker and as Mordecaies rise was Hamans downfal so when God shall make up his Jewels he shall put away the wicked of the earth as drosse and of-scouring and when soever he doth best to his chosen Psal 119.119 then doth he worst of all to reprobates This is so constant a thing with God that could we but go as far back with the feet of our mindes as Gods decrees and then come hand in hand with him again and view all his particular acts of Execution we should soon see that when he is chusing the one he is refusing the other when he is redeeming one he is renouncing another when he is comforting one he is terrifying another when he is converting the one he is hardning the other when he is rewarding one he is revenging another when he is quickning one he is killing another when saving one he is damning another And yet all his works are holy and just and good though he do not alwayes as often he doth give a reason of his proceedings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 33.13 This day of the Lord here mentioned in the text wherein God shall mercifully make up his Jewels as it shall be to them a day of light life liberty prosperity and victory Chap. 4.1 2 3. so shall it be to the wicked a day of blacknesse and darknesse for it shall burn them as an oven and themselves shal be as stubble whereof neither root nor stalk shall be left untou ht but all turned to ashes in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord under the feet of those that fear my name Then shall the sinners in Sion be afraid horrour shall surprize the hypocrites who shall run away with those sad words in their mouths Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings But whither alasse will they run from him that is every where Esay 33.14 If to the creature a horse is a vain thing for help the Egyptians are men and not God their horses flesh and not spirit c. If to the creatour he doth utterly disclaim and disown them for if any have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8.9 be he whose he will be These indeed shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts c. such a good man I know and such a godly woman I know but who are ye Then