expostulation with God for bearing so much with them and therefore did stirre up God to judgement to chasten them in the first section of this chapter Now that God hath answered him in the second with declaration of his purpose to punish the iniquities of the Jews by the Chaldaeans whom God would stirre up to fight against them and to prevail Now in this third section the Prophet is as much troubled and grieved at their punishment as he was before at their sin Now he chides as fast and disputes as hotly against the remissenesse and patience of God toward the Chaldaean as he did before toward the Jew Before he pleaded the cause of the glory of Gods Iustice in punishing the iniquity of the Iews now he pleads the glory of Gods mercy in sparing them The first part was imprecation this deprecation And herein the Prophet doth declare his mixt affection to the Jews for out of his hatred to their sins he desired their correction but now out of his love to their Persons he prayeth against their punishment so farre that it may be moderate as in Ieremies Prayer Correct us O Lord yet in thy judgement not in thy fury lest we be consumed and brought to nothing Which teacheth us that Religion hath the bowels of compassion Doctr. Truly they have no true religion that have no mercy This is given us in precept with a sicut Reason 1 Luk. 6.36 Be yee merciful as your heavenly father is mercifull there is nothing wherein the image of our God doth more shine in man then his mercy because that is the heavenly nature the wisedome of God is too high for us the power of God too great for us the justice of God too strict for us all these vertues of the Godhead be out of the reach of our imitation The furthest that our Saviour goeth in the patterne and president of wisedome is est ote prudentes ut serpentes Wisedom Be yee wise as serpents In innocency Innocentes ut columba be ye innocent as doves it is not estote prudentes ut pater vester Be yee wise as your heavenly father Concerning fortitude The mother of Samuel saith Fortitude Non est fortis sicut deus Sicut leo Salomon hath it siout quorcus Amos hath it Concerning Iustice let us take the righteous men at their best Justice then Iustus fulgebunt ut sol the righteous shal shine as the Sun but to misericordes ut pater vester We must strive to imitate him in mercy that is the divine nature because it is super omniâ— operadei above all the works of God and that is the humane nature also because it is called Humanity and therefore wel-becometh the man of God 2. There is nothing that every one of us doth more stand in need of then mercy Reason 2 without which all the frame of nature would shake and dissolve it is anima mundi the soul of the world it is the juncture of every limb thereof it is the garment that hideth our nakednesse it is the grave the sea that burieth that swalloweth all our reputed sinnes it is the taylour to our backs the cater to our bellies the soule that quickneth us the strength that supporteth us the grace that saveth us the power that raiseth us the glory that crowneth us And they that shew no mercy shall have none 3. The consideration of our own infirmities doth plead for our mercy to our delinquent brother Reas 3 not to make the most of their faults and scrue their punishment to the uttermost rather to save our brethren Ga. 6.1 and to pull them out of the fire least we also be tempted for we have many suits to God for pardon of our own sinnes and therefore by the law of Justice let us do as we would be done to that is sollicite the favour of God for our brethren and although the zeale of Gods glory do put us to it to pray for their correction that they may be amended yet considering how bitter the medicine is that healeth sinne let us entreat the Physitian to look but on the corrupt humours in the body of the Church to purge them to take no more blood from the body thereof then may stand with the health of the body 4. It is a more easie suit to obtain the mercy of God Reas 4 then to stirre up his anger for as he is slow to wrath and long-suffering and when he doth begin to chide he will not keep his anger continually so he is rich in mercy abundant in goodnesse oleum supernatat vino the oyle swims above the wine Christ his sonne the character of his fathers glory of his mercy the true coppie of that sicut Pater vester qui est incaelis as Our father which is in heaven Of whom Saint Augustine sweetly commenting upon his pater ignosce eis father forgive them saith De utilet paen l. 1. he left them not quojusque ejus jam sanguinem possent bibere credentes quem fuderant saevientes they know how to drink believing the blood which they shed raging which is called in the Psalmist Multitudo dulcedinis Saint Hilary upon the Parable of the parable in the vineyard saith Ad spem omne tempus est liberum In Ps 129 mercedem non operis sed misericor diae undecimae horae operarii consequuntur God loves to be sollicited for mercy 4. Because in the contrary Ionah had a chiding from God himselfe Reas 4 that he stood more upon the credit of his office then he did upon the honour of his God that sent him being so angry at Gods sparing of Niniveh Wherein God himself pleaded the cause of his own mercy and justified his suspense of the threatned judgement against Iohan c. David had good cause to choose to fall into the hands of God rather then into the hands of men for with God there is mercy And had Niniveh been in the hand of Jonah their fasting with sackcloth and repenting should not have cleared nor calmed the storme threatned God said in Niniveh there were more then six score thousand Persons that knew not the right hand from the left there were a great many more in the nation of the Jews many also that served God with a true heart many that was not yet com to the height of sinning of whom there was hope many that had drunk deep already to the Cup of affliction by the sins of others who had thereby provoked God Therefore Habakkuk could do no lesse then stand in the gap now and keep out some of this wrath To make use of this doctrine Vse and of the holy example of this Prophet let me use the words of the Apostle to you Put on therfore as the Elect of God holy and beloved Col. 3.12 bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have aquarrell against
Prophets of the Lord and his holy Ministers beholding the sins which they do daily reprove to come up so fast as though they had never layd the axe of Gods judgment against the root of that corrupt tree the zeal of Gods glory so stirreth them that they cannot hold â—ut they must strike with the sword of the Spirit they must lift up their voices like trumpets they must tell the house of Jacob their sins Jeremy doth expresse this to the life Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord Jer. 6.11 I am weary with holding in I will pour it out upon the children abroad c. Let not the sensuall and carnall man call our threatnings of sin our own ravings and railings and our comminations of judgment the intemperate issue of our own choler Jeremy calleth it The fury of the Lord. And so long as we reprove justly and mingle none of our own heat with the fire of Gods altar we shall kindle a fire in the bones of the sinner which shall give him no rest but his conscience shall say to him as Nathan said to David Thou art the man 3. In respect of his compassion Do not think that it is any joy to us to reprove or to threaten St. Paul is loth to use the rod. Jonah will rather runne away from God then he will carry the newes to Niniveh that it must be destroyed Many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping We shall find as soone as we are past this first verse that this Prophet did feel the burthen which he did see and the griefe he took for them turned his Harp into mourning and his Organes into the voyce of them that weep every tender heart avoydeth being a messenger of evil news but their feet be beautifull that bring glad tydings tydings of peace 3. The word of threatning is a burthen to the people to whom it is sent 1. Judaeis non Chaldaeis 1. To the Penitent 2. To the Impenitent 1. To the Penitent it is an heavy burthen to them to think how they have provoked God to anger and have drawn out his sword against themselves They that truly fear God when they hear their sins threatned do retire themselves into their chambers they weep and deplore their iniquities Hezekiah hearing the Prophet threatning his life He turned himself to the wall Isa 38.2 3. he prayed to the Lord and Hezekiah wept sore Never think that you hear the threatnings of God with any profit till you feel the burthen of them oppressing and the edge of them drawing bloud on you Lachrymae be sanguis animae The Lyon roareth and all the beasts of the forrest do tremble a tender sonne that hath done a fault and heareth his father threatning to punish him findeth that threatning so great a burthen to him that he can give himself no rest till he have recovered his fathers favour 2. The very Impenitent who have any sense of the terrour of the Lord feel Gods threatnings heavie it will make Ahab that sold himself to do wickednesse put on sackcloath and crowne his head with ashes and go mourning if he hear that Gods anger is stirred to bring evill upon his house Even Absolon an ungratious son is impatient of living out of his fathers presence and he setteth Joabs corn on fire for neglecting the mediation which might bring him to his fathers face Esau will seek his fathers blessing with tears and what would not Balaam give that he might die the death of the righteous Surely God is a consuming fire and if coals of this fire are kindled in the bosome of the impenitent and their damnation doth not sleep but is awake in them in the accusation of their guilty consciences to begin their hell even here on earth Hab. 1.2 O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry out unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save Here this Habakkuk this Wrastler doth begin his wrastling for what is this whole Chapter but a serious Expostulation and complaint wherein the Prophet 1. Contesteth with God himself vers 2.3 4. 2. He bringeth in God denoucing his own intended judgments against Judah and Jerusalem vers 5.6 7 8 9 10 11. 3. He returneth again to expostulate with God vers 12.13 14 15 16 17. 1. He contesteth with God Wherein 1. He chalengeth him for not hearing his prayer vers 2. 2. For shewing to him the sins of the people v. 3.4 In the first observe 1. What the Prophet did 1. He cryed 2. He cryed long 3. He cryed to him 2. What cause he had Of violence 3. What successe 1. Thou wilt not heare 2. Thou wilt not save To give some light to that which followeth let me first admonish you that it may well be gathered by the title that is here given to Habakkuk the Prophet that he was sent by Almighty God to preach to the Iews to reclaim them from their evil wayes and to still the noise of their crying sinnes and prevailing nothing with them to bring them to repentance he prayeth and cryeth to Almighty God for his judgement upon this People to punish their many sins and God not hearing him nor giving way to his anger to correct them the Prophet moved with the zeal of Gods glory wrastleth with God and contendeth with him for his rod upon them 1. What the Prophet did 1. I cry he lifteth up his voice against this People his brethren for it is twice exprest 1. He cryeth then he resumeth it he saith he cryeth out this is a thing that God doth use to take special notice of expectavi Justitiam ecce clamor It is said of Abel that being dead he spake Moses saith it was voxsanguinis a voice of blood God said that voice cryed to him out of the earth for vengeance The Cry of a Prophet one of Gods Secretaries to whom he revealeth his will one of Gods Chaplains to whom he committeth the Ministry of the Revelation of his will one of Gods Saviours to whom he committeth the office of saving his People the crying the vociferation of one of Gods Seers who cries not out of passion or humane perturbation but from a secret inspiration illuminating him and shewing him things to come One of Gods holy ones whom the zeale of Gods glory doth inflame with this earnestnesse the grief of mans rebellion doth provoke to that loudnesse Such a cry cannot spend it self all into aire and Sunne and perish with the noise it makes 2. He was no Sonne of thunder to make some suddain ratling noise and then cease He cryed loud he cryed long How long shall I cry if the weaknesse of his voice could not penet rate the eare of God vi by force here was saepe cadendo by often falling So David got an hoarsenesse in throat with crying loud and long to the Lord and our Saviour hath commanded that kind of importunity in Prayer and
we read Remember the fearful quarrel of Christ with Capernaum And thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven Luk. 10.15 shalt be thrust downe to hell It is one of the works of the preaching of the Gospel I may call it one of the miracles of the power of our ministry Every mountain and hill shall be brought low Chrysost Elatos superbos nomine montis denunciat Luk. 3.5 he cals the proud by the name of a mountain the early and the later rain that falleth on them doth slip off and fall into the under vallies and the vallies as the Psalmist saith do abound with corne The power of the Word extendeth to the humiliation of many that are lifted up for it revealeth unto us Christ without whom we can do nothing without whom no man cometh to the Father And this leaves us nothing to lift us up I have spoken of this sin out of the former chapter where the Chaldeans proud of their victories do rejoyce and ascribe the glory thereof to themselves And from the mouth of an heathen man Artabanus the Uncle of King Xerxes I take it Herodit Polymnia gaudet Deus eminentissima quaeque deprimere his reason Quia Deus neminem alium quà m seipsum sinit magnifice de se sentire Yea sometimes we finde when God doth owe a man a shrewd turn he will lift him up himself that he may throw him downe as David complaineth Thou hast lifted me up and cast me downe But the lifting up here understood is the pride of heart which maketh men to esteem of themselves above all that is in them such are their own Parasites and the Wiseman saith there is more hope of a foole then one of these In this Argument I went so farre in the former chapter as to teach you two things 1. To decline this as a disease 2. To embrace the remedies against it 8. Reasons I gave against it to perswade declining of it 1. It trespasseth primum magnum mandatum legis the first and great Commandment of the Law c. 2. Connumerat nos filiis Sathanae patri fil superb 3. Exterminat charitatem voluntas Dominium exercet 4. Subjicit nos opposicioni divinae Deus resistit superbis 5. Tollit à nobis talentum dum nostra quaerimus 6. Male nos decet poore and proud 7. Nullum vitium Sathanae magis placet 8. Superbus ingratus and so omnia dixeris The remedies 1. Serious consideration of our selves 2. Studious searching in the word of God 3. Putting our selves often in the sight of God 4. Frequent casting up the favours of God to us 5. Earnest and devout prayer This is a slie and cunning insinuation of Satan to lift us up in our own opinion there is a tang of our hereditary corruption that runnes in the same channel with our blood we are all apt enough to value our selves above the lone price Few of the mind of Agur the son of Jakeh I am more brutish then any man Few of the mind of Saint Paul Of whom I am cheif It is a great victory that a man hath gotten of himself if he be once able to keep himself under for whether we do encrease in outward goods or spiritual graces we shall have much ado to avoid this sin 2. The censure Non est recta anima ejus This Physitian doth search the disease to the bottome he finds where the fault is the soule is naught the inward man is corrupt And if the light that is in us be darknesse how great is that darknesse It is the searcher of hearts and reines that findeth this fault who but he can examine and try the inward man We see what bodie what complexion what stature man hath we may see what honours he attaineth in the world how he encreaseth goods what delights a man useth for recreation we cannet see what souls men have rectas an obliquas But if we see and observe men proud and lifted up high in their own opinion we see there is cause of fear that they have not rectas animas right souls And though the judgment of our brethren belong not to us yet let us judge our selves by this for if we do finde in our selves an elevation above our pitch Doctr. that either the opinion of our wisdome and strength or riches or honours or friends do swell us it is a certain Symptome of a diseased soul 1. Because this lifting up doth dislodge God from the soul he will not dwell with a proud man he hath so declared himself Reas 1 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the hight and holy place Isa 57.15 with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble to revive the spirit of the contrite ones Now as Augustine saith Vita corporis anima vita animae Deus If he say to our soul I have no delight in thee we may complain in pace mea amaritudo our soul is sick even to the death 2. Because this pride of life which lifteth us up Reas 2 is not able to keep us up for the elevation of our souls is like the violent casting up of an heavy body into the aire which will fall down againe with its own weight Jam. 1.14 it is a mans own lust that draweth and driveth and forceth him up And if Satan do put his help to it to lift us up he will be the first that will put hand to the casting of us down again When he had lifted up Christ to the pinnacle of the Temple the next temptation was Cast thy self down 3. Because this pride of life filleth the soul so full of it self that there is no roome for the spiritual graces of God to dwell there Reas 3 Christ lodged in a stable quia non erat locus in diversorio 4. Because as the eating of somethings doth put the mouth out of taste that it cannot relish wholesome food Reas 4 so the pleasing of the souls palate with the lushious sweetnesse of temporal vanities doth make the soul out of taste with the bread of life that wholesome dyet which should keep our souls in health Let us make profit of this Doctrine Vse 1. Let it be the main and cheif care and study and endevour of our whole life to get and keep animam rectam an upright soule To keep your accompts strait to keep your estate upright to keep your body in health by a regular observation thereof to keep your interest in the love of your freinds all those be lawful cares of life and this is an incumbent duty which obligeth and engageth all men but let not these cares swallow us up and devour our whole life These things perish in the very using of them The soul of every man that is the man if that be not kept upright What profit will it be to a man to winne all
covetousnes corrupteth our selves but oppression doth violate our neighbour of whom the law giveth such charge ama proximum ut teipsum 3. Their folly for what is this great stock which they have gathered and what is the rich heap that they have caught it is but thick clay and what have they done with all their labour and travel but made a burden thereof for themselves 4. Their cruelty is charged upon them which is exprest in sundry circumstances of amplification as 1. In the extremity of it no lesse then spoiling which comprehendeth all kinds of hard measure that can be offered 2. In the extent of it which is amplified by two circumstances 1. Not Persons nor Societies Towns Cities but whole Nations 2. Many Nations 3. In the effect of their cruelty which also brake forth into blood the blood of men a thing that God holdeth at such a price that he not only made severe laws for preservation of life but he maketh a curious inquisition for blood when contrary to his law it is unjustly spilt unto which God hath given a voyce For there is vox sanguinis a voyce of blood as we say in Abels story and to which voice he lendeth an eare for that blood cryeth unto him 4. In the general infection of this cruelty which hath corrupted the whole land of the Chaldaeans the City the great City of Babylon and all the People that dwell therein The Prophet in the former chapter did complain to God of the pride and cruelty and covetousnesse of the Chaldaeans in which as they exceeded so the poor Church of God smarted and the patience of God forbearing to punish them made them think that God gave no regard to them and it made many even within the Church stagger fearing least God had taken no notice of their sufferings and their enemies injuries Do you not now receive it from the mouth of God himselfe that he hath all those things written in his book that he keeepeth an exact account both of the offences done and of the offenders 5. To shew that they have abused his patience and long-suffering by continuing in the evils above-mentioned he saith How long to shew that he hath contended with them in patience al this while and that no forbearance will recover them from their evil ways no spoile or cruelty will satisfie them in their evil ways therefore he proceedeth to judgement against them The argument of this text is the punishment of the pride of the Chaldaeans punished 1. With just reprehension of all 2. With derision they shall be taunted 3. With spoile and destruction Here we must first take notice of the justice of Gods processe against them Note 1 for he giveth account of his provocation and rendreth a reason of his judgments Our lesson is Whensoever God punisheth there is a fault deserving serving that punishment for God is just he doth not punish the innocent Thus he began with the first sinners that we read of in the holy story With the Serpent quia tua hoc fecisti Gen 3.14 because thou hast done this So to Adam because thou hast hearkned to the voyce of thy wise c. And to Cain if thou do evill sinne that is the punishment of sinne standeth at the doore And for the processe against the old world first God saw the fault thereof before either he repented the making of it or resolved the punishing of it and so forth all the Scripture through and through the experience of all times 1. Because God is just Reas 1 and justice is a vertue that giveth suam cuique every one his own now rods are for the back of fools and all sinners are fools and all men are sinners and therefore none past the rod in the justice of God 2. Because punishment in the nature of it is evill though in the use of it it be good for the good it doth Reas 2 and sin brought it into the world it is contemporary with sin it cleaveth to it it cannot be parted from it as the mortality of man is joyned with the nature of man Therefore we may conclude whensoever we feel any punishment in our selves or see any inflicted on others subest culpa There is a power that deserveth this punishment Against this it may be objected that 1. God doth chasten some of his own beloved children with punishments for their tryal that they may come forth as gold fined 2. God doth sometime correct his own for example of others 3. The wicked and ungodly vex and torment the righteous even for the serving the true God many have lost their goods their liberties their lives for the testimony of the truth Thus did all those holy Confessours and all those glorious Martyrs suffer the cruelty of the enemies of God 4. The corruption of justice and the abuse of power doth sometimes turn into tyranny and so evill men are cherished and good men punished as the Prophet Isaiah saith He that abstaineth from evil maketh himself a prey 5. Sometimes good Princes are abused by their flatterers and lying informers who possess them of an evil opinion against better men then themselves as in the example of Mephibosheth for Ziba his Bayly accosed him falsely of treason to David and David though a King of Gods choosing was not at leasure to search into the matter 2 Sam 16 3 4. but presently not hearing the just defense of Mephibosheth gave away to Ziba all that pertained to Mephibosbeth 6. Sometimes just persons in execution of justice are nimium justi over wise and such justice is injury as Solomon faith Be not just over-much and the light of nature taught the heathen to say Summum jus est summa injuria 7. Sometimes Judges are swayed by the affection they bear to others to regard rather the satisfying of their envy whom they love then the execution of Justice and so wrong may be done where it is not deserved as Herod cut off Iohns head for no dislike of him in himself but to please his minion In answer to all these objections put the case how you will I am sure God is just and will neither himself punish nor cause nor suffer any to punish but where so much punishment is well deserved Peradventure he that inflicteth the punishment may offend in it and there may be a fault done in the manner of it or that for which the punishment is inflicted may be no just cause or the person may be mistaken but still I say God is just subest culpa there is a fault the hand of God the will of God is in every punishment and they never do any thing without the justice of God Job that justified his integrity so stoutly as we read in his story did never deny himself to be a grievous sinner and to deserve the punishment that he suffered though he still did stand upon it that he was not therefore punished If the punishment be for tryall the
have alwayes the poor with you and this generation of oppressors will be ever teeming so long as they have such matterto work upon for the rich and mighty will shift for themselves 3. It incurreth the severe censure of Gods justice for if God say Go ye cursed to them that did not dare sua give their owne quid faciet eis qui rapuerunt aliena woe to them that take that which is none of theirs 4. This sin of rapine doth incurre the curses of them that are robbed for every man crieth woe to such as congest that which is not their own 5. This sin doth hinder the ascent of the prayers of them that commit it God will not admit them to his presence for so God saith Relieve the oppressed judge the fatherlesse plead for the widow Isa 1. 18. Come now and let us reason together 6. The time shall come when those that suffer wrong shall judge their oppressours for the Saints shall judge the world Therefore let every man make conscience of doing violence doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth in the world let us value men as our brethren and seek their good let us direct our intentions subventions to that only end that he that loveth God may declare it by loving his brother also let our brethren grow up with us and let us joy in their prosperity 4. Cruelty is charged upon them For they build in blood and cruelty is also one of the companions of ambition and covetousnesse If Ahab have a desire to Naboths Vineyard either Naboth must part with his Vineyard or his life They are not all innocent of this great offence that keep themselves from shedding of blood they that invade the meanes of the maintenance of life that pinch the labourer in his wages or that make the hireling work for nothing or that let their hire sleep in their custody whilst he pineth for want of things necessary are all guilty of this accusation of blood It was the provocation wherewith God was provoked against the old world for which he brought upon them the great floud that destroyed them all This was Edoms sin in Obadiah There is a manifold cruelty as you then heard 1. Cruelty of combination when we make our selves strong in a faction to oppresse all that oppose us and go not out way 2. Cruelty of the eye when we can be content to look on to see injures done to our brethren without any compassion or subvention 3. Cruelty of heart when we rejoyce against them that suffer wrong and make our selves merry with their afflictions 4. Cruelty of the tongue when we insult over them and brand them with taunts 5. Cruelty of the hands when we 1. Either persecute their persons with molestation 2. Or touch their liberty with unjust restraint 3. Or rob them of their goods by cruel direptions 4. Or hinder the course of justice that should do them right 5. Or procure their death because they do stand in our light and hinder our rising of all these I have spoken heretofore We now hasten to the declaration of Gods just vengeance against this ambition 2. The punishment 1. They consult shame to their own house 2. They sin against their own souls 3. They labour in vaine and without successe 1. They consult shame to their own house Ambition doth affect to build up an house to establish a name that may continue in the blood and posterity in succeeding generations with glory and honour David hath a crosse prayer which is in the hearts and mouths of many that hate such pride let not their wicked imagination prosper least they grow too proud These words do shew that ambitious pride shall not prosper and whereas they study honour and consult glory in their aime and intention God turneth it all to shame in the event The words of my text are the words of God he knoweth what he meaneth to do and he saith they consult their own shame because he purposeth to turne all their glory into shame Shame is the thing that an ambitious man doth desire to decline above all things all his studies bend their strength against it and pursue glory which is the contrary to it To this purpose covetous men gather riches and then with mony purchase great offices and great titles to make great houses and nominous families upon earth to survive them But where this greatnesse is begun by ambition maintained and supported by rapine and cruesty pride will have a fall he that meaneth to give it the fall saith so God whose power none hath ever resisted he will turne that glory into shame The wiseman saith He that is greedy of gaine troubleth his own house Pro. 15.27 For The house of the wicked shall be overthrown he doth not mean domus Pro 14.11 the house but familia the family the whole name and posterity the glory all shall perish and come to shame And Prov. 15.25 Solomon tels us who shall do it The Lord will destroy the house of the proud Pro 15.25 this is their shame to come down again when men have been aspiring and setled their nest on high and made themselves beleeve that their honour shall be established upon their house for then 1. God shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall have them in derision saying Behold the man is become as one of us 2. Men shall laugh at them and say Lo Psal 52.7 this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himselfe in his wickednesse for Solomon saith When the wicked perish there is shouting Pro 11.10 3. The Lord shall be glorified in the shame of the proud covetous cruel man for every man shall say strong is the Lord God who judgeth them Rev. 18.8 Vers 20. as over Babel thus is God praised Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her This point is of excellent use 1. For Doctrine Pro. 10 24. it teacheth us that which Solomon hath said The feare of the wicked shall come upon him the proud man feareth nothing so much as shame the covetous man feareth nothing so much as want the cruell man nothing so much as revenge the glutton nothing so much as hard fare the drunkard nothing so much as a cup of cold water and God hath threatned these offenders with all these judgments 2. It commendeth to us wisdome and righteousnesse and humility and all holy vertues for they be all builders and raise up houses and lay the foundation sure Ab auditione mali non timebit Psal 112.7 Pro. 28.2 The just man is hold as a Lyon as Solomon The wicked are overthrown and are not but the house of the righteous shall stand Prov. 12.7 Humility layeth the foundation of it low Faith worketh by love to furnish it Honour and much glory are the roofe of it peace
All beginning to season us with a reverend estimation of God and to infuse into us the knowledge of his glory therefore do all to the glory of God This also serveth to shew how excellent a knowledge it is to know the glory of God Doct. 3 seeing God maketh such account of it that he will have it spread all the earth over To animate us so much the more earnestly and with appetite to seek it and indeed there is no knowledge to be compared to it 1. In regard of this life for if man know no better nature then that of the creatures beneath him though that serve to shew him how great a lord he is and how much is subject to him yet in them he beholdeth a society that he hath with them in much evil in all weaknesse and in a certain mortality which can be no great comfort to him if he stay there But if he look up to heaven above him and behold Meliorem naturam a better nature that of the Angels and himself but a little lower and above them naturam naturantem the naturating nature the glorious Author of all being this puts mettall into him and teacheth him how to preserve the Image of his maker in him which advanceth him above humaine frailty Hence are those ejaculations that of Paul Cupio dissolvi I desire to be dissolved our conversation is in heaven Veni cito we walk by faith and not by sight 2. In the life to come this is the happinesse of the blessed souls they shall see God Reas 2 for this Christ desired that the Elect might be where he was that they might see his glory And this maketh all those that wisely apprehend this joy in the glory of God to love the very earthy house which we call the Church of God because it is The place where his honour dwelleth because every whit of it speaketh of his honour Because thither the Tribes go up to testify to Israel to give testimony of their faith and zeal Because there the voice of Gods promise is heard and the whole house is filled with his glory It was the blessing of God given in the consecration of Solomons temple The glory of the Lord filled the house of God 2 Chro. 5.14 But it was gloria in nube glory in a cloud that cloud is much removed in our Church since the veil of the temple rent for Christ hath made all things more clear and removed the veil Let us therefore love the Church well for the glory of God revealed therein Much more do such long after the house of Gods clear glory in heaven wherein one day in those courts is better then a thousand otherwhere and where they shall behold a full revelation of the glory of God Let us all labour for this knowledge of the glory of God Vse for the purchase whereof we must study both the creatures of God and the word of God For in these two books the wisdom of God is set forth to the soul that we may say if we be students in these books vidimus gloriam ejus we have seen his glory for the heavens declare the glory of God to the eye and God is glorious in the least of his creatures Magnus in minimis so that every part of his work doth declare him a wise Omnipotent Creator a wise and faithful preserver of all things And for the book of God he that saith this is life eternall to know thee and saith that he came to give life eternall saith also Dedieis verbum tuum I have given them thy word There is no labour that better rewardeth it self then the pursuit of the knowledge of the glory of God For there is Libertas gloriae the liberty of glory Rom. 8.2 which the creature doth even long after and travaileth with the burthen of corruption desiring to be quit of it There be divitiae gloriae Rom. 9.23 riches of glory made known upon the vessels of mercy for God wil declare his glory in showing mercy There is also aeternum pondus gloriae 2 Cor. 4.17 an eternal weight of glory There is splendor gloriae dei patris the brightnesse of the glory of God the Father and this is the true light that enlighteneth all that come into the world that lights us the way to this glory But to know the glory of God here on earth we must observe the course of his judgments and we shall therein see both his favour to his Church howsoever it be distressed which though it be gloria in nube glory in a cloud the faithful will see through the cloud We shall also see this certain truth and justice in his hatred of sin and in the sharp revenge that he taketh upon those that disease his Church which though it be slow for God is slow to wrath yet he that believeth will not make haste 2 Cor. 4.6 God giveth this light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 1. Mercy Crucifixus mortuus sepultus Crucified dead and buried 2. Justice venit judicare vivos He cometh to judge the live and dead Vers 15. Wo to him that giveth his neighbour drink that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunk also that thou mayst look on their nakednesse 16. Thou art filled with shame for glory drink thou also and let thy foreskin be uncovered the Cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned unto thee and shameful spuing shall be on thy glory 17. For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee and the spoil of beasts which made them afraid because of mens blood and for the violence of the Land of the City and of all that dwell therein NOw doth God rouze up his Justice against another sinne the great and crying sin of drunkennesse 1. Concerning the words Wo to him that giveth his neighbour socium or amicum others read drink That puttest thy bottle to him Some read Conuingens calorem tuum Others adhibens venenum tuum Others iram He meaneth wo be to him that when he sees his neighbour in drink comes in with his pot or pint or quart to inflame him Thou makest him drunk that thou mayst look on their nakednes For it is said that the King of Babylon did use in his Conquests to bring forth great quantity of wine and to make the People drink drunk that he might make sport with them for in those drunken fits many shameful and bestial acts of lasciviousnesse were publikely shewed drunkennesse enflaming them with lost Mr. Calvin doth interpret all this figuratively not of drunkennesse with strong drink Vers 5. but of immoderate desire of augmenting their dominions of which kind of drunkennesse he spake before comparing the Babylonians to such as transgresse with wine So doth Ribera a learned Jesuit understand this of the insolent triumph of the Babylonian King making sport in the conquest of Kings and exercising on them cruelties to discover their
vvhose hearts do smite them and vvhose consciences do accuse them that though the zeal of Gods house do bring them to Church yet the fear of their unvvorthiness doth make them stand a far off beating their breasts and not daring to lift up their eyes to heaven These had need of comfort we must labour to put metall into such by telling them that he whose face they seek is God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and the God of all comfort David is a full example of a distressed man Psal 119.107 fearing and yet praying for he confesseth I am very sore afflicted yet he prayeth God to quicken him he saith My soul is continually in my hand he was even ready to yield it up yet the comfort that he had in God established his heart And herein God is most gratious for when our sins come in our sight and we are horribly afraid of Gods judgments even then God sendeth his Spirit to us not to take away our infirmities quite but to help them not to turne our sorrow into joy but to sanctifie our sorrow and to supply it with sighs and groanes and this addition of fear and grief doth also mend devotion To such we must say that though he to whom we pray be in Heaven yet he is our Father and though great and glorious be his Majesty yet he is the preserver of men David calleth him our Sun and Shield the brightnesse of this Sun may dazle our weak sight but the protection of this shield will save us from danger Be strong then and God shall establish your hearts he shall anoint you with the oile of gladnesse and he shall say to your soul I am thy Salvation 2 Subjectum Vide divis supr Pag. 29. This prayer is for the Church that is for all those that then were the visible society of such as worshiped the onely true God It is the duty of every child of God Doct. and member of the Church to pray to God for the whole body of the Church The Church at this time was within a pale and confined to the house of Abraham not in his whole bloud for Ishmael was excluded in Isaac was the promise not in his whole bloud for Esay was excluded Jacob was Israel and prevailed with God of him came the Fathers and in his seed was the Church continued This Church was now threatned with deportation and sundry great judgments the Prophet teacheth them how to pray one for another To this there are great motives 1 The direction of Christ in the Lords Prayer which calleth God our Father and in the processe of it sheweth that the Church of God is still included Give us forgive us lead us not 2 The content that we give to God in these generall prayers which the Apostle doth well expresse I exhort that first of all prayers c. be made for all men For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.1 3.4 who will have all men to be saved All are or may be members of the Church of God for ought we know 3 The benefit that we reap hereby is great for thus we come to have our portion in the charitable prayers of others Ambrose Si prote rogas tantum prote solus rogabis Hâ—xam 1. si autem pro omnibus rogas omnes pro te rogabunt 4. It is a true rule that extra Ecclesiam non est salus without the Church there is no salvation Acts 2.47 it is said that God added to the Church daily such as should be saved the reason hereof is because Christ is no where to be found as a Saviour but in his Church and the meanes of salvation Preaching Prayer and Sacraments they are only found in the Church Without are dogs enchanters Revel 22.15 c. Christ is the good Shepheard and he hath his fold all the sheep that are without must be brought to that fold as himself saith alias oves habeo quae non sunt de ovili hoc illas oportet adducere I have other sheep c. they shall hear my voice Joh. 10.16 and there shall be one fold and one Shepheard Therefore there is no safety in singularity they that forsake the Church forsake the fold the unity of spirit not the singularity is the bond of peace We are members one of another the common safety of the body communicateth perticular safety to all the members of the body In the temporall state the peace of perticular persons is included in the peace of the whole kingdome therefore Jeremiah saith to the Church then in deportation Seek the peace of the City Jer. 29.7 whether I have caused you to be carried away captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace Much more shall we have peace in the peace of the Church seeing Christ bequeathed his legacy of peace not to some parts and members of his Church but to the whole body thereof Joh. 14.27 Pacem meam do vobis I give unto you my peace It must be so understood for as he left his Spirit the Comforter so he left his peace the comfort not to his Disciples onely but to all the Church therefore pray all that it may be well with thee in communi bono in the common good This teacheth us to incorporate our selvs in the communion of Saints per communionem pietatis et charitatis by the communion of piety and charity to be one anothers Orators but especially to study and pray for the peace and welfare of the Church let us consider it is the Spouse of Christ it is a Lilly among thorns it is a flower in the field not only open to all weathers but to the tooth and foot of the beasts of the field Satan going about seeking to devoure it Let our prayers to God resist Satan and fight the Lords battail against him We heare of the troubles of the Church in other countreys we heare of the tyranny of Popery and the oppressions of faithfull professours if we give them no other help yet let our prayers give God no rest till he have mercy on them and give them deliverance This teacheth us to maintain truth and peace amongst our selves let not the wounds and soars of a Church that is heresie and schisme and separation be so much as named amongst us as it becommeth the Saints of God let not the common enemy of our Religion hope to build upon our ruines and to raise up himself by our fall to strengthen his peace by our contentions to be-night our clear and glorious Sun-shine of the Gospel so many happy years crowned with peace and the fruits of peace propagation with his Egyptian and Cymmerian darknesse Let us be of good comfort their darknesse dare not come so near our light for our light will discover it their errour dare
our God for ever we may go forth boldly in the strength of the Lord both against the enemies of our temporall estate and the spirituall adversaries of our souls for who can wrong us if we follow the thing that is good God who maketh in us both velle facere to wil and to do and make us able for this work of our salvation Verse 14. Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me Hab. 3.14 there rejoycing was to devour the poor secretly THis as you have heard before in the exposition of the words hath reference to that victory which God gave against the Midianites to his Israel Judg. 7.22 wherein the Lord set every mans sword against his fellow throughout all the hoast for there he strook them with their own staves and armed them against themselves to their own ruine Wherein consider with me two things 1 Their punishment 2 Their sin In the punishment we are taught That God in his just judgment maketh the ungodly rods to punish one another of them Doct. if they have no other enemies but themselves they shall go together by the ears amongst themselves and smite one another This is that which God threatned against the sinnes in Israel no man shall spare his brother Isai 19.19 He shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eat on the left hand and shall not be satisfied they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and they together shall be against Judah This was the burthen of Egypt And I will set the Aegyptians against the Aegyptians Isai 19.2 and they shall fight every one against his brother and every one against his neighbour City against City and Kingdome against Kingdome In the first of these two places the Prophet doth foretell how the Tribes shall fall out among themselves and how their greedinesse of wealth and honour shall make them devour one another For the Apostle giveth warning that we be tender how we bite one another Lest we be devoured one of another This is sin and punishment both wherein they offend therein they are punished In the second example of the Egyptians destroying one another we behold the uncertain state of ungodly nations and people they can have no constant peace 1 Because they know not Reas 1 they serve not the God of peace and where true Religion doth not unite hearts they may cry a confederacie which may hold so long as it may some private turns but the next great provocation turns all into fury and combustion for there wants the foundation of peace within them 2 Because he would thereby maintain the equity of that naturall law written in every mans heart by the finger of God Reas 2 Do as thou wouldest be done to Wouldest thou bee content to be beaten with those staves that thou hast made to beat others to be hewed and mangled with those weapons of violence therefore God in his justice employeth this preparation against themselves and scourgeth them with their own rods 3 That we may know that all things in the administration of the world are directed by the wisedome and providence of God Reas 3 who though he be a God of peace yet he also causeth divisions and contentions amongst men and punisheth transgressours therewith The ten Kings in the Revelation which are the 10 horns of of the beast that is of Rome These at first joyn their forces against the Lambe and set up the beast Revel 17.13 These have one mind and shall give their strength unto the beast But in the end And these 10 horns which thou sawest upon the beast Verse 16. these shal hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burn her with fire For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and to give their Kingdom to the beast untill the words of God shall be fulfiâ—â—â—d From whence we gather that that agreement which is amongst wicked men against Christ and against his Church is strengthened by the will and providence of God for a time till that time the confederacies of the ungodly do hold but when he pleaseth to dissolve them they end in self-woundings and intestine combustions This serveth to settle our judgments Vse 1 concerning the combinations of the wicked against the Church they are of God and he hath his secret and just ends therein either to chasten the errours and transgressions of his people or to bring their patience and piety to the test to try whether any thing will make them forsake their hold and relinquish their trust in him Or to bring the greater condemnation upon those whom he useth as instruments in this tryall of his chosen servants Therefore now that we both hear the news and see the effects of this new bloudy league to destroy the Church and to root out the Protestant Religion whereby much Christian bloud of Innocents is already shed more is feared let it establish our hearts and settle our judgments upon this rest The Lord will have it A Domino factum est hoc Tu Domine fecisti thou Lord hast done it Surely there is much drosse in our gold which must be purged we have not spared one another with schismaticall mouthes and pens to break the peace of the Church and God in his just judgment suffereth the wicked to prevail against us This comforteth the Church against these tempests of fury Vse 2 that her enemies do raise against her For though they weaken us thereby and exalt their own horn on high yet when the waves of the sea do rage horribly God that is on high is more mighty then they and he will smite them with their own staves that supported them and wound them with their own swords that defended them 3 This admonisheth us not to settle any confidence or trust in the friendship of man Vse 3 whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be trusted The Prophet Micah saith The good man is perished out of the earth Mical. 7.2 there is none upright among men they all lie in wait for bloud they hunt every man his brother with a not That they may do evill with both hands earnestly The Prince asketh Verse 3. the Judge asketh for a reward and the great man uttereth the mischief of his soul so they wrap it up The best of them is a bryar Verse 4. the most upright of them is sharper then a thorn hedge And from this consideration of the generall falshood that is in friendship his caution is Trust ye not in a friend Verse 5. put no confidence in a guide keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosome For the Son dishonoureth the Father Verse 6. the Daughter riseth up against her Mother the Daughter in