we spoken against thee 14 Ye have said It is in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his commandement and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts 15 Therefore we count the proud blessed even they that worke wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God yea they are delivered 16 Then spake they that feared the Lord every one to his neighbour and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name 17 And they shall be to me saith the Lord of hosts in that day that I shall do this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him 18 Then shall you returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not VERSE 1. Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall speedily come to his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye desire behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts IN this Chapter are two things laid down one an answer to the blasphemies reproved vers 17. of the former which is contained in the 6. first verses The other an expostulation or contestation with them of their prophanesse obstinacy and other impiety ad finem For the first The sum of it is thus Hitherto hath God so shewed himselfe a most equall and upright Judge that yet before he manifested himselfe a most mercifull father and never yet condemned and punished any people or any Nation with destruction banishment or other punishment but he first by his Prophets or by other means endeavoured to draw them to repentance and their duty from their madnesse and corruptions And so it comes to passe that either truly repenting and desiring the mercy of God they obtaine pardon or remaining obstinate and impenitent they are most justly punished Now this ancient manner of shewing his judgements either privately or publiquely God commands here to be expected for he saith he is about a most excellent worke whereby he will make manifest to godly and sound hearted men the greatnesse of his mercy and will give proofe of the severity of his judgements to the wicked and those who are obstinate in their sin The manner how this is expressed unto us is by a Prophesie of two persons to come the one of Iohn Baptist the forerunner calling men to repentance and shewing Gods purpose both touching the godly and the reprobate The other of the Ruler and Saviour of the world the Judge of quicke and dead whose admirable power is manifested both waies both in saving of the good and faithfull and in judgeing and punishing the wicked The Prophesie is then of two persons and of their duties The first is Iohn Baptist the son of Zâ—charias who was and did shew salvation a comming and teach men the meanes how they might obtaine it who for the similitude of his minde manners studies and whole life was called another Elias for to understand this as the Hebrewes did of an heavenly Angel is marvelously absurd seeing our Saviour Christ in the Gospel hath manifestly affirmed that it was Iohn Math. 11.10 who was sent not by the councell of man neither came by his owne ambition but by the authority of God he undertooke this duty Behold Signifieth a certaine and a most famous and publique thing And speaking of this he useth the present tense he noteth the certainty of it that is as sure as if it were already done and as sure as if it were beheld with their eies But there is in this thing a difference betwixt the Prophet and the Evangelist one giving it to Christ the other unto the Father divers reconcile them diversly but that which seemeth most plaine and true is this That some works are proper to the persons to every one in their essentiall proprieties as to beget be begotten and proceed and these are not communicable but some are externall and common and sometimes are given to one person sometimes to another to manifest the unity of essence in the trinity of persons As Isaiah 6.1 I saw the Lord sitting on a throne Some thinke St. Basil and others that it was the Father who appeared in that vision Yet John 12.41 It is given to the sonne And Acts 28.25 Saint Paul giveth it unto the spirit So that which is spoken of the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 7.21 is affirmed of the Father Heb. 1.1 now like to these is this The sending of Iohn being common to both is by the Prophet given to the Son and by the Evangelist to God or by Christ in the Evangelist to shew that he was one in nature with the Father and another in person Now Angel heere is a name noting an office or ministery and not an essence or nature Cyrillus He shall prepare the way before me The effect of his office and ministery to make ready for Christ that is by preaching saith and repentance he might fit men ready to receive Christ whom he preached not to come but declared and pointed at him being present and already come And so he differed from all the former Prophets In which state he denied himselfe to be a Prophet Iohn 1. And the Lord whom ye seek The next Prophesie is of Christ himselfe and the Lord whose comming and person is described in this verse his power verse the second and the effects of that power in respect of the godly and elect verses third and fourth and of the wicked and reprobate verses five and six First of the comming of Christ which is described to us first when he should come speedily or immediately that is when John had once entered his office and begun to preach Christ should come preaching also repentance and the Gospell and so he did Marke 1. Secondly the place where he should come that is the Temple By which what should be meant divers men have divers conceits Saint Cyril understands the wombe of the virgin Saint August and Theod. the humanity and flesh of Christ because of that destroy this Temple Iohn 2. but neither of these can be seeing John must first be sent to preach which was not till Christ was thirty yeares of age for his sending was not his birth but his office or for it So Christs sending was not his incarnation but his office for then is he said to come when he began to preach worke miracles and execute his function So John 1.26 27. and Math. 3.11 By Temple then we understand literally the Temple at Jerusalem and in it the Church for in it Christ ought to be to teach to do and execute his calling and function by the decree of God And there to build himselfe that spirituall Temple which is made of living stones And this some gather from the preposition El ad which signifies not
of God they prosper that their parents see not their ruine yet when they are dead their sinne living not repented of they are requited often in the same kinde againe as they did to their Parents so their children doe to them yea often not without them but farre worse courses then they tooke The third thing wherein their subjection is required and submission is for their portion and childes part Doctr. Children must submit themselves unto their parents in receiving their provision and portion and be content with that they have provided and allotted unto them whether in their life or at death not being their owne carvers nor sharing it out as they list The Prodigall sonne amongst much evils is noted to bee free from this to share himselfe but was content his fathers portion whereas his elder brother though free from many other evils yet is blotted with this Luke 15.12 29. It is commended in the sonnes of Abraham that they in this thing submitted themselves At least no contrary thing is manifested of them Gen. 25.5 6. As Adoniah is reproved for usurping the kingdome and making his fathers will for him not content with his portion so is it the commendations of the rest of Davids children that they were content with their portions and never murmured that Solomon not the eldest but the son of Davids age had the kingdome given him of his father Kings 1. The rest of the Patriarkes are not recorded to be malecontent that Joseph had a double portion among them Reas 1 Because they must thinke they discerne better of their own estate and what they are able to afford every one out of the stocke while they live and they maintaine an honest and comely state as before and at their deaths how that they have gathered will part it selfe to them so some portion be for God good uses and other thing necessary Reas 2 Because the father best knows them and with lesse partiality then themselves who hath beene to him the best childe and who have more grace in them according to which he may deale and dispose As did Isaac to Jacob Jacob to Joseph a double portion all the other taynted with some grosse sinne for their goods they may and ought to dispose of according to grace and vertue which makes the youngest the eldest and so è contra Reas 3 Because they are able best to discern who is like to doe more good to Church Common wealth and see in some one more hope then in another and if he so dispose they must be content Vse 1 To reprove al discontented children not content with the portion the father hath set out for them neither living nor dead but murmuring at the dealing of his father as if his were lesse the other too much as the Prodigall sonnes elder brother or as Adoniah making choise of his own portion and if they have not the allowance they would have they think they may come by it as they can and whatsoever they get from their father they thinke it well gotten and but of their own and no sin But see what the holy Ghost sayth Pro. 28.24 who so robbeth his father or his mother and saith it is no transgression the same is a companion of a destroyer making such a sonne a companion and cozen german to a murtherer At his death and in his sicknesse if either they be privy to his will or guesse by his affection in his health that that will not fall to their portion they desire to helpe to shorten his dayes and hasten his end he shall heare newes that they have shar'd for themselves as Adoniah after his death many a sonne shewes himselfe gracelesse telling abroad every where how unkindely his father dealt with him that his portion was so small not remembring in the course of common society de absentibus mortuis nil nisi bonum much more for parents whose infirmities must be covered being living more dead neither remembring how little they deserved at their fathers hands or how unkindely they used him in respect of others or how little hope they gave him that they would use that well he should leave them and by it be profitable to God or man Church or Common-wealth Vse 2 To teach every child to be content with the portion his father sets out for him living or dead whether more or lesse equall or inferiour to others imputing somewhat and not a little to his fathers wisdome knowing his owne ability seeing their present graces or their future hopes somewhat looking at home how dutifull he hath beene in comparison of others how little deserving what little grace and so lesse goods And if his father seeme not to have dealt so equally yet it is his duty to suspect his owne wisdome rather than his fathers to accuse his owne demerits yea to cover it in every place and every way shewing himselfe contented If Jacob see good cause to disinherit Reuben and to passe by Simeon and Levi and leave the Lordship to Judahs hand yea if he shall skip over Dan and Asher and the rest till he come to Joseph from the eldest of all to the youngest or state one and bestow the double portion on him and his the rest must not be discontented with his distribution but give him leave to doe with his owne as he list honouring him thus yea and using his portion left thee for his honour for increase and advantage as the Talents that the world may judge of the justice and uprightnesse of thy fathers getting of his goods The fourth thing in this submission is to be disposed of for their marriages and matching Doctr. It is the duty of children to submit themselves to their Parents in their matches and marriages to be given and taken in marriages this is a part of their honour for the Scripture gives this authority to the parents to bestow them as is proved Deut. 7.3 1 Cor. 7.38 yea to break them Exod. 22.16 17. then must they and ought to be subject Besides the examples of all good children who have thus submitted themselves And exempla sanctorum pro regulis sunt ubi deest regula vel contraria non datur Isaac submitted to Abraham Gen. 24.3 Jacob to Isaac Gen. 28.1 2. Sampson to his parents Judg. 14.1 Rahel and Leah to their father Laban Gen. 29.19 yea even prophane and wicked have in some sort done it Ismael Gen. 21.21 Shechem Hamors sonne Gen. 34.3.6 Reas 1 Because this is to honour them when they thinke them wiser and better able to provide for them than themselves whose advice if they must submit themselves to for their calling and portion more for this when they are led commonly by the heate of affection to the liking of the person onely when there are many other things as necessary to concurre as that as religion honesty of kindred good report equality and such like all which is rarely found in youth to be so duely respected as
perfect perfect and yet not perfect perfect travailers but yet not perfect comprehenders Let it alwaies be displeasing unto thee to be as thou art if thou meanest to attaine at length to that which yet thou art not for when thou thinkest well of thy selfe thou goest no farther but if thou saiest it is well thou art undone forget what is past looke not backe lest thou staiest where thou now art Remember Lots wife VERS III. And ye shall tread downe the wicked for they shall be dust under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall doe this saith the Lord of hosts AND ye shall tread downe the wicked The last thing promised to those that belong to God is victory over their enemies A comfortable promise to them that were oppressed and under the winde that God would change the condition and make them now aloft and the other under It is usuall with the Lord when he promiseth redemption and comforts to his to joine also a prophesie of the destruction of their enemies lest they should be grieved with too much emulation at their present prosperity Thus God workes patience in them seeing he would give them after a while cause of triumph over their enemies and that they shall be the Lords Ministers to act this judgement You shall treade downe the wicked they shall be made your foot-stoole And it is added they shall be as dust or ashes shewing their utter and ignominious destruction In the day that I shall doe this Which noteth the time spoken to restraine their desires who haply hearing it would be carried headlong with it in their desires for it therefore by this they are taught to wait with patience till the time come when God wil effect it And this day is partly in this life but fully and perfectly in the other when they shall with Christ judge the wicked and treade upon them Doctrine 1 The Lord he often descendeth to the infirmities of his to let them see their desire upon his and their enemies for his sake and to see their ruine and destruction See a like point to this Cap. 1.5 Your eyes shall see it Doctrine 2 The Lord oftimes destroyes the wicked enemies of him and his Church by the hands of his Church and by their meanes Ye shall tread c. VERS IIII. Remember the law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb in all Israel with the statutes and judgements REmember the law of Moses my servant Here is the second part of this Chapter the precept commanding their reading and remembring the law because from hence they were to have no more Prophets till Christs comming when Iohn should be his forerunner and therefore when they were without Prophets they must give the more diligence to read and be exercised in the law and to submit themselves to the doctrine of piety therein contained Now by naming the law he doth not exclude the Prophets and prophesies that were written his own others but rather including them as commentaries of the law interpreters of Moses So he leaves them not to their owne imaginations but restraines them to that which was left written as being sufficient to direct and governe them My servant Moses was not the author of the Law but only the instrument of bringing it Therefore it is added Which I commanded unto him He was only Gods Minister to utter what he would have him deliver In Horeb. The place where the Law was given which some thinke to signifie the mount Sinai others thinke by both is meant one hill which in respect of that part which lay towards the East was called Horeb of that towards the West Sinai and of this place the Prophet rather speaketh that he may make them call to minde the great Majesty of God which he shewed in that place at the giving of the Law To all Israell He noteth the persons to whom he gave it even to themselves to make them the rather to regard it and obey it above others Psal 147.20 And he saith to all that no man might exempt himselfe whether learned or unlearned base or noble male or female all ought to attend to it and remember it With the Statutes and Iudgements This he speakes the rather to commend this care to them seeing the law is for their profit and good and containeth in it all directions for publicke affaires to teach men to carry themselves in all conditions Doctrine 1 The people of God must remember the whole Law the Minister to teach it and deliver it to the people and they to receive learne and know it Vide Cap. 2.6 Doctr. 2 The people of God must remember this wholly and only Doctr. 3 The people of God must read know and be exercised in the Law This extent and all these degrees are contained in the word Remember It is the character of the blessed man Psal 1.2 It was Davids praier and practise Psal 119. And Christ requires it Joh. 5.39 and Saint Paul Col. 3.16 Reason 1 Because some are such as must teach others and ought to do it Deut. 7.7 No man can teach another what he knows not himself Reason 2 Because they cannot without it preserve themselves from sin ignorance being the fountaine of sin which made the Hebrewes call all sins Ignorances for not knowing sin they can no more avoid it then the bird that sees not the snare but the knowledge of the word will secure and preserve them Prov. 7.1.2.2.4.5 Reason 3 Because whatsoever is done in obedience of God cannot be good if it want knowledge though it proceed from zeale charity devotion or good intention it is howsoever but a blind sacrifice condemned Mal. 1.8 Uses of this point see Cap. 1.8 VERS V. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the comming of the great and fearfull day of the Lord. BEhold I will send you Eliah The third prophesie in this Chapter touching the comming of Iohn the Baptist of his office and the fruit the Church should have by him in this verse and the last In this verse we have his sending and in it we observe by whom and who is sent his name and office and thirdly the time when I will send This is here spoken of God the Father which Cap. 3.1 was spoken of the Son And to the Father it is also applied Matth. 11.10 Eliah the Prophet Not that Eliah who was taken up in a fiery Chariot but Iohn Baptist who is here called Eliah for the similitude of his minde and manners his graces gifts and office If we admit an heavenly interpreter to tell us the meaning Luc. 1.17 or Christ Matth. 17.10.11.12 who told his disciples that Elias was come and we read in the next verse verse 13. That the disciples understood that he spake unto them of Iohn the Baptist Yet Christ revealed it at another time more plainly Matth. 11.13.14 All the Prophets prophesied till Iohn and this is Elias which
same place Math. 11.14 of Iohn saith If yee will receive it This is Elias that is Elias is indeed for to come yet if you will have one now also in this my first comming this Iohn is he But to shew that this is a mystery he addes He that hath eares to heare let him heare Answ Iohn was Elias literally that is in the Prophet Malachies literall sense but because the Scribes had another conceit not of another time as the Papists but of another person that it must be the Thisbite he tells them they mistake it in that for the Prophet in his very literall sense meant Iohn as the Prophet Ieremiah Ier. 30.9 ment the Mesiah literally as it confessed not David the sonne of Iesse when he sayth They shall serve David their King And therefore he sayth If yee will receive him and addes Hee that hath eares let him heare Object 5. Elias is prophecyed of againe Rev. 11.3 One of the two witnesses Answ Besides the fuller meaning of that place for which let the Reader consult expositors and especially Mr. Ios Meades learned Commentaries upon his Clavis Apoc. There is there no mention at all of Elias It is but a begging to urge that text Object 6. Why else were Enoch and Elias rapt up before death and doe still live in their mortall flesh to dye againe but that they are for that service before the last comming of Christ Answ That they live in their bodies in Heaven is not doubted see Sixt Amama Antibarb Bibl. l. 3. Syrach c. 44. pag. 947 c. but that they live in their mortall bodies and that they shall dye there is no Scripture for it neither is it likely seeing the Scripture sayth of Enoch Hebr. 11.5 He was translated that hee should not see death see Ios Scaliger's note upon Math. 17.11 among those few short notes of his which Iohn Bill the Kings Printer hath carefully collected at the end of his Impression of the New Testament Greeke at London 1622. But why they were wrapt up we must bee content to bee ignorant and it beseemes us most to bee so More of this point you have well treated of in the following Commentary Being thus rid of this interpretation wee have another which interprets the place of Christs first comming and we have S. Markes autority for it who makes the last words of Malachy to bee the first words of his Gospell and therefore leades us to understand by Elias in the Prophet Iohn Baptist in his Gospell And that we may bee further out of doubt we have the text clearely so expounded Luc. 1.16 17. See Laurent Valla his Castigation of the Vulg. Lat. according to the corrected edition of Iacobus Rivius Math. 11.14 15. Math. 17.10 11.12.13 Which places let the Reader peruse The name of Elias is given to Iohn not propter identitatem personae as if Elias were Redivivus or by a Metempsychosis were entred into Iohns body but propter identitatem spiritus virtutis because of the like gifts calling and Ministery See Iunius parall lib. 1. par 31. Pet. Martyr Loc. Clas 3. cap. 16. sect 21.22 But especially our late blessed King of famous memory in his Monitory preface before his learned Apology for the Oath of allegiance pa. 77. 78. whose arguments are examined by Leonard Lessius Disp de Antichr Demonstr 15. but stand good And besides ours some learned and ingenuous Papists as Paul Burgensis Isid Clarius Bened. Arias Montan. in Locum who doe all admit our interpretation and Bishop Iansenius too in cap. 48. Ecclus. as Bened. Pererius affirmes of him lib. 15. in Daniel pag. 223. D. Let me here note by the way the conceit of Lucas Osiander who as he yields the place to bee meant of Iohn Baptist the second Elias before Christs first comming so hee also interprets it of a third Elias before Christs second comming and that is Martin Luther and accordingly interprets the following words and exhorts to the receiving of Luthers doctrine lest God come and punish our ingratitude Luther indeed was a man of notable zeale like Elias fit for the businesse hee was employed in by God and we have great reason to thinke honorably of him but none to thinke that Malachy thought of him or that the Holy Ghost meant him here Thus much of the comming of Iohn Verse 6 2. His worke or office is declared in the last verse And hee shall turne the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the heart of the children to the Fathers Least I come and smite the Earth with a curse For their interpretation of this who respect only the second comming of Christ let the Reader see Corn. a lapid I content my selfe with that of our following author That whereas all was at that time out of order full of corruptions and errors and different sects see Tremell ad marg Zach. 11.8 Iohn was sent to preach repentance Math. 3.2 and to convert of all sorts from the error of their way and to reduce them to the faith of the old Patriarks But for the manner of the phrase Iunius parall lib. 1. par 55. makes it parallel to Luc. 1.76.77.79 and so it will bring in further light Adde also Luk. 1.17 where observe that the word of the Lxx is not used theirs is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but S. Lukes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Evangelists Apostles though usually they follow yet sometimes take liberty to depart froÌ„ the Lxx concerning the vulgar Latine translation Ioh. Gagneius a Sorbonist professeth hee cannot tell the meaning of it but falls very foule upon Cardinall Cajetan Yet his owne conjecture of the misplacing of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there in the originall text is bold See him ad loc together with Beza his larger Annotations on the same place Lest I come and smite the Earth with a curse The coherence of this and the meaning see before Objection 2. and the Answer Lest I come The comming of Christ is not uncertaine but the smiting I reade it lest I smite when I come And smite the Earth S. Hier. earthly men not Iudaea onely though sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee taken for a particular region as Genes 41.57 Esay 13.5 yet probably the calamity of the Iewes may be principally respected With a curse Geneva cursing Chald. extermination Pagnin slaughter The Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly suddenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest I smite the earth with utter destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is An utter curse or Devoting to ruine which Cherem the Rabbins say doth enter into the members of the body the number of which they observe to bee according to the numerall letters of this word The Iewes had three sorts of Anathema's 1. Niddui Rejection or Removing Hee that was Menualdeth was removed out of the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob. 9.22 Thus they hold Caine was excommunicate Genes 4.14 Esay 66.5 This was of the nature of profligation or proscription among the Romans 2. Cherem which is more properly that which is Anathema among the Greeks which is the curse that they layd upon him whom they put out of the Synagogue if he mended not A giving over to Satan 1 Cor. 5.5 1. Tim. 1.20 At this they lighted Candles and put them out againe to note that such an one was deprived of the light of Heaven This is the word used here And this among us is the highest Ecclesiasticall censure according to the Tables of D. Richard Cosin who Polit. Eccl. Anglic. Tab. V. A. makes these degrees 1. Interdictio divinorum 2. monitio 3. Suspensio vel ab ingressu Ecclesiae vel a perceptione sacramentorum 4. excommunicatio 5. Anathematismus Contra haereticum pertinacem 3. There is a third degree among the Iewes cal'd Sham-atha The extreame and highest degree of excommunication The Etymology of which word is either 1 of Sam Desolate and attha Thou Thou art desolate or Be thou desolate 2. of Sham There and Mitha death There is death Or an Excommunication to death As 1 Ioh. 5.16 There is a sinne unto death Or 3. of Shem or Sama in the Chalde The Lord or The Name that is the Tetragrammaton Iehovah and Atha he comes The Lord comes A forme of speech used by them in sudden accidents as the most learned Hâ—insius observes exercit lib. 7. c. 15. and especially by such as suffered any oppressions whereby they still comforted theÌ„selves This is the same with that which S. Paul useth after the Syriack where Maran is The Lord. Maran-atha The Lord comes 1. Cor. 16.22 He that loves not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema Maran-atha Which curse they fetch from the first words of Henochs prophecy Iude verse 14. And thus much for the last contestation and for the whole Text. For the close wee may take notice of a double observation 1. That in many copies though not here in Montanus his Interlin nor in two others that I have the last verse but one in Esaiah Ecclesiastes Lamentations and this prophecy of Malachy is repeated againe after the Text but without points because all these bookes have sad closes and therefore the Scribes thought fit to leave the verse before to be last for the recreating the spirits of the Reader as containing more comfortable matter See Ioh. Buxt of de Abbrev. Hebraic more in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. That all the Prophets execept Jonah and Nahum expressely and in some prophecy concerning Christ Hee being the marke at which all of them chiefely aimed And let him bee our Aime likewise Blessed is he who carefully expects his second appearance Come Lord Iesus come quickly FINIS
hate but in those that are deare to him Vse 1 If God will and must deale thus with his owne generall and particular let the whole Church and every member thinke of it that they be not deceived as if to them there were no feare of judgments and punishments though they feare not sinne because they are his It is such a corruption and deceit that may seize upon those who are his even truely his though usually they are deceived by the sleight of Sathan whom he hath before deceived with another perswading them they are gods when they are not for commonly none so confident as those none so bold as these blind byards but whosoever he is that is tainted with this let him know that as the Husbandman preserveth the sheepe of his pasture in a moist yeare from rotting in the heart and liver when they are a little tainted by the salt waters of the Sea so may he be recovered and preserved by those waters of the Sanctuary even by those salt waters when the streame runnes thus that he will not nor he hath not spared those who are as deare to him as the apple of his eye untoothsome happily may they be but without doubt wholesome they are let no Church then trust in lying words Jer. 7.4 if they continue in their wickednesse vers 9. and make his house a den of theeves vers 11. but let them know he sees it and goe to Shiloh vers 12. and other Churches and see what he hath done to them and the like will he doe to it vers 14. Let no particular man thinke he may sinne as presuming he is Gods for if he spared not Moses Miriam David and others how him could they not have challenged more than he or is it not likely that God would have spared them as well as he Let him thinke of that to Solomon I will be his Father and he shall be my sonne if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of Iron but my mercy shall not depart from him 2 Sam. 7.14 15. if God make it true in him it is the best he can looke for If any aske what benefit it is to be Gods I answer much every way as that God will passe by many infirmities of thine when thou servest him many sinnes of passion when they are not continued in Have you not heard of the patience of Job Againe is it no benefit to be his Fathers Heire unlesse he may be suffered to doe what he list without controlement or correction Besides even this is a benefit for if that be true Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindnesse Psalm 141.8 much more this when that we are chastned that we may not be condemned 1. Cor. 2.32 Vse 2 This may serve for comfort when affliction and punishment is befallen one who is his In such a condition a man is ready to faint and his heart to faile him for feare as if God had utterly cast him off but it riseth from the ignorance of this that God hath and will afflict his children and because they have not beene experienced under the hand of God A child when he is young and tender not acquainted with his Fathers threats and corrections no sooner sees his father lay hand upon rods but feares he hates him but a little use under this teacheth him there is indeed love where hatred is in show And so with them but they must learne this that their hearts may rest upon it as the Arke did stay upon the mountaine of Ararat after it had floted a long time upon the waters seeing he afflicts his owne yea more than the wicked in this life and yet still his people Israel having forgotten their late miseries and calamities the sence and feeling of them being worne cleane out of memory they returne againe to their former corruptions and sinnes and are newly threatned with other and more heavy judgments Doctr. If men many or few a County or City one or a company after they have beene delivered or freed from some calamity and judgment doe forget it passing it over without profit and returning to their sinnes and corruptions againe they are in danger of new and more fearefull judgments for he did this to the greene tree what will he doe to the dry if to the naturall Olive-tree what can the wild Olive looke for This is manifest by Esay who reproveth the people because they profited not by former judgments but remained obstinate and in their sinnes Chap. 1. ver 5. specially vers 21 22 23. How is the faithfull City become an Harlot it was full of judgment and justice lodged therein but now they are murtherers thy silver is become drosse thy wine is mixt with water thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they judge not the fatherlesse neither doth the Widows cause come before them whereunto he addeth therefore saith the Lord God of Hostes the mighty one of Israel Ah I will ease me of my adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies vers 24. To this I adde Esay 12.9.17.21 inferred upon vers 13. manifest by Deut. 28.45 Jerem. 5.3 John 5.14 An example of this also the Ninevites may be comparing together the Prophecies of Jonah and Nahum Reas 1 Because it cannot be equall and right that God should goe away and give over as overcome by the obstinacy and stubbornnesse of men that were as if a Prince should give over a Rebell because he were not able to subdue him with a small company and not gather more forces it were too much indignity and dishonour So in this for God striking for sinne must not lay downe his Armes till the Rebells come in as Joab gave not over the siege of Abel till Shebaes head was given him 2 Sam. 20.22 Reas 2 Because it is dangerous for a people to harden them in their sinnes for if because sentence against an evill worke is not exeted speedily therefore the heart is fully set to doe evill Eccles 8.11 if the deferring be thus dangerous what is the removing and not renewing or doubling the judgment it hardens men Reas 3 Because he must doe it whether his owne or not if his owne that he may cure them as Physitians or Chirurgians double the dose of their medicines and use more violent meanes when they finde the body hard to worke upon the disease more setled so the Lord when he findes his owne more obstinate if not his that he may consume them and shew his power upon them that he is able to abase and destroy every one that is obstinate against him Vse Learne then to feare before God and to profit under his hand to turne unto him that smites us and to seeke the Lord of Hostes lest otherwise God be provoked to cut off from us head and tayle branch and roote in one day Esay 9.13 14. By the ministery of Malachy or by the hand of
* Nihil adeò est quod obduret mentes hominum quà m simplicitas divinorum operum quae in actu videntur magnificentia quae in effectu repromittitur Tertul. De bapt lib. cap. 2. Ipsi miramur quia credimus caeterùm incrèdulitas miratur non credit miratur simplicia quasi vana magnifica quasi impossibilia Idem There 's nothing that so much hardens mens minds as the simplicity of Gods workes that are seene and the greatnesse of the efficacy which is promised when as to the godly it is farre otherwise They are marvellously wrought upon by them because they look to him who workes by them here is the difference of faith and infidelity beleevers and infidels We wonder because we beleeve incredulity wonders but beleeves not it wonders at simple things as if they were vaine at great things as if impossible Vse 3 Wee are the Ministers of God and your servants for Jesus sake that we bring to you is the message and commandement of God Looke that ye receive not us if ye can dis-joyne us and our message but that we bring heare it beleeve it obey it That we have delivered that we doe and shall deliver as his commandement his will Looke therefore to it that you receive it for it both you and I must give an account I for the faithfull delivery of it you for the fruitfull receiving of it both of us for the carefull obeying of it Let no man thinke much I call so much for hearing and obeying when there is in the most still performance with the least and scarce with the least Tell me when you lend your money doe you not put your Debtor in minde of it when you meet him so doe we and so must I doe for I feare lest in that day I heare that Matth. 25.26 Thou wicked and slothfull servant thou oughtest to have put my money to the exchangers that at my comming I might have received mine owne with usury I have often put forth Gods stock unto you you must pay usury Vsura vero est auditae monitionis per opera exhibitio Your usury is to witnesse your profitable hearing by your workes See then that you obey and doe that as Nathan said to David 2 Sam. 24.13 so I may to you Now advise and see what answer I shall returne to him that sent me The burden by the ministery of Malachy Malachy must carry to this people a burden not onely things acceptable but displeasing and grievous The Ministers of God must not onely serve him in preaching the Gospell and comforts but also threatnings and judgments VERSE II. I have loved you saith the Lord yet yee say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob. I Have loved you saith the Lord The second part of the Chapter is the matter and Prophesies consisting in two parts on Gods expostulation with the people and Priest for their sinnes and his judgments against them for those sinnes The first is hence to the 9. verse Their sinnes are two ingratitude contempt of him and corruption of his worship The 1. to the 6. verse Their ingratitude is expressed that they did not acknowledge nor account of his love nor yet of his benefits the fruit of his love which hee had from time to time bestowed upon them that they might by the greatnesse of the one or by the weight of the other be drawne to performe the duties of Piety unto him their God and King who had deserved so well at their hands and of them First for his love I have loved you A speech spoken with affection specially by valuing his love and disdaining to have it so neglected of those upon whom he had bestowed it Some thinke it is a speech imperfect broken off and interrupted with griefe when he would have added more I have loved you griefe not suffering him to speake more The supply may be I have loved you alwayes but you acknowledge it not neither answered me with love againe but for this repayed me with sinnes Love given to God signifies not a passion nor affection for there is no such thing in God Ira Dei non perturbatio anim ejus sed judicium quo irrogatur poena peccato August of the anger of God De civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 25. So of this it is no passion but his free election to bestow yea an actuall giving to them the adoption of sonnes and eternall life For God is said to be angry when he doth that which commonly men doe when they are angry and to love when he doth that which men doe when they love Now this cannot be understood of his generall love of which all are partakers men and Angels blessing preserving sustaining them for then were it no great matter that he affirmes here to his But of a speciall love that is his choosing of them to be sonnes and to bestow on them eternall life I have loved you that is I have chosen you to be my people and I will be your God to be my children and I will be your Father and to give you the inheritance of sonnes than which what can be greater Hierome thinkes he denies now to love them because he useth the preter-tense But it is no rule when as the pretertense doth often include the present Rom. 1.24 Psal 1.1 The first sinne reproved is unthankfulnesse the reproofe being covertly insinuated rather than openly set downe under the recording and recalling of Gods love and the fruits of it whereof they had beene partakers Hierome observeth here lest the punishment should seeme unjust and God should without cause afflict them and lay the burden upon them he addeth the reproofe of their sinnes Hence we may observe Doctr. 1 The punishing and afflictions Câ—â—ming to men are caused by their sinnes Hosea 104.10 Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Doctr. 2 Now to the sinne here reproued in particular which is unthankfulnesse Ingratitude and unthankfulnesse unto God for his love and the fruits of it the blessings men receive either spirituall or temporall is a very great sinne So the Lord shews it here by his Prophet when he puts it in the foremost of all other sinnes in this people and as the principall which makes him threaten this burden unto them So Isaiah 1.2 sets it before all other sinnes It is by the Apostle put among the sinnes of the last dayes when iniquity shall get the upper hand and must abound 2 Tim. 3.2 This sinne is committed five waies or there are five kinds or degrees of unthankfull men First when men doe not acknowledge God as the Authour and giver of their benefits and blessings but finde out others as Hosea 2.8 9. Shee knew not that the Lord gave her Corne. Secondly when men doe forget him and his benefits against which David laboured Psal 103.2 Blesse the Lord oh my soule forget not all his benefitâ— And confessed among sinnes Psal 106.7
hee loves his Church with a more speciall and excellent love than he loves either all creatures or all mankind So here Amos 3.2 Exod. 19.5 Now therefore if yee will heare my voice indeed and keepe my Covenant then yee shall be my chiefe treasures above all people though all the earth be mine where the learned take the word to signifie a people of a precious treasure The Septuag read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peculiar people Tit. 2.14 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est thesaurus prae aliis electus and so it is more excellent and more deare and precious in Gods sight these were for themselves and the Type of others Hence is that 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people Things elected are more specially loved hence are those comparisons to set forth this love that he is the Head of his Members the Father of his Children the Husband of his Wife The Members are better affected than excrements the Children than servants the Wife without comparison as himselfe is one flesh Reas 1 Because love precious and excellent love is discerned by the things which proceed from love that are given and bestowed upon the beloved for he loves Non tam à veris rebus somnia superantur quà m haec terrena ab aeternis illis absunt Chrysost da. virg who bestowes meate and drinke and apparell but he more that provides land inheritance and layes up treasure and gives knowledge and education The servant is provided for the Child much more so the things God gives being more excellent spirituall Salvation things belonging to it but to others earthly things onely 1 Cor. 9.11 There is a three-fold state of man as Divines speake of him Esse bene esse optimum esse First naturae secondly gratiae thirdly gloriae The first of generall love the two last of speciall love which being those God gives his and his onely then is it with a more speciall love he loves them Reas 2 Because it is more constant and perpetuall for the generall love of mankind is terminated not with the Sunne and Moone onely but with their breaths they part with their lives and his love together but theirs is for ever and then specially is manifested when life is ended That in life was but a pledge and earnest of the other a penny to one hundred pound or an Angell to a thousand pound a bargaine of it Reas 3 Because in generall love onely sua dat his blessings and outward benefits but in speciall se dat he gives himselfe Hosea 2.19 Now as that of Samuel is true 1 Sam. 15.22 Obedience is better than sacrifice because in obedience a man gives himselfe to God but in sacrifice he gives but of his as Cain of the fruit of the ground Abel of the first of his sheepe and of the fattest of them so in this Vse 1 This should provoke every one to labour for this love being so speciall and so excellent rare things are deare and desired the more rare the more deare and more desired but when they are rare and excellent very precious then most of all such is this love But how may we get this Labour to be his and his children and Church so we all are But he is not a Jew that is one outward But how may we know that we are his and have love How doe commonly men know they have the generall love and whence is their generall bragge of it If they have the fruits of his love peace prosperity riches c. So in this if they have spirituall graces as true saving knowledge faith sanctification love meeknesse zeale which are the fruits of his speciall love Eccles 9.1 No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before us They are things within us which must manifest that to us for these then must we labour that we may know we have it Vse 2 This must teach every one to be more thankfull for this than he or others would be for the generall the thankfulnesse is to answer his love with obedience to heare and obey Exod. 19.5 Now therefore if ye will heare my voice indeed and keepe my Covenant then ye shall be my chiefe treasures above all people though all the earth be mine The fruits of the generall love of God will require this and the more fruits the more obedience He that hath received something though with the least owes the most he can doe how much more he that hath more honour credit riches c. Ought to performe more obedience be more zealous religious holy as August Surgunt indocti coelum rapiunt c. If for these common blessings and love how much more for the fruits of speciall love and it If to whom much of them much in the former how much more in this and of such as have his speciall love he looks for obedience and honour wherein is their thankfulnesse The Courtier that is advanced above others ought to be more respective of the Prince and his will and with more care and cheerefulnesse performe all obedience and the duty of his place than others He that hath his life liberty and living given unto him when all was lost if he shall not if he should not respect him every tongue would be ready to condemne him But if he should be made heire to the Crowne if his issue faile or hee have no child then more So in this and this not being nothing wil more prove that they are not that they would seeme to be and that they have not that they bragge on Vse 3 This is matter of comfort to as many as are indeed his beloved of him they may be sure they shall lack nothing that is needfull and good for them for if he love them thus specially as his owne God is faithfull to provide for his owne for as Rom. 8.32 who spared not his owne sonne but gave him for us all to death how shall he not with him give us all things also how much more readily will he give us other things when he hath given us himselfe and hath married us to himselfe Will a father see his child to want will a husband let his wife want when he is rich and able if they should yet will not God Isaiah 49.15 Can a woman forget her child and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will I not forget thee therefore they may best have their conversation without care or covetousnesse they need not weare or deceive for gaine oppresse or offer injury to provide for themselves they need not prophane the Lords day nor use unlawfull meanes to lay up for another time to come for hee that doth so specially love them and hath laid up so great things for them and given them the pledges of them already and the earnest of such infinite things how will not he take care of them to provide necessaries for them He
that in his generall love feeds the Ravens the Lions and Leopards makes his raine to fall and his Sunne to shine upon the wicked and fills their bellies with his hid treasures what will his speciall love make him to his owne but many of his are often-times scanted So the Physitian keeps his patient at a strait diet when full dishes are hurtfull unto him And God often-times gives not riches because when they be humanae miseriae remedia the remedies of humane misery they will make them instrumenta voluptatis aut superbiae the instruments of pleasure or pride and he knows their hearts better than themselves But they often want much and have scarce to satisfie nature when the wicked have abundance but their water and browne bread makes them looke as well as all the full dishes of the wicked as it was with Daniel and his fellows And the prodigall sonne had little to refresh him when his fathers servants had bread enough because he abused his former portion and runne from under the protection and out of his fathers house So with them At his returne he had the fat Calfe killed for him and apparrell and ornaments given him fit for a sonne Vse 4 To admonish every one that is his to looke for more correction than others if they provoke him for more love more of the rod more affection more affliction the more speciall love more speciall and more speedy correction This use made Amos of it Chap. 3.2 You onely have I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will visite you for all your iniquities Heads of families correct all and most where they love children before servants and of them those they love if their love be with judgment and not blinded with affection Wherein hast thou loved us Some take this to be a kind of prevention the Prophet knowing what this people would say thus accused for themselves he prevents Yee will aske me wherein I have manifest any love unto you my answer is ready and the proofe manifest Was not Jacob brother to Esau but these are more likely to be the words of the people for so their ingratitude rather appeares that they would not acknowledge the love of God but some of infirmity some of malice and contempt spake thus Wherein hast thou loved us In what speciall benefit hast thou shewed thy love unto us Cyrill supposeth that it is likely they remembred the late captivity and calamity God had brought upon them which did so sticke in their mindes that all the good God did unto them before and since specially spirituall could not make them acknowledge he loved them Doctrine The corrupt nature of man is hardly drawne to confesse and acknowledge sinne and himselfe guilty of sinne but will doe any thing accuse God or man or any other thing to cover their sin This people is a manifest proofe of it here and ver 6 7. and Cap. 2.14 and 3.7 8. Job 31.33 If I have hid my sinne as Adam concealing mine iniquity in my bosome Trem. more hominum noting the corruption of man to hide and cover it It is manifest by Adams accusing Eve and God and Eve the Serpent to cover their sinne Gen. 3.12 13. Achan Joshua 7. who covered it till God had found him out Saul he covered his by accusing of the people 1 Sam. 15.13 14 15 20 21. David 2 Sam. 11.6 c. yea even when Nathan came to him Cap. 12. who might if he did not take the Parable to himselfe before it was applyed by Nathan The Priests Matth. 27.4 Gregory They are like the Cuttle-fish that when he perceiveth men goe about to take him doth so dye and colour the water about her with a kind of blacke moisture that a man cannot tell where to have her so these and so others either by denying as Matth. 25.44 by defence as Jonah Jonah 4. by cautelous answer as Gen. 4.9 by a good purpose as Gen. 20.6 by putting it off to others Adam to Eve Reas 1 Because selfe love beares rule and sway which will make him so cover his sinnes Job 31.33 If I have hid my sinne as Adam concealing mine iniquity in my bosome The latter part Tremel reads Abdendo ex dilectione mei iniquitatem meam And this is to avoid both punishment from God and shame from men naturally they know God is just and out of his justice will visite the iniquities of men and they thinke him as man and that the Proverb is true Hosea 12.8 Confesse and be hang'd supposing he cannot know unlesse they disclose Therefore to avoid his knowledge and so his punishment they willingly smother them Againe to avoid shame from men because they will even upbraid them with their sinnes they have confessed 2 Sam. 13.13 though happily themselves more wicked but more covert Therefore they would willingly and by what meanes they can cover them Oblectat sanè flagitium tamen ipsius rei nomen aures offendit Chrysost Ser. de virtut vit Reas 2 Because he loves his sinne and is very loath to part with it Now if he should come to know and acknowledge his sinne he must forsake it or else men will cry more shame and God will more sharply punish him whereas all the while he dissembles his knowledge he thinkes he is the rather to be borne withall both of God and man Object How should this be accounted a corruption when as Isaiah 3.9 they are reproved for declaring their sinne and not hiding it Solut. It is one thing to commit sinne openly and as it were without shame to professe it Non confiteri sed profiteri another to confesse sinne with shame to himselfe and glory to God It is one thing for Zimri Numb 25.6 to manifest sinne and another for David when he is reproved by Nathan to confesse sinne It is not the same that Absolon commit sinne upon the house-top shamelesly in the sight of the Sunne to the dishonour of God and his Father and Achan confesse that was committed with shame to himselfe and giving glory to God To declare sinne as they did is the height of impiety but to confesse sinne as these is the first step to piety and to cover them gives small hope of recovering them The ones declaring and the others cloaking argue both their corruptions Vse 1 Then is the wisedome of the wise but foolishnesse who think that the best guide is Nature and that a man shall never erre if he follow it Questionlesse it is a marvellous blind guide in all things and whithersoever it calls we are to be jealous and suspicious of it It will never lead us to any good but to false pleasures deceitfull profits vaine honours It will either teach us that sinne is no sinne Rom. 7. or lessen sinne or teach us to cover sin In the body and for it he would be accounted but a slender friend and bad counsellour who should perswade a man wounded
humour for their owne fancy and pleasure only without good ground or manner may not this be seen by that of Isaac submitting himselfe to his father to cut him at his pleasure Gen. 22. yea of Israel to be circumcised and of Christ to his mother Luke 2.48 49 Reas 1 Because by this they shew wisdome Prov. 13.1 A wise sonne heareth his fathers instruction but a scorner heareth not rebuke and they get and increase wisdome Prov. 29.15 The rod and reproofe give wisedome but a child left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame for they learne to avoid the like sinnes and to escape greater stroaks from their father Reas 2 That which gets wisdome must be submitted to because by it they prevent greater destruction and bring to salvation They are called The way of life Prov. 6.23 wholesome things though bitter To prevent greater evill and bring health we easily submit our selves to the Physitians hand to receive Reas 3 Because they come from love Prov. 13.24 For those men love not or they hate in effect under affection those they correct not Vse 1 To reprove the stubborne and stiffe-necked children of our age who repine at their fathers reproofe their hearts ready to swell against them if they check them for their carriage specially when they are of some few yeares they will frowne as long as their Parents can doe They imagine they know how to carry themselves well enough yea better than their Parents and often give them word for word or mutter and murmure marvellously against them the cause being not onely want of grace in their owne hearts but the omission of correction and the rod when they were younger because they did not correct them betime Many Parents like Eli neglecting the rod when they were young cockering of them that they get such heads when they are growne that they will not beare the rod and better nothing at all by their reproofes but they live often to see their perishing as Eli did his sonnes Whereas if they be duely and maturely used to the rod and correction they will be nothing so audacious and in the end a word shall doe more with them than many stripes Vse 2 To teach children to give honour unto their Parents in submitting themselves to their reproofes and correction Wisdome will make them take them from others who are farre off when it may be doubtfull with what minde they doe it how much more from Parents of whose love they cannot doubt It is profitable saith Chrysostome Ho. 27. ad pop A. to have many admonishers and keepers many reprovers is profitable because as a beast that is hunted and set on of all sides cannot escape so shall not a sinne or vice but when such as are so nigh us who see in secret and open it is farre better But we could beare it if there were cause and we had deserved it but when they doe it without cause as we thinke unjustly that is it which makes us repine First know that the Physitian sees often more than the Patient so doth the Parent But if yet there be no cause the Apostle shews yet we should submit And we should consider as Hierome would have Salvina to judge of his reproofe that it was ex abundantia amoris and it is his cujus votum est te nescire quae metuit Besides it is more thanke worthy when a man can in such cases suppresse the rising and swelling of his impatient and corrupt nature onely for conscience of the commandement for here being some conflict betwixt his word and our will he taketh tryall of our obedience who hath simply commanded subjection in this kind to children which is to bee obeyed as that thou shalt not steale Therefore should every one endeavour to it and thinke it is the part of a good childe to kisse the rod that beates as the hand that gives The second thing wherein their subjection is required and submission is for their calling and education Doctrine Children must submit themselves unto their Parents to what calling they shall thinke fit to bring them up in and to So did Samuel to his Mother he yeelded to her to be set apart for the service of God and to be brought up to it 1 Sam. 1.28 For that which she gave he performed So David submitted himself to his father to be a shepherd and some of his brethren souldiers So Christ was disposed of by his Parents when he was fit to teach others and for another manner of worke Luke 2.46 yet he went and was subject to them and in the same trade verse 51. and Marke 6.3 Justin Martyr thinkes so 't was likely the wisedome of God to blind the wicked and hide him from their eyes Then as 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also to walke even as hee walked so for this particular Reas 1 Because they in all reason are far better able to judge of them and their parts and gifts what they are fit for and wherein they are most like to give them most comfort and glorifie God and profit themselves then they can of themselves That same borrowed speech Psal 127.4 5. As arrowes are in the hand of a mighty man so are Children of the youth happie is the man that hath his quiver full of them they shall not be ashamed but they shall speake with the enemies in the gate seemes to insinuate somewhat they are as arrowes of divers heads some fit for one marke some for another he hath them in his hand and knows best which is fit for which Reas 2 Because they are not in their owne power but his while they live in his house and government but part of his substance therefore the Devill smote not Jobs wife as part of himselfe but his children as part of his substance and temporall goods 't is equall then he should have the disposition of his children not themselves or others Reas 3 It shall appeare that he may dispose of them in Marriages and not any other nor themselves which is then when they are of more yeares and grown of greater discretion in the world more when they are younger and without experience Vse 1 To reprove the sinnes of many Children who sometime without asking consent if denyed doe dispose of themselves ar their owne pleasure in what calling they like as if their parents had no power over them as if they onely knew what was fit for themselves and their parents wanted the wit and experience they have to dispose of them for the best the cause of many miscarrying of them and not prospering in their profession because they went not to it the right way only led by their affection without judgement not knowing what God had fitted them for nor regarding their parents whom God had set over them for that purpose whence often the curse of God is upon them that they prosper not in such courses or if by the indulgence
God reason then they relieve and maintaine them by it if their need require Vse 1 This reproves many gracelesse children who never perform any such duty unto their parents specially if they stand in need of them indeed but if they be base poor will hardly acknowledge them as thinking it their reproach and shame not forgetting but disdaining the rock whereout they were hewed the pit whereout they were taken or if they doe releeve them or be kind unto them it is either because they have yet somewhat to give and bestow which till it be gotten they use them kindly yea if many children they strive which should shew most kindnesse but once gotten made over to them they set them light and turne them out some making their parents complaine to authority against them or if they keep them decayed they make them drudge as servants they set them with the Hyndes some so gracelesse as they complaine they are a burthen unto them the best of them never tendering them as they did them nor maintaining them as they are able neither answerable to their former condition nor their owne present and some driving them away and not affording any entertainment of releefe to these and such like we apply that of Solomon Prov. 19.26 He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mother is a sonne that causeth shame and bringeth reproach and so esteem of them as God hath marked them Vse 1 To teach Children to performe all thankefulnesse to their parents if they live to be able and they to stand in need of them if they be never so base be not ashamed of them but remember the time was when thou wast naked and needy and not only had nothing but if thou hadst had all the world couldst not have had helpe but by them or some in steed of them And yet they covered thy nakednesse were not ashamed of thy infirmities carryed thee in their armes and nourished thee carefully Suppose and consider where thou hadst been if they had neglected thee thinke how many nights without sleepe and dayes without rest they spent about thee when thou wast young or weake or sicke see how love made all their labour light and all their charges as it were a gaine unto them And if thou hast any true naturall affection in thee thou wilt thinke nothing too much for them But feed and nourish them at thy table with thy morsell and cup carry and sustaine them in their weakenes and infirmitie yea though they should live as long or longer in infirmities and wants then thou wast of them there are some birds saith Basill who feed their dams as long as they fed them and carryed them how much more Christian Children oftentimes when thy father is dead his garment or his ring is deare to thee this thou carriest upon thy finger and wouldst not lose it for any thing think how should his body when he is living S. Aug. de Civ D. lib. 1. or if thou see others so esteeme them apply it to thy selfe and give them their whole honour or else looke for the shortning of thy daies and for the like recompence from thine His Father Having seene the duty we must proceede now to the parties to whom this duty and honour is to be performed to the father and parents as their parents authors of their being or at least instruments of their being God being Principall Doctrine Children must performe all these duties this honour to their parents all their life long nothing will free them from them nor dispence with the neglect and omission no greatnesse nor excellency themselves may come to no state nor condition of theirs neither want infirmity and imperfection of theirs This is manifest by the example of Joseph the second in the kingdome of Aegypt yet did not omit the least duty to his father but performed all in their places obedience subjection mainteinance reverence in his infirmity and weakenesse and his own greatnesse Gen 48.12 caeteris capiti Solomon to his mother 1 King 2.19 20. Christ to his parents Luke 2.51 Hence came the curse upon Cham pronounced by his father and executed by God notwithstanding what he had to saâ— and could hold out for his defence his father was drunke and like a beast Gen. 9. But Shem and Japheth blessed who did him reverence To this purpose is that of Solomon Prov. 23.22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when she is old howsoever unworthy of it yet thou must performe it even to thy mother weaker by nature subject to more infirmityes by so much more apt to despise them more then when the infirmitie of their sex and the imperfections of the age are combyned together yet we have no liberty to despise or deny duty Reas 1 Because neither the greatnesse of the one nor the weakenesse and infirmitie of the other can breake that relation which is betwixt childe and parents which the Law of God being morall hath made perpetuall unto everlasting And the reason of this is because as Chrisost in Rom. 13. non principi sed principatui that honour obedience and subjection is required not so much to the Prince as to the Princedome not to the person as to his place So of this the honour is due not to the father but his fatherhood not somuch to the person of him as he is a man and so either a bad or a good man as to his place office as he is a father now he is a father she a mother though of never so bad life or bad parts and so to be honoured and the childe is to give it not as a man and so great or base high or low but as a childe which he ever is and so must alwayes performe it Reas 2 Because they are the authors or principall instruments of their lives essence and being which is that which never can be blotted out but will ever remaine while they are therefore is this to be performed 'T is Solomons ground Prov. 23.22 Vse 1 This serves to condemne the Church of Rome and their odious and impious positions where they allow by doctrine the childe to disobey his parents for they allow him not so much as to acknowledge him to be his father if he be an Hereticke if a protestant yea by the heresie of the father children are freed from all obedience and the father deprived of all his naturall power Symancha Justit Cathol Tit. 4. sect 74. see yee not these men going against the current of humanity and against the light of nature and are oppisite to the light of the word Cham may not dishonour his father though he be drunke but he shall have the curse how shall they escape it But Heresie is a greater sinne then drunkennes undoubtedly not as they count Heresie which is to differ from the Church of Rome in any thing specially in matter of the seven Sacraments And what is this in
father Here is first the father-hood of God to be considered and so he is in two respects of his Creation and Election out of both we have somewhat to learne Doctrine Men in regard of their Creation being so the sonnes of God ought to honour him and doe him service and obedience thus much the Lords reasoning imports and inforceth It is manifest also by that Deut. 32.6 Doe ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee Hath he not made thee and established thee Thus much David prayed Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learne thy Commandements this shews he ought to pay so much to God Reas 1 Because by all Lawes humane and divine of God nature and Nations a man owes as much as he hath received and ought to repay it as it is due and is called for Therefore owes a man all he hath unto God and ought to pay it to the service of his Creator unlesse he will be accounted a thiefe and an ungratefull man to him who hath bestowed so great things upon him for he hath received from him his being that is his body with all his senses and his soule with all the powers of it then is he debtor to pay all these Reas 2 Because as nothing else so man is not borne with all perfections he hath many things perfect but many things wanting which must be perfected afterwards Now it is a rule that he must give the complement and perfection who hath begun the worke or given the beginning Therefore it is that every effect lookes to the cause to receive from it his last perfection The Trees search for the Sunne and stretch their roots into the earth which brought them forth Fishes also will not out of the waters which bred them The Chicken no sooner out of the shell but shrowds it selfe under the feathers of the Hen and follows whithersoever she goes The little Lambe after it is borne seeketh to the Dams teate and if there be a thousand sheepe of the same wooll and colour it knows the owne damme and will follow her whithersoever she goes as if she said here I received that I have and here I seeke for that I want Then ought reasonable man not to doe lesse than unreasonable creatures but being not perfect seeke to him and serve him that made him that he may receive perfections Vse 1 This will serve to confute the dreame of Libertines and Valentinians of which not a few in our dayes who have the name of Christians but not the thing who think that the Gospell Christ being come men are not bound to obedience as before whether the Gospell bind or no that will follow after in the next point for this that men are still bound and by the Law for all the Gospell to obey appeares plainely because the Reasons are the same to us now which were then to them Receive they not now all their bodies and soules all the members and parts all the faculties and powers of them from him and as they have those beginnings must they not have the proceedings also and perfections from him If any have not let him goe out free he is bound to no such thing but if all men have then is every one bound even by the Law now in time of the Gospell as before Gods reason stands thus now if I be a father if I have made thee and created thee honour me if thou haddest that thou hast else-where I challenge it not if thou canst have any thing from others without me to perfect thy defects and supply thy wants I challenge no such thing but if not then give me my honour Know thus much that the Law requires honour to God as a Father in regard of Creation which if it be a continuall worke of God for all times and to all men then it follows that now as then Vse 2 To teach men and every one if there be no other reason that this requires of all obedience and honour to God because they are his he their father that made them For if a man build the house whose turne must it serve but the Lords that built it if he plant a Vineyard who shall gather the Grapes but he that planted it If a father beget a sonne whom shall he rather serve and honour than his father which begat him And if this then how much more to him that is the Father of Fathers and of all things in earth and Heaven It is heard from many men when they reprove others for some dishonouring of God and often but as they thinke It is not for your profession doth it become a man of that zeale you make shew of professing so greatly as you doe If they speake it that they are more bound it is true but if that they themselves are not bound and more than they can performe it is false for wherein have they dishonoured God by the profession that thy Creation binds not thee to doe or from doing Set faith and repentance aside things invisible not commanded in the Law what is it thou art not bound to either for piety or honesty and that by the Creation for the Law holds fast there and Creation onely binds to all such duties For even as the Heathen man saith Aristotle A man can never returne so much to his father as he ought how can he to God who hath given us more than all the fathers in the world And if to dishonour a father be a vile crime in a sonne what is it to sinne and rebell against God who is father so many wayes Let every man then bethink himselfe of this and see in himselfe how many things he hath to move him to honour God though he never looke without himselfe body soule all the faculties and powers and parts of both because his hands made them And if the Axe may not boast it selfe against him that heweth with it Isa 10.15 how may it against him that made it How may man dishonour his Creator if not the Axe against the hewer how the heart against the master Shall those hands made by him those eyes enlightened by him that tongue made and made speaking by him dishonour provoke and revile with oaths and blasphemies if they doe know that as all things are possible with him and like easie to him he can destroy them as easily as he made them in a word both Oh then let those hands worke the workes of God let those feet walke the paths of God those eyes delight in the wayes of God and that tongue speake the praises of God and that whole man honour him that hath made it for thus he calls If I be a Father where is my honour if I have made you where is the service you doe me Amongst men a Chapman of credit payes as much as hee received and he would scorne not to
be accounted a good pay master and yet such deale nothing so currantly with God neither when we looke for so much from God Man will not give God so much give him our selves and that we have received one will give him his heart another his body not his heart another will part both with him as if he created not both as one as if his title be not as great to one as to another or to the whole as to part He is the Father of our spirits and the Father of our bodies or if thou wilt give one and not the other thou condemnest thy selfe by the one for with-holding the other for his right is in this respect to both and must have both and be honoured in the whole But why pay they as much because they would receive more and have not yet enough So in this no man is perfect though he have received much And why hath not God made him perfect Verily it was as one said not because he was covetous and niggard but because he was loving and bountifull knowing that it was good for him to be such an one not that he should be poore but humble not as alwayes needy but as alwayes looking up to him and remembring to honour him with that he hath given him that he may receive that he wants and further perfection pay then thy debt and pay it to receive more that thou mayest be perfect and thinke he speakes to every one If I be thy Father honour me remember me thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth and thy age even as one saith so often as thou breathest so often thou oughtest to remember God And seeing thy being is ever in one so thy thankfulnesse should be ever both for thy ever being And as Chrysostome thou wilt say Lord keepe me as the Apple of thine Eye he will answer thee againe Keepe my Commandements as the Apple of thine eye so thou wilt come to God and say Lord keepe me for thou hast made me I am thine and the workes of thy hands God will answer thee then Keepe the words of my mouth and so honour me for thou art the workes of my hands Doctr. The election of God by which he hath freely chosen men to be his sonnes and to be heires of eternall life binds them to obedience service and honouring of him so the Lord reasoneth here if I be a father if I have adopted and chosen you for sonnes where is my honour He challengeth but that he hath title To this purpose is that Ephe. 1.4 1 Pet. 1.17 Math. 5.16 Reas Because his choise and adoption is so free for it is without any merits or deserts of man of his owne free will and pleasure Ephe. 1.5 long before there was any merit of man for it was before he was it is ancienter then the world it is coeternall with God himselfe for as he is from all eternities so he hath loved his from all eternity then free and most franke is this choice of men to be sonnes Now benefits the more free undeserved the more they bind men to performe thankfulnesse for them So in this And this is that God would have for it Honour him Reas 2 Because it is so rare a benefit not all not many but few of many Math. 20.16 few chosen Benefits that are rare are pretious rara chara and so deserve and exact more when as then God amongst so many Nations of barbarous men and in such a multitude of condemned men hath called a man to so happy a condition that he should be in the number of those who are chosen his sons and to inherit eternall life the benefit being so much the greater as the number is smaller must needs binde to this duty Vse 1 This may serve to stop the mouth of desperate wretches that make the doctrine of Gods decree an occasion of carelesnesse and from it take liberty to dishonour God that reason if they be elected they are sure to be saved whether they live well or ill and so è contra whence they give all liberty to themselves and live licentiously and dishonour God of these I would demand whether they thinke the former testimonies and this particular preface was written by the spirit of Christ If they say no they shew themselves in the state of reprobation whatsoever God hath decreed of them If they say it is then let them compare the spirit they speake with and this spirit by which these are written and see themselves not to be led with the spirit of Christ which can not so contradict it selfe It requireth duty and reverence service and honour because thou art his thou wilt give none because if perhaps thou beest thou needest not if not it is bootlesse and doubtfull in this thou determinest not to honour God but to dishonour him Tell me this thou thou art a father and disposest of all thy goods in secret before ever thy sonne knows how or hath enquired and used means to know how if he should set light by thee and carry himself undutifully towards thee as if he would give thee an occasion to give all away from him if thou hast not done it already wouldest thou not thinke it a marvellous preposterous and impious course and yet this is that which thou wilt doe with God like a desperate miscreant not knowing whether God hath purposed thee salvation and heaven which he had disposed and made his will of in secret yea not taking so much paines to search and enquire by the booke of God and the notes in it whether thou be in the number but yer ever thou seeke after it to know whether thou be in his booke so wilfully behavest thy selfe as if thou meantst to make him alter his will if it were possible if he were purposed to deale well with thee before But know thou if he were purposed to disinherit thee yet thou oughtest to honor him because he is the father And this without all consideration of Heaven and Hell much more if he have elected thee and thou be his sonne this way too oughtst thou to honour him And know that if thou beest his no such thought can possesse thy heart long lesse allow thy mouth to speake it boastingly in a secure and carelesse course of life what may come from a man of a troubled minde and in a temptation that is not to this purpose but the other can never bee Nay know that God disposeth all things sweetly and orderly to bring a man to this end if he have once chosen him As a father that aymes at some state of life for his sonne as to make him a Lawyer or a Divine he traines him up so and brings him up in learning and studies and directions Vse 2 This should admonish every one who by a divine search findeth himselfe the son of God by adoption or election or thinks himselfe is one to remember what he is and what it requires of him
even to honour God as a father The former bindes but this bindes more as a twofold cord the law because of our creation the Gospell for our election and redemption we are no more servants but sonnes Galat. 4.5 6. But must we the lesse serve him or not this were a gallant Gospell indeed Nay we must the rather because sonnes Mala. 3.16 we must not change our service but the manner of our service for he hath made us to serve him Luke 1.74 75. that hee would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Not as servants for wages but as sonnes in a more honourable kinde of service In primo dedit me mihi in secundo dedit se mihi cui debeo me propter me debeo plusquam me propter se Ber. with a free affection in no mercenarie manner otherwise this bindes us more then before and to doe more if it were possible then the law requires If the other though free yet not so rare doe bind how much more this so rare a benefit should bind us In the first he gave me to my selfe In the other he gave himselfe to me To whom I owe my selfe for my being to him I am more indebted for giving himself to mee more is then due unto him and more must we endeavour if our being and being men require it of us what this being sonnes without which it had beene better wee had never been yea a thousand times If his bounty in creating us what his mercy and love in electing us The world though peevishly and corruptly it upbraids those that are Gods and in some sinister and corrupt affection challenges more of them then of others towards themselves then towards God yet those who are indeed Gods must thinke such speeches are goades to pricke them forwards to more For God hath done more for them therefore more is required of them yea more then they thinke they ought to performe Every one must argue as David see 2 Sam. 6.21 And David said unto Michal it was before the Lord which chose me before thy father and before all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord over Israel therefore will I play before the Lord It will not serve and goe for currant if Gods children elected be not more diligent to honour him then others Where is my honour wee have seene by what right God requires this we must see now the thing it is honour which is indeed childelike and filiall feare to obey and serve him for love rather then feare as sonnes doe their father and of this I will thus speak first that men must give it to God the sonnes to the father Secondly how it differs from the servile feare Thirdly the effects of it that it may be known whether had or no and if not it may be sought if had it may be joyed in Doctrine First that Men must give it unto God Reas 1 The Children of God that is his sonnes and daughters ought to honour him that is to serve and obey him to doe the good he commands not for feare of punishment or hope of reward but for the love of good and righteousnesse and his goodnesse and mercy willingly and of conscience hereto may we apply that Psal 130.4 and Rom. 12.1 and 1 John 2.1 inferred upon the second Because else they can not be sonnes and daughters Servilis est timor quamdiu ab amore non manat qui de amore non venit honor non honor sed adulatio Bern. Cant. 83. whose nature is to obey their parents and doe them all service of love feare is servile if it flow not from love and the honour which comes not from love is not honour but flattery a formall fawning Reas 2 Because if they obey him and honour him for hope of good and feare of evill and punishment it is self love that moves them not God love nor the love of righteousnesse now if men require more nor account not of this when selfe love hath the sway and men seeke themselves how should God and why should men expect it from him Est qui confitetur Deo quia potens est est quoniam sibi bonus est est quia simpliciter bonus est Psal 118.1.19 primus servus est timet secundus mercenarius cupit sibi tertius filius est diligit patrem * One blesses God because he is powerfull another because he is good to him another because he is simply good in himselfe Psal 118.1 The first is a servant and feares The second is an hireling and lookes for gaine The third is a sonne and loves his father Object There are many promises of good things for obedience and threats of evill for disobedience are they made to servants or written for them alone or also for sonnes If Sonnes why may not they look to them and for them doe service Sol. Without question whatsoever is written is for sonnes not servants or principally for them yet is it not acceptable to God when it is done for these for nothing proceeding from hirelings or slaves can be acceptable why then are these written Namely to helpe them in it not to be the principall mover of it vide James 2.8 Vse 1 This proves that many mens workes and obedience are not the honour of God nor things acceptable though according to the law and things commanded which in another are his honour and accepted of him the end or motive not being good and right as it should The second thing to be observed is how this child-like and filiall feare differs from the other servile feare and that it doth in divers things The first difference is in respect of the object that is of that which is feared that is sinne the one feares sinne as it is sinne and because it is sinne the other onely the punishment of sin and not sinne at all but in regard of the punishment the former curbs the action onely Hosea 3.5 the other the affection the one liketh and loveth sinne but he dare not commit it in regard of the danger that may ensue of it the other hateth and abhorreth sinne and would not commit it though he might doe it without danger at all as Prov. 8.13 The feare of the Lord is to hate evill Psal 97.10 And because it deales with the affection it is called a pure feare Psal 19.9 The feare of the Lord is cleane or pure for it purgeth the heart as faith is said to doe Acts 15.9 The other is a melting feare but this is a purging and refining feare The second difference is in their grounds the one is grounded onely upon the wrath of God and for his justice the other regardeth them but specially his mercy and goodnesse Psal 130.4 Hosea 3.5 The filiall feare to offend God in regard of
and David Psal 1 19.53.136.139.158 such are commended and marked Ezechiel 9. as they are condemned 1 Cor. 5.1 who doe contrary The fifth a trembling at the wrath and anger of God declared for sinne either in word or deed First in word at Gods threatnings either against him selfe or others as a child quaketh and trembleth at his fathers chyding though it be with some others so doe the children of God commonly when they heare the wrath of God denounced against others so is it Isa 66.2 Psal 1 19.161 2 Chro. 34.27 Jer. 26 18. Habacuk 3.16 Now secondly if at his word how much more at his rod if when he speaks more when he beats themselves or others as a child if he see his father to take the rod in hand to correct any of the family he standeth trembling and quaking he feareth lest he should have a wipe by the way so the child of God feareth as before Gods face when he seeth the hand of God upon others as when he feeleth it upon himselfe David 2 Sam. 6.7.9 the Church Acts. 5.11 Psal 119.119 120. Habacuk 3.16 Now these being the effects and as it were the fruits of this filiall feare it shall be good for a man to examine himself by them whether he have it or no for by the fruits you shall know it It is to be feared that if men will doe this seriously but a few of those who call God father every day wil be found to have this filiall feare and so his sonnes indeed The first fruit is a desire to know and finde out Gods will and then to doe it but alas how many have wee that refuse to seek after the knowledge of his wayes like those Job 21.14 but say some will search the word yet it is onely to furnish themselves with matter of discourse and not to finde out that which may serve to order and direct their lives they are a curious kinde of Men and as Seneca saith Scholae non vitae discitur they study schoole quirks and not points of practice others are sorry many times that they lighted on more then they looked after As the yong man not answered to his mind was sorry he had asked Luke 15.23 Bernard hath observed of his experience Cant. ser 74. many saith he have I known Ber. in Cant. serm 74. made sad upon the knowledge of the truth because they could not so pretend ignorance as before Or if not this but with the sonne in the Gospell stay and doe not or deferre as Jonah or doe as Balaam blesse when he would have cursed so they their hands go against their hearts these and such like must needs be voyd of this feare The second is a jealousie over his particular actions but how many runne headlong into all actions never regarding what warrant they have for them that though never so many make doubt of them and the lawfulnesse of them yet all is one to them as they know nothing for them so they know nothing against them and they eyther doe as Peter Luke 22.49.50 who cut off Malchus eare before he could heare his answer or as Prov. 20.25 doe things first and examine them after These are farre from this feare for where it is there if any doubt arise about an action that seemed indifferent before he will be jealous of himselfe and walke the surest way when he knoweth he may doe or abstaine without offence but he is in some suspicion of the other he will rather be sure to goe on a good ground than hazard the incurring of Gods displeasure though he lose somewhat yea much both of his profit and pleasure knowing the feare of God is opposite to this manner of walking and so 't is made Eccles 5.1 5 6. The third is a carefull avoiding of knowne sinnes and things that will offend but how many give liberty to their flesh runne with a full swinge into the practice of sinne and never care to returne out of it againe who vaunt of this feare and yet often vaunt of their sinnes and never shame at them Nay sooner shame and blush to be a man noted to have a care to avoid the common sinnes of the age how have these men any child-like feare will they account that their children doe lovingly feare them when they runne into all or many things they know will displease them and are ashamed to be accounted more than ordinarily dutifull Questionlesse no then let them be their own Judges and shall for they tell us they have no feare if that be their feare Prov. 8.13 The fourth is a griefe to see others offend but many boast of the feare of God and yet they delight and take pleasure in the sight and hearing of other mens sinnes never caring nor regarding what others doe so they be not like them They can dayly see many Laodiceans neither hot nor cold amongst us many Ephesians that have lost their first love many Jebusites Idolaters amongst us and swarming amongst us these they see and yet they sigh not as it nay either take pleasure or make profit by it it is but a boast they are void of the filiall feare of God because they have no care whether he be honoured or dishonoured pleased or displeased as if a Child could endure his fathers dishonour if not be revenged of them for want of power and such like yet will he mourne and sorrow How should I beare my fathers dishonour and if these much more those who seeke to draw others to sinne swearing whoring drunkennesse and such like they can have no true feare of God as Children The fifth trembling at his judgments threatened or executed upon others Many say they feare God and yet they can heare the wrath and judgments of God denounced against sinne and it may be the sinnes they practise yet are never a whit moved at all but goe as they came as if the Word were but wind As Jer. 5.13 Their hearts melt not nor they mourne not nay when they see Gods judgments upon others they censure and condemne them but feare nothing themselves nay often when they are in the same condemnation if they be not in the same punishment Sure it is they have no child-like feare at all they are worse than the beasts yea senselesse things who tremble at his voice and they shew themselves Children of wrath Onely the children of wrath are fearelesse of wrath Soli filii irae iram non sentiunt Bern. as S. Bernard speaketh If I be a Master where is my feare The application of the second rule of nature we must speak of Gods Lordship then of the feare he requires for it He is a Lord in respect of his creatures either generally or specially First generally jure Creationis gubernationis by right of Creation and government Secondly particularly jure pacti redemptionis by right of Covenant and Redemption First jure redemptionis Exod. 20.2 1 Cor. 6.20 Secondly jure pacti
said I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against mee and 5.4 What could I have done any more to my Vineyard that I have not done unto it why have I looked that it should bring forth grapes and it bringeth forth wilde grapes 2 Sam. 12.7.8 Math. 11.23 24 Reas Because the one hath lesse the other moe causes why they should honour him and be carefull of his worship every benefit and favour deserves it the least meriteth it much more many and great ones where then the most and the greatest are there the contempt is the most hainous As the husband man the more labor and cost he bestowes upon his ground the greater harvest he expecteth when for equall paines and cost he lookes for equall fruite as Luke 13.7 8 9. Then said he to the dresser of his Vineyard behold this three yearer have I come and sought fruit of this fig tree and finde none cut it down why keepeth it also the ground barren And hee answered and said unto him Lord let it alone this yeere also till I dig round about it and dung it And if it beare fruit well if not then shalt thou cut it downe Vse 1 Then the contempt of Gods worship and service that is in this City is farre more hainous and grievous then of any other place in the Land besides because God hath bestowed upon it more favor and greater things then upon any other more wealth greater strength more honor for it is the wealth and the strength and the honor of the Land he hath crowned it with much honor and loving kindnesse hee hath given it the Gospell the watring and planting of Paul and Apollo more abundantly then any part of the Land besides he hath freed it from the plague he hath delivered it from the sword which should have been first in the confusion if the enemy had had his wished-for day howsoever it flatter it self in the strength of it the wealth of it would in that day have made it a prey He hath done this and many more that I cannot speake of and yet the contempt of Gods worship name and service is in all from the highest to the lowest Like Magistrates like subjects like Minister like People like Masters like servants parents and children rich and poore bond and free all contemners of the worship and service of God which is the more fearfull and hainous sinne because of the riches of Gods goodnesse his bounty and blessings and he takes it more hainously that when he will visite the land with another judgment the sword or any other as it was the first in the plague it shall be in the other unles it repent and grow more zealous for his service worship Vse 2 More particularly there are many particular men in this City and elsewhere who are carelesse of the worship of God and doe indeed pollute his name and thinke it no fault in them because they are above others in wealth above them in worship or honour exceed them in wit and learning These are the men if a survey be taken who are lesse frequent in Prayer and in hearing most carelesse both privately and publiquely of the worship and service of God either not doing or so doing as if they doe any thing God is more beholden to them then they bound to him As if Gods favor and the fruits of his love were faculties and dispensations to beare them out in dishonouring of him and polluting his name Nay let them know it if they doe not or if they will not now they one day shall to their cost that their carelessenes and contempt is more hainous then of others and he so takes it They shall find these contrary the eyes of God and men in mens eyes a little thing in them that is good is great a great evill but a little not so with God And when every man shall give his account as he shall one day it shal be be farre easier for the unlearned then for the learned for the base then honorable for the poore then rich The benefits of God specially these generall ones are not alwayes proofes of his love but they are ever provocations of obedience and honor from men That if they answer it not as they have received more here so they shall have more hereafter Why doe they deceive themselves or suffer themselves by flatterers to be deceived we will make but them judges and they will give sentence of themselves What is that Courtier worthy of that receives abundance of favor from the King and requites him with contempt or treason so of a father and his sonne of a servant and his master c. will they not take it more hainously and shall not all their benefits and favors increase their faults And are not Gods wayes just more equall and farre above the wayes of men Then let me speak to you rich men c. I beseech you be deceived no longer you ought to be more religious and more carefull then others I pray you correct your error and begin to be more carefull lest you be forced to condemne your selves when it will be too late You who professe your selves in speciall manner mine and specially professe my worship Doctr. It is a farre more grievous and hainous sinne for such as specially professe the worship and feare of God to contemn his name and not regard his worship then for those who make none or very little shew of it and God takes it more hainously from them so here and Mich. 2.6 7. Marke 14.37 2 Pet. 2.21 Reas 1 Because he doth it of knowledge and goes against his knowledge whereas the other as is probable doth not so for his profession argues he knows what is to be done and what ought to be done Now sinnes against knowledge are more hainous the other more excusable Religio scientia Dei est ac per hoc omnis religiosus hoc ipso quod religionem sequitur Dei se voluntatem nossce testatur Sal. ad eccle Ca. lib. 2 as a man professing an Art a fault in this work of his Art is more foul then in another mans work Religion is the profession of God and every religious man in this that he takes up Religion professes that he knowes the will of God saith Salvian Reas 2 Because it is here as it were out of his place where the thing is lighter and not so offensive an element in his place not so heavy a spot upon a foule garment not so uncomely an element out of his place a spot upon the purest garment is the sinne of professors Reas 3 Because these things come commonly unexpected and that which is unexpected and unsuspected it commeth more suddenly it lighteth more heavily and is taken more to heart This made David complaine so much of the injury of a friend as a thing that came so unexpected and did so pierce him Vse 1 To instruct the Minister whose
will inflict much evill upon them and punish them with all kind and variety of curses As here so 2 Chron. 7.13 Deut. 28.16 60 61. This he shewed in Ely 1 Sam. 2.8 c. and 2. 12 13. In David 2 Sam. 7. In Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 The tryalls of Job shew what he can doe when he will punish Reas 1 Because in blessing he can deale thus not onely take away the evill but showre downe many blessings upon them so in cursing for these are the two armes of God his mercy and justice neither is shorter nor longer than the other unlesse he be unperfect these are his treasures or he hath treasures of both neither fuller nor emptier than the other Reas 2 Because he is a true God and so infinite in all things he is not as the false gods of the Heathen who had little even their great god Jupiter who they thought would be soone drawne dry if he should punish much and many if send abroad apace his revenging arrows his quiver would be empty not so with God whose mercy is a treasure inexhaustible so his justice not as the Sea but as the fire the Sunne Chrysost Reas 3 Because it more manifests his displeasure and men are more sensible of it to be humbled by it either in truth or hypocrisie Vse 1 To stand in awe and feare God to feare to displease or provoke him who cannot onely take from us that we have but bring the contrary upon us many and strange and grievous plagues Men we feare and avoid to provoke them when they are of power and yet often we hold them at defiance because we know their worst is but to take our place livings credit or liberty from us at the worst but our lives and can then not hurt us but God can goe further not onely deprive us of that we have and all that is deare to us and take away life but lay crosses infinite upon us in this life and the life to come If men much more he is to be feared Matth. 10.28 if Jacob was affraid of Isaacs curse Gen. 22.12 much more of Gods being reall things and not verball for so is mans onely he is but the mouth of God and sure they are they will light where he will lay them Vse 2 To instruct every man who finds Gods judgments that he is deprived of any good thing he hath to humble himselfe and seeke to God and search his owne wayes that he may turne unto him lest he bring curses upon him for as it is both just and usuall with God when men profit not by the lesse judgment to bring greater as a father when his sonne bowes not with a twigge to beate him with a greater rod so it is when men turne not to him by his private judgments to bring positive curses upon them as Princes who first withdraw their favours from Traytors confiscate their goods restraine their liberty and after lay upon them some fearefull punishment Hath God then taken any thing from thee that thou hast or that was beloved of thee as thy goods children or any such thing thinke seriously of it and impute it not to secondary causes though they may be greatly faulty but looke unto the Lord and turne unto him thinke not to make it good againe or recover thy selfe but thinke of the other curses God hath threatened and know these must come if the other doe not reforme thee yea though he love thee Physitians that desire the health of their patient if they can will happily recover it by injoyning them abstinence and fasting and a strict dyet if not they will to purging bleeding and such like so with God much more if he hate thee Vse 3 If thou be freed from any curse be not secure he hath variety of curses The contempt of his worship he hath threatened with the deprivation of it the taking of it way now it may be thought this would not much trouble them who thought it a wearinesse and could happily be content with it and in their corruption account it a blessing he therefore threateneth the punishng of it with positive curses and plagues Doctr. The contempt and corruption of Gods worship the means of it as of the Word and Sacraments and such like sacrifice and Prayer the Lord will sometime punish with the taking of it away and sometime with it and other fearfull curses and plagues both spirituall temporall which as it is here threatened so was it performed to this people who are now not only without the meanes of his worship but are under many fearefull judgments as any Nation in the world It is that was threatened Deuter. 28.47 48. 2 Chro. 36.16 17. Math. 21.41 1 Cor. 11.30 2 Thessal 2.11 12. 1 Sam. 2. Elies sonnes Acts 20.9 Eutychus Reas 1 Because most men finde no judgment in it at all to be deprived of that they love not as they account that no blessing to have that they delight not in and so as in this they will never be drawn to see the mercy and favor of God so not in that his justice and displeasure that they might come to the sight of their sins when as then those judgements open the eyes of their minde the better and cleare their spirituall sight the Lord doth it more to torment them and affect them Reas 2 Because these being most sensible men are by them usually made more carefull of his service either in hypocrisie as Ahab and Saul and others or in truth as Manasses Vse 1 This may teach us a point which few men have thought of but many have felt it the cause why God hath so afflicted us with with the plague and pestilence his curses have been upon us many have happily thought of many sinnes of their owne and others but few have thought of this sinne that therefore it was because the word was contemned amongst us and his worship corrupted by us such wearinesse in his service such great shews and nothing indeed such offering of sick lame and blind unto the Lord such offering of corrupt things unto him If this bee true that such are accursed of God then the other must needs be certaine The Philistims had the Arke of Gods presence 1 Sam. 5. But because they used not it as they ought therefore verse 6. they were smitten so had the men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. but because they used not it as they ought therefore the Lord slew among them fiftie thousand threescore and ten men verse 19. The Gospell the meanes of his worship as the Arke of his presence hath been amongst us but we have not used it well therefore hath the hand of God been heavy upon us as upon the Philistims the number the Lord hath slaine hath surmounted the number of them of Bethshemesh If it were just upon them it is so upon us And though this be removed yet we cannot but feare that the curses of God hang over our heads
that displease them and so noting how greatly God was displeased with these sinnes how they offend him Doctrine The blasphemies and other sinnes of men doe marvelously offend and vehemently displease the Lord which as it is affirmed here and the like Isaiah 43.24 So as many threates and menaces so many judgements executed sometimes upon the whole world sometimes upon generall Cities sometimes upon particulars persons through the holy story doth manifest no lesse because when men doe lay about them and smite and punish Irae in deo non est affectio sed poena in nos ea vocabulo nomi natur Chrysost it argues they are offended and displeased hereto belongs these and the like Psal 106.29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their owne inventions and the plague brake in upon them Isaiah 63.10 but they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore was he turned to be their enemy and he fought against them Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy spirit of God Reason 1 Because it is the transgression of his law Joh. 3.4 Now he gave his law to have obedience which is delightfull unto him 1 Sam. 15.22 He takes pleasure in obedience then disobedience and transgression must needs displease him Reason 2 Because he is most holy just and good yea goodnesse justice and holinesse it selfe Now as every man is more good so is he least suspicious of evill in another but when it is apparent he is most displeased with it for as things rejoyce and delight in their like so are they distasted and displeased with their unlike and that which is so contrary to them The more righteous the Judge is the more he hates iniquity and sinne he is righteousnesse it selfe The sunne is the greatest enemy to darkenes because it hath light of it selfe and as it were is light it selfe Reason 3 Because it workes the destruction of the creature which he loves Jam. 1.15 Now then loving his creature he must needs dislike and hates this parents hate and dislike those creatures men or beasts who worke the ruine of their children the fruit of their bodies and generally whatsoever a man loves he hates that which worketh the ruine of it Vse 1 For sinnes past which a man hath commited he must be grieved and displeased with himselfe that ever he committed any such things by which he hath grieved and vexed so holy and righteous a God And this ought he to do if either he have love to God or to himselfe Semper in amore cautella est nemò melius diligit quam qui maxime veretur offendere Sal. Ep. To God because where men love they are loath to offend and grieved when they have displeased them so that it is a note of a gracelesse child one without any love to his father that is never grieved when he sees his father grieved and vexed with his leudnesse and evill carriage he may be a child but he is a prodigall sonne and shall never be accepted till he returne and shew himselfe grieved that he hath grieved him True love seekes to please the beloved rather then it selfe and is more grieved that it hath displeased such one As Salvia Qui satis diligunt non citò offendūtur sed si nō facilè offendunt then if it had offended it selfe And whereas men are more displeased of the losse of their owne pleasure then to the displeasure of God how can it be but that selfe love is above Gods love As Salvia saith whom a man is loathest to offend he most loves of himselfe or God but where Gods love raigneth as it ought there this dislike and griefe will be And if this should not make them dislike and grieve yet if any man indeed love himselfe he will dislike and grieve for them because if he doe it not voluntarily he shall doe it by force and constraint for if he judge not himselfe and so take revenge of himselfe for his offending of God the Lord will and make him grieve though oftentimes not as he ought As Chry. of man qui fuerit su◠vinculis bonus nunquā erit profectò bonu◠simulac enim vi nulla cogitur liber ipse ad ingentum subito conversus iterum descesset So I of this griefe because such griefe in judgements is not alwaies true griefe yet he shall grieve as he would not for God will bring upon him that which will make him grieve some judgement or other to shew that as he loves them who love him so will he grieve those who grieve him which if it be come upon them they shall finde that true that a disease is not so soone removed as it is easily prevented So here And that it will grieve them as in diseases not the disease but that they neglected the meanes by which they might have prevented it Vse 2 For the time to come men ought to put away their sinnes and keepe themselves from committing new sinnes or renewing the old for it is that which is a griefe unto the Lord and his Spirit and should not men avoid the grieving of God not words and workes which are against God and doe displease him If sinne were a thing which God regardeth not and he were no waies affected or moved with it to griefe or displeasure lesse matter were to be made of it it were no great matter though men satisfied themselves and pleased themselves but being as it is so displeasing to the Lord such a grief unto him It is not only to be sorrowed for cōmitted but carefully to be avoided If he be a foolish son that is an heavnesse to his mother Prov. 10.1 What is he that is a grief to God his father how foolish and wicked is he One asked this question to one about to sinne Tell me what thou thinkest will he pardon thee or no whatsoever thou answer it shall be against thy selfe Ablatus erat à peccatoribus timor nè posset esse cautela And tanta animorum vel potius peccatorum caecitas fuit ut cum absque dubio nullus perire vellet nullus tamen id ageret ne periret Salvia if thou thinke he will not pardon thee what folly and desperatenesse is that to offend a mighty Prince without hope of pardon if thou thinke he will what ingratitude and impiety is it to offend so gracious and good a God so when thou art about to commit any evill or dost omit some good formerly practised and as thou wouldest be thought to have done it of conscience and so it may be though now asleepe Tell me I say what thinkest thou dost thou grieve and displease God or is it liking to him Answer what thou wilt thou shalt not avoyde but be taken If thou say or thinke it doth not displease him thou thinkest wickedly and shalt know it Psal 50.21 but if thou thinke it displease him what a desperatenesse is this to provoke such a great God so mighty a Prince And
of sinne yet deliverance from the punishment wherein they are the flat enemies of the mercy of God and rob him of his honour to give it to themselves as if finite workes and satisfactions could deliver from infinite wrath But when they see this will not hold water then they flye to this that it is onely from temporall punishments and the fire of purgatory but first for this that it is but a new coyned shift I manifest from their prayers for the dead whereby they thought to bring them remission of sinne Breviar secund usum Sarum in vigil mortuorum O God of the faithfull the maker and redeemer of all men give to the soules of all the faithfull deceased remission of all their sins that by godly prayers they may obtaine the pardon which they alwaies desired through Christ our Lord. And againe Lord we beseech thee let the prayers of thy humble servants be helpfull to the soules of al the faithful deceased that thou mayest both relieve them from all their sinnes and make them partakers of thy redemption who livest c. Now hence I reason that if by their prayers they would helpe the faithfull whom they presumed to be free from purgatory to bring them remission of sinne can they make us believe that they intend onely deliverance from the paines of purgatory for such as are there and not from the guilt of sinne by their sacrifices and masses Againe it is manifestly false that the sinne pardoned yet the punishment should remaine yea it is against the justice of God and so cannot be unlesse he can cease to be God for the instance of David 2 Sam. 12.13.14 and some other of Gods children whose sinne remitted the affliction remained is not against this because in him it was not a punishment but a clearing of the justice of God before the wicked as the place sheweth and in others they are but purgers or preventers Vse 2 To teach the Church and every particular to acknowledge it to be the mercy of God that they live and are not consumed when they see many others are and know themselves to have deserved the like The Church wherein we live and we our selves here present have beene delivered from many and strange dangers and confusions whom shall we ascribe this unto shall we sacrifice to the wisedome of our state to the valor of Marshall men to the power of armes to the multitude of our people to our owne workes and worthinesse to our profession of his truth or practise of piety our justice and equity and such like so may we provoke the Lords anger indeed to consume us Whither else must we ascribe it but to this being taught every where it is the mercy of God that we are not consumed whose compassions failed not and so as the Church begunne her prayer we may our prayses Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the glory for thy loving mercy and for thy truthes sake For considering the height of our sinnes the greatnesse of our iniquities and rebellions whereto else can it be ascribed And his mercy hath drawne him to spare us partly for our selves and partly for posterity and those who shall come of us As Saint Chrysostome hom 80. ad popul Antioch for our selves that his mercy might draw us to repentance and to fear him for posterity * Parcit frequenter radici ut fructus conservet qualiter audi Terah pater Abrahae fuit Idolorum cultor sed in hoc mundo impietatis poenas non dedit merito Nam si Deus praeveniens cadicem praecidisset unde tantus fidei fructus exortus fuisset Sic Esau fornicator fuit immundus matricida patricida fratricida quantum in ipsius fuit proposito Deo exosus Mal. 1.2 Quarè non perditur quarè non exciditur Bonum est verâ dilectissimi causâ dicere si succisus fuisset maximam elcemosynae fructum justitiae mundus amisisset qualem audi Esau genuit Raguel hic Zara hic Iob. Vides quantus tolerantiae fructus esset perditus si praeveniens Deus à radice poenas exigisset Chrysost hom 8. ad popul Antioch He spares oftimes the roote that he may preserve the fruit And heare how Terah Abrahams father was a worshipper of Idolls yet in this life God punisht not his impiety for if God had cut downe the roote then whence had we had such great fruit of faith as in his sonne So Esau was a fornicator and uncleane and as much as in him lay a murtherer of father mother and brother and of God hated Mal. 1.2 Why is he not destroyed why is he not cut downe Truely beloved to tell you the cause t was good to be so Esau begat Raguel he Zara and he Iob you see what plentifull fruit of patience had been lost if God preventing had stricken the roote So of us that we might leave the seede of the Church and piety behinde us This is mercy but the former the greater else we have as little profit of it as Terah and Esau And it is to be acknowledged the speciall mercy of God when others perish and their workes like that they escape As Saint August de Nat grat 8. c. 5. of the great salvation Vniversa massa poenas debet Qui ergò inde per gratiam liberantur non vasa meritorum suorum sed vasa misericordiae nominantur Vse 3 To teach men when destruction and calamity is at hand and Gods judgements are threatned the way how they may escape and not be confounded is they have Gods mercy towards them and upon them therefore for this must they pray and labour their flying truely to this will be like the City of refuge where the avenger of blood could not slay a man-slayer Then shall they be sure either to be kept from them or delivered from them kept in them or taken out of them for when as Gods mercy doth bring remission of sinne it must needs bring the removall or change of the punishment either it will be good or if it abide the nature will be changed for sinne taken away that cannot continue or not in the former nature and a man shall be safer and more comfortable with this in divers afflictions then without it though he be never so free * Veâ—ius ac jucundius gaude bis de bona conscientia inter molestias quam de mala inter delicias August you shal rejoyce more cheerefully and more truely with a good conscience in the midst of troubles then with an evill in the midst of many pleasures Now thus it is from the feeling of the mercy of God and remission of sinne * Si Deum benevoluÌ„ habeas licet in furnacem cadas ne desperes sicut si succenseat licet in paradiso sis ne confidas Adae peccanti nihiâ— profuit paradisus pueris benè agentibus nihil obfuiâ— fornax Chry.
in vaine that should busie himselfe about it and restraine himselfe of other things of his pleasure and profit and they affirme it to be a needlesse worke both in respect of God who was to be worshipped and in respect of those who should worship him for the first some understand these words i. God is farre above man neither hath commerce with him if he have yet God hath no need of these things which men possesse neither doth he desire he is not affected nor bettered by the worship of men Then is it in vaine and foolish for men to bestow their paines and labours in those things which never helpe nor profit him they doe them for Now these things profit not God therefore they are vaine in respect of him And what profit is it that we have kept his commandements Their second proofe they have in speaking thus against God because it is not profitable to men who worship and serve him and first they deny it any waies profitable to do the good God hath cōmanded and that there is not with him any reward for well doing And secondly that it is as little profitable to abstaine from evill and that we have walked humbly before him which is as I take it not to be understood of that humiliation which is in repentance as some thinke but as some others it describeth one who having piety and the feare of God before his eies neither hurteth any man and being hurt of others doth not violently revenge himselfe but rather suffereth all things then proudly doth any thing and commit their cause to God as the just revenger knowing that vengeance is his to which purpose they understand those words before the Lord of hoasts that is before God the revenger and so they account the observation of piety and religion not profitable to men as that which did not make the worshippers prosperous nor keepe them from injuries nor defend them grieved And of both these they give themselves for instance and speake out of experience that they had found none and so chalenging themselves to be just religious and godly and so endeavoured their owne honour and to detract from the providence of God and his worship and it is worth the noting that they produce not others of the godly but themselves for the first might easily have been refuted either by producing the examples of those who have had testimony of their piety from God and where they enjoyed his blessings or else by answering them that neither they nor any other were able certainely to judge whether those they named did truely and sincerely worship God or no and imbrace piety for no man can be a certaine witnesse of anothers conscience his owne he may well know therefore these brought not forth others against God but themselves Doctrine The misery poverty affliction and adversity of the children and Church of God and the prosperity of the wicked makes men out of their ignorance or corruption out of their infirmity or malice to deny or doubt of the providence of God vide ca. 2. ver ult Doct. ult proofes Reason and Use 1. Vse To teach us to suspect our conceit or judgement when it carries us that way to question and reason about Gods providence as if he did not dispose of the things here upon earth because things goe thus among men and to checke our selves suspecting our wisedome that cannot see the causes of things and Gods course in disposing of them when he deales diversly and not as we would thinke reason he should yea and ceasing from our wisedome to search into things more then we can comprehend * An tu cum medicum sepius c. Chrysost de vig. When thou seest a Physitian sometimes cutting sometimes burning the same ulcer yea and oft times missing his art yet thou dost not unmannerly object But in God who never erres but disposed all things rightly and orderly according to his wisedome thou a poore mortall art busie to know the reason of his counsells and doings and dost not ascribe all to his infinite wisedome Is not this extreame madnesse but admit it lawfull and fit to enquire he certainely is purblinde that cannot see even the speciall providence of God when the hands of God goe thus crosse like old Iaakobs hand upon the heads of Iosephs children and thinke with Ioseph that they should be otherwise for is it not a speciall wisedome in a Physitian to keepe some whom he loves in a strict and spare diet and others of whom he hath not neither hath cause to have the like care to give them liberty to eate and drinke what they list Is it not speciall providence in a father if he keepe his sonnes bare and have a strait hand over them all the while they are at none-age and suffer servants to have more liberty Not of a husbandman to keep the sheep he would have live longer and have wooll and lambe of them when those he means shall soone come to the shambles he feedes and in a large and fat pasture And is it then want of wisedome and providence in God if things thus goe with his and the wicked Nay is it not the wise providence of God to put his children in such a condition as they may most shew the graces they have and grow towards that they want and ought to have and the wicked in such a state as may most manifest their corruption and by which they may best fulfill the measure of their iniquity Now for the first is affliction of any kinde Psal 119. Before I was afflicted I went wrong c. * Adversitas magis auget c. Greg. Epist 26. Narsae Adversity enlarges our desire to God as the seedes covered with ice are more fruitfull And as in trees if one plucke off the fruit and the leaves and loppe of the boughes too so the stocke remaine the tree will grow fairer so if the roote of godlinesse remaine though riches be taken away and the body be afflicted all will tende unto greater glory Ye have said it is in vaine to serve the Lord. In a more particular examination of these words other things are to be observed as first that they are said to have spoken against God and blasphemed him because they account the service of God of no profit nor fruit Doctrine For men to thinke or speake that it is a fruitlesse and unprofitable thing to serve God and to obey and worship him to study piety and godlinesse is a wicked speech and blasphemous thought against God For that are these here chalenged It is that Ieremy accuseth the men and their wives the women and all the women in Pathros of Jer. 44.15.17.18 David confesseth this had ceased somewhat and for the time upon him Psalm 73.13 This was that by which the Divell provoked Iobs wife to tempt him and so was her blasphemy Job 2.9 And Micha 7.10 Job 21.15 Reason 1 Because it is flat contrary
and reade it that we may heare So Baruch read it in their audience Now when they had heard all the words they were affraid both one and other and said unto Baruch we will certifie the King of all these words Reason 1 Because they are Gods such as have received this honour to be called his and to be his therefore reason as sonnes they should not onely themselves but by all other meanes seeke it in others and draw others to it Reason 2 Because they are members one of another Ephes 4.25 therefore as members they ought to strengthen uphold and keepe up one another that as they naturally in the health and good temperature of the body so these spiritually in the good state of the soule Vse 1 To convince their error who thinke it onely a duty appertaining to the Minister to exhort and stirre up others and to strengthen and confirme them Truth it is that it is specially and principally his duty as being Christs Lievetenant upon the earth who doth by them performe that Isaiah 61.1 Namely preach and binde up the broken hearted but yet it appertaines to every one so is it manifestly proved If any say he is not appointed to be his brothers keeper it is but the voice of Caine of a wicked and gracelesse man Vse 2 To condemne their practice who either out of this error of their minde or out of the corruption of their heart altogether neglect this duty to say nothing of those who labour to weaken the strong to coole the zealous to discourage the forward and shew themselves in the number of the former wicked rather then in these who feare the Lord. I say to say nothing of these the other shew themselves to have little or not such care and zeale for the worship and service of God as sonnes should have for their fathers honour and little love or care of others goods as fellow members and brethren should have one for another And doe they not give just suspition they are neither sonnes nor members or but dead and rotten members of the body not of the soule of the Church as Saint August As that member which hath no feeling of the weakenesse and fainting of another and seeks not to support it may be materially but not formally of the body so in this Or if they be yet can they not avoide to be guilty of their falling away and perishing as he that sees his neighbour fainting or perishing and hee able to sustaine him and both knowes and hath that might helpe him and doth not is guilty of his perishing Vse 3 To teach every one to practice this duty and to shew that he is possessed with the feare of God by exciting and exhorting others by strengthening and confirming others according to the grace he hath received which as it will testifie they are Gods and manifest their love unto their members so will it be gainefull unto them the gaine of it should incite them As S. Chrys of converting I of keeping and confirming When non minor virtus quam quaerere parta tueri If one should promise thee a piece of gold for every man whom thou reformest thou wouldest use all thy study endeavour perswading and exhorting But now God promiseth thee not one piece nor ten nor twenty nor an hundred thousand nor the whole world but that that is more the Kingdome of Heaven as a recompence of thy labour in this kinde What excuse can we have after such a promise if we neglect the salvation of our brethren If Physitians for a piece of gold will come to strengthen the body If Lawyers will defend a mans title how ought we the soule for so much and that we may doe it we must take but the Apostles lesson Heb. 10.24 to observe one another not to triumph over their weakenesse and infirmities but as Physitians that enquire into the state of their Patients bodies and into their carriage and diet to cure them We had neede of others helpe because the gift we have is apt to decay 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in minde that thou stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands Thes 5.19.20 Zach. 4.1 And the Angell that talked with me câ—me againe and waked me as a man that is raised out of his sleepe And the profit of this duty will be great for as Prov. 27.17 Iron sharpeneth Iron so doth man sharpen the face of his friend And the Lord hearkened and heard So they arme themselves against those instances given with assurance that the Lord did regard things done Doctrine The Lord he taketh notice and knoweth all things that are done and spoken by men whether good or evill as his eyes are every where Prov. 15.3 so his eares Isaiah 22.14 and Psal 94.9 He that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that formed the eye shall he not see And Psal 139.4 for there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it wholly O Lord Vse 1 To teach us to keepe a watch over our mouth and lips not let them runne at randome i. for quantity let our words be few be not talkative let them be like Gods Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words as the silver tryed in a furnace of earth fined seaven fold Prov. 10.20 the tongue of the just man is as fined silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth Eccles 5.2.3.6.7 For as a dreame commeth by the multitude of businesse so the voyce of a foole is in the multitude of words When thou hast vowed a vow to God deferre not to pay it for he delighteth not in fooles pay therefore that thou hast vowed for in the multitude of dreames and vanities are also many words but feare thou God If in a countrey thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of judgement and justice be not astonied at the matter for he that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they The wicked talke boldly their tongue walketh against heaven Psal 73. but God in heaven heareth what is spoken in earth therefore consider that of Solomon Prov. 10.19 In many words there cannot want iniquity but he that refraineth his lips is wise Secondly for quality looke to the matter of speech that it be godly and religious Ephes 5. Let not foolish talking be once heard amongst you as becommeth Saints but let it be savoury Collos 4.6 Let your speech be gracious alwaies and powdered with salts that ye may know how to answer every man If a great man overheard us or one we stood in awe of we would be carefull of our speech Vse 2 An encouragement for Gods children that are talking together of good things a strong motive to move them to conferre together of good things as Psal 82.1 God standeth in the assembly of Gods he judgeth among Gods So in the assembly of Saints servants if they
that he may have God to forget them who as he justifies him that condemnes himselfe pardons him that accuseth himselfe so he forgets his sinnes who remembers them himselfe in that forgetfulnesse is incident to him And as Saint Ambrose * Novit omnia Deus sed c. Ambrose God God knowes all things yet he expects thy confession not that he may punish but pardon thee So the Lord remembers all yet he expecteth the sinner should remember him of them not that he might punish them but pardon them Vse 3 Comfort for men as to doe well because the Lord seeth so though they doe not see their rewards and finde but a meane recompence among men as if all their labour were forgot yet to hold on and continue and not to faint for the Lord cannot forget and as he in sinne he remembring of it cannot but punish it in time so in good he cannot but reward it And as the way to have remission of sinnes and to have them forgotten is to remember them so the way to have reward of our workes is to forget them As Saint Paul Phil. 3.13.14 For them that feared the Lord. Some thinke the Lord tooke speciall notice therefore of it because it was so rare and commendable a thing for any to hold his feare faith and a good conscience in the midst of that wicked and froward people Doctrine It is a thing most commendable for men to be upright in the midst of a wicked and froward people and not to be carried with the stream Rev. 3.4 For them that feared the Lord. The Lord hath a booke of remembrance for them which is not barely to remember what they have done but effectually to remember it that is to reward it and so much for them importeth that it is for their benefit and profit and to recompence and reward them Doctrine It is not in vaine to serve the Lord but godlinesse is gainefull and they who feare the Lord and thinke upon his commandements to doe them they shall be blessed and have their reward in their measure in this life in the full measure in the life to come so much is affirmed directly here Jam. 1.25 Blessed in the deed Reason Because justice requires it and equity that he should not dismisse his servants empty handed specially old and who have spent their strength in his service Heb. 6.10 But of this point formerly VERS XVII And they shall be to me saith the Lord of hosts in that day that I shall do this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him AND they shall be to me saith the Lord. Here is the Prophets second answer from a gracious and sweet promise of God of his goodnesse and favour towards them who feare him even as an effect of his remembrance and a proofe he did not forget them And the sum of this promise is that in the time of the Gospell he would make his choice and refusall of the good and bad when it should appeare who was more excellent then others so that those who did believe should be taken into his family and should enjoy great commodities and great dignity both be his and so respected and enjoy the benefits belonging to his And they shall be to me And Here hath the force of an illation or reference to the former sentence ending that and beginning this i. To shew that I remember them I will make them mine so much the phrase in the originall signifies In that day when I shall make them my treasure my peculiar The Lord to shew how dear they should be unto him how he would defend them how he would honour and adorne them used this word which is used Ex. 19.5 translated chiefe treasure It signifies a portion of wealth got by a mans owne labour and industry which men used to love more earnestly and keep more diligently when they have it and so by this he tels them how dear and pretious they should be unto him who did receive the Gospell and truly professe him Some understand this of the last judgement only and that day which is not probable Some both of the day the Gospell and the judgement which hath great probability with it I will spare them or I will use mercy and compassion towards them I will receive them and specially love them and will shew my love in this in sparing them when they offend or as some in winking at their infirmities and corruptions and not rejecting their service for them which the similitude doth shew As a man spareth c. A similitude illustrating the promise of compassion and mercy shewing how great and how tender his compassions should be toward them when it should be as of a father to his sonne whom he loves both as his sonne and also because of that reverence honour and obedience he hath done unto him Now this that is first promised is that they shall be his for so is the phrase they shall be mine like that which we have Gen. 48.5 And now thy two sonnes Manasseh and Ephraim which are borne unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt shall be mine as Ruben and Simeon are mine i. They shall not be as my Grand children but as my owne sonnes and in the division of the Land shall have their portions as any one of my sonnes so here they shall be mine i. I will adopt them and make them mine who are not so by nature nor of themselves Doctrine No man is of himselfe and by nature not of his parents the child of God but adopted so of God to it Reve. 2.17 and in thee a new name written In that day that I shall do this for a flocke Or rather in that day when I shall make them my chiefe treasure as it is translated Exod. 19.5 But all comes to one end to note how deare the Church and people of God are unto him Doctrine They who feare God and thinke of his name delight in his waies are more excellent then others and more pretious deare and beloved of God Rev. 2.9 with 1. Pet. 2.9 And I will spare them c. Another matter promised unto them in it two things First That he would wink at and passe by their infirmities when they served him and did the duties of his worship and passe by many infirmities in them which he will not do in another Secondly That when he did visite them yet he would do it in love and compassion and use them as a father his son that serveth him Doctrine This is a speciall thing promised to Gods children proper to them that in their obedience when they endeavour to serve and performe duties commanded he will accept it though it be mixed with many infirmities and will winke at them and passe by them as though he never saw them Mich. 7.18 I will spare them or have compassion of them When he
Churches to provide that no unfitting names bee given in Baptisme among others wee have a good constitution of Iohn Pecham sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury Attendant Sacerdotes ne lasciva nomina quae scilicet mox prolata sonent in lasciviam imponi permittant parvulis baptizatis sexus praecipuè foeminini si contrarium fiat per confirmantes episcopos corrigatur Let the Priests see that they suffer no wanton names which sound lasciviously to bee given unto infants in their Baptism especially to the female sexe and if there bee let the Bishops change them at their confirmation Lyndw. provinc lib. 3. De Bapt. cap. Circ Sacramentum See also the glosse there But this only by the way Who the Father of Malachy was we finde not and yet that his Father was not a prophet is not to be concluded for that rule of latter Hebrewes That such Prophets whole Fathers are named were the sonnes of Prophets and otherwise not Is found to bee uncertaine by Burgensis in Hos 1. and by Franc. Riber a praelud 4. in Expos proph and condemned also by Ioh. Drusius Lect. in Hos 1.1 The place also of his birth is as uncertaine save that Epiphanius and out of him Ribera praelud 5. tell us it was Sopha a Towne of Zabulon A place not at all mentioned or observed by Eusebius or S. Hierom in Bonfrerius his Onomasticon nor by M. Iohn More in his exact map of the Land For the time of his prophecying see the following commentary with which I sit downe in this point unwilling to endeavour to reconcile Chronologers about the precise yeare Ioh. Alsted in Thesauro Chronol Titulo 13. places him An. M. 3537. Our Isaackson in that diligent and industrious worke of his places him an hundred yeares sooner not farre from which time the Hebrewes in their Seder Olam Zuta or briefer Chronicle translated by Genebrard doe pitch setting his death An. M. 3404. But the Sepher hakkabala writ by R. Abraham Davidis as Genebrard calls him who also translated some part of it or R. Abraham bar dior as Buxtorfius names him in Bibliotheca Rabbinica litera P. yet nearer to the yeare of Isaackson and our commentary about A. M. 3450. Let such as have leasure and thinke it worth the time satisfy themselves farther to me it is plaine by the matter that he handles that he prophecyed after the Temple was built for he reproves their profaning of the Altar and a little before the comming of Ezra for he inveighed against their marrying with strangers which Ezra by his authority did remedy Epiphanius tells us hee was borne after the captivity and dyed young As if he had beene an Angel onely came and told his errand and presently returned But thus much for the inscription by way of preface wee are next to consider the prophecie it selfe from Vers 2. to the end of the Booke II. The prophecy it selfe which containes diverse contestations with them all both priests and people for many things that were amisse among them But being concise and patheticall as most of the Prophets are and abounding in affection hee intermingleth with his contestations and reproofes sometimes persuasions sometimes threatnings sometimes promises Yet saving the judgment of others who have handled this booke I resolve the whole prophecy into eight contestations First for their ingratitude and contempt of Gods worship from cap. 1. vers 2. to Chap. 2. v. 10. Secondly for their unequall and unrighteous dealing with each other Cap. 2. ver 10. Thirdly for their marrying with strangers and infidells Cap. 2. ver 11.12 Fourthly for their polygamy Chap. 2. ver 13.14 15 16. Fifthly for their blasphemy against God and his providence from Chap. 2. ver 17. to Chap. 3. ver 7. Sixthly for their impenitence Chap. 3. ver 7. Seventhly for their Sacriledge Chap. 3. ver 8 9 10 11.12 Eightly againe for their Blasphemy and Atheisme from Chap. 3. ver 13. to the end of the Booke I. The first Contestation He contests with the Priests and the people for their ingratitude and contempt of Gods worship from Chap. 1. ver 2. to Chap. 2. ver 10. In this 1. He expostulates with them Chap. 1. ver 2. to the 9. 2. He threatens them ver 9. to the end of Chap. 1. 3. He amplifies the former expostulations and threatnings Chap. 2. ver 1. to the 10. I. He expostulates with them 1. For their ingratitude ver 2. to the 6th 2. For their contempt and profaning of Gods worship ver 6 7 8. I. He expostulates with them for their ingratitude ver 2. unto ver 6. They did not account of nor so much as acknowledge Gods love The Prophet therefore presents the Lord reasoning with them and convincing them of it We have 1. The proposition of Gods love 2. The proofe of it First the proposition of Gods love ver 2. I have loved you 2. sayth the Lord. Tremell reades it in the present I love you Not only as Hier I have loved you that is the Iewes while they loved me and kept my Covenant they had testimonies of my love but according to the force of the Hebrew who by one tense signify all I have loved you and doe love you else they might object what is that to us that thou hast loved our fathers and hatest us Secondly the proofe of it Where I. The occasion of it There questioning with God II. Gods answer to it First the occasion is their questioning and unthankfull denyall of his love Yet yee say Genev. And yet yee say Vul And yee have sayd Trem. Pisc And yee say Vatable And yee will say So he because Vau turnes the preter into the future Chald. And if yee shall say This variety yet alters not the sense Yet yee say wherein hast thou loved us or dost thou love us so Trem. What testimony is there of thy love It is the objection of the people rising partly from their oscitancy and forgetfulnesse partly from the observation and sense of their former and present miseries Secondly Gods answer to their objection by way of proofe of his love 1. That he chose them before Esau and his posterity Hee chose their family and the father of it and preferd him before Esau though equall to him in other respects being his brother his twin-brother yea his elder brother Vse 3 Was not Esau Iacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Iacob and I hated Esau The sense is The Anomaly in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see in Amama Gram. l. 1 c. 10. Nu. 21. I have loved and chosen Iacob and you his posterity before Esau and the Idumaeans Which was true First When both the fathers of these families were in the wombe before any desert or actuall fault The History is Gen. 25.23 I have hated 1 lesse loved Esau Iacob being before and above him So Leah was sayd to bee hated Rachel being preferd before her Gen. 29.31 And in that sense Christ will have us
Ioh. Tarnovius Hee will manifest his goodnesse from above from heaven upon their border See Psal 126.2 3. Ioel. 2.21 The Chald thus Let the glory of the Lord bee multiplyed for hee hath enlarged the borders of Israel To wit the Idumaeans being subdued and made Iewes by Hircanus Or as some the Lord will be magnified by enlarging the Iewes borders over other nations Piscat seemes to encline to this How much God enlarged their borders see in Ribera comment in Obad. ver 19. fully Or as Osiander let the Lord be praysed who hath againe restored and made our land to flourish Or as others in a yet different sense the Lord will be magnified from beyond the borders of Israel through the World Thus much of their Ingratitude In the next place II. He expostulates with them for their Contempt and Profaning of Gods worship ver 6 7 8. In which wee have First Gods accusation of them ver 6. Secondly the debating of the accusation ver 6 7 8. Thirdly Gods accusation of them 1. more tacite and implyed 2 more open and expressed Verse 6 First Gods accusation of them is more tacite and implyed inlaying a ground of discovery of their contempt which ground is an Axiome in nature A Sonne honors his father and a servant his Master A sonne honors 1 loves reverences obeyes and if need bee sustaines and relieves his Father Hee will honour so Montan. and Pifc that is Honorare solet Not onely the divine law but humane reason and nature teaches him it and hee doth it And the servant his master Here is an Ellipsis of the verb supplyed by Piscator Reveretur Hee feares or reverences His Master the Hebr. His Masters or Lords So Ioseph is called Genes 42.33 The Lords And the man Adone haanets Domini terrae The Lords the Lord of the Country spake unto us A verb singular is in construction with a noune plurall And it is observed to bee ordinary in this word honoris gratiâ to carry with it the dignity of the person Secondly his accusation of them is more open and expresse I. In the applicatioÌ„ of that naturall law If then I be a Father where is my honour that is which is due to mee you confessing mee to bee and calling me father And if I bee a Master Adonim plurall as before If as Tarnovius it have not a farther meaÌ„ing to set out the mystery of the Trinity Where is my feare my reverence so Treniel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morai of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feare and to reverence and to venerate and worship But of â—â—â—â—e there are two nounes Ijra which is that Timor by which wee religiously worship God and Mora that feare whereby we are in awe of one that is terrible and that is the word here II. The accusation is exprest in the direct accusation where First who accuseth T is God Where is my feare saith the Lord of hosts See ver 4. Secondly who are accused The Priests Vnto you oh Prists the Italian supplies unto you O Priests I speake S. Hier. Theodor Remig. Hugo c. thinke all the people are reproved for neglect of God and his service And they are so afterwards but here 't is more specially directed to the Priests Gods primo-geniti his sonnes peculiar to him which heigthens the accusation Chohen is a Minister in politicis as well as in Sacris 2 Sam. 20.26 Ira the Iairite was chohen a prince or chiefe ruler about David See Menas ben Israel Conciliator Qu. 29. in Exod. But here the whole context is cleare for interpreting it Priests Thirdly the crime they are directly charged with you that despise my name this is the generall head under which the particulars after mentioned are comprehended The Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yee that esteeme my Name at a low rate The French yee misprised my Name My Name that is Me My glory or fame and Dignity Renowned men are called men of name Genes 6.4 In opposition to which Base men are called Beli shem men of no name Iob. 30.8 Thus God accuseth them we have next 2. The debating of that accusation First they traverse it They put him to the proofe And yee say or aâ— the Vulg. And yee have sayd wherein have we despised thy name Doe wee contemne thy Name so Tremel The Tigurine here is rather a paraphrase then a translation In what thing have we counted thy Name vile and is it disregarded by us Verse 7 Secondly Gods reply to convince them ver 7. Yee offer polluted bread upon my Altar The Ital. Supplies it In asmuch as yee offer c. Such as offer polluted bread upon my Altar despise my Name But you doe so Therefore you despise my name Yee offer So Pagnin also turn'd it and 't is agreeable to the mind of the place though that of Montanus correction bee more to the letter yee cause to come or that of Tremel yee bring for so the word signifies Maggishim of Nagash to come neare or To bring Bread S. Hierom Remig. Lyr. Hugo understand The Shew-bread being not wheaten and unleavened but contrary to the law of barly branny and leavened and therefore called Polluted which was brought and set on the Table of Shew-bread for that they also meane by the Altar But Bread here seemes to bee the same with the sacrifices mentioned ver 8. so that here is a Synechdoche Bread that is the meate of the sacrifices or polluted sacrifices For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well as Bread all sorts of food Therefore afterwards ver 12. it is called meate So also in the other originall doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify Mat. 6.11 Luc. 14.1 This is also observed by Steph. Menochius in his short notes Deodate here renders it food in his Italian and his Margin refers to Levit. 3.11 where he saith the sacrifices were called the food of the Lord. Polluted Bread or uncleane the sacrifices are so called either being not according to the law Levit. cap. 1. 2. 3. cap. 22.20 c. Deut. 15.21 Or being polluted through the impiety of the offerers Or that they brought Idolothytes for sacrifices which in the new Testament Acts 15.20 are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pollutions of Idols and that is the word of the Lxx here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it seemes Daniel was afraid lest if he had eaten of the Kings portion he might eate of the meate prepared in the feasts of the Idols whom the King worshipped and sacrificed unto and so be polluted Dan. 1.8 Vpon my Altar the Altar of burnt offerings Thirdly the peoples answer againe Wherein have wee polluted thee The Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whatsoever it is that wee bring or offer yet wherein have we polluted thee Fourthly Gods arther reply for the proving of the assumption of the last Syllogism which they denyed and to shew them how neare they touched himselfe in their profanenes In that yee say The
Isaac Casaubon complained In many places those things are now divided which were better to be read together for example Mat. Chap. 20. is ill divided for the first 16 verses doe manifestly agree with the former Chapter So this fourth Chapter of Malachy were haply better to bee continued to the former Yet I will not presume to alter in these notes what our owne Bibles direct mee unto though I consent to the I content to the judgement of those great men I meane Casaubon and Heinsius that wee are not superstitiously to adhere to our late division Casaubon wisht that some great Divine would take the paines to restore the Ancient division and Heinsius prolegom ad Exercit. pag. 20. though he take no notice there of Casaubons desire wishes too that it were done exactly and promises to doe it Which surely will bee of great use for much depends upon a right division else the sense may be much darkened But of this enough and too much by way of Digression unlesse the nature of Essay or Exercitation which this poore labour of mine is will beare it out and allow it But I returne to the Text wherein The different dealing of God with the wicked and the godly is set out by evident comparisons For I. To the wicked The day of the Lord shall be terrible Vers 1. For behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch The word For shewes the inference of this upon the proposition in the former verse yee shall discerne between the righteous and the wicked for the day comes that will be terrible to the wicked as to the godly it shall be comfortable This coherence St. Hierome and the ancient Expositors allow The comming of Christ which is prophecied of even his first comming in regard of the issue of it and upon mens unthankfulnesse and unbeliefe and refusing of mercy shall be terrible So it is also described to be Matth. 3.12 Ioh. 9.39 Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the rising againe of many in Israel is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the fall of many that is of ungodly and unbeleevers Luc. 2.34 The day commeth that shall burne as an oven That is The day shall be when wicked men shall be burned as we use to say The grand Assizes will hang many and make a gaole-delivery that is The Judges at their Assizes Now whether this Burning signifie onely Christ the Judges wrath as Hier. and Remigius or properly and ultimately that fire which shall burne the world and afterward in hell as Lyra Vatabl. c. to mee is not materiall For though I understand with Montanus the whole course of the prophecie contained in this period and that of it which is of most difficulty vers 5. to be meant of Christs first comming yet the execution also of Christs wrath upon unbeleevers in the very day of Judgement may be lookt at without any prejudice to the safe and warrantable interpretation of these things as Christ himselfe applyes them Matth. 11.14 and 17.10 11 12. to his first comming as we shall see when we come to the fifth verse And therefore I interpret it without any Respect only in this generall sense as a prophecie of Gods judgements against the wicked who will not receive Christ when God shall send him for the restauration of the Church And all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble Though in this life they be iron and brasse stout and proud against God yet they shall be weake and unable to make resistance against him See Esa 47.14 They shall be as stubble Chalde hhallashim chekash weak as stubble they shall not deliver themselves from the flame As little straws and small sticks stubble that by reason of its lightnesse may be driven with the wind Ierem. 13.24 And the day c. shall burne them up c. It shall leave them neither root nor branch It is an amplification to shew the full and utter destruction of the wicked as when the root is stockt up the tree can grow no more Which I say may not unsafely be understood of the day of Judgement upon Christs comming the second time though Winckleman Osiander and some others doe think the place fulfilled in the destruction of Ierusalem and the calamities that came upon the unbeleeving Iewes upon their refusall of Christ in his first comming which is also a probable exposition Verse 2 3. 2. To the godly the day of the Lord shall be full of comfort and an happie day vers 2.3 But unto you that feare my Name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings and yee shall goe forth and grow up as calves of the stall And yee shall tread downe the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall doe this saith the Lord of hoasts But unto you That adversative forme shewes the opposition of these to them that were mentioned before and the manifest difference of Gods dealing Shall the Sun our old English Bible That Sunne of righteousnesse arise In his first comming according to Theodoret and Montanus Christ arose a Sun of Righteousnesse Hee came forth as the Sun doth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber In his Nativitie and as a Gyant to run his course In the course of all his conflicts and sufferings He went under a cloud in his Passion and brake forth in his Resurrection and darts forth beames of righteousnesse for he came to justifie the world to enlighten to enliven all beleevers And in his second comming also according to Hierome and others he will bee full of Majestie and brightnesse Hee will declare hid things The secrets of all hearts and after a long time of gloomie weather will break out to the chearing and refreshing of his Saints to the driving away of all darknesse sinne and errour to make ever after a continuall day-light and to astonish and dazle the eyes of his enemies As I said I see not but Malachy might respect all this and prophecie of Christs whole administration from his Nativity till his rendring of the Kingdome to his Father The Sonne Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schemesch The Minister of God The Sunne which ministers and imparts light and heat for the word is of schamasch to serve or minister to God or men according as the Syriack version of the New Testament useth this word Matth. 20.28 The Sonne of man came not Syr. deneschtammasch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee might bee ministred unto but daneschemmesch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might minister So Christ is the Sunne of Righteousnesse because hee doth benignly impart righteousnesse or goodnesse for I explicate one word by another as it is Psal
in the clouds when he shall sit upon a glorious Throne and come in the glory of his Father Shall speedily come The time immediately after Iohn begun his office And this was fulfilled Marke 1.14.15 which serves to the proofe As that this is the Messias whom the Prophets foretold of So to prove the truth of the Prophesies and that the old and new Testament answer one another as the two Cherubims looked face to face And that as one saith * Testamentum vetus erat veluti quodam cor tina in quâ divina misteria tegebantur quae fuerunt in novo Testamento reserata The old Testament was as a curtaine close drawne within which divine mysteries were hid which in the new Testament were exposed to so open view Shall come The comming here is not his birth no more then of Iohn nor his bodily comming but the execution of his Ministerie comming preaching working miracles instituting and celebrating Sacraments or other duties of his calling which though it might give us just occasion to speake of his propheticall office which also may be observed when he is called Angel or Messenger Yet hence may we observe that the Ministerie is not so base a thing as it is commonly esteemed Vide. Mala. 2 4. Vnto his Temple They who literally understand these words do by them prove Christ to be the true eternall God of Israel one with the Father for that Temple was consecrated but to one God of Israel and the Prophet here appropriates it to Christ Even the Messenger of the Covenant Christ called the Messenger because he declares unto us the will of his Father is the Prophet of the Church and to it Doctrine Christ is the principall Prophet of the Church to reveale his Fathers will unto them Rev. 3.14 Of the Covenant Christ is so called because God covenanted with the Fathers or promised them he would give him them to be their Prophet Doctrine Christ was promised to the forefathers God did covenant with them to send him in the fullnesse of time to be their Prophet and Saviour So much is affirmed here And is also proved by Gen. 2.23 For so the Apostle takes it to be spoken of Christ and his Church Ephe. 5.30 31 32. Also that Gen. 3.15 Now from hence till this time it was still prophesied of the continuall Oracles of the Prophets As Deuter. 18.18 Isaiah 9.6 This is that generally affirmed Rom. 1.1 2. Reason 1 Because 〈◊〉 loved them therefore he promised him unto them For there is the same reason of the promise which is of the performance but this came from love John 3.16 Reason 2 Because in his love he desired to save them and there being no other meanes but Christ Acts 4.12 He promised him that as we are saved by the performance and the vertue of that is past so they might be saved by the promise and the vertue of that which was to come Vse 1 To teach the excellency and worthinesse of the Gospel and the mysteries of salvation by Christ seeing it was promised so long time before by God himselfe and the promise so often iterated and repeated to the Fathers Things that Princes promise are not small or of little worth but of great value but that which they promise so long before and which they so often renew to severall men must needs be great and excellent when they are known to be Princes of great Magnificence and Glory So of this And as by that God would kindle in them a marvelous desire and an earnest desire to have it effected and accomplished so would he in us a due estimation and love unto it being now accomplished for being God hath provided better for us then for them as Heb. 11.40 We ought the more to love believe and esteem of it If Moses accounted but of the sight of the promised Land a farre off and rejoyced in it They who enjoyed it were much more bound to rejoyce in such a performed mercy of God If the Fathers Hebr. 11.13 When they saw the promises but as marriners upon the sea within the kenning of the land the sight of wished for Cities which they never came to much more we who do enjoy them performed least if we delight not in the knowledge and live in the faith of them we see them not Luke 17.22 Vse 2 If God in his love promised them Christ and it was love that he did promise it much more is it love he hath performed it to us Seeing that is more love which is in deed then in words Therefore ought we if they to love him and the more nay if they were bound in words we indeed and if a bare profession acknowledgement or beliefe would have sufficed them it would not us but we must love him indeed which is to keep his commandements and give him obedience and if as Chryso the Jewes obeyed in the candle light how much more we in the sunne light So if they for the promises we more for the performance If Courtiers give all attendance for to rise more when they are risen Behold he shall come This is to be understood of the first comming in the flesh and infirmity not his comming in Glory And so some take this to note his comming in the flesh so his humanity Doctrine Christ came into the world and became man tooke unto him not the nature of Angels but of the seede of man Heb. 2.16 He shall come saith the Lord. In this comming is noted the execution of his office it selfe and this saith the Prophet the Lord said as noting unto us that Christ did not take this office to himselfe but he was sent of God and called to it of his father Doctrine Christ did not take this calling unto him to be the Angell and Prophet of his Church but he was called to it and appointed by God So here For seeing God saith he shall come it argues that he sends him and therein the promise appeareth Hence that Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet Isai 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me and hath annointed me to preach c. John 20.21 As the father hath sent me so send I you John 5.37 The father himselfe hath sent me Reason 1 Because it is an honor to be but Gods Embassadour under Christ and from him more to be immediately Now the reason for the Priesthood will hold in this Heb. 5.4 No man may take it ambitiously to himselfe but he must be called and sent Reason 2 Because all might understand and know that it was Gods work and his businesse that he did therefore he sent him he doth his worke John 4.34 and that argues God sent him John 5.36 Reason 3 Because he onely knew the will of God and was able to manifest it therefore God sent him as the chiefe John 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath
declared him Vse 1 This commends unto us the speciall love of God and his goodnesse to mankind who sent his owne Sonne from his bosome to be our Prophet to teach us his will and the knowledge of himselfe being that which could not be had any other waies neither by any other meanes and being that also which was of that necessity that there is no salvation without it John 17.3 If it could have beene had by any other meanes or if it had not such a consequent as the salvation of man it had nothing so apppeared the goodnesse and love of God but seeing neither the one could be and the other is it much commends and sets forth his love And so ought we to account of it and to rejoyce much in the incarnation of Christ by which these mercies were conveyed unto us Vse 2 To teach every man to heare and receive Christ seeing he is sent as a Prophet to teach us of the father When I speake of hearing him I meane the hearing of him by the meanes he hath appointed by his delegates and substitutes whom he hath appointed for that purpose his Ministers Therefore ought he to be heard both personally and by what meanes soever he hath surrogated for himselfe to speake in his person seeing God hath appointed him and sent him As Matt. 17.5 While he yet spoke behold a bright cloud shadowed them And behold there came a voyce out of the cloud saying this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him The commandement is direct if we make conscience of any command we ought of this It is not left arbitrary and if it were yet our owne good should draw us to it for by this we have the knowledge of God and so of salvation So that if there be any desire of this we will hearken to that But it is not arbitrary and besides the neglect of it is threatned with a very heavy wrath and judgement As Acts 3.23 For it shall be that every person which shall not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed out of the people VERS II. But who may abide the day of his comming and who shall endure when he appeareth for he is like purging fire and like fullers sope IN this verse the Prophet goes forward to describe Christ and first from his power which is set downe to us two wayes one by way of interrogation which carries with it a kinde of admiration the other by two similitudes In some part is his power respecting the wicked in some other respecting the godly the first position respects the wicked Who may abide the day of his comming That is which of the wicked i. the day of Christs first comming how tolerable acceptable and delightfull soever it be to the godly how weake and base soever in the outward shew with what outward weakenesse and infirmity soever he come yet will it be to the wicked full of trouble terror and disquietnesse Thus the Prophets and oracles of old did fortell it should be and this the Evangelists and writers of the new Testament have shewed it to be and that at his comming the wicked were marveilously troubled and disquieted Who shall stand when he appeareth Or who shall stand to behold him This toucheth the godly who can with his eyes behold such a light and such Majesty A metaphor borrowed from the sunne whose brightnesse the eyes of men are not able to behold i. the glory of the Sonne of God shall surpasse all understanding and that goodnesse which he sheweth in becomming man and conversing with them for their conversion and salvation Who shall stand That is saith one who thinking of these things doth not faint as overcome with the admiration of it so that as a man whose legges are not able to beare he falls downe For he is like a purging fire The first similitude expressing the power of Christ drawne from fire noting out unto his how he worketh both with the godly and wicked for as it is the nature of fire not onely to separate drosse from the mettall and joyne things which are of one nature together so things that are good it makes more pure and perfect but things that are impure it consumes and turnes to nought So Christ by his word destroyes the wicked and unbeleevers and such as resist his will but saves such as are chosen making them more and more pure and perfect And like fullers sope Or like the fullers hearbe an hearbe that fullers use by which they purge and take out of garments blots and spots of long continuance in them and makes them bright and pure as it is noted Mark 9.3 S. Hierom in Jer. 2.22 The fullers hearbe as it is commonly seene in the Province of Palestine growes in greene and moist places and to wash away spots hath the same force that Nitre hath Signifying that God makes the soules of his by his grace most pure and most holy that their workes shine forth But who may abide the day of his comming By this some think is meant the troubâ—e and destruction that fell upon the wicked at his nativity Because of that Mat. 2.3 21.10 But taking his comming to signifie here his office and the execution of it and so the preaching of his word as in the former verse The meaning I will take to be this None of the wicked shall be able to abide his preaching and ministery but the preaching and the ministery of it is that which will cast them down and destroy them wound them and kill them Doctrine The preaching of the word by Christ and his Ministers none of the wicked are able to abide it and stand before it but it will destroy them and cast them downe wound them to the heart and bring them to eternall destruction so the interrogation affirmes strongly Hence Rev. 2.12 a two edged sword given unto him Who shall endure when he appeareth This sentence divers of the Interpreters take to be but one with the former the same double or the admiration of the power of Christ in such weaknesse able to confound and overturne whatsoever or whosoever stands against him But others understand it as a distinct sentence and read it somewhat otherwise Hierom according to the Hebr. Quis stabit ad videndum eum The Septuagints Quis ferre poterit ut aspiciat eum Simile à sole oculis Who that hath but his naturall and blinde eyes is able to behold him understand the great mysteries of salvation he brings and is hid under the vaile of his humanity As if he said no naturall man by his owne understanding is able to see and conceive these things they are hid from him or too deepe for him That which is gathered hence is this Doctrine No naturall man of himselfe is able to behold Christ and to know him and the mysteries of salvation brought by him Revelat 2.17 For he is like a purging fire The first similitude by which