bulimy an appetitus caninus a weakenesie of the disgestive faculty so that thy meate feeds thee not the staffe of it being also broken by God the nutritive property of it being taken away See the Note on Hag. 1.6 and thy casting down shall be in the middest of thee Thou shalt be laid low enough by civill and intestine discords which as a fire feedeth upon the people Es 9.19 no man shall spare his brother Or like as an hungry man snatcheth on the right haud and eateth on the left hand and yet is not satisfied ver 20. till thine unnaturall convulsions end in a deadly consumption and thou shalt take hold but shalt not deliver Thou shalt catch up thy children thy jewels c. and think to secure them from the enemy but shalt not be able Of this misery we had over-wofull experience in our late unnaturall garboiles and that which thou delivsrest will I give up to the sword Other judgements forerun the sword which when they will not do the sword will then contemne the rod Ezek. 21.10 that is it will set at naught whatever the rod hath done and come furbished and sharpened for the slaughter Verse 15. Thou shalt sow but thou shalt not reape This had been long since threatened by Moses Deut. 28.38 39 40. and was now above 700. yeares after to receive its accomplishment in this people There is an infallibility in all the menaces of Gods mouth Men are apt to think that they were uttered in terrorem only and to put them off as those in the Gospel did with a God forbid Whe knowes if the Lord will deale with us according to all his wondrons workes that this evil may passe from us Ier. 21.2 But what saith the Prophet Zephany Zeph. 3.5 The just Lord is in the middest thereof he will not do iniquity every morning doth he bring his judgement to light be faileth not but the unjust knoweth no shame sin hath woaded such an impudency in his face that he shuns no sin dreads no danger Verse 16. For the statutes of Omri are kept Subest verbis hisce sarcesmus Here the Prophet taunteth them for their Idolatry and telleth them plainely what will be the issue of it q. d. You think you deale wifely and take a safe course for your selves that together with Ephraim you are joyned to idols and have such great names as Omri and Ahab to countenance you therein Omri's statutes can be observed when mine lie neglected Haec tibi pro vili sub pedibusque jacent Ovid The workes of the house of Ahab that Non-such can be imitated and their counsels embraced when my work lies undone and my counsell is rejected Luk. 7.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanè benè Ful wel ye reject the commandement of God being ingrati gratiae Dei as Ambrose speaketh that ye may keep your own tradition Mar. 7.9 And do not the Papists even the very same at this day The Popes Canons are kept exactly and all the rites of the Church of Rome they walk in the track of the Trent-conventicle and hold it worse to deface an Idoll then to kill a man to eate flesh or egges on a fasting day then to commit incest to work on a holy day then to break the sabbath Ther 's no command of the morall law but they can dispense with it but none of their ceremoniall lawes Let God say they profanely look to the breach of his own law we will look to ours that I should make thee a desolations Luther here observeth that oppression and other violations of the second table God usually punisheth with war famine and pestilence but breaches of the first table and especially idolatry with utter desolation This is a land-destroying sin Ier. 22.7 8 9. therefore ye shal beare the reproach of my people that is of such as had been my people if you could have held you so but you are now loammi dispriviledged Or that which I threatened in the law long since to bring upon you if ye carried not your selves as my people or that which you deserved for having profaned the name and title of being my people Ezek. 36.20 23. Rom. 2.24 with Luk. 12.47 CHAP. VII Verse I. WOe is me for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits Allai li Alasse for me This last sermon of his the Prophet begins with a patheticall quiritation bewailing his own unhappinesse in the little good successe of his ministery Mirifice autem nostris temporibus hic sermo convenit saith Gualther This discourse suites well with these times wherein we may justly cry out with the Prophet Esay Who hath beleeved our report And againe O my leanenesse my leanenesse woe is me for there is only as the shaking of an olive-tree and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done Esai 24.13 16. Hei mihi quà m pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo Though he had worne himself to a very sceleton in the Lords work yet had he laboured in vaine Israel was not gathered chap. 49.4 5. and hence his wofull complaint The like we read of Elias 1 King 19.10 where he bitterly bewailes his alonenesse So did Aâ—hanasius in his age and Basil in his Fasciculus temporum Anno 884. cryes out for the paucity of good people Heu heu Domine Deus Alasse Lord how few appeare to be on thy side Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto Virgil. And Gualther complaines that the Anabaptists in Germany urged this as chief argument to draw people from communion with our churches In loc that there was so little good done by preaching and so few soules converted Hence some ministers despond and are ready to kick up all Latimer tells of one who gave this answer why he left off preaching because he saw he did no good This saith Latimer is a naughty a very naughty answer A grief it will be and fit it should be piety to God and pitty to men calls for it Christ wept over Ierusalem Paul had great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart not inferiour to that of a woman in travel for his contumacious countreymen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.2 neither could he speak of those lewd losels at Philippi with dry eyes Philip 3.18 But an utter discouragement it should not be sith our reward is with God howsoever Esay 49.5 and perhaps a larger because we have wrought with so little encouragement we have plowed when others have only trod out the corn Hos 10.91 they trod and fed together when as those that plow have no refreshing till the work be done Certaine it is that God will reward his faithfull servants secundum laborem non secundum proventum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their paines taken in the ministery and not according to their peoples profiting There is no cluster to eate None to speak of hedge-fruit there is great store wild-grapes not a
flying roule of curses after them Zech. 5.2.3 he shall vomit up his sweet morsels here Job 20.15 or else disgest in hell what he hath devoured on earth as his belly hath prepared deceit Job 15.35 Serm. before K. Edw. 6. so God will take it out of his guts againe either he shall make restitution of his ill-gotten goods or for not doing it he shall one day cough in hell as Father Latimer phraseth it and committing adultery This is also an hainous crime saith holy Job yea it is an iniquity to be punished by the Judges Chap. 31.11 Heathens have punished it very severely Of one people we read that they used to put the adulterers or adulteresses head into the panch of a beast where the filth of it lay and so stiffled him God punished those stinking Edomites with stinking brimstone for their lothsome bruitishnesse and adjudged adultery to death because society and purity of posterity could not otherwise continue amongst men We read not in any general commandement of the law that any should be burnt with fire but the high-priests daughter for adultery Lev. 21.9 yet it seemes it was in use before the law or else Judah was much to blame for sentencing his daughter in law Tamar to the fire Gen. 38.24 Let us beware of that sin for which so peculiar a plague was appomted and by very Heathens executed See Jer. 29.22.23 If men be slack to take vengance on such yet God will hold on his controversie against them and avenge the quarrel of his covenant for so wedlock is called Prov. 2.17 either by his own bare hand or else by the hands of the adulterers themselves See an instance of both these even in our times In the yeare 1583. in London two citisens committing adultery together on the Lords day Divine Tragedie were struck dead with fire from heaven in the very act of uncleannesse their bodies being left dead in the place half burnt up sending out a most lothsome savour for a spectacle of Gods controversy against adultery and sabbath breaking This judgment was so famous and remarkable that Laurentius Bayenlink a forrain historian hath thought good to register it to posterity Opus Chronologiae Or his Vniversi Antwerp 1611. p. 110. Mr. Cleaver reports of one that he knew that had committed the act of uncleanesse and in the horrour of conscience he hang'd himself But before when he was about to make away himself he wrot in a paper and left it in a place to this effect Indeed saith he I acknowledge it to be utterly unlawfull for a man to kill himself but I am bound to act the Magistrates part because the punishment of this sin is death This act of his was not to be justified Viz. to be his own deathsman but it shewes what a controversy God hath with adulterers and what a deep gash that sin makes in the conscience they break out like wild horses over hedges or proud waters over the banks The Septuagint renders in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are poured out And St. Jude hath a like expression speaking of the Libertines of his time Verse 11. they run greedily Gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were powered out or powred away as water out of a vessel they ran headlong or gave themselves over to work all uncleanness with greedinesse to satisfie their lusts and to oppose with crest and brest whatsoever stands in their way bearing down all before them Beza So Sodom and Gomorrah are in the seventh verse of the same epistle said by unbridled licentiousnesse to give themselves over to fornication In scortationem effusae And when Lot sought to advise them better they set up the bristles at him with Base busie stranger Dubartas comest thou hither thus Controwler-like to prate and preach to us c Thus these Effractores as the Psalmist somewhere calleth them these breach-makers Judg. 16.9 Psal 2.3 breake Christs bands in sunder as Sampson did the seven green withes and cast away his cords from them These unruly Belialists get the bit betwixt their teeth like headstrong horses and casting their rider rise up against him They like men or rather like wilde beasts transgresse the covenant Hos 5.7 resolving to live as they list to take their swinge in sin Psal 12.4 for who say they is Lord over us Tremellius reades that text tanquam hominis they transgresse it as if it were the covenant of a man they make no more of breaking the law then as if they had to do with dust and ashes like them selves and not with the great God that can tame them with the turn of his hand and with the blast of his mouth blow them into hell Hath he not threatened to walk contrary to those that walk contrary to him to be as cross as they for the hearts of them and to bring upon them seven times more plagues then before and seven times and seven to that till he have got the better of them for is it fit that he should cast down the bucklers first I trow not He will be obeyed by these exorbitant yokelesse lawlesse persons either actively or passively The law was added because of transgression and is given saith the Apostle not to the righteous for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law to themselves 1 Tim. 1.9 as the Thracians boasted but to the lawlesse and disobedient who count licentiousnesse the onely liberty and the service of God the greatest slavery who think no venison sweet but that that is stolen Eccles 2.2 nor any mirth but that which a Salomon would say to Thou mad foole what do'st thou Loc for such rebels and refractaries for such masterlesse monsters as send messages after the Lord Christ saying We will not have this man to raigne over us for these I say was the law made to hamper them and shackle them as fierce and furious creatures to tame them and taw them with its foure iron teeth 1 of Irritation Rom. 7.7 2 ly of Induration Isa 6.10 3 ly Of obligation to condigne punishment Gen. 4.4 4. Of execration or malediction Deut. 28.16 17 c Let men take heed therefore how they break out against God Let them meddle with their matches and not contend with him that is mightier then they 'T is the Wise-mans counsell Eccles 6.10 and blood toucheth blood i. e. there is a continuation and as it were a concatenation of murders and other horrible villenies as was at Jerusalem in the murther of Zacharias the son of Barachias the blood of the sacrificer was mingled with the blood of the sacrifice And as Luke 13.1 the like fell out So at Athens when Scylla took the Town there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as mercilesse slaughter the gutters running with blood c. And so at Samaria which the Prophet may here probably intend when there was such killing of Kings and they fall not alone Hosea killed his Predecessour
15.29 Verse 5. Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets Therefore wherefore because there is so little stability and solidity in them because they are so off and on so light and false hearted therefore I have spared for no pains though all to small purpose but have sharply rebuked them that they might be sound in the faith yea I have sought against them with the sword of my mouth Rev. 2.16 and slain them by powerfull convictions of conscience so that they are self-condemned and the judgements are written as it were with a beam of the Sun they are so clear to themselves and others This is the coherence and the reason of the illative particle Therefore It is the sad complaint of a late Reverend writer when we have spent all our wind on our people their hearts will be still apt to be carried away with every wind of doctrine They are wonne saith another with an apple and lost with a nut no man knows where to find them in one mind for a moneths space such a generation of Moon-calves never appeared in the world before Our giddy-hearers saith a third after all our pains taken with them have no mould but what the next teacher casteth them into being blown like glasses into this or that shape at the pleasure of his breath But to return to the Text. I have hewed them by the Prophets who are here compared to Masons or stone-hewers 2 King 12.12 1 Chron. 22.2 Job 19.24 Esay 51.1 to Carpenters 1 King 5.15 Prov. 9.1 Esay 5.2 to day-labourers who dig pits and cisternes Deut. 6.11 and 8.9 2 Chron. 26.10 Neh. 9.25 Jer. 2.13 A ministers life is no idle-mans occupation they meet with many rough stones knotry pieces hard quarres tough work Some are stones crumbling all to crattle as soon as we begin to hammer them and as timber falling to splinters when we fall to hewing of them and other such sons of Belial there are that a man cannot speak to them 1 Sam. 25.17 they are thorns that cannot be taken with hands but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and with the staffe of a speare These shall be thrust away as thorns and utterly burnt with fire 2 Sam. 23.6 7. And for the better sort those lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 and smoother pieces that are to be set into Gods building being made by his grace more malleable and tractable there must be a great deal of pains taken with them that they may be as the polished corners of the Temple they must be humbled and hammered Ier. 23.29 pared and planed here in the mount for there may neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron be heard in the heavenly house for which they are fitting 1 Kin. 6.7 And herein we are labourers together with God ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 In which labourous kind of life I endure all things for the Elects sake that they may be saved saith Paul 2 Tim. 2.10 And I dare be bold to say saith Luther that faithful Ministers do labour and sweat more in a day then husbandmen do in a moneth And for mine own part saith he Si mihi esset integrum vocationem deserere If it were lawful for me to leave my calling I could with lesse pains and more pleasure dig and do day-work then labour as I now do in the work of the ministry Pareus thinks that the next words I have killed them with the words of my mouth is spoken by God of the Prophets q. d. I have set them so heavy a task and put them so hard to it that it hath been the death of them such crabbed and rugged spirits they have met with such stubborn and tough timber that had long lain soaking in the waters of wickednesse these tooles of mine are even worn out with working But though this be a pious interpretation and not altogether improbable because of the change of person here viz. them for you yet because such a change is ordinary in Scripture and Emphatical also namely when God seemeth deeply displeased with any one and therefore leaveth taking to him and turns himself suddenly to another see chap. 4.14 and 5.3.4 I conceive it may very well be so in this place Sic enim contemptim loqui mur. Occidi istos I have slain these refractaries and rebels with the words of my mouth I have beaten so hard upon their consciences that they have had no joy of their lives I have marked them out for destruction by threatening it as Jer. 18.7.8 and ch 1.10 Elisha hath his sword as well as Jehu and Hazael 1 King 19.17 and when Elisha unsheatheth and brandisheth his sword it is a fair warning that the sword of Jehu and Hazael are at hand See Ezek. 11.13 And it came to passe that when I prophesied Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died So did Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5. So do many despisers now adayes though it appear not by them A man may have his bane about him though he fall not down dead in the place If any man hurt Christs two witnesses fire though not felt proceedeth out of their mouthes and devoureth their enemies Rev. 11.5 And thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth i. e. I have clearly denounced them and will as openly execute them in the sight of this Sun The righteous shall see it and shall say Lo this is the man c. Psa 2.6.7 and 119.137 Thou by thine hypocrisie and externall services as verse 6. hath cast a mist before mens eyes that they cannot think thee to be so near a judgement but I will dispell that mist and make my works a comment upon my word and having sent unto thee a powerfull ministery but to no purpose I will make thee who wouldst not hear the word to hear the rod and who hath appointed it Mic. 7.9 Verse 6. For I desired mercy and not sacrifice that is rather then sacrifice I prefer the marrow and pith of the second table before the ceremony and surface of the first I desired mercy Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I desired it with singular delight and complacency Aurea certe sententia saith Rivet This is a golden sentence twice quothed by Christ himself Mat. 9.13 and Mat. 12.7 which noteth the eminency of it And with it agreeth that answer of the Scribe so much approved of by our Saviour Mar. 12.33 To love thy neighbour as thy self is more then all burnt-offerings and sacrifices And that of the Authour to the Hebrewes But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Chap. 13.16 a great deal better pleased then with all the outward services and sacrifices of the Law which yet were commanded by God but not to be rested in These be famous sentences indeed M. Sam. Clark Life of Luth. such as a man would fetch upon his knees from Rome or Jerusalem as
ever noted for obstinate and overweening so to this day they are light aeriall and Satanicall apt to work themselves into the fools paradise of a sublime dotage But they shall know it to be so as I have said by wâ—â—â—ll experience that Mistresse of fools Israel shall know it sc to his sorrow he shall pay for his learning buy his wit Oculos incipit aperire moriendo Plin open his eyes as the mole doth when death is upon him roar and look upward Esay 8.21 as the hog doth when the knife is at his throat O Lord saith the same Prophet Chap. 26.11 when thy hand is lifted up and thy hand is a mighty hand Jam. 4.10 it falls heavy they will not see they wink wilfully or seek strawes to put out their eyes withall as Bernard hath it but they shall see will they nill they Festucam quarunt unde oculos sibi eruant and be ashamed of their former oscitancy or rather obstinacy when that hand of God which was lifted up in threatning shall fall down in punishing and the fire of thine enemies shall devâ—ur them How much more at that last and great visitation that terrible day of Retribution when they shall answer for all with flames about their ears Tunc sentient magno suo malo then shall they feel to their eternall wo the truth of all the threatnings which till then they heard and read as a man doth an Almanack-prognostications of winde or foul-weather which he thinks may come to passe and it may be not And give nothing so much credit to them as the Prior of S. Bartholomewes in London did to an idle and addle-headed Astrologer Holinshead in 1524. when he went and built him an house at Harrow on the hill to secure himself from a supposed flood that that Astrologer foretold The Prophet is a fool c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a naughty man the Hebrew word here is evil and signifieth a rash and unadvised fellow that is headstrong and headlong such were their false prophets that promised peace when warre was at their gates and made all fair weather before them when the tempest of Gods wrath was even bursting out upon them such a tempest as should neveâ— be blown over These should now appear to be fools or rather Impostours that had brought the credulous people into a fools paradise the spiritual man is mad Heb. the man of the spirit or ventosus the windy man that uttereth vain and empty conceits humani cerebelli Minervas the brats of his own brain light aery Nothings the disease of this age full of flashes and figments idle speculations of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth These pretend altogether to the spirit and would be thought the onely spirituall men as the Swenkfeldians whom for their ill savour Luther called Stenckfeldians who bewitched many with those glorious words which were ever in their mouthes of Illumination Revelation the inward and spiritual man c. and entituled themselves the Confessours of the glory of Christ So the Entusiasts and Anabaptists what boast make they of the spirit professing that they will deliver nothing but what they have immediately revealed to them from heaven Muncer their ringleader wrote a base book against Luther which he dedicateth to king Jesus wherein Lutherum flagellat quod Enthusiasmorum spiritu careat nil nist carnalin sapiat he falls foul upon Luther as wanting the spirit of revelation Scultet Annal. pag. 239. and one that savoureth nothing but carnall things All his followers look upon Luther as more pestiferous then the Pope and for Calvin they say and I have heard it that it had been happy for the Church if he had never been born It was their practise of old as Leo Judae observed in his epistle before Bullingers book against the Catabaptists and is still to discourage and disparage Christs faithfull Ministers all they can as carnall and not relishing the things of the spirit the right off-spring they are of those ancient Hereticks called Messalanii the same with the Euchites and Enthusiasts who in the year of Christ 371. professed to be wholly made up of the spirit gave themselves much to sleep and called their dreams and wild phantasies prophesies and revelations for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred Heb. the great Satanical hatred that thou hast born against God and thy neighbour but especially Gods faithfull prophets whom thou heartily hatedst for their plain dealing as Ahab did Michaiah because he never spake good to him It is very probable that Michaiah was that disguised Prophet who brought Ahab the fearfull message of displeasure and death for dismissing Benhadad for the which he was ever since fast in prison deep in disgrace Lo this is the worlds wages Truth breeds hatred great hatred as the text hath it devillish hatred and this is through the multitude of mens iniquities the overflow of sinnes which wretched men hold so dear to themselves that they cannot but rage against those that declaime against them and proclaim hell-fire against their hatefull practises they cannot stand still to have their eyes pickt out how should they say Now for such what wonder is it if God in justice give them up to the efficacie of errour that they may beleeve a lie sith they would not receive the love of the truth Augustin in loc 2 Thess 2.11 ut infatuati seducantur seductijudicentur that being infatuated they may be seduced and being seduced perish what wonder also if he deliver them up as to strong delusions so to vile affections and abominable actions that they may receive in themselves that recompense of their errour that is meet Kom 1.27 What marvell if men that will not endure sound doctrine be left to seducers if those that have itching ears meet with clawing Preachers 2 Tim. 4.3 4. if such as turn away their ears from the truth be turned to fables and fopperies It is for the multitude of mens iniquities and especially for their great hatred to the truth that the Church is so pestered with Impostours 2 Pet. 2.1 2. who bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them Do not our modern seducers so amongst us when among other portentous opinions held by them they stick not to affirm that Christ is a carnall or fleshly thing That those that are grown Christians may go to God immediately without a Christ that Christ did not rise again c. Others contemn him by the notion of the man dying at Jerusalem O horrible Dr. Homes his character of the present times 200. Time was when the Popes were so notoriously naught as to speak thus basely of Christ to deny or at least doubt of the immortality of the soul the resurrection of the body c. and then a poor Popeling cried out that the sinnes of that Synagogue were so great as that it deserved not to be ruled by any other
like was Ioel 3.16 for the comfort of the godly See the Note there The word as Moses saves the Israelite slayes the Egyptian and is as the fragrancy of precious ointment of which Oecumenius tells us Columbam vegetat scarabaeum necat Oecum that it refresheth the Dove but killeth the Beetle See 2 Cor. 2.16 with the Note The Prophet here tells Idolatrous Israel to their teeth that God will no longer deal fairly with them as a shepherd but fiercely as a lion he will not onely roar upon them but rent the caul of their hearts as the lion together with his roar layes his pawes upon the prey And that ye may know that these are not bug-bear termes devised on purpose to affright silly people and that I shoot not Fot-guns at you the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn c. That is all your bravery shall down all your wealth and wordly greatnesse shall wither the top of your Carmel the Zenith of your prosperity shall be blasted and the scene soon altered All this the Prophet used to shepherdy Navita de ventis de tauris narrat orator Bucholcer expresseth accordingly Artis suae usus sermonibus as it is naturall for all Artists to do but with a great deal of life and boldnesse Verbis vivis animatis sententiis spiritus fervore flagrantissimus as One saith of Savanarolas Meditations upon Psal 51. Verse 3. For three transgressions of Damascus and for four For their seven that is severall sinnes not a few for their many and bony provocations for their progresse in sinne without mean or measure The Jews here note that for three faults God will pardon a man but let him beware of the fourth God will not alwayes serve man for a sinning-stock but break off his abused patience and proceed to punishment Lo all these things worketh God twice and thrice with man Iob 33.29 but let him not thereupon grow over-bold lest he pay for his presumption Sin iterated is greatly aggravated as cyphers added increase the summe and though it may sleep a long time yet it is but as a sleeping-debt not called for of many yeers required at length as Sauls sinne in slaying the Gibeonites was not punished till fourty yeers after as Ioabs killing of Abner slept all Davids dayes c. Now lest Israel looking upon Syria yet flourishing should promise themselves like impunity they are here thus threatned I will not turn away the punishment thereof but pay them home for the new and the old yea for the old by occasion of the new for their obstinate and incurable wickednesse I will punish them seven times more and seven times more and seven to that Lev. 26.24 c. and so hang them up as it were in gibbers for a warning to Israel that they may wash their feet in the blood of these Heathens and redeem their own sorrows because they have threshed Gileaed i. e. the Gileadites whom they had taken captive and thus cruelly intreated See 2 King 13.7 and 10.32 where it appeareth that all this was done not without the Lord which yet is no excuse to Hazaels cruelty That Conquerours were wont to use this kinde of torment and punishment see 2 Sam. 12.31 But that David should do so is some wonder hee was hardly recovered of his late foul fall and thence haply so much harshnesse Certain it is that the mercifull God abhorreth cruelty toward his creature and severely punisheth it such as was this of Hazael toward Israel foretold by Elisha 2 King 8.12 and afterwards of Ptolomie Lathurus King of Egypt who slew 30000. Jews at once and forced the rest to eat up their dead carcasses Joseph So that barbarous Duke of Alva rosted some of his prisoners to death starved others and that even after quarter saying though he promised to give them their lives Hist of Netherl Grimst he did not promise to finde them meat Dio telleth us of the Jews that dwelt about Cyrene in the dayes of Trajan that they slaughtered a great sort of Romans and Greeks after a miserable manner sawing them down the middle from the crown of the head tearing their flesh with their teeth smearing themselves with their blood Eio in vit◠Trajan and wearing their skins for coverings c. so that 200000 people perished there and besides in Egypt and Cyprus 240000 by the like abhorrid cruelty and about the same time by the same hands Beware of men Mat. 10. Verse 4. But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael Sin doth as naturally draw judgements to it as the load-stone doth iron or turpentine fire and hainous sinnes heaviest judgements devouring plagues Such as are the fire of warre Psal 78.63 pestilence Lev. 10.3 forreigne enemies Num. 21.28 Jer. 48.45 homebred conspiracies Judg. 9.15 20. besides the fire of hell whereof all miseries here are but typical Let men kisse the Son therefore lest Gods anger be kindled and get the spirit of judgement and of burning that they may dwell with everlasting burnings For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Verse 5. I will break also the barre of Damascus i. e. their power and might all strength defensive or offensive and so make way for the enemie into the city give him a fair entrance without resistance It is God that orders the battle and renders mens attempts vain or prosperous Esay 54. ult Jer. 50.9 whencesoever the sword comes it is bathed in heaven Esa 34.5 and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven Campus idoli the plain or valley of idols so Mercer rendreth it that is of Syria given to idolatry or Damascus a very Poneropolis and therefore ripe for ruine and him that holdeth the scepter A plain periphrasis of a king called oft by Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scepter-bearer or of him that was to succeed in the kingdom The French call him Dolphin the Spaniards Jnfant c. Our Henry the second Daniel crowned his eldest sonne Henry while he was yet alive and put the Scepter into his hand which made his ambition quite turn off his obedience from the house of Eden Or of pleasure the kings palace a very paradise God denieth not great men their lawfull pleasures for refreshment amidst their weighty businesses c. but yet they must remember St. Iames his charge against the Grandees of his time Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth Jam. 5.5 and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter or of good cheer And that of Abraham to Dives Jam. 5.5 Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things c. Luk. 16.25 which text Gregory the great could never read but his heart aked with feare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest it should be his own case It is well observed that Philedoni Lovers of pleasures are set as last and worst of those wicked ones 2 Tim. 3.4 Solomon is blamed
and I will one day read them aloud in the ears of all the world Fac ergo confitendo propitium quem taeciendo non facis nescium saith Austin Make therefore God thy friend by confessing thy sins to him which thou caust not by any means conceal from him they afflict the just they pinch and distresse him by their oppressions which are often here laid in their dish as an abomination to the Lord for he is mercifull See Chap. 2.6 they take a bribe Cophe◠A ransome to blinde their eyes as 1 Sam. 12.3 or a pacification of their pretended displeasure against heinous crimes brought before them Olim didici quid sint munera said a worthy man Once I have learned long since how dangerous a thing it is for men in place to meddle with gifts A publike person as he should have nothing to lose so nothing to get he should be above all price or sale c. they turn aside the poor in the gate that is in the place of Judicature This makes many that go to law to be at length of Themistocles his minde who professed that if two wayes were shewed him one to hell and the other to the barre he would chuse that which went to hell and forsake the other Another said that hee wondered much at two sorts of men viz. those that go to sea and those that go to law not so much that they did so at first but that after triall they would ever go a second time Verse 13. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to that old and good rule Either keep silence or speak that which is better then silence There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak Eccles 3.7 and it is a singular skill to time a word Esay 50.4 to set it upon its circumferences Prov. 25.11 so to speak and so to do as those that shall be judged by the law of liberty Iam. 2.12 He that would be able to speak right and forcible words must first learn how and when to keep silence It is not good casting pearls before swine nor pulling a Bear or mad dog by the ear 'T is the true ambition of a Christian to study to be quiet 1 Thess 4.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to meddle with his own businesse to affect rather quietnesse from the wicked world then acquaintance with it and to passe thorow it with as little noise and notice as he can Not but that Gods faithfull servants must cry aloud and not spare lifting up their voyces like a trumpet c. Esay 58.1 and casting away the inverse trumpets of Furius Fulvus which sounded a retrait when they should have sounded an alarme But this must be done with godly discretion Zeal should eat us up but not eat up our widome saith One nor should policie eat up our zeal The Apostles professed that they could not but speak the things that they had heard and seen they must either vent or burst And yet holy Paul who was full of the spirit of judgement and of burning Esay 4.4 though he preached at Ephesus where hee lived two yeers and more together that they be no gods that are made with hands yet he made no particular invective against their great goddesse Diana whereon they so impotently doated Act. 19.26 37. He that hath a good mixture of zeal and prudence is like a ship well ballasted that sails with a prosperous gale but zeal without discretion is like fire on the chimney-top or like mettle in a blinde horse or the devil in the demoniack that cast him sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water What a storm of persecution raised Bishop Abdias in Persepolis by his intemperate zeal not bridled with discretion as the Poets fable that Minerva put a golden bridle upon Pegasus lest he should flie too fast And it was some disadvantage to Paul when in the Councel though provoked and unjustly smitten he called the high-priest whited wall he was glad to excuse it by his ignorance We may not be too bold or too forward to speak in a good matter to such as hate him that rebuketh in the gate and abhor him that speaketh uprightly verse 10. for it is an evil time by reason of an evil and adulterous generation that make it so It is a day of evil as Psal 41.1 that is of difficulty and danger to those that dare speak out Such as were Tiberius his times That Tyger laid hold with his teeth on all the brave spirits that could speak their minds fitly and durst do it freely He put to death a certain Poet which in a Tragedie had inveighed against Agamemnon suspecting himself to be intended Senec. Freedom of speech used by the Waldenses in blaming and reproving the vices dissolute manners life and actions of great ones made them looked upon and persecuted as hereticks Girardus and enemies to the Sea Apostolike as Manichees Catharists what not Verse 14. Seek good and not evil that ye may live See verse 4. and 6. Oh Seek seek seek saith our Prphet as some of the Martyrs cryed out Pray pray pray Mr. Sanders and Mrs. Askew repeated those words two severall times together Mr. Marsh once adding Never more need To seek God is to seek good and to finde life for with him is the fountain of life Psal 36.9 To seek evil is to seek the devil who is that evil one it is as Solomon saith in a like case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death Prov. 21.6 and so the Lord the God of Hosts shall be with you to assist and accept you in seeking good to protect and provide for you in shunning evil Deal couragiously therefore and God shall be with the good 2 Chron. 19. ult as your seven-fold shield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 See the note there as ye have spoken Vt praedicatis jactitatis as ye boast and bear your selves bold upon saying as Mic. 2.11 Is not the Lord amongst us none evil can come upon us But that 's as you make it for ye are upon your behaviour The fault is not in God but wholly in your selves if ye live not happily reigne not everlastingly at Paris ut vivat regnetque beatus Cogi posse negat Horat. ep 2. God is far from mens hearts and therefore far from their help for can two walk together except they be agreed Chap. 3.3 Verse 15. Hate the evil and love the good God doth so you must also or else never look for his gracious presence with you for idem velle atque idem nolle ea demum vera est Amicitia Cicer◠True friends do both will and nill the same things Minutius Foelix saith that he and his friend Octavius did so The like did Basil and Nazianzen Jonathan and David Corporibus geminis spiritus unus erat All Gods
Israel had been a scourge to Judah When the Israelites were in their flourish as the grasse or wheat is in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter groweth they had been first mowed by Benhadad king of Syria but growing up again under Jeroboam their king they were devoured by Pul and his Army as by so many greedy locusts In the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth For in those fat and fertile countreys they used Luxuriem segetum tener â depascere in herba Virg. Georg. 1. Now if the latter growth were eaten up too what else could follow but extreme famine It was the latter growth after the kings mowings Or sheep-shearings as some read it but the former is better and Diodate here noteth that it is thought that the kings did take the first crop in esum usum jumentorum to keep their warre horses and for other services leaving the latter mowings for other cattle who were taught to say After your Majestie is good manners Verse 2. When they had made an end of eating Not the corn onely but the grasse to the very roots besides a pestilent stench left behinde them when I say they had done their worst Prayer is the best lever at a dead lift as is to bee seen Jam. 5.18 upon the prayer of Elias the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit after three years and a halfs drought when it might well have been thought that root and fruits and all had been dried up and that prayer had come too late But that 's seldome seen as all Gods people can say experimentally But what shall we think of Jamblicus Lib. 5. cap. 27. a Heathen Authour who hath such a commendation of prayer which might well beseem an experienced Christian He calleth it Rerum divinarum ducem lucem copulam quâ homines cum Deo conjunguntur the guide and light of divine duties the band whereby men are united to God Nay he proceedeth and saith that prayer is clavis instar qua Dei penetralia aperiuntur instead of a key wherewith Gods cabinet is opened and much more to the same purpose All this the Prophet knew full well and therefore sets to work in good earnest and as when a cart is in a quagmire if the horses feel it coming they 'le pull the harder till they have it out so He. Then I said O Lord God forgive I beseech thee Sin he knew was their greatest enemy the mother of all their misery Of that therefore hee prayes for pardon and then hee knew all should be well as when the sore is healed the plaister falleth off Of Christ it is said that He shall save his people from their sinnes Mat. 1.21 as the greatest of evils and the Church in Hosea chap. 14.2 cries Take away all iniquity Feri Domine feri saith Luther nam à peccatis absalutus sum Smite me as much as thou pleasest now that thou hast forgiven my sins By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small Here is much in few It is Jacob thy confederate and he is down upon all four and he is but small low and little and as some render it Quis stabit Jacobo Behold He whom thou lovest is sick Ioh. 11.3 They that are thine by covenant are at a very great under trodden on by the buls of Basan as a poor shrub of the wildernesse so the Psalmists word imports Psal 102.17 Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied that knowes not whether he had best help or not or as a mighty man that cannot save Jer. 14.9 Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy Name leave us not Thus the Prophets indeed prayed for their unkind countreymen so did Paul Athanasius Luther I have obtained of God said He that never whilest I live shall the Pope prevail against my countrey when I am gone let those pray that can pray And indeed he was no sooner gone but all Germany was on a flame Act. Mon. as when Austins head was laid Hippo was soon surprized by the enemy and when Pareus's Heidelberg Verse 3. The Lord repented for this it shall not be saith the Lord. Here was mutatio rei non Dei facti non consilij a change not of Gods will but of his work therefore by way of explication it followeth it shall not bee saith the Lord. To speak properly there can be no repentance in God 1 Sam. 15.20 but this is spoken after the manner of men and it notably setteth forth the power of faithfull prayer able after a sort to alter Gods minde and to transfuse a dead Palsie into the hands of Omnipotencie Exod. 32.10 where God is fain to be-speak his own freedom and Moses is represented as the great Chancellour of heaven Verse 4. And behold the Lord God whose Asterisk or starry Note this behold is saith Tarnovius stirring up to attention Another compareth it to an hand in the margent of a book pointing to some notable thing Another to the sounding of a trumpet before some proclamation or to the ringing of a bell before the sermon of some famous Preacher the Lord God called to contend by fire that is by parching heat and drought causing dearth as Joel 1.19 For which purpose God called his Angels those ministring spirits that execute his judgements upon the wicked as they did once upon Sodom to contend for him a metaphor from civil courts to plead for him by fire to destroy the perverse Israelites by fire and brimstone Esay 66.16 Ezech. 38.22 as they had done Sodom and Gomorrah so some interpret it according to the letter or by the woe of warre compared to fire 2 King 14.26 Esay 26.11 as being a misery which all words how wide soever want compasse to expresse Or by immoderate heat and drought as afore so great that it devoured the great deep as that fire of the Lord in Eliah's time licked up the water that was in the treuch 1 King 18.38 See Esay 51.10 and did eat up a part Or it devoured also the field Not onely the waters in and under the earth that serve to make it fruitfull but a part of the earth it self which was altogether above and against the common course of nature Kimchi Some render it and did eat up that part or that field sc that mentioned verse 1. the Kings field that as the King had chiefly offended so he should be principally punished Drusius Other interpret it by chap. 4.7 One piece was rained upon and the piece whereon it rained not withered Verse 5. Then said I O Lord God cease I beseech thee See verse 2. and persevering in prayer for the publike remember to plead not merit but misery Psal 79.8 9. and with all humility to acknowledge that it is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Lam. 3.22 Verse 6. The Lord repented for this
6. and a like phrase to this Ezek 35.13 Verse 13. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate c. But have looked upon them as my people though under a cloud of calamity which will soon blow over To enter therefore into their gates for prey and spoil is to burden your selves with that burdensome stone that shall break you to drink of that poisonous cup that shall bane you to lay your hands upon that harth of fire that will burn you Zech. 12.2 3 6 Look to it hands off keep you farre from so evil a matter lest it prove as that gold of Tholouse a mischief to all that meddle with it Aurum Tholosanum thou shouldest not have looked See Verse 12. The repetition shews the hainousnesse of the sinne The Holy Ghost doth not open his mouth in vain whatever Iob did chap. 36.16 nor multiply words without reason In the day of their calamity This is thrice mentioned to shew how sensible God was of this savage dealing of theirs with his poor people who now lay under the strokes and stripes of a displeased mercy The Hebrew word here rendred calamitie signifieth a fog vapour or mistie cloud Gen. 2.6 Iob 36.27 and by a Metaphor it is put for affliction and misery as it is also in Latine Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Ovid. Athanas Nubecula est citò transibit said that Father Verse 14. Neither shouldest thou have stood in the cross-way To intercept those poore fugitives Who sought to save themselves by flight sith they could not by fight But alasse Vna salus victis Virg. nullam sperare salutem Seeking to shun the shelves they ran upon a rock Mischeivous Edomites way-laid them and either slew them or drew them back to prison as in the next words neither shouldest thou have delivered up Or shut up close prisoners the Residue Heb Serido the same almost with the English the letters only transposed those poore few that were yet undevoured by the sword This was greatest cruelty of all And see the Edomites progresse in it and what Proficients they prove Nemo repentè fit deterrimus Sin proceedes by degrees neither is any man at his worst at first First they looked at the churches calamity and then they laughed and then they insulted and spoke big words and then they plundered and lastly they butchered some and imprisoned other some Did not Gods enemies do all this amongst us in our late unnaturall commotions wherein besides the many massacres made every where it was a like difficult thing in those parts where they prevailed to find a wicked man in their prisons or a good man out of them Verse 15. For the day of the Lord is near c. The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth The Lord shal laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming Psa 37.12 13. the particular day of his sore punishment a type and pledge of the generall judgement that great day of the Lord as it is called Rev. 6.17 and 16.14 because the great God will on that day do great workes and determine great matters Jud. 19. But as some mens sins go before to judgement as it were by a speciall sessions preceding and anteverting the great Assises so should Edom and his neighbour Nations tast all of Nebuchadnezzars cup and whip Jer. 25. and this day is said to be neere upon them though it came not of above an hundred yeares after so is the comming of Christ to judgement neere though we presume not to set the time as some have done deceiving and being deceived as thou hast done it shall be done to thee God loves to retaliate and to oppose frowardnesse to frowardnesse Psal 18.26 contrariety to contrariety Levit. 26.18.21 severity to cruelty as he did to Adonibezek Agag Zeba and Zalmunna Jud. 8.19 and Edom here and Ezech. 35. And the heathens held this but meet as appeareth by their fables and stories of Phineus Quid fodis immeritis natis sua lumina Phineu Poena reversura est in caput ipsa tuum Ovid. So of Diomedes king of Thrace Justum est aiâ— Rhadamanthus quod quis injustè aljâ—s intulit idem subeat patiatur Arist Ethic. cast by Hercules to be devoured by his own dogs which he had so oft fed with mans flesh The like might be said of Perillus and his brazen bull whereof himself had the handsell Herein they said no other thing then what God had in the old law decreed Levit. 24.19 and Christ in the New hath confirmed Mat. 7.2 for a terrour to evill-doers who shall have like for like returned unto them and be filled with their own wayes Prov. 14.14 See Lam. 4.21 The Rabbbines conceive all this to be spoken of the Romanes whom they call Edomites Sure we are God will be even with that Romish Antichrist and render him his own in kind when he once takes him in hand as Rev. 18.6 c. Rev. 13 10. Verse 16. For as ye have drunk upon mine holy mountaine As you O Edomites have rejoyced and revelled in the ruines of Zion carousing and carolling in her calamity so shall many nations and you among yea above the rest for your excessive perfidy and cruelty drink deeply of the cup of Gods fury which hath eternity to the bottom and they shal be as though they had not been This clause makes against that other sense that some set upon the text viz. The Heathen shall drink feast and triumph over thee O Edom whom they have subdued yea they shall drink so stoutly that they shall swallow thee up and all thy substance leaving thee nothing Praeter coelum coenum as that Roman prodigall boasted he had done to himself Their exposition seemeth more probable who here begins the Consolatory part of the Prophesie and make this verse an Apostrophe to the afflicted Iews thus Aben-Ezra Tremell Mercer Levelyâ— Tarâ—â—â— Like as ye my people have drunk your part of the cup of affliction an ordinary Metaphor not in Scripture onely as Ezek. 23.32 Ier. 49.12 Mat. 20.22 but also in Heathen Writers in allusion perhaps to the cup of poyson given at Athens to Malefactours or as some think to the manner of their feasts whereat the Symposiarch or ruler of the feast Ioh. 2. gave order what and how much every one should drink so shall all the Heathen drink and that continually yea they shall not only sip of the top that which is sweetest and clearest but the dregs and sediment too they shall both drink and swallow down till such time as it hath wholly swallowed them up so that they shall be as though they had not been See for confirmation of this sence Ier. 25.25 and 49.12 And pray for the ruin of Rome so long since foretold by Sibylla Tota eris in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses The Prophesie is fulfilled already in Edom whose very name is lost more
Is there yet unto every man an house of the wicked and treasures of wickednesse so some read it see chap. 2.2 with the Note The Vulgar reads it and Gualther disliketh it not Is there yet fire in the house of the wicked sc the fire of Gods wrath and treasures of wickednesse as fuell cast upon it to consume all See Jam. 5.1 2 3. Treasures of wickednesse profit not Prov. 10.2 sith to heap up sinne is to heap up wrath Rom. 2. and to rake together ill-gotten goods is to carry home a fardle of plaguy-clothes and death with them Ephraim said yet I am become rich I have found me out substance Hos 12.8 But in so doing Ephraim fed upon the wind ver 1. yea upon pestilentiall ayre he daily increased lies and desolation that is such lying vanities as bring desolation and not consolation Desolationem potius quam consolationem Aug. Epist 121. ad Probam as hale hell at the heeles of them as we see in the parable of that wretched rich man Luk. 16. Animam ipsam incendio gehennae mancipant the fire that is in them shall feed upon their soules and flesh thoroughout all eternity Out of dores therefore with these treasures of wickednesse by restoring them to the right owners as Zacheus did and as Justinian the Emperour who would not put the vessels of the Temple taken by Titus and recovered from Gensericus into the treasury but restored them and the scant measure that is abominable Heb the Ephah of leaxenesse so called Modius macilentus both because it wante of its due proportion and makes men leane full of wrath q. d. you scant it to those you trade with but God fills it up with his fierce wrath and indignation See Am. 8.5 with the Note Verse 11. Shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances Shall I cleare and acquit such I that am the righteous Judge of heaven and earth I abhorr all injustice Exod 34.7 Iob. 8. I that have named my self a God that will by no meanes cleare the guilty nor take the wicked by the hand Doe they think to draw me in as a party or that I will beare with their false and fraudulent dealings which I have so oftdeclared against and doomed both in the law and by my servants Solomon Amos and others No assure your selves your sins shall find you out and I will curse you smite you plague you and so set it on as no creature shall be able to take it off Let earthly Judges warp as they will and wink at sin I neither can nor will but as men have sowed so they shall reape as they have sowed in hardnesse of heart so they shall reape in horrour of conscience quorum eculos culpa clausit poena aperiet as they have lived unconscionably so they shall die uncomfortably at which times their treasures of wickednesse shall leave them in the lurch as the devill leaves witches when they come to prison Verse 12. For the rich men thereof are full of violence After that they have once enriched themselves by fraud and false-dealing they take the boldnesse openly to oppresse and to exercise regiment without righteousnesse which is no better then robbery with authority of which before chap. 2. and 3. Thus wicked men wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 till wrath come upon them to the utmost 2 Thess 2. and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies Not the rich men only are in fault but as the Cretians so these are alwayes liars loud and lewd liars their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth so that they no sooner open their mouthes but swarmes of lies issue out they are mendacierum loquacissimi they have taught their tongues to speak lies Ier. 9.5 they are now become artists at it Yea they take fast hold of deceit Ier. 8.5 so that they cannot be got off without striving This is lamentable and yet common especially in trading and traffiquing But oh when shall that golden age return that the argument may againe proceed Sacerdos est non fallet Christianus est non mentietur He is a minister and will not deceive you He is a Christian and will not lie See Esa 63.8 Verse 13. Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee This is one twig of that rod Vers 9. that now they shall heare and feel too that would not harken to Gods word Bernard telleth us concerning a brother of his that when he gave him many good instructions and he being a souldier minded them not he put his finger to his sides and said One day a speare shall make way to this heart of thine for instructions and admonitions to enter God can and where he intendeth mercy will make way for his his word by his rod and seale up instructions by chastening men with paine upon their beds and the multitude of their bones with strong paine Iob 33.16 19. He can fasten them to their beds as he did Abimelech David Hezekiah and thereby tame them and take them a link lower Iob 33.17 He can smite them with sicknesse and make them desolate as it is here with such sicknesse as shall make their best friends afraid of them and that none dare look at them but as through a grate and all this with a sting too in the taile of it Because of thy sins Fooles because of their transgression and because of their iniquities are afflicted Their soule abhorreth all manner of meate so sick they are and stomackelesse that nothing will down with them and they draw neare to the gates of death Psal 107.17 18. This was the case of that rich and wretched Cardinall Henry Beauford Bish of Winchester and Chancellour of England Fox Martyr fol. 925. in the raigne of Henry 6. who tossing upon his sick-bed and perceiving he must die murmured at sicknesse and death that his riches could neither relieve him under the one nor reprieve him from the other This was also the case of that great Emperour Charles 5. of whom Du-plessy reporteth that when he was old and crazy he cursed his honours his victories trophies riches saying Abite hinc abite longe Away be gone miserable comforters are ye all Mention is made before of a great man that wrot this a little before his death Spes fortuna Valete And surely there are not a few rich Cormorants who may well say to their wealth when they are sick as Cornelius Agrippa did to his familiar spirit Abi perdita bestia quae me predididsti Be gone thou wicked beast that hast been mine undoing c. A promise contrary to this threatening in the text is that Esai 33.24 And the inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Verse 14. Thou shalt eat but not be satisfied Either as not having enough to satisfy but prisoners pittance so much only as will keep life and soule together Or else troubled with a
usually a conflux of vices like as there is of waters into the Sea witnesse Tyre and Sydon Corinth Carthage Capernaum c. Hence that proverb maritimi mores and that censure of such people littorales duri horridi immanes latrociniis dedicit omnium denique pessimi Those that dwell by the Sea-side are usually ill-conditioned fierce cruell theevish and the worst of men These Philistines were no better and are therefore here put under a woe and threatened with utter destruction The nation of the Cherethites i. e. Destroyers so the Philistines had stiled themselves as glorying to have conquered and cut off many people The old Latine translation rendreth it Gens perditorum The nation of Destroyers so doth Aquila Theodotion and Symmachus Now it comes to their turn to be destroyed according to Esay 33.1 That these Cherethites were a sort of Philistines See 1 Sam. 30.14 16. Ezek. 25.16 That they were valiant men appears by that legion of them that guarded David 2 Sam. 9.4 and 15.18 and were highly esteemed by him because they stuck to him in his affliction at Gath and also when Absolom was up in arms 2 Sam. 15.18 the word of the Lord is against you And not onely against Israel This was spoken as for the terrour of those Philistines who thought themselves out of the reach of Gods rod and slighted his word so for the comfort of the people of God who thought much that themselves should be so severely dealt with and the uncircumcised Philistines scape scot-free O Canaan the land of the Philistines Indeed of the Israelites Josh 13.3 but held by force by the Philistienes who were of the stock of the Canaanites but not subdued and had detained part of the land from the right owners for 800. years and upwards and now they come to be reckoned with Subitò tollitur qui diu toleratur I will even destroy thee that there shall be no inhabitant No setled inhabitant that shall fix there as the word signifieth Thus Poena venit gravior quo mage sera venit the longer God stayes the heavier he strikes Verse 6. And the sea-coasts shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds It shall be wast and untilled and therefore unfrequented by any but shepherds who pitch their tents up and down where they may best feed their flocks in desert places and folds for flocks God may do thus in his just judgement upon his enemies that live in his good land and not by his good lawes but wo be to our Depopulatours that drive out men and put in cattle that betray townes as Rome did Carthage with a distinction We will save the city but destroy the towne How dangerous it is to prove Abaddons appeareth by Gods punishing hand upon William the Conquerours issue in New-forrest wherein 36. Parish Churches had been demolished by him with the removing of all the inhabitants to make room for beasts or dogs-game There his second sonne Richard was gored in hunting by a Deer Speed Rufus his other sonne mistaken for a Deer was by chance shot thorow with an arrow Henry likewise his Nephew whilest he hotly pursued the chase was struck by a bough into the jawes and as Absalom left hanging untill he died Verse 7. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Iudah Who had not onely their owne countrey kept empty for them all the 70. yeers of captivity and not any displaced to make room at their return see the Note on Zach. 7.14 but liberty to make use of the Philistines countrey which was also further subdued by the Maccabees but especially by the Apostles who preached the Gospel and planted Churches in those parts as we read in the Acts chap. 8.26 40. and chap. 9.32 35 36. they shall feed thereupon They shall go in and out and find pasture under the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls who shall feed them daily Joh. 10. 1 Pet. 4. and daintily among the lillies by the powerfull preaching of the Gospel among them In the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening Vbi temporis circumstantia securitatem notat saith Gualther The circumstance of time noteth their spirituall security evenings are oft dark and dangerous They shall lie down as cattle do that take no care they know whom they have trusted and are fearlesse for the Lord their God shall visit them Visit and redeem his people raising up an horn of salvation for them Luke 1.68 69. His visits are not empty visits Psal 8.5 his favours are not like the winter-Sun that lighteth but heateth not c. and turn away their captivity to their unexpressible comfort Psal 126.1 but especially when Christ ascending up on high leadeth captivity captive c. Col. 2.14 15. Ephes 4.8 Verse 8. I have heard the reproach of Moab How can he but hear who is all ear who is both above us and within us in whom we subsist Col. 1.17 And what will he sooner be sensible of then the reproachings of his people See Esay 37.23 and 57.3 4. But draw near hither ye sonnes of the sorceresse the seed of the adulterer and the whore See how he becalls them Against whom do ye sport your selves against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue are ye not children of transgression a seed of falshood The Moabites and Ammonites were great jearers of the Jews and revilers of their religion These reproaches leniter volant non leniter violant cruell mockings the Apostle calleth them Heb. 11.36 David felt them as a murthering weapon in his bones Psal 42.10 God will call such men to an heavie reckoning one day as deride the power of godlinesse and the professours thereof Bede saith that this was the great sinne of the ancient Britanes immediately before their destruction by the Saxons and it is at this day both a presage and desert of our ruine that as the Turks count all fools to be saints so men with us account all saints to be fools and the revilings of the children of Ammon How good they were at it we may see in those words of Sanballat and his copesmate Tobiah the Ammonite Neh. 4.2 3. words as full of pride and scorne as profane wit or rancoured malice could make them and they lay so heavy upon Nehemiahs spirit that hee could not ease himself but by breathing heavenward verse 4. Hear O our God for we are despised and turn their reproach upon their own head and give them for a prey in the land of captivity c. Hear saith Nehemiah I have heard it saith God Thou hast seen it saith the Psalmist for thou beholdest mischief and spite to requite it with thine hand Psal 10.14 and magnified themselves by speaking big and blustring words bubbles of words great swelling words full of wind 2 Pet. 2.18 these shall finde that such words are not winde but will be required in fire Jude 15. God is an utter enemy to boasting and threatning
grace as we say and as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as ever those Jews were that had a whores fore-head Jer. 3.3 sinews of iron and brows of brasse Esay 48.49 When neither fear of God nor shame of the world will rein men in what hope is there of such Illum ego periisse dico cui periit pudor saith an Heathen Curtius He is an undone man that knoweth no shame Prevent it in time for the modest beginnings of sinne at first will make way for immodest proceedings The thickest ice that will bear a cart beginneth with a thin trembling cover that will not a pibble Verse 6. I have cut off the nations And hang'd them up in gibbets as it were before your eyes for your admonition ut ruina majorum sit cautela minorum Greg. Mor. that their destruction might be your instruction that seeing your neighbours house on fire you might look to you own that observing other to suffer ship-wrack you might see to yor tackling This is the use God expects we should make of his judgements upon others Luke 13.3 5. and 17.26 29. Matt. 12.13 41.42 1 Cor. 10.1 2 c. and surely he deâ—erveth to be made an example that will not take example by others their towers are desolate Or their corners sc of their munitions whereon towers were set Or their extremities q. d. I have over-turned them from one end to another Drusius and Ribera interpreteth it of their Princes See the Note on chap. 1.16 I made their streets wast c. See chap. 2. vers 5 6 14 15. To the end that when my judgements were thus on the earth the inhabitants of the world but especially of the Church might learn righteousnesse Esay 26.9 that the righteous seeing the vengeance might wash his feet in the blood of the wicked Psal 59.10 taking warning by his harmes Observe here by the way what great account God makes of his people sith for their instance and instruction hee thus wasteth the wicked like as the Persian kings when their sonnes had committed a fault made their servants to be beaten before them Verse 7. I said surely thou wilt fear me As in a schoole when one boy is whipt the rest tremble and as in the Common-wealth poena ad paucos metus ad omnes so it should be in the Church Other mens woes should be our warnings others sufferings our sermons others lashes our lessons Gods house of correction a school of instruction where we should hear and fear and do no more so Deut. 17.13 He that trembleth not in hearing shall be crusht to piece in feeling said that Martyr and receive instruction This I promised my self of thee but am disappointed Jer. 5.3 See verse 2. thou art therefore ripe for destruction So their dwelling should not be cut off They should have redeemed their sorrows and saved their citie And this God speaks to others as weary of speaking any longer to them to so little purpose but they rose early and corrupted c. Manicabant they made hast that no time might be lost the wofully wasted that best part of the day the morning which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 furthereth every businesse in corrupting their practises doing evil as they could Once saith a Reverend man Peters argument was more then probable These men are not drunk for it is but the third hour of the day Drunk cup. by D. Harris Now men are growen such husbands as that by that time they will return their stocks and have their brains crowing before day Verse 8. Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord c. Stand forth and hear your doom which that ye may know that I do not precipitate or rashly passe upon you Wait ye upon me c. and yet that ye may not presume upon my patience know that there is a day set a determination setled for your full payment Nostra Deus sub it is non damnat crimina pocnis Compensat long as sed gravitate moras to gather the nations To put them up as it were sheep into a pound for slaughter See more of this Jer. 25. to pour upon them mine indignation Here 's mention made of Gods prey of his indignation fierce anger fire of jealousie against nations and kingdomes the better to perswade people to that which they are so hardly drawn to beleeve viz. that God is not made all of mercy but though fury be not in him to speak properly Isay 27.4 Exod. 34.7 Yet that he will not by any means Clear the guilty but punish them severely taking vengeance of their inventions Psal 99.8 Verse 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language Then when my sword hath rid circuit Eccles 14.17 and bin bathed in the blood of all nations for their many and mighty sinnes I will turn to the people I will turn mine hand upon the little ones mine elect that remnant reserved for royal use These I will bring not into the fire onely but through it and will refine them as silver is refined c. Zach. 13.7 9. so that their tongue shall be as choice silver Pro. 10.20 their lip shall be a pure lip at it is here a lip of excellency Prov. 17.7 so that they shall scatter pearls Mat. 7.6 throw abroad treasure Mat. 12.35 even apples of Gold in shrnes of silver Prov. 25.11 1 Joh. 3.3 they shall purifie themselves as God is pure Old things shall be past with them all things shall become new new constitution new communication new conversation Look how the Conquerour sought to bring the French tongue into England commanding it to be taught in schooles spoke in courts c. so doth the Lord Christ wo rideth about the world upon his white horses the Apostles and other Ministers conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 where-ever he prevails hee turneth to such a pure language even the language of Canaan not the Hebrew tongue as R. Abraham senses this text which all nations shall speak saith he in the kingdome of Christ what they doe in heaven I have not to say some are confident but words of grace Col. 4.6 words of truth and sobernesse Act. 26.25 right words Job 6.2 spiritual speeches Ephes 4.29 Scripture language 1 Pet. 4.11 That they may call upon the name of the Lord As all Gods people doe 't is their character 1 Cor. 1.2 he hath no dumb children they no sooner breath but pray Act. 9.11 for prayers is the breath of the spirit Rom. 8.26 and the fruit of faith hence it is called the prayer of faith and under the phrase of calling upon the name of the Lord here is meant beleeving in his name and reposing upon Christ for safety here and salvation hereafter To seâ—ve him with one consent Heb. with one shoulder that is unanimously and with conjoyned endeavours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A metaphor from oxen yoked setting their shoulders together to the work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
from a blind understanding and carnall affection The Church in its infancy was inticed with shewes and shadowes but now God requires a reasonable service he calls for spirit and truth Verse 4. Yet now be strong O Zerubbabel c. Here he exhorteth all ranks first to good Affection Be strong or of a good courage Secondly to good Action Work or Be doing for affection without action is like Rachel beautifull but barren Charach unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valeo Sept. vertunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be strong so as to prevaile and carry on the service all discouragements notwithstanding Those that will serve God in the maintenance of good causes must be couragious and resolute 1 Cor. 16.13 For otherwise they shall never be able to withstand the opposition that will be made either from carnall reason within or the World and Devill without for want of this spirituall mettle this supernaturall strength this spirit of power of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 4.7 opposed to the spirit of feare that cowardly passion that unmans us and expectorateth and exposeth us to sundry both sins and snares when he that trusteth in the Lord shall be safe Prov. 29.25 Here then that we faulter not budge not betray not the cause of God nor come under his heavie displeasure who equally hateth the timerous and the treacherous let us 1. Be armed with true faith for Fides famem non formidat faith quelleth and killeth distrustfull feare 2. Get the heart fraught with the true feare of God for as one fire so one feare drives out another Mat. 10.28 1 Pet. 3.13 14. 1. Get and keep a clearing chearing conscience for that feareth no colours as we see in St. Paul Athanasius Luther Latimer and other holy Martyrs and Confessours 4. Think on Gods presence as here Be strong and be doing for I am with you Though David walk thorough the vale of the shadow of death that is of death in its most hideous and horrid representations he will not feare For why thou art with me saith He Psal 23.3 4. Dogs and other creatures will fight stoutly in their Masters presence 5. Consider your high and heavenly calling and say Et Turnum fugieutem haec terra videbit Virg. Shall such a man as I fly c Either change thy name or be valiant saith Alexander to a souldier of his that was of his own name but a coward Lastly look up as St. Steven did to the recompence of reward steale a look from glory as Moses Heb. 11.26 help your selves over the difficulty of suffering together with Christ by considering the happinesse of raigning together Thus be of good courage or deale couragiously and God shall be with the good 2 Chro. 19. vlt. as Iehosaphat told his Judges when to go their circuit and work Good affections must end in good actions else they are scarce sound but much to be suspected Num. 23.10 Ruth 1. Good wishes and no more may be found in hels mouth Num. 23. Orphah had good affections but they came to nothing God must be entreated to fix our quick-silver to ballast our lightnesse to work in us both to will and to doe that it may be said of us as of those Corinthians that as there was in them a readinesse to will so there followed the performance also 2 Cor. 8.12 Desire and Zeal are set together 2 Cor. 7.11 desire after the sincere milk and grouth in grace 1 Pet. 2.2 John Baptists hearers so desired after heaven that they offered violence to it Mat. 11. True affections are the breathings of a broken heart Acts 2.37 Rom. 7.23 But the desires of the slothful kill him Prov. 21.25 Virtutem exoptat contabescitque relictâ Good affections are ill bestowed upon the sluggard sith they boyl not up to the full heat and height of resolution for God or Pers at least of execution of his will The sailes of a ship are not ordained that shee should lie alwaies at rode but launch out into the deep God likes not qualmy Christians good by fits as Saul seemed to be when Davids innocency triumphed in his conscience or as Ephraim whose duties were dough-baked and whose goodnesse was as the morning-dew c. Be ye stedfast and unmoveable 1 Cor. 15. 〈◊〉 always abounding in the work of the Lord. Stick not at any part of it difficulty doth but whet on Heroick Spirits as a boule that runs down hill is not slugged but quickened by a rub in the way If this be to be vile I le be yet more vile 1 Sam. 6.22 who art thou O great mountain Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain Zach. 4.7 And hee said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 For I am with you saith the Lord of hosts By a twofold presence 1. Of help and assistance 2. Of love and acceptance Of the first see chap. 1. verse 13. with the note there The second seems here intended The Jews were poore yet God assureth them they had his love So had the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2.9 I know thy poverty but that 's nothing thou art rich rich in reversion rich in bils and bonds yea rich in possession or All is theirs they hold all in capite they have 1. plenty 2. propriety in things of greatest price for they have God All-sufficient for their portion for their protection I am with you saith he and that 's enough that 's able to counterpoise any defect whatsoever as we see in David often but especially at the sack of Ziklag where when he had lost all and his life also was in suspence the Text saith he comforted or encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 whereas Saul in like case goes first to the witch and then to the swords point A godly man if any occasion of discontent befals him retires himselfe into his counting-house and there tells over his spiritual treasure he runs to his cordials he reviews his white stone his new name better then that of sonnes and of daughters Isay 56.5 Rev. 2.17 he hath meat to eat that the world knoweth not of the stranger meddleth not with his joy Virtus lecythos habet in malis Tua praeseutia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit saith a Father Thy presence O Lord made the very gridiron sweet to the martyr Laurence It made the fiery furnace a gallery of pleasure to the three worthies the lions den an house of defence to Daniel the whales belly a lodging-chamber to Jonas Egypt an harbour a sanctuary to the child Jesus c. He goes with his into the fire and water as a tender father goeth with his child to the Surgeon Neverthelesse saith David I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory Again I am with you that
have dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a deceitfull heart to destroy it for the old hatred Ezek. 25.15 17. and 26.2 Therefore I will execute great vengeances upon them with furious rebukes and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall laymy vengeance upon them 2 Sam. 13.39 Joab never pleased David better then when he made intercession for banished Absolom for the soule of king David longed to go forth unto Absolom whom yet he had very just cause to be greatly displeased with God in a heat as it were against Israel offereth Moses a great fortune Exod. 32.10 but would have taken it very ill that Mosâ—s should have taken him at his word He is but a little angry with his people and soon repenteth him of the evill But woe be to those that help forward the indignation that deale by Gods afflicted as the Herd of Deer do which when any of the herd is shot the hest push him out of their company Camden It is said of Q. Elisabeth that she hated ho lesse then did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted vertue forsaken of fortune Think the same of God He weareth his rod to the stumps and then throwes it into the fire He sets his horse-leeches to his people when he findes them sick of a plethory of pride when fulnesse hath bred forgetfulnesse saturity security and suffereth them to suck rill they burst and then treads them under his feet and puts them away as drosse Psal 119.118 119. Verse 16. Psal 42.7 Therefore thus saith the Lord Thus one deep calleth another the lower deep of our misery the higher deep of Gods mercy As Craesus his dumb son burst out into Kill not king Craesus so when enemies are ready to devoure the Church Gods bowels work he can hold no longer but cryes Save my child Handle the yong man gently for my sake See Ier. 31.20 Isa 57.16 I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before me c. when the child swoons in the whipping God let falls the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it againe A Physitian in some cases purgeth his patient till nothing be lest almost but skin and bone or blooddeth him ad deliquium animae till he faint and sink but yet his care is still to maintain nature so this heavenly Father and Physitian is carefull to keep up the spirits of his suffering Saints by comforts and cordials as here I am returned to Ierusalem with mercies Miserationibus visceralibus with multitudes of tender mercies that flow from the inwards from the bowels from the bosom and bottom of the heart had that of a Parent nay of a mother toward her child in an extremity as 1 King 3.26 And here observes how fully and sweetly the Angels prayer verse 12. is answered even ad cardinem desiderij Aug. Confes lib. 5. c. 8. God not only grants him according to his own heart but fulfills all his counsell as it is Psal 20.4 Le ts it be to him even as he will nay gives him an enlarged answer presseth upon him as Naaman did upon Gehezi's two talents when he desired but one How long wilt thou not be mercifull to Jerusalem saith He behold I am returned to Jerusalem with many mercies saith God I went away and hid me from it in my anger Hos 5.15 but am come again with many comforts to relieve it As all light is from the Sun and all waters from the sea so is all comfort from God In thy light shall we see light but Thou diddest hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.7 as when the Sun is eclipsed all creatures here flag and hang the head there is a drooping in the whole frame or nature and as when the extracting force of the Sun leaves the vapours that are drawn up they fall down again to the earth So sares it with the Church If God withdraw she lyes all amort yea she lieth open to all sorts of evils and enemies for her shadow is departed from her But he cannot be long absent such is his love he will repent for his people when he seeth their power is gone Dent. 32.36 when there is a dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose when misery weighs down nothing but mercy turns the scale then at furthest in the very turning and criticall point He will return to Jerusalem with mercies He will return to her not as the winter sun that casts a goodly countenance when it shines but gives little comfort and heat but with a Cornu-copia of all manner of blessings will he come my house shall be built in it saith the Lord of Hosts and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem that is both Church and State shall flourish God will both do good in his good pleasure unto Sion be will also build the walls of Jerusalem Psal 51.18 but mark that he saith in his good pleasure as here in tender mercies to teachus that all the good we enjoy is merely of mercy it is all of free grace for otherwise there should not be so much as any face of Church or common-wealth as we see in the Jewes at this day a miserable dissected people because Lo-ruhamah Hos 1. such as have not obtained mercy Then Ancestours acknowledged with all thankfulnesse for so undeserved a favour that Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto them a very small remnant Isay 1.9 they should have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah Had not the Angels laid hold upon Lots hand and the good Lord been mercifull unto him Gen. 19.16 he also had perished amongst those sinners against their own soules Jehoshua was a brand pluckt out of the fire Zech. 3.2 And when One said to Mr. Bradford the Martyr God hath done much for you since I first knew you and hath wrought wonderously in you to his glory he thus answered Truth it is for He hath dealt favourably with me Act. Mon. 1473. Ezra 9.13 in that he hath not punished me according to my sins but hath suffered me to live that I might seek repentance Thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve saith Ezra And it is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed saith the Church because his compassions faile not Lam. 3.22 Verse 17. Cry yet saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts my cities Here are foure Yets in this one verse and all very gracious ones to break their hard harts and to raise their faith in his promised mercies For it is as if God should say Though I was sore displeased with your Fathers and ye are risen up in their roomes a very rate of rebels so that I have had indignation against you full seventy yeers ver 12. yet I do you to know and by my Propher I proclaime with great earnestness and evidence of truth that I do
spite he beares to such singling them out and sifting them to the bran as he desired to do Peter stirring up unreasonable and wicked men against them as he dealt by Paul when he fought with beasts at Ephesus with breathing divels where ever he came being in deaths often When the viper hung upon his hand Act. 28. the devill doubtlesse thought to have dispatcht him but he was deceived So he is ever when he attempts as an Accuser of the Brethren he is sure to be non-suted and his plea to be cast out of the court by our Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who appears for us as he did here for Jehoshua to put away sin Heb. 9.24 26. and to take away the iniquities of their most holy things standing before the Angel of the Lord i. e. before Christ his best friend and doing his office as an High-Priest Such is Satans malice and impudency saith an Interpreter here to hurt and hinder us most in our best imployments and to accuse the Saints even to their best Friend Christ Jesus He knowes well that as Sampsons strength lay in his hair so doth a Christians strength lie in his holy performonces perfumed and presented by Christ Hence his restlesnesse in seeking to set a difference and to breed bate Hence also as the foules seised upon Abrahams sacrifice and as the Pythonisse interrupted Paul and his company when they were praying and well-doing Act. 16.16 17. so deales he still by Gods best servants and that sometimes so that if after duty they should put that question to their own heart as God did to Satan Vnde venis whence comest thou it would return Satans answer â—â—om compassing the earth and Satan That Adversary the devill as St. Peter calleth him the Accuser of the brethren Rev. 12.9 that trots betwixt heaven and earth as a teaser and makes a trade of it Once this name Satan is applyed to an holy Angel going forth as an adversary to wicked Balaam Satans spelman as One calleth him standing at his right hand why there Because say some the Accusation was as true as vehement and so Satan had the upper hand For Ioshua was cloathed with filthy garments verse 3. and there was cause enough why his own cloaths should abhorr him as Iob hath it chap. 9.31 what his particular sin objected to him by Satan was is hard to say Some will have it to be one thing some another It is plain by Ezra 10.18 the some of his sons and allies had taken strange wives which he might have hindered but that himself had taken a harlot to wite Dialog com Tryphon as Justin Martyr affirmeth is no way likely I should sooner beleeve with Thedoret and Sanchez that the sins here alledged by Satan against Ioshuah and laid to his charge were not so much his own personall sins as the sins of the whole people quodammodo enim totus populus est in sacerdote in sacerdote peccat for the whole people is after a sort in the Priest c. to resist him Heb. To Satan yet against him to do his kind by frustrating his prayers and intercessions for the people by laying his and their sins in his dish and by laying claime to them for his Carried on still by like hellish hatred of God and his people he sins that sin against the holy Ghost every moment As Pliny speaks of the scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting Our comfort is that 1. We have an Advocate with the Father c. and he is the propitiation for our sins the Patron as well as Judge of his Saints 2. that as Satan stands at our right hand to molest us in holy duties so do the holy Angels stand there to withstand him Luke 1.11 whence it was that the Curtains of the Tabernacle were wrought full of Cherubins within and without 3. That if we resist the devill steadfast in the faith and strong in the Lord he will fly from us Iam. 4.7 For this old serpent having his head already bruised and crushed by Christ cannot so easily thrust in his mortall sting unlesse we dally with him and so lay open our selves unto him He shall in vaine strike fire if we deny tinder He may knock at the dore but if we answer him not at the window he cannot get in Verse 2. And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who then shall condemne us who shall lay ought to our chaâ—ge Rom. 8.33.34 35. who shall separate us from the love of Christ Satan may attempt it but can never effect it We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not sc unto death but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself sc in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life Ind 21. 1 Ioh. 5.18 and that Wicked one or that Troubler of the Saints toucheth him not viz. with a deadly touch so as to poyson him and undoe him Christus nobiscum state The Prince of Persia cannot stand before Michael the King of Saints Dan. 10.13 21. the Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord Christ argueth not the case with Satan but cuts him off short with a vehement check and reproof turns him over to his father to give him his due Inhonestum enim est saith Cyrysostom honestam matronam cum meretrice litigare It is not fit for a matrone to scold with a strumpet Admit the accusation wiâ—â— true yet it was maliciously and unreasonably urged Doeg spoke nothing but truth against David and Abimalech yet he heareth What shall be given upto thee or what shall be done unto thee thou salse tongue Sharp arrowes of the mighty that pierce deep wound deadly Psal 120.3 4. with coales of Juniper that shall burn fierce in respect of thy self and sweet in regard of others for men are wondrous well pleased when such ill members are punished even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem He chose her for his loves and now loves her for his choise He loveth her and washeth her with his blood that he may present her to himself holy and without blemish Eph. 5.26 27. The Persian maids were first purified and perfumed before Ahâ—suerus made his choise Esth 2 Not so here A fountain of free grace is opened for sin and for uncleannesse to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem Zach. 13.1 And Uranople or the new Jerusalem hath its foundation garnished with all manner of precious stones Reu. 21. Now the fundation of God standeth sure so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it Satan must know that God hath chosen Ierusalem and will not cast away his people which he foreknew Rom. 11.2 is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire Titio ex
which he not onely casteth but thrusteth into the bottom of the sea whence it cannot be boyed up This Angel might well be Luther with his Book de captivitate Babylonica confer Jer. 51.63 whom God strangely preserved from the rage of Rome and Hell like as he did from that deadly danger by the fall of a stone whereof Mr. Fox writeth thus Acts Mon. Upon a time saith He when Luther was sitting in a certain place upon a stool studying a great stone there was in the Vault over his head where he sate which being staid miraculously so long as he was sitting assoon as hee was up immediately fell upon the place where he sat able to have crusht him in pieces if it had light upon him But no malice of man or devil could antedate his end a minute whilest his Master had work for him to do as the two witnesses could not bee killed till their businesse was dispatched Rev. 11.7 Verse 4. Turk Hist I will smite every horse with astonishment Great is the strength of the horse and the rage of his rider Jehu marched furiously Bajazet the great Turk of his fierce and furious riding was surnamed Gilderun or Lightening But God can make the Egyptians to appear men and not Gods and their horses flesh and not spirit When the Lord shall but stretch out his hand and that 's no hard matter of motion both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they shall all faile together Esay 31.3 See Psal 76.5 6. Psal 33.17 An horse is a vain thing for safety though a warlike creature full of terrour but safety or victory is of the Lord Pro. 21.31 In nothing be terrified saith the Apostle Philip. 1.28 The Greek word is a metaphor from horses when they tremble and are sore affrighted as it fell out in the Philistines army when the Angels made a bustle among the mulbery-trees 2 Sam. 5.24 in the Syrians army when the Angels likewise made an hurry-noise in the ayre of charrets of horses and of a great host 2 King 7.6 in the army of Sennacherib when at Gods sole rebuke both the charret and horse were cast into a dead sleep Psal 76.6 Lastly in the German wars against Zisca and the Hussites in Bohemia where God smot every horse with astonishment and his rider with madnesse Parei Meduè hist Profan pag. 785. such a panick terrour seized upon the enemies of the truth though they came in with three potent armies at once that they sled before ever they looked the enemy in the face How this Prophesie was litterally fulfilled to the Maccabees see 2 Mac. 10.30 and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah who before seemed to wink or to be asleep Now will I awake saith the Lord Now will I arise Isa 33.10 now will I lift up my self for the relief and rescue of my poor people and that because they called them outcasts saying This is Zion whom no man looketh after Ier. 30.17 Verse 5. And the Governours of Judah The Dukes of Chiefetaines meaning the Maccabes who ware not any kingly crown but were only Governours Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commanders in chief such as went before others like as in the Alphabet Aleph is the first letter So Omega nostrorum Mors est Mars Alpha malorum Saith the Poet wittily shall say in their hearts i. e. shall say heartily from the root of the heart and not from the roof of the mouth only Profession of the truth and prayer for so some make this verse to be are not a labour of the lips but a travel of the heart The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which comes from the depth of the brest As in instrument-musick the deeper and hollower the belly of the Lute or Violl is the pleasanter is the sound the sleeter the more grating and haâ—sh in our eares the inhabitants of Iorusalem shall be my strength Though now there be few found in it yet it shall be much repeopled and fortified so that under God it shall be a fortresse to the whole countrey and the Governour shall so take it to be Or thus there is strength to me and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem in the Lord of Hosts their God Every governour shall say so for his own particular And this seemes to me to be the better reading The Maccabes did so as appeared by their posy whereof before their prayers and their singular successe as appeares by their history and by Josephus Deo confisi nunquà m confusi They that trust in God shall never be confounded Our father 's trusted in thee and they were delivered O trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Look not down on the rushing and roaring streames lest ye grow giddy but look up to the heavens from whence comes your help and fasten by faith on Gods power and promises Faith unseined breeds hope unfaileable such as never miscarrieth O trust in him at all times ye people c. Psal 62. for with God is wisdome and strength Iob. 12.13 Plutarch saith of the Scythians that they have neither wine nor musick but they have Gods Say that the Saints have neither power nor pollicy as their enemies yet they have all in God who is more then all Verse 6. In that day will I make the governours c. This is the third similitude whereof the scripture is full according to that I will open my mouth in parables c. These are of excellent use to adorn and explain and yet they are evermore inferiour to the matter in hand They are borrowed from things well known and easy to be conceived as here from an harth of fire among wood Now we can all tell how great a matter or wood a little fire kindleth Iam. 3.5 As when Nero for his pleasures sake set Rome on fire among other stately buildings that were quickly burnt down the Circus or race-yard was one being about half a mile in length of an ovall form with rowes of seats one above another capable of at least an hundred and fifty thousand spectatours without uncivil shoulderings As the fire burneth a wood and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire So persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid with thy storme saith the Church Psal 83.14 15. Thus they pray'd and thus it is here promised and was accordingly performed in those first warrs of the Maccabees as appeareth in the first book of their story Antiq. lib. 12. and in Josephus Diodate and others understand this text of the Apostles and Evangelists who should fill the world with wars and dissentions by preaching the Gospell Luke 12.49 whereby the enemies should be ruinated Hieron Remig. Albert. A Lapide and the church reestablished Obad. 18. thorough the spirit of judgement and of burning Esay 4.4 To which purpose Chrysostome saith
be ' two or three berries in the top of a trce four or five in the outmost branches Gods Elect are so very few that the world shall wonder Esay 8.18 and even hoot to see Christs flock so very little little 1 Kin. 20.27 as our Saviour speakes Luke 12.22 as Israel stood like two little flocks of kids when the Syrians filled the countrey There were but a few names in Sardis and many bad in the best Churches as at Philippi Chap. 3.18 Christ wondered at one good Nath. nacl as rara avis in terris and when he comes shall he find faith How many think you shall be saved in this City saith Chrysostom in his fourth sermon to the people at Antioch It will be a hard speech to you but I will speak it Though there be so many thousands yet there cannot be sound an hundred that shall be saved And I doubt of them too c. And again in his third Sermon upon the Acts he breaks out into this speech Non arbitror inter sacerdores multos esse qui sà lvi siant I do not think that there are many no not among the Ministery that can be saved sith many are called but few are chosen like as all the people were called together by Samuel but Saul only was chosen king Only the called according to purpose are elected and shall be glorisied Rom. 8.28 29. Christ at last day will do as Joshuah did to find out who had stolen the Babylonish garment there were many brought together and all to finde out one So all shall then appeare out of them a small number deducted that have heard of Christ Josh 7. Out of them those that have professed him and out of them those that have professed him in sincerity and these will be Mithe mispar a small few indeed They are as a fold in a wide field as a garden in a wild wast Juvenal P. de exculp Hence they are called pearls which are but few to the number of pibbles Jewels which are but little to the lumber strangers that are nothing so many as home-dwellers sons of God and of the bloud royal and of such there are but a few to common subjects Rari quippe boui saith the Poet. And Pauci sunt qui Philosophantur saith UIpian the Lawyer c. Verse 9. And I will bring the third part through the fire Few they were but not faultlesse they must therefore thorow the fire that there they may leave their dreggs and drosse behind them For Quod ignis cst auro lima ferro ventilabrum truico lixivium paâ—no sal carni hoc tribulatio est viro usto saith Corn. a Lapide upon this Text that is what the fire is to the gold the file to iron the fanne to wheat the sope to clothes the salt to flesh that is tribulation sanctified to a righteous man God is said to have his fire in Zion and his surnace in Jerusalem Esay 31.9 to carry his thorow fire and thorow water Psal 66.12 from above to send fire into their bones Lam. 1.13 to put them to the fiery tryall 1 Pet. 4.12 yea he himself is a Refiners fire unto them and Fullers sope Mal. 3.2 see the Note there He knowes them to be right gold which will endure the seventh fire Alchymy gold will not so and therefore he puts them to 't that the tryall of their faith being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth though tryed in the fire may be found to praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1.7 himself mean-while goeth with them into the fire and pulleth them out as a brand Zech. 3. Non sic impij Psal 1. not so the ungodly True it is the tryall of their works also shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 Deut. 32.3 and they shall give an account one day with all the world on a light flame about their ears 2 Pet. 3.12 Then shall they find that the law they are judged by is a fiery law the tribunall is of fire Ezek. 1.27 the Judge a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his attendants Seraphims that is flaming creatures Heb. 1.7 his pleading with sinners in fire of flame 2 Thess 1.7 the place of punishment a lakeof fire fed with a river of brimstone Isa 30.33 a formidable fire it is fed with tormenting temper and kindled by Gods own breath instead of bellows Bellarmine is of opinion that one glimpse of this fearfull fire were enough to make a man not only turn Christian and sober but Anchoret and Monk and to live after the strictest order that can be Pope Clement the fifth upon the death of a Nephew of his and one of his Catamites sent his Chaplaine to a Conjurer Jac. Ren. de vit Pont. 159. to enquire how it fared with him in the other world The Conjurer shewed him to the Chaplaine lying in a bed of fire in hell This news so affected the wretched Pope that he never held up his head but Nabal-like died within a few dayes after it But oh what a dreadfull shreek gave his guilty soul to see it self lanching into an infinite Ocean of scalding lead and to think that it must swim naked therein for ever and will refine them as silver is resined This is all the hurt he doth them by the fire he hides pride from them Job 33.19 c. and divides betwixt the sinne which he hates and the sonne whom he loves For by this the iniquity of Jacob shall be purged and this is all the fruit the taking away of their sinne which they may very well spare Esay 27.9 and never hurt themselves Surely as one poison is antidotary to another so is affliction to sinne when sanctified it is no more penall but medicinall not a curse but a cure As oil of scorpions is good against the biting of scorpions As the wine wherein a viper hath been drowned cureth a leprosie As the juyce of hemlock a deadly plant heals hot corroding ulcers and asswageth the inflammation of the eyes Or as Rhubarb though full of choler doth mightily purge choler Moses neglected to circumcise his child as we do our hearts it is such a bloody work till God met him and would have killed him David could never see the benesit of affliction till God by those sharp waters had cleared up his eye-sight Geheza's leprosie cured him his white forehead made him have a whiter soul Surely as the fining-pot is for silver and the furnace for gold so is affliction to the soul Corrections of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 But he that refuseth correction despiseth his own soul Pro. 15 32. Winds and thunder clear the air whereof they are the beesoms saith Ruperius so do crosses the soul â—f the outward man decay the inward is thereby renewed and the winter of the one 2 Cor. 4.16 is the spring of the other As the viper when he is lashed casteth
must not be written on any parchment but what is made of the skin of a clean beast nor read but in a clean place No man must touch it but with the right hand and not without a kisse of reverence they usually carry it in procession about their synagogue with many ornaments of crowns and scepters the children kissing it as it passeth by them No man must sit in the presence of it nor so much as spet before it c. Whereas the Gospel of grace they utterlly reject and abominate as a Volume of vanity That Italian Translation that they had of the New Testament is called in and taken from them Evangelâ—â—â— Aven gelaion Eliah in Thesh Rad gillaion Buxâ—orf syneâ— cap. 1 p. 4. for their horrible abuse of it this being still the twelfth Article of their Creed I believe with a perfect faith that the Messiah is yet to come No marvell if the Apestle would not have us ignorant that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel Rom. 11.23 That lesser part or rather particle of them that are proselyted to our religion they pretend that they are none other then poor Christians hired to personate their part Voyage into Levant And yet they give compleat dispensation to counterfeit Christianity even to the degree of Priesthood In the day of their expiation their Rabbi doth absolve them from all their perjuries and deceits used against Christians He also assures them that they are not bound to keep any oath but what is sworn upon their own Torah or Law of Moses brought out of their Synagogue Weemse to the reading whereof they depute one third part of their day and wherein they are generally so expert that they have it as ready as their own names The mischief of it is Facilius quâ—â— nomen soum recitat Joseph Cont Appion lib. 2. that they are too much affixt to it and will needsly be saved by it which the Law cannot do for them as being weak through the flesh Rom 8 3. The Law is a yoke of bondage as Hierome calleth it and they who look for righteousnesse from thence are like oxen who coil and draw and when they have done their labour are fitted for slaughter Luther fitly calleth such drudges the devils Martyrs they suffer much and take much pains to go to hell And in another place he saith Qui scit inter Logem Evangelium disting siere gratiâ—â— agat Dto sciat se esse Theologum He that can rightly distinguish between Law and Gospel hath cause to praise God and may well passe for a Divine Moses my servant A farre higher title then Sonne of Pharaohs daughter for this was to be Pharaohs God Exod. 7.1 and higher then the kings of the earch Psal 89.27 No marvell though Moses so esteemed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Nâ—â—â—t king of Romans an Heathen did and Augustus the Emperouâ— câ—â—igratius fuit 〈◊〉 pietatis quam potestatis saith Tertultian he preserred prety before Monarchy so did those three succeeding Emperours Câ—â—stantine 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who called themselves Vassallos Christi the vassals of Christ as 〈◊〉 reporteth It was noted as a great both presage and desert of Dâ—â—ins his ruine when in his proud Embassie to Alexanaer he called himself the King of kings and Cousin of the gods but for Alexander he called him his servant That was worse in John Oneal father to the Earl of Tirone that rebell Anno 1398 who blasphemously inscribed himself in all places 1 great John Oneal Cousin to Christ friend to the Queen of England and foe to all the world c. Camd Eliz. 2 Pet. 2 What big bâ—bbles of words were these as Peter calls them His pretended Successour stileth himself the servant of Gods servants and one day in the yeer in an apish imitation of our Savtour washeth certain mens feet But he acteth as Dominâ—s â—â—gnorum munâ—i which is one of the Devils titles and can endure to be called by his Parasites Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope Moses held it honour enough to be the servant of the Lord and yet he was Vir Dâ—o longe acceptissimus quo 〈◊〉 habuit antiqua aetas mitius sapientius sanctius highly accepted in heaven and the most meek wise and holy man that Antiquity ever had or mentioned as Bellarmine himself acknowledgeth which I commanded him in Horeb Moses then was not the Law-maker as Solon Lycurgus Zaleucus c. but onely Gods Minister to utter what he would have him deliver or at utmost a Mediatour Gol. 3.19 not of expiation for so Christ onely but of communication of the Law to all Israel Exod. 20.19 wherein he was faithfull in all Gods house as a servant Hob. 3.5 Famulus inginuus a servant of the better sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of worship as the word there seemeth to import The place where Moses received the Law is mentioned Horeb the same with Sinai Act. 7.30 Exod. 19.1 18. to inmind them of the terrour of the Lord on that mountaine when God came down upon it with ten thousand of his Saints Deut. 33.2 from his right hand went a fiery law for them Heb. a fire of law And surely that fire wherein the law was given and shall one day be required is in it still and will never out Hence are those terrours which it flashth in every conscience that hath felt remorse of sinne Every mans heart is an Horeb and resembleth to him both heaven and hell The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15. to all Israel And it is reckoned as a singular priviledge to that people Neh. 9.14 Rom. 9.4 Prospers conceit was that Judaei were so called because they received Jus Dei the Law of God Josephus calleth their Common-wealth a Theocratie or God-government That of Philo is not so solid that their law was given in a wildernesse because it is to be learned in a wildernesse seeing there we cannot be hindered by the multitude But what a wretched conceit is that of the Jews at this day that the law of Nature shall bring to heaven those that observe it but the Hebrews unto whom the Law of Moses was peculiarly given by keeping it shall have a prerogative of glory How shall the Lion of the tribe of Judah roar upon them at that day and say Do not think that I will accuse you there is one that accuseth you Joh. 5.45 even Moses in whom ye trust Get you to him whom ye have chosen but cold comfort ye are like to have from him a very froward generation he ever found you children in whom is no faith Deut. 33.20 with the statutes and judgements that is with the Ceremoniall and Judiciall Law But what meant that false Rabbin to adde to this Text these following words Quamdiù non venit dies juâ—icy R. David Till the day of judgement comes as if men were bound till
weeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my neck behind me c. I would sling my mother to the ground run over my sacher and tread him under my feet thereby to run to Christ when he calls me Hierome c. For a counter-poison consider is there any friend to God or any foe to him Did not Eli pay dear for displeasing the Lord to please his children a 1 Sam. 2.29 See the story of Rebezies the Prench martyr Act. Mon f 842. and had it not like to have cost Moses his life for forbearing to circumcise one child as he had done another for angring his wife b Exod. 4.24 Tell me not here â—shall be mockt and hooted at if I refuse to be fashionable why what of that if a lame man laugh at thine upright walking wilt thou therefore halt * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. Plato if dogs bark and bounce at the Moon shall she therefore hide her head and cease to shine any longer c En peragit cursus-surda Diana suos David becam the drunkards song and a by-word among the sons of Belial who came round about him making mouths and mowes d Ps 35.15 16 was he ever a whit the worse man for that Did not Paul hear Pest e Act. 24.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a botch Elisha baldpate f 2 King 2.23 Ascend thou bald-pate as Eliah did before thee Sarcasticè our Saviour himself Conjurer ob traitour mad-man So true is that of Chrysostome sol Mad sinners censure all for mad that come short of themselves in madnesse g Inter insanos insanus videtur quisquis non insanit A very Philosopher could pitty those that set him at naught and count it his honour and happinesse to be despised by the many h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Seneca's enemies could not faster learn to raile then he to neglect i didicit ille maledicere ego contennere 3 Deny your selves further in your liberties * I am in phson till I am in prison said Sincere Saunders Act. Mon. p. 1358. 1 King 22 26 27. with Michaiah who would not biasse for any mans pleasure nor voice with the rest of Ahabs parasiticall Prophets though he were sure to kiss the stocks for his stiffnesse and there to be fed with hard-meat till the kings return in peace Deny your selves astly in your lives if call'd unto it What cared the three children for Nebuchadnezzars wrath burning seven times hotter then his furnace k Dan 3.16.19 I occidere potes lsdere non potest Patus de Nerone apud Dion Cass kill them he might possibly * Mihi vita eripi porest at non consessio verit atis Basil burt them he could not l Mat. 16.24 abdicat semetipsum perinde habet atque si nihil adse pertineret Beza and that made them so resolute For he that truly feares God and thinks upon his name dreads no danger * Hie est ille Farellius qui nullis difficultaibus fractus ruallis minis convitiis verberibus denique inflictis territus c. Melchior Ad. in vit p. 115. feares no colours denyes himself utterly m takes Christs crosse upon his shoulders a fagot in his armes and his life in his hand n 1 Sam. 19.5 and so resolves to follow Christ thorough thick and thin thorough fire and water poison and sword or any thing else that stands in his way * Thirdly blow up thy smaller spark into a flame of zeal which is an extream heat of all the affections love joy defire indignation detestation and the rest This as it will make us come off more roundly in Gods hardest or hottest services fervent in spirit serving the Lord o Rom. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boyling It is said of Baruch in repaiâ—ing the wall of Jerusalem he repaired earnestly or as some read it So accendit he fired himself from others chilness and so simshed his portion in a thorter time saith the Apostle so it will kindle it self from others coldnesse sharpen it self from others dulnesse quicken it self from others slownesse and heavinesse to duty like as the cold of the air makes in us our naturall heat the stronger and as water causeth the fire in the forge to flame the faster See an instance of this in David My zeal saith he hath consumed me because thine enemies hath forgotten thy p Psal 119.139 word Lo his anger so burnt against the sinners of his time that it eat him up q Psal 69 9. yea it inflamed his very hatred So far was he from running along with them that he abhorred them in his heart for do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies r Psal 139.21 22. Verse 20. Quoed Sol eodemi inere meabit quo nâ—nc meat eoúsque nunquam socieratem cam Xerxe coibimus I acedaem ap Plut. David knew well that patience in Gods cause and in case of his offence was but blockishnesse moderation mopishnesse connivence cowardize and that madnesse here was better then meeknesse which made him hate such wicked ones as spoke against God and took his Name in vain with perfection of hatred and not make dainty upon any politique respect to cast down the gauntlet of defiance to the faces of them as his utter enemies Now the blessing of God light on that Good heart that hath a stomack as David and the good people in the Text had against God dishonour But 't is a fearfull thing and a sore signe of a spirituall declension when Christians can comport with Gods enemies and disgest their oaths and other outrages with as much ease as the Ostrich doth the hardest iron The angel of Ephesus could not abide them that were evil nor away with those counterfeits that called themselves Aâ—ostles and were none Å¿ Rev. 2.2 and is highly commended for it though otherwise none of the forwardest t Vers 4. Avaritiae nomine taxari videtur bonus alioqui Episcopus Pareus Si fuit Timothcus uâ— quidam centendunt c. ib. ver 1. When the contentious Corinthians heard carnall for comming so near and looking so like the wicked that they could hardly be distinguished Are ye not carnalâ— and walk as men u 1 Cor. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A foul fault in a Christian Lastly Think sadly and seriously upon thine hâ—â—h and heavenly calling w Heb. 3.1 and labour to walk as 〈…〉 Apostle often exhorts x Ephes 4.1 Colos 1.10 1 Thess 2.12 And know that God will 〈…〉 from others which he will not abide in his own y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every calâ—ing hath a Decorum a seemlinesse a suitablenesse appertaining to it A Gentleman hath another manner of behaviour then a scullion a Courtier
for the attaining thereunto in a diligent use of the means These are among others First Means of getting the fear of God set on serious meditation and first upon your selves Reflect and see 1. your own miserable condition by reason of sin imputed to you sin inherent in you and sin issuing from you together with the deserved punishment all torments here and tortures hereafter which are but the just hire of the least sin f Rom. 6. ult 2. Your utter inability to free your selves either from sin or punishment From the former you can no more free your selves then the blackmore from his skin or the leopard from his spots g Ier. 13 23 And for the later there 's no power wit or any other meanes in our selves or the creature either to abide or avoyd it This meditation made Peters converts cry out for fear Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved h Act. 2 3â— Next busy your thoughts upon God be thinking upon his name with those in the text See him as he stands described 1. in his word 2. in his works The word sets out God for our present purpose 1. as a God of transcendent excellency and surprissing glory and thence inferrs a necessity of his fear Who would not fear thee O king of Nations i Ier. 10 7 c. saith Ieremy And thou art more glorâ—ous and excellent than the mountains of prey that is then the flourishing Assyrians with all their goodly Monarchy therefore as a consectary â—ring presents unto him that ought to be seared k Psa 76.4 11 2. As omnipresent and omniscient one that beholdeth and taketh knowledge of all we doe as much as of any thing in his own heart for all things consists in him l Collos 1.17 And the wayes of a man are before the Lord he ponderâ—th all his paths m Prov. 5 21 And will ye not tremble at my presence saith the Lord n Ier. 5.24 Ioseph did and so kept himself untouchâ— and Iob did and so frighted his conscience from sin by this wholesome consideration o Iob 31 1 2. 3. As armed with infinite power and might to reward us if we fear him and to punish us if we neglect him Shall servants â—ear their masters because the have power over the sleâ—h p Colos 3 23. and shall not we â—ear him that is aâ—le to cast body and sonle to hell q â—at 10 29. No man will puâ— his hand into a fiery crucible to setch gold 〈◊〉 because he knowes it will be râ—e hiâ—â— did we as truly beleeve and fâ—ar the fire of hell c. 4. As infinitely just and singularly carefull to punish sin where ever he finds it be it in the â—earest of his own nay in his onely son who being maâ—e sin for us r 2 Cor. 5.21 and found in the shape and stead of sinfull fleâ—h Å¿ 3 〈◊〉 8 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Liturg. Graec. was made to undergo those dolorous and â—â—concerveable sorrowes that drew clotted blood t Lue. 22.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his body and were joyn'd with a temporary desertion to his soule yet the very pâ—â—es of hell which he selâ—â—or a season u Ps 22.1 c. Who would not therefore fear before this just and impartial God See that sweet song of the triumphant saints that had overcome the beast by the blood of the lamb Iust and true a e thy wayes c. who shall not feâ—r thee O Lord and gloâ—ifie thy name w Rev. 15 4 c. 5. As abundantly and unâ—peakeably kind and loving to us in Christ This property in God throughly thought upon will inflame our hearts with his love and so make us fearfull to displease him as the dutifull spouse her loving husband or the gratious child his indulgent father This is to fear God and his goodnesse x Hos 3 5 to fear God through delight in his wâ—es y Psal 112.1 to reioyce in fear z Psal 2 11 and therefore to fear to offend him with hope because there is mercy with hâ—m a Psal 130.4 as the psalmist hath it Thus meditate on the attributes of God set forth in the word In the world next you may see God in his workes And first those standing miracles the hanging of the earth upon nothing b Iob 26.7 the bounding of sea that it cannot transgresse his word c Ier. 5.24 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth He gâ—thereth the waters of the sea together as a heâ—p he laveth up the depth in storehouseâ— Let all the earth seâ—â— the Lâ—â—d let all the 〈…〉 of the world stand inâ—awe of him For he spake and it was done he commâ—nded and iâ— stood fast d Psal 33 6 7 8 9 c. Secondly turne your eyes and thoughts upon the judgments of God and first particular executed upon others for our warning and learning The righteous hall see this and fear e Psal 52.6 as David speakes and as Dâ—vâ—d did too as himself testifieth my stâ— harembleth for fear of thee and I am aâ—â—aid of thâ— udg ments f Psl 119 120 When one child is whipt in a schoole the rest will tremble so it should be with us when we see others pun shed which because 〈◊〉 did not g Dan. 5 21 22.27 Dâ—scite justâ—iâ— am monai non temnere c. Pâ—ndit Herodotus suo temnore conspâ—ctam esse in Aegvpto statuam Sâ—na heribâ— cum hac insâ—â—ptinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when his father was turn'd a grasing therefore was he found too light in the ballance and his kingdome given to his neighbour that was better then he 2. Premeditate upon the generall judgment and the unconceivable terrour of that dreadfull day when the heavens shall passe awâ—â— with a greâ—â—nose â—nd the elâ—ments shall mslt with fervent heaâ—â— the earth also and thâ— workes thâ—t are theâ—ein â—halâ— burnt up h 2 pet 3 10 Faelix though a pagan trembled at Pâ—â—ls discourse of this great day i Act 24 25 The devils when they think of it shake and shadder the joynts of their loines are loosed with Belhizzar and their knees smite one against another k Dan 5.6 And can any man think seriously of this last judgment and not be moved with fear Fear God saith Solomon and as a help hereunto consider that God will bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill l Eccles 12.14 And this is the first meanes of getting Gods holy fear viz. Meditation The second is like unto it and that is faithfull and fervent prayer to the father of lights m Jam. 1.17 for it is a supernaturall gift to fear God as a father Thus David goes to God for this gift Vnite my heart which of
the spirit x Rom 8.27 so of the flesh too though it never put forth it self in the outward man that he sets our secret sinnes also in the sight of his countenance y Psal 90.8 and will not fail to bring every secret thing to judgement z Eccles 12. ult even all their Atheisticall vainglorious covetous ambitious adulterous malicious thoughts and projects against the Lord and his Christ his crown and dignity And that none may be ignorant he makes Proclamation thereof as it were in open Sessions by the voice of his holy Prophet with a solemn Oyes Hear O earth behold I will bring evill upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts a Jer. 6.19 Where ye have to observe that the heavy wrath and vengeance of Almighty God is both the just desert and certain event of evil thoughts and count you that a small matter Is it nothing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God b Heb. 10.31 Is there not a fire kindled in his wrath even for some one root of bitternesse that is inward distemper and mentall abomination harboured and allowed that burns as low as the nether-most hell c Deut. 32.22 SECT V. Against thoughts of Atheisme Blasphemy Infidelity and Rebellion BUT in the third place most of all to be condemned of want of Gods holy fear are such as not onely not think of God or not duely think of him but unto all other their sinnes adde this that they think thoughts against him directly opposite to his Name Devise things contrary to the Name of Jesus d Acts 26.9 taking up high and haughty imaginations such as exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and obedience of Christ e 2 Cor. 10.4,5 And of this sort of sinners is that heavy complaint made by God himself in the Prophet Hosea Though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me though I have bound and strengthened their arms yet do they imagine mischief against me f Hos 7.13 15 Hitherto may be referred 1. Thoughts of Atheisme as to think there is no such thing as God or if any yet that hee seeth not careth not doth neither good nor evil g Zech. 1.12 Deos didici securum agere aevum Nec siquid miri faciat Natura Deos id Tristes ex alto coeli demittere tecto Horat. serm walks in the circle of heaven and hides himself in the thick cloud h Job 22.13 without any respect at all to this inferiour world 2. Thoughts of blasphemy as to murmur grudge and speak against him in our hearts and secretly to mock at his mighty works his powerfull ordinances i 1 Cor. 1.23 the promise of his coming c. 3. Thoughts of infidelity and despair as that God doth not heed me will not help me l Gen 4.13 save me make good his word unto me c. This is to make God a lier m 1 Ioh. 5.10 Cum Leoni X. Papae Bembus Card. aliquid ex Evangelio obijceret subridens ille dixit Nunquid non compertum abunde fuit quantum nobis coetui nostro contuler it haec de Christo fabula Alsted Chronol p. 398 saith St. John and upon the matter to averre and avouch that there is no such thing as Christ or at leastwise no such vertue and efficacy in his death and life k 2 Pet. 3.4 as to save all those that repose upon him 4. Thoughts of high-treason and open rebellion against heaven as when men rise up against God in their hearts as the horse against his rider thinking within themselves though they shame to say as much Who is the Lord that wee should serve him o Exod. 5.2 Who made thee a Prince or a Ruler over us p Act. 7.27 Our lips are our own who shall controll us q Psal 12.4 The word that is spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not do No but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth r Ier. 44.16 17 say the Prophets and Preachers what they can to the contrary Against all which detestable and damnable Atheists yokelesse and frontlesse Belialists Behold the Lord cometh saith that ancient Enoch with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and by vidicating his glorious Name from their base surmises and blasphemous aspersions to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which upon such false and abhorred principles they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have out of the abundance of their hellish hearts spoken against him ſ Iude 14.15 Where wee leave them for present to chew awhile upon that fearfull doom that abides them till we hear of their amendment and hasten to a second Use SECT VI. Use 2. Examination Where trialls of the goodnesse of our best thoughts by their 1. cause 2. effects IS this so that the thoughts of the righteous are right t Prov. 12.5 and that wheresoever the true fear of God is there are great thoughts of heart u Iudg. 5.15 concerning God and his Name This then serves next for an Use of Triall And so let every man learn hence to take a true estimate to make a right judgement of his spirituall good estate by the quality of his thoughts For ever as the man is such are his thoughts and as the thoughts are habitually and ordinarily good or evil so is the man Purity in the inward parts is the most sound and infallible evidence of our portion and interest in the power and purity of Christs saving passion and sancifying bloodshed Whereas if our speeches and actions be never so Angelicall yet if the thoughts of our hearts be not forgiven us x Acts 8.22 Verse 23. Quum reproborum mentibus occasto perpetrandi peccati deest desideriorum cogitationes eorū cordibus nullatenùs desunt quum non semper diabolum sequuntur in opere valdè tamen se illi obligant in cogitatione Greg. Moral lib. 14. and we enabled to keep them in some good compasse by the spur of the first and curb of the last commandement we are in no better case then Simon Magus was who for all his fair pretences stuck fast still in the gall of bitternesse and bond of perdition A civil honest man a painted hypocrite a gracelesse and wicked persn dare insatiably mind and muse upon those foul evils which for want either of ability or opportunity or both he cannot act Now such a man as this though his outward behaviour be never so fair and unrebukeable yet the Scripture every where brands for a sonne of Belial one that hath nothing of the spirit of God in him y 2 Cor. 10.5 but is filled with the devil that foul spirit from corner to corner z Act 5.3 4 a man not washed from his wickednesse a Jer. 4.14
he is above them 2 Pet. 3 9. Exod. 18.11 He hath an eye to follow them a goard to look to them and a goaler to bring them forth whensoever he shall call for them In case they should make escape as they cannot he hath armies above them armies below them armies about them armies upon them yea armies within them to bring them back to execution For a wicked person is not safe from his own tongue to peach him from his own hands to dispatch him from his own phantasy to disquiet him from his own conscience to affright him from his own friends to betray him from his own beasts to gore him from his own fire to burn him from his own house to brain him Thus it is with him whiles at home as if he look abroad to every creature he meets he may say as Ahab once said to the Prophet Hast thou found me O mine enemy For as every good souldier will fight for his Generall and as a Noble-mans servants will soon draw if their Lord be set upon so there is not a creature in all the world that is not ready prest to fight Gods battles and revenge his quarrell upon an ungodly person Gen 4.14 What Cain sometimes said he hath good cause to take up and second Job 18.15 Every thing that findeth me shall slay me Brimstone is strawed upn the house of the wicked saith Iob so that if the fire of Gods wrath do but lightly touch upon it Job 9 5 Eccles 6.13 Necesse est ut eum omnibus doctâ—orem agnoscam qui triginta habet legiones Phavorm de Adriano â—mp apud Spartian they are suddenly consumed they walk all day long upon a mine of Gunpowder either by force or stratageme they are sure to be surprised Had Zimri peace that slew his master Hath ever any waxed fierce against God and prospered Oh that these gracelesse men would once learn to meddle with their match and according to the wise-mans counsell beware of contending with one that is mightier then they this Lord of Hosts I mean the Lord mighty in battle Psal 24.8 this man of warr as Moses calls him whose name is Jehovah sabaoth before whose dreadfull presence and unresistible puissance they are no more able to stand then is a glasse-bottle before a cannon-shot SECT IIII. Tremble before this mighty Lord of Hosts THirdly Use 3 Is he the Lord of Hosts with whom we have to deal be we all hence exhorted and excited to the pracise of divers duties And first to tremble before this mighty God who having so many millions at his beck and obedience can with as much ease and in as little time undo us as bid it be done So Caesar once threatened Metellus in a bravado but so God only and easily can do indeed to such as set against him If the breath of God blow men to destruction Iob 4.9 for we are but dust-heaps if he can frown us to death with the rebuke of his countenance Psal 80.16 what is the waight of his hand that mighty hand as James calls it wherewith he spans the heavens Jam 4 1â— Isay 40.22 and weigheth the earth in a ballance He sits upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants are as grashoppers he shakes them out of it at pleasure as it were by a canvass or as out of ones lap so much the Hebrew word imports Iob 38.13 Who would not therefore fear thee O King of Nations Jer. 10.6 7 Mat 22.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to thee doth it appertain forasmuch as thowart great and thy Name is great in might Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars saith Christ and unto God the things that are Gods Where it is remarkable that the Article in the Originall is twice repeated when he speaks of God more then when he speaks of Caesar to shew saith a Divine that our speciall care should be to give God his due Now shall we fâ—ar to break the penall lawes of a King Prov. 19 12 Prov. 16.14 Prov. 20.2 because his wrath is as the roaring of a lion and as the messengers of death so that whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul And shall we not fear this King of Nations who hath Armies of creatures to do us to death and after that legions of devils to torment us in hell shall we fear fire water lions leopards bulls bears and other common souldiers yea the wrath of a fool because it is heavier then the sand of the sea Prov. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 10.28 Philip. 3. ult 27.3 4. An shall we not fear the great Emperour of all these that hath them all at his beck and obeisance These may kill us but they cannot hurt us as he once told the tyrant destroy they may the body but neither keep the good soul from heavents nor the body from a glorious resurrection But God can do all this yea more then this and shall we not fear his heavy displeasure Especially since according to his fear so is his wrath Psal 90.11 That is according to some as any one doth more or less fear Gods indignation in the same degree and measure shal the feel it as he trembles at it he shall tast of it Or as others and perhaps better Let a man stand in never so great awe of thy wrath yet his fear shall not prove proportionall or ever be able to match it he shall never fear thee so much as thy wrath amounts to let him fear his utmost For there is a fire kindled in his anger and it burns unto the lowest hell Deut. 32.22 Now Bellarmine is of opinion that one glimps of hell were enough to make a man not only turn Christian and sober but Anchorite and Monke to live after the strictest rule that can be I conclude with the Apostle Wherefore let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. SECT V. Trust in his power for fulfilling his promises SEcondly is He the Lord of Hosts This should teach us to rest confidently upon his power for the fulfilling of his promises For what should hinder First God is not as Man that he should lie he payes not what he hath promised Plutarch as Sirtorius is said to do with fair words Secondly hee is not off and on with us he doth not say and unsay Mal. 3. he is Jehovah that changeth not Thirdly he is the Lord of Hosts and cannot be resisted or interrupted in his course Nature may be and was when the fire burnt not the water drown'd not the Lions devoured not c. Men may be withstood though never so mighty as the potent Prince of Persia was Daniel 10.20 And as Asa was who although he brought five hundred thousand men into the field yet was he encountred and overmatcht by an Army of a thousand thousand and upward
the walls of Jericho But what matter is it how unlikely the means are if in the hands of Omnipotency An Ox-goad in the hand of a Shamgar an Asse-bone in the hand of a Sampson may do much so here The Devil must needs down if God once send forth his Pauls to open mens eyes to turn them from darknesse to light Acts 26.18 and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in Christ Oh Obj but the Devil tells me I shall never inherit for I am not sanctified by faith Settle that first be sure by sound and infallible evidences Sol. See that thy faith and other graces be of the right stamp effectuall faith laborious love patient hope c. 1 Thes 1.3 and then sing a Requiem to thy self as Luther once did after a grievous conflict the Psalm De profundis Joh Manly loc com in contemptum Diaboli in defiance to the Devil Onely be advised not to pore over-much upon thy sanctification which in the best is unperfect but to take comfort of thy Justification which is compleat and absolute In confident consideration whereof St. Paul triumphantly cries out Rom. 8.33 34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen so long as it is God that justifieth Or as Austin reads it Shall God that justifies us Who is he that condemneth Do Angels No they rejoyce in our conversion and call us their fellow-servants But who then Do the insensible or unreasonable creatures They in their kind are in covenant with us Hos 2.18 and in earnest expectation groan nay travell together with us waiting and as it were lying bed-ridden the while for our full manifestation â—â—en the redemption of our bodies Rom. 8.19 c. But who is it then Do our own hearts condemn us No neither if not bemisted and abused by Satan for being justified by faith we have so farre peace with God that we glory in tribulation by the confident intergatory of a good conscience toward God Rom. 5.1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Joh. 3.20 But say our own hearts do wrongfully accuse us yet God is greater then our hearts as well for good as for evil to do us right notwithstanding a misgiving or misguided heart of our own But say then who is he that condemneth us Is it the Devil and his wicked imps Let them do their worst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 12. He is indeed the accuser of the brethren but Christ our Advocate is ever ready to non-suit and cast out all his accusations The Spirit also is in direct and full opposition to this Accuser called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter or Pleader for us Yea what apology or clearing of your selves Rev. 12.10 pleading our evidences to our spirits and helping us upon true repentance to make apology for our selves 2 Cor. 7.11 such as God admits of and accepts As for that old Serpent the Accuser of the brethren he is cast down already and all his limbs shall bee cast after him ere long into the burning lake In the mean while what cares the prisoner at the barre though the gaoler and his fellow-prisoners passe sentence of death upon him in the gaole so long as the Judge acquits him from the bench And as little need any servant of the Lord of Hosts stand upon the censurs of earth and hell so long as God thinks well of him and all the Hosts of God combine for his comfort Oh Obj but I have hosts within me that do me all the despite and displeasure The flesh lusteth against the spirit and other-whiles gets the better of it Besides there be bands of fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 which like armed souldiers lie billetted in my bosome and ever and anon fight against my soul Yet bee of good comfort the spirit also lusteth against the flesh so that thou canst not do what thou naturally wouldest Sol. Gal. 5.17 thy new nature will not suffer thee as Paul would have gone to a certain place but the Spirit forbade him As for thy lusts be they never so lordly God can easily cut the combes nay the throats of them and let out their life-blood My Father is stronger then all and None can take you out of his hands The weak brother shall be holden up amidst a world of scandals without Joh. 10 Rom. 14.4 and staggerings within for God is able to make him stand He can preserve a fire alive upon the face of the Ocean a spark of the spirit amidst a world of wickednesse within He can cause weak and worthlesse grashoppers to become a great nation Ioel 1.6 a mighty people chap. 2.2 a huge army ib. Esay 30.22 Psal 19.5 He can make the house of Israel pollute the idols which they had once perfumed with incense and to say to their familiar devils get thee hence He can stop or strike back the course of the Sun though it rejoyce as a strong man to run his race Naturally and freely it giveth light but he can turn it into darknesse and blood The mountains of themselves are ponderous and pressing yet at Gods command they skip like lambs Think the same of our dull and undutiful hearts God can quickly oyl them and nimble them drawing us by his free spirit so as we shall run after him as a baldder of it self is a heavy substance and unapt for motion but being filled with winde it will scarce ' bide in a place So we being filled with the holy Ghost shall finde our feet as hinds feet upon the everlasting mountains no longer shackled by corruption Psal 119. but at very good liberty to run the wayes of Gods commandments It s most sure we are not strained at all in God but in our own bowels He is both able and ready both to cover and cure our sins and sicknesses In the dayes of his flesh he offered himself to his patients and was found of them that sought him not He heal'd them also of diseases hereditary and such as all the Physitians in the countrey might have cast their caps at Now he hath lost nothing by heaven you may be sure neither of his will nor skill to do the same cures upon mens souls as once he did upon their bodies nay he cured their bodies onely in reference to their souls and still hangs out his table of cures Math. 8.17.18 to draw custome Rev. 3.18 Lo thus we have searched and so it is Hear it and know it for thy good Iob. 5.27 CHAP. II. The Lord will finde a fit time to make up his jewels from the worlds misusages And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels Doct GOd is the Lord of hosts This is a point hath been hitherto proved and improved Followes now a second Observation Confirmat
Heb. corrupted his compassions forgot his brotherhood banished naturall affection out of his bosome and put off all humanity The Rabbines tell us that out of the profanenesse of his Spirit Esau put away his circumcision by drawing up againe the foreskin with a Chirurgeons instrument Whether this were so or not I have not to say but that he corrupted his compassions if any ever he had violated the law of nature and abolished the bowels of a brother the brotherly covenant this text assureth us even all the affections duties and respects of blood and nature by which he was bound His grandfather Abraham could say to his nephew Lot Let there be no difference between thee and me for we are brethren Gen. 13.8 This one consideration was retentive enough cooler sufficient to his choler it was even as the Angel that stayd his hand when the blow was comming Gen. 22. It should have been so with Edom good blood would not have belyed it self But he had lost his brotherly bowels and even put off manhood he had wiped out all stirrings of good nature as a man wipeth a dish wiping it and turning it upside down as the scripture speaketh in another case 2 King 21.13 or as when a man emptieth wine out of a cup the sides are yet moist but when it is rinsed and wiped there remaines not the least tast or tincture and his anger did teare perpetually i. e. He in his anger did teare as a beast of prey Psal 14. and rage without intermission The enemies of the Church do so still such is their implacable hatred against God and his truth they eat up Gods people as they eat bread yea they tread down and teare in peeces as if there were none to deliver At the Town of Barre in France when it was taken by the Papists all kind of cruelty was used saith Mr. Fox children were cut up and the guts of some of them and hearts pulled out which in rage they tare and gnawed with their teeth The Italians likewise which served the king there did for hatred of religion break forth into such fury Act. and Mon. fol. 1951. that they did rip up a living child and took his liver being as yet red hot Erasm epist lib. 16. ad obtrectator and eat it as meat Erasmus tells of an Augustine friar who openly in the pulpit at Antwerp wished that Luther were there that he might bite out his throat with his teeh And Friar Brusierd in a conference with Bilney brake out into these angry words But that I beleeve and know that God and all his saints will take revengement everlasting on thee Act. and Mon. 914. I would surely with these nailes of mine be thy death Psal 74.19 Gen. 49.7 Pray therefore with David Deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove to these destroyers c. Cursed be their anger for it is fierce and their wrath for it is cruel and kept his wrath for ever Though himself was mortal yet his wrath might seem to be immortal as was Hanibals against the Romanes and our Edward the first against the Scots against whom being about to march he adjured his son and Nobles Dan. hist fol. 201. that that if he died in his journy into Scotland they should carry his corpes with them about Scotland and not suffer it to be enterred till they had absolutely subdued the countrey Anger may rush into a wise mans bosome but should not rest there Aug. ep 87. Eccle. 7.9 for it corrupteth the heart as vineger doth the vessel wherein it long continueth Of the Athenians it was said that their anger was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting but that was but small to their condemnation Thou shalt neither revenge nor remember ill turns Lev. 19.18 where servare is put for servare iram to keep Ar. Rhetor. l. 9. c. 1. for to keep ones anger to shew that there is nothing that a man is more ready to keep as beeing a vindictive creature Arestotle saith but absurdly that it is more manly to be revenged then to be reconciled and this the world calleth manhood but indeed it is doghood rather The manlier any man is the milder and more mercifull as David 2 Sam. 1.12 And Julius Caesar when he had Pompey's head presented to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.7 wept and said Non mihi placet vindicta sed victoria I seek not revenge but victory And the Apostle purposely disgraceth revenge of injury by a word that signifieth disgrace losse of victory or impotency of mind Thunder haile tempest neither trouble nor hurt celestiall bodies no more doth anger great minds Edom was short-spirited soon kindled and not easily appeased his wrath kept no bounds as the word here used importeth his coales were coales of Juniper fierce and long lasting his fire not elementary but culinary nourished by low and unworthy considerations a fruit of the flesh and such as excludes out of heaven Gal. 5.20 21. It was not the passion but the habit of hatred which St. James calleth the devill Jam. 4.7 and St. Paul counselleth men not to give place to that devill and for that end not to let the Sun go down upon their wrath Ephe. 6.26 See Ezech 35.5 where Edom is charged with a perpetuall hatre and therefore threatened with blood and desolation as here Verse 12. But I will send a fire A fierce enemy ut supra The inhabitants of Teman and Bozra together with other the posterity of Esau were famous for power and policy Obad. 8.9 Ier. 49.7 Esa 34.6 But there is no wisdome might nor counsell against the Lord Prov. 21.30 31. He can make fooles and babies of the Churches enemies he can fire out their malice c. Verse 13. I will not turn away the punishment thereof Or I will not turn and reduce him to my self by repentance that I may shew him mercy as Lam. 5.22 Ier. 31.18 but harden his heart and hasten his destruction because they have ript up the women with child Immane facinus vicinis indignum saith Mercer A cruel fact and the worse because done by so neere neighbours and allyes thus to kill two at one blow and those also innocent and impotent and such as they ought to have spared by the law of nature and of nations and all this meerely out of covetousnesse and ambition That they might enlarge their border but first root out the little ones that else might hereafter claime and recover their fathers possessions So at the Sicilian vespers they ript up their own women that were with child by the French that no French blood might remaine amongst them See the Note on Hos 13.16 and learn to detest covetousnesse that root of all evill 1 Tim. 6.10 Better converse with a Canibal then with a truly covetous caytiffe and more curtesie you may expect Verse 14. But I will kindle a fire c. with mine own hands not only
send a fire as before verse 10.12 as Charles 5. Emperour of Germany Parei medul 1. hist prof pag. 907. when it was told him how that Farnesius the Popes Generall had ravished certain Ladies brake out into these hot words If I had the villaine here I would kill him with mine own hands neither was he ever heard to speak any thing with so great anger in all his dayes with shooting in the day of battle Cum clangore velululatu with noise of trumpets and souldiers so terrible haply as that in the bloody fight betwixt the great Turk Amurath 3. and Lazarus Despot of Servia where the noise was so great Turk hist 300. that the wild beasts in the mountains stood astonied and the birds fell to the earth amazed thereat with a tempest i. e. with incredible swiftnesse and all on the sudden and so the more terrible because impetuous Verse 15. And their king shall go into captivity Where he may find as little favour as Zedekiab did with Nebuchadnezzar Valerian with Sapores the Persian Baiazet with Tamerlan the Scythian and not so much as Gilimer king of Vandals with Bellizarius of whom he requested and obtained these three things a loafe a spunge and an harp a loafe to relieve him a spunge to wipe his weeping eyes and an harpe to cheer him up in his captivity He and his Princes together Lords and losels shall fare alike the sword spares neither And in hell Potentes potenter torquebuntur Mighty men shall be mightily tormented CHAP. II. Verse 1. FOr three transgressions c. Or Malicious wickednesses with an high hand committed and heaped up to that height See chap. 1.3 because he burnt the bones of the king if Edom A wicked man but yet a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God who is a lover of mankind shewes himself sensible of the injuries and indignities done but to his dead body such an enemy he is to cruelty to his creatures That Mesa king of Moab bore a speciall edge against the king of Edom sought to break thorough the army to him but could not and afterwards sacrificed his son and heir whom he had taken in that sally made upon the king of Edoms quarters we read 2 King 3.26 27. There are some that think that at another time overcomming the Edomites he dig'd up the bones of that king out of his sepulcher he burnt them to lime that is prorsus perfectissimè absolutissimè as some sense it to ashes and cinders as Esay 33.12 or for greater revenge and contempt Targnm be whitelimed the walles of his pallace therewith as Gen. 11.3 Psal 69.23 Esay 22.21 Thus in that horrid massacre of Paris they cut of the Admirall's head whom before they had murthered and presented it to the Q. mother Speed 1161. who balming it sent it for a present to the Pope who thereupon caused the Massacre to be pictured in the Vatican hall under one side is Colignij sociorum caedes On the other Rex Colignij caedem probat Il Mercuriâ— Italico 92. The king himself viz Charles 9. beholding the bloody bodyes of those then massacred and feeding his eye on so wofull a spectacle breathed out this bloody speech Quam bonus est odor hostis mortui How sweet is the smell of a slain enemy Spec belli sacri another hel-hag said upon a like occasion that she never beheld so goodly a peece of tapesstry as the faces of those butchered Saints This insulting over the dead is that peece of cruelty which the church complaineth of Psal 79.2 Cornelius a Lapide upon this text cryes out of it as an inhumane and shamefull thing both because the honour of sepulture is the last dues of the dead and also because this is to fight with dead carcasses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justa de functorum Yet this hath been practised by one Pope against another and by many of the Popes Champions here in England who unburied and burnt the bodies of Paulus Phagius Peter Martyrs wife and many others Cardinal Wolsey had a purpose had he not been prevented by death to have taken up King Henries body at Windsor Act. Mon. 1905. and to have burnt it How much better Charles the fifth yet no friend to the Reformation but a prudent Prince who entring Wittenberg as a Conquerour and being importuned to dig up the dead bodies of Luther and other Reformers refused to violate their graves and sent away Melancthon Pomeran and some other eminent Preachers unhurt not so much as once forbidding them to publish openly the doctrine that they professed Act. Mon. 1784. Cambyses heareth ill among all men for his digging up the dead body of Amasis King of Egypt and causing it to be whipt and brickt and Sylla for the like cruelty to C. Marius Of all fowl we most hate and detest the Crowes Herodot lib. 3. Plin. l. 7. c. 50. and of all beasts the Jackal's a kinde of â—oxes in Barbarie because the one digs up the graves and devours the flesh and the other picks out the eyes of the dead Hinc moraliter disce saith a Lapide Learn hence also what a basenesse it is to tear and deface the good names of those that are dead to fly-blow their names is worse then to burn their bones to lime And yet among many other men of mark that might bee instanced Melancthon mortuus tantùm non ut blasphemus in Deum cruci aâ—â—igitur saith Zanchius not Papists but Lutherans laid blasphemy to his charge after his death whom all Christendome worthily honoured for his learning and piety Zanch. Miscell Verse 2. But I will send a fire See Chap. 1.4 and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth A city so fair and large that it hath a plural name which signifieth cities by way of excellencie as Athens was called the Greece of Greece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rome the Epitome of the world c. and Moab shall die with tumult with all these together on an huddle as it were they are here set down by an elegant Asyndeton to set forth the suddennesse and terrour of the judgement threatned They shall be stormed and have no quarter given them Here Osiander noteth that it is one of the many punishments of sin for a man not to die in his bed but in battel It was promised to Iosiah 2 Chro. 34.28 he should die in peace True it is he died in battel but he died before that generall desolation that followed shortly after for indeed with him died all the prosperity of that people And besides his weeping and humiliation had altered the very nature of the trouble and made warre to be peace to him Verse 3. And I will cut off the Iudge i. e. the king who sometimes sits himself in Judgement Acts Mon. as K. Hen. 8. did here at the condemnation of Lambert Martyr as the King of Persia doth