beeing added who is the liuely stone beeing reiected of men but chosen and pretious with God 4 Fourthly who is the builder namely God Heb. 3. 4. For euerie house is builded of some man but he that buildeth all things is God 5 Fifthly who those be which together are Gods labourers namely the faithfull ministers 1. Cor. 3. 9. 10. You are Gods buylding By the grace of God which is giuen mee as a skilfull builder I haue laide the foundation but another buildeth thereon Furthermore let euery man take heede how he buildeth thereon 6 Sixtly what is the ende wherevnto it is ordayned namely the coupling together of the saynts as saith the the holy Apostle the work of the ministery the edification of the body of Christ 28. Lect. 10. Febr. 4. Of the Temple of heauen Apoc. 11. 19 Then was the Temple of God opened in heauen and the arke of his couenaunt was seene in his temple Most men do take this temple for the sanctuary of heauen whereof mention is made Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into a sanctuary made with handes which is a figure like to the true sanctuary but into heauen it self that he may appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs. In this temple is our freedome according to that saying of Paul For we behaue our selues as free-men of heauen from whence also wee looke for a Sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Philip. 3. 20. For this cause seeing we are risen with Christe let vs seeke the thinges that are aboue where Christe is sitting at the righte hand of God let vs care for heauenly things not for earthlie things Col. 3. 1. 2. Quest What meaneth Iohn by these wordes spoken of the heauenly Hierusalem Neyther sawe I any temple in her for the Lorde God Almighty is her Temple Apoc. 21. 22. An. The same which Paul meaneth by these wordes God shall bee all in all Therfore saith Iohn The Lambe shall be in steede of a Temple the Sunne the Moone to all the blessed And then shall bee reuealed the glorye and felicity of those men which are grafted into Christ and made partakers of his body and shal raigne with him c. God graunt that our sorrows which we now féele whilste we are strangers with the Lorde may bee mitigated by the hope of so great felicity Amen Quest Is it lawfull to build Churches in honour and remembraunce of dead saintes Ans It is not lawfull For wee must not giue that vnto any creature which is onely due vnto God and is proper to the diuine nature It is proper to God alone to appropriate vs to himselfe and to dwell in vs according to these sayings Know yee not that ye are the temple of God If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which you are 1. Cor. 3. 16. 17 And of all the faithfull it is sayde Know ye not that your bodye is the Temple of the holie ghoste which is in you and which you haue of God and ye are not your owne 1. Corin. 6. 19. These thinges are spoken of the Church and of the liuely members thereof wherein Inst without doubt the holie spirite doth dwell but the question was also mentioned concerning the temples made with handes Let vs therefore heare what Augustine saith who denyeth that the Temples are erected vnto the Martyrs To God saith he doe we builde Temples although they be named after the names of the Martyrs to put men in minde of the Martyrs Cyrillus in his Booke De fide praysing Quéenes amongest other thinges giueth them this commendation that they did erect moste sumptuous temples vnto Christe without making any mention of the dead saintes And whereas Hierome in a certaine place sayth that the temples of the martyrs are to bée had in great reuerence it ought not be preiudiciall to this matter For certaine it is that the honour which is due vnto God alone must not be giuen to Martyrs neither is their bloude to be mingled with Christ his bloud which is the price of our redemption The memoriall of the martyrs and the great admiration which their giftes wherein they excelled did and doeth procure ought to serue to the glory of God alone and to our amendment because hee powred out vpon them the gifts of his grace in such aboundaunce The first verse of the seconde Chapter In the fower and twentith daye of the moneth in the sixth moneth of the seconde yeere of Darius the king This verse agréeth with the former history set downe in the end of the first chapter as wee may gather euen out of Hierome his translation exposition I omit the allegories and to speake of the numbers heere mentioned The meaning of these wordes is this that the Iewes began to build the temple the fower and twentith day of September in the second yere of Darius the Sonne of Histaspes which was about the yeere from the creation of the worlde 3444. If we will followe Funcius a most diligent chronicle writer Moreouer it is an vsuall thing in the commentaries of the common wealth and in the inscriptions and titles of greate workes and buildings to make mention of the surueiers of the worke of the dayes and yeeres If you respect the doctrine which may hence be gathered we are admonished by the examples of the Prophetes Apostles and other the faithfull diligently to marke the time wherein great thinges were begunne continued and finished in Gods name through his assistance For euery thing hath an appoynted season and euery will vnder Heauen hath his time Eccle. 3. 1 Yet haue we néede to make some discourse whereto the destinction of things circumstances serueth according to that saying of Dauid Who is wise and will marke these thinges will turne his minde vnto the mercies of the Lorde Psal 107. 43. Also Esay doeth greatly reprehend those men that are drunken with pleasure because they regarde not the worke of the Lorde neither sée the workes of his hands It shall be therefore our partes dueties carefully to consider what the Lorde worketh in the Church in the common wealth and in our owne life that the testimonies of his presence his helpe his iudgements may nourish and kindle in vs faith loue and sonnely feare That wee ought to haue respect of time in preaching the celestiall doctrine and in the exercises of repentaunce it is euident by these sayinges Who is therefore a faithfull seruaunt and a wise whome the Lorde doeth appoint ouer his familie that he may giue thē meat in time Math. 24. 25. And againe And that considering the season howe that it is nowe time that we awake out of sleepe For our saluation draweth neerer nowe then when wee beleeued The night is past the day is come Let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darknesse and put vppon vs the armour of light Ro. 13. 11. c. And againe And this say I
and the same spirite worketh all these thinges distributing them particularly to euerie man as he will Out of these wordes wee will fraime two demonstrations 1 Actions are proper to subiects or persons But now as else where the creation and preseruation of thinges so in this place distribution of giftes is attributed to the same spirite Therefore it is certaine that the holy spirite is a person 2 Whosoeuer diuideth the most excellent giftes of God as it pleaseth him he is a person vnderstanding and willing But Paul doeth in plaine wordes affirme the same of the holie spirite Ergo c. 5 This spirite proceedeth aswell from the sonne as from the father Hee which is the spirite of them both that is both of the Father and the sonne hee is rightlie saide to proceede from them both For hee is sayde to bee theirs in such sorte that hee is consubstantiall with them both and the substantiall power of them both But that holy spirite is sayde to bee the spirite of the Father and the Sonne according to these sayings For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your Father hee it is that speaketh in you Mat. 10. 20. And agayne But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of GOD dwelleth in you But and if any man haue not the spirite of Christ hee is not his Furthermore if Christ The holy spirite is wholy in his substance in Christ bee in you c. Rom. 8. 9. 10. 6 Therefore the same holie spirite is verie God Whosoeuer is the true and eternall Iehouah creator of heauen and earth hee is verie God The reason For let the gods which haue not made heauen and earth perish from vnder these heauens Ier. 10. 11. But the holie spirite is the true and eternall Iehouah For the Lorde which appeared to Esay 6. 9. Act. 28. 25. Isayas is called the holy spirit The same spirit created all thinges according to that The spirit of the Lorde did nourish the waters Gen. 1. Yea the holy spirite created the masse of the humane Luk. 1. 35. nature which the Word tooke vnto him I will adde Dydimus his argument Hee is verie God whosoeuer is euery where and from euerlasting and yet is neither the Father nor the worde But the holy spirite is euery where and from euerlasting c. Ergo hee is verie God 7 The benefites of the holy ghost are of two sortes generall and speciall The generall benefites are the preseruation of all thinges and other such like The speciall benefites are the regeneration illumination gouerning and consolation of the faithfull vpon whome the spirit of grace and prayers is saide to be powred out 35. Lect. Mar. 6. Verse 7. For thus saith the Lorde of hostes yet a little and I will shake the heauen and the earth and the sea and the drie lande THis verse wherein the Prophet entreateth of the preaching of the Gospell doth the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes interprete on this wise Take heade that you doe not dispise him that speaketh For if they escaped not which refused him that spake in Gods name vpon the earth much lesse shall wee escape Heb. 12. 25. if we turne away from him which is frō heauē whose voyce did then shake the earth and now he hath declared saying yet once more will I shake not onely the earth but also the heauē Furthermore the word once more doeth signifie the remoouing of vnstable thinges as of thinges that are made with handes that the things that are stable may remaine All these thinges may we briefely set downe thus 1 The voyce of the Lorde shaketh the worlde and the inhabitantes thereof The voice of the Lorde doeth sometimes signifie thunder and the noise of tempestes * sometime it doeth Psal 29. signifie the worde of the Lord. 2 The Lorde spake from heauen first whē hee gaue the lawe secondlie when the Gospell was published I speake of that solemne and Exod. 19. 20. Deut. 4. publike publishing of the gospell celestiall doctrine which was done not without wonders and miracles altogether diuine and to bee wondred at 3 And then he prouided that the law might be published Moses being the interpreter therof but afterwarde he caused the gospell to bee preached his onely sonne béeing the expounder of his worde Iohn 1. 17. For the lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Jesus Christ 4 Therefore may wee not dispise GOD when hee speaketh whether wee respecte the interpreters or the doctrine reuealed from heauen Isay 1. 2. Heare o yee heauens and hearken O earth for the Lorde hath spoken 5 For if the Israelites did not escape which resisted Moses which spake in Gods name vpon the earth much lesse shall we escape vnpunished if we resist Christ which speaketh from heauen Of Christ Iesus Iohn the Baptist saith thus Hee which cometh from aboue is aboue all hee which is from the earth is earthie and speaketh the thinges which are earthie hee which cōmeth downe from heauen is aboue all And that which hee hath seene and heard doeth hee testifie Ioh. 3. 31. 32. And Paul saith The second man is the Lord from heauen 1. Cor. 15. 47. 6 Furthermore if you respect the doctrine there is no cause why we should attribute more to the lawe and his discipline then to the gospel and the liberty thereof 2. Cor 3. Gal. 4. 5. Is God then subiect to repentance and to the alteration of his purpose No. Yea hee knoweth what thing is fit for all times of the world The Physition c. Shaking doth signifie the remoouing of vnstable thinges as of thinges made with handes that the things which are stable may remaine These wordes may bee vnderstoode of the abrogation of the Ceremonies of the lawe of the instruments of the Leuiticall administration For the apostle calleth the Tabernacle which was made with handes together with all his vessels and the Leuiticall administration vnstable things and thinges made with hands The alteration thereof dooth hée call the abolishing and abrogating of them The thinges which are stable are the reasonable seruice and the obedience of faith These thinges will the Lord haue done in spirite and truth who grant vs grace with readines and constancie to obey him so that the holy name of God may be glorified by vs. Amen 36. Lect. March 18. Verse 8. And I will mooue all nations and the desire of all the Gentiles shall come I wil fill this house with glorie saith the Lord of hostes WHen-as here-tofore I did declare the disposition of the argumēts which Haggeus doth vse I tolde you that the fift and sixt demonstrations were comprehended in this eight verse and that the fifte was drawne from the giuing of the Messias and from his maiestie the sixt from that which should follow namely the glorie of the seconde Temple which the prophet doth amplifie by an opposition
greatly erre which doe thinke that we reape no commoditie by aduersitie which is sent vnto vs by God And although I doe in heart bewayle the manifolde ruine of â—ens affaires empires the perturbations and laying waste of the church the exile of the godlie the successe of hypocrites which are wonte almost to worke the vtter destruction of the godlie yet notwithstanding as I doe acknowledge all these miseries to proceede from these miscre antes so nothing doubting but that God vseth these thinges to his glory and our triall I repeat that saying of Dauid I held my peace Psal 39. 10. and opened not my lippes because thou hast done it For it cannot bee that a godlie minde beholdinge firste of all the enormities and tumultes which are to bee founde in certaine churches and vniuersities the banishment of godlie ministers the subtiltie and successe of certaine hypocrites the delighte which they take in those which are of high degree and also those men which are of base estate then secondlie the wicked ioy which the papistes coÌ„ceiue of the calamities of the godlie beholding all these things most gladlie the vaine hope which they haue of the restoring of Antichristianisme can be at quiet vnlesse turning vnto God who maketh all thinges for him-selfe euen the wicked against the euill Pro. 16. 4. daie it say with Dauid Therefore I thought vppon this in knowing it but it was a griefe in my eyes vntill I entred into the Sanctuarie of God and vnderstoode the ende of these men Certainelie thou settest them in slipperie places thou throwest them downe headlong Furthermore whom shall wee Psal 73. 16. 17. 18. thanke for these harbouâ—oughes and hospitals of the godlie teachers learners which are in some prouinces of Europe but the lord our God to whom the Psalmist did sometime say Thou preparest a table in my sight before myne enimies thou annoyntest my head with oyle my cup Psalm 23. 5. runneth ouer Secondlie when I consider the benefit of my redemption I giue thankes to my Lorde Iesus Christe both God and man who was crucified and raised vp againe for our sakes who sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie giueth giftes vnto men maketh intercession for vs and shal come out of the heauens at his time to iudge the quicke and the deade For I do know that he is present Mat. 28. 20. with vs and that he will be present with his church vntill the end of the world And forasmuch as he is true and the truth it selfe forasmuch as he is almightie almightines it selfe I am perswaded that he will not leaue Ioh. 14. 18. vs destitute but that hee will giue vs eternall life that we shall not perish for euer and that Ioh. 10. 28. no man is able to plucke vs out of his hands If wee were not made members of his body beinge made one body with him if Eph. 5. 30. wee were not fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones if wee had not bene planted with him and growen vp with him in the similitude Rom. 6. 5. of his death and resurrection If finallie that highe priest of ours Christe Iesus were not touched with the feeling of our infirmities then were there great reason why wee shoulde neither receiue anie comforte pleasure throughout our whole life by prosperity neither shoulde aduersity suffer anie hope of deliueraunce from so great miseries to remaine in vs. * For what doth it profit a man if hee winne the whole world and destroy Luke 9. 25. himselfe or loose him-selfe But we are assured in our heartes the spirite of Christe bearing witnes vnto our spirite that wee are one bodie with him that wee are ingrafted into him and that hee is throughlie touched with the feeling of our infirmities Therefore in him alone do we reioyce who is made vnto vs of God our wisedome righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. 30. sanctification and redemption * and we know assuredlie that we are more then conquerors through him who hath loued vs and that neither death nor life nor Angell nor principalitie nor power nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anie other thinge which is created is able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Rom. â— 37. 38. 39. Psalm 110. 2. Christe Iesus our Lord. * Christe raigneth hee raigneth in the middest of his enimies therefore shall his kingdome come vnto vs and the workes of the Mat. 6. 1. Ioh. 3. 8. deuill shal be loosed * Hee shall beate downe Satan vnder our feete and that shortly * Rom. 16. 20. Let vs not doubt but that hee shall shortly reuenge his glorie euen vpon those which in worde doe professe but in deede doe denie that Christe is come in the fleshe For the 1. Ioh. 4. 3. same Christe our Lorde shall confounde and ouerthrow this spirite of Antichrist with the breath of his mouth who is in deede made partaker of our fleshe and bloude but without sinne * Heb. 2. 14. All sorrowe departeth when wee haue once receiued Christe This is a true saying For if wee bee deade with him wee shall also liue 2. Tim. 2. 11. 12. with him If wee suffer with him wee shall also raigne with him * It is better for vs to Rom. 8. 29. bee made like vnto his image and denying Mat. 16. 24. our selues to take vppe the crosse and to followe such a guide which will leade vs vnto Act. 3. 15. to life finallie it is better for vs to suffer affliction with the people of God then to inioy Heb. 11. 25. the pleasures of sinne for a season * I proceede from the benefit of our redemption vnto the thirde thing which is sanctification If wee did in very deede trie that wee are profane and aliantes from God that wee are not onely borne in sinne and therein remayne during our whole lyfe but also that wee dye therein and by reason thereof are both in our lyfe and death abhominable in the sight of God then were wee most miserable hauing no hope and being quite destitute of God in the worlde and of all true coÌ„â—olation But it is good for vs that being segregated to bee Gods owne peculiar people proper to him-selfe God the father of mercy and of all consolation doth by his holy spirite sanctifie vs regenerate vs raise vs vp and comforte vs that hee will haue the same spirite to bee the pleadge and earnest of our inheritaunce vntill wee bee set at liberty to the praise of his glorie * Eph. 1. 14. The godly mindes doe perceaue that in this dauÌ„gerous and continuall warfare of the naturall life they haue neede of instruction exhortation consolation hope patience constancie and many moe giftes then these and they do alwaies freelie confesse with Ieremy Wee knowe O Lord that mans way is not his owne way neither is it in
when all things are quiete and in time of prosperitie that is which thinke that wee can be builded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles and that wee can bee brought vnto the kingdome of the euerlasting father by these middle honours ioyes and good successes which we haue in this life For as the heathen man saith In rebus arduis prodit se virtus Vertue sheweth her selfe in harde matters So that the Church wheÌ„ it groneth vnder the crosse addeth vnto faith vertue vnto vertue 2. Pet. 1. 5. 6. knowledge vnto knowledge temperance vnto temperance patience * c. Now let vs see how strong that demonstration is which our prophet Haggai setteth against yâ— fallacy and subtile reason which was framed by the Iewes There is greater regard to bee had vnto him who is most good most wise most iust c. and the author of al goodnes throughout the whole world then vnto all creatures This proposition is a principle which is written by God in the harts of all men which teacheth vs to attribute more vnto our most liberal creator then to al the things which are created and also to obey serue him Mat. 19. 17. Iam. 1. 17. readely sincerely and constantly But the Lord our God is most good most wise most iust and from him alone commeth euery good perfecte gift Therfore séeing he will haue a temple built for himselfe and the worship which is due vnto him to be giuen him there we are to let passe al other busines and letts and onely to apply the building thereof day and night The Rhetoricall arte Our Prophet doth amplifie the vnworthines or haynousnes of the matter by vsing certaine figures which are these which followe 1. An Apostrophe or reuersion O ye Iewes As of he should haue said I do not now speake vnto the heathenish Atheists of the worlde but vnto the Jewes the children of the Prophets and of the couenaunt which God made with the Fathers as saith Peter * Such an Apostrophe or reuersion is founde Rom. 2. 17. Behold thou art syrnamed a Iewe and thou resteâ—t vpon the law thou makest thy bost of God 2 An Eironia or a taunting I warrant you the time is nowe come in which you must neglect the temple of the Lorde and build and garnish your owne houses Such tauntings are vsed Gen. 3. Beholde man is as one of vs. And againe Sleepe and take your rest Mat. 26. 3 An interrogation or question Is it now a fit time for you to neglect the TeÌ„ple of the Lord 1. Cor. 10. â—0 and to be occupied about your owne buildinges The answere is vnderstood No. For we ought at no time to bee more carefull for those thinges which serue to the sustentation of this life then for the worship of God Herodotus saith verie wel Diuina sunt antiquiora potiora humanis The things which are Gods are both more ancient and also better then the thinges which are mans And Paul wold haue al other things to serue to the sanctifying of the name of God Whether therfore you eat or drink or whatsoeuer you doe do all to the glory of God * 11. Lect. Nouemb. 20. 1579. The application of this saying of Haggeus vnto ourselues Nowe that we may goe from the argument vnto the position we must fully determine with our selues that nothing which is created must be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christe Iesus our Lorde * And that we Rom. 8. 36. ought to preferre nothing which is in heauen or earth before God And that the feare of the Lord is our treasure * The fountaine from which this position springeth Isay 33. 6. is the lawe of God Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength Deut. 6. 5. Luk. 10. 27. And the same is most notably expounded in Ieremie Cap. 9. 23. 24. Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedom nor the stronge man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but let him that reioyceth reioyce in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord which shewe mercie iudgement and iustice in the earth for these thinges will I sayth the Lorde Séeing these things are so who seeth not that all thinges must serue God to the worshiping of him and that we ought not to make so great accompt of any thing as of God and of his holy and holesome will Nowe forasmuch as Aristotle saith and that truely that doctrine is attayned vnto by Syllogisme and Induction wée will vse these two instruments to prooue this position withall Demonstratiue syllogismes 1 The order which God hath appoynted séeing the it is a most manifest testimony of his diuine wisedome and goodnes is not to be altered For it is not méete that the clay should contend with the Potter that is that man should contend with GOD about the praise of wisedome But this is an eternall and immutable order appointed by God that mans affaires all other thinges should giue place to the things which are his For it is most méete that all other thinges should giue place to that which is the infinite good thinge Therefore we must attribute much more vnto the thinges which are Gods then to all thinges which are in this worlde 2 The effect which is * finite is not to bée Or conteyned within a certaine compasse compared with ne yet to bee preferred before the efficient cause whose goodnes might and wisedome is infinite For there is no proportion or equality betwene that which is finite that which is infinite But man is the creature of God compassed about with beginning and space both of time and place Psalm 100. 3. Knowe yee that the Lord hee is God hee hath made vs and not wee our selues And GOD is a spirit vncreated eternall with-out beginninge almighty c. Therefore we ought to haue greatest respect vnto him in all our affaires and actions 3 It is better to obey that will which is vnchaungeably good and whose effects are good then the will which is chaungeable and whose effects are vnlike one to another But the will of God is vnchaungeably good the will of man is chaungeable Therefore must we rather obey the will of God then of man 4 The affaires which are proper to the spirituall life and serue to the glory of God and our owne edification are neither to be quite omitted nor yet deferred for these affaires which are proper onlâ—e to the naturall life and serue for the same onely But vnto the former sorte doe appertaine the exercises of godlines vnto the latter the houshold ciuill affaires Therefore although these houshold and ciuill affaires are not quite to bée omitted yet for their sakes are not the exercyses of godlines eyther to bee let slip or to be done onely for fashions sake or
comfort vnto the saintes But God is present with all these as his gouerning preseruing of the whole course of nature doth sufficiently testifie Therefore coulde not this oration I am with you saith the Lord any whit incourage the Iewes An. I answere vnto the minor proposition wherein there is a fallacie of equiuocation in the phrase I am with you which the prophet vnderstandeth of the presence of grace but in this argument it is taken for the presence of God Or which filleth all things which is commonly called the * repletiue presence These sayings may be vnderstood of the repletiue vniuersal presence of God Ps 135. 7. 8. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I flie from thy face If I goe vp into heauen thou art there If I make my bed in the hell behold thou art there also Isay 66. 1. Thus saith the Lord heauen is my seat the earth is my foote-stoole Ier. 23. 24. Shall any man hide him selfe in the secret places shall not I see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill the heauen and earth saith the Lord But of the presence of his grace ayde it is said I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer Psal 91. 15. him glorify him * Seeke the Lord while he Esay 55. 6. is to be foūd call vpon him while he is nigh * If God be on our side who is against vs * Rom. 8. 31. Que. Are these wordes of Christ Mat. 28. Beholde I am with you to bee vnderstoode of the person of Christ or of the one of his natures onlie An. They are to be vnderstood in the concrete of his whole person For whole Christ is euery where but not the whole of Christ And many things are rightly affirmed of his whole person which in the abstract doe agrée with neither nature of them-selues as the names of his office or els they doe agrée with the one of them as to be crucified to die doe not agrée with the Godhead Christ is dead in the flesh * 1. Pet. 4 Qu. Is the humanitie of Christ euery where reallie An. No truely and that first of all for this cause because he is an instrumentall creature if you respect his body a finite spirit if you respect his substantiall forme Secondly there is nothing in all places but that which is most simple there is nothing most simple saue that which is from euerlasting and vncreated Lastlie all the godly confesse that the body of Christ is not in the supper of the Lord really Cyrillus subscribing hereunto in his eleuenth booke vpon Iohn Cap. 19. saith whilest Christ was present liuing together with his apostles in the flesh it was vnto them a manifest cōsolation séeing y◠he might be séene with the eyes For mans minde is wont to giue credit not to hiddē things but to things that are euident Although therefore the Lord whē he is absent in body can doe all things what-soeuer hee will for Christ Iesus is the same yesterday and too day remaineth the same for euer yet his apostles being depriued of his presence coulde not but be troubled especially séeing that the waues of the world did with great rage beate against them and endeuoured by all meanes possible to throw them downe when-as they preached the truth Qu. Is that selfe same * humanitie euerie Or man-hoode where after a spirituall maner An. Yea truely For hee is present with the faithfull in all countries and places by the efficacie of his merites his power his maiesty and Ephe. 4. 10. giftes yea hée fulfilleth all things here-withall Qu. Howe are these words of his to bee vnderstoode The sonne of man is in heauen Iohn 3. 13. An. By the imparting of properties that is the manner of affirmation whereby the properties of the natures are attributed vnto the whole person in the concrete Therefore Christ was at that time in heauen and in all places according to his diuine nature but according to his humanity he was in that place where Nicodemus found him and spake vnto him Cyrillus interpreteth these word When as saith hee the sonne being the Worde of GOD came downe from heauen hee saith that the sonne of man came downe refusing to bee diuided into two natures after his incarnation neither suffred hee any man to affirme that the temple which was taken of the Virgin was one sonne and the word of GOD an other although these things which are in both of them naturally may be cōueniently distinguished For as the Word is of God so is the man of the woman Therefore is Christ one of both being indiuisible in his sonnehoode diuine maiestie For how can the thinges which are proper onelie to the worde of God be otherwise applied vnto the sonne of the Virgin And on the contrarie how can the things which belong only to the flesh be attributed vnto the word of God For he saith now that the sonne of man is come downe from heauen and it is written that in the time of the passion the sonne of God him-selfe did feare as if hee himselfe did suffer which thinges are onely proper vnto his humanitie Qu. Doth the sonne of man and the humanitie signifie all one thing An. Noe. The man Christ the sonne of man of God of the highest doe signifie his person in the concrete The godhead the word the person taking The flesh the humanity doe signifie the nature taken Qu. Is not Christ diuided when-as it is denied that his fleshe is euerie where with the worde An. He is not diuided For to be euery where together is not the specificall difference of the vnity of the word and the humanity for then should the father the sonne and the holy Ghost be all one person and not thrée distinct persons seeing they are together euery where which are one in essence but to make one person Furthermore forasmuch as the Godheade is infinite and incomprehensible as it is with-out the humane nature so is it in the same and ioyned personally to the same Qu. To Christ is giuen all power therefore the vniuersall presence or vbiquitie An. You should first of all haue diligently distinguished betwene all powre which appertayneth Omnis potestas Omnipotentia to his office and omnipotencie which is nothing els but the infinite essence of God for Christe speaketh of the former and not of the latter If omnipotencie that is an infinite essence were giuen to the flesh of Christ really thē perhaps this argument might procéede But forasmuch as there is a personall vnion of two natures in Christ I will then graunt that he is euery where in the flesh whenas you shall prooue that the same flesh hath bene from euerlasting that it is most simple Secondly you shoulde not haue bene inconstant in your woordes neither shoulde you haue reprooued your selfe For to prooue that Christ is euerie where in the fleshe you vse to
holy And the priestes answered and said No. 14 Then saide Haggeus If one that is polluted because of the dead carcas of a man shall touch any of these thinges shall it bee vncleane And the priestes answered and saide It shall be vncleane 15 Therefore Haggai beganne to say thus So is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lorde and so is all the worke of their handes and whatsoeuer they offer here it is vncleane 16 Nowe therefore set your hartes I pray you from this day and vpwarde before the workemen did lay one stone vpon another in the temple of the Lorde 17 Before they were in that worke the husbandman did come vnto an heape of twentie bushels and it was ten bushels when the dresser of the vineyard came vnto the winepresse that hee might drawe out fiftie hogsheades of wine out of the wine-presse there was but twentie 18 I haue smitten you with drought and meldewe and with haile all the workes of your handes and yee did not turne vnto mee saith the Lorde 19 Set nowe your heartes from this daye and vpwarde I say from the fower and twentith day of the ninth moneth that is frō the day wherein the foundaiion of the temple of the Lord was laid set your heart 20 Is there as yet seede in the barne Furthermore the vine and figgetree and pomgranate and the olyue tree hath not as yet brought foorth fruite I will blesse you from this daye 21 And the Worde of the Lorde was vnto Haggai the seconde time in the fower and twentith day of the same moneth that hee should say 22 Speake vnto Zerubabel the captayne of Iehuda saying I am about to shake the heauen and earth 23 And I will ouerthrowe the throne of kingdomes and I will destroye the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen and I will ouerthrowe their chariots and those which ride in them and the horses and they which shall ride vppon them shall come downe euery one with the sworde of his fellow 24 In that day saith the Lorde of hostes will I take vp thee Zerubabel thou sonne of Sealthiel my seruaunt saith the Lorde and I will set thee as my signet because I haue chosen thee saith the Lorde God of hostes The ende of the prophesie of Haggeus THE LECTVRES OF Iohn Iames Gryneus vpon the booke of Haggeus the Prophet BEcause in the notes vpō Haggeus wee haue touched those 1. Lect. 19. Oct. 1579 things which were to bee spoken of his booke in stéede of a preface it séemeth good to mée in this first lecture first of all to speake in generall of the Prophets that we may know what we ought to thinke generally concerning them and what accompt wée ought to make of them Secondly if time permit I will speake by name of Haggeus and of his authoritie Lastly I wil briefly note to you the causes for which I tooke in hande the interpretation of the same Prophet A methode concerning the Prophets according to certaine places of inuention 1 The selfe same men were called in times Notation past both Seers and Prophets In times past in Israel euery one said on this wise when he went to aske an answere of God Come let vs goe vnto the Seer because he which is called a Prophet at this day was in times past called a Seer They were called Seers in respect of the cause and also of the effect I call the vision shewed vnto them by the Lorde the cause which did instruct the Prophets in great matters The heauens Paul calleth it Reuelation by the general name were opened and I sawe the visions of God* But Daniel vnderstoode all the vision and the dreames I call the light of the minde and the excellent knowledge of the oracles Ezech. 1. 1. Dan. 1. 17. of God the Effect wherein the Prophets did excell all other men And it seemeth they were called Prophets for this cause because they were interpreters of the will of God according to the commaundement of God which Paul calleth Interpretation* 1. Cor. 14. Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet that is thine interpreter* Wee reade that Exo. 7. 1. some men haue attained vnto this gift by vse as Iesaias and that other some receyued the same at the handes of God forasmuch as they were called vnto the office of prophesying farre contrarie Ier. 1. 6. 7. to their expectation as Ieremie* and Amos* Amos. 7. 14. 15. This words Prophet is not affirmed of diuers sortes of men in one and the same respect in the holy Scriptures For it is attributed The diuers significations of this word Prophet Tit. 1. 12. vnto the heathenish Poetes improperly A certaine man of them being their own Prophet said the Cretians are alwayes lyers euill beastes slowe bellies* 2 Secondly this worde Prophet is affirmed Which is whe◠diuers thinges are called by one name Isa 9. 15. Is 28. 7. of the false Prophets Equiuocè The Prophet which teacheth lies hee is the taile* The Priest and the Prophet haue erred because of stronge drinke they are swallowed vppe because of wine they haue gone astray through drinke they haue erred in the vision they haue stumbled in iudgement 3 Thirdly this worde Prophete is taken by transsumption somtimes for the doctrine of the Prophets somtimes for their bookes Think not that I am come to destroye the lawe or Mat. 5. 17. the Prophets * that is their doctrine It is written in the Prophets And they shall bee Iohn 6. 45 all taught of God * 4 Fourthly it is taken properly as in these sayinges Wee see not our signes neither is their a prophet any more neither is there with vs any that vnderstandeth any more * Psal 74. 9. And againe I haue made thee the prophet of Ier. 1. 5. the Gentiles * 5 Fiftly according to the most principall signification Iohn 1. 4. Deut. 18. Christ is saide to bee that Prophet which should come I thought good to note thus much concerning the diuers significations of the worde Euerie Prophete is the seruaunt of God 3. Genus but not on the contrary Synce the day that your fathers went out of the lande of Egypt vntill this daye haue I sent vnto you all my seruauntes the Prophets rising day by daye early in the morning and sending them Ob. Your sōnes your daughters shal prophesie Ioel. 2. 28. * Therefore all the seruauntes of God are Prophets An. I answere that there is a fallacie which is called * Fallacia Aequiuocationis in this word Which is when a worde hath diuers significations Prophesie because in the saying of Ioel it is taken generally for the general confession of those which doe with the heart beléeue vnto righteousnesse But we doe nowe speake of the degrée of that good order and discipline which God hath appointed in his Church namely of the propheticall office in speciall All the Prophets were
the waies of men the things which are good and the things which are euill the thinges which are to bee done and the thinges which are to bee left vndone and finallie the last ende of men 4. Aphorisme GOD is the beholder of all things God looked downe from heauen vpon the Children of men that hee might see if there were anie that did vnderstand and sought after God Psalm 53. 2. 5. Aphorisme The holie ghost is the guide and leader of the godlie but the flesh carrieth away the naturall men The spirit of truth is hee that shall leade you into all truth Iohn 16. 15. If you shall liue accordinge to the fleshe yee shall die but if by the spirit yee shall mortifie the workes of the bodie yee shall liue Rom. 8. 15. 6. Aphorisme The instructers of the godlie are the faithfull ministers of both testaments which ought to shine as burning lightes before other men in faith and life vnblameable I haue set thee as a defence and fortresse in the middest of my people therefore thou maist know and proue their waie Ierem. 6. 27. And Paul speaketh of the Iewes saying And thou belieuest that thou arte a leader of the blinde a light for those which are in darknes an instructer of the vnwise Rom. 2. 19. 7. Aphorisme The workes of the Lord are of two sortes proper or agreeable to his nature improper or not agréeable to his nature yet both of these doe serue to his glorie Esay 28. 21. The workes which are agréeable vnto his nature are these to haue mercie and to doe good The workes which are contrarie to his nature are these to bee angry to accurse c. Psalm 75. 8. God is the iudge hee bringeth downe one and setteth vp another 8. Aphorisme The waie of men is either good which is called the waie of the Lord the waie of the iust the olde waie the waie of faith or euill and it is called the waie of Cain the waie of the vniust the newe waie the waie of vnbeliefe Because GOD knoweth the waie of the iust and the waie of the wicked shall perish Psalm 1. 6. Wilt thou not cease to peruert the straight waies of the Lord Now therefore behold the hande of the Lord shal be against thee Act. 14. 20. Nowe therefore stand vpon the waies and see and inquire after the old waie which is the good waie walke in the same and you shall finde rest for your soule And they saide wee will not walke Ierem. 6. 16. Of Apollos it is saide that hee was informed in the waie of the Lord* And the doctrine of the Act. 18. 25. gospell is called a waie * because it intreateth of Act. 19. 23. him who did trulie testifie of him-selfe saying I am the waie the truth and the life 9. Aphorisme Forasmuch as God after his manner is the author of the good thinges and also of the euill which befall vs wee must iudge aright of the same Who is hee therefore which hath said and it hath bene and the Lord hath not commaunded Ier. Lam. 3. 37. it Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good Hee speaketh of the euill of punishment Their table is made vnto then a snare The euill are neuer in good case and that thorough their owne faulte on the contrary the good are neuer in bad case thorough the méere mercie of God For to the euill euen good things are turned to euill and to the good euen euill thinges are turned to good 10. Aphorisme Isaiah comprehendeth in these wordes the thinges which are to bee done and the thinges which are to bee left vndone Cease of from doing euill learne to do good Esay 1. 16. It is reported that Iustus Ionas the younger did recite this verse immediatelie before his death Quid iuuat innumeros scire atque euoluere casus Si fugienda facis facienda fugis What profit doo'st thou reape by this to knowe full manie a thing And straunge euents to call to minde what profit doth it bring If things from which thou shouldest flie thou doe with might and maine And frō those things which thou sholdst do thou willinglie abstaine Where-vnto Nicolas Hemingius doth answere Et iuuat innumeros scire atque euoluere casus Si facienda facis fugienda fugis Great profit maist thou reape by this to know full many a thing And straunge euentes to call to minde commoditie doth bring If those thinges which thou shouldest doe thou doe with might and maine And frō those things which thou shouldst flie thou willingly abstayne Hereunto appertayneth that precept of Dauid Come my children and hearken vnto mee and I will teach you the feare of the Lorde What man is hee which will liue and see good dayes Keepe thy tongue from euil and thy lippes from speaking guyle Flye from euill and doe good seeke peace and ensue it Psal 34. 12. 13. c. 12. Lect. Decemb. 2. 11. Aph. Neither must wée looke onely into the fable of the life spent but wée must also marke the conclusion thereof For oftentimes the greater part of the lyfe of the wicked is like a pleasaunt comedie and the life of the godly is like a dolefull tragedy Yet the last end of the wicked is woful the end of the godly ioyfull Vntill I went into the Sanctuarie of the Lorde and vnderstood the last end Psal 73. 17. 18. of these men Truely thou haste set them in slipperie places thou makest them to fall headlong into desolation * This is the portion of the vngodly but concerning the godly the same Psalmist saith Marke the perfecte man and beholde the right man because the last ende of such a man is peace All these Psal 37. 37. thinges are set foorth in the parable of Lazarus and the glutton Luk. 16. 12. Aph. They which neglect this beholding and consideration of their owne life and care more for their owne thinges then for God and the things which are Gods are by the iust iudgement of God giuen vp into a reprobate minde so that to their great shame and reproch they doe these Rom. 1. 28. thinges which are not comely Verse 6. Yee shall sowe much and bring in little ye shall eate and not be satisfied ye shall drinke and not bee drunken yee shall cloath your selues and not bee made warme hee that shall hyre out himselfe for wages shall hyre out him selfe for wages which shall bee as if it fell into a broken backe Héere let vs marke the transposition of the tense For he vseth the verbes of the future tense as if they were of the Preterperfectense or Present tense first that hee may reuoke the minds of the Iewes vnto the consideration of y◠things actions and euils which are past and present Secondly that they may thereby gather what they must looke for vnlesse they repent and at length giue vnto God the thinges which are due vnto him These are
did iudge our selues wee shoulde not bee punished But when wee are punished wee are instructed of the Lorde least wee should bee condemned with the worlde ◠Cor. 11. 31. 32 Mi. But GOD doth grieuously punishe you in that hée hath shut the heauens that they may not moisten the earth with dewe neither yet water the same with raine and in that hee hath shut the earth that shee may not yéelde vnto you her increase Ergo. c. 1 In this minor proposition wée will note in order the situation of the holy land and howe the same was watered The lande whereunto yee goe ouer that you maie possesse it is a lande of Mountaines and Valleis thou shalt drinke water of the raine that cōmeth from Deut. 11. 11. heauen 2 Therefore was it a blessinge of GOD whenas the Countrie was watered with raine I will giue raine vnto your lande in his season earlie and late and so shalt thou gather thy Deut. 11. 14. corne and thy wine and thy oyle And I will giue grasse in thy fielde for thy cattle thou shalt eate and bee satisfied 3 On the contrarie the with-holdinge of raine was a testimonie of Gods curse God is angrie with the Idolaters so that he shutteth Deut. 11. 17. the heauens that there maie bee no raine that the earth maie not yeelde her encrease And the heauens which are ouer thy head shal be of brasse the earth which is vnder thee of Iron The Lord shall giue vnto thy lande for raine dust and ashes * c. Deut. 28. 23. Therefore it is certaine that the Iewes are brought vnto the féeling of the wrath of GOD and called to repentaunce by those punishments which were laide vppon them for breakinge the lawe neglecting the building of the Temple 1 Of the historicall sermons of the Prophets and Apostles 1 The historycall Sermons dooe plainely declare not onely what the Lord saith but also what hée doth 2 Hée sheweth in the wordes of the lawe that all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and in the ioyfull message of the gospell hee professeth that the faithfull are iustified fréely for Christ his sake Rom. 3. Rom. 3. 3 And as at all times hee setteth foorth his mercie toward the penitent so hee declareth his iustice towarde the stubburne and stiffnecked which will not repent 4 Therefore as Christ said to the disciples of Iohn Goe yee and shewe vnto Iohn what Mat. 11. thinges you heare and see so let vs heare and sée what God dooth 5 Let vs remember that it is our part and duety to séeke the Lord that wee may finde him euen by groping séeing that hée is not farre from euery one of vs. Act. 17. 27. 6 Therefore men are often-times that diligently to be put in minde of the deliueraunce of the Church which was in the west part of the worlde out of the captiuity of Babylon of the regeneration of the Church being striken in yéeres of the restoring of the light of the gospell of our conuersion and of the cōuersion of many moe that they may giue them-selues to marke the workes of God to extoll the same and to thanke God for his vnspeakeable benefits 2. Of the causes attending vpon the execution of Gods iudgement 1 All the whole nature of things serueth for Gods purpose and for the execution of his iudgements 2 This may wée see by the ready ministerie and obedience of the Elements 3 At Gods becke the heauen and earth are set open that men may enioy Gods blessinge 4 At his cōmaundement the riches of heauen and earth are shut vp so that vnthankfull disobedient persons can-not obtaine the same 5 And most certaine is that which the Apostle saith the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it selfe but because of him which hath subdued it 6 And although the agréement of the heauen and earth be wonderfull in preseruing of the life of liuing creatures yet is the same compelled to serue both the blessing of God also his curse 7 Therefore séeing that God doth vouchsafe to prosper the order of nature that he may blesse the obedient and againe séeing he doth restraine the force of the nature of things that he may send a curse vpon the disobedient euen the very experience of this most frée action ought to stirre vp and nourish in our mindes the hatred of sinne loue of righteousnes 19. Lect. 15. Decemb. Verse 11. And I haue called a drought vppon this land and vppon the Mountaines and vppon Wheate and vppon Wine and vppon Oyle and vpon all things which the earth bringeth forth and vppon men and vppon beastes vppon all the labour of mens handes THis verse contayneth the exposition of the verse going before and also the proofe of the minor proposition of the last Syllogisme This is the summe of the induction which the prophet vseth God hath brought a drought vpon the earth the Mountaines Wheate Wine Oyle vppon Man and Beaste and finallie vpon the workes of your hands And the like iudgment is executed vpon all other thinges Wherefore it is certaine that you are subiect to that curse whereof mention is made Deut. 28. 16. Thou shalt bee accursed in the towne and in the fielde Cursed shall thy basket bee and thy store Cursed shall be the fruite of thy wombe and the fruite of thy land the first begotten of thy oxen and of the flockes of thy Sheepe Cursed shalt thou bee when thou goest out and when thou commest in In these west countries wee had in the last Spring frost and colde in the verie Easter holydaies Before haruest and in the Séede-time cōtinuall raine This yeere did God shut the heauens that wee were quite past all hope to reape any store of fruite Whence wée doe gather that GOD doth punishe vs in like sorte as hee did the Iewes in times past and that hée doth shut the heauen and the earth ¶ Questions and answeares Qu. VVhat thinges are to bee noted in this induction which the prophet vseth An. The order and state of things For to th' ende the prophet may declare according to the comminations of the lawe that there is nothing which is not now accursed for the sinnes of the Iewishe people hee beginneth at those thinges which are as the heauen and earth which giue vnto vs lodging secondly he commeth vnto the fruites of these things which are and doe liue declaringe that the drought hath hurt the corne the wyne and the oyle and other the fruites of the earth and the trées thence he procéedeth vnto those things which are liue haue senses and whilest that by Synecdoche hée maketh mention of beasts he vnderstandeth all other liuing creatures which liue vpon th' earth in the water and which flie in the ayre Fourthlie he induceth him who hath also reason vnderstanding and for whose sake the creatures which are of lower degree are created namelie man
But my after wit hath made mee thinke that I had better dispose mine arguments thus yet so that it may bée no whit preiudiciall to the iudgement of other men 5 Argument being drawen from the type of the calling of the Gentiles The calling of the Gentiles being nigh at hand it was méete for the true Israelites with great ioy to finish the holy woorke and to builde the Temple which was a certaine figure of that vnion A reason For there is nothing wherein the true Israelites or faithfull take greater pleasure then in the enlarging of Christes kingdome and in the gathering together of the saints and in the veritie of the earthly Temple made with hands as being a certayne type and figure whereof it is said Being built vpon the foundation of the prophets and apostles Iesus Christ him-selfe being the head corner-stone In whom the whole building being fitly coupled together groweth vp to bee an holy Temple vnto the Lord. In whom yee also meaning the faithfull Gentiles and by name the Ephesians are builded together that you may bee an habitation for God through the spirit Eph. 2. 20. 21. 22. And certaine it is that the Gentiles were to bée called shortly after vnto the estate of the saintes in the light The reason is drawen from Gods purpose I will mooue all nations The meaninge thereof is this All nations shal be mooued when God shal be reuealed in the fleshe iustified in the spirit séene of Angels preached to the Gentiles and belieued on in the worlde and receiued vp into glorie 1. Tim. 4. 16. In this minor proposition wee will note these pointes of doctrine 1 There is nothing which doth more mooue and stirre vp the mindes of men then the preaching of the celestiall doctrine All men saith Aristotle are naturally desirous to knowe But séeing that as the same Metah 1. Aristotle saith one knowledge is better then another either because it is more certaine or Top. 8. because it is of a better thinge it is with-out all doubt that the doctrine which is not of men but from heauen is to be preferred before all other kindes of doctrines both séeing that it is most certaine and is also occupied about a most certaine matter And the more accompt wee make of this doctrine so much the more are wee mooued and stirred vp there-with And Aristotle saith well that although all knowledges bee Meta. 5. noble yet is the diuine knowledge more noble because the subiect thereof is more noble But I will cease to speake of these thinges 2 For-asmuch as the preaching of the gospel which came from heauen as it doth appéere came about the time of reformation it shooke all these both by abrogatinge the discipline of the lawe and the sacrifices and also by calling the Gentiles vnto the light of faith and grace Paul in these woordes sheweth why it was néedefull that the administration of the lawe should bee taken away Christ is our peace which hath made both one the stop of the wall of seperation hath he taken away hauing abrogated through his flesh the hatred that is lawe of commaundementes which did consist in ordinaunces that of these two hee might make one new man in him-selfe making peace Eph. 2. 14. 15. The Apostle his meaninge is this that the ceremoniall worship whereby the Iewes and the Gentiles were seperated being taken away by Christ they should make one mysticall bodye of Christes Church whose head is Christ Iesus himselfe 3 The meaning of the vniuersall woord is the same which our Apostle taught Rom. 3. 29. 30. Is hee the God only of the Iewes and not also of the Gentiles yes euen of the Gētiles also For there is one God that shall iustifie the circumcision of faith and the vncircumcision through faith And againe the woordes of Peter bee these Act. 10. 34. 35. In truth I finde that God is no accepter of persons but that in euery nation euery man is acceptable to him which feareth him worketh righteousnes Nowe doe I conclude the Iewes must néedes goe forward stoutly and couragiously in the worke of the Lord being incouraged with the expectation of these thinges and euen for this cause must they builde the temple because it should be a figure of the coupling together of the faithfull and of that most holy building of the Church of the faithfull whereof there is a most excellent picture extant Isai 54 11. 12. The poore woman being tossed with tempest hath receiued no comfort beholde I will lay thy stones in Carbuncles I will lay thy foundation in the Saphyres Behold I will make thy windowes of pearle and thy gates of the stones of Carbuncle and all thy borders of pleasaunt stones 13. And all thy children shal be taught of the Lord and hee shall multiplie the peace of thy children 14. In righteousnes shalt thou bee grounded thou shalt be farre from oppression 37. Lect. April 11. THe proofe of the minor proposition doth followe in this assumption And the desire of all the Gentiles shall come that is the Messias which hath bene longe and much looked for of all the Gentiles It is certaine that the Gentiles shall then bee more vehemently shaken and that all those which are predestinate vnto eternall life shal be called out of darknes into light and vnto the fellowship of the true Church when-as the Messias shall come But hee shall come ere it be longe for the time which was before appointed for the incarnation of the woorde is at hand Therefore it is with-out all doubt that the vniting and gathering together of the Gentiles vnto the true Israelites is also at hand 1 Of these things will wee speake in order First what wée ought to thinke according to the scriptures of the comming of the Messias and of his presence in the Church and absence from vs. 2 Secondly why the Messias is called the desire 3 Thirdly why hee is called the desire of all the Gentiles séeing the Gentiles were not so well persuaded concerning the incarnation of the Woorde as were the Iewes 1 Certaine distinctions concerning the comming of the Messias and of his presence in the Church and absence from the same 1 Christ is one way present with all creatures and an other way with his Church Hée is present with all creatures substantially essentiallie presentlie mightelie if you respect the Woorde who séeing hee is by nature God he is infinite and from euerlasting Therefore hée is incomprehensible both in respect of time and also of place 2 Hée is hée hath bene and will bee present with his Church alwayes and in al places according to these sayings Hebr. 13. 8. Iesus Christ is yester-day and too-day and is the same for euer That is euen from the beginninge of the Worlde hath our Lorde Iesus Mat. 28. 28. bene the Mediator betwene God men * Behold I am with you alwayes 1. Cor. 10. 4. For they all drunke of the spirituall rocke
vnstable as of things made with haÌ„ds that Heb. 12. 27. the things which are stable may remaine By vnstable thinges hee meaneth the Tabernacle made with hands the whole Leuiticall administration which was to bee abrogated Theod. Beza thinketh that the heauen and earth are taken allegorically so that the shakinge of the heauens doth signifie that both the Idolatrie of the Gentiles and also the Ceremonies of the Iewes should be abrogated and by the shaking of the earth is ment the renewinge of the men which are called to bee partakers of the estate of the saintes in the light The proposition is this When Christ shall begin to raigne then shall all the worship of the Leuiticall sacrifice also the superstition of the Gentiles be abolished and the empires and kingdomes of the worlde shall come to an ende Here-by it appeereth that all things which are made are vn-stable and that only the kingedome of Christ can-not be abolished by shaking Heb. 12. 20. Mat. 6. 33. therefore must wee choose the same alone and séeke it before all thinges Aphorismes concerning the shaking of the heauen and the earth 1 It is God alone who is able to shake the reasonable creatures and others 2 This shaking hath two endes the remoouing of things which are made with hands and the confirmation of things which are stable 3 The remoouinge may bee gathered not only by the for-bidding of the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but also by the abrogating of the ceremonies of the law which ought to haue serued for the instruction of the infancie of the Church of Israell as exercises of discipline 4 The confirmation appéereth by the stability of the kingdome of Christ and of the reasonable worship 5 Therefore this remoouing serueth to the calling of the Gentiles and the reiecting of thosâ— which were no true Israclites 6 The ende of this remoouing is the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God a new heauen say 66. 22. â—o 8. 20. 21. 22. and a new earth and the deliuerance of the creatures from the bondage of corruption For it is méete that all thinges serue to the euerlastinge kingdome of Christ 56. Lect. 29. Iune 1580. Verse 23. And I will ouerthrowe the throne of kingdomes and I will destroy the strength of the kingdomes of the Gentiles and I will ouerthrow the charyots those that ride in theÌ„ and the horses they that ride on them shall come downe euery man with the sworde of his fellowe THere is the like saying Dan. 2. 44. 45. Furthermore in the daies of these kinges shall the God of heauen set vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed and this kingdome shall not bee giuen to an-other people but it shall breake destroy all these kingdomes it shall stand for-euer Like-as thou sawest a stone cut of from the mountaine which was not cut of with hands did breake in pieces the yron brasse clay siluer and golde c. The causes of the endes of the kingdomes of the worlde Further-more it is certaine that the chiefest empires of this worlde haue their endes that only the kingdome of Iesus Christ is perpetual according to yâ— saying He shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for-euer of his kingdome there shal be no ende Luke 1. 33. 1 The principall efficient cause is God for 1 Why it is as hee is the author of ciuill and priuate good order so by his mighty arme hee bringeth mighty things to passe he scattereth abroade the proude in the imagination of their hearts he plucketh the mighty out of their thrones setteth vp the Luk. 1. 51. 52. humble And againe God chaungeth the times and seasons hee taketh away kings setteth vp kings he giueth wisedome to the wise and Dan. 2. 21. vnder-standing to those which vnder-stand 2 The helpers are the authors of tumults warres amongst men as it is said in this place Euery man shal be slaine with the sword of his companion Here-of haue wee an example Iud. 9. 23. And God sent an euill spirit betwene Abimalech and the men of Shechem and the men of Shechem brake their promise made to Abimalech Ob. Are not then will some man say the men blamelesse which are the authors of ciuill warres tumults amongst men séeing they are the instruments of Gods wrath and vengeance An. I answere that they are blame worthy séeing that they doo these thinges not for any desire they haue to execute Gods iudgments but that they may obey their blinde affections Ob. But thou wilt say séeing they worke together with GOD who worketh alwaies that which is good they doo that which is good and therefore are they blamelesse An. I answere God doth alwaies that which is good but these corrupt instruments doo offend séeing that God who is the best and most wise doth one thing in one and the same worke and the world and the bond-slaues thereof an-other 3 For-asmuch as ciuill discipline consisteth 3 The meane first vpon order and glorie secondlie vpon ayde against the vniust when these thinges are taken away then must the state of the commonwealthe néedes fall to the grounde Therefore if at any time it séeme good to God to ouerthrow and alter the estates of common-wealthes hee powreth out first of all contempt of princes and he maketh them wander in yâ— wildernes wherein there is no way And this is to ouerthrow the Psalm 107. 40. thrones of kingdomes to take from the princes their authoritie and grace where-of it is said in Diodorus The dignity of princes is preserued by fauour and good-will and by the hatred of their subiects are their thrones ouerthrowen After that hée taketh away their force by taking from their armies their strength where-of it is said I will destroy the strength of the kingdomes of the heathen and I will ouerthrow the charyots and those that ride in them and the horses with their rider shall come downe Thus did the Lord spoile Darius the last Monarche of the Persians of his kingdome strength ayde of armies and of life being thrise ouer-come in battell by Alexander 4 The finall causes are first the remoouing 4 The finall causes of the kingdomes things of this world whereof it is said The fashion of this world passeth away Secondly the punishment of the resisting of God whereof mention is made Psal 2. Thirdly the euerlasting glory of the kingdome of Christ For although Christ doth raigne in the middest of his enimies whilest the Church is yet militaunt yet must Satan with all his beetroden vnder his féete Ob. Hee which shall deliuer vp his kingdome to an-other shall not raigne for-euer but Christ shall deliuer vp his kingdome to God euen the father when hée hath put downe all rule all authority all powre c. Therefore the kingdome of Christ shall not continue for-euer An. I answere vnto the minor where-in there is an equiuocation in the woord kingdome
shalt decrée they shall be established as instruments which are lawfully sealed by an other metaphor did Isayas the prophet signifie the same authoritie speaking of the chusing of Eliachim into yâ— place of Sobna Isay â—2 22. And I will put the key of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder and he shall open and ther shall be none which shall shut and hee shall shut and there shall be none that shall open If you will knowe any thing which is worthie the knowing concerning the force of gold-ringes read the first chapter of the thrée and thirty booke of Plinie his naturall historie Let it be sufficient for vs to learne by this place that we must be subiect to the magistrate We knowe the verses of Philemon All seruants subiect are to Kinges Kinges downe before the Gods must fall The Gods to fate are subiect eke Small thinges to great are also thrall But we as we doo acknowledge and in spirit worship one God who is Lord ouer all thinges so doe we acknowledge him to be most free and not subiect to any Stoicall fate The efficient cause 2. The Lorde himselfe will extoll vnto great dignitie his seruant Zerubabell The Position As God doth punish proud princes with rebuke shame so doth he also crowne the humble with glorie and honour Psal 107. 4. Hee powreth contempt vpon princes and maketh them to wander in the wildernes wherin there is no way Psal 84. 12. For the Lord God is the sunne and shield vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightlie Although this be but a short verse yet doth it containe fiue benefites which are sent by God First the gift of vnderstanding wherewith the sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus doth illuminate our mindes according to that saying I am the light of the worlde he that followeth me walketh not in darkenes but he shall haue the light of life Ioh. 8. 12. The second is Gods protection in the middest of dauÌ„gers Because thou Lorde shalt blesse the iust thou shalt compasse him about with good wil as with a shielde Psal 5. 13. The Lord is my shield and the horne of my saluation and my lifter vp The thirde is authoritie which the prophet calleth glorie The fourth is grace or the good will and fauour of the subiects towards their superiors The fift all manner of good things aswell priuatiue as positiue as some doe terme them The internall cause is the chusing to the office yâ— The internall cause of a ciuill magistrate I haue chosen thee sayth the Lorde In like sorte it is saide of the chusing vnto the office of the Apostleship Haue not I chosen you twelue yet one of you is a deuill Ioh. 6. 70. By this place we learne that we ought not to take vpon vs any function vnlesse God do those vs thereunto according to that saying A man can receiue nothing vnlesse it bee giuen him from heauen Ioh. 3. 27. And we must iudge of the calling by the gifts which are requisit necessarie for the due executing of the office Of the third thing namely of the veritie of this figure No man doth better expound the veritie of the figure whereof we haue brieflie spoken then Paule the Apostle whose wordes are these 5. Let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus 6 Who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God 7 But he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto man and was founde in shape as a man 8 He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse 9 Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euerie name 10 That at the name of Iesus euerie knee should bowe both of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth 11 And that euerie tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Lorde vnto the glorie of God the father Phil. 2. The similitude is this As God will both marueylouslie defend and also wonderfully exalt in due time his faithfull seruaunt Zerobabell though all the Samaritanes and other his enimies say nay so in time to come shall he extoll vnto great dignitie the Messias when hee hath humbled himselfe being made obedient vnto his father euen vnto the death of the crosse c. We see that the Lorde did not onely put his seruaunt Zerubabell in good hope by one and the same oracle of obtayning ciuill and other good thinges but also he foretelleth that the Messias shal be reuealed and that al the Church shal be enriched with his fulnesse Wee learne that the goodnes and power of God is not to be measured by our weake faith but that we must be certainly perswaded that God is both able and also will if it be for his glorie and our saluation doe more and greater thinges for vs then wee can promise to our selues through the imbecillitie of our faith FINIS LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger dwelling in Paternoster-row at the signe of the Golden Anchor 1586.