iniquity of that land in one day 10 In that day saith the Lord of Hostes shall ye call every man his neighbour vnder the vine and vnder the sigge tree THe Prophet in this Chapter goeth on in comforting the people of God with the assured hope and expectation of the accomplishment of that worke of their begun deliuerie from the captivity of Babylon incouraging them to goe forward in the building of the house of God not looking to nor regarding the outward face and appearance of things how vnlikely soeuer but lifting their eyes to the consideration of h◅ infinite wisedome power and loue who hath promised vnto them this pledge of his favour that his Temple shall bee againe set vp in the middes of them and they shall inioy these same outward ensignes of his blessed presence All which for their sinnes in their banishment and captiuity were vtterly put downe and defaced Among the rest of these things which were in the peoples eyes and occurred to their consideration to discourage them this was not one of the least the present estate condition of the Priesthood which had lost all the former glory and dignity to them it appeared a thing altogether impossible that euer their Priest and Priesthood should recouer the wonted beautie To meet with them in their doubtful cogitation and to raise their hearts with comfort in this same particular There is in the beginning of this chapter a vision concerning Iehoshua their high Priest who althogh he be as in the vision he is represented vile and contemptible partlie in regard of the malice of Sathan that pursueth him partly in regard of his owne pollution and sinnes which are the mater of Sathans assaults and accusations Yet is the Lord him self euen the Messias the great Mediatour and Advocat of his Church broght in pleading for him And in this pleading so prevailing that Sathan gets the foyle and is rebuked Iehoshua is made free and absolued His filthy garments are taken from him a crown for his head and the ornaments besitting the Priesthood are rendred to him In the Chapter conteining this heauenly comfortable vision there are two chiefe and principall points The one is the speech of God in the mouth of his Prophet anent Iehoshua the high Priest And the second is the translation of his speech from Iehoshua the Type to the great high Priest of the House of God IESVS CHRIST Wherein is set down the happy estate and condition of his Church and people vnder him But leauing the first part of the Chapter let vs deale with the last three Verses wherein that which hath beene formerly spoken of the Leviticall Priesthood to be restored in the person of Iehoshua is now declared to haue the accomplishment in the person of Iesvs Christ then to come and now exhibite of whom Iehoshua was the type for the Lord our God would not haue his people abide or rest in the externall shadow of that ministery but that in it they should consider what was figured and looke to IESVS CHRIST who was to come And heerein may be considered 1. That the Maiesty and dignity of that Priesthood before the captivity was very great 2. In the time of the captivity the honour of that Priesthood was laid as it were in the dust and casten to the ground The visioun representing that time brings in Iehoshua cled in filthy garments in a base vile estate 3. After the captivity the Lord as a signe of his mercifull returne to his people he restoreth the Priesthood again And yet neither the glory of Priest nor Temple was thought answerable to that which was of before Heere therefore comes in the peoples consolation to looke in through all these Types to the glory and dignity of the Priesthood of IESVS CHRIST to come with which in dignity and maiesty cannot enter in cōparison the Leviticall Priesthood then standing now abolished 1. The Priest and Priesthood then was glorious in their owne forme of glory and splendor But all the glory which they had was but a shadow And the end of it was to point at the glorious Priesthood of IESVS CHRIST 2. That Priesthood with the glory of it was subiect to alterations and decayes But the Priesthood of IESVS CHRIST remaines vnchangeable and is euerlasting 3. That the people should not rest vpon these shadowes and to comfort them against all mutatiōs whatsoeuer There is no solide nor stedfast way but one looke to IESVS CHRIST In him as the Father hath declared himselfe well pleased So in him only doth the soule of the beleeuer finde sound peace and contentment The Lord our God who typed IESVS CHRIST in the Law and deliuered him in figures to the people in that Leviticall seruice althogh he hath remoued the types And we haue IESVS plainly and simply deliuered to vs in the Word and Sacraments Yet remaines there in his Church some teaching of this kinde and nature wherein by outward we are led vnto inward and by earthly wee are carryed vnto spirituall things And in things concerning this life is shadowed vnto vs things eternall and which concerneth the life that is to come The glory of the Temple of old was great But what was it in comparison of the glory beau ty of the spirituall House of IESVS CHRIST who is fairer then the children of men The glory and Maiesty of the high Priest of old was great but what was it compared with the glory and Maiestie of our high Priest But these types are away What remaines yet and shall remaine in the Church to the end of the World of that kinde of doctrine Euen thus much Hast thou any delight or pleasure in the beautifull shape or frame of this World or any of the Creatures that are therein Should thou rest there No This World and the shape and fashion of it will goe away But thinke that all these things being but shadowes they cannot by many degrees come to the resēblance of that delight these euerlasting pleasures in the life to come for the which as thy soule should earnestly seek so except thou get assurance to be partaker of them it had beene better for thee neuer to haue beene borne The glory and Maiesty of earthly Kings is great yet all their glory followes them but to their graue But O how great is that glory to bee crowned in Heauen to be cloathed with fine white robes hauing palmes in their hands in signe of victory And all this glorious estate is promised to the meanest subiect of the Kingdome of IESVS CHRIST Bread is comfortable to an hungrie body but as the hunger of the body may make thee say to him Lord giue vs this day our daylie bread So knowing the want of thy soule should thou not run with a petition for it to him who hath said I haue hid Manna to giue you
him and that the Lord bringeth him out as a Branch yee may learne that if yee looke to the manner of his springing if ye looke to his outward forme if ye consider the growth and incresse that he tooke if ye consider what he calleth vs to to be ingraft in him that we may be fruitfull in our soule then shall ye easily sea that his kingdome is not of this World Althogh he be the Heire of all and his Father hath said to him Aske of me and I will giue thee the ends and coastes of the earth for thine in heritance yea there is no creature can exeeme it selfe from his subiection Yet the kingdome that he came to administer heere is not earthly but spirituall the manner of administration is not earthly but spirituall the desires that hee would waken in his owne is not of earthly but of spirituall things The reward that he bringeth with him to his owne is not earthly nor of corrupted things but an incorruptible Crown of euerlasting glory which shall neuer fade away Vses to be made heereof are these 1. a foolish and fleshly conceit of the restitution of their earthly kingdomes blinded the eyes of the Iewes and made them mistake the Messias But now the mysterie of the kingdome being so clearely revealed our blindnesse must be farre beyond theirs if we should thinke that Christs comming is to establish an earthly or worldly Monarchie or to giue his seruants ouer Kings earthly and temporal jurisdiction Secondly althogh CHRIST ought to bee followed and waited vpon for bodily provision for the eyes of all things looke to him and it is he who satisfieth them yet that is not the chiefe thing which is to bee sought in him It is true that CHRIST allured many to follow after him by these temporall gifts some he fed and some he healed But the end was that from the earthly they should be led to the heauenly and bee mooued to seeke of him a better thing In the order of the petitions of that perfite forme of Prayer which hee hath giuen vs. Hee knowing that we are earthly yeeldeth as it were this farre vnto vs that the first petition for our selues is for our daylie bread but will not haue vs therewith to be content But remembring hee is a spirituall King seek the blessing of the Kingdome seek spirituall grace to thy soule And so he hath learned thee in the next place to say Lord forgiue me my sinnes Thirdly he being a spirituall King dispensing grace spirituall to his subiects Then comparison being made there is no choice but hee is more worthy to bee followed then any whatsoeuer Moyses was a Prince mighty in deed and in word worthy to be followed for in the following him the people were easily fed they neither tilled nor laboured but were fed with Manna but what was that Our Master CHRIST in his own words will tell you your fathers did eat Manna and they died But he giues vnto vs himselfe the Bread of Life of which who so eateth shall liue for euer Iacob the father of the Patriarches a great Prince So that the woman of Samaria speaking to IESVS CHRIST asketh the question Art thou greater then Iacob what did he he gaue vs this Well yes he is greater for I haue saith he water to giue of which who so drinketh shall not thirst againe Secondly this point would yet be further considered CHRIST the Branch for as heerein is set out the manner of his comming forth growth incresse and perfection So hath this beene also the manner of the beginning spreading and growing of his Kingdome vpon the face of the earth yea and in the hearts and soules of his own Hath he not out of a dry stock and of no appearances raised instruments that of smal beginnings haue brought his kingdome to a mighty growth And how from small beginnings the Evangell which may be called the Chariot of this King carying him to Nations and Countries hath gone thorow is more then evident And in the hearts of his people is not the first beginning of the kingdome of Heauen comparable to one graine of mustard seed but afterward groweth as it were to a great tree so fast rooted that the hand of the Deuill cannot pull it forth againe This is a point serving to these vses First think not that it is a kingdome that can be overturned or overthrown No althogh it were broght in appearance to a very stock yet a branch shall ay bud forth and flourish euen as of old he made the blood of the Martyrs the seed of the Church Secondly nourish in thy heart the small seeds of grace and they were al 's small as the smallest graine of faith of loue water thy heart now and then with the teares of repentance seeke from God the dew of Heauen the former and the latter raine and thou shalt finde thy smal beginnings shall come to a good perfection Thirdly seeing this King is so marvailous a worker that out of a dry stock he can make a flourishing branch to spring Let no greatnes of trouble or tentation make thee euer to despaire of him althogh thy eye can not perceiue by what meanes thy deliverance should come He can make a Whale wait vpon Ionas He can make a bush catch a Ram by the hornes in the day of Abrahams great perplexity He can open Hagars eyes in the wildernesse to see a fountaine of water when she had throwne away the child desparing of his life he that made his Son spring of a dry stock can make that same rock yeeld waters of consolation for thee His power is infinite he is able his wisdome is infinite hee can finde out meanes anow his love is infinite whereby he is exceeding willing to helpe all that seeke vnto him Al 's long as these pillars stand and they stand vnchangeable Let vs neuer giue ouer nor despaire but let vs vphold and vnderprop our faith in holy patience to await the time of Gods comfort and deliverance Fourthly this Branch is become a tree and in this tree we must be ingraft that is by faith we must be imped in him from whom drawing life it is known this way by our flourishing in all sort of Christian vertue Of this flourishing the Apostle Peter maketh mention in his first Epistle 1 chapter 5 verse Wherof it is evident that a Christian respecting all persons and in all estates bee in what condition he will his faith euer flourisheth and bringeth forth some fruit if he looke to God his faith flourisheth and bringeth forth godlines if he looke to himselfe either in prosperity or adversity his faith flourisheth in prosperity bringing forth temperance and in adversity bringing forth patience If he regard his neighbours they are either such as are more neerely conjoyned to him being of the same family of faith and
the voice of the world nor of any thing that is in the world that will bring quietnes It is the voice of IESVS CHRIST come from Edom with his red garments dyed in his Blood that quieteth the heart saying peace be vnto thee And no rest to a disquieted soule till she come to take vp this voice and say I know it is the voice of my beloued The great end of Christs comming in the world was to deliuer men from feare and put them to rest Before this peace come to a man where can hee turne him or what way can hee looke but he hath cause of great feare If he looke vp he hath cause of great feare is not God his enemy Is it not a fearefull thing to fall in his hands who is a consuming fire The man that is not in Christ and partaker of this peace how dare he looke to God If he looke below hath he not matter of feare for hell enlargeth it selfe and openeth the mouth wide If he looke behinde him hath he not matter of feare for then is the multitude of his by-past sinnes following him like an armie If he looke before him hath hee not matter of feare for O how fearefull is death to a man that is not reconciled with God If he looke to the creatures either aboue or beneath what hath he but matter of feare for how can they be in friendship with him who is not in friendship with their GOD and Creator But a man comming to Iesus Christ and by a true faith ingraft in him as a branch in the stock He hath peace within that passeth vnderstanding When he looketh to God in Christ he is his Father and so he is at peace with him his Father to whom he may safely trust commit himselfe to whom in his end and at his death he may say Father into thy hands I commit my spirit When he looketh to hell it troubleth not his peace because there is registrat in his soule this sentence infallible There is no condemnation to me that am in Iesus Christ. When he looketh to his sins they may appeare as Pharaohs hoste to follow him but they shal neuer overtake him The Lord hath drowned them in the bottomlesse depth of his mercie When he looketh to death death troubleth not his peace death can no◅sting him death can not take his peace from him But by death shall he come to a more full possession of his peace if he looke to the Angels they are his guard if he looke to the inferiour creatures they are his seruants and in league and covenant with him And so as it is said heere of the subiects of a peaceable worldly Kingdome Euery man shall call his neighbour vnder his Vine and vnder the Fig-tree so that man that is a subiect of the spirituall Kingdome of Iesus Christ he may say I will lay me downe quietly and rest in peace for thou art my Lord and my God thou hast reconciled me to thy Father Since thou art with me I feare not the world the flesh sinne nor the deuill Now for as much as all men are such louers of externall peace that rather or men dwell vnder a King and in a Kingdome where there is daylie found bellicous instruments the trumpet and the drumme the thundering of the canon the pitifull cry of them that are put to the edge of the sword they would choose rather with the losse of their commoditie to goe and dwell where they may haue peace And many vpon this same respect haue changed their residence Let vs learne this point of wisdome for our soule that we may say rather then we liue vnder the noise of the Law and thunder of the threatnings of it the noise of Gods Iudgement the fearefull cry of our conscience we will rather goe and choose to dwell in this Kingdome and bee subiects of this King where there is such peace and rest Happie is hee that is alreadie a subiect of this Kingdome seek to draw to it for there is no true rest peace nor tranquillity but heere The second thing pointed at heere of the subiects of this Kingdome is their safetie and protection and that is figured by lying vnder the shadow of a tree a vine or a fig-tree As the two former are conioyned The Lord forgiueth sinne vpon which followeth ioy and peace of heart so whom the Lord forgiueth and to whom he giueth peace them he taketh as his owne in his protection so that they rest safely vnder the shadow of his wings These the Prophets conioyneth in his 84 Psalme The Lord is a Sunne and shield to his owne by the one signifying that he is comfort and ioy to his owne and by the other signifying that he is their safety protection all they vpon whom hath shined the beames of the louing countenance of God to whom God hath showne his pleasant face they liue vnder his tuition in security against all dangers and assaults The same two as conioyned are comfortably expressed in the words of the 27. Psal. The Lord is my light and my saluation he hath shined vpon me like a bright Sunne Then followeth his security by reason of this divine protection Whō shall I feare when the wicked euen my enemies come against me they stumbled and fell though an hoste should come against me I will not feare though warre should be raised yet in this will I trust He that dwelleth in the secret of the most high hee shall rest vnder the shaddow of the Almightie And to tell how sure this protection is he bringeth in example of one of the most fearefull dangerous euils that can come to man that is the pestilence And to expresse the terror of it he giueth it many names it is called the fearefull pestilence it is called the snare of the Fowler it is called the feare of the night and the arrow that slieth by day And yet there is promised to the man that trusteth in God safetie and protection in the midst of the rage of the plague From this particular he would draw a generall he that resteth in the secret of the most high he who is a member of this Kingdome of Iesus Christ he dwelleth in safetie he lyeth vnder the shadow of his owne tree free from all sort of euill But this appeareth to bee against common sense and experience for they who haue inward peace haue not alwayes outward quietnes And the dearest children of God haue beene and are subiect to great outward mutations and troubles How standeth this doctrine of their protection and safety from outward euils with their day lie experience in the contrair may not a godlie man die by the sword by famine by pestilence Doth a mans Religion and the feare of God put a man in that assurance that he may say I can not feare the sword famine nor pestilence For answer to